Title: Bloody Peace Talks
Warning: Slash!
Note: Italics are past events.
-X-
"Jim," McCoy's voice came over the intercom on the bridge. "I need you here in medical. Now."
Kirk closed his eyes and rubbed a hand over his tired features.
"Mr. Sulu," Kirk's voice was heavy, "you have the con."
"Aye, sir," Sulu's voice followed Kirk into the lift.
-x-
The hot wet fluid spilled between his fingers and he vaguely wondered just what the hell was going on with the Enterprise.
"Dammit, Spock," Jim cursed, grabbing the Vulcan's arm and trying to lift him up. "Lose a few pounds!"
"Jim," Spock's voice was a mere whisper.
-x-
When he entered the med bay, he was greeted by a sight he'd just as soon forget.
"Bones?" Jim tried to keep his voice steady.
The medical officer looked up from his desk. He was still covered up to his arms in green blood – in Vulcan blood.
-x-
It was supposed to be a simple diplomatic mission. Go in; settle the peace talks between the two warring clans, got to a ball, then go back home. Simple.
-x-
"How is he, Bones?" Jim asked, scrutinizing his chief medical officer.
McCoy gave a huff and snorted, "Nothing can kill that hob-goblin of yours, Jim."
Jim smirked at McCoy's words.
"He's not completely out of the woods yet, though. He lost a lot of blood and after your last escapade; my Vulcan blood supply is rather depleted."
Before Kirk could ask what McCoy was getting at, he was interrupted.
"Doctor McCoy!" nurse Chapel entered the room in a flurry of panic and agitation.
-x-
Simple, my ass, Kirk sneered as he made another attempt to gather Spock up from the floor.
"This is what you get, you know," Kirk chided. "Trying to be all chivalrous and heroic. That's my job, remember?"
Spock groaned in pain as he was jolted this way and that.
"Scotty, get us out of here," Kirk ordered into his communicator.
No response.
-x-
"What is it, nurse?" McCoy demanded, rising from his chair.
"It's Mr. Spock; he's awake now and is trying to stand up."
Kirk and McCoy rushed to the adjacent room.
-x-
The peace talks had gone down smoothly with only one death-threat.
It was the ball that was the problem. It turns out that when the locals imbibe dubious amounts of alcohol, their hormones spike and, well, species barriers matter very little.
Since this was the case, it had been proposed by the two clan leaders to not allow alcohol. However, a prince was the rebellious sort. And found the human captain just to his liking.
It wasn't until the boisterous young alien was drooling on his neck that Kirk realized the danger. Not necessarily to himself, but to this juvenile who was completely unaware of Kirk's very territorial first officer.
-x-
"What in the hell do you think you're doing?" McCoy demanded, watching the half-Vulcan sitting up in his bed.
Spock's eyes shot by McCoy and settled on Kirk.
"Captain?" Spock's relief was plainly evident in that one word.
"How're you feelin', Mr. Spock?" Kirk grinned lopsidedly as he slowly made his way to the Vulcan's side.
Kirk gently pushed down on Spock's shoulders as McCoy grabbed his tri-corder and took his readings, shaking his head all the while and grumbling to himself.
-x-
Everything had happened so quickly. The young alien had been in his face, drooling and whispering naughty promises. And then, then he was in a crumpled heap.
"My apologies for not having come sooner, Captain," Spock's voice was steady, but Kirk heard the unmistakable tremor of anger.
Kirk was about to tell Spock that he had nothing to worry about. He was interrupted by a long, terrible roar.
-x-
"That's the last time the two of you go to peace talks together," McCoy said. "Every time we have to monitor a conference, one of you comes back broken and bleeding all over the place because you were trying to defend the other's honor."
Spock and Kirk shared a look. Kirk glanced up at McCoy, for the entire world looking like a guilty child.
McCoy rolled his eyes and turned away, suddenly feeling too much like a parent. He motioned for the nurse to follow him as he threw back a meaningful look over his shoulder.
Kirk and Spock were left alone.
-x-
The mama alien had materialized out of thin air, slashing and tearing with her claws. Spock barely managed to evade the first swipe, but the second and third blows landed across his chest and stomach, spraying green blood everywhere.
"No!" Kirk shouted, wrapping an arm around the hostile alien's neck and pulling her away from Spock. Kirk threw the lighter being to the ground before quickly grabbing his phaser and stunning her.
"They're not dead," Kirk shouted to the others who had begun to advance on him. Kirk pointed to the juvenile who had been the cause of all of this, "He's not even fucking dead!"
Kirk started seeing red; he was ready to the get the hell out of Dodge before he really did kill someone.
"Captain," Spock's voice jerked Kirk back to reality. "I require some assistance."
-x-
Standing in medical bay now, Kirk remembered the rage that had almost consumed him – he felt it now, bubbling in his chest. Maybe he should turn the ship around-
"Jim," Spock again distracted the captain from his murderous thoughts.
"How do you do that?" Kirk asked.
"Do what?"
"Know when to distract me?"
Spock's eyebrows pinched together slightly as he considered this. Then, his features smoothed out again and the very ghost of a smile titled the corners of his mouth upwards.
"I just do, Captain," he answered.
Kirk took a step forward and gingerly touched one of Spock's hands, half-expecting the Vulcan to jerk away.
Kirk smiled brightly when Spock only closed his eyes, reveling in the contact and the emotions that trickled from Kirk's skin to his own.
"Get some rest, Mr. Spock," Kirk whispered, afraid to even speak. "I need you back to your ridiculous Vulcan-strength ASAP."
"Of course, Jim," Spock half-opened his eyes.
Reluctantly, Jim broke the contact, wishing on everything that he could stay here but a few more minutes. But there was a starship to run and a report to file.
-x-
Kirk had wanted the entire planet to burn.
Once he had safely secured Spock in Medical, he had stormed onto the bridge and ordered all weapon systems to full power.
"Damned assholes," Kirk growled to no one in particular.
"Jim, what the hell do you think you're doing," McCoy's voice demanded over the intercom in Kirk's chair.
"Teaching them a lesson!" Kirk shouted. "No one attacks my first-officer without my express fucking permission! These guys wanted to know how strong a Federation starship is? Well, I'll give them a special demonstration!"
"Checkov, let me know when-"
Kirk didn't see McCoy's fist until it was already connecting.
"Are you emotionally compromised, Captain Kirk?" the doctor demanded.
The question froze the blood in Kirk's veins, instantly turning his boiling rage to a chilling shame. Kirk held his jaw, unable to say anything.
"Are you-"
"No, doctor."
"I didn't think so," McCoy snarled the words. "Now that you're done with your tantrum, how about commanding your ship?"
"Mr. Sulu, plot a course to the nearest space station. All engines ahead: warp factor two."
"Course plotted, sir. All engines are ahead at warp factor two."
"Very well."
-x-
When a giddy Kirk entered the bridge he announced, "Mr. Spock will be fine, everyone."
Scotty eyed him suspiciously. The last time he had seen Kirk this happy was right before he had slammed a mouthy civilian's face into a wall of booze bottles.
"He'll be alright, then?" Scotty asked McCoy when he walked onto the bridge shortly after Kirk.
"Trust me, Scotty," McCoy's eyes followed the captain as he traversed between the various stations, getting reports and adjusting orders. "I would rather have this sickeningly happy Jim any day as opposed to that murderous bastard that was up here earlier."
"Aye," Scotty nodded. "That was a really good punch, by the way."
"You like that?"
"Very much."
"How did you get up here so fast, anyway?"
McCoy winked, "It's a doctor's secret."
-X-