Disclaimer: Star Trek is not mine nor do I claim to own it. This is purely a work of fiction.
AN: This is longer than the previous two chapters so I split it in two parts. If there is any confusion Jim is roughly 3 years old at this point in time. Enjoy.
Chapter Two (part one)
The outside of the Medbay was filled with chatter, and was much too crowded as the alpha crew tried to make their way down.
"Alright now get! I told you we don't know nothing yet and you all have work to be doing!" Bones voice rose out over the crowd and suddenly the large number of people dispersed quickly. The alpha crew was all that remained and they turned to see Bones standing at the entrance to his medbay looking worn and unsure.
"Iz it him? Iz it our Keptin Kirk?" Chekov asked the question they all held beneath their breaths.
"We took some blood test and they're getting scanned." Bones said and gave a wary smile, "But if you ask me I'd say we don't need to run the tests. Its him." he breathed out.
"Ya-my-oh!" Chekov replied a bright smile blooming on his face.
"And yet you sound like that is worse?" Uhura replied seeing that both Scotty and Sulu shared her observation. Sulu reached out to take hold of Chekov's arm when that hope crashed down with the same dawning realization.
"Just…something the Elders told the crew on the station. It's got my mind at the moment." Bones replied honestly but stepped aside for the crew. As they went to move forward he held his arm up to stop them once more, "Right now. This is not our Captain. It's a kid and he does not know why he is here and not home. So, if he seems frightened back off. Give him time. I'm only allowing this because Jim would want to see you guys no matter what the situation…if he was in his right mind. So maybe this can help."
The crew nodded in understanding and entered the room to see Jim propped up on one of the beds. He had a pillow clutched close to his chest and seemed to be holding his own in a staring contest against Spock. He appeared to be trying to figure something out but as time passed he kept burying his head further into the pillow as they watched each other in silence. Though, the tension seemed to break almost instantly when the boy finally realized that there were others here now, and he stiffened turning away from Spock to look at the approaching group.
He scanned the crew members with a calculating gaze which made them all practically gasp at the site of bright blue eyes staring back at them. Nyota couldn't stop the sob at the site, and reached forward, all while taking cautious steps, "Hey…Jim do you remember me? I'm Nyota but you'd always call me Uhura." She whispered wiping at her tears as she stepped closer to the bed. However, the closer she got to him he flinched with each step and dug deeper into his pillow. This reaction made her stop in her assent.
Jim turned his wary gaze to McCoy and tears began to fill up his blue eyes, "I thought you were getting Sam!" he choked out, "Why can't I be with Sam?" he turned to look at Spock with a plea in his eyes.
"Sam is not onboard our ship. Remember Jim we spoke of this." Spoke replied honestly, "We are on route to Earth, but it will take us 11.3 months before our return. For now Dr. McCoy deems it fit for you to meet some of our friends so you may come to recognize some faces that you may trust while you are on board with us." He spoke calmly and factually, and the crew silently watched as Jim seemed to shift closer to Spock.
"Leave him for five minutes and he's already attached to the hobgoblin!" Bones huffed and moved towards Jim, "Stop hiding now Jimmy. How about you come with me and we go explore the ship with Miss Uhura? Doesn't that sound fun?" he smiled down at the boy only to gain a wary glance shot towards Nyota before Jim reluctantly nodded his head.
Before anything else could happen Jim turned to look at Spock. It seemed that whatever he was searching for he found, because he pushed up and released his hold on the pillow placing it off to the side and holding his arms out to McCoy. "Up you go." Bones spoke as he hoisted Jim up into his arms and playfully almost dropped him, "Whoa there Jimmy! Almost lost yah." He gasped out, and the crew all gasped as for the first time in such a long while, the room filled with laughter.
"Be careful Mr. Bones!" the boy laughed and pulled closer to McCoy, "I'm not that heavy!" he huffed out earning a ruffle to his hair.
"Of course not Jimmy but you must've grown up when I wasn't looking because I don't remember you being so big."
"Don't look away too much I can't grow up without Sam." Jim gasped his voice holding a serious note now but he earned an amused grin from Bones before the Doctor turned to look at Uhura.
"Well I'll haveta keep my eyes on you then till we find Sam." He smiled when she nodded that she was ready, "Where to first Nyota?" He asked moving to lead the way as the three of them filed out of sickbay.
The rest of the crew couldn't do much but watch silently as the three of them exited the room.
As the sickbay door swished shut Spock seemed to deem this an acceptable time to address them, and rose up out of his chair, turning to face the three remaining. "Leonard was afraid that it might overwhelm Jim with all of the new faces at once. Yet, he wanted to see how Jim reacted before we approached the matter. We had figured that if he seemed reluctant, we would try to separate it so he slowly meets us all individually. He seems somewhat aware that he knows us. So, we wish to introduce him to those he is closest with." Spock spoke again in that calm manner and noted that Chekov seemed to cast questioning glances to the door, "Yes Chekov?"
"Why iz he a child sir?" he asked sadly and met Spock's gaze, "I'm sorry to ask because I am happy ze Keptin is back. It is just sad zat he iz not remembering us. Vhat will we do if he is still child vhen we get back to ze star base?"
"We are at one of the furthest reaches of the Federation. Already it would take us 6.5 months to return at a high warp. We figured that a more…leisurely pace would be beneficial." Spock replied.
"How old is the lad?" Scotty breathed out, turning away from his gaze on the door to look at Spock.
"The Doctor has estimated that he is roughly three Terran years. We will know more when the scans return."
"But he will not stay that age, right?" Sulu asked speaking up now.
"Very observant of you, Mr. Sulu." Spock replied and looked towards the door as everyone else seemed to do now and again. It was like a gravitational pull, Jim was back kid or not, and they couldn't seem to stop searching for a glimpse of him. "They stated that he is slowly going to age until finally he will return to the proper age. Whatever happened to our Captain left something that the elders of the planet felt they couldn't heal without altering his age. We can only wait and see what is to come to pass."
"So, then were going to take shifts with the captain?" Sulu asks, "What about when we all are on the bridge? And what if he doesn't come to recognize us? Are we also planning on keeping this from the rest of the ship?"
"A'Lil too late for tha last one lad, you saw the group, it seems like all the crew knows 'bout our Captain's return." Scotty speaks turning to Sulu, "The crew don't care what age he is. We all just want are Captain back."
Chekov and Sulu both nodded in agreement there. Before, finally, Chekov broke into a huge grin. "Can I have next shift with Jim, Comman-uh-Captain?" He spoke with his best puppy eyes towards Spock, and both Sulu and Scotty knew they'd give their chance to spend time with Jim up under that gaze.
"We will see how Jim is after they return." Spock said and finally in an act out of norm he inclined his head, "We are all excited for the Captain's return. You will get your chance to be with him do not fear Chekov." He replied and then lifted his eyes, "For now it would be advisable for the three of you to return to whatever tasks you do on your free time. It is likely that Jim and the others will stop by during their tour." Spock spoke calmly and guided them from sickbay.
If no one asked why the boy did not ask for his mom, but rather his brother Sam…well no one seemed capable of dealing with the pain that thought brought up.
"No I want to stay with Mr. Spock!" Jim cried out as he clinging to said Vulcan's leg.
"Jim it is wise of you to cease this immediately. The doctor is a friend and you have trusted him for longer than you have myself. Add to that I have no prior experience with Terrain children. He is a much more logical choice to stay with." Spock replied as McCoy hovered now by his leg trying to pull the boy away.
"I-I don't want to." Jim sniffled out the words and went about clutching Spock's now truly wrinkled pant leg much tighter. "I won't sleep if you make me." He stated firmly and looked up at Spock, "Don't let them take me away."
"It is illogical to fear that McCoy will 'take you away' Jim. You are not leaving the ship nor am I. We will reunite within 8.0 hours after you have sufficiently rested and will require sustenance at the mess."
"Please." Jim breathed out and McCoy stood up almost violently.
"You take him tonight Spock. It should be fine he's old enough and bright enough to not cause too much trouble. Obviously there's something about you that makes him feel safer than I do. Who am I to argue when he asks so nicely?"
Spock looked up to see a mix of hurt and concern on McCoy's face but the man smiled and looks at Jim. "Now give me a hug you brat and off to bed." He grumbled out and Jim immediately released Spock to crush into Bones' legs.
Spock hesitated for a moment believing this to possibly be some ploy to trick Jim into releasing his hold. Yet, it seemed that Jim trusted McCoy on his words, and true to those very word McCoy let's Jim stay with Spock.
They returned to Spock's quarters and Jim walked Spock through the 'night schedule,' or what Sam always had him do before going to bed. Shower first, which he was old enough to do alone! He made sure to be adamant upon this fact, though, if Spock stuck close to the door it had nothing to do with not believing the young version of his captain. After that he brushed his teeth and hair before clambering up onto Spock's bed and furiously readjusted the pillow arrangement so that he wouldn't accidently intrude his emotions upon Spock while asleep.
Then when he is finally settled he turned expectant eyes upon Spock. Who at this time was waiting patiently for the boy to fall asleep, so that he might meditate until meeting the crew for breakfast in 7.8 hours.
"Yes Jim?"
"You have to climb into bed and then tell me a story so we can both fall asleep." Jim replied as if this was the most obvious out of his entire evening routine and that even Spock should've known about this.
"I do not know of any terrain tales for children nor do I plan to fall asleep tonight." Spock replied remaining where he stood just within the room looking at the child.
"You're…not going to sleep? Is it cuz I took your bed?" Jim asked not really understanding what was wrong. Sam had always allowed him to share his bed on nights he did not wish to sleep in his own room.
"Vulcans do not require as much rest as terrains do. I had planned to meditate until morning."
"Oh." Jim replied slowly then looked at the whole extra space on the bed, "Well can you at least sit and tell me a story till I fall asleep?" He asked sounding somewhat disappointed but understanding.
"Again I do not know any stories Jim."
"Then I can tell you one!" Jim cried out but quickly bit his lip in an effort to take back what he did. He gazed up warily at Spock before wiping furiously at the tears on his cheek, "I don't want to be alone." He stated under a mumble and Spock finally succumbed to Jim's request.
"Very well I will sit with you until you fall asleep." He stated and sat upon 'his side' of the bed allowing the child a moment to recollect himself though it seemed he cried for quite some time before he finally settled.
"Do-do you wanna hear 'bout my brother?" Jim asked cautiously and the lack of tremors in his voice told Spock that Jim was no longer distressed.
"That seems acceptable. You seem quite fond of him; going so far as to call for him rather than that of your mother. Odd seeing as most terrains adolescents seem to require their parents' protection until a certain age."
"Winona is 'round." Jim replied almost as a side note not lacking emotion, but rather not holding any compassion either. "Sam is my hero though!" Jim beams, "He's so smart and helps me out with everything. He says I'm bright for my age and that other kids won' stand a chance when I start school."
Jim goes off on all the reasons his brother is amazing to him and the adventures that they go on. Eventually the tales trail off and the boy falls asleep.