Unrequited (Trip x OC)

Fourteen

"Captain! Captain, I want to leave! Please, don't make me do this!" Trip yelled, clutching at his sides.

My father and I exchanged a glance before he stepped forward and spoke through Trip's communication device.

"Trip, you're two-thirds of the way there, it would be a waste to bring you back now."

"I don't care!" Trip yelled before my father had even finished. "Get me out of here!"

"I'm sorry, I'm not going to do that, Trip."

Trip jumped for the camera, putting his face right in front of it. "Emily! You're there, aren't you? Huh? Talk to him! You're the only one who can get through to your father when he's like this! Please, Emily, if you care at all, you'll get me out of here!"

My father glanced up at me. I looked back at him before turning around and exiting Sickbay without hesitation.

---

I sat at a table in the mess hall, my hands wrapped around my mug of hot cocoa.

Malcolm sat down across from me. "Have you been to Sickbay lately?"

"No," I looked up quickly. "Is Trip okay? Did Phlox say something? Does he need me to--"

"Relax," he laid a hand on my shoulder when I moved to stand up. "Trip is out of the decompression chamber now. He wanted to talk to you when you get a free moment."

I leaned back in my seat, rolling my fork around idly in my plate of spaghetti. "Yeah, I'll go see him in a bit."

"What's the matter?" he put an elbow on the table. "You've barely touched your cocoa."

"Just got a lot on my mind," I mumbled, taking a drink.

"Oh, Emily. Don't worry about Trip, he can handle himself. Since you're not eating, why don't you go up and talk to him, huh?" he leaned down to try to make me look at him.

"Yeah," I scooted my chair out and left the Mess Hall, heading for my quarters.

The truth was, I wasn't just worried about Trip's health. I was worried because there were one hundred sixty-eight crew members on that ship. Odds were, at least one-third of them were female. I felt kind of nasty thinking about that when Trip had endured such pain.

I guess it was none of my business what Trip got up to, but I still couldn't help being disappointed that there was a chance he might... no, he wouldn't. He was there on strictly business.

I stepped into my quarters and the doors slid closed behind me. Almost in a trance, I walked to my desk and pulled out a Communicator.

"Hey, Trip. It's Emily," I held the speaker up to my mouth, biting my nails.

Only about two seconds passed before his voice answered over the channel, "Hey, Emily! Look, I've been meaning to talk to you."

"Mhm," I muttered and moved over to lay down on my bed, draping my arm over my eyes.

"I was out of line when I was in the decompression chamber, and I just wanted to apologize. I was in a lot of pain, but I know I probably shouldn't make excuses," he sounded troubled over the communication line.

I couldn't believe that was why he wanted to talk to me. I laughed.

"What? What's so funny?"

"Trip, don't worry about it. The most you bothered me when you were in that room was while you were screaming in agony. I felt powerless," I deliberated for a second before I added. "Plus, of course, I care about you."

"Aww, I care about you, too, Emily! Well, that's a relief, I haven't been able to get you off my mind since I got here."

I furrowed my brow, my heart speeding up. "You... haven't?"

"No, I could only think about how much of a jerk I must've seemed like," he elaborated and I let out a breath I didn't notice I was holding. Of course that was what he meant.

"Right. Well, I don't think that a bit of pain-induced rudeness can tear down what we've built in almost seven years," I laughed nervously.

"Oh, that's right! Your birthday's in a couple months, isn't it? Wow, I'm ashamed to admit, I haven't gotten you a present yet." I could hear him moving around on the other end, his arm brushing the microphone. "The big nineteen, huh?"

"I guess," I sighed. "Look, Trip, you should probably get some rest. You're gonna be working a lot tomorrow trying to get their ship fixed. I don't want you to stay there any longer than you have to."

He almost sounded relieved when he replied, "Well, if you insist. Goodnight, Emily."

"Goodnight, don't let the--" I stopped myself, turning a couple of shades paler at the memory that resurfaced. "Goodnight, Trip." I said abruptly and clicked off, closing the voice channel.