A/N: I know, there has been another delay; this chapter was giving me a little bit of trouble. Plus, I've also started a full-time job so all my writing schedules have shifted to accommodate it. Should be back, though. Enjoy!

Mistakes

"His breathing is still depressed," McCoy muttered. "Inaprovaline!"

It was a difficult surgery. His patient was very determined to crash on the table. Both McCoy and M'Benga plus a gaggle of nurses swarmed around the lieutenant in an almost choreographed dance.

A hypo hit McCoy's outstretched hand. He moved to inject but something caught his eye. The liquid didn't look quite… right.

"Nurse, this is chloromydride, I said inaprovaline!"

Nurse Radner jumped and grabbed the hypo, hastily filling it with the correct drug. She handed it back to McCoy and shrank away.

They finished up the surgery and finally got the lieutenant stabilized. Everyone wearily trooped out as he was moved to post-op. McCoy hadn't even changed out of his surgical scrubs when he spotted Nurse Radner trying to slip by again.

"Nurse!" he called. She stopped in her tracks. McCoy softened his voice. "My office, for a moment?"

He thought about waiting until they were both freshened up and rested, but he didn't want to delay the conversation. The anxiety would make anybody squirm.

As soon as the door closed behind them she caved. "I'm sorry!" she blurted. "I thought it was the right hypo, I should've double-checked, I-"

McCoy held up his hand to stave off her apologies. "Everyone makes mistakes, Steph," he said.

She closed her eyes. "In our line of work even simple mistakes can be fatal."

"True..." McCoy gestured for her to sit on his couch while he poured them both a cup of water. It was less to quench thirst and more to use as a grounding device. He handed Radner her glass. "Did I ever tell you about the time I misdiagnosed a pregnant Selurvian?"

"No," she said meekly.

"I thought it was a parasite," he explained. "Selurvians reproduce asexually but I hadn't realized that they still experienced a form of gestation. I prescribed an aggressive antibiotic before I realized my mistake."

Nurse Radner looked horrified. "Did…?"

"Thankfully, no," he answered. "Another doctor realized what had happened and we rushed them into ICU just in time. Had to pump their system like crazy but both parent and child survived." He drank some of his water. "Though you can be sure I never made that mistake again."

"I bet…" she agreed. She looked down into her cup.

"My point," McCoy said gently. "Is that we all make mistakes, Stephanie. Yes, you're right that for us even minor mistakes can be deadly, but the best we can do is minimize them. It doesn't mean we won't ever make mistakes, or stop making them, but we can try to keep their numbers down. We're only human, and oftentimes the best lessons we learn come from mistakes. Just like with my Selurvian, I take it you'll be extra conscious of which hypos are which going forward?"

"Oh, absolutely!" she nodded vigorously. "I think I'd die if I ever let something like that happen again!"

"Then this is a best-case outcome," McCoy concluded, satisfied. "No one was hurt, and it's less likely to happen in the future. You're doing good, Steph."

She finished her water and gave him a tight smile. "Thank you, Doctor."

McCoy stood up. "I know what it's like. Don't let this eat you up, but instead inform you for next time – I'll need you again in the operating room before you know it."

Radner finally chuckled. "Not that we want people ending up there."

McCoy grinned. "True, but on this ship? They can't seem to stay away!"