CH13 Parenting Kirk style 101
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CAPTAIN'S QUARTERS
Jim comes into the quarters seeing Kate on the floor. "You okay there kiddo," he says walking around her.
"Yeah. Fine," Kate completely shuts down. She walks into her room and sits on the edge of her bed. She looks around the room feeling so lost. "What are you doing Kate? Wearing their uniforms. Turning into one of them." Her inner voice begins to scream. "This man left your mom. He left you. Remember what Zala Tsu said about falling for his sweet words. He is never going to let you go home. Even if the Han or Luke find you he won't let you go. He's your father and no matter what happens from now on no one is going to take your side against his. You are stuck here forever." She works to keep her breathing steady and controlling the anger growing inside her. If Kate doesn't turn the feeling to anger she will cry and that is unacceptable. "He may say he likes you but he hates the Jedi. He hates Skyriver and all that goes with it. You are both of those things. He can't love you but not those pieces of you. Han and Leia love you for who you are not what they want you to be." She just wants to break something.
"Need anything," Kirk asks from the door after several minutes of Kate sitting in silence.
"No," she snaps. Kate lets the anger with him and herself fester inside her.
"Are you sure I…" Kirk sees Kate's mood changing like a summer storm. He has no idea what set her off.
"Are you stupid or deaf? I said I am fine," she says trying not to yell. "Just leave me alone."
"Whoa. Watch that attitude," Kirk warns sitting down at his desk with his PADD to review tomorrow's schedule. After a few minutes, he tries again to engage her. There is nothing in her room but four walls. He has been in Kate's place before and time to think is not always the best thing. "Hey Katie bug! Why don't you come out and watch some…"
"Katie bug? He can't call me that. Mom called me that," She fumes. Kate storms out of her room shouting, "Don't tell me what to do." She walks over to the coffee table, picks up a chess piece, and throws it narrowly missing Kirk's head. She instantly regrets throwing it but she needs to do something. She is so mad at him and life she starts to shake.
"Knock it off," he yells back in his command voice. "What the hell is wrong with you. You don't…"
"You are not my father so don't even try to be. I am not your daughter no matter what some kronging test says. You have a great ship but it is not my ship. It never will be no matter what you do or say," Kate throws another chess piece at him that shatters into a million pieces against the wall.
"Game on," Kirk thinks and stands up from behind his desk. "Look I know this hasn't been easy for you but it hasn't been a picnic for me either." He tries to take a step from behind the desk but she lobs a pawn at him. He dodges to the side to avoid being hit. "I swear to god you will regret it if you throw one more chess piece," Kirk threatens. Her aim is getting better and Kirk's patience has reached an end.
"I am not staying here a minute longer than I have to." Kate announces tension and anxiety growing inside her. She has committed to this course of action no different from when she broke the Jedi out of the Brig. Kate has to make him hate her with every ounce of his being. If she is mean enough, nasty enough, he will send her away. When she is alone Kate will have to think of a way to get home, and not when she will see the other kids on the Enterprise. She will remember Han is her father and not the cheap imitation in front of her. If she lets him in, he will disappoint her. Kate will not let anyone in who could ever disappoint her again. "I will steal a ship, run away….anything to get away from you," she yells swiping all the remaining chess pieces from the table. "I have a home and it is NOT here. NOT with you." She begins to pace in front of the couch breathing heavy and alternately clenching and unclenching her fists. Kate should never have done this. Kirk has been nothing but nice to her and she is purposely sabotaging everything he does. This is not her. She is not the scared, pathetic kid pacing a strange room. She is a Jedi padawan on a mission that she must complete. Maybe things would have been better if Kirk was mean and cruel. It would make it so much easier to hate him. "I just want hit something." Kate demands.
Kirk can see she is ready to explode and an idea pops into his head. He has felt this was before. Extreme desperation in a situation you have no control over. Sometimes hitting something did make him feel better. Kirk typically picked a fight when he felt like this. The pain of getting his ass kicked by a total stranger always cleared his head. Jim doesn't plan on anyone kicking his daughters ass but maybe if he lets Kate take out her anger on him she will feel better. "You want to hit something?" Kirk asks crossing the room in two quick strides to the small figure in front the couch. Kate's heart jumps into her throat. She has been seeing how far she can cross Kirk's line in the sand since she met him. Kate knows she went too far. She sits down and pushes a little deeper into the cushions to create more distance between them. "Kate! Want to go hit something," Jim repeats his question. Kate swallows hard nodding. "Then let's go hit something." He grabs her arm pulling her from the couch. Kate has no words as he drags her out the door and into the turbo shaft at the end of the hall.
"You're hurting me," Kate says and he releases her arm. She begins to rub the stop where his hand was gripping. "You gave me a bruise there when you pulled me out of the transporter room yesterday," Kate states. Jim sees several purple fingerprints on her upper arm. It must have been when he slid her away from Zala during the light saber battle.
"Sorry about that," Kirk apologies, "but things were a little tense. And you," he levels a finger at her face "were not being very gracious during the rescue." The doors snap open and Kirk strides out leaving her in the turbo shaft. Kate quickly jumps out before the doors close half running to keep pace with his stride.
"The Jedi are my friends. I didn't need rescuing." Kate says emphatically following him into a large gym.
"You seriously still think they are your friends," he says stunned. "Well on that note just know that I will be picking your friends from now on until you get better judgment." Kate watches him walk away from her. She takes a moment to look around. The gym is huge with a full sized track that runs along the perimeter. Ropes, climbing walls, weight machines and water fountains are spread throughout it in clearly defined areas. There are several large areas with mats for sparring. She scans the room for Kirk and sees him standing on a mat to her left. Kate runs over to him.
"You wanna hit something. Hit me," he states lacing on a pair of boxing gloves. Kate doesn't know what to say. Since they walked in every pair of eyes are focused on them.
"I thought you said to never to hit an adult again," she says staring him straight in the eye.
"You're not hitting me in a tantrum. We are sparring and I don't think you can hit me," Kirk corrects. "Get your hands up."
Kate looks nervously from side to side at all the people staring at her. "He's kriffing nuts," she thinks.
"Katherine," he snaps drawing her attention back to him. "I get it. You're pissed. Pissed off at the whole universe. At me. My crew. The Jedi," he lists. "You broke Bones' nose but I think you'd rather take a shot at me so have at it." Kirk hits the gloves together, squats down a little to her level and gets ready for her to hit him.
"Unique parenting style," Dawson comments to Jack. Both men stopped running the minute they saw the Kirk's enter the gym.
"Yeah," O'Neill says slowly. His eyes are glued to the two Kirks circling each other on the mat. "But hey if it works," he shrugs. "Don't think Sam will let me but might be a conversation started the next time the boys fuck up."
"Ten credits he won't hit her back," Dawson wagers.
Jack shoots him a WTF look but then says, "You're on".
The anger in Kate's heart begins to seep throughout her body. The stress and anxiety comes to a head and she puts up her hands. "I'm gonna kick your ass," she says throwing a punch to Kirk's face that he easily blocks.
"Really! You just missed. Try it again but hit me this time if you are gonna hit me," he taunts. "Come on baby girl. Let it go. I have been there. Pissed off at the entire universe and no way to get it out. So let's try to get it out," he thinks deflecting another punch. She throws a quick left jab followed by a right hook that would have hurt like hell if she connected. "Peace keepers my ass," he thinks. "They are training her to be some kind of soldier. Who does that to kids? Well they won't do it to my kid." She follows with two rapid punches and attempts a leg sweep. "Kid's got some moves," Kirk says encouragingly. "Watch your balance," he instructs her deflecting her roundhouse kick.
"Are you kriffing critiquing me?" she says dropping her hands.
Kirk throws a punch that connects with her shoulder just hard enough to annoy her and then sweeps her legs out from under her. She is on her ass and throws a death glare at Kirk. "Watch your balance and your language young lady," he repeats offering her a hand up.
"Dammit. How did you know?" Dawson asks a straight-faced O'Neill. Jack snatches up the money and stuffs it in his pocket.
"It's a pissing contest to see who is tougher and he has to win. He'll just hurt her pride," Jack says watching them go at it. "And maybe her ass if she falls on it anymore." Dawson laughs at his comment and they go back to running. "All jokes aside we need to talk about the detail that will be surrounding Kate. I cleared it with Jim. Starting tomorrow she has a team of two on her every minute unless clear by Jim or I." Dawson nods and the two officers discuss the how to implement Kate's security detail.
"You don't even know what I am saying? I could be saying Jim is a great guy," she retorts back throwing a right hook and then a roundhouse kick that Jim elevates high enough when blocking to cause her to fall on the mat again. "Dwang it," she yells slamming the mat.
"Language," He reminds her a little more authoritatively and waits for her to get back up. "I'm serious about this. Control it or there will be consequences. You don't live under a rock anymore." Kirk throws three punches that she deflects with effort. He notices she is breathing harder but the hate is starting to disappear from her eyes just a little. "You're feeling better. I can see it. God I can't believe this worked. At least you aren't crying. That's starting to drive me nuts kiddo," Jim says to himself.
"I did not live under a rock you slee…," she starts but then rephrases when she sees the look in his eyes saying try me. "I did not live under a rock." Kate swings a left hook and then upper cuts to his stomach. Jim blocks both shots. She is getting more pissed with each throw but not at him. Kate's mad because she can't win and that Kirk is actually teaching her something she likes.
"Where did you live then?" he asks deflecting several punches and throwing ones she easily blocks.
"None of your business," she says panting and places her hands on her knees to catch her breath.
He gives her a moment to catch her breath. When she stands up ready to fight again he says, "Let's finish 20 questions. What's your favorite food?" he throws a punch towards her jaw slow enough that she deflects it but with enough force that she is starting to wear out physically blocking his blows.
"I don't like you. I won't play your stupid..."
"Bup bup bup. Questions remember?" Jim barely connects to her side but it's enough to drive her over the edge.
"Aghhh," she screams and starts wildly throwing punches. Kirk lets her get in two to his side and then places a leg behind her so when he taps her shoulder she falls to the ground sweating. She stays seated catching her breath.
"I like cheeseburgers," he says standing over her. "Are you ever gonna ask a question?"
"Why did you throw her out?" Kate asks venomously.
"Here we go. I knew this was coming," he says to himself and sits down on the mat next to her. He begins to take off the gloves. "This is a conversation for our quarters," he starts unlacing his boxing gloves.
Kate quickly cuts him off. "I knew you'd say that," she fires back standing up.
Kirk grabs the hem of her shirt pulling her back down. Kate falls next to him with a plop. "But, for the record she left me." They sit in silence for several seconds. Kate picks at a loose string on her shirt. "We can talk about this any time you want but let's not have an audience okay." He gestures with his head to all the people in the room. "Time to go home," he says standing. Jim offers her a hand up. She seems more relaxed now. More at peace. "Feeling any better?"
"Yeah a lot," she admits with a small smile. Suddenly Kate remembers shattering his chess set. "I'm…I'm really sorry about breaking your glass game. I will pay for it somehow," she says as they walk back to their quarters.
"Ok. But the next time you need to throw something try pillows, clothes, anything actually that won't shatter into a million pieces," Jim jokes.
"Deal," she smiles. The sparring match helped more than a lot. It felt good to hit something. She felt like she had control of something in her life even if it was only for a minute. "He really isn't that bad Kate," she thinks to herself. "Can we come back in the morning?" she asks hopefully as they enter their quarters
"Tomorrow night," he says dropping the bomb. "You have school in the morning."
"School?" she says shocked "You have got to be dwanging me. You were actually serious about that?"
"Yes and," Kirk turns staring her in the eyes, "you lost 15 minutes off your bedtime for saying shitting me." Kirk replicates a glass of water realizing Kate is still at the door. "I know basic grammar," he yells from in the room. "Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what dwanging me means. And that's why you're going to school." He walks toward her making a sweeping gesture with his arm "Come in and sit down," he points to the coach.
Jim's shoulders are slightly stiff as he takes a seat in the chair across from the couch. Kate remains standing. "Look I am not interested in why you and my mom split up." Kirk hears the clear snub of Lauren being called her mom but he being referred to as 'you'. "It is over. Done. Everyone needs to move on."
Kate's dismissal of him irks Kirk. Things will improve drastically between father and daughter once Kate realizes Jim won't be dismissed like a servant. Kate has mentioned Leia was the Chief of State. Maybe instead of living under a rock, Kate's life was one of luxury. Could his daughter actually be a stuck up politician's brat used to getting her own way? It doesn't matter from this point forward Kirk decides. Neither of those lifestyles is what she will have on the Enterprise. "No Kate. Sit down you need to know the whole story from someone else's view," Jim works to keep an even tone.
Kate doesn't want the whole story. Kate only wants to believe her version of the truth. Hearing that her mom could be the fault of all her problems would tear her apart. Even after all these years Kate remembers how quick her mom was to laugh, how Kate could always sense when her mom was near, and the smell of her perfume. When she tries hard enough she can even remember her voice. Kate won't let Jim take that away from her too. Kate will protect Lauren no matter lies Jim tries to tell. "No I don't," Kate struggles not to yell. Why did she ever bring up Lauren in the gym? "She never spoke of you so there is a reason I am not supposed to know about you."
"All I have heard since you got here is that I made her leave. So sit and listen," Jim pretends he is dealing with a hostile enemy. When he is required to be James T. Kirk Captain of the USS Enterprise, Jim can control his emotions. As James T. Kirk father of Katherine Kirk, Jim is ready to strangle her.
"Because you made her leave," Kate loses control. "She loved you. She loved you more than anything. She carried your picture and," Kate feels like she can't breathe. There is a crushing pain her chest. Her knees give out as she collapses to the couch. None of it makes any sense to Kate. It never did. If her mom loved Kirk as much as she said then why did she ever leave? Kirk is not the monster Kate's mind made him out to be. Jim sits next to Kate. "My mom would never have left you if you did not make her. You had to have done something. What did you do?" Kate's eyes dart rapidly back and forth searching his for an answer. Kate is ready for his side. It may not give her the answers she wants but it is at least the truth.
"I took her on vacation. On the last day, I woke up and she was gone. She had disappeared without a trace." Jim's story lacks any drama. Kate doesn't know what to say. She listens quietly. Jim's story of Lauren's disappearance mimics hers too much for it not to be true. "I searched for her. Star Fleet searched for her. Your mother disappeared like a ghost in the night. I even tried to track down distant relatives but nothing. Lauren Shan Kirk had no past until I met her at seventeen."
Jim admission of Lauren leaving without a reason hurts more than, if they had fought like Kate imagined. Lauren left because they did not fit in her life anyone. "No she left because you found out she was a Jedi. You hate the Jedi and wanted her gone," Kate needs this to be true. She can forgive Jim it but this has to be the reason her mom left.
Jim sees he is not going to win this. Lauren's absence has allowed Kate to idealize her mother. Kate's entire life has come unraveled. Kate is clinging to the last thread of a life filled with lies. Jim won't take this from her now. One day when things are calmer, he will try to explain it again; however Kate mistakes Jim's silence for agreement.
"Oh my god you did," Kate accuses him. "That is why she had to leave you. She was pregnant and you did not want us. She knew that. That is why she never told you. She knew you would hate us," Kate voice becomes more desperate with each word. Maybe this truth is worse.
"Kate stop it now," Jim roars. Jim wants to let Kate to keep her vision of Lauren but he cannot allow himself to be vilified. "I did not know about her being a Jedi. I did not know about her being pregnant. You can believe anything else you want but you have to believe that." Kate looks away. Jim feels like he has taken a shot to the gut. Everything is so clear suddenly. Why he did not see it before is beyond him. "She left you like she did me. Without a word. Just left one day and you have no idea why either."
"Can I take a shower," Kate gets up heading for the bathroom without waiting for his response. Jim sits on the couch for a long time thinking. It all makes sense to him now. Why Kate hates the idea of being a Kirk. The two people in the world that were supposed to love and protect her failed her miserably: One by choice and the other by ignorance. "Whew I feel so much better," Kate flops in the chair after her shower. She turns on the telepresentor.
Today has been an emotional and psychological roller coaster for the both of them. Jim is going to cut his losses and start fresh tomorrow. "Bedtime," Kirk says taking the remote.
"What?" she demands sitting up. "It's only..."
"Yeah and you lost 30 minutes for saying cursing and being so blatant about it. I warned you there would be consequences." Kate stomps to her room in a huff shutting the door. Kirk closes his eyes. He is exhausted both physically and mentally. "I don't know if I can be a single dad. Fuck you Lauren wherever you are. You have destroyed not only my life but hers. I don't know if I can ever forgive you now," he thinks and then goes off to shower. Kate paces her room frustrated. She can't go to bed at 8:30 at night. First off, it is embarrassing and secondly she has work to do. Kate flops down on the bed staring at the ceiling. Jim finishes his shower and exits the bathroom to utter silence. He peeks into Kate's room. She is lying on the bed staring at the ceiling. He walks into his bedroom changing into comfortable sweats before sitting at his desk. Thirty minutes later Kirk goes into Kate's room. He can't work when all he is doing is worrying about her. Kate is in bed but still staring at the ceiling.
"Captain do you think I was wrong? With trying to help the Jedi and all," Kate is so sincere Jim hates to give her his answer. "I have been thinking about it since they left."
"From my point of view yes," Jim's response is firm and instant. He crosses the room and sits on the edge of the bed.
"I didn't mean for it to go down that way. You just gave me no choice," Kate pleads her defense.
"That's good to know," Jim keeps his responses short.
"So me freeing the Jedi won't stop you from taking me home," Kate doesn't look into his eyes. She knows his answer before he gives it.
"Kate if I could get there then yes I would take you home," Jim concedes. "I just won't be leaving you there," he adds in his head.
"Really," she smiles believing every word he is telling her.
"If I could yes but if we are being honest I would rather you stick around for a while. Get to know you a little before I send you off again alone in the galaxy," Jim hopes Kate will eventually see that they are not trying to make her a prisoner.
"I don't have to go alone. You can come silly. I keep telling you we are peaceful." Jim's half-truth seems to give her more comfort than anything he as ever said to her. Maybe she just needed to hear that going home was still a possibility for her. Kate's smile doesn't seem so forced but is not natural like when she is with the kids. "Our problem Mr. Kirk is that we have no common ground. So in the interest of finding common ground I am going to let you ask me any question you want answered. No limits and I swear on Han's life that I will answer it truthfully. The only catch is that I get to do the same."
"You can ask me as many questions as you want anytime you want," Jim expands the rules. "But my question is what were you looking for exactly." Jim hopes that by using the past tense Kate will think they no longer care.
Kate bites lip thinking of how to frame her response. "A weapon. An immensely powerful one."
"A weapon," Kirk is flabbergasted by her response. Kate had every chance to steal their phaser weapons and passed them up. There was no way they were stealing photon torpedoes. "We don't have any weapons that can be stolen on the Enterprise. I have no idea what you are talking about Kate." Jim thinks about what Kate said earlier. "Who are you at war with that you need an immensely powerful weapon."
"We are at war with the Yuuzhan Vong. They are an extraterrestrial alien race that invaded the edge of the galaxy." Kate lets the news sink in before continuing. Maybe he just didn't realize how dire the situation was. "Where would you keep weapons beside the weapons locker? Do you have like a secret stash? You can handcuff me and everything but if you let me check in there for it I,"
Jim is rapidly losing patience with Kate's single-minded determination. "Kate for one I have no idea what weapon you are referring to and second if I had it I would not turned it over." Jim sees Kate roll her eyes not believing him. "Time for a wakeup call missy," Jim says to himself. "Kate I have no fucking clue… none understand where this weapon is," Jim yells shocking Kate. His tone scares her enough that Kate is paying attention to his every word. "I have no weapons other than what the ship is armed with. If it's here then it's hidden from me as well."
Kate's throat feels dry. Jim is tolerating less and less from her. She licks her bottom before speaking. "So my question is can we stop fighting," Kate bites her lip not looking at him. "I had a good time today. I was hoping we could end on a good note? I did appreciate the tour. I know you had other things to do as Captain."
How Kate can make him feel like a hero one minute and a jerk the next baffles. Jim hugs her tightly. "I'm sorry Kate. None of this is your fault," Jim rocks her gently in his arms. "Sometimes I forget you are a kid in an incredibly difficult situation. I didn't mean to yell at you." Jim decides that maybe they should end on a good note. "Look you have to go to school tomorrow but maybe we start fresh tomorrow with everything. From the point forward, I will not let things slip. If you screw up and there will be consequences. Follow the rules and you will earn privileges. So what do you say about going out and watching a movie. Heck I will even throw in popcorn." Jim knows caving is a bad move on his part. A month from now if Kate is still like this, Jim will make sure Kate feels the consequences of her actions. He hopes that by showing her life is not going to suck here, Kate's behavior will improve on its own.
"Really," Kate's voice trembles. Going into the next room is not going to solve her issues but it might take her mind off it for a while.
"Yeah I got tons of movies and all my evenings free for the foreseeable future. Come on," Jim kisses her head.
Kate walks over to the wall replicator. "May I get a drink first," Kate asks. She has been dying to try out the replicator but never had the chance. She presses the button she knows activates the device and makes her request. "Café… blue milk…sweet."
"Unknown request. Please re order," a high-pitched computerized voice rings out of the machine.
"Kate need help," Jim asks setting up the movie.
Kate is determined to do one thing on her own here. "No thank you," she replies politely. "Cafe black," she makes the request simpler.
"Unknown request. Please re order," the computer states again.
Jim sees Kate look like she is about to cry. "Hey hey Katie bug don't get upset. Let me help you. Remember the observation deck and the sparklemint. The computer just doesn't know it by the name you are using. Coffee black," Jim orders.
"But I like it with blue milk," she tries not to cry, "and sweet."
Jim has no freaking clue what blue milk is except for what it sounds like. "Computer add milk, blue coloring mix and sugar to decaf black coffee," he restates the order realizing the last thing Kate needs to is be jacked up on caffeine at 2100 hours. A second cup of coffee appears which he hands to Kate.
"It's hard here Jim. I mean really hard," she wipes a tear from her eye.
"You'll figure it out," he hands her the coffee concoction. "I'll help you so will everyone else. Just give it time. Is that close," Jim hopes even this little bit of home will make her feel better. Kate takes a sip. It is nothing like café from back home but she can't tell him that. He is trying so hard. She nods and smiles. "I'm glad you like it. I can't fix everything yet but I can program this into the computer for you."
To Jim's surprise, Kate opens up. "I am tired of hard. I want easy. For one day, I want everything to be easy with no problems. It has been so long since I have not had to worry about everything. I have a bad habit of getting frustrated and blowing up. I try to control my temper but it gets away from me sometimes."
"I understand what you mean about losing control of your temper. We are Kirk's Kate. Our lack of self-control is well known," he jokes but sees her stiffen at the use of his last name. "Look Kate I am sorry about that. Just relax okay. Somethings will definitely take more time to get used to than other things. Let's watch the movie." Jim walks over to the telepresentor grabbing the remote.
Kate takes her mug and curls up in Jim's favorite chair. He doesn't say a word but takes a seat on the couch. Jim is not sure what she will like but goes with a favorite of Joanna's called the Goonies. Kate seems to enjoy it laughing and rooting for the kids to save the day. The movie is over before either of them want it to end. "Okay kiddo I am glad you liked it but it is 2230 hours and you have school tomorrow," Jim clicks off the telepresentor. He takes her empty cup and carries the dishes to the replicator.
Kate spins in the chair facing him. "Can we watch another one please? It was fun hanging with you," Kate finds it strange that she is not having to lie so much. It was fun being alone with Kirk once she knocked off her attitude.
"Tomorrow sweetheart. You need to get some sleep. First days always are long and exhausting," Jim places the cups back in the replicators disintegrating them.
The replicator fascinates Kate. If it can truly make anything Kate has to steal one. It could make her family the most powerful people in Skyriver. Leia could install them in the refugee camps so everyone has food and clothing. Once she gets Kirk to sleep, she will play around with it again. "Can you order me something to eat I'm hungry?"
Kirk glances at the time. "Something quick okay. What would you like…pizza," Jim says the same time Kate does.
"That was crazy," Kate laughs taking a seat at the table.
"No what is crazy is that you have eaten pizza or cheeseburgers for every meal since you got here. That is going to change tomorrow Katie bug," Jim is dead serious. "Bones will kill me when he reviews our nutritional statics for the week."
"What do you want to drink," Kirk asks standing by the replicator.
"Can I have a Pepsi?" Kate uses their word for the drink surprising Jim.
"Not this close to bed. How about milk?" He is not completely inept at being a responsible parent. Jim sits across from Kate and begins eating. Kate picks at the toppings not really wanting to eat. She needs to stay awake. She has too much work and her nightmares are returning. Kate yawns while eating. She is exhausted but knows the minute she lays down memories of the past will haunt her. Being sedated in Sick Bay had given her the best sleep she has had in months.
"You know that is contagious," Jim jokes yawning himself. "Finish up. It is time for bed." Jim watches Kate play with her food rather than eat it.
"Can we play twenty questions," Kate asks anxiously.
"No Katherine you need to get to bed and so do I after I finish up some paperwork," Jim clears the table.
"Oh come on ask me about the first time I took over a ship? Yours wasn't the first," Kate tries to engage him. "Or ask me about Coruscant? It is our capitol world."
"Tomorrow, we've been up long enough," Jim realizes Kate employing the classic kid strategy to remain up past your bedtime. Engage an adult with fun or problems. No adult in their right mind would put a child to bed crying when they are upset about the day's events. Joanna used to be a pro at extending her bedtime but Jim learned from those mistakes.
"Yeah but um," Kate stalls. She was sure Jim would take the bait. Why he is not interested in Kate sharing information is beyond her.
"No yeah buts. Bed…teeth...now…let's go or no more late night movies on school days," Jim sets the rules. "It is 2300 hours."
Kate reluctantly crawls into her bed. Jim stands at the door ready to say goodnight. Kate initiates a topic he won't end quickly. "Will you ever love me more than her?" Kate hates to put him on the spot but she needs an answer.
"Not again baby girl," Jim thinks to himself. Jim exhales loudly sitting on the bed. He will keep it short. "Kate I loved your mother and still,"
Kate stops him cold raising her hand. Lauren Kirk is not a subject she wants to broach again tonight. "I mean Joanna McCoy," Kate clarifies. "She calls you Uncle Jim sometimes and none of the other kids do. Are we related to Bones?"
"No Kate, Bones and I are just good friends. We have been since we started the Academy. He and Jo's mom divorced when she was little so I spent a lot of time with them when she visited Bones. I have known Joanna all my life but she is not my daughter. You won't believe this but I could never love her more than you." Jim gives Kate a quick kiss good night and prepares to leave. "If you need anything tonight just yell or come and get me. Nite Kate."
"Nite Jim," Kate responds as he clicks the light off. For being so worried about falling asleep, Kate is wide-awake. She lies in bed for hours waiting for Jim to leave the living room. At some point, sleep finds her and so do the nightmares.