April

Infirmary - Starfleet Hockey Academy

"Jim, are you awake yet?" Jim heard a kind voice say. "I've got a surprise for you."

Jim sighed and opened his eyes, only to find Captain Pike standing beside his bed, "Am I expelled?" he asked in a groggy voice. "I know it's not ideal to have me as a long-term patient and it costs…"

"No, you're not expelled," Captain Pike spoke calmly. "You're caught up on your schoolwork."

Jim sighed sleepily as Captain Pike sat beside his bed, "Um, my feet are tingling," he spoke quietly.

Captain Pike's eyes widened, "I…I felt pins and needles in the middle of the night," Jim said in a quiet voice. "I know Bones has a busy day today and Phlox is teaching students, so I didn't want to bother…"

"You're starting to feel your feet and legs; I'd say that's more important than any classes," Captain Pike spoke in a kind, but firm voice as he pressed the nurse's call button. "The therapy must be working."

Jim nodded, "Hey…anything on what my brother's been doing?" he asked softly. "About the…?"

Suddenly, a calm looking Phlox came into the room, "Ah, Doctor Phlox," Captain Pike spoke calmly.

"Yes, I'm the only one on duty today because exams are happening and most of my staff is busy either proctoring or taking them," Phlox replied cheerfully. "Even Doctor Piper is busy at the hospital."

Captain Pike nodded and gestured to Jim, "Mister Kirk is experiencing sensations in his legs and feet," he explained, knowing Jim wouldn't do it himself. "I was wondering if you could run a few tests."

"Really, I know it's finals week and everyone's busy," Jim spoke anxiously. "I can put up with this."

Phlox gave Jim a look, "I need to test if your mobility is returning," he spoke gently. "All right?"

Jim remained silent as Phlox silently proceeded to poke his feet, "Yeah, I can feel that," he replied.

"Well, you can feel your feet," Phlox spoke calmly. "Now, I need to test your legs a bit."

Jim looked concerned as Phlox moved the blanket and gently lifted his legs, "I…I can feel that too," he replied in an anxious voice. "They…they feel really heavy. Are they supposed to feel heavy?"

"You haven't had use of your legs in a while," Phlox gently reminded him. "I think a little time in the therapy bath should relieve the tingling and make you feel better. Or do you want breakfast first?"

Jim sighed tiredly, "I think the therapy bath would be better on an empty stomach," he replied softly.

Phlox chuckled and smiled as he helped Captain Pike get Jim out of bed, "My feet look weird," Jim said as he looked down at his bare feet. "Should…should I try taking steps now or use the chair?"

"Let the therapy bath loosen your muscles a bit before you try to walk again," Phlox explained as they helped Jim sit in the chair. "If you try to walk when your muscles are tense, you could injure yourself."

Jim nodded and let himself be wheeled to the therapy room, "Captain Pike, if you need to go proctor exams, you can," he spoke in a nervous voice. "I…I know the therapy bath will take a long time…"

"Spock's doing that for me," Captain Pike replied calmly. "I don't mind hanging around."

Jim sighed, but let Captain Pike change him into shorts and sit on a seat in the therapy bathtub, "Wow," he said in a quiet voice, gazing down at his abdomen. "I…I guess Ayel did a number on me."

"You're healing," Captain Pike spoke firmly. "Those bandages are due to come off very soon."

Just then, Phlox came over and filled the tub to just above Jim's knees before adjusting the upper part so that Jim could rest, "It should take about an hour at the lowest setting," he explained in a kind voice.

"Captain Pike, you never answered my question about Sam," Jim said softly as the whirlpool jets in the therapy started to vibrate and course throughout the tub. "I haven't heard from him in a while."

Captain Pike gave Phlox a look and Phlox silently moved away from the therapy tub, "I have heard some less than pleasant things," Captain Pike spoke softly. "There has been talk in the news that Sam used his pull as a Kirk to convince the government to cut all treaties with Romulus and to use nuclear…"

Jim paled, "He's actually promoting genocide?" he asked shakily. "I…I can't…I can't believe he would…"

Captain Pike frowned when Jim's eyes rolled back and he suddenly began to convulse violently in the therapy tub. With Phlox's help, Captain Pike managed to get Jim out of the tub and on to a nearby exam bed as the young man continued to convulse, "Tarsus," Captain Pike said. "That's why Jim's reacting…"

Phlox looked grim as Jim stopped convulsing, "I am aware of Mister Kirk's medical records," he replied, gently getting Jim dried off and back in a gown. "Is that why Mister Reed was sent over to Romulus?"

"He's got managers who can take care of his business and he's also doing the Sulus a favor," Captain Pike replied in a concerned voice. "Doctor Kirk seems to think that what Ayel did to Jim indicates that the Romulans deserve to die as a culture whether or not they are all involved in this longtime war."

Phlox silently put a pillow under Jim's head and covered him with blankets, "Mister Kirk doesn't seem to have sustained injury from the seizure, but I'd like to keep him here for a while," he spoke quietly.

"…'M fine," Jim mumbled without opening his eyes. "I…I just need a minute…"

Captain Pike gently touched Jim's arm, "I want you to rest for a little while, all right?" he spoke gently.

Tears streamed down Jim's face as he gave into sleep and Captain Pike gently cleaned Jim's face with his sleeve, "Dean Archer's set to announce what's going on because travel to Romulus and nearby countries is being restricted from tourism," Captain Pike spoke softly. "There's been an assembly called."

Phlox nodded, "I'll stay with Mister Kirk," he promised quietly. "I'll let you know when he wakes up."

Nodding, Captain Pike mussed Jim's bangs before silently leaving the quiet of the infirmary.


Assembly Hall

"I wonder why we were all suddenly called to the Assembly between final exams?" Nyota asked in a confused voice as she, Spock, Leonard, Pavel, Hikaru, Riley, Christine, Hendorff, Tomlinson, Martine, M'Benga, and several other students took seats in the first few rows. "I was going to help Pavel with…"

Spock raised an eyebrow, "I advised you to wait until your exams were over to visit Mister Kirk because then you could spend more time there," he replied tonelessly. "This assembly will use the spare time."

The small group fell silent as the staff suddenly assembled at the front and Dean Archer stepped up to the podium, "I'm sorry to impose on the time you all have between exams, but something very serious has taken place," he said in a somber voice. "Tourism to Romulus and nearby countries has been put on restriction due to the government's order. Trade and other communications have also been restricted and it may affect travel plans, but the Academy is offering classes over the summer for anyone who doesn't feel safe or who can't go home. Any questions can be directed to my office. Dismissed."

Talking filled the auditorium and Spock looked troubled, but Hikaru swore and stormed out of the assembly hall, prompting the group to chase after him, "If I do have a child, there's a very small chance I'll be able to see them now!" Hikaru snapped, glaring at his friends. "Nobody cares about that and nobody seems to care about what I went through over there! I should have died along with my kid!"

Before anyone could reply, Hikaru threw his bookbag on the ground and bolted off campus as fast as his legs could carry him, "Oh, no," Pavel said anxiously. "He…he has been upset seence he learned about eet and has spent a lot of time cryeeng and vanting to dreenk, but I hawe alvays calmed heem…"

"If there is an issue with a resident in the dormitory, I should be notified so that I may take appropriate actions to ensure that the resident is not a danger to themselves or others," Spock replied, unaware that Dean Archer and Officer Tucker were coming out behind them and had overheard his words.

Dean Archer cleared his throat, "Is there a problem, Mister Spock, Mister Chekov?" he asked softly.

Pavel cringed and looked at the ground and Spock sighed, "Mister Sulu is displaying erratic behavior as a result of your announcement and just ran off campus," Spock explained tonelessly. "It is concerning."

Officer Tucker looked worried, but Pavel kept his head down and quickly speedwalked back to Tucker Hall as fast as he could. Once Pavel was safely inside the dorm, he locked the door and began cleaning up the mess of sake' bottles that were around Hikaru's bed, bottles that he had gone downtown to get simply because online orders were screened by Security. Hikaru had been struggling with his grief ever since the news broke that Sam Kirk was trying to get the government to destroy the Romulan culture.

Sighing, Pavel slipped the sake bottles into the recycling bin and quickly made Hikaru's bed just as a knock sounded at the door, "Mister Chekov?" Spock's voice filled the air. "Please unlock the door."

Pavel didn't reply and sighed when the door was unlocked and opened, allowing Spock, Officer Tucker, and Dean Archer to enter the room, "Pavel, Mister Spock says your roommate is having an issue," Dean Archer spoke in a kind, concerned voice. "When you took off, Spock decided to follow and have us…"

"Heekaru eez not here," Pavel replied in a confused voice. "He vent to go do some shoppeeing."

Spock sniffed the air and frowned as he entered the room, went over to the recycling bin, and pulled out the sake bottles, "Japanese sake?" Officer Tucker asked softly, frowning. "Chekov, you don't drink…"

"Chekov can't drink alcohol due to his kidney transplant," Dean Archer spoke wisely. "Japanese sake is poisonous to Klingons and Chekov's got Klingon blood in him, so he'd be dead if he drank that."

Pavel sighed and looked at the floor, not wanting to share that Hikaru had been having problems lately, "Chekov, what's going on?" Officer Tucker asked, eyeing him calmly. "Who does the sake belong to?"

Seeing that Pavel was reluctant to talk, Dean Archer walked over to him, "Pavel, I know you know more of the story than you are sharing and I know that Captain Pike raised you to be honest since he adopted you from Russia," Dean Archer said in a quiet voice. "If there's a problem, it needs to be addressed."

Pavel nodded, "Heekaru has been hawing problems," he spoke softly. "Seence zat stuff in ze news appeared about Doctor Quirk vanting to keel off ze Romulans. Heekaru's child vould be half…"

Dean Archer nodded, his expression grim, "Security will have to launch a full investigation," he said in a quiet, somber voice. "The room will have to be completely searched for more sake bottles, firstly."

Pavel sighed, crossed his arms, and continued looking at the floor, "I take it you haven't been getting a lot of sleep since this happened," Officer Tucker observed. "Is there someone you could room with?"

"Kirk's going to be released back to his dorm soon because Mister Scott has redesigned it with more space and a new bed to accommodate Kirk's disability, so Chekov can room with Kirk and McCoy for a while because there's a spare bed," Dean Archer spoke calmly. "Will that suit you, Pavel?"

Swallowing hard, Pavel sighed, "I can go to a shelter," he spoke softly. "I do not mind."

"The shelters in San Francisco are rough and not a good place to spend time," Spock spoke tonelessly.

Dean Archer eyed Pavel calmly, "Pavel, why don't you head over to their dorm and get a little rest since I know you're done your exams for the day?" he asked gently. "You can get your things later on."

Nodding, Pavel followed Spock from the room, "Trip, how are you feeling?" Dean Archer asked.

"Do you want me to go downtown and search for Sulu?" Officer Tucker asked quietly.

Dean Archer nodded, "You know the behavior and I'd rather be discreet," he replied softly.

Officer Tucker nodded, sighed, and left the room just as Spock returned, "Mister Chekov is resting and highly emotional," Spock reported softly. "He does not wish to get Mister Sulu into trouble."

"Could you begin looking for more sake bottles?" Dean Archer asked softly. "I'll talk to Chekov."

As Spock began to search the room, Dean Archer went into the hallway and saw Nyota, Riley, Christine, Hendorff, Tomlinson, Martine, M'Benga, and several other students talking quietly in the common room, but all of them had concerned expressions on their faces. Dean Archer cleared his throat.

"Sulu went off campus again, didn't he?" Nyota asked softly as she walked over to him.

Dean Archer frowned, "Pavel tries to cover for him because we all know Sulu's had it hard ever since he was in Romulus," Nyota spoke softly, her expression sad. "When the news came out about Doctor Kirk, Hikaru's been finishing his schoolwork as fast as he can and going off into downtown past curfew."

"So, you've all known a bit about Sulu's frequent drinking?" Dean Archer asked sternly.

Nyota nodded, "Except for Kirk, McCoy, and Spock," she replied softly. "Sulu…he's been through a lot…"

Dean Archer looked concerned and looked at the group, "May I have your attention, please?" he asked in a stern voice. "It's come to my attention that many students have been aware of Mister Sulu's recent erratic behavior and failed to report it. If you have information, please report to my office immediately."

"Are you going to do anything for his kid?" Riley spoke up angrily. "You know genocide is wrong."

Dean Archer frowned, but said nothing, "Riley, the guy went to war against the Romulans to protect the Vulcans from extinction," Hendorff spoke anxiously. "He and Officer Tucker both fought over there and there's been a bit of a treaty between America and Romulus since then and that Doctor Kirk guy…"

"That treaty was dissolved when the Romulans blew up the Vulcan Embassy's arena and killed all those people, dude," Tomlinson spoke up anxiously. "Empress T'Pau did a huge news conference about it."

Martine frowned, "I wonder what Jim thinks about what his brother's doing?" she asked softly.

"Nobody better bother Mister Kirk about what's happening with the Romulans!" Dean Archer snapped, knowing that some would be tempted. "If I hear about any of that going on, the person or persons responsible will face disciplinary action! Focus on your finals and let Mister Kirk focus on his recovery!"

At the mention of disciplinary action, most of the students scattered, but Nyota, Riley, Christine, Hendorff, Tomlinson, Martine, and M'Benga all went to the common area to continue talking.


Infirmary

"…I'm a little tired, but I'm feeling better than I was," Leonard heard a tired voice say as he came into the physical therapy area and saw Jim sitting up on an exam bed while Phlox lingered nearby.

Leonard frowned, "What happened?" he asked worriedly. "When I left last night, you were fine."

"My feet and legs started tingling when I was sleeping, Bones," Jim replied groggily, silently rubbing his face and hair with his hands to try and wake himself up more. "Phlox wanted to run tests and do this therapy bath thingy, but then I heard about what Sam's doing and I sorta had a seizure in the bath…"

Leonard's eyes widened, "If I had known you reacted that violently to news about genocides, I would have kept the information about your brother from you," Phlox spoke firmly. "You scared me."

"I was going to tell you eventually when I figured out how," Leonard admitted sadly. "It's true."

Jim sighed groggily, "Sulu had a meltdown over it and took off, so I decided to come here and check on you," Leonard continued. "You said your feet and legs began to tingle? That might mean you can…"

"Can I try taking a step?" Jim asked groggily. "I promise not to go fast, but I need to try."

Phlox sighed and nodded, "Only if Doctor McCoy and I support you," he replied calmly, but firmly.

Jim nodded, yawned, and let himself be helped up by Leonard and Phlox. He gritted his teeth and cringed as he forced his left leg forward, letting out an anxious gasp of relief as it moved.

"That's good," Leonard spoke in an encouraging voice as he felt sweat pour down Jim's back.

Swallowing hard, Jim forced his right leg forward and sighed as it moved, "Wow," he breathed.

"Okay, you're caked in sweat, so how about we call it a night and do this more in the therapy pool tomorrow?" Leonard suggested in a kind voice. "You should probably eat something and rest."

Jim sighed, "I'm sorry, but living in the hospital sucks," he grunted. "It's been a long time."

"Well, I believe that Mister Scott has been modifying your dormitory if you want to return there," Phlox spoke calmly, a smile on his lips. "However, given your seizure, I'd recommend spending one more night under medical observation and returning to your dorm tomorrow. You, of course, have your freedom…"

Jim yawned, "I just want to go to bed," he spoke quietly. "I guess I can sleep here tonight."

"Well, you need a change of clothes and food before you go back to sleep," Phlox spoke gently.

Jim nodded and let himself be changed into a clean gown, "What has Scotty been doing to the dorm?" he asked as he was helped into the wheelchair. "You said he's been modifying it?"

"With disability friendly furniture and technology to help you be independent," Phlox explained in a kind voice, walking alongside Leonard and Jim as they moved through the infirmary. "It will be helpful."

Jim sighed, "Bones, does your mom know I'm in this chair?" he asked softly. "I…"

"She knows and she wants to come visit after finals," Leonard spoke reassuringly. "What do you want?"

Quickly realizing that they were in the infirmary's small canteen, Jim silently looked over the menu.


Downtown San Francisco

The setting sun made Pavel nervous as he walked through the downtown core wearing clothes that he had borrowed from Leonard's closet to blend in. He had rested for a while and then had decided to slip out of the dorm and go looking for Hikaru himself; he knew how to deal with a drunken mess.

As Pavel approached a green space in the middle of the shops, he saw Hikaru sitting on a bench with a bag in his hand, "Heekaru?" he asked in a quiet, worried voice. "Heekaru, please talk to me."

The scent of Romulan Ale suddenly hit Pavel's nose, "Pasha, I can't let that Kirk idiot keep me from my child," Hikaru slurred, his eyes bloodshot as he looked at Pavel and took another big drink.

"Heekaru, ze dean sent someone to look for you," Pavel spoke softly. "Let's go back to ze campus."

Hikaru belched and took another drink, "Let them come," he slurred. "I need time to myself."

Pavel silently joined Hikaru on the bench, "Ve can go back to ze dorm and I vill help you shower and put you to bed," he spoke softly. "I hawe done eet before and nobody has noticed anyseeing."

"I didn't think anyone in San Francisco sold Romulan Ale, but there's a place down near the docks," Hikaru slurred. "I also found a really cool knife down there, so I bought it to deal with things."

Worried that Hikaru was going to hurt someone, Pavel made a grab for the bottle and Hikaru grabbed him in a headlock, choking him. Swearing in Romulan, Hikaru threw Pavel off the bench hard. Pavel got to his feet, started forward, and was stunned when Hikaru punched him in the face before taking off.

Shaking, Pavel silently moved to the nearby bus stop and hoped he could get back to campus and cleaned up before people realized he was missing. As Pavel waited for the bus, however, he noticed a van coming down the street towards him. The van suddenly came to a stop right in front of him.

"Chekov, what are you doing out here?" Officer Tucker asked as he rolled the passenger window down and frowned when he saw Pavel was roughed up. "What happened to you? Were you in a fight?"

Pavel sighed, "I vas trying to find Heekaru, but he got wiolent and beat me up before he ran away," he replied in a trembling voice, scared and in pain. "He vas dreenkeening Romulan Ale and he's mad…"

"Sulu was drinking Romulan Ale?" Officer Tucker asked in a worried voice. "Chekov, hop in my van."

Grateful for the help, Pavel slowly got into the van and buckled up, "I vas mowed over to Quirk and MeeCoy's dorm by ze dean because he found zat Heekaru vas dreenkeening in ze dorm," he stated.

Officer Tucker silently drove off down the street, "Heekaru had ze sake and he vas newer wiolent, but he vas wiolent today ven he had ze Romulan Ale," Pavel spoke softly. "Vy vas he wiolent today?"

"Sulu was exposed to a heavy amount of Toriadol and it's a dangerous chemical that takes forever to get out of a system, but it may stay in Sulu's system forever because he's Asian," Officer Tucker spoke quietly as he headed back towards campus. "I think mixing Toriadol and Romulan Ale is not good."

Pavel nodded and sighed, "I do not know where he has gone," he spoke quietly. "He has a knife…"

"I need to alert campus security," Officer Tucker said as he reached for his car phone. "Okay?"

Pavel sighed, "You may vant to make sure Jeem is okay," he said. "Heekaru is angry at ze Quirks."


Infirmary - Starfleet Hockey Academy Campus

"I heard that the Academy's dropping it's hockey status," Jim said in a quiet voice as he sat in bed, playing cards with Leonard after they had shared a dinner. "There are rumors about it…"

Leonard sighed, "Can you blame them if they did?" he asked softly. "The Romulans lied about wanting to make peace using hockey and they ended up killing a lot of people, including Spock's mother, over it."

"I'm not even sure if I can stand being in skates anymore," Jim replied softly. "Walking's hard enough."

Leonard gave Jim a look, "Walking will get easier, but your body might not be able to tolerate the rough nature of the sport anymore," he explained gently. "You might be able to get into another sport…"

"I'd actually like to focus on my schooling and maybe see if I can get another office job during the summer so I can make some money," Jim spoke quietly, beginning to feel tired. "I'm getting tired."

Nodding, Leonard gathered the cards up and put them on the bedside table, "Get some sleep, then," he replied patiently. "I've got a little paperwork I can do in here, but then I have to go do night rounds."

Instead of acknowledging him, Jim yawned and drifted into a deep sleep. Leonard silently covered him up, adjusted the bed, and turned off the light above the bed so Jim could sleep comfortably.

Sighing, Leonard grabbed his paperwork off of a nearby table and settled himself on the couch to get his work done. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the sun setting and the sight was comforting.

The door suddenly creaked and Leonard turned his head, frowning when he saw Hikaru come into the room with a bag in one hand and his other hand in his pocket, "Sulu, visiting hours are over," Leonard said in a kind, pleasant voice, frowning when he suddenly noticed that Sulu's eyes were bloodshot.

Having heard Sulu's name, Jim woke and sighed, "Sulu, I'm really tired," he apologized softly.

Instead of replying or leaving, Hikaru pulled a knife from his pocket and launched himself at Jim while slurring Romulan words, "HEY!" Leonard shouted, hitting the alarm. "Sulu, what are you doing?!"

"Where's your brother, Kirk?" Hikaru growled drunkenly as he secured Jim in a headlock.

Jim struggled to get out of the headlock and cringed as he was forced from bed into an upright position, "He's the reason I can't see my kid," Hikaru growled, pointing the tip of the knife at Jim's throat.

Alarms blared through the infirmary as Phlox and several nightshift Personnel came running and were shocked to see the situation unfolding before them, "Tell me where your brother is or I'll kill you and then him," Hikaru growled drunkenly, rage and blood in his eyes. "My child won't die cause of him."

"Is that Romulan Ale I smell?" Phlox asked worriedly. "Toriadol and Romulan Ale are a toxic combination that can make a person go manic and lose complete control. There is still Toriadol in Mister Sulu's…"

Jim's eyes widened and he struggled to get free, but Hikaru held on tight, "Sulu, you're killing him!" Leonard snapped as he got his cell-phone out and dialed the dean. "Uh, Dean Archer…you there?"

"Where's that Romulan hating moron, Doctor Kirk?" Hikaru growled drunkenly. "TELL ME!"

Even though Sam and him weren't speaking at the moment, Jim didn't want to unleash this psychotic version of Sulu on Sam and his young family, so he chose to keep fighting even if it cost him his life.

As Jim began to pass out, Hikaru drew the knife back and Leonard swiftly grabbed hold of Hikaru's hand and pulled it towards him. Swearing, Hikaru released his grip on Jim, prompting Jim to drop to the floor unconscious and barely breathing. Leonard twisted Hikaru's arm behind him and pinned him to the wall.

"What's going on over there?" Dean Archer asked in an alarmed voice, having heard the whole thing.

Phlox and the medical staff rushed into the room, "I believe a chemical reaction triggered mania in Mister Sulu and I will be addressing it immediately," he replied. "Mister Kirk sustained injuries…"

"McCoy, you're crazy," M'Benga said in an awed voice. "Hikaru could have stabbed you."

Hikaru suddenly vomited as two medics checked Jim, "I don't feel good," Hikaru groaned softly.

Leonard released Hikaru and guided him over to Phlox, who guided him out of sight, "Sulu probably won't even remember anything once it wears off," M'Benga spoke anxiously. "Kirk, are you okay?"

Jim groaned, still trying to catch a breath, "I…I'm used to fights," he managed to say weakly.

The other staffers left the room, leaving Leonard and M'Benga to help Jim, "Is Sulu sick cause he had Romulan Ale?" Jim asked as he was helped up off the floor. "I've never seen it make people crazy…"

Since Security would need to process the evidence from the fight, Leonard and M'Benga helped Jim into the hallway and helped him sit in a chair, "Romulan Ale is a very strong alcohol," M'Benga replied.

Jim massaged his throat, "Ugh, I feel like I've been run over," he said in a groggy voice.

Silence filled the hall and Jim looked up just in time to see Security Officer Sanchez and a freaked out looking Giotto standing there, "What happened?" Security Officer Sanchez asked briskly. "Dean Archer called Security and said that he heard a fight over the phone between you and Sulu, Kirk."

Jim, however, didn't speak because he didn't want to snitch on Sulu and be responsible for him getting arrested or expelled. The code of not ratting Academy friends was similar to the code in prison.

"Kirk, what happened?" Security Officer Sanchez asked softly. "You look pretty battered."

Jim sighed, "I'm not going to rat anyone out," he replied softly, wanting nothing more than to rest.

"Jim, this isn't prison," Leonard whispered as he sat down next to Jim. "Nothing bad will happen."

Jim gazed at Leonard, "Sulu could get expelled or arrested," he spoke softly. "I can't talk…"

"That may happen anyway because the infirmary has cameras," Security Officer Sanchez spoke gently.

Jim sighed and folded his arms, "Look, I'm tired and I'd really like to rest," he spoke quietly. "I don't want to talk about this tonight. I'll crawl back to the dorm if it means I can get some actual rest."

"Kirk, why are you being so difficult?" a calmer, but sterner voice suddenly spoke. "Hmm?"

Jim turned and frowned when he saw Dean Archer behind him, "What I heard over the phone wasn't nothing and Chekov said that Sulu's behavior has been concerning," Dean Archer spoke firmly. "He's over at Security with Officer Tucker right now. Chekov and Sulu got in a fight before Sulu came here."

"Sir, please, I had a seizure," Jim spoke groggily. "Over the crap that Sam and that Senator guy…"

Dean Archer frowned, "I was going to go to sleep when Sulu visited," Jim spoke in a tired voice.

"Well, Giotto needs to process the room, so you'll have to sleep somewhere else tonight," Dean Archer spoke in a calm voice. "Phlox is taking care of Sulu right now, so we can get your statement tomorrow…"

Jim sighed, "So he can be expelled or arrested?" he replied groggily. "What if I don't talk?"

"Giotto, go process the room," Security Officer Sanchez ordered. "Kirk, we have the tape…"

Jim scoffed, "Then I'll drop out," he replied in a groggy, but firm voice. "Sulu's not himself."

Dean Archer looked stunned and Leonard looked appalled, "You've got a year left and you're willing to throw it away to protect a guy who beat the crap out of you?" Leonard asked in an angry voice.

Having had enough, Jim shakily put his hands on the bench and pushed himself into a standing position, sighing before he slowly staggered down the hallway clinging to the wall for support. Every step was agony for him, but he was determined to prove that he could make it on his own outside the Academy.

As Jim stopped to rest, he spotted Hikaru lying in a bed restrained and asleep in the trauma room while Phlox silently hooked IV's up to his arms. An oxygen mask was over Hikaru's very pale face.

Jim's legs began to shake and he suddenly felt an arm around his waist, keeping him from falling, "I heard you got use of your legs back," Dean Archer spoke quietly. "Rehab will take time, though."

"I'm serious about quitting school if Sulu's expelled," Jim spoke shakily. "That wasn't him."

Dean Archer silently led Jim away from the window and into a room where supplies and scrubs were kept, "You need something a bit warmer than that gown," he said, helping Jim sit on the bed.

Jim watched as Dean Archer got a pair of light blue scrubs out of the scrub closet, "Toriadol's a very interesting and deadly drug," Dean Archer spoke calmly. "Mixed with other Romulan substances, it can seriously hurt or kill a person. Pavel Chekov said that Sulu was drinking Romulan Ale at a park."

Silence filled the room as Dean Archer silently helped Jim change from the gown into the scrubs, "I'd like you to go back to Tucker Hall tonight," Dean Archer spoke quietly. "McCoy witnessed the fight, so he's being given the night off and sent back too. Tomorrow, I want to talk to both of you at Security."

Too exhausted to argue, Jim sighed, "McCoy should come soon with a wheelchair," Dean Archer said calmly. "Talk."


Tucker Hall

Half an hour later, a tired Leonard silently wheeled Jim into the residence hall and they were surprised to see it completely empty expect for Spock, who was having a cup of tea in the common room while reading, "I was privately notified of your return and I advised everyone to return to their dorms so you could have privacy," Spock spoke, looking up from his book at them. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I was run over," Jim replied groggily. "Spock, I'd love to chat, but I just want to go to bed."

Spock raised an eyebrow, "Mister Chekov is serving as a temporary roommate to both of you at Dean Archer's orders," he explained, returning to his book. "If you require assistance, please alert me."

Leonard nodded and silently wheeled Jim to their dorm, confused when they saw Pavel sitting at a desk doing homework, "Hello," Pavel spoke quietly. "Ze dean vants me to be here for ze time being."

Pavel's eyes widened when he saw Jim's bruises, "Heekaru deed zat?" he asked worriedly.

Jim sighed and forced himself out of the wheelchair, nearly falling as he made his way over to the special looking bed he assumed was his, "Goodnight," he said in a groggy voice. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Leonard watched as Jim managed to throw himself into bed and go right to sleep, "Jeem eez valking," Pavel spoke in a quiet, awed voice, getting up from the desk. "I cannot beliewe he is valkeeing."

"It's not as easy as it looks," Jim spoke in a trembling voice. "Every part of my body hurts."

Leonard hurried over to the bed and adjusted it so that Jim could see the whole room, "Vat about some of ze spice tea zat Spock leaves in the kitchen?" Pavel asked softly. "He allows ozzers to borrow eet."

"I don't want to bother anyone," Jim spoke in a groggy voice. "Maybe sleeping will help…"

Pavel, however, left the room and wandered into the common room, "Meester Spock, may I borrow some of your spice tea?" he asked softly, seeing that Spock was reading. "Eet eez for Jeem."

Before Spock could reply, Captain Pike came into the residence hall looking worried, "Pavel, I was just informed by Officer Tucker that you were assaulted?" Captain Pike asked in a concerned voice.

Spock silently rose and made his way into the kitchen, "I vas out downtown," Pavel spoke softly.

"It's not even nine p.m. and the common room is empty," Captain Pike observed worriedly.

Pavel shrugged and looked at the floor, "…NO!" a voice suddenly screamed. "STOOOOP!"

Noise flooded the residence hall as people came out of their dorms to see what the noise was, but Captain Pike hurried towards it. He saw, to his astonishment, that Jim was thrashing around in bed violently while Leonard stood nearby, looking very afraid to move or even touch Jim.

"…No, Sulu, please!" Jim howled in his sleep as he extended his hands towards his throat.

Alarmed, Captain Pike gently touched Jim's arm and Jim gasped as he woke, "What…?" Jim gasped, his eyes wide as he looked at Captain Pike. "I…I'm not at the infirmary getting beaten to death?"

Captain Pike's eyes went wide, "What?" he asked in a concerned voice. "McCoy, what is…?"

Suddenly, Jim forced himself out of bed and began vomiting on the floor, "Is Kirk insane?" a voice filtered in from the hallway. "Someone call for medical and Security! Kirk's gone crazy…"

"…He has not gone crazy!" Pavel's angry voice suddenly spoke. "Shut up, all of you eediots!"

Leonard silently helped Jim to his feet, "I had a bad dream," Jim spoke shakily. "About…"

Overwhelmed and scared, Jim sat on the edge of the bed and looked at the floor and Captain Pike silently sat beside him while Leonard moved out into the hallway to find help for the mess, "Officer Tucker obviously didn't tell me the whole story," Captain Pike spoke softly. "Did he?"

Jim shook his head and rubbed his face, but quietly began to talk about what happened, "…I told Dean Archer I'd quit school if Sulu was expelled," he finally said softly. "Phlox said something about…"

"Romulan substances?" Captain Pike spoke softly. "Officer Tucker mentioned those."

Jim sighed, "I'm so tired, but I need some help to sleep," he admitted in a soft voice.

Suddenly, quiet crying filtered into the room followed by soft murmuring, "Um, Pavel decided to share a bit and said that Sulu was stressed because he thinks he has a child from that time he spent over in Romulus," Leonard spoke quietly as he came into the dorm. "Everyone's talking in the common area…"

"Doctor McCoy, would you please help Mister Kirk?" Captain Pike spoke calmly. "Excuse me."

As Captain Pike moved through the residence hall, he saw that Nyota was sitting next to a crying Pavel on the couch with an arm around him while Spock, Hendorff, Tomlinson, Christine, and others were clustered on the other couches and chairs. All of them were either crying or looking quite upset.

Deciding to let the students have time to cry over Sulu's struggles, Captain Pike silently made his way to the door and frowned when he saw Officer Tucker there, "Kirk's resting," Captain Pike said quietly.

"Um, Cap'n Archer called a meeting of the old gang," Officer Tucker spoke in a quiet voice. "His house."

Captain Pike's expression darkened, "We've got to deal with this situation because both Pavel and James Kirk were hurt by a student under the influence of Romulan substances," he replied in a hushed voice.

"Sulu's upset over what happened to him and I went through the same thing, or did you forget?" Officer Tucker asked softly, his expression somber. "Dean Archer put a call into Sulu's parents and it's going to take time before it can be dealt with because Phlox said Sulu's not in too good of shape right now."

Captain Pike looked concerned, "Sulu's Asian and Phlox told Cap'n Archer that Sulu's now on a vent because his breathing went bad," Officer Tucker spoke quietly. "Why are all the students crying?"

"Pavel explained what happened with Sulu tonight," Captain Pike spoke softly. "Sulu made it back to the campus infirmary and beat the crap out of Kirk. McCoy's with Kirk now and I'm somewhat angry…"

Officer Tucker sighed, "Anyway, Cap'n's waiting for us at his house," he spoke softly. "Come on."

"When we're done, I'm coming back here to offer grief counseling," Captain Pike replied softly.


Within half an hour, most of the surviving officers from Enterprise Base were gathered in Dean Archer's living room. Phlox had even come over from the infirmary after leaving M'Benga in charge of Sulu.

"We don't often get together anymore, but I felt it was important to gather because I received some news," Dean Archer spoke quietly. "As you know, Reed went over to Romulus because Ambassador Sulu wanted him to see if Hikaru has a child and Reed has kept in touch with the Sulus until now. Reed has made sure to call every 12 hours with an updates, but the Sulus haven't heard from him in two days. They contacted me just a little while ago."

Anxious murmuring filled the room and T'Pol immediately huddled against Officer Tucker for support while Mayweather, Maco, and Phlox all hugged each other. Officer Forrest and Nurse Cutler silently began pouring drinks for everyone while several other officers began to talk in hushed voices.

"Reed could just be in hiding or unable to communicate," Officer Tucker spoke quietly. "Maybe."

T'Pol sighed heavily, "That is likely, as it is difficult to send any sort of communications outside of Romulus even at the best of times," she spoke quietly. "Perhaps Ambassador Sarek would be able to determine the reason for Mister Reed's lack of communication. The Vulcan Embassy has resources that other embassies do not have…"

"I would appreciate you notifying them as soon as this meeting is over," Dean Archer replied quietly. "I don't think anyone needs to share this information with Sulu and his parents agree that it would only harm him to hear it. As it is, Mister Sulu is in serious condition after combining Romulan substances and attacking Chekov and Kirk in a rage. He seems to still have Toriadol in his system from his experience as a prisoner of Nero…"

T'Pol looked concerned, "Mister Kirk was reluctant to share what happened, but McCoy filled me in and Kirk threatened to quit school if I expelled Sulu," Dean Archer spoke quietly. "I don't know what to do."

"Jim Kirk has been strangely silent when his brother has been making the news," Mayweather spoke softly, swallowing hard. "Sam Kirk wants all the Romulans to be killed off because of what they did to George Kirk."

Dean Archer sighed, "And the government's giving him what he wants because he's a Kirk, but I don't believe James agrees with what his brother's trying to do," he replied firmly. "James is quite upset over all of it."

"Mister Kirk is quite the opposite of his family," Captain Pike spoke quietly. "He's determined to help others and he's also one to not quit. His ability to walk is slowly returning and I'm really impressed with his efforts."

Captain Pike then sighed, "He reminds me a bit of what Hoshi was like at the base," he spoke softly. "I miss her."

"Perhaps, Jonathan, you should take time to meditate on the Sulu matter because I see no logic in rushing into a decision," T'Pol spoke quietly, resting her head on her husband's shoulder. "Allow emotions to settle first."

Dean Archer nodded, as he didn't really want to expel Sulu, but he also knew that the incident couldn't go completely ignored either, "Phlox, will you offer a Denobulan prayer for Reed?" he asked in a quiet voice.

Having served as a psychiatrist, chaplain, and doctor for the group during the war, Phlox was comfortable with most duties associated with all of those roles. He had come from the war-torn nation of Denobula, India and had managed to keep his language even despite losing so much and he often had used prayers of his language and religion to offer comfort to his crew during the First Vulcan-Romulan War. That comfort was again needed now.

"I can do that, Captain," Phlox spoke in a reverent voice. "If everyone would please assume prayer stance."

Dean Archer, Captain Pike, T'Pol, Officer Tucker, Officer Forrest, Mayweather, Maco, Hayes, Cutler, and the rest of the former rescue officers present silently folded their arms and closed their eyes as Phlox began to pray in Denobulan.


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