A little gratitude
I don't know if my Star Trek infatuation will last till December, so I decided not to wait to post this.
This is a J/S friendship story, but Jim doesn't appear in it.
"Happy New Year, Mr. Spock!"
Spock winced. 'Happy New Year' had replaced the formal 'good day,' and the more casual, 'how are ya' that the Enterprise crew usually used in their every day encounters, and the words still jarred in Spock's ears.
The year wasn't even over yet, to begin with; there were still twenty days to go, as he'd pointed this out to Mr. Scott and Dr. McCoy when they first came up with the idea of a celebration. Determined to overcome Spock's reluctance, the Doctor had shrewdly noted that the crew deserved to have a party after their near-fatal encounter with the Coridians and, since they were bound to celebrate New Year's Eve anyway, it seemed logical to combine two celebrations into one.
With his own reasoning used against him, Spock had put up no further objections. He knew only too well that once humans decided to hold a party, any occasion would do. Besides, they were right; the crew deserved a chance to decompress.
What he didn't foresee was that as Acting Captain, he'd be expected to take part on the festivities. He'd spent the day making token appearances in every section of the ship, sampling food, joining in the toasts, but mostly, (at least in his opinion), avoiding situations that might prove embarrassing later.
Now, eighteen hours later, he'd successfully visited most of the areas involved in the celebration. Sickbay was the last.
By now he'd learned that each Department had a welcoming committee by their main entrance, ready to give their visitors a rousing greeting complete with confetti and other paraphernalia related to the occasion. Hoping to avoid this, he'd used a lateral door...
Only to come face to face with a smiling, slightly tipsy Doctor McCoy.
"Happy New Year, Mr. Spock! Here," he added, deftly putting a party hat on Spock's head and a glass of Saurian brandy in his hand.
Spock unobtrusively removed the hat and handed it back. "Doctor," he said courteously.
McCoy gave him a critical look.
"Well, well, Spock. I can see that a full day of partying hasn't had much effect on you."
"It's been hardly a full day, Doctor. The party started at -"
"What did you do, spill your drinks when no one was looking?" McCoy continued, "If that's what you did, then you'd better give me back that glass."
"I did not spill any drinks, Doctor. Alcohol does not affect me the way it does humans."
"Oh, yeah? Then I definitely want that glass back. I'm not wasting good brandy on someone who's not gonna get drunk with it." He unceremoniously took the glass from Spock's hand and downed it in a single gulp. "Wonderful," he muttered beatifically. "Just wonderful." He glanced at Spock. "So. What do you think of our little party?"
Mr. Spock glanced around. It looked just like every other party in the ship. Efforts had been made to decorate the area for the occasion, and Spock had to admit that turning a catheter into an ornament required great imagination.
McCoy noticed him looking.
"I swear that's a sterilized catheter, Mr. Spock."
There was a sudden commotion at the door just then. A group of engineers had entered the room, catching the attention of a half-dozen nurses –Sickbay's welcoming committee.
The sight of McCoys usually prim nurses hugging and kissing the engineers caused a big impression on Spock.
He was infinitely glad that he'd used a lateral door.
McCoy smiled at Spock's reaction.
"I hope our little displays of emotion won't lower your opinion of us, Spock."
"I am well acquainted with displays of human emotion, Doctor. I am also well acquainted with their methods of celebration. I was at the Academy far more years than you -I remember the parties well."
"Are you saying our behavior is juvenile?" McCoy asked, pretending indignation. Then, more good-naturedly, he added. "Come on, Spock. We had a near-death encounter with the Coridians. We're relieved, that's all." He glanced sideways at Spock. "We are grateful, too," he added tentatively. "Your quick-thinking saved the Enterprise."
Spock shook his head almost imperceptibly.
"I applied logic, Doctor; that is all."
"Well, I'm glad you did," McCoy said. He was silent for a moment, then deliberately added. "I'm also glad that logic made you go into the Coridian ship to rescue the Captain. Some might call it heroic, some might call it -"
"It was my duty," Spock said uncomfortably.
"Exactly," McCoy said, as if he'd known all along what Spock's response was going to be. "But to the crew, it's more than that, Spock. You saved Jim; you saved the Enterprise from what could have been a fatal confrontation. That means a lot to them. If they want to show you their appreciation -"
"It is completely unnecessary," Spock cut in. He'd had enough of crewmembers bringing up the subject. He didn't need a reminder; he knew what he'd done.
McCoy hesitated for a moment, then said, "Listen, Spock; we've been six months in space now. We had a rocky start but I think it's time for you to leave that in the past."
Spock frowned slightly.
"Are you implying my behavior has been less than professional, Doctor?"
"No, Spock. I'm only saying you should relax a little. You saved the Captain and the ship; can't you take a little gratitude in return?" He paused. "For once in your life, can't you open up that hard Vulcan heart and take a little kindness from us?"
Spock didn't immediately answer.
"I am part of the crew," he said slowly. "I share its fate. But I am a Vulcan."
"Are you saying Vulcans can't accept gratitude?"
"No, Doctor. I am merely saying that I cannot behave like a human." He paused for a moment. "I do understand the crew's reaction, Doctor; what I do not approve of is the undercurrent of hysteria that seems to permeate their relief. They should quite simply, move on with their tasks and stop trying to thank me for what was only my job to do."
"Even so -"
"We shall be facing dangerous situations in the course of our mission," Spock continued. "They need to learn to reign in their emotions if they hope to survive; otherwise -"
"Oh, all right," McCoy said, rolling his eyes, "Have it your way, Spock." Then, under his breath, he muttered, "You miserable, green-blooded weasel."
Spock glanced sideways.
"Thank you, Doctor. You, at least, are starting to behave normally again."
McCoy opened his mouth to reply, then closed it. He smiled despite himself.
"Ok, Spock. I'll keep my gratitude to myself. I'll do you a favor, all the same. My nurses are planning to show you their appreciation at the strike of midnight. If being kissed by a dozen young women doesn't faze you, then maybe the fact that they're also planning to dispel the rumors that Vulcans aren't ticklish, will."
Spock hesitated for a couple of seconds -Doctor McCoy could, after all, be merely teasing him- then discreetly left the bash.
Through the lateral door.
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TBC