Summary: Follow-up to Ginger Ninja's "Pillows" (www .fanfiction .net/ s/5904 102/ 1/ Pillows) . The shuttle lands after a hundred days of harsh training off-planet and Jim finds an unexpected welcome. Hints of Tarsus IV. Posted with Ginger's permission.
Old Bones
Jim was shaken awake by an exhausted and grumpy Leonard when the shuttle landed. Leonard watched the kid stand and stretch, not even stumbling at the rude awakening and somehow looking refreshed after their pitiful excuse for rest. The kid twisted to loosen up his back and caught sight of Leonard still seated, refusing to move. Teasing, he spoke up, "Aww, Bones, your old bones too tired to get up." When that didn't get the older man moving, Jim switched tracks, "Come on, Bones, remember the pillows you were telling me about. Nice, soft pillows to sleep on. Remember?" Groaning, Leonard levered himself up, if only to silence the kid. Grinning, Jim lead the way to the open shuttle door confidently, though Leonard was sure that he had to be in quite severe pain with those burns.
Abruptly, Jim froze at the exit and Leonard nearly walked into him, "Jim, what're you stopping for?" He peered around the kid's tense form to see an apparently furious Captain Pike at the bottom of the stairs. Sighing, he shoved Jim forward, "Move it, Jim." He wasn't sure what the kid could have done to piss off the older man, one of the few who seemed genuinely fond of him, when he had been away at training for weeks, but whatever it was would not be keeping him from his nice, soft pillows.
Jim stumbled just a bit before squaring his shoulders and stepping off the stairs, heading toward Pike rather like he was heading toward his doom. Indeed, Pike certainly seemed upset enough to kill the kid. Grumbling mentally, Leonard tried to continue past the duo with single-minded focus on his bed, but found himself unable to help slowing as he neared them several feet from the end of the ramp. Trying to casually appear to not be eavesdropping on his superior and his friend, he leaned into a shady spot at the corner of the shuttle. Neither man seemed to see him or if they did they didn't acknowledge him. From where he stood, he caught only bits of an apparently heated argument.
"Jim, you'd better have a damn—"
"Chris, save it. I'm sore, I'm exhausted, and I'm tired." Leonard glanced closer at Jim when he seemed to repeat himself and put such odd emphasis on his words, deflating in front of Pike like a popped balloon, for once without his damn impenetrable bravado. Pike winced and sighed as Leonard watched, concern Leonard hadn't previously noticed sharpening his features. He murmured something to the kid, who shook his head loosely.
"No, Chris." Pike appeared to repeat himself, louder this time so that Leonard caught a few words, "You didn't – you know…" Jim straightened a bit and Leonard recognized real upset in the set of his shoulders.
"Chris, I know! But there was no way I was going to use that damned pass." Jim sounded some combination of disgusted and dismissive and Pike looked furious. They were both getting steadily louder and Leonard could hear them almost perfectly. He was very glad the rest of the staff and cadets had headed out quickly, leaving them as the only three left by the shuttle.
"Jim! For the love of God, would you stop and think for one second! The only ones that matter know that you did not have to do this! You don't have to keep proving yourself!" Jim was mutinous and appeared ready to interrupt with his own shouting but Pike chopped a hand through the air harshly to stop him. "I got you that pass for a reason, Jim! Not because I thought you couldn't handle it or whatever insanity you had running through your head, but because I know that you could handle that and anything else they can throw at you. I didn't want you to have to go through it again for no goddamn reason!" Pike was angrier than Leonard could ever remember seeing him and Jim was deflating again. Pike took several deep breaths to restrain his temper and spoke quieter.
"Jim," he sighed again and his lips twitched in a rueful almost-smile. "Jim, I realize that no matter how much I say it you're not going to believe it, but I'm proud of you." Jim's head jerked up in surprise and Pike smiled at him, clapping a hand on his shoulder. Leonard only realized he had moved closer when he noticed how quiet Pike's voice was and how clearly he could still hear it.
"I am very proud of you, kid. I don't agree with putting yourself through another hell, but I think we're going to have to agree to disagree on this one." Jim quirked his own cheeky grin at that, implicit agreement and acknowledgement of his own stubbornness. Pike chuckled and draped an arm around the kid's shoulders, steering him out of the landing zone. He glanced back and waved Leonard forward. The Southern doctor trotted forward on weary legs, not sure if he was surprised that Pike seemed to know he was there all along. Jim looked surprised to see him for just a second before he laughed sheepishly.
"Sorry about that, Bones. We can head to those pillows now." Leonard just shook his head at the kid and bopped him on his blonde head. Jim whined and childishly rubbed at the spot, pouting over his shoulder at Leonard. Pike chuckled again and spoke with his usual calm.
"Actually, Jim will be coming with me, McCoy," Jim switched to staring at him, shocked, though Leonard was surprised when he didn't argue, just nodding slowly as Pike eyed him.
"Well, I'm heading to a bed, then. You'll take care of the kid, Captain?" Leonard knew he might have been pushing it talking to a senior officer in that tone, but Jim was his friend and needed looking after. Pike didn't seem upset, just grinned and nodded to him, "Will do, Doctor," ignoring Jim's complaints about being able to take care of himself.
Pike lead the kid away, keeping up a constant stream of words to distract him, and Leonard shook his head. He turned on his heel and hurried for his dorm. Let Pike deal with Jim's insanity for once – Leonard McCoy was going to find himself a bed.