You Can't Be Too Careful [Star Trek/Leonard "Bones" McCoy Love Story]

[15.] ...Except Maybe, You

[15] …Except Maybe, You

            When I woke up, there were several nurses frantically flitting about in my dad’s room.

“What on earth?” I mumbled, sitting up.

But no one answered me. Before I could even gauge my surroundings, one of the women took hold of my arms and yanked me out of the bed.

“Hey!” I shouted.

“Miss Taylor, we need you to vacate the room immediately,” another nurse told me.

“Why?” I asked desperately. “Can someone please tell me what’s going on?”

Still, no one answered me. Half the nurses flocked around my father’s bed while the other half ushered me out of the room. A sporadic beeping noise reached my ears, and reality hit me.

“DADDY!” I screamed. “DADDY!”

The door slammed in my face. Panting, I pressed my face against the door and waited for someone, anyone to give me an explanation, or tell me that everything was going to be okay, or…even tell me that everything wasn’t going to be okay. I just wanted to know what the heck was going on with my dad and why I wasn’t allowed to be in the room.

Seconds turned to minutes, which felt like hours. I found a chair near the door and took a seat, leaving my head in my palms as I tried to calm myself down. I forgot everything I had written in my journal the other day. That was my dad in there. He wasn’t gone. I wanted Astrid with me. I wanted Bones with me. I wanted it all to be normal again.

“Miss Taylor?” a male voice said.

I looked up and met eyes with the attending doctor. It took me a moment to realize that I had been crying. I brushed my thumbs underneath my eyes and stood up.

“Yes?”

The doctor placed a hand on my shoulder and gazed at me mournfully.

“I am so sorry, Miss Taylor. Your father’s lungs failed a few moments ago. His heart stopped shortly after. We did everything we could, but…”

I didn’t speak. I simply stared.

“I…uh…understand…” I finally said, nodding slowly.

“I know this is the last thing you want to hear right now,” he said slowly, “but-”

“No, I understand,” I repeated. “Legalities. All that fun stuff…I know…”

“I’m sorry-”

“It’s fine, really, I knew it was coming,” I said, my voice cracking. “May I, uh…make a quick phone call, please?”

“Of course. We’ll begin whenever you’re ready.”

I nodded and walked away, keeping my eyes trained on the floor the entire time. I don’t know how I managed to get there, but I found myself in the ladies’ restroom. Glancing in the mirror, I saw a girl with matted brown hair, a wrinkled t-shirt, and bloodshot eyes. Sighing deeply, I dialed the first number that came to mind and waited for the answer.

“This is Dr. Leonard McCoy, C.M.O with Starfleet. I am unable to come to the phone right now. Please leave a message.”

I raised an eyebrow. Bones? I dialed his number?

The dial tone sounded and I found myself at a loss for words.

“Bones…hi…it’s Catherine,” I managed to choke out. “Um, I honestly don’t know why…I don’t...my dad’s dead. I just…dialed the first number that came to mind. I’m so lost right now, I can’t think, I can’t…I’m sorry, I don’t know why I called. I’ll see you when I get back to the Academy.”