Second last chapter!
Rachel :(
Chapter 37
"You asked to see me, Admiral?" McCoy questioned as the man opened his office door.
He nodded, "Yes, doctor, please, come in".
He did as told, wary of the older officer's tired frown and irritated expression.
"Please, have a seat".
He sat.
Pike took a deep breath, before turning back to him, "... Has Jim told you he's accepted the mission from Starfleet?"
He shifted uncomfortably in his chair, "He has... I didn't think he was given much of a option, though".
"He could have declined it".
"After the stunt he just pulled? The stunt that we all just pulled?" McCoy shot back unbelievingly, "You know, that resulted in the Vulcan Ambassador for the Federation committing suicide while Jim kicked in the head of his future son-in-law? That stunt?"
"Granted, he needs to... redeem himself" Pike finally agreed, taking his own seat behind the desk, "But this mission requires him to leave in three days time".
Bones stilled, "... What?"
"Starfleet's mission. It means he leaves by the end of the week" He repeated, "And you know probably better than anyone that Spock is in no fit state to travel so soon".
"... Jim didn't mention that part".
"He told me they parted ways. Have they... broken up?"
If it were any other situation, the doctor would have laughed at how uncomfortable the uptight stern Admiral looked saying those words.
But considering that it concerned his two favourite idiots and potentially life or death, he frowned instead.
"Jim told you he was leaving?"
"Yes. Yesterday. I told him what the consequences were, and he said they didn't matter" Pike finished, "Doctor McCoy, I... I am worried about him".
"You and me both!" He snapped, "That bloody idiot!"
He couldn't help but smirk at the harsh yet currently accurate description.
"Will you talk to him about it?" Chris asked, and the younger man slowly nodded, "Yea... Yea, I'll have a few words..."
James T. Kirk was a fucking moron.
"Oy! Jim!" Bones yelled, jogging to catch up with the man who was trying to sneak out of the building unnoticed.
He saw the man's shoulders tense just before he grabbed one and spun him around so they finally faced each other.
And god, did he look exhausted.
Served him right the bastard.
"What the hell is this I hear about you leaving us in three days?!" He snapped, uncaring of the stares he got from the people passing.
Jim sighed heavily and ran a hand through unkempt hair, "Bones, I... I was going to tell you-"
"Bullshit" He growled, "You've known of the possibility for a week now! You've known it for certain since yesterday! If you were going to tell me, you'd have said something by now".
"... I don't want to leave you behind".
"So you thought it'd be easier to just not say goodbye?" He shot back, though decidedly softer this time, "Jim, you can't just do that to me, to any of us!"
He shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other, avoiding his gaze.
McCoy narrowed his eyes at him, "What? What aren't you telling me? What are you leaving out?"
"It's... The others... They're coming with me".
It was like a slap to the face.
"And I'm not?" He asked quietly, "Getting too old, am I? Not good enough anymore? Not useful anymore?!"
"What?! No! Bones, it's not-"
"Then what is it, Jim?!" He yelled, "Why the fucking hell are you so adamant on leaving?!"
"Because of Spock".
And there it was.
Three simple words.
The deciding factor.
"You think he wants you to leave" Bones suddenly realised, "And that I'll stay behind to look after him".
"Well he needs looking after, and the next doctor qualified to even know what a Vulcan's is, is at least three weeks away, and I don't have that, I have three days, and I'm not selfish enough to take you from him, not when he's this hurt, this injured, not when he needs you more than I do, I just wouldn't-"
"Jim!"
He abruptly stopped.
McCoy ran a tired hand over his face, "... Why are you leaving Spock behind?"
"... You saw how he was, when he woke up. When he saw me... I killed his family, Bones, and yea, they weren't very nice or- or- or even remotely acceptable in any sense of the word but- but they were still his family... And now, because of me, he has none".
"He has you. He has me. Uhura, Scotty, Sulu, Chekov. Are we not his family now?"
"That's different, and you know it".
"No, Jim, it's not" He replied, "Because I'd consider you my brother before I'd even look at my own parents. And when was the last time your mother contacted you? Or- Or Uhura's father contacted her? And Chekov? The kids only 19, for fucks sake, yet did we ever once question why someone so young like him was running away? No. We didn't. Because somewhere, deep down inside of us, we knew... And the exact same goes for Spock".
"... He hates me".
"You don't know that".
"He flinched back when I woke up".
"I had just told him his father and fiancé were now dead".
"Yea, because I killed them".
"Because one jumped off a balcony and the other tried to kill you first" Bones finished firmly, "... Don't leave without talking to him, Jim. Or you'll regret it for the rest of your life".
The blonde swallowed thickly, eyes shining, "I... I wouldn't know what to say".
"Tell him you're sorry for what happened but it had to be done. Tell him you still love him. Tell him that you won't leave if he wants you to stay".
"I have to leave, I don't have the option not to".
Bones sighed, "Jim... we'll talk to Board of Directors. Maybe this mission isn't... urgent. Maybe they'll agree to delay it for a week or two, just until Spock gets good enough to be moved".
"... What if he does hate me?"
"Then I'll punch him for you".
He gave an abrupt laugh, despite the now-overflowing tears that just clenched at the doctor's heart.
"... I'm scared, Bones".
"Don't be, kid. With the bond that you two had... I doubt anything could break it".
Steeling himself, he took a deep breath, "Alright... Alright, okay, I'll... I'll go see him".
"Now".
"... Now?"
"Now, Jim".
"... Now, then" He finally replied, "... Will you walk me there? To make sure I don't convince myself not to do it?"
"Of course" McCoy replied easily, throwing an arm over the blonde's shoulder, "I mean, what else are brothers there for, right?"