This chapter's mostly just a filler. Hence it not being very long. Hopefully I'll be able to get out another chapter soon.
Disclaimer: I have many conversations (in my head) with Spock and he assures me that Star Trek does not belong to me despite my trying to convince him otherwise.
The effect of the vaccine was immediate. Hayley watched as patients around her began to take deeper, easier breaths. Olin, who she had stayed beside just in case, was gaining color in his cheeks again, and he wasn't sweating or coughing as much. Soon the doctors gave an all clear to those still wearing the protective gear and they were able to shed the coveralls and masks.
After watching Olin drop off into a much more peaceful sleep than he'd probably gotten in a long time, Hayley wandered off the find Spock or Bones. The latter was busy with a few other doctors, so she settled down next to the Vulcan on a bench pushed to the side of the room. He silently handed her a plastic cup of steaming black coffee, making her smile. Just what she needed. She sighed, sinking down a little in her seat as she relaxed, stress finally rolling off her shoulders. They'd done what they came to do. All they had to do now was find out how the gas had broken out here. But for now she could enjoy the stillness of the moment.
"You have become attached to the child," Spock said slowly, as if still thinking through his words.
Hayley watched him from the corner of her eye but couldn't detect any emotion. For anyone else, that wouldn't be weird. But for her? It was worrisome. "Yes," she answered just as slowly. "I guess I have."
"Do you intend to bring him back to the Enterprise?" he asked abruptly, startling her. Before she could even think of an answer he continued, "He has no family left to care for him."
Finally, she turned her head to look at her dearest friend, "No he doesn't. But," Hayley turned back to stare at her hands wrapped around her coffee cup, "a Starship is hardly a place for a child."
"Many children are raised quite adequately on Starships."
She didn't look up, "On ships like the Enterprise though?" She shook her head, "It would be too dangerous."
A hand gripped her knee and his voice dropped to a whisper, "You wish to take him with us." It wasn't a question.
Hayley forced herself to raise her eyes to his, her resolve melting at the soft brown orbs gazing down to her very soul. Her shoulders slumped ever so slightly, "It doesn't matter what I want, Spock. Yes, I want to be able to take that little boy as my own, but it's not what's best for him. I'm sure they'll find a suitable home for him here on Tartarus."
They stared at each other for a long time, getting caught up in the moment. When he finally spoke again, his voice was low, harsher than normal. It sent a thrill down her spine she really wished she could ignore, "One day, when you are ready, you will be a great mother."
She smiled sadly at him and head-butted his shoulder playfully before turning back to her coffee. When her gaze traveled back to the room at large, she realized they had had an audience. Or, well, Bones. Same thing really. The doctor looked far too smug as he raised an eyebrow at her from across the room. She stuck her tongue out at him like a five year old, immediately feeling foolish but not regretting it as he chuckled and turned away. Whatever worked then. Spock vibrated next to her with a silent chuckle and the hand she hadn't noticed was still on her knee squeezed gently before moving away. Strangely, she missed the warmth and comfort that small platonic touch gave her and she had to physically stop herself from pouting.
They were interrupted by the doors sliding open and Jim leading a small stampede of people hurriedly into the room. Zooey, Mikaela, Winona and Elba were the only ones Hayley immediately recognized, but she could see the red shirts of the other two security personnel they'd brought along in case of emergencies. From the frantic looks on her friends' faces, it was a good thing they had. Kirk hurried over to where they sat, Bones rushing over as well. The group of people caught up just as Hayley and Spock stood, ready to rush into whatever action needed to be done.
"We found where they're hiding," the Captain said before motioning for them to follow.
Hayley dropped her coffee, ignoring the mess as she caught up with Mikaela. She didn't bother asking who "they" were. If the gas was here, "they" could only be one thing. Romulans. A string of curses in English, Vulcan, and her secret language fell from her lips as they ran down the steps of the hospital.
"How?" Bones growled.
"Ask him," Kirk snapped back, coming to a stop beside where Izzy was being watched by two of the local officers. The man was shaking and pale, looking like he was about to faint at any second.
"What's going on?" Hayley asked calmly, not wanting to jump to any conclusions, but her short time on the Titan had made her a little more wary of people.
"Izzy here," Kirk growled out, smacking a heavy hand onto the shaking doctor's shoulder, making the man whimper. "Was found contacting the Romulans. He was telling them all about your miracle cure and how you were saving all the people he helped become sick. Dr. Gray has been carefully selecting closed off neighborhoods to be test areas for the gas."
Hayley's eyes narrowed, "There are at least half a dozen children in there, and Lord only knows how many have already passed. How could you do something like this?"
"I had to!" he suddenly burst out, the shaking abruptly stopping as he glowered at her. "My family is all dead! I have nothing but my job and my life here! If I didn't help them, they were going to kill me!"
"Well I doubt they'll let you live now that we found out about everything," Bones snapped.
Izzy's eyes went wide and he paled worse than before.
"Take him to the Enterprise," Kirk ordered, shoving the man to the two security officers Hayley couldn't remember the names of. "Lock him in the bridge. We'll deal with him later."
Both men nodded, leading Izzy away to the designated teleport area as the others regrouped, deciding what to do next.
"Have you discovered the exact location of the Romulans, Captain?" Spock asked, folding his hands behind his back as he thought.
He shook his head, "Just a general area. Zooey used her computer skills to track the message Gray sent out."
"You're welcome," Zooey grinned, ignoring the pointed looks.
"They're hiding outside the city in the mountains."
"Nothing more specific?" Hayley asked.
"I've downloaded as much info I could from his computer," Zooey said, more seriously now. "I'll be able to get something more specific when we get closer."
"That's a long and dangerous trek for a group of people who don't know the area," Bones muttered, gazing out at the rough distant mountains. "Be easy to get lost in a place like that."
Winona cleared her throat, "I can take you." She paused at the sudden silence as everyone turned to stare at her expectantly. "I mean, I've been in this area a long while now. I've been hiking in those mountains a few times. There are a couple areas that'd be good as a hideout that I know of."
Hayley turned to glance at Jim, wondering how he felt about this, but his face was completely closed off. His usually expressive eyes were flat and dull, giving nothing away. Finally Jim gave a short nod, "Fine." He turned to look down at Hayley, "Do you have any more preventive vaccines left?"
Digging through her bag a moment, she nodded and pulled out the hypo.
He nodded to his mother, "I don't want any accidents."
She nodded in understanding and stepped up to Winona, "This will keep you from getting infected." When Winona tilted her head to the side, Hayley stuck her in the neck with the hypo, watching as the fill line went down until it landed on empty. She nodded once more and stepped away, biting back a chuckle at the disgruntled look on the Commander's face. She looked just like Jim did when Bones had to give him a hypo. Catching the eye of said doctor, Hayley caught an identical look of amusement.
Kirk cleared his throat, "Well, lead the way then, Commander. No time to waste."