2 Months, 3 Weeks

McCoy's heart thumped in his chest, and he took a deep breath to try and calm his nerves. He reached out and chimed the door. He heard the monotonous "Enter," and stepped inside. Spock was sitting at his desk, but had stopped whatever he was doing in favor of seeing who was there.

"Doctor McCoy. Are you in need of assistance?" He asked, and McCoy brought a chair over to sit across the desk from him. He wondered how to begin. Should he come right out and say it, or explain what happened? No, bluntness wouldn't get them anywhere. Spock would need a clear explanation.

"So... turns out the katra wasn't as quiet as we thought." McCoy started off, and Spock raised an eyebrow at him. Before the Vulcan could ask why, he continued talking. "It turns out that your actual DNA had been rooted inside me, and it... it mingled with my own biology. And together, they created something new... Something that wouldn't have usually been possible unless some sort of physical contact was made." He danced around the topic, and Spock's face turned dangerously serious. He decided to just come out and say it. "It's a fetus, Spock." He said quietly, looking the Vulcan dead in the eye.

Spock didn't reply for a long time; he just looked at him. McCoy almost felt like he was being scrutinized for it, but it wasn't his fault that this happened, damn it. He was about ready to yell at the man before he actually spoke. In a calmed voice, Spock said, "Then be slow to take life."

"... Huh?" McCoy said, frowning at him. What in the hell was that supposed to mean?

"It is one of Surak's teachings about the conservation and sanctity of life. You cannot return life to what you kill, so then be slow to take life. Think hard about what you may do with this child, McCoy. It is alive, and it exists within you." Spock explained, and McCoy swallowed hard. "If it were up to me, I would opt to keep the child alive. However, it is not my decision, so you may do as you see fit."

"So you don't care if I get an abortion?" McCoy asked bluntly, not caring for any of this in-between crap. He only came here to tell Spock about it, it didn't matter if the hobgoblin wanted it or not. It's not like he meant for this to happen.

"Do what you must do, Leonard." Spock said quietly, which made McCoy really try and look at him. The Vulcan seemed to look different every time he looked at him. It usually depended on the situation, really. But in that moment, Spock looked... capable. He looked caring. He looked like everything anybody could ever want. McCoy couldn't help but to wonder about what would happen if he and Spock were to become parents. No, that's not what he was here for. He came to Spock's quarters because M'Benga said that it was the right thing to do, not to wonder about what would happen if he and Spock hooked up.

"I'll take that into consideration, thanks." McCoy grumbled angrily, not knowing why he was angry at him, but angry nonetheless. He stood up, and left the room before anybody could have stopped him. He surmised that even if Spock called after him, he wouldn't stop for him. But the Vulcan said nothing, and so he left without conflict.

It was time to meet with T'Laua again, and McCoy decided that he should probably tell her the news so that she wasn't left in the dark. When he entered her bronze and gold colored quarters, he didn't sit down like he usually did. She looked up at him, no doubt wondering what the deal was.

"Thought you should know, the katra caused me to get pregnant. I'm aborting the fetus when I can. Not changing my mind. These meetings can probably end now, too, now that we know what the result of the whole katra thing is." McCoy explained quickly, and turned to leave.

"McCoy." T'Laua demanded, and he stopped at her door, expecting another philosophical Vulcan lesson on life. "You are making the correct decision." Her words shocked him, but he nodded before walking out.

That wasn't what he was expecting. Wasn't she full on Vulcanian, purged of all emotion and set on their philosophies? If the whole "life-preservation" thing was rooted into Vulcan teachings, wouldn't T'Laua be the first one to enforce that? Or did she really think that the child shouldn't be alive?

Oh well. What she believed in wasn't his problem. He was getting the abortion whether anybody liked it or not.

He walked over to Sickbay, and cornered M'Benga, ignoring any nurses that tried to greet him.

"McCoy, nice to see you." M'Benga greeted him with a gentle pat on his arm. McCoy tried not to feel a little uncomfortable with the intimate gesture as he got straight to the point.

"Talked it over with him." He grumbled quietly so that nobody else could hear it. "I'm getting the operation." M'Benga nodded, looking a little disappointed, but it wasn't going to phase McCoy.

"Alright. I'll try my best to fit you in next week, since it's quite the procedure. Are you okay with Nurse Chapel assisting? I'll brief her on the situation so that you don't have to." M'Benga replied, and McCoy nodded.

"Sounds good, thank you. A lot." He said seriously, and M'Benga's chocolatey eyes bore into his.

"It's no problem, McCoy. I'm here for you." He grinned at him and pat his arm again, and McCoy smiled back awkwardly before walking off. 'Damn that was awkward...' He thought to himself, shaking his head as he walked out of the sickbay. Hopefully M'Benga wasn't trying to be sweet on him in his 'time of need.' No, he wasn't like that. He was just a friendly doctor. McCoy needed to stop believing that anybody who was nice to him was probably interested in him. It only ever caused him issues.

Adorned with the regulation hospital gown, McCoy sprawled out on the biobed in a private operation room. M'Benga and Nurse Chapel had already scrubbed down, and we're getting everything prepared.

"Hope you know that Spock said to comm him if anything went wrong. He seems to care, even if you don't want to think so." M'Benga said, smiling down at him. McCoy only glared back.

"Are you sure about this, Doctor? It's not too late to change your mind." Chapel said with a small smile, but McCoy glared at her.

"One hundred percent sure, Nurse. Let's just get this whole thing over with." He grumbled, and she nodded at him. She put the mask over his nose and mouth, and he started counting off. "Six... five... fo..." And he was out.

... ... ...

It wasn't right...

...

He was filled with the immense feelings and thoughts of 'No, it isn't right. It must stop. I can't do this.' It was overwhelming him, his own voice screaming into his mind. 'No! Stop! I can't go through with this!'

...

"-at? Why is he waking up?"

McCoy coughed, pawing at the mask on his face. He tried opening his eyes, but everything was bright and blurry.

"Leonard, you're waking up while we're still operating. We're going to increase-"

"No..." McCoy breathed out, trying to shake his head, but he just felt so damn heavy. "Stop... stop..."

"We can't stop now, we're already IN there!"

"I'll fire you..." McCoy threatened, before everything went black again.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

McCoy took a shaky breath as soon as he woke up. It was over. The abortion was over, and he was his own single body again. He was sans fetus.

He tried to ignore the sinking feeling he had.

He blinked away the shock of brightness that made his eyes hurt, and looked around. Spock was in a chair next to him, and there was nobody else in the room. They looked at each other for a while, before McCoy spoke in a ragged voice, "Why're you here? I told you I was going to abort it, didn't I?"

"Huh, so he doesn't remember. Shit." Oh. Maybe they weren't alone. McCoy swung his head around to see M'Benga approaching them from the other side of the room. He frowned up at the other doctor.

"Remember what?" He asked, still feeling loopy from the anesthesia.

"Fascinating." Spock remarked quietly, and McCoy glared over at him.

"Damn it, someone just tell me what's goin' on. What in the hell happened?" He demanded, and Spock looked over at M'Benga. The latter gestured for the Vulcan to explain.

"Amidst the procedure, you ordered Doctor M'Benga and Nurse Chapel to cease the operation, and then threatened to fire them if they did not." Spock explained, crossing his arms. McCoy gaped at him.

"No." McCoy answered, shaking his head. But then he couldn't deny the surge of relief that went through him. He palmed at his face, groaning.

"I'll leave you two some alone time." M'Benga said, and walked swiftly out the door. McCoy dropped his hands from his face and stared at the ceiling.

"Are you unhappy with the... result?" Spock asked, and McCoy sighed.

"Yes! Maybe. I... I don't know." He said, and tried to sit up so that he could communicate better. But Spock laid a hand on his chest and gently pushed him back down.

"You need to rest. We may talk later." Spock said, and stood up. McCoy knew that he had a lot to think about, but he didn't want to think that. He didn't want to be alone with his thoughts to plague him. It was never healthy. That's why he always enjoyed Jim's company, even though it could be annoying sometimes. It kept him from his dangerous thoughts. He reached out and grabbed Spock's pinky finger, causing the Vulcan to turn and look down at him.

"Can you stay? Just for a while?" He asked, and Spock hesitated before sitting back down. McCoy breathed out in relief, and folded his hands on his stomach. At least Spock was willing to stay with him, just for now.