Filtered sunlight streamed from the room out into the hall as Len opened Jim's door. Spock was still there with Jo, Jaz was staring at Jim, and Evan had arrived. Joce almost ran to her husband. He held her close, drinking in her feel. "Have you told them?"

"I told Jo, Mama, and Jim. I thought we could make the general announcement later."

"I'll talk to Len." He let go of his wife, not taking his eyes from the doctor. Len met him half way. Evan grab onto him, holding his brother tight, not wanting to let go. He was here and safe.

"I'm alright, I promise." Len was grateful the man was there. He needed Evan to anchor him. "I'm better than the other week."

"I know. I just needed to touch you."

"I know." Len could feel Evan touch his mind. It wasn't an intrusion; they had long ago agreed to this closeness. A mind meld was a different thing. It was needed after Vulcan was destroyed, now they just needed reassurance. "You wanted to talk?" He couldn't tell what the man wanted to talk about, but he could feel his need.

Evan released Len. "Can we step into the hall?"

They walked out of the room and into the vacant hall. "Let me guess, Tucker burned down the outbuilding with the tractors again."

Ev remembered when that happened years ago. He had to comm Len to explain why whey needed new equipment and a new garage. "Not this time. But he did say he is going to look over a few things with the stream and he saw something at the Perettis' farm. With the stream it was something about dredging and maybe rerouting the stream and taking it through their woods. I…well Joce and I wanted to let you know she's pregnant. I know it's soon, but we thought it would take time. I guess it happened right before we left. I mean I'm not exactly sure how."

"Medical science is amazing. They know what causes it now. I can explain it to you if you want." He was trying not to laugh.

"Smartass, that's not what I meant. Last time it took several injections and hitting her cycle at exactly the right time. This time it just happened."

Len started to laugh as he gave the man a bear hug. "Congratulations! Do you know what the sex is? Not that it really matters. If I remember correctly, Vulcans' sex is determined at conception."

"It is. It's a boy. Crystal is going to have a brother."

"Do you think Joce would mind if I ran a few scans and sent them to Gwen?"

"And it starts. She said you would worry."

"It's just who I am. Besides, the Vulcan thing makes it more high risk."

"Joce wants Jim and Cal to be the godparents."

"Hopefully she can have that. Ev, thanks for everything. I mean it. That talk we had couldn't have been easy for you."

"It was fine. But I feel better being here. Len, Tuck didn't hesitate at all."

"Yeah, he's a good man." Len looked at the ceiling, he needed to maintain his composure if he was to go back in as Dr. McCoy. "You and Joce should take Jo and Jaz back. She needs a shower and a good breakfast, and he needs a break. The past few days have been more intense for Seri and him. Jim's thoughts are clearer, more intense."

"And you want to go over everything for the thousandth time."

"Something like that."

"You know Spock won't leave?"

"I know. He is here almost all day every day, and Uhura stays for hours more than she needs. Scotty, God it is all I can do to get him to leave. I told him the engineers assigned to the repairs could fuck up his modifications. That should keep him occupied for at least a week. I don't think those three are in the rotation anymore."

"Mama said something about that. She wants them to rest whenever they get the chance. She has Scotty helping her around the house. George told me about what Spock and Uhura did."

"You know Scotty and both of them watched Jim die?" Len looked hurt by that fact.

"They watched him, but you felt him."

"I know. It was like a sudden void, an absence."

"We need to talk."

"I should introduce you to my favorite coffee shop. How about tomorrow? You have to be tired."

"I am. I had to transfer shuttles twice to get here. Then I was questioned by the guards at the landing site and then again at the Academy entrance. That was fun. They couldn't find my ID for almost half an hour. George had to come to the gate."

"He must have loved that."

"He was just a ball of joy. But yes, I am tired. I just needed to see my girls and you. Ben has Crystal now. Something about going back to the playground."

"The last patch of normalcy for Demora."

"Once I'm up I'll make sure the cargo boxes are sent to the farm. Tuck is also overseeing the completion of the bungalows. I'll get him to set them up for the gang. I just need to know who will be staying there."

"I'm sure Sarah has that list. Most of them don't have anywhere to go."

"Sarah will have it all organized. You're stalling."

"I know. Let's go."

Evan opened the door for Len to walk in. The doctor took a deep breath before walking into the room. "Joce, Jojo we should go back. Jaz why don't you come with us, grab some breakfast."

Jaz knew that Evan was trying to clear the room as much as possible. "Let me talk to Lenny. I'll catch up with you. Len come here."

They walked to the corner of the room. Spock moved closer to the bed. "Dad, is there something wrong?"

"No, it has changed. Len, this morning it was as if he was just sleeping. His thoughts are in the past, but his feelings are also in the present. Before it was as if it was all in what I call the shadows. I could feel him, see is dreams, but there was a scrim curtain between us. Now that curtain is gone. Keep an eye on his readings, I think they might change today. Its just a feeling but…""

"Your feelings are more than useful. I'll keep an eye on him. Can you take Seri for tea? I want her to decompress."

"I need some daughter time. See you later kid." Jaz left for the house. Len and Spock were alone.

"Doctor, I have to go see Admiral Nachieve. He has requested my observations regarding the captain's handling of the Admiral Marcus issue."

"And he wants to know if we will keep our mouths closed when it comes to the public."

"I believe, as you say, that ship has already sailed."

"Yeah, my granddaddy used to say two people can keep a secret providing one of them is dead."

"I saw reports on various news networks. They were discussing the role Admiral Marcs' actions played in the London bombing and on what has happened to the Enterprise and San Francisco."

"We must look like idiots to them."

"On the contrary, we are being touted as heroes. The captain in particular has been singled out. I believe the Admiral wants to have the particulars for the public relations department."

"No one has asked to see me."

"I have been fielding questions that pertain to your involvement during the engagement."

"Thank you, Spock. It's more than appreciated." There was a spike on one of the wall screens that caught Len's attention. "Well, fuck me, he was right. Spock, stay over here." Spock moved to a spot between Len and the door. He couldn't see the captain as Len moved from one screen to another. The readings were changing rapidly. Neural output, heart rate, and respiration were all rising. Blood pressure was coming up but remained within the normal range. Jaz was right, there were definite changes. He wasn't showing any indications of being in a coma, hell the numbers on the screens weren't showing any indications anything had happened to him. Len moved from the wall to the bed and back again. He grabbed the scanner and its PADD before turning back to the bed.

Voices, they had been getting clearer, more distinct. Flashes of memories, real and imagined. Ghost that haunted him from the day of his birth. Pike's voice boomed in his head; "I dare you to do better." Jim's eyes flew open. He took a couple of shaky breaths as he got his bearings. He wasn't on the ship, but he was in a medical setting. It was bright, almost too bright. He turned his head, Bones. He wasn't dead.

"Oh, don't be so melodramatic, you were barely dead. It's the transfusion that really took its toll. You were out cold for two weeks." The doctor had been scanning Jim as he talked.

"Transfusion?" Jim's voice was softer than usual and a little raspy. The doctor loved the sound.

"Your cells were heavily irradiated. We had no choice." He continued to scan, searching the readings for any anomalies.

"Kahn?"

"Once we caught him, I synthesized the serum from his super blood. Tell me are you feeling homicidal, power mad, despotic?"

"No more than usual. How did you catch him?" Jim's color was good, but he was showing signs of fatigue.

"I didn't." With that Len stepped aside.

Spock stepped forward. Jim looked at his friend. No one outside of the family would have seen the fear in the Vulcan's eyes. Fear that was only now starting to give way to calm. "You saved my life."

Len had walked around the bed to study the new readings on the portable monitor. "Uhura and I had something to do with it too you know." Jim gave him a look of brotherly irritation before turning back to Spock.

"You saved my life Captain and the lives of…" His rigid stance was used to project a level of professionalism.

"Spock just…Thank you." Jim was tiring, but he needed Spock to know how he felt.

"You are welcome Jim." What passed for a smile set on Spock's lips. Len continued to make sure the readings were within the parameters he had calculated while Spock took a seat near the bed. The two of them stayed with Jim until he fell asleep.

Len commed Seri to let her know Jim had woken up and was able to talk. He told her not to rush over since he had fallen back to sleep. With that McCoy took a deep breath. They weren't out of the woods, but it was a damn sight better than it had been the past couple of weeks. "Spock, why don't you go back to the house?"

"You should go back Leonard. You have not been there in days. I do not require as much sleep as a human. Is there something wrong with the readings?"

"No, the readings are good. They are surprisingly normal given the circumstances. His blood pressure is a little high for him, but still in the normal range. I'll have Chris come and stay for a few hours. She can keep me updated. You're right there's not much I can do right now. I need a long hot shower and a meal that I'm not eating at a desk. I'll be back later this afternoon. Call me if there are any changes. I'll send Nyota over."

"There is no need."

"I'm going to do it anyway. Oh shit, the admiral. You need to go."

"I shall call him with the newest development. I can have my meeting over the comm."

"Are you sure? I can stay here until you get back."

"The admiral had suggested it when he scheduled the meeting. It was I who insisted on a face to face meeting."

"Face to face? Spock you are sounding more human every day."

"Doctor, there is no reason for you to be insulting."

"Nevermind Spock." He clapped the man on the shoulder. "Call me if you need to go to the meeting." With that McCoy left Medical. For the first time in weeks he felt like he could breathe. Jim was alive and talking. He was out of his coma. There was still a long road ahead, but at least now that road existed.