Chapter 6
Two hours later, and they still haven't left.
Bones pounds his fist against the bathroom door. "Goddamn it, Jim! I'd like to go before I get any older."
"I'm almost done," Jim says nonchalantly, applying more mascara to her eyes.
"You said that an hour ago."
"Well I'm closer to the truth of it than before," Jim chuckles and steps into a tight red dress. She adjusts and manipulates her breasts to her satisfaction, vaguely wishing she was a C-cup and not a B-cup, runs her hands down her sides to smooth out the wrinkles and twists so that she can look at her at her own ass. She gives an approving nod as she steps into her gold heels (which takes her already 5'6 height, up to an intimidating 5'9), and quickly puts on the matching gold jewelry.
"Kid…"
"I'm almost done."
"You're a menace, and I'm a damn broken record to boot. Should I count off all the gray hairs I've gotten since you've been in there?"
Jim rolls her eyes and brushes her hair, letting her bangs fall into her face, and clips it off into a low ponytail with a gold butterfly clip. "I'm coming Bones. I'm wrapping it up right now as we speak, I promise," she says as she applies some red lipstick to her lips.
"Lies, all lies."
Jim snorts, snaps the lipstick shut, spritzes some perfume around herself, on the sides of her neck, and on the inside of her wrists then dumps it all into her gold pocketbook. She turns and the door retracts, making Bones stumble in and she grins. "Okay, we can leave now," she announces mildly.
Bones catches and rights himself, then lifts his head to glare but his jaw drops in surprise instead.
Jim smirks and flutters her blonde lashes. "Bones, close your mouth. You'll attract flies," she says sweetly and brushes past him, sliding her hand across his stomach.
Bones grunts and fidgets. "Never seen you outside of our red uniform," he responds quietly.
Jim glances over her shoulder and catches him as he subtly adjusts his crotch through his dress pants. He's wearing a dark blue button down short-sleeve shirt, tucked into gray dress pants and belted with a leather belt that matches the leather jacket he reaches for and throws on. "Mm, well you don't look so bad yourself, cowboy," she purrs as she eyes him.
Bones flushes. "Don't toy with me woman," he warns.
Jim winks and throws on an all-white pea coat. "So we're taking a cab right?"
Bones nods and follows her out the door.
"Stop looking at my ass, Bones."
Bones splutters.
Jim throws her head back and laughs. "Joking, I'm totally joking. You can look all you want."
"C'mere, Kid," Bones growls darkly, making a grab for her as she giggles.
Jim sprints away, hoping she doesn't break her ankles or her legs in her high heels as Bones gives chase.
888
The club she picks is called Taboo.
It's the hottest Latin-themed dance club in all of San Francisco, and Jim knows that there will be so much energy, so many faces in there, that no one will pay even the slightest attention to them. Well, no one will treat them like celebrities that is, but they certainly would get a few suitors. Jim is no idiot of her own looks, or Bones (God how she loved to just look at that grumpy southern bastard). In fact, Jim and Bones have been cock-blocking each other all night. Which is just fine for both parties because they came out to get shit-faced, not laid.
Speaking of cock-blocking.
Bones is at the bar, right where Jim left him when she had taken a bathroom break. She can see him through the throng of people gyrating to the pulse of the all too loud Latin music. He is perched on a stool, one dexterous hand fisting a glass of bourbon, facing a giggling redhead who cant seem to stop touching his arm.
Jim saddles right up into Bones's side, leans over him to grab his drink and says, "Hey babe, who's this?" Jim cups the glass of bourbon and gives the redhead a curious look. She also can't help but to check the redhead out too, she did have an impressive physique and Jim is an admirer of the human form, but she also makes sure to put her free hand on Bones's thigh possessively.
The redhead pulls back and blinks. "Uh…"
"This is Laura. She's been so nice, keepin' me company while you were gone, darlin'," Bones replies, playing right along with Jim's game.
Laura continues to stammer.
"Why thank you, Laura," Jim slaps Laura on the arm good-naturedly. "Hey, how old are you? Sixteen—seventeen?"
Laura chokes on her own outrage. "I'm twenty-seven!"
Both of Jim's eyebrows lift at that. "Oh, well isn't that something?"
Bones snorts and mutters, "Like you're one to talk. Barely legal yourself."
Jim looks at him sharply, before it morphs into a sweet smile. "You know, I just cannot leave you alone for a second," she says as she grabs Bones's jaw, squeezing near his mouth and making kissy faces at him. "I swear they all flock to you like bees to honey. And why wouldn't they, my little snuggly cuddly squishy honey-bear? Isn't he just adorable? Look at that face." She roughly pats him on the cheek as Bones winces.
Bones glares and grabs her hand, moving it away from his face. "All right, settle down, darlin'," he mutters, giving Jim a warning look that says not to press her luck.
Jim shrugs and turns back to the redhead. "Buh-bye Laura, thanks," she waves with an obvious dismissal.
Laura makes a sound of disgust and stomps off.
"Ah," Jim sighs. "She was nice. And kinda hot. I'm almost sad to see her go. We could have had a threesome. What do you think?" she chuckles into Bones's glass of bourbon and downs it like a champ.
Bones snorts, and then makes a face that's both a glare and a look of respect. "What I think is that you're the first woman I ever met that can down the dark stuff without coughin' like an asthmatic."
Jim shrugs and signals the bartender for a refill. "Well, Bonesy, you haven't met a lot of real women then."
Bones's hand curls around her hip and he presses her into his side, like he wants them to become one, and leans in so close that his lips are tickling her ear, and says, "When I meet 'em, they're just little girls, lookin' for someone to untangle their panties." A beat, then, "And by the time I'm through—then, Jim—then they're women."
Jim splutters in complete astonishment at the blatant come-on while Bones watches in satisfaction. "Why Bones, I do believe you just said something completely unsavory and provocative."
Bones eyes her closely for a moment and gently wrestles his refilled drink from her hand. "Your own fault for lookin' so—like that. Givin' a wholesome man like me too much to think about. Too much…" he trails off with a shrug and leans back out of her personal space, downing his drink.
"It's nice to know that you find me attractive," Jim chuckles and he grunts in reply. "But we both know you're far from wholesome, Bones."
Bones grins darkly. His dark hazel eyes flickers down to hers and holds. "I'm sure I'd be the perfect man for ya, Jimmy. You and I got the right chemistry, no doubt about that, can't say we wouldn't be good together in bed," he says listlessly; almost as though he were commenting on the weather but his eyes darken in intensity. "I'm more than familiar with you physically—bein' your personal physician has those perks—but give me a chance at it un-professionally, and I'm sure I could show you a thing or two that you didn't even know about yourself," he promises darkly. Then just as quickly, the intensity flees from his eyes and is replaced by stone-cold humor. Then he gestures to his own ears with a suggestive shake of his eyebrows to say, "Only problem, I figure, is that my ears are a little too rounded for your tastes," he says nonchalantly. And just to goad her, he adds, "Yes sir, I reckon your tastes leans to more—green-blooded—partners."
Jim chokes on her own spit. "Bones! What the fuck?"
Bones chuckles and toasts his empty glass in her direction. "I know you too well, even when you don't think I do, I know you."
Jim pouts and slumps into his side as he plants a hand between her shoulder blades, keeping her against him. "Not fair," she mumbles. "You fight dirty."
"I fight just fine," Bones retorts and signals for another refill.
"It's kinda creepy how you can just—do that— know me…without me having to…just…so creepy."
"Bullshit."
"Okay, so it's kind of adorable and awesome. You're adorable and awesome Bones."
"Open your mouth and I'll show you how adorable and awesome I can be, Kid."
"BONES!" Jim laughs and punches him in his bicep as he snorts and swats her back playfully. "You're too much."
"Likewise," Bones replies and throws back another glass.
Jim gives him a one-armed hug before pulling away completely. "I'm gonna go mingle. You behave while I'm gone. Don't fall victim to anyone's charms."
Bones snorts. "I'm already a victim of yours, Jimmy."
"Well I is a siren," she jokes as she flutters her blonde eyelashes.
Bones rolls his eyes. "'I is' is bad grammar, Kid," he mocks.
"Oh would you let that go, you big baby. I didn't even mean anything by it."
"Yeah, yeah. Now get."
Jim sticks her tongue out at him before she pivots on her heel and lets herself get lost in the crowd of squirming bodies, mildly avoiding the hands that reach out to grab her and invite her into the rhythm. Jim will never admit it (because it would be admission to failure, and uh, no, James Fucking Kirk), but she is a horrible dancer and she avoids it at all costs.
Despite this very relevant fact, she has always been a fan of watching it.
888
It's fucking hilarious how easy it is to chat up Laura when they happen to bump into each other at the other end of the dance floor. Laura resists at first, still a little cowed by their run-in earlier, but Jim makes her laugh and it's a done deal from then on in. Jim might have implied that she was in an open relationship with Bones, and Laura might be growing steadily interested in her, and if things go well (which they will, because hello, Jim Fucking Kirk is apart of this equation, of course it will) she might just leave Bones to his own devices and break the not-really-celibacy pact they formed for the night.
Jim's getting closer to her goal, smiling suggestively enough, fluttering her eyelashes enough, adding a touch here to the side of Laura's neck, a caress there to her elbow. Laura doesn't even stand a chance. Jim is aware of the charisma she wields, and anyone she sets her sights on is done for. Laura really is a walk in the park, once Jim gets her past the anger and irritation.
"So, you gotta place?" Jim asks innocently, twirling her finger around one of Laura's red curls, then drops her hand to gently scratch her red fingernails down Laura's freckled arm. "Hm?" she encourages, looking at Laura from under her ridiculously long blonde lashes.
Laura shudders. "I—I live just a few minutes away—we could…I mean…"
Jim flashes white teeth. "Great," then goes in for the kill, or was, before a large hand wraps around her forearm.
"Now, now, sweetheart, you'll break my heart if you run off without inviting me along," a very male voice says from behind her.
When Jim turns her head, she actually has to look up, because whoa, this guy is a fucking giant in his own right, and Jim finds that immediately attractive. What she doesn't find attractive, however, is the unwarranted physical contact and the dazed drunken look in his eye that spells trouble. Sure he's six feet of appealing olive skin, green eyes and dark wild hair that adds to the whole bad boy image he has going on. In another life, Jim thinks, she would have climbed him and took him on the ride of his life. But now…now that he is blatantly being aggressive in an unbecoming way, Jim can only consider him as a threat.
Laura scowls in recognition. "Jack? Would you get out of here! You can't keep doing this every time I go out. What don't you understand about us being broken up?"
This Jack fellow sneers. "We're not done until I say we're done," his fingers tighten around Jim's arm as he reaches out and yanks Laura in close. "Now how about we all leave together, and find somewhere nice and quiet to fuck."
Jim snorts wryly. "Quite the charmer, aren't ya Jack?"
"You better keep your pretty little mouth shut if you know what's good for you," Jack snaps in return.
Jim gives him a disinterested look. "And you should really let me go before I make you realize just what you're dealing with."
"Is that so?" Jack smirk turns menacing.
Laura trembles. "Jack—come on, please—don't bring her into this, I'll-"
Jack backhands her and she goes crumbling to the floor with a cry. "Shut your mouth!"
And before Jim gets a chance to kick him in the head, a fist already flies towards Jack's jaw. Jim swears she sees a couple of teeth fly.
"What the fuck?" Jack groans, stumbling and releasing his grip on Jim's arm. "You bastard! You almost broke my nose Gary!"
The stranger responsible (who looks like an exact replica of Jack, only hotter and with brown eyes and tamed hair) grabs Jack by the front of his shirt. "How many times do I have to remind you not to hit a lady, Jack? Our mother would be rolling in her grave if she bore witness to your appalling manners, so I advise you to apologize right now," he pauses and grips Jack's fingers, painfully, and Jack just howls. "Or I'll break every single one of these fingers. You know I will, I've don't it before, remember?"
"Gary, come on, the bitch deserved-" a whimper of pain cuts him off. "Okay, okay! S-sorry," Jack stammers, glancing quickly at Jim who is helping Laura to her feet.
Gary nods in satisfaction and shoves Jack away. "Good, and since I know it's all the booze running rampant in your system, I'm sure you'll be so kind as to escort Laura home, apologize for being such a waste of her time and then never bother her again, right, brother?" he says threateningly. "Because I'd hate to have to hear otherwise, and make you bleed from places you weren't aware had that much blood in them."
Jack pales and nods vigorously, whisking Laura away and out of sight.
Jim whistles, catching Gary's attention. "I'm impressed."
Gary sighs. "I do apologize for my brother's behavior. He—has recently—well, that's still no excuse for that kind of behavior. Again, I apologize."
Jim grins and crosses her arms. This guy is like something out of a romance novel, and she is very interested. "Oh I don't think much of it. Though, I did have it under control."
"I'm sure you did," Gary replies, almost placating.
Jim narrows her eyes. "I did," she presses.
Gary just makes a thoughtful sound and nods. "I believe you," he replies. Then he turns without another word and walks away.
"Hey!" Jim yells after him, but it's too late. He's lost in the crowd, leaving Jim frowning in confusion.
"Huh. That was strange."
"Ah! What the fuck, Bones! Don't sneak up on me like that," Jim shoves at him as he lifts an eyebrow.
"Kid, maybe you should be more aware of your surroundings. I definitely didn't have to sneak," Bones retorts.
Jim huffs and rolls her eyes. "Whatever. Let's get out of here, this club is a little too much for my tastes."
"Amen to that."
888
Carpe diem: that's what they do—did.
The night becomes an entire blur once they stumble out of the club and into a nearby liquor store so that they can procure they're own alcoholic substances. Well Bones, does, that is, since Jim isn't of age yet, which sucks by the way. Jim isn't sure what happens after that, because that's when things go blank. It's not surprising, since she did down an entire bottle of Klingon Bloodwine, and it had been imported which meant it was legit. None of that watered down shit that most vendors tried to pull just to save a pretty penny. Now, Jim was a fantastic contender when it came to heavy drinking, and she was fairly sure she could even out-drink Bones, but it was something about the Klingon Bloodwine that always did her in. She is fairly certain that this is the case last night, and God help Bones, because she had always been a horny drunk when she was shit-faced.
It's a complete and utter relief when she wakes up in their dorm bathroom on top of the sink, wearing a paper crown and spooning her own stilettos. The hangover that's supposed to be waiting for her when she regains consciousness, isn't, and she immediately suspects Bones is the culprit. By some mercy (and maybe a little exasperated love) he's decided to finally share his miracle hangover formula. Three years she's begged for it and not once had Bones given in, taking gleeful joy in her suffering, saying that if she was dumb enough to drink herself under the table with little to no concern for her own body, than she deserved what came after.
Bones really could be too uppity sometimes.
Jim snorts as she sits up on the sink and ponders over the fact that Bones is sprawled on the bathroom floor, face-down, without a shirt on, and a big, squared bandage is taped to his upper left shoulder blade. Then she frowns when she feels the pinch of tape at the side of her hipbone. Well that wouldn't do, she just had to know what kind of matching tattoos they had.
Jim hops down off the sink, onto Bones's back, and he wakes with a start, swearing Jim up and down as she shimmies out of her dress.
"What the hell are you doing?" Bones splutters, climbing to his feet and looking away to preserve Jim's modesty.
Jim rolls her eyes. "You've seen me naked before Bones."
"Professionally."
"You even said so yourself last night."
"Yeah, and I was tipsy at the time."
"I mean you probably know my vagina better than I do-"
"Professionally!"
Jim chuckles. "Okay, whatever. You're my personal physician and so you've seen me in all my naked glory, but right now I'm not even naked. I've got my underwear on," she points out.
Bones flushes. "I saw," he mutters quietly and turns completely from her.
"Well you do have to admit, yellow looks good against my skin."
"Whatever."
Jim snickers, because that is Bones's roundabout way of agreeing with her. "You got a tattoo too, Bones," Jim points out. "Let's take a peek at yours after I look at mine, it'll help me figure out whether they coincide or not," she says as she peels the squared bandage from the upper left side of her pelvis, right above the elastic of her panties, dipping slightly below it. "Huh," she says thoughtfully as she looks down. "Hey Bones—I'm not sure but—isn't that the Starfleet Medical Division badge?"
Bones whips around and ogles her pelvis shamelessly. Slowly, within the span of ten seconds, he goes beet red. "Goddamn it Jim!"
"What? What did I do?" Jim protests and laughs when he turns even redder while he gapes. The she smirks deviously, "I'll bet you a handful of credits that I know what yours is."
Bones swears colorfully and faces the mirror so that he can see himself remove the bandage from his shoulder blade, refusing Jim's help when she offers it. The angle is pretty tricky, but he manages it and at the sight of the unmistakable Starfleet Command Division badge, he flushes again.
Jim chuckles, but turns a little pink. "We sure know how to get it in, huh Bones?"
"I'm too old for this," Bones says wearily.
Jim claps him over the un-tattooed shoulder. "Could be worse. Besides," she says quite confidently. "I think it looks very fetching on you."
Bones eyes her reflection sharply. Then he narrows his eyes. "You like it," he accuses.
Jim goes slightly pink again.
The corner of Bones's mouth curls into a dark grin. "You like the thought of me carrying your mark."
"Shut up."
Bones whistles thoughtfully, loving every minute of it. "That's quite a kink you got there, Kid."
"I said shut up Bones."
"You know," Bones continues. "I reckon I just might keep it then, if you like it so much, Jimmy."
"You are the devil."
Bones nods and its full of sarcastic sympathy. "I just bet you'll do a number on that green-blooded hobgoblin once you've sunk your claws in 'im."
"I do not have claws, and you shut up right now, you southern son of a bitch!"
"I wonder how many times he'll have to come down to my sickbay," Bones goes on saying, gliding from the bathroom. "I can just see it now. 'Doctor, if you would be so kind as to remove these markings. Jim was quite insatiable this time and has once again, despite my heavy protests, enthusiastically placed noticeable markings upon my person. I suspect she takes pleasure in placing them there.'" Bones has a very horrible Spock voice, but it still hits home and now Jim is the one that's beet red.
"Please go fall in a ditch and die," Jim says as she fidgets in the doorway of the bathroom.
Bones lifts a questioning eyebrow. "So I am right after all, well doesn't that just beat all," he mutters. "I knew you were attracted to that unfeeling robot, but I didn't think-"
"Don't," Jim warns as she holds up a hand. "Don't finish that sentence. It's complicated as it is."
"Uh huh," Bones merely replies.
"Look, I need a fucking shower before you wring every bit of detail out of me. And you could use one too. I like to feel clean when I spill my fucking guts," and before Bones can respond, she turns and the door slides close behind her.
888
Two hours after she 'spills her fucking guts', Jim finds that Bones takes all the information she provides him with very well. Well, in the way that Bones can take things, with sarcasm and cynical humor. The look in his eye though, Jim notices, is one that says he promises to stay by her side through all the mess of confusion and conflicting emotions, through the laughs and the tears. He looks amused and sad for her. Like he's seeing beyond her, beyond Spock and the whole situation, into the future, and its like he's able to see the trials and tribulations headed their way. And maybe he does, but she's too afraid to ask. She's too young and unsure still about it all.
"So that's how you got back on the ship huh?" Bones finally says after a while.
Jim nods.
"I knew somethin' was familiar about that bastard. Came up to me during the ceremony and chatted me up like we were long lost cousins or somethin'. Then told me where you were and why it would be a good idea to meet you there," Bones goes on to say. "Does the littlest Spock know?"
"About the other him? Oh yeah," Jim sighs.
"And the bond?" Bones asks carefully.
Jim frowns. "You make it sound so serious."
Bones rolls his eyes. "I'll take that as a no."
Jim picks up her PADD when it chimes and studies it.
"Kid, you need to talk to him. I doubt his father mentioned anything yet, which means he's leaving it to you," Bones points out.
Jim eyes flicker up to meet his and then back down again. "I want to, believe me. But—I just don't know how. I can't just say, 'Hey Spock, how goes it. You been feeling weird lately? What's that? Well what do you know? Me too! By the way, I kinda, sorta got to first base with older you and now I think you and I might be inadvertently engaged because of it.' Yeah, real smooth, Bones, real smooth."
Bones quirks an eyebrow. "I wouldn't exactly put it all like that."
"No, you wouldn't, because you don't have to have that uncomfortable conversation with Spock and his father, thankfully not at the same time, but still," Jim pouts. "We need to go see Prime Spock."
Bones scowls. "What for?"
"Cause he'll know what to do. I mean who better to ask about Spock than—Spock?" Jim states, hopping to her feet with renewed vigor.
"No way in hell-" Bones mutters firmly.
Jim gives him a cross look. "Oh yes you will. You know why? Cause there's a little tattoo on your back that says I own you. And anyway, he invited us to come have tea with him. Who am I to refuse that request?"
Bones huffs in irritation. "Oh you own me now do you? And what about you? I clearly remember you having a similar tattoo."
Jim shrugs. "Then we own each other. The point is, I need you with me."
Bones doesn't say anything to that, and then he sighs. "Fine. As long as we pick up somethin' to eat along the way. I'm so hungry, I could eat the north end of a south-bound polecat."
Jim frowns with amusement. "What?"
888
It doesn't taken them long to get to Prime Spock, and maybe even would have sooner if Bones hadn't been complaining the whole time about how crazy hungry he was, using all these crazy-weird southern euphemisms. So they manage to obtain some turkey hotdogs (Jim does not eat pork or beef, ew) and since the hotel that Prime Spock is staying in is within walking, they do just that: walk.
How awkward is it to run into Spock in the lobby?
Pretty damn awkward. They spend a moment just glancing at each other, stood still by this strange confrontation.
Curiosity.
It just blooms inside of her, and fills her up, making her realize what has been missing these past couple of days. The walls Sarek put up must have faded, leaving her completely receptive to his emotions. Jim fidgets, and worries if Spock can feel her in return. He shows no sign of it, if he does, but Jim figures she would be able to feel that too if he did.
"Doctor, Captain," Spock greets cordially, and a little stiffly, breaking the silence.
Bones scowls with as much unfriendliness he could muster. "We got names you-"
Jim elbows him in his ribcage. "Play nice, Bones," she gently chastises. Then she turns her gaze to Spock. "Good evening, Commander. Visiting your father?" she asks innocently. Most of the rooms in this hotel are vacated by Vulcans, until further notice.
Apprehension.
Spock gives no outward hint to the emotion, and if Jim hadn't sensed it, she wouldn't have known it was there in the first place. "Affirmative," he says slowly.
Jim just smiles cheerfully, despite how awkward it feels between them still. "Awesome. I hope Sarek is doing well," she says.
Disbelief. Alarm.
Bones gives her this bug-eyed look that says, Are you out of your mind, woman? Could you be anymore obvious or tactless?
Jim instantly realizes her mistake, and reddens as she splutters.
Amusement.
"Uh…he said I could call him—um…" Jim trails off and winces as both men quirk a questioning eyebrow at her.
Spock studies her for a moment. "Indeed," he answers slowly. "If you will excuse me. Captain, Doctor, I will see you aboard the Enterprise."
"Uh, right," Jim replies uselessly as he strides past them and towards the exit. "Hey! Wait a minute! You never said you'd come."
Spock turns his body towards them as he pauses mid-step. "I believe I just did, Captain."
Jim snorts. "Sassing me again Mr. Spock?" and it's so weird how easy this back and forth is between them.
Mirth. Smugness.
Spock's posture straightens, but his dark eyes hold some vague form of amusement. "I am unfamiliar with the term, Captain." A not so subtle glance is aimed at her cheek. The exact cheek that used to be bruised but is no longer (thanks to Bones mad skills), and then he's facing away from them again, a tense line in his shoulders and his clasped hands. A beat, then, "You are properly recovered. I am—pleased." Then he's gone.
Jim gapes.
Bones gapes.
They continue to gape, even long after he's gone.
"Did he just-"
"-There's no way."
Silence.
"You really need to talk to him about that bond, Kid," Bones says. "It's screwin' with all the chemicals in his brain."
Jim glares.
"Really," Bones adds.
"Come on. One Spock at a time," she sighs, yanking Bones along by the grip she has on his wrist.
They take the stairwell, because Jim likes to work off all the remaining calories of her food, which Bones says is ridiculous because she's, as he says, fucking healthier than a cluster of horses. She just responds that it's more for his benefit then, because the older you get, the less malleable. He chases her up the last few flights just for that and they end up on Prime Spock's doorstep, out of breath and disheveled.
Prime Spock is highly amused and unsurprised. "I see Jim has not lost her ability in goading you, Leonard," he comments lightly as they follow him into the living room.
Bones scowls. "The name's Dr. McCoy."
"Of course, Leonard, I have not forgotten." Prime Spock replies graciously. "I believe the tea is ready, excuse me."
Jim snickers and sits down, tugging on Bones's sleeve when he refuses to budge. She finally gets him to sit after exactly seven tugs. "Bones can get a little touchy when it comes to his name. Took him forever to get used to my nickname for him," she calls out to Prime Spock.
"Just cause I don't say nothin', doesn't mean I still don't like it, Kid," Bones grumps and crosses his arms.
"The Leonard McCoy I was acquainted with had mutual feelings on the matter as well," Prime Spock responds as he reappears with a tray of tea, brownies and sliced apples.
Jim perks up at the sight. She grabs an apple slice and shoves it in her mouth with a moan, and ignores the look Bones casts her way. "Oh wow. Are these wine sap?" She grabs another, along with a brownie, and jams them in her mouth simultaneously. "Ugh! Ghirardelli chocolate! God, these two are my absolute favorite."
"I am aware," Spock Prime says softly and watches her with delighted intensity.
Jim blushes but continues to munch away happily. She groans shamelessly.
Bones flushes and glares reproachfully at Prime Spock. "You're not slick," he hisses.
Jim squirms.
Prime Spock's eyebrow elevates. "Slick, Leonard? Forgive me, I am unfamiliar with the phrase."
"You know what I mean!" Bones snaps in frustration. "And stop calling me Leonard! You're no kin to me."
"Leave 'im 'lone Bones," Jim mumbles around a mouthful of apples and chocolate. She squirms and turns a little pink. She swallows, then says, "He's just being nice."
"Oh I'm sure," Bones drawls sarcastically, keeping his narrowed eyes on Prime Spock. "Your so full of shit, your eyes are brown."
The corner of Prime Spock's mouth twitches. "A curious metaphor, Leonard."
Bones swears colorfully.
Jim laughs and fidgets again, breathing a little more heavily than before. She exhales and fans herself.
Bones eyes her carefully. "What the hell is wrong with you, Jim? Why can't you be still?"
"Cause," Jim fidgets some more as her cheeks fill with blood.
Bones eyes widens slowly. "Jesus H. and Mary. You're horny!"
Jim snorts but doesn't try to deny it. "Smooth Bones, real smooth," she mumbles as she flushes. "It just happens when—did you seriously bring your tricorder?"
Bones just pulls out his PADD to study the results. "Between you and you're infinite amount of allergies, I can never be too cautious." Even though the readings come back normal, with the exception of her elevated heartbeat and body heat, and the, ahem, spike in her hormones. "You!" Bones points an accusing finger at Spock Prime. "I'd accuse you of drugging her if I wasn't looking at her scans myself. But you aint foolin' me you old elf! Just what would you have done if I wasn't here?"
Prime Spock quietly sips his tea.
"Bones!" Jim snaps. "Stop it. It's not his fault that apples and chocolate make me horny. And you could at least trust that I can be a sensible person half of the time."
Bones scowls. "I didn't mean it like that, Kid, I just-"
"Was being a protective asshole as always?" Jim supplies. "Now shut up and drink enough tea for the both of us."
Bones mutters but does as he's told. The kid has him so whipped it's ridiculous.
Jim glances over to Prime Spock to see the curious look in his dark eyes. "What?"
"You do not like tea?"
Jim shakes her head to the negative. They could thank Frank for that, and a particularly traumatic experience that has put her off of drinking hot liquids for a lifetime.
"Fascinating."
Bones snorts into his cup of tea.
"I'm guessing your Jim does," she says.
"Indeed," Prime Spock says. "He preferred chamomile above all others."
Jim nods. "Guess that's something else we don't have in common, besides gender."
Bones quirks an eyebrow. "You failed to mention that to me, Jim."
Jim waves it off. "Details, details." Then she pauses, as though realizing something. "Hey why can't I feel you?" she asks Prime Spock. "Why can I even feel anything at all with younger you? You know Sarek, that's your dad by the way, approached me about it. Apparently Spock and I are, like, engaged."
"A result of the mind-meld," Prime Spock explains. "The gold thread you witnessed, flowing from my mind to yours, was the bond already established between Jim and I. You recognized it as your own and therefore claimed it, consequently creating a link between you and my younger counterpart."
Vulcan Translation: Don't look at me, it's your own fault for touching stuff you weren't supposed to.
"You didn't try to stop me from touching it you sneaky, manipulative, ambitious Vulcan," Jim points out.
Prime Spock sips his tea quietly.
Jim rolls her eyes. "I still don't understand. Why would that link the younger you and I?"
"The nature of the bond is complex and unpredictable in its own merits," Prime Spock answers.
"Is that a pretty way of saying you don't know?" Jim asks with a hint of suspicion.
Prime Spock takes another quiet sip of his tea.
Jim huffs and grabs for another apple slice. She munches away as she notices how quiet Bones has been. When she glances over, she sees that leaning back, slumped against the back of the couch and asleep. She laughs. "Well I guess tea does have its uses. Especially the—what did you say it was—chamomile? If it gets Bones this mollified, I'll have to smuggles hoards of this stuff aboard and shove it down his throat when he wants to give me one of those uppity lectures of his."
"Indeed," Prime Spock murmurs and studies Bones. Then his dark eyes flickers to Jim's sky blues. "Jim, it was not my intention. The bond. Though I will not deny my curiosity as to what would happen when you encountered it."
"Don't apologize, I know you didn't mean anything by it, but, well it's making things a bit awkward for me, and for him. At least it will, when he finds out, God help me, and I do feel like you forced your hand a little. But I don't blame you, your intentions were noble-ish," Jim says and goes for another brownie. "So why don't you tell me about what your future plans are."
"Only if you permit me the same, t'hy'la."
Boy, Jim's got to work on that blushing thing.
888
The next three days for Jim are spent in the warm lazy heat of Georgia on the McCoy farm. There certainly were a lot of men born into that family, half of which who were cousins of Bones and still unattached, as they liked to constantly inform Jim. It is particularly interesting to see Bones in his own element, and it seems to bring out the possessive and protective side of Bones all the more. He is not amused at all by his cousins' antics or come-ons at Jim, and he keeps Jim under a watchful eye, refusing to let her go anywhere or do anything without his 'permission'. If she didn't find it endearing, she would be annoyed and pissed at him, because he doesn't treat her like a lover, no, that's just weird, sexual attraction or not. No, he treats her like she is his own sister, a twin, who was born and bred of the same flesh and blood, refusing to let anyone and anything that means her harm, to step within her sight.
It's beautiful out here, unlike anything she's ever felt, wildly different from the hustle and bustle of San Fran. She gets to wake up every morning of those three days, to the smell of fresh cut grass, and buttered biscuits fresh from the oven. It's all infused with Bones's unique smell and the scent of fresh linen from the sheets they sleep on, since they spend these nights in the same bed (protective bastard refuses to let her sleep alone when his cousins are spending the night as well), which usually means they wake up tangled together.
She's not familiar with the family setting, so it's like watching some kind of sappy vid about southern families when she watches Bones interact with the whole of his family. They've all come out to see Leo (Jim snickers every time someone calls him that), having heard about his great space exploits. Bones just takes every hug, every kiss on the cheek and pat on the back with his usual scowl and grumpy nature, but he's a lot more open and friendly in a way. Bones knows her, he just does, and he eases her into it all, aware that family is a delicate subject for her. He usually bullies his family away when their curiosity and questions become too prying.
Momma McCoy, the matriarch of the McCoy family, takes an instant shining to her, and seems rather disappointed by the fact that the relationship Jim has with Bones is completely platonic. Jim finds it highly amusing when Mrs. Eleanora McCoy sulks and glares at Bones the more she warms up to Jim. Bones blushes every time and flees from under his mother's watchful and accusing gaze to bond with his horse, Saturn. Which, by the way, Jim is pissed about because Bones never said anything about that wonderful, majestic creature before. Sure she knows all about little Joanna McCoy, but not the horse?
Bones can be so weird sometimes.
Their last day there is spent with Jim in the kitchen with all the McCoy women, doing her share in preparations for the farewell meal they're stringing together. Bones is off doing chores probably, or playing football with the McCoy men, or acting as pitcher for all the mini-McCoys. Bones, contrary to what he would have people believe, is really athletic, and for all his bitching about his age, you'd never know it.
Jim snickers to herself as she peels, what seems to be, the sixtieth sweet potato.
"Jamie, dear," Momma McCoy says over a steaming pot of collard greens. "You've done your time. Why don't you go and check on that fool son of mine. Tell 'im I sent you, and tell 'im I'm so disappointed that he lettin' you slip away. I swear he doesn't have enough sense to pour piss outta boot."
"You sure?" Jim says, standing to her feet and brushing off a few stray potato skins from her ripped shorts.
Eleanora smiles fondly. "I most certainly am. Now come gimme a yankee dime before you leave."
Jim nods and maneuvers around the other women to give Momma McCoy a kiss on the cheek. "Bones doesn't know how lucky he is."
"Likewise," Eleanora chuckles. "Go on, now, get," she snaps her red-checkered dishtowel at Jim's legs, sending her hopping out the kitchen.
Jim walks toward the porch and pushes open the screen door when she spot's one of Bones's cousin. Luckily, he was one of the more married ones, so she didn't have worry about Bones springing from the shadows to defend her honor. "Hey Bobby," she greets.
Bobby, who seems to be supervising the baseball game going on between the youngsters, glances at her fleetingly. "Hello yourself Miss Jim," he smiles. "What can I do ya for?"
"Just wondered if you knew where I could find, Bones?" Jim says and doesn't miss the way he glances quickly at her in amusement. Everyone did that when she called their precious Leo, 'Bones'.
"Nah. Sorry. Though I reckon you'd find him just up the way with his horse. That's where you can find 'im most days anyway," Bobby answers and then he frowns. "Kenny, stop tacklin' everyone that comes to first. It's not football!" He yells.
Jim smiles. "Thanks. Catch you later Bobby!"
"No problem Miss Jim," Bobby says in return before he turns his attention back to the game. "Ey! If y'all don't quit that fightin', I'm gonna whip you so hard you won't be able to sit down for a week!" he goes on yelling when two of the older ones start wrestling out on the front yard.
Jim makes it to the stables with no troubles, but there is no Bones to her disappointment. Saturn is out and about however. "Saturn! How did you get loose. Troublesome little fella. Oh wow, now I'm starting to talk like a McCoy," she snorts and grabs one of the hairbrushes off the shelf posted on the wall. She approaches the horse gingerly, remembering how quick Saturn was to bite or kick anyone who wasn't Bones in the head.
Saturn huffs and watches her for a moment before galloping over and bumping his nose into her chin, as if to say, I ain't gone bite. I actually like you.
"You know you remind me of Bones," Jim says softly, brushing his mane gently while stroking a hand down his nose. "You sure are temperamental like him."
Saturn bobs his head and sniffs around her shoulders.
Jim giggles. "You're a lot more affectionate than he is, that's for sure."
"If I'd known you wanted to me to be more affectionate-" Bones snorts. "You know all you gotta do is ask, Jimmy."
Jim jumps in surprise and glares. "When did you get here?"
Bones shrugs.
"I was looking for you," Jim says as she turns from him and continues to stroke Saturn down his nose.
"Yet I'm the one that found you," Bones drawls ironically.
Jim notices that he goes quiet, and she can feel his heavy gaze. "What?" she asks without looking at him. She starts brushing along Saturn's back.
"He doesn't do that."
"Who doesn't do what?"
"Saturn. He doesn't behave for just anyone."
"It's definitely my animal magnetism," Jim replies offhandedly. "Your mother said you're a fool for not making an honest woman of me."
Bones snorts. "Did you inform my momma that you've got your sights on that pointy-eared bastard?"
Jim blushes, and she's suddenly grateful that her back is to him. "You suck."
"And you're the queen of comebacks."
"Keep it up Bones, and I'll throttle you right in front of your gorgeous horse, and then drag you to the house so that I can throttle you in front of your family."
"Is that so? Careful now, you're gettin' just a little bit too big for your britches. I may have to take you down a notch or two."
"Ooh, I'm so scared."
"You should be."
Jim yelps when she feels something wet collide against her back. She whips around to see Bones wielding a water balloon. In fact, there is a bucket of them at his feet. "You southern piece of shit! Was that what you've been doing the whole time?"
Bones's lips curl deviously at the corners. "Possibly. What're you gonna do about it?"
Jim glares. "Well I-fuck that's cold!" she stumbles back as another is aimed at her face, and met with success. "Damn it Bones! I'm wearing a white tank top and no bra!"
"Not my fault now is it," Bones replies calmly, then he picks up the bucket and takes a menacing step towards her.
"Now Bones—let's be dignified about this—we wouldn't want to do something we both regret," Jim chuckles nervously and retreats slowly.
"Oh there are no regrets here," Bones assures, matching her step for step.
"Seriously! Have some compassion. Gah! Save me Saturn!" Jim ducks behind said horse. "Bones! Bones, come on. You're not still mad that I told your mom about the time I walked in on you and those two Andorian girls-"
"You did what?"
"-Cause your mom just laughed at the whole thing, honestly."
"Jim, Jim, Jim," Bones tsks. "I suggest you run."
And Jim does, screaming, flailing her arms wildly and carrying on as Bones pummeled her with balloons. All the little McCoys pointed their fingers and laughed. Even some of the older McCoys snickered at their antics. Jim curses Bones the whole time, swearing the sweetest revenge, but he only chuckles darkly and chases her into circles around the house until he runs out of ammunition. Jim does get him back though when she gets ahold of the water hose on the side of the house and makes him just as wet, if not more, as she is.
Unfortunately, in this game, neither of them are the winners, because when Momma McCoy finds them trying to sneak back into the house, sopping wet, and dripping all over her carpet, she pitches a fit and kicks them out. She then makes them stand on opposite sides of the porch in timeout, and they weren't allowed to move until they dried completely. Jim snickers the whole time, much to Bones's irritation, and kept muttering about how he was too fucking old to be put on timeout. It is at this point when Jim feels inclined to point out that it's his entire fault. For that she gets the middle finger, which she returns, and because they are both standing in front of a window, Momma McCoy sees, and they get an extra fifteen minutes added to their timeout.
They behave.
When they leave early the next morning, Bones swears that he is never bringing Jim home with him again.
Total lie; Momma McCoy wouldn't stand for it.
Author Notes: One more chapter left and we're stepping into the next part of the series. Chapter 7 will be short and sweet…well…mostly short. So, yeah, that. Please comment.
