"Like anyone would believe us," Bones muttered as they left the building. Jamie just chuckled at Bones. They finished their briefing with Archer and Reed, before they left the Admirals gave them the whole 'this is classified' and 'thank you for your service' lines. Jamie didn't think anything of it because she knew it was coming but Bones was a little annoyed that the last three weeks, technically, didn't happen. Starfleet Intel took Pax and his Redux friends into custody, and Jamie didn't want to know how they were getting intel about that ship.

Officially, Glorak was killed in a training exercise. They had their own memorial for him before Starfleet sent his remains home to Tellar Prime. Going back to class without him was going to be difficult; he was one of the first friends that Jamie made at the academy. Trip disappeared almost as soon as they docked at the Starbase. Bones rolled his eyes when they realized he was gone, "Does he always leave like that?" Jamie smiled; she knew he would pop up eventually. He had a compound that was compromised and a team to relocate. She found her knife –which was technically his knife- in her bag with a note that he'd be back for it later. Jamie laughed at that, she's had that damn thing since she was eleven, he wasn't getting it back.

They had ten days left before classes resumed, everyone decided to head home. Gaila went to New York where Gary was still on leave. Uhura went to see her family in Kenya. Chekov returned to Russia. Kelso and Sulu, whose family recently moved back, were heading to San Francisco; Brax went with them. Bones and Jamie went to the McCoy's. Pike got approval to beam Blue Squad to the surface, and that's how they found themselves being teleported home.

"Daddy!" Jamie smiled as the smallest McCoy came running out of the house. She watched as the usually grumpy doctor smiled and scooped the little girl in his arms. Joanna waved at her over his shoulder, "Hi Jamie."

"Hi, sweetie." Jamie replied to mini-Bones.

"Hey sweetheart," Mama Ella welcomed them both with hugs. Jamie looked at the older woman; Ella looked tired. Ella asked Jamie to give her a minute with Bones. She knew something was wrong. Jamie nodded and told Joanna to lead the way. The pair told each other dumb jokes and laughed as they made their way upstairs. Joanna was such a smart kid, she asked all kinds of questions and her face lit up when Jamie started speaking different languages to her. If Bones isn't careful, she'll end up a linguist.

Jamie got cleaned up and changed into pajamas; it was nighttime when they got there. She sat on the bed with Jo and was challenged to a game of Go Fish. After twenty minutes, Bones stepped into the room, "Hey, Jo. Aunt Donna is looking for you. I think it's your bedtime." The girl jumped up and after giving them both a kiss on the cheek, she left the room. Bones shut the door, sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Jamie.

"Bones, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Mama just told me that my dad is sick. Pyrrhoneuritis. He's gonna die, Jim." Jamie's heart broke as she wrapped her arms around him.

Pyrrhoneuritis was a rare disease that humans got from colony worlds. It's fast acting and usually fatal. David worked off planet for years before returning to his hometown and settling down to have Donna and Leonard. Ella told Bones before he saw David, who was already in bed. She didn't want them to be shocked at his weight loss. He was diagnosed a few weeks ago and the disease had already begun to affect him.

"Donna's pissed at me. She thinks I should've been here to fix it but she doesn't get that the disease is incurable. There's nothing I can do." Jamie didn't say anything, she just held him. She doesn't know how long they stayed like that, but eventually, they both fell asleep.

When Jamie woke up it was morning. She detangled herself from Bones and watched him for a few minutes; it wasn't fair. When she met Bones, he was a mess. He was so angry at Jocelyn and the world that he felt like the only place he could go was space… even though he hates it. When they were just friends, Jamie did everything she could think of to get him back into the world. She doesn't know if she was trying to prove to him or herself that life was worth living, but she didn't let him wallow in self-pity. This is a blow that Bones, and his family, didn't deserve or need.

Jamie walked downstairs and followed the voice she heard to the kitchen, Bones was right about Donna being pissed. David was sitting across from her and Jamie could see the onset of pyrrhoneuritis in his features. Jamie squeezed his shoulders and sat down next to him.

"How you doin' old man?" she asked.

He smiled, "Still kicking, despite what my daughter thinks." Donna rolled her eyes and looked at Jamie.

"Did Leo tell you?" her boyfriend's sister asked. Jamie nodded. "Did he tell you that he wouldn't do anything, too?"

Ella jumped in from behind Jamie, "There's nothing he can do, Donna. You will not take this out on your brother." Donna ignored her mother and kept ranting.

Jamie got fed up, "Donna, stop." She didn't. Jamie glanced at David and tried again, "Donna, stop!" Bones' sister looked at her. "This isn't helping. Bones is already beating himself up and none of this is his fault. I get that you're upset and scared but don't take it out on him."

"You wouldn't understand, Jamie," Donna said to her dismissively. Jamie hated it when people said that to her.

"Actually, I understand more than you do. My parents are dead. As in gone and never coming back. I never got to know either of them; I would give anything for five minutes with my dad, anything. You're dad is right here, he's sick, not dead. If you're gonna spend the time he has left arguing with your brother, than you are wasting a gift and destroying your relationship with Len at the same time." Donna huffed and then started to cry, Ella pulled her into a hug and David reached over and took her hand.

Donna looked at her, "You're too good for my brother."

"Don't I know it," Bones was standing in the entryway.

Jamie shook her head, "I'm gonna disagree with you. Not that you'll listen."

Donna looked at her brother, "Leo…"

He cut her off, "You're worried and scared no need to apologize."