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Three Days
The mission had been meant to last only three days. It was intended to be a standard survey and sample collection mission to an unfamiliar, barren planet with unusually high energy levels. He should have predicted that something could go amiss, as they seemed to frequently do. Yet the storm had come in so quickly, and without mercy.
Most of the officers had been able to be beamed back aboard, but Spock was not so fortunate. His communicator had gotten lost during the shuffle, and he had been forced to take shelter in a nearby cavern. The Enterprise had other assignments to attend to, supply deliveries to carry out, and they could not spend their time mounting a search for their First Officer. He himself would have been the first to have insisted on leaving him behind, their mission more important than the status of one man. Having been left behind, he had fended for himself for the past month.
The wait had been… aggravating. Not because he struggled with maintaining his survival, that had been simple. There was a major complication aboard the ship, however, one that had taken up his mind quite frequently when he was left with nothing to occupy himself with. Any day now, his partner would be due to give birth to their child, having just entered the eighth month when he had left. He would already be in the final month, and the due date was a mere two days away.
It was alleviating when the security team located him. He wouldn't have to miss his child's birth, and even more crucially, Leonard would not be forced to give birth alone. Jim would have been sure to have been with him if needed, but being apart from Leonard for this long had been illogically difficult to manage. But now it would not be a concern…
In an instant, he found himself away from the foliage and terrain that he had been left with for company these past thirty-one days, and met with the familiar sight of the captain and one of the teleporter operators standing before him.
Kirk dismissed the security team and operator, then as Spock walked towards him, placed a hand on the Vulcan's shoulder.
"Welcome back, Mr. Spock." he spoke warmly.
"Captain." Spock nodded back. "I trust that all has been well in my absence?"
"As well as can be expected, I can safely say that your presence was greatly missed." Kirk smiled lightly, wearily. "In more ways than one."
Spock didn't reply, noting the absence of a certain doctor. It shouldn't surprise him; at this point in the pregnancy, Leonard should not be on his feet for long periods of time. He had already been starting to struggle with just standing for a few hours in Sickbay before they were separated; he could only imagine how difficult moving was for him now. His emotional state, on the other hand…
"Has the doctor been resting the appropriate amount as ordered by Doctor M'Benga, captain?" He questioned. "He had said that he would do so, however, given his tendency not to follow such requirements through when his personal health is concerned…"
The shift in Jim's demeanor caused Spock to trail off. The captain appeared… apprehensive. He could conclude as to why. It would be no surprise that Leonard had been difficult during his unexpected absence. He had been displeased when Spock had left, but had seemed content enough when he agreed to wait for him and to take care of himself, even agreeing to allow Jim to assist him as needed.
"Captain?" He questioned. "Is the doctor well?"
Kirk was silent for a brief moment, then inhaled. "He's fine Spock, really. That said… you should get on down to Sickbay."
Something twisted within the Vulcan's stomach. Several possibilities passed through his mind, but the most logical conclusion was… it couldn't be, though; it was still two days early. Yet as he pondered this, he recalled that an early date was very much a possibility, as Leonard and Doctor M'Benga had informed him in the past.
It took him a moment to be able to vocalize a proper question. "Is it time?"
The captain had barely nodded before he had rushed straight past him and through the automatic doors.
It had taken little time to enter Sickbay and find Nurse Chapel, who was frantically preparing equipment nearby. She looked up, then pointed her head to the side
"He's in the back, Doctor M'Benga's preparing for the procedure now." She said, not taking her eyes off her work, "Be sure to step into the sonic first to avoid the risk of contamination. He's going to be very upset with you for not getting a proper examination yet, Mr. Spock."
The Vulcan nodded as he headed towards the back. He quickly stepped into one of the sonic showers and let it do its job, grabbing a clean uniform that had conveniently been left there for him, most likely by Nurse Chapel.
He walked to the back operating room, and it wasn't long before he heard a familiar voice shouting a string of crass Earth curse words and another trying to tell him to calm himself down.
"I'll tell you when I'll calm down!" a voice screamed out. "And it sure as Hell isn't going to be right now! Is it time yet?!"
"Leonard, for the fifth time, no." The familiar voice of Doctor M'Benga spoke. "It's still going to be another ten to twenty minutes before we can proceed. Just try to focus on breathing-."
"Don't talk to me like I haven't fucking done this before, Geoff!" Leonard roared even louder, if that were even such a possibility. "I've birthed babies longer than you've been in the service, you think I don't know how it works?!"
"Of course not Leonard, I merely-" M'Benga stopped as the door slid open, his expression noticeably easing. "Ah, Mr. Spock, thank goodness you've arrived. If you wouldn't mind putting a pair of gloves on."
Spock nodded, taking an offered pair of gloves, before turning his attention to the doctor currently trying to sit up from where he was lying. "Spock?! What the Hell are you doing here?! There's no way in Hell that you've been back long enough to-!"
"My wellness check will have to be on hold at this time, Leonard." Spock said, slipping on the gloves before carefully pushing the other man down. "The birth of our daughter is the greater priority as of now."
"That's no damn excuse!" McCoy growled at him. "You are NOT going to neglect your own fucking health just because- oh shit!"
The doctor gritted his teeth, clutching at his pregnant stomach tightly. The Vulcan's hand instinctively went to his shoulder, and he barely managed to swallow down the pain and fear that the doctor was emitting. He couldn't help it, not in his current state, but as the wave crashed over him, Spock couldn't help but feel like he was beginning to suffocate…
A gentle hand pushed him back, and Spock found a pair of blue eyes looking at him. "Dumb Vulcan… you're gonna get overwhelmed right now if you aren't ready for it… can't exactly hold the pain in right now…"
He blinked, then breathed. He was not the one in pain; Leonard was. He was the one who was supposed to be giving support, not Leonard. And yet, even now, after all these months of knowing that the day was coming, even having the time planet-side to plan out what to do, now he was at a loss. He needed to remain in control.
He looked towards M'Benga as Chapel entered, pushing a cart of equipment. "What is left to be done, doctor?"
"Not much else except for the last of the preparations," M'Benga spoke as he laid out the necessary medical instruments. "We're gonna give him an epidural, then prepare the site. By then we'll be able to move forward with the procedure."
"And you have everything?" McCoy asked through uneven breaths. "What about all the injections? You didn't forget- ow! Damn it Christine, warn me when you do that!"
"Not sorry, doctor." The nurse said, pulling her hypospray back from his side. "You're the patient this time around, now trust Geoff to do his job. And you," she turned to Spock now, "make sure that he behaves."
McCoy scowled as Chapel proceeded with setting up the privacy curtain at the bottom of the bed. He lay fully back, his hand rubbing over his stomach almost frantically. It was a mannerism that Spock had become familiar with; the doctor was nervous. To his own surprise, Spock could say that he felt the same way.
Leonard had handled the entire pregnancy extraordinarily. It had been shocking when they were told of it; Spock himself had been unsure of what to say or how to react. But Leonard had been enthusiastic, even on the days when he had been so sick he couldn't get out of bed. To some extent Spock was uncertain as to why, the doctor already had a daughter, and they had only mentioned the possibility of having children approximately three times in the past. They had not been prepared, and in all honesty, Spock still felt that he wasn't.
He felt a tug at his sleeve, and again was met with those tired, sparkling blue eyes that he had been without for so long. To his surprise, the doctor was smiling despite how clearly pained he was. "Darlin', it's gonna be fine."
"I trust Doctor M'Benga to be able to-"
"Not that, we know that Geoff will bring her out safe and sound," Leonard said as though he hadn't been yelling at his assistant CMO just moments ago. "You're going to be fine, Spock."
Spock took in another silent breath, his fingertips lightly brushing against the top of Leonard's wrist. "You don't-"
"I do know, and I'm telling you that it will be fine." He said sharply, yet soothingly, while fighting through heavy breaths. "Spock, please… just trust me this once… "
A grunt of pain cut him off, and Spock felt his lips press together tightly. After not seeing the doctor in so long, to see him now like this… it was not an ideal reunion at all. The wait to return to the ship, to see his ashayam, to be able to mentally reach out to their baby once more, it had been so long. Yet now, everything was going so fast… what could he do?
He braced himself, then trailed his fingers along Leonard's wrist, then his hand until he was able to take hold of it. Now that he was properly prepared for it, the raging waves of emotions that washed over him calmed into a gentle flowing stream. There was still pain, as well as the sensations of fear and anxiety, but with them was the unmistakable feeling of longing and joy. They were emotions that had no place being felt altogether, yet he would expect nothing less from Leonard McCoy.
"…I missed you." Leonard said in a shaky voice. "God damn Spock I missed you. Jim… he tried his best to help; it would have been worse without him. But… but damn it Spock, I needed you. I was so mad that you went down there, so mad at Jim for leaving you down there… then this happened and-."
"Leonard." Spock pulled his hand closer to him, trailing his thumb across the tightly clenched knuckles. "I am here now. I should not have left you. I made an error in judgment when I agreed to head the mission, and I apologize."
Leonard opened his mouth to speak, but he could only release a struggling noise as another wave of pain hit him. Spock kept hold of his hand, transmitting as much feeling of calmness as he was capable of. M'Benga and Chapel were making their way over, signaling that they were about ready to begin.
"Just stay there with him Mr. Spock, we'll handle the rest," M'Benga spoke as Chapel gave Leonard another hypo and made the last adjustments to the bulkhead. "Alright, it's all set. We're beginning now."
Spock nodded, his focus completely on Leonard now. He lifted Leonard's hand enough to brush a human kiss along the knuckles, then resumed his previous administrations of trailing his fingers along the other's hand. "Breathe, ashayam."
The doctor looked at him, taking in a deep breath, then another, and another. He fell into a rhythm as M'Benga and Chapel began to make the incisions to his stomach. The doctor should not be in any pain; the epidural should have numbed his body enough. M'Benga was a perfectly capable doctor; he would succeed in bringing their daughter into the world. And yet…
Now is not the time for such thoughts.
He'd had more than enough time to meditate on those emotions while planet-bound. He and Leonard had conversed approximately 40.7 times on this day, and on the days that would follow. Of how to properly raise their child, how to avoid the pitfalls that Spock's parents fell into, of Spock's inexperience in parenting compared to Leonard with Joanna. They'd had those talks again and again, but none of them would matter if they could not get through this day.
Leonard's hand was shaking, so Spock held it closer in his own. The doctor's grip was tight, but it was nothing that he could not handle. He sent every sense of strength and reassurance that he could muster; whatever he needed, he would give him. They had to get through this moment; they had to.
The sound of a small cry finally drew Spock's attention away. He turned just in time to see Nurse Chapel bundling something up. She looked towards the two men, and smiled.
"Perfectly healthy." She said brightly, walking over to the other side of the bed. "Congratulations, doctor, you've successfully delivered a baby girl."
Leonard looked up at her exhaustedly, as though he were contemplating rolling his eyes, but he instead held his arms out. Chapel shifted the bundle to him, and he carefully pulled it close until he could move the blanket back enough to reveal a small face looking back at him.
"Oh, darlin'… " he said weepily. Spock looked at him in concern, but Leonard shook his head. "I-I'm okay Spock, I just… my God, she's here. She's really here!"
Spock looked down, towards their daughter. Their daughter… even after all this time, the words still sounded so strange to him. She was so small, even her cries sounded so weak, so helpless. It wasn't as though Spock had not seen a newborn before, he recalled the time when the doctor delivered young Leonard James Akaar (an utterly illogical name…), and yet he was, as humans would say, awe-struck.
"Everything's all done." he could hear M'Benga said. "We'll inform the captain that all is well. Chapel will be right outside if you need anything. For now, if you'd like a moment-"
"Get on out of here Geoff, Jim's gonna have a damned heart attack if he doesn't hear from somethin' soon." McCoy said, not taking his eyes away from his daughter. "Then go lie down man, and that's an order."
"Technically speaking, I'm under no obligation to follow your orders at this time, Leonard." M'Benga smiled despite his words as he left, with Chapel giving a small wave to them and following him out.
Leonard gestured with the bundled child, motioning for Spock to take her. Spock looked at their child, then back to him. "Leonard, I don't-"
"Darlin', don't start spiraling on me now. She's only been out of me a few minutes." Leonard said gently. "You've practiced it more than enough times, you'll do fine."
Spock remained silent, then maneuvered himself carefully to shift the bundle into the crook of his arm. He held her close, as though she were made of glass, loosening his grip only a little when she made a whining noise. She was so light, so fragile…
He now looked directly at her, and a pair of bright blue eyes met his own. Blue eyes, some dark-colored hair trickling atop her little head, the unmistakable points of her small ears. She made a cooing noise, one comparable to a very young sehlat cub, as she looked at him with what could only be called curiosity.
Slowly, almost reluctantly, Spock trailed a finger over her little forehead. He had been able to feel her mind form within Leonard as the pregnancy had gone on, and it took little time for the familiarity of the rapidly growing mind to reach him. The child made a noise, then closed her eyes contentedly. Sarek had discussed with him the significance of forming a connection with the child before the birth, for the sake of familiarizing themselves with one another. It hadn't made much sense then, but now…
He turned to see Leonard smiling at him. "I assume that you are pleased now, doctor?"
"Very." He replied, followed by a blissful sigh. "Our little Gemma."
Gemma, the name that they had chosen. Leonard had been insistent on it, to name her after the woman who had saved his life and thus allowed them to realize their feelings in the first place. Spock hadn't had any reason to disagree with it; in Leonard's own words, 'she'll be as pretty as a gem, why not name her for what she is?'
It had been the most logical statement that he had heard Leonard mutter.
"You were correct in your assessment Leonard." He said softly, unable to look away from her. "She is flawless."
Leonard laughed. "'Bout damn time you admitted I was right."
Spock looked to his lover now. "You may consider it a repayment for my unforeseeable absence."
"You have a Hell lot more making up to do for that. But for now," the doctor smiled. "I'm glad you're back, you damn Vulcan."
Spock nodded and leaned down just enough to meet his ashayam's lips in a kiss. There was much time to make up for, and Spock would do so. Now that their daughter was here, it felt like they had all the time in the galaxy.