T'Slash: I am so sorry it took me so long to get this up and well actually write it but life took over. Went back to school, got a job and have been getting ready for Nanowrimo again as well as getting ready to go to Italy. And most importantly I got addicted to Doctor Who thanks to my roommate…can't even curse her I love that show too much! I hope that this story makes up for my absence. I have been dying to write it! I hope you all enjoy it! This is the sequel to Once Upon a Time and Happily Ever After so read those first before looking at this.

Disclaimer: I do not own and I doubt that anyone really wishes I owned it.

After Ever After

"Galileo, come in Galileo, this is…." A hauntingly familiar voice said coming over the speakers startling the three males in the cabin. Lenore looked up, wondering who could possibly know what this ship was called as well as wondering why the three males looked like they had just heard a ghost.

"Who is this? Come in who is this. I repeat who is this?" Jim said, eyes wide as he had pushed himself into the front of the cabin. Looking at the display. It couldn't be who he thought it was. It couldn't be she was dead…they were all dead. Burned long before their time.

"Captain! You're alive!" the voice, a little more watery than before said, relief clear in her voice. "He's alive! Jim's Alive!"

A shout of joy could be heard thought the speakers shocking the small shuttle craft.

"Ja-Jim who is that?" Lenore asked, moving towards Jim's side, turning her body into this own offering what comfort she could. He had always been there for her comforting her it was her turn to be there for him.

"It can't be…it's impossible," Jim said, looking down at Lenore as Spock came up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Tears were in his eyes but he refused to let them fall over, he had done enough crying to last a lifetime.

"Impossible is just what we always did," a heavily scottish voice said, the smile evident in his voice. "Impossible is nothing to the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise! Espeically no fer her Kaptin!"

"Scotty…Uhura….you…you're alive? How…I saw you…I saw you all killed," Jim said, a single tear falling down his face.

"No…no it can't be…they were killed. I saw it…we both saw it," Sulu said, not daring to allow himself to hope. He looked over at Bones who was just a speechless as he was.

"You guys have been on your own for far too long," a light voice laughed, shocking the three into silence again. "You should know the crew of the Enterprise is harder to kill then a cockroach. Everyoen here has more than one life, just like her Captain it seems."

"Sulu! You're alive! Zank ze gods!" a heavily accented Russian voice said. Sulu's eyes widened even further as he lost the battle with the tears. Only Spock and Bones were now tear free as Lenore was crying happy tears, hearing that her James….Her only family had his family still.

"Chekov," Sulu whispered, barely loud enough for Lenore to hear him.

"How…how are you all still alive…I saw you…I saw the Enterprise burn!" Jim asked, pulling Lenore closer. Letting her youth and innocence and love wash over him. Having Spock, Sulu and Bones alive was already shocking enough but…to hear that his crew…his ship…his…his family was still alive. He couldn't believe it. It had to be a dream. This couldn't be real…it just couldn't. Good things didn't happen to people like him….people who were broken.

"Jam-Jim," Lenore said quickly correcting herself before gaining Jim's attention. Jim turned to her looking down at the little girl who loved him no matter what. Even when she didn't know that her favorite story…his story was true. "It's true…they are here for you. They came to save you!" Tears of joy ran down her face as she smiled so brightly it could have lit up the world.

"No. They have come for us," Spock said, speaking up for the first time since the radio transmission came on. Spock looked down at the young nine year old who looked just like his Jim. He knew that his T'hy'la loved this girl and he would watch over her. She was now a part of his family as far as he was concerned.

Lenore smiled brightly, tears falling even faster as she leaned over to give him a quick hug before returning to Jim's side.

"Admiral Pike," Bones said turning his attention over to the other voice that had come though. The only one not to be named yet. "How the hell did you get out here?"

"I got the distress call and got a lift out here. Been helping your family here get everything in place in order to rescue you but it appears you had a little help. Care to introduce us to your newest addition?" Admiral Pike asked.

"This is Lenore…she…" Jim started, looking down not knowing what to say. He didn't want to tell them who she was. That she was raised by Kodos. His crew…they would want to hurt her on sight and he wouldn't have that.

"I was raised by Kodos," Lenore said, standing bravely on her own. Even though it was just a transmission she still felt nervous about facing Jim's family. She was part of the family that had hurt Jim in the first part…she wouldn't deny their right to be by his side…they had known him longer than she had known him but…he was her only family left. The only one that had ever cared for her. She didn't want to give that up. Not now. "He…he was my father."

It was deathly silent on the other side of the com. Not a word was spoken. Jim looking down at Lenore, smiling at her for her bravery. It was times like this that he was proud to have her with him. That she was following in his shoes and took after him much more than she did Kodos.

"Well I am sure this will be quite the story to be told but it can wait," Pike said, cutting thought the tension his tone light. "We look forward to seeing you again, Jim. You have the path so…come on home. We are waiting for you. You have been away for long enough."

"We are on our way," Jim said for them all. "And Pike…thank you."

"Any time Jim, any time. You are the son I never had and I am proud of you. We both have a story to tell when you are back on your ship," Pike said, the affection clear in his voice. "Now stop dwattaling and come on home. Your family is eager to see you again."

"You bet you arses we are!" Scotty's voice boomed over the speakers, quickly backed up by the rest of the crew.

"We are coming you bunch of infants," Bones said gruffly but there was a smile on his face and a tear in his eyes.

"See you soon," Pike said before the communication was cut.

It was silent in the shuttle as Sulu piloted them over to the coordinates that Chekov must have sent them. Lenore smiled over at Jim, Bones and Sulu happy that they were going home, that their family was not dead but still she felt a tinge of fear as to how this family would react to her. She was the daughter of the man who had tortured Jim for the last nine years…the man who would have killed Jim if he had the chance.

"Do not fear. No harm will come towards you," Spock said, seeming to read her mind.

"I just…I don't think I will fit in. I was treated like royalty while Ja-Jim was in a cell. I would understand if they wanted to send me off somewhere to never return," Lenore said, letting the fear she had shine though briefly before she covered it up again, unwilling to seem weak. That was one thing that Jim had taught her, to never show your weakness.

"You are with me. You were with me through all that hell. You were the light in the dark, Lenore and I will not have my crew treat you differently," Jim said, kneeling down to embrace the girl. She was still worried she could feel every bone in his body, he was so weak…so unlike the figure she had dreamed about in that story of his…but as she looked up at Leonard she knew that he would get better.

"Don't worry little missy, the crew will love you," Leonard said, reaching down to ruffle her hair. She reminded him of his own daughter…the daughter he hadn't spoken to in over nine years. The crew would have to go through him if they wanted to hurt this little girl.

"Thank you," Lenore said, smiling slightly.

The rest of the ride was in silence as the five looked out the window, seeing the Enterprise for the first time in almost a decade. The ship seemed to shine against the inky blackness that surrounded it. It was like a beacon of hope in the darkness of the universe. Lenore started at it in awe, having only heard of the ship in stories and even then it couldn't have lived up to how it truly was. It was magnificent.

To Jim, Spock, Sulu and Bones it was home. No matter how long they were gone it still looked just the same as it always had been but at the same time so much more. It was something they thought they would never see again. And inside of it…it held the people they thought were dead…lost to the sands of time.

They docked the shuttle as quickly as they could and stood near the doors of the shuttle. Sulu and Bones stood to the side knowing that no matter how much they wanted to be home and how much this moment meant to them…it meant even more to Jim. Jim who had thought everyone he had ever cared for was gone…dead, even they themselves. If anyone disserved this chance…this opportunity to see his crew alive and well it was Jim.

"You must open the door at some point," Spock pointed out to Jim after he had remained unmoving for five minutes.

"I know but…I am just worried. I am…I'm not the same person who left this ship nine years ago. I…I am not that cocky captain that I was," Jim said, tearing his eyes away from the door in order to look up at Spock. "What if they can't accept that?"

"You big baby," Bones said, unable to keep silent. "We love you for you. No matter what has happened and what has changed in this decade we were gone we will always love you for some insane reason!"

"Captain…we will always be there for you. We are a family after all and through those doors is not a crew waiting for her Captain but a family waiting for their long last family member to return. No matter how much you are broken…how much we are broken," Sulu corrected himself, knowing that they were all broken a little bit. "They will help us and one day…one day we will be better, it won't be easy but one day."

"One day," Jim repeated, smiling slightly. "You are wiser than your years sometimes Hikaru."

"Someone has to be," Bones couldn't help but add in, ignoring the glare he got from Jim's Vulcan.

"Shall we?" Spock asked, looking down at Jim.

Jim smiled up at him, giving Spock a quick Vulcan kiss before grabbing a hold of Lenore's shoulder, knowing that she needed just as much support as he did. He looked around at the four faces knowing they were right. With them by his side…and with the people, no his family on the other side…he would be okay.

"Let's go," Jim said, opening the door before he could hesitate again.

The whole hanger bay was filled with people. Everyone was wearing a black shirt, the color of morning but the smiles of their faces and the cheer that erupted though the hanger bay spoke of their happiness.

Jim had hardly taken a single step outside of the shuttle before he was almost knocked over by Nyota who had run up to him and hugged him as hard as she could and as close. Tears were running down her beautiful face, staining the shit that Jim was wearing but he hardly cared. This woman was like his sister. He wrapped her in a hug, burring his face in her shoulder and matching her strength.

"You're alive. Oh thank all the…you're alive," Nyota repeated over and over, unwilling to let Jim go.

"You….you're all still here….you all came back for me," Jim whispered, awe filling his voice.

Nyota pulled away slightly, still being sure to keep him in her arms. "Of course we would. We wouldn't be complete without you," she said, smiling.

Jim smiled, pulling her even closer. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Chekov and Sulu embracing, holding each other closer, both unwilling to let each other go any time soon. Bones stood off to the side, his hands on Lenore's shoulder as she looked over the crowd, her eyes always landing back on him, shinning with happiness.

"It is good to see you," Scotty said, coming up to stand behind Nyota.

"You as well, Mr. Scott," Spock said, seeing as everyone else didn't have anything to say or couldn't say anything.

"This is a happy occasion," Pike said, stepping forward, the crew moving out of the way to make sure he could reach the seven a smile on his face. The crew still stood around, waiting for this reunion to happen before they could be with their captain.

"It is," Jim said, pulling away slightly from Uhura, gesturing for Bones to bring Lenore over. "This here is Lenore…she is with me."

"Hell, she looks just like you. Are you sure she isn't related to you and not…that man," Pike said, cutting himself off seaming to know that if he said that bastards name it would break Jim. Something none of them wanted at this time. The crew breathed a sigh of relief when that name was left unsaid but looked closer at Lenore. Shocked that she did look just like their captain.

Spock himself looked back at Lenore, remembering the first time he saw her and his reaction. He had been wondering the same thing if they were related somehow.

"No…it's just a miracle we look the same. She isn't my kid or whatever you are thinking, though I wouldn't mind one bit if she was," Jim said, pulling Lenore to his side, smiling down at her. He really wouldn't mind it…she reminded him of himself and he loved her for it. He loved her for keeping him together and just for who she was and if he had any way she would never ben leaving him again. She would be with him on the Enterprise no matter what.

"I am not Kodos' daughter either," Lenore said, looking down. "I was just a lost child that he found and decided to raise as his own. At least that is what he has told me. He held no love for me. The only one who ever loved me is Ja-Jim. And I love him. Always have always will."

Jim smiled down at her before looking over at his crew…at his command team and the man who was always like his father. He couldn't help but feel like no matter what came at him now he would be able to conquer it. He had made it back to his home…he could do anything now.

"Oh com here!" Scotty said, pulling Jim and Nyota into a hug. Chekov smiled and laughed before joining in the hug as well, pulling Sulu and Bones into the hug. Pike and Spock stood off to the side before they were all pulled into the hug as well. The crew smiling and laughing at their commanders. Knowing that nothing could tear them apart at all.

Jim smiled at hearing his crew cheer for this. He knew now that nothing could ever erase this feeling. Nothing could compare and no matter how much healing he had left to do…this is what he was fighting for, this family. The old and the new. He would get better for them there was no question about it.

Lenore laughed, trapped as she was by all the people, laughing freely for the first time and finally feeling like she was free. Free to be herself and free to become her own person. It was all thanks to Jim…because of him she was free to be. Free to fly. She would never be able to make it up to him. Never.

"It's good to be home!" Jim yelled out to his cheering crew, smiling brighter than he had in far too long. He felt lighter…happier and even more brilliant than he had in so long. Kodos was dead…Spock and his family were alive and Lenore as with him. He couldn't ask for more in life. This right here was all he wanted. His father figure, his love, his crew, his brothers and sisters as well as the girl who had become like a daughter to him. And in that moment he swore to himself that nothing would ever tear this away from him again. Nothing.

"Turn it off now," Kodos' voice rang out through the ship. Jim jerked up, looking around wildly for the voice that would forever haunt him.

"No…no," Jim whispered, looking around for the voice but no one could hear it. And…no one was moving. "NO!"

Jim's blue eyes snapped open, locking on the one man that he hated with every fiber of his being. Kodos.

"Did you have a nice dream, James?" Kodos asked, smiling as he looked down on the broken body of James T. Kirk.

"You…you bastard," James whispered, tears filling his eyes as he realized it had all be a dream…that Kodos had somehow concocted it. Made him think it was real…made him believe he was home with his family…but what Kodos didn't realize is that he gave James hope. And hope as a very dangerous emotion to have.

"Oh James, what have I told you about cussing in my presence and after I went to such trouble to build this machine to help you see your so called family again," Kodos said, leaning into James' personal space. "I even brought you back a present from the outside."

"Whatever it is I don't want it," Jim said, more defiant than he had been just two years ago.

"Oh but I think you will," Kodos said, moving away only to return far too fast. His hands full with a small sac.

"What's in there poison to finally kill me?" Jim asked, looking over at the sac, trying to gage what could be in the bag.

"Oh no, we don't want you to die, James," Kodos said, smiling before he turned the sac on its side and…No.

"No," Jim said, stairing wide eyed down at the item that had tumbled out of the sac, the two items that had tumbled out of it. A…a skull and a piece of his home. The skull…it was… "No it can't be!"

"I assure you it is," Kodos said, smiling as he reached down and picked up the skull. "We went back to where I had that Vulcan of yours body discarded and found this. I thought you would like to see at least a part of him again. As for this." He picked up the shard of metal. "This fell to the planet a few years ago. You recognize it don't you? It's a piece of your home or what once was your home."

Jim stared at the skull and the piece of the Enterprise unable to say a word as he felt his hope shatter around him. No one was coming. No one could…they were dead…just as they had been for the last decade.

"Bring her in," Kodos ordered, turning to his troops.

Jim didn't even look up as the order was spoken, his eyes locked on the two pieces of his heart that now lay broken on the floor. Nothing Kodos could do could rival this.

"Let me go! Where are you taking me! James! James!" a young innocent voice screamed, tearing though Jim's mind.

"Lenore!" Jim shouted back, looking up and over as one of the natives carried the small girl into the room.

"Ah Sareed, good. You have found her," Kodos said looking down at the girl who he called his daughter. "I know all about your visit to James. It seems as if you trust him more than me."

"I…I love James! I would do anything for him," Lenore said, looking up at Kodos with hate in her eyes. "I don't care what you say he is a good person."

"Lenore…don't," Jim said, looking over at the girl, her eyes so like his own shinning with love for him. "Keep quite."

"No, I won't," Lenore said, looking back at the man who she had at one time called her father.

"You should have listened to James, my dear. As it is I don't need you any longer. You have outlived your usefulness," Kodos said, looking coldly down at the girl he had helped raise for so long. "I hope that you can live with your choice. Sareed."

"Yes, I understand," Sareed said, drawing a large knife form her waist. She walked up to Lenore, standing just before the girl.

Lenore stared up at her killer without fear. She knew what would happen…she was only sad that she was being used to break James. She had hoped to save him one day. To free him from this prison he was forced to live in…and she had failed. And now…because of her…he would never see the light of day.

"I love you, James," Lenore whispered, her eyes never leaving Jim's face and his eyes, letting her love for him show in her eyes. Letting him know that she didn't regret a thing…that the only thing was that she was sorry she couldn't save him. Couldn't spring him from this place.

Sareed smiled watching the girl as she moved lightning fast, her knife flashing in the air before she brought it down on the girl's neck, slitting it from ear to ear in a grotesque smiley face.

Kodos watched emotionlessly as the girl he had raised for the last decade died, the name of his prisoner the last thing to leave her lips.

Jim watched, as the girl he had thought of many times as his daughter bleed out. He screamed, begged for Kodos to save her. That he could do whatever he wanted as long as he let her live just one person needed to live but Kodos stood there and did nothing. Just watched as Jim shattered at his feet.

Jim watched as the life slowly left Lenore's eyes. Even at the end she had smiled at him, her eyes telling him not to blame himself. But he couldn't help but blame himself if it wasn't for him she would still be alive. Still be right there with him. But now she was dead.

"Why?" Jim crocked out, his voice hoarse from his screams for mercy for Lenore.

"Because she had worked her way into your heart just as I thought when I first let her escape to visit," Kodos said, smiling as he looked down at his broken 'daughter'. "She did just as she was supposed to."

Jim didn't have anything to say to that. He couldn't…there was nothing left. No light in his life…no love…no family and now the last good thing was taken from him. Just as it always was.

"And now, my dear James. Our lives can finally begin as they were meant to," Kodos said, taking a step to the unresponsive man. Oh how he loved to see the broken look in James' eyes. Just as they should always have looked.

Jim looked down at the three things on the floor in front of him. His lives skull…his ship, no, homes piece and now the girl who had only wanted to help. There was nothing left. Nothing of him.

It was at that day that James Tiberius Kirk finally died and left a broken shell of a man behind. And no one would ever know.

The End

T'Slash: I really want to know, who saw that coming? Come on you can tell me! Anyway I hope you…liked it. I don't think I can say enjoy it cause of well…yeah. Well please leave a review I am going to go into hiding now for safety. But please, I beg leave a review and tell me what you thought. Until next time!