So there's the next chapter. I hope you like it!
It's still part of the birthday present, that's why it's still not looked over, because it's for my lovely beta-reader Lyri. And no, I won't give the job to anyone else. It's not that I don't trust you guys but my darling Lyri just knows what I want to say when I didn't find the right word. We're on the same wavelength.
Enjoy! And leave me a little review.
2
Dana was more than happy to leave the conference early. It had been one of the most horrbile meetings she had had in a long while. The mother of one of her more difficult pupils had accused her openly to be too lax with the kids.
That was the moment when Dana Ottman had lost her temper.
She had told the fuming mother that her daughter was a very well mannered and intelligent girl as long as she was occupied, but if the little whizzkid got bored her mind produced the pranks her mother was so overstrained with; so perhaps the mother should worry less about the dresses she would wear at the next champagne reception and more about how her brilliant daughter could feel more loved and encouraged.
It had been quite the outburst and it felt like a relief to once tell this silly cow how Dana felt about her. Unfortunately the mother was married to an ambitious Starfleet diplomat and Dana was sure she would hear of the incident again in very close future.
She opened the door to her office to put down her files when she heard a good-humored whistling, a low ranting about it and a sharp accurate step. So there they were. The infernal trio.
„Hi, Mrs. Ottman! So glad you're really here!" Jim called out.
Dana's eyebrow rose up. „Of course I'm here, Jimmy. I usually keep my words. Why wouldn't I come?"
The young blond grinned sheepishly at her. „Perhaps... dunno... you really didn't want to see me again?" he said and all his grinning couldn't hide the fear of rejection his voice held.
Dana took a step forward. So he was still unsure when he got close to someone. He pretended to be the jackass to keep his heart safe. These two men must really mean a lot to him that he let them see him from his vulnarable side. Mrs. Ottman put her hand at his cheek and kissed him on the other.
„Silly boy." she said and enjoyed the expression in Jim's eyes. He beamed at her.
„So where do we want to go? Does the ‚Riverboat' still exist?"
„This is Riverside in Iowa, Jimmy. Did you forget? Things don't change that fast here. Of course it still exists."
„Great! Let's go there, they make the best burgers you've eaten in your life!"
„As long as we get in..." McCoy grumbled in Jim's direction. „You told me there isn't one place in Riverside you weren't banned from.
„Oh come on, Bones! That was years ago!" the young Captain grinned. „I'm the famous Captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise now."
Bones just snorted. „I still wouldn't let you near my establishment if I were them."
For a moment Dana thought to see hurt in Jim's eyes, but he was too good in hiding his real emotions. So the young blond just laughed and said:
„That's why I brought you with me. My highly esteemed first officer to look after me and my very handsome doctor to charm them all."
There it was again. The blush that covered Leonard's cheeks immediately. With astonishment Dana discovered that she wasn't the only one scrutinizing the doctor's reaction. Spock's dark eyes met hers as they watched the interplay between the other two men.
What is your role in that little lovegame, Vulcan boy, Dana thought, because it was obvious that there was some subliminal deeper emotion beneath the surface of friendship Jim and Leonard displayed. Dana just knew it. She had a sixth sense for things like that. It was evident that at least the doctor had more feelings for his friend than he tried to admit, but Dana knew her Jimmy. And even though it seemed there was no difference in his behaviour to Spock or McCoy it was the little things startling her right from the beginning. Jim's hand rested quite often on Bones' arm or the small of his back. It was an unconscious gesture like Jim was trying to assure himself that the other man was still there right beside him.
Dana smiled. There was no need for Jim to check that. It seemed that young McCoy was glued to his side.
They walked along the streets down to the Hall Park where the ‚Riverboat' – it wasn't actually a boat, it just had a mast with a sail in its front garden and was somewhat close to the English River – was. Jim entertained them with stories from his past when they passed certain placed or streets he had a special connection to. Most of those stories contained a drunken Jim and a barfight or a beautiful girl and an angry father, husband or brother.
The Vulcan didn't react to the stories at all, his gaze completely neutral, but on Leonard's handsome face the reluctance was obvious.
„That's not funny, Jim! I don't want to know how many times you've already cheated death. It makes me sick. You could have been killed a hundred times, no a thousand times! YOU don't have to read your medical report... It's a like a horror trip to read that thing. All your allergies, the subsequent damages... You shouldn't be able to walk at all! Just go on like this. Good old Bones will patch you back together... Is that what you think? My ass... I just should let you lie there the next time you got beaten up all over again. You'd deserve it. Who looked after you before you met me, kid?" the good doctor ranted.
„Noone, Bones. You're the first one to stick around long enough to care."
Jim's voice was full of warmth and tenderness. It was enough for Dana to know everything she wanted to know. Jim was just as enarmoured with the handsome doctor as the doctor was with Jim. They both only seemed to be too afraid and too hurt to put one and one together.
„That's why I'm here, kid." McCoy answered and his voice sounded rougher than usual. He ruffled through Jim's blond hair.
„Captain." The Vulcan had stopped walking. Jim turned around and had to blink a few times as if he had forgotten the presence of the young Vulcan.
„What is it, Spock?"
„Captain, with your permission I would like to return to the Enterprise."
Jim looked at him completely baffled. „No way, Spock. We decided to stay at least three days. You need your shoreleave as well."
It was the first time that Dana could see the Captain in the young man who once had been her pupil. His voice had changed marginally but there was a sharper edge to it. Her boy was more than capable of commandig a whole starship.
„Captain, I insist that you let me return to the ship. There are some important things that require my personal attendance. Of course you and the doctor can stay here as planned."
Jim stood there scrutinizing his First Officer. „I don't believe a word, Spock. But ok... you can return to the Enterprise, but I will bring you back to the Riverside space harbour."
„Captain, I'm capable of finding the way on my own."
„Spock."
It was only the commander's name, but Dana decided that it was definite order. The shoulders of the young Vulcan slumped slightly.
„Mrs. Ottman, it was a pleasure to meet you." the Commander inclined his head.
„The pleasure was mine, Commander Spock."
„Mrs. Ottman, would you go accompany Bones to the ‚Riverboat'? I'll be there as fast as I can manage."
„Of course, Jimmy."
„Thank you." he smiled, then turning around to his First Officer while alrady walking away. „And you, Spock, owe me some explanations."
They stood there a few more seconds watching the two men leaving. McCoy sighed in defeat rubbing his temples.
Dana decided to link arms with him and started walking. The tall, young man followed her wordlessly until they reached the restaurant.
„Let's have a seat." Dana smiled and Leonard nodded.
„I'm sorry, Mrs. Ottman, I'm afraid I'm nothing as funny a companion like Jim is."
„No need to apologize. Jim can be very entertaining but very unnerving as well." She laughed.
„Oh hell, yes. He's a man of extremes." McCoy laughed along.
A waitress came along blushing shyly when she took the orders from McCoy, who didn't notice her at all.
„You make quite the impression with the female population." Dana winked and McCoy looked up absentmindedly but without answering.
„So when did you plan on telling him what he means to you?" Dana inquired.
Dr. Leonard McCoy looked at her panicstricken and coughed,
„He knows that he's important to me." he answered cautiously. Dana smiled. He hadn't asked whom she was talking about. Jim seemed to be on the forefront of his mind all the time.
„That isn't what I was talking about, darling. I wanted to know when you tell him that you love him."
The seconds ticked by without any reaction. Leonard just stared at her. She knew she was being hard on him, but she knew as well there was never again the chance to talk to the young man openly. She always had had a soft spot for James Tiberius Kirk and she felt like a mother for him and she was already nuts about the young doctor as well. So why not to push a little bit and help them find their luck?
„Breath, boy, breath." she told Leonard. „Everything's ok."
McCoy sighed deeply. „Is it that obvious?" he asked in a very low voice and Dana could hear his heartbreak in every single word. She reached out and took his hand.
„Darling, I'm a teacher AND a mother. I simply know these things."
„I can't tell him." he said, taking his hand away and closing his eyes.
„Why?"
When he opened his eyes again they were full of unhidden pain. „I couldn't bear a rejection, I couldn't bear losing him!"
Dana made a vow to herself. If she ever met the ex-wife of Dr. Leonard McCoy she would have the outburst of her life. What had that woman done to him?
„Leonard, listen. I know my boy. He would never abandon you. Even if he didn't feel the same for you. He would never ever reject your friendship. You have no idea what a friendship with Jimmy means. He doesn't make friends easily. To be honest you and Spock are the first friends he had in his life." By the mention of the Vulcan McCoy flinched. „You would be a perfect match for him."
„No, I'm not. I'm already a broken man. He's so full of life, he's shining like a sun. I would be the shadow..."
„There is no light without a shadow, darling. And you know exactly that Jimmy has some very dark spots in his life as well. And I believe you're the only one who knows what I'm talking about. You knew him before he went saving Earth."
Leonard nodded. „I don't remember how it happened but we were friends right from the beginning. His energy was overwhelming. I didn't have a thing or a anyone left after my divorce and I was drawn to him like a moth to a flame. I was too hurt to realize that I had fallen in love with him for a very long time. It was in the moment when he was on Nero's ship and I had to face the possibility of never seeing him again..."
He couldn't go on but his eyes begged for understanding.
„You should tell him, darling. Really."
McCoy looked out of the window his eyes fixing on a man approaching the restaurant quickly.
„He needs someone else. Someone less bitter, less pessimistic."
„Someone like Spock?" Dana tried.
A bitter snort was the answer. „Yes, someone like Spock. Someone more controlled than me."
„Oh darling, you can't be serious. So you think Spock's less broken than you? That guy lost his whole planet."
„I'm older than Jim. He should have someone his age." he tried to argue. Dana just smiled.
„And that decreases your capability of loving him?"
„No, of course not..."
„And, honey, your still much too young a man to have difficulties with making love to him." she winked and enjoyed the sight of the handsome doctor blushing fiercely once again
„You're a very prompt woman, Mrs. Ottman. I see why he likes you."
„It's Dana to you, darling."
„He's allowed to call you Dana?" Jim had arrived at their table with a short stop at the bar and had grabbed the last sentence. He put a beer in front of Leonard and himself. „Why do I have to call you still Mrs. Ottman then? I know you much longer!"
Dana laughed. „Because he's a grownup, sweets, and you're an eleven year old captain with a huge toy-starship."
„Bones! Say something!" Jim whined.
„She's right kid. I'm the adult here. I have to make the decisions."
Jim looked at his companion inquiringly, but McCoy didn't explain further and downed his beer instead. Bones' eyes were searching for Dana's and she smiled at him approvingly. It's overdue that you move on, honey, that ex-wife of yours was a real fool and Jim isn't, she thought.
"So guys, tell me. Where did you two meet? I would never have believed that Jimmy would call a doctor his friend."
James T. Kirk loughed loudly. "He's my friend as long as he has no hyp in his hand. And to the 'where we met'... Bones, why don't you tell her?"
McCoy blushed again and didn't answer so Kirk told Diana. "It was more a 'how we met'. He told me he would probably throw up on me."
Dana looked at the doctor incredously.
"I just don't like flying..."
tbc