Just a little one shot that came to mind this afternoon so please forgive any grammar mistakes or rough plot. Just for fun, though reviews are welcome.
"I cannot believe this!" Uhura hissed, pacing around the small fire Jim had built in the cave they had taken shelter in.
"You know, you stomping your feet like that won't fix the transporter any faster."
"Just shut up."
"Just chill out, Ny."
"Don't call me that!" She crossed her arms and looked outside. "How long do you think we'll be here?"
"Awhile." Jim stretched his legs out and rested his head back against the cave wall. He patted the dirt beside him. "C'mon. Sit. You'll have to wait to tuck your Vulcan in tomorrow night."
Uhura narrowed her eyes but went and slid down next him. He held out the flask he had been sucking on since they had found themselves stranded planetside. She raised an eyebrow and he rolled his eyes. "It's straight whiskey. I think you can handle it."
She took the flask and sighed when the burning liquid slid down her throat. "I'll say one thing, McCoy keeps good stuff."
"You're not going to ask why I have a flask of alcohol on a mission?"
"No.
"Why?"
"Because I don't want to know."
Jim smiled. "Grasshopper is learning well."
She rolled her eyes. "Shouldn't we try to find the others?"
"Ny, the transporter is toasted. We were lucky we didn't get scrambled. Sulu and Bill could be an entire continent away."
"Well don't you want to do something? Anything?"
"Like what?" Jim asked, getting frustrated. "Pull a transporter out of my ass?"
"Well are you James friggin Kirk or aren't you?"
Jim chuckled and rubbed his eyes. "You're a real piece of work, you know that?"
Nyota rolled her eyes and took another swig from the flask and handed it back to him.
Jim smiled broadly.
0000000000
An hour later the two were sitting cross legged across from each other commiserating over a game of 20 Questions. "I cannot believe you and Gaila did it on Professor Ida's desk," Nyota giggled.
"She never told you?" Jim asked grinning.
"No!"
Jim chuckled but they both grew silent remembering the beautiful Orion girl that had befriended them. "Anyway..." Jim continued breaking the gloom. "I fooled around with Meg Tenney in Medical our first year. Bones walked in on us. That was the first time I had ever had my pants down on a biobed for anything other than a shot."
Nyota laughed and reached for the flask again. "Could you ever love one woman?"
He blinked, surprised. "The Enterprise is my lady."
Nyota waited patiently.
He sighed. "I suppose. Deep down, sure I guess so. I just don't want to."
"Why not?"
Jim took a swig from the flask. "I saw what love did to my mother. She did the best she could and believe me I love her, but sometimes I wish I'd know the woman she was before…." He shrugged. "And Bones. He's the perfect example of a man who's been screwed in the name of love. He's got eight wasted years and one hell of a chip on his shoulder."
"He also has a beautiful little girl."
Jim smirked. "Yeah, Jo is pretty cute."
"I'm pretty sure your mom and McCoy would do everything the same if they had it to do over."
"I know they would. Love turns you into a masochist." Jim said it with a smile, but there was bitterness in his voice.
"What about Carol? You two seemed pretty hot and heavy."
The smile slipped from Jim's lips and he looked away. "I don't want to talk about her."
Nyota knew Carol was the love of his life. She had been a curious observer of their relationship back at the Academy. He'd had a number of conquests but Carol Marcus was his girl. Everybody on campus knew. Nyota had passed him a number of times in the hall reading while sitting on a bench waiting for Carol's biology lab to end. Tuesdays were pizza nights at The Cockpit and anyone could see them huddled in a corner over a large pie and pitcher of beer.
On one occasion not long after their promotions from cadets, Spock had observed them from their table and cocked his head and asked, "Is it rudimentary human behavior to exchange food in such a manner?"
Nyota turned and watched Carol pick the mushrooms off her pizza and place them on Jim's plate for him to fork up and shovel in his mouth. Carol rolled her eyes but grinned and wiped his chin. He smiled kissed her forehead and poured her some more beer…
"Oil and water?"
"More like matches and gasoline." The look on his face said the subject was closed. "So, what about you and Spock?" he asked. "You always seem to put an extra spring in his step."
Nyota shifted uncomfortably and reached for the flask. She tried to search for the words. "I love him," she said after a moment. "But you and I know both know that sometimes that's not enough."
Jim looked down at his clasped hands.
"Sometimes…..I feel like so much has happened that we've outgrown each other." She drew her legs up to her chest. "We're not in the classroom discussing theory anymore. This is real life and Vulcan is gone. And I know one day he'll do the right thing and choose his people." She shrugged. "It's what I love about him."
Jim ran a hand through his hair. "He's half human. He's proved that multiple times. We're his people too."
"Humans aren't on the brink of extinction."
Jim leaned forward and cupped her neck. "Can I kiss you?" He pressed his lips against hers before she could answer.
The last time their lips had touched he had been under the lingering effects of a deep coma. As time had passed he had wondered if she had actually ever brushed her lips against his or if it had been a dream he had floated through while unconscious. But no, that sweet vanilla scent he remembered was hers.
But she wasn't his. Four years ago, maybe, just maybe, she could've been.
Jim pulled away and scooted back. She touched her lips and refused to meet his eyes.
"I better go get some more wood for the fire," he murmured, climbing to his feet and leaving her to her thoughts.
0000000000
A mere two hours later, Scotty's voice dragged them out of sleep and Nyota still refused to look at him though she had been resting her head on his chest while sleeping. Jim knew the conflicting emotions stewing inside her and grabbed her arm while preparing to be beamed up. "Look Nyota, about before…it was the whiskey talking."
He saw her visibly relax and she nodded and smiled though they both knew he was just saying what she needed him to. Because she had kissed him back. She opened her mouth to say something but light appeared all around them and in a moment they were back aboard the Enterprise. Spock was waiting and moved towards the pad and Nyota turned to him fearfully and opened her mouth again but Jim cut her off. "I know. It was the whiskey talking."
She looked down at her feet and Spock regarded them both calmly before nodding politely at Jim and offering a hand to Nyota. He knew. There was no need for words when he knew he had won and the girl was leaving with him. He was the better man. Jim nodded and saluted him and watched them walk away. He stepped of the pad and clapped his Chief Engineer on the shoulder. "Scotty. Let's go. I could use a drink."