After the severance. Might like to have a few last moments with him, last moments with him, last moments with him. Dimly Kirk heard McCoy contact the Bridge and tell Uhura to get Sulu, Chekov and Scotty and to come down to Sickbay as things looked bad.
No sooner had he done that than there was an unfamiliar voice, "Bridge to Captain Kirk."
Out of habit and routine Kirk reached out and flicked the switch, "Kirk here."
"This is First Officer Steven Sanchez advising you that three key personnel just left the bridge without my authorization."
First Officer? His First Officer was in the other room in a Vulcan version of hell. Kirk stopped himself as in the depths of his mind he heard a beloved baritone saying, "You are the Captain of the Enterprise, Jim. Your duty is to the ship and her crew. Do your duty." "Officer Sanchez, did they leave their stations unattended?"
"No, Sir, but they all just left."
"Did you not hear Doctor McCoy asking them to report to Sickbay?"
"Yes, but."
"As they did not leave their stations unattended and they had been summoned by the senior medical officer of this ship there is no problem. Kirk out."
The four almost bolted into McCoy's office and Kirk and McCoy saw the concern on their faces. "He is still alive but the healer and I agree he is in great pain, mental pain."
There was no mistaking the way the four of them suddenly looked at him and Kirk knew they were rightly blaming him. He wondered how they would react towards him after. No, he would deal with that later.
"Is there nay a thing we do for the lad?"
"No, Scotty, we can do nothing but the healer can ease Spock's suffering and then take him to a Vulcan sanctuary where he will be cared for in seclusion."
"How will he do that? If he eases Mister Spock's suffering why would he need to be on Wulcan?"
"He will, once the Captain agrees, perform what is called a severance which will remove from Spock's brain all memory of the Captain being anything but an officer he served under and the Captain will remember him only as an officer of this ship."
Kirk was aware of them looking at him but all he could think of was what he had done to his friend and how it was clear he had shattered what they had had. He heard again the five quick words Spock had half-whispered to him when they had beamed the two aboard and seen Officer Bennet, "Jim, do not get involved." Had Spock seen something he had missed or had the Vulcan known him so long that he knew how such an attractive woman was likely to be a major distraction?
"Would he remember the rest of us?"
"I'm not sure, Sulu." McCoy had looked at the healer, "Sir?"
"It is likely he would remember you as it would only be Captain Kirk who would have the severance. He did state that his other friends would understand."
"Captain," there was something in the tone of Uhura's voice that made Kirk look at her and he saw the doubt, the anger, and the accusation, "because of what you said to him on the bridge. You did you do this to him?"
"I'd been drugged." it sounded pathetic even to himself.
"Twas the doing of that lass, I'd bet. When she came into Engineering with ye she had a look about her that was wrong. Ye was like a lovestruck schoolboy beside her."
"So there is nothing that can be done for him, even on Wulcan?"
"No, Chekov. The healer will do the severance and take Spock back to Vulcan. He will be looked after there."
"Isn't there anything that can be done?"
McCoy saw that it all being retold had really upset his Captain and friend but also knew these people, of all the crew, had a right to know. "There are records showing that a few patients who suffered what Spock is suffering recovered after some sort of involvement of a large family. Spock was an only child."
"Captain Kirk and I thought you four would like to say your farewells to him while the Captain decides if he will grant Spock the severance he seeks."
"If he," Uhura started then paused for a moment and Kirk saw how she looked from the healer to him and then back to the healer, "If the Captain decides not to what will happen to Spock?"
"Then Spock will come with me to Vulcan to a special facility where he will remain in mental turmoil for the rest of his life."
"Isn't that his family's decision? Surely his,"
"No, wait." Kirk looked up at Uhura. "What did you just say Uhura?"
"That I thought it would be his family's decision. If Spock cannot think for himself surely it is his family's decision."
"I have been in contact with his parents and they requested I inform Captain Kirk that they will trust his decision as he most likely knows what Spock would want. Spock has asked for severance and it is up to Captain Kirk to either grant him what he has asked for or not."