Listen to Your Doctor

Jim was awoken by an insistent beeping noise, signalling that someone had entered his room by using the emergency codes to override his security system. He frowned into his pillow for a moment, mulling over who in their right mind would be breaking into his rooms, before slowly pushing himself into a sitting position; the sheet falling carelessly to pool around his waist.

Yawning as he stretched his arms above his head until he heard his spine crack satisfyingly, he turned his attention to the blurry outline of the figure stood in the middle of his room. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes he watched in growing confusion as his vision focused, revealing the form of his First Officer.

“Sp-Sp-Spock?” He stuttered, completely bewildered as to why on earth the Vulcan would be in his private rooms – let alone using the emergency code’s to gain access. His first officer was stood there completely still as if paralyzed; allowing Jim to take the opportunity to quickly run an accessing eye over his body but couldn't see any visible forms of injury. So they hadn't been attacked then.

“Captain, I-” Spock seemed out of words, such an unusual occurrence that Jim couldn't help but wonder for a moment if this Spock was an impostor. He shook the thought of mentally; there was no way this was an impostor as only the real Spock knew the emergency override codes. And there was absolutely no chance the Vulcan would've given them up to anyone – no matter the circumstances.

No, this was the real Spock; if not a slightly less calm one, discernible by the slight tightening of the jaw line and the eyes that did not seem as dead as usual.

“Commander,” he stared resolutely at his first officer, “mind explaining why exactly you felt the need to break into my rooms?”

“I apologize for my actions, Captain. I did not mean to intrude into your personal chambers, however after you missed your shift I found myself at the mercy of a frantic crew, so I took it upon myself to establish your well being an-” Jim found himself interrupting his first officer before he could stop himself.

“What? Missed my shift? Have you gone completely insane Spock! What the fuck do you mean I missed my shift?” Dammit. He hadn't meant to cuss but this whole situation was beginning to give him yet another headache. His confusion seemed to disorient Spock, who arched a single eyebrow at him in typical Vulcan fashion.

“Am I correct in assuming you do not know the time, Captain?”

“Of course I know the blasted time, Spock! I’m not that stupid, it’s,” he cut off for a moment to glance at the clock decorating the wall above his bed, “it’s 0100 hours. Which means I’m not expected on my shift for at least a good few hours!” Jim couldn't help himself from letting out at a quiet grumble at how early it actually was.

“That is correct, Captain, however do you know what day it is?” Jim frowned at this, where exactly was Spock heading with his questioning? Starting to get annoyed at being asked so many simple questions, Jim pushed himself so that his legs swung off the side of the bed.

“It’s Wednesday for heaven’s sake, Spock. Please don’t tell me you broke into my rooms simply to ask me what day it is?” He snickered at his own joke, watching as Spock’s eyebrow twitched minutely.

“I find you answer incorrect in every way, Captain. I did not in fact ‘break’ into your rooms simply to ask you what the day is – in fact, as I already stated; I came into your rooms to evaluate your well being on the request of your crew. However, that is not the point, you have just stated that you believed it to be 0100 hours on a Wednesday, when I am hesitant to inform you that it is in fact 0100 hours on a Thursday.”

Say what.

“Are you, are you telling me Spock that I've managed to somehow just skip an entire day? How the fuck does that even work?”

“I do not know Captain. I was hoping you could inform me as to how you managed to miss an entire day worth of work and leave your ship to function without its Captain for a period exceeding 24 hours without prior notice; going against regulation 5.4 of the Federation guidelines on Captaincy.” This pissed Jim off; here he was, once again having his status as Captain being second guessed.

“You know what Spock,” before he could think about his actions Jim pushed himself off the bed until he was stood, fuming, in front of his first officer dressed in nothing but his underwear, “I've had it with you! Ever since we got back on the Enterprise you've been questioning my every fucking order and putting me down as your Captain! Tell me, have I done something to displease you as Captain?” Jim could barely keep himself from shouting into the bastard Vulcan’s face. Spock seemed baffled by his behavior and couldn't seem to look him in the eye which just seemed to fuel his anger.

“Your point is highly illogical Captain, I mere-“

“Then what is it Spock? Tell me for heavens’ sake! Because you’re certainly behaving like you've no desire for me to be your Captain! Perhaps you wished that I had indeed died in the radiation chambers so you could be fucking Captain you heartless bastard!”

Okay, so perhaps that was a bit of a low blow – he could still remember waking up in the ships med-bay and seeing Spock’s hands bandaged heavily (he’d later been told by some gossiping scientist’s that the first officer had managed to inflict them upon himself when he’d cornered the bastard who’d caused his death). But still, he was fucking pissed off and determined to get a rise out of the Commander. Maybe then he’d know what the hell had actually been going on in his stupid emotionless mind the past few weeks!

And it seemed it had worked for the next thing he knew he was being pushed back against the wall beside his bed, a hand clasped tightly around his neck.

“Do not even try to speculate as to what I wish Captain, for you know absolutely nothing.” Spock growled into his face, emotionless mask forgotten in his anger. And instead of worrying about the fact he could very well be dead in a matter of seconds if Spock chose to tighten his fingers, he couldn't help but become entranced by the rare display of emotions flickering across the normally stoic first officer’s face ranging from anger, to guilt, to fear. No, the only thing that scared him was the indescribable sudden need for more; he needed to see the Vulcan lose his control fully.

“I know nothing do I, Spock? I think you’ll find I know a good deal of information; especially regarding you. Like the fact you and Lieutenant Uhara broke up because you’re a cold unfeeling bastard and she wanted someone who could warm more than just the bed sheets.” Okay, so not the entire truth – he for one didn't actually know why the two had broken up during the time the Enterprise had been docked – but it was something.

As it was, Spock didn't seem to hear the blatant lie and Jim felt the hand tighten slightly around his neck as the Vulcan let out a growl that would've made any large feline proud.

“How dare you! You have absolutely no right to stick your nose in mine and the Lieutenant’s private business you filthy human, let alone even dare to spill lies such as those!”

Ah, so maybe Spock had picked up on his lies, somehow.

“Then tell me Spock, why did you and Uhara break up, huh?” He quirked an eyebrow up at the slightly taller alien, causing the hand to once again tighten around his neck – this time causing him to have some slight difficulty in breathing.

“That is none of your business Captain.” Spock spat the words as if they were poison, his tongue coming out to run across his bottom lip quickly when he finished.

“Come on Spock, if I what I said is really such a horrendous lie then why don’t you tell me what the truth is then.” Jim pressed up against the hand around his neck so as to evade the Vulcan’s personal space even more, “it’s not like your breakup had anything to do with me after all.”

Jim watched in morbid fascination as Spock seemed to stop breathing for a moment, his eyes growing slightly wider – something not many people would've picked up; he certainly wouldn't have if not for his training. But what the hell did it mean? Unless, no...that wasn't possible.

“Spock? It didn't have anything to do with me...right?”