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Peja's Wonderful World of Makebelieve Import
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Published:
2020-11-05
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965
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Every Age Has a Dream

Summary:

“Oh, hell no! I am not puttin’ elf ears on the kid!..."

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Work Text:

“Oh, hell no! I am not puttin’ elf ears on the kid! Besides, we’ve got plans for the weekend. Come on, Jim. If you have to do this…take Cupcake. Take, oh, I don’t know, Spock? He’s already got the necessary equipment.”

“I wish it was that easy, Bones. But they’re expecting a human, a female Orion and a young Vulcan slave. We’re lucky Gaila agreed, or you’d be dyeing Rand green.”

That had been twenty-four hours ago. Dr. McCoy watched his best friend and Captain, Jim Kirk, step onto the transporter pad. Followed by Lieutenant Gaila and Ensign Chekov. It was eerie, how much the teenage human looked like a Vulcan with the addition of ear points and a temporary green molecular dye.

“Now, don’t forget, Jim. Chekov has to have those capsules once a day to stay green. Otherwise, that Mizorian gangster is gonna catch on.”

“Gaila,” McCoy went on, quickly, before Jim could respond. “Don’t forget the pills when Jim does.”

“Doctor! I am adult. I can take pills. I do not need Keptin or Gaila to remind me.” Chekov said adamantly.

McCoy shook his head. “Trust me, kid, You three get down on Mizor and start having to act your parts, you’re all liable to forget everything.” Which is why Chekov really only needed the pills every four days. But getting them more often wouldn’t hurt him, or make a difference in his color.

Chekov grinned, and turned an embarrassed green as the doctor smoothed his dark, auburn hair straight. An alteration made to his normally curly locks to complete his Vulcan look. “Take care, kid. See you when you get back, okay?”

“Da. It is date, Doctor.”

Then the trio was gone and the transporter pad empty.

“Aye, Doctor, the Captain will take care of the lad for you. Just like he’ll take care of Gaila for Cupcake. I mean Matt.” Neither Scotty, nor most of the rest of the crew, seemed to remember the Lieutenant’s name was Matthew Smith.

“God, Scotty, we’re just friends,” McCoy grumped. “It’s not like we’re dating or anything.”

“Yet,” Scotty acknowledged with a little laugh. “And not for lack of trying, I hear.”

“This damn ship is just one big rumor mill! I have better things to do than gossip.” McCoy nodded at Scotty and headed back to sickbay. Fortunately, he only had minor things to deal with.

When he went off-shift, that night, McCoy headed for the mess as usual. It wasn’t until he’d gotten his dinner that he remembered Chekov wouldn‘t be there. It was as if his usually sunny day had turned overcast. Damn. Just a couple of months, and he was all ready to make a declaration to the kid. A seventeen year-old, no less. A chill ran through his body at the thought of the ramifications of that. But he couldn’t help himself.

He thought it was very likely he was in love with Pavel Andreievich Chekov.

Well, Jim had promised a whole day off on their next mission to Talan Prime. He was finally taking Chekov out on a date. They would talk. See where things stood between them. Where they’d like things to go. Yeah, McCoy decided. That was what they’d do.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He looked out of the window to find a dismal rain falling from lead-colored clouds. The bedroom was chilled, and he pulled on the bearskin robe. Chekov was gone. Still gone. Gone without a word, out into the cold rain. The room that had felt like paradise earlier, now felt unfamiliar, foreign, alien.

And, he knew, it was all because the kid was gone. McCoy felt out of place as he stared into a mirror. He was so old.

He knew how their families would react. He knew that Starfleet wouldn’t be too happy. He knew their friends would question their choices. He knew his ex would use this against him with his daughter.

Looking at himself, red-eyed after a long surgery, hair flopping over his lined forehead, face dark with a scruffy beard. He wondered what Chekov ever saw to attract him to an old man almost forty. Yeah, it was probably better if he left the kid alone.

Better for the kid. But for him? McCoy sighed and went back to the window. Without the kid, all his days would be like this one. Dismal, dark, cold. If he had to send him away, the Enterprise would never be the home she had been.

Not any time he was away…

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dr. McCoy. Dr. McCoy!”

“Yeah, yeah, ‘m up.” The doctor rolled out of bed and staggered to the comm. “What?”

He listened as Chapel gave him the stats on his post-surgical patient. But he was also thinking about his strange dream. When he was done with the comm, he continued to sit at his desk. He picked up the small plushie sitting next to his PADD. The kid had bought the bear-like toy on an Away Mission, and given it to McCoy on a whim.

Boris will keep you company when I cannot be with you, Doctor, da? He will remind you I always come home.”Then Chekov had smiled at him.

“Don’t look so sad, Boris. The kid’ll be back tomorrow. He promised he’ll always come home. Remember?” McCoy took the plushie with him when he went back to bed.

The next day three weary Starfleet officers beamed aboard the Enterprise. Kirk grinned from ear-to-ear. “Another successful mission.”

McCoy nodded, but he could only look at Chekov. The kid was home. Where he belonged.

Privet, hello, Doctor. I am glad to be home.” Chekov smiled.

Those six simple words and a smile were enough to brighten and warm the Enterprise like nothing else could for McCoy. “Yeah, kid, I’m glad too.”

End

Notes:

This orphaned work was originally on Pejas WWOMB posted by author ReneeMR.
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