Chapter 5

"Can I help you sir, madam?" the young man asked politely.

"We wish to speak to the proprietors?" the Countess asked.

"They aren't here ma'am. Mr Soong is away and Mr La Forge and Mrs Barclay are took ill."

"What?" Reg blurted. "What's wrong with them?" he asked desperately.

"Scarletina sir, then she was took bad with rheumatic fever."

"Is she here? I need t…to see her." he stated.

"They moved them sir, to Madame Guinan's house at Ladbroke Grove as it's more comfortable and warmer." the boy replied.

"Guinan? Madame Guinan?" Reg repeated with a frown.

"Do you have the address please?" the Countess asked politely.

"No ma'am." the lad replied. "Can I pass on a message?"

"Very well, please let Mr Soong know that Mrs James Moriarty and Leftenant Commander Barclay called. We can be contacted at the Langham Hotel." the Countess said and they turned to leave.

"Leftenant Commander Barclay? I thought you were dead?" the shop boy asked. "I thought Mrs Barclay was widowed."

"He was…lost at sea for some time. As you can imagine it's imperative we locate Mrs Barclay." the Countess intoned.

"I'll see Mr Soong gets the message as soon as I see him ma'am." the boy stated and they left the shop.

"They told people I was dead?" Reg asked incredulously.

"They had to say something. A young unmarried woman living over a shop with two bachelors is questionable in this era but a widow, possibly inheriting from a business partner is quite a different matter. You are the Barclay on that shop front Commander, not her."

He nodded, he supposed it made sense. "Scarletina is scarlet fever right? That and rheumatic fever are can both be fatal in this century. No antibiotics, they won't even be able to call a doctor for her."

"Commander there is no point in panicking." the Countess told him as she put her arm through his. "By the sound of it they have moved them to better lodgings, they are doing all they can for them." she intoned. "We have no other option than to wait."

Reg couldn't believe he'd come so far and still couldn't find her. He sighed and rubbed his wedding ring with his thumb. "No we don't, I have an idea. But I need to contact the ship."

He was as nervous as a bridegroom as he rang the bell, in fact more nervous than he had been when he was one. It hadn't taken long for Bastion to pick up Taryn's tritanium wedding ring in Ladbroke Grove now they had narrowed the area down and find the address. "I'd like to see Mrs Barclay please?" he blurted before the footman had a chance to speak.

"Mrs Barclay is indisposed." the young man stated.

"I'm her husband." he told him.

"The doctor is with her sir." he stated as he showed him into the salon. "I'll see if he'll speak with you." Reg fidgeted with his hat and paced as he waited for news. "He says to show you through to the orangery.

"Oh God." Reg exclaimed as he saw her. She looked pale and drawn and her lips grey. She was fighting to draw breath. He dropped to his knees at her side, clutched her hand and stroked her cropped hair from her forehead, she was barely conscious.

"She hasn't long, I'm afraid." the doctor stated sympathetically. "Her heart's giving out."

"Sorry, who are you?" Reg asked.

"The name's Doyle, I'm a friend of Madame Guinan. I'm a doctor, although I've been specialising in ophthalmology of late and I write books."

"Not Arthur Conan Doyle?" Reg asked incredulously.

"The very same. Your friend Mr La Forge is upstairs, he's ill but he's not as bad as her at present. I brought her down here as she seems to like the sunlight. Poor creature…"

"You… understand about her?" Reg asked.

"Some of it." Doyle replied, taking her pulse. "I don't believe for a moment she fell into a vat of dye as a child, put it that way. I tended to her nosebleeds, dye would never make her blood green. What is she?"

"I have to take her." Reg stated. "Do you have some blankets or something I can wrap her in?"

"It's too late man…" Doyle stated.

"Is it really you?" she whispered breathily and stroked Reg's face.

"I came to get you." he replied and kissed her fingertips. He wrapped the shawl that was on her lap around her head and shoulders to cover her face then picked her up in his arms, she felt light as a feather, she had lost a lot of weight.

"She shouldn't be moved, let her spend her final moments in peace." Doyle pursued him through the main house.

"I'll send someone for La Forge shortly." Reg told him as he strode away. "Thank you for taking care of her." He opened the front door with the hand that was under her legs and pushed it open with his foot.

"I can't just let you take my patient." Doyle protested as he reached him. "I have a duty of care." He grabbed Reg by the shoulder and pushed the door shut in front of them.

Reg turned. "Please, there's a chance I can save her if we leave now." he begged.

"How?" Doyle asked incredulously. "Look, I want answers. What is she?"

He didn't have time to argue or explain and he certainly couldn't tell him two of her grandparents hailed from other planets. "It's not so much what she is…but what her mother is." Reg stated. "Her father is a Welshman."

"And her mother?" Doyle aske expectantly. "Some eldritch, heathen creature?"

Reg had never heard a better description of Taryn's biological mother. "She's a a…" he searched for the words.

"One of the fae?" Doyle ventured.

Taryn had once told Reg the secret to a believable lie was to let them make up most of it themselves. Somewhere in his memory an old tale he had once heard Taryn's father tell while drunk resurfaced. "Yes, she's a fairy, an absinthe fairy."

"La fee verte? Well I never." Doyle smiled. "That would explain a lot, when I analysed her skin tissue it appeared to contain chlorophyll, the agent that gives absinthe its colour."

"Nine months after a heady night of intoxication and lust in the arms of the green fairy he found a basket at his door. In it was a tiny green daughter and he raised her." Reg explained.

"I see."

"There's a wise man, a…an elemental being made of light with a… bald head who may know of a way to save her. I really need to take her to him…"

"Of course man." Doyle said as he opened the door. "Let me know how she fares…either way."

"I will." Reg replied over his shoulder and headed for the carriage where the Countess was waiting.

"Is it true what they say? Did the green fairy steal his soul?" Doyle asked.

"No, but I gave her daughter mine." Reg replied and strode down the path.

"What took so long?" she asked as he lifted her into the carriage and climbed in.

"Sir Arthur Conan Doyle didn't want me to take her." Reg replied. "I told him a load of rubbish."

The Countess stared at him. "He won't be a sir yet… You didn't tell him she was a fairy did you?"

"Yes. How did you know?"

She giggled. "Aside from Sherlock Holmes Doyle was famous for believing in fairies. He fell for a hoax perpetrated by two little girls who had photographs they claimed were of Fae Folk. He was long dead by the time they admitted it thank goodness. Who'd have thought he got the idea reinforced by you two." She looked at Taryn. "I don't like her breathing, or her colour."

"No." Reg stroked her hair. "She cut her hair."

"They'll have done that to treat her fever." the Countess stated.

Taryn's eyes flickered open and she smiled at Reg. "You're still here."

"I'm never letting you out of my sight again." he kissed her forehead. "Hang on Pickle, as soon as we reach the hotel we can beam up to Bastion. There's just too many people around that will see us at this time of day. The Doctor's standing by, he'll get you back on your feet in no time."

She shook her head. "I think… it's too late, I'm… so sorry." she gasped.

"Don't talk like that." She gasped and stroked his face as he shook his head.

"You need to tell the…children…I…"

"They know you love them." he whispered into her hair as he cradled her in his arms.

"The babies…won't… remember me."

"They will because you're going to be fine."

"I missed their bi…rthday. Are they walking yet?"

"No, you haven't missed anything."

She frowned at his words. "I really wanted to make… another baby with you…I know I said I…didn't but…I was hoping if you found me… we could maybe try the fertility treatment…but I got sick…"

"Shh, just concentrate on getting better." he whispered into her ear as he held her.

"You look really… handsome dressed like that…" Her lips curled into a smile.

"This collar is cutting my head off." he replied.

"Try…a corset." Taryn responded.

"We're here." the Countess stated.

Reg covered her face with the shawl, stepped down from the carriage then pulled her into his arms. He strode quickly into the hotel and up the stairs to their suite, while the Countess asked at the desk for any messages.

He beamed directly to sickbay as soon as the door was closed where The Doctor and Dr Bashir were standing by.

"I didn't see Geordi but I was told he isn't as bad as her." Reg said as he placed her on the surgical table. "I said someone would be fetching him shortly.

The Doctor's expression was grave as he examined her. He cast a look to Dr Bashir who nodded. "I'll replicate one." the augmented doctor stated.

"Replicate what?" Reg asked.

"She has myocarditis, her immune system has attacked her heart muscle, it's too badly damaged to repair. We need to replace it." The Doctor explained as he hastily began his preparations.

Reg began to hyperventilate. "Oh…"

"It's her best chance Commander." Bashir stated. "If you'll excuse us we need to prepare for surgery." he said as he dashed around. "Bastion, are there any personnel rated as medics on board?"

"No Dr Bashir, if you require assistance the on-board EMH is available." Bastion replied. Bashir sighed and headed for the medical lab.

"Quin is next to useless, he's not a team player." The Doctor stated. "This is going to be risky with just the two of us."

"This ship doesn't have a Mark V." Reg stated as he clutched Taryn's hand and gazed into her face. "It has the new prototype. Bastion, activated the EMH please?"

A dark haired Bajoran female figure materialised in the medical bay, she looked at Taryn's readings. "Prosthetic cardiac replacement Doctor?" she asked The Doctor and he nodded. "Very well, I'll assist you."

"You'll assist me?" The Doctor asked incredulously. It was the first time he'd met an upgraded EMH that spoke to him like a colleague rather than one of the cleaners or worse. something on the bottom of their shoe.

"I can take point of you prefer…"

"No, your assistance is appreciated. I have particular knowledge of this patient's physiology, it's quite unusual and I will be taking the lead. We also have Dr Bashir."

"Leeta?" Julian asked in disbelief as he returned carrying an artificial heart on a tray.

"No, her likeness was used, with her permission, in creating my matrix. Dr Zimmerman called me Six during my development." the female hologram smiled.

Reg blanched on seeing the heart. "Is that it?"

"We'll take good care of her Mr Barclay." Six said as she put her arm around him and steered him towards the door. "This is going to take a while so why don't you go and find something to do in Engineering or better still, get something to eat and maybe try and get some rest. You look tired."

"I'll try, thank you." he whispered and walked dejectedly from sickbay, rubbing the back of his neck.

"How do you know who he is?" Julian asked.

"He has his combadge on the back of his lapel out of sight, I cross referenced his name with the Starfleet personnel database and found his full service and medical records. He has a wife who is an Orion hybrid and is likely to seek occupation rather than rest. He needs to deal with this situation as best he can, from his psychological profile he will have emotional concerns regarding his wife being given an artificial heart beyond his fears for her welfare." she explained as she made herself busy with the preparations for the surgery.

"Surely he isn't thinking she won't love him if we change her heart?" Julian asked.

"I expect he's thinking exactly that." The Doctor replied. "There has never been a prosthetic cardiac replacement on an Orion to my knowledge. There may be complications."

"It's not like we have a lot of choice." Julian stated.

…

"They kept finding us, everywhere we went until we realised they were tracking Data's positronic signature, the power signature from my optical implants and Taryn's wedding ring and biosignal so we split up. Taryn and I were the decoys and Data went on the run with the Matthews. We dismantled the temporal scanner we built and our combadges and made a dampening transmitter to hide Data from scans that we retrofitted into his abdominal cavity. I don't know where he is." Geordi explained to Barnard as Dr Bashir treated him in Sickbay.

"And this couple called Matthews were the Jem'Hadar's target?" Mike asked.

"Yeah, when they realised they weren't with Taryn and I they left us alone. We stopped off at a boarding house along with Guinan on the way back to London and there was a kid there that was sick. It never occurred to us we'd get scarlet fever. They said adults don't get it."

"That's because most children gained enough antibodies by the age of ten if they hadn't had the disease themselves." Bashir explained. "It was certainly unusual in adults in this era."

"As soon as you feel up to it Commander Prior would like you to join him in the search for Data." Mike explained. "I'm sure we can find a dampening field to hide your implants. We'll need to supply them to any non-Humans on away duty too from the sound of it."

"Sure, I feel fine now if Dr Bashir is happy to release me." Geordi stated.

"I don't see any problem with that." Julian smiled.

"I just feel awful that Taryn got so bad. Is she going to be okay?" Geordi asked with concern as he looked over at The Doctor and Reg by her bedside.

"She's out of surgery. She's fighting and we're doing all we can Commander." Bashir assured him.

"She's not out of the woods yet. This is the first time this technology has been used in a patient with Orion DNA, it appears to be functioning well but there may be eventualities we haven't anticipated." The Doctor explained to Reg as he stroked her hair from her forehead. Her colour looked better and her breathing was now even and relaxed. "We found damage to her hedroxal gland in addition to her cardiac tissue, it's in the process of failing. We've started hormone and coagulant therapy. It's still too early to see how well she'll tolerate it. Hopefully, when we return to our own time and have access to a genitronic replicator we'll be able to create a replacement."

Reg nodded. "But so far so good?"

"So far so good." The Doctor confirmed with a smile. "She should wake up soon. I'll leave you with her."

…

It was a dream she'd had often, waking slowly, cradled in familiar arms. His scent, the warmth of his body, his breath against her hair. Soon the twins would be stirring in their cribs and she would nestle one beside her sleeping husband while she fetched the other and she would nurse them. She loved this time of day, Reg would wake up and talk softly to the babies, stroking them gently as they suckled and Galatea would come in and tell them what she'd dreamed about. They were all early risers and this was a few stolen moments of family time before the bustle of the school and work day started.

She nestled into Reg's shoulder and raised her hand to his chest. His top felt nice under her hand but it felt unfamiliar. It was a shirt, the kind Data and Geordi had been wearing with a removable starched collar and cuffs. She must have washed them a hundred times. She ran her fingers along the rounded collar and caressed his suprasternal notch at the base of his throat then lazily ran her finger along his collarbone under the fabric of his shirt, her eyes still heavy with sleep. He stirred and kissed her forehead gently then tensed beside her.

"Taryn?" he asked and shifted to look at her face.

"Shh, I don't want this dream to end yet." She sighed deeply.

"No you need to wake up." Reg said and shifted position to look at her face. Her hand slid to the back of his neck and she seized his lips in a searing kiss. "I need to call The Doctor." he said reluctantly.

"I don't want to make love to him." She smiled.

"You shouldn't be making love to anyone, you've just had major surgery." he protested trying to wriggle from her grasp.

She threw her arms around his neck. "Oh God you're really here. I'm really here, this is real." she sobbed as she held him tight.

"It's real." He smiled as he held her just as tightly. "I thought I'd lost you, twice. You were only gone eight hours and when I found you…you looked so ill…"

"Eight hours? It's been over six months." she protested.

"Six…six months?" he repeated incredulously.

"Yes." She nodded.

"The three of you held off the Jem'Hadar for six months?" he asked looking amazed.

"Five months really. We don't know what they were doing for the first few weeks."

"So that's how you got so many scars and the damage to your hands." Dr Bashir said as he appeared at the foot of her bed. "We treated all the scar tissue."

"Oh that was the bare knuckle fighting I did for the first month or so." she replied dismissively.

"Sorry? Bare knuckle fighting?" Reg said angrily, grasping her by the upper arms and glaring at her.

"Well, we had to make money somehow. We were really struggling until we got the idea to start the shop. I was painted with leaves and vines. It was a gimmick. No one worked out the green was mostly my real skin."

"So Data had you brawling like some side-show attraction?"

"It was my idea, the purses weren't great but the boys made bets on me to win. I was undefeated." she added as a half-hearted excuse. "You always said you liked the idea of me rough-housing with girls."

"Well…yes but I sort of had a private viewing in mind not… in front of a baying crowd…you were undefeated? How many fights?"

"Two or three a week for eight weeks I think. I did have a significant genetic advantage and I was fighting tarts not trained athletes."

"Even so…" he said appraisingly.

"How did you get the wound to your side?" Julian asked. "You were lucky you didn't nick your bowel as it passed through."

"Oh that was a bayonet." she said dismissively.

"You were run through with a bayonet?" Reg asked angrily.

"Run through is a little strong, it just caught my love handle." she argued.

"Love handle? You…you've never had a love handle in your life. You're like a…a…lioness all lean and toned, even while you were pregnant."

"I was flabby after I had the twins." she reminded him.

"You had a little soft tummy for all of a month or so and…that's beside the point. What were you doing to get stabbed with a bayonet? How did you get scarlet fever for that matter?"

"She won't have had any anti-bodies. The strain of streptococcus that causes the disease was eradicated centuries ago." Dr Bashir explained. "It was among the bacterial agents we immunised you and the away team against."

"Oh my God, did Geordi get it too?" she asked desperately.

"Yes, but he fared better than you did. He's gone back to the surface already."

"I should go too." she said and got off the biobed.

"No." Reg said flatly. "You're benched for the duration. Not open for debate." he added to silence her protests.

"He's right. We need to keep an eye on you." Julian confirmed. "You can leave Sickbay but you need to stay on board Bastion."

"But I feel fine…"

"You…" Reg looked at Dr Bashir. "There's no easy way to tell you this Pickle. You have an artificial heart and your hedroxal gland is failing."

"I…" she paled and leant on the biobed for support.

"We aren't certain what complications there may be due to your unique physiology. Had I known how fascinating your anatomy is when you visited Deep Space 9 I'd have made some excuse to examine you."

"I'd just got used to the idea of producing pheromones." she whispered.

Reg took her in his arms and rocked her against his chest as she began to sob. "As soon as the Orb of Time takes us back The Doctor is going to make you a new one in a genitronic replicator."

"So I'll test the procedure for Gala?" she asked.

Reg sighed as she looked up at him with hope in her eyes. "I hadn't thought of it like that, but I suppose so."

"Well, that's not so bad then." She sniffed back her tears and pulled away. "I really don't want to stay here, I mean Sickbay of course. Are there quarters available?"

"Of course, The Doctor will want to discuss your ongoing therapy but I'm sure he'll find you." Julian smiled. She nodded and left Sickbay still dressed in a surgical gown without a further word. "Is she going to be alright?" he asked Reg with a frown.

"I don't know." Reg frowned and followed her. He found her waiting outside.

"I don't know the way." she whispered.

"Um…well mine are this way…did you want your own?" he asked.

"What?" she asked with a hurt expression on her face.

"The way you asked if there were quarters available I thought…" he said sadly and sighed deeply. He took her by the arm and drew her to one side. "Look, it's been six months for you, and you thought you might go into season soon and…if you had to be with someone else I'd, well I'd understand and…technically I wasn't even born at the time and it wouldn't alter how I feel about you but I'd rather know."

"I did go into season." she stated and he dropped his head. "Data helped me…"

"Oh God…" Reg started to hyperventilate, why did have to be Mr Multiple Techniques. No wonder she was being strange, she was probably planning to run off with him. He felt her hand in the centre of his chest and she looked up at him.

"…by building a…an adult toy."

"So you didn't?" She shook her head, "Not with Data?"

"Not with anyone but the thought of you. As if I could even think of it." She smiled warmly. "I even called my toy Reg." she admitted.

"Oh thank God." He clutched her against his chest, "I mean, I meant what I said but…"

"And to answer your next question Vibro-Reg wasn't as good or as big as you." she whispered into his shoulder.

"I wasn't going to ask that." he protested. "I was thinking it though." he whispered into her hair, "Are you feeling up to a detour before I show you our delightful quarters?"

She nodded. "What do you have in mind?" He took her hand and led her towards one of the medical labs that had holo-emitters fitted.

"Well, you know you always look beautiful to me, but it looks like someone cut your hair with a knife and fork. It's all odd lengths. I think you should get something done with it before you catch sight of yourself in a mirror and need another new heart."

She reached up with her hand and touched her hair. "They must've done it while I was delirious. I thought I felt lighter."

"I'm sure Bastion has a holographic hairdresser on file." Reg stated as he led her into the lab, but she resisted. "What's wrong?" he frowned.

"I'd like to keep it short for now. I know you like it long but…I've never had short hair and it seemed to suit Unity."

"You can have your hair however you want it."

…

"It sounds like you had a real adventure." Reg smiled as he lay beside her propped on his elbow on the bed he had made on the floor from mattresses and some linens he had replicated.

"You too. I'm so proud of you. Your project worked and you actually got on that platform and ended up on the Enterprise." She smiled. "Of course I'm livid that you were the test subject…"

"I wasn't exactly thrilled at the idea." He looked at her and smiled. "I love your hair." She had gone for a pixie cut that looked particularly cute in Reg's opinion. "I can see your ears and your neck all the time now." He kissed her neck softly. "Just when I think I know everything about you I find out you have curly hair."

"They normally straighten it when I go for a trim, even when I was a kid. It's a Green Kolari trait. It's not that I don't like it but it makes me look really Orion. Of course, Unity's hair wasn't real."

"I hate to break it to you but you still look Kolari." Reg grinned. He'd been surprised to find out Orion's called themselves the Kolari, but not at all surprised their word for the Federation was a veiled insult.

"I know. But I've never really felt like one."

"Now we know were Andie gets her curls from, but I'm surprised she's so blonde. I suppose it's like my mother." he paused thoughtfully.

"Your Dad tells me you were his fair haired boy when you were little. Children are often lighter haired when they're small. I think she'll be brunette like you." She snuggled into his chest. "Although I expect it will be all shades of the rainbow before she's done if she turns out to be your average teenage girl."

"I thought Pip got his duckling tuft from you, but it seems you're in the clear." Reg smiled.

"It must be from your side of the family somewhere. I can't believe it just appeared spontaneously. It's adorable though, his little quiff." She smiled and toyed with the base of Reg's throat. "I have to admit," she whispered as she opened a button on his shirt, "that cufflinks and shirt tails and collar studs are a bit of a turn on. It's all," she pressed a kiss to his neck and opened another button, "so…," another button fell victim, "complicated…"

"We shouldn't do this." Reg reluctantly said softly and grasped her hand.

"Why not?" she pleaded with her eyes wide.

"Well, you've just had a major surgery and…" he reasoned.

"It'll be a shakedown cruise for my new ticker." she argued, "Tell me being here like this doesn't remind you of our first time?"

"Of course it does, although I'm a little hazy on the particulars of our first time. Particularly how we got from talking to doing the deed, did you start it?"

"I'm not sure, I remember looking into your eyes and the next thing I knew I was stark naked on my back with my ankles around your neck."

"That's pretty much how I remember it too." He smiled. "It's not that I don't want to, I'm just saying we should check with one of the doctors first." he stated firmly. She rolled her eyes and stood up. "Where are you going?"

"To find something to wear. I can't wander around in a hospital gown can I?" She walked to the clothing dispenser and ordered a uniform. She grabbed it and dropped it on the bed then stripped off the gown. "Oh holy crap!" she exclaimed as she caught sight of herself naked in the mirror. "I thought I looked a little gaunt while I was getting my hair cut, I must have lost twenty pounds or more."

"Thirty." Reg stated as he stood and embraced her gently from behind. "The Doctor said it was nearer thirty."

"No wonder you looked worried when you found me. I look like I've been in a concentration camp." she bleated as she turned and looked at her emaciated form from different angles.

"That was more about the dark green circles under your eyes and the fact your lips were grey and you were struggling to breathe." he told her. "You look a little scrawny but a few square meals and you'll soon fill out."

"No wonder you didn't want to do it. It would be like necrophilia." She pulled away and put her uniform into the recycler. "I need a smaller size." He tilted her head to look up at him and kissed her on the lips. "Give me a break. I wasn't angling for a pity fuck." She scowled and pulled away angrily.

He grasped her by the arms and turned her to face him. "You know me better than that." he said softly and pulled her closer as she began to cry. "You've been ill and I nearly lost you. I know it matters to you, my proud beauty but I'm worried about your health, not what you look like. I love you, you silly, skinny bint."

"I don't find it easy to gain weight." she whispered into his shoulder.

"We'll ask The Doctor if you can have shakes like Gala, only protein ones to build you up." He kissed her forehead. "We'll fatten you up like a Thanksgiving turkey." He looked down at her. "We should find you some clothes or you'll get cold." he whispered as she gazed up at him. With a sigh he kissed her again and she didn't resist this time, she melted against him and clutched at his back, whimpering softly as they explored each other's mouths. "Promise me you're feeling okay?" he whispered between kisses to her neck.

"I feel wonderful." she replied, matching him kiss for kiss as she unbuttoned his shirt and trousers. He lowered his hand and lifted her thigh over his hip as he lifted her and deposited her gently on the bed. He could feel the unfamiliar sensation of her pelvis digging into his hips as he lay on top of her. She was the same woman he'd held in his arms less than a day ago but she felt so different. "Are you okay?" she whispered, noticing his hesitation and stroking his face gently. He answered her with his fevered kisses. It always amazed him how varied their physical life was. Often it was playful and fun, sometimes tender and sweet and then there were times like now when it felt as though they were experiencing something beyond the physical. A blending of their souls. They writhed together, his partially clothed body pressed against her naked form, her legs crossed over his back. They exchanged kisses, whispered words of love and each other's heated breath as they expressed their love. She suddenly looked at him with a surprised expression.

"You're about to come aren't you?"

"Oh yes." he grunted earnestly.

"It's okay, I've got you." she whispered and gripped his back tighter. He could have wept. He'd never expressed to anyone how vulnerable he felt at the point of climax. He shuddered as intense pleasure ripped through his body and mind as she held him safe in her arms. He felt her body pulse against his as she hit her own peak, lost in the throes of ecstasy. They lay there for a moment, sweaty and breathless sharing soft kisses and sighs.

"Did you just read my mind?" he asked breathily.

"I'm not sure, I just knew what you were feeling. Perhaps our mating bond is getting stronger?" she gasped with a smile.

"I don't think we've ever climaxed together like that."

"We have." she whispered breathily. "Lots of times."

"Not like that, you normally get there first and I get so excited I drop my payload. This time I beat you to it and you were right behind me." He sighed and kissed her softly.

"It was certainly intense." She panted and smiled.

"I know," he smiled and rubbed noses with her, "maybe there's something to be said for necrophilia."

She giggled and then her expression changed. "Reg?" she said in a husky whisper. "I'm having… trouble catching… my breath…." she wheezed. "I don't… feel too… good."

"What?" he looked alarmed. "Uh…Okay." he reached for his combadge on the floor. "Medical Emergency, Barclay's quarters." He stood and pulled up his pants, fastening them quickly. "Okay, let's sit you up." She nodded and he lifted her, sitting behind her to support her and covered her with a bed sheet to preserve her modesty. She was still panting but she seemed to breathe easier reclining. "I won't say I told you so…" he whispered.

"What happened?" The Doctor asked as he entered. "Don't bother, I can guess." he said noticing their state of dress as he scanned her. "Hold this mask for her." he instructed and placed the device over her nose and mouth and Reg held it in place.

"Please don't tell me I've killed her with sex?" Reg pleaded. "I told her we should ask if it was okay to…" Reg said guiltily.

"I thought you weren't going to say I told you so…" she mumbled into the mask.

"Don't talk. Breathe." The Doctor said sternly as he applied a sensor to her chest. "I wouldn't have had any objections per se, mild cardio exercise isn't necessarily a bad thing…." he stopped as he looked at the telemetry from her artificial heart. Reg thought that was just as well as he felt a little wounded by the word 'mild'. "Are you feeling better?" he asked her and she nodded. "I'm afraid this is one of those unexpected complications we warned you about. Your new heart isn't interfacing correctly with your physiology, it's misreading your Orion hormones, particularly your variety of adrenalin. Your heart rate hasn't risen above your resting heart rate since we tested it in sickbay and when you exerted yourself instead of rising it actually dropped slightly. You didn't get any increased oxygenation to your cells, including your brain. Even now you're a little bradycardic."

"What does that mean? Is it failing?" Reg asked with alarm.

"She's in no danger, it's beating strong and steady and it won't fall too low or stop as part of its design but she's going to have attacks like this when she exerts herself until we find a solution."

"What about my extra adrenal glands?" she asked through the mask. "It would recognise that adrenalin surely?"

"We have no idea what effect stimulating those glands will do to you, besides turning you into a glow worm. I believe the best option is to leave things as they are and genitronically replicate you a new heart in addition to a hedroxal gland when we return to the 24th century. Until then you'll have to take things easy," he told her, "and you need to keep it in your pants and not over-excite her." he told Reg. "I don't care how fetching she looks with her new haircut." He paused. "I never noticed before, but you remind me a little of Kes."

"You must miss her?" Taryn whispered, breathing normally now but still using the mask.

"It was never going to be a long friendship, even if she hadn't evolved to a higher level. Okampa only live nine years." He paused again. "Have you two discussed your expected life-spans?"

"We're planning a suicide pact when I turn ninety." Taryn joked and reached back to stroke Reg's head over her shoulder.

"It'll be a murder suicide long before then if you don't behave yourself." Reg warned and kissed her ear. "We're looking forward to growing old together and if she keeps scaring me the way she is she'll drive me to an early grave anyway." he looked earnestly at The Doctor. "I've never had anyone nearly die on me while making love." He kissed her forehead tenderly, "Fall asleep on me yes, but never die."

"You'll never let me forget that will you?" Taryn snapped and The Doctor touched her arm to warn her to calm down, "I was pregnant, tired and you came home at three in the morning after being out on the lash on your Dad's stag night and had a tequila boner till dawn." she argued with less venom.

Reg smirked at the memory, they had discovered the common factor in the priapisms he'd occasionally get when drinking was tequila. By contrast everything else seemed to give him the droop. "Is she really going to be okay?" he asked The Doctor earnestly.

"We still have to see how she tolerates the hormone and coagulant therapy but the auspices are good so far. We need to keep a close eye on her."

Reg nodded. "We're both concerned about how much weight she lost."

"It's not uncommon with scarlet and rheumatic fever to lose weight and it's hit her hard. We need to build your strength up gradually and I don't want you to exercise yet, although some gentle and I mean very gentle yoga may be helpful. I'll prescribe some protein supplements."

"Smoothies?" Taryn asked.

"If you like. You can stop using the oxygen mask now." he told them. "I'll leave it with you. If you feel breathless or lightheaded use it and if you don't feel any better after a few minutes call for assistance. Now, we need you to call in to Sickbay three times a day for your therapy but as I'm here I'll do it now." He checked her levels with a small device and then set up the dosage and gave her three hyposprays. "Eventually you'll be able to do this yourself but for now I want to keep track of your levels." She nodded. "I need to see you again at 0800 tomorrow for your next therapy."

"So it's three shots three times a day?" Reg asked.

"No, it will be more as her gland continues to fail." The Doctor said apologetically as he put away his equipment. "Potentially it may be six shots or more with each treatment and other complications may arise. Incidentally have you had any unusual symptoms you think I should know about?"

"She read my mind." Reg stated and The Doctor looked intrigued.

"Not exactly. It's embarrassing, I wish you hadn't said anything." she scowled.

"What happened?" The Doctor asked.

"Well, when I was about to…" Reg trailed off shyly.

"You mean when you reached the point of inevitability." The Doctor stated.

"I felt it, and I knew how he felt about it, and… Well I didn't orgasm but I sort of hijacked his." she admitted.

"You didn't tell me that." Reg frowned. "Oh, bang goes my perfect GPA." he added moodily.

"Perfect?" The Doctor frowned. "You mean you always…" he asked Taryn and she nodded brightly. The Doctor seemed impressed.

"Only with him." she stated. "Only ever with him actually. He turned me from an uptight frigid bitch into a raving multi-orgasmic nympho." She smirked at Reg over her shoulder at the sight of him blushing.

"Stop it." he said shyly and hid behind her shoulder.

"It's true, you should be proud." Taryn told him.

"Well, putting aside Reg's prowess as a lover as a possible cause your hedroxal gland can affect the balance of your neural chemistry. I'd like to run a full neurological series but it can wait until the morning."

"Could it be…" she began and chewed her lip.

"What? Anything could be important." The Doctor stated.

"I've spent the last six months trying really hard to…It's hard to verbalise but…I tried to think to you, to get a message to you that we were alive and stranded." She looked at Reg over her shoulder. "Could I have been, I don't know, exercising? I'm not explaining this very well but I've never tried so hard to send a telepathic message before."

"And you believe that you've somehow awoken your mating bond? I honestly don't know, but I'll see you in the morning and we'll try to find some answers."

"Thank you." Taryn said grasping his arm briefly as he stood.

"You'd really have gone through all this…all the shots and everything if the mating bond didn't make me immune to your pheromones, just to be with me?" Reg asked softly once they were alone.

"Yes." she replied without hesitation. "But it's the last thing I want for Gala."

Reg rested his head against hers and sighed deeply. There had to be a way to help her, here and now rather than waiting for the Orb to decide their business was concluded. "I'll get us some food from the mess room and I need to have a word with Dan but I won't be long."

"Okay, I'll just sort out some clothes. Maybe go for a shower." she replied.

"I don't want you wandering around the ship. I'll come with you to the shower room after we've eaten."

"Okay." she whispered reluctantly.

"I'm not trying to rob you of your independence, I just want to be certain you're okay while we find what your limits are." he explained.

"That seems like a good idea." She forced a smile as he kissed her cheek and stood up.

"Do you fancy anything in particular to eat?" he asked.

"Nothing too heavy, maybe some broth or beef tea? I haven't eaten in a long while, I don't know how my stomach will be."

"Chicken soup?" he suggested as he buttoned his shirt and tucked it in.

"Yes, that would be perfect, thank you." She smiled sincerely this time and kissed him back as he bent over to kiss her before he left.

Reg tapped his communicator as soon as the door closed behind him. "Barclay to Ensign Ashby."

"Go ahead Reg."

"Can you meet me in the mess room?" he asked as he strode along the corridor. "Bring Barsha and David too if they're available. I have a job for you."

"Sure. What do you have in mind?"

"I was just wondering, how hard do you think it would be to build a genitronic replicator?"