Elle was released from sickbay four days later, on strict instructions not to overwork her right side or lift anything over ten pounds.
She had a second breakfast of milkshake. Halfway through her shake, her door chimed. "Come in," Elle called.
Spock, Captain Kirk, and Christine Chapel entered.
Elle took in their somber expressions and stood. "What's going on?" she asked. "Did I, am I in trouble?"
"No, no you're not in trouble," the captain assured her, and he was being very captainly right now. "Mr. Spock has some findings for you."
Elle turned to look at Spock. "Did you find a way to get me home?" she asked eagerly.
He stiffened. "I discovered the quantum signature you spoke of, which resonates at the cellular level. I compared your quantum signature to various of the crew, as well as those of several diplomatic parties. Your quantum signature matches ours."
She gaped at him. "But it can't! I mean, I'm not from your past. There was no World War Three, or Eugenics Wars, or-how is that possible?"
Spock fixed his eyes on her. They were dark and quietly sympathetic, the kind of eyes the doctors had when they told Elle's father that Grandpa George had died. "Upon closer examination I discovered two instances in which your quantum signature fluxed. Once when you appeared in Cargo Bay Two as an extra lifesign, and once after you were injured, upon reaching a state of critical blood loss. Dr. McCoy and I subjected a tissue sample from your surgery to extreme conditions and it vanished instead of decaying. As you arrived on the ship showing signs of recuperating from severe carbon monoxide poisoning, when you were admitted to sickbay a deep tissue scan was run. Your quantum signature was already synced to this universe, Elle." He stepped back.
Elle stared at him, brown wrinkled, a horrible, heavy feeling curling in her gut. "What, what does that mean?"
Kirk spoke up. "That means, Elle, we don't have a way to get you back to your universe. I'm truly sorry."
His hazel eyes were too sympathetic. Elle glanced at Nurse Chapel, at Spock, saw the same expressions, and started to panic. "No, but, you said that, that the, the tissue sample disappeared, right? So just, just do the same thing to me!"
"We could not guarantee you would reappear in your home universe," Spock said gently.
"But there's a chance, right?"
"Considering the number of possible alternate universes, it is incalculable."
Elle's eyes burned hot with oncoming tears. "I'd risk it!" she said desperately. "There's still a chance!"
"To do so you would have to essentially die," Spock said, his tone still too gentle. "The risk of you dying before your quantum signature fluctuated is eighty-nine to one."
"I don't care," Elle said, rubbing at her eyes.
"I do," Kirk said. "I will not be responsible for the endangerment, or stars forbid, death, of a child."
The tears won the battle. "But I want to go home," Elle said brokenly. She stared at her heroes, the first dynamic duo she'd ever loved. "I, there has to be a way."
"At the moment, there is not," Spock said quietly, his tone final.
She crumpled to the floor in hot, angry tears, clutching her still-healing injury. "I wanna go home," she sobbed.
Chapel knelt and wrapped her up in a firm, comforting embrace. "It's going to be all right, Elle," she soothed, rubbing her back. "Captain, can you pass me her next dose of pain meds and a cup of juice?"
He hastened to comply.
"Elle, c'mon, deep breaths, deep breaths, sweetheart. There you go," Chapel coaxed.
Elle followed her instructions, trying not to hyperventilate or throw up from combined dread and pain. She pulled herself together enough to swallow the pills with some juice, and let Chapel ease her up to sit on the bed. She leaned into the nurse's side and realized belatedly that Christine was wearing pants with her uniform. Huh. An odd thing to notice, her brain observed. She forced her attention back to the Issue. "What's, going to happen to me now?" she asked slowly. She felt numb.
Kirk sat down next to her and met her gaze. "We've never dealt with someone from another universe," he said. "We'll have to report back to Star Fleet command and by extension, the Federation, for identity papers and means to provide you with care. In the meantime, we're three months away from the nearest port besides Coridan and that's no place for you. So for now, until other arrangements are made, you'll stay on the Enterprise."
Elle nodded. She felt drained. "Okay," she said distantly. "Sounds good." She wiped an idle tear from her cheek. "I'd like to be alone now, please."
The three adults exchanged a glance. "I'd like to stay to make sure your side is okay," Chapel said. "I'll stay out in the living space if you need me, okay?"
"Okay." Elle watched Kirk and Spock depart, and Nurse Chapel moved to the sofa outside. The door closed. She lay down, hugging her pillow, and let herself sob.