Sun-up and duties shock Spock, lost in thoughts of Academy days.
When Spock got up early the next morning, she was already up at the breakfast table, wearing a striped dress with a name patch sewed onto the chest, spelling 'Cally' in curly red letters. A waitress uniform. Her cracked leather satchel bag was packed and by her chair, her eyes even more tired than they had appeared last night.
'Good morning,' she said, courteously, her smile pinched. Rays of sunlight spliced her, creating interesting shadows and showing a slenderness on her bones which didn't indicate health.
'Good morning,' Spock returned, inclining his head respectfully. A true smile escaped her, and her nose crinkled a little – at his formality, he supposed.
'Do you like toast?' she asked him, moving around to the countertop. A quick search of his mental catalogue came up blank.
'Toast?' he repeated, feeling a little lost. A frequent feeling, recently.
'Yeah … bread, heated so that it's toasted?'
He stared, feeling irrationally panicked, an impassive expression on his face. She fought back the smile, and gestured that he should sit down.
'I can't help it, I do love looking after people. I think you'll like it; I remember when we were kids mom would have to put the jam on the top shelf so Jim couldn't get at it … Course, he had out-stripped her in the height stakes by the time he was about twelve, so she had to just leave him to it! I swear, I've not an idea how he still had teeth. He ate such sugary junk when we were kids … and mom STILL puts the jam on the – top – shelf …'
She struggled on her toes to reach the little jar, wavering as she touched down. Suddenly Spock could see the similarities clearly between the siblings. James was more fluid in his movements, while she was jerkier; like a young animal, with some flinching memory of an attack. But she had the same shift in her shoulders, and something Uhura had pointed out to him … It seemed that Kirk had a particular brand of conceited hair flick which had every female member of the crew sighing and melting into the floor (even Uhura herself, he suspected …) . It was replicated almost exactly in this sister. She skulked from one end of the kitchen to the other, throwing her hair behind her one handed, so that her fingers separated the golden strands in such a way that he had to follow it with his eyes.
He noticed that he really did find her quite attractive, and marvelled at it. A sibling of Captain Kirk's – and here he was, with no murderous intent or even seeping disapproval. Remarkable.
She stalked the kitchen, chattering amiably, and he thought back on her words of before. A nurse. She had gone to the medical branch and succeeded. A nurse. Nurses were something in demand – making it even more odd that she wasn't working as one at the moment. She could only be quite young – it was prestigious enough to be accepted to the academy, and to be graduated already at her age … it all pointed to suspicious circumstances that she wasn't working already.
He remembered her as a student again. Neater. Quiet in the class, with none of that hunted look outside of it, devoid of the languid chatter she must have picked up in her latest employment. An intelligent sparkle in her eyes and a questioning look. He tried to remember any friends she may have had, but drew a blank – but popular. Her type always were. He was startled when she pushed a plate under his nose; a steaming pile of golden bread, dripping with butter and strawberry preserve. She winked mischievously as she grabbed her bag, and pulled on a heavy leather jacket over her short dress.
'Enjoy, Mr. Spock. I have to work the breakfast shift, my mom should know the drill … I'll be seeing you later. I hope James will look after you.'
She disappeared out of the quaint door with a bang. Spock waited a moment but couldn't stop himself from crossing to the window in time to see her kicking the stand out from under her bike, kicking it started and leaping on. She took off in a squeal of rubber and dust, speeding onto the highway.
'She's some girl, isn't she,' Jim's voice floated from behind Spock. He turned lightening fast, and glared at Jim, who was leaning comfortably against the counter, his shoulders hunched, nursing a mug of coffee.
'How did you get there?'
James shrugged the question off.
'If you've got the hots for my sister, you're wasting your time. She's not interested. I will give you that answer now.'
Spock looked outraged; and James hid his smile in his coffee.
'I have no feelings of the kind for your sister. I am in a serious relationship with Nyota. That is all.'
'Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you …' James teased, tossing the cup aside. Spock was about to retort when Winona opened the door gently. She looked hesitant when she spied Spock and Kirk in the middle of a confrontation.
'I hope I'm not interrupting anything …' she hedged, gently. She was a pretty, slightly faded woman, willowy and tender, with Cally's bright eyes and a firmness through her gentle ways.
'Not at all, mother,' James declared jovially, plonking a kiss on her cheek, as she swatted him away laughing. He winked at Spock, who couldn't find it in himself to keep the feeling of annoyance. How could you, with someone as impossible as James T. Kirk?
'Come on,' James was saying, slapping Spock forcefully on the shoulder, 'I'll take you around some of the best haunts Iowa has to offer.'
A/N: The amount of updates are TOO DAMN HIGH. D:
Whatever, have at them, but please tell me what you think of them! I give my gracious thanks to Cuckoo on a String, because you are fab and give me encouraging words. :)
If you like it, please let me know! Or even if you don't - let me know then, too. Like, please. #desperation