Bones stood at the bars, not sure what to feel. He had just snapped at Pavel and basically told him that he would have killed him if he didn't love him. That was the wrong move on his part. Now the kid would never come back to him what so ever.
"Good going Bones. Now you'll never get the kid back." Jim shook his head, repeating the exact words that Bones had just thought. Now it was official and solid. Pavel wasn't coming back to him.
"I didn't mean to! I swear. I just…I just wanted him to know that I loved him! But I got carried away…" Bones exclaimed, wanting so bad to run after Pavel and tell him that he loved him.
"Well now you've scared him. I'm not sure if he'll come back or listen to me. Looks like you're on your own with the kid." Jim sighed, about to walk away before turning around. "Do you still want to get out of Enterprise?"
Bones thought for a moment. Did he really want to leave? He knew that he had no chance of ever finding someone like Pavel again. The kid was so rare and not many men were interested in other men. And just staying here would pain him further possibly into suicide.
"Try to get Pike to release me. Tell him I'll leave immediately." Bones huffed, retreating back to the corner of the cell. It was dark there and he felt safe and enclosed, where the world couldn't reach him.
"Okay. I'll try and convince him. It's going to be hard, you know." Jim warned.
"I know. I just want to get out of this town already." Bones shook his head, wanting all the memories to slide away. "It's going to be painful trying to forget you all."
"We're going to miss you, you know. We don't want to disappear from your memory." Jim responded softly. "Everyone is going to be…in distress. They all really like you."
"I know. Everyone except Pavel. That kid…he's going to get himself killed." Bones looked up from his corner and quickly jumped to the bars and grabbed at Jim's clothes through the bars, pulling him close. "You keep an eye on that kid. You do not let him out of your sights. Understood?" Bones ordered harshly. The inner killer was coming out in him and he wasn't going to stop it unless he knew Pavel was safe. Even if he was going to be gone, he wanted to know that Pavel would be alright without him.
"I will! I will." Jim nodded, pushing Bones off of him and patting down his rumpled clothes. "I will. Don't worry. You know…if you leave this town, you can never come back to check up on us." He mumbled.
"Never?" Bones asked. Never coming back to see how Pavel would be doing? How Scotty was doing…all his friends?
"Never. I'm sorry Bones. But…it would be risky for you to come back, if we do let you go." Jim sighed and could feel Bones' despair just coming off him in strong waves. "I'm sorry…the Sheriff would kill you on the spot."
"Fine." Bones shook his head. "Fine! Release me! Just go to Pike and release me!" Bones raised his voice and threw up his hands in protest. Jim groaned. He didn't want to see Bones leave. Not yet. Bones was too much of a good man. He just hid that behind his façade of a bad guy. He knew that Bones would never hurt anyone he loved. He watched as Bones turned around and hid in the corner.
"Okay. I'll go ask Pike." Jim turned around and headed out the door, leaving Bones by himself. By himself to think about the consequences he had made. But instead, all he could think about were the sweet times with Pavel. The first time meeting him, taking him out for shooting and fighting…their first kiss, their second kiss on the tiffany blue couch. The first time Bones had sex with Pavel and that was the same time that Pavel had lost his virginity. It was all coming, crashing down on him so heavily that it hurt his heart. Bones closed his eye and leaned his head back against the wall.
Pavel ran out of the Jail, nearly blinded by tears. The man he had loved so much, had just told him that he would have killed him in his own house. At least that all that Pavel could hear and interpret through his distressed haze. What had happened to the man that he had loved and known so dearly? The man that would never harm anyone but the people who threatened his friends? The sweet, gentle man who had made love to him in the barn? He was gone. What replaced him was a man that could easily tear Pavel apart from limb to limb, set fire to the town, destroy every life line that this town had. Strangely, Pavel still wanted to run back into the cell and tell Bones that he loved him.
Pavel walked along the edge of town, kicking dirt and rocks through his tears. He desperately wanted to see Bones and try to talk to him calmly this time, but there was something inside of him that warned Pavel to stay far away. But he liked danger…mystery…but he didn't want to risk his life, though he already had, unknowingly. Although he knew his father was ruthless and he knew that something was going to happen to him if he did go back to Bones.
"Pavel Chekov!" He heard his father call him loudly and boy did he sound angry. That could only mean one thing: His father was either on a druken rage, or Pavel was in deep trouble.
Running farther on the border, to escape the clutches of the man he had once called father, Pavel jumped over a fence and hid behind a hay bale, pulling his knees up to his chest. Hay floated up in the air along with dirt. Pavel bit his lip. He didn't want to be found by his father. That would be the end of him.
"Pavel! I swear to God, if you don't get your ass up here right now, I might actually lynch you!" Pike yelled. Pavel kept quiet and didn't make a sound, though the floating hay was irritating his nose quite awfully and he felt the tickled rise and then came the loud sneeze. Pavel bit his lip and prayed that his father didn't hear that. Lynching seemed like the most painful way of torure. But he could hear the footsteps coming closer to him and a hand grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him up.
"There you are. I was looking for you." His father's fauxly sweet voice crooned as he dragged his son out from behind the hay bale. Pavel looked at his eyes. He could see the rage and anger in his eyes.
"I-I vas taking a nap…" Pavel stuttered.
"Mhm, and I'm not going to hang you for sleeping with a man." Pike spat. "You're no longer my kin anymore. I hope you know that."
"I don't see vhy you can't just accept love ze vay eet ees!" Pavel yanked away and faced his father. He was scared of getting hit, but he wasn't scared of standing up for what he believed in, even if it killed him.
"That kind of love is wrong!" Pike retorted, slapping Pavel across the face. Pavel stood his ground, not falling over.
"But eet ees love. And zat ees all zat counts." Pavel tried not to cry as he spoke. His cheek stung and he could feel the heat rising in his chest.
"God Dammit son. You are too many levels of stupid." Pike uttered as he grabbed Pavel by the colloar of his shirt and slapped him again before dragging him off to their home.
"No! No! Let me go!" Pavel squealed and squirmed. But his father only dragged him farther and rougher. This was his end.
Bones heard the exchange between Pavel and his father. He heard the whole thing. Whether Pavel was defending him or not, he didn't know. But he did know that Pavel was finally standing up for himself, and that was good. What was painful for him was the sounds that Pavel made when Pike hit his child. They were small yelps and then, the kid would go on talking. Then he could hear Pike drag Pavel away, whom was squealing and yelling. Bones squeezed his eyes shut.
Other than the fight, nothing happened in the cell. Bones was just waiting for Jim to come back with the results of whether he was going to die in this town or set free and leave. He was fine with either option. Death would feel good like a scratch on the back. Running away would be like a pleasant scar in his mind. Bones smiled to himself, awaiting his destiny.
Thirty minutes later, Bones heard the door open and his cage door open as well. He sat up and looked at the door frame to see Sheriff Pike and Jim standing there before him.
"Yes?" Bones asked.
"Kirk here tells me you're willing to leave on your own? No hassle?" Pike asked. He seemed genuinely interested with Bones' proposal. Probably because he didn't want his son to be distracted by Bones.
"Yes sir." Bones nodded.
"And you won't came back?" Pike asked.
"…Yes sir." Bones was hesitant with that question. He wanted to come back, but knew he wouldn't be allowed.
"And when you leave, you won't speak a word to my son…" Pike's last words weren't a question, but an order. An order that would be proven hard to follow for Bones.
"Yes sir…" Boned nodded, nearly against his own will, but if he wanted to be set free, he would have to forget Pavel and the town of Enterprise.
"Good thing your friend here convinced me, or I would have had you hung. But I'll let somebody else find you." Pike sneered. "You're free to go." He stepped out of the way and let Bones through. Bones got up from the corner and walked out and barely glanced at Jim and Pike. He pushed straight through the door and towards the stables. He didn't dare look anywhere else other than his destination. Anything else would have been heart wrenching for him to see. All he saw was the dry dirt on the ground. He heard the hapy, cheery voices coming from the saloon. He could definitely heard Scotty's voice drifting through the town. Bones sighed and pushed the memories away, feeling his eyes tear up.
"Leonard!" It was a voice that Bones never would have expected to call him. Pavel's voice. "Leonard wait!" He could hear the voice coming closer. He was told not to speak to Pavel, and Bones would keep true to that word. If he wanted to forget the town and Pavel, then he would have to ignore and keep going.
"Leonard McCoy!" Pavel grabbed Bones' sleeve and pulled him back. Bones kept his eyes off of Pavel and mouth shut. "Leonard! How come you von't talk to me?" Pavel whined, tugging harder on Bones' sleeve. Bones wheeled around and held Pavel by the collar, looking him in the eyes. Which was a bad idea. Pavel's eyes were big and blue, worried and scared. He flinched away from Bones. Bones let go and straightened the kid's clothes out.
"I can't talk to you. I swore to your father that I would leave." Bones told Pavel in a hushed voice.
"But…but I need you back." Pavel whined.
"You were fine without me. You ran away from me." Bones replied angrily.
"I vas vrong!" Pavel exclaimed. When Pavel raised his voice, Bones put his hand over his mouth.
"Sh! I shouldn't even be talking to you." Bones said in a hushed voice.
"Mmf…" Pavel broke free. "I vas vrong! Please! I vant you back. Take me vith you!" Pavel cried, getting on his knees, placing his hands together. "I vant you!" He cried.
"I can't take you with me." Bones shook his head, trying to control himself. The man was close to crying.
"Vhy not?!" Pavel yelled out.
"Because your dad is watching and I told him that I wouldn't. If I did, he would come after me and kill us." Bones muttered. Pavel's eyes fell from Bones, his heart dropped.
"He's going to lock me avay on ze gallows…" Pavel muttered. Bones looked at Pavel, his head hung.
"The what?"
"Ze gallows…over zere. He said zat he ees going to lock me zere for my mistakes and sins." Pavel pointed to a wooden set up where one would put his head and wrists in, left there for humiliation.
"Is that all?" Bones asked. If that was all, then he wouldn't have to worry about Pavel getting killed by hanging.
"I do not know. He doesn't tell my anyzing beyond zat." Pavel muttered. Bones sighed, shaking as he pulled the young Russian into a hug. Tears fell down his face.
"It's been nice knowing you kid. Don't get yourself killed…or in fights." He muttered into the boy's hair. Pavel squeezed Bones tight, feeling his own tears cascade down his face.
"Da. You too Leo…You've shown me everyzing and you've given me ze vorld." Pavel blubbered through tears. Bones held Pavel tighter, only letting go when he saw the Sheriff advance out of the corner of his eye.
"I've got to go. You stay out of trouble...and take that damn ring off. You don't need it anymore." Bones ordered and he pulled his horse out of the stables, mounting it. He looked down at Pavel who was staring at his ring. He looked up at Bones.
"Nyet." Pavel shook his head.
"Kid…take it off." Bones ordered more gruffly. Pavel only smiled.
"I von't because I vant to remember you until ze day I die. You changed my life Meester McCoy." Pavel told him. Bones' heart ached and tugged.
"Don't. Don't remember me kid. It's just gonna hurt you." He shook his head and turned around, starting his horse to the edge of town. He could hear Pavel running behind him.
"I love you Leonard McCoy!" He exclaimed outloud as Bones rode off and out of Enterprise. The words stung as he left. He knew that Pavel was going to be punished for yelling that out loud, but there was nothing he could do now.
He rode out of the town, feeling his body ache and cry out for love from people already. He had never been so accepted before. He had never been engaged and in love. Bones knew that leaving would instantly put down the shield he had automatically put up on Pavel when he arrived. People would go after him even more now, knowing that he was in love with a man. Bones just hoped that Jim would keep to his word and keep Pavel out of harms way and safe.
As he rode out, he wasn't sure where to go. Usually, before he had stumbled upon Enterprise, he would have an automatic compass leading him to where he would pillage next. But now, he was lost and hopless, only the bare desert as a friend. Riding out towards the wind, Bones pulled up a bandana that he had on his neck, onto his face. The sun beat down on him and the wind blew sand and debris onto his face. He figured that he would ride until he died.
Jim walked over to Pavel and put an arm around his shoulder as the two of them watched Bones ride out of the town. Both of them felt a loss in their hearts, but the feelings were different. Jim had lost a friend and companion. Pavel had lost a friend, idol, lover and fiancée.
Pavel let tears fall down his face, hiccupping as he cried, watching the horse disappear into the dust. Bones turned into dust. Jim could feel Pavel crying on his shoulder.
"Hey, hey, Pavel. Don't cry. It's alright." That was all Jim could think to say to the hearbroken kid. He knew it wasn't going to be alright.
"No! It's not! You don't know how much he meaned to me! Now he's gone! I don't care eef he vas a killer! I loved him!" Pavel yelled at Jim through his tears. Jim saw the Sheriff move towards the two as Pavel yelled.
"Sh! Sh… Come on please. I'll bring you to my house." Jim offered.
"I vant to go to Leo's!" Pavel cried.
"Fine. Fine. Okay, let's go." Jim sighed and guided the crying boy towards the direction of Bones' old house. He saw Pike behind him, following them. That irked Jim and got on his nerves. "You go on ahead. I'll be right there." Jim told Pavel as he pushed the kid ahead and stood, waiting for the Sheriff to catch up. Pavel ran into Bones' house and slammed the door, locking it.
Jim looked at the Sheriff as he came up to Jim. "Do you need something Sheriff Pike?" Jim asked sternly, but was careful with his tone.
"I want to know where you're taking my son?" Pike asked, stopping in front of Jim, crossing his arms.
"I'm taking him a place where he won't be beat. Where he'll be safe." Jim responded.
"And where's that?"
"Bo—Leonard McCoy's old home." Jim nearly tripped over his words, but caught himself.
"I see. Do you have my permission?" Pike asked.
"I don't know. Seeing as you've disowned him, I think I can take him freely." Jim replied with attitude.
"Alright. I'll give you that. But when it's his time for the gallows, you release the little bastard." Pike growled before turning away. Jim nodded and then flipped his Sheriff off as he walked away. Man what he would do to put a bullet in Pike's head.
Jim walked back to Bones' old house, rapping on the crooked door, knocking loose spiderwebs. "Pavel, it's Jim. You're safe to come out now." He told Pavel. The poor kid's life and heart had just been ripped from him. Who knew if he was going to open up the door.
"Coming." Pavel's voice responded. Jim let out a sigh of relief as the door opened and Pavel walked away from it, leaving Jim to enter and shut ut behind him.
"I'm sorry about your loss. I really am. Bones told me to protect you. So that's what I'm going to do." Jim informed Pavel what Bones had ordered.
"So you are just going to vatch me until I die in two or so days?" Pavel responded, laying down on the couch, looking up at the ceiling. He knew his death sentence was coming and coming soon.
"Pavel, if I'm around, nothing bad is ever going to happen to you. I swear." Jim walked around the small living room, sitting on the floor next to Pavel.
"You can try all you vant, but eet vill never change that Leonard is gone forever now." Pavel mumbled as he flipped over on his stomach, muttering Russian phrases into the pillow. Jim looked at the kid and felt sorry for him. Now he was going to be in pain for the rest of his life, knowing that Bones wasn't coming back.
Khan stood on the edge of the town, leaning against a fence post, watching Bones ride away and the dust swallowing him up. Bullocks. This town's idiotic Sheriff had letten the criminal go. Khan feared that would happen. He knew he had sent his men to alert Pike about the outlaw, but he didn't think that they would release him.
Cursing to himself, he turned back towards the center of the town, ready to play king in his own personal game of chess. He needed to find Sheriff Pike first. It would be best to consult him first before making and risky moves. Khan knew for sure that he wanted to have Leonard McCoy back in Enterprise so he could take the American outlaw for himself and turn him in for the reward. But he would need the Sheriff's help to actually allow McCoy back in. How, he thought. He had a slight idea.
Khan walked to the large, mansion-esque home that Khan knew was the Sheriff's. Whether he was home or not, Khan didn't know. But he would try. He strode up the steps and and firmly rapped on the door, making sure that it was loud and heard. He waited a moment or two before a tired, grey haired, frazzled and angry man opened the door with a bottle of whiskey in his hand
"Whudda ya want?" The Sheriff slurred as he leaned against the frame of the door. Khan gave a slight smirk before speaking.
"I'm here to assis and help you." Khan responded in a matter of factly voice.
"Help me with what? I've got everything I need." Pike muttered, looking up at the tall, dark figure before him.
"I can help you with your son." He reached over and took the whiskey from Pike. "And your McCoy problem."
The sheriff looked up at the man who had just taken his drink and was now telling him that he could help Pike with his son? "What can you do about it?" Pike asked, now intrigued.
"I can kill two birds with one stone. I can kill them both your son and McCoy without any hassle. Then, you won't ever have to worry about either of them bothering your small, quaint town." Khan smiled as he spoke. His idea was ingenious.
Pike hesitate for a moment. "Okay…I'll listen. How does it work?" He asked.
"I can't tell you everything, but I'll let you know that I need McCoy back in town. And I'm going to need to take your son hostage and just…I don't know, toture him a bit to get McCoy." Khan shrugged.
"Do whatever you want. Just rid my town of those two. I would be greatful." Pike sighed.
"Of course. Thank you for your time Sheriff." Khan nodded and walked off the steps of the house, looking towards McCoy's old home, where he knew Pavel stayed.