Dr Leonard McCoy rubbed his eyes tiredly as his previous patient left the room. He glanced at the clock on the wall and almost groaned aloud when he saw it was only three in the afternoon. Just two more hours, Leonard thought to himself as there was a knock on the door.

"C'mon in," he called in his gruff Georgian accent. It was Christine, the only nurse that could stand to work with Leonard in his clinic. Thankfully, she was an excellent nurse and someone Leonard had come to admire. "Hey Christine, what can I do for you?"

"Janice tells me you haven't had your lunch break yet," Christine told him sternly. Leonard suppressed a wince and wondered if Christine had asked the receptionist to keep tabs on him. Christine walked in, a Tupperware box in her hands, and sat in the chair usually for the patients. As Leonard began to protest, he was silenced by a glare from the nurse. "For a doctor, you really can be awful when it comes to taking care of yourself," she commented, handing him a sandwich wrapped in a tin foil.

Leonard merely shrugged as he reluctantly accepted the sandwich, noting a second one that Christine pulled out for herself and the two apples also in the box. She'd clearly come prepared.

"Have you talked to Jim recently?"

The question brought Leonard back to the present and he felt his heart skip a beat at the mention of his boyfriend. He nodded.

"We talked over webcam two nights ago. He's coming home soon." Leonard was unable to suppress the grin from spreading across his face. "Two months to be exact."

"Oh my God, Leonard! That's amazing!" Christine practically squealed. "How long has he been away for now?"

"About two years now." Leonard ran a hand through his hair as he thought about the day he'd said goodbye to Jim before he'd boarded the plane with the military. Jim had laughed in his ear as Leonard had held him close for what could've been the last time.

"I'll be back before you know it, Bones," Jim had promised, using Leonard's nickname like always.

"I know," Leonard had replied and murmured a "Please be safe," against Jim's lips.

In the present, Leonard was startled the second time that day by Christine placing her hand on his arm. She gave him a warm smile and they talked for a little while longer before Christine eventually left to treat a patient who'd just arrived. The rest of Leonard's day was a blur of patients and before he knew it, it was (blessedly) almost time to go home.

He was sorting out medical files from the previous patient when he was interrupted with three loud knocks on the door. Janice Rand, the receptionist, popped her head around the door.

"Doctor McCoy, there is a patient here to see you," she said.

"Well send 'em in," Leonard replied, a little confused. Normally the patients were able to approach his office without the receptionist.

"Sir, the patient is asking to see you in the waiting room. Apparently it's a matter of urgency."

Leonard sighed. "Alright then."

He stood, stethoscope still around his neck as he followed Janice into the waiting room. As he walked in, he noticed a young man in full military dress standing by the desk and chatting to Christine. Underneath the beret, Leonard could see the man's dirty blond hair. He froze.

"Jim?" he whispered, the sound barely audible.

The young man turned, a large grin spreading across his face, almost reaching his sparkling blue eyes. Leonard can feel tears threatening to fall down his face as Jim Kirk spread his legs shoulder-width apart with his hands behind his back in a parade rest.

"Hello Bones."

Leonard wasted no time in running across the waiting room and flung his arms around Jim's neck, sobbing into his shoulder. He felt Jim's arms around his waist, heard his laugh in his ear and it was all too much because Jim is unharmed and safe and most importantly, alive. Leonard forgot about the eyes of the few remaining patients, Christine and Janice as he regrettably pulled away, still crying. He cupped Jim's face and kissed him, knocking the beret askew as he did and repeating Jim's name like a mantra because he still couldn't believe his eyes.

Jim was still smiling when they pulled away for the second time, thumb wiping away the tear tracks on Leonard's face.

"You're home," Leonard said. Jim nodded.

"I'm home – for good as well. But there's something I want to ask you first."

Leonard's heart practically stopped as Jim took his hands and dropped to one knee.

"Leonard McCoy, I want you to know that I love you so much and everyday spent with you is the best day of my life." Reaching into his breast pocket, Jim pulled out a gold ring. Leonard watched through tearful eyes as Jim presented him the ring. "Will you do me the utmost honour of marrying me?"

Leonard could barely speak as he nodded and felt the warm ring slip onto his finger. He threw his arms around Jim's neck again as the patients, Christine and Janice all applauded around them.

"Never leave me again," Leonard whispered into Jim's ear.

"Never," Jim promised with a firm kiss, their hands entwined between them.