7 Weeks Later
2251
Jamie
It had been an interesting few weeks for Jamie. After spending a day at Starfleet HQ filling out paperwork that made her a civilian contractor, she had plenty to do. First, she spent three days at the shipyard in Riverside and another three days on Starbase One, then Jamie attended a two week conference at the Daystrom Institute. There was no way she would have missed Professor Ursula Mornay's symposium on 'The Understanding of Transwarp Technology.' The proposal for the transwarp project was interesting and Jamie knew she would have to keep tabs on it. There was no doubt that it would end up becoming part of the warp systems in every ship in the fleet once it was perfected, however, that could take a few years.
She returned from the conference just in time to go with Chris to his parents' place in Mojave for Christmas. It wasn't the first time that Jamie had been out to the Pike's home, just the first time she and Chris were there together. The look on his face when his horse, Tango, responded to her instead of him was priceless.
It was relaxing to be with the people who treated her like family; she even got to spend time just hanging out with Chris. She noticed that he was so much more relaxed the further they got from San Fransisco. Chris was a goof when he wanted to be and the food fight he started with her was legendary. They were a mess and it took Jamie forever to get the mashed potatoes out of her hair. She had to take some of the blame, Jamie was sure Hobelia would kill Chris if she didn't. The pair ended up cleaning the kitchen from top-to-bottom that night and collapsed together on the couch when they were finished. Best holiday ever in Jamie's book.
Today was Jamie's birthday, she tried to keep it low-key, but Chris wasn't having it. "You only turn eighteen once and this is the first birthday I get to spend with you, so get up," he told her as he practically dragged her out of bed at five in the morning. After he forced her to get dressed, Chris took her to some of his favorite places in San Francisco.
She had never been to the Kelvin Memorial before, fortunately, Chris took her there early enough to avoid most of the people. Standing in front of the wall that held the names of those lost eighteen years ago, Jamie wondered what her father would think of her. She knew that she wouldn't be the same person if George had survived the attack on the Kelvin. She could almost picture her life with him in it, growing up in that house in Riverside, Iowa with her dad, her brother and a mom that loved her. Of course, if George was here, there was a good chance she wouldn't know Chris, she squeezed his hand, Jamie didn't like the idea of never meeting him.
After the memorial, Chris took Jamie to his favorite place to get breakfast. The diner was a hole in the wall, but they had the best pancakes Jamie had ever eaten, "I told you this place was good," Chris said to her after she had eaten all of her food and some of his.
By day's end, they had visited the Golden Gate Bridge, the Palace of Fine Arts, and the California Academy of Sciences. Half-way through the day, they were holding hands and laughing at the simplest things; Jamie had to admit that she had fun. When she said as much to Chris, he just smiled and told that there was one thing left. After they got home, Chris sat her down and handed her a box, "It's from me, dad and Hobelia. Happy Birthday, J." She smiled as she opened the gift; she had no idea what they could have gotten her.
Chris
"How in the hell did you get your hands on an actual copy of A Tale of Two Cities?" she practically screamed, "A hardcover that was published in 2011. Chris, this book is worth a small fortune. I can't keep this."
"You can and you will, you'll break dad's heart if you even try to give it back to him. He's the one who found it; I just told him what I was looking for. As for the 'small fortune' thing, it's not like I was using the credits anyway, why not spend them on you? Birthdays have always been a sad day for you, no one ever bothered to make it about the good that took place. Yeah, your dad died but you are here and that is an amazing thing."
Chris had expected her reaction, her birthday was always going to be the anniversary of her father's death. Jamie had never really had a good birthday her whole life. Her aunt and uncle tried, so did his dad and step-mom but it never really got through. She needed to know that her birthday was a special day. Since Chris knew she loved to read, he decided to get her something as special as she is. They rarely make actual books anymore, and this one was over two hundred years old. "I know how much you like getting your hands on actual books, and this is your favorite story. Just say 'thank you, Chris' and send dad and Hobelia a quick thanks too." Jamie looked up at him and it made his heart stop, she got up from her seat and stepped in front of him.
"Thank you for the best birthday I have ever had," she said quietly. Before he could respond, Jamie brought her lips to his. The kiss was slow and gentle but passionate. Chris stepped closer to Jamie; he brought his left hand up to cup her face while his right hand was drawing lazy circles on the small of her back. He held her against his body as she claimed his mouth. She smelled like sunshine and vanilla, she tasted like fresh strawberries. Chris was in heaven and he didn't want it to end, eventually it did. Jamie pulled back slowly and looked up at him, she gave him a quick kiss and whispered, "Goodnight."
As he watched her pick up the book he'd given her and hold it to her chest as she exited towards her bedroom, Chris could admit that he was in love with her, he was almost certain that he always had been. From the moment he met Jamie, he was awed. Even though she was young in age back then, she was old in life; Chris had never seen Jamie as a child because she never had the chance to be one.
Since the Lake had gotten back to earth, Chris had noticed everything about the woman who shared his space. She was clean but not always organized. She would eat anything you put in front of her, no doubt a result of almost starving to death. She had no problem helping him read technical reports; she even explained things in terms that someone who isn't an engineer could understand. She preferred tea to coffee, a splash of cream and two cubes of sweetener in either. When she got into an idea or a theory, she could work for days without stopping. She talks to Charlie and Hobelia almost as much as he does. She goes out like other people her age but never stays out late. She likes different kinds of music and has a thing for stuff from the twenty first century; she even dances around the condo when she thinks she's alone. She helps Miss Clara, the older woman who lives two doors down, carry in her groceries. The list of things he knew about her went on and on. Chris loves her, and he was pretty sure that Jamie loves him too.
Jamie
She couldn't sleep. Jamie had been lying in bed staring at the ceiling for hours. She couldn't believe that she kissed him and that he had kissed her back. Jamie had always had a thing for Chris, most people would think it was because he found her –not like they could talk about that anyway- but the truth was that he had trusted her, even before he really knew her.
When she told him about her kids hiding outside the colony, he had trusted her to get them. The nurse, O'Neil, had argued that Jamie and Tommy needed medical attention and taking either of them anywhere but the ship's sickbay was a bad idea. Jones, the redshirt, agreed with the medical officer, stating that it wasn't safe to take an injured kid on what was basically a rescue operation. Chris pulled rank on them both, and after finding pants and shoes for her, Chris, Jamie, Jones, Yu and O'Neil went to rescue her kids while Parker had beamed back to the Aldrin with Tommy.
It was easy to open up to Chris after that. Everyone on the ship was nice to them but he took it so much further. Not only did he talk to her, Cody and Tommy like adults but he would also read to the younger children and play games with them when he was off duty. He gave anyone who asked a tour of the ship; Jamie will never forget the standing ovation she got when he took her on the bridge, "you saved those kids and sent out the call for help. That makes you a hero in our book," one of the officers told her.
For the two weeks it took to get to earth, it was common to find Chris in the room that was set up for them with a kid or two asleep in his arms. The moment she saw him sleeping in that chair with Kevin asleep in his arms, Jamie was a goner. Getting to know more about him through messages and from Charlie's stories over the past few years, Jamie knew she was in deep. She tried to go out on dates like a normal teenager –not that she had ever been normal- but it didn't really work. People her age were just too young and naive. They hadn't seen anything outside their own little world and she couldn't relate to them, she's had to fight for her life too many times.
She glanced over at the chronometer, it was nearly two in the morning, but Jamie was sure that Chris was just as awake as she was. Making a decision, she got out of bed and made her way down the hall.
Chris
"Chris, are you awake?" came the question from his doorway. Jamie didn't wait for his reply as she moved to slide into the bed next to him. Chris rolled over so that he was facing her.
"Hey, beautiful, I thought you went to sleep hours ago," he whispered into the dark as he pulls her into his arms.
"I tried, can't sleep," she said into his chest. Chris could believe that, Jamie looks like she had been thinking too hard, she confirmed as much with her next statement. "There's a lot on my mind." Chris wanted to know what was going on in her head that prevented her from sleeping.
"Want to talk about it?" he asked. It's a loaded question, he knows it is the second it comes out of his mouth. Chris can't see Jamie's face but he felt the smile that crossed her features.
"I'm in love with you," she breathed. It's almost too low for him to hear, almost. He knew it; he knew that she loved him too.
"You're in love with me, huh? When did you decide that?" Chris knew he was playing with fire; the easy thing would have been to just tell her his feelings but neither of them ever does things the easy way.
Jamie replied with a chuckle, "I think I always have been."
"Do you want to know what I was thinking about before you came in here?" he asked. Jamie doesn't say anything, she just nodded. "I'm in love with you, too."
Two Weeks Later
Charlie
Today is the day; the Yorktown is leaving for a four month tour. Chris was officially in command and Jamie is going to be on board the ship as a civilian contractor. It was going to be weird not having either of them here; Charlie considers Jamie family at this point. He was glad that they would be together out there, though.
Charlie had noticed that over the last two weeks, Jamie and Chris had gotten closer. Hobelia had told him that she could see the two of them as a couple, maybe they had finally crossed that threshold. Charlie was happy for them, even if he didn't want the details. From what he could figure out, Charlie was sure that while the two were dating, they hadn't been physically intimate. The state Jamie was in when Chris found her was no doubt the cause. Charlie thought to a conversation he overheard between Chris and Hobelia, "she has to make the first move. I won't be like the other men in her life, taking pieces of her." Charlie was proud of his son; he was a good man.
Standing in the area set aside for crew musters, Charlie watched as his son commanded his crew. Glancing around the massive room, Charlie spotted Jamie with two people who were also in civilian clothes; they must be her co-workers. Charlie made his way towards the young woman.
"Ready to go, kiddo?" Jamie smiled at Charlie as he got closer to her. Jamie had told him on more than one occasion that he was the closest thing she had to having a father, save her Uncle Jeff. The smile on her face every time she saw him lead Charlie to believe her.
"Come to see me off, old man? Or did you come to see Captain Awesome over there?" Charlie laughed at her nickname for Chris; he had to admit that it fit.
Chris
Getting everything and everyone where they needed to be for departure wasn't anything new. As far as Chris was concerned, it wasn't even his main job anymore, his first officer was just that good. He got to make a motivating announcement before crew had loaded onto the shuttles and that was it. Commander One had everything under control; he just had to relax until they were on the ship. Chris decided that it was time to get off the ground; he was made to be out in the black. Looking around the hanger, Chris spotted two of his favorite people. He walked over to where his father and his girlfriend were talking with two men.
"Guys, this is Chief Charles Pike, the captain's father. Charlie, this is Doctor John Loh and Professor Matt Hauser, they're with the W.T.D.G., like me." Chris listened as Jamie introduced his dad to the other civilians that would be working with her. "And here's the man, himself, "she said gesturing towards him, "Captain Pike, is it time to go?" Chris couldn't stop himself from smiling.
"It's time to go see the universe, Doc." Loh and Hauser took that as their cue to make their way towards the shuttle.
"Give an old man a hug, you two." Charlie opened his arms and Jamie stepped up to hug him. "Take care of our boy and don't forget to comm us, Hobelia will have your head if you don't. I love ya, kiddo."
Jamie nodded, "I love you, too, Charlie." She kissed him on the cheek and released him to his son.
"I don't have to tell you to be safe out there; just don't do anything too stupid and take care of Jamie. I love you," Charlie said to his son as he hugged him.
"Love you, dad," was the reply Chris gave his father, "see you in a few months." Charlie and Chris let each other go and Chris headed to the shuttle that would take him to his next adventure.