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2258 – May 25th

To Bones, Audrey was goddamn beautiful. Probably the most beautiful woman he had ever set eyes on. A smile that never stopped giving, long black hair with a slight wave cascading down her back, and the curves to match but what really took his breath away... what really stole his heart.. was simply the way she looked at him through those beautiful soft chocolate brown eyes. He wasn't a nice man.. hell he didn't even known if he was a decent man.

But when he was with her, he felt good. He felt believed in and that was something he hadn't felt in a long time. Not since that the damned bitch from hell of a wife took it with her in the divorce.

He had felt this way ever since he had met Audrey. That fateful day when he met her as Jim's Professor and said his name.

Flashback

2256 - September 3 0900 hours

Audrey sat on the stool behind the podium and drummed her fingers absentmindedly on the table as she waited for her students. This semester she would be teaching 'Advanced Tactical Strategies' and while she knew that it wouldn't be a particularly popular class, she expected a least a handful of kids.

Tick tock tick tock. She looked at her small analog watch and admired the simplicity of it. Audrey found it in a small pawn shop down in downtown San Fran and couldn't help but feel comforted by it. It was a design from the 21st century and although now the leather band was a little worn, she wouldn't ever replace it for a modern watch. Call her old fashioned but she wouldn't care.

Classes promptly started at 0900 hours and now it was 0930. "Okay, this is getting ridiculous…" Audrey ran her hands through her hair and sighed loudly. She began to pick up her PADD when she heard the ever slight swishing sound of the door. "Dad?"

Captain Pike's head popped in and smiled at her from afar. "Protocol, Professor Pike," he said with a glint of amusement in his eyes.

She snapped to attention just to humor him. "Sir!" but couldn't help a giggle escape. "To what do I owe this honor?"

Captain Pike approached her and behind him walked in a handsome young man with strikingly blue eyes and a goofy grin on his face. His hand scratched the back of his hand and he carried an air of confidence that made Audrey's lips tug upwards. "Professor, I'm sorry for the lateness. However, I've brought a student who is in dire need of your instruction."

The young man stretched out his hand and introduced himself. "Jim Kirk. Nice to meet a beautiful lady such as yourself if you know what I mean." Kirk winked.

Audrey was giggling uncontrollably inside but knew better especially in front of her father. In her best professor voice with a raised eyebrow she said, "I will pretend to have not heard that Cadet Kirk. I am Professor Audrey Pike."

"Pike? No way! You're the famous Commander Audrey Pike! You don't look anything like I imagined you," Kirk said peering at her face. However a smirk spread across his handsome face as he said, "Much sexier than I imagined you."

Captain Pike cleared his throat. "I suggest you take a step back Cadet Kirk. Such inappropriate behavior is strictly prohibited especially in the presence of a commanding officer."

Kirk laughed and whispered to Audrey, "I guess I'll just have to do it when daddy's not around huh?"

"I heard that Cadet. Maybe I should change professors for you Cadet."

Kirk looked up in shock and smiled sheepishly. "No no Captain. I'll behave. Can't miss an opportunity to have Professor Pike as my private professor. She's the best!"

Audrey raised an eyebrow. "Private professor? Captain, is Cadet Kirk to be my only student?" She was curious. Why would her father arrange this and to not even mention it before?

It was Captain Pike's turn to be a little nervous. "I'm sorry for not bringing it up earlier, but it came to my attention that Cadet Kirk is an extremely difficult student to handle and most professors seem to fail to meet his expectations."

"His expectations?" Audrey couldn't help but raise both her eyebrows this time.

"He's… sigh… unfortunately very smart and has been able to intellectually bully his professors. His aptitude tests are off the charts."

Kirk chuckled. "Yeah, can't help it! But you'll do great Professor Pike. I've got a good feeling about you."

Captain Pike smiled and squeezed Audrey's arm. "I believe in you Professor Pike. Just like I believe in this joke of a Cadet. He'll be great. I just need you to help me get him there." Audrey could feel his trust in her and couldn't say no. She was disappointed that she wouldn't have a large class because she loved educating young minds, but this Jim Kirk presented a challenge and there was no way in hell she was going to back down.

Audrey smiled. "Don't worry Captain. I've got it from here. Are you up for the challenge Cadet?"

Jim smirked. "Are you?"

"Absolutely."

2256 – November 20 1200 hours

"Professor! PROFESSOR!" Jim Kirk made his way through the crowds to the bar where his professor stood searching for someone. "AUDREY!" He knew it was her the moment she came through the door and man he couldn't tear his eyes off her. She looked divine in that tight little one-shoulder dark blue dress that hugged her body in all the right places. His eyes grew a little dark with lust looking at the long legs she showed off.

Audrey turned around at the screaming of her name and knew that it could be only one person. Who else but Jim Kirk? "Jim!" She wrapped her arms around Jim's neck giving him a quick hug. She may have been a little tipsy but she knew the boundaries. Audrey couldn't help but notice how good Jim looked in civilian clothes. He was wearing a flattering white v-neck with a good pair of dark jeans that showed off his cute ass.

"You came! I was beginning to get a little worried there," Jim said wiggling his eyebrows with his speech slightly slurred. Audrey couldn't help but laugh at how weird Jim was.

"A girl's always fashionably late Jim. You oughta know that by now." Audrey pressed a flirty finger in the middle of Jim's chest. "Plus I had to clean up the room. You never know who's going to come by…"

Jim grabbed her hand and snaked an arm around her waist. "Is that an invitation, I hear?" The two of them had a flirty on and off thing ever since they met. Both of them knew it wasn't serious but a little fun to relieve the tension of studying.

"Whoa Jim. Let's get you away from the Commander and on a different girl before you get your ass hauled in front of the Disciplinary Committee again." A tall, gruff handsome man removed Jim's arm from around Audrey and began pushing him away back to a table. But of course Jim didn't go without protest.

"But Bonessss. I've been working on hooking up with her for months!" Jim started, flailing his arms around like a five year old.

"Yeah yeah. She's worth more than that you idiot. You'll thank me in the mornin'." The tall man slapped Jim in the head and returned to where Audrey was standing near the bar. "Pardon me ma'am. He's an idiot. Let me get ya a drink."

Audrey could help but smile. "It's no problem. You a friend of Jim's?"

The man leaned against the counter and Audrey couldn't help but give him a look down. He was one fine specimen if she said so herself. The dark leather jacket he wore with a button up underneath finished with a dash of southern with his jeans and boots were hot but the way he walked and talked was deliciously sexy. In his southern drawl he said, "McCoy. Leonard McCoy. Everyone calls me Bones though. You're the professor, ain't ya?"

"Yeah I guess I am. Audrey Pike. Nice to meet you." Audrey put out her hand to shake his.

"Pleasure," Bones replied returning the handshake. The moment his hand touched hers, he felt a shock of electricity run through him, and he found that didn't want to let go of her hand. "Dance with me?" he growled.

Audrey's eyes glittered with something Bones' dark grey eyes couldn't read. "Love to, Leo."

From the moment she said his name, he wrapped his arm around her body and knew he never wanted to let go. The way she said his name. Not Bones. Not McCoy. Not Doctor.

But Leo.

And he loved every second of it.

End Flashback

2258 – May 26th 1300 hours

Spock returned from the surface but he was without the one person that he went there for. His mother. The realization of his loss threatened to split his world in two. His emotions were clouding his judgment and at some level, he didn't care but for the good of his crew, for Nyota, for Audrey he would keep it underneath his Vulcan control. He would keep it deep below bury it as he faced the even more dangerous times ahead.

Audrey couldn't reach Spock and it worried her to death. She knew he loved his mother beyond all rationale. The worry infected her every thought. There wasn't a single moment that went by that wasn't of Spock. Even as she worked on the bridge with Spock coming up with different possible tactical strategies in retrieving her father she couldn't help but worry. Audrey hadn't said much because she knew it wasn't her place to. She also could see the anger bubbling right beneath his fragile Vulcan control and wouldn't dare to push him.

But when he condemned her father to death… when he decided to abandon Captain Pike and Earth, her home, to certain death, she couldn't even bear to look at Spock. Push him? Worry about him? She felt as though if he had slapped her in the face when he gave the order.

Retreat to the Laurentian system? By that time, it would be too late and Audrey would be fatherless and homeless. It was a fear that shook her very core and left her empty. It was a pain like one she had never felt before. It consumed her body and soul leaving nothing behind.

Jim saw the look on Audrey's face when Spock gave the order. He fought with Spock and wondered how he could do it. How he could live with himself when Audrey was in so much pain? Jim felt anger for his mentor an uncontrollable anger. He always knew that Audrey was devoted to Spock. It was so obviously apparent to all those who saw and he treated her like shit. She was always there for him, there when he wanted her at his convenience, but he was never there when she needed him. And it made Jim angry.

That's why he lashed out. That's why he fought back knowing that there would be consequences. He just didn't think he'd be marooned on Delta Vega. He also didn't think he'd meet Spock Prime there either.

Audrey couldn't deal with it. She couldn't believe that Spock had marooned Jim on a foreign possibly dangerous planet for fighting for her father's life. The emotions couldn't be contained and they threatened to destroy what little calm and control she had. Watching Bones fight for Jim only hurt her more as Spock easily deflected them as if Jim's life was insignificant and inconsequential. Knowing fully well that while the ship was in warp they would be safe, she requested to move to engineering in order to check weapons and shield systems claiming that there was a problem. The request was granted as Engineer Olsen requested help.

Spock had noticed her behavior. She was acting erratic and he could only assume it was the consequence of his decision to remove her student off the Enterprise. There was no other reason she could be upset. Logic dictated that his order to return to regroup with the rest of Star Fleet was the best decision to make. Surely she could see that.

Nevertheless, it hurt him to see her cut off all contact with him. He noticed that before she would try to lighten the mood of the bridge with small comments or give him comforting looks or touches but now there was nothing. The destruction of his planet and the loss of his mother hurt him deeply. More than he could ever express and to see his best friend, Audrey, acting this way second guessing his commands was unbearable. He needed Audrey to be there to keep his calm.

But before she could escape into the elevator, Spock entered with her with the full intention to speak with her regarding Jim. The elevator began its journey to the lower levels of the engineering bay when Spock hit the stop button. "Audrey. You have been…" Spock hesitated before continuing, "illogical. I do not understand why you have been acting this way. Why have you cut yourself off from me?"

Audrey clenched her fists and looked down at her feet. She couldn't look up at his face because she feared that she would lash out. "Captain, I am fine."

Spock sighed. "You are clearly not fine, Audrey. I order you to tell me what is wrong."

Audrey snapped up to look at him in the face. She could no longer contain it. "You want me to tell you what is wrong? What is WRONG? With your order to return back to regroup, you have condemned my father and my home to death. My father, who rescued me from the depths of unknown hell, will die BECAUSE OF YOU. You did this. Not only that but you marooned Jim on that hostile planet. He could be DEAD. Everyone I care about and hold dear is dying because of your orders." She started crying as she said this beating Spock's chest.

Spock was shocked and didn't know what to say. What could you say? He simply grabbed her wrists and held her until she ceased to cry. Spock felt a deep stabbing pain and knew that the pain he was feeling wasn't just his own. These feelings were sickeningly familiar. They were the same feelings he felt when Vulcan was obliterated. Disbelief, rejection, fear, anger, sadness all magnified as his own began to resurface.

Audrey felt his mind within her own and pulled away abruptly. His mind did not comfort her now. It only served to hurt her. She tried to control her tears. The elevator resumed and brought her to the engineering bay. Spock watched silently as Audrey left the confines of the elevator without a word. It seemed that neither had the control or had any idea what to say now as Audrey cried silently.

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