Suddenly the days had turned into weeks and as Colleen scratched another tally into the rock she squeezed her fists in frustration. Each day had consisted of them ensuring their shelter was robust, the fire didn't go out and they had enough food. Each day one of them would venture out and see if there were any signs of the others whilst the other sent signals via their communicator and ensured the beacons were still working effectively. They talked of nothing other than those things, small talk no longer seemed important. Colleen watched as McCoy made his way towards her, his arms laden with firewood.

"Here, let me help." She said as she held her own arms out towards him. McCoy handed some of the kindling over to her before dropping the rest to the ground.

"I need…" he started breathless. "I need a minute…" Colleen creased her brow in confusion as she watched McCoy pace back and forth, his hands going from his hips to his face to the top of his head.

"Alright…" she started but jumped back when McCoy kicked the wood on the floor as he swore loudly.

"It's not alright damnit!" he shouted as he grabbed one of the stilts that held up their shelter and threw it to the ground. Colleen watched on in shock as all the large dry leaves that served as their roof fluttered to the ground.

"Leonard!" she shouted in shock as he continued to destroy their little living space but there was no getting through to him. He was full of rage and anger and Colleen felt the tears swell in her eyes as she watched him pound his fists into the wall and throw their food into the nearby pool of water. "Please Leonard stop!" she tried again.

"This is a goddamn nightmare!" he shouted. "We're stuck here! The others are dead! We might as well be!" Colleen took a step towards him, wanting to calm him down but his eyes were black. Pushing her away from him he strode off once more leaving Colleen standing in the chaos he'd left behind.

She'd sat amongst the mess for about an hour, in silence at first and then crying and then in overwhelming anger at the selfishness of McCoy's actions. She had angrily started to tidy up, retrieving their food, collecting the firewood and mending their shelter. By the time she'd finished the day was almost over and McCoy hadn't returned, she'd lost her anger around that time realising she'd been close to losing it as McCoy had done on a number of occasions herself.

Removing her uniform she stepped into the water, letting the coolness of it wash over her and hoping it would get rid of the tension in her shoulders. Dipping down so that only her nose, eyes and the top of her head was above the surface Colleen closed her eyes and took some deep breaths. She hoped he would return, that he hadn't got himself into trouble. She figured he was just angry and needed some space, but as she stood there the thought that perhaps he too had disappeared crept into her thoughts. She mentally chastised herself for thinking the worse, no, he was just pulling himself together. As the light began to dim around her she pulled herself from the water and quickly pulled on her uniform, the boots had been ditched some time ago, only to be used when they ventured out. Making sure the fire was strong she knelt beside it and began preparing some food, if McCoy did return she was sure that he would be at the very least hungry.

Colleen had eaten alone and then settling down by the fire she'd watched the embers and glowing wood until her eyes grew heavy. It was only the rustling of leaves that stirred her some time later, and the thud of McCoy laying down behind her. Turning over she gave him a small smile, which he returned with sadness in her eyes.

"Are you hungry?" she whispered to him.

"I'm sorry Colleen," he replied, his voice slow and heavy.

"There's some left near the fire," she watched his hand come up and cup her cheek.

"I'm sorry," he repeated.

"Thank you," as she began to pull away to sit up McCoy's hand moved from her cheek to the back of her neck. Stunned as he brought his lips to hers Colleen forgot how to breathe for a second. Feeling him shift against her she pushed at his chest with both her hands and scrambled to her feet, staring at him in shock. "Leonard, I? What are you doing?" she asked as he too stood up.

"I thought…" he started but Colleen scoffed and turned away from him lifting her arms into the air and looking to the sky.

"You smash-up everything, walk out on me for the entirety of the day with me not knowing where you were, whether you're in danger or even if you were coming back and then you think you can just kiss me?!" McCoy took a step forward but she took one back holding up her hand between them. "Don't!" she shouted. "Don't you dare!"

"I chose the wrong moment…" he started.

"You can say that again!" Colleen shouted at him laughing and crying at the same time.

"All day I've felt guilty, I've been walking and thinking to myself how did we get into this mess and how, if there was any way I could get us out! The only thing that has stopped me from going crazy is you!" she could see the pain in his eyes and knew enough of him to know that it was the hardest thing for him to do to tell her how he truly felt. But that still didn't stop her from feeling used by him.

"And that was your way of what? Telling me you like me? Making yourself feel better? Or was it just convenient after all this time…"

"Colleen, it is most certainly not that!" he exclaimed.

"You left! You left me! This is not alright!" stumbling away she didn't quite know where to go.

"Colleen I…" McCoy started.

"Please Leonard, not now." Sitting down by the fire the pair stared into the flames in silence, until finally Colleen lay down and closed her eyes letting the tears silently fall down her cheeks.

James T Kirk sat in his quarters staring at the PADD in his hands, he had re-read the same sentence fifteen times, never quite making it to the next. It had been a week since they had mysteriously found themselves back on the Enterprise without Bones and Mills. No life signs had been found on the planet, no communications from the pair at all. It was if they had just disappeared. He had instructed the crew to scan every inch of the planet and nearby star system, he had Uhura searching for any kind of distress call all day and all night. In the back of his mind a dark, horrifying thought sat haunting him. What if they were gone? Spock had tried to give him probabilities of them being alive, it had taken all he had not to knock him across the bridge! Throwing the PADD next to him Kirk ran his hands through his hair as he closed his eyes and let his head loll back, how long could they wait? How long could they search for? Laughing sadly he thought that in a moment like this it would have been good to have Mills on board, letting him know the policy on such things and how to go about it. Pushing himself up he left his quarters and started making his way to the bridge, usually along the way he would nod and politely smile to anyone who walked by but even the crew knew to keep their heads down.

"Mister Spock," he announced as he made his way over to the Vulcan. "I want to start again!" he said as Spock raised a brow.

"Again Captain?" he asked.

"Yes again, look into how we got back on the ship, scan the planet, check for distress signals. Throw everything out and start again."

"Captain, I'm not certain we won't have the same results as the first time?" Kirk pinched his nose and took a deep breath.

"Again Mister Spock, anything, something. Also, check the readings we had of the planet prior to our visit."

"Prior Captain?" Kirk was about to lose it if the man in front of him repeated one more word he said.

"Prior… Mister Spock." Walking from the bridge Kirk had made it up his mind, they would stay as long as it took.

When McCoy opened his eyes he immediately searched for Colleen, when he didn't see her he stood quickly and wiped the sleep from his eyes. It wasn't unusual for her not to be there in the morning, tending to take herself off to gather food and have a swim but after what had happened the day before he was scared she had decided to leave, make it on her own somehow. Not bothering to put his boots on he made his way to the waterfall, even over such a small span of time there was now a clear footpath to where they both went to swim and wash. Coming out onto the small pebble beach McCoy searched for her in the water, when he saw that there wasn't even a ripple his heart sank. Quickly making his way to where they fetched the fruit they had finally found safe for consumption he shouted her name.

"Damnit Colleen!" he whispered as he turned on his heel.

"Leonard?" spinning McCoy wondered if his mind was playing tricks on him the voice had been so quiet.

"Colleen?" he replied, is eyes searching.

"Leonard…" then his eyes fell on her, how he missed her he didn't know. Laying beneath one of the fruit trees Colleen stared at him with pained eyes. Running and falling to his knees beside her McCoy took in her appearance, blood stained her forehead and lip.

"What the hell happened Colleen?" he exclaimed as he rolled her ono her back gently and began examining her for further injuries.

"I fell… from the tree… wanted to get more fruit…" her breathlessness alarmed him. Telling her to be quiet he gently checked her arms and legs before he set his hand on her rib cage. When she gasped and recoiled from his touch he knew she must have broken a rib, if not more.

"Alright, let's get you back okay. I can use one of the tricorders…" As he started to move her he stopped when she cried out in pain.

"I don't think I can move?" she rasped.

"Well woman you're going to have to!" he exclaimed as he pulled her into his arms. McCoy looked down at her as he made his way back, concerned at the way she was taking short, shallow breaths and the blue tinge to her skin that was beginning to darken. Carefully placing her by the fire he grabbed his tricorder and flipped it open. "Alright Colleen, alright. Let me see… shit…" McCoy internally chastised himself for his outburst but seeing the small smile appear on Colleen's lips made him smile back at her. "You have some broken ribs, the bad news…"

"Bad, news?" he heard her ask between stuttered breaths.

"The bad news is that you have a pneumothorax," he could tell she didn't know what he was talking about. "A punctured lung, air is escaping from your lung into the space between it and the chest wall. I don't have a medical kit and… damnit!" running his hands over his face he looked around them in the van hopes that a medical kit would magically appear.

"Not good," laughing at her comment McCoy shook his head.

"Right, not good." He answered as he carried on looking around.

"Options?" Colleen whispered as her eyelids drew heavy.

"Leave it, if its small enough it can heal itself." Even to his own ears he knew he sounded unconvinced. "Your lung could collapse, we need to lessen the pressure on the lung." Taking his hand and cupping her cheek he smiled at her warmly. "It ain't going to be pretty Darlin'," he told her. "I need to insert… something hollow into the plural space to let the air out. I need to draw the excess air out of the space… as the air comes out, the pressure against the lung should decrease and the lung tissue can expand again." Taking a deep breath he tried to calm himself. Colleen's breathing was becoming more shallow and rapid but she still gave him a smile and nodded, reassuring him that she trusted his instincts. "I'll be right back," he told her as he got to his feet.

"Promise?" she whispered to him but he found he couldn't reply. Running to the waterfall McCoy already knew what he was looking for, wading into the water he pulled one of the small thin reeds from the water. When he got back to Colleen he was shocked at the colour of her skin, she was definitely not getting enough oxygen.

"Colleen, I'm not going to lie Darlin' this is going to hurt." He said as he sliced the ends of the reed and dropped it into the cooled boiled water that sat by the fire. Using the sharpened shingle he tore Colleen's uniform across her abdomen to expose her rib cage, seeing the bruising that already covered her right side McCoy tried not to grimace. "Sorry about this Colleen," he said as he wiped her skin with the boiled water, the risk of infection scaring him more than the actual injury. "You ready?" he asked.

"I… wish… I… had… let… you… kiss me," McCoy couldn't help but laugh out loud. Brushing her hair from her forehead he leant over and kissed her forehead. Taking a deep breath and holding the skin tight against her rib cage McCoy tried to stop his hand trembling as he held the sharpened shingle against her.

McCoy had never watched someone breathe for as long as he had, well into the night he had sat beside Colleen as she slept. When it had become too dark he had gently lay his hand on her chest to feel the steady rise and fall. It was only her stirring that made him realise he'd fallen asleep himself just before sunrise.

"You trying to cop a feel McCoy?" he heard her say.

"Purely for medical reasons Mills," he told her as he sat up bleary eyed and saw that she was smiling at him. Her colour had returned to normal and her breathing was steady.

"Your secrets safe with me," she said as she squirmed against the ground.

"How you feeling?" he asked her.

"Like I fell out of a tree," she said as she tried to move again.

"Don't, you need to stay still alright Darlin'."

"What's the prognosis?" she asked as he held the back of her head so she could have a drink of water.

"I'm going to leave the tube in for now, I don't want you moving and risk infection…"

"Am I going to be alright?" McCoy saw the tears filling her eyes and grabbed her hand in his.

"You have no choice in the matter Colleen, I need you here!" he told her as he slowly placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I'm going to go check the beacons, grab some water and then I'll be back alright?"

"I'll be here," she answered as he pulled on his boots and gave her one last look before heading off into the trees.

"There were portions of the planet our scans didn't cover, pockets we weren't aware of." Kirk stared at Chekov.

"What's there?" he asked.

"Nothing," the young man replied. "That's the thing Captain, there's nothing unusual about the terrain, atmosphere. We're not sure why they're hidden?"

"Anything else?" he asked the entire team.

"At the moment of our transportation back to the ship these pockets gave off huge energy readings, we didn't capture it the first time as the energy frequencies are nothing like we've ever seen before."

"Mister Spock?" Kirk turned to his First Officer, hoping there was more to the mystery.

"I find it probable Captain that the planet is inhabited, the energy readings are humanoid." Kirk stared at him in shock.

"Bones and Lieutenant Commander Mills?" Kirk said as he paced to and fro.

"Most likely abducted Captain," Spock answered.

"Abducted!" Kirk repeated. "Why are we not seeing any life signs for them?"

"The energy pockets Captain, they may well be in one of them? We only became aware of them due to our own transportation…"

"Of course," Kirk interrupted the puzzle coming together in his mind. "Can we replicate the transportation effect on the planet, find out where these pockets are and what's in them?"

"Possibly Captain…"

"How many are there?" Kirk asked.

"That's where we have a problem Captain, there are hundreds. Even if we pinpoint them all we wouldn't know which Doctor McCoy and Lieutenant Commander Mills was in." Chekov looked at Kirk sympathetically. "Without sending an away team to each one and even then the inhabitants would know…"

"We'd tip them off…" Kirk finished the Chekov's sentence.

"Yes Captain,"

"Keep looking into these energy readings Spock, see if there's any way we can distinguish between them and our crew's life signs."

"Yes Captain," Spock nodded his head solemnly. Kirk breathed a sigh of relief, at least there was a chance they were alive he thought to himself.

McCoy held onto Colleen's elbow, his other arm tight round her waist. Slowly making their way to the water's edge the pair focussed on their footing. For the past week or so, McCoy wasn't sure how long it had been, the tallies on the rock no longer seeming necessary the pair had stayed by the fire as Colleen had regained her strength and the makeshift bandage covering her wound protected her from infection. After much protestations he had finally given in and consented to allow her to bathe. Removing their uniforms they carefully lowered themselves in the water and when Colleen sighed with relief McCoy couldn't help but laugh and nod.

"Feels good?" he asked her bemused as she closed her eyes and smiled.

"The best," she answered as she dipped herself under and came back up again after a moment. McCoy could feel her breath on his cheek, wiping a strand of hair from her face he cupped her chin with his thumb and forefinger and slowly brought his lips to hers. When she stepped towards him his arms went around her middle, careful not to hold her too tight. "This is against policy," she whispered when they finally pulled apart.

"I'm not sure if you've noticed but we're not on any Federation ship Darlin', no policies here to be in breach of." Colleen smiled at him and shrugged her shoulders.

"I guess not," McCoy raised his brow at her in shock.

"I thought I was going to have a fight on my hands, you being a stickler for the rules and all that!" he jibed.

"Interpretation of policies remember, it's all about interpretation and intent." As his hands ran down her arms he felt her shiver.

"We should get you out of this water…" he started concerned.

"It isn't the water Leonard," she told him bashfully. "Can we stay in a little longer, please?" She asked him.

"Just a little longer, and then we need to get you back by the fire."

"Whatever you say Doctor," McCoy kissed her again.

"I'll hold you to that."

Please let me know what you think XOXO