Leonard took a uber this time to the beach. He strolled down the beach in short sleeved pants and short sleeves to his jacket. He had his hands in both, long large pockets. Every day, there were unlucky patients. The sound of sand crunching under his feet drew his attention away from the events of the day. The water lapped over his feet as he trailed by the edge. The soft, moisture seeping in around his feet. His shirt complimented the dark scenery. He had a long, calm stroll making his way to dry land bit by bit. He saw the moon highlighting a cloud making it seem a shade of lighter blue. He didn't see any flying figures in the distance. Whatever they were, they must be happy. Happier than humans must be. The thought comforted him equally as it did with the beach. It made him feel even better.

He could see it was somewhat cloudy. The lights in most houses were off in the distance. Summer homes were often times terribly designed. Some were structured above the ground on poles with bases drilled into them supporting the houses above. Some people had the decency to keep their houses on the land. Joanna normally liked to see these houses when they came by on the weekend. She loved her sand castles. Playing in the sand with Leonard's watchful eye. Her little figure coming over to retrieve a new bucket. Leonard abruptly stopped seeing a patch of dirt with roses sticking out with new leaves growing. The doctor looked around, suspiciously, then faced the roses. The doctor knelt down seeing a series of pebbles was around the plants. It seemed to be a barrier support for the plant. The doctor had a strange feeling that somewhere around was the odd man.

"I know ya there," Leonard said. "stop hidin' and say goodbye to an adult." the doctor turned to see the oddly dressed man standing across from him with his hands locked behind his back, military style.

"As I have told you," Spock said. "I am---."

"I get that," Leonard interrupted the man. "I don't get tryin' to save flowers on a beach. I really like your gesture to keep the flowers alive," he looked over toward the plants. "however, they are wiltin' and I do not recommend this for plants like them."

"As is you calling me out," Spock agreed. Leonard frowned back.

"Ya started it by starin' at me," Leonard said. "Don't throw it back at me," the doctor stepped forward toward the alien man who kept a respectful distance back. "How lon' have ya been watchin' me?"

"Thirty-three minutes," Spock replied. A thought occurred to the human.

"Oh my god, I caught a alien fish and he won't let go of the hook," Leonard said. "That's hilarious!" the doctor slapped his knee with a laugh.

"How am I a fish?" Spock asked.

"The better question is. . . " Leonard said. "is how lon' ya were workin' the courage up to speak with me."

"I only came across you two days ago, Leonard," Spock replied. Leonard rolled an eye. Fat chance.

"What are your species called?" Leonard asked.

"I pass," Spock said.

Leonard stepped forward while hunching his eyebrows at the odd man.

"Third question," Leonard said. "Why did ya leave so suddenly on me? Got a bad case of Batmanolitis?"

"I would never have left," Spock acknowledged. "You being distracted was the only way to leave on good terms."

"I think I understand," Leonard said. "if ya a vagabond, why ya still here? Shouldn't ya be gone all ready?"

"Do you want me to leave?" Spock asked, sincerely.

"When I am ready to say goodbye on my own terms," Leonard said, placing a free hand on his chest. "that really hurt leavin' like that. If we're goin' to be life lon' boyfriends then ya gotta know there has to be communication on both sides of the street," Spock tilted his head at the wording raising his left thin eyebrow. "Have ya ever been in a relationship with another person? Lon' term?"

"My father, my foremother, my forefathers, my siblings, my peers," Spock replied, straightening his head once his eyebrow lowered.

"They are not human, are they?" Leonard asked.

"One," Spock said. "My father has a tendency to adopt any orphaned child he comes across."

"That's cheery," Leonard stepped forward. "Ya must have a great pa."

"He is a train wreck," Spock said. "he tries. He just fails at raising other orphaned species that are not . . ."

"What ya are," Leonard finished.

"Indeed," Spock said, with a nod.

"He didn't do so much of a bad job," Leonard said, "raisin' ya. . . well, maybe, on the whole communication bit."

Leonard was very close to the fairy like man, eye to eye, divided by a line in the sand. A line that wasn't made. It was a simple, thin stretch of sand between the two men. A strip of sand waiting to be crossed, physically, temptingly. The two men began to cross it. Spock was the first one who crossed the space then planted his lips on the doctor's lips while his left hand placed on the back of the doctor's head. Leonard's hand placed on the Vulcan's waist. They stood like that, slowly kissing the other, absorbing in each other's presence. And their touch. Spock was the one who end the kiss with much reluctance letting go of the man's head.

"Your phone is ringing," Spock said, softly, as the flip-phone buzzed in the man's pocket. Leonard glared back at the odd man.

"Don't even think about leavin' me," Leonard said, flipping out his flip-phone. He turned around. "McCoy here."

"Bones, I just put Joanna to bed with some difficulty," Kirk said. "She is really bouncy."

Leonard growled, in annoyance, going through his hair.

"I told ya, no chocolate!" Leonard shouted. "she always gets high over it!"

"She was so sad," Kirk said. "how could I ever say no?"

"You're a fully grown man co-parentin' for gods sake!" Leonard said. "Try havin' a little boy of ya own and bein' up all night because he ate chocolate."

Kirk laughed on the other end of the call.

"Bones, it's fine," Kirk said. "She is fast asleep. You can relax. Got some lights turned off. I am going home. Joanna will be waiting for you. Nothing bad has happened, so far---" There was a loud, ear ringing sound from the other end of the line and a hiss of "Shit!" from Kirk sounding like he had stumbled to his feet. "What the hell?" the man looked down to see the door was open with the glass broken and the door had been kicked open in a way. "Uh oh."

"James, what's goin' on?" Leonard asked. His eyebrows knit together.

"I think you got a intruder," Kirk said. "or the real killer just followed me to your house."

"James, call the police," Leonard said, as Kirk felt over for his gun.

"I am the police!" Kirk said.

"The real police!" He looked over to see a gun's mouth poking from the other side of the doorway. Kirk slowly took his licensed gun out of the sheath. The young man muttered into the phone, "I am going to serve and protect the shit out of your daughter." The line went dead. "JAMES!" The air was still. The doctor put his phone away feeling almost shattered and feeling like nothing was real. There was something that didn't make sense. Something that was entirely out of place. This never happened before. Not ever, not orchestrated, not wanted, it was simply surrealistic. The doctor felt a hand place onto his shoulder. Panic was already swimming through the doctor. His daughter and his best friend-who-was-sometimes-a-fling in danger. "I gotta go home." the doctor started to go forward leaving the odd man behind.

"Leonard," Spock said, reaching out taking the human's forearm. "let me take you there."

Leonard turned facing the man's direction.

"Ya walked to my house," Leonard said. The odd man appeared to be concerned. "we don't have that time!"

"What if I told you that you did?" Spock asked. "Please, bare with me." Leonard hesitated then turned in Spock's direction taking the odd man's green, warm hand. "Closer, it is the equivalent to a unique ride that will tear you apart if not with protection."

Leonard came closer into the man's grip with his other hand clutching onto the odd man's back. He noticed a array of light surrounding the odd man's body in circles. Golden, circular shapes surrounding every inch of their bodies. Leonard felt assurance traveling through his mind that didn't belong to him. Warmth and comfort that didn't feel his own. A mass bright shine of light surrounded the men. Leonard looked down toward his free left hand that had swirls of the circles circulating around his fingers, palm, wrist, and forearm. Leonard felt a hand gently placed on his back between his shoulder blades. Leonard reached his hand around the odd man's back feeling terrified and squeezed his eyes shut while pressed against Spock's chest. Spock let go of the human's hand. Leonard's eyes opened to see the familiar dark interior of his bedroom. He recognized it because of the nightlight, the posters of his medical idols, and the picture of two year old Joanna above the bed.

There was another sound of a gunshot.

"Joanna!" Leonard said.

Leonard took a gun out of his secondary gun from a cupboard. The doctor ran out of the bedroom then down the hall. He looked over to see a empty bed. His mind raced as his thoughts went down and down. What would a given three year old do when they're terrified? Cry, and hide. Blankets covered the underside of the bed blocking from view. He knelt down to the side then lifted the blanket up feeling his heart race. Joanna had to be here, she just had to be. The doctor braced himself peering through the darkness.

"Pa!" came little Joanna.

Leonard relaxed, relieved.

"Are ya all right?" Leonard asked.

"Yes," Joanna said.

"Stay there, pumpkin," Leonard said. "pa will be right back."

Joanna nodded her head.

"Candy?" Joanna asked.

"Afterwards," Leonard said.

Leonard dropped the edge of the blanket then made his way out of the room. Leonard came down the hall with his gun out, stealthy. He looked over his shoulder for the odd man only to see that he was absent, oddly enough, He came to the top of the staircase feeling panicked. Was Kirk hurt? He better not die in his house. He came down the flight of stairs to see from the corner beside the doorway to the left was a man using a cabinet as protection while covering his left arm. Leonard looked over the railing to see someone down the hall using the corner as a shield. Leonard speeded down the staircase coming over to the man's side kneeling down.

"Leonard?" Kirk said, startled. The kid was hurt. "How did you get here so fast?"

"Ya bleedin, James," Leonard said, observing the left shoulder that had a sleeve wrapped around it covered in layers of blood. Half of the plaid polo shirt was covered in blood like a bad spill from hot coffee in a physical collision. Leonard rationalized that the young man had been shot in the shoulder twice preventing him from actively getting up to his feet from the double pain. The blood had temporally stopped thanks to the hard grip that he kept on it. Leonard looked at it from a doctors perspective. He needed surgery to get the bullets out, a couple stitches, maybe a blood transfusion or two, and bed rest.

"I can live with it," Kirk said. Leonard glared at the man.

"Did ya call the police?" Leonard asked.

"I am kind of busy applying pressure," Kirk said. "Someone has already done so, probably--" the man winced. "ah!"

There was a shot that tore through the window breaking the glass into pieces.

"Hold on," Leonard said. The doctor stood up, making a shaky aim right at the fingers around the other gun, then fired multiple times. The hand holding the gun yanked back with a sharp yelp. Several of the bullets were embedded in the wall behind the figure. The gun came back out again in a less bloody hand. Leonard ducked, missing the line of fire jetting his direction. Bullets struck the walls as Leonard counted how many bullets were left in the revolver. There was only one. Out of nine bullet casings, he had one left. He slid the casing back into the gun looking toward Kirk. "Who is the shooter anyway?"

"I didn't get a good look at them," Kirk said, over the line of fire. The officer looked at the doctor in bafflement scanning him up and down with his eyes. "how did you get here? It would have taken you. . ."

"Don't think about that right now," Leonard said, placing his finger on the man's lip. "rest. Let me handle it."

"You never finished the firing course," Kirk said.

"I practiced," Leonard retorted.

"With a dart?" Kirk said.

"Good enough practice," Leonard said.

"No, that isn't," Kirk replied. "let someone who knows what they're doing do it." Kirk leaned forward bringing himself over to the counter closing his eyes with a wince. Leonard looked over the surface to see the man was hiding behind the wall. Who ever it was, they were here to kill him. Thought the man could identify them. He looked over in the direction of Kirk who met his eyes. "No, no, no."

Leonard stood up.

"Stop!" Leonard shouted, as Kirk attempted to lean forward protesting reaching his hand out grabbing on the man's pant leg. "It's me ya want."

"No!" Kirk said, painfully. The doctor slid the counter to the side.

"I didn't see ya," Leonard said, as the killer came from behind the wall with one hand laid to her side. Her hair matty was wild while laid on her shoulders wearing only long skinny jeans, a gun band around her waist, and a top. She had a intent look in her eyes. "In fact, I saw nothin'," Leonard stepped closed with his hands in the air. His gun tucked into his pocket. "Ya can kill me, just not the police officer. Cause if ya did, the police would not let ya walk out of here alive."

"Hello, Doctor McCoy," came the sneer. "or should I say king of the ER."

It dawned on Leonard as he recognized the woman hearing his words thrown back at him.

"Salicia Florik," Leonard said. "I. . . I . .I am sorry."

"My child was on that operating table," Florik's grip tightened. "It was easy to find you. You took my baby, you took them away, and just killing your other friend was a piece of cake." Leonard raised his eyebrows looking over toward the counter than toward her, bewildered. Kirk wasn't dying last he saw him. "And so I want to repay the favor."

"Friend?" Leonard asked.

"He brought me here, knew where to find you, knew you very well," Florik said. "said he followed you home last night. Richard Simmings, name ring a bell by any chance?" Leonard saw a haze of gold behind her. "It was a simple injury. I could see it from where I sat in the car. It wasn't a mystery."

"If it was simple and obvious," Leonard said. "I would have found it."

Leonard stepped closer and closer toward the woman.

"Take your gun out and drop it," Florick said.

"No, lower yours and drop it, ma'am," Leonard said. "police are goin' to be here any minute."

Kirk placed one arm on the desk as Florik grew furious.

"Don't you ma'am me," Florik said, her grip on the pistol was trembling. She turned her attention toward the hand firing a warning shot on the desk. She stepped back away from the doctor. "Gun on the floor," her eyes raged a fury that no one should face. "Now. Or the cop dies."

Leonard saw the shape of the alien man from over her shoulder.

"All right," Leonard said. "if ya say so," Spock blended in quite well with the dark scenery, was a thought that was on his mind as Leonard took his gun out, then slower lowered his revolver to the ground. "ya know, I am sorry about one thin'."

"What?" Florik asked.

"Not seein' fairies are real," Leonard said, as Spock crept out of the darkness.

Florik's face twisted.

"What?" Florik said, before Spock placed his fingers on the side of her neck.

The woman crumbled to the floor landing on her side. The odd man looked down toward the woman with his hands locked behind his back in the natural position. It looked natural for the other unworldly being. Kirk propped himself up squinting to see the taller figure different from the shorter one standing alongside her. He could see the pair of wings sticking out, glowing, at that. Spock approached the doctor placing a hand on his shoulder looking at him in concern for his well being.

"Thank ya, Spock," Leonard said. "I am in your debt."

"May I court you?" Spock asked.

Kirk stumbled to the floor.

"Hold on one minute," Leonard said, darting to the officer's side. He came to the officer's side kneeling down lightly patting on the side of Kirk's cheeks. "stick with me," he propped the man against the wall as the sound of sirens was distant. "wake up, James, open your goddamn eyes."

Kirk weakly opened his eyes.

"Len. ." Kirk said.

"Ya lost a lot of blood," Leonard said. "ya goin' to be fine."

"He does not look fine," Spock acknowledged, suddenly at Kirk's left.

"Heal him," Leonard said. "like ya did with me."

Spock observed the injuries.

"I cannot heal bullet wounds," Spock said, finally, after a short pause. "he needs a surgeon, not a healer."

"Great," Leonard said, turning his attention toward Kirk. "Ya goin' to be all right. . ." he looked toward the odd man. A small smile crept on the side of the doctor's face that was visible to the officer. "I love to."

Spock reached his two fingers out for the doctor placing his two fingers on the doctor's knuckles then slid them down as Kirk's eyes closed. Leonard looked away glancing toward his friend in concern as he became a mess of colors to the officer's eyes. A shine of gold brightened blocking his vision. And then there were other voices. They didn't matter. Jim lost consciousness when he heard the police sirens right outside. Leonard was safe, Joanna was safe, and the problems were taken care of. Kirk's eyes slowly opened to a bright light in the room. He looked up to see Leonard with his arms on the bed and his head laid on his forearms. So he didn't dream that Leonard died in the line of fire on his watch. Leonard raised his head up with a yawn to see the man was wide awake. Kirk noticed Leonard had a growing beard on his face and his hair looked unkept as his hair bangs were exceedingly longer than they were before. His room was littered with get well soon cards, balloons, and flowers. There was a teddy bear propped in a chair across from the doctor with a 'hope you get better' tag on it.

"Mornin' sleepy head," Leonard replied.

"How long I been out?" Kirk asked.

"At least a week," Leonard said.

"Aw man, that's going to be one big hospital bill," Kirk said.

"Don't worry," Leonard said. "Mr Florik is payin'."

"Why?" Kirk asked.

"He felt guilty," Leonard said. "everythin' is covered. And I mean everythin'."

"I heard you're dating someone new," Kirk said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Aw come on, we have not started dating," Leonard said.

"It has been a week," Kirk said.

"Sorry, I can't hear ya, I have been busy waitin' for ya to wake up," Leonard said.

"Give me all the juicy details," Kirk said. ". . . and how's Joanna?"

"She is okay," Leonard said. "a little jumpy. Some nights I let her sleep in my bedroom to make her feel safe again," he toyed with a slip of paper in his hand. "she is gettin' better. I suspect she'll forget about it in a few weeks," he handed the man the paper. "she wanted me to give this to ya."

Kirk unfolded the picture.

"Aww, that's cute," Kirk said. "she drew the four of us as a family. . ." Kirk looked at the picture with a growing smile on his face feeling uplifted. There were four rounded circles on the photograph with different hair styles. "very big ears he has," Leonard pushed aside his hair bang appearing to be pleased leaning into the chair. "She is a good artist. Also, thank you, both of you. For saving my life."

Kirk squeezed Leonard's hand.

"I am just happy that ya alive," Leonard said.

"When am I really going to be introduced to your boyfriend?" Kirk asked. "On a double date?"

"Yes," Leonard said. "Double date."

"Good," Kirk said. Realization dawned on him. "Speaking of dates: I ghosted a date I was supposed to have yesterday."

Leonard had a light hearted laugh that soon drew a laugh from Kirk.

Because surely, she understood the reasons why he did not come.

"I had to take Joanna to The Lion Kin' being played in theaters instead," Leonard said. "and then I took her to Despicable Me 3 the next day."

"Aww," Kirk said. "that's awful. I can't believe I missed out on that."