Author's Note: I have truly enjoyed reading the reviews I've received for this story. I think you're romantics at heart, much like myself. ;) We have five more chapters after this one. I have really enjoyed writing about Jim & Carol/Bria'lel. I am on the last chapter and I'm a little let down that I have to actually finish this fic. I admit that I do not want to finish it! LOL. I would love to keep it going. Alas, it must be finished but I will leave the door wide open for another story about Jim & Carol/Bria'lel in the future.

If any of you are musicians and/or music fans, here is a little tidbit you may appreciate. If you're not into music, skip this paragraph. :) I am quite fond of music, as I am a pianist and vocalist in my "spare" time. Thus, music inspired a bit of my writing but I tried to ease it in quiet-like and not overdo any of it. I wrote the second chapter, inspired by the song, "The Story," which popped up on my folk music station one day. It was written by Phil Hanseroth, but I think most famously sung by Brandi Carlile. It is the song I imagined to be playing as Jim entered the bar and joined in with the band. The words struck me to be true for him in Return to Riverside. The electric guitar really does begin with verse 2. ;) The lullaby that Jim plays/sings for Lucy is a sweet, folksy guitar-centered song called Morningbird, words and music by Forest Sun. I absolutely love its beautiful simplicity. If you have to choose between the two songs, listen to Morningbird. It's too, too sweet.

Many, many thanks to DLB48 for her continued support and encouragement as well as her amazing beta reading skills! To my readers- thanks for faving, following, and reviewing.

And now, the chapter some of you may have seen coming...or not...hehe...

Jim shifted his shoulders slightly after awakening, struggling to alleviate his discomfort as he lay flat on his back.

Something about the way his mind flittered from one thing to the next seemed odd to Jim, preventing him from pinpointing the importance of his location in sickbay. Disoriented, he attempted a few breaths and focused on the ceiling to clear his thoughts. Silently, Jim repeated his name and rank more than a dozen times over until his thoughts finally made some sense.

He'd had surgery. Bones brought him aboard the Enterprise. Something happened which caused an infection. He'd been given a painkiller, amongst other things, and then a sedative. His head and chest screamed in protest even as he remained still going over these thoughts.

A few minutes passed until, unfortunately, he also recalled what happened after he left sickbay.

To put it simply, he'd flipped out. He'd behaved badly- again. Once more, it had not been one of his greatest moments. Jim's rage climaxed and transformed into something far, far worse. He never wanted to experience those feelings ever again.

Carol...Bria'lel...had bravely come for him, drawing him out gently. He'd shut his friends out. He tried to shut his own wife out. Jim succeeded until her cries drifted into the lift. He'd hurt her as he isolated himself away from the world, determine to suffer his pain alone. Her insecurity shattered him and he could no longer refuse her. He'd opened the lift.

His wife needed assured that he loved who she had become. Carol or Bria'lel was unimportant to him. The only thing that mattered was that she was alive. Bria'lel's voice struck him in the heart when she asked if he still wanted to be with him. Jim had been so disappointed in himself for hurting her as he handled his own devastated feelings in his own way.

Jim wanted to be with her- more than ever. Nothing- not even a different body or difference in personality- would ever change that.

Sighing deeply, Jim looked around for his wife but was met with curtains all around. They closed him just as the lift had done. He fought back the all-too-familiar panic of before. Their situation was dire. Jim rebelled against the information flooding his mind. Sloan- arriving at the hospital and threatening his family's safety while he was quite unconscious. Mitchell- helping his family and not harming them. The memories aggravated his panic even more.

"Lucy," he gasped. His heart ached at he thought of his daughter and what the future held for Lucy and his wife. The next thing he knew, he heard groaning- his own he discovered- and Bria'lel's voice. He'd blacked out, but for how long he wasn't sure.

"Captain, you're going to feel better in a few seconds," Bria'lel's brightly informed him with a tone Jim suspected she would use for every patient. A sense of loss filled him. Needing to see her, he tried to find her from his place on the bed and couldn't.

"Where...?" he asked, fearful she'd left without letting him see her.

"I'm right here, Captain," she said, taking his hand. His gaze drifted to the form beside him. She was beautiful, even when she was worried. "You're fighting an infection. It is causing the severe pain you're experiencing and the probable confusion you are facing. Do you remember Dr. McCoy explaining that to you? I've temporarily increased the pain medication for the time being. It may continue your confusion, Captain."

"Vaguely," Jim sighed, feeling the effects of the drug already. "Thank you."

He looked into her stunning, now-brown eyes, wondering if they were alone. The curtains were still drawn. He did not hear much activity outside their small, protected space.

"Soon," she whispered, knowing immediately his unspoken question. She cleared her throat and spoke louder. "Did the pain diminish any yet?"

"Some," he tried to smile but it came out as a grimace. "Did I cause this infection in my stupidity?"

"Captain Kirk, your actions sped up its arrival, but no, it wasn't your fault." She squeezed his hand and dropped it when the curtain was opened and a nurse Jim did not know entered. "I'll be back in a few moments, Captain, after your blood has been drawn."

Jim wanted to plead to her not to leave but she remained stoic in her expression- and left.

Hopelessness struck him in the gut again. He could not do this- play up a facade for any length of time. Two years he'd not had her. Two years he'd been a widower. Two years, his daughter did not have her mother.

He could not go on like that knowing his wife was alive and on the same ship.

His wife was alive and she was on his ship.

Jim bit his lip, torquing his face as tears threatened to fall again. He fought to contain his emotions.

"Captain, I'm finished."

He nodded to the nurse as she left, still hardly aware of anything other than Bria'lel on the other side of the room. He could see his wife through the opened curtains now, flitting from one thing to another, talking with Bones, and then taking a seat. She worked efficiently like she had in the science lab. She was even tinier now in this body. He'd noticed that when he held her close on the Ferris wheel. When he had held her hands in his, noting how small she was compared to him. She was just as pleasing to the eye as before- she was gorgeous. Her shoulder length hair was tied back today, accentuating her slender neck.

She intrigued him even more.

Jim's heart pounded in his chest, thinking of her warm, full lips as they kissed. He wanted to kiss the Ikaaran ridges on her face one at a time and as soon as he could- those were a mystery, one he wanted so much to unravel. Face warming, he swallowed as his desire challenged his sanity. He had to look away from her before he went crazy- or someone noticed.

Two years- it had been too long.

Closing his eyes, he hoped she'd come back like she said she would. Maybe she would grasp his hand again behind the curtains. His heart beat erratically as he pondered all of the risks they would have to take. A machine began to beep with the change, beckoning someone to check on him. Jim sighed with relief. Bria'lel would return soon.

Bria'lel- she had to leave this week, with their daughter. Today Jim would contact Ambassador Spock with his additional request. The risks were too great to continue life together on the ship with circumstances remaining what they were. Jim's decision was final, no matter what Spock and Mitchell would try to convince him to do otherwise.

"Jim?"

His eyes fluttered open. They strayed from his wife's eyes down to her lips. He should kiss her again. Her lips were full, and they'd be so warm...

"James," she said dryly.

"Hmm?" He jerked his gaze back up. Bria'lel was frowning at him, clearly irritated. He couldn't help but smirk that she had caught him staring at her mouth. "What?"

"You're a scoundrel," she whispered, leaning towards him as she sat beside the bed. "We have a little time to be alone and then Spock and Captain Mitchell would like to talk with you. Dr. McCoy wisely directed-"

Jim did not let his wife finish.

For two years, he'd longed to have one more chance to kiss his wife. For two years, he had dreamt of her every day. With their future so uncertain, Jim would not pass up any chance of any type of physical intimacy- even a chaste kiss.

He reached his arm around her neck and pulled her face gently to his own before either of them could think twice.

Mitchell sat comfortably and alone on the Enterprise. Spock agreed to give Mitchell his own quarters after he'd asked the acting captain if he could remain on the Enterprise for another day.

In truth, he'd needed the privacy, not the bed.

Mitchell had not always been good at deceiving people. Ironically, it took learning of his friend's incident with Agent Sloan six years ago to show him he was capable of lying. Lying freed him from feeling guilty. Lying gave him power to manipulate. He became so proficient at deception that the job with Section 31 fell into his lap, with an offer he couldn't refuse from the powers that be.

Instead of feeling elated at his stroke of good fortune, Mitchell suffered even more guilt. Before he knew it, he'd fallen too far and was in too deep to see any way out or any way his soul could be redeemed from the deeds he committed- the gray, the black, or the evil ones until Dr. Lester's file was up for grabs. He took it, and more good fortune followed him.

Mitchell would kill two birds with one stone. He'd demonstrate loyalty to Section 31 all while saving his friend, Jim Kirk, and his family from immense suffering.

Within the hour, he would manage to save his own hide and that of his accomplice. He was committing yet another black deed. It wasn't terribly evil. In fact, it would save Jim's family from being torn apart for the second time.

An alert came from his comm. Mitchell smiled when he saw the caller's identity.

"So, you're in?" Mitchell got straight to the point.

"Gladly. Besides, you got me out of prison."

That hadn't been hard for Mitchell to do. He'd risen in the ranks among Section 31 and called upon a favor.

"Are you on schedule?"

"I'm going to get us ahead," Mitchell replied. "Today."

"I thought waiting until New Vulcan would be awfully cruel to him."

"Yes, but there are worse things then waiting until the end of the week." Like having a dead family.

"True," the other man sighed. "Mitchell, he'll hate you for this."

"His family's safety is worth more to me than a continuing friendship." It grieved Mitchell to do something so blatantly against Jim's code of ethics, but he could not let his friend continue in his anguish. He'd left the Enterprise for a few hours after witnessing a small portion of Jim's meltdown and helping Jim to sickbay. Mitchell returned to the Enterprise after setting his plan in motion.

"You're right, it will pretty much end your friendship," the man agreed. "Especially with what else you plan to do."

"Insurance, Memphis, for the both of us. It's necessary," Mitchell said firmly. "That aside, it's the only way to make sure Jim and his family are safe and that I alone can continue to ensure their safety."

"It will tear him up," Memphis softly answered. "I saw what my actions did to him."

"He'll get over it," Mitchell snorted, "just like he forgave you."

"I don't know. This is a little different, I think."

"Perhaps, but my conscience will be clear, nonetheless."

"That, I understand. I don't mind being the scapegoat. I owe Jim."

"Don't we all," Mitchell sighed. "Listen, I have to go. I'm meeting Spock and Jim in sickbay. Good luck. Comm me when the deed is done."

"You're sure about this, then, Mitchell? This seems extreme- both things you've planned."

"Completely."

"I should wish you good luck, I guess," Memphis said quietly. "I can't believe what you're going to do to Ji-"

"Memphis. Enough."

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"Get it done. Then comm me."

Mitchell cut the connection, now honestly a bit unnerved. Memphis, for all his sordid past, had a soft heart. It reminded him of his own moldable heart. Mitchell cursed his weakness. He couldn't get cold feet now. It was today- or never. The perfect opportunity was now- or never. He needed insurance to keep his good friend and his family alive and well, no matter how much it hurt Jim.

Mitchell left his quarters. As he walked, he steeled himself for the inevitable, immense betrayal he would see reflected from Jim's eyes.