Never Alone in the Void

By: Wolfa Moon

Disclaimer: Own nothing. Just having fun.

Summary: Bones turned into a kid. Ever After or Scooby Doo Ending

**************

Jim had decided to finally tell Bones how he truly felt. No more friends with benefits.

No more under table blow jobs. No more closet quickies. Maybe not no more but their would be true love between them. His hand fiddled with the rings in his pocket. Watching the planet come into screen his palms began to sweat.

"Communication from the Mandrate. She wants you to beam down to the planet."

"Is Bones ok?" Uhura turned to her post then back.

"She replies she will meet you as the transport site," Kirk looked to Spock and he raised an eyebrow, intriguing the gesture stated.

They arrived in the transporter room and beamed down.

There at the site was one of the high priestess from before standing there. A small boy beside her dressed in their roman attire. The child gripping tightly to her apparel.

"Good day Mandrate."

"Good day Captain."

"Where is Bones?"

"So that is what he meant." She looked to the boy then him. The boy looked to be two/three. "Leonard don't be shy these are your friends." The boy looked at them. Kirk's heart stopped beating. Those eyes. The eyes he so many times seen with such love and emotion. Eyes that only he beheld in exctasy. He recognized his friend. His lover. Anger boiled.

"What the hell have you done?" the boy turned and buried himself in her skirt. She rested a hand on him.

"We gave him a gift." Spock knelt down and the boy turned to him. Kirk was the one who was supposed to be doing that, not Spock. Spock kept his gaze on his young friend. Mandrate and the captain turned to converse but she stopped to watch the interaction.

"Hello."

"Hello. Are you a goblin?" Spock tilted his head.

"No, but a friend of mine has inquired that I am one on many occasions." Leonard stepped forward and motioned toward his ears. "I am a Vulcan."

"I know. Can I touch them?"

"You may," the boy looked to the woman then to Spock. Spock opened his arms and let the child in. He picked the child up and stood up. Spock recognized their friend and had every intention of leaving with him. He didn't have much left and he wasn't going to loose one bit of his Enterprise family. Watching small hands trace his ears with curiosity.

"I am going to take him to Enterprise and make sure our friend is alright." Kirk could only nod. "Leonard, I'm going to take you home." He looked to the woman again.

"That is your home," she confirmed.

"Thank you," the two smiled. Spock produced his communicator. "Mr. Scott, two to beam up." Kirk watched as his two best friends vanished. Turning to the lady he lay way to attack.

"What the hell have you done?" she stared hard at him.

"We gave him a gift. He was so sad when he came. The only joy he had was with the children. Our head priestess watched him. She admired him and felt for him. But it would not be so. His heart was longing so hard for someone that they didn't even realize. He said he was content but we saw through it. So we gave him the chance to relive again hopefully to relearn to have love without the pain."

"How can you predict that?"

"We can't. But this time, he won't have to waste on the one who hurt him so gravely."

"And how do we turn him back?" She smiled.

"Have a good life Captain." She smiled and moved away. Kirk took a step toward her but she had vanished on the wind. She knew that he was the long loved. Knew what she had taken. Something he never realized that was always his. Now it wasn't.

**

Entering sickbay he noticed Spock sitting on a biobed with his arms filled with one child formed Leonard McCoy. The man he loved, gone. A man he never told. One who had longed for him. Kirk wanted to run away. He would in a moment but he wanted to make sure it wasn't a joke. The child was asleep with both arms hugging the Vulcan's neck for dear life.

"How did it go Captain?"

"This is a gift for helping them."

"Is there a way to reverse this?"

"She wouldn't tell me," he sighed. "Is this really him?"

"Yes," Spock made a move to hand him over. Jim stepped back.

"I can't." He turned and left the room.

**

Uhura entered Spock's quarters to find him playing his lyre for the small boy. She smiled as the boy hummed with him. He looked up at his bond mate and smiled. She smiled back. The boy turned to her than ran behind Spock. Uhura looked hurt at this but knelt down to his level. Spock put down his lyre and motioned for the boy to come around.

"She will not hurt you. This is my T'hy'la, Nyota."

"She's your wife?"

"Yes." She watched as he came forward and bowed to her. The greeting from the planet below. She smiled and tilted her head in a bow in return.

"A pleasure to meet you Leonard."

"An honor." She opened her arms and pulled him toward her and hugged him. Their friend had been turned into a child. She could see it in his face but his eyes seemed so lost. There was no hidden spark that he showed to his friends when he smiled. Or the sparkle when he was being serious but caring with all his heart. This was just a boy, relearning his friends who loved him so much. Her shift had ended with Kirk demanding her to keep hailing the planet till they responded. They had finally responded allowing her to vacate to Spock's quarters to see her friend. She held him tightly and picked him up. He nuzzled into her neck. She smiled over to Spock. He felt the love thorough their link. The desperate need to help their friend, no their family. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes, please." Spock rose holding his arms out to take him. She held him tighter.

"No way, you had him all day. He's mine now." Spock raised an eyebrow. The boy giggled. "Let's get something to eat.

*

Kirk was fuming. They would give him no further information. The head priestess even talked to him. Informing him that he had lost love and that he had to be gifted it back. But he had argued he had love. She told him otherwise. And wished him well in taking care of Leonard. He would be remembered forever on her planet. Kirk was peeved. He had saved them. Bones had saved them with his brilliant mind now it was gone. His friend his lover was gone. Doctor Leonard Horatio McCoy, CMO of the USS Enterprise was no more.

*

Entering the food lounge he paused. His heart constricted. He wanted to run, flee. His whole senior staff was sitting at a table. Leonard was sitting on Scotty's lap. Scotty was regaling him of some past tale. Len was laughing at whatever. Spock leered over at Scotty to not teach Len such ludicrous things. When did Spock become the father of the group. Telling what to teach and not to teach. The one who cared. The one job that was Bones'. Uhura had stepped up to that post as well. Chekov smiled at whatever Uhura said. Sulu threw a grape at Chekov. He grabbed it, tossed it, and caught it. Everyone clapped. Spock saw Kirk by the door. He quirked an eyebrow. Kirk shock his head and turned. He wasn't hungry. Turning he went to the only place his Bones still lived. Inside his friend's quarters he began to realize all he was and all he missed. Kirk broke and began to cry. His friend was gone.

*

Kirk keep his distance from his former friend. Everyone thought he would step up and take the caring for his best friend. McCoy would care for him if he was turned. He was sure of it. But he was not Bones. Bones was gone. All there was left was Len.

Spock rang Kirk's doorbell.

"Enter." Spock entered and saw some of McCoy's things streamed around the room.

"Captain."

"We're off duty." Kirk turned to him. "Haven't seen you much." He nodded.

"I have been occupied." Spock had been wondering why he was not there for Len. On several occasions inquiring about this. Kirk just retreated from those questions. Speaking only of past adventures. Present missions. He had become the untouchable Captain.

"Yes, how is Len?" Len, the boy was Len, not Bones, not even McCoy.

"He is well. That is why I am here."

"I know I need to met him and stuff but I can't."

"I realize this captain. And over the past 3 months I have realized that. So I have a solution." Kirk perked at this. Did he have a way to get Bones back? "Uhura and I wish to adopt Leonard and request transfer to Vulcan." Kirk stood at this. He felt challenged. The walls closing in. His crew failing. He expected a cure not this.

"And if I deny this?"

"Then I will go to Admiral Pike."

"What about McCoy's family?"

"I have contacted them already. They are most elderly. But just request a visit from us on occasions. And have signed consent over toward Nyota and I."

"Just like that."

"Yes," Kirk sunk to the bed. Defeated. He was losing everything. "Jim?" Spock voice said with some emotion. Feeling some of his pain.

"Tell Sulu to set a corse for Vulcan."

"Yes sir. Jim?" Kirk looked up. "I, recommend you at least visit Len before we depart. He is not Bones but a part of him is still their."

"Thank you Spock." Spock exited. Kirk got up and moved over to his clothes drawer. Pulling out a pouch that once held his future. Turning it over two rings fell into his hand. Kirk slipped one on. He had loved and would never love another. Holding the second one between his fingers. There was only one person who should have this.

*

Entering sickbay he saw the child on one of the Biobeds watching the readouts. Chapel was stocking carts.

"Captain."

"Chris, can you give us a moment?" She nodded and moved over to Len. Len looked to JIm then her. He smiled and gave her a hug. She exited into Bones' old office. Kirk approached.

"Hello Len."

"Hello."

"What are you doing?"

"Spock said I need to calm down more. So trying to make them go down."

"Is it working?"

"No, Uhura says I'm a kid and allowed to not be calm." Kirk smiled.

"May I sit with you?" Len nodded, scooting back to give Kirk room. Kirk hopped up taking in he kid. "So you ready to go live on Vulcan?"

"Yes, I think."

"Not sure?" Len tilted his head.

"I like Ent'prise." Jim smiled.

"And she likes you." Len smiled. Smiles that Bones use to rarely show. Smiles that he would have to hide on VUlcan. "I have a gift for you." Len smiled and would have hopped up and down if not on the bed. Guess Spock instilled the no jumping on the bed rule. But I bet when no one was looking he jumped. He was a jumper. Kirk pulled the small pouch from his pocket and handed it over. Len opened the pouch and pulled out a chain then on the end was what was to be his wedding ring. He stared at it then Kirk. Jim took it and put it over the kids head.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Len put his finger through the ring.

"It's big."

"You'll grow into it."

"What if I don't?" Kirk smiled and pulled Len into his lap. The first real hold on his friend. He buried his face in his friends hair. Remembering everything that he had and lost.

"You will." I love you so much, the words cried. But he couldn't say it. He had lost his best friend. His would be husband if he would have him. All that remained was the child he finally held in his arms. The boy nuzzled into his neck relaxing into the man who had given him a present. Kirk began to cry. "I love you so much Bones."

*Scooby Doo Ending* or *Happily Ever After*