Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek or its characters. I make no profit from this work of fiction.
It had been five frantic days of searching and bickering with the alien government before they had finally found the Captain and beamed him back on board. After being taken prisoner by the aliens, he had escaped into their jungle after two days. His injuries were relatively minor, but the aliens had implanted a tracking device in his leg that needed to be surgically removed.
In addition to that, Jim was severely dehydrated and had bumps, bruises, and scrapes everywhere after running around in the jungle for three days. But at least Leonard had him back in one piece, prepped for surgery. He didn't want to wait and find out what else the "tracking device" might do to Jim.
The Captain was obviously exhausted but kept up his usual rapport with the nurses and general joking around to keep the attention off his injuries.
"All right, folks, let's get to work," Leonard said, stepping behind the privacy screen and shooing the nurses off to either the surgical suite or the main area of Sickbay. As he neared Jim with the hypospray loaded with a sedative, Jim batted him away.
"Just numb me from the waist down, Bones. I don't want to be out."
Leonard frowned. "Who's the doctor here? Jim, you're completely exhausted. Also, we're not sure how this device is attached. It might affect nerves higher than your waist."
Jim shook his head. "I'll risk it."
"I won't, and it's my damn Sickbay. It's surgery, Jim. And you're not in good shape to try it awake." He sat on the edge of the bed, noticing the way Jim's eyes nervously darted to the hypospray. "What's wrong? When's the last time you slept?"
"Didn't. Couldn't sleep in the jungle. Could barely get a fire going. There were animals – and some plants – that tried to get me. And they were after me."
"So, you've been awake for almost three days, Jim. You need to get some rest –"
"I can't," Jim blurted out, gripping the blankets and looking away.
"Kid, I'm sorry. You can't be awake for this, and we need to take that thing out."
"Please." Jim's gaze dropped to the blanket in front of him.
Leonard sighed and laid a hand over Jim's. "You're not in the jungle anymore. You're safe here. We won't let anything happen to you while you're under."
Jim shivered and forced a smile, pulling his hand away. "Okay, Bones." He settled back down against the pillow, but Leonard could see he was still practically twitching.
Leonard stepped closer and held the hypospray against his neck.
"Aren't ya gonna at least kiss me goodnight?" Jim joked.
Leonard looked into Jim's blue eyes and saw, for once, genuine fear and … longing? He wasn't sure. Leonard recalled how frantic he had been when Jim had been taken, hounding Spock and Scotty for any information. And now he was back, alive and real. "Close your eyes."
Jim raised an eyebrow but then obeyed.
Leonard leaned over and placed a soft kiss to his forehead. And then, with his heart leaping into his throat, he pressed his lips to Jim's.
Jim made a soft, confused noise but didn't pull away. In fact, he kissed back. Leonard pulled back slightly, and Jim's eyes opened again. "Bones?"
"Shh. Close your eyes, Jim."
When Jim obeyed, Bones kissed him again and then depressed the plunger, releasing the sedative.
Jim gasped, breaking off the kiss and looking up with wide eyes.
"Shhh," Leonard whispered against Jim's mouth, pressing feather-light kisses. "It's all right, Jim. I've gotcha. You're safe."
"Bones," Jim gasped.
Leonard worked his other hand into Jim's hair, stroking it soothingly while he kept their foreheads in contact. "Easy now. Don't fight it, darlin'. It'll be over before you know it." He could hear the monitors indicating Jim's heart rate slowing from its frantic pace. "I'm right here."
Jim's eyes slid closed, even as he pleaded again. "Bones …"
"Shhh. S'all right. Go to sleep, Jim. I'll be right here."
Jim finally settled and then went lax as the drug took over. Leonard breathed out a sigh and kissed Jim's forehead again before straightening up and calling for the nurses to maneuver the bed into the surgical suite.
Jim awoke briefly when the surgery was successfully completed.
Leonard smiled down at him. "All done, Jim. Got everything out. Are you in any pain?"
Jim shook his head.
"How do you feel?"
"Sleepy."
Leonard reached out and ruffled his hair. "Get some sleep then. Lord knows you need it."
Jim's eyes slipped closed again. "Bones?"
"I'll be here. Get some rest."
Jim cracked one eye open. "More kisses?"
Leonard leaned down and kissed his forehead and then both eyelids before softly brushing their lips together. "Sleep, Jimmy. I'll be here when you wake up."
Jim awoke noisily in the middle of the night from a vicious nightmare. Leonard had been sleeping on the cot in his office, so he heard the commotion and jumped out of bed. By the time he reached Jim's biobed, the Captain was arguing with the calm on duty nurse – Claremont.
"Bones!" Jim cried in relief. He had fallen out of the bed, and the resultant alarms threatened to wake the other patients.
"Turn those off, would you Claremont? I'll take care of the Captain."
"Yes, doctor," he responded, killing the alarms with a few touches to the screens.
Leonard waited until he was gone before kneeling in front of Jim. "We need to get you back to bed, Jim."
Jim shook his head. "Not here. I want to go back to my quarters, Bones."
"What were you dreaming about?"
Jim shivered. "Stupid jungle."
"You're still sleep-deprived, kid. You need to rest."
"C'mon, Bones, lemme go back to my quarters. I can sleep there."
Bones rubbed his eyes. "All right. But I'm coming with you, in case you try to do anything besides sleep." He helped Jim up and sat him on the bed, digging into a nearby drawer for a set of scrubs. Jim was a little unsteady as he got into the clothes – still a bit dazed from the lack of sleep. He leaned heavily on Leonard as they made their way slowly to the Captain's quarters. Jim kept dropping back to sleep, and Leonard had to shake him awake. "C'mon, Jim. Stay with me. Almost there."
They nearly toppled over when Jim's full weight suddenly landed against Leonard. Luckily, they were propped up against the wall.
"Jim, wake up!"
"Bones, ya told me to sleep …"
"Not now, Jim! Wake up! Then you can sleep."
"Kay … sleep …"
"Oh, hell with it," Leonard snapped, leaning down and scooping Jim into his arms. "You're heavy, you know that?" he grunted, carrying Jim down the last hallway to his quarters. Jim seemed to actually be asleep again, so he used his medical override to open the door before marching in and depositing Jim carefully on the bed. He pulled the covers over him and just watched for a moment.
"Bones?" Jim moaned, rolling in his direction.
Leonard sat on the bed and stroked Jim's messy blond hair. "What, brat?"
"Stay."
Leonard sighed dramatically. "All right. Move over." By the time he was settled, Jim was asleep again. His brow furrowed, and he gave an unhappy little moan. Leonard sighed again and pulled him close. "Shhh. It's okay. You're just dreaming, Jim. You're safe."
Jim snuggled against him, finding a comfortable spot on his shoulder.
Leonard smiled and closed his eyes. He wasn't sure what he morning would bring, but he knew everything would be all right with Jim at his side.
The end!