She had to look away. She didn't want to, but she had no choice. If she kept starring at those pools of dark chocolate, people might start being suspicious. She averted her eyes.
Jim leaned back in her chair. It was comfortable. Very much so. Now she knows why Pike likes it so much. Speaking of which.
"Kirk to sickbay." She waited for a few seconds before a rough and raspy voice of their CMO came through.
"Yes Jim, what do you want? For your own good I hope you didn't cause more trouble on the bridge."
His voice sounded strained, like he didn't use it for a while. Despite the critique, she couldn't help but to smile. 'Oh Bones, you really are a softie on the inside aren't you?' She knew better than to say it out loud. Even if he is a big softie, she knew he wasn't particularly gentle with his hypos when provoked. Instead she decided to ask him what she originally planed.
"Bones, no I did not cause any more trouble, no need to worry about that. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself. Anyway, all jokes aside, tell me, how's Pike?"
He sighed dramatically and said. "He has broken ribs, respiratory problems and a spinal injury. He can feel everything from the waist down but he can't move almost anything. But few months of physical therapy and he should be as good as new. Don't worry kid. He'll be fine."
Jim breathed out a sigh of relief and relaxed further in her chair.
"Alright, thanks Bones."
She ended the communication and took a deep breath. Or as deep as her bruised ribs allowed her to. She winced. She probably should have gone to the sickbay so that Bones could fix her, but she figured he already has a lot on his hands.
She could have gotten that injury when spock was fighting with her, or when Nero fought with her. Or when she fell off of the platform on Narada. That was one painful fall.
In effort not to think about her injuries she then contacted engineering bay.
"Scotty, how's it going downstairs?"
His accented voice was like a music to her ears. Actually everything but sounds of punching someone and breaking something, or someone, was like a music to her ears.
"Ay Capitan, everything is fine down here."
Then there was a shout "You, you get down from there, you hear me! These things are not made for you to sit on them! Get down, now!"
And then he continued "Sorry Capitan, is there something else you need?"
Jim chuckled "Yes, as the matter of fact I do. How long will it take for us to limp back to Earth since we ejected the core?"
"I'd say about two hours max."
"Alright, thank you Scotty. Kirk out."
She threw her head back, spread out her legs as far as they could reach (which is far, trust me) and let out an explosive sigh. And then she winced again. As it turns out it hurts as much as when you inhale and exhale. Damn ribs.
"Capitan, are you alright?"
It was Spock that voiced his concern even tho majority of the bridge crew was looking at her.
She looked at him, a bit startled, and the answered as calm as she could.
"Yes, I'm quite alright Mr Spock, don't worry."
She could guess she wasn't overly successful with keeping her face straight because he lifted both of his eyebrows that clearly said 'You are not being truthful and I know it.' It seemed as tho he would press on but the pleading look she sent him caused him to change his mind and instead of lesson about how 'Vulcans do not express worry' that was surely about to come, he just nodded and turned back towards his science console.
She was grateful for that, but she also didn't miss a look Uhura gave her. It was a look that clearly stated 'I know you like him but stay away from him because I will fuck you up if you even try.'
Ok, Uhura probably wouldn't have said it that way, but this is Jim we're talking about. And Jim being Jim (that is, a bitch she is) looked the lieutenant straight in the eyes and smiled her million dollar smile. A smile that has been know to sweep the men off their feet.
At that gesture, Uhura turned bright red (possibly from rage) and turned her head in the opposite direction.
Most of the crew also did that but Chekov kept his eyes on her legs a bit longer. As he was turning his chair around jim heard him whisper "Interesno, naskol'ko vysok?"
Russian.
He wondered how tall she is. Well, the least she could do is provide that information for him.
"I'm 5'10" Pavel."
She answered. Pavel and the rest of the bridge gang turned to stare at her. Pavel was shocked. He was closing and opening his mouth like a fish on dry land but no sounds came out. Jim had to smile at that. He was so adorable. Pavel, still in awe asked
"You speak Russian Keptin?"
She beamed at him and nodded while the rest of the crew was still trying to comprehend the fact that their Capitan, more importantly a young, blonde girl (no offense to any other blonds out there) could speak an European language with very complex grammar.
"Yes, I speak Russian. I also speak several other languages such as Croatian, Italian, German, French, Turkish, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese etc. I am also fluent in Romulan, Klingon, and..." she turned her chair towards Spock, "and Vulcan."
They all stared at her with shock written across their faces. Well, everyone besides Spock even tho she could see he was surprised too. He wasn't displaying his shock so openly but his eyes were wider and his eyebrows were resting somewhere behind his bangs. At the sight of him Jim wanted to burst out laughing. But she kept herself together for his and hers sake.
She slowly turned her chair back to face her pilot and navigator.
"You are very tall Keptin."
"Yup! My father was tall and he had long legs. At least that's what my mother told me. My legs, height, hair and eyes are his part of my genetic makeup."
She stopped there and appeared lost for a moment. Her eyes became distant and sad. The rest of the bridge crew looked down. They felt like they were spying on a private moment. In a way they were. But Jim didn't care. They were her family now. That shook her out of her trance. She inhaled and then laughed.
"Guys, what's with the sad faces. Come on. Lighten up. We're almost home."
The atmosphere appeared so much lighter now.
"Oh! Pavel, one more thing. There was no need for me to know Russian to know what you were thinking. Your body language told me everything."
She smirked at the poor and flustered navigator.
"H-how?" He stuttered. Jim's smirk widened and her eyes narrowed. She put her elbows on her knees and put her face on her hands. By doing this her looks suddenly changed from calm, cool and collected Capitan, to dangerous, seductive, sexy feline like girl and the bridge crew all sat a little straighter in their seats. She stood up gracefully and made her way to the young navigator. Her shoulders were straight and tense, her legs moved like she was floating and her face still held that seductive expression. Pavel was visibly shaking while the others were extremely tense, not knowing what their Capitan will do next.
When she got to his chair she trapped him by putting both of her hands on either side of his chair and then bent over so she could whisper in his ear.
"I saw you ogling." Her voice was very deep and husky and for a moment everyone thought that Chekov might have a heart attack then and there. But Jim suddenly straightened up and ruffled his hair.
"Oh relax Chekov. I'm just teasing you."
Everyone breathed out the sigh of relief at that and even Spock relaxed a bit in his chair. She turned on her heel and then said
"Mr Spock."
When she saw she had his attention she continued
"Can you come with me for a minute. There is something I've been wanting to discuss with you."
He lifted his right eyebrow but stood never the less. Over her shoulder she tossed "Sulu, you have the con." They entered the turbolift and as soon as the doors closed she stopped the lift. From the corner of her eye she could see him looking at her and for a moment she wondered if this was a good idea. She didn't want another incident to happen, especially when she's alone with him. But she wasn't about to give up now. She set her shoulders and turned towards him.
Their eyes met. Unlike the other times, his eyes were warn now and if she looked closely she could read the emotions that were swirling in them. She shook her head and then spoke.
"I am sorry." Her voice was laced with regret, but at the same time was spoken clearly and strongly.
He nodded. He knew why she was apologizing.
"Apology accepted."
She smiled and jokingly said "I guess we're even now."
He turned his head so he could look at her. She was shorter than him. Four inches to be exact. She was obviously brilliant and (what he will later deny and blame on that exact moment of weakens) very aesthetically pleasing in mind, spirit and body. From the first moment he saw her, really saw her in her uniform dress that hugged every part of her in the right places, he could not help but to think that she is indeed very beautiful.
The part of her anatomy that intrigued him the most was (and still is) her eyes. Or rather the color of her irises. On Vulcan there are no such things as recessive genes. Only dominant. Which ultimately means that there are no blue eyed Vulcans. He saw that a lot of people on Earth have light colored eyes, but never such as hers. He was fascinated.
And now he was starring at those eyes. And they were starring right back at him.
Her eyes danced with mischief as she asked him the next question.
"So, what do you say? We call it a truce?"
He almost smiled and winced at the look her eyes were giving him. She played with him. He was sure of that. She was testing him to see if she can trust him. He frowned. Such display of emotions was shameful for a Vulcan. Her smile widened. He was certain that she could see his every emotion in his eyes. That was an often problem for him. He may have a perfect poker face but anyone who has a sharp mind (especially Jim), or those that have known him for a longer period of time could always tell his emotions.
Her smile was so radiant and contagious that even he was tempted to smile at her antics. He threw that idea through the window and decided that an extra hour of meditation in the morning should solve the problem. Instead he opted for the simplest solution.
"I accept."
Despite being physically impossible, her smile widened even more for a few seconds, before it turned into a grimace and a frown appeared between her perfectly shaped blond eyebrows.
"So what happens next. Will you stay with us?" Will you stay with me? "Or are you thinking about joining the remaining Vulcans..."
Her voice sounded so small even to her own ears. So alien.
"The most logical decision would be for to join the remaining Vulcans."
He saw her swallow and the tense of her shoulders so as if to reassure her he continued.
"But I will admit that I do not have a decision yet."
In the corner of his eye he saw her relaxing. The frown in her brows was still evident, but not as before and her shoulders were more relaxed rather than tense. But she would not meet his eye. She was hiding something. He was sure of that.
She reached out to touch the button to start the lift again and he let her. The lift beeped and they were moving again. A few moments later the door opened and they both stepped out. Spock returned to his station and she sat in the chair in the centre. The crew turned to look at her when she sat down. She just smiled and said
"Sulu, take us home."