The Next Morning

Chris was in a particularly good mood the next morning. She had an adorable Russian tactical officer and a cute British engineer to hook up. She caught Lily's arm when she passed the red-head.

"Come have breakfast with me today, Lily. I want to introduce you to a friend of mine." She said, smiling easily. Lily didn't know she knew about the crush on Pavel, so she couldn't admit to knowing anything.

But Lily was a trusting little nineteen year old. She smiled. "Sure Chris, just let me grab something to eat." Chris bounded off and sat in her usual seat, beside McCoy.

"Good Morning Bones." She chirped. He growled wordlessly at her. "Aww, my poor Bones. Hangover?" she asked, slipping him the mug of black coffee she had replicated. She kissed his temple as his fingers wound around the mug.

"Shove off woman." He growled but he took a long, appreciative drink from the coffee and looked less haggared for it. "Must you mother everyone?" He asked.

"Must you be a cantankerous git who only pretends not to love us?" she asked in retort, feeling his affection for her. He grumbled wordlessly but she knew he didn't mean it.

Chekov dropped into the seat beside her. "So who is da girl, Chris?" The overly happy Russian asked, smiling.

Bones groaned softly but wordlessly. "Just make friends Pavel, she's sweet and she has a crush on you but we're not supposed to know that. So just… play it cool." Chris said, smiling. Lily bounced up to the table sitting across from Chris before her eyes focused on Chekov and she blushed redder than a tomato. "Lily, these are my friends, Bones- the CMO-, and Pavel Chekov, our genius tactician."

She launched into a discussion of old Earth music with the two younger people. Slowly but surely Lily opened up, Chekov became more comfortable, and more and more people joined them. After forty minutes Chekov and Lily were flirting, Jim, Bones, Spock and Scotty were discussing old Earth music (wether Rap was real music or not), and Galia, Uhura and Chris were discussing the game the night before.

Galia sniffed. "Next time you should invite us. It'll be funny."

Chris looked at Uhura and then at Spock. Uhura nodded. "No biggie, I'd love to come next time."

Chris sighed. "Good, we need more girls."

2258 - July

Spock had enjoyed the group games. Chess continued between himself, Chris, Jim and McCoy most nights but once a week Chris or Jim would come up with a new game to play and the group would swell to include Chris' Orion friend (Galia), Nyota, Chekov, Sulu, Scotty, Lily, and a few random crew members.

He was surprised to find he enjoyed the larger activities as much as he did the smaller ones. Thus far they had played the drinking game, watched old Earth 'horror movies' ('Shawn of The Dead', in which the main character looked frighteningly like Scotty), played 'paintball', done a halodeck simulation agility course designed for team building, and learned the Cha-Cha (apparently Chris and Galia were quite good teachers).

But it was the second Friday of the month and Spock was actually looking forward to the next group acitivity. So when Chris bounded into the room wearing a top hat and carrying three microphones he was only a little apprehensive. It was not until Jim walked in carrying what appeared to be a large datapad screen and a black box, that he realized he might find the 'game' a bit… embarrassing. It did not help matters when Scotty and Bones followed behind carrying box after box of booze.

Chris smiled and set the michrophones down beside Jim's load and stood in front of the group. "Okay guys! Tonight is karaoke night! You all have to stay and you all have to sing. You may choose your own song or pick out of my magic hat." She twirled the hat on her fingers before setting it onto her head slightly off kilter.

He heard the excited laughs of Lily and the nervous shuffling of Sulu. Jim was beaming. He knew EXACTLY whose idea it had been, and he was contemplating making a run for it when Chris sat beside him, smiling. "Come on Spock, stay. Please." She asked softly. "Jim loves the idea but it was mine. I… I thought you might like it, a chance to hear me sing. And you know a few songs… right?"

He wanted very much to leave but he knew it would upset her and while there was no logical reason to put up with the idiocy there was also no logical reason NOT to do so. He nodded briskly. "As you wish."

She blushed slightly and he wasn't sure why. "G- Great. Well we're going to draw names for the order, so it'll be random." She smiled at him. "Thanks Spock, you're an awesome friend." Her fingers brushed his shoulder as she stood and went back to Jim's side. His stomach was suddenly full of winged insects… or so it felt. Quickly he shoved the feeling aside.

Chris laughed as they called out the order. Ny was going to go first and she was grinning like a loon. She already had her song picked, apparently, because she dashed up to Chris' side, keying in her song into the juke box.

"Would you sing back up for me?" Ny asked, smiling nervously.

"Sure, what are we singing?" Chris asked, picking up a mic for herself and handing one to Ny.

"'Right Kind of Wrong'." Ny admitted, blushing crimson on her chocolate colored skin. Chris could feel her nervousness, her excitement, her lust and affection…

"Jim?" She asked softly. Her friend nodded. Chris laughed. "He won't know what hit him Honey."

Nyota leapt onto the make shift stage and Chris jumped up behind her.

"I know all about,

Yea about your reputation"

Ny had a beautiful voice, Chris was pleased to note. But she'd always guessed that, given how focused on sound her occupation was. But Ny was also flamboyant and fun and she came alive on the makeshift stage.

"And now it's bound to be a heartbreak situation

But I can't help it if I'm helpless

Every time that I'm where you are

You walk in and my strength walks out the door

Say my name and I can't fight it any more"

Ny swung her hips playfully, blushed, and looked into Jim's pretty blue eyes. Chris was pleased to notice that said blue eyes widened in disbelief and then he smiled slowly.

"Oh I know, I should go

But I need your touch just too damn much

Loving you, That isn't really something I should do

I shouldn't wanna spend my time with you ya

Well I should try to be strong

But baby you're the right kind of wrong

Ya, baby you're the right kind of wrong"

Ny sang beautifully and Jim clapped like the rest of the group when they stepped down. Said industrious Capitan pulled Ny into his arms but she playfully slapped him away. Chris laughed. He ought to know she wasn't going to just hand herself to him. He had to prove he was worth it. She couldn't wait for Jim's turn.

The next name was, surprisingly, Scotty. He claimed he hadn't had enough whiskey yet and would need a minute. Chris rolled her eyes but Galia leapt to her feet, dragging poor Lily and Ny with her.

"Grab a mic girls and sing along. We're going to open this show up with a bang." Galia said, her green cheeks growing yellow with her excited flush.

"God, what are you getting us into?" Chris asked but she grabbed a mic and leapt back on stage with the others. "To give Scotty time to get pleasantly smashed we figured we'd treat you. Gods save us all." She said, playfully. She noticed Spock's raised brow and she shrugged, she had no idea but she was game. And then the music came on, and it took everything in her not to bolt.

Lily started, to everyone's surprise. "Where's all mah soul sistas. Lemme hear ya'll flow sistas!"

"Hey sista, go sista, soul sista, flow sista." Chris sang, ready to kill her green friend. Her cheeks were beginning to slowly darken to a color to match Galia's. "Hey sista, go sista, soul sista, flow sista.

"He met Marmalade down in old Moulin Rouge. Struttin her stuff on the street." She playfully strutted a few steps, earning a wolf whistle from Bones. "She said, 'Hello, he Jo, you wanna give it a go?'"

The others joined in. "Giuchie, Giuchie ya ya dada. Giuchie, giuchie ya ya here. Mocha Chocolata ya ya. Creole lady Marmalade. Voulez vous coucher avec mo ice soir. Voulez vous coucher avec moi." Chris risked a look at Spock. His cheeks were slightly green tinged, which told her he spoke enough Earth French to understand the song. Her blush increased, good GOD, how could this happen?

But the worst part was… she was getting into it, they all were. The four of them got sexy, teasing and flirting, flashing looks that screamed sex to the guys. It degraded pretty fast into catcalls and wolf whistles and geering. But when the song ended Chris wasn't sure if she was pleased or sad. It had been fun.

She all but fell into the seat next to Spock. "You are aware of the translations of those lines." He said, giving her a totally indefinable look. She blushed and nodded. "You sing quite well." He said before turning to look at Scotty, who was standing in the makeshift stage, belting out "I Want to Conquer The World."

Chris snickered. "Now THAT is a scary thought. Scotty ruling the known universe…" She shuddered playfully. Spock lifted an eyebrow in his amusement.

"Indeed." He said simply, making her laugh.

Spock was very pleased when Scotty finished destroying the song he was whailing to. It had taken all his self-control not to wince when the man had first begun singing. And by the end of it he was quite ready to kill the Engineer. No one should sing in public if they were that terrible.

Chekov too the stage next and Spock wasn't sure if the boy would be much better than the Scottsman. If nothing his accent would make it difficult to understand him. But as the boy sang he realized he could, in fact, sing quite well.

He heard Chris sigh beside him and drop her head on his shoulder. He tensed slightly but relaxed when she did nothing more. "This is so sweet." She said softly.

"I fail to understand how this is 'sweet'." He said softly, leaning his head down so as not to disturb the singing boy.

"He chose this because he has a crush on Lily." She whispered back to him, her lips curling into a smile.

"He is singing about her then?" He asked. Chris nodded.

"He's singing it so she'll realize he likes her too." Chris explained.

Spock felt that was illogical. If the boy wished to earn the young woman's affections he ought to simply tell her he was fond of her. He had done so with Nyota. He told Chris so.

She snickered. "Spock, it's supposed to be sweet. Girls like romantic gestures. Singing songs for them, doing things you wouldn't usually do because they'd like it. It's a sure fire way to get our attention."

Chekov finished and Chris smiled up at him. "My turn." She bounded up to the 'stage'. He wondered, watching her go, if by simply being there, having not left when he could have, he was making a 'sweet' gesture for Chris. He shoved the twisted logic aside. That was only if he felt something more than friendship for her, which he did not.

He realized that somewhere Chris had procured a cowboy hat and as she stepped onto the stage she put it on, dipping it over one eye.

"Missed my alarm clock ringing. Woke up telephone screaming. Boss man singing his same old song. Rolled in late, abut an hour, no cup of coffee, no shower. Walk of shame with two different shoes on." Chris sang beautifully, her voice sweet and rich to Spock's enhanced hearing, and it was perfectly countered by her bright smile and her exuberant eyes as she playfully acted out certain parts of the lyrics.

"Now it's poor me, why me, oh me." She placed her hand on her head, lamenting. "Boring the same old worn out, blah, blah story. There's no good explanation for it at all." Spock wondered if he would enjoy the song as much if someone else sang it, someone with Chris' ability. Was it like when she comforted him? The food wasn't comforting, just the person he ate it with was? Was the song one he would enjoy or did he enjoy it because she sang it? He contemplated that very question for the rest of her song, breaking from his reverie when the others clapped and whistled. He clapped politely, enjoying how her smile widened when she saw him clapping.

Chris was just glad to finish her song and get off the stage. She sat beside Spock again and Bones joined them on her other side. He handed her a mug of cider.

"Since I enjoyed the song so much I thought I'd buy you a beer." He teased.

She rolled her eyes. "Why thank you my good sir." She teased back. "Such a good Southern Gent. How will I ever repay you?"

Bones grinned. "I can think of a few ways." He admitted and Chris couldn't help but enjoy the dark gleam in his eyes.

She slid an arm around Spock, to tease Bones and to gently let him down. Sure… she liked him, but she felt guilty about the thought of giving into him like she'd been considering for so darn long. "Sorry Cowboy, but I'll have to pass." Spock was tense in her gentle grasp and she hoped she didn't offend him.

Bones shrugged. "Then I'll just take my hat back." He teased and stole said hat right off her head.

"Hey!" She protested as Galia's music came on. Her protest turned into a groan as she hid her face. "Oh My God, Galia NO!" She cried into her hands.

"I think I did it again. I made you believe we're more than just friends. Oh baby it might seem like a crush. But it doesn't mean that I'm serious. Cause to loose all my senses that is just so typically me." Galia sang, dancing around and having a blast. Chris idly wondered how much her green friend had drunk already.

"Is it not her who often falls into love too quickly?" Spock asked her, his very warm breath ghosting over her neck and ear. She shuddered slightly.

She nodded, trying to get herself under control so she wouldn't stutter. "Yea, it's a joke. But it sort of suits. As I understand it the singer was… permiscious."

Spock smiled as much as he ever smiled, his eyes glittering with his amusement while his face remained passive. She smiled back. "Her dancing is… interesting."

Chris snorted. "I think she got it from the original music video." When Galia finished she realized it was Jim's turn. She noticed he was incredibly nervous, she bit her lip and grinned. What was he planning, she wondered.

As the music began she knew and she smiled brightly. "This is going to be so sweet." She said softly to Spock and Bones, both of whom looked at her like she had grown a second head.

"Jim doesn't do sweet." Bones said. "I don't think he even understands the meaning of the word."

"I agree with the doctor," Spock said, "for once." They both looked like they'd tasted something terrible, though the expression was only in Spock's eyes and the very minute wrinkle between the brows. She laughed, and then Jim began to sing.

"It's freaking me out that I didn't see, you're so damn hot girl it's just crazy. And without a doubt I still can't believe, that you were right there in front of me." Chris was right in her assumption that Jim didn't have a great voice, but the emotions she felt coming off him in waves made it amazing. "Never saw the chemistry that was there with you and me, it's been a long time coming. Just waiting for an angel to take me out of my hell. I'm falling for you, just dropped out of thin air, you came out of nowhere. Right out of the blue, when heaven sent you." He was really getting into it, swaying side to side, his eyes focused unwaveringly at Nyota, his lips were quirking into a beautiful, small smile. Not a smirk, not a grin, a smile.

Chris could feel the astonishment in the crowd of her friends, particularly from the two men beside her. She just smiled, closed her eyes and listened, enjoying the hot rush of Jim's love for Nyota and the returning rush from her friend. When Jim finished Ny looked up at Chris minutely, she nodded and Nyota's face broke into a grin.

Jim had just enough time to step off the stage before Ny was in his arms, kissing him like she doubted he'd ever been kissed before. Chris looked at Spock and he offered her a Vulcan smile. "I told her I wished them well." He said to her unspoken question and she wasn't shocked at all to feel he meant it, and that he was fine about it.

"You are the sweetest man I know Spock." She told him before kissing his cheek.

AN: Dun dun DUN! So umm… four more songs left, the question is… what song does Spock sing?!?! Does anyone know where I could find any Vulcan Lullabies? I was thinking that might be cute. Anywho- make your opinions known and REVIEW!!!

Don't worry, more sillyness and sweetness to come, as well as a possible action chapter or two (I'm not good at action but I need something besides the random fluff, right?). I loves all of you who are putting my story on alert, I absolutely ADORE opening my email browser and seeing all those notification emails, it makes me feel loved.

~Kelly