Author's Note: Thank you Sherryfanfc1999 for the lovely review. I hadn't planned on poasting anything until next week but I work up and saw that I had a review. It made my morning so here you go.

warning: Mentions of self harm. Please read carefully.

Pacing from one side of the room to the next did nothing to help Jim. Ants crawled over his skin as seconds and minutes ticked by. He quickly made his way back to the couch and peered over Spock's shoulder. Sighing he continued his pacing.

"Jim, this will not go any faster with you checking on my work every five minutes." Spock didn't even bother to look at him as he spoke. He continued to categorize the words by the sounds they made before further breaking them down into possible notes.

"Sorry. I didn't..." He ruffled his hands through his hair. "I really want to know. It feels immportant. I don't want this to be a waste of your time."

Spock paused before looking up at his former captain. "We are talking again. Lhai and David have become friends. I do not see where this is a waste of time."

Before Jim could say anything the front door opened and a southern draw filled the air. "Sorry I'm late kid. Had an accident before my-" Bones stopped walking his eyes trained on Spock. Before Jim could react Bones was across the room his fist slamming into Spock's face. He shouted and gripped his hand. "Damn it! Why the he'll is this green blooded bastard here?"

There were tiny gasp from the other side of the room. Jim mentality cursed and turned to see David hiding behind Lhai two seconds from running to hide. "It's okay. We're all done fighting. Right uncle Bones?" He turned a sharp glare on his friend.

"Right. Because I don't need to break any more bones. David can you grab my bag for me? I can show you how to set a broken hand." As the child darted through the room Bones muttered as he held his hand tight.

Jim snorted before turning to Spock. He walked over before kneeling. "Papa bear can take care of himself. Let me see." He pointed to were Spock was holding his nose and leaning forward. After a second of hesitation the half Vulcan pulled his hand away from his face. Green blood making tracks from his nose and down his chin. As gentle as he could Jim felt along the bridge of his nose. "It isn't broken. It'll bruise. Let me get a towel."

He glared as he passed Bones. His older friend sitting down with David beside him showing him how to set fingers. When he returned with the towel he passed it over to Spock. "Maybe turn with the punch? It'll hurt less and save Bones from breaking anything else."

"I forgot how dense a Vulcan's bones are. Who's the tiny one glaring at me?" He waved over the general direction of Lhai who refused to move away from where he stood half way between the door to David's room and where David stood.

"That's Lhai! He doesn't lose games like the other kids use to. He can even read the same books! He colors better than me. He said he would teach me to speak his language when I get my front teeth back." David waved his arms as he spoke before going silent and looking at Spock. He hid behind Bones. His soft blue eyes looking between the two adults. It made something insdie Jim hurt seeing the fear on his face. "Did he do something bad Uncle Bones?"

Jim watched as Bones looked between David and Spock to Lhai and back again. Sighing he shook his head. "Grown up stuff kiddo. He's a good guy if you want to talk to him."

"Daddy said it's bad to fight. You should say sorry." Jim quickly hid a grin by ducking his head. He would leave this one to David. Spock glanced at him and arched an eye brow.

The room was silent before Bones sighed. "Fine! Good example and all that. I'm sorry I punched you. I should have just hypoed you." There was some grumbling under Bones' breath. "Why are you hear anyways?"

Jim looked up his face under control. "Helping me with the puzzle I was telling you about. Can you two play nice while I go to work? Or do I need to have Lhai baby sit? He's pretty good. I mean he can handle David. I'm sure he can handle grumpy old men."

It was worth the glare he recived. He ruffled David's hair and winked at Lhai. "You're in charge. Make sure they don't fight while I'm gone. Or you can throw them in the brig."

Spock watched his processes Jim's words. While his son worked out if the former captain meant what he said he turned to McCoy. They hadn't spoken since Jim had left a while ago. "David, since my stay here I've noticed a small play ground in the back yard. Are you allowed to play on it without an adult?" The boy shook his head. He once again looked to the doctor. "Would it be okay if he were to go play if Lhai watched him?"

Silence streached for a long moment before the doctor sighed. "Yeah I'm sure Jim wouldn't mind. So long as we are near the window. Besides I want to see what amounts to play for a hobgoblin." They watched as the children left through the back door David taking the lead. They left the curtains open so they could still watch them. "Okay now that they are out what do you want to say?"

"I understand you are angry with me. However-" Spock stopped talking as Mycoy held up a hand.

"I'm way past angry. You left a mentality unstable person right after you awoke from a coma. He sat by your bed every day. Me and your father had to drag him away. Don't even start to say your sorry. Don't give me some piss pour excuse of 'it was better this way.' You really think he is fine? Take a look in the lock box in his room. That kid is on so many meds becaus of your stuipd mind voodoo I'm supprised he knows which way is up. That bond you made screwed up his brain.

You weren't there..." The doctors voice broke. "He called me you know. The day it snapped. Sobbing like nothing I've every heard before. Said something that noone should have had to say. When I got to his apartment I had to break down his door. There was blood all over the bathroom floor. I had to restart his heart three times before the ambulance got there. So no I don't want your excuses. I want you gone as soon as possible with as less damage as possible."

Each word squeezed his heart. It was a hard lump in his side. "Doctor...Jim never mentioned. Why would they let him still be in star fleet if..."

McCoy sighed and tapped his head. "Because he isn't in charge of a ship anymore. They question his desicions but they have no grounds to dismiss him. They only case of a human bonded with a Vulcan was your mother. They don't know if everything will fix itself or not. Besides he fought them tooth and nail to keep it from going public. To keep it from being back lashing against you and New Vulcan. With everything that has happened and more Vulcans willing to take other races as their spouse? What sort of message would it send to people? It was already bad enought that you two got divorce."

He looked out into the yard where his son was coaxed into a game of tag. "How bad is it really? He said he was fine."

"I'm not that kind of doctor. From what we talked about he says he can still feel where the bond should be in his head. Sometimes he hears random sentence in Vulcan. Or smell things that are not there. He felt you during pon farr." McCoy looked at his hand and the two fingers clearly broken in a splint.

He was at a loss for words. Their bond should have been broken before that. He had no longer felt Jim when that had happened. A thousand and one thoughts floated through his head. "He should have said something. A mind healer could have been called."

McCoy snorted as he leaned on the window pane. "Not in this life would he have done that. Don't worry. I've got someone who's been helping with him. Discretely of course. Don't raise your brow at me. I'm allowed secrets."

"Clearly. Have you told Jim you are dating someone?" Spock asked and watched as the southern doctor started sputtering and turned red. It was petty and he hadn't planned on saying anything but he disliked how they hadn't told him Jim had been worse off than he had first thought.

"How did you know? It's not like I am keeping it from him forever. Just...its complicated damn it." He huffed and rubbed the back of his neck. Spock gave a small nod keeping a look out at the children.

"What do you think of the message Jim wad given? Is it a hoax? Would Jim have made it himself?" His former captain was one to the brightest men he knew. It wouldn't supprise Spock if Jim had made the message just to bring him back. However, it didn't feel right.

McCoy shook his head. "Honestly I don't know. He wouldn't have made it himself. He may be a needy brat but he wouldn't do that to you. I think he should wash his hands of it and walk away. It feels...like Pandora's box. Once it's open we can't go back."