<Quarters>

In spite of the tingles and pain spikes, Ensign Meryn Kell had been in a blessedly deep slumber, oblivious to any and everything. Like all good things, however, it was coming to an end, as she became increasingly aware that somebody else was near. It was a slow process, but she progressively returned from the depths of her subconscious.

While it hadn’t been a particularly difficult day work-wise, Neil was ground to a nub by time he made it back to his and Meryn’s shared quarters. Mental fatigue – he knew – was a real thing, and he had it in spades, what with sorting through the mess in Flight (both figurative and literal) all the while worrying over Meryn. So, when he made his way into the bedroom to find her murmuring in her sleep and seemingly on the edge of awareness, Neil eased over to sit beside her on the bed; present, should she need anything once she was fully awake.

Her eyes cracked open to the face of a complete stranger. Panic and terror yanked Meryn to immediate consciousness and she pulled away from the intruder. Why was he here? What did he want? The answer to either question was likely sinister.

The sudden jerk was unexpected, but it had been the expression of panicked loathing that gutted Neil to the core. Nightmare, he told himself as he fought to remain calm. It has to be a nightmare. “Meryn, it’s okay. It’s just me – Neil.”

He knows my name! Heart racing, she shoved her feet down as hard as her protesting muscles would go to slide away and roll in a mess of bedsheets that tangled her ankles, which probably had her in a worse position than from where she’d started. She then threw her arm up to the nightstand, hoping to get a hand on her communicator, but she fumbled it badly and sent it scattering toward the door to the refresher. Stranger forgotten for the moment, she fixated on the device, and tried to drag her bound body toward it. However, it didn’t make sense to her, even as she managed to make it a few inches forward. Did someone call?

Suddenly confused, she stopped to take a breath, before looking around the room. “Neil,” she realized, despite not remembering how he got there. “There was…” The words wouldn’t connect, so she shut her eyes tightly to piece it together. “I… It…” Confusion gave way to frustration, as she felt unable to form or share thoughts that had to be coherent, didn’t they?

He was off the bed and all but diving across to her side even as Meryn crumpled to the floor. Concerned for her safety yet not wanting to set her into a full-blown panic attack in her current state, Neil willed himself to wait – to give her space to regain her footing, more or less. When she at last called his name, Neil reached out gently to brush her cheek with his knuckles. “I’m right here, Meryn. I think you were having a nightmare.” He waited a beat before adding, “Would you like me to help you get untangled and back up on the bed?”

Strong as Neil was, it still shouldn’t have been quite so easy for him to lift her, Meryn reflected, though the thought was rather transient. Like her mind, it seemed that her body was slipping away, yet there was so very little that she could do about it. “Someone was here, Neil,” she gasped. “If you hadn’t come back…” What? The caboose on the train of thought was eating the locomotive, making the whole thing drift into the aether.

“I’m,” Meryn gasped, “not… not tired. And I’m not dreaming.” The principle problem at this point had more to do with trying to catch her breath than anything else. Remembering something else he’d said, she added, “Vanya… Oh. Doctor. Right.” She was worrying him, she could tell. “H-help me up.” Her legs were stiff and sore, and she was worried about them cramping up again, just as they had when Neil was working.

Though it was against his better judgment just then, Neil paused at the counter bank and helped Meryn stand upright. “I’m going to put a call in to see if Vanya can meet us here. It may be nothing, and I’d prefer if you didn’t have to make a trip all the way to the infirmary.” It was said more for her benefit than his, as Neil’s mind was screaming to have her beamed in directly.

Having reached the kitchen counter, Meryn untangled herself from Neil and used the edge for support. While he tinkered with the replicator, she shakily poured a finger of his bourbon, only spilling a bit.

Glancing up, Neil’s brow furrowed. “It’s a little early in the day for a drink,” he offered, moving over to try and intercept her.

“Maybe it’s for me,” she gasped, trembling hands lifting the tumbler. For her nerves, she didn’t add, mostly because of the effort. She did, however, notice that he was a little shocked, which was yet another new source of confusion in her hazy brain. He never minded her having a drink or two before, so why now?

“I’m…” In a bit of a shock, she rubbed her belly with her other hand, and there was definitely something there. The glass, forgotten, slipped from her fingers and dropped onto the counter, shatter-proof crystal protecting it, yet not preventing spilling the contents as it bounced a couple of times. What’s happening to me? “I…” She did not want a pity party, but couldn’t prevent herself from breaking into tears: tears of frustration, tears of confusion, and, worst of all, tears of hopelessness.

Neil’s heart broke as he pulled her into his arms, cradling Meryn’s trembling form to his chest and feeling tears soaking into his shoulder. The intercom chirped just then, = Chrios here; Neil, is everything ok? =

“Hey, Vanya. I’m bringing Meryn in; she’s feeling a little confused, and I think it might be good just to get a thorough check, you know.” His hand cradled the back of Meryn’s head, hoping she didn’t sense just how nervous he was just then.