"Stop fidgeting, Jim," Bones told her from the driver's seat. Jamie was playing with her wedding ring and tapping her fingers. She doesn't know why she's so nervous, it's just Sam. After spending the week in Georgia, Jamie, Bones and the cutest little girl on the planet went to Iowa. She was antsy. She's talked to her brother since Deneva but she hadn't seen him in person, it made her uneasy. "He doesn't blame you, it's not your fault and you're driving me nuts with the fidgeting."

She took a breath, "Sorry, sweetheart. I'm just…"

"I know. It'll be okay." They parked the hovercar in front of her father's old house. The door opened when they got to the porch.

"Hey, Jimmy, Leo," came the familiar voice of her big brother. She smiled as Sam pulled her into a hug.

"Hi, Sammy. How's my favorite brother?" she asked.

He chuckled, "I'm managing. Hey, jujube." He let go of Jamie and picked up Joanna.

"Hi, Uncle Sam," the girl said, pulling a smile outta the taller Kirk. Bones touched Sam's shoulder and the two men shared a look before they all went inside. The house was nothing like she remembered it. It was light and open and… welcoming. Sam chuckled at the look that must've been on her face.

"I've had some time on my hands. Pete has my old room and Alex has the old guest room. I even redid your room," he told her. Jamie raised an eyebrow. "I updated it for you… no way you two would fit on the old bed. And you know… you were eleven the last time you lived here." That was true.

She looked around, "As much as I love you…"

Sam smiled, "They're out back." Jamie glanced at her brother, husband and daughter before she walked through the house and out the back door. She heard her nephews talking to each other, she leaned against the railing and watched them play Avengers. Pete was Iron Man and Alex was Hulk.

Jamie smiled, "You know, when me and your dad played that, I was Iron Man and your dad was Captain America. We used to run around shooting at bad guys and knocking 'em out with his shield."

The two boys ran to her, "AUNT JIMMY!"

She laughed as they collided with her, "How are my favorite boys?"

They both smiled and said "good" at the same time. They asked her to play with her and assigned her the role of Captain Marvel, the Carol Danvers version. Joanna joined them at some point and decided to be Spider-man.

"We should take holos," she heard her husband say to her brother.

Jamie shrugged, "We're superheroes, take all the holos you want, citizen."

Pete 'landed' next to her and agreed, "Yea, Uncle Bones, we're superheroes."

"I take the holos… it's my day job," Joanna popped in as Spidey.

Alex looked at Bones and roared, "Hulk no like holo, puny human." Of course, they all fell over laughing at him.

"Okay… that's the cutest thing ever," she said as she picked up her nephew.

Sam smiled, "Just wait until you have one." Jamie and Bones shared a look.

Joanna smiled, "Yea, mama. Just wait."

Babies was a non-topic with Doctor and Captain McCoy. Did she and Bones want them? Yes. Was it going to happen anytime soon? Probably not. It was bad enough that they didn't have Joanna with them all the time but to have another child that they weren't with would break her heart. She's been the child in that equation her whole life, it sucks. Bones has been telling her that she wasn't her mother and he wasn't going anywhere but she still wasn't sold on the idea. They decided to leave the subject alone for the time being and get a few years on the Enterprise out of the way first. If she was being honest, the idea of being responsible for another life, terrified her. Being a commanding officer, that was her reality but there was a difference commanding adults and caring for a child. Joanna terrified her, she didn't even give birth to the girl but the idea of something happening to her… Jamie wasn't going there.

She was pulled out of her thoughts by her brother, "I think I broke Jimmy."

Bones chuckled, "No, we just avoid baby talk. Between our job, the number your mom did on you guys before she died and how much leaving Jo bothers us, she's terrified by the idea." Sam nodded and Joanna looked at her.

"Leaving me bothers you?" the girl asked.

Jamie smiled, "Like you wouldn't believe, sweetie. Ask your dad."

Jo looked at Bones, who nodded, "She misses you like crazy. Not more than me, but almost."

"Do you miss us too, Aunt Jimmy?" Peter asked her.

She smiled, "You know the answer to that Peter James."

He smiled, "That's a big, fat 'yes'."

Jamie chuckled, "Yep." They went back to playing their game, Sam was Captain America and Bones was Thor. Jamie laughed a few times at Bones and 'Mjölnir' fighting the fictional bad guys but the kids were all thrilled so the adults just went with it.

Eventually, they had dinner –an adventure- and the kids had baths –another adventure- before bedtime. Joanna opted to sleep in Alex's room with him, she even read him a bedtime story. Jamie, Bones and Sam sat in the living room, "You guys want a beer?" Jamie accepted her brother's offer while Bones declined.

"How are you doing, really?" Bones asked.

Her brother took a breath, "It's not easy but I look at those boys and I know they need me. I have my days when I roll over expecting her to be there and usually it's Alex. I'm not my mother, so there's that. I was talking to Frank the other day… never thought we'd have something in common, or see eye-to-eye but on my really bad days, talking to him helps."

Jamie smiled, "How is he?"

Sam shrugged, "Good, wants you to bring the family by while you're here. I showed him a holo from your wedding, he had tears in his eyes."

She chuckled, "Frank turned into a sap."

Her brother laughed, "Yea, but he loves us… despite mom. And despite how I was back then."

Jamie nodded, "You were a kid. Your dad died and then your mom married some guy and split, he understood, even when you didn't."

"When did you become so wise?" Sam asked.

"No clue." Was her reply. Her brother looked at them for a second, there was something on his mind. "Okay, Sammy, talk."

Sam smiled, "I want to ask you guys about something." They both nodded and he continued, "I um… I… If, God forbid, if something happened to me… I was wondering if you… if you guys would take custody of the boys."

Jamie was shocked, "Us, you want us? What about Aury's family?"

Sam smiled, "Yes, I want you. I talk to her parents sometimes but they keep trying to control how the boys are raised and how they heal like they know what it's like to lose one of your parents or something. They aren't that bad but they aren't family to me, or to the boys, really… you guys are. Even on the other side of the quadrant, you guys are more their family than Aury's folks. If something happens to me, I want to know that they'll be safe and loved and I know that if they're with you, they will be." Jamie looked at Bones, who had a thoughtful look on his face.

"You're sure about this?" he asked Sam.

Her brother nodded, "Yes."

Bones looked at Jamie, "I'm in if you are."

"Nothing is gonna happen to you, but if something does, we'll take care of the boys. I promise," she told her brother. Sam looked like a weight was lifted from his shoulders.

"Thank you. You have no idea..." Sam said as he walked over and pulled her into a hug. "You too, Leo." Her husband chuckled and stood to hug him too.