There are a few blanket reasons why Jim’s not allowed to go on anywhere without Bones.
Everyone knows this. No, seriously everyone. From the Bridge Crew to the Ensigns, to the diplomats on every rock from Terra and back, to every damn being at Starfleet Headquarters.
Somehow. And Jim cannot be blamed for this.
He ends up in Medbay. Without Bones. Without anyone who really knows that Jim should not be that too far from Bones.
He’s unconscious, for what it’s worth. Of course he is.
And some worried Doctor with more anxiety than sense, starts administering hyposprays like it’s his fucking job. I mean it is his job. But it’s also his job to check to make sure her unconscious patient isn’t allergic, am I right?
So, the reaction is instant. And he starts seizing and it’s very bad. Because this is a Federation Hero. This is THE Jim Kirk. And he’s probably dying in front of him.
And then he remembers, like a fucking lighting bolt to his crotch socket he remembers the Starfleet delivered TOP PRIORITY message that was sent out across the black. Jim Kirk is NOT, EVER--DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE--to be treated on without the express knowledge of one Dr. Leonard H. McCoy (CMO and Husband of Jim Kirk).
Who just so happens to have barged into the Medbay with a look on his face that makes this doctor, poor asshole that he is, want to pass out or shat his pants.
He’s pushed aside by another menacing looking face--a woman who barely spares him a glance before she’s taking a part his Medbay and tossing them TOSSING them at McCoy.
McCoy works quickly, more efficiently than this poor sack of a Doctor has ever seen. He’s not even sure what’s going on half the time and he’s been at this post for three years, knows every inch of this Medbay like he knows his own person. But McCoy works at this like he’s done it time and time again. And this Idiot Doctor has heard the story--McCoy is a legend, especially now. Especially where Kirk is concerned.
He slumps against the wall, hands shaking like they haven’t since his intern days. He fucked up. He’s done. If Kirk doesn’t make it--and by the way he’s choking and the way McCoy is all, “Shh, it’s okay, baby. You’ll be fine, just breathe for me okay.” Hypo administered. Barking at Angry Nurse for another hypo, it’s might be a near thing--he knows the whole of Starfleet and one scary CMO are coming after him.
He imagines a small cell where not even the light of day reaches him. If he makes it. He’s heard Kirk’s got a Vulcan in his pocket who’s a bit...protective.
Nurse comes over when there’s nothing more for her to do. She’s got the kind of lines around her face that come from laughing to hard or worrying too hard. Idiot Doctor (as he know refers to himself) has no idea.
“You better start telling me what you gave him and then you better pray.”
Idiot Doctor lists for her and she’s nodding because it’s so fucking common. It’s harmless, helpful even, unless you’re allergic to a host of helpful drugs like Kirk.
“Can you even read?” Nurse snaps at him. She brings a PADD--it’s the incoming patients PADD. A notice about Kirk is always at the top--highlighted in red because he’s in the area. It’s that much of a deal.
At this point, Idiot Doctor is kind of hoping for a rebuke. A shout. Something from McCoy, anything. Because besides that initial shove, there’s been nothing. The Nurse has handled everything. And Idiot Doctor knows that it’s because he’s nothing. Less than nothing. He doesn’t matter one iota.
Twenty three minutes later and everything is so still. So fucking still that Idiot Doctor cannot even hear his own breath, thought he’s breathing like Kirk came in doing. Fuck.
And then Kirk opens his eyes and McCoy falls in on himself, just sags down into the med bay. Idiot Doctor looks away but he hears McCoy’s rough, “Don’t you ever.” And Nurse’s snort and even Idiot Doctor is wiping his eyes.
Twenty minutes more and Idiot Doctor has thrown up everything he ever ate and is standing just outside of the Medbay, in view of the Nurse but hopefully not in view of McCoy or Kirk. It’s still quiet. Kirk is sleeping--no labored breathing, no choking sounds, no chaos but McCoy is compulsively checking his tricorder. Every few seconds he moves it over another part of Kirk and Idiot Doctor holds his breath until McCoy just nods to himself and moves it another inch.
“Hey, Bones?” Kirk’s rasp is the greatest fucking thing the doctor has ever heard. It’s what draws the line between a life scraping shit and garbage off of Starfleet Headquarter floors. “I just wanted to let you know that you saved me like no one has ever saved me before.”
A sigh from cranky woman. “Khan. Section 31. Mud. Lenore Karidian, should I go on?”
McCoy rolls his eyes, checks the tricorder.
“But Bones, seriously.” Kirk’s limp hand grabs at the other man’s forearm, just as he’s doing best not to slur too much, his hands are splotchy but the color is evening out. McCoy’s fighting a smile--if Doctor Idiot didn’t know any better he’d say it was an exasperated smile. Could smiles be exasperated? Idiot Doctor is too nervous to give it much thought.
Kirk tries to sit up, McCoy keeps a hand on his shoulder, thumb rubbing into the skin not covered by torn Command tunic. “You’ve saved me in every way a person can be saved.”
“You too, kid.” McCoy says.
Angry Nurse Chapel glares at Idiot Doctor while he’s thanking every power that be that Kirk made it, that McCoy burst in when he did. She mouths. “Lucky bastard,” at him and he knows. He fucking knows.