Prime Universe

Jim passed a book from one hand to the other, giving crewmembers a smile as he walked by. The sickbay was nearly empty when he walked in. There was one crewman who Doctor McCoy was tending to, and that left an open path to the more secluded part, where their guest was staying. Knowing that Bones would stop him from entering, he walked into the room quickly, not wanting to alert his friend that he was visiting Bone's counterpart. As he walked in, he saw the other McCoy, Leonard, getting onto his feet, Nurse Chapel hovering over him as if he might fall.

Spock had proposed that they call this other McCoy "Leonard", as his given name was less commonly used aboard the Enterprise. He hoped that this other doctor was okay with it, yet he believed that he would be.

He hoped that Leonard would get used to life here, no matter how awkward it was. Spock assumed that it would take some time to get Leonard home, and with all of the Starfleet missions they had to complete, it would take even longer. If he was from another timeline, then it would be much more challenging to get him home then a trick with the transporter. They didn't even know where to begin.

Yet, one thing was clear; this was truly Leonard McCoy. After a quick DNA test against Bones' own DNA, it was nearly a perfect match. There was no doubt about it now.

Jim felt that he could trust him. Leonard hasn't given them any reason to not trust him, and he seemed kind when he wasn't scared. And, Jim felt that he owed him his trust. Somewhere out there, there was a Jim Kirk and a Spock who was missing a McCoy, the least he could do for them was make sure that Leonard had a safe time here and wasn't treated as a prisoner. Was it illogical of him to trust him so quickly? Perhaps. Yet, Jim had a gut feeling, and he always trusted that.

"Captain, come in!" Nurse Chapel said, holding Leonard's arm as he took a hesitant step, placing weight on his injured leg. "We're just testing how the leg has been healing."

"It's been healing fine, Chapel." Leonard said with a huff, though the sweat on his forehead was evident. "Everything's fine and dandy as a summer day in Georgia."

Jim beamed. That was so like Bones, it was uncanny how similar they were.

"Forgive me if I don't believe you." Nurse Chapel said sternly. "I'll let you rest and then we can continue later."

"Fine."

With a bit of struggle, Leonard was soon back on the bed, sitting down hesitantly as Chapel adjusted his leg on the bed. He was propped up with pillows, and Jim could see that it was needed, as his body collapsed into them.

"He's all yours, Captain." She said, and Jim gave her a nod as she left, sitting down in the chair beside his bed swiftly.

"How are you, Leonard, really? May we call you Leonard? To avoid confusion and all."

Leonard looked at him, distrust evident in his eyes, and he looked away. "It's fine. And I'm…healing."

"Spock, McCoy and I have talked, and we think that it may be some time before you can get home. You see, we still don't know how you got here!"

"So, you're going to put me in the brig? I know it's what your McCoy wants."

Jim gave him a smile, though it didn't seem to put Leonard at ease. Although the man hid his discomfort well, he could see that he was nervous, as his limbs tightened and he kept a steady gaze on the door. It was the exact thing that Bones did before using transporters, especially after the Mirror Universe incident.

"Bones has had a bit of trouble with other people from other universes, and, as you probably know, he has a hard time trusting people. Much like yourself, I believe."

Leonard's gaze flicked up towards him at that, his hazel eyes meeting Jim's. "You don't know me, Captain."

"I believe I know you well enough." He set the book down on a table, crossing his arms as he leaned back. Leonard glanced at the book in question, raising his eyebrow suspiciously. "I figured that you might want some reading while you were recovering."

"Thanks." Leonard said hesitantly. "So, you're Jim Kirk."

"Yes. Am I much different than your Kirk?" Jim couldn't help himself. He wanted to know who he was in the other timeline. Was he still the captain of the Enterprise? Were they similar in looks? Was he married? Did he have a family? Perhaps the other Jim had a more successful life than Jim himself did.

Leonard took a second to think, no doubt wondering what he was allowed to say. Spock had said that they were going to be hesitant in what was said about the other timeline. There was no doubt that Leonard was going to keep that up.

"He's younger." He finally said, grabbing a cup of water from the table and taking a sip, "He has blue eyes."

"Blue eyes? I can't even imagine! However, you have brown eyes yet Bones has blue. Perhaps it's…what could cause such a thing?"

Leonard nodded, finally meeting Jim's eyes. "I can't explain it, no matter how much I want to. I would love to do some studies on our blood samples, but something tells me Doctor McCoy won't let me."

Jim smiled. "I might be able to convince him. Anything else about your Jim? I'm very curious."

"Nothing that I want to tell you."

The words were cold, and Jim sat back, shocked. Leonard seemed to notice, and his gaze softened.

"Sorry, kid一Captain一sorry. I didn't mean to be so…blunt. You're just, you're him, but you're not. I don't want to think of the differences. For all I know the kid could be dead right now and I'm talking about how he's different to another version of him. Knowing him, Jim's probably fallen into a pit of venomous snakes, or ate a random fruit thinking he's invincible. Knowing his luck, he's probably running from a bunch of angry aliens right now." Leonard huffed, scowling, blinking back what looked close to tears.

Jim didn't really know what to say. Some of Leonard's words confused him, however, he had dealt with Bones' constant worry over him for years, he knew how to comfort Bones when things like this came up. Wouldn't this be the same?

"Spock should be with him, shouldn't he be?" He asked, and Leonard nodded. "From my experience, if Doctor McCoy isn't around, then Spock keeps me in check. His logic is something I can't argue with."

Leonard let out a strangled laugh. "Really? My Jim argues with it a lot."

"Nonetheless, he'll take care of him. I trust that, if your Spock is anything like mine, then your Jim will be fine." Getting to his feet, he nodded towards the book. "I've assigned you quarters whenever you're free from Sickbay, and feel free to enjoy the book. It's one of my favorites."

"Quarters, Jim? Are you out of your mind?"

Jim turned to see Bones standing in the doorway, a scowl on his face, anger in his blue eyes. Leonard shifted on the bed, and Bones stepped further into the room.

"He has to go to the brig, Jim! We can't trust him! The only reason that he's not restrained is because I'm watching him like a hawk!"

Leonard scoffed, raising his eyebrow, and Jim had a feeling that things were getting bad, and fast. He had to diffuse this quickly.

"Gentlemen一"

"I'm not a danger to you!" Leonard argued, his fists tightening in the bedsheets. "What, you think that I purposefully nearly died in order to infiltrate your ship? I'm a doctor, not a secret agent!"

"Leonard一"

"I don't know you! You're not me! I have no reason to think you're actually who you claim to be! You could be our enemy! You could be here to kill us all! And I'm not going to let you! Jim, can't you see that he's a danger to the ship?"

"How am I a danger? Spock can take me out with one nerve pinch! One! I took an oath not to hurt people; I would never do anything to you or the Enterprise!"

"But, we can't know that! As soon as you're well enough, you're getting out of my Sickbay and right into the brig!"

"Alright, fine! I'll leave!"

"No, Leonard一"

Jim reached for Leonard as he sat up, trying to stop the taller man from getting up, but Leonard pushed his hands away, shakily getting to his feet.

"Sit down, man! You can't stand up yet!" Bones said, anger still in his tone, yet now filled with concern, and Jim knew that he couldn't let Leonard hurt himself, no matter how badly he didn't trust him. This was the same man that tried to help Mirror Spock when he got hurt.

"I am, Doctor! Now take me to the Brig, will you?" Leonard said, taking a step, but he swayed, clinging onto the end of the bed. His face went deathly pale, and Jim grabbed his shoulder, holding him up. He flinched away from his touch, a hazy look in his eyes, yet Jim held on fast.

"He's not going to the Brig, he's going to rest here and then get his own quarters. That's final, Doctor!"

Bones' sighed at Jim's order, but didn't reply, and Jim sat Leonard down, the man's eyes still glazed over. He was silent, his breathing heavy, and Jim shook his shoulders.

"Leonard? Doctor?"

"I'll never tell you." He muttered, yet a second later he shook his head, blinking, seemingly coming back to himself. "Sorry, Captain, I…"

"It's okay. You're not going to the Brig, I promise. I trust you."

Bones came close to Leonard, studying the other man with a critical eye. "You heard the Captain. But, it doesn't mean I trust you."

Leonard took a deep breath before responding. "I don't trust you, either."

"I'll have our other Doctor, Doctor M'Benga, look over your treatment from here on out, if that's alright with you, Jim."

Jim nodded. He couldn't imagine what another fight between the two McCoys would bring. "Of course."

"Wait, you're not the only doctor aboard the Enterprise?" Leonard asked softly, and Bones shook his head, wary.

"No, I'm not. Are you?"

"Yes. I became a CMO on my first mission, and have been the only doctor since."

"What?" Jim asked, looking between both doctors. "Are you serious?"

"Yes. Believe me, Jim and Spock keep me busy."

"That can't be healthy, man! How are you the only doctor on that huge ship?" Bones asked, his distaste for the other man seemingly forgotten, if only for a moment, and Leonard shrugged, his eyes becoming wary again.

"I don't know. But, yes, the other doctor would be great."

Bones nodded, no doubt knowing that he had been dismissed. "Fine, I'll go get him. Captain."

With that Bones left, and Leonard sighed, running his hands through his hair. Jim debated leaving, but he chose against it, Leonard's odd, distant look from just before coming back to the forefront of his mind. In that moment, when Leonard had said that he wasn't going to tell them something…it had been as if he wasn't there with them, completely.

I'll never tell you.

Jim recognised that look that accompanied those words in crewmembers who had been through something horrific, a side effect of trauma, trauma that sometimes led to post-traumatic stress disorder. Could Leonard have gone through something tragic before he arrived here? It had to be the Romulans that Spock told him about, right? What else could it be?

"Leonard, are you alright? You seemed lost for a moment there."

Leonard shook his head. "I'll be fine, Captain. Thank you for sticking up for me." He seemed to be ashamed when he admitted it, and Jim realized, like his McCoy, this man must find it hard to admit to such things.

"Of course. Now, rest up. Spock and I will try to find a way to get you home."

"Thank you."

Jim could feel Leonard's gaze on him as he left the room. As the curtain closed behind him, Bones pulled him into his office.

"Bones一"

"I still don't trust him, Jim!" Bones urged, throwing his hands in the air. "I don't trust him."

"What can we do to make you trust him, Bones?" Jim asked, and he sighed.

"I don't know. I don't know. It's just uncanny to see him. He's me but he's so different! How do we know that he won't turn out like that other Spock? He may not be able to do as much damage as a Vulcan mind-meld, but we can't just trust him blindly."

"I understand." Jim thought for a moment. He wanted Bones to trust Leonard, if those two could work together, perhaps they could get Leonard home sooner. Who knows, maybe there were some other medical advances in the other timeline that Leonard could teach Bones, too, before he left. Wouldn't that interest Bones? Yet, in order to get that far, trust needed to be built. "Bones, I have an idea."

"Oh, great. You know I love your ideas, Jim."

"What if we asked if he would participate in a mind-meld? On his own accord, of course. That way we can know we can trust him completely. You could even participate in it, if you so wish."

McCoy paled at that, and he bit his lip, looking away. "I…I don't think that I could do that to him, Jim. Even though he's not me, and I know that they're not supposed to be painful…I can't do that to him." He took a deep breath before continuing, his blue eyes looking down onto his desk. "Listen, Jim. I don't think I could ever trust him unless he gives me a reason to. It's like looking in a warped mirror. He's me, but he's not. I know what kind of damage I can do with my medical knowledge, and if he has that same knowledge but that desire to kill…there's no way of knowing. I can't trust him."

Jim nodded. He couldn't say that he was surprised, Bones didn't trust just anyone, it took him a long time for Bones to trust him, and even Spock. And Bones had a good excuse, and an even better explanation. Yet, that still could dissuade Jim from trusting Leonard himself.

"Can you please try to be nice to him, at least?"

Bones gave him a small smile. "I'll try, Jim. He can have his own quarters, but if he could be accompanied when he's around the ship it'll put my old southern heart at ease."

"Consider it done."

A communicator beeped, and Jim pulled it off of his belt. "Kirk here."

"Captain," Spock said, "I request your presence on the Bridge."

"I'll be there right away." Closing the communicator, Jim turned to Bones. "Are you two going to be alright?"

"Yes, I called M'Benga. We'll be fine."

With those words said, Jim left, his thoughts spiraling. He had a feeling that, even if Bones tried his hardest to be on the best terms with Leonard, his loud personality would shine through, and more arguments would start. It was going to be rough.

Hopefully whatever Spock needed him for on the Bridge was enough to distract him from simmering drama in Sickbay. Knowing the events on the Enterprise, it probably would be.