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“G-d, Bones,” Jim wipes at his eyes and blows his nose into the handkerchief that Scotty has wordlessly provided, “I didn’t mean to lie.”
“I know, kid,” Leonard lets his friend brace himself against him, “you couldn’t have known.”
“I should’ve,” Jim whispers, “I should have known that they were gonna be hostile.”
“Jim—“
“I told him he was gonna be okay!” He cries, “I promised!” He sobs into his hands, and Leonard sighs. He pulls Jim’s head down to his shoulder.
“Oh, Jim…” He says, running a careful hand over the captain’s still healing back. Jim whimpers.
“I promised…”