I hope you're having a good day. Here's another little Star Trek story :)

Jim groaned and rubbed his temples in small circles. He'd been sitting in the captain's chair for just under four hours, and his headache had only managed to get steadily worse. The Enterprise had nothing of importance to do for several days—simply traveling through the expanse of space between destinations. He wasn't doing anything demanding.

And yet his headache continued to persist.

Bones gave him a hypo for it about an hour ago, and it seems it was beginning to wear off.

"Captain."

Kirk looked up and smiled considerately at the yeoman currently standing by his chair and holding out a PADD with something for him to sign.

Reaching forward and taking hold of the device, he briefly glanced it over before signing his name, his scrawl slightly messier than usual.

"Thank you, Yeoman," he said, returning it to them.

"Sir," they replied, before retreating to the turbolift. The doors opened, and a grouchy-looking McCoy walked in as the yeoman walked out, heading straight to Jim's chair.

"I see your headache's back, Jim. You really ought to take a break. Let Spock handle things."

"Thanks, Bones, but I'm the captain; it's my responsibility to make sure everything's running smoothly, even when we're just cruising through empty space."

"That may be true, but you're too tense. If you don't take some time off you'll end up with a full-on migraine."

Jim held his hand up when Bones went for his neck with another hypo.

"No, Bones. It'll only wear off. Last time it barely worked for an hour."

Bones bristled.

"Well, it's the best I can do until you come down to sickbay."

"My shift doesn't end till another four hours."

"I know; that's what concerns me. I wish you wouldn't force yourself to take on so much responsibility."

"It's only fair, Bones. I can't slack off the minute things get dull and make the crew do all the work."

Bones rolled his eyes. "How very noble."

"I have to set an example. Imagine if everyone lazed about the minute nothing happened; we'd all fall into chaos."

"While that may be true, I am the doctor here, and I prescribe a good dose of—"

"No, Bones! No more drugs. I'll be fine, okay?"

"Captain. Doctor. Is everything well?"

Both parties turned to stare at where the tall, lean Vulcan had come to stand stoically in the middle of the bridge.

"It's fine, Spock. Don't worry about it," Jim waved him off.

"Captain, if you are in pain—"

"It's just a little headache, Spock. Nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about, huh? Is that why you're sitting here as white as a sheet, looking like you're about to pass out?"

Jim pinched the bridge of his nose. "Bones."

"No, don't Bones me. I'm responsible for the health of this crew, and right now that includes you. So quit whining and—"

"Jim, if you recall, Vulcans are touch telepaths," Spock broke in, taking a step forward. "We have the ability to heal another's mind. I may be able to take away the pain."

McCoy fell silent.

Jim looked at the Vulcan through strained, pinched eyes. "Spock, you don't have to do that for me. I know Vulcans don't like to use that ability lightly."

"It is not lightly, Jim. You are my captain. As first officer, it is also my duty to ensure the captain's wellbeing."

Jim let out a slow breath through his mouth.

"Well, I'll be damned," said Bones.

Jim thought for a moment, quietly contemplating the offer, before he broke out into a large smile.

"Alright, Spock. But only if you're sure."

An arched eyebrow was given in response, before Spock moved around to the front of the chair.

"If you would remain still, Captain," he said, before reaching forward with three fingers to touch his temple. There was silence for several moments, before Jim abruptly sighed in relief and turned his head further into Spock's hand.

Spock responded by shifting position, spreading more fingers down the side of his face.

There was quiet for several more minutes, before Spock's eyes opened, followed by the captain's.

"Wow," Jim whispered. "Thank you, Spock."

Spock nodded. "You are welcome, Jim."

"Well, I'll be." Everyone in the room—which had become deathly still—turned to the doctor, standing behind the captain's chair. "Your pain levels have gone completely back to normal. Along with heart rate, adrenalin and..." —McCoy lowered his tricorder— "just about everything else that was wonky. Not that I agree with your Vulcan voodoo but, that certainly was effective."

Spock stepped away, clasping his hands behind his back.

"I appreciate your approval, Doctor, although that was only a temporary fix. In a human, it cannot substitute for sleep. I suggest the captain accompany you to sickbay after Alpha shift to receive the appropriate medication."

"Why, Spock, are you sending me down to the torture chamber? I thought we were friends!" Jim whined dramatically.

Bones huffed. "You know that's not what it is."

"Might as well be. With the number of hypos you jab into me it sure feels like it."

Bones rolled his eyes as he headed back to the turbo lift. "Yeah, well, I'll see you later; otherwise you really will have something to worry about when I track you down throughout the ship. And Spock, have I ever told you how much it makes me uncomfortable when you agree with me."

He turned in the turbo lift and pressed the "down" button. Just before the doors closed he caught a glimpse of Jim shivering uncomfortably in his chair and Spock looking after him with an eyebrow raised in startled alarm.

"Do you think he'd really track me down through the ship?" Jim asked the Vulcan.

"I do not doubt it. And if I know the doctor correctly, he will most likely be wielding a hypo."

Jim will be forever embarrassed by the way his face paled in front of the crew.

It was exactly four hours later, at the end of Alpha shift, when Jim's headache returned with a vengeance. Stiffly standing up from his chair, he groaned, heading to the turbo lift. His vision blurred with dizziness, and a sharp, throbbing pain had set itself up behind his eyes.

Walking into the familiar enclosed space, he clumsily reached out to press the button that would take him to the deck sickbay resided on. When his skewed perception caused his hand to miss, another, blue-clad one did it for him. Jim nodded as his first officer took up position beside him, and the door slid smoothly shut as they began their descent.

Spock turned towards his captain, and Jim looked up to meet his eyes.

"Captain."

Jim smiled weakly in reply, before shifting back to look ahead.

The doors re-opened a few seconds later, and Jim strolled out, slightly wobbly on his feet, drawing his head up high to portray a vision of confidence. The steady, silent presence at his back was a comfort as he shakily moved through the corridors.

Finally reaching his destination, the doors swished open in greeting, and Jim strolled into sickbay, closely followed by his quiet shadow.

"Jim!" McCoy yelled from the other end of the room.

Jim groaned in response and immediately collapsed onto the nearest biobed.

The doctor rushed over, instantly discarding whatever he was doing.

"B-bones..." Jim replied, as the whir of a scanner started up, running over his form.

"I told you not to overtax yourself," the doctor grumbled.

"Irmm didn. Came back with a vengeance...anyway." Jim slurred, holding a hand over his eyes to block out the bright lights of sickbay. "Just get me to sleep, please."

McCoy paused in his work and sighed. "Alright, I'm gonna try a different medication hopefully you're not allergic to, then I'll give you something to help you sleep."

"Thanks, Bones. You're de best."

"Yeah. Right."

"And Bones," Jim said, as McCoy was preparing the medication. "Let Spock help." He held out an arm towards the Vulcan standing silently at the end of the biobed. "Whatever he did last time, it really helped."

McCoy looked up from filling a hypospray and gazed at the stoic Vulcan currently doing a good impression of a statue overlooking Jim's bed.

"I would be amicable to assisting, Doctor," Spock replied steadily.

"Alright," Bones said, injecting the hypo into Jim's neck. "But you better not mess everything up with your Vulcan mumbo jumbo," he huffed.

Spock raised an eyebrow. "I shall endeavor to keep the captain's mind perfectly intact, Doctor."

McCoy grunted.

"I would be more concerned about your noxious potions causing brain damage."

With that, McCoy glared as the Vulcan walked around the bed, and moved to sit at the head. He positioned himself cross-legged behind the captain, and gently lifted his head into his lap.

"It may be more effective if you were to attempt to sleep, Jim. I shall remain here."

Jim smiled as he felt his Vulcan friend gently placing his fingers at the psi points on either side of his face.

"Bones."

"Alright, alright," the doctor said, snapping out of his intense gaze at Spock, and jabbed a hypo with a mild sedative into his neck.

Jim looked like he was going to protest, but simply closed his eyes and relaxed back on the bed.

Kirk felt the gentle tingle of another mind against his. He smiled at the familiar presence, as the pain gradually began to recede. "Thanks, Spock," he mumbled, before allowing himself to fall asleep.

McCoy watched the two friends for a long moment, before dimming the lights and quietly pulling the curtain around the bed as he left.

Thanks for reading! I have a few more of these in my folders. I plan to post them soon, so long as editing goes smoothly :)