Authors Notes to Dear Readers: In this story - Uhura is a jealous cow AND THE BAD GUY! Jim is an jealous bitch and Spock is just clueless in most things relationship wise. If you want canon true-to- character-down-to-the-last-follicle readings of them... I'm afraid this story isnt for you. I take liberties with their personalities. I do not sadly own anything related to Star Trek. I really do not intend to do any Uhura Bashing but she's kind of the bad guy in this story. If you don't like stories where she is portrayed as such then kindly go read someone elses story. I will no longer tolerate any more comments about how racist I am for not writing Uhura in a certain way, or how I'm destroying Star Trek fanfiction by using Uhura as the bad guy.

P.S. All offensive/insulting reviews will be deleted and users will be blocked. Go troll someone else. For all the other lovely readers out there, I welcome constructive criticism and the pointing out of grammatical/spelling errors. Viva! GrammarNazis!

Thank you all for giving this a go!


''Jim… JIM!''

''Huh?''

She looks up into the concerned face of her disgruntled CMO, her eyes trying to focus as she snaps out of her daydream. His arms are crossed as per usual, a scowl threatening to form from the corner of his lips.

''Sorry Bones, I was miles away. What did you say?'' she asks as she shields her eyes from the planets two suns, their rays having long gone from warming her, to rapidly turning her pale skin into a ghastly red-pink fusion. The few freckles on the bridge of her nose standing out amidst the swirl of colours on her face, highlighting deep blue eyes blinking beneath fair lashes.

''Kid, I've been yelling at ya for over five minutes to get your scrawny behind back inside the tent before you fry! Have the suns addled what's left of your brains?!'' He scolds, whipping out his tricorder and muttering under his breath at the readings.

''Boooones.'' She whines, swatting the offending prodder out of her face. ''I'm perfectly fine thank you very much. It's not often that we get to take shore leave on a mostly deserted beach. Cut me some slack here, please?''

He huffs and reaches into his pocket with one hand and she automatically flinches, slapping a hand over her neck instinctively before he can jab her.

''Ha!'' she shouts triumphantly, blocking his attempt to inflict his torture on her once again.

''Jim, you're dehydrated. You need this hypo dammit. Stop being so goddamn stubborn and let me do my job. Even the hobgoblin is taking in fluids and he was born on that hot as hell world they called Vulcan.'' He says with a snarky voice, his finger now pointing at her instead.

''Fine, fine. Go ahead.'' She sighs and waves a hand dismissively, her eyes following a child that had taken to running up and down the surf nearby. Her smile widens as she watches him laugh hysterically at the water lapping over his feet, the waves playing a game of catch-me-if-you-can with the youngster. She continues to watch him as he squeals in delight, his giggles reaching down into her core and tugging on strings that she was sure, would never need tying down.

She fights the urge to go over to him and introduce herself, maybe teach him how to build a sandcastle that looks like a spaceship, anything really, as long as she can continue hearing that laughter that seems to fill a gap in her soul. Bones- for once- bless his southern heart, administers the hypo with an unexpected gentleness as he follows her gaze and interprets her smile.

''You got something on your mind there, Jim?'' he settles down on the sand next to her, an arm folded loosely around one propped up knee.

''Before you had Jo, did you ever really think about having kids?''

''No, can't say as I did really. You know the story, I met Jocelyn and after a few too many, we got hitched after she told me she was pregnant. I was too preoccupied with becoming a doctor back then to think about kids. Why? Your clock ticking?'' he ask her with a smirk, expecting her answer to be playful and full of shit like it normally was, but he's surprised when he sees how her expression softens the longer she looks at the boy.

''I'll be damned. Our Jimmy wants to be a momma!'' he claps her on the shoulder and she snorts at him. He leaves his hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze, before lying back on his elbows in the sand.

''Bones, we've been in space for a while now. It's… well, everything I ever dreamed it was going to be. You know apart from the whole –Vulcan-Nero-Khan – shitstorm.'' he grunts in agreement, motioning for her to continue.

''We've explored numerous planets and I've seen my fair share of wonders, but as much as I consider the Enterprise to be my home, at the end of the day when I'm lying all alone in my quarters… its quiet. It's too quiet. Lately the more children I see, the more I hear them laugh and play, the more something in me aches to have something like that in my life as well.'' She glances down to her best friend who had taken to nodding at her as she spoke and she nudged him with her knee.

''I want to have a kid Bones. You know, someone to come home to? Someone who, as selfish as this may sound, will always be there. Someone who will always smile when they see me, to have someone of my own. Someone for me to love unconditionally and for them to feel like that about me too.'' She sighs as she stands up, dusting the golden brown granules from her shorts, her skin prickling as it scrapes roughly over her bare legs.

''I want to see my child grow and learn. What will they look like? Will they have my eyes? My grandfather's nose? Will they suck at cooking like I do? I have a million questions that are just dying to be answered and until I can do that, I feel like I'm always stuck searching for something I might never find.''

The boy shrieks as the waves knock him off his feet and Jim hears him splutter as he stands up again, a concerned mother suddenly appearing next to him, as if from thin air. Jim laughs as the woman hoists him up and over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

''Do you know what I mean?'' she looks at him imploring, begging him to understand and not to judge.

''Yeah, I get it… and I'm happy for you… but Jim, we live in space. We serve on a ship that runs into disastrous situations at least twice a week. It's not always the safest place and you know that.'' She frowns as he sits up and ruffles his hair.

''Not to mention one very important fact. Babies don't just pop out of nowhere. There ain't no storks in space darling.''

''Sheesh, you're a bit of a downer today.'' She sniffs testily, kicking a tuft of sand up into the air.

''Now Jim, you know I aint saying this to put you down. I just want to know if you've thought of all the facts. Where will the kid sleep? Who will watch him when you're on the bridge or planet side? What kind of education will they get? Would you be willing to give up command if the admiralty decides one day, that you are more committed to your kid than to the 'fleet? Has anything like this crossed your mind darlin'?'' He looks up at her, a hand coming up to pull the brim of his hat down lower over his face to shade his eyes.

''Of course Bones! I've even gone as far as mentally preparing myself for being forced to give up command if I have to. I know that even now, in this day and age, that glass ceiling is still in place for most women. The only reason I was even given the captaincy was because I became a 'fleet celebrity after saving earth.'' She scoffs and places her hands on her hips, now agitated at having her intelligence called in to question.

''I am also aware Doctor McCoy that babies do not in fact get delivered by birds and trust me when I say it has definitely not escaped my attention that I have no significant other. I'd like to see you trying to date someone under your command without fear of it going badly or it exploding in your face when someone calls the no fraternization card.'' Her hands wave manically to-and-fro in front of her.

She takes a deep breath and starts to pace in front of him. Three steps forward, turn, fours steps back.

''I've been thinking about this, alot. At times, i feel like it's done nothing but consume my thoughts for hours on end. I've considered this matter seriously for over a year now. We are three years into our mission and I just feel like it's... time. It's time, for me.''

The silence between them grows as they continue to stare at each other until finally, after another heavy intense gaze from her, he sighs. He shrugs and lets out a dry laugh.

''Ok Jim. Ok. Well, you know that as CMO, I will do everything in my power to keep you and your eventual child healthy and safe, but as your friend, I also want you to know that I'm willing to help out as much as I can – within reason!'' he adds, another calloused finger waggling up at her.

Jim looks down at her best friend feeling a lump form in her throat, her emotions bubbling over at having confessed to wanting a child for the first time. Reaching the point where she can't contain her glee any longer, she launches herself at him with open arms and he shrieks in surprise as she peppers his face with tiny, grateful kisses.

''Ger off! Ger off ya loon. Blah! You got gob all over me! Do you know how unsanitary that is?'' he chided her and she can't help laughing at the look on his face as she sits up to allow him to scrub at it.

''You'll really do anything to help?'' she questions him, now kneeling on her knees with her hands on his shoulders.

''Yeah darlin'. Why?'' He pats her head like he would a child and as her eyes fill with mischief and a guilty smiles spreads over her face, he suddenly regrets saying anything.

''In that case I have a request Bones.''

''Oh yeah?''

''Gimme your sperm?''

He blinks.

She grins.

''Say what now?!''


Back aboard the ship, Jim twirled a stylus between her fingers, a hand threaded between her hair as she glares at the PADD in front of her. She was getting impatient and to be honest, the hurt that she had been denying herself to feel since she last saw Bones, was beginning to seep into her bones.

Ha! She snorts at her own joke and rubs a hand over her weary eyes, groaning as she glances back down again.

His shock at having her ask him to well, basically father a child with her, had had him scramble up from the beach so fast that she barely had any time to balance back on her arms before he knocked her over in his haste to get away. She had considered running after him but as she saw the tense line of his shoulder and the determined stride, she huffed and sat back down on the beach.

That had been four days ago.

When they had beamed back on to the ship, Bones had avoided looking at her entirely. She heard him grumble and curse non-stop as he entered the lift to presumably go straight back to med bay. Her and her big mouth. Tact unfortunately had never been her strong suit. Preferring to be upfront and direct in life, no matter what situation or approach she had to take… she realises now in hindsight that she could have asked him in a better, more convincing way.

Now here she sat, twiddling her thumbs as she read through droll report after report, wishing that Bones would just make up his mind already. If he said no, an eventually that she was prepared for, then yes she would be hurt and a little disappointed. But she would never force his hand on this. He was her best friend and she would be damned if anything ever changed that.

If it was a no, then it was a no.

She jumped as a whistle pierced the air.

''Commander Spock to Captain Kirk. Captain Kirk?''

''Yes, Mr Spock? What can I do you for?'' she smirked as she pictured his face, hoping that at least internally, he was scrunching it up in lieu of her grammatically screwing up all her sentences on purpose.

A tiny pause indicated that this was indeed the case and she stifled a laugh.

''Captain, Lt Uhura and I would like to invite you to partake in refreshments after Beta shift this evening. Are you available?''

''Oh, I'm available Mister Spock.'' She smirks again, leaning back in her chair, propping her feet up on the table.

''I see. This means that you are able to join us? Please clarify.''

''Gah, yes Mister Spock. Do you need me to bring anything?''

''No Captain. The replicators are programmed to provide us with adequate refreshments, therefore your request, whilst appreciated, is not needed at this time.''

''Gods, Spock. You could have just said no you know.''

''Indeed.''

''I'll be there at 1830. Your quarters or Uhura's?''

''The Lieutenants will suffice.''

''Great. See you there. Kirk out.''

Two hours later she finally set the PADD down, standing up to stretch and rub at the stiffened muscles of her lower back. Rolling her shoulders she walked from one side of the cabin to the other, her eyes glancing over the small personal effects placed on the shelves adorning the walls.

A picture of her brother, smiling wide as he kneeled down next to a deer that he had shot after persevering for two hours straight in the rain. She swiped a thumb over it and moved on to the next. A picture of her father, proudly standing next to her mother, an arm around her shoulder and a twinkle in his eye. She was fortunate that she had been able to find this photo back in the basement of their home before... well, before everything happened. Turning to the last photo in the corner she picked it up and studied it.

Frank Turner.

She sucked in a breath and felt it catch, as it did each time she looked at the photo. So many memories flashed through her mind in that instant that she always felt dizzy after.

This man, this man, was the reason why she wanted a family. His kindness, his guidance , his ability to love all creatures, especially snot nosed brats who weren't his biologically, was what made her ache for family.

His death was a blow that she would never get over, that she would never forget and one that she could never forgive herself for.

Putting the picture back down gently, she straightened it and looking down at her command golds, she smoothed the wrinkles that had formed. She put a smile back on her face and after counting to ten, her mood lifted marginally and she made her decision. She was going to Bones. He was going to give her an answer.

Family matters was what Frank had always said and even if Bones didn't want to help her make a family, he would always be a part of hers.