[Disclaimer: The series and its characters don't belong to me. I don't own them. They belong to their rightful owners and I'm just borrowing them for this one-shot.
Warning: Spoilers for 2x14]
~ Won't let you down ~
He was so scared. Montgomery Scott actually feared for his life.
'Death by slow torture.'
The words just wouldn't leave his mind. He'd die. He'd be executed for something he hadn't done. Or... maybe he had?
He just didn't know! He couldn't remember what had happened. He felt the cold blade in his hand, the blood on his hands.
"I... I didn't do this," Scotty muttered quietly, his face buried in his hands. He had his knees pulled up against his chest, his back leaning against the cold wall of the cell they had put him in.
It still hurt. Seeing the other people's faces when they had taken him away.
Kirk...
The Captain would get him out of here. For sure. But if they couldn't prove Scotty's innocence, then even Kirk couldn't help him. Star Fleet wouldn't let him.
But to see one face had especially hurt him. McCoy's.
The usually stern face had been contorted by fear and worry. Never before had Scott seen the CMO so... scared.
Dr. McCoy... Leonard. Would he miss him? Would his death make a difference to the doctor? Would he be there for the execution to take place?
A part of Scotty really hoped so, because if he'd really die on that planet, the last thing he wanted to see was that face. One last time he wanted to look into those beautiful eyes.
But that wish wouldn't be granted to him. He just knew it.
Montgomery Scott would die alone, no one there but the people torturing him to death.
'Your time's running out,' a small voice in the back of his mind was taunting him.
He shook his head.
"No..."
He didn't want to die. Not yet. Not like this.
"Scotty?"
That voice. Scott removed his hands from his face and lifted his head to see a familiar person standing in front of the bars.
"Doctor..."
It was McCoy. He was really here! Scotty was really allowed to see him again!
He got up from where he was sitting and ran over to the man, grabbing the bars with his hands.
"I... It wasn't me, please! You need to believe me!"
Leonard looked back at him, placing his own hands on Scotty's. It felt comforting... to be touched by those strong hands he knew for so long.
"I know, Scotty. I know you didn't do it. And... I will prove it."
Scotty couldn't fight back the tears he had been keeping in anymore.
"Don't let me die, Leonard."
He was sobbing by now. But then he felt a hand touching his cheek, wiping away the tears. So he opened his eyes again and leaned into the soothing touch.
"Listen to me, Scotty. You'll be just fine. I'll get you out of here."
It was a promise. A promise the CMO would keep for sure.
And Scotty knew the reason for that promise. Even though they never talked about it in front of the crew, never showed it to anyone.
He loved Leonard McCoy. And the doctor loved him.
"I won't let you down."
That soft, deep voice in his ears. It filled Scotty with hope again. Hope, he thought he had lost sitting in this cell.
Suddenly Scott heard steps coming closer and the hand was removed from his face. He looked to the side to see Kirk and some of the planet's inhabitants walking towards the cell.
"Get Mr. Scott out of that cell and aboard the ship. We'll find out the truth there."
It wasn't his Captain giving that order. No... it was McCoy.
And when the door was opened by some guards Scotty couldn't help but glance at the doctor who gave him a reassuring nod.
'He has a plan.'
And Dr. McCoy's plans never failed.