Battle Born
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life longing for itself
They come through you but not from you
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
-Kahlil Gibran
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Chapter Twelve
Dr. Andrea Davis greeted Leonard and Christine when they arrived in Sickbay. "Dr. M'Benga suggested that I keep you in Sickbay for at least twenty-four hours."
"Does he think I'm going to slit my wrists." Leonard scowled. He avoided looking her in the eyes. Knowing that more people knew about his bipolar condition brought the hounds of depression nipping at his soul.
"Not funny, Leonard," Christine snapped. Dr. Davis' sharp looked stopped any more remarks that Christine would have made.
"Dr. McCoy," Alicia said gently. She took hold of Leonard's arm and gently guided him to section adjacent to Sickbay. Here private rooms were for psychotic or quarantined patients. She indicated a biobed in one of the larger rooms. "It's been noted on your chart that you have been diagnosed with bipolar 2. As a doctor you are well aware that depression in bipolar 2 can last up to a week or longer. That kind of depressed state can drain you physically and mentally. We're going to work on getting you out of the dark pit of depression that you've fallen into."
Sighing Leonard got up onto the biobed. He was too tired to fight with anyone. He lay down wondering if he was about to lose his career. Thoughts of how he'd take care of his large family swirled in his tired mind.
"You just made a jest or threat that I have to take seriously." Andrea said. She offered him a soft smile. "Dr. McCoy, you have been through more things than most people would have survived. All the while you were busy taking care of everyone around you. And you acquired a large family." She patted his shoulder. "Why don't you let me take care of you for a while? I'm sure that we can find solutions for the things that worry you."
Leonard sighed. "Call me Leonard. I'm a patient now." He closed his eyes too tired to think about what kind of readings Dr. Davis was seeing on the biobed panel.
Dr, Davis summoned a young nurse. "This is Jorge Stone-Lopez. He's going to be your day companion."
"I've gotten to where I need a nurse maid?" Tears welled up in Leonard's eyes.
"Think of Jorge as a guide back to good functioning days again." Dr. Davis said kindly.
"Just think of me as a guide to a secret spot to go swimming." Jorge's southern accent got Leonard's attention. "You're from Georgia." He opened his eyes studying Jorge's ethnic features.
"Born and raised." Jorge said with a warm smile. "I'm English and Cherokee."
Meanwhile Christine intercepted Dyla. The Klingon woman carried her son Worf on her hip. Jo carried Savanna while holding Hannah's hand. Thass was still too weak to leave Sickbay. She'd watched from her biobed as Leonard had entered Sickbay and been taken to a private room. Worried she tried to get up but a tall brunette nurse stopped her.
"There will be none of that," Nurse Bea West firmly but gently pushed Thass down. "You'll endanger not only yourself but the baby. Doctor said that you need to be on bed rest for another week."
Drawing a breath Thass looked up at Bea. "What has happened to Leonard? He is my husband. He needs to be here for his son." She gently placed her hand over her still flat belly. She had been promised that this gift from the old gods would be a healer of great renown.
Outside in Sickbay Jo frowned at Christine. "Is my dad having trouble with his being bipolar? I know he's been extra irritable lately." Savanna squirmed in her arms. "So has Savanna." Jo said as she bounced Savanna.
"Yes," Christine said. "Maybe it would be a good idea to take Hannah to her class while I talk with your mothers."
"Is daddy going to die?" Hannah looked worried.
"No, honey," Christine said. "He just needs some medicine and rest."
"Daddy, is going to be alright," Jo said. "He's been depressed before. Daddy will have to stay in Sickbay for a couple of days under observation. He'll have medication to take but, soon he'll be okay again."
Hannah looked up at Jo. Her eyes searched Jo's face for any sign of a lie. Finally, she nodded. "Okay."
"Come on, munchkin. Miss Lowe will be happy to see you in class again." Jo smiled. "We can make something special to welcome daddy home after school." Jo led Hannah down the corridor to the turbo lift.
Dyla patted Worf on the back. He let out a big burp. Worf looked up happily at his mother. Dyla patted him gently. "We will discuss this in Thass' room." She said firmly. "Thass is also Leonard's wife."
Something about Dyla's tone put a worry in Christine. She nodded and followed Dyla into Thass' room. Nurse Bea frowned slightly. Christine was head nurse so, Bea kept her objections to herself.
Taking a deep breath Christine explained about bipolar in humans. Both Klingon women listened. When Christine had finished Dyla spoke first. "Leonard is our husband. We know he is physically weaker than both of us. We made vows to protect and take care of him."
Nodding Thass kept a hand over her stomach. "His children need him."
Dyla next dropped a bomb that Christine hadn't expected. "We will be extra protective of Leonard. A communication was sent to Leonard and wives," Dyla said. "I opened it as his first wife. The clan of Hannah want her."
Bea shot a worried look at Thass. Sighing Thass nodded. "In Klingon culture clans have the right to children of their clan. I gave her a Klingon heart." She said proudly. "A mother can only do so much for her children. I was lucky to have her as long as I have."
Meanwhile Leonard kept silent as Dr. Davis gave him a complete physical examination. "You're going to be taking to Dr. Wayne Nelson. He's the new psychiatrist that's been added to the medical team."
Leonard frowned trying to place the doctor. A lot of new crew had been added while he'd been abducted. "I can't place him."
"Well," Andrea said with a slight smile. "You missed the get together for the medical staff. Everyone understood that you were settling in but, you were missed. You know we could throw another one."
Letting out a sigh Leonard said. "I didn't feel up to meeting everyone. My family needed to settle in." He didn't say aloud that now that he was back on the Enterprise the fact that he had two Klingon wives had seemed embarrassing. He looked down not wanting to meet Andrea's eyes. Guilt twisted in his depression.
"You can discuss it with Dr. Nelson." Andrea patted his shoulder. "You're under a seventy-two hour watch. But," she paused. "You can have a visit from one of your wives."
"And Jo." Leonard requested. Worry that Jo would be taken from him again tugged inside of him. He wanted to see his daughter. A little guilty nudge from the back of his mind reminded him that he had two adopted children. He didn't want Dr. Davis to know he was glad of having a break from the two toddlers. Worf was teething, thankfully human looking teeth. Savanna for a Vulcan seemed to be an increasingly fussy child.
Dyla left Worf with two nurses who seemed delighted to hold the chubby baby. Christine had been clear that the stress of being married to two Klingon women might be more than Leonard could handle. "Husband," Dyla began formally. She was prepared to take Worf and go on her own. After all Thass needed Leonard more.
Leonard patted the side of his biobed. "Dyla, don't stand there at the foot of my bed." He managed a smile. "Please, come closer. You're my wife. You shouldn't be afraid to come close to me. I thought Klingons weren't afraid of anything."
Moving up to be close to Leonard Dyla took a deep breath. "Do you still want me as a wife? What about Thass? She isn't strong enough to be on her own."
"We're a family." Leonard took hold of Dyla's hand. A McCoy doesn't abandon family. His grandfather's voice said firmly. "For better or worse," Leonard said. He was a McCoy. Dyla and Thass were his wives. Somehow Leonard managed a smile. "All of us are family. I need you both by my side. I doubt that I would have made it through everything without either you or Thass." His own words seemed to resolve the doubts in his mind. Bless their Klingon hearts Dyla and Thass had been better wives to him than Jocelyn ever had been.
Stand up for your family. Granny McCoy whispered. Straightening his shoulders Leonard reminded himself that he'd picked this row to hoe. "The medical department always has a big dinner to introduce family." He flushed a little guilty. "We missed the first one but, there is going to be another one. I want us all to go as a family."
"Leonard, Hannah's clan wants her." Dyla said bluntly. It was better to bring things out in the open. Strength had formed in Leonard's hazel eyes. No matter what the nurse had said. Leonard was a man. He needed to hear the truth. "Klingons believe that a clan always has rights to children of the clan. Thass is prepared to do right by the clan and give her up."
Startled Leonard paused. He slowly nodded. He'd suspected that Hannah had relatives in the Federation that would want her. "She'll need lots of therapy. She, actually all of us have been through a lot." A guilty thought flashed through his mind. He had to bit his tongue to keep from saying he wished that Sarek would take Savanna.
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Jorge was showing a showered and shaved Leonard how to macrame an hour and a half later when Jo came quietly to the door of Leonard's room. "Hi, daddy." She was holding a small tablet in one hand.
"Baby girl, you're a sight for sore eyes." Leonard smiled. A hot shower and his medication had poked big holes in the dark depression that had hung over him. Christine had been very pleased to hear that he and his family would make the next medical family dinner.
Jo chewed her lower lip in what Leonard recognized was nervousness. "You don't have to hide anything from me, Jo," he said gently. "I'm not going to fall apart even if you have decided that you want to go back living with your mother or go back to some school."
Sucking in a deep breath Jo blurted out, "I want to study to be a pediatric nurse." She held out the tablet. "I took a career preference test before mom and Clay packed me off to boarding school. This finally caught up with me. I've been offered a chance to get into a nursing program by two different schools. My grades are very good."
Leonard accepted the tablet and looked it over. "These are two very prestigious nursing schools." He looked up with a smile. A father's pride surged passed any residual depression. "I'm very proud of you. Are you sure about pediatrics? You know surgical nurses are always in demand."
"Yes, dad," Jo said. "Being around Worf, Savanna and Hannah made me aware of some of the challenges of caring for children." She shrugged smiling. "And maybe it's because of Dyla and Thass. They're strong women." A slight look of embarrassment crossed Jo's face. "I always knew I didn't want to be so-so much like mom. You know, seemingly clingy and needing a 'strong man'."
"Jo, is that why you would climb trees in a dress and punched seven year old Billy Bob in the nose when he tried to kiss you?" Leonard found himself amused.
Ducking her head Jo smiled sheepishly. "Yeah. But, I am a girl and I still like girly things. I've just been pretending I don't." She let out a breath. "I think it's okay to take care of kids. Maybe I might change my mind but, I'd like to try the field and see how it goes."
Leonard held out his arms. "I'm not going to say that I'm not going to miss you." Jo gave him a hug. "Baby girl, I've always heard wise members of our family," he said softly, "That parents need to provide the best way for their children to find their path in the world." He kissed the top of her head. "I'm very proud of you. You're on your way to becoming a good woman."
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Leonard was half way through a dinner with his wives when commotion seemed to be entering Sickbay. "I bet it's something to do with Jim." He worried growled. "Damned infant can't stay out of danger or away from something that he's allergic to."
Dyla got up from the small table where she and Leonard were seated next to Thass' biobed. "I'll check, husband." Even though taking care of Savanna and Worf was draining her Klingon strength, she still felt she was the strongest of the three of them.
Nurse Elaine Fehr who had taken a chair in a corner of the room was on her feet. "Mrs. McCoy, medical personnel can take care of the injured crewman without any interference."
Turning a fierce growl at the nurse Dyla opened the door. "You were still hanging onto your mother's teat while I was using a stick to kill a snake that killed my mother." She went out the door.
Leonard raised an eyebrow.
"Life has never been easy for anyone Klingon." Thass said. She reached over touching Leonard's hand. Turning his hand over Leonard held Thass' hand. A number of emotions swirled through him making any words hard to say.
Out in the main Sickbay Dyla over heard what was going on. "He's having an allergic reaction." Dr. M'Benga spoke in a terse voice. "I've given him a standard dose of a universal antihistamine."
Spock and several crewmen were sliding Jim onto a biobed. "Dr. M'Benga, please allow Dr. McCoy to treat the Captain." Jim's face was swollen red. His eyes were swollen shut. Jim struggled to draw in a breath.
"Dr. McCoy has treated the Captain since their academy days. He is the expert in treating Captain Kirk's allergies."
Hearing enough Dyla turned quickly and called to Leonard. "It is Captain Kirk. He's having an allergic reaction."
Leonard was on his feet. "I'll be back, Thass." He gave her hand a squeeze. She smiled proudly. "Go. Husband." It was her way of saying I love you.
Nurse Fehr tried to stop Leonard but found herself being swung out of the way in a none too gentle fashion. "My husband's duty calls him." Dyla snarled. Leonard found himself smiling as he hurried passed Dyla.
Spock and the crewmen parted letting Leonard see Jim. "Chapel! Get the triple red marked case." To M'Benga he said. "Jim's having an allergic reaction to what ever you gave him."
"I gave the captain a standard universal antihistamine." M'Benga moved out of the way. Green and yellow streaks were racing down from the injection site.
Nurse Chapel slapped a hypodermic from the case into Leonard's hand. "Jim's allergic to the universal antihistamine. You have to use a corticosteroid. This is going to hurt, Jim." He pressed the hypodermic against Jim's neck. Jim's body jerked. Jim waved a swollen hand towards Leonard. Leonard paused only to say, "I've got you, Kid."
"Chapel, we need to intubate him. I need Jim's emergency intravenous medication for allergies STAT! Everyone out of here who's not medical personnel."
This was the Dr. McCoy everyone remembered. The crewmen moved quickly out of Sickbay. "I'd like to stay, Doctor." Spock said.
"Stay, Spock." Leonard didn't look up. "Calm down, Jim. I'm going to do a tracheotomy on you." Dr. M'Benga gently tilted back Jim's head placing a rolled up towel under his neck. Leonard gently ran his hand over Jim's swollen neck. Instinctively Leonard knew he had to act fast or his friend and captain would be brain dead. Chapel brought him a hypodermic filled with an anesthetic Jim wasn't allergic to. Leonard applied it gently but quickly.
M'Benga and two nurses were strapping Jim's flaying swollen body down. "I'm going to do this manually." Leonard said. He picked up a scalpel from a tray that Chapel had ordered. With skilled precision Leonard slit an opening just wide enough to place a tracheotomy tube. An oxygen machine pumped oxygen through the tube into Jim's struggling lungs.
As air reached Jim's air starved lungs his body stopped struggling. Some of his swelling seemed to be going down. "He's still not getting enough air." Leonard growled he held out a hand. "I need the intravenous bag marked with a purple strip."
Chapel slapped it into his outstretched hand. Leonard inserted the intravenous needle quickly. "Hang on, Jim."
Both Doctors Davis and Nelson joined Spock in a corner watching Leonard treating and saving Captain Kirk. "Dr. McCoy needs to be back on duty." Spock said firmly.
Dr. Davis frowned. However, Dr. Wayne Nelson nodded. "On a limited status at first." He said. "And of course if the Captain needs him."
"Commander Spock." A nervous looking young nurse stood at the Sickbay door. "Lt. Uhura wishes to speak to you."
Spock felt the ripple of worry through his bond. He nodded. "Doctors. I will return shortly."
He stepped out of Sickbay to find Nyota holding a whimpering and struggling Savanna. "She's not settling down. I used a tricorder and her brain activity is out of sync." She awkwardly held Savanna over her swollen belly. There seemed to be movement as their baby felt Savanna's distress.
Spock splayed his long fingers touching Savanna's melding points. He inhaled sharply. Savanna quieted as he created a temporary bond with her. She seemed to sigh and settle into Nyota's arms. Even their baby stopped thrashing inside of Nyota. Breaking the touch he turned to Nyota. "It is the doctor's bond with her. She is getting a fed back from his emotions. While Dr. McCoy can raise an earth child," he paused thinking of the bright disarmingly mature Jo. "Raising a Vulcan child is beyond him. I will have to contact my father."
"Leonard will be devastated." Nyota whispered. Worry marred her pretty face. "He already knows he's losing Hannah. Jo talked to me about leaving the Enterprise to attend a prestigious nursing school. Two schools are offering full scholarships into their boarding schools for students interested in nursing. Her grades are very high. She only has three weeks to decide which one to take before the semester starts."
Spock looked back into Sickbay where Dyla stood guard over Dr. McCoy as he treated the Captain. "Perhaps we need to enlist his wives to help him to surrender Savanna to better parents."
TBC
