So this chapter starts the day her and Bones fought, cause he had been ignoring her calls and all that; this is just from her point of view. I've brought up the name Sarah before but I don't think I ever explained; Sarah is Ellie's best friend who died in the shuttle crash. Also, I have no idea how to write Scotty. Cause he has that accent, which I'm leaving to the reader to add that cause I don't know how to write it. But also, he's funny in a really subtle way; like his actions and little comments. And I just don't know how well I can translate that. So I would love suggestions or criticisms if anyone has them. Thank you all for reading, and those who have reviewed. It all means a lot to me.

Ellie had left her little boy's new trachea she was growing in the hands of her chief medical officer – who was not Bones – and made her way to a bar. She hit shot after shot before a hand reached out and snatched the glass in her hand.

"Hey," she cried indignantly turning to see who'd stolen her tequila.

"You're cut off," Scotty said in his thick accent, taking her shot. "Get her something, no alcohol," he ordered. "I'd like another one these," he said looking down at the shot glass. "This really hits ya," he said turning to Ellie.

"You can't cut me off," she said reaching for the shot the bartender put down.

Scotty batted her hand away, snatching the glass before she could reach it. "Yes I can," he said smiling before downing her shot again.

"Scotty," she whined, already drunk.

"Don't Scotty me, you're drunk," he told her, holding up his finger for another.

"I have good reason," she insisted.

"Tell me," he said looking over at her to see her refusal. "I'll let you have another," he offered.

She rolled her eyes before taking a sip of her water, crunching loudly on an ice cube. "I'm an idiot," she answered. "And I'm easy."

"Oh that can't be true," he said taking the shot glass and holding it.

"No it is," she said slurring slightly. "I got drunk with what I thought was a friend and then we found our way into bed. And then I left," she said throwing an arm up, surprising Scotty with how loose her tongue was when she was drunk. "And it took almost a year and then we slept together again. And it was good," she said softly like it was a secret. "And we were together for the last few months and now," she said throwing both her hands up, "he won't talk to me. I let him screw me into," she stopped as she thought of the word, "into submission. Now I'm a whore. He's turned me into a whore."

Scotty was left sitting beside her not knowing exactly what to say, and so he slid the shot glass toward her and watched as she downed it. He opened his mouth to say something but she turned to him and spoke before he could.

"I will hit you if you compliment me again," she told him.

He held his hands up in surrender. "You know," he said leaning towards her and waited until she leaned towards him, "I don't think he's good enough for you," he whispered before sitting back smiling.

"I said no compliments," Ellie told him though she was smiling too. "You owe me another one."

He gave a loud laugh before grabbing the now filled shot glass and downing it. "No more, for either of us. I'm taking you to your room," he said before standing and fishing money from his pocket and putting on the counter. "Come on," he said before helping her stand, catching her around the waist when she swayed.

"I'm fine Scotty," she mumbled leaning against him as he led her out of the bar.

"Sure you are," he said as he pulled her along.

Ellie sighed dramatically as they left the bar, the air colder outside. "It's raining," she said quietly.

"We should hurry before we're caught in the downpour," Scotty said pulling her along.

"Oh but can't we stop," Ellie asked pulling on him so he would stop dragging her forward. "Please Scotty," she begged sweetly. "When was the last time you stood in the rain?"

He looked at her to see her smiling, and then he thought about it; "a few years I'd guess," he answered honestly. He couldn't resist her smile, which so warm and open in her drunkenness that he couldn't refuse her. They walked the rest of the way to the hospital where Ellie was staying since she had both a trachea and Pike, getting soaked in the process as the clouds burst.

She gave a small yelp when he threw her over his shoulder, laughing as he spun them both.

"What are you two doing?"

Scotty turned, his hand around Ellie's thighs to hold her on his shoulder, to see Jim Kirk. "Hey Jim," he called setting Ellie down.

"Hey Scotty, Ellie," Jim called confusedly at the sight of the two together.

"Hi Jimmy," Ellie said with a large smile, leaning on Scotty.

Jim's eyes narrowed. "Are you drunk?"

Ellie giggled and Jim's eyes narrowed even more before a smile broke out on his face. "Maybe a little," she admitted. "Scotty cut me off."

"Thank you," Jim said to Scotty as he wrapped his arm around Ellie. "Lets get you to your room," he said leading her away.

"Bye Scotty," Ellie called cheerfully over her shoulder as Jim dragged her toward the hospital. "I'm growing a trachea," she told Jim as she walked at his side.

"How are you doing that?" he asked, turning his head when a pretty nurse walked by.

"I took the cartilage from the boy's ribs, and in a few months it'll finish growing in his abdomen."

"What?" he asked turning back to her.

"Mm hmm," she said nodding. "Pretty cool huh?" she asked smiling.

"Yeah," he admitted.

She looked up at him. "I'm awesome."

He laughed kissing the top of her head. "Yes you are," he said before his smile slipped away as he once again was forced to think of her dying. "I'm glad you're staying with him," Jim said laying her on the bed in the on call room that had been specified for her use.

"Even if that means I'm staying here?" she asked curling around him.

"Yeah," he said wrapping his arms around her, sleep overtaking her immediately. "I love you," he whispered stroking her cheek, looking at her peacefully sleeping face. "Don't ever die."

One year later

"Admiral Pike," Ellie greeted when she walked into his office. "How are you today?"

"Elenore," Pike greeted her warmly. "I'm fine today. How are you?"

"Fine enough. Have you tried walking without the cane lately or does it still cause you too much pain?" she asked holding her electronic pad.

"I tried a few times," he admitted.

"But it still hurts," she said looking down at him and he nodded. "Do you mind if I give you a scan?"

"You're not going to find anything new," he told her and she sighed before sitting in the chair across from his desk. "You've given me more than I could ask for," he told her knowing she was taking his not walking without a cane personally.

"I wish I could do more," she told him.

He sat back in his chair and looked at her, a slight upturn of the corners of his mouth. "I called in a request," he told her.

"What request?" she asked sitting forward.

"The Enterprise is returning and when they set out again you will be aboard," he said smiling.

She sat a moment not responding in surprise. "Admiral Pike," she said taken aback. "I can't just leave now, you asked me to stay until you could walk again."

"Elenore," he said silencing her, knowing she was upset he wasn't walking like he should be and knowing she found herself at fault; it was something that she had in common with Jim. "I am walking as well as I will be able," he told her. "You have done all you could and for that I am incredibly grateful. And proud."

"Why are you proud, I haven't been able to do anything?" she asked and he didn't miss her blinking away tears.

"You have done everything. You got me out of the wheelchair, and now I can stay out of it. And you did that," he said offering her a small smile, seeing her blinking grow more rapid as tears filled them faster. "You have come to see me everyday, even after I moved out of the hospital, and to hear you talk about your surgeries and see that joy on your face is the best part of my days. And I know seeing you is the best part of Jim's day even if he doesn't always act like it is."

She was flattered, and greatly pleased to hear that; having grown to care more for him over the year.

"I know I'm not your father, Elenore. But that won't stop me from caring about you." Blinking did not stop the swell of tears in her bright blue eyes. "I know seeing Jim is the best of your day. Go back to the Enterprise, I'll still be here when you get back."

She blinked and she swallowed but nothing stopped the tears; it had been years when last she heard from anyone that they loved her as their daughter. She nodded before standing. "Thank you, Admiral Pike," she said trying to keep her chin from quivering. "I will check back in with you tomorrow."

"And you'll tell me you will be leaving on the Enterprise in a few months," he said wanting to hug her, knowing only Jim did now, but he knew her well enough to know she wouldn't welcome it yet.

It was a month before the Enterprise returned, and then it would be another four months before it would head out again.

"You ready to be back on the ground, Bones?" Jim asked slapping Bones on the back.

Bones grumbled a yes, liking the Starship a great deal more than the shuttles that brought them back to Earth.

"Ellie," Jim cried when he saw her, the holocam they often talked on wasn't enough for either of them. Her smile was broad, something that was very rare, when they hugged one another; it had been a long year, the longest amount of time they had stayed apart.

"I've missed you," she said as he squeezed her.

"What are you doing here?" Jim asked releasing her.

"Scotty asked if I could help with something and then he's gonna take me to some bar with Keenser. You wanna come?" she asked.

Jim smiled. "I'd love to. You're coming too Bones, won't let you say no," Jim said smacking him on the shoulder again. Ellie smiled before kissing Jim's cheek and telling him goodbye; not even looking at Bones though he wasn't looking at her either.

"You're okay with that?" Bones asked following Ellie with his eyes as she walked toward the shuttle.

"No not that one," Scotty said to Keenser before the alien went back in the shuttle to retrieve whatever it was Scotty wanted. "Hey Ellie," Scotty said smiling before he too hugged her.

"Why not?" Jim asked looking after Ellie as well. "They've been talking a lot lately and she really seems to like him."

"Yeah," Bones grumbled before turning away from them.

"Are you ever gonna talk about her?" Jim asked as he followed after Bones.

Two months later

"Bones."

He turned at the sound of his name to see Ellie. "Do you need something?" he asked, them having not spoken since he began ignoring her.

"You have a patient by the last name of Avery," she said quickly and it surprised him how well he knew her to know she was upset.

"Yes, is there something wrong?"

"What is the first name?" she asked him.

"I can't just give you that information. Not unless you need it medically," he said wondering what she was getting so worked up over.

"Please Bones," she pleaded.

He looked into her blue eyes, seeing worry and fear shining in them. "Catherine," he answered. "Ellie, what is it?" he asked when he saw the shock register on her face like a slap. "Ellie!" he called when she rushed away.

It didn't cross his mind that she would die, that he cared for her even though he knew nothing could ever come of it; he saw she was upset and so he tried to help her. "Hey Jim," he said when Jim answered his call.

"Hey Bones, what is it I'm kinda busy," Jim said smiling at the lips sucking onthe skin of his neck.

"Look something's wrong with Ellie."

With that Jim pushed the girl away from him and sat up. "What's wrong? Is she alright?"

"Do you know anyone by the name of Catherine Avery?" Bones asked knowing it was that woman who was the cause of Ellie's distress.

"Yeah, why?" Jim asked as he pulled his pants on ready to go to the hospital.

"She's my patient. Ellie asked about her and then she got upset. Jim, who is she?"

"It's Sarah's mother."