"Got a sec, Uhura?" calls Leonard as he jogs to catch up to her in the corridor. He was hoping to catch her on her way to lunch.
Uhura stops walking, turning as Leonard catches up to her. "What can I help you with?"she asks. The hostility from their first meeting has completely disappeared.
Leonard gestures her forward and they continue to walk down the corridor. No use taking up her personal time and making her cranky right off the bat. "Jim's got this fool idea in his head," he starts. It really is a stupid idea.
Uhura rolls her eyes. "That sounds familiar," she mutters. She was very familiar with Kirk's schemes and conquests back at the academy.
"He thinks I don't socialize enough," he continues, shaking his head like he can't see how Jim came to that conclusion.
"You don't." Leonard was never the social butterfly type, but she's glad she put in the effort to breach his solitude and get to know him all those years ago. She's always been surprised someone like Jim would take the effort to glob on to someone as reserved as Leonard.
Leonard frowns at her. His social life isn't the actual concern here, nor did he realize it was a consideration by the other crewmen. "He wants you to come to dinner."
Uhura stops dead in her tracks. "Me?" She must have misheard. She and Jim are volatile; like oil and water.
"He asked me to ask you specifically," he replies with a shrug like he doesn't get the joke either.
Uhura can think of a million things she'd rather do than socialize with Jim Kirk but Leonard looks like he's waiting to hear if his puppy is going to live or not. She's wanted to strangle Jim more times than she can count. Leonard however was always a faithful friend, helpful study partner and good listener back at the academy so there's no way she can say no and feel good about herself. She wouldn't mind getting to know Leonard again anyways.
She tilts her head up and silently asks the universe for infinite patience. "Alright. But if he doesn't behave himself, I can't be held responsible for my actions."
Leonard raises his right hand. "Best behaviour," he swears.
Captain Pike looks over Spock's report for the third time like it will somehow change the contents to a more favourable outcome. Medical is at a loss and the science department isn't able to offer any solutions either. It's not looking good.
If the Fenarri delegate dies before the peace treaty can be signed the whole Patellan solar system will be at war. No amount of negotiation or diplomacy on Pike's part is going to negate the ingrained belief in these cultures' superstitions. If this delegate dies it will be seen as a bad omen, and bad negotiations resulting in all parties believing it's a divine message to go to war. He needs a medical miracle.
There's one name that comes to mind. It's the name that's been on the top of his list since he experienced firsthand the skill this doctor possesses. Leonard McCoy. While it normally would seem like an impossible option, Pike's heard rumours that McCoy's back in service and holding a position on Starbase Four.
He checks the personnel records and sure enough, Dr McCoy is listed as part of the medical staff. He doesn't hesitate one second before contacting the starbase.
"What can I do for you, Captain?" asks McCoy, appearing on the monitor.
"I thought you retired from the fleet?" asks Pike because he's short on time and needs to get all the information about McCoy's situation as fast as possible. Last time he saw McCoy, the doctor was dead set on giving up his commission and walking away for good.
McCoy looks pained. "Circumstance change," he says bitterly.
Pike's had his fair share of ex's to know that look. He feels like a vulture about to feed on the still living carcass of a dying animal. "I'll cut to the chase. I have a medical emergency and so far my people are coming up short on a solution. It's some sort of parasite and if we don't find away to kill it soon, I'm going to have a war on my hands. The Enterprise has all the latest lab tech and resources it just needs a fresh set of eyes. I can put in a transfer request and have a shuttle ready for you by tomorrow if..."
"I can be ready to go in an hour," injects McCoy. He needs the busy work, anything to get his mind off of Jim.
"Yes?" checks Pike.
"Yes. You just recruited yourself a medical officer."
Captain Macklyn to Starfleet Command
RE Troubadour rescue
The ship has been destroyed. No souls on board. The evacuation shuttles are nowhere to be found but no evidence they have been destroyed. It is believed that any survivors have been taken captive. Will begin recovery effort.
Leonard supposes as far as meetings with the Captain go, it could have been worse. For a Vulcan, Spock almost seemed understanding. Still, while he's used to Jim's quirks and runaway mouth, others are not. If they're going to live here on this ship, with these people, Leonard has to work at forming some middle ground.
Apparently Jim has been making an impression on the crew even though he goes out of his way to avoid interaction with them. He has a list of crewmen who have expressed concern about run ins with Jim. First on the list is Engineer Scott.
Leonard hasn't gone out of his way to endear himself to the crew either. Jim's all the family he needs and after a long shift in medbay, with Jim is the only place he wants to be. It doesn't leave a lot of time to go out, be social and get to know the crew on a personal level. Fortunately, he has a few tricks and hypos up his sleeve to convince the junior engineers that end up in sickbay to share the information they have on the Scotsman.
He presses the buzzer at Scotty's door.
The door slides open and Scotty's a little surprised to find the doctor standing there. "Evening Doc. Have something else you need me to take a look at?" he asks.
Leonard holds up a bottle. "I heard Jim might not have been the friendliest when you returned his PADD. He doesn't do well with unexpected visitors and change and sometimes it comes out in unpleasant ways. I wanted to apologise and give you a peace offering," says Leonard. It's one of the reasons he stressed not dropping the PADD off in the first place but what's done is done.
Scotty looks nonplussed. "Ya don't need to apologize; you're not the one with attitude and foul mouth. Is that scotch?" he asks, pointing to the bottle.
"Bourbon," replies Leonard, turning the label out.
"Come on," says Scotty stepping back from the door so Leonard can enter. "It's not going to drink itself."
Leonard rubs his hands over his face to try and regain focus. He's bone tired and weary in a way no amount of sleep is going to cure. He flops into the chair at his desk and begins typing his report for the day. It's the first time he's sat down all day and there's a good chance he won't be able to stand up when the time comes. At least it's a good report today.
It's been a month according to the stardate. It's passed in both a blink of an eye and the slow crawl of eternity. He hit the ground running the second the shuttle docked with the Enterprise and he hasn't stopped since. Long days with few hours for sleep, buried under endless research and hypothesises, left room for nothing else. In the end he can say he won the battle. The delegate is cured and as a bonus they've managed a vaccination for the rest of the inhabitants in this solar system.
It feels good to finally win something.
Leonard slowly looks up from his computer as the knock at his door penetrates his thoughts. He immediately goes to stand up, pain and muscle ache written all over his face. "Captain Pike."
Pike holds his hand out to abort Leonard's clearly painful effort to stand at attention. "Please stay seated. You look like you need the break."
Leonard can't even summon the energy to agree. In fact if someone dimmed the lights he could probably fall asleep sitting up.
"I thought we could celebrate finding a cure," says Pike, placing a bottle of well aged bourbon on the desk. There's pride in his eyes, like that of a father watching his child take a victory lap.
Leonard's eyes widen. It's not sleep but it'll do. He reaches down and pulls two glasses out of his bottom desk drawer. "You can never be too prepared," offers Leonard, when Pike eyes the glasses with an evil grin.
Pike pours two glasses and slides one over to Leonard. They raise them in toast.
"To intergalactic peace," says Leonard.
"To a job well done," insists Pike before clinking his glass.
Leonard takes a long drink savouring the flavour and burn that hits in just the right way. It feels so damn good to not have to worry about anything- no lives hanging in the balance, no one to take care of, no tedious edge to preciously balance on, no Romulans.
"There's a permanent position here, if you want it," offers Pike. "The Enterprise could use someone like you. That is if there's nothing keeping you on Earth."
It's a hell of an offer; the dream of any officer. And there's nothing stopping McCoy from perusing it. He took the position on Starbase Four to get off the planet and put distance between him and everything he can't have. You can't get any further than a moving starship.
McCoy's computer flashes with an emergency message and his heart practically stops. Every nightmare scenario passes through his head of all the things that could have happened to his little girl that would prompt an emergency call. He stabs at the play button like he can will it away with force.
The words sear themselves into his very soul, a tattoo that will never come off.
Pike watches as all the color drains from Leonard. "What's wrong?" he asks, going to red alert.
"I have to go back to Earth right now," stammers Leonard in a panic. His world is threatening to blink out like a dying star. "It's Jim."
"Dinner's ready, Jim," calls Leonard as he pulls the last dish from the replicator. It isn't fancy but he's just too damn tired to really put an effort into dinner tonight. In fact, putting together a meal was the last thing on his mind when he came home today. He would have skipped eating altogether but it's pretty clear Jim hasn't eaten anything and even if Leonard doesn't have the energy to practice good habits, he's obligated to make sure Jim does.
Leonard sits down, grabbing his napkin and setting it across his lap. "Jim! Food." He has no idea what Jim's up to. He was in the bathroom when Leonard got home and hasn't surfaced from the bedroom at all. Getting Jim to do things can be a lot like herding cats and Leonard doesn't have the energy for it tonight, especially over something like coming out and eating.
He gets through about three bites before he tries again. "Jim?"
Nothing.
Leonard throws his napkin on the dining room table. Apparently he's the parent of two children today. God does he hates being anything other than a husband to Jim.
The bedroom is just how Leonard left it after he got changed and the bathroom door is still locked. "Jim?" He bangs gently on the door with his fist. "Are you feeling okay?" It's been twenty minutes since Leonard came home and Jim was already in the bathroom then.
"Jim?"
The silence doesn't sooth Leonard's restless nerves. He analyzes the last time he was with Jim. Was he warm with fever? Was his color normal? Did he seem to be aching anywhere unusual?
"Jim I'm going to need you to talk to me here."
He bangs a little harder on the door. The silence is getting louder and there's a sharp pain in his gut that keeps taking him back to a place he never wants to be again.
'This is Haven medical facility. There's been an incident involving a James Kirk. You should get here right away.'
Leonard's not doing that again. "Jim if you don't say something, I'm going to break the door down," he threatens. His hands start to shake as his mind spins out of control. He doesn't have time for games and temper tantrums or whatever Jim thinks he's doing because Jim promised that wasn't going to happen again. "I warned you Jim!"
"Computer, override the lock on door B two, medical authorization McCoy seven nine three six delta beta zulu."
The computer chirps its compliance and the lock to the bathroom door clicks open. Leonard stands there frozen, staring at the closed door, terrified about what he might find on the other side of that door. If Jim...
No.
He reaches over and taps the open button. The door slides open but the lights don't come on. It's entirely dark in the bathroom as Leonard takes his first step across the threshold. Something crunches under his foot. "What the hell? Computer lights," he demands all fiery spite.
Jim's sitting on the floor in the shower, his back against the corner and his eyes glued to the floor. He doesn't say a word or even look like he knows Leonard's forced himself into the room.
He looks whole and unharmed and something in Leonard relaxes like a knot pulling loose. Jim's breathing and in one piece; he can work with that.
Leonard lifts his foot. He's crushed one of thousands of computer pieces that formerly comprised the PADD Scotty just fixed scattered across the bathroom floor. The pieces are all intact except for the one Leonard stepped on so the PADD was dismantles not destroyed.
"They're spying on us," says Jim, quiet and resigned without lifting his head.
Leonard closes his eyes. If he thought he was tired before, he feels broken now. He leaves his fear and anger at the door and sits beside Jim on the cold shower floor.
"The bug was in the PADD?" asks Leonard. He knows Starfleet isn't spying on them and Jim knows that too. But right now, it's not Starfleet Jim's worried about. In fact, Jim's probably not here at all.
"Thought I wouldn't figure it out but I did," says Jim like he's more irritated that Nero and his men don't think Jim's smart enough for that.
A tear comes to Leonard's eye. "You always were clever like that." He turns his hand palm up and rests it on his knee. It's there if Jim wants it but out of Jim's personal space if he doesn't.
Jim looks up a little. Not enough to look Leonard in the eye but enough to securitize his hand. Holding hands is dangerous. Any kind of affection towards Leonard could be used against them. Jim has no intention of giving Nero anything useful but if he threatened Leonard's life, Jim would find away to give Nero anything he asked.
"Is that why you took the PADD apart?"
"Had to find the bug."
"Naturally," agrees Leonard. "Can you fix it?"
Jim snorts, affronted. "Of course."
"Good. Because we're running out of those."
"I have to keep you safe, Bones," replies Jim dutifully like it's his primary function in life.
"You did," assures Leonard softly. He corrects, "You do."
Jim starts to bit his lip. "If I did then they wouldn't put hands on you," snarls Jim. The self-incrimination is palpable. "He wouldn't have taken you today."
Leonard says a silent prayer that Jim hasn't been in the throes of this paranoid delusion since he left for shift this morning. "Jim, look at me, I'm fine. Nobody laid a hand on me," he insists.
Reluctantly Jim looks up.
Leonard tries to stay relaxed as Jim catalogues every inch of him despite wanting to resurrect every Romulan that was on the Narada and inflicting them all with a few diseases. Except Nero- he'd take that son of a bitch apart with his bare hands and a dull spoon. Nero is the only person that has ever made Leonard want to break every point of his medical oath.
Jim's fingers ghost over Leonard's body like he's afraid he'll hurt Leonard if his touch is too hard. He checks everywhere looking for any sign that someone has marred his lover's body. Leonard shifts, moving slowly to give Jim room to search.
With Jim concentrating on his search, Leonard uses the distraction to subtly grab his spare med kit that sits on the shelf next to the shower.
Jim's particularly thorough around Leonard's right eye, like the lack of a bruise is some sort of deception and hiding Leonard's injuries is a new form of torture for them both.
Leonard remembers the black eye Jim's looking for. His head throbs at the thought as his stomach rolls and threatens to reject the few bites of dinner he had. Ayel had hit him so hard that after the stars dancing around his head disappeared and the world stopped spinning, his eye swelled shut for over a week. Leonard thought for sure he'd have permanent damage. As it was, his depth perception was horribly off for two weeks which made attempting to operate on Ensign Cavert damn near impossible. If Leonard's being honest, it's probably why he couldn't stop the arterial bleed in time. "Are we safe again?"
"For now," grumbles Jim.
Leonard wonders why that pisses Jim off so much. Most people find relief in being safe but Jim treats it like the eye of a hurricane; storm raging on all sides, it's just a matter of time before it hits again.
Leonard scoots closer to Jim's side, placing his open hand on his knee once more. "Ok."
Jim reaches over and rests his hand in Leonard's. He lets his head fall against Leonard's shoulder and they sit there in silence.
Leonard uses his free hand to work free one of his hypos and load the charge. It's cumbersome and difficult but he's had practice with exactly this scenario. Slowly he reaches over his head and gently places the loaded hypo against Jim's neck. Jim doesn't even feel the injection. Leonard focuses on the rhythm of Jim's breathing while he waits for Jim to come out of this.