3

When Kirk and McCoy arrived at Sick Bay, Spock was still unconscious.

„What's his status, Bones?"

„As I said, it doesn't look very …" McCoy frowned and moved closer to the screen above the bed.

„What is it?"

„Well, I wanted to say that he's in quite a state … but apparently, he's not. The readings are perfectly normal. For a green-blooded creature."

„Then what happened?"

„I don't know! One moment he's practically dieing, the next he's healthy as a … you know … Vulcan. Maybe it had something to do with the turbulences we've been through."

Suddenly, Spock's eyes began to move, finally, he opened them.

Kirk was immdiately at his side.

„Spock, can you hear me? Spock!," he practically cried.

„My hearing is perfectly fine, Captain, you don't have to shout."

Kirk grimaced but then smiled warmly.

„Well, you have caused me a shock or two."

„I'm sure you've managed perfectly alright without me, Jim."

„How would I, without my First Officer and Science Officer. I was lost."

Kirk grinned widely and Spock … did too.

McCoy cleared his throat in the back.

„Shall I leave you two alone?," he hissed, though in a kind manner.

„Actually …," Spock began.

Then he suddenly sat up straight, took his Captain's head in his hands and planted his lips on Kirk's. It took a few moments for the latter to realize what was happening. As Spock didn't appear to end his activity in the near future, Kirk gently moved away and out of his grip, falling onto the bed next to Spock's.

McCoy cleared his throat again.

„Well, didn't see that coming, did we?"

There was an awkward silence as Spock continued to stare at Kirk intensively. The Captain was trying to avoid his gaze, at the same time as he attempted to straighten the pillow he had just fallen on.

„I'm gonna leave you two to it."

McCoy was about to turn with a lopsided smile and go to his desk when Kirk jumped to his feet and put a hand on his shoulder.

„Leave us to … what …"

The Captain cleared his throat. He tried to regain his posture, putting on one of his reassuring smiles.

„Bones, I'm sure there is some kind of explanation for Mr. Spock's … behavior."

He looked at Spock, who was grinning. It unsettled him.

„See, maybe it was some, you know, aftereffect of Spock's … Pon farr. I mean, he wouldn't normally just …"

Kirk had moved towards Spock again and was about to pat his shoulder as Mr. Spock grabbed his hand and held it.

„Jim, I …"

The Captain quickly pulled away and rushed to the door, almost tripping over a loose cable.

„Anyway, nice chat, I'm sure everything is alright … I'm needed on the bridge."

Spock's gaze lingered on the door, through which his Captain had just left.

McCoy frowned.

„Look, Spock, I don't know what you're doing here and I don't know why, and for God's sake, I don't care if you … what you …, well, anyway, at the moment, we have a lot more serious things to worry about. So if you would leave your strange half-human attempts to … just go do your job, Spock!"

„I am free to go, Doctor?"

„Of course you are, nobody's chained you to the damn thing, have they?"

With that, Spock jumped off the bed. McCoy returned to his desk, cupping his face in his hands.

„What the hell …"