McCoy was working a double shift, both out of necessity and want. His argument with Colleen from the previous week still played on his mind and they hadn't seen each other since. He'd tried to contain his hurt and anger whilst working but he knew he was visibly failing, being short with the Nurses and other Doctors and even with the patients. Looking around and seeing that there was a lull he went to his office, seeking refuge for a moment. Letting his head rest against the back of his chair he closed his eyes and let out a long slow breath. He missed her but he didn't know how to get back to where they had been and for how long what it to last anyway? She was going back to Earth. Her words had hurt him, questioning the reason for their relationship, his love and loyalty. They had hurt one another.

'Doctor McCoy to the bridge'

Swearing under his breath McCoy begrudgingly stood up from his chair and starting making his way to the bridge, medical bag in hand. As the turbolift doors opened his eyes immediately fell on Colleen who turned her attention to Kirk, not before allowing him to see a flicker of pain in her eyes.

"Bones, we've been hailed by a nearby planet. They need our help…" Kirk told him as he sat in his chair and crossed his legs.

"With what Jim?" McCoy interrupted and saw that Colleen had turned her attention back to him, she'd clearly heard the tone in his voice. Kirk paused for a second and then creased his brow.

"The usual Bones, the usual. I need you planet side, take Sulu and Mills with you." McCoy set his bag down and crossed his arms angrily.

"Captain?" he heard Colleen interject, her own face wrinkled with confusion. Kirk didn't answer, instead he made his way over to Spock. Not looking up from the display he told them they were dismissed. McCoy watched Sulu stand and nod at him before walking from the bridge leaving him watching Colleen fidget. There was no way they could escape not taking the turbolift together so McCoy simply stood on the threshold and waved a hand at Colleen. Once inside he kept his focus keenly on the door.

"You know what he's doing right?" he finally muttered.

"I know," Colleen replied coolly.

"You alright with it?" he asked peering down at her from the corner of his eye.

"I don't really have a choice do I?" he finally couldn't help himself, turning to her he grabbed her hand. He felt her become tense and even the urge to pull away but to his surprise she didn't.

"I miss you Colleen," he whispered.

"I know, me too." She said as she hesitantly looked up at him.

"Can we fix this?" Colleen looked at him sympathetically.

"Let's just get this mission out the way and then we'll talk alright?" McCoy nodded, a small nugget of hope forming in his stomach.

Colleen stood slightly away from McCoy and Sulu as they spoke to the inhabitants of the cold and dusty planet. There really was no reason for her to be there, Sulu she knew always stuck to the rules and although she knew McCoy didn't she wasn't about to pick him up on it. No, Kirk was matchmaking and she was angry about it. She understood they were friends but this felt like an abuse of power, still she was there so she decided to try and make herself useful. Walking towards the small group she smiled at the men and women gathering around McCoy and came to stand by his side.

"You can administer a few hundred hypo sprays can't you Commander?" he asked her and she nodded. "Good, let's get going." With that she followed the group into a large communal hall where people were gathering. Setting to work it was hours before they finished, the sun was setting and as the dusk light threw shadows over the trees and homes Colleen stifled a yawn. "Need a break?" craning her neck she saw McCoy looming over her and holding out his hand.

"Sure," she replied and taking his hand came to stand, stretching her arms above her head. The pair walked from the hall and made their way outside, the cool air making them both shiver.

"Good work today," McCoy said as he rubbed his arms to keep warm.

"Thanks Leonard, glad I could help." Trying not to let her teeth chatter Colleen opened her mouth to speak but then stopped herself.

"What? What were you going to say?" McCoy asked her.

"I do love you Leonard, I really do but I can't do this anymore. I don't want to do this anymore and it would be unfair on you for me to stay and end up resenting you for it. The same way I would be being unfair to myself if I said it would be okay. I don't regret a single moment of being with you, I really don't and I'm sorry I'm not selfless enough to make another choice than the one I'm making." McCoy let her words sink in, over the last week or so he had come to the same conclusion, even though he hated to admit it.

"I know you're right Col, it's just a damned waste!" he answered.

"We can stay in touch?" even to her own ears she sounded pathetic and when McCoy didn't answer she regretted saying it at all.

"I hope you're happy Colleen, I really mean that." Colleen smiled at him and let her body rest against his, his arm instinctively coming to wrap around her shoulders.

"Thank you Leonard, you too."

Colleen sat and stared at the screen in front of her, she had read and re-read the words in front of her a hundred times.

Transfer Request Denied

She couldn't fathom what had happened, her correspondence with HQ had gone so well, glowing remarks, promises of promotions and opportunities. Commander Spock had signed off immediately with no remark at all! She had even gone so far as to provide a list of names for her replacement, all equally as experienced as her. She was stuck there, she was stuck in space. Standing she went to her replicator and ordered a drink, looking back at her desk she thought for a second that perhaps she had misread. That maybe when she sat back down the message wouldn't be there. Why? And who? Commander Spock, that didn't make sense. Captain Kirk? He had never been a fan of hers. She wanted to storm from her quarters and go straight to Kirk, demand an answer, a reason for the sudden U-turn but she knew that wasn't the way to deal with this. Sitting back down she opened a message to HQ, her fingers glided over the PADD, demanding (politely) for a reason for the sudden change of heart. Has policy been adhered to? Had she and they followed the correct process? If she could find a loophole, a deviation from procedure she was ready to use it.

"Two can play at this game," she mumbled to herself.

One Week Later

Colleen walked into the large meeting room and surveyed the room, when she saw McCoy and Kirk at one end deep in conversation she quickly made her way to the other. Standing away from the rest of the officers she squeezed her hands together behind her back, holding her head high she focussed her attention on the screen in front of her. Out of her peripheral vision she spotted McCoy make his way towards her and when he stood by her side she felt like could feel literal vibrations emanating from his body. She thought he was going to say something to her but when Kirk started to speak she realised he wouldn't. It made it all the worse. As soon as they were dismissed she watched him turn towards her.

"Col I…" she didn't wait for the rest of the sentence, brushing by him she walked briskly from the room.

McCoy and Kirk sat at the bar, the pair were the last ones in there and McCoy had helped himself to one of the top shelf liquor bottles.

"How's your day been Jim?" McCoy asked as he poured them another drink.

"Quiet," Kirk answered. "You?"

"The same, thank god!" the pair slowly took a sip and then placed their glasses down.

"How's you and Colleen?" Kirk asked, not looking up from his glass.

"No change, as you well know Jim. I just want her to be happy."

"I don't believe you Bones," Kirk replied shaking his head.

"With respect Jim I don't really care what you think, what's done is done." McCoy could see that his friend was fidgeting, creasing his brow he turned to Kirk. "What is it?"

"What?" Kirk feigned ignorance.

"Don't play games with me Jim!" McCoy warned. Kirk downed his drink and looked to the sky before exhaling slowly.

"I denied her transfer," he said slowly. It took a moment for his words to sink in, McCoy just continued to stare at Kirk.

"You did what?" he whispered.

"You heard me Bones," he answered.

"You denied her transfer?!" McCoy asked incredulously.

"You wanted her to stay, she's staying Bones…" Kirk replied, alarmed by his friend's apparent incredulity at his actions. He'd thought he would be happy.

"I can't believe you've done this?! I can't believe you!" McCoy dragged his hands over his face, not knowing whether to sit or stand he jumped from the stool and paced in front of Kirk. That was why she had been so standoffish, so angry. That was why she had been avoiding him! She obviously didn't know the reason Kirk had denied her request but if it were to ever get out? If he was to ever tell her? "How am I supposed to look her in the eye Jim knowing that you did this for me?! Not for the ship, not for her but for me?!"

"You're my friend Bones, I knew you'd let her go and be miserable…" Kirk started.

"She's a grown woman Jim! She can do whatever the hell she wants and if that was leaving the ship and me then so be it! You've kept her here under false pretences hoping that she wouldn't resent you? What did you think would happen? Find it in her heart to be with me? Why? Because she has nothing better to do with her time, might as well be with the Doctor!" McCoy had never felt so much anger in his life and he knew then and there his friendship with Kirk would never be the same again.

"I thought it was the right thing to do Bones, I promise I was coming from a good place!"

"For me Jim but what about her? She isn't happy here."

"She was happy with you wasn't she? Hell she might have hated being on Earth and I hate to admit it but she does a good job on the ship, I would have had to get somebody new and…"

"Damnit man stop talking!" McCoy shouted.

"I'm sorry Bones," Kirk said crestfallen.

"I'm going to have to tell her…"

"You can't!" Kirk interrupted, suddenly panicked.

"What choice do I have?" McCoy shouted again, his face red with anger.

"She could report me Bones!" McCoy scoffed and turned away from Kirk, searching the walls of the bar for an answer. He'd never been so angry in his life, no wonder she had looked so crestfallen when he'd seen her at the senior officer meeting. Her eyes red from old tears, it all made sense now.

"So now you're asking me to pick between the two of you, can you see what you've done?! Goddamnit man I have to keep this secret for the rest of my life, not knowing if…IF she's with me it was because it was what she wanted or she didn't have a choice!"

"Tell me you want her gone Bones and I'll re-instate the transfer." Kirk said determinedly and when McCoy didn't answer he smiled and laughed. "That's what I thought," he added as he picked up his glass. McCoy lunged at Kirk, grabbing him by his uniform and lifting him from his stool.

"You're a sonofabitch you know that Jim," McCoy said angrily.

"Yep, I do Bones," McCoy couldn't stand anymore, pushing him away he strode from the room.

Scotty had been stood watching Colleen for the past half hour, she had walked straight to her office and not looked up from her desk since she had arrived. Finally he made his way over to her, coffee in hand. Setting it down he smiled when she looked from the cup to him.

"Thank you Scotty," she whispered.

"Aye Lass," he said warmly. "Are you okay?" Colleen laughed sadly.

"No, but I will be thank you for asking."

"Don't let the bastards grind you down Lassie," he said as she took a sip. Colleen smiled and nodded, he had always been a good friend, and perhaps the only one she'd ever had on the ship.

"I won't, listen, can I ask you for a favour?"

"Anything," he replied.

"You're going to get a message, from HQ, have my back will you? Tell them you can't do without me!" Colleen looked at him expectantly.

"Of course, you know I always have."

"Yes, I know."

Colleen waited for the chime to indicate she could enter the Captain's office, as the door opened she took a deep breath and walked in, coffee in hand.

"Hello Captain," she greeted as she placed the coffee in front of him. She actually quite enjoyed seeing the look of shock on his face.

"Mills? To what do I owe this pleasure?" he was nervous she could tell, good, she thought to herself.

"I'm afraid there's no pleasure in this meeting Sir, I'm afraid I need to speak to you about a major breach of policy." Sitting down she crossed her legs and placed her hands in her lap gently.

"Breach?" Kirk asked and she nodded. "By who?"

"You Captain," she said simply. Kirk blinked and then sat forward, looking to the coffee and then back to her he shook his head.

"Mills, I'm sorry. I thought I was doing what was best for you and Bones…" he started.

"Ahh, so that's what happened." Colleen almost relished the look of realisation on Kirk's face that he'd been played, if it had not been for the fact that he had done what he had done.

"I… I don't know what to say…" he stuttered. Colleen stood and straightened her uniform.

"You don't need to say anything Captain, only that if you ever do anything like this again I'll have no choice but to report you to the Admiral." Her voice was tight but strong and when Kirk nodded nervously she didn't wait to be dismissed and turning on her heel left his office.

Two Weeks Later

"Can I come in?" she asked when McCoy appeared at the door of his quarters.

"Of course," moving to the side so she could walk passed him McCoy watched as she fidgeted with her hair.

"I didn't know Col…" he started but when she put her hand in the air he stopped.

"I know Leonard, I know. Shall we sit?" Nodding he took the seat next to her on his couch and waited for her to speak, he missed her so much and couldn't get over how beautiful she looked sat there in his quarters. His heart ached for what could have been.

"How?" he asked desperately wanting to reach out and grab her shaking hand.

"Because I knew you weren't capable of something like that, Kirk on the other hand has always been bull headed. Sending us to that planet together, his reason for refusal to HQ was weak as hell I checked! Plus Scotty did some digging, I'm sure he thought he was doing the right thing for his friend…"

"He's a damned fool!" McCoy interrupted. "And I made sure he knew it, I'm so sorry Col. I wish none of this had happened the way it had." He did take her hand because it was too much to bear not to feel her hand in his. She gladly allowed him too, and placed her own over his, rubbing her thumb over his. "Has he reinstated it?" he asked.

"That's what I'm here to talk to you about," she said as she pushed a stray strand of hair behind his ear and smiled at him warmly. McCoy's heart took an extra beat and he found himself leaning towards her.

"What is it Darlin'?" he asked hopefully.

"I'll stay, if you want me to." She told him bluntly. "There's no need to beat around the bush Leonard, I wanted to leave, thought I was, told I wasn't and found myself not as angry as I thought I would be. Does that make sense?" McCoy's smile turned into grin.

"No, all I heard is that you're staying…"

"If you want me to…" Colleen added.

"And if you want to?" McCoy asked and she nodded. McCoy closed that gap between them and kissed her, slowly at first but when his hands brushed through her hair and cupped her cheeks he was lost for breath.

"I want to," Colleen whispered. "Just don't tell Kirk his plan worked!" she laughed as she pointed a warning finger at McCoy.

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

The End