Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Chapter Seven

Burning.

Twisting.

Pulling.

What is this pressure? This… pain?

Bones? Where are you?

I'm sorry Bones.

I'm sorry for everything. I can't do this without you.

You just… can't…

Too many secrets.

Too much pain.

The loneliness… it's… too much.

The past… it hurts too much.

It'll hurt you too Bones.

You can't find out Bones.

You can't share the pain. It's my pain. A pain I pray nobody goes through again.

That's why, Bones. You cannot know.

I'm sorry… friend.

oOo

McCoy watched every single flinch Jim made. It was obvious from the movement under his eyelids that he was dreaming, but who knows what about. Pike was already snoozing in the corner of the room, curled up in an oversized arm chair, clearly it had been a long day for him too. He placed a warm hand onto Jim's bare uninjured arm, the other arm had been wrapped in a sling to support the newly relocated shoulder injury Jim was nursing.

Both his hands had minor burns, nothing that a couple of rounds of the regenerator won't fix. It was the surgery that was touch and go. Luckily the senior doctors knew what they were doing and were unfazed by the pressure, they had saved his spleen, which was a huge relief to McCoy. He really didn't fancy Jim's chances in space with a lower than average immunity system… too much disease out there.

"Mmm, sorry. 'Ones."

McCoy looked down and frowned. He was dreaming about… him? And apologising?

"Its ok, Jim. I forgive you."

"nnno. No. You… can't know." Jim continued to mumble, rocking his head slightly.

McCoy just smirked, too many drugs for his own good.

"Jim… I promise its ok. I'm your friend. I'm here for you." He whispered, lowering his mouth to Jim's ear.

"Too many… secrets."

McCoy's smirk dropped, the poor kid was swamped with so much information and nobody to vent to. It was never good to hold up so much stress and angst to yourself. It would only be a matter of time until he would snap under the pressure.

"You can trust me, Jim. I'm here for you."

McCoy rose up away from Jim's ear, looking him over again. There was a sheen of sweat brewing over his face and his flushed cheeks clearly indicated he was running a fever.

He rushed into action, a fever this close between surgeries could only mean infection from the surgical site, more than likely inside him. "You just keep talking to me Jim." He soothed his friend as he rushed to grab a bag of antibiotics. Without even thinking he connected them up to Jim's IV and watched at the meds dripped through the pipes into his body.

"Mmm… sorry… 'Ones." Jim just about managed to mumble again.

McCoy wet a cloth at the sink next to his bed and placed it over Jim's forehead. He couldn't risk giving him any more medication at the risk of him over dosing, so the old fashioned ways of bringing a fever down would have to work for now.

"I know you're sorry, Jimbo. The car can be replaced… You can't." He soothed his friend while he dabbed away the sheen of sweat. "I'm sorry for everything too, you know."

Jim peeled his eyes back a little, allowing him to see his friend again.

"I know." He whispered.

"Shall we start over?" McCoy asked, with a hint of sorrow in his eyes still.

Jim managed to almost smile for the first time, "No throwing up this time."

McCoy laughed. "Deal."

oOo

A few days later, and a whole two days of moaning, Jim was discharged from the hospital and allowed back to his dorm, with the promise that McCoy made sure he took his meds.

"I can walk, you know. My feet were injured in the accident." Jim huffed as Pike pushed a wheel chair out of the hospital.

"Well this is my way of looking after you for now. Do you really think the doctors in there would let you just stride out of the hospital?" Pike replied.

"No they wouldn't. Nor will this doctor. The chair stays until we get back. So stop sulking." McCoy teased, following on beside them.

"People are looking." Jim said, sinking into the chair and dipping his head.

McCoy looked around, "I can't see anyone and even if they were, I'm not surprised."

"Whys that?" Jim asked, looking up from under his hand.

"Because you're in the company of the most handsome doctor at Starfleet." McCoy said proudly.

Pike laughed out loud. "More like the best looking captain here."

"I'm starting to think I'll be better off back in there." Jim grumbled.

"Ah, that reminds me." Pike said, stopping in the chair. "Here's your phone back."

Jim took the phone and exchanged confused looks with both McCoy and Pike.

McCoy rolled his eyes, noticing Jim had no idea why he was being handed it in the first place "He's taken the security off it."

"With the exception of…if you find yourself in trouble, being harassed or followed by anyone at any time, you call me." Pike explained. "We are here to protect you, Jim."

Jim smiled. "Yeah, ok, deal… can I get out of this chair now?"

McCoy placed a hand on Jim's good shoulder. "Not a chance." He grinned.

Jim sighed, he hated fighting with his friend, and he had learnt his lesson there. But it was going to be one hell of a long week if he was going to be confined to their dorm the whole time… maybe he could try and sneak out to see Gaila.

THE END

Authors Note:

First of all - I really hope the ending wasn't too bad for you all - this story was supposed to be a quick one shot of my A-Z Fic, but I just couldn't stop typing it out. Now however I feel like I've dragged it out enough. Sorry we didn't see much of the treatment of Jim, but I am not a doctor! Also - this is based in the Academy Years, where Christopher Pike is still a captain and we don't actually know that Jim has multiple allergies. So as much as I could have included a little allergy slip, I thought it would be best not to as per the flow of the films.

I really hope you enjoyed it. Please review if you get a chance :)