Summary: It's father's day and everyone is celebrating, but two of the crew. One because his father is dead and the other because his dad walked out the door eight years ago. Kirk/Chekov friendship.
I made up Chekov's family, I have no idea what they are like. So enjoy my verison of his family.
Disclaimer- I own nothing! Star Trek does not belong to me! I saw the movie 4 times if that counts for anything! And I don't own Good Charlotte or their songs Emotionless and Thank You Mom.
This is my first Star Trek Fanfic, but it won't be my last!
And I want to thank my beta reader Unleash Hell, I was told this is the best thing I have ever written, which is a little scary. Anyway I hope you enjoy it!
Please Read and Review
Hey Dad…and Thank You Mom
Every holiday was celebrated on the USS Enterprise no matter how small it was. Father's Day was no different. To some members of the crew it was just as important as Christmas or their very own birthday.
This Father's Day was very important in itself because it was the first holiday that was going to be celebrated on the USS Enterprise. The holiday had originally only been celebrated in a few countries around the world however in the late 21st century it became an international holiday.
Lieutenant Uhura had made it her mission to make sure every member of the crew talked to their father that day. She was even able to get Mr. Spock and Doctor McCoy to call.
Spock himself had learned about this Earth holiday during his time on Earth. Spock said very few words to his father, but he did speak words nonetheless.
McCoy had even been able to get his daughter to say a few words to him. It surprised him a lot, giving the fact that they hadn't spoken to each other in over three years.
Uhura made sure she did everyone except the Bridge first; it made things easier that way. By the end of shift she had only two more people on her list. One she had decided that she wouldn't even ask because he didn't have a father. That one person was Captain James T. Kirk. It was common knowledge that he didn't have a father. It was in Star Fleet history books that Captain George Kirk, who was only Captain for 12 minutes, saved over 800 lives by going against Nero over 25 years ago.
The other person was Ensign Pavel Andreievich Chekov, the lone teenager on the ship. He was the youngest in Star Fleet history to be accepted. Becoming a student at the age of 14 he had graduated three years later, just like most of his fellow crewmen.
"Chekov," Uhura said getting the youth's attention.
"Vhat?" Chekov said as he turned in his chair to face her.
"It's your turn to call your father and wish him a happy Father's Day," she answered.
"Oh…" he says. "I call 'eem other time. He vorks wery hard for family. He has wery busy job."
"Are you sure?" Uhura asked confused. She saw him nod. "Well okay but if you want to talk to him later just find me and I can do it for you."
"Da, zank jou," he states quietly turning his chair back. Everyone went back to work, only Captain Kirk notices the look on the boy's face. The look of disappointment – no that can't be it. Sadness? Anger? No, none of those emotions, but at the same time it could be. There are many swimming in his youthful eyes.
Kirk shakes his head deciding he'll deal with it later when the shift is over. There is complete silence on the Bridge for the remainder of the shift but it seems that 15 minutes goes by quickly.
Kirk during this time remembers the times when he was a kid. He always hated Father's Day, 'why' people would ask him. He would answer honesty, "because I don't have a father." To Jim Kirk his step-dad had never been his father. His father had been a hero, a Captain that saved so many people on that awful day…the day of his very own birth. He shook his head again…there's no time to think about the past…not now.
After being asked to call his father, Chekov thinks about the answer he gave. Uhura had bought it, just like everyone had every year for the past eight years. He remembers very clearly every Father's Day after he turned nine because after he was nine he had no father; he had no reason to celebrate. The reason he didn't celebrate was not the same as his Captain's reason, his father was not dead nor was he a hero. His father had walked out on their family when he was nine and he hadn't seen him since.
Chekov got this way every year. He's happy the day before and the day after Father's Day but he is never happy on Father's Day. Thankfully everyone around him is always too busy to notice because they are focused on talking to their own fathers. Chekov usually calls his mother on Father's Day because as far as he is concerned she is his father as well as his mother.
Ever since his father left Pavel had only wanted to make his father proud of him. That was one of reasons he enlisted in Star Fleet, though the main reason was because he loved the stars.
The shift ended and everyone left their station to head for the lift. Chekov took his time leaving his station. He really wasn't in the talking mood. He hoped to be the last to leave the Bridge but that was impossible with a captain like Kirk.
"You coming…Pavel?" Kirk asks surprising Chekov by using his first name.
"Aye…Keptin," he answers looking at the ground.
"Is something wrong?" Kirk asks him worried.
"Nyet, Keptin. No zing ees vrong. Am joost tried," Chekov answers moving to the lift.
"I see," Kirk says following him in the lift. "Well get some sleep tonight."
"Aye Keptin," he whispers.
As the two exit the lift they go separate ways. Kirk watches as Chekov heads in the direction of his room, probably to sleep. He watches as the boy's back completely disappears before he himself heads to the mess hall.
Chekov walks down the hall to his room. He knows he won't sleep, it's a nice thought, but he knows it won't happen. Instead he plans to listen to music. The music is from the early 21st Century. The band is called Good Charlotte and he feels he can relate to most of their songs.
Besides being a mathematical whiz, Pavel Chekov also has a bit of musical talent. He taught himself how to play the guitar when he was nine years old. The songs he sings have a Russian accent to them, but that doesn't matter to Chekov because he never sings in front of anyone but his family.
Chekov stumbled into his room. The lights come on and he makes his way to his bed. Next to it was a guitar case. He took a deep breathe and opened it.
Kirk knew it was bad idea to come to the mess hall. He knew his crew would be talking about their fathers. He was debating whether to eat with the others or take the tray to his room. The choice was made for him when Montgomery Scott yelled for the captain to come over.
Everyone who usually sat at the table was there except Ensign Chekov. Kirk sat next to his good friend Doctor McCoy. On the other side of McCoy sat Mister Scott, then Mister Sulu. Commander Spock sat next to him with Lieutenant Uhura to his left. Chekov's seat was empty.
"Do you know were the wee laddie is Captain?" Scotty asked him.
"He was tired so he went to bed early," Kirk answered taking a bite of his food.
"Oh…did the laddie get a chance to call home?" Scotty asked to anyone that was listening.
"No…at least not on the Bridge," Uhura answered, "He's probably calling right now. He probably didn't want to seem like a child calling his dad."
"He calls home all the time though," Sulu states, "He has for years now."
"How do you know this?" McCoy asks.
"He and I were roommates at the Academy. He would call them at least once a week. Plus he talked about them a lot, so much you would've thought they were your family," Sulu said.
"So he's close to his family? What do you know about them Sulu?" Kirk asked.
"His mother, Sonya, is a really nice lady. She was always sending Russian cookies for Chekov and me. He's the oldest of four and he has three younger sisters. Vera, Fayina, and Anya. They are each two years apart."
"What about his father? Did he ever talk about him?" McCoy asks.
"No…he never did. I asked him once and his smile fell off his face and he said he had to talk to a teacher about an assignment. I made myself a mental note to never ask about his dad again. I figured he'd tell me if he wanted to," Sulu explained.
"Are you alright Captain?" Spock asked changing the subject.
"Yes…I'm fine Mister Spock. I'm just tired. I'm going to head back to my room and turn in for the night," Kirk answered standing up. His crew bid him goodnight and as he left he heard Spock say.
"It is a logical for humans to feel sadness on a holiday they cannot celebrate."
Kirk walked slowly down the hallways. He passed the rooms of the senior Bridge crew even slower until he stopped completely in front of Ensign Pavel Chekov's room. He heard the sound of someone playing the guitar. Then he heard the voice of the seventeen year old boy.
Hey Dad, I am vriting to jou
Not zo zell you, zat I still hate jou
Joost to ask jou hov jou feel
And hov ve fell apart, hov zis fell apart
Kirk doesn't know the song, but then music was never his favorite thing. What he can tell however is that the song has a lot of emotion in it and Pavel Chekov is showing that emotion very well.
Are jou happy out zere een zis great vide vorld?
Do jou think about jour son?
Do jou miss jour little girls?
Vhen jou lay jour head dovn hov do jou sleep at night?
Do jou even vonder if ve're all right?
Ve're alright.
Ve're alright.
Kirk is starting to make sense of Chekov's life. He is starting to understand the song and understand the young boy. He leans against the wall to hear better.
Eet's been a long hard voad vithout jou by my side.
Vhy veren't jou zere all the nights zat ve cried?
Jou broke my muzzer's heart, jou broke jour children for life.
Eet's not okay but ve're alright.
I vill remember the days jou vere a hero in my eyes.
But zose vere joost a long lost memory of mine.
I spent zo many years learning hov to surwiwe.
Nov I am vriting joost to let jou knov I am still aliwe.
Kirk now figures out why Chekov didn't want to call his dad. He didn't want to call because he doesn't know where his dad is. He left when he was young by the sounds of it, probably before Star Fleet. Kirk continues to listen.
Zhe days I spent so cold, so hungry, vere full of hate
I vas so angry, the scars run deep eenside zis teenage body
Zere's zings I vill take to my grawe, but am okay, am okay
It seems unreal that Chekov could have a hateful bone in his body. But at the same time Kirk can understand. He would sometimes say he hated his father because he died and Kirk never got to know him.
Eet's been a long hard voad vithout jou by my side.
Vhy veren't jou zere all the nights zat ve cried?
Jou broke my muzzer's heart, jou broke jour children for life.
Eet's not okay but ve're alright.
I vill remember the days jou vere a hero in my eyes.
But zose vere joost a long lost memory of mine.
Nov I am vriting joost to let jou knov I am still aliwe.
I am still aliwe
Somezimes I forgiwe, yeah and zis zime I vill admit.
Zat I miss, zaid I miss jou.
Kirk doesn't move. His whole life he had felt angry at his father for dying and he hated his mom for marrying his step-father. But now he sees that he should be grateful that his father had died instead of walking out the door. Kirk hears the guitar still playing and knows that Pavel isn't done yet.
Eet's been a long hard voad vithout jou by my side.
Vhy veren't jou zere all the nights zat ve cried?
Jou broke my muzzer's heart, jou broke jour children for life.
Eet's not okay but ve're alright.
I vill remember the days jou vere a hero in my eyes.
But zose vere joost a long lost memory of mine.
Nov I am vriting joost to let jou knov I am still aliwe.
And somezimes I forgiwe
Yeah and zis zime I vill admit
Zat I miss jou
I miss jou
Hey dad
Kirk heard the guitar stop playing and then he heard the sound of someone crying. He decided it's time to make his presence known. He opened the door.
Chekov looked up to see his Captain in the doorway. He quickly moved his arm over his eyes trying to stop the tears.
"K-Keptin," he whispered, his voice shaking. "Ees zere somezing jou need?"
Kirk shook his head and quickly crossed the room to the crying teenager. Chekov is trying very hard to stop crying but nothing can stop tears of pain, of anger, of disappointment; tears he was crying to the man he was suppose to call father.
"You know, you have nothing to be ashamed of," Kirk whispered truthfully.
At this Chekov cries harder and doesn't try to stop them anymore. Without giving his captain a warning he launches his arms around Kirk's waist. Kirk is taken back but he doesn't push the boy away; that's the last thing he needs. Instead he gently rubs circles on his back to calm him, much like his own mother had done when he was a child. Kirk doesn't know what to say, so he starts talking nonsense.
"It's okay," he whispers in Chekov's ear. "It's not your fault."
"But eet ees!" Chekov yells in Kirk side. "He left and eet ees all my fault! I not stop him! He left and he not ewen care!"
"How about you tell me about your father?" Kirk suggests. "Getting something off your chest usually helped me feel better when I was younger. Maybe it will help you too."
"O-okay," Chekov mumbles wiping his tears and snot on his uniform sleeve.
"How old were you?"
"I…I vas nine vhen he left. Eet vas eight years ago. I vill newer forget zat day," Chekov pauses for a second to breathe. "Muzzer vas gone vith my sizers. I not remember vhere zey vent but vhen zey came back fuzzer vas gone."
"Did he say anything to you?" Kirk heard Chekov take in a sharp breathe. He nods and continues his story.
"He zaid zo follov my dreams and zat he vas sorry. He zaid he loffed me and I vould go far. He zaid eet vas not my fault, but eet ees. I not stop him." Chekov starts crying again, this time into his hands.
Kirk put his arm around Chekov shoulder and pulls the kid closer to him. Chekov removes his hands from his eyes and puts his head on his captain's shoulder. The tears continue to fall and soak his shirt but Jim Kirk doesn't care about this, all he cares about is the seventeen year old boy - that's right boy. The kid can't even shave, so no he's not a man yet.
"What about your mother and sisters, what are they like?" Kirk asks him trying to understand more about the boy.
"My muzzer ees wery loffing and caring person. She loffes us kids wery much. She gawe a lot up for us. My sizers are nice but can be – vhats the vord? – annoying. Vera ees my sizer close to me een age. She ees 15. Fayina ees 13 and Anya ees 11. I hawe not seen zem since I left Russia. Zat vas ower zree years ago," Chekov explains the tears finally slowing down on his face.
"Your family sounds…nice," Kirk tells him before grabbing the boys shoulders forcing the boy to look him in the eyes. "And with your father. It. Is. Not. Your. Fault."
Before Chekov can speak, stating once again that it is his fault, Kirk stops him by putting his finger on the boy's lips, silencing him.
"No it's not," Kirk repeats. Chekov shakes his head in denial shaking off Kirk's hand. "Pavel look at me." Kirk orders. As soon as the child looks at him Kirk uses both hands to stop his head from moving. "Pavel…it's not your fault." Tears fall down the boy's face but Kirk wipes them away with his thumbs.
Then Kirk surprises both Chekov and himself by leaning forward and kissing the boy on the forehead. The tears finally stop. For the third time tonight Chekov hugs his captain and his captain hugs back.
Kirk uses this time to look around the room. He has never been inside anyone's personal room but his own. He notices how clean it is, despite the fact it's the room of a teenager. Above his clothes drawers there were many picture frames. All of them are of his family. There is also a picture frame that is face down. Kirk guesses that it is Chekov's father. There because the boy can't let go and turned over because he can't bear to look at it.
"Did anyone ever tell you that you sing pretty well?" Kirk asks as Chekov lifts his head.
"Veally?" Chekov asks like a child begging for praise.
"Yeah you do and I would love to hear another song. That is, if you don't mind? And what was the title of that last song?"
"Sure Keptin. Ze zitle vas Emotionless by Good Charlotte. Zis next song ees called 'Zank jou, Mom' by Good Charlotte," Chekov answered, picking up his guitar again.
Alvays, alvays and forewer.
Alvays, alvays and forewer
I am sitting here. Am zinking back zo a zime vhen I vas young.
My memozies are clear az day
Am listening zo ze dishes clink
Jou vere downstazies
Jou vould sing zongs of praise
And all ze zimes ve laughed vith jou
And all ze zimes zat jou stayed zrue zo us
Nov I vill say…
Chekov's mother had meant a lot to him after his father had walked out the door. Kirk could see that. Chekov had said she had done a lot for the family. As he listened Kirk remembers all the times his mother did something extra for him.
I zaid I zank jou, I vill alvays zank jou
More zan jou vill knov, zan I could ewer shov
And I loff jou, I vill alvays loff jou
Zere's nozing I von't do, zo say zese vords zo jou
Zat jou are beautiful forewer
Kirk remembers all the times he should have said thank you to his mom, but he never did. However that was going to change right now. He planned on calling her after this. To thank her for everything she had ever done during his life.
Jou vere my mom, jou vere my dad
Zhe only zing I ewer had vas jou, eet ees zrue
Ewen vhen ze zimes got hard
Jou vere zere zo let us knov zat ve'd get zrough
Jou shoved me hov zo be a man
Jou zaught me hov zo understand ze zings people do
Jou shoved me hov zo loff my God
Jou zaught me zat not eweryone knovs ze zruth
Both Kirk's mom and Chekov's mom seemed to have been exactly the same when it came to raising their children. Kirk didn't grow up learning about God, though many families still do teach their children that through, many don't too. Kirk's mom had showed him how to be a man though; she taught her son a lot about the world.
And I zank jou, I vill alvays zank jou
More zan jou vill knov, zan I could ewer shov
And I loff jou, I vill alvays loff jou
Zere's nozing I von't do, zo say zese vords zo jou
Zat jou vill liwe forewer
Forewer and ewer
Forewer and ewer
Kirk believed that his mother was with him no matter where he went. She would always be apart of him, she had put some of herself in him. His father was in him as well. He had always been there and he was never leaving. The same thing went for Chekov. His family would always be a part of him…and so would the man he hated…his father.
I zaid I zank jou, I vill alvays zank jou
More zan jou vill knov, zan I could ewer shov
And I loff jou, I vill alvays loff jou
Zere's nozing I von't do, zo say zese vords zo jou
Zat I zank jou, I vill alvays zank jou
More zan jou vill knov, zan I could ewer shov
And I loff jou, I vill alvays loff jou
Zere's nozing I von't do, zo say zese vords zo jou
Zat jou vill liwe forewer
Chekov stopped singing and he put the guitar back in its case. Kirk was in a daze for a second before he started clapping. He noticed Chekov's blush, but he didn't say anything.
"That was a great song. Your mom sounds like a wonderful person," Kirk said smiling.
"She ees," Chekov beamed. "After he left ve used Fuzzer's Day az a second muzzer's day. Muzzer loffed eet wery much."
"No kidding, that sounds pretty cool. Your mom sounds like she was lucky to have you and your sisters."
"She alvays zaid zat."
The clock in Chekov's room dinged signaling that it was 11 o'clock. Time had flown by and it was probably a good time to go to bed. They had to get up early in the morning. Kirk sighed getting off the bed.
"I think its time we should both go to bed. You look like you could pass out any minute," Kirk told the boy and as if on queue Chekov yawned.
"Da," Chekov replied trying to stop another yawn. He put his guitar underneath his bed and crawled under the covers. He felt his eyes grow heavy and was about to close them for the night when he felt Kirk's hand on his head. Kirk then crutched down to eye level.
"Good night…Pavel…and happy second Mother's Day," he whispered before leaning over and kissing the boy's forehead again. He stood up and walked towards the door but stopped when he heard Pavel's voice.
"Good night…Ke…Jim…and zank jou," Chekov whispered before sleep claimed him.
Kirk looked back before smiling and continuing his walk back to his own room. But before he went to bed he did two things. First he called his mother, wishing her a happy 'second mother's day'. She was surprised to hear from him, but she was very happy. Second he wrote a note for himself to ask Chekov for the music of Good Charlotte in the morning. Kirk had a feeling he would like this band.
Both Kirk and Chekov went to bed with a smile on their face, knowing that they could still celebrate a holiday that was never meant for them. Kirk could finally say thank you to his mother for what she had done for him as he was growing up. Chekov could maybe start to forgive the man that had destroyed his family. Chekov knew that just because he was away from his family that didn't mean he was alone.
Chekov finally had what he had always wanted: an older brother. And Kirk had got something that he always wanted: a little brother. In fact the whole crew was family to the two. This Father's day had been Kirk best Father's day in his whole 25 years of living. For Chekov it had been the best he had had in eight years, because he finally had someone else tell him it wasn't his fault.
Because really…what had happened to both their families hadn't been their fault. Everything happens for a reason and I believe the reason for this was so these two could understand each other on a different level than the rest of the crew could.
Hoped you liked it. Again please read and review.