Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing of any importance except for my character

Square One

Alcohol was flowing like the Egyptian rivers, and I would know I had lived in Egypt for a few hundred years.

Everyone surrounding us was complete and utterly wasted celebrating Jim's newest conquest, the Kobayashi Maru. Somehow the idiot had managed to beat the unbeatable and everyone was ready to drink for it.

Leo had his arm around me. It was the normal for us, so no one looked at us weirdly or seemed the least bit suspicious. Well it wasn't like we were the center of attention, James was definitely that. It was comforting having his arm around me and it was nice to have someone ready to protect me at the drop of a hat.

Music was blaring throughout the club and the place stank of sweat, alcohol, and body odor. The smells were beginning to nauseate me, and for the first time I couldn't hold my liquor without feeling queasy.

Leo was having no trouble holding his liquor and was on his fourth beer of the night before he decided to stop and just sit with me. James was dancing with at least five girls and I was sure he'd go home with half of the academy tonight.

The pounding music was beginning to give me a headache and the whole atmosphere was grating on my nerves. Leo pulled me to the first open booth where we would finally get a little amount of privacy.

His lips pressed against my temple in a lingering kiss and I leaned into his chest needing the comfort of it desperately. Neither of us liked the party scene but we both felt compelled to stay by our friendship to Jim.

While one arm was protectively around my shoulders the other was on my bare knee stroking the skin. It was definitely keeping my mind off of everything except for him and all I wanted to do was leave and go back to my dorm with Leo.

Jim broke away from the girls that were flocking all over him and found his way to us. His clothes were disgruntled and wrinkled. I could almost laugh at the pleased expression he had on his face.

"Hey Bones, come out and dance with some of the ladies." He said smirking at him. Bones just rolled his eyes at Jim. "Not tonight Jim." He said trying to put an end to the conversation quickly.

"Oh come on old-man. I'll keep Tempe company while you go find yourself another girl to shag." He smirked at Bones and sat on the other side of me. The warmth of Leo's hand left my leg and I could feel him tensing up.

"James quit picking on Leo." I said swatting his arm away from me playfully. "But Tempe." He began to whine.

"Hush James. Actually Leo was about to walk me to my dorm. I'm feeling a bit under the weather tonight, and he was kind enough to offer to walk me home." I said the lie falling off of my lips easily.

"Aww Tempe, let Bones have some fun. I'll walk you home!" He said smiling at me. Shit, how was I going to talk my way out of this one. "Ok James." He slid out of the booth and I went to kiss Leo's cheek.

"Come to my place in fifteen minutes." I whispered in his ear. He nodded as I pressed my lips to his cheek quickly. James offered me his arm as I stood up and swayed slightly.

I looped my arm through his own and we left the loud, hot club for the cool, peaceful night.

The cool air was a breath of fresh air compared to the hot and stuffy atmosphere of the club. I was sick of all of the clubbing and drinking and partying that we had been doing since we arrived at Starfleet; all was Jim's idea of course and he just had to bring me and Bones into it.

"You ok, Tempe?" You seem a bit flushed. He said as he brushed the sticky tendrils of hair out of my face.

My face and body felt sticky from sweat, and I knew I couldn't be sick so I wasn't too worried about it; it just had to be because of the atmosphere of the club.

"Yeah, I'm fine James. Just tired." I laid my head on his shoulder and he led me to the dorm room quickly.

"Sorry to make you leave the party." I said softly. "It's fine, Tempe. You come first to partying you should know that." He kissed my forehead quickly.

"Leo would've brought me home safe and sound though. There was no need for you to leave in the wake of your triumph."

Icy blue eyes met my own. "Leo needs to have some fun. I can't hog it all, now can I?" He laughed and averted his eyes. "Anyways apparently Leo was with some girl last night; he never came back to the dorm."

I felt as I just got hit by a bus, the breath was knocked out of me and I willed my brain to keep walking; James couldn't suspect anything now could he? I may be sleeping with his best friend but that wasn't exactly something I wanted him to know.

"Oh really?" I said feigning surprise. I managed to will the muscles in my face to a picture of shock instead of panic and worry.

I relaxed as he laughed. "Yeah our Bones is finally getting some since his divorce." We had finally reached my door and I was relived to be on my own for a little while before Leo came over.

"Goodnight James." I said as I kissed his cheek. "Night Tempe." He kissed my cheek and a short wave of guilt coursed through me, but it was quickly replaced with the little amount of anger I had welled up at him.

I watched him walk away and back towards the club before I entered the code to enter my dorm. The room was deserted and a note from my roommate let me know that I would have the room to myself for a week while she was living with her boyfriend.

I slipped out of the leather pants and tank I was wearing at the club and pulled on a lacy night gown that came up past mid thigh. The material was smooth and I felt better being out of the hot and sticky clothes.

I breathed deeply clearing my mind and calming myself as I waited patiently for Leo.

I was rewarded with the chime that rang through the room signaling a visitor. I went to the door instead of using a voice command and pressed the button to allow Leo to enter. I couldn't help but to smile as he picked me up with a huge hug.

He pressed kisses all over my face and my neck as he held me to him. "Tempe." He murmured through my hair. I buried my face into his neck and kissed his neck softly. He set me down gently and kissed me tenderly.

I pulled away after a few moments. "Did anyone see you leave?" I asked. He knew by anyone I meant James. He shook his head and I leaned up to kiss him again.

He picked me up and carried me to my bed. He gently placed me on the mattress and crawled on top of me.

--

My head was lying on his bare chest and our bodies were intertwined; skin on skin. The sweat had cooled by now and his fingers were tracing small designs all over my back, causing my back to erupt in goose-bumps.

"Leo?" I asked tentatively.

"Mhmm."

"He can't know."

"I know. He won't know, I promise." He kissed the top of my head and I leaned up on my elbows so I could look into those hazel eyes.

"I love you." I said as I kissed him softly.

--

I was nestled securely on Leo's warm chest and tracing small designs on the light dash of hair that was sprinkled over his muscular chest. He groaned as my actions had roused him from his slumber.

"Morning beautiful." He murmured as his fingers trailed up my bare back. Shivers shot up my spine and I smiled.

I leaned up on my elbows and kissed him gently. "Morning."

We had been like this for a week now, sleeping together every night and waking up every morning me nestled on his chest or spooning. I had yet to hear from my roommate so I didn't know when our time together would end, because frankly it would be near impossible for me to stay the night with him at his dorm because of Jim.

I sighed in relief thinking of how lucky we were that Jim had yet to catch on to the fact that we were sleeping together. He only commented on Bones "mysterious girlfriend" once more before he got bored with the idea and went off on his latest conquest.

"We have class in an hour." Leo murmured in between my kisses. I rolled off of him and stretched hearing some joints pop and sighed at the content feeling that had enveloped me within this past week.

Leo looked at me and laughed. "You look like a pleased cat, stretching like that." His eyes wandered from my face down the rest of my uncovered body. His hazel eyes darkened slightly and I couldn't help but to smile.

"I am a pleased cat." I said as I arched my back causing his attention to leave my face once again. "I get you every night and I get to wake up to you every morning."

He rolled his eyes as he leaned over me to kiss me. I deepened the kiss and he pulled away. "Damnit Tempe, we don't have time." He sat up as my bottom lip went out in a pout.

He looked at me and gave me the "your pouting isn't going to help you any" look that he always gave me whenever I tried to manipulate him. My bottom lip quivered ever so slightly.

"But Leo…"

He rolled his eyes. "You are going to be the death of me one day." He leaned down to kiss me and I welcomed it eagerly. His calloused hands ran up my sides as he deepened the kiss.

Everything was so easy between us; the conversation, the kissing and the sex was amazing. Only the occasional nagging reminder of icy blue eyes kept me at bay. It was the only thing that could pull me away from the charming doctor.

I still worried about what the future had in store for us all and recently the ominous feeling I had not been able to shake had become smothering for me and Leo was the only thing that could keep me from loosing it most days.

His comforting warm embrace kept me from panicking over something that hadn't even happened yet.

Then there were still my weekly meetings with Spock. He had not yet shared any of his scientific studies with me but he was very inquisitive about my past and still tried to get me away from the medical field.

I remained true to my doctoring self and refused to think about any other possibility even though on some days all I wanted was to do something else.

All sense of thought was quickly eradicated as Leo hit the sensitive spot on my neck. I moaned and he quickened his pace. Quickly the earth shattering release overcame us both and we were left sweaty and panting.

He pulled out after a few minutes to catch our breath. "We have thirty minutes." I said as I glanced at the clock quickly before I stood and headed to the bathroom. I heard his groan as he stood and followed me.

His footsteps were louder than mine and were only drowned out by the sound of the shower. Cold water quickly turned scalding on my skin as it turned from the creamy white to a pink.

Cold air hit me as the shower door opened and closed. Leo's body pressed into my own as he tried to get under the hot water. He smiled down at me as water dripped off of his nose and onto my forehead.

I started to wash my hair and his fingers found there way into the soapy mess and massaged my head gently. I scrubbed his chest with soap gently and waited to be able to wash out my hair.

Water washed away the soapy residue from his skin and from my hair. We hurried after that and rushed to get out of the shower and my dorm in time for class.

We both had exobiology and we walked into class just as it was time for it to begin. I sat at the lab table that Leo and I shared and waited for the professor to speak.

My heart was thrumming loudly and I was partially exhausted from this mornings activities. I felt a bit flushed and Leo looked at me worry was drawn on his face.

"Are you ok?" He mouthed as his trained eye took in my colorless appearance. I nodded my head and smiled at him to make him quit worrying. He smiled back but worry remained in his eye.

Professor Cotillard stood and eyed the enter class; she was a strict French woman who was a brilliant teacher, but had the problem of lapsing into French a lot of the time.

"Class has been put on hold today. All cadets and staff are required to meet with Admiral Barnett in the trial room." Leo's eyes met my own; both of us had the same thought and fear. James.

The class stood most held confused looks on there faces and others seemed excited at the prospect of another student being persecuted in front of us all. I myself was terrified and Leo looked disgruntled.

Both of us had paid less attention to James recently besides trying to make sure that he didn't know about us and if he was on academic probation and possible expulsion we wouldn't have known.

I stood and he came to my side instantly. "Do you know anything?" I asked unable to keep the worry out of my voice.

He shook his head and put his arm around me as we followed the crowd out to the hallway. "Jim shouldn't be in trouble he hasn't done anythi…" Leo cut off as we both realized what this had to be about.

My step quickened as I saw the unruly blonde hair. "James." I called over the massive crowd. He stopped and turned looking for both me and Bones. His icy blue eyes found us and he hurried to us.

"Tempe, Bones. Good to see you." He said cheerfully, yet his eyes gave him away as he looked the slightest bit worried. I grabbed his hand out of instinct and I felt Leo's arm stiffen slightly around my shoulders before he relaxed again.

Jim's thumb stroked the back of my hand as I tried to squeeze it reassuringly. We pushed through the crowd and made it to the trial room. All of Starfleet's council sat facing the seats where all of the cadets and professors would soon sit.

Jim pulled me down the closest aisle of seats and Leo followed us. He sat and I followed; Leo sat on the other side and put his hand on my knee to squeeze it once before he removed it. I smiled at him hoping he would understand that James needed me at the moment.

Jim held my hand in his lap and seemed to be keeping his cool rather well. I heard the hustle and bustle of the movements of the entire academy behind us and I breathed slowly keeping my worry down to a minimum.

Quiet chatter was buzzing around us and my eyes were glued to Admiral Barnett. He raised his hand and silence filled the room. I blocked out his pleasantries that he made and concentrated on James.

He held my hand tightly and I continued to squeeze his on occasion. He seemed to not be shaken up even though he knew this was about him and the Kobayashi Maru.

"James Tiberius Kirk, will you please come to the stand." Admiral Barnett's voice rang throughout the silent hall. I squeezed his hand one last time before he went down to face whatever punishment the academy had in store.

He was accused of cheating on the Kobayashi Maru. I looked at Leo as we both had the affirmation to our hunch. His hand went to my knee and he squeezed it reassuringly. James looked the perfect picture of being calm and self-assured. Then again he always looked like that when his neck was on the line.

"I believe I have the right to face my accuser." He said calmly and I exhaled realizing that for once in his life he was going to go about this the smart way.

I felt as though I was kicked in the stomach the next moment when his accuser rose. It was Spock.

He was the ever emotionless professional that I knew he would be. This was going to be a tough trial for Jim to fight his way through.

I watched as Jim braced himself as Spock walked down the stairs to stand at the opposite podium. Leo's hand went from my knee to my hand and he held it tightly as he realized that I was in a tough position.

He didn't know the complexities of the relationship between Spock and I, but he could tell that I was torn.

"Breathe." He whispered into my ear as he realized that I was holding my breath.

I inhaled and felt a little bit better as the scene unfolded in front of us. Spock was perfectly cool and collected during his accusations and Jim handled them well for the most part.

He himself stayed cool and collected until a certain point where Spock mentioned his father and 'no win scenarios' then I could tell that he was being to become agitated and once he became agitated it would be impossible for him to win any argument.

A man walked through the two podiums and straight to Admiral Barnett. He handed the Admiral a data PADD and the Admiral read it quickly.

"Vulcan is experiencing seismic activity and has requested help." Out of the corner of my eye Spock stiffened. "All Cadets are to report to your commanding officer immediately to be assigned to ships."

We were dismissed and the trial hadn't been completed. Jim was safe for now. Leo tugged on my hand and I got to my feet. He dropped my hand gently and we headed to Jim where he was glaring at the retreating form of Spock.

Leo reached Jim first and I hung back. "Who is that pointy eared bastard?" Jim asked contempt hung in his voice.

Leo looked at the retreating Vulcan. "I don't know, but I like him."

The look Jim gave Leo was priceless as both of them came back to get me and we headed to the hanger bay to our commanding officers. My commanding officer just happened to be that very pointy eared bastard.

Leo and Jim went off in separate directions to both of there officers and I joined in the formation that was in front of Spock.

"Cadet Aston the Farragut. Cadet Black the….."

The ominous cloud was smothering me as I waited for the news of what ship I would be on.