Memories

Chapter 3: Glutton for Punishment

Valerie wasn't born yesterday, she knew that Starfleet Doctor's didn't deliver lab results in person on a starship, especially if they were normal, as McCoy had said they were. And his stumbling when trying to explain had been nothing if not... cute. She couldn't believe it—he was showing an interest in her.

"Well, thank you, Doctor McCoy for the personal touch," she said with a small smile as she walked past him back towards the way he'd come. "If you'll excuse me, I need to put the harness back into the gear locker and sign off for the night."

"Oh, yes, of course," he said as he let her pass, though he then followed closely behind her. "If you don't mind, I'll follow you—don't know if I could find my way back on my own through this maze."

She smiled. "I guess it is a bit of a maze, isn't it? I memorized the schematics of most of the fleet ships back in Academy, so I could make my way through the whole ship with my eyes closed, probably."

"Again, doesn't sound too safe."

She snort-laughed, just like she had at him back on the cadet transport so long ago. "I didn't say I was going to, just that I could if necessary."

"Well, if power ever goes down and the lights go out, I'll know who I want holding my hand," he said in his normal dry tone. She stopped, and he quickly did the same, but she turned and raised her eyebrow at the remark. Only a moment later did he realize what he'd say and she saw a pink tint rise in his cheeks. "Bloody hell, woman, I didn't mean that."

"That's a shame. Because I'd say if I had to pick who I'd want by my side if the power went down and the lights went out, it'd probably be you too, Doc." She winked. Because if he was showing interest, she was ready to throw caution to the wind. He blushed again, and she grinned. "You are, after all, the Chief Medical Officer. It would come in handy to have someone with medical expertise as I'm sure health and well being would be a concern."

"If I didn't know better, Lieutenant, I'd say you were teasing me."

She started back on her journey towards the storage locker with him following close behind. "You did start it. And I'll remind you that it was you who came into my department to deliver a report that could have easily been sent to my PADD."

"A glutton for punishment, I suppose."

She glanced up as she unstrapped the harness and climbed out of it, noticing that he was trying not to watch, but glancing her way anyway. She then dropped it into the storage locker and shut it, locking it tight. "Well, if you're up for some more punishment, then why don't you join Scotty and I for drinks after shift? I assume you're almost done with your own shift as well?"

He frowned. "Join you and—oh, no thank you, darlin', I don't like being the third wheel."

Her eyes went wide. Did he think she was flirting with him but in a relationship with Scotty? "Third wheel? No, no, no—it's nothing like that. Scotty, Uhura, Sulu, Chekov, some of the other bridge officers sometimes too, get together for drinks after shift sometimes."

"Oh, I see."

"It's only just started recently, since everything went down with Khan. We all needed a bit of a pick me up after we thought we'd lost Captain Kirk. Supposedly, he might be joining us tonight. A bit of a celebration. You should join us. After all, you are the hero that saved the Captain."

"I've saved Jim Kirk's life more times than I can count, only this time it was a bit more literal than the others."

She waved him off. "It's alright, I understand if you don't want to come. You're a busy man and not interested in—"

"I'll come. A drink sounds good right now."

"Great. We meet in the Officer's Lounge at 1900 hours."