Although she had been given time off if she wanted it Uhura found herself getting up the next morning preparing for her shift on the bridge the same as she always did. She had already put in a request the day before to have new uniforms tailored for her growing belly, and she was pleased with the results as she stood appraising herself in the mirror. Her belly was well hidden but it was still somewhat obvious that she expanded some in the waist. She had proclaimed she did not care what anyone else would say or think about her pregnancy, but she was actually a bit nervous about it. She had always been the 'rip the bandage off' type and so after another quick glance in the mirror, a deep breath to calm herself, she left her quarters and made her way to the bridge.

When she had stepped onto the bridge, she paused a moment and waited for the looks and whispers to start, but was greeted to every other crew member engrossed in performing their duties. She did get the usual quick smile and nod of greeting from certain crew, same as she did whenever she came on duty, but nothing more. She chuckled to herself over her seemingly unfounded concerns. She knew that once her friends had learned of her condition, they would all be happy for her. She moved to her station.

"Good morning, Jamison," She greeted the older male communications officer who had the shift before hers.

"Uhura," Jamison greeted, and at hearing her name Captain Kirk, who had been listening to a report that Yeoman Rand had been reciting to him, turned in his seat a bit and focused on his beautiful Bantu communications officer. He dismissed Rand saying he would finish reading the report later, he then stood and made his way to Uhura who had already taken the seat from Jamison.

"Lieutenant," Kirk Spoke out as he now stood at her station.

"Yes, Captain?" She greeted him at full attention as she awaited whatever command he had for her.

"I thought I gave you a few days off to rest," He spoke softly so their conversation would remain more private.

"Yes, sir, but I thought that was just an option I could choose if I felt I needed it, but I woke up this morning and I felt fine. Unless, it was a command if so, I apologize Captain I misunderstood."

"No, it's all right, Lieutenant," He tried to assure her with a kind smile which she quickly returned when she realized he was not displeased with her being on the bridge. "If you feel up to doing your duties please do so."

"Thank you, sir," She gave a curt nod and a smile and then focused back on working through a translations file Jamison had left for her.

"But if at any time you don't feel well, I want you to take the rest of the day off, and that is an order," Kirk quickly added. Uhura smiled warmly at him as she could see his concern for her and their baby written all over his face.

"Aye, aye, Captain, but I think I will be fine. There are no Starfleet rules that say a pregnant officer can't continue to perform her duties until she gives birth."

"That is true, but those rules do not apply on a starship because it is unprecedented, until now. You are the first pregnant woman to serve upon a starship," He countered her with a teasing smile, which instantly fell from his face when he heard a slight gasped and noticed that Yeoman Rand, who had been about to leave the bridge had stopped and now stared at Uhura with a stunned look on her face. It was obvious to him that she had overheard some of their conversations particularly the bit about Uhura's pregnancy. "Was there something else you needed Yeoman?" He spoke in a stern tone as he stood upright more. Uhura didn't turn but pretended to be working as if nothing had happened.

"Uh…oh no sir," Yeoman Janice Rand quickly spoke with her large blue eyes locked upon her Captain as she shook her head slightly.

"Then as you were," He commanded and she jumped a little and then hurried onto the lift. "I think the cat is out of the bag now," He whispered as he leaned down a bit towards Uhura.

"Well, it was bound to happen eventually," She whispered back to him. "In a couple of weeks, I will not be able to dress up and hide this growing belly," He graced her with an endearing smile which morphed into what she would describe as pride when his eyes settled on her belly.

"Lieutenant," He righted himself and spoke a little louder as he put on a show of getting back to business, "Have we gotten a reply from Starfleet about the shore leave request? We will be passing by Risa in another 48 hours and I think we all could use the time off."

"Yes, Captain," She replied as she pressed the console buttons with one hand as she held the comm in her ear with the other hand. "Starfleet has approved seven full days of shore leave, sir."

"Excellent," Kirk said visibly pleased as he clasped his hand together and rubbed them a bit as if in anticipation of what was to come. Something inside of Uhura clinched as she thought of the reason the Captain was so excited. The planet Risa was a pleasure planet and one that was of all the rage throughout the entire Federation. She frowned a little as she thought about the jealous feelings swelling in her. She knew she was being silly and had absolutely no right to be jealous or even care about how the Captain spent his downtime, and who with. 'But he proposed marriage to you just last night' a tiny voice screamed at her. She shook it off and reminded herself it would only be a marriage of convenience for their careers and child only, and nothing more. He spoke out once more and interrupted her internal debating, "Please send out a ship-wide notification of the shore leave along with a roster put through the randomizer, showing who will beam down and when. I want to ensure that every crew member gets a day to beam down and enjoy Risa."

"Aye, Captain," She then turned and focused back on her task as she pushed back all of her fleeting jealous thoughts.

A few days later

They had already been at the planet Risa for three of their approved seven days. Uhura had been on the schedule to beam down on day one, but she found that she had no desire to visit the planet. The Captain had asked her about it when she had reported to duty that morning. And she was able to excuse it away due to her pregnancy and being more tired lately. It had been a lie but also a gift as that very night and the night after Jim had come to her quarters after his shift. He had brought dinner and they spent hours talking about their childhood and anything else that came to mind while they ate and later played some card games. Just that night before they had settled on the sofa together stretched out on opposite ends. Uhura had a book she had been reading as Kirk read over some reports, he had suddenly remembered he had to sign off on before morning. It had been such a surreal moment to her as she glanced up from her book at the feel of him tugging on one of her perfectly pedicured toes. He had been completely unaware to his action as his brow furrowed in his concentration on the report he was reading. The evening had been so nice and it seemed like a night they had been sharing for years. It felt right somehow. But tonight, she expected she would not have Jim's company for she knew that he was on the schedule to beam down to Risa. She had been shocked when she had gone to the bridge and he was there and stayed for her entire shift. He had briefly shared in some light banter with her but mostly both tended to their duties.

After her shift, Uhura had found she was restless and told herself it had nothing at all to do with wondering about what the Captain was doing down on Risa. She had decided she didn't want to spend the evening alone in her quarters with those thoughts, and instead, she ventured down to the crew lounge. Upon entering she noticed that nearly all of the chatter had instantly stopped and eyes were on her, which told her she had been the subject of whatever conversations had been going on. Apart of her wanted to turn around and leave but she was determined not to give anyone the satisfaction. Also, she had nothing to hide or be ashamed of. So, she lifted her head a little higher and made her way over to the food replicator and ordered some tea. Something small that would allow her to finish it quickly and then leave. The moment she settled into a table in the corner of the room Yeoman Janice Rand pulled up the seat across from her and Nurse Christine Chapel a seat beside her. They both silently watched her as they grinned like idiots. Uhura knew Rand had already blabbed about her pregnancy and that the two women were now dying to talk about it with her. Uhura couldn't help but giggle at the way they were looking at her. She rolled her eyes a little, smiled, and then leaned back so they could get a better view of her belly, giving a silent invitation for them to touch. Both ladies shot their hands out and felt the firm but still a small bump.

"Oh, my goodness," Janice squealed in a lowered voice.

"Congratulations, Nyota," Christine exclaimed also in a near whisper.

"I am sorry, Nyota, I wasn't trying to be a busy body, I just overheard the Captain and …"

"And you decided to tell Christine to get a second opinion?" Uhura cut her off as she arched her sculpted brow at her.

"Well … Uhm … Gosh, I'm sorry, but I just had to tell someone. I figured Christine's a nurse so she couldn't tell anyone else. You, know, patient privacy and all that," Janice began to explain her indiscretion.

"And that is not how it works at all," Christine chimed in as Uhura giggled in amusement.

"I am just teasing you, Janice," She let the blonde yeoman off the hook. "But you could have just come and discussed it with me. It's not some dirty little secret and I have nothing to hide."

"Surely not, if the Captain already knows," Christine spoke again. "Do you already know where you will be reassigned to?"

"Reassigned?" Janice interjected as she frowned up to the idea.

"Why yes, it is in Starfleet regulations that children cannot live on a starship during its mission," Christine enlightened her younger friend.

"Well, actually-" Uhura began to speak but was cut off by a suddenly unhappy Rand.

"Oh, that is stupid, and I bet it was some man who came up with that. Oh sure, they have their fun getting us in the family way and then they send us back to Earth or wherever while they get to galivant across the Universe," Janice huffed out as she crossed her arms against her chest to show her irritation at the idea.

"By the way," Christine focused back on to Uhura. "Who is the father? If you don't mind me asking."

"And I just bet he'll get to stay on board the Enterprise too," Janice tossed in as she rolled her eyes while still dying to know about the father.

"You are correct, Yeoman, but both the Lieutenant and her fiancée will remain on the Enterprise with their baby," Kirk's voice chimed in and all three ladies turned their surprised eyes onto him as he stood just to the side of their table. None of the women had noticed his approach.

"Fiancée?" Christine repeated excitedly as she leaned in and gave Uhura a hug. "My, my, you are just full of wonderful surprises today."

"I'll say, I didn't even realize you were seeing anyone, Nyota," Janice said as she also gave a hug to her dear friend.

"Well, one's personal affairs is their own business and not something for gossip, Yeoman," Kirk replied. "I think there's plenty for every crew member to do on this ship other than concerning themselves about what or 'who' someone else is doing. If not then I am sure I can find more work for them to do," He added in a warning tone.

"Yes sir, of course, sir," Janice replied looking like a chastised child.

"May I have everyone's attention? I would like to share some very happy news," Kirk spoke loudly and captured the full attention of everyone in the rec room. Uhura's eyes grew three times their normal size as she gazed up at the man who now stood beside her with his hand placed gently on top of her shoulder. "I had not planned to make this announcement yet but since some of you," He then glanced at Janice before focusing back onto the full room. "Have already found out I feel it's time. Hopefully, to deter any gossip before it begins or continues," He paused and sent a glare so everyone would get his warning that there was to be no gossiping about the matter thereafter. "Nyota and I," He then reached down and grasped her arm and easily pulled her to her feet, she was too stunned to do anything but comply. Her mind held a mantra of 'He's not about to do what I think he's about to do, is he?'. "We want to share some joyous news with you all. You have all become great friends and even like family these past three years into our mission. So, you deserve to know that Nyota and I are going to have a baby," He announced and every mouth in the room fell open in shock, "Well, she's going to have the baby … 'Our' baby girl. And we will be sending out our wedding invitations soon, and we hope all who are able to will join us down in the Botanical gardens when we say I do," Again there was a pause of shock and looks of disbelief from the crowd but then the room suddenly erupted in cheers of congratulations. Everyone rushed them and gave sturdy handshakes to the captain and hugs to Uhura. Kirk stood like a proud peacock as Uhura graciously smiled beside him. The small celebration continued for an hour before Kirk caught Uhura yawning and excused her and himself. They walked back to her quarters in complete silence, both were quiet due to the fact they were both too nervous to speak first.

When they had arrived at Uhura's door she entered and didn't bother inviting Kirk in, and he crossed the threshold behind her not bothering to ask for entrance. It had been a routine of theirs every day for nearly a week, it now seemed like normalcy for them both. Now that they were behind closed doors and alone Kirk spoke.

"I hope you are not angry with me."

"No, not at all," She replied and he could see the relief leave her and her rigid shoulder slumped a little. "I will admit I was surprised that you announced it like that. Particularly the part about us getting married as we had not yet decided."

"You have not yet decided," He corrected her with a crooked smile. "I had decided the second Admiral Harris mentioned it as a stipulation to us staying onboard. And you still have time to think on it. I know that you wanted us to get to know each other better first, and I think in the last week we have. I have divulged some pretty big secrets about myself to you, which I have shared with no one else. Blackmail worthy stuff too," He teased.

"Oh, I would never dream of telling anyone of the things you have told me or use it to blackmail you, Jim," Uhura reassured as concern filled her face that he would even think such a thing. He chuckled as he stepped closer to her and grasped one of her hands.

"I know you wouldn't do that, Nyota, it was a joke," He replied. "And that is one of the many things I have learned about you. You have such an innocence and kind-heartedness it makes you so naïve about some things."

"Well, English is not my native tongue, so sometimes jokes or when someone is not being serious with me can get lost in translation for me."

"That's right," Kirk said excitedly as he recalled. "Swahili is your native tongue is it not?"

"It is," Uhura replied with a smile and a nod, pleased he remembered.

"Mzuri kama wewe," He spoke as he raised her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles as she giggled. "I didn't just butcher that did I?"

"No, that was very good, Jim, but I think my language holds greater beauty than me."

"Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, is it not? And I say you're more beautiful," He charmingly reiterated his claim and she blushed in kind. "In fact," He let go of her hand and took a step back. His face took on a more serious gaze as he raked his eyes shamelessly over her frame, which made her blush even more. "I think that you are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen."

"Yeah, I bet you say that to all the girls to have your way with them," She waved him off with a coy smile even as her heart rate increased and warmth filled her belly from his claims.

"No, contrary to what you have heard or may have conjured up about me, I don't go around making such claims to women just to get them into my bed," He spoke in a snappy tone that told Uhura she had upset him. She stepped to him and placed both hands on his arms.

"I am sorry, Jim, I was trying to make a joke," She declared and he instantly perked up at hearing this. "It seems I am just as bad at telling jokes as I am at getting them," She laughed a little and he chuckled along with her.

"Well, please believe me when I tell you that I am not joking when I say I have never seen anything as beautiful as you are right now, Nyota. So filled with child, 'my' child," He moved his hand and placed it against her bump. He had stopped asking permission to touch it by the second day of learning she was pregnant with his child. And Uhura had stopped expecting it as he now did it so often. She was glad he had stopped asking for she knew she would grow tired and eventually irritated with such constant pestering. "To me, lately, the sight of you is much more intoxicating and," He leaned down closer to her until their noses just barely touched. "Very arousing."

"Oh?" She squeaked out a reply as she gulped down the lump that had just formed in her throat.

"Mmhm," He confirmed with a nod as his eyes darted between her eyes and her lush lips. "And I would very much like to kiss you right now," He spoke out in a hushed voice.

"Well," She spoke as she cleared her throat a little, "Lucky for you, I would very much like to be kissed right now," She said as she matched his volume and leaned towards his more. He smiled slightly before he swooped in and captured her lips with his.

Their kiss had been tentative at first. Neither knowing where they could touch the other, and both wondering if they should even be touching like this. Mostly they were scared of being pushed off and rejected. Uhura was the first to become overwhelmed by the sensations assaulting her. The taste of Kirk and the faint scent of his aftershave pulled a wanton moan from her, which was a trigger for Kirk. He quickly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, and deepened the kiss. After a few delicious moments, he abruptly pushed her away while he still kept a firm grip on her arms.

"Tell me to leave, Nyota," Kirk commanded in a near whisper as his eyes remained locked onto her moist swollen lips.

"But I don't want you to leave," She replied as she fisted his shirt in her hands as if to ensure he couldn't escape.

"If I stay, I don't think I will be able to stop myself from touching you and tasting you."

"But I don't want you to stop," Uhura declared as she yanked him closer, leaned up, and recaptured his mouth with her own. She then tugged his shirt up his torso. He moved from her long enough the quickly yanked the shirt up and over his head and tossed it aside. He then moved his hand and unzipped the back of her dress. She allowed him to pull the dress from her arms. It fell down her chest and settled around her tiny swollen belly until Kirk bent and gently pushed it over the bump."

"God, you are so fucking gorgeous," He proclaimed as he drank in her cinnamon-colored skin and blushed at his words. Then she gasped out in pleasant surprise when he kissed her belly, then kissed his way up to her breast, clavicle bone, and then her neck, before he found her lips again. He stopped again and stared intensely into her eye. "I'm falling in love with you, Nyota," Kirk said softly and almost coyly. "If we make love it will surely seal the deal for me, and I know that I won't be able to let you go. So, if you don't have those feelings for me yet then we probably shouldn't-" Uhura quickly kissed away the rest of his words and then parted to stare up at him once more.

"I've fallen for you too, Jim," She finally confessed what she was sure she had started to feel just a couple of days after their 'courtship' had begun. "And I want you too. So, please make love to me," She said with a sweet smile which made a broad smile spread across his lips as he stepped to kiss her again, but was interrupted by the pinging from the comm. "I'll ignore it," Uhura said as she leaned up for his kiss.

"Uhura, are you there?" Doctor McCoy's voice spoke out as his face appeared on the comm screen. Thankfully he couldn't see her until the call was accepted on her end. Kirk scowled at the screen irritated by the interrupt, he stalked to the comm and accepted as Uhura rushed to her bedroom to redress.

"Bones, this had better be good," Kirk huffed out not caring how his state of undress might appear to his friend.

"Jim, good you're there too, you were my next call. I need you and Uhura to get to the sickbay right now," McCoy commanded and Kirk could tell by the look on his face it was something serious.

"What's wrong, Doctor?"

"Jim," Uhura's panicked voice made him snapped his full attention onto her. "I think something is wrong with the baby," She said and fear filled her eyes as she held up a bloodied trembling hand.

A short time later in Sickbay

"It started about an hour ago," McCoy spoke out as he stood to one side of the bed where Uhura lay hooked to a monitor connected to her belly. Kirk stood silent on the other side of the bed where his right hand clutched Uhura's right hand, while his eyes stayed locked to the monitor that showed the baby's heartbeat. "At first, I wasn't too alarmed as a miscarriage in a species that has multiple babies at once, it is not uncommon to lose a baby, more often than not. And the Treyvilian mouse can typically have 40 to 50 babies each pregnancy. But it was miscarrying a baby every couple of minutes. I knew something unusual was happening. So, I thought I should get you here in case you started to miscarry as well,"

"Is there nothing you can do, Bones?" Kirk asked solemnly as he stood watching the bouncing line on the screen grow slower and slower. Uhura sat silently crying too scared to speak for fear only a scream would come out. It shook her to the core that this child she hadn't fully allowed herself to accept as real yet, was now being taken from her and causing her such grief she had never experienced before.

"No, I'm sorry," McCoy replied. "It appears that there is a chemical process that occurs in the pollination of this flower that is needed to complete the gestation. Maybe if I had more time, I might be able to isolate and replicate it, but…"

"Thank you, Doctor," Uhura's soft voice finally filled the space. She looked up at him with wet eyes and a small shaky smile. "We know you did all that you could. This was an anomalous conception and pregnancy from the start. It seems it was just not meant to be," She finished and as if her words of acceptance had been all that was needed, the heartbeat flatlined on the screen. They all remained silent for several moments listening to the continuous beep until McCoy finally moved and switched off the monitor.

"Uhura I need to do a little procedure. It's painless and it'll only take a few seconds. It's just to remove any remaining tissue that might cause an infection, all right?" She nodded her head and then turned it to the side and stared at a far wall. "Jim, please give us a moment and then you can take her back to her quarters to rest," He placed a comforting hand upon his friend's shoulder and pulled him from the stupor he had fallen into. Kirk nodded his understanding. He looked to Uhura who remained faced away from him. He squeezed her hand gently, let go, and then walked from the private room in the back of the Sickbay.

Sometime later

"I'm sorry," Came the whisper in the darkened room. There was still enough light from the several tiny moons of Risa to shine on the bed that housed the two entangled bodies.

"For what?" Came another whisper in reply.

"About the baby. Maybe I…" The words were silenced with a single finger placed to her lips.

"No, McCoy said there was nothing either of us did to cause the miscarriage and nothing that could have been done to prevent it, remember?" Kirk stated as he tightened his arm that was wrapped around Uhura, and pulled her more snugly against his chest, where she rested her head.

"Yes, I know," She signed out and he could hear the sadness and tiredness in her voice. "I wanted our baby, Jim. And it didn't matter how she came to be I would have still loved her with all my heart and done anything for her."

"Me too. But the Doctor said there was no damage to you and that internally your body looked as if it were never even with child. And he saw no reason you couldn't get pregnant again when you're ready to," Kirk offered as a way to give her some solace. "So, we can try again whenever you're ready to," His words surprised her and she lifted her head, hovered over him, and stared down into his face.

"You would like for us to try again?" She questioned and he misread the shock on her face as disdain to his words.

"Yes, very much so. But only if you want to, of course," He hurriedly replied. "And we can do things in the way you've always imagined them and get married first."

"Oh, Jim," Uhura sobbed out suddenly as she crumbled back down and buried her face against his chest. He quietly held her close to console her, but also in fear that he was losing her.

"Am I saying all the wrong things right now?" He spoke his inner thoughts out loud and she rose up a bit from his chest to look him directly in the eyes.

"Are you telling me that you love me, that you still want to marry me, and to have children with me?" She asked him.

"Yes," He sighed out in a shaky, unsure voice and nodded his head.

"Then, you are saying all the right things, Jim," She replied around a smile, and then she captured his lips in a quick kiss before she pulled back. She repositioned herself until she was straddling his lap. She quickly divested herself of the nightshirt she wore fully exposing her soft, supple flesh to him. "And we do not have to do things in any particular order," He smiled up at her as he sat up, grasped her in a hug, and then swiftly flipped her onto her back. They spent hours proclaiming their love for each other with their bodies. And new hope-filled Jim's heart just as new life filled Uhura's womb.

The End