Morning had arrived, and Captain Kirk, Spock, and Scotty reported to the hospital early in the morning. When they arrived, Dr. Sarell was already in Dr. McCoy's room, ready to begin treatment. All three Starfleet officers stood around Dr. McCoy's bedside, as Dr. Sarell began explaining the treatment and how it would work.

Dr. Sarell picked up a syringe from a tray holding medical equipment on it. The tray sat still on Dr. McCoy's hospital tray table. Dr. Sarell flicked the needle twice then put a cap on top of the needle, as he began explaining what it was.

"What is that," Captain Kirk questioned.

"This is the first of our treatment options for Dr. McCoy's current condition. The liquid contained in here is called rhoxyribune narcastipschy." Dr. Sarell answered.

"What does it do," Scotty questioned.

"When I inject this into Leonard's spinal cord, it will travel up into his brain, destroying all the dead brain cells within his nervous system." Dr. Sarell responded.

"After that's complete, what will happen next, Doctor?" Spock questioned.

"When the vaccine has gone through and ridden Leonard's brain of the useless brain cells, we will then give him a vaccine that contains living brain cells and inject it into his spinal cord. Those will then travel to his brain, and we will see if they begin to repair damaged tissue and brain matter." Dr. Sarell answered.

"How long will this treatment last, Dr. Sarell?" Captain Kirk questioned.

"It could take up to 48 hours until it has done a complete cycle around Leonard's entire nervous system." Dr. Sarell responded.

"What happens…if the living brain cells fail to help McCoy?" Scotty questioned, worried.

"If the live brain cells cease to perform their task, then we will continue further with other treatment options available to our knowledge." Dr. Sarell answered.

"Doctor, if the live brain cells do fail to succeed in their task, approximately how many more treatment options will be left to help Dr. McCoy?" Spock questioned.

Dr. Sarell sighed.

"Not many, Mr. Spock; Leonard's condition is by far the most severe I have ever had to deal with. 75% of brain damage is more than severe to Leonard's entire body. Speech, sight, hearing, taste, feeling, emotions, motor control, many things are damaged and even less is left unharmed. It is difficult at this time to know if Leonard will respond in any shape or form to our treatments, that if all." Dr. Sarell replied.

Spock nodded.

"What do yah mean by 'not many', sir; two, four, seven?" Scotty remarked.

"I don't know for the moment, Mr. Scott. I'll know that answer, after I perform the next injection on Leonard." Dr. Sarell answered.

Scotty nodded.

"Aye, sir," Scotty softly spoke.

Dr. Sarell signaled for Spock to assist in helping him with the procedure. Spock walked over to the opposite side of Dr. McCoy's bedside and both Vulcans lifted him up, so Dr. Sarell could inject Dr. McCoy with the vaccine. After that had been completely, they both lay Dr. McCoy gently back down onto the bed.

"After 48 hours, I shall run an MRJHI on Leonard's brain." Dr. Sarell spoke.

"What is an MRJHI, Dr. Sarell?" Captain Kirk questioned.

"It is a very advanced device from what you earth men call an 'MRI'. It gives far in depth analysis on the brain for productivity, damage, and compartments that make up the brain. It will give us information on how many brain cells have been destroyed after the treatment's complete, which then I will make the correct dosage of the next vaccine to give your friend." Dr. Sarell answered.

Captain Kirk nodded.

"Thank you, Dr. Sarell," Captain Kirk answered.

Dr. Sarell nodded.

"I shall be back later this evening to check up on how the treatment's doing." Dr. Sarell commented.

Captain Kirk nodded, and Dr. Sarell left the hospital room. The three Starfleet men sat down next to Dr. McCoy and began socializing with him.

"Hey, Bones…how are you feeling, today?" Captain Kirk questioned, trying to smile.

Dr. McCoy was dead silent. The only noise that came from him was the beep from the heart monitor and the click and 'whoosh' from the ventilator.

Scotty sighed and frowned.

"I miss him, Captain," Scotty muttered.

"I miss him, too, Scotty," Captain Kirk softly answered.

"The mere fact that I have not had a quarrel with the Doctor since the accident, I find it unsettling." Spock commented.

"Miss him, too, Spock," Captain Kirk asked.

"Captain, Vulcans are not capable of missing someone, which is a human emotion. I simply acknowledge his absence in life and do not find it exactly…" Spock paused, trying to think of the correct word. "Pleasing,"

"I agree, Mr. Spock; life just doesn't feel right without Dr. McCoy in it." Scotty answered.

"We might as well just start getting used to it, men." Captain Kirk sadly, spoke.

Scotty gaped at Captain Kirk.

"Captain, what do yah mean?" Scotty gasped.

"Not even the Vulcans believe Bones has a chance of waking up." Captain Kirk answered.

"Captain, have yah gone blastin' mad?!" Scotty exclaimed.

"Have we heard one bit of good news since Bones was injured? Dr. M'Benga, Nurse Chapel, Dr. Sarell, no one believes Bones has a chance of recovering."

"Captain, if I may correct you, I believe Dr. Sarell said he did not know yet of what Dr. McCoy's chances of survival were. Until the treatment has been in effect, he can not make a prognosis of what the Doctor's future is." Spock answered.

Captain Kirk sighed and lightly bit on one of his fingers, trying not to lose it.

"I'm sorry…I'm just scared, is all." Captain Kirk sadly spoke.

"Yah never afraid, Captain," Scotty replied.

"In normal circumstances, no…but these aren't normal circumstances, Scotty…we might lose Bones." Captain Kirk quivered.

Scotty lay a gentle hand on Captain Kirk's shoulder, making Captain Kirk turn his head to Scotty.

"We've gotta stay strong, now, Captain; McCoy needs us to, now. Just think of this as a battle with the Klingons, and the Enterprise has just not found the correct tactic to use, yet." Scotty spoke.

"That is actually a very sensible analogy, Mr. Scott." Spock spoke.

"Thank yah, Mr. Spock," Scotty responded.

Spock nodded.

Captain Kirk sighed, then gave a small smile.

"Thank you, Scotty," Captain Kirk spoke, softly.

"Yah welcome, sir," Scotty answered.

Captain Kirk turned his attention back to Dr. McCoy. Captain Kirk grabbed a hold of his hand and held it tight.

"Don't worry, Bones…we're here…and we're not leaving you, either." Captain Kirk answered.