McCoy ran a scanner over Spock's broken nose. Kirk was in McCoy's office, where the doc put him, while he fixed Mr. Pointy in the sick bay. The scanner located where the break was with a beep. McCoy pinched it lightly with his fingers.
"Does that hurt?"
Spock made a nearly imperceptible movement. "Doctor, your instruments have made you aware that this is the exact point of breakage. Therefore I may draw the conclusion that your intention is to cause me physical distress."
His response woulda been more annoying if he didn't sound like he had a cold. McCoy fought back a laugh at the nasal logic.
"I'll take that as a yes. And, maybe, yeah, I wanted to hurt you a little bit."
"Why?"
McCoy leveled his own eyebrow at the Vulcan. Draw. He'd gotten his up before Spock.
Point McCoy.
"Whadda you mean, why?"
"You have betrayed the Hippocratic oath. My observations of your interactions with other crew members is evidence that you have- 'singled me out'. I would like to know the meaning behind this."
McCoy crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Spock.
"Jim is my best friend. I'm a little protective of him. You were fighting him-"
"He was fighting me!" Spock protested. He then drew his composure back around himself. This time, both McCoy's eyebrows went up. Spock just had an outburst.
Point Spock, McCoy thought. Any evidence of humanity made him more bearable.
"I was attempting to end his fight with the Andorian and restore him to the ship. But the Captain did not behave as I had expected."
"It was outta character for him?"
"Affirmative. His expression inferred an impending violent attack, and I defended myself."
McCoy actually laughed at this. Spock raised an eyebrow. Too late, the cards are already laid down. McCoy won that hand.
"You're sayin' you saw the anger in Jim's eyes?"
Spock remained tight-lipped. McCoy repaired Spock's nose with a nearby medi-laser. A drip or two of that disturbing green blood and the commander could talk normally again.
"Doctor, I demand that you give the Captain a full-body scan. As a Vulcan, I am more sensitive to tactile information. I detected an anomaly in his vital signs while engaged in combat. "
He oughtta know. "That and he broke your nose."
"I thought we had discussed that topic sufficiently, Doctor. "
"Never, Spock. I am never going to let you forget that."
"And this will bring you satisfaction?"
"It is right now. Jim!"
Kirk looked up at his name being called and sheepishly crossed the doorway, arms shielding his chest, brow cast at the floor.
"I want to do a full scan on you."
"Bones-"
"No Bonesing me. Get on the table."
Jim couldn't help but smirk at Bones's untintentional entendre. Then he looked at the table. Spock was still sitting on it, rigidly. He had a brief flash of sitting on Spock's lap while McCoy did his tests, but shook it off and cleared his throat.
Spock stared. Worried, maybe? His dark eyes were definitely scanning Kirk's face more than usual. He slid off the table and compulsively pulled down his uniform shirt. It was a habit of Spock's that Kirk liked to think wasn't usual among other Vulcans.
Kirk avoided eye contact with him, though, looking instead at Bones. He got on the table and was immediately attacked with some kind of suctioning instrument on his forehead.
Spock stood in the corner, watching these tests.
"What happened to doctor-patient confidentiality?" Bones threw a glance over his shoulder at Spock.
"I thought you wouldn't mind. Get outta here Spock."
"Negative, Doctor. As your first officer, Captain, it is my responsibility to-"
"Are you about to quote regulations at me, Spock?"
Spock closed his mouth and did some kind of nod thing. Kirk looked up under his brow to share a knowing smile with Spock. If he didn't know better, Kirk would say that his commander's lips twitched. The lips covered in blood about an hour ago. Kirk looked away again.
"Whatever. Stay."
Bones stepped back from him, making that worried face. Not his usual worried face. More like that one time when Jim's hands got really big.
"What is it, Bones? Am I going to die?"
"Your heart is running faster than a-" He paused for a second. "-Mare that's seen a rattlesnake."
"That's stretching it, Bones." Bones gave him a frown. He'd regret saying that.
Several painful hyposprays later, Kirk was done being poked and prodded. Bones approached with one more sonic syringe and Kirk snatched it out of his hand and threw it across the room.
Bones and Spock looked at it- broken into pieces on impact with the wall- and then at each other. Why were they looking at each other?
"Why are you guys looking at each other?"
Bones sighed. "Jim, I think you need some sleep. Tomorrow we ship out. You need your energy. I'll let you know how the tests come back. Okay?"
Kirk wouldn't win this battle. He was tired. And still a little drunk.
After a couple of cerulean blinks he acquiesced. "Okay."
He hopped off the table and hugged Bones. Bones gripped him tightly and patted him on the back.
"I'm glad you're alright. Next time try to find a girl who isn't already spoken for."
Jim pulled back and looked over at his first officer. Probably no hug for him… but he did owe him something.
"Spock, I'm sorry."
"My nose is healed, Captain. It is unnecessary-"
"Shut up Spock. You were trying to help me and I turned against you. I will never do that again, I promise you." He could feel the intensity of his feelings flushing his cheeks.
"I know," Spock said. It was flat, but it so wasn't. Kirk's eyes welled a little bit, and he held his hand out to shake Spock's. Spock stared at his hand, and then, hesitantly, offered his.
Kirk grasped Spock's hand firmly, added his other hand, two pumps, and let go. He left the room for his chambers.
It only took 3.62 seconds for Spock to regain a normal breathing pattern after the Captain had released Spock's hand. He flexed it and returned it to his side.
The Doctor, wearing an expression that could be defined most specifically as "smug," leaned against the medical apparatus nearby.
"A handshake, huh? Does Jim know-"
"No. It would have been, rude, to decline the Captain's apology."
"Sure. So let's talk about what's important right now."
There was a silence and an acknowledgement between them. McCoy spoke first.
"Khan's blood is making an unwanted appearance. At least that's the way it's lookin' to me. How's it look to you?"
"I am inclined to agree with you, Doctor. The Captain may be irritated with your medical procedures, but in a state of normalcy would not resort to destroying your equipment in order to evade any unpleasant impositions."
"Why use five words when a thousand will do," he muttered. But the Doctor was not focused on Spock's verbose response.
"We need to give up the mission. Take Jim back to Earth."
"Doctor?"
"If Jim is presenting violent tendencies because of Khan's blood, we need to take him somewhere he can get help. A full transfusion. Here he could have another attack, and who knows what would happen. He could make one reckless decision and destroy the ship. He could hurt or kill a crew member. Clearly, lookin' at you, we know he has Khan's strength. Otherwise you coulda smooshed him like a bug under your shoe."
Spock listened and processed McCoy's reasoning. It was… logical. They should return the Captain to Earth. He did need help. However, that action would result in several undesirable consequences. The Captain's career would be compromised.
He would be restricted to Earth, and probably to a space comparable to the size of the Doctor's medical bay. The Captain would not react to either of those consequences in a positive- or rational- way.
That does not include the consequences for the crew. Would they remain one crew with a different captain? Would they still explore the galaxy, or would another ship be called to replace them? They would not have Jim with them. They would not be a family.
"What's goin' on in that computer you call a brain, huh?" the Doctor asked, drawing him from his musings.
"Doctor, I would disagree with your suggested course of action."
"Usually I don't like it when you agree with me anyway, but why the hell now?"
"Your prognosis of future attacks does not provide any reason to abort the mission. In the case of the former, the Captain has in the past made reckless decisions, and indeed the Enterprise has been close to destruction, but in both cases he as a Captain and we as a crew have successfully defied that outcome.
"In the case of the latter- his ability to injure the crew- you have named the solution yourself. I will not allow the Captain to injure or kill anyone. I take full responsibility to defend the crew from Kirk, should he become compromised by Khan's blood. I will scrutinize every action he takes and I will take preventive actions should they be required.
"Lastly, Doctor McCoy, I do not believe there is any other crew or captain capable of fulfilling the mission we have been assigned. We are the most logical choice for a defining moment of exploration in the development of the Federation. Should we return the Captain to Earth, our orders would likely be revoked and another ship assigned this mission. I do not think this "hitch in the plan," as you often put it, merits our abandonment of the discoveries we will make."
McCoy, who had rolled his eyes at the beginning of Spock's speech, was now grinning at him.
"You learn something new every day, don't you, ya pointy-eared hobgoblin?"
"I do often find myself educated by-"
"It's a saying, Spock. I'm talking about myself. You're proud. You'd never say it that way cause it'd sound too soft and emotional to you, but you're damned proud of Jim and all of us, aren't you?"
Spock did not play the Doctor's game, but instead inspected his shoes. They were scuffed from combat. He would shine them later, after meditating on the occurrences of the evening.
McCoy was not deterred by Spock's lack of reaction. "Whether you say it or not, I know how it is. Now you might not need rest but I sure do, being a lowly human and all, so get out before I lock the door and turn out the lights."
"That is illogical Doctor. The sickbay is operational for all 24 Earth hours as we recognize them aboard the Enterprise."
"Just get outta my sight Spock. Before I shake your hand." He held out a hand for Spock. Spock straightened, clasped his hands behind his back, and left sickbay.
McCoy watched him go. "This should be an interesting five years…."
