Author's Note: As I post this, the next chapter is more than halfway written (yay!). Honestly, that hasn't happened for awhile! Thank you SO much for reviewing this past chapter! I appreciated each and every one, from guests and users. I was so happy you guys liked it - it was a TON of fun bringing Jim back more as himself. I also have been looking forward to giving Soona family, as was my plan all along. That her grandmother will be helping Jim is icing on the cake. I may be able get the next chapter up much sooner than another week. It has some stuff that I'm anxious to share. :)

Thanks for reading and following! I had a difficult time with this chapter, partially due to the week I had. We are picking up right at the end of the previous chapter. We aren't done with angst yet, or hurdles, unfortunately. You can blame the plot points that needed tidied up from now on until the very end. Again, I'm not a doctor; I research medical aspects but please be kind if (when) I make mistakes. :)

Also, I must express my thanks to Rubyhair for being such an encouragement and source of info and all around wonderful beta reader. :)

McCoy stood in the privacy of his office, staring at Jim's most recent neural scans for the umpteenth time when the door opened and closed behind him. M'Benga came over to McCoy and immediately began to examine the same, troublesome results.

"Tell me some good news," McCoy said in monotone. "I've been in my office for the past hour, either going over these damn results or talking to an ophthalmologist about a procedure for Jim that has a one percent success rate. I also contacted Admiral Archer with the same, precarious update, as always."

"I think that I will tell you some good news," M'Benga said. "Spock regained consciousness and is now in a healing trance."

McCoy sagged against his desk in his relief. "That was twelve hours too long. How is he, otherwise?"

"He's fatigued. I suggested he return to his quarters to meditate before speaking with you." M'Benga said. "However, he wishes to speak with Jim as soon as he has completed his trance. Therefore, he has yet to leave sickbay."

"He's as stubborn as his captain," McCoy said dryly, sipping on his coffee. "Unfortunately, Spock will have to wait. I will need to debrief him on the mission and Jim's current condition, but I have an inclination on how he's going to take the news that he left Jim all alone to fight two, seven-foot powerful beasts- not very well at all. Besides that, I need to figure out what to do with Jim short-term before he has any visitors. Tell me. What do you make of these scans?"

"They aren't what I expected," M'Benga tapped a finger on his cheek as his eyes flitted back and forth between scans. "In fact - "

McCoy's gut clenched. "They're goddamned frightening."

"You have to expect it will happen again," M'Benga said softly.

"I have all along...only..." McCoy dragged a hand over his face. "I was hoping it wouldn't be this damn soon. He needs a break. He needs a fucking break."

"You just lifted him off of most of the drugs. Maybe there's a correlation," M'Benga offered.

"You're saying to relax him? Keep Jim drugged to try to prevent another episode?" Dismayed he even had to think about doing this to his best friend, he racked his brain thinking of another option but came up with absolutely nothing. "Until his brain activity slows down or some other solution comes along? I can't do that to him, not long term."

"I am not sure you have a choice, Leonard."

"I'd prefer to give Jim a choice," McCoy said quietly, feeling sick in his stomach. "He's more like himself right now than he has been all these weeks. And he knows he is and there are questions burning at the tip of his tongue. Still, I know exactly what he would say if I threw this at him."

"He'd agree because it means that Spock would be safe from any impending harm," M'Benga paused, "and then he'd ask you flat out why you even hesitated."

McCoy pinched the bridge of his nose. "Dammit," he whispered. It was only way to ensure that both of them came out of this. McCoy could barely keep Jim in his bed with the captain worrying like he was about his first officer, and McCoy couldn't have Jim anywhere but his damn bed in order to closely monitor his neural activity. "We have no choice. I have to proceed with this drug treatment as soon as possible."

"Take a few moments to speak with Jim, as CMO to captain. Give him that...then..." M'Benga took a breath. "We'll find another solution."

"I will start with a lower but effective dose. Ease him into it. He hates losing control of himself, and now that he is more like himself than ever, this will be even more difficult for him to take but I'm sure he'll put up a good front." McCoy gave a short, dry laugh. "Every single thing I do hurts him."

"This is saving him," M'Benga stressed. "Don't forget that. And about that procedure...you, of all people, shouldn't let the one percent success rate get in the way of agreeing to a medical advancement that may end up curing his blindness."

McCoy scowled. "It always comes down to that, doesn't it. Jim Kirk and his goddamned no-win scenarios."

"I'm sure there's quite a few more of those left up your sleeve."

"Maybe," McCoy murmured and gulped the last drop of coffee. "But, I've groveled enough. I need to get back and begin Jim's next treatment."

M'Benga turned and faced him. "Before you go, Leonard, you do realize that neither of you can make a decision about this procedure while these episodes of his are so dangerous."

M'Benga's quick observation cut deep.

"I know." McCoy leaned against his desk and hung his head. Feeling the strain of the past day, he reached up and rubbed the back of his neck, massaging the deep ache which settled into his muscles hours ago. The memory shatters were hanging over their heads - and they prevented McCoy from doing much of anything in regards to Jim's health. Unlike he had first thought, they needed a solution to Jim's episodes before he could even begin to discuss the truth of Re'an V with Jim. Because now, as soon as it looked like his friend was truly returning to him, the universe handed Jim another hurdle. McCoy couldn't reveal facts that would make Jim's head spin, proceed to drug the man, and then expect him to remember the details of the conversation within an hour, let alone five minutes.

After they both left McCoy's office, McCoy continued towards Jim's bed in sickbay. Jim's arm was doing extremely well for almost ten hours post-op and before the end of the day, McCoy would order the second dermal regeneration session. He pulled the privacy curtain and quickly stepped inside, closing the curtains behind him. It didn't provide much privacy for the captain, but McCoy didn't care about that particular luxury at the moment. He could best monitor Jim where he was most visible.

Christine tucked the warming blanket so it fit tightly around Jim's body. Jim's eyes were closed, as McCoy expected after such a taxing event, not to mention the surgery. "His shivering returned but I increased the med as you suggested. It stopped about a minute ago." She paused, giving him a look McCoy understood. "His eyes hurt," she mouthed.

"Thank you, Nurse Chapel." McCoy pulled up a chair and stared at Jim, who moved his head towards McCoy in response to his voice. "Your eyes tired, Jim?"

"A little," Jim blinked slowly. "Sorry. I know it doesn't look like it, but I am trying to stay awake like you asked."

"I'm the one who's sorry, Jim. I'm keeping you from your beauty rest." McCoy glanced at Christine. "We need a few minutes, Chris. Will you take care of things for a little while? And then come back with those eyedrops we used earlier?"

"Certainly," she said, drawing the privacy curtains around them as she left.

"What's wrong, Bones?" Jim tilted his head, eyes narrowed but missing the mark as his gaze landed near McCoy's shoulder. Sad as that was, McCoy felt a small ripple of happiness when a little bit of his friend's intuition shone through. "Is it Spock? Is he awake yet?"

"I just talked with Dr. M'Benga. Spock is doing well." McCoy paused for affect, stepping closer and waiting for Jim to try to find his face. When he finally did, leaning forward in his bed in anticipation, McCoy continued. "In fact, he woke up, Jim, and is in a healing trance."

Jim exhaled a rush of air, sinking back into his bed. "Good. That's good. That's more than good. It's...dammit, Bones, every minute that I've been awake I keep thinking of him but I couldn't feel Spock, that bond was...is...so still."

The lines around Jim's mouth tightened. McCoy almost stopped Jim from continuing but something held him back. It could have been the almost normal way Jim was speaking to him, or simply that Jim clearly needed to talk and now, after all these hours, wanted to and could with the drugs out of his system. Whatever the reason, McCoy could give him a few more minutes, at the very least.

"Go on," McCoy urged.

"It hasn't been a good feeling, Bones. I still have these damn butterflies fluttering in my stomach. How's Uhura? She couldn't have taken this well. I feel terrible that this affected her. Everything was...emptier without him, and I'm already empty, Bones," Jim said quietly, brow creased in his distress. "I feel disjointed in my mind without Spock. And I get chills just thinking of him on the ground, and me, blind and fumbling around. What if I hadn't been able to grab that phaser, Bones? What if that...that Sasquatch had killed me, leaving Spock all alone? Spock could have been hauled away or worse and then Uhura would be suffering and you would be - "

"Hold it right there, Jim," McCoy said, stopping the young man before he could go any further about what McCoy, as Jim's physician and best friend, would do if Jim had been killed. "You need to calm down, Buddy. Didn't I tell you he was okay?"

Jim blinked. "Y...Yes?" He said breathlessly, expression slightly confused.

"You sound like you're not sure." McCoy squeezed Jim's hand. "Did you even hear me say that Spock was alright?"

"I...yes," Jim swallowed, face pained. "But...I can't help but think..."

"You know, Uhura is calmer than you, right now," McCoy said nonchalantly, hoping the teasing would calm Jim. "In fact, she's so cool and collected, it makes me wonder really who's married to whom here."

Jim gave an exasperated sigh. "Bo-ones...that's all you can say? Infer that Spock and I are married?"

"Yep."

Jim groaned. "Whatever, Bones. That's crazy. It just is. You know I'll never marry. I have too much shit to carry around and even more trailing me, always ready and willing to hand my ass to me. You know that. What kind of life would that be for a significant other?"

McCoy's heart constricted as his normal conversation with an almost-normal Jim sadly had to come to an end. "Listen, Jim. You should give yourself more credit in the longterm relationship department, and that is all I can say right now about the mission. However, after Spock is completes his healing trance, I have to debrief him on the mission and then, I promise," McCoy said. "You can visit. I know that he is anxious to see you, Jim."

Jim didn't light up like McCoy expected. Instead, he withdrew, looking even more lost.

"Is there something else bothering you?" McCoy hesitated, sensing that this, too, may not be an easy discussion.

"I've been going over Re'an V in my mind, Bones," Jim said slowly. "I've been going over many things that have appeared as memories...they're really more like scenes that I can only observe because I don't really feel them, and I've come to a conclusion. I think that I shouldn't have been surprised when neither of you trusted the captain at the Re'an banquet. I never gave you a reason to trust him, the captain, well...me...in recent weeks."

"I think you're being too hard on yourself, Jim."

"If I had trusted you enough in the first place, to talk to you about my past again, and then if I had also trusted Spock...then maybe...maybe some of this would had ever happened," Jim finished in a hushed voice. "Or...none of it."

"Jim, you can't think that way. It's not true."

"It isn't?" Jim snorted. "What else would it be, Bones? A lie? Like that's fucking possible."

McCoy wondered why the hell Jim had to be such a determined idiot even now. He sighed. "Jim, all I can say for now is that it's not a good time to talk about Re'an V. We're beyond that mission, and we have other things we have to deal with now that are more important."

"It's not a good time," Jim repeated and sank against his pillow, wariness in his eyes. "You've been saying that a lot, lately. I know I've been out of it and I'm blind and I still don't remember your captain all that well, but don't I have any pull around here anymore?"

McCoy fought a groan. He closed his eyes and immediately began massaging the now sharp pain at his temple. The way Jim danced between himself and 'your captain' made his head spin - and his heart double over in pain. But, for Jim's sake, he fought the growing disappointment and decided to be happy about the teasing which had shown through in Jim's last statement. "You have more pull than you think you do and about me saying that a lot...it seems to me that I am the doctor here, not you. Therefore, I know best when to leave matters alone for a patient's best interest," McCoy said without missing a beat. "And, we're not discussing past missions anymore. We're discussing the needs of my patient - who just so happens to be you, Jim."

"But, I made a mistake, Bones." Jim muttered. "Lots of them, and then...people died, Bones."

"You can't blame yourself for the things that were out of your hands, Jim," McCoy said, deciding on the spot to give Jim a slightly higher dose of the benzodiazepine than he originally planned.

"I'm sorry, Bones," Jim continued, as if he hadn't heard McCoy. "I should have told you I was struggling with Tarsus again, although I can't even really recall what specifically happened that sent the captain on edge. I imagine you knew what was bothering me so much because you kept trying to get me to talk. Do you?"

"Jim, this discussion will need to wait." While McCoy firmly reminded the captain, he typed on his PADD and sent the order for the benzodiazepine to Christine, requesting that she not delay. He paused, then added an IV drip of it as well.

"Just...can you just tell me the truth, Bones?" Jim rubbed his jaw and sighed. "Before you change the subject, like you usually do. I can tell you are going to change the subject again. I hear it in your voice."

McCoy had no choice. They had no more time to spare to discuss things - and helping Jim make sense of the recent past of Re'an V would be a fruitless endeavor after he increased the benzodiazepine along with the pain medication. In favor of the shock factor, he went straight for the change in subject as Jim predicted, but barely without a proper introduction. "You're right, Jim," he said slowly. "I am going to change the subject but I will not apologize for it."

"I see." Jim's shoulders sagged. "You know...you sound like Spock when you say things like that."

"I do, do I? Well, Spock would agree with me for once," McCoy said lightly and continued with an even gentler voice. "Jim, in order to try to prevent another episode like you had during the mission, I will have to keep you in a deep, relaxed state of mind."

"Relaxed, huh?" Jim pressed his lips into a firm line. "Bones, 'relaxed' is your code word for 'loopy.' And 'loopy' is your code word for 'drugging James T. Kirk.'"

"That's another word for it, yes," McCoy said regretfully. "It won't be for long - only until your brain activity calms down enough for my liking. Then, I will take you off of the med and...we run tests regularly every day to examine your brain activity."

Jim exhaled a slow breath and tipped his head back, his eyes trained at the ceiling. "So this is why you're not answering my questions. I'll get more confused, won't I?"

McCoy wished he could say he replied without hesitation, but it took him a moment to respond to this returning, intuitive and inquisitive Jim. "Yeah, Jim. You will."

"Bones, but I hate being 'relaxed,' but what you're talking about...it's more than that, isn't it." Jim swallowed.

McCoy sighed. "I have to make sure, Jim, that it's enough."

"Okay. Okay, I...I understand," Jim said quietly, rubbing his eyes. "I know it's what you have to do, but I like this...being able to think."

"It's best for both you and Spock."

"I hate this, Bones." Jim whispered.

"I know, and I am very sorry, Jim." McCoy rested his hand on Jim's shoulder. "We need you to think clearly. It's good for you, and good for me...but, this can't happen again. The drug won't be long-term but I need to try to ward off another one of these dangerous episodes of yours. M'Benga and I have both determined there may be a correlation to the drugs you've been on and the spike in brain activity. It's worth testing. If we do this and it works, Spock will not feel inclined to put himself in harm's way and you will not have to worry that he is."

"It's alright. I understand." Jim said, resigned. "Do whatever you need to do to get us past this. I can't allow Spock to get hurt because of me again. Just...do what you need to do."

"I know this is difficult, Jim, but you're not going to be alone during this process. I'll be here and so will Spock. The good news is that I'm going to let you sleep soon, okay?"

Jim squirmed in his seat. "I know you'll be here with me. It's the only reason I think I can get through this next part, Bones," he admitted pitifully. "Will you be here...maybe until I can sleep? I don't really want to be alone right now."

"You don't even have to ask," McCoy said gently.

Jim fidgeted more, clearly forgetting about his injured and recently sutured arm, and tried to adjust his reclined position. It looked even more awkward when Jim grasped the edge of his cover and attempted to drag it back up to his chest after it sagged to his waist.

"Hold on, Jim," McCoy said and adjusted the pillow behind his back, pulling the blanket around his friend tightly. When it reminded McCoy of tucking in Joanna, he paused, his hand shaking as it rested against Jim's shoulder.

"Bones? You alright?" Jim's brow furrowed.

"Sure am, Jim," McCoy said swiftly, moving away from the bed just as fast and from thoughts of his beloved daughter. Those thoughts tied too closely to the man he was caring for, and since the tragic ending of the Re'an mission, he could not manage those thoughts if they came crashing down around him. McCoy cleared his throat, feeling Jim's eyes boring into his back as he adjusted Jim's pain medication. "The questions is, are ya comfortable now? Or are ya still cold?"

"I'm fine," Jim said softly. "Bones?"

"Yes?" McCoy asked as Christine entered the curtained area and silently waited.

"Thank you, for taking care of me." The simple words almost broke McCoy. He braced a hand against the counter in front of him and held his breath, hoping Jim would finish with that. Of course, he didn't. "I know...I know I'm not the man I used to be nor the friend that you're used to or deserve...and I'm sorry."

"Jim, you have nothing to be sorry about," McCoy said gruffly. "Quit selling yourself short, pal. Did you or did you not take down Sasquatch singlehandedly? Who else around here can boast about that?"

Her expression almost piteous, Christine handed McCoy the hypo with the benzodiazepine that would have Jim quiet and content in minutes. McCoy's guilt multiplied.

"In fact, as I've told you before, I like ya just the way you are," McCoy double checked the dosage. "We all do. I don't want you to stress about changing anything about yourself or trying too hard, Jim. All I do ask, though, is that you trust me."

McCoy turned around, ready to administer the drug when voices drifted from behind the curtain.

"This bed is yours, Dr. Jahnas. I will take your vitals. Then, Dr. M'Benga will come by and examine you shortly," a nurse said.

McCoy's gaze locked on Jim as the younger man's face drained of color. Despite the rush of heat to his face, McCoy's instincts and level-headedness came into play and he injected the drug into Jim's neck before he could protest.

"Thank you," Dr. Jahnas said, sighing. "I thought I'd kicked this cold, but I think I worked myself to the bone the past few weeks and caught a new illness."

Jim's expression shattered. He inched away from McCoy's hand, which rested on his shoulder.

McCoy could only watch as the walls that he and Spock had erected around their unsuspecting and somewhat fragile captain crumbled.

Elise settled gracefully in a chair in Archer's office and placed her head covering on her lap, her hands folded and expression serene. "Thank you, Admiral, for adjusting your schedule this evening. I apologize for my late appearance. My shuttle here was delayed."

"I almost missed you," Archer said from behind his desk, shaking his head. "I don't know what to ask you first: why you believe you are here for Captain Kirk or the details concerning Sonja's kidnapping. Therefore, it seems more efficient to ask you to explain from the beginning. However, off the record, I strongly believe that you are this young woman's granddaughter even without hearing her story. Her Re'an name matches closely to her given one - and we cannot deny the facial recognition."

"Soona," Elise's eyes flitted to Archer's window. "It is a beautiful name and an unfortunate circumstance. A day has not gone by that I have not thought of my bright granddaughter. Is she well?"

"Yes," Archer nodded. "When considering the situation, we decided to keep her on board the Enterprise. The crew was willing to take her in and she has fit in quite remarkably. Several creatures from Re'an V were under close study and she has aided in the xenozoologists' remaining research."

"She has yet to see the captain again since her rescue?" Elise's eyes softened. "She has not thanked him?"

When Elise questioned him, Archer realized he should not have been surprised and took a quick breath. His thoughts were running rampant, obviously ripe for her picking as he'd been taken by surprise and his hope rose that whatever Elise's abilities were, they held the key to ending Kirk's debilitating mental condition.

"Thanked him?" Archer regarded her, contemplating his answer. "For Kirk, knowing that Soona is safe is sufficient."

"It would be for the former Captain Kirk," Elise said slowly.

"I confess it is a difficult situation." Archer sighed, clasping his hands on his desk. "Since the Re'an meld, Jim has been quite impressionable, and Dr. McCoy and Commander Spock implemented a rigid plan to keep that to a minimum."

"It has worked thus far?"

"Mostly," he said quietly. "They've reached a danger zone. Kirk's mental state is debilitating at times but Dr. McCoy is monitoring his brain activity indefinitely."

"That is no way for a man to live, Admiral, especially one with the captain's vitality."

"It is the only way to care for Kirk without risking his life - or that of his first officer." Archer paused, noting that Elise's shoulders dropped. "Should we continue this conversation tomorrow? I imagine you are fatigued from your traveling."

"No," Elisa blinked. "Forgive me. I sense many things from you and it has been years since a human has been so open with me."

Archer straightened and heaved himself out of his chair. He poured her a glass of water, handing it to her in earnest. "Please, take a moment. I admit that I have been greatly concerned about Jim, especially in light of what happened over a year ago. This being so early on in their five year mission, it is disconcerting that his captaincy appears to be snuffed out so quickly. Dr. McCoy and Commander Spock are his closest friends. They, too, are affected by these events and are experiencing great pain seeing their friend this way."

Elise sipped, then cleared her throat. "Over twenty years ago, I once cared for two members the Re'an following the couple's own unfortunate melding experiences with the chosen one at that time. The husband and wife came to me in confidence when a sect of their race visited our peaceful, unassuming village on Betazed. That sect stole Sonja from my own home while I aided two of their very own." Her eyes flickered with sadness. "I did not heal the female being completely with my empathic powers, nor the male, but I lost my entire family in the process - my daughter blamed me for Soona's kidnapping."

Archer said slowly. "This was a planned distraction? A decoy?"

"On part of the couple I helped? No. They did not know," she said simply. "I saw in their minds, which was a miracle in itself but my abilities have always surpassed what was expected. Not only am I capable of healing rather quickly and efficiently, but I can withstand great sorrow. As I worked to heal this couple's minds, the ruling Re'an stole my granddaughter right under our noses, while we were all in the house with her. Although most Re'an are peaceful as they claim, the ruling class is ruthless, hiding under a false sense of peace and thereby fooling every other member of the Federation."

"I am truly sorry for the additional pain that her kidnapping caused your family," Archer said. "I will, of course, arrange another time to speak with them."

"My daughter had already been looking for an excuse to throw away her heritage and I came along at the right time. It would have occurred at some point, Admiral." She leaned forward, eyes darkening. "Admiral Archer, do not be disappointed or alarmed by what I tell you. Re'an telepathy can be an intense experience, even harmful between members of their own species. It contains many safeguards. You take one course, it causes another. It can be even more harmful, even deadly, to other species, including my own."

"But you were not harmed," Archer observed.

"My empathic and telepathic abilities are resilient, Admiral, and you are correct. The process did not harm me. Although my powers did not completely heal the damages already incurred upon this Re'an couple, I was able to soften their injuries. I also prevented their minds from experiencing further distress. I saw the intricacies of Re'an telepathy, and more than that, they shared with me their secrets."

"Secrets," Archer murmured.

She nodded. "Yes, secrets that would be of benefit to humanoids...and humans. I strongly believe that I will be able to provide healing to your captain."

"Enough to enable him to retain his captaincy? The Enterprise?"

"I cannot be certain of that, but my powers should be sufficient to restore the most important parts to Captain Kirk and reduce what has already been severely damaged." She paused, gazing sadly at him. "However, I do not know if my powers can reverse his blindness."

"At first Kirk's blindness appeared to be a side effect of the meld, but Dr. McCoy and Commander Spock now believe the meld disguised the true problem - the beating Kirk received prior to the meld damaged the optic nerve." Archer rubbed his jaw, fighting the emotion gathering in his throat. "He...it's..."

"I understand," her warm voice soothed him. "Captain Kirk is a respected, inspiring young man. There must be many who are looking after him, wanting to find a way to heal his eyes."

Archer cleared his throat. "Dr. McCoy recently learned of a procedure which is still undergoing testing. I do not know more than that." He paused. If there was any for hope for Jim Kirk...this was it. And to think he'd almost missed her. "If you are willing, I will arrange transportation to a Starbase, where you will wait to rendezvous with the Enterprise."

"Admiral, I lost almost all of my family that fateful day, Admiral. More than two decades later, a stubborn captain refused to leave a planet alone until he rescued my Soona. It appears that the very man who rescued my grandchild now needs my help." She said, voice growing firm. "I cannot do anything but offer my services. I must do this, or the heartache and loss that I experienced more than two decades ago will continue to haunt me forever, Admiral."

Archer looked at her intently. "Can you leave in the morning?"

"It will be none too soon," she said. "I am anxious to meet the infamous captain who saved my granddaughter."

Spock knew not what awakened him from his trance until he found himself standing at the foot of Jim's bed, gripping its edge to keep himself steady. He had never been forcibly awakened from a trance like this before and, at first, he fought against the pull until he realized the fervent tug was coming from Jim. Squinting at the figures before him, Spock tried to make sense of the situation and listened to the murmuring voices while his fatigued body and mind craved the much needed healing trance. After sensing the tension in the room and, even more, the tension radiating from Jim, Spock forced himself into reality. When his vision finally cleared, Spock realized that Jim lay on his side and, curiously, his back was to the doctor.

"Jim? Please, just listen," the doctor called softly.

"Trust you," Jim said, his words clipped. "You said to trust you. And I did. You lied to me, Bones."

"Jim, I know it appears that I lied to you but I haven't."

"She's alive. Alive, Bones." Jim choked on a sob. "And you never told me. This entire time? It's been weeks."

"Yes," McCoy answered, pulling up a chair. He leaned forward in his seat, his hand stretched out to touch Jim's shoulder but at the last second he pulled back. The doctor sank back into the chair, looking most resigned. "This entire time, Jim."

"And it wasn't...wasn't important enough to tell me?" Jim's voice cracked. "Aleyah...is important, Bones. You...you should know that."

"I do know this is important and that is exactly why we haven't told you," McCoy said slowly. "It's...it's a big deal Jim, and you haven't been in the right state of mind to take it in."

"That's your opinion," Jim whispered. "So...is there anything else that you're keeping from me?"

"Jim...it's not like that," McCoy pleaded. "It's more complicated, and this medicine is going to hit ya any minute. All I need you to do is trust me. Trust us, Jim. Please."

"Trust you?" Jim repeated, his tone dulling. "How can I? No."

"Dr. McCoy, could you please explain how Jim discovered the truth about Dr. Jahnas?" Spock asked quietly.

McCoy glanced up at Spock. "He overheard Dr. Jahnas talking, but Christine has escorted her to another room on the Enterprise for now."

"I see." Spock took a breath and walked carefully to the side of the bed opposite McCoy. "Jim? You have been suffering from the harmful effects of the Re'an meld. Dr. McCoy and I determined that knowing Dr. Jahnas was alive would invoke questions which we could not answer in fear that your mind would remain with the Re'an."

"I don't understand," Jim whispered, his heart rate decreasing in what Spock assumed to be a direct result of the medication McCoy administered prior to Spock's arrival. Jim's face slackened, his shoulders following suit, but Spock still sensed the feelings of betrayal and hurt traipsing through his mind. As the drug coursed through Jim's body, those thoughts were coming to a halt. Still, they continued striking and inflicting pain on Jim's vulnerable heart. That did not bode well with Spock. He used the little strength he had to soften those blows and hasten the drug's effects.

"They have a hold on you, Jim, and we have done all that we could to keep you with us," McCoy explained. "We discovered early on that the Re'an part in your mind sees the truth as a threat and strengthens itself if we compromised it. It was best if you came to the truth on your own as you grew stronger, but now, even that's dangerous. The Re'an part was designed for you to depend on these lies. It made you more accepting of the Re'an and less accepting of us. We couldn't let that happen, Jim."

"You mean there's more?" Jim's voice thickened. With tears in his eyes, his head inched towards McCoy. "More that...that I believe to be true...that's...not?"

"There is, buddy," McCoy said softly. "I'm so sorry."

A/N #2: Sorry that I had to leave you hanging - again. Jim's in a tough place. Spock and McCoy perhaps in an even tougher place. Don't be discouraged - I think you know that JIM knows his friends are truly there for them. I see these things more as growing pains. McCoy really did have to find a way to temporarily stop Jim's memory shatters, and although it hurts, it will keep Spock and Jim safe. Also, sooner or later Jim really did have to learn that things have been kept from him, and from the start, I felt this was being true to the story.

I sort of dreaded giving this one to you all next but, as I said before, a big chunk of chapter 34 is complete. And, it's a huge chapter with lots of stuff going on! I'll give you a little spoiler - Jim just may meet Soona's grandmother next chapter. :) Chapter 35 is even bigger, content wise! As you know, the light at the end of the tunnel is very VERY near. Jim will get some help, but the path to get there is still a bit rocky/precarious and how much help he DOES receive is something I'm not going to hint about right now. Except to say you may or may not be happy with me. :)

I have to be honest and say that although I knew this story would be a longer one, I didn't think I'd still be going strong at 120+k with probably 8-10 chapters left (give or take a few). But, I couldn't rush this process, not for this story with so many layers and complexities. I decided early on it would take patience and dedication - whew, but who knew how much I'd need. Your comments and support are greatly appreciated - they've helped me a great deal during this second part of the story. Part Three is coming soon. :)