Prompt:

So just hold quick, you're fading fast

In a cold trick of the light

I'm just so sick I thought you might be here

But you di-disappear

-"One Love" by Marianas Trench

Standing there, watching the Doc work over the bloody and broken body, he had never felt so helpless. Not even the other times that he had thought he had lost the young man that had become like a little brother to him. Both of those times, he had been able to do something. To attempt to save him. Now, all he could do was watch as the holographic doctor fought a losing battle.

"You can't leave me, kid" Dalby found himself saying even as the sounds of the monitors around him told him the opposite of what he was wishing for.

No. This couldn't be happening. Every fiber in his being was fighting against the cold reality that lie before him. He tried to take a step toward the bed and the broken, lifeless body and felt himself being held back.

"Dalby, calm down. You're okay."

Henley's voice broke through even as the scene before him seemed to disappear in a haze to be replaced with Henley and Chakotay's concerned faces. Looking beyond them, he saw Kim, Tuvok and Gerron standing nearby.

Dalby looked around the surroundings. They weren't on Voyager at all but down on the planet. Reaching up, he touched a spot in his neck that hurt, even as he got to his feet despite Henley's protests that he take it easy. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he was relieved to see Gerron standing in front of him.

Once on his feet, Dalby shook off Henley's concerned grasp and quickly closed the distance between him and Gerron. Throwing his arms around the startled Bajoran, he pulled his friend into a fierce hug.

"You're okay."

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be," Gerron replied, resisting the urge to try to push Dalby away. He wasn't sure why, but apparently Dalby felt the need for the embrace. As neither of them were usually the hugging type, it concerned Gerron that Dalby was reacting this way. "You're the one who had a run in with one of the indigenous animals of this world."

"Apparently, the quill the animal shot at you, had some type of toxin in it," Tuvok added, raising an eyebrow at the engineer's reaction. Dalby still hadn't released Gerron. "We should probably get it and you back to Voyager and let the doctor check you over."

"I'm fine now," Dalby protested, finally releasing Gerron.

"Just the same, Tuvok has a point," Chakotay interjected. "Gerron, why don't you return to the ship with him. Make sure he reports to the doctor," he added, directing the last part to the young security officer.

"Yes, sir," Gerron replied as he took the container holding the quill in it from Tuvok. Tapping his badge, he called for Voyager to beam them both back on board, hoping that whatever effects the quill had on Dalby weren't life threatening, especially as Dalby didn't seem to be acting quite right.