Throwback Thursday #1

As you know flash fics are not posted on Thursdays. Since I’m trying to make this blog less about me and more about my writing, I thought it would be fun to make Thursdays (at least through the end if 2020), throwbacks. So I will be posting either the whole fic if it’s something short (or perhaps chapters) to remind you of a mostly forgotten fic you might have read before…or links to it if I don’t think posting it here work.

Only Friends – originally posted as Chapter 27 of My Spirk One-Shot Collection, Part One. Original posting date May 19, 2014

Dr. Leonard McCoy

I’d been told to wait in the transporter room for the landing party to beam back on board the Enterprise. Members of the landing party had been injured. M’Benga had been requested to be there as well. I figured that probably meant Spock was among those injured.

I suspected Jim was too because often when he was with the landing party, which was almost always, something went wrong, and generally Jim was a part of it.

The transporter activated and five crew members appeared. Sulu, Scotty, Uhura, and Jim, holding onto a bloody and unconscious Spock. Jim was smeared with Spock’s blood. M’Benga immediately went forward for Spock.

“What happened?” M’Benga demanded.

“Shot by one of the natives down there. Some kind of poison arrow thing,” Jim barked out. “Sulu analyzed it. Sulu, help M’Benga.”

“Yes, Captain.”

I watched as they quickly loaded Spock onto a stretcher and wheeled him out. Uhura hung back but looked like she wanted to follow.

Jim nodded at her. “Go ahead, Lieutenant.”

“Thank you, sir.” And she was out the door.

“Jim, what happened down there? Are you injured?” I demanded, looking him over, but I saw no outward signs of injuries, no signs of any red blood.

Jim’s mouth was grim, his stance all business. “Not me. Scotty hit his head. I want you to check him out.”

“I’m fine, Captain,” Scotty protested.

“Just to be on the safe side, Scotty. Don’t argue.”

“Aye, sir.”

I hesitated. “What happened?”

“We were ambushed. They shot Spock first. We fought them off. Scotty fell and hit his head when we were running away.” Jim shook his head. “I need to get to the bridge, get the ship out of here and talk to Starfleet. Keep me posted on Mr. Spock.”

Before I could question him further, Jim was out the door and running down the corridor.

Lieutenant Nyota Uhura

The medbay was quiet. Too quiet. I couldn’t stop pacing. If something happened to Spock, I didn’t know if I could face it.

Even though Spock and I had been having our problems for a while now, and we had in fact ended our romantic relationship two weeks earlier, I still considered him my closest friend and confidante. And I knew Spock felt the same about me. I had been standing next to Spock on the planet surface when he’d been shot.

The doors of the medbay opened and in strode Kirk. He still had streaks of green blood on his face and his shirt, but he didn’t seem to notice.

“Any word?”

“No, sir. He’s been in there for hours. No one’s come out.”

Kirk’s gaze went to the closed surgery doors. His expression was hard, cool, collected. He nodded. “If there’s any change, notify me.”

“Yes, Captain,” I agreed.

He turned away and headed for the doors.

“Captain?” I called after him.

He didn’t turn away but he did stop. “Yes?”

“Are you all right?” I asked, hugging myself. I wasn’t used to this quiet, reserved, hardened Kirk. I was worried.

“I’m fine, Lieutenant.”

And then he was out the doors.

The surgery doors opened then and Dr. M’Benga came out.

“Doctor?”

“He’s in a healing trance now, Uhura,” M’Benga said. “The worst is over.”

“So he’ll be all right?”

“Yes, we got to him in time. The poison hadn’t entered his bloodstream.” He paused. “If it had, this would be a whole different story.”

“Can I see him?”

“When we move him to a biobed.” M’Benga patted my arm and then went back into the surgery room.

I went to the comm on the wall. “Uhura to Captain Kirk.”

“Kirk here.”

“He’s going to be all right, Captain. Dr. M’Benga said he’s in the healing trance now. They’re moving him out of surgery.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant. Kirk out.”

Commander Spock

Nyota came by for the second time since I had awakened earlier. I had also been visited by Mr. Sulu and Mr. Chekov as well as both Dr. McCoy and Dr. M’Benga.

“Spock, you look great,” she exclaimed.

“You said that earlier.”

“You look even better this time. Can I get you anything? Are you allowed tea?”

“Yes. I would find that agreeable, Nyota. Thank you.”

She went to the synthesizer in the corner and returned with a cup of tea a moment later. She handed it to me with a smile.

I observed her over the edge of the teacup for a moment, then said, “The answer is no.”

“I didn’t ask anything.”

“You were about to ask if Captain Kirk had been by to see me as you did when you were here earlier.”

She huffed. “Okay I was. I can’t believe him.”

“What do you mean?”

“You two are bosom buddies! You play chess, you take your meals together, and you’re rarely seen without the other! And he can’t be bothered to come in and check on you?”

“I am sure the captain is busy, Nyota. He is down one of his senior officers.”

“He’s not just down any senior officer, Spock, he’s down you. He should be in here right now!”

“I am sure when he finds the time he will be, Nyota.”

“Finds the time? He can find the time now—”

Captain Kirk suddenly appeared directly behind her but Nyota hadn’t heard him so she continued to rant about him. He crossed his arms over his chest.

I opened my mouth to advise her.

“Don’t defend him! You know I’m right and—”

The captain finally cleared his throat behind her. Nyota spun around so fast she almost lost her balance.

“Oh! Captain.”

“Lieutenant.”

“I was uh just uh talking to Spock.”

“So, I heard.”

“About-about one of the lab techs,” she said obviously flustered.

“Hmm. You are dismissed, Uhura,” the captain said.

“Yes, sir. I’ll be by to see you tomorrow, Spock.”

“Thank you, Nyota.”

When she left, the captain approached my bed. “How are you, Spock?”

“I am well, Captain. Dr. M’Benga expects that I will be released the day after tomorrow.”

Captain Kirk nodded. “Bones told me.

I studied him, saw the dark smudges under his eyes, the fine lines around his mouth. “You have not rested?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“When was the last time you slept, Captain?”

He shrugged. “Since before we returned from the planet.”

“Surely, Mr. Scott can provide you enough relief to sleep.”

“I’m needed on the bridge and I don’t require it.”

“Captain—”

“I have to get back to the bridge,” he said. “I’m glad you’re recovering, Spock.”

I blinked as I watched him exit the medbay.

Captain James T. Kirk

Spock had been back on duty for three days. At first when Spock had left the medbay he had attempted to see me, had attempted to invite me to a meal or to play chess. I had refused all invitations and kept to myself.

The crew had noticed. I know they did. Each time I entered the bridge they greeted me but with caution. There was a tension on the bridge that hadn’t been there in a number of months.

I couldn’t tell them why either. I couldn’t tell them that I had discovered I was almost desperately in love with my Vulcan first officer. It was ridiculous. I didn’t do relationships. I liked women. Most of the time. Lots of women. I was emotional and had no intention of changing that. Spock was my friend and I had worked hard to get him to that point. He would not return my feelings. Had never indicated he had deeper feelings for me. Hell, until a few weeks ago he’d been with Uhura.

I needed to get myself under control though or I would lose him as a friend, too. I glanced over at his science station and noticed he was looking in my direction. I stood up and walked to his station.

“Hey, Spock.”

“Captain?”

“Chess tonight?”

I waited for him to refuse like I had.

“Very well, Captain. 1900 hours my quarters?”

“Sure, sounds good. Thank you, Mr. Spock.”

At the appointed time, I made my way to Spock’s quarters. He let me in immediately and I could see he had been waiting for me, but he hadn’t put up the chess set.

“Captain, I would like to speak with you prior to commencing chess.”

I nodded. “Okay, what’s on your mind?”

“You are.”

“Excuse me?”

“Or rather your recent reluctance to continue our friendship. If I have done something to displease you I would like to be advised so I may make an effort to correct it.”

With a sigh, I shook my head. “No, Spock. You haven’t.”

He hesitated. “Captain. Jim. Your friendship is important to me. I do not have many friends. And I have considered you my friend. I would not like that to change.”

My throat felt tight, raw. “No, it won’t. I’m sorry, Spock. I know I’ve not been myself.”

“No, you have not. And you are still not sleeping,” Spock said. “I see the exhaustion. If I can help—”

“You can’t,” I said immediately. “Spock, when you got hurt, I-I almost lost it. I couldn’t handle it. Couldn’t handle it if something happened to you.”

“Nothing did.”

I shook my head. “You almost died. You-you were bleeding. I had your blood on me.”

“Jim, I am here.” Spock embraced me, pulled me very close, and wrapped his arms tight around me.

“I can’t lose you,” I whispered.

“You will not,” he said softly. Spock’s hand came up to stroke my hair. “I am here.”

I nodded against him. I should pull away. I was sure I was touching him way too much. But instead of pulling away, I fisted his shirt and held him closer.

“Guess we’re not gonna play chess tonight,” I said after a while. Finally I gently pushed away and smiled. “How about some tea instead?”

Spock nodded. “That does sound good.” 

Dr. Leonard McCoy

“You get any sleep last night?” I asked Jim the next day as he joined me at breakfast.

“A little. Went to play chess with Spock but we had some tea and I don’t know what happened but I fell asleep pretty quickly after that. Woke up in my quarters.” Jim shrugged.

“Hobgoblin carry you to bed?”

“I dunno. I haven’t seen him since he gave me the tea.”

“Speak of the green-blooded devil.”

Spock was approaching our table in the mess. “Doctor, Captain.”

“Hey, Spock.”

Spock sat down with a bowl of fruit and his tea. “How did you sleep, Captain?”

“Pretty good.” Jim studied Spock. “Do I have you to thank for that?”

“Captain?”

“You didn’t put anything in that tea did you?”

“You drugged Jim?” I asked, surprised.

Spock raised an eyebrow. “Do not be absurd, doctor.”

I shrugged and took a swallow of my coffee. “All right, but did you carry him to bed?”

“He did fall asleep in my quarters. It was necessary to avoid waking him.”

“Well, isn’t that sweet?”

“Bones,” Jim warned.

“I have to go to the medbay, anyway,” I said, rising from my seat. I gestured to Jim’s plate. “Eat. And you make sure he does.”

Commander Spock

“Did you really sleep all right, Captain?”

“Yeah, I was out pretty hard. I don’t remember much,” the captain admitted. “We were gonna play chess, right? But first I told you I was upset you were injured, we agreed to be forever friends, and you’d never leave my side. Then, we were having tea, right?”

I nodded. “Essentially, yes.”

He smiled. “Great. I guess I remember it all then. Thanks Spock. See you on the bridge?”

“Yes, Captain.”

He was fairly quickly replaced by Nyota.

She gazed at me shrewdly. “You still haven’t told him, have you?”

“Told him?”

Nyota snorted. “Don’t play dumb with me, Spock. It doesn’t suit you. You haven’t told Kirk about your feelings.”

“It is complicated.”

“How?”

“I almost told him last night but then he…the moment passed.”

“He’s stubborn that’s for sure, but Spock, I’m telling you he’s in love with you. I know it.”

With some hesitation, I nodded. “I do believe he almost confessed to that sentiment last night but then he withdrew.”

“Hmm.”

I did not like the look on her face at all. 

Lieutenant Nyota Uhura

“Captain, glad I caught you,” I said as I rushed into the turbolift just before the doors were about to close on him. I leaned over and stopped its motion. “Can I have a word?”

Kirk frowned. “What can I do for you, Uhura?”

“I just think you should know that Spock’s really upset.”

“Upset?”

I nodded. “Yes, he thinks you don’t really think of him as your friend. That you like Leonard more.”

“But we talked about it last night.”

“He’s only pretending. You know how he is. Doesn’t want to show you how hurt he is. But he’s still upset over you only visiting him once in the medbay and then afterwards ignoring him. Spock’s afraid you are only being his friend because you think you have to, for the command team.”

“Wait, what?’

“I’m just saying, you might want to spend some time with him.” I restarted the lift and it made it to the bridge without any further conversation.

Captain James T. Kirk

Spock stood before me, his hands clenched behind his back. “You wanted to see me, Captain?”

“Yeah. Listen, you know we’re friends, right?”

“Yes, Captain.”

“I mean, really. I’m not pretending.”

Spock looked vaguely perplexed but he nodded.

“And yeah, it’s true I’ve known Bones longer than you, but I don’t feel any different for him than I do for you,” I explained.

Spock blinked at that and for a moment I thought I saw a flash of…disappointment in his brown eyes but it disappeared like I had imagined it.

“Yes, sir.”

“I just don’t want there to be any misunderstandings that I care about Bones more, because I don’t. You’re both my friends.”

Spock nodded.

I blew out a breath. “Okay, good. You wanna play chess or something?”

“That would be agreeable.”

Spock took a step forward and then swayed a little, then pitched forward. I caught him, my hands on his arms.

“Spock, are you okay?”

“I do seem to be experiencing some vertigo.”

“Come sit down.” I led him to the couch. “Damn it, Bones released you to duty too soon.”

“I am fine, Captain.”

“No, you aren’t.” My stomach twisted. “God, I could kill Bones.”

“Captain—”

“No, Spock. I told you, if anything happened to you…”

Spock stared at me intently. “It is the same for me.”

My breath got caught in my throat. “The-the same?”

Spock nodded.

I swallowed. “Are you saying what I think you are? Spock, do you—”

“Yes.”

I stared, wide-eyed at him. “God, really? Because I didn’t think you did.”

“I do.”

With a shaking hand I touched his jaw. “I’ve never—not anyone.”

“I know,” he whispered. “I have not either.”

“Not with Uhura?”

“Not this way, no.”

I leaned my forehead against his. “I really want to kiss you.”

Spock closed his eyes and tilted his head and my lips found his. They were unexpectedly warm and soft and way too addicting. I went to pull away and he pulled me back, deepening the kiss.

Finally I put my hand on his chest. “Spock,” I said with a shaky laugh. “I’m calling Bones.”

“I feel better,” Spock insisted.

“I still want him to check you.”

“Very well, but we can continue this while we wait.”

Dr. Leonard McCoy

“Damn it, Jim, are you making out with my patient?”

Jim blushed and pulled away from Spock whose cheeks were tinged green as well.

I came over to Spock and examined him with my tricorder. “What are your symptoms?”

“I suffered from a short bout of vertigo.”

“Hmm.” I took out a hypospray and jammed it in his neck. It made a hissing sound. “How’s that?”

“Now my stomach is upset,” Spock said.

I rolled my eyes. “Off duty for the next twelve hours and come in for an exam in the morning.” I looked at Jim. “And you, let him sleep. You both need sleep.”

Jim smiled. “Okay, doc.”

“And if you sleep together—”

“You don’t want to know about it.”

“Damn straight.”

Spock’s eyebrow rose. “It would be none of your concern.”

I nodded. “Remember that. Couple of idiots,” I mumbled as I left Jim’s quarters.