I'm absolutely blown away by all the reviews, favorites, and follows I've gotten for this story. Thank you all so much for being so supportive of my story! Honest to god, if I ever feel upset about writer's block or my confidence in my writing skills waned, your reviews really saved me.
I want to apologize for the late update. I hit a huge writer's block for the longest time (because of the heavy school load) and then I was out of the country with no access to electronics, so that happened. Sorry.
A shout out to LadyTeldra for giving me the idea of a giant spider attack. As for the rest of you who requested a resuscitation fic, here you go! (Who does the resuscitation is a secret, for now, at least.)
I hope everything meets all your expectations. I'm a little nervous again, just because I struggled with this chapter too. I feel like my writing has changed because I stopped writing fics for a while and stuck to writing analytical, scientific papers. Hopefully, you guys will enjoy this too.
As usual, please review and if you have any requests, let me know. I'm thinking of some physical genius (like combat/fighting skills on Jim's part) or some linguistic skill. Haven't really decided yet, but if you have any ideas, let me know. :)
Disclaimer: I do not own any Star Trek franchise.
No spoilers for Into Darkness.
IV
Anything That Can Go Wrong, Will Go Wrong
No one from the Enterprise could bring themselves to question why things always went sideways anymore. It seemed that everything that was linked to a certain Jim Kirk tended to be filled with suspense, drama, and everything you would ever see out of an action movie. Kirk's illogical effect on the universe became synonymous with Murphy 's Law.
But despite all that, the crew of Enterprise didn't mind following Jim into what was sure to be dangerous, because they knew that their brash leader would always find some way out. Their faith in him was not blind - every single member on the crew was wholeheartedly loyal to Jim. They never found themselves afraid when situations went straight to hell. But once the danger had passed, terror reigned in their hearts. Because more often than not, Jim would, at the very last second, pull one final desperate act to save someone else, regardless if he survived it or not. As long as he protected his crew, that was all that mattered, Murphy's Law be damned.
And nothing scared the Enterprise's crew more than that.
"Doctor McCoy," Spock's voice said, with a hint of exasperation, "I assure you that there are only small life forms upon this planet - none of which will, as you say, 'chomp you up'."
"You said that about Delta Vega and I still had to treat Jim for those scratches he got," Leonard snapped back.
Jim just rolled his eyes at the reoccurring argument his two friends were having and kept on moving through the dense brushes of the jungle. They had been ordered to explore an unknown planet near the edges of the Neutral zone. Paranoid as always, the crew of the Enterprise had scanned the small planet within an inch of its life before agreeing to let their Captain beam down with Spock, Bones, and Sulu for a brief initial exploratory excursion. So far, nothing abnormal had come up - the place resembled the environment of Central America back on Earth. The vast majority of the land was jungle with a few low mountain ranges that were littered with massive caves. On their detectors, the mountains almost looked like Swiss cheese and Jim was itching to go caving, which was probably why they sent down Spock and Bones down with him. Both of them were total spoilsports.
He turned to Sulu and saw sweat drip down the collar of his neck. "Jungle too hot for your San Franciscan tendencies, Sulu?" Jim smirked, slowing down slightly from where he was leading their group up a steep climb.
"How the hell can you jump around like that and still not be sweating?" Sulu gasped out. "Spock, I can understand, and McCoy's from Georgia. You're from Iowa! It snows there!"
"I didn't stay in Iowa my whole life, remember? I've always liked this kind of weather."
"Hot and humid?"
"Sunny and warm," Jim easily returned with a smile. "It reminds me of Belize on Earth. I have lots of fond memories caving there."
"I ain't climbing a damn mountain, Jim," Bones called out as he trudged on forward.
"You won't be."
"I'm not caving either. And neither are you, you accident-prone idiot."
"I must agree with Doctor McCoy on that point," Spock said.
Jim pouted, his bright blue eyes contrasting brightly against the beautiful green of the leaves in the rainforest. "You guys suck out all the fun in life."
"Captain, you realize that you've been stuck in MedBay at least once every single time you've beamed off board? Pardon the crew for caring about your well being," sniffed Sulu, as if he was personally offended.
"It can't be every time..." Jim started.
"Don't even start, Jim," grouched McCoy. "Now, where the hell are we going?"
"Up this mountain so we can get a better view of the terrain."
"Damn it, Jim, I'm a doctor, not a mountain climber!"
"Come on, Bones, it'll be fun!" grinned Jim as he moved forward, flanked closely by Spock and Sulu.
McCoy internally groaned and tried to shove down the uneasy feeling that was rising in his gut.
"Famous last words..." he muttered and shouldered his pack better before he followed his best friend further into the rainforest.
Somehow, he knew he was going to eat those words later.
Jim sighed for the fourth time as he watched Sulu and Spock analyze some green-purple plant near the back of a cavern. The two had spotted some unusual fauna and dragged Jim and Bones inside to investigate. While Jim was usually more than happy to let his friends faun over science (he secretly was a nerd too), this time, he was more interested in exploring the vast caves. After being cooped up on the ship for months on end, Jim was feeling antsy to run outside, to jump and feel the wind on his face.
Spock and Sulu wandered further back into the cavern. Jim craned his head, trying to see if he could ascertain the end of the rocky structure. It seemed to go deep into the side of the mountain; the opening chamber was large and clean. Unusually clean. As in, no insects or other critters scurrying around. Yet, there were signs of habitation: scrapings along the side of the walls and marks of a single, large animal among the dirt ground. Jim had never seen tracks such as those before.
Instincts kicked in. "Guys," Jim called out. "Don't go too far in. Something lives in here."
Spock raised his head and gave a short nod of acknowledgement before going back to his studies.
Frowning at Jim's words, Bones wandered forward to stand beside his friend. "What are you talking about, Jim?" he asked.
Jim shrugged, no answers available yet. But he sauntered forward, crouching down by one of the tracks. He reached down, touching the edges of it. It was a crater, like an inverted cone into the dirt. Overall, it was over six inches in diameter and four inches deep. Whatever this was, it was huge. And heavy. With lots of legs.
Suddenly, his overly sharp senses started tingling. All sounds of the rainforest behind him that was once so rowdy and loud, had abruptly subdued, leaving an almost absolute silence behind. Based on everything Jim had ever learned in his life, that could only mean one thing: a predator approaching.
"Shit!" he swore, leaping to his feet and turning in the same movement. He saw Bones flinch at his sudden movement at the same time he noticed a giant, towering black spider looming behind his best friend. His heart stopped.
Confused by Jim's actions, Leonard took a step back with a questioning gaze. As he did, Leonard watched all the color drain from Jim's face; his bright blues eyes filled with alarm.
"Bones!" Jim screamed, reaching out, but too late.
The spider struck out with its stinger, plunging it into the back of McCoy's neck. It took only a second and McCoy's eyes rolled up into his head. In an instant, he collapsed onto the ground in a heap. The next, Jim was already rushing forward to check on his friend, his phaser out and shooting at the offending creature.
Alerted by Jim's yell, Spock and Sulu came to their defense, bringing out their phasers. After a few shots, the spider went angrily lumbering after the two, but not before striking out one leg. It struck Jim directly in the chest, sweeping him completely off his feet and throwing him against the stone wall.
There was a loud crunch as Jim collided with the rocks and landed heavily onto the ground.
Immediately, fire screamed through his whole body. His vision wavered as a sharp pain stabbed through his skull. A groan may have escaped him at this point. He wasn't sure. Everything was swirling around him, fading into black around the corners.
Weakly, he struggled to pick himself up - to get to Bones, to help Spock and Sulu - but his body just couldn't take the damage. His vision blurred and faded.
The last thing he saw was Bones lying barely ten feet away from him, his hand outstretched, as if reaching out to him.
And there wasn't a damn thing Jim could do about it.
Fuck.
Consciousness came to Jim slowly. Every second was filled with some sort of throbbing. He first became aware of the aching of his chest, then the side-splitting pain of his head. Concussion and possibly broken ribs? Check. Any idea where he was? None.
Shit. That never boded well for him.
Noises flittered through the haze of pain and he clung to it, using them to pull him upwards. He could recognize Spock and Sulu's voices. Both seemed to be arguing about something calmly (probably due to Spock's influence). Inwardly, he let out a sigh of relief. They had escaped unharmed then, which meant they would have gotten to Bones. Yet, something was off.
As if that thought set it off, Jim's entire world was flipped in a nauseating manner. Then his heart sank. They weren't out of danger yet. Otherwise, why the hell would he be tied up upside down?!
"Captain?" came Spock's voice. "Are you conscious now?"
Jim actually worked to shove his nausea down and forced his pains aside before he opened his eyes in response to Spock.
"Ugh. I hate waking up to the feeling of blood rushing to my head," groaned Jim.
From his position, Jim could easily see Spock wrapped up in a hardened cocoon of white, slender silk nearby him. The Vulcan was also tied upside down; the cocoon enveloping him so much that Jim could only see Spock from the chin up. He turned his head to his right and saw Sulu and Bones not too far from Spock and him. All were as wrapped up as Spock and he had no doubt that he was in a similar situation.
"You sound like you have had this experience before," teased Sulu. "Kinky."
Jim rolled his eyes, biting down the rising bile. "Can't say I've ever been wrapped up in a cocoon of spider-web before. This is new, even for me."
McCoy let out an unhappy grunt as he slowly came awake, joining in the fray.
"Hey, Bones!" Jim said cheerfully. "How nice of you to join us!"
"What the fuck?" McCoy grated out. "If this is you playing a prank on me, Jim, I swear to God I will hypo you into oblivion."
"That doesn't seem very nice, Bones. Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed today."
"Damn it, Jim! At least tell me you have a plan to get out of this mess!" A pause. "How the hell did this happen anyway? What did you do, Jim?!"
"Hey! For once, it's not my fault! Spock here decided to not let us know that this planet is inhabited by giant tarantulas..."
"I did inform you of the creatures that reside on this planet, Captain," interrupted Spock, sounding a little miffed.
"Yeah, but you failed to mention how freaking huge the damn things were. And Sulu over there was the one who wanted to come into its lair in the first place. You didn't help much either, Bones, being the first one taken out."
"Fine fine, it's not your fault. I'm sorry for automatically assuming that you had a hand in this. Are you happy now, Jim?" huffed Bones.
"Yep."
"Now will you figure out how to get us out of this?"
"Preferably before the spider comes back," Sulu piped in.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm working on it. Don't get your panties in a bunch," responded Jim, already starting to wiggle around, testing how tight the cocoon was.
"Captain, may I ask what you are planning?" asked Spock.
"Hmm...just trying to..." Jim let out a pained grunt as his head hit the edge of his hardened cocoon.
"Jim?!" barked Bones.
"I'm fine," Jim quickly called out and grinned at Spock. "Don't worry, buddy. I'll be over in a jiffy to free you."
Jim began to move again, though Bones and Sulu could only see his head wiggling. Spock, on the other hand, could hear a sort of sawing sound emitting from Jim. The point of a knife broke through the surface near where Jim's chest should be and suddenly, all of his actions made sense.
"Boot knife?" Sulu asked.
"Yeah," replied Jim. "Told you it comes in handy."
"I really should start carrying around one of those."
Jim chuckled. "I'll make it a ship-wide order for all Starfleet officers to carry one, just so you don't feel alone in the matter."
Jim continued to cut through the hard shell, his face furrowed in concentration. Beads of sweat dripped down his brow; the pressure of hanging upside while exerting so much energy to cut through the plaster-like material was getting to him. It wasn't helping his concussion either. His vision blurred and he struggled to maintain an even breathing pattern, but that was somewhat difficult when he had a couple of bruised ribs. Well, at least they were only bruised, albeit badly, and not cracked or broken. That would've made things so much more difficult.
Finally, Jim managed to crack open the covering over his torso to his neck. The pieces of cocoon fell to the floor where it shattered to smaller pieces. Jim grinned as he stretched out his arms, but he only let himself bask in his success for a brief moment before he exhaled and did a crunch up to work on his legs, hiding his wince as his ribs throbbed harshly.
Sulu let out a low whistle at the sight of Jim holding his position for so long.
Spock sent Sulu a questioning gaze. "I do not understand why you have whistled, Lieutenant Sulu."
"Oh...uh...it's just that it's difficult to hold yourself like the way Kirk is for an extensive amount of time. Most don't have the abs for it."
"Then why must you whistle?"
Jim and Bones both let out a snort.
Jim let himself fall back down to grin at Spock. "Sulu is merely expressing his admiration of how hot my body is. Don't worry about it, Spock," laughed Jim as Sulu spluttered in indignation. "You ready, Spock?"
"For what, may I ask?"
"For me to save you, of course!"
It was only then did the rest of them realize that Jim had already freed himself and was now hanging upside by wrapping his ankles around the strand of spider-web.
"Now when did that happen?" muttered Sulu.
"Jim, please don't tell me you're doing what I think you're doing..." groaned McCoy.
"I would, but then I would be lying," Jim replied as he started to swing his body back and forth
"Just don't break your neck, alright?"
"Sure, Bones, sure."
Jim used the spider-web to increase his momentum and he swung farther and farther like a pendulum. At the apex of his arc, he let go and arched his back so that he managed a flip in mid-air. Gracefully, he reached out towards the end of his somersault and grasped the branch that Spock was connected to. He rode out his momentum, flipping over the branch a few times. Once settled, Jim heaved himself upwards so that he was doing a handstand on the branch and let his legs fall. With absolute perfect timing, Jim twisted his legs so that they went right between the gap his arms created and ended up sitting right on top of the branch.
Turning slightly, Jim smirked at Bones, who rolled his eyes, and Sulu, whose jaw had dropped open.
"Now would be the time for another whistle, Sulu," laughed Jim.
"How...how did you do that?" gaped Sulu.
"I joined a Chinese acrobat act for some time while traveling the Eastern side of the world. Picked up a few tricks."
"How many 'tricks' have you picked up over the years, Jim?" asked Spock.
Jim's eyes sparkled with amusement. "I can't answer that question, Spock. Otherwise, you'd all get bored if I don't surprise you once in a while. Hold still, alright?"
Like before, Jim let himself hang upside, locking his knees around the branch. Wordlessly, he started to dig his knife into Spock's cocoon. He worked quickly and steadily, only slowing down when it started to break apart.
"You can probably free yourself now, Spock," Jim said as the last of the outer shell fell to the ground. "Grab onto me so you don't fall and crack your head open."
Spock nodded and grasped Jim's forearm tightly as he kicked hard, shattering the last of his bindings. He let out a light gasp when his shoulder jarred as gravity pulled him downwards.
"You alright?" grunted Jim. His expression was strained as he struggled with Spock's weight. "Can you get yourself down?"
Spock glanced down and did some quick mental calculations before looking back at Jim. "Yes. You can release me."
Without a second bidding, Jim slowly let Spock go and watched as the Vulcan grab onto a thread of web. Once he slid down to the ground, Spock immediately started to survey their surroundings, looking for an escape route.
With a little bit more effort than before, Jim pulled himself upwards, pausing on top of the branch to breathe through the nausea and pain.
"Jim, you alright?" asked Bones, ever so observant about his best friend's health.
"Yeah, I'm fine..." Jim breathed as he stood, taking his time to find his balance before he took a step onto the thin, but strong threads of web.
As his high-wire act brought him closer to the two, both Sulu and McCoy could see how sweaty and pale his face was, not to mention his staggered breathing pattern. Normal people would have written Jim's state as a result of his aerobatics, but Sulu and McCoy knew better.
"Jim..." McCoy started.
"Later, Bones," sighed Jim, "We don't know when that spider is coming back."
He crouched down and glanced at the two of them. "So, who wants to be freed first?"
Sulu swiveled around the few inches he could and glanced at McCoy. "As much as I would like to be back upright, I think you should get McCoy out first. His face looks like a tomato," said Sulu.
"He always looks like that," grinned Jim.
"That's because you shoot my blood pressure through the roof, Jim!"
"You should learn the meaning of patience, Bones. It'll do you good." But even as he said that, he shifted his weight and dropped downwards. He made sure that Bones couldn't see his face by keeping level with the doctor's chest because he knew that his head and his ribs were screaming at him in protest now. There was no way he would be able to hide that from Bones and he just didn't need to have the doctor hovering over him yet.
"I'm more than patient with you," snapped McCoy, though there was no bite in his words.
Jim worked quickly this time around, knowing that his control over his body was going to fade on him soon. His movements were swift and efficient, slicing through the hard shell with practiced ease. In moments, he was sticking the knife back into his boot and reaching out a hand towards McCoy.
"Grab my hand, Bones. Then kick as hard as you can."
Bones looked uneasy. "You sure?"
"You don't trust me?" asked Jim, his tone light and teasing.
"Of course I trust you. I'm worried about your lack of self-preservation."
In other words, he was afraid that his weight would cause further damage to Jim's already battered body, and he wasn't get to let that happen if he could prevent it.
Jim rolled his eyes, completely understanding Bones' line of thought. "I promise you, if you're going to drag me down, I'll be the first to let you go. Deal?"
Bones nodded, satisfied. "Ready?"
"Whenever you are."
Bones kicked hard in response and he grunted as he fell, caught by Jim's outstretched hand. His head snapped up as he heard Jim's hiss of pain. Now that he could actually look at his best friend's face, he could see that Jim had gotten paler and there was a greenish tinge to his cheeks. The worst part was that McCoy could tell that Jim's pupils were blown to hell. Instantly, McCoy made the diagnosis.
"Damn it, Jim!" he snarled.
"Bones," Jim cut McCoy off with one strained word. "Grab that spiderweb next to you and get yourself down. I can't hold you for long."
Despite how he hated to leave Jim behind when he clearly needed medical intervention, McCoy knew that he wouldn't help anyone by keeping a hold on his friend. Reaching out, he grasped the web and held himself up for a brief moment.
"The second you get your ass to the ground, you keep it there, ya hear me?"
Jim gave him a small smile. "Sure, Bones. Sure."
Shooting Jim one last concerned look, Bones reluctantly slid downwards. Jim didn't even wait to see if his friend made it safely before he set to work on Sulu.
"Kirk, you don't look so good," Sulu commented.
"Lies, I'm always good-looking," Jim huffed back.
"While that is debatable, you're looking kinda green, man."
"I won't throw up on you, promise. That's reserved for Bones."
"Not exactly what I'm worried about."
"I won't let you fall, Sulu."
"Not worried about that either."
"Spider?"
"That concussion you got going on."
There was a long pause as Jim continued sawing. "I'm fine," he finally returned, knowing full well that he couldn't deny it.
"I'm sure you are. All those back-flipping stunts must've helped quite a bit."
"It did wonders," Jim quipped back. "So, how did you and Spock get taken down by that spider?"
"I got knocked out, like you. I twisted my ankle pretty badly in the process, and I think Shelob stung Spock too."
"Shelob? Really? You're naming the spider after a thousand year old book?"
"Lord of the Rings is a classic! And you're no better for actually knowing what I'm talking about!"
"Genius here, remember? I know all."
Sulu opened his mouth to reply, but was sidetracked by the sound of a sharp cracking above him. "What was that?"
Jim glanced up before turning his attention back to Sulu, his movements quicker now. "Nothing."
"Kirk..." Sulu started, just as another crack could be heard. Then, he felt both of them fall a couple of inches before they stabilized again. He swallowed hard. "Is that what I think it is?"
"Probably," came the flippant answer.
"Shit."
"My sentiments exactly." Kirk was moving furiously now. "Kick when I say, got it?"
"Got it."
Sulu glanced down. They were quite a distance away from the hard ground. If the branch that they were on broke, they would both fall to their deaths. But he didn't feel the gut-wrenching fear as he thought he would upon thinking of his possible immediate death. No, he had faith in the Kirk factor. It had saved him more than once, and he had no doubts that his ingenious leader would pull through again.
Yet, he always forgot how much the universe seemed to hate Kirk. In the next second, the branch holding him snapped, just as the last of the cocoon fell away. His stomach rose into his throat as he plunged downwards, only to be stopped abruptly by Jim lunging for him.
Gravity pulled at Sulu, even as Jim's arm held onto him. With a sickening sound, Sulu both heard and felt Jim's shoulder pop out of its joint under the combination of his weight and momentum.
Jim's yelp of pain froze Sulu's blood.
"Jim!" he exclaimed, his voice dripping with worry.
Jim didn't face him, turning his head slightly to avoid contact. "Spock!" shouted Jim. "I can't hold him!"
Then those bright blue eyes were upon him. "Sulu, you trust me, right?"
"With my life."
"Good." And Jim let go of him.
For a heart-stopping moment, Sulu felt terror consume him as he free-fell more than a hundred feet, unable to even let out a scream.
And then there were abnormally warm arms buffering his fall as they caught him. Struggling to breathe normally again, Sulu looked up at Spock.
"Thanks, Spock," he breathed.
"You are welcome. How is Jim?" Spock asked as he set Sulu down on the ground.
Sulu let out a small cry as he accidentally put pressure on his left ankle. Immediately, Spock reached out to steady him.
"It seems your ankle is broken, Lieutenant."
Sulu waved Spock away, looking skywards for Jim. Their fearless leader was sliding down a rope of spider-web with one arm; his right was held rigidly against his side. As he came closer to the ground, it became obvious that his right shoulder wasn't aligned properly. It almost made Sulu nauseous to see Jim's arm a few centimeters longer than it should be.
McCoy was already waiting for Jim, tapping his foot impatiently. As soon as Jim's feet touched the floor, McCoy descended on him like a swarm of locusts, helping him to sit comfortably on a rock as the doctor checked him over.
Sulu flinched at the sound of Jim hissing in pain as McCoy touched his dislocated shoulder. Jim glanced up at Sulu at that moment, frowning in concern at him.
"You okay, Sulu?"
"I'm fine. I'm not the one with a dislocated shoulder."
"Not a big deal." Jim shuffled a little, earning him a glare from Bones, before giving Sulu a sheepish expression. "Sorry, Sulu."
Sulu frowned. "What for? I'm the one who pulled your arm out of your joint."
"I said I wouldn't let you fall."
Ah, Kirk's shyness made sense now. Words for Kirk held such heavy meaning. Sulu wasn't sure if it was a result of Jim's absentee mother or his apparently horrid childhood, but Jim never made a promise that he couldn't or wouldn't keep. Not for the first time, Sulu felt a rush of anger at whomever or whatever it was that damaged such a kind soul.
So there was only one thing Sulu could do at that point: shrug and give an air of nonchalance. "No harm, no foul."
Jim's blue eyes brightened up and Sulu gave him a warm smile. It lasted for maybe a second before Jim's "Captain" face was back on.
"Spock, do we have a way out?"
Spock gave him a nod, "Yes. There seems to be a tunnel leading out; however, I cannot be entirely sure."
"That's a start. We have any supplies?"
"Negative. I have a communicator and Doctor McCoy has his tricorder."
"Which is more than enough. Come on, we should get going before the spider comes back."
Spock just raised his eyebrow at Jim, who was looking far more haggard than he probably had expected. The young Captain was extremely pale, his body was stiff with pain. Spock could easily read injured ribs, based on past experiences.
Jim rolled his eyes. "I'm fine."
"Yeah, and I'm a fairy princess," grumbled McCoy as he read the readings of his tricorder.
"Doctor?" Spock prompted.
"He's got a pretty bad concussion, a few bruised ribs, and a dislocated shoulder."
"I could've told you that," muttered Jim. "Bones, just shove my shoulder back in."
"Is that a good idea?" asked Sulu.
"No. Without medical supplies, we can't guarantee lasting nerve damage," answered Leonard, but even as he said that, he was already considering it. Because knowing Jim, he would pop it back in regardless of the consequences. It would be safer if Bones did it for him.
And Jim knew it too. Jim just sucked in a breath and tried to relax his body. "Do it."
Bones didn't even give Jim a warning before he expertly popped Jim's shoulder back into its joint.
His vision went white for a brief second as his nerves ignited with fire. He couldn't hold back the scream of pain completely and he hunched over himself, hugging his throbbing, aching shoulder against his body. Instantly, he felt warm hands keeping him from falling over.
"Breathe, Jim. Breathe!" Bones' voice said urgently through the burning agony.
Forcing himself to obey his friend, Jim inhaled and exhaled deeply, working past the nerve-wracking pain. By the time he pushed it back to a low throb and opened his eyes, Spock, Sulu, and Bones were hovering close to his face.
Uncomfortable with intimacy, Jim shuffled back a couple of centimeters. "I'm fine, guys."
All three raised one eyebrow at him.
"Have you guys been practicing that?" But Jim's joke fell flat with how weak his voice was.
Suddenly, a resounding thud echoed in the cavern, followed quickly by another and another. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was making those sounds.
Jim lunged to his feet, stumbling slightly before Bones steadied him. "Spock, you said there was a tunnel?" he said quickly.
"Yes, but I cannot ascertain if it is indeed a way out."
"Best shot we got now. Sulu, can you walk?"
Sulu winced. "Maybe?"
Jim just turned back to Spock and gave him a curt nod. Immediately, Sulu found himself being supported by the Vulcan and already rushed to the tunnel, followed closely by McCoy and Jim.
"Bones, give me your tricorder," yelled Jim as they sprinted the hundred meters to the exit.
McCoy knew better than to question his friend and tossed it to him. As he did, he caught sight of the massive spider lumbering towards them. Fear licked at him until he saw Jim tinkering with the tricorder with one hand. The younger man had an expression of determination; there were no signs of concern or panic – just the look of a man with a plan.
If anything, that was what allayed McCoy's trepidation and he reached out to grab Jim's left elbow, guiding him so that he could focus solely on whatever it was that he was working on. Jim subtly shook him off and pushed him deeper into the tunnel that they had just run into.
Jim glanced up once, checking the location of his friends in front of him before stopping a few feet from the entrance.
Only McCoy noticed and he skidded to a stop as well. "Jim, what the hell do you think you're doing?!"
At his words, Spock and Sulu faltered, looking back at them.
Jim waved them forward. "Keep going! Go! I'll be right behind you."
But none of them listened and even took a step towards him as Shelob closed in. Jim didn't have time to worry anymore. In that moment, the spider was a mere ten meters from them.
Gritting his teeth, Jim threw the configured tricorder as far as he could. It landed a few feet before Shelob and immediately, Jim turned and started to run away, pulling Bones with him. Spock and Sulu followed suit. They only managed to clear another ten meters before a massive explosion rocked them off their feet, throwing them onto their stomachs. Seconds later, rocks crumbled to the ground, forcing them to shield their heads with the arms. Sound of large crashes, like canons striking a stone castle, reverberated in their ears. The high pitched, inhuman shriek was cut off as large boulders landed harshly onto the ground, crushing whatever was beneath it.
Then, there was silence.
Breathing heavily, all four turned slightly to look backwards. The entrance was now caved in, covered in huge stones; the spider was no longer in sight.
"Shit, Kirk…did you just…?" breathed Sulu, disbelief clear on his face.
"Did I just create a grenade out of a medical tricorder?" Jim grinned broadly. "Yeah, I did."
Sulu whistled. "Damn."
Jim chuckled, but his laughs ended in wheezing coughs.
McCoy reached over, patting Jim on the back. "You cracked your ribs with that stunt, didn't you?"
There was no answer except harsh breathing.
"Captain, are you alright?" asked Spock as he rose to a sitting position.
"Yeah…" Jim panted. With Bones' help, he pulled himself upright and leaned against the wall of the tunnel. His sore right arm was hanging limply by his side while his left curled around his chest. His face was paler than before; dust stuck to his skin because of the sweat that covered his brow. Jim could feel his control over his body fading as the adrenaline started leaving his veins.
"At least Shelob isn't a problem now," murmured Sulu. "All that's left is to get out."
"Does our communicator work?" asked Jim.
Spock checked quickly. "No, it does not. There seems to be interference."
"Of course," grumbled McCoy, "Why does that not surprise me?"
"Spock, take Bones and see if you can find an exit."
"First of all, I'm going nowhere with that green-blooded hobgoblin. Secondly, we're not leaving you alone while you're injured."
"I agree with Doctor McCoy."
"You're not leaving me alone. I've got Sulu, right?"
Sulu looked unsure. "I've got a broken ankle. There's not much I can do."
Jim sighed as the overprotective hens stood over him. "Someone has to explore this place and you both know as well as I that it isn't wise to do that alone. And it doesn't make any sense for injured people to join in the exploration."
"It doesn't make any sense for injured people to remain alone and vulnerable in an unknown place," returned Spock.
"Does it look like we're in any danger here? None of our injuries are so severe that it's life-threatening – just inconvenient."
"Jim, I do not feel comfortable traveling with Doctor McCoy and leaving you two behind."
"I can make this an order, you know."
"Captain…"
"You're wasting time arguing with me, Spock. You know I'm being logical."
Spock did know and recognized the resolution within his Captain's blue eyes. Lieutenant Sulu had a broken ankle and no weapons; Jim had a boot knife, but probably couldn't even see straight. As Jim had said, there were no life-threatening injuries. At worst, Jim could have some lasting nerve damage caused by his relocated shoulder. It made sense for both Spock and Doctor McCoy to wander out – the two of them could cover more ground than Spock alone. Kirk's logic was sound, but that didn't mean that he was pleased with leaving him behind.
His shoulders dropped minutely – the change in posture so small that no one but Uhura or Kirk could have noticed. As it was, Jim knew immediately that he had won the argument, at least with Spock.
"Don't go too far in. If you can't find anything within half an hour, turn back and we'll figure something else out. Don't separate, alright, you two? Caves can be tricky. Be careful of sinkholes and watch where your feet go. It can get slippery in here. Got it?"
"Understood."
"Are you serious, Spock? We're really just going to frolic outta here and leave two injured people alone?"
"I assure you, Doctor, there will be no 'frolicking' involved. As to the second part of your question, Jim's logic is sound and we will return swiftly."
"Half an hour, Bones. Thirty minutes. That's all."
McCoy glared between Jim and Spock for a moment before conceding. He sighed and ran his fingers through his short hair. "Fine. Thirty minutes. Don't do anything stupid while we're gone, ya hear, Jim?"
"Who me?" Jim smiled with all his teeth, perfectly imitating the tone of a Southern Belle. "Why, I never."
Bones just glowered at him.
Jim rolled his eyes. "Yes, got it. Nothing stupid. Scout's honor."
"Like you were ever a boyscout," Bones muttered back. "Come on, hobgoblin, let's go."
The two cast one last worried glance at Jim and Sulu before heading down the long tunnel. As they disappeared into the darkness, Jim finally sagged against the wall, leaning heavily upon it for support. He closed his eyes as he swallowed hard, hoping that it would alleviate his nausea, but with no avail.
Sulu cleared his throat.
"What, Sulu?" sighed Jim. "You want to lecture me too?"
"Nope. That's not my job."
Jim heard shuffling noises and cracked open an eye to see Sulu moving abnormally close to him. The pilot's face was pinched in pain and, like Jim, dust was sticking to his skin because of the sheen of sweat.
"You alright?"
Sulu gave him a look.
Jim chuckled, "Right. Stupid question."
"You're turning a bit green, Kirk."
"I'm setting a new fashion trend. Trying to be more like Spock."
Sulu laughed, sending vibrations across their touching shoulders. Before Jim could really comprehend was going on, Sulu had snaked an arm behind his back and pushed his head to lean on him.
Shock made him struggle for a brief moment before Sulu gently patted his head, like he was comforting a small child.
"You've done enough for now, Kirk. The least I can do is get you comfortable, so just relax. Or McCoy will have both our asses."
Feeling slightly abashed and touched, Jim forced himself to relax by a small increment. He was tired and his head was killing him. It couldn't hurt to rely on someone else for once.
Sulu smiled at the small measure of trust Jim had placed in him and shifted again, making it more comfortable for Jim to lean his head on his shoulder. As he did, Jim's keen ears caught an odd sound.
He stiffened and raised his head, frowning as he peered down the tunnel where they had come from. Sulu knew better than to ask and felt his hand twitching towards where his phaser was supposed to be.
Suddenly, the sounds of thunder echoed around them and Jim felt his heart stop when he realized what it meant.
"Fuck!" He lunged to his feet, wavering slightly, before roughly jerking Sulu up to his feet.
Sulu yelped as he accidentally put pressure on his broken foot. Jim ignored it, wrapping Sulu's arm around his shoulders and started running them both down the route that McCoy and Spock had taken earlier.
The crashes of rocks tumbling down around them grew louder and louder until that was all that they could hear. Dust and debris came flying up as boulders collapsed into the tunnel, sending huge tremors through the ground. Stones of all sizes rained down, making it hard to see and navigate through. Jim stumbled more than once, trying to catch his footing while keeping Sulu steady, but Mother Nature was not their friend.
A large crack resonated directly above their heads.
"Jim!" shouted Sulu.
His warning was all Jim had before pandemonium broke loose.
Panic rushed through Jim's veins as he helplessly watched their only hope of escape disappear behind a curtain of rock. In that second, Sulu threw himself on top of Jim, protecting his friend as best as he could. Jim felt Sulu's body jolt as a rock struck him sharply on the head just as the last of the rocks settled.
Only then did he see the blood pool around the ground where Sulu had collapsed, diluting into the icy, cool freshwater that streamed around them. Frantically, Jim pressed his fingers against Sulu's neck and found a strong, steady pulse.
Reassured that Sulu had only been knocked out and nothing worse, Jim quickly surveyed their surroundings, scanning for an exit. The explosion earlier had decimated any support that the already unstable cave had and unearthed an underground river.
Now, they were trapped within a stone tomb with the water levels around them climbing steadily higher and higher, and Sulu was completely out for the count.
Jim didn't have to be a genius to know that they were in deep, deep trouble.
He tightened his grip on Sulu to keep both their heads above water, sucked in a deep breath, and did the only thing he could do: shout as loudly as he could and hope that somehow, Spock could hear him.
"I think we should go back," McCoy said for the fifth time.
Spock would have sighed if he wasn't a Vulcan. "I understand. I am also concerned about Jim and Lieutenant Sulu. However, it would be more beneficial to them if we return to the Enterprise as soon as possible. As such, it is only logical if we search for an exit."
"I know, I know. I get that." McCoy shoved his hands into his pocket. "Doesn't mean that I have to be happy about it."
"That does not seem any different than usual, Doctor McCoy."
Leonard glared at Spock. "Like you're any better, you emotionless, green-blooded pointy-eared…"
Spock raised his hand as his entire body stiffened, warning Leonard into silence as he cocked his head, listening intently. McCoy gave Spock a questioning gaze.
"I heard something."
"Obviously. What did you hear?"
"Thunder? I am not sure. It has stopped already."
"Then let's keep going. The sooner we find an exit, the better."
McCoy took two steps forward before Spock reached out and gripped him hard on his upper arm.
He jerked back. "What?"
Spock paled and something akin to fear crossed his face.
McCoy swallowed hard as a stone dropped in his stomach. "What?" he repeated, almost breathlessly. But he knew the answer before Spock even spoke.
"I think I hear Jim's voice."
McCoy didn't need further explanation. Both of them immediately turned tail and ran back the way they had come. Within a few meters, water was already sloshing at their feet. Another twenty feet and the sight of a closed off tunnel greeted them. By then, the water was already up to the middle of the calves and even McCoy could now clearly hear Jim's hoarse shouts.
He rushed forward, pounding at the rocks as Spock scanned for weak points. "Jim! JIM! Can you hear me?"
"Bones!" Jim's shout came from a few feet above their heads. "Bones, you got to get Sulu out of here!"
"We're working on it. What the hell happened?"
"Let's just say, blowing up Shelob wasn't exactly a great idea." A cough. "Bones, Sulu's hurt. You got to help him!"
"We gotta get you both out first. Spock, any luck?"
"There is no such thing as luck, Doctor; however, we seem to be out of it," Spock said from where he was crouching.
"What are you talking about, Spock?"
"The rocks have been firmly wedged into place by the weight of the other boulders upon it. It is nearly impossible to create an opening without causing a further cascade, which could harm Jim and Lieutenant Sulu."
"Risk it! Jim's smart enough to avoid falling rocks!"
"That may be so, but Jim said that Lieutenant Sulu was injured, which means that he, alone, is keeping both of them afloat. It will make it substantially more difficult to avoid falling debris."
"What the hell is taking both of you so long?!" shouted Jim. His voice was now at least ten feet above them.
"Jim!" called Spock, "Whatever we do next will cause another collapse. Attempt to awaken Lieutenant Sulu and prepare yourselves."
"Understood. Just us the hell out of here!"
Jim grunted as he adjusted his grip on Sulu. The Asian man was still unconscious, even as the water licked at his chin. Exhaustion was quickly catching up on Jim. His previous injuries combined with carrying another man was draining every single store of energy Jim had. Jim's overworked muscles screamed at him, crying with every movement he made.
He glanced up. There were only a couple more feet to the ceiling before the entire compartment would be flooded. Spock had better work fast.
Jim shifted again, maneuvering Sulu around so that he had one arm free. Then, he slapped Sulu's cheek. Over and over again.
"Wake up, damn it!" He groaned. "Great, now I'm sounding like Bones…"
One more loud smack and Sulu came awake with a splutter and a moan.
"Good morning, sunshine," grinned Jim, barely hiding a grunt as one of Sulu's floundering arms jabbed into his cracked ribs. "Easy there. I've got you."
"What the hell is going on?"
"You got knocked on the head pretty hard, thanks to your idiotic attempts to shield me."
"Did it work?"
"Yeah, it did. Thanks. Doesn't mean you're not an idiot."
"Pot, meet kettle."
Jim rolled his eyes and pounded on the wall. "Spock! We ready?"
"Yes. I will count to three." A pause. "Please, be careful."
Jim and Sulu were now straining their necks to get to their precious air.
"Do it, do it, do it!" shouted Jim, right as the water completely enveloped them.
The next few seconds were complete utter chaos.
As Spock removed a particularly large boulder from the right corner of the wall, water from the chamber immediately started gushing out. Both Spock and McCoy leapt back, trying to keep their footing.
Within, the water churned and swirled like a whirlpool, dragging Sulu and Jim downwards. They spun, tumbled, and flipped – unable to make heads or tails of what was up or down. Rocks crashed around them, sending course-altering waves towards them. Each piece of debris was large enough to crush them to pieces, but with whatever mercy the heavens were showing them, the current pulled and jerked them to narrowly miss each one.
From the corner of his eye, Jim watched Sulu twirl beside him and felt immense relief to see that they were both heading towards the small hole that Spock had created for them. But that was shattered a moment later when Jim saw a large boulder sinking directly above Sulu.
With the last piece of his strength, Jim propelled himself forward and kicked at Sulu, shoving him those last few feet to their escape.
Sulu flipped around in time to see Jim give him a reassuring smile before the rock pinned him to the floor. Bubbles fled Sulu's mouth as he shouted at Jim, reaching for him even as the current forced him out.
That was the last thing Jim saw before his lungs gave out on him and everything turned to black.
Sulu came shooting out of the hole like a cannonball, washing out with a heaving, coughing splutter. Instantly, hands were pulling him upright, away from the shallow pool around their feet.
"You're alright, man. You're alright."
Sulu recognized that Southern accent easily enough and reached up, groping. He gripped McCoy's upper arm tightly.
"Jim…" he breathed.
A flash of panic spread across McCoy's face. "What about Jim?"
"T-trapped! Save him!"
Water splashed onto Sulu's face with the sudden movements of the Vulcan. Bewildered, he turned to see Spock tearing apart the rocks near the opening. The stream had slowed as the amount of water within the chamber reached a low level and Spock didn't hesitate to dive head-first into the cavern.
The Vulcan splashed towards Jim, dropping to a knee beside his friend. Jim was lying motionless on his back, his eyes closed. The rock covered the majority of his chest, crushing him below the water level.
With strength surging in his veins, Spock sprang to his feet and used his entire body to shove at the pinning stone. His shoulder cried in pain as it jammed into the hard, unforgiving surface, but he paid it no attention. He let out a roar of determination and pushed everything he had into the push.
The boulder finally fell aside, freeing the Enterprise's Captain from its grasp. But Jim didn't even flinch.
Spock reached for him with trembling hands. "Jim?"
No response.
His mind shut down and with instincts driving his actions, he gathered Jim into his arms and ran to the one person who could help Jim.
McCoy had just gotten the story out of Sulu when Spock rushed out. All the blood in the Georgian man froze at the sight of Jim's limp and pale body in Spock's arms.
"Doctor, he's not breathing," Spock exclaimed. The expressionless mask he always had on was broken, revealing pure, unadulterated panic and fear. Fear for Jim.
That, more than anything, spurred McCoy into action.
"Set him down and lay him flat. You breathe and I'll compress," McCoy dictated.
Spock instantly obeyed, tilting and lifting Jim's head in preparation for resuscitation breaths. Leonard pressed his entwined hands onto Jim's unmoving chest and compressed thirty times. As soon as he stopped, Spock pinched Jim's nose shut and leaned down, sealing his mouth over Jim's and breathed twice for Jim.
McCoy immediately began compressions again. He winced as he heard the resounding crack as his efforts to save Jim broke his already compromised ribs, but he couldn't stop now.
Thirty chest compressions, two resuscitation breaths, and repeat.
Sweat was dripping down McCoy's neck from the strain and Spock's lips were swelling slightly from pressing them onto Jim's.
Minutes passed. Only the sounds of McCoy's "please don't do this to me, Jim, damn it," and Spock's ragged breathing could be heard. When McCoy tired ten minutes later and checked for signs of life, Spock and him wordlessly switched position. Keeping back his Vulcan strength, Spock continued to administer compressions while McCoy pressed his lips onto Jim's and breathed for his best friend.
Thirty chest compressions, two resuscitation breaths, and repeat.
Eighteen minutes and fifty-three seconds later, Jim took his first ragged breath. His blue eyes fluttered open and he almost choked as he struggled to draw in as much air as possible.
McCoy grabbed Jim's face, his hands on Jim's cheeks, and forced the panicking man to look at him. "Jim! Breathe with me! In, out. In, out. There we go. You got it…"
Tears fell unbidden from Jim's eyes as he finally managed to get his respiration under control. His entire body shook from the ordeal, sending shooting pain through him. He was vaguely aware of Spock beside him; Spock's warm hands were on his shoulder. He couldn't tell if it was just him shaking, or if the Vulcan was too.
He took a couple of shuddering breaths before clearing his throat. "Sulu?" he rasped.
"You damn son of a bitch…" swore McCoy, falling back on his heels and pretty much collapsing beside Jim. "He's fine, thanks to you."
"Good…" Jim's eyes slid shut.
"Jim?" asked Spock.
"I'm a'rite," he mumbled back. "Just tired."
McCoy let out a huff of relief. "Spock, is the communicator working yet?"
Spock pulled it out of his pocket and showed it to the doctor. Sounds of water dripping down reached Jim's ears.
He couldn't help but chuckle. 'Anything that could go wrong, would go wrong', was it? Ugh. He hated ancient philosophy.
"You've finally gone mad, haven't you, Kirk?" Sulu said, exasperated. "Even you can't be that crafty to fix a water-logged communicator."
"No, that's not it. Just thinking that I really hate Murphy's Law," replied Jim, sitting up. He winced as the movement put pressure on his ribs. "Bones, did you break my ribs?"
The incredulous tone set McCoy on fire. "I saved your damn life, you freakin' moron."
"If you did the compressions…" Jim's eyes widened. "Spock, you kissed me?!"
The last part came out in a squeak and Spock's cheeks blushed green, but his tone betrayed none of his shyness. "It was necessary, Captain, as you were not breathing on your own."
"Actually, they both kissed you," Sulu piped in.
Jim groaned. "No one tell Uhura. She'll never let me live it down."
"That's all you care about?" snapped McCoy, standing up. "I just saw you carried out like a lifeless doll and breathed for you because you weren't fucking doing it on your own. And all you care about is your goddamn reputation?!"
Jim reached out, grasping McCoy's wrist weakly. His bright blue eyes swallowed McCoy until he was nothing but Bones again. "I'm sorry, Bones. I didn't mean to worry you, or anyone else, for that matter."
Bones deflated, knowing full well that he couldn't remain angry at his friend for so long. "Just don't do it again, Jim."
Jim gave him a small smile. "Sure, Bones, sure."
But both of them knew that behind those empty words, Jim couldn't make that promise. He wouldn't either. Not when there were so many lives that he was responsible for. It just wouldn't be Jim if he didn't care for others.
Bones sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Let's just get out of this damn cave and we'll figure out the whole communicator situation."
"For once, I agree with you, Doctor."
"For once? Are all my ideas so fantastical that you'd never consider them?" McCoy shot back.
"Your words, Doctor."
"Well, you can take my words and shove them up your…"
"Bones," interrupted Jim. "I thought we were going to get out?"
Bones huffed and stalked up to Sulu, pulling the slightly terrified man up to his feet. The doctor, while rough generally, was sure to keep Sulu off his broken ankle. "Spock, you got Jim?"
Spock nodded and stepped before Jim, kneeling down so that his back faced Jim. "Climb on, Jim."
"You are not piggy-backing me, Spock."
"You are exhausted and injured. You have also just recovered from respiratory arrest. Logically, you should have no strength to stand on your feet, let alone walk alongside us. This is, as you say, a 'one time offer'. Now, get on my back."
Jim grumbled quietly before obeying his First Officer, but not before he made one last comment. "If anyone cracks a joke about me riding Spock, I will kick you where the sun don't shine. Got it?"
McCoy and Sulu chuckled, the relief that their friend was alright making them slightly giddy.
"We wouldn't dream of it," said Sulu, grinning.
"Captain, what do you mean by 'riding me'?" asked Spock. "I am not familiar with that colloquialism."
Jim groaned, burying his head into Spock's shoulder, as McCoy and Sulu broke out into guffaws.
"How is this my life?" whined Jim.
"You love it, and you know it," returned Bones.
Jim couldn't help it. He grinned back, his blue eyes sparkling.
God help him, but he really did love his life. Shelob, near-drownings, and the snark included.
Perhaps, he truly was just an ingenious idiot.
(By the time Spock, McCoy, Sulu, and Jim had made it back out to the jungle, the rest of the Bridge crew of Enterprise and a few Redshirts were already waiting for them, worry and concern written all over their faces. Within minutes, they were all beamed back. Jim and Sulu found themselves in MedBay and McCoy had lots of fun hypospraying the two while Spock hovered around, giving them the "eyebrow of death", as a drugged up Kirk liked to call it.
Later, when Uhura, Chekov, and Scotty asked them what the hell had happened in the three hours that they were down there, the four of them just looked at each other, unable to really explain it in a way that didn't sound like they were pulling it out of their asses.
So Jim just gave them a lazy smile and said two simple words. "Murphy's Law."
Because truly, it really did describe everything that went down.
And then Jim was forbidden from leaving the ship. Again.
They were all a load of wet blankets, the lot of them.
But Jim wouldn't change it for the world, Murphy's Law be damned.)
So, I hope you all enjoyed it and that it met your expectations. I couldn't decide who to resuscitate Jim and the votes were pretty much even, so I did both of them. Hopefully, that was okay. Really hope I didn't disappoint anyone. So nervous...
Again, let me know what you'd like to see in the next installment!
Please review and let me know what else I can do to make things better!
~ Kanae Yuna
Edit (06/20/13): Some reviewers have mentioned the fact that the CPR being performed on Jim is too long to be realistic. While it is true that going without oxygen for more than 10 mins usually means that the brain dies, if CPR is being performed immediately and is performed correctly, it is possible to slow that process for a much longer time. There are those who have come back from respiratory arrest after 45 or more minutes of CPR (though that is rare) and most associations/organizations agree that that it is standard to stop CPR after 30 mins. Some even argue that hitting the 20 min mark is pushing it, hence me choosing a time right below that. And I know that being cold (because of the water) will cause that amount of time to decrease dramatically, I like to think that Spock carrying Jim warmed him up enough (he is Vulcan and nice and toasty, after all) to be fine. At least that is what I have researched when I wrote this chapter. If I am blatantly wrong or just throwing out nonsense, feel free to correct me. I won't take offense at all. I'd like my story to be as scientifically correct as possible and I like to learn new things, so let me know if you find evidence that says otherwise and I'll be happy to change it. I mostly want to leave it unchanged for now, because otherwise, there's no reason for Bones to switch positions with Spock and I really liked that, so uh...let me know? Lol. Anyway, thanks for reading and being so supportive! :)