'Yeah, this won't take long at all…bull.' This thought echoed through his mind over and over, and before he knew it McCoy found out that this so-called 'quick trip' to sickbay was quickly going downhill.

For the last hour, he worked tirelessly on Jim's maltreated back, cleansing out any foreign matter and ultimately debriding a few areas of dead tissue with his laser scalpel. In McCoy's mind, debriding was such a barbaric treatment, but regrettably became a necessary course of action once he really got to work on some of the deeper wounds. By doing so the regen would work faster and lessen the scarring.

"nah…uh…'onesss…" came the sigh that greeted McCoy as he splayed the deepest cut near Jim's shoulder blade. It was painstaking work and McCoy knew that he really should give Kirk a stronger painkiller, however timing couldn't be any worse. The prior mission depleted medical inventory and they were still a few days out from their next replenish at Starbase 6. As a result, McCoy could only use a very light analgesic leaving Jim on the edge of Morpheus, semi-conscious and unfortunately sensitive to the good doctor's ministration, clearly evident by his pain indicators.

"Jim, hold still," McCoy quickly glanced at the readings from the overhead diagnostic panel and then settled on Jim's face. His eyes widened with concern as a soft moan caught in Jim's throat as he unconsciously twisted away from the pain. A gentle, yet firm hand was pressed to the base of Jim's neck to keep him from moving. However, the pressure only elicited an even more pathetic groan and a pained expression on his face that was not lost on McCoy. Neither was the heat radiating from his skin.

Hearing the captain's moans from across the room, Christine looked up from her medical report on Mr. Spock, who had just been released from sickbay. She noted how the lines on the doctor's face seemed more prominent. Maybe it was the harsh lighting of sickbay or maybe it was the stress of constantly putting Jim Kirk back together again. The thought quickly vanished as she caught Leonard's eyes and his silent pleads for her help. Without a word, she put aside her tablet to assist with the captain.

Within a few strides Christine had positioned herself next to Kirk's left shoulder quickly relieving the doctor by replacing his hands with hers; one hand on the captain's neck and the other on his upper arm to hopefully calm and steady him.

"He's strugglin', temp's rising, and I have nothing better to give him than alprazaline for the pain." McCoy said dolefully as he looked into Christine's concerned eyes. "I hate to do it, but let's put the restraints on him. The last thing I need is to make this any worse by him moving around."

Christine went about fastening the restraint on his left bicep first then reached across Kirk to get the restraint for his waist. That's when her sleeve accidentally raked across a particularly sensitive spot and all hell broke loose.

Just as McCoy was about to place the scalpel down on the surgical tray to retrieve a fever reducer, Kirk caught them both off guard with his sudden movement. He quickly jerked up his non-restrained elbow knocking McCoy's hand and subsequently pushing the scalpel setting to its highest intensity. The laser discharged only a few seconds, but in that time, it tore a path along Kirk's already abused flesh.

Kirk's watery eyes suddenly flew open as he screamed and fumbled off the table, knocking back Christine as his body barreled over the side. The escape was short lived however; his arm, snared by the restraint, caused his body to crash back against the bed and dangle towards the floor.

"My god, Jim!" McCoy's panicked eyes caught sight of Jim's arm and the restraint holding it at an awkward angle. He quickly released it and rushed around to the other side. Luckily Christine was able to catch the captain's head before it hit the floor.

"Jim, Jim look at me!"

Jim was laying on his side with his head still cradled by Christine. His arm, released from the restraint, was laying on the floor palm up while the other grasped hard onto Christine's leg. Tears were running down his scrunched-up face as he bared his clenched teeth letting out agonizing cries in between rapid puffs of air.

"Jim, oh my god, what have I done!" McCoy blurted out as he began to evaluate the situation.

He could tell that Jim's arm had been strained, hopefully nothing more, but it was the back that concerned him the most. As he peered over Jim's side he could see the raw and bleeding ten-inch streak running from just under his shoulder to lower back.

"Jim, hey, you with me?" McCoy pushed back a few locks of sweat drenched hair. Jim's screams had stopped and McCoy could tell he was trying to manage the pain. His breath was still rapid. He was going into shock.

McCoy put one hand on Jim's chest and one on his neck to check his pulse. "Jim, you gotta slow down your breathing. Come on. In…out, in…out. That's it."

Jim's eyes half opened to look up at McCoy. "B-boness. Wha the hell…ah…mhm." Jim bit down on his lip to stifle his moan then tried to slowly prop himself up.

"Nurse, help me lift him up."

Between the two of them, they were able to push Jim into a seated position, uncomfortable as it may be.

"We need to get you back on the bed," McCoy urged Jim. "Think you can stand?"

Jim let out a deep breath and cast a sideward glance at Bones. He slowly blinked and with a slight nod he began to push off the ground with his hands.

"Owww," Jim yelped and hissed in pain as his left arm buckled under him.

"You wrenched it pretty good when you fell," said Bones. "I don't think it's anything serious but let us help you stand."

McCoy and Chapel reached under his arms and slowly steadied him to a standing position. They then eased him back onto the biobed so he was seated with his legs hanging off.

Jim hung his head and supported his left arm on his lap with his other trembling hand. McCoy's whirring tricorder moved from shoulder to wrist. He then palpitated just below his shoulder and straightened the arm, which caused Jim to yelp.

"I'm sorry Jim," McCoy said flatly. "Looks like you've partially torn your bicep tendon. You're already developing some bruising, which is typical for this injury, as is weakness. You shouldn't need surgery, but we'll need to monitor your mobility. For now, we'll get an ice gel wrap on and elevate it. After the swelling goes down we'll take another look."

Jim closed his eyes, pressed his lips and pinched between his eyes. The fiery throb in his back and arm were so painful, it was giving a Romulan ale-sized headache. He was so focused on managing the pain that he hardly noticed the cool sensation from the wrap the nurse had just put on nor the hypos hissing against his neck.

"I've given you another round of alprazaline for pain and also a cortisone shot for inflammation and swelling," McCoy said as he reached for the third hypo. "And this is a fever reducer."

Jim thought he felt overheated and clammy, no wonder. He desperately wanted to take a cool shower then pass out. If his back wasn't in searing pain, it would be a great plan.

"Bones," Jim cracked his eyes, saw Chapel going around to the other side of the bed, and looked up at his friend. He arched his back a little when he felt the nurse press something against his upper back that stung and cooled at the same time. "Oh! Mmmm…Bones…what the hell is wrong with my back. It feels like I've been skinned alive, much worse than when I walked in here." He tried to turn to see the nurse, but he felt like his skin was ripping apart. "Gah…"

"Don't move too much." Bones lightly grabbed both shoulders. "God Jim, I can't believe what I did. I'm so sorry."

"What, what are you talking about?" Jim's glassy eyes looked up at him as he tried to prop up his now listing body with his good arm.

"Don't you recall; probably not." Bones looked concerned. "You were still kinda out of it, on account of only having mild analgesics at my disposal, when your pain levels rocketed and in your distress ya knocked the laser scalpel. You, um…I cut you at the scalpel's highest setting." He noted Jim's eyes become wide and more alert.

"How bad?" Jim said stoically. He could feel Nurse Chapel continue tending to his back with her feather-light touch. No matter how light, he still flinched.

McCoy glanced passed Jim to Chapel. She just shook her head. He knew then and there that skin grafts were a good possibility. This was going to be exhausting for Jim.

"We need you to lie back down so I can properly see what's going on, ok."

Jim nodded tiredly and with Bones' help eased his way onto his stomach. It was awkward trying to lay down with only one good arm, but he finally got settled. Meanwhile Nurse Chapel continued to apply light pressure to the new wound. Bones on the other hand pulled out a wing to the bed so his arm could rest comfortably and elevated as much as possible.

"Uugh, could this day get any worse?" Jim muffled into the bed.

Bones grimaced at Jim's comment and then carefully lifted the pressure pad Christine had placed on his back. The bleeding had stopped but the wound was now oozing a clear liquid. It definitely was not pretty and he could only imagine how much it hurt. He definitely was looking at both a five-inch long by one-inch wide raw, second-degree burn as well as a five-inch long third-degree burn. He was lucky, in a way, that it wasn't all third degree. As it turned out the worst of it was contained to the existing whip laceration just under his right shoulder blade. The skin in that area was dark brown and dry in texture. He knew right away that the nerves were obliterated and it was going to be a long road to recovery for Jim.

"Nurse, let's go ahead and give him a Ringer's Injection to get his electrolytes up and the hydration going." McCoy was in business mode now. "Give the lab instructions to get the captain's sample records and begin synthesizing a skin graph…and bring the Bacitracin ointment."

Nurse Chapel quickly fixed the hypo and applied the Ringer Injection then as she stepped away to head to the lab, McCoy looked over at Jim's face to see him pale; in deep concentration on just breathing.

"Jim," McCoy placed the pressure pad back to help keep the wound moist. He lightly placed a hand on his shoulder and Jim's eyes opened but he was looking far off at the floor.

"Jim, you've got second and third-degree burns," McCoy wasn't sure if he was being heard or not. "We'll need to remove the dead skin first and then it will be at least a day before we can apply the skin graph."

McCoy saw Jim's eyes finally focus in his direction.

"Bones, will you have to use the restraints?" McCoy nodded. "Can you give me something more for the pain?"

Jim's plea was heartbreaking and also telling of just how much pain he was in. Usually the captain was the one to put on a brave face and push the pain aside; never one to let on how bad he really felt. This must be excruciating for him. McCoy felt so guilty at what he had to do.

"Jim, all I have is the drug I already gave you and I can't give you another round for a few more hours." McCoy was disheartened.

"Bones, I..I just can't deal anymore…just knock me out…please." Jim said as a he squeezed his eyes shut causing a tear to escape.

McCoy was about to wipe his face when he heard the sickbay doors whoosh open.

"Doctor McCoy, how much longer will the captain be detained in sickbay?" Spock asked matter-of-factly.

"Sspock, is Gill's body onboard?" Jim asked as he tried to lift his head off the bed, but was unsuccessful.

"Yes captain, Giotto returned only moments ago and said you wanted to be informed."

"Good, good."

"Captain, Starfleet would like a debriefing of the situation on Ekos immediately so they can ascertain how the Federation should handle its delicate situation."

"Spock, you'll have to do it." He said with a grunt. "Looks like I'll be here for a while."

Spock turned to McCoy, "Doctor, I thought his injuries were not that severe…please explain."

"Spock, there were…complications." McCoy rubbed a hand down his face. "I'll have to explain later. Right now, I have to prepare him for a skin graph with no pain medication."

Spock cocked an eyebrow. "Doctor, are you certain there isn't more you can do for him?"

"Yeah…knock me out," came the faint remark from Jim.

McCoy turned, "Jim, I wish I could. God knows I wish I could. I've double-checked and even the only anesthesia we have on hand is something you react badly to…so we can't risk it."

"Doctor, I may be of assistance," said Spock. "I can render the captain unconscious."

"I dunno Spock, maybe," McCoy said rubbing his chin.

"Do it…please," came pitifully from Jim.

McCoy bit his lip and nodded to Spock.

Spock gently found the nerve locations and applied pressure. Jim yelped slightly, jerking his head and then was out.

As Spock returned his hands to hold behind his back, McCoy finally noticed Christine had already returned to the foot of the bed and was laying out another set of sterile instruments, plus the gauze and ointment needed. He could see a sad smile on her face as she looked at Spock. No doubt she was pleased to see the Human side of the Vulcan, helping his friend, the captain.

McCoy turned to her switching on the sterile field, "Nurse, begin applying the ointment and then will begin debriding, again." She nodded.

"Spock, let me take care of Jim, then I'll go over his injuries and treatment with you," McCoy was already turning from Spock to decontaminate his hands.

"Very well, Doctor, but please contact me as soon as you're finished as I'll need to explain to Starfleet why the captain is incapacitated."

"Tell Starfleet to deal with it," McCoy said in haste. "Jim's my priority right now."

Spock took that as his invitation to leave and strode toward the door, but just as he was about to leave he stopped and turned to look back at the captain. What nobody saw was how he was rubbing his wrist with the thumb of his other hand as they were still clasped behind his back. He was worried for his captain…his friend…and was replaying the events on Ekos to see if he had missed anything that would have led to Jim's injuries suddenly worsening. His thoughts went to when he climbed on his captain's bare back and how that could have aggravated his open wounds. He grimaced, as much as a Vulcan can, and left to head to the bridge.

TBC (hopefully sooner than later... ;)