It had been nearly 4 hours since Dr. McCoy had released them from sickbay, assuring them that they were all no risk to the ship and its crew. Uhura had hurried to her quarters as she prayed none of her fellow crew noticed the obvious swell that was on display in the form-fitting uniform she wore. Until this moment she had never thought about how absurd it was to require the female crew to wear such tight and short outfits. She noted in her mind to file a formal grievance with Starfleet on the matter at a later time. Right now, her mind was still reeling over the fact that she was pregnant and with the child of Captain James Tiberius Kirk, the soon-to-be father who didn't seem to care one way or the other about her condition and why should he be. She was the one who had decided to keep this child whether he wanted it or not, so she felt she had no right to ask him to give her any form of support.

"I guess it's just you and me baby," She spoke lowly on her bed as she cradled her bump that pressed proudly through the satin green nightgown she wore. The Captain had told her she could take some time off to adjust and make any necessary arrangements she may need to her new situation. She took that as his way to give her time to come up with some story to tell about how she got pregnant and by whom. She giggled as she thought about that because she was sure that the entire crew knew by now as Sulu could be quite the gossip when he had some 'juicy' intel, and this incident was probably the most salacious thing to ever happen on their voyage thus far. Just as she had decided to try to lie down to get some sleep her door chimed and pulled her from her bed. "Come," She called out to her visitor and then stood up a bit straighter when her visitor finally walked in. "Captain."

"Lieutenant," Kirk replied as his eyes took her in from head to toe before he quickly averted his eyes to glance about her beautifully decorated quarters. They stood in silence for a moment before she spoke again.

"Is there something you needed, sir?"

"Ah, yes, I … uh … I just wanted to see how you were holding up. Today has been a very strange and shock filled day for us."

"Yes, sir," She said and graced him with a kind smile and a small chuckle. "It surely has been, but I am fine, thank you for your concern,"

"Good, good," He said with a nod as he settled his eyes upon her bump. "And the baby is…" He paused again and she could tell he was nervous.

"Oh, she is fine too, Captain."

"She?" He repeated through a crooked smile as he looked at her with excitement twinkling in his eyes.

"Yes, sir, I'm having a daughter," She confirmed. "I asked Dr. McCoy to check before I left sickbay. I know most expectant mothers would rather wait and be surprised, but I'd rather be-"

"Prepared," Kirk cut her off and finished the sentence for her. "Yes, I had noticed that about you long ago. And please we're not on the bridge, in fact, I'm off duty at the moment, so we don't have to be so formal. Please, call me Jim and I will call you by your first name too, Nyota," He spoke with a gentle smile. "If that is all right with you?"

"Oh, yes, sir … I mean Jim," She quickly corrected as she smiled warmly back at him. "Please come, have a seat," She offered as she waved him to the sofa in her livingroom area. "Can I get you something to drink? I don't have any alcoholic beverages as I am not much of a drinker, but I had just made tea which should still be hot."

"Tea sounds wonderful, thank you," He agreed as he took a seat on the sofa. He openly watched her as she moved about fixing two cups of tea. Her every movement seemed to hold him enthralled, and most intensely the slight swell on her belly. It hadn't dawned on him until he noticed her about to lift a serving tray with their tea, that he hadn't even offered to help. "No!" He called out a bit more loudly than he had intended as he leaped up and moved to where she stood. Uhura jumped a little in surprise as she stilled and looked at him with wide eyes. "That looks heavy, allow me," He spoke as he grasped the tray which wasn't heavy at all but she still appreciated his gesture.

"Thank you," She said softly as she led them back to the sofa where they sat and she began serving up the tea.

"By the way … oh, thank you," He said with a nod and a smile as he grasped the teacup, she offered him. He then took a quick sip before he continued, "I have already contacted Starfleet and gave a full report of everything. They will be sending a special all-male crew back to the planet to finish the survey, with added precautions. Hopefully, it will be enough to ensure that this situation with us is not repeated," Uhura nodded as she listened. "And I was also able to convince them to allow both of us to stay at our post here on the Enterprise. It took some convincing and they have sent liability forms with specific stipulations that they expect both of us to sign ASAP, which basically says we and the child can stay but at our own risk, not theirs."

"Cap … Jim, I appreciate that more than I can say, but you didn't have to go through any trouble for me. I would have been content to go wherever Starfleet deemed safest for me and my child."

"I am sorry if I have overstepped some boundary, Nyota, I know I should have probably consulted with you first. But if I am being honest I did it more for me than you," He acknowledged and his words completely baffled her as she frowned at him in confusion. "I can't imagine myself being anywhere except here on the Enterprise. They did offer to make me an Admiral stationed out of Starfleet headquarters. I'd be the youngest in Starfleet history, but I wasn't even tempted by that."

"I don't understand, why would they make you leave the Enterprise?" She asked and this time Kirk's brow furrowed as he stared back at her in confusion.

"Because had they not agreed to allow the baby to stay on board, we would have had to be stationed elsewhere, Nyota, you know this."

"Yes, I know the regulations and fully expected that the child and 'I' would be reassigned."

"I see," Kirk spoke as his face fell a little. He settled his cup back upon the tray, stood, and pulled at the bottom of his shirt. Uhura watched him closely as she too set down her cup of tea and stood before him. His demeanor perplexed her. "It seems I have overstepped again in assuming that you wanted me to be a part of the child's life."

"I'm sorry, but you want to be a part of the child's life?" She asked completely shocked at hearing this from him. The thought of Kirk wanting to have anything to do with a child never even entered her mind. He was too much of a bachelor in her eyes.

"Of course, it is my child … my daughter too," He replied and seemed to be offended that she would think otherwise. "And I would very much like to be present in her life."

"Oh my God," Uhura gasped out as tears instantly filled her eyes. She clamped one hand to cover her mouth and the other to her belly and Kirk's face paled in fright as he watched her.

"What's the matter, are you in some kind of pain? Is it the baby?" He asked as he reached out to her. "Do I need to take you to sickbay?" She shook her head at him as a single tear fell freely down her cheek, which she quickly wiped away.

"No, I'm fine and the baby is fine, it's just …" She wasn't sure how to continue without offending him when it was now so clear to her that he wanted this baby just as much as she did. "I'm sorry Jim, but your words surprised me. But they were a very pleasant surprise. I just never even considered that you would want to have anything to do with the baby. I mean, it's not like this was something we planned. We are not in a romantic relationship, and we don't spend a lot of time speaking or seeing each other informally outside of the bridge or while on duty."

"True, but I still consider you to be a friend, Nyota, and I hope that feeling is mutual."

"Oh, yes sir, it is," She confirmed being formal for a moment.

"Good," He pushed out a sigh of relief, "Look, I know I have a bit of a reputation of being a bit of a Casanova, and I will admit I never thought that settling down with a wife and children were in my future. I already see myself as being married to the Enterprise and the crew like my children, so to speak. Now, due to circumstances out of my control, it seems there will be a change of plans on that front. But thankfully Starfleet has decided to make an exception which will allow me to retain my command. So, I can still be Captain as well as a husband and father."

"Wait, are you proposing marriage?" Uhura asked as she stood looking up at him horrorstricken.

"Well, I think that would be appropriate, don't you?"

"Yes, under normal circumstances. It is true I had always envisioned I would find love, get married, and then have children. But as you said our current circumstance is out of our control. And we are not required to get married to have this child."

"Actually, we are," Kirk announced as he clasped his hands behind his back and locked his eyes down to the floor. "It is that stipulation I mention for remaining onboard. We must be married. Also, I think it would help to keep gossip down and keep the baby from being judged unfairly."

"But Captain," She spoke formally again. "I promise you Sulu has told half the ship by now."

"Doubtful," He interjected. "I've ordered him to secrecy."

"Not that it matters I do not care what the others have to say about it. And you know as well as I do that an ancient word like 'bastard' is such a ridiculous term it's laughable, and no one would dare speak it let alone think it about our child."

"Yes, I know but, I don't know, call it my male ego and pride," He tossed out with a charming smile, "But I want my child to have my name."

"And she certainly can and shall if that is what you really want."

"It is," He proclaimed and she smiled pleased by this.

"All right, but we don't have to get married for that."

"No, but as I said we must get married if we are to stay aboard the Enterprise. I thought you would be happy about that, that you would want to remain on board."

"I do and I am happy to know I have that option, but Jim," She took a breath and then reached out and placed a gentle hand upon his arm. "I cannot ask you to make such a sacrifice, not for me."

"I appreciate that but I assure you I was thinking mostly of myself. Thinking of how I can stay and keep you and our child here near me as well. Sure, I could visit wherever they may have sent you, but those visits would likely be few and far between. How much would I miss out on in her life? I don't want to miss a thing. I am truly sorry for not discussing these matters with you on this beforehand. I feel like a huge jerk right now assuming I was making a gallant gestured and you'd be happy about it."

"And that I'd even be a bit proud I'd be married to the Captain, huh?" She added on in an almost teasing tone which made him roll his eyes a bit and groan at how silly this thought he had, had sounded when she spoke it out loud.

"Right, like a jerk and a dumbass," He spoke and she laughed a little at his expense.

"Don't get me wrong, I'd be honored to be your wife, sir, except for one big problem, we don't love each other. We barely even know each other."

"I can see that really matters to you?"

"Of course, it does, doesn't that matter to you too?" She questioned. "Don't you want to marry someone you love? And what about what we would be giving up in our marriage? You are a very virile man from what I've seen and I too still have a sexual appetite, and I never intended to become a nun or be celibate for the rest of my life."

"Wow, and you think being married to me would completely kill your sexual drive?" Kirk asked with a smirk as he placed his hand against his chest. "Ouch," She giggled at his antics and playfully swatted his arm.

"What I mean is, I am a monogamous woman," Uhura looked directly up into his eyes as she spoke. She wanted him to fully comprehend what she was telling him. "If I marry you, I could never give myself sexually to another man. That would go against everything I believe spiritually, and go against my vow of marriage to you. I wouldn't hold you to those same standards by any means given our situation, but I could never break such a vow. So, can you see my conundrum? I'd be married to someone who doesn't want me sexually, and I would never allow myself to take a man who is not my husband into my bed."

"I understand, but who told you I didn't want you sexually?" Kirk questioned seriously and of all the things he could have said at that moment, what he could have taken away from what she had just said, that bit had stunned her. "As I told you earlier, I think you are a very beautiful and desirable woman, Nyota. Surely, you know this. Being Captain doesn't make me any less a warm-blooded male nor does it diminish my eyesight. I can see how attractive you are. Just because I would never allow myself to pursue anything intimate with one of my crewmembers doesn't mean I am not sexually attracted to any, you being at the top of that list."

"Am I supposed to be flattered by that, sir?"

"No, it was not some pickup line, I was just stating a fact. My point is, once we are married, I would have no issue with consummating our marriage or performing my husbandly duties, if you will," He spoke around a slight smile. "That is, if you had no objections, of course."

"No, I would not object but…" She turned away from him as she thought about her next words.

"But what? Please tell me what's on your mind and speak freely," He coaxed and she faced him once more as she continued to speak.

"It would kind of feel like sleeping with a stranger, a one-night stand, or some fling. I've never been that kind of a girl."

"Okay, I think I understand," Kirk said this as he nodded his head while he looked to be giving it some thought. "You would feel more comfortable with all of this if we knew each other better first if I courted you?"

"Now, you're making fun of me," She smacked her lips, rolled her eyes at him, and then moved back to the sofa and sat down. Kirk followed her trek and also seated himself back down.

"No, not at all. I mean, that is essentially what you are having the biggest issue with, is it not?" She only nodded her affirmation. "All right, then. They say there's no time like the present. So, let's get to know each other a little better now. What's your favorite color?" He asked as he leaned back more comfortably into the sofa. Uhura, let out a slightly giddy giggle as she tucked her feet beneath her backside and turned more to face him.

"Green," She finally disclosed. "What's yours?"

"Red, why green?" He fired off quickly.

"Because I grew up in such a lush green countryside, and there's none of that out here in the vastness of space."

"So, you brought a little of your own," Kirk said with a smile as he reached out and gently flicked the green hoops that had become synonymous with the uniforms she wore on and off the bridge. She nodded and smiled in reply.

"May I ask you something more of a personal nature?" He spoke.

"Yes."

"Why have you purposely abstained from sex for the past three years?"

"Because I feel this is an important mission. To boldly go where no one has gone before, remember? And I wanted to stay focused on the job. This is a pretty big ship, but surely even you have seen how small it can become when someone's romantic entanglements don't end well. I have just chosen to avoid all of that 'drama' and focus solely on the mission."

"But surely that must become lonely and … sexually frustrating for you," Kirk continued.

"Not really, I have become quite an expert at masturbation," She declared and Kirk's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets at hearing her shocking carefree confession. "Now, may I ask you a personal question."

"It would only be fair," He said with a nod.

"How can you be so …" Again, she found herself searching for the right word that would not offend.

"Promiscuous?" He filled in and let her off the hook.

"I'm sorry," Uhura spoke as she scrunched up her face a bit, "But you do have a bit of a notorious reputation."

"Yes, I am aware but I can promise you that that reputation doesn't really precede me," He stated and she sent him a look that said she didn't believe him. "Scout's honor," He said as he held up three fingers in their salute. "Now, I can't proclaim to never have enjoyed the company of a woman in my bed during our journey thus far, but far less than you probably think. In fact, I can count on one hand just how many."

"Without reusing the fingers as you are counting?" She teased while she smiled and he chuckled finding her wit and humor, even at his own expense, to be quite pleasant. Then she yawned wide as she covered her mouth with the back of her hand. "I'm sorry, please know that was not caused by your company. I am just tired. Dr. McCoy told me to expect a sudden onslaught of hormonal changes that come with a usual pregnancy. But instead of having 18 actual weeks for my body to adjust I get one day," She finished with a small smile which Kirk returned. He reached over to her but instantly stalled in his action as if remembering himself. He looked into her eyes for her approval, she understood and simply nodded. He placed his hand securely over her belly and smiled warmly at it.

"You should rest, and I should leave and stop bothering you," He spoke out as he released her and stood from the sofa.

"You have been no bother, Jim, I have enjoyed our chat," She replied as she too stood and watched him walk to the exit. He stalled and turned back to regard her.

"Thank you, Nyota. I know that this situation is not ideal for you, but I truly appreciate your decision to keep our child," He said this with a sweet smile as he honed his eyes onto her belly once more before holding her gaze again. "And also, for your consideration of my proposition of a marriage of convenience."

"Thank you, Jim, for being so receptive to this child and for providing me an option that would allow me to keep my position here on the Enterprise. I do so love being on this ship."

"And we would be truly lost without you," Kirk then moved to leave.

"Captain, wait," She fell back to the formalities. "Maybe I should stick my head out there first to make sure the coast is clear before you leave, it is rather late and someone may see you leaving my quarters, and ..."

"That won't be necessary Lieutenant. People will soon notice that you are with child anyway and I have no intention of hiding the fact that I'm the father. So, let whoever wants to gossip, gossip, we have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of or hide from. Goodnight, Nyota," He spoke softly as he bowed a bit.

"Goodnight, Jim," She also said with a nod, then he was gone, and she was left to think about what he had proposed. A marriage with all the sexual strings attached. She'd have to give it serious thought. She certainly couldn't and wouldn't deny that she found Kirk handsome, charming, and so very sexy. But she did have to recognize that she was not the only female who would, and she didn't think she would be able to share a 'marital' bed with him knowing he'd likely also venture into another woman's bed. When another deep yawn escaped her lips, she decided she'd return to those contemplations in the morning.