The ship had docked, and the crew largely spilled out. McCoy was refusing to set foot in the "snow globe in space" particularly after Hannah had decided to ask him how much force would be required to break it. And then asked Scotty to confirm her maths (she had vastly overestimated how much force was necessary) following up with the hundreds of ways they could all die aboard the Snow Globe Of Death. Hannah now regretted this decision to wind up McCoy, as the Bridge Crew remained on the ship slightly longer than the rest of the crew- Kirk had told her why, but honestly at that point she was too tired to care, and hadn't listened to him- and the various other crew members she knew all seemed to have things to do, people to see. They all had families and friends outside of The Enterprise. Hell, Hannah hadn't been on a planet with space travel yet, how was she expected to know people. Or places. Or even how money worked. A panic rose through her chest, pounding her heart into a frenzy. Breathing out slowly, she watched the people she'd spent the last 7 months trapped on a ship with all disperse into the Snow Globe Of Death. Hannah loitered in the bay doors, mentally weighing up the pros and cons of leaving, and thereby guessing her way through society. Scotty cheerily waved across at her, a drink of some kind in his hand and Hannah grinned, moving towards him. A small tug on her dress haltered her step. A young girl looked shyly up at her. Hannah smiled, and knelt down to her level, mouthing a quick 'two minutes!' Over to Scotty.
"Are you from The Enterprise?" The little girl asked sweetly, looking down at the floor and holding her hands behind her back. She scuffed her shoes on the ground, staring stoically at them.
"I am," Hannah answered, kindness softening her words. She bent her head to look under the girl's hair and at her face, trying to gauge her reactions. "Are you looking for someone?" The little girl nodded.
"My Daddy," She answered, looking up at Hannah, her eyes wide.
"Okay. Did someone take you here?" Hannah asked, sitting back on her heels. The girl nodded again and pointed over to a cluster of chairs which Hannah presumed formed some form of cafe. She could see coffee mugs, and an abundance of possible parents of this little girl. Hannah stood up and held out her hand to the little girl.
"I'll tell you what, if you let me talk to the person that took you here, I will see if they'll let me help you find Daddy, okay?" The girl nodded eagerly in response, and Hannah smiled as she felt the little hand slid into her own.
Hannah coughed awkwardly, attracting the attention of the man hunting through the scattering of tables. He looked up at her, and then spied the hand attached to Hannah's own.
"Demora! Don't wander off like that!" He scolded, scooping the little girl up into his arms. He looked at Hannah, and let out a heady breath. "Thank you," He said, relief flooding his face. Hannah smiled, dismissing the thanks with a small hand gesture.
"It's not a problem, honestly," The man went to walk away, and Hannah quickly continued. "She mentioned her dad is on The Enterprise?" The man turned back around, and Hannah's smile faltered slightly before she continued. "Just, well, I could see if I could help her find him and surprise him is all?" The man paused, and then looked at the girl balanced on his hip.
"Do you want that, Demora?" He asked her, and when she nodded vigorously, he laughed, putting her down on the floor. "Okay then, tell Daddy I'm waiting for him here," Demora ran to Hannah and grinned up at her. The cheerfulness was contagious, and Hannah beamed back at her, offering a hand, which Demora clung on to like a shipwrecked sailer would hang on to a piece of floating debris.
"Sorry, um, who am I actually looking for?" Hannah laughed, embarrassment flushing through her.
"Hikaru Sulu!" Chirped little Demora. Hannah beamed at her, and then turned to the man she had just returned her to, and held out her free hand.
"That must make you Ben? I'm Hannah, it's good to meet you."
The doors of the turbo lift slid open, and Hannah held a finger to her lips to Demora. Uhura spied the young girl, tiptoeing behind Hannah out the turbo lift, and smothered a smile. Demora saw Uhura's gaze following her, and Uhura waved slightly, letting her smile stretch across her face. Hannah grinned and turned to Kirk.
"Captain Kirk, I have with me a very important visitor," She announced. Kirk turned in his chair, and rolled his eyes. To his perception, Hannah was entirely alone and he raised an eyebrow at her, beginning to speak but she cut him off. "I am told she has travelled across the stars, journeying far and wide to find the greatest helmsman in the Universe," A small giggle was heard from behind Hannah. Kirk bit back his laughter at Hannah's theatrical performance. Sulu spun around in his chair and looked at her, confusion evident in his suspicious gaze.
"And naturally you brought your visitor to us, to Lieutenant Sulu?" Kirk offered. Hannah shook her head and leant on the railing behind Kirk.
"Nah, I told her Sulu was a terrible helmsman and that she should really look somewhere else," Hannah grinned at Sulu and winked at him. "But you see, Demora just insisted on Sulu for some reason." She lightly nudged Demora, who ran around to her father. Sulu grinned and scooped the young girl up into his arms. Demora let out a squeal of delight.
"Sulu," Kirk called, drawing his helmsman's attention. "Go on, we're docked. You're relieved," Sulu beamed and thanked the Captain before walking off the Bridge, his daughter perched on his hip. The turbo lift doors slid shut behind him, and Hannah, waiting to hear them seal, finally let out a squeaky, incoherent noise of some description. She clasped her hands over her mouth, and leant forwards on the railing, her feet scuffing at the floor. The hyperactive movement was contrasted beautifully by Spock's raising of an eyebrow.
"Ensign Cation, are you well?" He asked, watching her antics suddenly grind to a halt. She put her feet back on the ground and turned to Spock.
"Three things. One, please never call me Ensign Cation again that was fucking weird. Two, I go by my Mum's maiden name, Mortimer, so ya know. Future reference," She paused, and then grinned again. "How cute is Sulu's daughter?!"
Hannah, long after the two minutes had transpired, sat down next to Scotty. She sighed and grinned at him, then nodded over to the family reunion happening in the cafe opposite. Scotty smiled at Sulu, his husband and daughter.
"Who'd have thought Sulu would be a good dad?" Hannah asked, leaning her elbow on the bar and resting her chin on her hand. Scotty laughed.
"You never saw him threatening Khan, I would hate to be the person that breaks that girl's heart when she grows up," He sniggered. Hannah frowned, causing Scotty to elaborate, repeating back Sulu's words in a terrible accent. "'If you test me, you will fail' It was so dramatic." Now it was Hannah's turn to laugh. Head still on her hand, she looked over at the happy family, trying to picture Sulu in the Captain's chair, but she couldn't do it. Instead, she looked back to Scotty and raised an eyebrow.
"So…" She drawled, grinning cheekily up at him. "You gonna buy me a drink?"
"Buy it yourself!" Scotty objected. Hannah lifted her head up and gestured at herself.
"With what money! It's not like I have a job, I am literally a stowaway," She reasoned, raising her eyebrow further. Scotty stared her down, and then finally complied. Hannah grinned at his retreating form, and let her head rest back on her hand.
Hannah nursed the second drink she had weaselled out of Scotty, promising that she would pay him back if she ever actually earned anything- or at least she would guilt trip someone else into buying his drinks for him in the future. Scotty had reluctantly accepted her deal for the second drink, but absolutely refused to buy her a third drink. Luckily for her, Kirk appeared as she was pleading, begging and manipulating Scotty into giving a third drink. He brought along McCoy, reluctantly following Kirk and grumbling to poor Chekov about how they were all going to die if this glass bauble burst.
"Play nice, I'll get this one," Kirk offered. "McCoy, will a drink stop you complaining?" McCoy tilted his head and thought about it, then nodded. Kirk turned to Chekov and raised an eyebrow, the offer clear. Chekov grinned hopefully in response, and Kirk let out something which resembled a half-formed laugh before heading to get the drinks. Chekov slid into the seat next to Hannah, who sat upright in her seat for a change and turned to look at him. Scotty on his other side spoke first;
"Hey kid, did I hear something about you leaving The Enterprise?"
"Yes, I am being transwerred to ze Excalibur and promoted to Lieutenant Commander," Chekov beamed as Kirk returned with the drinks. A chorus of congratulations erupted from the group of crew members surrounding him. Scotty beamed proudly at the Ensign, and Kirk clapped Chekov on the back. Chekov practically fell of his chair with the force Kirk applied to his back. Kirk winced an apology and then handed him a glass. Chekov grinned, slightly maniacally and took the glass off the Captain. Kirk doled out the rest of the drinks and Hannah raised hers to Chekov, saluting him with the glass.
"Well, good luck Chekov, and congrats," She grinned, before essentially downing the glass in one go. McCoy grabbed the glass off her before she fully emptied the liquid from it, and looked at her aghast.
"Good God woman, are you trying to put yourself in a coma?" He spluttered. Hannah raised an eyebrow and took the glass back off him.
"I have a very high alcohol tolerance. I came here to get pissed, I am not pissed as of yet," She explained with haughty eloquence.
Chekov had been bought at least 10 drinks in the space of two hours, and he was thoroughly wasted. He was struggling to stay upright, leaning on Scotty for support and giggling maniacally at nothing and everything. Spock had long since left the celebration, it having grown too rowdy and uncouth for his liking. Thankfully, Uhura remained and continued to celebrate both Chekov's promotion and The Enterprise's safe return to at least one Star Fleet outpost. She laughed loudly and freely with the other members of the crew, confidence radiating off her like heat. As various members of the crew drifted away, moving away to their beds or to someone they cared about, Kirk, Uhura, Hannah and Chekov remained. The four of them ended up slouched together, all sat on the same small couch, a table full of empty glasses in front of them. Chekov's words began blurring together, and so Hannah pushed her head up off Kirk's shoulder.
"I think it's time that little Pavel Chekov goes to bed," She murmured. Kirk grumbled incoherently, and so Hannah stood up herself. She grabbed hold of Chekov's arm and looped it over her shoulder. "Come on lil' Chekov. Beddybyes," The murmur of discontent from Chekov merely made Hannah laugh as she started to walk the young still-Ensign away from the huddle, dragging him towards his bed.
"Come back," Kirk whined, stretching out his arm dramatically. Hannah raised an eyebrow at the Captain and walked back the three feet towards Kirk. She lightly kissed Kirk on the cheek and whispered;
"Five minutes, and I'll be back. I promise," and with that she took the weight of Chekov back again, struggling to walk away from Kirk and Uhura.
Hannah returned, to find Uhura getting up and wandering off. In the wrong direction. Hannah turned her around by the shoulders, and pushed her towards her room, but not before Uhura grinned at Hannah and sang:
"Kirk likesss you," in a child-like manner. She held a finger to her lips as though she had revealed some great secret. Hannah laughed at her, and winked.
"I know," She stage-whispered. Uhura's jaw dropped and Hannah grinned widely. "Go on. Bedtime, Nyota." Uhura begrudgingly obligated, though she did still turn around and giggle at the two of them. Hannah sank back on to the couch with Kirk and looked at him.
"Have you ever noticed that Uhura turns into a 12 year old when she's been drinking?" Kirk commented, a wry smile. Hannah laughed.
"And Chekov starts getting very excited about physics, it's very cute," Hannah added, leaning into Kirk. He lifted an arm, and wrapped it around her shoulders. She turned her body slightly, so that she faced away from Kirk, but her full weight pressed against him. When she looked up, not only could she see Kirk looking down at her, but also the whole of the night sky rolled above them. Encased in a glass dome, Yorktown hung in space and Hannah could see every inch of space. Kirk smiled down at her, watching her watch the stars. Hannah's eyes trailed back to Kirk and she smiled.
"So if Uhura becomes a child, Chekov becomes a nerd, Scotty becomes an angry mess-"
-"Side effect of being Scottish," Hannah interrupted with a smirk. Kirk laughed slightly then continued;
"What kind of drunk am I?" He lifted an eyebrow at the end of his question, tone and eyebrow raising in unison. Hannah laughed and reached up, lightly tapping him on the nose.
"You," She said as she hit his nose, "Are a vigilante drunk. Will fight anyone and everyone if they give you a reason too," She explained. Kirk laughed and brushed her hand away from where it rested on the top of her head. He leant down and lightly kissed her.
"And you?"
"Oh, I'm a crier. And attention seeking," Hannah beamed. "I am the worst drunk ever," With that she sat back up, and pushed herself up off the couch. She held out her hands to Kirk, who slid his hands into hers and she hauled him upright. Hannah wandered over to the large glass window, not letting go of one of Kirk's hands. "But you knew that already," Kirk's face didn't change but his grip on Hannah's hand shifted slightly. It moved from being loosely held to a comforting presence, the pressure Hannah exerted on his hand mimicked back at her exactly.
"Did I?" Kirk's fake surprise was murmured into her hair as he pressed his face into her neck, lightly brushing his lips against her. Hannah's raised eyebrow was reflected back, distorted, in the mirror-like glass. She gazed out at the stars and mumbled an affirmative. "Ah yes, the tribble incident," Kirk breathed. "I remember that,"
"Unfortunately, so do I."
Hannah woke the next morning with a mild headache, and no clue what she was supposed to do with her life. Kirk was still asleep beside her, arm tucked under his head, using it as a pillow. He faced towards her, and barely even stirred as she slowly slid out from the covers. She crept towards the bathroom and sighed a breath of relief as she reached it without waking Kirk, as though she'd achieved some great feat. She knew that McCoy had some form of training (or was it teaching?) that he'd said he needed to do, Scotty was meeting up with some friends from the academy and Kirk had a meeting with Commodore Paris that took up most of the morning. Hannah had been hoping to sleep most of the day away, at least meaning there would be less dead- Aimee- time for her to kill- Kill- death-fight- Liam - panic— no. She pressed her head against the glass, the cold grounding her. Breathing out heavily through her nose, she closed her eyes and tried to blot those thoughts out. She pushed her hair back off her face, still keeping her forehead pressed against the mirror.
"Are you okay?" A voice asked tenderly from behind her, a hand pressing gently into the small of her back. Hannah peeled her head off the mirror and turned to look at Kirk, the sink now resting on her back, pulling the oversized t-shirt she wore up slightly. Hannah smiled weakly at Kirk, before raising herself on to tiptoe.
"I will be in a few minutes," She answered, tapping the side of her head. "Little fucker won't shut up this morning," With that she left the bathroom, forgetting why she'd gone in there in the first place, and stretched out her back, causing the t-shirt to creep up her thighs further.
"You wear my shirts better than me," Kirk teased, leaning against the doorframe. Hannah struck an overly dramatic pose, one arm raised high in the air.
"Damn right I do," She grinned over her shoulder, before skipping back to Kirk, and bouncing up to plant a kiss on his cheek. "And you have a meeting with the illustrious Commodore Paris to get to, so as much as it pains me, you have to get dressed." Hannah teased right back. Kirk kissed her one final time, and then began the hunt for his uniform. Hannah flopped back on to the bed and curled back up as if to go to sleep, but instead merely watched Kirk moving around the room. The sight of domestic life was oddly comforting and strange- it didn't make sense for her to be as at ease with her scenario as she was, but this morning routine felt exactly that. Routine. As though the two of them had been performing this ritual for years.