It was 0638 when all was finally done. Lee had fallen asleep three hours ago and McCoy carried her to bed, savoring every moment that she was in his arms.
At this point, he had to admit that everything he felt for her wasn't pure desire or the consequence of him being alone for a very long time. No, he wanted her body because it was a part of her. Lee was assertive, smart, sly, crazy and just wonderful.
He felt better when they were together, he felt stronger and more alive than ever. She was wild, unpredictable and reminded him of the untamed nature of the Earth. Uhura had suggested that the girl was Irish. Well, maybe it was true. For him, Ireland was North, and he believed all northerners were a little bit fucked up in their heads. Lee was just fucked up a lot.
McCoy lowered her to bed and looked down at her. Why had he ever thought he'd have a chance with her? She was into him probably because she was bored. Or because she was a fucking spy. And even if it wasn't true, he had to keep his distance, or one day she would touch him like she had done it today and he would forget all his resolutions.
She was a civilian, had her own life and would unlikely include him in it. So he'd better stop staring at her right now and go finish his work. But before, he had to plug her almost dead PADD to charge. God save them if she woke up and wouldn't see her toy.
The screen lit up when he plugged it in and as it had no password, he saw what Lee had been doing before passing out. Equations. Tons of it. It was obviously higher math which he studied at the Academy, but now he couldn't understand a thing here. He would have to put it in his report for Jim, McCoy thought flatly.
Tomorrow. He would do it tomorrow when he had some sleep. Now the damn PADDs were waiting for him.
At 0638 every bit of his energy was gone. McCoy tossed the last PADD at the desk and headed for his quarters. He had to take a horizontal position now or he would fall asleep standing. He collapsed at his bed at 0641 and his comm. woke him up a minute later, when he was fast asleep.
"McCoy," he muttered.
"Doctor," he heard a duty nurse's professionally calm voice, "It's an emergency in Engineering."
His eyes snapped open.
"What happened?" he demanded, raising at his feet and feeling a little bit dizzy.
"They said it was an explosion and that there are a lot of injured. Sir, we need you down there."
McCoy was in motion already. It took him only a minute to reach the Engineering, and then he faced hell.
It was a fire here and there and one of the big pipes was laying on the floor. He followed shouts and saw a battlefield. Injured, burned people were everywhere: several lieutenants, but mostly ensigns. No signs of Scotty.
His staff joined him in a matter of seconds, and they spread through the area, assessing the situation and sending people to sickbay. He already saw several surgeries ahead of him and just prayed to God that they would save all these kids.
Eventually, they did save everyone. McCoy took four of the most difficult surgeries, M'Benga performed five less serious and precise.
When McCoy finally exited the OR, it was around 1700. He felt exhausted beyond limits, something that he hadn't experienced since Jim's returning from the dead. He needed his rest now. Three days without sleep was a serious thing. He wasn't twenty anymore, he couldn't just run around without proper rest for days and still be in a good shape.
But he couldn't leave just yet. He looked at Chapel and she approached him, obeying his silent order.
"Status report," he said.
"Everyone is alive and taken care of," she informed, "But we have almost all Engineering here."
"What about Scotty?"
"Mr. Scott is still down there. He wasn't injured, so he is busy with repairs."
"Good. It's good," he replied, looking around.
"Sir, if I may... You really should go to your quarters and take some rest," his head nurse suggested.
She was probably the only person in the medical who had ever dared to say something like this to him. He always appreciated her bravery.
"Thanks, nurse. I'll consider it."
She was still talking, but McCoy already saw what he was looking for and didn't listen. His legs carried him to a little form in white at the far end of sickbay on their own. He wanted sleep, yes, but he also wanted comfort, and Lee had never failed to give it to him.
Lee was at her feet the next moment she saw him.
"Oh, crap, Leo, you should go to bed now," she exclaimed, running to him and taking his hand.
They were in the middle of sickbay, holding hands in front of many people, but at this moment he didn't give a single fuck about it. He just squeezed her hand and she led them to his office, to his couch. Well, the couch would do. He would sleep here because he like hell wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.
Still, there was something that he wanted to know.
"Why aren't you in bed?" McCoy asked, and Lee hesitated with an answer.
"I think you guys need all your beds so they took mine to give it to some guy. They said I will have my bed back after 2000 when some of these people will go to their quarters."
Had they really used all their biobeds? Were there really so many injured?
But to hell with them. All his patients had to have decent treatment conditions. He stopped in the middle of the room and turned around to exit it again. Lee held his hand tighter.
"And where do you think you're going?"
"To get you a bed."
"No way. You are getting to your own bed... or couch, whatever, now, or I'll make you."
Damn, he was too tired to argue. He looked at her and thought that she would stick to her promise, so he could just obey her again. He let her sit him on the couch.
"Sleep," she gave him a warm smile which was suddenly replaced with a grimace.
It went away immediately, but McCoy saw it anyway. Some of his strength came back.
"Lee, what's wrong?" he was beside her again, watching her intently.
"Nothing, everything is fine."
"No, it's not. Does anything hurt?"
She shook her head violently and he knew she was lying.
"I'm too tired for this bullshit, girl. Tell me what's wrong before I take my tricorder."
She regarded him for a moment and gave up.
"The lower stomach. Something is not right there."
"And by not right you mean it hurts?"
"Kinda."
Good God, why now?
"Lay here," he pointed at the couch.
She opened her mouth to object, but then saw his expression, closed it, and silently obliged.
He took his tricorder, scanned her and inwardly cursed. He should have expected it. She was healing way too nicely without any complications after such a severe illness. It was too good to be true. Apparently, this complication needed some time to reveal itself. Why hadn't he noticed the signs earlier?
"I think you have an ovarian cyst," he informed wearily, "I'm pretty sure of it, but I still have to take a look."
"You'll do it later," she was sitting again with a frown on her pretty face.
"No, I'm doing it now. God only knows what could happen while I'm asleep."
She didn't make a move to stand, and he rolled his eyes.
"Come on," he gave her a firm look.
She finally nodded and stood, but winced so hard that he had to support her.
"Shit," she hissed.
Okay, he definitely should take a look.
He brought her to a private room that also served as a gynecology ward and hesitated. The Enterprise was a military ship with her officers' duty to follow the CMO's orders, so usually, McCoy performed such examinations himself as the most experienced physician onboard. His female patients didn't have much of a choice, but Lee was a civilian, so according to the regulations, she had a right to choose.
Besides, he was so emotionally compromised that be they in any different medical department, he wouldn't be allowed to even stand near the place where she was treated. He'd missed this cyst, he thought blankly. He had looked at the other her stats and he knew exactly why this complication escaped his attention. He really shouldn't have treated her and he like hell shouldn't make this particular examination.
"I can call for a female nurse if you want," he offered.
He could ask Chapel to do it, he trusted his head nurse enough to let her examine Lee. But part of him didn't want to allow a less experienced medic to do the check-up, though the other part preferred not to become that familiar with these parts of Lee's body in such circumstances.
She solved his dilemma easily.
"I've told you I don't want anyone near me but you. Nothing has changed."
If she felt any uneasiness, she didn't show it. So be it, then. Emotionally compromised or not, he was still the only person who was allowed to touch her.
He helped her to get in the chair, summoned as much professionalism as he could muster, and started the examination.
The first thing he saw wasn't the cyst. The girl was a damn virgin and this fact made him stare and the proof of it like an idiot. He composed himself immediately and went on with the examination, but this new finding almost stunned him.
The damn cyst was there too, of course. He saw everything he needed and finished the exam. It would have been extremely awkward if he hadn't been so exhausted, he thought absent-mindedly. But he was, so he just helped her to climb down, sat on the room's couch and gestured her to join him.
She slowly lowered herself next to him, and even though she didn't let her discomfort be seen, McCoy felt her tension. She was in pain, and she needed surgery now.
God help him.
"So?" she asked, no strain in her voice at all. But he knew better. The cyst that she had must give her hell.
"I was right," he replied, "and you need surgery. There is medication treatment for this, but you are allergic to almost every one of its components, so it's out of the question. We'll get you ready for the surgery in ten minutes."
She abruptly stood up and made two steps back. He watched her movements in silence.
"No," she declared.
"Lee..." McCoy started, but she didn't let him talk.
"There is no way you are doing anything now. You haven't seen yourself. I bet if you close your eyes now, you'll be out in seconds."
Well, that was probably true, but this was what coffee was made for. She really needed this surgery.
"So I won't close my eyes. Don't play with me, girl. I know what I'm doing."
She made another step back, towards the door.
"And I won't let you do it. Try to make me, and I will sit on the cupboard until you have your rest."
McCoy just looked at her. These three exhausting days were taking their toll on him and she was right - he wasn't in condition to perform anything now. M'Benga could do it, but Lee would never let this happen. And what is more important, McCoy wouldn't let the other Doctor do it.
"Fine," he scowled at her.
Lee regarded him intently and then came closer.
"Let's get you to your couch," she said softly, stretching her hand out.
McCoy took her hand but didn't use it to help himself stand. They headed for his office holding hands. Sweet Jesus, she did turn him into a teenager.
He vaguely remembered the decision to keep his distance, but now the wisdom of it escaped him. Lee was radiating comfort that soothed him better than anything. She brought him peace after the hell of a desperate fight for people's lives and he was determined to enjoy the peace as long as possible.
Chapel met them in the middle of sickbay.
"Sir, the Captain wants to speak to you. He is waiting in your office."
"Oh crap," McCoy frowned, "By the way, is it right that we don't have spare biobeds?"
"Yes, Sir," his head nurse said with a neutral expression on her face, not looking at Lee who squeezed his hand a little. A silent plea to just let it go. Fuck it. Fuck it all.
"You'd better find one. Lee needs surgery and I'll do it in five hours. In the meantime, she needs to stay horizontal," he was using his authoritative tone now.
"But Sir, all patients are asleep. We shouldn't wake them up."
Holy fuck, could this day become even more exhausting?
He squeezed Lee's hand tight and led her to one of the most comfortable chairs in his department.
"Stay here. I'll be back soon," he barked and stomped off to meet Jim.
"Where have you been?" his friend exclaimed when he saw the Doctor, "I thought you were done with everyone."
"Lee," McCoy replied quietly, not sure if he had the strength to speak any louder, "She needs a damn surgery."
"But she'll be okay, right?"
"Yeah, I hope so."
"What about our engineers?"
"As you can see, everyone's alive. All of them will be able to stay on the ship after they heal. You'll get your report tomorrow."
"Don't rush it," Jim said sympathetically, "Don't do anything until you feel good enough."
Jim stood.
"I just came here to make sure everything's okay. Good job, by the way. Thanks for saving them all, Bones."
McCoy just waved his hand, "It's kinda in the job description. Now go away and give me some rest."
Jim nodded and left. McCoy waited for a minute and left the office too.
Lee sat where he left her with her arms wrapped around her waist. She was staring blankly at the opposite wall.
"Come with me," he called her and she gave him a weak smile.
When they were in his office again, McCoy made her sit down. Lee looked at him questionably, but he was already loading a hypo and didn't look at her.
"Lay down," he ordered, "You'll sleep here."
"But I don't..."
"I said lay down!" he raised his voice.
She laid down.
"I'll sedate you, so you won't be in pain until the surgery," McCoy explained, leaning down to face her.
"What about you? Will you go to your quarters?"
Uncertainty with a hint of fear. She didn't want him to leave. He wasn't going to do it anyway.
"No. I'll sleep here, in my chair."
"But..."
He gave her a weary look.
"Girl, I'll sleep anywhere right now."
Lee sighed and nodded. McCoy released the sedative into her neck and she went numb.
He removed the white string of her hair from her face and caressed her cheek. Dear God, help him to survive parting ways with her.
He took a deep breath and headed for his chair. He didn't remember falling asleep.