"Pavel Chekov! What in the hell happened to your face and your body?!" Bones raised his voice, not yelling at Pavel, but yelling because he was angry. His fiancée's body was covered with blood, bruises and a slightly swollen bottom lip. A cut on his cheek oozed blood and it had dried on his jaw line. A purple bruise had already formed on his eye. Bumps and even more bruises decorated his chest.
"Eet…eet vas nozing." Pavel shook his head, turning away to lay down. "Just a little skirmish." He muttered. Bones grabbed Pavel's shoulder roughly to turn him around, but at the lunge, Pavel shrank away, whimpering.
"Please don't hurt me." He cried quietly. "Please don't." It was then Bones realized the situation he was in. He had seen it before. Gently, he turned Pavel over, still sitting up in bed, and scooped the young boy up and into his lap, cradling him and brushing the tears off his face.
"I won't…I won't hurt you. It's alright, just tell me what happened." Bones murmured, rocking back and forth slowly in the bed with Pavel. He felt a mixture of anger and sadness being tossed around, playing with his brain and heart.
"I don't vant you to get mad…" Pavel mumbled.
"I won't get mad. Just tell me." Bones repeated, this time slightly sterner. Pavel hesitated and leaned his head against Bones' chest.
"My fazzer beat me…" Pavel mumbled to himself.
"What?"
"My fazzer beat me." Pavel said it clearer this time, so Bones could hear, and when Bones did hear, he was outraged. He knew that would happen. He knew that he should have taken Pavel with him.
"He beat you?! Pasha, do you want me to go over there and take care of him?" Bones asked, trying not to tensen up because he had Pavel in his arms and that would have been a bad idea. He wouldn't want to crush the poor boy who was already bruised and beaten.
"No! Please don't! Please? He doesn't mean to." Pavel countered. He loved his father, but only because he was the only parent that Pavel had left. He had barely known him years ago when he came here, but in those first few months, his father had been so caring and loving towards him.
"I'm sure he didn't…" Bones grumbled. "Pasha, your father can't beat you just because he wants to."
"I tried to defend myself…I tried, I really did." Pavel whimpered, clinging to Bones as a life support.
"I know you did. It's okay. At least you're not dead." Bones sighed and brushed Pavel's hair with his hands. "It's okay." He gently moved Pavel's head, looking into his eyes. "Okay?"
"Mhm." Pavel nodded and kissed Bones, a small smile beginning to form on his face. "Okay."
"Alright." Bones smiled and gave a short kiss back. He could feel the bruise on Pavel's lower lip. "I'm so sorry." He muttered, hugging Pavel.
"Zere ees nothing you could have done." Pavel sighed. Bones shook his head and pulled back, rubbing his thumb against the cut on Pavel's face. "Ve vill be out soon." Pavel assured Bones.
"I'm hoping so." Bones nodded, taking his hand away. "Then we can get married." He smiled and Pavel smiled even brighter than Bones.
Bones looked at Pavel, the moon throwing its earthly glow on Pavel's face and body. If it weren't for the cuts and brusies, Pavel would have appeared to be an angel. That what Bones needed. An angel to keep him in check. He peered closer and saw small bags under Pavel's eyes. Sleep had evaded him. "Come on, you need sleep." He muttered, laying down with Pavel. The young boy curled up next to him, breathing on his chest. Bones wrapped his arms around Pavel and closed his eyes, feeling the cool breath against his body. Now in full comfort, Bones was able to fall asleep.
Bones woke up with the sun shining in his face. At first he was startled from waking up in a new place, but remembered that he was in his own house. He was even more comforted by the fact that Pavel was sleeping next to him. Bones groaned slightly and shifted in the bed, pulling Pavel closer. Pavel wriggled slightly, stretching his legs and yawning. Slowly opening his eyes, Pavel saw Bones next to him, sleeping soundly. Flustered by the fact that Bones had asked to marry him, Pavel's face went red just looking at him.
Craning his neck, Pavel pecked Bones on the cheek, seeing if the older man would wake up. When Bones just shifted in his sleep, Pavel creased his eyebrows with confusion. Sitting up, he leaned forward, kissing Bones' jaw over and over, moving to his cheek and then to his lips. Bones opened his eyes and saw Pavel over him, grinning when he woke up.
"You're up finally!" He exclaimed, wrapping his lanky arms around Bones. Bones smiled and hugged Pavel back.
"Now I am. You see rather…cheery." Bones observed as Pavel hugged Bones tighter.
"I eem vith you. Of course I'm happy." He murumured and pulled away from the hug. Bones looked over Pavel, the bruises still there, the cuts; pink and red and still raw. His body may have been damaged, but at least there was still a twinkle in his eyes and he still had a heart for Bones.
"I don't know how many times I might have to repeat myself, but god, I love you so much." Bones sighed and looked up at Pavel, who was smiling.
"YA lyublyu tebya." Pavel smiled, speaking Russian. Bones propped himself up on his elbows and leaned forward, kissing Pavel on the lips.
"I love it when you speak the tongue of your home country." Bones murmured.
"I love eet even more vhen you try to speak it." Pavel giggled and laid back down, rolling over and onto Bones, looking down at him, still giggling like a child.
"You know it's hard for me to get those rough words out." Bones replied, his fingers tracing down Pavel's spine. He felt the goosbumps rise on Pavel's skin. "Uh, Milyly kosti?" He asked. Pavel laughed.
"No. Zat's not eet. It's Russian, but it's not a full sentence." Pavel shook his head.
"At least I tried." Bones shrugged and smiled.
"Yes, you tried." Pavel returned the smile, giving Bones a kiss on the tip of his nose. Bones held Pavel close to him and sighed.
"This is wonderful." Bones sighed, closing his eyes. Pavel nodded as he lay against Bones. The two were very content for a long while, but it was all disrupted when they heard a stair creak outside the room.
Pavel rolled off Bones and sat up. Bones moved to sit up and looked t the door. "Jim?" He called out. There was no response. "Scotty?" Bones tried another name. Still nothing. Pavel scooted closer to Bones, worrying about who might be outside.
The air was quiet. Nothing made a sound and it was silent. Then the door swung open and both men jumped. They also both saw who was at the door. Sheriff Pike held a pair of handcuffs at the ready and a gun in his holster, that Bones was sure was loaded.
When he first broke into the room, he was only expecting to see Bones asleep, except Sheriff Pike saw Bones sitting up in the bed with his son wrapped around him. His eyes widened in shock and complete disgust.
"What the HELL IS GOING ON?!" Pike yelled, slamming the door closed. Pavel jumped and just gripped harder onto Bones. And for the first time in his life, Bones didn't know what to say.
"V-Vhat do you mean?" Pavel stuttered. Bones could feel the heat on his body and the shaking that Pavel was producing from fear.
"Why the hell is my son bedding with a FUCKING OUTLAW!?" Pike yelled, pulling out the gun with one hand, cocking it and pointing it at Bones. "This is in no way right! BOTH YOU OF YOU!" Pike shook the gun.
"Sir, please…" Bones started calmly.
"Shut the fuck up. You should be dead by now." Pike spat. "Pavel, get out of bed and come over here." He ordered, shaking the gun toward the floor. Pavel loosened his grip on Bones, but didn't move. "MOVE, you son of a bitch." Pike was relentless with his words.
"Dammit, don't talk to him like that! You have no right to be his father!" Bones retorted, holding Pavel close to him. "You bear your own son?"
"Shut up! You should-I should have killed you by now!" Pike yelled. "Son, get out of the goddamned bed." Pike rushed Pavel, setting the cuffs on the bed and held the gun steadily in both hands, trained on Bones. Pavel wanted to stay, but he knew that he had to obey his father, so he slowly climbed out of bed.
"Pasha…" Bones quietly called. Pavel didn't look back at Bones. He got up and tugged on his pants and grabbed his shirt, standing next to his father, head hung.
"Okay now you." Pike looked at Bones. "Explain. Everything."
"Your son and I are in love. That's all there is to say." Bones proudly announced. He wasn't afraid of getting shot for standing up for what he believe in. That's at least a good way he wanted to die.
"Do you know how fucking disgusting and wrong that is? Did my son ask for this? Does he even know who you are?" Pike spoke with the upmost disgust in his voice, nearly choking on his own words.
Bones was hit with every single word Pike said. But he froze when the Sheriff mentioned Bones' true background. Pavel looked up, his eyebrows creased with confusion.
"Leo…?" He asked, tilting his head. Pike smirked at Bones.
"So he doesn't know that you're a grade-A outlaw, known best for killing and robbing towns, murdering innocents while they sleep…" Pike's words were like blades, cutting through both Pavel and Bones.
"L-Leonard…please, tell me zat my fazzer ees lying. You vouldn't kill people…" Pavel asked, scared to know the truth.
"I wouldn't—" Bones started but was cut off.
"He was planning to burn the town to the ground when he came here. Kill all of us and take our money." Pike smirked and growled. Pavel gasped in horror, standing back, covering his mouth. Bones got up to reach Pavel, but Pike had his gun trained on Bones.
"Leonard…really? Would you?" Pavel asked, about to cry.
"No! Not now! I love you too much." Bones tried to stress how much he cared for Pavel. "Don't listen to your father."
Pike rolled his eyes and laughed. "You can't love my son. And my son can't love you. It's impossible."
"I can! I'm engaged to him!" Bones yelled, throwing up us hand in protest. Pike's eyes widended and he turned around to look at Pavel, seeing the matching ring on his finger.
"SON OF A BITCH. You have GOT to be kidding me!?" Pike screamed, throwing the gun to the ground and grabbed the handcuffs, walking towards Bones, grabbing his wrists, clasping the cuffs on them. Pavel wasn't sure how to react to this anymore. Had this whole week been a lie?
"You're coming down to the station with me. Jim Kirk and I are going to talk about your punishment for bedding with another man and being one of the most wanted outlaws in America." Pike muttered. Bones gave up. He gave up on everything. Running away, the marriage, Pavel. He looked up at the ceiling and begged for forgivness from his father.
"You won't punish your own son, right?" Bones asked as they left the room, with Pavel standing there, watching the man he loved so much, leave.
"He's another member of the town, I have to treat him the same." Pike grumbled and he stopped Bones at the top of the stairs, Pavel slowly trialing out behind them.
"You can't kill your own son!" Bones cried out.
"Who says so? I'm the Sheriff." Pike was smug as he swiped his leg under Bones' feet at watched the outlaw tumble down the stairs, unable to stop himself, landing hard on his side, groaning in pain.
Bones looked up at the Sheriff and saw Pavel behind him. His eyes cried out for help, but he didn't say a word. Pavel shook his head and looked away. Bones felt like crying. Everything that he had worked for…went all down the drain.
The Sheriff trotted down the stairs and roughly picked Bones up by the cuffs. Bones was yanked upwards and shoved out of his own house, past the door way and was thrown down the three wooden stairs, landing in the dirt, before a pair of feet. Straining his hurt neck, he looked up at saw Jim Kikr standing before him, arms crossed.
"Dammit." Bones whispered to himself before being dragged back onto his feet again.
"Jim, take him to the sation." Pike ordered. "I've got to get my son." Bones cringed when he said those words.
"Don't hurt him! Please! I beg of you. I'll do anything, anywhere! Please…just don't hurt him." Bones pleaded. He would have bargained his life for Pavel's, but he knew that Pike would dimiss it.
"I enjoy seeing you get what you deserve." That was all Pike said before he disappeared back into the house.
"PAVEL!" Bones screamed, writhing in the cuffs. "PAVEL, DON'T LET HIM HURT YOU!" Bones screamed and began to cry, tears falling down his face. He pulled and tugged, but Jim had him tight.
"Bones, you could have told us from the start…" Jim muttered, turning Bones away from the house, marching him through the town square.
"You all would reject me." Bones shook his head, voice hoarse from screaming.
"Well now we do. Bones, we trusted you. Pavel trust you." Jim responded.
"I've been through too much rejection to tell everyone who I was. You don't understand." Bones tried to explain. "I love him…"
"I know you do. But now you two have been caught. This is the end of the line for you and for him. You do know that Pike isn't going to show any mercy?"
"You have to convince him to let me go. Let Pavel go. Please. I beg of you. Jim…" Bones begged and pleaded.
"I can only do so much. But I'll try. Bones, I have faith in you. You're still on my good side." Jim confessed.
"Even if I was going to burn the town to the ground?" Bones asked.
"Yes. Because I know you wouldn't." Jim responded, guiding Bones towards the jailcenter.
"Then why are you taking me to jail?" Bones asked, confused and befuddled.
"Because, I don't want my head on a stick. I like you Bones, but I…I just can't save you. Not yet." Jim sighed. They walked up the stair and both of them faced the small, one room jailing center. Jim opened the door and walked Bones in.
Bones had been in these before. When he was younger and not as deadly. Both times a friend of a friend had bailed him out. This time, he was stuck unless Jim helped him out. Bones was put into the empty cell, cuff's undone and door locked. The bars were rusted and old. The keys were skeleton keys…
"Jim, I need you to do two things." Bones ran to the bars, reaching out to Jim.
"What? I can only do so much." Jim groaned and turned to Bones.
"I need you to get my shirt and my vest. And…I need you get get Pavel, bring him here." Bones was very close to getting on his knees and begging. Jim looked around the cell and then outside before leaning towards Bones.
"Fine. I'll do that." Jim nodded and left the jail. Bones was left there, sitting on the ground, thinking about where he had gone wrong. Maybe it had been from the start. Becoming a notorious outlaw, being the bad guy, not telling his new friends who he was. He had messed up bad and there was no turning back from it. He and Pavel were going to be killed and it was all his fault.
It took Jim only seconds to grab the shirt, but a little longer to convince Pavel to come out of his room and see Bones. Part of the reason was that his father and once again beaten him with out mercy and the bruises were worse. He didn't want to see anyone with those marks on his skin. The second reason was that he didn't want to speak to Bones. He had lied to him. Decieved him. He had given his virginity away to that man!
"Pavel please, Bones is literally going to die if you don't come out and talk to him." Jim spoke softly into the door.
"Nyet. I eem not coming out. He deceived me. He told me zat he loved me!" Pavel whined and began to break down, sobbing.
"He still does!" Jim reassured Pavel.
"No! He vould of told me who he vas eef he loved me!" Pavel yelled, kicking over a stool in his room.
"Pavel, I'm sure that Bones wouldn't call for you if he didn't love you." Jim tried another angle. The room was silent.
"Really? Do you zink I could ask him vhy he did't tell me?" Pavel's voice was only genuine for a second before it returned back to its spiteful tone.
"If I didn't know better, I think he was trying to protect you and he didn't want to scare you. Now, I would go talk to him before he's hung on that noose outside you house." Jim told Pavel.
"…Fine…" There was a shuffle and then the door opened, revealing Pavel's bruised face and arms. Jim was appalled.
"Jesus Christ! Kid, what happened?" Jim saw the marks and instantly herded the kid of out his room and quickly down the stairs.
"Eet vas my dad." Pavel mumbled as they hurried out of the house, while a passed out Sheriff Pike lay on the floor.
Once they were outside, Jim stopped Pavel and looked at him, getting down lower to asses the problems at hand. Bruises lined his arms, his knuckled were bloddy, his face was no longer flawless, but riddled with marks.
"We have to get you some help." Jim muttered as he straightened up, putting his hand on Pavel's back, guiding him to the jail center.
"I know…" Pavel nodded. "Do you reall zink zat Leonard loves me?"
"I would have to think so. He looked pretty torn up when you weren't there by his side this morning." Jim shrugged.
"I eem still angry at him for not telling me vhat he vas. I can't believe zat he vould burn ze town! After all ze zings ve have done for him!" Pavel scoffed.
"You've got to understand…do you remember his back story, where he came from, what happened to him? You've got to understand this man hasn't felt or been in love ever since he was a child." Jim explained.
"But vhat about his vife? Hm?" Pavel asked snarkily.
"His wife never loved him. She did it only for the money." Jim remembered when Bones had secretly spoken to him about his wife and his life with her. It was painful hearing such a strong man break.
"Oh…zen vhy vould he burn ze town?" Pavel asked.
"Because it's what he was taught to do. Fend for yourself. Be your own man. He has never settled down this long. And I'm guessing when he found you, he felt loved by someone." Jim tried to explain. Now about that, Jim wasn't sure.
"Oh…" Pavel nodded as they entered the jail center.
Bones heard the two pairs of feet enter the room. Opening his eyes, he sat up, seeing Pavel and Jim. Instantly, he stood up and ran to the bars.
"Pasha! I am so sorry I didn't tell you! I was—" Bones started.
Pavel put out his hand in a stopping motion. "Nyet. I vill not here zis from you." Then he softened. "Vhy didn't you tell me?" Pavel sounded truly heartbroken and upset.
"Beaucse…you were the only real thing I had since childhood. I was scared that if I told you, you would tell your dad, or Jim and I would be killed." Bones confessed.
"You could have left after ze first day…vhy did you stay?" Pavel asked another question. He wanted to know everything.
"Because…I didn't know what it was, but…I liked you and I wanted to stay to keep you safe." Bones told Pavel. He remembered the first time he had met Pavel. His hand had been cut on rust and he had been bleeding badly. There had been a knock at the door and Bones had asked the person to come inside.
It was a young boy. Shorter than himself, and definitely younger. The boy had honey blonde hair the curled up around the top of his head. His eyes were like…light sapphires that Bones had once stolen from a quarry down in Mexico. His skin was pale, almost tan with a smooth complexion. His lips were a young, dull pink which were pulled in a straight line. The kid wore clothes that were obviously too big for him, but they seemed to fit his certain body type.
"Who are you?" Bones asked warily after giving the boy a good look over once or twice.
"Pavel Chekov sir." The boy addressed himself formally.
It was the first time Bones had met Pavel.
"R-really? You stayed because you vanted to keep me safe? Or did you just want to keep me and use me as a hostage piece and zen kill me?!" Pavel quickly became hostile and angry.
"If I wanted to kill you, I would have done it when I first met you, in that house, alone." Bones growled, gripping the bars tightly. Pavel stepped back, eyes widended with fright.
"Y-you are not ze Leonard I know. Not ze man I vas going to get married to…" Pavel shook his head and turned around, running out the door.