Panic: October Missing Scene Challenge Fic

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the star trek characters or anything.
Summary: Trip's first contact experience becomes more stressful than he expected
Spoilers: Unexpected

=/\=
On Xyrillian Ship

Trip's hands shook as he opened his communicator again. 
He squinted his eyes, trying to focus.  Something about being here made it so hard to keep anything straight. 

"Yeah, Trip," Archer finally answered, "How's it going?"

Trip tried to keep the panic he felt out of his voice, but he really wasn't sure how well he was doing.  "Not good. I don't think I'm going to be much help over here. I'm having a little more trouble adjusting than I thought I would." 

"What's the problem?" 

Trip couldn't help but feel that the Captain sounded a bit annoyed, he suddenly felt ashamed to be calling again, like a little kid wanting to go home.  "Like I've got a fever. I'm having trouble focusing...breathing. I really think I need to get back, Captain." 

"Stand by for a minute." 
Trip nodded his head to no one in particular bringing on another distracting wave of dizziness.  Trip felt like he'd been waiting for an answer forever by the time his communicator chirped back at him.

"I told Trena'l you'd try to get at least an hour of shut-eye. He says that should do the trick." 
Trip closed his eyes feeling a bit betrayed, "I just want out, sir. I'm not kidding. I can't take much more of this." 

"Trena'l says they've dealt with this before.  Just one hour. If you're not feeling better, we'll bring you back."  

Trip bit back a curse, "It's not going to work, Captain" 

"Take a nap, Trip. That's an order," the finality of the order prompted a new wave of panic. 

Trena'l took his arm and led him away from the engine room.  They eventually came to a small room at the end of a corridor.  It was empty with the exception of a curved red thing that Trip assumed was supposed to be a bed. 

"Sleep now, you will feel better," the alien smiled and then left Trip in the room alone. 

Trip stood still for a moment then stumbled over to the "bed" and plopped down.  How was he supposed to sleep here?  He couldn't even think, or breathe, or... Trip let his head fall into his hands.

He was going to die. 

The captain was going to let him come back and he was going to die on this ship. 

Trip put a hand to his heart and wasn't really surprised to be beating in overdrive.  He took out his communicator, desperate to reason with the Captain, "Trip... Trip to Enterprise."  His breathes came in short quick gasps now. 

"Hoshi here, go ahead Trip." 

"I got to get out of here," he demanded breathily. 

Hoshi seemed taken aback by the sound of his voice as there was a short pause before she spoke again, "Trip are you alright?"

"No... I need off this ship now.  I don't need a god damn nap... I need to leave." He closed his eyes tighter; he could hear the sounds of the Enterprise in the background, he could almost imagine he was there... but not quite "Get me the hell out of here." 

"Trip I think your having a panic attack, listen to me..." 

Trip cut her off, "I'm not... not having a panic attack," he shouted, "now give me the Captain." 

"It's going to be a minute before he can get to you," she answered calmly, "Just listen to me
Trip, are you sitting down?" 

Trip took a couple more gaspy breaths, "Yes," he answered hoarsely. 

"Good," she soothed, "now tell me exactly what you're feeling." 

"I already told the Captain." 

"Well now tell me." 

"I...I can't get enough air, my heart is beating out of my chest..." he sucked hard again, trying to fill his lungs, "I can't really concentrate on anything... the air here is burning my lungs." 

"Okay Trip I'm going to talk to Doctor Phlox for a second, but I'm still here, alright?" 

Trip just nodded his head.  He waited for a moment... and then a moment more... "Hoshi?"  There was no answer, "Hoshi?!?!" 

"I'm still here Commander, it's alright." 

"Okay." 

"You know that Doctor Phlox is watching your life signs?  He wouldn't let anything happen to you." 

"They must be wrong... please... please Hoshi, just give me the captain... just let me leave."  

"Trip, your life signs coincide with everything you're telling me.  Your respiration is elevated, but your oxygenation is completely normal.  You're alright, I think if you were to calm your breathing you would feel a lot better, maybe be able to think more clearly..." 

"This shit burns when I breathe." 

"The burning sensation your feeling is actually harmless.  It's just the effect of an enzyme they put in the air.  It helps the food on the ship grow.  But Trip I promise, it's not actually hurting you." 

Trip took a deep breath, then almost immediately afterwards started coughing.  "I can't do this," he rasped weakly. 

"Trip, the whole ship is looking after you.  The captain is talking to the chief medical officer on the Xarillian ship right now with Doctor Phlox.  He's making sure everything's okay.  Hess is standing at the transporter just in case we need to beam you out.  You aren't trapped there.  We won't let anything happen to you.  I won't let anything happen to you.  I'm right here." Hoshi paused for a moment, "Do you understand?" 

Trip nodded.

 "Trip?" 

"Yeah... yeah I understand." 

"Now lay down."

 Trip did as he was told, too exhausted to do otherwise. 

"Think of a place where you are always calm, content..."  Trip put a hand over his chest, still convinced his heart was going to explode, but tried to concentrate.  "Think of how that place sounds, what it feels like, what it smells like... Are you thinking of a place?" 

"Yeah."

 "Okay now take a slow deep breath," Hoshi's voice was soft and calm.  "And let it out gently." 

Trip did as he was told.  "Just keep breathing like that.  I'll be here the whole time." 
Trip kept breathing and eventually he felt the beating in his chest calm and even though his lungs still burned, he wasn't hyperventilating. 

"Do you feel better?" 

"Yeah..." Trip took another deep breath, "Yeah I feel a lot better."  He now realized too that he really was exhausted, "I think I'm going to take that nap everyone's been talking about." 

"Okay Trip, and if you need anything, just comm. back, I'll be here all night." 

Trip felt himself relax even more at the comment, his eyes drooped closed.  "Thank you Hoshi.  Trip out."  As soon as the comm. signal was cut, it didn't take Trip long to feel himself slip into unconsciousness.

=/\=

Back on Enterprise

Trip winced as he got up from under the engine, pressing a hand against his ribs.  It was almost strange not to feel the warm bulge that he had grown so accustomed to over the past few weeks; at the same time he couldn't say he missed it.  Well maybe a little...

Trip glanced around the engine room; no one was in here this late.  He pulled up his shirt and looked at the small incision on his chest.  Yep, he had pulled some stitches, "Dammit," he mumbled to himself.  Trip would have loved to ignore it and just go with his business, but he preferred not to incur the wrath of Phlox, so he put up his tools, wiped of his hands and headed down to the sickbay.

When he walked in Trip was surprised to hear voices coming from behind one of the exam curtains. 

"Hoshi, I'm very sorry but I can't give you anymore." 

"It's not working."  Trip heard her whimper.  "Please, Phlox, I can't do my job right now.  I can't sleep..." 

He heard her gasp a little... like she couldn't get enough air... like...

Trip didn't think as he opened the curtain separating them. 

Phlox seemed a bit startled, "I didn't hear you come in Mr. Tucker.  Give me just a moment." 

Hoshi was sitting on the bed clutching the edges as if to keep herself seated.   Her face was wet like she had been crying and she stared at the ground trying to center herself, her breaths came in irregular quick gasps. 

"Please..." she begged again, squeezing her eyes shut. 

Phlox took her hand but shook his head, "If I give you anymore, you could develop a dependence to the drug.  It's a temporary solution; we need to find a way for you to deal with these problems independently." 

Hoshi started to cry again and her hand went to her throat, as if she was afraid it was closing. 

Trip took her other hand, "I think I got an idea..."  Hoshi looked at him as if she had just now recognized that he was there.  "Come with me."  He gently tugged on her hand, "Trust me."  He smiled at her as she slid off the exam bed, her other hand clutching her collar. 

"Mr. Tucker I appreciate you helping, but was there something you needed?" 

"I'll come back, Doc, don't worry about it." 

Phlox nodded as Trip led a still panicked Hoshi out of the sickbay and down the corridor to the turbolift. 

"Where... are we going?" she asked between short breaths. 

"Remember when you told me to think of a place?"  When the turbolift doors opened he led her out and into the engine room.  She nodded.  "Well we're almost there."  He knelt down and opened a panel under the engine.  "I promise this is completely safe.  Come here..."  Hoshi walked over and knelt in front of the Jefferson tube.  "Go in.  I'll be right behind you." 

Hoshi crawled through the tube and just as Trip promised he went in behind her.  They came to a large white area; it was bright and warm and filled with the rhythmic sound of the engine pulsing above them.  "Lay down," he said, patting the floor of the tube.  Hoshi looked hesitant but did what he asked and was soon joined by Trip lying next to her. 

"It's the biggest heart beat you'll ever hear," he grinned, "Just concentrate on the sound."

Hoshi closed her eyes tight, and nodded her head, still gasping.

"I just want you to know that being on the Xyrillian ship was amazing.  I wouldn't have been able to have stayed if it hadn't been for what you did." 

Hoshi's eyes stayed closed, "Too bad... I can't fix... myself" she panted. 

Trip smiled and took her hand, squeezing it reassuringly.  "You don't have too.  Space can be a scary place.  We all gotta look out for each other.  Now just breathe." 

Hoshi's breaths became more regular and even, moving in unison with the engine.  Finally Hoshi sat up taking a slow deep breath.  "Thank you Trip." 

Trip smiled, "Don't worry about it.  We can stay here as long as you need." 

Hoshi stretched and smiled.  "I think I'm good.  Thank you so much." 

Hoshi got up and climbed back out of the tube as Trip followed behind her again.  "You can come down here anytime you need to." 

"We can make a little sign that says 'Hoshi's Space'." Hoshi smiled. 

Trip laughed, "We can probably work that out." 

Hoshi laughed with him, "Thanks but hopefully I won't need to for very long..."  Hoshi paused than looked at Trip seriously, "Trip? Could you keep this a secret?  There are already people on the ship who think I'm too young, I don't need them to think I'm an unstable wreck on top of it." 

"You aren't.  And of course, no one needs to know.  You kept my little incident quite, I'll return the favor." 

Hoshi looked like she had been caught at something, "Actually the entire ship knows..." 

"What?!" 

Hoshi was quiet for moment then smiled, "I'm just kidding Trip," she hit him playfully, "Sorry that was mean," She said between giggles. 

Trip smiled back, glad to see her in a lighter mood.  "So it's agreed then," he said sticking out his hand, "our little secret."  Hoshi shook his hand and hugged him.  Trip winced. 

"Are you okay?" she asked pulling back.

 "Yeah, I just pulled a few stitches... you know the whole pregnant thing..." 

"Oh, yeah." She said seriously, but then started laughing again, "I think you've already set the bar pretty high for most interesting first contact experiences." 

"I'm glad you think so," Trip grumbled. 

"Do you want me to walk with you back to sickbay?" 

"No I think I can make it, you should get some sleep.  You have a morning shift tomorrow don't you?" 

"Yeah, I'll see you then."  She smiled and then left the engine room. 

Trip put a hand back to his ribs.  Maybe if he just ignored it, it would go away.  He sighed, but he had told Phlox that he would be back.  The last thing he wanted was for the doctor to send out a search party.  Trip put the panel back on the wall and then finally left to go to the sickbay... again.

=/\=

THE END