Note: I know it's short but I thought it was quite effective. Any comments and suggestions will be appreciated!


Chapter two:

The Doctor ran a tri-corder over the inert form on the bed. He frowned slightly and moved back, nearly colliding with the
large man hovering nervously behind him. He sighed irritably for the umpteenth time that hour.

"Commander may I please remind you that you are in no way helping with the Captain's condition by getting in my way." He
huffed, glaring at Chakotay with all his strength, Chakotay made a mental note to stop the Captain giving the EMH the
infamous 'death stare', it looked as if he was picking up some tips.

"Sorry Doctor." Chakotay apologised half-heartedly as he stared at the small, pale woman who was lying so still. Her chest
rose and fell under the warming blanket covering her. The Doctor moved to scan her again, subtly elbowing Chakotay out of
the way.

"She is going to be ok, isn't she Doctor?" Chakotay barely noticed as he stared at Kathryn with undisguised concern and love
in his eyes. The Doctor stopped and sighed as he saw the worry surrounding Chakotay like a cloud.

"Well she lost a lot of blood, five minutes later and we would have lost her." The Doctor allowed a moments worry and
sadness to show on his face before quickly banishing it in favour of his usual egotism. "Fortunately I managed to stabilise
her, it was difficult but I managed it." He boasted in his usual style. "I would now suggest that you get some rest," He
turned to Chakotay with a stern look in his eyes, stopping whatever protests on his lips. "You will be of no use to Captain
Janeway if you collapse from lack of sleep, I'll inform you when she wakes up."

Chakotay hesitated for a moment before reluctantly nodding, the EMH did have a point, he shot one last look at the bed
before turning and despondently trudging off. The Doctor shook his head as he turned back to his Captain, he would never
understand those two and their 'friendship' or whatever they were calling it these days.

Chakotay walked in a daze back towards his quarters, so much had happened in the last twenty four hours he was completely
washed out. Being trapped in the dark with your Captain only to have her confess her undying love was certainly unusual if
not unwelcome. The crew had finally rescued them, seemingly hours later. Kathryn had been lying unconscious in his arms and
he was covered in her blood with tears running down his face, it would make some interesting reports. Chakotay sighed and
resolved to put it out of his head as he made his weary way into the shower. Whatever happened next would be up to Kathryn,
that was clear in his mind, no matter what she wanted to do he would be ok with it. He just hoped to the Gods that it
wouldn't involve him being pushed away again, he just couldn't cope with it, not now. Not after everything that had happened.

Kathryn felt herself swiftly rising towards consciousness, she frowned and tried to fight it. The alarm hadn't gone off,
surely it wasn't time for her shift. Bright lights pricked her eyelids as she tried to shut them out. Bright lights?
Kathryn's eyes flew open and she struggled to sit up. The Doctor immediately hurried over, firmly placing his hands on her
shoulders and pressing her back into the bed.

"Easy Captain, you're still weak." He quickly ran a tri-corder over her as she flopped back. "Good, you're making a quick
recovery, not that I expected anything less." He inflated with pride.

"What do you mean a quick recovery?" Kathryn frowned up at him. "What happened? Why am I here?"

"Don't you remember?"
"The last thing I remember is coming up onto Bridge after lunch. I can remember leaving the mess hall," Kathryn struggled to
access the far off memories. "Then it goes blank." She gave up and stared at the doctor in confusion.

"Short term amnesia," The EMH sighed, "I suppose it is to be expected, the brain was starved of oxygen." Seeing the slightly
panicked look on his patients face he hastened to reassure her. "You and Commander Chakotay were trapped when a turbolift
malfunctioned, you broke your leg and suffered from severe blood loss, nearly killing you. The break was quite severe and
I'm afraid you're going to find walking a little difficult for a few days, I recommend you use a stick."

"And the Commander?" Kathryn instantly jumped to check on her first officer as her mind struggled to come to terms with the
other information she had no recollection of.

"He was fine, as I understand it he played a major part in keeping you alive, you have a lot to thank him for." The Doctor
paused as he tapped some data into a padd. "He was here until I sent him to get some rest, about an hour ago. Which reminds
me, I said I would inform him when you woke up."

"Don't worry Doctor, I don't want to disturb him if he's resting." Kathryn stretched her aching limbs. "So when can I leave?"

After a few last checks, that seemed to Kathryn to last hours, and the customary lectures about eating and sleeping habits
Kathryn was finally allowed to leave. She had managed to argue the Doctor down to only two days leave, she supposed she
should be glad after he had threatened to make it a week. It took her a few practise strolls up and down the sick bay to get
used to walking with a stick. Her leg was still stiff and sore and she was surprisingly grateful for the added support. She
still couldn't remember anything about the accident but she would check up on the reports later.

When she got back to her quarters the first thing Kathryn did was run a bath, her entire body ached as if she had been
through another 18 hour day of ship maintenance. As it ran she asked the computer for Chakotay's location and status,
finding him asleep she decided to wait and talk to him tomorrow. There was nothing urgent that needed discussing after all.

To be continued...