#protective jim

Because he, the most reckless careless person he knows, ended up with a stubborn, bullheaded insouciant asshole for a husband. And god he loved the bastard so much. 

“Just, be careful, okay?” Jim played with his lower lip, which still tasted like Bones, and tried not to pout like the infant Bones accused him of being.

“Yeah, kid. I’ll be careful.” Bones lopsided smirk could have been a sight in the mirror and Jim swore inwardly. Bones would not be careful. Not when lives were at stake. 

“A week. A week to figure this virus out and you’re back. Captain’s orders.”

Bones raised an eyebrow and rolled his eyes in exasperated affections. “Yes, sir.”

It was three weeks and Bones nearly died. The group who took over the Starfleet compound on Outward Darma demanded a doctor heal their leader and then when he couldn’t come up with a cure, prepared to kill the entire outpost until Bones could produce it. So what did his brave, asshole of a husband do? He gave himself the virus. 

Jim found this out later and lost a patch of wheat blond hair to a grey invasion. At the time, Bones checked in like scheduled and said they were behind on a vaccine but still optimistic. 

When it was over, Jim kept Bones curled around him for a weekend, refusing to let him move farther than a few feet. It was childish but Jim needed it just as he needed to tell himself that Bones would never do something like that again. Not on Jim’s watch. 

And then Ria VI happened. 

*

“Your senior ranking crew-member or the ship will be destroyed.” The Rians Queen demanded, her voice sounding like the combination of nails on a chalkboard and a fork against a ceramic plate. They wanted leverage in the war against Starfleet, who backed out of a trade and settling agreement when the Rians demanded a blood tithe from initial early Starfleet away team member. They were gifted in sonic pulses and currently had the ship running on a three pulse system where the third would deplete power before their backup systems could kick in.

“And to think this was a peacekeeping mission.” Scotty winced. “I’ll go, sir. I can disable the engine and get back in a tick.”

“I will be going.” Spock interjected. 

Jim was already to the turbolift when his comm beeped. 

“Bones, I’m sorry. I’ll get back, I promise.”

“Kid, I couldn’t let you go.”

“What do you mean?” Jim swore as Chekov announced that Shuttle 3 was launching. 

“Bones, I’m ordering you back.”

“CMO override, Captain”

“Jesus, Bones, you can’t do this. We don’t know what they could do.”

“That’s why I couldn’t let you go. Jim...” Bones sighed and it was the sigh he had heard in his father’s voice when he listened to that last conversation his parents would have. “I’ll be seeing you.”

Jim turned around, away from his crew who were realizing with equal parts horror and tragedy, what was happening. The ship went through a pulse, the lights dimming, the life support failing in a deadly swoop. For a second, he thought he was dead. 

And then it came on and Bones was pleading for him to answer and Jim croaked out, “Please, don’t.”

Bones apologized again and again when Jim shook in bed that night, after the Darmians had beamed Bones back and the ship was restored. 

“I can’t promise I won’t do what I have to do to keep you safe. But I’m sorry for hurting you. I know how it feels to almost lose you and I don’t...I didn’t want you to feel what that was like.”

Jim’s heart hurt. And he knew. Just like the virus, just like this. That it would happen again. 

“I’ll stop if you will be. I’ll...stay away from away missions. I’ll become a desk captain.”

Bones snorted into Jim’s bare shoulder, kissing a constellation of freckles that made gooseflesh raise down his arms.

“You can’t be careful anymore then the sun can be hot.”

Jim had never felt so much anger before, not even when Jane had disappeared without telling him or when the lab deliberately withheld information that could've saved so many lives. He had to consciously fight his rising blood temperature and breath through the red that was slowly clouding his judgement.

Of course, his effort was for naught as soon as Neil fucking Hargrove opened his front door. "What do you want?" Jim didn't say anything right away, instead he focused in on the guys arms because he was pretty sure that wasn't ketchup on the hem of his clothes. Or the brownish red spots on his loafers.

"I'm here about your son," he drawled, the anger creeping back in at the edges of his vision. Neil's mask of pleasantness dropped, and for a fraction of a second, Jim saw what Billy saw every single day of his life.

He saw anger- no uncontrollable rage. A slightly maniacal glint in his eyes that made way for a look of hunger. Hunger to hurt and maim. Hunger to kill. Neil Hargrove was a sheep in disguise for that one second and Jim almost wished he hadn't seen it.

"What that lit- Billy do now officer?" Neil leaned himself against the doorjamb, giving Jim ample view of the house inside. He could see Susan peaking around the wall to the kitchen.

"Chief actually," he spat, reaching down by his hip, where he knew his cuffs lay. "And Neil Hargrove you're under arrest for child abuse, child neglect and anything you say can be used in a court of law-" he carried on with the miranda rights as he spun Neil around, slamming him non too gently into the door frame, Susan looked on in horror.

"What the fuck are talking about?" He yelled, struggling against Jim's restraining grip. Jim was only too happy to add resisting arrest to Neil's list of offenses. "That faggot lied to you! He's had it out for me since California!"

Something inside Jim hardened, he wanted to rip Neil fucking Hargrove apart. "Come quietly or I'll have to use force," Jim waited a beat and when Neil didn't listen, he snarled and shoved his knee into the back of Neil's knee. He went down like a sack of potatoes.

With the anger coursing through him, Jim didn't even strain as he heaved Neil up again and dragged him towards the jeep. Susan trailed after them, her face pale and a wild glint in her eyes, she walked like she was drunk. Maybe she couldn't believe this was happening. Jim didn't have time to comfort her and a part of him didn't even really want to.

MY DARLING

Inspired by Mayday, My Darling by the amazing Sinestrated, my favorite one-shot author. Please check out this author’s works on AO3 if you’re looking for Spirk one-shot with great plot.

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“Jim, you sure you don’t want to reschedule? I wouldn’t be disappointed. You and my dad should do, like, married couple things on Valentine’s Day.”

“Jo Jo! Our Valentine’s extravaganza is tradition and we do not eschew tradition in this family.”

Jim could almost hear his daughter’s eye-roll.

“Kay. Um, is it okay if I bring someone?”

“A friend shaped someone or a date shaped someone?”

“To be decided.” Jo muttered.

“Ooh, is this your meet the parents moment? Do I need to prepare scary dad lectures. Or maybe I should leave that to Bones. He can be kinda intimidating.”

“No, oh no. Jim, you can’t tell dad that this is potentially date-like.”

“Why not?”

“Are you serious? Because I’m worried he’d get all weird or have like a coronary or something. He still thinks I’m a kid.”

“Hate to tell you, princess, you are a kid.”

“I’m not a princess. I’m just a girl who wants to bring her sorta boyfriend to meet her dads.”

Jim went quiet for a second as the warmth of that, as it always did, filled him. He was someone’s dad. Damn proud of that fact.

“Okay. I won’t tell Bones. But comm me his name. I need to run a few background checks.”

“Jim!” She groaned and hung up and Jim tried to wipe the stupid grin off his face as he headed to the kitchen where his husband was making baked ziti.

***

Jo didn’t comm him the name nor give any indication about who this sorta boyfriend was but Jim did his best to pepper suggestions about Jo meeting someone and being happy making new friends, yada yada yada so that this new person showing up on their doorstep wasn’t going to send Bones over the edge.

When the doorbell rang, Bones set down the dishtowel he was using to dry some dishes and went to the door, Jim following anxiously behind and wondering if Bones would think he was nuts if he body checked him and answered first.

“Hi, daddy!” Joanna stepped over the threshold and hugged her dad. Jim peered around them to see a light blonde haired freckled kid who looked to be in his late twenties to Jo’s early twenties.

When the boy saw him, he paled, which considering how pale he was, made him look like a ghost.

“JT.” He breathed, and then fell sideways, as if nothing could hold him up anymore.

“Kev? What’s wrong?” Jo shifted so that she could hold on to him, eyes frantically searching his face.

Jesus Christ. This was little Kevin Riley. Practically a baby on Tarsus, Jim had spent most of his time on the colony with the squirt’s arms around his neck. Kevin’s parents had died on Tarsus and had been next door neighbor’s to his aunt and uncle’s. He was babysitting a bunch of kids–the only thing he felt like doing so far from home–when Kodos had sent out his proclamation.

“Kevin Riley?”

And then like Jo had with Bones, Kevin launched himself at Jim with the same spider-monkey limbs that Jim remembered from when he was a kid.

“Oh my god, JT. I thought–I didn’t know if you were still…”

The last time Jim had seen Kevin was when Kevin had to be ripped away from him as Starfleet medical and emergency personnel worked on him. He’d passed out after fighting one dude who was trying to sedate and intubate him at the same time, scrambling for Kevin with the last strength he had left–it wasn’t much.

Jim hadn’t been able to find much out about the kids he’d been with on Tarsus. The nurses and caseworkers assigned to him had thought that he’d been through enough and only gave him the necessary updates on the six kids he’s been with–he saved, they said.

They made their way inside, Kevin wiping his eyes and apologizing for blubbering over Jim. Bones brought them glasses of water and they settled into the living room, Jim following Bones into the kitchen to give Jo and Kevin a moment.

Jim pressed his forehead against Bones; chest, as the other man held him.

“What do you need?” Bones said softly.

“I don’t know. I just didn’t expect him.” Jim felt Bones kiss the top of his head and then he pulled away, looking back toward the living room where his daughter was ready to introduce Kevin Riley to them.

“Should we be worried?” Jim kneaded his palms into his eyes. “I know how fucked up I am because of Tarsus. And how easily I could have fucked up this” He gestured between the both of them. “I mean, you’ve put up from so much for me and I’m so grateful even though I barely feel like I deserve you and Jo most days.” 

“Hey,” Bones reached out and lifted Jim’s chin so that their eyes could meet. “Besides the fact that you’re an idiot for ever thinking that–I want you to know that you deserve everything. Tarsus was and will never be your fault. What happened there and how you reacted was all a part of your survival and you should never be ashamed of that. I love you. I will always love you no matter what, you hear?”

Jim nodded, feeling a wave of warmth spread from the tips of his fingers to his ears. “Thank you.” He said, around a lump in his throat. 

“I’m sorry.” He said, finally. “I’m sure he’s a good kid. I just want to make sure Jo finds someone who will treat her right.”

“Of course.” Bones said with a soft smile. It was the same smirk he got whenever Jim talked about Jo as his daughter, like he was still in awe at the thought of it, just as Jim was. 

“Let’s go give him a chance.” Jim said. He grabbed a platter of hors d’oeuvres that Bones had prepared. Jim had plans for Riley. He knew how much it helped to have people in his corner and if Kevin was okay with it, he would have Jim along with Jo and Bones. 

“Let’s get this Valentine’s Day extravaganza on the road!” Jim said, smiling widely as he entered the living room to see Jo and Kevin stuffed together on the couch, arms entwined, foreheads touching. 

Jo gave him a grateful smile but didn’t jump away when Bones entered with another platter. 

“So, Kevin, what’re your intentions for my daughter?” Bones asked and Jo groaned and Jim laughed and Kevin’s pale freckled cheeks grew pink. 

"Honest answer?"

Bones nodded. 

"Burned them."

All Bones could do was raise an eyebrow.

"Two months, Bones. They didn't smell like you anymore. They smelled like…" Jim trailed off. Two months ago, Bones took a position on a cruise liner. It was Starfleet's joint project with the government and the President herself begged for the Dr. McCoy to personally help train the ground staff on ship life and sick bays. No one counted on the terrorists. No one counted on McCoy, a Doctor known to be passive when his husband was aggressive, to save all 2,000 lives onboard. Only to be taken hostage. 

Bones catching a lot of mean spirited heckling at the academy (over his age? Divorce? Not keeping friends his own age? Puking on the shuttle?) and Jim defending or reassuring him when he finds out about it?

He would have expected it from middle schoolers. Hell, he might have even expected it from some real class act high schoolers. But Len didn’t expect to have to worry about outright bullying at an academy that’s only supposed to accept the best and brightest. 

Most of the heckling was eye roll inducing. 

“Gramps, move it we got to get to class!”

“Aw come on old man, got tired chasing tail your own age?” 

“Careful, McCoy. I just got these shoes, I don’t need you throwing up on them.” 

He got it, he was older than the overage cadet. He threw up on the shuttle. He looked like he was looking to be a cradle robber. It wasn’t the ones that were meant to hurt that did. It was the soft whispers that he wasn’t meant to hear at all. 

“It’s kind of sad isn’t it?”

“I heard his wife left him because he wouldn’t stop drinking.”

“He was drunk on the shuttle that brought him in.” 

“Do you think that Kirk just hangs out with him out of pity?” Unfortunately for the kid who said it, Leonard wasn’t the only one who overheard that one. 

“Sorry, hold on one second Bones.” Jim spun on his heel and advanced on the cadet that had whispered as they walked by. It only took one hard shove before the guy was on the ground and Jim was looming over him. 

“I’m friends with him because he knows when to tell me to keep my mouth shut. Maybe you should find someone to do the same for you.”