A/N: Welcome to the next chapter!

Coastiewife465: Always have to keep you on your toes. =] You'll get to see their reactions soon I promise. I thought it would be something Spock would do considering what happened when Jim pissed him off.

Banbi-V: LOL NOO DON'T DIE! I NEED YOUR REVIEWS! xD

Lady Lupindawn: I love Joanna. =3 I think you'll like how this chapter ends. ;]

Traptrogue6: Oh don't worry, she will. =]

JazzyClaws: You'll see. Thanks for the review. =]

CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT IN BOTTOM A/N! Please look. =]

"Joanna baby, what are you doin' here?" McCoy was ecstatic. He hadn't seen his baby since Christmas.

"Momma said I could come live with you daddy! Her new guy friend took her to a faraway place! I wish I could have gone with them but I get to be with you instead!" The bubbly child's mood went from happy to crestfallen and back to happy in a matter of seconds.

McCoy smiled and hugged his daughter, easily cloaking his anger. "Did she now? That's great baby!" McCoy shot Jim a look that clearly said 'I'll handle this. ' Jim answered with his own look of 'we'll talk about it later.'

Joanna peered at Jim and the others. "How come everyone's faces are all colored up?" Her daddy looked at a loss for words. Jim answered for him.

"Well little one, that's because we didn't behave. Do you know what happens when you don't behave on a star ship?" Joanna shook her head, curls bouncing. "Well, you don't get dessert." Jim smiled at the six year-old.

Joanna gasped. "You mean daddy and you and Mr. Vulcan won't get dessert?" Jim nodded. Joanna looked at her daddy sadly."Don't worry daddy. I'll share with you." McCoy and Jim chuckled. Then something dawned on the new arrival. "Daddy, who's the captain? I bet he's mean like all the other captains."

Jim looked affronted. "I am not mean!"Joanna startled and Jim held out his hand."Captain Jim Kirk, Miss Joanna McCoy. Welcome to my ship." For the first time in two days, the smile Jim flashed was totally genuine.

Joanna's eyes widened and she looked distinctly owlish with her big brown eyes. She blushed and held her smaller hand out, shaking Jim's hand. "Sorry Captain Jim." Bones rolled his eyes. Jim loved being called captain. Joanna just created a monster. Jim beamed even wider. "That's okay. Now how about you go with Mr. Vulcan and Lieutenant Uhura to take a tour of the ship? That way me and your daddy can get everything ready for you. Sound okay?" Spock didn't bristle at the name. Jim would have to remember that.

At Joanna's nod Bones put his daughter down. Jim gave a nod to his first officer and Uhura. Uhura stood and took Jo's hand in her own. "Come on sweetie." She and Spock left with Joanna in between them. It was kind of cute.

"They'll make good parents someday," Jim commented after they had left. Bones sighed. "What?" Jim asked.

"What am I gonna do kid? She can't stay here. Enterprise is no place for a kid." Jim looked at his CMO like he had lost his mind.

"What do you mean she can't stay here? Where else is she supposed to go? I'm Captain. It's ultimately my decision anyways. It's not like Jocelyn is going to come back for her. Do you see a problem with it?"

Bones did, in fact see a problem with it. He hated space more than anyone alive. Why would he want his only little girl to grow up there. "Jim I have a huge problem with it! Space is not a place for a little girl! She's only six! What about school? What about friends? A mother figure!" Bones looked to his Captain imploringly. Just this once he wanted Jim to agree with him. "What about a father figure too! I can't be CMO and her dad at the same time!" Boy was he freaking out. All the shirt from the past week was finally catching up to him with a vengeance.

Jim looked Bones dead in the eyes. The last thing he needed was for his anchor to be reeled in. "Bones, calm down. Joanna will be fine. I grew up without parents and I'm relatively fine. She doesn't have an abusive step dad in her way like I did. As for school, she's on a freaking star ship! With the world's number two genius as Captain no less. As far as other family goes, she has the crew! Chekov is seventeen. Perfect age for a big brother. you know he'll protect her like his own sister. Uhura is an aunt,sister and mom all in one! And when she's not being a mom, Chapel is. Scotty's the fun uncle, Sulu's another brother and Spock is perfect for the role of surrogate father. Then there's me."

Bones looked at Jim skeptically. Jim was definitely not the poster child for family."Yeah Jim. You're relatively fine, nightmares and all." It was a low blow and Bones knew it. But damnit this was his daughter they were talking about!"Where's she gonna sleep? What happens if the ship is going down? Huh? What happens then?"

Jim was suddenly very glad that he'd had practice with hiding hurt when he felt it. "I told you Bones, she doesn't have my stepfather. There's an empty room four down from you. If the ship goes down then I will make sure she knows how to pilot a shuttle and that there is always one available for her." Jim had planned for this eventuality already. Given Jocelyn's nature, it was inevitable. He really was hurt by Bones's statement. The young Captain knew his friend was stressed but that excuse can only go so far.

Bones was stunned momentarily. Jim was never much of a planner but it seemed as though he had planed this out arte well. Too well it seemed. "Somethin' you wanna tell me kid? Seems like you got it all figured out 'nd she only just got here. Did you know she was coming?" McCoy was fighting between tired, angry and suspicious.

Jim could see the balance tipping dangerously. Time to stop an explosion on board. "No Bones I didn't know she was coming. You think I woulda kept that from you? I always have a backup plan. You know that. I've been thinking that it'd be cool for her to come visit you for a while. Knew you'd protest. "Jim shrugged noncommittally. "Not that big a surprise really. Now relax and go find Joanna. I'll get her room ready. Don't have much for little girls but I'm sure I can manage. Uhura has pink stuff and stuffed animals. I'm sure she'd share."

At the mention of Jim fixing up Joanna's room, Bones looked up. "Jim you shouldn't do that. You should save your strength. 's dangerous if you break a bone too." It was only now that Bones realized that Jim hadn't gotten a lick of rest in a few days. He instantly felt guilty. He knew Jim had nightmares but he hadn't even tried to give him medication to help him sleep. He had never in the past but that was because he was always sleeping in the same room as Jim which... holy Hell! Jim couldn't even sleep without Bones! Could he nave been... nah. Bones pushed the thought aside as quickly as it had formed.

Jim rolled his baby blues. "Bones, I'll be fine. its not like I'm made of glass. Go before I make that an order. "Using that as a dismissal, Jim picked up his PADD and tapped on it with the stylus, opening the text window from earlier. He knew Uhura had her PADD because she never went anywhere without it.

Krik: Uhura, we need to borrow some of your pink bedding for the princess. Maybe a stuffed animal or two?

Uhura: That's fine. We're in engineering now so go ahead. And Kirk... touch ANYTHING other than the bedding or the stuffed animals and I will castrate you.

Kirk: You wound my honor!

Uhura: Shut up.

Kirk: Shut up... Captain.

Uhura: Kirk! You are soo lucky there's a little kid on board now.

Kirk: Yeah yeah yeah I got it. Kirk out.

Kirk found himself too tired to argue and Bones was still standing there. "Bones? Is there a reason you're still here? Don't get me wrong I love your company but you have other..." Jim's voice trailed off as he felt warmth trickling down his nose. He put a tentative hand up and it came away with blood. "Ah. Just a little nosebleed. Nothing too bad." Jim grabbed a nearby tissue. "Anyways, go. They're in engineering."

"Jim that's a symptom of the Leukemia. We need to start soon. I'll have to go to the hospital nearby to cash in a few favors for the meds. I'll take Jo with me and get her a few toys and such." Bones ran a hand over his face again. This was getting worse and worse by the day.

Jim seemed lost in thought. Bones waved a hand in his face. "Huh? Oh yeah go ahead. Oh I had an idea Bones. You remember how you were worried about Joanna not having a father figure? Why not bring your boyfriend too? That way she's always got someone."

Bones looked pissed. Jim took an involuntary step backwards and Bones cursed himself. It wasn't Jim he was mad at. It was himself! He'd been nothing but an ass for days. He had lied to Jim and now that Jim was trying to help and hide his own hurt, Bones was taking it out on him.

"Sorry kid. Not mad at you. Just that things ain't been so good with me 'n him." Boy did Bones's southern come out when he was angry and tired.

"Oh okay. Sorry for bringing it up then." Jim shrugged again and made for the door. "Need to get Joanna's room ready." His face was oddly void of emotion, even with having a tissue shoved up his nose.

Bones grabbed his arm. "Jim wait..."

A/N: And voila! Chapter 6. OH and I have an announcement! In case some of you haven't noticed, each chapter is the name or line of a song. The person who can tell me the name of each chapter so far gets to name an Ensign and pick the sub pairing they want to see more of. This can be Spock/Uhura, Sulu/Chekov, anything! Good luck. =D

Hint:

1 - Line and Title (Easy)

2 - Line (Hard)

3 - Line (Easy)

4 - Title (Super Easy)

5 - Title (Medium)

6 - Line (Medium/Hard)

-Bunny