Come to Me

Summary: Kirk makes McCoy feel better. Slash alluded to, but it's not who you think!

Rating: K

Disclaimer: Be amazed, I don't own them.

Achiving Information: Please, no archiving without my permission. Overarching permission goes to the Spock/McCoy Haven and BLTS. All others must ask.

((Author's Note: Has FM lost her mind? Kirk and Bones??? Sly grin. Why don't you read and find out?))

Kirk looked over at his long time friend, Doctor McCoy, who was standing next to him on the bridge. The older man looked far worse for wear than usual. Kirk wouldn't have thought much about it if they'd been in battle and McCoy had been busy tending to wounded crewmen or complaining about ethical issues, but so far it had been smooth sailing. Kirk hated to see his friends suffer. He nudged Bones' side.

"What's eating you?"

"Nothing." McCoy grumbled.

"Come on, Bones," Kirk replied, "I know you better than that. If something's bothering you, you can tell me about it. Does this have to do with how we handled the Lokinans? The Prime Directive demanded,"

"It's not that, Jim." McCoy interrupted. "It's personal."

"Your daughter?"

"She's fine."

"You're ex?"

"She's fine. Don't push it."

Kirk's curiosity grew. "There's someone new in you life?"

McCoy rolled his eyes. "What do I have to do to get you to shut up?"

"You could tell me what's bothering you. I'm your friend, Bones, maybe I can help you."

McCoy sighed. "There's no one new in my life… I'm just starting to see someone in a new light."

"So, what's the problem?"

"They wouldn't be interested."

"Oh." Kirk said. McCoy grumped in agreement. "Sounds bad."

"Could be worse."

"How?"

"I could tell him how I feel and get that look…"

"What look? Wait, HIM?"

"Grow up a little, Jim."

"Sorry, Bones but you've always been a ladies man for as long as I've known you. You caused quite a stir in that little bar…"

"Yeah," McCoy said with a half-smile and a far away look, "I know the one. And I'm just making an exception in this case."

"Huh. Anyway, what look could be so terrible that you couldn't tell him how you feel."

"The look of 'wow, that's surprising, flattering and most…'" McCoy trailed off and looked away.

"Most what, Bones?"

"Nothing."

"Oh, come on! And you say talking to Spock is like pulling teeth!"

McCoy flinched. "Unwelcome. It's most unwelcome."

Jim could tell McCoy was lying to him. "Bones… You don't have to lie to me. I'm your friend. If you can't tell me the truth, what does it say about me? That I'm untrustworthy? That I'll only accept you if you fit whatever standard I've molded you into? That I'm a pompous ass?"

"Well, Jim, you are a pompous ass. It's just… I don't want to talk about it here…"

"Bones," Kirk began, getting ready to give him a hard time for being difficult.

"The doctor is correct, Captain. This is hardly a conversation for the bridge."

"Gee, Spock, I never thought you'd step in to save my ass." McCoy muttered.

"I have 'saved your ass' a number of times, Doctor, as you have mine. But I simply believe that this conversation is distracting."

"Fine." Kirk said. "You and I can finish this in my quarters, over chess, okay, Bones?"

McCoy looked up at the ceiling. "I'm not one for chess. Besides, isn't that your and Spock's 'thing'?"

Kirk gave McCoy an odd look. What was he getting at? "Okay… Then we can talk about it in your quarters over some brandy. Or is that your and Scotty's 'thing'?"

McCoy laughed. "Fine. 1900 then, and don't be early. I have surgery until 1830 and it takes forever to fill out the paperwork."

Kirk patted McCoy's arm. "Knowing how busy things get up here I know I'll be late. See you then."

Kirk was twenty minutes late getting to Bones' quarters. They had stumbled upon some spatial anomaly that Spock demanded (in a very logical way) that they study. Kirk obliged him, if only to give McCoy the extra time he asked for.

"Sorry I'm late, Bones." Kirk said as McCoy called him in.

"I asked you to be, remember?" McCoy chuckled. "Please, sit down, make yourself at home."

"Alright." Kirk said as he did. Bones handed him a glass of Saurian Brandy. "So, you fear the look that says what?"

McCoy sighed. "Wow, that's surprising, flattering, and most…" He hesitated.

"Come on, how bad can it be?"

"Illogical."

Kirk blinked. Perhaps he had misheard. "Sorry?"

"Most illogical," McCoy began, "as in- how painfully emotive and human of you, Doctor. These desires you have begun to feel for me can easily be controlled if you simply look at things from a more logical standpoint. At the very least, you will be able to work without distraction. I've thought it over a thousand times."

"Spock?" Kirk took a long sip from his drink. "You've got it bad for Spock?"

McCoy nodded. "Go figure, huh?"

"But you argue… like mad. You…" Kirk knew this was too much to take in all at once. "You like Spock… And more than that, you're 'beginning to see him in a new light'? My God, Bones… You should have said something!"

"Why? What good would it do? He's not interested."

"Did you ask him that?"

"Come on, Jim, don't be an idiot! The man's a walking computer!"

"And yet, you…" Kirk chose his words carefully, "are seeing him in a new light."

"I think he's attractive! It's not like I'm saying I," McCoy froze.

Checkmate. "You what?" Kirk already knew.

McCoy gulped and finished off his drink. "Forget it. You're just trying to get me to talk myself into a hole."

"Anything to stop the arguments on the bridge."

"I'm not saying anything. For all I know you've got a recording device on so you can blackmail me when I try and pull you in for a yearly physical."

"Like I'm that devious, Bones! Go on; say it. You'll feel better."

"Go to hell. The last time you said that you got a man arrested for murder!"

"Getting a confession out of a criminal and getting one of my best friends to stop sulking are two different things."

"Why are you so keen on me hooking up with Spock? I thought you two were… More than meets the eyes."

"Hello, Bones, this is Jim Kirk you're speaking to. You know, the one who has a happy talent of seducing almost any woman without fail."

"I can think of a few times you failed."

"Wasn't trying that hard. If I really wanted them, they would have been mine."

McCoy chuckled. "Sure, Jim-boy, sure."

"But Spock and I aren't involved and we aren't going to be involved. Anyway, why would he be okay with doing me and call your affections illogical? That isn't logical."

"Where's the logic in lusting after someone who's taken?"

"Oh. Well then. I stand corrected. Either way, you should tell him, especially if you think this will effect your work."

"Why?"

"Well, if he turns you down, you'll be done with it and if he takes you up on it… Well, I won't miss the arguments."

McCoy laughed. "You know I do feel better talking to you."

"What are friends for? Now, why don't you just confess your undying love for our mutual friend and my little recording device and I can go."

"Get the hell out, you pompous ass." McCoy laughed again. Kirk smiled.

"You can always come to me with this stuff, Bones. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. Don't get all sentimental on me, Jim."

"And if you don't tell him in a week, I will." Kirk said as he walked for the door.

"YOU WILL NOT!" McCoy roared. Kirk flinched.

As the door slid shut behind him, Jim shook his head. Four crewmen were giving him odd looks. As he started down to his own quarters a familiar voice stopped him.

"What is it you will not do, Jim?"

"Ah, Spock," Kirk sighed. "Come with me, I need to talk to you about something pretty important."