For Author's note and Disclaimer, see chapter 1

Chapter 30

While McCoy was clearly not sleeping easily, he was at least fairly easily quieted Jim was glad to note. Whenever he got too restless, or started shivering as he did periodically Jim would wake enough to tighten his grip around him and it seemed to at least work well enough. At one point he seemed caught in some nightmare and Jim noted with some concern that though he tossed he was still quiet.

It still made him wonder if he should use the sedative that Chapel had left them. He did not want to as he was sure Bones would not want it, but it was obvious he was distressed, and not so easily calmed. Frowning he sat up, tucking the cover around him so he would not be cold as he pondered what to do.

"Captain?" Spock's quiet voice made him turn his head.

"Starting to wonder if I should get Chapel here, or just inject him with that stuff," he mused. "I don't want to wake him up, but maybe we should."

"Do you think the Doctor's condition has worsened?" Spock kept his voice soft and quiet as he moved closer. Jim really wasn't surprised he was no longer asleep.

"I'm not sure, to be honest," he mused. "It could be just a nightmare, he doesn't feel so cold anymore, but I don't know enough to tell. I keep thinking he probably doesn't want the sedative, but then I don't think I should worry too much about whether he wants it or not if it'd do some good."

"Jim, if I may offer an alternative?" Spock raised an eyebrow, visible even in the darkness and Jim nodded.

"Please," he agreed. "Do you think I worry too much?"

"I think given the circumstances that a certain amount of worry is understandable," Spock decided. Moving closer to the table where Bones' equipment lay he picked up the medical tricorder and scanner. Taking the tricorder and bringing it closer.

"Can you read that thing?" Jim frowned. It always gave him a lot more information than he was able to digest.

"To an extent, I can for an example tell you that the Doctor's core temperature at the moment is at an acceptable level," Spock decided. "However that is not what I am hoping to achieve at the moment. If you would be quiet for a moment please." He brought the tricorder closer and Jim watched him, listening to the soft hum and wondering what he was hoping to tell. Glancing to his side he bit his lip as Bones slowly started to quiet down, not so restless anymore. Whatever dream had plagued him seemed to be over.

"I think the worst is past," he mused.

"As I had hoped," Spock closed the tricorder again.

"Come again?" Jim frowned, confused, unsure of what Spock was referring to.

"It is common knowledge that humans responds to a various range of sounds made to instil a sense of fear or unease in them," Spock stated matter of factly. "In the same manner it is known that other sounds might bring a sense of ease and tranquillity. Sounds with which you are familiar and that you consider to be 'homely' are sounds often effective in this manner. I therefore felt there was a possibility that the Doctor might show a positive reaction to a sound with which he is very familiar and considers as to represent a safe feeling."

"You're using his tricorder as a night light?" Jim mused and Spock raised an eyebrow.

"Negative Jim, as I am using the spectre of sound, not that of light." Spock put the item down again. "However I have often noticed that the Doctor seems to relax when in familiar surroundings, such as sickbay. Sometimes as soon as he hears the sounds. It therefore stands to reason he would find them comfortable and they could be made to induce a sense of safety."

"It worked Spock, I'm happy with that," Jim crawled back in under the blankets. "I'm gonna try and get an hour or two more of sleep myself?"

"A very sound idea," Spock inclined his head. "I will take the time to meditate."

"You do that Spock," he settled back down. Lying on his back with an arm behind his head he heard his friend shift to the other side of the room. The Vulcan would probably have prefered to have his fire pot and the incense for his meditation but it had not really been possible for him to bring it. Also, while Jim did not mind at all to be exposed to the incense for short periods of time, he found it more bothersome over a length of time. He wasn't sure what Bones thought about it, it had never come up in conversation. Not talking about it at all at any time did however tend to be Bones' way of showing respect. He would argue with Spock every chance he got, but there were things he would never use in that argument. When Spock trusted him, as when they had accompanied him to Vulcan for his intended marriage. Bones had never said a word about it and Jim figured he never would.

He bickered, baited and needled shamelessly, he picked an argument at any chance he got and he had people unaccustomed to their way of interaction turning their head to stare. He was also painfully respectful of Spock's right to privacy in certain matters and would never break that trust for anything.

As Spock settled down and he got comfortable to go back to sleep he reached out his hand and placed it on Bone's shoulder again. The skin was at least warm to touch again. Bones seemed to be completely oblivious to it, but it was for his own sake that he wanted to reassure himself that his friend was there.

He had moved his shift forward, but he still had to make sure he did not oversleep for the new time which was why his alarm rang later. Feeling well rested as he silenced it, and satisfied there was no longer any immediate concern since Bones had slept quietly beside him he threw out his arms in a stretch.

"Ouf!" the sound from the man next to him reminded him belatedly just why it was he was not supposed to do that.

Freezing he hoped if he laid still enough Bones would go back to sleep and not realize what had just happened.

"You just cain't help yerself, can ye?" the tired voice drawled beside him. "You're jest not happy if ya don't go on like that. Why in tarnation is it you just have to do that…" the exasperated sigh that followed the drawl had him offer a sheepish smile.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." Obviously this was what Spock had been waiting for as he noticed the door to the bathroom door open.

"You hit me because you don't want to wake me?" Bones blinked. "I think you're the one got your brain froze an' not me…"

"Speaking of, how are you feeling?" Jim slid out of bed, reaching for his clothes. "You gave me a hell of a scare Bones."

"Yeah?" he shifted slowly. "Serves you right, now you know how I feel everytime you go on an' do something stupid. Not so much fun, is it?"

"Bones…" the image of the crumbled form in the corridor, so close and still beyond their reach flashed before his eyes. He couldn't be mad though, Bones was deflecting, probably didn't want to think about it himself, how close it had been. What more, annoyingly enough he had a point. They did often force him to wait and see, came back injured, all their friend could do was to patch them up again. He could understand a certain amount of annoyance and wouldn't say anything about it. "How are you feeling? Do you remember what happened?"

"I'm fine," he looked and sounded tired. Pausing before he continued. "I remember some, not really what happened, just remember some from back here, what you said mostly." He raised his head, the worry and uncertainty clear in his eyes though he did not say anything about it. "I remember how cold it all got, then everything got kinda fuzzy after that. Haven't got much between then and here, mostly what you and Miss Chapel said."

"I think you got the gist of it, even if you might be missing a bit," Jim mused as he started to dress, frowning when Bones started to push the blanket back. "And you should stay where you are. You did get hypothermia, and you're staying in bed until Nurse Chapel can look you over."

"I think you're forgetting who the doctor is here," he muttered, even though he paused.

"I think you're forgetting who the Captain is," Jim gave him a cheerful smile. "I can order you to stay in bed if I want to, on the grounds that an ill doctor can't judge his own condition."

"Hmph," Bones did not sound impressed by that. Looking around himself he spotted his tricorder on the low wall dividing the sleeping alcove from the rest of the cabin. Laying where Spock had left it. Reaching for it Jim was not surprised at all when he got the scanner out of the small compartment to scan himself. He didn't mind either since he felt Bones would at this time be honest with himself about what the readings showed and what he needed. The man was self sacrificing, but he also took his profession very seriously. By the look on his face he wasn't entirely happy with the readings either, even if he did not seem terribly upset with them.

"I take it the tricorder agrees with me?" Jim sat on the edge of the bed. The way Bones was scowling at it certainly didn't look like he was happy about the reading. "How bad is it?"

The fact that Bones hesitated before answering was another thing he did not like. It meant there was at least one part of it he did not want to admit to.

"Under normal conditions with proper rest and food I'd be back to full health in a day or two," Bones started softly, looking more tired than annoyed even if he still gave his tricorder a disappointed look. "Right now, under our current conditions it will quite likely develop into pneumonia even if the frostbite is all under control. Might be able to use preventive measures, but there are disadvantages to doing that as well. Best I can do is to keep a close eye on it to catch it if it starts setting in full."

"So you what, already got pneumonia starting to develop?" Jim demanded. Looking at the tricorder was pointless, it told him nothing he could understand. Given the way he had constantly exposed himself to the cold of sickbay and the lab it really wasn't that surprising though.

"Probably was even before," Bones sighed, confirming his suspicion. "Explains the tiredness and the headaches I had. To some extent even how it could happen, I, I honestly don't know how I could really make a mistake like that Jim. I don't even really know what I did? I remember being in engineering, but between then and when we were back here all I remember is how cold it was, everything was dark and cold."

"You took the wrong way, instead of going around the closed corridor you went through it," Jim explained. "I guess you didn't think about the signs, we figured you were too tired to, and then inside there was not enough oxygen, you passed out. Scotty actually was a little concerned about you, he called us here to make sure you got back okay. Said if he was overreacting he'd be happy to let you yell at him, turns out it was a good thing though. We went looking for you, and when we didn't find you we figured maybe you'd gone that way out of habit. Gods Bones, when I saw you lying in there, out cold, and we couldn't get to you without oxygen masks either, had to wait. Spock went in though, you know how Vulcans are used to thinner air, so he went in to make sure you were at least breathing."

"Spock went into a corridor with no heat and no oxygen?" Bones snapped to full attention and started pushing at the blankets. "That darn blasted pointy eared hobgoblin! What in the blazes did he think he was doing? Vulcans can't take cold like that, I'll just bet he didn't even think about that, did he?"

"Bones, stay down," Jim shook his head, amused and also both relieved and concerned. He was relieved Bones was feeling well enough to get riled as he did, but also concerned that he obviously did not have enough concern for his own well being. He gripped him by the shoulder, pushing down even though Bones struggled against him, trying to get up.

"Let me go, did you even make sure he was alright?" Bones demanded, trying to push himself up even though Jim was holding him down.

"I assure you Doctor, that as you can see for yourself, I am quite well," Spock had excited the bathroom again and stood with arms folded across his chest.

"Yeah, well, we'll just see about that," Bones flared. "Doggone it, I'm the doctor here ain't I?"

"I would feel obliged to point out Doctor, that you were also the one suffering from hypothermia and quite likely also from exhaustion. Your professional judgment may therefore be impaired."

"Hogwash!" Bones struggled even harder against him. Not riled, angry. Having his medical skill questioned was the one thing that really got to him and Jim knew it, Spock sometimes seemed to forget it.

"Spock, Bones is right that you may have been affected by it," he stated. "And Bones, stay down," he added a push as he said it. The older man, obviously surprised to be agreed with ceased his struggling and laid back down, breathing strained which told Kirk more than he liked.

"Gentlemen," it often seemed his lot in life to negotiate between his two friends. He did not see why now should be any different. He waited until he was sure he held both their attention before he continued again. "Spock, Bones has a point, that kind of low temperature might very well have affected you even if you don't realize it yet. Therefore, I think it's only prudent that Nurse Chapel examines you. In our current state, the last thing we can afford is to have our first officer compromised, do you agree?" Spock was bound by logic, he would agree if he found it logical. If Bones was given a small victory first, it was then always easier to get him to agree as he paid less attention to the details.

"While I believe it unnecessary, I will agree it is only logical to be prudent," Spock decided.

"And Bones, like it or not, you are ill, therefore you will stay where you are at least until Nurse Chapel can examine you again," Jim decided. "If she doesn't think it can make anything worse, you can get up but I doubt you can go down to sickbay given what you told me. And you might as well get used to the idea." He could see that Bones did not like it, the displeasure was clear on his face. Just the same Bones would hate to be less reasonable than the Vulcan which was in his favor.

"Alright," he grudgingly agreed.

"Good, now why don't we get something to eat then, and we'll let her know you're awake and ready when she has the time to drop by."

He could tell Bones wasn't happy, already chafing at the forced inactivity but at least he was complying which was all he could ask for at the moment.

TBC

Thank you all who's read and reviewed, the Cricket is hungry