Epilogue

Puri is sick (and foolish) enough to have kept the security footage of his "discipline methods" for the unfortunate patients of Fleet Heights. Pike barely watches one or two minutes of a session before he's sickened beyond belief. McCoy was lucky that Uhura came forward with the truth so soon; otherwise, his captivity in Isolation would have been only the beginning of a nightmare.

Boyce ensures that the shit hits the fan. The scandal is huge; it rocks the media like a shockwave, causing in an influx of reporters and frightened family members of the patients. Many people demand that their child, sibling, or friend be removed to a "safer" environment. Pike spends a majority of the next two weeks between attending the preliminary trial hearings, sidestepping nosy phone calls, and soothing upset patients.

Doctor Puri won't see the inside of any mental institution again; he'll only have the four walls of whatever prison they put him in, though Chris is fairly sure he will be wheeling-and-dealing with his inmates soon enough; Dr. Puri is not certifiably insane (though wouldn't that be ironic?) nor a killer (they cannot link him to any outright deaths, only insinuate his involvement). Chances are that he will end up in a white-collar, low-security facility with other rich sadistic bastards like him. Puri has a good lawyer—not talented enough to pull off a plea of Not Guilty but apt at spinning a story that will soften the accusations of Puri's criminal (vile) treatment of other human beings.

The justice system isn't perfect because it is run by imperfect people; such is life. There's a brief moment when Chris dreams of vigilante justice but, as with Frank, he knows that, while it would save the world from one more evil, it's these people under his care that need what help he can provide. So Pike keeps his gun locked away in the safe of his condo and his clear-headed anger to himself. He opts for fixing the mess that has become Fleet Heights, restores order and trust.

…Such as now:

"Our son is a good man! If you people have been blind all these years—" The woman wipes at her eyes and blows her nose. "—to that monster of a director—"

"Mrs. Scott, I assure you that… Monty—" He needs a minute to remember how they address Scotty. "—is safe with me. Fleet Heights has chosen a new director, a prestigious psychologist from up North. I would be glad to schedule an appointment for you to meet him personally." Poor M'Benga; the new director has no idea the kind of chaos he'll be stepping into!

Mrs. Scott clutches at her husband's hands. Pike has sympathy for them, he truly does. But he also knows, better than they, how much Scotty needs to be part of the Captain's crew. Before Jim, he had only one friend—Keenser—and no one else. Jim broke through his self-imposed isolation, talked Pike into "ignoring" the man's frequent journeys to the basement to "work on the engines." Yes, to the outside world, it would be succoring a man's illness; but Scotty is happy and as whole as he can be, with real friends who accept him (and his beloved Keenser).

He also knows that the new director, Dr. Geoffrey M'Benga, will understand too. After the media caught wind of the story—and the inhumane crime therein—the Board for Fleet Heights was inundated with nationwide offers for Puri's replacement; they have interviewed each carefully and extensively. M'Benga has done excellent work on alternative (intuitive) methods for handling the mentally ill; Pike believes that he will not only brings an open-mind but a compassionate heart to Fleet Heights. Director is a fantastic job for a man retiring from the practice but who wants to remain connected to the field. Chris had to fight very hard to suppress a belly laugh when M'Benga hinted that he didn't mind a little rowdiness—because that poor man won't know which way is up two-weeks into the job.

With the Scott family eventually persuaded to leave their son here for the time-being (and perhaps longer, he hopes), Pike takes a walk along his floor. He watches Scotty hug his parents and then introduce them to the Captain; Jim, of course, switches his charm to high voltage. Chris smiles knowingly. If Pike cannot entirely sooth their worries, no doubt that Jim will take care of the rest. Before long, they'll be thanking the Captain for watching over dear Monty, and Mrs. Scott will offer to bring homemade cookies on their next visit. (Such is life with Jim.)

He nods to Kirk as he passes by and the Captain winks back. Pike returns to his office and settles in for the next round of appointments.

A little while later…

"Jim, Goddamn it! I can put on my own pants!"

Jim's lower lip protrudes in a pout as he shakes out the pair of soft white pants from Leonard's dresser drawer. "Did I mention how much I like—"

"—groping my ass while you help me? Don't even get me started, kid. You need to keep your wandering hands to yourself."

"But Bones!"

"It's been three weeks. A concussion doesn't affect the functioning of my hands!" Leonard is thinking up a long list of unflattering names for James T. Kirk. (And nope, that pout is not working on him in the least.) He adds, "If you keep driving me crazy, you can forget sleeping on my bed. Bunk with Spock."

Jim bats his eyelashes and says sweetly, "You are crazy."

"And you're a fucking moron. Spock!"

Spock refuses to get involved in these little spats between Kirk and McCoy. Okay, well maybe they're one-sided spats (mostly from Len's side, that is); but what's the point of having a third person if that insufferable third won't mediate? "Be useful and tell Jim to mind the time-frame."

"Jim," Spock intones, still hunched over his desk fiddling with wires. "Please mind the time-frame." So obviously the Vulcan doesn't give a fig if Jim likes to slip in inappropriate prodding under the lunch table. One time, Len almost sprayed Sulu's knife collection (definitely NOT something to do) when those fingers wandered too close to home. Oh, Jim got the bitching of his life after that; Leonard wanted to spank him too, for good measure, but the way the Captain quickly presented himself for punishment nullified that idea.

"What do I get if I do?" Jim likes to make deals. Damn his soul, Len isn't playing along!

"To keep your naughty bits intact," Leonard shoots back at the same time Spock answers, "Leonard will agree to attach his bed to mine and thus create a more harmonic sleeping arrangement."

What? "No I won't!"

But Jim's already excited and ushering Leonard out of the way to strip Len's bed. He watches, open-mouthed, as his single little cot is pushed to the other side of the room and hits Spock's frame with a resolute smack of metal.

Jim turns to him and says, "Deal." Spock, the conniving bastard, has already gone back to his toys.

Leonard sighs. Apparently when Len said, "Okay, I'll try," he opened a fucking floodgate and nothing short of God is going to close it back up. Jim (mostly) adheres to their agreed-upon plan for "courting"—which Len is using to his full advantage. He even designated Pike as chaperone. (That made Jim agitated and Len very happy; Spock was amused.)

So Jim and Spock get to hang around Leonard (as if they didn't before), alternate between which two share a bed at night, but no one's allowed to third-base until Christmas. Len recalls, with an eye-roll, that Jim immediately put up a large hand-drawn calendar in their room that has a bright yellow (funny-looking) smiley face with a Jim-haircut and a sailor's hat smack-dab on Christmas Eve. Sometimes Len eyes that date with trepidation and no small amount of butterflies in his stomach.

But he has time to get used to the idea, to the sweet nothings Jim likes to whisper in his ear before they drift off to sleep, or the bright Vulcan eyes that trail after him in the early mornings. So maybe this isn't how Leonard McCoy pictured himself but it's not so bad either.

Jim and Spock are really rather sweet—if you discount the kind of loopy conversations that the three have. Or the childish way that Jim longs for a Superman cape—though Len insists starship Captains don't wear capes. (Spock agrees, thank God.) Or how Spock adds a new ability to his persona every once and while; just last week Jim said quietly to Len, under the blanket pulled over their heads, "I think Spock needs a friendly hug" to which the Vulcan replied as he exited their room, "A Vulcan's hearing is superior to that of Humans," meaning I heard that. Later, Jim tackled Spock and kissed the tiny points of his ears. (Spock's ears are growing on Len, slowly but surely.)

Of course, Len cannot claim that he's perfect; certainly not. Spock and he do not see eye-to-eye on what qualifies as emotional excess; Jim doesn't understand why Leonard won't sign the petition for official Enterprise uniforms in the colors of gold, red, and blue.

In the end, it doesn't matter that they are not perfect little puzzle pieces to a bigger picture. The give-and-take of their personalities seems to match; their hopes and dreams—he discovers—overlap in the oddest ways. It's the closest Leonard has felt to others in a long time (since Jocelyn said goodbye), and the pain of what-could-have-been gradually fades as Jim and Spock tell him about what-can-be.

Leonard McCoy used to wonder if there would come a time when he'd be ready to go home; now, on the nights when he has a long arm wrapped around his middle or a stubbly cheek pressed between his shoulder blades, he thinks that he is where he needs to be. That, perhaps, this is home enough for a man who wants acceptance, who wants love.

He begins to believe.

The Vulcan takes careful survey of the scene. His Captain is standing on the cafeteria table in the middle of a rousing speech to his crew. The Doctor stands below with a fist full of the Captain's pants leg as if he prevents the Human from falling off the edge of a cliff. After observing the short distance between the end of the table and the Captain's bare feet, Spock decides that Leonard's worry is most likely well-founded.

Spock approves of Kirk's announcement: "…and so I present to you, my fellow men—and women—" Jim winks at Uhura. "—the President of the Federation, Doctor M'Benga! Geoff, please, take a bow."

The new Director of Fleet Heights halts in his low conversation with Admiral Pike and looks over to the man on the table. The ensuing cheers from the crowd (and Chekov's insistent, "Mr. President, Sir, Mr. President! Hello!") appear to startle M'Benga, but he recovers and graciously smiles at everyone. The President replies, "Why, thank you… Captain Kirk. Your welcome is appreciated. May the… dealings between the Federation and—" Spock's enhanced hearing picks up Pike's helpful tip to M'Benga. "—Starfleet be prosperous for the good of our… galaxy."

Jim jumps down from the table (despite McCoy's sharp "Jim, be careful, you fool!") and strides over to M'Benga. Spock steps up to the Captain's right side and he is pleased when Leonard slides into position on Jim's left. Spock knows, without a doubt, that Uhura will herd the rest of the crew into a half-circle behind the three officers.

Kirk has his widest (most trouble-attracting) smile in place as he informs the newcomer, "Mr. President, we are honored to have you represent our cause."

"Thank you, Captain." The President blinks in the face of Jim's enthusiasm. Spock estimates another three point twenty-two days before the President begins to appreciate the Captain's ingenuity.

"I assure you that the Enterprise will maintain the peace at Headquarters; in fact—"

"Jim," Leonard groans; Spock must inquire after the Doctor's apprehension at a later date. (Leonard is an excellent specimen of a Human; he provides the Vulcan with a plethora of intriguing information on a variety of behavioral patterns.)

"—our first assignment in the new five-year mission will be to seek out and apprehend the lingering Klingon spies in the Federation."

The President makes a noise, which Kirk ignores as he reaches over and pats the man's shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, Mr. President, you're in good hands. Right, crew?"

Spock enjoys observing the subsequent exhibit of cohesion and unity. It reminds him that to belong to a purpose is of the utmost importance in a Vulcan's life. The Captain requires a First Officer, this position he is suitable to fill; takes pride in doing so. And the Humans, Jim Kirk and Leonard McCoy, have need of Spock in another capacity; they need his love.

It is a fact that Vulcans mate for life. His mother agreed with him on this subject, advised him, "Love as you will, my son, and love forever." Spock believes, as Jim smiles at him and Leonard leans over to say "Jim'll find a mess of trouble if we don't keep on eye on him, Spock. Gonna need that logic of yours," that he has found two mates of whom his mother would approve. (Yes, these two Humans, such as they are.)

He nods his acquiescence to the Doctor who always finds immense pleasure, Spock comprehends, in having an ally against the great Captain Kirk. (Fascinating.)

Spock calculates the appropriate time and date for their bonding ceremony. In consideration of Leonard's gradual acceptance of their triad, Spock determines that a series of (courting) events will become necessary to further persuade the Doctor into an established relationship.

Thus Spock will help Leonard "keep an eye" on Jim, and Jim shall aid Spock in the task of cementing the third bond. Satisfied with his conclusions, the Vulcan approaches Uhura and Mr. Scott.

"Nyota," he greets her. "I require assistance. Do you understand the Human ritual of… dating?"

"Oh, yes," she assures him. "I'd love to help! Scotty, go get the boys, would you?" When Uhura smiles at Spock, he raises his eyebrow.

Fascinating, indeed.

"[…] when the past's an anchor
it just holds you back
when you can't walk away
makes you stay […]

you can see what you can be
let go of what you have been
see the world
through a different set of eyes

if you can face the future
it sets you free from the past
turn around, turn around
you can move on, move on […]"

-Conjure One ft. Tiff Lacey – "Face the Music"

-Fini

Love you guys! Thank you for reading. There may be a return to the FH!verse some day; yay! :)