Story [Star Trek 2009] "For a Loop", Spock & Bones, short-story - Bromance Challenge! Part Two up 8/17!

?For a Loop?

Genre: Humor, Drama (Character Study)
Rating: PG
Time Frame: Post ST XI
Characters: Leonard ?Bones? McCoy, Spock

Summary: There's a fine line between respect and incredulity; between admiration and disapproval ? five times McCoy treads very, very close to crossing over them.

Notes: This started for the Unofficial Bromance Challenge, but in the end it became a five part little series that explores the relationship between Spock and Bones. Why? Because it is fun. The first part meets the 'menial labor' part of the challenge guidelines (kinda), but after that it's on its own.

A few will be silly, a few will be angsty, but at the end, I hope that I've made a point.


Disclaimer: Nothing is mine but for the words.

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[u][b]Part I.[/b] [i]?and while a professional regarding may not be so far out of reach, anything more . . .?[/i][/u]


McCoy was getting very, very good to counting to ten.

?Doctor.?

[i]One . . . two . . .[/i]

?Yes, Commander??

[i]Three . . . four . . .[/i]

?I find myself curious as to the conclusions you've reached -?

[i]Five.[/i]

?Really, now??

[i]Six.[/i]

?Yes. Doctor, if I may speak frankly with you??

[i]Seven.[/i]

?I welcome it.? Total and complete sarcasm ? the memory kind.

[i]Eight.[/i]

?Really?? Spock seemed perplexed.

[i]Nine . . . Ten[/i] ? quickly together now.

?You suggest that the fastest way to circumvent the intruders would be to reroute them by the forward part of the compound, thus cutting them off from their support from the transports -?

? - Which it would.?

?Please, Doctor, the interruptions are unprofessional, and illogical.?

McCoy sucked in a deep breath, and found all of his counting doing little to assist him with his temper. ?I wouldn't have to interrupt if you would get it right the first time,? he muttered.

Running alongside him, the Vulcan tilted his head. ?Doctor, I believe that my logic was correct prior to your cutting in.?

[i]One . . . Two . . .[/i]

Over the headset, Kirk's voice was both annoyed and amused by turns as he cut into their . . . conversation. ?You are both behaving childishly,? Kirk said simply. ?Now, I just needed a simple answer, gentleman ? which way would their reinforcements be most likely to come from??

A routine stop in at Devros IV had turned into a raid from a local radical group on the ruling house. The thin atmosphere of Devros made it necessary for environmental suits for the entirety of the away team ? and McCoy was needed on hand for treating adverse reactions to the atmospheric conditions from those in the group. As a Doctor, it was ridiculous how much he ended up in the line of fire ? truly ridiculous.

He was getting too old for this.

?Which direction?? Kirk prompted again.

?The rear of the compound,? McCoy answered as soon as Spock said: ?The front of the compound.?

[i]Three. Four. Five.[/i]

?Gentleman,? now Kirk's voice was sharp.

?Hey, don't get snippy with me - [i]he[/i] started it,? McCoy said mulishly.

?Started what?? How Spock could sound perplexed while still running easily with his phaser at the ready was something that grated at McCoy.

?Nothing,? McCoy muttered mulishly.

[i]Six. Seven. Eight.[/i]

?Scanners read a mass of unusually warm-blooded lifeforms making it this way,? Spock said matter-of-factly.

?From?? Kirk prompted.

?The front of the compound,? Spock said.

Of course.

[i]Nine. Ten.[/i]

?No need to sound so smug about it,? McCoy snapped.

?Smug, Doctor?? Spock questioned, confused.

He could [i]hear[/i] Kirk roll his eyes. ?Bones ? snap out of it. Now, I need you two to draw them to the west wing ? there's a large gathering hall there. I'm heading there with the security squad, and we'll take over the radicals there.?

?Because I just [i]love[/i] just being bait,? McCoy muttered, the fine hairs

 

Nienna: Reading your thoughts made my day! The most perfect part of TOS was the back and forth of the main trio - and Spock and Bones was such a great part of that! I hope that you continue to enjoy their interesting ride.

Master_Jaina: Oh, it was just as fun to write, lemme tell you! Thanks for reading this one as well.

Jade: I am so glad that you enjoyed this one! McCoy is a fun character to slip into - and Spock is a no-brainer for me. They really are two sides of the same coin, neither better or right . . . just different. Together those differences fill the holes in each other until they are just awesome. Gah, I am having a blast with this! lol!

Nat: It sure will be fun. That's for sure.

Brodie: I am glad that you - most of all - enjoyed that installment. You write a great bromance, and if the baby-steps work in your opinion, I know they work all around.


~MJ

 

II. ?and while you can lend a hand, I don't find it necessary to hold . . .?


McCoy decided, after spending an hour and seventeen minutes staring through the electrically charged bars, that he would rather spend another hour and seventeen minutes staring blankly through them in order to have anyone else bail them out.

Of course, the fates found it necessary to send the one person from the Enterprise who wouldn't see it fit to deal with the situation that Jim landed them in - again ? with a smile and a few well meant jokes. They chose to send Spock ? with his memorized regulations and his logic and . . . aw hell, but McCoy could feel the headache pounding in his temples growing exponentially.

The silence stretched on; long and uncomfortable. The Vulcan's stylus against the release forms tapping in the silence, and Jim's labored breathing behind him making a recipe for skin crawling that he didn't quite care for. At all.

?One word,? McCoy finally snapped at the unblinking eyes and the mouth that was neither creased in humor or disapproval. ?One word, I dare you.?

?Doctor?? Spock questioned, the creases of his eyes narrowing. ?One word in what matter, seeing as how eight of them were just used? Fourteen now.?

McCoy fought the urge to slap his forehead.

?In your action of daring me for 'one word', were you requesting me not to say anything about the unorthodox and dubious way you ended up incarcerated this evening??

?That would be the word, Spock ? and there wasn't a 'request' about it.?

Spock raised a brow. ?I see.?

Behind McCoy, Kirk was laying out miserably on the stone floor. He had one arm bent so that he was throwing his forearm across his eyes, blocking out the tired light from the ancient cell. The other hand was rhythmically clenching and unclenching against the stone floor. There was a cold-sweat broken out on his forehead, and his golden uniform clung to his torso in a dull shade of ochre. Whatever serum that had been laced through his drink was making its way through his body now, coming out in shakes and sweating ? McCoy had nothing to treat it where they were, and so he was stuck bickering until he could be more useful.

?Can we wait to be children until after the phasers stop going off behind my eyes?? Kirk muttered pitifully.

Spock's brow furrowed, and so McCoy rolled his eyes and explained for the other man. ?It's an exaggeration to highlight a point,? he said irritably. ?He doesn't actually have phasers going off behind his eyes ? it just hurts like it does.?

?So the Captain has a headache?? Spock summarized, understanding lighting his eyes.

?To start with,? McCoy grumbled a concession. ?So, if you can get us out of here so that I can get him back to the medbay, I'd greatly appreciate it.?

?I shall endeavor to expedite the process,? Spock said, his his hand moving the stylus over the forms with a mechanical sort of precision.

?Thank-you,? Kirk murmured pitifully from the floor. ?Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you.?

?Yeah,? McCoy echoed. ?Thanks.?

?There is no thanks necessary ,? Spock said absently as he sped through the forms. ?As my commanding officer, it was logical for me to do all that is needed to return the Captain to the ship. And, now he in need of medical treatment, and as you are the commanding medic aboard . . .?

McCoy raised a brow. ?I'm glad it's logical for me to tag along, then.?

Spock was oblivious to the sarcasm in his tone.

Behind McCoy, Kirk snorted. The sound came out phlegmy, no doubt ruining the derisive sound he was aiming for. ?What he means to say,? Kirk slurred, ?is that he'd miss us if we were left to rot here.?

Spock paused from filling out the form, but he did not counter the Captain's statement.

McCoy shook his head. ?Right,? he muttered, because anything more would mean him reevaluating his views on life and the world, and he was too tired to do so at the moment.

?You should find everything to be filled out in a satisfactory manner,? Spock said as he handed t