Title: Taming the Lion
By: Dragonfire100
Chapter 3
The third time McCoy saw Cadet Young-and he couldn't believe he was even keeping track now-it was in one of the mess hall's he and Jim would sometimes have lunch together in. To his surprise when he spotted his friend he wasn't alone. A part of him thought that that should be sad, Jim needed more friends than just a grumpy doctor.
She sat across from him looking mildly peeved but amused at the same time. Her hair was up accentuating her soft features. That damned odd feeling cropped up again and he gripped his tray a little harder.
Leonard approached slowly, straining to catch the words between the two.
"You didn't have to do that."
Uh oh, he knew that tone, it was the one Jim used when Leonard 'interfered' on things that he didn't think he needed help with. McCoy quickened his pace hoping to head off Jim's irritation before he upset her. Granted he probably should figure out just what Jim was upset over-his irritation could be justified-but he couldn't bring himself to let that happen to Young.
He sat quickly drawing both their attentions. Jim's countenance brightened slightly at his sudden appearance.
"Bones!"
He nearly winced, why had he let Kirk start calling him that?
She smiled at him, a soft upturn of her lips. McCoy firmly ignored the weird pinch just under his ribs where his heart was, looking instead at Jim. He cocked an eyebrow at him.
"Why do you look like someone stole your prized cow?"
Young laughed.
He glared.
Jim rolled his eyes.
When he didn't readily reply Young spoke.
"I managed to convince Commander West to let Kirk retake the test." She said looking unsure.
McCoy frowned at Jim. Shouldn't he be happy?
After some much needed rest and having gotten that damned infection under control, Jim had gripped about the whole thing.
He'd doubted West would pass him what with collapsing right in the middle of the damn thing, and he'd been posing as captain. McCoy had decided not to point out that Jim had readily admitted to losing consciousness, and asked if he could retake it, he'd scoffed. Apparently West wasn't known for letting Cadets 'retake' the test. He'd-of course-protested the whole thing saying that West should understand, that he'd been ill even going as far to say that he'd track the man down himself. To explain, of course, not yell at him.
Jim however, had told him not to. Sometimes the kid's pride was a real pain in the ass.
"How'd you manage that?" He found himself asking looking at Young who shrugged, obviously trying to appear nonchalant.
"I just, told him the truth."
Jim shared a look with him both knowing that West wouldn't give a damn about the truth. Hell the guy more than likely 'knew' the truth and still didn't give a shit.
"West doesn't give a shit about the truth." He said flatly then after a pause looked uncharacteristically uncomfortable. "You didn't um-"
"No, no, nothing like that." Young cut him off obviously following his line of thought face a grimace of disgust. "I, bawled my eyes out if you must know." She looked a bit embarrassed by the admission, a little blush gracing her cheeks.
Jim stared at her slack jawed.
Leonard felt amusement settle in him. It was rare that anyone struck the blond speechless.
"Most guy's with a shred of decency in them get uncomfortable when a woman cries." She said.
"Why?" Jim all but demanded shoulders tensing. McCoy watched the exchange with silent interest because really he wanted answers too.
Her expression grew serious as she replied, seeming to choose her words carefully. "Because-and I know your ego doesn't need further inflating," McCoy nearly snorted. "you're smart and you deserve a second chance, don't let those ass hats think they got one up on you."
Jim's features grew guarded as she spoke. "I really didn't need your help." His words were soft that tone from minutes ago returning.
"Jim-" McCoy tried to head him off, but instead he stood abruptly.
"Next time, don't." He barely spared Leonard a glance, though that one look spoke volumes. Jim thought he was in on it. His own irritation rose and he wanted to demand then and there just who these 'ass hats' were and just what the hell was going on. The fact that they were surrounded by fellow cadets stopped him though, along with Jim's abrupt departure.
"I was just, trying to help." Young muttered watching him go, she didn't seem offended by Kirk's bluntness, in fact she seemed almost concerned?
McCoy grimaced. "Jim's, complicated." It was an understatement he knew. He watched Jim's retreating form for a moment before looking at her.
They didn't seem like friends, at least Jim had never spoken to him about her as such, or anything more. So why had she done it?
The only problem was he didn't feel like he knew her well enough to ask, at least not about that, however those 'ass hats' were a different story.
"You said something about ass hats?" Ok maybe not the most eloquent way to put it but Young didn't seem bothered. Her gaze returned to him and she shook her head.
"Just some other cadets who were giving Kirk shit before the SIM started."
McCoy felt his irritation and suspicions rise. "You know who?" His ire must've shown in his voice because she looked at him with slightly narrowed eyes.
"Um, I don't know their names, sorry."
Leonard clenched his jaw sitting back food forgotten. Some possible situations were forming in his head and none of them he liked.
"Kirk's lucky to have a friend like you." Her soft words brought him out of his thoughts and he found her watching him. He snorted covering up the uncomfortable feeling in his chest at her gaze.
"Damn right he is." He grumbled and Young laughed. It was a nice laugh.
"So do you think he'll retake it?" She asked after a pause and he huffed.
"I don't know, probably, he might not like what you did but he's not an idiot." Despite what some people may think. Jim was actually one of the smartest men Leonard knew.
"Good, West can be a pain, you should've seen his face when I started crying." There was a mischievous glint in her eyes and he once again wondered why she had done it.
Before he could ask-because despite his earlier thoughts his curiosity was getting the better of him-she scooted her chair back, standing.
"Well, I gotta get to class." She smiled at him standing turning but paused. When she looked at him again there was concern in her eyes. "Those guys, I may not know their names, but, I've seen them around, they aren't exactly, nice."
McCoy bit back a heavy sigh. He and Jim needed to have a talk soon.
"Noted, thanks." She nodded a small smile returning to her face before leaving.
McCoy watched her make her way through the mess thoughtfully. A walking conundrum if he ever saw one, and one he was starting to find he wanted to solve.
Leonard woke instantly at the persistent chime. He was being summoned to medbay. Cursing softly he threw aside the blankets and got up. There could be any number of reasons why he was being called and none of which were exactly good.
Jim was gone, figures since he'd been avoiding him after the whole SIM thing. Which was utterly childish in his opinion, and honestly he was planning on confronting the kid about it when he managed to corner him.
Throwing on some clean clothes he practically raced from the room.
He'd been expecting ordered chaos upon entering and was abruptly surprised when it was nearly silent. Frustration made him scowl. Why the hell had he been called down here?
Suddenly a very frazzled nurse Pletchet appeared heading straight for him.
"Sorry to wake you Dr. McCoy but I wasn't sure what else to do."
Leonard blinked concern returning. Not much could disconcert the usually confident nurse.
"We've tried contacting Dr. Lansing he was here when she came in though she did ask for you-"
"Who?" He interrupted, she was rambling, again not the norm.
"Cadet Young sir, she came in four hours ago, complaining of a headache, neck pain, light sensitivity and nausea."
Leonard's frown deepened as he listened a tightness forming in his chest when he heard the symptoms.
"Dr. Lansing diagnosed her with meningitis and started the treatment but, she's only gotten worse and like I said we haven't been able to contact him so I-"
"Where is she?" He demanded and she stopped short turning to lead him though she kept talking.
"Sir I don't mean to be disrespectful but, Dr Lansing-"
"I'll deal with Lansing." He all but growled.
The lights were dimmed almost completely, the biobed casting a glow just enough to see by.
"We've been giving her our strongest reducers, but it doesn't seem to be helping." She said following him over to her bed.
Young was gripping the sheets shivering, eyes closed though the readings said she was conscious.
Her fever was at 103 and rising. "When did this start?" He asked Pletchet whose brow was creased in concern.
"Just after midnight."
"Did he run a blood culture?" He asked carefully examining her readings.
Pletchet pulled a face. "No, he seemed to think he knew what it was and like he wanted to get out of here."
Leonard cursed.
"Get on that now." He snapped carefully checking to see when she last had a reducer. It was cutting it close but her fever was rising alarmingly.
Damn Lansing, he was always cutting corners! He was also young, inexperienced and completely full of himself. McCoy knew someday it was going to bite the idiot in the ass.
To bad it involved someone he knew.
"Young?" He said softly, wanting to test her lucidity.
She shifted grimacing.
"Your fevers spiking, we're gonna try and stabilize it." He muttered watching her reaction closely.
Hazel green glazed over eyes opened a little.
"Joe?" The name was spoken so softly he barely caught it. Her tone though bordered on despair with a touch of longing.
Leonard frowned concerned. Was she hallucinating? Who was Joe ? Though the latter question was really none of his business, they were obviously someone important to her.
"No," He said trying to keep his tone soft and reassuring. "Its Dr McCoy, Leonard McCoy you're in medbay remember?"
God only knew why he gave her his first name.
She blinked heavily seeming to struggle for a moment before her eyes cleared a little, swallowing thickly.
"Yes, yeah sorry." She muttered and Leonard gave her a reassuring smile.
"S'okay how are you feeling?" He said glancing once more at her readouts.
"Hm-m'head hurts." She muttered grimacing.
"I bet," Nurse Pletchet returned in that moment carefully taking a blood sample. "I'll give you something for it."
He gently administered the more potent analgesic and fever reducer. A little of the pain seemed to disappear from her face.
The reducer may not even work but he had to try, her fever was alarmingly high.
Her fever stayed stubbornly at 103, but it didn't rise.
"Hang in there, we're trying to pin this thing down." He said looking around for another blanket as she shivered.
" Don' like Lansing." She slurred and he snorted.
"Don't worry about that idiot, I'll be treating you from here on." He triumphantly pulled a blanket out of a lower cabinet placing it over her.
"Good, hate hospitals." She was drifting words growing heavy. He checked her readings again noting as her heart rate evened out.
She had that much trust in him? They barely knew each other.
Leonard was never one to gloat or brag about himself, he knew he was a good doctor, had to be to get where he was now. Somehow though he couldn't help but feel it went a little deeper than that.
Or, maybe he was overthinking things.
He waited a moment longer as her taxed system pulled her under and sighed. He needed coffee.
"You've gotta be kidding me." Leonard looked up at Pletchet in disbelief. She shrugged seemingly as dumbfounded as him.
He returned his gaze to the results on the PADD.
Seriously? Gatalis Fever, found only in the remote rainforests of Unix IV a planet he'd never heard of let alone been to.
It's symptoms were very similar to meningitis, save for a few minor differences.
There was only one known cure. He continued to scan the page frown deepening.
The treatment needed to be given within forty eight hours of first symptoms. He checked the chronometer on the wall. Shit they had fourteen hours to synthesize it, would it be enough?
"Let's get on this now." He ordered and she nodded briskly, taking the PADD and walking away.
He looked over at Young's prone form. How had she managed to catch this thing? Was anyone else exposed? Hell, they could have an outbreak on their hands.
A report needed to be filed and fast. He wanted needed more information if he was going to, and he doubted Young was coherent enough to do so.
But he had to try.
Grabbing another PADD he approached her bed, eyes once more glancing at the bio readings.
Fever had surprisingly dropped to 102, it wasn't much but it was something. She looked restless in her sleep, and he hated to disturb her but he needed to know.
Reaching out, he gently touched her shoulder.
A pause then hazel eyes opened, cloudy and unfocused.
"Hey Young, I need to ask you a few questions, can you handle that?" He asked softly. She blinked heavily some clarity entering her gaze.
"I'll try." She whispered. He held back a grimace at her uncertainty.
"You've contracted a very rare illness one only found on Unix IV do you have any idea how you managed to catch it?"
She seemed to hesitate as if gathering her thoughts.
"Yes, I-I tried to tell Lansing," She licked her lips. "Cadet Summers has-had, at least I hope they took it, a minnix, s'a rare, mammal, I reported him for having it."
Leonard held back a sigh. "So you were in contact with the animal?"
"Um, no, " A blush actually seemed to encroach over her fevered skin. "we were on a date, he kissed me," Then grimaced. "not that I wanted him to."
Leonard squashed the spark of satisfaction at that last remark, forcing his scientific half to focus. Who Young went on dates with and whether or not she enjoyed them were of any importance right now.
"I didn't recall till later that the Minnix is often a carrier of the illness." She looked ashamed of the admission.
"What's Summers first name?" He asked as he jotted down a few notes a feeling of dread settling in his stomach. How long had the cadet been exposed? Had he been in contact with anyone besides Young?
"Alex, he thought it would impress me telling me he had it." Her eyes were beginning to glaze over. "Told 'im he was an idiot, s'just..." Her words trailed off in an unintelligible slur, eyes closing, the bio bed sounded an alarm and McCoy cursed. Her fever had just risin.