So, I was actually working on my Doom fic when I happened to look through my email and read the Daily Quotes that I get, and came across the one featured in this fic that just utterly screamed Bones to me.
(As always, I own absolutely nothing.. not even a snazzy t-shirt. Le sigh)
And as we all know, "Space is danger and disease, wrapped in darkness and silence." Gotta love the universe according to Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy :)
The little wall plaque showed up in a brightly wrapped package that none of the bridge and medical staff currently celebrating McCoy's birthday (about which he'd been less than enthused) actually admitted to bringing. Considering the quote on it, Bones would have expected his idiot of a Captain to have been the culprit, but one look at Jim showed the kid to be far too confused (amused, yes, but definitely confused) to have actually been the one with the gall to give him such a gift.
On its own, the plaque actually wasn't too terrible. It was a just a flat black 4" x 6" note card thing with stark white lettering. Nothing too fancy, or that would look terribly out of place in his office. No, it was the quote itself that was more than a little irritating, considering the story Jim had been oh-so-happy to tell everyone he possibly could. Apparently Drunk Jim found the tale of meeting Leonard McCoy on a Star Fleet shuttle to be funnier than hell, and he tended to re-tell it, with gusto, to anyone and everyone he came across.
"That's classic Bones," he announce, going on to explain that the story was a perfect example of his CMO's paranoid tendencies. Needless to say, McCoy did not want a daily reminder of that story, but here he'd apparently been given one.
Despite his claims to the contrary, Bones was not out to make some over emotional nurse cry at his own damned birthday party, so he just let the celebrants' chuckles and out right laughter roll over him, all the while making mental plans for revenge when the next round of physicals came up. He gathered up the plaque with the rest of his gifts (most of which were of an alcoholic nature he was glad to see) and carried them off to his quarters, fully intending to conveniently lose the damned thing in a desk drawer somewhere and never speak of it again.
Much to his chagrin, when the good doctor returned to his office at the end of his next shift, it was to find that someone (probably the mysterious gift giver) had already taken upon themselves to hang the plaque on his wall (he'd just known he should have hidden it when he had the chance, Goddamn it) And, if that weren't enough, they'd managed to use some sort of old fashioned glue. Whatever the stuff was, it was damned strong, and he was not going to be able to take down the plaque without possibly destroying a good bit of his office, as well. He cussed under his breath, knowing that it was unlikely anyone would actually help in this sort of situation. More than likely, the crew would just laugh their collective asses off.
He sunk down in his desk and stared aggravated at the quote that was so-perfectly placed to fall directly into his line of sight.
"Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence, and I learn, whatever state I may be in, therein to be content."
-Helen Keller (1880-1968)
"Wonders, my ass," he muttered. It was not that he couldn't understand the sentiment of the quote, especially considering the life the young woman had led, but that didn't mean he was going to take it as a damned motto or anything. Personally, he was pretty damned sure he'd left 'wonder' behind him with the baby girl his ex had forbidden him from seeing.
And 'content?' That was not an emotion anyone on the Enterprise was likely to associate with him. Bemused? Maybe. Irritated beyond belief? Most likely. Just flat out mad as hell and liable to bitch out the idiot who pushed him to that point? Oh yeah. But content? No, that wasn't happening with any kind of frequency.
He sighed, feeling a bone deep weariness creep over him. Not that he wouldn't mind finding his way back to content: back to anything that might ease the ache inside him a bit. He could sometimes come close, during those rare times when the ship was quiet and no one was trying to blow the Enterprise to high hell and no one was damn near dying in his med bay. During those times, Jim and Bones and the bridge crew and sometimes Nurse Chapel would generally gather in the officers' lounge or the rec room or the observation deck. They'd pull out whatever booze they had hidden away, and just... be people again for a little while as opposed to Captains and CMOs and pilots and the like. Bones could almost relax at those times. Almost. But invariably, some one still on duty would do something stupid, and he'd get called right back to med bay, and Bones would be right back to stressed and pissy. It was a vicious cycle, one that he knew was wearing at him.
Yes, he'd definitely welcome contentment and wonders, but damned if he actually knew how to get them.
He shook his head: to hell with thinking on it. He pushed up from his desk and stalked out of the office, determined to avoid the subject for the rest of the evening at the very least.
Hope you liked it! BTW, this was planned as a 1-shot, but now I can definitely see it growing into a longer series of McCoy and moments of wonder. Heck, if you've got a good request/suggestion for Bones on this journey... let me know... I might just use it! (Though, this isn't going to be a McCoyslash kinda fic methinks.. so keep that in mind lol)