Yello everyone! Here's chappie tres! As usual, I hope you know that I don't own Jim and Spock, because if I did, I wouldn't be sharing 'em with you. I'd be alone with them in a room, for days at a time. So there. But they're not, so oh well. I'm borrowing to play with them. :)

.~*Three*~.

Jim limped into the sickbay, where I was being treated for extensive damage to my tibialis anterior and quadriceps femoris; mistreatment at the hands of emotional and misguided natives.

It was a sign of his professionalism that Doctor McCoy didn't turn to Jim and ignore me, despite our relationship, or lack-there-of.

But he left me as soon as he had safely completed his task, and rushed to Jim. Jim stood there, wearily smiling at me and the Doctor, before informing him of his imminent collapse. Like prophecy, Jim fell to the floor, revealing to us the true extent of the injuries he received during the short but brutal time spent with the aforementioned natives. Suffice it to say that their appeal to ignorance was no longer sufficient for my mercy; I had a strong urge to commit actions that would in no way benefit anyone, except perhaps bloody my hands, which would make the Doctor very happy.

Jim's back was peppered with bruises which were rapidly changing to shades of black and blue. The extent of bruising revealed exactly how much he must have suffered at the hands of the natives, for the sake of his ship and crew. It would take immense pressure and force to cause this kind of hemorrhage. I felt blood thrumming in my ears, vaguely murderous towards whoever caused this damage to my—

I paused. I had begun speaking of Jim in possessive terms, which was unacceptable. The habit had to be stemmed before it caused more damage to my already fragile, shattering control.

Several hours later I still found myself unable to leave his side. He had been stripped to the waist and cleaned up, before the Doctor had commenced healing Jim, for which I was grateful, as it gave me something to do, and a distraction from violent murderous thoughts. I watched Jim heal. He mumbled something about observing growing grass, and I did not bother to decipher it. On occasion, I felt that the Doctor wasn't even speaking Standard. Translating was a time consuming and futile activity.

But it was satisfying. The medicine which the Doctor had applied, though painful (I knew from personal experience) was a good one, and I could see the bruises fading, skipping the phase whence they went an unpleasant yellow colour, and began to smell. I was grateful; I liked how Jim smelled. Like is not an emotion, but a preference, which is not an emotion.

In the night as I (in the Doctor's words) sat Shiva for the first time, I watched Jim. He was tired, and sore; it showed in his restless sleep. I resisted the urge to meld with him and see what he dreamt of. But I would not violate the mind of a man so high in my esteem. I would not dare damage something so beloved.

He trembled slightly, and I covered him with a light sheet, leaning back in my chair to contemplate.

Even in this condition I had more respect for Jim than for any other man, in the same position or otherwise. Even as I watched his hands shiver and his face twist with sleeping-agony, even as I heard him murmur words which I knew were not connected to the recent misadventure, words which spoke of a harder life than Jim's happy attitude revealed.

Even when he got angry and kicked a table upon being informed of the deaths of two security personnel, I respected him. I knew his anger was not for the intended slight against his reputation or ability, but for the loss of two men for whom he held himself responsible. His human anger, and his grief made him kin-kur, golden. As did his humanity and fallibility as he rested in drugged sleep. He could not have greater esteem in my mind, could not be more Golden.

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Watch him go! Go on Spock! Try to convince yourself you don't love Jim! Have fun while you're at it! xD

Yeah I know it's again different from the last one, but what can I say?

I hope you liked it! If you did (or even if you didn't) REVIEW!!!

Luck is my middle name. Mind you, my first name is Bad.

Love,

Lady Merlin

P.S. Ladies and Gen'lemen, THANKS for ALL the reviews! You don't know how happy they've made me! Longlonggloriousreviews! *heart'd* Many thanks to all of you who've flattered me in ways you probably can't imagine (I live on reviews, trust me). I've also taken a few ideas and run away with them, cackling evilly. There will the a follow up on Chapter Two from Jim's POV. I don't know what it's called yet, but keep an eye open for it, yeah? 3