A/N: I do not own Doctor Who, Star Trek, or any of its associated characters.
Jim was used to be the center of attention. But he had to admit that for once, it was nice to fade into the background. Oh, there were still people at the conference who recognized him and engaged him in conversation. But when he had agreed to accompany Bones to this conference, he knew it would be all about his CMO.
And Jim had been happy to play second fiddle: enjoy the resort during the day, attend functions on Bones's arm at night, and make sure his lover felt appreciated when they returned to their room.
He smiled as he watched Bones chatting away with yet another doctor at the bar. A voice interrupted his thoughts.
"So, what's your speciality, doctor?"
Jim turned to look at the man who slid onto the chair next to him. He was tall with black hair, bright blue eyes, and a smile with dimples that could kill. He smiled back. "Not a doctor myself. You?"
The man shook his head and held out a hand. "Captain Jack Harkness. And you are?"
"Captain James T. Kirk," Jim responded readily, taking his hand and shaking it.
Jack's eyes widened. "Seriously?"
Jim grinned good naturedly. "Seriously."
Jack let go of his hand. "You're younger than I expected, Captain."
Jim sipped at his drink. "Call me Jim."
"Call me Jack."
After a lengthy discussion on the life cycle and biology of the Tsopikula spore, Leonard realized he hadn't gotten the doctor's name. He held out a hand. "I'm sorry, we were never introduced. Doctor Leonard McCoy."
The doctor with the English accent grinned and shook his hand vigorously. "Your reputation precedes you, Doctor. I know who you are."
"You have me at a disadvantage then, Doctor …?"
"Just the Doctor."
Leonard was about to comment further when he noticed Jim out of the corner of his eye. He seemed to be rather cozy with a man who was sitting at their table, chatting up his Jim. The two looked awfully friendly, and the other man was taking Jim's hand, drawing him closer and -
"Excuse me."
Leonard stomped over to the table just as Jim was pulled into a kiss with the stranger. He kept walking and pulled the man back. "And just what in the hell do you think -"
"Whoa, Bones, calm down!"
The man just grinned at Leonard. "Wow, if you're doctor, then I'm totally sick."
Leonard glared, grabbing the front of the man's shirt and jerking him close. "Now, you listen here -"
"Doctor McCoy!" The Doctor got between them. "My apologies. Clearly, my Captain was getting a bit too familiar with your captain."
"Your captain?" both Leonard and the interloper chorused.
The Doctor looked between them all and shook his head. "Jack, I think you owe Doctor McCoy an apology."
Jack held up his hands in a placating gesture. "Doctor McCoy, my apologies. I didn't realize Captain Kirk was spoken for."
Leonard folded his arms and continued glaring.
"Tell you what, let me buy everyone a round to smooth this whole thing over," Jack continued, waving over a waiter.
Jim took the opportunity to wrap his arm around Leonard's waist and ease him down into the chair he had evicted Jack from. "I'm sorry, Bones. It happened kinda fast."
Leonard looked at his captain and wondered how he ever got his way when faced with those baby blues. He leaned over and kissed him, curling a possessive hand around the back of his neck. "It's okay, darlin'. I believe you."
The Doctor and Jack sat across from them.
"So, let's try these introductions again. I'm the Doctor. This is Captain Jack Harkness." He grinned so widely his face nearly split in half. "And you must be the famous Captain Kirk."
"That I am. But Doctor who?"
Jack rolled his eyes as the drinks were delivered. "Just the Doctor."
Jim laughed and picked up his glass. "All right then. Here's to new friends." He raised his drink in a toast. The other three men did the same, clinking glasses before drinking down the liquor.
The conversation flowed more easily after that, punctuated with additional drinks. Leonard raised an eyebrow at Jim, since he hadn't seen his lover get that inebriated in quite some time.
Leonard slung an arm around his shoulders. "You all right there, darlin'?" he asked quietly.
Jim nodded, leaning against him. "Yup, never felt better, Bonesy-baby."
Leonard raised an eyebrow and tried to get Jim to sit up. "I think you've had enough, Jim."
The Doctor looked at the two of them and frowned, taking out some kind of metal device and waving it over Jim.
"What is it?" Leonard asked worriedly. Jim was getting heavier in his arms.
"He's been drugged," the Doctor answered. He waved the device over Leonard, Jack, and himself. "And it's only him."
"He has a lot of allergies," Leonard stated. "It could be-"
The Doctor shook his head. "It's not an allergic reaction."
"That doesn't look like any tricorder I've ever seen."
"It's even more accurate," Jack responded. He looked around. "Who's been bringing the drinks?"
The Doctor shook his head. "There's no time, we need to get him to the TARDIS. Now."
Leonard blinked. "The what? What are you talking about? What's wrong with him?"
The Doctor stood and got on Jim's other side. "Doctor McCoy, I need you to trust me. I can help him, but we need to move him to my ship. Right now."
Leonard locked eyes with the Doctor. "All right." Between them, they got Jim up and followed Jack out of the bar and down a series of hallways. Jim was unresponsive between them, ramping up Leonard's anxiety. His hands itched for a tricorder, but he had left his in his room. At Jim's request. Damn it, I shouldn't have listened!
"This way," Jack said, gesturing towards a blue box that said, "Police Box."
"What the hell?" Leonard asked, pausing. "That's …"
"This is my ship. Bigger on the inside, in we go," the Doctor urged.
Leonard mentally shrugged and helped him carry Jim inside. He blinked at the larger interior, following the Doctor's directions to place Jim on the single chair in the room. He felt for a pulse and then patted Jim's cheek, trying to rouse him. "Jim? C'mon now, you need to stay with me."
Jim groaned, but his eyes stayed closed.
Leonard looked back at the Doctor, who was using his metal device on the ship's console. "Damn it, do something! Have you got a sickbay on this boat?"
"Here, I grabbed his drink," Jack said, shoving it into the Doctor's hand.
"Right! Then this will have to work as a temporary solution." He put the glass to his lips and swallowed some of the liquid.
Leonard gaped. "Have you lost your ever-loving mind?! That's poison!"
"And I'm not human," the Doctor said, thumping his chest. "I can metabolize it. And even better, in this case, I can help him. Only one way to do it." He stepped forward, pushed Leonard out of the way, and kissed Jim full on the mouth.
Leonard had had enough of strangers making out with his Jim tonight. "Now, wait just a -"
Jack grabbed him and held him back. "Hold on. This isn't what it looks like."
"Oh, and I should trust you?!"
The Doctor stood back up. "That should help."
Jim blinked. "Nngh … what the …"
Leonard shoved the Doctor and Jack out of his way. He cupped Jim's cheek. "Hey, darlin'. How do you feel?"
"Dizzy," Jim answered, struggling to sit up. "Kinda … ugh, nauseous."
Leonard looked back at the Doctor and Jack. "Would someone kindly tell me what the hell is going on here? If you're not human, what are you?"
"I'm a Time Lord," the Doctor answered.
"No way," Jim gasped.
"Stay sitting, Jim," Leonard scolded, gently holding him down. "You're not steady on your feet."
Jim looked around the ship in wonder. "This is a time machine!"
Leonard was getting close to panicking about Jim's mental state until he saw Jack nodding. "It is?"
"Yep."
"I don't suppose you can take us back so that this horrible night never happened," Leonard growled.
"Aw, c'mon Doc, where would be the fun in that?" Jack asked.
"Sometimes it's like he's allergic to fun," Jim slurred.
Jack laughed. "I'm sure that you never let him get bored, Jim."
Leonard rolled his eyes. "You can say that again."
"All right, here we go!" the Doctor announced, handing a vial to Jim. "Drink up, and you'll be good as new. And to make up for any inconvenience we may have caused, you can have one trip in the TARDIS. Any time, any place."
"Awesome!" Jim cried before downing the liquid.
"I'd feel better if I could at least scan him with my own equipment," Leonard grumbled.
Jack pressed a few buttons on his wrist strap and then unbuckled it. "Here. That should be similar enough to what you're used to. Ease your mind, Doc."
Leonard took it and scanned Jim, happy to see that the toxin in his system was dissipating. He breathed a sigh of relief. "You all right?"
Jim smiled and sat up straighter. "Never better, Bones."
"We should find out who tried to poison you in a room full of doctors," Leonard said pointedly.
"Oh, we love a good mystery, don't we Doctor?" Jack responded with a grin.
"That we do," the Doctor answered eagerly. "We're happy to help."
Leonard shook his head. "God help me."
Leonard glared at the smoldering remains of the conference room. He could feel his left eyebrow twitching in barely-controlled rage.
"C'mon, Bones, what were the odds that the conference had been infiltrated by Slitheen looking to take over the bodies of key Starfleet medical personnel? I mean, no one could have seen that coming!" Jim exclaimed.
Leonard was not amused and let his glare wander over to the Doctor and Jack, who had helped them defeat the Slitheen. The conference center was mostly destroyed, though there had been few non-Slitheen casualties.
"...and they promised us a trip in the TARDIS -"
"No," Leonard snapped. "I am not going anywhere with those two. You're enough of a trouble magnet on your own."
Jim looked at him with wide blue eyes. "But Bones … this could be our one and only chance to travel in time! There must be something you want to see."
Leonard sighed and thought about it for a moment. "Okay, kid. I know when I want to go. There's … just something I gotta do."
Jim looked puzzled as Leonard turned away to speak with the Doctor.
Riverside, Iowa
2243
Leonard walked through the center of town - such as it was. He knew that Jim, Jack, and the Doctor were staying a discrete distance behind him. When Jim had realized where and when they were, he almost outright refused to participate. But Leonard had gently convinced him, assured him that he wouldn't change history.
Per Jim's directions, he headed towards the repair shop. Jim could always be found there after school. Leonard was only a few steps from the open garage when the sound of a crash greeted him.
An angry woman began screeching. "Goddamnit, Jimmy! You may be bright as hell, but you're clumsy as fuck! Just … git out of here and come back tomorrow with your head on straight!"
Leonard winced at the tone and the words. The kid was only ten, for God's sake, and trying to help out in the shop. McCoy was nearly run over by a blond blur that sped past him, onto a bike, and down the street.
Leonard looked around before starting to jog after him. He didn't have to go far, though.
A hover car sped through the intersection and crashed into the child.
Without even thinking, Leonard sprinted towards the kid, yelling for someone to get help. He reached Jim's side at the same time as the driver of the car.
"Oh my God, I didn't even see him! Is he okay?! Is he alive?!" he gasped.
Leonard knelt beside Jim, checking his pulse first. "He's alive." Jim's face was badly scraped up on one side, along with one of his arms. He was crumpled on his side, with one of his legs twisted underneath him.
"We need to get him out of the street-"
"Damn it, man, I'm a doctor. He might have a concussion or an injury to his spine. Do not move him. Not until help arrives." He leaned down and listened to Jim breathe. It was shallow but steady for the moment.
Jim's eyes fluttered open, and he groaned.
Leonard gently kept one hand on his shoulder and another on his hip. "Easy, kid. Don't move. You're hurt. Just stay still now. Help's on the way."
Jim's mouth opened and closed a few times but no sound came out.
"Take it easy," Leonard soothed. "What's your name?"
"J-Jimmy," he wheezed.
Leonard looked at the crowd closing in and ordered them back. "I know it hurts, Jimmy, but you're gonna be okay," he murmured, turning his attention back to Jim. Without any tools, he couldn't do much more than hold his hand until help arrived.
"Doesn't matter," Jimmy muttered, closing his eyes. "No one cares …"
Leonard barely managed to swallow back his rage. "It does matter, kid. You matter. And even if you don't think you do right now, one day you will find people that care about you. And you'll matter a lot to them. You're somethin' special, Jimmy, and don't you ever believe anyone who tells you different. You hear me?"
Jimmy's eyes blinked open again. "What … what are you saying? You don't know me …" The kid trailed off, eyes blinking slowly.
Leonard grabbed his uninjured hand and squeezed. "Hey. Stay with me, Jimmy. Stay awake." It definitely seemed like the kid had clocked his head when he went down. He might not even remember the conversation later. "I know it doesn't make sense, kid, but just trust me. You are special, and you are loved, whether you know it or not." Leonard breathed a sigh of relief as a medical transport came screaming down the road.
Jimmy's hand suddenly tightened around his. "Don't go."
Leonard felt his heart break. "Shh, you're okay, Jimmy. They're gonna help you. They're good doctors, just like me. But they'll actually be able to help, because I don't have any tools with me."
Jimmy's eyes started to fill with tears. "But I want you."
"I know, kiddo. But we gotta let them do their job. You'll be okay. And I'll see you later, all right?"
"You promise?"
Leonard nodded solemnly. "I promise, Jimmy." He let go of Jimmy's hand as the medical personnel swooped in to take over. A few minutes later, he managed to blend into the crowd and then walk away.
The Doctor and Jack were heading back towards the TARDIS. Jim was leaning against the wall of a bar, as if it were the only thing holding him up.
"Did you know that was gonna happen today?" Leonard asked.
Jim shook his head. "I didn't remember the date. I knew I'd be at the shop, but … I didn't know that happened today."
Leonard stepped a little closer, unsure of what Jim might be feeling. "Do you remember it?"
Jim nodded slowly. "I remember. I mean, I didn't remember it well until now. I hit my head pretty hard, and the pain was really bad. But I remembered that there was this guy talking to me, telling me to hold onto hope for the future." Jim rubbed his eyes. "I never thought it was you."
"Why would you?" Leonard let the silence hang between them, unsure if he had the right to ask his next question.
"It … it helped," Jim said finally. "It mattered, Bones, if that's what you want to know. I tried to think about what you said. Tried to find you, but I could barely remember what you even looked like …"
Leonard pulled Jim into a fierce hug, holding him tightly. "I'm sorry I can't make it all better, Jim."
"Don't be stupid," Jim said with a weak laugh. "It's not like I can reach into your past and fix everything. But … you helped me. I can't believe you wanted to use your one and only trip in a time machine just to help me."
Leonard turned his head to press a kiss to Jim's temple. "I love you, kid. I always want to help you."
Jim pulled away with a small smile. "I always seem to need it."
Leonard held out his hand, and Jim took it as they headed back to the TARDIS.
Jack smiled at them both. "Successful?"
Leonard nodded.
"Right!" the Doctor exclaimed, circling around the control panel. "Where to next?"
Jim raised an eyebrow. "Thought it was just one trip."
"Yeah, but as important as that was, it wasn't fun," Jack replied with a smile. "I convinced him you deserved one more."
Leonard sighed but couldn't help but smile at the way Jim's eyes lit up. "Okay, kid. You pick this time. When and where are we goin'?"
Jim grinned and then turned to the Doctor. "How about the American Old West?"
The Doctor returned the grin. "Allons-y!"