Aviophobia (Leonard McCoy)

6. Emotionally Compromised

Leonard clearly hadn't believed her when she said she was going to take as long as possible to finish her rounds.  On a normal day, finishing would have probably taken her another 15 or 20 minutes.  This time, she let it take nearly an hour, then she found other things to do to put off seeing Spock for as long as possible.  She returned to her office and cleaned herself up some.  Treating the red patients that came from level six had gotten her pretty dirty, and she didn't want to stay like that any longer.  As she wiped off her face and looked at her reflection, Leonard came into her office and said, "Kate, it's been over an hour since Spock called us to the bridge.  I know you don't want to see him, but don't you think we should go up there?"

Kate sighed as she sat down the towel she was using to clean her face and said, "You go ahead, I'll be up there shortly," then looked back at her reflection.  Her ponytail, which had been so neat and tidy when she put it up, was less so now.  There were a lot of hairs falling into her face.  She should probably fix that before going to the bridge too.

Leonard walked over to her and stopped just behind her.  He grabbed her arm gently and turned her around so that she was facing him, then said, "Kate, we've got to go.  You can't defy him just because you're pissed.  He's the captain now," and pushed some of the hair that had fallen into her face behind her ear.  She thought his hand lingered near her face for a moment,  but maybe it was just her imagination running wild.

She nodded, trying to move past the butterfiles in her stomach, and said, "Fine, let's go see what he wants," and walked past him to go to the turbo lift.  They rode silently to the bridge, and Kate realized that she was being a massive pain in the ass.  She'd have to apologize to Leonard later.  She knew he was upset to, and she'd been so focused on throwing herself a pity party that she hadn't considered anyone else.

They stepped off the lift together when it came to a stop and looked around the bridge to try to find where Spock was.  She heard Chekov say, "Course one-five-one-mark-three, Laurentian system, sir," and Spock reply, "Thank you gentlemen," as he looked up and spotted both her and Leonard on the bridge.  Seeing Spock only reminded her how upset she was with him, and she didn't realize how much she had actually calmed herself down while in med bay.  The ass was acting as if everything was fine when everything was certainly not fine.  He lost his planet and his mother, then marooned a cadet on a random planet nearby.  Even if he was Vulcan, he was kidding himself if he was going to act like today's events hadn't affected him.

Kate crossed her arms and looked up at Leonard, wanting him to speak first.  She didn't trust herself to speak yet.  Leonard got the message and said, "You wanted to see us?"

Spock stood from the chair and led them to a more seclueded part of the bridge where there weren't as many people and turned to Leonard and said, "Yes, Doctor.  I am aware that James Kirk is a friend of yours.  I recognize that supporting me as you did must have been difficult."

Kate scoffed, but they both ignored her for the moment as Leonard asked in reply, "Is that a thank you?"  At lest he was irritated by Spock as well.

Spock shook his head once and clarified, "I am simply acknowledging your difficulties."

Kate almost opened her mouth to speak then.  Spock was focusing all his attention on Leonard right now, but Kate deserved some sort of apology too.  She didn't get the chance, though, as Leonard asked, "Permission to speak freely, sir?"

Spock nodded and said simply, "I welcome it."

Leonard raised an eyebrow in disbelief and said, "Do you?  Okay then.  Are you out of your Vulcan mind?  Did you make the logical choice, sending Cadet Kirk away?  Probably, but the right one?  You know, back home we've got a saying, 'If you're gonna ride in the Kentucky Derby, you don't leave your prize stallion in the stable.'"  Kate smiled at Leonard.  He'd been holding in what he had been feeling all along, but it was an exact reflection of what she had been feeling.  Jim was valuable.  Without him and Sulu, there wouldn't have been time to rescue any of the high council, yet Spock overlooked all of that.