A/N: So I felt like updating a little early! I hope you all like this! Review please! They make my day :)
Oh and I don't own anything but Sophie and Pike's Family!
The next morning Sophie woke up and groaned looking at her clock seeing it was 7 in the morning, she finally got up and got ready to go back to Starfleet.
"Hey Sophie." Uhrua said to her friend as they met outside of the shuttle.
"Hey."
"You ok?"
"I just want to get out of here." Sophie replied with a sigh.
"Good morning Cadets." Captain Pike said as they boarded the shuttle.
"Morning Captain." They replied together.
"Cadet Pace, a minute if you will." He asked her.
"Yes sir." Sophie replied confused.
"I'll save you a seat if I can." Uhura said to her before boarding.
"I'm sorry about last night Cadet." Pike told her off to the side.
"It's not your fault Captain. Trust me that was his." Sophie replied softly.
"I told him to come this morning."
"And he won't show." Sophie replied tired. "He hates Starfleet and not just because of his father."
"Are you sure about that?" Pike replied nodding his head behind her.
Sophie heard a motorcycle pull up behind her before turning to see Jim getting off the bike.
"Nice ride." A guy commented walking by.
"It's yours." Jim replied walking over to Sophie and Pike. "4 years? I'll do it in 3."
Jim wrapped his arm around Sophie who was still standing there shocked. Pike nodded at her, dismissing her as Jim pulled her onto the shuttle. Once inside the shuttle Sophie turned towards Jim and punched him hard in the shoulder.
"Ow! What was that for!" he exclaimed.
"Last night."
"I'm sorry Soph." Jim said quietly.
Sophie sighed as she threw her arms around him and hugging him tight. He hugged her back before he pulled back and kissed her forehead smiling.
"Come on let's find seats." He told her taking her hand and walking around trying to find 2 seats together. They finally found 3 empty seats and took 2 of them together sitting down.
"She really your friend?" Jim asked nodding towards Uhura who was just shaking her head at him.
"Yes and she's off limits James." Sophie replied causing Jim to laugh.
"I never did get that first name?" he asked Uhura smiling.
Uhura just smiled as Sophie hit his arm again. "Jim!"
"Joking! Joking!" Jim told her laughing as he strapped himself in and wrapped his arm around her hugging her to his side. The two of them were too busy laughing to notice a man come and sit down next to Sophie who wasn't in a Starfleet outfit but dressed like Jim.
"I may throw up on you." The man said to Sophie and Jim.
"I think these things are pretty save." Jim replied unwrapping his arm from her shoulders so she instead looped her arm through his.
"Don't patronize me kid. One crack in the haul and our blood boils in 13 seconds; solar flare might crop up and cook us in our seats; wait until your sitting pretty with a case of shackles; see if you're so relax when your eye ball bleed. Space is diseased and dangerous after darkness and silence." The man ranted on.
"Well, I hate to break this to you but Starfleet operates in space." Sophie told him.
"Yeah well I got no where else to go. The wife took the whole damn planet in a divorce. All I got left is my bones." The man replied taking a sip of his flask before he offered it to Sophie and Jim.
Jim took the flask and raised it, "Jim Kirk."
"Sophie Pace." Sophie said smiling taking a sip of the flask, trusting the man once Jim did.
"McCoy. Leonard McCoy."
Year 1 – His birthday
"Leo!" Sophie said coming up to him on the quad.
"Hey. What's wrong?" He said stopping after seeing her face.
"Have you seen Jim? I can't find him. I've tried your room, his comm, nothing. He won't answer." She said somewhat frantically.
"Calm down Sophie. I'm sure he's fine. It's Jim." Bones replied looking down at his PADD.
"Do you realize what today is?" Sophie asked accusingly as Bones looked up confused. "It's Jim's birthday."
"Shit." Bones cursed after realizing what that meant.
"Do you have any idea where he might have gone?" Sophie asked Bones in a pleading voice. "I need to find him Leo. He's not…this is one of 2 of the worst days of the year for him and I need to find him."
"2?"
"That's not important. I just…UHURA!" Sophie said yelling across the quad before rushing towards her friend with Bones right behind her. "Uhura have you seen Jim?"
"Jim?" Uhura questioned looking confused at her. "Yeah I passed him on my way here. He was headed towards the grass over there by the water I think. Why?"
"Aw hell." Sophie said softly. "Thanks Uhura. Leo I'll comm you if I need anything, but trust me right now he just needs space.
"Then why are you going?" Bones asked.
"Space from everyone else…not me. Trust me. I've been doing this every year except last year and I don't even want to think what he was like last year." She replied softly before nodding and taking off towards the direction Jim was in, leaving a very confused Uhura and irritated Bones behind.
It took Sophie five minutes or less to get to the grass area near the water. She stopped and looked around to see the area was almost empty except for about 8 people all spread out. She surveyed the area closer and spotted Jim, the only one down by the water's edge, sitting on the grass his arms resting on his knees that were pulled up to his chest as he stared out across the water.
She sighed and started to walk towards him slowly keeping her eyes on him. As she approached him, she didn't say a word but silently sat down next to him and slipped her arm around his leaning into him. She felt Jim take a deep breath and lean his head on top of hers and sigh. The minutes passed by slowly and peacefully as the two sat there watching the water in comfortable silence.
"You tired?" she asked him softly.
"A little." He replied yawning.
"Why don't you lie down for a while, it's only 2." She said softly. Jim nodded and shifted so his head so it was in her lap, as she still sat up right somewhat. The two of them formed a 'T' essentially as Sophie softly ran her hand through his hair lightly over and over.
"What about you?" he mumbled already drifting off to sleep.
"I'll be fine." She said kissing his head. "Go to sleep. I'll be right here."
He nodded tiredly and drifted off to sleep with her stroking his hair lightly. Sophie made sure Jim was defiantly asleep before taking a book out of her back and starting to read it. As she sat there reading her book she kept getting distracted by the man in her lap who was sleeping like a baby. She knew he didn't like his birthday; he distasted it because it was the day Starfleet took his father from him as he told her once. They robbed him of a normal life he would say and she couldn't help but think if he was right. Yet then again if his father were still alive then she would have been sent alone too…
"Cadet Pace?" a voice said interrupted her thoughts.
She looked up to find Captain Pike stand there in front of her and Jim with a confused expression on his face.
"Captain. What can I do for you?" she said softly as to not wake Jim.
"You two missed all of your classes today." Pike replied glancing at Jim then back to her.
"I…we did? How did you know that?" Sophie asked confused.
"I'm Kirk's mentor for one and they notified me and two it's 4 o'clock and I figure you've been with him all day from the position you two are in now."
"Sorry Captain."
"Nothing to be sorry for Cadet. I was just concerned. He's never missed a full day of classes before. 1 or 2 sure, but never 4 classes and combat training."
"Oh." Sophie replied not really knowing what to say.
"What's going on Cadet?" Pike asked nodding towards Jim who was still thankfully asleep.
Sophie sighed and ran a hand through Jim's hair again before responding, "Do you happened to know what today is sir?"
"The USS Kelvin anniversary."
"Yeah." Sophie replied nodding towards Jim. Pike looked confused before realization dawned on him.
"His birthday." Pike stated softly with understanding in his eyes.
Sophie nodded in conformation as she felt Jim stir in her lap. Looking down she saw Jim rub his eyes before turning and looking up at Sophie smiling softly.
"Hey sleepyhead." Sophie said smiling at him.
"Hey Soph." he replied before noticing a shadow falling over him. Jim turned his head the other way and found Pike standing there watching the two of them. "Sir?"
"Hello Kirk." Pike replied nodding to him. Jim sat up next to Sophie, pulling her close to him again and seeking comfort in her presence. "I was concerned, you missed all your classes today."
"Really?" Jim asked confused. "What time…how long did I sleep Sophie?"
"You slept about 2 hours, it's 4 o'clock." she answered him.
"Oh. Sorry sir. I didn't realize…"
"It's fine Kirk. Cadet Pace here filled me in." Pike told him softly.
"Oh." Jim replied his face blank looking up at him.
"Listen, what are you two doing for dinner?" Pike asked them both.
"Um…" Jim started sharing a look with Sophie before answering, "We'll probably just going back to my room and eating."
"Well that won't do now will it." Pike answered with a small smile. "Why don't you both come over to my place and have dinner."
"Dinner sir?" Sophie asked.
"Yeah. Jim," Pike said squatting down in front of the two. "I know your dad wouldn't want you to eat your birthday dinner like that. Yes you remember him, and enjoy the afternoon with your best friend. Which by the way looked way better then going to classes, but let's have a good dinner for you huh?"
Jim looked at the older man in front of his, studying him carefully. "Why sir? Why do you care?"
"Because Jim I'm your mentor and friend I'd like to think and I want to do something nice. So let my wife and I cook you two dinner. I got 3 kids so it shouldn't be completely awkward. So what do you say?" Pike explained to them.
Sophie glanced at Pike and then at Jim who was staring at him blankly.
"Jim." She said softly catching his attention and when he looked over his eyes showed her pleading and confusion. "Captain could you give us a moment."
"Of course I'll be right over there." He said nodding towards a spot not far away before walking over there out of earshot.
"Jim." She started looking him in the eyes. "Do you want to go?"
"I don't know." He answered looking lost.
"If you want to go that's fine with me but it's also fine if you don't want to go and have it just be you and I tonight."
"I just…"
"Jim, it's your birthday and I think if you want to celebrate it this is a good place to start celebrating. Its just dinner."
Jim nodded slowly thinking about what she had to say before grinning, grabbing her head between his hands gently and kissing her forehead. The two of them then stood up, Jim's arm around her waist still as they walked over to Pike.
"So what'd you say?" Pike asked.
"We'd love to come for dinner." Jim replied smiling a little.
"Good!" Pike said smiling at the two of them. "Meet me at my office in hour and we'll leave. It's about a 20 minute drive from here just to let you know."
"Sounds good Captain. Thank you." Sophie answered.