Summary: Jim managed a weak smile. "I'll be alright. It just caught me before I could out run it."
Lost Horse Creek, Montana
"When you are lonely, let me be your companion. When you are tired, let me carry the load. When you need to learn, let me teach you… after all, I am your horse."
-Unknown
Chapter Eleven: The Repercussions of External Influences (And How to Cope)
"If a problem has no solution, it may not be a problem, but a fact - not to be solved, but to be coped with over time."
- Shimon Peres
Native Sky Ranch
124 Flathead Road,
Lost Horse Creek, Bitterroot Mountain Range, Rocky Mountains, Ravalli County, Montana
Stardate: 2260
October 22
0346 Hours
…
Spock stirred from his meditation and sleep so consistently that night he would have more productive if he hadn't attempted sleep at all.
A soft chatter against the panes of window glass was testament that the frigid rain continued to fall outside. The sound of Hota and his pack singing in the distance was a constant background to the rasping, wet wheezes that commanded most of Spock's focus.
Spock laid with his eyes half open, adjusted to the dark. He was curled up slightly around his core and listening intently to each breath that Jim drew in then choked coarsely back out. His breathing getting periodically worse, sounding nasal or whistled and occasionally choked altogether.
There was nothing Spock could do. He could not offer to change positions and settle Jim in his bed, to do so would require waking the blonde. He could not offer medical care nor cure. He could not even offer to suffer with Jim, he'd had escaped the ordeal of the frigid rain and icy water unscathed and now lied physically comfortable and acceptably warm.
Burrowed under the heavy bedclothes balled in a cocoon of his own making. He was bathed in Jim's scent, layered up so thick and heavy on his skin and in his hair Spock pondered the probability that he would loose his own in the wash of his scent. Sweet hay and lingering bite of sweat and bitter soap and slight stomach turning touch of leather, the faded musk of Nemo A534 and general smell of horse, all lightened and tied together with something like spiced honey, milk, coffee and ozone that only life in the abyss of space could leave.
It felt like a betrayal.
Made all the more intimate awash and comfortable in Jim scent and bed and listening to the other man struggling to breath and choke through some kind of nightmare or dream.
At one point, not too long after Jim had fallen into his labored sleep the door had opened quietly and Cody had slipped in, illuminated just slightly by the pale light of the hall. Her arms were bundled with a mass that looked like a blanket or a quilt. She padded nearly silently over to the suspended bundle and tipped it just enough that it swung gently and she could look in better. Spock had watched closely as Cody draped the blanket over Jim's frame.
It'd flashed once in the light and Spock's eyebrow tilted up into his hairline as he recognized the blue, purple and black patterns of the horse quilt that had once been Colt's. Cody paused, her hands toyed with a slightly worn plush horse. The faded gold fleece fur and black yarn tail and mane of what looked somewhat like a buckskin. The toy flopped in Cody's hands as he paused contemplating for a moment before resolving herself and tucked the toy in next to Jim's chest. The petite rancher had then lightly stroked back Jim's hair and backed quietly back out of the room and pulled the door shut behind her.
For a few long moments it seemed that Jim's breathing had eased, then just as quickly had collapsed again into the broken, rough wheezes that continued well into the morning.
His mind drifted occasionally but consistently returned to listening to Jim's labored breathing.
His mind was drifting as some point early in the morning when the door opened again and back lit by the light of the hallway Cody's small frame closely followed by McCoy bulkier one slipped in, it couldn't have been later than four in the morning. Spock stiffened before pushing himself up to sitting up right.
Next to him Nemo A534 rolled over onto his belly and lifted his head off his paws. He whined softly and ticked his ears back and forth.
Cody and McCoy flicked their eyes in his direction. Cody absently brushed hand over Jim's shoulder before stepping over to where Spock shifted until he was sitting on the edge of the bed.
She eased down next to him.
McCoy stayed close to the hammock and proceeded to gently rouse Jim and give him a light examination, speaking to each other in low tones. The sound of their voices mingled with the chatter of rain against the windows.
'He has had difficulty breathing for the duration of the night. I have attempted to monitor its severity.' Spock signed, making sure his hands were cast in the bar of light from the hall.
Cody nodded but made no inclinations concerning the implication that Spock had spent most of the night listening to Jim breath. It is in his lungs and chest. Rock solid too from the way his ribs are vibrating.
'You are able to diagnose the severity of his condition through the vibration of his torso?'
How did you think I figured it out with the horses?
Spock paused and pondered the logic behind the statement before he heard Jim cough roughly and wheeze wetly.
'He is very ill?'
Cody shook her head and smiled reassuringly. Not as bad as it seems. Sweat him out and flush his systems and plenty of sleep he'll be back in the saddle by tomorrow.
Spock nodded slowly.
Haven't been sick much?
'No. My health has consistently been optimal and well monitored for the duration of my life.'
Little scary, isn't it? Especially when its someone you care about.
'It is unsettling.' Spock paused for a moment.
Because you can't help him?
'Jim is often in situations that result in his injury or incapacitation.'
Doesn't make it any easier to sit through.
Spock went very still and Cody licked her lips.
There is something you can do for him, sugar.
Spock lifted his eyebrows.
Be a buffer. There's going to be alot of traffic going in and out of here because of him deciding to take a swim in Pestilence's pool. If you can be a rock for him it'd do him good. With the Pups and the Brotherhood and the dogs and everything.
'Then, would it not be more productive to be absent and provide a level of privacy?'
That's bull and you know it.
Spock lifted an eyebrow.
All else aside, the reason you're here in the first place is because of him. Don't leave him now.
Spock paused, 'The chores-'
Can be done by the brothers for today. They know how to muck and feed and ride. About time I put them to work again anyway. Just sit tight and give Len a hand with Jim. Hell you'll be killing two birds with a shot. Little company and distraction goes a long way for a pack animal like Len, he'll never admit it but he's terrified about the deposition this morning.
'Concerning his daughter?'
Yes. Today its just all paperwork and lawyers being all passive aggressive at each other without clients or judges around yet. But the thing is his baby girl is literally in touching distance. She's in state, within twenty miles. It's making him crazy.
Cody pulled her eyes away from Spock and looked to where McCoy was standing over Jim with his arm's crossed over his chest. The hybrid had never seen him so dressed down, wearing loose fitting jeans and a over large, cream sweater and barefoot. His hair was ruffled and eyes half lidded as if he hadn't slept soundly. Spock inspected the doctor closely and noticed that there was a rigid tension in the man's spine and shoulders. He was fidgeting, small twitches and jerks of his skin, as if there was an itch he couldn't reach.
Though McCoy was speaking quietly and keeping Jim awake and focused for the moment it was clear that the older man was some what distracted and if anything feeling residual guilt for that distraction as he was being unusually soft toned and light handed with the ill blonde.
Spock studied McCoy for another few moments before nodding his agreement. Cody smiled and squeezed his forearm as she stood. Spock followed suit. Nemo A534 levered his weight up to his paws and stepped carefully down to the end of the bed.
"Ya done sleepin'?" McCoy growled softly.
"I have achieved a sufficient amount of rest." The hybrid dipped his head. Next to him Cody shook her head slightly
"Then give goldilocks here a hand into his bed."
"I can do it."
Jim's voice sounded raw and torn, thick with pressure. Jim sat up slightly in the hammock, his hair a mussed nest of wheat standing on end. His eyes were lidded and dull, the cerulean of his eyes was paled out to point that it was a color nearer to white than blue. His face was flushed in some places and paled in others and he looked altogether miserable.
The blonde shifted around and moved to the edge of the hammock and shifted to slide to the floor before the hammock tipped and the blonde spilled out the floor with a muffled yelp and the sickening sound of flesh impacting with hardwood.
Spock closed the distance in a fraction of a second, McCoy already crouching and tugging Jim gently up right. The blonde whined softly and gingerly rubbed the side of his skull, threading his fingers in his hair.
Jim blinked slowly and shifted to get onto his feet only to slump back again.
"Damnit all, boy." McCoy rumbled and deftly hooked one hand under Jim's armpit and nodded for Spock to do the same.
The hybrid twined his arm with Jim and flinched slightly. The temperature of Jim's skin had risen significantly. It was nearer to a Vulcan's, even through the fabric of Jim's hooded sweatshirt. It felt odd and actually scorched against Spock's. His hand lightly wrapped around Jim's wrist and swallowed hard against the heat and the lack of pressure from the blonde's mind. It was like Jim's consciousness was wrapped thickly in heat and fog. His thoughts were disjointed and dulled, cottony and heavy. Briefly something would sharpen then be sucked away again under the weight of fever and congested breathing.
"On three. One. Two-" McCoy commanded and Spock pulled upwards as McCoy did and they hauled the blonde's near dead weight up to his feet. His knees almost buckled before he dug fingers into the doctor and hybrid to stay upright.
It was a well practiced move between Spock and McCoy to shuffle Jim around and settle him down onto his side in the bed. More than once similar circumstances had risen that they needed to perform the move and it seemed, even in the safety of Native Sky they were destined to continue with the same odd but necessary dance.
Jim slumped into the mattress and let his head loll back, exposing the long line of his throat and slight bob of his Adam's apple. The skin was flushed and slick with a layer of sweat. Spock nose wrinkled slightly at the small ripple of scent that drifted up from the dampened skin, spiced honey, milk and ozone, pushed against his senses. The scent heavier and headier made by Jim's sweating and fever.
He attention broke when McCoy pressed fingers into the delicate, pulsing skin of the blonde's throat. The large vein fluttered slightly under the pressure and Jim swallowed heavily.
McCoy snarled something that wasn't Standard and made Spock lift his eyebrows. Jim's eyes were unfocused and looking distractedly at something on the floor. Spock half twisted and watched as Cody scooped up Colt's quilt and the old buckskin horse plush, she moved over and once McCoy had pulled up the sheets and comforter, Cody heaped the quilt on top and held the toy out to Jim.
"I don't need him." Him muttered. Cody made a silent sigh before tugging up the corner of the blanket and forcefully tucking the stuffed animal into the curve of Jim's stomach and dropped the blankets back into place.
Jim grunted and made a small struggled effort but the toy did not reemerge from the cave against Jim's belly. His eyes glazed over and a rough rasp of breath tore from his throat harshly. It sounded like it was supposed to be a cough but Jim didn't posses the force to perform it correctly.
"It'd like for ya to get showered down but ya'll just sweat through again anyway." Mccoy sighed and rubbed the back of his neck before tugging at the edge of his hair. "Sweatin' it out'll do ya better than stayin' cool right now anyway."
Jim didn't respond with more than a wheeze and turned his face into his pillow and drew in a thick, congested breath. His brow knit together, teeth clenching and a soft noise of pain rippling from his throat before dying.
Nemo A534 whined softly and moved back up the bed and bellied down, stretching out protectively against Jim's back. The German Shepherd's one brown eyes rolled around, lighting on each McCoy and Cody before settling on Spock. The dog whined again, pinning his ears before pressing his nose into the sweat slick juncture of Jim's throat, jaw and ear. The blonde jerked as if he'd been slapped.
"Cold..." Jim murmured with a shiver before settling again.
"I'm orderin' a damn kit!" McCoy snapped, and bristling stalked away with hackles raised. Spock and Cody watched him exit. The petite rancher smiling fondly.
It's the Fox in him. I'll take him out to Darby later. I'm sure Doc'll give him anything he wants.
'Doc' is a physician, I assume.'
Only one in town. Ryan Rhado. He and Stephen Strain share a practice.
'You have previously stated that 'Doc' was the only physician in Darby and yet he shares a practice?'
Doc Stain's the vet.
'... This does not seem ideal for sanitation and prevention of cross contamination.'
Sugar, it's not like they're in the same room. Doc works out of the house and Doc Strain out of the stable. It's just easier for them to work a practice together because they're... well... together.
Spock's brow furrowed. 'Romantically?'
Cody nodded.
Spock cocked his head slightly, "Fascinating."
Cody smiled and rolled her eyes slightly. Lips still quirked she twitched her head towards the door. Come get something to eat and you can bring something up to Jim later.
Spock hesitated, looking down at the lax form of Jim half curled on his side.
I'd say he'd be here when you get back but knowing Jim it's likely he might pull a Geronimo.
'Geronimo?'
We had a Thoroughbred ex-racehorse for a while that we tried to build into a dressage mount for Jim but he was too restless and jumped fences so we renamed him Geronimo and sold him to a trainer for cross country prospect. After Geronimo. The Chiricahua Apache... one of the last resistance fighters against the new American government. He was captured half a dozen times and escaped each time.
Spock's eyebrow tilted up. Cody's shoulder dipped slightly.
It's not that important.
'On the contrary. His exploits sound intriguing. I expect you have a text on the matter.'
Cody smiled and dipped her head. It's all yours. Come on. You'll be right back.
Cody gently tugged his sleeve and pulled him towards the door. Spock looked back and locked eyes with Nemo A534. The dog looked at him with ears cocked forwards and for a moment the light tricked the young hybrid into seeing the dog wink his single eye.
Still bundled in his borrowed flannels and hooded sweatshirt Spock padded quietly behind Cody, the stairs creaking quietly under their weight and they headed to the kitchen. Cody suddenly stopped him, lifting a hand so they paused on the stairs.
Listen sugar. Before this goes further you need to know something about human men. They can be the biggest, toughest animal the woods but there are times in their lives when they become the biggest, whiniest momma's boys you've ever seen. When they're really really hungry or when they're really really sick. Jim is really really sick. He is going to be a whining, demanding, disagreeable heap of miserable flesh for the next twenty eight hours or so. Knowing him he pretty much zeroes in on one individual specifically to make as miserable as himself for the duration. I'm guessing it's going to be you. It would be best on everyone's psyches if you just go along with whatever he wants. And for your suffering, at the end of the ordeal, you will get cake. Alright sugar?
Spock paused, processing what he'd been told and preparing himself mentally through the warning before nooding. Spock highly doubted that the situation would be nearly as traumatizing as Cody made it out to be.
You're a good boy, sugar.
They continued down the stairs and into the kitchen. The room was lit by the same dull glow but seemed warmer than normal. The air was thick with the scent of cooked food and heavy with the deep bass rumble of music from and antique radio set into a corner of the corner as it steadily poured out old rock music. Spock was certain the warmth it was due to the number of warm bodied in the room. All four of the brothers were roused and more than awake, Canteska, Wagi, Situpsa and Anahme were curled up together on the large cushion in the corner.
Creek, Casper and Cikala were dressed and ready for cold weather and long work. Their shirts layered and jeans slung down around the heels of their boots. Their belts were heavy with the weight of radio comm units, large hunting knives and in Cikala's situation a standard issue firearm for a police officer. They were sipping the last of their coffees and chewing on thick chunks of heavy, hand made scones.
Cokata was parked at the end of the table, surrounded by several data pads, scattered paper work, and the personal lap top. He was writing rapidly in a dog eared spiral notebook, pen skidding over the surface in quick, hard letters. Spock recognized McCoy's personal data pad among the chaos. McCoy was scrubbing his hands in the sink as if he intended to go into surgery. Cody crossed and relayed her intention to take him to see Rhado and Strain. McCoy nodded.
"Hey Spock. How's our blue eyed rodeo king doin'?" Casper rumbled softly, his dark eyes brimming with worry. His question brought attention to Spock's presence and the rest of the Brotherhood looked up at him.
The hybrid dipped his head. "He seems considerably ill, has contracted difficulty in his respiration system and sinuses, he is fevered and disoriented. I believe it to be considerable ailment but Doctor McCoy and Cody have assured me it is minor."
The four Chicalato brothers twisted to look towards the pair. They seemed relatively oblivious, standing in close quarters McCoy had dipped his head to sip out of Cody's offered mug. He straightened as he swallowed and licked his lips, considering the taste before nodding and jerkily signing 'not bad' to the petite rancher who smiled gently.
Cikala made a displeased, harsh noise low in his throat and Casper glared at him. Cokata rolled his eyes and Creek seemed oblivious, to engrossed in his diminishing scone.
"Hey, Caniwahu." Casper called.
McCoy's head snapped up and he stepped back from Cody a fraction and sipped out of his own coffee mug.
"What the kid say right? Hoksilato gonna be alright?"
"It's a minor cold, in his chest and head. He'll sweat it out and after I get some equipment from Rhado and he'll be fine by the mornin'... if his systems don't go haywire before then."
He's not all that bad, Len.
The medical officer made a sharp noise that sounded like some bastardization of a snort, curse and laugh.
"Can't ya just dose him with some Bute?" Casper asked.
The muscle of McCoy's bicep contracted as if he intended to throw his mug but refrained.
"Lookit the self-control." Cikala deadpanned and Mccoy stiffened.
Cikala if you remember how to go get your ass on a horse.
The narcotics officer rolled his eyes as he tugged on a heavier coat he whistled sharply. somewhere above there was a scramble and the large, long coated Collie, Ceskika trotted up to Cikala. the dog barked in a high pitched voice and followed on the officer's heels as Cikala stalked out the door.
Hey. You guys thought I meant just him? Get to it. Saddle up. Slickers are in the tack room.
Casper sighed and Creek quickly stuffed the rest of his scone into his mouth. The two brothers pulled on their jackets and Casper whistled up the stairs the same way that Cikala had. Scraping claws announced the arrival of Uta, the large Rottweiler. The dog bounded a head of Casper and Creek as the two brothers slipped out.
McCoy remained tense, his jaw locked hard. Cody touched his elbow lightly, making the doctor jerk once before calming. He muttered something inaudibly before stalking out of the room, his bare feet silent on the terra cotta tiles.
Cokata's eyes flickered towards the movement before falling back to the screen. Cody made a motion for Spock to sit at the table. The hybrid followed the silent order and eased down into a chair. He observed Cokata in contemplative silence until Cody set a bowl of still steaming bowl of oatmeal, mixed heavily with brown sugar, a bit of soy milk and the remaining cranberries from the scone batter.
There you go, sugar. And the book is in my room on the desk.
Spock dipped his head and offered a sign of thanks as Cody poured him a tall glass of thick orange juice. The petite rancher had given up trying to make tea for Spock about a week and a half earlier and was resigned to portioning out other drinks for him. The hybrid started in on his bowl of oatmeal, taking measured mouthfuls efficiently and quickly without seeming like he was rushing.
When half of both the juice and oatmeal had gone Cokaa leaned back suddenly in his wheel chair, pinched the ridge of his nose and sighed quietly.
"Are you well Cokata?" Spock inquired quietly.
"Jocelyn Duaphin is a class-A bitch. She hired some hacker to start fuckin' 'round in Joanna's files, changin' her parentage."
Spock's brow narrowed. "What?"
"About half of the certificates and pedigrees don't have Caniwahu's name or signature on 'em anymore. I need Hoksilato's mad skills right about now."
"'Mad skills'." Spock's brow knit slightly. "You are referring to Jim's familiarity with computers and system construction."
"The boy makes handlin' these thin's-" Cokata motioned towards the lap top. "-look like breathin'. Him and his giant brain."
"Jim's brain is nor larger than the average size and weight for a human of his approximate age." Spock protested quietly. "And he is incapacitated."
"I wouldn't ask 'im while's he's sick anyway, last time we tried to get him to do super genius stuff when he was bellied out we ended up knockin' out half the power grid."
Spock hesitated before motioning for Cokata to push the computer his way.
"May I?"
Cokata looked at him for a second before sliding the computer over.
"I tried accessin' everythin' with my BAR Association clearance but I can't get that deep into the file system to change it back... like I would know how, anyway." Cokata muttered.
"It is illegal to alter officiated documentation without correct submission of requesting alteration of the files, is it not? Especially without the consent of individuals that participated in the original certification of the document barring their deaths and or written consent or a conviction of neglect or dangerous intentions towards the documents or their assigned contents and or subject matter. Correct, Cokata?"
The counselor blinked slightly. "Yeah. Yeah it is."
"Miss Dauphin conducted these alterations through a more skilled individual in such a manner, did she not?"
Cokata narrowed his eyes slightly before his lips quirked up in understanding. "She sure did, Spock. Her actions were wholly and completely against the laws of both her state as well as standard laws concerning birth and life documentation in the United States."
Spock fingers skimmed neatly over the keys and in a matter of a few seconds accessed he needed information to crack into the system but paused before doing so.
"Cokata there is no true way to prove the Miss Dauphin was the one who instigated this attack on the documentation."
"But Spock, this offense is a punishable one and is consequences are extremely dangerous to the well being of the child's father and his relationship with the child. The sire is an upstanding citizen of the United States as well as a recognized member of Starfleet elite. His records both legal and medical are impeccable and without even expunged blemishes. Is it logical for such a man to suffer? For his relationship with his child to suffer?"
Spock lifted his chin slightly. "It is not."
"And Spock, considering that we cannot apprehend, confront or convict the speculated source of the threat against this man and his daughter and her documentation, though we do have the means and technology, provided by yourself, to correct the damaged documentation is it not pure logic and moral obligation as you a respected member of Starfleet to help you comrade and I an officer of the law and court to defend those that cannot defend themselves that we do what we can to correct the damaged done?"
Spock tipped his head. "Most logical indeed."
The hybrid turned to the laptop and in a blur of movement accessed and bypassed the security systems and tapped into the original records. Cody crossed and leaned over Spock's shoulder watching his movements and the reaction of the lap top.
"A systematic cleaning program referred to as a 'scrubber' will suffice. It seems the damage is contained on a surface level. The programmer was either unskilled or had a disinterest in the construct of his alterations." Spock reasoned aloud, before he glanced at the systems the lap top offered. He lifted an eyebrow. "This is Jim's personal computer?"
"Yeah." Cokata sipped his cooling coffee. "He's fine with us usin' it and everythin' but I'm sure if he was hidin' somethin' it'd be encrypted enough that we couldn't figure it out anyway."
Spock's brow furrowed as he skimmed through the surface programs and applications of Jim's system. He could almost sense the layered securities and encoded data below the visible surface. He found a sufficient scrubber program and swiftly applied it, intending to remove himself from the temptation of challenge of cracking Jim's systems as the blonde had once hacked Spock's own deigns.
At his ear Cody's lips pulled into a smile as the scrubber reverse engineered the damage until the logged documentation had regained it's original design. The information concerning McCoy siring Joanna and her maiden name and medical information reverting to their natural state. Cody's hand settled in Spock's shoulder and squeezed hard. Across the table Cokata grinned into his mug.
"I intend to create a seal to safeguard the documents from future distortion." Spock said aloud.
"What's goin' on in here?" McCoy rumbled stepping back into the kitchen and set his empty coffee mug in the sink before stalking over to Cody's side. He passed a thick hardcopy file, filled with printed papers over to Cokata.
"Remember that issue we had earlier?" The counselor asked, cocking his head and leafing absently through the file. McCoy tensed but nodded curtly. "Spock turned it into smoke and blew it away."
McCoy was silent for a moment.
"What?"
"I have scrubbed and reconstructed the damage done to the medical and birth documentation concerning Joanna McCoy-Dauphin."
"Zephyrine."
"Pardon?" Spock tilted his head back.
"Her middle name. It's Zephyrine."
Spock's brow furrowed eyes flicking to the screen and noticing the sectional concerning the child's middle name was considerably blank. He lifted and eyebrow at the doctor.
"It's French." McCoy said quickly and swallowed heavily. "Spock... please."
The hybrid only hesitated to figure the spelling before adding the information back into the documents, then sealing them.
"Thank ya." McCoy said quietly.
Spock lifted an eyebrow. "There is no thanks necessary, Doctor McCoy. The alterations done to these files was performed illegally lacking proper authorization. Their distortion would create complications for Miss McCoy-Dauphin in her adolescence and adulthood.
The relation to you suggest the possibility of advanced intelligence despite an equal possibility of an explosive temper. Such document distortion could easily rob Miss McCoy-Dauhpin and society in general of the possibility of making a very large impact on history. As Cokata argued, considering that we could not for certain locate and prosecute the programmer responsible for the alterations and have them corrected through traditional means, it was only logical that we restore the documentation to it's natural state ourselves with the resources at hand."
McCoy licked his lips and nodded silently, the lack of response making Spock sit more stiffly in his seat. Before the tension could settle, McCoy jumped slightly when Cody gently tugged a lock of the medical officer's dark hair. The man's mossy green eyes flashed and narrowed at her before he sulkily reached up and ruffled his hair back into place.
Cokata chuckled and locked eyes with Spock as the hybrid passed the laptop back, the counselor jerked his head towards Cody and McCoy. "Twitterpainted."
"Shut up Cokata." McCoy snapped gruffly. "Nothin' of the sort."
"Doctor McCoy, you pallor has altered. Have you contracted Jim's fever?"
McCoy sputtered and slightly flushed stalked swiftly out of the room.
The brother grinned widely. "Give me a high five in the air, Spock. That was awesome."
"Cokata, Vulcan hands-"
"No I mean, in the air. Look watch. Sis." Cokata turned and lifted his arm, offering his palm to Cody. "In the air."
Cody raised her own arm and they made a motion to slap their palms together but refrained from making final contact, leaving a sizable gap between their hands.
"See?" Cokata made the same offering of his palm to Spock.
The hybrid hesitated before mimicking and performing the motion forwards. Leaving the gap between their hands before retracting his arm.
"Yes." Cokata chuckled, "Is it just me or are ya gettin' more righteous by the second?"
"A wider poll of the conclusion would be required to prove the validity of your assumption that I am growing progressively more honorable, just and morally ethical in accordance to my actions." Spock responded.
Cokata grinned at Cody and pointed at Spock. "This guy."
Cody sighed silently. Got to hit the mountain. Depositions at eight?
Cokata nodded.
We'll go in and drop you off when I'm taking Len over to see Doc.
"Sound's good to me." Cokata jerked his thumb towards the door. "Go. Boogie."
Cody rolled her eyes.
Keep an eye on our boy, sugar. When you're done take some tea or something light up to him and see if he can stomach it.
The hybrid dipped his head in agreement and turned back to finishing his meal efficiently and quickly. Cody tugged on her suede and fleeced jacket and snapped her fingers with one hand while tucking her Stetson into place over her head and down around her ears. Wagi and Situpsa climbed out of the small pile of animal in the corner and trotted out the door with her.
Spock paused, looking at Cokata for a moment before speaking.
"I have been told the before you were a prosecutor that you participated in a unit of law enforcement referred to at 'special victims'."
Cokata paused and looked up at him. The brother sighed quietly before pushing the lap top aside and folded his hands on the table top.
"This about Hoksilto, right?"
Spock stiffened, eyebrows lifting towards his hairline and the counselor's lips quirked gently.
"Don't look so shocked. No one in this family can keep their mouths shut when a shiny new toy is in the house." Cokata motioned towards Spock, he sighed and rubbed his hands together. "First off, Spock, ya need to know that I never had anythin' to do with or handled any of Jim's cases, files or medical records. They're sealed, nobody but a federal judge can touch 'em. So I honestly don't know too much 'bout what happened. He doesn't talk 'bout it. Cody knows more than anyone else. She was the one that would just leave at random times and come back trailin' that boy behind her with new bruises on his face. She always knew when he needed her, she was always there. I don't think there's anyone in the world he trusts more. Hell, she probably knows the story better'n Jim."
Spock hesitated. "Would not he be the chief authority on the matter?"
Cokata made a kind of pained face. "See that's one of the biggest problems about this kind of thing. Especially so young. Abuse, when it happens, the body'll go into a kind of survival mode. While it's takin' all this punishment it'll convince the brain that it's not happenin', or there's a good reason for it, or Hell, they deserve it."
"Deserve it?" Spock nearly snapped.
"It's a copin' mechanism." Cokata said quickly. "When yer so young sometimes ya don't understand what's happenin' to ya, especially when when its surrounded in so much pain. Especially when its comin' from someone that's supposed to be proctectin' ya. It's just a way to make sense of somethin', make it bearable so they keep goin'. So that it... seems reasonable and they can live with it."
Spock unfolded and refolded his hands, fidgeting as much as any Vulcan could.
"Jim related to me that he preferred that he be afflicted with the... damage than his mother."
Cokata hook his head. "Spock. Jim's mom wasn't 'round."
Spock locked eyes with the counselor.
"She couldn't look at 'im. She probably kind of blamed 'im. Ya know what happened when he was born, right?" Cokata paused and continued after the hybrid nodded. "She was always off planet or workin'. She was maybe there for holidays. The older brother was at boardin' school half the time. Jim was pretty much on his own."
"He deceived me-"
"No Spock." Cokata said harshly, making the hybrid jump slightly. "Far as I can tell he'd never lie to ya. What he told ya is what he believes. It's what he knows happened. Fact is he was probably more honest with ya than he has been with someone outside of the family since Caniwahu."
Spock took a moment for the information to absorb before nodding.
"Spock... don't judge 'im for this. He could've been much worse, he could've been broken. People don't recover from this easy there's always some kind of consequence. Jim's no exception, his damage is done and it's a part of 'im now."
"It consists of his skewed perception of the situation?" Spock posed it carefully as a question.
"Yeah. That and a few other thin's. Nothin' he cain't get by with."
Spock tensed. "What else?"
"We'll... ya know. He's got problems with relationships, 'n just a teeniest bit of multiple personality disorder, but most of us figure that probably would have happened any way the way that his imagination and his big ol' brain goin' all the time. I'd hope ya'd notice by know that Copenhagen smile of his is a lie. The hero complex and self-worth problems. Trust issues. Um, what what else... got little bit of an aversion to physical contact."
Spock's eyebrows tilted up, then his eyes narrowed. As their friendship had slowly strengthened Spock had taken note of the blonde's care and hesitation to make contact with the young hybrid. Seen the slight distress that it caused the human. And what contact he made was often sharp and short lived. Jim broke off handshakes a fraction faster than most humans, he jerked if he was touched without warning and could often be seen rolling his shoulders or flexing his hands after contact. Spock had believed that Jim had only become more conscious and careful about personal space due to his exposure to Spock's own need for physical space.
It had never occurred to him that Jim himself shied from the touch of others.
"Physical contact?"
"He's easy to flinch and if he gets manhandled he can get real aggressive." Cokata admitted with a twitch of one shoulder. "Cody's got kinda lee way on that. She's the exception to the rule. And Caniwahu, he's real good about givin' enough warnin' that it never seems like Jim spooks from 'im. And, uh, he never lets on but he's scared to leave himself alone with kids. Which is ridiculous, the way he doted on Colt and the rest of the pups."
"Why would this fear manifest?"
"Statistics are against him. It's not unusual for the abused to turn into abusers. Repeat the process the next generation, inflict the same damage on their own kids."
Spock shook his head, resolute. "It is not in Jim's nature to harm another willingly. He would no more lay his hand on a child than he would his horses."
Cokata smiled. "Well, Spock. Looks like ya got 'Jim' figured out more 'n Jim does. Speakin' of Hoksilato. This interview it over."
Spock stiffened, unsure if he'd overstepped his bounds.
"As shy as our boy can be about bein' touched, he is most certainly in need of good company." Cokata smiled slightly and lifted his arms above his head linking his fingers and stretched, he arched his back so deeply that his wheelchair rocked back a little.
Spock took the cue, dipping his head slightly in silent thanks and received a dismissive wave in return as Spock collected a mug and mixing together a reduced version of his own favored tea. Adding more spiced honey than Spock himself enjoyed. Only after Jim's mug was finished and cooling did Spock mix his own drink. Hefting both the hybrid made his way out of the kitchen.
"Thanks again for yer help." Cokata called quietly.
Spock paused. "I was only logical to do so."
Cokata's lips quirked. "Sure thin'. See ya later Cahapi."
Spock's eyebrow tilted up at the foreign word before turning and starting up the steps at an even and slow pace, ensuring none of the two drinks slopped onto his hands or shirt. He glimpsed a clock mounted on the dimly lit wall, a quarter of an hour until five in the morning. Spock strode passed Cody's room resolving to return for the book about Geronimo at a later time. He slipped back into darkened area of Jim room and crossed to the bed. The only movement in the room the quick flick of Nemo A534's ears and stuttering rise and fall of Jim's torso under the comforter and quilt.
Spock stood over the blonde for a long moment, considering if he should risk rousing the human with touch, testing the limits of his own acceptance in Jim's circle of elite.
"Jim." Spock said aloud, keeping his hands firmly twined around the mugs. The blonde was still.
"Jim." Spock lifted the volume of his voice, hardening it to an authoritative tone and moved closer. Jim jerked a little, eyes snapping open and the blue focusing for a split second. Jim was halfway pushing himself up.
"What's wrong?" He sharp, hard edged tone was clear. Jim's mind had tricked him back into his bunk aboard the Enterprise. He believed that Spock had come to him as a First Officer. Spock squatted down onto his heels, setting the two mugs down and quickly set his hand onto Jim's shoulder. Feeling the heat of the fever flushing through the fabric and the jerk of muscle as Jim flinched from his touch.
"Jim." Spock said quietly. "There is nothing amiss. You are the ranch. Remember? You are ill."
The blonde looked at him for a long moment and Spock was startled to see the color of his eyes had darkened to near navy. The contrast harsh and unsettling. Slowly the navy color faded, bleeding back into the smooth pools of cerulean. After another moment the color drained again back into the glassy pale blue that was near white as the strain of sickness settled back into him.
Jim made a soft groan and twisted away from him, effectively rolling over to bury his face into the thick ruff of fur at Nemo A534's neck, Spock's hand slid from his shoulder and settled into the sheets and mattress where Jim had been lying. The fabric was damp, near soaked with sweat. The vicious liquid slid over the sensitive pads of his fingers and made Spock's skin itch.
"That wasn't funny." He slurred quietly.
"I had no intention of deceiving or making a mockery of you." Spock protested quietly.
"Hmm." Jim rasped.
"Jim. I roused you with the intention of you drinking something. The drink's holisitic properties would be most beneficial to your recovery as well as replenish the liquids you are losing with profuse sweating."
"Hmm."
Spock blew out a soft breath that might have been a sigh. "Jim. Please."
The next 'hmm' sounded more like a sigh of both appeasement and defeat. Jim stiffly and roughly pushed himself back up and twisted around, eyes still half lidded and so glazed Spock was almost certain he couldn't see. The blonde reached out blindly and Spock retrieved the tea from the floor and held it steady until Jim had haphazardly wrapped his hand around it. The blonde drew the mug towards him and sniffed the liquid, nose wrinkling.
"Tea."
"I mixed the drink." Spock assured.
Jim hummed quietly and tipped the mug to his lips and swallowed several large mouthfuls without stopping. He choked and sputtered slightly as he came up for air. Coughing wetly and easing down onto his belly and propping himself up on his elbows as he breathed. The air passing thick and heavy through his sinuses. He gripped the mug in both hands and bowed his head between his forearms and panted just slightly. His ribs expanding and contracting far more than they did normally.
After the long pause, eyes slit shut, Jim tipped the mug back. In a few long swallows and the bob of his Adam's apple he sluiced the rest of the tea down. He absently pushed the mug back towards Spock. The blonde stayed still for a while, braced up on his elbows and forearms, head hung and the wisps of his honey colored hair darkened and slicked down to his skull with his own bodily fluids. The wings of his shoulder blades were hunched and made his frame look far to thin along his spine, his neck arched and corded and flushed pink. Steam seemed to rise off his skin and he sniffed so heavily that Spock could almost see the congestion moving through his nasal passages and sinuses.
"Humans are quiet disgusting when they are severely ill." Spock declared honestly.
The effect was not one he had aimed for specifically but it caused a small warmth to settle low in Spock's core.
Jim smiled and let out a gasping, cracked laugh. It hiccuped through his chest for a moment before it faded, the smile slipping from his lips.
"Just wait... if my stomach keeps up the summersaults you'll get front row seats to the greatest grossities on earth."
Jim didn't elaborate but eased down flat onto his chest and sank is face into the pillow, his back continued to rise and fall in it's hitching, unnatural rhythm. Spock considered him for a moment before rising slowly. Though his face was pressed into the pillow Jim seemed to sense his movement.
"You leaving?"
Spock cocked his head slightly at the soft whine in the blonde's voice.
"I shall return momentarily." Spock assured.
"Alright... while you're up, will you feed Miles and Miles, please." Jim made a slight motion towards the chair in the corner of him room. Spock followed the movement, eyebrow tilted up before looking back at him.
"Miles and Miles?"
"My fish... " Jim's words slurred. "Two pinches."
Spock's brow furrowed and strode over to the circular glass jar, in the dim light two small, black shapes flickered and swam slowly through the dark water. A small, brightly colored plastic container sat next to the jar on the table top. Spock tilted it until it caught the light and illuminated the letters 'fish food'.
He lifted the container, unscrewed the lid and pinched a few flakes out and dropped them into the bowl. He repeated the process and watched for a few minutes as Miles and Miles swam up and nipped the food right off the surface.
Spock watched them and half listened until he was sure that Jim had reached a state of semi-sleep before carefully slipping out of the room and making way down to Cody's room.
The hybrid stepped through the healthy amount of disarray to the desk set under the windows. The surface still heaped high with books and loose paperwork around the personal computer. The log books were shuffled from the last time that Spock had seen them and the markers in the books concerning the Winchester Gospel had moved, a new text had been placed on top of the stack. The thick text was bound in heavy, slightly frayed canvas and lacked any kind of title or distinctive lettering, but it looked far older than any other text in Cody's or Jim's collections. Spock carefully lifted the cover open and leafed gently through the heavy parchment paper that felt as if it had been hand made. He came to a page that had a simple inscription in the center of the page but Spock was unable to read it as the lettering was done in a heavy ink, hand written but in some form or symbol sequence instead of words. The glyphs were odd and archaic and Spock felt a twinge of pain in his temple as he tried to read it. The hybrid turned the next page and found it filled almost completely in the same neat, small handwriting in the same symbol series.
Spock narrowed his eyes for a moment before carefully closing the cover and looking over the disarray and noticed a thick bound book with the title Geronimo:A Biography printed on the spine. Spock carefully extracted the text, keeping from disrupting any of the rest of the paperwork and tucked the book under his arm. Spock exited quickly and retreated quietly to Jim's room and started across to the chair in the corner next to Miles and Miles' bowl.
"Hey." Jim rasped, his voice muffled by the pillow. He swallowed heavily and noise sounded dry and thick.
"Hey, Spock."
"Yes Jim?" the hybrid paused in his cross to the chair.
"Will you sit with me?" The blonde pleaded quietly.
Spock thought back to Cody's warning to simply appease any demands Jim made.
"I intended to Jim." Spock started for the chair again.
"Over here... too cold over there... got all the covers. And Nemo." Jim made a titanic effort and shifted his entire frame over onto the very outer edge of his mattress before settling again. Nemo A534 pushed himself up to his paws and stepped over the new gap and stretched back out against Jim's back again. The dog twisted and looked back at Spock with ears cocked forward.
The hybrid hesitated for a moment before resolving himself and moving carefully over to the foot of the bed. He paused before carefully climbing up into the open gap of the mattress between the window and Nemo A534. As he moved the dog's tail thumped softly against the quilt and comforter. Spock tried not to jostle Jim with the shift and twist of his own frame as he carefully settled into place, pushing a pillow into the small of his back as he settled sitting up against the heavy wooden headboard of the bed and braced his side against the thick glass of the row of windows.
He shivered slightly at the press of the cold glass as it sank through the heavy fabric of his hooded sweatshirt and tee shirt and made his skin crawl for a few long second before his own body heat started to warm the glass. Spock neatly folded his legs into a half lotus position, one knee pressing into the window and the other into the side of Nemo A534's shoulder. The dog's body the only barrier between himself and Jim.
Once Spock had gone still, comfortable in his position,Jim let out a long, contended sigh that was interrupted by a string of sharp, wet coughs tearing through his chest before slumping down into the mattress.
Feeling another slight shiver at being pressed into the cold glass Spock boldly reached down and tugged part of Colt's quilt up into his lap and without pulling too much from Jim tucked it around as an insulator between himself and the glass.
The hybrid paused, lightly passing his palm over the stitches and impressed shape of a horse in the pattern, remembering the ache and sharp bite of shared loss and grief of a child he'd only seen in another's memories and photographs.
Spock toyed absently with a loose thread before pulling himself to the book, unfolding it in his lap and pausing when a small square fluttered out onto the quilt.
Spock head cocked and he lifted the object and tilted it into the light to better see.
It was a small color photograph, four by four inches and in the image was an unmistakeable picture of Jim at least a decade younger than he was at present. The teenager grinned, blue eyes bright with his hand wrapped around the leather reins and bridle buckled around the head of a slender framed but massive horse. The animal was sleek and slim, all sinewy muscle and large bright eyes and small ears. The coat a dark dappled gray with dark legs and tail. Spock skirt his thumb across the surface of the photograph before turning it over and in the neat, small handwriting he knew to be Cody's were the words Jim and Geronimo's last day together; August 2250.
This was the off the track racehorse that Cody had mentioned would jump fences.
"Jim."
The blonde grunted quietly, not entirely asleep yet, and 'hmm'ed at the hybrid.
"Cody advised me that left alone you had a tendency to 'pull a Geronimo'." Spock said quietly.
A raspy, huffed laugh was muffled into Jim's pillow. "The escapee... I had a horse named that once..."
"I am aware." Spock reached over and held out the photograph in what he hoped was Jim's eyeline. There was a pause.
"Hey!" Jim managed to sound slightly enthusiastic as he reached out and took the picture from Spock's finger tips. He 'hmm'ed quietly, the noise slightly happy this time. "I really liked him... he was just too much horse for me then."
Jim stretched his arm around and held the photograph towards the hybrid. Once Spock had placed the glossy square back into the cover of the book and Jim's arm had gone slack across his shoulder.
"Jim."
"Hmm."
"I am aware that you are in need of significant rest in order to recover but I hope that you will allow me another moment."
"Anything you want Spock." Jim murmured.
Spock nodded though he knew that Jim could not see.
"I am in need of a translation. I was addressed as 'Cahapi' approximately seventeen minutes ago."
"Sugar."
"Pardon?"
"Cahapi. It means 'sugar'. Who call you that? Cody?" Jim spoke more into his pillow than to the hybrid on the other side of the bed.
"Cokata."
Jim made a noise forceful enough that his torso bounced on the mattress. "That's not good. They better not name you that..."
Spock cocked his head and looked down at the back of Jim's head but asked for no more of the young man's attention. Spock listened to the blonde until his respiration returned to the shallow broken wheezes and rasps of Jim forcing his breath through his congested chest and blocked sinuses.
Spock still felt the pang of being utterly useless in alleviating Jim's symptoms and pain but at least now he did not rob the blonde of the comfort of his own bed. The small change soothed the hybrid a bit, eased a tension in the hollow of his chest and calmed his core. A few moments crept by and soon Spock's senses were flooded again with the fever deepened coil of Jim's scent. His nose twitched and wrinkled slightly but what little of his inner turmoil washed away with the invasion of the aroma.
Spock turned to the text in his lap and focused the majority of his attention on the words laid out in ink on paper and the rest on listening to Jim's breathing for distress.
It was several hours and the dulled light of day had flooded through the rain slick windows before he was drawn back into the present as the door opened and McCoy slipped in. His clothes had not changed but he looked clean shaven and had replaced bare feet with a set of heavy work boots. There was a bottle of water in one hand. Spock lifted his head, instinctively laying his fingers into place on the page to focus on the medical officer.
McCoy stopped when he noticed Spock's position on the inner side of the mattress. The older man narrowed his eyes, sighed something under his breath that, again, was not Standard before closing the distance and laying the tips of his fingers lightly on the side of Jim's throat. In his stupor and fevered sleep the blonde twitched and swallowed but did no more.
"How's he been?" Mccoy asked without looking at the hybrid and instead reached to stroke Nemo A534's ears.
"Shortly after Cody, Cikala, Casper and Creek departed for the mountain Jim was able to ingested a large mug of herbal tea." Spock indicated Jim's empty mug on the sill next to his own. "He remained semi-alert for approximately twelve minutes before submitting to sleep. His breathing has been difficult but remained consistent."
McCoy quirked an eyebrow at him and Spock had the distinct feeling that the medical officer knew that Spock had been selective in his narrative. His mossy green eyes turned hard and sharp. "How was he when he woke up?"
A muscle in Spock's jaw twitched. "When roused Jim believed that he was on board the Enterprise and that I had come to collect him to address some emergency."
McCoy nodded, satisfied. "That's not to bad. He was coherent afterwards?"
"Yes."
"Yeah that's not to bad. Fevers and dreams can do that to a body. Jim." Mccoy nudged the blonde's shoulder his his knuckles and the blonde jerked with a groan.
"Bones... what..." He muttered.
"Drink this." McCoy held the bottle of water in his face, displaying the same gruff and firm non-existent bedside manner he displayed in the sickbay.
Jim looked at it before, muttering, giving the bottle a sloppy shove and turned his face back into the pillow.
McCoy rolled his eyes. "Jim-"
"No."
"Jim it's this or saline."
The blonde shoved himself up onto his forearm and elbows and glared up at the doctor through mucky and clouded eyes.
"You'd do it too..." Jim snapped and jerked the bottle from McCoy's hand and nearly tore the cap off before chugging it back and like the tea choked and sputtered before coughing.
McCoy sighed audibly.
"What time is it?"
"Jim-" Spock said and the blonde half turned to look at him. "It is approximately twenty four minutes and twenty six seconds passed the seventh hour in the morning."
Jim's brow furrowed.
"It's seven thirty and those kids just got wind yer sick."
"Oh no." Jim groaned and buried his face into his pillow and whined quietly.
"Oh yes. We're goin' into Darby, we'll be back this afternoon. Spock-"
The hybrid's head snapped up.
"Keep the fluids goin'. I'm sure the twin's be more than happy to make runs into the kitchen and back for ya if ya feel disinclined to get up."
Spock narrowed his eyes slightly at the doctor.
"And kick the babies out when they get too ornery. Got it?"
"Understood."
"Drink it all Jim." McCoy threatened without much more than that to his sentence before reaching out and giving a light tug to Nemo A534's leather collar. "C'mon Nemo. Ya need to go outside for a bit."
The dog resisted for a moment before with a soft whine pushed himself up and awkwardly leapt over Jim's back and his the floor hard. McCoy linked his fingers around the collar and gave a gentle tug for the dog to follow him out the door. The one eyed German Shepherd clearly reluctant to go on his own.
"Don't get handsy. And I want my laptop!" Jim called roughly after McCoy, earning a curse from just beyond the door. Jim turned his attention back to the bottle of water and drank it slowly until it was nearly gone. Spock watched from the corner of his eye to ensure the task was done.
Jim started to ease back down on his belly when the door swung open again and he two Starfleet officers looked up to see the resolute and harsh form standing framed in the doorway.
For a moment, even to Spock, Toweya Chicalato, all of eight years old with her large goldfish in his bowl tucked under one arm and Jim's laptop under the other, looked somewhat frightening.
The child narrowed her eyes, dressed in jeans and red socks that matched a red tee shirt depicting the image of two favorite child's television character, Ernest the Donkey and Twist the Horse. At the edge of the door the twins, Maza and Magazu and the older Anear hybrid Suri peeked around the corner.
Jim swallowed.
"Yer sick Uncle Jim." She stated almost harshly.
Jim turned his face into his pillow and sighed inaudibly before twisting back to look at Toweya.
"Yes ma'am, I am." He rasped and twisted around to set most of his weight on his hip.
"Ya awful sick? Ya got the Spock sittin' with ya-"
"Toweya. His name is 'Spock'. Not 'the Spock'." Jim said with pure finality.
The eight year old girl huffed.
"Uncle JimJimmyJim, are ya alright?" One of the twins, dressed in pale blue, Maza asked and clutched her stuffed pony to her chest.
Jim managed a weak smile. "I'll be alright. it just caught me before I could out run it."
"Can we come in and visit?" Suri asked politely, looking hopefully at Spock as well as Jim through his fine glasses and brushing his black hair away from pale blue brow. He hugged a thick, canvas bound book to his narrow chest.
"If I say 'no' are you going to leave?"
All four younglings shook their heads firmly.
"Then 'yes'."
It was a mad scramble. In a matter of seconds the population of Jim's large bed went from two to six, not including the fat goldfish in his bowl and stuffed animals. Jim grunted loudly and rasped wetly when he was tackled and quickly overwhelmed by the chattering younglings. For a moment Spock was trapped in confusion before Jim let out a self stifled yelp when The twin dressed in pale yellow, Magazu, accidently shoved her knee into his ribs.
"Enough." Spock said calmly and firmly, in the way he addressed ensigns arguing over experiments or data in his labs. "Be still.'
The four pups froze and stared at him in shock. In the moment Jim breathed out and relaxed a little.
"He is ill. If you wish to stay and accompany him it will only be permitted if you calm yourselves and cease over action." Spock's eyebrows tilted down and his eyes hardened in the way that Spock remembered his professors and tutors of his childhood would.
The four looked slightly unsettled but quickly curled themselves up in open space across the mattress. Suri tucked himself in against the window and next to Spock's knee. Toweya next to him and half lying on top of Jim's legs the twins curled around each other. The fat goldfish went onto the ledge of the window. They continued to focus in on Spock's unwavering and scrutinizing gaze.
"Way to crack the whip, Spock." Jim muttered and carefully rolled over to face the rest of the group. He slumped back down into his pillow and his eyes went half lidded before blindly reach for and finding his laptop. He pulled it to him, booted it up and skimmed through his systems before finding a music program packed to the smallest byte with up or downloaded music. Jim started a playlist and the low rolling and soothing tones and notes of old country and blues music hummed out of the speakers.
Jim twisted around and lowered the laptop out of sight and down to the floor where the churn of music drifted up to them in a steady background with the rain.
The hybrid refrained from speaking but carefully tucked the photograph of Jim and Geronimo into his last read page and shut the book.
"Are you alright?"
Jim shrugged one shoulder.
"Yer really warm, Uncle JimJimmyJim." Magazu said quietly and stroked the fur of her plush horse. While the color differed Spock was reminded of the plush animal that Cody had forced on Jim. The Vulcan hybrid's eyes scanned the rumpled quilt and comforter before spotting an odd shaped lump near Jim's hip that Spock assumed was the stuffed buckskin horse.
"I got a fever, baby." Jim lifted his head to look down at the twins for a moment before letting it fall back.
"Do you feel okay?" Suri asked. Spock narrowed his eyes at the illogic of the question.
"Nope."
Suri fidgeted slightly, his hands skating over the black and red canvas book covering. It lacked any embossed or leafed lettering on the spine or covering.
"I got a new book." The Anear hybrid said quietly, looking shyly out at them from behind his lashes and glasses.
"Go on then." Jim hummed with twitched lips in a slightly encouraging smile.
"Yeah." The twin chorused.
Suri looked to Spock who nodded slightly, agreeing whole heartedly with the low impact activity.
"Don't forget to show the pictures." Toweya sighed and shifted down until she was flat on her back with her legs draped over the lump in the comforter and quilt that was one of Jim's thighs. She tapped her bare ankles together.
Suri puffed slightly and nodded before opening the book on his lap to the first page. "The Sword in The Stone. Written by T. H. White. Illustrations by Dennis Nolan."
He turned the pages quietly to the first one filled with printed lettering. Suir sat up confidently and started to read aloud.
"On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays it was Court Hand and Summulae Logicales, while the rest of the week it was the Organon, Repetition and Astrology. The governess was always getting muddled with her astrolabe, and when she got especially muddled she would take it out of the Wart by rapping his knuckles..."
Spock lifted an eyebrow at the strange, winding script and turned his full attention to the story and listening to Suri relate it.
By the third chapter Spock was enthralled by the imaginary, completely illogical world based on the human era of the middle ages. He listening intently, only intervening in Suri's narrative when Nemo A534 bounded back into the room and settled himself back into the narrow space between Spock and Jim or to send one of the twins for something for Jim to drink. More often than not Jim had to be roused from sleep to finish the drinks before he dozed off again in the middle of the next chapter.
All the while the light chatter of rain against the glass mingled with the sound of Jim's rough breathing and the soothing music still rising from the laptop on the floor.
It was scent that lifted his attention from their small circle and he looked up to the sight of Cody, hair slightly dampened and pulled back into a pony tail, stepping quietly into the room with two large ceramic mugs. Close on her heels was McCoy, his own hair slicked down and across his chest and slung over a shoulder was a large canvas and nylon Emergency Medical Technician styled bag of black and grayish green.
Cody whistled and the four younglings and Jim jumped visibly.
They all twisted around and looked towards Cody.
'Chow' the petite rancher mouthed and with a small whoop the four children leapt off the bed, stumbled over one another and shoved between Cody and McCoy's hips and thundered down stairs.
McCoy growled and Cody grinned good naturedly at him before crossing towards Spock and Jim and offered the two steaming mugs. Spock sniffed gently and felt his stomach roll.
Each were filled with a thick cream soup. One bobbed with diced chunks of Cody's hand made bread. Jim shifted himself up and excepted one and Spock took the other, glancing around for a utensil before watching Jim tilt the mug back and swallow a small mouthful.
Spock hesitated, considering if he should proceed by thought logically that if it was acceptable in Vulcan culture to drink directly from a mug or glass that the contents should not make a difference to the action and followed suit, drinking his soup and pausing to chew the chunks of soggy bread.
Cody perched herself on the end of the bed and McCoy stood behind her, arms crossed over his chest and watching warily as Jim ate.
"How is he?" The question clearly directed at Spock.
Jim huffed and frowned. "I'm right here. I'm coherent."
McCoy snorted at him.
"Jim has engaged in a great deal of rest and drink, has performed hygenic tasks without aid and remained coherent." Spock relayed. "The majority of the day has been occupied by Suri reading a book aloud."
Cody's lips quirked and Jim grumbled and scowled down into his soup.
McCoy crossed and making sure that Jim saw him coming laid the back of his hand against Jim's throat as he swallowed, then skated his fingers across Jim's brow.
"Feels like yer fever dropped a bit."
"Awesome." Jim muttered, sensing McCoy's intent and started to hurry through his soup. "How was the depo?"
Cokata's got that southern lawyer flustered already. Course Cokata is a shark.
"Hell yeah he is." Jim muttered.
"A shark?" Spock cocked his head and lifted an eyebrow.
"It's a term for a lawyer that'll pretty much eat ya alive in court. Vicious." McCoy muttered and unzipped the main compartment of the medical kit. "Ya don't mess with 'em."
"Cokata does not seem to obtain a particularly hostile nature." Spock retorted before taking a small swallow of his soup, catching another chunk of soaked bread.
"It's a ploy." Jim mutter around the lip of his mug. "He gets scary when he gets in front of a judge... looks like Rhado filled you out."
The kit was easy, it was getting out of there that was hard. Doc Rhado's got a crush on Len.
"Miss Cody." McCoy growled.
Its true. He and Stephen want Len to join them in extra curricular activities.
Jim choked and gaged slightly on his soup. "Okay. Now I'm queasy."
McCoy was flushed and roughly drawing medication from glass vials into a hypospray, resolute in ignoring everyone in the room.
"They wish to engage Doctor McCoy in sexual congress simultaneously?" Spock inquired and McCoy made a noise that may have been a curse or a snarl or a bastardization of them both and Cody was grinning madly at teasing the medical officer.
Len. I'm sure they're only after your body.
The flush across McCoy's face paled and he swallowed heavily.
"Seems reasonable to me." Jim hummed tilting back the last of his soup and reching across to put the empty much on the window sill with the assortment of empty glasses, mugs and the fat tri-colored goldfish in his bowl. "It can't be your people skills."
The hypospray must have hit a nerve directly the way Jim lurched and let out a broken yelp and Spock wondered if the ferocity of the attack had been deliberate due to McCoy's intimacy with human anatomy or if it was a happy accident.
His face flushed and teeth nearly bared, McCoy snarled into Jim's face. "That'll flush ya through, ya'll be back to yer Hell raisin' in the mornin'."
He turned sharply on his heel and stalked away. Cody swiftly got up and followed, lightly linking her arm with McCoy's and as they slipped out of the door McCoy's shoulders relaxed marginally.
Spock cocked his head. "Perhaps it would be wise to refrain from patronizing Doctor McCoy when he is within striking distance."
Spock turned and let out a silent sigh at the sight of Jim slumped down onto his pillow and against Nemo A534, rasping, congested breath wheezing and rattling from his chest as he slept the sleep of the sedated.
A/N: I kept getting distracted by the bunnies and mini plot ideas of further one shots in the NS Series. I got a couple working the same time I was working on this chapter.
And of course the escapades of Geronimo the ex-racehorse was a miniature vent about the similar Steve McQueen like exploits of my pain gelding Voodoo. He's so sweet natured and getting more and more casual about everything but his one extremely bad habit is escaping... and he will find ANY way to get out... and then does... bless him...
Anyway...
Titles:
"Geronimo: A Biography" is written by Mary Stout, publish 2009 and I have not read it. SO I cannot in good mind and faith recommend it. But there are LOTS of books about Geronimo and even more random research out there about him. Check him and the other Native resistance fighters of that era out. They were AMAZING.
"The Sword in The Stone" written by T.H. White, first published in 1938 is EXCELLENT and NOTHING like the Disney movie. Way more amazing things happen to the Wart, like he meets and hangs out with Robin Hood and there are the knight duties and training with Merlin and talking animals and Madam Mim and freaky creatures and insane knight eternally hunting imaginary animals and King Pellinore and falconry and ALOT of other things. I highly recommend it.
Lakota Translation:
Cahapi - Sugar (and I promise this is not the name Spock will be given by the Brotherhood)
Hope ya'll enjoyed.
Much Love
Mary