A/N:
This is the last chapter of Fresh Adjustments. Thank you for reading and a special thanks for those who left a review, followed the story, or gave this story a fav. Or subscribed to this story, left comments, and left kudos. There will be a sequel to this story entitled Fresh Developments. That work will be posted on Fanfiction and AO3 soon.
Chapter Six
Stardate 2266.188
McCoy stood near one of the walls and looked out over the room. Nurse Dominique and S'nell had organized this farewell party to send off the crew of the Enterprise A on their next five year mission. That mission would begin tomorrow morning. Most of the people in the room now he recognized by sight if not by name or rank.
The new nurse in his med bay, Nurse Robson, currently talked to Nurse Dominique. His new assistant CMO was none other then Christine Chapel who was now a Doctor. He had worked with Doctor Chapel well enough when she was a nurse so McCoy didn't envision any problems with her. Yeoman Rand was back on the ship though now she was a Petty Officer and had taken transporter training to replace Ensign Dennis. There was another new transporter technician, Petty Officer Lopez who replaced Ensign Henderson. Ensign Wong's replacement in the botany department was Ensign Varga. The new chief of security Lieutenant Commander Umal had a new second in command Lieutenant Gabor. The navigator who had replaced Lieutenant Yates was Lieutenant Aiza. The physicist who replaced Ensign Harper was Lieutenant Anker. Time would only tell how these new additions would fit into the crew.
The biggest surprise when it came to the crew for this five year mission was the news six weeks after Spock and Lieutenant Commander Uhura's recent pon farr on New Vulcan. Lieutenant Commander Uhura had fainted during a meeting with her fellow linguists. A subsequent medical exam had revealed that she was pregnant as the strong hormones of the pon farr had overridden her mandatory birth control hyposprays. As a result of this news Spock and Lieutenant Commander Uhura had decided they would both remain on Earth based positions until their child was grown. Although McCoy would miss both of them on the ship he knew Jim would miss them both even more.
The replacement chief communications officer was a female Caitain by the name of Lieutenant M'Ress. Given how easily she talked with Jim at the moment McCoy thought the two of them would get along just fine. As for the new Commander of the Enterprise A he was a Denobulan by the name of Dh'lar who happened to be an exobiologist. Spock had said that his research was intelligent which was quite a high compliment considering the source. Right now Commander Dh'lar talked with Lieutenant Sulu.
"Come and mingle Bones." urged Jim who had appeared at his side while he had been thinking. McCoy turned to look at him.
"I'm fine Jim. Just because I'm standing by myself doesn't mean that I'm anti-social." he protested.
"All right. You know, I hope that having Doctor Chapel on board won't be weird. She's clearly moved on and so have I. But I just hope we can both be professional." Jim admitted.
"Just remember that she's married now and things will be fine." advised McCoy.
"Don't worry Bones. I plan on being professional with all of the crew this time around." Jim assured him.
"Glad to hear it. Speaking of the crew what do you think of the new additions?" McCoy wondered.
"Well, I didn't spend much time with Lieutenant Gabor, Lieutenant Anker, or Lieutenant Aiza so it's too early to say how they will fit into the crew. Ensign Varga seemed nice and Petty Officer Lopez had a good sense of humour. Lieutenant M'Ress certainly seemed to know what she's talking about. I can see why Lieutenant Commander Uhura recommended her. I haven't talked to Nurse Robson so far though I'm sure if there is a problem with her then you'll let me know. As for Commander Dh'lar he is certainly much more outgoing then Spock." Jim remarked.
"I'll say." McCoy remarked as he observed Commander Dh'lar who now talked with S'nell. Both of them seemed quite animated in their discussion. The last time McCoy had seen S'nell this animated was when she talked about one of her research projects on the Enterprise. He understood some of what S'nell talked about when it came to her research though not all of it. He frowned slightly when he saw Commander Dh'lar make a point with one of his arms which caused S'nell to smile at him. Why didn't she smile like that around him, McCoy wondered. Then he realized he had no right to be thinking about that question.
"Jealous Bones?" wondered Jim quietly. McCoy looked away for a moment rather then answer that. S'nell had every right to talk to anyone she wanted about anything she wished. He certainly had no right to demand otherwise. An elbow to his ribs from Jim several minutes later caused him to look up in enough time to see S'nell as she walked toward the two of them.
"Good evening Kirk, Doctor McCoy. Doctor McCoy may I talk to you privately?" S'nell said.
"Sure. Excuse us Jim." McCoy replied. Jim nodded and the two of them turned to walk away from the crowd. McCoy followed S'nell into another room down the hall and then closed the door behind him before he spoke again.
"What is this about S'nell?" he continued.
"I wanted to ask you something in private." she stated as she looked at his right shoulder.
"Go ahead." McCoy urged her. She nodded then took a deep breath.
"This is a very personal question but I'd appreciate an honest answer. Do you still love Natira?" S'nell wondered. McCoy raised an eyebrow at the unexpected question as he wasn't sure why she wanted to talk about his late wife.
"There's a part of me that will always remember Natira. I don't regret the time we had together and I've accepted her death. At the time of her death and for weeks afterwards I couldn't even contemplate the possibility of moving on. But lately I've realized that I have to." McCoy admitted.
"I see. Have you ever considered having another romantic relationship with a woman?" S'nell asked. McCoy took a deep breath then walked closer to her. It was now or never, he thought. He placed his right hand on her right shoulder which caused S'nell to raise her head and look him in the eyes.
"Only with you S'nell. But do you still want to have a romantic relationship with me?" McCoy wondered.
"Yes." S'nell confirmed. McCoy smiled at that and she returned his smile.
"Well in that case call me Leonard when we're alone. Though I tend to date first before doing anything physical." McCoy stated.
"I must admit that I tend to do the opposite. Though I certainly would like to spend time in private with you, there is no need for flowers, chocolate, alcohol, or for you to act differently around me. I've always preferred flowers in their natural setting rather then in a lab or a bouquet. As an Andorian chocolate is poisonous to me. While I like alcohol I have a low tolerance for it. When it comes to you acting differently because we are now romantically involved, please do not do so. I've never liked the Human need to try and impress someone by pretending to be someone they are not in the hope that will keep them together as a couple. That facade never lasts and just causes pain in the end. Instead I would like honesty from you and will do my best to be honest with you in return. I don't need a man to complete me. But wanting one in my life is different and I want you in every sense of the word Leonard." S'nell explained.
"Well, I don't need a woman to complete me. Though I want you in my life too S'nell. But as I've never been with an Andorian before can we go slowly?" McCoy responded.
"I can agree to that considering that I've never been involved with a Human before." S'nell consented.
"Look, I'm clean sexually but nothing in that department has to happen tonight. I don't want to rush this relationship S'nell. There's no need to act like a horse just out of the gate of the Kentucky Derby." McCoy told her.
"I am also healthy and have kept up all my hyposprays. I appreciate that you wish to go slowly as we should get to know each other better. But I would certainly not object to kissing you right now." S'nell stated.
"OK." agreed McCoy as he placed both of his hands at her waist. Her own arms wrapped around his back. S'nell lifted her face toward his and McCoy slowly lowered his lips towards hers. Their kiss began as a gentle and exploratory one as he had no desire to remind S'nell of the harsh kiss of his transporter duplicate. But their kiss quickly became more passionate when S'nell moved her hands up his back to his shoulders. When she did so McCoy pulled her flush against him. A moment later her arms tightened around him and her hands pressed firmly into his shoulders. All of his long repressed desire and admiration for S'nell found an outlet now in their kiss. S'nell didn't hold back either as she matched his ardor. Eventually they separated for air. Their foreheads touched as they both panted for breath. Her arms loosened slightly around McCoy but she didn't step away from him.
"Take care of yourself during this mission Leonard. I'll be waiting for your return." S'nell told him.
"I'll do my best to come back to you safe and sound but both of us know how dangerous space is." he warned her. Her antenna moved forward as if in agreement. A moment later McCoy moved his head and kissed S'nell again. Unlike the passionate urgency of their first kiss this time felt like a tender farewell between them. They reluctantly separated for air.
"As much as I would like to remain in your arms, we should rejoin the others before they begin to speculate about what we have discussed privately." S'nell suggested. McCoy nodded in agreement and then watched as S'nell left the room. Once he got his arousal under control McCoy rejoined the party. It was hard not to touch S'nell for the rest of the party but somehow he managed it. Damn, he'd really miss S'nell on this upcoming five year mission, McCoy realized.