After a very restful night, full of sweet and tender dreams, Jenny started her shift with a happy smile on her face. After everything she'd learned about herself the evening before, she felt much more confident in her role as department head again. The doctor certainly knew how to boost someone's confidence. She still couldn't actually remember any of it, but McCoy had described things so vividly, and in such detail, she almost felt as if she'd actually been there. The way he'd talked about her and her experiences hadn't felt like mere stories, but like something she would actually feel or do.

Obviously, he wasn't exaggerating, when he told me that he knows me well, she thought fondly, the realisation making her feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

But last evening had turned out even better than she'd hoped for in more ways than one. McCoy might not have had hearts in his eyes, but he clearly cared for her and had put a lot of thought and research in how to help her since she'd woken up. And the tenderness in his smile and in his voice, when he'd shared his memories of her, the endless patience with which he'd answered all of her questions, had convinced her that she couldn't have been the reason for his recurring mood swings, after all.

Her colleagues in the linguistic department seemed to sense her shift of mind, too. They'd been incredibly supportive from the day she'd returned to duty after her coma, but today, the atmosphere was buzzing with new energy, as they prepared for the upcoming landing mission.

She didn't know about her people skills, for which McCoy had been praising her last night, but she'd certainly always loved to be and work with people. And the doctor had definitely been right, when he'd told her that she was greatly respected and appreciated by her colleagues.

The best thing about today, however, was that she'd get to spend the evening, or at least part of it, with McCoy again. On official business, of course, but she still couldn't wait to see him again after her shift.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Entering sickbay only minutes after alpha-shift had ended, Jenny couldn't keep the eager grin from her face, hoping the doctor wouldn't attribute her enthusiasm to her desire to be around him, but rather to her looking forward to brushing up on her medical skills.

"The doctor's already waiting for you in his office," Christine greeted her with a nod towards the open door.

"Thanks, Christine!" Jenny replied, hurrying by, then stopped in her tracks, when she saw her friend's knowing smile.

"What?" she laughed, raising a quizzical eyebrow at Chapel.

"Nothing," Christine shook her head, "it's just good to have things back to normal."

When it became clear that the nurse wasn't offering any further explanation, Jenny continued on her way, making a mental note to grill her friend about this some more later.

The doctor, it seemed, had indeed been waiting for her, since he'd already prepared a few medical instruments on his desk, and also put the training dummy, in what looked like a rather painful position, right in the middle of his office floor.

"Hello, Hope," McCoy greeted her with an easy smile, then pointed towards the dummy and grinned, "and right on time, too. Can't wait to get your hands on my poor friend here, can you?"

"He looks quite a mess," Jenny giggled. "Whatever happened to the guy?"

"Well, that's for you to find out, my dear," the doctor chuckled. "I hope you can help him. Let's see, if you've still got it!"

Jenny felt her heart beat faster. What was she supposed to do now? She briefly closed her eyes, unsure where to start. But then, looking back at the dummy, she just let her body take over, her brain following right after, as suddenly every move, every step of the procedure was coming back to her.

She could feel McCoy's watchful eyes on her while she was working away, and it should have made her feel nervous. But, surprisingly, all it did was give her a warm, glowing feeling inside.

When she was done, the dummy safely recuperating on the doctor's couch, Jenny looked expectantly at McCoy, and was rewarded with an appreciative nod and a thumbs-up.

"Your medical knowledge is definitely still there," the doctor smiled. "What you did was way more than your standard first aid training would provide. I'm impressed."

"Thank you!" Jenny beamed, unable to suppress a little victorious squeal, and raising her hand for a high-five. "I remember it all. That's amazing!"

She was just about to drop her hand again, realising that it wasn't really a 23rd century thing to do, when McCoy clapped his hand against hers with a wide grin on his face, the move seeming so natural, as if it were something he did every day.

I've quite obviously taught the crew some old traditions, Jenny thought amusedly.

"Come over here, now, Hope," the doctor beckoned her over to his desk, "look at these instruments and tell me everything you know about them."

It was easy. And to see her delight at finding all the knowledge still there mirrored in McCoy's eyes, made her heart brim over with pride and joy.

"So, if this is still all there in my subconscious, then there's still hope for my other memories, too, right?" Jenny raised hopeful eyes to McCoy's.

"Well, yes! Considering that you remembered all the linguistic stuff, too, it sure is," the doctor smiled encouragingly at her.

"Oh, the 'linguistic stuff' is not that surprising, really. I can rarely tell what information I've acquired during those last two years and what I've already known before, anyway. But this," she waved her hand around the doctor's office, "I really didn't know anything about. Well, apart from the mere basics, of course."

McCoy was beaming at her with such affection as she rambled on, overwhelmed by happiness, that Jenny wanted to throw herself into his arms right there and then.

"And if I remember all this, it's still possible for me to regain my other memories as well, isn't it?" she needed to check one more time.

"Yes, it is," the doctor replied softly, and all of a sudden, Jenny didn't know what to do with all the hopeful joy she was feeling.

How could she have known that her recovering all of her memories didn't mean half as much to her as it did to him?

"Time for another hug?" McCoy suddenly asked, obviously sensing that her emotions were bubbling over.

This time she didn't even wait for him to open his arms for her, and just flung herself at him, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Oh Doctor, I'm going to remember everything, I just know it!" she exclaimed, her voice muffled against his shirt, feeling his chuckles vibrating in his chest, as he closed his arms tightly around her waist.

"I've missed this," McCoy laughed affectionately, clutching her to him, "this … ebullience."

Jenny pulled back again, releasing the doctor and grinning sheepishly. She couldn't make a habit of falling into his arms and just staying there. But even this short hug had felt like a little piece of heaven.

"Sorry Doctor," she apologised, taking two steps back and straightening out her uniform, "I didn't mean to be so forward, but I'm just having such a good day."

McCoy perched on the edge of his desk and crossed his arms in front of his chest, his smiling eyes never leaving her face.

"So you've had a good day today?" he grinned in this adorable way that lit up his whole face and made you wonder how he ever managed to look grumpy at all.

"A very good one," Jenny confirmed. "Thanks to you."

"Me?" he asked, taken aback. "What did I do?"

Jenny couldn't help laughing at the genuine confusion on his face.

"Yes, you," she repeated quietly. "You have no idea how much last evening meant to me. You've helped me so much, and I can't thank you enough for taking the time to tell me all those little details about myself, for restoring my confidence in myself. I feel so much better now, and I'm sure my whole department does, too. Which is really a good thing, given that we're going planetside tomorrow."

McCoy just looked at her, his kind eyes searching her face, but for what, she had no idea.

Just as Jenny was starting to feel a little uncomfortable under his scrutiny, he finally asked, "Nervous about tomorrow?"

Jenny just shrugged. Of course, she was.

"No need to be," he said softly, his voice low and soothing. "You'll do great."

"Was I nervous before my actual first assignment?"

"A little," the doctor smiled, tilting his head to the side and gazing warmly at her.

"I'm glad you're coming, too. I feel safer when you're around," Jenny murmured, immediately hating how immature and insecure she sounded, but McCoy's gaze just softened even more.

"Happy to hear that," he replied, "but you'd be perfectly fine on you own, too."

"Says the man who's constantly kept an eye on me since the moment I woke up," she chuckled, her heart melting, as she thought about how he'd always managed to show up somewhere close by, even after one of his mood swings had had him run off in a hurry shortly before.

"That obvious, huh?" McCoy grinned self-consciously, shaking his head slightly.

"Don't worry," Jenny said quickly, not wanting him to feel bad about caring. "It gives me security, I like it."

Then she suddenly remembered him being a father.

"Have you always been looking out for me?" she asked, wishing she could just reach out and touch him. "I mean, even before?"

McCoy just tilted his head again, which she took as a yes.

"And did I not like it then?"

Jenny was curious now. Surely, she'd have appreciated someone trying to keep her safe?

"Maybe not all the time," the doctor chuckled, looking at her almost lovingly. "You're quite a strong and capable lady. But you know that, of course."

Jenny smiled and shook her head. When had this conversation become so intimate? She suddenly felt as if she knew the doctor. Really knew him. They'd definitely been close before. That's probably what Christine had meant earlier, it suddenly occurred to her.

McCoy really liked her, she could feel it. And come to think about it, he did sometimes act like an overprotective father. The only question was, had she seen him as a father-figure before? Or had she always had this silly crush on him? She might never know, she realised. And she could just as easily have been in love with Chekov or anyone else, and not remember it.

Blasted amnesia!

"Am I different than before?" she suddenly blurted.

McCoy looked at her pensively for a long time, a tender smile on his lips. He had this gift for making people feel special when he talked to them, for showing them they mattered. The way he listened so attentively, carefully thinking about his answers, completely focused on whoever he was talking to, as if there were no place he'd rather be. Jenny had observed this numerous times, both professionally in sickbay and privately in the mess or recreation room. And she certainly enjoyed it, whenever she was being the centre of his attention. Like now.

"Not really," the doctor said after a while. "A little less confident, maybe, since some or your experience is missing. In a way, you're more like the woman you were when you first came aboard the Enterprise. An endearing trace of shyness and insecurity underneath all that strength and sass. But other than that, you're completely the same. Brave, kind and brilliant."

Jenny's heart was threatening to spill over at his words, his approval suddenly seeming the most important thing in the world.

"But you don't have to worry, love," he went on, her heart skipping a beat like every time he called her 'love', even though she knew he was very generous with terms of endearment when talking to patients. "Even if you don't get all of the last two years back, and I still think there's a great chance you will, you'll soon grow to be the person, you were only a few weeks ago, again. And going on that mission tomorrow is a first step."

While Jenny was still processing everything the doctor had just said, he glanced at the chronometer, then put a gentle hand to the small of her back and smilingly steered her towards the door.

"Speaking of which," he grinned, as the doors slid shut behind them, "I think it's time to grab something to eat and then go rest up for tomorrow!"