Chapter 7
The Color Of Regret
***
Mika spent the rest of the day in sickbay, cleaning and filing. Chapel was nowhere to be found, and for this the girl was glad. She was ashamed of her actions, but too proud yet to apologize.
She found herself working extra hard, as if to atone for her deeds. The sickbay underwent extensive scrubbing, each bio-bed was completely sterilized, and even the doctor's study was well dusted.
"You could just say you're sorry," McCoy said wryly from behind her.
Mika looked over her shoulder and flicked a bit of soapy water at the grinning man.
"You're welcome!" she said. Then, "I am sorry, Bones. And ashamed. I just don't know what came over me."
He sat on the edge of his desk and watched her thoughtfully.
"Uhura told me what Nurse Chapel said," he ventured.
Mika blew a bit of hair out of her eyes as she surveyed the gleaming floor. "Did she?"
He nodded. "I just wanted you to know that everyone makes mistakes once in a while. Spock's my friend, and I've wanted to strangle him a few times. Hell, I have strangled him a few times!"
She giggled.
"Just - don't sweat it, okay, missy? But don't go beating up my nurses anymore, either. I might need them."
Mika smiled and put her hand in the doctor's. "It's a deal."
McCoy started to rise, but she put her other hand on his arm to stop him. She was looking intently into his eyes.
"So blue," she said.
McCoy chuckled. "Blue eyes do seem to be a rare commodity in the galaxy."
She touched her own eyes (one of which was still black) thoughtfully.
"I had a child with blue eyes once," she said.
"What! You have a child?"
"Had. They took him from me before he was a week old. He was so beautiful, so pale." She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself.
"I was only twelve, not strong enough to give milk. I could not care for him. But his eyes. They were ha'pla'kur, sky-colored."
McCoy's heart wrenched inside him at the thought of her belly swollen at twelve years old.
"Did you know the father?"
She nodded. "He was my third master. He sold me to the Cardassian, who sold me to Mr. Spock." She looked off into space.
"I wish I knew where they sold him," she said, almost to herself.
"Oh, Mika." He pulled her into a fierce hug. "I'm so sorry."
She drew away after a few seconds, calming herself.
"I haven't thought of it for a very long time. I - " She broke off and smiled half-heartedly.
"Thank you, doctor. You are a good friend to me."
Saying this, she leaned in and kissed the corner of his mouth, then turned and walked away.
McCoy stared after her, his brow creased in troubled thought.
***
Spock strode out of the sickbay doors, the PADD in his hand forgotten. He was unable to name the emotion that threatened to overwhelm him. What the doctor did in his spare time was his own business. Why had he felt so wronged, seeing McCoy hold the girl in his arms? Hadn't he just told Mika she was her own master? She was free to do as she wanted.
Spock only wished, illogically, that she had chosen another path.
The Color Of Regret
***
Mika spent the rest of the day in sickbay, cleaning and filing. Chapel was nowhere to be found, and for this the girl was glad. She was ashamed of her actions, but too proud yet to apologize.
She found herself working extra hard, as if to atone for her deeds. The sickbay underwent extensive scrubbing, each bio-bed was completely sterilized, and even the doctor's study was well dusted.
"You could just say you're sorry," McCoy said wryly from behind her.
Mika looked over her shoulder and flicked a bit of soapy water at the grinning man.
"You're welcome!" she said. Then, "I am sorry, Bones. And ashamed. I just don't know what came over me."
He sat on the edge of his desk and watched her thoughtfully.
"Uhura told me what Nurse Chapel said," he ventured.
Mika blew a bit of hair out of her eyes as she surveyed the gleaming floor. "Did she?"
He nodded. "I just wanted you to know that everyone makes mistakes once in a while. Spock's my friend, and I've wanted to strangle him a few times. Hell, I have strangled him a few times!"
She giggled.
"Just - don't sweat it, okay, missy? But don't go beating up my nurses anymore, either. I might need them."
Mika smiled and put her hand in the doctor's. "It's a deal."
McCoy started to rise, but she put her other hand on his arm to stop him. She was looking intently into his eyes.
"So blue," she said.
McCoy chuckled. "Blue eyes do seem to be a rare commodity in the galaxy."
She touched her own eyes (one of which was still black) thoughtfully.
"I had a child with blue eyes once," she said.
"What! You have a child?"
"Had. They took him from me before he was a week old. He was so beautiful, so pale." She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself.
"I was only twelve, not strong enough to give milk. I could not care for him. But his eyes. They were ha'pla'kur, sky-colored."
McCoy's heart wrenched inside him at the thought of her belly swollen at twelve years old.
"Did you know the father?"
She nodded. "He was my third master. He sold me to the Cardassian, who sold me to Mr. Spock." She looked off into space.
"I wish I knew where they sold him," she said, almost to herself.
"Oh, Mika." He pulled her into a fierce hug. "I'm so sorry."
She drew away after a few seconds, calming herself.
"I haven't thought of it for a very long time. I - " She broke off and smiled half-heartedly.
"Thank you, doctor. You are a good friend to me."
Saying this, she leaned in and kissed the corner of his mouth, then turned and walked away.
McCoy stared after her, his brow creased in troubled thought.
***
Spock strode out of the sickbay doors, the PADD in his hand forgotten. He was unable to name the emotion that threatened to overwhelm him. What the doctor did in his spare time was his own business. Why had he felt so wronged, seeing McCoy hold the girl in his arms? Hadn't he just told Mika she was her own master? She was free to do as she wanted.
Spock only wished, illogically, that she had chosen another path.