"So Len, I heard you are leaving me in charge," M'Benga said, making himself comfortable on the edge of the bed.
"Uh huh," McCoy observed himself in the mirror.
"And I am happy about the good news," M'Benga said, as McCoy zipped up his jacket. "put Christine in charge of Sick Bay," the doctor turned toward the dark man while zipping up his jeans raising a brow. "She practically runs Sick Bay while you are on the bridge 'flirting' for the sake of science."
"I don't flirt with Spock on the bridge," McCoy said. "that is unprofessional. And I don't flirt with him on the bridge! Someone has to check on their state of mind."
"Now don't use 'the watcher' excuse," M'Benga said.
"Me?" McCoy asked, insulted."Being a watcher?" he dramatically said placing a hand on his chest glaring at the resting man's direction. "A passive bystander," the white doctor folded his arms. "ya out of your mind!"
"Do I have to take out your logs to make my point?" McCoy looked caught. "You're there, every time, any time, something weird happens on the bridge or to the Enterprise. I thought you would be sick of the bridge turbulence by now but that's ridiculous that you are not admitting to what keeps you on there instead of sick bay."
"Ya know what is ridiculous?" McCoy asked.
"Try me," M'Benga said.
"This conversation," McCoy said.
M'Benga laughed.
"It is," M'Benga said. "I hope your couples therapy is fantastic." he batted his eyelashes back.
"My god, man," McCoy said. "ya lost it."
"I have not lost it," M'Benga said. "but I think you've lost your sense of belonging."
"What's that supposed to mean?" McCoy asked.
You know what I mean," M'Benga said. "full well," he placed his hands on his waist. "you never know: the next away mission someone might just put a ring on him. You know how Vulcans are when it comes to being devoted to their bondmates? No more one night stands, flings, or anything that does not mean being affectionate toward their partner."
McCoy turned toward the dark man.
"I accept that," McCoy said. "I accept that Spock and I won't share the same assignments. I accept that I won't always be there to make sure Jim lives," he sat down along where the darker man sat. He looked over toward M'Benga. "I also accept that a competent CMO will take over should Star Fleet unexpectedly reassigns me," he turned his head away for the last part. "Or should somethin' unexpected happens to me."
"But your relationship with Spock will stand the test of distances," M'Benga said.
"It will," McCoy said, light heartedly with a nod. "surely."
"That's the only thing I want for the two of you," M'Benga said. "you make quite the odd couple."
"Speakin' of odd couple," McCoy said. "ya know Scotty and Keenser are goin' to finally get married this year?"
"Yes," M'Benga said. "joyful occasion. About time."
"Yes," McCoy agreed. "about time."
"Much ado about timing," M'Benga said.
McCoy glared at first toward M'Benga then the two men bust out laughing.
"I will be back before ya know it, dumb ass," McCoy said, as their laughter ended.
M'Benga looked at him warmly.
"Don't stay too long on Fa-tuk," M'Benga said.
"I won't," McCoy said, then he stood up straightening his gray shirt. He came over to the desk taking out a necklace from the drawer. He clicked it on the back of his neck turning back toward the man. "there is nothin' worth my time stayin' down there for."
McCoy yanked the carpe diem necklace off.
McCoy slowly carved into the wood using the pyrrha necklace.
"I love my exes," McCoy's tear ducts had gone dry.
He didn't have any more tears to shed.
How long he had cried, the doctor didn't know.
And he didn't want to know about how long he had been in this box.
Alone.
"I love my best friends, I love my daughter, I love my mother, I love my co-workers," his voice was emotionally trembling with each syllable. "I love Georgia, Atlanta." McCoy cleared his throat. "I love the suburbs. I love tall sun flowers, tendin' to them, and I love the color green. I love helpin' people. I love healin' people." He chipped away text into the wood as piecesof it landed onto his shirt. If there was a chance that he wouldn't make it should he be found, let it be that he left a admission. "I love my head nurse. I hate transporters. I hate anomaly and dangerous diseases that can leave one dyin' in agony. I hate diseases that leave me unable to help people. I hate bein' unable to live life to it's fullest. I don't like bein' alone. . . I love S'chn T'gai Spock."
McCoy smacked his glowing hand against the wood making sobbing sounds with his eyes closed.
He opened his eyes then looked toward the wooden wall. McCoy felt around for the text to see where he had left off then used the glowing ball to see where he left off. He scanned for what room he had left. He wrote small, tiny letters just to not take all of the room. A Vulcan could easily spot them upon closer inspection by being knelt down toward the wood. McCoy resumed to write finishing off what he had stopped. His brain thought faster than his hand could catch up. His fingers brushed against the wood. McCoy paused, briefly, then resumed writing it. His hand ached. He wanted to move around but he just could not. And he was thirsty. McCoy briefly closed his eyes then reopened them. He slid the carpe diem necklace into his pocket once finishing the text. He saw the light beginning to sink from the top of the sphere installed into his hand. Would Spock wait for him?
Would he?
McCoy doubted that.
Why would he wait for someone as hurt as him?
The ache in his head returned as his mind came back to earlier.
Spock, McCoy cried in his mind, I am sorry.
McCoy had his arms folded set in the middle of the turbo lift dressed in dark attire consisting of a jacket, a shirt, pants, and boots. His pyyhra necklace stood out while resting on his baby smooth chest. Spock was in a blue buttoned up shirt and black long pants that nicely completed his attire going nicely with his long boots. McCoy didn't seem to be happy. Kirk let out a sigh turning in the direction of the Vulcan giving him a "this is your boyfriend" kind of expression. Spock straightened his tilted head turning in the direction of the stubborn human.
"Doctor, please come out of the turbo lift," Spock requested.
"This is a visit for you mother," Kirk said.
"Ya met her," McCoy reminded. "Once," Spock said, briefly.
"Jim has," McCoy said.
"Nice lady," Kirk said, with a fond warm smile. Spock turned his attention toward the captain.
"Explain to me why he has rescinded his decision to get off," Spock said.
"Because I am joining you two," Kirk said. "and she'll think we're boyfriends."
"We are friends," Spock said.
"Besides, I get along better with the chancellor," Kirk said. "we did eliminate their previous chancellor who was a machine five years ago. Asides to the difficulties the chancellor are having since then, well, he is still struggling to handle that issue. He'll understand the visit and emergency beam out from me. He doesn't really like you, Bones."
"What do ya expect?" McCoy asked. "I was the rat." "Bones," Kirk said. "I will be on duty as captain while you're visiting your mother."
"Preferably, I like ya to visit her just not in the same room as Spock and I because she'll jump to conclusions," McCoy said. "naturally."
"I can do that," Kirk said. "Come on, don't make me beg."
McCoy sighed rolling then stepped out of the turbo lift. The three men made their way toward the transporter room. Keenser was on duty from behind the barrier to the circular transporter padd. Kirk was in his standard yellow uniform appearing to be happy given the circumstance. McCoy,on the other hand, was grumpy by the man's side and across from him was Spock whose hands were locked behind his back. The two men boarded the transporter padd. Kirk nodded toward Keenser then they vanished in a golden haze into another scenery. They reappeared in the federation embassy. Kirk's smile grew wider and beamed even more at the sight of the dark blue man with a light blue, hairy goatee. His long dark robes was colorful with jets of unique colored designs that started beneath the long, pointy elegant neck collars.
"Chancellor Ohalis!" Kirk said. "Good to see you again." the captain walked off the transporter padd.
"As to you, Captain Kirk," Ohalis said, greeting him with a equally as welcoming smile. It looked menacing toward McCoy. "Commander Spock, and . . ." his eyes landed on the doctor stifling back a frown. "Doctor McCoy," the words were not friendly toward the human. A unhappy look was in the Fa-tukie's eyes. His bright blue eyes more fierce than Kirk's that were kind and soft as stardust. It was like a tsunami of dangerous bright flames was in his eyes. "welcome. I received your transmission. What brings you here?"
"Family matters," Kirk said. "My chief medical officer and his boyfriend are here not as officers of star fleet. Your main hospital is holding Eleanor McCoy, his mother," Ohalis's eyes light felt his heart sink as a bad feeling over took his gut. He started to regret coming to visit Eleanor. For her health and her safety. "whose quite ill and would be preferably transported back to the Enterprise if it is recommended for her recovery by her doctors. If it's clear by you and her doctors, at least."
"Yes, yes, yes," Ohalis said. "there is some paperwork for that."
"Great," Kirk said, clapping his hands together. "that'll be excellent. Where do I sign?"
"Her doctors will be there," Ohalis said. "you need to speak with them at the facility. They need to be present at the signing."
Kirk nodded.
"More the merrier," Kirk said, as McCoy took a hold on Spock's hand.
Spock sent back a wave of reassurance and comfort through the developing link that was still growing between them through the mind. Spock's fingers clenched keeping the human's fingers entangled against his palm.
"Right this way," Ohalis said. Kirk looked over toward McCoy.
"See?" Kirk said. "Smooth ride," his eyes landed on the two's then toward McCoy looking at them proudly and lovingly. He mouthed, "I'm so proud of you two!" then turned away to follow after the chancellor. Kirk walked after the shorter man. The two men followed after the captain while holding hands. No one actually paid attention to it. If any did, they mostly found that sweet than anything. But the recognition of the doctor earned spiky, furious glares. McCoy's concerns eased down for the situation. He ignored the glares aimed straight on his back. McCoy's feelings regarding the whole situation went to the back burner. The doctor felt safe alongside the Vulcan. It helped to know that he was not alone. His mind was eased off the uncomfortable feelings being in the embassy was giving him.
"I heard there's been some disappearances during the campaigning season," Kirk said.
"My opponents will be found, in due time," Ohalis said, with a nod. "only the most protected will survive."
"Shame the political climate has become this way," Kirk said. "such is life. Any investigations done to find out the culprits?"
"It's a very secretive, high profiled investigation. Discreet," Ohalis said. "surely, but slowly."
He was losing oxygen, slowly.
The glowing ball would require surgery to be taken out.
Mostly by M'Benga with his head nurse.
McCoy would need to be sedated to get it taken out. He chipped at the glass attempting to take it out. He felt the hard, stern metal surrounding the object. He felt the metal embedded into both sides of his hand. He scratched to find a weakness around it to take out the count down. His fingers scratched along the glass. The cold, hard firm metal only got scratches. How did it get put into his hand? It was a curious question. If he regulated his breathing, perhaps he'll die in his sleep rather than a painful attempt struggling to breath. A painless, short death. It was cold within the box. He missed Jim and Spock. He missed Nyota, M'Benga, and Christine. It felt like a lifetime ago that he was on a starship. Befriended aliens or fled from them on foot. The idea of aliens being real became surreal.
Like he had lived a dream. No. It was real. It had happened. They were real as the doctor was.
McCoy felt an alien like presence sweeping through his mind. It won't be the first time. Who was in his mind now? Was this really a dream? Was he really in a coma? Was he really safe? In his own bed? Was it all a nightmare? The detachment of feelings was oddly familiar. The last time that he felt emotionally detached like this telepathically were-His mind reeled coming to abrupt stop. The events of a previous away mission hit him hard. Hope grew within the man's soul, a faint glowing hope, that warmed his marriage issued southern heart. Warm feelings traveled through the man. Spock was going to find him and assure him that his mother was safe. It was a incredibly rare connection to have between a human and a Vulcan. A link that wasn't consummated normally did not allow full on conversations to occur. One would hear the others thoughts but not be able to reply. And McCoy didn't think first: he thought. Spock, McCoy's called out in his mind, Spock! SPOCK! I'M ALIVE! I'M ALIVE! I'M ALIVE!
The flicker of stray alien emotion strayed like a flickering weak flame. McCoy was giving himself a headache. A strain in his psi abilities. McCoy closed his eyes briefly opening them to his newly founded headache. Spock and Jim were going to find him soon. They weren't going to believe Ohalis. They were probably on his case searching for him. McCoy took out the pyyhra necklace that Spock had given him before the extended mission had started. He stopped his attempts to relay the communication. A alien emotion flared through the link. It was a burning, fierce flame dawned on by realization. It was a decisive, violent turn from the detachment to keep the other in check and balanced. Spock. Spock. Spock. Spock. Spock. Spock. Spock. Spock. Spock. Spock. Spock. Spock. Spock. Spock. I don't want to be alone. I don't-I miss you. I miss you. I miss you. I miss you. I miss you. I miss you. His eyes were squeezed shut focused on the weak link that he shared with the Vulcan. He repeated them in no order over and over hoping that Spock got the message.
McCoy stopped, feeling his head pounding.
McCoy had to wait until then to be found.
He was perfectly happy about that. Very.
McCoy looked back in his memories for comfort as his eyes tiredly closed.