McCoy

When they arrived at somewhere around three in the morning, Bones wasn't at all surprised to see that he and Spock were the only ones still awake. Scotty had been the first to let himself sleep, somehow curling up in the passenger seat against the door. He wasn't sure who had fallen asleep next, but given by how quickly the hovercar had grown quiet, the rest of the senior crew had followed in quick succession. Jim, Hikaru, and Pavel had claimed the third row of seats (Pavel being squished in the middle, something he made sure Jim and Hikaru knew he wasn't happy about), and were now all asleep against each other. Jim and Hikaru had both laid their heads on Pavel's shoulders, Pavel's head now resting against Hikaru's. Spock and Nyota had taken the middle row of seats. Spock was, of course, still awake, and made eye contact with Bones in the rearview mirror. Bones nodded to him as he turned off the car, and watched as Spock gently nudged one of Nyota's feet resting on his lap.

Bones wasn't surprised to see his mother emerge from the house, either. He may have hoped for her to have just stayed in bed, but he knew her better than that. He sighed heavily, unable to decide whether it was from relief or exhaustion. He undid his seatbelt and leaned his head back into the seat for a moment before gently shaking Scotty's shoulder. "We're here," was all he offered when Scotty looked at him through bleary eyes. Bones was the first to get out of the hovercar, listening to the chorus that was the senior crew calling each others' names to wake each other. His mother was already on her way down the steps, and Bones couldn't help but jog to meet her. The last few weeks had been something like a hell on earth, and being home and having his mother was the best relief he could ask for. They embraced in the middle of the driveway, Bones nestling his head into her neck.

"Oh, baby…. You look awful," his mother mumbled into his ear. Bones laughed bitterly before offering a response.

"It's been worse than awful, Mama," he said as he pulled away from the embrace. When their eyes met again, Bones could see the worry in her eyes. "Later," he said quietly. She nodded and dropped her arms.

"I suppose you better introduce me to your friends, then," she said, a smile spreading across her face. Before Bones had the chance to do so, however, Jim was running in their direction from the group gathering near the hover car. "James Kirk, you better be on your way to give me a hug!" his mother called. In the light coming from the porch, Bones could see a wide grin spreading across Jim's face. Bones couldn't help but smile himself. The past few weeks, he hadn't seen that grin as much as he would have liked to.

Jim was over to them quickly, embracing Elena McCoy and lifting her off the ground as he did so. Despite the relief Bones felt, there was still worry coming from the back of his mind. "Jim. Just… be careful. Please," Bones offered weakly. He got no response other than a glance from the corner of Jim's eyes. Jim was still grinning when he finally set Elena down.

"God I missed you," Jim said. Elena laughed and swatted his shoulder lightly.

"No, you missed my pie, James. It looks like you need it," Bones' mother frowned suddenly, looking Jim over. "You look so thin, baby."

Jim's smile faltered, but only for a moment. "I'm okay, Elena. You raised a good doctor," he said, glancing quickly at Bones. He waved a hand dismissively before looking to the rest of the crew. "Besides, you have quite a few people to meet." Jim took her hand, his grin broadening again, and started toward the crew. Bones followed a few steps behind, content to just watch. He had brought Jim to Georgia with him a number of times, especially while they were still in the Academy. Jim was like a second son to his mother now, something Jim had made clear he was thankful for. But she had never officially met any other members of the senior crew. She knew of them; Jim and Bones talked about them frequently, and now there were numerous press releases floating around about all of them. Bones tried to ignore the guilt bubbling in the pit of his stomach at the last thought.

Jim seemed to be starting with Hikaru when Bones stopped behind him. Hikaru was already stepping from his spot at the back of the group, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Hikaru Sulu, best damn pilot in the Fleet," Jim said, that same stupid grin still plastered to his face. Bones was well aware of how much Jim liked bragging about his crew, especially to people that had opinions that mattered to him. Bones slid his hands into his jean pockets and watched quietly, allowing himself a small smile as Jim introduced the crew one by one. Bones' mother hugged each of them, Spock included. Bones almost laughed at that one, despite the fact that Spock's expression didn't waver in the slightest. His mother reminded the crew a number of times that it was Elena and not Mrs. McCoy, something she had insisted as long as Bones could remember.

"And I'm her favorite, so if any of you try to take that spot, I will actually fight you," Jim said, trying to appear totally serious, but was unable to fight off his grin. As the rest of the crew laughed, Bones scoffed, though he was fighting off a grin himself.

"I'm her kid, Jim. I think I get that title."

Elena laughed and swatted both of them. "You can both have it. Come on in, we'll find places for everyone to sleep."

Sulu

Hikaru and Pavel had been left to sleep on the couch, each of them getting a section of the L the couch made. Scotty was on the floor near them, already fast asleep on the air mattress McCoy had dug out for him. Hikaru and Pavel were yet to fall back asleep however, and were simply lying on the couch, occasionally talking.

"Karu?"

"Mhm?"

"Nevermind."

"No, Pav, tell me."

"Do you zink what happened with ze core is my fault?"

Hikaru was sitting up in an instant, staring at his friend as he sat up as well. "Of course I don't, Pavel! You heard Jim, it was Admiral Marcus that tampered with things! Of course it wasn't your fault!" Pavel sighed, looking away.

"But maybe if I had noticed…"

"Pav, don't do that to yourself, don't. You didn't do a thing wrong, Jim said so himself. So did Scotty."

"But if Marcus tampered wif ze ship, zen something was wrong, Karu. And I dedn't see it." Pavel looked away, but not before Hikaru had the chance to see his eyes glistening in the moonlight bleeding in through the windows. Hikaru sighed heavily, and shoved their pillows to the floor to sit next to his friend.

"Pavel, it's not your fault. We all know that. No one blames you because it isn't your fault. You have to understand that. Please don't wreck yourself over this, Pav. It's. Not. Your. Fault." Hikaru laid his hand gently onto Pavel's arm, staying quiet for Scotty's sake. "There was nothing you could have done. Even if you had noticed and gotten us out of there, Marcus would have found us anyway. Let it go, Pavel."

Chekov sniffed and rubbed his nose on his sleeve, nodding quickly. "I vill try, Karu." Sulu gave him a small smile, patting his arm before scooting away and beginning to collect their pillows from the floor.

"That's all I'm asking, Pasha. Now get some sleep."

Elena

It had been a long time since Elena McCoy had seen her son like this. Somewhere around six years, if she was being precise. He looked like he was carrying the entire world on his shoulders. He was absolutely exhausted, and not just in the physical way. They hadn't talked long, not yet, but it was long enough for Elena to understand that something was very, very wrong. The last time her son had been like this, his daughter had been ripped away from him and he was divorcing the woman he thought he was going to be spending the rest of his life with. Everything he knew had been changed and destroyed in just a matter of weeks. Now, she had to wonder what had happened up on that ship there to put him back in that state.

It wasn't just Leonard either. It was in Jim too; far too pale, far too skinny, somehow nothing like he usually was despite how hard he was trying. It was the rest of the group Leonard had brought with him, too. They were all the same, even if they were trying just as hard as Jim. She had only had brief moments with all of them, but she could see the same looks in their eyes that she saw in Jim and Leonard's. Finding out where that look came from would be a matter of Jim or Leonard telling her.

"Morning, Mama." Her son's arms came around her shoulders from behind. She smiled and patted his arm.

"Hi, baby."

"What's for breakfast?"

"I haven't even started yet, Leonard. Y'all got in late, I figured I'd have a while before anyone was up." Her son yawned and dropped his arms from her shoulders.

"I'll help ya, then."

"Good, you and I need to talk."

"Mama…."

She turned to face her son. He looked even more exhausted than he had when he arrived. "Leonard McCoy, something is going on, and I'd like to know what it is."

"I know you've seen the press releases."

"Of course I have! But that's not the whole story is it? Leonard, baby, there are six other people in my house besides the two of us and you all look the same. Exhausted, like you've seen awful, awful things. Y'all look like you're carrying some kind of horrible burden. And James, God love that boy, he felt like he would snap like a twig if I hugged him too hard." She stopped there, watching her son as he turned away and laughed bitterly.

"I don't even know where to start, Mama." His voice cracked, and he turned back toward her. He was biting his bottom lip, something he had done since he was a little boy in an attempt to keep his emotions in check. Elena sighed and took his hand.

"Let's go talk on the porch, baby."

McCoy

His hands were shaking. That wasn't a sensation he was used to. He was meant to have legendary hands, ones that did not shake. He was a doctor and a surgeon. He knew how to control his hands, how to keep his cool under stress. And yet here he was, unable to keep himself together on his mother's back porch. She was still holding his hand, surely she could feel him shaking. He was well aware that she already believed something to be extremely wrong, and he had to wonder how much worse this was making it.

"Leonard, baby… Tell me what's going on." His mother was rubbing the back of his hand with her thumb, attempting to be of some comfort. Bones wasn't sure she could do much to make anything better.

"He died, Mama" he choked out. Her frowned deepened and she wrapped her other hand around his.

"Who?"

"Jim."

"James Kirk is upstairs asleep in your room, sweetheart. What are you-"

"He died, Mama. He was dead, and I broke my oath to bring him back. I lost him, Mama. And I didn't even get to say goodbye." he ignored the cracking in his voice and quickly swiped the sole tear that had fallen.

"Oh, baby…" His mother released his hand and wrapped her arms around him. He buried his head in her shoulder and drew in a shaking breath, feeling like a child all over again. "Tell me what happened, start from the beginning."