[Sickbay] -- [Open to All!]

[kirktastic]

The room he had been put into was dimly lit and stifling. The dim lighting was highly preferred to the brilliant white of sickbay proper, but it felt like it was closing in on him. Thanks to Spock, or so he was fairly sure he had told his request to, the drugs keeping his brain from functioning had been taken away or at least decreased severely

Comments

[original_fine]

Jim, refreshed and reunited with Spock, made his way to sickbay.

He had broken the link with his younger counterpart, the divorce curiously uncomfortable though he had buried that in Spock moments later. But he needed to know how Jim was doing. He had told him he'd be there. And he was. Now he knew, knew for certain that they were connected. He was no longer funneling his own energy into that connection, nor receiving feedback. For which he was grateful. But that wasn't all he could do.

He was admitted to Jim's room, his nose wrinkling with the accumulated memories and associations of sickbay. Jim looked too small, his skin marred all over, his body weak and helpless-looking in the bed. Jim didn't like seeing him this way--it was too close, now, to seeing himself. But he smiled as he entered, moving into Jim's line of site.

"Jim," he said warmly, quietly.

[kirktastic]

Kirk shifted his head and looked to Jim, and gave a slow smile. Jim. He reached out with his hand - right, the left was hating on him - and focused as much as he could. It had been easier with Spock, their minds passing back and forth information.

As far as he knew, he hadn't said a word since waking up that first time.

[original_fine]

Jim's smile broadened and he stepped forward, taking Kirk's hand gently in his own. It felt too cold.

"I'm here," he said softly, in his eyes all the love that had surrounded their joining in that curious dream-space.

[kirktastic]

Jim felt as warm as he always did. Hell, that smile was as smooth as honey and potent as whiskey and it made his own smile grow. He licked his lips and tugged Jim's hand up to his face, leaning slightly against it. The black marks of the tattoo were still scabbed over partly, ugly but striking at the same time.

[original_fine]

Kirk looked horrible. It pained Jim. His skin was rough and fragile against Jim's hand, but the dismay didn't show on his face. At least Kirk was smiling. Jim didn't know what he was on, or whether he was not talking or couldn't talk, but he knew Kirk would pull through.

He cupped Kirk's face gently, gazing into his eyes as if communing silently for a moment. Did he remember? Likely not. Jim barely did--it was more the memory of a memory. But he knew what had happened.

"You look good," he said, understanding the importance of saying something. "Better than you did. Bones is taking good care of you. Said I had to let you go, let them treat you on your own. You say the word, though and I'll be there again." He didn't know if Jim even knew about the link. "Was the least I could do, giving some of my strength to you. Seems we're the same person, after all."

[kirktastic]

Kirk stared up into those honey-colored eyes, blinking slowly. There was a haze in his own, evidence of the drugs still in him, but they kept his gaze.

He remembered. Not every detail, not every word, but he remembered.

Told me you'd stay.

The words were only mouthed, not releasing their locked gazes.

[original_fine]

Jim leaned in close, but there was no sound. He thought he'd caught the gist, though. And frowned slightly, his heart sinking. Did Kirk really think of that as a betrayal? He didn't understand, must not. He would, later. It didn't make Jim feel any better now.

"I know," he said. "And I did. I'm here. I'll do whatever you need. But we couldn't stay... like that. Not and remain who we are. They couldn't treat us both." He smiled gently. "We knew you were strong enough, Jim. And I'm still here."

[kirktastic]

Like this, Kirk could manage to bring his hand up to carefully, though a bit ungracefully, lay his hand against Jim's cheek. The very ends of blond hair tickled his fingertips, and it was enough to bring the smile back at least a little.

He wanted to know why Jim had broken it with them apart, so it ended up being a painful shock. He wanted to know if Jim was okay. Who else had come to save him and George? Where they okay?

[original_fine]

Jim didn't know what he wanted. He couldn't; even with the link in place, they weren't Vulcan. He wished he knew what Kirk knew already. What he could talk about, what he needed to know. But he didn't want to tax him. McCoy would be in here any moment, blustering at him to let Kirk get his rest.

"What can I do?" he murmured, wanting to coax that smile out more. "I need to speak to your Spock--but otherwise I'll be here as much as you need."

[kirktastic]

Kirk's brows came together for a moment, thinking. Then, suddenly, his face lit up. There was a second of pain as the still-healing tattoos pulled, but then he removed his hand and gestured.

The old fashion gesture for writing, doing it on the air in front of him. A padd.

[original_fine]

Ah. Couldn't, not wouldn't. Or at least, he wasn't unwilling to communicate. Jim grinned encouragingly, and retrieved a padd and stylus. He held it firmly before Kirk, hoping he wouldn't have to strain too much.

[kirktastic]

Kirk wrote carefully, but found it hard to focus. The writing was sloppy, but readable.

Are you okay?

A simple start, but he looked up at Jim, wanting to know.

[original_fine]

"Yes," Jim said, smiling reassuringly. And, not unintuitive, he tried to save Kirk the trouble of his next question. "Everyone came back. George was hurt badly, but he's recovering--thanks to my Bones. Sam is going to be fine as well. And both Spocks. Pike's suffered some injuries, but he seems to be recovering well. I had a knife to the shoulder, but it's barely a twinge, now."

Had no one told him?

[kirktastic]

So it had been Jim, Spock, Sam... Pike's Spock... wait, the one with the beard? Kirk blinked in surprise, then wrote carefully.

Why Pike's Spock?

[original_fine]

Jim hesitated. He couldn't trouble Kirk with Pike's suspicions now. But he could give him the reason they were initially given. Which had some sense to it.

"They have more experience with Romulans than the crew," he said. "And I, for one, believe that giving those two something to do, something to prove, is safer than letting them chafe against captivity too long."

Jim's expression was tight and unreadable.

"He saved my life."

[kirktastic]

That surprised Kirk. He would have pinned the bearded Spock to be... well, an evil bastard. One that would have let Jim die if he had gotten hurt.

Tell me what happened, Jim. Please, no bullshit.