First of all I would like to thank everyone who reviewed, favorited and followed! And thank you for being so patient with me, I promise I will post the next chapter a lot sooner!
The song for this chapter is Have We Lost by Flyleaf!
"Morning." I said, cuddling up to Spock. His body felt stiff and cold and I blinked my eyes open, feeling liquid on my fingers.
"Love?" I whispered, looking up. I came face to face with Khan's dead body and screamed, throwing myself off the bed.
"James! James, wake up! It's only a dream!" Spock yelled, shaking me. I was hyperventilating, clinging to his arms as I stared at him with wide eyes.
"I thought… It was so real…" I whispered.
"It was just a dream, T'hy'la, you'll be alright." He kissed me gently and I relaxed with a sigh.
"Guess it's time to get ready and prepare for Alpha shift." I said, standing up and bringing Spock with me.
"I suppose. What about that promise you made last night." He said, biting my neck.
"Well, I didn't really promise but if you want, we could have a shower together." I said, chuckling and kissing him. I bit his lip gently and he groaned, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.
"I like that idea." He whispered.
My comm went off and I groaned, answering it promptly.
"Captain, I'm getting an unusual distress signal." Uhura said.
"Lieutenant, why are you on duty," I looked at my watch briefly. "Two hours before duty."
"I was awake and bored, are you coming or what Captain?" She asked. I groaned, but told her I'd be down in a minute before kissing Spock once more.
"I'll see you in two hours, I love you." I whispered, nuzzling him.
"Nonsense. If you are starting duty early, than as your first officer I shall do the same." I smiled graciously at him before quickly getting dressed.
"Keptin on zee bridge!" Chekov exclaimed as I entered the room, staring at the usual crew.
"Did someone switch my watch? Why is everyone on duty early?" I asked, going over and sitting down in my chair as Spock took his place at his station.
"Captain, some of us like to eat breakfast in the morning instead of," Sulu looked over at Spock discreetly and smiled. "Sleep in."
"Alright Uhura, what's this transmission?" I growled, running my hand through my hair with exasperation. I'm pretty sure the entire crew knew about Spock and I by now, but we still liked to keep it professional.
"Playing the transmission now, Captain." She hit a button and static filled the air briefly before the transmission started.
"…stranded…Enterprise…help me…Captain…" It cut out and I had to hold my breath as it started over again, the same jumble of words, ending with my title in that familiar, but unplacable voice.
"Do we have a location?" I asked.
"Sir, we have located the distress call about three days away in the general direction that we are headed." Sulu responded, typing on his console.
"Alright, max warp , raise the shields just before reentering, we don't know what stranded their ship or if it's a trap. They did specifically ask for us" I commanded.
"Yes Captain."
"Now if you excuse me, I'm going to go eat breakfast."
"I believe I will join you Captain."
There were snickers as we left, boarding the pod that would take us to the appropriate floor. Before I could even say a word, I was against the wall, his lips on mine as I moaned, holding him to me.
"Spock, someone could come in, we can't!" I protested, trying hard to hold my own.
"How is it that, for once, you are making the logical decision?" He asked, pulling away and giving me a quick peck on the cheek. He stood up straight as the doors opened, an ensign boarding with us. She was small, I'm guessing maybe five foot two, with vibrant red hair, that didn't look like it was natural, falling straight down to her waist. She was wearing a white lab coat and holding a clipboard tightly to her… wow… chest. Spock elbowed me discreetly and I blushed when he smirked at me. She turned to look over at me and I had to immediately look away from her red eyes. Not human, definitely not human!
"Everyone knows you two are dating, it's really not much of a secret." She said, smirking at us. Spock's cheeks tinted light green while I tried not to gawk at her.
"And who are you, Ensign?" I asked in disbelief.
"Ashter Farris, Captain." She responded, holding out her hand. I eyed her warily while I shook it. "I work in-."
"The med lab, yeah, I've seen you with Bones." She made a scrunched up face before she clicked in to who I meant. She looked away and her smirk grew, reminding me of something, but not completely sure what.
"I also know it was you two who released Khan." She said. We froze, looking at each other for a split second before the doors opened and I chased her out of the elevator pod.
"And how would you know this?" I growled, resisting the urge to haul her ass off of my ship.
"Because I know things, Captain." She growled back, sneering at me. "What did he say to you to get you to release him? What did he promise you? I don't see him here now, perhaps he's plotting how to kill you for good." I flinched and then grabbed her by the arm.
"He's not here now because he died protecting me and saving Spock." I had to consciously keep myself from yelling the words, the fury building within me. Her face went white and it almost looked like she was going to puke.
"No, that's not possible. He can't die." She whispered, backing to the wall and starting to hyperventilate.
"Report to med bay and if you say anything about this to anyone, or say anything bad about Khan again I will get to beam you back down to Earth." I said, walking away as she slid down the wall.
"Captain, I looked up the name Ashter Farris and I believe she is using a false last name. There is no record of her in the systems." I took a deep breath and forced some eggs in to my mouth. It had been two days and we hadn't received another transmission. But what that ensign said weighed heavily on me and I felt so bad for what I had said in return.
"Leave her be Spock…" I whispered, feeling like a complete asshole. "Did you see her face when I told her he was dead?"
"Yes, but she could be playing us." He responded, lightly touching my arm. I grabbed hold of his hand and clenched my eyes shut.
"I've seen that look before Spock, you can't fake that look." I whispered.
"I want to know how she got aboard this ship and has been aboard for three point one days with false credentials." He muttered, sounding sullen, like the fact that she got here was an insult to his capabilities.
"That's the second one to get past you Spock!" I said, grinning and clapping his shoulders. It was hard to believe we had been flying for so long, but I knew that eventually it would seem like nothing. We hadn't had any problems yet, people seemed to be getting along just fine.
"Indeed." He grumbled.
"Jim, can you come down here for a second please?" Bones said. God I hated when he used the emergency line.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." I responded, turning the damn thing off.
"You go, I'll take care of cleaning up." Spock said, looking around before kissing my cheek. I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Leave. Her. Alone." I said, seeing right through him. "That's an order!"
"Yes Captain." He said, rolling his eyes at me.
"What did you need, Bones?" I asked, sighing as I came through the med bay doors. I hated it in here, most of the time it meant I was hurt and that meant getting a hypo. I really fucking hate hypos.
"Would you mind talking to one of the ensigns?" He said, focused on some paper work. Great, I was hoping I could go one day without there being a problem.
"What's wrong? What did the ensign do?" I groaned. He looked up from his paper work in confusion.
"Nothings wrong, she asked to speak to you, so I got a hold of you. I know you aren't on duty yet so I figured it wouldn't be too much of a problem." He said, rolling his eyes.
"Alright, which one?" I asked, running a hand through my hair. I had a feeling I already knew when I saw Ensign Farris in one of the offices, working away on something.
"Red hair, back in that office." He said absently. I clapped him on the shoulder, going in to the room, albeit, a bit nervously.
"What can I help you with, ensign?" I asked, trying to be professional, even though she really wasn't earlier.
"I wanted to apologize for what I said. I feel like I attacked you, and that was wrong. I was hoping maybe we could have lunch together and talk about it?" She said softly, biting her lip and not looking me in the eyes.
"Yeah, um, sure, I just have to know. How do you know Khan?" That got her attention. Her wide, almost innocent looking, red eyes locked on mine and her lip popped out from between her teeth.
"I did a lot of reading." She said, looking away.
"Lie to me and the deal is off Ms. Farris. Tell me the truth! There's no way you would react the way you did when you found out he's dead if you only read about him."
"Please! You wouldn't understand!" She said, turning around. Her shoulders started shaking as she grabbed a file from the shelf.
"Try me. I think I can understand just about anything now." I muttered.
"Listen, I'll explain later, I need to get to work and if you don't leave, you'll be late." She said. Her voice seemed different, more stable and not childlike anymore.
"Alright, but I want answers at lunch." I said, storming out of the med bay.
"Any news on that distress call?" I asked, looking back at Uhura.
"Negative, there has been no contact since." She responded, busily looking at her screens.
"Mr. Sulu, how long until we reach the ship?"
"Still around a day sir, it seems the ship is drifting. If we don't get there soon, I'm not sure we're going to be saving anyone." He said, looking back at me with worry.
I collapsed in my chair, putting my face in my hand. Fuck, we're at top warp, how the hell can we get there any sooner.
"Scotty, tell me you have an idea to make us go faster!" I said, calling down to him.
"Aye Captain, if we go any faster, the old girl won't like it." He said. "I'm sorry Captain."
"It's alright, thanks anyways." I said.
"Oi! Perhaps a shuttle would be faster and the ship can follow behind sir!" Scotty said.
"You're brilliant! Have one prepped and ready to go!" I said, hanging up. "Sulu, when the shuttle is ready, drop us out of warp and then you have the con. Spock, Uhura, you're with me."
"Shall I go pack the necessary provisions, Captain?" Spock asked. I'm honestly surprised that he didn't jump in before hand.
"Alright, we'll meet you there." I said. We slowly dropped out of warp and I stood up, squeezing Sulu's shoulder. "Easy on my ship."
"Yes Captain." He said with a grin. I smiled back turning around and following Uhura out the door and in to the pod.
"Captain?" She said softly.
"Yes?" I said, turning to her.
"Did the distress call…. Sound familiar to you?" She said, chewing her lip.
"Yeah, the voice did, but I really can't place it."
"Could it be Khan?" She asked suddenly. I froze, my hands behind my back.
"Khan is dead, Nyota." I whispered. "There's no way it's him, we all watched him die. He didn't heal."
"But-."
"Nyota, please!" I begged, grabbing her shoulders gently as tears filled my eyes.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have suggested it." She whispered, placing a hand on mine.
"It's alright, I'm sorry, I'm still a little sensitive about it."
The doors swished open and Farris stepped on. I pulled away from Uhura, clearing my throat.
"I won't make our lunch today, I'm heading off in the shuttle to the ship that sent a distress call." I said. I felt Uhura's eyes on me and knew I'd have to explain later.
"I know. Dr. McCoy heard from Dr. Scott and he sent me to tell you that he knows you too well and you aren't leaving without a medical ensign going with you." She looked over at me pointedly. "Hense why I am here."
"Awe, c'mon Bones! I'm not that bad!"
"Yes you are." Uhura said, stepping out ahead of me.
"Does Spock know? Cause he really doesn't like you." I said. "Seriously, he has a personal vendetta against you."
"I do now, Captain." Spock said tensely, the feeling of extreme annoyance echoing through the bond.
"Don't blame me, blame Bones." I said, giving him a pointed look. He sighed, going in to the shuttle with me and Farris behind him.
"Captain, may I suggest that I fly the shuttle." Spock said as I went for the driver's seat.
"And why would you suggest that?" I asked. Uhura spun in her chair, glaring at me.
"Last time you flew the shuttle, you flew us between two buildings. SIDEWAYS!" She yelled.
"We fat!" I yelled back.
"If you fat, then that's not too big a deal." Farris said, shrugging.
May I show her?
Go ahead, if you absolutely must! I'll even transfer my memory over for you!
"May I?" He asked, raising his hand so that it was hovering by her meld points.
"Um, sure." She said cautiously.
We were being fired at and I saw a slim opening between two buildings. It was our only shot.
"Alright, there, we can lose them there!" I yelled, grasping at straws.
"You are suggesting that we utilize the passage between the approaching structures. This ship will not fit." Spock said. Always sounding so damn calm.
"We'll fit." I argued.
"Captain, we will not fit!" He said back. If I didn't know better, I would swear he was losing his calm.
"We'll fit! We'll fit!" I yelled, turning the ship sharply. I groaned at the strain as we headed between the buildings. Uhura cried out but I couldn't turn to make sure she was alright. We bumped the side a couple times before flying out the other end, my body filled with relief.
"I told you we'd fit." I said to Spock, my eyes still wide as I hyperventilated slightly.
"I'm not sure that qualifies…" He responded.
She pulled away from Spock with a look of horror on her face. She met my eyes and backed away.
"He flies!" She yelled, pointing at Spock. He turned to me with a smirk and I threw my hands up.
"That's really too bad, I was starting to like you." I said to the ensign while Uhura laughed and got settled. "Oh please, name one accident I've been in!"
"Shortly after we got in to a fight Captain. You flipped your car. I had to pull you out the window, go in to your mind, and pull you out." Spock said, a slight twitch in his eye.
"Fine, fine, you fly. But I fly on the way back." I said.
"No." They all said at once. I glared, sitting myself down with a pout.
"You all suck."
I feel you kirk 3 Thank you all for reading, I hoped you enjoyed the chapter, and please leave a review!