Bones rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry. I can't tell you where we are on a given mission because—"

"It's classified." Alice tapped his chin. "I know, sweetie. A mother worries, that's all. With good reason. Look at what happened just this October."

"Yeah." Bones winced. "That was ten years of my life I'll never get back."

The only reason I'm alive at all is thanks to a genius teenager who lives to give me grey hairs…

"Pavel?"

The seat next to Bones was vacant. He twisted to search the room. His brows drew together.

"Excuse me, Ma."

She clutched his arm. "Is he alright?"

"I'm not sure," Bones admitted, so quiet he barely heard himself.

Bones drew little attention, searching each room on the first floor. Away from the celebrations, the world quieted. A glass clinked.

Bones tracked the sound to the kitchen. He paused in the doorway, gathering his wits at Chekov, drying towel in hand, putting dishes away from the drying rack. The doctor took one of the stools at the island. He clasped his fingers at his lips, elbows on the counter.

Pavel seemed not to notice, methodical and practiced in his ablution. First the bowls. Then he put away the cutlery. Coils tumbled into his eyes. Over bloodless skin.

Bones let ten minutes slip by. Twelve. Fifteen.

"Pavel?"

Clink. Now the cups.

"Pavel Chekov? Don't make me crack out that middle name."

A vein pulsed in Pavel's jaw. He tensed.

There we go.

The navigator averted his eyes. Now the gravy boat. He gave it a few drying swipes.

"Pavel, hey. Look at me."

Pavel skittered out of arm's reach. Bones instantly put up both hands. He lowered his tone.

"Son?"

Pavel stopped. Back to Bones, he braced both hands on the sink. The towel fell to the floor.

"We're a strange bunch," said Bones, almost whispering. "I'm sorry if the kids were annoying or in-laws reminded you of things you'd rather left alone."

"It's okay," said Pavel. "It wasn't that. Actually, the experience was rather nice."

"I'm an only child. So are you. We have to stick together against the in-laws."

That earned Bones a hesitant smile. Bones matched it with a grin of his own. Pavel stepped closer. Bones sat motionless, hands visible. A few inches closer…until Pavel, still rigid, sank onto the neighboring bar stool.

"Do you regret agreeing to come?" asked Bones. "Letting me drag you to the deep South for a week?"

Chekov huffed a laugh through his nose. "Not for a second." His face fell. "I just…that food, all the homemade dishes, it's…"

Carefully, Bones placed a hand over Pavel's on the counter top. The boy slid sideways. His temple rested on Bones' shoulder.

"Sorry," Pavel blurted.

"You have nothing to apologize for."

"I am being a damper, ruining the good mood."

"I'm pretty sure no one even noticed your sneaky exit," said Bones. "This is new for you. Have you even had a real Christmas before today? A feast, I mean?"

Chekov didn't move for so long that Bones' sadness turned to concern. He brought a hand around to cup the boy's head.

"No," said Chekov at last. "Your table represents a year's worth of food for my grandparents, maybe more. We didn't usually…celebrate a lot of Christmas because we couldn't afford it. I have never seen so much food or treats in my life. For a moment all I saw was work I did as a child. I couldn't handle…"

Pavel struggled. "I feel like the alien in your world."

Bones smirked. "An apt analogy."

But you're not. You belong here—with me.

When had this petite Russian become home more than his childhood house?

Bones shook himself. Standing, he retrieved the towel off the floor and handed it to Pavel.

Pavel blinked. "I dried them all."

"We still have dessert trays, my good man."

Bones set to washing, up to his elbows in suds, while Chekov dried. Just the two of them. Just like any other night. Pavel visibly unwound. He even hummed a few notes at one point. Bones grinned, dunking the last cobbler pan.

"Where is your father?"

Bones dropped the pan with a clatter. Bubbles puffed into the air. Some landed in his ears.

"Sorry!" Pavel backpedaled. "That was rude and out of line."

"No. I don't mind." Bones recovered with a gasp. "Just wasn't expecting it, is all. My father died almost a decade ago."

"Vhat was he like?"

"Aloof…but a good provider. Fiercely loyal though he rarely said it."

"Zat is hard," said Pavel, nodding.

Bones looked at him in surprise. "It was. He never raised his voice, unlike my half Irish mother, but then he didn't talk at all, really. It's why I vowed to be affectionate with my own kids."

Bones pretended not to see Pavel's frown of confusion or his barely whispered, "Kids? Kids?"

The doctor smiled to himself.

"It. Is. Christmas!"

Pavel awoke to a thump on his chest. The world lurched up and down. It took him two endless minutes to open his eyes and even longer to focus on a girl, braids and all, jumping up and down on the bed.

"Joanna?" he groaned. "What happened to peace on Earth?"

"'Vel! It's Christmas morning and there are presents under the big tree!" She leaned in, conspiring. "Maybe my Nerf bow and arrow are there—like I asked for!"

"A very wise choice of gift," said Chekov, throwing on a fuzzy sweater, three sizes too big because he'd filched it from Bones.

I'll return it soon, Pavel lied to himself.

"Come on, 'Vel!"

Joanna tugged his hand. Families had already gathered on low couches in front of the Goliath tree. Bones sat in the corner of one, frowning into the dregs of his coffee mug.

"What did you ask for?" Joanna hopped at Pavel's side.

Pavel ruffled the girl's hair with a chuckle. "Nothing. I don't need anything."

"That's too bad because I got you…" Bones glanced up only for his sharp eyes to cloud at Pavel's fumbling steps and bleary face. "Jo? Did you wake him up? I thought we discussed keeping our voices down."

Joanna gasped. "I forgot!"

"It's okay," said Chekov. "If I had known you were all going to wait for me before opening gifts, I vould have set an alarm."

"Nonsense." Bones gently pulled at the sweater until Pavel sat beside him. "It's a rule. And you need all the sleep you can get."

Feet tucked under him, shy but content against Bones' side, Pavel nibbled a breakfast biscuit and watched children open shimmering packages. Husbands passed boxes to wives, sisters to brothers.

Feeling Pavel practically vibrating, Bones massaged the hand hidden in the wide sleeves. When this failed to work, the doctor snaked an arm around the teen. Pavel felt the paw at his ribs and stilled.

"Not used to shrieking children, huh?" Bones gripped him tighter. "They're just like the Bandi race, only smaller and with more teeth."

Pavel giggled into his cocoa.

"My bow!" Joanna leapt up and hugged Bones' neck and then her mother's, leaning against the door frame. "Thank you! Thank you!"

"Now you can be that archer knight you're always talking about," said Bones.

Joanna was already up and pelting people, hissing out sound effects.

"You couldn't have gotten her that hair dresser doll we talked about?" asked Joanna's mother.

"There's always her birthday," Bones replied, though Pavel wondered at the fact the estranged couple refused to make eye contact. She had no problem staring at Chekov, however.

Before Pavel could dwell on this, Bones was handing him a tall bag. The navigator blinked at it.

"Generally people, you know, open presents. I mean, I'm in awe of my wrap job too."

Pavel nudged him. Peeling back the red tissue paper revealed some kind of game box.

"A chess set?"

Bones tapped the box. "Made of real ebony wood. They're in the traditional Medieval design too."

"I love it. Thank you." An electric razor and fresh clothes were also wrapped at the bottom of the bag.

"I remembered how much you enjoy playing the game," said Bones, "especially during night shifts. I'm no Sulu, but I thought maybe we could play. Start a new Christmas tradition."

Pavel's heart gave a great leap. He smiled so wide it stretched his cheeks.

"You're on!"

White pieces littered one side of the board. Pavel hid a smirk behind his hand.

"Sure you're not cheating?"

"Nyet."

Bones fingered his lonely queen, guarding his black king alongside a bishop.

"I've been playing since I vas small child," Pavel offered.

"So have I."

A muffled laugh.

"Mr. Chekov?"

"Doctor?"

"Shut it so I can lose in peace, with the last shreds of my intellectual dignity."

"Aye, sir."

"Did your grandfather ever defeat you?"

"Many times, though as I got older we were evenly matched. I more often won."

"Then I have plenty of time to catch up. Aha!" Bones swept his bishop into Pavel's remaining rook, only the second key player Bones had eliminated thus far. "Take that!"

"My compliments," said Pavel. "But you've left your queen exposed."

He took the black queen with his own to the chorus of Bones' cries. "Check—"

"You've got to be kidding me. We haven't even been playing fifteen minutes!"

"—Mate."

"What?" Bones palmed his forehead. "I suppose I should be grateful that you didn't let me win this one like last time. Shame on you, by the way. Took you three games to play me fair."

Pavel shrugged. "Didn't seem right to whoop the giver with his own gift."

A shadow fell over the board. Chekov sat back to see Joanna's mother. Taut lines caged her ashen lips. Bones flicked his gaze to Pavel.

"Why don't you head outside for a bit? It's…crowded…in here."

"Sure."

Pavel cast anxious eyes to Bones. The man nodded with a warm smile.

Pavel obeyed and found Joanna on the back steps. Furtive, heated voices became distant. He shut the door against them.

Apparently all the kids had received various Nerf weapons. Half a dozen children battled on the back lawn. Foam projectiles flew past hollering "warriors."

"Mr. 'Vel!" They ran to him. "Come be a Starfleet explorer!"

"We're battling mercenaries," said one.

"Is it true you visit other planets?" asked another girl.

"And fly a starship?"

"With James Kirk!"

Pavel grinned. "Lots of planets. I'm a navigator."

"Whasa navigator?"

"He reads coordinates and uses math to get the ship to new galaxies," said Joanna. "Right, 'Vel?"

With so many wide eyes trained on Pavel, he felt himself color.

That star struck wonder was me not so long ago.

"Exactly." He knelt to their level. "Where are we visiting today?"

"You'll lead us to their home world," whispered a small boy. "We have to get past them."

The older children, their "enemy," giggled and held up weapons. Joanna, on Pavel's team, raised her bow high—"Charge!"

She led them through the battle zone around the trees and under picnic tables. They crossed a pumpkin patch behind the shed before doubling back. Chekov dutifully "triangulated" where they needed to go next.

Why did I never have siblings? Bones and I missed out!

"Time out," called their enemy.

The group paused for breath.

Chekov helped one boy with his hood and another to tie his shoe. On the enemy side, an older girl had lost her glasses.

"What now?" asked Pavel. He grinned, handing the frames to her.

She thought for a minute. The boy came over, Pavel's team "weapons expert."

"We've hit an asteroid!" he said.

"Oh no!"

The children mimed being thrown to the ship's deck.

"And the enemy is taking the opportunity to fire on us!" Joanna added. She pushed Pavel to his knees. "Quick! Get down!"

Chekov's breathing missed a beat. The girl's hand pressed on his ribs. Explosive sounds burst over his head and in his ears. Pavel's vision greyed out. His body felt cold, lungs wet.

No.

He sagged. Sounds distorted.

"What did you do?"

"Me? You're the one who pushed him, Jo!"

"Hey! Don't hit me!"

Someone sniffled.

"He's not breathing right."

"Lips are purple."

"Should we use my Epi Pen?"

"Mr. McCoy. He's a doctor! He'll know what to do."

"Hurry! I can barely see his eyes now."