Long Way Home
Chapter 13

[Day 21 of 45]

Jim hurried through the hallways. She tried to keep up the appearance of calm but her heart was pounding what felt like a thousand beats per minute and was trying to come out her chest while she was all nervousness.

Moving through the hallway she found herself right outside the infirmary which she stepped in, trying to avoid Bones. He'd been up in arms about her calorie intake again stating she was working too hard. Losing a single pound for everyone else wouldn't seem that big of a deal. But when Bones spoke of her losing weight he made it seem like she was dying of something right out nasty.

Glancing around with her blue eyes she immediately saw the person she was looking for. Danni. She was awake. Jim Kirk walked over to her, noticing the bulge of her stomach, her pregnancy even more pronounced, now that she seemed to be wasting away.

Her feet led her across that room with barely a conscious thought. She saw how thin her already skinny friend had become. Her glowing skin now looked already dead. Her eyes were glassy but she smiled as Jim neared. There was pain written all across those features.

"Hi, Danni," Jim said as she moved to sit next to one of her closest of friends. There weren't many she considered a friend but Danni was high among them.

"Jim," Danni whispered.

"How are you feeling?" Jim asked and Danni gave her a look.

"Like I'm dying," Danni said and Jim went to tell her she wasn't but Danni stopped her. "I know I'm dying so don't sugar coat it. The only thing that's keeping me alive is… the baby." Danni's hand went to her stomach and Jim swallowed. "But I don't think it'll be enough. I know… I'm not strong enough to go on… after she's born."

"Danni," Jim said sadly, not wanting to hear her friend talk like that. It reminded her of the way she'd spoken to older Spock, admitting she couldn't survive if his younger self died. She would have died along with him.

"Don't. It hurts to breathe. I'm trying to be strong for the baby… but that bond is still so weak," Danni muttered, eyes fluttering. "The best thing I can do… is find her a good family." Jim's eyes widened as she realized what her friend wanted. "I've named you… and Spock, her parents."

"But…" she began and Danni shook her head.

"You have no idea how strong you are. You have raised two great kids on your own. It will be easier with her… I know it will," Danni said and Jim nodded while in tears. She didn't want to lose her friend. She was the only person she knew who understood the difficulties of Vulcan marriage. "Just don't waste what time you have."

"I won't…" Jim promised her friend who had already passed out from exhaustion. Jim wiped her eyes before standing up.