A/N: I would like to thank everyone for all the reviews and support! It really means a lot :) I hope that this chapter does justice to your expectations.

"What do you think, doctor?" McCoy asked Chapel as she finished his checkup.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "I think you should have let me look at it earlier before it got this bad."

"It shouldn't have gotten this bad," McCoy protested. "I put antibiotic on the thing as soon as you pointed it out. That should have stopped the infection. I just don't get it."

"The test results will be in soon," Chapel said, turning from the biobed to rearrange the instruments on the table, "however, in my opinion, that scratch of yours has more than just a simple infection."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

The nurse glanced at him. "I don't really know, doctor. You'll just have the read the results to the test yourself. I am certain that you are not having an allergic reaction, and I am almost just as certain that it is more than an infection."

"And you can't explain why?"

Chapel shook her head. "I'm sorry, doctor. Maybe when you see the results, you'll be able understand what I am getting at." She frowned. "I just can't explian it."

McCoy sighed, and stood up, rubbing his arm absently. "I have to beam down to that planet again."

"You don't sound like you're looking forward to it," Chapel observed knowingly.

"I'm not," McCoy agreed irritably before leaving sickbay to go to the transportor room.

"We were down there for two hours," McCoy griped. "And not a trace of stupid plant you seem to remember so well."

"It is interesting," Spock said, a hint of confusion in his voice, "I was absolutely positive that the plant was rooted at that location."

"Well, I sure didn't seen anything," Scotty piped up, "not like ya discribed, Mr. Spock."

The landing party of three had just beamed up from the planet's surface. Though McCoy didn't want to admit it, he was worried that they hadn't found the plant that scratched him. His left arm was starting to ache, and his shoulder felt numb at the joint. In fact, he was having a difficult time using his arm at all.

He made no delay getting back to his office, where Nurse Chapel was waiting with the test results.

"Doctor," she said quietly, handing him the pad.

McCoy stared at it for several long moments, hoping unrealistically that what he was reading wasn't what he thought he was reading. He finally looked up when he heard Chapel shift uncomfortably. "According to this, there is a life form in my arm?"

"I don't know how, doctor, it seems impossible...but that's what the results say. Something is living, and growing, in your arm."

The doctor was at a loss. He didn't even know where to start with this new information. "I-I suppose we should-I should..." he paused, staring hard at the test results as though they would somehow give him the answer.

"May I suggest," Chapel interjected softly upon seeing the scarcely veiled look of fear on her commanding officer's face, "that we try to keep the lifeform from spreading to the rest of your body?"

"Yes...that's what we should do..." McCoy felt tired all of a sudden. Stress, he supposed. He looked up at Chapel. "Call the captain and Spock. Have them come down as soon as they can."

"Yes, doctor."

A/N: I'm sorry for such a short update. I had an idea last night that I am dying to use; however, I have to lead up to it... next update coming soon! :)

(If you have any suggestions, please PM me!)