Best TOS Story Featuring McCoy ~ BEST McCOY/SCOTT STORY ~ BEST ENG FUH-Q FEST STORY
Title: MIRROR CRACKED
Author: T'Lin ( LinkyS@aol.com )
Series: TOS
Code: McCoy/Scotty
Rating: R
Summary: After "Mirror, Mirror" Scotty seeks out McCoy to talk about what happened in the alternate universe. Sequel to my MUFF story, UNEXPECTED TENDERNESS (Sc/MU Kyle).
Note: written for the Engineer Fuh-Q Fest -- http://www.oocities.org/engineer_fuh_q_fest/
Archiving: EngFF, ASC*, BLTS and my own web page - http://www.oocities.org/tlin_s/ - all others, please ask first.
Disclaimer: Paramount/Viacom own the TREK universe. I do not intend to infringe on their copyright, I have just borrowed the characters and their universe for entertainment purposes. I promise to return everything to its proper place when I am finished. This original piece of STAR TREK Fanfiction is the property of T'Lin, ©1 September 2003.
Feedback: Gladly accepted . . . posted to the list, or in private.
by T'Lin 0309.1
As the transporter effect released them, Scotty looked around, trying to determine if they had returned to their own universe or not. From all outward appearances, they had . . . but he knew that looks could be deceiving.
As the Captain spoke to Mister Spock, he spotted Kyle, re-calibrating the controls on the transporter console, and a bit of panic set in. Suddenly, he needed to know if his counterpart had treated the lad poorly.
Scotty made his way over to were Kyle was working, and casually asked, "Is everything in order here, mister?"
"Yes, we had a devil of a time gettin' this thing calibrated to get you back here, but it's working perfectly, sir. By the way, welcome back," he added, with an awkward smile.
"Thanks, lad . . . glad ta be back. So tell me, did ye spend much time with my counterpart? After spendin' time in his place, I'd kinda like ta know what he was like."
"No, not really. Soon after they arrived, it became quite apparent that something was wrong. Mister Spock had security in here in less than five minutes, and they were all in the brig shortly after that." Kyle lowered his voice, as he added, "your 'counterpart' did request my presence in the brig, however. For some reason, he thought I would help him and the others escape . . . our brief conversation was quite perplexing, to say the least. I don't suppose you'd have any insight into why he felt he had control over me, do you?"
"Well, lad . . ." then Scotty hesitated, unsure if he should tell Kyle of the relationship between the two of them in the alternate universe. "You see, the Montgomery Scott of that universe kinda 'owned' your counterpart . . . I suppose you could say you were a . . ." he paused and looked around to make sure nobody was within hearing range, then whispered, "a 'love slave'."
Kyle paled ever so slightly, before replying, "I see. Thank you for telling me, sir. It makes a few of the things he said to me more comprehensible, at least."
Satisfied that the 'other' Scotty had not harmed Kyle, he followed the others out of the transporter room, and down to sickbay, where they would all undergo physicals to make sure there were no lingering side effects to the alteration from one universe to another. When he got there, McCoy was just finishing up with Uhura . . . the others were already gone.
As Uhura was leaving she stopped next to him, and asked, "Care to join me for dinner, Scotty?"
"Sorry, lass . . . Ah've got a heap o paperwork ta look over, then Ah'm callin' it a night . . . perhaps some other time."
"No problem. Sleep well," she said, and gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder as she left.
He felt bad lying to her, but what he really needed was to talk over what happened with someone . . . and he didn't think that she would understand the dynamics of what happened between himself and the Kyle of the alternate universe. The only person who possibly *would* understand was McCoy. As a chief medical officer on a starship, he had a certain amount of psychological training, as well as the more usual medical background.
And Scotty knew that McCoy had also had his share of male lovers in his life . . . at least that's what he had heard. As a matter of fact, Scotty had, on occasion, contemplated making a play for McCoy, but the circumstances never seemed to be just right. If the rumors were wrong, or if things didn't work out for some reason, it could be detrimental to their friendship. As far as Scotty was concerned, a quick roll in the hay was not worth the potential loss, so he kept his occasional bouts of horniness to himself.
McCoy patted the biobed, saying, "Your turn ... this will only take a minute." Scotty got on, and lay down so the built-in instrumentation could scan him. The typical whirr and buzz of the monitor met his ears, as he lay there. "You can sit up now," McCoy said after a moment, but the exam was obviously not over yet.
That was one of the things that Scotty admired about McCoy; he had more confidence in his own senses than in the scanners. Scotty shared this trait. Scanners and monitors can be wrong ... a 'hands-on' approach to double check their findings was always in order.
As McCoy did his manual check-up, he asked, "Did you experience anything out of the ordinary during transport? Any dizziness? Nausea?"
"Ach, no ... nothin' a' all." Scotty replied, as McCoy stood in front of him, looking into his eyes. The nearness was a bit disconcerting, he could feel his body responding to McCoy's closeness. As McCoy stepped back, Scotty cleared his throat, and added, "But if ye 'ave a moment, Ah need to talk aboot somethin' tha' happened 'over there' ... if ye 'ave a moment o' free time, that is."
"Of course, Scotty." McCoy smiled as he motioned for Scotty to get off the table, then, with a pat on the back, added, "I've got a couple of things I need to take care of here, and the Captain has asked me to join him for dinner," McCoy paused to look at the chronometer, then said, "How about meeting me in my quarters for a drink after dinner ... say 2200?"
"Ah'll see you there," Scotty said, as he left sickbay.
~~~~~~~~~~
Scotty arrived at exactly 2200 hours, bottle of scotch in hand. He knew from past experience that McCoy was a bourbon man, and most likely wouldn't have any scotch; Scotty couldn't stand bourbon. He handed McCoy the bottle with a smile.
McCoy smiled back, saying, "Thanks, let me get you a glass ... but if you don't mind, I'll stick with my usual."
"By all means," Scotty said, as he made his way into the small sitting-room section of McCoy's quarters. "Never let it be said that Ah kept a man from drinkin' his pleasure."
McCoy handed Scotty his drink, then lifted his own glass in a semi-toast, "Amen to that." They both took a generous sip, then McCoy added, "Have a seat, Scotty." When they were both seated, with the bottles conveniently situated on the table in front of them, he went on, "So, what did you want to talk about?"
Scotty smiled slightly ... that was another thing he liked about McCoy; he came right to the point. He tipped back his glass, swallowing the end of the scotch, then refilled the glass before looking McCoy square in the eyes and saying, "Ma love life," he paused, seeing a hint of interest and curiosity in McCoy's eyes as he added, "or perhaps Ah should ha' said, the lack o' one."
McCoy was definitely curious now; after all, he, along with just about everyone else aboard, had made the assumption years ago that Scotty and Uhura had some kind of 'understanding' ... maybe they had been wrong. In any case, Scotty had said earlier that he wanted to talk about something that happened 'over there' ... McCoy knew first hand how things that happened 'over there' could alter ones perceptions and make one think. Boy, did he ever.
He shook himself out of this train of thought, so that he could focus on Scotty. "I don't want to be presumptuous," McCoy said, once he had cleared his mind of the distracting thoughts, "but may I assume that your counterpart was involved with someone ... and that relationship is making you think about your situation here?"
"Aye," Scotty said, then hastily added, "though Ah woo'na be in a relationship like the one he wa' in ... Ah jus' woo'na' doo't." When he was finished speaking, he drained the end of his scotch once again, poured another, and drained it as well.
McCoy could tell he was agitated, for only when he was upset or excited did his burr become nearly unintelligible. Obviously, he was upset by whatever it was that happened, and it was up to McCoy to find out what ... and do whatever he could to help him through it.
"Take it easy, Scotty," McCoy said, reaching over and placing his hand on the trembling hand that was once again reaching for the bottle of scotch. When their eyes locked, he continued, "You have to remember that the Montgomery Scott of *that* universe is *not* you ... you are not responsible for what he does with his life ... or with anyone else's."
"Aye ... but Ah *am* responsible fer wha' Ah did ..." He pulled his hand away from McCoy's, bringing the bottle to his lips and drinking from it. He sat back, cradling it to his chest as he continued, almost to himself, "ta give pleasure and compassion, when all that's known is pain ... how cruel that is, in the end."
McCoy got up from the chair he had been sitting in, and shifted to the small sofa, so that he was sitting beside Scotty. From the forced meld he shared with the Spock of that universe, McCoy knew just how cruel and sadistic the relationships 'over there' could be. Obviously, Scotty had shown compassion to whomever his counterpart was involved with, and now was feeling guilty over leaving her behind.
McCoy gently took the bottle away from Scotty, and placed it back on the table. Then, sitting somewhat sideways, he reached up and cupped Scotty's face, forcing him to turn and look at him. When he could see that he had Scotty's attention, he said, "Tell me, did the lady in question know that you were not who she thought you were?"
Blearily, Scotty said, "What?" then he seemed to sober a bit, as he shook his head, "Aye, but it was no' a woman ... it was a man."
Scotty felt his body reacting to the closeness of McCoy, and the look of interested surprise on the doctor's face; he was disappointed when McCoy sat back and let his hand fall, as he asked, "Is that why the incident is troubling you so?"
"Ach, no ... Ah may not be enethin' like my counterpart when it comes to his cruelty and sadistic ways, but in my preference for lovers, we are the same." The two men were both sitting facing each other now on the small sofa, their knees just barely touching. McCoy had his arm over the back of the sofa ... Scotty did likewise. "Ah think it's the fact that he allowed himself to be in a relationship, more than anythin', that's botherin' me ... Ah've spent ma whole life in denial of what Ah wanted," Scotty paused, then slipped his hand atop of McCoy's, as he added, "and who."
"Scotty," McCoy said with some surprise in his tone, "are you saying what I think you're saying?"
"Aye ... if yer interested, o' course." There was a bit of uncertainty in Scotty's tone, as he added, "it's no as if Ah'm askin' ya ta marry me, or enethin' ... but as one drunken bugger to another," he winks, as he continued, "Ah think we'd be good together."
"That we would," McCoy said, as he leaned forward, and planted a kiss on the Scot's lips.
Scotty's strong arms were suddenly around the slender doctor, pulling him down atop of him. There was no longer any need to hide his arousal ... for the doctor obviously shared his desire.
After a while, McCoy disengaged himself from the groping hands of the aroused engineer, and stood beside the sofa, saying, "I don't know about you, but I'd much rather be in a big, comfortable bed right now ... shall we?"
Scotty took the proffered hand, and stood beside the doctor, then wrapped his arm around McCoy's shoulder, as he said, "Lead the way." As they made their way into the bedroom, Scotty smiled, offering a silent word of thanks to the Kyle of the other universe.
McCoy, too, offered silent thanks to the mirror universe ... not only for providing Scotty with the courage to come forward, but also for the ideas to combat his life-long problem of getting Kirk and Spock together, as they should be. Perhaps he could enlist Scotty's help in that regard ... in the morning.
~the end~