Thirty Three

Everyone was relieved that the ship was finally headed back to Earth. No one was more relieved though than Emily and McCoy. Both of them had chosen to take a shuttle together after a good argument with Kirk. Emily knew how much McCoy hated being anywhere near a shuttle let alone on one. The only reason he hadn't panicked before was the fact that everyone had been on high alert. Then again, he also had Kirk to worry about when he was dragged into the shuttle.

It would take weeks for the ship to be fully repaired before the crew could depart again for another mission. Emily was relieved with that notion… it gave her enough time to figure out what to do with herself. Since Kirk gave away her position to the Council, she wasn't entirely sure if she still had a place among the crew. The thought of having to part ways with McCoy again left her stomach twisting with unease.

'I wouldn't let that happen,' McCoy reassured her through their mental link. Emily glanced at him doubtfully as he rolled his eyes and nudged her pointedly. 'Hell, you've more than earned your place on this crew.'

She couldn't hide the small smile that followed when she realized what he meant by that. After everything that happened, it felt good to know that someone would gladly stand up for her. Though the last thing she wanted was for McCoy to risk everything just for her sake. He'd worked hard for his place on the ship, even if he didn't feel as though it was well-deserved. Considering he had been the leading doctor on Puri's team, it made sense for him to take his place.

'Leonard, you shouldn't have to give up your place on the ship just for my sake,' she pointed out with a knowing look.

'How many times do I need to keep telling you that you're worth it?' he rolled his eyes in exasperation. She was taken aback by his sudden determination to prove himself. After everything they had been through together, she realized with a start that she wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of her life with him. 'Emily, you're worth everything to me… hell, I only wish I could've said it more often.'

'You really are amazing, Leonard,' she said thoughtfully.

Her heart soared as she found herself leaning into him while the shuttle finally took off. McCoy's hand reached for hers almost as if by instinct. She could feel the tension rolling off him in waves. Despite the fact that they'd gotten used to using a shuttle since attending classes at the Academy, she knew he was still wary around them. Emily glanced over her shoulder in time to see Kirk sitting in a seat not far from them, looking more like a hurt puppy than anything else.

'Kirk's going to keep coming back with his tail between his legs,' she put in after shifting uneasily in her seat.

'Yeah, he probably is,' McCoy snorted in response. He rolled his eyes as he squeezed her hand after taking hold of it. Despite his sudden rush of anxiety, she noticed with a start the affection rolling off of him in waves. 'Damn kid deserves to be treated this way. After the way he acted he's lucky the only thing he got was a reprimand.'

Emily snorted at the thought of Kirk going through anything less than what he'd already endured. She'd known for some time that Kirk would try to find some way of giving away her position to the Council. He'd finally found the right opening, and he paid the price for it. Emily grimaced at the thought of what would happen when they finally returned to Earth. McCoy would likely raise hell over whatever choice the Council made, but that didn't stop them from deciding whether or not she was fit for duty aboard the Enterprise.

'We should talk about what might happen if the Council agrees I'm not suitable to work on a ship,' she warned him. McCoy threw her a withering look at the thought of losing whatever chance she had at returning to the ship. 'I'm just saying… it would be best to make sure we are prepared for the worst outcome.'

'Darlin', it doesn't matter what happens after we get back. I'm planning on going with you regardless of what happens,' he reminded her with a pointed look.

Her heart swelled with joy upon hearing those words. Emily let out a sigh of contentment as she leaned into his shoulder, relishing the warmth he provided. She realized with a start that McCoy was so much more than some high-school sweetheart. He had been her best friend since she moved to Georgia with Coulson nearly twenty-two years ago. And she was only just beginning to understand what an amazing friend he truly was.

The shuttle finally arrived at the hangar bay. By the time it did, her hand was nearly white from McCoy squeezing it so hard. Emily rubbed her wrist thoughtfully when he finally let go, though not without receiving an apologetic look from McCoy.

"Sorry 'bout the hand," he said out loud as everyone got out of their seats and headed out. Once the shuttle was clear for departure, the crowd was quick to leave. Emily shook her head in amusement as she led the way out, knowing full-well this was just a reflex of his. As it was, he was struggling not to kiss the ground when they finally climbed out of the shuttle. She smirked at the sight when McCoy rolled his eyes at her growing amusement. "You can't exactly blame me for hating those metal death traps."

"Honestly Leonard, you really need to get over your fear," she rolled her eyes in amusement as she nudged him playfully. "How many other grown-ass men do you hear about with phobias like yours?"

"Aviaphobia is a perfectly normal fear," McCoy scoffed without missing a beat.

"About as normal as a woman being able to control objects with her mind," she retorted.

By now, McCoy was struggling not to laugh at her retort. Emily hadn't missed the way some of the command crew had been watching them. She almost smirked when she noticed a few of them were curious as to how they got along so easily. Seeing the newly appointed Chief Medical Officer joking around with some woman was something none of them expected to witness. Then again, he also had an infamous reputation within the medical community.

"Bones, I don't think I've ever seen you laugh like that before," Kirk stated when he finally reached them. Emily rose an eyebrow when he seemed to avoid her entirely while slapping a hand on McCoy's shoulder. She knew he was still wary around her, and the feelings were entirely mutual. After the way he tried making up for giving away her position to the Council, she wasn't in any hurry to treat him like a friend. "It's a good look for you, one you should definitely keep."

"Dammit Jim, you're under enough thin ice as it is," McCoy fired back. Kirk merely grinned like an idiot as McCoy shrugged him off with ease and glared at him. "Don't think I haven't forgotten your little stunt at your trials."

Kirk grimaced when he realized what McCoy was implying. Luckily he didn't press the issue as he turned and left with the rest of the command crew. Emily watched his disappearing form guiltily. She knew how close he and McCoy had been at the Academy.

Kirk looked up to McCoy despite their constant banter. She suspected that McCoy was the brother that Kirk desperately needed, even if McCoy hadn't wanted anything to do with him. McCoy was ready to say something in his defense when a scrawny looking Cadet approached them.

"Liaison Coulson, there are a couple of outsiders here who want to meet with you, and Admiral Marcus has requested you meet with him tomorrow morning," the Cadet announced.

Emily shared a look of surprise with McCoy. She hadn't been expecting visitors from outside the Academy. Then she realized it was strictly business protocol with the agency. She pursed her lips together in annoyance at the thought. She should have known that Director Fury would use this as an incentive to meet up with her.

"Figures the only thing the boss would be interested in is whether or not I've accomplished the mission," she muttered under her breath.

McCoy was ready to say something when the shrill cry of a toddler cut him off. Emily's eyes widened in surprise as a four-year-old threw herself into her arms without hesitation. Everyone else gathered around the hangar bay stopped in their tracks at the sight. Few people if any had been lucky enough to see this side of Emily Coulson, though McCoy had enough times to know this was the sort of life she had always longed for.

"Auntie Em, it's good to see you again!" Lila cried as Emily held her up without hesitation. The little girl wrapped her arms around her neck, burying her face into her shoulder as Emily held her tight. "Daddy doesn't want you knowing it, but he was worried about you when he found out what was happening."

"It's good to see you too, Lila," she returned the gesture without missing a beat. "And your dad worries about me too much; I wasn't out in space on my own."

She glanced in McCoy's direction thoughtfully, not missing the eye-roll that followed when Lila looked at him warily. She hadn't seen McCoy enough times to feel comfortable around him. And it took everything she had not to laugh at his expense when Lila finally buried her face back into her chest.

"Now that's just not fair," McCoy grumbled when they made their way back towards the front entrance.

Sure enough, Clint and Laura were waiting for them when they arrived. Relief swept through Emily when she realized that Fury hadn't made a personal visit. Then again, she didn't expect him to. Fury rarely made personal visits unless the situation demanded it. Coulson's funeral had been one of those rare exceptions, and of course Fury had seen her with McCoy at the time.

She nearly rolled her eyes as she recalled how McCoy tried squaring off with Fury, who hadn't even been bothered by his presence at the time. The whole thing was made even funnier when Fury simply addressed her presence and ignored him entirely.

"It's good to see you in one piece," Clint greeted her with a curt nod while glaring at McCoy. "Well, mostly good."

"Len, it's good to see you again," Laura ignored his comment and greeted McCoy with her usual hug, all the while Colton stayed with his father and stared at the pair with wide eyes.

"Likewise," McCoy returned the gesture, though not without looking embarrassed.

All five of them made their way to a local diner where they could get something to eat and catch up on what was missed. Emily was even more surprised to find Natasha waiting for them. Lila wasted no time in reaching her as well, grinning as Natasha scooped her up without hesitation and held her close. Emily watched the scene in amusement, especially when she caught the look Natasha threw McCoy.

Fortunately they didn't have time to dwell on it. She knew Clint was likely there because Fury had requested it. A small part of her was grateful he hadn't shown up in person. That would have only added to the tension between herself and Kirk. Not to mention it would also raise a dozen questions from the command crew.

"So let me get this straight, that asshole dragged you onto the ship just to get your ass tortured by Nero?" Clint asked in disbelief once Emily explained what happened during the Battle of Vulcan.

They settled into respective seating positions in the diner and ordered their food quickly. Emily sat beside McCoy, not missing how uncomfortable he was being so close to Clint. After the beat-down he'd been given during the battle in Manhattan, she wasn't surprised by his unease. Lila and Cooper had been reluctantly placed with Natasha, who sat a few seats away from their parents.

"More or less," she replied with a shrug while taking a bite out of her sandwich. She wasn't entirely comfortable with the topic of Nero. His presence only brought back bad memories of her time aboard the Kelvin. She was surprised she hadn't suffered a panic attack when she and Pike were on their way to the Narada. Then again, she had been distracted at the time. "I figured it was the best way to buy the crew more time to kill the drill and save as many lives as they could."

She didn't want to add that at the time, they hadn't known that Nero was planning to use the Red Matter to destroy Planet Vulcan. It was based mostly off of an assumption that the drill was being used dangerously close to the planet's core. Planet Vulcan was nearly as unstable as Earth. If it was improperly breached, the destruction that followed would be disastrous.

"And even that wasn't enough to save half of Planet Vulcan," McCoy muttered under his breath.

Emily threw him a knowing look. Even though he wasn't fond of Vulcans and their need to purge emotions, he hadn't wished that kind of destruction on them. As a doctor it was his job to ensure the safety and treatment of every patient he possibly could. He had been exhausted by the time they were en-route to Earth. Hell, he still was. She read him like an open book, and that told her everything she needed to know.

"Still, the damage could have been that much worse if you hadn't found a way to stop Nero," Laura pointed out. "We all heard about how he managed to breach Earth's defense before he was taken down."

"I'm sure the team would've found a way to stop him if we couldn't," Emily remarked with a thoughtful look. "If there's one thing I've learned about humans, it's their resilience to survive."

McCoy all-but-rolled his eyes at her statement, though he didn't bother arguing. One snort from Clint was all it took for Laura to nudge him painfully in the rib.

"So what exactly are you doing from here? The boss mentioned you were only here for an assignment," Clint finally brought up the topic that Emily had been uncomfortable with from the day she and McCoy agreed to enlist together.

Truthfully, she wasn't even sure what she wanted. Hell, her heart knew what it wanted. She hadn't felt so much happiness since the day she and McCoy reunited. Or whenever they were together. She was only just beginning to understand how damn complicated life could be. She wanted nothing more than a simple answer rather than having to debate what the future held in store for her.

"Haven't exactly had time to think about that," she admitted guiltily. She shared another uneasy look with McCoy, not missing how dark his eyes were. "I never thought I'd actually enjoy my time here at the Academy, much less working on a ship."

One nudge from McCoy was all it took for her to understand what had changed her mind. She rolled her eyes at his less-than-subtle gesture, though that didn't stop her from offering a half-smirk.

"Leave them be, Clint," Laura finally snapped when it looked as though Clint was ready to argue.

He saw right through the ruse. Emily swallowed hard as guilt stabbed her in the chest. He had always been there for her when she needed a friend the most... he was there for her when she was at her lowest point. She knew why he was so upset, even if he wouldn't admit it out loud. She was choosing someone else over the agency, and in turn, himself. Luckily Laura provided the perfect distraction for them.

Once she was finished going over a detailed report of what happened on the Enterprise, she and McCoy left without hesitation. Her earlier conversation with Clint continued ringing in the back of her head. She realized with a start that this was why agents had a harder time getting close to anyone outside the agency. It only seemed to lead to trouble and heartache.

"I don't like having to choose," she let out a heavy sigh as they headed back to her apartment. "I always thought my place was with the agency, but after enlisting in Starfleet and us getting back together..."

"You're not sure what path to choose," McCoy finished for her. Emily grimaced before nodding in response. He of all people knew how much working for the agency meant to her. Her feet had always been set on a determined path or destination. For Starfleet, it was the fear of the unknown that kept her from pursuing that path. But if she chose the agency over Starfleet, it would mean losing McCoy all over again. She wasn't sure if her heart could take that kind of pain again. "Darlin', the last thing I want is to get between you and your dreams… I know how much the agency means to you."

"How many times am I gonna have to keep reminding you how much you mean to me?" she retorted. McCoy rose an eyebrow in surprise as she turned to face him. By now they'd gotten inside her apartment, and she was relieved to see that it hadn't changed much. "You once said I should choose whatever makes me happy… all I've ever known in life was how not to be happy, and I'm only just beginning to realize that you make me happy."

The moment she said it out loud was when she found herself realizing how true that was. McCoy's face softened when he realized what she meant by that. Despite her earlier misgivings before this mess, she knew what her heart wanted. To deny that part of her life would only lead to heartache. The last thing she wanted was for them to go down that path again.

"I'm glad you were finally able to see that," he said after capturing her lips with his. Emily couldn't hide the amusement that followed as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Lord knows how much you mean to me… hell, I'd follow you to the ends of the Earth if I had to."

Her heart was practically melting when he added the last part. She knew she hadn't done anything to deserve his affection. She'd done nothing but push him away when she finally chose the agency over him. But at the end of the day, her heart had been pining for him long before she chose to work for SHIELD. She realized that now more than ever.

He kissed her softly, gently running his tongue over her lip until she allowed entrance. Every touch brought a sense of excitement. No matter how many times they had been together, it always felt new and exciting. From the tender way he held her to the passionate way he claimed her as his, she wasn't sure what turned her on more. Her love for him poured out into that kiss. Their tongues fought for dominance, neither wanting to back down.

She pulled his shirt over his head, eager to explore more of him. They were still technically dressed in uniform, and hers was easier to pull off. McCoy made quick work of her dress, marveling at how easy it was to do so. Though he also made a quick assessment as to how others would look at her uniform as well, realizing with a start how revealing it was.

'Relax, cowboy,' she reassured him through their link. 'Only your eyes have seen the real me.'

His face lit up in a way that left her heart swooning with joy.

'It ain't them I'm worried about,' he rolled his eyes as he led the way to the couch. Emily smirked in amusement when she realized what he meant by that. 'I've seen the way some of those idiots drool over you. And I sure as hell don't wanna give 'em any reasons to think they have a chance.'

'I think they'd quickly learn that I'm not the easiest person to get along with,' she joked humorously. McCoy just snorted at that, though not without kissing her tenderly on the lips once more. Once their underwear was discarded, along with her bra, McCoy got a good view of her naked frame for the first time since their mission started. His face softened as he brushed his fingers carefully along her newest scar. The dermal regenerator had done a fairly good job at hiding the worst damage, but it still left an angry red mark along her chest where Nero's men had run their blades. 'Just another mark from another mission.'

McCoy rose an eyebrow at that, though he didn't bother arguing as he kissed her chest tenderly. Emily couldn't hide the sheepish grin that followed when he reached her breasts. Her nipples were already getting hard from the cooler air around them, but McCoy finished the job by running his tongue along them. This only fueled the sensations burning through her, sending shivers of pleasure through her. His hands massaged her ass, caressing her in a way that sent shivers of anticipation through her.

"You are making it impossible for me to think clearly," she groaned as he leaned further into her.

"That's the objective," McCoy replied, his voice husky with need.

Emily rolled her eyes in annoyance, though her response was short-lived when his fingers suddenly reached her entrance. She was already wet from his earlier activities, but the moment his fingers thrust into her was when her walls contracted around him. Hearing her groans of pleasure was far more satisfying than he would ever admit out loud.

Emily buried her face into the crook of his shoulder, digging her fingers further into the couch. She knew what he was waiting for, and it took every ounce of willpower not to scream his name when she reached her climax.

"That was a cheap shot," she complained when she recovered from her orgasm.

"I'm surprised you didn't scream," McCoy smirked in amusement as he tenderly kissed her forehead.

"Like I'm gonna give you that satisfaction," she retorted without missing a beat.

As if to prove her point, she thrust upward to meet his twitching cock, her own grin widening when McCoy nearly buckled from her contact. She knew how to tease him even more, and that only fueled the fire. McCoy let out a primal growl as he leaned forward and kissed her passionately, thrusting his tongue into her mouth as he finally claimed her as his. This time she let out a gasp at the sudden intrusion, though she still hadn't screamed his name.

Her body felt as though it was on fire as McCoy continued thrusting into her with powerfully timed thrusts. His aim was precise – he knew exactly where her g-spot was, offering more fuel to the flames. By now she was struggling not to scream out loud. He made it impossible for her to think clearly when his free hand moved towards her clit. Whatever free space they had was replaced by his hand as he began rubbing her clit in slow, decisive circles. She'd already reached her second climax, and she knew he was getting close to being spent.

"Fucking hell, Leonard!" she finally screamed his name, earning a triumphant smirk in the process.

McCoy finally lost control in that moment, thrusting into her at a faster speed than she thought possible. By the time she reached her third climax, McCoy finally reached his orgasm. Both let out an embarrassingly loud groan in the process, McCoy thrusting into her a few more times before stopping. For a few minutes, neither of them moved. Emily let out a few shallow breaths as she recovered from her climax, relishing the fact that he was still inside of her.

Eventually he carefully pulled out, shifting so that she could cuddle against his bare chest. Emily let out a sigh of contentment as he feathered kisses along her neck. She was only just beginning to realize what it really meant to be a part of a real relationship… to feel the love and affection of someone she saw as more than just a partner.

"God, I love you." Emily couldn't hide the sheepish smile that followed when she nestled further into him.

"Love you too, cowboy," she whispered back.

And she knew in that moment that truer words couldn't have been said.