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The doctor found the young helmsman up on observation deck two. He was standing in front of the glass looking lost, his arms wrapped around himself.
Leonard had been looking for him for the last hour after Pavel had snuck out of the officer’s party without a word.
As he watched Pavel curled further in on himself, hunching his shoulders as if to keep the entire universe at bay.
McCoy’s heart clenched to see the beautiful young man so sad and distant. He couldn’t help himself from walking right up behind and running his hand down his back whispering, “What’s bothering you sweetheart?”
Chekov nearly jumped out of his skin knocking his head on the glass. “Der’mo!” he nearly shouted. Turning around his eyebrows shot to his forehead when he saw the CMO looking at him with concern and something else in his eyes.
“Doktor?” Pavel was so confused. Why had the doctor left the other the party?
“Chekov, what’s the matter darlin’?”
Pavel breath caught, that was the second endearment the doctor had whispered and it triggered the tide he had been holding back. He turned into Leonard’s embrace and began sobbing into his neck.
Shocked the doctor froze for a beat then gathered up that beautiful man in his arms. From what he could make out the man missed his family, his country, and was worried about being lonely in the New Year.
Just then three chimes rang and the computer began to announce the major cities on Earth that were nearing midnight. They were told that Moscow was 10 9 8 7 6 5 seconds away from ringing in the new.
Leonard reached up gently to grasp Pavel’s chin tilting it so he could look into those light brown eyes, breath catching at how sad they were. He leaned and whispered as his lips brush over the soft salty lips, “Not this year Pasha, you won’t be alone this year.”