"Leonard," Spock said, approaching the man. McCoy looked up toward the Vulcan from the padd.

"Yes?" McCoy said, as the doors had closed behind the Vulcan.

"I have been evaluating our relationship for the past twenty four hours and come to a conclusion regarding its status," Spock said, as the man's heart had started to beat fast. McCoy braced himself for what the Vulcan had to say next. "Will you bond with me?"

McCoy hardened as he stood up from the chair placing his hands on the white desk. The doctor sighed, while bracing himself for the inevitable. Mental, life long bonds were highly important to Vulcans and their way of life. A bond with him? What was Spock thinking? Was Spock thinking straight? Or was he just getting ahead of himself? Was it the progress of their relationship that had spurred him into making this decison? McCoy feared that if a marriage with Spock screwed up, there would not be any coming back for him. He just wouldn't live past it.

"Spock. . ." McCoy said. "I don't think I will ever be ready for another marriage. Last one took the wind out of me," he walked around the desk. "look, I am not even the ideal candidate to marry."

"Spock raised an eyebrow.

"You are a ideal mate," Spock said. "there is no one I rather choose than you."

McCoy sighed.

"We've been datin' since 2258," McCoy said. "hasn't it come to ya attention that there I will never be ready to marry again?" turning Spock down was not quite easy for the doctor. He knew the words but delivering them was painful. The Vulcan did not display emotional hurt. "what are ya thinkin' askin' me to bond with ya?"

"From what I have gathered regarding your previous marriage, you never had time for each other," Spock said. "fortunately, we share the same desire to ensure the captain's safety. Wherever the captain goes, we will follow. And we share the same shift. We will not drift apart, I assure you. If our marriage were to fall apart, one of us would have to be dead."

"No," McCoy said. "it's different," he shook his head. "it's nothin' about that. Jocelyn began to divorce me when my father was dyin', and she had every right, but the divorce was finalized a day I killed him," the words came out like a hurricane on full speed ready to strike down who ever was in its way. A knife to the heart. It was surprise knowledge that hadn't been told to Spock. Now he got a wider scope of the divorce. "and I am just scared that ya will divorce me when I can bounce right back like jello from somethin' terrible. It'll take some time and space on my own to heal, but I will be back to semi operatin' in time," he rubbed the back of his head looking up toward the taller man. "Ya see why I told ya that Jim would be a better person to date in the first place, right? I am not worthy to be in a relationship with someone as good as ya. Jim is, not me."

"You are breaking up with me," Spock acknowledged.

"We can still be friends with benefits," McCoy said, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. "or just friends."

"Excuse me, Doctor, but I have some unfinished business to attend," Spock turned away sliding out of the doctor's grip then made his way out of the empty office leaving the man behind.

McCoy leaned against the desk, rubbing the back of his neck.

It went better than he thought.

He felt surprisingly better than expected about it.

He told the truth, and that was what counted, besides, Spock deserved someone better.