Trapped six feet under

Chapter 3: earlier two

Nyota appeared out of thin air as McCoy was reading the diagnoses over Kirk. She was right behind him with her arms folded and a hurt expression plastered on her face. McCoy could sense that someone was behind her. He turned toward the woman's direction raising an eyebrow back at her. She was in her off duty attire being colorful consisting of a skirt to the attire and a dark purple shirt.

"Spock tell ya?" McCoy said.

"You broke up with him," Nyota said.

"I did," McCoy replied.

"You were hopelessly in love with him a day before and now you're just. . ." Nyota was wordless at first. Trying to find the words to fit what he was doing, relationship wise. "keeping your distance?"

"Look," McCoy said, turning completely in the woman's direction. "I am givin' him in space. He didn't answer what kind of relationship he wanted," he jotted down on the padd regarding Kirk's condition. "I am keeping it professional for now until he answers it. Playin' it safe."

"All I am hearing coming from you right now is bullshit," Nyota said. "and I don't like that."

"Ya wanted Spock but thin's didn't work out," McCoy said. Nyota frowned.

"He was married to his Vulcan duties," Nyota said.

"And ya here about me breakin' up with him?" McCoy asked, raising an eyebrow in return. He lowered it. "ya have no standin' talkin' to me about breakin' up with Spock," he turned away back toward the resting captain on the biobed checking the vitals. "besides, there are better people out there who can accept that proposal."

"Wait, he proposed?" Nyota came to the side of the biobed along McCoy's side with widened eyes.

"Yes," McCoy said, as Nyota's hands clasped over her mouth before a gasp escaped.

There was silence between the two colleagues as the man checked on the captain's vitals placing one hand on the man's neck. The captain's heart beat was stable. It was seen on the monitor behind McCoy. The beeps coming from the equipment was the only sound filling the air between the two officers. Nyota slowly took both of her hands off her mouth regaining her composure.

"You turned down . . . a bonding proposal," Nyota said.

"I did," McCoy said.

"Len," Nyota said. "Vulcan's don't go offering their mind and soul like candy every day."

"Ny. . ." McCoy stopped, turning toward her. "there's thin's in this head that I don't want him to see," he tapped on the side of his forehead. "No one should see it. There are thin's I put in my reports no one should read. The ones where Spock and Jim aren't there and I have to help those people. And what kind of man is he marryin'? There are somethin's that he doesn't know and shouldn't know. I have skeletons in my closet and issues," he glared at her. "I can't get over them over night. Nor over five years. I've adapted to it. And lived with it."

Nyota observed the man as understanding dawned on her.

"You are not ready to open your mind to him," Nyota said.

"Weren't ya?" McCoy asked.

"We had some mind melds but never a link," Nyota said.

"Lucky girl," McCoy said. "ya a perfect woman with no skeletons in her closet or issues. You're absolutely flawless in and out."

"I have flaws," Nyota said.

"Yes, ya do," McCoy said. "ones that ya can get married with. . ." the doctor sighed. "I don't want to destroy another marriage."

"I see," Nyota said, and then Kirk groaned.

"Wakey, wakey, sun flower," McCoy said, bouncing on the tips of his toes leaning forward with a smile as Kirk's eyes began to open. "lights are up."