Chapter 14 – Love Amidst Betrayal

"AND CAPTAIN KIRK WINS BY FORFEIT! THE MAN FROM THE STARS IS VICTORIOUS!" the announcer's voice boomed and the entire crowd erupted.

Smirking Kirk tossed his own sword to the side and reached down, offering his hand. Kephas was surprised by this but took it anyway and Kirk helped him stand. Shaking hands the crowd cheered even harder, "Great job, you did amazing."

"I…thank you, Captain Kirk," Kephas nodded his head in respect before turned around, grabbed his weapon and departed.

Looking up to the Royal seating, Kirk expected to see Sarah clapping and her face bright with happiness he won, but his own grin faded as soon as he saw she was not there.

Eri had been about to reply to Raiden when the audience started cheering, "Your Captain did remarkably well."

"That he is-" Raiden stopped abruptly when Leonard toppled over on to the ground. "Bones!" The tiger reached the doctor just before Spock, quickly checking his pulse. There was one, but it was slow- not deadly slow, but rather a sleeping slow. "He's out cold."

Spock's brows furrowed as he looked back at Bria to have her signal Kirk...but she wasn't there. The Vulcan leap to his feet and ripped the curtains down where Bria and Sarah had once stood. His heart rate increased as he realized neither were anywhere to be seen. "Bria?! Bria!" He called, his eyes darting around the crowd, but no one answered his call. Spinning around and ignoring the guards, the first officer stormed up to the King, grabbing a fistful of fabric and jarring him harshly. "Where are they?! Answer me!"

Raiden cursed as he left Bones to Eri's tending, and he gripped Spock's shoulder, "Let him go, Spock! This isn't /logical/."

"Bria and Sarah are missing. If any should know, it is him." Spock snapped, his grip tightening, "Where. Are. They?"

Baal's completion paled and his eyes widened in fear, "L-Let go of me! Guards, escort our guests out! Preferably out of the city entirely!" The men that surrounded him grabbed at Spock, but he was stronger than they were, and soon all four guards had to restrain him as he fought against them, "OUT!" Baal demanded, pointing his finger at the curtain.

"Leon? Leon?! What happ-" Ayano's voice was faint through the earpiece, but it was crushed in the scuffle Eri had to jump out of the way of. She bit her lip and shrank back as another guard came in after Spock was dragged out, and the doctor was hauled over the soldier's shoulder. Tears were in her eyes by the time Raiden looked at her, one more guard coming in and grabbing him by the arm.

Raiden's jaw was locked as they heaved his unconscious friend off after the raging Vulcan. Why had the doctor passed out anyway? It could have been the heat, they weren't out in it long enough to cause that. Actually, now that he thought of it as more of the guards came to haul him away too, Bria had been acting somewhat strange, commenting on the heat. Raiden had been too distracted with Eri to notice if Sarah had been the same way. If she had, then that would mean that only Spock, the King, Eri, and himself were unaffected by whatever caused this. Why? The only thing he had saw any of them do was...eat those chocolates.

As the soldiers gripped him by his arms, Raiden slowly looked to Eri. She had stopped him from eating the sweets. She /stopped/ him which means that she knew what would happen if he ate one. "W-why Eri?" he managed to get out before he was forced out of the Coliseum.

The guards still were struggling with Spock just outside of the enormous stadium walls when the doctor and Toran male were escorted out. The Vulcan's eyes were nearly black with rage, his jaw locked, and his lips pulled back in a snarl. Bria. He /had/ to find her. He would not allow these men to stop him from finding the woman he loved. She needed him, and /he/ needed /her/. Bria was his lifeline. It was his not only his duty to protector as her courter, but his new life mission to see no harm came to her.

He had been right there. /Right there/! Not but three feet from him, and he had not heard a sound when she was taken. He had been selfishly watching the Captain out of pride in his teaching, too absorbed in it to even notice until McCoy passed out. She had needed him, and he hadn't protected her. Not but /three feet/...

The sound of rushing feet caught Spock's attention, snapping his head towards it in hopes that the foot fall belonged to his Bria. They were not. Spock watched as Jim came jogging out, completely and utterly perplexed over the situation. Not only had he failed Bria, but he had failed the Captain as well. Jim had entrusted him with the care of Sarah, and, even if he felt more concern over Bria's disappearance, the fact that he had failed his Captain made it all the worst, "Captain. Bria and Sarah are missing. Bones is unconscious, and the King has decided-" he grunted against the soldiers still fighting to move him along, "-to throw us out of the city."

"Spock, calm down!" Kirk felt rage boil in him blood as well, but he was a /Captain/ and if his First Officer was seeing red, /he/ definitely couldn't afford to do the same. "/Commander Spock/, I order you to stop struggling!" He reached out, gripping him by his elbows and pinning his arms to his sides. He was by no means strong enough to hold him there if he was truly willing to toss him off, but the other guards were also restraining him, "If the King is ordering us out, then we'll leave, /but/," piercing blue eyes looked at the guard who had just placed Bones in the wagon they'd be escorted out in, "Let your King know that kidnapping not one, but /two/ Starfleet Officers results in /treason/ against the Federation and if they are not returned to us by tomorrow at the temple ruins outside city limits we will have no choice but to take matters into our own hands," he found by the end of his warning he was growling just as badly as Spock had been. Looking at the Vulcan he watched his nose flare as he was trying to calm down, "We'll find her. We'll find them both, Spock. It's going to be okay." He'd only seen Spock act this furious after the death of his mother after he had provoked him. Something different was causing this.

Spock closed his eyes as his chest heaved with the effort to calm him erratic emotions. This...this was becoming rather taxing on him...However, Jim was correct. He needed to calm himself...for Bria's sake if anyone's. They needed logic during this time, and not out of control emotions. A plan needed to be calculated. Yes, he needed to focus on that. He would find his ashaya if he had to tear down the city. He was in control, not his emotions. He was in control, not his emotions... "I...am...stable now, Captain..." Spock murmured, the guards hesitantly released the Vulcan to drug his feet to the wagon and hopping inside next to Raiden who sat with his head cradled in his hands. Whatever distressed the Toran mattered little to Spock. No one's emotions concerned him, in fact, except the fear Bria surely felt unless she was unconscious like McCoy...

X

When static came through the computer just after a /crunch/, Ayano felt her blood run cold. Leon…air sucked through her teeth with a hiss when she realized she wasn't breathing and she darted into action. First she went to the cupboards and dragged out her personal first aid kit. Next, she grabbed her shoulder bag and placed it in there. After that, she went to her station where she had unconventional medical things, grabbing a vial and placing it inside her lab coat pocket. Her communicator was last as she bolted out the door. "Mr. Sulu, something happened to the landing party. I don't know what, the ear piece I gave to McCoy went dead. I request permission to beam down."

"You're already on your way to the transporter room, aren't you?" Sulu asked, slight amusement in his voice to cover the worry she knew he felt, "Permission granted, Lt Rei. I will assign someone to take care of the medical bay while you're gone and have them prepare it should you need it."

"Arigato," Ayano said in their native tongue.

"Doitashimashite," You are welcome, Sulu responded before cutting com.

X

When she got there, there was no one in sight. There was no way they would let her into those huge walls she guessed protected the city. She played back what had been recorded through the earpiece before it went dead and tried to make out all of the shouts. Spock was raging, which was unusual, and then she heard 'out of the city!' which meant she would have to wait. Looking around, she found a broken column piece in the shade and sat down on it, and tried to calm her worried heart.

At least fifteen minutes past, if not 20, before she heard the wagon and jerked to her feet. Captain Kirk and all the others were dressed oddly…like from Greek times. Spock was in a plain blue toga with just one shoulder, held together with a leather belt, and Kirk and Raiden were both in bronze armor. But…were was Bones? Her chest constricted with panic as the wagon stopped just before the temple. Kirk and Spock jumped out and Spock hovered at the end of the wagon, holding his arms out while Raiden was heaving something up and as soon as the body was in Spock's arms she knew it was Bones. "Leon!" She gasped and she stepped from the shade of the ruined temple.

The lot of them turned their heads to look at her, "You can lay him on my coat," she quickly said, and went back to the column. She had removed her coat earlier due to the heat, but now she straightened it out while she heard the other's footsteps getting closer, "What happened?" she asked to anyone who would answer as Spock ever so gently laid Bones down. She removed the vial from the pocket and popped the lid, then scooted her legs under Leon's head to support him while she waved the vial under his nose. Tenderly she brushed his hair out of his eyes; wincing at the scrape above his brow…he must've hit his head, so she would have to check for a concussion. Meanwhile, his nose twitched, and he made faces before groaning.

Everything spun as Bones forced his eyes open moments before closing them again. What...where was he? He was on his back and the sun was blaring down on him. But...he had been sitting with the others watching Jim's match. There was heat and a sinking feeling. Then...nothing. Everything just /stopped/. Something soft cupped his cheeks and he weakly reached up to grip at the softness. Hands. They were hands- warm hands. There was no need to open his eyes. Leon knew these hands because he trusted them to aid him in every medical situation. "A-Ayano...? Wha...what are you...doing here...?" he grunted lightly, forcing his eyes to open a bit to see the shadow of the lovely woman.

"The earpiece I gave you was crushed so I..." She nearly said she panicked but caught herself, "I figured something bad happened. Mr. Sulu gave me permission to beam down, not that he had much choice since I was already halfway to the transporter room when I contacted him on my communicator." She stroked his face with her thumb since he had her hand pinned with his, "How are you feeling? Does your head hurt? You've got a nasty scrape above your eyebrow."

A smile poked at his lips as he turned his head slightly to press her palm against his nose so he could breathe in her scent. Normally he wouldn't do this, but...she was there and he couldn't help it. "I think I may have a concision..." he murmured into her palm.

"It appears that he is mostly unharmed," Spock stated, his normal resolve masking his still whirling emotions.

Bones groaned, "Please tell me that he's just my head and we're in the med bay..."

"Unfortunately not, Leon..." Ayano sighed, though her hair hide her blush from the others.

"We're outside the city, Bones, we were kicked out," Kirk sighed and leaned against a pillar, looking up into the sky, "Bria and Sarah were taken..." he explained what Spock and Raiden had told him, observing how Spock began to /pace/ of all things and Raiden was off in the corner, his tail whipping around. "Could I use your com, Ayano?" He asked going over to her.

Ayano had helped Bones sit up by now and she reached into her shoulder-bag taking out both the medical kit and the com device. She sat in front of McCoy and popped the lid to the first aid, taking out the supplies she would need to patch him up, starting with a cotton ball and disinfectant, "Now hold still..."

"Captain Kirk to the Enterprise, come in Mr. Sulu," Kirk called.

"Mr. Sulu here. Glad to hear you're alright, Captain. I trust Lt Rei is with you?" Sulu answered.

"Right, she's patching up Bones right now. Everyone's alright...except that Bria and Sarah have been taken. Drugged and kidnapped right under our noses," he waved Spock off when he tried to say something, "I've had one of his guards inform the King of his treason against Starfleet and the Federation. I haven't quite decided what we'll do if they don't return them to us by morning...but I'm going to have Ayano beam back up and get a change of clothes and weapons. We're going to camp out here tonight."

"Understood, Captain. I'll get the supplies in order so they're ready when she arrives," Sulu assured and cut the com.

"I'll go with you," Bones grunted, wincing as the cotton ball scraped against his raw flesh and the disinfectant stung, "I need to run some tests on my blood to see if whatever they snuck me and the girls won't hurt us in the long run. Do you mind, Jim?" God, he felt like an idiot with his display towards Ayano in front of the others. He /defiantly/ hit his head hard. He shouldn't have done that to her...

"Go ahead, I need to plan with Spock what we're going to do anyway," Kirk waved his hand at Bones to do what he wanted, and gave them the communicator back.

Ayano took it and put away her supplies. They'd be going to the med-bay anyway. At least she had had the kit. She flipped open the com, "We're ready to be beamed up, Mr. Sulu."

"Hai, stand by," Sulu agreed and Ayano was the one to cut the link. Grabbing her lab coat and slinging her bag over her shoulder, she stood up and proceeded to help Bones to his feet. It took about 30 seconds before she felt the familiar tingle that teleporting brought, and they were in the transporter room, Scotty at the consol, "Thank you, Mr. Scott. We're actually going to go to the med-bay for a bit. Keep the supplies here."

"Right, lass," Scotty nodded, "Nice bump ya got there, Dr. McCoy."

"Yeah, I'm sure I could give you one to match if you want," Bones snickered, rolling his eyes as he tenderly touched the injury. He stepped off the platform first, feeling a little dizzy at the sudden drop in height, but he shook it off. There were some nice little devices in the med-bay he could use to patch up his wound and treat his concision. "Or maybe you would like to go down there, get poisoned, and pass out so you can do it yourself."

"Whoa, poisoned?" Scotty's eyes widened, "Ya okay, Doc?"

"He'll be okay, I'll take care of him," Ayano said firmly, stepping off the platform and taking Bone's arm, her other hand on his back, trying to steady him, "We'll explain later, Scotty. Come on, Leon," she soothed and led the way out of the transporter room.

They got to the med-bay and Ayano broke away from him to put away her things, returning the vial to the drawer at her desk, and the first aid to the cupboard. Then she looked for the devices Bones usually used and returned to his side where he was looking in a mirror, making a face at what he saw, "Here, sit down, and let me do it," she demanded, guiding him to his chair and making him take a seat, "Once I get this healed you can do the tests," she told him.

"Ah, that's no fun." Bones grinned lopsidedly, reaching out and rubbing her cheek. Wow, he was really messed up right now. Okay, focus. Don't lose it in front of her. Leonard still wanted to hear an answer to his question. Shaking his head as his hand dropped, Bones turned his inured side towards her. "Sorry, Ayano. I am trying to focus, but my head is killing me right now." He didn't even need to explain the procedures to her as she set to work right away on him.

"You don't have to apologize...or stop, Leon..." Ayano murmured softly, the device doing most of the work, "I...didn't want to say it around the others, but...I was really worried about you. I'm /still/ worried, actually," she admitted, biting her lip, "I know everything's going to be fine as soon as this is taken care of, I just...I'm used to seeing other people hurt, but not you. You're always so careful..."

The Doctor's mind cleared at the tone and words Ayano used as the devices patched him up. He had been careless. They all had, even after his initial thoughts and reactions to the city. He of all people should have questioned why the Oracle had offered /them/ treats first and not to the King. He should have seen this coming a mile away. Then Bria and Sarah wouldn't be missing, and Ayano wouldn't be worried about him. Some Chief Medical Officer he was.

"I know...I'm sorry. I should have seen this coming and stopped all of this." Leon sighed as his best assistant finished up. His head no longer pounded, clearing up smoothly now instead of the slow draining fog. "You are the last person I wanted to make worry...Ayano...when we were talking before, did you really mean what you said? Please don't lie about it. I want to know the truth."

"I wouldn't lie to you, Leon," Ayano assured firmly, placing the devices off to the side. She looked at him squarely, her honey brown eyes meeting his, "I did mean it. I wouldn't have said it if I didn't. I admire you. Ever since I first saw you at the hospital where they kept the Captain, I wanted to work by your side. I never would've dreamed of doing so, the Enterprise being so famous and all. I had tried so hard in the Academy to get top grades, show my parents up, but they ended up laughing at me when I didn't. I didn't even get a position on /any/ of the ships. You have no idea how happy it made me to see their horrified faces when they received the news that I'd be leaving on the five-year mission as the Chief Medical Officer's assistant, for helping save the infamous Captain Kirk's life."

Ayano shook her head, "All of that didn't matter to me, though. I'm glad I saved Kirk by helping you with that serum, but of all things...what made me happiest was seeing your face when you realized Kirk was going to be okay. The way your face lit up and you cheered 'yes!' under your breath and chanted 'you're going to be okay, Jim, you're going to be okay' as you resituated his pillows and patted his shoulder. At the time, Jim meant the world to you, for reasons I haven't bothered to ask about because it's between you two. However...I wanted...to be the one to make you smile like that just because you were happy to see me. I wanted to mean the world to you. I'm a blunt person, Leon. You've learned this over the past year as you helped me get used to the Enterprise's layout and stuff so I'd be ready when we left. But..."

The Japanese woman shifted and looked down, "After...being rejected by my parents, my whole family, my blunt nature completely disappears in regards to relationships. I didn't want to say anything, and ruin everything, resulting in my own embarrassment that would drive me to ask the Captain to be relieved of my duties and I'd get off at the nearest Earth Station, because I wouldn't be able to work beside a man I couldn't have who knew of my feelings and be reminded of how much of a failure I am, for pushing my luck and not being satisfied by just working beside you and being on the /Enterprise/."

Her breathing became irregular and her bottom lip quivered, "But then...then you called me /my dear/ after I accidentally slipped up and called you Leon. That one comment is honestly the only thing that gave me enough courage to make the 'love birds' comment and it's the only thing giving me enough balls to tell you this right now. You're an amazing person, a remarkable doctor, and...I care about you. A lot." She glanced at him sideways, her hair hiding most of her face, "In fact...I love you."

Leonard stared dumbly at the woman as everything just...sank in. This had to be a hallucination. It /had/ to be. She couldn't possibly feel that way towards /him/, an old doctor with a grouchy attitude and quick with sarcasm. In fact, he had pushed all his feeling to the very edge of his mind to avoid risking her discomfort. After Nancy left him...Bones lost that drive that would have given him the courage to fess up to the beautiful assistant. He...he couldn't risk having his heart broken like that again, especially by Ayano.

From the moment he had been introduced to her, the intelligent woman captured his interest. In fact, Leon had been so nervous when he met her outside of the workplace, he had almost made a fool out of himself by nearly walking into the women's restroom. He had never met anyone with such the skill that Ayano possessed and he half expected that he would be replaced by her after seeing her work first hand on Kirk's serum. He had to get to know her, so...he put in a good word with Spock who in turn managed to get her transferred to the Enterprise. Bones did everything in his power to help Ayano, too, when she needed anything from tour to even offering an ear to speak all her troubles to. He had been enraged after finding about her family. She deserved better than their treatment.

Now that same amazing woman was confessing her love her him- for /him/. Bones swallowed as reached out to brush her hair off to the side to see her face. "You…you /love/ me?" He breathed as his hand moved to gently rub her cheek. "I don't know what to say other than...I feel the same, Ayano. I...I love you, too."

Ayano's shoulders dropped with relief and her breath left her in a /whoosh/ before she let out a breathless giggle. Her head tilted into his hand and she bought hers up to hold it there and she just stood for a moment, taking deep breaths to calm herself before she started crying. Then, she took a step forward, and tilted her head just before she kissed him. No more waiting, no more being a coward. It was all or nothing now.

The kiss had surprised him, but Leonard didn't let that hold him back long as stood up, bringing her up with him. He wrapped his arms around her frame to pull her close as they could be. As cheesy as it sounded, Bones momentarily marveled at how perfect she formed into his arms. Nancy never felt that way to him. Sure she did enough to believe that they were perfect for another for a while. This...this is what perfect felt like. Her smooth skin, her soft hair, and the warmth of her body...just one taste and he was addicted to her natural drug.

Her hands weaved their way into his black hair, pulling him closer and she swiped her tongue across his bottom lip, demanding entrance to which he quickly agreed and their tongues met, rubbing and swirling around each other. Mint...a representation of his sharp wit and cool humor. It was perfect, and she moaned ever so softly in approval. The way his large, steady hands gripped her close made her feel wanted, loved...and that was all she had ever wanted in life, and here he was, fulfilling her long time wish. Now...her new wish was to be by his side, through everything she could possibly accompany him on.

Pulling back first, Bones kept his forehead pressed against hers with a smile plastered on his lips. This was amazing. "Ayano, my dear...you are wonderful and beautiful...I could stay like this with you in my arms." He reached up to brush some hair from her face, "Are you sure you want to be with someone like me?"

"Yes," Ayano breathed, loving the tender tone in his voice as he called her that, "You're far from perfect, but so am I. I don't expect you or want you to be perfect. I want you to be yourself. The grumpy smartass filled to the brim with sarcasm who cares about the life of his patients. What do you think made me fall in love with you in the first place, Leon?" she giggled softly.

"Well I was hoping it was my devilish good looks." Bones smirked as he swooped in for another quick kiss. She already hooked him around her finger. "Ayano...as much I want to bask in this moment with you...Jim and Spock need us to help with Bria and Sarah. I promise you once things settle down again, we'll have our time together." He really didn't want to though. For the first time in his career, Leonard wanted to cast aside his work during a time he was needed. He was a doctor, however, and doctors had to make some sacrifices. At least Ayano wouldn't be far from his side. "For now, I need you to help me with these tests to find out anything we can about whatever drug they used on me and the girls. You're the only one I trust to help me."

"Of course...and you know, you are still in the toga," Ayano was amused as she stepped back and Bones looked down at himself, "I'll set up the lab while you change, Leon," her hand that had been in his hair lingered on his chest briefly while she smiled, and then she pulled herself away.