Chapter 8
There is always a first time for everything. Leonard Horatio McCoy was lost. When Spock entered the sickbay, carrying an unconscious captain, nothing could prepare him for the bombshell, that was dropped two hours earlier.
Malnourished (he had lost 15 lbs since his last physical and now he was 157 lbs), low blood pressure, heartbeat too high, low levels of sugar, dehydration and so on. He was lost. How did all of this happen right under his nose, without his knowledge. If only he had paid more attention. Jim was used to Tarsus' time, where the boy would go for days without any food, when he was too stressed. He needed a constant reminder to eat. Spock was good with tracking his captain's meals, and so was Bones, but apparently Jim went along hiding the skipped meals. Once again, the doctor needed to ponder his next moves, to avoid the hell incoming.
Spock was like a hawk. His ashayam was on his right side on the bio bed. Tucked in some thermal covers. A pale face adorned with a nasal cannula to provide the much-needed oxygen. An IV line went under the cover in Jim's left hand, with vitamins and other nutrients. A nurse came in the room and made a note about the sick man on the PADD, she took a hypo spray and injected him with the next dose of antibiotics, due to an infection forming from aspiration pneumonia. Seemed that while throwing up his food, Jim managed to unfortunately suck up some in his lungs. He was still trying to come to terms with the conversation he had with the doctor. How was it possible that they had missed all this? The half-Vulcan moved to be able to hold his lover's hand in his but kept it under the blankets. The other one started petting the blonde curls, sending all his love. The human in front of him didn't stop trembling for the entire time.
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hr size=5 noshadeJim moaned as he started to come around. "Bones?"
"Easy kid. You were out for over 15 hours," The doctor replied. He passed the scanner over Jim's body, his face stern. He slapped the boy's hand away as he came to touch the tube in his nose. "Don't touch that, you idiot. Leave the nasal cannula in place. You need it. What did I tell you about coming to the sickbay after your shift was over, huh?"
"I came, really, but you were operating so I went to my quarters to take a shower."
"And that is where Spock found you, unconscious. Damn it, Jim, I thought we were in agreement that if you were having eating issues you would come to me or Spock. You have lost too much weight. Your stats are not okay. In addition to that, you have a freaking bout of pneumonia. You scared our little green hobgoblin. And me, if it even matters to you."
"You know he is not a hobgoblin! And I'm sorry I scared you guys. I didn't mean to. I just… I got carried with my thoughts." Jim was fidgeting with the blanket.
"So, did I fuck up bad this time, eh? How bad is it Bones?"
"Listen, Jim… We are all together in this, ya know. We will manage something. But before I tell you anything, I'm going to call Spock down here and then we talk. Christine please, call Spock here, Jim is awake." McCoy said gently, petting the captain's hair.
It took Spock 4.85 minutes to give the con to Sulu and to get to the sickbay.
"Greetings doctor. Greetings captain." He said, picking up a chair and setting it next the bio bed where James sat. "How do you feel today, James?"
"Peachy, love. Now, Bones, can just tell me what is wrong with me? You are making me worried."
"Let me check something first. Lift your shirt, please." When the boy moved the cloth, the doctor passed his finger gently across and below the abdomen. The flesh below the abdomen was firm rather than soft.
"Don't they give you the tricorders for such inspections Bones?" asked Jim.
"Old fashioned ways are better. Now, tell me if it hurts." There was seriousness in the doctor's voice that alarmed the captain. Gently he moved around, to the right side. "Here?"
"No." He probed the left side.
"No."
"How about here?" He said, pressing just below the navel.
"AH! Don't do that again!" hissed Jim.
"Fuck Jim, you are going to make my hair grey before I hit my forties." The CMO breathed deeply, thinking how to drop the bomb. He rubbed his palms, brought his thumbs to his forehead, breathing deeply again. He looked Spock in the eyes and moved to watch Jim. "Don't ask me how, or why, but you are 3 weeks pregnant. A baby, little half - Vulcan, mind you." It took several moments to Jim to realize the words. His face, at the begin, showed nothing. Then confusion.
"What the fuck are you saying Bones? In case you forgot, I am a male, human male. We do not get pregnant."
"As I said, don't ask me how all of this was possible, but all the tests came back positive. Pregnant. And for how the things are going, I don't think that will be an easy one. My suggestion is that we stop it, now, before it harms you worse. I will let you think it over." And McCoy left the pair alone.
They stayed in silence for a long time, each of them lost in thoughts.
Spock was the first to speak. "I would prefer that you terminate the pregnancy. Your health has priority, and this is already proving to be difficult for you."
"NO!" The captain said. "No Spock, I won't stop the pregnancy. It was one of my many regrets I had marrying you. To not be able to give you children. I don't want to lose this opportunity, or gift as they said."
"Who are they James?" Asked the Vulcan.
"I don't know. I just have this voice telling me about a gift I was given. And it truly is a gift, one I am not going to waste, no matter what. Will you help me?"
"Of course, T'hy'la, I will never leave you alone. But the moment your life is in danger, be warned that I will always choose you over the child, because you are irreplaceable to me." The captain leaned against the pillow, rubbing his chin.
"How in hell are we going to tell Command about this? The crew? Will they still respect me? How am I going to keep my ship?" He was assaulted with waves of emotions that almost overwhelmed the Vulcan. A round of coughing made the man double over in bed.
"James calm down. We will think about everything, one thing after one thing. Do not panic, please. Remember, we are in this together. And I am sure Dr McCoy will help us as well. Now, rest some more."
They managed an agreement with McCoy. They would tell the Alpha shift in three weeks, and to Sarek only after the first trimester is finished, just to be safe. Maybe the Admiralty. The CMO tells him that from now on, he will need daily shots of copper due to the duality of the child. The intake of food will be monitored, it appears that the baby is already sucking all the nourishment from "the mother", and that he can't lose weight. Any pain must be reported, to the doctor or Spock, as well as anything out of the normal.
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The days go by, and all sorts of dark thoughts cross Jim's mind. He doesn't want to lose the baby, but he knows better. Life sucks and it's good at throwing curve balls at him. But in all of this, Spock is always next to him, cuddling him, comforting him, helping him eating or carrying him back in bed after a bad spell of vomit.
Murmurs start around the ship. The crew is starting to worry about their captain since he can no longer hide the weight loss, or the paler appearance. They miss their captain in the mess, or in the gym. Security miss the time he spent training them. Engineers miss his work. But even though it is hard for him, the young captain's work is still perfect.