The Ballad of James and Leonard - Chapter 2
Title:The Ballad of James and Leonard (2/?)
Series: Star Trek AOS
Author:neko-fish
Beta:castofone
Pairings: James/Leonard, future Spock/Uhura
Rating: NC-17
Summary: In 1893, a blue-eyed stranger barged into McCoy's clinic with a woman in his arms, desperate for help. For Leonard, there was just no going back after that. (The prequel/sequel of 'The Ballad of Jim and Bones' but works as a standalone.)
Warnings: 1890s AU, highlight for more -> character death, racism, mentions of sex, alcohol, swearing, and again, my crappy summary...
Chapter 1
Chapter 2:
James ended up staying at Leonard’s place for the next few days which then turned into weeks. He wasn’t a complete freeloader though, since he took up odd jobs here and there for money. It took awhile for Leonard to be able to make eye contact with the man again after that first drunken night, but the blond turned out to be a stubborn one. They ate their meals together whenever their schedules matched and shared his (broken) bed since James was still technically homeless and Leonard wasn’t going to make him sleep in the stables. All his neighbours now thought he was an alcoholic hooligan, but he could live with that.
During his free time, the blond got to know the staff at the clinic quite well, charming them with his baby blue eyes and easy smile. And as promised, Chapel did eventually manage to get the entire story of their drunken adventure out of them. Even M’Benga came to like the blond after the initial wave of shock and confusion.
Leonard had known Doctor Geoff M’Benga for years now. He first heard about the man in a letter from Phil Boyce, describing a ‘nomadic but very skillful doctor who helped people at random and would leave immediately afterwards.’ Curious and impressed, he ventured over to Atlanta to track down this mysterious doctor who helped everyone at the risk of his own life. Leonard managed to find M’Benga; they talked and debated how to improve current medical practices, and became fast friends. Then after his divorce, Geoff was there along with Phil and Christine to help him get back on his feet (literally. His legs shook so badly after that train ride that he had trouble walking in a straight line. Damn unnatural things.).
--
After they got the clinic up and running, M’Benga was ready leave until Leonard grabbed him by the arm and shoved a new stethoscope into his hands. “And just where do you think you’re going, Geoff? You’re staying here and working with me. You helped start this clinic so don’t think you can just run off.”
“Leonard, I’m honoured, but I don’t think I should. It won’t sit well with a lot of people.”
“Who cares about them? If people really need help, they’ll come. Besides, I need a doctor to help me out here. Good god, man, you have an MD. You might as well work in an actual medical setting instead of wandering around like a vagabond. Look, as long as you’re in it to help people, then this clinic is the place for you. You’re not going anywhere.”
Geoff looked unconvinced. “It’s going to cause you a lot more trouble than you need right now.”
The brunet shrugged nonchalantly. “Then let trouble come. We can see how well it fares against my scalpel.”
--
A week later, the mayor of Atlanta hailed him to his office.
Sitting in his big, leather chair, the mayor was well past his prime. He looked a little uneasy bringing the topic of discussion up. “Doctor McCoy, it’s an honour having you open up a clinic in Atlanta. But I’m afraid we’ve been receiving complaints about the staff.”
Leonard could feel his temper flare and he raised a brow in clear annoyance. “Oh? And what about my staff? I don’t recall hearing any reports about malpractice or misconduct.”
The mayor immediately shook his head in fear of offending the doctor any further. “No, no, of course not! There’s been nothing of the sort, Doctor McCoy! I can assure you! But might I suggest that you replace certain members of your staff?”
With calmness he didn’t actually feel, the brunet crossed his arms and frowned. “Actually, no. I’m afraid you may not. If I find one of my staff members doing anything I deem to be inappropriate, then I’ll consider replacing them. But these are the best medical staff you have in the city, sir, so I suggest you think twice before asking me to remove any one of them as they might end up saving your life one day. And if we’re not welcomed here, then we’d be more than happy to pack up and move on over to the next town.”
--
Later that day, the doctor stepped into the clinic for his shift and announced to his friend, “Geoff, I had a nice little talk with the mayor today. Basically, I told him that you’re an invaluable doctor who’s an asset to the city.” He paused and added, “And I may have also told him that if he doesn’t like it, then he can go shove it where the sun don’t shine. So you better go on and prove me right or we’ll both just look silly.”
The two of them ended up saving the lives of the mayor’s family a week later. And ever since then, the city had no choice but to begrudgingly accept their little clinic.
--
Before Leonard knew what was happening, James went from being a complete stranger to a friend and room/bedmate all within the course of a week. And if asked (only Chapel would really ask), he’d blush furiously and deny being anything more. Despite all this, Leonard realized that he didn’t actually know all that much about the man other than the fact that he had a horse named Enterprise.
So one night, over dinner in his little apartment that was too small for two people, he asked bluntly, “So why are you Just James? Come on, just spit it out already. Who exactly are you?”
James froze and stared at him for a moment before starting slowly, “Well, I guess I should start at the beginning. My name is James - I wasn’t lying about that. I promise. I come from a small family in Iowa, and we used to travel a lot because of my father’s job. He was a real brave man, lived through the war and then died for his cause afterwards. It was so meaningless. You know what he did? He stood up for an elderly woman and was killed for it. They never told me how he died, but I knew he was killed. I was probably around ten at the time.
“Then a couple years after that, my brother, Sam, decided to take the same route as my dad and got himself killed for it. Except, unlike my dad, I was there to watch my brother die by the hands of people who didn’t quite believe in the same things he did. He was only 16 at the time. My mother grew despondent after that, she probably never realized that I left town, that’s how bad it’s gotten for her. To this day, I’m still not sure whether she thinks of the two of them as brave or stupid, probably both. But anyways, after I got old enough to leave town on my own with Enterprise, I left and never looked back.”
For a long moment, Leonard sat there, unsure of how to respond to such a harrowing story. While he wanted to be sympathetic, he also knew that the blond probably wouldn’t react well to such a reaction. In the end, he settled for raising a brow and asking, “Why’d you take a horse? Why not a train - as unnatural as they are? We have those now, you know?”
Blue eyes blinked, a flash of relief running through them. “I love my Enterprise! She’s the best horse in the world! Besides, everyone knows that horses are more exciting and reliable than trains. Come on, Leonard, where’s your sense of adventure?”
Straight-faced and unimpressed, he replied, “I must’ve left it at the bottom of the stairs along with my self-respect. Or maybe it was crushed underneath my broken bed.”
The blond laughed, making the corner of his eyes crinkle. The somber mood lightened somewhat. “You’ll find it again someday, Leonard. So anyways, I left and everything was going fine, I was just going from state to state aimlessly really. And the whole time, I carried my surname with me proudly because unlike my mother who was too lost in her grief to give a damn, I was proud of my father and my brother’s ideals. I believed in them, still do. But then one day, I see this little boy getting beaten on the streets and instead of going in and helping like I should’ve, I remembered what’d happened to my father and Sam. Long story short, I got scared, walked away, and fled the town as soon as I could.
“It ate away at me all the way to the next city. So I thought ‘fuck it. I’ll do something next time.’ And the next day, I saw this lady trip and fall. It wasn’t even part of my grand ‘I’ll do something’ plan and it didn’t occur to me that helping a woman up would be a big deal. I thought it was common courtesy, so I went and helped her. Turns out though, that that was my ‘next time’ and it caught me completely off guard. And by ‘it’, I mean the guys that saw me and decided to share what they thought of it with their fists. Upon retrospect, it probably didn’t help that I called one of them ‘cupcake’ and fought back.”
The blond sighed as he finished his tale. “All I could think about after was what an idiot I was for doing what I did. Don’t get me wrong. I was doing the right thing. I still believe that. But I couldn’t stop shaking. I hid at the stables for a week after that before leaving as fast as I could. Like how you dropped your sense of adventure at the bottom of the stairs, I left my last name behind in the stables.”
“So you’re not a criminal?” Leonard tried to tone down the relief in his voice to no avail.
“You had no idea whether or not I was a criminal but you let me stay here with you anyways? You really are something else, Leonard.” James laughed and shook his head. “But no, I’m not an outlaw, just a coward.”
The brunet reached over and flicked the blonde’s forehead affectionately. “Don’t be stupid, boy. You must’ve only been a kid at the time - hell, you’re still just a kid. And after what happened to you and your family, of course you’d be scared. Not very many people would’ve done anything in any of the situations you went through.”
“You would’ve gone in to help that boy and that woman regardless of consequence.”
It was a statement, not a question.
Leonard shrugged, unable to deny it. He couldn’t even imagine just standing around passively. “I’m a doctor. It’s my job to help people. That doesn’t mean I’m brave.”
“But you are!” The other man protested immediately. “Every single one of you at the clinic is brave! I know you’re not stupid, Leonard. You know exactly how dangerous it is to run a clinic that’s open to the general public around these parts, and for your staff to work the way they do - to be who they are! I’ve seen a couple of the letters you guys get. You guys risk your lives every day to help people. Just yesterday, I watched Christine stitch up you up because some idiot didn’t like one of your patients!”
Instinctively reaching up to run his fingers over the stitches, the brunet smiled dryly. “Hazard of the occupation I guess. It’s not like they’ll get rid of us permanently anytime soon though. The mayor has no choice but to be on our side after what we did for him. Besides, our titles as being the best medical professionals in the city do earn us some immunity.”
Bewildered blue eyes studied him earnestly. “But why do it at all? Why risk telling the mayor off - yes, Geoff told me all about it. But why risk your own health and safety for people? For strangers?”
“I don’t have a particularly deep answer for you. It’s because I’m a doctor. And I think it’s something all doctors should practice: practicing without prejudice, respecting all human life. My old man was a doctor too and he passed his principles down to me just like yours did. Apparently, they used to have this oath back in the day when he was practicing, but it’s disappeared somewhere. I hope doctors will live by it again someday. That’s the world I want my daughter to live in. But for now, even if it’s just our clinic that practices it, it’s a start. But I digress. I don’t think you should keep punishing yourself because of something that happened in the past.”
Leonard knew even as the words came out of his mouth that he was being a hypocrite, but the blond didn’t need to know that.
James shrugged offhandedly. “But the thing is, that last name carries with it the ideals my father and brother were willing to die for. You have to be really brave to be worthy of carrying a name like that. It’s a heavy load that I’m not ready to carry yet. On the day I met you, I stood there for the longest time, wishing that someone else would bring that lady to a doctor. But no one even looked at her. So I grabbed her and ran as fast as I could to your clinic. You have no idea how terrified I was, thinking that someone might see me. And to be perfectly honest, if you’d sent me off, I might’ve just left her there. I’m not as brave or respectable as I want to be yet - at least not enough to use the same surname as my father and Sam. So until I get there, I don’t mind being just James.”
He snorted. “By then, you’ll be glorified to Just James, with a capital J.”
The blond chuckled. “That wouldn’t be half bad, actually. Just James…then you could be Righteous Leonard or Ethical McCoy. And just to weigh in on your doctor’s code idea, I think it’d be a great idea. A world where all doctors thought like you…now there’s an interesting thought. If they were just as brilliant, no one would ever have to die from diseases again. And if they all looked like you, then we’d also have no shortage of volunteer nurses.”
The doctor scowled, willing his face not to heat up at the compliments. “Flattery will get you nowhere. And what about you? What’s your big dream, Just James?”
“Me? Aside from being Just James with a capital J and seeing a world full of Leonards running around helping people?” The blond hesitated though he tried to pass it off with a careless grin. “I think I’d just like a place where everyone can be human. Kind of like at your clinic…somewhere where people can come from all over the world and treat each other with respect and be treated with respect in return, regardless of background. Even if it’s just a town or a small settlement, I’d like to see it.”
Leonard nodded in approval, knowing that sharing his dreams didn’t come easily to the other man. “That sounds like a mighty fine dream to me. I’d like to see it someday, too. So are you going to go around recruiting people for your little town?”
James shrugged, visibly more relaxed. “That’s the idea, or it was. I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. At first, I wasn’t sure what kind of people I was looking for really, or if anyone would even buy into the idea. But then I met you, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about that day ever since.”
He was taken aback by the earnestness in the other’s voice. “What do you mean?”
“I had absolutely no expectations when I came here. But then when I went to you with that woman and you took her in without any protest, I thought to myself, ‘Wow, this guy’s amazing!’ And then you even went so far as to defend her and your actions when I asked you about it. That’s when I thought, ‘I found him. I found the guy. This is the guy I’ll be able to change the world with.’” Then James added softly, sincerely, “You gave me a lot of hope, doc.”
Feeling more wary now, he asked, “Wait, what are you trying to say?”
“Leonard, would you like to go find your sense of adventure from the bottom of the stairs and come with me?”
Hazel eyes widened. Suddenly, Leonard was unsure whether or not he could handle so much responsibility. He could deal with having people’s lives in his hands just fine, but when it came to something as personal as people’s dreams…he hesitated. “Look, I’m really flattered, James. But I’m a simple country doctor, not an adventurer. And I have the clinic to think about. And besides, you should probably find someone else with more experience. I know a couple guys who could help you. Piper would probably be happy to join your cause.”
The blond shook his head and grinned reassuringly. “You’ll be fine, Leonard! You’re going to be the best doctor in the entire country! I wouldn’t have picked you otherwise! Just trust me on this!”
“You have a lot more faith in me than I do myself,” he grumbled.
“Look, there’s no rush. I’ll give you all the time you need to think it through. I seem to have used up all my courage for the week anyways. It’s embarrassing to admit, but I have the collywobbles now.”
Inwardly, Leonard was amazed at how the blond confide in him all these things without wavering. He shrugged nonchalantly. “Courage can easily be replenished.”
“Well, until it gets replenished then,” James spoke dismissively. Then he got up with a leer and pulled him towards the bedroom. “In the meantime, I propose we get reacquainted with your poor broken bed, maybe we’ll find your spirit of adventure there.”
Leonard passively allowed himself to be led to his bed, unable to protest everything those blue eyes were promising him.
He should’ve kept in mind that James didn’t believe in no-win situations.
--
A week later, James turned up at the clinic right as they were switching shifts with a tray in his hands. “Attention please, I have an important issue to discuss with all of you.” Everyone there quieted down and turned to him. “Thank you. Now, seeing as you’re as close of a family as Doctor McCoy’s got around here, I’m here to ask for permission to take him with me to help people all across the country. And in order to help sway you onto my side in the matter, I made enough peach cobblers for everyone. I found the recipe in Leonard’s kitchen so it has to be good.”
Leonard’s eyes widened. “Dammit, James! That recipe’s supposed to be a family secret! And you can’t just trade me for peach cobblers - no matter how delicious they are!”
Accepting one of the plates, Chapel disagreed too easily for his liking. “Yes, he can. This is pretty good for someone who doesn’t look like he’s ever cooked before, so you have my permission. Leonard, we love you here, we really do, but you could do so much more out there, helping others. So by kicking you out like this, we’re really just looking out for your wellbeing.”
M’Benga took a piece of cobbler next. “You have my permission as well. We’ll be fine here, Leonard. I’m sure we’ll be able to replace you in no time. Please take care of him though, James. He’s good at helping others, but not himself. He makes a terrible patient. I’m speaking from experience, of course. And make sure he doesn’t tell any more authority figures off. This man’s crazy. In fact, I think Phil’s been thinking about hiring someone else for awhile now.”
Boyce nodded affirmatively. “That’s right. I’ve been secretly planning to replace you all along, McCoy. You have my permission, Mr. James. Now, McCoy, you can be sure that wherever you go, there’ll be doctors wanting to talk to you about the latest medical news. Trust me when I say your reputation precedes you, whether you know it or not. You should’ve seen how outraged they were when they found out you were working in a little clinic like this instead of a proper hospital. You can’t turn your back to the rest of the world and pretend it’s not there forever.”
One by one, the others took a cobbler from the blond and muttered their approval. The blond even went so far as to run into their patients’ rooms and got their approval.
Finally, James turned to him, eyes bright and hopeful as he held the final piece of cobbler out to him. “So how about it, Doctor McCoy? Do I have your permission to take you on a new adventure? I get this feeling that together, we’ll be able to change the world for the better.”
There was no way Leonard could’ve said no to that man even if he wanted to. He grumbled and tried his best to look exasperated as he took the cobbler even though he was pretty sure there were tears prickling at his eyes. “You cocky bastard. I’m a doctor, not some blushing little lady you’re courting."
"I beg the differ," Chapel added teasingly despite her teary eyes.
Ignoring her, the brunet continued, "But since everyone here’s pretty much disowned me, I guess I’ve got nowhere else to go. Bunch of ungrateful bastards is what you guys are. I can’t believe my own patients disowned me.”
Even as he spoke those words, he pulled each one of them into a hug and said his farewells. Chapel went to James, wiping the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. “Just James, you better take good care of our Leonard. He needs someone to look out for him. Make sure he writes to us often. And you crazy boys better not get so drunk that you decide to take up stair-wrestling with your faces again, okay?” Then turning back to Leonard, she ruffled his hair warmly. “Oh, look at our Leonard, all grown up and leaving the nest.”
He pulled her into a tight hug. “If I recall correctly, you guys just kicked me out of this particular nest. Christine, you make sure that soon-to-be-husband takes good care of you now, you hear?”
The nurse gave him an affectionate kiss on the cheek. “Of course. Come back and visit anytime. And you make sure that you’re not being too modest, Leonard. Learn to brag a little. We expect to read all about your accomplishments in the headlines.”
The blond smiled reassuringly. “Don’t you worry about that part, I’ll be bragging about him to anything with ears. I promise.”
The moment was ruined when a thought came to Leonard, causing him to frown. “Wait a second, James. Have you had any of your vaccinations yet? I refuse to travel with some idiot who could keel over needlessly because he contracted some disease with a cure.”
James’ grin dropped and a moment later, he was hightailing out of the clinic.
Leonard ended up having to chase the blond down at least two blocks before catching up to him and dragging him back to the clinic, kicking and screaming the whole way.
--
After saying goodbye to his landlord and getting himself a horse, they left the next day for Savannah so that Leonard could see Joanna again before setting out. The little girl stared wide eyes at her father. She was bright for her age, but she was still young and hadn’t fully grasped the concept of divorce yet. Sitting on what used to be his porch while James went to tend to the horses, she asked him, “Why do you have to go away, daddy? Can’t you just stay here with Uncle James?”
He raised a brow at the name. “Did I hear you right? You just met him and he’s already Uncle James? Never mind that. Do you remember what I told you about what a doctor’s job is, baby girl?”
The little girl nodded solemnly. “They help any and all people in need. Does Uncle James need help?”
Leonard chuckled. “’Uncle James’ need a lot of help. It’s not just him though. There are a lot of people who need help right now and they’re not getting it, so, since daddy’s a doctor, he’s got to go and help them. Do you understand?”
Joanna dipped her head, her bangs hiding her eyes. “I understand, daddy. I do, but I still wish you’d stay.”
The brunet held her close, willing his brain to capture every last detail and sensation of the moment. “Joanna, you know there’s nowhere I’d like to be more than by your side and there’s no one in this world I love more than you. Maybe when I’m done, your mama will let you come visit me and ‘Uncle James,’ wherever we are.”
She smiled excitedly. “Really? Uncle James said he’d teach me how to ride horses the next time I see him!”
“Oh? Is that how he got you to call him Uncle James?”
Joanna’s eyes widened as she admitted honestly, “He told me not to tell you but I forgot. I’m sorry.”
He laughed at the confession. “Don’t you worry, darlin’. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear a thing, okay? Then neither of us will get into trouble.”
The little girl smiled gratefully. “Thank you, daddy. I love you lots.”
Kissing her forehead, he gave her one last hug. “I love you too, Jo. I’ll write and call you whenever I can, I promise.”
She nodded. “Please help as many people as you can, daddy. And please help Uncle James too.”
“I’ll try my best, baby girl.” He promised her, “I’ll try my best.”
Back to Chapter 1
Onwards to Chapter 3
Series: Star Trek AOS
Author:neko-fish
Beta:castofone
Pairings: James/Leonard, future Spock/Uhura
Rating: NC-17
Summary: In 1893, a blue-eyed stranger barged into McCoy's clinic with a woman in his arms, desperate for help. For Leonard, there was just no going back after that. (The prequel/sequel of 'The Ballad of Jim and Bones' but works as a standalone.)
Warnings: 1890s AU, highlight for more -> character death, racism, mentions of sex, alcohol, swearing, and again, my crappy summary...
Chapter 1
Chapter 2:
James ended up staying at Leonard’s place for the next few days which then turned into weeks. He wasn’t a complete freeloader though, since he took up odd jobs here and there for money. It took awhile for Leonard to be able to make eye contact with the man again after that first drunken night, but the blond turned out to be a stubborn one. They ate their meals together whenever their schedules matched and shared his (broken) bed since James was still technically homeless and Leonard wasn’t going to make him sleep in the stables. All his neighbours now thought he was an alcoholic hooligan, but he could live with that.
During his free time, the blond got to know the staff at the clinic quite well, charming them with his baby blue eyes and easy smile. And as promised, Chapel did eventually manage to get the entire story of their drunken adventure out of them. Even M’Benga came to like the blond after the initial wave of shock and confusion.
Leonard had known Doctor Geoff M’Benga for years now. He first heard about the man in a letter from Phil Boyce, describing a ‘nomadic but very skillful doctor who helped people at random and would leave immediately afterwards.’ Curious and impressed, he ventured over to Atlanta to track down this mysterious doctor who helped everyone at the risk of his own life. Leonard managed to find M’Benga; they talked and debated how to improve current medical practices, and became fast friends. Then after his divorce, Geoff was there along with Phil and Christine to help him get back on his feet (literally. His legs shook so badly after that train ride that he had trouble walking in a straight line. Damn unnatural things.).
--
After they got the clinic up and running, M’Benga was ready leave until Leonard grabbed him by the arm and shoved a new stethoscope into his hands. “And just where do you think you’re going, Geoff? You’re staying here and working with me. You helped start this clinic so don’t think you can just run off.”
“Leonard, I’m honoured, but I don’t think I should. It won’t sit well with a lot of people.”
“Who cares about them? If people really need help, they’ll come. Besides, I need a doctor to help me out here. Good god, man, you have an MD. You might as well work in an actual medical setting instead of wandering around like a vagabond. Look, as long as you’re in it to help people, then this clinic is the place for you. You’re not going anywhere.”
Geoff looked unconvinced. “It’s going to cause you a lot more trouble than you need right now.”
The brunet shrugged nonchalantly. “Then let trouble come. We can see how well it fares against my scalpel.”
--
A week later, the mayor of Atlanta hailed him to his office.
Sitting in his big, leather chair, the mayor was well past his prime. He looked a little uneasy bringing the topic of discussion up. “Doctor McCoy, it’s an honour having you open up a clinic in Atlanta. But I’m afraid we’ve been receiving complaints about the staff.”
Leonard could feel his temper flare and he raised a brow in clear annoyance. “Oh? And what about my staff? I don’t recall hearing any reports about malpractice or misconduct.”
The mayor immediately shook his head in fear of offending the doctor any further. “No, no, of course not! There’s been nothing of the sort, Doctor McCoy! I can assure you! But might I suggest that you replace certain members of your staff?”
With calmness he didn’t actually feel, the brunet crossed his arms and frowned. “Actually, no. I’m afraid you may not. If I find one of my staff members doing anything I deem to be inappropriate, then I’ll consider replacing them. But these are the best medical staff you have in the city, sir, so I suggest you think twice before asking me to remove any one of them as they might end up saving your life one day. And if we’re not welcomed here, then we’d be more than happy to pack up and move on over to the next town.”
--
Later that day, the doctor stepped into the clinic for his shift and announced to his friend, “Geoff, I had a nice little talk with the mayor today. Basically, I told him that you’re an invaluable doctor who’s an asset to the city.” He paused and added, “And I may have also told him that if he doesn’t like it, then he can go shove it where the sun don’t shine. So you better go on and prove me right or we’ll both just look silly.”
The two of them ended up saving the lives of the mayor’s family a week later. And ever since then, the city had no choice but to begrudgingly accept their little clinic.
--
Before Leonard knew what was happening, James went from being a complete stranger to a friend and room/bedmate all within the course of a week. And if asked (only Chapel would really ask), he’d blush furiously and deny being anything more. Despite all this, Leonard realized that he didn’t actually know all that much about the man other than the fact that he had a horse named Enterprise.
So one night, over dinner in his little apartment that was too small for two people, he asked bluntly, “So why are you Just James? Come on, just spit it out already. Who exactly are you?”
James froze and stared at him for a moment before starting slowly, “Well, I guess I should start at the beginning. My name is James - I wasn’t lying about that. I promise. I come from a small family in Iowa, and we used to travel a lot because of my father’s job. He was a real brave man, lived through the war and then died for his cause afterwards. It was so meaningless. You know what he did? He stood up for an elderly woman and was killed for it. They never told me how he died, but I knew he was killed. I was probably around ten at the time.
“Then a couple years after that, my brother, Sam, decided to take the same route as my dad and got himself killed for it. Except, unlike my dad, I was there to watch my brother die by the hands of people who didn’t quite believe in the same things he did. He was only 16 at the time. My mother grew despondent after that, she probably never realized that I left town, that’s how bad it’s gotten for her. To this day, I’m still not sure whether she thinks of the two of them as brave or stupid, probably both. But anyways, after I got old enough to leave town on my own with Enterprise, I left and never looked back.”
For a long moment, Leonard sat there, unsure of how to respond to such a harrowing story. While he wanted to be sympathetic, he also knew that the blond probably wouldn’t react well to such a reaction. In the end, he settled for raising a brow and asking, “Why’d you take a horse? Why not a train - as unnatural as they are? We have those now, you know?”
Blue eyes blinked, a flash of relief running through them. “I love my Enterprise! She’s the best horse in the world! Besides, everyone knows that horses are more exciting and reliable than trains. Come on, Leonard, where’s your sense of adventure?”
Straight-faced and unimpressed, he replied, “I must’ve left it at the bottom of the stairs along with my self-respect. Or maybe it was crushed underneath my broken bed.”
The blond laughed, making the corner of his eyes crinkle. The somber mood lightened somewhat. “You’ll find it again someday, Leonard. So anyways, I left and everything was going fine, I was just going from state to state aimlessly really. And the whole time, I carried my surname with me proudly because unlike my mother who was too lost in her grief to give a damn, I was proud of my father and my brother’s ideals. I believed in them, still do. But then one day, I see this little boy getting beaten on the streets and instead of going in and helping like I should’ve, I remembered what’d happened to my father and Sam. Long story short, I got scared, walked away, and fled the town as soon as I could.
“It ate away at me all the way to the next city. So I thought ‘fuck it. I’ll do something next time.’ And the next day, I saw this lady trip and fall. It wasn’t even part of my grand ‘I’ll do something’ plan and it didn’t occur to me that helping a woman up would be a big deal. I thought it was common courtesy, so I went and helped her. Turns out though, that that was my ‘next time’ and it caught me completely off guard. And by ‘it’, I mean the guys that saw me and decided to share what they thought of it with their fists. Upon retrospect, it probably didn’t help that I called one of them ‘cupcake’ and fought back.”
The blond sighed as he finished his tale. “All I could think about after was what an idiot I was for doing what I did. Don’t get me wrong. I was doing the right thing. I still believe that. But I couldn’t stop shaking. I hid at the stables for a week after that before leaving as fast as I could. Like how you dropped your sense of adventure at the bottom of the stairs, I left my last name behind in the stables.”
“So you’re not a criminal?” Leonard tried to tone down the relief in his voice to no avail.
“You had no idea whether or not I was a criminal but you let me stay here with you anyways? You really are something else, Leonard.” James laughed and shook his head. “But no, I’m not an outlaw, just a coward.”
The brunet reached over and flicked the blonde’s forehead affectionately. “Don’t be stupid, boy. You must’ve only been a kid at the time - hell, you’re still just a kid. And after what happened to you and your family, of course you’d be scared. Not very many people would’ve done anything in any of the situations you went through.”
“You would’ve gone in to help that boy and that woman regardless of consequence.”
It was a statement, not a question.
Leonard shrugged, unable to deny it. He couldn’t even imagine just standing around passively. “I’m a doctor. It’s my job to help people. That doesn’t mean I’m brave.”
“But you are!” The other man protested immediately. “Every single one of you at the clinic is brave! I know you’re not stupid, Leonard. You know exactly how dangerous it is to run a clinic that’s open to the general public around these parts, and for your staff to work the way they do - to be who they are! I’ve seen a couple of the letters you guys get. You guys risk your lives every day to help people. Just yesterday, I watched Christine stitch up you up because some idiot didn’t like one of your patients!”
Instinctively reaching up to run his fingers over the stitches, the brunet smiled dryly. “Hazard of the occupation I guess. It’s not like they’ll get rid of us permanently anytime soon though. The mayor has no choice but to be on our side after what we did for him. Besides, our titles as being the best medical professionals in the city do earn us some immunity.”
Bewildered blue eyes studied him earnestly. “But why do it at all? Why risk telling the mayor off - yes, Geoff told me all about it. But why risk your own health and safety for people? For strangers?”
“I don’t have a particularly deep answer for you. It’s because I’m a doctor. And I think it’s something all doctors should practice: practicing without prejudice, respecting all human life. My old man was a doctor too and he passed his principles down to me just like yours did. Apparently, they used to have this oath back in the day when he was practicing, but it’s disappeared somewhere. I hope doctors will live by it again someday. That’s the world I want my daughter to live in. But for now, even if it’s just our clinic that practices it, it’s a start. But I digress. I don’t think you should keep punishing yourself because of something that happened in the past.”
Leonard knew even as the words came out of his mouth that he was being a hypocrite, but the blond didn’t need to know that.
James shrugged offhandedly. “But the thing is, that last name carries with it the ideals my father and brother were willing to die for. You have to be really brave to be worthy of carrying a name like that. It’s a heavy load that I’m not ready to carry yet. On the day I met you, I stood there for the longest time, wishing that someone else would bring that lady to a doctor. But no one even looked at her. So I grabbed her and ran as fast as I could to your clinic. You have no idea how terrified I was, thinking that someone might see me. And to be perfectly honest, if you’d sent me off, I might’ve just left her there. I’m not as brave or respectable as I want to be yet - at least not enough to use the same surname as my father and Sam. So until I get there, I don’t mind being just James.”
He snorted. “By then, you’ll be glorified to Just James, with a capital J.”
The blond chuckled. “That wouldn’t be half bad, actually. Just James…then you could be Righteous Leonard or Ethical McCoy. And just to weigh in on your doctor’s code idea, I think it’d be a great idea. A world where all doctors thought like you…now there’s an interesting thought. If they were just as brilliant, no one would ever have to die from diseases again. And if they all looked like you, then we’d also have no shortage of volunteer nurses.”
The doctor scowled, willing his face not to heat up at the compliments. “Flattery will get you nowhere. And what about you? What’s your big dream, Just James?”
“Me? Aside from being Just James with a capital J and seeing a world full of Leonards running around helping people?” The blond hesitated though he tried to pass it off with a careless grin. “I think I’d just like a place where everyone can be human. Kind of like at your clinic…somewhere where people can come from all over the world and treat each other with respect and be treated with respect in return, regardless of background. Even if it’s just a town or a small settlement, I’d like to see it.”
Leonard nodded in approval, knowing that sharing his dreams didn’t come easily to the other man. “That sounds like a mighty fine dream to me. I’d like to see it someday, too. So are you going to go around recruiting people for your little town?”
James shrugged, visibly more relaxed. “That’s the idea, or it was. I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. At first, I wasn’t sure what kind of people I was looking for really, or if anyone would even buy into the idea. But then I met you, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about that day ever since.”
He was taken aback by the earnestness in the other’s voice. “What do you mean?”
“I had absolutely no expectations when I came here. But then when I went to you with that woman and you took her in without any protest, I thought to myself, ‘Wow, this guy’s amazing!’ And then you even went so far as to defend her and your actions when I asked you about it. That’s when I thought, ‘I found him. I found the guy. This is the guy I’ll be able to change the world with.’” Then James added softly, sincerely, “You gave me a lot of hope, doc.”
Feeling more wary now, he asked, “Wait, what are you trying to say?”
“Leonard, would you like to go find your sense of adventure from the bottom of the stairs and come with me?”
Hazel eyes widened. Suddenly, Leonard was unsure whether or not he could handle so much responsibility. He could deal with having people’s lives in his hands just fine, but when it came to something as personal as people’s dreams…he hesitated. “Look, I’m really flattered, James. But I’m a simple country doctor, not an adventurer. And I have the clinic to think about. And besides, you should probably find someone else with more experience. I know a couple guys who could help you. Piper would probably be happy to join your cause.”
The blond shook his head and grinned reassuringly. “You’ll be fine, Leonard! You’re going to be the best doctor in the entire country! I wouldn’t have picked you otherwise! Just trust me on this!”
“You have a lot more faith in me than I do myself,” he grumbled.
“Look, there’s no rush. I’ll give you all the time you need to think it through. I seem to have used up all my courage for the week anyways. It’s embarrassing to admit, but I have the collywobbles now.”
Inwardly, Leonard was amazed at how the blond confide in him all these things without wavering. He shrugged nonchalantly. “Courage can easily be replenished.”
“Well, until it gets replenished then,” James spoke dismissively. Then he got up with a leer and pulled him towards the bedroom. “In the meantime, I propose we get reacquainted with your poor broken bed, maybe we’ll find your spirit of adventure there.”
Leonard passively allowed himself to be led to his bed, unable to protest everything those blue eyes were promising him.
He should’ve kept in mind that James didn’t believe in no-win situations.
--
A week later, James turned up at the clinic right as they were switching shifts with a tray in his hands. “Attention please, I have an important issue to discuss with all of you.” Everyone there quieted down and turned to him. “Thank you. Now, seeing as you’re as close of a family as Doctor McCoy’s got around here, I’m here to ask for permission to take him with me to help people all across the country. And in order to help sway you onto my side in the matter, I made enough peach cobblers for everyone. I found the recipe in Leonard’s kitchen so it has to be good.”
Leonard’s eyes widened. “Dammit, James! That recipe’s supposed to be a family secret! And you can’t just trade me for peach cobblers - no matter how delicious they are!”
Accepting one of the plates, Chapel disagreed too easily for his liking. “Yes, he can. This is pretty good for someone who doesn’t look like he’s ever cooked before, so you have my permission. Leonard, we love you here, we really do, but you could do so much more out there, helping others. So by kicking you out like this, we’re really just looking out for your wellbeing.”
M’Benga took a piece of cobbler next. “You have my permission as well. We’ll be fine here, Leonard. I’m sure we’ll be able to replace you in no time. Please take care of him though, James. He’s good at helping others, but not himself. He makes a terrible patient. I’m speaking from experience, of course. And make sure he doesn’t tell any more authority figures off. This man’s crazy. In fact, I think Phil’s been thinking about hiring someone else for awhile now.”
Boyce nodded affirmatively. “That’s right. I’ve been secretly planning to replace you all along, McCoy. You have my permission, Mr. James. Now, McCoy, you can be sure that wherever you go, there’ll be doctors wanting to talk to you about the latest medical news. Trust me when I say your reputation precedes you, whether you know it or not. You should’ve seen how outraged they were when they found out you were working in a little clinic like this instead of a proper hospital. You can’t turn your back to the rest of the world and pretend it’s not there forever.”
One by one, the others took a cobbler from the blond and muttered their approval. The blond even went so far as to run into their patients’ rooms and got their approval.
Finally, James turned to him, eyes bright and hopeful as he held the final piece of cobbler out to him. “So how about it, Doctor McCoy? Do I have your permission to take you on a new adventure? I get this feeling that together, we’ll be able to change the world for the better.”
There was no way Leonard could’ve said no to that man even if he wanted to. He grumbled and tried his best to look exasperated as he took the cobbler even though he was pretty sure there were tears prickling at his eyes. “You cocky bastard. I’m a doctor, not some blushing little lady you’re courting."
"I beg the differ," Chapel added teasingly despite her teary eyes.
Ignoring her, the brunet continued, "But since everyone here’s pretty much disowned me, I guess I’ve got nowhere else to go. Bunch of ungrateful bastards is what you guys are. I can’t believe my own patients disowned me.”
Even as he spoke those words, he pulled each one of them into a hug and said his farewells. Chapel went to James, wiping the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. “Just James, you better take good care of our Leonard. He needs someone to look out for him. Make sure he writes to us often. And you crazy boys better not get so drunk that you decide to take up stair-wrestling with your faces again, okay?” Then turning back to Leonard, she ruffled his hair warmly. “Oh, look at our Leonard, all grown up and leaving the nest.”
He pulled her into a tight hug. “If I recall correctly, you guys just kicked me out of this particular nest. Christine, you make sure that soon-to-be-husband takes good care of you now, you hear?”
The nurse gave him an affectionate kiss on the cheek. “Of course. Come back and visit anytime. And you make sure that you’re not being too modest, Leonard. Learn to brag a little. We expect to read all about your accomplishments in the headlines.”
The blond smiled reassuringly. “Don’t you worry about that part, I’ll be bragging about him to anything with ears. I promise.”
The moment was ruined when a thought came to Leonard, causing him to frown. “Wait a second, James. Have you had any of your vaccinations yet? I refuse to travel with some idiot who could keel over needlessly because he contracted some disease with a cure.”
James’ grin dropped and a moment later, he was hightailing out of the clinic.
Leonard ended up having to chase the blond down at least two blocks before catching up to him and dragging him back to the clinic, kicking and screaming the whole way.
--
After saying goodbye to his landlord and getting himself a horse, they left the next day for Savannah so that Leonard could see Joanna again before setting out. The little girl stared wide eyes at her father. She was bright for her age, but she was still young and hadn’t fully grasped the concept of divorce yet. Sitting on what used to be his porch while James went to tend to the horses, she asked him, “Why do you have to go away, daddy? Can’t you just stay here with Uncle James?”
He raised a brow at the name. “Did I hear you right? You just met him and he’s already Uncle James? Never mind that. Do you remember what I told you about what a doctor’s job is, baby girl?”
The little girl nodded solemnly. “They help any and all people in need. Does Uncle James need help?”
Leonard chuckled. “’Uncle James’ need a lot of help. It’s not just him though. There are a lot of people who need help right now and they’re not getting it, so, since daddy’s a doctor, he’s got to go and help them. Do you understand?”
Joanna dipped her head, her bangs hiding her eyes. “I understand, daddy. I do, but I still wish you’d stay.”
The brunet held her close, willing his brain to capture every last detail and sensation of the moment. “Joanna, you know there’s nowhere I’d like to be more than by your side and there’s no one in this world I love more than you. Maybe when I’m done, your mama will let you come visit me and ‘Uncle James,’ wherever we are.”
She smiled excitedly. “Really? Uncle James said he’d teach me how to ride horses the next time I see him!”
“Oh? Is that how he got you to call him Uncle James?”
Joanna’s eyes widened as she admitted honestly, “He told me not to tell you but I forgot. I’m sorry.”
He laughed at the confession. “Don’t you worry, darlin’. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear a thing, okay? Then neither of us will get into trouble.”
The little girl smiled gratefully. “Thank you, daddy. I love you lots.”
Kissing her forehead, he gave her one last hug. “I love you too, Jo. I’ll write and call you whenever I can, I promise.”
She nodded. “Please help as many people as you can, daddy. And please help Uncle James too.”
“I’ll try my best, baby girl.” He promised her, “I’ll try my best.”
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Onwards to Chapter 3