Summery: Spock has observed that McCoy visits the bridge at 9:00 AM. The CMO before McCoy, Doctor Puri, never did that before. It wasn't customary for the CMO to visit the bridge but McCoy appeared to be a exception. Spock has a theory that the country doctor has a thing for the young captain. McCoy denies it but it all started when on his first day . . .

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Before McCoy's eyes, in a haze of blue, he was beamed into a new scenery. There was a young blonde man with hazel eyes in a golden shirt standing alongside a Vulcan who had his hands locked behind his back and a stoic expression on his face. Unlike the transporter room that he had been in: the atmosphere here was friendly and comforting instead of dull and not really comforting.

"Permission to come aboard?" McCoy asked.

"Permission granted,Doctor McCoy," Jim said. "I am your captain for the next four years. Captain James T. Kirk."

"Greetings," Spock said,his hand making the ta'al sign. "I am Spock. First officer and science officer of the Enterprise."

McCoy walked off the transporter pad with a smile on his face.

"Uh," McCoy then tried to reciprocate the hand sign. "I haven't really done this before."

"As painful as it is for your fingers." Spock noted.

"Are you implyin' I have arthritis?" McCoy said, with a glare toward the Vulcan.

"Negative," Spock said. "But it seems you do."

"Gentlemen, gentlemen, let's not argue," Jim said, coming in between them. "This is not the time for it."

Spock nodded as McCoy looked over toward Jim.

"You are the new kid on the block," McCoy said. "So happens this is my first starship assignment."

"This is my first command." Jim said.

Both of McCoy's eyebrows rose up and he seemed to be pleased.

"Well looks like we have somethin' in common." McCoy said.

There was something about Jim that sparked a flare inside McCoy. The young man brought out some ounce of care toward him. McCoy felt comfortable with Jim in a way he hadn't felt around some-one in years. No, not since his ex-wife entered his life and the love interests before that. Spock went ahead to imply that Jim would be heavily seen in Sick Bay more often than in his quarters in the near future. McCoy was dumb founded trying to process if Spock was joking. That apparently made McCoy start to believe that Spock had some humanity inside.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Half an hour after being introduced to the senior officers of the Enterprise (Or at least the ones Jim deemed important such as helmsmen,communications, current navigator, and head of engineering) McCoy was setting himself up for a glass of bourbon. Nurse Chapel came into the room with a rather concerned expression on her face. McCoy had seen that look before from Jocelyn before they had divorced.

"Nurse Chapel?" McCoy said, lowering the glass down to the desk.

Chapel came forward with her hands together in a tight ball.

"I have a friend who cannot sleep."

"Can't sleep?"

"Affirmative."

"How long has he or she been this way?"

"All week."

"And did you bring this to Doctor Puri's attention?"

"Affirmative."

"What did he do?"

"He ordered my friend to go on shore leave."

"And how long ago was that?"

"My friend refuses to go on shore leave."

"It's Spock, isn't it?"

"Negative."

McCoy sighed, relieved.

"Good," McCoy said. "Because I thought I was judgin' him all ready."

"It is Ensign Chekov." Chapel said.

A look of realization spreads on McCoy's face.

"Ohhh!" McCoy said. "How did I miss that?" He folded his arms leaning back into the chair. "He looked perfectly fine when I saw him, unless. . ." McCoy started to laugh shaking his head. He flicked off a tear looking up in the direction of Chapel, who was more or less confused. "Someone made him do a dare."

Chapel played with her fingers, then replied in a small voice.

"He's been getting two hours of sleep per day." Chapel said.

"And you have been giving him your make up." McCoy said.

"He insists he is fine." Chapel said.

"Not under my medical license," McCoy said. "When does his shift ends?"

"At twelve forty-five," Chapel said. "His sleep hasn't been affecting his duties or his mental status."

"The human body is capable of many thin's," McCoy said. "And he is runnin' on extra power."

The Enterprise trembled with a loud bang and there was a red alert running on the ship after the first strike. The shields would hold up against the might of the other phaser blasts. McCoy and Chapel shared a glance of concern before the Enterprise was shot again McCoy grabbed onto the table as his support to stand up. Chapel hit her head on the edge of the table. McCoy quickly attended to her grabbing a roll of gauze for a quick fix and rolled it around her head until he used a pair of scissors to end the roll. He applied a sedative to her neck. He put her into a bio-chair that kept patients strapped for the time being to allow the body to do what repairs it could.

McCoy fell landing on the floor and he lost consciousness.

When he opened his eyes there were wires dangling from the ceiling in the dimly red lit room. He was propped against the wall feeling pain coming from his left temple. It looked like the Enterprise had been in a battle quite a hefty one. McCoy was sure that the Enterprise just did not get attacked all the time. The Enterprise had a reputation that defined her missions. The doors opened with a whoosh allowing in Nurses helping a security officer in. Behind them came two figures in blue and yellow. The yellow one was leaning against the blue shirt.

"Doctor McCoy," The blue shirt approached him. "We are in need of your assistance."

His vision wasn't quite the best at the moment. Eventually it would become clear again. Spock's voice reeled McCoy out of his dizzy blurry world. If McCoy was correct then the yellow shirt was the captain. He used the wall as his guide getting up. McCoy slid himself up using the wall as his support. He was pretty sure Spock had a stoic expression on his face not one out of concern or worry.

"Did we get attacked by space pirates?" McCoy asked.

"Negative," Spock said. "It appears we were attacked by a starship that resembled a lobster. The attacker is currently idling."

"Get him into Sick Bay." McCoy said.

Spock turned in the direction of the sick bay doors then walked in that direction. The sound of the doors going woosh was heard. McCoy unbuckled Nurse Chaple then shook her awake. Her eyes fluttered opened. Chapel appeared to be scared as McCoy was. This was the first time McCoy had been on a starship that was attacked. He knew the statistics of space pirates, Romulan interference, Klingon conflicts, and transporter accidents were relatively the norm. The Enterprise was no exception. But getting attacked imminently? That was slightly concerning.

Spock remained by Jim's side even after being checked out by Nurse Taub for injuries. McCoy was all over Jim using his medical tricorder. He held the small rounded device over the man's body to check if there was internal bleeding or a rupture inside his body that needed to be repaired. The medical tricorder made a beeping sound. McCoy ordered Nurse Taub and Nurse Chapel to bring Jim to surgery. Jim was wheeled off to surgery. Spock, of course, had his stoic persona on. In two hours, which consisted of sedating the patients and working on them with the best equipment, McCoy's league of extraordinary nurses had helped in the care of other crewmates.

Jim awoke in Sick Bay.

"Ow," Jim said, with a wince. "My sides."

"I don't want to know how you got yourself stabbed on your own chair." McCoy said

"There is nothing sharp enough on my chair to make a stabbing impression," Jim said. "How many bones did I break?"

"Two ribs but I fixed them and your spleen," McCoy said. "It was initially split into four pieces. I put it back together though with the help of Nurse Chapel."

Jim had a laugh.

"That's a good one, Bones," Jim said. "Wait, that is a perfect nickname for you! You deal with bones. Get it? Healing bones is your profession."

"Well, better than the nicknames I have been referred to," McCoy said. "It sounds catchy."

"My friends call me Jim." Jim said.

"All right," McCoy said. "I can find myself sayin' that nickname."

Jim had his friendly-kind smile at the doctor.

"How is the ship?" Jim asked.

"Currently under going minor repairs and Mr Spock has made contact with that Lobster ship," McCoy said. "And you are not to worry about what is goin' on the bridge for the next few hours. Your bones need the time to fully recuperate. I will discharge you from Sick Bay when they are healed and don't you weasel your way out of here by my nurses."

Jim meekly shrugged.

"I will make note." Jim said.

"Do you usually get attacked at nine in the morning?" McCoy asked.

"Ask Mr Spock." Jim said.

"I will not be disappointed with the answer." McCoy said.

"You will not." Jim said.

Because next time at nine sharp, McCoy will be there, no attack or actual attack occurring.

Jim nearly flat-lined under his watch and such a young man shouldn't die on his watch. He had been barely breathing when he came into surgery. They had to make his heart beat again. McCoy sweat profusely during the operation and Nurse Chapel wiped the sweat off. Never before had he been this panicked that he could screw up. He experienced feelings toward the younger man. Were they just worry that he would lose a patient? His first captain? He never experienced these emotions in his career. Not ever. So this was a first.

So McCoy figured that being there on the scene of the attack doubled the chance where Jim wouldn't flatline on his watch.

And that is why McCoy is usually on the bridge.

The End.