Author's Notes: Well it's about time Fanfiction.net decided to cooperate! *snorts* In any case, here's the next, long-overdue chapter, written with the help of an Australian friend of mine. Thanks Damian! *waves*



Chapter Five
Kirk was in the middle of an extremely complicated Vulcan maneuver when a wall of intense agony slammed into him full force. Unable to restrain a strangled scream, he sank to the floor, holding his head in both hands and fighting to stay conscious.

After a few minutes, the pain eased down to a throbbing headache. Kirk stood up, and quickly closed his eyes as the room spun circles around him. After the dizziness abated, he opened his eyes again and looked around the room, confused. He didn't know where the pain had come from, but he DID know that it had ruined his practice session.

Feeling mildly annoyed and more than a little uneasy, he unlocked the privacy screens and glanced around the gym. No one else was there. Good, Kirk thought. I don't know what I'd say if someone saw me, AWOL from Sickbay...

He briefly considered returning to aforementioned Sickbay, but predictably shied away from the idea. Taking one last look around the gym, Kirk headed for his quarters.

Unbeknownst to the young captain, a deadly predator was lurking and preparing to kill.

~~~~~~~~

McCoy walked into Sickbay, and immediately looked over at the biobed where Kirk was supposed to be.

No captain.

The doctor began cursing up a storm, and practically ran over to his desk. He turned on the computer interface and requested the location of one Captain James T. Kirk.

"Captain Kirk is on Deck Five," the computer replied.

McCoy ran out of the room without even bothering to switch off the terminal. He snagged the nearest turbolift and entered his destination as Deck Five.

The doors opened a minute later, and McCoy stormed off towards the captain's quarters. When he arrived, the door was shut and locked.

McCoy pressed the intercom. "Jim, it's me."

There was a long pause, and just when McCoy was considering a medical override, the door swished open. He walked in to find Kirk at his desk, putting a data tape in the slot next to his computer terminal. He didn't even glance up. "Good morning, Bones."

"What the hell are you doing out of Sickbay? I didn't release you!"

This time, Kirk did look up. "I don't need to be in there and you know it. The kironide's gone, you said it yourself. I'm perfectly fine."

McCoy's eyes scanned over his friend. Kirk seemed a bit tired, and a shade paler than he should have been, but that was all that the doctor could see wrong. He snorted. "Yeah. Sure. Come on, Jim. I at least need to run a physical on you before officially releasing you to duty, and you're not going back to the bridge until I do. So you might as well come along quietly before I have to knock you out again."

Kirk stared at him in silence for a moment. "How about in a few hours?" he suggested. "I was actually planning on catching up on my sleep..."

McCoy looked at him as if he'd just started speaking the Klingon language. But he didn't object. "Fine. I'll be back for you in five hours. You'd better be up by then, or I swear I'll dump a bucket of ice-cold water on you."

Kirk nodded. "All right. Now, out with you."

McCoy supressed a smile at the odd response, and walked toward the door. "Fine. I know where I'm not wanted." His voice carried just the right amount of teasing, and he expected another witty reply from Kirk.

But none was forthcoming. Taking one last look at Kirk, who was making his way toward the sleeping area, McCoy sighed and stepped out into the corridor, letting the door shut behind him.

~~~~~~~~

As soon as McCoy was gone, Kirk finally stopped pretending he was fine and allowed the signs of pain to show on his face. He uttered a low moan as he collapsed across the narrow bed, hands wrapped around his head as if it could get rid of the agony. It felt like there was a six-foot spike driven into his skull...

The pain inceased in intensity, and the captain blacked out.

~~~~~~~~

When Kirk came to, he felt distinctly nauseous. He had only a moment's warning before he was forced to rush to the 'fresher and empty the contents of his stomach. Pale and shaking, he turned on the tap and splashed some water on his face. He looked at his reflection in the mirror.

"What the hell's the matter with me?" he asked his reflection. Naturally, it didn't answer.

Walking back into the main living area of his cabin, he glanced at the chronometer. Nearly five hours had passed since McCoy left.

Kirk had just enough time to say "Uh-oh," before a buzz came from the door and McCoy's voice said, "Hey Jim, it's me. Can I come in?"

Kirk froze. If McCoy sees me like this...

He didn't want to let the doctor in, but there was really no avoiding it. Wiping the water off his face with his shirt sleeve, he hit the button on his desk to release the latch on the door. "Come in."

McCoy walked in, already talking. "Alright, I've got the diagnostic bed all set up and..." He trailed off as he saw Kirk, and frowned. "What the hell ran YOU over?"

"Nothing." The headache was back: a dull pounding in his temples, throbbing with the rhythm of Kirk's heartbeat. All he wanted was to go to sleep. Hell, I'd settle for another blackout, Kirk thought darkly.

"Jim, you really don't look well. Come on down to Sickbay."

Kirk froze. No! If he finds out I'm ill... But there was no backing out. "All right."

~~~~~~~

McCoy looked at Kirk. The captain was extremely pale, trembling, and he kept wincing in pain. Something was definitely wrong with him. He didn't even look like he could make it down to Sickbay without help. In fact, he looked as if he hadn't used any of those five hours to do any sleeping.

Then what in hell WAS he doing, anyway? McCoy wondered.

Putting that thought aside, he grabbed Kirk's upper arm. "Come on. You're getting a thorough exam, and I don't wanna hear any complaints."

To his surprise, Kirk didn't say anything and actually followed him. That in itself was enough to convince McCoy that Kirk was still not quite well.

Experience with the captain's temper made McCoy look both ways down the corridor to check if anyone was watching. Unfortunately, several people were nearby, chatting calmly as they walked through the corridor.

Jim's going to hate me for this... McCoy thought grimly to himself, as he looked at the captain he supported, who seemed to be quite out of it. Oh well. If he's not going to struggle about going to Sickbay, I doubt he'll be able to do much about this...

The corridor, however, cleared pretty quickly. All it took was one look at the captain and they quickly strode off in the opposite direction. A few of the older, more experienced crewpersons gave a knowing nod to McCoy, and headed off to block the corridor from any further intruders.

McCoy looked at the captain, who hadn't even flinched at people seeing him in this condition - and suddenly realised that Kirk's eyes were closed, his head slumped to the side. He was all but unconscious, although his feet were still vaguely stumbling along with McCoy's on an unfortunately too-familiar route.

McCoy muttered an obscenity and kept going. This cooperation wouldn't last for very much longer.

~~~~~~~~

Spock exited the turbolift doors on Deck Five, and turned to go down the corridor to the captain's cabin. He raised an eyebrow at the sight of two ensigns who seemed to be guarding the hallway. The two men saw him and immediately stepped aside, knowing from experience that Spock was the only other person that the captain would allow to help him.

Spock walked around a bend in the corridor and almost tripped over McCoy. The doctor was sitting on the floor, unsuccessfully trying to keep Kirk moving down the hallway. The captain had finally fallen completely unconscious only a few moments before Spock arrived, from the looks of things.

"Doctor McCoy, what-"

"It's about damn time you hauled your pointed ears down here!" McCoy interrupted. "Help me get Jim down to Sickbay, now."

Spock didn't argue. He knelt down and gently lifted the captain. He stood up, the unconscious man cradled against his chest. Not for the first time, Spock was surprised at how frighteningly light he was.

They all but ran to the turbolift.

~~~~~~~~

The turbolift doors opened only a few meters away from Sickbay. Ignoring the curious, and then concerned expressions of nearby personnel, they hurried into through the Sickbay doors. Once inside, Spock carefully placed Kirk on a diagnostic bed, and McCoy grabbed a scanner.

He ran the scanner over Kirk, the bad feeling he'd been having getting worse. His fears were realized as the scanner was positioned over Kirk's head, and McCoy nearly dropped it in horror.

"No..."

Kirk was dying.