[video]

[hischair]

— iece of crap. [ There's grumbling as the viewscreen jostles, bright blue (bloodshot) eyes squinting into it curiously. The would-be handsome face glances away a moment later, eyebrows pulled together; he's sick or was prior to arriving, more worn out from the exertion of walking than any young man ought to be. ] Alright, good. You'll do for the time being.

This is Captain Kirk of the starship Enterprise ordering any and all Federation crewmen to report back with the location of the nearest Starfleet outpost. I'm off-world when I shouldn't be. This "computer" — [ you can practically see the airquotes around his sour tone ] — isn't responding as it should or giving me the information I need. I'm getting nothing but interference when I try and open a standard sub-space channel, the frequency's all off ... damn, this thing's gonna fry if I keep messing with it.

[ Opening his mouth to continue, a hurk noise clogs his throat and hastily, the video clatters to the ground as Jim reels around to vomit into the fountain. Classy. ]

[ Of course, where a sick Jim is, a wild, angry Bones appears. ]

Goddammit, Jim! [ He's there all of a sudden, a hand on jim's shoulder holding him for support and a - somewhat crazy expression on his face. ] Jesus Christ, why are you out of the medbay if you're sick?! Don't move or I'll hypo your ass!

Comments

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[medicos]

Jim? [ he's just going to - try and turn Jim over, so he can see his face, a hand rubbing on his back supporting him in case he falls. Bones' own expression is as exasperated as it should be when faced with Jim and his ever-frustrating immune system, but it's also pinched with nervousness, because he hasn't seen Jim this sick in - well, a year. ]

[hischair]

What is going on? Jesus, I never thought I'd open my eyes again.

[ He grasps onto Bones' arm to pull himself up determinedly with a wince. At least the broiling grit in his stomach is out and he can breathe without wanting to hurl. ]

[medicos]

Sit down. [ doctor voice, no room for arguments. he's dragging jim over to the side of the fountain so he can rest there. He's pulling out the medical tricorder that he keeps with him at all times, but it's doesn't seem to be working. There's a lot of fuzzy static from the scanner. It's working, alright, but bones doubts that it's going to diagnose properly. ] ...damn.

Keep your eyes open and focus on me, Jim, alright? Talk to me and tell me how you're feeling.

[hischair]

[ Perching on the edge of the fountain wall, he spits out the last of the nasty taste on his palate. ]

I'm fine, I'm fine, I just needed to get that up. [ Spying the faulty tricorder, he digs out his comm and flips it open. ] Is your communicator working? The only thing working is the native tech, far as I can tell.

[ He pauses to glance down as his memories unfog; pretty sure he didn't head into the warp core with his gold shirt on. ]

And who dressed me?

[medicos]

What do you mean who dressed you? Are you using the yeoman to fetch you your things for you again? They're not your personal secretaries, Jim. [ he's not here for your bullshit, oh my god. ]

And if you mean are they currently spitting our electric static whenever I put them up against my ear, then yeah, they're working.

[hischair]

I wasn't wearing this in the reactor, I didn't have time for a wardrobe change.

[ Hey, the yeoman like that job and Bones should leave them alone. That's his story and he's sticking to it. Striving to get his point across, he holds out a hand and tries to keep his voice even. ]

Bones, how am I alive?

[medicos]

How are you — ? [ jesus, he doesn't want to think that. he doesn't want to go back to this again. ] Jim, I saved your goddamn life, or did you forget that little detail when you decided to spew your brain out and into the fountain?

[hischair]

How did you save my life when I was already dead?

[ Screwing up his face, he practically summons the truth to appear in his upturned hands. ]

Bones, I'm — I'm a little skewered here, just tell me exactly what happened after Spock came down to engineering.

[medicos]

You've been briefed about this. [ he still can't wrap his head around 'multiple timelines'. he's running a hand through his hair in frustration.

anyway, he's going to give you the briefest and angriest report you'll ever recieve. ] You saved our asses, Jim, but Spock went a little crazy. He beamed down to fight Khan when the Vengeance crash landed in San Francisco. Uhura dragged them both up herself when I discovered that Khan's blood has a chance of saving your life.

...Jim, that was a year ago. You were fine. You're fine.

[hischair]

[ His eyes widen when he hears about San Francisco, tension wiping to leave a horrified sort of limbo in which one thing stands out as he grips the front of Bones' shirt to keep from keeling over. ]

I don't know anything about that. All I remember is ... [ Pain, loneliness and Spock, there until everything went black. Jim wets his dry lips. ] Don't freak out, but I think — I feel like I just woke up for the first time.

[ His frown inches back in. ]

What did you say about Khan's blood?

[medicos]

You're fine, Jim. [ he repeats softly, mostly to himself now.

the question makes his lips purse because - well. ]

His blood has enhanced regenerative properties. Remember that sample I took from him? I injected it in the dead tribble that's in my office. It went back to life, Jim. Started breathing and purring in front of me. So I put you in a cryotube to preserve your brain function. Told them to bring the bastard back alive to me.

1/2

[hischair]

[ There might be a ringing in his eyes as he locks eyes with Bones. ]

Holy shit, you really did bring me back.

[hischair]

[ He doesn't know how to process the sheer overwhelming gratitude that demands, so instead he glances away and clears the lump in his throat. ]

... Couldn't live without me, huh. Always said I was irresistible.

[medicos]

[ a year later (for him) and it's still too soon, jim. his face scrunches up as if in pain for the briefest moment before he gives a standard roll of his eyes. ]

All I'm saying is, you're pain in the ass, but I'd rather have you alive than dead.

[ a pause. let's stop talking about it. ]

Have you figured out what's going on here, then?

[hischair]

[ And for the briefest moment in turn, he feels bad for trying to make light of it. He isn't sure he can even start to be serious about it though, relishing the chance to fall into his work.

Jim brings up a handful of conversations on the foreign device. ]

Well, apart from the locals being vague and some guy hitting on you, not much. Uhura says she's been here before and that she, uh, lived with Chekov in a magical house.

I told her to report to you for a check-up, she'll be over soon.

[medicos]

[ he's mouthing off the words 'magical house' like they carry evil diseases. ]

If I were you, I wouldn't tell her that I think she's gone 'round the bend. She won't like that.

[hischair]

Yeah, I was going to leave that down to your discretion.

[ Magical ... house. ]

[medicos]

You're a pal.

[ a beat. ]

And just so we're clear, we won't talk about - ? [ general wave. you know. ]

[hischair]

I'd really rather not, sure.

[medicos]

Well, I'm leaving that to your discretion. You'd have to tell her something. You know that she doesn't buy your bullshit.

And don't forget that Chekov's a smart kid. He'd know everything about the warp core; he'd ask.

[hischair]

I only told him the warp core re-stabilized, I can ... invent something with that. He's practically a year behind our timeline, Uhura doesn't remember anything after Nibiru and I'm missing a whole year of my future. What's the point of all that?

[medicos]

I'm just saying that they're smart and you should be careful.

You don't miss much during that whole year, anyway.

[hischair]

If I don't want to talk about it then I won't, they'll back off.

[ An ode to Scotty, he asks after a heavy sigh; ] Do we still have sandwiches?

[ It's an old joke and a thoroughly threadbare one, but he unwinds a little with it in front of Bones. ]

[medicos]

A lot more than you'd think.

[ there's got to be a million sandwiches in the pantry enough for scotty have his fill for five fucking years. ]

[hischair]

Chekov and Uhura are coming.

[ Nodding to them as they run over. Showtime! ]