A/N: Here's the last chapter! It's full of H/C and warm fluff! As a result, at times the characters MIGHT be a little OOC. But I tried to proceed logically. Thanks to Abibliophobia, Pokemon67, mtcbones, 2Trek, Minecraft Guardiansaiyan, and everyone else for reviewing! Thank you all so much! I hope you enjoy this!

It was well into the next day before all three of them found time to meet. Kirk and Spock originally planned on catching the doctor in his quarters, however agreed that that would seem like they were too pressing. Instead, they gathered in Kirk's quarters, because not everyone could stand the heat in Spock's for too long. They'd been waiting in for about ten minutes before the door buzzed and let McCoy in.

"I hope you've got your brandy, Jim, we're gonna need it." McCoy plopped down into the nearest chair as he spoke and returned Spock's look. "Well, not everyone is as objective and unemotional as you. This rattled my bones."

"Well, then let's stop them from rattling," Kirk said, grinning. "Bones."

McCoy snorted at the pun. "You and nicknames," he grumbled.

Kirk handed him glass and McCoy promptly downed it. Spock raised an eyebrow and McCoy glared at him. "I just went off-duty, and Chapel's kicked me out of Sickbay for the next six hours. I can damn well have a drink, Mr. Spock."

"I am merely observing the behavior, Doctor. I am not commenting on it."

"Good." McCoy drained some more of his glass and looked to where Kirk was sitting on another chair and Spock was standing near a wall. He waved a hand. "Sit down, Spock. You stand any straighter you're gonna break your back. Now go on, sit down. If you want me to talk you've got to sit."

Hesitantly, Spock procured another chair and sat in it. McCoy drank some more brandy, and when he was done he sighed. "Tornilv and I had met before."

When he didn't continue Kirk prompted "in Vilsa?"

He nodded slowly. "Yeah… in Vilsa." His gaze unfocused for a little bit and then he leveled a piercing blue stare at them. "Did you know Shiak was his brother?"

Kirk put the names together in his mind. "Shiak was Tornilv's brother? What, did Tornilv shoot him?"

"Yup." McCoy threw his head back and finished his brandy. "Shot him for talking too much. Just walked in, Shiak got angry, opened his mouth, and Tornilv shot him. Without so much as a warning."

Kirk could feel for him. He understood what it was like to see someone murdered in cold blood before your eyes. McCoy's compassionate nature would make it especially hard. "Why didn't you say anything, Bones?"

The doctor fixed him with a look. "I'm saying something now if you would let me finish!"

"There's more?"

"Damn right there's more!" A sprinkling of anger and distaste filtered through his words. "I'm gonna need brandy for this, Jim."

Kirk refilled his glass and McCoy drank a lot of it, slowly, before putting it down. When he swallowed his next words all came out in a rush.

"After that, Tornilv walked over to where I was shouting my head off at him because, after all, he'd just killed his own Goddamn brother! So he crouches down to me and I'm still raising all fury and talks about how he doesn't like loud people and that I'd better shut up, only I didn't, so he takes out his own gun- cuz you see he killed Shiak with a guard's gun- so he takes out his gun and then we played a few rounds of Russian Roulette." He stopped abruptly, staring into his drink.

Kirk felt his insides grow cold. "What?"

"Don't make me repeat it, Jim," McCoy said softly.

Spock leaned forward, hands pointed with the fingertips touching. "Just how many rounds did you… go through?"

McCoy thought for a moment, counting in his head. His hand automatically traveled to the various points on his person, and Kirk's guts just twisted tighter. "Four."

Four rounds? "Bones…" he trailed.

McCoy finished the rest of his brandy. "Head shot, chest, under the chin, and temple. Then something came up, I'm assuming it was the counterattack, and he had to leave. But not before he fired a fifth time resulting in a bullet."

Kirk felt himself growing angry, no longer questioning McCoy's odd behavior when he had beamed aboard. "Where did it hit?"

"The wall above me," McCoy said. "Bounced on top of my noggin." He rapped his knuckles on his skull.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Kirk asked. He felt slightly numb, and wished he had joined Bones in punching Tornilv's lights out.

"What could I say?" McCoy retorted, agitated. "I could barely think straight! My nerves were torn to shreds and I wanted some time to cool off first. But then y'all had to go around houndin' me for a damn report even though I wanted to be more clear of mind-" as always, his accent got thicker.

"Doctor," Spock said. "You performed surgery on two lieutenants after beaming back… would you not have been operating under emotional duress?"

McCoy just gaped at him. "Are you suggesting that I performed surgery while compromised?" he hissed. Before Spock could reply he continued. "Dammit, Spock, I'm a doctor! My work is what grounds me! I just had to watch a man die while being unable to do a damn thing about it- I certainly wasn't going to let that happen again! And I'll have you know that they're both back on light duty, now. I've had to work under extreme stress before, what with you two always gettin' into scrapes. This wasn't any different! Gosh, you pointy-eared bastard, first you want me to talk about what happened, then you turn it right back over saying I was performing surgery while compromised you-!" At this point Kirk was up on his feet calming the doctor's tirade.

"Bones, Bones nobody's suggesting anything," he said.

McCoy pointed around Kirk. "He is!"

"Doctor, I was merely trying to establish certain facts," Spock said.

"Any reason you wanted to be certain of that one?" he grumbled hotly. Kirk eased him back into his chair and stepped back.

"None in particular, Doctor. I am, however, constantly reevaluating your unsurpassed skill in operating under duress."

McCoy looked like he was about to say something, then shut his mouth. He turned to Kirk with wide eyes. "Jim, did he just give me a compliment?"

Kirk resisted a chuckle, but a smile reached his cheeks. "Yes, Bones, I believe he did."

McCoy huffed and grumbled something about surprising Vulcans. He then sighed. "Anyway, there you have it."

"You could've come to us sooner," Kirk said. "If you need help with anything, Spock and I are both here."

The doctor sighed again. "Thank you, Jim, but how exactly could I? It's not exactly professional to put on a report that you were just," his voice dropped to a mumble. "Plain scared."

"The matter does not need to spoken of on a professional basis," Spock said smoothly. "Jim and I are your friends."

"And there's nothing wrong with being scared," Kirk added.

McCoy studied his shoes a bit more then looked away. "Jim, I had a panic attack."

"What?" The doctor had spoken so quietly Kirk scarcely caught it. Spock's hearing picked it up right away, though.

"I had a panic attack down there. Somewhere between the third and fourth bullets." He still wasn't meeting anyone's eyes. "I don't know- it just came over me. What with Tornilv laughing and shouting 'Bang!' and the muzzle always in my face… it just suddenly happened."

Jim didn't know what to say. Yet Bones had clearly been shaken to the core. So he did the only thing he could think of.

Swiftly walking over to the forlorn doctor, he pulled him up and hugged him.

There was a muffled sound of surprise from McCoy, but Kirk didn't release his grip. Soon enough McCoy seemed to melt, releasing the built-up tension from the experience. Kirk still didn't let go and eyed where Spock was standing. A battle of silent cues and demands ensued, which resulted in Spock stepping over and, raising a very hesitant hand, awkwardly patting McCoy's shoulder.

After another moment McCoy broke free and eyed them. "Alright, that's enough sentiment. Spock? I'm sure you feel ants crawling over your skin."

Surprised, Spock looked down at his hand. McCoy waved off his confused look. "An expression, Spock. But this probably is too much emotion for your taste, I gather?"

"It is-" Spock paused. "Odd. But, beneficial." He fixed McCoy with a firm look.

McCoy just got that twinkle in his eyes. "For you and me both."

"Well, gentlemen," Kirk said, though even he was smiling. "I suppose this has been a rather productive evening. I think the best way to round it out would be to saunter over to the mess hall and enjoy a hearty meal for three."

McCoy shook his head. "As hearty as replicators can get."

"They provide the nutrition required for a healthy lifestyle," Spock commented.

"If their food is eaten," McCoy said. "Jim, I don't expect Spock to eat all the vegetables."

Kirk glanced at them sheepishly, and the three friends, feeling much better, left the room.

It's done! I've never written H/C before, so I'm curious to know how it turned out. Also, I threw in some hugs for you, Minecraft Guardiansaiyan! ;) If I have any loose ends, please let me know! Bless y'all!