How It Should Have Ended
Star Trek: The Original Series
"The City On The Edge Of Forever"

Captain Kirk is walking with Edith Keeler. He stops and points up to the sky.

"A wise man, on a faraway planet once said it best … let me help." Said Kirk

"That exactly what McCoy said." Replies Edith

Kirk is stunned. "McCoy?" he says. "Where?"

"He's up in the rooming house." says Edith

Kirk holds up his hand. "Stay here, Edith."

Kirk runs across the street, yelling, "McCoy! Bones!"

Spock appears on the street. "McCoy?" he asks. "Where?"

"Upstairs, apparently." Kirk replies. "Bones!" he yells.

The front door opens and out steps McCoy. "Am I glad to see you two." He says.

Edith starts walking across the street, unaware of an oncoming truck. McCoy sees Keeler, then the truck. "No! Edith!" he cries.

Kirk sees the truck, then turns to stop McCoy. A screech of tires, the scream of Edith. The crowd rushes to try and help. McCoy turns to Kirk, who is grieving.

"Do you know what you just did?" he says "Do you know I could have saved her?"

"He knows doctor," says Spock, "he knows."

On the Gateway Planet. Scott and Uhura are standing in front of the Guardian. The Guardian starts flickering and flashing. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy leap out of it.

"Captain?" says Scott. "You were gone but a moment."

"We were successful Scotty." Replies Kirk

Scott looks at Spock "Commander." He says, then looks at McCoy. "Eh … Sir."

Uhura has a confused look. The Guardian starts flickering and speaks.

"TIME HAS RESUMED ITS PREVIOUS SHAPE." The Guardian intones. "ALL IS AS IT WAS BEFORE."

"Excellent." Says Kirk

The Guardian continues. "WITH ONE EXCEPTION. DOCTOR MCCOY'S PHASER FELL INTO THE HANDS OF ONE OF THE DENIZENS OF THE PAST. AS THE RESULT OF ITS DISCHARGE THAT INDIVIDUAL WAS LOST. THAT INDIVIDUAL'S DESCENDANT WAS TO HAVE BEEN KILLED IN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT. AS A RESULT, THE ORIGINAL ACCIDENT PARTICIPANT COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE, ONE IN FACT HAVING BEEN DRIVEN BY THE DIRECT ANCESTOR OF DOCTOR MCCOY."

McCoy groans "Oh no." he says.

"Just great." Says Kirk. "So, Guardian, what you are telling us is that McCoy doesn't exist anymore?"

"THAT IS CORRECT." Replies the guardian.

McCoy shakes his head. "Now just a cotton picking minute here."

Spock simply says, "As an ancestor of mine would maintain … bummer."

"This can't be happening." Says McCoy.

"This explains the confusion of Scotty and Uhura." Says Kirk.

"There has to be a solution to this." Says McCoy.

"Logically," says Spock, "if we were to take Doctor McCoy from this planet at this point, he would cease to exist. Therefore, we should leave him here."

McCoy is furious. "Why you green blooded, inhuman, insensitive son of a …"

Kirk is nodding. "I concur. Bones, you will stay here. After all it would be cruel to subject you to such a fate."

"Jim!" screams McCoy. "I can't believe this!"

"Believe it, doctor." Says Kirk. "You made your bed, now you get to sleep in it." He takes out his communicator, flips it open, it chirps. "Kirk to Enterprise."

"Enterprise here, captain."

"Enterprise, four to beam up." Says Kirk.

"Begging your pardon captain, but sensors read five persons at your location."

"Understood." Replies Kirk. "Just beam up myself, Mister Spock, Scotty and Uhura. The fifth person will be staying behind."

"Enterprise acknowledges, captain."

Kirk closes his communicator, then looks at McCoy sadly. "Sorry, Bones."

"Jim!" says McCoy. "Wait a minute here!"

The transporter gathers the four up leaving McCoy behind. He stares wide-eyed at the spot, then turns his gaze toward the Guardian. After a few moments he simply looks up into the empty sky.

McCoy screams, "NO!"