Storytime with Rachel F Hundred

Apparently dying really took it out of a guy.

Jim grumbled under his breath even as Bones ignored his independent attempt to stand and steadied his elbow. 

“Infant,” Bones stated without any real rancour.  He walked Jim the last few steps from the hoverchair to the car and settled Jim into the passenger seat. 

Jim squirmed into the seat cushion and tried to pretend he didn’t feel exhausted from simply making the trip from his room to the car.  In a hoverchair. 

There was a small hiss as the trunk of the car closed.

Spock and Uhura walked around to stand beside Bones in front of the open passenger door. 

“Your luggage has been stowed, Doctor,” Spock said, “and you will find your destination has been fully prepared with all the supplies you requested.”

“Thank you, Spock,” Bones said, although his attention was on Jim.  “Computer, engage passenger restraints.”

“Why Bones, I always knew you wanted to tie me up,” jested Jim even as he accommodated the belts sliding into position around him.

Uhura tried and failed to repress the smile which tugged at her lips.  Bones just rolled his eyes at the obvious innuendo and made for the driver’s seat.

Jim blinked up at Spock and Uhura, squinting to reduce the glare of the sun just behind Spock’s head.  “You kids sure you don’t want to join us?”   

“Maybe once you can stay awake long enough for a conversation,” Uhura said, laughing.

“I can so stay awake,” he muttered under his breath.

“As you know, Captain, we are required to remain in San Francisco for some time due to our obligations to Starfleet,” Spock said.

Jim tapped his chin.  “Do these obligations include the review into your capture of Kahn by any chance?”

“Who told you?” asked Uhura bluntly.

“I’m a Starfleet Captain!” Jim pointed out.  He turned back to Spock.  “If you want me to stay in town, I can.”

Spock’s dark eyes warmed.  “Thank you, Jim, but I am prepared for the review and its probable consequences.”

“That’s what worries me,” Jim quipped.

“Don’t worry, Captain,” Uhura said, looping her arm through Spock’s, “we’ve got this.”

Jim met her determined gaze and read the intent to ensure Spock didn’t fall on his sword in the review.  He turned back to Spock and smiled.  “You’ll be fine, Spock.”  He gave a small wave.  “See you both when we get back.”

Spock lifted his hand in the traditional ta’al.  “Live long and prosper, Jim.”

Uhura offered him a small wave.

Jim smiled as the door came down to seal him inside the car.  For a second the hiss had him back in the chamber where he’d died, confined and trapped.  He blinked.  The car came back into focus around him; he took a deep breath. 

“You OK, Jim?” asked Bones.

Jim found he couldn’t lie to his friend.  “Just…adjusting, I guess,” he admitted, looking over and meeting Bones’ warm concerned eyes.

Bones gave a decisive nod.  “Get comfortable, kid.  It’s going to be a long drive.”

“We’re not going camping, are we?” asked Jim, disappointed but giving into the truth that his body wouldn’t cope with sleeping out under the stars and on the hard ground.

“Oh, ye of so little faith,” Bones retorted, punching the button on the dash to set the car into motion, “just wait and see.”

Jim frowned at Bones’ smug expression.   He pouted but his pout never really worked on Bones. 

Bones gave him a pointed look, set the autodrive function and picked up his padd.  He began to read out loud from a medical journal and between one sentence about the composition of some kind of alien pox and another, Jim fell asleep.

o-O-o

Jim woke the instant the car stopped.  He blinked at the cabin in front of him.

Beside him, Bones stretched.  “You awake?”

“Yeah,” Jim grimaced as he rubbed a hand over his face.  He looked around at the small clearing, the driveway behind them lead back out of the heavily wooded area.  The cabin was small; rustic.  However, he knew Bones would never have brought him somewhere which couldn’t meet his medical needs.

“Not quite a tent under the stars, but plenty of fresh air and rest,” Bones decreed with satisfaction and got out before Jim could reply.

“Computer, disengage restraints,” Jim ordered.  He managed to hit the open button to the door just as Bones came around the car.  He sighed as the doctor immediately helped him regain his balance and footing as he stood up.

Jim leaned against Bones more than he wanted to admit that he needed as they walked the path to the door.  Bones made quick work of the keypad and then they were inside.  Jim was immediately ushered to the sofa.  He wanted to protest but every single part of him hurt so he rearranged himself to lie down and let the sound of Bones getting things organised lull him into a semi-doze.

It wasn’t too long before Bones had things set out.  Jim was hustled into taking a shower and dressed in some clean comfortable clothes. It chafed at him that he couldn’t manage either task without Bones, but it helped that his friend only stepped in with a matter-of-fact no-fuss air when Jim had struggled.  

Bones assembled a simple dinner of grilled cheese sandwiches and soup.  Afterwards he led Jim outside to sit on the porch bench bundled in a blanket with mugs of hot chocolate. The drink was a welcome warmth against the bite of the air as the sky turned to twilight and the first stars started to appear above them.

“This is great,” Jim said appreciatively. 

He breathed out and in again.  He let the scent of the wood surround him; the crisp sharp taste of air into his lungs.  He set his empty mug aside and pressed himself up against Bones.  The other man took his weight without protest.  He sensed rather than felt Bones let go of some of the tension he’d been carrying.

“Glad you like it, kid,” Bones murmured.

“You think Spock will be fine?  At the review?”

Bones hummed.  “They gave me nothing but a slap on the wrist for breaking all kinds of medical rules to bring your ass back so I can’t see them coming down too hard on Spock getting a little physical in bringing Khan in.”   

Jim nodded slowly.  He bit his lip and said the question bothering him anyway.  “What’s going on with you and Scotty?”

Bones shrugged gently, giving away his physical awareness that Jim was cuddled into his side.

Jim surged on.  “Come on, Bones.  Uhura told me you yelled at him…”

“She did, did she?” Bones said evenly.

“…and Spock said that you haven’t spoken to him except through official communications,” Jim concluded.

There was a long silence broken only by the call of some bird deep in the forest.

“You know it wasn’t his fault,” Jim hesitated again, but he continued with a sigh, “I asked him not to call you.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Bones asked, irritation coating every word.  “But you were dying so you get a pass on bad judgement.  He doesn’t.”

Jim had deliberately chosen to keep his best friend away at the end.  He’d never have held it together if Bones had been the other side of the glass.  He’d trusted Spock to stay rational; to stay steady when Jim had needed to face his fear of dying with some composure.

And then there was the faint memory in his head, a legacy from a hasty mind-meld with a Spock from another timeline; Bones slumped hurt against a wall; a flip of events with Spock the other side of the door and Jim his hand pressed up against the glass saying goodbye to his friend.  Bones had been hurt somehow in that other timeline. 

Jim hadn’t been about to let that happen.  He had remembered the horror of Bones trapped with a ticking bomb on a planet below the Enterprise…he’d almost lost Bones once in their ill-conceived mission, he hadn’t been about to risk him again.

“I couldn’t…I couldn’t…” Jim’s throat closed-up, too much emotion stormed through him as he tried to explain himself to Bones.  He turned his head into Bones’ shoulder and closed his eyes. 

“It’s alright, Jim,” Bones said quietly, the Georgia roll of his voice comforting Jim.  He pressed back against him carefully.  “I know.”

Jim didn’t trust himself not to speak without crying.

“Like I said you were dying,” Bones paused for effect before he continued, “so I forgive you for being a dumb-ass.”

Jim was startled into laughter. 

The night seeped in around them.  The sound of the wildlife a steady beat and hush of background noise.  The adrenaline of the discussion faded away and Jim felt lethargy start to pull at his body again; he was so tired.  But he was reluctant to move.  He felt content in the fresh cold air; safe with Bones beside him.  

“How long can we stay?” asked Jim, eventually.

“Until I say you’re cleared for duty,” Bones replied dryly.

Jim smiled at that.  He tilted his head against Bones’ shoulder and looked up at the sky.  “Thanks, Bones.”

“Thank Starfleet, they’re paying for this,” Bones said.

“No,” Jim said carefully, “thank you, Bones.”

Bones stilled. 

And Jim knew he knew.  He knew Bones would get that Jim was thanking him for saving his life, for being his best friend, for being Bones.

“You’re welcome, Jim,” Bones said gruffly.

Jim smiled again.

He stared up at the purpling sky with a frown.   The faint light of the stars was beginning to break through the darkness.  He wondered if he’d ever get back up there to the black, back to a ship called Enterprise and his destiny.

“Don’t fret, you’ll be up there soon enough,” Bones said as though reading his mind.

Jim nodded.  “You’ll be with me, right, Bones?”

“Someone’s got to keep you out of trouble,” Bones shot back.

Jim gave a pleased hum.  He tucked himself carefully even closer into Bones’ side and felt Bones shift to accommodate him like Bones always did.  He was alive and he was safe.  Jim slipped back to sleep dreaming of starlight.

fin.