Doctors Recommendation

Lady Charena <ladycharena @ aol.com>

Series: TOS – ST-TMP

Codes: K/Mc

Rating: PG-13

Part of the KirkMcCoyFest

Summary: see Challenge at the end of the story.

Disclaimer: Paramount/Viacom owns Star Trek. This story is mine and only FanFiction. No moneymaking or offence of copyrights is intended. If you are under age or have a problem with homosexuality, please stay away.

English is not my native language, please be patient with mistakes. My gratitude to T'Len for picking out the biggest errors.

** // ** // ***= change of time

”Did you already read the message at the news board down in the auditorium?” Slightly breathless Jim bumped into the room he shared with Gary Mitchell and another boy called Tommy. ”We’re up for a medical examination at Monday morning.”

”And? What’s the matter, Jimmy-boy? Afraid of ‘Uncle Doctor’?” Gary mocked, laying on his bed. He yawned.

”But you promised to take me to town with you, didn’t you, Gary,” Jim protested. ”I’m never in best of conditions after weekends spend with you.”

Gary burst into laughter. ”That’s just because you’re still such a baby, Jimmy. Ain’t that true, Tommy?” he said, forgetting that he was only a year and a half older than Jim.

But then, at the age of almost nineteen, Gary spoke for seventeen-year-old Jim with the wisdom of age...

”Oh just leave me alone with your scrap, Gary, hear you?” Tommy growled, looking up from his readings. ”I’ll be working on Sunday for the upcoming round of exams – I’m not such a wonder boy like little Jimmy here. And not so less ambitious like yourself, Mr. Mitchell – having no relatives myself, working at Starfleet HQ.”

Gary shrugged and got up. ”Uncle Lou promised me to find a job for me in the ‘Fleet as long as I pass Starfleet Academy. He didn’t say I have to work and get best grades.”

Tommy did not answer, but continued to read and so Gary turned to Jim again, who was still anxiously sitting on his bed. ”Well, if you fear to fail on Monday, I’ll go alone, you sissy.” After saying that he left the room, maybe looking for some more interesting company than his roommates.

With a sigh Jim stretched out at his bed. ”He’s always calling me like that – baby, sissy and so on. I hate this!”

Tommy looked at him, his eyes thoughtfully. ”You should stop believing in everything Gary says. Don’t you still know he only talks big? I wouldn’t wonder if this uncle of his is only one of his lies to impress you. Jim, you might be called wonder boy, but you’re sometimes pretty naive for your age.” After saying this he returned to his reading, ignoring the hurt look on Jim’s face.

* * *

Monday morning relieved Jim from a really boring weekend, spent at the Academy.

Tommy asked him to stay away from their room, saying he needed absolute quiet to learn. And Gary left Friday night and only returned once to change clothes before disappearing again. So Jim spent some time reading the books his Mother sent to him, prowled around the not very interesting area around the buildings of the Academy, slept and spent even more time in the gym to do some exercise. He wanted to be in perfect health facing the medical examination.

Getting up very early, Jim was one of the first students entering the Academy sickbay, where the examination should take place. An elderly woman awaited him, asked to see his student identification card and showed him a seat to wait till his turn came up.

Despite the early hour and the little number of students in front of him, another boring hour went by till Jim was called to the examination room.

Suddenly feeling apprehensive, he entered.

Obviously being absorbed into the data rows appearing at the screen of his data pad, the man in his twenties behind the desk waved him to sit down. ”Take a seat, I’m with you in a minute.”

Jim went to a low bench, equipped with a display – evidently the transportable version of a check up-table he’d been seen during a short stay in hospital when he was a child and broke his leg. Gingerly he sat down. He looked up to study the flashing lights and the – for him – meaningless data shown now at the display.

”Hey, pretty young for a student of second grade, aren’t you?”

Being absorbed in thoughts Jim didn’t her the young doctor’s approach, until he stood next to him.

”Jim Kirk, right?” he said, consulting his data pad. ”I’m Dr. McCoy, resident physician at the County Hospital. How old are you? Can’t be more than sixteen?”

”I’m almost seventeen, Sir. And...” - Jim added with some pride in his voice – ”...the youngest student ever in the Academy.”

”So, are you.” Slight amusement crept into the doctor’s words. ”Impressing.”

Jim blushed, thinking himself caught of talking big. ”I meant...”

”I spoke of your physical condition. Pretty better then the most lads I usually examine at Monday mornings.” Sharp, blue eyes took a closer view of Jim, neglecting the data at the display for the first time. ”And looking better,” he added with a smile.

Jim felt again himself blush. ”I... I wanted to be in perfect health for this check up,” he said. ”It’ll be part of my papers, won’t it?”

”You’re right.” McCoy turned to the display, obviously comparing the data there with something written on his hand pad. ”What you’re up to, Mr. Young Adonis? Science? No, let me try another guess – Security?” He turned again to look at the young man on the bench and smiled. ”Am I right?”

Jim hesitated for a moment. ”Command,” he softly answered.

”Uh, one cannot say you’re not ambitious.”

”I want to command a Starship one day. Did you hear of the famous Captain April? I want to be like him.” Jim bit his lower lip. Most time he talked about his dreams, the other students laughed. Gary even mocked about him – calling it mere fantasy.

But the young doctor simply nodded. ”There is nothing to say against it – from physical side. I’m ready, you can get up.”

”Don’t you... don’t you dream of living between the stars?” Jim asked while getting up from the bench. ”Sir, I meant no offence...”

”None taken. That’s nothing for me, no thank you. I fully satisfied with good, old, solid Earth beneath my feet. Maybe I’m too much of an old-fashioned country boy.” McCoy smiled. ”And its almost sure I will end as an country doctor in some backup place.”

Jim returned his smile. ”I grew up on a farm in Iowa, but my father was working for Starfleet all his life and I want to do the same. I just feel... well, I just feel I have to go out there – there’s so much waiting for me to be discovered.”

McCoy found no time to answer, but at this moment it knocked at the door and the elderly lady from the reception looked into the room. ”Is there a problem, Doctor McCoy?” she asked. ”The next student’s already waiting since more then five minutes.”

”No problem, Mrs. Dowling – we’re just talking. Mr. Kirk is ready to leave.” He shook hands with Jim. ”Good look, Mr. Kirk,” he said with a smile.

** // ** // ***

”I’ll bet you didn’t believe me a word then, Bones.” Kirk smiled and looked at McCoy, sitting next to him. They had just refreshed the memory of their first meeting.

”I’m not sure,” McCoy answered, sipping at his glass and then returning to swirl the dark fluid in it. ”You spoke with such confidence...” He laughed. ”As did I when I said I’d never leave Earth. Look where we are now.”

They felt silent again.

”Why did you call me that, Bones?” Jim asked after a while. ”At the medical examination?”

”What?”

”You called me ‘Mr. Young Adonis’ – no, don’t deny it, I remember clearly.” Kirk took the bottle from the table to refill their glasses. ”Come on, Bones, tell me.”

McCoy leaned back into his seat, closing his eyes. ”You were... such a beautiful boy,” he murmured, almost sounding half asleep – or drunk. ”Sitting there, telling me about you’re being a Starfleet Captain once. Smiling that dazzling smile. Blushing...”

”Huh.” Jim felt like blushing again – like he often did as a boy. But then he smiled. The Brandy, the silent cosiness of McCoy’s slightly untidy quarters and the nearness of one of his best friends pleased him very much. And he couldn’t resist investigating the physician a little more. ”Sounds not like a professional diagnosis, Doctor,” he said with soft mockery.

McCoy stiffened - but then relaxed again. ”Maybe I wasn’t very professional at that moment, Jim.”

”What do you mean?” Jim asked full of curiosity.

McCoy lifted the lid of one eye, glancing at his friend. ”You never know, did you?” he said slowly and somewhat hesitant.

”Damn, what are you speaking about?” A flash of anger raised in Jim’s eyes.

”I... well... one could say it was a kind of... love of first sight.”

”I still don’t understand a word you say, Bones.” But getting a hint of it, Jim put his glass down on the table, turning to fully face his friend.

”I fell for you... like a teenager I’ve fallen in love with you the moment I first laid eyes on you... sitting on that bench, your eyes mirroring those little lights from the display as if catching sparkles of fire...” McCoy closed his eye again.

“Bones… Len…this is… pretty unexpected,” Jim said after some time. “I didn’t know, you…”

“What?”

“Well, you always seemed so… straight. I mean, you married, you have a daughter – I’d never thought you’d prefer men.”

McCoy swirled his glass, slowly, rhythmically. “I don’t think I have to tell you about being bisexual, do I, Jim?”

Jim sighed. “I guessed you knew. I think it’s in my files, isn’t it? But you… I have never seen you turned towards a man.”

“I had male lovers from time to time – affairs, nothing serious - no strings attached, you know what I mean. I met Jocelyn shortly after my father died. I needed someone to relay on – her strength, her support, her care helped me coping with the loss and to continue my life. And I loved being a father. But we had never much in common, Jocelyn and I… so we did the only reasonable thing and parted.”

“Then you left Earth to forget her?”

“No, because I couldn’t forget somebody else,” McCoy softly said.

Jim hesitated. “Whom?”

“My young Adonis…” McCoy smiled. “I know… chances against meeting you again were astronomical… but somehow I knew we would meet again sometime, somewhere.”

“But… all the time you’re on the Enterprise, you never said a word, never tried to… you know.” Jim reached for his glass, gulping it’s content and putting it down again.

McCoy shook his head. ”I’m too old now for the passion I felt as a young man. Besides – you were never attracted to me and I was way to happy with being your friend.”

Jim smiled, taking the glass out of McCoy’s hands. “Well – I’m also not seventeen anymore. Do you still consider me as your… Adonis?”

McCoy opened his eyes and looked at Jim. Deep in the blue orbs a flame kindled. “You will always be, Jim.” He sighed. “You don’t mind, do you? I’m still your friend, Jim. This won’t change anything between us.”

“Just one thing,” Jim answered. He bent forwards to touch his lips to McCoy’s. He smiled as the doctor softly gasped. “Don’t say, you never dreamt of this…”

“I did… more times I care to know. But you…”

“I won’t promise anything, Bones,” Jim said. “You know me too long for not knowing I’m not good at relationships… I’m willing to try.”

“But…” McCoy looked at him. “Why, Jim? I’m an old, tired man now.”

He smiled, slipping a hand into the doctor’s hair. “Maybe I have a liking for old, tired men calling me Adonis… Doctors Recommendation…” Again he kissed McCoy and this time the other man didn’t drew back.

“Sounds like your doctor is a very intelligent, understanding men,” McCoy whispered.

“The best…”

End

* * * *

36. Kirk believes McCoy totally heterosexual, but McCoy is not. How will he find out?