Slow Way Home
Chapter 6

[Day 11 of 45]

Leonard McCoy stood there with his scanner in hand, looking over the results as the acting captain – that bratty kid – sat on the biobed, swinging her legs back and forth in boredom.

"So… what's the verdict? Am I well enough to return to active duty?" she asked. His first response was to tell her no but medically she was fine. As long as she didn't do anything dangerous, or anything too straining for the next few days she should be fine. But this was Jamie Tabitha Kirk. She lived for the danger. She lived for the thrill of adventure. With her children not around who knew what trouble she would get into.

"You are fine, still a little weak. No more working in Engineering for the next few days, and only paperwork," he informed her and she groaned. Though, she had the decency to look down as he called her out on the work she'd been doing.

"But Bones…" she whined, using that kidish tone that sometimes got her out of trouble, or got her her way. Depending on how she used it. He just looked at her. "Paperwork is so boring." Her husband raised a brow at that.

"Yeah, but your bones are still weak from the breaks… and aren't healing as quickly as I would like. Though everything else is back to pre-Kobyashi Maru but your bones are weak. Too much stress and they may rebreak. Be careful with that hand," he lectured and she rolled her eyes at him. He knew she wasn't taking anything serious. "And you'll need to ingest more iron. You are slightly anemic. Not sure when or how that came to be." He didn't like the fact she was anemic. As far as he could tell there was no reason for her to be anemic. "Also, even though I've cleared you for light duty… that does not mean you two can go…" He shook his head and she laughed.

"Worried Spock and I will go at it like Rabbits huh?" She asked. Even though the Vulcan's face remained impassive the tips of his ears turned bright green. Interesting. "He's just as worried about my health as you are. He wouldn't come near me with a ten foot pole, even if I did try to seduce him." The tone told him she was still annoyed and seduction wasn't on the agenda any time soon.

"Make sure she takes these," he told the commander, handing him the Hypos. "One right before bed until I give orders to stop." The commander nodded. "And make sure she stays away from too much physical exertion."

"I will ensure she does as you order, Dr. McCoy," Spock told him. She glared and then turned to him.

"How's the captain?" Jim asked, changing the subject, and he frowned, having known it was only a matter of time. She'd been too tired before to ask. Now, she was better and her mind was worried about the old man.

"He's fine… though we have another surgery scheduled for tonight," he told her and she paled. "There was a lot of damage… and we only have so much technology at our disposal. However, I believe we can get everything with one more surgery… though he won't be back on duty for at least a month or two… after we get earthside. Plus that stunt, getting out of bed so soon after his first surgery didn't help much." She nodded. Then she glanced toward Danni who was unconscious... again. She was never awake very long.

The Vulcan Doctors doubted she'd survive. They said her mind hadn't been, psychically, strong to begin with. When the bond snapped it broke her will to live. The only thing keeping her alive was her love for her unborn child. But everyone theorized the moment she gave birth the will would be gone.

"How is Danni?" she asked quietly.

"Surviving… though, the Vulcan Doctors believe she'll lose the will to survive once she's given birth. The bond… it really destroyed her," he informed the woman who nodded, looking down. Bones saw Spock glanced between Jim and Danni. A visible shudder passed through the Vulcan husband of his best friend.

"And the baby?" she asked.

"A Vulcan Doctor named..." he began, but said Doctor walked in and Jim perked up.

The Vulcan walked over.

"Mrs. Kirk," he said respectfully and Jim nodded her head though her face became very controlled.

"S'Nau, it has been too long," she informed him. "It is good to see a familiar face."

"And you. I have heard I owe you and your bondmate my thanks. If you had not alerted the Hospital we wouldn't have been able to escape," he informed them and Bones stood back watching.

"I'm afraid, that is more my husband's doing than anything I did," she told him. There was modesty in her words that startled him. The Vulcan nodded.

"How are your children?" the man asked and she beamed.

"Last I saw they were fine. Brilliant actually. My daughter wants to become a Starfleet captain while my boy keeps talking about becoming a Starfleet Medical Officer," she informed them. He nodded his head at her. Then she looked at Danni. Bones saw that. "Is the baby alright?"

"Unlike with your pregnancy… this child has not had a strong maternal bond. Mrs. Marx had a Psi-Null mind that is normal, compared to your naturally strong psychic field. But the child is strong… with heightened psychic potential. From my limited research human-vulcan hybrids…" the Doctor said and Spock tensed. That was something for Bones to remember. "Are more prone to stronger psychic abilities. The combination of human and Vulcan seems to combine, increasing the abilities of the child."

"Yeah, that would explain a lot… but shouldn't the abilities of the twins be less due to…" Jim began but he shook his head while Bones listened, curious.

"Your mind is powerful enough – if you trained you could receive thoughts from telepaths… it's why your children are as strong as they are," He told her. She nodded. Then he looked over at Danni and Bones thought he saw a flash of concern but it was too fast. "I should return to my duties."

Then he walked away and they looked at her. He raised a brow and she shrugged.

"My prenatal doctor," she told them. "So… am I getting out of here or what?"

"Follow my orders," he told her and she nodded. "Otherwise, you'll be fine."

"Thank you," she squeaked before turning and rolling her eyes at her husband. Then she walked out. That was interesting. She was obviously still upset. He was glad he wasn't on that end of her anger… this time. He knew it would be a while before it blew over. Shaking his head Leonard McCoy went back to his work as another person brought in.

~Slow Way Home~

Jim Kirk entered the Bridge and immediately everyone stood at attention. She didn't know whether or not to be pleased by that. She, technically, shouldn't have even been onboard that ship let alone the captain. So she nodded at them before moving to the Captain's seat. Alpha shift was just starting so her and the Commander entering wasn't that big of a deal.

Just as she sat down she watched Pavel sprint into the room. He was late and she noticed his eyes were red.

She hadn't had much time with him and she began to wonder what she missed. But she couldn't ask in front of everyone. Not that she'd needed too. Opening the first file on her Padd she got a list of the Ships destroyed, and the crew members on board. Reading the list she came across one name that she knew was the cause. JENNA. Pavel's girlfriend. She kept her control, kept her emotions concealed. After all, it was expected of a captain – or acting Captain – to be in control. Even when emotionally compromised they are expected to hold an air of strength about them.

As she continued to read she read just about the entire graduating class, students she'd had classes with – some of the teachers who had been like Captain Pike. And the Enterprise was not exempt of such losses. There were numerous – including senior officer Doctor Puri and officer Olsen. She kept it together though. She ignored the list of survivors which was far shorter.

Instead she began reading the list of damages to the ship. The amount of damage was… immense. She might as well have read a list of systems not damaged. It would have been shorter. It went; Deck Six was open to the vacuum of space – no hope until they got the ship to port, shields were basically nonexistent, no warp core, impulse engines were straining though manageable, structural cracks everywhere in the hull, Barely enough living space, half the replicators were… faulty at best and nonfunctional at worst, and they had no way of communicating until somebody space walked and repaired the external drive. And that was just an overview.

The young woman continued to read the Padd, memorizing everything, including death list, problems that had arisen, as well as the problems they'd cared for at the time being, about power distribution. She also read how they estimated another thirty-four days until they were back at earth. That was if nothing went wrong – knowing her luck it would.

Still, she read, doing paperwork, signing what needed to be signed. She was in charge after all. And her mind went back to the fact the ship had been new. When they left earth this had been the shining new ship of the fleet. This was the one she'd seen be built when she arrived back on earth five-years-ago. She'd watched it be built and slowly become the ship that was nearly destroyed by that psychotic Romulan.

How long she read she wasn't sure. There was a lot of paperwork and she tore through it. It wasn't until a hand touched her shoulder and she realized they were all leaving, the next shift coming on.

She nodded at Spock and they stood up. The walk was slow until they left then she looked for Pavel. She found him walking slowly from there and Jim pulled from her husband, going to the man she thought of as a younger brother.

Going to Pavel she touched his shoulder.

"We need to talk," she whispered. He looked up and she saw he wanted to cry again. He nodded his head. Then she left her husband watching as she led her 'brother' to her quarters. She sat him down in the main sitting area. "I'm sorry Pavel." He nodded. "You want to talk about it?"

He shook his head.

"I vant to forget," he told her softly.

"I wish I could help you do that," she said before wrapping her arm around his thin shoulders. He rested his head against her shoulder and she felt him begin to cry soundlessly. She just held him as he cried. He cried and cried, until he exhausted himself. She laid him down, moving to grab a cover when the door opened. In walked Spock and his mother.

"Jamie," Spock began but she held up a finger to silence him, before nudging toward the bedroom. As they walked past her she brushed down Pavel's unruly hair before following the pair.

"Isn't that the little genius… Chekov?" Amanda Grayson asked.

"Yeah… he's been my roommate since I joined Starfleet. It just hit him that his girlfriend died on the Truman," she told them and they nodded.

"I was wondering if there was anything that I could do?" Amanda asked. "You know… to help with our current situation."

"I don't know..." she responded honestly. "There is a lot that needs done – they need people with medical skills in the Medical Bay, or people with mechanical skills, or any sort of science skills that would help in engineering and help fix the ship, but… I don't know what…"

"I'll figure something out," Lady Amanda told her. "Thank you." Jamie smiled at the woman.

"If anyone else from the Vulcan Community wants to help… tell them they have my permission to use whatever skills… since I know most are idol right now – even if they have the skills," she told them.

"I will inform them," Spock said. Inside she felt conflicting emotions; Frustration, upset, love, lust, and minute traces of anger. The Frustration was with him over everything, as well as her own inability to stay angry at him for long. The Love was… he was the father of her children, her bond-mate. The anger was more along the lines of hurt. Then there was also Lust because… she was a woman who hadn't had sex in five years with the prime example of a male standing in front of her.

"Thank you, Spock," she informed him and he nodded his head slightly.

Mrs. Grayson looked at them then excused herself silently.

"I shall leave you…" Spock began when they heard the ominous sound of the door locking. Jim went to open it but found it wouldn't respond – even to her ordering the door unlocked.

"She's your mother!" Jim growled as she fell onto the bed, angry.

"What logical reason would mother have for locking us in here?" Spock wondered aloud.

"Probably to get us to talk!" she snapped. "She knows I'm still upset with you." His brow rose. "Yeah, my argument with you isn't done. I'm still upset – angry, frustrated, betrayed." He frowned. "And you know what… I'm tired. I've spent years, wondering what a reunion with you would be like. And what do I get – finding out you and Uhura have been flirting behind my back, that you've been working at the school I've been attending since I started, and then you go and accuse me of cheating. Then you abandon me on an Ice planet. So you know what, any anger I may or may not feel would be completely understandable."

"Lieutenant Uhura and I have a professional…" Spock began and she cut him off.

"Oh yeah, then how come she was planning on asking you out when she completed your class, had already asked you out. She talked hours about you with her roommate? Those are not the actions of a woman who was given the impression that their relationship was just professional!" she snapped back, her voice loud but she didn't care.

"I was not aware of her intentions towards me. I never saw what signs there were, through my own belief that she saw it as professional – student to instructor."

"Well she obviously didn't get the memo," she informed him with a sarcastic snort.

"As for Delta Vega – I believed it would be the safest course of action," he informed her. "I thought you would be safer there… that they would retrieve you and you would be safe."

"Yeah, well, it was the middle of a blizzard and I had to climb a large number of feet – free-hand, then walk through the storm, only to nearly turn into the food of two aliens of differing species. I almost died, numerous times. I survived because I got into a cave which the alien couldn't enter because it was too large," she informed him, lying only slightly. It could enter – but it had indeed been her safety. "There I met Scotty – who I'd helped before on earth. He got us back here and you insulted me in some of the worst ways imaginable. And I love you – and you insulted me deeply. Insulted how much I knew you. Insulted my ability to read you. Insulted basically everything. You were worse than the bigoted assholes I met back in Iowa!" She took a breath and saw how ramrod stiff he was.

"I… was not aware…" he whispered. "I… apologize..."

"I… god Spock. You don't, and can't understand," she growled before getting up and began to pace. Right then she wanted to hit something, somebody. She wanted to fight. She wanted to run. To do something.

"I apologize. I know that… my logic was not completely correct, and I have been allowing my emotions more sway over my perceptions than I should," he began and she rolled her eyes. He made it so goddamned hard to be mad. Which annoyed the hell out of her all on its own. "My choice to send you to Delta Vega – was my belief that you would be safer there than on the ship. I refused to consider your own personality when making the decisions."

"God damn it. Will you stop being so… unemotional?" she questioned. "I'm blocking the bond and… I can't sense your emotions and you've got yourself wrapped so tight I can't see any of them." There was a flash of anger. Good, finally a discernible reaction from him. "Finally, anger, an emotion I can read."

"You wish for me to… reveal my emotions?" He asked but she could see he wasn't really asking but stating a fact. "You cheated on an exam – yes, which I brought you up on charges like any person would not aware. I will not apologize for bringing up the charges – only for not realizing you were my wife. Also, rumors that you have been… unfaithful have come to my attention. While I sense nothing from our bond to indicate such… actions have occurred…" he began but she stopped him.

"Jealousy doesn't look good on you Spock," she said. "If you sense nothing has occurred then why bring it up. You know I'm a flirt. You knew when you married me. God. You know what. If you are so worried about my fidelity why don't you sever the bond?" He actually paled but she turned away, moving to lay down. Then she whispered, "maybe then you can go have children with one of the Vulcan females." It hurt since she knew she wouldn't have any more children.

There would be no David. No Asil. No Kiri.

"I want nobody but you," he told her, before sitting on the edge of the bed, his hand moving toward her. She flinched before she could stop it. "You are the only woman I want to be mother of my children."

"I can't have anymore," she told him and he tensed. "If you want more… you'll have to go elsewhere. The pregnancy with the twins made it imp… improbable that I'll ever be able to conceive let alone carry another child to term."

"That doesn't matter," he told her. "No matter how… angry and frustrated we get you will always be my t'hy'la. My friend, my sister, and lover. The other half of me." She actually smiled at that and turned to look at him. He brushed a thumb against her cheek and only then did she realize she was crying. "No woman would ever compare to you, my love."

She smiled before leaning up, kissing him. Screw what bones said. The moment they kissed she felt the bond reform. Though there were still issues they'd talked – more like she'd yelled and he'd listened – through some of the major ones. Now she was a woman. And women had needs. Especially women who knew just how talented the man in front of her was. He leaned her back, pressing his lips against hers hungrily.

Her hands wandered under his shirt and she quickly removed it, barely pulling away from the kiss. He continued to kiss, his hands exploring her body again but he stopped her when she went to remove his pants.

"Dr. McCoy informed us both that we cannot proceed past this point," he told her though his breathing was heavy and his pupils were heavily dilated already. He wanted her as badly as she wanted him.

"God damn Bones," she muttered. Then she let her head fall backwards. She was extremely frustrated, her body already needing him despite the fact all they'd really done was kiss – tongues fighting for dominance. He seemed to contemplate something and she blushed as she realized he was picking up her every thought and emotions. "Sorry."

"There is nothing to apologize for," he told her before pulling back. She laid there, pulling him to lie beside her. At least they could sleep in the same bed. And her anger had zapped her of most of her energy.

She fell asleep in his arms.

~Slow Way Home~

"Did they kill each other?" Pavel asked when everything got quiet. He was worried about Jim.

"No," Lady Amanda Grayson and he moved from the couch to see her open the door, the pair asleep. Jim's chest was on his bare chest though she was fully clothed still. "Apparently my meddling has helped."

He nodded his head.

[Another Update… Sorry about the delay. Anyways, I'd like to thank everyone who has been waiting patiently for my next update. I'd love to thank everyone who has read, Favorited, and/or subscribed so far. I'd also like to send special thanks to beauty0102, DarkandDaisuke, Sofia Ann, MirrorFlower and DarkWind, Gigi, medafo, blueoctober, Kassandra J, RubyHair, Fernsfairie, CHANCEGAMBIT, BetahimeTsukiko, LoveSpock, and Yana5 for your reviews. Thank you.]