"Let's go, Doctor," says Spock like McCoy has a choice. He grabs McCoy by the arm none too gently and drags him out the back of the shuttle when the doctor doesn't jump like a well trained puppy.
They step out onto the barren and dusty surface of the planet bathed in the low glow of a small sun. It's not a planet McCoy can say he's been to before. It's small and uninhabited by humanoid or animal except for a very small mining organization on the other side of the planet that operates for a few months a year. The sky is black like the night sky back on Earth, only it's day here, the small sun above casts just enough light that reflects off the white dirt and obsidian looking rocks that he can see for miles. The high rocky cliffs around them look like black glaciers glistening in the light. It's pretty in a unique way that McCoy might think fondly of the place if there wasn't a phaser jabbing him in the back. It isn't really necessary, where is he going to go? His hands are tied and his stamina is sitting just above zero so Spock's just being an overly cautious bastard at this point; probably just to shove his superiority down McCoy's throat. And Vulcan's claim to not have emotions. He'd throw it back in Spock's face if he thought he'd ever get a chance to argue with his Spock on the bridge again.
Spock marches them slowly towards the three figures standing in front of their own shuttle about a hundred meters away. It's like an old western standoff, all that's missing is the tumbleweed and the strike of the clock to ignite the shootout. Two of the three figures start making their way towards Spock and McCoy meeting them halfway in a silence that seems to suck every last ounce of sound from the universe.
McCoy would recognize them anywhere and his heart beats a little faster with momentary hope. Jim's pushing a bound and gagged Uhura forward while Scotty stands by the shuttle, phaser at the ready. It's Jim with every detail exactly correct and Leonard isn't sure if he's disappointed or horrified that there isn't a blindingly obvious difference between what could be misconstrued as Satan and his best friend.
Spock's grip tightens painfully around McCoy's arm as they get a good look at Uhura when they stop a safe distance away for any physical altercation to happen but close enough to talk without shouting. She's faired a lot better than Leonard, but the gash and bruising around her left eye looks painful. Leonard would offer to fix the damage but he can't even help himself and clearly both Spock and Kirk have no problem with people suffering. A voice that sounds a lot like Jim whispers, "Wait till you see what he's gonna do to you." He can feel Spock's deadly glare being leveled at Kirk who shrugs nonchalantly. "Mine wouldn't shut up," says Kirk with a smile that says 'what can you do.'
Spock's stoically still but his grip tightens a fraction around McCoy's arm as though hurting the doctor will ease some of Uhura's pain. Bruises are forming already and f the Vulcan gets anymore pissed off, he's going to snap McCoy's arm like a twig without much more effort. "We agreed upon an exchange; Doctor McCoy for Lieutenant Uhura."
Kirk glares hard at McCoy, his ire growing as he meticulously catalogues each bruise, cut and fleck of blood with his eyes. "That isn't what we agreed to Mr Spock," Kirk snarls, gesturing towards the battered state of the doctor. "How would you like it if made Uhura match?" He grabs a fist full of Uhura's hair with one hand and the other goes around her neck; his thumb pressing into the delicate flesh of her collarbone until she cries out.
Spock pulls McCoy tightly against him, his hand resting over the doctor's heart clenching the remote to McCoy's agonizer tightly but angled so Kirk can see. "There is no logic in injuring the Lieutenant when you are this close to getting Dr McCoy back," warns Spock, ready to take retribution should Kirk find too much pleasure in torturing Uhura.
Kirk snorts. "You're blackmailing me into an exchange, Pointy. But then again you always did enjoy playing dirty." Kirk unties Uhura, removing the gag last.
"Are you alright Nyota?" Spock asks, a clear tinge of concern in his voice.
"I'm fine," says Uhura standing tall and proud as she shakes Kirk's hands off with the same distain McCoy's Uhura had for Jim at the academy.
"I'm surprised at you Spock, no backup?" asks Kirk gesturing to the empty space behind him and McCoy.
"The agreed upon terms were we would come alone." Spock looks pointedly at Scotty.
"Well, let's just say that after you took my ship and now my doctor, I have a hard time trusting you. It's not very logical for you to not take your chance to kill me. So you should know, I have an agent on the Enterprise with orders to detonate a bomb should I not walk out of here." Kirk points his phaser directly at the back of Uhura's head.
McCoy's mind wanders back to Chekov and his unfortunate end at Sulu's hand. Will Kirk even be upset of the loss of the kid or just pissed that his inside man is gone? Knowing Jim he probably has a few people on Enterprise waiting to wreck havoc. It will be a never ending cycle of tit for tat and Leonard doesn't envy not being around to be any part of it.
"We send the prisoners over at the same time," dictates Spock. Kirk shrugs like he's board with the whole thing and gives Uhura a shove forward. She falters in her first step but quickly regains her poise and grace as she starts her slow walk towards Spock.
Spock lets go of McCoy but Leonard can't seem to make his feet work. He's staring at Jim but that's not the reckless son of a bitch that's had Leonard's back for all these years. Jim would never blow his crew up. It's like he's drowning in molasses; the space between heart beats is an eternity and the words being spoken by the people around him are penetrating his brain so slowly he can't make sense of them.
"What are you waiting for, Bones?" Kirk asks impatiently raising his phaser toward Uhura's back.
The nickname sets McCoy's heat pounding. It's the sweetest sound he's heard since waking up in this world and it's like coming home. "Jim," he mumbles as the world comes crashing back and all he can see is Jim impatiently waiting for him to finish studying so they can go to a bar and unwind after particularly long and difficult exam at the academy.
"Proceed, Doctor," urges Spock, low and dangerous.
McCoy takes his first step forward and then another. The further away from Spock he gets, the easier it is to take his next step. Uhura pauses as they pass by each other and glares at McCoy like he's personally to blame for what's happening. There's a promise in those dark eyes that she's going to delight in the spilling of the doctor's blood. She'll have to take a number; the list of people who want McCoy's head is extensive and he can only die once. There's going to be more than a few disappointed people in this universe.
He's standing by Kirk all too quickly and doesn't feel safer for it. Kirk punches in the sequence to undo Leonard's restraints. The freedom feels anything but.
"That concludes our business," states Spock once Uhura reaches his side and the safety of his arms.
"It does. Till next time Spock." Kirk winks at the Vulcan before grabbing McCoy by the shirt sleeve to begin walking towards their waiting shuttle; Scotty covering them with his rifle the whole time.
McCoy doesn't look back. He's not sure if he's more terrified to be abandoned by Spock to this new fate or if Spock will change his mind about handing him over, opting to keep McCoy as a permanent toy. Worse McCoy's not sure he wouldn't beg to stay with the devil he knows over the one he doesn't. His nerves are on edge. For a pair of bloody psychos the exchange was all very civilized and he can't help but fear the other shoe that's bound to drop. Nothing in McCoy's life is ever this easy. They both want the other's head on a pike and Leonard can't imagine either one passing up such a tempting opportunity like this. Maybe Spock for Uhura's love but Jim's definitely getting the short end of the stick here.
"You alright, Bones?" asks Kirk and it sounds so warm and genuine McCoy wants to cry. He looks into Kirk's blue eyes and all he can see is his best friend. Jim's come to rescue him at last. It's enough to almost pretend he's actually being rescued from this hell – almost.
McCoy smiles. It doesn't quite reach his eyes but it's warm enough. "I'm fine, Jim."
Kirk stops walking going rigid, tense and still. McCoy knows in a second he's made a mistake somewhere, his breath catching in his throat as he stops next to Kirk. Something has set Kirk's fine tuned instinct for danger off and there's going to be no saving McCoy now.
Voice dark and dangerous, Kirk hisses, "Bones only ever calls me, Captain."
There's a look of betrayal on Kirk, like he's staring at a stranger, that hits McCoy like a punch in the gut. It wasn't his idea to deceive Kirk and he imagines it's the same look that will be on Jim's face once he's discovered Leonard is gone.
Kirk raises his phaser and turns back to Spock. "What the hell are you trying to pull?"
Spock's already waiting, phaser in hand, and McCoy has precious seconds to make a decision. Instinct takes over, it's Jim he's looking at after all, and before he can think better of it, he's pushing Kirk out of the way. "No!" he yells as Spock's finger coils around the trigger. He made a vow a long time ago to protect Jim's sorry ass and it doesn't matter what he's done because somewhere deep down is the Jim that Leonard trusts with his life.
They land behind an out crop of rocks with a bone jarring thud, him on top of Kirk. The impact is magnified with Jim's boney elbows and knees digging into all Leonard's soft parts. Part of the rock explodes as it takes the entirety of Spock's phaser blast, splintering and raining down black glass shards.
A sharp pain rips through McCoy's side and his hand instinctively investigates the source as he flops off of Kirk. He lifts his head to examine the warm wetness that's coating his hand. There's a deep dark patch spreading out over his uniform and bright red dots splattered across the pure white sand beneath him. The dots slowly succumb to the larger and darker puddle that's spreading out from his back and he lets his head fall back to the ground with a grunt. It's his blood painting the ground, a chunk and razor sharp shard of rock embedded in his gut; his price for saving Jim.
"What did you do?" asks Kirk irritated as he pokes and prods at the wound in McCoy's gut.
The pressure Kirk's apply is slowing the bleeding but the pain is excruciating; an unfortunate trade off for every extra minute Kirk's generosity is granting him. He locks eyes with Kirk and though it's buried behind a scowl, McCoy can see the concern and fear carefully hidden in the blue depths. He knew his Jim was in there somewhere. "Save you from yourself," mumbles McCoy because if he can bleed out before Kirk can kill him for his unintentional betrayal, he can keep his blood off Jim's hands. In a universe where he was destined to lose, it's the closest thing to a win he can hope for.
There's the constant sound of phaser fire going on around them but Kirk makes no move to jump into the fray. If anything he presses down harder when the bleeding fails to stop. It's chaos but somehow that bedlam doesn't penetrate the bubble around him and Kirk.
"I've never asked you to save me," snaps Kirk and Leonard knows that self incriminating tone all too well. Jim's fine when he's the one risking life and limb but can't seem to fathom why anyone would want to do it for him in return and if they do, then there's something inherently wrong with him that's nourished that defect in others. Of course Leonard would jump in front of Jim. Even if it wasn't his instinct to protect to begin with, he'd still have the instinct to protect Jim.
"Never had to ask," McCoy clicks out between chattering teeth. He grabs onto the sleeve of Kirk's shirt as best he can because he has to make sure Jim hears this. "Make sure Jo's alright." Someone has to protect his little girl and if it can't be him, he can't think of anyone better than Jim.
Silence hangs heavy as Kirk leans forward and says, "Jo will be fine. I promise. I'll gut anyone that dares to speak her name let alone lay a finger on her."
"Cold." When did it get so cold? It's a bone deep chill that's trying to climb deeper and no amount of blankets is going to ward it off. There's also a weird rolling feeling turning his stomach like he doesn't have his space legs. He better not be coming down with something on top of everything else he's been through. He'll have to get Scotty to double check the environmental controls; Spock must be freezing too. He'll have a whole sickbay full of patients if it's not fixed.
"Bones!"
The frantic cry echoes off the cliffs that reach like gnarled fingers towards the sky. The exhaustion that's demandingly pulling at his eye lids must be playing with his mind because Leonard could swear he heard Jim without Jim's lips moving. "Mmmm tired, Jim. We'll have a drink tomorrow night," he breaths between dry lips. He is exhausted. It's been a long week and he doesn't have any fight left to ward off blissful sleep.
"Open your eyes you bastard!" commands Kirk before pushing his finger into the jagged wound in McCoy's side and twists.
White hot lightening tears through McCoy's gut forcing his eyes open as he gasps for breath. He paws at Kirk's hands to try and dislodge them but he's as effective as a new born at pushing them away. His grip on consciousness begins to slip again as the world goes watery and dark around the edges. He should be more concerned but the darkness is warm and welcoming.
"Oh god, Bones," whimpers Jim as he comes kneels next to McCoy, his hand going to the doctor's neck to check for a pulse.
Jim's hand is warm and McCoy can't help but lean into it. Jim looks absolutely terrified and whatever has the kid scared shitless should stir alarm in Leonard but blinking requires too much effort to expend any anywhere else. That's not the only concerning thing that registers for McCoy amongst the haze that's quickly pushing out all reason; it feels like Jim has an extra pair of hands. Worse still, he's hallucinating again because there's two Jim's staring down at him like someone just kicked their dog. They're alternating between glaring at one another and panicking over him. "Can't handle two of right now," he whispers before the black finally swallows him up; which is good because he can barely survive one Jim Kirk.