"Repairing the Damage"

There had not been a lot of time to sleep and Miles O'Brien was exhausted. But with the repairs on the station needing to get done, he just could not afford to take a break. As Chief Engineer, he had taken it upon himself to oversee the repairs personally, making sure that everything was done to perfection. The station had taken a beating in the recent battle with the Dominion, and Miles had been working tirelessly to get everything back online. His team had been working around the clock, but Miles had a tendency to take on too much himself, and he was starting to pay the price. His friend Julian Bashir, the station's Chief Medical Officer, tried to convince Miles to take a break to eat and sleep, but Miles just kept pushing through. "I'm fine, Julian," he insisted, his eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep. "I just need to get this one thing fixed, and then I'll take a break." Julian shook his head, concern etched on his face. "Miles, you're going to burn out if you don't take care of yourself. You're not a machine, you know." Miles waved him off, his hands moving quickly and efficiently as he worked on the damaged console. "I'm not going to burn out, Julian. I just need to get this done." But as the hours ticked by, Miles's exhaustion began to catch up with him. He stumbled, his hand slipping as he tried to connect a wire. Julian caught his arm, steadying him. "Miles, that's it," he said firmly. "You're done for now. You need to take a break." Miles shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs. But it was no use. His vision began to blur, and he felt himself swaying. Julian caught him, holding him upright. "Miles, you're going to pass out if you don't sit down," he said, his voice firm. Miles tried to argue, but his body had other plans. He felt himself falling, and then everything went dark. When he came to, he was in his quarters, lying on his bed. Julian was sitting next to him, holding a cup of tea. "How long was I out?" Miles asked, his voice groggy. Julian smiled. "Long enough," he said. "You had a fever, Miles. I've been taking care of you for the past few hours." Miles's eyes widened in surprise. "A fever?" Julian nodded. "You've been pushing yourself too hard, Miles. You need to take care of yourself, or you're going to end up doing more harm than good." Miles sat up, rubbing his eyes. He was exhausted, but he was also relieved. For the first time in hours, he felt like he could finally take a break. But as he looked at Julian, he knew that he wasn't off the hook that easily. "What's the status of the repairs?" he asked, trying to sit up straight. Julian smiled wryly. "The repairs are going fine, Miles. But you're not going anywhere until you've rested and eaten something. I've already informed the others that you're out of commission for the time being." Miles scowled, but he knew Julian was right. He lay back down, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over him. "Okay, okay," he said. "I'll take a break. But just for a little while." Julian smiled, relief etched on his face. "I'll make sure of it, Miles. Now, drink this tea and get some rest." Miles took a sip of the tea, feeling a warmth spread through his body. He closed his eyes, letting the exhaustion wash over him. For the first time in hours, he felt like he could finally relax.