K'hat'n'dlawa

Damages

Neither sister spoke as they slowly walked around the small, grassy rest area behind the hospital. It was quiet here, as opposed to the front of the building- which bustled with activity even when reporters were not there. Other than a few visitors sitting on benches and enjoying the fresh air, they were alone.

Amanda glanced over at Sarah. They had hardly spoken a word since meeting up in the lobby and going outside...neither really knew what to say.

"So..." Sarah cleared her throat, looking down at the brick path under their feet. "How is he?"

"He's doing great," Amanda replied, also looking down.

"And you?" Sarah's voice became softer, laced with concern. When Amanda glanced up she saw that her sister looked anxious, even though she still wasn't looking at her.

"I'm fine too," she said. "I wasn't at first, though."

"I bet not. It must've been so hard, finding out what happened." Sarah sighed, and looked ahead as they continued to walk.

"It was the scariest moment of my life," Amanda said quietly. "Sarah...I've already lost mom and dad...if I'd lost him too..." She faltered, breath catching in her throat as she blinked away tears. She knew the danger was over- but sometimes she still thought about those dark hours when she'd thought he might die. Dwelling on it didn't help, but she couldn't escape the fact that she'd been lucky.

"I know. I may not exactly...approve of him, but he's your husband. I guess I just have to accept the fact that I can't keep you to myself all my life. He's just as important to you as I am." Sarah looked up at the branches of the tree they were now walking under. It threw them partially into shadow, shafts of yellow light filtering between the green leaves to scatter them with golden flecks.

"I felt it happen," Amanda confessed in a small voice. Sarah drew her gaze away from the branches, looking at Amanda for the first time since they'd come outside.

"What do you mean?" she asked, puzzled.

"I felt it happen...when he was stabbed, I mean," Amanda replied, folding her arms and looking down at the bricks beneath her feet as they continued on.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sarah asked, as if she thought her sister might be crazy.

"There's this thing Vulcans have...it's called a bond. When Vulcans marry, a link between their minds is created. It's difficult to explain...but I can feel what he feels, physically and emotionally. I felt it when he was injured. It was the worst feeling ever. Not just the pain, but knowing that he could die at any second and I would know- I would feel it happen." Amanda took a deep breath and let it out slowly- trying to quell the memories of those moments of panic. "It's one of the scarier aspects of the bond."

"You felt it happen?" Sarah repeated, and Amanda was alarmed to see tears in her eyes. Sarah was not usually one to cry, their previous argument being the first time she'd seen her do so since their mother's death. "Amanda...I'm so sorry. That really must have been terrible."

"Well, it's over now," Amanda said, laying a hand on Sarah's shoulder. They had stopped walking and were now facing each other under a tree.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all that," she repeated, a tear escaping to slide down her cheek.

"Sarah, there's nothing to be sorry about. You had nothing to do with this, there's nothing you could have done," Amanda said soothingly. Sarah shook her head, sniffling, but didn't reply to that.

"I'm even more sorry that I was such a bitch and wouldn't return your calls," she said thickly as she pushed her hair behind her ears as a pretense for wiping away her tears. "I've been stupid. I didn't realize how hurt you were by it until the ambassador showed up at my dorm. I shouldn't have gotten upset when you left."