Two Weeks of Hell

by Starsinger

Plot bunnies abound, and poor Kirk is so easy to pick on. Starting from day zero, McCoy's fight to bring Jim back to his friends and family. Tell me if this is whacked, or you like it, please, I'm begging. Don't own them, darn it.

Day Zero

The technicians carefully loaded the cryotube into the shuttle as McCoy ran a frazzled hand through his hair. The other clutched the precious cooler containing Khan's blood. He wasn't letting either out of his sight. He looked up at Spock, Uhura, Chekov, Scotty, and Sulu as they came to say good-bye, and good luck. "Do your best," Sulu said quietly. "Bring him back to us." McCoy nodded as he strapped himself in. It was for the best they weren't going to San Francisco, he wouldn't have to face the devastation Khan left behind. The short shuttle ride landed them at the port right beside the hospital in Zurich. It was cold, but McCoy wouldn't let it bother him.

A medical team led him to the hospital's ICU, where they had set up a life-support bed. This bed would provide circulatory and oxygenation services required until Jim's heart and lungs started working again, WHEN, not if, McCoy thought grimly. He literally hovered while the team extracted Kirk from stasis, then undressed him. They hooked him up to all kinds of sensors before putting a hospital gown on him. The head nurse, Cratchett, looked at him, "He's being supported by the machinery now. Do you want an IV put in?" McCoy nodded.

Crachett cursed, it took several tries to find a vein that would work. The radiation that had killed him, had done a number on his veins as well. McCoy took a deep breath, this had to work. He carefully inserted the blood into the IV that would keep Kirk hydrated and waited. Nothing happened. "Nurse, record the time of insertion, please. We'll give Jim twenty four hours to respond. After that…" he wouldn't let himself think that far.

McCoy's next step was to find Nurse Chapel. She was surprised by his call, "Please, Christine, I need your help."

Chapel looked at Leonard's face, "For you, anything, Leonard. I'm on my way."

After a hasty shower Leonard changed into white scrubs. He knew Starfleet would start demanding answers, but he hoped they would wait. That hope was dashed as he met Admiral Komack outside Jim's room. "Where is he?" the Admiral demanded.

"Jim? He's in there," McCoy said. "Look, Admiral, he's not going to be able to answer any questions."

"I don't care who he's seeing in there, I want answers," Komack turned and walked into the room. Somehow, he hadn't gotten the memo that Jim was dead. He exited the room with a horrified look on his face, "He's on full life support? He died?!"

"We're giving him twenty four hours to respond to the treatment, Admiral. If he doesn't, well, I…" McCoy suddenly broke down. It all crashed in on him, the enormity of the last few days.

Komack reached out a hand and braced him. Suddenly, he was being gentle with McCoy, "I'll tell Commander Starfleet that you're needed here. We'll need to debrief you, but it can wait."

McCoy watched him go, sniffling, he entered Jim's room. He could sure use a visit from Joanna right now. He sat down and called Joselyn, fortunately, it was still early enough for Joanna to be awake, "Daddy!" she cried.

"Leonard, are you alright? We heard about the Enterprise," Jocelyn asked. She still cared for Leonard, she just didn't love him anymore.

"I'm fine, I'm with a patient in Zurich, he's critically ill," he couldn't continue. Jocelyn looked at him shrewdly. "I just wanted to call and tell Joanna that I love her."

"I love you too, Daddy!" came the piping response.

After the call, McCoy leaned back in the bedside chair. He made notes in Jim's chart and managed to doze. It would be a long day. He wasn't sure what it was, a slight sound, a change in monitors, but he awoke. Something was different. He got up and looked at Jim's face, it didn't look any different. Soon, though, he could hear the difference. Jim coughed. The sound was so slight, he almost missed it. Jim's autonomic systems had started to kick in. McCoy hit the nurse's button, asking for assistance, as he pulled off the stethoscope from around his neck to hear Jim's heart. There it was, beating.

A nurse walked in and saw and heard the same thing. She slowly turned off the machines that had been keeping Kirk functioning, and sure enough, his heart kept beating. "Instructions, Doctor," she said quietly.

"I think it best to keep him in a coma until we know how his body is going to react to the blood," he said quietly. "I have a feeling that we just started a long uphill battle, Nurse. We just hope to see the other side." The nurse nodded. "Come on, Jim. We've done the big part, now the rest is up to you. Come back to us."

Word soon reached the tired Enterprise crew. Jim Kirk was alive. Optimistic words that spread throughout the ship, people still grieving the loss of so many friends. For many, their Captain's death was the last straw. They sank so deeply into depression, that only news of his possible recovery brought them back. They would do this for him.

Spock stood on the bridge as they were towed into drydock. He couldn't sit in that seat, it just didn't feel right. Besides, he would go down the fleet HQ tomorrow and start answering questions. They all would, but he was the one responsible for capturing Khan. He turned and looked at what remained of the bridge crew, his eyes locking with Uhura. Tomorrow was soon enough, tonight, he needed rest.