["You can tell me anything"] - [Day 16] - [Uhura, Chapel]

[original_fierce]

Simply put, she was mortified.

More explicitly: she ached all over, the madness burning its way painfully out of her body like a fever while the memories steadfastly refused to do the same. Mostly, she wanted nothing more than to hide herself in her room forever, but there was also some niggling voice in the back of her mind that wanted to tell,

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[headnursechapel]

Christine opened the door hesitantly, peeking out as if afraid of who might be there. When she saw Uhura's face, her own relaxed considerably.

"Nyota," she said warmly, stepping back to allow her entrance. "Come in."

[original_fierce]

Uhura took a moment to notice that Christine had looked a little anxious as she opened the door. She hoped things were okay. She had no desire to unload on someone with problems of her own.

"Christine," she said smiling. "Sorry to drop in on you like this - I hope it's not a bad time?"

She followed her friend into the room.

[headnursechapel]

"Never," Christine assured her as the door slid shut. She smiled back, much happier now that the door had proved to admit only her friend.

She took Uhura's hand in hers, drawing her down to the couch.

"How are you, Nyota?"

[original_fierce]

She had meant to keep up a polite front, really she had. For a little while, at least. But Christine's hand in hers brought her abruptly, ridiculously close to crying, or perhaps hysterical laughter. Neither would be good.

Instead, she squeezed back, and sighed, her smile turning wry.

"Oh, Christine." She didn't quite know how to say it. "I'm feeling like an idiot, mostly." She paused. "And a little - concerned. Did you happen to notice any...weird behaviour, a couple days back?"

Not, of course, that Christine would have gotten herself caught up in it. But maybe she'd seen some weirdness from her window, or remembered reading a communication.

[headnursechapel]

Christine was silent for a moment. Surely she couldn't mean...But something had happened, that was clear.

"What sort of behavior?" she asked carefully. And then, more urgently, "Are you all right?" Her eyes skimmed over her friend with quick professionalism, though she wasn't sure quite what, if anything, she should be looking for.

[original_fierce]

"I'm fine," Uhura assured, quickly, holding up her hands to forestall any professional investigating: "...physically."

She pause for a moment, and then pressed both hands to her face. There was really, really no easy way to say this. Out with it, then.

"Chris," she mumbled, through her fingers, "I may have slept with somebody really really inappropriate." She paused. "Kind of by mistake. Outside."

[headnursechapel]

Oh.

It hadn't been just her, then. If Nyota had...

Relief mixed with concern for her friend as she scooted over on the couch, placing a comforting hand on Uhura's shoulder.

"Hey," she said gently, "it's all right." She slid her arm around Uhura, drawing her close. "You're safe, and that's what's important."

"What happened?"

She wouldn't pry, but...Uhura wouldn't have said anything, if she hadn't needed to talk about it.

[original_fierce]

"Oh, just..." Uhura breathed out heavily, grateful for Christine's supporting arm, the total lack of judgement in her voice.

"I was walking outside. I started to feel strange - overheated. That was the fever, whatever it was. And then I met Captain Kirk." She glanced up under her eyelashes anxiously. "And...well, of course he didn't hurt me, but how am I ever going to do a bridge shift again?"

[headnursechapel]

Christine smiled kindly, squeezing Uhura's shoulder briefly.

"Oh, Nyota," she sighed. "I'm sorry. But I'm sure if anyone can find a way to get past it, it's you."

She felt a flash of gratitude that it hadn't been her - sleeping with one bridge officer was bad enough. And then she pushed the thought back, focusing on Uhura.

"Besides," she added, "it's not like you had much of a choice, is it? I'm sure the captain understands that."

[original_fierce]

Uhura sighed, and smiled at Christine. At least they were in the same, or at least similar, boats.

"No," she admitted. "Although almost the worst part is that I know I would have done it long ago, if we hadn't known it was inappropriate. I'm just afraid it'll be weird forever."

She pressed a hand to her face. "I hope you were safe inside, Christine."

[headnursechapel]

"I'm sure it won't be," Christine assured her. "And - well, there's no shame in noticing someone. I'm sure he understands that too."

She hesitated at Uhura's next words.

"Not exactly," she said slowly. "I - I met Admiral Pike."

[original_fierce]

Uhura stopped dead, and looked at her, really looked.

"Oh, God," she said. There was no need to ask, really, but out of courtesy, she did anyway. "And - you'd had some of the rainbow soda? Things happened?"

At least he wasn't their Admiral Pike. And hey, he was a handsome guy.

[headnursechapel]

"He had a bottle, and he offered some to me," Christine told her. "Nothing really happened. We kissed - a lot, and in public." She flushed, remembering. How could she have behaved that way in front of all those Vulcans? What must they have thought?

"But we managed to get hold of ourselves, somehow, and - well, basically I ran home."

She paused, her features softening minutely.

"And then that evening, Roger came over."

[original_fierce]

Uhura's hand went straight to her mouth.

"Roger?"

She scanned Christine's face. Please, no. First Spock, and then -

"Roger Korby?"

[headnursechapel]

Christine smiled.

"This universe's version," she said. "Apparently he was on the Enterprise, putting together a report on all the displaced people. We met here a few days ago, when I was out walking. We'd already made dinner plans for...that evening, the day I met Admiral Pike."

She ducked her head, still smiling.

"Somehow we never made it to the restaurant."

[original_fierce]

Uhura put a hand to her mouth, recovered herself, and then removed it again. "You - and Roger?"

She tried not to sound judgmental. But she remembered Roger Korby.

"Was he - is he nice?"