If you look for it, you'll find reference to "Bread and Circuses" and "All our yesterdays" - but you really have to look!

o0o

McCoy opened his eyes just a bit, determined to hide that he was awake, but still wanting to know what was going on.

All he could see were two feet swinging apart and then together again. Someone is sitting on the bio-bed next to me, probably Jim, waiting for me to wake up so that he can give me a lecture about how I don't follow what I preach, he thought. He didn't quite feel up to facing Jim, and so instead of looking up, he decided to close his eyes again and feign sleeping. That's when the swinging stopped. Damn, too late. He still closed his eyes again, maybe Jim will show some mercy.

There was a loud thud, when the boots hit the floor, and he felt a rush of air, then the mattress on his bio-bed was dented in.

"I know you're awake!" It was Jim's voice coming from above him.

He opened his eyes and squinted up at Jim who looked tired, but quite happy, and not at all as if he was about to start preaching. He let out a breath of relief.

"Hi, Jim."

The captain was smiling, his eyes sparkling. He was propping himself on the bio-bed with both hands, bending over McCoy's face.

"Is that all you have to say?" he asked. He had planned to yell at him, holding before him that his actions had been irresponsible and that he should imagine what he'd have done if one of his patients had behaved in the way he had. But now he couldn't quite bring himself to do it. He was just happy that they'd gotten themselves out of this mess with only a few scratches. Although, that might have been an understatement.

They had just managed to leave the neutral zone when the warp engine failed. They had sustained quite some damage in the explosions that destroyed the Romulan ships and there had been many casualties, fortunately no one was killed, though.

Right now, they were towing the P'Jem at impulse speed towards the nearest starbase, where the two ships needed to undergo extensive repairs. Sickbay's chief medical officer and his deputy had been seriously hurt, so they were short of medical staff to tend to the injured.

Kirk smiled inwardly, Bones will love this, but he would wait for the right moment to tell him. Right now, he made himself stare at his friend with as much reproach in his eyes as he could manage.

McCoy sighed. He needed to divert Jim's anger to something, or someone else. "Jim, just so that I know, where I am at: Who are you most mad at - me, Spock, or yourself?" Jim was prone to feel responsible for everyone and everything, so if he didn't already feel guilty, he probably would now. McCoy felt bad for manipulating Jim that way, but it was pure self-defense!

"You," Jim lied, "and I know what you're trying to do."

"We spend far too much time together."

"What you did was not only irresponsible behaviour towards yourself, but also towards Enterprise's crew. We are short of a doctor already."

McCoy tried to sit up at that, only to find that Kirk, anticipating his movements, had already put a restraining hand on his chest.

"How's M'Benga?" he asked.

"He'll be alright. But it'll take time," Kirk answered.

"What happened? Are we still in orbit of that planet?"

"No, we're back in Federation territory and we'll arrive at starbase 3 in two days," Kirk said, his hand still firm on McCoy's chest, "We've had a run-in with more Romulans and suffered some damage in an explosion."

"Casualties?" McCoy sounded worried and tried to sit up once more.

"Shh, stay where you are! No one died, but many were injured. Chekov burnt his hands and inhaled a lot of smoke when his station caught fire."

"Jim, I'm concerned. Dr. Taylor is experienced, but Dr. Pulliam is very young. It may be too much for them to handle. You should really let me ..."

"Doctor McCoy! Your condition dictates that you rest."

That voice! McCoy was sure he didn't know the woman that it belonged to. The words made him suspicious. Jim wouldn't have ... or would he?

"What? Who?" he tried to sit up once more, and once more he had to be held down.

"Bones? I'd like to introduce you to Dr. T'Plok. Saluk was kind enough to send her over as an asset to our medical staff."

"Hello, Doctor! It's a pleasure to meet you," the Vulcan said, coming into his line of vision, extending her hand somewhat awkwardly towards McCoy.

"Wha ... you ... . Pleasure? Why that?" He was confused. Not only because suddenly there was a Vulcan doctor amongst his sickbay staff, but also because of what she'd said.

"I beg your forgiveness. Is that not an appropriate greeting amongst humans?" she looked as if she was disappointed, or maybe McCoy just imagined she did.

"Uh, no. I mean. I am sorry, doctor. I - well, thank you."

"I have been studying human customs, Doctor McCoy. I find them fascinating, although, or maybe even because they often seem like a riddle to me. I hope I will make a good doctor for the Enterprise's crew."

McCoy looked at Kirk, who was somewhat dumbfounded as well. This T'Plok was not at all, as he expected her to be, and he was pleased with that. "You already have, doctor."

She nodded. Then looked at McCoy again.

"Well, Dr. T'Plok," McCoy addressed the middle aged Vulcan, "I think I don't need to be here any longer?"

She glanced at Kirk and then back at McCoy, before she answered: "I think you should be where you feel the most comfortable, Doctor. Although, I have the order to keep you here until you "have gotten it through your thick head, that you are not well"," she said and then turned to Kirk who had raised an eyebrow at her, to say: "Captain, with all due respect, I believe it is best for the recovery of Doctor McCoy to let him go to his quarters and rest there."

"Yes, Jim!" McCoy smirked. He liked her.

Kirk sighed. He'd known the Vulcan doctor would mean trouble. He just hadn't thought of this kind of trouble, then.

"Whatever's best. But I warn you, if I see you doing anything but resting, I will have you put in restraints!"

"Captain, to put restraints on Doctor McCoy is not only illogical but highly unethical as well. I will not ..."

Kirk held up a hand. "You're new on the Enterprise, Doctor, or you wouldn't say that, believe me. Now, how are the rest of the patients doing?"

"They are doing as expected," the doctor said. "Ensign Chekov is still on artificial respiration. But he should be able to breathe on his own in the next hours. It will be quite painful though. His trachea has been damaged by the burning smoke."

Kirk nodded.

"Don't let him wake up too early, then. It doesn't hurt letting him sleep until the worst of the pain has passed!" McCoy said, finally succeeding in pushing himself up into a sitting position and straining to decipher the readings above Chekov's bio-bed.

"I see what you mean, Captain," T'Plok just said. "Doctor McCoy, now that you're already sitting up, you should eat something. If you don't experience any discomfort after that, I will release you to your quarters if you promise to stay in bed and rest."

He looked at her, his sympathy for her starting to fade. "I ... promise?"

"You've raised your voice at the end of the sentence. Did you mean to formulate a question?"

"No?"

T'Plok raised an eyebrow and looked at Kirk for help, who had turned so that she couldn't see his face.

"A riddle," she mumbled and turned to call for a nurse to bring some food.

McCoy was now taking a good look at his sickbay. He was in a more secluded part of it, but he could see M'Benga and Ensign Chekov, who were both unconsious, surrounded by machines. Sickbay must be full to the brink if they'd put these two in here together with him. He was glad, that Kirk had requested another doctor. Vulcan, or not, it was better than leaving all these patients to the two resident doctors on Enterprise who had been on duty since forever and were probably dead on their feet with exhaustion at the moment.

"Jim?" he asked, sounding subdued. It made Jim turn and look at him instantly, with concern etched into his face.

"What is it, Bones?"

"Well, I am sorry. Really."

"I know, Bones. Please, don't forget to take care of yourself. I - I don't know what I'd do if I lost you," Kirk looked at him with such sincere and pleading eyes, that McCoy couldn't hold them for long.

He averted his eyes, feeling the threat of tears there. Damnit, how could he have let his captain get so close to him? He'd thought he'd learned a long time ago not to let people into his heart, it just hurt so much to lose them. He looked at his fingers in his lap picking at the blanket.

"It's the way I am, Jim. But I will try ... for your sake."

Kirk nodded and put a hand on what he suspected was Bones' foot under the blanket.

"Jim?"

"Yeah?"

"You're not mad at Spock, are you?"

Kirk hesitated. Actually, he was. Not because he had attacked Bones, but because he hadn't been interested in Bones' health after he had been taken to sickbay again.

And where was he now? He had talked with Commander Tamulok about that Vulcan or Romulan utopian colony, ever since they had been sure that the Enterprise and the P'Jem would make it safely to the starbase.

"Maybe a little."

"Jim, I think he is avoiding me, because he ... well, because he feels embarrassed. And guilty. Maybe he's even afraid that I will blame him. Which of course, I wouldn't. I mean, Jim, he's half human. And he probably is experiencing some feelings now, that he has no idea of how to deal with. I think you should talk to him. Be a friend!"

The nurse came with a tray of food and placed it on a table at the side of the bed. McCoy swung his legs over the edge and took a look at it. It was as if the nurse hadn't been sure as to what he would like. There was a variety of foods there, that resembled the evening buffet at a hotel on Risa. A very cheap hotel on Risa, he thought, after having examined the food more closely. Or maybe a roadside motel on the Klingon homeworld ... a very cheap motel.

He picked at an indefinable mass that he identified as pasta salad only after a thorough analysis.

"Ugh, that looks like it has already been eaten and digested!" he commented, then carefully dipped his spoon into the chicken soup. He was hungry, he realized.

Kirk was lost in thought. Bones was probably right. He should talk to Spock, only he still thought that Spock ought to at least come and ...

As if on cue, Spock appeared, accompanied by T'Plok. The two Vulcans studied McCoy who was focused on eating the soup. When he noticed his visitor he put down his spoon and smiled genuinly at Spock.

"Hi Spock! Good to see you!"

"Doctor McCoy! I came to see if you were following the Doctor's orders," he said.

"Of course I am," he answered, his smile fading a bit.

"Doctor T'Plok doesn't have much practical experience with humans and none with you, so I thought I might be of help."

"What do you mean, "she's got no experience with me"? You make it sound like I'm some obscure and exotic animal with special needs."

"Mr. Spock told me you were the "worst patient of the entire crew of the Enterprise", Doctor. But I believe, he has exaggerated," T'Plok informed her patient.

"Yes, he has, Doctor," McCoy said to her, finding an unexpected ally in her once again. She nodded and left to tend to Chekov.

"Spock! Take a chair! Have some pasta salad!" McCoy invited him.

Spock looked as if he was going to object, but then complied.

"Well, Spock? What are you doing here?" Kirk hadn't meant to sound so biting, but he still was feeling a bit angry at his first officer.

"I came to ... ask for Doctor McCoy's ... advice."

McCoy almost choked on a noodle. That was unexpected!

"My advice?"

"Yes. Doctor, the Captain told me that you asked him not to blame me for the attack on you."

"Yes?"

"I know that I was controlled by the virus at the time I stabbed you."

"Right."

"It is illogical to blame me, because I had no control over my actions then."

"Correct. Highly illogical, Spock." McCoy had an idea where this was going. And although he felt for Spock, he couldn't stop himself from feeling some kind of triumph. Finally Spock was admitting to his human half. He only regretted that it was causing him so much pain.

"I believe my human half cannot be controlled at the moment, for I feel ... guilt." Spock looked at him with big, dark eyes that made McCoy look away, once more. Hell, why couldn't he hold his friends' gaze today?

"Well, what do you want me to do? What you feel is human, Spock, although, it is illogical and although I'm not blaming you. Denying your human half won't help you either. Accept it, and you'll eventually learn to live with it," he pushed the tray of food away. He wasn't hungry anymore.

"I am not denying my human half, Doctor."

"You aren't?"

"No. I am actually quite grateful for it. If it hadn't been for my human half, you'd most certainly be dead."

Kirk and McCoy both looked at Spock in surprise. The other Vulcans and Romulans hadn't been able to control the virus at all. Spock had, he had attacked McCoy, but he hadn't "finished the job", it was possible that Spock's human genes had prevented the virus from fully taking control.

Thank god, Jim thought. Once more, Bones had been right. Spock really felt guilty and he probably had tried to avoid Bones because of it. Now, he even seeked his help. To admit to feelings in front of Bones was something Spock always tried to avoid. By doing it now, he proved how much he trusted Bones - and how much his feelings of guilt were actually hurting him.

Bones studied Spock's face, and after a while he said simply: "Spock, I feel honoured to be your friend."

Then he resumed eating. After a few more spoons he motioned to the pasta salad in Spock's hand.

"You don't have to eat that!"

Spock put it back on the tray. "I am ... relieved, Doctor. Thank you."

"Your need to express your gratitude is ... illogical here, Spock," he said, smiling. He had waited a long time for payback, but finally, it had come!

The End o000

To be continued ...

Will Chekov and M'Benga recover?

What will happen with the Romulan Commander?

Will Bones get an award from the Vulcan Science Academy?

How will Bones get rid of that Vulcan doctor?

And where are Sulu and Nurse Chapel?

Questions that might be answered in the next part :-)! Thanks to all readers and reviewers!