Do not own Star Trek. This One shot has no bearing in my INAD (In Need and Deed) Verse, so it applies to the regular 2009 movie verse.

To Always Go

They don't see it, when it happens.

Their Captain is the same as always, smirking and smiling and teasing his First Officer who puts up with him. The Helmsman and Navigator are arguing over where fencing started, the Engineer is helping the Communications Officer boost the power at her station, and the Doctor is grumbling.

But it's in that moment, when the Doctor and First Officer look at each other in fond exasperation over their Captain, the Helmsman gets the Engineer to agree with him, not the Navigator, who pouts, while the Captain keeps the Communications Officer from slipping, that they all think the same thing.

It's more than a thought, more than a feeling, but that moment is when they all agree.

That they're more than shipmates, more than comrades, more than friends, more than even family . . .

That they're going to be there for each other, even as the universe turns upside-down and even sideways on occasion, because they can't imagine going back to before, when,

The Captain was a loner looking for comfort in all the wrong places;

The First Officer was a stranger from two worlds but belonging to neither;

The Helmsman was a flying dare-devil made fun of because of his love of plants;

The Navigator was teased for being a child in an 'adult' world;

The Engineer was exiled for his genius;

The Communications Officer had to constantly fight to prove she was as good as anyone else;

And the Doctor lost his entire world, save for his bones and a broken heart.

Because going back to being that would kill them, more than even a shot to the heart with a phaser set to 'kill'.

They don't see the moment when it happens, but they all make the same vow.

'I'll die to keep them alive.'

Because from that moment on, they're more than shipmates, more than comrades or friends, more than even family . . . They are going to be there when,

The Captain finally reveals the wounds left over from a time he can barely speak of;

The First Officer falls victim to his own biology and almost hurts them;

The Helmsman is taken over by a parasite and almost kills them;

The Navigator is abducted and almost tortured to death;

The Engineer is falsely accused of murder;

The Communications Officer suffers from nightmares of not being good enough;

The Doctor almost dies from a supposedly incurable disease;

And a hundred more adventures and dangers that continuously strengthen that wordless vow.

Because they are always going to go to each other's aid, no matter the danger or consequences.

Because the failure to do so would cost them their souls, their hearts, their dreams, and everything that means anything.

They can face off against things no one else will, because they know they will always be there to pick up the pieces.

And if the day comes when one of them no longer is there . . .

If it's the Captain, he'd want them to keep going and not mourn;

If it's the First Officer, he might have a way to come back, but dwelling on grief is illogical;

If it's the Helmsman, he'd want them to honor his choices;

If it's the Navigator, he'd want them to be proud of the man he became;

If it's the Engineer, he'd want them to drink scotch and throw a party;

If it's the Communications Officer, she'd want music and them to keep talking;

If it's the Doctor, he'd want it kept quiet and them to look after his little girl (and themselves).

It happens in a moment that they don't notice, but every day afterwards they'll honor it, and keep on honoring it, until the last one finally joins the others and they can spend eternity together.

So as the Captain releases the Communications officer with a joke, the Helmsman tries to stop the argument of which is better, Scotland or Russia, that starts between the Engineer and Navigator, and the Doctor and First Officer start another argument that has the Communications Officer laughing even more, they don't notice it at all.

But everyone else does.

And that concludes this one shot. Hope you enjoyed, and please leave a review!