A Little Dreidel

Summary: A little Hanukkah moment on the Enterprise...

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek and I don't get paid even in Hanukkah gelt for this.

Jim stood near the entrance of the lounge, his arms crossed and an amused look on his face. He nudged McCoy. "Hey, Bones, I think Pavel's talked a couple of the ladies into playing some sort of spin the bottle."

He nodded toward the opposite corner of the lounge, where Chekov was sitting cross-legged on the floor in a small circle with Ensign Biales and Lt. Marks.

Bones swatted his arm. "That's not spin the bottle, you idiot. They're playing dreidel."

"Dreidel?"

"That thing they're spinning. Hanukkah started last night and it's a traditional game for the holiday."

Kirk still looked confused. "Okay, I knew that, I guess. But Chekov's not Jewish."

"Neither's Marks," Bones shrugged. "Although I think one her grandfathers was. Anyway, it's not a requirement for playing. I've done it a couple times." He looked up, bouncing slightly on his toes. "It can pay to be the ignorant southern hick in med school. People who get little packages of gelt from their parents are usually willing to educate you - and share their chocolate."

"So you think Pavel's just scamming chocolate?" Jim smiled slyly. "I dunno, seems like he could have found some guys to join the game if that was the case. And he gave Biales a jelly doughnut at the end of her shift this morning. If you ask me, our innocent little puppy is figuring out how to be a hound."

"Doughnuts are traditional for the holiday too," Bones replied. "I think he's angling for a shot at her potato latkes."

"That's what I'm saying!" Jim laughed. "Although I don't think I've ever heard them called that before."

Bones covered his face with a hand. "Dammit, Jim, that's not what I meant. Biales made potato pancakes from scratch for the party last night and they were wonderful. Even Spock admitting to liking them."

"Spock went?"

"Out of curiosity, or so he claims." McCoy smirked. "Says someone in his mother's family was Jewish, but if you ask me that superior Vulcan nose smelled the cooking and decided that trolling for an invitation was the logical thing to do."

"Sort of like pretending you're an ignorant southern hick who's never heard of a dreidel?" Jim teased.

"No need to anymore. I got my share homemade goodies." McCoy smiled smugly. "Some people know how to show gratitude to the doctors that patch them up."

"Come on, Bones, I always get you something nice for Christmas."

"You always get me a decent bottle bourbon, but then you weasel your way into drinking half of it," McCoy corrected.

"Hey, the holidays are all about sharing." Jim grinned. "Speaking of which, is that the traditional way to share gelt?"

He pointed toward where Biales was hand-feeding a piece of chocolate to Chekov while Marks rolled her eyes.

"Unbelievable," Bones shook his head. "Just last week the kid was moaning about being such a shy, awkward geek that no one would ever look twice at him."

Jim laughed. "Well, it is the season of miracles."

AN: Happy Hanukkah! According to Adam Sandler:

"...You don't need 'Deck the Halls' or 'Jingle Bell Rock'

When you can spin a dreidel with Captain Kirk and Mister Spock – Both Jewish!"

Of course, that was Shatner!Kirk and Nimoy!Spock, but I figure I'm still well within canon to have someone spinning a dreidel on the Enterprise. I chose OCs Biales and Marks because they've both been mentioned before in my other fics (and I pulled their last names are from people in the family tree).

Please r&r (or send latkes)