No. 28 It's just the tip of the iceberg (anger born of worry)
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He couldn't take it. The fact that Scotty would die. Because of him!
Keenser slammed his head against the wall. Over and over again.
He was just so angry. At the shuttle for crashing. At Sulu for piloting it into doom. But mostly at himself.
It should have been him. He should have been part of the away team.
But he had been a little sick. Just a little.
He still remembered Scotty's words.
'I know it's just a wee cold but ye better stay aboard the Enterprise. Wouldn't want ye to catch that acidic sniffles again would we?'
Keenser shouldn't have listened. He should have gone anyway.
Now Scotty was in ICU, fighting for his life.
Another slam against the wall.
Stupid! He was so stupid!
Another one. And another.
Tears streamed down his cheeks and mixed up with blood. A laceration on his forehead.
It was his fault. All his fault!
Slowly he sank to his knees, hands pressed to the wall.
And suddenly arms wrapped around him from behind.
Keenser grunted and sobbed.
"He's okay. He'll be fine," a hoarse tired voice said.
What? His body tensed and he slowly looked aside.
McCoy.
Keenser turned around to look fully at the doctor.
"Okay?"
The man nodded.
"Yeah… I saved him."
Scotty… would be okay. Thank goodness!
Keenser hugged McCoy tightly and grunted a quiet 'thanks' before he let go of the doctor.
"Now let's take a look at that laceration."