something to do (Pavel Chekov)

23

Eadie breaks down a little later. McCoy doesn't seem surprised. They've been through a lot and she has only spent minimal time talking to someone. McCoy calls in a psychologist and they move Eadie to another area. Pavel tries to keep a calm face as she's wheeled away.

"Chekov?"

He cracks then, his eyes starting to water and his breath shaking as it leaves his lips. He feels the need to apologise for being so on edge but the words don't come.

"Hey," McCoy says softly. "It's okay to be like this, kid. You've been through a lot. It'll get easier. It won't always be like this, I promise."

"I'm so scared of being away from her," Pavel admits, remembering the last time she was taken from him. He nearly went insane. His mind went to a dark place and it feels like it resurfaces every time they're apart. His head is spiralling and he turns to McCoy, realising his hands are shaking.

"Please... Please, bring her back! Please let me go see her! McCoy please!!"

McCoy motions at a nurse to come over and join him and Pavel feels the room spinning a little.

"What is happening to me!" he screams, getting moved onto a bed by McCoy. He pats his pocket and finds the spray he was given earlier, uncapping it in one hand and trying to skull the whole bottle as McCoy has his hands on an IV cuff. The nurse yanks the bottle off of him before he can finish it but he mutters 'fuck' under his breath before he blacks out.

Pavel has a weird dream. He's riding in the country with Eadie and she laughs with him. It flashes into another scene and he's sitting on a picnic rug with her. She has a very pregnant belly and she rubs it gently, looking towards the sky. She looks to him with panic in her eyes and her lower half bursts, a monster erupting from her insides. It looks like the visitors. It also looks like Eadie. Pavel wakes with a jolt.

"Hey, hey, you're alright," a voice says softly. "You're in medbay. You're safe here."

Pavel's not in a part of medbay he recognises. It's a little less bright and he can't see anyone he knows. He asks the nurse where Eadie is and realises he's speaking Russian, starting again and trying to keep his mind steady for long enough to ask.

"Oh, your friend? She's here too. She's talking with someone again. I'll bring you guys over when she gets out, alright? Think you could try and eat something?"

Pavel nods, noticing just how empty his stomach feels. He eats, focusing on nothing but the food in front of him. He wonders how long Eadie will be and keeps eating. It occurs to him which part of medbay he might be in then. He wonders if he's in the mental health unit and looks around. He starts remembering what happened before he blacked out. He thinks of the bottle of antianxiety spray and how he tried to skull it after Eadie was moved away from him.

"Chekov," a doctor says, approaching him. It's McCoy and he seems the slightest bit more cautious in approaching Pavel.

"I'm in the crazy unit, aren't I?"

"We aren't allowed to call it that but you're here for mental health and you might be for a little while. Eadie is too. She's speaking with someone and you can see her soon. You're going to start regular sessions too; both with and without Eadie. I don't want anymore spontaneous self-medicating either. That was dangerous and you're smart enough to know better. Imagine what it would have done to Eadie if that stuff was stronger. Lucky for you, it's designed to stop working after a certain dose."

"I know, I know. I was just freaking out. I still... I don't know what was running through my head. I can't remember exactly."

"That stuff can blur your memory a little sometimes. Just take it easy a little longer okay. Keep eating, I have to give you a hypo in another half hour. Will you be alright here for a little longer? I'll be back soon."

Pavel nods and goes back to his meal, wondering what the next few days have in store for them. He dreams of just being able to retire to his room with Eadie and eat and spend their time together.

Eadie is drowsy when they're reunited again. They're both bed bound until further notice but the nurses move their beds just close enough so that they can hold hands. Eadie tells him about the scarring on her abdomen from the surgeries.

"I freaked out when you went. I tried to skull the bottle that had my spray and it knocked me out. I woke up here."

"You weren't trying to kill yourself, were you...?"

"I don't know what I was thinking but I feel like it wasn't that. I think I just wanted to stop panicking."

She nods, lying back. She's been awake for a few hours talking and she needs a sleep.Her eyes start closing and she apologises for not being great company. Pavel sleeps as well, not really needing to but just not interested in sitting thereby himself.

(Author's Note)

If there's anyone who reads this, I hope you enjoy it lmao