The new arm becomes more of an ordeal than anyone had suspected.

The construction is difficult enough. It takes Scotty nearly a month to decide what sort of metal he wants to use for the 'bones', between finding one he likes and finding one Boyce doesn't immediately veto. Then he has to find something malleable enough to move and stretch like muscles. A resilient tubing to use for veins. Wires to act as nerves.

Scotty is forced to enlist Master Cochrane's help. Cochrane consults with Boyce, and Boyce starts talking to Bones about other options.

Jim won't let Bones settle for any of them.

In the end, five months pass before they can even consider how to go about attaching the arm.

The plan is for Boyce, Chapel, and another Healer Jim doesn't know to attach the arm. Scotty and Chekov will be on standby, just in case the arm starts malfunctioning.

They have to go through and painstakingly pick out and attach every ligament, vein, and nerve.

Two hours pass with hardly any progress. Even with the drugs Jim is certain the pained expression on Bones' face is going to leave deep lines in his face.

"We're causing him too much stress," Boyce says as Chapel wipes the sweat from Bones' brow. "I'm afraid he'll go into shock if we continue."

"You can't stop now," Jim says. "Healer Boyce, you can't do this to him. It's as good as a death sentence and you know it—this is the only thing that's kept him going all this time."

"Not the only thing," Boyce says, quirking an eyebrow at Jim.

Jim feels his cheeks heat up, shaking his head. "He'll never be happy if he can't be a Healer."

"It isn't just him, Kirk," Boyce says. "This is putting considerable strain on the Healers, too."

"If it was you in that bed, he wouldn't stop until you were healed," Jim says, jaw clenching.

"I know that, Apprentice." Boyce sighs and closes his eyes. Opening them again, he turns to the three Healers and says, "Healer M'Benga, cauterize his arm. Nurse Chapel, begin clean up. We will take an hour break, then decide whether or not McCoy can handle anything more."

At this point, Bones is too far gone to really know what's happening (Chapel must have given him some really good shit). He watches blearily as M'Benga cauterizes the wound, then lets out a soft breath and falls asleep like that's some sort of cue.

"You can sit with him until time for my assessment," Boyce says. He makes a few notes on the chart at the foot of Bones' bed. "I think now would be a good time for a lunch break—M'Benga, Chapel."

The two Healers follow. Chapel pats Jim's shoulder before stepping out of the room.

Jim stares after them. He turns and shakes his head, his face falling as he takes a seat beside Bones. Hesitantly, he touches the prosthetic hand.

Bones shifts, eyebrows furrowing. (And how is it even possible that Bones knows Jim is touching him, since the nerves in the artificial limb haven't been connected to the rest of him, yet?)

"Hush," Jim says, reaching up to smooth out the crease in Bones' brow. "You're going to be all right, Bones."

Slowly, Bones' face relaxes. Jim waits, and reaches forward to touch the metal frame of Bones' arm. Bones grimaces.

"I'm going to make sure they make you better, Bones," Jim says. The new hand warms as he holds it until he can almost pretend it is made of flesh.

He looks down at the bandages covering the cutoff point between arm and metal, swallowing to keep himself from throwing up. He closes his eyes tightly to keep himself from crying, but feels a tear burn its way down his cheek.

"I won't let them give up on you, okay, Bones?" His voice is thick. He stifles the urge to squeeze Bones' hand. "I'll keep things going on this end, so you just keep being the stubborn ass we all know you are."

Bones doesn't answer; doesn't so much as flinch. Jim stares at him for a long time.

When Boyce returns, Jim pats Bones' shoulder and leaves without a word.

(YOUCALLTHISAPAGEBREAK?)

Bones' new arm and hand, when the Healers finally finish growing it, looks like someone skinned his arm and painted it silver. It feels like something that belongs to a newborn baby, smooth and unnaturally warm. It's so weak at first that Bones can't so much as pick up a glass of water with it.

Boyce forces Bones to undergo a series of what seem to be very involved (and painful) tests. They check the arm's dexterity and strength, and whether it is at all capable of channeling magic. Bones usually comes back from the tests cradling the arm, stubbornly refusing any of Jim's help even though there are some things he just can't quite manage one-handed.

Three months after Boyce has given Bones' new appendage his tentative approval, the Masters test his magical ability.

Jim sits outside of the testing arena, leaning with his arms on his knees. One of his feet bobs up and down, causing the rest of him to shake.

"How is he?" Chapel asks as she sits down next to him. Scotty and Uhura sit across from them, but Gaila stays standing.

Jim glances up at them and shrugs. "His arm was hurting him this morning, I think." He looks at the door, then sighs and runs a hand through his hair. "Or maybe he was just nervous."

"I don't know what he has to be nervous about," Gaila says, beginning to pace. "Healer Leonard has always been the best at what he does." She pauses and ruffles Scotty's hair, grinning. "And Scotty's handiwork usually improves things."

"If he hasn't blown up by now, he's not going to," Scotty says. He clears his throat and gives Jim a sheepish look. "Not that I ever thought he would, mind."

Jim tries to smile but can't quite manage it. "He's going to be fine."

Chapel pats his back. "Of course he is. I've never met anyone more stubborn."

"Only because he has to keep up with Kirk's stubbornness," Uhura says with a weak smile at Jim. "All that running around trying to get you to admit you're hurt's got to count for something, right, Captain? Not to mention actually getting you to go to Medical."

Jim nods stiffly and puts his head in his hands, taking a deep breath. "I just don't want them to tell him there's no hope, you know? If they tell him he's got some more work to do but he can try again in a few months, he'll at least have something to work towards. I don't know what we're going to do if this is it."

Chapel puts an arm around his shoulders. He trembles under her arm, and she bites her lip. "He's going to blow them away."

Another nod, and Jim allows her to pull him into her embrace. Gaila crouches next to them, covering his hands with one of hers.

The door opens. They jump and turn to watch Bones exit the exam room.

He shuts the door and leans against it, making a soft choking noise before covering his face with an arm. He shakes, and they see tears drip down onto his tunic.

"Bones?" Jim asks, standing and going to Bones' side. "Bones, what happened? What did they say?"

Bones arm drops, and he gives Jim a smile that nearly splits his face in two. "I'm a Healer again," he says, and bursts into tears. "They said I can go back to class on Monday."

Jim lets out a happy exclamation and throws his arms around Bones' waist, picking him up and spinning him around. He sets Bones down and grabs Bones' face, pressing their lips together.

"Do not monopolize his attention," Gaila says, throwing her arms around both of them and planting chaste kisses on their mouths when they part to look at her. "Congratulations, Healer Leonard. I know how you have been looking forward to this."

"Thank you," Bones says.

"As long as you're giving out hugs…" Chapel says, squeezing her way in. "Might as well get one, now, before you revert back to the grumpy, ass-kicking Healer we all know and hate."

Jim says, "You guys have never hated him, don't lie," but Bones just lets out this strange laugh that sounds kind of like a sob and gives her a one-armed hug. (Bones really shouldn't look so endearing to Jim like this, with his nose running and his eyes red and puffy and tear trails running all over the crinkles in his cheeks, but he does. He really, really does, and it's all Jim can do to stop himself from leaning over and kissing Bones again.)

"What did we miss?" Chekov asks as he comes barreling around the corner, Sulu close behind. He slows, and Sulu collides with him. They tumble to the floor.

"I didn't go through all this work to be a Healer again just to scrape together your busted asses," Bones says, scowling down at them. "What do you think you're doing, running around like goddamned race bots at a summer festival? You could have seriously injured someone."

Chekov laughs and grins broadly up at Bones as he and Sulu pick themselves up. "I have missed your fussing, Healer."

Bones sputters for a moment and draws himself up, crossing his arms over his chest. "I've half a mind to leave you to heal on your own, you fire-blasted fools."

"They were only hurrying because they were worried about you, you know, Healer McCoy," Chapel says, hiding her smile behind a hand. "I'll heal them if you won't."

"I never said I wasn't going to heal them," Bones says quickly, shooing her out of the way as he frowns at the scrape on Sulu's hand.

"I wanted to be the first person you healed after you got approved by the Masters," Jim says, making a face.

"You actually aren't hurt, for once," Bones says, eyeing Jim suspiciously.

Jim pokes out his bottom lip, letting his eyes widen the way that has never really worked on Bones. "I don't get hurt that often, Bones."

"Captain, you spend an unprecedented amount of time in Medical," Spock says from nowhere.

Jim jumps. "Holy shit, Spock, could you not do that? I like having my heart inside my chest."

Spock arches an eyebrow at him.

"And shut up; I do not," Jim says.

"Jim, you've gotten injured on your way out of Medical, before," Bones says with a snort. "I'm sure that bot-faced cauldron boiler could give you an exact percentage," Spock frowns ever-so-slightly, "but even I could tell you that you spend at least twice as much time in Medical as any other student. Even those new Techie idiots Scotty keeps trying to get killed."

"I'll thank you to keep me out of this." Scotty holds his hands up defensively.

"Whatever," Jim says, sticking his tongue out at Bones. "Figures the only time you two would get along is when you're ganging up against me. If I was really a Captain this would be called mutiny."

"Didn't anyone ever tell you, kid?" Bones asks, his hand finding one of Jim's. "It's not mutiny if it's for your own good."

Jim wrinkles his nose and bumps their shoulders together while everyone else laughs. His hand tightens around Bones'. Even after three months the metal feels sleek and new under Jim's fingertips.

"Let's go to a pub and get drunk," Gaila says, threading her arm through Scotty's.

"This is why I'm so fond of you, lass," Scotty says.

Jim sees Spock give Uhura the long-suffering look he sometimes lets slip through his usual blank façade, but he still allows her to drag him after Gaila and Scotty when they lead the way out of the building.

Chekov and Sulu head off after them, too, but Jim hangs back. Bones looks at him, eyebrow quirked upward.

"I'm glad you can be a Healer, again, Bones," Jim says, letting his forehead drop onto Bones' shoulder to hide the tears springing to his eyes. "I'm so fucking glad."

"Me, too," Bones says. He nudges Jim and starts walking. "Reckon it's a good thing you wouldn't just leave it as a one night stand."

Jim can't suppress the smile that comes to his face. "I couldn't leave it. There was magic in your eyes."

"Oh?" Bones asks. "Is it back, now?"

Jim walks closer to Bones, their shoulders brushing together. "What do you mean by 'back'? It never left, Bones."

Bones laughs and leans over to kiss Jim's cheek.

The spark that ignites where their skin touches feels like magic.