Title: Come Hither and Welcome (6/6)
Author: klmeri
Fandom: Star Trek TOS
Pairing: Kirk/Spock/McCoy
Summary: When Bones retreats, Kirk and Spock follow—which leads to a mystery; and this particular Mystery’s name is Leonard McCoy.
Previous Parts: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Part Six

Spock always enjoys watching Leonard McCoy work; not that McCoy knows this fact. As Spock’s visits to Sickbay increased in frequency over the years, he would explain the habit away as the First Officer’s observational prerogative over the ship’s personnel functionality. The doctor would bounce on the balls of his feet agitatedly, instruct Spock to keep his green fingers ‘outta the way,’ and eventually dismiss his presence altogether as some medical crisis or another occurred.

Leonard works with diligence, patience, and finesse. It’s these professional skills that fascinate the Vulcan so thoroughly because Doctor McCoy has the brashest and most humorless bedside manner he has encountered. Spock eventually concluded that most patients under McCoy’s care develop one of two emotions for the doctor: hatred or deep respect. Even when Chekov is running scared from Sickbay with medical personnel in hot pursuit, the navigator admits to a grave regard for the formidable Doctor McCoy—thus, Chekov insists, why he runs.

Watching his mate now, in his element, soothes Spock, perhaps because he knows that Leonard (whether he believes so or not) is most satisfied when working. Doctor McCoy is a healer at his core and a leader in his field of expertise. He brings a balance of logic and intuition to his profession—of which Spock approves—that inspires awe in the medical staff.

Such as now.

There are cheerful nurses that go out of their way to get McCoy’s opinion and nod of approval over treatment plans. The administrative staff, while more subtle, keep the growing list of McCoy’s appointments in proper, organized order. The department directors seek out Leonard for advice or just to invite him to lunch, dinner, maybe a coffee break.

Then there are St. Leonard’s patients.

Spock suspects that some local people grace this hospital even if they aren’t ill in the least, just to see Doctor McCoy. (News travels quickly.) Leonard takes time to talk with an elderly—and familiar, as he addresses her by name—woman who initially complains about strange leg pains; once Leonard begins to exam her, she proceeds to make overt attempts at prying into the doctor’s love life. Miss Humbee is declared fit as a fiddle, a diagnosis with which she agrees quite heartily and thanks McCoy for “laying his healing hands” on her person. As she gathers her purse and shawl, though, she admonishes him for not introducing her to his friends, whom she heard—discreetly of course—were staying at DeMont. This entire scene is easy to observe from across the hall if standing at the appropriate, prudent angle.

While Spock slowly prowls the long white corridors and notes all the hustle and bustle of the hospital staff (seemingly more enthusiastic since Doctor McCoy’s arrival), Jim goes straight to the children’s ward. He entertains bored children with tales of daredevil-doing and evil Klingons. At one point, when Leonard and Spock check in on him, a gaggle of young tykes are crowded around his feet (one small girl in his lap), listening intently as if he were invoking the best Story-time in the history of mankind. Eventually, they have to wrangle the Captain from his faithful new crew, but only once Leonard promises to record Jim and his animated story-telling to send over to the child’s wing every two weeks. The nurses seem to be in cahoots with the kids, so Len has little choice but to agree to the matter. Later, as he teases Jim about his new career, Bones will still have that soft look in his eyes even as he grins.

Tommy and Claire arrive at a quarter ’til two. The boy immediately greets Leonard, S’ock, and officially wraps around Jim like a monkey and shoves into his face a brightly colored drawing of a six-year old’s version of the Enterprise (complete with eyes). It has Captain Kirk- and Tommy-like stick figures dancing atop the hull. McCoy is hanging off an engine in a lab-coat, and lime green Spock is haphazardly floating next to a bright red sun.

Claire is devious enough to disappear as soon as Tommy is distracted. After McCoy looks around for her, unsuccessfully, he then voices his query quite loudly with “Damn it, Claire!”

Tommy turns to Leonard, says, “Mama said you’d take me home,” giggles and tacks on, “Dam’it!”

Leonard seems resigned and detaches the boy from Jim, tucks him under an arm and walks down the corridor. Tommy waves at every pretty blonde nurse they pass. At the lift, Leonard steps inside with his bundle, and instructs Jim and Spock to entertain themselves for the next hour.

They do just that, by listening to every garrulous staff member laud the doctor, his infinite charity and genius. Leonard McCoy—that wonderful (and less crazy than usual) DeMont—is a big name indeed. Spock gets in his fill of questions (and subsequent intriguing answers) as Jim soaks up funny stories; thus, this is how they learn about the good DeMont doctor of Alabama—a version of the McCoy doctor of Georgia, and still uniquely Leonard all the same. It is little surprise to those who know him so well that Leonard McCoy carries his heart of gold no matter where he goes.

The doctor returns with a sleepy boy on his shoulder, which he graciously hands over to Spock (who also sees the tiredness in Len’s eyes). Jim wraps an arm around Bones’ shoulders, Spock moves to the opposite of McCoy—boy in arms—and they turn as one for the exit of St. Leonard’s Hospital.

Those who watch the trio and child go are already deciding in favor of these new acquaintances of Doctor McCoy’s. In fact, it will become a general town consensus that Kirk and Spock should be welcomed back again. It’s only right, of course, because a man like McCoy-DeMont, of a tender and generous nature, deserves absolute support in return.

-Fini

So, no major angst here. I wanted a Kirk, Spock, and McCoy that love each other enough not to let such “secrets” throw them off-kilter; they’re strong, accepting, and understanding of one another… it keeps them as One.

Related Posts:

• Come Hither and Welcome (5/6) – from July 28, 2010
• Come Hither and Welcome (4/6) – from July 28, 2010
• Come Hither and Welcome (3/?) – from July 27, 2010
• Come Hither and Welcome (2/?) – from July 25, 2010
• Come Hither and Welcome (1/?) – from July 24, 2010