Fic: It's Always Darkest
Title: It’s Always Darkest
Ship: Kirk/McCoy
Beta: The wonderful and patient near_family . They made this fic 100 times better.
Rating: PG
Warnings: Some swearing.
Disclaimer: Star Trek is property of Paramount, not me.
Notes: Written for prompt #2 of Ship Wars - "Ain't no sunshine when she's gone." Yes, there is a sequel planned.
Night was falling. Jim shivered, and rubbed his upper arms briskly in an attempt to keep warm. This was a cold planet, dammit, and even if it did prove to be as rich in Dilithium as Federation scientists claimed, setting up a mining colony was going to be an incredible hassle. He tapped his communicator.
“Kirk here. Can anyone give me an update on the transporter repair? Because I’m starting to lose feeling in some very special places, and Spock and Bones are about two minutes away from cuddling for warmth.” He grinned over his shoulder at his companions, who responded with identical impassive glares.
Scotty’s voice burst into the snowy clearing. “Aye, Sir.” Jim hoped it was the atmospheric interference affecting his communicator that had his chief engineer sounding so hesitant. “Captain, are you alone? I would prefer to deliver this update in private.”
Spock’s eyebrows rose, and Bones pursed his lips. Jim felt a cold tightness at the pit of his stomach - clearly this was not going to be good news. “Of course. Give me a moment.”
He stood, shaking the snow off his jacket and mentally thanked Bones for insisting he wear his regulation thermal undergear, despite the awkward nature of that conversation. He jogged a little ways out into the trees, until he was certain that neither Spock nor Bones could hear him. “Hit me, Scotty.”
“S’bad news, I’m afraid,” the man sighed, and Jim tightened his grip on the comm. “The solar flare burned through most of the electrical systems. She’s on backup power and basic life support.”
“What? You told me the damage was minimal!” Jim said, wishing Scotty was standing in front of him so he could shake him.
“She’ll be fixed in a jiff, don’t worry about that,” said Scotty. “But the transporter was still all fired up from beaming ya down, and her wiring’s shot. I simply canna put enough power through her to beam ya all back up. She canna take it.”
Jim closed his eyes. Shit. “Scotty, it’s getting dark, and it’s only going to get colder down here. What can you do?”
“Well...I can beam up two. Yes, I’m pretty sure I can get two. Maybe two and a half.”
“Two and a half?” Kirk spoke softly, but he wanted to yell.
“Ach, well, clearly we’ll stop at two. That’ll burn her out. But I should have everything back online in about six hours, eight at the outside.”
Jim calculated. Six hours. The temperature was somewhere around zero, and would drop further after dark. Though the planet was heavily wooded, the trees resembled North American Pines, tall and spindly, with no large branches to offer firewood or shelter. Odds of survival for whomever was left behind were slim. Spock was physiologically designed for warmer climates and Bones was from Georgia, unused to the cold. Jim nodded.
“Okay, listen. Wait two minutes, then beam up Spock and Dr. McCoy. Then get your ass into gear and beam me up as quickly as possible. Kirk out.”
Two minutes
He ran back over to the other men. “Good news guys!” He said, using every ounce of cheer and charm that he could dredge up from his deepest reserves. “Scotty says the ship’s electrical systems are fried, but the transporter will be ready in two minutes. So prepare to beam up!” He was proud of himself - not one word was a lie.
Spock nodded. “Very good, Captain. Although I do wonder why Mr. Scott felt it necessary to inform you of that fact in private.”
Jim shrugged, attempting nonchalance. “You know him, crazy bastard. Bones, can I talk to you?”
One minute, thirty
He hustled Bones as quickly as he could into the trees, stopping only when he was sure Spock couldn’t hear them. The last of the sun was going, he could barely see Bones’ silhouette in the shadows.
“Okay Jim, what the hell are you hiding? Because that stupid grin may fool Spock, but it sure as fuck isn’t fooling me.”
Jim sighed. “We don’t have a lot of time, Bones. Just listen. Scotty can only beam two up, and it’s you and Spock. I have to spend the night here. I’ll be fine, don’t worry. But in case I’m not, I have to tell you something.”
One minute
“What the fuck?” Bones yelled. “What the fuck? No. I’m not leaving this fucking rock without you.”
Jim grabbed him by the arm. “Don’t argue, it’s already done. We’ve only got a minute. Less than. And I love you more than anything.”
Bones froze mid-rant, eyes wide, so still he could have been a photograph. Jim smiled. “Yeah, I know. Who saw that coming? But I love you. You’re the one. You’ve always been-” Jim stopped. He had never been good with words, he was a man of action. He leaned forward, pressing himself against the other man, kissing Bones with everything he had in him, every scrap of love he’d never been able to show. He ran his fingers though Bones’ hair, down the back of his neck, his shoulders, his arms, touching everywhere, like this would be his only chance.
Fifteen seconds
Bones broke the kiss, pulling away. “How can you do this to me, Jim?” He asked, voice breaking. “How can you give this to me and take it away again?” He grabbed Jim by the shoulders, holding tight enough to bruise.
“I’m not,” Jim said, reaching up to caress Bones’ cheek. “You’ll always have it.” And for a second, not even a second, he felt warmth flood through him as the area surrounding them lit up as bright as daylight, and then went dark.
“I’ll try to make it,” Jim promised, as if Bones was still there and could hear him.
Sequel: Before the Dawn
Ship: Kirk/McCoy
Beta: The wonderful and patient near_family . They made this fic 100 times better.
Rating: PG
Warnings: Some swearing.
Disclaimer: Star Trek is property of Paramount, not me.
Notes: Written for prompt #2 of Ship Wars - "Ain't no sunshine when she's gone." Yes, there is a sequel planned.
Night was falling. Jim shivered, and rubbed his upper arms briskly in an attempt to keep warm. This was a cold planet, dammit, and even if it did prove to be as rich in Dilithium as Federation scientists claimed, setting up a mining colony was going to be an incredible hassle. He tapped his communicator.
“Kirk here. Can anyone give me an update on the transporter repair? Because I’m starting to lose feeling in some very special places, and Spock and Bones are about two minutes away from cuddling for warmth.” He grinned over his shoulder at his companions, who responded with identical impassive glares.
Scotty’s voice burst into the snowy clearing. “Aye, Sir.” Jim hoped it was the atmospheric interference affecting his communicator that had his chief engineer sounding so hesitant. “Captain, are you alone? I would prefer to deliver this update in private.”
Spock’s eyebrows rose, and Bones pursed his lips. Jim felt a cold tightness at the pit of his stomach - clearly this was not going to be good news. “Of course. Give me a moment.”
He stood, shaking the snow off his jacket and mentally thanked Bones for insisting he wear his regulation thermal undergear, despite the awkward nature of that conversation. He jogged a little ways out into the trees, until he was certain that neither Spock nor Bones could hear him. “Hit me, Scotty.”
“S’bad news, I’m afraid,” the man sighed, and Jim tightened his grip on the comm. “The solar flare burned through most of the electrical systems. She’s on backup power and basic life support.”
“What? You told me the damage was minimal!” Jim said, wishing Scotty was standing in front of him so he could shake him.
“She’ll be fixed in a jiff, don’t worry about that,” said Scotty. “But the transporter was still all fired up from beaming ya down, and her wiring’s shot. I simply canna put enough power through her to beam ya all back up. She canna take it.”
Jim closed his eyes. Shit. “Scotty, it’s getting dark, and it’s only going to get colder down here. What can you do?”
“Well...I can beam up two. Yes, I’m pretty sure I can get two. Maybe two and a half.”
“Two and a half?” Kirk spoke softly, but he wanted to yell.
“Ach, well, clearly we’ll stop at two. That’ll burn her out. But I should have everything back online in about six hours, eight at the outside.”
Jim calculated. Six hours. The temperature was somewhere around zero, and would drop further after dark. Though the planet was heavily wooded, the trees resembled North American Pines, tall and spindly, with no large branches to offer firewood or shelter. Odds of survival for whomever was left behind were slim. Spock was physiologically designed for warmer climates and Bones was from Georgia, unused to the cold. Jim nodded.
“Okay, listen. Wait two minutes, then beam up Spock and Dr. McCoy. Then get your ass into gear and beam me up as quickly as possible. Kirk out.”
Two minutes
He ran back over to the other men. “Good news guys!” He said, using every ounce of cheer and charm that he could dredge up from his deepest reserves. “Scotty says the ship’s electrical systems are fried, but the transporter will be ready in two minutes. So prepare to beam up!” He was proud of himself - not one word was a lie.
Spock nodded. “Very good, Captain. Although I do wonder why Mr. Scott felt it necessary to inform you of that fact in private.”
Jim shrugged, attempting nonchalance. “You know him, crazy bastard. Bones, can I talk to you?”
One minute, thirty
He hustled Bones as quickly as he could into the trees, stopping only when he was sure Spock couldn’t hear them. The last of the sun was going, he could barely see Bones’ silhouette in the shadows.
“Okay Jim, what the hell are you hiding? Because that stupid grin may fool Spock, but it sure as fuck isn’t fooling me.”
Jim sighed. “We don’t have a lot of time, Bones. Just listen. Scotty can only beam two up, and it’s you and Spock. I have to spend the night here. I’ll be fine, don’t worry. But in case I’m not, I have to tell you something.”
One minute
“What the fuck?” Bones yelled. “What the fuck? No. I’m not leaving this fucking rock without you.”
Jim grabbed him by the arm. “Don’t argue, it’s already done. We’ve only got a minute. Less than. And I love you more than anything.”
Bones froze mid-rant, eyes wide, so still he could have been a photograph. Jim smiled. “Yeah, I know. Who saw that coming? But I love you. You’re the one. You’ve always been-” Jim stopped. He had never been good with words, he was a man of action. He leaned forward, pressing himself against the other man, kissing Bones with everything he had in him, every scrap of love he’d never been able to show. He ran his fingers though Bones’ hair, down the back of his neck, his shoulders, his arms, touching everywhere, like this would be his only chance.
Fifteen seconds
Bones broke the kiss, pulling away. “How can you do this to me, Jim?” He asked, voice breaking. “How can you give this to me and take it away again?” He grabbed Jim by the shoulders, holding tight enough to bruise.
“I’m not,” Jim said, reaching up to caress Bones’ cheek. “You’ll always have it.” And for a second, not even a second, he felt warmth flood through him as the area surrounding them lit up as bright as daylight, and then went dark.
“I’ll try to make it,” Jim promised, as if Bones was still there and could hear him.
Sequel: Before the Dawn