Disclaimer: You don't own me, I don't own the characters, don't sue me because I'm a turnip and I'm sorry if you're a vampire, but I HAVE NO BLOOD TO GIVE!

Warning: Contains m/m slash. Not a lemon. More of a…passionfruit? Wait that's cheesy. Don't like it, don't read it.

Author's Note: This is kind of a filler chapter, but filler chapter is better than no chapter, I reckon. And it builds character. Now you kind of know what Bones thinks about …you know. Stuff. Also, I'm pretty sure I completely forgot that there was a medical aide in the room with them, so you should too. Or you can pretend he left when Bones did.

The Knight and the Rook

Chapter Four: The Third Wheel

BONES:

Spock gave Jim one of those funny inscrutable looks of his and didn't say anything. His gaze flickered unconsciously to me, and Jim's followed a moment later, puzzled. So he didn't want to say anything in front of me, did he? Well, I got the hint. Ridiculous Vulcan reserve! I'm no busybody, but I like to know things, and I was curious about what kind of notions a forgotten conversation could conjure up that would make Jim forget all about the state of the ship.

Jim continued to stare Spock down. Spock cleared his throat, about to plough into whatever explanation or evasion he had ready to answer with in my presence, but I cut in first.

"Well, I reckon I ought to get started on the medical reports for all the others who were injured during the collision. Spock, you keep him here" (this with a jerk of the thumb at Jim) "—I'll be in my office," I said with as bad a grace as I could muster.

Spock turned to watch me go (I felt his eyes prickle the hair on the back of my neck), but Jim didn't even seem to notice, his eyes locked searchingly on Spock's face. I harrumphed to myself, hoping Jim would explain all this to me later.

Unless…well if it had anything to do with that, I didn't want to know about it. I mean, earlier, about a week ago I guess, Spock had seemed…but that was different. It was too bad, then, but he snapped out of it pretty quickly. Surely that had nothing to do with their little discussion.

Trying to put it out of my mind, I began to work on the mountain of medical reports.