Thanks for your continued patience. Thank you for the kind encouragements as I work on finishing this story. As I have promised some of you individually, I promise all of you now: I will finish this. I don't own Khan or Star Trek (only Sara and my plot). Cheers.

Chapter 34 - Happy

The sun rose soft and pink over the Atlantic Ocean. As Sara inhaled the refreshing salt air, she dropped her bag and sat a few feet away from a large piece of drift wood partly buried in the sand. Taking in the sunrise, she wiggled the sand between her toes. It was gritty but good. Being back on Earth was good. The Herodotus had been amazing, but Sara was glad to get back to solid ground. Better still, she loved their temporary lodgings – a little cottage on the Georgia coast within walking distance to the beach. In fact, from the back garden, she could see the ocean if she tried really hard. For the first time in a long time, Sara felt happy.

She had to admit that Marshall's idea had been a good one. Even if they had driven over four hours to get here. Singing to herself as she rubbed her stomach, Sara sang from Hozier's Jackie and Wilson,

She's gonna save me, call me baby, Run her hands through my hair,

She'll know me crazy, soothe me daily, But better yet she wouldn't care,

We'll steal her Lexus, be detectives, Ride 'round picking up clues

We'll name our children Jackie and Wilson, Raise them on rhythm and blues

She laughed and thought about names for the child that she was carrying – her and Khan's child. There had been no time to talk about names, yet. The complications with returning to Earth had been too all consuming. But now that they were settled for awhile, Sara looked forward to bringing that topic up in conversation.

Smiling at that thought, the woman watched as a little baby turtle scurried its way awkwardly towards the ocean. Then she noticed a large bird coming to perch on the driftwood – watching the turtle's progress – looking for breakfast. With a swift arm movement, she took up a rock and threw it at the bird. Hitting it squarely in the face, the bird flew off in a squawk leaving the turtle a free path to the water.

"I thought that humans were supposed to be neutral observers to their environment." Khan said in an amused voice as he came from behind her and settled down at her side. The right side of his mouth curled into a smirk as he said it.

"Sod that. I like turtles better. Besides, I'm augmented. I didn't think augments went in for 'nature' but rather molded nature to suit their own purposes." Sara returned the smirk - leaning into Khan for a kiss. He didn't disappoint. Khan explored her mouth with a depth and tenderness that took Sara's breath away. With reluctance, they both broke apart.

"Too true, my darling." Khan agreed and started rubbing circles on Sara's back. She hummed in appreciation.

"So, what is the plan for today then? Lazy morning on the beach then an afternoon of languid but hot sex?" Sara asked in a hopeful tone.

Khan brushed Sara's hair over her shoulder. "As much as that sounds like heaven, I have to meet with Marshall. This is a beautiful place fit for you, but ..."

"I know. As we get closer to the birth, we need to be closer to civilization. We need to be close to hospital. I don't want to be beamed again while pregnant." Sara shuddered and moved closer to Khan, "I hated that feeling. I don't think I could go through that again."

Khan wrapped his arms around her while cringing inwardly. The memory of how sick Sara became after being beamed from The Herodotus to the Starfleet station in Atlanta was too fresh a hurt. While beaming pregnant humans was 99% safe, for some reason, Sara's augmented body and the augmented baby within her didn't like the process. They both rebelled making Sara's first night back on Earth a stay in hospital. Khan had paced the floors all night worried with only Marshall able to reign in the agitated killing machine. After Sara had stabilized and Khan had calmed down, the only theory he had come up with for Sara's sensitivity was that she was pregnant when Carol forced her to time travel. Crossing years had stressed her so much that her body rebelled when crossing space.

"I know it's pointless to say so, but I wish I could come with you," Sara sighed.

Khan kissed her cheek. "Just think of this as our little surprise for you."

"Hmmp. I've had enough surprises to last a life-time. I know why we have to go Savannah, but I've already fallen in love this place."

"As you will fall in love the next house I find."

"Did you remember your check off sheet – with my must have list?"

It was Khan's turn to give a little frustrated groan, "I very much doubt I am going to find a house as close as I want to the hospital with a sea view, my treasure."

"Oh, well, I live in hope."

Khan leaned in kissing Sara on the forehead before placing a kiss on her stomach.

"Do not stay out here too long, Sara."

"I will be fine. I can take care of myself, you know."

Khan glared at Sara's words.

"O.K., o.k, I'll go in after awhile."

Khan stood up but continued to glare.

"At least I promise to not fall asleep out here like I did the other day."

"Fair enough."

She looked up at him lovingly. "Come back soon, you crazy man."

"Says an equally crazy woman."

Sara grabbed his hand holding on tight. "That's just it, love. Separately, we're both crazy. Together, we make sense. Together, we're sane."

"Do not worry. I cannot bear to be without you for long. I will return soon."

Khan reluctantly left Sara on the beach and walked to their cottage. This place was truly perfect for Sara. Marshall had done well, but there was still much to do. Khan pushed a button on the control panel on their table.

"Come in, Marshall."

"Marshall here."

"Khan here: ready for transport."

"Transporter engaged."

When Khan materialized, Marshall's first words were, "How is she?"

"Sara is fine. I left her on the beach." Khan walked over to his supplies – avoiding Marshall's look. Opening a case containing thirty pre-made syringes, Khan's hand hovered over the one at the bottom right corner – the one made from Sara's augmented blood.

"Are you sure that you want to do this?"

Khan looked up. "My wants have nothing to do with this. It is a fact that Sara was augmented before my awakening. The only way to do that is with her own blood. Therefore, I must have already done it." Khan retrieved two sets of dark blue scrubs tossing one pair to Marshall. Then both men started pulling them on over their own clothes.

Turning to Khan, Marshall ventured, "Even if it makes her loose her child?"

"She will have another child – my child – our child."

Marshall nodded and let the subject drop. He placed one time traveling device on Khan's wrist and another on his own.

"Let's get this over with then." Marshall adjusted Khan's wrist band and his own. Then both men disappeared and reappeared just outside a surgery in England.

"Right, I've already set up our back story. The scare of this manufactured disease is so bad that they need additional nurses. We're bringing more vaccines and then helping to administer them," Marshall said while Khan looked at the building worriedly.

"Are you sure that this is the one she went to?"

"Yes, she and her husband..."

"Ex-husband." Khan growled.

"... will sign in at 10am. They will be taken back to the different rooms..."

"Where I will give Sara the shot from the vial I produced from her blood."

"And I'll give her husband one of the other shots – a shot of vitamin C."

"That is not the only shot I want to give him." Khan hissed low.

"Hey, none of that. You know he doesn't get ill so he isn't given the real vaccine."

"I can change that."

"Don't you dare. If you give him the real one, what's not to say that Sara won't feel sorry for him and not even be in Tennessee to get you out of the cryo-tube? You cannot go fucking up the past anymore that you already are."

Khan was silent but nodded his acceptance.

Once they walked into the surgery, the regular nursing staff put them to work. However, as the time crept closer to 10am, Khan found himself scanning the waiting room for Sara and her husband.

"We'd like to go in together. Would that be ok?"

The sound of Sara's voice took his breath away as he turned to the right. A slightly younger Sara with shorter, more formal hair stood talking to the receptionist.

The seated woman replied, "That will be fine, dear. Just take a seat. We'll call you back together."

"Thank you."

Khan frowned. They were supposed to go back separately – that was what Marshall had read to him from the historical records. Yes, he could accomplish it with them together, but he wanted Sara alone and not to be distracted by her soon-to-be ex-husband.

Watching Sara sit down next to a grumpy looking man, Khan was surprised. The man beside her grimaced and tugged at the side of his scalp, drawing attention to his hair. To say he sported a bad haircut was an understatement. While it was uneven all over, one tuft at the top of his head was longer than the others.

Although the couple spoke in hushed voices, Khan could tell that they were arguing. If his hearing wasn't augmented, he wouldn't have heard the conversation at all.

"Can't believe you did this!" Sara's husband hissed.

"When did I ever tell you that I was a hairdresser? You bought the damned thing and just expect me to cut your hair like a professional."

"Anyone should be able to do it with the tools that I bought. They weren't exactly cheap."

"Yes, apparently you'll spend 100 quid on a piece of machinery, but you can't be arsed to go to a barber once every six weeks. Do you even listen to yourself? Besides, I'm not even comfortable doing it. I hate cutting hair. If I had liked cutting hair, I would have made it my sodding profession."

Khan did his best to hide the smile that was creeping up the corners of his lips. This was the Sara he loved. It was nice to know that even before augmenting her that she was exceptional.

Her husband did not appreciate her attitude though. Instead, he stood up without looking at Sara and strode to the receptionist's desk. "Yes, Don Fellows. My wife booked us in to see the same nurse. I think it best if we see the nurse separately. I don't mind a longer wait. Thanks."

He turned around and looked at Sara, "I'm going for a smoke."

Khan watched Sara's husband leave and then looked back to her. He had always wanted to kill Sara's husband, but at no other time did he want it more than in that moment. The expression on her face showed how crushed she was, and her blinking did little to hide the moisture pooling at her eyes. But instead of indulging his basic urge to make Don Fellows' head very acquainted with the tarmac outside the surgery, Khan realized his opportunity to get Sara alone.

He stepped further into the waiting room and spoke up, "Sara Fellows."

She wiped the moisture from her eyes, pulled her handbag over her shoulder, and followed Khan into patient room.

Khan looked at her and pretended to check his notes. "Are you sure you should be getting this shot today? You look a little under the weather."

"No. I'm not ill. I'm fine."

Khan forced his voice to stay soft so as not to scare her with the rage that was building inside him. "You should not let him treat you like that."

"You saw that?"

"Do not worry. Everyone else had their attention on the television."

"Well, that's something." Sara sighed and offered up her right arm for the injection.

Khan ignored her and pulled up the sleeve on her left arm. Sara gasped half in surprise – half in pain from the soreness in that arm. Khan failed to hold in a growl at seeing ugly bruises on her left upper arm.

"You should report him." Khan's voice was low and deep.

"I know." Sara looked away from Khan – embarrassed. She'd been told that before.

"You should leave him."

"I know." Sara focused her eyes on the floor. Again, the argument was a typical one.

"He . . . does not . . . deserve you."

Sara looked up and for the first time considered the man in front of her. He was heart-breakingly beautiful with a voice that would make her melt if she let it.

"Thank you. You're very kind."

Khan laughed.

"What?"

"Kindness is not a quality people normally grant me."

"But you're a nurse. You take care of people."

"Nursing is a job. I am only kind to important people."

Now it was Sara's turn to laugh. "I'm not important."

Khan gently rubbed her arm – trying to take the soreness out. "You are to someone."

"It doesn't feel like it sometimes. I know he's afraid of this disease and of getting a shot, but you're right. It doesn't give him the right to be an arsehole."

"Is Mr. Fellows afraid of needles?"

"Oh, petrified."

Khan turned from Sara letting himself enjoy an evil grin. "Excellent," he muttered.

"I'm sorry?"

"Excellent chance for him to get over such a silly fear. Still, he has no right to take it out on you."

Sara looked Khan directly in the eyes. "I know that you're right. But on some level, I still love him. If I left, it would kill him. How can anyone knowingly hurt someone they love?"

"Sometimes a momentary hurt can lead to greater joy."

She considered him for a moment. "Perhaps. . . " Sara's voice trailed off, and she looked at Khan suspiciously.

"What?"

"It just sounds like you're trying to justify . . . something."

"Young woman..."

"Flatterer. I'm hardly young."

"I give pain every time I administer a shot. Adults cringe away from me. Children scream."

"No. There's something different. I've only known you for less than five minutes, but I know."

"Know what? What can you possibly know about me?"

"That you couldn't hurt someone that you truly loved."

Khan turned away from Sara's irrefutable gaze and picked up from his case a syringe. He took Sara's unbruised arm, applied the sterilization it, and looked Sara in the eye as he said, "This will not hurt a bit."

"Liar," Sara whispered and held his gaze as Khan administered the injection. "Ouch, fucking son-of-a-bitch. No, no, not you – just the pain. Still, rather have pain that get this damned disease, right?"

"Of course. You are protected now; that is all that matters."

"Yeah, I suppose so. Thank you for being so kind."

A sad smile shown on Khan's face as he answered, "My pleasure."

Many thanks to all the people who have put this on their favourites or alerts.

Special thanks for I'llLightUpTheSky4You, SaintsFan1, and CeliaSingsSongs for your reviews of Ch. 33.

P.S. If any of you out there haven't actually heard Hozier, check him out. He is amazing – on his new album and in concert.