A/N: I have already decided that since this is the last go around for Collins and the crew I could not in good conscience put a predetermined limit on the length (as it worked so well last time). It will be over when the fat lady (me) sings. Bonus points to anyone who cares to name the tunes- no using the Google! I will be happy to provide hints to anyone that cares to engage in this pointless exercise. Love the reviews! Cheers!

Chapter 24- Pomp and Circumstance

By week four I was settling into the rhythm of things and was even starting to enjoy my class of fresh faced cadets who now were asking relevant and intelligent questions about ethics and the finer nuances of working with a range of issues and patients. It reminded me of why I got into the field in the first place. While their enthusiasm and optimism was refreshing, I would have been remiss in my duties if I didn't remind them that they couldn't save everyone and for the first time since it happened, I found the courage to tell others about Meyers. It was still painful to think about, but if I could impart his cautionary tale I could at least give his death some meaning.

Jim and the crew checked in from time to time, usually by direct link and it was always nice to see them on the bridge just as I would if I were there. It was funny to think that it was now my huge head on the view screen on the bridge instead of a Romulan. McCoy continued to send me short messages via PADD and I thought it at least a little strange that he was never on screen. Granted he was always in sickbay, but I would have thought he could have managed to make it to the bridge. Even Scotty made time to be there to Bowman's delight.

"Awrite, lass!" He waved cheerily standing next to Spock at his station. "Ah heard ya got in a rammie! Ah hope he looks wose'n ya!"

Spock looked sideways at him and Jim shook his head and mused, "I hope Starfleet will come out with that Universal Translator thingy soon."

"Me too." Chekov agreed. "Then I can only speak Russian and you von't make jokes about me anymore."

"Oh, that won't change." Jim promised with a decisive nod. "If not your pronunciation then something else."

I had promised Bowman that I would arrange for her to speak with Scotty if from that point on she promised to keep her gear in order and have a little courtesy regarding her bringing strays home, and Scotty saw no harm in indulging a pretty, young cadet. Uhura felt a little differently about the situation, though. They mostly chatted about warp core theory and transporter tweaks, but when Bowman laid on the hero worship a little too thick the screen abruptly went blank. A few minutes later, another link was established with Uhura on screen giving a disingenuous smile and a curt, "Sorry about that." Jim looked at her in amazement and shook his head. Even Spock was smirking as he randomly pushed buttons at his station trying to look busy.

"What a bitch." Bowman muttered as she stormed out. Uhura's eyes grew very dark as she watched her go.

I shrugged. "It was pretty heavy handed, Uhura." I chuckled. "I know you are the absolute best and you are way too good to 'accidently' lose a feed."

She smiled and her dark hair fell over her shoulder. "Even the best of us slip now and again." I laughed with her.

"Uh, Doc?" Scotty interjected. "Seein' as how that was a mite more brutal than I was expectin' do ya think ya can do me a wee favor?" He asked hopefully wiggling his fingers in anticipation.

"Brutal?" I laughed. "You talked to her for four minutes, try living with her! I suppose I do owe you because now she may keep her ducks in a row and prevent me from having to do an extra hour of drills every day. Let me guess, you want me to pick up some Scotch?"

"Aye!" He declared almost licking his lips. "Ah am runnin' a wee bit low."

"You got it, Scotty." I smiled. It was the least I could do. "Where has McCoy been?" I asked no one in particular. "I get messages from him, but I haven't seen him since last week." Like a ping pong ball, nervous glances bounced off the members of the crew back and forth until Jim finally ended it by saying, "He's good."

I looked suspiciously at them and crossed my arms. "What is wrong with him? Is he sick or hurt or something? What are you hiding? As his domestic partner I have a right to know these things."

"Nothing, I swear, Collins." Jim laughed. "You know him- this isn't really his thing." He had a point. He loved cameras almost as much as transporters. "He has mostly been in sickbay reading the PADD you got him. None of us have seen him in awhile."

I wasn't thoroughly convinced, but it did make sense. After they signed off, I sat on my cot and read through some of his old messages. "This was funny: 'He had found a Nutri-Matic machine which had provided him with a plastic cup filled with a liquid that was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea.' This Adams guy knew about replicators before they even existed!" I sorted through music files he sent and listened to a few clips. "Cast in this unlikely role, ill-equipped to act, with insufficient tact. One must put up barriers, to keep oneself intact." He had been busy sifting through the computer's vast music library to find just the right songs from the era in which I lived. "Won't you come see about me. I'll be alone, dancing- you know it baby. Tell me your troubles and doubts, giving me everything inside and out. Love's strange- so real in the dark. Think of the tender things that we were working on." That one always made me happy, but it was especially sweet coming from him.

I didn't hear from him again until the end of week 5 when he sent a short message and another song. "Hope all is well, I am sure you are doing fine. Will see you soon. 'A peace is of the nature of a conquest; for then both parties nobly are subdued, and neither party loser.' –Shakespeare (Henry IV)." I imagined the words with his accent and I read it over and again until I could hear his voice in my mind. With any luck, I would be back on the Enterprise in three weeks or so depending on where exactly they were. I guess to McCoy soon was relative. The song was a hauntingly beautiful melody I had only heard a few times before. "Sometimes when this place gets kinda empty, the sound of the breath fades with the light. I think about the loveless fascination under the Milky Way tonight." It was sad because I knew what he was getting at and he was nowhere near the Milky Way. I had to admit that as much of an aggravation he was, I missed him perhaps just a little more than the others. Of course I could have rationalized it as we worked so closely together every day that it would only be natural, but it was more than that.

I didn't hear from him again. I couldn't believe I had actually made it through and I looked forward to graduation as an Ensign as I put on my blue dress uniform I was issued. I chuckled as I thought that Pavel no longer outranked me, as if he ever felt he did… The collar was tight and itchy and I now knew why McCoy hated wearing his. By some miracle Bowman managed to get ready on time and together we walked to the parade grounds where the stands were already beginning to fill with spectators.

It was a bright, sunny day with just a hint of a breeze from the bay bringing a salty smell to the area. Bowman scanned the stands for her family and friends and located them with an enthusiastic wave. When we were ordered to fall in, I extended my hand to congratulate her, but she saluted. I smiled and returned the gesture thinking I would probably never get used to that. The newly minted officers were divided by specialty, so I went to the blue section while she walked ahead to red. We were given our placements and reminded to turn to the Grandstand and salute the Admirals as we marched past. I was near the middle of the blue section as we were arranged by class standing and I ended up getting high marks in weapons and combat training thanks to Sulu and Spock giving me a head start, and I did equally well in officer standards because I found many parallels between what was expected from a Starfleet officer and what was required by my profession. I passed the rest of the courses, but not with any stellar grades and that was fine with me considering I was thrown in with no real prior knowledge of military life. The point was I did it.

I looked over the stands and thought about all my other graduations that were attended by no one but Officer Mike. I wondered what he would think if he knew, but he was long gone and there was not one familiar face in the crowd. I marched in time with everyone else and consoled myself with the knowledge that Jim and the others would have been there if they could, but business was business. The large brass band played a cheerful tune while the sun glinted off the instruments. I remembered to salute the Grandstand full of Admirals with shiny decorations on their uniforms and looked ahead again until I reached the end of the field where red and gold uniforms had already gathered waiting on the blues. When the last row reached the finish line everyone began cheering and whistling as the Admirals said, "Congratulations to the new Starfleet Officers. May you all go forth and serve with honor, courage, and integrity to further the Federation's commitment to peace and prosperity for all."

The crowd of officers and spectators streamed toward each other and clashed as each looked for their friends and family. I hung back watching the mingled madness knowing no one would be looking for me. After a few minutes I took one last look at the parade grounds and slowly walked off alone toward the dorm hoping that Jim had sent instructions on where to hitch a ride home on the crazy intergalactic ferry system. Maybe if I was lucky there would be a message from them that would make me smile again. I stopped short when someone behind me grabbed my arm. I turned and my jaw dropped.

McCoy stood in the bright sun and saluted me smartly. "Ensign Collins-McCoy." He greeted with a smile. When I just stood there dumbfounded he chuckled and leaned in to whisper, "This is the part where you salute me and say, 'Dr. McCoy.'" I managed to salute him, but couldn't speak- I was convinced he was a mirage.

He playfully waved his hand in front of my eyes as though he were checking my vision and in my shock and joy I pulled him into a tight, enthusiastic hug. I finally choked, "But how…I thought…" as I released him and held my hands on his shoulders still regarding him with disbelief.

He gave an easy laugh and his eyes sparkled and refracted in the light. "I had a lot of time coming and it was slow, so I convinced Jim to let me off the ship for a spell." He looked around and squinted against the glare of the light off the glass and steel buildings. "Besides, someone had to come to your graduation." When all I could manage was a glowing smile, he chuckled and replied, "My pleasure, darlin'."

We walked together to the dorms. "Thanks for all those messages." I smiled, "They really helped when I was feeling down and reminded me what this was all for."

He grumbled and waved me off dismissively. "It was nothin'." He was no better at taking a compliment than he was when I first met him. "Hey, you hungry? I'll bet you are starving if they still serve the same slop they did when I was here. There is a place called Backwater Bayou just off the bay. They serve Cajun Creole and probably the closest thing to southern grub you can get here. The red beans and rice was pretty decent as I remember." The more he talked the more his southern drawl came out and I grinned broadly at the slip. The more he thought about the food from his home the more he sounded like a true country boy.

"As that is a heritage we both can appreciate, I am definitely down for some good cooking. Bring on the fried okra and cornbread!" I replied excitedly. My mouth was watering at the thought of the simple yet oh so tasty food my great-grandma used to make for me as a child when I visited her, but I had to get out of my hot and scratchy uniform first, so we went back to the room where McCoy stretched out on my cot while he glared at the slight disarray Bowman had left on her side of the room. I just knew his OCD was raging and he was suppressing the urge to clean.

"So, is this how you and Jim lived for three years?" I asked while removing a clean uniform from the closet.

He glanced around the tin can of accommodations and sighed, "Yep. Believe it or not."

"I can't actually." I yelled from the bathroom. "Seriously, 6 weeks was far too long for me. I don't know how you guys didn't kill each other let alone work on the same ship."

I peeked around the door to see him laying on his back looking at the picture he gave me. "After awhile you just work it out or stop giving a damn." He mumbled. "At least that was what we did. I just gave up all hope he would ever evolve beyond a Neanderthal, but it wasn't like I didn't get on his nerves either. Toward the end we were like two old married folks and I couldn't leave him behind, so I took him with me. Of course all the alcohol we drank greased the wheels a bit."

The door to the room opened and I heard Bowman's voice gasp, "Hey! Oh….oh God…" I emerged from the bathroom to see her pale and wide eyed staring at McCoy as though he were the boogeyman. He sat up and squinted slightly at her.

"We were just leaving." I smiled pulling on McCoy's arm for him to stand. "But I told you he wasn't 10 feet tall. See? He is just a mere mortal."

He glanced at me with a frown and returned his gaze to her to give her a quick salute. "Congratulations. You look better than you did last time I saw you."

She stood tall and retuned the gesture with just a little too much gusto and replied, "Thank you, Sir!"

He flinched just a little and scowled. "Yeah, yeah. At ease and whatever." He lazily waved his hand in her direction. It was only then that I realized that the only two people I had ever seen saluted on the ship were Jim and Spock and even they were very lax about it.

"Do you have a place to stay tonight, McCoy?" I asked turning to him with an evil grin. He picked up on my true intention and slyly said, "I just got in a few hours ago, so I haven't had a chance to make arrangements."

"Why don't you stay here?" I offered graciously. The look on Bowman's face was worth all the credits in the Universe and I knew I was being cruel but for all I had to put up with over the past 6 weeks: all the long nights in the hall because I had been locked out, all the extra drills, getting me in trouble with the administration and putting me in Jim's service- it all required one very well turned steak to the heart and I could think of nothing better than the threat of her staying in the same small quarters with McCoy.

"Well that is mighty nice of you, I think I will." He drawled looking in her direction.

She watched nervously as we left. When we sat down at the restaurant that was hobbled together to look like a shack I assured McCoy that she would be packed and gone by the time we got back. The atmosphere was very relaxed and we enjoyed zydeco and blues music played by a live band in the land of sweet tea, grits, blackened catfish, and the best bread pudding I had in a long time. We laughed and traded stories about peanut butter and banana sandwiches, spicy gumbo, fried green tomatoes, and homemade alcohol until it was late.

"We should go." He said regrettably when we were the only ones left. "We have to get an early start."

"Where are we leaving from?" I asked finishing my tea.

He sighed and frowned, immediately dampening the mood. "Collins, I didn't come here just for your graduation although I am glad I did." He burned a hole into the cypress wood table before he went on. "After you left I got a message from Jocelyn and she wanted to work out some kind of deal once and for all." He let his head fall into his hands wearily. "Now I don't know what the hell she has in mind, but I will be damned if I am going to do this from space because she will not hesitate to fuck me over the first chance she gets. Everything with her is guerilla warfare. So this is it. The end. The last time I will negotiate with her." He stated emphatically.

I twisted in my chair and stirred the remaining ice in my glass with the straw. "I hope it turns out well for you." I sincerely did for all involved. At the very least his daughter deserved some kind of stability whether he was to be in her life or not at all. To constantly be torn between the two was unfair and psychologically damaging at such a young age. "So am I to meet you somewhere or will I just see you back on the ship?"

He looked up at me with such a heartbreaking expression I was startled. "I was hoping you would go with me." He said just barely audible over the music. "This may be the one time that I really need you. I don't know what is going to happen or if I will ever see my baby girl again, but I think I could handle it better if you were there."

So that was the true reason for the Enterprise's sudden about face and this was the 'business' that Jim alluded to. And for the weeks that I never saw McCoy and only received text messages he had been traveling back to Earth. He wasn't on board at all when I last talked to the crew. No wonder they all looked so nervous when I inquired about his absence. And Jim, cunning as ever, cleverly told enough of a half truth so as to make it fly just under my lie detector radar. He wasn't being malicious, he did it to protect his friend I actually admired him for that.

I reached across the table in the dim, hazy blue light that filled the room to take his hand and nod. "Of course I will go with you." Jim protected him all the way there, now it was up to me to see him home.