Day 57: Waiting Room / Lobby 1

[oneman_onekill]

Somehow, he'd managed to eat all of his food, and grudgingly, Niikura had to admit that he felt a lot better after brunch. That pink stuff tasted like crap, but it did its job, which was to keep him alive. Still...what did he have to do around here to get some food, short of raiding the kitchen at night? Not that he couldn't do that, it was just

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[hes_deadjim]

Damn. He was hoping she'd drop something better as a hint, but Joanna was here now, seemed happy and not afraid or uncomfortable this time. He didn't have the heart to push the matter, turn this into an interrogation. Maybe he could find out along the line where she was staying.

"That won't be necessary," McCoy's answer was hasty. "I prefer getting out and stretching my legs than being cooped up."

Joanna meant well but getting him locked up even tighter wasn't something he was jumping for. That was like cheerfully asking to get handcuffs tightened. The trip had been cold and then there was that meeting with Kirk, but going to town itself hadn't been that bad. It was one of the better points of being here. Granted, there wasn't a lot he could see that was good about being kidnapped, but getting fresh air and space once in a blue moon happened to be one of them.

So was she really outside the walls, living this life that was created for her? Or was she somewhere on the building grounds when they weren't face to face. He couldn't believe she'd been a former patient, like Jim had suggested for Chekov. Not only was there no report of Chekov visiting any of the crew, there was no news of Joanna missing before.

"Just take it easy, all right?" he said. "How long can you stay this time?"

[damned_visitors]

Leanne supposed she could understand why her dad would prefer the change of scenery to staying inside the Institute, but she still wished he could get some more enjoyment out of it. Still, it sounded like she didn't want her to fuss over him, so she decided to respect his wishes on that for now.

The question was a bit unexpected -- not because she doubted her dad wanted her to stay as long as possible, but because the matter was a bit out of her hands.

"Well, the staff says all visitors have to clear out by the end of the shift," she said, sounding a bit apologetic just the same. "So, I'll stay with you as long as possible, but they'll probably ask me to leave after awhile." Although she could dig in her heels when she needed to, Leanne didn't exactly want to cause a scene. After all, what would happen if the doctors deemed her a "problem" visitor? She depended on them to allow her these precious minutes with her father.

"But let's not focus on that," she said with a sudden smile, and she reached out to take his hand. "I just want to enjoy our time together."

[hes_deadjim]

McCoy was quiet for a moment, clearly disappointed. It wasn't like he got to see his little girl in person back home, and correspondence was spotty most of the time, what with her schedule and the unpredictability of his own that came with being on the Federation's flag ship. Brainwashing and kidnapping aside, the bright side was that they got to see each other face to face, something that wasn't possible in his universe. The downside was everything else. She didn't even know she was Joanna McCoy.

"Thanks for coming all the same. I do appreciate it," McCoy said, curling his fingers around hers. Too bad she couldn't bring out the old McCoy stubbornness, but he could see why she might hesitate. It would make them think twice about letting her come back. She was right, they should try to enjoy the time together.

"So what do you plan to do when finals are over?" he asked.

[damned_visitors]

Leanne inwardly sighed. She didn't like making her daddy unhappy, but she wasn't about to tiptoe around him, either. Lying just to cushion him from the truth wasn't going to do either of them any good. She would have to do her best to remember that, especially since she was currently the only one paying him any visits.

"No reason to thank me," she assured him, and she meant it. "Of course I'd come see you. You're my dad." As if to emphasize her point, Leanne squeezed his hand. She knew she could take comfort in the fact he still thought of her as his daughter. Honestly, she couldn't imagine how Mom felt these days.

Ultimately, the conversation drifted to more mundane topics. That was for the best, and hopefully a sign of progress. "Sleep," she said with a playful grin. "Well, more than sleep, obviously, but I'm looking forward to the break." Once she finished with her undergraduate studies, she would be getting less of those. "I was thinking of taking a small trip with some of my friends, but everyone's been too busy to figure anything out. At this rate, we probably won't go anywhere."

Leanne didn't sound too upset about it -- she didn't feel upset, either. Ever since her father had fallen ill, all of her other problems paled in comparison. There were more important things to worry about than whether she went somewhere fun after finals. Besides, maybe it was for the best to stick in one place in case Dad needed her.

[hes_deadjim]

He was her dad but he was glad anyway.

McCoy chuckled. Not quite the answer you'd expect from a young woman, in college, about to have a mass of free time. It was so like the Joanna he knew, not this Leanne business, that it hurt. She'd have said the exact same thing. On the other side, it gave him hope: she was in there under the brainwashing. They hadn't been able to erase everything, just...buried it under the surface. Joanna always had a practical streak to her. "The semester was that bad, was it?" 'Course, when she moved on, it was only going to get even worse then there. Even more allnighters.

For a woman being told she'd probably spend her break stuck at home, she didn't sound that unhappy at all. He thought he knew why. On one hand, it touched him, on the other hand, it annoyed him. First Jim, now his own daughter acting like he was some invalid who needed constant checking and attention.

Normally he'd encourage Joanna to go on a trip. Go have fun, explore, not to wait around for him. However, right now he preferred she stuck around the general area. If they had a chance to rescue her, it was a lot easier doing that if she was still here then halfway across a country.

"So you'll be spending your holidays around here." he hazarded.