Inconvenience - Part 2 of 2

[nikki4noo]

Title: Inconvenience - Part 2 or 2
Author: nikki4noo
Beta: aquila-star, the commavenger aka 7ofeleven and Clarrisani
Word Count: 18,460 (in total)
Rating: NC-17 for some bad words and sexual situations
Pairings/Characters: Kirk/McCoy, Scotty, Spock, Uhura, Sulu, Chekov, various Enterprise crew and some aliens
Summary: Though many would love a glimpse into the mind of James Tiberius Kirk, Leonard McCoy is not one of them. Due to a "gift" from an alien race, he gets to find out exactly what goes on in the head of James T Kirk.
Disclaimer: Not mine, dammit!

A/N: This little plot bunny developed out of wondering about blending the TOS episode Charlie X with Reboot. It is also a little character study in a way about what those sort of 'gifts' can provide for our favourite medic; the positives and negatives. So there are a few spoilers for the Charlie X episode, but no Charlie in sight. I do apologise to aquila-star for talking to her for two hours about gas! So here be science and plot and sex. :D

Inconvenience - Part 1


Bones looked around in concern and wondered what new symptom the damn telepathy was now going to come up with. He was no longer in his quarters but appeared to be back on the planet. It happened in a moment, between one blink and the next. He wondered if he had fallen asleep finally, if he was dreaming, although he couldn’t remember any dream before where he was able to smell.

It was definitely the same planet that he, Jim and the others had transported down to earlier. Not the same place though, he mused. This area was more densely wooded and he appeared to be in a low valley surrounded by high hills.

He slowly turned in a circle before deciding in which direction he was going to head, where he could hear a stream trickling over rocks. He walked slowly and carefully, making sure to look around and behind continually. This might be a dream but Bones was not going to take a chance in case he really was back on that damn planet. He had only walked a few meters when, from behind a large tree, a cloud of green gas floated slowly into his path.

“Hell, no. Not again. You stay right there!” Bones ordered as he pointed at the cloud.

Bones was then shocked as the cloud did stop in its movement. He later swore that he was sure it was looking around, even though it had no eyes that he could tell. Man and cloud stood facing each other, neither moving. The cloud then rippled slightly and a movement out of the corner of his eye had Bones turning swiftly to his left as three more slime green clouds materialized out of the trees, stopping the same distance from him as the first. Then more again behind and to his other side until he was completely encircled.

“You do not need to speak, healer, we can hear you, and you can hear us,” a multitude of simultaneous voices spoke to Bones. It appeared to be a mix of male and female voices, young and old, different accents too, but all speaking Standard.

“I really must be dreaming,” Bones murmured under his breath as he continued to slowly turn in a circle, trying to keep all the rippling green clouds under observation.

“No dream, healer. You are on Thasus and we require your assistance. It is why we gave you the gift and why you are here now, as we explained to your Jim,” the voices intoned. There was a serious lack of any emotion from the voices. It reminded Bones too much of a certain science officer.

“What do you mean, gift? Gift? You mean this ability to hear every one's thoughts is a gift? It ain’t no gift. It is a curse! Take it away, now!” Bones ranted at the clouds surrounding him, pointing alternatively at as many of them as he could.

“We require your assistance and regret the pain it has caused you. We were unaware that it would be an issue. That your Jim removed you back to your ship was not anticipated. We believed that we could explain to you and your team the assistance that we required, the knowledge that you have to assist us,” the Thasians spoke.

“What damn assistance? You should have contacted the Captain when we were up in that tin can of death, gotten the whole crew helping you before we came down here,” Bones continued to protest.

“We did not have the ability to contact you on the ship when you arrived and we did not know that your ship carried you, who can help us. When you came down to the planet it was only then known that you were the one to heal us. We now have the ability to contact your ship and we have talked with your Jim and observed your thinkers. They know that you have been returned to us to assist us and that we will return you to them once you have done so,” the Thasians explained.

“You know they will be scanning for me, right now, right?” Bones told them, one eyebrow rising.

“Yes, they are. The great thinker is tasked with that but he will not be able to find you. We are able to block any scans of our planet. It is how we have remained undetected for so long. Your Jim is very concerned for you, as such we will take good care of you for him,” said the Thasians.

“Great thinker, indeed! You should have infected that damn pointy eared bastard instead. He would have been of better use to you. I’m a Doctor, not a Science Officer! You are a gaseous life force. I deal with things that have mass and organs and blood. And dammit stop calling him ‘my Jim’!” Bones angrily demanded of the Thasians.

“He is your Jim, is that not how he is named?” If a cloud could tilt its head or whatever part was supposed to be a head, Bones swore that was what it was doing. The Thasians continued, “a thinker is not a healer. They deal with facts, but not with cures; your knowledge was of greater use to us. Your thinker could not have assisted us. Their knowledge is less than ours on ourselves.”

“Great, I finally meet someone who knows more than that damn computer and he isn’t here for me to rub it in! The day just keeps getting worse. Still doesn’t help me to ‘fix’ you if you don’t have mass,” Bones grumbled, ignoring the comment about what and who Jim was.

“We had form and mass but as our gifts developed we did not require that form to be as solid as you. We willed it so and it was. We still have mass and form, it is the nature of ourselves, that form is smaller than you can detect. But now we are dying and we need your healing help to assist us,” the Thasians reported.

“Dying?” Bones asked, his healing instincts kicking into gear in spite of his distrust of the situation.

“We fade and disperse, we forget and vanish,” the Thasians told him.

“You forget?” Bones picked up on the one part of the statement that he might apply medical knowledge to.

“Yes, you are correct in thoughts, healer. We are a joined mind. When one forgets, all start to forget. It has been spreading,” they intoned.

Bones sat down on the ground and started to think, run through ideas but he kept coming back to needing to know more, to run tests, but all his equipment was back on the Enterprise. Then he thought back to what he first learned as a doctor, to find out everything that there is to know, what else was happening in the patients life, what other possible causes could there be.

“We have noticed that our planet has been changing, healer. Plants are dying,” he was informed.

“Plants? Show me, please?” Bones asked as he stood up, brushing off his uniform.

An image was shown in his mind, of a small pretty flowering plant, orange petals with darker spots that looked like a smaller version of the swamp lilies his mother used to grow in pots in their front yard back home.

“I need to actually see one, for real, they might be able to help,” Bones told them.

The Thasians started to move towards the hill to his right. In order to not be touched by the clouds he had to move with them, but he figured that they were showing him where there was such a plant. When they reached the base of the hill they started to climb in their own unique way. Bones did note that the clouds flowed around the trees and bushes, not through them as they had done with him earlier. He joined them in their climb. All the while he could hear the low gentle hum of their thoughts, as if they were whispering, mindful of his dislike of hearing others thoughts.

Bones’ anger had faded. These were creatures that did not understand what they did was wrong or harmful but had a childlike desire to learn and once they learned that it was not nice what they had done to him they seemed to try to minimize their harm. That is not to say that they didn’t seem inclined to just drop him back on the Enterprise with his mind to himself again. Like any child, they had a need and were very singular in that need being seen to.

His quiet musings were broken when he was informed that a plant was ahead. His steps increased as he moved quicker up the hill, ignoring the burn in his lungs that the climb had created. There behind a small bush was the plant that the Thasians had shown him. The plant was smaller than he thought and as he knelt down to look at it he could see that it appeared unwell. The petals curling in tight and the leaves straining up as if it get as much sunlight as possible. The smell of the plant was not pleasant, he couldn’t trace the smell, but it appeared familiar but too faint to tell for sure.

“This is a dying one?” He checked with the Thasians.

“Yes, do you wish to see a well one?” They asked.

He nodded his agreement and the clouds moved off again, rippling as they encouraged him to climb higher, to the top of the hill. It was another few minutes before they reached the summit, and the smell had gotten stronger as they climbed. He know knew what it was, rotten eggs.

There amongst the trees on the summit were a profusion of the flowers, bigger and in much better condition than the single one he had seen below.

“Yes, this is the only plant that has been dying, healer,” the Thasians told him in response to his unvoiced query.

Bones glared at them as he realized that they had still been listening in to his thoughts all the way up the hill. “Do they always smell like that?” he asked them.

“Smell? What is smell?” A confused tone could clearly be heard in the Thasian’s voices.

Bones contemplated all the medical terminology and description of smell, a sense that the Thasian’s appeared to be completely unfamiliar with.

“Senses are new to us. We do not require them. Your form is a different being from us. You require these senses, it seems. Fascinating,” the Thasians obviously picked up on a word that Bones was not happy with hearing.

“Oh, no you don’t! No using that green-blooded creature’s sayings against me! Heaven help me, I need to talk to the ship, I need to talk to that damn Vulcan,” Bones growled as he peered under his brows at the nearest cloud.

There was some low mutterings and Bones strained his ears trying to listen in but that didn’t seem to work, so he just did his normal response to being left out of a discussion; crossed his arms and looked grumpy as all heck.

“We will allow you to talk to your friends but you must ensure that they are told that they can not trace you,” the Thasians intoned.

“Sure, sure,” Bones agreed knowing that he wouldn’t be able to attempt any coding with Jim and the others, telepathy sure wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

“Go ahead, healer, your friends are listening,” the Thasians told him.

--

Jim was alternating between standing by Chekov as he updated the view screen with information and pacing the few steps towards Spock’s station. After one of his many journeys towards Spock’s station, his erstwhile science officer raised his head slightly to pointedly stare at Jim before looking back down at the scanner. Jim huffed as he took the non-verbal hint. He did not stomp like a petulant child towards his chair and he was absolutely certain that he did not flop down into said chair with a decided lack of grace or humor, also nothing like a petulant child.

The chair felt as wrong now as it had earlier. What was missing was Bones, standing just behind or to the side, leaning nonchalantly towards him with a little smirk on his face and a wisecrack ready in that slow southern drawl that used to flow over and through him like molasses across waffles. Jim mused that he hadn’t been aware that his best friends normal presence on the Bridge meant that there was now a Bones shaped hole by his chair.

Jim could be patient, even though many who only saw the surface that he projected thought otherwise, but now was not one of those times. He was up and pacing again soon, this time restricting his trips only towards Spock’s station, where previously he had wandered over the whole bridge. Uhura’s melodious voice, as she continually hailed the Thasian’s, was a gentle background hum to the normal noises.

Jim allowed his thoughts to dwell on Bones, more than he had for the majority of this day. Earlier, once he figured out what was going on, well okay once Bones told him, he made sure to try and keep certain thoughts fully out of his mind. It was Bones though and he was almost always on his mind, had been since that first meeting on the shuttle. How can you really ignore your roommate and best friend? Jim snorted to himself as he imagined Bones’ voice telling him off, that short way he had of barking out, “Jim”, letting him know that he did not approve and was about to tell you how stupid you were. He snorted quietly as he looked down at his feet as he heard Bones’ voice calling his name in his head again.

Jim noticed that Spock was no longer looking down, but had stood up and was facing him. Also turned towards him with a look of shock on their faces were Chekov, Sulu and the other officers on the Bridge.

“What?” Jim asked confusedly as he turned to check out Uhura at her station. He self-consciously looked down to see if anything was amiss. “What?” He repeated.

“Um, Captain,” Uhura paused as she glanced towards Spock before lifting her chin up and addressing Jim again more assuredly, “Doctor McCoy is…”

“Stuck on that damn planet below! I know, Lieutenant!” Jim interrupted her.

“Heavens to Betsy, Jim, can’t you allow others to finish speaking for once?” Bones’ voice could be heard bellowing over the speakers in the Bridge.

Jim looked around at the others, checking to see that they heard what he heard.

Uhura cleared her throat before speaking again, with that supercilious tilt of her head that said she knew she was about to knock Jim off his little pedestal, “as I was about to say, Captain, Doctor McCoy appears to be hailing the ship on subspace frequency three.”

“Bones!” Jim exclaimed happily, before remembering where he was and adjusting his shirt and in a more professional, neutral tone said, “Doctor McCoy, I trust you are well? Nurse Chapel asked where the cordazine needs to be stored.”

“Just fine and dandy, Jim apart from being on the damned planet, never knew I would miss that stupid tin can and seeing as how the Thasian’s can read minds the bloody code will be useless, so just ignore it and let me talk to Spock!” Bones grouched.

Jim refused to admit later that he might have at this stage in the conversation, pouted, no matter Uhura’s insistence and a raised eyebrow. Damn her Vulcan boyfriend for teaching her that snide little maneuver.

“How can I be of assistance, doctor?” Spock asked.

“The Thasians have given you access to an area of the planet to scan, and don’t even bother looking for me. It ain’t where I am. I need you to scan the forms you find there. Specifically scan the electrons of the gaseous clouds. Those are the Thasians and they are dying off. I also need you to check the temperature logs for the planet if you can and compare them to the current base temperature,” Bones ordered him.

As Bones spoke, Spock started to follow his instructions, long fingers assuredly pushing buttons and keying in orders to the computer.

“Location locked and scanning gaseous forms, Commander,” Chekov announced. “Results being forwarded to your station.” Chekov continued sotto voice towards Sulu, “this technology inwented in Russia, you know!”

“Chekov!” Jim barked at his junior officer.

“But Keptin, it was inwented in Russia,” Chekov started but then stopped his explanation at the look on his captain’s face.

“Mr Chekov is almost correct, the STEP-F telescope was developed by Professor Dudnik, Kharkiv National University, Ukraine, but it was first used on a Russian spacecraft in 2009,” Spock offered his own knowledge to the discussion.

“Oh spare us the history lesson and just scan the damn planet!” Bones complained.

“Scanning is already occurring, doctor. Are you able to inform us as to your reason for the request?” Spock asked, his eyes still scanning at least three screens that Jim could see, while conversing with Bones and listening in on other people’s conversations.

“The Thasian’s started dying off at the same time as a plant down here also started to. It seems to produce hydrogen sulphide. I have seen a dying plant and then one that is still living in optimal conditions. No, Hikaru I ain’t bringing one back, before you even ask as they well stink!” Bones told him.

Jim smirked at the open mouth posture of his pilot. All on the ship were well aware of Sulu’s love of all thing botanic. Sulu snapped his mouth shut and resolutely looked straight ahead, ignoring everyone else on the Bridge.

“If I am correct in my basic chemistry, the Thasians are prokaryotic and I suspect that there would be a break down in the electrons holding them together. They might have no nucleus but they have a combined mind or memory. They are forgetting things, something needs to be causing that,” Bones mused.

“Hence, doctor, your hypothesis is that the plants dying off are causing the Thasian’s to die as well,” Spock responded to him.

“You bet your green blood they are correlated!” Bones said.

“Scanning of Thasian’s concluded, Captain. Results have been sent,” Chekov spoke, his voice a little hesitant.

“Right, whiz-kid, scan the plants in that area too,” Bones ordered.

“Already completed, sir,” Chekov answered at the same time as Spock also replied informing Bones that the task had been completed.

“Seriously Jim, one is bad enough, but Spock is rubbing off on that boy!” Bones grumbled.

Jim just laughed at the put upon tone of Bones. “C’mon Bones, it’s all good. The quicker these two work the sooner you are back up here.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Bones complained good-naturedly. “So, Mr Spock? Any results? Was I right?”

“Unfortunately, doctor, I have to impart the news that your hypothesis was in fact correct,” Spock replied, his stiff posture informing the others on the Bridge that the Vulcan really didn’t want to give that news to McCoy. Their verbal battles were legendary even considering their short acquaintance. Yet most would swear that from McCoy's side that there was a little undercurrent of, if not affection, then at least grudging respect towards the Science Officer, from Spock's side it was anyone's guess what he thought of the good doctor.

Jim laughed out loud at the stoic demeanor of Spock. He knew how difficult it must have been for Spock to prove that Bones was right about something. “Bones, please tell me you aren’t doing a little dance of joy? I would hate to miss your attempt at dancing!” Jim asked him.

He was met with silence. That Bones didn’t respond straightaway was unusual and immediately had Jim pointing at Chekov ordering him to do another scan, this time searching for Bones again.

“Sorry Jim, just had to chat to the Thasians. I think we can solve their problem, but we are gonna need Sulu, a couple of engineers and some security grunts,” Bones told them.

"What do you require my assistance for, doctor?" Sulu asked.

"We're gonna build a greenhouse!" Bones announced.

Jim started to laugh at the solution.

--

Jim was not happy about Bones ordering him, in no uncertain terms, to remain aboard that "damn tin can" and that he had no skills to offer for down on the surface. Which Jim, after a few minutes of pouting, figured out was Bones 'speak' for 'I can hear your thoughts and am not interested in listening to them again thank you very much'. So, Jim sent down an away team, led by Sulu, with strict instructions to ascertain that Bones was alive and well. Their next orders were to then help the Thasians and not agitate them any more than they already had.

Shortly after the team was beamed down, they reported back that a visual sighting was made of Doctor McCoy before he disappeared back down the other side of a hill, surrounded by green clouds that they now knew were Thasians.

Sulu and the rest of the team were soon joined by some other Thasians, including the one that had visited the crew on the bridge, taking the shape of the disembodied head again within it's gaseous form. The away team members had been fully briefed of this likelihood occurring but it was still disturbing to many of them, although they thought they hid it well.

As McCoy had explained to them, they would not have to speak out loud each instruction. The Thasians could 'listen' in on everything they would be doing and that they just needed to concentrate fully on everything that would be needed in order to construct the greenhouse. If the Thasians had any questions they would ask them out loud. Unknown to them was the argument that their Chief Medical Officer had had with the Thasians to make sure that this was agreed to. McCoy was currently now arguing with the first group of Thasians about his return back to the ship and their 'gift' being returned.

Arguing with a group of people who can read your mind was making the normally grumpy physician even grumpier. They even managed to make him speechless when it was pointed out to him that they were not using 'unfair, sneaky dog-gone tactics' by responding to his immediate thoughts as he is currently just as able to also see all their thoughts with the same immediacy. This resulted in an open mouthed expression and some serious arm crossing.

The Thasians were adamant that their gift should be treasured and was of great benefit. Bones conceded that they had the best of intentions but humans liked and needed to keep their thoughts to themselves and someone who could invade that privacy would not be welcomed by others, so the gift would be a curse and not be of assistance. The Thasians left him as they moved out of range to obviously discuss his request and when they returned they agreed that in his case and for humans in general that their gifts did cause pain. Their only request was that when a report was made of their presence to the Federation that he, the healer, be the one to write about them. McCoy smiled as he agreed and assured them that he would stress that it would be beneficial to the Thasians for them to remain alone on this planet. He was sure that the Federation wouldn't listen to a word he reported but he would do his best for them. They wished him and his Jim well. Before Bones could finish his "damn it, will you stop that, he's not my Jim" he found himself back in his room. In the same spot that they had taken him from. After looking around to make sure it was his room, he rushed over to the computer and ordered the current date and time. As the pleasant computer voice informed him that time had indeed passed down on the planet. He was back in his room, now well into Beta shift. He walked over to his door and pressing his ear to the cool paneling, he listened out for anyone walking past. He could no longer pick up any thoughts from his fellow crew. He slid down the wall next to the door to sit on the floor, a little relieved smile on his face.

--

Jim looked up and gripped the back of his Captain's Chair as the Thasian materialized on the Bridge again.

"We thank you and your fellows for their assistance. As the healer has recommended the greenhouse should assist us to continue to survive and we now know how to create and build new ones," the Thasian intoned.

"You are welcome, but what of my crew?" Jim asked.

"Your," the Thasian paused as it searched for the right word. "Mover..."

Lieutenant Uhura, stood and gestured with one hand while she pressed her earpiece, obviously receiving a message.

"The listener is receiving a message that your crew has been returned," the Thasian continued.

"All of them?" Jim asked, eyes narrowing.

"Doctor McCoy has not been beamed aboard Captain," Uhura informed Jim.

Jim looked towards the Thasian, his jaw set.

"The healer has been returned to whence we took him. No beaming was necessary. Again, we thank you and please do not return." With that final message the Thasian started to dissipate from the Bridge, but Jim had already turned and raced towards the turbo lift.

--

The only warning Bones had that someone was coming was the chiming of the door as it slid open, he started to rise as he saw Jim rush into his room and glance around.

Jim ran his fingers through his hair as he looked around the room, he then dropped that hand disconsolately by his side as he sighed. "Those lying bastards!"

"Who is lying to you now?" Bones asked as he stood up. "I sure they probably had a right valid reason."

"Bones!" Jim yelled as he took a short step forward and pulled him into a tight hug.

Bones was shocked at the tightness of Jim's grip. "Um, Jim, breathing might be something that I would like to currently be doing," he said.

Jim quickly let go and stepped backwards, his eye line dropping down to stare at the floor.

"Yeah, sorry, man, just kinda, you know, glad to have you back," Jim mumbled.

"Sulu and the others?" Bones asked

"Huh?" Jim responded.

"Sulu and the others, are they back?" Bones repeated.

"Yeah, beamed aboard a minute ago. We can get away from here now," Jim said, looking back down at the floor and not at his best friend.

"Right, right," Bones said and then clapping his hands he continued, "okay, well I'm back and they're back so I'll just head off to sick bay. See you later, Jim."

Jim grabbed his arm as Bones moved towards the door. "What?"

"Jim, let go, I have to report to Sick Bay, to get a medical clearance. You know, rules and all that shit. The things most people think you like to pretend don't actually exist." Bones shook his arm away.

"Um, yeah, okay," Jim said.

Bones walked out of his room and towards the Turbo lift to take him to the Sick Bay. He stopped and turned around to find Jim right behind him.

"Are you following me, Jim?" he asked.

"What? No, we just kinda happen to be going the same way," Jim said, the look on his face though was one that Bones was very familiar with. It said, 'I'm lying but please believe me?'.

Bones rolled his eyes as he turned back to continue on his way. Jim followed a pace behind him watching as the various crew going about their business would stop to welcome Bones back to the ship. He would stop briefly to thank the crew member before continuing onwards. As the doors to Sick Bay slid open and Bones strolled into his domain, Jim paused just inside the door way, watching as his Chief Medical Officer was welcomed back with open arms, a myriad of back slapping and joyous faces. Jim silently removed himself from the reunion to return to the Bridge and make sure Sulu and Chekov were getting them all the hell away from Thasus.

---

Jim ordered the Enterprise towards sector Z-6. They were near enough to the outposts and as yet had no instructions from Starfleet command as to their next assignment, so he thought keeping an eye on the Romulans might be just the thing to do. With the crew on a heightened alert, it kept everyone on their toes and fixated on their roles. Bones had been given the all clear from medical and returned to work right away. Dr Piper appeared to be happy to hand the reigns back over to Bones. The only reminder about the little jaunt to Thasus was when Bones' report was forwarded to him. Just like Jim's Captains Log, Bones' report was devoid of certain things that had happened that were none of Starfleets business. When the report appeared, Jim realized that it had been five days since Bones' return. Within that time Bones had hardly ventured onto the Bridge like he normally did. They hadn't had dinner in Jim's rooms for a whole week. In fact it appeared that Bones was avoiding him.

Bones might have been physically absent from him, but mentally he was almost entirely all that Jim could think about. The way he kissed. The feel of him under his hands. The way he gasped his orgasm. The way he pressed back onto Jim. The way his hands had threaded through his hair, his thumbs titling up his chin, the pads rubbing rough over his skin. The way his pupils had dilated and how the green became the most dominate color of his eyes, just before those lips, that had starred in so many fantasies of Jim's that he had given up counting the number and the ways, had pressed to his and then his tongue had invaded Jim's mouth. Jim had finally had enough of being avoided. It was time for he and Bones to get it out in the open.

Jim suddenly stood up from his chair and strode purposefully towards the lift. The chair followed his movement before spinning back into place.

"Lieutenant, please inform Doctor McCoy that I need to see him in my rooms. Immediately," Jim ordered just before the the door to the lift closed on the surprised visages of the Bridge crew.

Crew members scurried out of the way of their purposefully striding Captain. No one dared to stop him, let alone greet him. The mood on the ship for the past few days had been uncommonly tense, all crew adjusting their mood to that of their erstwhile leader.

As Jim entered his room, he decided that the most strategic place for this conversation would be for him to remain standing by his desk. He discarded the idea of sitting at the desk as that would only give Bones the opportunity to remain standing and to loom over him. Even though they were both of almost comparable height, Bones was able to give the impression of being bigger when he was in one of his riled up moods. Jim also decided against pretending he was working on something or other. He had had enough of being avoided and although he knew that he had likely stuffed up his first true friendship, this was one of those times he was prepared to leap first and think about the fall only as he was hurtling towards the ground. He could only hope, like all those other times that after he fell, Bones would be able to put him back together again.

Jim had the briefest of warnings before his CMO was storming into his room.

"Damn it Jim, I don't have time for this shit. What fool idiocy you got in your head that you just had to go and make us the center of gossip on this cursed ship? I've got better things to do now. So, can we get what ever bee's gotten up your bonnet and get this over with so I can get back to inventory?" Bones ranted as he stepped right up Jim.

Jim raised his head, smiled slightly as he tilted it to the side to ponder 'his Bones'. "Maybe if you shut up I could tell you?" Jim snarked back.

Bones crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the man who was daring to smile at him. "Well by all means, go ahead and tell me what is so important." He gestured with one hand his magnanimous allowance for Jim to speak, his class ring glinting in the light as his hand moved through the air.

"Right, okay, well, see..." Jim paused as he tried to get the words out. This was harder than he anticipated.

"Jim, just spit it out for Christ's sake, or so help me I am just gonna walk right out this door again," Bones threatened.

"That's your answer for everything at the moment isn't it? Just walk away and avoid the elephant in the room?" Jim angrily responded.

Bones brow furrowed his confusion, "what are you on about?"

"Thasus and that pesky little mind reading trick you had for a while and well, you kissed me!" Jim accused.

"You kissed me first," Bones growled back. "If you weren't so over sexed it would never have happened!"

"Over-sexed, now thats a laugh! You know it's just been me and my right hand ever since I got this command." Jim waved his right hand in the air before dropping it back down in frustration.

"You forget Jim, I roomed with you for three years. I know your sex drive and I bet your frustration at the lack of getting some regular tail lead to that bit of stupidity," Bones said.

"Hah! Which one is it Bones? That I am getting too much or that I am not getting enough? Bit of a contradiction there, old man. Make up your mind or is it that you are just seeking excuses?" Jim snidely replied.

"Yeah well, this old man seems to have been featuring in a large number of your fantasies over the years," Bones accused.

"Damn straight you have been. I don't know what you saw, but at times you are all I have thought about. I, well, I do c... you know," Jim said, his hand waving in the air to indicate the word that he just couldn't seem to say.

"Care. You can't say it can you, Jim?" Bones lowered his tone, gentling his anger at the knowledge that this was difficult for Jim to admit.

"I want to. God I want to Bones. You are the most important thing to me. You are my friend and I know I fucked things up royally but you kissed me back. That's got to mean something, right?" Jim paced away from Bones, his hands carding through his short buzz cut before turning back to face him. "Yes, I did kiss you first and I'm sorry, I should never have done it, but then you kissed me. Don't deny that. Don't deny that I made you hard, that I made you come like a teenager."

"How could I not, Jim?" Bones walked slowly towards Jim. "I had images from your mind bombarding me, I could see and feel everything that you were feeling. No matter if I was willing or interested myself, that was enough to set anyone off."

"I'm sorry, Bones. I tried to think of other things, but I have managed to hide my, well, feelings," Jim only just managed to get that word out, "for three years. The only way to do that was to let my imagination roam free."

Bones dropped his head and sighed, before lifting it up again and staring intently at Jim's face. A face that was registering fear. A look that Bones had never seen on that face before. Jim was one of the bravest, hair-brained idiots he had ever had the misfortune to meet and he wouldn't change their friendship for the universe. That Jim was unsure and scared melted Bones' anger. He thought back over this past week and how much he had missed just being around Jim. That maybe their need to continually check up on each other and be in each others pockets was a little more than just friendship. He knew that he had been cowardly for these past few days in avoiding Jim and that eventually they would have it out, but he didn't want to lose his closest friend either.

Bones' silent consideration seemed to be too much for Jim, he couldn't wait for Bones to speak. "Look, I know it might be hard for you to put it out of your head, but can I have my friend back? I've missed him and you really want to inflict Spock's conversation on me instead? He tells me off almost as much as you, true, but his insults don't have the same sting. His threats are lacking in imagination too."

Bones laughed at the put upon expression on Jim's face. He lifted his hand up to cradle the side of Jim's face. Jim pressed his cheek into that roughened palm, licking his lips nervously.

"What am I going to do with you?" Bones asked quietly.

"Want me?" Jim whispered.

"Ah, fuck it," Bones murmured, moving his hand back to hold Jim's head in place as he leaned in, closed his eyes and kissed Jim.

Jim was frozen in place at the sudden kiss from Bones. This one wasn't like the desperation of the ones earlier in the week. Soft, tentative and testing this time. Jim let Bones set the pace for a while, his hands resting gently on Bones' hips. His fingers were itching to slide further around and pull the black material tight as they grasped onto Bones' ass and pull their groins together. Bones' other hand had wrangled it's way to the small of his back.

Jim almost bit back a moan, which would have been very bad news for Bones' tongue if the biting had of actually taken place. What caused the moan was Bones pulling up Jim's shirt and his undershirt to expose a small strip of flesh of his back to the open air and provide access to Bones wandering fingers. The simple touch of flesh on flesh and Jim's resolve to allow Bones to lead where he may were enough to cause Jim to pull away from the tempting lips.

Bones' eye lids raised as if they were in a slow motion capture holo. Jim breathed in deeply and tightened his grip on Bones' hips.

"You better be following through here Bones. God help me, I could keep kissing you for a long time, but I would much rather actually come in your presence this time," Jim said, his voice rough.

Bones said nothing for a while and the pause caused Jim to fidget back and forth on his feet, before he was tempted to open his mouth and fill the void with noise.

"Anything you want, Bones. Anything. Tell me what you want," Jim pleaded as his eyes dropped away from the hazel ones that were showing all the signs of desire, but the silence was unnerving. He watched Bones lick his lips and the slow way he did it made Jim glance back up in surprise to see another look now joining the desire in those eyes. Cunning, planning, something along those lines and then Bones was smirking slowly.

"Anything I want?" Bones drawled.

"Anything," Jim agreed.

"Like if I wanted to bend you over my knee and spank you until your ass was red and stinging, you would let me? If I wanted to order everyone off the Bridge so I could sit back in that chair of yours and make you suck me, you would do it? How about me pressing you back into the wall of the turbolift, lifting you up and impaling you hard? Maybe just a good old fashioned buggering from behind while you are on your knees? Or how about if I wanted to slowly examine every inch of your body with my, now let me get this right, my gentle surgeons hands? That's what you thought about didn't you, Jim? All those things you have been dreamin' about for three years. Nothing I could come up with on my own this past week can compare to that back catalog you have in your head, sugar." Bones had inched his face closer with each new fantasy that he suggested until their lips were again only a hair's breath apart.

"Fuck, Bones. Yes, any of them. I've dreamed and wanted. You heard me that day well and good it seems. What ever you want I will do, gladly," Jim promised. "Sugar? Fuck say that again in that sexy drawl and I'll happily put a dress on."

Bones kissed him again, this time harder and more direct. No pussy footing around. Tongues now tangling, gliding and trying for dominance. Bones was the one to eventually pull away this time.

"There's one thing that has been on my mind all week... Sugar," Bones drawled even thicker to accede to Jim's request. He smiled slyly at the small shudder the endearment caused. No one else knew that amongst the hundreds of filthy, hot ideas that Jim Kirk could come up with in that considerable brain of his was also hiding a man that didn't think he was worthy of caring, that he would react even more strongly to a cute pet name. But Bones knew. He almost knew this man as well as himself after what Jim had unconsciously revealed to him earlier in the week. He knew what both he and Jim needed. There was no turning back. This was going to change everything, hopefully for the better.

Bones slipped one finger down the loose fit of Jim's service pants. He blessed Starfleet and their lack of consideration for showing off the best assets of many of their male officers. The finger wiggled quickly under Jim's cotton boxers, this time Bones' blessed Jim and his fondness for certain pairs of underwear that had lost much of it's elasticity in exchange for well worn comfort. The finger then slid slowly along the soft skin until it reached the crease of ass crack. Here Bones paused as he pulled his head back slightly to bring Jim into focus.

"Darlin', you are just gonna get yourself on that bed and you are gonna do so naked. You got that?" Bones asked, his eyebrow raising, knowing how much Jim appreciated the muscle control, or more importantly how much he liked the arch it created.

"Fuck, you are hot," Jim murmured as he pressed their groins closer together and left bruises on Bones' hips from his hands.

"You heard me, kid," Bones made sure to extend the vowel. "Get naked and on that bed."

Jim didn't need to be told twice. Well, he had but he wasn't completely sure how serious Bones had been the first time, so he let go and backed away from Bones, pulling his clothes off and tossing them on the ground willy nilly as he walked backwards. He had to stop in place to pull his boots off, his eyes never leaving Bones' face. He wobbled slightly off balance as he pulled each off and threw them down with a resounding thunk. Neither man paid the least attention to the noise. They were too focused on each other. Jim had his hands in his pants and under his boxers, ready to remove both in the same motion when the door chimed, causing him to freeze with his underwear caught just before it was able to reveal his pulsating and hard cock.

"Captain, are you and Doctor McCoy well in there? Do you require any assistance?" Spock's voice could be heard over the intercom unit.

"God damn it, Spock!" Jim exclaimed.

Bones' response, to Jim's put upon look and his use of one of his favorite expression, was to laugh.

"I ascertain that is the doctor's laughter, and the colorful metaphors from you Captain, it seems that Lieutenant Uhura's unsubstantiated guess that you were 'most likely killing each other' has remained a very poor guess work on her part," Spock intoned and thankfully did not attempt to enter the room. "As I initially reported to her, the precise likelihood of you both killing each other was-"

"Spock?" Jim interrupted his First Officer.

"Yes, Captain?" Spock responded.

"Why don't you go back to the Bridge and inform Lieutenant Uhura that her guess was a mite off and that the doctor and I have worked through our issues like the mature men we are and have come to a mutual understanding. We need to do a little more work though and I think it will take us about an hour or so. So, Spock, you have the conn. Dismissed," Jim said, his eyes never once leaving the laughing form of Bones.

Bones finally got his laughter under control and he took a breath before speaking, "boy, it seems I'm rubbing off on you..."

Jim glared at him before pulling down his pants, underwear and all and dropping them on the ground to stand naked and proud under Bones, now silent scrutiny.

"Well, here I am naked, old man. You up for handling this boy? You gonna come over here and rub off on me?" Jim asked as he slowly slid one hand up his shaft.

"I done told you, naked and on the bed," Bones growled.

The two men stared at each other for a moment before Jim took the final steps backwards and, reaching behind him to check that he bed was there, he then sat down. "I'm here, now what you gonna do to me?" he asked, the hand on his cock now playing slowly over the head.

"No touching," Bones ordered and when Jim lifted his hand off he continued. "Lube?"

"Bathroom, second drawer," Jim told him.

Bones swiftly turned on his heel to stride towards the bathroom. Jim took the advantage of Bones no longer watching him with that piercing gaze to move further onto the bed, pulling the pillows into a better position. Bones quickly returned from the bathroom trip with lube in hand. He placed it down on the side table and Jim had noted that Bones had been glancing around the room as he returned. He was even now looking around before shaking his head and returning his gaze to Jim, lying idly on the bed and fondling one of his own nipples, legs askew to display his thick cock to it's best advantage. Bones glanced down quickly at that cock display before his eyes then moved straight back up towards the head of the bed. Jim pouted at Bones' lack of response to his fine cock.

Bones knelt one knee on the bed and pulled the pillows down the bed, exposing where the mattress joined the smooth headboard. Jim rolled on his side and braced his head with one arm while the other reached out to slide a hand up the still clothed leg of Bones, fingers searching towards the erection he could see straining and staining the pants. Bones slapped that hand away and then reached over to push Jim onto his back.

"No touching," Bones ordered. "Arms up."

"What?" Jim asked.

"My plan was to tie you up, but I don't have anything handy to do so, but we are still going through with it. Put your arms up and grab hold onto that mattress," Bones ordered before grabbing Jim's arms and pulling them in place where he had suggested. He had to bring his other knee up so that he was now leaning over Jim.

"You grab hold onto that mattress and you don't let go until I say so," he told Jim. "Even when I fuck you well and good into that headboard, you don't let go. Comprendo?"

Jim looked up at Bones, considering the request, before gripping tight onto the mattress.

"Yes, Sir," he said, tilting his chin up. "Might I suggest that if you are going to fuck me into this headboard of mine, that being naked might be helpful?"

"Don't you give me no sass, you little brat," Bones growled before pressing down to kiss Jim on those pouting, full pink lips that had the hint of Jim's patented smirk ghosting across them.

Jim gripped even tighter as he resisted the urge to let go and assist Bones with undressing.

Bones seemed to take the hint from Jim and started to remove his clothing, starting with his boots, not once breaking the kiss until he had to pull his shirt off over his head. He looked down at the now swollen lips tinged with red from his kisses and the slight little twitches of Jim's hips as he sought contact. Jim's neck was twisted in position so that Jim's head was straining to reach towards him. It had to be an uncomfortable position with Jim's arms stretched over head. Bones ran one hand slowly down the nearest arm. Watching intently as Jim shivered when his fingers ran over the inside of Jim's elbow and then down towards his armpits and the dirty blond hair nestled within.

"You are gorgeous, and I want to touch you all over, but I need to get inside you now or else I won't last. Next time, Jim, this is going to take longer. I promise," Bones voice had dropped another octave already beneath his already impressive deep voice. He reached over for the lube and quickly slicked himself up before liberally coating his fingers and moving down between Jim's legs.

Bones did not have to order Jim, his legs parted as if they were the Red Sea and just waiting for Moses to appear and say the right words.

Jim felt the first hesitant movements of Bones' fingers around the tight puckered muscles of his hole. Bones hadn't taken the time to warm the lube fully so there was a bite to the ring of muscle as the lube came in contact with it. Jim exhaled and relaxed as much as he could as Bones slid the first tentative finger in. A sheen of sweat covered his forehead as Bones concentrated on the view of his finger sliding slowly in and out while Jim canted his hips slightly upwards, feet planted on the bed.

"Bones? Fuck, Bones?" Jim breathed. "I thought you were gonna get that cock in me? Fuck the finger, want you now!"

"You sure, Jim?" Bones asked as he looked up. His eye line had been drawn up and over that broad chest, the strong neck, the round pointed chin until it stopped at the intense look in Jim's clear blue eyes.

"Bones, just put that cock into me so you can fuck me into this headboard. The fingers are nice, don't get me wrong but now I have you and I don't want hearts and fucking flowers, I want a good, hard fucking!" Jim declared.

"I'll see what I can arrange," Bones said, withdrawing his fingers, sitting back on his haunches and slowly sliding his hand up and down his own cock. The lube had thinned while he had been playing with his fingers up Jim's ass. He grabbed the lube again from where it lay on the bed to quickly add some more. Hissing at the contact that it made as he squirted it directly onto his cock. He slicked it up as fast as he could and then he was leaning forward to direct it into the tight little hole in front of him. He braced himself on one arm as the head pushed in slowly. Jim lifted one leg up to rest on Bones' shoulder to give him better access. Bones pulled almost completely out before pushing a little further in again. Another slow move in and out, a little further again until Bones was almost half way in. Jim was moaning with each movement. A litany of "Bones, fuck, Bones." Arms straining and muscles flexing as he tightened his grip on the mattress.

"What do you want now Jim?" Bones asked. He leaned forward to brush his lips over Jim's ear as he pushed nearly all the way in, breathing heavily.

"I want you to make good on your promise. I'm a big boy, I can handle a little bit of rough going," Jim said as he tilted his head to allow Bones greater access to his neck. He had to grip harder onto the mattress to resist just letting go and grabbing hold of Bones. The fact that he couldn't decide where to grab first might have helped him stay holding on where Bones had told him to. Dom and Sub games were not normally his thing. To allow Bones to take charge, to be the one dictating this was so like that first hint of blinding sunlight when you walked out of jail. You had seen the sunlight and felt it on your face before but it was just better when you knew there were no bars to hide all of it from you. Jim's own knowledge of Bones' sex life was that this was something completely new to him in at least a couple of ways, a male and a bit of you tie me up and take charge.

Bones sucked and nipped a small patch of skin just where his stubble refused to grow, closer to his shoulder. He scrapped his teeth along that tender flesh before releasing it with a resounding pop and whispering, "well then, Darlin', you better just hang on."

Bones sat back up again and grabbed hold of Jim's hips to leave bruises on them this time so that they matched Bones' own. Jim lifted up his leg to rest on the other shoulder. Bones growled at the feeling as Jim clenched some of his inner muscles tight around his cock.

"Fuck," Bones drawled and then he was moving. Hard and fast and with a decided lack of grace. This wasn't some hearts and flowers true love sex that many advocate. This was hard, dirty, real and passionate. Just the way that both he and Jim liked it. The first movements were full glides in and out and then the pace started to increase and the motions from Bones were more concentrated around his hips. Little snaps, speeding up with each thrust until Bones' promise nearly came true. Jim had originally been stretched along the bed with his arms extended above him. Now they were almost fully bent at the elbows as Jim's head was very close to making a personal acquaintance with his headboard.

Bones hadn't been silent while he fucked Jim up the bed, he had been moaning and calling his name, interspersing them with epithets that he felt were appropriate; gorgeous, hot, stubborn, did I mention gorgeous all laid out for me?

Jim crossed his feet behind Bones' head and that was the final straw it seemed. Another four thrusts and Bones stilled as he shouted his release. He stayed with his head thrown back in the air, eyes closed and full lips parted as he struggled to regain his breath for a minute or two before he looked back down at Jim, realizing that he hadn't felt Jim's legs move off of him.

Bones was gasping air, trying to fill his lungs back up to their proper capacity as he took in the tense posture of Jim's arms and the still hard cock begging for attention. He gentled his grip on Jim as he slowly withdrew. Both of them gasping as Jim tightened his muscles, obviously trying to milk every last drop. Bones slid his hands up Jim's legs to unhook them and lay them back on the bed. He patted one as he finally spoke, "be right back, don't you go anywhere now."

He padded over on very unsteady legs to the bathroom and collected the face cloth, making sure to wet it good and proper. When he entered back into the room his breath hitched again at the look from Jim. If the room was in complete darkness he swore those eyes would have provided light for him to be drawn back towards. In silence he quickly cleaned up himself and his own come that was now leaking out from Jim. He tossed the cloth to the base of the bed as he ran one finger nail up Jim's cock which was twitching to follow it.

"I think I might need your help here, you can let go Jim. Games over for now," Bones said quietly.

Jim flexed his biceps one final time before lowering his arms and stretching them out. He made his movements slow and sure as he noticed the intent way that Bones' eye line was drawn to where he was rubbing his arms with his hands, working out a little bit of the stiffness the position had caused. When they were good enough for what he had next planned, he raised up on his elbows and cocked his head sideways to smirk at Bones.

"The games ain't over, Bones. Time for my rules now," Jim said.

One eyebrow raised as if to convey Bones' thoughts on that statement. Jim got the message loud and clear and his smile widened as he now sat up fully and then with no warning, pounced on Bones, forcing him backwards, legs twisted under him.

"Want my cock up you now. Into that tight hole while you clench around me," Jim as murmuring in Bones ear as he started to rub against Bones' belly and his now flaccid cock. "Would you let me do that?"

Bones flicked a tentative glance towards Jim. "Jim, I, ah, not sure..." Bones was struggling to put any coherent thoughts together while Jim was pressed so tight onto him. He pressed back up to help Jim with his rocking motion, tilting his head he bit Jim's ear gently causing the man to growl at him.

"Fuck, yeah. Man you are so hot naked. Better than I thought. Used to perve on you as you walked out the bathroom back in our dorm room. Wanted nothing better than to peek into there while you showered and see all of you and most especially your dick. Push you up against the wall of the shower, drop to my knees and suck you off, then fuck you up into those cold, wet tiles." Jim continued to verbalize his thoughts out loud. Bones had been in his head and he figured, what the hell, why bother trying to filter it

"Didn't stop you chasing everyone else's tail back then," Bones growled at him as he griped onto Jim's ass, pushing him into a harder, faster motion.

"Had to Bones," Jim groaned. "Spending every fucking day with you. Scared that if I didn't I would have jumped your bones, literally, one night and you would have kicked the shit out of me. Fuck, yes, hold me Bones, like that, fuck gonna, gonna..."

Jim was rendered speechless as he came onto the tight space between their bodies. He gasped as he tried to form words, looking and memorizing Bones in this moment. Hoping that there would be another one, but at the core of him his insecurity that everyone eventually leaves was still strong.

"Can hear you thinking from over here, kid," Bones mumbled as one of the hands on Jim's ass moved off it to grip the short hairs on Jim's head and bring him close enough for Bones to kiss him and take his breath away again.

Bones broke away from the kiss to quietly say, "not gonna kick the shit out of you now," before he was back to kissing Jim again languorously. Bones other hand groped for the cloth that was now conveniently located close to the pair of them. "Up," he said around the thick tongue that was trying to memorize his mouth. When Jim didn't get the hint he pushed him.

Jim reluctantly broke the kiss to roll off, which finally allowed Bones to straighten his legs out while he first cleaned himself and then leaned over Jim to clean him too. Bones pressed a kiss onto the warm skin of Jim's chest. Jim snaked an arm around Bones' shoulder and drew him down closer. Bones tossed the now useless cloth away to land with a splat somewhere on the floor.

"Hey," Jim said.

"Hey yourself," Bones replied, arching slightly into the hand that was now playing with his hair.

Jim smiled and then applied gentle pressure to invite Bones to rest his head down onto him. They both adjusted their positions so that they were comfortable and then closed their eyes. Listening to each other breathing, until they were both lulled into sleep.

Jim was the first to wake, his sleep fogged head registering the warm body wrapped around and over his and then the memories came flooding back. Bones. Bones had fucked him and it had been fanfuckingtastic. Then the memory that they were still on shift and if he had of caught any of his subordinates doing what he had just done while on shift there would be some serious talking to and possibly a time spent in the brig.

"Fucking hell. Computer, time," Jim ordered.

"Time is 1456, Captain," the pleasant female voice intoned. Jim bit his lip as he considered how best to wake Bones and also glad that the computer had finally stopped trying to flirt with him. Three months ago it had started calling him honey, sugar and any other endearments it could find in it's data banks. It had caused great mirth amongst the rest of the crew, most of all Bones found it hilarious and ensured that Jim had to keep using the computer just so he could laugh at him some more. Now Bones had started calling him 'sugar' and even better yet that 'darlin' drawled just perfectly. As he looked at the dark head snuggled into his chest he really didn't want to move from this spot or this time. But then that head lifted and hazel eyes were sleepily blinking at him.

"Hey," Bones murmured, voice roughened from sleep.

"Hey yourself," Jim replied, smiling.

"Didn't we do that already?" Bones asked.

"We did a few things, but um, work is kinda still waiting for us," Jim said.

Bones immediately sat up. "Shit, what time is it?"

"1456, do you want the bathroom first?" Jim asked.

"Um, yeah sure, whatever," Bones said distractedly as he ran his fingers through his hair. Sending the thick locks every which way. Jim loved to see Bones all messed up, but they both had jobs to do, even if his dick was twitching again with interest just from admiring the curve of the muscles on Bones' back as he moved his arm around. Then Bones was up and striding in that purposeful way of his towards the bathroom and Jim flopped back on the bed as he willed his dick to behave itself.

There was only a matter of moments while Jim could remain still before he was up and picking up their clothes and turning them the right way out. He put Bones' close to the bathroom. He picked up the cloth and dumped it in the laundry chute. There was no sound of the shower going on but he could hear the water in the basin running, then turn off and Bones was walking out the bathroom with a towel around his waist. He saw his clothes piled neatly on the bench and nodded a thanks at Jim before pulling his uniform back on. Jim quickly moved into the bathroom and using the new face cloth he found hanging over the basin quickly washed any remaining come off his belly. He splashed water in his hair to try and bring some semblance of order back to it. He could see the slight discoloration on his hips where Bones had gripped hard. Those weren't the other places marked by him though. On his collarbone and thankfully below where his shirt would cover was the small hickey that Bones had created. Jim didn't stay long in the bathroom, he wanted to make sure that he walked out of his room with Bones.

When he came out Bones was adjusting his boots and Jim breathed a sigh of relief to find him still in the room. He dressed quickly and turned back to find Bones standing nonchalantly against the wall, seemingly waiting for him.

"'kay, back to work time," Jim announced clapping his hands together and then striding towards his door. Bones fell into step behind him. They both exited out into a corridor that only had them in it. No ensign hurrying past on their way to where ever they needed to be. They walked in silence until Jim realized that Bones was no longer with him. He turned to find Bones standing in the middle of the corridor, looking at the ground.

"So, um, dinner tonight?" Bones asked. "You and me?"

Jim's face lit up with a smile. After glancing round to ascertain that they were still the only two people around, which was weird but he had better things to concentrate his impressive brain on at the moment, he took two steps to bring him face to face with Bones. He reached up to cradle Bones' face before pressing a kiss to his lips. Bones initially held aloof from the kiss but then his own arms snaked around Jim to pull him closer and draw him deeper into the kiss. Jim pulled away slowly and reluctantly let go.

"It's a date," he said.

Bones laughed and shook his head. "Trust us to do it backwards!" He smacked Jim on the shoulder and then was striding off towards the Sick Bay. Jim watched him walk away before he turned back and continued towards the Turbolift and then the Bridge.

Back to their jobs and where they both belonged. Even if everything wasn't perfect in the world, it was as good as they could make it and on it's way to being as perfect as they could try for.