Chapter Five
An hour later, Leonard McCoy arrived at Elise's quarters dressed in a simple blue V-neck wrap-around shirt and grey trousers that showed his trim shape as well as his uniform ever did.
When she opened the door, she was dressed in a flowing blouse with a swirling black and green pattern over short-legged black slacks and black slippers. Her dark hair was draped over her shoulder much like the night they'd met.
"You, my dear, are the prettiest being in ten parsecs!" McCoy declared.
She bowed her head in a thank you manner with a smile and a blush. She pointed at him, moving her finger up and down, then fanning herself.
"Aw, shucks, ma'am," he chuckled at her unspoken compliment. "Ready to do some shopping?" he offered his arm to her.
She nodded and took his arm.
As they moved through the corridors to the transporter room, McCoy was pleased to notice the smiles the two of them received.
In the past few days, Elise had come out of her self-imposed isolation for meals and to mingle, recreationally, with the crew from time to time. She'd continued to share her gift of music with them by playing Spock's lyre or other instruments provided by the crew. She even encouraged Uhura to sing as she played, the two of them giving an impromptu mini-concert one night. She'd proven that she had a quiet but quick sense of humor that usually surprised people.
As a result, she'd gone from celebrity to family member for most.
"Ah, Spock!" McCoy smiled as they neared the transporter. "We're on our way to shopping on the Promenade."
"Would you like to come along?" Elise asked, her voice barely audible, so McCoy didn't scold her.
Spock tilted his head in her direction. "While that seems like an appropriate exercise in independence, my duties preclude my participation."
There was something in Spock's eyes that McCoy had seen before and he'd asked his friend about it:
"Feelings?" Spock asked, in response. "Am I 'developing feelings'? Really, Doctor, have you forgotten to whom you're speaking?"
"Oh, don't give me that hooey about Vulcans not feeling emotions!"
Spock interrupted before McCoy could continue. "I find Ms. Jean-Marie to be an intelligent woman who has been mistreated much of her life. I find some…satisfaction, if you will, in her improvement. That is all."
McCoy thought there might be something more, but he let it go. Now, he saw it again, but, again, let it go. "Well," he said. "Your loss."
Elise looked at McCoy reproachfully, then smiled up at Spock again. "You're welcome to join us later, if you'd like."
Spock nodded. "Enjoy your day, Elise," he said.
She nodded back. She and McCoy continued to the transporter room where they beamed down to the Starbase Promenade.
###########
Captain James T. Kirk sat in Commodore Winton's office. "My CMO believes it would be better for her recovery to stay on board the Enterprise. We could take her…"
Winton shook his head. "Don't think I'm not sympathetic, Jim, but there's been an outbreak of Verilean flu on Meles II and the Enterprise is needed to transport the vaccine and additional medical staff."
"Isn't the Constellation in the sector?" Kirk asked.
"Yes, but the Enterprise is actually here now."
The communication station on the Commodore's desk squealed loudly. "Excuse me," Winton said.
"Sir! The Enterprise prisoner Von Cleef escaped! He has a phaser!"
Kirk jumped to his feet.
Winton stood as well. "Go!"
Kirk ran from the Commodore's office in the direction of the Promenade because he knew Elise and McCoy were there. He also knew that Von Cleef had no way of knowing that, but the Promenade would be the fastest way from the brig to the transporter station. He couldn't afford for Von Cleef to come across them on his way.
As he turned the first corner, he saw two members of base security and called them to follow him.
###########
McCoy arranged for each purchase to be sent to the ship as she became more excited about shopping. After the first hour, he'd cleared her to speak and their day became even more relaxed and enjoyable.
"Leonard, look at that dress!" Elise said in awe, indicating an evening gown with an almost holographic shimmer to it. They'd been shopping for several hours by this time.
"It would look breathtaking on you," he smiled down at her. "Want to go ask about it?"
She nodded and they moved to the door of the store.
"Elise!"
Elise and McCoy turned to see Von Cleef approaching them, knocking over tables that were outside a nearby cafe. McCoy saw the phaser in his hand and pushed Elise into the shop and behind a rack, pulling out his communicator to call the ship.
###########
Kirk was halfway to the promenade when his communicator squealed. He flipped it open. "Kirk, here!" he belted, still at a jog.
Sir! The voice of Uhura filtered through the device. I just received a message from Doctor McCoy. He and Elise are trapped in a clothing store near the central escalators with Von Cleef standing outside with a phaser!
Kirk looked at his security escort, who nodded and pointed. "Thank you, Uhura. I'm on my way with base security. Have our forces standing by. Kirk, out!"
###########
"Come out! I know you're in there, Elise! Come out or I swear—"
"I have to go—" she whispered to McCoy.
"No! Do you remember what he did to you the last time?! Security will be here soon…" the doctor's blue eyes were fierce as he looked back out at where Von Cleef was.
She reached over to touch McCoy's cheek, gently turning his face to look at her. "I have to go out," she whispered again. "I have to face him. Or…"
McCoy studied her face. He saw fear in her eyes, but something else: determination. He nodded, then, and stood. He put his arm around her shoulder and began to walk out with her.
"Leonard—" she started.
He looked down at her again with some ferocity. "Don't you think for a second I would allow you to face him alone. It's just not in me, Elise," he said, firmly. Then, more gently, he added. "Please…don't ask me to."
Seeing her own determination reflected back at her as well as something else she couldn't name, she nodded.
"We're coming out, Von Cleef, but you need to put your weapon down!" McCoy called as they approached the door of the shop. "I'm not letting you near her if you have a weapon in your hand!"
They watched Von Cleef put the weapon on the waste receptacle next to where he stood and they emerged from the shop, McCoy holding at an angle that put himself between them.
###########
Kirk arrived at the Promenade with security forces to see Von Cleef put this weapon down, but McCoy and Elise moved into their line of sight, preventing them from firing on Von Cleef.
"What the hell is he doing?!" Kirk whispered.
"Good question, sir," the Starbase security accompanying him responded.
"Move to see if you can get a better line of sight," Kirk instructed. "Lieutenants!" he called out after them as they moved. "If you get a clear shot, do not hesitate."
"Aye, sir!" both men responded as they moved out.
###########
"Elise," Von Cleef called. "Let me talk to you," he pleaded.
"You can say what you need from there, Jordan," she said, moving out of the protection of McCoy's arm, but grasping the doctor's hand instead as she stepped closer, but not past McCoy.
Von Cleef saw this and frowned. "Is this the reason you've left me?"
"Why, you—!" McCoy started, furiously.
Elise touched McCoy's chest with her free hand, then looked at Jordan. "No, Jordan. Doctor McCoy had nothing to do with it."
"C'mon, Elise! You never wanted to leave before you met him!" Von Cleef shouted, angrily.
She stiffened. "You're wrong, Jordan," She kept her voice level and low. "I have wanted to leave for a long time. The officers of the Enterprise just helped me do what I wanted."
Von Cleef shook his head and stepped closer to her with the pleading tone in his voice again. "Don't you understand that I love you?!"
Elise shook her head. "No, Jordan, you don't. You look at me like Hikaru looks at his prized Denobulan roses, like Nyota looks at her favorite musical instrument, like Scotty…," she chuckled. "Well, no," she looked at McCoy. "Can't include Scotty…" She looked back at Von Cleef. "But the others, they don't look at those things with love. They look at them with pride. And that's how you look at me, Jordan. With pride of ownership. Not love."
Jordan's eyebrows furrowed. "How can you say that to me?"
Elise smiled, softly. "Because, in the past couple of weeks, I have seen what it looks like when someone looks at something or someone with love." She looked up at McCoy again and smiled as a hint of color entered her cheeks, then glanced downward.
Surprised, McCoy squeezed her hand in response.
She looked at Von Cleef and continued. "But it has never been that way with us. I know that. I have always known that." She tilted her head and held up her hand to stop his protests. "Oh, Jordan, just leave. You've made your escape. I'll drop the charges and you can go about your life—"
McCoy protested, but she touched his chest again.
"I won't go without you!" Von Cleef protested.
Elise pull herself to her full height and set her jaw. "Well, you certainly won't go with me."
Von Cleef straightened. His eyes moved from Elise to McCoy. "You!" he yelled. "You've turned her against me!"
McCoy turned, then, pulling Elise behind him, taking a step back even as he pointed a long finger at Von Cleef. "You listen here, you lily-livered coward! You've spent years using her as punching bag and you wonder why she doesn't love you?!" he growled. "You're lucky she doesn't hate you! It's because she so good-hearted that she's even talking to you!"
Suddenly, a sound to their left sounded and a pale light enveloped Von Cleef, causing him to crumple to the floor.
Elise gasped and grasped McCoy's shirt as he turned to pull her against him wrapping his free arm around her. "Is he—?"
"Just stunned, my dear," McCoy said, softly, as security ran up to take Von Cleef back into custody.
Kirk arrived. "Bones…"
"We're okay, Jim."
"What were you thinking?! You were behind cover!"
"He wouldn't let me come alone," Elise said, looking at McCoy. "I needed to talk to Jordan."
Kirk's eyebrows rose. He looked from her to McCoy, who shrugged his face, then he smiled. "Yes, I suppose you did."
McCoy looked around, then back down at her. "I don't suppose you want to keep shopping, do you? I'd understand if you want to return to the ship."
Elise took a deep breath, then looked up at him. "I never got the chance to ask about that dress…perhaps we could go back to the ship after?"
McCoy smiled down at her. "Of course, my dear."
"Would you like to join us, Jim?" Elise asked.
Kirk smiled. "I would love to, but I'm afraid I have to finish my meeting with the Commodore. Maybe we can get together for dinner later."
She nodded, then looked up at McCoy, who excused them to the Captain and escorted her back to the shop, keeping his arm around her shoulder as they walked.
"By the way, my dear," McCoy asked as the shopkeeper packed up the dress a while later. "Why did you take Scotty off your list?"
She smiled. "Because Scotty truly loves his engines, don't you think?"
McCoy laughed. "Oh, that's for certain."
###########
James T. Kirk moved into the Italian restaurant on the Promenade of Starbase 11 wearing civilian clothes. He looked around and found McCoy and Elise sitting next to each other at a table for four. He smiled remembering his first meal alone with her, just as Elise waved at him. He waved back and moved toward them.
A young, lovely, blonde past him with a smile and an assessing look.
His eyebrows rose and he grinned back at her, tilting his head in appreciation. Then he continued.
Elise smiled up at him. "Did you want to invite her over?" she asked.
Kirk's eyebrows rose. "I don't even know her," he chuckled.
"Yet," McCoy chuckled.
Kirk sat down, next to her, across from McCoy. "Et tu, Brute?" He looked at Elise. "Is he rubbing off on you?"
She laughed, placing her hand over McCoy's. "There are worse things, aren't there?"
"Spock would disagree."
"Oh, he has!" she put her hand to her chest and laughed, again, looking at McCoy, who tried to not be amused, but Kirk recognized the laughter in the doctor's eyes.
"Here, now," McCoy protested, his Georgia accent becoming more pronounced. "I'm not gonna sit here and be insulted."
Elise smiled at him. "You wouldn't leave alone me with Jim knowing all I've heard over the past couple of weeks…"
"Hey!" Kirk protested. "Now I want to leave!"
Elise smiled and shrugged. "Fine," she laughed. "You both leave and I'll wait for the hordes of eligible, handsome men to run to my side."
Kirk and McCoy looked at each other. In unison, they said. "I'll stay," then enjoyed her peal of laughter.
The restaurant was fashioned after an Old Earth Italian restaurant with dark "woods" in the furniture and walls with red and white checkered tablecloths, dim lighting and actual waitresses who took your order on small PADDs that looked like "paper". When their waitress came with the wine McCoy had selected before Kirk's arrival, she allowed them all a taste to agree on it before filling their glasses and leaving the bottle in the wine bucket that was digitally set for seventeen degrees to maintain the best temperature for the wine to remain in.
Then they perused the menus and discussed the dishes. Elise had been to an Italian restaurant before and was able to tell them about the lighter dishes: chicken and veal in Marsala, Piccata and Francese sauces, for example.
"I've never had marinara or Alfredo sauces - Jordon always said they weren't good for my throat…"
McCoy covered her hand with his, quickly. "Well, why don't you try one of them, now?"
She looked at the menu. "There's a sample plate - lasagna, baked ziti and stuffed manicotti. Lots of cheese!" She smiled, widely.
He chuckled. "Well, I'm gonna try your favorite, the chicken francese. Jim?"
"I'm thinking the chicken parmigiana," Kirk nodded.
"And, then we can all have tastes?" Elise ventured. "Since we're all getting something different?"
"Great idea!" Kirk nodded.
"Sounds good to me!" McCoy smiled from Kirk to Elise.
###########
They had what remained of their entrees packed up to take with them and were sharing a tiramisu when McCoy looked at his best friend and asked. "What did Winton say about the next leg?"
Kirk straightened and put his fork down, his smile melting from his face as he looked at Elise.
"I'm sorry, Elise. We're headed to Meles II. It's in the opposite direction from Sol. But I've spoke to Commodore Winton and he can secure you a transport from here to Sol with stops at Betazed, Risa and Vulcan."
"But Jim! Did you tell him about her treatments?"
Kirk held up his hand. "Yes, Bones. I explained it all, but there's nothing we can do."
Elise put her hand over McCoy's.
He looked at her.
She smiled. "The Enterprise is not a cruise ship, Leonard. I know this. We spoke about it."
He stopped and looked at her. Then he took a deep breath and covered her hand to his other one. "You're right, of course."
She looked at Kirk. "Jim, I know you did your best and I understand completely. We're having a good evening, aren't we?" She looked at from Kirk to McCoy. "Let's not let it ruin our evening, okay?" she smiled.
Kirk looked at McCoy, who nodded, and nodded himself. "Of course."
"So we've eaten, what now, my dear?" McCoy asked.
"I don't know!" She smiled. "This is the first time I've ever been on a Starbase where I wasn't working or had all my time decided for me!"
"There is a lounge on the external Promenade. They play music…" Kirk stopped, then looked at Elise. He leaned to her and touched her hand. "Oh, Elise…"
She smiled. "Just because I can't sing, doesn't mean that I can't enjoy music. Surely you've noticed that! And listen, I have most of my speaking voice back, thanks to Leonard. I'll be singing again in no time. For now," she looked from him to McCoy and back. "Let's go to the lounge. We'll stay up late enough to regret it in the morning."
Kirk and McCoy smiled at her, then at each other.
As they left the restaurant, Jim Kirk held back with his friend for a moment. "Bones, if you want me to, I'll excuse myself soon after—"
"I appreciate that, Jim, but no," McCoy smiled. "She wants you there."
###########
"You mustn't worry, Leonard," Elise said. "You've already sent the instructions for my treatment to the other doctor, haven't you?"
McCoy smiled down at Elise as she took his hands in hers. "Yes. And he's a good doctor. I don't know him personally, but I do know his reputation quite well."
"Then there's nothing to worry about. I'm in good hands."
They stood in her quarters after her most recent treatment session had finished and she was able to speak again. He was getting ready to escort her back to the Starbase where she would meet the captain of her new ship, which was departing today.
"Elise," McCoy said, frowning. "I wanted to ask you about what you said, yesterday, to Von Cleef."
Her eyebrows drew together. "What was it?"
"You said, you've seen what it looks like when someone has love in their eyes."
She blushed prettily, looking at his hand on hers. "Did I misspeak?" she looked up.
He touched her cheek. "I don't want you mistaking your feelings…"
She reached up and place her finger on his lips. "It's not the transference thing that Christine spoke about."
"Christine?"
She blushed and stepped away. "I may have spoken to Christine about you."
He smiled and placed his hands behind his back as he stepped closer to her. "Oh? About what, might I ask?"
"Oh, about, if you might be interested in…me."
"And she said?"
"To make sure that my affection didn't have something to do with the fact that you've helped me so much. She encouraged me to examine my feelings and be sure they weren't a transference from our patient-doctor relationship."
"And you did?" He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him.
"I did," she breathed. "And I don't believe it is."
He touched her cheek with his finger tips. "What has convinced you?"
"Because…" she tilted her head into his touch. "I realized that I found you attractive and endearing that first evening in the garden. You weren't my doctor then, so how could my feelings be transference?"
He brought her chin upward, gently. "I'm glad."
"And you?" She asked, her green eyes searching his.
He smiled. "No," he said, softly. "This isn't transference."
She smiled. "I'm glad. So what I'm seeing—"
McCoy nodded with a smile. His hand went into her hair as he pressed his lips to hers lightly.
Her hands went to his shoulders and she returned his kiss as he pulled her into his arms.
When they pulled apart, he touched her lip with his fingertip. "And now I have to deliver you to another ship and say good-bye."
She smiled and touched his cheek. "But we don't have to say good-bye, Leonard. We can still talk from time to time."
He nodded. "True, but I wish—"
She touched his lip and shook her head. "No. No regrets. I want you to know what a wonderful gift you've given me."
He frowned and straightened. "What gift?"
She looked down. "When I came here, I had never known love. Not really. I know that. Now, I have and I will know it again when I see it - if we can't keep in touch."
He smiled at her. "I would have loved to have shown you more."
She smiled. "When do we have to go to the other ship?"
He looked at the chronometer. "We have four hours."
"Then let's use that time wisely," she took his hands in hers and looked up at him with a smile. "Show me."
He chuckled and pulled her in his arms again.
###########
Elise took Kirk's hand in both of hers in the Transporter Room. "Thank you, Jim, for everything. I shall never forget our friendship."
She looked at Spock, as well, but didn't reach out to him. "Nor ours, Spock. You have both become cherished pieces of my heart. I know we will see each other again."
Jim Kirk smiled at her and covered her hand with his own. "I'll make sure of it, Elise. I wish you all the happiness in the universe."
She smiled at him, then she moved in front of Spock.
"You have packed the meditation stone I gave you."
She nodded. "I have and I thank you again for it, Spock."
He nodded. "I have reached out to my mother, Lady Amanda of Vulcan. She and my father will be expecting you when you arrive there."
Elise smiled. "I will look for them, then." She held up her hand in the Vulcan salute. "Live long and prosper, Spock."
"Peace and long life, Elise Jean-Marie."
She turned then to McCoy who offered his arm and they ascended the transporter.
"Scotty, you take care of this ship, sir. So I can come back and visit," she said from the pad.
"Oh, aye, lass. To be sure."
"Bones, when is departure?"
"Roughly an hour from now, Captain."
"Make sure you don't return until then," Kirk ordered, trying not to smile, but smiling nonetheless.
McCoy looked at Elise. "I won't even think about returning one second before."
Elise reached over an took his hand, smiling.
"Scotty, energize."