Spock went to the Enterprise and went to the Bridge. Uhura was at her station already. She smiled at him as he came in. He went over to her. "There is something that I would like to discuss with you when we have time," he said.

"What is it?" Uhura asked.

"I will tell you later…over lunch."

"Okay."

Spock went on to the science station to monitor activity in the area. He was not sure why it made him nervous to think about telling Uhura about the pendant. He thought he should have told her how they found them on Altamid long ago, but he just never did.

Bones went back to the Enterprise after looking for Andrea for a whole hour. He went to the computer terminal again. "Computer, where is Andrea Farnsworth?" he asked.

"Andrea Farnsworth is on the holodeck."

Bones hurried down to the holodeck, hoping that she did not have everyone else locked out. He pressed the button to open the door, and the doors opened. As he started to go in, he still had apprehension about this thing, but he was going in anyway.

As Bones entered the holodeck, he looked around him, and realized he was in a forest. It was cool and pleasant, with birds singing and…he thought he could hear a stream. "Andrea!" he called. "Andrea!"

Just then, Andrea came from between some trees. "What are you doing here…Doctor?" she asked.

"I want to talk to you."

"About what? I don't think we have anything to discuss. Besides, I'm on a date."

Bones frowned. "A date?"

"Yes. Oh, I forgot, you didn't think anyone else would want me and I would be just sitting around waiting for you. Right?"

"Andrea, that is not true."

Andrea intended to let him know exactly how she felt, and she could not help if it hurt him. "You don't love anyone but yourself," she said.

"You know that's not the truth," Bones replied.

"Well, maybe I'll have time to talk to you later…if you even heard me say that I had the morning off. Right now, I'm spending time with someone else."

"Like who?"

"Jim West."

Bones' mouth dropped open then. "Jim West? Where is he?"

West had not wanted McCoy to know he was there, but he walked out so he could see him. He could see the anger on McCoy's face. "You have no right to be angry, Leonard," Andrea said. "Now, why don't you leave so we can get on with our program?"

"Fine," Bones replied. "That's just fine."

Bones walked out of the holodeck, and Andrea wondered if she had gone too far. Jim West just stood there. "Is that why you suddenly wanted me to join you on the holodeck?" he asked. "I don't like being used like that. I like you, Andrea, but Doctor McCoy is someone I respect."

"I don't belong to him!" Andrea declared. "I can date whomever I want, when I want. He cares nothing for me."

"You're wrong about that. It's the very opposite of that."

Andrea looked at him. "The opposite?"

"He's in love with you, and I'm not going to stand here like this, because you're in love with him too."

"No, I'm not!"

"Andrea, go to him, and you guys need to work this out. Everyone knows you two are in love with each other and you're not doing anything about it." West kissed her on the cheek. "I'll see you around."

Andrea just stood there as he left the holodeck. She just sat down beside the stream and cried. She was not sure she was in love with Leonard, and she supposed when she asked Jim West to come in there, she was just trying to prove that she was not in love with the doctor. She was tired of everyone thinking she was tied to Leonard McCoy. After a few moments, she realized someone was standing beside her. She looked up, and it was Leonard. She almost gasped and stood up. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"For the same reason that I spent all that time looking for you," Bones replied.

"What do you mean?"

"After you left the breakfast table, I…never mind. I searched for you all over the hospital ship, and I found you here."

"I didn't want you to find me!"

"I know. I am a jerk. I've been a jerk a long time, and I don't think I know how to be anything else."

"You don't have to be with me."

"I don't want to lose you, and you're right about everything. I've been ignoring you and taking you for granted. Truth is, I have definitely been afraid. I can't promise you I'll be a…" Bones could not help but remember what Spock had said about a "perfect" companion. "I don't think I could ever be a perfect companion."

"I don't think I could either," Andrea replied. "I'm too set in my ways."

"You? I'm the one who's set in my ways. I'm stubborn, and I look for everything that could go wrong."

"I'm always cleaning the sink. I just hate it when it gets dirty. I like for it to stay shiny."

"I don't know if I snore or not."

"I leave towels in the bathroom floor, and I don't wash my clothes until I have two hampers full."

"I'm probably a bed hog."

"I don't really like eating in the mess hall."

"Why?"

"I don't like eating in front of other people."

"Well, I don't particularly like it myself."

"I go to bed early."

"I toss and turn at night, and have nightmares."

"I get up during the night and eat a midnight snack."

"Sometimes when I can't sleep, I get up and exercise, or go down to the medical bay and do something."

"I leave clothes in the floor."

"Well, I'm a little old fashioned."

They just stood there and looked at each other a moment, and then grabbed each other in a passionate kiss. "I've missed you so much," Andrea whispered.

"I've missed you too," Bones replied.

They kissed again, and then heard someone come into the holodeck. "Let's go!" Andrea whispered.

They crossed the stream and ran through the forest on the other side. "Where are we going?" Bones asked.

"You'll see."

They finally came to a valley, or at least it looked like a valley, which had a waterfall and a field full of flowers. "Did you make this program?" Bones asked.

"Yes," Andrea replied. "It's one of my favorite places."

"I'm just glad we didn't run into any Klingons."

Andrea smiled as she leaned against the rock. "Leonard."

Bones looked at her. "I'm sorry that I hurt you."

"It's alright. I tried to hurt you. Stay here with me today. Neither of us has to be anywhere." She put her arms around his neck. "Don't be afraid. Let's just enjoy being together. We don't have to worry about anything."

Bones wanted to turn around and run, but he would not do it this time…

When lunch time came, Spock and Uhura went to their own quarters to have lunch together. "Now, what did you want to talk about?" Uhura asked as they sat down at the table.

"It is about something that I should have discussed with you long ago," Spock said. "The doctor insists on bringing it up every time he can."

"You mean you told the doctor about this before me? You're not having a medical problem, are you?"

"No. I have no physical ailments. This is about something that occurred on Altamid."

"Altamid? The first visit?"

"Yes." Spock paused a moment. "I am not certain how to begin."

"Spock, you're starting to worry me."

"It concerns the pendant that you wear which belonged to my mother."

Uhura touched the pendant and felt the smoothness of the stone, and it made her smile to think that he gave it to her when it belonged to his mother. She knew how much he had cared for his mother, and how much she had cared for him as well. "It is very dear to me," she said. "But what does it have to do with Altamid?"

Spock knew he would have to tell her now because he had opened up this "can of worms". He could remember Jim using that term before, and he thought he knew what he meant at this moment. "Did you ever wonder how we found your location?" he asked.

"I always assumed that Mister Scott scanned with the Franklin," Uhura said.

"He did. However, the geological layout of the planet prevented him from finding the crew."

"So…what happened?"

"I remembered that the pendant that you wear is made of a rare mineral from Vulcan."

"Yes, you told me that."

"I also remembered that Vulcaia has a distinct signature that…can be traced in very small amounts."

Uhura just sat there a moment. "What are you trying to say?" she asked.

Spock was not sure what he was trying to say. "Doctor McCoy has ceaselessly teased me about that fact since that day," he said. "And I decided to tell you so that…you will know."

Uhura could not help but laugh. "Spock, are you saying that you gave me a tracking device?" she asked.

"No, but that is what the doctor implied in front of everyone. That was not my intention. The pendant is a family heirloom that I passed on to you because of my love and affection for you."

"I know that."

"I am glad that is out in the open."

Uhura smiled. "Doctor McCoy just likes to pick on you," she said.

"I realize that," Spock replied. "He and I are two very different people. However, I know that I can trust him."

Uhura took a bite of her food and then looked at Spock. "Had you ever thought of tracking me before that day?" she asked.

Spock looked at her a moment. "No," he said.

Uhura could not help but laugh. "Oh, Spock, you are so adorable."

"I do not believe anyone has ever told me that since I was a child."

"But you are. No one else knows it but me."

"No one else should."

That evening, Bones walked into Jim's hospital room and looked at the chart again. "Well, what's the verdict?" Jim asked.

"Not much different than this morning," Bones replied. He put the chart back and walked over to the side of the bed and sat down. "How do you feel? You feeling any pain?"

"You really want to know?"

"Of course I want to know."

"I think I might die."

"Did you not tell that doctor that it was hurting?"

"I don't like that stuff. It makes me sleepy."

"Jim."

Jim shook his head. "Where have you been all day?" he asked.

Bones shifted on the bed. "Around," he said and folded his arms.

"You could have brought me something to read or…something. Carol's been busy with Alex all day. She couldn't stay in here."

"I'll get you something. What do you want? A book?"

"It would be nice."

Bones thought a moment. "I have some old books…actually paperbacks," he said. "I think I'm going to bring you one of those."

"Bones, what century were you born in?"

"This one, but I like the ones before too."

"Just get me something to do in here. How's the ship?"

"The ship is fine. Scotty's doing maintenance while we're here, and there are no ships around. Everything's quiet."

"Good. You've been awfully quiet all day. Where you been?"

"Around. What is there to do? We're at a hospital ship."

"Just around, huh?"

"Yeah." Bones stood up. "Well, I guess I'll go get you a book to read."

"Don't bring a romance novel. I am not reading romance novels."

Bones almost laughed. He had deliberately brought a romance novel once when Jim was sick, and pretended that he had gotten the wrong book.

"I saw that!" Jim said.

Bones went on out the door. Why did he have to be so secretive about his relationship with Andrea? It just made him feel self-conscious. He felt like everyone was staring at him and wondering how it was going. He could not stand that. If he told Jim, he would tease him about it…then again, he was always teasing Spock.

Jim gripped the rail of the bed he was lying on. He hated being in this place with no one he knew. He had awakened more than once dreaming that he was surrounded by Klingons, and thinking he was still in that prison. He had done his best to hide it from Bones and Spock, and even Carol. He was hoping if he read a book it would help him to feel better. His knee hurt, and it only reminded him of how it had gotten that way. He always tried to pretend he was fine when the doctor came in there. Most of the time, she did not check his vitals, but sometimes she did. She had asked him once if he was having anxiety but he had told her he was fine. He knew he was not fine.

Bones went to his quarters and opened an old trunk that he had there, which had old books in it and several other items. He looked at the books and chuckled as he thought about taking one of those romance novels to him anyway. Those had belonged to his mother, and he did not know who all before that. He looked at more of the books and chose an old Western. He thought maybe it would remind Jim of when they were in the West. He sat down and thought about that. They had not been back to Earth since then, and he just wondered what that place they had lived on looked like now. He was sure the house was not there, nor the barn, but what did it look like?

Bones closed the trunk and headed back to the hospital ship. He met Solan on his way. "Hey, how's the captain?" Solan asked.

"He's feeling a little better," Bones said. "He hates lying in that bed. I'm taking him something to read."

Solan looked at the book. "That's odd. I haven't seen one of those in a long time. You got anymore?"

"Sure. I'll let you choose one some time."

"Thanks. Tell Jim I'll be over there to see him…if I can ever stop having to crawl through the access tubes."

"Better you than me."

"Yeah, right."

Bones went on to the hospital ship and as he was about to go into Jim's room, he stopped as he saw that Jim was lying there staring out the viewport, and he distinctly saw his hand shaking as he reached for the blanket to pull it over him. Bones went on into the room. "Jim." He definitely saw that startle him, but he turned to look at him as though nothing was wrong. "I brought you a book."

"Great," Jim replied. He looked at the book. "A Western. Thanks."

Bones just watched him a moment. "You want to talk to a counselor while we're here?"

"Why?"

Bones sat down on the side of the bed. "You feeling any anxiety, depression?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because I'm your doctor…and your friend."

Jim looked at him then. "I'm fine, Bones."

"Sure you are." Bones leaned closer to him. "I know you're not fine. You were captured and tortured by those barbarians! This is me you're talking to! I know what it did to you the last time, and you can't fool me, Jim Kirk."

Jim swallowed hard. "Don't pressure me."

"I'm not pressuring you…yet."

"You can't tell me what to do."

"Oh yeah? I'm the doctor on that ship. I can relieve you or anyone else on there of duty if I think you're emotionally compromised or any other medical condition that keeps you from functioning like you need to."

"Are you threatening me?"

"No. I'm stating facts. You can't get back on that ship when you're terrified."

"I'm not terrified on my own ship!"

Bones stood up. "Maybe not, but you're gonna have to prove it."

Jim frowned as Bones walked out of the room. And then he was alone again. "Hey, Bones!" he called.

Bones came back. "What?" he asked.

Jim hesitated for a moment. "You're right."

Bones went over to the bed. "Right about what?" He could see that Jim did not want to say how he really felt. He sat down again. "Just tell me."

"I can't. I'm the captain of that ship."

"Even captains are human."

Jim was silent a few more seconds. "I've been having nightmares," he said. "And I can't stand being in here alone. I'm shaking all over half the time, and the rest of the time I want to hide. Is that crazy?"

"No, Jim. You have to talk to a counselor. No one has to know it, but you don't have to be embarrassed."

"I don't want the crew to think I'm afraid. What would it do to them to think their captain is afraid?"

"They don't have to know. That's why you go see a counselor. I'll set you up an appointment, and I'll take you down there myself when no one else is around here."

Jim was reluctant but he nodded. "I have never liked talking to counselors," he said. "Why should I want to sit and tell some stranger about my life?"

"Jim, they're just there to help you talk things out and help you make sense of it all."

"Fine."

Bones stood up. "Now, you're gonna talk to them after I get this appointment for you, aren't you?" he asked. "I'll get it for tomorrow. The sooner the better."

"Bones, can't you make them let me go to the Enterprise? We could be getting out of here, and I wouldn't have to stay here alone."

"You're not alone, Jim."

"I'm not with anyone I know. You know how many times I've been…betrayed? Kidnapped? I wish you were here to see everything they give me. I don't trust…am I losing my mind?"

"No. This is why you need to talk to somebody. You've been through a traumatic experience, but I'll be back later. I'll stay with you all night."

"Thanks."

Bones walked out of there even more troubled than he was before. He had to admit Jim had a point. They did not know everyone on this hospital ship. He shook his head. He could not let Jim make him paranoid. The people there had even taken care of Solan when he was badly injured. Bones looked around him as he walked down the corridors towards the Enterprise. He did not see anyone he knew. No wonder Jim was so apprehensive…he was helpless in there.

Bones went onto the Enterprise and went to Andrea's quarters. She smiled when she opened the door to see him. He could not help but smile himself. "I had to tell you, I'm staying over there with Jim tonight," he said.

Andrea's smile faded. "Why? Is he getting worse?"

"No." Bones looked around them to make sure no one else was hearing. "He's a little nervous over there by himself," he said quietly. "I'm taking him to a counselor tomorrow."

"Okay. Will you be busy all day?"

"I don't know. I can't leave him like that, and Carol can't stay over there with him with the little tike."

Andrea smiled and touched his cheek. "I expect to have dinner with you tomorrow night," she said.

"Don't worry."

They kissed, and then Bones walked on to his own quarters. He had to get something to do while he was over there. He would just take a book and a journal. He would write down everything that was given to Jim, and why. He did not think anyone on that ship would be trying to plot against him, but one never knew.

Bones told Spock that he was staying over there with Jim because he was nervous. "I could have a guard outside his room," Spock said.

"No, I'm just gonna stay over there and look at everything they give him," Bones replied. "Just for comfort. I'm taking him to see a counselor tomorrow, but he doesn't want anyone to know that."

"They will not hear it from me."

"Night, Spock."

"Good night, Leonard. And by the way, I told Uhura about the pendant."

"You did?" Bones asked. "What did she say?"

"She did not react in the way that you thought she would."

Bones scowled at that as Spock turned to go on his way. Bones went on back to Jim's room and sat down in the chair there in the room. "You need anything?" he asked.

"No," Jim said. "Thanks for being here."

"You're welcome, Jim."

During the night, more than one nurse came in there to see about Jim. Bones watched each of them and what they did. He wrote down what medicines they were giving and their names. He thought he was giving in to Jim's paranoia, but he did not want him lying there afraid, so he would do it anyway.