Spock quickened his pace as he carried the unconscious and injured doctor over his strong shoulders. The determined Vulcan carried his downed colleague into the relative safety of the rocky cave in an attempt to seek refuge from the relentless thunderstorm that roared outside. Scotty followed close by, one hand clutching at his dislocated shoulder and the other hand grasping firmly, desperately onto their damaged equipment. The air inside the cave was much warmer than outside, and offered much needed shelter to the stranded officers from the heavy rain that chilled them to the bone. All three men were suffering numbness in their extremities and limbs making their movements clumsy and uncoordinated.

Walking into the cave and into the warmth Spock kneeled down and gently laid McCoy down from his shoulders and onto the stone floor. Spock's strong hands cradled the back of McCoy's head and kept his neck stable. McCoy was pale and his lips and fingers were blue from the exposure to the coldness of the icy rain. The three men were drenched, the rain soaking into their uniforms and the strands of their hair.

"Mr. Spock," Scotty watched in a controlled fear as the science officer put his hand against Dr. McCoy's neck to check for a pulse; both knowing that the prolonged exposure to the cold would prevent a radial pulse from being detected. "is he going to be okay?"

Spock's answer came in the form of a silent reaction. Knowing he'd be unable to locate a pulse in McCoy's wrist and unable to find one in his carotid along his neck, Spock's hand quickly moved from McCoy's neck and down to his chest. His hand came to a rest above McCoy's heart.

"Mr. Spock?" Scotty asked again as his stomach knotted with fear and began trembling from the cold that soaked his uniform.

Pressing his ear to McCoy's chest Spock held his breath as his listened for any signs of lingering life from the wounded doctor. Spock lifted his head and placed his hand back on McCoy's barely moving chest. "I am not sure." He turned to face the chief engineer who was standing a few yards away. "He is alive. But he is suffering from hypothermia, as well as potential internal hemorrhaging."

"Can you help him?" Scotty looked down at McCoy's unconscious face woefully. "I mean, what can we do for him out here in the middle of a storm?"

Spock let out a sigh as he mentally began weighing the odds of their survival during their isolation in the severe storm, let alone save McCoy without properly functioning medical equipment. "I do not know. Unfortunately for us he is the doctor, not I. My knowledge of human physiology is quite limited."

"If I can repair the tricorder can you use it to figure exactly how seriously he's been injured?"

"Even with a proper or more precise diagnosis my ability to assist Dr. McCoy remains just as minimal as before." Spock refuted stoically. "We need to return him to the Enterprise where he can receive proper medical treatment by qualified medical personnel, which can only be achieved with the use of a fully functioning sickbay."

McCoy remained unconscious, his pale face was lifeless but his lips and fingers were returning to a healthier complexion compared to the initial pale blue. His breathing seemed to improve as he was able to take deeper breaths, but they were just as slow and seemed unnaturally weak coming from the usually strong man.

Spock moved his hand down the left side of McCoy's rib cage and toward his torso. He retracted his hand when he felt McCoy's body twitch in a painful response, yet even during that brief moment of contact Spock could feel that McCoy's abdomen was becoming rigid due to the accumulation of blood from an internal injury.

Scotty moved to sit down on the floor near McCoy and stared at the damaged tricorder in his tight grip. "Commander, with your permission I would like to dismantle the tricorder in an attempt to reconfigure its output into a distress signal."

Spock glanced at the engineered and arched his eyebrow. "Curious. Why would you request my permission to attempt such a feat?"

"In the event that the tricorder was needed to scan Dr. McCoy, I... I didn't want to be solely responsible for destroying the only instrument that could be used to help him."

"I see." Spock was trained to conceal his emotions and exercise discipline in never submitting to an emotional response, but he understood the emotion of 'guilt' all too well. An emotion he felt on the day he was unable to save his own Mother or planet from a vengeful Romulan named Nero. "Permission granted."

"Thank you, sir."

Spock eyed Dr. McCoy's medical kit slung around Scotty's shoulder. "Mr. Scot, what equipment contained within the medical kit survived the impact?"

Scotty slipped off the kit and flinched as the motion aggravated his dislocated shoulder, which still needed to be popped back into place. Opening the kit with one hand Scotty rummaged around and inspected the contents within. "The medical tricorder and portable scanner are both useless. All that survived the impact is the hypo-spray and a few injections."

Before Spock could acknowledge Scotty a weak cough from Dr. McCoy caught the Vulcan's attention. Gently he replaced his hand on McCoy's chest and rested his palm in place as the coughing fit wracked the injured doctor's body with violent spasms.

Scotty knelt down beside Dr. McCoy gave his friend a sympathetic look. "I don't like the way his coughing sounds. It sounds like he's choking."

"He is likely suffering from congestion due to the intense cold or from an internal hemorrhage."

"What can I do to help?"

"We must find a way to keep him warm." Spock noted firmly. "Attempt to use the damaged tricorder to emit a distress signal while I'll create a fire and monitor Dr. McCoy's condition."

"Right. I'll do my best Mr. Spock."

"I would not expect anything less."

Aboard the Enterprise Captain James "Jim" T. Kirk sat in the captain's chair with his hand pressed to his chin as he leaned forward against his knees in deep, contemplative thought. It had been two hours since contact with the landing party had been severed and almost a full hour since the ship's sensors were no longer able to track the movements of the three officers down on the planet's surface.

"Any change in the sensor array Mr. Chekhov?" Jim asked his skilled ensign calmly but firmly.

"No sir," the young officer, Pavel Chekhov, answered in a melancholy tone as he assessed the display panel before him. "there has been no changes in the current readings."

Lt. Hikaru Sulu shared the helm with Chekhov and reluctantly confirmed the readings. "The storm's electrical activity has been interfering with out instruments before the shuttle craft went down. Despite our modifications the storm is still interfering and shows no sign of dissipating any time soon."

"Damn." Jim sounded almost defeated. The three officers were also three of his closest friends. It pained him to know that there was nothing more than could be done to locate, let alone rescue his three intrepid friends and reputable officers. "Continue to sweep the surface of the planet in search of humanoid life forms."

"Yes sir." Sulu acknowledged the order. "Continuing sweep."

Spinning around in his chair Jim turned his attention to the communications officer, Lt. Nyota Uhura. Her unparalleled skills in distinguishing between many different languages, dialects and tones had proven invaluable in the past. "Uhura can you pick up any potential incoming communications that are being hindered by the storm?"

"No sir." She gave Jim a morose glance as she too was worried about the fate of the missing officers. She and Spock had managed to rekindle what was often viewed as an unstable romance, and her every thought for his safe return. "I'll continue to monitor frequencies and check in with each possible Star Fleet channel in the sector."

"Good." Jim turned his chair back to its former position and stared intently at the vast darkness of the sky around the ship and to the trillions of glistening white stars that dotted the blackness. "I don't plan on leaving without our full crew on board."

"Done! The distress signal will provide an accurate reading of our current coordinates. That is of course if the damned thing can transmit through the bloody storm." Scotty had finished adjusting the tricorder to send out a very limited but very crucial distress signal when he caught the disturbing sound of McCoy coughing deep, painful coughs that caused his entire body to shudder violently on the cavern floor. "Mr. Spock?"

The Vulcan had been kneeling beside the injured doctor ever at attention. Placing his hands down on McCoy's shoulders he used his superior Vulcan strength to help keep the ailing man as still as possible without causing further injury. "The congestion has become increasingly severe despite the warmth provided by the fire. We can rule out the cold as the cause for said congestion."

"What can be done to help him?" Scotty sounded confident but the fear shining in his eyes betrayed his otherwise calm demeanor.

"As I've previously stated my knowledge on human medicine is quite limited."

A hoarse voice replied with a heavy tone. "So you admit your don't know everything. Glad I lived long enough to hear it."

Scotty smiled as he realized that Dr. McCoy had finally regained consciousness. "Nice to see you awake doctor."

McCoy glanced about the gave suspiciously before locking eyes with the Vulcan leaning protectively over him. "Spock, what happened?"

"The shuttle craft was struck by lightning shortly after arriving at the coordinates. The craft was destroyed in the impact against the mountainous terrain of the planet."

"Are you-" McCoy coughed again and begrudgingly allowed Spock to help hold him steady during the coughing fit. He paused, took a breath and tried to speak again. "Are you two injured?"

Spock arched his eyebrow in surprise at the question while Scotty bowed his head a little. The engineer looked at his dislocated shoulder and sighed. "Nothing a quick trip to sickbay can't mend."

Spock nodded in agreement. "Doctor you suffered the brunt of the injuries during this impact. We are attempting to make contact with the Enterprise but the storm is very likely causing heavy interference."

McCoy licked his dry lips and gave Spock a slight smirk. "Well, I don't imagine that this is a problem that the Vulcan mind can't overcome."

"Mr. Scot is attempting to relay a distress signal." Spock gave McCoy an intuitive glance before continuing on. "Your medical kit survived the crash albeit with some notable damage. If you will permit me to perform the Vulcan mind meld-" Before he could speak further another violent coughing fit stole his words.

McCoy shuddered violently as he choked and gasped for air as his lungs continued to fail him. Blood rained from his lips as the coughing fit forced the pooling blood from his lungs.

Spock did his best to hold McCoy's spasming body still while also keeping track of the dying man's pulse. Holding his head and neck steady Spock patiently waited for the coughing fit to pass, enduring the haunting sound of the coughs and the all too distinct smell of fresh blood.

Scotty covered his mouth in abject horror and took a simple step forward as the gruesome sight was too much to be ignore.

"Dr. McCoy you must permit me to mind meld." Spock kept his hand on McCoy's shoulders in an attempt to keep the increasingly shaking man steady on the cave floor. "With access to your medical knowledge I can assist-"

"Spock," McCoy's voice sounded almost defeated and very frightened as his hushed, gasping words trembled between his chattering teeth. "I've seen so many bad things, felt so much pain, endured tragedy and loss..." He paused as his breath hitched in his heaving, pain filled chest. "I don't want anyone to experience what I have. No one deserves that. Not even you can handle so much pain..." His head lolled to the side against his own shoulder and his eyes began rolling back in his head as he began losing consciousness. "I can't let you... do it."

"Doctor?" Spock put his hand on the side of McCoy's face and gently lifted his head up from his shoulder. "Leonard? Wake up."

Scotty knelt down beside McCoy and stared with mounting concern in his eyes. "Dr. McCoy? Please, you must let us help you!"

McCoy didn't respond and his breathing continued to suffer as the blood pooled in his chest and compressed his lung further. Spock pressed his ear down against McCoy's cold, stilled chest and listened intently.

"He has gone into full cardiac arrest."

"What can we-" Scotty didn't have time to ask as Spock straightened McCoy's neck and gently placed his hand on the side of McCoy's face. "What are you doing man?!"

"Forgive me Leonard." Spock pleaded as he closed his eyes and performed the mind meld with the dying man.

Scotty watched as Spock silently absorbed the knowledge contained inside McCoy's mind from even beyond the reaches of death itself. Spock flinched momentarily and steeled himself refusing to stop the meld before obtaining the necessary knowledge required to save McCoy's life.

Spock's eyes shot open, unshed tears pooled against his dark irises, and he pulled his hand away from McCoy's face. Taking a deep breath Spock set about performing CPR on the downed man, using the old Earth technique in a desperate bid to revive the fallen doctor.

Scotty watched in amazement as Spock instinctively wrapped his right hand over his left, interlacing his fingers together and began compressing in perfect rhythm against the near center of McCoy's unmoving chest.

"Mr. Scot," Spock instructed the engineer without breaking rhythm. "inside the medical kit you'll find a hypo-spray labeled atropine, I will require it."

"Yes sir!" Scotty scrambled for the kit, ignoring the burning pain in his shoulder as he inspected the contents of the kit and retrieved the requested medication. "Here it is."

Spock took the offered hypo from Scotty and pressed it to the side of McCoy's neck. Injecting the medicine in McCoy's carotid artery Spock resumed chest compressions. "Did the diagnostics wrap endure the crash?"

"Yeah, I think so!" Scotty grabbed the kit and lugged it over to Spock as he was unable to use both arms to carry the kit. "It's stored-"

Spock located the instrument without needing to look inside the kit as McCoy's meticulous knowledge of his equipment had been passed on through the meld. Using the wrap Spock examined McCoy's chest and could see that the accumulation of blood in his left lung was causing the congestion as well as hypovolemic shock and cardiac arrest.

"I do not have the proper equipment to perform the necessary procedure to remove the blood." Spock admitted feeling like a failure.

"How long does..." Scotty swallowed once nervously before finishing the question. "How long until he... passes on?"

"Not long..." Spock gently took McCoy's cold hands and folded them over his own chest. Leaving hands atop of McCoy's Spock was bound and determined to stay by his friend's side until the very end.

The melodic sound of a transporter beam materializing just outside of the cave entrance was a sound Scotty was incredibly grateful to hear. "They've found us Mr. Spock!"

Jim and Sulu rushed inside the cave, the two men dripping with the pounding rain, and gathered around where McCoy was laying.

"Spock, what happened?" Jim asked solemnly.

"I will explain in time Captain." Spock put his arms under McCoy's shoulders and legs and lifted the fatally wounded man up from the cool cavern floor. "We must get Doctor McCoy into sickbay immediately."

Jim and Spock stood outside of the operating suite of sickbay with silent impatience. Scotty had joined the two men after having his shoulder treated and placed in a temporary sling for the next forty-eight hours. Uhura had found an officer to take over her shift so that she could join in the vigil outside of sickbay.

"The crash nearly killed Dr. McCoy." Jim lamented bitterly. "The only reason a landing party was even sent down to the planet was to take a survey on a plant species that could have medicinal value. All I had to do was request an extension on our mission time until the storm passed. I should've-"

"Captain," Spock interrupted Jim's attempts to blame himself. "the potential medicinal value of the planet's flora could provide a cure to countless illnesses throughout federation space. You know as well as I that Dr. McCoy would not have joined the landing party had he felt the endeavor was futile."

"Aye." Scotty agreed with Spock. "Before we were struck by lightning McCoy had already found some promising scans just from the surface flora."

"Great." Jim was far from comforted by his friends attempts to ease his conscious. "I'm sure Bones will be thrilled to know his death was all for a helpful plant."

Before anyone else could speak up the doors of the operating suite opened and Dr. Robert Grayson greeted the gathered group.

"How is he?" Jim asked quickly.

"He'll recover." Dr. Grayson confirmed. "He was suffering from severe internal hemorrhaging on his pulmonary tissues. Three broken ribs had punctured his left lung and caused a massive bleed. If Mr. Spock hadn't performed CPR and given the proper dosage of atropine Dr. McCoy would have never survived."

The group let out a collective sigh of relief.

"Can we see him?" Jim asked hopefully. "Even if it's just for a moment?"

"He's still unconscious and the anesthesia is only just beginning to wear off, but I can allow it. Follow me Captain."

Dr. McCoy was laying on a medical bed in the recovery wing of sickbay. He was still and pale on the bed, his breathing being assisted by an oxygen mask placed over his mouth and nose. Heavy white bandages were wrapped around his surgically repaired chest. Nearby monitors displayed his vitals signs as well as the internal damage of his chest cavity. There was a gentle, somewhat quiet rhythm of beeps that were synchronized with the slow beating of McCoy's heart.

"Man, I've never seen him so beaten down." Jim admitted as he stood beside McCoy's bed. "So... weak."

Dr. Grayson put a sympathetic hand on Jim's shoulder before leaving the captain alone with his friend. "Remember Captain, he is only human."

Jim stared at McCoy for a moment before finally speaking with his injured friend. "You better pull through for me Bones. I don't think any other chief medical officer could ever fill your shoes. Or keep me from doing something really dumb."

Six hours of constant vigil and scans filled the evening as Jim and Spock took turns keeping an eye on their recovering friend. Scotty and Uhura made sure to stop by whenever they had the chance but of course the good doctor was still unconscious.

Spock had been standing beside Dr. McCoy's bed in silent meditation when the injured doctor finally began to regain consciousness.

"Doctor McCoy?" Spock called his friend's name quietly. When no response came he called again in a slightly louder tone. "Leonard?"

"S... Spock?" McCoy's voice was groggy and weak.

"I am here."

"Are we..." He struggled to collect his thoughts as the heavy effects of the drugs began to wear away. "Are we aboard the Enterprise."

"Yes. We have been aboard the ship for seven hours and thirty-three minutes."

McCoy let out a deep sigh. "So I take it I survived."

"Indeed you have."

"And I suppose I owe you my life?" His eyes opened slowly as he regained full consciousness.

"You owe me nothing doctor. I was merely-"

"Yeah, I know. You were doing your duty."

"Actually, I was referring to assisting you as you are in fact a friend."

McCoy gave Spock an odd look. "Friend? Never thought I'd hear something like that coming from you."

Spock arched his eyebrow again. "I find it quite curious that despite our time together and shared experiences you find the subject of our mutual friendship questionable."

McCoy tried to laugh but a sharp pain in his chest stopped him. Spock reacted quickly and put his hand on McCoy's shoulder in a supportive manner.

"Thanks..."

"Dr. Grayson has assured us that you will make a full recovery in time."

McCoy nodded slightly in understanding."Spock?"

"Yes."

"When we were on the planet you wanted to... meld minds with me." McCoy swallowed once and closed his eyes. "I know you wouldn't have suggested doing so if there was any other way to help me. So, thank you for doing what you did."

"You retain a memory of our mind meld?"

"It's vague but, yeah, I know you melded with my mind." He opened his eyes again. "And I'm sorry you had to feel everything that I've tried to numb over the years."

"I... I now understand your reluctance doctor." Spock was relieved to know that McCoy was not angry with him. "I do hope that in time you'll find a way to come to peace with all you've endured and will continue to witness during your time as a physician."

"Thanks Spock." McCoy closed his eyes for the final time in an attempt to drift off to sleep. "So do I."

"Sleep well doctor. I shall see you in the morning."

-The End