Title: After the Rescue

Part: NEW 1/73

Author: Karmen Ghia, karmen_ghia@yahoo.com

Series: TOS

Romance Code: S/Mc and then some.

Rating: NC-17

Legend: * * * separates events in time; ~ separates events that are more or less simultaneous.

Summary: How things changed between Spock and McCoy after the rescue.

Warning: This story contains m/m sex. If you are not interested in and/or offended by such things, you will find reading this a complete waste of your time so please move on. If you are under 18 years of age, please please move on. Children, childhood ends all too soon and adulthood lasts all too long. All this will still be around when you are old enough to read it so there is something to look forward to.

Disclaimer: Copyright 1999 by Karmen Ghia. This is an original work of amateur fiction based on Star Trek. It makes transformative use of Star Trek and is intended only for noncommercial purposes. This work makes "fair use" of Star Trek copyrighted material; it is not intended to infringe on the intellectual property rights of Paramount, Viacom or other owners of copyright in Star Trek or any of their assignees or licensees. The author's copyright extends only to the original material in this work.

Further disclaimer: Since Idaho is taken, this is my own private Star Trek. Don't be nervous.

Archive: Okay to archive provided that headers, disclaimers, my name, and email are attached. Please archive complete text only and drop me a note at karmen_ghia@yahoo.com to let me know where it is. Thank you in advance.

Beta by Jane. My gratitude for the next ten lives. Many, many thanks to Skazinetilsky for the Gamma and Scarlet, proofreader of the life divine.

For Dr. Lagonda. Thanks for everything.

After the Rescue, by Karmen Ghia, Part one

Prologue

HOW THINGS CHANGED BETWEEN SPOCK AND McCOY AFTER THE RESCUE.

"A flare." McCoy looked at Spock and smiled.

Spock looked into McCoy's eyes as the air in the Galileo began to burn and allowed himself to rest easily in the smile there. It crossed Spock's mind that it was illogical to appear so pleased at such a desperate and futile act as the doctor had just witnessed but that McCoy's reaction was, well, actually quite pleasing on a strangely non intellectual level to the Vulcan. Pleasing and rather confusing at the same time. And this was the last thought Spock had before hearing the transporter hum and subsequently falling onto his ass on the transporter platform of the Enterprise.

* * *

Kirk marched into sickbay as McCoy was sending the last of the Galileo crew off with a clean bill of health.

"Captain," he nodded.

"Bones. How are they?"

"Aside from a few scrapes and bruises they're in the same shape they left here in."

"Except the one he lost."

"Yes, regrettable but, as far as I could tell, unavoidable."

"He says it was avoidable."

"Then I disagree with him." 'How unusual,' McCoy thought.

"Bones," Kirk said tentatively, listening, "how'd he do? Really."

"Fine. Better than most could have done under the same circumstances up until he set the fuel on fire, then he was brilliant. We should all be dead but here we are." He smiled, remembering.

"How are you?"

"Quite well, thank you; impressed down to my boots with Spock but I'm sure I'll get over it." He paused, "I woulda bet money he'd never make a creative leap like igniting the fuel supply. That kind of thinking is nowhere anywhere in his pysch profile, y'know."

"Yesss," Kirk murmured, "I'm glad to have you both home again." A smile, "you look tired ..."

"I am."

"... go get some rest, you can write up your report tomorrow."

"Yes, sir."

"I, however, have a very angry Federation Representative to smooth down, otherwise we're in for a quiet week ahead."

"I've heard that before so I'll believe it when I see it."

* * *

Spock gave up analysis of recent events, which, to the untrained eye, very much resembles brooding, and went to sickbay to be poked and prodded. Uncharacteristically, he was looking forward to it. He had not seen Dr. McCoy since leaving the transporter room several hours before. Tired as he was, his fatigue lifted when he entered the turbolift.

Spock, purely in the interest of scientific inquiry, wished to reproduce the reaction McCoy had produced in him in the Galileo when he'd had looked into the doctor's eyes. Spock was as intrigued as he was puzzled by his own reaction and was eager to verify it and then classify it.

'If I am to live among these humans I must understand them,' he thought. He was also curious to query McCoy on his thoughts in those few moments before the transporter beamed them to safety.

Entering sickbay he was greeted efficiently by Nurse Chapel.

"Dr. McCoy's gone to get some rest. He left instructions for your exam, if you'll step over here, please."

Spock's fatigue returned, squared.

"Dispatch will be appreciated, Nurse."

* * *

McCoy leaned under the hot shower and allowed himself to think freely about Spock. Think, in particular, about those last moments in the Galileo and how much he'd wanted to lean forward and kiss him goodbye. 'Spock, of all people, impossible, purely a stress reaction,' McCoy thought with a mental snort. 'Lord, I hope that's all it is, having a crush on Spock - that'd make the cat laugh. Or weep,' he added to himself. 'A crush? I might survive a crush, even enjoy it for a few weeks,' he thought, 'before it evaporated.'

He turned off the shower and reached for the towel next to his robe, an ancient black brocade monstrosity trimmed in jet velvet his six sisters had insisted he'd need in space. No arguing with those girls; there were too many of them.

'But this is not a crush and you know it, sir. This is a thunderbolt; a coup de foudre; a house falling on you so face it and get over it. I've always wanted to fall in love all at once,' he thought, 'but why, oh, why did it have to be with that most impossible Vulcan, of all beings?'

He sighed, toweled off, pulled on the robe and tied the wide sash. McCoy walked into his quarters wondering if he thought about Spock hard enough, if he could conjure him up out of thin air. Longing for him with that sweet ache he'd almost forgotten how to feel. 'You're very tired, you need sleep, now,' he thought, looking at his bed.

The door buzzer sounded, he called 'come,' rather annoyed at the interruption in his Spock reverie.

Spock stepped into the room and clasped his hands behind his back to steady them, otherwise the picture of composure.

"I hope you will forgive the intrusion, Doctor, but there is something I would like to discuss with you."

McCoy composed himself. "Sure, Spock, what's on your mind?" He smiled warmly.

Spock went very still, holding McCoy's gaze, and there it was: the internal reaction he sought to replicate, the same sense of pleasure and confusion, of the same intensity as before. Except now they were alone, safe and Spock began to observe other reactions in himself.

"You . . are on my mind," the Vulcan said softly, moving closer. "In the last 2.63 minutes in the Galileo, what were your thoughts, Doctor?"

"My thoughts? Why d'you ask?"

"In order to know."

McCoy lowered his eyes in thought and found himself contemplating an impressive expanse of blue clad chest impressively close to him. He looked back at Spock and decided he had nothing to lose.

"I thought you were magnificent and if I had to die just then I was glad to be dying with someone so magnificent."

Spock thought about this. "I thought my action was most illogical ..."

"It was inspired!" 'And inspirational,' he added to himself.

"... in that we would have had 8.61 more minutes in orbit.."

"But then the Enterprise would never have seen us before we burned up in re-entry and we wouldn't be having this conversation, would we?"

"Obviously."

Each regarded the other in silence.

"May I call you Leonard?"

"Yes, please." 'Please, yes.'

"I have been analyzing the events of the mission up to being transported to the Enterprise .. Leonard .. and I believe, although I have no tangible proof, that some type of mutation has occurred in our relationship."

McCoy threw caution, prudence, propriety and whatever else to the wind. "I love you," he stated flatly. 'There, I said it, now what?'

Spock inhaled (McCoy clenched his teeth) and said, calmly, "This is incomprehensible to me, however, my experience and observation of humans leads me to conclude that this action is required in response to statements of this type."

Spock leaned the small distance between them and gently pressed his lips to McCoy's. McCoy's eyes widened in surprise and then closed in pleasure while the rest of him leaned into the kiss. Spock's hands slipped around his back and pulled him close, deepening the kiss. McCoy wrapped his arms around Spock's neck and let Spock part his lips with his tongue.

'This is incredible,' thought McCoy, 'this is not the best kiss I've ever had in my life but I never want it to end.'

Spock broke the kiss. "Are you all right, Leonard?"

"Yes, why? What's wrong? Don't stop."

Spock seemed amused by this. "I sense some resistance, if I am not mistaken."

"Well, Spock, this is rather surprising, and I'm trying to maintain some, um, perspective because I've no idea where all this is going." 'Cool, analytical - that's the tack to take,' he thought passionately.

Spock gazed inscrutably into McCoy's radiant blue eyes, reached down and took McCoy's ass in both hands. He ground their erections together. McCoy bravely drew a breath. Spock then looked pointedly at McCoy's sleeping alcove.

"I hope this is going to your bed soon," Spock murmured.

"An excellent idea, let's go right now." 'Before I swoon,' McCoy thought, breathlessly.

Spock, to save time or simply because it seemed the right thing to do, picked him up and carried him to the bed. McCoy pulled off his elaborate robe and slipped under the covers. Spock sat on the edge of the bed to remove his boots.

"Will you be warm enough, Spock?" McCoy said, just to say something. He was nervous.

"Soon, I expect."

McCoy smiled and busied himself with pulling Spock's tunic and T-shirt off. He stroked the Vulcan's broad shoulders, noting the smooth texture, and down his back as Spock removed his trousers. He turned and McCoy found himself deeply impressed by Spock's powerful, elegant physique.

Suddenly shy, McCoy considered that he would soon be pulled into those arms, held close and safe to rest his head on those shoulders. Spock slipped into bed and reached for McCoy, did indeed pull him close. He ran his warm hands possessively over McCoy's back and shoulders, pressing his heated body the length of the doctor. He pressed his lips to McCoy's neck, licking and caressing, over the rounded ear, back down to McCoy's shoulder. McCoy overcame his momentary shyness and moved Spock into a long, tender kiss, running his fingers through the silky onyx hair. Spock's tongue found his, which pressed back, playfully pursuing and being pursued.

McCoy let his hand wander down to caress Spock's erection, trying not to be intimidated by the heat and size of it. He ran his fingers over the head, stroking along the ridges, stroking down and drawing the testicles into his hand, weighing them, squeezing gently. Spock sighed and drew back to gaze at McCoy. They regarded each other with desire and relief - so much had happened between them and this intimacy was its perfect culmination.

Spock rolled on his back, pulling McCoy on top of him. McCoy spread his legs on either side of Spock's hips and ground his groin into Spock's.

"Oh, Spock, you feel so good."

"As do you, Leonard."

Spock's hands closed on McCoy's ass, gently urging him forward onto his chest. He leaned forward and ran his tongue around the head of McCoy's cock, sliding it up and down, farther into his mouth. McCoy closed his eyes in pure pleasure and gave himself over to Spock's care. He jumped a bit when Spock's finger brushed against his anus. Spock gave his cock a hard suck and leaned back.

"Have you any lubricant, Leonard?" he said, caressing the velvety head with his lips.

"Uh huh." McCoy bent down to open the bedside drawer and hand Spock a small jar.

Spock swirled his tongue around McCoy's penis while he stroked between McCoy's buttocks, spreading them gently, pressing a gel coated finger ever deeper and closer to the sweet tightness he sought. Sucking McCoy deeper, Spock applied more lubricant and began to work his finger slowly and gently in.

McCoy rolled his head back, marveling at how much he was enjoying Spock's invading digit. He sighed voluptuously as Spock began to stroke his prostate, wondering just how much Spock knew about human anatomy and what use he'd make of it.

Spock slipped in another well oiled finger, thrusting gently deeper.

"Oh, yes ..." McCoy moaned, undulating gently to Spock's rhythm, forward into Spock's mouth, backward onto Spock's fingers, now three fingers.

Spock decided that McCoy was ready. He slowly withdrew his fingers, eased McCoy out of his mouth and onto the bed. He rolled on top of him and kissed the human softly.

"Leonard .. I want to be inside you, do you want that?"

"Yes, yes, but, um, I've never done this before, Spock, so ..."

"I know, I'll be careful and I'll stop if you ask me," he said in a deep murmur, looking out of obsidian eyes.

Spock hugged him close and rolled McCoy onto his stomach, spreading his legs with his knees. Kneeling, Spock massaged McCoy's shoulders, easing some apprehension there. Working his way down the firm flesh, gently pressing his thumbs along the vertebrae, admiring the fragile strength and beauty of McCoy's body, the soft musk rising from his skin. He leaned down to press kisses along McCoy's shoulder and down, sure now that they were both ready, he liberally applied lubricant to his hard penis. Spock braced his hands against McCoy's hips, stroking them reassuringly, and pressed his cock against the entrance to McCoy's body. Spock paused, waiting for the tiny rebellion beneath him to subside.

"Relax, Leonard, let me in."

Spock began to press forward gently. McCoy, remembering an obscure anatomical fact from medical school, focused on relaxing while pushing his muscles against Spock's forward momentum. Spock softly rocked his hips, a little harder, a little more, a thrust and the slippery head passed the tight ring and he paused there to allow Leonard to recover. For all Spock's gentle preparation, McCoy gasped in pain and tensed.

"Are you all right, Leonard?" He saw the human nod. "Relax, I won't hurt you."

Spock reached beneath McCoy to caress his cock, gently pulling the doctor's hips into a better angle, relaxing and calming him.

Feeling that McCoy was indeed relaxing, Spock slowly slid all the way in. He stopped to let McCoy get used to the feeling of them together and to compose himself before he was overwhelmed by the snug warmth that held him so sweetly.

McCoy was adjusting, soothing himself, impaled, possessed, held fast, surrendered to Spock, his lover. Trusting Spock, loving him, shivering under Spock's hands, filled by him, overwhelmed by him, overwhelmed by desire for him, so safe with him, always, all ways.

Spock felt McCoy pressing back, urging him deeper, felt the doctor's energy shift and align with his own. He drew back and slid in again. McCoy moved in harmony with his lover. They moved together, apart, finding the rhythm of their desire. McCoy groaned with pleasure as Spock's cock stroked his prostate, again and again.

Spock increased his pace, very much in control of himself but demanding his pleasure from McCoy's body. Harder, faster, feeling McCoy's orgasm welling up in him, his muscles clenching about Spock's cock in rapture, feeling his own climax rushing upon him, crashing through him.

Spock threw his head back in a strangled shout, fighting for consciousness, he eased himself carefully down on McCoy. He leaned his forehead between McCoy's shoulders to recover, breathing hard and shaking.

McCoy was struggling with his own respiration and grateful that Spock had propped his weight on his elbows. He could feel Spock's hot semen and still hard cock in him, enjoying the connection, feeling a languid, lovely peace and contentment.

Spock roused himself and gently ran his teeth over McCoy's shoulder.

They lay dazed and spent for a moment longer. Spock's cock finally softened and he gently, slowly withdrew, stopping to wait for McCoy's muscles to release him. He pulled McCoy into his arms, kissed him tenderly and ran his fingers through his warm brown hair.

McCoy curled sweetly into Spock's arms, murmured softly and drifted off to welcome sleep.

Spock held his lover, watched him sleep for a while and dozed off himself.

* * *

Half awake, McCoy snuggled into the space Spock no longer occupied. Fully awake, he sat up and looked around. Spock sat on the bed, dressed, looking down at him.

"Spock, are you leaving? Are you cold? I can turn up the heat and get another blanket ..."

Spock silenced him with a kiss.

"I must go, Leonard, we must be discreet. Star Fleet frowns upon sexual relationships between its officers."

"They can go straight to hell."

"If that pleases you, Leonard, nevertheless I would prefer not to broadcast our relationship while we serve on the same ship."

"Of course you're right," McCoy paused in thought. "I wonder if it would upset Jim?"

"I haven't enough data to speculate." Spock almost smiled, almost fondly.

McCoy gave him an annoyed look anyway, then mellowed.

"Well, I'll think about that tomorrow, I'm too tired and too happy right now." 'Rather sore, too,' he added mentally.

Spock rose, McCoy looked up at him.

"Aren't you going to kiss me good night?"

An eyebrow ascended. "Haven't you had enough kissing for one evening?"

"Obviously not, if I want more."

McCoy favored him with one of those devastatingly mischievous smiles and held out his arms. Spock descended into them and pulled the doctor close. It was a languid sensual kiss that they broke off with difficulty, before any other nerves could get involved. McCoy whispered: "Good night, good night and when you dream tonight, dream of me."

Spock pressed a kiss to McCoy's forehead, hiding his smile.

"Sleep well, my Leonard," and left.

* * *

McCoy woke, stretched luxuriously and snuggled into the space where Spock wasn't, hunting for his scent, trying to place it. The closest he could come was the smell of line dried sheets in summer. And cedar. Linens were stored in a cedar chest between uses. Stretching voluptuously, wishing someone, anyone, would bring him a coffee, musing on the association of Spock, sex, cedar, linen, and his childhood. These activities were interrupted by his comm line.

"McCoy here."

"Spock here."

His heart jumped. "Mornin' Spock."

"Good morning, Doctor, are you well this morning?"

"Yes, quite well; you?"

"Well, thank you. Spock out."

'Well,' McCoy thought, 'that was gallant; gallant and efficient. Oh well,' he continued, 'if I want romance, I'll hafta seduce Jim. (!) Now where in the flying hell did that come from? I must get out of this bed right now.' And did so.

* * *

The day passed quickly for McCoy, for Spock, too. In their brief absence life and research continued, crew members developed symptoms, correspondence appeared to be read and answered. And for McCoy, in addition to the daily tasks, there was a report of the latest mission to write up for the captain. The latest mission with Spock - my lover. He froze. Spock. Is. My. Lover. Astonishing.

He pushed it aside and plowed into the report. While writing the narrative of events McCoy began to feel some guilt, he'd been awfully hard on Spock on the planet, maybe too hard. He continued to write in the dry style Star Fleet so required. Dry, devoid of drama and emotion, no place in this report for regret at the life lost, fear, guilt, love - just facts and necessary detail. It took time to write, his mind drifted to the way Spock's hand felt on his inner thigh, the way the skin just below Spock's shoulder tasted and further down, too, and all this took more time than he'd expected. McCoy was reading through it one last time when Spock himself walked into sickbay.

McCoy looked up, smiling. "Hullo, Spock, I've just been writing about the Galileo landing party."

Spock leaned down somewhat closer than necessary to read over McCoy's shoulder. McCoy could feel his heat, smell just the memory of this scent and dredged up the discipline not to turn and drag his tongue along Spock's fine jaw and under his splendid ear.

'I love that ear,' he thought, visualizing it, 'it's so big.'

Spock straightened and McCoy shook himself from his reverie.

"Indeed, Doctor, it is an accurate account of events."

"Why, thank you kindly, Mista Spock, ah've gotten so just lately ah can hardly tell whut ah dream and whut rilly happens," McCoy drawled sarcastically.

Spock fixed him with a piercing look and chose not to comment.

"Are you dining with the captain and me tonight?"

McCoy glanced at this chrono, surprised. "Where does time go? Yes, give me a moment, this is done," he muttered, addressing and sending his report to the captain of the Enterprise and closing his station.

He rose and followed Spock out of sickbay.

* * *

After dinner, McCoy left Spock and Kirk to play chess. He chatted with Uhura for a few moments before going to his quarters ostensibly to read, but, if he was honest, to fantasize about Spock.

* * *

"You and Bones seem to be getting along better since you've been back."

Spock looked up at his captain, contemplating a reply and a chess move. "We returned only 28.7 hours ago." He moved his bishop, "Check."

Kirk frowned at the chessboard, moved his king. "He was subdued at dinner, perhaps he's just too tired to snarl at you right now."

"Perhaps." Spock moved his rook, "Dr. McCoy is often a mystery to me."

"He can be ... challenging, but he has a heart as big as a whale." Kirk moved his castle.

Spock looked up, puzzled, "'A heart as big as a ...'?"

"It's a metaphor, Spock. You've impressed him, on the planet, in the Galileo, I think that's changed his opinion of you, his feelings toward you, perhaps he'll be more ... patient with you" 'or less,' Kirk thought, 'hard to predict with Bones.'

Spock raised his brows and nodded - Terrans expected some sort of response to everything they said - and moved his queen. "Check and mate."

* * *

end of part 1

Request: If I cited something from one of your stories or someone you know, please let me know via email at karmen_ghia@yahoo.com or karmen_ghia@hotmail.com or leave me a note on the guestbook at http://www.oocities.org/Paris/Tower/2547/atr.html Please be specific on the who and the what because I plan to thank all the sources for this (aside from those in my head) but I've read so much slash, fanfic, erotica, and other that it's all just a big melange and I can't remember most of who wrote what or where it came from. It is very possible that I unwittingly have referred to an event or a character from someone else's work and I would very much like to thank them for writing something so terrific that it penetrated so deeply into my subconscious that not even I realized it was there. Until you let me know. So please, help me out if you are so inclined. Thanks.