Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chris did his best not to bite his bottom lip. He'd been doing it a lot lately, a kind of nervous twitch he had developed. Jim used to do it when he was concentrating and he wondered if maybe that was where it had come from.
The studio lights were bright, maybe a little too bright – catching him just in the corner of the eye where it was the prime location to bring on a nasty headache. The audience were talking mainly amongst themselves, nobody really giving him any attention just yet.
They weren't important. It was the general public who were. It was Starfleet who were.
He and David had almost been caught far too many times, and there was too much heat on them. They'd formed a plan, a drastic one, but one they deemed necessary in order to help David progress at Starfleet. There was a graduate training mission. Three months on a ship as apart of a small crew of eight. David was determined to get on that ship and needed to dispel the rumours regarding his sexuality first.
After hiding from the public eye since his injury and Jim's death, Chris had thrown himself back out into the limelight. He'd done a magazine cover shoot. Shirtless. Bearing his scars for the world to see – and he wouldn't have been able to do it at all without David's help, his support and encouragement. He'd gone public about his drinking, his attempt to take his own life, the pain medication… all of it. He'd really opened up about his private life in a way that he never really had with the media and then at the opportune moment slipped in a comment that couldn't be ignored. A thank you to the special lady in his life that had made it all possible. The lady who'd been there through it all, had kept him sane, kept him together, fixed him after he'd been so broken.
Emily McCoy.
They didn't need to know it was a fiction, and that really he was talking about her brother.
When he'd been invited to do the talk show he'd jumped at the chance to sit there on national television and profess his love for Emily. There were enough pictures of them together over the years for it to be convincing that their friendship had become something more. When he and David had asked her she'd been hesitant at first but had eventually agreed with the idea. If people asked her about it she would stick to her resolute silence about her private life and that wouldn't make anyone suspicious as her behaviour wouldn't have changed.
One of the cameramen gave Chris a signal and he sat up a little straighter, watching the count down to the lead-in music as the host joined him on the too-small couch.
She was an overly smiley woman with an odd face. Chris wasn't certain if she was a mixed human-alien breed or had just had too many surgeries. What he did know was that he was on live television to save his bondmates career, so he needed to focus.
He ignored most of her boring intro to the show, smiling along politely and only really starting to pay attention when she turned to him.
"-Ladies and Gentlemen tonight I'm very excited, as I'm sure many of you ladies watching at home will be, that we have Chris Kirk joining us here this evening. Chris, how are you doing?" she asked and he smiled, accepting her handshake and flinching slightly as all of her over-excitement and a hint of curiosity flooded across through the contact.
"Mindy – it's a pleasure to be here, thank you for having me on such short notice," he said, careful to sound casual, relaxed, easy-going. He needed this to be just perfect for it to be realistic.
"Thank you for coming on such short notice. Long trip all the way across the continent just for little ol' me," she grinned, too-white teeth glinting garishly under the false light.
"It's no trouble," Chris smiled. It really hadn't been. He'd just beamed across. He'd beam back too… no travel time, no trouble.
"Now Chris, it's been a few years since you've been out here in the public eye. You've taken a long break after working so hard to get to where you were – why is that?" she asked.
Because I got blown half to hell you ignorant bitch he thought to himself, making sure to plaster a fresh smile on his face.
"Well Mindy… I got into a little accident-"
"Not so little accident," she cut him off, putting a hand on his knee as she said it. He felt queasy as her emotions attacked at him again and rallied his shields. Even through the thick denim of his jeans her nosiness in his life was enough to bother him.
"Maybe not so little. Uh. Well. Basically… I mean I'm sure everybody knows what happened, you don't need me to-"
"Oh sure we do! A story right from the hero's mouth is going to be the truest version, right?" she asked and he widened his smile forcibly. He really hoped it wasn't obvious just how much he was beginning to detest this woman.
"I – as you know, am a member of Starfleet Academy – I was injured during a mission. There was an explosion in an airlock and I was burned," he said as shortly as he could and she shook her head.
"Not mentioning the fact you pushed two people aside from the explosion," she pointed out.
Two? Where is she getting two from?
"I uh… yeah. A fellow cadet was in the airlock with me, we had been trying to open it manually when the explosion happened. I realised with a seconds notice and I pushed her out of the way," he admitted and the host rallied the crowd into cheers which just made him more uncomfortable. He was certain he was blushing, his face felt so hot.
"What a true gentleman, and a good Captain, right? To put your crew first?" she prompted and he shook his head.
"No maa'm I don't want to be a Captain," he said quickly and she frowned.
"Oh, of course you do! With a father like yours, who wouldn't want to follow in his footsteps?" she said and he clenched the hand out of sight of the camera' into a tight fist. Jim wasn't allowed to come up. He was off the table. That had been agreed ahead of time.
"Well those are some pretty big shoes to fill Mindy, I'm not sure I'm the guy to do it. Anyway, so, after my accident I decided I needed to take some time to just focus on-"
"But then you ran into some trouble right? Your injuries were pretty severe?" she interrupted again and he bit the inside of his cheek briefly before taking a deep breath.
"I'd certainly be dead if it wasn't for the skill of the crew on the ship that day, I owe them my life," he said sincerely.
I owe Bones my life.
"How exactly were you injured?" she pushed further and he shifted nervously in his seat.
I just told you I got burned in an explosion you fucking moron.
"Well, as I said, there was a significant explosion. I was less than a foot away from the centre of the blast. I got a pretty sweet chest piercing by some shrapnel, and third degree burns to about thirty percent of my body. My chest and upper left arm were the worst, but the shrapnel is what would have killed me. Shredded my ribcage, and had my heart been in the normal placement for a human I wouldn't be sitting here today," he said seriously and she grinned.
"Where is it?" she asked.
"Uh… where's what?" he asked with a small smile.
"Your heart?"
"Oh. It's right here," he said, sitting up a little straighter and placing one hand very low on his ribcage to the left side. To his amusement she placed her hand right above his and let out a shrill giggle.
"Oh it is! It's moving," she said and he laughed falsely.
"I would hope so."
Several thoughtless questions later (and just how much were you drinking in a day? When did it get so bad you wanted to end it all?) Mindy landed on a question Chris couldn't ignore and he politely rose to her taunting.
"Was it your father you were thinking about? When you thought you were in your final moments? Were you thinking about seeing him again?" she asked and Chris looked at the floor momentarily before looking back up.
"I'd rather move on, thanks," he said coolly and she nodded, suddenly looking very sombre and reaching one hand out to touch his forearm.
"Of course. And who was it that saved you?" she asked and he sighed, just loudly enough so she could hear.
"It was my brother and my roommate – they found me and got me help," he answered honestly and she nodded.
"Heartbreaking stuff. I can see why you took such a long break from life in the media spotlight. We're going to take a quick break now but when we come back we'll be talking about that long road to recovery, and a special lady you've been keeping under wraps who helped you get to where you are today. Stay tuned," she winked to the camera before they cut to commercial and she turned and glared at him the second the camera was off.
"Don't dodge my questions," she said harshly and he raised an eyebrow.
"We agreed that Jim wouldn't come into this," he argued.
"Not on a personal level, but if it's to do with your story here, nothing is off the table," she spat and he frowned for a second before plastering his fake smile back on.
"I'm sorry, I must have misunderstood. Let's move on," he said, leaning forwards and picking up his glass of water from the table, taking a sip and setting it back down.
She asked him a few more quick questions and a lady bustled over to put more powder on his face before they were counted back in and the ordeal continued.
"Now Chris. Tell us about her, tell us about the lady we're all so envious of?" she prompted and he put on his best 'cat that got the cream' grin.
"Well… I mean, what can I say, right? She's just incredible. She's so patient with me and just…" Chris sighed affectionately. "I love her. So much it kind of hurts a little bit," he grinned and Mindy smiled right back, leading the audience in a joint 'aww' that made Chris was to curl up in a ball and die of embarrassment.
"So who is she? There's rumours, but I want everyone to hear you say it. Tell us the name of the lady you love so," she prompted and Chris grinned.
"Emily Rose McCoy," he announced and the studio audience went wild.
After they settled down the grilling began.
"Isn't it tough with her being away on tour so much?" she asked and Chris nodded.
"It is. We miss each other terribly. It's just important to make time when we can. I mean we talk all the time, but actually seeing each other can be more of a challenge," he said and Mindy nodded.
"You ever surprise her on tour?" she asked and Chris dug deep with his next comment.
God damn it David this had better convince people because I'm not embarrassing myself like this ever again.
"I've been known to show up once in a while with a bottle of wine and a hotel room key," Chris shrugged and Mindy giggled.
"You can drink now? Socially?" she asked and Chris hesitated before nodding.
"I feel in control enough to have one or two around the right people. Just a glass of wine with dinner, no more than that," he lied and she nodded.
"So is there a proposal on the cards?" she asked and Chris smirked. He'd been expecting this question.
"Never say never," he shrugged with a cocky smirk and there was yet more cheering from the audience.
"What about a glass of champagne huh?" she asked and a minion appeared carrying a tray with three glasses of sparkling pink champagne. Chris shifted in his seat.
"Why are there three? You're wondering, right?" she asked and he nodded.
"Well Chris when was the last time you saw Emily?" she asked and Chris pretended to think hard for a moment whilst he quickly concocted a lie based on what he knew of Emily's travels.
"Uh… around three weeks ago I went to Barcelona to see her after the European leg of the tour finished," he said convincingly.
"I may have a surprise for you," she beamed, Emily appearing behind her and walking onto the set to a huge round of applause. She looked amazing, but then she always did. This time her hair was shorter, cut jaggedly and framing her face. The wild colours were gone though. Last time Chris had seen her in reality around six months ago she'd had turquoise hair.
He hadn't been planning for this, but went with it anyway, bounding out of his seat and over to her, grabbing her in the biggest hug and lifting her up and spinning her around.
"Put me down asshole," she muttered in his ear.
"I'm going to, and then I'm going to kiss you so just go with it," he muttered back, setting her on her feet and smashing their lips together messily, making sure to place his hands on either side of her face so it had the maximum effect of looking like he was really into it.
He let her go after a long few seconds, zoning back into the room and becoming aware of everyone cheering and clapping from the audience behind him.
Emily didn't give away her true feelings at all and continued to look at Chris as though she might actually be his girlfriend, accepting his hand as he led her over to the couch.
Emily took the glasses of champagne offered and handed one to Chris who just held it but didn't bring it to his lips.
"Quite a surprise, huh?" Mindy pressed for a reaction and Chris and Emily looked at each other, both forcing a grin and nodding.
"So Emily, how's life on the road?" she asked.
"It's been pretty great, tiring, y'know? But good," she said. She sounded hoarse, like she was sick.
"Your band isn't touring any more this year, that correct?" she asked and Emily shook her head.
"We've got two shows left. One here in New York, one over in LA, then break for Christmas and then get back in the studio in the New Year, record a new album and repeat," she said with a smile. Chris took her hand in his own and made sure to set their linked hands where they were clearly visible to the cameras.
"So how difficult has it been, Chris' recovery?" Mindy asked and Emily snapped into character perfectly.
"It's just been so hard. Some of the dark days really were dark. I'm just so glad we've moved forward in the way we have," she said, giving Chris' hand a convincing squeeze.
"When did you guys get together? You seem so good together," Mindy said with another grin that made Chris queasy. This was all just getting way too uncomfortable for him.
Emily and Chris looked at each other briefly.
"It was actually only around a month before everything happened, but we've been friends our whole lives, grown up together, it was a natural progression," he answered quickly.
"You have quite the playboy reputation," she pointed out. "Emily, how did Chris' reputation with women make you feel?"
"I wasn't worried. I mean, he can be an asshole, but he knows I'd kill him if he put a toe out of line," she said with a convincing smirk.
Chris smirked back. He knew just how feisty Emily could be, and had they been a couple for real she probably would be the boss of him he'd be so scared to cross her.
"So early into your relationship and some terrible things happened, how have you got past that?" she asked and Emily looked at Chris seriously before looking back to Mindy.
"True love can overcome anything," she answered simply, to another 'aww' from the audience. Chris took his chance and leant in to place a small kiss on the side of her head, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. She leant back against his chest, like it was where she belonged.
"You guys really are just… adorable. What's next for you two? Any plans for little pointy-eared miniatures running around?" Chris snorted and Emily giggled.
"No. We haven't really talked about it," she answered quickly.
"Would you rule it out?" Mindy pressed and Chris took a sip of his drink.
"I'd love to have kids someday. I feel like it's… I don't know, something I couldn't live without, when the time is right," Chris answered and Emily just nodded along.
"That's adorable. Chris I'm so glad to see you looking so happy here, especially after just how bad things got for you. It looks like you've got just the right person here to keep you together and you seem so good to her. Is he good to you, Emily?" she asked and Emily nodded eagerly.
"He really is. He's a true gentleman."
"What about in the bedroom? He live up to all of the gossip?" Mindy asked and Chris almost choked on the sip he was taking of his drink.
"I couldn't possibly comment," Emily said with a sly smirk.
Chris was looking at the floor now, willing himself not to blush.
"Oh look, he's blushing! Isn't that the sweetest thing!" she trilled, making Chris flinch and take a large sip from his glass, now almost empty. Emily shot him a glance that he interpreted as 'slow the hell down' so he leant forwards and set the glass on the table, out of his reach.
"So, Chris, you're back in the public eye, back modelling by the looks of your shoot. What's next for you? More modelling? Acting? Publicity work?" she asked and Chris cleared his throat.
"Well, I'm studying. I've got one year left at the academy before I might be able to get out on a ship, so until then I'd like to get back to what I was doing. Maybe I could try acting, I probably wouldn't be bad at it. Have a bit of fun, right? I mean I can't get the kind of work I used to with the way I look now, but that's fine, I mean… it's more this side of it that I enjoy, interacting with people," he lied convincingly.
"Does it get you down? How you look? I mean you have a twin, right? And he looks how you did before your accident?" she asked and Chris tensed up as anger rose. He forced it down and answered calmly.
"My twin is flawless, and kind of an asshole about it," he said and she laughed.
"But does it depress you?" she pressed again.
"I love Chris just the way he is. To me he's perfect," Emily butted in, throwing an arm around his neck possessively.
Thanks for saving me from admitting I hate the way I look. It's like looking at a fucking monster in the mirror…
"That's so sweet. Well, you crazy kids had better get on your way. You're sure to be the next A-list super couple, so I'm sure I'll be seeing you soon enough! Thanks again for stopping in," she beamed. Emily leant in to shake her hand first and bid their host goodbye, Chris following suit.
Getting up from the couch and walking off was the single biggest relief of his life. He and Emily practically ran out of the studio building, still hand in hand just to keep up the act. Once they were a few blocks away Chris commed his twin.
"Get us the hell out of here," he hissed.
When you get back I'm going to be presenting you with your academy awards for best actor and actress because Jesus that was convincing.
"Shut up and beam us home," he spat, not in the mood for discussion or jokes. The small glass of champagne felt like acid in his body. He wanted it gone. He'd lied; he wasn't ready to enjoy a social drink at all.
White lights began to flicker around them and the next thing he knew was the inside of Bones and Carol's living room, and then a strong pair of arms around him as David launched himself across the room and grabbed him in a hug so tight he could barely catch his breath.
"That was amazing," he mumbled against his shoulder.
"Thank you. I can't take all the credit though," Chris said, peeling himself away from David to pull Emily into a grateful hug.
"Thank you," he said sincerely and she wriggled away.
"Yeah yeah, get off me, I've already just had way too much physical contact with you for today," she said, brushing herself off as he let her go.
"Oh you totally wanted me to kiss you," he protested.
"Definitely not," she argued.
"Hey Emily, want to know where Chris' mouth has been?" David asked and Emily pretended to retch.
"Children," Carol interrupted sternly and David laughed at the disgusted look on his sister's face.
"You did good. That was damn convincing," Bones said from where he was sunk into the couch.
"You think?" Chris asked nervously.
"Well. It would have convinced me if I didn't know otherwise," Bones said and Chris nodded before excusing himself from the room.
He still felt sick from having had that drink and headed upstairs for the bathroom, sticking his fingers down his throat to force himself to vomit, getting the offending alcohol out of his system.
The door knocked and he sighed, washing his mouth out quickly with water before opening it to find David standing there looking worried.
"The champagne?" he asked and Chris nodded.
"I wasn't expecting it. I couldn't say no and admit it still has a hold on me," he said and David gave him a sad smile.
"It didn't show, don't worry," he said. He hovered by the door, wringing his hands together nervously and looking at his feet.
"Something wrong?" Chris asked as he snatched up a bottle of mouthwash and helped himself to a capful.
David shook his head before hesitating.
"Come to my room a minute?" he asked and Chris nodded and spat out his mouthwash before following along the hallway and into the messy bedroom.
"Sit," David instructed, motioning to the bed and Chris sat down.
"You're kind of scaring me," he said warily as David exhaled heavily, starting to pace in front of him.
"I got into the final selection stage. There's a fifty percent chance that I'll be going on this mission. If I go, it'll happen fast. We may not get to say goodbye even. They want us all ready at twenty four hours notice, and we can't do anything suspicious," he said.
Chris forced himself to smile, shielding his true emotions quickly.
"When would you leave, if they picked you?" he asked.
"Probably Christmas Eve," he admitted and Chris glanced down at the floor.
Christmas was always the hardest. New Year just as bad. He couldn't spoil it by telling him, but he'd been secretly planning to propose on New Years Eve, right at midnight. He wanted them to get married in the human way, as well as their bond.
"That's ok," he said, forcing himself to smile again and David stopped pacing and looked at him carefully, shaking his head.
"It isn't. I know how much you hate… Christmas… and I just. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry the timings are so-"
"Hey. You didn't set the schedule on this, ok? You don't need to apologise for anything," Chris said, leaning forwards and grabbing his bondmates hand, pulling him over to sit beside him on the bed.
"I want you to have an amazing career. I want you to make Captain. If you go out as Acting Captain for this mission? You'd be setting yourself up so well. Who was the other command track that made it to this stage?" he asked and David rolled his eyes.
"It was Evans."
Chris snorted.
"That weedy guy? He'd got about as much authority about him as a damp sock! He's never going to be Captain," Chris dismissed and David nudged his shoulder.
"He's technically a better student. Didn't change track halfway through, didn't fail any tests, didn't miss loads of classes or get a DUI under his belt…" he said, running a hand through his hair.
Chris took both his hands to stop him fidgeting and turned to look at his face.
"It's only three months away from home. Compared to the missions we'd both be going on? It's nothing. Three months is nothing. It'll fly by so fast you'll barely even notice I'm not there with you," he said with what he hoped was a convincing smile.
"But… what about when I get back? I mean, there's something I've been meaning to ask you…" he trailed off and Chris raised an eyebrow.
"What's that?"
"I… I don't know. This thing with Emily and you? Lying? I don't know. I know that I was all up for it before but I've been doing a lot of thinking and-"
"Don't say after what I just went through that you aren't comfortable with it-"
"No! No, not at all. I couldn't be more grateful for what you did because it was amazing, and I'm sure everyone will buy it. But I just… do you think maybe… we could move in together? Get a place of our own, when I get back maybe?" David asked cautiously.
Chris hesitated, his expression giving nothing away.
"If people are already suspicious-"
"I know that. But like… what if we were very careful about it? What if we got a bigger place? Lived with Leo too?"
"You mean live with him but not live with him?" Chris asked and David smiled.
"Well… it'd be nice to have our own space. I mean, I'm old enough now that I don't want to exactly live with my parents, and I'm sure that if I get the chance to go out on this mission, that'll only reinforce how trapped I'm feeling here."
Chris didn't know what to say. It wasn't as though he hadn't thought about it himself… how nice it would be to wake up in the same bed every day and not just whenever they decided they could risk it. To have all of their stuff together, not just the odd bits and pieces they had scattered around.
"It's a big step," Chris sighed finally. He knew it was what his heart wanted, but as the threat of David going away for a long period of time loomed over him, he'd been finding it increasingly difficult to keep his head in the game. He'd been longing for some painkillers, some real ones, not just the carefully monitored ones he took on a daily basis that barely dulled the permanent pain in his chest.
"You don't think we're ready?"
"I don't think it's a good idea to talk about it right now," Chris corrected.
Just as David opened his mouth to answer, there was a knock at the door.
"Come in?" David offered and Leo peeked around the door.
"Your Mom says dinner is in ten," he said and David nodded.
"Thanks."
"No problem," he said, pointedly not looking at Chris who sighed.
"Leo, get in here right now and close the door," he ordered. His brother did as he was told, standing in front of where he was still sitting on the edge of the bed and pushing his long hair back off his face.
"I didn't mean anything by kissing Emily, you know that it was all part of the act, part of the story, right?" he said and Leo nodded.
"I know. I just… it made me pretty angry," he said with a nervous laugh.
"I can tell. Just relax, ok? If you guys are speaking again, I'm not trying to muscle in on your girl."
"We are… speaking. She's told me she loved me for who I was, not who I became after everything. So… I'm trying to be more like my old self," he said with a sigh.
"You've seemed like it. Stopped sleeping around?" he asked and Leo nodded.
"Yep. Pretty difficult to stop once you've started…" he said and Chris laughed.
"Gotta resort to old faithful," David smirked, raising his right hand and the twins both laughed.
"Or meditation. My mind has been all… kinda trippy lately. I've been getting… hot… flashes. I don't know," he said and Chris straightened up.
"Pon farr?" he asked and Leo shook his head.
"No. No way. It's just like I feel like I have a fever starting but it only lasts a few minutes and then goes away, and nothing ever comes of it," he said and Chris frowned.
"Keep an eye on it," he ordered.
"Got two. Keeping them both on it," he nodded.
Chris shuddered as he thought back to what little he could remember of his own Pon Farr two years ago.
"Go flirt with my sister," David prompted and Leo saluted and then left the room.
Chris sighed and leant back on the bed.
"That how yours started?" David asked and Chris shook his head.
"No… mine was like an aching. Like my whole body was aching. That came way before the burning," he said and David frowned.
"Maybe my dad should take a look at him?"
"You and I both know Leo hasn't had a check up since everything happened. He's not going to let that change."
"He's scared the cancer will come back?"
"I think so. I think he's trying to just live life to the fullest and not wonder when it might end," Chris said and David nodded, his communicator starting to ring in his pocket. He scrambled to get it out and opened, face paling slightly as he saw the caller ID.
"McCoy here," he answered.
"Ensign, report to my office at 0800 in the morning," his instructor ordered.
"Yes Sir," he said obediently.
The comm. clicked and David sighed, snapping his handset shut.
"That guy is always so rude. Would it kill him to ask me how I am? Maybe? Or how my day is going?" he said sarcastically and Chris laughed, reaching up to ruffle David's hair affectionately.
"He probably just wants you worried before he calls you in tomorrow to make you acting captain of the training mission," Chris said and David shrugged.
"Maybe. Hopefully."
"If you go on the mission, when you get back we'll look for a place, deal?" Chris said and David perked up a little.
"And if I don't?"
"Then you'll have to deal with living with me three months sooner than you thought," Chris smiled.
*~*~*~*~*PAGE BREAK*~*~*~*~*
"Jim."
"But I don't want to go to Starfleet! I want to go to normal school and do normal things, I don't want to be a Captain or a pilot… or any of it. Just leave me alone!"
Jim sighed as his son stormed out of the kitchen, slamming the door behind him.
He had no idea teenagers could be so difficult.
The twins were fourteen, and at the earliest age they could be considered to join the accelerated program for junior applicants at the Academy.
Chris had made his thoughts on Starfleet perfectly clear.
"Hey Jim? Wake up," a low voice disturbed him.
"I just wish I'd have been more careful, y'know? I'm sure that it was my fault," Jim said bitterly, staring at the muddy sneakers on his feet as they dangled below him.
"It was not your fault," Spock said. He looked so much more graceful sat up where they were, high on a rock overlooking a magnificent stretch of snow-covered forest in Yosemite park.
"It must have been my fault. I killed her Spock. It was my job to protect her and-"
"Jim you did not kill anyone. Miscarriage of such an early pregnancy is a tragic but relatively common phenomi-"
"You can stop being such an asshole about this any time you like," Jim spat, shifting away from his bondmate, looking for a way to climb back down if necessary.
"I am not-"
"How do you think I feel? Right now? I know you never wanted her. Maybe even never wanted the twins, but-"
"I am offended that you suggest I-"
"Shut up! Jesus, let me finish here! You show absolutely no interest in any of their lives."
Spock was silent for a moment before opening his mouth. He was silent for another few seconds before closing his mouth.
"I am… intimidated."
Jim snorted.
"Intimidated? By a six year old and two five year olds?" Jim asked and Spock inclined his head to agree.
"They share with you something I cannot-"
"If you're talking about unconditional love then you're wrong. They don't just share that with me, they share that with you too. Look inside your tiny, emotionally stunted heart and you might just find it."
"Jim! Get up! It's time to go," the voice roused him again, a firm hand shaking his shoulder now too.
Jim jolted awake, looking around wildly.
There was nobody in his room.
He took a few seconds as panic rose and then his door slid open, revealing sub-commander T'Pol and Lieutenant Reed.
"Mr Kirk, I'm afraid you're going to have to come with us," Reed said sternly as Jim sat up, rubbing sleep from his eyes and looking at them blearily.
He wasn't dressed, wearing only a pair of pyjama pants and nothing else. He could feel T'Pol's eyes on him, particularly his abdomen where the scar that ran vertically up from his belly button to the bottom of his ribcage seemed to be becoming more obvious by the day.
"Huh? Where we going?" he asked sleepily.
"We are going to have to escort you to the brig. It has come to our attention that-"
"The brig? Why? I've done nothing wrong! I've been here! Asleep!" he protested angrily.
"It is not your actions for which you will be detained, but your intended ones," she said firmly and he exhaled slowly.
He'd been caught out.
Someone had found out about his plan to take Spock Prime's ship and make a break for it.
"No! Please, you don't understand-" he began, giving up almost immediately when he realised it was useless. They weren't going to listen.
He was allowed to put on a shirt at least and then led to the brig in handcuffs. He didn't fight, and went quietly and calmly, knowing it would only be worse if he didn't.
He was relieved that at least Spock Prime was nowhere to be seen, so he hadn't been rumbled too.
It took hours before Archer appeared, Trip Tucker with him. They entered the cell where he had been pacing since his arrival and invited him to sit and talk them through what they had discovered.
"I've been told by a member of my crew that you intend to steal the Vulcan ambassador's ship and make a break for your home. Is this true?" Archer asked him simply and Jim stared at him for a few moments.
"Yes."
"I… I'm sorry?" he asked, clearly not expecting Jim to have told the truth.
"I have to get home. I… I need a certain weakness in space, I'm going to use the red matter concealed on the ambassadors' ship to open a singularity, throw myself through it, and try to get home to my family," he admitted.
"And you were going to steal his ship to do this?"
Jim paused. He had to be careful not to reveal too much and put Spock Prime in jeopardy.
"I... I was," he said.
Archer sighed.
He looked at Tucker for a moment before turning back to Jim.
"We spoke to the ambassador. He told us his side."
Jim was silent. He didn't know if that meant the truth, or the lie concocted that he had been sticking to, or some other story altogether.
"Are there any modifications that would need to be made to his ship to give you a better chance of success?" Tucker asked and Jim hesitated before shaking his head.
Archer sighed again before clasping his hands together in a way Jim had frequently seen his Archer do when he was trying to make a decision about something.
"We're going to let you go home," he said finally. "We'll do whatever we can to help you on your way. Ambassador… Spock tells me he has detected the correct weakness in space-time which you need. We've stopped the ship close enough to it that you can get on your way, set a waypoint on the Vulcan ships computer for where you need to open your portal."
Jim was speechless. He flapped his mouth open and closed a few times like a goldfish before finally whispering a stunned thank you.
"No problem kid, now let's go, no time like the present!" he said, helping Jim up and releasing him from his handcuffs.
"Starfleet don't know about you, by the way, and they won't," he said firmly.
Jim nodded, still not quite able to find any words.
"What I mean by that is, once you leave us, you're on your own kid," Archer warned and Jim nodded.
"Understood," he said, just catching Tucker's eye who looked like he wanted to say something.
On the way to the shuttle bay Archer was commed by T'Pol from the bridge, and Tucker took the opportunity to pull Jim back a few paces.
"George told me what's going on. Don't know if I believe it, but it the Captain does then… anyway… he asked me to give you this," he said, holding out a single, silver bolt.
Jim took it slowly and looked at it.
"It's from that panel you were fixing together, the first day you helped us down in engineerin'. He said to keep it as… something to remember him by," he said and Jim nodded, closing his hand around the small item before tucking it in his pocket for safe-keeping.
It was almost like his voice didn't work. That his brain couldn't produce words to get them to come out of his mouth, the thought that he could be going home was just too loud in his mind.
Spock. I'm coming home. I'm on my way home. Please still be there?
They reached the shuttle bay and Archer and Tucker hung back, Jim turning as he sensed this would be goodbye.
"There's a uniform for you aboard the ship, couldn't have you going home in your jammies," Tucker pointed out and Jim gave him a small smile, offering his hand.
"Thank you," Jim said sincerely as they shook hands.
"No problem. God speed."
Jim nodded and moved along to Archer.
"Like I said, this never happened, we never found you," he said and Jim nodded.
"Understood Sir. Thank you for everything. The… uh… ambassador?" he asked and Archer smiled.
"We'll take good care of him, don't worry," he smiled and Jim turned to look at the ship just as Spock Prime descended the boarding ramp.
With a firm handshake to Archer Jim began to make his way to the ship, unsure of what to say to the figure standing before him.
"How will you get back now?" Jim asked and Spock Prime shrugged.
"I am not from that time, will it make any difference if I stay in this one instead?"
"You… you're staying? You could come with me," Jim offered and the elderly Vulcan shook his head.
"That is not my destiny," he said with a small smile and Jim sighed.
"You gave me that excuse before. Come on, come with me," he tried to persuade but Spock shook his head.
"You must return to your bondmate and children, they need you more than I would like to say. Farewell James, live long and prosper," he said quietly, taking one step closer to Jim and just holding there for a moment.
Jim felt awkward as he leant forward and closed his arms around his husbands older counterpart in a grateful embrace.
"I'm sorry that you didn't get to grow old with him," he said quietly, letting go of the ambassador who shrugged.
"If you do not leave soon, neither will your Spock," he pointed out and Jim nodded. With one final lingering moment of eye contact, he turned and boarded the ship.
*~*~*~*~*PAGE BREAK*~*~*~*~*
David was surprised to find it wasn't his instructor waiting for him the next morning, but Admiral Mitchell himself instead.
"Admiral, Sir," he said, standing immediately to attention.
"Cadet McCoy," Mitchell responded, motioning for David to take a seat opposite him which he did. His heart was thudding aggressively against his ribcage, and his reds all of a sudden felt like they were stifling him, the collar too high and the fabric too thick.
"Why do you think you can be a Captain?" he asked.
David panicked for a moment. He hadn't been expecting this. What even was it? An… interview?
"I uh… Uh… feel that I…"
"That's precisely why you aren't going out this time," Mitchell said. His face was impassive. He was around the same age as Jim would have been, but looked more the age Jim should have looked. They'd been at the academy together, David knew that much. He also knew they hadn't exactly been the best of friends.
David's heart sank and he nodded once in understanding.
"I'm sending you to London, because I don't think you're a total lost cause for the command track. You'll study with Starfleet in London for twelve months, after which I will reassess you and decide if you can go out with the next graduate ship."
David wanted to protest. He really did. He couldn't be away from Chris for that long, how would he manage without him?
But he also wanted to be Captain.
He wanted to be Captain so much.
"Would you have a problem with relocating to London?" Mitchell asked and David snapped back to his senses.
"No sir," he said quickly.
"Not leaving any distractions here that might try to pull you back home?" he asked and David did his best to keep any signs he was lying to the admiral in check.
"No sir," he answered confidently.
"Funny," Mitchell said, pulling a PADD from the top drawer of the desk and handing it across to David who felt sick as he saw the image displayed there.
"Sir I- I… that isn't what it looks like," he spluttered, trying to hold back his reaction.
"So explain. Tell me exactly what is being shown in this image right here," he said, voice turning icy and harsh at a seconds notice. The Admiral put on a good show around Starfleet but David had heard enough tales to know the truth about Gary Mitchell – he was ruthless and cold.
David swallowed the lump in his throat and looked back at the PADD. He couldn't even deny it.
It was a still image of himself and Christopher sitting in the front row of a music awards ceremony. Emily's band had been nominated for something they hadn't won, but David, Chris and Leo had attended the ceremony all the same, sitting at a table together later in the evening as Emily drowned her sorrows in the fancy white wine on the table. It had been the first night she'd actually spoken to Leo in years and he'd been a lot more like his old self that night.
David had leant in to whisper something to Chris about them… and he'd smelled so good and… he'd kissed him on the cheek. So quick you'd have barely caught it.
Apparently not quick enough.
"I was talking to Kirk sir, it was very loud, we had to yell in each others ear," David denied, forcing his voice to stay steady.
"Doesn't look like yelling to me," Mitchell said sternly, eyes narrowing.
"Must have caught me while I was blinking sir. I'm not very photogenic," David shrugged. Mitchell seemed to grow angrier at this and sat up a little straighter, raising himself to his full height in the chair.
"I am changing policies around here Cadet. Kirk and Spock were a disgrace to the fleet, and under my command I'll see no more of it … gallivanting around fucking each other like horny rabbits, disgusting!-"
"Sir. I'm sorry. May I please be excused?" David interrupted, rising from his chair abruptly. He felt sick. He felt like he was about to puke at any moment.
How could he talk about Jim and Spock like that? How could his own career ever recover or even begin if attitudes were changing back to be like this?
"I'm not done with you Cadet," Mitchell said as David began to back up towards the door, hands beginning to shake.
"Yes sir, but I think I'm done with you for now Admiral. All due respect sir, but Jim Kirk was like a father to me, I won't sit by while you-"
David was cut off as Mitchell practically leapt around the desk, crossing the room in three strides and standing in front of him, squaring up to the younger man.
"If you ever disrespect me you little faggot, I'll make sure you never see the light of day again, let alone set foot on a starship," he growled and David held his gaze defiantly, the Admirals face mere inches from his own.
Without warning Mitchell raised his right hand, sending David stumbling backwards as it collided hard with his face. He went to cry out in shock and was hit again, dropping to his knees and blinking blood out of his eye.
"Hmm. Maybe this is why he likes you so much, you look awful pretty down there on your knees," Mitchell smirked, patting David on the top of the head before going around him and exiting the room, leaving David cowering on the floor, head ringing from the force of the two blows to the face and heart pounding in horror.
Leo almost couldn't believe his luck when Emily agreed to come over for coffee.
He cleaned his apartment from top to bottom, making sure everything was away in it's proper place and then ensuring that every surface was spotless. It had to be perfect for her. The evening had to go perfectly.
She'd agreed eight o'clock, but as the door chimed ten minutes early he knew it would be her, she was testing him.
He quickly straightened his shirt and messed his hair up a little more before taking a deep breath and heading for the door.
"Evening," he grinned as he opened it to reveal her standing there, looking effortlessly beautiful as always. Even in just casual jeans and a jacket she stood out from the crowd.
"Hey," she said nervously as he practically bounced on the balls of his feet in excitement.
"You… going to invite me inside?" she asked after a few seconds of them awkwardly standing and staring at each other in the doorway.
"Of course, sorry," he grinned, stepping aside and letting her pass before closing the door behind her.
"David wasn't lying about your colour scheme I see," she commented, kicking off her boots and leaving them in a messy heap by the door near all of his neatly stacked shoes.
Leo's apartment was completely black and white. Colour was something which still caused him discomfort if there was too much of it, so he'd decided he didn't want any of it in his living space, aside from a single light blue wall in his bedroom. Something that he allowed himself as the particular colour helped him feel closer to Jim sometimes, not that he'd admit it to anyone. He said it was that colour when he got the place, and he liked it and wanted to leave it.
"No I uh… like it this way," he said with a shrug. He scratched the back of his head and looked at his feet. He'd expected the conversation to flow much more easily, but now she was here he could barely think of anything to say.
"That cookies I smell?" she asked, sniffing the air and he nodded eagerly.
"I've been learning to bake. I figured I'd try some out on you. If you die, never again," he joked and she gave a small giggle.
"Hopefully you've improved. I remember when you couldn't even re-heat leftovers without a small explosion," she teased and Leo rose to it.
"Oh come on! I absolutely was not that bad," he protested, smiling as her smile grew and the tense atmosphere between them seemed to evaporate a little.
"Hmm… you really were," she said and he sighed.
"I really was," he admitted.
"But hey, last week I made a cake and I didn't die. Chris ate some too and he didn't die, it actually even tasted kind of like cake… so… hopefully I'll be just as lucky second time around," he said, leading the way towards the kitchen.
She'd never been to his apartment. In fact it was only in the last three months she'd even started speaking to him again at all.
Her latest band had taken a long break, she'd been sick a lot and her voice just wasn't recovering properly, so she'd been around San Francisco more and more as she waited out the recommended resting period so she didn't trash her voice completely.
"So, how is dating my brother treating you?" he asked and she rolled her eyes.
"You going to give me shit about this too?"
"No. Of course not. I think it's very kind of you to help Chris and David like that," he said honestly.
"Really?" she asked suspiciously.
"Sure," he nodded, leaning to peek into the oven at the cookies which looked almost done.
She leant against the counter and sighed.
"I didn't feel like I had a choice when they asked me," she admitted and he frowned.
"Of course you had a choice, there was always 'Plan B'," he chuckled and she smiled.
"You pretending to be a massively promiscuous gay man to take the heat off them would never have worked, it just would have trashed your reputation around Starfleet too," she pointed out and he shrugged.
"True. Would have been fun though. We could have gone shopping," he said in the campest voice he could muster, adding a flick of the wrist just for good measure and causing her to laugh out loud.
"Way too convincing."
"I know, right?" he said in the same voice and she laughed again. He felt hopeful, she seemed friendly. Now he just needed to win her trust. He'd do that by sharing a secret with her… he'd read it in a book about relationships and it seemed straightforward enough.
"Too bad I'm anything but a gay man," he sighed and she looked quizzical.
"I… well… I got into some bad habits. I don't need to explain, you know all about it," he said casually and she pressed for more.
"I know some about it… not nearly all of it. Only what my dad knows," she said, silently begging to hear more.
"Well, I've been struggling with self esteem a lot. I thought sleeping around would make it better, but it only makes it worse. I just feel… I don't know. I sleep with all of these women to try and make me feel wanted, and then in the morning I just feel… cheap," he said and she looked sympathetic, pausing before she answered.
"You and Chris have some of the worst addictive personalities I've ever seen," she finally settled with.
"You saying I'm a sex addict?" he asked and she shook her head.
"An attention addict. You both compete, I don't think you realise you're doing it. Your cookies are going to burn," she pointed out and he quickly snatched up his oven mitts and retrieved the cookies.
"I don't know. I think I'm just… lonely," he said sadly and she snorted.
"This is your best? This right now? Come on Leo, I'm not an idiot. Don't play me with this whole 'win my trust by opening up to me' bullshit. This sounds like something my brother would tell you to do," she said and he inwardly kicked himself, doing his best to recover quickly.
"No. No it isn't like that at all. I genuinely… I have no self respect," he said, realising only once the words had left his mouth that he actually believed them.
"I was the best version of myself when I was with you. It may have been short, but what we had was so good Emily. I just… you were like an anchor. I feel like I'm drifting without you," he said, not really knowing where the sudden rush of emotion he was feeling was coming from.
"Are you okay?" she asked softly. He turned to face away from her, sighing deeply.
"I don't know. I… I hate this time of year," he said quietly.
The second anniversary of Jim's death was looming, and Christmas was a miserable time for the twins. Seren had seemed to move past it, refusing to let it affect her, but Chris and Leo still obviously bore scars of their pain particularly around the winter time.
Emily was conflicted.
Leo seemed to genuinely be trying to reach out to her, but she'd heard enough of his behaviour since Jim's death that she didn't know what to believe. She'd heard that he'd become incredibly manipulative, using people to get what he wanted, she didn't want to be a part of that, a victim of that.
"Cookies are best when they're still hot from the oven," she pointed out and he nodded, picking one up and biting off a chunk, chewing nervously and swallowing.
"Do you feel like death is imminent?" she asked and he shook his head.
"Good," she said, picking up a cookie for herself and bringing it to her lips. Just as she took a bite, the door chime rang. Leo frowned and glanced at the time before leaving the room to go answer it.
Emily rushed into the living area and towards the door as soon as she heard the racket that started as soon as the door had been opened.
"-didn't even –hic- say it to my face. After everything he didn't even –hic- have the guts," Chris was slurring, barely able to stand by the looks of it. Leo looked devastated.
"Chris you're drunk," he said sadly and Chris shook his head.
"Nope. No m'not," he slurred as Leo helped steer him onto the couch.
"Jeez, you smell you drank a whole bar dry," Emily frowned as she approached the twins. Chris now slumped pathetically on the couch and Leo kneeling on the floor in front of him, trying to get his brother to talk sense.
"Ok, what you were saying by the door? Can you say it again?" Leo asked carefully.
"David's gone!" Chris cried out.
"What?" Emily asked.
"He didn't even g-get the mission. Jus' gone! To London for more t… school. More school. He tol' me he doesn't want t'see me," Chris said pathetically. He looked like he'd been crying and was trying hard not to do so again.
Leo turned to Emily, the concern and disappointment evident on his face.
"Could you get me a glass of water for him? Please?" he asked and she nodded, turning and heading back to the kitchen.
"And now I ruined it. So long sober and I ruined it," he said sadly and much more clearly.
"Everyone slips sometimes, it's ok, that's why we're here to help you get back up again," Leo said quietly.
"So he just commed you? Didn't come and see you or anything?" Leo asked and Chris shook his head.
"Just a call. Said he's gone, don't find him, leave him alone for a while. He'll call me when he's ready to, don't call him," Chris said and Leo frowned. That didn't sound like David at all. He'd been really good to Chris, helping him keep his head straight, helping him keep focused on both his sobriety and the academy. He wouldn't abandon him like this, would he?
Emily returned with a glass of water which Leo took and handed to Chris, encouraging him to drink all of it before turning back to Emily.
"Maybe you'd be better to go home. He's going to need me watching him, god knows how much he's had," he sighed and Emily shook her head.
"I'll stay and help. Then I'll track David down and kick his ass," she said, sitting next to Chris on the couch, close enough to be comforting.
"So that was all he said? He's going to study in London? Not to go find him?" Leo asked and Chris nodded, sighing and pushing his hair back off his forehead. Leo noticed he was sweating quite a lot.
"You… too hot?" he asked and Chris shook his head.
"How could he do this t'me?" he asked pathetically and Emily leant a little closer, resting her head on his shoulder and her hand on his forearm.
"Because my brother is the definition of 'selfish moron?'" she suggested and Chris shook his head before coughing harshly, enough that Emily sprang back and watched him with concern.
"How long have you had a cough?" Leo asked as Chris finally stopped and settled back against the couch, grimacing.
"Week? Dno. It's cold. I'm sleepy," he slurred, eyes slipping closed as he fumbled to bring his knees up to his chest and curl into a ball.
Leo let his brother fall asleep on the couch, then covered him over with a blanket. He fetched him another glass of water for when he woke up and then beckoned Emily into the next room so they wouldn't wake him up talking.
"How dare he?" Emily hissed the second the door was closed.
Leo's hands balled into fists.
Over a year Chris had been sober. Thrown away because of David.
"I don't know, but he'd better hope we don't run into each other anytime soon," Leo growled, starting to pace the room.
"He'd better have a damn good reason for this," Emily muttered.
*~*~*~*~*PAGE BREAK*~*~*~*~*
"I think that should hold for now… you should really go see-"
"I'm not going to. I'm going to just leave now," David sighed, lightly touching his face and wincing. At least the nasty cut above his eye had stopped bleeding now that Joanna had patched it up clumsily, but it was swelling up and throbbing painfully.
"You sure that just telling Chris like that was a good idea?" she asked uncertainly.
"He'll be fine," David said firmly.
He didn't know who he was trying to convince, his sister or himself.
"I've been here ages, I've gotta go," he said, getting up off the couch and snatching up his backpack.
"And you still didn't tell me who hit you…" Joanna hinted and he sighed, looking down at the floor for a moment.
"And you wouldn't believe me if I did," he said and she shrugged.
"Try me."
He paused for a moment before answering.
"It was Mitchell. He knows the truth about me and Chris. That's why he's sending me to London and not letting me go on that mission, because he's punishing me. He told me he hates same-sex couples, and that Jim and Spock were a disgrace, and that he's going to make it impossible for anyone in a same-sex couple to succeed at Starfleet," he said and she nodded.
"The only part about that that shocks me is that he actually hit you," she said with a small smile and David frowned.
"What do you mean?" he asked and Joanna looked confused.
"I thought… everybody knew?" she said and he shook his head, regretting it as it caused a painful rush of blood to his swollen eye.
"Uh… apparently not me?" he said and she smiled again.
"Mitchell and Jim? They had a uh… thing back at the academy," she said and his jaw dropped.
"No fucking way."
"Yes way."
"Are you serious? Who told you this?" he asked and Joanna shrugged.
"Heard it from the man himself. It was when he helped me paint my kitchen right after I got this place. We finished painting, then finished a couple of bottles of Romulan Ale, you know how much of a lightweight he was… and then yep. Right there, he sat on the floor by the counter and just blurted it out, said Mitchell had been gunning for a promotion and that he'd be trying to rock the boat with regards to these kind of regulations if he got the job, so Jim was fighting to keep him down. Course now that Jim's gone… nobody stopping him from getting the job or rocking the boat, so both things have happened," she said and David just stared at her for a moment.
"Jim… and Mitchell? Jesus! This is… huge! Do you know any more? Or just that they had a thing?" he asked and she frowned.
"I didn't ask. I know it was all a secret and not something that lasted long either. I think Jim, Spock and Mitchell are the only people who know about it at all, well, and me and maybe Dad, don't know if Jim ever told him," she said and David nodded.
Something clicked into place in his mind.
"Mitchell has been bullying Spock. Gave him this tiny little new office, took his old one away. Been giving him a hard time in general from what I understand."
"Doesn't shock me. If he gets any inclination that Dad knows, he'll probably do the same to him," she said and David nodded.
This information was huge. Not only was Mitchell a horrible person, he was a filthy hypocrite.
David just needed to figure out what to do with this information to get Mitchell back and hit him where it would hurt most.
*~*~*~*~*PAGE BREAK*~*~*~*~*
"When?" Seren asked of the nurse.
"About an hour ago, they're doing great," she smiled, beckoning towards a room at the end of the hallway.
"No complications at all?" she asked, eyes scanning over the PADD in front of her.
"None. I think you're onto something here, something really big," she said.
Seren nodded, fighting to keep the grin off her face. She couldn't let herself believe until she saw with her own eyes that it had worked.
What she'd been working on since Jim died, her research project so secret she'd not told another soul about it.
Male pregnancy.
She approached the door and knocked, wanting to give the new family some privacy.
"Come in!" offered a jubilant voice from inside.
The door slid out of the way, and she stepped into the small room, allowing the door to close behind her, letting her eyes take in the two beaming men before her, and the tiny bundle of pale yellow blankets. Artie and Kalem had been her volunteers for human trials.
They'd been married eight years, lived a happy life together, but longed for a baby that was biologically theirs before they would look into adoption.
Using what she knew of cloning techniques and augment biology, Seren had established that Artie was the better candidate to carry the child. She's taken genetic material from both parents, creating a random mixture as would be expected in a naturally conceived child and leaving the choice of embryo up to the parents. The uterus had been created through cloned muscle tissue, engineered to behave just as a normal uterus would, with the exception of actually conceiving the child. That had to be done through IVF, then implanted into the womb through keyhole surgery through the abdominal wall. The single embryo implanted had taken on the first attempt, and after a fairly uneventful pregnancy, their baby girl had decided she wanted out two weeks ahead of schedule and her father had been rushed in for an emergency C-section.
"She's so perfect, we can't thank you enough," Kalem said softly, crossing the room and closing his arms around her in a grateful hug.
"I'm so glad she's everything you wanted," she said, hugging him back briefly before stepping back and eyeing the man in the bed.
"Artie? How are you doing?" she asked of the man staring up at her with tears in his eyes.
"I'm on top of the world," he said sleepily.
"Feeling good?" she asked and he nodded, one finger offered to the baby girl in his arms who took it in her tiny fist.
Seren eyed the information on the bio-bed readout.
"Vitals all looking excellent. I imagine you guys will be out of here by this time tomorrow provided everything continues progressing well. Little girl have a name yet?" she asked and Kalem nodded.
"Isabelle," he said quietly and Seren smiled.
"Great choice, it's pretty."
She looked at the charts on baby Isabelle. She was perfectly healthy, weighing in at just over eight pounds with a full head of dark curly hair, her skin lightly tanned and a perfect blend of her parents.
Seren looked at the little family and couldn't quite believe what she'd accomplished. She had changed the course of medical science. If she could get funding to conduct further study, or even to open a clinic, this could change everything.
"I can't thank you guys enough for being a part of this. For taking a chance with the procedure, and for trusting me," she said, feeling strangely emotional all of a sudden.
She'd done this for Jim, deep down she knew that. It was all she'd worked towards since he'd died, knowing this was something that would have made him immeasurably proud.
After a few more quick checks and more thanks and hugs, she left, returning to the locker room to retrieve her communicator, knowing she had one person in particular that she had to tell about her breakthrough and that her very long experiment had been successful.
"Doctor McCoy, how are you?"
"I'm ok kid, what's up?"
She hesitated for a moment, allowing herself to finally, properly grin.
"I uh… I have some news you might be interested in. Medical news."
"You found Chris' brain in there somewhere?" he asked and she chuckled.
"Now that would be a great medical breakthrough," she agreed. Mentally she noted that she should call her brothers, she hadn't seen them in a few weeks with everything going on with monitoring the final stages of her experiment.
"No. It isn't that. I uh… well, I successfully created a uterus, a zygote from male donor cells, and a healthy, eight pound baby girl was born just under two hours ago. Baby and dad doing perfectly," she said, holding her breath for how he would react.
He was silent for a moment before sighing.
"Well damn kid, you beat me to it! Congratulations on getting your name into the history books. Jim would be damn proud of you!"
She choked up, tears filling her eyes quickly. She glanced around the empty locker room just to check she was still alone. She answered a few questions then agreed to meet the doctor with all of her research for him to read through in the next few days before hastily hanging up, dialling someone else immediately afterwards.
Someone that she really needed to talk to when her emotions would get the better of her like this and all of her Vulcan control seemed to just vanish without a trace.
*~.*~.*~.*~.*~.
A/N
To anybody still reading this - thank you. Thank you for your patience and for not giving up on me. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and spurred me on to not give up. I feel that I owe you guys an explanation for why I've taken quite so long to update this time.
I mentioned before that I was sick a while back - unfortunately there's been a lasting complication of that - something pretty nasty called CFS or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Basically, I get up, I go to work (where I fall asleep at my desk if I'm not having a good day) then I get home and crawl into bed immediately, sleep more, and repeat. I am physically incapable of life right now. It's hilarious. I literally feel as though somebody has taken a giant syringe, stuck it in my arm and sucked all of the life out of me. The only way I can view this is funny, because if I actually sit and think about how this may affect me for the rest of my life, I just can't. However, after several months of this being very very bad, I'm slowly starting to come through it. It will never fully go away, and it can flare back up again, but I'm now awake enough to write in scraps here and there. Another side effect of CFS is that I don't notice when I say things or write things that don't make sense. My brain is kinda... foggy. But I'm getting there. Slowly slowly getting a bit better day by day and soon this hell will hopefully end.
ANYWAY. Wow. What a massive downer huh? Haha! Enjoy life to the full folks, you never know when it's going to suddenly start sucking very badly for an indeterminate amount of time.
Anyway, I'll stop waffling about my personal bullshit now. The story will be finished, I swear. I've already got some of the next part written and then we're quickly closing in on the ending.
Your reviews would mean the world to me at this point. Anything, any thoughts you have, any questions you have, throw them at me, I love them all. (Also, I made a fairly enormous continuity error which I'm pretty embarrassed about - who can spot it? XD )
Once again, thank you for waiting, for nagging, for not giving up on me. I won't give up on you! Until next time, my friends.
