Jim couldn't stop smiling as he watched taxi's and rented air cars parking and dropping people off at the end of the drive way. The entire crew of the Enterprise had been given shore leave while they were docked for inspections and tune-ups, and his and Spock's closet friends had been invited to the party. Chekov was bouncing up and down, and waving at him as soon as he stepped out of the taxi, leaving poor Sulu to grab the bags.

"Keptain!" Chekov greeted, hugging him as soon as he was close enough to reach him.

"Hey Chekov" Jim greeted the younger man, returning the hug.

"Hey Jim" Sulu waved.

"Want some help?" Jim asked.

"No, thanks I got it" Sulu replied.

"Spock?! If I didn't know you I'd think you weren't Vulcan, you're wearing jeans" Nyota called, standing shocked be the car door she had just gotten out of.

"That would be my influence" Jim said proudly.

"You got him into jeans? How the hell did you manage that Farm boy?" Nyota asked, Jim grinned at being called 'farm boy' it was a joke between them now.

"Told him I thought he would be hot in them" Jim shrugged.

"Only you" Nyota laughed, finally moving towards them.

"How was Scotland?" Jim asked her. Nyota had told him she was going to Scotland to meet Scotty's family before coming to the party with him.

"It was beautiful, he showed me loch ness. His mom liked me, thought I was a "Smart and pretty lass" his sister doesn't like me though" Nyota replied.

"Sarek hated me, at least his mom likes you" Jim smiled at her.

"Aye, mom adores her, said she canna wait til the weddin" Scotty blushed.

"Wedding? Isn't it a bit early?" Jim asked with a laugh.

"Aye" Scotty nodded.

"Well it's good to see you both" Jim smiled; accepting the hug Scotty gave him.

"You too Jim" Nyota said, hugging her captain. Nyota smiled at Jim's look of surprise when she pulled away, Nyota may be nicer to him, and they may have become friends but she wasn't usually physical with him, but she had thought he was going to die not long ago. After she let go of Jim she held the Taal up to Spock.

"Come on everyone, I'll introduce you to the family" Jim smiled.

XXX

Jim would admit he hated most of his family if asked, and the feeling was mutual. And one who always managed to annoy him, was his great aunt Marie. And now was no exception to that. She kept arguing over the "No press" rule. She wouldn't let it go that Jim didn't want a bunch of reporters shoving cameras and microphones in his face.

"I came all the way here to tell stories about when you were a little child, and there's not going to be press?" Marie repeated for what must have been the hundredth time.

"What stories? You barely saw me as a child, and you couldn't stand me as a teenager. You are just going to tell them lies about how I was your favorite nephew. All you want is the fame connected to my name!" Jim shouted, finally losing his patience with the woman.

"I will not be insulted," Marie told him.

"Then leave, I don't care" Jim replied, walking away from the woman who was getting angrier by the second.

"You think you can just speak to me like that? Where do you get off treating me like that boy? I took you in out of the goodness of my heart when your mother went gallivanting off to outer space and Frank kicked your sorry hide out of the house" Marie said.

"For two days until Aunt Betty got back" Jim replied.

"Your attitude hasn't changed at all since you were fourteen, you're still just as foul mouthed and ungrateful. If nothing else I thought your time on that planet would have taught you manners" Marie muttered, arms crossed as she walked away.

"Leave" Jim told her flatly.

"I think that's up to your mother, at least my niece respects me" Marie replied.

"It's my party, I think she'll be perfectly fine with it if I kicked you out" Jim retorted.

"You can't just kick me out" Marie said incredulously.

"Get out or I'll have you escorted out" Jim told her, voice flat. Marie gave him a dirty look but left all the same.