Chapter 4: Not as planned

The crew was behaving normally on the bridge. Jamie was glad, but also a little suspicious. It was actually too quiet about that wedding thing. She wondered what they were up to.

It was already late afternoon by now. Another thing she was glad about. She couldn't really concentrate and pondered more than once if she should give Spock the conn and call it a day. Leonard occupied her mind and she caught herself again and again thinking of him, kissing him... thinking about his promise to come to her quarters after Alpha shift.

She was confused. She felt like a teenager in love.

Jamie Kirk didn't do relationships. And she did certainly not fall in love. Right?

As for Leonard McCoy - he didn't want to fall in love again and didn't want to get married again. Right?

Well... apparently all those things had changed gradually.

Somewhere between asking for a blue dress and being kissed like never before Jamie had realized she was in love with her best friend. And Leonard surprising her in her quarters, pressing her against a wall and kissing her was a pretty good indication he was also in love with her.

Also, being pressed against a wall seemed to be getting a recurring thing...

So... how to go from here?

This wasn't a fling. This wouldn't just be sex. Jamie Kirk couldn't just jump into bed with Leonard McCoy.

Well, she wanted to, of course. She felt goosebumps and anticipation thinking about what was he was capable of when he could kiss like that. But she was determined not to rush things and realized she'd almost done that a few hours ago.

"Captain?"

Jamie turned her head and noticed Spock standing next to the command chair. "Hm?"

"You seem to be distracted", the commander remarked.

"Crazy day... I was thinking about what to put in my report", she replied, bending the truth a little. She really would have to think about that report. "A captain doesn't have to marry her CMO on a strange planet to save him that often."

"I already took the liberty to issue a warning to Starfleet regarding Venar and the color blue."

"Good..." Jamie said a little absentminded.

Spock surveyed her. "Captain, may I suggest you return to your quarters and get some rest? Your shift would end in an hour anyway."

She was about to decline, but finally nodded. "Okay, you've got the conn."

The captain got up, left the bridge and went back to her quarters. Where the blue dress was still laying on the bed. She unwillingly smiled. The dress made her think of kissing Leonard.

She thought about putting on the dress again... or changing out of her uniform into something nicer...

But she decided against both. Technically her shift wasn't over yet.

Also, she was a little curious what the short skirt of the uniform dress would do to him, for she had never paid attention thinking he only saw her as a friend.

Jamie hung the dress on a hanger at the door of her wardrobe.

She just went for an old-fashioned book and settled down on the couch, waiting for Leonard's shift to end.

When Jamie looked up and glanced at the chronometer she was confused. 1922 hours. But no Leonard McCoy.

She grabbed her communicator from the couch table. "Kirk to Medbay."

"This is Nurse Ogawa."

"Is Doctor McCoy still there?" Jamie asked.

"Yes, he went into surgery half an hour ago. I'm so sorry, Captain. I was supposed to comm you, but then the next patient came in and I completely forgot. It's a crazy evening."

"Slow down, Nurse Ogawa. What surgery? Couldn't M'Benga do that? What happened?"

"He's in surgery, too. There was an accident during some repairs in the astronomy lab."

"How bad?" Jamie asked concerned.

"Four injured. Could be worse. But two of them needed surgery."

Jamie sighed and nodded. "So Bones went in, although he shift was over."

"Yes", the nurse confirmed.

"How long will it take?"

"I guess an hour at least. Maybe more."

"Okay... thanks... Kirk out." Jamie closed her communicator and threw it next to herself on the couch. She looked down at the book, but wasn't interested in reading anymore.

She placed the book next to her communicator and left her quarters.

Five minutes later the captain entered Medbay and saw Anya Ogawa treating an ensign from astronomy and some other medical personal tending to Keenser.

The nurse looked surprised to Jamie.

"I'll wait in his office", Jamie only said and went there without waiting for an answer.

She decided to write her report about the mission while waiting. It felt a little weird and it was the first time she was using the CMO's computer, but it was also kind of funny sitting as captain in an office in Medbay.

When she finished her report, Leonard was still in surgery. She took a look outside and just got a headshake from Ogawa.

Jamie browsed through the shelf with some real books behind Leonard's desk. Medical books. Boring.

Finally, she laid down on the couch, pulling her boots off and throwing them aside. She felt tired and hungry. But she didn't want to eat without him.

Two minutes later she was asleep.

Leonard looked with a sigh on the chronometer. Surgery had taken a lot longer than he'd thought. It was 2213 hours now.

"Damn..."

He slowly stretched a little and rubbed his neck. He felt sore, tired and hungry... And he felt bad not having been able to meet Jamie as he promised.

A giggle made him turn around.

"Sorry, Doctor, I didn't want to startle you", Nurse Ogawa said. "But you look like you need a little cheering-up."

He just made a grumpy noise.

She chuckled. "Just go to your office."

"Why?" He frowned.

"Just go. You'll see", she said leaving again.

Leonard changed out of his scrubs, jumped quickly into the sonic shower and put on his uniform.

Then he followed the nurse's advice. He went to his office and stopped in surprise when he stepped though the door and it closed behind him.

"Jamie", he whispered.

The captain was laying asleep on the couch. Her skirt was riding up and her long, blonde hair was sprawled around her head.

His heart skipped a few beats seeing her. He unwillingly smiled and had to admit - the nurse was right.

He kneeled next to the couch and gently caressed Jamie's cheek. "Darlin'?"

She stirred and her eyelids fluttered, but didn't open. "D'n w'nna g't up..."

He chuckled and made his decision within a split-second. He gently pushed one hand under her knees and the other one under her back. Carefully not to wake her he picked her up bridal style.

Jamie stirred again a little, but simply let her head rest against his right shoulder, sighing contentedly, thinking she was dreaming.

Leonard kissed her forehead and walked out of his office with a sleeping Jamie Kirk in his arms. Her boots would spend the night in the CMO's office.

Anya Ogawa wasn't sure, if she should grin or be surprised when she saw the doctor carrying the captain out of Medbay. The crewmembers Leonard encountered on the way to the captain's quarters were in the same dilemma. But they all decided the same: they grinned.

Leonard just ignored them and commanded the computer with his medical override to open the door to Jamie's quarters. He headed straight for the bedroom area and gently laid her down on her bed.

He sat down next to her, leaned over her and trailed with a hand over her cheek. "Jamie?"

She sighed and stirred. "Wha'?"

He chuckled and finally lowered his head placing a gentle kiss on her lips. After a moment he felt her responding and smiling into the kiss.

"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty", he whispered.

Jamie slowly blinked. "You've read your daughter too many fairy tales", she complained, but smiled. She looked at him, remaining on her back and realizing it wasn't a dream.

"Doesn't change the fact how beautiful you are."

"Flattery won't get you anywhere, Doctor McCoy", she teased him, slowly sitting up.

Leonard stayed close to her. "I'm already in your bed, Captain."

She tilted her head. "On, not in", she corrected with a wink.

"Are you making me go back to my quarters?" he teased back.

Jamie felt her heart racing. She knew she was about to rush into things instead of taking it slow as she'd planned. "Depends", she finally said playfully. "Can you keep your hands to yourself tonight?"

"Hands? Maybe. Lips? No", Leonard replied and leaned forward into a kiss she eagerly returned.

His hands found their way to her back, pulling her closer. She slid her hands in his neck and moaned into the kiss.

"Aren't we rushing this?" she asked between kisses.

"Why?" he replied, distracted by her lips and the feeling of her breasts pressed against his chest.

She pulled back a little. "Because."

Leonard shook his head. "Didn't we talk about this?"

She looked at him again. "You surprised me in my quarters and called me Captain McCoy", she reminded him. "We still need to talk about that. I didn't think... I mean..." She sighed. "This was a weird day. I never imagined this first contact mission to go that haywire, let alone ending it in a wedding."

"True. But it brought us together", he said quietly and full of affection.

"So... we are... together? Like a couple?"

"Yes. If you want that. I..." He took a deep breath. "You're right. This day was a complete mess. But I'm actually glad everything that happened did happen. I don't know if or when I would have had the courage to act on my feelings."

Jamie blinked surprised and then smiled. "We're idiots", she whispered, leaning closer again.

Leonard cupped her cheek with one hand.

"I'm a little afraid", Jamie admitted. "You know I never had a real relationship. I don't know how to do this. I don't want to screw up, because I..."

Leonard took all his courage and spelled out what he didn't dare until now and what he was thinking all day. "First of all: I love you, too. And second: I think we already are in a relationship for quite a while now, we just didn't realize it... And third: Maybe that name could become reality one day?"

Jamie look at him with wide eyes and for a few moments she felt unable to move.

Leonard chuckled and pulled her in another gentle kiss, that got more heated when their hands started wandering. Jamie let herself sink on her back again, pulling him down with her. Somehow he managed to kick off his shoes and was suddenly all over her pinning her down on the mattress.

A few kisses and some pushed up clothing later Leonard popped himself up on his elbows. "I'm torn between finding the zipper of your uniform and asking you if you did eat anything this evening."

"I'm not even sure if I had lunch", she replied and really didn't remember.

Leonard climbed off her, got up and pulled her also off the bed towards the replicator. "I think we were way too occupied with me not having to marry some Venaran woman. So, we'll get something to eat now and then we can continue what we started over there."

"Okay..." Jamie said with a smile and ordered some sandwiches from the replicator. Not a full nourishing meal, but one that couldn't get cold - if they got distracted.

She picked up the plate, but when her gaze met Leonard's she put it down again instantly. He had that predatory look again.

A moment later she found herself against a wall again and his lips were on hers. Yeah, this was really becoming a pattern.

But this time Jamie turned the tables and it was suddenly Leonard's back at the wall.

It took a while until they remembered the food again.