Tina kept her eyes focused on Spock. "I asked if it's all right for me to put my hands on your skin," she said.
She'd paid a lot of attention in the various inter-species sensitivity courses that were part of her nurse's training, and wasn't about to make assumptions with a touch telepath even without the issue of potential violence.
"I thought it might be faster if I just conduct a quick check with my hands, but if you're not comfortable, we can go to sickbay, or I can put on a pair of gloves."
"Okay," Tina said. "I'm going to start with your clavicle. Tell me if you feel any pain, please." She paused. He must have been in pain already, and ignoring it. "An increase in pain, I should say."
She gently ran her fingers along the bone, feeling with relief that there wasn't a large break of any kind. There was probably still some weakness, but that could be dealt with at his next official checkup.
"I'm going to touch your torso," she warned, before smoothing her hands across his skin, palpating with her fingertips to check for broken bones or the formation of serious hematomas. "Any pain so far?"
It took all of Tina's training not to jerk her hands away immediately as memories that weren't hers began to curl into her mind. Good God. No wonder he wouldn't stay in sickbay. How could anyone... The images of "medicine" in his universe made her want to vomit. The memory of a man who would crush his own son's fingers made her want to shoot someone.
Her fingers trembled a little bit when she finally did remove them, and she had to blink several times to keep partly-formed tears from spilling.
"I -" She had to pause and clear her throat. "I want to run another scan on your shoulder, and we may need to do a third treatment on it. But it can wait for a few hours, as long as you don't do anything strenuous." She smiled faintly. "No sparring. No puzzles."
Pike tilted his gaze towards his bond mate, studying him in silence for a long moment before nodding his head. "Let the nurse do whatever's needed, Spock." A command that was enforced through the bond but not his tone.
Pike nodded his head towards them before walking across the ring to where he had left his vest, pulling it on. He knew there were marks across his body as well, and the one matching on his wrist, but they were very minor in his opinion.
I'll return to our room later. Pike said to Spock before giving a slight nod to the group as a goodbye, and left the gym entirely.
He hoped that the observation deck was in the same place on both ships.
Christine nodded in acknowledgement as Pike left, unable to find anything to say to him as he departed.
She turned to Tina, noticing the way her hands shook slightly as she pulled them away from Spock.
"Would you like me to come with you, dear, and help with the scans?" she offered gently. She wasn't at all sure that she wanted to spend any more time near this strange and distant Spock right now. But she also hated the thought of leaving him alone with Tina - though clearly the young nurse had earned a measure of his respect.
Even so, her presence might help Tina feel more comfortable. Something had happened when she had touched Spock; her eyes were bright, and Christine recognized the sound of her younger counterpart battling to keep her voice steady when she spoke. She touched Tina's arm reassuringly, offering her support.
"There's no need," Tina said easily, trying to answer the question she knew her counterpart was really asking. "Though I'm sure that they can find a use for you in sickbay if you want to head that way with us." She smiled. "Which might be a good reason to avoid the area, depending on how tired you are."
Acknowledging Pike's departure with a brief nod, she focused her attention on the others, still hovering near Chapel. Nyota was sure the nurse didn't need her protection, but maybe she spent too much time on the Bridge; she felt the need to step between any conflict that might arise, put herself in dangers way instead.
But there didn't seem to be any danger. Nyota watched with curiosity, tilting her head as Tina studied Spock's collarbone. She had experience with the flow of memory that could come from a touch telepath, knew how it felt to have your mind flooded with images that weren't yours. From the looks of it, they weren't all good ones.
"I have to get ready for my shift," she spoke up, touching each nurse on the arm with a bright smile. "I'll see you later," she said to Tina, and then gave the same polite nod she had given Pike to his mate.
Christine returned Nyota's smile, wordlessly thanking her for her concern. "Goodbye, Lieutenant," she told the young woman as she walked away.
Turning back to Tina, Christine offered her the same smile. "Since you put it that way, I think I may pass," she said. "I could probably use some rest." Her eyes flickered toward Spock, standing silent and motionless beside them. She hesitated, and met Tina's eyes again.
"Take care of yourself," she told her softly, squeezing her hand in farewell. Turning to look at Spock, she paused for a moment. "Mr. Spock. I am - very sorry if I made you uncomfortable."
She smiled a somewhat distant goodbye to them both, and turned to follow Nyota out of the gym, heading back to her quarters.
She'd paid a lot of attention in the various inter-species sensitivity courses that were part of her nurse's training, and wasn't about to make assumptions with a touch telepath even without the issue of potential violence.
"I thought it might be faster if I just conduct a quick check with my hands, but if you're not comfortable, we can go to sickbay, or I can put on a pair of gloves."
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"It is... all right."
As long as he knew it was coming, it would not be a problem.
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She gently ran her fingers along the bone, feeling with relief that there wasn't a large break of any kind. There was probably still some weakness, but that could be dealt with at his next official checkup.
"I'm going to touch your torso," she warned, before smoothing her hands across his skin, palpating with her fingertips to check for broken bones or the formation of serious hematomas. "Any pain so far?"
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Her fingers trembled a little bit when she finally did remove them, and she had to blink several times to keep partly-formed tears from spilling.
"I -" She had to pause and clear her throat. "I want to run another scan on your shoulder, and we may need to do a third treatment on it. But it can wait for a few hours, as long as you don't do anything strenuous." She smiled faintly. "No sparring. No puzzles."
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Fascinating.
"No sparring. No puzzles."
For once he agreed without trouble.
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Pike nodded his head towards them before walking across the ring to where he had left his vest, pulling it on. He knew there were marks across his body as well, and the one matching on his wrist, but they were very minor in his opinion.
I'll return to our room later. Pike said to Spock before giving a slight nod to the group as a goodbye, and left the gym entirely.
He hoped that the observation deck was in the same place on both ships.
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You did not injure me. I am not broken.
He watched Christopher leave before turning his gaze back to Tina.
"Delay is illogical. I will accompany you to your sickbay now."
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She turned to Tina, noticing the way her hands shook slightly as she pulled them away from Spock.
"Would you like me to come with you, dear, and help with the scans?" she offered gently. She wasn't at all sure that she wanted to spend any more time near this strange and distant Spock right now. But she also hated the thought of leaving him alone with Tina - though clearly the young nurse had earned a measure of his respect.
Even so, her presence might help Tina feel more comfortable. Something had happened when she had touched Spock; her eyes were bright, and Christine recognized the sound of her younger counterpart battling to keep her voice steady when she spoke. She touched Tina's arm reassuringly, offering her support.
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She turned that smile to Spock. "Shall we, then?"
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But there didn't seem to be any danger. Nyota watched with curiosity, tilting her head as Tina studied Spock's collarbone. She had experience with the flow of memory that could come from a touch telepath, knew how it felt to have your mind flooded with images that weren't yours. From the looks of it, they weren't all good ones.
"I have to get ready for my shift," she spoke up, touching each nurse on the arm with a bright smile. "I'll see you later," she said to Tina, and then gave the same polite nod she had given Pike to his mate.
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Turning back to Tina, Christine offered her the same smile. "Since you put it that way, I think I may pass," she said. "I could probably use some rest." Her eyes flickered toward Spock, standing silent and motionless beside them. She hesitated, and met Tina's eyes again.
"Take care of yourself," she told her softly, squeezing her hand in farewell. Turning to look at Spock, she paused for a moment. "Mr. Spock. I am - very sorry if I made you uncomfortable."
She smiled a somewhat distant goodbye to them both, and turned to follow Nyota out of the gym, heading back to her quarters.
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