Fic: Turned Away
Oct. 25th, 2009 11:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
miss_m_cricketTitle: Turned Away
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
miss_m_cricket
Fandom: Star Trek Reboot!/Doom Crossover
Rating: Teen
Pairing: Reaper!Bones/Jim Kirk
Disclaimer: Don't own anything at all...
Summary: All he could remember was the shock, and then the betrayal that had grown on Jim’s face. And he remembered the order. “Security, escort Doctor McCoy to the brig, to await an enquiry.”..
A/N: Thank you tomysterysquid who listened to me blather on about this for the whole night, and thanks also for callieach for her unwavering Reaper!Bones support.
Turned Away
Jim had turned away from him.
Leonard McCoy lay on the cot provided for him, curled up in a ball. He was in a cell, something which wasn’t that unusual for him, but instead of it being the usual alien’s cell, it was an Enterprise cell. He was being held on the very ship he called home.
Because Jim had turned away from him.
Leonard moaned softly to himself, arms folding protectively over his belly as he lay there in the brightly lit cell. The pain of seeing Jim’s face change from horror, to relief, to betrayal kept replaying behind his eyes every time he closed them. He knew why Jim had ordered his arrest, knew why Jim felt the way he did. But sometimes knowledge couldn’t diffuse the pain of the feelings you feel.
It had been an accident, a maddened crew member, spurred on by a kind of space madness had gotten onto the Bridge of the Enterprise. Leonard had been near the Captain’s chair, a place he occupied much too much. He had seen Corden aim the phaser at Jim’s head, seen it quicker than perhaps anyone but Spock. But Spock was at the Science station, across on the other side of the Bridge.
Without thinking he had lunged, using instincts not forgotten even after over two hundred years. Even with his super-speed he knew he would not be able to get to Corden before he fired, so his body took him in the only direction he could.
Between them.
He only had a second to see Jim’s horrified face before the shot struck him, before the searing pain of the phaser bolt hitting his body sent him crumbling to the ground in a heap. As though through foggy glass he heard the Bridge burst into chaotic noise. He heard Corden screaming as he was subdued by Security, heard Spock call for medical to come to the Bridge at once, heard Jim calling his name and felt Jim’s hands running over him.
Then the pain faded away as he knew it would, he heard silence from everyone around him and he wondered for a moment if he had died, if he had finally left the world of the living after so long. Slowly he opened his eyes to see Jim crouching beside him, relief on his face being replaced by surprise. The rest of the Bridge crew was behind him, watching too, all with identical expressions of surprise and relief on their faces. Except for Spock of course. He had his eyebrow raised.
He lifted his hand from his belly, where he had pressed it instinctively as he fell, it was stained red with bright blood, but as he sat up, Jim scrambling back to let him, he could see pink unbroken skin through the tear in his shirt.
There had been no choice, explanations were in order. How he had explained his origins, his birth as John Grimm, the events of Olduvai, his 24th pair of chromosomes, the centuries afterwards where John Grimm, and Reaper, had faded away and Leonard McCoy M.D took their place, he didn’t remember.
All he could remember was the shock, and then the betrayal that had grown on Jim’s face. And he remembered the order.
“Security, escort Doctor McCoy to the brig, to await an enquiry.”
He had tried to apologise, to try to make Jim understand, but it was too late.
Jim had turned away from him, returning to his seat as Captain, not looking back as two Security Ensigns removed him from the Bridge.
~*~
He had two choices, Leonard thought dully.
Choice 1: Run. Get out of this cell by any means necessary and make a break for it to the Shuttle Bay. From there he would commandeer a shuttle, and exit for the deep reaches of Space. Never to see Earth again.
Never to see Jim again.
His heart ached at the very thought, but it had to be considered as a viable option.
Pros: he wouldn’t be forced to give DNA samples, therefore stopping any further research into C-24. He wouldn’t have to see the cold dismissal on Jim’s face again. He would live for more hundreds of years.
He sighed, scratching his head, not sure if that last one was really a pro or not.
Cons: he would never be able to return to Earth, never be able to see his daughter again. He would never see the rest of the Enterprise Crew again, never see Jim again.
The heavy weight of those cons sat over his heart, but he made himself look at each one closely. This choice was important.
Choice 2: Face the Court.
He knew he had no real choice, so he didn’t even bother to look at the pros or cons. He would face the court soon enough, best not to dwell, best not to think of Jim reading the charges out, with that cold expression on his handsome face.
Leonard McCoy turned his face into his pillow, and gritted his teeth, stopping the tears before they got to the surface. Children cried, men had to endure.
He would endure.
~*~
He should have run.
The Klingon Warbird was speeding on its way back to the Neutral Zone having been discovered by the Enterprise on its scouting mission.
It had been the red alert and the Enterprise rocking that had woken Leonard from his restless, unhappy sleep. Something was happening, the ship was under attack and Leonard had slammed his firsts against the energy shield holding him captive in frustration. He should be up there, helping Jim, or in the Med-bay sorting through the casualties.
He shouldn’t be down here in this stupid cell, twiddling his thumbs uselessly.
Suddenly for the briefest moment, everything went dark, power gone, and instinct pushed him forward as Reaper would have all those years ago. The speed of the C-24 meant he made it through the doorway before the power surged back and the barrier buzzed back into life.
Scrambling to his feet from where he had landed as he dived, Leonard took off through the halls. Where he was going, he didn’t know. All he knew was that that ship was in danger, people might be hurt. He was a Doctor dammit and he would heal until Jim found him and imprisoned him once more.
He heard running footsteps and he turned to face the sound as they ran around the corner. Klingons, he realised with a sickening lurch of his stomach, how had Klingons gotten aboard the Enterprise?
“Well, well, well...” The commander of the Klingons drawled as they fanned out, circling him. “What have we here? An unarmed, federation scientist all on his own running through the bowels of the Enterprise.”
“I am a Doctor, not a scientist, now kindly get out of my way...” Leonard growled, trying to push past the Klingons without any success, “Now see here...”
“No, Doctor, you see here.” And the Klingon held up his weapon, pointing it purposely at Leonard. “You tell me your name, and I’ll tell you if you will be any use to me.”
“I am Doctor Leonard McCoy, Chief Medical Officer.”
“And I am Captain Koloth.” The Klingon bowed mockingly, “Well, well, well the Chief Medical Officer. I have heard that Kirk is rather fond of his CMO. Academy friends?” he didn’t let Leonard answer, but jerked his weapon instead. Two of his lackey’s grabbed the Doctor’s arms and although he struggled, managing to throw one of them off, he crumpled to the floor as the Captain shot him with his weapon, paralysing him for long moments.
They thought Jim would barter to get him back, Leonard thought hazily as two of the Klingons carried him back to their ship, they thought Jim would concede much for the release of one of his crew members. Especially one of his senior officers.
He didn’t tell them of the cell he had recently been consigned to. He didn’t tell them that Jim wouldn’t concede anything for a traitorous best friend.
He didn’t tell them anything.
~*~
The Klingon ship was gone and Jim could feel himself slowly relaxing once more, ordering the ship off red alert. They had sustained some hits, and some Klingons had tried to storm the ship, but they had been battered back and now were fleeing towards the Neutral Zone.
His ship was safe once more.
“Lieutenant,” he said, swivelling around on his seat to face Uhura by her station, “Damage reports.”
The woman began a list of fairly light damages to some decks and areas and reported of the repairs already beginning on those areas. “Excellent Lieutenant.” He thanked once she was finished.
“Captain.” Spock said, walking slowly over to stand by Jim’s chair, brow slightly furrowed.
“Yes Spock?” Jim asked, spinning slightly once more to face his First Officer.
“I must admit I find the Klingon retreat most disquieting.”
Jim felt a small pang in his chest, as he looked around slightly, waiting for Bones usual acerbic comment. But Bones wasn’t here, Bones was down in the brig, or rather actually, Bones had never existed. Not the Bones that had been Jim’s best friend anyway, someone he had shared everything with.
He pushed those thoughts away and focused on the Vulcan before him, “And why is that Mr. Spock?”
“Well Captain, Klingon culture is based on combat and aggressive tactics. To retreat, or to flee us even when so completely outmatched is not a usual technique. I feel that either they are trying to lure us into some trap, or they have found some other method of attack.”
Jim considered this.
“But they have moved completely out of sensor range Mr Spock, heading back in the direction of the Neutral Zone.”
“I know this Captain. This is all merely conjecture and theory based on previous encounters and usual Klingon tactical logic.”
“Captain.” Uhura interrupted, “The Klingons are back just within sensor range. And we are being hailed.”
Jim shared a glance at Spock who moved to flank the Captain’s chair more noticeably. Onto the view screen flickered the face of a Klingon commander, wearing what could be accounted as a smile.
“Ah Captain Kirk.” The Klingon commander said voice oily with smug expectancy and false pleasantry. “How lovely to see you once again.”
“Sadly, Captain,” Jim said, voice equally pleasant, “I cannot say that I know of you. However I do know that your vessel has encroached on Federation space, and attacked a Federation Starship. Surely you know that counts as a declaration of hostilities?”
“I am Captain Koloth, Captain Kirk. And there will be no hostilities between the Federation and my Empire.”
“Oh yes?” Jim said, amused and leaning back in his chair languidly, “And what makes you so sure of that my dear Captain Koloth?”
“Because Captain, I hold something very dear to you on board this ship of mine. I believe you may be missing something rather important from your Medical bay. I’m surprised actually that you are unaware that it is missing. I had heard that the Captain of the Enterprise was very aware of his Chief Medical Officer.”
Jim heard Chekov gasp, felt Spock’s posture stiffen even more beside him and then there was a great rushing in his ears, the blood pounding through his temples in a frenetic, fearful tempo. His fingers clutched at his armrests, knuckles turning white.
“I don’t believe you.” He hissed flatly.
Koloth laughed and then the angle of the viewscreen shifted to show Bones, his Bones, trussed up like a prize chicken on the Bridge of the Klingon ship. Bones head was resting back against the post he was bound to, and he was determinedly looking away from the screen.
“Come Doctor,” Koloth sneered, walking over to the blue shirted man and gripping his chin in his hand, “Smile at your friends and let them know you are safe and sound.”
“Fuck off.” Bones growled, jerking his chin away and glaring at the Klingon.
Crack!
The blow to Bones’s jaw made Chekov jump, Sulu wince, Uhura gasp again, Spock compress his lips together and made Jim almost lunge out of his seat. Blood dripped from Bones’s mouth and the Doctor looked at the Klingon contemptuously before spitting a bloody wad onto the Captain’s shiny black boot.
Jim felt his heart lurch. How could he have thought that this wasn’t his Bones? How could he have thrown his best friend in the brig? How could he have turned on his friend so fast, without even really talking to him privately? He had assumed the worst...and now....
Koloth raised his fist once more, preparing to send it smashing into Bones insolent face again.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you Captain.” Jim barked harshly, standing up out of his Captain’s chair and walking forward. “What do you want?”
Koloth turned his back on the Chief Medical Officer and faced his counterpart. “I want the Enterprise Kirk. And I want you on board her when I bring you home in triumph. You will serve out the rest of your days on Rura Penthe.”
“Not very appealing. What happens to Bones if I accept? Or refuse?”
“If you accept? He will be allowed to leave the ship with that Vulcan First Officer of yours. If you refuse, he will die, painfully and horribly and cursing your name until his final breath. And I will make sure you witness it Kirk.”
“Jim!” Jim heard Bones yell from the background, “Jim, don’t you fucking do it! DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE DO-” His voice was cut off suddenly, horribly and Jim clenched his fist in fury.
“I need time to think.”
The Klingon nodded with a smirk. “One hour Kirk, one hour.”
~*~
Leonard could not stifle the gasp of horror he made when Jim, Spock and two Security personnel walked onto the Klingon Bridge just over an hour later.
“No...” he groaned, tugging at the bonds, straining against the tight knots. “No, Jim, no...I’m not worth it...”
“Shut it, McCoy.” Jim sneered casually, nodding at Koloth, “Untie him and I will hand myself over peacefully.” Koloth gestured at two Klingons nearby who moved forward and slashed through his bonds, sending him down on one knee, gasping as feeling seared back through deprived limbs.
He was yanked to his feet and hauled over to stand beside the Klingon commander, who smirked at him before turning to look at Jim again. “Now you Captain, hand over your Phaser and walk over to McCoy’s pole peacefully.”
“I don’t think so.” Jim said casually, playing with the phaser in his hand, “You see, you have provided me with a perfect excuse. McCoy has grown tiresome to me; I cannot trust him as a Captain needs to trust his Chief Medical Officer. Therefore he is....a burden. One I must thank you for ridding me of.”
“Jim...” Leonard breathed, eyes fixed on Jim as the young man turned slightly, phaser aimed at his belly. “Jim...wait...”
Jim fired at the same time as Leonard spoke the last few words and then chaos broke loose. Leonard crumpled to the ground, blood spilling from his wound, the Klingon holding him shoving him aside. Spock scooped him up as the battle began in earnest, the Enterprise officers shooting before the Klingons could react.
“Scotty!” Leonard heard Jim shouting as he slipped out of consciousness, “Beam us back!”
~*~
It was nigh on inconceivable; A Jim Kirk plan which had gone off flawlessly.
Needless to say, Jim was feeling rather smug with himself.
The only negative thing was that he still hadn’t had a chance to talk with Bones. Bones who although Jim had saved him, would still think he was angry about the whole ‘you lived 200 years before I was even born’ thing. He wasn’t, he was just curious now, and wondering how he could convince Bones that he had realised many things that fateful day.
Like, ‘I love you’ for instance.
Yeah, that was going to go down real well.
It was a week later and he had been giving Bones his space, letting the older man get comfortable once more. Once things were back in a groove he would talk to his best friend and sort out all of this stuff.
It was a good plan, but unlike the Klingon one, Bones wasn’t going to let this one go off without a hitch.
It was afternoon, that week later, when the turbolift shicked open and revealed Bones. Jim’s eyes widened as the man walked across the Bridge, green hazel eyes fixed on his Captain’s face, seemingly unaware that most conversations had come to a halt and everyone was watching him.
“Captain.” Bones greeted, handing over the PADD in his hand. His face was carefully neutral, mouth compressed.
“Bones,” Jim greeted easily, giving him a small smile, pleased to see his best friend back up on the Bridge. Perhaps things were getting better already. He looked down at the PADD before him and felt his grip tighten sharply on the device.
Formal Request for Transfer
Crewmember: Leonard H McCoy, CMO
Serial number...
Jim felt Spock come up behind him and then felt the Vulcan gently tug the device out of his hand and read it himself. He could almost feel the eyebrow rise. Bones was fidgeting slightly.
“This is most illogical Doctor,” Spock broke the silence, voice calm, “The ship’s effectiveness would be much lessened if you did decide to leave the Enterprise.”
“Shut up Spock, you aren’t the Captain.”
“No.” Said Jim, standing slowly and turning on the platform to face Bones, towering over him on the elevation, “But I am, and I say this. Transfer fucking denied.”
“Jim...”
“No Bones, you are not leaving this ship.” Jim growled, walking forward off the platform and pushing Bones backwards towards the back of the Bridge. To Jim and Bones it seemed like they were the only ones in the room, but in actuality the entire Bridge crew was there and watching avidly.
“You don’t have to keep me for some mis-guided sense of loyalty Jim.”
“Misguided sense of....fucking hell Bones, you really don’t get it do you!” Jim shouted, shoving his best friend back against the wall beside the turbolift. Bones didn’t fight back, simply let Jim hit him.
“You hate me...”
“I...” Jim made an outraged squawk of rage and shoved Bones up tightly against the door, fingers firmly curled in the blue of Bones’s medical shirt, “I love you, you fucking idiot.”
And before Bones could answer Jim had crushed their mouths together in a kiss.
Bones stayed still for a long moment, just letting Jim kiss him, before with a great shuddering sigh he wrapped his arms around Jim in return and kissed him back fervently. Neither of them noticed the Bridge crew slip away one by one, leaving the ship on autopilot and disappearing, all wearing faintly soppy smiles.
Finally they parted and Bones cupped Jim’s face in his large gentle hands and smoothed his cheeks tenderly. “Dammit, I love you too Jim. But we do need to talk about all this.”
“Yeah we do. Your quarters? Tonight? I’ll bring the booze.”
Bones’s smile was all the acceptance he needed and he kissed him again, knowing that he would never again turn his back on his best friend.
“So...what about sex on the Captain’s chair?”
Chekov, lingering outside the Bridge doors heard the Doctor’s loud, “Dammit Jim!” before all noise cut off. Locking the Bridge with a code he probably shouldn’t have had access to, the young Ensign wandered off, grinning. It was a good day.
Author:
miss_m_cricketFandom: Star Trek Reboot!/Doom Crossover
Rating: Teen
Pairing: Reaper!Bones/Jim Kirk
Disclaimer: Don't own anything at all...
Summary: All he could remember was the shock, and then the betrayal that had grown on Jim’s face. And he remembered the order. “Security, escort Doctor McCoy to the brig, to await an enquiry.”..
A/N: Thank you to
mysterysquid who listened to me blather on about this for the whole night, and thanks also for callieach for her unwavering Reaper!Bones support.Turned Away
Jim had turned away from him.
Leonard McCoy lay on the cot provided for him, curled up in a ball. He was in a cell, something which wasn’t that unusual for him, but instead of it being the usual alien’s cell, it was an Enterprise cell. He was being held on the very ship he called home.
Because Jim had turned away from him.
Leonard moaned softly to himself, arms folding protectively over his belly as he lay there in the brightly lit cell. The pain of seeing Jim’s face change from horror, to relief, to betrayal kept replaying behind his eyes every time he closed them. He knew why Jim had ordered his arrest, knew why Jim felt the way he did. But sometimes knowledge couldn’t diffuse the pain of the feelings you feel.
It had been an accident, a maddened crew member, spurred on by a kind of space madness had gotten onto the Bridge of the Enterprise. Leonard had been near the Captain’s chair, a place he occupied much too much. He had seen Corden aim the phaser at Jim’s head, seen it quicker than perhaps anyone but Spock. But Spock was at the Science station, across on the other side of the Bridge.
Without thinking he had lunged, using instincts not forgotten even after over two hundred years. Even with his super-speed he knew he would not be able to get to Corden before he fired, so his body took him in the only direction he could.
Between them.
He only had a second to see Jim’s horrified face before the shot struck him, before the searing pain of the phaser bolt hitting his body sent him crumbling to the ground in a heap. As though through foggy glass he heard the Bridge burst into chaotic noise. He heard Corden screaming as he was subdued by Security, heard Spock call for medical to come to the Bridge at once, heard Jim calling his name and felt Jim’s hands running over him.
Then the pain faded away as he knew it would, he heard silence from everyone around him and he wondered for a moment if he had died, if he had finally left the world of the living after so long. Slowly he opened his eyes to see Jim crouching beside him, relief on his face being replaced by surprise. The rest of the Bridge crew was behind him, watching too, all with identical expressions of surprise and relief on their faces. Except for Spock of course. He had his eyebrow raised.
He lifted his hand from his belly, where he had pressed it instinctively as he fell, it was stained red with bright blood, but as he sat up, Jim scrambling back to let him, he could see pink unbroken skin through the tear in his shirt.
There had been no choice, explanations were in order. How he had explained his origins, his birth as John Grimm, the events of Olduvai, his 24th pair of chromosomes, the centuries afterwards where John Grimm, and Reaper, had faded away and Leonard McCoy M.D took their place, he didn’t remember.
All he could remember was the shock, and then the betrayal that had grown on Jim’s face. And he remembered the order.
“Security, escort Doctor McCoy to the brig, to await an enquiry.”
He had tried to apologise, to try to make Jim understand, but it was too late.
Jim had turned away from him, returning to his seat as Captain, not looking back as two Security Ensigns removed him from the Bridge.
~*~
He had two choices, Leonard thought dully.
Choice 1: Run. Get out of this cell by any means necessary and make a break for it to the Shuttle Bay. From there he would commandeer a shuttle, and exit for the deep reaches of Space. Never to see Earth again.
Never to see Jim again.
His heart ached at the very thought, but it had to be considered as a viable option.
Pros: he wouldn’t be forced to give DNA samples, therefore stopping any further research into C-24. He wouldn’t have to see the cold dismissal on Jim’s face again. He would live for more hundreds of years.
He sighed, scratching his head, not sure if that last one was really a pro or not.
Cons: he would never be able to return to Earth, never be able to see his daughter again. He would never see the rest of the Enterprise Crew again, never see Jim again.
The heavy weight of those cons sat over his heart, but he made himself look at each one closely. This choice was important.
Choice 2: Face the Court.
He knew he had no real choice, so he didn’t even bother to look at the pros or cons. He would face the court soon enough, best not to dwell, best not to think of Jim reading the charges out, with that cold expression on his handsome face.
Leonard McCoy turned his face into his pillow, and gritted his teeth, stopping the tears before they got to the surface. Children cried, men had to endure.
He would endure.
~*~
He should have run.
The Klingon Warbird was speeding on its way back to the Neutral Zone having been discovered by the Enterprise on its scouting mission.
It had been the red alert and the Enterprise rocking that had woken Leonard from his restless, unhappy sleep. Something was happening, the ship was under attack and Leonard had slammed his firsts against the energy shield holding him captive in frustration. He should be up there, helping Jim, or in the Med-bay sorting through the casualties.
He shouldn’t be down here in this stupid cell, twiddling his thumbs uselessly.
Suddenly for the briefest moment, everything went dark, power gone, and instinct pushed him forward as Reaper would have all those years ago. The speed of the C-24 meant he made it through the doorway before the power surged back and the barrier buzzed back into life.
Scrambling to his feet from where he had landed as he dived, Leonard took off through the halls. Where he was going, he didn’t know. All he knew was that that ship was in danger, people might be hurt. He was a Doctor dammit and he would heal until Jim found him and imprisoned him once more.
He heard running footsteps and he turned to face the sound as they ran around the corner. Klingons, he realised with a sickening lurch of his stomach, how had Klingons gotten aboard the Enterprise?
“Well, well, well...” The commander of the Klingons drawled as they fanned out, circling him. “What have we here? An unarmed, federation scientist all on his own running through the bowels of the Enterprise.”
“I am a Doctor, not a scientist, now kindly get out of my way...” Leonard growled, trying to push past the Klingons without any success, “Now see here...”
“No, Doctor, you see here.” And the Klingon held up his weapon, pointing it purposely at Leonard. “You tell me your name, and I’ll tell you if you will be any use to me.”
“I am Doctor Leonard McCoy, Chief Medical Officer.”
“And I am Captain Koloth.” The Klingon bowed mockingly, “Well, well, well the Chief Medical Officer. I have heard that Kirk is rather fond of his CMO. Academy friends?” he didn’t let Leonard answer, but jerked his weapon instead. Two of his lackey’s grabbed the Doctor’s arms and although he struggled, managing to throw one of them off, he crumpled to the floor as the Captain shot him with his weapon, paralysing him for long moments.
They thought Jim would barter to get him back, Leonard thought hazily as two of the Klingons carried him back to their ship, they thought Jim would concede much for the release of one of his crew members. Especially one of his senior officers.
He didn’t tell them of the cell he had recently been consigned to. He didn’t tell them that Jim wouldn’t concede anything for a traitorous best friend.
He didn’t tell them anything.
~*~
The Klingon ship was gone and Jim could feel himself slowly relaxing once more, ordering the ship off red alert. They had sustained some hits, and some Klingons had tried to storm the ship, but they had been battered back and now were fleeing towards the Neutral Zone.
His ship was safe once more.
“Lieutenant,” he said, swivelling around on his seat to face Uhura by her station, “Damage reports.”
The woman began a list of fairly light damages to some decks and areas and reported of the repairs already beginning on those areas. “Excellent Lieutenant.” He thanked once she was finished.
“Captain.” Spock said, walking slowly over to stand by Jim’s chair, brow slightly furrowed.
“Yes Spock?” Jim asked, spinning slightly once more to face his First Officer.
“I must admit I find the Klingon retreat most disquieting.”
Jim felt a small pang in his chest, as he looked around slightly, waiting for Bones usual acerbic comment. But Bones wasn’t here, Bones was down in the brig, or rather actually, Bones had never existed. Not the Bones that had been Jim’s best friend anyway, someone he had shared everything with.
He pushed those thoughts away and focused on the Vulcan before him, “And why is that Mr. Spock?”
“Well Captain, Klingon culture is based on combat and aggressive tactics. To retreat, or to flee us even when so completely outmatched is not a usual technique. I feel that either they are trying to lure us into some trap, or they have found some other method of attack.”
Jim considered this.
“But they have moved completely out of sensor range Mr Spock, heading back in the direction of the Neutral Zone.”
“I know this Captain. This is all merely conjecture and theory based on previous encounters and usual Klingon tactical logic.”
“Captain.” Uhura interrupted, “The Klingons are back just within sensor range. And we are being hailed.”
Jim shared a glance at Spock who moved to flank the Captain’s chair more noticeably. Onto the view screen flickered the face of a Klingon commander, wearing what could be accounted as a smile.
“Ah Captain Kirk.” The Klingon commander said voice oily with smug expectancy and false pleasantry. “How lovely to see you once again.”
“Sadly, Captain,” Jim said, voice equally pleasant, “I cannot say that I know of you. However I do know that your vessel has encroached on Federation space, and attacked a Federation Starship. Surely you know that counts as a declaration of hostilities?”
“I am Captain Koloth, Captain Kirk. And there will be no hostilities between the Federation and my Empire.”
“Oh yes?” Jim said, amused and leaning back in his chair languidly, “And what makes you so sure of that my dear Captain Koloth?”
“Because Captain, I hold something very dear to you on board this ship of mine. I believe you may be missing something rather important from your Medical bay. I’m surprised actually that you are unaware that it is missing. I had heard that the Captain of the Enterprise was very aware of his Chief Medical Officer.”
Jim heard Chekov gasp, felt Spock’s posture stiffen even more beside him and then there was a great rushing in his ears, the blood pounding through his temples in a frenetic, fearful tempo. His fingers clutched at his armrests, knuckles turning white.
“I don’t believe you.” He hissed flatly.
Koloth laughed and then the angle of the viewscreen shifted to show Bones, his Bones, trussed up like a prize chicken on the Bridge of the Klingon ship. Bones head was resting back against the post he was bound to, and he was determinedly looking away from the screen.
“Come Doctor,” Koloth sneered, walking over to the blue shirted man and gripping his chin in his hand, “Smile at your friends and let them know you are safe and sound.”
“Fuck off.” Bones growled, jerking his chin away and glaring at the Klingon.
Crack!
The blow to Bones’s jaw made Chekov jump, Sulu wince, Uhura gasp again, Spock compress his lips together and made Jim almost lunge out of his seat. Blood dripped from Bones’s mouth and the Doctor looked at the Klingon contemptuously before spitting a bloody wad onto the Captain’s shiny black boot.
Jim felt his heart lurch. How could he have thought that this wasn’t his Bones? How could he have thrown his best friend in the brig? How could he have turned on his friend so fast, without even really talking to him privately? He had assumed the worst...and now....
Koloth raised his fist once more, preparing to send it smashing into Bones insolent face again.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you Captain.” Jim barked harshly, standing up out of his Captain’s chair and walking forward. “What do you want?”
Koloth turned his back on the Chief Medical Officer and faced his counterpart. “I want the Enterprise Kirk. And I want you on board her when I bring you home in triumph. You will serve out the rest of your days on Rura Penthe.”
“Not very appealing. What happens to Bones if I accept? Or refuse?”
“If you accept? He will be allowed to leave the ship with that Vulcan First Officer of yours. If you refuse, he will die, painfully and horribly and cursing your name until his final breath. And I will make sure you witness it Kirk.”
“Jim!” Jim heard Bones yell from the background, “Jim, don’t you fucking do it! DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE DO-” His voice was cut off suddenly, horribly and Jim clenched his fist in fury.
“I need time to think.”
The Klingon nodded with a smirk. “One hour Kirk, one hour.”
~*~
Leonard could not stifle the gasp of horror he made when Jim, Spock and two Security personnel walked onto the Klingon Bridge just over an hour later.
“No...” he groaned, tugging at the bonds, straining against the tight knots. “No, Jim, no...I’m not worth it...”
“Shut it, McCoy.” Jim sneered casually, nodding at Koloth, “Untie him and I will hand myself over peacefully.” Koloth gestured at two Klingons nearby who moved forward and slashed through his bonds, sending him down on one knee, gasping as feeling seared back through deprived limbs.
He was yanked to his feet and hauled over to stand beside the Klingon commander, who smirked at him before turning to look at Jim again. “Now you Captain, hand over your Phaser and walk over to McCoy’s pole peacefully.”
“I don’t think so.” Jim said casually, playing with the phaser in his hand, “You see, you have provided me with a perfect excuse. McCoy has grown tiresome to me; I cannot trust him as a Captain needs to trust his Chief Medical Officer. Therefore he is....a burden. One I must thank you for ridding me of.”
“Jim...” Leonard breathed, eyes fixed on Jim as the young man turned slightly, phaser aimed at his belly. “Jim...wait...”
Jim fired at the same time as Leonard spoke the last few words and then chaos broke loose. Leonard crumpled to the ground, blood spilling from his wound, the Klingon holding him shoving him aside. Spock scooped him up as the battle began in earnest, the Enterprise officers shooting before the Klingons could react.
“Scotty!” Leonard heard Jim shouting as he slipped out of consciousness, “Beam us back!”
~*~
It was nigh on inconceivable; A Jim Kirk plan which had gone off flawlessly.
Needless to say, Jim was feeling rather smug with himself.
The only negative thing was that he still hadn’t had a chance to talk with Bones. Bones who although Jim had saved him, would still think he was angry about the whole ‘you lived 200 years before I was even born’ thing. He wasn’t, he was just curious now, and wondering how he could convince Bones that he had realised many things that fateful day.
Like, ‘I love you’ for instance.
Yeah, that was going to go down real well.
It was a week later and he had been giving Bones his space, letting the older man get comfortable once more. Once things were back in a groove he would talk to his best friend and sort out all of this stuff.
It was a good plan, but unlike the Klingon one, Bones wasn’t going to let this one go off without a hitch.
It was afternoon, that week later, when the turbolift shicked open and revealed Bones. Jim’s eyes widened as the man walked across the Bridge, green hazel eyes fixed on his Captain’s face, seemingly unaware that most conversations had come to a halt and everyone was watching him.
“Captain.” Bones greeted, handing over the PADD in his hand. His face was carefully neutral, mouth compressed.
“Bones,” Jim greeted easily, giving him a small smile, pleased to see his best friend back up on the Bridge. Perhaps things were getting better already. He looked down at the PADD before him and felt his grip tighten sharply on the device.
Formal Request for Transfer
Crewmember: Leonard H McCoy, CMO
Serial number...
Jim felt Spock come up behind him and then felt the Vulcan gently tug the device out of his hand and read it himself. He could almost feel the eyebrow rise. Bones was fidgeting slightly.
“This is most illogical Doctor,” Spock broke the silence, voice calm, “The ship’s effectiveness would be much lessened if you did decide to leave the Enterprise.”
“Shut up Spock, you aren’t the Captain.”
“No.” Said Jim, standing slowly and turning on the platform to face Bones, towering over him on the elevation, “But I am, and I say this. Transfer fucking denied.”
“Jim...”
“No Bones, you are not leaving this ship.” Jim growled, walking forward off the platform and pushing Bones backwards towards the back of the Bridge. To Jim and Bones it seemed like they were the only ones in the room, but in actuality the entire Bridge crew was there and watching avidly.
“You don’t have to keep me for some mis-guided sense of loyalty Jim.”
“Misguided sense of....fucking hell Bones, you really don’t get it do you!” Jim shouted, shoving his best friend back against the wall beside the turbolift. Bones didn’t fight back, simply let Jim hit him.
“You hate me...”
“I...” Jim made an outraged squawk of rage and shoved Bones up tightly against the door, fingers firmly curled in the blue of Bones’s medical shirt, “I love you, you fucking idiot.”
And before Bones could answer Jim had crushed their mouths together in a kiss.
Bones stayed still for a long moment, just letting Jim kiss him, before with a great shuddering sigh he wrapped his arms around Jim in return and kissed him back fervently. Neither of them noticed the Bridge crew slip away one by one, leaving the ship on autopilot and disappearing, all wearing faintly soppy smiles.
Finally they parted and Bones cupped Jim’s face in his large gentle hands and smoothed his cheeks tenderly. “Dammit, I love you too Jim. But we do need to talk about all this.”
“Yeah we do. Your quarters? Tonight? I’ll bring the booze.”
Bones’s smile was all the acceptance he needed and he kissed him again, knowing that he would never again turn his back on his best friend.
“So...what about sex on the Captain’s chair?”
Chekov, lingering outside the Bridge doors heard the Doctor’s loud, “Dammit Jim!” before all noise cut off. Locking the Bridge with a code he probably shouldn’t have had access to, the young Ensign wandered off, grinning. It was a good day.
