He couldn't sleep. He hasn't in a few weeks or so. Every moment of everyday he thought he was just going to pass out but never did.

And he was the captain of this damn ship.

He was the captain of the USS Enterprise.

But James Tiberus Kirk didn't look or feel like it right now.

The lack of sleep has made his brain completly melt. Not literally, like Spock thought and lectured Jim about how it would be impossible for a brain to melt from exhaustion when the captain mentioned it to him. But Spock did suggest for Jim to go see Dr. McCoy for medical Jim refused- of course- and claimed he was fine and there was no need to drag Bones into this.

But Jim knew he was not as alright as he said he was and knew he should go see the very grumpy doctor. He wouldn't dare admit it but he was, in fact, afraid.

Just think- him, the captain of the Enterprise. The man who could fight off Romulans or Kligons almost any day was afraid of some terrible tasting medicine or a few hypos.

But he could never admit to that.

So he would just pretend he's okay the best he could and go on with being the captain of his beloved ship. That was, until later that night.

When almost everyone aboard the Enterprise was asleep, Jim wasn't. He tried and tried. He tossed and turned a thousand times but he could not fall asleep. At some point, the captain got out of bed, left his quarters and started walking aimlessly around the ship. Eventually, his mind had gone completly blank to the point where he didn't even know where he was going anymore. By the time he snapped back to reality, he realized he was near sickbay.

His head was spinning. His legs were weak. He could feel all his energy fading away. He had finally hit the wall. The metaphorical wall, of course. The wall that told him he needed to sleep. Now.

Jim used what was probably the last of his energy to walk into sickbay and over to the comm on the wall.

"Bones?" Jim called into the doctors quarters using the comm, "Bones? Bones, please wake up. I need you."

Jim didn't want to yell into the comm with everyone asleep and he probably couldn't anyways due to the exhaustion but he really needed Bones to wake up.

Jim called his name a few more times. He didn't have the strength to walk to Bones' quarters. He knew he wouldn't make it if the tried.

"Bones, please." Jim called weakly with tears in his eyes. He was scared. Not of what the doctor might do to him but because the needed sleep.

Because he needed a friend and Bones was his best.

Jim's breathing started to get uneven as a single tear rolled down his cheek. His friend- his best friend- wasn't there when he needed him.

Jim rested his forehead against the wall as he called for his friend again, "Bones, I need you."

The man's legs grew weaker and he could barely stand anymore. He tried to push himself away from the comm but didn't have the energy. He knew Bones wouldn't wake up. He knew he was alone when he needed someone most.

Then he heard a voice, "Jim? Is that you?" It was Bones calling through the comm. He sounded sleepy and a bit angry but Jim still smiled a bit when the heard the voice.

"Bones?" Jim called back, "Yeah, it's me. I'm in sickbay."

"Dammit Jim, why are you in sickbay at this hour?"

"I need you to come down here right now."

"Why? Are you crying?"

Jim had just realized he let a few more tears slip down his cheeks and had been sniffling while talking to Bones.

"Just come here now. Please." Jim tried to say in a firm voice but failed.

"Hang on." Jim didn't hear anything else from Bones after that so he waited. He managed to move over to one of the nearest biobeds and sit down as a few more tears escaped his eyes.

A few minutes later, Bones burst through the door wearing a t-shirt and plaid pajama pants. His hair was a mess, sticking up in all different directions.

"Jim? What's going on?" Bones asked, "Why do you need to see me right now?" He started to yell but his face instantly softened when he saw his captains tear stained cheeks and red eyes.

"Jim?" Bones stepped closer to the man sitting on the biobed.

Jim gave him a weak smile, "You came...for a minute I thought you were just going to go back to sleep."

"Of course I came. You've been crying, what's wrong?" The doctor moved so he was now standing right in front of his captain and started to wipe tears from his eyes.

"I can't sleep. I haven't been able to for weeks, Bones. It's driving me insane." Jim let a few more tears escape as he answered.

"Weeks, Jim? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Jim just shrugged.

Bones was about to step away to get Jim something to help him sleep but Jim grabbed his arms and whispered, "No. Don't."

Then, as slowly as ever, Jim wrapped his arms around the older mans waist and rested his head on his chest while still sitting on the biobed. Bones stayed still. They continued to sit like that, in silence, for a few more moments until Bones wrapped his arms around Jim, the man who was still clinging onto him for dear life.

"Jim." Bones finally spoke in a whisper, "You didn't call me here as a doctor, did you?"

Jim waited a moment before answering, "No, I called you here as a friend. My best friend, never the less."

Bones smiled slightly and tightened his grip. He lightly planted a kiss on top of Jim's head before moving so he was lying on the biobed with Jim lying on top of him. Jim's head was on Bones' chest again with his arms at Bones' side while Bones wrapped his strong arms around the blonde man's waist.

Jim felt one more kiss atop his head before falling into a peaceful sleep listening to the older man's heartbeat.

And James Tiberus Kirk never had trouble sleeping again.

End.

This is my very first story so I hope you enjoy it. And please try to be nice unless it's so terrible that you can't. If that's the case, please tell me what you dislike about it. Thank you.