Can I just say how blown away I am by how many visitors this little story of mine has gotten? Thank you all so much for reading! I hope I don't disappoint! As always, please review. They really are an author's lifeblood!
It had been two weeks since Jim had been revived, but he still hadn't woken up. Spock remained by his side unwaveringly, but despite his cool and collected appearance, a war was raging inside of him. He was ripped from his thoughts, however, by Bones bursting into the room. When Spock came back to reality, he heard the incessant beeping of the machines and immediately feared the worst.
"He's waking up!" Bones breathed, checking the readings on all of the machines. When he saw Jim's brows furrow together, relief flooded the doctor's features, and he stood next to Jim waiting for him to open his eyes. Sure enough, they opened quickly as if he'd been shocked, and he looked around for a moment before his eyes settled on Bones.
"Oh, don't be so melodramatic," Bones said. "You were barely dead. It was the transfusion that really took its toll. You were out cold for two weeks."
"The transfusion?" Jim rasped.
"Your cells were heavily irradiated. We had no choice."
"Khan?"
"Once we caught him I synthesized a serum from his super blood. Tell me, are ya feeling homicidal? Power mad? Despotic?" Bones asked with a slight smirk.
"No more than usual. How'd you catch him?" Jim replied.
"I didn't," Bones said, before walking to Jim's other side, revealing Spock, now standing, stoic as ever. His face betrayed none of the relief and pure joy at seeing Jim awake, but he walked over slowly, feeling his emotions grow exponentially with each step.
"You saved my life," Jim said with a small smile.
"Uhura and I had something to do with it too, you know," Bones muttered, but Jim ignored him.
"You saved my life, Captain, and the lives of-" Spock began, but Jim cut him off.
"Spock, just… thank you."
"You are welcome, Jim," Spock replied, allowing some of the raw happiness he felt to seep into his voice. Bones was carefully watching the interaction between the two men, and realization hit him like a ton of tribbles. He set down his tricorder and smiled.
"Spock, think you can take care of Jim while he recovers?" Bones asked. Spock's brows furrowed together momentarily, and Jim looked at Bones in surprise, but Bones only shrugged.
"I mean, I'm sick of seeing your ugly mug around here, and you'll probably be a huge pain in my ass now that you're awake. I'd rather pawn you off on your gargoyle there," Bones said.
"Gargoyle?" Jim asked.
"Yeah, you know, mythical stone statues that watch over people? Gargoyles? Spock's barely left this room ever since you got here. Don't worry, Jimbo, I'm sure Spock'll take good care of you and only make you want to kill him a few times." Jim looked up at Spock, his face betraying some emotion Spock couldn't understand.
"Whaddaya say, Spock?" he asked, almost hesitatingly. "Think you can deal with me for a while?"
"I… suppose such an arrangement would be acceptable," Spock replied. Bones smiled again, turning away to hide it. Once he had his normal sarcastic scowl firmly back in place, he turned towards the men again.
"Well, I'm gonna get out of here for the night, since Jim seems to be doing well. We'll see about getting ya home maybe tomorrow, Jim."
"Thanks, Bones," Jim said, smiling.
"Yeah, yeah," Bones said, walking out of the room. Jim and Spock were both at a loss for words once Bones had left, and the silence was pregnant with tension.
"Spock," Jim whispered after a few painfully long minutes.
"Yes, Captain?" Spock asked.
"Before I… when I was in the decontamination compartment, you cried," Jim replied. Spock winced inwardly. He had hoped Jim wouldn't remember that.
"I was… emotionally compromised," he said. "It seems you have a proclivity for emotionally compromising me, Captain." He hoped humor would stall any further discussion on the matter.
"Spock," Jim said again.
"Captain?"
"I like it better when you call me Jim."
"Very well, Jim," Spock said, allowing Jim to see the smallest of smiles. To Jim's surprise, he felt his heart flutter upon seeing Spock's smile, no matter how tiny.
"Have you really been here this whole time?" Jim asked.
"I have," Spock replied.
"Why?"
"Because you are my friend. I was beside you in death. I wanted to be beside you when you returned to us as well."
"Spock, that's… you're… I don't know what I'd do without you," Jim said, smiling serenely. His smile faded quickly, however, which Spock realized made his heart ache.
"What about Uhura?" Jim asked tentatively.
"Lieutenant Uhura has ended our relationship," Spock replied.
"Oh, shit, Spock! I'm so sorry! Hell, don't stay here then, man! Go get her back!" Jim exclaimed, but quieted when he saw Spock shake his head.
"I believe the termination of our relationship was best. Things have been easier since. There is no animosity between us." Jim grasped Spock's forearm, not noticing or pretending not to notice the faint shudder that ran through Spock's body at their touch.
"I hope you mean that," he said.
"Vulcans cannot lie… Jim," Spock replied. Jim smiled and closed his eyes, falling asleep with little effort. Spock resumed his post in the seat beside Jim's bed, and he noticed that the chair suddenly felt much less uncomfortable.