Disclaimer : I do not own Star Trek.

Warnings : Slash

AN1 : Un'beta'd, all mistakes are my own.

AN2: Done for a prompat the the Livejouranl Star Trek Kink Meme.

He hated shuttles, more than anything else he knew he hated these tin can death traps. Who ever thought that these rickety things were a good idea was seriously off their head and possibly needed a grave mental examination, because there was no way they were safe. The amount of things that could possibly go wrong was terrifying. Even the smallest of hull breaches and they were done for, the smallest glitch in the system and they would be falling out of the sky. He generally made the greatest of efforts not to get on these things, even if it meant taking other transports that were hours longer. Anything not to be confined to one of the shuttles.

So why had he somehow allowed Jim 'bloody' Kirk to convince him that it was worth getting on the hour shuttle ride when they could of easily taken the three hour ride in a car?

"Because it's quicker Bones." That was Jim's answer every time he dared to open his mouth enough to ask. He glared threateningly at the man and swore he was going to find the worse hypospray invented to torture the man with.

"Quicker maybe, but safer-" He grimaced, shrinking into his seat.

"We're perfectly safe Bones," Jim said softly, reaching over to squeeze one of Bones hands reassuringly. Bones snorted but smiled a little at Jim anyway, silently glad for the man beside him. He knew he wouldn't of done this for anyone else, somehow Jim always got what he wanted. Jim beamed back, his eyes all but sparkling and Bones found if he just looked into them, he could forget that he was in a shuttle at all, forget that he was afraid. Jim's smiled turned into a smirk and he leaned forwards as much as his seat restraints would allow, dropping a small kiss to Bones' temple, not caring that there were other people around them.

"Gonna be okay, you'll see." He said warmly and funnily enough, Bones believed him.

He believed him, that was, until the shuttle gave an almighty lurch, dropping down so everyone in the shuttle felt like their stomachs had fallen away. Even Jim looked nervous for all of five seconds before tightening his hold on Bones hand, smiling at him supportively.

"Just a little turbulence, it's okay." He said quickly but calmly, his words punctuated by yet another jolt, this time sending the shuttle veering sideways and pushing people against their harnesses. Bones slammed his eyes shut, trying to imagine he was anywhere but here. He could feel Jim rubbing soothing circles across his skin with his finger and tried so hard to focus on that feeling. His body trembled as the shuttle continued to lurch, throwing them through the air like they were nothing but a feather. The metal hull creaked and groaned under the assault. Bones head felt like it was the one being attacked as the familiar heaviness set in, dizziness creeping in behind his eyes.

"Bones, you're not breathing." He heard Jim say, hand shaking his in an attempt to get his attention.

"Bones! BONES!" Jim said louder, voice foggy through the haze settling in over Bones. His chest felt tight and it ached, god did it ache. He wanted to answer Jim, to look at him and see him smile and know everything would be okay but he was frozen. His seat felt constricting and his restraints were too tight and he really needed to get out of here!

His first gasp of breath stung but it didn't draw in nearly enough oxygen. Every attempt at breathing sent spasms of pain through him and his mind was only just clear enough to know that he was having a panic attack.

"It's going to be okay Bones, I'm here, I got you okay. Everything's going to be okay." He could hear Jim repeating, words soft but insistent, constant. Somehow Jim had managed to unclip himself and move from his seat to kneel down in front of Bones, hands clasping his just enough that it was contact and not crowding. If he was in half his mind he would of yelled at the man to get back in his seat before he fell and whacked himself out on the floor.

"Just breathe Bones, in and out, in and out. Come on, with me." Jim carried on, voice the only thing Bones could focus on past the whirl in his ears of too much blood. He felt hot, far too hot.

"In and out," Jim repeated, tentatively reaching forwards and laying a hand over Bones chest, carefully pulling Bones hand to rest against his own chest. "Just like this okay."

Bones could feel Jim's chest rising and falling beneath his hand and he knew that he should be breathing like that, but his mind was finding in very hard to cooperate. He sucked in a breath and winced as he nearly choked, panic bubbling up again as his minds eye imagine the walls shrinking in, far too little space. He tried again, choking again and felt his body tremble violently.

"It's okay, it's okay." Jim repeated, his voice strong despite the worry that was filling up inside him. "Slow breaths, just like you taught me remember? When you woke me up from my nightmares, and you'd do just this, place your hand over my heart and talk to me."

Bones did remember, how could he forget. Determinedly he gasped in a breath, head spinning as oxygen returned to him as he tried another. It took minutes, hours, before he felt his breathing settle, his heart rate slow. He felt warm all over, his body covered in a sweat and his pounded.

"Look at me Bones." Jim said strongly. Bones did, forcing his eyes to open and look down at Jim, still knelt on the floor. He frowned as he looked around the shuttle and saw that they were alone, the shuttle quiet and quite definitely on solid ground.

"When did we?" He said, voice rough as he spoke.

"About five minutes ago." Jim said, clasping both of Bones hands in his own across Bones knees. Bones eyes stung as he looked at Jim, seeing the worry clearly written all over his face and the stubborn set of his jaw as he held it together, for him.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly, embarrassed, ashamed perhaps.

"Everyone has fears Bones." Jim said shaking his head, lightly kissing one of Bones hands. "It's okay, you're safe now. I've got you." He said, reaching forwards and entrapping Bones. Bones legs wavered as he stood, leaning on Jim until feeling returned to him properly. He turned his head as they walked, looking at the side of Jim's face. He barely thought as he leant forward and placed a kiss to Jim's cheek, breathing a thank you into his ear.

Jim smiled as he cast him a glance, ignoring the way people looked at them as they stepped off the shuttle.

"Anytime, always got you." Jim said so only Bones could hear him.

"I know."

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