Author's Note: This chapter is a continuation of the last chapter. I do believe this is the only time I've done that. Hmmm, interesting *ponders*.

Chapter 7: The Day After

Light was shining on his face, it was annoying. Kind of like the raging headache torturing his brain. That wasn't the half of it though, where the hell was he? An even better question, what happened yesterday? Bones shifts and groans, dust fills his nostrils. And then he remembers.

The day from hell. Yesterday. Now McCoy wishes he was still sleeping, but the stupid sun was shining in his face. Wait, sunshine? He opens his eyes to see the sun shining through a nice clean window. How did that happen? Then there was a thump and a curse. The doctor slowly shifts his head the other way. Jim was underneath the bed, McCoy assumes he is trying to fix it, but with Jim it was always kind of hard to tell. Wait, if Jim was under the bed, then what was he sleeping on right now?

Leonard props himself on his elbows and looks down. It was a cot. He looks around. The place looks slightly cleaner and Jim's crap has piled up on his own which was shoved into a corner.

Jim scoots out from under the bed and glances at McCoy, "Bones! You're finally awake. How do you like the clean up so far?"

"I think I'm going to go into shock, didn't think I would see the day when the great Jim Kirk cleaned willingly."

Jim snorts and sits on the bed cautiously, it doesn't break. With a relieved sigh he starts grinning. With a sweep of his hand he starts, "With a little bit of dusting and stuff, this place will look brand new. Oh, I took a look at the water pipes because for some reason there's hardly any water coming out, turns out that most of them were clogged, with what, I have no idea. I then checked the lights, they just needed some new wires and they're as good as gold. Um, I couldn't fix the door, so let's just leave the sheet there for a bit." Jim studies the floor, "Also, there's some weird stains on the floor, I think we should just buy some rugs to cover them up."

McCoy looks at Jim, "How long have you been at this, kid?"

"Oh, a good majority of the night, you slept like a baby though." Jim's face brightens and he walks over to the cot, "So I figured I could construct some kind of bed thing and attach it to the wall right here for myself. We need to get another dresser though, because I am not sharing with you."

McCoy just stares at him, "Man you move fast."

Jim sits down next to McCoy, "I know. Oh! That reminds me, so I visited Commander S'lathe early this morning . . ."

Leonard was horrified, "Jim, you didn't-"

"Yup. I talked to her good and long. Told her the circumstances and about what you did the other night. I even told her I could get Captain Pike to vouch for you. Well, needless to say my powers of persuasion are amazing. She decided to switch your grade to a C." Jim slaps McCoy on the back, "So congrats, you passed Starfleet 1010."

McCoy just sits there, stunned. No one has ever done anything like that for him. Not in his whole nines years of medical school before Starfleet, or even secondary school before that. "Jim, I don't know what to think. Thank you."

"No problem, it's what you would've done."

And Jim was right; Leonard would've done the same thing if he were in Jim's position. Hell, the things he did for this kid astounded him sometimes.

"Well, now that you're awake, you need to get cleaned up and ready to go."

McCoy turns to him, "Why?"

Jim grins, oh how he hates that grin, the kid was up to something. "Well, it just so happens that there's this girl that I wanted to hook you up with. You know you need to get out more, meet the ladies."

Bones holds up his hands, "Now wait one damn minute, if I'm going to meet a girl, I want to do it on my own terms. You know how I feel about blind dates."

"Oh come on, Bones. She coming in all the way across the country, don't let it be a complete waste."

"Wait, so you're having a friend of yours come in from across the country just to go on a date with me?"

"Pretty much. I've told her all about you, and she really wants to meet you. And on a side note, she's freaking hot."

McCoy shakes his head, but gives in. It's not like he has anything to do this weekend. He gets up and digs into the pile of their belongings, pulling out items that he was pretty sure were his. Stepping into the shower, he stops short, "Hey Jim? What's this stuff around the edges of the shower?"

Jim's voice filters back to him, "I have no idea, let's just stay away from it for awhile, k?"

Awesome.

McCoy shifts again. Jim gives him an annoyed look. Well, he can't help it, dammit. Blind dates always make him nervous. All they are doing is sitting here at the terminal, waiting for the shuttle to come and he hates waiting.

"Dammit Jim, how did you talk me into this?"

Jim sighes, "Just relax, she's not going to bit your head off."

"You never know. What's her name anyway?"

Jim stiffens a little, he was about to reply when he spots the shuttle coming in, "There it is! Come on."

McCoy rolls his eyes, the kid could get excited for just about anything. They stand a couple feet back from the lowering ramp. The crowds of people are coming out and Leonard was afraid that they wouldn't be able to catch Jim's friend in all the confusion.

"Daddy!"

A small force bowls into Leonard. He knows that voice. Looking down he saw his little angel looking back up at him. Pure emotion slams into him and McCoy's knees buckle. His little girl. His sweet little Joanna was right here. There are so many nights that he imagined what it would be like to hold her again.

"Jo-Joanna." The name chokes out. He envelopes her in his arms, kissing her forehead, and whispering her name.

Finally McCoy remembers the person responsible for this, he turns his head towards Jim, and damn if his eyes aren't threatening to spill over. Jim looks positively beaming, so pleased with himself, "How'n the hell did you get her here?"

"Well, let's just say I had a loooong late night chat with a Miss Jocelyn. After a while I convinced her to see my way of thinking. It took some creative finagling, and maybe a threat or two, but you can see for yourself the result."

"Thank you."

Jim nods. McCoy turns back to his daughter, "Was the trip alright, sweetheart. Nothing went wrong on the shuttle did it?"

Joanna rolls her eyes, "It didn't blow up like you're always telling me it will. In fact, it was a blast! I love riding in the shuttles."

Jim snorts, Bones glares back at him, but then returns to his girl, "Joanna, I would like you to meet my friend and roommate, Jim Kirk."

Joanna glances up at Jim, she scans his whole body length, she nods, but still looks skeptical, "You'll do."

Jim raises an eyebrow, "I'll do for what?"

"For watching over my daddy when I'm not around." She leans in closer and tries to whisper, "He's gets into the worst of trouble, you know."

Jim throws back his head and laughs, "I do know, Miss Joanna." His eyes twinkle, "Thanks for your approval, I'll endeavor to watch over your father and keep him in line."

"You better, or I'll hunt you down and tie you up like a wild hog."

"Joanna!"McCoy stands up, "That's no way to treat a friend."

Jim waves it off, "Actually, I think I'm quite intimidated now. Bones, it looks like I'm going to be on McCoy watch for awhile. Now," he straightens up his shirt, "I've got to report to the police and visit Captain Pike as well as try to fix up that dumpy place we call our quarters, so you two run off and have some fun so that I can get some work done."

"Do my ears deceive me, or are you actually maturing before my very eyes?" Amusement flits through McCoy, he smirks at Jim.

Jim looks about ready to slug him, but glancs at the little girl clutching Bones' hand, "What are you talking about, Bones? I've always been like this."

McCoy scoffs but flicks a finger at Jim's forehead, "Well what are you waiting for, the Queen of England to come send you off?"

Jim grins and starts walking away, he shouts over his shoulder, "I told you you would like this girl, I always pick up the best blind dates for you!"

Leonard makes a noise and turns back to Joanna, "So what do you want to do today, darlin'?"'

Joanna starts jumping up and down squealing, "Let's go fishing! Let's go fishing!"

McCoy's laugh was deep and hearty, "Ok, ok. Let's go fishing!"

That's it! Look forward to my next update in three days. "A Doctor Walks into a Bar . . . Ouch!"