McCoy up . . .
Losing family is the worst thing McCoy can dream of, some of his worst nightmares involve coming home ( his old home, with his ex-wife and him still married) and either his baby girl running away from him, or no one there (the empty house is the better nightmare).
The divorce and loss of his daughter almost destroyed him. Would have, if he hadn't gotten an offer from Starfleet, and a rather annoying pain in the neck hadn't saddled him with the nickname of 'Bones' and promptly become his number one patient.
Jim wasn't perfect, the man was reckless one minute, cold brutal efficiency the next, all covered with a megawatt smile, but he was a loyal friend.
Of all the deaths, curteosy of Marcus and Khan, Jim's hit him the hardest. Radiation exposure, over 200 years and there was no cure for such high exposure. Tissue would begin to break down internally, microscopically, until the effect would cascade into multiple organ failure. Once the tissue was irradiated there was no way to stop it.
The tribble (dead, poisoned, had been dead for months) started to purr and move.
No such thing as a no-win scenario.
It's morally questionable, potentially illegal, but McCoy doesn't give a damn as he bellows for a cryo-pod, because there is still a chance to save his family.
He hesitates once, as he's drawing blood from (war-criminal, prisoner) Khan.
"This is potentially illegal, immoral." What gives him the right to play God?
"So is letting a man die when you have the chance to save him, Doctor." It's the logical hobgoblin that responds, Dr. Marcus is silent, pale, starting the necessary IVs. "I will deal with the technicalities."
McCoy doesn't (can't) look at the other, and turns his full focus to Jim.
He's risking his license, his morals on a gamble, he knows Spock is risking his rank and career.
All for a friend who is as close as family . . . And who would violate any law for a friend.
Again, might come back to McCoy, later.
The nightmare McCoy mentions actually happened to someone I know- he was a pilot for an airline, and got moved from one city to another, so he rented a small apartment in the new city, and planned to live there while on call and returned home to his wife and child whenever he could. For the first couple of weeks or so, it was fine, but then he came home and his daughter shied away from him, scared because she didn't recognize him. He was really hurt by that.
He solved the problem by taking a job as a flight instructor and moving his family with him.
He's a lot like McCoy in a lot of ways.
If anyone has a request for a character, let me know, I'm open for suggestions.