Kirk was dreaming, he knew he was dreaming because he was stood with Corriene, she was smiling at him warmly. The breeze whipped her hair around in circles and the long blue scarf she was wearing blew behind her. He watched as the scarf unwrapped itself from her neck and flew into the sky, he watched as Corriene laughed and ran after it, all the while he was shouting her name, begging her to come back to him. But no matter how loud he shouted, she didn't return.

When he shot up in bed, for a second he didn't know where he was. He was dripping in sweat and there were tears on his cheeks. Making his way to the bathroom he turned on the light over the mirror, splashing his face with water he contemplated going back to bed but ten minutes later he was dressed and on his way to the Med Bay.


"How is she Captain?" Uhura asked Kirk later that day.

"She's stable." Kirk answered bluntly but then added, "Thank you for asking Uhura." Sitting in the Captain's chair his mind wandered, he couldn't concentrate, couldn't sleep. He knew he was very close to having to relieve himself of his position and duty. He was becoming a liability.

"Captain, we're in range of the Class M planet." Spock advised.

"On screen." Kirk looked at the planet, it looked just like earth with blue oceans and cloudy skies. It made him miss home all of a sudden, swallowing the lump in his throat he refocussed. "Prepare a shuttle Mister Spock." He ordered, standing from his chair.

"Captain?" Spock arched his eyebrow questioningly.

"I need some fresh air." Was all Kirk offered up before leaving the bridge.


Spock watched as Kirk haphazardly hopped from one rock to another, he was becoming increasingly concerned by the Captain's behaviour. He was being erratic and dangerous, taking unnecessary risks.

"Captain, I suggest we find a more suitable route." He shouted over, Kirk turned and wobbled on a loose stone before regaining his footing.

"Nonsense Mister Spock! Where's your sense of adventure? A little danger makes you feel alive!" Kirk shouted back before turning and continuing on his way. Spock shared a look with Uhura who was looking very concerned.

"We should go back to the ship." She whispered.

"Agreed." Spock nodded gravely.

As they continued on their way and after several more hours Spock observed that Kirk had become more and more erratic, coming to a clearing he approached his Captain.

"Captain, are you feeling alright?" He asked carefully.

"Me Spock, I'm fine. Why? Is the atmosphere not agreeing with you?" Kirk slapped him on the back, a little too hard.

"I am fine Captain, but I believe you are suffering from some form of psychosis."

"Spock!" Uhura couldn't help but shout, shocked by the Vulcan's bluntness. Kirk simply laughed.

"No, it's alright Uhura. Spock, I can assure you, I'm fine. Really." Kirk smiled at them both but Uhura could see it didn't reach his eyes. It was apparent to everybody that the man was in pain.

"I suggest we go back to the ship Captain." Spock said.

"No!" Kirk shouted, the anger rising.

"Sir…please, I think it would be for the best." Uhura tried to reason with him.

"We are not going back! That's an order!" Kirk shouted, staring at the two Officers.

"Yes Captain." Spock answered instinctively.

"Of course Captain." Uhura replied, making her way closer to Kirk she held out a calming hand, letting him know she meant him no harm. "Sir, why don't we take a break? I know you're dealing with a lot at the moment…"

"What you trying to say Lieutenant?!" Kirk spat back.

"Corriene wouldn't want you to endanger yourself…" Uhura began but the look of absolute venom on Kirk's face scared her and taking a step back, frantically looked at Spock who was already approaching the pair. Kirk seemed to realise that he'd gone too far, rubbing his face with his hands his shoulders slumped and he heaved a ragged sigh.

"I'm sorry Lieutenant." Kirk whispered wearily.

"It's alright Captain, you don't need to apologise." Uhura said comfortingly.

"Yes I do, I'm out of line, I'm sorry." Uhura nodded, accepting the apology. "Come on, let's get going before it starts going dark." Kirk gave them both a half-hearted smile and then carried on walking. Uhura and Spock looked at each nervously for the umpteen time that day and then set off following him.


The darkness fell quicker than any of them anticipated, slowly making their way on the narrow path Uhura's fingers hurt with how hard she was clenching on to the cliff edge.

"Captain, I must insist we return to the ship." Spock urged.

"We're nearly there Spock, come on!" Kirk laughed dismissively.

"Captain, you leave me no option but to relieve you of your command." Uhura looked between the two men pensively thinking to herself that the Vulcan could have picked a better moment, or location for that matter..

"You committing mutiny Spock?" Kirk asked in disbelief.

"Negative Captain, regulations dictate that a First Officer can remove a Commanding Officer who is endangering his or her command without good reason, or has become physically or mentally…"

"You think I'm endangering my life Spock?!" Kirk asked.

"And that of Lieutenant Uhura and myself Captain." Spock replied flatly.

"You can't be serious?!" Kirk took a step towards Spock, Uhura heard the rubble of the stone path fall down the ravine.

"Captain, you know Commander Spock only has your best interest at heart, please, you're upset. It's understandable, anybody in your position would be the same…" Uhura placed her hand comfortingly on Kirk's arm, hoping she would get through to him. Kirk was about to argue but as he opened his mouth the weight of everything set itself on his shoulders, he suddenly felt like he was wading through quicksand. He knew Spock and Uhura were right, he'd been on self-destruct since Corriene had been hurt. Closing his eyes he inhaled a huge breath letting it burn his lungs before he exhaled.

"You're right, you're right I'm sorry." He puffed out.

"Don't apologise Sir, we care for you. Let's get back." Uhura carefully stood away from the edge, her back against the cliff face so that Kirk could step around her. As Kirk past her his exhaustion took over, his foot caught on a branch and he immediately knew he had lost his footing. His hands flailed out, his fingertips just touching Uhura's whose eyes were wide in horror as she watched Kirk fall back and over the side of the ravine.

"CAPTAIN!"


McCoy watched Corriene's readings carefully, any spike and he'd have to put her back in an induced coma. The machine and tubes that were helping her breathe beeped and buzzed but McCoy kept his eyes fixated on her heart rate.

"Come on Lees, keep it steady." He muttered to himself, his eyes flickered to hers looking for any kind of movement. There was none. He upped the dosage, if this didn't work it meant she wasn't going to wake up, ever.

"Doctor?" Chapel dared to mutter.

"Just wait." McCoy instructed tersely, a spike and beep in the readings caught his attention, walking round the bed he looked down at her. He watched as her eyes flickered, "That's it Lees, come on girl you can do it." All of a sudden there was a flurry of activity, McCoy was administering hyposprays like they were going out of fashion and Chapel was checking the readings on the plethora of machines that surrounded Corriene.

McCoy watched as Corriene's eyes slowly blinked open, squinting against the bright light.

"It's alright, you're alright." He comforted. "Corriene you have a tube down your throat to help you breathe." He spoke slowly and clearly but he still had to grab at her hands when they instinctively went up to try and pull the tube from her throat. "Hey now, less of that. You're okay, it's helping you breathe. Just stay calm okay?"

Corriene was anything but calm, she was scared out of her mind and had no clue what was going on. She felt a dull ache all over her body and her throat was on fire. The most frustrating thing was every time she tried to lift her hands up somebody would push them back down. All she could see was white, she didn't know if she had lost her eyesight? Turning her head slightly she could see Chapel, the woman was busily hurrying around looking very serious.

"Corriene? Corriene? Can you hear me?" She closed her eyes and creased her brow in response, whoever it was, they were shouting in her ear. Turning to look she saw McCoy looming over her, she tried to speak.

"Don't try to speak, there's a tube in your throat helping you breathe." She didn't know why she needed help breathing, "Listen, I need to run a few more tests, do you understand?" He was looking at he like she was a child and she was getting increasingly annoyed. Nodding her head lightly she desperately wanted to ask him to turn the lights down, instead she squinted against the brightness. "What is it? Are you in pain? I'll give you something for the pain…" With that he left and she couldn't see him anymore, she felt more alone then she ever had done in her entire life.

For the twenty minutes or so she just listened to the people around her discuss her condition, what treatment she had received and what now needed to happen. She didn't know how she had ended up there, wracking her brain the last thing she could remember was getting up for her shift and helping Scotty replace the Dilithium crystals. She started wondering where Kirk was, surely McCoy would have told him she was awake and he'd want to see her? She was growing increasingly anxious and she felt the tears begin to slide down the sides of her face.

"Hey now, hey… you're alright Corriene, don't cry. Everything's going to be alright." Chapel cooed and stroked her hair, Corriene closed her eyes and tried to calm herself. "Doctor McCoy wants to try and take the breathing tube out of your throat, do you understand Corriene?" Corriene looked at Chapel wide eyed but nodded her head. "Okay good, I just need you to calm down for me, I'm going to give you something to help." Chapel squeezed her arm reassuringly and then disappeared. The room went quiet and Corriene couldn't see anybody around. She desperately wanted to know where Kirk was, it just didn't feel right that he wasn't there. She knew he could have been busy, on the Bridge or something else equally important but it just didn't seem right. It wasn't like him.

"Right Ms Lees, shall we get that thing out of you?" McCoy looked at her sternly but it was strangely calming to Corriene, his out and out professionalism making her feel safe. "Right Corriene, I'm going to use this tube here to put down the breathing tube, this will help you breathe after the extubation. Doctor McCoy is then going to take down the breathing tube's cuff, it's a bit like an air balloon in your trachea and then he can remove the tube. Do you understand so far?" Chapel watched as Corriene nodded in understanding.

"It's going to feel uncomfortable and I'll want you to cough while I take out the tube okay? The whole procedure is quick and only takes a couple of minutes." McCoy explained. "Nurse Chapel, can you make sure the oxygen mask is ready?"

"Yes Doctor." Chapel pulled the mask from the wall and then smiled down at Corriene. Corriene squeezed her eyes shut as McCoy suctioned the tube, it wasn't painful and the whole experience wasn't at all pleasant. After a couple of minutes of fiddling with various apparatus McCoy told Corriene to cough. As the tube was pulled from her throat Corriene's eyes stung with tears.

"Great job Lieutenant, perfect." McCoy encouraged nodding to Chapel to place the oxygen mask over Corriene's nose and mouth.

"Your throats going to be very sore Corriene, try to not to talk for while alright." Chapel squeezed her shoulder supportively, Corriene watched as the Doctor and Nurse spoke in hushed tones, exchanging glances at the machines that surrounded her and the PADD's in their hands. Corriene opened her mouth to speak but no sound came, she tried again. Putting her tongue to the roof of her mouth she tried to project the letter 'D', nothing came. Her hands fluttered to the mask, she could feel herself getting work up.

"It's alright Corriene, it's helping to get those lungs of yours working." Chapel was by her side and pushing her hands back down again, rolling her eyes in annoyance Corriene tried to speak, this time a gravelly noise came from her throat. "What is it?" Chapel asked, bring her ear closer to Corriene's mouth.

"Jim." Her voice was nothing more than a horse whisper but Chapel knew what she had said.

"Let me go find out." Smiling sweetly she walked away and stood next to McCoy. "Doctor, she's asked for the Captain." She said hesitantly.

"Damnit I forgot…" McCoy looked genuinely annoyed.

"I'll comm the Bridge." Chapel suggested, giving him a sympathetic smile and going to a panel on the wall. "Nurse Chapel to the Bridge."

"Bridge here." Lieutenant Chang's voice replied.

"Can you ask the Captain to come to the main Sick Bay please?"

There was a pause.

"The Captain is currently planet side." Chapel creased her brow in confusion.

"Oh, alright. Please inform him as soon as he returns."

"Will do." Walking back to McCoy Chapel told him the whereabouts of Kirk.

"Thank you Nurse, but let's get a message to him straightaway, I don't think he'll want to wait…"

"Lieutenant Uhura to Doctor McCoy! Medical Emergency! The Captain's being beamed directly to Sick Bay, he'd badly hurt!" McCoy and Chapel shared a look of absolute astonishment. Chapel whipped round to stare at Corriene.

"Doctor?" McCoy knew what she was asking.

"Don't say a word Nurse, she's not stable yet and I'm damn well not losing her again!" As he finished speaking his attention was averted by the tell-tale swirling of lights and the sound of ringing bells. The pair leapt into action, running towards the bed as Kirk appeared.

"Good God man!" Kirk was battered and bruised and writhing in agony. "What the hell happened?" McCoy asked aghast.

"I fell." Kirk gave his friend a wonky smile, Uhura and Spock ran into the Med Bay and approached Kirk's bed.

"He fell down a ravine." Uhura clarified.

"Of course you did Jim." McCoy shook his head in despair, "Nurse, give him something for the pain, not that he deserves it." Kirk's eyes were rolling into the back of his head. "Jim?" McCoy was shaking his shoulder, "Jim?" Kirk's body went lifeless. "Damnit Jim!"


Corriene heard the commotion but was too tired to even bother to look at what was causing all the fuss. The gravity of her situation and the fact that she couldn't remember what had happened to her was beginning to scare her, she kept closing her eyes and counting to ten, concentrating on her breathing. Anything to avoid thinking about the current situation she found herself in. Not seeing Kirk when she had woken up had broken her heart, however much she had tried to be pragmatic. It was her who had said that neither of them should ever act unprofessionally due to their relationship, now she was getting upset because the Captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise hadn't run from the Bridge to be by his Girlfriend's side?!

Feeling the heaviness of sleep take over the sound of Doctor McCoy shouting Jim Kirk's name never reached Corriene's ears.


Thank you for reading, hope you're still enjoying this and there's only one more chapter to go! XOXO ;-) LLAP