Jim took Nora out again the next day, just the two of them. He showed her around the city, and took her to dinner to talk about the family and what was happening back in Iowa.

"You and Bones seemed to hit it off last night," Jim said.

"I wouldn't say we hit it off, but he seems like a nice guy. I can see why you like him."

"Where'd you two end up?"

"The dorm."

Jim paused with a fork in his mouth. When Nora saw the shocked expression on his face, she laughed.

"Get real, Jim. Nothing happened. He watched me walk into my building and he went to his. Your babysitter was safe, just like you wanted."

"What? Babysitter?"

"Oh, come on."

"All right, I admit, that was part of the reason I brought him along... but not the only reason. I meant it when I said he needs a break."

"Anyway," Nora said, "since you'd chased away any shot I had at dancing, Leonard and I were trying to talk, and the music was just too loud. So, we walked, and we ended up back at the dorms."

"Well, I'll have to thank him for taking care of you."

Nora barely saw Jim and Leonard the following week. Exams kept them busy. Nora's roommate, Amber Wilson, didn't arrive until Tuesday. Nora wondered what the Academy would think of her tardiness. The girls hung out the rest of the week, hitting bars and clubs. Amber was a bit of a wild child, but she was nice, and she was respectful enough not to bring her one-night stands back to their dorm room.

She spent the following two weeks splitting her time between Amber and Jim and Leonard. She wanted to spend time with her brother, but she didn't want to get in his way, either. He had a social life of his own. Leonard would often join her and Jim, but he sometimes stayed behind. Nora realized that he liked to spend time alone, so she never asked him to go anywhere outside of her time with Jim.

Her roommate luck changed three weeks into the semester. She had an important test to study for, and all she wanted to do was head back to her room, shower, get into her pajamas, and hit the books. As she approached the door, a Do Not Disturb sign caught her attention.

"You've got to be kidding me," she said to herself.

She turned and made her way back out of the dorms. She decided to go to the campus library, so she sent Amber a message to let her know when it was safe to return. In the library, she found a table that didn't have any books on it and claimed it by setting hers down. There were books on the next table, but no one was there. She figured they were in the stacks somewhere.

Nora got herself authorized on the computer and started studying. A few minutes later she heard a familiar voice from the next table.

"Haven't seen you studying in here before," he said.

Nora looked over and saw Leonard sitting down with his PADD.

"Yeah," she said, "well, my roommate is usually good about not bringing guys home."

"Well, welcome to the ousted roommate club. We study while our roommates get laid."

"Ew... I don't wanna think about Jim doing that right now."

"Sorry, darlin'. That's your brother."

"Yeah, I know."

It was around midnight when Nora's eyes started crossing from staring at the computer. She started packing up and noticed Leonard doing the same.

"You heading back to your room," he asked.

"No. I asked her to let me know when it was safe to come back."

"There's a coffee shop a few blocks away that stays open all night. You wanna catch a cab and hang out there 'til you get the green light?"

"Sure, if you're not heading back."

"Nope."

Leonard slung his bag over his shoulder, then took the couple of books Nora was carrying.

"Thanks," she said with a smile.

"Momma always said, if a lady's hands are full, mine had better not be empty."

"Well, your momma raised a gentleman."

"I try."

"You succeed."

"Thanks."

Leonard opened the cab door for her, and the door to the cafe. He pulled her chair out for her before sitting down himself. Nora never let guys treat her less than respectfully, but Leonard McCoy was on a completely different level.

"So," he said, "what's your field?"

"Geology."

"Ah, a fellow science officer."

"One day."

"What's the big test you're studying for?"

"Basics of Class M Geology. That's why I'm kind of upset with Amber. It's not just a test, it's in my field. I have to ace this."

"You'll do fine."

"I need to do better than fine."

"Okay," Leonard said, and held up one of her books. "This one?" Nora nodded. "Which chapters," he asked.

"Five and six."

Leonard started quizzing her, and, after about half an hour, Nora got all but one answer correct.

"See," he said. "You'll do great."

"Thanks. I actually feel better about it."

"Good."

As they were talking, Nora got the okay from Amber to go back to the room. Leonard gathered her things again and they made their way back to the dorms.

"You want me to walk you up," Leonard asked.

"No, that's okay," she said as she took her things from him. "What about you? Are you okay to go back to your room?"

"Actually, Jim and I have an arrangement. If he brings a girl back to the room, she has to be out by midnight so I can get some sleep."

Nora couldn't hide her surprise. "Then why did you take me to the cafe?"

Leonard shrugged. "I couldn't leave you alone after midnight, with no idea when you'd be getting back to your room."

"Leonard McCoy..." she leaned up on her toes and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

"You're more than welcome."

Leonard watched until Nora was inside. Nora took the stairs two at a time, tossed her things on her bed, and went to the window. She watched Leonard walk across the grounds, in his cadet reds, toward his dorm building, and a smile splayed across her face.

Amber emerged from the bathroom in a towel. "What's so interesting outside?"

"Nothing," Nora said as she got up. "You done with the bathroom?"

"All yours."

"Thanks."

As the semester went on, Nora and Leonard met up a few more times in the library. Nora and Amber worked out the same midnight arrangement that Jim and Leonard had, but she and Leonard still ended up at the cafe talking, sometimes well after midnight. When the semester was over, Nora talked Jim into going home to Iowa with her for a week. All it seemed to do was solidify Jim's decision to go into space. Her dad argued with Jim, comparing him to his father, telling him he would never measure up. When Nora stepped up to defend Jim, her dad reached out to grab her roughly, and Jim punched him. It turned into a knock-down fight. He and Nora left that night and went back to the Academy.

Nora sat in Jim's room. Leonard had gone home to Georgia to visit his mother during their break. She grabbed a cold compress and joined Jim on the sofa.

"I'm sorry I made you go," she said.

"You didn't make me go. I agreed to."

"Only because I practically begged. I just forget what an ass dad can be... especially to you."

"It's okay, Bitsy."

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is."

He took her hand and pulled her into a hug. She wrapped her arms around his waist and lay her head on his shoulder.

"You always defend me," she said.

"You do the same for me."

"But I've never jumped in front of a fist for you."

"And you'd better not. Ever."

Jim pulled her into a tighter hug and kissed the top of her head.

"Come on," he said. "I'll walk you back to your room."

"Do you mind if I stay here tonight? I still have my bag, and I can sleep on the couch. I just want to be near my brother... help him take care of his black eye and busted chin."

"Okay, fine," Jim said, "but there's no reason to sleep on the couch. You can use Bones's bed."

Nora sat up. "You don't think he would mind?"

"Nah. You know Bones, always the gentleman."

"True."

After Nora showered that night, she climbed into bed. There were two pillows on Bones's bed, so she wrapped her arms around one of them, as she always liked to do with an extra pillow. As she drifted off, she realized that she could smell his scent on the pillows and sheets. His face floated in front of her her before she fell asleep.