something to do (Pavel Chekov)

19

The doctor and Pavel talk for hours. He goes over everything that happened, about getting close to Eadie and how they talked and talked to pass their days. He talks about glad he was to be free and how hard he's finding it to be away from her. The doctor takes notes on his PADD and talks him through what he thinks is going on in Pavel's mind. Pavel listens, wondering if the doctor's analysis is going to help him or not.

McCoy comes out of a room and looks tired. Pavel loses track of what he's saying and apologises, looking to McCoy and trying to see if Eadie is there somewhere. McCoy approaches with blood on his uniform still and removes his gloves.

"She's alright," McCoy starts, noting the Russian's terrified expression. "We had to do a hysterectomy. A lot of her other reproductive organs were damaged but at this stage, she will recover."

"I do not know what is a hysterectomy," Pavel stutters, his Standard slipping with his nerves.

"We removed her uterus. It was decaying inside of her. It was bruised and in a few weeks it would have basically liquefied."

Pavel's head is spinning again and he stutters trying to get a response out. "Will she ever be able to have kids? That means a lot to her, she'll want to know..."

"Not from her own body. Her ovaries showed damage too and we've taken some eggs for freezing so if she does want to have children that are biologically hers in the future, she'll still be able to. She's still under anaesthesia for now. I know you're probably hoping to see her soon. I'll get a nurse to come get you when she wakes."

Pavel thanks him and feels his chest lighten a little. He can breathe again and he focuses back to what he was doing. The doctor asks if he's ready to continue. Pavel feels like he is.

By the time Eadie does wake, Pavel feels like he has everything a little more under control than he did earlier that morning. He has his thoughts a little more sorted out and he thanks Doctor Kotir for all his help.

"I'll see you again soon," he smiles. "We still have plenty to talk about."

Pavel thanks him again and gets up to come and find Eadie. She's only just coming out of the anaesthesia and not entirely aware of her surroundings yet. Pavel takes a seat next to her bed and wraps his hand around hers.

"Pavel? What happened?"

"Eadie," he says softly. "You're okay. You're here with me now." He hopes that using Romanian might calm her down a little more. She mutters about her legs being numb and she starts remembering what happened.

"Tell me, Pavel. What did they do?"

"I'm not a doctor," he says, realising he's switched to Russian. She understands anyway, just nodding and brushing her hair from her face.

A doctor comes over and runs Eadie through what happened during her surgery. She cries when they use the word 'hysterectomy', knowing that it means she wouldn't be able to carry a child. Pavel's there holding her hand but it doesn't make things any easier. Her eyes dry and she goes quiet, just nodding to doctors and not having anything else to stay. She zones out as they sit together and Pavel just rests his head on the side of the bed. He holds her hand and wonders if he would be able to slip into sleep for a while. His mind is still too cluttered to slip away.

Eadie is lucky enough to fall asleep. The doctors tell him that her body is in recovery mode. They think it might be a while before she wakes up again and that he should go have a sleep for a while. He doesn't want to leave her side but he's desperate for someone to talk to and leaves medbay, looking for a door in particular.

Hikaru Sulu is in his room when he opens his door and finds Pavel on the other side. Sulu wonders if he's imagining things, if he's seeing a ghost of the peppy and cheerful roommate he had so many months ago. Sulu says his name softly and Pavel just wraps his arms around the helmsman. Sulu squeezes him tightly, so glad to be seeing his friend again.

"I'm sorry I didn't visit earlier," Sulu says, inviting Pavel to sit down. "Kirk told me what happened. He also told me to wait until McCoy had finished bothering you."

"It is fine," the navigator says passively, looking across to his friend. "I've missed you. I've missed you so much Heekaru."

Sulu smiles at the way his friend pronounces his name and asks Pavel if he's alright. He nods wearily, though he really doubts that he's fine. He tells Sulu how happy he was to have a shower again. Sulu cracks a grin.

"Who's the girl you were found with? Is she doing alright?"

"She's... She's..."

Pavel crumbles then, shaking his head and feeling his breath suddenly leave his lungs. He breaks into tears and apologises over and over, telling himself he should leave and stop embarrassing himself.

"Hey," Sulu says softly. "You've been through so much. You don't have to talk about it. You don't have to talk about her. Do you need a rest? Your room is just as you left it."

"Please," he says softly. "I don't think I'm great company at the moment."

Sulu ruffles his hair and walks with him, placing a glass of water on his bedside table. He tells Pavel he'll be there when he wakes up. Pavel apologises again and Sulu slows him down, telling him to take a few breaths.

"Pavel," Sulu says softly. "I'm so glad to have you back. I was worried we wouldn't get you back alive and that was the most frightening thing I'd experienced. I'm so glad you're alive. I know you're still recovering. Take your time. I'll be here."

Pavel thanks him and lies down, slipping into a hazy sleep. 

(Author's Note)

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