Sorry it's been so long. I meant to post this a few days ago, and I've just been really busy at work. Anyway, here is Chapter 6! Thanks to everyone who is reading!

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Chapter 6: Foreboding

Nova was walking toward sickbay, the hum of the ship's engines the only sound filling the air. It was unnaturally quiet aboard the Enterprise.

"Hello?" she called. Her voice echoed back at her, "Hello-lo-lo…"

"Leonard?" she called, still walking to sickbay. The bosun whistle sounded, "Kirk to Nova."

Nova touched a button on the comm, "Nova here."

"Where is Bones?"

"Captain, I-"

"You would not be here if it weren't for McCoy."

"I am aware, but-"

"You are gonna get him killed if you keep this up. You lied to him, to all of us. You put this ship at risk. You make me sick."

Kirk's words scalded her, "Captain-"

But the comm was shut off. She quickened her pace to sickbay, and the doors slid open. She held her breath, looking around sickbay, "Leonard?"

She ran into his office, but it was empty. She looked around the nurses' station. Nothing. Her entire body was tense, and she was vaguely aware of files slipping off the table as she passed them, though she had not come close to touching them. Panic seeped in to every corner of her being, "Leonard?!"

She sprinted into recovery, and saw a familiar man with his back to her, half in darkness near a bio-bed. Her body relaxed and she smiled, breathing a relieved sigh, "Leonard."

He did not turn. She took a step closer, "I was…concerned. I did not know where you were. The Captain implied that you were in some sort of trouble. It made me uneasy."

There was no answer. Her smile faltered momentarily, "Are you alright, Leonard?"

Her turns to face her, slowly, and her eyes widen in shock. McCoy staggered into the light, blood drenching the left side of his abdomen, a deep cut on his left cheek. His skin is pale, and his eyes are pained. He looks at her, confused, then falls to his knees.

"Leonard!" she hastily drops down beside him, easing him back onto the floor. She runs a hand over his cheek and pulls up the shirt. The skin beneath is torn and the blood is still spilling out as his heart beats. A flow of red, a pause, a flow of red, a pause. Nova placed a hand over the wound, not knowing what to do. All her knowledge she had gained, and not once did she consider reading about injuries or how to heal them. Her heart was racing, "Leonard-how do I help you? What do I do?"

She could not catch her breath. And she felt her chest tighten horribly, her gut twisting, and a curious stinging sensation in her eyes. McCoy reached up for her, his hand shaking. She took it in her own. She could feel his emotions, erratic and confused. Fear, pain, and hope. She tried to comfort him, holding onto his hand with her own while keeping the other firmly over his critical wound.

"Phyton…adione…" McCoy gasped.

"What? What is that? Leonard, I do not know what that is!"

"Eases…blood flow…"

She looked around helplessly, her hair whipping from side to side, "But where is it? Leonard, I am not a doctor! I need to get help!"

She moved her hands away, and he cried out. Immediately, she pressed her hand back into his abdomen, and gripped his hand fiercely, and she choked back a sob, "Leonard, please. I have to get help."

"You…help…" his eyes were shifting out of focus.

"I cannot," she whispered, taking in high pitched gasp of a breath, "I cannot. I do not know how to help."

"No…va…" his eyes drifted shut. His hand went limp in her own. His chest was still, no longer rising with each painful gasp.

"Len…Leonard?" she took a hand away from his abdomen, and pressed it to his cheek, leaning down so that her face hovered above his own. She shook his hand, "Leonard?"

She reached out to him, letting her emotions flood into him, using her mind to feel his presence. She gasped at the emptiness she felt. She could barely feel him, almost see the last of his light fading, fading…gone. Nothing but blackness and quiet. She let out a strangled cry, looking down at the man she had come to know. She shook her head, pressing her forehead to his. She pulled back and ran her fingers through his hair, straightening it up because he was a doctor. He shouldn't look so disheveled. She felt tears streaming down her face, and her entire being filled with an unbearable pain. She looked at her free hand, covered in his blood, and she choked back another sob. She laid the hand she was holding onto his abdomen, and she shook her head again, "No."

She felt something flare up inside her, a despair she did not think was possible. She felt power coursing through her, and she grit her teeth, holding out her hands in front of her, which had begun to glow in a bright crystal light, "No…"

She pressed her hands against McCoy, and that energy flowed into his lifeless body, and she screamed, "NO!"

And she saw flashes of their time together, of their first encounter, and a quiet low voice spoke, "It'll never be enough, will it?"

Nova gasped and she bolted upright, panting, covered in sweat. She looked down at her hand, and found them to be clean and smooth. She looked around. She was in a darkened sickbay, sitting up in a bio-bed. Sickbay appeared empty. All she could hear was the quiet hum of the Enterprises engines. Immediately, her heart ached and she got to her feet. Someone had removed her shoes, and the sickbay floor was cold. She took a staggering step forward, and entered the next room. It, too, was empty. She felt panic creeping back into her, and she opened her mouth to call for the doctor, but she bit her lip, feeling her eyes sting. What if she called, and he didn't answer? She walked toward his office, and stood outside the closed door. Her heart was racing. Raising her hand to knock, she froze. Unable to bear the idea that silence might greet her instead of the warm Georgian drawl, she pressed the button to open the door. It slid open and she stepped inside. McCoy's back was to her, but he turned at once.

"Nova?" he stepped around the desk, and strode over to her, "Are you-?"

Nova's eyes widened and her heart beat even faster. McCoy could feel her anxiety and fear, palpable in the small room. She stepped up to him, and, without asking, reached forward and lifted up his shirt.

"What in blazes-?" he said softly. She ran her delicate fingers over his undamaged flesh. No wound. No blood. Slowly, she let the shirt slide down. She placed both hands on his shoulder, and trailed them up to his neck. Her left hand remained at the base of his neck, while her right hand continued to his left cheek, her thumb tracing the place the scar had been in her hallucination. She felt the stubble that had not been there before, and she marveled in his mere presence. He was here. He was whole. She laid her head on his chest, and heard a strong, steady heartbeat. She let out a laugh that was half a sob, and looked at him, drinking him in, "Leonard."

"Nova, what…?" McCoy didn't know how to react. She was looking at him like he might disappear before her eyes. Her anxiety had been replaced with relief. He placed his hands on her shoulders, staring into her eyes; eyes which had begun to swirl, and were now a mixture of cosmic blues and purples. He could feel her emotions fluctuate, but they did not overwhelm him. Even clearly distressed, her emotions were in check.

"Darlin', what's wrong? Are you alright?" he brushed his hand against her cheek and felt a cold sweat, "You look scared to death."

"I am…relieved," she said softly.

"Relieved about what?"

"That you are alive," her voice broke on the last word.

McCoy blinked in surprise, "Of course I'm alive. What would make you say that?"

"You-" she cleared her throat, a lump sitting firmly in it, "You…"

Nova swayed. McCoy read the signs in her eyes, and caught her before she crumpled to the ground. Her eyes rolled back, and he felt her hands grip him tightly. Picking her up bridal style, he carried her back to the bio-bed, laying her down gently, "When someone wakes up in sickbay, they don't go traipsing around willy-nilly."

He handed her a cup of water, which she sipped at, all while looking at him. He stared back at her, waiting for an explanation. She swallowed, and he took the cup from her.

"I was walking through the corridors of the Enterprise, and Captain Kirk began to speak to me through the comm. And he said…hurtful things. He was angry, and he implied you were in danger. I came to sickbay to find you. And I could not find you. Then…" she swallowed, glancing over at the empty space by the bio-bed before gluing her eyes back on him, "Leonard…you were there. But you were injured. There was so much blood. And…and you fell and you said not to leave you but I had to get help but I could not leave and then you…" she shuddered, sitting up and drawing her knees to her chest, "I could not reach you."

"Darlin', listen, I'm fine. Fit as a fiddle. You just had a nightmare is all."

"Nightmare?" she shuddered again, unable to really shake the feeling of doom from creeping back in her mind.

"A nightmare. It's like a bad dream. When we sleep, our subconscious takes over. Some people think we dream about things that happen to us during the day. Some people say it's our subconscious desire coming to the surface. Some people believe dreams hold significant meaning. But their just…mild hallucinations we have while we are unconscious."

"Then I do not wish to be unconscious ever again."

"Nova, that's unreasonable. Every being needs sleep."

"I do not require it."

"You used to not require it. In this form, you do. That's why you passed out today."

"Passed out?"

McCoy pinched the bridge of his nose, "Yes, passed out. You're exhausted. The body can only go so long without sleep or rest."

"How long was I passed out?"

"You've been unconscious for about thirty six hours."

"What?" she stared at him disbelievingly, "You must be mistaken."

"Nope. And you're still unsteady on your feet. It's the middle of the night. Why don't you go back to sleep?"

"No."

"You need to be reasonable-"

"And you need to understand that I cannot witness that again," her gaze was hardened, but he could see the plea inside them: Don't make me see you die again.

McCoy sighed, "You can't just forego sleep because you had a bad dream. Not all dreams are…" he trailed off as she shook her head. He sat down beside her, and grabbed her hand. He could feel her trembling. She was genuinely terrified of falling asleep.

"Alright."

She looked up from his hands, "Alright?"

"Alright. You don't have to sleep. And I won't sleep either."

She gazed at him, then narrowed her eyes, "You need sleep."

"I do. So do you."

"You will become tired."

He yawned, "Already am."

"You're being ridiculous."

He raised an eyebrow, "Tell you what. I'll get some sleep as soon as you're medically fit to leave sickbay."

"And when will that be?"

"When you've gotten some sleep."

"Leonard," she made to get up, but he didn't let go of her hand, and she looked up at him imploringly.

"Ah know it's scary. It's always hard to go back to sleep once you've had a nightmare. But your body is still changing. Even now. Internally, you're changing. Your blood is no longer human. It's something completely new. That's another reason you need rest. You're still becoming…whatever it is you're becoming."

"But I am…afraid," she admitted.

He looked at their hands, absentmindedly caressing her hand with his thumb, "Darlin', do you think I wasn't afraid when the captain called me from sickbay to say that you had collapsed? If we let fear hold us back, we could hurt others and hurt ourselves. You gotta sleep, darlin'. I'd rather you agree to it on your own. I don't wanna have to sedate you."

She tensed momentarily, before sighing in defeat, "I do not wish to sleep in here," her eyes darted to the spot on the floor she had watched him die on, "Anywhere but here."

He nodded, "You can return to your quarters, if you'd like. I'll escort you there myself."

"Thank you, Leonard," she said.

McCoy got up, letting his hand slide from hers, and walked over to the comm, "McCoy to Galen."

"Galen here."

"Can I have you take over for me?"

"Oh, am I finally permitted to relieve you, McCoy?" asked the voice, teasing.

He rolled his eyes, "Permitted? You have the pleasure of relieving me."

"Mm-hmm. I'll be right down. I'll take the rest of the shift."

"There's no need for that, Galen. I'll be back to finish up here," McCoy stifled a yawn.

"Uh-huh. Why don't' you get some sleep, Len? I can take over until 0800 hours and then M'Benga can relieve me for his shift. No trouble."

"You sure?" he asked seriously.

"Get some sleep. Doctor's orders."

"Oh, ha-ha," he said dryly, shaking his head, "I owe you one, Diane."

"When don't you?" she teased. "Be there in ten. Galen out."

McCoy shook his head, grinning. Nova sat there, her eyes never leaving McCoy, content as long as she could watch him.

Ten minutes later, Diane strode into the room, smiling brightly, "So, what convinced you to finally get some sleep, Len?"

As she stepped into recovery, her eyes fell on Nova, who glanced at her, then back to McCoy.

"Diane, this is Nova. Nova, this is my colleague, Diane," McCoy introduced them.

"Hello. It is a pleasure to meet you," Nova slid off the bed and extended a hand politely.

Diane took it, "The pleasure is all mine."

There was a sudden rush of anxiety flowing from Nova. Diane raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything.

"Len's told me all about you, of course," said Diane, grinning, "I don't think I've ever seen him so taken with a new life form before."

Diane smirked at the slight blush in McCoy's face as he growled, "Diane…"

"All in the name of science, of course," Diane clarified.

"I do not understand. Leonard has not been taken by anyone. He is right here," Nova tilted her head to the side.

"Oh, that's just too precious," Diane's grin widened.

"Diane, enough," McCoy said firmly, "You have everything you need?"

She glanced around the empty sickbay, "How ever will I manage will so much to do?"

He rolled his eyes again, "Come on, Nova."

Out of habit, for it had become their way, McCoy held out his arm to Nova, who took it without hesitation. Diane's smirk looked almost painful in its effort to stretch across her entire face. McCoy rolled his eyes and walked out of sickbay with Nova. When the doors slid shut behind them, Diane succumbed to a fit of laughter, leaning onto a bio-bed for support.

The pair had arrived outside of Nova's quarters. The door slid open, and the two stepped inside. McCoy looked at Nova, an eyebrow raised. Usually, once arriving at the destination, Nova slipped her arm from his easily. Tonight, Nova continued to hold on, her fingers rubbing against his arm, reassuring herself that he was still there.

"Now, you promise me you're gonna try and get some sleep?" McCoy asked her, placing his hand on hers. She let go of his arm, and pressed her palms to the doctor's.

"I shall endeavor to do so," she said, watching his hands against hers.

McCoy found her face and emotions hard to read, "What are you thinking about, Nova?"

"…I owe you an apology, Leonard."

"An apology? For what?"

"For the harsh things I said to you the other day," said Nova, twisting her palms ninety degrees, and clasping her fingers around his palms. He brought his fingers down around her turned palms. She was worried about that?

"Never mind that now," he told her, "If anyone owes anyone an apology, it's me. I owe you one. I am sorry for putting you on the spot like that. You know your own mind and I should have respected that. Whatever risk you took down on the planets surface are not mine to judge."

"Leonard, you do not understand. I-"

"And Ah don't have to," he said softly as she let go and rotated her palms so that her fingers could lace through his, "As long as it doesn't compromise your safety or the crew's safety, then it's no concern of mine. I just want to learn more about you." He gave her hands a gentle squeeze.

"I am sorry for the things I said. You were not being illogical or irrational. You did not deserve to be shouted at, nor did you deserve to be thrown from my quarters," she said softly.

"It's not important now," McCoy repeated, "Get some sleep, darlin'."

He made to pull away, but was pulled back. One of Nova's hands still held his. He looked at her, and gave her a questioning look.

"Do not leave me," Nova whispered, "I…do not mean to take up more of your time, Leonard. But…" she bit her lip. McCoy stepped back toward her, and placed a hand on her jaw, running his thumb over her cheek. And, in a split second, her walls were down, and he received of taste of her despair with a flash of an injured version of himself, and her voice clearly in her own mind: Please stay with me so I know this will not become a nightmare. Stay so I know that you are alive and well. Her walls were back in place and her eyes pleading.

McCoy swallowed, and he nodded, "Of course, darlin'."

She took a step backward and he followed her. She laid down on the bed and he laid down beside her. She put her head over his heart, so that she could listen to McCoy's heartbeat for her own comfort. He wrapped his left arm around her, holding her to him. He lay his right hand on his stomach. She laid her hand on top of his. All she focused on was his rhythmic breathing, and his steady heartbeat. He took a deep breath and sighed softly. And she smiled. McCoy was here with her, and he was alive. She let her walls weaken slightly to feel his light and life. Instead of a dimming source, there was a steady pulse of bright radiating light coming from the doctor. McCoy tightened his grip on her, and she let herself melt into his arms, completely relax. And, in that sweet comforting embrace, the pair fell into an easy and much needed sleep.