(Sorry it's been a while since I added a new chapter. I've been busy with work and things just kept coming up. Hopefully I'll be able to write more often now. So that means more EPIC stories. Hopefully anyway. ENJOY!)
Lexie's face dropped in an instant, her eyes lost their sparkle in a split second. Almost as if all happiness was just stripped away from her. What did McCoy just say? "Su… Surgery?! Why?! What's wrong with him?!" McCoy watched as Lexie began to panic, her breathing only got faster and faster. "Hey, calm down. You'll make yourself worse." McCoy held her hand tightly, shuffling closer to Lexie. "He's got some internal bleeding, but he's going to be just fine. He's being looked after by some of the best Doctors Zinballa has to spare." As he spoke, McCoy gently rubbed Lexie's hand with his thumb, trying to calm her down, but it didn't work. "But… How did he end up like this?" Lexie watched as McCoy gulped, but he didn't answer. "Leonard?" Again, no answer. That was until Lexie remembered something. Images of someone attacking Scotty flashed around in her mind, but it was who the person was which horrified her the most.
It was her! She was attacking him! Her own dad! "I… Hurt him. I hurt my own dad. Oh god!" Lexie tried to get out of bed, but wasn't strong enough to do so. Not only that, but McCoy stopped her. "I could have killed him… I tried to kill him…" Tears dripped from her eyes, she couldn't believe it. But the memories don't lie, they never did. "It wasn't your fault, Lex. You weren't in the right frame of mind. Hell! You weren't even yourself. Zosia was controlling you." McCoy watched as Lexie shook her head violently, sending tears flying in every direction. "But I did do it! I hurt him!" More and more tears flooded from her ever-saddening eyes. Lexie slowly curled up on the bed, burying her head in her hands, crying and sobbing loudly. "Oh, Lexie…" All McCoy wanted to do was cradle the young girl in his arms, but knew that Lexie would only want to be held by one person. That being her dad, Scotty. McCoy slowly got to his feet, of course he didn't wish to leave Lexie, but he wanted to go see Scotty. He should be out of surgery by now and hopefully he was awake.
The room was extremely bright when Scotty opened his eyes. Where was he? And, why did his body feel odd? Almost as something wasn't right within his own body. Suddenly, a voice spoke to him. "It's nice to see you awake so quickly, Mr. Scott." Slowly, Scotty turned his head to see a woman in a Doctors uniform stood beside him. She was reading the monitor to which he was hooked up to and writing down the results. "W- Where am I?" As he spoke, Scotty attempted to sit up. However, he was gently forced to lay back down by the doctor who was stood beside him. "Easy, Mr. Scott. You've only recently came out of surgery, try not to move too much. We don't want your stitches to come undone." Scotty just stared at the doctor, before she continued. "As for where you are, you're in the hospital on Zinballa." Scotty just blinked a few times. Hospital? Why was he in a hospital? Suddenly, it clicked. "Lexie! My daughter was brought here!" The Doctor smiled softly at him, while she patted the older man on the hand. "Miss. Smith is just fine. Doc. McCoy had been taking care of her." Now that calmed Scotty down in an instant. "Leonard is with her… She'll be alright." He let out a breath, one he wasn't even aware he was holding in. "I… want to see her." He muttered. "Soon, but first you need rest. I'll let your Captain know you're awake." And with that the Doctor left, leaving Scotty alone.
But that loneliness only lasted a few moments before the door opened once more, but it wasn't the Doctor who entered. But Kirk. "Hiya, Scotty." Forcing himself to smile, Scotty greeted him back. "I'm glad to see you awake, Scotty." "I'm glad to be awake too, Jim." Kirk grabbed a chair and pulled it up, allowing for him to sit beside the Scotsman's bed. "You really scared me earlier, Scotty." Kirk said as he placed a hand on Scotty's arm. "Sorry, Jim. I didn't mean to." Kirk laughed faintly. "I know you didn't, Scotty. I'm just glad you're alive, the same with Lexie." Scotty smiled slightly. "I wanna see her, Jim… Please let me see her." Kirk knew that was coming, it was only understandable though. "Of course ya can, Scotty. Just give it a little while. Allow your body to rest." Scotty just nodded, not having the strength to argue right now. Just then the door opened once more, only it still wasn't the female Doctor which came through. It was McCoy. "Leonard…" McCoy smiled as he stepped closer. "Hiya, Scotty. How are you feeling? You stubborn Scotsman." Scotty couldn't help but laugh a little. "I'll feel much better once I see the lass. I need to know she's alright, with my own two eyes." That was understandable, so neither McCoy or Kirk argued with him. "Is… Lexie… awake?" McCoy nodded. "She is, Scotty." The way he had said that hadn't filled Scotty with confidence. "Leonard, what is it?" Something was wrong, just by the Doctors tone of voice Scotty could make that assumption. "She… Blames herself for hurting you." Scotty just stared blankly at McCoy, only occasionally blinking his eyes.
"W… What?" McCoy sighed as he stepped closer, before perching himself on the edge of Scotty's bed. "When she woke up, she didn't remember anything at first. However, her memory slowly started to come back." McCoy paused to swallow the lump in his throat. "Lexie… Remembers hurting you, Scotty. She remembers almost killing you." All the colour drained away from Scotty's face. "But she's not to blame. It wasn't her fault." Jim's eyes fell on the monitor which Scotty was hooked up to. His heart rate was spiking rapidly, he was worrying himself too much. "Scotty." Jim leant over and took a gentle hold of his friend's hand. "You need to calm down, Scotty. Your body has just come out of surgery, it needs rest. If you worry yourself too much, you might have a heart attack." Scotty nodded as he began to breathe slower. It took a moment, but Scotty had finally calmed himself down. His heart rate was better, but it was still higher than normal. "How bad was Lexie hurt, Leonard?" McCoy just rolled his eyes, the poor man had just stopped having a panic attack. Did he want another one?
"I don't think it's the right time to-" "Tell me!" Scotty demanded. McCoy sighed, he didn't wish to tell him. But he knew Scotty wouldn't take no for an answer. McCoy looked over at Kirk for some guidance, which came in the form of the young Captain nodding his head. "The main one was a bleed on the brain. It was only small so there's no permanent damage, but it still was serious. Then there were the broken bones, bruised muscles and the slashes in her skin." Kirk just sat there, listening. He couldn't believe McCoy was telling Scotty all this, the man would only worry more now. But to Kirk's surprise… Scotty didn't. If anything he seemed… Calmer. "But, she's alright?" McCoy nodded. "Yes, Scotty. She's fine, just sore and I guess a little scared." Kirk was so confused. "Why aren't you freaking out?" Scotty turned and looked at his Captain, forcing a smile on his lips. "Because I know how hurt she was, it stops my mind from making up scenarios." Well, that made sense.
Despite Scotty's best efforts to get out of bed, McCoy made him wait at least a full thirty minutes before agreeing to let him go and see Lexie. Scotty didn't take an eye off the clock which hung on the wall of his hospital room. Sweat almost dripping from his head as he watched the hands tick along. "Come on. Come on. Go faster." He pleaded, even though he knew that it wouldn't help. Kirk had left a while ago, wanting to go and check on Delta. Then on Grace, the poor girl had just lost her mother after all. Finally, the clock hit the end of Scotty's painful wait. "There. It's been thirty minutes, now can we please go see Lexie." McCoy had been sitting beside the Scotsman's bed, reading through a PADD at the notes the Doctor had written about Scotty's health. "You sound like an impatient child, Scotty." The Scotsman just stared at the Doctor. "Leonard." McCoy smiled. "I could always make you wait longer." McCoy was only joking, but Scotty just glared at him. He yelled McCoy's name loudly, making the Doctor laugh. "But, I couldn't do that to you. You've waited long enough." Scotty smiled at McCoy as the Doctor stood up from the chair, placing the PADD on the table. Only to see the Scotsman trying to get out of bed on his own, out the corner of his eye. "So bloody stubborn." McCoy thought. "Need a hand?" Scotty's eyes were squinting, trying to hide his pain as he placed both feet on the floor. A shiver went up his legs, the floor was freezing, but he soon got used to it. His whole body was still sore, and it no doubt would be for a few days.
"No, I'll be-" As Scotty replied he tried to take a step, only his leg buckled beneath him. McCoy quickly crossed the distance which separated them, managing to catch Scotty before he could hit the floor. "I got ya." McCoy lifted Scotty up, so he was standing straight, then placed his friend's arm around his shoulders. "Thanks, Leonard." With McCoy's help, Scotty slowly left his small hospital room. They headed down the halls, taking their time. Every so often they would stop for a rest. Just then a voice called for them to wait from behind. McCoy turned round to see Kirk walking towards them, pushing a wheelchair. "Here, this might be a bit more comfortable for you both." Scotty blushed slightly, he was embarrassed that he was having to use a chair to get around. But if it got him to Lexie quicker, he didn't care. "Don't worry, Scotty. We'll get you to your daughter." Kirk said cheerfully. Scotty just froze, what did Kirk just say? "H…How do ye know that?" Kirk tilted his head to the side. "You yelled it at Zosia, when you demanded that she gave Lexie back." Scotty had hoped no one had heard him, but he guessed that was no way of hiding it. Not now. "Well, our secret is out…" "Secret? Why would you two keep it a secret, Scotty? It's a beautiful thing, the two of you are so close."
It didn't take too long for them to reach Lexie's room. McCoy opened the door quietly and Jim was about to wheel Scotty in when the Engineer stopped him. "Wait, let me go in on my own first." Kirk looked confused. "But, why?" McCoy placed a hand on Kirk's shoulder. "Jim, she needs some time alone with her dad." Kirk opened his mouth to argue, but chose against it. McCoy was right, Scotty and Lexie needed some time alone. With one nod from Kirk, Scotty slowly made his way inside. By taking one painfilled step at a time, Scotty was soon inside Lexie's room. But his heart sank when he saw his daughter. She was curled up tightly in her bed, sobbing quietly. "Oh, lassie…" Slowly, Scotty made his way over to the bed and gently sat down on the edge. "Go away, Leonard…" Lexie muttered. "And what about me?" Suddenly, Lexie stopped sobbing. Slowly she un-curled herself so she could see who was in the room, but she instantly began to cry again when she saw who it was. "Scotty?" With a small, soothing smile on his face Scotty opened his arms. "Hiya, lassie." All Lexie wanted to do was hug him, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. This didn't go unnoticed by Scotty, who shuffled closer to her. "Lassie, what's wrong?" He went to put his hand on hers, but Lexie just moved it away.
"I… hurt you, I almost killed you… I'm so sorry, dad…" Now Scotty's heart was breaking, this was horrible, to watch the woman he called daughter eating herself up about something that was out of her control. "Oh, lassie. It wasn't your fault, it was Zosia's. She was controlling you." This time when Scotty reached out his hand, Lexie didn't move away. Instead she allowed him to place his hand on hers softly. "But I should have fought her mind control… I should ha-" Just then, Lexie felt herself being pulled to the side and a pair of arms wrapping around her body gently. "But you did fight it, lassie. And in the end you broke free from it, you saved us all." Lexie just sat there in her dad's arms, listening to what he was saying. Sure, she didn't really believe what he was saying now. But deep down she knew that Scotty's words were true. "Do you… hate me?" Scotty quickly lifted Lexie up out of his arms and cupped her face in his hands. "What? No! Lexie, I could never hate you. I love you, you're my daughter." Using his thumb, Scotty wiped away a few tears which had escaped Lexie's eyes. "And that will never change, ever." Suddenly, Lexie leaped at Scotty throwing her arms around him. "I love you so much, dad… Forever and ever." With a simple smile, Scotty embraced the hug his daughter was giving him. It felt so warm, it almost made all the pain in his body vanish.