See first chapter for information!
A/N: I know this chapter is way overdue, but college has kept me busy. Now that I'm laid up in bed after surgery and on painkillers I thought I'd write a chapter. Hopefully it makes some kind of sense! : )
It was just after 1830 and the dinner dishes had just been cleared from the isolation room. Dr. Oberon had given McCoy some more anti-nausea medication before he went off shift, but there were no guarantees since they were battling two illnesses and the effects of the antibiotics they were pumping in. And although he had tried, McCoy had failed to keep his own dinner down. Luckily, Jim had been prepared this time and therefore the floor and all shoes in the room were saved.
Now, the doctor was dozing on his bed, Jim was looking over reports from the bridge, and Spock was seated in the corner, trying to meditate. Jim sighed and shifted in his chair and he could swear he heard a strained breath come from his First Officer. He glanced over at the stoic form, and all appeared normal. A few more moments passed and Jim shifted again, causing the chair to squeak lightly on the floor. This provoked one of Spock's eyes open and he stared at Jim.
"Captain?"
Jim looked over at him. "Yes, Spock?"
"May I inquire about your restlessness?"
Jim looked almost sheepish. "I'm sorry. This chair is just uncomfortable. I usually do all this boring stuff sitting in my Captain's chair." He grinned and Spock looked less than amused. "Would it be better if I went and took a shower?"
Spock blinked. "Make it a long one."
As Jim grabbed his bag and went into the bathroom, he couldn't help but smile at being told to "get lost" by a Vulcan.
She was a pretty little redhead from the science department that had made it clear on several occasions that she was always ready to try new things…and new people. They had shared a late-night snack together about a week ago. He often found himself in the mess hall when he couldn't sleep and tonight he found her there as she came off the Beta shift. They had almost spent the night together that night, but the Klingons had interrupted their plans. They had spent the next week trying to clean up and now they were enjoying their date.
"Jim." He smiled at the way his name rolled off her lips. He took a step closer to her and brushed a hair from her face. "Jim," she repeated as she, too, took a step closer.
"You know, you look even better with almost no clothes on," he whispered.
"Jim," she said a bit more forcefully, and about an octave lower than before.
He raised an eyebrow. Hm.
Not too put off by the change of voice he pulled off his gold shirt and let it drop to the ground. "Jim." He grinned and took a few more steps towards her and stopped within arms length. He hummed appreciatively.
"Jim wake up!"
"What?" he asked groggily as he was pulled from his sleep. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes and looked over to the voice, finding Bones staring at him. "You ok?"
"Yeah, but look at your First Officer." Jim looked over to find Spock asleep, but shivering in bed. He then realized that medical facilities were always kept extra cool and that Spock, being a Vulcan, must have been freezing since the moment they locked him up in here.
"Why the hell didn't he say anything?" he asked sleepily as he stood from his bed.
"Admitting you're cold is probably frowned upon in his society," came Bones' sarcastic voice.
"Yeah, well I can't have two of my top officers sick." Jim grabbed the blanket off of his own bed and placed it over the top of his shivering First Officer. He watched for a moment until the shivering stopped and then turned back to the doctor. He frowned slightly when he realized that Bones looked…shiny. "Bones, you're sweaty."
This earned him a glare. "I didn't notice." By now Jim was at his side. "My fever must be finally breaking."
"Either that or you've lost control of your bladder." Jim grinned and Bones continued to glare. "Ok, what can I do to help?"
"You can help me to the shower."
"Are you sure you should be up?" Jim asked as he came closer to the doctor. He watched as Bones sat up, swayed slightly and laid back against his pillow.
"Probably not," he grumped.
Jim grinned at him. "I'll call a nurse. Maybe she'll give you a bed bath." Bones merely scowled as Jim waggled his eyebrows.
Spock had noticed the extra blanket on top of him when he awoke, but said nothing about it. He simply had folded it up and placed it on the end of Jim's bed, giving the Captain a small upturn of his lips. Bones was having a good day as well. He had been cleaned up and given new sheets, and since his fever had broken they had been able to cut back on his antibiotics, which meant he wasn't nauseous for the first time in three days.
Breakfast arrived when 0700 rolled around. Spock had Plomeek broth again and Jim and Bones had scrambled eggs. They were all sitting around the small table, Bones included, enjoying their breakfast together. A nurse had just been in to draw blood samples from Jim and Spock to test for any infection they could spread to the crew. The samples had to be incubated for three hours and then they would either be released or started on antibiotics themselves.
"It's agreeable to see you feeling better, Dr. McCoy," Spock commented. Jim looked over at Bones and raised an eyebrow.
"It's good to finally feel human again," Bones agreed, and when Spock opened his mouth to say something, "And yes, Spock, I know that I've been human the whole time." Jim laughed at this and then they finished breakfast in relative silence.
The three hours passed quickly. The three of them had played several hands of "Go Fish". Spock won most of the hands and several "pointy-eared hobgoblin" and "tall green elf" comments had erupted from the doctor.
"Sorry to interrupt, guys." The three men turned to find Dr. Oberon standing in the room…minus the isolation garb.
"I'm taking the fact that you're dressed normally as a good sign," Jim said as he stood up.
"It is a good sign. You're all cleared from isolation. Dr. McCoy will have to stay in sickbay for at least another day, and then I'll clear him to his quarters for rest."
Jim clapped Bones on the shoulder. "Looks like we're all going to live."
"Indeed."
A/N: Thanks for your patience, and I hope that this chapter is decent. There's probably just one more before this story wraps up.
