Sorry about the wait. Everything's gearing up -finally- and falling into place now. c: Not too long until we're done.

Jim pulled on his sweater as he walked out of the test room. The Kobayashi Maru programing looked complete. He didn't feel all that bad about leaving Spock there to deal with the rest on his own. Lord knew the Admiralty had originally intended for the Vulcan to complete it himself. And Spock was more than capable. He had the highest intellect of anyone on this planet. And quite a few others.

Jogging, both to keep himself warm on the short trip to Starfleet's medical facility and keep his mind from wandering, Jim turned a corner. And ran, smack bang, straight into a pretty cadet. Her icy blue eyes were widened in shock. It took only a moment for Jim's brain to place her face to her name.

"Really sorry about that Carol." Jim held out a hand and helped her up, sheepish grin firmly in place. It wasn't only the collision he was apologising for. His abrupt treatment of her, back when he'd been a jealous bastard, deserved a good apology. Now that his head was clearer, it was more than obvious that she wasn't interested in Spock. She was a scientist, as much as Jim's Vulcan was.

"It's alright. I'm fine." Carol smiled at him. An expression so meek and unsure. It didn't fit her at all. From what he'd heard from Scotty -who really was the go to person when you were in need of some quality gossip- she was sharp as a whip. A take no prisoners sort of 'lass'. Which was all kinds of awesome.

She was exactly the type of person Jim needed in his life. If Tarsus was good for anything, the experience had left him knowing exactly what to look for in people. Carol was intelligent, hard working, dedicated and resourceful. They were perfect attributes, if Jim did say so himself. Whether or not he saw them in himself, well, that was another matter.

"Jim, are you alright?" Carol's question snapped him from his thoughts. He really needed to start keeping his head in the here and now.

"I'm good." She glared at his nonchalant answer and he shrugged. "I'm getting there. Sometimes there are nightmares. Sometimes random sights or sounds remind me of something and I'm back there. But, on the most part, I'm a lot better. Everyone's been helping a lot. I mean, Spock's there, obviously. But just, everyone."

Jim struggled to think of a way to explain it. There weren't words, not in Standard, to explain the tremendous support he was receiving from the people around him. Friends, peers, faculty members, the families of victims and survivors alike. Like the Lieutenant who opened her PADD and showed a whole heap of photos from her last vacation with Commander Roberts. Or the visits when Nidiss and Xverjabdene decided to take control of the embassy. Or the commendations sitting on Pike's PADD, which Jim didn't technically have access to… It was any of these hundred and one things. The solidarity, support and continuation of life.

"Carol." Two blonde heads snapped to the right at the sudden command. The man walking towards them set Jim on edge. And this time, he trusted his judgement. Another good outcome of Tarsus.

Jim watched as he approached warily. Carol seemed to regard him the same way. They looked enough alike that Jim concluded that they were most likely related. And if he was correct, then he definitely had reason to be cautious. Jim might have grown up without a biological father but he had Sarek and now Pike. And he'd never felt less than safe with them around.

Carol didn't look like she felt safe. She looked uncomfortable. A touch of fright behind her normally bright eyes.

"Admiral Marcus, this is James Kirk." She introduced, "Jim, this is my father."

"An honour to meet you, sir." Jim said, automatically giving his best salute. If this man was dangerous, Jim really didn't want to get on his bad side. Not for an apparent show of disrespect.

"Cadet Kirk, I've heard good things." Marcus returned the salute. "If you'll excuse us, Carol and I have plans."

Jim watched them walk away, eyes critically searching every facet of their body language. Something was definitely not right. Not right at all.

It looked like he had some research to do.

"Come on Phil. Give me something to- ouch -work with here." Jim whined, face squished into the biobed. He groaned as the regenerator passed over his thigh, the strange feeling of his skin knitting together uncomfortable to say the least.

The doctor was going easy on him. He'd had plenty of experience patching himself up to know how bad this could feel. But then, Phil was always gentle. It was one of the many reasons Jim wouldn't see any other doctor. Even his hypos never hurt. And Jim's neck was particularly sensitive.

"You know I can't do anything faster, kid. Normally you'd be done and dusted but the silver poisoning, and your allergic reaction to the treatment, just won't let your body take that final step." Phil set the machine aside and ran a hand through Jim's hair. It felt exquisite. He'd always had a bit of a preference for it. Touch starved childhoods would generally do that.

Jim would pout. But he knew from experience that Phil's kindness only extended so far. The man could be cruel. And Jim wasn't missing out on his complementary lollipop again. Once was enough. He shuddered at the thought.

"I know, I'm just-"

"Upset that you're being cock-blocked?" Phil asked with a smirk, "and by your own body. That, James, is a real talent."

"You're just jealous you don't have this young, sexy body." Jim said. One look at the expression of disgust and confusion on Phil's face was enough to send him into peals of laughter. And, in true Kirkian fashion, then proceeded to laugh so hard he cracked his head against the wall behind him. "So worth it."

When they'd both finally calmed down, Jim remembered what he'd really wanted Phil's thoughts on. It was weird that he'd ever stopped thinking about it. Normally Jim's mind kept questions circling inside his skull until Spock mysteriously answered them or he -most likely illegally- dug up the information himself. In fact, his memory almost seemed murky. Like someone had altered something.

Jim halted the panic and boxed it aside for later. Spock would deal with it. Telepathic whatnot and his brain were firmly in Spock's list of household chores.

"Phil, have you ever met Admiral Marcus? You know, Carol's father?" Jim asked, one hand absentmindedly rubbing against his temple.

The doctor stiffened slightly before turning around. He looked unsure. Definitely like someone who knew something but wasn't sure if they were allowed to share. His eyes scanned the room, white teeth chewing on his bottom lip.

"Look, Jim, please just keep clear of Marcus." Phil fluttered his hands in an aimless gesture. "It could be nothing. It could just be a rumour. You know how they like to spread." Here he tried to force a smile. It looked odd. Uneasy. "That's one radar you want to keep well and truly under, Kirk."

Jim's stomach fluttered, all senses firing on full.

It seemed as if his first impression hadn't been all that far off the mark.

"Shit." Jim swore, leaning into his palms. It was pretty clear that he'd already managed to paint quite a few red targets on his own back. And possibly those of his friends, too.

If anyone he loved got hurt because of this…

"Scale of one to ten?" Jim asked as he shimmied back into his pants and pulled his comm off the bench.

"If rumours are true, fifteen." Phil whispered, eyes oh so wide and honest. His hand reached into his coat and pulled out a lollipop which he shoved in Jim's bag before handing it to him. "If I next see you in a body bag I'm going to figure out how to resurrect you just so I can kill you again, you hear me James Tiberius Kirk?"

"Thanks doc." Jim smiled, "I love you, too."