Sam Rutherford was jolted awake by the faint sound of soft sobs, filtering through the quiet hum of the Cerritos’s engineering bay. It took a moment for him to register what he was hearing — someone crying. His heart sank, a slight tension creeping up his spine. He glanced at the ceiling, his mind piecing things together, and sure enough, the sounds were coming from the bunk directly above his.

His initial instinct was to ignore it, to stay in the safety of his own bed, but that wasn’t who he was. Not anymore. He sat up quickly, rubbing his eyes and reaching up to adjust his uniform. The faint lavender glow of his Vulcan cybernetic implant flickered with his sudden movement, a quiet reminder of the past that had shaped him. But it didn’t matter now. What mattered was that someone on the Cerritos — someone he cared about — was upset.

Without thinking, he clambered up the ladder, careful not to wake the other crew members who were sleeping nearby. He reached the top and paused, unsure for a moment how to approach. It wasn’t like he had a lot of experience comforting people, but he couldn’t leave them like this.

"Hey, it’s okay!" he said softly, his voice gentle, hoping not to startle them. "Don’t be embarrassed…" He scooted closer, his expression warm and reassuring. He could feel the awkwardness in the air, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was showing they weren’t alone. "I’m here."

Rutherford could feel the tension in the room, but his calm presence was meant to ease it, not to make it worse. He sat down beside them, offering his usual warmth — a little awkward, but genuine. Letting out a relieved sigh when they sink into him. He lets his arm wrap around their shoulder, rubbing their arm.