Author's Note: Hey guys :) So this is like the bajillionth piece I've started in the past week or so, so sorry about the delay on everything else. I'm more inclined to work on different stories depending on my mood, which is completely not productive at all :( Shame on me, I know. I actually wrote this chapter a month or so ago, and I just found it going through my computer and thought I'd try and continue it. Please let me know what you think, it would mean the world to me; I'm actually kind of proud of this so far, so we'll have to see how it goes. And if any of you all reading this have read, reviewed, favorited, etc., any of my other stuff, then thanks so much. I love you all (in that 'I don't know you but still' way, of course).

[Insert standard and humorous disclaimer here.]

With Jim on his right and Sulu to his left, Bones sighed and took a drink, looking down the bar.

"Nothing better than five days of leave, boys, no-thing better."

Jim raised his glass in agreement and opened his mouth to concur when Sulu turned around and whistled low. "You know, I disagree. I think I just found something much better." Both Jim and Bones turned to see Sulu sliding off his stool towards a girl walking past, and Bones chuckled.

"And there's nothing like three lonely boys running around on leave either." He turned to look at Jim, who was still silent and scanning the room, eyebrows furrowed as he continued to drink. "What's the matter with you?"

"Huh?" Jim wiped his mouth and looked at the doctor, spinning back around to rest his arms on the counter.

"What's. The matter. With you? I mean you seem normal enough, but we've been out here for—," Bones consulted his watch, "—45 minutes, good man, and you haven't latched yourself onto a girl yet."

"Ah, Bones, I don't know." Jim sighed. "I don't know, I just feel like this time—I want something more than 5 one-night-stands, you know?"

"One for each day?"

"Yeah." Jim was talking with his hands now, holding some imaginary idea. "I want it to mean something, even if it only means something for a week….am I getting soft, Bones?"

Bones patted Jim on the shoulder. "Yeah, you are."

"Well I don't care," Jim grumbled into his drink, and Bones laughed.

"Like a kid you are."

Hours passed, with officers entering in and out of the bar now and again, Bones and Jim laughing and getting drunker by the minute. Near midnight, the older man found his target. Now sitting at a table, Bones suddenly leaned forward onto his elbows and tried his hardest to focus on a woman that had just walked in.

"By all things—would ya look at that, Jim."

Eyes swimming, Jim turned around and managed to find the object of his friend's interest. "You want her?" Jim faced Bones again and waved his hand. "Go ahead. I'll go find my room in a minute."

"You sure?" Bones asked, standing up as quickly as he could and laughing. "This isn't earth anymore, Dorothy. You sure you can find you way back?"

Jim gave Bones as much a death stare as he could muster and waved him on. "Go get 'em, champ." And with that, Jim was alone.

Another hour went by, with the drinks coming slower and Jim thinking more and more. Through his jumbled mind he was able to hold on to one consistent string of thought, however; he wanted a girl, he wanted to keep her, and he wanted her bad.

Suddenly someone was sitting across from Jim, and another chair was being pulled up to the table. Jim looked up and after a second recognized Chekov's eager face, and a girl next to him. Probably the first girl he's ever had, Jim thought, and he grinned to himself.

"Captain! Captain!"

"Yeah, what are you doing here? How'd you catch up to me?" Jim slurred.

"You'll never guess who I found, Captain!" Chekov was beaming with excitement, and Jim was trying to match an equally enthusiastic look, but he could feel himself ready to fall out of his chair.

"Who?"

"My cousin, Captain! All the way out here!"
"Yeah?"

"Yes; I was out—trying to find somewhere to let me drink—I mean honestly, do they think I can't hold liquor—and anyway, I ran into this girl, and I think, you know, she looks familiar, she looks like my cousin, Anya, yes? And so I stopped her and asked, and she was! And she told me, she's just been out, she was going to get a job here but she couldn't and she was just about to go home and look—she's here!"

Chekov looked eagerly at his captain for a response, and Jim nodded and tried for another successful smile. "That is really, really great, Chekov. Good for you." The young boy turned his beaming face to his cousin, and Jim realized he had never really looked at the girl, so he followed Chekov's gaze. And she was beautiful.

Jim immediately tried to swallow his drunkenness as best he could and stuck out a courteous hand to the girl. "Captain Jim Kirk, of the Enterprise. Very nice to meet you." The introduction was followed with a smooth grin, which was more than equally matched.

"And you. Anya Chekov."

Jim's brows came together yet again. "Chekov—she—she doesn't talk Russian? I mean, sorry, she—uh…doesn't have an accent like you."

"Oh yes, Captain. She grew up in America with her father. Not as much Russian."

Jim bobbed his head up and down. "I see."

Chekov then stood quickly, causing Jim's vision to spin. Holding up a finger to his cousin, he said. "Wait right here; I'll be back quickly," and ran off.

"So," Jim started, "tell me about yourself."

Anya laughed, throwing her head back. "If I tell you, will you remember any of it?"

"Do I look that drunk?" Jim laughed.

"No, no, not at all."

"Well, then, try me."

"Ok." She sat up straighter in her chair. "I was born in Russia; same as Pavel. Grew up with him, all cousins, same big house, until I was three. Then my mother had an affair with another man, so my father left and took me to America; he had a brother there. So I grew up there." She shrugged. "I liked it, but I missed family. I went back to visit them all, every summer. And then I decided I wanted to travel when I was fourteen, but of course, my father wouldn't let me; I was too young." She laughed. "So I turned 18, and I left. I've been working, trying to see different planets, but things haven't been going too well. So this was my last try before going home." Anya was quiet for a moment. "I just want to do something with my life, you know? But I'm not sure what."

Trying to be polite, Jim waited a moment before opening his mouth. "I have an idea."

She raised an eyebrow and grinned. "And what's that?"

"Well…if you're not busy…and seeing as, you know, you want some excitement in your life…I'll be on leave. Like your brother. I've got five days, and…no one to spend it with."

"And what makes you think I would change a flight all the way back to earth—not easy, by the way—just to stay here with a stranger for another week?" Her tone was light, but even in his impaired state Jim could sense the underlying seriousness of the statement. Finally, he spoke quietly and gently.

"Because he might just be the best you ever had in your life."

"Ok."

Jim looked up, surprised. She was smiling. "I have nothing else to do. I might as well. Pavel would have probably dragged me around with him anyway."

Success. Jim waved down a waitress. "You want anything to drink?"

"Surprise me."

Jim ordered the strongest thing he could think of and then turned back to Anya. "I have to be honest, though. I'm a little drunk now, you know, so we might have to start the festivities tomorrow. Since we've just met."

"A little drunk. A little." Anya nodded, eyes dancing. "Ok. Whatever you want." She grabbed her drink just as it hit the table. "I'm game for anything."

Jim was in the process of repeating her "anything" with a twitched eyebrow when Chekov returned, his face red and smiling.

"Sorry—."

"Look at you, you little -," Jim grinned affectionately at Chekov. "Found yourself a girl, huh?"

"Well, Captain—how-?."

"Here." Jim shoved the rest of his drink at the boy. "Drink the rest, You can't go chasing girls on leave sober. Can't even start." Without a second thought, Chekov emptied the glass in a blink (given, that was Jim's blink, and he was a little slow at the moment), stood to leave, and then stopped.

"Oh, Anya, I forgot about Anya…"

"It's ok, Pav." Anya smiled affectionately before looking at Jim mischievously. "I'm covered."

The young ensign looked at Jim, then back at Anya before saying "Oh. I see. Well then, Captain." He nodded at Jim. "I see you later Anya, 'k?"

"Of course. Be good." Chekov smiled and left the room.

"So." Anya started, taking another drink. "Where were we?"

Jim smiled. " 'Anything.'"