A/N: Hectic life. Between finals and helping my sis look for a house to buy I haven't had time to think about writing. But I have this written up through the next chapter so this weekend I will try and get more down. Thank you for being patient and thank you to those who have taken the time to review. It's short again but when I went back to add more I just couldn't find anything I wanted to change. Hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 4

They had been staring at each other silently for the last 10 minutes. Phoebe knew the physiology of almost every alien race inside and out but none of that knowledge was going to help her get a Vulcan to talk about his feelings. This was only their second session and she was ready to throw in the towel due to frustration.

Every time she asked him a question he answered with either a single word or a counter on how her question was illogical to ask. She studied his dark hair, pointed ears, and dark eyes carefully. She knew he felt emotions; her few sessions with Uhura confirmed that fact. The idea that he could control them so well was unnerving. His face gave away nothing. He would stare her down the whole hour if she let him.

"We are hours away from our first uncharted planet." She had to try something.

"Correct." He answered.

"Does that interest you? Are you excited about the discovery? Apprehensive about what we'll find?" Phoebe had to get him to talk about something.

"Vulcans have been discovering new worlds far longer than Humans." He answered without really answering.

Swallowing her irritation she crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. "So you care nothing about the mission of this ship," she attempted to clarify his meaning.

"On the contrary, the mission of the Enterprise is vital to the expansion of Human knowledge. I do anticipate discovering things that even the Vulcans know little about." He tilted his head ever so slightly. "I would not consider myself 'excited' by the prospect, however. It is a logical evolution in Starfleet's development."

She considered him a moment, letting the silence drag out. He was by far the biggest challenge she had faced in her career.

This time he was the one to break the silence. "Dr. Jacobs, I do not wish to discuss my feelings. I think we should terminate our sessions now, as I do not wish to waste your time."

She raised her eyes brows in surprise. "These sessions are mandated by Starfleet. You can't cancel them." Even if they both wanted to.

"I am aware of the orders. It does not change the fact that these sessions are pointless." He responded.

"We don't have to talk about feelings." Phoebe tried a different tactic. "We can discuss your thoughts. You can tell me what you think."

"I think that these sessions are pointless-"

"Ok!" She held up a hand to cut him off. "I get it." She sighed, glancing at her watch. "We're done for today anyway." As he stood up to leave she added, "but I will see you for our session in two weeks. Admiral's orders."

He gave her a curt nod before exiting her office. Exhaling in frustration she hid her face in her hands, resting her elbows on her desk. None of the crew had been very cooperative with their counseling sessions but Spock was by far the worst. She was beginning to think he enjoyed torturing her.

"Uh, I can come back," a voice caused her to snap her head up. She blinked a few times before smiling at her next patient.

"No, no, Dr. McCoy, please come in. Have a seat." Phoebe sat up straighter, motioning to the chair across from her, beaming a bright smile.

Obviously uncomfortable he made his way to the chair and sat awkwardly on the edge, resting his forearms on his knees. He looked at her with those dark brown eyes that made her want to melt in a puddle on the floor.

She found herself in another staring match. Dr. McCoy was a close second when it came to challenging patients. Last time she had got him worked up about things that annoyed him and that seemed to go well. But she didn't want every session to be just him ranting at her. Her job was more than just being a sounding board.

"So," she started, "How has the past week been going?"

He frowned, pressing his lips together in a cute sort of pout. Phoebe shook her head and tried to remember she was not allowed to have a crush on one of her patients. Or her boss.

"It's been uneventful-look this is really weird." He cut himself off mid-sentence.

"What's weird?"

He motioned between the two of them. "This."

"The counseling sessions? Or something between the two of us?" She suddenly felt very light headed.

"Both." He responded. "I mean," he lowered his voice, "I'm your CO."

"Oh," she nodded, slightly relieved and saddened at the same time. "I can see how that might be...awkward."

"I just feel weird talking to you about feelings. Hell, I feel weird just talking about feelings in general. But to talk to you about them, then see you in med bay..." He trailed off, shrugging.

"Do you think I hold them against you? Our talks?" Phoebe asked, concerned. "Because I am a professional. What you say in here stays in here. It doesn't make me look at you any different. You're still my commanding officer."

"Well we've only had one session." He pointed out. "We haven't really got to the nitty gritty of my soul." Now there was a smidge of humor in his tone.

"Do you plan on sharing soul shattering secrets?" She smiled.

"Probably not." He conceded.

"As I have said with other patients, this is not necessarily about feelings. You can talk about whatever in here. What you think, what you remember, what you want for the future. This is a safe place." She knew how cheesy it sounded but it was true. She wished her patients on the ship felt more comfortable talking to her. It was her job, after all, to listen to them and counsel them on working through their issues.

"Here's the thing, Doc." McCoy sat back in his chair. "I don't know you. I mean, I know your file, forward and backward. I know how you work in the med bay, which is excellent by the way. But I just met you. These meetings have been ordered by some bureaucrat at Starfleet for who knows what reason. I'm not coming here by choice."

"You don't trust me." Phoebe finished his thought for him.

"I don't know you," he repeated. "It's hard to confide in a stranger, especially when you're being forced to."

He had a valid point. Normally people went to a counselor by choice when they had a problem. These crew members were being told they had a problem and had to come to sessions with her. No wonder she was getting nowhere with them.

"Well then," she smiled at him again. "Let's use these sessions as 'getting to know you' meetings. Forget about the psychology of it all."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll start. I grew up as a Starfleet brat. My parents were both enlisted though they were never actually on a ship. My dad...my dad was an instructor for the security division." She stopped for a moment. Unbelievable. Here it was, Dr. McCoy's session, and she was the one getting choked up with emotion.

"Was?" He asked softly.

"Yes, was." She took control, speaking loudly and pushing back the threatening emotions. She still wasn't over the death of her father. She didn't think she ever would be. "He was killed on the job. An accident." With a forced smile she met his eyes. "Your turn."

He paused a minute before visibly relaxing. "I grew up in Georgia, on a farm. My mother was the local doctor, which meant she was the doctor for four farming towns. She was great at her job." He pressed his lips together in that adorable pout again. "I try to be at least half as good as she was." He looked Phoebe in the eye. "She's retired now."

Phoebe nodded. "See. Wasn't so hard." She gave him a small grin.

"Look, about your dad-" He began but was cut off by the com in the room beeping to signal an incoming call.

"Yes?" Phoebe asked.

"Captain Kirk requests Dr. McCoy to the bridge immediately." It was unmistakably Ensign Chekov's voice.

"On my way." McCoy replied, standing from the chair. "Dr. Jacobs," he paused as if he weren't sure how to finish that thought.

"I'll see you in med bay. Like this never happened." She promised. He nodded once, giving her a rare half smile before walking out the door.