This marks the end of this fic! I have some new ideas I want to start and if I put 'em here, it will just needlessly drag out the story.

"Alright Jim," McCoy began, looking at his PADD, "Right here I've got something to help us confirm our theory."

Jim blinked. "What theory?"

"Ah.." McCoy sighed- he forgot Jim had a temperamental memory. "We think there's a creature inside you, doing this."

The younger man nodded, shuffling under blankets on the biobed.

"So, we want to try to catch it while it's doing its thing. And it seems to do its thing while you're asleep."

Jim groaned.

"Yeah, guess who's getting another hypo."

Bones administered the shot, being weary to be gentle.

"We'll have results when you wake up. For now, just have a nice nap." he set the PADD aside for a second, walking to the comm. "McCoy to Spock, come up to sickbay."

Jim's eyes were drooped. And tired. And droopy. And tired. And ugh.

"Booones.." Jim whined, watching his vision split into two.

"Huh?"

"I feel funny.. Bones"

"That's cos you're not asleep yet. Close your eyes and try to sleep. Doctor's orders."

"How is he, doctor?" A Vulcan asked when walking in.

"He's just sleeping," McCoy began, passing the PADD to Spock. "Take a look at this."

Spock took a total of 1.6 seconds to analyse the data.

"There is an alien lifeform living in the stem of the Captain's brain."

McCoy huffed. "To put it heavily, yes."

"And have you discovered the meaning of the memory loss, and the delusions?"

McCoy leaned back on the heels of his shoes, swaying back and forth on them, in thought.

"I think the creature is doing it unintentionally. I have several ideas, the most possible being that as it moves, puts pressure on his cerebral cortex..."

"Which in turn hinders his ability to recall memories, and when pressure is released, the functionality returns." Spock finished.

McCoy folded his arms, standing deep in thought again. "Yeah, but we'll need to get rid of it."

"I presume through surgical intervention?" Spock questioned, handing the PADD back to the doctor.

"Yeah. I gotta wait for him to wake up first so I can inform him."

Spock nodded, then turned to leave. "I must resume my duties on the bridge."

"Yeah," McCoy waved his hand down, "Yeah of course. You go, I will stay here with Jim."

Spock gave a quick curt nod and made his leave.

Jim felt the clouds on the surface of his mind begin to clear. He opened his eyes in a haze, revealing a baffled looking McCoy standing over him. That expression was annoying. Jim wanted to remove it.

He reached an arm out to remove the expressions from McCoy's face.

"Uh," the doctor stood back and stared at the kid's floating arm. "What the hell are you doin'?"

"It's gone.." Jim breathed, then his own expression turned into one of proudness.

"Huh." McCoy stepped closer again, gripping the man's arm and lowering it to his bed. "What's gone?"

"I made it go away, Bones…" Kirk had a huge smile on his face.

"Yeah? Well you remember my name at least, which is good, because I want to talk to you."

"We're not talking nooow?" Kirk looked absolutely gobsmacked. McCoy furrowed his eyebrows and peered in closer to Jim's face.

"God damn, I thought it wasn't possible for you to get any more stupid."

Jim frowned.

"Now listen. I figured out what's wrong—there is a creature inside you and it's sitting in your brain."

Kirk's eyes widened in wonder, like that of a child. "Wow.." he breathed, hitting himself in the head.

"Yeah, that's where your brain is." Then he scowled, stumbling upon a realisation. He wanted to make sure. "Jim, do you want to go back to work?"
McCoy was waiting for the man to freeze up and jump at the opportunity to run the ship again. But instead, the Captain merely rolled his eyes to the left, the rest of himself following them.

"Why would I do that? I'm tired.. and I like it in here. It's… cosy."

McCoy huffed a sigh, then made his way to the wall comm.
"Doctor McCoy to Spock"

A second went by.
"Spock here."

"Spock, Jim's gonna be out of it longer than I thought. You need to remain acting Captain. In fact, get up here, you can see for yourself."

"I am on my way, doctor."

McCoy turned back to Jim, who was fiddling with the blankets. He rubbed his face in his hands. How the hell was he going to explain to a man with the mind of a child that he needed extensive brain surgery?

"Jim," he started, then realised Kirk wasn't paying attention, paying all of it to a blanket. "Stop that, ugh, look, oh for god sake's look at me!" he tugged Jim's hand away from the blanket and placed a hand on his cheek, forcing him to look at the doctor. Jim looked sad.

"Do you remember what I told you before you fell asleep?"

Jim nodded his head hastily, then turned to look at the blankets again.

"Damn it Jim! Stop fiddling with the blankets for a minute and talk to me!"

"I remember, Bones" he replied quietly.

"Good. Well, there is something that's causing the memory losses and it's sitting nicely in your head." McCoy paused, how do you put this nicely? "..And now that we found it, I've got to fix it, so you're all better. Yeah?"

Jim hesitated, but nodded. "Yeah, I wanna be better. What's wrong with me?"

McCoy held back the urge to grumble about how thick he was being.
"Memory loss.. delusions.."
And from what I can see now, you've fuckin' mentally and emotionally resorted to the state of a child, he thought.

The door hissed open, McCoy turned to the noise and saw Spock standing there looking.. expressionless, as usual. Jim would like that.
"Come in Spock." He greeted, turning his attention back to Jim.

"When are you gonna fix it?" he asked.

McCoy shrugged, "Whenever you're ready, kid."

"Your gentle tone to the Captain is most amusing." Spock retorted from behind him.
McCoy raised his eyebrows.

"Amusing, Spock?"

"A statement that you humans can refer to. It is not usual of you to treat the Captain in such a way."

"Yeah. Well I have to." When Spock's expression changed to look almost confused—if that was possible, McCoy stepped closer to the Vulcan and kept his voice low, "It's getting worse, a lot worse. His state of mind is that of a child."
Spock raised his head in acknowledgement, then turned to Kirk.

"You must perform treatment to extract the creature as soon as possible."

McCoy glared at him. "You think I don't know that? I'm in a dilemma here!"

Spock turned his head from Kirk to McCoy. "What is there to concern about?"

"He's a child. If a child tells you they agree to a surgery but the parent says no, you don't operate without their permission."

Spock remained quiet for a few seconds before speaking.
"May I remind you doctor, Jim is not a child. He is temporarily mentally impaired, but he is still the Captain, and that would leave the decision on whether to operate with you."

McCoy nodded. "See, there are very few reasons why you're wanted on this ship and your opinion is one of them."

"I believe I am needed because I am a science officer."

McCoy rolled his eyes and twisted back to Jim.

"You ready to get this damn thing out your head? I'll be glad when it's all over."

Jim's eyes lit up. "Yep!"

Bones had to stop himself from feeling guilty. The kid had no idea what he was in for. He sighed.

"Spock, you mind getting nurse Chapel down here to prep Jim so that I can set up the OR?"

The Vulcan remained wordless, but bowed his head and walked in the opposite direction.

McCoy walked confidentially out of the OR and headed to sickbay, where Chapel had finished prepping him.

"..And here's doctor McCoy now!" she was saying to him.

"Thanks Chapel. Spock." McCoy turned to Jim and forced himself to smile for once.

"Can you do it now?" Jim asked impatiently.

"Yeah, of course, just give me a sec."

Chapel sighed at McCoy's obvious worry and approaches him.

"Doctor, all will be fine."

McCoy shut his eyes and shook his head.

"I don't know, Christine." he whispered. "Is this right? I mean, Jim doesn't understand, he's acting like this is some kind of fun game, but this is... this is probably going to scar him, and I'm not just talking about physically." he sat on the chair next to Jim's bed and thought over his options.

"You're his physician, and you're responsible for him. Whatever he needs, you have the right to do it, you know that." Chapel tried to reassure him.

McCoy didn't answer and just stood up, then smiled at Jim again.

"Alright let's get this over with." he picked up a hypospray. "This is gonna-" suddenly Jim interrupted him by vomiting over the side of the bed. And started crying.

Bones swallowed hard. Was it always that bad?

"His fear of hypos is exponentially increased in this mental state, I should have known." he kicked himself, then breathed out in exasperation.

"It's alright doctor, let's just use gas."

McCoy nodded in acknowledgement and began setting up the next form of sedation.

"It's alright Jim" Chapel soothed the man.

"Manchild" McCoy whispered to himself, holding up and observing the mask, then gave it to Chapel. She turned to Kirk and sat next to him.

"This little thing goes over your face," she informed him, placing it over the man's mouth and nose. Jim's eyes were still wide in fear, his heart-rate notably doubled.

"I don't want it anymore!" his cries came muffled from under the mask. Chapel kept her gentle demeanour while McCoy struggled to keep himself calm.

Am I hurting him by doing this?

Is it right?

"Can you be brave, Jim?" Chapel asked him. Jim stopped fidgeting and looked up at Chapel, nodding.

"It's just oxygen for now" she smiled, her head following McCoy, who was pulling up the blankets that Jim was oh so obsessed about.

He wondered why he was being so kind with him.

Perhaps his state of mind reminds me of Joanna? he thought.

Yeah, that's it. Damn guy is acting like a kid.

He eyed Chapel, waiting for her to make eye contact so he could silently let her know he was going to start the sedatives in the gas.

As she did, he nodded and turned a couple of dials up, while Chapel faced Jim and continued rubbing his arm with her thumb.

"Doctor McCoy is really old school, huh?" she joked. Jim made a noise at the back of his throat instead.

Must be feeling the effects, McCoy thought.

"It's gonna start smelling really sweet." he told Kirk, who was fidgeting to get the mask off. "And you'll feel tired, don't fight it, just sleep, alright Jimbo?"

The younger man nodded, but appeared to be scowling. His eyes fluttered shut, and was able to feel the vibration of the bed going flat before he embraced the darkness.

McCoy gripped the rails of the bed and forced them upwards, locking them in place.
"Get him down to the OR, everything is prepped in there. I have to speak to the bridge crew."

"How long will you be, doctor?" Chapel asked, helping him turn the bed around.

"Not long, I'll be right down." He approached the door and stopped, turning around. "You may as well intubate him, save us time." And with that, the doctor immediately quick-walked out the room.

"Vat do you zink Sulu? Do you zink zat ze Captain vill be alvright?" Chekov's accent was pronounced and almost incoherent.

Spock interrupted Sulu before he could answer.
"I am sure that the Captain is in good hands, ensign."

At that moment, the turbolift doors hissed, with McCoy stepping in the second that doors began to crack open.

"Doctor McCoy," Spock acknowledged. "What news of the Captain?"

McCoy finished walking up to Spock and studied the bridge.
"He's in the OR with Chapel. I'll be right there. But I just came here to let you know that I'm going to be with Jim in surgery for a while and it's imperative that we're not interrupted."

Spock merely craned his head sideways slightly.

"I mean it, Spock. If there's a piece of shit of an enemy vessel coming our way, don't even think about hailing us because I can't answer. I have to start and finish this without interruption. Do you understand?"

Spock bowed his head. "Indeed."

McCoy folded his arms. "Good. And the same goes for the rest of you. Do not comm the Captain's quarters, the operating room or my sickbay until I tell you to. If someone is gravely injured then report to sickbay but do not ask for me."

There was a variety of "yes sir" called out, before McCoy turned on his heel to leave the room.

"You all set up in here?" McCoy burst into the OR, feeling rather proud of his dramatic entrance.

"Yes doctor, we can start when you're ready." Chapel informed him, looking cautiously at the vitals, as if expecting Kirk to wake up.

"Alright. Now we can't go mucking about in his head without being sure that we've not screwed something up, so keep him under until the creature is exposed, then we'll have to keep him lightly conscious to make sure he can still move, still speak, the usual."

Chapel hummed in response to McCoy's plan and took a hypospray, jamming it into Jim's neck harder than she anticipated. "Should keep him under until then."

McCoy nodded and took a device from a set of instruments, carefully beginning to make his incision and prove his worth, that he really was the best doctor in the fleet.

"Laser scalpel," he ordered, not taking his eyes off his patient. Chapel handed him the instrument, checking up at the vitals for change.

About halfway into the procedure, McCoy placed his instruments down and sighed. He kept his magnifying glasses on.

"That's the little shit right there", he pointed at the creature. Chapel squinted.

"I might need those," she referred to the magnifying glasses.

"Oh yeah", the device was passed over to her, she hastily put them on, making an alarmed humming sound at the sight of it. "That's what's been hurting him?"

McCoy grabbed the glasses back. "Yeah. I can't risk getting access to it while he's asleep in case I hit something."

Abruptly, the room started glowing red, and for what felt like several moments which was only a second, the alarms began blaring with the voice of Chekov repeating "code red" over the ship comms. McCoy groaned inwardly.

"The hell did I say about interrupting us? I made it blatantly fuckin' clear-"

"Bridge this is Chapel, please turn off the intercom for sickbay and the OR."

A brief pause.

"Understood nurse." Came the voice of Spock, the ear-piercing sound being cut off, the flashing red lights stopping, although the alarm was still glowing red to remind them.

"I can live with that," McCoy stated, fiddling with the IV drips to bring Jim into consciousness. "I'm gonna lessen the propofol, tell me when his vitals start rising."

Chapel didn't even need to let him know, as 10 seconds later, Kirk's eyes shot open and another alarm was once again set off. McCoy immediately checked the IV drips. "He's not supposed to be this alert."
Kirk however, saw and heard everything.

Jim was trying to come to terms with being suddenly forced into awareness—the first and only thing he saw being blue-tinted lamp lights glaring into his eyes. One light was different to the others—it was yellow and small. The faces of masked people were above him, hovering over him like he was an amusing circus animal.
Realising he was about to hyperventilate, his breathing hitched in his throat, stopping his breathing from spiralling out of control, although it felt like he desperately needed it.
As his eyes focused, he realised that the small light was in fact an accessory on one of his captors heads.

Then it hit him.

What if he was dead?
Is this.. what if this was..

Jim felt his eyes widen.

What if these people were..
Oh god, they thought he was dead and now they're dissecting him.
Oh shit.
Oh fucking shit.
Oh fucking shit shit shit shit fuck I need to get out, I need to—fuck, fuck but what if they've already cut me open? Oh god. Oh god I'm fucked. Oh god oh god ohgodohgodicantbreatheicanticanticant-

"Just relax Jim, you're alright. It's Bones, and we're in the OR. Just relax kid, you're okay."
Oh, he wasn't dead? Well that changes things slightly. But maybe he was dying?

"Ah-gg-ag-ah-" Jim choked through the tube in his throat. Then his heartrate noticeably raised when he realised he couldn't talk. McCoy held himself back from showing emotion.
What he wouldn't give to have the emotional stability of Spock right now.

"Jim, we're just about to get the creature out but we need your help. Don't talk, because you'll find you won't be able to."

Jim's eyes were fixed upon McCoy's, there was obvious complete fear in them.

He's not supposed to be this alert, McCoy repeated to himself in concern.
If he remembers this, it's going to traumatise him.

"Chapel is going to ask you some questions and I'll just be back here doing my thing, okay?"

There was an unmistakable "nnn-hnnn" in reply to him, McCoy knowing he understood.
"Alright. I sure as hell owe you a drink when you get out of this." He tried to lighten the mood, then swapped places with Chapel. He continued his work.

"Okay, Jim, try to squeeze my hand for me," Chapel told him, gliding her hand under his. Jim effortlessly obeyed.

"Good, now, I'm going to take this tube out your throat, see if you can try to breathe on your own, then we can try to get you to talk, alright?"

Another "nnn-hnnn" was mumbled.

Jim felt the tubing slide out of his throat, and couldn't hold back the cough he was holding. McCoy scowled from behind him.

"I know it's difficult Jim, but try not to move, don't wanna fuck up my amazing work" he warned.

"S-ss-.." Jim stopped and inhaled, both the doctors looking anxiously at him. "Sssorry."

McCoy breathed a sigh of relief. "It's alright, kid."

"Talk to me about how you got the Enterprise, Jim" Chapel asked. Jim looked deep in thought.

"I… I was with.. umm.." Jim paused and thought. Chapel patiently waited. "I took it over.. from.. Pike. He.. gave.. her.. to me.."

"Why did he give her to you?"

No response. Chapel and McCoy glanced at each other.

"Why did Pike give the Enterprise to you, Jim?"

"I want to sleep"

"You can sleep after we've done this. Jim, why did Pike—"

"He relinquished his command of the Enterprise, and then died a few years later, which wouldn't have happened if he was on the ship, his death was my fault, that's why—I got it because he gave it to me, and if he didn't give it to me he wouldn't be dead, okay? That's my fault, that's my fault, it's my fault, it's my.. my.. my.. myfault..it'smyfaultishouldnthavecontrolishouldntishoudishouldnt-" as Chapel was about to sooth him, Kirk caught sight of the red alarm glowing in the background. His heartrate shot up in seconds.

"Wh…Wh…y?" Jim breathed, out of breath and exhausted. "W-why- wha… wha' happen?"

"McCoy are you nearly done?" Chapel called to him.

"Almost. I have access, I'm about to take it out. Keep him calm."

"Jim, what happened to Pike wasn't your fault. He chose to give you his ship himself. And you command the Enterprise excellently."

"Why is the alarm red?" Jim panicked, gripping to the edge of the bed, as if trying to move himself upwards. Alarms screamed from the monitors at sudden blood loss.

McCoy freaked, and almost screamed at the man.
"Jesus fucking Christ Jim, don't fucking move! Do you really want to go moving around with your head cut open?" Chapel placed a hand on the doctor's shoulder, "Stay the fuck still man!"

"Doctor," Chapel warned, as Jim's heart-rate was spiking to the danger zone.

"If it was that urgent, they would have told us to keep you asleep and bring you out of the OR. But we're all still here. The red alert is relevant to the crew. Not to us, Jim, you hear?" McCoy informed him instead.

Jim groaned. "Okay.."
The vitals dropped to an acceptable level again.

"Aaand—yeah, the little shit is out." There was a clank sound as the small brown creature was dropped onto the tray.

Both of them exhaled a sigh of relief. McCoy looked exhausted, rubbing his hands over his face.

"I'll suture him up doctor, you go to your office and relax." Chapel told him, adjusting the IV fluids to put Jim back under again. "You can have your nap now, Captain." Chapel smiled.
Jim instantly shut his eyes and exhaled.

The second McCoy left the room, he was greeted with a straight-postured Vulcan.

"How is he, doctor?"

"He's fine," McCoy waved him down, making his way to his office, Spock following him.

"Fine is a relative term. Is he going to recover?"

"Yeah. I got the creature out. Never seen it before in my life."

"And his memory?"

"Should not bother him anymore. Won't be going back to duty for a couple of weeks, maybe months, we'll see how he goes."

Spock gestured to the door of the doctor's office, allowing him to walk in first.

"Thanks," he muttered, storming in and immediately dropping onto his chair.

"Your work appears to have been highly commendable." Spock told him.

"Is that a compliment? Damn, this day is just getting weirder and weirder."

Kirk woke up in sickbay a couple of hours later. He found that he seemed to have been sectioned off, being alone in a room, several IV's sticking into his arm.
I bet Bones put that there.

"How you feelin' kid?"

Speaking of the devil.

"Feel.. tired." Jim slurred, rolling his head to the side to face the doctor.

"Yeah. You'll be off duty for a while, but you'll be fine. Try to get some more sleep."

Jim inhaled a perfect breathe, and exhaled. A grin spread across his face.
McCoy's expression turned to that of curiosity.

"What you smilin' about? The good stuff getting to ya?"

Jim opened his eyes again. "Feel good..Bones.. feel really good."

This time it was McCoy's turn to smile.

"That's good to hear, kid. Don't go moving around now—if you screw up my handy-work I'll personally kill you myself."

Jim chuckled to himself quietly. "Mmm.. don't worry.. don't plan on moving.."

"Yeah? Well I won't count on it, you'll be asking to go back to work in no time." He patted the kid's head. "In which case, I'll say no."

Jim grunted in reply and his eyes fluttered shut. "M' wanna sleep.."

McCoy put a supportive hand on Kirk's arm for a second, before, standing up and checking the vitals once more.

"Not surprised. Go to sleep kiddo, if you need anything either scream my name, scream for pointy, or more desirably, press this button here" he gestured to the call button.

"Will do, Bones.."

And with that, Jim sighed and drifted off to sleep, to begin a long road for recovery.