Disclaimer: I don't own or profit from this

Summary: What if it was not only Spock Prime, but McCoy who helped convinced Spock to re-join the Enterprise crew?

This lovely idea came to me, and I just couldn't pass it up. This is either friendship or pre-slash however you want to look at it.

Much love to MegKevin for Beta'ing this for me, muah!

Dropping down into the chair in the CMO's office, McCoy sighed. It had been a hellish twenty-four hours. Captain Pike was finally stable and resting, the Enterprise was limping back to Earth and his annoying best friend was acting Captain. The surviving Vulcans had been examined by McCoy himself; he had not trusted anyone else to thoroughly complete a physical and emotional assessment. They were all fine, which was as good as could be expected. The rest of the crew was tired, but functional. While it was not the most ideal situation, things could be much worse. The physician assured himself that he had done everything within his power to help those who had been injured and try to save those they had lost.

Scrubbing his hands over his face, McCoy let his mind wander over the events that had thrust them from cadets to the Command crew of the Flag Ship. He shuddered as he realized that if he had not snuck Jim aboard, Earth would have suffered the same fate as Vulcan. Of course the blonde didn't have to get himself jettisoned onto an ice planet, nearly killed and then somehow beam back onto a ship traveling at warp speed to prove how awesome he was. Then he further endangered his life by boarding the Narada to help bring back Pike. Not to mention nearly getting strangled to death by Spock.

Commander Spock… That was a unique piece of the whole puzzle. McCoy's mind began to call up any known facts about the other dazzling half of the insane command duo. Spock was half-Vulcan, half-Human. He had been the one to call Jim on the carpet for cheating on his test, the one who had forced McCoy to smuggle Jim on board. Yet, McCoy had liked Spock from the moment he watched the Vulcan put the hot-headed smug bastard in his place. He was blunt under the guise of emotionless, which was pretty damn sneaky, in the physician's opinion. The Commander even had the audacity to thank McCoy for standing firm when Jim's insubordination left him on the fast track for court martial. McCoy had nothing but Star Fleet after the divorce; just because Jim was his best friend did not mean he would jeopardize the small life he had re-built over the kid's temper. Spock was acting Captain, and as acting CMO, McCoy was not to interfere with his orders or he would have suffered the same fate. And the most puzzling piece was that Vulcans did not apologize or give thanks, yet Spock had offered him both for what he believed was 'taking his side'. Of course he had brushed them off and attempted to refute his claims.

Now that the adrenaline had ebbed, McCoy could see Spock's words for what they truly were: they weren't just olive branches; they had been the Vulcan equivalent of an offer of friendship. Gritting his teeth, McCoy's fists crashed into the couch cushions. The man had lost his mother, his planet, nearly all of his race and McCoy had thrown the fledgling offer back in his face. That was not acceptable, even if he had thrown Jim overboard. Grunting with the effort it took to stand, McCoy left his office in search of the green-blooded hobgoblin.

The monster that had killed billions of Vulcans and Lady Amanda Grayson was dead. With that knowledge, the weight burdening Spock's shoulders should have lessened, and yet it remained. Sitting alone in the darkness of his quarters, the Commander's emotional dam was breaking. His resolve, once so firmly in place was splitting, leaving behind a mourning young man with no logic to comfort him. His fingers still tingled with the stretch of reaching for his mother, his jaw still ticked with the determination of his suicide plot in the Jellyfish, and his mind was alive with all the repressed emotions.

Humans were a very emotional species, yet Spock had not been prepared for all the emotions that they would invoke within his own psyche. Jim Kirk had broken his inner walls, forcing him to admit his emotional compromise, allowing him to take over his acting Captain's role. Yet, only merely minutes later, he appeared to be sympathetic to the day's occurrences and willing to fight and die along side his new shipmate, forgoing the memory of his desertion on Delta Vega at Spock's command. During the finally moments of the Narada, Jim had offered a cease-fire between the two ships in order to save the Romulans from certain death. While it had infuriated Spock, the attempt at logic in such a cruel situation was surprising and sound. He was illogical, one of the most illogical beings Spock had ever encountered, yet he was loyal and compassionate.

Dr. Leonard McCoy, best friend of Jim Kirk, was another human who had managed to form an impression on the 'hobgoblin'. He had watched Spock subdue Jim and command his exile, yet he had not intervened or questioned the order. Humans were known for aiding one another in the face of adversary, but McCoy had not impeded the judgment in any way. Spock had offered a truce between the two men, and only then had McCoy snarled his response, though it was only in fear of not subduing the maniac Nero, not for the health or safety of Jim. Though when duty called once more, Dr. McCoy personally checked over Spock's healed wounds before allowing him to return to the repair assignments. The man feigned indifference, but his actions told another story. McCoy was just as fretful of Spock's well-being as he was of Jim's. His hands had been steady, respectful, concerned and comforting.

Shifting his thoughts, Spock remembered Nyota. The younger woman had offered her consolation, but Spock had found no comfort in her arms or words. In light of the new events, their romantic relationship would logically be terminated. Spock had been very blunt that their attachment would not be enduring. Nyota had agreed to the terms; she had no wishes to be permanently involved with someone. They had already begun to drift apart as her graduation neared, yet humans sought out comfort of familiarity during times of crisis. Nyota had kissed him for the first time in months in the turbo lift and again on the transporter pad. Allowing this re-kindle to continue would only be cruel. Deciding that he needed to speak with Lieutenant Uhura immediately, Spock exited his quarters.

Upon entering the corridor, the Commander and the Chief Medical Officer came nose to nose each lost in his own thoughts. Startled, Bones stepped back. "I'm sorry Spock." The words spilled from his lips, no malice or sarcasm.

Raising an eyebrow, Spock shook his head. "You were not expecting my hasty exit from my compartment, no apologizes are needed." He studied the human's face, surprisingly no longer in a hurry to leave his company.

Sighing, McCoy ran his fingers through his dark mane. "I'm not just apologizing for nearly plowing you down. I'm sorry for what I said on the bridge, for not understanding how important what you were saying really was." His forehead creased with concentration. "Look, I'm not very good at this, but I want you to know I've got your back. Ok? Heavens knows, that on this ship being run by that crazy half-cocked infant, we are going to both need all the help we can get." His hazel eyes searched Spock's brown for confirmation.

With a barely visible smile, Spock nodded. "I believe I understand, Leonard, and I return your offer." He was surprised to find that even with the human euphomisums, Leonard's confession delighted him.

Smiling, McCoy sighed as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "Alright, well, I'll let you get back to your business, Spock." He ducked his head and left as quickly as he came. Spock could not help but watch his form disappear down the deck before continuing in the opposite direction.

A/N: Thanks for reading

Anyone interested in continuing?