The miles are getting longer, it seems, the closer I get to you

[dctr_mccoy]

For the first time in his life, Leonard wasn't scared of the transporter.Leonard knew that however low the odds were, he needed to take them. The sharks were circling, smelling blood in the water. His blood. Some wanted revenge against wrongs done by their Leonard McCoy, and wanted to take it out on him. Others just got off on seeing someone 'soft

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[genius_level]

When the message came in Jim was sitting on the floor in what was to be the nursery. He had turned on the nightlight when he came in, a day off giving him too much time to think and worry. Instead, he'd come here, kept himself busy planning where they would put everything and what still needed to be done to get the room ready.

He read the message two or three times before the words sank in. Doctor McCoy is back. His heart leapt that first time but then he hesitated, wondering if it could really be Bones. Maybe it was the other McCoy, trying a new ploy to get himself out of the brig

[dctr_mccoy]

He wasn't sure why they didn't just let him out - though it was probably the smart move. Maybe he needed to be quarantined, perhaps there was something happening on board. But the look in the guard's eyes when he spoke to him, curt and polite, but wary at the same time - it made the hair on Leonard's head stand up.

What if he still wasn't home?

If there was one alternate universe, there might be a thousand. Until he found Jim, his Jim, he couldn't be sure.

For a moment, it almost didn't look like him. Leonard had counted less than a week since he'd been in that other place, but Jim's shape was different, slightly wider. "Olivia," he murmured to himself, then looking up at Jim. "Captain," he called out, not embarrassed by the needy whine in his voice. "Jim, is that you?"

[genius_level]

The sound of their daughter's name made Jim hope again, and he closed his eyes for a moment. But he couldn't be sure that the other McCoy hadn't found out her name, and so he opened his eyes and met that relieved yet wary gaze. "Do you remember what it was you wouldn't let me do when we were on Risa?" It was the only thing he could think of, something inconsequential enough that they hadn't mentioned it to anyone else, but memorable enough that he would know.

Jim swallowed, his eyes steady as he waited for an answer. Please, he told himself. Please be Bones.

[dctr_mccoy]

"Do I-?" Leonard's smile dropped from his face at the guarded look on Jim's face. Something here was very wrong. "I...we... what I wouldn't let you do?"

Risa, their honeymoon, their last vacation together. Jim didn't trust it was him. Leonard took a deep breath, standing closer to the edge of the cell, close enough he could feel the energy bursting off of it. "I wouldn't let you go ice skating on that pond out back," he said, looking into Jim's tired eyes. Harris had approached too, watching out for Jim but Leonard didn't care who heard. All that mattered was getting out of here and getting to Jim. "But I got you a sled and we rode down that hill a hundred times. What's wrong, Jim?" he asked, his own expression one of near panic. "Why won't you let me out of here?"