Chapter 55 - Missing Information


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Sorenson woke to find himself lying in an unfamiliar bed with someone's hand was on his chest and snoring coming from that someone's head, which was resting on his bicep. That scenario seemed so improbable that he wondered if he was still drugged or just dreaming. He didn't think he was still drugged. While that had not (for the most part) been pleasant, it also hadn't felt like he had recently been sucked out of an airlock. A quick internal diagnostic revealed no general weirdness (outside normal parameters), other than the illusion that Grey might be sleeping beside him. 'Dream' he decided and relaxed to enjoy it.

"Sounds like one of you is awake." A voice with a southern accent whispered from the side opposite the snoring.

He did not immediately respond. While he was aware that there were some odd twists in his psyche, he didn't think any of them could account for Grey's new doctor being part of this sort of dream. Which probably meant he was still hallucinating. Denial had never looked like such an attractive option, but he forced himself to open his eyes.

"You just lie still. She must have been pretty exhausted to fall asleep with all the racket you make, and I figure she could use some more." McCoy nodded toward Grey, asleep in the chair beside his bed, using his arm as a pillow. "I just want to check how you're doing. Do you know where you are?"

He looked around. Spock was standing near the doctor. "Sickbay, on the Enterprise?"

"Good." the doctor smiled. "And do you know who you are?"

Huh? He lifted an eyebrow. "That's a pretty existential question to tackle before I've even had any coffee."

Someone laughed. "Shh, Jim. You'll wake her. " The doctor smacked someone behind him. "How about we just start with your actual name?"

"Sigurhjörtur Allendil Sorenson" He recited and rolled his eyes. "I prefer Allen, but you can see why even Fafhrd is a step up."

Selina shifted slightly and a murmur from her dream brushed his mind. He couldn't help but think of why Loddfafnir had been warned against sleeping with witches. It was extremely tempting... He sighed. "Someone should move her. She's going to get a sore neck and you know she won't take anything for it."

"We were gonna," the doctor grumbled. "But Spock here didn't think that'd be a good idea."

Allen looked up at Spock and mouthed 'Chicken'.

Spock's eyebrows rose. "Would you have carried her back to her quarters?"

"Definitely." Allen paused, waiting. A smile spread across his face. "Hey, I can lie again."

Captain Jim chuckled and stepped around the bed. "Well, she's already decked me once tonight. I can take it." As he lifted her from the chair, she stirred and began to raise her head. Jim froze.

"Shhh, Grey. You're safe." Allen reached over and moved a dangling arm to rest on her stomach. She relaxed and resumed snoring.

"I think I'll just put her on the cot in the nurse's station." Jim whispered and carried her gingerly into an adjoining room.

There was a collective pause as they listened for any sounds of violence, but Jim returned, nearly tip-toeing until he was well past the doorway and then switched to a confident swagger as he returned. "See, no problem."

"Congratulations Captain. You're braver than me." Allen said, and raised an eyebrow at his Vulcan friend. "Or you."

"It is good to see that you have returned to yourself, Allen." Spock replied. "Now I will not have to inquire about your beard."

He brought a hand to his face with an expression of surprise. "Beard? When did I grow a beard?" Spock raised an eyebrow and Allen leaned back and put his hands behind his head. "It feels so good to be able to lie again."

"Well, cut it out until we're sure you're all there again." McCoy said gruffly.

"I've never been all there to begin with. Ask Grey when she wakes up; she'll give you chapter and verse." He grimaced slightly. "Or you can just listen in when she chews me out for getting myself into this to begin with."

"Speaking of that," Kirk said. "How much do you remember?"

Now there was a tricky question. He bit his lip and thought about it. "Bits and pieces, although I'm not sure how much of it is real. I've had some seriously odd dreams." He shook his head. "I'm sure there are a lot of people who want to know about what happened, myself included, but there are holes in my memory you could drive a colony transport through."

"It is likely that that will improve with time." Spock said. "For now, you will be pleased to know that Maldi's doctor maintains that you divulged no useful information."

Grey had done it. He smiled. "Excellent."

"Commodore Stone is most eager to ascertain how you accomplished that." Spock added.

Something in Spock's expression, or exceptionally careful lack thereof, caught his attention. "I don't think I can really tell him." Allen said slowly. "I remember sort of double-talking around a couple questions, but most of it..." He shrugged and gave Captain Jim a sympathetic look. "I know he's probably hounding you about it. Pipe him in here next time he calls. I suspect what he wants most is to chew me out too."

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Selina woke to find herself on a cot and wondered briefly which of them had had the nerve to move her. Upon entering sickbay, she was relieved to see Faf sitting up in bed, playing chess with Spock. Even more reassuring was that they were on course for their customary stalemate. Faf turned to her as she approached the board. "Hit on him later. Can't you see we're in the middle of a game?"

She smiled and took a seat on the edge of his bed. "What makes you think I'm here to hit on him?"

"Not too likely you're here for me."

She pushed his shoulder. "I see you are back to normal, Faf."

"Faf?" One red eyebrow arched upward.

Damn. She took his face in her hands and looked into his eyes, searching. "Allen, tell me, what is the last thing you remember?"

He smiled. "What I remember is that you said you'd stop calling me Faf."

She shifted her hands to his beard and pulled.

"Ow!"

Spock opened his mouth to say something and she fixed him with a of laser-like glare. He looked at Allen in a way that conveyed You are on your own and wisely chose to find the chess board completely absorbing.

Allen widened his eyes at her. "Don't you think you're over-reacting just a little?"

"Over-reacting?" She narrowed her eyes. "It is only because of all the effort just expended to save your life that I am not going to kill you, Sigurhjörtur."

He flinched more than when she'd pulled his beard. "Ow. Again. What did I do to deserve that?"

"I thought you were still lost in there and you have far surpassed your limit on worrying me." she scolded. "Do you have any idea what you have put us through tonight?"

"Actually, I don't. But I am sorry." He looked at her tenderly, brushing the stray hair from her face, and for just a moment she almost thought... but he dropped his hand and looked away. When he looked back, the familiar crooked grin was in place. "Anyway, now that you've started dating again, I did have to update my worst ever status, eh?"

"I have not started dating again, but after tonight I do not think you need be concerned with any future updates." She raised her eyebrows. "I doubt even you could top this evening."

"Hey, I know I was pretty out of it for awhile there, but it's not like I nearly died or something."

Oh, no. Not nearly died." she said sarcastically. "Len had to pull a lazarus on you. Your heart stopped because you couldn't resist yet another impulse toward idiotic heroism. And that was after repeatedly trying to goad Maldi into killing you and attempting to convince us to leave you to turn his sickbay into your own personal Alamo, not to mention the creative plan to kill yourself in a lift!"

"She's got you dead to rights." Len drawled, appearing with Jim on the other side of the bed.

"I told you she was going to chew me out." Fafhrd said, making a very poor attempt at not smiling.

"You were certainly right that we'd know when she woke up." Jim chuckled and looked at Spock, who was still doing an admirable imitation of Switzerland. "Some friend you are. Allen's barely recovered and you just sit there and let your non-sister yell at him."

Spock raised an eyebrow. "I have found that neutrality is the preferable option with respect to this particular discussion."

"Discussion? I don't see what there is to discuss." Len looked at Allen. "If you're planning on arguing with this lady instead of begging for forgiveness, I'm gonna have to consider diagnosing clinical insanity."

"I did apologize, doctor." Fafhrd raised an amused eyebrow. "But begging will not help. All I can do now is let her vent, which could take awhile. So take note of what you might be letting yourself in for." He leaned back and winked at Len.

Selina's eyebrows rose. She might have to revise her decision about not killing him. She leaned over, looking Faf in the eye. "You are -"

He grinned and raised his eyebrows expectantly. She stopped. "No. You want it too much."

He frowned, deflating. "I'm just trying to show you that you don't have to worry about me."

"But I do have to wonder about your sanity." She placed a hand at his temple. "You will allow me check?" It wasn't really a question, but he pulled her hand away anyway.

"We do have an agreement." he said firmly. "My memory may be a bit disordered, but I'm quite as sane as I need to be."

"Faf-"

"No." He looked away. "I have really had quite enough of people trying to shift through my brain for awhile."

She reminded herself that he did not remember how he had welcomed her last night, but the rejection still stung. In his right mind, this is what he would choose. She nodded curtly and turned her attention to Jim. "I believe I promised to assist in interrogating Maldi. It would seem that I am quite free to do that now. Allow me time to freshen and change. I will meet you there in one hour."

She stood and left before Jim could even acknowledge assent.

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The Captain watched Selina leave. "I, uh, guess I better go make sure everything is in order." he said after moment of awkward silence and retreated after her.

McCoy just stared at Allen in disbelief. "Are you out of that carrot-topped head?" he finally exploded. "I don't know what the hell agreement you've got, but that woman cares for you and you just pushed her away!"

Allen sank back and looked miserably up at the ceiling. "Believe me, I know."

"Well, if -"

"Please, doctor, I don't think I can talk about this right now." He closed his eyes looking infinitely tired.

"But, -" McCoy hit full stop when Spock touched his arm. Spock so carefully avoided touching anyone (except Uhura) outside of absolute necessity that it brought him up short. He looked a question at the Vulcan.

Spock very slowly shook his head. "It has been a long evening, Doctor. I shall remain with Mr. Sorenson so that you may obtain rest."

McCoy looked from Spock to Allen. For once Spock was easier to read, but then 'back off' was one of the few non-verbals he was really good at. McCoy nodded. "Yeah. I suppose we could all do with some more rest."

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AN: In Hovamol (a Poetic Edda), Odin warned Loddfafnir that –

...in the arms of a witch you should never sleep, so that she charms all your limbs;
she'll bring it about that you won't care about the Assembly or the king's business;...