Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek or any of it's affiliates.

Ok, I won't deny. This is basically me projecting my own homesickness into fanfiction and onto Bones. :S Apologies for that. But I do hope you enjoy. I'm sure scenes like this have been done before, but I couldn't help myself. :) I should also add this it is only a one-shot. So there won't be any continuing.

Reviews are love.

A Good Friend

Leonard McCoy hardly ever cried.

But when he found himself in the small quarters, feeling very much alone, he couldn't hold back the tears. He was alone, headed out to deep space, recently divorced and rapidly approaching thirty. He couldn't remember the exact date his life turned to complete crud, but it seemed to him that it had been that way forever.

Abandoned.

It wasn't fair to call it that, but that's exactly how Leonard McCoy felt. And with a gruff sigh he wiped away his tears, annoyed at himself for acting like an emotional woman. He had just joined up to Starfleet, for God's sake. It's not as if he was roughing it on some unknown planet. He was just in an ordinary room with other ordinary people just down the corridor...

Although he was willing to bet that none of them were currently curled up on their bunks, hugging a pillow and sobbing their eyes out.

The thought alone brought a growl rising up his throat. Sitting up he threw the pillow angrily across onto the other empty bunk. He'd be fortunate enough to not get a roommate. Fortunate for many reasons, the most obvious one being that there wasn't anyone else in the room when he decided to sob his eyes out in the corner. Leonard took a deep breath and placed his head in his hands, wondering if he'd ever stop thinking about how much his life sucked at the moment. And if he'd made the right choice joining Starfleet.

He had just been about to reach over and extract his hidden bottle of whiskey from his bag when there was a knock at his door. Startled, Leonard looked up and frowned. Had someone made a mistake? Did he actually have a roommate? With a somewhat annoyed scowl, he collected his pillow from the other side of the room and rubbed a hand over his face. Then, hoping he didn't look too pathetic, he opened the door.

"Oh, uh... McCoy was it? Leonard McCoy?"

Leonard blinked. The last person he had expected to see was the kid from the shuttle. Jim Kirk. What was even more surprising was that he'd actually remembered his name.

"Yeah?" If Leonard had been in a better mood he would have noticed the surprised look on the kid's face.

"You have a spare bed? Uh... See, I didn't really plan this and nothing was really assigned for me and Pike told me there were a few rooms with spares. Gave me the numbers. I didn't realise it was you. I could find someplace else if-" the kid continued babbling and Leonard had the feeling that if he didn't interrupt they'd be standing here all night.

"No, don't worry about it, kid," he found himself cutting him off. "Course you can stay here."

Kirk flashed a grateful grin when Leonard stepped back to let him in. The medic could hardly contain his own shock. Not at Kirk, but at himself. Moments ago he was thankful he'd managed to score no roommate. Moments ago he was in no state to even contemplate such a thought. And yet here he was letting in some kid he'd met on the flight over as though it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Guessing this one's mine?" Jim gestured to the empty bed and Leonard nodded.

"All yours."

It didn't even take ten minutes before the two were lying in darkness. The bottle of whiskey lay forgotten and now, Leonard wanted nothing more than to fall into a sleep so deep there was little chance of recovery. But somehow his body refused to oblige.

His thoughts turned to Kirk. The kid had no belongings and even Leonard had to feel for him. Hell, he'd ended up offering him some of his own clothes (he still had no idea where that offer had come from). Kirk seemed grateful, but Leonard knew that he just as alone as he was. Perhaps that was why he was being so nice to him. He could relate.

There was a muffled shout from somewhere further down the corridor and Leonard heard Kirk turn over. "McCoy?"

"Hm?" Leonard grunted in reply.

"I just wanted to say thanks," and Leonard could hear how appreciative he was.

"Don't mention it, Kirk."

"Jim," he corrected.

"Jim."

"And I'm going to call you Bones," Kirk's tone changed to something a lot more cheeky and matter-of-fact.

"What?"

"All I've got left is my bones," he quoted from their earlier conversation.

Leonard had trouble suppressing the laugh. "Fine," he muttered gruffly.

"Goodnight then, Bones," came the cheerful, somewhat juvenile reply.

"Night, Jim," Leonard said, rolling his eyes in the darkness. Maybe it was just his heightened emotional state, but somehow he knew that this might just be the beginning of a strong and true friendship.

Because, God help him, he deserved a good friend.