Chapter 1:
It was supposed to be a simple away mission.
Data collecting and sample recovery from a recently discovered uncharted planet. The team sent down consists of Bones, Spock and lieutenant Sulu, but like usual Kirk self appointed himself for the away mission.
"Dont worry if anyone has a thing to say about me breaking protocol they can answer to me personally." Kirk flashed a smile, dazzling and charming, confident. It was hard not to feel reassured with such air of sheer confidence. "Trust me, we'll be back just in time for lunch."
From behind the transporter panel Uhura nodded smiling back at her commanding officers, clasping her hands behind her in a Spock like manner.
"Clear for transport captain."
Jim let out a huff of air, standing on the transporter pads along the with the away team he nodded back.
"Energize."
It was the last time they would see Kirk's smile before the disaster.
...
..
..
Communication was all static, lost contact until Leonard's voice came through broken and completely terrified.
"I- - -t's amn- - G- - -ORN!!"
Uhura panicked messing around with the channels, trying to get a better signal but it kept cutting out.
"Leonard! Leo, you're gonna have to repeat that—"
"Wo- - an! Can't- - ou ear! - ORN! G - - ORN!!"
Chekov at the helmet went pale. The boys eyes glassy with worry as Bones voice came through again.
"G - O - R - N!!!"
They didn't wait for the rest of the transmission. Scotty's voice patched through to the bridge.
"Get them the Hell out of their now!"
The chaotic even played out like a slow movie. Those on board the enterprise on alpha shift were in a frenzy. The whole deck in a panic when suddenly the ship jerked forwards sending the crew flying to the ground.
On the ground Uhura shared a glance with Chekhov across the room. She shook her head already know what the boy was about to do. They needed him to pilot the ship, if he left Nyota wasn't sure if she could manage alone. The boy bit his lip, messy curls falling over his face as he touched his forehead to the ground, gritting his teeth. He slammed a fist down biting at his lip before getting up on his knees looking back down at Uhura shaking his head.
"I'm, I'm going to get them put of there..."
Suddenly the boy stood up ignoring Uhura as he took off running for the transporter room.
"Pavel wait!!" But the boy didn't turn back running for the lift.
He dashed through the corridors, the damn lifts being the longest wait of the boys life. Bouncing on his heels till the doors finally opened taking him to the transporter room. Chekhov bolted for the panels shoving the ensign on shift to the ground.
"Out of my way!!"
Scotty had fled engineering in for his friends safety. Screw protocol, they had other people who could take on alpha shift. If he had heard Leonard correctly over the comms they were in far worse danger than they had ever faced before and that was including Romulans.
Now the bridge Scotty sat at the chair as acting captain. He had no idea what he was doing but being besides Uhura gave him courage. Let him pretend he wasn't cowardly like usual. Uhura's brave smile in the midst of it all was breath takingly beautiful. Dark skin almost golden with the sheen of sweat along her delicate face, the length of her legs.
Now wasn't the time.
The engineer acting captain swallowed thickly, hands gripping the arm rests of the captain's chair.
"Chekov to Bridge crew— We're gonna need some help down here!"
Nurse chapel enter the transporter room pale and clammy. Platinum blonde hair sticking to her face as she panted breathless. Whatever she had anticipated the situation to be she never could have imagined this. On the transporter pads, laying on the floor were enterprise's Captain and first officer. Bones leaned over them applying pressure to both of their wounds, one hand on Jim's neck while the other pressed into a gaping wound in Spock's chest. A mix of green and red staining his blue science shirt.
"Damn it woman! Dont just stand there, cant you see people are dying here!"
She snapped back into reality. Trembling hands unzipping the med bag hanging from her shoulder.
"Y—yes sir."
Through the mess of it all, somehow Jim managed to smile. Fingers lazily reaching out for Spock's. His pinky just barely managing to wrap around Spock's on a loose grip. Slightly in a haze, probably from loss of blood. Neither felt the growing puddle beneath them. The blending mixtures of red and green now staining the transporter pads. Nurse chapel started to sniffle, her hands completely covered in blood as she continued to try and save the commander. Leonard looked back and grew irritated. He shoved her away angrily growling as he took over for Chapel. She fell back with a whimper, wiping her tears away, smearing their blood along her face. The realization sent her into shock and she gasped looking down at her trembling hands.
Jim could feel through their bond their link was beginning to fade. No doubt Spock could feel it too but he reached out anyways. Tried to hold on through their bond.
'Spock...?'
It took a while for a response to come through and Jim almost lost hope until he felt a nudge against his mind. Warm and reassuring. If he could breath a sigh of relief he would.
'T'hy'la...'
A breath of air escaped Kirk's lips as he grinned against the pain.
'I though you'd already gone...'
'...And leave you to man the ship alone? I hardly see that as a "good" idea as you like to say.'
Spock grunted as Bones accidentally leaned over him trying to get to Kirk. The captain tried to turn his head to face Spock but it only caused the wound in his neck to gush out and Jim started to cough up more blood.
'Jim?' Spock's voice came through the connection, the concern etched in his voice.
'Aaahhh... Well shit... I guess this is actually pretty bad this time... Should've stayed on board...'
Leonard started shouting again but it muffled and sounded far away. The pressure was applied to Jim's neck uncomfortably so. Even if he wanted to push away and retaliate like usual, Jim couldn't find the strength to lift his arms anymore. Holding Spock's hand was okay for now.
Jim coughed again causing Leonard to panic. Again Kirk reached through their bond, nudging against Spock's mind. It felt so much more faded now.
'Hey Spock... If we die here... You think we'd meet again?'
'Dont talk like that. Save your strength...'
Jim pushed back, 'But if we did...'
And Spock couldn't help but give in, finger grasping around Jim's a little tighter.
'We're bonded... In this life and the next ... in any world, we'll be together.
As Jim's smile faded their hands went limp. Uhura let out a painful cry falling to her knees as she looked down at the blood dripping down the transporter pads. Scotty rushed in shortly after, eyes wild as he slid into the room almost slipping. Eyes going to Uhura first.
"Wh-what happened! What's... what's... " His voice quickly died down as he too sank to his knees. "Uhhh... oh no..."
His hands held onto Nyota's shoulders uncertain of who he was trying to reassure. Leonard sat back, body going slack uncertain of what to do. Hazel eyes glancing down at the lifeless forms of his friends. The fear and uncertainty clawed away at him. Crawling up his skin, slowly driving him insane just like the damn divorce had done before. His trembling hands reached out, hovering over the captain until he couldn't bare it any longer and he was grabbing fist fills of a bloody golden shirt.
"Jim... Damn it Jim... You can't — Dont..." he leaned forward burring his fa e in Jim's chest, muffling his desperate sobs.