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From: "Keith & Jessica Bratcher" <campbratcher@psci.net>
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Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2004 00:47:59 -0600
Subject: [ASCEM-S] NEW TOS: Comfort in the Night (PG-13, Su/C) 1/1
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Title: Comfort in the Night
Author: Lianne (lburwell@adan.kingston.net)
Series: TOS
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Sulu/Chekov
Post/Archive: ASC, ASCEM(L), all others please ask first.

Summary: Canon never addresses the trauma Chekov went 
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. I make no money off of them.

Warnings: none, unless you count m/m references.


-------------------------------------
Comfort in the Night
by Lianne
March 2004
-------------------------------------

Chekov woke with a gasp.

For several minutes he just lay in bed, staring up at the 
ceiling lost in the darkness, reassuring himself that he 
was safe, back on Earth. Khan was gone. The crew of the 
Reliant had been retrieved from Ceti Alpha V. All of the 
ones left behind had survived.

But Clark Terrell was still dead.

Mr. Spock was still dead.

Chekov extracted himself from the bed, careful not to wake 
Sulu, and went out onto the balcony overlooking San 
Francisco Bay. It was well past midnight, but the city was 
lit up like a carnival midway. It was a beautiful sight.

This wasn't his apartment; he couldn't afford so decadent a 
neighborhood, despite his years in Starfleet. It was 
Starfleet who had arranged for the entire Enterprise 
command crew to be housed away of the press' eye. Details 
were slowly leaking out, about Khan and the Genesis planet, 
and the press had worked itself into a frenzy, looking for 
information, inventing it if they couldn't find it, and 
insistent on knowing who to blame.

As far as Chekov was concerned, most of that blame should 
be his.

He should have remembered about Khan. If he had, he would 
have steered the Reliant far from Ceti Alpha. It was his 
faulty memory that had led to their landing on the planet 
looking for a site for the testing of the Genesis Device. 
That was how Khan had gotten a hold of them, and worse, 
their ship. From that came the massacre of most of the 
scientists working on the Genesis device, and if Spock had 
not sacrificed his life, the entire training crew of the 
Enterprise would have died as well. Clark had killed 
himself to keep from being used as a weapon to kill Admiral 
Kirk.

All because of his faulty memory.

Compared to that, the nightmares were a too small 
punishment as far as he was concerned.

Chekov rubbed at his ear. He could still feel the agony of 
the Ceti eel sliding down the canal to reach his brain. The 
doctors had done an excellent job of repairing the damage, 
but he would always have hearing distortion in that ear. 
They said they could implant an corrective device, and he 
would never be able to tell the difference. He had refused. 
Partly because he could not stand the thought of a 
mechanical aide inside his head, and partly because he felt 
it was part of the price he had to pay. He had not told the 
Starfleet-mandated Counselor that. She would not approve.

"Pavel?"

Chekov looked back over his shoulder at his dearest and 
oldest friend. Sulu was rubbing his eyes, looking, for a 
moment, like a small child who'd woken in the middle of the 
night. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

Sulu moved to his side, wrapping a warm arm around him. 
Until that moment, Chekov had not realized that he was 
shivering. "No, but being alone in the bed did. Nightmare?" 
Chekov shrugged. "Do you want a pill?"

Chekov shook his head. "Nyet. They make me sleep, but do 
nothing about the dreams."

Sulu hugged him a little closer. "It wasn't your fault," he 
said softly, and Chekov flinched. "Someday you'll believe 
that."

"Perhaps."

But not yet. Not for a long time to come.

Chekov leaned against Sulu, grateful for his friend's 
presence. It had been nearly two years since they'd last 
seen each other, but he'd always known that if he needed 
him, Sulu would be there. He felt the same way about the 
man. They'd also been lovers, off and on over the years, 
but it was the friendship that he cherished the most. Sulu 
had been at his side through every step of his treatment 
during the week since their return to Earth. He felt guilty 
for tying the man to his side, but was too weak to send him 
away.

"Come back to bed," Sulu said, tugging him away from the 
railing.

Chekov took a last look at the night skyline of the city, 
then followed Sulu back inside. Sulu's caresses told him 
that the man intended to try to love him into a dreamless 
sleep. Selfishly, he welcomed it. He could not refuse that 
comfort.

>>>~~~<<<

Three days later the call came from Admiral Kirk. Soon 
after, they had stolen a Starfleet vessel and they were on 
their way back to the Genesis planet to recover a lost 
friend. Perhaps this time he would be able to make amends 
and find an end to the nightmares.

THE END



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



 
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