Alyssa was exhausted. Released from prison without the Thyrians knowing of her discharge, she took a transport and then walked back to Headquarters before night had fallen. Her step was hurried. She knew that her daughter was going to worry about her and wonder why she was not picked up. Worse, the girl will be stuck with a random officer until she arrived.

That alone was embarrassing enough. Alyssa did not want to explain why she was delayed to anyone, least of all to Ali. It was bad enough that events beyond her control were cornering her to admit the truth. More than anything else, Alyssa did not want to explain to her daughter the events that caused them to be on Earth and tangled with Kirk.

In many ways though, Alyssa was lucky. Although it was a frightening experience to be picked up by a foreign delegation and taken in as if she were a prisoner, she prevailed. She maintained her innocence, supported by two admirals, and was released when no evidence was forthcoming.

The Thyrians were angry of course, demanding that she remain behind for a tougher interrogation. They insisted that she was hiding something about Synprilox, blaring their opinions loudly. While nothing official had been released about the planet, what the warden only understood was that it was attacked and decimated. Alyssa was set free on this knowledge alone.

It made it all the more imperative for her and Kirk to find Jason Lattimer. If the Thyrians were keen on keeping her imprisoned, a survivor of the Synprilox tragedy, then they would be more interested in the only half-Thyrian outside their planet, especially since she was tracking him with Kirk. On the other hand, what their plans are remained a mystery to her. She hoped that Kirk's digging would yield something more than promises and keeping her in the dark.

Alyssa immediately ran for the daycare. She found Ali standing outside with her teacher, the two chatting about something. By the way they were interacting, Ali was trying to gain the upper hand on a topic as the adult gulped and sought to hide her nervousness. The instructor was relieved to see Alyssa, making an excuse about her departure and adding a message about a summons from Cartwright to Alyssa before disappearing. Alyssa looked at Ali severely, asking for an explanation.

Ali shrugged her shoulders. "Lieutenant Klein didn't believe me."

"Right," Alyssa replied sarcastically, beginning their walk to Cartwright's office. "What were you arguing about?"

"The Thyrians," Ali said proudly. "I was telling the lieutenant how –"

"I don't think we need to make anybody jittery," Alyssa interrupted quickly. "There have been incidents, Ali, and we sometimes need to be cautious of who we speak to. Some ears are not sympathetic."

Her daughter pouted. "I didn't reveal your job details. I used logic."

Alyssa wanted to laugh. She deduced that Ali would have made a perfect Vulcan with her computing and critical thinking skills, but would be too emotional and high-strung and would not like the dietary restrictions. Slowing down, she managed to reach the outside of their destination. She was surprised to see an extremely young officer standing outside. She exclaimed, noting her son Ryder. He returned to her early and so shortly after his graduation from the Academy too.

Ryder slowly turned to face his mother and sister, smiling the confident grin that Alyssa had seen in his father, Kurt Hemmingway. Tall, dark-haired and quite the catch, the sixteen-year-old was already dressed in a junior officer's uniform, shedding his Academy persona for something more mature. He appeared to also having a meeting with Cartwright and patiently awaiting orders to come in. hence his seriousness. Alyssa did not like the prospect, gulping as she held her son in a tight embrace.

He was the one who broke it when she clung too closely. "Mom," Ryder greeted. His eyes went to Ali in a typical roll. "Little sister."

"Not so little anymore," Ali insisted. She crossed her arms stubbornly.

"No," he agreed, "but still just as annoying."

Alyssa cut in before the two siblings picked up a more intense argument. "What are you doing here, Ryder? I wasn't expecting you for a few more days."

Her son was grave. "I have been assigned to a ship, but it is currently dry docked. We were supposed to be underway. My vacation had been cut."

"That's…unusual."

"Well, we are involved with protecting the Thyrians council's ship. We've been designated as their escort during and after the conference. I've been grounded here."

"Much as I love to see you, I find this disturbing. Your ship and the crew aren't meant for this type of security."

"I agree, Mom. I also find it worse that I've been called to Admiral Cartwright's office."

"Whatever for?" Alyssa felt panic well inside of her. She fought hard not to protect her son and demand that he leave so that she could handle it.

He's a man now. He can handle any interrogation by Lance Cartwright. He's his father's son through and through.

"He stated that he wished to discuss Synprilox," Ryder revealed. "Since I was at the Academy the last few years, there is little information I can give him."

"I'm sure you remember the rules I had," Alyssa said, trying to laugh. Her merriment came out forced and like a snort.

"Where is Magda anyway?" Ryder was confused. "I thought she would have been here with Ali."

"Gone," his sister said sadly. Suddenly, Ali turned around, smiling. "Hello, Admiral."

Quickly, Ryder and Alyssa whipped their heads around. "Admiral," Ryder nodded respectfully.

"Jim ,what are you doing here?" Alyssa asked. She was surprised that a party was forming and all of them to see the same person.

And about the same issue.

The siblings exchanged glances at the faux pas. Ali wanted to say something to her brother, but Ryder was faster. Elbowing her in the side, he smiled and saluted. Alyssa halfheartedly did the same thing to correct herself. Kirk returned the same. He took Alyssa to one side, away from her children.

"I hope you're well," he said softly.

"You don't need to worry about me," she reassured him. "I can take care of myself."

"Not what Doctor McCoy has said."

"That sneak!"

"Well, that sneak gives me important information. Now, why are you here?"

"I was told by Ali's teacher to be here. I figured Cartwright wanted some answer and would have come anyway without an invite. What's the story we're sticking to?"

"You've been investigating a lead and found a dead end. I came along." Kirk glanced at Ali and Ryder. The two had been whispering to each other. The former was giggling hysterically while the former tried to keep a dignified stance. "Do they know anything about us?"

"Oh, I'm sure," Alyssa answered confidentially. "Ryder knew that you had a special place in my heart. You treated him like your own son. He hasn't forgotten that. He's talked to me about it over the years and promised to never tell his sister. He agrees that it would be best for her."

"And Ali?" Kirk was concerned about her the most.

Alyssa had to think about it. "I believe she has an inkling. She won't get the truth, not now anyway. Ali's too young. She can be used as a tool. She also can be picked on and compared to her famous father."

"And infamous mother." The admiral grinned. "You've rocked a few boats yourself."

Alyssa feigned outraged. "I daresay the rocking was none of my doing."

"You started it with the good doctor."

"Well, you instigated that too."

"I don't like seeing friendships fall by the wayside or my officers being miserable."

Cartwright interrupted their argument as his office door opened, hands behind his back. "I see that everybody is here. Come in."

The four entered the spacious room and fanned out before Cartwright's deck. Immediately, Ali was stopped before taking her seat. Cartwright asked an aide to take her someplace where she could do her homework quietly, out of earshot. Ali was indignant, pouting as the officer escorted her to another room off to the left.

The heavy door shut behind them just as Ali began a conversation to her captor about politics. Alyssa rolled her eyes, seating herself in front of Cartwright's desk with Ryder to her right and Kirk to the left. When the admiral seated himself, it was a seriousness that the security officer had not seen in him before. Alyssa knew they were in trouble, the way Cartwright cast his knowing eyes on them. He was searching for something and they were his key.

Cartwright folded his hands, tapping his brown fingers together in a frustrated manner. "So, which one of you wants to talk first about Synprilox?"

~00~

That night was quiet. When the guards switched shifts around two in the morning, Alyssa slipped out of her bedroom and remained still in her doorway, wrapping herself in a shawl to keep the cold at bay. She eyed the pair whispering to each other, gossiping about Kirk. They were annoyed, she heard, and rightfully so. The admiral was disobeying security procedures on an insecure planet and gallivanting with a woman rumored to be a traitor.

Little do they know.

She waited until they had gone to their intended positions. Once they were out of her way, she proceeded to Kirk's bedroom. She poised her knuckles to knock and then stopped herself. She felt old fashioned. Instead she pressed the button to request entry. The admiral responded quickly and allowed her in.

Kirk hadn't been sleeping, settled on the bed. He smiled at her, questioning silently with his eyes why she came. Alyssa offered no explanation readily. She herself had allowed herself the luxury of examining herself. Honestly, she was curious about how he felt and if her feelings were real. Sure, it was easy to fall for the charms of an admiral, especially one like Kirk. However, it also tramped heavily upon what she held dearly.

She was a widow, one that vowed to keep her husband's memory alive. She had been teased by too many people for it, but none understood the depth of her pain. Kirk had been one of them, she knew. He was there when Kurt was killed, helped her to bury him when she told him not to. Kirk was kind and empathetic. She understood that she required some space.

And now, Alyssa found that there was no way for her to deny this anymore. She paced her room before this moment, unable to sort out her conflict. This wasn't just a fling, she concluded. She was carried away the first time and the two of them admitted that they would need time away. This round, it was so real that they could taste it. She had to confront that.

Kirk stood up and held his arms for an embrace. Alyssa returned it, curling right into his shoulder. She felt so comfortable and secure there, melting right into the soft fabric of his shirt. When she looked up into his brown eyes, she saw that he was deciding what was best to do. He too could give into his feelings or forever keep them locked inside.

"How trustworthy is Magda?" Kirk asked. He wasn't so sure about the protective nursemaid and found her quite annoying.

"Plenty," Alyssa responded without hesitation. "She won't tell a soul anything."

"Does she suspect anything?"

"She's not stupid. She already admitted it."

"Where did she come from?"

"The chancellor recommended Magda to me. She knew I needed someone for babysitting, teaching and housekeeping. Magda has no family anymore."

Alyssa did not want to add that Magda had disassociated herself from her family years before, after her son was born. When her brother managed to gain custody of her child, Magda was left with nothing. She was not married and her son's father had left her. Little career choices were left to her. She began keeping house and children. By the time Alyssa was offered Magda's services by Amelia Synprilox, Magda had successfully raised several children.

"She is yours completely?" Kirk was not convinced.

"Absolutely," Alyssa repeated.

The admiral was still wary. He wasn't too open about his affairs and never confined in anyone about them. Magda was the only one who managed…and Kirk did not like that she held that power. Worse, there was a world out there that hated him. What did Magda have to lose by giving away his vulnerabilities?

Kirk sought to forget the more dire implications and tried relaxing. In no time, they sat down and were chatting again. For the time being, they talked about the years they had missed. They drew closer and closer, eventually lying down on his bed. After about an hour, Alyssa drifted off to sleep. Kirk continued to hold her, watching the darkness change to a reflective green. By the time the sun had fully risen, he heard little footsteps in the hallway and a plea to be picked up and carried.

Magda was also awake. She was yelling at Ryder to watch where he was going and to keep away from the Starfleet officers. She chased him downstairs. Below, Kirk could hear the typical routine sounds of a kitchen being brought to life and a child begging for and entertaining day. When the smells of breakfast drifted to his room, Alyssa stirred.

"Did Magda call?" she asked.

"Not yet," Kirk affirmed, shifting his body. He felt stuff. "Can you leave without anyone seeing you?"

"Are your puppy dogs out of the way?"

Kirk managed to detangle himself and walk out to the hallway. Alyssa hid underneath the blanket, listening to the admiral while he redirected his guards. The two argued with Kirk, stating regulations and orders, but they were easily countered. In seconds, they had vanished downstairs.

The admiral returned with a smile. "All clear."

Alyssa was grateful. Wrapping herself back in the shawl to set out, she passed Kirk. Quickly, she daringly kissed him on the lips. Then, out of habit, she glanced left and right before leaving. She waved goodbye and blew another kiss. She stopped and turned around only when Kirk called out to her.

"I love you," he declared bravely.

The security officer gave him a goofy grin, shuffling her feet awkwardly. "I know, Jim," she said in the same tender tone. "I know."