Author's Notes:

This is my second Spones fic, love the dynamic between these two on TOS.

As always, I've been very inspired by the existing works for this pairing, and I hope you enjoy :)

Following their latest away mission, Spock had elected to convalesce in his quarters. As he went through his normal routine, half-hidden within a shroud of Vulcan incense, he hit an unexpected snag. Despite his best efforts, he was unable to reach the proper state required for meditative self-healing. His ordered thoughts couldn't reconcile what he knew against what had occurred.

Spock searched his memories, a bloom of gastric discomfort the only hint of his unease. Had he been without logic, it could be cause for concern, however, he'd long since mastered such inconsequential feelings. He was decidedly not deflecting his rejection inwards and cursing his own foolishness in the face of this betrayal. Neither was this the inevitable outcome his father predicted when he joined Starfleet. No, such things were irrelevant and held no power over him.

Despite Spock's stoic exterior, he raised the lights 15% and reached for the nearest PADD. As a man of science, he didn't shy from discovery just because the subject matter was uncomfortable. Reluctantly taking an antiacid as his pain continued, Spock compiled a list of his recent trips to sickbay alongside each course of treatment he'd been prescribed. He was thorough and methodical, ensuring that nothing was too small as to be overlooked or discounted from his assessment. Once he'd matched the emerging pattern of events with his hypothesis, rest came more swiftly.

After a fortnight spent checking security footage, interviewing colleagues, and reanalysing his personal logs, Spock had been forced to draw a startling conclusion: the Doctor was failing in his duty as Enterprises' Chief Medical Officer. The aberrations he'd identified were thankfully isolated to him and him alone. Overall, the rest of the crew seemed satisfied with their doctor's methods. His being singled out was unusual, but not without precedent. As the first Vulcan-Human hybrid, Spock had been faced with racism, bigotry, discrimination and suspicion for most of his life. However, this was the first time since his youth that he'd been caught so off guard by it. Perhaps the individual in question, and not their actions, was what bothered him?

The entire crew were aware of the unshakable friendship between Jim Kirk and Leonard McCoy, and Spock was no exception. The captain regularly allowed "Bones" to break protocol, laughing off his misdemeanours while failing to report them. Jim had been quick to dismiss any of Spock's prior complaints about the Doctor, insisting that the man knew what he was doing and that there wasn't a finer medical practitioner within 1,000 lightyears. Begrudgingly, the more time he spent with Dr McCoy, the more he'd found that despite his irregular manner- Leonard Mccoy was the best healer Spock had encountered. With that in mind, he'd followed Kirk's lead and formed a tentative working relationship with the Doctor.

Spock had been under the impression that their professional respect was mutual. He'd assumed all of McCoy's illogical outbursts and insults weren't serious, just part of his expressive demeanour. In light of recent observations, he was forced to consider the alternative, that they instead revealed a deep-rooted intolerance towards those of non-human physiology. Obligated to escalate his concerns via the chain of command, he arranged a meeting with the captain to discuss his findings.

- - - Kirk's Ready Room

"Let me get this straight Spock, so that we understand each other… You're concerned Bones has been negligent in his work because you've been feeling too well?"

Spock held Kirk's startled gaze and nodded the affirmative, hands clasped behind his back. "I believe the facts speak for themselves."

Captain Kirk was incredulous. "But that doesn't make any sense! I can't write up a CMO because one of his patients is recovering better than they expected. Surely, that means that they're doing a dammed good job?"

Spock paused to choose his words carefully; Jim had taken his allegations seriously and reviewed his evidence before passing judgement. Not wanting to misrepresent the scale of the problem, he endeavoured to explain the background context more clearly. "My unusual genetics mean that I react differently to common vaccinations and treatments, often leaving me with temporary nausea, headaches, light sensitivity etc when human or full-blooded Vulcan patients would be unaffected. Starfleet remedies and inoculations are something I have endured many times over the years and my sudden and inexplicable lack of symptoms is cause for concern. Even the more minor side effects have not occurred for months, which supports the conclusion that I am not being given the correct medications. Or, that the administered dosages are not adequate for my stature and metabolism."

Jim was dumbfounded, Spock had put a lot of work into this presentation and his decision to approach him privately before confronting Bones showed how worried his first officer was. The accusations went far beyond their usual bickering and name calling. Kirk sighed deeply, somewhat defeated. "I won't act on this yet. I've heard what you've said here today, and I'll be keeping an eye on the situation. My recommendation to you would be to check your medical files and ask the Doctor about your concerns directly. I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation for this."

Spock raised a pointed brow. "Acceptable, Captain. However, I require your assistance in examining my file. The record has been sealed and my access code is not enough to bypass the Doctor's algorithm... Yet another incongruity."

Jim's mouth dropped open; this really wasn't looking good. Through his control panel he opened the staff physio files and was surprised that he didn't have access to Spock's folder either. It seemed that Bones had used his highest medical override to give the half-Vulcan's records the maximum level of security, which exceeded even the captain's authority.

Steeling himself, Jim attempted to hide his dismay and returned his attention to his first officer. "This proves nothing, Spock. Speak to him first and… if you still want to take this further, let me know and I will start the necessary preparations. Just… keep me advised."

As Spock left his office, Kirk ran a hand down his face wondering what sort of mess his old friend had gotten himself into. Bones was a lot of things, but he always put his patients first; no matter what. He'd never once had cause to question that core belief. Until today, he thought guiltily.

- - - .

Leonard McCoy was at the tail end of another busy week, nothing beyond the normal mayhem aboard the flagship but he was still looking forward to the approaching shift change. At times he regretted signing up for such a long-haul mission, cursing Jim frequently for the invitation, but he had to admit that it had brought an array of fascinating and rewarding medical work he wouldn't have gotten anywhere else.

A security prompt suddenly illuminated the console, jolting Leonard from his slumped position at his desk. Recognising the message, he noted that this was the third time in as many days. He'd been forced to create the alert after catching people snooping where they shouldn't, programming a notification whenever an unauthorised attempt was made to read Spock's records. Odd, there were no nosey scientists or top brass on board currently, nor were there any political visitors that would be looking to compromise the formidable first officer, so just who was trying to break his seal?

Confidentiality and professional discretion were ardently upheld within McCoy's team, counting double for the half-Vulcan whose medical entries outnumbered everyone else's combined. The nurses thought it was sweet how protective he was, he'd grown accustomed to their shared looks and warm smiles whenever one of them requested permission to access to Spock's information. They could giggle all they wanted; he'd do the same for any personnel under his care.

Frowning, McCoy cancelled the alarm and waited to see if it sounded again. It could be a simple malfunction within the internal security grid. Annoying, but not too serious. When no further messages presented themselves, he shrugged and put it aside for another day. There was no need to bother Scotty at this time of night. Deciding to just let things tick along, he finished up the last of his reports.

As a precautionary measure, before signing off completely, Leonard double checked the daily accident logs for mentions of Spock. Finding none, he was reassured there hadn't been any recent mishaps that needed his attention. Although, the dammed Hobgoblin had a knack for putting himself in harm's way.

Leonard would bet good money that Spock was oblivious to the pressure and chaotic guesswork his staff went through whenever they had to patch him back together. Half the time they were going in blind and just making things up as they went along. It took a toll on all of them, collectively holding their breath each time a new complication arose, or a situation got out of hand. Nurse Chapel, in particular, had taken to fussing over Spock like a worried mother hen whenever he was within her reach. Also, despite Mbenga's previous experience on Vulcan, Leonard's staff still looked to him for answers when it came to Spock. The man's unusual traits were so far removed from the norm that his instincts and quick-thinking were often the only thing keeping the half-Vulcan in the land of the living. Spock's close calls were the root of his recurring migraines and more than a few sleepless nights. McCoy's tension was often only released when he got to vent his frustrations on the bridge, allowing him to finally wipe the memories of endless green blood from his mind.

Repeated public arguments with Spock had fuelled rumours that Leonard was "obsessing" over the first officer, both during work hours and in his free time, which was only partially true. He'd actually begun a personal study project, which was perfectly legitimate thank you very much. Was it a crime to try and understand his most complex patient a little better? He'd always enjoyed a good puzzle.

Regardless, what he did whilst off-duty was his business. It wasn't as though he was hurting anyone.