The Medbay was quiet one April evening. The flurry and bustle that had been going on for the last 16 hours had calmed down. Between the skirmish with the Klingons and the early arrival of Enterprise's newest passenger, chaos had been the order of the day. The CMO nearly had had to be forcibly marched to his quarters, because he refused to leave the bedsides of his daughter and son-in-law/best friend/Captain.

Jim had been one of many wounded in the attack, and the stress of the conflict had sent his nurse wife into labor three weeks early. He had insisted on being in the bed beside his wife so he could encourage her and hold her hand.

The night nurse smiled as she walked past the two bio beds and the exhausted occupants, with a tiny bassinet between them.

Little Melissa Eleanor Kirk made her arrival after 12 hours of labor, screaming her outrage with very healthy lungs. Jim embarrassed himself by promptly bursting into tears, while Joanna laughed and cried beside him.

"Good grief, Jim. I'm the one who's supposed to be hormonal, not you," she panted, still quivering from the grueling pushing. She stared down in wonder at the slippery, squirming infant in her father's hands.

"Can't help it," he gasped between sobs, "It's so amazing."

Jim had been running on adrenalin and worry for the last day, and hearing that first cry totally undid him.

"Yes it is," Joanna soothed, "especially after everything that's gone on in here. Stupid, bloodthirsty Klingons are a lot to deal with on a normal day and you sent them packing. Try to calm down, honey, or you'll rip open that stomach wound."

After several more heaves, Jim managed to settle down just as Bones reappeared holding their cleaned infant.

"Everything checks out. She's a good six and a half pounds. Quite sturdy. Like her grandpa." He was beaming proudly.

Joanna cooed as the tiny newborn was placed in her arms. "Now, now, sugar, don't cry, mama's got you. I know it's a big scary world out here, but you've got mommy and daddy and granddaddy looking out for you. And look at those pretty Kirk eyes you have!"

She kissed the sweet, wrinkly face gleefully, running her finger over a miniature ear.

She inspected every bit of her new daughter while Jim watched, enraptured with the sight.

"Grandpa Bones, I love it!", he crowed triumphantly at his friend.

The doctor growled mildly. "Oh, shut up, Jim. You're the one who's going to be sixty when she's in college. No need to be rubbing it in. These pain meds must be a little too much."

This threat caused Jim to subside for the moment. He thought it was adorable how smitten Bones was with his new granddaughter.

The Captain's eyes misted over again when he held little Melissa for the first time. The fact that he, of all people, would ever experience the joy of having a family, was staggering to him and he already loved her so much. He kissed her tiny cheek and stared into those wide, dark eyes, blinking up at him.

Joanna thought it was the most beautiful sight she'd seen: her husband holding their precious newborn tenderly inspecting her tiny fingers and toes.

"She's got the McCoy eyebrows, I see," he observed, tracing the faint wisps with his fingertip. "Good for making exasperated faces at me. Definitely my eyes. Your chin. Probably my nose, it's so little!" He made a very un-Captainly squealing noise. "No hair at all. But that'll come in time. You're so sweet, baby girl, and beautiful, Just like your mom. I'm sorry your birth was so dramatic, but it's a Kirk tradition."

"Ain't that the truth," muttered Bones. He and Jim bantered back and forth as Joanna took the baby back and prepared to feed her. Jim pretended to cover his eyes as she moved her gown aside to feed Melissa.

"Oh, stop faking it, Jim," she said with fond exasperation, "I know you're watching. It's not anything you haven't seen before." Her husband peeked out from behind his fingers, looking mischievous.

"True. But It's really amazing having a little person drawing sustenance from you. I wasn't sure if it was considered creepy to watch."

Joanna laughed at that coming from someone as shameless as he was. It was an incredible feeling, watching her baby suckling, her little throat gulping down the nourishing milk.

"Oh, Jim, you're priceless," Joanna sighed affectionately, leaning her head back for a minute. "I hope you're ready for sleepless nights and diaper duty. It'll be rough. Parenthood isn't a walk in the park, you know."

"Yes, but we'll be doing it together." Jim ran his fingers gently through his wife's frizzy hair. "You were amazing, Jo. Going through all that intense labor while we're trying to evade enemy fire and still watching out for me. I'd give you a big kiss right now, if I wasn't trapped in this bed."

"I appreciate the thought, Jimmy," she said, placing Melissa on her shoulder and patting her little back, "but you aren't moving from that bed until you aren't in danger of hemorrhaging." Jim pouted, but laid still, still very sore himself.

Presently Carol came in, exhausted from the skirmish, but eager to meet the little Kirk. "Sweet Melissa," she crooned to the baby, "You're going to be the most adored little girl to ever grace this ship."

"That's right, Carol. You should have seen her Grandpa going ga-ga over her-calling her sugar-pie and Dumpling."

Jim ratted out his friend, smirking. The doctor shot back, "You cried louder than she did when she was born. Who's really the infant here, Jim?"

"Awww, Leonard," Carol soothed, "you're allowed to be mushy with your grandbaby. Nothing to be ashamed of, isn't that right, lamb?"

Joanna smiled at her young step mom's interactions with wee Melissa.

"Looks like we'll have plenty of babysitters," she whispered to Jim. He winked back at her.

Eventually, all three Kirks fell fast asleep and as Nurse Miller passed by on her shift, she smiled at the sweet picture they made. No wonder Doctor McCoy had been so reluctant to be relieved. Who would want to miss one second of this?