Chapter Text
Paul
“Alarm off,” I say, sitting up, shifting to the side of my bed, “Lights for 50%” I let my eyes adjust to the brightness before I got up and went over to my bathroom.
At this point, Hugh would have been returning from his jog and went for his shower. I still wasn’t used to the silence nor the lost touches.
With 45 minutes till my shift starts I take a slow walk down to the mess hall, never one for breakfast, but a cup of tea and a smoothie sounds good.
It’s quiet in the mess hall, guess many are already at their station or still in bed. Before my time was spent with Hugh, just talking about what our days were going to be. Well, it was more me telling him what I would be doing and he’ll make guesses on who would be coming down to sickbay and why.
I am almost done with my smoothie when Hugh, I mean Doctor Culber enters the room, with two other doctors. I believe their names were Anderson and Woods, they work different shifts most of the time, but once a month they got to work together.
‘I can’t stay,’ I thought to myself.
They must have been in a deep conversation, since Hugh hasn’t noticed I’m here and I don't want him to. I abandoned my cup and went to get out of my chair, but the bloody thing made a noise and Hugh saw me, the smile dimmed, as he looked at me. I did that.
I needed to go.
“Paul,” Hugh shouts but I ignored him and left the mess hall. To make sure he wasn’t following me I ran to engineering.
It is a slow day in engineering, with only repairs being done. Tilly and I worked on a theory for the spore drive, but it ended up a lost cause and a trip for Tilly to sickbay. Thankfully it was nothing serious and went back to work not long later.
I am coming out of my mycelium forest room, just as Captain Pike and Commander Sure enter.
“Lieutenant Stamets ,” Pike says.
“Yes captain? How can I help?” I ask, since it’s unusual for him to be here, unless he needs my assistance.
“I need you to gather a team together. An Xyrillian ship comm's us, asking for assistance to fix their ship,” Pike explains.
Did they say which part of the ship needed fixing?” I ask.
“No, connection broke before they could tell us. WIll your team be ready in 30 minutes?” Sura ask.
“Yes commander, Captain.”
“Good, if we get anymore information we will let you know, also head to sick bay for you injection then to transport,” Pike said as he and Sura began to leave engineering, “
“Yes sir. Tilly!” I calls over.
“Yes lieutenant?”
“I will be taking a team over to the Xyrillian ship, so i am putting you in charge until i get back.”
I told her what she needed to do and to check on the sporse. Once I felt she understood what she needed to do, I comm my team. Once I had them all picked out I sent them to sickbay, where the doctors were ready and waiting for them. I gave Captian Pike an update then I went to the sickbay myself.
Hugh
Earlier, Commander Sura came into sickbay, to tell us that a team was coming down to go over to the Xrillian ship. He mentioned that Paul would be coming down as well, since he was the leader of the team. This gave me a chance to prepare to see him, since he did what he could to keep his distance from, after I broke up with him.
I hated how much I hurt him and his need to feel liek he can’t be in the same room as me, but I wanted to try and talk to him, maybe even become friends. But until then, Tracy and I got all the hypospray ready.
Not long later sickbay was full, with Pual team, all but Paul. Where was he?
I’ve just finished explaining to Ensign Giles the symptoms, when i heaurd the doors, swished opened. I turned to see Paul standing by the door.
“Okay ensign you are free to go. Lieutenant Stamets, if you would like to come on over…?" I say, keeping professional.
Paul hops onto the bio bed, as I got the hypospray ready. I hate how awkward it was between us, with mess hall didn’t help, but i knew Paul and that i needed to make the first move.
““I'm surprised Tilly isn't accompanying you,” I say, hoping Paul will reply.
“No, I didn’t know how long we’ll be on the ship and I needed someone I could trust to keep charge in engineering and look in on the spores.”
I drop the hypospray on the try, the memories, the feeling of the spores. I need to push the thoughts back, I didn't want to give Paul a reason not to talk to me.
“Well, she is trustworthy," I say, as I move so I am standing in front of him.
“I’m sorry,” Paul says.
I saw the worry in his eyes, before he looked away.
“It’s okay. Hold still,” I press the hypospray into his neck, “You’re done. Any side effects, please return to sickbay, please,” I remember how stubborn he is, worst now.
Paul nods before he gets up and leaves sickbay.
I placed the hypospray down and rubbed my forehead.
“Are you okay?” Tracy asks.
I sign, “I don’t know.
Paul
This is the reason why I stay as far from Hugh because I knew I would mention the spore of the forest and it would be awkward between us. I need to push that aside and head to the transportation room.
I comm Pike, told him we were ready to go. Everyone in position we beamed over to the Xyrillian ship.