I pressed the button to alert the room's owner of a visitor on the key pad. For a captain, I would think it would show somewhere that this is the captain's room but then again if there was an invasion this might be the better way to conceal which room is which. The door swished open revealing the captain in a grey t-shirt and a pair of dark washed jeans. I raised an eyebrow and tilted my head to the right slightly. Jim immediately started to rub his neck unsure, "I-uh come in."

He moved to the side allowing me to walk beside him. My nose picked up notes of pine and rain as I walked past. The door swooshed closed and Jim hurriedly went around me. He gestured to his couch, "Let's uh sit."

I looked around taking in the differences between the captain quarters and my own quarters. His is more spacious with slightly more furniture. I sat down on the couch with him on the other side. He rested his left arm against the back of the couch, "Ask me anything."

I clasped my hands together in my lap. I asked, "Shouldn't you simply tell me how you did it instead of me asking you questions?"

Jim studied me for a moment before nodding, "You're right."

He licked his lips before starting, "As you know I am sure, I did the test two times before I went back and did it again."

He watched as I slowly nodded to his words. I waited for him to continue. He ran a hand through his hair before letting out a heavy sigh. He continued, "I had an orion girl-."

"Gala, correct?"

He nodded, "Yeah. Anyways she helped me out with it by inputting the virus-."

I interrupted him again, "A virus? You inserted a virus in my simulation? You had an orion cadet alter Spock's and my simulation just so you could feel victorious in beating a no-win scenario?"

Jim defended himself, "Hey, if you did make it like that then no one should feel they should have to cheat on it."

I huffed, "I am sorry captain but I am thinking you are not understanding how life works. There is times where you will lose especially against the enemy. If a Klingon war bird were to come and take some of your crew hostage, you will lose some crew members. You cannot save everyone and everything."

Jim looked with a look of sadness. He knew what it was like to lose a parent but he never knew his father unlike the hybrid who knew and grew up with her mother. Jim reached over placing his hand ontop of mine. Immediately my eyes turned to his motion. Jim's voice came out small, "I know but sometimes you have to try with all your might. There is ways to save someone if it can be helped."

A lump formed in my throat and I could feel the light pinpricks on my eyes. I quickly blinked the sensation away before speaking, "However by Star Fleet protocol,-."

He interrupted me shaking his head, "You weren't going with protocol when it was Pike's life on hand. You disagreed with your brother and went against what Star Fleet placed for regulations and protocols. Does that mean anything to you?"

I looked away finding the picture on his desk fascinating versus himself. It was a picture of a woman and two boys smiling. I answered, "I was emotionally compromised-."

He stood up immediately walking away from me. He blocked my vision of the picture which made me glance up at my captain. He leaned against his desk with crossed arms. His lips was turned into a frown. I opened my mouth to say something but he beat me to the point, "The hell you were emotionally compromised! This man was your captain. He was your mentor. You saw him as a father figure while your own father was on Vulcan. You wanted to save him as much as you wanted to save your mother. You didn't want to lose anyone else so you went against regulations. Sometimes it's good to go against it to save someone's life."

The pinpricks came back and I looked away from him as I tried to blink them away. Unfortunately they formed too much and started to glide down my cheek. I felt a presence next to my seated form. Warmth cupped my cheek and a thumb wiped away any fallen tears. He slowly continued wiping the tear away before placing his hand in his lap. The same hand immediately went to the back of his neck massaging the muscles. He looked away clearing his throat, "Sorry I uh..."

He didn't know what he was sorry about. He felt he should of apologized for his action but he felt it was right. I looked down at my clasped hands in my lap.I opened my mouth as I was going to say something but closed it. I closed my eyes taking a deep breath before opening them. I finally spoke, "I am always emotionally compromised."

Jim's blue eyes moved meeting my hazels. Jim moved closer. His words tickled against my face, "That's what it is like being human."

I pulled further away from him. My finger tips reached to my right ear tip feeling the shape. I felt his hand grab the hand that is fingering my ear following its shape. His words came out quiet, "You're very much Vulcan as well as human. I notice you show your emotions more than your brother and you two are very much the same. Showing emotions are not a disadvantage. It's an advantage and that goes for not showing it too. You, T'Saraphina, show your emotions when need to and you pick up where others lack."

He released my hand before using the same hand to move my hair behind my left ear. His fingers lightly touched the tip of my ear and followed the shape of it. It sent a shiver down my spine. I licked my dry lips. His hand lingered by my ear before he cupped my cheek. His thumb lightly grazed against my cheek bone. My mind is telling me this is not what a captain should do with a crew member. However, my heart and emotions are feeling comforted. I whispered, "No one saw either side of me as a good thing. Humans always disliked my Vulcan heritage and Vulcans always disliked my human heritage. The only people who accepted it has been my family and Mr. Scott."

A lopsided smile graced his lips, "Well count me as one 'cause you are fine the way you are."

I moved away from his grasp standing up. He stumbled backwards as to how close he was. I cleared my throat, "I should be going, captain. Spock and I should fortify our formulas when we are back on Earth. Thank you for bringing how you did it to light. I shall work on it right away to prevent any more cheats to go through."

Jim watched the hybrid start to make way to the door. He scrambled to stand up but the door already closed leaving him by himself in his quarters. He cursed under his breath while he hit with his clenched fist against the archway to his living room.

I could feel my heart beat against my lower left side. I placed a hand on it to help calm my nerves. Someone walked by but backtracked when they saw my gesture.

"Are you okay, Sara?"

I looked up seeing the southern doctor coming from his quarters down the hall. I gave a nod, "Yes, I am. I... I just thought I had pain in my side just now."

The doctor eyed my hand placement. Before he was able to open his mouth and let out words, I straighten up moving my hand to my side, "I need to head to bed now, doctor. It was nice seeing you again."

I started heading towards my quarters. Bones followed me with his eyes till I was gone before he looked to where I was standing in front of. Bones gritted his teeth as he marched to his captain's door. Immediately he pressed the button for the bell.

The sandy haired man opened the door, "T'Saraphina I-. Oh it's you Bones. What are you- Ack!"

Bones shoved his captain inside of his captain's quarters. He bounded on the sandy haired man, "What did you do to her?"

Jim widened his eyes holding his hands up in defense, "I did nothing! I don't know what you are talking about!"

Bones pointed to the door, "I just saw our only female Vulcan on board holding onto her heart. What. Did. You. Do? Don't make me get that green hobgoblin into this."

Jim licked his lips. He shook his head, "I did nothing to her, Bones. We simply talked. She asked about how I cheated on the Kobayashi Maru. Did you know she helped make that simulator?"

Bones waved his hand around while nodding, " 'Course I know, Jim. Every cadet knew of the two Vulcans who built the Kobayashi Maru. That doesn't explain why she was holding onto her heart in front of YOUR quarters."

Jim shrugged with concern on his face, "I don't know. We really did only talk, Bones."

Jim thought to himself that if he would've caught her or took the chance before she pulled away earlier he would've kissed her. He didn't know why but damn he really wanted to. Bones grumbled, "If I find out you triggered her in any way, I will sic' the hobgoblin on you. And You know how much I dislike him."

Jim swallowed, "I swear we didn't do anything."

Bones pointed a finger to his captain, "I know your track record in the academy."

Bones straighten up. Jim asked, "Why are you all the sudden protective over her? I never seen you two hang around each other."

The southern doctor looked away for a moment before meeting Jim's eyes, "I am her doctor and I treated her after her attack with that Vulcan prick. I do not want her to go back that way again. Especially with that council of emotionless pointy eared bastards."

Jim understood now. He wouldn't even want to have her relapse especially after she finally got the hang of male co-workers touching her. Jim nodded to show understanding. Bones eyed his captain before turning his heel, "Good, now I am gonna get some coffee. Wanna join me?"

Jim raised his eyebrows, "Sure."