"Leonard?" Veronica called into the other room. She had pulled down their favorite plant to prune it, but had difficulties getting it back up to the shelf. When there was no answer, she called again. Nothing. She knew where he was: asleep in his favorite chair, looking at holos of the days of old – when they were young and serving onboard the USS Enterprise 1701.

He had been their chief medical officer, earning him the nickname "Bones". She had been a science officer, stationed under Spock, one of Leonards two closest friends and his main competition in life. Their constant adversity caused them both joy that could not be explained, only experienced. She, too, admired Spock – his logical nature was jaggedly different from hers, for one basic reason: they were both half Vulcan, but she embraced the human element, whereas he struggled to ignore it.

It was her compassion that Leonard was first drawn to; she never assumed it was because of her looks. Due to a degenerative Vulcan disease, walking had never been something that she was good at. Her footing was wobbly at best, typically leaving her shipbound. But, after the decommission of the Enterprise, Leonard had asked her to marry him: much to her shock and chagrin.

While onboard the Enterprise, they had spent many nights talking and laughing about science, medicine, and other members of the crew. He always brought her to social gatherings and made sure that it was known that the two of them were together. Thanks to him, she had more interaction with the senior crew than she ever would have otherwise.

But, that first interaction had been because of one of the many viruses that ran rampant on the Enterprise. He had come down with it, early. But, the Captain never had considered the doctors would get sick, and so instead of quarantining those with the virus, he sent them all to sickbay. One night, on the way to his quarters, he passed out in the hallway and fell against her door – which she heard as someone knocking and alerted the computer to open the door.

She would never forget the moment when he fell into her quarters, feverish and barely concious. She read the Captain the riot act, for his inability to take his chief of medicine's health into account. The rest of the sick were either cared for in sickbay or quarantined, and he was placed in her care.

It was the first time any member of the senior staff, including Leonard had asked her about her hover chair. But, she refused to make herself uncomfortable in the safety of her own quarters. To her surprise he never mentioned this, and very infrequently mentioned her illness at all. Even the senior officers kept their surprise and questions to a minimum.

Even in their current life, he only ever mentioned her illness to be sure she was keeping up on treatments and when it incapacitated her. She hated having to rely on anyone for any reason, but if she had to, she knew she could count herself lucky to have Leonard.

She shook his shoulder to wake him, and watched as his eyes fluttered open. He smiled as soon as he saw her. "Smile for me," he whispered.

The corners of her mouth turned up and she allowed the mask over her eyes to fall so he could see the happiness that she was feeling within them. Unlike so many Vulcans before her, she did not reject emotion completely. She felt it, but didn't allow it to run her life. On the flipside, she knew how much a smile or a laugh or tears from her moved the man she so deeply loved, so she didn't totally hide these things from him either.

At seeing her smile, he smiled as well. "That's my girl." He ran a hand through her thick black hair, which hung loose over her shoulders. "Are you all right?"

She thought about putting the plant on the shelf. Then took into consideration how exhausted he seemed, and realized that the plant wasn't all that important.

She smiled again, this time only with her lips. "I think it's time for bed."

He opened his mouth to respond, when alarm bells warning that an intruder had stepped onto their property starting to ring.

Veronica looked at the screen on the wall. Four men in black suits and one Starfleet officer were walking purposefully towards the house.

Leonard was up in an instant. "Starfleet bastards, I told them not to come back here." He reached in the closet for the antique rifle that he had fixed to working order. It was his baby and he loved to practice with it.

It surprised her not at all that he was taking it out now. "I'm gonna take Charlie, you stay here."

"You can take Charlie, I'll float beside you," she stated plainly, as he made his way out the door and to the barn.

She shook her head and followed him. It was clear he wanted to protect her, but whatever Starfleet could want, they would have to face it together.

Leonard took aim at the Starfleet officer. "How many times do I have to tell you to leave us alone?" he barked.

"Now look here, Dr. McCoy. Nobody is here to cause you harm. We have a once in a lifetime opportunity for you and Lieutenant Savvoak."

Leonard cocked the gun. "I said leave!" he demanded.

"What is it?" Veronica asked evenly. "State your business and be gone."

"Can we state our business not at gunpoint?"

"Explain why you have brought brute strength. You are trespassing and threatening us. It's only fair that we defend ourselves."

"They're here to help you pack. May we come in?"

"We're not going anywhere," Leonard stated.

"I'm telling you Dr. McCoy, you will not be disappointed with the opportunity we have to offer you."

Ststststststststststst

After a few sandwiches, tea and a long conversation regarding there offer, Leonard sighed and looked at his lovely wife. "I'd say we'd have to discuss it first. You are correct, it's an opportunity too good to pass up."

"Then is the discussion over?" the Starfleet officer asked.

"What my husband means to say is that I have to get clearance from my doctor to see if I am fit for space travel."

The officer nodded. "Of course. When can we expect to hear from you?"

"Within a week."