Bones stared at the screen, not daring to let his eyes wander from the still line glaring at him. He couldn't look at anyone else, never mind the still body on the biobed in front of him. Five minutes had passed since he'd injected the blood, though those few moments had felt more like days. The silence was getting too heavy, almost suffocating the CMO as he waited, praying for something to happen.
The nurses in the ICU at Starfleet Medical were keeping their distance, casting brief glances over to the pair as they passed the isolation room. Only a few select members of the medical staff were allowed to enter, relegating all others to sit on the sidelines and watch a potential miracle happen. Bones was oblivious to everything going on around him, his attention focused on the thin, unmoving line before him. He felt his eyes growing heavy, felt himself slipping off into sleep. Shaking himself out, he grumbled softly and scrubbed at his face. How long had it been since he'd slept? A day, maybe more?
"Damn that blood crazy lunatic," He cursed, pushing himself to his feet and stretching out. The movement helped, but not enough to make a real difference. He knew he needed to get up and move around, but he didn't dare leave his Captain's body unsupervised. He trusted his nurses with his life, but if something happened while he was gone, he'd never be able to forgive himself.
"Doctor?" One of the nurses stood behind him, holding out a tray of food. "You...you need to eat." Bones turned to look at her, accepting the tray without a word and settling quietly back into his seat. He picked at the meal, not really interested in eating it, but knowing he had to.
He was halfway through the bland tomato soup and soggy turkey sandwich when he heard it.
One single, faint beep.
He looked around him in confusion, narrowing his eyes at all the machines that were running. Only one machine was supposed to beep. He froze and looked up to the screen, eyeing the line. He sat on the edge of his seat as he waited, knuckles turning white as he gripped the armrests.
Beep. Beep.
"Nurse!" He shouted, leaping up as the line jumped again, then settled into a frantic rhythm. He stepped over the forgotten meal, racing around the bed to flick on the machines that were already hooked up to their Captain, in the event the blood actually worked. One of the women rushed over, helping the CMO finish turning them on. Already, Jim's skin was regaining it's color, though he was far too pale and still.
"Damn it Jim...don't you give up!" Bones growled, looking down to the man and eyeing him a moment. Almost as soon as he had finished speaking, Jim sucked in a rattling breath, eyes snapping open, but unseeing. Bones held his Captain down as he twisted and thrashed, his body trying to make up for lost time. Soon, the young man collapsed, chest rising and falling evenly.
Beep. Beep.
Bones dropped to his knees in relief, clutching the edge of the bed tightly. The man looked up, unable to hide his wide smile.
"Jesus Christ , we did it." He breathed, letting out a breathy laugh as he pushed himself to his feet. All the machines were working, and Jim was alive. Well, his body was. They couldn't be sure about his mind until he woke up, something that they were not going to rush.
When Jim woke several hours later, Bones had to force himself not to pull the young man out of the bed and into his arms. Of course, Kirk wasn't awake for long. The strain of the last few days, not to mention dying in the reactor accessway, had taken an enormous toll on his body. After Jim had fallen asleep again, Bones sat on the side of his watched him calmly before pressing two fingers to Jim'sneck, holding his breath until he felt it.
A light flutter of a heartbeat.
Bones smiled gently and shook his head, standing up as he looked down at his Captain one moretime.
"Damn it Jim."
