Fic: Time Marches On
Fandom: Star Trek: The Original Series
Rating: PG
Pairings: post-Kirk/Spock/McCoy, Spock/McCoy, Joanna/OFC/OMC
Warnings: Canon character death
Summary: Being retired doesn’t mean life has stopped being busy for Spock and McCoy; even if Jim isn’t the cause of the madness anymore.
A companion story to Que Sera Sera, but it can be read as a standalone story just with the knowledge that this takes place after the opening events of Star Trek Generations.
Time Marches On
McCoy pulled the brim of his hat further down on his head as the sun came out from behind a few clouds, and shone down on the water he was standing in. He breathed in the crisp mountain air and smiled at the perfect day before him.
“You’re not going to catch anything but a cold if you just stand in the river all day, Bones.”
McCoy turned to where Jim was making his way down the river bank, tackle box in hand.
“Well I’m not the one who forgot the bait.”
Jim waved him off. “Technicality,” he said, and worked to get bait on both fishing hooks before casting his swiftly into the water.
“Not bad, Jim,” McCoy commented idly as he cast his own line.
“I’m an old pro, Bones, my dad and I used to do this all the time.”
“My dad was more of a fan of cooking the fish than catching it.”
“That would explain why your hook is currently sitting on a rock then.”
McCoy swore and Jim laughed, stepping back a little as McCoy reeled his line back in. McCoy cast his line successful that time and then turned around.
“Jim, I love-”
But Jim was nowhere to be seen.
McCoy gasped and opened his eyes to see not a cool stream, but a tiny hotel room outlined by the soft street light peeking in through the blinds covering the window. It was then he remembered that Jim was gone and the warmth of the body next to him in bed belonged to his daughter. Joanna was currently sitting up though, one hand clutching her swollen stomach. McCoy rubbed his eyes and sat up too.
“Jo, honey, what’s wrong?” he asked, putting one hand lightly on her arm.
She grimaced and took a few deep breaths before answering him.
“I think it’s time.”
McCoy promptly panicked as any good father should.
“Someone, call a doctor!” he shouted.
Joanna scowled at her dad. “I can’t believe you just said that.”
“Leonard?”
The lights came on then and McCoy looked over to the corner of the room where Spock was sitting up in the chair he had been sleeping in.
“I hope you’re ready, Spock, we’re becoming grandparents tonight.”
“Indeed. Since the completion of gestation was so close.” He flipped the blanket back to reveal the shirt and pants he was wearing. “I took the liberty of not getting undressed tonight.”
Spock got up and gathered his things as McCoy helped Joanna out of bed and got her bag out the closet.
“It is 11:36pm that means the best route is G, Joanna, we can have you at the hospital in 10.46 minutes.”
McCoy looked over Spock’s shoulder at the street map displayed on the screen of Spock’s PADD.
“You planned for this?” he asked.
“It was logical to prepare for all possible routes in case of delays.”
“Well logic failed you.” McCoy smirked and pointed at the map. “Sherman Avenue is closed for construction.”
“That construction was to be complete at 16:00 yesterday, Leonard, route G it is still the most efficient way to the hospital.”
“Since when does construction ever finish on time?”
Joanna cleared her throat. “As much fun as it is to see you two bicker I’d like to not give birth to this kid standing up.”
“Right, Jo.”
After making two calls to Joanna’s wife and husband they left the room. Spock drove to the hospital swiftly, and gave McCoy a smug look when Sherman Avenue was open and nearly devoid of traffic.
***
The birth went quite well enough for being Joanna’s first time. If one ignored Joanna’s wife who came running into the room with coffee spilt all over her uniform as she explained that she’d rushed out of her meeting at HQ to be there in time. Joanna had laughed and told that births weren’t quite that quick and let her have one of her shirts to change into, because the baby was not allowed to be addicted to coffee like its mother.
One also needed to ignore how Joanna yelled at her husband that this was all his fault when the contractions reached their highest point and it was time to push. And how Spock had to take the man out in to the hallway and explain to him that trying to inform Joanna of the logic that he alone was not responsible for the conception of their child was not the appropriate response.
“It is a completely illogical response for her to yell at me about giving birth to a child we all wanted,” he had protested.
Spock had just sighed and told him to simply be quiet and support his wife in her time of need.
He had done so, letting Joanna squeeze his arm until it bruised whenever necessary, and at 5am precisely an infant’s cries filled the hospital room.
“It’s a boy,” McCoy announced, as he let his son in law cut the cord, and then let Joanna hold him as he delivered the placenta.
When he was finished the nurse stepped in to help clean up. McCoy felt the tears start rolling down his cheeks as he looked at his daughter, sweating and dishevelled and so radiant.
His baby had a baby of her own.
When the parents had each held their son and counted all his fingers and toes, and chuckled over the points on his ears they handed him over to McCoy. Wanting to let his daughter rest McCoy went out to the small lounge area next to her room, holding his first grandchild tightly.
David James McCoy.
"Oochy-woochy coochy-coo," he cooed at David.
“It is not often I see you like this,” Spock said, getting up from his chair and joining McCoy by the window.
“What, happy?”
Spock shook his head. “Contented.”
McCoy nodded. Yes Spock was right he wasn’t just happy, he was at ease. This was how he always liked life to be, simple.
“Would you like to hold him?”
Spock nodded.
As McCoy passed David over he was reminded of another time they had done this. How stiff Spock had gone at having to hold such a tiny screaming bundle of new life. He smiled at the memory. This time though Spock accepted the baby softly, tucking David securely into the crook of his arm and letting him wrap one tiny hand around his finger.
“That means he likes you, Spock.”
“Indeed,” Spock said, as he felt the fleeting thoughts of the newborn through their shared touch. “His mind is quite active for one so young.”
“Gets that from his grandfathers,” said McCoy, as he wrapped an arm loosely around Spock’s waist and leaned his head against his shoulder.
“Genetically speaking, Leonard, you are his only grandfather on his mother’s side.”
“Nurture counts for just as much as nature, Spock.”
“You are correct.”
McCoy sighed as he watched David close his eyes and fall asleep.
“I dreamed about Jim tonight,” he whispered. “It’s the first time in almost a year.”
Spock took his free hand and squeezed McCoy’s hand tightly.
“It wasn’t anything special. Just the two of us fishing up by that old cabin Jim used to own…he should’ve been here for this.”
“It is not as though our grandson will never know of Jim. They already share a name after all.”
McCoy nodded and blinked as his eyes suddenly welled up with tears.
“I love you, Spock,” he blurted out. “I know I’m never going to say it enough, but I do.”
Spock moved his hand so the first two fingers brushed against McCoy’s in a Vulcan kiss.
“As do I, Leonard, as do I.”
The End
Rating: PG
Pairings: post-Kirk/Spock/McCoy, Spock/McCoy, Joanna/OFC/OMC
Warnings: Canon character death
Summary: Being retired doesn’t mean life has stopped being busy for Spock and McCoy; even if Jim isn’t the cause of the madness anymore.
A companion story to Que Sera Sera, but it can be read as a standalone story just with the knowledge that this takes place after the opening events of Star Trek Generations.
Time Marches On
McCoy pulled the brim of his hat further down on his head as the sun came out from behind a few clouds, and shone down on the water he was standing in. He breathed in the crisp mountain air and smiled at the perfect day before him.
“You’re not going to catch anything but a cold if you just stand in the river all day, Bones.”
McCoy turned to where Jim was making his way down the river bank, tackle box in hand.
“Well I’m not the one who forgot the bait.”
Jim waved him off. “Technicality,” he said, and worked to get bait on both fishing hooks before casting his swiftly into the water.
“Not bad, Jim,” McCoy commented idly as he cast his own line.
“I’m an old pro, Bones, my dad and I used to do this all the time.”
“My dad was more of a fan of cooking the fish than catching it.”
“That would explain why your hook is currently sitting on a rock then.”
McCoy swore and Jim laughed, stepping back a little as McCoy reeled his line back in. McCoy cast his line successful that time and then turned around.
“Jim, I love-”
But Jim was nowhere to be seen.
McCoy gasped and opened his eyes to see not a cool stream, but a tiny hotel room outlined by the soft street light peeking in through the blinds covering the window. It was then he remembered that Jim was gone and the warmth of the body next to him in bed belonged to his daughter. Joanna was currently sitting up though, one hand clutching her swollen stomach. McCoy rubbed his eyes and sat up too.
“Jo, honey, what’s wrong?” he asked, putting one hand lightly on her arm.
She grimaced and took a few deep breaths before answering him.
“I think it’s time.”
McCoy promptly panicked as any good father should.
“Someone, call a doctor!” he shouted.
Joanna scowled at her dad. “I can’t believe you just said that.”
“Leonard?”
The lights came on then and McCoy looked over to the corner of the room where Spock was sitting up in the chair he had been sleeping in.
“I hope you’re ready, Spock, we’re becoming grandparents tonight.”
“Indeed. Since the completion of gestation was so close.” He flipped the blanket back to reveal the shirt and pants he was wearing. “I took the liberty of not getting undressed tonight.”
Spock got up and gathered his things as McCoy helped Joanna out of bed and got her bag out the closet.
“It is 11:36pm that means the best route is G, Joanna, we can have you at the hospital in 10.46 minutes.”
McCoy looked over Spock’s shoulder at the street map displayed on the screen of Spock’s PADD.
“You planned for this?” he asked.
“It was logical to prepare for all possible routes in case of delays.”
“Well logic failed you.” McCoy smirked and pointed at the map. “Sherman Avenue is closed for construction.”
“That construction was to be complete at 16:00 yesterday, Leonard, route G it is still the most efficient way to the hospital.”
“Since when does construction ever finish on time?”
Joanna cleared her throat. “As much fun as it is to see you two bicker I’d like to not give birth to this kid standing up.”
“Right, Jo.”
After making two calls to Joanna’s wife and husband they left the room. Spock drove to the hospital swiftly, and gave McCoy a smug look when Sherman Avenue was open and nearly devoid of traffic.
***
The birth went quite well enough for being Joanna’s first time. If one ignored Joanna’s wife who came running into the room with coffee spilt all over her uniform as she explained that she’d rushed out of her meeting at HQ to be there in time. Joanna had laughed and told that births weren’t quite that quick and let her have one of her shirts to change into, because the baby was not allowed to be addicted to coffee like its mother.
One also needed to ignore how Joanna yelled at her husband that this was all his fault when the contractions reached their highest point and it was time to push. And how Spock had to take the man out in to the hallway and explain to him that trying to inform Joanna of the logic that he alone was not responsible for the conception of their child was not the appropriate response.
“It is a completely illogical response for her to yell at me about giving birth to a child we all wanted,” he had protested.
Spock had just sighed and told him to simply be quiet and support his wife in her time of need.
He had done so, letting Joanna squeeze his arm until it bruised whenever necessary, and at 5am precisely an infant’s cries filled the hospital room.
“It’s a boy,” McCoy announced, as he let his son in law cut the cord, and then let Joanna hold him as he delivered the placenta.
When he was finished the nurse stepped in to help clean up. McCoy felt the tears start rolling down his cheeks as he looked at his daughter, sweating and dishevelled and so radiant.
His baby had a baby of her own.
When the parents had each held their son and counted all his fingers and toes, and chuckled over the points on his ears they handed him over to McCoy. Wanting to let his daughter rest McCoy went out to the small lounge area next to her room, holding his first grandchild tightly.
David James McCoy.
"Oochy-woochy coochy-coo," he cooed at David.
“It is not often I see you like this,” Spock said, getting up from his chair and joining McCoy by the window.
“What, happy?”
Spock shook his head. “Contented.”
McCoy nodded. Yes Spock was right he wasn’t just happy, he was at ease. This was how he always liked life to be, simple.
“Would you like to hold him?”
Spock nodded.
As McCoy passed David over he was reminded of another time they had done this. How stiff Spock had gone at having to hold such a tiny screaming bundle of new life. He smiled at the memory. This time though Spock accepted the baby softly, tucking David securely into the crook of his arm and letting him wrap one tiny hand around his finger.
“That means he likes you, Spock.”
“Indeed,” Spock said, as he felt the fleeting thoughts of the newborn through their shared touch. “His mind is quite active for one so young.”
“Gets that from his grandfathers,” said McCoy, as he wrapped an arm loosely around Spock’s waist and leaned his head against his shoulder.
“Genetically speaking, Leonard, you are his only grandfather on his mother’s side.”
“Nurture counts for just as much as nature, Spock.”
“You are correct.”
McCoy sighed as he watched David close his eyes and fall asleep.
“I dreamed about Jim tonight,” he whispered. “It’s the first time in almost a year.”
Spock took his free hand and squeezed McCoy’s hand tightly.
“It wasn’t anything special. Just the two of us fishing up by that old cabin Jim used to own…he should’ve been here for this.”
“It is not as though our grandson will never know of Jim. They already share a name after all.”
McCoy nodded and blinked as his eyes suddenly welled up with tears.
“I love you, Spock,” he blurted out. “I know I’m never going to say it enough, but I do.”
Spock moved his hand so the first two fingers brushed against McCoy’s in a Vulcan kiss.
“As do I, Leonard, as do I.”
The End