"Kid," Pike said over the wide screen. "I heard a rumor that your CMO was buried alive."

"Uh huh," Kirk said.

"That's tough," Pike said. "did he survive?"

"He is in the works," Kirk said.

"Great to hear," Pike said.

"Who told you?" Kirk asked.

"I have my resources," Pike said.

"Scotty told you, didn't he?" Kirk asked.

"Well . . ." Pike looked sheepish. "I may have held back some away missions before your arrival to Fa-tukie. You've been out in space for how long?" he counted his fingers. "Five years?"

"Eight years," Kirk said

"With some shore leave, you are really stretching out your sense of relaxation," Pike said.

Kirk laughed.

"I am fine, Pike," Kirk said. "the surgery is still going. . . And Spock is getting some much needed sleep."

Pike raised an eyebrow.

"And you?" Pike asked.

"I will hit the hay," Kirk said. "soon as Doctor McCoy wakes up."

"You got a mission to a space station, a dispute between Klingons and some Romulans," Pike said. "Arguing about which border it rests on. I thought you would be the best captain to take care of that. I don't know how long I can keep them on the back burner."

"It won't be long, admiral," Kirk said. "besides, how bad could it be with little sleep?"

"I once said that and I ended up screwing over Winona's command celebration party," Pike said. "I am not going to let you have a repeat of my mistake."

Kirk leaned back.

"I will, I will," Kirk said. "The five year mission year is finally going to end in a few months," the man cleared his throat. "I feel it's time Spock gets a promotion."

"You want Spock to be captain?" Pike asked.

"He is the best officer in the fleet," Kirk said.

"The Vulcan normally doesn't like command," Pike said. "You remember how it was like with him in command of the USS Yorktown."

"He will get over it," Kirk said. "He has the loyalty and the respect from my crew. And besides, he likes the Enterprise," he shifted into his chair. "I am thinking of leaving Star Fleet for the Diplomatic Corps. I am not always going to be in space. So I can settle on needing to go into space for diplomatic matters."

"Ambassador Kirk. . ." Pike said. The older man smiled back. "you sure about that?"

"I am thinking about it," Kirk said.

"Have you told Spock?" Pike asked.

"I will tell Spock and McCoy on the way to space dock," Kirk said. "or, if I change my mind, I can always go to patrol the neutral zone. That is fun!" he placed his hands into a fist on the table fiddling with his thumbs. "Ambassadors are important people in star fleet, aren't they? You need the best. Spock is the only man I can trust in command of the Enterprise A."

"If that gets you to bed, I will take it under advisement," Pike said. "good night, son."

"Good night, dad," Kirk said.

The wide, large computer screen turned to blac, Kirk stood up from the chair then made his way around the desk. He straightened his uniform with a sigh rubbing his forehead. This all could have been avoided. Had Kirk bothered to follow his instinct and call the man back. It was a regret. Sometimes not following through his 'I am a trouble magnet, so obviously, this unknown person isn't who they claim to be' radar. He had disregarded it because he had trusted Ohalis. He made his way out of the room through the doorway. The scene transitioned into sick bay where Kirk came through the doorway. Spock was slumped against the chair with his arms folded. His eyes closed while he snored. Kirk saw most of the biobeds were empty. Spock and a on duty nurse were namely one of the few people populating the normally empty medical center. An off duty nurse came over to the captain once making her way around the rounded counter in sick bay.

"Captain," the nurse said. "Doctor M'Benga is in surgery with Nurse Chapel. . ."

"Still?" Kirk asked, raising one of his thick eyebrows.

"Technology we seen of," the nurse said. "I will be surprised if he can remove it without amputation. . ."

"I am sure M'Benga will find a way," Kirk said. The nurse nodded back.

"Captain, before Leonard was sent into surgery," the nurse said. "he requested me to tell you to get some shut eye."

"I will consider it," Kirk said.

The nurse nodded then returned to her station. The captain came to the other side of the biobed. Spock's disheveled appearance was gone replaced by a neat and tidy almost alien like human. The lighting made his hair look a shade of blue matching his blue tunic and blue pants smoothly fitting his figure. Spock's chin was laid on his chest. Kirk sat down into the neighboring chair. After all that they had gone through during McCoy's disappearance act, they all deserved some shut eye. Spock was visibly emotional in the doctor's absence. And Kirk, Kirk, was just downright sad maintaining his professionalism. Keeping Eleanor out from knowing what had happened was not at all difficult. Most of the medical staff found it hard to believe that McCoy just went and died on them. The air was less tense and sad than it had been earlier. It was relaxed and hopeful.

Mundane, typical long waiting.

Kirk's eyes opened once more when he felt a hand place itself on his shoulder.

"Captain," M'Benga said. "it's not good for your back to sleep this way."

Kirk smiled back at his concerned acting CMO.

"How was the surgery?" Kirk asked.

"Saving his arm wasn't easy," M'Benga said. "He shouldn't move it for a few hours," McCoy was softly snoring with his head turned to the side on the biobed with some drool coming down from the side of his mouth. "He will wake up on his own."

"Glad to hear," Kirk said. "You did a good job, doctor."

"Need any sleeping pills for tonight?" M'Benga asked.

"I am fine," Kirk said. "thanks for the offer."

"I will be in the office if you need me," M'Benga said. "have to report on the surgery."

M'Benga strided past the two men.

Kirk was slouched in the chair with his hands on his lap. He watched the man's chest rise up and down. It was a relaxing and relaxing to watch for the man. It drew his attention off waiting. His two favorite best friends were alive and well, in the same room, somewhat side by side, on the same ship. It was enough for this man's breakable heart. Whether time was passing, it did not matter to Kirk. Time was a non-linear subject to him. It was feeling everything happening at the same time, however, instead he was relaxed while awaiting the next impending event. His hands were clasped together. McCoy's eyebrows twitched. His fingers twitched, clawing at the bedding. Spock raised his head up lacking eyeliner while his brown eyes were halfway open and halfway closed. McCoy stopped snoring. McCoy bolted up, panting, with fear resting in his eyes. Spock and Kirk came to the doctor's sides.

"Are you okay, Bones?" Kirk asked.

"Just a nightmare," McCoy said, then he gazed up toward the concerned sapphire eyes looking over him. "what are ya lookin' at me for?" he narrowed his eyes toward Kirk's direction, specifically. "Did someone paint a permanent mustache on my mouth?" he looked back at Spock's direction then back toward Kirk. "Jim."

"I am just glad that you came back alive," Kirk said. "I don't know what I would do if we didn't make it on time."

"I as well," Spock said, coming over to the doctor's side.

"Oh, right buried," McCoy said. "does that sort of thin' to people outside of the victim. I need a whelchair."

"Why do you need a wheelchair?" Kirk asked.

"To visit my quarters," McCoy said. "to get my off duty clothes, duh. I am still not over this blue and white uniform. Blue goes terrible with brown eyes---now don't ya brin' my mother up because she looks way better than me in it."

Spock and Kirk shared a fond, amused glance toward each other.