Chapter 10: Ship Assignments and Liftoff

A/N: This chapter is… hm… rather short. Consider it a transition chapter between the angst and the romance I've been promising. Also features Pavel being freaking adorable as he realizes that yeah, he totally still has feelings for Hikaru (happy sigh). So damn cute…

Also, for those of you that also write fanfics… After you post a chapter, do you find yourself obsessively checking your email as often as you can for the next 24 hours? Because I totally do that… It's pretty ridiculous actually… One would think I was dying to hear from readers or something… Incidentally, that's why I usually post the chapters late at night (though most of the people reviewing aren't from the US, so you probably never noticed), I post and then I go to bed, and then I wake up and I (hopefully) have reviews and it makes the day so much more amazing.

On a similar note, every single chapter of this fic has at least 100 views! That's so cool! That means that people are reading, and they're reading all the chapters, so there must be some enjoyment or interest or whatever going on and that makes me a happy author!

But ugh, just watched the season finale of Hannibal… now I have to wait until NEXT WINTER or maybe even SPRING to see the next season… ARGH! And to make it worse, I'm all caught up with Sherlock and I don't know when the next season of THAT will start either And seriously, that last episode BROKE MY BRAIN! AUGH! (tears out hair) I'll do my best not to let it rip me apart… Maybe now I'll finally have time to start watching the Star Trek TV show… Maybe it'll keep me from losing my mind and running into the streets screaming "EAT THE RUDE!" at the top of my lungs… Hehe, Fannibal joke…

Disclaimer: Do I need to keep repeating myself? I still don't own Star Trek!

Pavel Chekov was eagerly waiting to learn what ship he'd been assigned to. The brilliant seventeen-year-old had graduated with top marks (naturally!) and really, he ought to have his pick of ships… But there was only one ship he really wanted.

The Enterprise… yes, his short time there had been marred by tragedy, but he wanted desperately to return. He could not forget the feeling he'd had, navigating that ship with Hikaru by his side as pilot… It had felt so… so right.

Hikaru also wanted to return to the Enterprise, he was certain of that… though neither of them really talked about the future. Which was odd, since they spent so much time together… Somehow Chekov had never quite gotten around to moving back to his dorm room once McCoy had given him a clean bill of health. Hikaru hadn't seemed to mind… the only awkwardness was centered on sleeping arrangements.

It was strange sleeping in the same bed with someone he was so desperately interested in, yet could not pursue… at least, not yet. Chekov had done some thinking while Hikaru had been taking his finals. And he had decided that he would not even consider whether or not he wanted to try to pursue Hikaru until he was eighteen, because it wasn't fair to either of them if he made any attempts before then. So the obvious solution should have been that one of them slept on the couch, and that's what they tried to do.

Except it never seemed to work out that way. Hikaru was still having nightmares… He'd woken up screaming more than once, whether it was about his sister Rina, or about falling off the drill, or other memories that Chekov wasn't privy to… They were painful memories, obviously, but they seemed to occur less frequently if Chekov was curled up next to him.

And Chekov was getting benefits as well. He found that the dark thoughts that had been plaguing his brain since the defeat of Nero mostly went away when he was with Hikaru. Maybe part of that was guilt, but there was something about the other man…

The brilliant James Kirk would be captaining the Enterprise, it had already been announced. Chekov was thrilled, for the young man seemed exceptionally intelligent and quick-witted. He had already proved he was an excellent captain, and he would surely continue to excel.

Of course Dr. McCoy would be the medical officer on the Enterprise, even if he had to hypo every single admiral in all of Starfleet to make it happen. That was the Southern man's most common gripe when he visited Hikaru and Chekov… Jim Kirk and how much the young man plagued him and made his life hell. At first, this had confused Chekov… but gradually he realized that the gruffness was a mask for a deep bond of friendship and affection.

Uhura was also trying to get onto the Enterprise. She'd received top marks in all her communications exams, and had probably mastered at least one new language during the last few months of school.

Supposedly there was some question over whether Mr. Spock would return to the Enterprise, considering the conflicts he'd had with Kirk already, but Chekov doubted there was much to worry about. Kirk had proved to be a capable captain, surely Spock had seen that.

Chekov was lounging on Hikaru's couch while thinking these thoughts. Hikaru was sitting at his desk. He'd been chatting with his sister Miko, and Chekov couldn't help but notice that the older man had very deliberately avoided both the fact that he had a new roommate and that he'd been having nightmares. Hell, he'd even taken pains to hide his bandaged hand from his sister's prying eyes. Chekov had simply decided to stay quiet. It wasn't his business what Hikaru said (or didn't say) to his sister.

Hikaru had only just said goodbye to Miko when his PADD beeped. The pilot grabbed it eagerly. "Awesome! Finally got my ship assignment!"

"Really? Vich one?" Chekov asked.

"The Enterprise!" Hikaru exclaimed brightly. "I'm going to be the main pilot."

"Congratulations," Chekov said happily. The word had barely left his lips when his own PADD beeped at him.

Hikaru's eyes lit up. "Open it! I bet that's your assignment!"

Chekov gulped. He had a moment of wild panic during which he tried to imagine what life on a different starship from Hikaru would be like, and he didn't like the prospect. But before he could panic too much, he took a deep breath and opened the message.

"Well?" Hikaru asked leaning forward slightly in anticipation.

Chekov couldn't think with Hikaru staring at him like that. His dark eyes were glittering with interest and his tongue darted out unconsciously to wet his lips, so fast that Chekov barely had time to notice… but the slight wet sheen left behind on the lips practically screamed to him…

Mentally he slapped himself. Now was NOT the time to get lost in fantasies. And finally he looked down at the PADD, then back up at Hikaru. "Enterprise…" he breathed, so softly that it was like a prayer.

Hikaru actually jumped to his feet. "You're serious?" he exclaimed.

Chekov nodded. "Chief nawigator." And he absolutely wasn't anticipating the enthusiastic hug that followed, though he really should have.

"That's awesome!" Hikaru exclaimed happily, ruffling his curls. Chekov swatted at Hikaru's hands, but not as hard as he would have if it had been anyone else…

Yeah, he still had a crush… He had it bad. But there would be time to deal with that later. They were going to be on the same starship, and the tentative friendship they had so painstakingly cultivated would have room to flourish there… at least, that's what Chekov hoped.

For the life of him, Hikaru Sulu could not figure out why Pavel seemed to be blushing as he stared down at his PADD before announcing that he'd been assigned to the Enterprise. Had he really been so nervous about ship assignments? For crying out loud, the kid had shattered several Academy records… he had his pick of ships. Sulu was just relieved that he'd made it on board the illustrious ship.

The next few days were spent in a flurry of packing and getting ready to head into space for their first five-year mission. Sulu had to spend several frustrating hours on the vid phone with Miko… she knew that he was going into space, had known for ages that he would… yet now that she was being confronted with the reality… she couldn't seem to let her baby brother go.

Finally in desperation, Sulu agreed to meet her, Rina, and Fran for a day-long visit before he left. He thought briefly about inviting Pavel before deciding that would be too awkward.

The visit was pleasant, and Rina even hugged him tightly before he departed, whispering in his ear for him to be careful. And he promised he would be even as his fingertips touched her wrists lightly, so soft and free of scars… whoever had treated her back then had been skilled. And he tried hard to avoid letting her notice the scars that he still bore, knowing it was likely to trigger attacks of remorse and guilt, and he didn't want to put Fran through that… she was a very sweet girl and she seemed good for Rina.

That done, Sulu went back to his apartment for the last night. Everything he owned was in storage already, and the place looked strange… Pavel was there though, having emptied his dorm room at last while Sulu was gone.

"How vere your sisters?" Pavel asked. He was sprawled on the bed, and Sulu knew he had no choice but to join him, the couch having also gone into storage…

"They're fine, though I thought they were going to smother me…" Sulu said ruefully. "It's too bad you didn't get to see your parents or anyone…"

Pavel shrugged. "It vas not so bad… I haff been avay so long already… Dis is not much different."

Sulu tried to imagine a world in which he was not close to his sisters and didn't mind not seeing them for years… He couldn't do it. Seeing a message on his PADD from his mother, he deleted it without even reading it before kicking off his shoes and collapsing onto the bed next to Pavel.

"You vant to vatch a film?" Pavel asked.

"Sure," Sulu agreed, leaning over to stare over Pavel's shoulder at the screen of his PADD, barely noticing how Pavel pillowed comfortably into his chest…

The next morning, bright and early, the pair headed to the Enterprise at last. Uhura waved to them as they took their seats on the bridge, and Kirk gave them both cheerful nods, though he seemed oddly anxious and kept glancing at the door… It was then that Sulu noticed that Commander Spock wasn't on board… But there was no time to dwell on that.

"Engineering thrusters and impulse engines at your command, sir," Sulu called to the youngest captain in Starfleet history.

"Veapons systems and chutes on standby," Pavel put in.

"Dock control reports ready, Captain," Uhura added.

"Bones, buckle up," Kirk called teasingly to Dr. McCoy, who shot him an annoyed glare. The grumpy doctor seemed to be biting his tongue harder than usual. "Scotty…" Kirk called into the comm, "how we doin'?"

"Dilithium chambers at maximum, Captain," the cheerful Scottish brogue called, then they could all hear him yelling "Get down!" in an annoyed tone at someone in Engineering.

Kirk tried (and failed horribly) to repress a smile. "Mr. Sulu, prepare to engage thrusters."

It was during that very brief time period when Kirk's eyes were NOT on the door that Spock entered the bridge. Seeing him, Sulu glanced at Pavel, who was wide-eyed and unable to stop staring as the half-Vulcan approached the captain he'd so recently battled and then reconciled with.

"Permission to come aboard, Captain," Spock said softly, in his usual precise clipped tone.

Kirk almost jumped as he turned, and a welcoming smile appeared on his face as his blue eyes sparkled in a way none of them had ever seen before. "Permission granted."

Spock remained as impassive as ever as he spoke. "As you have yet to select a first officer, respectfully, I would like to submit my candidacy. Should you desire, I can provide character references," he added with just the slightest quirk of his eyebrows to show that he might be teasing the captain, something Sulu was pretty sure Vulcans weren't supposed to do…

Kirk grinned, obviously also picking up on the humor. "It would be my honor, Commander," he said, his smile surprisingly warm. Then he glanced at Sulu. "Maneuvering thrusters, Mr. Sulu."

"Thrusters on standby," Sulu called out, feeling his whole body tense up in anticipation of liftoff.

"Take us out," Kirk commanded.

"Aye aye, Captain," Sulu replied. And the ship was zooming through space, Earth fading away behind them… They would not see this planet for five years.

Sulu glanced over at Pavel. His navigator had an excited grin on his face as he stared down at his console, and Sulu was sure his own smile mirrored it. Their adventure was really beginning.

A/N: Yeah, I told you it was short. I thought about doing some other stuff, but then I decided against it… I'm the author, I can do these things. Mwahaha!

Oh, and in case you've forgotten my author's note from chapter 1, if you think you start seeing some sexual chemistry between Kirk and Spock at any point… you're not wrong. That's there on purpose… because it's a Star Trek fic. I'm pretty sure there's a law somewhere that says all Star Trek fics need to have at least a tiny amount of Kirk/Spock no matter what the main pairing is. It'll pop up randomly. Just roll with it.