Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I also have no claim on any pop culture references that I may use throughout my writings. I only own my OCs. Enjoy the read.

(0.13)

"So," Tom's mom started, breaking the silence after their quick exchange of pleasantries. "How's Grey?" She asked. It had been a while since Cadence had heard from her daughter directly. She would learn how Tom was doing from her husband, Thomas, or when Cadence called Tom's sister, Yasmin.

Tom sighed, expecting the question from her mother. "Grey is good. We are good."

Yeah? That's good." Cadence cheered. "I think that the two of you are so adorable together."

"Mom, you haven't really seen us together. Video calls don't really count."

"Okay." Cadence relented. "So, why don't the two of you come back home this summer? Let your mom and dad meet this boy who has your heart."

Tom scoffed and laughed. "He doesn't have my heart, Mom. We're dating." And doing other things. Tom thought with a smirk. "But I can't really agree to that without asking him first. Meeting the parents is kind of a big deal."

"You've met his parents, haven't you?"

"In passing." Tom stressed, trying to calm her mother. "And that's only because they surprised him by coming out here."

"Oh, sure. Put that guilt on us, Reagan."

Tom let out a breath, full of annoyance. "I'm not putting anything on you. I know dad can't leave the shop. That doesn't make me miss him less. Or you."

"We miss you, too. It's easier than it was last year though. Even if your fare is still an unorganized mess."

Tom laughed. "I bet. He's got no one to do his paperwork."

"Neoma helps him. But she can't be there everyday because of the girls." Cadence explained. "He's trying but it's not the same."

Tom furrowed her brow. "What do you mean, Mom?" She asked, thinking the worst. "Is Dad okay?"

"Your father is fine. He's just been...different since you left."

"I've been gone for almost two years." Tom exclaimed.

"I know. That's why I'm so worried." Cadence admitted.

Tom sighed, "How is he different, Mom?"

"I - I don't know. He works longer now. Most nights I eat dinner alone and more often than not I have to call him to remind him that he needs to come home."

"Oh, man. Why haven't you said anything before?"

"I don't know." Cadence insisted. "I just didn't want to worry you. That first year you were so stressed out with all your classes. I didn't want to distract you."

"Mom…" Tom sighed, not thinking that was a good excuse.

"But with Grey by your side you're more stable."

"Stable?" Tom asked, insulted. She shook her head, wanting to avoid a fight. "You know what? I'm gonna ignore that. You should have told me sooner."

"I know. I know." Cadence relented. "Maybe you should talk to him about it? He listens to you."

"Yeah. I guess I can." Tom said with a long breath. She opened her mouth to say something else, but the chime on her door sounded.

Cadence heard it through the phone and gasped. "Is that Grey?"

Tom internally groaned and pushed off the bed to see who was at her door.

"Tell him I said 'hello'."

Tom pushed a button on her monitor and Jim's face popped up on the screen. She groaned out loud this time. "No, Mom, it's Jim."

"Oh, alright." Cadence said, a reserved tone to her voice. "Well, I'll leave you to it then. I love you, Reagan."

"Me too, Mom." Tom smiled then hung up with her mother. Before her finger could press the button to open the door, it chimed again. "I swear, Jim. I can come up with multiple ways to kill you and get away with it." Tom said, loud enough for him to hear.

"I think you'd miss me too much, Tommy." Jim responded.

Tom pushed her brows together at Jim's slurring words. When she pushed the button to open her door, she understood why his words blended together.

Him stumbled towards her door, tripping over his own feet to lean against the door frame. "Hey." Jim said slowly, making an attempt at sounding seductive and failing miserably.

The second Jim's alcohol-laced breath met Tom's nose, she took a step away from him. "Well," Tom coughed. "You've been busy, haven't you?"

"You know…" Jim trailed off as he pushed his way into Tom's room.

"Sure, Jim. C'mon in." Tom said with a snarky tone.

"Thanks, Tommy."

Tom rolled her eyes and scoffed. She closed her door and turned to face Jim. "You were saying?"

Jim turned around, clumsily, tripping over himself again as he did. He smiled, catching eyes with Tom. "Hey, Tommy."

"What are you doing here?" Tom asked, shaking her head at him.

Jim's face brightened as he remembered the reason he stumbled his way to Tom's bunk. "You know, Tommy, I have been feeling a little ignored."

"Ignored?"

"Yeah. We don't hang out anymore. It's like you're always too busy wrapped around Grey or -"

"'Wrapped around Grey'?" Tom questioned angrily. "You mean you're upset because I'm spending more time with my boyfriend than I am with you?"

"You're not spending any time with me."

"We've been over this. I can't be around you. I don't trust the person I am when I'm with you."

"You're great when you're with me." Jim laughed.

"I'm weak when I'm with you." Tom shook her head. "A-and I'm not with you, Jim. I'm with Grey. And he's a good guy. He's good to me. You know that you can't do that for me, right? You're not him and he's who I want."

I can do a lot of things for you, Tommy."

Tom scoffed. "Did you listen to anything I just said?"

Jim took a few steps closer to Tom, clumsily reaching for her. "C'mon, you have to admit that. I know what you like."

"Stop it." She said, pulling back, trying to put distance between them. "You are so drunk right now."

"Tom, I've been drunk before. So have you. Many times." Jim was still trying to make his advancements.

"I'm not messing around, Jim. I'm not sleeping with you." Tom turned to open her door. "You need to leave." She pushed the button and the door slid open. Tom swung back around quickly and jerked back.

Jim was standing directly behind her. The heat and the alcohol were radiating off of him. "Tom don't make me leave."

"I'm serious. Leave. Now."

"I can't do that." Jim told her, shaking his head. "I won't."

Tom was backed into the wall. She saw the door as an exit, but somehow she knew Jim would be faster than her. Tom just needed to think smarter. She allowed him to get closer to her.

"See? Everything's okay." He revealed as he got closer to her.

Tom grit her teeth and clenched her hand into a tight fist. As Jim got closer she paid attention to his sloppy movements. When Tom deemed him close enough, she quickly jabbed him in the eye with her fist. She seethed at the contact.

Jim's outburst was louder than hers though. He groaned in pain and stumbled backwards.

Tom recovered quickly, her heart racing. She moved to Jim's side and pushed him through her open door.

"Tom, wait!" Jim called holding a hand to his face.

The blonde slammed her hand down on the button to close the door. Tom lowered her head and let out a deep breath.

"Tommy, let me back in."

Tom hurried to her communicator that was left on the bed and dialed Leo's number. It rang a couple times before he picked up.

"McCoy." Leo's voice greeted.

"Leo?" Tom asked, trying to keep her voice steady and failing just slightly. "Jim is, uh, well, he's drunk and he's outside my door. Right now. Doesn't seem to want to leave."

Leo groaned and shuffled around. "Dammit Jim." He cursed his friend. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, he's just outside." Tom turned on the monitor so she could see what was happening outside. "It's a pretty pathetic sight. But I don't know what else to do."

"Alright. I'm headed your way."

"Thanks, Leo. I owe you one." She said before hanging up on him.

"Tommy, please." Jim cried through the door. He sat disoriented against the wall opposite Tom's door. "That's...that wasn't supposed to happen. I'm not sure what got into me." Jim paused. "You've got to believe me."

Tom swallowed the small lump that formed in her throat.

"I don't want to hurt you." Jim admitted. "You're my best friend."

She shook her head, trying not to let what he was saying get to her.

"You're the best friend I ever had. I don't want to ruin it." In his drunkenness his head fell and he stared at his hands that were folded in his lap. "Tom, you were my very first friend. I could tell you anything that came to mind. Not that I ever did. But I wanted to."

Tom furrowed her brow listening intently to Drunk Jim's words.

"I wanted to tell you that being with you was fun. Even if you are just studying." He laughed to himself. "Sometimes, when you're wearing your glasses, you scrunch your nose up when you're reading since you're still getting used to them. Shit, it's the cutest thing I've ever seen."

Tom's heart was pounding in her chest and she was taking deep, heavy breaths to try and calm it.

"Putting a book in front of you is so helpless, but put you in front of an engine…" Jim let out a low whistle. "You've got everyone schooled."

Tom let a small smile appear on her lips but quickly shook it off.

"Dammit, Jim." Leo's voice boomed quietly through the hall. "The hell you doin'?"

"Bones!" Jim shouted, "Hey, buddy! What's going on?"

Leo appeared on the monitor, crouching down next to Jim. He shook his head, sighing at his young friend. "Man, I ain't see anyone do something this stupid since my uncle table danced naked at my wedding."

"Oh! That sounds like fun!" Jim laughed. "Bones, will you take me to your wedding."

Leo scoffed a laugh. "Yeah sure, Jim. Let's go get my time machine." Leo stood up and held his hand out for Jim to take.

Jim reached out grabbing it and stumbled to his feet.

"Whoa, buddy." Leo wrapped Jim's arm around his shoulders for the support he needed to walk. "Next time you drink, I'm locking you in the room."

Tom waited until she couldn't hear Jim's ramblings anymore to move away from the door. She turned off the monitor and flopped herself on her bed. After getting comfortable under her covers, she began to think about everything Jim was saying to her in the hallway. Tom was well-aware alcohol normally brought out the truth, especially in Jim. She didn't really want to admit to herself that he had been paying that much attention to her.

Tom groaned when the thoughts wouldn't quiet. She reached on her nightstand,pressing a button to play some music. She sighed when the sound drowned out the thoughts and slowly drifted to sleep.

Breakfast came too soon. Tom was especially reluctant to leave her bed after the night before, but she promised Grey that she would meet him in the cafe. She had trudged her way to their meeting place, choosing civies as her clothes for the day, at least until her classes later in the afternoon.

Tom was quiet as she picked at her plate of scrambled eggs. All she could do was stare at the meal as her fork poked around. Her mind was still lost in the events of last night. Tom was so upset with Jim and the way he acted. It was inappropriate.

Grey could tell that there was something off about Tom. He also wanted to talk to her about it. They hadn't ever had a major emotional crossroads. There hasn't been this sort of confrontation between the two of them. Grey couldn't understand how Tom hadn't felt his eyes on her as he stared.

Grey cleared his throat. "I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date on Friday." He paused waiting for Tom to respond. When she didn't, Grey continued. "Nothing big. Just grabbing something from the bar if you want."

"Yeah." Tom said, nodding her head. "That sounds pretty good, I guess."

Grey nodded, not wanting to push her into a conversation.

Tom's eyes didn't leave her plate. She adjusted herself in her seat, leaning her heavy head on a closed first with her elbow on the table, hiding the pain from last night's altercation.

The man across from Tom let out a long breath. Grey took his eyes off the blonde, glancing around the cafeteria. What managed to catch his eye shocked him. To the right of him, Jim Kirk was headed their way. Grey managed to focus on him more and he noticed a rather dark bruise was starting to form just under his eye.

Grey laughed. "Wonder what he did to get that." He commented.

Tom turned her head slightly, subconsciously hiding her own bruised fist. "I'm not sure." She said quietly. "Could be anything really." As Jim got closer to their table, Tom hid her face from view.

"You guys look cozy." Jim's voice stated softly, wanting to joke, but not wanting to seem like the ass he felt like he was.

"You could say that." Grey laughed. He held out his hand to Kirk. "You could take a seat." Grey offered. "Join us for breakfast."

Tom's heart beat angrily and loudly inside her chest. She continued to leave her head down.

"Rain check." Jim answered. "I was actually wondering if I could talk to Tommy for a moment. I need some advice on a small engineering project I have to work on for a class I'm taking."

"Sure. I'm gonna grab some more food. Tom, you want anything?" Grey asked, eyeing Tom.

Tom slowly looked up at him, quietly begging him not to leave her alone with Jim. "No, I don't want anything."

Grey nodded. "I'll be right back with you." He smiled, getting up from the table and leaving the pair alone.

Jim sat down across from Tom, but in the seat next to where Grey had stood from.

Tom returned her gaze back to her plate. She cleared her throat before hiding her bruised hand under the table. "You really shouldn't be here, Kirk."

Jim shook his head, leaning his elbows on the table. "I know you don't want to see me and I get that. I was a jerk." He admitted. "Last night, I was completely out of line."

"D'ya think?" Tom scoffed.

Ignoring Tom's comment, Jim continued. "I just wanted you to know that I'm going to take the test again. The Kobayashi Maru."

Tom lifted her head, meeting his eyes. She pushed her brows together in confusion. "You are?" Tom asked, receiving a nod in response.

"I thought you'd want to come, since I'm going to pass this time."

"Why are you taking it again? You didn't want to take it in the first place."

"Do you want to be there?"

Tom examined his face. Jim's expression told her that he really wanted her to be there. "When is it?"

"Friday night. At 1700."

Tom's eyes left Jim, looking down at her plate. "I can't."

"Why?"

"Not that I need to explain myself, but I have a date. With Grey."

Jim nodded once. "Well, it was worth a try." He pushed himself out of his seat. Jim started to leave.

"Jim, I'm sorry." Tom called after him.

Jim turned around, taking a few steps backwards. "It's okay. Really. Have fun."

Tom sighed, watching him turn and leave.

"Everything okay?" Grey's voice asked as he returned to the table. He took his seat again.

Tom briefly met his eyes and looked away. "Yeah, everything's okay."

Friday afternoon came slowly. Tom trudged through the next few days with Jim heavily on her mind. Everything he has said through her door the other night kept replaying word for word. The hopelessness in his voice could practically break her down every time she thought about it. Jim had been begging Tom. She, however, had to keep in mind that he had been drunk at the time. Much of what Jim had to say might not have even been true.

Tom floated through the days, almost robotically. She woke up, went to classes, took notes, and ate when necessary. Only she wasn't always one hundred percent present.

Grey was starting to worry. He noticed the change in her. Grey had talked with many of Tom's friends about her strange behavior.

Daisy Mae had no idea Tom was even acting strangely. She had been so busy with her Med classes.

Leo seemed to avoid answering, giving Grey a short description of some of the side effects stress would have on the body and mind. Maybe Tom was just stressed.

Jim was the strangest. While he and Grey hardly ever spoke, but in all their conversations the one about Tom was the shortest. Jim couldn't make eye contact. He could barely look in Grey's direction. As much as Grey pushed for a real answer from Jim, the blonde remained his laid back self and insisted he had no idea what was wrong.

During dinner on Friday, Grey couldn't hold his tongue with Tom any longer.

"Tom?" Grey questioned carefully, watching as Tom dipped a French fry in her puddle of ketchup.

Tom looked up from her plate with a questioning tilt to her brow. "Yeah?" She asked.

"Is everything okay?"

Tom nodded.

While Grey hadn't been satisfied with the response, he let it go, only wanting to enjoy dinner. He kept quiet for the rest of dinner and then during the short walk back to the Academy campus.

Tom was conflicted when they arrived back at her room. Did she allow him in or fake being tired? She admitted to Herself that she was quite distracted. Tom turned to face Grey when they got to the door. "I'm tired. I think I may just hit the sack for the night."

Grey hesitated. "Do you mind if I join you?" He asked. "I spoke to Daisy Mae. She's got Medbay tonight."

Tom bit the inside of her cheek, not wanting to, but she nodded. She entered and changed into comfortable clothes while Grey stripped his jeans. Tom instantly curled herself around her comforter.

Grey hadn't actually realized how tired he was until he joined Tom in bed. He wrapped himself around her without even thinking about it. Grey closed his eyes and let out a large sigh, drifting to sleep. "You're pretty great, Tom." He said sleepily.

Tom pulled away from him and faced him.

He was seconds away from being asleep. "I love you."

Tom's heart beat quickly. "What?" She waited for Grey to answer, but he was passed out. Tom's thoughts ran wild wondering what had just happened. Did he say that he loved her? Did she love him? If she was honest, Tom wasn't sure, but she didn't think she did.

Tom slowly got out of the bed, not wanting to wake Grey. She put on a sweatshirt and grabbed a bottle of vodka from her freezer.

Without even thinking of where she was going, Tom arrived at Jim's door. She pushed the button on the side, ringing the bell.

Jim answered with a depressed look on his face, however, it was also mixed with confusion at the sight of her. "What happened to your date?"

Tom sighed. "Cancelled." She lied. "What happened to your test?"

"Failed."

Tom nodded, she pulled the bottle out of her giant pocket. "Wanna share?"

Jim watched her expression, actually debating for a moment. Another moment passed and he nodded allowing her inside.