Here we are with chapter 4! Thanks for the reviews!!!

"I just think it's strange, that's all." Jim had been thinking about the McCoys ever since he had seen Joanna and Bones' reunion. Something about it seemed... off, somehow.

Meeting up with his ex-wife must have been painful for Bones, but he'd also seemed upset at seeing Joanna. Should Jim ask Bones point-blank what was going on, or respect his friend's privacy and give him space?

Needing a sounding board, Jim had gone to meet with Spock in his cabin. The Vulcan might focus on the logical aspect of things rather than the emotional, but he more often than not gave sound advice. Besides, just speaking his thoughts out loud might make it easier for Jim to reach a decision.

"She was so desperate to get into that bar to find her father," Jim was saying. "I was sure that she'd rush straight into his arms. And why wasn't Bones more excited about seeing her? How come they both just stood there?"

Spock set aside his lyre, which he had been tuning prior to Jim's arrival, and folded his hands in thought.

"If there is one thing that I have observed in my experience with humans, it is that their emotional responses to situations are rarely predictable. With that in mind, I must agree with your assessment that McCoy's behavior was somewhat peculiar. When he first laid eyes on Joanna, he-" Spock paused for a moment, as if a new thought had suddenly occurred to him. Finally he said, "McCoy almost instinctively took my hand. When he did..." Spock's voice trailed off.

"What?" Jim asked. "Did you feel something?" Spock was a touch telepath. He must have picked up whatever emotions Bones had been experiencing at that time. That might explain Spock's hesitation; he did not wish to invade the doctor's privacy. But Jim couldn't help Bones if he didn't know what was going on. "Please, Spock, it's important."

"Yes," Spock finally answered. "I could feel his emotions. There was guilt, sorrow... fear."

"The guilt and sorrow sort of make sense," Jim said. "After all Jocelyn did get full custody of Joanna when the divorce was finalized. Maybe Bones blames himself for not fighting harder for her or something. But the fear... that's more puzzling, unless he figured that where his daughter is, his ex might not be far behind."

"There is one more thing Captain," Spock said slowly. "Among the numerous emotions the doctor was experiencing at that moment, there was one that was noticeably absent."

"And that would be... ?" Jim asked, though he was getting the sinking feeling that he already knew the answer. He hoped that Spock would prove him wrong, but no such luck.

"There was no joy or happiness, no positive emotions of any kind when he saw his daughter."

"Something just isn't adding up," Jim said as he began pacing around the cabin. "Why wouldn't Bones be happy to see Joanna? Why had Joanna been so desperate to see her father that she had snuck away from the hotel to track him down---only to hesitate when she finally found him? And why would McCoy be so unhappy to see her? None of this makes any sense."

"What do you propose we do, Jim?"

"We need to talk to him, Spock," Jim decided. "My imagination's going to go crazy if we don't. He might really need our help."

"While I find it highly likely the doctor needs our help, I am not nearly as certain that he wants our help. There is a great difference between the two, Captain. He might reject our offer for assistance. Should that prove to be the outcome, do you recommend pressing the matter until he surrenders, or will you honor his request for privacy?"

Jim folded his arms across his chest as he leaned back against the desk. "I seem to remember a time when you were in desperate trouble---that you would die if we didn't return you to Vulcan in time. I had to keep pressing the matter because you refused to tell me about it. If I hadn't, you would have died."

"Unless you have reason to believe the lives of the McCoys to be in some sort of danger, I fail to see the connection," Spock said, his face turning a slightly darker shade of green at the mention of his experience with the pon farr.

"Maybe their lives aren't in any physical danger, but Bones' relationship with his daughter might be."

Spock looked thoughtful. "Perhaps," he acknowledged. "But what makes you so certain that we can repair whatever damage has been done?"

"I'm not," Jim admitted. "I don't know the full story. We won't know until we talk to Bones. Maybe you're right, maybe we can't fix whatever is wrong. But we won't know for sure until we try, and McCoy's too much like you." At Spock's raised eyebrow, Jim added, "Too stubborn to admit when he needs help."

"Very well then, when did you wish to confront him?" Jim would have almost sworn that he saw the faintest hint of a sparkle in the Vulcan's eyes at being compared to McCoy.

"Right now," Jim answered---and Spock did not seem surprised. "I think I saw him going towards sick bay after he returned to the ship."

To be continued...