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The remainders of the days sun filtered softly through the hospital room window, as Simon Pike all but slinked into the room. Visiting hours were pretty much over, but that wasn't about to stop him. Simon left visiting hours to the crew of the Enterprise, and his Dad, him being there would only bring down the mood.
He didnt plan on staying long, but this was a part of his daily routine now. He needed to know that Jim was still breathing, even if he hadn't woken up yet. Even if he never would. He needed to be idealistic, even if just for 30 minutes a day.
The way Jim laid, Simon could almost convince himself he was sleeping peacefully. The slow rise and fall of his chest, the way he looked relaxed and didn't tense. If he was anyone else, who didn't know Jim as well as he did, it would look like sleep. But as the kid who lived with him for countless years, slept in the bed on the other side of the room from him, he knew what Jim slept like, it wasn't peaceful.
He didn't hear the door open, but hadn't moved from his place 5 steps into the room. Leonard almost ran right into him.
"Shit- Simon. You're here."
It hurt that there was ever any doubt in Leonard's mind that he would be.
Then again, he hadn't shown up in the normal hours.
"You're early." Leonard continued, and oh. They knew he was coming, and nobody had stopped him.
"The sun was setting." Simon said, in leu of explanation. Leonard just nodded, as if any of it made any sense.
Bones moved around him with no further word and the practised ease that spoke of practice moving on a shuddering starship. He sinked into the seat next to Jim's bed like the weight of the universe was bearing down on him, before he looked back up at Simon.
"You won't hurt him by coming closer, Si."
Simon begged to differ, but he knew better than to argue with Dr McCoy. So he did, one step at a time, until he was close enough to wrap his hand around Jim's wrist and feel his heartbeat for himself.
It was an easy move to slip the pendant tucked in his pocket into Jim's hand. It was symbolic more than anything, but they had passed it between them for years until Simon had held onto it after his first mission. Now, Jim needed it more than him.
"You have to wake up. You have too."
"Jim told me about that. Why did you give it to him?"
"He needs it more than I do."
"..does he? There's nothing more we can do for him now, but it looks like you need it. Have you spoken to anyone about this? It's been weeks, Captain Pike is worried about you."
"He's always worried, that's not much new. Besides, he has Jim to worry about and dealing with Marcus' trial."
Bones just gave him a heavy look. It was almost as bad as Doctor Boyce's when someone lied to his face for the umpteenth time a day.
"Why are you really hear early, Simon? You've been here every day at the same time, Nurse Chapel says, and Christine has been pretty good at keeping track. Every day, except today."
Simon hesitated, but that seemed to be enough for Bones to put 2 and 2 together. His eyebrows narrowed, and Simon caved and began to ramble.
"Marcus killed him, Bones. Maybe not directly, but he caused all of this. Jim is.. he may never wake up because of him. We all know there is a high chance this won't have worked. The science behind this doesn't exist, the Enterprise is barely in one piece, and so many of its crew- so many people are dead."
"Simon. You can't act against Marcus, it'll only make things worse. He's in prison for his crimes, and he'll stand trial soon enough. And, well, Jim wouldn't want you too, you know that much."
It was a low blow, and both of them knew it.
"Don't worry. I'm not planning anything." Simon lied.
He was lying to Bones' face, but he was good at that. It was his specialty, lying.
Normally, nobody even noticed. He lied as easily as he breather, even to Jim sometimes. But Leonard wasn't a visiting dignitary or an Admiral who knew too little and assumed too much, who underestimated Simon. Bones knew exactly who he was and just how dangerous he really was, behind his floppy blonde fringe and blue eyes that weren't as startling as Jim's but definitely caused the twin rumours. Maybe more than Jim did, he knew the truth after all.
McCoy sighed, resigned, before nodding. "Don't do anything stupid, yah hear me?" Bones muttered. Simon nodded. This wasn't stupid, this was revenge.
He wondered what they must look like, from the outside looking in, stood over the perpetually sleeping body of his brother. A Doctor who saved lifed and a man who took them. A Captain, a CMO and a Spy. What a trio they made.
Simon turned without another word and walked out of the room. He moved near silently, a habit he didn't kick off duty, one that never ceased to make Jim jump and smack his shoulder when he "just appeared out of nowhere, we should put a bell on you or something".
Rage bubbled under his skin. The silent, volcanic kind. The slow moving, explosive kind, that took people out in it's progress.
This time, he had someone to aim it at.
Ex-Fleet Admiral Alexander Marcus was dead by morning.