And so Leonard started to slip right back into the abyss. He accepted it with a strange kind of fatalism, knowing that there was nothing he could do about it anyway, now that the one person who might have gotten him out of the whole mess once and for all, had actually pushed him back into it.

It was not exactly Chris' fault, he argued with himself. It was rather an alignment of unlucky circumstances.

Our weaknesses make us vulnerable to our enemies, so maybe it shouldn't have surprised anyone that Ryan and Samosa, who had been waiting for a chance to take revenge, decided to take action.

Leonard's lethargy only made it easier to seek him out and catch him off guard and his new habit of taking solitary nighttime walks across the Academy's vast campus whenever the dreams haunted him gave them the almost perfect opportunity to abduct him and drag him to a temporarily abandoned hall in the part of the vast complex where Starfleet's future engineers were trained for their work in outer space.

Both being enrolled in the engineering program, Ryan and Samosa knew their way around these buildings and they also knew that hall 415 was only used as additional storage room these days. No one would come here and interfere with their revenge.

"Payback time, McCoy," Ryan hissed, his face contorted by an ugly scowl, while Samosa tied Leonard's feet together, then grabbed two ropes dangling from the ceiling and tied his arms up to leave him hanging there almost helplessly. They had gagged him previously, but when Samosa proceeded to remove the gag, Leonard seized the opportunity and bit his hand.

Granted, Samosa's beefy fingers were about the last thing he wanted in his mouth, but the other man's pained and enraged scream was a small satisfaction.

"Bastard!" Samosa chocked out, kicking Leonard in the shins to leave him dangling for a moment. Pain rushed from his overstretched arms through his body and he gasped, struggling to stand on his feet again. Samosa's next kick, however, was aimed at his kneecaps and it was a direct hit. Leonard felt something splitter inside his knee and let out a wail of pain and a stream of curses.

"Not so cocky now, are we?" Samosa grunted in obvious satisfaction.

Ryan let out a bark of derisive laughter as he came over carrying something that Leonard couldn't see yet. From the gleeful look on Ryan's face, though, he suspected it to be a nasty surprise.

"You're known throughout campus as a connoisseur of fine wine and a good brand of whiskey, McCoy. Yet I here that you haven't been drinking anything to believe and a shame, but it can be easily remedied…" He held up a large bottle filled with dark liquid so that Leonard could see it. "Strong stuff, but I'm sure, you'll appreciate it." He opened the bottle and sniffed it. "Ah. Now, let's see…"

Leonard knew that they were going to force him to drink it, yet he struggled against it with all his might, because he also knew that this was likely to end in him suffering a severe alcohol poisoning and he had some past experience with that, both personal and professional; it definitely wasn't pretty.

Ryan and Samosa, however, had apparently anticipated this and they were as brutal as they were efficient in their methods. One restrained him, beating and kicking him, whenever he struggled, while the other forced the liquid down his throat. Leonard did not notice its taste, he was too busy keeping from suffocating.

It wasn't very long until a certain numbness settled over Leonard and he felt himself wrapped up in red fog. The pain faded away into a dull throb and the voices of his tormenters, their laughter and insults were but a murmur. His mind seemed to float aloof somewhere above his body and it registered what little of his surroundings he could still perceive with a sort of disinterested apathy.

Visions came to him, similar to the nightmares he was so familiar with, but less unpleasant. He saw people and heard things that couldn't possibly be there. It wasn't too bad, though. Everything was sort of dimmed, quiet, even peaceful.

He saw Jim, laughing heartily at some joke or other, and Nyota, her face alight with her beautiful smile. There was Christine, soft-spoken and caring as she told one of their patients not to worry about it, and Anya, her curious, questioning pale eyes. He saw Jocelyn, once again the happy, charming young girl he had first fallen in love with, and Joana, his precious little daughter, chasing after the neighbor's cat Stripes. And finally, there was Chris, his guardian angel… and – had things turned out but a little different – his lover. Here, it didn't matter, though. Everything was alright here. Chris was shouting something, but Leonard couldn't quite understand him. It didn't seem to be important, though.

Then someone else spoke, his voice familiar and yet…

That's odd, Leonard thought. What's Spock doing here? He's not supposed to be here.

Somehow, this didn't feel right. This was a place for people Leonard loved and cared about, and frankly, Spock just didn't fit in here. And what was he saying, anyway?

"Sir, you need to stop, you're going to kill the man."

"So what, Spock?", Chris hissed in a voice that Leonard had never heard him use on anyone before. "He'd richly deserve it!"

"It is not our place to judge them and administer punishment…"

Aw, Spock, stop talking like a goddamm lawyer or priest. You're ruining my moment!

"Besides, I believe that it is their victim that requires our attention right now. I've already called for help and Medical is sending a team down here, but we need to get him down from there."

"Right."

Leonard heard a dull thump, and idly wondered if this was what it sounded like when a limp body was dropped to the ground, then someone moved up next to him and reached out for him.

"I've got him. Cut the ropes."

Leonard felt warmth encompassing him as the ropes slid down, his arms fell to his sides like dead weight and he sank back into a familiar embrace he'd never thought he'd feel again.

Chris. So I'm probably not going to end up in hell…

A comforting thought. He didn't know what he'd done to deserve heaven, but he was quite ready for it.

Chris was talking to him, soft words, reassurances mingling with caresses.

Well finally. This is nice.

And with that thought on his mind, Leonard slipped into deep unconsciousness.

Odd fragmented dreams were floating through Leonard's mind. He couldn't quite piece them together, nor was he able to actively take part in them, but he settled into the role of a quiet listener. The dreams didn't make much sense, but they occupied his mind and he was quite comfortable, floating around, listening.

At first, the dreams involved a lot of shouting. People were shouting things about medical emergencies and immediate treatment. Someone's life was in danger and they all seemed pretty upset about it, so they took to screaming at each other.

Very unprofessional, Leonard observed.

Jim was there, and he was shouting, too.

What's he doing at Medical? Someone should get him out if there really is an emergency.

To make matters worse, Jim seemed to be shouting at Chris and from the sound of it all, he would soon be grounded for seriously insulting a superior officer. It was unhealthy for a cadet to call a captain things like idiot, daft oaf and asshole.

Jim, why do you always have to raise such a fuss? Leonard mentally sighed, then drifted off again.

The next fragment he consciously witnessed was a little quieter. Chris was there, and so was Anya, but apparently no one else. At first, Leonard felt a little uncomfortable; listening to their private conversation, but then it was just a dream anyway…

"Stop tormenting yourself, Chris," the psychologist ordered sternly. "I'm busy enough worrying about one victim, I don't need two of you. Frankly, there wasn't much you could have done anyway. Which isn't to say that I'm not blaming you for part of this mess, but for heaven's sake, you weren't the one who almost killed this one. You actually saved his life, along with the Vulcan."

"If it hadn't been for me, he wouldn't have been in need of saving," Chris replied quietly.

"They did not beat him up because you freaked out and ran. It just made it easier for them to get to him, because you weren't guarding him like your most treasured possession anymore."

"That's what I'm saying. I should have been there."

"Maybe so, but they would have found an opportunity to get to him sooner or later. If you want to take blame, blame yourself for what you actually did. Three months, Chris! You ruined my work of three months!"

Aw, no, Anya, not again…! This is getting kind of boring, can't we have something else?

"When I asked you a few weeks ago, you told me that you had everything under control, that'd you'd wait and that you knew what you wanted to. If you had made up your mind, why the hell did you change it?"

"I realized that it was wrong, Anya," Chris whispered. "I was taking advantage of the situation… I shouldn't have…"

"Nonsense, Chris. Either, you're in love with someone, or you aren't. You want my advice? Next time, tell the person in question about it, before you act on it. And if you aren't, keep the hell away from them, especially, if they happen to be one of my patients."

Trust Anya to be frank, Leonard thought, smiling to himself.

He started drifting again, until he arrived at another scene, in another dream.

A man's voice spoke, deep and calm. At first, Leonard couldn't understand the words, but he recognized the speaker.

Why, it can't be…. Admiral Archer? What's he doing in my dreams? It's not as if I knew him well or anything…

But something else distracted him. Someone was holding his hand and gently brushing over its back with his thumb. Chris. Leonard neither saw nor heard him, but he knew. This was his dream. It just had to be.

"… will be dealt with legally. We can't let this incident be covered up quietly like the first one. What? You thought I didn't know about that one? Christopher, there are very few things happening on these grounds that I don't know about." There was a hint of amusement in Admiral Archer's voice. "My wife is head of the linguistics program and she likes to talk – in forty-two different languages, actually. Anyway, there's hardly a campus rumor that I'm not aware of."

And after a slight pause he continued: "I want you to know that I'm not quite happy with the approach you took in dealing with the first incident. It should have been done properly."

"Impossible. He would have been thrown out of the Academy."

"Maybe. Was that all you cared about at the time?"

"Everyone deserves a second chance, Jonathan."

"I agree. But your manner of dealing with the whole affair was rather… unique. Do you really think that you've done the young man a service? No, you don't need to answer that." He sighed. "I happen to know from personal experience that we're all fools for love. You know how I hate having to explain to people that Hoshi is my wife instead of my daughter? Everyone pictures me to be the gentle old grandfather telling stories to his grandkids, but people have a hard time believing that I'm actually raising a bunch of my own little rascals instead."

"I guess I've never thought about that," Chris conceded. "Yet again… that is one problem I'm sure never to face." His voice sounded a little sad at that, and he continued to hold on to Leonard's hand.

"Don't be so sure of that. When I left my ship, I didn't think I was going to raise four kids, either. Some things just happen."

Some things just happen… and with that, Leonard drifted off again.

When he woke up, he was almost alone.

Almost, because Christine Chapel was busy checking his vital signs.

"What do you think you're doing, Christine? I'm not due for a physical for at least another eight weeks!"

She startled, her eyes taking on the size of saucers. "Len! You're awake!"

She hurried to his side, taking his hand.

"Well, what did you think?" But then he noticed her worn look and the obvious relief on her face. "You've been worrying too much, Christine."

"About you, you moron!" She seemed torn between laughter and crying. "You gave us a right scare, you did! Two broken rips, a shattered knee-cap, not to speak of your arms and shoulders, and a serious alcohol poisoning! And then you were unconscious for so long, even after we had treated you."

"How long?"

"Four days."

"That's not possible!"

"I'm telling you the truth, Leonard. How do you feel?"

"Numb. Dizzy. Like someone filled me up with painkillers, which is probably the truth, isn't it?"

She nodded. "Ah, wait till I tell them! Everyone has been worried sick about you. Even Spock checked on you twice, and you know how little really gets to him, being a Vulcan and all…"

"Before you run off and tell everyone, could you get me a glass of water? I'm really thirsty."

"Of course, Len."

"Bones! You're awake!" Jim positively stormed into the room, closely followed by Chris and Nyota.

"Now Jim, you might want to be a little more careful," Chris admonished.

Jim shot him a poisonous look over his shoulder. "I'm not sure you should be here anyway."

"Jim", Nyota said quietly. "Don't be unfair. We're all just glad that Leonard is awake."

She turned to Leonard smiling at him.

"Is there anything we can do to make you feel better?"

"Kill Ryan and Samosa, maybe? You know, sort of slowly, painfully and publicly would suit me very well…"

Nyota frowned. "I fear that doesn't agree with Starfleet's code of conduct. They will be punished though."

"Severely, I hope," Jim added darkly. "Bastards. I should have known they'd retaliate. I'm sorry, Bones."

"Don't blame yourself, kid." Leonard shook his head.

"Admiral Archer is attending to the matter," Chris said. He was looking everywhere but at Leonard.

Figures. My dreams were just dreams then. Tangled fragments of the mind. Nothing real.

Damn. Lying here, looking at Chris who was so far away and not looking at him, hurt more than any of his physical injuries.

I'll have to ask Christine if there's some kind of painkiller for emotions.

"Do you need anything?" Nyota asked. "It must be pretty boring here. Should we bring you something to read? Favorite foods? You know, my roommate, Gaila, she makes this really great fruitcake…"

"Sure," Leonard replied absently, still absorbed in his own thoughts.

"By the way, Bones, your ex sent a message. She was wondering whether you'd take Joana for a week or two of her holidays. I told her that you were in the hospital and not likely to be able to take care of her, and I'm sure she understood…" Jim let the sentence trail off.

Joana! Damn Ryan and Samosa!

"Well, seems that I'm recovering. And I'd like to see my baby girl."

Jim grinned. "That's good. Because she sounded pretty disappointed, you know. She's gorgeous, by the way. Cutest kid I ever saw. Shame that she isn't ten years or so older. She's the one girl I might actually fall for and marry."

"And become my son-in-law? Never in this world, Jim. I'd sooner push you off some space-dock." Leonard grinned back.

"Aw, I'm hurt, Bones. Anyway, I can't wait to meet the little princess in person."

"Neither can I," Leonard replied softly.