Home is the Sailor
By
Pat Foley
Chapter 10
McCoy hesitated outside of Spock's bedroom door. He hated to wake the Vulcan if he were sleeping. On the other hand, he didn't want to startle him. He settled for tapping tentatively. It wouldn't have woken a sleeping human, but he suspected nothing would be soft enough not to wake a Vulcan. When he stepped in, Spock was sitting up, his hair sleep tousled and his face flushed. McCoy made a mental note to scan him for fever.
But his eyes were lucid and his voice was rational as he looked at McCoy and demanded, "Where's Jim?"
"Hi to you, too," McCoy said acerbically. "Nice to see you again. How was your day? All these are considered suitable greetings among polite--"
"Where.. Is… Jim?" Spock said, with barely leashed impatience. "Has he returned?"
McCoy sat down across from Spock's bed. "As a matter of fact, he hasn't come back yet." His eyes widened as Spock's face set decisively and the Vulcan threw back his light blanket. "Whoa! Where do you think you're going?"
"Something is wrong."
"Now just you wait. Jim's gone a little AWOL before this, you know. Anyway, he's on leave this time, so it's -- " McCoy caught Spock's arm. "Wait. You're in no shape to go charging around--"
"Something is wrong," Spock repeated.
McCoy blew out a frustrated breath. "You think so? This isn't just another nightmare? I know you've been--"
"Something is wrong. I was uncertain before. I've had--" Spock hesitated, chary to admit to his problems. "But now I am sure of it. I know it." He said it with the Vulcan assurance McCoy had come to be acquainted with over the course of the last four years. Almost against his will, that decisiveness immediately convinced McCoy that it bore investigating.
"Okay, okay." McCoy scratched his head. "Though I don't know quite what to do. I mean, we're not on the Enterprise. It's not as if I can call up to the bridge and have someone scan--"
"I can--" Spock made as if to stand.
"No, you can't." McCoy punctuated that statement by catching hold of the Vulcan, when he nearly fell and eased him back down. "You really can't, Spock."
Spock was breathing hard, trying to rise. "Perhaps…not."
"I should say not! You're not in any shape for a rescue. Not that Jim needs one, I'm sure. He's just…delayed somehow. But you can't make it from your bed to a chair without someone holding you up. Look, I'll talk to your father. He ought to be able to find Jim, right?"
It took Spock a few moments to catch his breath. "Jim took my flyer?"
"So far as I know."
Spock nodded. "Then Sarek should…should be able to--" It was obvious he was fading fast.
"Take it easy. We'll find Jim, I promise." McCoy pushed Spock back down and shook his head as he went out the door. "Though how much trouble he can get into, on Vulcan," he muttered, "I can hardly imagine."
To be continued…