Welcome to the Family

Chapter 1

Bones's POV

  Good grief. This has been a long day.

  We've been in space for over two and a half years. Jim has been trying to make a treaty today. Let's just say... it didn't go as planned.

  The last few years have been interesting. It has been funny watching Hannah adjust to being Dr. Chekov. There are some days that someone calls her Dr. Chekov, and she still has to take a second to remember that that's her. Her response is always, "Well, what did you expect? I was McCoy for 19 years before I was Dr. Chekov."

  My son-in-law... yeah... still haven't gotten used to that one... tends to be very similar. Typically when someone refers to his wife, he has to take a second to remember what they're talking about. I do love to see him smile when the revelation hits him. I asked him about it once. He says, "I remember zhat married my best friend."

  I just came back from having a drink with Jim. His birthday is in a few days. He doesn't exactly love to celebrate it since it's also the day his pa died. I still try to do something for him though.

  I'm currently about to clean up shop in medbay and head back to the bridge when I hear a groan come from behind me. I turn around to see Pavel. He walks over to one of the tables and lays down on it. I walk over to him.

  "Might I ask what's wrong with you?" I ask.

  "Hannah," he responds.

  "What about Hannah?"

  "Somezhing's not right."

  I pull up a chair and sit down beside the table.

  "Explain."

  "She hasn't been acting like herself. She's aggravated and temperamental."

  "Worse than normal?"

  He laughs.

  "I zhink she may be slightly better natured than she's giwen credit for sometimes. But if you want to put it zhat way, yes. It's worse than normal."

  "Would this be why I was told that you were thrown out of your room with your shirt flying out behind you?"

  "Yes. She's been on edge almost constantly, and I don't know what's wrong. And of course, zhat's not all."

  "What else is it?"

  "You don't know? I would think she would've asked your opinion."

  "Opinion on what?"

  "Why she's been getting sick."

  "Hold on. What do you mean she's getting sick?"

  "In zhe middle of zhe night or early in zhe morning, she will normally get sick. She's gotten sick so many nights in a row I've lost count."

  Oh boy...

  "Uh huh. How long has this been happening?"

  "Zhe sickness started... um... a little over two weeks ago I zhink."

  "Ok..." I say contemplating.

  "What is it?"

  "I'll tell you when I know for sure."

I can tell he wants to ask me what I'm going to do, but he doesn't say anything. We walk back up to the bridge where he takes a seat at the control panel. Hannah stands beside him, and Scotty is leaning on the control panel. We are approaching Yorktown, Starfleet's newest base in space. It's kinda like an encased, artificially made planet.

  "Wow," Pavel says. "Zhat is impressive."

  "No kidding," Hannah states.

  "Aye," Scotty adds. "She's a beauty, isn't she?"

  "What a darn monstrosity," I exclaim looking at Yorktown. "Couldn't we just rent some space on a planet?"

  "Showing geographic favoritism among inducted Federation worlds could cause diplomatic tensions," Spock explains.

  "Oh! You don't think that looks tense? It looks like a darn snow globe in space, just waitin' to break."

  "That's the spirit, Bones," Jim says sarcastically.

  I watch Hannah and Pavel for a moment. He's tried to convince her to sit down, but she claims she's fine. He's gently rubbing her lower back in circles with his hand. I've watched him do this a few times before. He does it if she doesn't feel well. It feels good on her back. I notice she's a little pale. She has the look on her face she has every time she feels under the weather.

  She finally gives in and sits down on his lap. He wraps one arm around her waist. She looks like she could fall asleep at any moment.

  We finally enter Yorktown and start to exit the ship. I look up and notice that Hannah is asleep. Pavel does not wake her. He gently lifts his wife and carries her off of the ship, allowing her to get some rest. We walk into Yorktown together.

  "You look worried," I state.

  "I am," he tells me. "I've never seen her like zhis. I'm worried she's contracted somezhing."

  "I don't think that's it."

  "I'm still confused at what zhat means."

  "Like I told you earlier, I'll let you know when I know for sure."

  "Alright."

  "Do I need to stay with her?"

  "No. I'll stay with her just to make sure she's ok. She may just be worn out, but I'm not sure."

  "Ok. Well, if anything changes, you let me know."

  "I will."

  With that, I watch him carry her down the hallway. I can't decide if I want my hypothesis to be true or not. If it is, all of our lives are about to change.