As Corriene trudged through the snow she looked down at the piece of paper in her hand, on it was the address of a private house the man at the Casino believed Kirk and McCoy would be. She'd asked him at the time if they were in trouble when he'd been hesitant to even give her the address in the first place. When she had insisted he'd made her promise him she wasn't going to go up there alone. It was up a steep hill and the snow was coming down thicker than the day before when she had visited the caves. In her rush to leave she'd also forgotten her hat and her head was freezing, she'd had to use the back of her mitten to wipe her runny nose over and over again. She was fully prepared to reach this house, find them both passed out on the floor from too much booze and have to drag their sorry behinds back to the hotel where Spock and the Security team would be waiting. The man at the Casino kept popping into her head though and she wondered whether she'd made a mistake by breaking her promise of not going alone.
The house was huge; there was no other way of describing it. Unlike the traditional terraces of the town this was modern and singular. Making her way down the driveway Corriene kept checking her surroundings, it was deadly quiet and the snow gave an eerie feeling to the gardens and house. As she approached the door she noticed it opening, coming to a halt she had a second to decide what to do and in that second she decided to dive into the nearby shrubbery. The ice and snow stung her cheeks and face and the thorns of the brambles stuck through her coat and trousers. She tried to calm her breathing and listen to the conversation happening right outside the front door. Of course it didn't matter because one look at the two fellas let Corriene know this wasn't some sweet family home where she'd get offered tea and biscuits. She watched the two men get in a car and drive away, as soon as they'd left she scrambled out of the foliage and made her way round the back of the house. Every now and again she'd stop, duck down and check her surroundings. She was probably being watched on cameras but if she was fast and sly enough hopefully they wouldn't be able to keep up. Coming to the back door she pulled one of her tools from her coat pocket, making quick work of the lock she slowly pushed it open. Looking in it looked like she had come through a garage of some kind, tip toeing across the tiles her hand rested on Kirk's phaser in her other pocket. Turning a corner she was faced with two doors, one was metal and looked old and dingy, the other was polished wood with an ornate handle. Jiggling the handle of the metal door she found it locked, her tools made light work of the lock again and she cautiously opened it. The muffled calls from McCoy and Kirk were the first thing she heard, before her they sat, tied to a chair by rope facing away from one another and a rag stuffed in their mouths.
"Jim!" She whispered as she sprinted over and pulled the rag from his mouth.
"Co!" He said breathlessly.
"What the hell Jim?!" She didn't wait for an answer as she pulled the cloth from McCoy's mouth and then began cutting the ropes.
"Damnit Jim! What did I tell ya!" McCoy was visibly furious.
"How was I supposed to know Bones…?" Corriene ignored the argument going on between the two men and continued to free them from their restraints.
"Please Gentleman, you can continue this debate at a later date, right now we need to get the hell out of here!" The pair stopped arguing and helped Corriene loosen the remaining ropes.
"How did you find us?" Kirk couldn't help but ask.
"With all due respect Sir, we don't have time for this. Please, just follow me." Kirk nodded mutely and Corriene set off back through the door, the two men following closely on her heels. As they made their way across the garage they heard the sound of an alarm begin to go off.
"Shit." Corriene looked at Kirk and McCoy who were looking back at her blankly, she could hear shouting outside and knew that if they didn't move soon she'd be seeing those two burly men again which definitely wouldn't be a good idea. Looking around she tried desperately to come with a plan, pulling the phaser from her pocket she handed it to Kirk.
"Are you insane?! You're not seriously planning to shoot your way out are ya?!" McCoy asked incredulously.
"I think we already know they're not the type to want to sit down and chat Bones." Kirk answered.
"Sir?" Corriene interrupted.
"You're a goddamn madman Jim, you know that!" McCoy continued, his hands flailing in the air.
"Bones… please…" Kirk was trying to calm his friend down, already feeling guilty that he'd got him into this whole mess in the first place.
"Captain!" Corriene shouted. "I've got an idea." She added when the pair stopped arguing and looked at her, next to where they were stood is what she presumed sat a large vehicle covered with a tarpaulin. Corriene pulled the heavy material off to reveal the obviously very expensive car.
"Co, what are you doing?" Kirk asked as she tried opening the driver's door.
"We're stealing this car." She answered, pulling a panel off the side to reveal a console.
"We're what?!" McCoy questioned. The two men looked at each other and then back to Co who had managed to get the door to open, sitting behind the driver's wheel she looked at Kirk expectantly.
"Are you going to get in?" She asked, raising her eyebrows! Kirk ran round the car without hesitation.
"Get in the car Bones." He instructed before sitting next to Corriene in the front. When all three were sat in the car Kirk watched silently as Corriene pulled wires and chips from under the wheel, using her tools she'd shoved in her pocket.
"She knows how to hotwire a car?" McCoy asked from the back, Kirk just nodded his head, feeling shocked and impressed in equal measure. When the engine came to life she beamed at Kirk and he gave her a sly wink in return, putting the car into drive she looked towards the garage doors. Corriene creased her brow in alarm when she realised the doors were closed and she had no idea how to open them. As she was about to ask Kirk what to do the external door swung open and Corriene saw the two men rush in.
"Shit!" Corriene said plainly, looking from the men to Kirk to the garage door she returned her gaze back to the man sat next to her. Then she did something completely out of character, she gave Kirk the biggest over the top wink before flooring the accelerator.
Kirk's arms shot out in front of him, bracing himself on the dashboard. The garage doors broke apart and Corriene had to squint against the sun and bright white snow, skidding up the drive she saw in the rear view mirror the two men run after her shouting and waving their arms.
"Yeehaw!" McCoy shouted from the back of the car which made Kirk laugh and Corriene grin widely. The car sped up the hill and away from the house, all the while skidding and sending a plume of snow up into the sky in its wake.
"Are they following us?" Corriene asked, concentrating on driving too much to look back. Kirk looked backwards and shook his head.
"I don't think so."
"We need to get back Captain, Commander Spock and a security team were beaming down." She explained. Kirk watched her as she explained what had happened, the communication from Spock that he and McCoy were missing, tracking them down at the Casino and then making her way to where they had been effectively taken hostage. The car skidded to a stop and Corriene jumped out. She hadn't once asked what had happened, or why it had happened. Kirk knew that that wasn't important to her and that fact alone made him adore her a little bit more.
"Come on Bones." Kirk instructed, jumping out himself. "Co." He tried to get her attention.
"Captain, they're not going to be far behind us, we need to move." Corriene's lips were pressed tightly together as she waved her hand instructing the two men to follow.
"I know, you're right but Co…?" Kirk started again.
"Sir please." There was one thing that he couldn't help thinking about however, he couldn't tell if she was angry at him. The use of his rank instead of his name? She hadn't hugged him when she'd seen him tied up. The sensible part of his brain was telling him to stop being pathetic, she was a professional, an Officer. She was acting as an Officer should, he would do the same. The three of them trudged through the snow towards the town, Corriene looked back at the two men tripping on the road and shivering, having no coats or protective gear on at all. She had to admit it to herself, it did make her feel a little better that they were suffering for their stupidity. She wasn't the least bit interested in their excuses, her Captain and the CMO were missing, she went to find them. Anybody else would have done the same.
Although that wasn't entirely true, when she had woken and realised Kirk wasn't there she had panicked, and she knew right then and there she would do anything necessary to find him. Balancing the mix of emotions that came with dating your Captain was harder than expected. She hadn't thought she'd underestimated the difference it would make to her working life but she also hadn't up to that point been tested and put in a position where she was either going to follow her head or her heart. Pulling the communicator from her pocket she opened a communication to Spock and informed him that Kirk and McCoy were both safe and sound. The security team would be returning to the Enterprise along with Spock and Kirk and McCoy would remain on the planet for the last twelve hours of shore leave given the fact they weren't injured, other than their pride that was.
When they were stood in front of the hotel there were a few choice words shared between the Captain and Doctor before McCoy thanked Corriene and trundled off in search of a bottle of Tennessee Whiskey and a warm bath. Kirk turned to Corriene nervously but said nothing.
"Come on, let's get you out of those wet clothes." She smiled sweetly at him and took his hand, leading the way. Neither spoke on the way to the room and when Corriene opened the door she saw that Kirk was watching her intently. "I'll go run you a bath." She said, "Get those off and wrap a blanket around yourself." Kirk nodded like a child nodding at their Mother when told to eat all their dinner. When Kirk walked into the bathroom and saw the steam rolling from the bathtub he couldn't wait to get his sore, cold limbs into the soothing water.
"Thanks Co." He finally muttered.
"I'll be back in a minute." She touched his arm ever so gently through the blanket as she passed by him. Kirk didn't hesitate to drop the blanket and gently lower himself into the tub, closing his eyes he laughed to himself. Of all the dumb shit he'd done in his life agreeing to a game of high stakes poker with an obvious criminal was pretty high up there. When it had come to pay up, yeah well, that's when they found themselves tied up in the garage! The unmistakable clinking of ice in a glass made him open his eyes, just in time to see Corriene hand him the Bourbon. His eyes travelled from the glass to her glass, being held by delicate fingers and a delicate wrist. His eyes travelled up her bare arm to her bare torso and legs and he watched as she easily climbed in and sat between his legs, her back resting against his chest. Raising her glass she spoke lazily.
"Cheers." Kirk brought his glass to hers.
"Cheers Cookie." He could count on one hand the amount of times he'd been truly lost for words and taken aback by what someone had said or done, this was one of those times. Corriene's unabashed, assured manner kept him watching her captivated, waiting to see what she would do next. There was a silence as they both took a drink, Kirk couldn't help but bring his hand up to Corriene's hair and stroke the curls back and forth. "Did you fall in a bramble brush?" He asked, spotting the small pink pin pricks that covered her legs.
"I did." Corriene answered simply. Amusement obvious in her voice.
Corriene took the glass from his hand and picked up a flannel, as she meticulously cleaned each one of his fingers and forearm Kirk watched on mesmerised. Letting his hand rest on her stomach she started on the other hand, squeezing the warm water from the cloth over his skin before setting that one down as well.
"Is this what it's like?" Kirk asked.
"What is what like?" Kirk's hands were making small circles on her stomach under the water, she watched as they slowly travelled up over her ribs and chest making her go hard. They came up under her arms and pulled her up, twisting her so that she was straddling him, the water sloshing all around them and pouring over the sides.
"Being ridiculously happy?" Kirk answered as his hands continued to roam and come to rest on her hips, pushing her into him. Corriene couldn't help but rock against him as she answered.
"I'd say so, wouldn't you?" She agreed, leaning forward to give him a long deep kiss.
"I'm sorry if I scared you." He apologised between kisses.
"It's okay; just try not to make a habit of it alright?" Both of them were growing impatient, when the final wave of water poured over the side of the bath and onto the tiles they both laughed and helped one another out. Neither bothered with a towel, their bodies crashing into one another and somehow making their way to the bedroom and falling between the pillows.
Corriene blew her fringe from her forehead, the sheets felt glorious against her skin as she slowly moved her legs up and down, enjoying the sensation far too much. Sunlight was pouring between the curtains and wall signifying that it was morning. Burying her head in the pillow she tried to ignore the fact that she knew her alarm was about to go off any second. Peering through her messy hair she watched Kirk sleep peacefully, his chest rising and falling evenly.
"Jim." She whispered. "Jim." Scooting herself over she put her head on his pillow, "James?" She let her arm fall over his chest. "Jim we have to get up." She whispered again. Tucking her head into the crook of his neck she placed small kisses against his neck and whispered his name into his ear. She let her hands roam over him uninhibited, throwing her thigh over his.
In a blink of an eye and before Corriene realised what had happened Kirk had tossed her onto her back and straddled her legs.
"Good morning! You were enjoying yourself there weren't you?" He asked mischievously, Corriene now blushed, knowing that he'd been awake the whole time.
"It's better than getting cold water poured over you isn't it?" She shrugged her shoulders and pushed her hair back away from her face. With her eyebrows raised and her lips pursed Kirk stared at her wordlessly.
"What?" She asked.
"You're beautiful you know that?" He stated.
"Dick." Corriene laughed nervously, Kirk leant forward and brushed her hair away from her forehead, when it sprang straight back he chuckled and rolled his eyes. "I love that I can pretty much tell what you're thinking at any time by just looking at your face."
"It's not always a good thing! There's been times in my life I had wished people couldn't tell what I was thinking."
"Not with me though right?!"
"Of course not!" Her face said otherwise but Kirk knew that had been her intention, letting his head rest on her chest he closed his eyes feeling safe and at ease. "We need to get up." She repeated her initial comment.
"In a minute." Kirk's voice was muffled as he turned into her and started placing small kisses along her collarbone.
"Did you enjoy your shore leave?" Corriene asked breathlessly, her eyes closing in response to his touch.
"Apart from the kidnapping it was great, you?" His mouth was still on her neck but with the addition of his hand between her legs Corriene could no longer think straight.
"It was pretty… great." Her voice broke as seemingly Kirk had found the right point and arching her back, she called out uncontrollably.
"I could get used to hearing you make that sound."
"I could get use to making it." Corriene answered lazily.
"We need to get up." Kirk stated regretfully.
"In a minute." Corriene stretched out like a cat in the sun and then with a dark smile and quick wink pulled herself under the covers and down the bed. As Kirk closed his eyes in anticipation his comm badge began to chirp.
"You have got to be kidding?!" He shouted, punching the bed with his fists. The sound of laughter came from under the covers, pulling the sheet away he looked at Corriene who was trying grinning wildly.
"Saved by the bell." She remarked nonchalantly, Kirk grabbed the device and opened the communication.
"Jim, where the hell are you? I'm waiting in reception!" McCoy's angry voice radiated around the room.
"I… overslept… I'll be down in a minute." Kirk fumbled over his words.
"Well be quick about it Jim!"
"Oh don't worry, it shouldn't take long." Corriene pulled a disgusted face at his remark and he gave her a wink in return.
"What every woman wants to hear!" She whispered, before slipping back under the cover.
"Bye Bones." Kirk cut the communication and threw the badge off the bed. "You were saying?" The room filled with laughter.
Hope you're still enjoying this, please let me know what you think. XOXO LLAP ;-)
