"There are secrets in all families."

– Jane Austen, Emma –

"He's met her."

Leonard looked up from his paperwork, meeting his husband's troubled grey eyes. Chris didn't look happy at all.

"Who has?" But he already knew the answer.

"Jim did know Carol Marcus. Spock just confirmed it."

"And I suppose that's 'know' in the biblical sense," Leonard muttered.

"I am afraid so."

"Damn. Doesn't mean the kid is his, though."

"No, but it's starting to look more and more likely." Chris sighed and settled down in the chair across from him. Leonard watched him, thinking that he'd make Jim pay dearly for adding new creases and wrinkles to that beloved face.

"Tell me again why we're even bothering with that screwed up kid…?" He said with a wry smile.

"I don't know," Chris replied, brushing a hand trough his silvery hair. "Maybe because no one else does. Except Spock, that is. You know, I'm starting to believe you're right."

"About Spock and Jim? Told you so."

"I don't think he knows, though."

Leonard raised his brows. "It's quite obvious. But then, if I were Spock, I'd probably be in denial, too. It's just too disconcerting to admit that you're in love with your captain, who just happens to be a complete idiot sometimes."

"More disconcerting than admitting that you're in love with your doctor?" Chris asked with a little smile playing around the edges of his mouth.

"You never actually admitted that until I wasn't your doctor anymore and Jim forced you to do so by pretending I had died."

"I'm very glad I did, though," Chris replied quietly, tenderness clearly audible in his voice.

"Yeah, me too. I doubt Spock would be happy, though. You didn't tell him about the child, did you?"

"It didn't seem fair to leave him in the dark. He won't tell Jim."

"That would be a bit weird, wouldn't it? Telling the guy you're in love with that his father suspects him of having an illegitimate child running around the galaxy. By the way – the thought just occurred to me – how do we know that there's only one?"

"Don't meet trouble halfway, Leonard!" Chris couldn't keep the shock from his voice.

Leonard chuckled.

"It's not funny!"

"You should see your face. And before you ask – yes, I did give Jimmy-boy the safer sex lecture. Several times actually."

"You think it worked?"

"Hell, no. But anyway, I doubt that there's more than one miniature copy of Jim running around. Most mothers wouldn't deny their children the knowledge of who their father is. Especially, when said father happens to be a Starfleet hero and very well able to pay child support."

"You've got a point there." Chris sighed. "But one child is enough already. I fear there's no way around meeting Carol Marcus in person and asking her about the boy."

"Has Peace gotten back to you yet?"

Chris nodded grimly. "Yes. She says that Carol Marcus has left the station."

While her father and step-father were worrying about a little boy who might or might not have been her nephew, Joana McCoy was spending the day at her 'aunt' Laurel's house and enjoying herself enormously.

Laurel and her husband Balder had three daughters; Malin, who was nineteen, Elva who was almost seventeen and eight-year old Freya. Joana was friends with all three of them, even though she liked Elva best. Right now, she, Elva and Freya were sitting on Elva's bet, chatting and giggling.

"So Malin is really seeing Laurie? As in dating her?" Joana asked.

"Yep," Freya replied. "I saw them. They were out in the garden, hiding behind the hedge and kissing."

"Uh, no way!"

"It's true," Elva confirmed her little sister's statement. "They really are in love with each other."

"Do your parents know?"

Freya shook her head emphatically, one of her ponytails hitting Elva in the face.

"Ouch! Be careful!"

"You think they'd mind?" Joana asked.

"No. Malin is old enough to have a girlfriend, even Dad would agree to that. I don't know about Laurie's parents, though. Admiral Reed is pretty strict. I think he wants her to concentrate on her studies, rather than stay out late with Malin."

"She's of age, though, isn't she? She can do what she wants."

"Yes, but she cares about her father. She wouldn't want him to get upset. She's a really nice girl, I met her two weeks ago, when we went out with her and Malin to have ice cream."

"She's all serious, though," Freya cut in. "She never jokes or laughs out loud."

"Some people are that way, Freya," Elva said seriously, "she's still nice, though."

"I'm hoooome!" Joana shouted, as soon as she had entered the house. The door banged shut behind her.

"Yes, we all noticed that," Chris replied dryly as he emerged from the kitchen, still holding half a tomato in his left hand.

Joana threw herself at him, hugging him. He briefly put his free arm around her.

"Did you have a good time at Laurel's?"

Joana nodded, following him into the kitchen, where he put down the tomato.

"Did you know that Malin has a girlfriend?" She blurted out.

"No, I didn't. And I bet you weren't supposed to tell me either." He winked at her.

Joana pulled a face. "I don't see why it should be kept a secret. I mean, it's nice, isn't it? It'll probably make Malin very happy, so we should all be happy for her."

"You're probably right, but maybe Malin just doesn't want everybody to know yet. Do I know the girl?"

"Yes. It's Laurie."

"Laurie Reed? Well now, that's a surprise. She's a nice enough girl, though. And very pretty."

"Elva said that, too. Well, not that she was pretty, but the being-nice-part." Joana paused for a moment, watching Chris cut tomatoes into very accurate slices. "What do girls do when they're together?" She then asked thoughtfully.

Chris shrugged. "Why are you asking me that, I'm not a girl. You tell me what you do with your friends. I suppose, there's a lot of giggling involved in whatever it is, though."

"No, I don't mean with friends. I mean, when they are dating."

"Probably what everybody else does – they meet and spend time together."

"You're deliberately evading my question, aren't you?"

Chris turned around to face her, threatening her with his knife. "And you are too smart for your own good, princess. But yes, I am evading your question."

"Why?"

"Because you are thirteen years old and Leonard already gave you the birds and bees talk. Other than that, there's nothing you need to know for now. Besides, I really am the wrong person to ask, since I've never dated a girl myself."

"Not even when you were a boy?"

"Not even then, no. My suggestion would be to ask Laurie and Malin, if you're really that interested. But you should be prepared to run very fast, because they might not appreciate your curiosity."

"I've got a better idea – I'll ask Dad. He's a doctor, he should know." Joana was beaming up at him.

Chris laughed. "You do that. I'd love to see his face."

"Did you put her up to this?" Leonard asked accusingly, when he entered their bedroom that night.

Chris looked up from his book, blinking innocently. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yeah you do! I've just had the most embarrassing conversation of my life with my daughter!"

"Ah. So she did ask you."

"You bet. It was horrible."

"She's curious, Leonard."

"She's thirteen. What was I supposed to say?"

"I'm sure you found the right words," Chris replied, barely able to contain his laughter now.

"I tried. But you know Joana; she isn't satisfied with general explanations. She wanted specifics. I'm fine with giving my daughter an anatomy lesson, but I'm not fine with going into vivid detail on lesbian sexual activities."

Chris gave up and positively doubled over with laughter.

"You think that's funny?" Leonard growled.

"I think it's hilarious."

"Well think again," Leonard replied, pouncing on him. The resulting struggle sent Chris' book sailing to the floor, where it remained, temporarily forgotten.

"I hate you," Leonard panted, staring down at Chris, who was trying to wriggle out from underneath him.

"Liar," Chris chuckled, before reaching up to burry a hand in Leonard's dark hair and pulling him down for a deep kiss.