Chapter 5
If there was one good thing that Spock's father ever taught him, it was that no matter what the situation, never let emotions overpower your intelligence.
And right now, as the Vulcan felt the icy cold chills of fear rack up and down his spine, he tried his hardest to see the logical side of the situation.
The situation being, of course, that Bone was a doctor.
And he knew what bandages were.
And Spock was currently wearing bandages.
And Bones didn't know that yet.
Silently taking a deep breath to calm himself, he gracefully sat in the chair the doctor kicked towards him. Walking over to the opposite side of the desk, Bones sat down and typed something into the computer.
He frowned, "Well that's just... I should have expected this".
Spock glanced over at him curiously, ignoring the urge to cover himself once more as the man's piercing gaze met his.
"Did you know that there has only ever been a handful of Vulcans in Starfleet?"
He slowly nodded.
Bones sighed, "I'm trying to access their medical records, but... How old did you say you were again?"
Spock swallowed thickly.
He didn't like lying.
"21 years old".
"Right. Still quite young in Vulcan years, yes?"
"Yes sir".
"Okay. Let's see what we can do then..." He turned back to the computer screen and Spock couldn't help but nervously wring his hands together on his lap.
He shivered.
It was cold, very cold.
Spock wanted his coat back.
"Okay, done" Bones finally announced, hitting one last button on his computer.
Turning to face the Vulcan, he gestured for the man to stand up, and he reluctantly did so.
"Over here" McCoy said, leading the way to the patient's side of the Medical Bay, and over to an odd-looking machine.
The younger man eyed the contraption mistrustfully and Bones rolled his eyes at him, "It's not going to bite you, Spock. It's a body mass calculator. I just programmed in average Vulcan measurements, and now all you gotta do, is stand on it. Okay?"
"... Okay" He said quietly, slowly stepping onto the machine.
One flick of a switch later, and it whirred to life.
Taking a seat next to him, Bones glanced over at Spock questionably, "... Can I ask you something?"
He swallowed thickly, half worried at what the doctor was going to say, and half surprised that he was actually getting a choice to turn him down.
"... You can".
"Why did you really leave Vulcan?"
Spock froze.
Bones sighed, "Alright. Let's start with something a little bit easier, shall we? How long have you been on the streets for?"
"... A while" He finally replied, gaze firmly locked on the flashing lights in front of him.
He couldn't tell him why.
He couldn't.
He'd send him back to- to- to his father and- and to him and- and-
"A few weeks? A few months? A year?"
He paused, "... The former".
"A few weeks?" Bones clarified, and he nodded, "I left Vulcan...11.4 weeks ago".
"Three months?" McCoy asked, reluctantly impressed, "With no food? No money? Nothing?"
"Nothing" He confirmed, "I... bartered for passage on... on various supply vessels".
"Cargo ships" He summarised, "What did you trade them with?"
His blood run cold.
Which was, of course, impossible, he knew.
But he could feel the ice the fear the hatred the pity the disgust-
Bones face softened.
He hadn't told him, hadn't answered his question, hadn't said anything-
But this human was intelligent, Spock realised, and had probably already figured the answer out by himself.
He couldn't answer, he knew he couldn't, he just couldn't-
It was a horrifying topic.
"I left Vulcan for reasons I've already explained".
And thankfully, the doctor knew he had to drop it.
"Because you disagreed with their culture" Bones said instead, and Spock slowly nodded, "Yes. There were many... traditions... that I did not find appealing".
"Such as?" came the quick response, and the Vulcan couldn't help but smile.
Oh yes, this Terran was intelligent alright.
"On Vulcan... Amongst Vulcan people... there is a long withstanding tradition of-"
He paused.
"Yes?"
He focused once more on the flashing lights.
"Of arranged marriages".
Bones stiffened.
"Your species disregarded the concept many centuries ago, but on Vulcan... it is as normal as breathing. Marrying for anything other than logic is greatly frowned upon. It is an... answer, as such, for the Vulcan species. The joining of two similar families, to expand their wealth, power, affluence... And for Vulcan's, love doesn't come into it. Emotions don't come into it. It is a simple ceremony of two families becoming one... Marrying for any other reason is illogical".
"You didn't want to be forced to marry someone you didn't love" Bones said quietly, looking far gentler than Spock had ever seen before, "You have emotions. Feelings... You can feel love and didn't want to marry someone you didn't feel it for".
"It is a weakness, I know, to be overcome with such emotions".
"Spock... you know, for such a logical creature, you really are an idiot sometimes".
He blinked in surprise and turned to face the doctor.
"Love isn't a weakness. Feelings and emotions aren't weaknesses... It's what makes us human" McCoy said strongly, "And yea, I know, you're only half human, but... dammit, Spock, it's the emotionless ones you watch out for in our species... It's okay to feel, you hear me? Emotions are normal, they're constantly happening, and they are most definitely not a weakness, do you understand me?!"
He slowly nodded, completely thrown by the angry outburst.
Bones sighed, frustrated, and went to say more only to be cut off by a loud beep.
Spock turned back to the machine.
The lights had stopped flashing.
"... Alright" Bones finally said, "Come on, you can step off it now".
The Vulcan quickly did as told, and the doctor typed a few more things into the machine before it began to print out a sheet of figures.
"... Was your future wife the reason you left?"
The voice was so quiet, Spock almost didn't catch it.
"... Husband" He replied, "My future husband was..."
He trailed off, and Bones glanced back at him, "Yes?"
He paused, choosing his words carefully, "... We did not get along".
McCoy's eyes darkened dangerously, and Spock wondered if had told him more than he'd intended to with such a simple answer.
"And if you return to him?"
He flinched.
That was the only answer Bones needed.