A/N:And here is chapter 7! Congratulations to the winner, Crysania Fay! But for those of you that didn't win, good news! Each chapter will be named in the same way. The first person to tell me the name of the chapter when I post it will have the same opportunity! There's plenty of the crew to go around. =] And thank you to all my loyal readers. You guys give me amazing ideas. =3

Nikimill: So close! It's not Liar (It takes two). It's Liar (It takes one to know one). =[

Passionfornight: xD I'm glad you like it. Bones is a good daddy for the most part. =]

Traptrogue6: Ah yes Bones. The way he dances around things is like a hippo walking. Anyways, I didn't necessarily say that about Jocelyn. ;)

Coastiewife465: That would be adorable! And perhaps this would be a good way to introduce some of the bridge characters. Always hisses for Bones. =3

JazzyClaws: So close!! D= All the question marks were mostly right except for number one. LOL I'm glad it did good things.

Crysania Fay: Good job! You win which we already talked about. xD

Banbi-V: I just couldn't resist Jo. How could I kill off poor Jim for more than a few seconds? D=

Jim turned around and cocked his head to the side. "What is it Bones?" Bones' grip was light on his arm but Jim still knew it would leave a bruise.

Bones floundered for a moment as he didn't think Jim would turn around. Jesus, the kid was like a puppy! Loyal and always there when called. "Uh… we need to start ASAP so I'm gonna go planet side for a few hours and bring Jo with me. We'll be back by supper and we'll start tomorrow."

Jim looked mildly confused for a second but nodded. "No rush Bones. We still got time on leave." Then something dinged and both turned to see Admiral Pike's face on the vid screen.

"No you don't Captain. You leave tomorrow." His weathered face looked serious.

"Something wrong Admiral?" Jim asked. If Pike wasn't calling him Jim, he wasn't going to call Pike Chris. That's how their system of informality worked.

"Yeah Jim, something is wrong. You have cancer or don't you remember?" The dry sarcasm had an edge to it this time. Something was dangerously wrong. Pike kept looking over at McCoy and back to Jim as if sending a signal. Jim got it loud and clear.

"Go Bones. Be back by dinner." Jim's voice was strained as well. If Pike was this riled, Jim should be too. Surprisingly without argument, Bones left.

"What is it Chris?"

"I have more than one piece of bad news Jim. Which do you want first, the bad or the really bad?"

"Well considering the way my day has been going, how about the really bad? Maybe the bad will make it seem less… bad." Jim sat down in front of the screen, a tense hand going over his face.

"I trust Joanna made it there safely?" Of course Pike knew.

"Uh… yeah? How is that really bad news?" Jim was confused.

"It's not. But the reason she's there is."

"Well yeah. Jocelyn left on a vacation with her new boyfriend and sent the princess here." Jim shrugged his shoulders. It wasn't like it hadn't happened before.

"No Jim, she didn't. Both Jocelyn and her family were killed while Joanna was at school."

Jim's jaw fell. "What?! How?! And why didn't princess tell us?" Jim's nickname for Joanna was catchy to him so it stayed.

"They were on their way to a gala in Louisiana. The shuttle crashed and killed them instantly. Joanna doesn't know. And before you ask, Joanna went to a boarding school. She wouldn't have been with them anyways." Pike sighed.

"Christ," something dawned on Jim, "Bones doesn't know does he?" he breathed.

"No Jim. And you need to tell him."

Jim spluttered. "I need to what?! Are you insane?! The man hit me for telling him the truth!"

"Kirk, you are the Captain of that ship! Act like it!" Pike barked. He hated it when rookies acted like kids.

"Sorry sir. What's the bad news?"

"You have a mission. New Vulcan is under attack again by the Klingons. Sarek has asked for our help."

"And I have to inform Spock as well. Wonderful. If you'll excuse me, Admiral, I need to go deliver more bad news than ever before today. Oh but before I go, anything else you'd like me to tell my crew? Is Uhura's pet cat dead? Sulu's sister pregnant? Oh I know! Chekov is being deported!" Jim had just about had it with bad news. He was done with it.

"Jim, I understand this is hard but it has to be done."

"Yeah yeah I got it. Wait a second, why didn't Joanna just stay with Bones' mom?"

"She's been dead for a year."

"You're kidding me." A year. Jim and Bones were never apart. Ever! Yet somehow he missed that one little detail.

Pike rolled his eyes. "McCoy never told you?"

Jim let his head fall to the table with a loud thunk. "Nope. Goodbye Admiral."

"Jim wait-" The button was pushed and Pike's face disappeared.

Jim left his head where it was for a few moments. He decided he would deal with the delivery later. For now, he went to get everything ready for Joanna.

From Uhura's room, Jim grabbed the extra pink bedding from her closet and took a little-girl sized hippo stuffed animal. From his own room, he took the small model of the U.S.S. Enterprise and one of his ancient children's books. From Bones' room, he took a duplicate of a picture of Jocelyn. With everything in arms, he walked to the bare room that was soon to be fit for a princess. As he flung the sheets into the air and let them settle gently on the mattress, he thought about the past and the future.

Why did it look like Bones was going to say something different? Jim had known the man long enough to know when something was up. That look Bones kept giving him… it was almost like Jim was far away and Bones was trying to reach him with his eyes but putting a wall in the way on purpose. Sort of like when a kid puts his hand up against the glass at a zoo. Was Jim a caged animal?

As the comforter settled down on top of the sheet, his thought path changed.

Bones didn't trust him. From what Pike had said, Bones hadn't trusted him in a year. He actually thought Jim knew Jo was coming aboard! And then there was the fight between Bones and Spock. Had all three people forgotten he had locked himself away or did they leave him there on purpose? Maybe they thought he needed the space. Why did Bones even bring up his boyfriend in the first place if things weren't going well? And the nerve of Pike! It was supposed to be Starfleet Command's job to inform members of deceased family, not him. God, how much will Bones wind up hating him?

Once Jim had everything done, he went back to his room and plopped onto the couch. He picked up a PADD and opened a window for research. He typed in Bones' mom and hit 'Search'.

"Samantha McCoy, loving wife and mother, died on March 22nd, 2258. She leaves behind her son Leonard McCoy and her granddaughter Joanna McCoy. Samantha died of natural causes at the age of seventy-four. She was a schoolteacher whose students will miss her."

The obituary went on to talk about the wake and funeral and Jim smacked his forehead against the defenseless piece of technology. Repeatedly.

His room door slid open with no notice and Spock stepped in.

"Captain, Doctor McCoy and Miss Joanna have returned. Would it not be prudent to eat our evening meal… Captain, why are you causing yourself repeated blunt force injury to your skull? It seems highly illogical." Spock cocked one of his impeccable eyebrows.

"I won't be joining you this evening Spock. Humans do this when frustrated. At least, some do." Kirk's voice dripped with misery.

"Captain, would it not be easier to air your frustrations than to disturb a harmless piece of Federation equipment?"

"No Spock. It wouldn't."

"If I may Captain, what is the cause of your distress?"

Jim looked at the Vulcan like he had grown another head. Did no one listen to him these days?

"I just received several pieces of bad news. None of which I want to deal with."

"Perhaps I could be of assistance?" Spock had a good heart when he wanted to but he couldn't help this time and Jim told him as much.

"Not this time Spock. But if you see Bones on the warpath, that would be my fault again." Put another tally on the wall for Jim pissing Bones off in record time folks!

"What have you done to offend Doctor McCoy?"

"Me? Nothing! Why does everyone assume it's me?" He looked up at the pointy-eared logistical expert defensively. Spock just made his eyebrow higher. "Right. Well this time it won't be me. I'll be the messenger. Hey, I have a question for you. Were you aware the Bones' mom died?" Jim would be damned if he was the only one who didn't know.

Spock tilted his head to one side. "No I was not. When did this occur?"

"You'll never guess in a million years."

"Of course not. That would be physically impossible."

Jim rolled his eyes. "She died on my birthday last year."

Spock blinked. And blinked again. "That is… unfortunate. You did not know this either I presume?"

"Nope."

"I see. Well I suggest that we go to the kitchen for our meal before the Doctor takes it upon himself to come find you."

Again with the listening thing! "Spock, I said I am not going. And Doctor McCoy will be in my quarters for a while I suspect."

"Captain, you need a meal."

"And I'll get one from the replicator." As a dismissal, Jim picked up the PADD he had discarded and opened a text window.

Kirk: Doctor McCoy, I need to see you in my quarters.

McCoy: Kid? What's up with the formality?

Kirk: Just come here Bones.

Jim closed the window and Spock stared at him, calculating. "Commander Spock, do I need to order you out of here?" Said Vulcan merely shook his head.

"I apologize for my intrusion Captain. Good evening." Spock turned and nearly bumped headfirst into Bones. "Doctor." Spock acknowledged and left.

"Bones, how in the Hell do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Wind up here in like thirty seconds after I call you?"

"Usually I'm already on my way here. Now what's up? Other than the fact that you look like Hell. Really Jim, do you sleep?"

"Not much. Computer, close and lock door." The door slid closed with a hiss. "Sit down Bones." Jim said as he stood up. Bones took his spot.

"Kid?"

"I have no idea how… Joanna doesn't… Ah Hell!" Jim threw his arms up in the air. He had no idea what he was doing! He knew Bones still had a special place for his ex. What was he supposed to do?

"Jim, I'm not in the mood. Spit it out." McCoy was getting more and more nervous. If Jim was flustered, something was seriously wrong. Man the world was fucked up recently!

Jim straightened up and put his Captain face on. "Doctor McCoy, it is my deepest regret to inform you that your ex-wife, Miss Jocelyn Darnell and her family have all passed on."

Bones' jaw hit the ground. Then he jumped to his feet and had Jim's shirt in his fists. "Jim, that isn't funny."

Jim shook his head and broke Bones' grip. "It's not a joke. Since you don't believe me, I can show you the vid from Pike."

"No… just… how?" Bones sat down heavily once again.

"They were on their way to a charity event and their shuttle crashed." If Jim could have, he would have bashed his head against the wall for all the grief he was feeling.

"But Jo…" The usually gruff voice was nothing more than a whisper of shock.

"Was in a boarding school. Starfleet told her the story she told us so that she wouldn't be upset."

"Oh… I just… I can't…" Bones could feel the tears in his eyes but he refused to let them fall. He would be the strong one damnit! To prove his point to himself, he reached out and punched the wall again.

"Bones! That's enough!" Jim snapped. That seemed to bring Bones out of it.

"What do you mean 'that's enough'?! My ex-wife is dead 'nd her parents too! Jo's got only me now 'nd all I got's her! 'Course you had to be the person to tell me. What, Command ain't had enough of its own fuckups so they pass 'em to the fuck up?" Bones was yelling now.

Jim couldn't take this anymore. "Doctor McCoy I said that was enough! Unless you want to see nothing but three walls and a force field for the next three days, I suggest you shut up!" Bones shut up. "I will not have selfish, rude behavior on my ship. You will be allowed leeway for grieving but my courtesy will only extend so far! You're my best friend Bones but you've been being an ass for no reason."

"Yeah well best friends don't lie to each other!" Bones broke his own silence.

Jim made his next statement quietly. "I wasn't lying. But last I checked, best friends do tell each other when major things happen. That includes when their mother dies."

"On your birthday too. Computer! Unlock door!" Acid tinted Bones' voice ugly.

"I'm well aware of that. Admiral Pike informed me of it. But before you go and blame that on me too, remember who you're talking to. She died of old age. Not because of me."

Bones was confused for a second. Had Jim just stood up to him? Then he realized how much of an ass he was being. Calling Jim a fuckup and hitting him and yelling… it crossed boundaries. He sat there dumbstruck for a moment, watching Jim take deep breaths of air.

"Oh my God Jim… I am so sorry… I just got carried away with the stress of everything…" Bones was sincerely sorry. Jim sighed and sat next to him.

"I know. And I understand that I'm the scapegoat for your anger and I don't mind as long as you don't take it too far."

Bones wiped his face and took a shaky breath in. "God Jim she was my wife…"

Leonard McCoy cried for the first time since his baby girl was born. And Jim Kirk was there to comfort him.

There was another pneumatic hiss and the door opened. Hadn't Jim locked… oh right! Bones opened it during their fight!

Joanna McCoy stood in the doorway with a harried looking Ensign Crysania Fay behind her.

"Daddy?"

"Captain!"

The ship rocked under what was presumably a blast.

Shit.


A/N: And that was the next chapter! Don't forget about the contest people! Crysania Fay's character will be showing up more in the next chapter. This one broke my heart! And I just love writing how Spock talks. xD

-Bunny