I was bored so I wrote the final chapter. Happy Easter Everyone.

+ One

Martin had woken up in a lot of strange places as a result of his inner ear problem. Sometimes they were dangerous, sometimes they were just embarrassing. Most of them time, Martin was just confused. That generally came when the faint was unexpected.

To be fair, Martin hadn't seen this particular faint coming. The last thing he remembered, or more accurately, the first thing he remembered when his brain grumbled back into life and left his in darkness, was trying to navigate his way through the smoke filled fuselage. There had been no reason whatsoever to suspect that he might get dizzy…and yet…for some reason he was flat on his back with his eyes squeezed shut and his ears fizzling in rebellion.

Martin was more than used to strangers poking and prodding him when he had passed out, and he hated it. He was used to the overly loud questions and inquiries as to his health, name, and location.

What Martin wasn't used to were gentle hands skirting around his limbs and chest, and a warm familiar voice strained with unfamiliar panic that seeped into his bones and made him shiver with pleasurable recognition. He only had a second to ruminate on that before surprise caught him by the throat and jerked him into something not-quite-near alertness.

Martin's eyes snapped open just as his brain decided to inform him that he was almost upright, propped up on something that was probably a chair or bench…or possibly a wall…definitely a wall.

The first thing that he saw was the face of his First Officer leaning over him, brown eyes wide, cheeks pale, hair pushed back into messy locks behind her ears. The first thing that he thought was that the sight of Deborah Richardson worrying over him only an inch away was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen –

-then he snapped himself out of it.

Deborah was muttering, probably asking questions. Martin couldn't quite understand what she was saying…he thought it was because he was still groggy…it was probably because he was gaping, dazed as his hands shifted and collided with hers and she shook them off to press her fingers to his cheeks and stare into his eyes, only to move on and hook two fingers under his chin, more around his wrist.

Of all of the awkward situations that Martin had woken up in, this was quite nice actually. Deborah had never looked so frightened…and even though he should probably have been reassuring her, Martin couldn't help but admire her from this new peculiar angle and inwardly preen at being the centre of attention.

Martin was overly warm, nearly giddy.

"Martin…Martin?" Deborah's voice was as warm and smooth as always as her hands fastened around Martin's biceps, "I can see your eyes following me…speech would be a wonderful addition."

"Um…" Martin was still dizzy, he supposed, but he couldn't quite find it in himself to move away or say something that would make Deborah shift out of his personal space, "I…ugh…um…"

"Alright, you're not going to help me, are you?" Deborah sighed, rolling her eyes in a wonderfully familiar motion; it was nice, something charming that she did, "Are you alright? Martin?...okay…I'm just going to give you a good old first-aid looking over…alright?"

Martin nodded and watched as Deborah leaned in even more and checked him over. She pushed a hand through her hair, like she did when she was stressed, and huffed as if she thought that he couldn't hear her, which she also did a lot…it was still the best place that Martin had woken up.

It was weird. Martin couldn't think of a single reason why Deborah might have been so scared, but it was nice. It was as if she actually cared which was lovely actually…really, really lovely.

Not that Martin cared.

She was married.

And she was Deborah…even if she wasn't married, she was still his First Officer and…it was Deborah. Yes, she was attractive and talented and funny and generally perfect…but that was why Martin absolutely didn't like her at all.

Well…he liked her as a friend, obviously. He really liked her as a friend. If she wasn't so…Deborah, he might have said that she was his best friend…but really…no…absolutely not…at all…but…

No. The only reason he was enjoying the attention so much was because…payback.

That was it. Some weird sense of payback, because…b-because she was always looking down at him and now she was so worried about him that her face was so open and honest and her eyes were wide and wet and it made her look even nicer than she usually did and she was being more gentle than anyone had been in years…

Oh God…Martin jolted as he realised that he had to move before he let Deborah think that there was something seriously wrong with him.

"I-I-I'm fine." Martin stammered, raising his hands into the air so quickly that they thwacked Deborah's shoulders, which was even more embarrassing, even though she didn't really move out of the way, just sort of furrowed her brow and looked at him; he tried to make it a joke, "R-really, I-I'm fine, I'm just…there's no need for you to um, t-to grope me."

Something in Deborah's expression shifted, but she didn't move away. Martin was highly aware of the fact that there were only a few inches between them and that he didn't want her to stop looking after him…it was so nice.

"Believe me, Martin, you'll know when I grope you." Deborah drawled, some of the colour coming back to her cheeks; even so, her eyes searched his face and her hands rested on his wrists, "You're sure you're alright?"

"Yeah, y-yeah, i-it's just the, um…" Martin trailed off as the gravity of his predicament sunk in, and it hit him for the first time exactly what position they were in; him sprawled against the wall, her leaning over him, "It's just the…the dizziness. Like I told you."

"So you did." Deborah murmured, nodding solemnly as her chest hitched, her eyes continuing to wander while a frown played about her lips, "I must have simply…forgot."

"Never mind – i-it's not your fault." Martin assured her, although he wasn't sure why something in his chest was tugging guiltily at the look on her face, and he resisted the urge to reach out to her, "It's normal for people to forget when they're uh…when um…when they're…"

"Worried." Deborah finished for him.

"Yes." Martin replied with a nod and he watched as she nodded in return, settling back on her heels whilst keeping her gaze fixed on him as if she were afraid that he might break.

Now that he thought about it…it probably had been quite frightening…even for someone as brave as Deborah Richardson. It wasn't every day that a colleague keeled over without explanation.

And she had been there for him…was still there actually, which was a bit odd. Martin couldn't complain though. It really was nice…lovely…good to know that behind all of her bluster, Deborah really did care about him. It would be a lie to say that he wouldn't have been just as scared if something happened to her.

Letting out a sigh and admitting to himself that he was perfectly healthy again, and had been for a while, Martin slid his hand across his knee until his palm was curled around Deborah's knuckles. If she asked, he would say that it was a clumsy gesture fuelled by dizziness.

"This um…this wall's doing my back in." Martin swallowed awkwardly as Deborah paid their joined hands no noticed whatsoever and nodded in time to his words, "Could, c-could we maybe go somewhere with chairs?"

"Of course, Captain." Deborah replied, finally lighting up with a genuine smile that made the laughter lines by her eyes appear, "Chairs are of course a valid treatment option that I shan't deprive you of any longer."

As Deborah took both of Martin's hands and pulled him to his feet, he allowed her to slip an arm through his and place a hand at his back as if she thought that he was going to keel over again. All the while, he couldn't keep his eyes off of her…if that was what she looked like when she was relieved to see him in good shape…well…Martin definitely wasn't considering taking advantage of his natural bad luck to ensure her attentions were on him.

Nevertheless, Martin had to admit as Deborah talked softly to him and patted his various limbs to ensure that he was comfortable…his inner ear problem was finally beginning to pay off.

Not that he was at all interested…

This is the end now. Thank you everyone for reading, I hope it lived up to expectations.