Back on the Enterprise, Jim made it clear that their relationship was back to square one. They no longer shared rooms and they had date nights again. They spent time over chess and meals; it was taking a long time falling back into the easy camaraderie they once had. Spock did not advance his affections and Jim did not encourage them. They were taking it slowly, near the slowness Spock had wanted at the beginning of their relationship. Spock found himself frustrated from time to time, but quickly pushed the emotion down. This wasn't about his feelings, it was about Jim's. Jim was healing, slowly but surely under the watchful eye of Spock and the bridge crew. They had each found their own way to apologize to the captain.

Jim was distressed over seeing his friend Bones. So far they had avoided each other, but he knew he would need Bones' help in the long road of recovery. He stood outside the doctor's office with the medical PADD in his hand. He waited until the good doctor noticed his presence in the doorway, waiting for Bones to feel him standing there.

"Jim?" Bones looked up at the figure lurking in his doorway. This was a pale imitation of his friend that he was presented with and one he wasn't entirely sure of.

"Hey," Jim looked unsure. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah," Bones stood up. He waved to the seat in front of his desk. Jim's chair, the one Jim usually took when they used to spend the night drinking out of the doctor's emergency bourbon supply. "Have a seat."

Jim sat down quietly and Bones took in at how wasted away his friend was, his heart hurt at the sight. He was supposed to be taking care of his friend and this is what happened when he neglected his friendly duties and turned his back on Jim Kirk. He chose to believe the lies that he had been given. The new evidence had come out and there was more paperwork to be added to Jim's medical file. He couldn't read it the first time through, he nearly broke down completely when he read the incident report.

"I need your help," Jim began, not quite sure how to approach his friend. "But, I think I'd rather have my best friend back than my doctor."

That made Bones get up quickly and walk around the edge of his desk to sweep Jim into his arms. Jim returned the hug tightly, gaining comfort in his friend's embrace.

"Anything, Jim," Bones spoke quietly into Jim's ear. "I'm so, so sorry."

"I know, Bones."

And the nickname Jim had given him ignited new hope, that all wasn't truly lost and that they could have something resembling friendship again. Bones broke off the hug awkwardly and didn't like the way Jim looked wary of him, like he would have to defend himself at a moment's notice.

"There's not much the empathic healers can do, I need good old-fashioned human medicine," Jim gave a small smile. It was only an upturn of the right side of Jim's mouth, but it was good to see him have humor on his face again.

"This," Jim passed the PADD over to Bones, "is my complete medical file. It has everything on it since I was born. If I'm going to get treatment, my doctor has to know everything… I'd… understand if you don't want to take a case like this. I know you don't like psychology or psychiatry or whatever."

"Jim," Bones cut into his rant. "The complaining is all for show. I want to do this."

"Do you… Do you want me to be here while you read it?" Jim asked tentatively.

"I think that's up to you, Jim. Do you want M'Benga on this too?"

"If you think it will help… Probably, since he knows stuff about Vulcans. That might help," Jim fidgeted. "I want to fix this Vulcan mind link. It's been broken for awhile, and it's not healthy to keep it like that. But, I couldn't get a Vulcan healer on it until I cleared up the other traumas."

"Traumas?" Bones asked warily. He knew something of Jim Kirk's past, through the ghosts of the medical files and countless ticks in Jim's behavior. He had that look about him, the one he hated seeing on kids that came under his care. About going back to a place that would push the life out of them, would break their fragile bones and minds. He was just a doctor, he couldn't put them together again. Not all the time, sometimes they needed more help than he could give. But this, this was a challenge he would willingly go to the ends of the universe for. He would earn his friend's trust back again. It would take a long time, he realized, for that hunted look to go away from Jim's eyes. That tired look that he had seen in the ER, when failed suicidals had gone through. They were quite clear they were just passing through, he never saw them again.

"It's better if you read it. I won't be far," Jim gave that half grin again. "You'll have questions I'm sure. I'll give them to you."

Jim was one of the surviving Tarsus nine.

There it was in black and white on his unrestricted medical file. Bones scrolled through the PADD warily, not sure of what he would find. How Jim Kirk had held himself together as well as countless other people, he didn't know.

"Jim," Bones' voice cracked as he called Jim over the comm. He waited for a long while, scrolling through the pages, idly. Jim arrived not much later, hovering near the doorway.

"Bones?"

"Jim," and Bones walked over and put his arms around his friend. "I'm so glad you're still with us."

Jim hugged him back fiercely. "Me too."

"Good," Bones cleared his throat. "All right. I think we can begin tomorrow, if that suits you. You and Spock definitely have a ways to go. I think that it will work out though."

"I hope you're right, Bones."

"I know I'm right. Now, go hang out with your pointy-eared boyfriend and let me think on this."

Jim grinned. "All right."

Jim chimed at the door to Spock's quarters and walked in after the called, 'Enter.'

"Spock," Jim smiled at the Vulcan working at his desk. Spock turned his full attention onto his boyfriend.

"Jim," he nodded formally from his seat.

Jim chuckled and approached. He pulled Spock's chair back a bit and settled into Spock's lap, straddling the other man's thighs.

"I told Bones," he leaned forward and rested his head on Spock's shoulder, nose going right into the juncture of Spock's neck.

"What did you speak about?"

"Everything. He's got a plan going, and you know Bones, he's not going to stop until I'm fully healed."

Spock wrapped his arms around Jim, nosing his way into Jim's hair and taking a deep breath. "Are you all right?"

"I will be, Spock. I will be."

The End.