Twenty Nine

A shiver swept through Emily as bitingly cold winds lashed out at her. She'd long-since given up the hope that anyone would find her on the miserable planet. Anyone sane enough would know to avoid going anywhere near the frozen wasteland. And anyone in her position would try to find shelter wherever they could.

She tried pushing forward in a vain attempt to avoid being caught in the blizzard that appeared out of nowhere. Torrents of wind, snow and ice lashed out cruelly at her, mocking her for the lack of clothing that would have protected her. The worst part was moving at a horribly slow pace. She was almost positive that a day had gone by already.

Then again, it was impossible to keep track of how much time had passed since she was taken off the Narada.

Not for the first time, her thoughts drifted back to the Enterprise crew and how everyone was coping. The loss of Planet Vulcan would have likely struck Spock hard. He managed to maintain a calm composure, but deep down, she knew he would be emotionally unstable. Then she thought of McCoy and how he was doing since the attack. She often thought of opening the mental link between them, but once again, she had to remind herself that she would be nothing more than a distraction. McCoy had enough to worry about as it was without her interference making it worse.

A knot formed in the pit of her stomach when she thought of how much he meant to her. It was enough of a reminder that she wasn't entirely alone in this cruel world. Yet, she couldn't help but wonder what would happen once everything was over. Kirk would find some way of punishing her for working with SHIELD. Or worse, the Academy council would find some way of punishing her.

She tried ignoring the latter. Kirk had always been a problem that she anticipated throughout the Academy. She and McCoy tried discussing what they would do if something like this would happen, but the thought never occurred to her that anything would happen. She just wished there were easier ways around it. If only they had been more prepared for such an incident.

It wasn't until she finally stopped crawling forward that her thoughts drifted back to the team.

She wondered what they were up to during the chaos. Since they had no ties with Starfleet, they didn't have to worry about what their future held for them. Unless Nero was somehow successful in his plan, she doubted anything would happen to Earth. She knew they would go about their daily lives as if nothing had happened. Clint and Natasha were really the only ones she'd ever been close to, and even they'd drifted apart after finding out she and McCoy were seeing each other again.

The wind hadn't died down since she left the escape pod. Instead, it only seemed to strike back with a vengeance when she managed to reach what appeared to be a snowbank. Emily grimaced when she tripped on the ice, landing not-so-gracefully on her stomach. The pain from earlier suddenly came rushing back, and it took everything she had not to cry out from the sheer pain. She resorted to crawling in the hopes of escaping from the worst part of the storm.

Emily had stopped crawling at that point and was on the verge of tears again when she heard the sound of footsteps crunching through the snow. At first, she thought it was the sound of the wind playing cruel tricks on her mind. She wouldn't have been surprised if at that point, some hideous creature tried seizing the opportunity for an easy meal.

She braced herself for whatever pain would follow after a shadow loomed over her. She was positive that this would be the end. Emily squeezed her eyes shut and tried to block out the sound of the howling wind. She just wanted some peace and quiet. Was that really too much to ask for?

"Liaison…" Of course, the wind was mocking her now by calling out her title. Emily would have laughed at the irony of it if she wasn't so pissed. She tried prying her eyes open, only to be blinded by the white snow surrounding her. "Liaison McCoy, I must ask you to relax."

"God… I'm fucking dead," she barely groaned as she finally got a look at whoever was talking to her. The stranger in question was someone who looked oddly familiar. "Yep. I'm definitely dead, and the fucking wind is playing goddamn tricks on me."

"I can reassure you, Liaison, that you are not dead," the older man replied with a look that was impossible to read. Emily grimaced when she felt him move forward – he'd dropped down so that he was within touching level, which she could have sworn was creepy as hell – and tenderly touched her forehead. "It is remarkable to see that you have survived this long under these conditions."

Emily tilted her head to one side, ignoring the pain when she noticed that his lips were starting to turn an odd shade of blue. She doubted it was healthy for someone who looked distinctively Vulcan to be out in this weather. Yet, there they were, talking as if the weather meant nothing to either of them.

Then her thoughts drifted to what he'd called her just minutes ago. Her heart nearly skipped a beat when she realized she was still wearing the ring that McCoy had given her nearly three years ago. She could never forget the moment he trusted her enough to keep hold of the ring his mother had given him.

"Same could be said to you," she snorted in response.

The stranger simply offered what passed for a Vulcan-like smile. Emily nearly rolled her eyes when she felt him wrap his arms carefully around her small frame. She was tempted to fight him off and remind him that she didn't like being manhandled. She was too exhausted to bother fighting back. Instead, Emily tried welcoming what little warmth he was able to provide.

She wasn't sure where the older Vulcan was taking her, but she suspected it was out of the elements. After what felt like an agonizingly long journey, they finally reached what appeared to be a large cave. Emily blinked in confusion when she noticed that the cave itself looked as if it had been his home for some time now. Instruments that looked as if they'd seen better days were strapped along the walls of the cave. Firewood had also been placed in a corner, with a small fire already started. It looked… strangely homey.

"You live here?" she asked in surprise.

"I am afraid so. I have been trapped here for many days," the older Vulcan replied. She shivered once more when he carefully placed her on a pile of what appeared to be blankets. "I do not have the tools necessary to heal all of your injuries, but I can at least stop the bleeding."

The older Vulcan left her moments later and rummaged through the supplies he had in the back of the cave. Emily tried tilting her head to one side to get a better look of the Vulcan in question. She was even more surprised to notice that he looked oddly like Spock. Only, he was older than Spock.

"Why do you look so much like Spock?" she asked warily.

"Because, I am Spock," he explained after finally pulling out a tricorder and another medical instrument. Emily rose an eyebrow in surprise as he rejoined her seconds later. "I understand your confusion. I was intercepted by Nero when we were both caught in the same black hole, only he was sent twenty-five years into the past."

That certainly didn't help much. Emily bit back another groan as her head began throbbing at the confusion that followed. She knew in the back of her mind that this was really happening. Yet, there was a small part of her that believed it was a dream.

"So, I'm supposed to believe that you're both from the future?" she retorted in annoyance. "Do you have any idea how ridiculous that sounds?"

"You do not have to believe whether or not I am from the future," older Spock replied with a warm smile. Emily was a bit taken aback by the fact that he was actually smiling. She didn't think that was possible for Vulcans, especially in light of recent events. "It is good to see that you have retained your humor."

She didn't bother pointing out that she had no clue what he was talking about. Instead, Emily watched carefully as he scanned her vitals with the tricorder. She knew that she had sustained numerous injuries while aboard the Narada. Nero's men had carved something into her chest with the blades of their knives. That alone was enough for her fists to clench with outrage. She had endured worse torture, but she was aware that the injury would likely scar over.

"When we were outside, you called me Liaison McCoy," she suddenly added quietly. Her mind was still spinning at the realization that he'd called her by that name. Though, she supposed it shouldn't have been too surprising. There were so many times when she found herself wishing they could turn back the clock and prevent what happened in the past from happening. It would have saved him from the cruel divorce revolving around Pamela, and more importantly, her life might not have been a mess during his time with Pamela. "We're not… you know."

Older Spock looked at her quizzically, though he didn't need to be told twice what she meant by that. He frowned as the tricorder beeped rather loudly when he waved it over her chest. The sudden movement of his hands caused her cheeks to flush in embarrassment.

"Apologies," he quickly replied, "Where I am from, you and Doctor McCoy were already married at this point. He would not have been happy to see you in such a state, though he wouldn't have been surprised."

It took a few seconds for his words to sink in. She couldn't hide the rare smile that followed when she realized that even in another dimension, they were together. As if fate had brought them together, it seemed like anywhere they went, the results were the same. Her heart nearly swelled with joy at the thought that maybe he was her soulmate.

She supposed in the long-run that she wasn't entirely surprised with the notion. After all, Coulson had been good friends with McCoy's father. It was through Coulson and his father that they were able to meet and become neighbors. It was also through sheer determination that they finally became good friends, and then eventually they moved further into their relationship.

"We grew up together as neighbors," she explained warily. Older Spock rose an eyebrow in surprise as she shifted uncomfortably, wincing when she noticed the suit she was wearing had sustained serious damage. "Leonard and I didn't exactly start dating until we were in high school. We always talked about getting married, but…"

She didn't want to add that their lives had become a hot mess after his father fell ill. Emily swallowed hard as she recalled those darker days. She knew most of it had been her fault, but McCoy just as easily blamed himself for the mess they were in. And what hurt the most was that all of it could have been avoided had she reached out to him more often.

"He has mentioned that he was married prior to meeting you," Older Spock informed her with a knowing look. Emily grimaced when she realized what he was implying. "You were much older when you eventually established that you were in a relationship."

Emily couldn't hide the sheepish smile that followed as she guessed what led to that ultimate decision. She wasn't entirely surprised that they were older when they'd gotten married. Not for the first time, she found herself wondering if they'd started a family in his timeline. She was tempted to ask when another question suddenly crossed her mind.

"Did we ever have a mental bond?" she asked curiously. The confusion written across his face told her that wasn't the case. She held back a sigh as she wondered just how much their lives had changed from his timeline. "I have powers in this timeline, and it seems as if those powers are the reason we have a mental bond. We're able to talk to each other telepathically."

The older Vulcan simply looked at her in surprise when he realized what she was implying.

"I can imagine Doctor McCoy wasn't pleased when he discovered that ability," he remarked thoughtfully.

She grimaced and looked at nothing in particular, "We've had a few hiccups in our relationship… He wasn't happy when he found out at first, but he's actually grown to accept it."

That was putting it mildly. She'd only just begun to realize after telling him the truth that McCoy had embraced that side of her powers. And her heart swelled with joy at the thought that he was willing to put up with her strange abilities. She knew it wasn't easy for someone who'd grown up with little to no idea what people with powers were like. Older Spock simply gave her a look of amusement as he guessed the real reason behind their hiccups.

She watched curiously as he scanned her injuries with the strange looking device in hand. It looked like a tricorder, only the device itself was far more advanced than she was used to. The only thing familiar about it was the beeping sound that came from the readings that rushed back to the device. Older Spock's brows furrowed together with concern as he looked at the device and then back at her.

"It appears as though Nero's men have used a nero-toxin as their choice of weapon," he said quietly.

She was hardly surprised with that announcement. Her body felt like it was on fire since she escaped from the pod that crashed into the planet. Emily knew those were just some of the symptoms from the nero-toxin. She'd read enough papers to know what to expect from it. Soon she would lose her ability to walk, let alone speak in full sentences. She was surprised that the toxin hadn't taken its toll on her like expected.

The next few seconds were spent in tense, awkward silence as Older Spock moved to get a better reading on her vitals. She knew this wasn't any easier for him since he needed to remove the skin-tight suit that was covering her scars. Emily grimaced when Older Spock stared at the suit in confusion. At least until he finally saw the scars that marred her body. His quietness was what bothered her the most. She desperately wanted him to say something… anything was better than the dozens of questions that probably racked his mind in that moment.

It wasn't until he reached for another device that looked similar to a regenorator that she found herself cringing visibly. Older Spock didn't seem to mind though as he reached her and began using the device. She watched him warily, unsure of what to say when she noticed how careful he was being in his movements. Then again, he needed to be. As a Vulcan, he still had the ability to form bonds with people just as she did. Though she had a feeling that her powers were far stronger than what he was capable of.

"Please say something," she finally muttered, her voice so quiet that she wasn't sure if he would hear her. Older Spock glanced in her direction, though again, he said nothing as he set aside the device once it was finished repairing the damage caused by Nero's men. "I know you want to know about the suit and why I've been wearing it."

"You have much to hide," he guessed for her. Emily flinched further into herself when she felt his curious eyes land on her. His face seemed to soften when he noticed how her demeanor changed within those few seconds. "I will not question why you were wearing that suit, however curious an object it is. You have a right to your privacy."

Emily rose an eyebrow in surprise when he left her, only to return seconds later with a heavy looking coat for protection. She let out a heavy sigh and looked back at the fire dancing before her. She never wanted to take the suit off in the first place. McCoy had always reassured her that people wouldn't be bothered by the scars, but she knew otherwise. She squeezed her eyes shut and allowed her thoughts to churn for a brief moment.

"Leonard hates it," she said quietly. She didn't need to open her eyes to know that Older Spock was looking at her curiously now. "He doesn't seem to think I should wear it just because I'm afraid of what people will say about the scars."

"While I am normally not one to interfere with timelines, I can assure you that he is right in this instance." Emily finally opened her eyes and looked at Older Spock in surprise. "You are not defined by the way you look, Emily. Beauty lies within."

Her heart nearly skipped a beat upon hearing those words. For a moment, she didn't know what to say as she realized what he was implying. Just like McCoy, he didn't seem to care if she was wearing the suit or not. In fact, he seemed to prefer seeing her without the suit. She held back another sigh as she began to realize that maybe McCoy had been right after all.

"Better not let him hear that you think he's right," she remarked dryly. "Leonard has a big enough ego as it is."

It was at that point when she noticed that Older Spock let out a laugh. It sounded so odd coming from a Vulcan, but then she had to remind herself that Spock was also human. She couldn't hide the small smile that followed when she noticed the tension from earlier dissipated as they started talking.

"I know that it isn't in my place to ask, but seeing as you're from the future and an alternate timeline, what was my life like in your world?" she asked warily.

Older Spock looked at her thoughtfully. His brows furrowed together in a tight line as he debated whether it was safe to tell her or not. It wouldn't cause a ripple-effect in the timeline. The lives of the people he came to know were already so different that it wouldn't have mattered. Yet, he was still careful with what he said.

"You and Doctor McCoy were happily married before the Enterprise made her maiden voyage," he explained. Emily simply blinked in surprise as she felt his gaze boring through her carefully. "Though you are both equally stubborn in your own rights, you often looked after the crew and maintained a strong bond with Captain Kirk, and myself."

That was enough for Emily to wrinkle her nose in annoyance. The sad thing was, she doubted that Kirk would ever allow her anywhere near Starfleet when this was over. He'd given away her position with SHIELD. She knew for a fact that telling him the truth would have been the right thing to do.

There were times when she wished she could have told him the truth instead of lying to him all the time. But she knew how he handled things when they weren't what he saw as a good idea. She realized with a start that Kirk would have given away her position no matter what she tried telling him. He'd planned on using her role as an excuse to get out of his trial, but that plan had backfired on him.

I'm not surprised that the Council tried kicking him off the ship after that stunt, she thought with a roll of her eyes.

The only reason he was on the ship in the first place was because McCoy had been a good friend to him. She doubted any other doctor would risk pulling that stunt, especially given the situation they were in. But the Fleet needed strong, able-bodied crew members working aboard a ship like the Enterprise, and Kirk happened to be all of those aspects.

As much as she resented Kirk for what he did, she understood the need for people like him on a Starship. He was every bit his father, and while he hated being compared to George Kirk, Emily could see it in him. She suspected that was also why Captain Pike had chosen him as First Officer after promoting Spock to Acting Captain. If anything should happen to Spock, Kirk would act quickly and take charge.

"Well, I doubt Kirk's gonna want anything to do with me when this is over," she muttered under her breath. Older Spock threw her a wary look as she felt her cheeks grow hot once more. "He wasn't exactly happy to find out that I work for SHIELD."

The silence that followed was almost unnerving when older Spock seemed to take that all in. Joining SHIELD had been one of the best choices she could have made. Not only did it mean that she had a place in the world, but she also had a place to go when everyone else turned her down.

Even if it did mean having to keep secrets from the world, she thought bitterly.

She could still remember how annoyed she was with McCoy when she realized he knew the truth. He was the first to tell her that he'd known all along about her role with the agency. But after talking about it for the next few weeks, she began to realize that she was grateful he knew the truth. McCoy had become a good outlet for her when she needed someone to vent off to. He was far more accepting than anyone else she'd ever met, which said something.

"You are not part of Starfleet?" he asked in what she assumed was a Vulcan's equivalent of surprise.

When she didn't answer, older Spock moved for a stone-like boulder that had a shallow scoop of water in it. Emily rose an eyebrow in surprise before remembering how dry her mouth felt. She hadn't had anything decent to drink or eat for the last couple of days. While her body was able to sustain more than a couple of weeks without food, water was the one thing she couldn't go without.

"My parents weren't exactly fond of having a kid who could pass for a computer," she nearly rolled her eyes. "After the Kelvin was destroyed, they made up a story to make it seem like I went with the ship. Agent Phil Coulson was the one who later adopted me when SHIELD took me in." There was a pause as she thought of how she and McCoy met in the first place. Heat immediately rose to her cheeks as she recalled their first encounter. McCoy hadn't been happy when he found out that she was his new neighbor, but that all changed as they began to get to know each other. "Papa was also good friends with Leonard's father, which is how we met. He moved to Georgia after deciding I needed a normal life."

Once again, awkward silence filled the room as older Spock contemplated over how much her life had changed. She had no doubt that her life would have been different had nothing happened to the Kelvin. Yet, she also realized how lucky she was that SHIELD found her.

"It is remarkable to see that you have found a new life, given the circumstances," the older Vulcan finally remarked. "Captain George Kirk adopted you after seeing the damage your parents caused. Though you retained your last name, you and Jim were often like brother and sister."

That was enough for Emily to stiffen in surprise. She never would have suspected Captain Kirk to adopt her, even in another timeline. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized it made sense in a way. Kirk had always looked after her in some way or form when her parents worked aboard the Kelvin. Now that she looked back on it, she could see him taking that path.

She finally tried shrugging it off, ignoring the stinging pain surging through her shoulder. She would have to get it repaired by a doctor with proper medical equipment. She knew that it wouldn't heal properly with the medical equipment older Spock had. Even if it looked technologically advanced, she suspected most of it was old in his days.

"Yeah, well, Papa always said I was a survivor," she replied. "I guess I'm only just beginning to realize that he's right."

For the first time since she was placed in the cave with older Spock, he offered what could pass for a smile. Emily nearly gaped at the sight. While Vulcans were capable of smiling and showing other emotions, they preferred not to.

"You should rest, Liaison," he said after a moment of silence followed. "I would like to hope that we will find a way off of this planet."

I'll believe that load of bull when I see it, she thought with a nod of appreciation. Still, hope was all they had at the moment. It was certainly better than believing doom was the only option they would face.