Monitors beeping, always beeping. Following the gentle rhythm of his lovers heart. Partly soothing him; letting him know the object of his affection was still alive, partly unnerving. He was never suppose to be in this situation, to watch the man in front of him die. If it were an option he would be in that bed, tubes in his arms, condition dropping slowly but surely. The events of the day before flash through his mind. He could have prevented this, he could have saved him but now, now it's too late and he'll be forced to live out the rest of his miserable existence alone.
xxx
"Captain, We're receiving a transmission from a federation ship, it appears to be a distress call."
"Patch it through Lieutenant." James Kirk wore a heavy expression when the radio transmission crackled to life and nothing but utter chaos and destruction echoed over the comm. "This is Captain James Kirk of the USS Enterprise, we are willing to offer assistance. Please state your current status and location. I repeat, please state your status and location." An unbearable silence loomed over the bridge. Nothing. Jim opened his mouth to repeat his transmission when bursts of blood curling screams filtered through the comm. unit.
Time seemed to temporarily stop, no one made so much as a sound. The crew inadvertently seeked comfort from one another: Uhura inched minutely closer to her Vulcan lover, and Chekov cast his eyes in desperation toward Sulu who instinctively reached for the Russians hand, squeezing half to comfort the younger man and half to ensure to himself that Pavel was there next to him and not one of the tortured souls on the unidentified ship.
If asked no one would have been able to explain the almost universal need for comfort from another, this was not their first distress call nor would it be their last. Maybe it was a bout of simultaneous ESP or a good true gut instinct that told them all tragedy was on the horizon. Whatever the reason is unimportant, the outcome of the day will never change.
Xxx
A course of action was immediately established: find the distressed ship, beam aboard and assess the situation. Only one hitch in the plan, Bones was the only medical officer available.
"NO!" Bones had entered the bridge minute the ship had reached the distress call. He hand spent his first few minutes on deck voicing in on what course of action was to be taken. However the conversation had taken a sharp turn when the Chief Medical Officer insisted on being a part of the rescue crew.
"Damn it Jim! I'm the only available doctor, people need medical attention. Do you suggest I let the die?" It was a good point, as CMO it was his duty and his relief was currently in a hospital bed himself with a nasty viral bug.
"Of course not. But I will not allow you to beam aboard the ship. You're recovering from cancer for christ sake!."
"No, I'm recovering from chemo Jim, there's a difference."
"A piss poor difference. Your not leaving this ship."
"That an order, Sir?" The challenge in his voice was evident, Jim had never held his power off the older man. He had never had to. Chekov and Sulu exchanged a nervous glance, they did not see this ending well.
"You're damn right that's an order." The bridge crew physically tensed awaiting the explosion from the cranky demeanored doc. The calmness that follow in his voice was enough to get an audible gasp from more than one crew member.
"What are you so afraid of? You think I'll get hurt? Look at me Jim, I'm already hurt." his voiced laced with so much emotion that it cut straight through Jim's chest.
"That's why you can't go." it took all he had in him to keep his voice from shaking.
"No, that's why I have to go."
"What in the hell are you talking about?" rage brewed in the bit of his stomach.
"I'm sick of being treated like a fragile child, I'm a grown man! You think I don't see the look on your face when I try to get out of bed in the morning or lose my breath waking across the bridge?" he was just about screaming but he couldn't bring himself to care. "Half the time you're afraid to touch me for fear of hurting me." The eyes of crew members widen in utter shock. Bones and Kirk? A couple? Sure everyone knew Sulu and Chekov were an item from the start, but the Captain and CMO? He lowers his voice to a whisper. "I'm sick Jim, I get that, I really do but I'm not gonna get better sitting around on my ass. It'll kill me."
"No" The stubborn fool.
"Do you love me?" The question came out of left field and set Jim back a step.
"Bones"
"Do you love me?" His eyes pleaded for Jim's answer.
"Yes." he whispered.
"Then I'm going." And just like that it was settled. Bones, the man who no longer only had his bones but also a lover in the form of his Captain, James T. Kirk, was planning on beaming on board a captured ship to prove he had bigger balls that death himself.