AN: Sorry for the wait for this chapter! I was trying to plan out the next few, and I had to first figure out how to get them started, so this took a while :L This chapter is sort of the prologue for a story arc I'm going into that will involve lots of Joanna/Crew interaction, which I shall hopefully make witty and hilarious (*hopefully*).

This chapter is a lot more focused on Bones and Joanna's relationship, with a bit on Bones and Jim's friendship. Not my typical stuff, but I hope you enjoy it anyhow!


The next six months passed in a surprising blur for Jim. As promised, the Enterprise was fully operational (and arguably better than before) five months after Jim told Joanna his life story. To re-christen the ship, Jim had the pleasure of travelling to a planet light-years away for a diplomatic conference, which he was looking forward to like a hypo in his neck.

"This is going to be so dull," Jim complained to McCoy as the Enterprise came within a reasonable distance of the planet, "It's like the Admiralty are punishing us for all of the drama we got into with Khan."

"Jim, I'm pretty sure that's not it," McCoy replied, rolling his eyes at the captain, "And if it was, they probably would have just told you that that was it. The Admiralty aren't really the kind of people to beat around the bush... not about that kind of thing, anyway." Jim huffed.

"Well, they'll be happy to know that the only trouble we could possibly get into is dying of boredom." He grumbled, entering the bridge.

"Keptin on the bridge," Chekov called out cheerfully; honestly, Jim wondered how that kid was so damn perky all the time!

"Thank you, Mr Chekov," Jim said, sighing as he sunk into his chair. He tried desperately to think of something funny, or at least uplifting, to say, but gave up and turned to his crew, "Though I very much doubt it, has anyone got anything important I should know about the ship, or the mission, or... well, anything?"

"We're expected to arrive at the planet in approximately sixteen hours, Captain," Sulu offered.

"Thank you, Mr Sulu," Jim nodded, "Lieutenant Uhura, anything on their language? Or am I going to have to wing it and hope that I haven't said anything too offensive when it's translated into their native tongue?"

"All I've been able to gather is that it's a language in its own right and that some words don't translate directly... I'd suggest being cautious in what you say, sir."

"Noted. Thank you, Lieutenant," Jim nodded to her, spinning back around in his chair to face forwards again, "Anyone got anything else?" after a few 'no, sir's and 'no, Captain's, Jim nodded, taking a PADD Spock was passing to him, "Is this the report from the Admirals?"

"Affirmative, Captain," Spock said, "My initial read-through has alerted me to the fact that it is vague in several places due to a lack of knowledge regarding the culture and nature of the species, and so I must second Lieutenant Uhura's suggestion to be cautious with your words."

"Because it's too damn difficult to conduct a thorough investigation," Jim muttered, "Thank you, Commander."

"Goddamned Admirals," McCoy muttered, "Just do me a favour Jim? Get me back in time for Joanna's birthday. I promised her."

"That's next Friday, right? The fourteenth?" Jim checked.

"Get me back for then, Jim," McCoy said gruffly, "She said the only present she wanted this year was her daddy home on her birthday. I'm not missing out on giving her that gift."


McCoy paced restlessly across the room in his quarters.

"Goddamn Admirals and goddamn Starfleet," he muttered angrily, "Keeping me away from my little girl... I bet they know what to get their kids for their birthdays..." he was driving himself up the wall trying to think of a good birthday present for Joanna, but he couldn't come up with single idea, let alone a plan for getting her something.

He whipped around, freezing in the centre of the room, as the door to his room swished open. He sighed in annoyance as he was met with Jim grinning madly.

"Hey Bones!"He said. The diplomatic conference had ended in the Enterprise having to make a reasonably quick getaway (how was Jim supposed to know that 'join the Federation' translated to 'be conquered by the Federation', and 'mine for dilithium' translated to 'tear up your land' in the other party's native language?!). Jim seemed completely relaxed about the entire thing, stating that it was 'just one of those things'. McCoy just hoped that the other side saw it that way...

"What do you want Jim?" McCoy asked, frowning at his friend, "You're not dying, are you? Because I'm off duty." Jim rolled his eyes.

"I'm not dying," he assured him, "But I could practically feel you pacing on the other side of the ship. I thought I'd come and be a good friend and see what was wrong." McCoy considered asking if Jim had hacked the video feed to his room again, but decided against it; he probably wouldn't have gotten a straight answer anyway.

"I can't think of a present for Joanna," he sighed, sitting down on his sofa, "I've been thinking, and thinking, but... I feel like I don't even know her, Jim. She's my little girl, and I can't even figure out what she wants for her birthday."

"She wants you, remember?" Jim asked, frowning at him, "That's what she asked for, so that's what she's going to get. We'll be back by Monday at the latest."

"But that's not something special," McCoy protested, "I mean, okay, it's rare that I'm at home and she gets to see me, but... it isn't unique enough to be a gift." Jim smirked.

"You're going all soppy on me, Bones!" he whined, "Look at you! You're getting all upset because you can't go shopping!"

"Kid, if you think I won't hypo your ass into another galaxy if you tell anyone about this, then you're not the genius everything thinks you are."

"There's the Bones I know and love," Jim laughed, before looking thoughtful, "You want something unique, right?"

"I said that, didn't I?!" McCoy grumbled, not completely trusting Jim to not go out and tell someone (probably Scotty) of the fact that he was getting worked up about not being able to get his daughter a suitable present.

"And you want it to be something you could do together..." Jim was smiling slightly now, the fact that he had an idea so obvious that the only thing that would make it more apparent would be if he had a light bulb flashing above his head.

"Where're you going with this, kid?" McCoy asked, now frowning at Jim's mysteriousness.

"I've got an idea," Jim grinned, "And I think it's going to make you particularly popular with Jo..."


"Listen, Jim, I appreciate you doing this for me," McCoy muttered as they walked up to Jocelyn's front door, "I'll make sure that Joanna gets to spend some time with you, and that she knows it was your idea..."

"Hey, don't worry about it, Bones," Jim said, clasping his shoulder, "This is your gift to Joanna. I just okayed it. As far as she knows, this is your doing. Besides, I've got her another gift."

McCoy was about to ask Jim if he was sure, and that he didn't mind sharing the gift; he then decided that he wasn't willing to risk it, and nodded to his friend, "I owe you one." He muttered.

Before they even reached the door, it flew open and Joanna appeared, sprinting at her father so fast that he didn't see her until she slammed into him, her arms flying around his waist.

"Daddy you're here!" she said happily, "You're here on my birthday! Just like you said!"

"I promised, didn't I?" he chuckled, hugging her back, "Happy birthday, Jojo." Joanna then turned to Jim, jumping up into his arms.

"Hello to you too!" he laughed, "Happy birthday, Jo." She smiled widely at him.

"Thank you," she said, almost shyly, "For bringing daddy home in time. Did you stop any more bad guys?" Jim grimaced.

"We were almost the bad guys this time," he said, "but that's a story for later. First, we have to enjoy your birthday." Joanna sighed, but smiled as he put her down. She took her father's hand in hers, dragging him towards the house.

"Mommy says you got me another present," she said as she walked, "But I told her she was wrong because I only asked for one thing."

"Your Mom was right, Jo," McCoy said, secretly thinking that he would have loved to have been there the day Joanna told her that she was wrong, "But it's a surprise." She made a face.

"I don't like surprises," she grumbled, and Jim was reminded immediately of Bones. He grinned, getting his present for Joanna out of the hovercar before following the two into the house.


"What's the surprise?" Joanna asked impatiently as her mother made tea.

"If I tell you then it isn't a surprise, is it?" McCoy teased, chuckling slightly at Joanna's pouting, "I'll give you a clue: we have to travel to get there." Joanna frowned.

"That's a silly clue," she decided, "You'll have to give me another one." McCoy gave his daughter a disapproving look, but complied.

"It involves both me and Jim." He told her, smiling internally at the expressions that flashed across Joanna's face as she tried to figure it out.

"Maybe my present can be a bit of a clue," Jim said, reappearing a few minutes after Bones and Joanna. He placed an impeccably wrapped parcel in front of Joanna on the kitchen table, grinning as Joanna looked to her mother for permission to open it before she carefully proceeded to do so.

"I didn't know you could wrap, Jim," McCoy noted dryly, knowing full well that it wasn't Jim who had done said wrapping.

"Ah, er... Carol gave me a hand." He said, waving it off.

"Is Carol the nice blonde lady with the funny accent?" Joanna asked, pausing in her unwrapping.

"That's the one," McCoy confirmed. Joanna smiled.

"I like her," she said decisively, "And her present wrapping."

"So does Uncle Jim," McCoy whispered loudly to her, winking when they both caught the blush on Jim's face.

"You two shouldn't tease," Jocelyn scolded, "You wait until you get yourself another lady, Leonard. I'm sure Jim will be relentlessly picking at you." Joanna's face fell into a frown.

"Daddy, are you going to get another lady soon?" she asked, looking up at her father expectantly. McCoy chuckled.

"I'm not planning on it, sweetheart, no." He told her.

"Good," Joanna muttered, finally pulling the paper away. Inside was a purple Starfleet shirt, complete with the silver insignia. Joanna's face lit up, "A Starfleet shirt!" she squealed, immediately pulling it over her head, making the three adults start laughing as she got herself tangled up in her eagerness.

"Her own Starfleet shirt?" Jocelyn murmured to Jim, "How did you fix that one up?!" Jim smirked.

"I've been saying that kids of Starfleet officers who want to join Starfleet should be more recognisable on campus for a while," he told her, "The Admiralty have only just agreed. Apparently, recruitment levels have dropped since Khan, so they're pretty desperate. I thought, seeing as Jo's so set on joining Starfleet when she's finished school, she should be the first to get a shirt."

Jocelyn shook her head, "She's never going to want to take it off," she told him as McCoy and Joanna finally managed to get the shirt on right, Joanna giggling happily.

"I've got a few more in the back of the car," he told her, "Just in case."

"Advice from Carol?" Jocelyn grinned.

"Possibly," Jim said grudgingly, "And what were you just saying about teasing?" the woman simply laughed, moving around the table to 'inspect' her daughter.

"Yes, I approve," she said seriously, smiling at her little girl, "A Starfleet officer in the making, for sure."

"Don't remind me," McCoy moaned, "She still has at least eight years of school. Eight years is a long time. She's not Starfleet just yet."

"Am too!" Joanna protested, "Look! I'm wearing a Starfleet shirt! ...Oh! Is my present something to do with Starfleet?!" she looked up at her father pleadingly, begging for an answer.

"Got it in one, Jo," he grinned, "We should probably get going actually. We don't want to be late."

"Late for what?!" Joanna demanded, bored of the guessing game. Jim grinned, lifting her up onto his shoulders, earning him another giggle.

"For takeoff, of course!" he exclaimed.

"Takeoff?" Joanna looked down at her father, confused.

"You remember when you told Uncle Jim that you wanted to go on the Enterprise?" He asked. Joanna's face lit up in realisation.

"I'm going on the Enterprise?!" she squealed.

"You're staying on the Enterprise," Jim corrected her, "We've got to deliver some goods to a planet a couple of days away. You, Miss McCoy, are going on a week-long residential trip with your dad onboard Starfleet's most amazing starship." Joanna laughed, poking Jim's head until he let her down enough for her to clamber into her father's arms.

"Thank you, daddy," she whispered, "This is the best birthday present ever!"


Ta-Da! I really hope you guys liked this chapter, so chuck me a line or two and let me know if you did/didn't! If you've got a prompt or idea, throw me a few of those too! (you guys are always so much more creative than I am!) I apologise for the whole Khan/Kahn typo in my last chapter; I do the majority of my writing at 1 in the morning, and I HATE proof reading, so there will often be typos in my work :L Thanks to Starsinger for pointing it out, I've now fixed it :3

Don't forget that reviews are worded sunshine, prompts are worded rainbows and you enjoying my writing is worded... well, other pretty things :3 Thanks for reading!