Fic: Shadows Pulling Me To Lie With You Chapter 3/10
Title: Shadows Pulling Me to Lie With You
Author: backrose_17
Fandoms: Star Trek XI/Doom/Torchwood/Slight Doctor Who
Pairings: Kirk/Reaper!McCoy/Spock, Jack/Ianto, Sulu/Chekov, Scotty/Uhura, Pike/Archer, mentions of Jenny(the Doctor's daughter)/OMC and the Doctor/Tosh
Summary: A near-death experience brings to light a secret that McCoy has kept hidden for many years and now he must deal with the fallout. Meanwhile, Kirk and Spock fight the urge to claim McCoy as their own in order to keep him safe from someone within the Federation who seeks to control the Phoenix Force and use the legendary Reaper for his own nefarious purposes. Answers come in the form of McCoy’s grandparents, Jack and Ianto Harkness-Jones.
Rating: R
Beta: RoyalLadyEmma
Word Count: 38,074
Disclaimer: I do not own Torchwood, Doom, Doctor Who or the awesomeness that is Star Trek. The Phoenix Force is owned by Marvel Comics.
Art by: tresa_cho
Mixers: madscribbles and wyntreaurora
Chapter 3
Bones was getting twitchy; 'How long does it take to get them out of jail?' The uneasy feeling he'd had since they'd arrived on the planet wouldn't leave him. 'It wasn't enough that I used that damn transporter to come and save their sorry asses but something tells me we aren't going to be able to get out of this without something bad happening.' The Reaper part of McCoy was poised and ready for action as his trained eyes studied the Varden.
McCoy wasn't the only one studying their possible enemies; Court Adviser, Aden, was doing his own studying of the Enterprise crew standing before him. 'We cannot allow these people to leave! One of them is the Child of the Flame who will rain death and destruction down upon us all. My King is blinded by his feelings for Alaula and allows her gentle heart to soften him. I cannot allow the power of the Dark Phoenix to once again be unleashed and if Alaula does speak the truth, then there will be two of them. We must deal with this one before his power can be unleashed,' Aden thought viciously.
Ignoring the fact that King Raiden was speaking quietly to one of his guards, Aden could no longer contain himself. "We cannot allow them to leave! The Federation may talk of peace but how do we know that is true? Even we know that they have made enemies among powerful races, so how do we know that they won't use the power of the Phoenix Force to enslave us all? How do we truly know that they are not as power hungry and war hungry as the Klingons and Romulans they've warned us about?" he demanded to know.
The instant McCoy saw the flicker of doubt cross King Raiden's face, he knew that the time had come and his heart sank. 'In order to make sure we get off this damned planet, I'm going to have to reveal who I truly am.' Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of Jim and Spock entering the King's court and he knew that in that moment that he would do everything in his power to ensure their safety, even if it cost him his own.
Having heard Aden speak his worries to the King, Kirk stepped forward. "King Raiden, I know you have no reason to trust me, but I can assure you that the Federation stands for peace not war. We would like to be friends with the Varden people. While I do not doubt Alaula's vision, none of my people are the Reaper or a Child of the Phoenix Force, and even if one of them was such a person, having served with them I know in my heart that none of them are evil."
'Damn, Jim, that was pretty impressive. I just hope the King buys it, because I can't help but wonder if you'll be able to forgive me for the lie I've been keeping from you.' McCoy's worst fear was that if his secret ever became known then Kirk, Spock and the others would turn their backs on him. 'I don't think I could survive if Jim and Spock rejected me.'
Alaula had stopped paying any attention to what was happening around her since her King had granted the Enterprise crew their freedom. No, her violet eyes were locked on the secret and sacred fire that had been housed in the King's throne room since their very first King. It was rumoured to be a flame from the Phoenix itself. The fire was burning brighter than she had ever seen it before and she was sure it had grown in size. But what truly held her attention was the fact that the fire was singing a beautiful and alluring song. From the very first note, she instinctively knew that it was calling to its flame mate, and Alaula knew that the fire would only call to one like it, one who had the fire of the Phoenix burning within them.
That realisation caused a tiny, unintentional gasp to escape her lips and to her horror, it was loud enough to be heard during the lull in conversation as King Raiden mulled over Kirk's words.
All eyes flew to Alaula. "Alaula, what is wrong?" King Raiden asked as he reached out and took Alaula's trembling hand in his.
With her free hand, she pointed to the fire as it danced and sang inside its crystal cage. "It reacts only to another of its kind and if the legends are true and this flame is a gift from the Phoenix, then it would only sing its song to another of its kind," Alaula explained.
'I'm screwed!' Bones thought, fighting back his groan. Since the moment he'd arrived on Varden, Bones could not deny that he'd been able to hear the call of another flame left behind by his great-grandmother. He cast a quick glance at Spock and Jim and sadness filled his heart because he knew from this moment on, their lives would never be the same again. 'I hope you realize I'm doing this for you, to keep both of you and the others safe,' Bones thought sadly as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Slowly his eyes opened and he resolutely moved forward, past his captain, past his crew and his friends to stand before King Raiden and his court.
"Bones, what are you doing?" Bones nearly smiled at the concern and worry he heard in Kirk's voice, but he didn't, he couldn't.
"Doctor McCoy, is this a wise course of action?" Spock's question nearly brought another smile to McCoy's face.
Halting in his steps, he turned to give both Kirk and Spock a small smile and said the only thing he could think of, "Trust me." He looked at them each in turn, waiting for a return smile from them, and when he was satisfied that his message had been accepted, he turned away.
Squaring his shoulders and raising his chin, McCoy stared King Raiden in the eyes. "I am John Grimm, the Reaper, and the grandchild of the first Phoenix child," Bones stated in a clear and loud voice for all to hear.
Kirk was sure his jaw was hanging down to his feet and a look at his crew told him they were all in similar states of shock. Hell, Kirk was sure he saw the tiniest hint of shock on Spock's face before he schooled his face back into his blank Vulcan mask.
Moving slowly down the stairs, Alaula came to stand in front of Bones, her hand outstretched mere inches from his face. "May I?" she asked softly.
"Yes," Bones agreed gruffly.
As her hand landed on Bones cheek Alaula let her psychic shields drop; they were the only thing that kept her from seeing everyone's past and future, what had been and what could be. But this time she focused on McCoy and McCoy alone, allowing him to enter her mind and suddenly she saw everything.
Images of his life came flowing through their link to her and she saw:
A beautiful blond woman smiling down at him with pure loving shining in her eyes. "You're going to be just like your grandtad Ianto, thank goodness."
"Aww, Jenny, that hurts!" A handsome man pouted as he placed his hand over his heart in mock injury.
The blond woman that Alaula now knew as Jenny rolled her eyes. "Out of everyone, I want my son to take after Ianto, not you or my dad. I don't think the world can handle a third Jack Harkness," Jenny murmured while a dark-haired man looked on with bemusement.
A cheeky smile graced the man's face. "But you love me anyway," he reminded her as he placed a gentle kiss on her cheek.
The images changed and Alaula watched as the young boy stood silently, helplessly watching the death of his parents. She could feel waves of grief and guilt pour off him that he was unable to save them.
The events that led him to being John Grimm no more; losing his team, a loss that still haunted him to this very day; reconnecting with his beloved sister; fighting with his CO, a man who had let the darkness consume him.
Forced to watch his twin sister, Samantha, fade away before his very eyes, when the death of her bond mate, Duke, destroyed her will to live. Alaula heard her last words to her brother, "Don't mourn me forever. I want you to live. You are no longer John Grimm, the Reaper. Please be the man I know you are."
The many new names and lives he'd experienced flowed through their link like a river until he became Doctor Leonard McCoy. She saw him meeting James T. Kirk and knowing instantly that he was one half of his soul. She witnessed the first argument with Spock and saw the way his flame burned even brighter as he knew he had found the other holder of his heart.
Alaula could see that the bond between the three of them was very special indeed. Each of them completed the other two; Kirk was the body, Spock was the mind and McCoy was the soul. She frowned when she realised that the three were not whole, not yet.
Satisfied that she had seen the truth of the man standing in front of her, Alaula prepared to break their link, but before she could pull away, another image was shown to her.
A young man dressed in an old-fashioned suit, with blue-grey eyes and the cutest button nose smiled down at a young John and his sister. Alaula gasped as she watched the fire dance gracefully around his body and then take the shape of the Phoenix.
The well-dressed young man's voice was quiet and reassuring. "The power of the Phoenix is both a gift and a curse. There will be those out there who seek the Phoenix for their own personal use, who see us as weapons of destruction, fear and war. That is why we stay hidden. We are here to watch over all lives; we are the flames of creation and rebirth but we can also be death. But you both must remember one thing, no matter what anyone says, you are not monsters."
The link snapped closed and Alaula gasped, stumbling back from McCoy. Her face was alive with belief and awe as she whirled around to face her king. "He speaks the truth! He is the Reaper and the Child of Fire. But he is not a monster, my King; we must let him go."
Snarling to himself in anger, Aden was not to be deterred."This could be a trick to gain the freedom of their crew by using Alaula's sight against us. We cannot be sure that this man is who he claims to be!" The king's adviser chose that moment to make his opinion known. "He could unleash the Dark Phoenix and destroy us all! We must remember what Alaula's first vision showed her. He could be trying to deceive us!"
Seeing the disbelief, wariness and shock in everyone's eyes, and weighing the words of both his adviser and his seer, King Raiden was torn. "It is clear that Alaula truly believes this Doctor McCoy when he says he is the Reaper and the Child of the Phoenix. But on the other hand, Aden is also correct that this could be a trick."
The king took a step closer to McCoy and studied him for a moment, searching for any sign of dishonesty or subterfuge. "How do we know you're not lying to us, playing on our fear of Alaula's vision coming true?" he asked.
With a sigh, McCoy moved towards the throne, closing the distance between them. "I am John Grimm, the man known as the Reaper. I am also the Child of the Phoenix Force and I am willing to prove I speak the truth." To save those he cared about he was willing to break the one rule that all children of the Phoenix lived by: never unleash the Phoenix.
A resounding gasp echoed through the Royal chamber, none louder than that of Aden's. "My King, he speaks of realising the power of the Phoenix! That cannot be allowed to happen!" Aden snarled; he couldn't believe that his King was listening to such nonsense. 'Alaula has too much control over our King.' Aden sent a glare at the seer. 'I really must look into changing that when this is over; I only hope it's not too late!'
The murmur of voices rose and fell as the various groups of people in the room discussed this latest turn of events. Even Kirk's men were slightly taken aback by McCoy's news.
'I must put a stop to this madness! This man has not yet unleashed that dreaded beast so I still have time and...' Aden hadn't missed the way the man claiming to be John Grimm had brightened dramatically when his friends had appeared '... now I know his weakness.' In fact, McCoy had hardly taken his eyes off the Captain and the Vulcan; a cruel smirk curved Aden's lips as he signalled to his own personal guard.
It was entirely due to his heightened senses as the Reaper that McCoy noticed the almost invisible nod Aden gave a guard and his heart froze as he watched the guard slowly reach for the weapon at his side. McCoy followed the guard's gaze to Kirk and his body immediately tensed; in that moment nothing mattered but the safety of one of the men he loved.
It took Kirk less than a second to figure out what was happening as both McCoy and a guard moved simultaneously and his heart squeezed painfully. "Bones! No!" Kirk cried out as he struggled desperately against the two guards who held him back.
Although the entire series of events happened in a matter of seconds, time moved in slow motion as the guard drew his sword from its scabbard and raised it to strike even as McCoy took the few steps necessary to place himself between the point of the blade and his best friend.
A small smile graced McCoy's lips as he met Kirk's gaze and his eyes softened as he saw the pure worry, love, and fear blazing in those blue eyes he loved so much. "Trust me, Jim, I'll be fine," Bones promised before he let himself fall forwards and the guard's sword plunged into his stomach.
"No! Bones! Let me go, you bastards!" Kirk yelled in despair. "Don't just stand there; we can still save him!" 'There's no way I'm going to let Bones die, not to save my sorry skin!' Kirk's heart was screaming in pain and with a violent wrench, he managed to free an arm. He immediately sent his clenched fist flying into the face of the closest guard, smiling with grim satisfaction as it buried itself in the man's jaw with a sickening crunch.
The sight of McCoy's body falling to the floor unleashed Spock's own fury and his love for the doctor fueled that anger into an all-out assault on his own guards. Well-trained and experienced though they were, they never stood a chance against the sheer power of a raging Vulcan.
Surging forward, both Kirk and Spock rushed towards the fallen McCoy but before they could get anywhere close to Bones the flames from the Varden's sacred lamp began to burn hotter and brighter. Suddenly a brilliant blue blaze shot from the centre of Bones' chest and his body was covered in flames from head to foot.
The flames retreated as suddenly as they had appeared and before everyone's shocked and disbelieving eyes there stood an unharmed McCoy, smiling at his future mates.
"Bones!" Kirk's whisper was filled with pure relief as he laid eyes on an uninjured McCoy; he was so lost in his own happiness at seeing his Bones alive and well again that he completely missed Spock's quiet hitch of breath as the normally unflappable Vulcan laid eyes on the unharmed McCoy as well.
King Raiden could hardly believe what he was seeing; instead of burning the man's body to a pile of ashes like it would have anyone else, the fire had merely caressed McCoy like a lover. Indeed, it actually seemed to be a part of him and Raiden found the sight to be absolutely mesmerising.
Kirk didn't realise that he wasn't breathing until Bones' eyes snapped open and a whoosh of air filled his lungs. He was sure his heart skipped a beat or two when he saw the fire in burning in the depths of Bones' eyes.
The song of the eternal flame of the Varden called out joyfully to his own and Bones saw the history of the Varden play out before him. At last McCoy finally understood the deep-seated fear that came from their ancestors, those precious few who were the only survivors of a Dark Phoenix attack.
The fire began to form again, and the flames moved in a frenzied dance around him, covering his body until they created a single beautiful form. Before everyone present, the Phoenix rose into the air, magnificent in all its glory and then it settled back around McCoy and graced him with a pair of flaming wings.
"The future is not sent in stone and it is always in flux, so what Alaula saw may come to past or it may not." McCoy shrugged. "Who knows? But you cannot hold our people captive on the fear of a future that may never be." McCoy spoke calmly to them, his eyes reflecting the absolute power of the Universe and the full knowledge of the Phoenix.
All around them, the Varden cringed away from McCoy, and their eyes were filled with both awe and fear as the creature from their legends stood before them.
The Enterprise crew had their own reactions as well, and it took all of McCoy's strength and willpower to look at his friends. He mentally and emotionally prepared himself for the hate, fear and condemnation he was sure he would see there.
Scotty stared at McCoy for a moment, his mouth hanging wide open with amazement before he regained himself and then a bright grin spread across his face. "That's bloody brilliant! As I said before I love this ship! We always have the most bloody exciting things happening to us!"
The engineer's enthusiasm was clearly contagious, because the next to speak was the awe-struck Pavlov Chekov. "This is so cool! Doctor McCoy is the Phoenix and the Reaper!" Chekov looked like his birthday had come early; he was so excited he could barely stand still and he kept bouncing on his toes and grinning like a child. "Ty udivitel'nyy, doktor!" Chekov was so excited that he unwittingly slipped into his native Russian. "You are amazing, Doctor!"
Uhura favoured McCoy with her special smile, the one that filled a person with a deep warmth that touched their very soul. The doctor knew he'd never have anything to fear from her and he nodded at her in acknowledgement.
Sulu was shaking his head in mild disbelief but with a smile on his face and mischief in his dark eyes. 'Well, now we know for sure Doctor McCoy will never be the bottom in their relationship!' He silently snickered; 'I wonder how the pursuit of the good doctor is going to go now that Spock and Kirk know that he is the Reaper, the ultimate alpha?'
Gratefully to know he had the support of his friends, McCoy moved his gaze over to the two men whose opinions mattered to him the most, Kirk and Spock.
As usual, the Vulcan's face was its normal blank canvas but McCoy was sure he wasn't imagining that he saw a hint of relief in Spock's dark eyes. "Doctor McCoy, I am glad to see that you are unharmed."
"Yeah, well, I can say the same for you, Spock. Honestly! Only you three could get yourselves captured over a legend," McCoy grumbled before turning his gaze onto his best friend and other bond mate, Kirk.
An array of emotions could be seen in Kirk's eyes: fear, worry, happiness, relief, and lust, but it was the final emotion in those blue eyes that nearly robbed McCoy of his breath. As clear as the light of day, he saw love shining there and it was all for him. "Jim?" he asked softly.
"Hey, Bones, do you think you can keep the fire wings?" Kirk asked with a rather naughty wink and in that moment, McCoy knew that everything was going to be okay.
While everyone was focused on Doctor McCoy, no one noticed the fearful and thoughtful look on one member of the security team, Ensign Cassandra Smith. 'This is just what Admiral Johnson wanted me to find out! I must tell him as soon as possible.' The ensign felt a sense of pride; 'the Admiral chose the right person for this mission. This just might get me a promotion!'
Kirk stalked forward until he reached Bones' side and then he stood protectively in front of him as he faced King Raiden. "Doctor McCoy did not have to reveal himself and the secrets he kept, but he did so in order to keep the fragile peace between your people and the Federation. I know you don't have to believe me when I say this, but I know Doctor McCoy and I have for years. He is one of the most caring, honourable and respectable men out there." Kirk felt his heart swell as he considered the man next to him. "He is genuinely one of the most wonderful men out there. I know for certain that there is not a dark, hateful or evil bone in his body. You have nothing to fear from us or him; I give you my word as a Starfleet officer. Please, let us go."
King Raiden easily recognized the look of possession and protection in Kirk's eyes and he saw the slight change in Spock's body language and in a flash, he knew he was no longer dealing with two Federation officers and a mythical creature but with three men each determined to protect their mates. He turned to the only person who would be able to back Captain Kirk's judgement of Doctor McCoy. "Alaula? You saw Doctor McCoy's past, what do you think?"
Alaula smiled softly as she remembered what she had seen; 'Captain Kirk is right about Doctor McCoy. The man is not a threat to anyone; he is a dedicated healer and a life saver.' The actions she'd seen him take to save and protect people from his CO when he was Reaper sprang to mind. She'd watched how hard he'd fought to save all those who fell onto his medical table. Perhaps most importantly, she'd born witness to his selflessness actions to bring Kirk onto his ship in a time of need. It was a move that might have very well have cost him his Starfleet career and maybe even his medical credentials. Instead, his willingness to risk it all for a friend, personal consequences be damned, had helped save an entire planet and its people.
"I saw no evil in his soul, my King. Doctor McCoy is not a threat to us. I do not fear the future I saw but I do know that as long as he has the undying and passionate love of his bond mates, he will not fall victim to the darkness." She sent a small, exasperated look at both Kirk and Spock as she added, "That is if they ever get a clue."
'If only! It would save us all a bloody headache.' Uhura, Scotty, Chekov and Sulu all silently agreed; they wondered if Kirk and Spock would take her advice.
Bones blanched as he realised how intimate the details were that Alaula had picked up in his memories; she knew his feelings for Kirk and Spock, how his soul longed to be bonded with the two of them forever.
A thoughtful look entered Kirk's eyes as he glanced first at Bones and then at Spock. 'I think Spock and I need to talk about our rivalry over Bones. It would seem that instead of silently fighting each other for his affections we should be working together. Bones' heart will be ours; it's only a matter of time.'
A plotting gleam entered Kirk's eyes as a plan began to take shape. 'I do believe I know exactly what to do.'
King Raiden's voice interrupted Kirk's musings. "I trust Alaula's judgement. Doctor McCoy has lived longer than all of us and has never given in to the power of the Phoenix that lives with him. It is clear to me that he has put his life as the Reaper successfully behind him. Captain Kirk, you and your crew are free to go and I hope that this will not ruin the friendship that could be between my people and the Federation." 'I really do hope this horrible mistake can be forgotten; we need the protection of the Federation if we are continue our explorations into space!'
Kirk grinned brightly at the obviously worried King. "Naw, trust me, this was nothing compared to some of our other missions. You didn't try to kill us, sacrifice us or marry us off to someone, so, all things considered, I definitely call this a win."
A grateful smile graced Raiden's face as he shook his head in disbelief. "It sounds to me that you have some very interesting adventures, Captain; perhaps next time you visit you would be kind enough to share some of them with us."
"You can count on it!" Bones groaned as a Kirk lit up like a child at Christmas. There was nothing the captain liked more than telling a good story, and heaven knows, the man had hundreds of them.
Author: backrose_17
Fandoms: Star Trek XI/Doom/Torchwood/Slight Doctor Who
Pairings: Kirk/Reaper!McCoy/Spock, Jack/Ianto, Sulu/Chekov, Scotty/Uhura, Pike/Archer, mentions of Jenny(the Doctor's daughter)/OMC and the Doctor/Tosh
Summary: A near-death experience brings to light a secret that McCoy has kept hidden for many years and now he must deal with the fallout. Meanwhile, Kirk and Spock fight the urge to claim McCoy as their own in order to keep him safe from someone within the Federation who seeks to control the Phoenix Force and use the legendary Reaper for his own nefarious purposes. Answers come in the form of McCoy’s grandparents, Jack and Ianto Harkness-Jones.
Rating: R
Beta: RoyalLadyEmma
Word Count: 38,074
Disclaimer: I do not own Torchwood, Doom, Doctor Who or the awesomeness that is Star Trek. The Phoenix Force is owned by Marvel Comics.
Art by: tresa_cho
Mixers: madscribbles and wyntreaurora
Chapter 3
Bones was getting twitchy; 'How long does it take to get them out of jail?' The uneasy feeling he'd had since they'd arrived on the planet wouldn't leave him. 'It wasn't enough that I used that damn transporter to come and save their sorry asses but something tells me we aren't going to be able to get out of this without something bad happening.' The Reaper part of McCoy was poised and ready for action as his trained eyes studied the Varden.
McCoy wasn't the only one studying their possible enemies; Court Adviser, Aden, was doing his own studying of the Enterprise crew standing before him. 'We cannot allow these people to leave! One of them is the Child of the Flame who will rain death and destruction down upon us all. My King is blinded by his feelings for Alaula and allows her gentle heart to soften him. I cannot allow the power of the Dark Phoenix to once again be unleashed and if Alaula does speak the truth, then there will be two of them. We must deal with this one before his power can be unleashed,' Aden thought viciously.
Ignoring the fact that King Raiden was speaking quietly to one of his guards, Aden could no longer contain himself. "We cannot allow them to leave! The Federation may talk of peace but how do we know that is true? Even we know that they have made enemies among powerful races, so how do we know that they won't use the power of the Phoenix Force to enslave us all? How do we truly know that they are not as power hungry and war hungry as the Klingons and Romulans they've warned us about?" he demanded to know.
The instant McCoy saw the flicker of doubt cross King Raiden's face, he knew that the time had come and his heart sank. 'In order to make sure we get off this damned planet, I'm going to have to reveal who I truly am.' Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of Jim and Spock entering the King's court and he knew that in that moment that he would do everything in his power to ensure their safety, even if it cost him his own.
Having heard Aden speak his worries to the King, Kirk stepped forward. "King Raiden, I know you have no reason to trust me, but I can assure you that the Federation stands for peace not war. We would like to be friends with the Varden people. While I do not doubt Alaula's vision, none of my people are the Reaper or a Child of the Phoenix Force, and even if one of them was such a person, having served with them I know in my heart that none of them are evil."
'Damn, Jim, that was pretty impressive. I just hope the King buys it, because I can't help but wonder if you'll be able to forgive me for the lie I've been keeping from you.' McCoy's worst fear was that if his secret ever became known then Kirk, Spock and the others would turn their backs on him. 'I don't think I could survive if Jim and Spock rejected me.'
Alaula had stopped paying any attention to what was happening around her since her King had granted the Enterprise crew their freedom. No, her violet eyes were locked on the secret and sacred fire that had been housed in the King's throne room since their very first King. It was rumoured to be a flame from the Phoenix itself. The fire was burning brighter than she had ever seen it before and she was sure it had grown in size. But what truly held her attention was the fact that the fire was singing a beautiful and alluring song. From the very first note, she instinctively knew that it was calling to its flame mate, and Alaula knew that the fire would only call to one like it, one who had the fire of the Phoenix burning within them.
That realisation caused a tiny, unintentional gasp to escape her lips and to her horror, it was loud enough to be heard during the lull in conversation as King Raiden mulled over Kirk's words.
All eyes flew to Alaula. "Alaula, what is wrong?" King Raiden asked as he reached out and took Alaula's trembling hand in his.
With her free hand, she pointed to the fire as it danced and sang inside its crystal cage. "It reacts only to another of its kind and if the legends are true and this flame is a gift from the Phoenix, then it would only sing its song to another of its kind," Alaula explained.
'I'm screwed!' Bones thought, fighting back his groan. Since the moment he'd arrived on Varden, Bones could not deny that he'd been able to hear the call of another flame left behind by his great-grandmother. He cast a quick glance at Spock and Jim and sadness filled his heart because he knew from this moment on, their lives would never be the same again. 'I hope you realize I'm doing this for you, to keep both of you and the others safe,' Bones thought sadly as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Slowly his eyes opened and he resolutely moved forward, past his captain, past his crew and his friends to stand before King Raiden and his court.
"Bones, what are you doing?" Bones nearly smiled at the concern and worry he heard in Kirk's voice, but he didn't, he couldn't.
"Doctor McCoy, is this a wise course of action?" Spock's question nearly brought another smile to McCoy's face.
Halting in his steps, he turned to give both Kirk and Spock a small smile and said the only thing he could think of, "Trust me." He looked at them each in turn, waiting for a return smile from them, and when he was satisfied that his message had been accepted, he turned away.
Squaring his shoulders and raising his chin, McCoy stared King Raiden in the eyes. "I am John Grimm, the Reaper, and the grandchild of the first Phoenix child," Bones stated in a clear and loud voice for all to hear.
Kirk was sure his jaw was hanging down to his feet and a look at his crew told him they were all in similar states of shock. Hell, Kirk was sure he saw the tiniest hint of shock on Spock's face before he schooled his face back into his blank Vulcan mask.
Moving slowly down the stairs, Alaula came to stand in front of Bones, her hand outstretched mere inches from his face. "May I?" she asked softly.
"Yes," Bones agreed gruffly.
As her hand landed on Bones cheek Alaula let her psychic shields drop; they were the only thing that kept her from seeing everyone's past and future, what had been and what could be. But this time she focused on McCoy and McCoy alone, allowing him to enter her mind and suddenly she saw everything.
Images of his life came flowing through their link to her and she saw:
A beautiful blond woman smiling down at him with pure loving shining in her eyes. "You're going to be just like your grandtad Ianto, thank goodness."
"Aww, Jenny, that hurts!" A handsome man pouted as he placed his hand over his heart in mock injury.
The blond woman that Alaula now knew as Jenny rolled her eyes. "Out of everyone, I want my son to take after Ianto, not you or my dad. I don't think the world can handle a third Jack Harkness," Jenny murmured while a dark-haired man looked on with bemusement.
A cheeky smile graced the man's face. "But you love me anyway," he reminded her as he placed a gentle kiss on her cheek.
The images changed and Alaula watched as the young boy stood silently, helplessly watching the death of his parents. She could feel waves of grief and guilt pour off him that he was unable to save them.
The events that led him to being John Grimm no more; losing his team, a loss that still haunted him to this very day; reconnecting with his beloved sister; fighting with his CO, a man who had let the darkness consume him.
Forced to watch his twin sister, Samantha, fade away before his very eyes, when the death of her bond mate, Duke, destroyed her will to live. Alaula heard her last words to her brother, "Don't mourn me forever. I want you to live. You are no longer John Grimm, the Reaper. Please be the man I know you are."
The many new names and lives he'd experienced flowed through their link like a river until he became Doctor Leonard McCoy. She saw him meeting James T. Kirk and knowing instantly that he was one half of his soul. She witnessed the first argument with Spock and saw the way his flame burned even brighter as he knew he had found the other holder of his heart.
Alaula could see that the bond between the three of them was very special indeed. Each of them completed the other two; Kirk was the body, Spock was the mind and McCoy was the soul. She frowned when she realised that the three were not whole, not yet.
Satisfied that she had seen the truth of the man standing in front of her, Alaula prepared to break their link, but before she could pull away, another image was shown to her.
A young man dressed in an old-fashioned suit, with blue-grey eyes and the cutest button nose smiled down at a young John and his sister. Alaula gasped as she watched the fire dance gracefully around his body and then take the shape of the Phoenix.
The well-dressed young man's voice was quiet and reassuring. "The power of the Phoenix is both a gift and a curse. There will be those out there who seek the Phoenix for their own personal use, who see us as weapons of destruction, fear and war. That is why we stay hidden. We are here to watch over all lives; we are the flames of creation and rebirth but we can also be death. But you both must remember one thing, no matter what anyone says, you are not monsters."
The link snapped closed and Alaula gasped, stumbling back from McCoy. Her face was alive with belief and awe as she whirled around to face her king. "He speaks the truth! He is the Reaper and the Child of Fire. But he is not a monster, my King; we must let him go."
Snarling to himself in anger, Aden was not to be deterred."This could be a trick to gain the freedom of their crew by using Alaula's sight against us. We cannot be sure that this man is who he claims to be!" The king's adviser chose that moment to make his opinion known. "He could unleash the Dark Phoenix and destroy us all! We must remember what Alaula's first vision showed her. He could be trying to deceive us!"
Seeing the disbelief, wariness and shock in everyone's eyes, and weighing the words of both his adviser and his seer, King Raiden was torn. "It is clear that Alaula truly believes this Doctor McCoy when he says he is the Reaper and the Child of the Phoenix. But on the other hand, Aden is also correct that this could be a trick."
The king took a step closer to McCoy and studied him for a moment, searching for any sign of dishonesty or subterfuge. "How do we know you're not lying to us, playing on our fear of Alaula's vision coming true?" he asked.
With a sigh, McCoy moved towards the throne, closing the distance between them. "I am John Grimm, the man known as the Reaper. I am also the Child of the Phoenix Force and I am willing to prove I speak the truth." To save those he cared about he was willing to break the one rule that all children of the Phoenix lived by: never unleash the Phoenix.
A resounding gasp echoed through the Royal chamber, none louder than that of Aden's. "My King, he speaks of realising the power of the Phoenix! That cannot be allowed to happen!" Aden snarled; he couldn't believe that his King was listening to such nonsense. 'Alaula has too much control over our King.' Aden sent a glare at the seer. 'I really must look into changing that when this is over; I only hope it's not too late!'
The murmur of voices rose and fell as the various groups of people in the room discussed this latest turn of events. Even Kirk's men were slightly taken aback by McCoy's news.
'I must put a stop to this madness! This man has not yet unleashed that dreaded beast so I still have time and...' Aden hadn't missed the way the man claiming to be John Grimm had brightened dramatically when his friends had appeared '... now I know his weakness.' In fact, McCoy had hardly taken his eyes off the Captain and the Vulcan; a cruel smirk curved Aden's lips as he signalled to his own personal guard.
It was entirely due to his heightened senses as the Reaper that McCoy noticed the almost invisible nod Aden gave a guard and his heart froze as he watched the guard slowly reach for the weapon at his side. McCoy followed the guard's gaze to Kirk and his body immediately tensed; in that moment nothing mattered but the safety of one of the men he loved.
It took Kirk less than a second to figure out what was happening as both McCoy and a guard moved simultaneously and his heart squeezed painfully. "Bones! No!" Kirk cried out as he struggled desperately against the two guards who held him back.
Although the entire series of events happened in a matter of seconds, time moved in slow motion as the guard drew his sword from its scabbard and raised it to strike even as McCoy took the few steps necessary to place himself between the point of the blade and his best friend.
A small smile graced McCoy's lips as he met Kirk's gaze and his eyes softened as he saw the pure worry, love, and fear blazing in those blue eyes he loved so much. "Trust me, Jim, I'll be fine," Bones promised before he let himself fall forwards and the guard's sword plunged into his stomach.
"No! Bones! Let me go, you bastards!" Kirk yelled in despair. "Don't just stand there; we can still save him!" 'There's no way I'm going to let Bones die, not to save my sorry skin!' Kirk's heart was screaming in pain and with a violent wrench, he managed to free an arm. He immediately sent his clenched fist flying into the face of the closest guard, smiling with grim satisfaction as it buried itself in the man's jaw with a sickening crunch.
The sight of McCoy's body falling to the floor unleashed Spock's own fury and his love for the doctor fueled that anger into an all-out assault on his own guards. Well-trained and experienced though they were, they never stood a chance against the sheer power of a raging Vulcan.
Surging forward, both Kirk and Spock rushed towards the fallen McCoy but before they could get anywhere close to Bones the flames from the Varden's sacred lamp began to burn hotter and brighter. Suddenly a brilliant blue blaze shot from the centre of Bones' chest and his body was covered in flames from head to foot.
The flames retreated as suddenly as they had appeared and before everyone's shocked and disbelieving eyes there stood an unharmed McCoy, smiling at his future mates.
"Bones!" Kirk's whisper was filled with pure relief as he laid eyes on an uninjured McCoy; he was so lost in his own happiness at seeing his Bones alive and well again that he completely missed Spock's quiet hitch of breath as the normally unflappable Vulcan laid eyes on the unharmed McCoy as well.
King Raiden could hardly believe what he was seeing; instead of burning the man's body to a pile of ashes like it would have anyone else, the fire had merely caressed McCoy like a lover. Indeed, it actually seemed to be a part of him and Raiden found the sight to be absolutely mesmerising.
Kirk didn't realise that he wasn't breathing until Bones' eyes snapped open and a whoosh of air filled his lungs. He was sure his heart skipped a beat or two when he saw the fire in burning in the depths of Bones' eyes.
The song of the eternal flame of the Varden called out joyfully to his own and Bones saw the history of the Varden play out before him. At last McCoy finally understood the deep-seated fear that came from their ancestors, those precious few who were the only survivors of a Dark Phoenix attack.
The fire began to form again, and the flames moved in a frenzied dance around him, covering his body until they created a single beautiful form. Before everyone present, the Phoenix rose into the air, magnificent in all its glory and then it settled back around McCoy and graced him with a pair of flaming wings.
"The future is not sent in stone and it is always in flux, so what Alaula saw may come to past or it may not." McCoy shrugged. "Who knows? But you cannot hold our people captive on the fear of a future that may never be." McCoy spoke calmly to them, his eyes reflecting the absolute power of the Universe and the full knowledge of the Phoenix.
All around them, the Varden cringed away from McCoy, and their eyes were filled with both awe and fear as the creature from their legends stood before them.
The Enterprise crew had their own reactions as well, and it took all of McCoy's strength and willpower to look at his friends. He mentally and emotionally prepared himself for the hate, fear and condemnation he was sure he would see there.
Scotty stared at McCoy for a moment, his mouth hanging wide open with amazement before he regained himself and then a bright grin spread across his face. "That's bloody brilliant! As I said before I love this ship! We always have the most bloody exciting things happening to us!"
The engineer's enthusiasm was clearly contagious, because the next to speak was the awe-struck Pavlov Chekov. "This is so cool! Doctor McCoy is the Phoenix and the Reaper!" Chekov looked like his birthday had come early; he was so excited he could barely stand still and he kept bouncing on his toes and grinning like a child. "Ty udivitel'nyy, doktor!" Chekov was so excited that he unwittingly slipped into his native Russian. "You are amazing, Doctor!"
Uhura favoured McCoy with her special smile, the one that filled a person with a deep warmth that touched their very soul. The doctor knew he'd never have anything to fear from her and he nodded at her in acknowledgement.
Sulu was shaking his head in mild disbelief but with a smile on his face and mischief in his dark eyes. 'Well, now we know for sure Doctor McCoy will never be the bottom in their relationship!' He silently snickered; 'I wonder how the pursuit of the good doctor is going to go now that Spock and Kirk know that he is the Reaper, the ultimate alpha?'
Gratefully to know he had the support of his friends, McCoy moved his gaze over to the two men whose opinions mattered to him the most, Kirk and Spock.
As usual, the Vulcan's face was its normal blank canvas but McCoy was sure he wasn't imagining that he saw a hint of relief in Spock's dark eyes. "Doctor McCoy, I am glad to see that you are unharmed."
"Yeah, well, I can say the same for you, Spock. Honestly! Only you three could get yourselves captured over a legend," McCoy grumbled before turning his gaze onto his best friend and other bond mate, Kirk.
An array of emotions could be seen in Kirk's eyes: fear, worry, happiness, relief, and lust, but it was the final emotion in those blue eyes that nearly robbed McCoy of his breath. As clear as the light of day, he saw love shining there and it was all for him. "Jim?" he asked softly.
"Hey, Bones, do you think you can keep the fire wings?" Kirk asked with a rather naughty wink and in that moment, McCoy knew that everything was going to be okay.
While everyone was focused on Doctor McCoy, no one noticed the fearful and thoughtful look on one member of the security team, Ensign Cassandra Smith. 'This is just what Admiral Johnson wanted me to find out! I must tell him as soon as possible.' The ensign felt a sense of pride; 'the Admiral chose the right person for this mission. This just might get me a promotion!'
Kirk stalked forward until he reached Bones' side and then he stood protectively in front of him as he faced King Raiden. "Doctor McCoy did not have to reveal himself and the secrets he kept, but he did so in order to keep the fragile peace between your people and the Federation. I know you don't have to believe me when I say this, but I know Doctor McCoy and I have for years. He is one of the most caring, honourable and respectable men out there." Kirk felt his heart swell as he considered the man next to him. "He is genuinely one of the most wonderful men out there. I know for certain that there is not a dark, hateful or evil bone in his body. You have nothing to fear from us or him; I give you my word as a Starfleet officer. Please, let us go."
King Raiden easily recognized the look of possession and protection in Kirk's eyes and he saw the slight change in Spock's body language and in a flash, he knew he was no longer dealing with two Federation officers and a mythical creature but with three men each determined to protect their mates. He turned to the only person who would be able to back Captain Kirk's judgement of Doctor McCoy. "Alaula? You saw Doctor McCoy's past, what do you think?"
Alaula smiled softly as she remembered what she had seen; 'Captain Kirk is right about Doctor McCoy. The man is not a threat to anyone; he is a dedicated healer and a life saver.' The actions she'd seen him take to save and protect people from his CO when he was Reaper sprang to mind. She'd watched how hard he'd fought to save all those who fell onto his medical table. Perhaps most importantly, she'd born witness to his selflessness actions to bring Kirk onto his ship in a time of need. It was a move that might have very well have cost him his Starfleet career and maybe even his medical credentials. Instead, his willingness to risk it all for a friend, personal consequences be damned, had helped save an entire planet and its people.
"I saw no evil in his soul, my King. Doctor McCoy is not a threat to us. I do not fear the future I saw but I do know that as long as he has the undying and passionate love of his bond mates, he will not fall victim to the darkness." She sent a small, exasperated look at both Kirk and Spock as she added, "That is if they ever get a clue."
'If only! It would save us all a bloody headache.' Uhura, Scotty, Chekov and Sulu all silently agreed; they wondered if Kirk and Spock would take her advice.
Bones blanched as he realised how intimate the details were that Alaula had picked up in his memories; she knew his feelings for Kirk and Spock, how his soul longed to be bonded with the two of them forever.
A thoughtful look entered Kirk's eyes as he glanced first at Bones and then at Spock. 'I think Spock and I need to talk about our rivalry over Bones. It would seem that instead of silently fighting each other for his affections we should be working together. Bones' heart will be ours; it's only a matter of time.'
A plotting gleam entered Kirk's eyes as a plan began to take shape. 'I do believe I know exactly what to do.'
King Raiden's voice interrupted Kirk's musings. "I trust Alaula's judgement. Doctor McCoy has lived longer than all of us and has never given in to the power of the Phoenix that lives with him. It is clear to me that he has put his life as the Reaper successfully behind him. Captain Kirk, you and your crew are free to go and I hope that this will not ruin the friendship that could be between my people and the Federation." 'I really do hope this horrible mistake can be forgotten; we need the protection of the Federation if we are continue our explorations into space!'
Kirk grinned brightly at the obviously worried King. "Naw, trust me, this was nothing compared to some of our other missions. You didn't try to kill us, sacrifice us or marry us off to someone, so, all things considered, I definitely call this a win."
A grateful smile graced Raiden's face as he shook his head in disbelief. "It sounds to me that you have some very interesting adventures, Captain; perhaps next time you visit you would be kind enough to share some of them with us."
"You can count on it!" Bones groaned as a Kirk lit up like a child at Christmas. There was nothing the captain liked more than telling a good story, and heaven knows, the man had hundreds of them.