#leonard McCoy reader insert

[marvelouslytrekking]

Unbelievable

Pairing: Leonard "Bones" McCoy/Reader Summary: Written from the prompt: "I would believe that you're fine, but you have a goddamn knife sticking out of your leg, so." Word Count: 1417 Warnings: Mention of death, yelling, knife, injury, brief mention of disaster A/N: I haven't written much in forever and today I opened Google Docs to maybe try and write and I found this untitled and just sitting there. I really don't remember writing this but I guess I did so here it is! Enjoy :)

You were on a planet that had just had a major natural disaster hit their capital city. There were many casualties and you had come in to offer assistance and to bring them much needed supplies.  You were at a medical facility helping to triage people coming in with various injuries.

You had been tasked with assessments before directing the injuries to the treatment they needed. You were also helping with some of the more minor injuries if there was a lull in people coming in. While you knew your work was less exhausting than that of some of the other doctors and nurses who were doing back to back surgeries or other more intense work, you were still exhausted. You were also sure you had skipped a few breaks and honestly weren’t sure how long you had been at this posting. 

As if he had read your mind, suddenly Dr. McCoy appeared beside you. “I swear I haven’t seen you take a break all day. When was your last break?” He questioned.

“I honestly don’t remember,” You told him truthfully. 

“Well then what are you doing standing here, shoo, go take a break and come back a little refreshed.” 

You went to argue but he gave you a look that told you not to even try. You sighed and dramatically handed off the padd to another nurse before you stepped out of the school that had been turned into a makeshift hospital.  You immediately took a deep breath and realized just how long you had been cooped up in that building. You would never admit it to Bones, but you had desperately needed the break.

You had started to go for a walk. You should have probably been more exhausted than you were but you found yourself being restless. You didn’t want to get yourself lost so you were just walking around the block because you would be able to keep the school in your vision and you knew this area was one of the least affected so you wouldn’t find yourself in rubble and impassable areas. 

You had rounded the corner of the back of the building happy to be away from the chaos and be able to enjoy some quiet when you notice a man approaching. “They killed my wife! How could they let her die!” You heard him yelling. You felt bad for him, he had just gone through a tragedy and it wasn’t something that could be helped. It had seemed that he was just yelling at the world and not anyone in particular, but suddenly he was directly in your face. “How could you let them kill her!!” 

“I’m so sorry for your loss sir, but I am sure they did everything that you could.” You tried to diffuse the situation. You were trying to remember if you had seen this man when you were triaging people, but you had seen hundreds of people and at a certain point, the faces began to blend together. 

“No! You said she’d be okay, that it was just a simple injury and then we waited hours and now she’s dead. You killed her!!” 

You were trying to process what he was saying but before you could say or do anything, he was lunging at you. You hadn’t been prepared for the attack so he managed to knock you down on the stairs behind you. You were trying to push him off you when you heard the back doors opening and someone yelling. You let out a breath of relief when the commotion scared the man off and he ran off within second of the person starting to yell at him. 

“Oh my god! y/n, are you okay?!” You suddenly released the voice was that of Dr. McCoy. 

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine.” You responded. You were still a little stunned from the encounter and you began to slowly pull yourself up to a better seated position.

You watched as the doctor looked you over. You rolled your eyes, “You know, I am a nurse, when I say I am fine, I mean it,”

“ Well, I would believe that you're fine, but you have a goddamn knife sticking out of your leg, so." He responded with an annoyed look.

“What are you,” You started to respond before looking down to where his eyes were and realizing that he was right, there was a knife sticking out of your thigh. “Oh.”

“Yeah.” He sighed, “So how ‘bout we get you back inside and get you taken care of.”

“I am pretty sure this is a yellow case at best, I can take care of this myself. I am sure you have much more important things to be dealing with.” You told him. However, you did allow him to help you get up from the stairs. You made sure not to put any weight onto your left leg. 

“Well I think having my favorite nurse out of commission puts you higher on the priority list” He told you.

“Oh, and here I thought you didn’t have favorites.” You chuckled.

“Don’t tell Christine, she’ll be very upset and no one wants that.” He joked.

“Your secret is safe with me.” You smiled. 

You still wanted to protest that you could take care of yourself, but you also had to admit, you didn’t mind being taken care of by the doctor so you allowed him to lead you to a table and to patch you up. 

“What happened?” He asked gently as he began to cut the fabric of your uniform pants away from the knife blade. 

“I really don’t know. It happened so fast. He was yelling about how his wife died and then next thing I knew he was in my face saying I killed his wife and then before I could even try to respond, he had jumped me.” You explained. “I was trying to remember who his wife was. He said I told him it was a minor injury. I don’t know if I diagnosed her wrong. I mean maybe I am to blame.”

“Hey,” Bones stopped what he was doing, putting his hands on your shoulders and forcing you to look at him, “You did not kill her. You have been doing your job to the upmost degree, there is a lot that can go wrong when we are trying to take care of this many people. We can’t control everything, he was just misplacing his anger. You are not to blame.” 

“I mean, what if I am though?” You were trying to listen to what he was saying but all you could think about was how you couldn’t even remember who the women who died was. “I mean I can’t even remember looking the women over, what if I over extended myself and was too tired and missed something.”

“Listen, I know what you're going through right now, but honestly if you don’t remember her you might not have even been the one to look her over. And I promise, as your direct superior, I would not have let you stay here if I thought you were a danger to yourself or others. Nor would you let yourself get to that point.”

You knew he was right but it was so hard to believe it when you stopped to think about the life that was lost. 

“Thanks Len,” 

“Anytime. You know where to find me if you need to talk about this type of stuff.” He told you. From there he worked in mostly silence. He made sure to warn you of incoming pain and apologized when you winced anyway. 

“Alright you’re all good. Now get yourself back to the ship and rest for a while.” He instructed once you were patched up. 

“Wait, I thought this was about making sure I could get back to work?!” You protested. 

“You have already been here well over the maximum allowed for hours, and you were just stabbed. You need to get some rest. Once you have had a good 10 hours off, you can come back and work if you’re feeling up for it.” 

“But-” You tried to interject. 

“No buts. Get some sleep. That’s an order.” He said, authority behind the statement. 

“Fine, but I am not going to be happy about it.” You gumbled. 

[ivorydragoness44]

Doctor Leonard McCoy x Reader: Risks

Word Count: tba

Warnings/Notes: gender neutral, worried Leonard, minor angst, established relationship, red shirt security officer!Reader.

Summary: Leonard is worried about the Reader's upcoming mission. How can they reassure him?

The starship Enterprise. Your home away from home, and your inescapable place of work.

Something else that was inescapable, was the risk of what your job might bring. But also, one other thing. The high risk of a certain someone giving their bias but completely honest input. Your partner.

Standing off to the side in your living quarters, you watched Leonard observantly. The chief medical officer paced in an oblong circle with his hands on his hips. It was not an unusual sight, but it was also not the best. He tended to act in such a way when you received news of an upcoming shift of yours. One that would take you off of the ship and out of his reach. The way he paced could last between a couple of seconds to a short medical procedure.

Abruptly, he stopped and turned to you. His brows were only partially furrowed. "Could you... Maybe... Not do something that'll land you in medbay?"

You hardly suppressed a smile. "I thought you liked my visits." It was not as if you went because of an injury. But, it was something that you both wanted to avoid if it came to that.

"You know that I mean," he said, pursing a frown off of his lips. "I can't have you running around after Jim like he's an accident prone toddler." He huffed, as if through sheer thought he could feel those emotions arise.

You adjusted your red security uniform casually. "Well, someone's got to keep the captain out of trouble." To reason with him would prove challenging, but worth it. As you stepped closer into his personal space, you kept eye contact. "Besides, I can't possibly have him taking up all of your time if he does. That would be outrageously selfish of him."

Leonard sighed, dipping his head down for a moment before looking back up into your eyes. "Just promise me that you'll be careful? Please?"

Placing your palms flat on his chest, you let a calm take over your voice. "I'll come back to you in one piece," you said, a smile perking up on your lips as his arms wrapped around you. "And I'll be ready to bother the daylights out of you when I do."

"How reassuring." Despite his words, there was no visible frown. A sparkle in his eyes perhaps?

He cared so deeply and passionately. But because of that, some times his words came off as rough or accusing. Not so much when he was with you though.

You likewise understood the dangers and risks of space travel and exploration. The passion and devotion you shared for helping others brought you two together. More specifically for a time, it was Jim Kirk, but still.

[discoonthegrass]

Finally, no overlaps between the ships! Do you wanna date Bones more than Chekov and Sulu wanna date each other?

If you want to send propaganda of your favorite ship, drop it in my inbox! Feel free to reblog in order to help this poll reach the most people! Remember to vote on the other polls in this round, listed here.

[spacejellycreates]

Leonard "Bones" McCoy x reader

You walk into sickbay with some files to deliver to McCoy, but what you see as you enter is a sorry sight indeed. Bones has a tendency to overwork himself, and today is no exception. His head rests on his palm, elbow propped up on the desk, and there are large bags under his eyes. In truth, he looks exhausted.

You go to hand him the files, and he looks up at you with a tired smile. "Thanks, Lieutenant, I'll get right on those."

As he reaches out to take them, however, you move them out of his reach, chastising him, "Oh no, you won't. You need a break, Doctor."

He groans, reaching out for the files again. "Would you just-" You swap them to your other hand. "Hand me the damn-" You hold them above your head. He gives up and folds his arms, glaring up at you from his seat at his desk.

"No, Leonard. Not until you've had a break. Please, for me?" You give him your most exaggerated puppy dog eyes. He knows you're just joking around, but somehow it works on him anyway.

He sighs, rolling his eyes in mock annoyance. "Alright. Alright, you win. I'm certainly not getting any work done until you leave anyhow."

You beam at him. "Thank you, Bones. I'm very happy to hear that." You put the files down and take his face in both your hands. "You'll work yourself into the ground if you're not careful."

You run your thumbs over his cheeks, and he can't help but close his eyes. "You're too good to me, you know that? I don't deserve you," he mutters.

"Hush, now. Don't be silly. Of course you do." You move closer, sliding one of your arms around his shoulders while your other hand presses his head against your body. He gives a pleasantly surprised hum and wraps his arms around your waist. "You ought to take better care of yourself. You're such a hypocrite," you tease.

He chuckles. "I suppose I am." You run your fingers through his hair, and he sighs, leaning more of his body weight against you. "It's probably about time someone called me out on it," he mumbles. You can feel his muscles beginning to relax, the tension in his body finally releasing. You tighten your grip, holding him more firmly against you, rocking the two of you back and forth. "M'gonna fall asleep if you're not careful," he slurs his words a little when he speaks, highlighting his point.

"Well, we can't have that now, can we?" you reply, dropping your hands down to his shoulders and pushing him away a little, "You're still on the clock." He grumbles for a moment until he sees you leaning down to kiss his forehead. You pull back to look him in the eyes. "Promise me you'll go easier on yourself?"

He gazes up at you, eyes shining with affection and perhaps some tears, though you pretend not to notice. "I will, I promise." Then, with a hint of that textbook Bones sarcasm, he adds, "Doctor's orders."

"Good." You give his shoulder a squeeze before stepping back, arms dropping to your sides. As you leave the room, you turn back to point at him. "You'd better!"

He picks the files up, smiling to himself. For the rest of the day, he is in an uncharacteristically good mood, and no one can figure out why.

[fanfictionismyaddiction]

Hey, my requests are open

I decided I would also like to write for other fandoms outside of f1.

I’m thinking about:

Criminal minds

Aaron Hotchner

David Rossi

Emily prentiss

Game of thrones

Little finger

Tywin Lannister

Tyrion Lannister

Sansa stark

John snow

Star trek

Leonard McCoy

Spock

Christopher pike

Harry potter

Severus Snape

Sirius Black

Remus Lupin

Lord of the rings

King Thranduil

NCIS

Leroy Jethro Gibbs

Sherlock

Mycroft homes

The walking dead

Negan

Celebrities

Alan Rickman

Lee Pace

Pedro pascal

Zak Bagans

Let me know if you want other fandom or characters I’m open for everything.

Drop a request.

I would be happy to write it

[janeykath318]

Star Trek Reader Inserts Masterlist of lists

Jim Kirk x Reader

Scotty x Reader

Bones X Reader

Chris Pike x Reader

[chazzyrl]

Follow Your Star (Let It Guide You)

A highly self-indulgent & very fluffy Star Trek reader-insert agere fanfiction by ChazzyRL

“Follow, follow, your star…” Spock finishes the song, watching you fondly as your chest rises and falls slowly, a light snore coming from you. Kirk stops patting you and gently curls his arm around Spock. “I believe our job here is done, Jim.”

“Indeed it is, Mister Spock.”

“I am quite content with this outcome.” Spock has some deep emotion etched on his face as Kirk looks at him. Kirk looks back at you and leans into Spock.

“I know what you mean.” They sit in silence for a minute, simply enjoying the feeling of their little family. “I love you, Spock,” Jim looks at him with a smile on his face.

“As I love you, my t’hy’la.” He holds out two fingers to Jim, and he meets his fingers with his own, a Vulcan kiss. Jim presses a Terran kiss to the Vulcan’s jaw as well. Jim hums and pulls back.

“I suppose we should get to bed ourselves,” Jim sighs, getting up. As Spock opens his mouth to once again explain that as a Vulcan he did not require sleep, needing only to meditate for a few hours and thus imposing on Jim’s sleep would be illogical, Jim cuts him off. “No, Spock, you are coming with me to my quarters and we are cuddling. Consider that an order!”

“Very well, Captain.” Spock smiles at him, rising.

They left the cabin together.

That night, you dreamt of stars.

This is but a taste… read the full here!

[440mxs-wife]

The Deal With Love

Pairing: Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy x F!Reader. Other Characters: Jim Kirk, Nyota Uhura, Christine Chapel, Dr. Jordan Wallace, Dr. Dylan Clark, Martin Sinclair (OMC’s).

Word Count: 9316 

Warnings: Fake dating, friends to lovers, well-meaning friends, alcohol consumption, some angst, conniving businessmen, but FLUFFFFFY ending.

Summary: One night, Dr. McCoy shows up at the bar owned by James T. Kirk, The Space Dock, with a problem. He’s about to close a deal with a major hospital, which will benefit his clinics. The hospital execs invite Dr. McCoy and his wife to their charity gala, where they hope to finalize the deal. However, Dr. McCoy isn’t married, so he asks the Reader to pose as his girlfriend, and she agrees. Only problem is, they have feelings for each other that have so far gone unspoken. Will they be able to go back to being “just friends” after the deal is done, or will there be heartbreak?

A/N: If you’ve been tagged here, it’s because you’ve interacted one or more times on a McCoy story of mine, or we’re moots. Whether you like or reblog, I am eternally grateful for your support. If anyone else would like to be tagged on any future Karl Urban character postings, or would rather leave the Crazy Train, please let me know. Thank you, and enjoy the show!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Leonard McCoy had wanted to be a doctor for as long as he could remember. He read nearly every medical textbook and magazine article he could get his hands on. As a junior and senior in high school, he received special permission to help out in the nurse's office. That's also where he happened to meet his best friend, James T. Kirk, or "Jim", as he was known around school.

After graduation, their paths diverged for a time, with Leonard headed to medical school, while Jim opted to pursue a degree in business. Several years later, Jim was the owner of a highly successful bar in downtown San Francisco, called The Space Dock. Only the best bartenders in the city worked at Jim's club, where the line frequently stretched around and down the block, starting on Thursday nights.

Leonard, on the other hand, spent his years slowly building his first neighborhood clinic into a total of three successful ones. His clinics provided the best care in the city, regardless of a patient's financial status. Each clinic worked in general medicine, while also specializing in one other particular area of health care. It was this model that caught the attention of Martin Sinclair, the CEO of one of the top healthcare facilities in the city, Bayview General Hospital.

Tonight, Leonard was invited to meet with Sinclair and several of the board members to discuss a business matter. The board wanted to propose the acquisition of the McCoy clinics, bringing them under the hospital's umbrella. Leonard would still be very much involved in the day-to-day operations but would have access to more and better technology to serve his patients.

After drinks and an expensive meal, Sinclair asked Leonard for his thoughts on the business proposal. In his mind, Leonard was jumping for joy at the opportunities being presented to him. On the outside, though, his poker face was in control. "I appreciate the offer, which I must admit is rather generous. However, I hope you understand when I say I'd like to discuss this with the other members of my staff at the clinics," he responded.

Sinclair and the other board members all assured him they understood, and after dessert, they all walked out to the valet station. Everything was going well at this point, with each side thinking they had the upper hand. While they were waiting for their vehicles to be brought around, Sinclair turned to Leonard. "Oh, you must invite your wife to join us at our next event. My wife is always looking to meet new people and make friends," he remarked.

Leonard gulped. "My-my wife?" he questioned.

"You are married, aren't you?" another board member asked. At the look on Leonard's face, he explained. "We're all married. You see, we find that when a colleague is married, it shows a certain amount of stability in his life, someone who's going to stick around. Not someone who we spend all of our time training, only to have them leave to go to some other hospital. So, when do we get to meet her?" he wondered.

"Well," Leonard began. "Thing is, I'm not married," he admitted. "N-not yet, anyway," he hastily added when he saw the faces of his potential co-workers. "I do have a girlfriend, though. A wonderful woman, who I've been involved with for almost five years. Been thinking of asking her to take the leap, but I haven't found the perfect moment yet," he sheepishly grinned.

The group burst into laughter and some of them clapped a hand on Leonard's shoulder. They all agreed that Leonard should bring his girlfriend to the hospital's charity gala, scheduled to occur in three weeks. Sinclair and the others hinted that they also hoped Leonard would have a decision on their offer by that date. He assured them that he would consider their offer, and in the meantime, he would be needing two tickets for the gala.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After he left the restaurant, Leonard headed for The Space Dock, to hang out with Jim and get his opinion on the deal. He needed some outside perspective, and he knew Jim would help him on that front. Leonard was still nursing his first glass of top-shelf bourbon when his eyes fell on you. He was usually around on Friday nights, watching as you made and served drinks to a packed club. However, this being a Wednesday night, he was surprised to see you working.

Leonard's eyes followed you as you took a tray laden with drinks over to a table of boisterous patrons playing cards. You set each drink in front of its recipient and smiled before turning to leave the table.

What happened next nearly had Leonard catapulting out of his seat. He watched in horror as one of the men reached out to try and pull you onto his lap. Fortunately, at the last second, you scurried out of the man's reach, then returned to confront him. As you spoke, his face seemed to get more and more pale and when you left again, he had a terrified look in his eyes.

You returned to the bar to wipe off your tray with a wet cloth, then smiled as you turned your attention to Leonard. "Oh, good evening, Leonard, how's everything going?" you asked.

"Going all right, everything okay with you? I saw what almost happened over there, what did you say to him?" Leonard wondered.

"I reminded him that his son, Mason, was a student in my class, and that I know his wife. I also mentioned what would happen if he or any of his friends with him tonight try to pull a stunt like that again," you replied.

"Really? What did you say you would do?" he couldn't help but ask.

You leaned in closer, and Leonard followed suit. "Um....I told him that if it happened again, I'd have to tell his wife about it at the next parent-teacher conference," you smirked. "He knows she's kinda scary about stuff like that."

Leonard threw his head back and burst into laughter. "Here I thought I was going to have to teach him a lesson in how to treat a lady, but you handled it just fine, darlin'," he remarked.

"While I appreciate the sentiment, I've handled worse before. Used to work in my uncle's bar when I needed money for college. Most of the customers were ex-military, a relatively good bunch for the most part. But occasionally we got a wannabe in there or some hotshot recruit who thought he could say or do whatever he wanted," you shrugged. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to fetch some more bottled beer from the cooler."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Leonard shook his head and watched as you walked through the swinging doors leading to the walk-in coolers. It wasn't long before Jim was standing in front of him, wiping down the bar top. "Hey Bones, what brings you in here? And on a Wednesday of all days?" he asked.

The doctor gave Jim a quick smile, then told him about the dinner meeting he had with the execs from Bayview General Hospital. Leonard explained the particulars of the board's offer, and what it all would mean for his practice. Then he brought up the unusual conversation that occurred outside at the valet station. "I mean, it was beyond weird. He said they're all married, that it represented 'stability' in a person's life," he grimaced at the memory of the conversation.

Leonard motioned with his thumb to where you were clearing the empty tables, while still keeping an eye on your rowdy table of customers. "What's she doing here tonight? It's only Wednesday, and if I'm not mistaken, she has a job as a 2nd-grade schoolteacher in the morning," he pointed out.

"My regular Wednesday bartender called out with a family emergency, so she volunteered to take the the extra shift," Jim shrugged.

"That's got to be tough, working all week as a schoolteacher, then here on the weekends," Leonard mused. He watched as you now washed glasses behind the bar.

Jim kept his eyes on his friend while Leonard observed your routine of washing and rinsing the glassware for the bar. "Yeah, but she does it all with a smile. Hey, what are you going to do about a girlfriend or fiancée for this gala thing?" he asked, changing the subject.

Leonard's concentration on you broke for a quick second to respond. "Hmm? Oh, the hospital gig. Don't know yet," he murmured, his eyes back to observing you. "I wonder if....nah," he shook his head.

Jim started to catch on to Leonard's train of thought. "Why not?" he asked. "C'mon, she's perfect! Second grade schoolteacher, wholesome occupation. Plus, the two of you have been friends for a long enough time that it'll be believable that you two are a couple," he explained.

"Hmm. Wow, I can't believe I'm saying this, but Jim, you might be right," Leonard chuckled. "Doesn't hurt to ask her, right?"

You chose that moment to bring over a tray of washed glassware, and latched on to the end of Leonard's question. "Ask who, what?" you wondered.

Jim looked from Leonard to you and grinned. "You know, I just remembered, I've got some paperwork to do in my office. I'll catch up with you two later," he winked and patted your shoulder on his way out.

"Len? Everything all right?" you asked.

It was now or never, Leonard thought. "Do you have a minute? I have something I'd like to talk with you about," he started. You flashed him one of your beautiful smiles, which gave him the courage to share the events of his evening and to ask for your help.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After he finished giving you the details of his plan, you silently digested the information. While he spoke, you were leaning forward, but now you were reclined in your chair, your palms flat on the table in front of you. It was a rather unusual thing to ask of you: pose as his girlfriend/fiancée to impress a bunch of hospital execs for a business deal.

The decision should have been a no-brainer. Do this favor for a friend by wearing a fancy dress to an upscale event with dinner and drinks. But in your case, it wasn't exactly that clear-cut of a decision anymore. Especially since lately, your feelings for Leonard had tiptoed across the line of simple friendship and into something more.

Sure, by the time Leonard came in on Friday nights, he usually had a grumpy look on his face. One that sometimes took until halfway through his second bourbon to begin to disappear. The other bartenders generally steered clear of Leonard until that point, except for you.

In your eyes, Leonard is exhausted and stressed-out from giving everything he has to treating his patients to the best of his ability. You admired him and couldn't imagine doing what he does, or how he does it, day in and day out, all with the utmost grace and dignity. The least you could do was pour the man a drink to help him relax from a day like that.

Leonard found himself studying your face, looking for any indication of your thoughts about his plan. "Well?" he prompted, breaking you out of your concentration. "What do you think? I'm willing to throw in some cash, or prizes, if that helps," he chuckled nervously.

You grinned at his attempts to alleviate any tension, or to possibly influence your decision. "Oh, no, no, Len. You don't have to do anything like that. I'll do this for you, no strings attached," you affirmed. Given the potential for heartbreak, you were aware that you may regret this, but there was no way you could turn him down. His friendship meant too much for you to do that. Somehow, you'd have to learn to live with the consequences, should they arise.

Just as Leonard thought it was about to all fall apart when you seemed to hesitate, you surprised him by agreeing to his plan. And though you'd said, "no strings attached", Leonard knew his heart was already somewhat tethered to yours. Perhaps these thoughts he's been having of something more with you aren't that unrealistic after all.

Leonard relaxed in his seat at the bar and reached out to take your hand in his. "Well, I don't quite know how to thank you for this, darlin'," he drawled. "They told me the gala was about three weeks from now. As soon as I have the exact date, I'll let you know, in case you need to go shopping or something," he mentioned. "At least let me help you by covering that expense."

You tapped your chin, pretending to think, then turned to Leonard. "Hmm. I s'pose I can live with that," you replied with a smile. "I'm sure I will need to get something to wear, at some point anyway. Not much call for a ballgown and high heels in my 2nd-grade class," you chuckled, as did Leonard. "But my dress remains a secret until that night," you advised, holding up your index finger.

"Fair 'nuff, sweetheart," Leonard grinned.

The two of you chatted for a little while longer until it was time for Leonard to head home. He hardly ever stayed much past eleven on Fridays, and it was now edging close to midnight. "I'll be here Friday night, as usual, so I'll see you then," he remarked. Before he left, he took your hand in his and pressed a kiss to the back of it, then gave you a roguish wink.

Your eyes followed Leonard as he walked out of the bar and into the night. The navy-blue dress slacks he was wearing clung perfectly to his backside. The top two buttons on his white dress shirt were open, giving you a tantalizing hint of his broad chest. His suit jacket was slung over one shoulder as he waved goodbye to Jim with his other hand.

Jim stood next to you and observed the way you ogled his best friend with your lips slightly parted as you watched him leave the bar. It wasn't until the door closed that you snapped your mouth closed and returned to the task at hand. "So, did Bones have anything interesting to say?" he smirked.

Your head swiveled in Jim's direction, and you rolled your eyes at the smug look on his face. "Oh, shut up, Jim," you muttered.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Later that night after your shift at the bar, you were reflecting on Dr. McCoy's offer as you relaxed on your couch. All you had to do was to pretend to be the woman in his life, long enough for him to sign the agreement for the business deal. After the hospital's charity gala, you could break up with him, and you go back to being just friends. He made it sound uncomplicated. But will it really be that easy?

You could tell yourself all you want that you agreed to his plan because it was about one friend helping another. However, it wasn't that simple, considering your feelings for Leonard, even though you were sure he didn't return them. This arrangement made you wonder if or how you could ever go back to being "just friends", after you'd known what it was like to be his. As your eyelids drooped, your thoughts drifted back to that night when you'd first met Leonard.

>>Flashback

"Good evening, what can I get for you?" you greeted with a bright smile.

Leonard seemed to wince at your cheerfulness. "Bourbon. Please," he grumbled.

You delivered his drink and watched as he threw it back in one go. "Another?" you asked, to which he nodded. "Rough day?" you wondered as you replenished his drink.

Leonard paused mid-sip on his second drink. "Look, I know that bartenders are supposed to be great listeners, but please. I just want to enjoy my drink without anyone trying to shrink my head, especially one of Jim's new bartenders," he muttered. "No offense."

"None taken, but I have a deal for you. I have a joke for you, and if you don't laugh or crack a smile, your next drink is on me. However, if I do get a laugh or smile, no matter how small, you have to say something nice," you proposed.

Leonard's head tilted in curiosity and said he'd take your deal. You told your joke, but you think you messed up the punch line, because Leonard had no reaction. "Guess that means you owe me a drink, darlin'," he remarked.

"I reckon I do," you replied as you poured his next drink, then introduced yourself. He gave his name in return, and he watched as you ran the bar with precision, charm and grace. Throughout the night, you checked in with him, offering little tidbits about your life, while he did the same. You noticed that as the evening progressed, his time between refills got longer, while his laughs and smiles were more frequent.

Eventually, it was time for him to leave, but not without flashing you a smile and mouthing, "thank you". Whether that was thanks for your care and conversation or for making him smile, you didn't care. You had made a difference and that was enough for you.

>>End of Flashback

From that very first interaction with Leonard, a beautiful friendship was born. He came in every Friday night after work, and you got to meet his and Jim's other friends. Soon after meeting everyone, you were welcomed into the friend group as if you'd been there from the beginning. It was a feeling you didn't want to lose, especially once your arrangement with Leonard was over.

Noticing the time, you got up from the couch and stepped into the shower, praying that the hot water would ease your aching muscles. You also hoped it would relax you enough to the point that your brain would slow down enough to let you sleep. For now, you decided to let things happen naturally between you and Leonard, and try not to overthink the situation. Easier said than done, but I've got to try, you thought as your head sank into the pillow.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Well, it's about time," Uhura remarked. You had invited her to lunch because you needed a semi-neutral third party to help sort through your emotions.

"Wait, what's that supposed to mean, 'it's about time'?" you asked.

"I mean exactly that, it's about time Leonard wised up and asked you out on a date," she clarified.

"I suppose it is technically a date. I get all dressed up in a beautiful ballgown, Leonard picks me up from my place and we go to this hospital charity gala thing," you explained. "I'm there so that Len can project an image of 'stability' to the board members. They're all married, and if they think we're together, they'll want to do this deal with him."

Uhura rolled her eyes. "You two, I swear," she muttered under her breath. "Do you not see the way Leonard looks at you? Wh-when we're at the bar and you bring over the next round of drinks, his eyes follow your every move. They stay glued to you until you get back behind the bar," she stated. "I'm tellin' you, that man is smitten with you."

"Nuh-uh, he watches so that if I start to have any trouble because the tray is too heavy or something, he can jump in and help," you countered. "Doesn't mean he has feelings for me, or that he's 'smitten' with me, or anything else like that," you grumbled.

Uhura waved off your feeble explanation. "Never mind that. What happens after the hospital's thingamajig? Does everything go back to 'normal' with you and McCoy?" she wondered.

That's the sixty-four thousand dollar question, isn't it, you thought. "I suppose so, I mean, I don't think either of us have thought that far ahead. Once he signs the contract and the deal goes through, he said I could break up with him and we'd go back to being friends," you explained.

As if Uhura could hear your thoughts, she remarked, "But you're thinking, 'what if that's not what I want', right?" You nodded at her keen observation as she reached over and covered your hand with hers. "Then you have to tell him. Take the leap and trust that Leonard will be there to catch you," she added.

You took a deep breath as you considered Uhura's words. "I'll keep it in mind. For now, I need your help to find a gown that will blow his socks off," you grinned.

"I can definitely help you with that, let's go!" Uhura exclaimed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Across town, a meeting was being held between Dr. McCoy and the two chief physicians at his other clinics. He explained the terms of the deal with Bayview General Hospital, and what it would mean, especially with patient care. The conversation took a turn similar to yours and Uhura's when Leonard mentioned that he would be going to the hospital charity gala with you.

"Really? It's about damn time," remarked Dr. Jordan Wallace, one of his colleagues.

Leonard turned his surprised look towards Dr. Wallace. "Now, what's that supposed to mean?" he wondered.

"It means, Dr. McCoy, that we've been waiting for you to ask her out on a date since you first told us about her," answered Dr. Dylan Clark, another of his colleagues.

Leonard shook his head. "It's not like that between us, we're just friends who have known each other for a long time. They'll assume she's my girlfriend, and why should I correct their assumption?" he pointed out. "I suppose, technically, it is a date. We'll both be dressed up in our best, I'm picking her up from her house, and she'll be by my side for the evening," he explained.

Drs. Wallace and Clark looked at each other, unable to believe that Dr. McCoy, their friend and mentor, was this clueless about his feelings for you. "So, there's nothing more between you? This is only a business deal? What happens after the deal is signed, do you go back to being 'just friends'?" Dr. Clark wondered.

Leonard took a deep breath before answering. "I guess we haven't thought that far ahead, you know, about 'after'. It's not like I haven't ever entertained thoughts of something more with her," he admitted with a wry grin.

"What's so special about her anyway?" Dr. Wallace asked.

"Where do I start?" Leonard grinned. "She's intelligent, selfless, compassionate and has a great sense of humor. Her day job is a 2nd-grade schoolteacher, which should qualify her for sainthood on that alone. But she also works weekends at Jim's bar for some extra cash. On top of everything else, she's one of the most beautiful women I've ever met," he finished.

"Oh yeah, you're gone for this woman, Doc McCoy," Clark chuckled, as did Wallace. "My advice to you is to tell her how you feel. She sounds like an amazing person, and from what you've told us, you'd be perfect for each other. Take the leap and trust that she'll be there to catch you."

Leonard waved his hand to try and get the meeting back on track. "All right, all right, enough about my love life," he grumbled good-naturedly. "So, what are our thoughts on Bayview's offer?" he inquired, getting back to the business at hand.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After lunch with Uhura, you had found the perfect gown, a floor-length burgundy one with tulle overlay and cap sleeves. It had gold sequins on the bodice, at the waist and on the skirt. You found a pair of gold pumps along with some earrings and a necklace to match.

When you got home, you phoned Leonard to let him know so he could match his pocket square to the color of your dress. "Not even a hint as to what it looks like, darlin'?" Leonard chuckled.

"Not even a little hint, Len. A girl has to have some mystery about her. Keeps a man guessin'," you added with a grin you hoped he heard through the phone.

"Well, all right. I s'pose I'll let you have your mystery, sweetheart. Can't wait to see you this Friday, though," Leonard replied softly. "You'll be all dressed up like a princess, while I play the part of the frog," he joked.

"Fortunately for you, a princess can turn the frog back into the prince with only one kiss. And I will be more than happy to bestow one on you. Even though you're already a prince in my book," you remarked shyly.

"That's mighty kind of you to say, sugar," Leonard replied quietly. "Sweet dreams, darlin'," he responded.

"Sweet dreams of you, Len," you whispered, then hung up.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

On the night of the gala, your friends Uhura and Christine came over to help you get ready. As you'd told Leonard, there wasn't much occasion for a ballgown and fancy shoes in your classroom. For this reason, you desperately needed your friends as reinforcements. Luckily, Christine was an expert with hair, which she put into a classic updo for you, with a few loose, wispy tendrils to frame your face.

Uhura was your cosmetics expert, keeping it at neutral colors for the most part. While at the same time, she was subtly enhancing your "existent beauty", as she'd called it. However, you were having trouble sitting still for her to apply the eyeliner and mascara. She finally stopped and asked you, "All right, what's going on? I can't finish your makeup if you don't stop fidgeting. What's wrong?"

You let out a breath you didn't know you were holding. "It's just....tonight might not be as easy as I thought it would be. I mean, yeah, sure, it'll be great when he holds my hand, or puts his arm around my waist, but that's because we're pretending," you explained. "We're putting on an act for those hoity-toity hospital execs so they'll sign this deal with him. What if I make a mistake and blow everything? And....I don't want it to be pretend anymore," you finished in a small voice.

"Oh, honey," Uhura brought you into a hug, being mindful of your hair. "It's going to be all right. Leonard will be by your side the whole night, and he won't let anything happen to you. Just relax and follow his lead. You two have been friends for such a long time that this should almost be like second nature to you," she pointed out.

"Yeah, you're right. If something's going to happen, it should do so naturally, as it would if no one is watching," you mused.

"Exactly, keep it natural. If you want to hold his hand, reach for it. If you need to hold his arm, take it," Christine chimed in. "And if he wants to kiss you, well," she grinned. "Then lock your lips with his and hold on for the ride," she cackled.

Once the laughter died down, Uhura returned to her task of your makeup. As soon as she finished, she and Christine helped you step into your gown and zipped it up. You slipped your feet into a pair of gold pumps with a low heel and headed out to the living room, where you'd left your jewelry. Right after you'd secured your crystal earrings in place, there was a knock at the door and you froze in place.

"He's here," you whispered, your hand rising to cover your mouth.

Uhura rolled her eyes with a grin as she rose from her chair. "Relax, honey, I'll get the door, even though I know it's for you," she smirked. She checked the peephole, turned to you with a wink and a nod of her head. You nodded back and waited with bated breath as she turned the doorknob.

The sight that greeted you was one for which you were not prepared: Leonard McCoy in a tuxedo. The man was devastatingly handsome enough as it was, no matter what he wore, but a tuxedo?? He was a menace to be sure, but in the best of ways. "Good evening, Dr. McCoy. Won't you please come in?" Uhura prompted.

"Thank you, Nyota, I....," Leonard's voice trailed off when his eyes landed on you. "Whoa, sweetheart," he whispered. "You look absolutely exquisite this evening. Truly breathtaking," he added with a warm smile.

"Good evening, Leonard. And thank you," you returned his smile a bit shyly. "You look rather dashing yourself. Charming and handsome is quite the lethal combination, I'll have to keep my eyes on you," you teased. In front of you was the box that held your jewelry for the evening, the necklace still in the case. "Oh, um, excuse me a moment, last part of getting ready," you motioned to the box.

Leonard stepped over to where you were fiddling with the clasp on your necklace with shaking hands. He covered your hands with his own and eased the delicate chain from your hold. "Allow me," he murmured. You turned your back to Leonard and watched as the pendant with your birthstone came into view. An involuntary shiver coursed through your body when Leonard's hands brushed the soft, short hairs at the nape of your neck, which did not go unnoticed.

His hands traveled from your shoulders and down the length of your arms, capturing your delicate hands in his larger ones. Leonard gently nudged you to pivot until you were facing him, a tender smile on his face. "Pretty as a picture, darlin'," he remarked, causing the heat to bloom in your cheeks.

"Hey, that's a great idea," Christine chimed in, holding up her phone. Leonard slipped his arm around your waist, tugging you closer to his side, while you moved to rest your left hand against his chest, palm side down. "Smile," she prompted.

Leonard had shifted so he was facing you more than he faced Christine's camera. His right hand lightly covered your left one, and his eyes focused solely on you. The corners of his mouth twitched upwards in a secret smile, one you were glad only you could see. "I am one lucky man tonight," he whispered. "Shall we?" he asked, to which you nodded.

You picked up your gold, quilted-leather handbag and dropped your phone inside to join your wallet. Leonard held out his arm, so you curled your hand around it and he tucked it close to his side. "Time for us to go. I bid you good evening, ladies. I'll try to have her home at a reasonable hour," he chuckled.

"Take all the time you want, it's not like she has a curfew or anything," Uhura snorted with laughter, which earned her a glare from you. Christine caught the exchange between you and Uhura, which caused her to break out into laughter as well. Leonard grinned and shook his head as he led you out to his car.

Christine pulled up the picture she took of you and Leonard and sighed. Uhura stepped over to peer over Christine's shoulder and let out a sigh. "They're so in love with each other, but neither one of them will admit it. That picture says it all," Uhura remarked while Christine nodded in agreement. "Send that to me, will ya?" she asked.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

At the event, you and Leonard were the last of your group to arrive, but that was to be expected. He introduced you as his girlfriend, and explained that you have been together for about five years now. Leonard mentioned that you had met at Jim's bar, and how he knew as soon as he met you, that he wanted to get to know you better.

It made your heart flutter to hear Leonard say that, but you wondered if it was part of the act, or if he truly meant it. You pushed it to the back of your mind when Leonard guided you out onto the dance floor.

As you swayed back and forth, there was a softness in his eyes. Leonard pulled you closer to his side and his hand covered yours, which was laying flat against his chest. When he moved to rest his cheek against the side of your head, you could feel him smile.

After dancing, it was time to find your assigned table for the sit-down dinner. Somewhere between the main course and dessert, the men adjourned to discuss the business proposal from Bayview General Hospital. That left you to fend for yourself with their wives, but you were determined to keep up the façade for Leonard's sake.

Martin Sinclair's wife asked you what you do, and you responded that you were a 2nd-grade school teacher. You earned some polite nods and murmurs of affirmation from a couple of the wives. However, you also got the feeling that the other wives were not known to work outside the home, if ever or at all.

You scanned the room and noticed that the other executives had left Leonard by himself at the bar, sipping a bourbon, no doubt. As gracefully as possible, you excused yourself from the table to check on him.

Not knowing whether the meeting went well or not, you approached Leonard with caution by carefully laying a hand on his bicep. "Len, is everything okay? Where did the others go?" you asked. When he turned to face you, you were greeted with the widest smile you'd ever seen on him.

Leonard looked like he could hardly contain his excitement. "Everything went smoothly, they walked me through the points of their offer. All three clinics will remain open, we continue to serve patients, with no changes in the staff levels. Everyone gets to keep their jobs, and we can all keep doing what we love," he gushed. In a rush of enthusiasm, he pulled you into his arms, lifting your feet off the ground as he gently twirled you around.

When your feet were finally back on the floor, you stayed within Leonard's tender embrace. "All this time," he murmured as his fingers tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. "We've known each other all these years. How am I only now realizing that--" his last thought was interrupted by his phone ringing in his pocket. He explained that it was Dr. Wallace calling to see about the deal, and nodded when you indicated you were going to freshen up.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As you were leaving the ladies' room, you had only opened the door at a small crack when you heard two of the executives talking about the deal. They were congratulating themselves at getting Leonard to accept their terms, a few of which sounded different than what Leonard had told you.

One of them said that one of Leonard's clinics would have to close, because it wasn't profitable to accept all patients without adequate insurance. You decoded that it meant staff would be let go, and the city would lose a valuable and much-needed healthcare resource. Leonard would never agree to a deal that included those terms, thus you had to tell him before he signed anything. You waited until the men left the restroom area, then made your way back to the table.

Leonard checked his watch, anxious at the amount of time you were away from him. He was just about to go and look for you when you had returned to the table. "There you are sweetheart, I was about to send out a search party," he teased. His smile dropped when he saw the look on your face. "Is everything all right?" he asked quietly, growing more nervous by the minute.

"Not really, and I need to talk to you before you sign anything," you rushed out, then moved to a corner of the room near your table.

Leonard's face shifted to a look of concern as he rose from his chair and joined you. "Sweetheart, what's going on?" he wondered.

You relayed what you had heard on your way out of the ladies' room. When you got to the part about the clinic closing and the staff changes, Leonard waved his hands in front of you. "Wait, stop, that's not what's in this deal. They assured me--" he remarked, but you interrupted him.

"I think they told you whatever they needed to so that you would sign their deal. One of them said that it wasn't profitable to accept patients without 'adequate insurance coverage'. That was the reason they were closing one of the clinics," you explained.

Leonard vigorously shook his head. "No, no, you must have heard them wrong. Let's get back to our table so we can finish our evening," he demanded, reaching for your hand.

You pulled your hand out of his reach. "You can't sign that deal, Leonard. Please don't. You've worked so hard to get to where you are, and you're doing so much good for the city. I am immensely proud of you for that. But these men don't have your best interests at heart. All they see is profit and loss," you muttered.

"Can't you see what this deal means to me and my staff? To my patients? We can keep serving our patients like we always have, except now we'll have access to so many more resources! This deal is a good thing!" he exclaimed.

"Not if it comes at the expense of your patients, your staff and yourself," you replied sadly.

Leonard paused for a moment. "You know, it all must look so simple when viewed from the perspective of a 2nd-grade school teacher and part-time bartender," he shot back, his hands on his hips.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" you retorted.

"I mean, it's kind of hard to take the advice from someone whose biggest decision is what subject to teach a bunch of second graders every day. Meanwhile, I need to consider how I can best meet the needs of my staff and my patients. On top of that, I have real life-and-death situations to deal with." He watched as the color drain from your face at his response. Once the words were out of his mouth, he wanted nothing more than to cram them back in.

"Is that what you think about my job? About me? That my profession is inferior to yours, or that I am somehow 'less than'?" you countered. When Leonard didn't respond, you dropped your gaze to the floor. "Right. Well, you got your deal. Therefore, you no longer need me, so now we can break up. And I don't ever want to see you again," you croaked. "Goodbye, Leonard," you whispered. You picked up the skirt of your gown and rushed back to the table and grabbed your handbag before running out of the venue.

"NO! Sweetheart, wait!" Leonard shouted. He started to race after you, but was stopped by Mr. Sinclair.

"Is everything all right, Dr. McCoy? Looks like a little trouble in paradise, if you ask me," Sinclair smirked.

Leonard looked the hospital CEO in his eyes. "Yeah, well, I didn't ask you. The reason we were arguing was because of something she heard about your business proposal. You know, the part where you close one of my clinics and people lose their jobs. I believe you forgot to mention that in our agreement. I'd hate to think you'd lie to me about such an important aspect of the deal," he challenged, crossing his arms over his chest.

For his part, Sinclair looked nervous for about a half second, then quickly recovered. "Is that what she's up in arms about? Dr. McCoy, she's a school teacher. What does she know about making such complex business deals? Besides, we were going to discuss the staffing issue with you after the deal was signed. That way, we can decide how to best incorporate your resources with ours," he lied smoothly.

Leonard ran his hand over his face as he realized you'd been telling the truth and prevented him from making the biggest mistake in his life. Well, one of the biggest anyway. "I don't believe this. First of all, how dare you insult my girlfriend like that! Especially when she was right about you. Secondly, why would you lie to me about something this important?" he huffed. "Never mind, I don't care to hear your reasons or your excuses. Deal's off," he snapped on his way out of the ballroom.

As soon as he burst out of the front doors, Leonard's eyes frantically searched up and down the street, praying for a glimpse of you. A flash of gold caught his eye just as you finished tucking your skirt inside the taxi and you closed the door. Leonard ran and shouted for the taxi to stop before it pulled away from the curb, but it was too late and you were too far away. He pulled out his phone and dialed your number, only to have his call go directly to voicemail. With a string of curse words, he tried to call you again and again, with the same result.

Leonard slumped against the building trying to catch his breath, while silently mulling over what he'd lost this evening. He blew the deal, but for a good reason and he had no regrets about his decision to do so. There was no good reason for what happened with you, though, and there were oh so many regrets. He trudged to the valet station and handed over his ticket. Time to head home and see how long it would take to drown his sorrows in bourbon before he simply passed out.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When the taxi dropped you off, you noticed that Christine's and Uhura's vehicles were still in your driveway. No doubt they want to hear how the evening went, you thought with a grimace. You fumbled in your handbag for your keys, but stopped when Uhura yanked open the door. Her eyes grew wide at seeing you alone on your front porch with Leonard nowhere in sight.

"Did I see you get dropped off by a taxi?" she asked. You nodded and dropped your gaze to the ground, not wanting her to see your face with your eyes red and puffy from crying. She stepped back enough to allow you to enter the house. You stepped out of your shoes, then picked them up and took them to your bedroom. "What happened? And where's Leonard?" Uhura inquired.

You heaved a deep sigh. "I need to get out of this dress first, then I promise I will answer all of your questions," you replied wearily. Before she closed your door, Uhura unzipped your dress so you could step out of it and put it back on the hanger. Once you had changed into your pajamas and fuzzy slippers, you stopped in the kitchen for a glass of water, then took a seat on the couch.

"The evening started off so well. Every time Leonard introduced me to someone as his girlfriend, all the butterflies in my stomach took off in flight. Deep down, I knew it was for show, but at the time, I didn't care. Anyway, we had a couple of dances before a lovely dinner. Then, right before dessert and coffee, Leonard and the execs stepped away to discuss the deal," you explained.

"Leaving you with the wives, I assume. That must have been fun," Christine muttered, rolling her eyes.

You chuckled softly and nodded. "It was okay. All part and parcel of the whole 'fake girlfriend' gig, I suppose," you mused. After taking a long drink of your water, you continued. "I saw Len standing by the bar, so I went over there to see how it went. He was so happy when he told me that they want to do the deal and explained some of the terms. I think he was about to say something important, but one of the doctors from his clinic was calling him for an update. So I excused myself to the restroom."

"All good, so far. What happened next?" Uhura asked.

"When I was coming out of the ladies' room, I heard two of the execs talking about the deal. Their terms were very different from what Leonard told me. I waited for them to leave then I returned to the table. I must've looked upset, because Leonard and I stepped aside, then I told him what I'd heard," you remarked.

"And how did he take it?" Christine wondered.

You took a deep breath and dropped your gaze to your hands, where your fingers were twisting in your lap. "Um....not well? I guess? He didn't believe me, said I must have heard wrong. I tried to convince him not to sign anything, because they were lying to him just to get him to agree to the deal. Then he...." your voice trailed off.

"Go on, what did he say next?" Uhura inquired in a tight voice.

"He said uh....he-he kind of indicated that as a 2nd-grade teacher, I have a rather simple view of things. That I couldn't possibly understand how complicated this deal is, or how beneficial it will be for everyone," you swallowed back a sob.

"He said that??" Christine gasped.

You nodded slowly. "I told him that if that's what he thinks of my job, of me, then he didn't need me anymore since he got his deal. I said we could break up now, and I didn't want to ever see him again. After that, I ran back to the table, grabbed my purse, and bolted out of the venue. One of the valets hailed a taxi for me, and Leonard's been blowing up my phone ever since I left." From the couch cushion next to you, a text notification sang out, so you held up your phone for Uhura and Christine to see.

Uhura made a noise of disgust, then scowled and held her hand out. You passed over your phone, which she promptly turned off then handed back to you. "There. Leave it off for the night, and you can decide in the morning if you want to talk to him," she advised, and you nodded in response.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The weekend passed without any contact from you, which did nothing but fuel Leonard's concern for you. As far as he could tell, his text messages went unread and he had no idea if you listened to his voicemails. He went to The Space Dock on Saturday night, hoping to catch you at work. Jim told him that you'd taken the weekend off for personal reasons, deepening Leonard's anxiety about you.

That night after the gala, Leonard indeed went home and had more than a few swigs of bourbon. He wanted to drown out the memories of the evening, even though it had all started so well. Leonard was proud to introduce you to everyone as his girlfriend, something he wished was his reality, not fiction. The two of you even enjoyed a couple of turns around the dance floor before sitting down for dinner.

After the main course, the business portion of the evening occurred, where Sinclair and the others outlined their proposal. Everything seemed good on paper: no staff reduction and no clinic closures, just business as usual with access to more technology. He shook hands with Sinclair and the others, who advised him that the contracts would be sent to his office for signatures.

It all started to fall apart after you got back to the table and told him what you'd heard. You tried your best to convince Leonard that this deal wouldn't benefit him the way he thought it would. Problem was, he was too wrapped up in seeing its advantages that he didn't want to believe in anything that would threaten it.

So he lashed out and said those awful things to you, belittling your profession, diminishing your sense of self. Leonard could swear he witnessed the exact moment your heart shattered into thousands of pieces from the force of his words. And the light leaving your eyes was something he never wanted to see again as long as he lived, especially since he was responsible. You ran out before he could catch up to you and the taxi took you away from him before he could stop it.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Monday morning found Leonard at his desk, which was full of paperwork that needed various levels of his attention. Instead, he stared at his phone, willing you to answer at least one of his text messages or respond to one of his voicemails. Even if you told him to never contact you again, it would be some kind of answer. He was about to call Uhura or Christine for an update on you, when the door to his office flew open.

"What in the hell did you do that night?" Jim thundered. Leonard's office assistant, Abby, was close behind, trying to pull Jim back out of the office.

Leonard motioned to Abby that everything was okay and that he would take care of the situation from here. She nodded and closed the door behind her, then Leonard turned his attention to his visitor. "Now, Jim I-" he started.

"She quit, Leonard. My best bartender quit. Said she was sorry, and that it was for personal reasons, but she refused to elaborate. Now, I'm aware of her agreeing to be your pretend girlfriend, thus I can only surmise that something terrible went down that night because of it. So, out with it. What did you do?" Jim demanded, his arms crossed over his chest.

Leonard took a deep breath before responding. "Okay. Here's what happened," he relented, then ran through the events of that night. Jim eased himself into a chair and as he listened, he did a thorough review of Leonard's appearance. Dr. McCoy had a weekend's worth of stubble, coupled with a defeated expression on his face. Whatever happened, Jim could see that it greatly affected both of you, because he knew you weren't faring much better.

When Leonard finished his story, Jim sat back in his chair and let out a heavy sigh. "Wow. What are you going to do now?" he asked.

"I don't know, Jim. Right before you walked in, I was about to call Christine or Uhura to see if they would at least tell me how she was doing. However, I'm pretty sure they won't tell me anything. 'Girl Code' and all, I suppose," Leonard muttered, then he turned his sad expression to Jim. "I need to know how she is and explain how sorry I am for what I said," he implored. "And I have to tell her how I feel."

Jim thought for a few minutes then sat up in his chair and leaned his elbows onto Leonard's desk. "I have an idea, but it's nothing elaborate," he started.

"Go ahead. At this point, I'll do just about anything to get her back. She deserves the world, and I want to be the one to give it to her," Leonard declared.

Jim clapped his hands, then rubbed them together with glee, the complete opposite mood he had when he walked in. "Okay then. Here's what we do," he grinned.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"All right, class, when I get back, we'll start the next chapter for Where the Red Fern Grows," you promised. "For now, finish up your math worksheets from earlier today, otherwise please sit quietly until I return," you directed. A few moments ago, you'd received a text message from Margaret, the principal's assistant, asking you to please come down to the office.

When you were still a few feet away, you gasped in shock to see Leonard standing there with a bouquet of white and yellow tulips and pink roses. You stopped short in your path to the office, not wanting to be seen. Just as you turned around to go back to your classroom, Margaret called out your name and you cursed under your breath. Leonard's eyes caught yours and you could see the apology and regret, but you weren't exactly ready to forgive him quite yet.

"Margaret, what's this all about? I was getting ready to start our reading session when you called me down here," you narrowed your gaze. "I really don't have time for this. Besides, I told you that I don't want to ever see you again. I'm going back to my class," you directed at Leonard, then turned on your heel and started walking down the hall.

Leonard rushed out of the office and managed to catch your arm, which you promptly removed from his grasp. "Wait, please sweetheart, I need to talk to you," he pleaded.

"You said enough that night, Leonard McCoy. Your feelings about me and my chosen profession were made quite clear at the gala. I hope you still got everything you wanted after I left," you replied. "Now if you'll excuse me, my class is waiting to see what happens next with Big Dan and Little Ann," you remarked as you resumed your path back to class.

This time, Leonard didn't stop you, only stared after you to see what room you went into then wandered after you. He only got a few steps when Margaret tapped his shoulder, a laminated card on a lanyard in her hand. "If you're going to be roaming these halls, you must have a visitor's badge," she explained.

Leonard slipped it over his head then gave Margaret a brief smile. "Thank you."

"Listen. I don't know what's going on with you two. All I know is that in these past few weeks, she's been smiling a little easier and seems happier. I hope you work out whatever it is between you, because she's one of the best 2nd-grade teachers we have. You'll find her in Room 23B," Margaret winked.

Leonard's face broke out into a huge toothy grin. "Thank you, Margaret. I don't intend to let her get away," he winked back and headed for Room 23B. When he arrived, he noticed that the glass window by your door was covered in construction paper cutouts of stars. Each star had a student's name on it, and at the top of the window read the caption, "Reach For the Stars".

He peered into your room, where you were reading from a well-worn, leather-bound book, Where the Red Fern Grows. Although he couldn't hear your words aloud, Leonard could tell from your facial expressions that you were bringing the story to life. It was at that moment he saw how much of your heart and soul were invested in your profession. He understood more now why his words had hurt so much that night.

Leonard was about to walk away when a student turned towards the door and caught his eye. The student must have said something to you, because you stopped reading and quickly left your seat. You marched towards the door and yanked it open. By the time you slipped out into the hallway, you were fuming. "Are you out of your mind? How dare you interrupt my class time!" you hissed.

He held up his hands, pleading with you. "Wait! Please! All I want is a chance to explain myself. If you want nothing more to do with me after that, I promise I'll respect your decision," Leonard promised.

You shook your head. "No, you need to go home, Leonard, because I cannot have this conversation with you right now," you retorted. You spun on your heel and reentered your classroom, pulling on the door to close it behind you. However, it didn't completely latch, leaving a sliver of opportunity.

Leonard took a deep breath, checked the bouquet in his hand and nudged open the door. He saw your eyes widen with each step until he was standing before you at the front of the room. "I don't believe this! Leonard, please, now is not the time for--" Leonard stopped your rant with a swift press of his lips to yours.

At first you fought the urge to give in to what you've wanted since you first met Leonard, so you don't return his kiss. Not at first, anyway. But Leonard was persistent and didn't let your resistance deter him in the slightest. "I'm sorry, but this was the only way I could think of to get you to stop talking," he murmured.

Suddenly you were aware that twenty-five pairs of eyes were trained on the two of you, which caused a heat to bloom in your cheeks. "Um, don't look now, but we have an audience," you replied sheepishly.

You looked at the faces of your students, some smiling, but all fully paying attention to the drama unfolding before them. No doubt your real-life story was more interesting than the book your class was currently reading. You were their beloved teacher, and they had to see how it would play out.

At this realization, you snapped back to reality and the situation at hand. "Just answer me one thing, Leonard. Was any of it real for you? The stories, the compliments, did you mean any of it? I know what we said when we started this, but I've wanted it to be real for a long time. I-I am in love with you, Leonard McCoy," you declared softly.

Leonard audibly sighed with relief. "Sweetheart, of course it was real. I meant everything I said about you. When we met, how happy I was to be with you these past five years....how beautiful you were that night," he revealed. "And still are," he whispered. "I'm in love with you, too," he affirmed.

You tenderly cradled his jaw and stroked his cheek with your thumb, smiling when you felt him lean into your touch. "Class, what do you say? Show of hands for inviting Dr. McCoy to join us for the rest of class," you called, your eyes still trained on Leonard. Every hand shot straight into the air. "It's just me reading Where the Red Fern Grows," you murmured.

A grin slowly stretched across his face, then he leaned forward to touch his forehead to yours. "Good thing Margaret set me up with a visitor's badge, huh?" Leonard chuckled. "I would love to join you and your class," he remarked.

"Remind me to thank Margaret on my way out today," you giggled. Leonard nodded, then took your hand in his and pressed a kiss to the back of it. He picked up an empty chair and positioned it near your chair at the front of the room. When you reopened the book, you winked at Leonard before returning to where you'd left off in the story.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Tags: @marvelouslytrekking @spacedancer1701 @anna-phora @hailbop1701 @writercole @lassie-bird @never--doubt @phoenixisred @wayward-dreamer @erindiggory @strangesgirls @dumpsterhippie @genevablog26 @lokis-deares @medicatemedrmccoy @rooweighton @mamamercurymist @d-doki-doki @malmeansbad @imamotherfuckingstar-lord​

[buglvr24]

hello friends! please give me your bones/reader fic recs. doesn’t matter if they’re on ao3 or tumblr.

<333

[noforkingclue]

Just One Year Chapter 21 (Bones x reader)

Just the epilogue to go now! Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me on this fic :)

Just One Year tag list: @brilliantbutbatty, @440mxs-wife, @pile-of-bones-and-stars, @alindeluce, @stephdavies95, @bubblegum-star-trek, @waleyfish

Star Trek tag list: @strange-old-worlds, @stardustnerd

Everything tag list: @greenrevolutionary, @byebyebreezywrites, @spngingerbread21, @layazul, @lov3vivian, @simonsblue

“Are you sure you want to do this?” asked Jim, “If you do this I can’t grantee you’ll be back here.”

You took a deep breath and nodded. You were sitting opposite the Captain, hands folded in your lap, and you tapped your foot nervously. You had thought long and hard about this decision but you knew it was for the best.

“Last chance to change your mind?”

“It sounds like you don’t want me to leave.” You said with a small smile

“No Captain wants to lose a member of their crew.”

“I’ve hardly been here that long,” you said, “and I’ve mostly just stayed in the med bay with Bones.”

Jim gave you a knowing look and smirked which you chose to ignore. You felt your cheeks get hot and you instinctively traced over where your engagement ring used to be. Another nervous tick that you were slowly loosing.

“How are… things?”

It was strange to see Jim looking so uncomfortable.

“It was for the best,” you said with a sad smile, “it wasn’t working out and I think we both knew that. It’s going to take some getting used to being on my own again.”

“Which is why you need the company of your friends.”

“And my family is back on earth.” You said

“Are you sure you want this?”

You took a deep breath and nodded.

“It’s for the best.”

*

“I’m leaving.”

Bones paused for a moment not quite sure he heard you correctly?

“Bones?” you said as you sat down opposite him, “are you ok?”

“You’re leaving?”

“Yes.”

“Why? I thought you liked it here.”

“I do,” you ran a hand over your face, “but I’ve decided to go back to the Academy.”

Bones put down his pen, slightly harsher than he intended. You winced at the noise and he slumped in his seat, the realisation of what you said finally hitting him.

“Sorry,” he said quietly, “I didn’t mean… I wasn’t expecting you to go.”

“To be honest neither was I.”

You bit your lip before continuing,

“But after what happened I realised that this really isn’t for me.”

“Working for me?”

“What? No!” you said suddenly, “working in medicine, I mean. It’s what my mother wanted me to do and now…”

You trailed off as you tried to find the right words.

“You’re you again,” said Bones, “a new start. Yeah, I felt like that after my divorce.”

“So you came here?” you said with a teasing smile

“I didn’t have much of a choice.”

“And do you regret it.”

“No.”

Bones’s gaze locked with yours and you smiled. He couldn’t help but return it. Moments like this, he realised, were so fleeting. He took them for granted at the time and now he wasn’t going to experience them again. You’d be leaving him.

“Look,” he said, “y/n. There’s something-“

“I’m not going to stay,” you said, “I’m sorry Bones but my mind is mind up.”

“Right,” the familiar feeling of heartbreak was returning, “right. Of course.”

“I know Bones,” you said, “I know because I-“ you cut yourself off before continuing quietly, “but it’s too soon. I tried to ignore but,” you took a deep breath, “it’s not the right time.”

“I understand,” Bones said, “what are you planning on studying.”

“I’m wanting to go back to engineering.”

“Right.”

An awkward silence settled over the two of you. Not being able to stand it any longer you stood up and walked towards the door. You looked over your shoulder and said,

“This needs to happen Leo. I’ll make sure to keep in touch.”

Keep in touch. Bones pursed his lips knowing what those three words really meant. You’d chat a couple of times and then work would get busy again or you’d be too preoccupied with your studies (as you should be!). Then the calls would get shorter and more awkward and then eventually they just wouldn’t happen.

He didn’t want that to happen.

He didn’t want you to go.

And maybe, from the look on your face, you didn’t want to go either. Still, you gave him one last smile before disappearing from his life, seemingly as easy as you came into it. He looked up when he heard someone come into his office again. To his surprise it was Christine.

“She does care.” She said

“Does she?”

“She does. And she will keep in contact.”

“You seem certain.”

“Now that Peter is out of her life I am. Maybe, sometime in the future she can find someone better.”

[marvelouslytrekking]

A Much Needed Nap

Pairing: Leonard/reader Summary: The exhaustion from multiple crisis made a relaxing night very needed. Even if it meant forgetting something important. Word Count: 1037 A/N: It's been awhile but I was in need of something soft and could use a nap myself so this all but wrote itself. Hope you enjoy.

You knew that when you had enlisted in Starfleet that rest would not be something you would be all that familiar with, however, you hadn’t expected it to feel just so never ending. You knew it was the curse of getting assigned to the flagship, an assignment you would not give up for anything, expect right now, maybe a nice long nap would have you trading in your rank without much of a second thought.

You tried very hard to keep yourself balanced, however part of that balance was making sure you spent time with your friends, but between the back to back disasters and then the mandatory fun the captain would set up to help everyone “decompress” you felt like you have had no time to just relax, unless you were asleep but even that was limited. 

So when Uhura had asked you to get drinks with her after your shift, you didn’t even feel bad for turning her down, you must have looked like you needed the break because she didn’t even ask a second time. She was good at respecting boundaries, but she also liked to try and convince you to join her in shenanigans, so her not trying to entice you, even slightly, was a sign that you looked as exhausted as you felt. 

You sighed happily as you slipped into lounge clothes, you couldn’t even think of the last time these sweats had made an appearance. You plopped yourself on the couch and pressed play on the first movie that came up on your padd. You heard your doorbell go off and you groaned, you hadn’t even made it 10 minutes into the movie. Maybe Nyota had changed her mind and was going to try and force you out with her. 

“Come in” You shouted, too lazy to move to see exactly who it was. You barely even turned your head to look at who you had just let enter your space. 

“From the look of it, I am going to assume you’ve forgotten of our planned date.” You heard a gruff voice say from your doorway, a slight chuckle in his voice. 

“Oh my god!” You sat up rather quickly to look up and see Leonard with a bouquet of flowers in his hand and a rather nice looking outfit on. You had been so busy the last few weeks, you and Leonard had barely had time to even see each other in passing. You had finally synced calendars and made plans to have a nice sit down date, one that was more than a 5 minute lunch, or 15 conversation before you both passed out in one of your beds. “It completely slipped my mind, I am so so sorry Len. If you give me like 10 minutes, I can be ready.”

You stood up and walked over to him, reaching up to pull him into a kiss, “The flowers are lovely” You toyed with one of the leaves, smiling at how much thought he had put into getting them for you. 

“You’re fine, you look exhausted,” He frowned slightly when he took in just how true that statement was.

“And here I was about to say how handsome you looked, and you’re saying I look terrible” You huffed. 

“Now don’t put words in my mouth, I said you look tired, not terrible.” He glared at you, “How could I possibly think you look terrible when you look so adorable in my sweatshirt.”

You tried and failed to hold back the smile at his comment, “I don’t remember this being yours.”

“Probably cause you stole it forever ago.” 

“Well anyway, just make yourself comfortable, and I will get changed.” You told him, “though don’t even ask, you’re not getting this hoodie back.”

“I wouldn’t dare,” He smiled, “But no need to change, we can just stay in. Looks like you just started a movie, and I would hate to make you not finish that, plus i could use a nice calm evening too”

“Are you sure? I feel terrible about ruining plans that you clearly took time to make.” You frowned. 

“It really wasn’t anything crazy, we can rain check it until you have had more sleep.” He told you, sincerity in his voice. 

“Thank you, Len.” You smiled, pulling him into a hug. He didn’t hesitate wrapping his arms tightly around you, staying like that for a while, just happy to be in each other's arms. 

“How about, I get these beautiful flowers in a vase, you go change into something more comfy and we can just curl up on the couch, eat some shitty replicator food and watch the dumb movie I had started,”

“Sounds perfect” He planted a kiss on your forehead before passing the flowers off to you and heading in your room to find some of his clothes to change into. 

You had finished putting the flowers in a vase and placing them neatly on your counter before finding some food to replicate when Len came out with a few extra pillows and blankets from your room. Upon seeing how cozy he was about to make the couch, you had no doubt you would be finding yourself asleep soon but you were just happy to have some time to spend with Len quietly. 

As you set the food down on the coffee table, Leonard had gotten himself and the pillows and such situated. You then found yourself getting settled curled up against his chest. You each grabbed a bowl of food and ate in comforting silence as the movie neither of you were paying all that much attention to played in the background. Once you were done eating and the dishes were set aside, you felt Leonard lightly playing with your hair, a gentle kiss here or there placed on your hairline. It wasn’t much longer before you felt yourself slipping into a deep sleep. 

Before fully succumbing to the sleep that was gripping at you, you found yourself mutter a soft, barely audible, “Love you so much Len,”

“I love you too dear” Softly, with so much care behind the normally gruff voice was the last thing you registered before you were fully asleep.

[ivorydragoness44]

Doctor Leonard McCoy x Reader: Practice

Word Count: 766 Warnings/Notes: Established new romantic relationship, a little angst in the Reader being initially anxious to kiss Leonard for the first time, eventual kissing. Patient and understanding Leonard. Use of pet name: darlin’. Summary: The Reader and Leonard are studying, but he’s having a difficult time. Through the Reader’s intent listening encouragement, Leonard wants to kiss the Reader for the first time but finds that they are very much new to such a thing.

~~~~  ~~~~  ~~~~  ~~~~

   Starfleet Academy, the highway to your future and your current state of anxiety. Some of the time, at least. Studying, learning, everything was essential and crucial.    The unexpected, however, was the man now standing in front of you. Friends, you expected with great hope during your time there. A caring partner was not even on your list of expectations or what-if scenarios.    Doctor Leonard McCoy paced through your assigned dorm room before making his way back to you. “How the hell am I supposed to memorize, much less learn, these star maps? No matter how they arrange the stars on these maps, they all look the damn same.” The crease on his brow was beginning to appear permanent, and his face flushed in his state. “Charting stars, maps, whatever the hell they are, I can’t do. The human body, any body, is far easier. Gimme a medical problem and I’ll solve it. But this,” he sighed. Looking at you now, his brows furrowed differently, his eyes softer. “Are you just letting me vent, or are you that great of a listener?”    “Both,” you smiled, coaxing out one of his own. “You can’t force the information into your brain. You need to take it slow.”    Leonard huffed, “There’s a test in two weeks.”    “You know what I mean. Maybe…put it into a medical perspective or something in terms that you’ll understand. Like, pretend it’s parts of a body. Whether it be the stars as blood cells…or a nebula or a star cluster as tissue, whatever works for you.” Moving, you stood up and took a step toward him. “I mean, come on, Leonard, you’re ridiculously smart. You’re a doctor and a surgeon for more than just humans, you’ll figure this out. Just give yourself the time that you need.”

   Leonard ducked his head and smiled for a moment. As he looked back into your eyes, he placed his hands to your arms and slid them down to hold your hands. “You, darlin’, are the absolute sweetest. I don’t remember meeting someone as encouraging as you, ever.”    Taking a step closer, he was very much in your personal space. You caught the way his eyes darted down to your lips more than once, making your heart-rate pick up. After a moment, you realized that you started to do the same thing. As he leaned in slowly, you could feel your heart pounding throughout your chest. Your nerves were skyrocketing.   When his eyes began to close and his breath was upon you, you moved. In the next second, your hand was on his chest. Palm flat, yet firm. “Wait,” you squeaked out quietly.    Leonard stopped. With his head pressed lightly to yours, he waited.    A breath passed between you. “I’m sorry,” you said hardly above a whisper.    “No, no. Don’t be. Talk to me. Was I…coming on to strong?”    “No, I-just-…I’ve never been in a relationship before, so I don’t really know how to do the whole..kissing thing.”    At your open honesty, he smiled fondly. “We don’t have to rush into anything, especially if you’re uncomfortable. I’m certainly in no rush, darlin’.”    “Thank you, Leonard. I appreciate that.”    “May I kiss your cheek?”    You looked down briefly, feeling a rush of bashfulness. “Yes.”    Moving steadily, as to not startle you, he pressed a soft kiss to your cheek.    “I guess I just have to get used to this sort of closeness,” you said. “Well, not need to, but I want to.”    He gently nuzzled his face by yours. “Well, if you ever need someone for the practice—”    You laughed at his words. “Leonard, you’ll be the only one.”    “I promise not to let it get to my head.”    Tentatively, you kissed his cheek.    He brought your other hand to his chest. “Do you want to try? I’m probably not the best teacher, but I sure as hell will try.”    You gave a small nod. “Okay.”    His hands delicately cupped your face. Such warm hands.    Your heart-rate had since slowed. Feeling unhurried, and not surprised. Lips brushing softly over yours, you attempted to duplicate the action. After the third, you felt him smile before pressing more firmly and taking up your upper lip between his. You replicated the action with his bottom lip.    Humming, he whispered with a stronger southern drawl. “Darlin’, you had nothing to worry about.”    “I guess I’m just a fast learner,” you said with a shy smirk.    Leonard kissed the tip of your nose tenderly. “Well, my lips will be waiting for whenever you have the time.”

~~~~  ~~~~  ~~~~  ~~~~

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, maybe consider reblogging?

[discoonthegrass]

The long-awaited polycule takes the stage, but perhaps our favorite captain should date you (yes, you!) instead?

If you want to send propaganda of your favorite ship, drop it in my inbox! Feel free to reblog in order to help this poll reach the most people! Remember to vote on the other polls in this round, listed here.

[fanfictionismyaddiction]

Heyyy I saw your post about writing for different fandoms. Do you still write for Star Trek?

Yes, I do. Glad you ask. I would really like to read your prompt for Star Trek. :) Xx

[janeykath318]

A Time To Heal: Leonard McCoy x Reader

Note: This is a sequel to A Time To Hurt. I couldn’t leave them apart, so I wrote this one.

Three years after you left the Enterprise, you’d worked your way up to Commander and were thriving in your post on your new ship, the Bradford, exploring new worlds and learning about fascinating rocks and minerals. You’d tried dating again, but each time quickly fizzled out and you realized you weren’t ready, so you gave up the attempt. You thought about Leonard every so often, wondering how he was and if he still jabbed Jim with hypos and griped about bleeding eyeballs.

Once in a while, you’d have a vivid dream about him and his gorgeous eyes and gentle hands and wake up sad all over again. You hadn’t heard from him since you’d left, so you assumed he’d probably moved on by now.

And then all hell broke loose. The Bradford was attacked by pirates and sustained heavy damage and casualties, including your captain. Thrust into the chair, you did your best to keep calm even as the hits kept coming and the shields were damaged. You barely had time to send out a call to Starfleet for help between shots. Two of the pirate ships were destroyed, but the other two disabled your engines, leaving you sitting ducks. It wasn’t fair, you thought wildly.

Just as it looked hopeless, the remaining pirate ships were blown to smithereens by a rapidly approaching ship and the remaining bridge crew cheered tiredly.

“We’re being hailed!” announced the comms officer. His face was bruised and his arm was in a sling, but he was the most functional of all the others.

“Put them on screen,” you said. A second later, the famous face of Jim Kirk was looking at you and you could have cried for joy. It was the Enterprise that had come to your rescue.

“This is Captain James Kirk of the USS Enterprise. What is your status?” he asked.

“I am acting captain Y/L/N and our engines are crippled, shields are less than forty percent and we sustained significant casualties. I couldn’t be happier to see you, Jim.”

Jim started as he recognized you.

“Long time no see, Y/N. How’s your captain?”

You swallowed hard.

“I’m afraid Captain Stokes was one of the casualties, sir. As First Officer, I got the gig.”

You grimaced.

“Sorry to hear that, Y/N. He was a good man,” Jim said soberly. “Where do you need the most help right now?”

“Where do I start?” You gestured wildly at the battered bridge crew.

“Medbay is overwhelmed right now and engineering could definitely use help,” you told him. “To quote a certain southern doctor, Space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence.”

Jim grinned at you.

“Sit tight, Y/N, we’ll send over some reinforcements in a little bit.”

“Thanks, Jim,” you said gratefully. “That was quite an entrance, by the way.”

A few minutes later, three people beamed onto your bridge. You tried to get up from the chair out of respect for Jim, but sank back after a burst of pain from your injured leg. In the adrenaline of the moment, you’d almost forgotten about it.

“Sorry,” you apologized through gritted teeth. “I’d stand up, but my leg objects.”

A blue shirted figure was instantly in front of you, kneeling to take a look at your leg. You blinked away a few tears. There he was: your ex-boyfriend and forever favorite doctor.

“Hi, Len,” you said softly.

“Hey, Commander,” he returned. “See you’re climbing the ladder.”

He didn’t look freaked out by seeing you, so you allowed yourself to relax a bit.

“Ugh. That’s what I get for being too good at my job,” you sighed. “I’m much happier studying rocks than trying to outthink space pirates. I don’t know how Jim does it.”

“Me neither,” Len agreed. “You’re going to need some stitches, I’m afraid. This is a pretty deep gash.”

“That’s what I thought,” you sighed. “It’s been all chaos. They were out for blood and they got it.”

You shuddered at the bad memories that would haunt you for a long time.

“Oh, hey, Scotty!” you greeted the third figure, who was currently looking aghast at the damaged bridge.

“Hey, Y/N! Good to see you, though I’m sorry it was under such rough conditions. I’ll be glad to help out wherever I can.”

“Thank you,” you replied. “Our engineers are overwhelmed right now. Chief G’lok would really appreciate the help. He’s down there now trying to patch some holes.”

“Ahh. I’ll head that way, then.” He headed toward the lift and Jim joined you by the chair.

“We’ll help you to Medbay, Y/N..”

“Thanks, Jim,” you said with a weak smile.

Jim and Len hoisted you up between them and you hobbled toward the lift, trying not to think about how good it felt to be so close to Len again.

“I didn’t recognize you for a second with the new hair, but it’s a good look,” Jim commented.

“I’ve just finished my mid-life crisis,” you laughed. “I changed EVERYTHING: my hair, my style, my makeup, even wore colored contacts. And there was a whole goth phase too.”

“I would have loved to have seen that,” Jim laughed.

“It was pretty cringe,” you admitted. “Therapy helped me learn to tell what was actually me, and what was me subconsciously trying to distance myself from past events by trying to look as different as possible. I didn’t realize just how hard I was punishing myself until my therapist pointed it out. It was really freeing, learning to let go of it all.”

“Been there,” Jim said sympathetically. “I’m glad you’re in a better place, but we still miss you, don’t we, Bones?”

He winked at his friend, who nodded, but shot you a concerned look.

The lift stopped and you pointed your human crutches in the direction of Medbay.

Medbay was very full, but not as chaotic as earlier. After some discussion with your CMO, Jim returned to the Bridge to help the crew put it to rights and Len prepared to help with the flood of patients, approaching you first.

“It looks like they can use all the help they can get,” he sighed. “Do you mind if I stitch you up? I know it’s not ideal, but it might be a bit of a wait otherwise.”

“Of course I don’t mind, Len,” you smiled reassuringly. “You’re one of the best doctors in the Fleet. You always had the steadiest hands.”

A hint of a flush crossed his face and he shook his head as he got to work.

“For about a year I didn’t,” he mentioned. “After you left, things got worse before they got better. I ended up taking an extended leave to try to heal and get my mind right. It took almost a year, but I finally felt confident again. Like you, Therapy was a godsend.”

He was quiet for a little bit and you stared at the ceiling as you were stitched back together.

“But just so you know, I missed you every day,” he added quietly. “Three years was not enough to get over you.”

Your heart melted as he finished bandaging you up.

“Same,” you admitted. “No other man ever did it for me. I tried dating a couple times, but it never worked. They weren’t you.”

Len looked at you searchingly and you let yourself get lost in his fabulous eyes for a second or two. They were just as gorgeous as you remembered.

He finally sighed.

“I should get back to work, but could we continue this conversation later?”

“Absolutely,” you declared. “We have so much to catch up on. I’ve missed you like crazy, Len.”

“Same. Be careful on that leg, now.”

With this added warning in mind, you carefully returned to the bridge, feeling a bit lighter inside.

After two days of work, the engines were at least workable again, though warp drive was out of the question. Jim informed you that The Enterprise would be escorting your ship back to the nearest Starbase for repairs and that they were sending a captain to replace Stokes. You almost wilted from relief.

“You’re really not a fan of the chair, are you?” Jim asked with a touch of amusement.

“Nope,” you declared. “Not my cup of tea. Give me piles of rocks any day.”

You didn’t have a chance to see Leonard again until after the ships had arrived at the Starbase and Starfleet had been briefed about what had happened. It was an emotionally exhausting time for you, forced to describe the terrifying moments over and over again. When they finally were finished with you, you snuck out, found a secluded corner in the lobby and began to shake, tears pouring down your cheeks.

“Y/N?”

You raised your eyes to see Leonard standing there, looking worried.

“Len,” you sniffled. “How did you find me?”

You wiped your swollen eyes.

“Jim sent me. He was in the meeting and was concerned about you after that grilling they put you through. C’mere.”

He reached for your hand and helped you to your feet. You let him pull you into his arms and melted into his comforting hug.

“It was so awful, Len. I saw him get impaled and I couldn’t do anything to help. He died right there.”

You sobbed again.

“I’m so sorry, Y/N,” Leonard sighed, kissing the top of your head the way he always used to when you were sad. “Those images are hell to deal with.”

When you’d finally stopped shaking, he led you to a more private lounge area and you cozied up to him on the couch.

“Oh, how the tables turned,” you sniffed. “I hope I won’t trigger you anymore, being so close.”

“You won’t. Don’t worry about me, Y/N,” he assured you. “It sounds like you spent a long enough time beating yourself up for what happened. It was never your fault. Not then, and not what happened now.”

He hugged you almost fiercely.

“But if I’d been better at the whole command thing, I might have been able to make quicker decisions,” you sighed.

“You put in the distress call as soon as you could, so we could get there in time. You knew when you were outmanned. Some commanders never learn that.”

You smiled appreciatively.

“With almost all of the command track officers dead or out of commission, It was kind of an impossible situation. I don’t know if I want to go back to the Bradford after this.”

“Can’t blame you, Y/N. I bet Jim would happily take you back in a heartbeat. Spock, too.”

“And what about you, Leonard. Would you take me back?”

You didn’t just mean the starship this time.

“I never stopped loving you, Y/N,” he said softly. “Even during the worst of the recovery, my heart was still yours. I was pissed that they’d broken us apart like that.”

“So you’d feel safe with me?” you questioned hopefully.

“Always,” he said simply, bringing more tears to your eyes. Leonard’s hand came up to cup your face just before he kissed you very sweetly.

When Jim left his meeting, he found you and Len holding hands and flirting like you had in the old days. You were smiling, despite your splotchy tear-stained face and the Captain couldn’t help but grin at the sight.

“You recruiting her back to the Enterprise, Bones?” he asked.

His friend glanced over for a second, then looked back at you happily.

“Working on it, Jim,” he replied, kissing your hand.

“You’re very convincing, Len,” you purred. “Still got all that southern charm, I see. If he keeps this up, you’ll see my request in your inbox by tomorrow!” you said to Jim.

“I’ll leave you to it, then,” The Captain replied with a thumbs up, before going on his way with a much lighter heart.

[noforkingclue]

Just One Year Chapter 19 (Bones x reader)

Just One Year tag list: @brilliantbutbatty, @440mxs-wife, @pile-of-bones-and-stars, @alindeluce, @stephdavies95, @bubblegum-star-trek, @waleyfish

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Everything tag list: @greenrevolutionary, @byebyebreezywrites, @spngingerbread21, @layazul, @lov3vivian, @simonsblue

“So we’re agreed then, lilies for the wedding?” asked Peter

“Hmm?”

You glanced up at the screen and gave Peter an apologetic look.

“Sorry,” you muttered, “it’s been a long day.”

“Oh yes,” said Peter sarcastically, “I forget how tiring it is doing paperwork.”

“It can be,” you said, “this is the Enterprise and there are lot of people. While computers help out a lot sometimes you need a human eye to go through things.”

“Oh yes,” the bitter tone was back in Peter’s voice, “I keep forgetting you’re on the Enterprise.”

You pursed your lips as you chose not to rise to Peter’s bait. Bones’s words echoed around your mind as you thought back to that other night. Are you happy? You thought you were but was because you were happy or because that was all you knew. You liked it on the Enterprise. You had your friends. You liked your job, that it wasn’t overly pressured. It finally felt like you had control over your life.

“-listening to me?”

“I think we should end things.”

A heavy silence fell over the both of you. Peter’s mouth was open in shock and it took you a second to realise that you had actually spoken out loud.

“You want to breakup? Not take a break…”

“Yeah, fully breakup.”

You winced at the hurt in Peter’s voice.

“You could at least give me the grace of looking at me when breaking up with me.”

You glanced at the screen and part of you wished that you hadn’t. Pain was etched all across Peter’s face despite his efforts to hide it.

“Why?” he asked, “Why after all we’ve been through. I thought you were happy.”

“I was.”

“Was,” Peter’s voice cracked slightly, “was. What happened?”

“We just… grew apart.”

“Don’t say ‘we’ like I had any part of this.”

“Fine,” you snapped, “I grew apart from you. I thought that having this space might make us stronger. Show us what might happen if we were assigned to different ships. And look,” you slumped against your seat, “we’ve been arguing more than ever. We can’t even agree on what flowers we want for our wedding.”

“We just did. We agreed on lilies.”

“No,” you said firmly, “you agreed on lilies. I wanted roses. See, this is what I’m talking about!”

“So we’re having a few communication issues,” said Peter desperately, “a lot of couples do. We can work through this!”

“And then there’s the reliance on your parents.”

“What about them?”

“We’re marrying each other. Decisions should be made between us, not us and your parents. And yet with every disagreement you turn to them.”

“When-“

“And our honeymoon. We agreed to go aboard and then, all of a sudden, we’re staying with your family in their cabin. You didn’t even discuss it with me.”

“I thought you would like it.”

“I wanted to go to Italy.”

“We can go to Italy any time.”

“We can stay with your family any time. And what about staying with my family? What makes yours better to stay with then mine?”

“Love-“

“I’m sorry Peter but it just isn’t going to work,” you fiddled with the ring on your finger, “I’ll find a way to get this back to you.”

You slipped it off and put it on the table. The clatter of it sounded too loud.

“Goodbye Peter.” You said before you turned off the video chat.