Title: The Basics of Primary Ed., Part 29
Author: Caera1996
Rating: This part PG-13. NC-17 overall.
Pairing: Kirk/McCoy
Disclaimer: Still not mine.
Summary: Kindergarten AU - Jim is a kindergarten teacher. Leonard is the parent of a student. This part: Checking in with Kim, Joanna's story, and Jim and Leonard discuss where they're headed.


"So Kimmie, how've you been feeling?" Leonard asked, using a penlight to check the reflexes of her pupils.

"Good!" she said.

"How are the headaches?"

"I used to get them every day, but now it's just every now and then."

"Excellent. And how about your vision? Notice any changes? Sitting closer to the board at school or the tv at home?"

"Nope, I don't notice any changes."

"How about your balance? Do you ever feel dizzy for no reason, or when you stand up after you've been sitting or lying down?"

"No, no and no…not dizzy. Well…unless I'm spinning on the tire swing. Then I get dizzy."

"Well, that's a normal kind of dizzy. I'm asking about being dizzy without doing anything on purpose that would make you dizzy. Anything like that?"

"Then, no," Kim said.

"Very good...How about you, Mom?" Leonard asked, turning his head to look at Aurelan, who was sitting off to the side. "Notice any changes? Squinting? Sitting closer to the television or computer, anything like that?"

"No…she's seemed fine. Thank god." Aurelan answered. Leonard smiled at the little girl in front of him.

"I guess your uncle was right," he said.

"About what?"

"He said that you'd be fine 'cause all Kirks have hard heads," Leonard replied, straight-faced. Aurelan giggled as Kim gave him a sour look.

"I can attest to that on Sam's behalf," she said.

"Same here, for Jim," Leonard replied. "Well, everything looks good. We'll schedule another appointment in a month, and of course, call me if you even think you notice anything different about how you feel or your vision, but I think that we can officially call you healed."

"I don't need another scan?" Kim asked. Leonard smiled gently at her, knowing that she'd come to this appointment anticipating that and feeling nervous about it.

"No…I don't think it's necessary." To his surprise, Kim threw her arms around him.

"Thank you, Dr. McCoy!" she exclaimed happily. He gave her a gentle hug back and patted her shoulder.

"You're supposed to call me Leonard or Len…or Dr. McCoy is fine if you're not comfortable with that."

Kim shrugged, smiling happily. "Well, since we're in your hospital, I thought I should call you doctor. But tonight I'll call you Len. You're still coming for dinner, right?"

"Right."

"And then is Joanna gonna stay over?"

"That's the plan, as long as it's still okay with your mama."

"Oh, definitely," Aurelan answered.

"Yay!" Kim said. "I love when Joanna comes over. Janie leaves me alone when she's there." Leonard smiled as Aurelan rolled her eyes.

"Well, we'll see you then." He stood as Kim hopped off the exam table. "What are the plans for the rest of the day?" he asked Aurelan.

"Well, Kim's going to school-"

"Aww, Mom!" she whined. "I've already missed so much today, why can't I just stay home?"

"What do you mean 'so much'? It's only 10:00. You're going. Anyway," she said, turning back to Leonard as Kim huffed in annoyance. "And then just the usual for me. I've got some clients waiting for some of their layouts, and then I'm going to cook." She paused, thinking. "I guess I'd better go to the supermarket to get some things to cook. What kind of ice cream does Joanna like?"

"Anything that doesn't have fruit in it, and I think her current favorite is mint chocolate chip."

"No fruit, got it. Well, we better get going." They all stood and Aurelan picked her purse up from the chair. "Say goodbye Kim."

"Goodbye Kim," she quipped, wrinkling her nose in a teasing smile. Leonard reached out and ruffled her hair affectionately.

"Smart alec," her mother said, swatting her behind. "And Leonard…thank you. So much; for everything." She reached up to hug him and Leonard bent to accommodate her. She kissed his cheek and pulled back, giving him a fond smile. "See you at dinner."

"We'll be there," he said. He gave a wave as they exited the examination room and he sat back down with Kim's chart to make some notes. Kids truly were amazing. If an adult had this accident, they'd still probably be suffering from some of the more debilitating effects of it. Kim, just three weeks later, was just about perfect, and getting better all the time. Her headaches, which were a common side effect, had lessened in intensity and frequency, and Leonard was certain they'd fade completely soon enough.

Finished, he left the chart with a PA who was at the nurses' station and headed to his office. Jim had asked him to be at the McKinley by 2:15 today. He didn't say why, but he was supposed to observe through the window. He didn't want to be late for whatever it was, but he had a lot to do before then.


"Okay my little ones!" Jim called, "Everyone head on over to the round red rug!" There was a rush of small bodies, each one hurrying for the best positions closest to the teacher's chair. Jim turned to Joanna, who was wringing her hands together nervously. "Have you picked a book out?"

"I don't think I want to," she said. Jim knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his and smiled gently.

"Joanna, you are such a good reader. I've seen you read to Stephanie and some of the other kids. You read to me all the time. You even made Janie want to learn how to read faster. I just know that the other kids in the class would love to hear you read to them, and I think once you started you would really like it too. But you don't have to. If you don't want to today, we can try again another time." He paused, taking in her expression and down cast eyes, bottom lip caught nervously between her teeth. He glanced at the clock over near the door. 2:10. He'd asked Leonard to be there at 2:15. It was very probable that he was already there, on the other side of the one-way mirror. "So, what do you think?" he asked, turning his attention back to Joanna. She was quiet for a moment, then looked up at Jim.

"Only a short one," she said.

"Whatever book you want," he agreed.

"The Giving Tree," Joanna replied, looking over at the book she'd placed on a table. A smile spread across Jim's face.

"That is one of my favorites," he said.

"Uncle Jim, they're all your favorites." Her eyes widened the second the words were out, and she clapped a hand over her mouth. Her eyes smiled at him over her hands, and she giggled.

"Whoops. Sorry Mr. Kirk," she said. He smiled at her affectionately, ruffling her hair. It was a good thing there was only three weeks of school left in this year. Those barriers were getting thinner every day. To his absolute delight.

"It's okay, kiddo. You ready?" She nodded and picked up the book. Glancing at the window, he gave a little wave, just in case Bones was already there.

Leonard almost waved back, despite the fact that he knew Jim couldn't see him. He watched as Jim finished speaking with Joanna while the other kids gathered on the rug. He wondered what was going on.

"Mr. McCoy?" he turned at the sound of a woman's voice behind him. He smiled in recognition…it was Stephanie's mother, Mrs. Wei. Despite the fact that Stephanie had been over to play with Joanna a couple of times, she insisted on using his last name, despite the fact that she'd been invited to call him Leonard. He assumed it was a cultural thing, and took her lead.

"Mrs. Wei, hello. It's good to see you. Did Mr. Kirk ask you to come by early too?"

"It is good to see you as well…I am here for Lucy's class today, but I saw you here and wanted to talk with you for a moment."

"What can I do for you Mrs. Wei?" She was more than a full head shorter than Leonard, and she had to tip her head back to look at him properly.

"You are familiar with Tracy Keefe?" iOh, goddamnit./i

"Yes I am," he replied, doing his best to keep his annoyance out of his voice.

"She is a woman of…strong opinion. She is also very vocal." Leonard did not like the direction this conversation was heading.

"Mrs. Wei…" he started. But she held up a hand, forestalling his words.

"Please know that many of the members of the PTA have a child who had Mr. Kirk as a teacher. We all know he is a good person. You, too, appear to be a good person." She paused, studying him for a moment. "Forgive me if I speak out of turn. If you are happy together, then you must be together."

"Thank you, Mrs. Wei," he said, truly touched, and extremely grateful for the parental support on Jim's behalf. She nodded and patted his arm. "Have a nice day."

"And you as well," she said. Leonard watched for a moment as she continued down the hall, then turned his attention back to window and the class. He froze in surprise. Jim had Joanna up at the teacher's chair, book in hand. Jim was speaking.

"…special guest reader today. Joanna is going to read 'The Giving Tree,' which is one of my favorites." Jim paused as the kids all laughed at the year-long joke. That was one of the best things about young children. Everything was funny. "So, Jo, why don't you sit in the teacher's chair," he paused as she settled in the chair, little feet dangling inches from the floor. "And let's hear the story." Jim headed to the side and sat on another stool near Miss Kelley and Joanna settled herself in the chair.

Leonard was so proud of his little girl. She looked nervous and was a little pale, and she was doing it anyway. Licking her lips, she opened the book to the first page and bent over the book, as if she were trying to hide in its pages.

"Once there was a tree...
and she loved a little boy."

"Can't hear you!"

"Talk louder!" A couple of the kids called out. Leonard watched as she glanced from under her lashes to the students sitting around her. He saw her take a breath, and then she continued, her voice just barely carrying enough for Leonard to catch a word or two as she read.

"And every day the boy would come
and he would gather her leaves
and make them into crowns
and play king of the forest."

She paused periodically to hold the book up so that the kids could see the pictures. His little girl was reading to the class, and they were listening to her as raptly as they listened to Jim. What a difference from her first day, just over two months ago now, when she clutched his leg and begged him not to leave her. He could hardly believe it. Leonard moved closer to the glass, placing his hand on it and leaning against it, trying to catch every word.

"But time went by.
And the boy grew older.
And the tree was often alone.
Then one day the boy came to the tree
and the tree said, "Come, Boy, come and
climb up my trunk and swing from my
branches and eat apples and play in my
shade and be happy."
"I am too big to climb and play" said
the boy."

Leonard swallowed. Between the beginning of this year and now, Joanna went from being a baby to a little kid right before his eyes. It was incredible, and it was exhilarating, and it was…a strange kind of sad and wistfulness. Her young voice rose and fell with the cadence of the lines, and as Joanna read, her voice got stronger and she started sitting up a little straighter. She read the words, she read the punctuation, and she read it with the tone the author undoubtedly intended. Shifting his gaze from Joanna to Jim, he saw that he was looking at the window as if he were looking right at him. And in his eyes, he saw the pride that he was certain reflected in his.

" "Well," said the tree, straightening
herself up as much as she could,
"well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting
Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest."
And the boy did.
And the tree was happy."

As Joanna finished, the class clapped. She looked up from the book, her expression one of pleased surprise. Jim let the moment go on, while Joanna's eyes roamed over the kids sitting on the rug. Finally, Jim stood.

"Thank you, Joanna, for reading that to us today. That was excellent. Don't you guys think that was excellent?" Jim asked. A chorus of iyeah!/ianswered and Joanna's cheeks tinged pink with shy pleasure at the class' response. Leonard watched as the class went through the motions of collecting their things and lining up at the door for the bell. When it rang a couple of minutes later, Jim opened the door and smiled brightly at Leonard.

"What did you think?" he asked.

"That was amazing. Thank you."

"Daddy!" Joanna called excitedly from down the line.

"Why don't you two wait here. I'll be back in a few," Jim said. Leonard nodded, and eased into the room.

"Hello Diane."

"Hi Leonard. Did you see…?"

"Yeah," he said, as Joanna ran over to him, flinging her arms around him. Diane smiled.

"See you Monday Joanna. Have a good weekend."

"Thank you Miss Kelley."

"Hi darlin'," Leonard said, lifting her in his arms.

"Did you hear me reading Daddy?" she asked, a huge smile on her face.

"Yes, I did…I'm so proud of you!" He carried her over to Jim's desk and settled in his chair, Joanna in his lap. "Did you like reading to them?"

"Umm…it was scary at first. I don't like it when everyone is looking at me." Leonard nodded and gently smoothed her hair. "But when I was reading, it was like I couldn't even see them anymore All I could see were the pictures in my head."

"Well you should be very proud of yourself too," Leonard said. "You did really well."

"Thank you Daddy." She stretched up to give him a kiss. She squeaked and squirmed in his grasp when he held her a little too tight.

"Sorry baby," he said, releasing her. She settled back in his lap, fiddling with the watch on his wrist.

"Are we still having dinner with Sam and Aurelan tonight? And am I still sleeping over with Janie?"

"You better be!" Jim said, as he came back into the room. "Sam told me it's all Janie's been talking about all week!"

"Uncle Jim, Daddy saw me reading!" Joanna exclaimed. She jumped off her father's lap and ran over to him, stopping in front of him awkwardly. If she'd been running toward Leonard, she would jumped into his arms so that he could lift her up. She'd not done that yet with Jim. Leonard watched from Jim's desk as he smoothed over the moment easily, picking her up and twirling her around before lightly setting her back on her feet.

"How 'bout that? Pretty cool, huh?"

"Yup! Can we go now? I want to bring some things over to Janie's and I have to get them from my room."


"So, Mrs. Wei said that, huh?" Jim asked, coming out of the bathroom and settling himself on the bed next to Leonard.

"Essentially," Leonard replied. A smile spread across Jim's face.

"Awesome. Gotta love the protective moms." Leonard snorted in amusement.

"Must be your boyish good looks."

"Must be," Jim said, smiling easily. "I got pretty sick with a flu last year, they kept bringing Diane casseroles and containers of soup for me to eat. I was better in a week, but I didn't have to cook for like a month. And what about you?"

"Hmm? What about me?" Leonard asked, distracted by the pile of exams he was working his way though. Jim tugged the papers out of his hands, and shifted the pile of work away from them. Jim straddled Leonard's lap facing him, one leg on either side of his hips. Jim settled his weight on Leonard, his hands on his shoulders.

"What do you think of my boyish good looks?" Jim asked, ducking to capture his lips in a kiss. Leonard smiled against Jim's mouth and gently pushed him back, cocking his head to the side as he studied Jim's face.

"Average," Leonard deadpanned. "But I always loved you for your intelligence anyway."

"Average?" Jim repeated. "It's a good think I've already got the one I want, then. Not everyone appreciates my intelligence as much as you do." Leonard wound his arms around Jim's waist and urged him down, capturing his lips in another kiss.

"Isn't it fantastic to know that we have the whole weekend together? Bless Aurelan's heart." Jim shifted and rolled to the side, pressed up against Leonard, his arm around his shoulders. The fan was making a rhythmic, soft clicking sound and the light in the room had a warm, enveloping quality without being too bright. He closed his eyes, relishing the feel of Bones' warmth at his side and the breeze created by the fan over his skin.

"It really is. We don't get to spend enough time together. Just weekends and some evenings during the week. And I love it, I love the times we are together…I just…I don't know. Now that I've found you, I just want to be with you and share our lives together...everything…even the boring daily stuff. And Joanna…I want to be there as she grows and changes. It happens so fast…Look at the difference in her already, from when she started school…" Jim trailed off, feeling himself blush as how much he's just said…how much he's just admitted…really registered. He just basically told someone he'd only known for a little over three months that he wanted to share his life and raise his child. Jim wouldn't take any of it back, but still…he didn't usually put himself out that way. And now that he had, Bones' silence was worrying. After a couple of moments, Jim's face burning, he tried to pull away as he backpedaled. "Uhh…sorry, Bones. I don't know what got into me. I must be more tired than I thought."

"No, stay," Leonard said, resisting Jim's attempt at moving away from him. After a moment, Jim relaxed against his side. Leonard looked at him, and for once, it was Jim who was refusing to meet his eyes, his face red with embarrassment. Leonard gently drew his hand up and down the length of Jim's body. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"Sure about what?"

"I – I know what you mean, and I want what you want…but Jim, you're twenty-six. Are you sure you want to be tied down to an old man with a child? Isn't it too soon in your life for that? Because I love you, and I love what you are…what you're turning out to be…for Joanna. She's growing to love you. And you know how I feel about you. But…" Leonard took a breath, hoping that Jim wasn't going to take this the wrong way, because fuck, this wasn't the way he wanted to have this conversation. "What's best for Joanna has to come before what we think we want. And I don't want her to come to love you and Sam and Aurelan as family, and then have it taken away. You're twenty-six. I wouldn't blame you in the least if you decided that having to arrange your life around a child was too cumbersome. I feel that at some times, and she's mine. So…are you sure?"

Jim sighed. It was a very fair point. It did kind of hurt a little to have it laid out for him in such sharp terms, and he found himself wishing that he'd not brought it up tonight. He honestly didn't know what made him blurt all that out. Bones was so straightforward with him though, and he deserved nothing less.

"Okay, first…you're not old. Second, at this point, I am sure," he replied. "I don't take any of it back, but I actually don't know what made me say all that. I didn't intend to turn this night into an epic relationship conversation at all. I'm comfortable with where things are with us right now. I do want more…but I completely understand what you're saying, and believe me, you're not wrong about the way someone's mind can change at my age. I just…I just don't think mine will. This has always felt different with you, Bones." Leonard smiled, relieved that Jim hadn't taken offense to anything he'd said, and dropped a kiss to the top of his head.

"Sounds like we're on the same page, then. It's still amazing to me how fast this all happened…I think it's a good idea to let things stay the course for a while, and see how they go. I can't imagine anything changing, but I couldn't imagine ever getting to this point with anyone either," Leonard said. Jim sat up and leaned in for a kiss, drawing it out and deepening it as the feel of the kiss changed.

"Wanna work on this part of our relationship?" Jim asked playfully, gently massaging Leonard's hardening length though the blanket and his clothes. He shifted his hips at the sensation of barely-there pressure.

"Mmm…that part could always use work."