CH 2 – Day Dream

Note: Alright guys so I've got a bit of writers block going on, even though I'm only on chapter two. Tell me who you'd like to show up and I can try to fit them in. Thank you for the review as well, I do enjoy reading them. They also give me some drive to keep writing. I hope you don't mind me adding in my own characters, also, if any of you couldn't notice this is an AU, apologies for not specifying. Sorry for the odd chapter and lack of the flashbacks, as of now I'm building it up until he's on the enterprise, then I'm going to start changing things here and there. Also, it should be noted that Jim's year in the movie more or less corresponds with his years in college. Three, so he can be considered a Junior for his major and all that jazz. If I'm wrong with any of these details please do point it out to me, yadda yadda yadda. Enjoy the second chapter.

Warnings for the chapter: Spoilers for Star Trek (2009)

3 Days after the Park Incident:

Saying Jim hated college and his majors/minors could be considered an understatement. He was a Statistics major with a minor in Computer Sciences. What kinds of job do those two combined equal up to, you ask? Well, he could get a job at a bank, or an engineering firm, or maybe join the US. Navy. Wow, that sounded like a blast, huh?

No, no it did not. Not in his mind at least, if you have the patience for any of that more power to you, but it wasn't for him. But he at least had a reason for picking his major as Statistics; he was good at math. It was as simple as that in all honesty. He picked something he was good at, something that would be easy enough for him to pass with good grades and minimal effort. Yeah, and then he went to the University of Washington, the school with hardly any night life. Of course there was a movie theatre and stuff, but unless you were in a Fraternity, there was almost nothing. Hoping for a party was like calling out a tiny room and hoping for an echo.

You get absolutely nothing. And that's what the night life scene was like at the University of Washington. Now, of course you could go and make your own party, but would it really be worth all that effort?

At this point, Jim was pretty close to saying yes, it was worth it. But then again, a party would cost money and he was the epitome of a broke college student. He needed to study. Study. St—Sleep. Even though the words of his text book were swimming in front of his eyes, he was going to try and stay awake, he knew he needed to study. But it wasn't long before he wasn't no longer sure exactly how long he'd been staring at the same page, but if he had to make a wild guess he'd pin it around 7 or 8 minutes. Alright, time to pay attention. Stay awake. Read the page. Flip the page. It was a simple process.

Except he knew he was doing it again except wasn't this time he wasn't even reading the damn page, but he couldn't help it. The book was just so boring and he was getting tired. . . . Ugh, for fucks sake, why did he choose to be a statistics major? Out of anything he could have picked he thought for a few minutes and said, 'hm, I bet majoring in statistics would be fun. Sounds like a real party. Let's also go to a school notorious for having kids that don't know how to have a social life. Yes. Wonderful idea Jim, you will fit in perfectly there.'

Ding ding— What the hell? He blinked a few times, trying to clear his thoughts to register what made that dinging noise but even without thinking about what a stupid choice he'd made 3 years ago, he couldn't pinpoint where he'd heard the noise.

It wasn't but a few seconds later that he was out of it without even knowing it, still staring at the book again, unaware that he was even zoning out this time.

"This session has been called to resolve a troubling matter. Jim T. Kirk, please step forward. Cadet Kirk, evidence has been submitted to this council that you violated the ethical code of conduct that –," some old black guy was talking.

Upon hearing his name Jim stood (actually they called him up by James, anyway), glancing over at McCoy who gave him a look of half confusion, half 'I told you this was going to be bad'. Clearing his throat he headed towards the podium that stood in front of the elders or whatever.

"—Is there anything you wish to say before we begin?"

Glancing behind him, back at McCoy, he paused before turning his attention back to the council. "Yes, I believe I have the right to face my accuser directly?" He asked, directed towards the man he'd been speaking to.

Near the front, a man dressed in all black stood, adjusted his shirt (wow, look at that priss), then stepped forward—one he recognized from the simulator, he'd been a judge or something.

"–This is commander Spock, he is one of our most distinguished graduates, he's programmed the Kobayashi Maru exam for the last four years." He took note of the incredibly peeved look he received from the Commander as he took his place next to his own little podium thing. Seeing as they made direct eye-contact and the second look he gave him more or less stated 'I will tear out your organs with my teeth, I'm better than you', Jim was starting to get a sinking feeling that he was about to get more than just a slap on the wrist. This was most likely showing through his posture and attitude as well because the looks everyone was giving him weren't all that pleased. Well, okay. Some were in awe because he had to have been pretty damn smart to have messed with that test and all, and then a few were because, yeah, he was pretty damn hot.

"Commander?" Admiral James Konmark, the same man from before, asked, obviously asking for Spock the almighty asshat to speak.

"Cadet Kirk, you somehow managed to install and active a subroutine program in the code and thereby changing the conditions of the test." He said shortly, swaying slightly with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Hey! Earth to space Cadet! You in there?" Chanders asked, leaning over him with a semi-concerned look on his face.

It took him a moment, but Jim blinked a few times, trying to make his eyes stop burning, before he nodded and rubbed a hand over his eyes and face. "Huh? Yeah, yeah. I'm fine, whatever. What's going on?" He added, noticing that his voice sounded muddled with sleep. Which was odd, because he couldn't remember going to sleep any time recently.

"You've just been staring at that same page in your book for like . . . ten minutes now. You didn't even say hey when I came in." Chanders slid the book out from under him and towards himself. "Maybe a break would do you a bit of good. You wanna go get something to eat or just . . . Go for a walk or something?" He asked, closing the book.

Jim rolled onto his back and shook his head, his eyes were still burning and he had this feeling of guilt and a bit of anger running through him. What the hell?—Yes, he could still remember the dream and all, but all of it just felt way too realistic. Realistic enough that it left him with the same emotions he'd felt in the dream.

That, he supposed, was normal enough, when you woke up from a nightmare the feeling of fear was still there, but it would go away. Jim just felt angry and guilty at the same time, like he'd actually done something or someone wrong. It was just confusing him now.

"I—Nah, thanks for offering though." He finally replied, uncovering an eye with his hand and regretting it immediately.
"You sure? I'm about to head out with a few buddies of mine, we're going on a beer run so it wouldn't be any problem, ya know." Chanders said, tossing his book onto the edge of his bed and turning back towards his side of the room.

Beer run, huh? That actually caught Jim's interest just a bit. Forcing himself to sit up he uncovered his other eye and blinked away the tears that were welling up in both of them. Jesus, you'd think he hadn't blinked that whole time he'd been staring at the book. "Beer run for. . ? Just to get beer or is there finally going to be a party this semester?" He asked, staring at his roommates back.

"Uhh. . ." Chanders paused for a long few seconds before sighing and turning around, "Yeah, there's a party. But—Dammit, I wasn't supposed to let it slip or anything-."

Jim interrupted, "Yeah, yeah, but can I come? I'll leave after a few drinks and shit, but please? I know I'm not in the Frats like you are, Greek life isn't my scene or whatever, but can I?" He half begged, putting on his best puppy eyes. Which. . Didn't work so well on guys but whatever.

After what seemed an age, Chanders sagged, sighed, and nodded. "Yeah, I'll bring you as my guest or whatever, but they're going to ask you to pledge just so you know. Say you're with the Fijis and you'll get left alone I guess, but keep in mind, we're a big fraternity, there's a lot of us and someone's going to probably notice that you aren't with us. Just—," he sighed and ran a hand through his black hair, "Stick with me as best you can, mate."

As much as he could tell Merrill didn't want him going to coming with him to the party, he was going to ignore it. He hadn't been to an actual planned party for the whole semester (which was nearly half finished, mind you) and the fact that he hadn't drunk himself into a coma while at college in his Junior year yet was more important than ruining poor Merrill's fun. Also, there was a pretty good chance there'd be sorority girls there too.

So much better than studying.