Hey guys, sorry it took a little while to get this chapter up. We've been busy. Anyway, here it is, nice and long, yay! I hope you enjoy it, and please review, especially if you have been reading this and have not yet reviewed.

Also, if you guys would like to see more stories involving Wesley and Kathren, please tell me in your review!

Chapter 10

Once again Dr, Crusher asked Lieutenant Commander Data how much longer until they intercepted the Romulans.

"Approximately thirty twenty-eight minutes, thirty-six seconds," the android answered.

Picard glanced at Deanna and Beverly. Both seemed to be holding up well. They looked rather anxious if nothing else. And of course they had a right too. He himself was beginning to become impatient. In an uncharacteristic display of annoyance, the captain banged his fist lightly on the arm of his command chair. Can't this ship go any faster? He thought impatiently.

Wesley cautiously peeked around yet another corner among the many corridors of the Romulan Warbird. How big is this thing? He wondered. I've seen one before, but never been inside one. It seems to never end. Whatever, it didn't matter right now. They had to hurry. Although, neither of them knew exactly why they were hurrying. They had spent nearly the last half-hour sneaking through the ship with no apparent destination, and in effect, wondering around until an idea about what to do hit them.

Wesley pulled his head back, but suddenly gasped aloud and leaned back against the wall. Staying on his feet for this long wasn't doing his injured stomach any good. He already felt worse than when they had left the other room.

"Wesley?" Kathren, who was right behind him, asked with concern.

"I'll be okay," he said, straightening again. "Let's go, it's clear."

Kathren nodded, and then they both rushed quietly around the corner…only to run smack into the Romulan Commander and another Romulan who had come out of a door just around it. They ran into them with enough force that the impact sent both teenagers flying backward to the floor, and all four stunned for several seconds. Luckily though, Kathren collected herself a bit faster then the rest of them, and quickly pushed at Wesley as she stood.

"Go, Wes!" she said urgently.

Wesley jumped to his feet and shot around the Romulans and down the corridor. Kathren was right behind them, but apparently they hadn't started off fast enough, because Wesley made it around them, but the Romulans grabbed Kathren as she ran past them. Kathren yelped in surprise, and Wesley, who was already several yards away, stopped suddenly and whirled around.

"Kathren!" he cried worriedly, starting back toward them.

"No! Run, Wesley! Go!" she yelled.

"But-" he began to protest.

"Run!" Kathren screamed as the Romulan Commander broke off to chase the boy.

Wesley finally obeyed her, turned, and hightailed it. If I can get away I can come back for her, he thought as he ran, the Romulan right behind him.

Wesley had no idea what they would do to him if he was caught, and didn't want to find out. He also hoped that Kathren would be all right. But after thinking that, he had to focus on keeping himself running, and trying to ignore the increasing pain in his stomach and back. He ran as fast as he could, but his strength was flagging, and several times he stumbled, gasping, the Romulan nearly catching him. The only thing that kept the Romulan a safe distance away was the fact that Wesley had gotten a head start.

After a couple of minutes, Wesley started to feel extremely dizzy, making running even harder. He realized that he couldn't keep it up for much longer. And as soon as he rounded the next corner, from pain coupled with exhaustion and dizziness, he blacked out. He fell forward to the floor, but was only out for a few seconds. Unfortunately, though, that was long enough for the Commander to catch up to him. Wesley had started to get up when the Romulan flew around the corner and jumped on top of him, knocking him back down, his knees landing on the boy's back.

Wesley screamed, the weight of the Commander flattening him to the floor, crushing his middle, and pain flooding through his body. The Romulan pounded on Wesley's back and head, forcing him to stay down. But then the Commander seemed to change his mind, and jumped off of him. He then hauled a gasping Wesley to his feet, pummeling him the whole way. Wesley yelled as the blows hit his bruised stomach.

The Romulan pushed Wesley back against the right wall of the corridor, not letting up. Wesley was barely able to move for the grip the Commander had on him. Somehow, though, he managed to push the Romulan off of him.

Wesley staggered forward, his vision again blurred by tears of pain, and the injuries inflicted on his body rendering him unable to do anything else. He collapsed, but before he hit the floor the Romulan grabbed him, spun, and flung the boy against the opposite wall as hard as he could.

The other Romulan, who had followed his commander, rounded the corner with Kathren in time for her to see Wesley slam into the wall at high speed.

"Wes!' she gasped softly

Wesley moaned in pain and sank to the ground. He was lucky that the impact hadn't knocked him out, but he wasn't quite sure he felt lucky. He released a sob. Kathren gulped back tears as well, afraid for her friend, not knowing what the Commander would do next. She gasped when the Romulan pulled out his disrupter and aimed it at him. Wesley moaned again and finally opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was that weapon pointed at him. His eyes widened, his heart jumped up into his throat, and he pressed himself back against the wall.

"You know," the Commander began. "We were going to use you two along with the rest of them. We were going to force you to do what we wanted you to, force you to eventually go back to the Federation and gather information for us. But I can see now that that will be impossible to do with you two. You're too much trouble, and my only option is to kill both of you. Although…if your death knocks some sense into your girlfriend over there, I might consider sparing her."

Trying, but failing to hide his fear, Wesley looked at the Romulan. "You will?" he said, not knowing what else to say. "If she cooperates now you'll leave her alone?" He glanced over at Kathren, who was shaking her head vigorously, knowing where Wes was going with this.

"I said I might," the Romulan replied.

"Promise you will," Wesley said, looking at his friend again, sorrowful determination in his eyes. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then continued. "Promise you won't hurt her and I won't resist."

"No Wesley!" Kathren said.

"Stay out of this, girl," the Romulan ordered, and with the command the Romulan holding her put a hand over her mouth. Then the Commander looked back at Wesley. "You won't?" he asked incredulously. "You'll let me kill you?"

"If you promise not to hurt her," Wes said, his voice trembling.

"Fine then. Agreed." The Romulan lifted his arm, and aimed more precisely. "Good Bye."

Kathren had squirmed until her mouth was free. "No!!" she screamed tearfully, struggling to break free of the Romulan's grip.

Wesley closed his eyes and braced himself, tears escaping from his eyes and rolling down his face. The Commander fired, and he thought he could do it, but Wesley didn't want to die. At the last moment he tried to move, started to stand. The beam missed its target of the boy's chest, but grazed the side of his lower left leg. Wes crumpled back to the floor with a shout of pain. Then the Romulan fired again and Wesley managed to dodge almost out of the way, the beam catching his upper right arm.

"Stop!" Kathren yelled. "Wait, please!"

"What?" the Commander asked irritably, for the moment turning away from his target, who was gasping as he sat on the floor.

"Please," Kathren begged, trying desperately to think of something. "Please, if you-if you're going to-to kill him, I mean, at least let me say goodbye to him first."

"Say goodbye then," the Romulan said.

"No, I mean let me go to him," Kathren said, now annoyed herself.

The Commander sighed in frustration. "Fine, but make it quick." He crossed his arms in impatience and looked at his subordinate. The Romulan let Kathren go, and she hurried to Wesley's side.

"What are you doing?" Wesley asked as she knelt beside him.

"What do you think I'm doing? I'm stalling for time," Kathren said softly.

"What time?" Wesley gasped, still breathing heavily from the newly inflicted wounds. "He's already set on killing me, Kat, there's nothing you can do to stop him."

"That doesn't mean I'm not going to try. I'm not going to let him kill you, Wes," Kathren said, gently brushing some stray hair out of her friend's eyes.

"Kathren, please," Wesley begged, swallowing back the lump in his throat. "You're only making this harder. You know there's nothing you can do….please, just….just don't do anything stupid that'll get you killed too. I don't want you to die. I don't want to die either but…I don't have any choice."

"Wes…" Kathren began. But before she could get any farther Wesley yelped in sudden pain, his hand clamping over the wound to his arm. "Wes?" Kathren asked with concern. "What's wrong? Do they hurt that badly?" Wesley only nodded, gasping. "Let me see," Kat said, and obediently, but slowly, he pulled his hand away from the disrupter burn.

"Is it bad?" he asked.

"I can't really tell," she said. "Not just by looking at it, but, to tell the truth, it doesn't look that good."

Wesley frowned. "Not that it matters."

"Wesley, stop it," Kathren said. "You're not going to die. We can do something. We can get out of this…I just wish I knew how…" She stopped when suddenly her friends eyes widened at something behind her. "Wes, what?-"

"No!" Wesley screamed. He pushed her and she fell over backward. He started to throw himself down, too, but not before a disrupter beam drilled into his left shoulder and knocked him back against the wall. Kat heard the Romulan Commander growl in annoyance.

Oh my gosh, Kathren thought. That shot would have taken me in the back. It would have killed me…He saved my life. Quickly she rolled over and back onto her knees next to Wesley. He was unconscious, it seemed, but he also seemed not to be breathing.

"Wesley?" Kathren asked. "Wesley, can you hear me?" No answer. "Wesley?" she said again, beginning to worry. "Wesley, are you all right? Wesley?" She ducked when the Romulan shot at her again, then shook him, near panic. "Wesley! Wesley, wake up! Wake up, please!"

Lord please, she prayed frantically. He's my best friend, and he saved my life! Please, don't let him be dead!

Okay, don't panic guys! If you want a clue as to whether he is okay, consider the fact that I am Wesley lover, lol!

itsonlyme- Thanks for reviewing! It's all right that you were in an overly good mood. I like people in an overly good mood, lol! I usually am myself. Oh, and in answer to your question, you were not just in too good of mood…wink. Anyway, what happened to the next chapter of your story? I still want read it. I reviewed. Please hurry! I am in suspense here!

Karone Evertree- Well, I wouldn't know anything about nursing, only being in seventh grade, but I don't mind if you use terms from your classes in your reviews. Just as long as you explain them, like you did that time, lol! Anyway, thanks so much for continuing to review! Enjoy the rest of the story.

Wolenczak2004- Thanks for reviewing every chapter! Please continue. And thank you very much for the compliment!

Romulan Empress- Here it is. The Romulan's plot is revealed in this chapter. I hope it is to your satisfaction! And thanks again for faithfully reviewing!