With Everly as a hostage, Marcus was able to buy himself a bit of extra time. Not enough to come up with a feasible plan, mind you, but he wasn't going down without a fight. They knew that when they boarded the Vengeance to begin with.
Khan's mind whirled with possible scenario's that could happen based upon Marcus' next move. Kirk held a placating hand out, trying to defuse the situation. Spock cared for the girl, and if anything happened to her, he would never forgive himself.
He may not trust her, but she didn't deserve to die.
The knife trembled as it laid across her throat, an unsteady pressure that had her wondering if he was going to kill her or not. She could feel the pounding of his heart from where his arm was wrapped around her, keeping her restrained. Sweat beaded at his temple, but Marcus continued to back up until they were at the control panel for the bridge door.
"Do you really want to do this, Marcus?" Everly murmured.
He struggled while inputting the code with only one hand, barely offering her a glare. With each step backwards, Khan advanced. He matched them step for step, stalking them down the corridor. There wasn't an ounce of hesitation.
As he approached, Marcus stumbled back a step, almost tripping her in the process. Khan terrified him. He was a predator; a protector. Those he regarded as his own, he protected with a fierce and ferocious devotion. A massacre was left in the wake of those who dared to harm the ones he claimed, which was why Marcus had woken him up to begin with, but it didn't turn out the way he wanted.
She didn't know it, but Everly belonged to him the moment Khan laid eyes on her.
He was the reason Marcus was so interested in the girl to begin with. Anything that held Khan's attention was something to be coveted. He needed a leash–foolishly–Marcus thought the girl could tame him. He tried to get her on his side, but she rebuffed him. If she had never gained access to their world, everything would've been different.
Everly watched as Khan's eyes narrowed, looking for the slightest bit of an opening. Marcus wasn't going to give him one, but she was fine. She didn't need him to save her; she could take care of herself. Even if it made her heart melt just knowing that he wanted to.
She tightened her grip on her wand, taking a deep breath.
Marcus had to die, she realized.
He was never going to stop until he got what he wanted, and there was always going to be people out there who thought he was right. No prison was going to be strong enough to keep him locked up. It was too big of a risk. They had all the evidence they needed to convict him; he wasn't needed anymore. She didn't condone killing, but Marcus was an evil that needed to be culled.
One man's death could save thousands. Was that really something she could pass up? If she let him go, and he killed, that blood would be on her hands. Could she live with that?
Everly centered herself, calling her magic into her core. She pulled, pushed, shoved, and molded it into a spherical shape within her. It writhed and lashed out, not used to being caged.
Just a moment. She comforted.
Once it was settled where she wanted it, she pushed it through her into Marcus. It sunk beneath his skin, taking affect so quickly that it could've given her whiplash.
One second she was being held up with a knife to her throat, the next, she was thrown away from him as his body lashed out. A light shone through his eyes, the magic burning him from the inside out. Every vein in his body could be seen through his skin, painting his limbs in webs of black. Steam rose from his skin, blistering as his temperature continued to climb. He screamed his pain for the world to hear, and all Everly could do was stand there and stare.
Can you kill a monster without becoming one?
Marcus wasn't the first person she had killed in this new world of hers, but he was human. She couldn't explain why, but it was different.
If she had been home, what she had just done would have gotten her sentenced to be executed. Just because those law's don't apply here, does that mean what she did wasn't wrong? Or was it worse, because she knew the law's and did it anyway?
A magical transfusion was strictly to be used on another magical being. It was a transfer of magic from one being to the other, like Muggles could do with blood. Just like a blood transfusion, there were people you could transfuse, and people you couldn't. Muggles could not accept magic into their system. It burned them up from the inside out, killing them in a few minutes.
It was an agonizing death. One she had just caused.
She startled as Khan wrapped an arm around her shoulders, herding her back onto the bridge. They left Marcus' body where it fell, shriveled up into a burned husk. Kirk had hailed the Enterprise, already started on getting everyone beamed aboard the Vengeance. It was the only way they were going to make it back to Earth within the week.
Mechanically, Everly summoned the evidence they had collected from the pocket dimension she had stored it in. Kirk was going to need it to be able to be a reliable witness when the trial came. It would also keep them both out of the brig, which is what she was aiming for. If she spent another night without Khan close by, she might go crazy.
He was the only other person she had had contact with for the past couple years. They may not have started out on the best of terms, but they had bonded over everything, thus far.
"Khan, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but those people you put in the torpedoes? They're waking up." Jim's voice broke her out of her revere as he addressed Khan.
Khan's countenance brightened, his posture relaxing, "If you'd allow, Captain, I'd like to see to them, myself." He stated.
Jim nodded, "Go right ahead. They're all being beamed to Medbay, so if you have any trouble, just ask Bones for help. I'll go over everything, and get in contact with StarFleet to get your trial taken care of."
Just like that, he left her there. In the middle of the bridge. Alone.
The consequences of the last few hours came crashing down around her. She shoved the evidence they had collected into Kirk's hands and practically sprinted from the bridge.
She ran down the hallways, making her way to Medbay as quickly as she could. Khan couldn't have just forgotten her, could he? His people were waking up, did that mean he was leaving? Was he done with her?
Everly stopped at the doors to Medbay, taking a deep breath to calm her heavy breathing. The doors swooshed open as she entered, her eyes scanning the surrounding deck. There were people racing back and forth, it was a buzz of excitement as they worked on the Augments.
She couldn't see Khan.
Walking through the circus, she looked left and right, standing on her toes to try and see over people. Finally, she caught a glimpse of ebony hair before it disappeared into a room. Ignoring the trepidation within her, she followed him. As the door opened to allow her in, her heart fell through her stomach and onto the floor. A gasp escaped her lips, and she turned tail and ran.
She ran and ran until her lungs burned and her legs threatened to give way beneath her. She collapsed onto the floor of a lower observation deck. The doors closed behind her, but she didn't bother asking the ship to lock them. She wrapped her hands around her knees and cried.
Khan rushed into Medbay, his mind a rush of thoughts that he could barely keep track of. His people were alive. They were safe. He'd finally get to see his family again. They could live.
As soon as he stepped through the doors, he approached the one known as Dr. McCoy, "Where's the one waking up?"
He growled, "Over in room two. Her vitals are stable, and she seems to be coming out of cryo very well. We're just waiting for her to wake up." He turned back to whatever he was working on, and Khan took that as a dismissal.
He rushed to Room 2, smiling as the door opened and he made eye contact with one of his best Lieutenants. "It's nice to see you again, Katya."
She grinned, "From ze look ov things, we got a lot to catch up on, huh?" Her Russian accent was still as thick as it ever was, making it difficult to understand her if one didn't know her.
Khan nodded, "You'll never guess what year it is," He teased.
Had it not been for Everly, he might of never been able to do this again. Hear the voices of people he loved. Tease them. Touch them. He owed her a lot; he wasn't sure he'd ever be able to repay her.
"Khan? Are you alright?" Katya inquired.
Her green eyes lit up as he gave her all his attention, once more. In the back of his mind, he knew this was a dangerous game. Katya had always been attracted to him, but he didn't feel the same. All of the Augments were like family to him, and he didn't sleep with family. No matter how pretty they were, and Katya was very pretty. But, it was the kind of pretty one would compare to a snake. Beautiful, but deadly. 'Handle With Care' was a phrase that came to mind when he thought of her.
"How are you feeling?" He asked, helping her to stand as she tested her motor skills.
She flexed her hands a couple times as he grasped her elbows, bracing her. "I'm a little disoriented, but that's to be expected. Has anyone else woken up?"
He shook his head, "Just you."
She tilted her head up, her emeralds staring straight into his ocean blue. She felt so many conflicting emotions at once, but one thing was crystal clear. Shifting onto her toes, she reached up and kissed him. It was something she had dreamed about for years, but her dreams always ended differently. For one, instead of standing as still as a statue, he actually responded. When real life didn't compare, she reeled back, a light blush to her cheeks.
"I'm sorry, Khan, I just–"
"Shh," He interrupted, "It's okay. I understand. I don't return your affection, Katya. I never have. If I ever made you feel like I did–"
She sucked in a breath, "No! You never–I–Khan–Nyet. I've always known you never cared for me in zat way, but I had to, ya know?"
Bones barged into the room, interrupting their conversation, "Another one is up, asking for you, Khan."
He nodded, helping Katya settle back onto the biobed before he started helping the rest of his family. It was going to be a long night.
It took him a little over an hour before he found her, huddled on the floor of the lowest observation deck. Her tears had dried up, but grief emanated off her body in waves that he could feel without even touching her. But, he'd been in tune to her emotions since the first touch she had graced him with. It was no wonder that he could feel her.
She didn't react as he approached her; didn't acknowledge that he was even there. Had she been injured? He couldn't see anything, but something must have happened for her to be this distressed.
He settled down beside her, barely an inch of space between them. "I, personally, do not understand the merit of allowing one's distress to become so great that they cry for all to see, but my mother has informed me, numerous times, that sometimes crying is all one can do. If you need to cry, then know that I shall be here. If you want to talk, I will still be here."
"...And if I'd like to sit in silence?" She whispered, voice hoarse from sobbing.
He stared at her, "Then I will sit here in the silence, too."
She breathed out, "I need a hug, Spock."
She knew it was wrong to ask of him, Vulcan's didn't do touch. All she was doing was making him uncomfortable, she knew that, but she wasn't lying. She needed a hug almost as badly as she needed air to breathe, in that moment.
Surprisingly, he opened his arms to her. She buried her face against his chest, uncaring if anyone came upon them. Everly squeezed her eyes shut, which only sent tears cascading down her cheeks as she held onto Spock like a lifeline. She hated crying. It gave her a massive headache, and made her eyes swollen and sticky for hours. She melted into him. He didn't complain she was crying on him or push her away with a derisive 'females'. Spock held her. He cradled her as if she was a treasure. He was warm and safe. His heart beat steady as she sagged against him, lulling her into a state of calm she hadn't been able to reach by herself.
She never wanted to leave.