𝘈𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘢'𝘴 𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦 ✭ 𝙇𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙘𝙮

[4] 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬

"Dad," Alana sobbed as the door shut. "No."

"Miss Pike, we need to get back."

"No!"

"Miss Pike! That's an order!"

"You're cadets, you can't pull rank on me! Leave me alone. I- I can fix this!"

"You'll fry your brain, Pike! Get out! Your dad wouldn't want that!"

"If you make one move towards me," she'd said, pulling out a phaser, "I'll shoot you. I don't care. Leave me here. Dad is the last person in my family, and if I die, then so be it."

Thirteen years had passed since the accident. Alana was supposed to be twenty-one; it was April of 2279. However, she'd been in a medically-induced coma for years, and she was still in the body of an eight-year-old girl.

Jonathan and Emory had been worried. They'd visited her every day that they could, asking about any changes. She'd been exposed to some of the radiation, but not a lot. Doctors believed that the coma would put her on hold while her body worked its magic, leaving her without a trace.

They were right.

Somehow, Alana's body had repaired itself after thirteen years, and the doctors were ready to pull her out of the coma. The world she knew had changed; she no longer had parents. Her dad had gone to live with the Talosians, a planet that no Federation ship could approach. So she couldn't get to him, and he couldn't get to her.

Jonathan and Emory were at Starfleet Medical, meeting Dr. Allison Caudill in her office. She'd moved up in rank and now worked on Earth. Ally began, "Admiral-"

"Please. We're not in public, so skip the formalities." Emory rolled her eyes. The Archers had known the Caudills ever since Ianthe befriended Ally, and considered them a sort of extended family. "Jonathan and Emory, or Jon and Em."

"Alana," Ally skipped straight to the point. "We're ready to wake her any time, but you'll probably want to be with her. She's missed thirteen years, and a lot has changed in those thirteen years."

"Can we see her?" Jonathan asked, sitting up on the edge of his chair.

Ally gave a nod and stood up, motioning for them to follow. "She's still in the body of an eight-year-old girl, and we've altered her file to change her legal birthday. Technically, she's twenty-one, but she shouldn't be drinking now if she so chose. She's got the body and mind of an eight-year-old... and back in peak physical condition."

Jonathan and Emory exchanged a glance before Ally put in her identification, slipping into a secluded hallway and walking down to Alana's room, 947. Ally looked at the chart, "Someone took her out of the coma, she's just sleeping now."

Emory walked over, gently pushing a strand of Alana's hair behind her ear. The blonde stirred in bed and groggily opened her blue eyes, and sat up. "Where am I? What's happened? Dad? Dad!"

"Easy, Alana," the older woman assured, resting a hand on the girl's shoulder, giving a concerned look. "Everything's okay."

"Dr. Ally," Alana looked past the Archers at the familiar face, "I thought you were stationed on the Endeavour."

"Well, Alana," Ally gave a sigh, pulling her PADD to her chest, "A lot changes in thirteen years."

"Thirteen years?!" The blonde's eyes shot open and she looked around, before looking down and back up. "I look like I'm still eight, though. Tell me she's pranking me. Where's my dad?"

Jon and Em exchanged a worried glance and Alana leaned forward a little more. "Where's. My. Dad."

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