The Ballad of Jim and Bones - Chapter 3
Title:The Ballad of Jim and Bones (3/5)
Series: Star Trek AOS
Author:neko-fish
Beta:castofone
Pairings: Jim/Bones, slight Spock/Uhura
Rating: PG-13
Summary: It was the summer of 1985 when young Jim Kirk's life changed forever. After tumbling down a hill, deep in the woods, he ended up receiving help from the most unlikely figure. Little did he know that the group of people he encountered in the forest that year would teach him about the best and the worst aspects of life, human nature, and himself...
Warnings: AU, my first Star Trek fic.. Highlight for more -> past character death, ghost-ish story, the 1890s, and my crappy summary...
Chapter 1// Chapter 2
Chapter 3:
At 15 years old, much to his dismay, his mother invited both his girlfriend and his best friend at the time to join them at the cabin. It took all his self-control to hold back his tears of frustration. The secluded clearing where Leonard and the rest of them were was a secret he held close to his heart, never having told anyone about his friends. Part of the reason was because of the promise he made to the doctor all those years ago, and the other part was simply because he didn’t want to share.
He dreaded the idea of having to spend his summer hiking around and keeping the two company, but there wasn’t very much he could do about it. So he did as he was told and half-heartedly showed them around the mountains and forests and the town, all while wishing he was elsewhere. Pretty soon, he began looking for opportunities to escape or to 'accidentally' lose sight of them.
It wasn’t until a couple weeks later into their visit that he managed to sneak off on his own. Quickly making his way to the clearing, he heaved a sigh of relief. At least he’d be allowed to spend some time with his usual company. Making his way over to his favourite tree in the world, he called out, “Hey, Bones. You there?”
It never ceased to amaze him when the doctor managed to appear out of nowhere. “Hey, Jim, we were beginning to think you were getting too old to be spending your summer hanging around old trees like us.”
Jim smiled, nothing but sincerity in his expression. “Too old you hang out with you guys? Never.”
The brunet rolled his eyes. “You should’ve seen Spock. I’m pretty sure the man was actually disappointed when you didn’t show up. You should go find him later. I never thought I’d ever witness a sad Vulcan of all things.”
Curiously, he asked, “And what about you?”
Leonard snorted. “Me? What about me? I don’t keep track of the days like Spock does so I never know when you’re supposed to show up unless he tells me. But I guess it’s good to see you. We live vicariously through you, remember? Without you around, the entire world could’ve been invaded by those space aliens of yours and we’d never know.”
Nodding in agreement, he laughed. “That’s true. But being blissfully ignorant of the world aside, I think you’re just too shy to admit just how much you missed me, Bones.”
A growl. “Don’t push your luck, kid.”
“I’ll try again later then,” he promised solemnly. “I don’t know how often I’ll be able to drop by this summer. My mom invited a couple people from school so I have to keep them entertained.”
In the back of his mind, he noticed how he referred to them a people from school as opposed to friends or anything that would imply something more intimate.
“Isn’t that a good thing, being around people who can actually do things with you instead of grouchy old ‘tree fairies’ like us?”
He snorted. “I’m never going to hear the end of it, am I? I was only 11 at the time, Bones. Tree fairies made sense to me. And no, it’s not all that great because I see them during all three other seasons so I don’t understand why my mother thought it was necessary for me to be around them all year round. Besides, I’d rather be here, spending time with you guys.”
Leonard shook his head in disapproval. “Either way, it doesn’t matter. They’re your guests and it’s only polite to keep them company. So go say hi to Spock and let him know that you haven’t outgrown him, then head on home to your friends, okay?”
Sulking, he nodded obediently, knowing better than to argue with the doctor over manners and politeness.
--
Later in the afternoon when he found his friends again, they were by the small lake he showed them earlier, kissing. For a moment, he was too stunned to move. Then slowly, he collected his thoughts and worked out a plan in his head. Strange enough, all he felt was elation and relief when he quickly ran over and worked up a storm, ignoring their protests and apologies as he yelled at them to leave and to never talk to him again.
At one point between then and bedtime, he wondered if he was supposed to feel more upset than he did about the situation.
--
The next day, he ignored his guests and made his way to the woods. Jim felt particularly chipper that he managed to salvage the remainder of his vacation. Rapping his knuckles on the tree trunk, he called out, “Bones, rise and shine! Wake up! The sun's been up for hours already!”
“Good god, man. I could’ve sworn you left only an hour ago,” was the grumpy reply.
He shook his head. “Not quite. That was yesterday.”
With a frown, Leonard raised a brow. “What about your guests? Shouldn’t you be keeping them company right now?”
Quite easily, he explained, “See, the thing is, one of them was sort of my friend and the other, I was sort of dating. I caught them sucking each other’s faces when I got back so I broke things off with them.”
Hazel eyes widened. “Jesus, kid, I’m sorry.”
Jim shrugged, answering honestly, “I’m fine. Not feeling particularly choked up about it or anything. Guess I wasn’t as fond of either of them as I’d originally thought.”
Bones frowned and moved closer towards him, studying him closely. He had never been able to hide anything from the doctor for some reason. The man could read him like a book. Satisfied with what he found, the doctor nodded slowly. “At least you two weren’t married with a family or anything.”
He blinked. “You had a family? Really?”
“An ex-wife and a daughter, Joanna. But that was ages ago." The doctor waved his hand offhandedly. “Look, you’re still young, kid, you’ll have other chances at love. With the way you are, I’m sure you’ll have plenty of ladies lining up for you.”
“Don’t get too jealous when that happens, okay, Bones?”
The man rolled his eyes. “Me? Jealous? I’m too old for that shit.”
Jim’s eyes widened. “Did you just swear, Bones? I don’t think I’ve ever heard you swear before.”
Leonard shrugged. “I didn’t think it decent to cuss in front of a kid. But I figured, if you’re old enough to be courting girls, you’re old enough to deal with a couple of indecent words.”
“Only if I get to cuss as well.”
“Sure, why not? That sounds alright by me. ”
“Well, I guess I’ll be spending the rest of my summer hanging out with you guys after all.”
The doctor nodded in agreement. “I guess you will.”
Then nonchalantly, he changed the topic. “In other news, earlier this year, I drove my uncle’s car off a cliff and nearly went with it. You should’ve seen how upset he was. Serves him right for being such an asshole though.”
Bones all but exploded at that.
--
The next day, he returned with a notepad after a trip to the library. Bones had been chatting with Spock and Nyota when he finally arrived at the clearing. The man raised a brow. “Hey Jim, you look excited. Did something happen? And why do you always seem to have an apple every time you come here?”
The teenager grinned. “You know what they say: an apple a day keeps the doctors away.”
Leonard rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Yes, but that only works when you don’t go out of your way to see said doctor. What are you grinning about anyways?”
Jim pulled out his notebook excitedly. “Right, so I was at the library this morning doing research and I found out stuff you guys might like to know. Like…Spock, the Vulcan tribe still exists. They were nearly wiped out in the early 1900s but there were a few survivors, enough to re-establish the tribe. Most of the traditions they practice haven’t changed very much from what you’ve told me.”
With Uhura by his side, Spock dipped his head. “Thank you, Jim. That brings me great comfort to hear.”
He also tried to research Leonard’s life, but much to his disappointment, he didn’t get very many results other than a number of random medical breakthroughs throughout the country that acknowledged the doctor, his research and personal contribution, or his expertise. For someone so seemingly famous, he sure managed to keep a low profile.
“Anytime, Spock.” He smiled and turned to Leonard. “And as for you, Bones, I found out some stuff about your daughter if you’d like to hear about it.”
The doctor perked up in interest. “Like what? Did my baby girl live a long, healthy life?”
Proud of himself for being able to evoke such a reaction from the other, he nodded. “Yes, sir. She lived a very long and happy life - and she kept your last name the entire time. Let’s see, Joanna McCoy, daughter of renowned doctor and surgeon Leonard McCoy and diplomat Jocelyn Treadway, was born in Savannah, Georgia, in 1887. Following her father’s footsteps, she became one of the few female doctors of her time. She flew overseas to help soldiers out during both world wars and was apparently best known for treating both ally and enemy soldiers without bias.
“During the First World War, she met a particularly charming soldier and married him afterwards. Then, shortly after the Second World War, she decided to retire to help take care of her grandchildren at home. One of the historians I called up actually read me an excerpt from an article about her. When the journalist asked her why she took the moral high ground, she responded with: ‘My father was the greatest doctor I’ve ever known. He taught me that there are only two kinds of people in the world: those who need help and those who don’t. A doctor’s job is to help any and all people in need. So all I did was my job.’ She passed away peacefully in 1977, so 12 years ago, at the ripe age of 90.”
Eyes wide with disbelief and melancholy, Leonard took a seat and shook his head. “My baby girl became a doctor like her old man? I can’t believe she had kids and grandkids…”
Jim nodded softly. “There are still McCoys running around. They’re probably all doctors.”
“I hope not. One Doctor McCoy’s all the world can handle at any given time.” The brunet managed to laugh hoarsely. “Joanna…my Joanna…god, the last time I saw her, it was a year after I left Georgia. She was only seven at the time. She still had baby teeth and insisted on holding my hand when we walked. God, I hope she was happy. That boy better have treated her better than gold.”
Uhura walked over and stood next to Jim, speaking gently, “Come on, Jim. Let’s give Leonard a little space.”
Suddenly unsure of whether or not he had done the right thing, the blond dipped his head and began following the other two away.
As they left, Leonard called out after them, “Hey, Jim.”
Turning away, he blinked uncertainly. “Yeah?”
“Thank you for telling me about Jo. I really appreciate it.”
Feeling better instantly, he smiled lightly. “Anytime, Bones.”
--
At one point during his visits, Jim attempted to use slang that he learnt from TV. But when he said something along the lines of: “It was totally gnarly! Like, radically tubular!” to Bones and Spock, all he got in response were matching raised eyebrows and bewildered silence.
Then the brunet spoke up, “What the hell did you just say, kid? Were you speaking a different language?”
He decided to stick to speaking normally after that.
--
It was 1990 when he turned 16. It was also that year that he realized that he was in love with Bones after waking up one morning drenched in sweat and other bodily fluids. Cussing up a storm, he went to clean himself up, trying to convince himself that no, he didn’t have a wet dream about a dead man in a tree of all things. His attempt at denial was rendered futile when he burst into laughter at just how ridiculous it sounded, even to him.
After his laughing fit, he accepted it quite easily. After all, the doctor was handsome, smart, snarky on the outside but marshmallow-y soft on the inside, what wasn’t there to like? If he wasn’t dead, everything would’ve been just perfect. Jim didn’t need to confess to know how the scene would play out.
The doctor would probably raise his eyebrow, shake his head and say, “I’m too old for this shit.” Or, “Dammit, Jim! I’m a tree, not some idol you should be falling in love with!”
Either way, it’d be fruitless for him so he decided to keep his feelings to himself.
--
That spring, there was news of forest fires which sprung a surprisingly amount of anxiety inside him. When he finally got to the woods, he asked the brunet about it. Leonard shook his head, unworried. “I can’t say for sure, but we’ve never had any problems here. Never even seen any signs of fire so just relax. We’re not going anywhere any time soon.”
Nodding, he frowned. “It’s not fair, you know?”
The man raised a brow. “What isn’t fair now?”
“That you guys all get to be trees,” he sulked, because that’s what teenagers did best. “You guys are my favourite people in the world but you’re all stuck here while I’m stuck elsewhere with all these people telling me where to go for college and what to study when I get there. Why couldn’t I have been born a tree or something? You guys don’t have to deal with this stuff.”
The doctor let out a bark of laughter. “Really, kid? Somehow, I’m having an awfully hard time seeing you as a tree. You wouldn’t be able to stay still long enough for the seed to even sprout. You drove a piece of metal off a cliff for god’s sake! But if you want to be one so badly, maybe you’ll have better luck in the next life.”
Jim huffed indignantly at being laughed at. “In the next life, you promise? Maybe before I die, I’ll come and cut you down so you can move on with me.”
Eyebrow twitching, Bones rolled his eyes. “Or maybe you can try to cut me down yourself and I’ll fall on you and crush you to death. How does that sound?”
He shot the other the biggest dumb grin he could muster. “It sounds like a date, Bones.”
--
When he was 17, tired of wondering about the expression Bones had whenever the mysterious man was brought up, he finally decided to broach the topic of ‘James.’ On one of the days when the two of them were alone, sitting against the doctor’s tree, he asked as casually as he could, “Hey, Bones, how do you all still remember stuff?”
Leonard blinked, eyeing him questioningly. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, most old people forget things with age. I remember my mom told me that my grandpa actually forgot where he lived once after he went out to get the newspaper. You guys have been here for over 90 years now, so how do you still remember everything? Do you remember everything?”
“Yeah, I do. Or, at least I think I do.”The brunet took a seat next to him. “I’m no mystic, but my best guess would be that these trees here hold our souls along with our memories. Otherwise, you’d think we’d have forgotten everything right after we died.”
“So these trees act kind of like hard-drives in a computer then?”
Bones blinked slowly. “A what now? Oh…one of those things you were talking to Scotty and them about? Yeah, sure, why not?”
“A hard-drive's this thing you store memory and data in, to put it simply. Never mind that though,” he pressed on, “Then…you remember the beginning and the end of everything that happened, right? I mean, you guys never really mentioned it, except for that one time, so I was wondering if you guys had maybe forgotten about it.” That was about as subtle as he was willing to be. “…am I asking too many questions, Bones?”
The man snorted incredulously. “You’re asking me this after all these years? Don’t be stupid, Jim. The more you ask, the more you’ll know, right? Knowing things never hurts. And no, I haven’t forgotten.”
“I guess it wasn’t exactly a topic you’d talk to a kid about,” he offered understandingly. After having taken more history classes and learning more about the dark era Bones and them came from, he realized just how different it was back then when segregation and discrimination were constantly present and unjust laws were threatening all those who tried to do good.
“No,” Leonard agreed, “It’s not exactly the happiest story to be telling either. But I guess now’s a good a time as ever to tell you about everything, especially since you’re asking.” Head tilted downwards in thought, he pulled his lips taut. “I guess the best way to begin would be to tell you about the beginning, when I met James. ‘Just James’, as he introduced himself…that man really was all kinds of stupid…”
--
When the man finished his story, there was a long moment of silence between the two of them. Jim’s mind was whirling with realizations and questions. Finally, the blond looked over and asked, “Do you ever regret meeting him? I mean, you left your clinic, your friends and your daughter to travel around the country with some random guy with crazy dreams.”
Leonard pulled his lips taut. “I think…” he began slowly, “that at first, I hated him for everything he put me through. But when you get stuck in a tree, you get a lot of time to think and reflect about your life. And after the first couple decades, any anger you might’ve felt goes away.”
Curiously, he asked, “And after 95 years?”
The doctor let out a groan. “My god, has it really been 95 years already?”
Jim chuckled lightly. “It really has been 95 years already, Bones. So after more than just ‘a couple’ decades, have you reached a conclusion?”
An affirmative nod. “I have. After 95 years, I concluded that it was probably the best thing that ever happened to me other than my daughter.”
Blue eyes blinked in surprise. “Really? That’s a pretty far cry from anger.”
“Yeah, well, the anger was mostly because he was such a dumbass with such a goddamn hero-complex. He always talked about how we were all in it together, but then went and left us behind. It was only natural for us to get upset. But when you think about it, he wouldn’t have been James if he didn’t do just that.” Then he added with a snort, “He just had to be fucking Just James till the very end.”
Not wanting to hear just how much the dead man was missed, Jim licked his lips nervously and shrugged. “Yeah, well…a leopard can’t change its spots, you know? Stupidity is a lifelong trait.”
The brunet rolled his eyes and snorted. “No kidding. You reminded me a lot of him when you first came tumbling down the hill, you know?”
In his mind, he had known it all along; how in him, they saw James. But he never wanted to admit it to himself. And being confronted with it now, he found himself surprisingly clearheaded about the whole situation. “I don’t know if you guys think I’m some reincarnation of this James person or something. But I’m not him and I won’t ever be him. You know I’d do anything for you, Bones. But I can’t be him; not even for you.”
It was as close to a confession as he had ever made and it left his heart pounding in fear.
“Jim…”
He buried his head in his arms as he curled his legs up towards his chest, trying to ignore the tightness in his chest. “I’m sorry that I can’t be Just James for you, Bones. I’m sorry that I’m just Jim. I am.”
From beside him, Leonard shook his head, looking out into the distance. “Don’t be stupid. I know all of that. And you know I’d never ask you to be anyone but yourself. You’re Jim. And I’m glad for it. I really am. I’m glad that you’re alive and that we get to watch you grow up. I’m glad that you’re going to college even if you don’t know what you’re doing yet. And I sure as hell am glad that you live in a world with vaccines for measles and typhus and polio, and that you don’t have to constantly look over your shoulder after you help someone up off the ground.” Then tone softening, he continued, “I’m glad that you live in a nicer world now and that you come every summer to share it with us.”
Glancing over, he huffed. “Yeah, well, you can’t get rid of me that easily. Stubbornness is just another one of those lifelong traits, you know?”
The doctor’s lips curled upwards just slightly. “You don’t say.”
The silence turned more comfortable after that.
--
He wasn’t sure how long the two of them sat there for, but after awhile, he couldn’t take the stillness anymore and leered at the man. “So…was the sex any good?”
Bones’ eyes widened as he quickly sat up and looked over at Jim, face flushed and sputtering, “Dammit, Jim! You’re unbelievable!”
The blond blinked mock-innocently. “What? If I’m old enough to be ‘courting a girl’ and listening to you cuss up a storm, I think it’s only reasonable to assume that I’m old enough to talk about sex! You guys did have sex, right?”
“Yes, but I’m not about to tell you about it, you damn infant!”
Laughing, he leaned back against the tree and closed his eyes for a moment before the grin reappeared on his face. “…what about Miss Uhura and Spock then? You guys all travelled together, did you ever overhear them going at it? Honestly, I can’t imagine Spock without a shirt let alone naked. He must be good though, if Miss Uhura still keeps him around. Did they ever ask you to join in? I’m guessing no. But then again, as trees, you guys are practically always having a nice, big tree orgy with all that pollen and spores floating around and whatnot.”
“Dammit, Jim! I refuse to discuss this subject with you!”
Back to Chapter 2
Onwards to Chapter 4
--
A/N: Just in case anyone's wondering/confused, there will be a sequel/prequel to this.
Series: Star Trek AOS
Author:neko-fish
Beta:castofone
Pairings: Jim/Bones, slight Spock/Uhura
Rating: PG-13
Summary: It was the summer of 1985 when young Jim Kirk's life changed forever. After tumbling down a hill, deep in the woods, he ended up receiving help from the most unlikely figure. Little did he know that the group of people he encountered in the forest that year would teach him about the best and the worst aspects of life, human nature, and himself...
Warnings: AU, my first Star Trek fic.. Highlight for more -> past character death, ghost-ish story, the 1890s, and my crappy summary...
Chapter 1// Chapter 2
Chapter 3:
At 15 years old, much to his dismay, his mother invited both his girlfriend and his best friend at the time to join them at the cabin. It took all his self-control to hold back his tears of frustration. The secluded clearing where Leonard and the rest of them were was a secret he held close to his heart, never having told anyone about his friends. Part of the reason was because of the promise he made to the doctor all those years ago, and the other part was simply because he didn’t want to share.
He dreaded the idea of having to spend his summer hiking around and keeping the two company, but there wasn’t very much he could do about it. So he did as he was told and half-heartedly showed them around the mountains and forests and the town, all while wishing he was elsewhere. Pretty soon, he began looking for opportunities to escape or to 'accidentally' lose sight of them.
It wasn’t until a couple weeks later into their visit that he managed to sneak off on his own. Quickly making his way to the clearing, he heaved a sigh of relief. At least he’d be allowed to spend some time with his usual company. Making his way over to his favourite tree in the world, he called out, “Hey, Bones. You there?”
It never ceased to amaze him when the doctor managed to appear out of nowhere. “Hey, Jim, we were beginning to think you were getting too old to be spending your summer hanging around old trees like us.”
Jim smiled, nothing but sincerity in his expression. “Too old you hang out with you guys? Never.”
The brunet rolled his eyes. “You should’ve seen Spock. I’m pretty sure the man was actually disappointed when you didn’t show up. You should go find him later. I never thought I’d ever witness a sad Vulcan of all things.”
Curiously, he asked, “And what about you?”
Leonard snorted. “Me? What about me? I don’t keep track of the days like Spock does so I never know when you’re supposed to show up unless he tells me. But I guess it’s good to see you. We live vicariously through you, remember? Without you around, the entire world could’ve been invaded by those space aliens of yours and we’d never know.”
Nodding in agreement, he laughed. “That’s true. But being blissfully ignorant of the world aside, I think you’re just too shy to admit just how much you missed me, Bones.”
A growl. “Don’t push your luck, kid.”
“I’ll try again later then,” he promised solemnly. “I don’t know how often I’ll be able to drop by this summer. My mom invited a couple people from school so I have to keep them entertained.”
In the back of his mind, he noticed how he referred to them a people from school as opposed to friends or anything that would imply something more intimate.
“Isn’t that a good thing, being around people who can actually do things with you instead of grouchy old ‘tree fairies’ like us?”
He snorted. “I’m never going to hear the end of it, am I? I was only 11 at the time, Bones. Tree fairies made sense to me. And no, it’s not all that great because I see them during all three other seasons so I don’t understand why my mother thought it was necessary for me to be around them all year round. Besides, I’d rather be here, spending time with you guys.”
Leonard shook his head in disapproval. “Either way, it doesn’t matter. They’re your guests and it’s only polite to keep them company. So go say hi to Spock and let him know that you haven’t outgrown him, then head on home to your friends, okay?”
Sulking, he nodded obediently, knowing better than to argue with the doctor over manners and politeness.
--
Later in the afternoon when he found his friends again, they were by the small lake he showed them earlier, kissing. For a moment, he was too stunned to move. Then slowly, he collected his thoughts and worked out a plan in his head. Strange enough, all he felt was elation and relief when he quickly ran over and worked up a storm, ignoring their protests and apologies as he yelled at them to leave and to never talk to him again.
At one point between then and bedtime, he wondered if he was supposed to feel more upset than he did about the situation.
--
The next day, he ignored his guests and made his way to the woods. Jim felt particularly chipper that he managed to salvage the remainder of his vacation. Rapping his knuckles on the tree trunk, he called out, “Bones, rise and shine! Wake up! The sun's been up for hours already!”
“Good god, man. I could’ve sworn you left only an hour ago,” was the grumpy reply.
He shook his head. “Not quite. That was yesterday.”
With a frown, Leonard raised a brow. “What about your guests? Shouldn’t you be keeping them company right now?”
Quite easily, he explained, “See, the thing is, one of them was sort of my friend and the other, I was sort of dating. I caught them sucking each other’s faces when I got back so I broke things off with them.”
Hazel eyes widened. “Jesus, kid, I’m sorry.”
Jim shrugged, answering honestly, “I’m fine. Not feeling particularly choked up about it or anything. Guess I wasn’t as fond of either of them as I’d originally thought.”
Bones frowned and moved closer towards him, studying him closely. He had never been able to hide anything from the doctor for some reason. The man could read him like a book. Satisfied with what he found, the doctor nodded slowly. “At least you two weren’t married with a family or anything.”
He blinked. “You had a family? Really?”
“An ex-wife and a daughter, Joanna. But that was ages ago." The doctor waved his hand offhandedly. “Look, you’re still young, kid, you’ll have other chances at love. With the way you are, I’m sure you’ll have plenty of ladies lining up for you.”
“Don’t get too jealous when that happens, okay, Bones?”
The man rolled his eyes. “Me? Jealous? I’m too old for that shit.”
Jim’s eyes widened. “Did you just swear, Bones? I don’t think I’ve ever heard you swear before.”
Leonard shrugged. “I didn’t think it decent to cuss in front of a kid. But I figured, if you’re old enough to be courting girls, you’re old enough to deal with a couple of indecent words.”
“Only if I get to cuss as well.”
“Sure, why not? That sounds alright by me. ”
“Well, I guess I’ll be spending the rest of my summer hanging out with you guys after all.”
The doctor nodded in agreement. “I guess you will.”
Then nonchalantly, he changed the topic. “In other news, earlier this year, I drove my uncle’s car off a cliff and nearly went with it. You should’ve seen how upset he was. Serves him right for being such an asshole though.”
Bones all but exploded at that.
--
The next day, he returned with a notepad after a trip to the library. Bones had been chatting with Spock and Nyota when he finally arrived at the clearing. The man raised a brow. “Hey Jim, you look excited. Did something happen? And why do you always seem to have an apple every time you come here?”
The teenager grinned. “You know what they say: an apple a day keeps the doctors away.”
Leonard rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Yes, but that only works when you don’t go out of your way to see said doctor. What are you grinning about anyways?”
Jim pulled out his notebook excitedly. “Right, so I was at the library this morning doing research and I found out stuff you guys might like to know. Like…Spock, the Vulcan tribe still exists. They were nearly wiped out in the early 1900s but there were a few survivors, enough to re-establish the tribe. Most of the traditions they practice haven’t changed very much from what you’ve told me.”
With Uhura by his side, Spock dipped his head. “Thank you, Jim. That brings me great comfort to hear.”
He also tried to research Leonard’s life, but much to his disappointment, he didn’t get very many results other than a number of random medical breakthroughs throughout the country that acknowledged the doctor, his research and personal contribution, or his expertise. For someone so seemingly famous, he sure managed to keep a low profile.
“Anytime, Spock.” He smiled and turned to Leonard. “And as for you, Bones, I found out some stuff about your daughter if you’d like to hear about it.”
The doctor perked up in interest. “Like what? Did my baby girl live a long, healthy life?”
Proud of himself for being able to evoke such a reaction from the other, he nodded. “Yes, sir. She lived a very long and happy life - and she kept your last name the entire time. Let’s see, Joanna McCoy, daughter of renowned doctor and surgeon Leonard McCoy and diplomat Jocelyn Treadway, was born in Savannah, Georgia, in 1887. Following her father’s footsteps, she became one of the few female doctors of her time. She flew overseas to help soldiers out during both world wars and was apparently best known for treating both ally and enemy soldiers without bias.
“During the First World War, she met a particularly charming soldier and married him afterwards. Then, shortly after the Second World War, she decided to retire to help take care of her grandchildren at home. One of the historians I called up actually read me an excerpt from an article about her. When the journalist asked her why she took the moral high ground, she responded with: ‘My father was the greatest doctor I’ve ever known. He taught me that there are only two kinds of people in the world: those who need help and those who don’t. A doctor’s job is to help any and all people in need. So all I did was my job.’ She passed away peacefully in 1977, so 12 years ago, at the ripe age of 90.”
Eyes wide with disbelief and melancholy, Leonard took a seat and shook his head. “My baby girl became a doctor like her old man? I can’t believe she had kids and grandkids…”
Jim nodded softly. “There are still McCoys running around. They’re probably all doctors.”
“I hope not. One Doctor McCoy’s all the world can handle at any given time.” The brunet managed to laugh hoarsely. “Joanna…my Joanna…god, the last time I saw her, it was a year after I left Georgia. She was only seven at the time. She still had baby teeth and insisted on holding my hand when we walked. God, I hope she was happy. That boy better have treated her better than gold.”
Uhura walked over and stood next to Jim, speaking gently, “Come on, Jim. Let’s give Leonard a little space.”
Suddenly unsure of whether or not he had done the right thing, the blond dipped his head and began following the other two away.
As they left, Leonard called out after them, “Hey, Jim.”
Turning away, he blinked uncertainly. “Yeah?”
“Thank you for telling me about Jo. I really appreciate it.”
Feeling better instantly, he smiled lightly. “Anytime, Bones.”
--
At one point during his visits, Jim attempted to use slang that he learnt from TV. But when he said something along the lines of: “It was totally gnarly! Like, radically tubular!” to Bones and Spock, all he got in response were matching raised eyebrows and bewildered silence.
Then the brunet spoke up, “What the hell did you just say, kid? Were you speaking a different language?”
He decided to stick to speaking normally after that.
--
It was 1990 when he turned 16. It was also that year that he realized that he was in love with Bones after waking up one morning drenched in sweat and other bodily fluids. Cussing up a storm, he went to clean himself up, trying to convince himself that no, he didn’t have a wet dream about a dead man in a tree of all things. His attempt at denial was rendered futile when he burst into laughter at just how ridiculous it sounded, even to him.
After his laughing fit, he accepted it quite easily. After all, the doctor was handsome, smart, snarky on the outside but marshmallow-y soft on the inside, what wasn’t there to like? If he wasn’t dead, everything would’ve been just perfect. Jim didn’t need to confess to know how the scene would play out.
The doctor would probably raise his eyebrow, shake his head and say, “I’m too old for this shit.” Or, “Dammit, Jim! I’m a tree, not some idol you should be falling in love with!”
Either way, it’d be fruitless for him so he decided to keep his feelings to himself.
--
That spring, there was news of forest fires which sprung a surprisingly amount of anxiety inside him. When he finally got to the woods, he asked the brunet about it. Leonard shook his head, unworried. “I can’t say for sure, but we’ve never had any problems here. Never even seen any signs of fire so just relax. We’re not going anywhere any time soon.”
Nodding, he frowned. “It’s not fair, you know?”
The man raised a brow. “What isn’t fair now?”
“That you guys all get to be trees,” he sulked, because that’s what teenagers did best. “You guys are my favourite people in the world but you’re all stuck here while I’m stuck elsewhere with all these people telling me where to go for college and what to study when I get there. Why couldn’t I have been born a tree or something? You guys don’t have to deal with this stuff.”
The doctor let out a bark of laughter. “Really, kid? Somehow, I’m having an awfully hard time seeing you as a tree. You wouldn’t be able to stay still long enough for the seed to even sprout. You drove a piece of metal off a cliff for god’s sake! But if you want to be one so badly, maybe you’ll have better luck in the next life.”
Jim huffed indignantly at being laughed at. “In the next life, you promise? Maybe before I die, I’ll come and cut you down so you can move on with me.”
Eyebrow twitching, Bones rolled his eyes. “Or maybe you can try to cut me down yourself and I’ll fall on you and crush you to death. How does that sound?”
He shot the other the biggest dumb grin he could muster. “It sounds like a date, Bones.”
--
When he was 17, tired of wondering about the expression Bones had whenever the mysterious man was brought up, he finally decided to broach the topic of ‘James.’ On one of the days when the two of them were alone, sitting against the doctor’s tree, he asked as casually as he could, “Hey, Bones, how do you all still remember stuff?”
Leonard blinked, eyeing him questioningly. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, most old people forget things with age. I remember my mom told me that my grandpa actually forgot where he lived once after he went out to get the newspaper. You guys have been here for over 90 years now, so how do you still remember everything? Do you remember everything?”
“Yeah, I do. Or, at least I think I do.”The brunet took a seat next to him. “I’m no mystic, but my best guess would be that these trees here hold our souls along with our memories. Otherwise, you’d think we’d have forgotten everything right after we died.”
“So these trees act kind of like hard-drives in a computer then?”
Bones blinked slowly. “A what now? Oh…one of those things you were talking to Scotty and them about? Yeah, sure, why not?”
“A hard-drive's this thing you store memory and data in, to put it simply. Never mind that though,” he pressed on, “Then…you remember the beginning and the end of everything that happened, right? I mean, you guys never really mentioned it, except for that one time, so I was wondering if you guys had maybe forgotten about it.” That was about as subtle as he was willing to be. “…am I asking too many questions, Bones?”
The man snorted incredulously. “You’re asking me this after all these years? Don’t be stupid, Jim. The more you ask, the more you’ll know, right? Knowing things never hurts. And no, I haven’t forgotten.”
“I guess it wasn’t exactly a topic you’d talk to a kid about,” he offered understandingly. After having taken more history classes and learning more about the dark era Bones and them came from, he realized just how different it was back then when segregation and discrimination were constantly present and unjust laws were threatening all those who tried to do good.
“No,” Leonard agreed, “It’s not exactly the happiest story to be telling either. But I guess now’s a good a time as ever to tell you about everything, especially since you’re asking.” Head tilted downwards in thought, he pulled his lips taut. “I guess the best way to begin would be to tell you about the beginning, when I met James. ‘Just James’, as he introduced himself…that man really was all kinds of stupid…”
--
When the man finished his story, there was a long moment of silence between the two of them. Jim’s mind was whirling with realizations and questions. Finally, the blond looked over and asked, “Do you ever regret meeting him? I mean, you left your clinic, your friends and your daughter to travel around the country with some random guy with crazy dreams.”
Leonard pulled his lips taut. “I think…” he began slowly, “that at first, I hated him for everything he put me through. But when you get stuck in a tree, you get a lot of time to think and reflect about your life. And after the first couple decades, any anger you might’ve felt goes away.”
Curiously, he asked, “And after 95 years?”
The doctor let out a groan. “My god, has it really been 95 years already?”
Jim chuckled lightly. “It really has been 95 years already, Bones. So after more than just ‘a couple’ decades, have you reached a conclusion?”
An affirmative nod. “I have. After 95 years, I concluded that it was probably the best thing that ever happened to me other than my daughter.”
Blue eyes blinked in surprise. “Really? That’s a pretty far cry from anger.”
“Yeah, well, the anger was mostly because he was such a dumbass with such a goddamn hero-complex. He always talked about how we were all in it together, but then went and left us behind. It was only natural for us to get upset. But when you think about it, he wouldn’t have been James if he didn’t do just that.” Then he added with a snort, “He just had to be fucking Just James till the very end.”
Not wanting to hear just how much the dead man was missed, Jim licked his lips nervously and shrugged. “Yeah, well…a leopard can’t change its spots, you know? Stupidity is a lifelong trait.”
The brunet rolled his eyes and snorted. “No kidding. You reminded me a lot of him when you first came tumbling down the hill, you know?”
In his mind, he had known it all along; how in him, they saw James. But he never wanted to admit it to himself. And being confronted with it now, he found himself surprisingly clearheaded about the whole situation. “I don’t know if you guys think I’m some reincarnation of this James person or something. But I’m not him and I won’t ever be him. You know I’d do anything for you, Bones. But I can’t be him; not even for you.”
It was as close to a confession as he had ever made and it left his heart pounding in fear.
“Jim…”
He buried his head in his arms as he curled his legs up towards his chest, trying to ignore the tightness in his chest. “I’m sorry that I can’t be Just James for you, Bones. I’m sorry that I’m just Jim. I am.”
From beside him, Leonard shook his head, looking out into the distance. “Don’t be stupid. I know all of that. And you know I’d never ask you to be anyone but yourself. You’re Jim. And I’m glad for it. I really am. I’m glad that you’re alive and that we get to watch you grow up. I’m glad that you’re going to college even if you don’t know what you’re doing yet. And I sure as hell am glad that you live in a world with vaccines for measles and typhus and polio, and that you don’t have to constantly look over your shoulder after you help someone up off the ground.” Then tone softening, he continued, “I’m glad that you live in a nicer world now and that you come every summer to share it with us.”
Glancing over, he huffed. “Yeah, well, you can’t get rid of me that easily. Stubbornness is just another one of those lifelong traits, you know?”
The doctor’s lips curled upwards just slightly. “You don’t say.”
The silence turned more comfortable after that.
--
He wasn’t sure how long the two of them sat there for, but after awhile, he couldn’t take the stillness anymore and leered at the man. “So…was the sex any good?”
Bones’ eyes widened as he quickly sat up and looked over at Jim, face flushed and sputtering, “Dammit, Jim! You’re unbelievable!”
The blond blinked mock-innocently. “What? If I’m old enough to be ‘courting a girl’ and listening to you cuss up a storm, I think it’s only reasonable to assume that I’m old enough to talk about sex! You guys did have sex, right?”
“Yes, but I’m not about to tell you about it, you damn infant!”
Laughing, he leaned back against the tree and closed his eyes for a moment before the grin reappeared on his face. “…what about Miss Uhura and Spock then? You guys all travelled together, did you ever overhear them going at it? Honestly, I can’t imagine Spock without a shirt let alone naked. He must be good though, if Miss Uhura still keeps him around. Did they ever ask you to join in? I’m guessing no. But then again, as trees, you guys are practically always having a nice, big tree orgy with all that pollen and spores floating around and whatnot.”
“Dammit, Jim! I refuse to discuss this subject with you!”
Back to Chapter 2
Onwards to Chapter 4
--
A/N: Just in case anyone's wondering/confused, there will be a sequel/prequel to this.