Leonard McCoy sat looking at the stars through the window of the shuttlecraft he was currently travelling in. Knuckles white from gripping the armrests. Even though the feeling of terror was thwarting him from wholly enjoying the view, he could still appreciate the beauty of it all. The heavy weight of Lorna's head on his shoulder meant that she, on the other hand, was not appreciating the beauty of it all. She did found it beautiful, space that is, but sleep was so much more important, than most other things in her book. About an hour into their trip and he'd watched as her eyelids had softly, slowly, dropped until her chin had come to rest on her chest and her hair fell forward to cover her face. A quiet little word of permission from him and she had shifted to rest on his shoulder.

He could smell her shampoo.

He could also see that she was drooling on his shoulder.

"Lorna?" He whispered.

Nothing.

Shaking his shoulder slightly he whispered her name again and then chuckled quietly when she groggily lifted her head up whilst wiping at the side of her mouth with the back of her hand. Looking to his shoulder she quickly wiped that also and muttered an embarrassed apology.

"Don't worry about it," He said giving her the smallest of winks. "We're nearly there." Lorna stretched herself out like a cat, star fishing in her seat and purposely and inanely pushing her hand against McCoy's shoulder as she worked out the creaks in her joints. "You think you're so funny don't you?" He asked in response, letting her push him against the bulkhead. Anybody else! If anybody else had tried to pull that shit with him he would have stared them down so hard they'd have never dared darken his door again. Lorna on the other hand, well she could do just about do anything and he found himself chuckling.

"I don't think, I know. I know I'm funny." Pointing her finger at him her tone was ridiculously aggressive, McCoy could only hold up his hands in surrender. Lorna got up from her seat and made sure she had all her stuff together, PADD, blanket etc. "I'm going to the loo." She told him.

"I don't need to know that Lorna." McCoy answered peering up at her.

"You might wonder where I've gone?" He might?

"In a shuttle? I don't think so." Not happy with his answer Lorna skulked off leaving McCoy shaking his head. After a few minutes had gone by McCoy watched as she plopped herself back in her seat, Lorna nudging his arm again.

"What?" He asked, feigning irritation.

"I'm back." She told him.

"I can see that." He replied.

"I'm just telling you, just in case you were worried."

"I wasn't." Lorna pretended to cry until McCoy told her to pack it in and they both waited silently to land.

"What do you think Doctor Heiland?" McCoy walked up behind Lorna and tuned in to her conversation with another Doctor attending the symposium. They'd gone their separate ways for a while, discussing varying methods of treatment and advancements in medicine. They would catch each other's eye across the room from time to time and either wink or smile or groan, depending on who they were talking to at the time.

"I'd agree with your assessment, it's reminiscent of the Mari society is it not?" McCoy watched the other Doctor look blankly at her and he had to admit, he was intrigued himself. Standing slightly back he watched Lorna talk animatedly from behind, hearing the same level of confidence and enthusiasm as he did every day in the med bay. He wondered how she kept it up, he'd let cynicism seep in on more than one occasion. It was hard not to, especially when the ship had suffered heavy casualties. Yet still, after all their time out in the big wide open space he had yet to see her not give a patient her one hundred percent attention and care.

"Violent crime was almost eliminated through removal of violent thoughts by engramatic purges." The man was still looking blankly at her but McCoy had cottoned on and was impressed. Well that wasn't entirely true, he already knew that Lorna Heiland knew more about medicine and medical advancements than any other Doctor on board the Enterprise and he wouldn't always admit it, but he included himself in that assessment from time to time. So really, no he wasn't impressed, it was just good to see her in action. "Neurogenic restructuring Doctor?" Lorna explained, the Doctor was clearly embarrassed that he wasn't aware of what she was talking about, not that Lorna was being condescending, it was his own sense of pride that made him feel it necessary to nod along enthusiastically never the less.

"Ah yes of course, excellent observation Doctor Heiland." He smiled politely at her and then unbelievably, pretending to see somebody else in the crowd that he knew, made his excuses and bolted, leaving Lorna stood alone. Looking around she spotted McCoy and smiled.

"Did you just see…?" She started asking him, hiking her thumb in the direction of the other Doctor.

"Yes." He answered smiling.

"Was it something I said?" Lorna asked, confused as to why the man had literally run away from her, they'd been having an interesting debate.

"I think it was the fact that you basically handed his ass to him, some men are still sensitive to that sort of thing you know? A common faulty genome." Lorna realised what he was inferring and laughed.

"I guess. I don't see why?" She really didn't, there was plenty she didn't know and when she didn't she would always ask. You could always guarantee there was at least one more person in the room as confused as you are.

"You're disarming, they don't expect it." He explained further, his hand fluttered to her hair unconsciously.

"Never judge a person by their coat." Lorna said by way of agreement, McCoy looked at her confused.

"I think it's 'never judge a book by its cover'?" Lorna shook her head at him.

"No, I don't think it is?"

"At any rate, you haven't lost your touch Heiland." Giving her arm a friendly tap the pair stood closer than was entirely necessary.

"How are you?" Lorna asked changing the subject.

"Fine, fine." As he stood in front of her again he decided he wasn't going to say what he'd just thought about saying, but then he did anyhow a moment later, toing and froing in his own internal monologue. "You're remarkable you know?" Lorna creased her brow in confusion.

"What?! How so?" She asked, blushing. "That's lovely of you to say by the way, as long as I'm taking it the right way?! Not 'You're remarkable you know?' as in 'You're a piece of work!' That's not how you meant it I presume?" She was rambling.

"No of course not." He was going to explain but some of what he was thinking was perhaps, well, it felt personal to him and he wasn't sure whether or not they were ready to have that kind of conversation. Calling her pretty paled in comparison.

"Never mind, come on, let's get some lunch." Lorna didn't push, she never pushed him and for that he was thankful.

McCoy watched intently as Lorna placed all the peas round her mashed potato. He wanted to ask what she was doing but he was too intrigued as to what she would do next and didn't want her to stop. Another parameter of mash potato and then the gravy was poured in. Lorna smiled at her achievement.

"You've made a moat?" McCoy asked.

"Umhum." Lorna hummed in agreement, still smoothing out the edges with the back of her fork.

"You've made a castle with your mashed potato?" He asked further, looking from her to the castle and back to her again.

"Umhum." The fork was giving a nice texture to the walls.

"Are you bored?" He asked.

"No." She answered and he didn't know what else to say. "I'll be right back." Standing and pushing out her chair quickly, McCoy watched as Lorna made her way through the large cafeteria. He watched bemused as she made her way to where all the cutlery and condiments were kept, a moment later and she was coming back. Honestly, McCoy marvelled at the fact that the woman was still alive! As he watched her dodge a trolley, dance from left to right with someone walking the opposite direction and skidding on some discarded food he realised there was really nothing she could do about the fact that the universe threw in her way all obstacles imaginable. Sitting back down in front of him she carefully ripped a corner of the white salt sachet off and poured the contents onto her side plate. McCoy began to realise what she was up to and buried his head in hands, despairing at the idiocy of it all. Pushing the toothpick into the sachet she sat the flag on top of the mashed potato castle.

"Ta da!" Lorna trumpeted, grinning at McCoy, he didn't say anything though. "You're finding me incredibly attractive right about now aren't you?" It was a joke, but as she said it and saw that McCoy blanched at her words Lorna knew she'd maybe skirted too close to the edge of whatever they were doing.

"Who wouldn't?" Oh thank God! McCoy was just going with it. "Are you going to eat the castle?"

"Where would everybody live?" Lorna asked looking genuinely concerned, McCoy tipped his empty drinks cup onto its side.

"Here?" He suggested, Lorna looked at the cup and pulled a face.

"I don't think so?" McCoy stood and pushed in his chair.

"Come on, we better be going." Lorna stood herself and as they walked and McCoy's hand came to rest on the small of her back, guiding her through the crowd and preventing her from knocking into things she felt those twinges in her stomach again. maybe she should have eaten the mashed potato castle and pea moat?

"Lorna?!" McCoy stage whispered.

"What?" She mumbled back.

"You can't fall asleep in the middle of the key note speech!" Apparently she could.

"Sure I can, watch. See." McCoy rolled his eyes as Lorna readjusted her head on his shoulder.

"Don't you want to hear what the man has to say?" He wasn't even convinced by his own argument, plus he was enjoying the feeling of her head on his shoulder too much. They seemed to fit perfectly.

"You can tell me later, I don't like his voice. I don't trust him." She whispered back.

"Because of his voice?!" What did that even mean?

"He sounds shifty. You can tell me after, I prefer it when you tell me things." Lorna's eyes were closed and she was barely whispering. McCoy shook his head but was smiling despite himself.

"Lorna?!"

"What?!" Lorna pulled her head off his shoulder and looked at him angrily, why wasn't he letting her sleep?

"It's finished." He said to her, bemused at her post nap grumpiness.

"What? It just started." Looking around the auditorium she realised that most of the people had already left.

"No, it hasn't. It's been two hours." Sheepishly rubbing her face with her hands Lorna raked her hands through her hair. When her fringe didn't fall flat McCoy impulsively reached out to straighten it and saw that Lorna's chocolate eyes were staring at him. He opened his mouth to apologise but didn't, he wasn't sorry. Lorna was looking at him in such a way that made him keep his hand up by her hair and as he trailed his fingers down her cheek he smiled when she grinned.

The sound of someone clearing their throat behind them made both Lorna and McCoy look away from another.

"Can I ask that you leave the auditorium please?" The miserable, disgruntled cleaner made Lorna laugh and although McCoy was seething at the interruption he couldn't help but let out an exasperated sigh also. Muttering an apology the pair made their way out, hypothesising the potential relationship status of the poor man as they went.

Holding the door open McCoy let Lorna pass him until they were stood outside in the cool evening air, looking up at the sky Lorna let her breath out slowly and hummed.

"I like evenings like this." McCoy was watching her keenly, she suddenly seemed serious to him and he found that he was surprised once more by her. He guessed she'd been right, you really couldn't judge a person by their coat?!

"Me too." He agreed, coming to stand in front of her and hesitantly taking her hand in his, pleased when she intertwined her fingers with his and squeezed soothingly.

"What would you rather do…?" Lorna started and McCoy couldn't help but roll his eyes, realising that Lorna Heiland could only hold off her daftness for a short period of time before it started seeping back. But when she took a step closer to him he stopped smiling and swallowed hard. "What would you rather do Leonard…?" Oh boy! He was in trouble. "Kiss me under the sun, or the stars?" Any empty air between them was done away with.

"Now that's a line!" He commended her.

"I thought you'd like that." Giving him a wink Lorna waited for him to answer.

"Do I have to pick one?" So, very very close.

"I guess not." As each one closed their eyes Lorna hummed again in anticipation. McCoy brought his head towards hers as Lorna pulled herself up on her tiptoes and as they both felt their bottom lips graze they smiled with happiness. "Oww! Sonofabitch!" She pulled back so quickly McCoy grabbed her shoulders thinking she would fall over.

"What?!" He watched as she pulled her hand away from her neck and looking down at the palm of her hand with the mushed bug lying there snorted and shook his head. "Only you." Lorna was still rubbing her neck, wincing at the pain radiating from the sting.

"It really hurt!" She whinged as McCoy pulled her hand away to take a look.

"Oh quit being such a baby…" Lorna stumbled back and brought her hands to her chest and McCoy's alarm bells went off immediately. "Lorna? Are you alright?" Hearing her wheeze and struggle for breath McCoy took hold of her, as her legs gave in he lowered her to the floor. "Lorna, talk to me!" He shouted, checking her pulse and loosening her uniform around her neck.

"My throat…tight…" She struggled.

"You're suffering…" His mind was racing with possibilities. "Anaphylaxis…?" He trailed off, looking around frantically McCoy couldn't see anybody, and looking back down at Lorna he knew he only had a matter of minutes. Pulling her up he set off back to his quarters, knowing he had his medical kit there.

"I'm not allergic." Lorna managed to rasp out as her eyes flickered shut.

"Goddamnit Lorna! Only you!"

As her eyes fluttered open Lorna groaned and buried her head in the pillow, a low light was on in the corner of the room but it felt like she was staring directly at the sun. Moving her arm she felt something tug against the blanket covering her. Peering down she blinked deliberately to focus her eyes on the IV in her arm, pulling herself up she looked around the room. It was identical to the one she'd been assigned but she knew it wasn't hers as there was clothes and bags everywhere. Surprisingly, she was a very tidy person. Moving to get out of bed she stopped when she noticed McCoy sat in the low chair beside her, he was asleep with his hands clasped in front of him, resting on his stomach. His head was at an awkward angle and he was sporting a grimace that made Lorna anxious. It was still dark outside, Lorna figured it was probably early morning? Slipping her legs out from under the cover she pulled the blanket away from her, seeing her crumpled uniform she tried not to think about the wave of sickness that was currently washing over her.

"Whoa there! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Looking up she saw McCoy coming to his feet, his arms outstretched ready to catch her. She tried to answer but when he shushed her and pushed her back down she knew there was no point protesting. She'd seen too many times the way he was with his patients and it was no democracy that was for sure! Lorna let him lift her legs back up onto the bed and push her back down, the blanket being tucked back around her and the IV being checked.

She just watched him silently.

"I had to give you Epinephrine and Oxygen to help you breathe." He explained to her.

"I've been stung before and never had a reaction?" She said confused.

"By a Bee, on Earth, not by whatever that was, here!" McCoy countered, rubbing his face with his hands tiredly.

"I suppose not." Her throat hurt.

"When it's daylight I want you back on the shuttle, I've contacted the Enterprise. I want to run a full diagnostic…" Lorna sort of tuned out to what McCoy was saying, she could see it on his face. He'd been scared and she felt awful that she'd been the cause. She knew it wasn't her fault, it had been a complete freak accident of course, but she still felt bad.

"Leonard?" She tried to interrupt him but he continued to rattle off the battery of tests he was planning for her. "Leonard?" She tried again, pulling her arm out from under the cover she stretched it out towards him and when he saw it he stopped talking and grasped it immediately. Coming to sit on the side of the bed McCoy brushed her fringe off her forehead delicately.

"Only you." He whispered.

"Would you rather your uniform be always two sizes too big or one size too small?" McCoy barked with laughter and Lorna smiled, feeling better that she had lifted the dark cloud that had been following him around.

"Damnit Lorna you could have died." He said with an anguished tone but he was grateful that she'd made him laugh.

"But I didn't, you saved me. So now I'm in debt to you." She loved the feeling of his fingers in her hair.

"You are?"

"Sure, isn't that what happens when someone saves your life?" When she creased her brow McCoy found himself smoothing out the wrinkles on the bridge of her nose and between her eyes with his thumb.

"I'll take your word for it." McCoy squeezed her hand again. "We were about to kiss." He stated simply.

"We were?" Lorna asked pretending to be shocked.

"Yes, we were. This wasn't some ridiculous way of getting out of it was it?" Lorna pretended to think.

"Ummm no." She finally answered.

"Good." McCoy leant towards her. "Can we try again?"

"Can I brush my teeth?" McCoy laughed at her question.

"Sure, I'll help you to the bathroom." Lorna found him so tender and caring as they slowly made their way to the bathroom that she felt, when it was time for her to let go of him, that she didn't want to, ever. "Are we going to stay like this?" McCoy asked when Lorna hadn't let go of his arms.

"I'm going to say yes."

"Alright, you let me know when you're ready." McCoy buried his face into her hair on the top of her head and closed his eyes. A minute or two later Lorna looked up at him.

"Okay, that's enough." Pulling away she gave him a lopsided grin and went to the sink. "Can I borrow your toothbrush?" She asked.

"I'm not sure if I'm ready for that kind of big step in our relationship?" McCoy answered severely.

"Too soon?" Lorna laughed picking up the toothbrush anyway.

"It's just all going so fast, next you'll be asking to move in, get a dog…?!" Giving her a wink McCoy closed the door giving her some privacy. On the other side he grinned, counting his lucky stars.

"Can we call the dog Douglas?" He heard her shout through the door.

"Absolutely not! The only acceptable name for a dog is Butler." He shouted back.

The End