Past Prologue

Summary: What do you do when you know what the future holds? How do you know what or if to change? (Movie-verse.)

Rating: K+

Pairings: Thanks to the movie this is complicated… the overall pairing is S/Mc, but since it's a Movie-verse fic… Implied S/Mc, S/movie-McCoy (kinda…), pre movie-Spock/movie-McCoy

Disclaimer: I don't own it. I don't have the money and I think the fans would kill me.

WARNING: When I say movie-verse I mean the universe of and for new movie being put out by J.J. Abrams. Spoilers for the new movie preview and possibly the movie by proxy. Canon errors (like McCoy knowing what a Romulan looks like before "The Balance of Terror" and Cadet Kirk calling Lieutenant Spock 'sir'.) exist because of assumptions I'm making about the movie. Please forgive me if they are either offensive or later proven wrong by the movie.

Author's Notes: Originally submitted for the 26th Wave of the Spock/McCoy Haven, the challenge being "Write a story that addresses the theme that people change over time".

"Space isn't just disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence," Bones tore off his jacket, wadded it up and threw it violently into his knapsack, "its pure insanity! I've been saying it ever since we left Earth and now that I've seen that it's true, I'm going back home where I belong."

Kirk crossed his arms defensively. "You're over-reacting, Bones, as usual."

"Over-reacting? Some psycho-Romulan and a crazy old Vulcan claiming he's Spock end up chasing us halfway across time and space and you think I'm over-reacting?" McCoy ran a hand through his hair. "Jesus, Jim! I, I think I could have handled knowing that our ship was going to be the one bright hope for the future. I could have handled knowing that you and Spock were gonna save," he laughed harshly, "pretty much everyone! I think I even could have handled knowing that you'd piss people off so bad that they'd... what did you say he did?"

"Sling-shot himself around the sun-"

"That, so they could come kill you. Lord knows there are times when I want to do that myself, but when I saw Spock... that man claiming to be Spock..."

"What's so scary about all that, Bones?"

"It isn't right! I mean, how am I supposed to act when I know-" Bones broke off, looking like he was going to either throw up or faint. Kirk's hand fluttered for the comm panel, just in case.

"Bones... What did he tell you?" McCoy shook his head mutely, so in frustration Kirk grabbed his friend by the shoulders and shook him. Kirk knew he never should have left McCoy with that old Spock. He knew it, but he couldn't very well let the Vulcan on the bridge in the middle of the crisis. Sickbay was the only place for him- short of the brig. Captain Pike had agreed. But when he came back, Bones was staring pale-faced at the Vulcan, his jaw trembling as he tried in vain to come up with words to express- Kirk wasn't sure what- and the Vulcan... The Vulcan sat on the biobed, looking perfectly tranquil, his hands steepled in his lap, either ignorant or apathetic of how he had startled McCoy.

McCoy balled his hands into fists now, looking away. "How do you handle knowing the future, Jim?"

"The future isn't certain. I mean, what that Romulan tried to do proves it. You can change the future if it bothers you that much."

"Sure. I could change a one-off. You know: if I don't save one patient I can completely affect the whole of human history for hundreds of years down the line or something ridiculously hypothetical like that, but how do you know what that one-off is? How do I change," McCoy swallowed, "and what right would I have..."

"Bones, what did he tell you?"

"This man should be in the brig!" Spock snapped more so at the man claiming to be his older self than at anyone else. The elderly Vulcan raised an eyebrow.

"There is no need to shout, Lieutenant. I am old, not deaf." The younger Vulcan tensed at his counterparts patronizing humor. Kirk shot the lieutenant a warning look. He had a hard time believing any real Vulcan would make light of the situation like that. It was just another reason why Kirk didn't think this guy was really Spock- of any time period.

"Spock, sir, the, um... ambassador will be remaining here as per Captain Pike's orders." He nudged the Vulcan's arm with his elbow and muttered, "I'm also posting security at the entrance so he can't cause trouble, so relax."

"I am also a Vulcan, Cadet, my hearing is quite superior to your own." The Vulcan didn't look offended. If anything, he looked amused.

"I can't keep him here!" McCoy snapped. "What if there's some medical emergency while y'all are gone? He'd only be in my way!"

"What do you suggest, Bones? None of the quarters are available due to all the problems with life-support since the hull breech, and we don't want to be inhospitable."

McCoy rolled his eyes and threw his hands into the air. "Fine! But don't come crying to me if I loose him in some wave of incoming wounded! I'm a doctor, not a prison-guard."

The old Vulcan's eyes seemed to soften at the corners, as though he were fighting back a smile. Spock looked at the old man with so much incredulity that Kirk almost wondered what Spock would do if the old Vulcan really had smiled, but before Spock could get defensive about his counterpart's almost human behavior, Kirk led Spock back to the bridge.

McCoy looked at the Vulcan sitting placidly in his Sickbay. The Vulcan raised an eyebrow at him. "Is something the matter, Doctor?"

"You don't seem very Vulcan-like to me."

"No?"

"No. Not like our Mr. Spock, anyway."

"I have had over a hundred years worth of experiences that your Mr. Spock has not. You hardly can expect me to be the same man."

McCoy couldn't explain it. There was something in the way the Vulcan looked at him- the way he didn't quite smile at him- that made him feel like the Vulcan knew him. "You seem so... human."

"There is no need to be insulting."

McCoy blushed. "I'm sorry! That's not what I... I mean, I didn't want to offend you, it's just that-"

Spock raised an eyebrow and McCoy was damned if the Vulcan didn't smirk. McCoy bounced nervously on his heels.

"Ha-ha. Okay, now I really don't think you're Spock. Spock wouldn't have found that funny."

Not-Spock steepled his hands in his lap. "You might be surprised at how many of your attempts to insult me I have found funny over the years, Doctor."

"Vulcans don't find anything funny. That's part of what makes them Vulcans."

"The green blood and the pointed ears have nothing to do with it?" The older Spock asked rhetorically.

"Romulans have green blood and pointy ears and they can take a joke," McCoy replied, trying not to snap at the man. The Vulcan's gaze seemed almost fond for a moment.

"I'm half-human." McCoy raised an eyebrow.

"Really, now? That's interesting. You wouldn't mind if I took a look at that, would you?"

"Are you still so insistent that you have me prove my identity, Doctor?"

"Yes. I am. I'm a stubborn old coot when I get hooked on something."
"Not so old as you like to think," Not-Spock sighed.

"Lie back on the biobed. I promise you won't feel a thing."

The Vulcan did not lie down. McCoy hesitated and against his better judgment he stepped into the Vulcan's personal space to push him- gently!- onto his back. The Vulcan's posture didn't waver. Instead, the Vulcan reached his hand up to McCoy's jaw and gently resting it there, he sighed wearily.

"You truly are a most stubborn man, Leonard."

McCoy blinked. He couldn't remember ever telling Spock- either this one or his counterpart- his first name. He was just beginning to wonder if he'd looked it up or if Jim had told him when he felt lips- too warm and dry to be human- pressed against his. McCoy froze, not sure of how to react, but the Vulcan kept trying; somehow the way he was being kissed felt familiar, right. He let his lips part just so, and the Vulcan responded perfectly, with the certainty of a man who knew the answer key to the test long before the test was given. Leonard felt unprepared- he hadn't studied this, he had no way of knowing there was even going to be a test! Still, he felt his knees going weak and heat stirring up in his blood. He hadn't even been kissed like that by Jocelyn, and he'd been married to her for six years.

He wrenched himself away from the strange and wonderful kiss. He was a married man, for Christ's sakes! Just because she was cheating on him didn't give him the right to stoop down to her level! "What in the hell was that?"

"A kiss."

"Don't be a smart-ass! I know that! Why'd you kiss me?"

"People can change, Leonard. After a hundred years, after a hundred seconds a man can change. You are perhaps right that I am not your Spock- that I am nothing like him. But he has not had his closest friends pushing him to be more than he is, daring him to show his human half, or showing him that it is not a crime to slip up from time to time. Give him time and he will come to love you as I did your counterpart."

"Why? Why are you telling me this?" Those were the questions he asked, but he was really thinking, 'Did? Why, what happened?'

"Because you are who you are and he is who he is. Because you have a right to know, and because when one has lived so long, one knows how precious little time one really ever has."

"Did… did I ever know? Erm, will I?"

Not-Spock raised his eyebrow. "If I did not believe you knew, I would not have told you. That would cause a temporal paradox."

McCoy didn't know what to say, he felt pale and his jaw was shaking with uncertainty.

"In fact, Doctor, I rather suspected you knew all along." The Vulcan seemed surprised at the thought. "Fascinating…"

It was then that Kirk came back in, looking pissed and demanding answers.

"Bones, what did he tell you?"

"Jim, would it be wrong for me to want Spock to become that man from the future?"

Kirk frowned. "That's Spock's future to decide, isn't it? Not ours." McCoy flushed again. Kirk shrugged. "Then again, that Spock said he'd been happy. That he'd had friends unlike anyone in the galaxy." Kirk's lips twitched before a grin broke out across his face. Jim made friends so easily, but McCoy could see that for him being seen as a friend worth changing history for, rather than an asset to be let go of when the time was right was more valuable for him than the promotion he sought so badly. "How about that, huh?" Kirk slapped McCoy's shoulder. "See, the future isn't so bad."

McCoy didn't look cheered. "Apparently, my wife is cheating on me." Kirk's eyes widened. McCoy looked down at the insignia on his blue tunic- knowing it didn't represent loyalty for him when he'd signed on, but a last resort to escape the truth of his wife's disloyalty. "I know it sounds crazy. Spock didn't tell me this, I kinda always knew, but something he said to me-"

"Don't leave me guessing, Bones." There were really only so many times a man could ask the same question.

"I guess the best I can say is that in order for his future to come to pass, Spock and I are going to have to change a lot."

"People change," Kirk smiled, looking relieved. "And his future is almost a century away. I suppose if you gave it a lot of thought you could try and prevent it, but then you wouldn't really live, would you?

Just then the door chime rang. "Come in?" McCoy asked. The door slid open, revealing Spock- their Spock. He looked completely unruffled by any of the emotional chaos going on around them.

"Is Cadet Kirk in here?"

"You could have commed, sir," Kirk stated, confused.

"I wished to see both of you. Considering Dr. McCoy's unusual behavior earlier, was concerned that he might attempt to avoid me if I warned him of my presence."

McCoy crossed his arms. "Well?"

"Mr. Spock, my counterpart, told me something I do not understand." McCoy's eyes widened.

"He said, 'ask him if he thinks it's worth it.' Unfortunately he never gave an antecedent for either of those pronouns, so I know neither who 'he' is nor what 'it' might be."

"Maybe he wanted to know if we think the future was worth all this craziness," Kirk replied with a shrug. "Since it's my life that got saved, I certainly think so."

McCoy looked Spock up and down. "Well… maybe it will be. Ask me in a hundred years."