The lack of direct sunlight caused the temperature to drop quite a bit from the blistering San Francisco heat that punctuated the earlier hours. Alice almost regretted not grabbing a jacket. Then again, she realized, Vulcan's volcanic surface may have spoiled me a little bit.

She was standing on the corner just outside the bar—her standard issue Starfleet uniform was abandoned for a navy blue tank top and white washed jeans—as she waited, prepared to say it was under the auspices of making sure that Leonard and Jim didn't get lost even though she had sent them the address and directions. Truthfully, though, Alice didn't want to face the crowded bar alone. Leonard and Jim proved to be good distractions from everything going on around her. Especially Jim.

Alice chuckled softly to herself. Jim certainly knew how to talk.

And he was anything but the man she expected him to be.

Her father would always get onto the topic of George Kirk and what Starfleet had lost with his death. It wasn't until about the second or third glass, that he would bring him up; but it was always the same thing: instinct, courage, valor, and leaping before looking. The picture it painted was the complete opposite of Jim Kirk. Jim was loud, obnoxious, a horrible flirt only because he never stopped flirting, and seemed to take very little serious. Remarkably put together for someone with that kind of birthday. Though, maybe he really was as strong of character as his father, even if the character was a bit different.

Doctor Leonard McCoy was just as confounding as Jim was as well. He was almost the complete opposite of what you'd expect from a doctor, making the uneasiness Alice felt around all doctors almost nonexistent. She felt at ease with him, even though he clearly made those around him—aside from Jim and herself—uneasy, or baffled at the very least, by his rough, bitter behavior. Rough around the edges because he cares too much and it breaks him, she recognized. The fact that she could relax at all around him was surprising to her, though, given that—

No! Alice began to massage her hands fiercely, wringing them together slightly as she got her breathing back under control. She quickly dropped her hands to her sides when she saw Leonard and Jim crossing the street to join her.

Tonight was a night to drink with new friends. Alice wasn't about to screw that up.

Jim was wearing the same leather jacket from the shuttle, though he had cleaned off the contents of the bar fight off of it, with a beige shirt underneath and faded blue jeans. Leonard was wearing a blue flannel shirt, unbuttoned with the sleeves rolled up, a black shirt underneath and dark jeans. Jim's normally messy hair was brushed, and Leonard's normally well-kempt hair was tussled slightly. It was the first time Alice had seen either them relaxed.

Once they were within earshot, Alice pushed herself off of the lamppost she had been leaning against, a smile tugging slightly at the corner of her lips. "Wow, I wouldn't have believed it, but you boys actually do clean up nice."

Jim looked at her with a playful mixture of hurt and betrayal, like a puppy that had been left behind at the house, his crystal blue eyes holding mischief that let her know he was joking. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well I've only seen either of you either beaten to a pulp," her harsh eyes meeting Jim's, "in drunken misery,' she turned her gaze to Leonard, "or sweating like dogs," which applied to both of them.

"You know I could counter that," Jim said wryly, "but I'm not really in the mood to get slapped."

"Smart man," Alice teased him before leading them both into the bar.

Unlike most, Joe's Bar only faintly smelled like vomit mixed with the strong aroma of alcohol; and it was much cleaner. The music wasn't nearly as loud or annoying, tending to have a classical vibe in its selection. And most importantly, there were no cadets in that God awful red uniform.

"Alice!" the bartender exclaimed as the three of them entered. "It's been forever!"

"It's been six months, Joe," Alice replied, her voice friendly if not a slight bit condescending. "Hardly, forever."

Jim looked over at Leonard. "So the owner's name is Joe," Alice heard him whisper. "Never would have seen that coming—" but he was cut off when Leonard jabbed him in the ribs with his elbow.

"I guess I just missed your smiling face," he teased. "Who are the guys escorting you?" Joe asked, motioning to them offhandedly while continuing to dry off a glass.

"Friends from the academy." Alice slid onto a barstool, propping her elbows on the counter, resting her head on her hands. Jim and Leonard followed suit. Jim on her right, Leonard on her left.

"So your father finally got you to enlist huh?" Joe set the glass he was cleaning down. "I imagine it's the usual for you then?"

"Make it two shots of vodka," Alice sighed, shaking her head. "It's been a long day."

Joe nodded, pulling out two shot glasses and pouring them for her before turning to Jim and Leonard.

"Bones here will have an old fashioned, to remind him of his youth," Jim said, an obnoxious grin plastered on his face.

"Old fashioned—" McCoy started before shooting Jim a murderous glare. "Dammit, Kirk, I'm 28, not a fucking dinosaur!" He turned to Joe. "Whiskey. You know what, make it a double. It's been a long day and I've had to put up with this asshole for most of it."

"Oh, come on, Bones," Jim laughed. "You know you love me." Then to Joe, "Bourbon, neat."

Alice chuckled softly, "All we need is a fourth named Tequila and we have all our bases covered." Beside her, Leonard chuckled. She rose the first of her shots but stayed herself from drinking it. "Is this the part where we make some profound toast?"

"It doesn't have to be profound, sweetheart," Bones said, raising his glass, inspecting the liquid that sloshed around slightly.

"Then here's to the best and worse decisions of our entire lives," Alice said with a soft smile.

"Ain't that the truth," Leonard grumbled, clinking his glass lightly against hers.

"I can drink to that," Jim agreed, following suit.

Alice downed the first shot in one quick swallow before quickly pounding the other one before either Jim or Leonard made it through half of theirs. And she ignored the raised eyebrow look of amusement from Leonard and the seemingly knowing smirk from Jim. "I'll take two more, Joe."

"Alright," Joe said, shaking his head as he grabbed the bottle. "First round was on me as a 'welcome back' gift, now the drinks are on you."

"Yeah, I know." Alice picked up her third and downed it swiftly. "Put it on my tab," she said through a wince.

Leonard had just finished his own. "I think I'm going to open up a tab as well."

"I second that motion. Can I get another?" Jim said, setting his glass down loudly. But a group of blonds and brunettes caught his attention. "Oh…" He followed them not so subtly, spinning like a child on the barstool. "On second thought, I'll hold off on that second drink for now." And then he was gone.

"Unbelievable," McCoy groaned before he grabbed Alice's fourth shot and downed it.

"Hey," Alice cried out in playful protest. "That was mine."

"Then let me buy you another one."

The intensity of his hazel eyes as they locked onto her own would have been enough to make her blush if she had actually managed to get to her fourth shot before Leonard had. And it wasn't just the eyes. That southern drawl of his was almost as intoxicating as the alcohol rushing through her system, already making her feel a little bubbly. And he had this half smirk on his face, taking off the rough edge he remained hardened with.

Alice leaned towards him just slightly. "I don't let anyone buy me a drink."

"She doesn't," Joe agreed, appearing almost out of thin air from his place behind the counter.

"Thanks, Joe," he said sarcastically. Then Leonard smiled at Alice, flipping the glass upside-down before setting it on the counter. "Then it looks like you're going to need to buy yourself another drink."

"Pro basketball?" Alice asked in disbelief, shaking her head. It was so much easier for her to smile, especially when her ebony hair fell chaotically around her and tickled her face. It was probably the most relaxed and carefree she had looked in been in months.

They had been in the bar for a little over an hour now. Several shots and drinks had made Leonard open up and smile nearly as much as Alice was. He had remained by her side at the counter, letting Joe refill his glass, while Jim had his arm slung around some blond, making her giggle almost every minute like clockwork. But Alice didn't mind.

"You wanted to be a pro basketball player?" She couldn't stop herself from laughing.

"Why is it everyone laughs when I tell them that?" Leonard asked, sipping casually from his beer.

"I think it's just hard to imagine is all," Alice smiled, tracing her finger lightly along the rim of her shot glass. "I mean you barely made it through that obstacle course."

Leonard frowned, though his slight smile remained. "You don't have to crawl under barbed wire or maneuver over six-foot walls in basketball."

The glacier blue of her eyes sparkled with light, "That would be awesome," she breathed before finally picking up shot number unknown and downing it. "I might actually be able to sit through a game without falling asleep before it even starts."

Leonard chuckled softly, taking a swig of his beer. "What about you? Didn't you want to be anything other than what you are?"

Normal. It was almost out of her mouth before she realized. But by sheer luck she managed to stop herself, the near slip sobering her up slightly even though her recent shot was still making her float.

She smiled to misdirect. "I don't know," she answered, shaking her head.

"Come on," Leonard said, disbelieving edge to his words. "There has to be something crazy or adorable you wanted to be 'when you grew up.'" He even added his own little quotations with his fingers.

Alice stared at the wall for a second, before chuckling softly. There hadn't really been anything until she was twelve, but she remembered what she wanted to be back when naiveté and innocence were novel concepts.

"Okay," Alice relented. "Let's make a bet out of it." Her eyes shimmered with mischief. "I'll let you buy me a drink. If it's a good one, and I like it, I'll tell you. If not…" she thought of a suitable punishment. "You pick up my tab the next time we're in here."

"You'll let me buy you a drink?" Leonard asked in complete bewilderment, propping himself on his elbows.

"Buy me a drink, Leonard?" Alice toned down the smile from drunken happy to friendly insistent as she gave him a puppy dog look that easily rivaled Jim's.

"Leon," he corrected her.

"You mean your nickname isn't Bones?" she said with feigned innocence.

He scoffed. "No."

She nudged him playfully with her hand. "Buy me a drink, Leon?"

Leonard had to look away from her radiant gaze before nodding. "Joe!" he hollered, his voice carrying over the noise from music and multitudes of conversation. It wasn't until the heavyset bartender made his way over that Alice caught a playful gleam in his hazel eyes. "What's her favorite drink?"

"Mai tai—"

"Joe!"

"What?" he asked, looking bewildered.

But Alice had turned her attention from Joe back to Leonard. "That's cheating!"

"You didn't say I couldn't," he laughed. "One mai tai for the lady, please. On my tab."

"Coming right up."

Leonard looked at her, a knowing smirk before downing the last of his beer. Alice scowled playfully. "I'll get you back for this," she vowed.

"I bet you will, sweetheart," he said. "But at least it will be after you tell me what you wanted to be before adult life smacked you with reality."

"Maybe you should have been a poet and basketball player with such colorful language."

"And maybe you should quit stalling," he teased, pointing to the freshly made drink Joe had just set on the counter.

Alice didn't break eye contact as she picked up her mai tai and took the longest drink in history from a hurricane glass before she slowly set it down. "I wanted to raise horses."

But Leonard McCoy didn't laugh. "Really?" he asked, genuine curiosity. "I didn't figure you the type."

"And you know this type, huh?"

"Yup," he answered. "Parents own a ranch in Georgia. Always had five or more out in the fields"

It was Alice's turn to be curious. "Really?"

"Mhm," Leonard hummed. But his tone made it obvious that he didn't want to talk about it anymore, and Alice knew better than to push for details that weren't freely given.

Their conversation may have trailed off, but there certainly wasn't any silence. Laughter, loud voices, and music still punctuated the atmosphere. Leonard ordered another beer, and Alice continued to work on the sweet drink that had been ordered for her when movement from the door caught her attention. A taller man with sandy blonde hair and brown eyes entered the bar. His gaze found Alice.

"Shit!" Alice hissed, pitching forward and letting her hair fall across her face as though it would hide her. It was a futile attempt, she knew that, but the foolish always cling to hope.

"Alice Khan," the man said, his booming voice locking her up. He came to stand beside her, slapping the counter as he did, causing her to jump. "I thought when you left for Vulcan, you were gone for good."

Alice did look up at him, instead, she leaned away from him, towards Leonard. "I guess you thought wrong, Jason," she answered quietly, finishing her drink her drink with rigid movements.

Jason laughed mockingly, taking a step towards her. It was as she shrank away that Leonard stood up.

"Is there a problem here?" He asked, hazel eyes with a threatening glow to them.

"And who are you, asshole?" Jason became defensive but didn't back off.

"Doctor Leonard McCoy of Starfleet," Leonard said strongly. "Is there a problem here?"

Jason looked Leonard up and down with a critical eye, a sneer permanently fixed on his face before he ignored his repeated question. "Is this southern hick my replacement?" He asked, anger coloring his words in red.

By now they had drawn the eyes from the people around them. The conversation grew quieter by those around them as they instead talked about what was happening. From across the room, Jim was untangling himself from the nameless girl wrapped around his neck.

Alice looked at him. "That's enough, Jason."

Jason shook his head in disbelief. "I'll let you know when it's enough," his eyes flickered to Leonard then back to her, "darlin'," he added, in a horribly mocking fake accent.

Leonard was there, though, coming in between Jason and Alice by shoving him backward, causing Jason to stumble as he collided with the barstool behind him. He straightened himself out quickly, drawing up to his full height, ready for a fight, but Leonard stopped him.

"Would you like to see how fast I can put you in a hospital?" It may have been worded as a question, but Leonard put his full weight behind the threat. Clenched fists and a firmly set jaw made Leonard look dangerous.

Jim came up from behind Jason. "Doctor's. They know how to put you together," He came to stand beside Alice as well, "and they're the best at taking people apart."

Jason's eyes flickered from Jim to Leonard before settling faintly on Alice. "Fine," he relented tensely, then his gaze focused on Leonard. "Word of advice, don't waste your time on this one. It's not like she's going to let you touch her anyway."

But Leonard didn't dignify Jason with a response, merely stared him down. Jason sneered before he finally took the hint.

"You alright?" Jim asked as soon as Jason had slammed the door behind him.

"I'm fine, Jim," Alice said, forcing a smile for him. "Go back to your antics."

Jim didn't believe her and hesitated in leaving. It was only the slight nod from Leonard, one that Alice seemed to miss, that finally got him to leave her alone about it.

Leonard returned to the barstool he had been sitting at before the intrusion into their night. "Can we get a couple of beers?" he asked as Joe walked by before turning his attention to Alice. "He your ex-boyfriend or something?"

Alice took a swig from the bottle Joe offered her. "Yup."

"Well then, it looks like we have one thing in common." Alice's flat questioning look made him continue. "Bad breakups that led to questionable decisions"

Alice scoffed. "I guess we do."

They both nursed their drinks in silence for a bit. The whole incident had been sobering for the both of them, though Leonard had sobered up slightly for Alice's benefit more so than anything.

"So how did you tow split up?" Leonard finally asked though he did so offhandedly as if he didn't really expect her to answer.

And Alice almost didn't. She didn't owe him an answer just because he and Jim had scared Jason off, and she didn't like to talk about it. But there was something in his voice other than curiosity and his normal gruff. It was the compassion that he buried underneath his rough stoicism.

"He gave me an ultimatum six months ago," she sighed before taking a large gulp of her beer. "And I made my choice."

"Did you see it coming?"

"Not when he made me choose, no," she admitted. "But now…I should have seen it coming from miles away." Alice turned towards him. "What about you?"

He didn't give an immediate response, hesitating to answer. "It was a touch and go surgery when a man in a suit approached me, clearly a lawyer since no one wears suits in a hospital. When he handed me the folder I thought malpractice suit, an order to appear in court, or a hundred other reasons he was there." He took a swig of beer. "I guess that was my problem," he sighed. "I didn't even think of my wife until I was told they were divorce papers." Leonard met her gentle gaze. "I was surprised then, but not now. I didn't give her the attention someone like her demands or deserves."

"Well, she didn't give you're the chance you deserved. She didn't think you were worth it, worth the effort to make it work." But Leonard only chuckled dryly. Alice paused for a moment. "Did you love her?"

"Did you love him?" he countered quickly.

Alice frowned slightly. "I did, but I always found myself thinking that I wasn't enough for him." She shrugged. "That he wanted something more than what I was giving him."

"He didn't deserve your love then, sweetheart."

"Right," she scoffed.

"I loved her," Leonard admitted. "A part of me still does, but something changed a little over a year ago. I think that's part of the reason she divorced me."

"What changed?" Alice asked tenderly.

Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was her kind nature, or maybe it was because she had answered his questions. "She found out that she couldn't have kids."

Alice swallowed hard. That's certainly awful. "Alright," she sighed, "you win."

"I win?"

"Yeah," she waved Joe over. "Your breakup was way more fucked up than mine."

Leonard laughed bitterly before shooting her a genuine smile. "I suppose it is."

"Two shots of Jack, straight up." Alice then rose her glass once they were poured. "To the drunken exes. May we never go through that bullshit again."

"Amen to that, sweetheart," Leonard said with a smirk, crashing his shot glass against Alice's.

~~.O.~~

So, I decided to embrace the whole "butterfly effect" route with the alternate reality caused by Spock Prime when it came to Leonard's wife since there's no mention of his daughter. If the Star Trek XIII mentions his daughter, then I guess it's AU time.

Anyway, let me what you think, and thank you for reading! :)