Seeing as I'm on a publishing binge right now, I figured I might as well post this little number. It's something I started writing around Christmas, and meant to post at the time. Just never got around to it. Here's a Kirk/Uhura fic. Enjoy!

Chapter One

Some nights Jim Kirk could sleep like the dead, other nights he couldn't sleep at all. This night was one of the latter. He'd worked Alpha Shift, Beta Shift 1 and 2, and Gamma shift had started forty-five minutes ago. Jim just couldn't sleep. So, he kicked off his blankets, dragged on a pair of sweatpants and a tee-shirt and headed off to find solace in the quiet of the sleeping ship. Staying well away from Sickbay, where he knew Bones was going over that days reports and logs, Jim wandered the quiet passages and just smiled at the Gamma shifters who jumped out of his way with a wide-eyed "Captain!" and a hasty salute. He never failed to take them by surprise, even if they'd seen him like this a dozen times already. Going to the observation-deck, Jim was surprised to find it occupied. His first clue was the music he could hear. All the lights were at maybe five percent, barely enough to see by, but just enough that Jim could see the observation deck's single occupant. It was Nyota Uhura, his talented, cold communications officer. This wasn't the first time he'd caught her dancing on the observation deck, it probably wouldn't be the last. She always danced to the same song, a pop-classical piece called "Who Wants To Live Forever?" by some artist Jim could never quite remember. He watched tonight, as always, mesmerized by the way Uhura moved to the rhythm of the music. Jim wondered if Uhura was aware of his voyeurism, if she knew he came up here and watched her. It didn't seem she had any awareness, or she just didn't say anything, she never acted any differently around him while they were on shift together. He always left before the end of the song, but tonight he stayed. When the song ended, another song began and Uhura kept moving.

Having spent years as his mother's obligatory dance-partner, Jim knew a thing or two about ballroom, and had written her a thank-you for forcing him to take lessons, for cattle-prodding him through Cotillion in high school, most recently when the Enterprise was sent to observe a treaty-process between two alien races. There had been a banquet at the conclusion of the conference, and Jim had danced with top-ranking diplomats and government officials on both sides of the arrangement. Not his favorite pastime, he preferred dancing with his own age-peers, but he did it gracefully and with a smile.

Watching Uhura reminded him of something he could never have. Something he could dream about, wish for, and pine after, but it would never be his. As she continued to dance, Jim wasn't surprised to notice her tears. She always cried when she danced. It always hurt to see her cry, and Jim always felt guilty because there was nothing he could do to help her. She didn't want his help, or need it, and she certainly didn't need or want his pity. But tonight, Jim didn't care. He'd watched this go on for a month, it had to stop somewhere. Bracing himself for rejection of the worst kind, Jim moved into the observation deck and let the door close behind him. He crossed the deck to Uhura, who didn't seem to be at all aware of him, and stopped just behind her. This close, it was hard to resist touching. Jim gave in to his need and trailed the fingertips of one hand across her shoulders and down one arm, reveling in the freedom to touch, the sensation of her skin against his fingertips. She turned into his touch, not away from it, and Jim stepped backwards, taking the lead from her. She followed without objection, without question. and Jim's heart dared to leap for joy when she finally relaxed enough to put her arms around him and lay her head on his shoulder. Four minutes and sixteen seconds passed in complete silence, but plenty was being said between Jim and Uhura. Body-language was a beautiful thing and as they danced, Jim realized all of the signals he'd been missing or blind to since the beginning and more recently.

God, talk about the dumb-shit ignorant farmboy. He thought bitterly, I've been mooning after her for so long I didn't even notice when she was interested. When the song ended, Jim's back was to the wall. He backed up until he reached the wall and he leaned against it, pulling her close.

"Jim?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks." She looked up at him and smiled. Jim had to touch. Reaching up with one hand, he stroked the line of her cheekbone with his thumb, catching the tears.

"I didn't know if this would get my ass kicked or not."

"No." She leaned into the touch, "I kept wondering how long it would take you to get up the nerve and dance with me." Ah, so she had been aware of it. Jim just smiled.

"So you knew I watched you?"

"At first I thought you were Spock, but how could it be?"

"Y'know, he might be happy as a lark, but he was an idiot for leaving you like that." Jim was probably one of the only people on the Enterprise who knew about the break-up between Spock and Uhura. It wasn't common knowledge and he wasn't sure anyone else on the bridge-crew knew about it. He knew, and Bones knew, but as far as the gossip-chain went, he didn't think it had gotten far beyond their foursome. Bones and Spock were private people, they weren't about to flaunt their newfound relationship in front of three hundred and forty-five people. Jim waited for Uhura to pull away, but she didn't.

"He said he never wanted to hurt me, but he wanted to be happy."

"And for him to be happy, he had to hurt you. Love sucks, sweetheart, believe me, I know." Jim angled her head back, kissing the tears from her skin. He didn't actually kiss her, as much as he wanted to, it was too soon. Jim did walk Uhura back to her quarters, though. At the door to her quarters, he said goodnight.

"Where are you going?"

"I think I can sleep now, Lieutenant." He smiled at her and turned away.

"Jim, wait." She caught him by the hand. He turned back to her.

"What?"

"Thank you for dancing with me."

"You're welcome. Good night, Uhura." He pulled away and left her behind. Going to Sickbay, he was about to knock on the door to the office when he paused. He could hear voices inside and leaned against the door, straining to listen. He jerked backwards at the sound of laughter from inside. It was like watching a really bad movie, it felt awkward and dirty. Jim quietly backed away and fled Sickbay. Once in the lift, Jim hesitated over the deck-button. He hit one without really looking, and yet knew exactly where he was going. When he stepped off the lift when it stopped, he turned right, went ten paces to the corner, rounded the corner to the left, and went five paces more until he came to a door. He touched the chime and hoped she would let him in.

"Who is it?"

"It's me." Stupid answer, it could be anyone, "Please let me in." To Jim's everlasting surprise, the door opened. He went inside without waiting for a proper invitation.

"Jim! You look terrible!" Uhura was at his side in a heartbeat, leading him into her quarters, "I thought you were going back to your quarters!"

"I took a detour." He looked for somewhere to sit and ended up on the bed, "I shouldn't have gone down there, I should have just gone straight to bed, like I said I was going to." Uhura didn't ask where he'd gone as he put his head in his hands. She sat down on the bed next to him.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She put an arm around his shoulders, a bold move, "You were his best friend." Jim got things under control and stared at the floor. Uhura pulled until he relaxed and he let himself fall backwards on the narrow bed.

That night, for the first time in six months, Jim fell asleep in another bed besides his. More importantly, he fell asleep in a girl's bed, the only girl's bed he had never imagined being welcomed into like he had. For the first time in months, Jim slept through Gamma Shift. But his internal alarm-clock had him up well before Alpha Shift. Beside him, Uhura slept away the remaining hours before any of the Senior Officers had to report for duty. Jim lay there and watched her, wondering if this was the first of many or the last, and decided he really didn't care. He had somebody to turn to, a place to go when his quarters got too quiet. Jim finally left the bed and crept out of the quiet cabin. He leaned down and kissed Uhura in her sleep before he left. Returning to his quarters, Jim took a shower and pulled out a clean uniform. He took care with his appearance this morning, which was kind of silly. It's not like he was trying to impress anybody. Why would he bother impressing a girl who'd seen him in sweats and a tee-shirt last night? Well, why not? If he had even a smidge of a shot with Uhura, he'd take that sucker and hang on for the ride.

Jim, finally satisfied with his general appearance, headed for the Officer's Mess. Only a few officers used it, most of them ate in the crew mess. He saw Bones and Spock at one table, deep in conversation. It would definitely take a while for Jim to stop flinching every time he saw those two doing something perfectly normal. Breakfast-table conversation was no crime. Berating himself for an idiot, Jim got breakfast and found his table. It was empty this morning, just the way he liked it.

"Is that all you're eating?" Uhura's voice halfway through his scrambled eggs didn't surprise him, neither did the vaguely horrified expression on her face.

"Yep. You got a problem with that, sweetheart?"

"No wonder you're so skinny!" She sat down across from him. Jim just rolled his eyes. They did not speak of last night, keeping conversation neutral. After breakfast, it was time to report for Alpha Shift.

It took a few months for people to realize that the Captain was in a serious, committed relationship with the communications officer. Some were surprised, others just wondered what had taken so long. Those who knew the couple best knew that, all appearances aside, Nyota Uhura had never despised Jim Kirk. He was a ladies man, true, but he was a gentleman at heart and wanted nothing more than to make a woman feel special and wanted. He just didn't know how to. His role-models were sadly lacking and he had never been particularly close with his own mother, so he flirted, bed-hopped, and caroused to his heart's content, avoiding committed relationships of any kind. His past was littered with a string of one-night stands and failed relationships miles long. But ever since meeting his future Communications Officer in a dive-bar outside of Riverside, Iowa, Jim had strived to impress the one girl he could never have. All of that work had finally paid off. And the best part of it all? Jim could finally have her.

After settling into a serious relationship with Nyota, Jim found that he was much happier and other people noticed it, too. He also slept more. Granted it was rare he slept in his own bed or alone, but he slept and that was enough for his mother-hen CMO and best friend. He also changed his diet, cutting out meat consumption until he ate almost no meat at all. Nyota was a strict vegetarian, but a "no meat" clause was not one of her rules for the relationship. Jim did that by himself. He also cut down on coffee consumption. Nyota drank tea, she preferred a green tea blend, Jim found a creamy chai blend to be much to his liking. Needless to say that shocked the socks off of Bones. Part of a committed relationship was making sacrifices for the one you loved, and Jim was making sacrifices. And surprisingly, he was perfectly okay with it.

Well, that does it for Chapter One!! Love it? Hate it? Like it? Indifferent? More available on request. Reviews are welcome! Flames, however, are not.