No change in musical style will survive unless it is accompanied by a change in clothing style. Rock is to dress up to. ~Frank Zappa

"Are you sure this is the right room?" Jim asked Bones as they stood outside the door of one of the largest suites in the Stewart Towers. Their room was a floor below, not quite as grand but the queen of daytime put her guests up in luxury. Leonard had tried to talk Jim out of paying the difference to upgrade to a slightly larger suite so they had two bedrooms but there was no stopping him. Not that Leonard was especially surprised by his stubbornness.

"Yes it's the right room," Bones groused. "See," he said, holding up his cell phone, showing Jim the text he had gotten ten minutes earlier.

"Okay," Jim agreed, waiting as Bones knocked on the door. Jim was bouncing on his toes, Bones shaking his head in affectionate amusement.

"Would you calm the hell down? You aren't marrying him."

"Shut up," Jim said, waiting as the door was opened by Todd.

"Jim. Leonard. Come in," Todd said with a smile, moving out of the way so they could enter the suite. It was practically overflowing, members of the band on the chairs, couch, one on floor in front of the fire.

"Jim," Chillie said, standing as they entered further. "Leonard. Lilly can't stopped talking about you. You're going to have to marry her."

"My pleasure. I look forward to it," Bones laughed.

"Sherry can't believe it's turned into every Wednesday night," Chillie said. "You're sure they won't wear out their welcome?"

"They couldn't possibly," Leonard assured him. "Beside, Hikaru and Pavel would be devastated. They finally have playmates."

Chillie had to laugh at that, shaking his head. "Glad to know the kids are coming in handy. And I should have known y'all know ALS."

"Bucky is really good at it for being so young," Leonard said.

"He sends me at least one email every day talking about being at your house. Especially about the two of you. And Miss Nyota. He's completely in love," Chillie laughed.

"We all are," Jim agreed with a smile.

"Let me introduce you to the guys," Chillie said, waving at those gathered. "This is Larry Garrison our bassist, Darryl Clark our drummer, Darryl Young keyboards, and Yvonne Butler percussions and vocals."

Each member of the band shook hands with Jim and Leonard as Chillie named them. Jim already knew who they each were and their roles with the band. He also knew that Yvonne was married to Darryl Clark and that they had been together for at least 15 years. They had four children, who sometimes stayed with Sherry and sometimes with Yvonne's parents.

It was rumored that Larry Garrison and Darryl Young were in a long-term relationship but they never stated publicly whether or not it was true. Too many of their fans were completely enamored of them both so they kept any relationship they may or may not have as low-key as possible.

The band was delighted to meet Jim, and by extension, Leonard. Leonard took their milder interest in him in stride, watching Jim enjoy meeting some of his real-life heroes, people who felt for him what he felt for them. It all seemed so normal to Leonard and that was saying something about what constituted 'normal' in their lives.

"So I have Blackhawk tickets for tomorrow," Chillie told Jim before turning to Leonard. "Do you want to go?"

"Thank you, no," Leonard said politely. "I've never been a fan of hockey."

"Me neither," Yvonne agreed, smiling broadly at Leonard. "My Darryl loves it. Larry does too but not Darryl Y. We're going to The Art Institute tomorrow. Do you want to come with us?"

"I would never intrude," Leonard said.

"What intrusion?" Yvonne laughed. "Let the uncultured masses go watch overgrown adolescents whale away on each other. We're going to see the Chagall window exhibit."

"I would like that," Leonard agreed. "As long as you are sure."

"Of course we are," Darryl Y assured him. The two Darryls were polar opposites, reminding Leonard of how Pavel and Hikaru fit together for all their contrasts

Darryl Y was wearing a ragged Chicago Bulls sweatshirt that looked like it had seen better centuries not just days. His jeans though clean were equally ratty, holes everywhere. And not the designer aren't-I-chic-with-my-ragged-jeans holes. They were worn out. His hair and eyes were black, and there was a faint Asian air about him, standing a head shorter than Leonard. His eyes weren't entirely almond shaped like Sulu's but Leonard suspected that at least one grandparent was of Asian descent. He was in excellent physical condition, a runner from the lines of his body.

On the other hand, Darryl C sported a blonde crew cut, and looked like he could be a banker. He was wearing a button down shirt with his neatly pressed jeans. He was taller than Leonard, and lean with not an ounce of extra weight on him. He was clearly fit even though he lacked the subdued athleticism of the first Darryl. Being a drummer was probably the best exercise Darryl C could engage in.

Larry was in between with his unruly brown hair, his green eyes, and his expression of near dismay at all that went on around them. He wore jeans that were pressed but not pristine, some fraying around the places that always wore out first. He had on a black sweater that looked comfortable and practical with no pretense about it. It kept him warm. That was the reason he chose it. He was not fat nor was he thin. He was what Leonard's mama might have called pleasantly plump.

"We're about to order room service," Chillie was saying. "Can you hang here with us?"

Jim looked at Leonard in question. And there was no way that Bones could disappoint him. "Fine by me," Bones agreed.

Jim nodded. "That'd be great."

"Cool. What do you want?" Chillie asked, handing Jim the menu.

"I'll have the cheeseburger and fries," Jim said, knowing that Bones wouldn't say anything in front of the band. Plus if Jim ate, Bones would be happy if it were cardboard.

"I'll have the same," Bones decided.

"Right. Todd?" Chillie asked, Todd already going over to the phone. "You ready for your appearance with the Queen of Daytime?"

Jim rolled his eyes at that question, the others laughing.

"You seem thrilled," Darryl Y laughed.

"Oh yeah. Beyond belief," Jim responded.

"What are you wearing?" Yvonne asked, shushing the men when they groaned. "Stop. It's important."

"Jeans. A button down. A navy blazer," Jim said.

"No tie," Yvonne said.

"No," Jim agreed.

"Blue button down?"

"Yeah. I have a white one too. But that makes me feel like I'm going on a job interview," Jim said.

"You need the blue one," Yvonne said. "It'll bring out the blue in your eyes."

"I'm thinking he doesn't need any help on that front," Larry suggested.

"Stop making him self-conscious," Yvonne scolded.

"You're doing that, darlin'. Quizzing him like you're his mama," Larry countered.

"I most certainly am not," she said.

Jim laughed and shook his head. Yvonne could in no way be his mother, as she was only a handful of years older than him. And she had startling red hair, a color he suspected didn't exist in nature. But it had always been that color. She wore it in a French braid, tied with a blue ribbon that matched the sky blue cashmere sweater she was wearing.

She had always made an effort not to be perceived as any sort of sex-symbol but she was a rock queen. It was undeniably her fate. Jim thought she deserved the title, with her beautiful jade eyes and her long long legs. Only Nyota had longer legs though Yvonne was several inches taller, even in the flat shoes she always wore. She had declared early on that being in a rock band was hard enough. She was not risking the rest of her life by wearing ridiculously high heels, and the female fans loved her even more for it.

"This latest book is your best," Chillie told Jim, the band agreeing with that assessment.

"You've all read it?" Jim laughed.

"Yeah. They wouldn't quit bugging me until I finished. They read it as fast as they could too. Next time you'll need to send three copies," Chillie said.

"Sure," Jim agreed. "That won't be enough though."

"Larry's illiterate," Yvonne told him in a dramatic whisper.

"I'm literate enough to read you the riot act," Larry countered.

Yvonne just ignored him, turning to talk to Leonard. "Yeah our kids are jealous. But six children at one time is a lot."

"Well. If Chris, Hikaru, Pavel, Scotty, and Nyota are all there, we'll out number them," Leonard laughed.

"Barely," Yvonne's Daryl said with a smile.

"We're willing to risk it, aren't we?" Leonard asked Jim.

"Absolutely. They can have the sleep-over if they want. There's plenty of room in the living room. We can lock and alarm the pool so they can't get in without a lot of trouble and without us knowing."

"They would love it," Darryl said to Yvonne who still looked uncertain.

"It's a lot to take on," Yvonne said.

"Sherry will be there," Chillie pointed out. "They listen to her. Mostly."

"True," Yvonne laughed. "All right. As long as you aren't worried about it. I'll tell Mom it's okay."

"Good. We'll probably want to wait until next Wednesday. So we can prepare the guys," Jim laughed.

"Of course," Yvonne agreed. "We won't tell them until closer to time. Or they'll be bugging us non-stop."

"Our perfect angel children?" Darryl laughed.

"MY perfect angel children. I'm not sure you had anything to do with it," Yvonne said with obvious affection.

"Takes two to tango, darling," Darryl reminded her.

"So true," Yvonne said, leaning against him as he wrapped one arm tighter around her shoulders.

"Since you were good enough to send us a copy of your book," Chillie said, hoisting himself out of the armchair. "We got you two a little something." He opened one of the drawers in the desk in front of the windows, taking out two black satin jackets, handing one to Jim and one to Leonard.

"Really?" Jim said in even more excitement when he looked closely at the jacket. It was the same jacket the band wore on tour, with their names inscribed on the front over the miniature iceberg logo. "This is awesome," Jim exclaimed, pulling his on as Leonard did the same.

"This was completely unnecessary," Bones said, shaking his head. "But very cool indeed."

"It was nothing," Todd assured them. "We thought you'd like them."

"That's an understatement," Jim said with a luminescent smile. "Utterly unbelievable."

"You're welcome," Chillie laughed.

"I'll definitely send enough copies of my next book," Jim laughed.

"Have you started it?" Darryl C. asked.

"Not yet. It may not be part of the Paraguay series," Jim admitted, the band the first outside his 'family' he had told he was considering going off in a different direction. He certainly hadn't told Spock since he hadn't communicated with him since their disastrous non-lunch. Spock had contacted Chris several times, Chris dealing with it or asking Jim what he wanted to do.

"Do tell?" Darryl Y said, interest sparking in his dark eyes, eyes that reminded Jim of someone else who he did not want to think about right now.

"I'm not leaving the Paraguay series forever. But I feel like it's in a safe stopping place with Cereec'o. Not permanently but for a hiatus. I don't want to risk ending up like Hillary Rodgers. Nobody will read her if her pixies aren't in the story."

"That'll never happen to you," Chillie said, shaking his head. "Do you have an idea of what it will be about? Can you tell us?"

"I'm toying with the idea of writing about the First Contact Vulcans. Kind of a Christopher Columbus meets Surak story."

"That would be fabulous," Yvonne said.

"It will probably be from the point of view of the daughter of one of the first families. She'd be 9 or 10 – how she felt, what they thought of Earth, how they adjusted to being around Humans."

"It's a story that is waiting to be told," Todd said. "And you are the one to do it."

"Thanks," Jim said with a smile.

"I think those Vulcans should go back to where they came from," Larry said, his voice stern but quiet.

"We know that's what you think, Larry. We also know it's never going to happen," Yvonne reminded him.

"Why are they even here? Taking jobs from Humans. Acting all high and mighty with their superior intellect and 'logic.'"

"Larry," Todd said in exasperation. "Cut it out. Please."

"Damn Vulcans," Larry muttered before letting it go.

Jim glanced at Leonard who didn't know whether to be really angry or seriously amused. He knew that sort of prejudice existed but it was rare that it was so openly on display. Well, it wasn't their problem. Fortunately lunch arrived before any more ugly comments could be made by anyone about the relative merits of Vulcans being on Earth.

Leonard was relieved to see that Jim ate almost his entire cheeseburger and all of his fries. He'd have preferred they were carrot sticks but at least Jim ate.

Shortly after they had finished, they excused themselves, not wanting to risk overstaying their welcome. The band understood and after settling on the time they would meet for hockey and the museum, Jim and Leonard left.

"Do you think there's an ice cream place close by?" Jim said when they were in the hallway.

"Hmm…" Leonard said, taking out his phone. "Ben and Jerry's. One street over."

"Perfect," Jim said. "I know it's snowing out but…"

"It's fine. Come on. I'll buy you a milk shake," Leonard said, bumping shoulders to get him going the right direction.