Andrea shuffled around her bedroom, pulling apart her closet and dresser. Clothes moved around the room, spilling out of her suitcase and into a bag to be sent to shelter nearby. Joanna sat on the bed, up by the pillows, trying on the various headbands and bracelets from the closet.
"Where did you get this one?"
Turning her attention to Joanna, Andrea squinted at the bracelet on her wrist. When she recognized it, a smile appeared on her face.
"Your father gave me that when we vacationed in Georgia," she said, eyeing the simple blue and green hemp bracelet. Andrea made her way over to the bed and sat down. "See this heart here?" she asked, pointing to the heart bead that the thread was laced through.
Joanna nodded, "He said that had his heart," she smiled briefly at the memory of that conversation. "That whenever I felt like we were drifting apart while he was up in the stars, all I had to do was look down at this and know that he gave me his heart like I have him mine."
The little girl quickly untied the bracelet and took Andrea's arm into her hand. Andrea watched as she tied the bracelet around her wrist, twisting the bead to lie flat against her sunkissed skin.
"When Daddy has to save Uncle Jim," she started. "And you feel like he's gonna get hurt, you can look at it and it'll stop you from cryin'."
Andrea smiled, "A good luck charm?" she asked, as Joanna nodded. "You are very wise Miss Joanna," she said, kissing her forehead. "And you are wearing too many headbands."
Joanna giggled, "Daddy says if I wear too many things on my head, my brains are gonna slip outta my ears."
"I'm surprised they haven't done so with all of those bands on your head."
Andrea and Joanna turned their attention to the doorway and smiled, "I see you've finally brought your lazy behind to help," Andrea said.
Leo shrugged and made his way into the room and over to the bed, "Who said I was helping?" he asked, ruffling Joanna's headband clad head. "No one said you had to rip your entire wardrobe apart."
His wife huffed, "We're going to be gone for five years!" she exclaimed.
"Five years of uniforms and little time for shore leave, depending on where we are," he shrugged, eyeing the array of colorful garments in the suitcase. "Why the hell are you packing bikinis?" he asked, picking up a blue and white polka dotted top.
Andrea snatched the top out of his hand and scowled at him, "Excuse me for wanting to be prepared for every possible scenario!"
Leo frowned, "You plannin' on mud wrestlin'? Or getting a tan from the vast display of starlight?"
Joanna giggled and Leo's lips twitched with the beginnings of laughter, as Andrea glared at him.
"Let me guess," she sighed, dropping the top onto the bed. "You packed two pairs of jeans, three shirts, enough underwear to get you through a week before I have to wash them, and pajamas?"
Leo nodded, "Yes."
Andrea rolled her eyes and headed back towards her closet, "I guess I'll be the more fashionable one in this marriage," she mumbled, as she started shifting clothes around.
…..
Later that night, Andrea and Leo got ready for bed in his apartment he shared with Jim. The end of their first day back from Santa Monica had left them exhausted, as they finished a few last minute details of their trip and played with Joanna. Taking a break from her packing, the newly wedded couple took their daughter to the beach for the rest of the afternoon, while their friends went on to enjoy their last two days on Earth.
"What's all this?"
Leo looked up from the PADD in his hands and squinted at what Andrea was pointing to, as she stood next to his open suitcase.
"Oh," he shrugged. "I figured I'd throw a few more things in to make you happy," he said, before turning his attention back to his reading.
Andrea eyed the extra sweatshirt and a pair of swimming trunks, before moving across the room.
"Why the change of packing?" she asked, crawling up the bed to lay next to him.
"Would I be telling the truth when I say that I don't want to hear the "I told you so!" from that big mouth of yours?" he asked.
Andrea reached out and pinched his arm, "Don't be an ass!"
Leo rolled his eyes, "Married for only three days and you're already abusing me."
She snorted, "Oh please!" she rolled her eyes, before getting up onto her knees.
Reaching out, Andrea plucked the PADD out of his hands, ignoring his protests and turned it off. Leo watched as she set the tablet onto the nightstand, before turning back to him.
"I was reading that," he said, as she smirked at him.
"I know," she grinned.
Leo scowled, "Can I have it back?" he asked.
Andrea shook her head, "No?" he asked.
"Nope."
"Dammit Andrea," he growled, as she sighed.
"Fine," she huffed, grabbing the tablet off the table. "And here I thought my husband would want to enjoy a little alone time with his wife before we leave."
Leo looked at the PADD in her outstretched hand and back at her. Andrea bit her lip and shrugged, looking at him with lust-filled eyes. With a growl, Leo pounced on her, knocking the PADD out of her hands. They both fell back onto the mattress, a squeal from her and a grunt from him- before rolling around in the sheets.
"You are a pain in my ass," he muttered, before attaching his lips to her neck.
She snorted, "Just your ass?" she let out a strangled moan, as he sucked on her collarbone. "Could've fooled me."
"Be quiet or I'll leave you on the edge," he warned, before silencing her with a kiss.
…..
"No Uncle Jim! I want you to wear this one!"
Leo was moving down the hall with extra boxes, when his daughters voice rang out from Andrea's room.
"But this one hurts!" Jim cried, before letting out a yelp.
Pushing the door open to the bedroom, Leo took in the scene before him and blinked. Joanna turned her head and smiled, waving at him.
"Hi Daddy!"
Jim turned and glared at him, "Your spawn is attacking me!"
Leo began to laugh, "Sweet Jesus," he shook his head, setting the boxes down on the floor. "I think you should try the one with the big flower on it."
Joanna squealed and picked up the headband with the obnoxious green flower and placed it on Jim's head. She then leaned back and admired her work, clapping her hands together.
"You look pretty Uncle Jim!"
Jim sat in the middle of Andrea's bed with a pout, "This game isn't fun anymore," he mumbled.
"I don't need any of the furniture, Daddy. We wont be buying a house until after we return and until then Leo and Jim have enough furniture in the apartment," Andrea's voice could be heard outside in the hall.
'Are you sure?" Chris asked.
"Daddy, I'm sure! Besides, Joanna could use it when she comes to visit!"
A few seconds later, Andrea and Chris appeared in the doorway of her halfway packed room and halted in the doorway.
"What in the world?" Andrea asked, as Chris started laughing.
Leo snorted as Jim glared at them, "Another word and that wheelchair will be pulled out of the attic," he warned.
"One finger on my father and I'll make sure Spock is the acting Captain," Andrea glared, as Chris reached out to rub her shoulder.
"Easy tiger," he soothed. "He's only kidding."
While the playful banter between Chris and Jim made her laugh, joking about his former injuries due to Nero's torture were off limits. The time of the total uncertainty about her father's wellbeing still affected her.
"Can Uncle Jim wear these sparkly ones when he's bossing everyone around, "Joanna asked, holding up a handful of headbands for her father to see.
Leo stepped closer and eyed them before nodding, "I think those sparkly ones would go nice with command gold, Jim," he smirked. "Looks like you have your own sylist."
Jim rolled his eyes, "How about you try to wear ten of these things and see how you feel?" he snapped. "I feel like my brain is being forced out of my ears."
"You have a brain?" Chris deadpanned, making Andrea snort and clutch her fathers arm for support. "Where the hell was it when you made all of those rash decisions that I had to defend you for making?"
Jim shook his head, "You know what?" he huffed. "I'm not coming here anymore! You Pikes and McCoys are rude to your guests and the abuse I take is uncalled for!"
He started to move his way off the bed before Joanna threw herself against him, "NOOO!" she wailed, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Don't leave!"
"See kid," Leo smirked. "Joanna wants to play dress up with her Uncle Jim."
"Not funny."
"I thought it was," Chris shrugged.
Andrea nodded in agreement before moving towards the boxes against the wall, "As much as I would like to play this game," she started putting the boxes together. "I still have things that need to be moved out to the car."
Chris and Leo moved towards the rest of the boxes, while Jim and Joanna snuggled on the bed. Pandora and Lilly came charging into the bedroom, weaving their way through the legs of their standing owners, before jumping onto the bed.
"Look! They want to play too!" Joanna said, as Lilly rubbed up against Jim's leg.
Pandora, the bigger of the two, climbed onto the pillows and turned around twice before plopping down next to Jim's head. She caught sight of the green flower on Jim's head and started batting at it, making Joanna giggle.
"Kid," Jim yawned, as they settled against the pillows. "You are exhausting."
Joanna grinned, eerily looking like Leo as she did so, and nodded. "Daddy says the same thing."
Jim snorted, "So does your Grandpop," he sighed. "Go easy on him while we're gone. He turns into a big baby when he's not feeling good."
"I heard that, Kirk!" Chris yelled from the bathroom, as Andrea giggled and responded with "but it's true!" before the sound of objects being dropped rang out.
"Is that mold?!" Leo shouted.
"Jesus Leo! My ear!" Andrea yelled.
Jim shook his head, "Your future siblings are going to be loud, Jo,"
Joanna nodded, "I know. I'll make sure to tape their mouth shut like Daddy did that one time you wouldn't stop talking."
"I'll supply the tape," he yawned. "And a place to stay when they ground you."