20 minutes later, the flustered Doctor had accepted J.T's form and discharged him from the hospital after Pike had assured the medical officer that J.T would be staying at his house for the time being.

The pair walked out of the hospital together, J.T resembling a magnet as he stuck to Pike's side. His eyes constantly darted around the crowded hallways as strangers and medical personnel stared at his scars and Pike's uniform.

Eventually, they made it outside and Pike led J.T to his car that he'd parked nearby. Pike headed for the driver's side and J.T wordlessly headed for the opposite side of the car. As the pair entered the vehicle, the interior lights switched on and the car's power cells activated. Pike maneuvered the vehicle onto the main road and soon they were surrounded by traffic.

'So, have you decided what you want to go by?' Pike asked, checking the console navigation screen briefly before switching his eyes back to the road.

J.T twisted his head and looked at Pike with suspicious, calculating eyes.

'J.T of course, why? You going back on your word lieutenant?' he asked warily.

Pike sighed. Dammit. J.T hardly addressed him by his rank - doing so suggested that the kid was less open to him. Pike had to watch what he said and did - J.T was an expert reader at his body movements and facial expressions.

'No, I'm not going to go back on my word because you'll make the decision yourself. I don't want anyone to know who you really are either but I also don't want you receiving an overwhelming amount of publicity,' Pike twitched the steering yoke and the car turned into the next lane.

'Then call me J.T'.

'The media will pay you more attention if you go by your pseudonym'.

J.T quirked his eyebrow up in a questioning look, suspicion replaced by curiosity.

'I find that hard to believe. Who would give a scrawny survivor a second glance compared to the son of a decorated hero?'

'How about the son of a decorated hero from years ago compared to the well-known savior of a group of younger children only months ago?'

J.T scrunched up his face as he considered Pike's statement.

'When did they find out?'

'About a week before you went earthside'.

'What will happen to my records then?'

'Only myself and a handful of other people have been given access… Although I imagine you'll hack yourself out of existence either way,' Pike finished ruefully.

J.T threw a curious expression in Pike's direction and the lieutenant rolled his eyes at the younger boy.

'Yes, I know about you're activities – Starfleet medical has no clue, though'.

J.T smiled mischievously and for a moment, Pike was struck dumb by his striking resemblance to George Kirk. Suddenly, J.T's face turned serious and Pike could sense the teenagers assessing gaze upon him even though his vision was focused on the road.

'I was trying to find my kids,' he told Pike solemnly, 'but all the records of the survivors were too heavily protected to hack from the PADDs they had at the hospital'.

Pike nodded slowly.

'And you think I know where they are,' he finished.

In his peripheral vision, he saw a fuzzy sphere nod once; he predicted it was J.T's head.

Pike sighed.

'I'm sorry kid; I don't have clearance for that kind of information – you'd have to ask an admiral and even then those people can be pretty tight lipped'.

J.T nodded stoically.

'Yeah, I figured,' he said pragmatically, 'it's ok, I'll find another way'.

Pike glanced sideways at J.T. The teenager was sitting innocently in the seat beside him but Pike had a nagging suspicion that if J.T used better technology that a crummy hospital PADDs he'd be able to hack into whatever he wanted – Starfleet included.

'I bet you will,' mused Pike, his mouth quirking upwards in amusement at the boy's resourcefulness.

The two sat in silence for a while, J.T deep in thought. After a few minutes, he seemed to reach a conclusion and sat up straighter.

'I'll go by Jim,' he announced resolutely.

Pike nodded.

'Good choice,' he agreed, 'just make sure you don't mention your last name'.

Pike slowed the car until it was rendered immobile outside his house. He pressed the door control and grunted as he climbed out of the car. Jim followed his movement and gawked as he took in the building.

'I've forgotten what civilization looks like,' he murmured.

Pike smiled and locked the car.

'Guess it was the farming life on Tarsus, eh?' he asked.

Jim scoffed and nodded.

'Yeah, literally,' he told Pike.

Pike motioned Jim to follow as he walked towards the front door.

'Come on,' he called, 'it's civilized on the inside as well'.

Pike input his security codes and entered his home – more so his house as the starship was his real home. The interior was plain and simple but compared to the accommodation on Tarsus IV, Pike's house appeared sophisticated to J.T. Pike watched the boy carefully, although he was grateful for the appreciation radiating from Jim's awestruck expression; he had been worried that he wouldn't be able to provide to the teenager's expectations… and still was.

'So… I can show you your room if you like, or if you want you can explore the house yourself? All the rooms should be open but if there's anything locked just let me know and I'll open it,' Pike told Jim.

It was important that the teenager had full access to his new home; locked doors would just lead to suspicion and insecurity and Pike didn't want Jim to think he was holding anything back.

'Thanks,' Jim said, 'I'm good to go myself'.

Pike nodded, he'd expected as much.

'Go ahead then,' Pike motioned with his head towards the heart of the house, 'I'll be around… work stuff'.

Jim nodded and gave Pike the barest of smiles, then he scampered off into the house, body language displaying he was ready for any trap Pike may have set for him.

Pike smiled. Already, the house had brightened with the presence of a younger inhabitant.