As soon as Jim had left the headquarters he had figured since he was on earth, he might as well enjoy himself. So he decided to head over to one of his favorite clubs from his academy days. It was much more noisier than he remembered it but he just took a seat on one of the bar stools hoping to get drunk in peace.

Which is how he ended up in his current predicament.

The music was playing loud over the speakers but Jim could still hear the overconfident cadet. "Hey girl. You're looking fine! What are you doing here all by yourself?"

Jim almost cringed at the guys pathetic attempt to pick him up.

"Not interested." Jim said without glancing in his direction.

"Come on. Let me buy you a drink!" The guy persisted.

"I can buy my own drink thanks." Jim replied while still avoiding the man's gaze. Hoping he would leave him alone.

"Come on. Don't be like that! What's your name?"

Jim rolled his eyes and turned around to look at the man, "Look-" Whatever he was going to say trailed off, the man had short dark hair and brown eyes. Eyes that reminded Jim of-

"I would leave her alone if I were you."

Jim almost sighed in relief when he saw Bones step out from behind the cadet.

"Who the hell are you? Fuck off dude! I saw her first."

Jim rolled his eyes. How did this cadet even get into Starfleet when he couldn't even take a hint?

"Fine!" Bones shrugged and raised his hands in mock surrender, "I just thought I should warn you."

The dark haired cadet let out a snort, "Oh, yeah? Warn me of what? Are you gonna fight me for hitting on your girl?"

"Oh I am not." Bones paused before continuing. "But her Vulcan boyfriend will be happy to fight you if a fight is what you are looking for." Bones said with a smirk.

Both Jim and the cadet wore horrified expressions which only made McCoy even more pleased.

"Fuck! She didn't say she was dating a Vulcan!"

Jim was about to protest but Bones cut him off before he could even get a syllable out.

"Well I just told you! Now stop acting like a damn idiot and leave us the hell alone."

The guy scrambled away from the bar as Bones took the empty seat next to Jim.

"I could have handled him on my own, Bones. You didn't need to step in."

"Really?" Bones raised his eyebrows." It didn't sound that way when I came in."

Jim shrugged as he downed his glass of scotch. "How did you even find me?"

"Wasn't hard to guess where you would run off to. Just figured I would find you before you did anything stupid." McCoy's expression changed to that of amusement as he continued talking. "But imagine my surprise! Finally getting a taste of your own medicine I see. Well I hope you learned a valuable lesson."

Now it was Jim's turn to smirk, "please, my pick up lines are much better than that idiot's."

"Just keep on telling yourself that, kid. How did your medical go?" The doctor asked as Jim ordered another drink, McCoy noticed he leaned forward and gave the bartender a friendly smile.

Jim looked over at him and shrugged at him. "Fine I guess."

"Oh really? Is that why I got a report saying you have to attend mandatory psych evaluations."

Jim gaped at his friend. "Dammit! That was supposed to confidential!"

"I am your damn doctor! With me there is no such thing as confidential!

"There is such a thing a boundaries Bones. Just because you are my Doctor doesn't mean…"

"Remember that time you showed up at my dorm room at 2 in the morning asking to to get a piece of plastic out of your ass? You sure as hell didn't seem to care about boundaries then!"

Jim groaned, "Fine. Fine! You're right!

The bartender came back with a drink. "Here you go doll, from that gentlemen over there."

Jim turned around to see a red haired officer wink at him. Jim gave him a smirk before turning back to Bones who was staring at him with a half horrified half amused expression.

"Look at you, using your looks to get free drinks."

"Are you saying I look good Bones?" Jim teased as he gave the Doctor a wink.

"Hell no!" Jim laughed at his friend's grossed out expression.

Jim was about to down his drink when Bones muttered, "I see what Dr. Johnson was talking about in her report."

This caused Jim to freeze. All the amusement he had felt seconds earlier was long gone.

"What? Do you think I am getting used to being a girl? That I want to be a girl? Cause that's total bullshit!"

"That's not what I said Jim." McCoy responded, wishing he hadn't voiced his thoughts out loud.

"You and that Doctor don't understand! Try having someone else take over your body but it turns out that person is you! So you can't blame someone else for all of the embarrassing things they did! And on top of that you have to deal with all of the left over memories and mannerism!"

"Jim, I am on your side. I can't know what you're going through if you don't tell me. "

Jim stared at his friend for what seemed a long time. Bones stared right back and Jim could see the concerned look in his friends face. Finally Jim gave in with a sigh.

"Bones, promise me you won't take this the wrong way."

"What are you-"

"Just...promise."

"Dammit! Fine I promise!"

Jim stared at his friend for a few seconds before finally speaking. "Sometimes... it feels like I am sharing a body with someone else."

Jim kept looking at Bones and frowned when he failed to say anything in response.

"You think I am crazy don't you?" Jim asked, immediately regretting saying anything.

"No Jim, I don't. I am just trying to understand what you are trying to say."

Jim sighed, "Okay, it's like, I remember everything but I feel like there is this chunk missing! Then there are all those false memories and the feelings associated with them. I feel them in the back of my mind. They aren't going away."

Jim moved his drink around on the countertop, "It's painful Bones. She was so happy. She had a better life than I did. I was awake all of last night because of this. That... and my actions toward Spock when I thought I was a girl."

"You know the hobgoblin seems… a lot more fond of you now."

"Yeah I guess…"

"And can you blame him? All of a sudden you are batting your eyelashes at him. Of course the hobgoblin was going to get his hopes up."

"He doesn't have feelings for me Bones. If anything, he is interested in her. In… this body!"

"Jim, the physical body may look different but in the end it was still you."

"But that is just it Bones! It wasn't me!" Jim paused at the look his friend was giving him, "no, don't look at me like that, it's true."

Jim grabbed his glass and finally downed his drink.

"Jim, as much as idea of you and that hobgoblin together grosses me out. Don't sell yourself short."

Jim didn't respond and McCoy couldn't help notice how Jim seemed to be swaying in his chair as he set his glass back down on the counter.

"Uh, Jim? How many of those have you had tonight?"

"Hmm?" Jim raised his hand to order another one and then turned to look at Bones and shrugged."Hey, don't look at me! I am just the one receiving the drinks here."

"Yeah, from a bunch of guys trying to get in your pants!"

"Hey! They bought me a drink, and I am drinking it! Doesn't mean I owe them anything!" Jim let out a sarcastic laugh, "take's a lot more than a few drinks to get me into bed!"

Bones couldn't help the smirk that appeared on his face. Oh how the tables have turned. Instead of lingering on Jim's sex appeal, McCoy decided to change the subject.

"So when do you think you will be allowed to go back to the planet?"

"Don't know." Jim said as he idly played with the napkin on the counter. "They said that 'while they understand the seriousness of my situation', they can't afford to risk anything right now until they know more about these people." Jim took his last shot of tequila and slammed the glass back down on the counter.

"Besides, how long can it take?"

Not dead! Just really REALLY busy! I'll have more time to write once the semester is over!