Stir Crazy
by Starsinger
I don't know what about Kirk death stories is so compelling. Maybe it's just a catharsis over this moving scene. No, Spock and Kirk are still not an item. Still doesn't make sense. So many people got the Charles Dickens "A Tale of Two Cities"/The Wrath of Khan/Spock gave to Kirk the book for his birthday reference. Cool. This is Kirk, again, alive, stuck in bed because he's weak as a newborn, and driving Bones up the wall. So glad nobody got upset over my use of bibliophile. I'm one myself. Poor books, they don't stand a chance. I'm picking on poor Scotty. He's still my favorite character, and Simon Pegg is a wonderful comedian, still love Shaun of the Dead. I think he'd forgive me for this. Still don't own them. Ooooohhhh Myyyyyy!
Doctors didn't make the worst patients, Starfleet Captains who died did. That damn Tribble gave him less trouble. Alright, the Tribble in question ate and purred at regular intervals, but at least he'd figured out how to keep from breeding. Oh, Jim was quickly recovering, at least internally, he just complained. He couldn't go to the bathroom by himself, that would require being able to sit up much less walking to the bathroom. He still couldn't feed himself, although, he liked the pretty nurses who helped him do that. The worst was all the machines that monitored his continued well-being. Truth be told, the machines could have been removed yesterday, he just enjoyed watching Jim squirm.
McCoy watched as Jim wrapped both hands around a cup of water before bringing it to his lips. Jim's hands didn't shake too much. Someone had raised the head of the bed up so he didn't feel like he was missing anything. He hadn't asked if he could get up in about an hour. Jim's mother had come, after being traumatized into thinking Jim was dead.
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Spock and Mr. Scott approached the farmhouse where Kirk's mother still lived. A young man happened to look out the window at their approach and yelled for his mother, "Moooom! Mooom! It's Jim!"
Winona ran to the door, wrenching it open, only to find strangers in Starfleet uniforms at her door. Her head began to shake, "NO! Nononononono," she repeated over and over again.
Scott and Spock looked at each other as Scott managed to say the exact wrong thing, "No, ma'am, please dinnae panic. Captain Kirk hannae been dead for hours!" Winona promptly collapsed into her son's arms. Spock put his hand against his forehead, shaking it in disbelief. He would have preferred Dr. McCoy here, but the good doctor would not leave the Zurich hospital where Jim hovered between life and death.
The young man introduced himself as George, Jim's older brother. He'd come home after his mother divorced his erstwhile step-father. Years on the road had hardened the young man, and he was considering going to college. He helped his mother to the couch as Spock and Scotty unfolded their tale. The tale ended with, "Jim was taken to the Starfleet Hospital in Zurich, Switzerland. It was the closest hospital able to handle what Jim would go through."
Winona choked on a sob, "So, Jim isn't dead." She clung to her other son, her crying calming down to hiccups. "Can we go see him?"
"That's why we're here," Spock said solemnly. Scotty nodded with a smile.
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"I didn't know you have a brother," Bones said conversationally.
Jim drank his water before slowly putting the cup back on the bedside table, "Yes, George, I haven't seen him since I drove my Dad's car off a cliff when I was ten."
Bones chuckled, "Why doesn't that surprise me? You have visitors."
"More?" Jim asked. Most of the crew and a few members of the Federation Council and Starfleet Command had come to visit him. Bones turned back toward the door as two people entered. "Mom? George?!" Jim's voice became small and incredulous. His visitors rushed over and hugged him. Bones left the room.
Winona sank into the chair next to the bed, "You are so much like your Father." Jim looked away, embarrassed. "You died to save your crew, something George did, and it saved us," she paused as a nurse brought in a tray of food."
"This isn't your first visit," Jim said. I remember voices while I was unconscious. Yours were among them. I'm glad you both came."
George smiled, "Just like always, Jimmy, always snooping into other people's conversations." His mother lifted the cover off the plate to reveal what looked like baked chicken, potatoes, and broccoli. Jim groaned he hated broccoli.
The nurse grinned, "Would you like me to stay and feed you Captain?" she asked oh so sweetly.
George's eyebrows went up into his hairline, "Getting the nurses to feed you Jimmy? You must be special."
A shadow crossed Jim's face as he studied his brother. He lifted an arm and reached for the fork. He managed to pick it up but his hand shook so much he dropped it. The arm dropped back into his lap. "I can actually manage to drink water, but I need both hands to keep from spilling it everywhere."
Winona briskly cut up the food and started to feed her weakened son, "I haven't done this in over twenty years!" she said with a grin. "It grates on your nerves that you're not out there, doesn't it?"
Jim sighed, "Spock is overseeing repairs on the ship with Scotty. Bones is here with me. Everybody is moving around, I'm convinced Sulu has a date today, and I'm stuck here. Mom, I don't like broccoli!"
"Oh, be quiet and eat your vegetables," Winona said with a grin. "I'm proud of you, Jim."
They left promising to visit again as Uhura entered. She'd run across Jim's family before, and she carried the book she'd started reading to him two weeks earlier. "Another chapter, Jim?" she asked.
He smiled back at her, he also remembered the story, he leaned back and closed his eyes. Her pleasant voice filled the room. She'd promised that the book would be his when she was done. She finished the chapter and looked up, Jim heard her say, "Oh, hello Admiral Johnson."
"Hello, Lieutenant, I'd like to speak with Jim alone," the new Commander, Starfleet, Fleet Admiral Mary Johnson looked straight at Jim.
"Of course, Admiral," Uhura replied, "I'll see you tomorrow, Captain."
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"I don't care what else you do!" the Admiral told Bones and Spock. "We need James Tiberius Kirk alive and whole!"
Bones stared at the woman with astonishment, not quite sure what was going on, "Admiral, we're doing what we can. It's all ultimately up to Jim. He gave up once, I have no idea if he'll give up again."
"Come with me," she said. Both men obeyed as she led them into a nearby room. She inserted a card into the computer and the monitor lit up. The image showed the same footage of Khan that Admiral Marcus had shown another group of men days before. She paused the video, "Do you know what Jim's particular genius is?" she asked quietly. McCoy shook his head, she continued the video. Jim's voice spoke clearly as he analyzed, dissected, and came to the conclusion that Khan was on his way there, just before an explosion shattered the moment.
Spock nodded his head, he'd been there and heard Jim's remarkable analysis of the situation. "What are you saying, Admiral? I'm not going to force Jim to live if his body can't cope."
"I know, Doctor, but there's trouble brewing. Admiral Marcus was a fool. Klingons, Romulans, you name it and it's there. Can you do what he did in that room with just a five minute video? I don't know anyone else who can. When he recovers you'll be embarking on that five year mission that's been bandied about. I need him seasoned, I need him experienced and that genius honed. If he were five years older, I would be promoting him to Fleet Captain or even Rear Admiral and putting him in charge of Fleet Operations Tactical. That's it, Doctor, Commander, you're dismissed."
They left the room and Bones looked at Spock, seriously, "If we survive the five years, I wonder if we could accidentally 'lose' Jim on some planet or another. He'd be lost at a desk job." Spock silently agreed.
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"Another medal for your collection, Jim," the Admiral said.
Jim managed to grasp the box and open it. The Purple Heart rested inside. Still the medal of the wounded warrior, Jim gazed at it in astonishment. His hands slipped off the table as he studied the woman standing in front of him, "I'll be blunt, Mary, what do you need?"
"I can always count on you to be straightforward, Jim. Congratulations, you're getting your mission. Five years to do nothing but explore and map and hopefully stay out of trouble."
The days passed slowly as Kirk first sat up on his own, fed himself, and put himself in the bedside chair. Sulu walked in as Kirk finally made it into the chair. Jim smiled at his friend, "Sulu, how are you?"
Sulu nervously replied, and Kirk wondered what was wrong. Finally, Sulu told him, "I have someone I'd like you to meet." Another young man entered the room, tall, gangly, and even what would be termed as dark and handsome he smiled, anxious as Hikaru was, he hovered nearby. "Captain, this is Brad, my boyfriend."
Kirk didn't say anything for a long moment, then held out his hand to Brad, "Hello, Brad, it's good to meet you." Brad took it and shook it more firmly than Jim was able to at that moment. "You take care of Sulu, he's the best helmsman I have." Brad hesitantly put his arm around Sulu. Kirk looked on rather enviously, maybe he could talk Carol into staying on the Enterprise.
His musing was interrupted as Sulu broke into Jim's thoughts, "Thanks, Captain, I was a little apprehensive."
Kirk looked at them, "This isn't the twentieth century, Sulu. You're not going to be drummed out because you love someone different than I would choose. Go live life and love. I'm not one to judge."
Two days later Jim was driving him to distraction. Bones begged Spock to take Jim out. Spock and Uhura picked Jim up and wheeled him out and down the street. A local restaurant promised good food and catered to the Starfleet personnel who were employed at the local hospital and base nearby. Kirk looked around the restaurant just glad to be alive. He ordered the fish while Uhura ordered steak and Spock went with the vegetarian dish that looked appealing. It was amazing that he was sitting here, alive. He looked over and spotted Chekov with yet another girl.
"Yes, Jim, he's getting your reputation with the ladies. Although, he seems quite smitten with this one. It's lasted the entire time you've been here!" Uhura said with a laugh.
"What do you think of Brad?" Jim asked.
"He is a pleasant young man, Jim," Spock still sounded a little uncomfortable saying his name. "Genuinely fond of young Sulu." Spock cocked an eyebrow as Jim sighed after taking a bite of fish.
"Try the food I've been eating, Spock, you'll understand that sigh. McCoy says I should be well enough to attend the memorial service in a few days."
"Yes," Spock said with another pause, they both stopped to remember another friend lost to Khan. Pike had been more than a mentor to Jim, he'd been the father he'd never known. More than the bastard his mom had married years ago. "Will you speak?" Jim nodded, not sure what he'd say. He'd done a lot of thinking. He even had a vague memory of meeting up with Pike while hanging between life and death.
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The pain was gone. The fear abolished. Jim hung there, unsure as to what to do as he watched Spock turn and rush for the door. He suddenly heard a voice, "They're not going to let you stay dead, you know."
Jim turned to see Christopher Pike beside him, "I'm pretty sure there's not much choice in the matter anymore." He watched as Scotty finished the decontamination procedure and his body exited the chamber. He winced as he watched as his head hit the doorjamb. He stared at the people standing in the corridor, paying silent tribute to another fallen comrade before Pike spoke again.
"Jim, your true self is about to be recognized, and your wildest dreams come true. BUT, be careful, it comes with a price tag. They need you more than you need them…" The mists arose again and remembered nothing more.
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Maybe it was a hallucination, he was very ill the entire time. Unfortunately, Spock Prime confirmed it the other day with a simple note, "Don't let them promote you, Jim."
"Chris was a good man, and didn't deserve his fate. He died doing what he loved best, serving to the best of his abilities. He won't be forgotten."
Days later, on the bridge of the Enterprise, a plaque was hung with the names of everyone who died fighting both Khan and Nero. At the top of the plaque was the name: Rear Admiral Christopher Pike.
Cookies to anyone who can tell me who Brad really is. Hint: Oh My…