Star Trek: Uncharted Territories

Chapter Three

Bones is on the side picture..

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We arrived back at Starfleet around midnight the final day. Leonard put me in a wheeled chair and pushed me out of the ship, wrapping a blanket around my shoulders and letting me hold onto his PADD, where I had discovered had links to the World and what had been happening while we were gone. We passed Captain Kirk and the Vulcan called Spock. I held my hand up for Leonard to stop us.

"Captain Kirk." I wrung my hands together, looking at him nervously. He raised a curious eyebrow. "Thank you, for saving my life."

Before I could respond, I heard a loud voice yelling through the crowd of people on the Spacedock.

"Hadley!" He yelled.

Dad. I felt weak suddenly, and I looked at Kirk, Spock, and lastly Leonard. I bit my lip, cowering into the chair, repeatedly I had told Leonard how nervous I was about this. I felt Leonard's grip tighten on the handles.Turning my head slightly, I looked up at him. I let my eyes leave his and I turned back to look at my father, who was running towards me. Leonard stepped around, next to me.

"Admiral Stanley," He began respectively, "Your daughter has two broken ribs, sir. I suggest being gentle..."

I felt a wave of gratitude go over me. My father's original brown hair was now peppered, gray, and he seemed thinner. A thick wedding band caught my eye on his left finger. He nodded dismissively to Leonard, bending down in front of me. It was harder than I expected to look into his eyes. Astrid had his eyes, I had realized.

"Hadley." My name made his voice crack, and his eyes filled with tears. "You're home." His lips quivered around his unshaven face. He must of not slept since hearing news of our return. Guilt swept over me again.

No, I wasn't home. This wasn't my home. Why couldn't anybody see that? I looked at Spock, of all people. He must know. Couldn't he tell I couldn't be here? He blinked at me, and looked towards his captain. Leonard saw that, and stood awkwardly next to the three. I nodded, looking down at my hands.

"Are you in pain?" He asked me, not sure why I was so shy.

I shook my head, "Tired." I lied. I had slept all day.

"Admiral, we're transporting her to St. Theresa's, and then tomorrow is the testimony day." Spock spoke.

Thank goodness he understood the look I gave him!

"Do you want me to meet you there?" He asked the Vulcan.

Spock looked to me. I nodded tiredly, not wanting my father to think I didn't want to see him even though I didn't.

"Where's June?" He asked me.

I looked back at the ship, where June was hugging her family.

"I'm going to go see her. I'll see you in 20 minutes, Hadley. I love you." He walked away, at a brisk pace, probably to interrogate the girl who had spent 8 years with us.

Leonard started pushing me towards a shuttle, acting a lot more comfortable now that my father was away. Spock and Captain Kirk followed next to me, looking much like bodyguards.

"Vulcans can not lie." Spock looked to me as we walked.

"I know." I responded, sitting a little higher in the chair as we boarded the shuttle.

"I do not understand why you are so against being around your father. He is your family."

I wrung my hands together, feeling shy again. It seemed like Spock had a way of understanding me, without realizing it.