Not Mine, Never Mine, Usual Disclaimers.

Leonard hadn't meant to lie to Jim, not in the sense that he felt he had, he just wanted time to ease his friend into the idea that the effects were permanent. He should have taken Pike up on his offer to discuss Jim's condition the night before, but he hadn't wanted to go behind Jim's back before he told him the prognosis. Had he known Pike's theory beforehand, he would have woken Jim up and told him right then and there. But he hadn't and Jim had learned the truth from someone else, an idiot would have known that Pike would have told him when he explained his theory. Leonard could only console himself in the knowledge that Jim had learned it from Pike, not some uncaring asshole Admiral who wanted to lock him away and run endless tests. He was still sitting at his desk when the door opened, he didn't need to look up to know that it was Jim standing there.

'I should have told you this morning,' he whispered as soon as he heard Jim enter, guilt rising, 'the readings of your brain waves from last night were minute different from previous readings predating the transformation. The change was subtle, I nearly missed it, but I can't tell if it's permanent or not. I should have told you and I'm sorry.'

He saw Jim sit on the edge of his desk and felt a hand on his shoulder, looking up Jim looked at him with a serious face.

'So what you're saying is that I won't be sprouting a tail again anytime soon.'

Leonard couldn't help it, he laughed.

'No, but if you really wanted me to, I could always transplant one.'

'No thanks, I'm good, I might get flees.'

'Flees are the least of your problems right now.'

'Bones when was the last time we got drunk together?' Jim's smile was catching.

'Not a chance Jimmy boy, you have work to do.'

'Ah, but you see, I have this awesome best friend who's a doctor and can get me out of work if need be.'

Leonard weighed the pros and cons of getting drunk, 'after dinner tonight, my quarters, and bring your own alcohol, don't expect to mooch.'

Jim thanked him and left, leaving Leonard with his guilt, instead of yelling at him, Jim had made him feel better. Sometimes Leonard didn't think he deserved a friend like Jim, although admittedly, it was one of the few times it was because Jim was a good person, rather than an enormous pain in the ass. Leonard was regretting arranging his plans for after dinner, he needed a drink now damn it. he pulled out a bottle of scotch he kept hidden in his desk and then spent the next ten minutes rummaging for a glass, before giving it up as a lost cause. The door opened just as he opened the bottle, but before he could tell whoever it was to leave him alone, the bottle was wrenched out of his hands by Jim, who then began gulping it down like a man possessed.

Leonard snatched the bottle back and hissed, 'I'm all for a drink, but seriously Jim, this is ridiculous.'

'Oh god Bones, I'm such an idiot, I don't know what was worse, acting like a puppy or acting like a seventeen-year-old girl!'

'Jim take a deep breath and tell me just what the hell happened in the ten minutes since you were last in here.'

'I went to go pee and thought "Why not embrace my inner puppy" and stood on one leg, but I fell over and Spock came in, then he gave me a present and I was so happy, all I wanted to do was to lick his face, so I hugged it, then him, then freaked out and ran away.'

Leonard was convinced that Jim had not stopped for breath during his tirade, 'Jim what exactly did he give you?'

'A... stuffed rabbit toy.'

Leonard took a large mouthful of scotch as Jim launched into another flurry of words, explaining his dream, pillow, and a strange desire to lick Spock repeatedly. At the last one, Leonard decided that there wasn't enough alcohol on the bottle for him to deal with this. Putting the lid back onto the bottle, and shoving it back into his desk, he stood.

'Let's get drunk.'

Jim stared at him, 'but you're on duty, technically I'm still on duty!'