Title: "Aegri Somnia"

Author: tprillahfiction (2008)

AEGRI SOMNIA (Chapter 8)

McCoy rested his palms on the glass and thought for a moment. No matter of pounding, pleading, sobbing, or screaming could break this glass. Being here in the inside; there was nothing or no one to assist him. He freaked out and hyperventilated for a while and finally gave that up, a soundless sob coming from his lips.

He found that he was able to propel himself upwards by pushing off the bottom with his feet and reach the top the glass tube; then he would slowly drift downwards to the bottom. To avoid the creeping insanity, he entertained himself for a few moments by repeatedly pushing himself up and drifting down again. He finally tired of this game and sunk to the bottom, dejected.

'Now what the hell do I do? Keep this up forever?'

Spock watched from the next bed as Doctor M'Benga and a team of medics worked on McCoy. His heart had already stopped twice; and from what Spock could see on the monitors; McCoy's organs appeared to be failing. M'Benga ordered replacement organs at the ready.

"Doctor," said Nurse Chapel. "The neural stimulant doesn't appear to be having any effect."

M'Benga wiped the sweat from his forehead. "40cc of Borathium please."

Chapel went swiftly away to prepare the hypo.

M'Benga heard a beep he didn't want to hear. He suddenly looked at the monitor with eyes widening and noted the vitals: in extremis. "Prep for surgery," he barked to the medics.

McCoy bounced up and down on his toes; then lifted his feet up and floated. He felt nearly giddy and weightless in this liquid.

'Nice work, old man. You have finally done it now. You spend your whole life just being an ol' country doctor and you wind up getting stuck in here. Way to go, Bones. Ho, boy, I don't know how I ended up in here, or even if this is real or not but by God, if I ever do get out of here I'm gonna stop drinkin' so damn much and stop taking those damn sleeping pills for good...'

He could feel himself freaking out again and decided to continue the game of bouncing up and down. He decided to try once again to break the glass but on the inside in this liquid, he could not move his hands fast enough.

He felt a thump, thump on the glass, till it finally shattered. A set of arms pulled McCoy out of the tube and he gratefully sank into the arms. He could not breathe till he felt warm breath taking over for his own. He finally found his voice.

"Spock!" he cried thankfully. "You're here..."

There was no response from the benefactor. McCoy felt hands caress his face and run down his nude body. He felt a mouth on his and felt a tongue part his teeth and meet his own. 'Oh Spock.' It felt so good being touched and kissed by Spock that he immediately became aroused. The hands traveled down his stomach and caressed his thighs. The hands slid over to touch his penis; forcing him to come almost instantly. As he moaned, the strong hands swiftly moved up to grasp his arms so tightly that the doctor gasped.

He was being so roughly grabbed by Spock that a cry emerged from his lips. He opened his eyes but his vision was blurry; he got a sinking, dreadful feeling in the pit of his stomach. Something made him reach up and feel Spock's face.

He screamed when he felt the metal implants. It wasn't Spock.

Kirk entered the sickbay and found Spock sitting up in bed. "Where'd they take McCoy?"

"He is in surgery. He is comatose and developing major organ failure," replied Spock gravely.

Kirk stood at the edge of Spock's bed, opened his hand and looked at McCoy's gold ring in his palm. "I wish there was something I could do. I feel helpless. I'm not sure how I'll handle it if I lose him; one of my two best friends."

"And, our Chief Medical Officer," added Spock unhelpfully, unable to find anything else to say.

Kirk looked sharply up at his first officer, then sighed. "Yes, Mr. Spock. You're right. Of course."

"Jim," said Spock as he noticed Kirk holding McCoy's ring. "Doctor M'Benga will notify you if there is any change in McCoy's status. You've just come off duty as of now. You should retire to your quarters."

"I'll worry about that later Spock; I need to be here for my own sanity. I'm not that tired. We've set course for the nearest starbase." Kirk once again looked at McCoy's ring in his palm. "His fingers are so bony; this just slipped off into my hand. I hope I won't have to send it to Joanna. He's never spoken about why he wears this."

"Presumably the last vestiges of his marriage before Starfleet," Spock stated evenly.

Kirk held it up in his fingers. "It's beautiful. A ruby. I've never noticed that before." He tired to slip it on his own pinky finger but it wouldn't budge over the knuckle.

"If you wouldn't mind, Captain." said Spock. "I would like to keep it safe for the doctor." He took the ring from his captain and slipped it on his own pinky finger. It fit perfectly.

Spock and the Captain looked up to see Nurse Chapel enter the room with tears in her eyes. "Dr. M'Benga has requested that you locate the next of kin data in Doctor McCoy's personal file."

...end of chapter 8...