[Disclaimer: The movies and its characters don't belong to me. I don't own them. They belong to their rightful owners and I'm just borrowing them for this one-shot.
Spoilers for 'Into Darkness'! ]
\Haunted\
"Scotty, we should beam back to the ship," Jim called out for his friend who was kneeling next to a strange looking plant. They certainly had gained enough information about this so far unexplored planet of class M. No dangerous life forms, great air, stunning scenery - a perfect planet for vacation or shore leave. They would certainly return here one day.
"Aye, Captain. I was just wondering if we should take one of these with us for Sulu. After all, it's his birthday next week, isn't it?"
Jim smiled. Even though the Scotsman was able to forget a lot of things, he still remembered all these personal facts about his closest friends.
"Sulu sure would love that," Kirk replied but he was interrupted by McCoy who stepped right next to him.
"Yeah, well, I wouldn't. Who knows how this thing will react when extracted from the ground it's used to? It might kill us all!"
Jim rolled his eyes and laughed slightly. His best friend was just way to pessimistic!
"Oh come on, Bones. Don't you think that you might be exaggerating, just a little bit?"
The CMO crossed his arms before his chest.
"Don't say I didn't warn you."
But Scotty already got up from where he was kneeling, without touching the plant.
"Maybe the Doc is right. I mean... it's used to this environment. It's its home. Let's not- ouch!"
The Scotsman lifted one hand in reflex, slapping it against his neck.
"Scotty?", Jim took a few steps forward, worry written all over his face and he felt Bones' presence next to him.
"Must have been some kind of mosquito. But it's not that bad. I'm fi-" Scotty didn't get to finish the sentence since his body suddenly slumped forward. The Engineer would have fallen flat on his stomach if it hadn't been for Jim who quickly crossed the last few feet separating them and caught him.
"Bones!"
But his friend had already grabbed his communicator, hailing the ship immediately.
"Away team to Enterprise! Beam us up, right now! Medical emergency!", he yelled into the device while he ran to Jim who had fallen to his knees, cradling the unconscious Scotsman in his arms.
"Scotty? Wake up." The Captain softly touched the man's cheek, trying to wake him. From the corner of his eyes, he saw McCoy kneeling down, letting his medical tricorder rush over Scott's body.
The CMO cursed quietly when he saw the information it gave him. But before Jim could ask him what was wrong, they already vanished from the planet's surface.
Up on the Enterprise a medical team was already standing ready in the transporter room. They immediately grabbed Scotty's body from Jim and put it on a stretcher, guiding the floating device out of the room. McCoy yelled something after them before he turned to Jim.
"Jim, I need you to send another away team down there. Every member has to wear a protective suit, got it? They need to catch one of those things that stung Scotty and it's important that they catch it alive."
Jim gave him a nod while his eyes were still fixed on the door through which the medics had carried his Chief Engineer.
"What's wrong with him, Bones? How bad is it?" Jim himself could hear the hidden fear in his voice and when McCoy swallowed hard, the grip around his heart seemed to tighten even more.
"I don't know it yet, Jim. But I'll figure it out. Just find that mosquito."
Other Captains would probably say that he shouldn't let officers of lower rank give him orders, but he knew that right now the Doctor was the only person able to decide what had to be done.
"We will. Take care of Scotty, will ya?"
Bones nodded and turned around, running after his team.
'Oh, please let him be okay.'
The mosquito-like life form was soon found, captured and brought aboard. Jim used this opportunity given to him and finally entered sickbay, handing the glass containing the insect over to Chapel. Up until now, the nurse just wouldn't let him in - probably because McCoy had ordered her not to - but now she allowed him to come in. Jim followed her and soon they were standing in a patient's room, where Bones was standing next to a biobed. Apparently he was just injecting a hypospray into Scotty's bloodstream.
"Dr. McCoy?"
Named man span around and he didn't look too surprised when he caught a glance of his best friend.
"Found that thing," Jim explained, pointing at the glass in Chapel's hands and Bones simply sighed, giving Kirk a nod. All right, that was his way to tell the Captain he was allowed to come over. Which he immediately did.
Jim quickly crossed the room and looked at his CEO. The Scotsman's face was way too pale, but in contrast to the rest, his forehead was red like hell. It was glowing!
"How is he, Bones?"
McCoy sighed once again.
"Stable. For now. I sure hope that little monster over there will give us some information and a cure. You can stay with him, but I want you to call for me instantly when something changes, okay?"
Jim nodded, stepping closer towards the bed. Bones patted his arm in a comforting way, before he left to take a good look at the creature that had caused all this to happen.
So Kirk was left alone with his friend.
"Hey there, Scotty. It's me. I mean... it's Jim. I hope you're not in pain. And I hope that you'll wake up soon. I'm... I'm quite certain that you will. Bones is a good doctor. He'll find a way to help you... for sure!"
He knew that he was probably talking more to himself than to Scotty, but the soft sound of a regular bleeping representing the heartbeats, was just like a calming reply to him.
Jim swallowed hard while he put his hand on top of the Scotsman's. He just wanted him to be okay. Wanted to talk with him, laugh with him, share a drink with him. But the look in McCoy's eyes hadn't been too convincing. Maybe he didn't want to worry Jim so he didn't tell him the truth about Scotty's health status.
They stayed like that for a long time, until a soft moan and the movement of a cold hand beneath his own, caught Kirk's attention and he looked at Scotty's face. His eyes... they were fluttering open!
"Scotty? Scotty!"
He knew that he should go get Bones but he was completely focused on the man in front of him. He grabbed his hand and held it tightly. Finally, Scott's eyes were completely open and the man just stared at his Captain who was smiling at him, relief written all over the face.
"Oh, I'm so glad you're awake! You really scared us, man! Do you remember what ha-"
The smile soon vanished from Jim's lips when he saw just how afraid his CEO looked. His eyes widened in panic, sweat was forming on his forehead and he tried to back away from Kirk.
"No, no, no..." He was muttering quietly, shaking his head.
"Scotty?" Jim's eyes narrowed in confusion and he wanted to put a soothing hand on Scott's shoulder, but the Engineer immediately slapped it away.
"No, you're dead. You're dead! I've watched ye die."
Kirk tilted his head to the side. What was Scotty talking about? Where was his mind? It sounded like he was talking about the whole Khan-thing that had happened two years ago.
"Listen, Scotty. I'm fine. It's all right. I... I was revived, don't you remember?"
His statement wasn't helping though. Scotty's behavior changed within seconds and he was suddenly screaming.
"Why are ye here?! What do you want?! Leave me alone!"
The Captain felt his heart skipping a beat. He was scared... and kinda hurt. It was a bad feeling, being rejected and causing a friend so much fear. He grabbed Scotty by his shoulders, wanted to calm him somehow.
"Listen to me, it's okay! Everything's fine. You're in sickbay, Scotty. Bones will-"
Scotty started shaking violently, his voice breaking at the following words. "No! No! Let go of me! Please, please don't! Please don't kill me!"
He was crying. And Jim didn't know what to do. The only thing right for him was usually to give his friend a comforting hug, but he was doubting that it would help him very much. Probably, it would only make it worse.
"Leave me alone! I'm sorry, Jim! I'm sorry I could nae save you, but please don't hurt me!"
"Scotty, I won't hurt you. I never would!"
But Scott didn't seem to believe him for his crying only worsened and he screamed for help.
"Jim! What's going on?!"
Kirk turned around to face McCoy who was running towards them, coming to a halt next to the bed. Scotty immediately focused on the Doctor and he clanged to his blue shirt.
"Help me, doc! Don't let him kill me! I... I didn't mean for him to die!"
"Scotty...," Kirk whispered but the Scotsman seemed to hear him for his screams only got louder.
"Help me! Help me! Please! I don't wanna die, I-"
The yelling was stopped by a hypospray which McCoy injected into Scotty's neck. The Engineer's body relaxed and Bones softly put him back down into the bed.
He looked at the monitors next to the bed, before turning to Kirk. The glare he gave his Captain made the blonde man feel small and he wished for the ground to open beneath him, swallowing him whole.
"My office. Right now!"
"The hell were you doing, Jim? Why didn't you call me the moment Scotty opened his eyes?!"
Kirk winced at his friend's loud voice. It sounded desperate and angry. He didn't want to see how furious the man looked so he just stood there, looking at the desk in front of him.
"I just thought-"
McCoy grabbed him by his shoulders and forced him to turn around.
"No, you didn't! That's the problem, Jim. You don't think before you act!"
Kirk could feel tears swelling in his eyes but he quickly blinked them away, looked up into Bones' worried face.
"I- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause more harm to him."
McCoy poked his finger into Kirk's chest.
"You can be glad that Scotty didn't have a heart attack. And that I was there in time."
Jim swallowed hard, tried to talk. He felt really bad. He knew that he should have informed Bones instead of trying to help Scotty all by himself.
"What's wrong with him? Why does he think... I'm dead?"
It hurt to say it out loud. Apparently he was dead to Scotty. And, even worse, something inside of the Scotsman told him that Jim blamed him for his death. What did that mosquito do to his mind?
"Apparently he's been infected with some kind of parasite causing him to hallucinate. His mind's in a different place and time at the moment. It's... it's kinda like a horrible fever dream he's experiencing. Obviously he's reminded of a suppressed trauma."
With every word Bones said, Jim felt his heart sink lower. That was just horrible. Scotty must have been scared to death when he saw him. Trying not to think of what he did wrong, Kirk instead asked for a thing way more important.
"Can you help him?"
McCoy's eyes softened and he finally nodded.
"I think I can. It might take a few more hours but thanks to the specimen you've caught, I'll be able to create a serum."
That was good news! At least one thing didn't go wrong on this day. And Jim would impatiently wait for the hours to past.
"Scotty?"
From outside the door, Kirk could hear Bones talking to the CEO. He had only just awakened after the Doctor had given him the serum.
"Doc? Wha... where am I?"
Scotty sounded tired but not like he was in pain anymore.
"You're back aboard the ship. Do you remember what happened?"
"I... we were on this planet and I got stung by that strange thing... After that? No idea."
Slowly, Jim stepped around the corner, feeling his heart racing. He was nervous, but he needed to see Scotty.
"Captain!"
A smile spread across the Engineer's face when he saw Kirk standing in the doorway. Jim waved shortly.
"Hey there, Scotty. How... are you feeling?" Oh man, this whole situation was awkward. He didn't know what to say or do.
"Better. I have no idea what that mosquito did to my bloodstream but whatever McCoy gave me worked miraculously."
Bones and Jim fell silent and Scotty just looked at them in a questioning way.
"Uhm... something wrong, lads? Did I miss something when I was unconscious?"
Jim looked at Bones, searching for help, but the look on his friend's face made clear that he had to explain it himself.
Kirk slowly crossed the room and stepped next to the biobed.
"So... you already were awake once before, but you probably can't remember," he started talking and Scotty nodded in agreement.
"You're right about that. What happened? Ye look like it's been terrible."
The Captain cleared his throat. How should he say it? He wasn't sure.
"I... You... You thought I was still dead."
Scott's eyes widened in surprise and his mouth formed a silent 'oh'. Jim had to continue his explanation.
"And... you thought that I was a ghost, trying to kill you because of blaming you for my death."
Scotty's mouth closed and he swallowed. His eyes moved away from Kirk as he started answering.
"Jim..."
The Captain interrupted him, still not quite knowing what to say. "Do you really think I blame you?"
Scotty had to think for a moment, but he looked up when Jim took his hand in his.
"Sometimes... when I dream about... about what happened back then, I can't help but feel so sorry. I should have stopped you! You weren't thinking straight that day. I was responsible for your safety-"
Kirk shook his head.
"No, you weren't! And you're still not. It's not your responsibility to take care of me. It's my own. I have to take care of myself, my ship... and my crew. What happened back then, was my choice. I did it, because I thought that it was the right thing to do. But maybe I should have thought more about what it does to the people watching me die... I'm sorry, Scotty. I'm sorry that it still follows you in your sleep."
Now it was Scotty's time to shake his head.
"There's no need to be sorry, Jim. I guess... I just wasn't ready to talk about it yet. Maybe I should now. With a good bottle of Scotch to join us?"
Jim smiled but Bones was already rolling his eyes.
"Yeah, well, let's wait with the consumption of alcoholic drinks for a few days."
"Awww maaan! I'd love to drink something right now, Doc. It will certainly help my body to get better faster."
"The hell it will! You're gonna rest now, Scotty. Or do I have to use a hypo?" It was a threat to be taken seriously so Scott quickly closed his eyes.
"Already sleeping."
McCoy narrowed his eyes but finally turned around, grabbing Jim by his arm.
"Let him get some sleep."
The last thing Kirk saw was Scotty opening one of his eyes and forming a silent 'See ya later'. Jim just gave him a nod, smiling happy. Everything was fine now. And hopefully it would stay like that for a period of time.