In Sickness

[sharpestscalpel]

He had a mental schedule, dammit. And varying from it pissed him right the fuck off. So when Chapel was late - didn't even have the goddamn pissing courtesy to call and let him know she was going to be fucking late - it pissed him right the fuck off.

Other M'Benga had shown up the fuck on time. What the shit was Chapel's goddamn malfunction?

McCoy pulled his comm out but before he could thumb it to call his wayward nurse, the door slide open and that little yeoman Uhura was using limped in.

Fucking goddamn shitting hell.

"What the fuck happened to you?"

Comments

[janis-shrugged.livejournal.com]

McCoy led Chapel away, though still within Rand's line of sight. It wasn't her place to know what he was up to, calling the captain. But recent events had made her wondering at least understandable.

Not that the Empire was big on understanding.

Last night, Uhura had shown her the things in the walls, had shown her some trust. Today, she'd risked her life for her captain. And now McCoy, about whom rumor swirled like carrion crows, had treated her with an amused gentleness and shown far more gentleness--without amusement--to a seriously disturbed woman Rand was pretty sure no one else would give the time of day. They both had their reasons--everyone did.

They were pretty obscure ones, though.

Her knee tingled and she was restless, but she wasn't nearly done with her hour.

[sharpestscalpel.livejournal.com]

Chapel was out and Rand was still just where he'd left her like a good little biscuit and butter. He needed to calm the fuck down, that much was certain, before he went and saw her fucking highness the captain.

McCoy wandered back to Rand's side.

"I'd appreciate it if you'd not mention the state of my nurse to the general populace."

[janis-shrugged.livejournal.com]

The general populace. Not the captain--McCoy didn't strike Rand as someone who was wanton with words. Words that weren't curses, anyway. Maybe he already figured she was in Uhura's camp.

"I have no reason to," she said. And then, because it was true, added, "I hope she feels better."

[sharpestscalpel.livejournal.com]

He scanned her again, watched the results flicked across the screen.

"Oh, she will. I'll damn well make sure of that."

It was equal parts reassurance and threat.

"You've got about another half-hour this time around. I'll release you when it's time but you're off-duty. Probably for three days."

[janis-shrugged.livejournal.com]

'Off-duty' wasn't the same as 'vacation'--not around here, anyway. But she wasn't stupid, and if she really needed the recovery time, there wasn't much she could do. She couldn't exactly read his tone, but the whole scene was creepy enough she wasn't sure she wanted to be able to.

She nodded. "Fine," she said, brisk and practical. "And stay off it, I'm guessing."

[sharpestscalpel.livejournal.com]

"You're a smart biscuit. That's the shape of it."

[janis-shrugged.livejournal.com]

She blinked at the epithet. Janis Rand was not anyone's biscuit.

Except inasmuch as she was low enough on the totem pole that she couldn't exactly make her own name. He was likely just trying to intimidate her.

She crossed her arms.

"Okay," she said. "I can do that."

[sharpestscalpel.livejournal.com]

He could just eat her up with some fucking jelly.

He grinned at her but it back into that serious look when he turned to survey Chapel.

"I'll be in my office. You holler if you need me or if she starts stirring."

[janis-shrugged.livejournal.com]

She was going to just let him go--alone with Chapel was still better than alone with him--but her curiosity got the better of her at last.

"What was that?" she asked. "When you... On your hand."

[sharpestscalpel.livejournal.com]

There it was right there. She was curious. McCoy made his smile as kindly as he could make it - which was very. He leaned a hip against the edge of her bed, careful not to crowd her space too much but just enough that he was the most immediate thing around.

"Uhura irritates the shit out of me. But she ain't stupid. And I know what she wants. I'm willing, in fact, to bet that she's already shown 'em to you."

[janis-shrugged.livejournal.com]

Dammit. The smile and the words were at odds. Confusing, and dangerous. And Rand didn't have a lot of experience as a spy.

"I'm just her yeoman," she said. "I bring coffee. Why would she show me anything?"

[sharpestscalpel.livejournal.com]

"Because she needs to be able to trust people."

It was plain to McCoy, like he'd read it in her med chart. It was in how she'd trusted Kirk when they were plotting together and in how she trusted that boy Chekov now.

She didn't trust widely - and she didn't trust Kirk or McCoy with an inch now. But she needed it so she didn't feel so all alone.

McCoy'd bet credits - and he wasn't a betting man - that Uhura hadn't fucked Chekov but she might just when it came to this little morsel. Made things more interesting. The game had more players now.

"Chekov's away and you're at her beck and call - bet she can't help but want to trust you, with your big eyes and sincere work ethic."

[janis-shrugged.livejournal.com]

Those eyes narrowed now, keen to the mockery. "Maybe she did," she offered. "But why did you?"

[sharpestscalpel.livejournal.com]

"Why do I need to keep it secret? For that matter, why does she?"

He cocked an eyebrow at her and pushed himself up from the edge of her bed.

"Twenty-five minutes. I'll be back before then."

[janis-shrugged.livejournal.com]

She looked after him, not saying anything further. Maybe there was no reason to keep it a secret, but they had done up until now--and Uhura had very clearly been demonstrating something to her last night. For that matter, she thought McCoy had been pretty conscious in his own actions. Weighing whether she was already in the know.

Maybe it wasn't a secret, but neither was in the habit of advertising.

She sat back and waited.