Watching the stars passing by at an inconceivable speed it occurred to Maggie Zacher-Hagen that she loved her job, she loved the adventure and uncertainty but it was made all the more meaningful because she could share it with someone she cared about.

Maggie let herself into Leonard's quarters, neither stood on ceremony these days. She called out for him in the living area but there was no reply. Walking through to the bedroom she noticed an empty bottle on the floor, she called out for him again. There was a cough and splutter from the floor on the opposite side of the bed from where she stood. Making her way round she found Leonard slumped against the side, glass in one hand and a picture of his Daughter in the other. He didn't say anything, neither did she. She just sat down next to him and crossed her legs, their shoulders brushing against each other. After a while he spoke.

"I'm a damned fool Maggie." His voice broke.

"Joanna loves you Leonard, she always will." She whispered back.

"I'm not too sure about that."

"Don't question your Daughter's love for you Leonard, that's not fair. You can question your ex-wife's decisions, even your own but don't question Joanna. Children know when a parent questions their allegiance and it can be heart breaking." He took another gulp of his drink.

"You're right." She took the empty glass from his hand and placed it on the floor next to her.

"So, what brought all this on?" There was no judgement or disgust, just a simple question.

"I was watching her audio-visual message and I saw Clay in the background, he shouted to her that dinner was ready and she answered "Just a minute Dad". She didn't think anything of it, I could tell it was a natural reaction. I already knew that this would happen, but actually hearing it, I don't know? It got to me." There was nothing Maggie could say, she just took his hand and held it in her own. "Thank you." He looked at her and she wiped the tears from his cheeks, she smiled sweetly at him and kissed his forehead.

"You don't happen to have anything in that medical kit of yours for a hangover? You're going to need it in the morning." She gave his arm a playful shove. Leonard just shook his head, a little embarrassed that he'd got himself into such a state. After talking to Maggie it didn't seem so dire as it did before. "Come on, let's get you to bed." Maggie pulled down the bed cover and gently guided Leonard into bed, covering him up she stroked his hair to one side. Seeing that his breathing had steadied she lowered the lighting level and began to leave.

"Stay."

"Pardon?"

"Please stay with me." He asked again. Maggie hesitated slightly but a moment later she unzipped her boots and removed her uniform. Slipping in next to him she wrapped her arms around him and began stroking his hair again. Leonard was going to thank her again but he was asleep before he had the chance. Maggie stayed awake for a while, savouring the feeling of the man she was beginning to fall in love with asleep in her arms.

"Jim." Leonard looked up from his PADD.

"What is it Bones?" Kirk was busy reading through ship wide assessment reports in his office, McCoy had been sat opposite him for the last hour.

"I need to speak with you."

"Sure, what can I do for you?" Kirk still hadn't looked up.

"Well, Lieutenant Zacher-Hagen and I are…well we're…we're…" McCoy was finding this more difficult than he expected. He rubbed a hand over his face.

"Together?" Kirk finished his sentence.

"Yes."

"Good for you Bones, I'm happy for you." Kirk stood and walked around his desk, slapped McCoy on the back and gave him a grin.

"Wait? You knew?"

"Bones, you're my best friend. It didn't take me long to figure out the reason you had a spring in your step." Kirk smiled knowingly.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Leonard's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Probably the same reason as you, I knew you'd tell me when you were ready. Can I ask, does Maggie know about Pamela and Joanna?"

"Jesus Jim! Yes she knows about Pamela and Joanna, she knows everything." Kirk just nodded.

"You want to get a drink tonight?" McCoy was pleased, it was important to him that his friend approved of his relationship with Maggie.

"You not spending it with the Lieutenant?" Bones practically rolled his eyes.

"There's enough Leonard H. McCoy to go round don't worry Jim."

"I'm not sure I like this version of you Bones." Kirk pulled a face in mock disgust.

"Well get used to it." It was Leonard's turn to slap Jim on the back.

Maggie was sat at her post reviewing readouts when Kirk sidled up next to her. When he didn't say anything she gave him a quizzical look.

"Captain? Can I help you?" He looked surprised she'd noticed him.

"No no, just seeing how my crew are doing." He began walking to the other posts, pausing momentarily at each one. He finally made his way back to Maggie, she stopped what she was doing and stood up.

"Captain Kirk, is there something you wish to discuss? Am I not carrying out my duties effectively?" She leaned in and spoke in a low tone.

"No, of course not! Your performance is exemplary." He went quiet again. Maggie was nervous. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it again.

"Captain?" She repeated. This was all very strange.

"Bones told me." He finally whispered to her, careful that nobody else would hear. Maggie creased her brow at first but then realisation took over and she quickly looked around the Bridge.

"Sir?"

"Lieutenant, I couldn't be happier. Bones' needs a good woman in his life, I couldn't think of anyone better." Maggie was taken aback, Kirk just rubbed her arm reassuringly, smiled and went off in search for Spock. The rest of her shift was a blur.

"After this is over, what do you see yourself doing?" Leonard and Maggie sat in her quarters in the living area.

"After what is over?"

"This mission." Maggie put down her PADD allowing her to give him her full attention.

"Oh, I'm not sure. I've toyed with the idea of opening a practice back home."

"That would be nice." Maggie took a sip of her drink.

"It would. What about you?"

"I'm not sure really, when I was starting out I had a very clear idea of what I wanted to do. What I wanted to achieve. Now I'm not sure."

"Because of me? If that's the case then Maggie, I would never want to be the reason you didn't do something you wanted to do."

"It's partly you but you're not the whole reason." Maggie smiled reassuringly.

"Pamela and I, we didn't work out because we both spent so much time apart. Neither one of us stopped to realise that we'd effectively become strangers to one another. Is this strange? That we're having this conversation?"

"I don't think so, it feels nice to have to take someone else into consideration. Especially someone who means so much to me, why? How do you feel about it?"

"The same." They sat there for a while longer, neither one speaking. It was nice just to sit and listen to the hum of the engine.

"Why have you never married Maggie? Or have children?" Maggie was caught off guard by Leonard's question, she shifted uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked." He was worried he crossed a line, one he didn't know existed until that moment.

"No Leonard, of course you can ask. You can ask me anything. I very nearly was married, got all the way to the proverbial alter. He didn't turn up, a friend of his later told me that he had been feeling that way for months but didn't have the heart to say anything. I was so mad, I wasn't upset, I was mad. We'd discussed having a family, where we would live, what we would do. For a long time I blamed myself, questioned everything I'd done and said along the years. Finally I came to the realisation that it hadn't been me, it had been him, all along." Leonard sat there taking it all in. He couldn't imagine anybody not wanting to spend the rest of their lives with the woman sat in front of him. Whoever he was he was a damned fool. Maggie smiled, "But that was a lifetime ago, I honestly rarely think about it. Now I don't think about it at all." She drew him in for a kiss, gentle at first. Leonard pulled her onto his lap, stroking his hands up and down her back.

"I'd turn up, you know that right?" Maggie looked at him, he was being as serious a heart attack.

"Yes, I know."

Thanks for the favourites and you all following this story still, hope you're enjoying it! Still plenty to come! And I couldn't help myself, it's going to get mildly angsty! LLAP :-) XOXO