Title: Many Bells Down (6/?)
Author: klmeri
Fandom: Star Trek AOS
Pairing: Kirk/Spock/McCoy
Summary: Sequel to Along Comes a Stranger; Riverside ‘verse. Dating Bones and Spock is wonderful, better than Jim imagined. Then Bones’ mother arrives, Spock receives the offer of a lifetime outside of Riverside, and Jim has to make a series of choices that could completely change his – and ultimately Riverside’s – future.
Previous Parts: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Part Six

“Jim.”

Catching the faint sound of his name, Jim crosses the living room in quick strides. “Bones,” he calls sharply, “what’s wrong?” Perhaps the hall lighting is at fault but McCoy, standing alone in the doorway of his bedroom, is wane in appearance.

When Jim is within reach, Leonard, saying nothing, draws Jim into his arms. Jim automatically leans into the embrace, dropping his face into the crook of the man’s neck. Fingers card through Kirk’s short hair.

“I was worried,” Bones murmurs at last. “Found your helmet at Spock’s. We came lookin’ for you, kid, but we couldn’t find you… ‘n you didn’t come home last night.” The tail-end of the explanation falls into a whisper.

Jim pulls back, brushing his mouth against the unshaven stubble lining the man’s jaw. Jim then runs his forefinger along the crease in Leonard’s forehead, trying to smooth away any lingering effects of worry. “I’m sorry, Bones. I wasn’t thinking.” Leonard accepts a kiss of repentance. They continue to stand close together for some minutes, each needing the comfort of the other’s presence in a way that almost defies words. Finally, when Bones sighs (a sign that he is ready to let go of his fear), Jim takes his hand and walks them both into the kitchen.

“Drink?” he inquires, already digging around for a soda in the refrigerator for himself. Jim frowns when he finds none because he remembers buying a pack of two dozen not three days ago.

“I’m wired on caffeine. I didn’t want to fall asleep until you came home,” Leonard admits. “I think Spock hid the rest so I wouldn’t OD. That overprotective igit.”

Jim makes a noise of unhappiness. “He’s bringing it back, right?”

Bones shrugs.

A woeful Kirk abandons his quest for soda. It wouldn’t be worth looking for a packet of instant coffee either, he knows, because Spock is always thorough. Sometimes, such as now, Spock’s proclivity to “save his significant others from their unfortunate habits” is annoying—on this, Jim and Leonard are in complete agreement.

“Where is he?” Jim wants to know, trying to recall if the Corvette had been in the parking lot or not.

“Spock went to the farm early this morning, just to make sure you hadn’t spent the night there.”

Jim stares.

Damn.

Scrubbing a hand through his hair, he resolves not to whimper, even if it’s a manly whimper. “Spock won’t tell Mom that I’m missing?” It’s a hopeful question rather than a statement.

Leonard’s eyes begin to twinkle all of a sudden and the man’s innocent who, us? expression is not convincing Jim to make light of the situation.

Kirk closes his eyes, resigned.

If Spock comes back with a freaked-out Winona Kirk in tow, he’ll just have to scoot down the apartment’s fire escape. If he is lucky, she won’t come after him. There is something to be said about having a parent who cares—and something to be feared about it as well.

As if reading Jim’s morose thoughts, Bones points him in the direction of the couch. “Sit,” says McCoy. “We need to talk.”

Last time they started a chat similar to this, in the very same place, it didn’t end well. As before, Spock is absent. Jim is about to ask Leonard if he knows what is bothering Spock, simply to steer the conversation in a direction less volatile for them both, but as soon as his butt hits the couch cushions Leonard leaps straight into what he wants to say: “Ma and Joanna will be going back to Georgia next week.”

This Jim knows.

“Ma wants me to go, too.”

His nod is short, sharp. “I know.”

Leonard bites at his bottom lip. “She said something to you last night, didn’t she, Jim?”

Jim’s eyes drop to his shoes, one of which he inspects at leisure.

Leonard sits down, gingerly enough like Jim is a wild animal that needs to be coaxed into a trusting relationship. “Are you going to tell me what she said?” Bones asks him, voice subdued.

Jim shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter.” He smiles somewhat wryly. “She was honest with me, if that counts for anything.” Then Jim meets the eyes of his boyfriend and says with ease, “I love you, Bones. If you want to go with Joanna, you don’t have to worry about me.” Since he hasn’t an inkling of what Spock thinks on the subject (and why haven’t they discussed it yet? he wonders), Jim doesn’t make an offer on Spock’s behalf. But he hopes Spock, at least, could recite a ton of solid, unarguable reasons why Leonard should stay in Riverside, none of which would be as selfish as the ones Jim can think of.

Leonard’s eyes are always kind but in them now is an emotion that prompts the fluttering of butterflies in Jim’s stomach. It also hurts his heart a little, too. Bones reaches out to take ahold of Jim’s hand.

“If I wanted to leave, would you come with me, Jim?”

Jim’s throat works for a moment. Before yesterday, he wouldn’t have thought about his answer, would have said yes in an instant and done everything in his power so that they could stay together. But yesterday did happen, quite irrevocably. Now Jim thinks instead of all that could happen if he chooses to walk away from Riverside. He thinks of his mother and her diner at the mercy of Eugenics Corp; thinks of his conversation with Khan; thinks of Lady Q’s troubled words as they waited for a Q to come and escort Jim to his bedroom for the night.

She had said: “I am not certain what can be done. Do the Q have the resources to intervene where Khan is concerned? Yes. But does the Q have the right to do so? We are not citizens of Riverside, and it is Riverside who must decide their future.” She had clutched at his hand in real distress, which had disturbed Jim down to his very core. “Oh James! What can be done?”

“Bones,” he answers softly, swallowing down regret, “I can’t leave Riverside. Not yet.” Jim almost pleads, “Ask me again, when—when we know the Enterprise is safe.”

“I hope I never have to ask you.” Leonard squeezes their clasped hands. “I’m going to try my best to stay. I swear it.”

But Jim shakes his head. “Don’t promise me that. I’d never want you to pick me over Joanna. If Eleanor’s right and you have to live in Georgia to be a part of her life, then that’s what I want you to do. I know we would both hate it—”

“That’s an understatement,” Bones mutters.

“—but we would find a way to make it work,” he concludes. Then, as a joke to lighten the heavy mood, “We could make Spock pay for airfare.”

Leonard sighs but there is a inkling of amusement in the sigh. “I hate to say this but Spock’s disregard for the cost of things really makes me feel like a poor relation. I know he works for some of his money but…”

“Well,” Jim reasons, “his family has always been wealthy.” His smile sharpens into a grin. “I bet we’re very educating for Spock.”

“If by educating you mean fascinating,” Bones mimics in a particular (Spockian) tone of voice. They snicker.

Jim leans back on the couch. “Have you talked to Spock lately? I mean, about Boston?”

The ringing of the telephone overrides Leonard’s reply. McCoy gives him a look that says hold that thought and gets up to answer the call. “Hello?”

Jim watches, at first curious and then knowing, when Bones’ entire stance relaxes. It’s either Spock or Joanna. Since Jim doesn’t imagine Eleanor would let Joanna call over here, he goes with the guess of Spock.

Leonard confirms that guess with his next words: “Hey, Spock. Yeah, he’s—” Then, suddenly alarmed, “—no, for God’s sake, don’t put her on—SPOCK!—uh, hello, Winona. Yes, ma’am. Yes, ma’am.”

Jim can hear the shrill of the other person on the phone from across the room. He winces at the sound of “Is he there?! JAMES TIBERIUS—” Jim automatically looks for a place to hide, only realizing belatedly that his mother cannot physically get to him from over a telephone line.

Leonard is silent for some seconds, his lips pursed as he listens to Jim’s mother. Then he turns to Jim, holding the phone slightly at an angle from his ear, and tells Kirk in solemn words, “I’m to inform you that only bad sons make their mothers worry.” He tilts the phone back to his ear and nods as it chirps again. “Yes, ma’am.” To Jim, “She says she just spent her entire mornin’ calling up your friends in town to find you. Now they’re freaked out—with the kidnapping that happened and all,” Leonard tacks on a side-note as though Jim’s memory might be faulty. The phone rattles out something more, causing Leonard to wince. “Also, she says if you don’t get your butt down to the diner in twenty minutes, she’s ringing up Sheriff Komack and telling him to start an investigation.”

Komack already has a permanent eye-twitch because of his past dealings with Kirk. Damn but Winona knows how to play hardball.

Jim’s reply is meek, just in case her super-mother hearing is turned up to high. “I’ll be there.”

Leonard relays the message to the irate woman. He murmurs “Yes, ma’am” into the phone one final time before hanging up.

Jim wants to know, somewhat anxiously, “What else did she say?”

His boyfriend’s smile is enigmatic and terrifying. “That last bit was for me, Jim—what I’m allowed to do to you if you try to sneak down the fire escape outside your bedroom.”

Winona knows her son too well. Jim protests, deciding drama is the best course of action to save his dignity, “I would never, Bones!”

Leonard snorts. “Go on and shower. You need one.”

But Jim had bathed (bath salts, bubbles, pink shampoo and all) at the Q compound a few hours ago. Of course—sniffing at his jasmine-scented arm—it could be his sweet smell that Bones finds offense. Well then, he won’t be using the luxury spa products in that ruffly-decorated basket Lady Q had forced upon him as a farewell-come-back-soon gift.

Maybe his mom might take the basket as an apology?

Because Jim is still sitting on the couch daydreaming of a situation in which he isn’t smacked upside the head for disappearing without a word to anyone, Bones prods at him with a finger. “Get going,” Kirk is reminded. “You’re down to fifteen minutes.”

Which is more than enough incentive to make Jim head to the bathroom at a dead run.

A thin-lipped Winona provides Spock and Leonard each with a slice of blueberry pie and a bowl of Sulu’s homemade vanilla ice cream on the side. At Jim’s devastated look—in which he tears up a little and makes sad noises at his mother—she sighs and cuts him a very thin sliver of the freshly baked pie. He settles for eating his share and then moves onto Bones’ ice cream (which has suspiciously been left untouched, probably because Leonard is nicer than Jim’s own mother, Jim decides).

He knows better than to sneak a piece of dessert from Spock. Spock can hold a grudge for an inordinate amount of time.

After the short meal, Spock wordlessly presents Jim with a folded napkin because Jim’s fingers are sufficiently sticky and Jim would otherwise lick them clean, in view of the public or not. Spock waits until Jim is done cleaning himself to remark, “I am interested to know where you spent the night, Jim.”

Kirk hesitates only for a second. “At Lady Q’s.”

Leonard chokes on his mouthful of pie. “What the hell, kid?” The man looks incredulous, almost incensed. “Do you have pudding for brains?”

Before Jim can make a not-so-nice retort, Uhura thunks two mugs down onto the tabletop. Jim had forgotten that she likes to eavesdrop when he is in trouble with his mother. (Jim is convinced she used to get him into trouble when they were kids just to have a fun spectacle to watch.) Hands on her hips, the lovely woman exclaims, “I can’t believe you went to see that crazy old woman again!”

Leonard salutes her with the mug of coffee as his hand wraps around it. The waitress nudges the other mug—steaming tea instead of coffee—in Spock’s direction, which is accepted with appreciation.

Jim demands, “Where’s mine?”

“You can have something to drink when you answer Leonard.”

Jim is beginning to realize that there is an evil conspiracy between Leonard and Nyota.

“Look, what’s the big deal? The lady is crazy, yeah, but she likes me. If I continue to see her, she continues to like me.”

McCoy scoffs. “By that logic, you would have accepted her party invitation for the fourth of July. Am I right, Spock?”

“Indeed. I cannot comprehend why Jim would change his opinion of Lady Q… unless he is withholding pertinent information.”

Spock, Leonard, and Nyota look at Jim.

He tries not to squirm in his seat. “I was at Lady Q’s last night, okay?” It’s best to focus on what is true. “You can ask her to confirm it if you want,” he challenges.

Uhura looks like she just might do that but Leonard caves. “All right. So you were with the Q brigade. Is there any particular reason why you went there or was it really just to visit?”

He answers with a sigh, cornered but not wanting to lie. “I’m… doing some top secret work for her.” The ensuing silence is tantamount to a command that he continue. “But it wouldn’t be top secret if I told you about it so who wants more pie?” Then, sweetly to Uhura, “Can I have some water please?”

Her glare says he is going to spill his guts (that is, tell her everything) even if she has to use a knife to make it happen. Jim is rather glad when she walks away, her tall heels tapping across the diner’s tile floor. He thinks he is safe. He is wrong.

This is when Jim realizes Spock is leveling one of his faux Jedi mind-trick expressions (or lack thereof, as it is rather stoic in facade) at him; apparently Spock thinks he can discover all of Jim’s secrets with a simple unrelenting stare.

Jim isn’t James T. Kirk, Evasive Tactical Genius Extraordinaire, for nothing. He leans on his elbows and gives Spock his best grin. “What’s up with you, Mr. Spock?”

Spock lifts an eyebrow. “Interesting. Do you assume my short-term memory functions insufficiently?”

“I’m just giving you an opportunity to change the subject.”

“Then you would not care to elaborate upon your involvement with the Q?”

“Do you want to tell us what you were really doing in Boston?” he counters.

After a heartbeat of silence, “I concede your point. What shall we discuss?”

“You both give me a headache,” announces Leonard. He shoves at Jim who is blocking the end of their side of the booth. “Move. Bathroom break.”

Jim plops back into the booth once Bones is gone. When he clears his throat—more for lack of anything else to do—Spock offers the mug of tea to him. Jim accepts it, being less finicky about germs than Bones, and takes a sip. “Thanks,” he says, returning the drink to his boyfriend.

His fingers find a napkin and begin to shred it into long strips.

“You intercepted an argument between Leonard and Eleanor,” Spock begins. It isn’t a question.

Jim nods. “She wants Bones to go back to Georgia.”

“Yes.”

“Do you think she’s right?”

“I do not.”

Jim sits up from his slump. “Have you told Bones what you think?”

“I would not presume to influence his decision, Jim,” Spock answers softly. “We are a part of his life, yes, but we can only hope that we factor into what he plans to do. If Leonard cares for us, I have no doubt that he will wish to discuss the possibilities of his future when he is ready.”

“So we’re shit out of luck if he wants to leave us behind.”

Spock considers Jim. “Do you believe Leonard wants to leave us?”

Jim shakes his head. “No but I think we both need to be practical about the situation. He’s got a great kid, Spock, and he would be crazy to give her up for the sake of living with and loving two guys. It’s a fact: people can tolerate homosexual relationships but a three-way partnership? We might as well declare ourselves the newest freak-show in town. He’d have to endure a lot of crap and be without Joanna.” Jim is surprised by how bitter his own voice sounds. “I guess I’m saying that I would not blame him for leaving. I love Joanna—maybe not as much as he does—but I love her all the same. Even if I’m her sometimes friend, sometimes prince.” His smile is softened by fondness but short-lived.

“I find myself unable to disagree.”

Jim stops shredding the napkin, mainly because there is nothing left to shred. “The bottom line is: what’s the most important thing to Bones?”

“Family,” Spock answers without hesitation. “And I expect we are included in that category.”

“Yeah,” Jim says quietly, his frustration causing him to fall silent for a moment. At last he confesses, “I can’t help but feel bad. I know I’m not forcing Leonard to stay here but I am partly the reason he lives in Riverside.”

“Consider that Leonard’s situation might have easily turned out otherwise—and not for the better. I hope you realize how important you were in helping Leonard heal. If no one had thought to engage him as you did, or pursue him as you did, he might have continued to live a restless and unsatisfactory existence. That Joanna is here,” Spock concludes, “is testimony to the fact Leonard is in a salutary state of mind to welcome her.”

The look in Spock’s eyes is a balm to Jim’s unhappiness.

Spock adds, “I am not certain I have thanked you properly. Allow me to express my gratitude now, Jim. Thank you.”

Jim reaches across the table and rubs his thumb briefly over the knuckles of Spock’s left hand. “Some of that credit goes to you too, Spock. Don’t think that Bones or I have forgotten all that you’ve made possible by fighting for us both.”

“Then let neither of us forget we are worthy of Leonard’s affection.”

Their pact is unspoken but strong.

When Leonard returns to the table, he looks between them, narrows his eyes, and wants to know, “What did I miss?”

“Nothing of great relevance,” Spock replies, calming stirring his tea with a spoon. “However Jim, I believe, is ready to make a full apology to his mother.”

Jim’s mouth falls open. He is? No he isn’t! It’s not his fault that she overreacted.

Leonard says gleefully, “Well this oughta brighten my day!’ He waves his fork at Jim. “Now be sure to tell her that you are in the middle of a covert operation for the Q that you can’t talk about.” He stage-whispers with a smirk, “She’ll just love that.”

Spock advises more practically, “Jim, might I suggest you offer your services as a cashier in the evening this weekend as recompense. She may then consider your apology to be genuine.”

This is what being in a relationship with someone is about: you love them one minute and then hate them the next. Jim, certain that Spock has pickpocketed the motorcycle keys from his jacket, knows that both Bones and Spock are prepared to wait him out. So he slides out of the booth, stands and hangs his head in the appropriate I am sorry, I am a jackass manner, and not-quite drags his feet towards his mother.

Behind Jim, Bones tells Spock, “See? We’re good for him.”

Apparently Spock needs no further clarification. His answer is simple and knowing: “Precisely.”

Pavel’s little sister Sasha skips through the door to the Ice Cream Shoppe, thinking of nothing but her ice cream cone to come. Jim, though also anticipating a sweet treat, stops outside the swinging door, his attention caught by a sign.

Closing in Two Weeks. -Mgmt

It’s like a fist has been planted in his gut. Jim sucks in a sharp breath.

“Jim?”

Pavel is behind him, he remembers. With a small smile, he steps aside so that Pavel can follow Sasha into the shop. Jim reads the sign again, then walks inside. He isn’t smiling at all when he looks at the familiar—and beloved—display counter. Uhura’s aunt, seeing his expression, asks her husband to help the new customers and skirts around the counter.

“Jim,” she says worriedly. “Oh, Jim. Didn’t Nyota tell you?”

He shakes his head, mute.

She takes his hands and squeezes them. “It’s all right, Jimmy—we’re fine. Just retiring.”

His shoulders relax somewhat. “Retiring?” he repeats, looking around. “But why?”

She laughs good-naturedly at his blatant confusion. “I’m no spring chicken, you rascal!”

He can’t help but grin at that and say cheekily, “Lookin’ good to me.”

“Hands off the missus!” warns Uhura’s uncle as he presses a second scoop of strawberry ice cream into a waffle cone. Sasha leans expectantly over the counter, hands out, to take ahold of it. She weaves around tables until she finds her favorite one and waits for Pavel and Jim to join her.

Jim follows Uhura’s aunt over to the register and takes out his wallet. Pavel intervenes, however, and insists on paying for their outing this time. Because he doesn’t want Pavel to feel indebted (and because Pavel is so proud of earning a decent wage) he lets Chekov pay. When the young man wants to know why Jim isn’t indulging in his usual sundae, Jim says he needs a break from sugar.

Pavel gives him a funny look but does not argue. Jim waits until his pair of companions are seated and enjoying themselves then returns his attention to the owners of the Ice Cream Shoppe. He asks them seriously, “Nyota didn’t want the business?”

“Her dreams are bigger than a small town can hold,” Uhura’s uncle explains.

“We’ve talked about retiring before,” the older woman tells Jim, “but with costs going up…” She looks at her husband and smiles. “It’s a miracle, isn’t it, dear? Without him, we might have never had the opportunity to let the business go without taking a financial loss.”

“Him?” Him who?

She lauds, “Why, Mr. Khan!”

Her husband adjusts the glasses on his nose and mutters over the register keys. “Good man,” he adds. “Gave us plenty of money for this space and then some. Gonna buy one of them RVs, we’re thinking, ‘n do some traveling.”

Jim opens his mouth to protest, can’t hardly speak for the horror making his throat tight.

“Jim! Mr. Jim!”

Sasha wants to know why he isn’t sitting down. Uhura’s aunt shoos Jim away. “Go on, sweetie. There’s room enough for a few more memories in here. We’re still open for two weeks!”

Jim trails to the back of the shop in a daze, hearing the echo of Khan-Khan-Khan in his ears.

Khan really is taking over Riverside.

Days later, Janice gives Jim a cursory wave of greeting as he enters the medical clinic before she disappears around the corner of the waiting room, a patient hobbling alongside her. She isn’t going to interrupt her work day to flirt with him, it seems. Then again, Janice has eased off with the flirting altogether since she learned of her father’s involvement in the Trelane-fiasco—and how Frank nearly became an accessory to murder. But Jim hadn’t died, which did nothing to help Frank in the eyes of his family.

Jim wonders if Janice still keeps in contact with her father.

He strolls through the waiting room and to Bones’ small office. Finding it empty and guessing that Christine is out at lunch (her car wasn’t in the parking lot) he spins on his heel and heads to Mark Piper’s office rather than the break room. Jim spies Mark in the doorway, file folder in hand, and calls out, “Mark!”

Piper’s startled look morphs into more of an assessment. “Where are you hurt, Jim?”

Kirk grins. “I’m looking for Bones.”

Mark visibly relaxes. “And that’s the way it should be, boy. Leonard is your designated physician. If you need fixing, you go to him!” he adds pointedly.

Jim does not believe for a second that Mark Piper would turn him away if he were truly in need of help. Jim remarks slyly, “Isn’t it a conflict of interest that I’m dating my designated physician?” He pretends to be shocked when Mark raises the clipboard menacingly.

“Never could do anything with you,” mutters Piper. “McCoy stepped out about an hour ago.”

Jim frowns. “He never takes an early lunch.” Chapel has informed Jim that once and a while Leonard can be hard-pressed to take lunch at all—which is why Jim makes a point of dragging his boyfriend away from work to eat at least twice a week.

“True,” agrees the elder doctor, “but today is more of a business lunch.” Mark says, “Has he told you about Eugenics?”

Jim freezes, barely managing to nod. Already, his mind is speeding away, connecting dots and drawing implications that put him in a cold sweat.

“I can’t say I blame him for thinking ahead. Chances are pretty good that Eugenics will shut us down as soon as it’s feasible for them to do so. If that Mr. Singh fellow is actually as smart as he thinks he is,” Mark remarks genially, “he’ll make a place for McCoy on his team. Our boy hasn’t hit the best years of his medical career yet.” Mark continues, completely oblivious to the pallor of Jim’s face, “I met Leonard’s little girl. A sweet little thing she is. It wouldn’t hurt for Leonard to have a hefty salary and a prestigious title if he wants to fight for custody of her.”

Jim’s hearing might be fading in and out but that’s because he suddenly doesn’t feel steady at all.

Mark finally notices Jim’s expression and reaches out to take Jim’s pulse. “What’s the matter? Do you need to sit down?”

Jim shrugs off the doctor’s concern, tugging his arm out of Mark’s hand. Further down the hallway, Janice comes out of an examination room and calls for Dr. Piper. Grateful for the interruption, Jim shoves his hands into his pockets and smiles tightly. “I guess I’ll catch Bones at home. See you later, Mark.”

He doesn’t wait for a reply. When Jim steps outside of the clinic, he blows out the breath he had been holding and tucks his chin against his chest, though the weather is moderately warm and sunny. By the time he makes it back to Jose’s, he realizes he has forgotten to eat lunch himself. Doesn’t matter, he thinks. His appetite isn’t likely to come back for a while.

Next Part

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• Many Bells Down (12/12) – from November 9, 2011
• Many Bells Down (11/12) – from November 8, 2011
• Many Bells Down (10/12) – from November 6, 2011
• Many Bells Down (9/12) – from October 30, 2011
• Many Bells Down (8/12) – from October 28, 2011