Author Note: Looks like we're up for another adventure! I feel like I have some good ideas for this one, so I hope you like it :) It took me a while to get this updated because I struggled with deciding on keeping the story first-person, like the first story, or third, because more things are happening this time around. In the end I decided for third-person. Hope you enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Star Trek, its characters, etc.

Chapter One: Here We Go Again

The old couple stood solemnly, their hands raised in surrender. They weren't even sure how a group of Klingons had found them, but they had their reasons. No one just showed up on Ediix-five unless it was important, especially their kind.

"We won't say it again," spoke the Commander, in perfect English. "You'll do as we tell you, or she dies."

Pharen winced, looking at his daughter. Mara had a couple of children of her own, now, and the thought of them left to fend without her...it couldn't happen. Still, Pharen had to know. "Why are you doing this? How did you even know about us?"

The Commander smiled. "We have our business, so mind yours. You're running out of time," he pressed, and the gun in Mara's face moved closer.

"All right!" Pharen yelled. "We'll do it, but give me a second to get everything. I can't just make it happen." He looked over at Ehala, defeated. He moved to the computer, and his wife finally seemed to understand. She shook her head in shock.

"Don't tell me, Pharen...it still exists? All these years - you promised me! You promised to get rid of it!"

"I had to keep the papers," he argued, typing on the computer. "That was our work, and we just had to study it more. I finally figured it out, and I wanted to show you. We promised her, too, didn't we?

"We said we weren't sure if we could - "

"This is stressful, I understand," interrupted the commander, "but could we move this along? I'm getting tired of this." The room fell silent, and the whir of the gun sounded as it readied to shoot. Pharen whipped around furiously.

"I said I was working on it! It's coming right now, so let her go!"

"Please..." Ehala sobbed, extending her arms toward her daughter. The commander paused for another moment, then he finally nodded. He released his grip on Mara, and she moved to hurry to her mother. Then he lifted his gun again and shot, and Ehala's scream echoed loudly in the small room.

Claire's heart jumped painfully. It surprised her, having come out of nowhere. She paused, waiting for another, but there was nothing. She shook her head.

"Claire, you all right?"

She looked up toward the stairs leading to the back door, finding Greg there. He seemed concerned, so she responded, "I'm fine. Why?"

He shrugged. "I just happened to come outside, and you were frozen."

"Oh. Yeah, I'm okay, I was just thinking. I need a break from the yard is all." She'd been picking up leaves into the afternoon, and was starting to feel more tired than she'd thought. She trudged upstairs and hugged him, taking a deep breath. Greg was a mechanic, so he always smelled like oil and car fresheners. It was an odd combination, but she loved it. He looked at Claire and smiled, kissing the top of her head. Then he sighed. "I have bad news," he said.

"Uh, okay?"

"Well, I just got home with Leo, and he has something to show you."

Claire frowned as they headed inside. Waiting for them in the living room was their fifteen-year-old son. He sat straight, still, and as Claire went around the couch to look at him, her mouth fell open a little. He sported a bruised cheek and a black eye, and he looked completely unashamed of it.

"Hey, Mom," he said.

"...Hey, Leonard, what happened?"

"He said he wanted to talk to you," said Greg," so I'll leave you be. I'll finish with the yard."

"Wait, just a second," I said, halting him with a hand. "Leo, don't you think that this concerns both your father and I?"

Leo shook his head. "No."

Claire raised her eyebrows. "Why not?"

"Hon, it's okay," Greg insisted. "Whatever it is, he needs you." He disappeared outside before Claire could argue, and she sighed. She took a seat next to Leo, taking a moment to think. Then she turned to him and smiled.

"Okay, I'll bite. What's up?"

Leo eased back into the couch, his hands resting comfortably in his lap. "I was defending you," he finally said.

Claire blinked. "...Really? From whom?"

"Kyle Baker. He was being rude, and a liar."

"Did he start it?"

Leo shrugged. "Yes, and no. He was eavesdropping at lunch. I was telling Brandon something, and Kyle called me crazy. Then he started up about you."

"Okay," Claire said. "Do we need to talk to Kyle's parents about this?" Even as the words left her mouth, she knew it wasn't much help - she knew the Bakers pretty well - and it would probably cause more problems. "Maybe the principal?" She suggested. Leo looked over at her, and again, there wasn't much solution.

Leo sighed. "He won't help much. Besides, I can take care of myself - you know that. Brains over brawn is worth a bruise or two."

Claire smiled, though she shouldn't have. Leo was smart, like his Dad, but his recklessness came from his mother. He'd most likely insulted Kyle's intelligence, to which Kyle had retaliated. "What did he say about us?" Claire asked.

Leo scrunched his face. "I'd rather not repeat it. I do want to tell you what I told Brandon, though."

Claire moved over to sit next to her boy, wrapping an arm around him. He was starting to look more grown up, thinning out a little and getting taller. Greg sometimes called him "Spock" as a joke, and Claire had to laugh inside. If only he knew the man himself. "So," Claire continued, "what's the secret?"

He looked at her, his eyes still a little wet, and he paused. He seemed to hesitate just a second in telling her, then finally said, "I remembered you telling me a story when I was little, but it wasn't just a story."

Claire frowned. "I...told you lots of stories. Are you talking about the books I read?" She watched Leo shake his head and lean down to gab his backpack at his feet. He unzipped it, and pulled out something that Claire hadn't seen in about six years. She gasped, mainly just surprised to see that old DVD set. Then she looked at Leo, sudden memories popping into her mind. "What does this have to do with...?" She couldn't finish the sentence. Twenty years ago, Star Trek had been just a show to her, one she loved. Then she'd discovered that it was real, a fact she'd kept to herself all these years.

"I've been having dreams," said Leo, looking at the cover. "Every night, for a couple of weeks, of two people. They said they knew you, and they were trying to warn me. Last night, though, there was nothing. I saw other images, of the characters on this show. It's real, isn't it?"

Claire was quiet as she held out her hand. Leo set the case there, and she admired it for a few moments. The crazy adventure she'd had as a younger girl was exactly that - crazy. She'd never truly talked about it to anyone, and the memory of it had faded a little. She'd kept the hair piece that McCoy had given her, of course, but it felt like another lifetime. She had to set it behind her, and then Greg came along into her life. Now she had Leo, and the two of them had watched Star Trek when he was little. She thought she wasn't causing any harm when she told him one night, "They're real, you know. I met them." She'd meant it like a parent tells their child about Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy, and Leo eventually grew out of all of those. Claire decided then to put the DVDs away, feeling the need to move on. The show reminded her too much, and she had a different life now.

"Mom?" Leo asked. Claire shook her head.

"Oh, sorry," she said. "Sorry, hon. I never thought...I don't know what to say."

"Tell me it's real." Leo replied. "Tell me I'm not crazy."

Claire hesitated. She didn't want to lie to him, but she didn't know what to do. A strange tug at her heart was getting stronger, and she wondered, after all these years, why now? What had caused them to contact her now - not even her, but her son - that they couldn't do it before? She shook her head. "No, Leo, you're...not crazy. I just haven't thought about this in a long time. How did you even find these movies?"

"In the attic," he stated, like it was obvious. "When I had the dreams, I remembered the show and went looking for it."

Claire decided to stand, finding the need to pace. "All right. So, did the man tell you his name?"

"It was Pharen, I think."

Claire nodded after a beat. "Yeah, that's it. What was he warning you about?"

"He said, 'The Klingons want her. They want us to bring her here. We have no choice.'" Leo said it with complete seriousness. If this were anyone else, they would have earned a trip to a psychiatrist. If Claire hadn't gone to that world herself, she would have laughed at the message. Since it was real, however, she stopped pacing to take it in. If Pharen and his wife were successful, it wouldn't be long before the Klingons had her.

"Did they say anything else?"

"No. They stopped sending me messages. I think they're in trouble, or worse."

She closed her eyes. "I hope the Klingons don't know about you. Pharen should have just talked to me about this. I couldn't stand it if they took you, too." Claire supposed that there would be no preparation at this point. She sat down next to Leo again, and ran a hand through his dark hair. "Will you do something for me?" She asked.

He nodded.

"I don't know if Pharen will be able to get me there, but if he can...it might be a while before I get back. Klingons are dangerous and merciless - they get what they want, one way or another. So, promise me that if I leave, don't...worry about me. I can take care of myself, too." She smiled, mostly to convince herself, more than her son. "If I leave, tell your Dad the truth. Maybe he won't believe it, maybe he will, but let him know. It's the only thing we can do, but don't say anything until it happens."

"Are they going to come to us, if you can't go there? Like, guns blazing?" Leo asked.

Claire laughed. "No, probably not. They wouldn't know what to do with themselves in a world like this. They just want me, and I'll probably just go quietly. Last time, I was asleep when it happened."

"Okay." Came the response. It was calm and collected, and I knew that Leo was putting on a brave face. He understood that, as impossible as it was, there was danger near. "You should tell me about what happened to you, so I know."

Claire smiled, standing. She pulled Leo to his feet and thought about it. "Well, it's a really long story. Why don't we start dinner, and see where we get? After that, let's watch a few episodes, for old times' sake? It might be the last chance we get."

Leo nodded, and the two headed into the kitchen. Claire started from the beginning, with finding herself on that planet and being attacked by a monster. She explained that some of the initial details were fuzzy because of the attack, but she'd found herself on the Enterprise. She felt like she was in a dream come true, and wasn't convinced when she was told that everything around her was real. It took a long time to get to that point, and from there, things didn't get any easier. Unfortunately, Claire couldn't tell any more of the story, because Greg came in from the back. He looked a little tired and wondered why they had so many trees. Claire kissed him on the cheek and thanked him, and finished setting the table. She decided to put on Star Trek, then, and the three of them listened to it as they ate. Greg wasn't as interested, asking about how the little chat had gone. Claire said that things would be handled at school the next day, and that all was well enough.

"You're all right, then, Leo?" Greg asked. Leo didn't respond, having his eyes glued to the television intently. It was the episode that had changed everything for Claire, the one she'd talked about. She knew that Leo was paying attention, even though he wouldn't see his Mom there, instead of Kirk. "Leonard?" Greg said again.

"Hm? Oh, sorry, Dad. What did you say?"

"Are you all right? Did that Baker kid do anything else to you?"

"Oh, no, I'm fine. I can handle him."

After dessert, the three of them decided that time all together was called for. Greg decided to join his wife and son for a show he didn't really care much for, but being with them was more important. He felt strange that night, like something was wrong, but he couldn't figure it out. He wondered what it was that the two had talked about, and why he wasn't allowed to know. He decided they weren't doing it to spite him, but he was still curious. The hour eventually turned late, and the three of them ended up cuddled close together. Claire rested her head on Greg's chest, yawning quietly. Her eyes fluttered, her head nodded, and she couldn't count to ten before she was out.

"...it could be..."

"...looks just like her..."

"Yes, especially the nose."

"...That's what you noticed?"

Leo turned as he began to wake, the cold floor uncomfortable to him. He felt that something was wrong. Groaning quietly, he finally sat up and rubbed his groggy eyes. He felt heavy, like he'd been asleep for a couple of days. He opened his eyes to find four men surrounding him, one crouched at his feet. Leo blinked, hardly believing it. He knew these people, all right, but they looked a little different.

"Are you okay, young man?" The crouched man asked. Leo looked him up and down, from that slicked blonde hair, to the gold-colored shirt, to the black boots.

Leo breathed out, awed. "Oh, boy," he muttered. "This isn't good."

Captain James Kirk looked at the other men, then back to Leo. "Do you know where you are? Who we are?"

Leo nodded after a second. "Yep, I'm pretty sure that I do."

"Can you stand up?" Asked another man. That was definitely Doctor McCoy. "Do you feel light-headed?"

"Um..." Leo shook his head quickly. "Yeah, a little, but I'm fine." He turned to Kirk again and asked, "Do you know who I am?"

Kirk opened his mouth to speak, but he hesitated. He couldn't be sure. McCoy on the other hand, stepped forward to help the boy up. He looked at Leo, turning his face left and right. He asked, "Is your mother Claire Stevens?"

"That's her maiden name," Leo replied. He noticed the doctor's face become softer. "It's Claire Burton now."

McCoy looked happy, but a little sad in the eyes. "Is she well?"

"Well, I think that's why I'm here. I think she's in trouble."

"Perhaps...we should talk elsewhere," Kirk interjected politely. "You can collect your thoughts there. Mr. Scott, thank you for letting me know about this; carry on."

Scotty nodded. "Aye, sir."

On the way to the Captain's quarters, Leo pinched himself a couple of times to make sure he was awake. His mother obviously wasn't on the ship, but that didn't mean that she wasn't in this world. Still, he wondered if he'd somehow been sent instead of her. That would make the Klingons furious, and Leo didn't doubt they would kill more than a few to get their way. Kirk led everyone down the hall, and they passed an occasional crew member who couldn't help but give a lingering glance. There was another strange visitor on this ship, and Leo bet his mother had received the same welcome. The four of them finally walked into a cozy room, and Kirk motioned for all to sit. "Well," he started, "I can speak for everyone in saying that this is a pleasant surprise. What's your name?"

"Leonard Kelly, but you can call me Leo."

Kirk nodded, smiling. "Very well, Leo. Now, you said your mother could be in danger?"

"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure she's here. It's kind of complicated, but if she is here, the Klingons want her."

A heavy silence fell between everyone. Finally, McCoy quietly said, "The Klingons? Why them?"

Leo shrugged. "I can tell you everything I know and why I know it, but it isn't much. I'm not even sure why I was brought here."

"Hm," Kirk mused. "Sounds like deja vu. Start from the beginning, son, and we'll tie everything the best we can."

Leo explained his dreams, the two people, and the images of the men sitting before them. He remembered, now, of seeing his mother there, too, but it didn't make sense. He explained that he'd asked her to tell him the story, but she hadn't gotten the chance, obviously. He finished his tale quickly, and waited for someone to say something. All of them stayed quiet, with deep frowns on their faces. They were probably remembering when Claire Stevens had made her way here.

Kirk stood, placing his hands behind his back. "Unfortunately, we haven't had any contact with Pharen or his wife. I don't even know how the Klingons managed to find them, or why they would want Claire. We never even came into contact with them while she was here, did we?"

McCoy and Spock shook their heads. Suddenly Spock's expression changed, and he seemed intrigued by whatever thought he had. "You are correct, Captain. However, perhaps the Klingons who arrived to confront Pharen and his family were not of our time."

There was another pause, like everyone had frozen. Leo was starting to feel more confused, but he had to trust that things would work out, and that these people would explain everything. He only hoped that it would be quickly, because they were running out of time. McCoy finally seemed to understand and made a surprised face. "You mean from the future? Someone else had it out for her?"

Spock nodded. "We still do not know all of the events that passed in that time, only what was brought to us by T'Pala."

Kirk looked down at Leo with sympathy. He placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and sighed. "We're sorry. There's a lot that needs to be explained, but we need to organize our thoughts a little. You said you were feeling a little light-headed; would it be all right for Doctor McCoy to take you to our medical bay? We'll call you back shortly, when we have a better plan."

Leo hesitated - he was actually feeling better - but perhaps it was for the best. "Just...don't take too long. This is my Mom, and I can't lose her."

Kirk smiled and nodded. "I understand. Your mother is a very good friend of ours, and we won't hesitate in doing everything to get her back, safe and sound. She's very important to us, know that."

That was enough for him to hear. He walked with McCoy out of the room and down the hall, his mind racing with things that needed to be done.

And the adventure has begun! I always have really, spur of the moment ideas going through my head, and it'll be interesting to see where this goes. Thanks for all the followers from the first one, I hope to see you here, too!