Author Note: Originally written for the prompt Pike/McCoy, waking up together is great on comment_fic at livejournal.

All The Gluing Back

Leonard's brain stutters into consciousness. As a doctor he's used to having to wake up instantly, but also to fall asleep instantly when there's really no time for it but a few hours have to be had. It means that if he wakes up abruptly when there are no cues that suggests he actually needsto be awake then he starts falling back asleep again. (It's been useful when he's had roommates that disturbed him at stupid o'clock in the morning.)

Now though something feels wrong and it keeps pulling him out of sleep. Eventually his brain reluctantly allows him to open his eyes, but there's nothing to see. It's pitch black.

He presumes he'd only be able to see a ceiling anyway, since he's lying on his back.

Leonard thinks about this for a moment before realising that he can't be in his own bed then, because he never has the lights completely off. (Said disturbing roommates became even more disturbing when they tripped over things in the dark and after a while keeping a low light on became a habit.)

There's a fragment of unintelligible mumbling and a warm sigh that he feels on his left cheek, moving his hair to tickle his ear. He thinks about those things too for a moment and then relaxes as the familiar weight of a heavy arm settles over his chest.

"Too dark t'be morning," Chris says, even closer to his cheek than before.

Leonard wonders if that's a cue to leave; the same cue his own brain has been picking up on maybe. He's never fallen asleep in Chris' bed before. He's never stayed the night.

The arm across his chest moves upwards until the hand attached to it is tucked under Leonard's right armpit and Leonard realises that not only has Chris let him fall asleep here, but now he's snuggling.

He'll never admit out loud to missing anything about his marriage except being able to live with his daughter, but sometimes not having someone he can just touch, without reason or obligation…

Tentatively he lifts his right arm and tucks it underneath Chris', his fingers just brushing Chris' body; two arms snug across his chest now.

Chris presses closer, the whole length of him warm against Leonard's side, and he kisses the shell of Leonard's ear. It's not a 'let's have sex' kiss or a 'that was nice, now get lost' kiss. It's more of a sleepy 'I want to kiss this ear, just because, and I can' kiss.

Leonard smiles in the dark, not because he has any kind of problem with the other two types of kiss, but because that third kind is new and he didn't know he wanted that as well until just now.

"I'm sure that was something to do with Engineering fixing the Enterprise and not something else breaking," says Nurse Chapel in a voice that manages to be reassuring whilst having an edge of or else.

It jolts him into full consciousness and he becomes aware of various thuds, clatters, and soft curses around the room.

"I can't get the lights back on," says another voice, familiar and somewhere to the right. "Or the emergency lights."

Chris' breaths come slightly faster against Leonard's cheek. Leonard sits up, slowly as the movement makes him nauseous and his head throb, grabbing hold of the hand that was under his armpit and squeezing gently.

Enterprise. Sneaking Jim on board. Explosions. Vulcan. Hobgoblin. Goddamn time travelling Romulans. More explosions.

"Everyone stop moving!" he orders and the medical bay falls quiet.

Leonard closes his eyes against the dark and envisions where everything should be, where everything was before, and hopes that he's right.

"Chapel, you sound nearest the door. Check that the first row of bio beds are upright and still have their occupants. Parker, was that you crashing around by the opposite wall?"

"Yes, sir."

"Right, check the bio beds along there. The pair of you check each row until you meet in the middle or reach the opposite wall. Everyone else move to the nearest wall for now, if you can. Crawl, but be careful where you put your hands. Call out if you're awake, on the floor, and can't move."

"Crawl?" Chris mutters.

"Not as far to fall if whatever happens happens again and means no one gets stood on."

Chris tugs his hand away and says, even quieter, "I can't."

"I know." Leonard feels around and reclaims Chris' hand. "I'll stay here with you."

"Bad form, not following your own orders," says Chris and Leonard could swear that he hears him smirking. He knowswhat Chris sounds like when he's smirking, damn it, he doesn't need to see.

"My first time waking up next to you," he replies. "I'm prolonging the experience."

He could swear that Chris says, "I was rather enjoying it myself," but thinking about that, let alone doing anything about it, will have to wait.