A/N: This is it, the final chapter. I'm not convinced that we've seen the last of Lizzie yet though, I've got chapter drafts in the works to continue the story in a second installment, so we'll see how time goes. Thank you to all of you for joining me (particularly if you've made it this far!), I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I did writing it. And thanks to those of you who have left me a review, it means a lot to get to hear from you. And so, all that remains is for you to see the final chapter of this story, albeit not the ending.
32
Okay
Lizzie lay on the rouched covers of the neatly made bed, staring at the ceiling. Sleep was evading her, frustration filling her. She'd been so close to finding peace. She hadn't had a proper nightmare in days, and now she couldn't sleep simply from over thinking.
She leapt up off the bed. Pulling on her uniform. She had hours till her shift, but she wasn't going to sleep anytime soon so she headed down the decks to her lab. She sought distraction.
Finding her office she ripped her blanket out of the draw and pulled a journal off the shelf. Settling into her chair she rested the book on her knees, flicking through to a random page. Finding the start of a new article she began to read, forcing the other thoughts away.
Lizzie was curled comfortably around the large text when the door to her office slid open. Looking up at the unexpected interruption, Lizzie was unsurprised to see McCoy stride into the office and sprawl in the chair in the corner.
"Hello to you too."
"So you gonna tell me what you're up to, or have I got to work it out?" He was taking no prisoners.
"Eh?" She held up the book, "I'm reading."
"No shit. In your office, at night?"
"I seem to recall you doing that plenty?"
Leonard snorted, "Maybe, but that's with actual work. Not this," he gestured to the blanket wrapped around herself.
"Oh. I'm sorry. Did you want one?" She wrenched open the draw and threw one at his face. Hitting him, it fell neatly into his lap. He laughed and Lizzie couldn't help but crack her own smile.
"Better thanks. Now you gonna tell me what happened to make you stay up all night."
"You need to stop being perceptive, Leonard. That was my thing."
He shrugged, "I'm a Doctor, what can I say?"
Lizzie smiled, closing the text in her lap and putting it carefully on the desk.
"Not a lot happened. Lauren said nothing. Then Kirk came and got me," she threw him a suspicious glance, suspecting McCoy already knew exactly what had happened straight from the horse's mouth, "and we...talked? If you can call it that."
"The kid's good at talking," he gave a rich baritone chuckle at her expression. "So?"
"So. I just said that I thought she shouldn't stay on the ship. I just got a feeling, Len. You know it, the feeling."
He did and he took her seriously. He'd had plenty of gut instincts in the past.
"Have you seen her? Lauren, I mean? It's a completely different person. She's trouble, I just feel it."
He listened to her carefully, before answering, "I saw her once, when she came back from the planet. She was sent straight to the brig when she cycled up from the sedative you gave her."
"Did you feel it?"
He deliberated, knowing he'd felt something, beneath the disgust.
"Something, yes."
"Well Kirk doesn't believe me, so it's no matter anyway," she sighed at having accepted the situation.
"And that's what's keeping you up?"
"Not exactly."
Leonard nodded, waiting for her to continue. She moved her gaze from her fingers to his face.
"I may have mentioned the Malivians," she cringed, her eyes closed waiting for him to blow up.
"Okay."
She opened her eyes, "Okay? Just okay?"
He adjusted the blanket on his lap, "Well I wouldn't mind knowing what you actually said, but—"
"You're not annoyed?"
"Darlin' I'm a lot of things, but annoyed at you ain't one of 'em."
She relaxed into his words as his Southern accent glanced through.
"I just asked him if there wasn't something that could be done. Their people are dying. Desperate people lash out."
"His hands are tied, Lizzie, he's a Captain, he doesn't have that kinda sway."
"Maybe not, but I had to try. All those people," Lizzie felt a rush of compassion. "We do what we do to help people, Leonard. I hate knowing they've been abandoned."
"Lizzie, they could have killed you."
McCoy understood how Lizzie felt, he'd felt the same before. But to trade lives? That wasn't on his list of things that were acceptable. Especially when it was Lizzie's.
"He dismissed me anyway, so it's over."
"But it's not, is it?"
They met eyes across the room. The warm hazel open and caring made her comfortable enough to say it aloud.
"Not by a long shot. But things are better. Much better than they were. And everything will be okay."
Lizzie and Maria were on a bench in the corner of the mess hall quietly chatting. They'd come in for lunch as some of the team had arranged to meet up. People came and went as they sat watching the room, from their seats they had a clear view of the door.
Maria leaned into Lizzie, "Look who's coming."
Lizzie didn't really need prompting as she could quite easily see M'Benga accompanied by Mike as they approached the table, with a mildly irritated looking McCoy pinned between them. She could see him muttering away from their position in the corner. As the men steered McCoy towards the girls' table they sat opposite them on the bench forcing McCoy down between them. Although maintaining his grump perfectly, Lizzie could see the glint in his eye when they were sat across from each other.
She smiled to the newcomers in greeting and Maria elbowed her under the table. Lizzie sent her a small glare, trying to hide her smile.
Maria was already picking up the conversation, "So how much did you have to sedate the Doc to get him to come down?"
"As you can see not all that much, given that he's still standing," M'Benga gave his trademark grin.
"Knock it off you two, there's not enough coffee in the world for this," he growled.
"It's only a few of us, it's not even a large group, relax. You ought to enjoy spending time with your team."
"Uhuh, about as much as treating a moron with syphilis."
Lizzie tried not to laugh at his response.
"Not to worry, McCoy, it'll be over soon," Mike still had his sunny disposition.
"Right who's left?" M'Benga asked.
Maria counted off on her hand, "Emily's not coming, but Tessa should be here, Braddock's staying in sickbay which leaves Chris."
"Speak of the Devil," McCoy sounded bitter.
The woman beamed, "Glad you could join us, Doc."
"Yes, I can see that."
Lizzie found the whole interaction incredibly entertaining and beside her Maria was shaking with laughter.
Tessa joined the opposite end, so Lizzie was at the open end of the bench with McCoy sat opposite, locked into place by M'Benga on the end.
Mike called out across the table, "Now we're all here can we eat?"
Laughter filled the room at his impatience, but Lizzie dittoed the idea, at the mention of food her stomach gave a gurgle in agreement. They all went up to get food and they hadn't been sat chatting long before Uhura appeared and sat herself gracefully next to Lizzie.
Pulling herself from the conversation she was having with M'Benga and Maria, Lizzie greeted her. From across the table McCoy eyed Uhura with a scowl, Lizzie threw him her own questioning frown, at which he shrugged and stabbed some carrot rather violently with his fork.
One thing led to another and as Lizzie was listening to Uhura chatting animatedly, Spock sat down next to her and was closely followed by Kirk who placed himself next to M'Benga. Scotty joined and soon it wasn't long before the bench was full and Lizzie found herself stuck right in the middle of it all, feeling rather trapped by the busy table.
It didn't take long for Kirk to kick into the conversation as he exclaimed, "I didn't know you two knew each other!"
Lizzie and Uhura looked at each other, Lizzie merely shrugged while Uhura answered Kirk easily.
"Why would you, Captain? What I do in my spare time isn't your concern."
They all knew it was playful and no one batted an eyelid. Maria leaned slightly closer to Lizzie listening in to their conversation.
"I know all of my crew, Lieutenant. It's my business."
Uhura scoffed, "In that case Captain, perhaps you'd better focus on the rest of your crew."
Kirk smirked and turned to M'Benga and clapped him on the shoulder, "So what's the latest from sickbay, M'Benga?"
The doctor picked up with the Captain straight off and clapped him on the back.
"Well Captain, it's been a tricky few weeks, but I think we've finally cracked it. Here be, in his full glory, our dear leader Doctor McCoy, sitting with his best staff in the mess hall. I told you I would manage it in twelve months and here I give it to you, with just two days to spare."
Kirk began a round of applause and everyone round the table began clapping enthusiastically, bar Spock and McCoy himself. The Doctor looked, it was fair to say, murderous. He clutched his coffee mug and stared into it before rolling his eyes.
"I knew you lot were up to something. M'Benga, you can have gamma for the foreseeable future. And Chris you can be on pre-op," he bent an unimpressed eyebrow at his head nurse as she and Maria giggled into each other's shoulders.
"Not to worry McCoy, I'm already scheduled for a week on gamma," M'Benga beamed at his excellently well timed plan.
"This week isn't gonna be your problem though, M'Benga," the other doctor growled dangerously.
"Cough up Kirk, and Scotty I remember you riding something on it at Christmas," M'Benga beamed at his good fortune.
"Ach, fine Laddie."
Kirk held up his hands in defeat, "I have to give it to you M'Benga, I didn't think it would be possible."
McCoy narrowed his eyes at Kirk, "Watch yourself, kid."
"Yeah okay Bones, let's change the subject," he hollered down the table, "Tessa and Christine, on a scale on one to ten how would you rate the working environment in sickbay?"
"Jim."
"Well...," Tessa started.
"We'd have to say...," Christine continued.
They finished in perfect synchrony, "We'd give it a —"
"Jim, this is why no one invites you to lunch."
The Captain shrugged. "I get plenty of invites."
Uhura laughed, "No. No you don't. You get sympathy, it's not the same."
"You wound me, Uhura."
She pointed her fork at him, "You betcha."
"Will no one defend me? Spock?"
"I believe, Captain, the expression is 'you are on your own'."
Everyone laughed as Kirk crossed his arms swinging backwards on the bench. Everyone went back to chatting, the med team equally animated to those from the bridge, Uhura spoke in hushed tones to Spock and Kirk and Scotty discussed some form of mechanics associated with the ship. Lizzie dropped in and out of the different discussions not highly involved in one or the other, although that of her closer colleagues was far more entertaining.
Lizzie kicked McCoy gently under the table as he glared into his empty cup. He looked up taken by surprise, at his questioning look she tipped her head to the side at the ongoing discussion. He raised an eyebrow in return and began looking on as Lizzie did.
"But you didn't ask me!" The chatter around the table lulled slightly to Maria's high pitched whine.
"Well he didn't need to Mendoles, cos everyone knows you on the entire damn ship," McCoy joined in on the poking match.
Easily pacified Maria sat back down giving a small shrug and smile, "Fair enough."
In the lull of conversation Kirk took his opportunity to strike again, this time framing Lizzie as a target. "So O'Neil, I've been dying to know. Where did you learn to actually rewire a conduit?"
There was a collectively held breath around the table as Kirk approached the subject they'd all been avoiding and trying to forget. Lizzie felt the attention fall completely to her and it was distinctly uncomfortable. She froze, only becoming sensible when McCoy tactfully tapped his boot to hers. It was only when she began to talk that the shared breath was released.
"I took the engineering extension class while I was at the academy. And then not long ago Scotty gave me a refresher course."
McCoy stared, there were a number of surprised glances and Uhura looked between her and Scotty, asking, "When did you both find time for that?"
"Aye. Me an the lass have been getting ta know one another long before yous lot showed up."
"Wait a second," Kirk held out a hand, "How many of you actually know each other?"
They all blinked at the ambiguous question. Lizzie was relieved at the shift of attention.
After a moment Uhura smiled, "That's easy. They all know each other because they work together, I met Maria and Lizzie knows Maria, so I know Lizzie, Lizzie knows Mike so I know Mike, Mike knows M'Benga so the girls know Mike. Everyone knows of you, Spock, Scotty and McCoy as it's practically mandatory."
Maria nodded approvingly as Kirk stared in disbelief, "How did I not know this?"
"Captain, despite the fact that you believe yourself to be possession of the knowledge of all the goings on between the crew, you have proven rather satisfactorily that you, in fact, do not."
He waved Spock away, "That still doesn't explain you two." He nodded at Scotty and Lizzie.
Uhura whispered in her ear, "Sorry, I tried."
Lizzie gave an appreciative smile whispering back, "It's okay, I've heard he's a dog with a bone," before addressing Kirk, "I met Scotty during inspection, and we took it from there."
She left out her night wanderings, not wanting them to be out in the open, despite the fact that most of those sat around the table already knew in some form or another. Apparently the Captain was unaware, although she was sure Spock knew, having bumped into him a number of times.
McCoy backtracked the conversation even further, unable to contain his curiosity. "Wait. You took that course at the Academy, along with everything else? How did you find the time?"
Lizzie raised an eyebrow having relaxed slightly under the influx of attention.
"Seriously McCoy, did you even read my CV before hiring me or did you just pick it up off the pile and hope for the best?"
There was a row of blank faces staring at her.
She looked up and down the rows, "What?"
"The hell is a CV?"
Lizzie looked to Maria for support, but she only shook her head non-plussed at their confusion. Lizzie searched for what they'd use to describe it, just as she grasped hold of explaining the concept to them in her head, Spock supplied an answer.
"A curriculum vitae is a written overview of someone's life's work. It is what you would call a resumé, Doctor."
"Why thank you Spock. And yes, of course I read it." He looked slightly sheepish. "But Spock is the only one that reads those Starfleet things cover to cover. I want to know who I might be working with, and whether they can do their job, not what gold stars they got at the academy."
"Doctor, there was in fact no application."
The confusion around the table doubled at the turn of conversation, Lizzie included.
"What are you on about Spock. I was sifting through them things for days, I think I'd know if I didn't look at any applications."
"What I mean to say is the Lieutenant made no application. That file was sent to you. After I requested it."
Lizzie's jaw practically hit the floor. She knew she hadn't applied for the role and that her transfer had been arranged by Starfleet, but she had never known that she'd been requested, only assumed that she'd been the only one qualified. She felt like she needed to give an explanation as eyes flickered around the table.
"I assumed I was assigned by Starfleet because I finished my previous posting." Nobody said anything. "Do you mean that I was picked out for the role?"
"That is correct. Having placed your personnel file in with the rest I gave him, Doctor McCoy proceeded to pick yours of the others."
Fantastic, she must be the only one aboard who ended up on the Enterprise by accident, without even submitting an application.
Kirk looked surprised, "You never told me, Spock!"
"It seemed unnecessary. Personnel issues are the responsibility of the first officer and the commanding officer who will oversee that crew member, in this instance Doctor McCoy."
"You devious, green blooded son of a—"
"Doctor, once again I find your name calling unnecessary. Particularly as the Lieutenant has been of such value to the ship since her arrival. If anything my 'meddling' has been particularly of benefit to you."
Lizzie blushed. For both the complement and the insinuation that their secret was out.
"Well serendipity and all that," Kirk broke the silence that had descended and encouraged the conversation to build once again.
She looked at McCoy as she sat in surprise as he looked back at her.
"You know darlin', I think that's the most helpful the hobgoblin has ever been to me."
He took her hand across the table, their secret having been exposed anyway. Green looked into Hazel as she took his in her hands, "Me too."
Maria and Christine groaned in exasperation at the couple as they watched them.
"Finally."
"That took forever."
There was laughter up and down the table. She looked into McCoy's smiling eyes and she felt the feeling reflected back. Up and down the table people were grinning.
Lizzie laughed. It felt normal.
