NOTE: I MESSED UP!! For anyone who was confused I posted chapter 11 then 13 without 12!! Sorry...uh...here is 12.

Chapter Twelve

"Joanna?"

"Salen?"

Joanna opened her eyes unsure if she'd just heard Salen calling her name or even if she had actually answered. It was easy to believe at this time of night that both had just been part of a dream. Sitting up in bed she looked around her darkened room and found herself alone. Deciding it ha just been a dream she laid back down.

"Joanna?"

"Lights." Joanna ordered and the lights came on. "Salen? Are you downstairs?"

Joanna looked over at the intercom and saw that the call light was on. Glancing at the clock she raised a disapproving eyebrow. Getting up out of bed she threw a robe on over her pajamas. She wandered over to the intercom but didn't press the contact that would open the locked dorm door.

"Salen, it's three in the morning. What are you doing here?"

"Joanna, I..."

"Salen, what's going on?" Joanna demanded when Salen didn't continue. "The last time you came by here in the middle of the night things didn't go so well. Are you having another Vulcan nervous breakdown?"

This time there was only silence.

"I'm not coming down there until you tell me what's going on."

Once again there was no answer and the light that told her someone was pressing the call contact had gone off. Joanna looked over at the window and noticed that it was raining lightly. Lightning flashed across the dark night sky. With her heart racing Joanna activated the intercom.

"Salen? Are you still there?"

Joanna held her breath, but there was no answer.

"Salen, please answer...you're frightening me."

When there was still no answer Joanna started to worry. She was afraid to go downstairs, but she knew that she certainly couldn't just go back to bed. Going over to her desk she picked up her phone to call Academy security, but before she dialed she hung the phone up again. Pacing back and forth a few times she finally hung her head in defeat and headed for the door.

"Goddamn pointy-eared, green blooded..." Joanna muttered under her breath.

Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves Joanna left her room and crept quietly down the hall. When she got to the entrance she looked out through the glass door, but couldn't see anything at first. When the lightning flashed she spotted Salen about a hundred yards away with his back turned to her. His white hair made him unmistakable. He was walking away slowly, weaving slightly. Joanna opened the door, but didn't step out into the rain.

"Salen?" Joanna called out. "Salen, are you drunk?"

Salen didn't turn around, or even acknowledge that he was being hailed. Joanna furrowed her brow as her initial fear became concern. She looked around, but didn't see anyone else that was crazy enough to be awake at this hour and out in a rain storm. Joanna called out for Salen a little louder, but he continued to stumble away.

"This isn't funny, Salen. If you don't tell me what you are doing on my doorstep in the middle of the night in the rain I am never speaking to you again."

Joanna was surprised and a little hurt that her threat had no effect on the Vulcan. She was just about to go back to her room when Salen stumbled and fell to his knees. Joanna watched for a moment as he struggled to get back to his feet. Now that she was paying closer attention she could see that his shoulders were heaving with labored breath. It was hard to tell with his back to her, but he looked like he was clutching his chest.

"Salen? Are you okay?"

Frightened that he wasn't even responding Joanna gathered up the courage to step out into the rain. She approached him cautiously, calling his name several more times. Even when she was standing only a few feet away he made no sign that he was aware of her. With a tight knot in her stomach Joanna reached out and touched his shoulder.

Crying out in shock Salen jerked away from her touch, throwing himself off balance. Landing on his side Salen rolled over onto his back. Joanna gasped sharply as the lightning flashed again and revealed that Salen's chest was soaked in bright green blood. He was pressing his hand against his chest with his shit torn open. Gasping in obvious pain he looked up at her in terror that quickly turned to relief.

"Joanna..." Salen panted and forced a smile.

"Don't talk, stay here, I'll get help."

When Joanna went to leave Salen lashed out and grabbed the edge of her robe to stop her. She tried to keep him from getting to he feet, but he was determined. Joanna slipped under his arm to support him and help him walk. His skin was ice cold and he was shivering.

"The student lab is closest, there won't be anyone there this time of night, but I can get you stabilized and bring in help. Think you can make it?"

Closing his eyes for a moment Salen looked like he was about to pass out. When he took a step forward Joanna took that as an answer. If she let him he would have just wandered aimlessly. Guiding him along they soon arrived at the student med lab, despite it being closed up for the night the contact pad reacted to her fingerprints.

"Lights!" Joanna ordered.

The small clinic lit up and the equipment automatically turned on as well. Joanna helped Salen up onto one of the biobeds and laid him down on his back. Wet with rain and slick with blood he looked close to death. The biobed had gone crazy when he first laid down, it calmed down a bit when she switched it to 'Vulcan', but it still was beeping warnings.

"That cut is deep, you've lost a lot of blood...damn it, there isn't going to be any Vulcan blood on hand. Hold on."

Salen looked up at her before closing his eyes.

"Oh no you don't." Joanna gently tapped on his cheek. "You have to stay awake. You got that? Stay awake."

"I...can not...I can not..."

"Yes you can, you can stay awake," Joanna interrupted "just don't close your eyes."

Joanna didn't have time to argue further with her patient and ran off to get the supplies she'd need. Returning with a saline infusion she placed his wrist into the transfer machine. She couldn't replace his lost blood cells, but she could increase the blood volume he had left with the saline which would help keep his heart from failing.

"I need you to take your hand off your chest, I need to see the wound."

"I...can not...hea"

"Damn it, you stubborn Vulcan!" Joanna hissed. "If you want my help I need you to listen to me!"

Joanna put her hand over Salen's and moved it away from the cut. Salen moaned as green gushed from the slash in his chest that he had been holding closed. Working quickly Joanna found the major vein that had been severed and knit it back together with a microsurgery tool. Once the main vessel was repaired the majority of the bleeding slowed. Salen gripped at the biobed as Joanna worked to close the rest of the injury.

"I'm sorry, I know it hurts. I don't dare put you under."

Salen didn't even try to respond this time. He just looked up at her and smiled sadly. Joanna paused her work long enough to lean in and kiss his cheek. Salen reached up and brushed her temple with his fingertips, smearing sticky green onto it. Joanna went back to closing the wound and after about ten minutes she had the bleeding stopped. Checking the biobed readouts she found that her saline idea was working.

With the immediate danger over with Joanna ran her fingers through Salen's wet hair. He was still breathing heavily, however the scars on his face and body were beginning to show again. With the blood loss he'd lost what little color he had, including the bright tint of his distinguishing marks. Wincing in pain Salen reached up and took her hand in his own and squeezed it gently.

"It's a damn good thing you Vulcans are so tough. I'm not sure a human would have survived that kind of blood loss." Joanna picked up a surgical cloth and cleaned the blood and rain off Salen's face. "That was close, but you are stabilizing."

"Thank you..." Salen said in a barely audible voice.

"What happened?"

Salen had closed his eyes just as she had spoken and didn't answer. Since his heart rate and blood pressure were starting to stabilize Joanna allowed him to rest. He was still shivering with cold, but the bed was trying to fix that with its built in heater. Joanna pulled off what was left of his ruined shirt and tried to clean off the blood. She suddenly noticed that there was a splash of red blood mixed in with the green.

"Salen, who's blood is this?"

Joanna was starting to get annoyed with his lack of answering. Salen took a deep shuddering breath and his teeth began chattering. The biobed started to warn Joanna that the Vulcan was beginning to go hypothermic. The biobed heater didn't seem to be working quickly enough.

"Salen, get up. We need to get you into a warm shower."

When Joanna nudged Salen's shoulder he opened his eyes and looked at her. She physically encouraged him to sit up. Once he was sitting with his legs hanging over the edge Joanna stepped up and put her hands on either side of his waist to support him. Salen reached out and carded his bloody hands into her hair. Tilting her head back he gave her a tender kiss.

"I love you." Salen whispered.

"I think you're suffering from a bit too much blood loss."

Salen just smiled. Joanna helped him off the biobed and together they walked over to the showers. Turning the water on to hot Joanna pushed him under the spray. As the chill wore off he started to get stronger. Showing better balance he started to look around as though waking from a dream. He looked down at the fresh wound on his chest and touched it gingerly.

"That will be just another scar in a few days."

Salen knit his white arched brow together as he continued to stare down at the cut. Joanna stepped closer and after retrieving a cloth from the shower rack she started to help him remove the rest of the blood. He took her hands and rubbed his blood off her skin as well.

Salen wrapped his arms around Joanna's waist and pulled her under the warm spray. The blood he had dragged into her hair melted away. Holding her close to his injured chest he rested his head on her shoulder for a moment. The shower water swirled with green, but started to run clear.

"Let's dry off and get into some new clothes." Joanna said as she pulled away. "Then we can talk about what happened...and I expect to hear the truth."

"Joanna, I can not..."

"Salen," Joanna put her hands on Salen's shoulders and glared directly into his dark eyes threateningly "I swear to Space if you don't tell me who cut you open like that I'm going to drug you into telling me the truth."

Looking a little frightened Salen didn't try to speak again. Joanna found a spare medical student uniform pants for Salen to change into once he was dry. She hunted a full uniform down for herself as well. She looked Salen over and smiled, he looked so alien in the white pants that matched his hair and skin so well. Leading Salen back to a clean biobed she instructed him to lay down and covered him with a thick blanket.

The bed beeped a warning and Joanna rolled her eyes and switched it to Vulcan. She jerked in surprise as the bed continued to flash a disturbing warning. It was something she hadn't paid attention to since it wasn't a life threatening message. Rushing over to the medical tray she picked up and otoscope.

Salen turned his head to the side when she approached, anticipating that she was going to look in his ear. Gently taking the tip of his ear between her fingers Joanna placed the scope against his ear. She cringed at the damage the scope revealed and quickly inspected the other ear. Putting the scope down she stared at Salen in horror.

"Oh my god...you're deaf."

"I have been trying to tell you that I can not hear." Salen said, guessing that she'd just figured it out.

"You can't hear, and I can't listen...that's not a good combination."

"I do not know what you are telling me."

Joanna went back over to the cabinets and hunted around. Salen sat up and watched her search. Finding a tablet device about the size of a deck of cards she brought it back over and handed it to Salen. He looked down at the gift.

"This will turn anything I say into text that you can read."

"Thank you." Salen said as he read her words.

"Is it painful?"

"Yes."

"Vulcan nervous systems work differently, but I think I can use a topical spray to numb the pain."

Salen kept his eyes on her while she spoke, only looking to read the tablet when he was sure she was finished. Joanna retrieved a spray and Salen turned to expose his ear trustingly. He jerked slightly as she sprayed a cold mist into his sensitive ear. When she had finished both ears he shook his head and then relaxed.

"Does that feel better?"

"Yes. Can you repair my hearing?"

"No. The Vulcan middle ear is very complicated, however, an ear specialist may be able to help."

"May?"

"All four of what act as ear drums in humans are ruptured. I don't think they'll grow back on their own. There is also a great deal of swelling in the secondary inner ear."

"I have no future in Starfleet if my hearing can not be restored." Salen sighed. "At least not as an Officer."

"Don't worry about that right now. What I need to know is how this happened. Salen...who did this to you?"

"That is an excellent question. I must go find the answer."

Salen went to get down off the bed. Joanna tried to stop him, but he insisted. Once on his feet he started having trouble breathing and began to look like he was going to pass out. Being a little more forceful Joanna tried once again to get him onto the bed. With his strength failing Salen slowly slid to the floor. Joanna brought the large soft blanket down to the floor and wrapped it over his shoulders.

"I must leave..."

"You're not going anywhere." Joanna said firmly and then tapped on the small screen to remind him to read it. "I am going to call Security."

"No!" Salen cried surprisingly loud.

"Salen..."

"No, I can not get the authorities involved. I will never know the truth if I do."

"I don't understand, what is going on? If a stranger attacked you, we need to tell someone."

"It wasn't a stranger who attacked me." Salen admitted. "It was Langin."

"I should have known, I hate that guy. I'll have Security arrest him."

"No. No, if he is arrested I'll never learn who hired him."

"Hired him?"

"I...I let my emotions control me, I was not thinking. I should not have run away. I should have taken the truth from him."

"Salen, come back up on the bed, I think you're becoming delusional."

"Langin told me that he was waiting for a 'buyer', someone wants me and I need to know who or I will never be safe again."

"A buyer? He was hired to kill you?"

"No, just to catch me." Salen closed his eyes for a moment. "Joanna, have you ever heard about people drinking Vulcan blood for pleasure."

"No...that's disgusting. Why would anyone do that?"

"I do not know, however..." Salen paused.

Noticing that Salen was starting to shake again Joanna sat down on the floor with him. She wrapped the blanket around him tighter and rubbed at his arms to warm him. Salen shook his head and pulled away slightly to let her know that he wasn't cold.

"Salen?"

"Joanna, you wanted to know the truth about my scars. The truth is that for three years I was held captive and cut for my blood so that it could be sold on the black market."

"Wha...what?" Joanna sputtered. "That's insane. I...I'm so sorry..."

"It has taken me a long to try and put it behind me, I can not risk it happening again." Salen continued without bothering to read what she had said. "I must find Langin, I must find out who wants my blood."

"Salen there is no way Langin is going to tell you."

"I am not going to ask, I am going to take the information."

"Take it?"

Salen could see the confusion on her face without reading her words. He reached out and gently brushed her temple and at the same time gave her mind a light touch. Joanna gasped sharply and jerked back. Salen pulled his hand back.

"I am sorry, I did not mean to frighten you."

"Salen you can't use a mind meld to force information out of Langin." Joanna said firmly and held up the table for him to read.

"I may not have been trained in Vulcan mind melding, but I can still accomplish it."

"I didn't mean physically, I meant that it isn't right. You'll be no better than Langin if you resort to violence. Let the Academy deal with this."

"I wish to deal with this myself."

"Please, Salen, you are in no condition to confront Langin right now. We are just starting to get close, I don't want to lose you to Langin, he tried to kill you once and almost succeed. At least rest for the night. Please...for me."

Salen read the tablet and sighed heavily. Shaking his head sadly he reached out and pulled her into an embrace. She could feel that he was close to passing out. Even if he was determined to chase Langin tonight he wasn't going to be able to. She guided him to lie down on the floor in the folds of the thick blanket. He made sure that she laid down with him and collected her in his arms. Salen kissed the edge of her ear before whispering into it.

"For you."