A/N: This is my first Star Trek fanfiction, besides the parody crossover I wrote several years ago. Enjoy!

The doctor was dying, and there was nothing Jim or Spock could do about it. They watched helplessly from inside the force field as Gem, the empath, fell away after healing only his surface injuries. She was afraid. Jim demanded that the Vians not let McCoy die, but they said that his death was not important.

Not important? Spock thought. They had such a disregard for life, yet they placed value on compassion? It was not logical. Spock involuntarily held his breath as Gem went back to McCoy. However, he awoke and pushed her away, unwilling that she sacrifice her life for his. This was not entirely unexpected, but Spock felt more admiration and respect for the doctor in that moment than before. At the same time, his heart sank. If they could not get through to the Vians, the doctor, his friend, would die. There was not much time left.

Spock was able to escape the force field by suppressing his emotions, something he suggested Jim try as well. Normally, he would never admit to having any sort of emotion, but it would be pointless to deny it when the proof was right there. He took the device from one of the Vians and freed Jim. They tried to convince them that their test was completed, that it was enough that Gem had offered her life. Jim pleaded with them to show the same compassion they wanted Gem to act on, but they would not. Rage burned within the captain and Spock at this injustice. Now Gem's people and Dr. McCoy would be lost.

Rage turned to terrible grief as they returned to their friend's side. Spock knew that he had only seconds left.

"Bones," Jim said in a choked whisper. Spock gently took the doctor's hand, and he knew that his eyes betrayed how he was feeling. Despite the terrible pain, McCoy managed a weak smile for his two closest friends.

"It was worth it," he rasped, then closed his eyes. His breath stilled.

Spock looked over at Jim, who was crying silent tears. Dr. Leonard McCoy was dead. There was no bringing him back this time. Spock and the doctor had many differences and disagreements, and McCoy loved to pick on him and call him things like "green-blooded hobgoblin," but Spock knew that the good doctor cared for him in truth. In fact, he had sacrificed himself because the alternative had been Spock most likely going insane from torture.

This was going to be a hard blow to the rest of the crew of the Enterprise as well. While it was true that they would get a new CMO, Dr. McCoy could not be replaced in the sense that he was, as humans might say, 'one of a kind.'

Spock felt a strange sense of emptiness. Then he realized: not only had he lost a friend, but one who had been like a brother to him. And he knew that Jim felt it too.

Spock awoke, a bit disturbed by how real the dream had felt as it was happening. Curious, he thought as he sat up. Dreaming wasn't a phenomenon Vulcans often experienced. And why had he dreamt that? That was not what had come to pass on Minara—not all of it, anyway. He pushed away the sense of relief and got ready for the alpha shift.

He froze when he ran into Dr. McCoy on the way to the turbolift.

"Good mornin' Spock," the doctor greeted, then eyed him with concern. "Are you all right?"

Spock tried not to think about the dream. "I am perfectly all right, doctor." He started to walk away, but McCoy grabbed his shoulder.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Now, if you'll excuse me, I am needed on the Bridge." McCoy reluctantly let him go, though Spock was sure the doctor would bring this up again later.

When he returned to his quarters for the night, he nearly allowed himself to believe the doctor had forgotten about it, but McCoy appeared in his doorway at that moment.

"Spock, can I come in?"

"An illogical question, doctor, as you have already done so," Spock replied, and McCoy rolled his eyes.

"We need to talk about this morning."
"There is nothing to discuss."

"Yes there is," McCoy asserted, crossing his arms. "You froze up when you saw me this morning. Now, there had to be a reason for that."

"Doctor, I do not believe the matter concerns you as my health has not been affected."

McCoy scowled. "I'm here as your friend, Spock. I'm not leaving until you tell me what was bothering you." Spock decided against saying that he had not felt 'bothered' as it would undoubtedly only further irritate the human. He maintained silence for a few moments.

"I had a dream."

McCoy tilted his head. "A dream? That's unusual for Vulcans, isn't it?"

"Yes… it began as a memory, then altered. The events that transpired on Minara."

McCoy's eyes darkened. "I still have nightmares about that myself, occasionally."

"In the dream," Spock continued, "the Vians did not elect to heal you."

McCoy's eyebrows rose, and he was quiet, seemingly unsure of how to respond. Then he studied his friend's eyes for a moment and smiled sympathetically.

Spock shifted in discomfort. Nightmares occurred due to fear, an emotion which came from love in this particular case. And he just indirectly admitted this to Dr. McCoy. He hoped the human would not take this opportunity to taunt him or try to get him to admit anything outright, though he knew that McCoy never did that in order to shame or embarrass him. Over time, Spock noted that humans sometimes had an emotional need for verbal confirmation that they were loved.

This time, however, McCoy regarded him with a thoughtful expression.

"You really would miss me if I was gone, wouldn't you?" There was no hint of teasing in his tone. "Don't answer that." He moved to Spock's side and patted his back. "Good night, Spock."

"Good night, doctor," the Vulcan said with a nod.

As McCoy went on his way, he contemplated all the times Spock had shown concern for himself and Jim through his actions and the lengths he would go to protect their lives. He wasn't going to stop his good-natured teasing by any means, but he would have to remember to stop himself from seriously asking Spock to admit to emotion in the future—he didn't need to.