"Well that was a laugh and a half."

Len opened his mouth to continue but Nyota silenced his acerbic attack with a single warning finger. "If you growl 'dammit, Jim' one more time, I will deck you."

The doctor folded his arms and winced as an abrasion scraped across his (now torn) shirt. "Too late, someone already beat you to it," he growled. He winced as he slowly shifted his jaw, checking for a possible mandible dislocation and newly loose teeth, and Nyota smirked while gently dabbing the purpling bruise beneath his left eye.

"That pun was horrible, Len."

"Wasn't meant to be a pun, darlin'," he muttered. Mccoy's eyes were alternately stern and gentle as he prodded her bruised lip and checked for contusions in her matted mess of hair. "Asshole just had to go snoopin', didn't he?"

"He's our friend, and our Captain." She hissed as she moved her neck a centimeter too far but as she reached up to massage the twinge, Len shooed away her hand and ministered the massage himself. "We didn't know the only place for drinks was also a favorite hideaway of the Klingon high command. Thank God Kirk was there. I certainly didn't have a phaser hidden in my designer pumps."

"Goddamn mother hen is more apt," Len grunted. His grumble softened when she sighed into his touch. "Not his job to go off protecting his crew during their off-duty hours like some lame-ass, twenty-first century Boy Scout."

"Maybe, but he wasn't the one throwing the first punch this time." She smiled a bit too widely and tsked at the pain on her lips.

Len's expression darkened and his finger daubed her lip "Bastard had it comin'," he spat. "He insulted my date."

She kissed his finger and he moved to cup her chin. "Hell of a first date, Len."

"That was a bar brawl, dear. Huge difference."

She noted the pause, and held her breath as his thumb gently caressed her jaw. "You sure you don't want to go back to the ship? I just have the emergency medkit back at the hotel, but your bruises are gonna hurt like a bear tomorrow."

"No. I don't want to deal with everyone's questions, stares, and double takes right now. I'd rather take a bubble bath."

He nodded and his hand fell back to his side. "Yeah, I can imagine." He pulled at his clothes. "I know I could use a long soak and a few drinks."

"Len..." Nyota took the hand that fell and ran her fingers across his bruised knuckles. Her expression lowered a bit shyly. "You do know that this planet is in the middle of a water shortage, right? It would be a shame if we wasted two baths."

She waited a half beat before lifting her eyes and wasn't disappointed at the grin fighting its way across his features. "It'd be scandalous if we didn't say...share a bath. Y'know, for the planet's sake."

"Exactly."

"An' maybe I'd like to make sure that you don't have any internal injuries."

"Mm, hmmm. I think I have need of a personal physician tonight." She kissed the boo-boo under his eye and moved her lips over his. "And in a few hours we can get Kirk out of the local jail."

"Let's wait until tomorrow." Len encircled her waist with his hands and pulled her closer. "He owes me for all the previous bar brawls he put me through. Besides, I have a patient that needs some personal attention."

Nyota grinned as he kissed her, and she had a feeling that they'd be doing a lot of personal inspecting of bruises the next few hours. Not that she minded in the least.