Bones POV

When Jim came to him practically sobbing, he knew it had something to do with that damn pointy-earred Vulcan. It took three glasses of his finest bourbon to loosen the story from the man.

"I just apologized to Spock and he just left without saying anything!" Jim was almost hysterical with grief and confusion.

Bones' expression was one of parental scorn and exasperation, "Goddamn it Jim! I know you were reckless, but did you really have to do something like that? It hasn't even been a year yet!"

The vulnerable starship captain flinched at his friend's tone, "I thought it would clear the air between us!"

There was something else that Jim wasn't telling him, but he was already pushing it. He rubbed his temples and let out a sigh, he was getting too old for this.

"Jim, why?"

His distraught friend looked away and said nothing. Even though he knew he had lost, Bones stood up, yanked Jim from his seat and gripped his shoulders. Despite the demanding hold, Jim didn't look up at the searching eyes of his best friend. The notorious space captain slouching in his arms, Mr. Jim "I don't believe in no win scenarios" Kirk, was losing to an emotionless Vulcan and there was nothing he could do to help.

"Jim. Jim, look at me."

He still stared down at the floor.

"James." Bones was done playing.

Jim's head snapped up as Bones pulled him into an awkward hug. Still in shock, the emotionally defeated captain wrapped his arms around the tense doctor and soaked in the comfort his friend's arms could offer. Seeing this unusual display of desperation for affection, the Georgian doctor grit his teeth and cursed under his breath.

"Don't let this rejection business with Spock keep you from being the greatest goddamn captain in Starfleet." Even while saying what could be the most heartfelt thing Jim has ever heard him say, Bones still had a scowl on his face. He wasn't used to showing affection dammit!

But before Jim could reply, the door slid open and the very Vulcan they were talking about walked in on their little display of affection.

"Speak of the devil." Needless to say, Bones was not impressed with the unannounced interruption.

Despite the surprise and small amount of jealous anger Spock would never admit he felt, his face remained stoic and impassive. When Jim finally turned around and spotted him, he immediately dropped his arms, but Bones only tightened his hold on Jim.

"Doctor," Spock put a slight strain on Bones' title as he pointedly glared at the arms that still held onto Jim's waist. Nodding to Jim, his gaze softened, "Captain, I must speak with you."

Before Jim could speak, Bones answered for him, "Yes Mr. Spock, what is it." Jim was beginning to fidget under Spock's neutral stare.

Spock's shoulders stiffened and his eyes narrowed slightly, and Bones thought he looked about to snap in half. "I was going to ask that the captain be available for a mission briefing at 1000 hours in conference room A."

McCoy's brow furrowed, "Mission briefing? Wha-"

"You were not informed of this as it is classified." McCoy looked as though he was about to object but Spock interrupted.

"Now," Spock uncharacteristically extended one of his arm's toward Jim's empty one, but didn't touch him. Bones glared at the arm as though it was going to burst into flames somehow, but he loosened his grip around Jim nonetheless.

Before he could follow Spock though, Bones had an idea, it was crazy, but it might just work. Grabbing his forearm, Bones leaned in to Jim's ear, "I'll talk to you later, James." Jim's eyes were wide with shock and Spock's jawed tightened minutely with what Bones deduced as jealousy.

To avoid further angering the Vulcan and risking another Nero incident (there was no Sarek to be the voice of logic in Bones' little office), Bones let go of Jim and stood there staring down the Vulcan.

After a moment of tense silence hung in the room before Spock spoke again, this time to Jim, "Let us go to the conference room, Captain."

Bones once again interrupted before Jim could reply, "Alright, but I want him back as soon as it's over. Do you understand?"

The Vulcan stiffened even further as the possessive tone in the doctor's voice, "He shall return when I permit him to."

During the duration of the conversation (about him), Jim was leaning on his doctor friend in a trance but seemed to snap out of it at Spock's words. "Excuse me? When you permit me?" A look of disbelief was etched onto Jim's face.

Spock looked mildly surprised, "Of course, Captain." He then continued to stare at the baffled, agape faces of Jim and the doctor. Taking advantage of the situation, Spock grabbed Jim's bicep and pulled him out of the room just as Bones regained enough sense to spit out, "You pointy-earred bastard…"