A/N: So I only got one feedback and I'm going with it. I'm trying to make it fit with the movie, but loosely. I'm not going to line replace. I hate that. So here's chapter six. Also, I've decided that Scotty McCreery's new album, "Clear As Day" goes perfectly with Bones and Lyndsey. Actually, I realized it after I listened to it today. Horray for preorder! In this chapter, you also get a glimpse of Hikaru and Pavel. So anyway, here's chapter six. Everyone belongs to his or her respective people.

Chapter 6

Tests and Douchebaggery

"I know when love is real

by the way my heart starts pounding

when I look into your eyes

I might look a little silly

Standing with my arms stretched open wide

I love you this big."

-I Love You This Big by Scotty McCreery

Today was the Kobayashi Maru test, and Lyndsey was shook awake. Her roommate, a training tactical chief, then dumped her on the floor and flipping over her mattress when she tried to bury back under them. She was on the floor a minute later, groaning. She didn't have class until oh six hundred, and those were her night labs.

"Lyndsey, wake up. You've got that test today."

She immediately sprang off the floor and ran to the bathroom to get ready. It was two fifty, and she was going to be late if she didn't hurry! She slipped on her uniform, put her hair in a messy bun, pulled on her boots as she ran out the door, and bolted. She'd have lunch later. Maybe she could get Len to go with her. As she rounded the corner, she slammed into someone, who caught her from the fall.

"Are you okay?"

It was an Asian man and a boy with curly brown hair and the sweetest looking blue eyes. She pushed herself up and smoothed her uniform. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for catching me." He nodded and stuck out his hand. "Hey, it's no problem. I'm Hikaru Sulu and this is Pavel Chekov."

She shook both their hands, grinning as Pavel blushed. "I'm Lyndsey Ambrosi. I'm sorry, I wish I could talk more, but I'm late for the Kobayashi Maru." Sulu grinned. "Well good luck, okay? That test is really impossible. I'll see you around, Miss Ambrosi." She waved. "Bye Hikaru! Bye Pavel!" She then turned and bolted toward the test bridge. On arriving, she realized she should've woken up early and eaten breakfast. This would definitely be an interesting and probably long test. She entered the bridge and took navigator's chair, smiling at Jim and Bones. With a blink of the screen the test began, everyone on the bridge at high alert.

"We are receiving a signal from the U.S.S Kobayashi Maru. The ship has lost power and is stranded. Starfleet has ordered us to rescue them."

Lyndsey kept her eyes on her panel, light blue eyes scanning and her mind calculating. She listened to everyone, making sure to hear orders.

"Starfleet Command has ordered us to rescue them…Captain."

She grinned as she saw Bones roll his eyes. "Two Klingon war birds decloaking and locking weapons on us."

"I understand."

"So do we, I don't know, fire back?"

Bones spoke with an amount of sarcasm in his voice. He was irritated, and she desperately wanted to soothe that anger in him. She had barely been able to sleep that last night, her mind repeating the moment she kissed him again and again. Or did he kiss her? Maybe it was mutual? After last night, she had been able to see the differences in her best friends.

Jim was lightning; quick, harsh, bright, but leaving a row of damage. He may be her best friend, but she knew him better than anyone. He was a lady killer, and could get absolutely anyone he wanted.

"No."

"Course not."

Lyndsey chuckled at the exchange, thinking of the man sitting next to her. Leonard was different. He was the summer storm. Len was the feeling of warmth you get when the warm air blew in and hit your face. He was the feeling of cool rain against your skin. Sure there was lightning and thunder, but the storm always caused minimal damage. Everything was refreshed after a storm.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when her panel flickered. Staring at the object in front of her, she tried a calculation. When the panel flickered back on, she looked over the controls with curiosity. What had just happened?

"Hm…" said Jim before he gave an order. "Arm photons, prepare to fire on the war birds."

Bones and Lyndsey turned around. She looked perplexed while the other looked incredulous. "Jim, their shields are still up."

"Are they?"

Leonard looked at his panel and Lyndsey checked hers as well. He spoke. "No. They're not…" He looked over at her and she nodded, confirming what he was saying. The rest of the time was spent making sure she had the equations right, so she barely heard the rest of what happened.

When the test finished, Jim made a whole little speech, but she was only concerned with a few details. How had Jim beat the test? She got up when they were dismissed, and Bones fell into step next to her; something that felt almost immeasurably right. They walked in a comfortable silence until he broke it with a question. "How did he beat that?" She shrugged. "I have absolutely no idea. Jim is smart, high aptitude and everything. There's a number of ways he could've done it."

They had walked outside and Lyndsey's eyes strayed a bit, and found a red head she knew well, leaning against a pillar and looking as lost as ever. She stopped. "I'm going to go talk to Gaila. I'll see you later."

"Alright. See you later darlin'."

They parted ways, as he made his way to his dorm and she over to her friend. She stood in front of her, locking eyes with the green skinned girl. "Hey, you look a million light years away. What's up?" The other girl sighed. "Something's wrong with me and Jim. Do you think he's using me or anything?"

She looked at her curiously. "No. Why's that?"

"I don't know. We were together and I told him that I thought I loved him. He said that was weird. And then at three, I opened a message and it said he was sorry." Lyndsey began to piece things together as her friend spoke. The test was at three. There was a weird systems failure at three. Gaila opened the letter at three. Jim was so sure of himself. She then pieced it together completely. "Jim used the message to change the test. There had to be a subroutine in the message." By then, Lyndsey was shaking with anger. Without saying a word, she turned around and stalked toward Jim and Len's dorm.

On arriving, she keyed in the guest comm number. "It's Lyndsey. Let me in. Now." She said angrily. The door opened and she walked in. The room was messy on one side and clean on the other. Obviously, she knew who was who. Bones was sitting a a desk. He looked up, surprised to see her. "Where is your douchebag roommate?" she asked, a growl in her voice.

"Um…"

Jim rounded the corner. "Hey Lynds!" he said, grinning. She immediately rounded on him like a wild animal and he backed up. "Oh. You're mad, aren't you?"

"Really douche? What made you think that? You're about to taste Italian fury!"

She lunged and Bones quickly grabbed her. "Lynds! What is going on?" he asked. She growled. "Your roommate is a cheating douchebag, that's what!" Bones turned her to look at him, his drawl surrounding her. "Darlin', please calm down."

She focused on his face, on his hazel eyes, her anger fading. Jim though, immediately took notice of everything. "I don't know why you're mad, but I would like to know what's going on here!"

Lyndsey tried to lunge again but Bones held her back. "Nothin's up Jim. Lyndsey, why don't ya go calm down, I'll talk to you later darlin'." She looked at him and his pleading eyes and nodded. "Okay. Okay." She turned around and walked outside, in a zombie like way before collapsing outside, under a tree on the lawn.

A fight had been exactly why she and Jim had parted ways seven years ago. She could feel hot tears running down her cheeks and she didn't bother to swipe them away. It seemed like forever before she heard someone approach and sit next to her.

"You've got a real fire darlin'."

She turned and gave a watery smile, wiping away her tears. He looked at her concerned while wrapping an arm around her shoulder and drawing her to him, putting her head on the crook of his neck. . "Oh Lyndsey." She closed her eyes and let his drawl wash over her as he spoke. "Darlin', no man, especially someone like Jim, is worth your tears. You deserve so much more." She relaxed into his embrace as he spoke again. "You're such a wonderful person. You love everyone, and that comes with a lot of hurt. You're so accepting of everyone and everything. If Jim can't see what's in front of him, he's dumber than I thought."

She sniffed. "When did you figure out I loved him?"

"You're probably the most obvious person in the world. I understand if you love him. He is your best friend, you've known each other longer. It's only natural." He could feel the sorrow in admitting what he knew had to be true. What she didn't see is that going Jim's way would only cause her pain, and he hated seeing her hurt. It was killing him now to even know she had been crying.

She knew what he was implying. He'd revealed his intentions when he'd kissed her, without even saying a word. In that simple movement, he had told her all she needed to know. She pulled away and reached over to caress his cheek in her hand. "Len…"

He leaned into her touch. "Darlin'." He murmured huskily as she pressed her lips to his. He reached up and undid her hair, smoothing it as it fell around her shoulders and tangling his hand in it. She ran a hand through his hair as they released each other and she stared into his hazel eyes. "Leonard, Jim isn't you. He isn't you."

She smiled as their lips met again.

A/N: Chapter six is up! Well you know what to do! Read and review, no flames please, and feedback is appreciated. I'm going by my lone reviewer who reviewed the last chapter. Lyndsey's ultimate choice is Bones.

-Rachel