Kitty

by Starsinger

A cut scene from "Road from Deneva", we meet Kitty, Jim's wife and Marina's mother. Jim hangs between life and death, and while M'Benga fights to save Jim, Kitty tries to convince him to return to his friends. Don't own them.

The last thing Jim remembered was talking to Spock, begging him to make sure Penny and Peter were taken care of. Then, the pain was gone. The good doctor had gone into the warp core to keep the ship from dying, and Jo from losing her father. He had already lost everything, and Frank would take good care of the kids. Suddenly, he stood on the shores of Lake Baikal, the place where he proposed to Kitty so many years ago. The wind blew through his hair as he heard the calls of birds and other animals in the distance. "Jim," came the soft voice.

Jim turned, there she stood, the most beautiful woman in the world, his Ekaterina. "Kitty," Jim said, turning toward her. She stood there, a short 5'4" tall, slender, long blonde hair and blue eyes that had enchanted Jim from the time he had first met her. "Am I dead?"

Kitty sighed, love filling her eyes, "Yes, Jim, you are, but you can't stay here."

"Why?! You're here! I've missed you so much!" he cried. He could feel what would have been tears filling his eyes.

"Marina, you have to be there for our daughter, Jim. Frank can't take care of all of them," Kitty told him. "He's not young anymore."

"Why would I want to live? You and Marina are gone!"

"No, Jim, Marina IS alive, and your friend, McCoy, is going to bring her to you," she walked over to him and wound her arms around him. "Come, we have some time before you have to go back," she led him to a nearby home, one that her family had owned. He found himself wrapped in a warm robe and sitting on a couch, his arms wrapped securely around his wife.

"I love you so much, Kitty, I've missed you too," he murmured.

"I know, Jim, I love you too," she replied. She settled deeper into his arms and sighed. "I'm glad they're giving us this time alone."

Jim kissed her softly, a kiss she returned, "Do I have to go back?"

"Not yet," she replied, "I don't know when though." They talked, Jim told her about what had happened since Deneva, and she smiled, "You know, it's okay to love again. Christine is a lovely woman and will make a good mother."

Jim looked down at her in wonder, she was giving him permission to remarry, and that was an enormous gift. "If it ever gets that far," he replied.

"It will, Jim. Marina…" her voice trailed off as he turned to the door. She looked over and found Sam and Aurelan standing in the doorway. She smiled, "You made it!" she got up and walked over and hugged them.

"Of course, couldn't miss some time with Jimmy," Sam replied, smiling at the pair. "Brought barbecued ribs and some sides." Jim's eyes got wide, "What? You thought we did nothing in the afterlife?" Aurelan laughed as she came over and kissed Jim's cheek.

Jim looked at them, "What about Erin? Should I be keeping an eye out for her as well?"

"No, she's somewhere else right now, but she's with us," Aurelan said sadly. "Thank you for taking such good care of Peter and Penny."

"It's my pleasure," Jim replied, enjoying the food. Soon, too soon, Jim felt a jolt through his body. He heard a voice. "Bones?" he asked.

"Marina, this is your father, James Kirk," Leonard said, introducing the tiny girl to her father. "Remember when I told you that he was very sick?" she nodded her little head. "Well, he's gotten better, but they can't get him to wake up. Maybe you can get him to wake up?"

"I'll try," she promised as he picked her up off his hip and placed her in the bed beside her father.

"Jim, I found her. Here's your little girl," Leonard whispered.

"It's time for you to go back, Jim," Kitty told him.

"No, I can't, I won't leave you," Jim cried.

"You have to, Marina deserves her Daddy."

The scene dissolved and Jim awoke to see McCoy hovering at his bedside and a little girl pressed up against his side. "Marina?" he felt tears falling down his cheeks, as weak as he was. She looked up at him with Kitty's eyes. She'd kept her promise, Marina was here.