Pike
by Starsinger
There are two endings to this story, one with a happy ending, one with a sad ending. Pike lives, Jim doesn't. Don't own them.
"Dammit McCoy! I want to see him! I need to say good-bye!" Pike's voice roared over the comm. McCoy glanced over at the body bag, trying hard not to think that Jim lay in it. His autopsy had confirmed what everyone already knew, radiation poisoning had killed the Captain. McCoy knew how Chris felt, like his heart had been ripped out of his chest and stomped on before being replaced. The slow ache that he felt would never go away, or diminish. Be that as it may, Christopher Pike was supposed to be dead, Spock and Kirk saw him die, or so they thought. If he was yelling at McCoy, he wasn't dead.
McCoy couldn't answer the Admiral, he just flipped the communicator shut. An honor guard had accompanied them on the shuttle down to Starfleet medical. No one wanted to leave Kirk's body unattended. McCoy had ideas on how this was going to happen. As soon as the shuttle doors opened onto Earth, McCoy opened the bag baring Jim's still, pain-ravaged face for all to see. He wanted the cadets, and most of all the Admiralty to understand what they had lost today because of an unchecked Starfleet Admiral.
McCoy gave instructions to the Security detail that they would stop by Admiral Pike's room before heading to the morgue. He walked behind the silent gurney watching ahead as first cadets, then their instructors, then the Federation Council and their President, and finally the Admiralty showed up to watch the procession. Cadets stiffened to attention, the council bowed their heads, and the Admiralty saluted their fallen comrade. Porthos, dear Porthos, sat and howled at his master's side.
This scene was repeated over and over again as they made their way through the hospital corridors, and finally wound up in Chris' room. He'd convinced the staff to let him sit in a wheel chair, although what he was doing alive barely registered in McCoy subconscious. They wheeled the gurney over to Pike and lowered it so he could reach Kirk. His trembling hand reached out and caressed Kirk's hair as the reality of it finally became clear. McCoy watched as the old man started to cry. "Jim, it wasn't supposed to be you, you weren't supposed to die."
Pike wrapped his arms around Jim and pulled him into his arms. "I'm sorry, Jim, I'm so sorry. You were a fine Captain, in every way possible. You were also the son of my heart." McCoy watched as Pike closed his eyes against the tears streaming down his face. Then, he took a deep breath and gently replaced Jim to his previous position. "Good-bye, Son." McCoy watched as they helped Chris back into his bed. McCoy knew that Chris would never make it to Jim's funeral, that was why he needed this moment. In fact, the Admiral would spend the rest of his life rooting out Section 31 and slowly destroying it, piece by piece.
Three Days Later
McCoy flinched as the twenty-one gun salute fired overhead. McCoy had done a lot of thinking over the past few days. He'd asked for a transfer, he just couldn't go back to the Enterprise without looking at the command chair and not seeing Jim. He owed Starfleet another four years, but that didn't mean he had to stay on the ship where Jim died. None of them could, they had all asked for transfers, the ship would have an entirely new command staff. He sighed as one-by-one everyone left except for him, Spock, Uhura, Scotty, Sulu and Chekov. They stared at the headstone, and then at each other, well aware that this would probably be the last time they were altogether in one place for a long time.
"It's not fair," Uhura finally whispered. "He shouldn't have died." Spock put his arm around her. She approached the tombstone, "Good-bye Jim." She shook her head, unable to say anything more. One at a time they each paid their final respects before McCoy found himself alone.
He walked up to the grave and knelt down, touching the earth underneath which his friend lay, "What am I supposed to do now, Jim? You were always there, encouraging me, bullying me along. How am I supposed to continue doing this? You were the most selfish bastard I knew. You went into the warp core chamber, knowing you would die, and knowing that it would rip everyone apart, and we never deserved a friend like you. Rest in Peace, my friend. May you find what you never had in this life." With that, McCoy turned and walked away.
Now, the alternate story.
Christopher Pike was alive, and watched as his world crashed down around him. The giant ship coasted by, just barely missing his room, much of the hospital now lay in ruins. He lay there in shock, the ship was clearly Federation, what had Admiral Marcus been up to? He heard the sirens and watched as an individual jumped what had to have been thirty feet from the ship on to the ground and take flight. He also watched as a transporter beam made itself apparent and the very familiar Vulcan shape darted after the other one. The determination of his stride made Pike wonder what the other man had done to so thoroughly piss Spock off. He would soon have his answer
"Admiral, a shuttle from the Enterprise is coming down to pick you up. It's headed for the hospital in Zurich, and taking you along with another critically injured patient as well," Pike nodded. Maybe McCoy would be on the shuttle. Pike was wheeled onto the shuttle that would take him to Switzerland. He was startled by the death and destruction around him.
Pike's heart lurched as he saw what looked like a cryotube aboard the shuttle along with McCoy clutching a cooler. McCoy smiled at the Admiral, "You look good for someone who's supposed to be dead."
"Who've you got in there?" Pike asked.
Pike's entire world lurched sideways as McCoy responded, "Jim." McCoy proceeded to tell him the story after Pike's "death".
"The doctors performed emergency surgery on me, I don't know how but they pulled me back from death. Are you sure you can save him?" Pike asked anxiously.
"No, but I know I have to try. Jim would want this chance," McCoy said. I'll keep you informed, Chris, I promise I will." Chris nodded, knowing McCoy would try. The doctor was probably going to be very busy the next few days.
Four days later Pike finally snuck away to see Kirk. The man's lung had collapsed earlier that day and he was on a vent, but that, thankfully, was all the life-support he needed. "Hey, Jim, it's me, Chris. They're trying to promote you to Admiral, believe it or not, I won't let them. You have enough to worry about right now." Chris looked over and saw the book sitting on the table, the one Uhura left behind.
"A Tale of Two Cities, huh? Not exactly light reading," Pike started reading aloud. It lasted until Pike's own exasperated nurses came and found him.
Pike snuck out again a week later, and much to his horror, Jim's room was empty. He turned around to hear a familiar voice behind him, "Oh, hello Admiral, I didn't realize that they were letting you out."
Hikaru Sulu stood in front of him, smiling cheerfully, "Lieutenant, I came to see Jim. Do you know…" his voice trailed off, fearfully.
"Oh, he's in surgery right now. They've had to schedule several over this week to correct damage not created by the radiation. They don't want him waking up to more problems than necessary." Chris listened as the young man told him of the broken bones that were set just two days before.
"So, Jim's going to live?" Chris half whispered, not daring hope.
"Oh, yeah, he should be awake in a few days. There he is now," Sulu gestured as Jim was wheeled back in. The orderlies carefully returned Jim to his bed and promptly put up the bed rails. McCoy stood making notes in his chart before deciding to leave with Sulu.
Chris rolled up next to the bed, tears of happiness rolling down his face. "Jim, son, I'm so glad to hear you're going to be alright. When you need me, I'll be here," Chris stared as Jim's hand reached out to him. Chris took it with a grin. "You're becoming responsive to people, huh? McCoy really must be planning to wake you up soon. I hope he remembers me when he does." He patted Jim's hand before rolling back down the corridor, whistling as he went.
Later that week Uhura came and got him, "Come on, Admiral, let's go see Jim."
"He's awake?" Pike asked.
"No, not yet, it will be today," Uhura's happiness shone through as she pushed him back to ICU. "McCoy and Spock thought you should join them, I'm going to wait with the others."
Pike grinned as he went into the room. Spock glanced down at him with a nod before resuming his careful study of Jim's still figure. Then, suddenly, Pike saw the blue eyes open spontaneously, almost shocked that he was back in the waking world. "Oh, don't be so melodramatic, you were barely dead," McCoy said, Chris suppressed a chuckle. Although the "No more than usual comment," made him guffaw.
Chris watched the interplay between Kirk and Spock, and realized that these two were well suited for the command crew of a ship, more so than many others he had seen. Then, Jim's eyes seemed to refocus on the back of the room, on him. "I thought you were dead," Kirk whispered.
"Not as dead as you were, apparently," Chris said as the rest of the command crew piled up behind him. They all shared a moment of private celebration before Kirk drifted off to sleep.
One Year Later
Pike stood on the bridge of the Enterprise, a final inspection tour of his own before they left space dock. He was proud of this captain and her crew. They would do well, and Pike had no doubt in his mind that she would return safely at the end of her five year mission.
The turbolift doors opened and Pike turned to see Jim bound through them and smile as he looked on the bridge. "Captain on the Bridge!" Sulu announced before vacating the center seat. Pike smiled as Kirk walked over to him.
"Glad you could make it, Chris. Wish you were coming with us," he said genuinely.
"Me too, Jim, I'll just have to live it through your sporadic reports. Just do us all a favor and don't get lost in Klingon space like the Gagarin did."
"Don't worry, Chris, this isn't a ship full of scientists," Jim said with a laugh.
"Well, that's why I'm not that worried about that," Chris chuckled. "Good luck everybody," Pike walked slowly to the turbolift before turning and watching Jim slowly slide into the seat. He respected it now, it now had a new meaning, sitting in that chair. Pike turned and left the ship for her mission and her destiny.