Chapter Twenty-

When the court returned again, I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I would have to go up soon, and testify. What if I said the wrong thing? Would I condemn Khan even further?

First though, was a witness to the London bombings, a small, mousy middle-aged man with a nervous habit of licking his lips. He looked nervous with Mr. Crowe staring at him, even though they were technically on the same side.

"Mr. Thatcher," Crowe began. "Describe to us the events of the bombing. Where were you at the time? What were you doing? How did you react when the explosion went off?"

"I was at the cafe, sir," He said, and his tongue darted out over his thin, pale lips. "Having tea with my coworker, when the explosion went off. The cafe I was at...it wasn't far from the explosion. Glass shattered everywhere from the windows and we were thrown from our seats. We were both alright, and I ran out of the cafe to see what was going on." He licked his lips again, and massaged his hands.

"The street was covered in debris from the explosion, and bits of buildings were still crashing down. People were screaming everywhere and the blood...there was so much blood on the streets. There were wounded people everywhere, just screaming, screaming..." Mr. Thatcher put his hands over his ears, shutting his eyes tight. He began to rock slightly, back and forth.

"Mr. Thatcher, are you alright?" The judge asked.

"Your Honor," Khan's lawyer stood up. "The witness is not mentally stable enough to continue with this trial."

"Mr. Thatcher, you are dismissed," The judge said firmly. "Could an officer kindly escort him out?"

"My point, Your Honor, was that it doesn't matter if you weren't killed in these attacks," Crowe said viciously. "What Khan did was barbaric, ruining the mental stability and emotional well-being of thousands. Even putting him to death wouldn't be enough to avenge for all of the lives lost."

"Defense," The judge moved on, and Crowe took his seat. "We shall call Dr. Bryn O'Connelly to the stand." Chekhov arose and wheeled me to the front of the room, and with a strong, steady arm, helped me stand and enter the witness stand. I sat down, finding even climbing those few steps to be difficult.

Khan's attorney approached the stand first, her face kinder when she saw me and my weakened condition. "Doctor, I see you have some difficulty walking on your own," Her voice was gentle, not a taunt. "Can you explain to us how that happened?"

"I was in the Vengeance, serving as Captain of the vessel, when we were attacked with missiles from Halcyon's ship," I answered, my voice shaking. I stole a look at Khan, and saw him hanging onto my every word.

"And who is Halcyon?" The attorney politely interrupted before I could continue.

"One of the genetically engineered 'super humans', who despised Starfleet and wanted revenge for the years of maltreatment and eventual freezing of himself and the others like him." I paused. "Also, he is Khan's brother."

I let that sink in, before I continued. "He was attacking our ship because Khan had decided to side with Starfleet rather than join Halcyon in his plot to destroy Starfleet. He was aboard the ship, and Halcyon was trying to blow us up. We warped to Earth, but Halcyon's ship, the Shovah, followed us and fired upon the ship. The Vengeance, as you all know, crashed to Earth.

"Khan and I were the only survivors, because after I was thrown down on the wind shield of the deck, knocked unconscious, Khan grabbed me and carried me as far as he could into the ship, and then shielded me with his body as the ship crashed." I stopped, tears in my eyes. "I would have died." I muttered, my voice tight with emotion. "I should be dead."

"Continue when you can, doctor," Khan's attorney said, and I fought to compose myself. "But can you tell us what happened after you crashed? I can imagine you were unconscious, but you must have had some of it recounted to you."

"Sure," I said, taking a deep, shaky breath. "After we crashed, Halcyon landed on Earth, and began to pursue Khan. Khan, rather than leave me behind, carried me through the streets as Halcyon chased him, eventually to a rooftop. Khan was trapped. He tried reasoning with his brother, tried to change him for the better, but Halcyon turned and shot me, point-blank, in the stomach. That's when Captain Kirk and Mr. Chekhov were beamed down. They killed Halcyon, and I was taken to the Enterprise, where Dr. McCoy saved my life. I died, on the operating table, but was resuscitated. I wouldn't be here without any of them."

"And how do you feel towards Khan?" She asked. "After knowing all of the crimes he committed, but he still saved your life, and countless others by leading us to Halcyon?"

"I love him," I said firmly, and the entire courtroom seemed to gasp all at once. "I know what he did, but I know why he did it too. Ever since he was born, in a lab, he's been taught to hate, to kill, to embrace the anger and ignore love, compassion and mercy. But even after Starfleet officers tortured him, even after Admiral Marcus had taken away all he'd ever cared about - his crew - he can still love, he can still forgive. People can change, and Khan is no different. He forsook his own blood to save my life, multiple times. I know he has done atrocious things, but in light of the crimes Marcus, and even the whole of Starfleet, have committed, it is not difficult to forgive the man who has forgiven those who have done him wrong."

"No more questions, Your Honor," The defense attorney, sitting down, and once again, Chekhov helped me back to my seat. My hands were shaking. Had I been too personal? Had I revieled too much?

I could barely focus when Captain Kirk and Chekhov went to the stand. I'm sure their words were kind, but I'd never know. I wanted to throw up, the suspense was eating away at me. Would Khan be sentenced to death?

The trial ended, and the jury was sent off. I couldn't read their faces, but I had an awful feeling in my stomach. The jury was taking hours to decide, so Chekhov, McCoy and Kirk tried to make me go out for lunch, to at least eat something, but I picked at my food, afraid it would come up again if I swallowed even just the tiniest morsel. I hadn't eaten all day.

It was late at night when we were told the jury had reached a verdict. Everyone filed silently into the courtroom, the excitement and anticipation hanging on everyone's breath. Khan was escorted back into the room, and I found it difficult to breathe, so see straight. My nerves were eating away at me, and I could barely stand it anymore.

A slim, petite woman stood up on the jury bench. "The jury finds Khan Noonien Singh to be guilty on all charges."

I felt like someone had hit me with a sack of bricks, right in the chest. I couldn't breathe, only struggle for air in vain. "Bryn," I heard McCoy say beside me, speaking in a low undertone. "Bryn, are you alright?"

"Of course I'm not," I choked out.

The judge gave a heavy sigh, and opened his mouth. "While both Khan and the jury declare guilty, I believe Dr. O'Connelly's testament that Khan is true. I believe he has changed. However, his crimes cannot be ignored. So, I hereby sentence Khan Noonien Singh to one hundred years in suspended animation, in a maximum security prison. When those one hundred years are over, he will be awoken, and his sentence over." The judge banged his gavel, and the courtroom went up in conversation.

"Khan!" I screamed, my voice raw and broken. He turned around, crushed, I could tell from his expression. I would not live a hundred more years.

"Bryn!" He cried, and two officers stood to escort him out of the room. "Let me see her," He lowered his voice when he spoke to them. "Please, let me just say goodbye."

"No!" In a burst of strength, I pushed myself to my feet, holding on to the armrests of the wheelchair. "Khan!" I took a wobbly step towards him, and then another. I nearly pitched forward, but strong hands caught me by the arm and righted me again.

"Bryn, I know it's hard -" Kirk said beside me.

"No you don't!" I screamed, trying to pull him towards Khan with what little strength I had. "You don't know! Khan!"

"Sweetheart, I'm sorry," He easily shrugged off the guards at his sides and ran over to me, taking my face in his hands. "I'm so sorry."

"Khan..." I didn't know what to say, so I wrapped him as tightly as I could into my arms. "I love you."

"I love you too," He swore, kissing my forehead.

"Lets go," One of the officers called, his voice sharp and cold.

"Take me too," I pulled back from Khan, and stared down the officer. "Freeze me alongside him."

"Bryn, are you crazy?" McCoy exclaimed, but I ignored him.

"There's so many regulations..." The officer bumbled around a direct answer.

"I don't care," I said firmly, and looked up at Khan, touching his cheek gently. "Wake me up when he does. But I'm never letting him go."

"I'll see what I can do," The guard frowned, and turned, going towards the judge.

"Bryn, you don't have to do this," Khan said softly. "You have your whole life ahead of you."

"My life is with you," I said intently. "You know that there's nothing here for me. Without you, I am lost. If I go to sleep, and that's all it is really, we'll wake up and everything will be alright. Back to normal."

"Alright," Khan said, hugging me again.

"Bryn," Chekhov said behind me, and I turned to face him, a sad smile on my face. "We weel mees you."

"I'll miss you too," I let go of Khan and hugged Chekhov, planting a light kiss on his cheek. "You were always kind to me. I won't forget that."

"Thank you," He smiled sadly, and I pulled away, facing McCoy next.

"Bones..." I said softly, and he tentatively reached out and hugged me with one arm over my shoulder.

"I'll miss you, Bryn," He said quietly. "And I'll never stop caring."

"Neither will I," I promised, and let him go, my eyes tearing up. Captain Kirk stood before me, his expression like that of a proud father. "Captain," I saluted him, one hand leaning on the armrest of a chair.

"No, Bryn," He shook his head, and I heasitantly dropped my hand. "I salute you." He snapped into an unaccustomed rigid formality, saluting me solemnly. "It was an honor to know you."

"Likewise, Captain," A tear slid down my cheek, and I took Khan's arm.

We were led out of the courtroom and escorted via shuttle to a laboratory. I held Khan's hand the entire time, and he steadied me as we walked through the halls.

Finally, we reached the room, and I saw two cases prepared for us to enter our hundred-year sleep. "Are you afraid?" Khan leaned over, whispering in my ear.

"Very," I breathed, swallowing nervously.

"It will seem like the blink of an eye," He promised, and it was then that they separated us, and had us lie down in our respective cases. They looked like coffins, just a bit, I thought.

"I love you," I called, just as they were about to close my case.

"I love you, Bryn," He cried out. They were the last words I heard, before everything plunged into darkness.

This is the final chapter of Lost in the Stars. I want to thank everyone for all of your support in writing this, as it was extremely encouraging to wake up to several emails alerting me about new followers, new reviews, etc. Keep an eye out for new stuff coming soon and thanks!

xoxox

Jasper