DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction using characters from the Star Trek universe. I do not claim any ownership over them or any of the many Trek universes. This work is solely for entertainment purposes and is not considered canon (not by a long shot).

Leonard McCoy wasn't truly surprised when his best friend, James T. Kirk, approached him for dinner after the receiving both a commendation and his commission. After all, they'd been roommates and friends since coming to the Academy on a shuttle from Riverside, Iowa. The fact that Leonard was an omega and Jim was an alpha hadn't really figured into the equation much. They just fit. Leonard endured the seemingly endless stream of lovers through Jim's life and nursed his alpha friend through hangovers, split knuckles and broken noses. Jim made sure Leonard was safe during his heats and dragged the normally reserved omega out for nights on the town occasionally. It was a comfortable relationship that had never progressed farther than close friendship.

Jim took Leonard to a small hole-in-the-wall club that had a great blues ensemble. They took a booth in the back and had probably one of the best steaks Leonard had ever tasted. It was good enough that he was able to ignore his normal irritation over being flirted with by every unattached alpha that noticed him. A few attached ones tried their luck as well but Leonard just politely declined the offers and growled at Jim who always took great glee in his friend's grumpiness. The meal and music had been good. They'd laughed over good liquor and even a cigar or two. By the time they left, Leonard was pleasantly relaxed.

After they left the club, however, things took a decidedly odd turn — not that Leonard was about to complain. Pausing outside, Jim pushed his hands into his jacket pockets and looked up at the night sky. Leonard looked at him curiously and cocked one eyebrow.

"Jim?"

"Bones … I'm headed into the black soon. I want you with me," Jim said softly.

Leonard huffed a laugh. "No kidding … good thing I already put in my assignment request."

Jim smiled and ducked his head. "Yeah, figured you had. But I want … damn, I don't know how to say this."

Leonard frowned. "Usually just comin' out with it is the best policy, Jim. Since when do you have to be nervous about telling me anything?"

Jim sighed and met Leonard's hazel eyes with his blue ones. "Bones, I want you to be my omega."

Leonard blinked. Of all the things he'd expected from this evening, this was not one of them. Dinner, drinks and maybe … maybe sex if the stars aligned … but in all his dreamed scenarios, Leonard had never imagined Jim Kirk would be asking to lay claim to him.

"Jim … I —" Leonard cursed his sudden inability to form coherent sentences.

From the moment they'd met on that long-ago shuttle, Leonard had been drawn to Jim … along with the majority of people who interacted with the man. When Jim had requested to room with Leonard, the omega had briefly hoped but Jim's inherent appeal to members of both sexes had quickly quashed his dream of ever being Jim's. Instead, he'd focused on solidifying their friendship into something deep and lasting. It was enough … when Leonard could force his heart to heel to his head.

"Making me kinda nervous again, Bones," Jim said, interrupting Leonard's musings. "I — uh — well, if you're not interested …"

Leonard chuckled and looked out across the bay. "Not interested? Kid, I've never been anything but interested since we met. Why now? Why me?"

Jim smiled in his familiar way — the smile that invited you in and made you feel like you were the only thing in his world. Leonard tried to calm his suddenly pounding heart.

"Bones … it's always been you," Jim said softly. His hand came up to pull Leonard to him.

Leonard felt the lips he'd dreamed about when he wasn't forcing himself through multiple shifts at the medical center or struggling through a long night preparing for a test. They were just as soft as he'd imagined and just as insistent.

"Damn it, Jim …" Leonard whispered against his friend's mouth.

Jim chuckled and Leonard felt it all the way to his toes. "Sorry, Bones … I just really, really want you."

Foreheads pressed against one another, Leonard growled, "You've had how many years to do this?"

"So I'm a little slow … you still haven't answered me, Bones," Jim murmured. "Will you be my omega?"

"Buckle up," Leonard said in response. Jim's smile was blinding.

A year later, Enterprise CMO Leonard McCoy had to question his own sanity and that of his alpha who just happened to be Captain James Kirk. How the hell a survey mission had morphed into a save-the-planet crisis leaving him standing with a leather-hided beast of burden with six-inch tusks was beyond him. The creature stomped impatiently as they waited for Jim to arrive. The shouts Leonard could hear echoing through the crimson forest were warning enough. Leonard held the reigns a little tighter and prepared to mount the thing as soon as Jim was close enough to make the leap onto the creature's back.

Of course Jim was unaware of Leonard's planning and simply ran up on the creature while trying to escape the enraged natives. He yelled in surprise as whatever the thing was reared up and roared at him. His phaser was out and firing before the thing's feet touched back down. It fell motionless to the ground. A blue-robed individual behind it pulled off its hood and revealed the familiar and handsome face of Jim's omega. Of course, the expression on Leonard's face was also one that Jim was familiar with — complete exasperation.

"Damn it, man! That was our ride! You just stunned our ride!" Leonard yelled.

Jim pulled his own hood and face covering back and looked down at the limp beast with a grimace. "Oh great." Jim was saved a further tongue-lashing from his omega by the increasing volume of shouts coming from behind him. He saw Bones' eyes widen as yellow-clad natives carrying rather large spears began appearing through the foliage. "RUN!"

Dashing past Bones, Jim led the way through the forest focusing on an alternate plan. Leonard followed, hampered by the robe he was wearing.

"What the hell did you take?!" Leonard yelled.

"I don't know but they were all bowing to it!"

Leonard groaned. Leave it to Jim to zero in on what was probably the most sacred and precious item in existence to these people — the one they would kill over. He raced after his alpha and tried not to trip as he leapt over fallen trees and dodged through long hanging vines.

As he ran, Jim opened his comm. "Kirk to Shuttle One — locals are out of the kill zone! You're clear — repeat — Spock! Get in there and neutralize the volcano and let's get out of here!"

Leonard heard Spock asking Jim if the natives had seen them. "No, Mr. Spock they did not."

Spock continued quote regulations and Leonard cursed mentally at the Vulcan's insistence on clinging to procedure. "I know what the regulation says! Which is why I am running through the jungle wearing a disguise! Now drop off your super ice-cube and let's go! Kirk out!"

Bones grinned as he ran. His smile faded as a spear landed in front of him. He ducked another one and felt one strike the ground just behind him. "They're trying to kill us! They're trying to kill us, Jim!"

Jim winced at the fear in his omega's voice. He guessed telling Bones now that the shuttle wasn't going to pick them up would only make things considerably worse so he just kept running. From behind him came the sound of Bones' voice raised in confusion.

"Jim! Jim, the beach is that way!"

Jim did not alter his direction. "I know! We're not going to the beach!"

Leonard frowned and then realized where they were headed. "No No No!" Once again, Leonard wondered to himself just exactly what the hell he'd been thinking when he accepted Jim's claim and collar. "I hate this!"

Jim glanced at his omega. "I know you do!"

Then they were both leaping off the cliff into the ocean below with echoing yells. Jim shucked his robe quickly and looked over to see Bones doing the same. He could almost feel his partner's anger through the chill water but he didn't have time to ponder it. Turning, they both activated their water jets and slid through the darkening waves to a familiar shape lying beneath them.

Entering through an airlock on the side of the ship, Bones and Jim held on to the handholds as the water vacated the lock. Tearing off his goggles, Jim grinned at Bones in a wet-suit. Bones rolled his eyes.

"Down, boy."

The interior hatch opened and Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott stood with an indignant expression on his face. "Do you know how ridiculous it is to hide a starship on the bottom of the ocean? We've been here since last night! The salt water is going to ruin —"

Jim stepped up to his engineer and interrupted the rant. "Scotty! Where's Spock?"

"Still in the volcano, sir."

Leonard saw the tension that gripped Jim's shoulders. His mate was protective of anyone he considered a friend … and whether or not the Vulcan science officer realized it, Jim counted him among the closest. Following him, Leonard and Scott raced down the Enterprise corridors to the turbo-lifts. Jim gripped Leonard's shoulder in the lift and got a similar squeeze in return. Starfleet allowed mates to serve together, but public displays of affection were strictly taboo so they made do with what they could. After a year together, they could communicate more emotion in a single touch than most couples could in an entire conversation.

The lift doors opened and they all emerged onto the bridge. Jim scanned for Uhura.

"Lieutenant, do we have an open channel to Mr. Spock?"

Bones moved to his normal position beside the captain's chair as Uhura answered. "The heat's frying his comms but we still have contact." Uhura's eyes were filled with fear for her lover. Uhura was a beta but Spock's claim on her was no less binding than Jim's for Bones. Jim tried to give her a reassuring look and then turned to the navigation console and slapped the comm link.

"Spock!"

The response was faint with a steady muffled rumble behind it. "I have activated the device, Captain. When the countdown is complete, the reaction should render the volcano inert."

Bones growled from behind Jim. "Yeah, and that'll render him inert!"

"Do we have use of the transporters?" Jim asked.

"Negative, sir." Sulu replied.

"Not with these magnetic fields," Chekov added.

Bones looked over to Uhura, her body language displaying her pain very clearly. He'd been in her position more than once with Jim and he knew the paralyzing fear that was no doubt closing around her heart.

"I need to beam Spock back to the ship. Give me one way to do it." Jim ordered.

Chekov frowned. "Maybe if we had a direct line of sight … if we got closer …"

Scotty burst in, "Hold on, wee man! You're talking about an active volcano!" He looked up at Jim. "Sir, if that thing erupts I cannae guarantee we can withstand the heat!"

Sulu looked back. "I don't know if we can maintain that kind of altitude."

Bones listened as Jim's crew gave him logical and reasonable explanations why they couldn't bring Spock back on board safely. He could also see Jim's determination to do just that growing with every passing minute. He sighed. His mate was nothing if not focused when someone he cared about was in danger. It was a lot of the reason Bones loved him so deeply. For the sake of one man, Jim would move an entire planet if he had to.

Spock's voice came through the speakers again.

"Our shuttle was concealed by the ash cloud, but the Enterprise is too large. If utilized in a rescue effort, it would be revealed to the indigenous species."

Jim let out an exasperated breath. "Spock, nobody knows the rules better than you, but there has got to be an exception!"

"None," Came the Vulcan's steady voice. "Such action violates the Prime Directive."

Bones growled and stalked up to stand beside Jim. "Shut up, Spock! We're trying to save you, damn it!"

"Doctor, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few," Spock intoned.

Jim yelled, "Spock, we're talking about your life!"

Bones winced. Jim's pain was radiating off him like a heatwave through the bond they shared. It was killing him seeing Jim so upset. Popular belief always had the omega as the one to be kept from distress but an omega's very nature was to nurture and comfort. To be unable to do so for his own alpha drove Bones to distraction sometimes but he couldn't chance it. Jim would not accept it and would probably be furious with him later.

"The rule cannot be broken …" Spock began but the comm shorted out.

Bones turned to see Uhura's face crumple. Jim turned to her. "Try to get him back online."

Uhura raced to her station and began flipping switches desperate to find the elusive frequency.

"Ninety seconds to detonations." Chekov announced.

Staring out the view-screen, Jim asked Bones, "If Spock were here and I were there, what would he do?"

Bones mulled over his response but he knew the answer too well. "He'd let you die." Bones said grimly.

And then I would die, Bones thought darkly. He'd already realized that his life was tied irrevocably to Jim's. If he lost his mate, Bones knew he would most likely become one of a statistic — omegas who simply gave up.

Jim glanced at his CMO and mate. Bones' eyes were full of pain — pain for Spock's predicament and pain for Jim's conflict. He looked back at the screen and considered his options. There was only one decision he could possibly make if he wanted to sleep again in this lifetime.

"Sulu, bring us into transporter range," Jim ordered.

"Aye-aye, sir."

Bones stood beside Jim and watched the countdown overlayed on the view-screen. His hand absently went to his collar and he ran his fingers over the cool metal. Jim caught the motion out of the corner of his eye but did not look at Bones. He knew his mate had been in this very position more than once for his own actions. He made a mental note to apologize … again… for the pain he caused McCoy.

Racing into the transporter room, Jim looked at Spock on the pad still in his environment suit. Bones was right behind him.

"Spock! Are you alright?"

The Vulcan regarded Jim in disbelief. "Captain, you let them see our ship."

Bones rolled his eyes and gestured in disgust. "He's fine."

Bridge to Captain Kirk, Uhura's soft voice came over the comm.

"Yes, Lieutenant," Jim replied.

Is Commander Spock on board, sir?

"Safely and soundly."

Relief and building anger was evident in her tone. Please notify him that his device has successfully detonated.

Bones did not envy Spock that conversation. His self-sacrificing actions had just earned him a very long discussion with his mate. Jim grinned and turned back to Spock.

"You hear that? Congratulations, Spock — you just saved the world."

"You violated the Prime Directive, Captain," Spock said sternly.

Jim rolled his eyes. "Oh come on, Spock. They saw us — big deal!"

Rolling over without breaking his thrust rhythm, Jim brought Bones into a kneeling position over him. Bones gripped the headboard to brace himself against Jim's steady assault into him. The lights of the Golden Gate bridge glowed softly just outside the apartment window.

"Bones … gods you feel so good … I'm …" Jim groaned as his hips began a staccato movement that meant he was close.

Bones sweat-damp hair hung down over his face as he thrust back to meet his mate's penetration.

"Don't stop, darlin' … don't stop … please …" Bones growled.

They'd learned how to time each other's releases and as Jim's back arched and he froze deep with Bones, the doctor let out a deep wavering moan and followed.

The aftershocks pulled a few more gasps out of Bones and he slowly sank down onto Jim who gladly accepted his omega's weight. His fingers ran along Bones' spine and then up to his neck and the collar.

Leonard shivered as Jim's fingers teased the skin along the edge of his collar. His cock twitched between them making Jim chuckle. Bones nipped his mate's shoulder in annoyance.

"Are you five?"

"Depends on what game we're playing," Jim teased. Bones grunted and rolled off his mate.

"I was drunk when I said yes, wasn't I?"

Jim grinned. "Sorry, Bones, you were in your right mind and now you're stuck with me." He punctuated his statement by leaning over to bite Bones' earlobe. He smiled when that got another of Bones' lovely groans. "You are hot, doc. Just plain hot."

Leonard hooked his leg around Jim's legs and pulled their bodies flush. Jim's eyebrows went up as he felt a significant stiffness between them. He growled and his blue eyes practically glowed. "Now that is really hot, Bones …"

No sooner had Jim latched onto a nipple, his comm beeped. Jim's head came up and Bones moaned at the loss of contact.

"Damn it, Jim … are you really going to answer that?"

"Kirk here," Jim said after locating his comm buried among the sheets.

Bones flopped back to the mattress. "I guess so." He idly ran his fingers over his collar while he listened to the conversation.

When it was over, Jim stared at his comm for a few minutes and then looked over at Bones. "Why would Pike want to see me and Spock?"

Leonard shrugged. He knew what Jim was thinking. "Maybe they've decided who's going to take that five-year mission. Who do you think it'll be?"

Jim's eyes narrowed and a mischievous glint filled them. "I think I need to remind you just exactly who your captain and alpha are, doctor."

Bones smiled but his breathing had deepened as arousal began burning up his spine. "Oh really?"

"Yep," Jim said, returning the smile. His voice dropped an octave. "All fours, omega. Night's just gettin' started."

Bones groaned as the direct command from his alpha seared through his brain, triggering all sorts of chemical pleasure responses. It was, apparently, going to be a long evening.

Not that I'm complaining, Bones said to whatever deity was listening as he assumed the position. Nope, not at all.