The Traitor's Tears

IX

Mac'hla woke up in sickbay... again.

They were surrounded by crewmen, all recovering from their injuries.

She looked to her left and saw a miracle.

"Cerese?" they whispered hoarsely.

Cerese turned their head to look over at her and smiled, "Maggie."

Mac'hla felt tears welling up in her eyes, "You are alive?"

"It would seem so." she said gently, "So are you."

"This is not possible, you were dead. I checked your pulse–"

"Kelpien pulses cannot be detected externally." she explained, "So it's no wonder you didn't feel anything."

Mac'hla sighed and closed her eyes.

"I heard about your little performance." Cerese said.

"My what?" Mac'hla asked, peering at Cerese through her eyelashes.

"Everyones talking about it, Maggie. The whole 'I'm section 31' thing." she explained, "You were apparently really convincing."

Mac'hla groaned in pain and covered their face with their hands.

"Why do I keep putting myself into these situations?" she asked nobody in particular.

Cerese giggled, "Maybe you're just cursed."

"I do not believe in curses, but I may have a change of heart if this continues."

"Can you not go a month out of sickbay?" McCoy asked, coming over, "Honestly, half of my medical supplies go to you."

"I am... cursed." Mac'hla said monotonously.

"Damn right you are." Bones muttered, "One of these days you're going to get yourself killed."

"Have I not already done that twice?" Mac'hla asked, "Or maybe it has been three times..."

"Whatever it is, you come back every time. But that doesn't mean you should keep doing it!"

Mac'hla smirked and groaned again, "I will do my best."

"Good! I'm a doctor, not a necromancer!"

Mac'hla raised an eyebrow before flopping their arm over their face, "I am aware of this, doctor."

Bones leaned on the edge of her bed, scanning her over again.

"The wound closed up nicely. But it's going to leave a hell of a scar." he muttered.

"I will add it to my collection." she muttered sarcastically, "I am becoming quite the collector."

"Are you trying to be funny?" Bones asked incredulously.

"Is it working?"

McCoy frowned, "I think I gave you too high a dose of that pain medication."

Mac'hla bit their lip in amusement, "I am just trying to lighten the tension. For your sake."

McCoy scowled, "Really?"

They crossed their arms, a practically invisible smile on their lips, "I am just trying to be considerate of your human emotions."

"Thank you for doing the bare minimum."

"You are welcome, Doctor." Mac'hla said teasingly.

McCoy lifted Mac'hla's sheet to look at the closed up wound through her torn dress.

"Dandelion seeds?" he suddenly asked, "You gave them dandelion seeds?"

"Yes, sir. I had to think quickly." Mac'hla muttered, "It was the first thing that came to mind."

"You... you do realize they'll find out at some point, don't you?"

"Dandelions cannot grow on Qo'noS. The soil contains phosphorus. They will assume they have killed the plants, not that they have received something fake."

McCoy couldn't help but laugh, "And you just thought of that on a whim?"

"While my actions were quick, they were not thoughtless."

"Do you know how mad Jim is?" Bones asked.

Mac'hla's eyebrows creased, "Does he still believe I am lying?"

"No, he knows you're telling the truth. He's mad that you were so damn convincing."

Mac'hla almost laughed, "It worked did it not?"

She stood and cracked her back.

"Hey, hey, what the hell are you doing?!" Bones asked.

"I am going to wash off all of... this." Mac'hla said, vaguely gesturing at their blood stained dress.

"Mac'hla, you're still healing and you've completely screwed up the joints I worked so hard to fix!" he protested.

"Doctor, I can assure you, I am quite fine. Please, let me go."

McCoy huffed, "When your bones start hurting don't come crying to me."

"Doctor, you are the one who insists I come to sickbay for even the smallest paper cut."

Cerese giggled as Mac'hla limped away from sickbay.

Mac'hla realized as she walked down the hall that her confusion was gone.

There was no doubt in their mind that things were real. Everything that had just happened was so bizarre, there was no way that it could just be a figment of their imagination.

After their emotional breakdown, they had released so much of their pent up emotion, that for the first time in quite a while they felt completely at ease.

It was nice to finally have that peace.