When the day came, and they had finally reached step ten, Leonard wondered how he didn't have the foresight to predict where it was all heading early on. By then, autumn had long turned to winter. He had returned to his practice and was working more manageable hours. Every night Leonard returned home to Jim who was always waiting with dinner on the stove, and every morning Jim was waiting with breakfast on the table. It felt strangely domestic and just so right.
They talked of simple things: Leonard's newest research, the state of the ranch and Joanna. Every day, Jim went to see Joanna and Jocelyn. He said he was offering 'olive branches' for Leonard. One day, when he came home and found Joanna and Jim giggling in the living room over a holomovie after a long day of work, he thought Jim really did the impossible.
Joanna squealed when she saw him. "Daddy." She ran to him. He wrapped her into a tight tug. God did he miss her. "Uncle Jim and I are watching a movie." Leonard raised an eyebrow. When did Joanna start calling the kid uncle?
"Is that right sweetie?"
"Yep, we're waiting for you to eat dinner." She said excitedly.
"Go wash your hands then." He lightly patted her back. She nodded before running off. He turned to Jim who looked like he had swallowed a canary.
"I hope you don't mind the uncle."
Leonard shook his head. "Nah, she clearly adores you."
"She's a good kid."
"Yeah, yeah she is. How did Jocelyn…"
"I think her anger has abated. I told her you did what you did for a reason."
"Jim…" He didn't want to have this conversation. He could always see where it was heading.
"Don't you think they deserve to know the truth?"
Leonard sighed. He sank into the couch next to Jim. As much as he hated to admit it, the kid was right. They did deserve to know. "Step ten huh?"
"Step ten."
It was another week before Leonard made the necessary comms to his mother, sister and Jocelyn. His mother and sister were easier to convince. Jocelyn took more work. In the end, she begrudgingly agreed. It was only after Leonard agreed to sign the divorce papers if she didn't like what he said that she agreed.
The day was dark and cold. Jim had lit a fire in the fireplace. It seemed so strange. Leonard didn't even know the fireplace actually worked. It always thought it was decoration from days past. When they all arrived: his mother in her sunken form with traces of tears in her eyes, his sister who just looked tired, Jocelyn who pursed her lips, and then Jim who sat on the couch giving him all the encouragement he could give, Leonard just wanted to bolt. Damn kid really did try with all his heart. It was only that which kept Leonard from bolting.
"I wanted to tell you guys the truth. I don't blame you for hating me afterwards."
"Len?" His mother whispered.
"There was a reason I've been avoiding you, Ma." He looked at his mother. He then turned to Jocelyn. "There was a reason I've been working long hours, Joss."
"Len, is this…"
Leonard sighed. "When Dad first got sick, we had a long conversation together. We both knew the symptoms of Pyrrhoneuritis: the pain, the incurable nature of it. I swore to him I would find a cure."
"Len," his sister whispered. Even Jim looked a little pale.
"At the time, he didn't want to. He wanted to just end it all early for all of us. I bargained for a year."
"Len."
"I euthanized Dad that night." The words left Leonard's lips easier than when he first said them to Jim. A heavy silence descended in the room. His mother choked out a sob. His sister glared at him. However, it was Jocelyn that surprised him. She seemed so pale.
His mother reached for him first. She drew him close into a tight hug. The type she hadn't given him since he was a little kid and had afraid of the dark. She cradled his head and pressed their foreheads together. She kissed both sides of his cheeks. He could taste the sweaty tears rolling down her eyes. "Oh Len, I could never blame you. You gave him peace. He was always a proud man, a very proud man."
His sister reached for him next. She squeezed his hand. Jocelyn moved over. There were even tears in her eyes. She squeezed his other hand. It was a firm squeeze. When she leaned in to kiss his cheek, he knew they just might just be okay. When he finally turned around, he found that Jim had left. He hadn't even noticed when the kid had left. Jim Kirk and his Ten Steps to Perfection, how could he ever thank the kid?
Jocelyn stayed at the ranch house that night. After he explained it all, now all along in the ranch house, it felt like they were walking on thin glass. There was still a lot of broken hearts and broken trust on both sides. He couldn't make Jocelyn understand why he hadn't confined in her is desire to find his father's cure and similarly Jocelyn's words still haunted him. When would be the next time he once again place work before his family? He had always been a workaholic.
As Jim had profusely been convincing him over the past few months, time really can heal some wounds. By Christmas, Leonard thought he and Jocelyn would make it. However, the more time he spent with her and Joanna; the less time he saw Jim. It seemed the kid was making himself more and more scarce.
He found himself missing Jim, and the months they had spent alone. There was also strange feeling bubbling inside of him every time he kissed Jocelyn. He initially contributed it to guilt and left over traces of misgivings. However on Christmas Eve after he suggested that he and Jocelyn renew their wedding vows, it was only then he realized something really was out of place. He found himself looking for a kid that wasn't there. He quickly claimed he needed some fresh air.
Like always, Jim found him sitting under a peach tree. The snow piled around him. The stars twinkled above them both. He watched as Jim sank down beside him. He lightly nudged him. "Hey."
"Hey."
Leonard sighed.
"Congrats?"