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༄ chapter thirty one
-ˋˏ INSANITY FROM WITHINˎˊ-
"DAMMIT, Vera, you can't keep getting yourself into trouble like this. Hell, you really need to stop running around so much in general. I keep telling you that if you keep acting like this, that head injury of yours is just going to get worse. You and I both know that you could've turned Jim down, he wouldn't have forced you to go on the mission if you reminded him about your head-"
Vera scoffed, staying still along the cool metal examination table, though she longed to shake her head in defiance, no matter how much damage it may cause to the open wound at the back of her head, "Oh, come on, Leo, you know just as well as I that Kirk isn't going to let a little head injury stop me from participating in my duty as Chief Mechanic."
After their capture of John Harrison, the team of five returned to their ship, with Spock practically carrying Vera as she clung to his shoulders, blood from the old wound that had since been torn open dripping down her neck and staining her clothing.
Once they had arrived back to the Enterprise, Vera had been handed off to Kit and Uhura, who rushed the inattentive and bleeding mechanic to the medical ward before being quick to resume their positions at the bridge, leaving Vera alone with McCoy, Thalia and Nath, the latter having been quietly drawing from a coloring book in the corner and his child counterpart wandering around touching supplies and being told to stop repeatedly by a tired McCoy.
Rolling his eyes, the doctor replied with an equal attitude to the dazed woman, his voice tired and strained, as if he had long since grown used to, if annoyed, by Vera's constant antics, "No, Vera, because if you go out into these missions one day and don't come back, we all know that Kirk would blame himself. I know you don't want to think of it, but your safety should be your own top priority, and with the amount of times you've continually injured yourself and further messed up your head, one more mission could be that end. I mean, you get pissed at the rest of us for putting ourselves at risk, but what about you?"
It was apparent that she had immediately become comfortable with sacrificing her own safety and happiness in service of the Enterprise and it's crew, a fact that had only worsened the ancient head injury she had gained from her childhood and never quite recovered from as well as only bringing down her regard for her own safety.
In some ways, McCoy knew well that Vera Crynn was selfless beyond belief, and there hadn't been a day in his time of knowing the woman that it wasn't abundantly clear that for as hot-headed and stubborn she was, her true biggest fault was her own incessant need to keep people she loved safe.
