Three

Planet Narla was more like Earth than Emily imagined. The terrain was similar in some ways yet different in others. The trees themselves resembled that of a pine forest, though there was little to no life within those trees. It left her feeling incredibly uncomfortable. She and the others had set up camp outside the clearing where the burial grounds were located. After discussing the situation with the others, it became obvious that no one felt comfortable staying inside the clearing.

As O'Neil and Kiale were the leading science officers running scans on the planet, Emily had the chance to stay behind with McCoy. Henderoff and Kirk were busy talking, though she could feel the tension between them. After finding out that Kirk had gotten into a fistfight with Henderoff before enlisting in the Academy, she understood the security officer's indifference.

"I'm still trying to work out this whole place," McCoy muttered as he looked around anxiously. She shifted uneasily from foot to foot while keeping an eye on her surroundings. She could tell he was on edge from everything they experienced so far. Or hadn't experienced. It was odd that there hadn't been any threats or any signs of life since they arrived. "I don't know why it feels like there should be some kind of threat, especially with Kirk around."

"O'Neil said that it's possible the burial grounds are sacred," she said quietly. "That might explain why there isn't any sign of life around here."

Emily chewed the bottom of her lip at the thought. She knew there were other reasons behind the lack of wildlife or indigenous life-forms. When they found out the water and the soil had been poisoned, it was clear something caused it to be that way. It explained why creatures hadn't been able to establish life on the planet. Even though it felt like a barren wasteland, it was clear the trees claimed some of the surface. The trees themselves were able to withstand the toxic soil that covered the surface, which was evident in the sap they produced.

"Considering the whole planet is a poisonous wasteland I'm surprised the atmosphere is breathable," McCoy retorted. Emily smirked in amusement as he sat down beside her. She knew they would have to explore the structure sooner or later, but O'Neil and Kiale were currently scanning the structure for signs of danger. "Though I'm guessing that isn't the only thing that's put you on edge."

Her heart nearly skipped a beat when his hand reached for hers, giving it a light squeeze in the process. She wasn't sure how to respond. After hearing about the fact that the energy readings were similar to hers and the Tesseract, she couldn't help but wonder if there was a connection. She was worried over what would happen if they found anything related to her own past, and where her powers came from.

"I'm not exactly sure what to say," she let out a heavy sigh. "I'm worried that if we find anything that is similar to my energy readings, then it'll add to my laundry list of things to worry about. People already see me as a threat."

"Not everyone does," he reminded her with a pointed look. She couldn't help but wonder if he was right. As she glanced at McCoy, her face softened when she saw the concern written across his face. "Darlin', I'll fight tooth and nail over whoever thinks you're a threat to them."

She couldn't hide the sheepish grin that followed. She was grateful for the constant support he offered. It wasn't as if she'd done anything to deserve that kind of devotion. Hell, more often than not it felt as though she was dragging him down with her. The last thing she wanted was for him to get hurt in the process of defending her. She was ready to say something when another voice cut her off.

"The highest energy readings appear to be coming from the structure itself," Kiale explained when they returned.

Emily shared an uneasy look with McCoy. She'd known going into this that they would have to explore the structure. She just hoped that she could avoid said structure for as long as she had. She let out a sigh as Kirk and Henderoff joined them shortly after, with O'Neil following. Judging from the look written across Kirk's face, he was eager to explore the structure before they went back to the ship.

"Right, since your energy readings are so similar to the structure I'd say it's a good idea for Coulson to go with us," Kirk said after clasping his hands together. Her eyes narrowed with annoyance as she felt McCoy stiffening beside her. "Relax, Bones. The fewer people that step inside the better off we are – we don't know how stable the structure is."

'We'll be fine, Leonard,' she reassured him telepathically.

McCoy held back a sigh of frustration before giving her hand a light squeeze once more. She knew this wasn't easy for him. After everything they had been through together, the last thing they needed was an upset from Planet Narla.

'Stay safe,' he said as they reluctantly parted ways. 'No matter what happens, nothing is gonna change.'

She merely offered a reassuring smile while reaching Kirk. Kirk looked as equally embarrassed as she felt moments ago for interrupting their moment. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly while they walked side-by-side, neither sure what to say next.

The structure itself looked more like a palace or a temple of some sort when she got a better look. Emily noticed with a start that half of the structure looked as though it was falling apart. Debris lay scattered along the main entrance and the clearing. Her stomach churned with renewed guilt as she noticed that the burial mounds were beginning to show signs of undergrowth creeping over them.

Even when colonies had tried establishing a life on this planet, they never went anywhere near the structure or the grave site. From what Emily gathered through the texts that were sent to them before this mission, alien visitors had been afraid of visiting the structure. She had a feeling that anyone else could feel the energy pulsating from the temple, and possibly the grave site. She knew she could, and that was just from the little experience she had with McCoy and Kirk.

The silence surrounding them made it even more awkward and tense than it already was. Unease crawled through Emily the moment they stepped foot on the stairs leading into the temple itself. She knew in that moment that she could feel the energy rolling off of the temple, almost as if something was bringing it back to life. Though the idea of a stone building being alive left her stomach feeling nauseous. She had a feeling that was part of the reason why those aliens who visited the planet hadn't gone anywhere near the temple.

She tried pushing those uneasy thoughts and feelings aside, knowing full-well nothing good would come out of living in fear. That was part of the reason her relationship with McCoy spiraled out of control in the past. They both feared the unknown, though McCoy was more afraid than anyone else. Neither of them had been keen to figure out what the future held in store for them. Emily couldn't shake off the feeling that said fear would always control their paths in some shape or form.

"You okay? You've been on edge since we got here… more so than Bones, and that's saying something," Kirk finally cut through the awkward silence.

"It's just… I don't know," she admitted; her shoulders sank with guilt as she looked around the stone walls warily. "I can't explain the way I feel right now. The energy coming from this place left me feeling dizzy right from the beginning, but this… this feels strangely like home."

Kirk rose an eyebrow in surprise as he realized what she meant by that. He'd known that the energy levels from the planet were similar to hers. But he hadn't realized until arriving just how close to home the energy readings were. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, and he was ready to say something when the energy levels suddenly spiraled. Emily froze on the spot as the hair along her arms stood on end. It suddenly felt as though the structure itself was alive.

'That is because you are home.' They both stiffened in surprise when a voice suddenly cut into their conversation. Emily recognized the voice as male, and as they looked around, she realized that a figure was standing at the center of the room they were in. 'Welcome, both of you… though it has long-since passed that outsiders were not permitted within these walls, I find it suitable to allow a Captain permission.'

"Who are you?" Kirk demanded.

'I am an ancient being who once called this planet and this temple home,' the energy being explained. 'My name is Eon, and I once was King of the Narlanians.'

"King?" Emily rose an incredulous eyebrow.

She realized with a start that 'Eon' was looking at her directly, though his face had no eyes. Hell, his whole figure had no structure as far as she could tell. Something about him was off, though she couldn't quite explain why. The only reason she could tell he was a male was through the tone of his voice.

'Indeed,' Eon replied after letting her question hang in the air. 'Only those of royal blood are given permission to enter this temple.' Emily stiffened when he addressed her directly. 'I never imagined I would have the chance to meet you.'

"Wait a minute, what do you mean by 'those of royal' blood?" Kirk asked curiously. "I mean, as far as I'm concerned, it's just the two of us in here and you."

'I am referring to my daughter, Astra,' Eon informed them. for a moment, Emily wasn't sure what to say as realization dawned on her. Even Kirk looked equally duped by his response. 'I understand your confusion; we never had the chance to explain where you came from or how you came to be.'

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm perfectly happy not knowing where I came from," she rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Most people have a hard enough time dealing with the fact that I'm different let alone learning this information."

'A fact for which we overlooked and had not contemplated,' Eon admitted. 'We were not aware that the human race was not ready to discover our people. What we did was purely an experiment, for the hope that our people could live on Terra where we would be safe.'

"So you sent me away based on the fact that I was nothing more than an experiment?" she bristled with fury. Kirk gave her a worried look when he realized what was happening. He didn't want to admit that he was worried that she could lose control. "Where the hell were you when my own parents rejected me?"

Eon's figure seemed to fade in and out of existence the moment she asked that question. For the first time since he appeared before them, she could feel the guilt rolling off of him in waves, along with something unexpected. Grief. Emily's brows furrowed together as he finally looked at her once more, this time with what could pass for sorrow.

'How I wish you could have known what this planet was like before it was destroyed,' he went on. 'Narla was a beautiful planet, one that outsiders once revered. But as time went on, the outsiders that once worshiped our people grew jealous. War ravaged our planet, and the remains of our people were scattered across the galaxy. We were afraid and dying out… I was the last in line when I discovered that my bondmate, Meave, was pregnant with you. Then, everything changed.'

Silence followed. Emily just stared at the images flickering past them. It was almost like a hologram playing out in the form of a movie. She watched as another being made of pure energy appeared before Eon, and it only took a genius to know that said energy being was his bondmate. Her heart suddenly sank with pity when she realized what was happening. They were watching the destruction of the planet.

After discovering that the water and the soil had been poisoned by what appeared to be chemical warfare, it wasn't surprising to find that the rest of the people had been destroyed in the process. What bothered her more than anything was the fact that it looked as though these people had been worshiped at one point.

"This is… horrible," Kirk admitted. His voice was quiet as he watched the scene unfold before him. Emily swallowed hard when she realized that this was the life they'd taken from her. She would have met the same fate as the rest of their people if they kept her. "So you're saying that you sent her away to what… protect her?"

'In a way… we wanted to protect you from the fate our people would have met. Living in a pocket dimension had it's side effects. Our people were slowly dying of starvation. When you were conceived, it was not through the Light. We knew that you would have been different from the rest of our people,' Eon explained. 'After what they had been through, the younger generation grew wary of those who were different. Your mother and I had to hide ourselves from the others in order to protect you.'

Emily's heart sank when she realized what he meant by that. He'd sacrificed his own life to protect them both. He wasn't here physically. This was a spiritual figure they were speaking to. Kirk finally seemed to understand the situation himself when he understood the meaning behind Eon's statement. She knew then and there that they made the right choice in sending her to Earth.

Even though her life hadn't had the greatest beginning, in the end she was better off being raised by humans. Coulson had given her the best possible start at life when he adopted her. Moving to Georgia had only solidified that beginning. She knew at the end of the day she would never change it for the world.

"Bones should probably hear about all of this," Kirk suddenly added.

"He already knows," she replied without missing a beat. She glanced at Kirk when his brow twitched in confusion. He knew about the bond she shared with McCoy. It was the one advantage they had over others, because it gave them the chance to keep each other informed whenever something went wrong. "You really think we wouldn't use the bond we have to our advantage? Leonard's more accommodating than you realize."

Kirk merely rolled his eyes when he realized she would continue going behind his back whenever she had the chance. The only difference now was the fact that they were starting to trust one another. He wanted to keep building that trust with her, even if it meant delving into uncomfortable territory.

'If there is another who wishes to be here, allow them entry,' Eon spoke up once more. She shared another look with Kirk before giving him a nod of agreement. She didn't want to think of what the future would hold in store for her now. Kirk left them for a brief moment to fetch McCoy, leaving them to talk. 'You already have a bondmate of your own.'

"He's honestly one of the best partners I could ask for," she admitted.

When Eon didn't answer, she suspected that meant he approved of her choice. Either way, it didn't matter. And as McCoy arrived with Kirk walking alongside him, Emily could feel the warmth and reassurance rolling off of him in waves. She knew this wasn't any easier for him as it was for her. They had to deal with not only this new information, but the reaction of the world when they found out.

.

.

"Well, this is a cluster fuck of information if I've never had any," McCoy grumbled when they were finished talking. A good three hours had passed since he arrived with Kirk. Since then Eon explained what they discussed earlier to help him catch up with what he missed out on. Emily watched his facial reaction carefully, not missing the way his face fell when Eon showed them images of how she'd come to Terra in the form of a human. Her mind was still spinning with all this new information. After everything that happened on Earth and what led to her own parents abandoning her, it suddenly made sense as to why they never developed any parental bond with her. "How the hell are we gonna share this information with anyone else if they wanna hear it?"

"The good news is, everything that was said between us has already been recorded," Kirk explained with a cheeky grin. Emily rolled her eyes at the way he seemed to handle everything. Despite the fact that she'd found out what she discovered, he was still acting as though nothing happened. She almost wished she could share similar convictions. "Look, I get that this is a lot to take in, but the Council and the Fleet are gonna want to hear this."

Emily shared an uneasy look with McCoy. She knew nothing good would come out of Kirk telling everyone what happened. But she also knew how important it was to share such information. She let out a sigh once Kirk decided to give them time alone. They needed to talk about what happened in the temple, though Emily dreaded the conversation that would follow.

"Say something, please," she whispered, hating the silence that filled the air.

McCoy let out a sigh of his own as he sat down with her at the temple's steps. She could feel the tension rolling off of him in waves. After experiencing what they went through minutes ago, Emily understood where the tension came from. She was more concerned over how McCoy would react to the way she was sent to Earth… and that the only reason she took on a human form was because both of her parents had been pure Narlanian.

"I'm not even sure where to begin, Em," he muttered after taking a deep breath.

Emily grimaced at that. She knew how he felt… hell, she wasn't even sure if she wanted to process all of this new information. Yet she had the physical proof in front of her, albeit it was in the form of those holograms, but they were real nonetheless. She buried her face into her hands as she rested her elbows on her knees. The last couple of hours had been daunting enough. She knew she was in for a hell of a week once all was said and done.

She knew that the media would eat this story up once word got out. The press had already been curious about her role with the Avengers before she decided to stick with Starfleet. Her choice of living with McCoy rather than the team struck the press as odd, until they realized how long they had known each other.

"I always knew I wasn't human," she said quietly. "There was always a small part of me that knew… how the hell could humans be born with the abilities that I have? Or survive the crap I've been through?"

He threw her a sympathetic look, though even then, he wasn't sure what to say. She knew he was only just beginning to realize how much their lives had changed because she was given a second chance at life. She would have likely been killed along with the rest of her people had her parents not sent her to Earth. They would've never had the chance to meet, and truthfully meeting him was one of the best things that could have happened to her. Aside from getting adopted by Coulson.

"Even after everything that's happened, it doesn't change a damn thing," he finally deadpanned. Emily gave him a skeptical look. She could tell he was on edge after finding out she was supposedly this long-lost princess. He would never admit it out loud, though. She couldn't bother to point it out loud when he finally pulled her into a comforting embrace. "I just wish there was more we could do to keep this from getting out of hand."

"Our first mission on a planet and this is what happens," she rolled her eyes after releasing her grip. McCoy could only chuckle in agreement, knowing full-well things could have gone worse. At least no one got injured, despite his earlier misgivings. "I'm surprised you took the news better than I expected."

McCoy gave her a thoughtful look when he noticed her demeanor change. There had been a time when he would have likely freaked out. He frowned as he recalled how nervous he had been when she first mentioned the bond they shared. It was at that point when he realized that he wanted to live a normal life. Or as normal as one could get when their father was involved with SHIELD. He had to live with that guilt for the rest of his life, knowing what that decision had done to her.

"If I was being honest, I've seen worse," he reminded her. She rose an eyebrow and let out an indignant snort. "All I'm saying is, you've taught me how to deal with those surprises. I'm not saying that's a bad thing."

"Sure you aren't," she rolled her eyes in amusement. "If this is how you plan on treating a princess, then I might just have second thoughts about our relationship."

It was then that the words caught on her tongue. She blinked a few times as she realized just how much of an impact that had on her. McCoy wasn't the least bit deterred, though. She was even more surprised when he suddenly captured her lips with his, ignoring the fact that she stiffened from his sudden contact.

"I'd be a damned fool to turn down the opportunity to date a princess," he quipped when she easily fell into his kiss. Emily couldn't hide the sheepish grin that followed when she leaned into him, feeling his hands reach her waist. In spite of still being stuck on the surface of Planet Narla, that didn't stop him from providing some much needed comfort for the woman he loved. "You're my best friend, Em… nothing is ever gonna change that."

Her heart practically soared with joy upon hearing those words. For the first time since this venture started, Emily felt a sense of peace sweep over her. Even though everything had spiraled out of control when she found out the truth about her heritage, that didn't stop McCoy from caring about her. She would always be grateful for his constant support, regardless of what anyone else said.