I'm going through some last minute apartment/college stuff so updating might be spotty during August. It should settle out in the coming month or two.

I do not own Star Trek. If I did Kirk and Spock would be a lot gayer then they were in the original series.

All mistakes are Anna's.

XXX

Maddie stood outside of the office building. She looked down at the numbers and words scrawled on the napkin she clutched in her hands then to the sign on the side of the building confirming it's where she needed to be. The newly eighteen year old took a deep breath, let it out, and then pulled open the office door. She stepped into the lobby. It was white walls, hardwood floors, a sitting area off to her right and left and the welcome desk right in front of her. The receptionist, a middle aged woman in scrubs, looked up at her over a pair of black rectangle glasses. Slowly Maddie approached the desk.

"May I help you miss?" the woman asked. "The Alcoholic Anonymous meetings are next door."

"Oh no I'm not part of AA." Maddie said quickly. "I'm here to apply for the test subject?"

The woman gave the girl in front of her a once over then rustled through her papers. She ended up giving Maddie a clipboard and some forms. "Fill out these forms entirely then bring them back to me." she instructed. Maddie nodded and took them from her. She went over to the plush leather couch and started to fill out the form.

"'Are you sexually active?'" Maddie read aloud to herself. She snorted a laugh. "Bitch please I haven't had sex since Alex was born."

"'State your name, rank, and intention.'" She felt her eyebrows come together in confusion. "What the fuck is my rank? Like student?"

She voiced these questions to the receptionist who replied that rank meant her current situation. Student, mother, nursing, ect.

"Oh. Okay." Maddie mumbled. "Madeline, mother, and money."

"'Why do you want to be a part in this study?'" She bit her lip then went for the truth. "I'm in it for the money."

She finished filling out the forms just as another young woman walked into the building. She had blonde hair, gorgeous brown suede thigh high boots, and, Maddie was judging based on how she looked around the room, a killer self-confidence. The mystery woman walked purposefully to the desk and received the same set of forms that Maddie just recently completed.

"Hi I'm Maddie." She blurted out impulsively as the woman walked by. The woman stopped and glanced at her boredly. "Jade St. James." She responded then made her way to the couches.

Maddie took her paperwork back to the receptionist and waited while she processed the documents.

"Well everything seems to be in order Miss Davis." The receptionist stated handing Maddie a clip on card that said Study 221B on it. She clipped it to her shirt. "Oh and don't mind Jade over there," the receptionist whispered as she led Maddie back into the building. "She's always been a grumpy gus."

The receptionist led her to another room. It looked like a standard doctor's examining room. She handed Maddie a pair of plain blue scrubs. "Change into these then when you're ready press the READY button on the wall." She instructed pointed to a panel of buttons on the wall. She left the room.

Maddie took a deep breath, closed her eyes, counted to ten, and let it out slowly. She quickly striped down to her underwear and bra and put on the scrubs. She pressed the READY button. Shivering she wrapped her arms around her torso and glanced down at the scars all over her arms. Maybe she shouldn't have fudged the truth about the mental health question. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Too late now. The door opened and a woman came into the room.

She was maybe between her thirties and forties Maddie guessed. Black hair pulled up into a tight bun and blue eyes. She had on a pair of sensible shoes, black slacks, and a white lab coat.

"Hello there Miss Davis my name is Doctor Agatha Christie. I'll be giving you a quick physical then it's off to the study with you." She smiled, but there seemed to be a hungry sort of look to it.

She motioned Maddie to hop up onto the table. Maddie did so and for the next hour she was poked, prodded, and asked personal question about her medical history. After she was satisfied Dr. Christie glanced down at the scars on Madeline's arms. Maddie felt her face heat up.

"You don't have to go into details, but I have to know, will your mental health be a problem in way, shape, or form?" she asked gently, a bit somewhat bluntly. "Will it keep you from participating in this study?"

"No." Maddie said quickly. She took a deep breath. "I got the help I needed and I'm feeling a lot better. I'll be fine to complete the study."

Dr. Christie nodded satisfied. "You may get dressed. I'll be back in five minutes to get you."

Maddie hoped off the table and quickly got dressed into her regular clothes. She idly flipped through the latest People magazine. Apparently Channing Tatum was the number one hottest guy in America. Frankly she had no idea why he was on the cover and not Chris Pine, but hey. Doctor Christie came back and led Maddie down a few hallways and on their way they collected Jade from another examining room.

The pair continued walking until Agatha was stopped by a passing Doctor. Maddie peeked into the room the other Doctor left and saw it contained nothing, but a single man chained to a chair in the middle of the room. She frowned as the man lifted his head and glanced up at her. His lips twitched and he seemed almost amused by her curiosity.

"Hello." He said slowly.

"Hi." She responded.

Suddenly Maddie was yanked back by a burly looking security guard. She was shoved against the wall while another guard patted her down and made sure she had received nothing from the man inside the room.

"Khan is set for transport." Security guard 1 muttered into a head set.

Security guard 2 quit patting down Maddie and Agatha led the shaken woman, plus Jade, down another series of hallways until they came to a door with the words, "Study 221B. Please be quiet." on it. Jade went through, but Agatha held Maddie back.

"That was our most dangerous experiment and prisoner. You must never speak to him again. Just stay out of his way, keep your head down, and do as you're told." She warned.

Maddie nodded still shaken up from her pat down. Agatha held open the door and ushered them both inside. The room was filled with maybe twenty capsules each six feet tall and standing in straight lines five to a row. Inside the room Doctor Elizabeth Wright came over and took Maddie from Doctor Agatha. She led the young woman over to a large capsule machine. There was a window in the center about where Maddie guessed her face would be seen.

"Now all you have to do is step inside this cryogenic tube and we'll freeze you for six hours then release you. At the end of each session, twice per week for six months, you will be paid five thousand dollars. Any questions?" She looked at Maddie expectantly.

"Umm freeze me?" she asked nervously.

"Basically we'll be slowing down your brain and body so you'll be in a state of deep sleep for six hours. Don't worry we've done this multiple times and if anything goes wrong we have an emergency release button." She assured her.

Maddie was about to ask another question when she saw Jade step into her capsule no questions asked and she felt an irrational burst of hatred for the woman course through her. She shook her head. "Let's do this."

Elizabeth smiled happily and gestured for Maddie to step inside. "See you in six hours Miss Davis." She said and shut the door. Maddie breathed in and smelt something like lavender and roses and sunshine before she succumbed to sleep.

When she opened her eyes as the door to her tube, number 17, was just opening. She blinked and rubbed her eyes and looked at the woman before her. "Do you remember who I am?" the lady asked. Maddie nodded. "Doctor Elizabeth Wright." She answered. Elizabeth helped her out of the tube. "Well done. I'll just ask you a few more questions then you're free to go."

Fifteen minutes later Maddie was taken back to the lobby where Jade was already signing out. The woman smiled at the receptionist, now Maddie saw a name plate that read River Pond, then headed out of the building. Doctor Wright waved bye then headed back into the backrooms. Maddie went up to River and signed out. "Come back again Wednesday at six in the morning." She smiled at her. Maddie nodded and left the building where she saw Jade.

She had her back to Maddie, but when she glanced over her shoulder Maddie caught sight of the cigarette between her lips. Jade took in a slow drag then blew it out her eyes never leaving Maddie's. She smirked at the younger's expression.

"What never seen a smoker?" she asked casually before grinding the rest of the cigarette on the bottom of her heel.

Maddie shook her head. "Yeah I have, but do you know how bad that is for you?"

Jade laughed. Maddie hated to admit it, but it was a very pretty sound. "Please what I do with my body is no one business. Besides I only smoke three a day. And why should you care?"

Maddie shrugged. "I just don't like seeing other hurt themselves when life should be so filled with happiness and life."

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen, why?"

Jade smirked and chuckled. "Figures. Tell ya what kid live a little longer then tell me life should be nothing, but happiness. Because in reality life isn't fair and it'll always get you down no matter how hard you try. There is simply no hope."

A sleek black car pulled up and with one last amused glance at Maddie Jade stepped into the vehicle. Maddie stood there for a few more minutes absorbing what Jade had said before heading down to the bus stop. She had barely sat down before the bus pulled up. She gave him her card then sat down by an old lady and a guy with a small monkey. Thirty-five minutes later she was inside her small two bedroom apartment and slipping off her shoes.

"Maddie! Maddie!" a small voice cried.

A three year old little boy toddled his way over to the door. Maddie slipped off her jacket and scooped the little boy up. An elderly woman got up from the worn couch and grabbed her jacket.

"Thanks Mrs. Hadley." Maddie said gratefully.

"Anytime dearie." She said with a smile before leaving.

"Can I sleep with you tonight?" Alex asked.

Maddie nodded. "Sure buddy." Without even bothering to undress she crawled into bed and cuddled Alex close.

XXX

Inside the car Jade leaned against the person in the car. The mystery person put their arm around her and pulled Jade closer. She snuggled closer and let the person drift his hand up her skirt and tug at her underwear.

"Are you ready darling?" the stranger asked.

Jade falsely giggled and pulled the person down for a kiss. Quickly and quietly she uncapped a syringe and plunged it into the stranger's neck. The person let out a yell, but the damage was already done. They slumped forward and Jade made quick work of their wallet and put the syringe back into her purse. She hailed the chauffeur.

"Fell asleep on me." She pretended to grumble.

The man pulled over and Jade got out. She quickly went down the nearest ally and into the backseat of another black car. She handed the money to the person in the backseat.

"Good job Jade."

XXX

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I'll get to when they meet Kirk and everyone else soon I promise.