Beneath the Rubble

by wild-springflower

It's after the fight with Khan, a hearing with Star Fleet command in two days to decide the fate of the Enterprise crew. The world waits with baited breath as the struggles of two men are broadcast across the channels. It's in the wreckage of a collapsed building that Jim and Leonard sit, unaware they are being watched and simply attempting to survive.

10. X

The initial excitement of impending release from their stone prison quickly died down as the soft tapping noise he'd initially heard faded away into nothingness, the all-encompassing silence that followed almost deafening.

"Maybe they're just, looking for a new place to dig?" Bones questioned, and Jim could tell the optimism in his tone was forced.

"Yeah, maybe." Jim readily agreed, suppressing a sigh and swallowing his disappointment as he felt his chest deflate. He'd been so sure. But maybe it had just been falling debris, maybe they were no closer to getting out of there than when he'd fist woken up. Suddenly the pressure on his legs seemed to increase exponentially, the air around him thickening and sticking in his airway. He felt Bones' hands running small circles through his hair, shushing him gently.

"It shouldn't be long now." He stated gently. He sounded so sure, but Jim had been positive he'd heard someone earlier and that had clearly been nothing.

It was hopeless. His whole life, and for this to be how it ended, in the rubble of a stupid building. 'So much for dying in space.' Jim thought mirthlessly.

"I'm sure Spock and the others are searching for us."

Jim's entire world froze, racing thoughts screeching to a jarring halt. That name, that one simple name, it was amazing the effect it had on him. Immediately calming, he felt his breathing even out, his tunnel-vision dissipating. "Yeah, Spock's coming." His voice was slightly more breathless than usual, but he could feel his pulse slowing as a smile touched his lips.

If there was one certainty in his lift at that moment, it was that Spock was coming.

A/N: Okay, I promise, promise we're getting close to the end! They will be rescued very soon, honestly! Also, the point was brought up that the whole, 'the world watching them' hasn't really come into play. I apologize for that, I have ideas for how the rest of the crew are reacting but I just couldn't find a good place to fit it in to this story. I am thinking about writing a tag-along story with the rest of the crew and what they're all up to, if that's something you'd be interested in reading, give me a shout-out! Otherwise, I'll update as soon as possible, and the camera thing will come in to play very shortly!