Chapter 8 ~ Where There Is a Flame, Someone Gets Burned

Eon reached her quarters and slumped to the floor. Her minor cuts sung a bit but her old battle wound had reopened. She knew if had walked to Sick Bay, it would have opened more and she would have gotten blood everywhere. She leaned heavily against the wall, breathing hard. Why, oh why did she have to pick a fight with the Scree at that level? As soon as her old wound opened, she should have canceled the program and gotten herself to Sick Bay. But no, she had to prove herself able to defend anything or anyone from a predator. She closed her eyes and let herself relax, not knowing that she had fallen asleep.

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Spock looked over the gathering of ambassadors with slight interest. He knew that he could not have gotten the night off like Eon had requested but, perhaps he would be able to cut this party short for himself. "Spock, where is your wife?" Amanda began, noting the lack of Eon.

"I have not seen her since our brief encounter in engineering but it would be illogical and disruptive if she were to attend this gathering." Spock replied, growing slightly worried.

"Why is that?" Amanda asked, Sarek's interest piqued.

"She is the representative for Elysium and, as to not make any of the ambassador's favor her thus favoring her planet, she has been asked to keep her distance from all ambassadors." Spock replied. "However, she has usually contacted me by now, usually rambling about how her day has been and such."

Amanda smiled, thinking that that sounded much like her young friend. Bones was just about to ask Amanda a question when his com went off. "What is it?" he asked into it.

"Doctor, your presence is required immediately. There is an emergency." The nurse on the other side said fast.

"GET OFF ME! STOP, IT BURNS!" a voice shouted in the background and Spock's heart sank.

"Eon…" he whispered, making Bones curse.

"On my way. McCoy out." Bones said and rushed off.

"Excuse me." Spock said sharply and rushed off after McCoy.

The pair raced to Sick Bay where muffled screams and shouts came from the room. Opening the doors, Spock saw Eon thrashing against the hold of four orderlies, screaming her head off that it burned. "Give her a sedative damn'it!" Bones shouted over the screaming.

"We did doctor. Two actually!" the nurse replied, prepping another sedative.

"GET THEM OFF ME! IT BURNS! SPOCK HELP ME!" Eon screamed, tears pouring down her cheeks.

Spock pushed past an orderly, placed his hand on her meld points and invaded her mind.

He landed in the middle of a raging fire. The heat was already unbearable and he could feel his skin blistering. "Spock, help me!" a voice called from the flames.

He ran through the fire, searching for Eon. When he found her, she was pinned under a Scree made of fire. "Eon!" Spock shouted, running to her side, narrowly missing the snapping beak of the fire Scree.

"Spock!" she said, grasping his hand.

He grabbed both her hands and pulled her out from under the Scree's foot, holding her to his chest away from the fire. "Eon, you must wake up." He said, his voice nearly drowned out by the sound of the flames. "You must wake up my t'hy'la!"

She looked up at his face, tears evaporating from her cheeks as they fell and nodded.

She bolted up, throwing off the orderlies, breathing heavy and labored. Spock snapped his hand away and slumped to the floor. She saw him fall and made to grab at him, thus falling off the bed as the two sedatives kicked in. They landed together in a heap on the floor. The orderlies, nurses and Bones were all panting. "What the hell happened?" Bones asked, going to their sides. "They are covered in first and second degree burns."

"We don't know sir." A nurse said as the orderlies picked the two up and placed them in separate beds. "We received a distress signal from Ms. Time's room and found her thrashing about on the floor, bleeding everywhere."

"Bleeding?" Bones asked, taking his medicine and applying it to the burns on Eon.

"Yes doctor. Somehow, maybe during her thrashing, she cut open her thigh." The nurse continued, turning Eon's leg to show him the large, slightly bleeding cut.

Bones stared at it. It was inflamed red and was a deeper red color. It wasn't the only cut on her skin. Numerous tiny scratches were on her arms, torso and legs. "It looks like she got into a fight." He said softly, healing those wounds as well.

"We managed to get some healing down on the cut before we lost control." The nurse continued as Bones worked on patching the large cut up.

"It will leave a scar no doubt." He said harshly, before finishing his healing on Eon and turned to Spock.

His burns were less severe and mostly on his back. Neither of their clothing was burned but the skin under it was. "What the hell happened in there?" Bones asked himself as he finished healing them both. "Strap both of them down and contact me as soon as they wake up."

The nurse nodded and Bones left Sick Bay. He needed a stiff drink. He went to the party and grabbed the largest glass he could and poured himself a hearty class of brandy, drinking half it in one swallow. "Dr. McCoy, what happened?" Amanda asked, noting his haggard look and lack of Spock.

"I have absolutely no idea what happened Mrs. Sarek but Eon and Spock are both unconscious, suffering from burns and Eon is cut up pretty badly." He replied.

She placed her drink down. "Where is Sick Bay?" she asked.

Bones finished his drink and said, "Follow me."

Sarek saw his wife leaving and caught up with her. "Wife, where are you going?" he asked.

"Spock and Eon are in Sick Bay." She said calmly.

Sarek excused himself and trailed after his wife. The trip to Sick Bay was short but tense. Bones needed another drink, Amanda was worried and Sarek was merely tagging along. Amanda burst into Sick Bay just as Eon shouted, "Let me out damn'it!"

"Calm down Eon." Bones said, rushing past the stopped Amanda to Eon's side.

"What happened Bones? Why am I strapped down? Why do I feel like my skin was on fire? Why the hell is Spock unconscious?!" she asked, her voice harsh and full of worry.

Bones explained what had happened to the best of his knowledge. "Maybe you could fill in the blanks." He continued, picking up a PADD and waiting for her to begin.

Eon was breathing deeply. "I was so pissed after how Sarek treated Spock that I went to the holodeck to blow off some steam. I guess I made the mistake of incorporating a very territorial Scree and picking a fight with it. That must have opened up my leg scar… I remember going back to my quarters to rest a bit before going to Sick Bay to get the scar closed up again. I must have fallen asleep… and had a nightmare. I was in the fire but couldn't get out. A Scree made of fire was there and it attacked me… I… I called out for help… and Spock came." Here, she paused and looked over at the still unconscious Spock. "He pulled me from the flames and helped me wake up."

Bones nodded and glanced at Spock as well. "You will both be fine in time. Just relax alright?" he said, taking the restraints off and sitting her up.

"I'm so sorry I ruined the evening Amanda." Eon apologized, glancing sorrowfully at Amanda before glaring a moment at Sarek.

"It is perfectly alright Eon." Amanda said, going to her side and placing a hand over her wrist.

Eon bowed her head and looked over at Spock, worry flooding her eyes. Sarek excused himself and returned to his quarters. Amanda left soon after him and Bones returned to the party. The nurses milled about but didn't notice when Eon left her bed, unstrapped Spock and climbed into his bed, nestling against his side. She fell asleep and rested in a dreamless state while she waited for Spock to awaken.

Spock awoke with a slight start but stilled when he felt weight on his side. Glancing over, he saw Eon resting her head on his chest, her hand also on his chest. He softened and wrapped an arm around her torso, bringing her closer. She snuggled against him and they fell asleep together.

[AN: I know I am messing up the episode but I felt like Sarek needed to see just how much Eon and Spock loved each other. I also wanted to show how deeply Eon was affected by the fire and how much she needs Spock. If you can't figure it out, Amanda likes Eon and gives her approval but Eon is going to have to show that she is worthy of Spock to Sarek. However, don't worry too much, Spock will definitely wake up in time to save Sarek. ~CH]