Twenty Four

Emily let out a sigh of contentment as she buried herself deeper into the sheets that were pulled over her. The feeling of warm breath tickling the back of her neck was another reminder that she was finally back home. Or as close to home as she could be when it came to working for SHIELD. A pair of arms were wrapped around her in an almost possessive manner, and she stifled a giggle when she felt McCoy stir beside her.

She knew whatever movements she tried making would only rouse him. Sleeping in was rare for both of them. Years of working with the agency had enforced a strict schedule, and McCoy usually worked horrendous hours at the medical facility, whether it was in Georgia or at the Academy. She realized with a start how much she missed mornings like these, where she was the first to wake and find him sprawled on the bed beside her. It was almost comical when she thought of how professional and almost stiff he was around people who didn't know him well. Then again, after the way Pamela treated him it was a wonder he didn't open up to anyone.

Her thoughts drifted back to the test they were both assigned to take later that day. When Spock suggested that she become part of his team to overlook the test, she didn't know what to make of it. She knew it was his way of determining what sort of Captain she wanted to work under after graduating.

It took weeks for her to finally accept Captain Pike's request to be formally promoted. The Captain had reminded her that there were few Liaisons available on Starships, and her scores had only proven that she was more than capable of taking on the role. He'd already explained to her that he was putting together a group of individuals who could command the USS Enterprise, which happened to be the newest flagship of the Fleet.

She was taken aback by the Captain's request, especially since Kirk had been so determined to give away her position to the Council. She fully expected him to be the first to find out about her role within SHIELD. Kirk looked up to Pike more than he wanted to admit out loud. She'd heard the way Kirk would praise the Captain when they were on speaking terms. Emily realized with a start that Pike was likely the only father-figure Kirk ever had in his life, which explained why he revered the Captain so much.

She tried pushing those thoughts aside as she tenderly kissed McCoy's bare chest. She missed these types of mornings where it was just the two of them. With the threat of Loki and the Tesseract behind them, she didn't need to worry about being reassigned anytime soon. Then again, Emily was only just beginning to realize what it meant to spend the rest of her life with McCoy.

His acceptance and his warmth was something she had always longed for in a partner, more so during their time apart. She continued kissing him until trailing further down his chest, smirking in amusement when he stirred from her warm breath.

"Good morning, sunshine," she cooed when his eyes finally cracked open in annoyance.

"Ya know, I was just havin' a wonderful dream about a beautiful woman when you woke me," he rolled his eyes in response.

Emily just rose an eyebrow as he let out a huff of annoyance at the thought of being woken up. She knew he was just teasing her, though that didn't stop her from continuing the process.

"Oh? And what did this beautiful woman look like?" she quarried as she continued feathering kisses along his lower abdomen.

Her lips were soft and warm, sending shivers of electrical shockwaves through him. A teasing light swept across those dark brown orbs as she noticed his cock beginning to harden. Despite still feeling groggy from sleep, his other head was clearly wide awake. She smirked at the thought, knowing full-well the best places to strike.

"She was a real beauty, with long golden hair and the loveliest eyes I've ever seen," he explained after realizing what she was doing. His fingers raked through her hair as if to prove his point, feeling just how silky it was. Her heart swooned over his response. "Imagine my surprise when I realize it wasn't just a dream."

"Well, that woman sure as hell is lucky to have met someone like you," she replied without missing a beat. McCoy rose an eyebrow in surprise, but she didn't give him the chance to respond when she began massaging his balls gently. "And maybe she'd like to provide a little fun this morning before all hell breaks loose."

By now, he was getting harder as her hands moved along his shaft. Emily smirked in amusement when she finally replaced her hands with her tongue. Considering what they had planned for that afternoon, she knew this was desperately needed. Once she took him in fully, McCoy's hands wrapped around her hair as she bobbed her head up and down.

He was careful not to pull too hard – it took years for her hair to finally reach its normal length when it grew back, and the last thing he wanted was to damage it any further. She continued playing with him until she tasted pre-cum leaking from his tip.

'Someone else is clearly excited to see me this morning,' she said through their mental link. As it was, McCoy let out an embarrassing groan as she continued fondling him. She found the whole thing amusing, especially given how people normally saw him out in public. 'Imagine what everyone else would say if they saw you in this state.'

'Fucking hell Emily,' he managed to growl as his thought-process was sent into a whirlwind of emotions. She knew she was achieving her goal when he couldn't even formulate words. She continued teasing him until he finally came into her mouth, releasing his warm seed as she took it all without hesitation. By now she was struggling not to laugh as she swallowed it all, relishing the musky taste. It took a few seconds for him to recover from his orgasm, though not without pulling her forward to kiss her firmly on the lips. 'You are enough to drive me wild, woman.'

"Hm… you may have a certain spring in your step this morning," she quipped out loud.

Her smile was enough to light up the room. McCoy just rolled his eyes in amusement as he kissed her once more.

"At least let me return the favor," he retorted when she was about to leave to get ready for Kirk's doomed test.

Emily rose an eyebrow in amusement as he kissed her tenderly on the lips. She hovered above him as his cock twitched with anticipation between her thighs. McCoy thrust into her without hesitation, refusing to back down from the challenge as her walls gripped him tightly. Emily let out a quiet moan as she leaned forward, her lips meeting his. McCoy timed his thrusts carefully, pushing into her at a rhythm they were both comfortable with. His tongue grazed her lips, and as she let out another fevered moan, his tongue hungrily fought with hers. The connection they had was much stronger than she could have imagined.

She relished the way he felt inside her. It was like nothing she had ever experienced. What made it sweeter was the fact that McCoy felt the same way. She knew from the way his emotions were running that he was experiencing what she experienced. There were few telepaths or Empaths that could reach that level of bondage. Eventually McCoy picked up a speed that left her moaning louder than ever, until she nearly screamed out his name. And all too quickly, he came into her with a few final, powerful thrusts.

For a while, neither of them moved. Emily was struggling to formulate words when she realized he was still inside her. Her smirk widened as she rested atop of him, burying her face into the crook of his neck. The second alarm finally went off just when McCoy had begun rubbing circles along her back, tenderly massaging her scars and carefully mapping them out.

"We should probably shower before heading out," she murmured softly. "No offense but we kind of smell like sex."

McCoy only smirked at that.

"Lord knows what the rest of the campus would say if they figured that out," he snorted as she climbed off of him.

He soon followed suit, though not without catching the hickey he'd left on her collarbone. They worked around each other with ease as they showered and changed into their respective uniforms. It wasn't until changing that Emily finally noticed the hickey that McCoy had given her. She nearly rolled her eyes at the sight when she noticed it was just visible above the scruff of her uniform.

"You are an asshole," she muttered after realizing everyone would notice it.

"Yet you're the one who wanted sex in the mornin'," he pointed out without missing a beat.

Emily merely swatted him across the chest. She knew he had a point, though she was more annoyed that she would have to explain where the mark came from if someone caught it. Once they were finished and ready, they quickly grabbed coffee from the local cafe they normally stopped at before heading off to campus. They walked alongside each other just when everyone else started heading for their respective classes.

"This test is nothing more than a waste of everyone's time, and Kirk knows it," McCoy complained with a roll of his eyes. Emily silently agreed with him, though she didn't bother saying it out loud. She knew it was pointless to try and convince Kirk otherwise. Once his mind was made up, it was impossible to change what he thought of the test. "Damn kid doesn't know when to quit."

"As much as I hate to admit it, I think that's one quality of Kirk that I actually admire," Emily murmured thoughtfully. McCoy threw her an incredulous look when he realized what she was implying. "Having the ability to ignore whatever people are saying about you… it must be nice. That and never quitting on someone, regardless of what might happen to him. That's pretty damn impressive."

McCoy just rolled his eyes at that, though he did grudgingly agree with her. If it wasn't for Kirk being around the last two years, he would have felt pretty damn shitty throughout classes. Then again, he'd felt that way long before enlisting in the Academy. It surprised him at how quickly he'd changed since meeting up with her again.

"Good luck," she whispered when they finally reached the testing center.

Those who were taking the test already were waiting inside. Emily would have to join the rest of the main crew at the console where they were keeping an eye on Kirk's progress. The way the test was determined would figure on how the crew he'd chosen handled said test, and his authority as Captain. And Emily had a feeling that a few of the chosen crew members were going to give him a difficult time.

"You too," McCoy whispered back, giving her a kiss on the forehead before they parted ways.

Her shoulders sagged once she reached the chair where she normally sat in. The rest of the crew Spock had chosen compiled mostly of highly intelligent tech support staff. She glanced around, noting how many of them would have fit right in with SHIELD's tech staff. She knew he'd chosen them for a reason – their skills and abilities to handle just about anything was what would lead to them being assigned to some of the best Starships.

On any normal occasion Gaila was usually with her at the main console. The two of them had begun talking more frequently since she and Uhura met up again. Gaila was the first to point out that she and McCoy had been far more active than most Cadets at the Academy, and the rush of heat that followed was usually enough for the Orion to laugh. It seemed as though she wasn't the only one to poke fun at their relationship. Luckily Uhura was quieter about it, having realized that it was a topic most people didn't normally bring up.

Emily glanced at the viewing window warily as she noticed the crew Kirk had strategically chosen.

Standing to the side was McCoy, who glanced at the viewing window every now and then. She couldn't hide the sheepish smirk that followed when she realized he was looking in her direction. Nyota Uhura was another Cadet that Kirk had been aggravating lately. She looked equally as annoyed as McCoy had been that morning, and Emily understood the reasons behind said annoyance. Then finally, there was her sister.

She frowned upon seeing how little Sarah Hayes had changed over the last two years. Her hair was a little longer, and it looked as if she had died it a lighter shade of blond. The only real changes she could see was that Sarah seemed equally annoyed as the others.

"Liaison, do you understand why I have asked you to observe these testing simulations?"

Emily rose an eyebrow and looked at Spock warily when he addressed her presence with her newly found title.

After months of coaxing, she finally accepted Admiral Marcus's decision to promote her as a Liaison. She had been reluctant at first, knowing that it would put her a rank above everyone else at the Academy. But McCoy convinced her to accept the proposal. Even he knew how hard she worked to reach her goal, and the progress had begun to show throughout the weeks.

The problem was, she knew that if Kirk found out she was still there, he would likely find some way of telling the council. A shiver of unease swept through Emily at the thought. She had a feeling that if the council found out, they would begin questioning why she sounded so similar to the little girl who supposedly died when the Kelvin was destroyed.

"Because you enjoy my company and the witty banter we always come up with," she muttered under her breath.

The half-Vulcan would hear it. From what she gathered, Vulcans had remarkable hearing along with other abilities that surpassed a humans. So, Emily wasn't surprised to see Spock nearly roll his eyes at her comment while the others snickered at her expense.

Most of the crew that worked on the testing center had begun to appreciate the conversations they had. Though there was a lack of humor in Spock's tone of voice, she could see that he was trying. Even he couldn't deny his human-half, as much as he wanted to. She often brought out the best and the worst in everyone, and Spock found himself appreciating that aspect of her.

"I would prefer a valid answer, Liaison," he reprimanded her.

"You've asked me to join you because not only do you need someone who knows how to handle computers, but you also want to see if I can choose a Captain I'll work best under," she replied diligently. She almost smirked when Spock rose a brow at her first answer. "That way I can figure out what ship is best suited for me when I'm assigned to one. As a Liaison, I will be assigned to numerous posts that need me the most, and working with the best Captain is required."

For a moment, Spock wasn't sure how to answer when he noticed that she'd used a technicality against him. She knew how much Vulcans loved technicalities, especially Spock.

"You are correct," he finally answered after giving it some thought. "I must admit, I do enjoy the banter we share."

Emily couldn't hide the rare smile that followed as she looked back on her screen, focusing on the test.

Despite their differences, Spock did seem to understand where she was getting at with her crude sense of humor. While he certainly wasn't anything like Gaila, they still had conversations every now and then. She quickly learned that he'd endured years of bullying on Planet Vulcan due to his heritage. While his father was an Ambassador to Planet Vulcan, the people on said planet ridiculed him because his mother was human.

It turned out that Earth wasn't much better. Those who didn't understand what it meant to be a Vulcan made fun of Spock. Emily realized with a start that they weren't much different in that aspect. She was grateful that Spock didn't judge her just because she was different from others. If anything, he appreciated her level of intelligence and the abilities she had.

Her thoughts were disrupted once more when the lights suddenly flickered on and off. Emily frowned upon noticing that the main console itself had shut down. Her powers hadn't fluctuated like they normally did when she was under a great deal of stress. Something had caused the console to malfunction and crash. Just as quickly as the console crashed, it rebooted itself.

She was even more concerned after noticing that the test had suddenly taken a different turn. Kirk was now able to rescue the Kobyoshi crew after they destroyed the Klingon vessels. All the systems were back online. The test had been successful.

Something wasn't right. The test was meant to be unbeatable. The fact that Kirk managed to win only confirmed that he had been cheating. Emily narrowed her eyes at the thought. If he thought he was going to get away with that, then he had another thing coming. She knew from experience that Spock was not the type of person she wanted to cross.

While they talked about many things, she noticed that he did have somewhat of a human side to him. He didn't show it often, but he did get angry. She didn't know what was scarier. Seeing Natasha when she was pissed off, or seeing a Vulcan who tried to purge his emotions show anger.

Such was the case when Spock leaned forward and stared at the room where Kirk and the others were in with his jaw nearly dropping.

Kirk's look of satisfaction was what really took the cake. Uhura just rolled her eyes in annoyance while McCoy tried hiding himself. Even Sarah wanted to make herself scarce when she realized that everyone involved could receive a reprimanding, or worse.

"How the hell did that kid beat your test?" one of the Cadets demanded.

"I do not know," Spock replied after frowning.

"I think I may have your answer," Emily reassured him when she started typing in a series of codes.

She thanked her lucky stars that she'd paid attention to hacking into computer systems. Sure enough, she was able to find the security footage from earlier this morning. Spock stood behind her as he watched the video play through.

Images of Kirk could already be seen using Gaila's card. Emily narrowed her eyes at that - she knew Kirk would have likely taken advantage of a woman like that. The thought made her sick as she wondered if most men in Starfleet were like that. McCoy was a rare exception to that notion. He never once tried taking advantage of her, even when they were kids. It was an aspect of McCoy that she suddenly found herself appreciating.

"This needs to be addressed with the Council," Spock declared after the video finished playing.

You're in trouble now, Kirk, Emily thought with a roll of her eyes.

.

.

Sure enough, it didn't take long for Spock to find the Council and discuss matters revolving around the Kobyoshi Maru. When it came to making sure everyone received a fair punishment, Spock was all for doing so. Though, Emily couldn't shake off the feeling that this was going to end in miserable failure.

"Kid's in real trouble this time, isn't he?" McCoy asked when they met outside the lecture hall.

"Well, he's cheated on a test that's supposed to be unbeatable," she replied with a shrug. She glanced towards the lecture hall where Cadets were gathering before the trial started. She knew she and McCoy couldn't exactly be seen together while on campus, so this was the next best thing. "It isn't something that can be ignored simply because of who he is."

McCoy made a face at the thought of having to deal with Kirk after the trails were over. Ever since they'd been seeing each other more often outside the Academy, he hadn't had the need to share a room with the kid. And a small part of him felt guilty for that, but after the way Kirk had treated the whole Manhattan incident, he was still annoyed with him.

Once they reached the lecture hall, McCoy took his seat between Sarah and Kirk. Emily was forced to sit between random Cadets as the trials began. She wasn't surprised to see that Spock made a valid point in making sure Kirk faced some kind of punishment. He couldn't keep getting away with pulling off the shit he often did, especially given the circumstances of his test results.

Unease swept through Emily as she listened to the arguments that followed when he dragged Spock into it. Then he had to go around and make it worse by pulling the one card she had been dreading.

"How am I the one in trouble when one of our own is a spy?"

The world suddenly felt as if it stopped when he brought that up. Everyone shifted uncomfortably as the Council began whispering among themselves. Even McCoy had stiffened visibly when Kirk brought up the one subject she had hoped he would avoid. She'd always known that he would give away her position. But a small part of her had been hoping that Kirk would somehow forget that she worked for SHIELD. She tried shrinking further into the seat as realization dawned on her.

He was just waiting for the right time, she realized.

"Which Cadet are you accusing, Mr. Kirk? Admiral Barnett demanded.

A lump formed in the back of her throat when Kirk turned in her direction. She tried hiding herself in the crowd, hoping and praying that he wouldn't see her. Unfortunately, life never worked the way she hoped. The moment Kirk's eyes landed on her was when she knew she was in for a world of trouble.

"Liaison Coulson, sir," Kirk replied without missing a beat. "She's been lying to everyone, and she works for SHIELD."

The silence that followed was enough for Emily to wish that a hole would open up and swallow her. Anything was better than the feeling of over a hundred accusing glares in her direction. Eventually, Barnett finally regained his composure and tried to calm things down.

"Is this true, Cadet?" he demanded when she reluctantly stood up.

"Yes," she replied through gritted teeth.

The Council gestured for her to join Spock at the defendant's podium. She could practically feel every eye boring through her. Emily tried to make herself as invisible as possible as she reached the podium. The only thought running through her mind was how to get out of this mess. It was already awkward enough being put on the spotlight. But to stand next to Spock, whose expression hadn't changed, made it that much worse.

"Identify your badge," another Council member snapped.

It took everything Emily had not to spit at them as she pulled her badge out. Coulson was the one who encouraged her to keep it with her at all times. She was only just beginning to realize why that was so important. Kirk's smug expression never wavered when she passed on the badge. The worst of it was hearing McCoy's thoughts raging in the back of her mind. She tried pushing them out, knowing full-well nothing good would come out of losing control now.

"Doctor Hayes had another daughter?"

"I thought their oldest child died in the Kelvin crash?"

Hundreds of questions sprang up immediately the moment they read her information. Emily swallowed hard when the lump suddenly felt too tight for comfort. She hated having to explain why her parents abandoned her and why they claimed that she had been killed in the crash.

"Explain yourself, Liaison," Barnett finally cut through the endless questions ringing in her head.

Emily bit back her tongue to keep herself from saying something she would later regret. Instead, she held her head high and returned their glares with one of her own. She wasn't about to give these people the satisfaction of intimidating her. It was bad enough Kirk had used his own trial to give away her position, and the smug look written across his face made her want to punch him in the gut.

"Doctor Matthew Hayes and Selene Hayes are my biological parents," she explained after a moment of silence followed. "I was born on the USS Atlantis twenty seven years ago. Two years after that, they were assigned to the Kelvin. When the Kelvin was under attack by the Romulans, it was Captain George Kirk who put me in the escape pod." She paused to let that information sink in. Kirk's eyes widened in disbelief when she mentioned his father's name with as much dignity as she could. George Kirk had been one of the few on the Kelvin who saw her as more than just someone waiting to be placed on the field. "When my escape pod crashed into Earth, my parents already assumed that I didn't survive."

Her heart began racing for a whole different reason when Barnett's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. The other Council members looked as if they were having a hard time trying to understand the fact that her parents were capable of pulling off such a stunt.

Most of the Fleet had believed the story her parents devised. And that was in part with SHIELD's response to the deal Coulson and Director Fury made with them. As long as her parents stayed away and left her alone, they wouldn't press charges and they would follow along with their story. And up until now, their deal paid off.

She glanced around the corner of her eye to see McCoy's face fall at the mention of her parent's assumption. He'd heard the whole story when they first met. Since she had an eidetic memory, it was impossible to forget incidents like that. It didn't help knowing that she had been a different person back then. Coulson brought her out of her shell when he finally took her in, and eventually she began opening up to McCoy as a result.

"How were you able to survive, Liaison?" Barnett asked warily.

"That's something we haven't quite figured out," she admitted with a shrug. "I was found by some passing civilians, and SHIELD later took me in. After that, I was adopted by Phil Coulson when my parents wanted nothing to do with me. SHIELD made an agreement to let them maintain their story that I was killed when the ship went up."

She didn't bother keeping the bitterness from her voice. At that point, those who knew her understood the disdain she felt towards her parents. Her view on them hadn't changed since Coulson took her in. McCoy was well aware of the abuse she'd undergone when she was a toddler. She still lived with the fear of running into her father again. Living under his shadow had been enough of a punishment, but the Kelvin's destruction was what really took the cake.

The room fell into a hushed whisper as the Council began debating among themselves to what her punishment would be. Emily struggled to maintain her composure as she caught Kirk struggling to cope with the fact that his father had treated her better than he ever would. She often found herself wondering if things would be different between them if his father was still alive. Hell, she still blamed herself for what happened to Captain Kirk.

The worst though had to be Sarah's reaction to all of this news.

"I do not have a sister!" she practically shouted after leaping to her feet.

McCoy managed to pull her back down, though not before earning a vengeful glare from her. Embarrassment swept across his eyes as he pushed her back to the chair, ignoring the incredulous looks other Cadets were giving them. Emily nearly rolled her eyes at Sarah's reaction, having no doubt that was exactly what she would have said had she discovered the truth without the trials.

Figures that she would react that way, she rolled her eyes at Sarah's expense. It surprised her that Sarah hadn't guessed they were sisters until then. She supposed the blond had been distracted enough with classes to notice how similar they were.

"Enough!" Barnett finally barked to quiet the crowd. "Doctor Matthew Hayes and Doctor Selene Hayes are both prominent members of the Fleet. Both have our utmost respect. To make such accusations against them would be a lie."

Emily's teeth ground together as she realized too late that this wouldn't end in her favor. She should have known better than to trust Starfleet. Despite McCoy's efforts in trying to make peace with the Fleet, nothing had changed. She had a feeling things would never change if the Council had their way. After everything that had happened, she was better off sticking with SHIELD.

"Then I'll take my leave," she snapped.

It was impossible to ignore the looks of surprise that followed from everyone, including Kirk.

It's obvious I have no place here, she thought bitterly.

The room had become uncomfortably quiet as the Council tried to decide what to do with her. Emily knew they could have given her a court martial out of the room and out of Starfleet. She was surprised they hadn't reached that verdict.

Then when a younger looking Cadet suddenly approached them, Emily could see why.

The Council had nearly finished their deliberating when the Cadet reached Barnett, whispering something urgently to him.

Barnett's eyes widened in surprise before he addressed the rest of the crowd, "There has been a distress signal sent from Planet Vulcan," he announced. Spock stiffened immediately upon hearing that news. "All Cadets are required to report to the Hangar bay immediately to receive their ships and Captains."

Emily let out a sigh of relief when the trials suddenly came to an end. Spock had already left the lecture hall along with half of the crowd. She glanced over her shoulder in time to see McCoy reaching Kirk, a scowl written across his face.

"Dammit man, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"I don't think I need to explain myself, Bones," Kirk quickly brushed him off when McCoy snapped at him. "I'm only doing the Academy a favor by warning them."

"You were only using that to your advantage, and you sure as hell know it!"

"Would you two shut up and get a move on already?" she finally snapped, cutting through the icy tension that had already filled the room earlier. Kirk threw her a withering look as she reached McCoy. She was anxious enough as it was without Kirk making it worse for everyone. "Regardless of what you think of me or how you feel about SHIELD, a planet is in danger, and standing around bickering like an old couple isn't going to help."

Kirk was ready to argue, his mouth already open for what she assumed was a laundry list of insults. But he quickly clamped his mouth shut when he realized she was right. Despite the fact that she was pissed off with him, she knew that staying angry wasn't going to help the people of Planet Vulcan. She knew this wasn't going to end well once they were finished with recovery efforts, but for now, they needed to work together.

"Well, I'll be damned," McCoy cursed under his breath as they headed for the hanger. "I don't think I've ever seen him so smack-dab speechless."

Emily nearly rolled her eyes at that comment, though she understood what he meant by that. Kirk was rarely left speechless unless the situation demanded it, and she suspected that this time it did. Regardless of whether or not that was the case, they all needed to get their act together sooner rather than later. And she hoped that happened in time before they reached Planet Vulcan.