Okay, I'm back to my normal exploits…

Making people happy and falling in love…

This is the next to last chapter…but I have unanswered questions…

I'm thinking about doing a series of About Last Night related drabbles or shorts after I finish this one to cover a few lingering issues:

Spock & Nyota pre-Leo and Christine

Gaila & Jim

Chekov & Sulu

Sorry not much Joanna in this chapter.

Chapter 25 – Baby's Got Sauce

Scotty was in love. It was pretty obvious.

He blushed.

He smiled.

He rushed to the table to top off her beer, nearly falling every time, but still he was there.

Vanessa smirked, tilted her head to the side, and motioned for the man to join her at the table. Leonard sighed while Gaila and Nyota watched closely. The woman had flown in earlier that day for a quick visit to see her niece. Somehow she had coaxed everyone into going out and having a drink. Joanna spent the night with a classmate and for the first time in a long time the entire crew was back together again. Gaila moved to Jim's lap and Nyota cuddled closer to Leonard. Hikaru and Chekov were both waiting for one of Scotty's epic insults to send the woman out the door.

Instead everyone was treated to a lively round of curses that caused Scotty to blush. If he wasn't in love before Vanessa's tirade, he was ready to propose when she finished.

Leonard leaned in, "Those James women have a hell of a mouth."

"I heard that limp dick."

Nyota kissed Leonard in an effort to shut him up before a fight broke out, but the man didn't have an insult prepared. He looked at Vanessa, "Damn I've missed your evil ass."

Like that the mood of the night was set. The gang shut the bar down; staying there until the wee hours of the night, playing song after song, sharing drinks, and stories that were better left dead.

"So you mean to tell me pretty boy over here, hit on you, and in return you gave him a concussion?" Vanessa was now perched happily on Scotty's lap, leaning across the table to interrogate Nyota.

Nyota nodded, "You make it sound so mean."

"Hell, you sound like the perfect woman for Leonard, he needs an ass whooping at least once every three months."

"Nyota can smack this ass any time." Leonard was wiggling his eyebrows and honestly Nyota couldn't wait to get him back home.

The entire table groaned but Jim was the only one with a response, "Can I post the video on YouTube?"

"Gaila I told you the man was a sexual deviant." Hikaru pulled out a leather cigar case and proceeded to share with the friends around him. A devious grin graced his lips.

"Who's the sexual deviant now?" Gaila asked stroking her cigar before lighting it.

"I just enjoy phallic shaped items." Hikaru was alternating the cigar between his fingers before finally lighting it and taking a slow puff.

"Too much fucking information…" Leonard threw his head back and enjoyed the flavor of his own cigar. "I don't even want to know where you got these illegal imports.

"In Russia…" Scotty interrupted Pavel before he could finish.

"If you're going to tell another bloody story about how Russia does everything right and better than every other fucking land mass on the globe, shut your pretty little mouth now."

"Hey now, no one remarks about his pretty little mouth, but me." Hikaru leaned over and kissed Pavel gently on the lips.

"I don't know if I've stumbled into an episode of Queer as Folk or what, but I might just relocate. You guys are insane and I like it." Vanessa wiggled the cigar from Scotty's mouth.

"Lass you can have any thing I own."

Nyota leaned over to whisper in Leonard's ear, "We can leave now and they will never know we're gone."

Before he could respond, "No you're not breaking this party up. Play with a cigar, pour a drink, it's been too long since we've been allowed to be adults." Gaila snatched Nyota and raced for the stereo. Suddenly G. Love was pounding threw the speakers and the girls were dancing around. It didn't take long for Vanessa to join in with them. Singing along and hair flying around.

"Wait, how did we end up here, smoking cigars and they're dancing with each other?" Leonard stood to make his way to the dancing woman.

"Three hot women, now that's a video for YouTube." Jim was smirking thinking about the possibilities.

"You are a very sick man sometimes Mr. Kirk."

"Let's play truth or dare." The voice breaking through the monotony was Nyota. "I haven't played since college, besides I want to hear all the stories Vanessa has about a certain doctor."

"Honey, I'll tell you all of those without a game, but I'm all for it."

"Hold on, I'm a doctor not a guest on Maury."

The truth or dare game was over before it started. Gaila was deemed a freak who had definitely been placed on a leash. Jim smiled sweetly in response to her claim that only one man would benefit from her knowledge for the remainder of her years. Nyota admitted to kissing a girl and liking it. This caused a few positive responses from the men in the room as well as Jim digging in Gaila's bag for a video camera and begging for a re-enactment.

"Who said I kissed Gaila?"

"I'll never tell." Gaila kept singing while wetting her lips with her tongue and planting a kiss on Nyota's lips.

Stunned silence followed by Vanessa's promise to move within the next six months because she didn't want to miss another Saturday night away from these people who were obviously out of their minds.

Like any decent game of truth or dare, things eventually turned serious when the question was asked, 'What do you regret the most?'

Hikaru regretted not being honest about his sexuality earlier in his life.

Pavel missed having a childhood.

Jim wanted to know his father.

Gaila wished that she would have opened up sooner to Jim.

Nyota hated the fact that she had compromised her self one too many times.

Vanessa should have called Leonard sooner.

Leonard, "I have no regrets. Every failure…drunken binge…unnecessary argument…brought me to this moment of clarity. I wouldn't be where I am without it."

"Now he's a philosopher." Scotty glass chimed as it met the doctor's. "I have no regrets, but I'll regret it if I let this woman leave without…" And like that the Scotsman kissed Vanessa.

"To living with no regrets…" It was a simple toast and on that note everyone took a drink.

Later that evening, curled together in a corner booth, Nyota sat in silence as Vanessa studied her.

"Thank you."

"What for?" Nyota asked.

"Leonard was my sister's husband but before that we were friends. I knew Beth would break his heart. She was always like a hurricane…awesome…beautiful…disastrous. It's nice to see him at peace, finding what he needs."

"Leo's a beautiful man."

A sly grin spread across Vanessa's face, "Yeah but I'll still call him a dipshit." She took another drink. "Joanna adores you. That's all she talked about today."

Nyota covered her face with her hands, "Great kid."

"Elizabeth would be happy to see Leo at peace and Joanna thriving. The three of you make a beautiful family."

Nyota met Vanessa's eyes and saw the tears there. "You think."

Vanessa shook her head in agreement, "I know. Now, tell me about Montgomery."

Nyota laughed loudly at Vanessa's question, "He could only be tamed by a woman like you."