"The ending is ambiguous, Spock," McCoy said. "if they went to werewolf territory that would have disgraced the entire franchise and turned it from vampire into werewolf genre--"

McCoy fell through a trap with a scream. They were on their second five year mission, circa 2270. Why did he let the man convince him to decide otherwise? McCoy had been planning to resign from star fleet and enjoy what was left of his life on this quadrant. He couldn't spend his golden years in space, forever, anyhow. He landed on his side on the floor. He felt pain from the side of his chest. He felt almost out of breath. He felt dizzy as he heard another body thud alongside him. Then there was softer thud that came with what sounded to be Jim's gasp. It was dark in whatever that they had landed. He was scared. Utterly, actually, terribly scared. His heart was pounding against his chest. He was experiencing pain coming from his chest.

"Doctor!" Pavel shouted.

Why did he have to fall in the middle of a forest?

"Commander?" Pavel added. Jim groaned, loudly.

It was such a cliche that there was a trap in the middle of the goddamn forest.

"Captain!" Hallisk added.

With Jim and Spock of all people.

"We are fine, Mr Chekov!" Jim called. The pain was a familiar one. One that he had faced for the past four and a half past years in space. "Mr Spock. . ."

"Doctor, Mr Spock, Captain--" Erika said.

"Run, and that's an order," Jim replied, as the sounds of shouting were heard.

"Lets go!" Chekov shouted.

They went past the hole.

McCoy felt his communicator was broken. He felt around to feel the shattered pieces pressing against his butt. He quickly slid it out with a yelp. He turned over feeling out of breath. It was painful to take a breath. McCoy felt sick to his stomach. He turned over then puked along his side. A hypo could not take care of this sickness but it could take care of feeling the pain. Pain killers. To think he would need pain killers, actively, for this away mission. He could last a few hours. They were running from the natives of the planet that they had visited. McCoy couldn't feel the ability to prop himself up. He coughed into his hand, excessively, feeling pain in his chest every time he breathed.

"I am fine, captain," Spock said. "are you adequate?"

"Waist doesn't hurt as much for landing on you," Jim said.

"Adequate landing, captain," Spock said, Spock propped himself over the doctor. "I am not sure about the doctor." McCoy felt his consciousness waver. He felt his body moved over to a different part of the landing while smelling his breakfast. It was disgusting. To think he ate it for breakfast. He felt a hand place place itself on the side of his face while seeing darkness. "Doctor, you need to relax yourself," Spock's deep, beautiful voice soothingly told him.

McCoy's eyes squeezed shut then he felt Jim's large hand placed onto his shoulder.

"Says the Vulcan who was arguin' over the lost boys," McCoy argued. "that movie was a master piece in the world of vampires. It's better than the--" he coughed. "twilight franchise."

"That is a movie and highly illogical given the way it was made," Spock said. McCoy's eyes were still shut. He coughed. "vampires would not lurk in a forest that blinds people with the lighting of their leaves."

"You are a tall thin pole of a bean, ya know?" McCoy asked.

"I am well aware of that," Spock said. "we are engaged in a mind meld," McCoy coughed. He could not hear if Spock was coughing. "unlike humans, Vulcans are more dense and more resilient against falls."

"Your communicator?" McCoy asked.

"I believe it is broken," Spock said.

"Okay, don't carry me bridal style," McCoy said. He felt concern for the Vulcan.

"I am fine," Spock said.

"Oh really?" McCoy asked. "The last time I heard that I had to fix the knee fracture of T'Plass the engineer." He heard Jim's voice and Spock's briefly for a time talking about his knowledge and his hyposprays.

"I am fine," Spock said. McCoy felt a smooth, but hard surface against the side of his neck. He heard the sound of hands rummaging through his knap sack.

"The hell you are!" McCoy replied, as the pain from his ankle and chest dimmed down. He could feel a headache coming from Spock's side of the mind meld.

"I can manage," now Spock's voice sounded close instead of in his head.

His eyes were feeling heavy as he attempted to open them. How far did they fall? They normally didn't fall that hard. He couldn't hear the conversation transpiring between the men but the words "One. . . of us. . . lead", "exit", "tunnel", "civilization. . . likely. . . used this extensively. . ." He could feel hands on his legs and on his back. He could hear the heart beat belonging to the Vulcan. McCoy's baby blue eyes opened to see brown scenery around them. Jim high in the lead.

McCoy hacked, extensively, feeling not a tinge of pain.

"Are we in a shit cavern?" McCoy asked.

"No," Jim was fighting back laughter.

"You are being illogical," Spock said.

"It looks like a cavern," McCoy said.

"You are dizzy," Spock said.

"You look like you have two heads," McCoy said.

"Doctor?" Spock raised an eyebrow almost out of concern.

"I am fine," McCoy said. "my head just has a damn headache. I feel tired. . ."

"You should rest," Spock recommended.

"Nah uh," McCoy said.

"Rest," Jim said. "that is a order."

"You are not my mother," McCoy said.

"I am your superior officer, doctor," Jim said. "and whose your mother? We should around to meeting her."

"Mmmh," McCoy said, as his eyes drifted to a close. "Her name is Eleanor and she does not tolerate no ones shit."

"Your father must have been so proud to have known her," Jim said.

"Mmmh. . ." McCoy purred in the science officers arms against his warm chest.

McCoy's eyes closed and snored himself into oblivion. Warmth, and darkness, was his comfort. He felt like a little boy running through a field of sun flowers feeling the wind beat against his face. He could hear Jim and Spock calling each other by endearing names. He saw images of them, while running in the field, on a lounging chair together cuddled with Spock's arm around the man's waist with Jim's head under his chin. Ashayam, ashaya, t'hy'la, and t'nash-veh ashalik. Soft, yet vulnerable. McCoy was laughing until he came to a terrifying scarecrow. It made him come to abrupt stop crash landing onto his back with a hard thud. Light pierced through his eyes. He slowly opened his eyes. He could see greenery all around them. Spock was standing in the middle of the clearing holding a fallen, long tree branch in one hand being cautious. It lacked branches. He noticed the man's uniform seemed to be torn. Spock's tricorder was laid in the middle of what seemed to be a campfire.

The pain in McCoy side had returned.

"Ah!" McCoy cried in pain. Spock turned in the direction of the doctor.

"Do not move, Doctor," Spock warned.

"Where are we?" McCoy asked.

"I believe we are in the part of the forest where the trees are thick," Spock said. "the bears have six legs," McCoy raised an eyebrow. Spock came close that McCoy could see that he had dried green blood in the tears of his uniform. "Their fangs are four inches long. They look like a lion than a bear and they lack a tail. Surprisingly, they are not as strong as Vulcans."

"Spock, are you okay?" McCoy attempted to lean forward. He hacked, again, loudly yet painful. "Ah!"

Spock came over the man's side.

"I told you not to move," Spock said, leaning him back against the treebark.

"You are hurt," McCoy said. "I can fix that. . ." McCoy took out a wide, long piece of a leaf then leaned forward at the Vulcan's shoulder. He wrapped it around the Vulcan's shoulder then tightly knotted it up. It covered his entire shoulder where it stopped at the elbow. "There!" McCoy pat on the bandaid. McCoy gave a smile as he leaned back with a wince against the tree bark. "Improvisement until we get back to the ship."

"We may have gotten separated from the captain," Spock said. The camera backed into the forest.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN JIM LOST YOU?" Flocks of birds flew away from the trees. "AM I IN A ALTERNATE UNIVERSE? JIM NEVER LOSES YOU!"

"We went through two different tunnels," Spock said. "and we were being chased by the ingenious lifeforms equivalent to big foot."

"I told you big foot is real," McCoy cracked a smile. He coughed into his hand. Spock steadied the man against the tree bark. "ya got good bedside manner, Spock."

"Doctor," Spock said. "would you prefer to be resting than awake?"

"Don't ya dare nerve pinch me," McCoy said.

"It will do more harm than good with you being awake," Spock said. "I do not wish for you to lose your voice." McCoy glared back at the Vulcan. "or get hoarse from coughing as the last time you did."

"I was sick," McCoy said. "and I was off duty for two days."

"Mr M'Benga informed me of your illness," Spock said. "and your reluctance to take cough drops."

"You didn't have to come to my quarters and drop it into my lap,"McCoy said.

"The captain ordered me," Spock replied.

"Uh huh," McCoy said. "I was going to get better."

"Your voice would not have improved without the aid of certain products," Spock said.

"It was a bad cold," McCoy said. McCoy coughed feeling Spock keeping him straight against the tree bark by his shoulders. He brought his hands to his mouth where he covered it. Every time he breathed there was a pain in his ribs. "I could ride it out with antibiotics."

"Ashali---Doctor," Spock said, seeing through the facade. "you are not well. You need rest."

"I got enough rest," McCoy said. "how lon' I been out?"

"Twelve hours," Spock said.

"Twelve hours," McCoy said.

"Twelve hours," Spock repeated, with a nod.

"The pain not bad as it was," McCoy said. "I am surprised Jim hasn't found us. . . yet. . ." He cocked up an eyebrow toward the Vulcan. "do you keep movin' the camp site?"

"Negative," Spock said. "we must remain where we are."

"How logical," McCoy said. "he is goin' to find us any minute now."

"Likely two hours and thirty-three minutes," Spock said.

"Is that what you keep tellin' yourself?" MdcCoy asked.

"Affirmative," Spock said.

"Spock," McCoy said.

"Yes?" Spock said.

"I don't deserve someone like you watchin' over me," McCoy said.

"Keep telling yourself that, Doctor," Spock said. "as you are wrong."

"You say that to Jim when he is sick?" McCoy asked.

"Plausible," Spock said.

Spock came over to the fire making sure it was well lit. There was several stones rounded around it. The pain in his chest was throbbing. Breathing was difficult. He felt like he wanted to stop breathing all together in order not to feel pain. But he was on a away mission and he was a chief medical officer. He couldn't bow down to pain like that. He watched Spock's figure as his eyes started to drift shut. He didn't feel sick but the dizziness had faded. He looked over feeling difficulty breathing. McCoy saw a lion like figure hiding in the bushes eating something.

Something gray and blue but small and long. Had to be some kind of salmon native to the planet. It had lion like eyes, cat like ears, and green fur instead of yellow or brown fur. He could not see the eyes. He noticed the six shapes along its side. The front two feet, the middle feet, and the back feet. He felt his skin run cold. What if the beast decided to come and attack Spock again? The bear like lion licked its lips staring off in his direction. Every breath that McCoy took felt painful. Spock looked up from the fire appearing to be concerned but highly alarmed with a head. His face was blank but his eyes showed emotions. Spock returned to the man's side taking out a hypospray from the knapsack.

"As I said before," Spock said. "you need rest not worrying about me." Spock applied the hypospray along the man's neck.

"Ah," McCoy said. "I am not a sleeper when it comes to sufferin'." Spock stared at the doctor, contemplating.

"Tell me more about your mother," Spock said.

"She . . . is a . . ." McCoy paused inbetween. "a tank. Body wise. She is like me, but black, and . . . oh my god. . . she was gorgeous."

"Was?" Spock asked.

"She died last year," McCoy said.

"tushah nash-vah k'dular," Spock said. "I did not know of her passing. . ."

"What was the first part?" McCoy painfully laughed. "You said in Vulcan."

"My apologies," Spock said. "I grieve with thee."

"That funeral . . . took the life . . . outta me," McCoy said. "I realized . . . that life . . . was short. I had to . . . make memories with my daughter . . . that she will . . ." He paused, adjusting to the pain that was fading. "remember fondly. . . to remember me by. Not just as the father who was out in space all the time or helpin' others. That is why I took personal leave for a month." McCoy briefly closed his eyes. "my father was the stubborn one and a sweetheart at best. He wasn't the grumpy one in the family." McCoy fondly smiled. "Mother was." He laughed.

"What was your father's name?" Spock asked.

"David . . . Andrew . . . McCoy," McCoy said. "Mother called him 'Dam'."

"That is a unique nickname," Spock said.

"Yeah," McCoy said. "I asked . . . why she didn't call him. . . Andy."

"Because it was illogical," Spock said.

"That is what she said to me," McCoy said. McCoy coughed, unexpectedly, into his hand. He looked over toward Spock. "when I lose my life on one of these away missions. . . . you better take care of him."

"As you wish," Spock said, with a nod. He sat next to the doctor. "Doctor, are you aware of the studies of cat purring helping the sick recover?"

"Very aware," McCoy said.

"May I test that study on you?" Spock asked.

"Don't get a bear kit," McCoy said, earning a eyebrow raise from Spock.

"I will not," Spock said. "as that is highly illogical and dangerous."

"All right, don't know where you'll get a cat though," McCoy said.

Spock sat down next to the human and began to purr. The purr was a deep but catlike sound. His eyes started to grow heavy. Vulcans were essentially alien cats without the cat ears or the tail or the fur all around them. Spock was a hairy Vulcan, much like any Vulcan, as McCoy felt himself slid onto the man's shoulder. He felt at peace and safe. When he reopened them, Spock was gone and the flames were extinguished. The birds were singing. He could hear the sounds of frogs going "rib-ribbit". He saw a unusual squirrel like creature with a black mohawk chewing on a large acorn. It was interesting for the least. His eyes looked up to see the fire pit was destroyed. The whole place seemed to have been ransacked. He was covered partially by a mass of leaves. His chest felt sore. How long had he been out?

Breathing was difficult, otherwise, but he had to get up.

McCoy leaned forward balancing himself up.

He fell to his knees then coughed into his hands. The pain in his chest flared up. His eyes winced in pain. Spock should have came to his side and requested that he rest. The silence was unsettling to the doctor. He needed water. Immediately. McCoy got up again feeling around for his knapsack. Where was Spock? His throat felt dry. And then he coughed into his hand. His chest ached. McCoy cleared his throat.

"Spock," McCoy croaked. "Spock?"

He looked around.

"Spo--awk--ock!" McCoy called again.

His voice echoed back.

"Typical," McCoy said. "just typical."

He felt wobbly getting on his feet. He used the nearby treebark to straighten himself out. He wasn't straight. Not remotely close to being straight. He was crooked as a tree that was growing in the wrong position. He walked forward observing his surroundings noticing the scraps of blue uniform on the floor. His thoughts started to get grim. No, not Spock, too! He briefly winced his eyes lowering himself down to the level of the uniform fabric. It was blue. Soft and flat. He propped himself up. It felt difficult to breath as he wandered away from the campsite. Sure, Spock told him to remain but it was destroyed. As though there was a fight. And it would not make sense to remain when the culprit might return. He could hear the growls of what sounded like a lion. McCoy bolted for it.

He looked over his shoulder to see the animal coming after him.

This is not how I imagined myself to go! McCoy thought, I hate this planet!

McCoy saw a fallen tree in his path.

Oh shit! McCoy panicked.

He saw another tree that lead up to a tipped over tree stump lodged against it leading up to a big, huge, towering tree.

Can lions climb? McCoy thought, let's test that thought.

McCoy followed the collection of trees, climbed his way up, and made it to the top where he sat on the heavy, but flat edge of a tree branch. McCoy could see everything now from the distance. he saw a distant red torch that were joined by others. Oh, the rescue party. Finally making their way to this part of the forest. He should never go camping with Jim and Spock for the foreseeable future on a alien planet because all that will happen is this all over again. He coughed into his hand, loudly. He was breathing in a way that didn't feel painful to McCoy. There was light pain in his chest. He was covered in his own sweat. He saw a familiar figure in the distance. The lion-bear hissed scratching at the tree bark walking around in circles.

"Suck it!" McCoy flipped his middle finger at the animal.

The lion-bear turned away and strolled their path a different direction.

"Doctor!" it sounded like Spock.

"NICE TO HEAR --" McCoy coughed. "YOU," he coughed, yet again. "HOW'S YOUR DAY GOING?" McCoy sarcastically asked.

Spock came close into view in the white regulation variation of his uniform. McCoy could not see if the Vulcan had been injured from this distance in the dark but there were shapes of leaves on his upper limbs such as his chest, arms, and shoulder. Spock had his hands behind his back appearing to be bewildered at the successful climb that had the doctor had to make.

"I am not satisfied with how you disobeyed my order," Spock said.

"The camp was destroyed, so it was illogical to stand by it," McCoy said.

"No, it wasn't," Spock argued.

"Yes, it was!" McCoy argued back.

"No, it was not, doctor!" Spock replied.

"Then tell me why your jacket was in shreds all over the place?" McCoy asked. "You fought the lion bear."

"Not exactly," Spock replied.

"Yes, you did," McCoy said. "that is why you have more leaves on you!"

"If that is what you like to believe," Spock said. "I found the rescue team and Jim."

"Oh good," McCoy said. "Pavel is not going to let it down when he sees me up here."

"I was leading them to your general location when The Green Beast went on its dine," Spock said.

"Green bear," McCoy said. "and this one can't climb."

"Such a shame," Spock said.

"Tell me you didn't lose Jim again," McCoy said. Spock looked in different directions.

"I may have lost track of him," Spock said. "and I am sure he will find the right tree."

"Right," McCoy said. "How long--" the doctor coughed. "had I been out--" the doctor coughed, again. "this time?"

"Eight hours," Spock said. McCoy noticed that Spock held his two fingers out.

Suddenly, Jim's figure came out of the wild and completed the gesture.

"Mr Spock," Jim said, almost out of breath. "you are hard to pin down in one place."