AN:

T'hyle - friend/life friend-family-friends. More than 5 friends.

I was watching Friends over the weekend and one of the episodes I watched was the Pilot. For some strange reason, I couldn't help but imagine Kirk when Rachel came into Central Perk wearing her wedding dress. That got me thinking, and this fanfic happened! I wanted to include all of the main characters, so it's not exactly like Friends in that sense.

Carol sat on the couch surrounded by her friends. She let out a sigh as her friends kept nagging at her for more details.

"There is nothing to tell. It's just some guy I met in the lab!"

Uhura looked at Carol and raised her eyebrows. She wasn't convinced by her friends dismissal.

"If it was nothing, why are you blushing?"

As if on cue, Carol's cheeks turned to a brighter shade of pink.

"We are just going out to dinner tomorrow night. That's it!"

Scotty had been busy eating his sandwich during the girls conversation, but decided this would be a good time to chime in.

"Ye' know, they say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

Carol rolled her eyes as she grabbed on of the pillows on the couch to cover her face.

Uhura couldn't help but chuckle as she brought her coffee cup to her lips. The door to the cafe opened and Christine Chapel walked in.

"Hey Christine!"

"Hey." She mumbled as she tossed her bag on the floor and took the seat across from Uhura.

"Is something wrong?" Uhura asked, seeing the frown on her friend's face.

"Yeah. You know the doctor that I was working for?"

Uhura nodded.

"Well, he is moving away. Apparently his wife misses her home planet, so they are moving there. Some new doctor is going to take his place on Monday."

"Oh, I am sorry Christine… I know you were good friends with Doctor Goldberg."

"Yeah… I wish I knew what this new doctor is like. I don't want to have to deal with some bitter old man who works his nurses to death!"

"Oh, I am sure it won't come to that! Don't be so pessimistic!" Uhura did her best to sound comforting.

"I am not being pessimistic. I am merely preparing myself for every possible outcome."

Carol snorted, "Oh my God Christine, you sound just like Spock."

Christine made a point to look away from Carol. Uhura said nothing. Everyone knew that Christine had a huge crush on Spock.

The door opened and the source of all the awkward tension walked in.

Uhura waved at Spock to join them while Christine fidgeted in her seat trying to make herself sit more upright and proper.

"How did it go with your father Spock?"

Spock approached them and took a seat on the same couch Uhura was sitting on, but he made a note of sitting on the far end of it.

"The encounter was… fine."

"Uh oh, you hate that word. How bad was it?"

"My father was not pleased with my decision to end my engagement with T'Pring."

"Well, is he goin' to let you do it?" Scotty asked while taking a sip of his coffee.

"T'Pring was not opposed to dissolving the bond. She confessed to have preferred the company of another Vulcan named Stonn. Therefore my father had no choice but to accept the decision."

"Well, I am glad you broke things off with that girl." Chapel pulled her chair a little closer to Spock, "I don't think she was right for you, and she was never very nice."

When Spock failed to respond to Christine's comment, Uhura swooped in, in an attempt to end the awkward silence that had formed.

"Are you okay? I mean, I heard that dissolving a bond can cause some serious mental strain."

"I am perfectly well. I only experienced some mild discomfort but I am able to shield."

"Still, it must be tough." Carol said as Spock turned his gaze toward her.

"To what are you referring?"

"Well, I mean, being bonded to someone since childhood and then to suddenly end the engagement? That has got to evoke some sort of feelings…Even for a Vulcan!" Carol added the last part when she saw Spock open his mouth to protest.

"Aye laddie! We should go out drinkin' sometime. A bit of scotch should fix ye' right up!"

"While I appreciate the concern you are expressing toward me, I must remind you that vulcans do not consume alcohol. I am also not negatively affected by the removal of my bond with T'Pring, so there is no need for your concern Ms. Marcus."

Carol bit her lip, she was never sure if Spock was calling her out or just being his usual forward self. Either way she stayed quiet and surely enough Spock continued.

"My father expressed concern over the loss of my bond mate. He wishes for me to pick another mate."

"Wow." Chapel said as a frown appeared on her face. "You just got out of an engagement and he already wants to thrust you into another one. That's a little insensitive don't you think?"

"My father's reasons for wanting me to pick a mate are logical."

"At least you get to pick this time, right?" Nyota asked as she took a sip of her herbal tea.

"Yes. I have already acquired a list of the names of unbonded Vulcans. I shall study it carefully in order to determine which would be the most logical choice."

Carol's eyes widened. "That's how you are going to pick your new mate?" Nyota sent her friend a glare which made Carol purse her lips together and avoid Spock's eyes as he answered her.

"Of course. It is the logical way to determine whom I will be most compatible with."

"Ye' never know laddie! Yer true love can show up when ye least expect it."

"Mr. Scott, I understand you are referring to what human's call fate. However I must point out that such a concept is ill-" But Spock was unable to finish his sentence.

"Carol!"

Everyone turned toward the sound of the deep voice. Carol's jaw dropped when she saw James Kirk, in a suit, standing in the doorframe of the coffee shop.

"Jim?"

Jim ran toward her, the relief was evident on his face.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you Carol!" Jim clearly was trying to get some air into his lungs while saying this.

"Jim! Not that it's not nice to see you, but what are you doing here?"

Jim gave her a small smile and placed his hands on her shoulders. Both in an attempt to embrace her and to steady himself.

Spock couldn't help but observe the young man. His hair was disheveled and his stance showed that he was physically tired.

"I am so sorry to just burst in like this, but you are the only person that I know who still lives in San Francisco. Well besides Bones, but he is still in Georgia visiting family." Jim said to Carol between gasps.

Carol gestured for Jim to sit down and he automatically plopped down on the couch in between Uhura and Spock. He looked at the people around him for the first time realizing he had an audience. He sheepishly ran his hand through his already messy gel covered hair.

"Umm… Hi everyone!"

Spock raised his eyebrow at him, Chapel smiled at him, Uhura stared at him with an indescribable look and Scotty raised his cup in salute.

"What's wrong Jim? And why do you look like you just came from a wedding?"

"Oh. Well, that's because I did."

"What you mean you did? Whose wedding?"

"Umm…" Jim sheepishly looked away.

"No."

A light flush filled Jim's cheeks as he fidgeted in his seat on the couch.

"James Kirk! Did you run away from your own wedding?" Carol wasn't exactly reprimanding him. More than anything she sounded disbelieving.

"Yes." Jim looked down at his feet avoiding the looks that everyone was giving him.

The silence from the group was deafening so Jim began talking.

"I mean Janice is a great girl. She really is. But like, an hour before we are supposed to get married I realized that the only reason I was getting married was to please Wynona."

"Wait… Janice, as in Janice Rand?" Christine asked, her eyes widening.

"Yeah. You know her?"

"Yeah, she …"

Carol raised her hand abruptly to cut of Chapel.

"We are getting off topic here. What happened?"

"Well I panicked. I like Janice, but I realized that I didn't love her." Jim paused and stared up at the ceiling.

He let out a sigh before looking at Carol. "When I get married, I want it to be because I am in love with the person and couldn't imagine my life without them. I want someone who knows me better than I know myself."

Jim's eyes seemed to shine as he said this. The probably realizing how corny that had just sounded he looked down at his hands as a pink flush began to fill his face.

Everyone just stared at him in silence. After a few seconds Uhura decided to speak up.

"Wow Kirk, I didn't know you were capable of such emotion." Uhura said in a sarcastic tone.

Jim turned to look at her, blinking in surprise. "I'm sorry?"

"Well, I am just saying. Given your reputation."

"Nyota - " Carol cut in, this time she was the one shooting a warning glance at her friend.

"No. Please, let her finish." Jim said, his voice suddenly rising.

"Well you were known for searching for love in all sorts of places back at the Academy." Uhura jeeringly responded.

"Excuse me? Who do you think you are? You don't even know me!"

"I know all I need to know about you Kirk." Uhura practically sneered at him.

"Nyota, you will cease this illogical behavior."

Uhura looked past Kirk and stared at the Vulcan in disbelief.

"You are taking his side?"

"Mr. Kirk has done nothing to offend you. Therefore it is illogical for you to lash out against him."

"Wait," Jim cut in, "I know you! You're Uhura. You were that girl who was dating that Vulcan professor back at the Academy!"

Uhura blushed. While Spock did not shift uncomfortably on the couch, because Vulcans do not feel uncomfortable.

Noticing the change in mood between the two people next to him Jim let out a small "oh."

Chapel was glaring at Uhura, who was making a pointed effort to not look at her.

"Sorry."

"Your apologies are unnecessary Mr. Kirk." Spock responded with a deadpanned face that gave Jim little comfort.

"Jim." Jim turned to look at Carol. "What are you going to do?"

"Well, I can't go back to the hotel, cause Winona will kill me. Dammit, I should have gotten my stuff before I left!"

"Do you have anywhere to stay?"

"Umm.. Not really." But Jim flashed her a small reassuring smile. "But I am sure I can find somewhere to spend the night. Bones gets back Sunday evening. Maybe I can crash with him then."

"But what will you do till then?"

Jim shrugged. "Honestly I didn't think this through. I just ran. I walked into the coffee shop hoping they had a communicator I could call Bones on. But then I noticed you were here!"

"Well, I am slightly offended by the fact that you didn't invite me to your wedding." Carol said, slightly frowning.

Jim let out a nervous chuckle and ran his hand through his hair again. Something, Spock noted, the man had the tendency to do when he was nervous.

"Yeah… I was hoping you wouldn't linger on that…"

Uhura let out an agitated huff but Carol ignored her.

"You can stay at my place until your friend, Bones?, comes back."

"Umm, Carol! Don't you think you should discuss this with your roommate?" Uhura made her disapproval clear in her words.

If he noticed the tension between the two women, Scotty didn't let on.

"The laddie can spend the night at my place. I'll just have to tell Sulu that we'll be havin' some company over."

Jim shyly looked over at Scotty and gave him a small smile. "Thanks man. I appreciate it."

Scotty just nodded in response. Uhura and Carol were still glaring at each other, making Jim feel really uncomfortable. He looked at Scotty again and noticed that the man looked strangely familiar. Where did he know him from? Then it hit him.

"Hey! You're Montgomery Scott aren't you?"

"Aye."

"We had several engineering classes together back at the academy. It's good to see you again!"

Sulu as it turned out was a very cool guy. He had no objection to Jim crashing on their couch. In fact he told Jim he could stay as long as he wanted. Jim of course assured them that he wouldn't take advantage of their hospitality for long.

AN: So as you guys can probably tell(if you have watched Friends), this was loosely based on the pilot. But I had fun writing it. I should be working on my other fics, I know. But this popped into my head and it wouldn't leave me alone!