Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek, Kirk, Spock or Bones. Don't make money off of them either.

Summary: A short story of the love between Spock and Bones (not slash, brotherly). Kirk/Spock pairing.

I must be stuck on looking at Spirk through the eyes of the wonderful Dr. Bones…

For the Love of Bones

There are some things that a physician never hopes to tell a family member. There are some things that a physician never hopes to tell a friend. There are even some things that a physician never hopes to tell a commanding officer. Even worse, there are some things that a physician never hopes to tell all three rolled into one man. This has held true since the birth of medicine and continues to hold true even in the 23rd century. But Bones had never been one to sugar coat anything, and he was not about to start now even for his best friend Jim, but he was sure that even what he had to tell Jim was no where near as bad as it might have been. Bones quietly left the surgical suite with his blue tunic showing more green than blue, heading towards his office. He knew that Jim would have snuck in there to be alone while he waited. Bones might not be the expert on Vulcan anatomy, but he was a skilled physician, he knew that if that had been a human on that table he would have died long ago. His shoulders slumped even further with that thought. They were only two months into their five-year mission, it was going to get much worse before it go better.

Bones slid into the room without a sound, relaxing back against the door frame. He found Jim behind his desk, leaning back in his chair and staring up at the ceiling. His shoulders were stooped, his mouth in a frown. The kid looked so forlorn with his faraway look. "Jim, I've done all I can do." Bones words were rough, his throat was dry. He was hurting nearly as much as Jim. "The next twenty-four hours will be touch and go. I gave him nearly two-thirds of his blood volume in transfusions and I've got him pumped full of every medication known to Vulcan-kind. I have been in touch with several physicians on New Vulcan. From what they have told me he has entered a healing trance. We can only hope for the best. He really took an awful beating down there and was nearly ripped to shreds. I promise you I have done all I can." He sat down with a weary heart on the sofa. He watched as Jim slowly looked him over not letting one detail go unnoticed.

Finally, Jim sat up and squared his shoulders. "I know you have done all you can, Bones." Jim's blue eyes became distant, glazing over in thought. "I should contact his father personally and explain the situation. I will also contact Pike and ask for change of course to divert to the Colony. I am sure that Spock will heal better if he is among his own kind." Bones watched as "Captain Kirk" took over Jim's persona. He knew that this was the kid's way of dealing with what was happening. Jim was making his way towards the door. "Thank you for all you have done." His tone was nearly icy it was so distant.

Maybe it was the lack of rest from working on his patient for nearly ten hours straight or maybe it was just Bones' temper, but something inside him snapped. Bones jumped up and stood in Jim's face, shaking in rage. "You might be the pointy-ear bastard's mate, but you ain't the only one that loves him!" Bones jabbed a finger into Jim's chest. "I have worked damn hard on him and I'll stake every damn bottle of brandy in the universe that he will pull through! You ain't going to transfer my patient any where Captain. I am the Chief Medical Officer, I will make that decision and you can't damn well over-ride that authority! I have done the best damn thing for him! There ain't a damn thing more that the Vulcans can do for him on the Colony. They told me that themselves. He needs to be on this ship during his recovery. He needs to be around the people he tried to protect by putting himself in harm's way. Those monsters not only physically injured him but they messed with his head, the report showed he was emotionally and psychologically assaulted as well. He needs to be around the people that love him and be taken care of by a physician that loves him as well. He needs to be on board this ship." Bones was seething, ranting and his left eye was starting to twitch. How could Jim sit there and say that he was not competent to take care of the Commander. He could not remember the last time he was this mad or the last time his mouth flew open of its own accord and starting spewing what ever had been stuck in the farthest recesses of his mind.

Jim had listened to Bones' whole rant with a stoic look on his face. His eyes would blur and then refocus every few seconds. He listened to every word Bones had said and everything the man had implied. Once Bones was done Jim raised an eyebrow and smiled, his cocky smile the one that said 'I've won' with that damn glimmer in his blue eyes. "Glad to know you love him too, Bones." The smile got even larger as Bones realized he had actually said that. "If that's how you feel, I have no problem leaving him in your care." Jim sat down on the couch and pulled the stiff doctor down with him. "I knew that Spock was in a healing trance, he explained that to me thru our mental link. In fact due to your diligent care, he is coming back to consciousness. But he knew how doubtful you were of yourself, he told me I had to do something to fix that." Jim wrapped his arm around Bones' shoulder. "He is going to be fine, now that you are confident in your own skills, Spock told me so. The only thing you have to worry about is the fact you confessed you love him too and I am pretty sure that he heard it." Jim clapped his shoulder and stood up in front of him. "I am going to sit with him until he wakes up completely. You, my friend, need to get some sleep."

Bones sank further into the couch and moaned. He finally understood the glazed over looks Jim had been giving him. He had been transmitting his every damn word to the Vulcan in the other room. They had just double-teamed him. He had confessed his love of Spock to not only Jim but Spock as well. But it was a brotherly love, he sure didn't want up in the middle of those two. Well, Bones had learned a few things of himself and the two men he loved like brothers tonight. He should not get mad while trying to defend himself and he should so pay attention when Jim gets those far away looks, and they both loved and cared for him too. Bones was going to study up on Vulcan anatomy and physiology so that he would never feel inadequate in Spock's care again, but first he was going to take a nice long nap. He knew he was going to need all the rest he could get before he had to face that duo again. If he thought the torture was bad before his mouth vomited his mind up, it was going to be twice as bad now.

A/N: Thank you for reading.

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