S&S&ST Chapter Nine: Bye-Bye Bones
Outline
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
This chapter is sweet and flirty right up to the point where your heart breaks for McCoy. You have been warned
In the middle of Engineering, the warp factor regulator started making strange noises. Kirke whipped out his tricorder and realized that it was at an extremely unstable level of power. He reacted instantly. “Everyone get away from that wall! She’s gonna blow!” And blow she did.
Scotty wasted no time in assigning tasks. Skoog and Spinelli cleared the area and made certain there was no more toxic waste in the work area. Watson and Crick assessed and repaired the damage that had been done to the other units. And Kirke and McCoy were set to adjust the filtration system.
Every once in a while, they would reach for the same tool and their hands would touch for an instant. The first time this happened, Kirke jolted as if a shock had run through him, and Bones had the decency to look embarrassed. He stared up into the older man’s eyes for a moment, and McCoy stared back. Suddenly he grabbed his hand back and steadied himself. That small bit of contact meant nothing, he reminded himself. It was completely natural in this setting, and besides McCoy was much too old for him. “Pass me the socket wrench,” he mumbled and work went on as before.
Everyone’s respective jobs were almost complete when McCoy’s personal pager went off. He took one look at it, scowled, swore, and immediately asked to leave the room so he might check on the message.
Five minutes later he returned and addressed Mr. Scott. Jim listened in. He insisted to himself that it was just because he was an eavesdropper by nature and would have spied on anyone. “I must leave on a matter of some importance and I do not know when I will return. Perhaps it will not be for the entire semester. I wonder if I might get the downloads early so as to not fall so far behind?”
“Aye, that ye may,” Scotty answered as he went to rummage through his desk. When he returned he gave McCoy a knowing wink. “I think I ken who this is about,” he said shrewdly. “And I hope she is well.”
McCoy balled his hand into a fist, but kept it in his pocket. “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about. I must go this very minute!” and he dashed away.
He was halfway through the door when Scotty raised his voice. “Oh, and laddie,” he called, “I hope you realize that you can always talk to the teachers if there’s a problem.” But he was already gone.
Jim shrugged; it was really none of his business.
* * * *
Once he was in the hallway, Dr. McCoy braced himself against the nearest wall. Oh thank God, Gaila was safe. Or at least she was alive, which wasn’t nearly the same thing. And Lenny McCoy knew better than anyone that dead and gone is dead and gone. He still missed his father, even though he had died almost four years ago. And his wife had taken everything away from him, even the planet. But goddamit, it was time to put on his big girl panties and look this thing in the eye. He had a med kit with bandages, pain-killers, and enough hyposprays to power a small nation. Whatever had happened to his ward, he was going to make sure everything turned out alright. He owed that much to her - and to her mother.
Chapter Ten
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
This chapter is sweet and flirty right up to the point where your heart breaks for McCoy. You have been warned
In the middle of Engineering, the warp factor regulator started making strange noises. Kirke whipped out his tricorder and realized that it was at an extremely unstable level of power. He reacted instantly. “Everyone get away from that wall! She’s gonna blow!” And blow she did.
Scotty wasted no time in assigning tasks. Skoog and Spinelli cleared the area and made certain there was no more toxic waste in the work area. Watson and Crick assessed and repaired the damage that had been done to the other units. And Kirke and McCoy were set to adjust the filtration system.
Every once in a while, they would reach for the same tool and their hands would touch for an instant. The first time this happened, Kirke jolted as if a shock had run through him, and Bones had the decency to look embarrassed. He stared up into the older man’s eyes for a moment, and McCoy stared back. Suddenly he grabbed his hand back and steadied himself. That small bit of contact meant nothing, he reminded himself. It was completely natural in this setting, and besides McCoy was much too old for him. “Pass me the socket wrench,” he mumbled and work went on as before.
Everyone’s respective jobs were almost complete when McCoy’s personal pager went off. He took one look at it, scowled, swore, and immediately asked to leave the room so he might check on the message.
Five minutes later he returned and addressed Mr. Scott. Jim listened in. He insisted to himself that it was just because he was an eavesdropper by nature and would have spied on anyone. “I must leave on a matter of some importance and I do not know when I will return. Perhaps it will not be for the entire semester. I wonder if I might get the downloads early so as to not fall so far behind?”
“Aye, that ye may,” Scotty answered as he went to rummage through his desk. When he returned he gave McCoy a knowing wink. “I think I ken who this is about,” he said shrewdly. “And I hope she is well.”
McCoy balled his hand into a fist, but kept it in his pocket. “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about. I must go this very minute!” and he dashed away.
He was halfway through the door when Scotty raised his voice. “Oh, and laddie,” he called, “I hope you realize that you can always talk to the teachers if there’s a problem.” But he was already gone.
Jim shrugged; it was really none of his business.
* * * *
Once he was in the hallway, Dr. McCoy braced himself against the nearest wall. Oh thank God, Gaila was safe. Or at least she was alive, which wasn’t nearly the same thing. And Lenny McCoy knew better than anyone that dead and gone is dead and gone. He still missed his father, even though he had died almost four years ago. And his wife had taken everything away from him, even the planet. But goddamit, it was time to put on his big girl panties and look this thing in the eye. He had a med kit with bandages, pain-killers, and enough hyposprays to power a small nation. Whatever had happened to his ward, he was going to make sure everything turned out alright. He owed that much to her - and to her mother.
Chapter Ten