The best kind of friend is the one you could sit on a porch with, never saying a word, and walk away feeling like that was the best conversation you've had. ~Author Unknown

"Hey," Bones said as Jim walked into the house. It was strangely quiet, not that Jim minded. Just an unusual occurrence.

"Hey," Jim responded, sitting on the couch next to his friend, smiling when he felt Bones' eyes on him.

"If he hurts you, I swear on all that is holy, I will kill him," Bones said quietly and sincerely. Jim nodded. There was no need to ask who he was or how Bones knew.

"Where's Mom?"

"Out on a date with Chris," Bones said. "You hungry?"

"Yeah. Did you make dinner?" Jim asked, watching the fire pop and spark.

"I stopped for Italian. When you didn't answer your phone, I figured you were…busy."

"Yeah," Jim said, glad that the color did not rise in his cheeks. He was a grown man. There was no reason for him to be embarrassed that his best friend knew why the meeting with his editor had lasted six hours.

"Is he good to you?" Bones asked.

"Very," Jim agreed with a smile. A warm, contented smile. One Bones rarely saw but rejoiced in.

"What did you say about the scars?"

"That I couldn't talk about it. And if he couldn't live with that, I had to leave. He won't ask again."

Bones nodded. "I left your dinner in the oven. Should still be warm."

"Thanks," Jim said, slowly standing to stretch, looking down at Bones. "Come on. I'll buy you a drink."

Bones shook his head but stood even so. "If I'm not mistaken, I bought all the liquor in the house."

"Because you drink it," Jim said, going into the kitchen, Bones close behind.

"Not all of it."

"Scotty go home?" Jim asked, taking the pan out of the oven.

"Hikaru and Pavel came and got him according to the note they left on the frig," Bones said, sitting at the table and watching Jim.

"Good," Jim said, also sitting at the table. "How was your day?"

"It was fine. You know," Bones shrugged. "The Christmas schedule came out. I have off Christmas Eve and Christmas day."

"No way," Jim said in surprise.

"Yes way. I said I'd work New Years. Nothing more exciting than patching up drunks."

"Are you on call?"

"No. M'Benga is covering Christmas. He has several residents he's scared into helping him. I'm in the clear."

"That's awesome cool," Jim said with a smile. "I can't remember the last time we've actually had Christmas on Christmas day."

"I know," Bones agreed. "Not that it matters all that much."

"No. It doesn't. Let's go to the Christmas Eve Lovefeast."

"If you want," Bones said. "Winona called Sam."

"What'd he say?"

"He appreciates the invitation. But they are in Paris and are going to stay. They'll come after New Year's."

"Good," Jim said with a nod. "Do you know how many are sleeping over Christmas?"

"I have no idea. Pavel said something about going to Moscow. But Hikaru doesn't want to. Which means Pavel will stay here."

"Here as in here? Or here as in at Hikaru's?"

"No idea," Bones said with a shrug. "Did you call Tahla this morning?"

"Yeah. She's glad I agreed to the sabbatical. And she said I'd still be on the network."

"Good," Bones said with a nod. They chatted about their days, Jim skirting around the entire truth but still including those book related things he had discussed with Spock. Bones talked about his day at the hospital and how one of the new interns had hit on him.

"What'd you say?" Jim asked with a laugh.

"I said I was flattered but no thanks. I'm not officially engaged but very close to it."

"What'd she say to that?"

"She shrugged and smiled. M'Benga thinks she's hit on every doctor at the hospital already. I guess it was my turn."

"I told you you were hot. But you wouldn't believe me," Jim said.

"I only care about the opinion of Nyota when it comes to my relative hotness," Bones reminded him.

"Are you going to propose to her? I mean, there's not much point in using the sabbatical to make wedding plans if you aren't actually engaged," Jim pointed out.

"I'm not going to bend down on one knee, you dolt. We know we're going to get married. It's understood and agreed. You've watched too many Hallmark movies if you think that's the way people actually propose."

"You could have Hikaru skywrite it. Or Pavel could teach you to say in Russian. That'd be romantic."

"You are hopeless. And you aren't listening. She knows I want to marry her. She wants to Mrs. Dr. McCoy. That's all that matters."

"You have no romance, Bones. None."

McCoy shrugged at that, getting up to get Jim another Pepsi. "I can live with that."

"Once you do get married, where are you going to live? Are you going to move in with Tahla and Kheri?"

"Of course not. We'll probably buy a house. We haven't discussed that part yet."

"You could build one here. I'd give you 10 acres as a wedding gift," Jim said.

"I'd buy it. You couldn't just give it to us," Bones said.

"Why not? It's not like I'd miss it."

Bones shook his head at that. "You can't give me those acres, kid. That would be taking advantage of our friendship. And I won't do it."

"Okay. But you'll buy them? And build your house on them?"

"I can't decide that without talking to Nyota," he pointed out with a smile.

"She'll say yes. She likes it out here. We can build her a studio. It will be perfect."

"That does sound good," Bones agreed. "I'll talk to her Wednesday. We have a date."

"On a school night?" Jim asked with a laugh.

"I'm off Thursday. So I may or may not see you Friday morning."

"I see," Jim said. "I want to invite Spock over for dinner. It's not too soon, is it?"

"You've already had him over for the party. And you know Winona wants to meet him."

"Check him out," Jim agreed.

"She won't ever stop being your mom."

"I know. I'm just glad she finally started."

"I know," Bones agreed. "You want some decaf?"

"No. I don't think so. Will you watch the Muppet Christmas Carol with me?" Jim asked with wide, innocent blue eyes.

"Yeah," Bones agreed reluctantly. "But if you start crying when Tiny Tim dies, I'm not getting you a Kleenex."

"I most certainly do not cry," Jim said in great indignation.

"What makes you think for one second you can lie to me?"

Jim shrugged, putting his dishes in the dishwasher before going to the living to put on the movie. Bones added several logs to the fire, curling up on the couch with his drink, Jim in the easy chair next to it. "You want a blanket?" Jim asked.

"I'm fine," Bones assured him, watching the movie until his eyelids felt too heavy to hold up any longer.

"Go to bed," Jim said, a light hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow," Bones said, going sleepily down the hallway to his bedroom.

Jim watched the end of the movie, not really paying any particular attention to it. He was too busy thinking about the time he'd spent with Spock. And how much he'd enjoyed it. And how much he was looking forward to the next time they were together. He hoped it would be soon. But they had parted with no promises, no talk of future. Jim didn't know quite how he felt about that. He'd never wanted assurances from anyone else he'd dated. But with Spock – it was different. It felt different. Like there was a possibility of a future. And Jim was pretty sure he liked that idea.

~o0o~

"What are you doing up?" Bones asked Jim as he stumbled into the kitchen to find Jim at the table already, drinking coffee.

Jim shrugged, getting up to pour Bones a cup. "I wasn't sleeping so I got up."

"You okay?" Bones asked as he accepted the cup. He was watching Jim who was dressed in sweatpants, a sweatshirt and sneakers. Peeking out of one pocket was a pair of wool gloves. "Did you run?"

"I'm fine. I didn't run yet. I will after I eat."

"Sit down," Bones requested, waiting as he did it. "Tell me what's wrong."

"What makes you think something's wrong?" Jim asked, studying his coffee cup far too intently.

"It's 5:30. In the morning. You are going for a run before the sun is up. If I go to your bedroom, I suspect I'll discover you didn't even bother getting into bed last night. Now. Tell me what's wrong."

Jim shrugged, finally looking up at the all-knowing hazel eyes of his best friend. "He's going to figure it out. He's a Vulcan."

"Okay. And?"

"I'll have to quit. Or stop seeing him. He can't know. Do you have any idea what the Consortium will do when they find out he's figured it out?"

"They won't do anything, Jim. You are allowed a life. Denise lives a normal life. As normal as it can be, married to one of us. Sam wasn't ordered not to marry her. What makes you think they'll make you break up with Spock?"

"They could do worse. They could issue a kill order."

"They will not," Bones said. "You know that. If things become really serious, you tell him part of the truth. If he can't accept it, you break things off. He's smart enough to know silence keeps him safe. You said he accepted your scars. That's huge by itself. You need to call Chris and talk to him."

"What if he tells me to break it off with Spock?" Jim asked.

"You have it bad, don't you?" Bones asked, shaking his head.

"Yeah I do. He's… well. Let's just say I've never had better. Or felt better. And leave it at that."

"Please do," Bones agreed. "You have worked yourself into a lather for no reason, kid. You aren't going to be forced to break up with him. Or to kill him. They don't work that way."

"You're sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. Unlike some people, I read the contract before I sign it. I read it every year when we renew. You might try reading it once."

Jim shrugged innocently at that. "You'd tell me if there was anything in it I should know about."

"Yeah. I would," Bones agreed reluctantly. "I don't know when I took you on to raise."

"I should still call Chris, though."

"You should. Now, what do you want for breakfast?" Bones asked.

"I'll make some oatmeal."

"Sit. I got it covered," Bones said, getting the pot out of the cabinet.

"I guess it's too early to call Chris."

"It is, especially since Winona didn't come home last night," Bones said, making Jim laugh.

"That's my mom."

"You don't need to sound quite so proud of the fact," Bones grumbled good-naturedly.

"Where do you think I got it?" Jim asked with his mega-watt smile. To which Bones was complete immune.

"She isn't responsible for your insufferable ego," Bones said.

"True. Since she didn't especially like me until recently."

"She's wised up," Bones said, sitting down as he waited for the water to boil.

"What time are you due in?"

"7:00. I hope to be home by 4. Will you be here?"

"As far as I know. I don't have any particular plans today. Is there anything I need to do for you?" Jim asked.

"No. You'll nap, right?"

"Yes," Jim sighed. "You know I won't have any choice. I'll run. Call Chris. Putter around. Nap. Did I tell you I told Spock I'll do Oprah on publication date?"

Bones laughed at that, shaking his head. "I know you're excited about that."

"Woo-hoo," Jim said with no enthusiasm at all.

"I know."

"Do you want to go? To Chicago in February?" Jim invited with a smile.

"Thank you, no. I hate snow. And cold. And Chicago."

"You hate anything that isn't Georgia. How you have lived with me all this time remains a mystery," Jim said, shaking his head.

"It's a mystery to me too," Bones agreed as he got up to put the oatmeal in the boiling water. Jim got up from the table to go to the foyer when they heard the front door opening.

"And where have you been, Missy?" Jim asked in mock anger. "You are grounded."

Winona laughed, kissing him lightly on the cheek before continuing into the kitchen. "Where I've been isn't your concern, love. Good morning, Len."

"Winona," Bones responded, pouting her a cup of coffee.

"I didn't expect you guys to be up already," Winona said sitting at the table.

"Obviously," Jim agreed, sitting back down to smile over at her. "How's Chris?"

"I am not answering that question, young man. And you'd do well to keep your inappropriate curiosity to yourself," she scolded warmly.

"Yes ma'am," Jim said, smiling over at her.

"Why are you up, love?" she asked Jim, studying him over her coffee cup.

He shrugged, not otherwise answering.

"Does this have anything to do with your new editor?" she guessed.

"Maybe. Maybe there are some things you don't need to tell your mom," Jim said innocently.

"Well. That seems fair," Winona had to agree. "Chris will be in his office in 45 minutes. You'll call and talk to him?"

"Yeah. After I go for a run," Jim agreed. "What are you up to today?"

"Nothing much. Tahla invited me over for lunch. She said you should come if you have time," she added.

"I do have time but you two need time to yourselves," Jim said. "Thanks though."

"If you're sure," Winona said, accepting a bowl of oatmeal from Leonard. "Thank you, dear."

"I want to have Spock over for dinner. Are there any nights you're free?" Jim asked her, accepting his bowl.

"I'm free most days, dear. I came to see my little boy."

"And your friends," Jim added. "What day is good for you?"

"It doesn't much matter," Bones said. "Friday night? I have a four hour shift on Saturday."

"Good," Jim said with a nod. "I'll call him. Friday okay with you?"

"It's fine. Are you inviting the gang?"

"I don't know. I'll ask Chris. Or you can. Hikaru and Pavel will probably be here. And you'll ask Nyota, right?"

"Of course," Bones said. "I don't think she has any plans."

"Good. I'll call Scotty. Vegetarian lasagna would be good, right?"

"Good choice," Bones agreed, scraping out the rest of his oatmeal. "If you will excuse me, I have to get in the shower."

"I'll take care of the dishes," Jim agreed as Bones left the table for his suite.

"What are you going to do when he marries Nyota?" Winona asked gently.

"I'm trying not to think about it," Jim admitted with a smile. "I offered him 10 acres. He said he'd probably buy them."

"Good," Winona said with a nod. "If I wanted 5, would you sell them to me?"

"Really?" Jim asked with a pleased smile. "You want to move here?"

"I'm ready to settle down. And California just doesn't feel like home. I sure don't have any desire to return to Iowa. So if you'll have me, I'd love to live close to my little boy."

"Of course I'll have you. I guess I thought you'd just move in with Chris."

She shook her head at that, her curls bouncing. "I don't want to marry him, dear. We work just fine the way we are. And he doesn't need that complication in his life."

"I get that," Jim agreed. "When do you want to start building your house?"

"Not until spring. I need to talk to Mizuki first. I'd like to open a Tsuyayaka Koromo here."

"She'll let you, won't she? But you won't run it, will you?" Jim asked.

"Of course I won't run it. I'll hire someone to take care of the day-to-day. Chris will find me someone suitable."

"Yeah," Jim agreed. "I'm going for a run. I'll be back in a little while."

"It's really cold out, dear. Put on a hat, please."

"Yes ma'am," he agreed, going to the coat closet for his toboggan cap. "Don't worry about the dishes."

She waved him off, continuing to tidy the kitchen as he slipped out the back door and went down to the beach. She was right. It was really cold out. The wind of the beach was brisk and cutting, blowing straight through his clothes. After stretching, he ran into the wind, knowing that returning with the wind to his back would be much easier. He tried not to think about anything except the waves lapping up on shore, the sound of his shoes on the sand, the burn of lungs and legs as he ran. His relationship with running was one of love/hate. An unfortunate necessity. He always felt better after he'd done it. But while he was doing it - he hated. Everything about it. That didn't mean he didn't do it. Just meant he hated it.

When he was in the midst of writing, running was often the time his ideas blossomed and grew. Running gave him the time and space to figure out what was going to happen next. What new barriers he could introduce. What the next adventure would be.

Sometimes the problem was that running gave him too much time to think. When he wasn't writing, like now, he thought about the complications of living two lives. Not that he regretted it. He certainly had never intended to become a paid assassin. Like most of the major decisions of life, it had happened by accident. That skill at language again. And having his college education paid by the Consortium freed up his time to write. Not that Winona wouldn't have put him through college. But when they approached him and asked if he'd be interested in following his mother's footsteps, it felt natural.

When he had used his newly acquired skills to make his first kill, he felt pride at his accomplishment. He thought he should have felt a little guilty about taking another life but by killing the drug kingpin, he had saved thousands of other lives. A fair trade he knew.

Now he had quite possibly found the person he wanted to share the rest of his life with. Maybe it was too soon to even think such things but there was something about Spock that pulled at Jim's soul. As though they had been together in a former life. An alternate universe. That they were one person inhabiting two bodies. And if his feelings were true and right, and he was right that Spock shared them, what would Spock say when he found out that Jim Kirk, writer, was also a feared assassin? Would he run? Would he try to talk Jim out of it? Would he understand? How much of his life was Jim willing to risk to have Spock in it?

He could only hope that talking to Chris would help. And Bones was right. Sam had married Denise when she wasn't any part of the Consortium. They hadn't objected. Maybe he and Spock would be allowed the same freedom. He certainly hoped so.

He ran up the small slope and into his back door, barely pausing long enough to tell his mom hi. He did slow down to accept the cup of coffee his mother held out to him. He made the shower hot, to thaw out from his run and relieve the tension in his muscles. After he'd cooled down, he'd have jelly knees. Taking a shower helped uncoil those muscles that bunched during his run.

After he was out and dressed, he wandered into his living, sitting on the couch next to Winona who was watching him with a smile.

"Good run?" she asked.

"You know," he said with a shrug. "I hate running."

"I know you do," she agreed.

They talked about what they had done since the last time they had been together, laughing and enjoying their own company. It hadn't always been so comfortable, but Jim had learned to understand why she had made the choices she had made. Some of the time she didn't have any choice. Some of the time she did what she did because it was best for him and for Sam. They were too young to understand, then. When Jim understood, there was a bridge built between them. Jim finally had a mother, one who was smart and insightful and had unending love for her two sons.

"Go and call Chris, dear. You'll feel better after you talk to him," Winona said, a warm hand on Jim's arm. Becoming closer to him mother had also brought him a clearer understanding of why he did many of the things he did, like his need to have physical contact with those for whom he felt affection. His personal space with his friends was practically nonexistent, and the same was true for Winona. Their belated closeness had also provided Winona the chance to tell Jim about the father he never knew – who George was, what he was like, how Jim looked almost exactly him, and seemed to channel much of George's personality.

He agreed with her advice and went into his office, not that he couldn't have the talk in front of Winona. But the phone in his office was safer, secure against prying ears.

"Hey," Jim said when Chris answered.

"Jim," Chris said, a smile in his voice.

"So I spent some time with Spock last night," Jim said, hoping Chris understood the meaning behind the words.

"I see," Chris said, assuring Jim that he did actually understand.

"And…well… at the risk of sounding like a first grader, I really like him," Jim said.

"I see," Chris repeated, this one encouraging as well as acknowledging.

"What happens if he's the one?"

"What happens to what?" Chris asked gently.

"Well. Will I have to leave the Consortium? He'll find out or figure out the truth. Tahla said I should take a sabbatical so he didn't figure it out. But what if I want a future with him?"

"Then we will rejoice with you," Chris said. "We'll buy you china and crystal."

"Really? I won't have to quit?"

"Sam didn't when he married Denise. John Young didn't when he married Iris. Pam Ivory didn't when she married Roman. They all understood and accepted that part of their lives. If Spock can accept it, there you go. If he can't, it will be up to you decide which is more important. The Consortium or Spock."

"Yeah," Jim said. "So the sabbatical is so I have time to figure it out?"

"Yes it is. It seems a little early on for you to be having these thoughts about Spock."

"I know it does," Jim had to agree. "But…well…do you believe in love at first thought?"

"It doesn't matter whether I do or not," Chris said. "If you believe you're in love, that's real to you."

"Are you patronizing me?" Jim asked, not really minding if he was.

"Maybe," Chris laughed.

"I can live with that," Jim responded. "Can you come to dinner Friday? I'm inviting Spock over."

"Of course. What can I bring?"

"Nothing. But thanks. Did you and Mom have fun last night?"

"What did she say when you asked her that?" Chris asked.

"That it's not any of my business," Jim admitted.

"There you go then," Chris said. "I need to go. You need anything else from me?"

"Not right now. Thanks."

"No charge. Call me if you have any more first grade issues you need to work through."

"You'll be the first one I call. Especially if I catch the cooties."

"Good," Chris laughed. "Say good-bye Jim."

"Good-bye Jim," Jim replied obediently before hanging up. He smiled as Winona when she appeared at his doorway. "You are right."

"Of course I am, dear. I'm your mom. I know things."

"You do," Jim said with a smile. "I'm going to call Spock. Then you want to go to town for lunch?"

"That would be lovely. But it's not even 9 o'clock," she laughed lightly.

"Oh. I guess that's what happens when you don't sleep, huh?"

"Call Spock. Then you can nap for a little while. Once you wake up we can go to town."

"Good plan," he agreed with a smile.

"Do you want some more coffee?"

"No thanks," he said, picking up his phone. "I'd like to speak to Mr. Spock," he said to the cool Vulcan voice that answered.

"Mr. Spock is in a meeting. Would you care to leave a message?" she asked.

"No. That's okay. I'll give him a call later."

"May I let him know you called, Mr.….?"

"Mr. Kirk," Jim supplied because she so clearly wanted him to.

"Please hold, Mr. Kirk," she said quickly, putting him on hold.

He barely stopped himself from laughing when Spock picked up the phone. "Jim."

"Hey," Jim responded. "I'm sorry to take you away from your meeting."

"It is of no consequence," Spock responded. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mostly," Jim said with a laugh. "You?"

"I rested quite well," Spock said.

"Good. I told you that my mom is in town for Christmas?"

"You did," Spock agreed.

"Well. I'd like to know if you can come over for dinner Friday. So you can meet Mom. If you're free."

"I am free. I would like to meet Mrs. Kirk," Spock said.

"Good. 6:00 o'clock?"

"Of course. What may I contribute?"

"Nothing, thanks. I'm going to invite a few friends. Chris, Scotty, Hikaru and Pavel. And Leonard is going to invite Nyota."

"It will be a festive affair," Spock said, making Jim laugh.

"I hope so. I'll let you get back to your meeting," Jim said.

"Of course," Spock said. "I will see you Friday."

"Good. Looking forward to it."

"As am I," Spock agreed, hanging up after their final good-byes.