-3 Months Later-
"Shit! Shit! Shit!"
"I do not see how yelling profanity helps our current situation."
"Dammit!" Jim yelled as yet another branch collided with this face.
"It makes-" Jim ducked a low lying branch, "me feel-" Jim jumped over a tree trunk "better!"
Spock did not reply but Jim could hear him running through the trees behind him.
Jim pulled out his communicator and tried not to trip as a stump came out of nowhere in front of him.
"Kirk to Enterprise! Come in! We need immediate evac! Do you copy? Scotty!"
Jim jumped over something that looked like a root.
"Aye! We copy Captain."
Jim's sigh of relief was short lived as he heard the yells getting closer to him and Spock.
"Beam us up Scotty!"
"We can't get a lock on yer location Captain."
"Shit!" Jim was starting to get tired but he pushed onward. "Any ideas Mr. Spock?" Jim yelled as he looked behind him. Spock was much closer to him than he had anticipated.
"Perhaps if we could manage to stand in one location long enough for the Enterprise to lock on to our position." Spock sounded perfectly normal. As if he was out on a causal stroll instead of running from a bunch of natives who wanted to burn them alive.
"Excellent idea Mr. Spock. But in case you haven't already noticed, they are gaining on us!" Jim took a deep breath. Running and yelling, not a good combination. He was panting and slowing down even more. With his last reserve of energy he pushed forward.
And then he felt himself yanked backwards and he fell, ungracefully, on his ass.
"Captain!"
Spock ran back to him. Jim looked behind him and saw that his gold dress had gotten snagged by some branches.
The yells were getting louder and a bullet hit a tree three feet from them. Shit.
Then without warning Spock grabbed his arm and pulled him up. Jim heard something rip as Spock pulled him toward him and picked him up like he weighed no more than a feather.
Oh hell no.
"Spock! What the hell!"
Jim could feel his face start to flush but it had nothing to do with the heat or his exhaustion.
"Spock! Put me down! I am not your damn bride!" That was clearly the wrong thing to say because immediately after the words left his mouth, Jim felt even more embarrassed and self-conscious. If that was even possible at this point.
"My apologies Captain, but I do not understand your meaning." Again, Spock's voice revealed no sign of discomfort.
"Spock - mphm!" Spock had actually put his hand over his mouth to shut him up!
"Please cease speaking Captain." Spock said in a much lower voice.
Before Jim could protest Spock made a sharp turn and jumped into a large ditch, his hand never leaving Jim's mouth.
Spock lowered him down and removed his hand from his face. Jim said nothing, finally understanding why the Vulcan had shut him up in such an 'undignified' way. The ditch was wet and the mud made it hard to balance.
They heard yelling and footsteps and Spock pushed him against the wall of the ditch. Jim tried to slow down his breathing as Spock pressed against him, trying to keep them out of sight.
After what felt like a small eternity. They heard the footsteps fade away. But they weren't safe. The natives knew they were no longer running. They had to get out of here.
Spock pulled away from Jim and they stepped away from the wall. Jim could feel the wetness from the mud on his back.
Jim looked at Spock who stared back. Jim was about to say something when his communicator went off.
"Captain! Do you copy?"
"Kirk here. Please tell me you can beam us up now!" Jim kept his voice as low as possible. Spock was still glancing around, he too was concerned one of the natives might have heard the chirp of the communicator.
"Aye Captain! We are logged on to your position and we are preparing to beam you up on your command."
Scotty's normal voice sounded significantly louder with them in the ditch. Two things happened at once, he saw Spock tense and a look of horror filled his eyes and then he felt something sting him. Spock reached out to Jim and pulled him close so that Spock was clutching his waist.
Spock yanked the communicator out of his hand. Jim turned to look at Spock with a questioning look.
"Now Mr. Scott!"
Seconds later they appeared on the transporter pad and they must have made for quite a sight of the crew's silence was anything to go by.
Spock was still holding him close. Both their hairs were a mess. Jim was covered in mud and his dress was ripped.
Jim felt cold. Jim figured it must be the rip on his dress exposing his back and part of his arm along with his current wet state.
"Dammit Jim!"
Jim looked up at Bones and tried to smile. Huh, Bones looked kind of blurry. He wiped his hand on the front of his dress to clean it off. As he brought it up to his eye he noticed a red stain on two of his fingers.
Oh.
Jim stood there paralyzed as Spock stepped away from him to let Dr. McCoy assess his injuries.
As usual Bones yelled at him for being so stupid and almost getting himself killed. Jim waved him off and told him he was fine.
After he was healed, he looked over the medical report. He'd had an bullet pierce his abdomen and he had barely felt it. Sure it was probably all the adrenaline that was going through his system when it happened. At least that is the explanation Bones gave him. Had been in this body for almost four months now and it has been full of surprises. Maybe this higher pain threshold is an added bonus?
Tired of overthinking things, Jim order the computer lights down to zero and forced himself to sleep.
They had their next assignment a week later. It was a specimen gathering mission on planet Alpha 177. It was a simple mission and Jim was ready to get off the ship but Bones didn't want Jim to be part of the landing party.
"Come on Bones, it's a simple research mission. The team is just collecting some samples."
"That's what you always say kid! And yet you somehow end up in sickbay after all your missions."
Jim looked over at Scotty manning the controls. "It's perfectly safe down there, isn't it Scotty?"
"Aye Captain!"
"See Bones! Perfectly safe!"
The sound of a hail interrupted McCoy from whatever he was going to bark back at Jim.
"Geological Technician Fisher, ready to beam up."
Jim and Bones turned around just in time to see Fisher beam up, only he wasn't materializing.
A red light on the console began to beep.
"Cadjular engagement." Scotty muttered to himself as he attempted to fix the transporter error. Surely in a matter of seconds Fisher materialized, clutching his bleeding hand. His suit was covered in a yellow ore.
"Sure, perfectly safe you said?" McCoy said with a snort.
McCoy approached Fisher to take some readings with his tricorder. "What ever is on his suit is messing up the readings but it looks like a simple cut. Head down to sickbay, Chapel will patch you up. I will be down in a few minutes to make sure non of that material on your suit is harmful."
"Thank you Doctor." Fisher hurried away just as Spock walked in holding…what Jim could only describe as a unicorn dog.
"Oh… wow." Jim cleared his throat and schooled his expression to avoid bursting out laughing.
"What the hell is that thing?" Clearly Bones had no problem expressing his opinions.
"It is a life form from the planet. We brought it aboard to examine its genetic make up."
"Oh, well carry on Mr. Spock. Please, examine away."
Spock raised his eyebrow but continued, "It was actually my intention to beam it back down to the planet. We have taken the necessary samples and it seems unnecessary to keep it from its natural environment any longer."
"Oh! I was actually on my way down to the planet." Jim smiled at Spock, avoiding Bones' glare.
"Jim-"
"Stop babying me Bones, don't you have a patient in sickbay you need to take care of."
"Fine! But I better not see your ass in sickbay anytime soon."
After McCoy left Jim stared awkwardly at Spock. "So... do you want to go down with me?"
"Actually Captain," Scotty cut in, "I am getting some weird readings, it might be best if you beamed down one at a time."
"Alright. Do you want to go first Mr. Spock?" Jim looked over at Spock, hesitant to move.
"Negative Captain. You may beam down to the planet first." The creature in Spock's arms growled but Spock paid it no attention so Jim figured it was normal.
"Thanks Spock!" Jim walked over to the transporter pad and gave Scotty a smile, "Ready to beam down Scotty."
"Aye Captain."
Scotty pushed the buttons to beam the Captain down but the same thing that had happened with Lieutenant Fisher happened again. The Captain was not fully dematerializing.
"Mr. Scott, what is happening?" Spock's tone sounded neutral but his words made it clear that he was concerned for the Captain.
"I don't know Mr. Spock. I'm trying to fix it."
Scotty clicked some buttons and stopped the beam down procedure, the Captain fully materialized on the transporter pad.
Jim reached up to touch his head and stumbled down from the transporter pad.
Spock reached out to steady him, "Captain? Are you alright?"
"I'm alright, just a little dizzy. What happened? Why am I not on the planet?"
"There seems to have been a malfunction, Captain." Scotty said from behind the controls, "I'm tryin' to fix it."
Jim nodded, "Good thing I went first and not the dog, huh?"
Spock raised his eyebrow, "The creature is not a dog Captain, it is-"
"I know Mr. Spock. I was trying to make a joke."
"I see."
Jim withdrew from Spock's steadying hand but almost fell over when he tried walking toward the door.
Spock reached out to steady him once more. "Captain, allow me to escort you down to sickbay."
"No, I'm fine. Besides, Bones will kick my ass if I show up down there. I just need to rest."
"Allow me to escort you to your quarters then."
Jim sighed, "Okay Spock. If that makes you feel better."
"Thank you Captain." Jim couldn't help the small smile that appeared on his face. He loved it when Spock humored him on things.
Spock handed the not-a-dog creature to Scotty. "Mr. Scott, if you could please beam the creature down after you have solved the transporter issue."
"Of course Mr. Spock."
Spock nodded, "Thank you." Then turned to face Jim who had been leaning against the wall, "Captain?" Jim nodded as Spock grabbed his arm.
Jim let Spock guide him out of the transporter room loving the way his hand felt against his arm and back but hating himself for it at the same time.
The Captain and Mr. Spock had just left when Scotty was finding a place to put the creature while he fixed the transporter. He found a small box and placed the animal inside.
He was about to start recalculating some formulas when the transporter seemed to have activated itself on its own and was beaming someone up.
Scotty could only stare in confusion as the figure materialized. Once it took form a couple of seconds later, Scotty gasped with disbelief.
"Captain?"
The woman who looked just like the Captain picked up her phaser and fired before Scotty could duck.
She looked over at Scotty's unconscious body. "No. But close."
She placed the phaser back into its holster and walked out of the transporter room.
Finals are over! That is all :)