#medical!reader

Your blood was boiling.

You had managed to get it down to a simmer before. But now? It was overflowing.

Two long weeks waiting, hoping to get any information on the Captain’s whereabouts. Two weeks to figure out who framed him and that poor Cadet and prove their innocence to these severe, unfeeling, vindictive aliens. Two weeks of being scared shitless and worried sick. Two weeks of not knowing if Chris was alive or dead or what. Why’d they have to be so damn ominous about punishment and just tell you like it was?!

Now all that fear in your gut had ignited into rage, a match to gasoline. It ate up the biting chill of the prison complex.

“Where is he?!” You barked.

“This way.” A guard gestured.

The doors opened, you shoulder checked one of the sentries in your eagerness to enter the cell. You took an oath to do no harm, but you weren’t about to take any shit.

You saw him, a feeble balm of relief to your distress. He didn’t look good.

“Y/N” he exhaled, his relief sabotaging his professionalism. “H-h-hey.”

His uniform was in ribbons, exposing contusions and welts on his sides and back of varying ages, some as new as yesterday. He was trying to stifle it (as if it would soothe your worry, or your wrath) but he was shivering. Stage one onset of hypothermia, signs of malnutrition. You wouldn’t have noticed the two broken knuckles if he hadn’t flinched away from instinctively trying to warm his hands.

To hell with your oath, actually, you were gonna cause a diplomatic incident.

“Is this how you treat your prisoners?! He wasn’t even condemned by your laws! It’s inhumane! It’s- you heartless-“

“Doctor don’t! It’s over… it is over, right? I can get- get outta here?” He added suddenly a little nervously.

The guard nodded, you were still nose to what you assumed was their nose.

“Please, don’t make me make it an order.” He pleaded, earnest, visibly exhausted.

Deep breaths “Fine.”

You would channel your fury elsewhere, you’re work. Time to break out the medical tricorder, no chancing internal bleeding or any other horrible little surprises Chris wasn’t going to disclose unless you found them first.

“Where- how’s Cadet Uhur-“ he began.

“She’s fine Chris, M’Benga’s got her, she’s doing a lot better than you are so shut up and let me scan you.” You knelt down in front of him, eye level with those worried stormy blues. Fighting the flush it gave you down with righteous anger and professional poise.

That god damn guard was still there, you could feel it.

“A little medical privacy please?!”

The guard turned the corner reluctantly, you’d shoo him away from being just outside the door if you could.

“Kn-knew she was innocent, could never, took res-responsibility for h-her-, I was-“

“You always do. Debriefing me while you’re body is trying to keep you from freezing to death is not helpful Chris. You’re already in a bad enough state as it is.” The scans were coming up as expected, no surprises so far. He was freezing to the touch though, it twisted you up inside. There wasn’t even a ratty blanket in here.

“Had worse.” He laughed “You-“

“Could you stop understating your injuries for five minutes?! Just once?! Yes I have pulled you out of worse and I’m damn proud of myself for it! YOU should not be! There isn’t a goddamn scoreboard in the afterlife that counts how many times you almost made it! Damnit Chris you- you- you’re…”

Before you knew what the hell you were doing you kissed him hard on the lips.

You jerked back in a shock of self-awareness, staring at each other for a moment, shocked, blushing.

“That- that was, warm.” Pike stated, a little dumbstruck.

“I… uh, well, there’s more where that came from you big idiot! Let’s get you out of here.” What in the goddamn hell were you saying?!

Too late now, your work here was done, couldn’t do more until you got to sick bay. Sick bay and maybe, other places, more private, maybe, you weren’t sure yet. You were pretty sure you were still angry with him. Probably.

You took him by his ice cold, uninjured hand, helping him to his feet. Marching out of the cell with your head held high, putting yourself between Pike and anyone who’d dare think of doing any more damage to him.

You only broke away when you get in visual range of the shuttle.