Ow! The first thing you registered was a stabbing ache in your chest, and for a moment you dwelt on this. What happened? You could remember Pollack, but then . . . what?
A pair of brown eyes gazing down at you in concern drifted up from your foggy memory. Spock. That's right.
You opened your eyes and instantly regretted it. The lights here were far too bright, and you had to blink rapidly before being able to actually see. You were in the sick bay again. And, judging from the severe pain piercing your body, there was good reason.
You let out a hiss of discomfort and, very slowly, propped yourself up on your elbows, trying to ignore the prickles of agony that came with your slightest movement.
"You shouldn't do that," a voice warned.
You carefully turned your head and found yourself looking at Doctor McCoy.
"I know," you said grimly. "I feel like I've been run over by the Enterprise."
McCoy looked at you sympathetically. "That might actually hurt less. You lay back down. Now that you're awake, I can give you something for that pain."
You eased yourself back to a resting position and looked over at the doctor, who was preparing a hypo.
"Why couldn't you do that before I woke up?"
"The pain played a part in shocking you awake," he said. "I don't think you would have woken up without it. There. Now hold still."
You returned your gaze to the ceiling as he injected you with whatever was in the hypo. "Like I'm going anywhere."
"You know, that's the first trace of humor you've shown since you got on board this ship."
You looked back at him. He was, of course, correct. Your experience on the planet in Omega IV with Spock had changed something in your mind. Maybe the reason people avoided you was because you had never given them a reason to get close to you. Spock was proof that not all people were bad; you had decided that you would try to be a little friendlier, but so far, you hadn't really had the chance.
You chose to give Doctor McCoy a slight smile. "Maybe it is."
