Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek.
Stardate: March 30th, 2252 (Julia's POV)
"Mom," I said, unsure how to feel. "You didn't have to get us a cake."
"Nonsense!" Mom said, stepping out from behind the wall's corner. In her hands was a tray with a medium sized, circular cake. "I'm your mother - and ever since you were 1 year old - I've celebrated your birthday. Today will be no different."
She brought the cake down to the coffee table in front of the couch. After she placed it down, she went back to get some candles and a lighter. Jim and I glanced at one another and scooched off the couch to get a better look at the cake.
"It doesn't look inedible," Jim said, peering around at its cylindrical shape. "But looks can be deceiving."
"She may have bought one this year," I said, staring at the cake. I heard a rustling behind me, and soon Spock was kneeling by my side. One eyebrow was raised when I glanced at him, and I couldn't help but let out a little laugh.
"I fail to see what you find humorous," He said, his eyebrow going back down. Then he glanced at the cake. "Nor do I understand your inference that the cake is toxic."
"Sh!" Jim said, glancing back at the wall. Mom wasn't quite back yet, but she would no doubt be here soon. Spock gave me a confused look.
"Our mom's not the greatest cook," I said quietly, hoping that mom wouldn't come in any time soon. "And over the past few years…"
"She insisted on making birthday cakes that were completely and utterly indigestible." Jim finished for me. I nodded in agreement, my eyes now on the cake. It looked harmless - even good. It had a butterscotch colored frosting, with Jim and my's name written in neat, white frosting.
"Not even the chickens would eat her cake," I added. Jim nodded his head, and then plastered a smile. I did the same, realizing that mom must have come back into the room.
"Hey, mom," Jim said, with forced happiness. Mom gave him a quizzical smile as she came back with a stack of plates, silverware, and candles. She came down to our level and started putting candles on the cake. She put on 20 candles, 19 around the cake's edge, and one in the middle.
"Um…" I said, pointing at the middle candle. "Mom I think you're a little confused. Jim and I are only 19."
"I know." Mom said, taking out her lighter. Beside me, I saw Spock raise an eyebrow in confusion. Mom glanced over at him with a wry expression on her face. "What?"
"Are you mentally stable?" Spock asked bluntly. At the question, I started to gasp and swallow my spit at the same time. Not a good idea, because then I started coughing. On top of that, Mom swung her lit lighter around towards me as she turned to face Spock.
"I beg your pardon?" Mom asked as I tried and failed to move out of the way of the lighter. It stopped 2 inches from my face, and I was struggling with myself, trying not to bounce forward as I coughed.
"He has a point," Jim said, reaching out and taking the lighter from mom. The flame went out as he took it, and I sighed in relief - and then started coughing again. Spock's hand came to pat my back in an attempt to knock the spittle loose from my lungs. It helped.
"I'm not mentally unstable, thank you very much!" Mom said with force. From the wall, I saw Frank come into view, He was leaning on the wall's corner, and watching our interaction. "I just have an idea is all."
"Which is?" I asked as my coughing fit subsided. Spock's hand came to rest on my shoulder, pulling me towards him in a protective manner.
"This year," Mom said, pausing as she took a deep breath. "This year, your father and I would have been married 25 years. And I thought I'd put a candle in there for him."
"Oh," Jim said. I felt myself blush as I watched her. She wasn't mentally unstable and confusing our birthdays - she was just struggling with relieving the day our father died. "Well, now I feel like a jerk."
"You and me both," I said, moving past Spock and towards my mom. I put my arms around her and gave her a gentle squeeze. "I'm sorry for assuming you were nuts, mom."
"Me too." Jim said, and I felt his arms reaching around as they embraced us both. Between us, Mom laughed a little, and put her arms awkwardly around us.
"I, too, would like to apologize," Spock said. And, to my surprise, he came down behind me and wrapped his arms around the three of us. This was a really, really big step for him. He didn't like showing emotion - and here he was giving my whole family a hug.
Well, most of my family, I should say. The only person not here now was Sam...and we weren't likely to see him any time soon.
"All's forgiven," Mom said, her voice cracking a little. "Now will you let me go so I can light the candles?"
"Oh all right," I said, pulling my arms back to myself. Behind me, Spock moved back a little so I could give mom significant room when she lit the candles. "But next time I get to decide when to end the group hug."
"What about me?" Jim asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked at me from across the table. I gave a little shrug.
"You can decide next year." He did a fake scowl and I gave him a leer back.
"Why do you get first pick?" He asked, and I smirked a little. "Wait - don't answer that."
"Too late," I said, leaning forward a little. "Because I was born first."
"Kids," Mom said dangerously, and abruptly Jim and I shut our pie-holes. "That's better," She started lighting the candles on the cake, going to the middle one first, and then to the ones around the edge. When she finished she moved back and gestured Jim and I forward. "Well - go ahead!"
"On the count of three," Jim said, and I nodded. The two of us leaned down as he counted. "One...Two...Two and a half…" I gave him a glare, and he moved his eyebrows up and down as he continued to count the numbers between two and three.
"Jim…" I said, my patience becoming dangerously thin when he got to Two and ninety-eight one-hundreths.
"Three!" He shouted, and took in a breath to blow out as many candles as he could. But I beat him to it, dousing the flames of at least half the candles before he even blew out one. But, try as I might, I couldn't blow out the middle candle - that Jim did with surprising ease.
"Who wants the first slice?" Mom asked, picking up the knife she'd brought out. Looking closely at the cake, I decided I'd risk eating it.
"I'll take the first slice," I said, picking up one of the plates. Mom slowly and delicately cut a slice of the cake. I moved my plate towards the cake and knife, and watched as she pulled it out and placed it on my plate. The cake didn't look that bad. "Thanks."
"No problem," Mom said, giving me a kiss on the forehead. I glanced back at Spock, and our eyes met. I could tell he was waiting for me to eat the cake. I scooched back so I was sitting right next to him, and I leaned in a little to whisper in his ear.
"Do you want to try a piece?" I asked, and I tried not to laugh when one of his eyebrows went up. They seemed to be doing that a lot today.
"No thank you," He said, whispering back in my ear. "I would rather see your reaction before I partake in the cake."
I made a face at him, and would have punched him in the shoulder if I wasn't holding cake in my hand. Looking down at the treat, I picked up my fork and cut a little sliver from the slice. Then I brought it, slowly, to my mouth. I chewed slowly, hoping not to encounter anything that was hard or crunchy.
Thankfully, I didn't. And what's more - the cake actually tasted good. It was chocolate cake, with butterscotch frosting, and chocolate chips in the cake mix. The combination was absolutely delicious.
"Mmmm…" I said as I swallowed my first bite of cake. "Mom, this cake actually tastes good!"
"Thank you," Mom said, smiling. Then, however, she realized what I said and gave me a confused look. "Wait - what did you say?"
"I said that your cake tastes good," I said, cutting another piece of my slice and stuffing into my mouth. The taste of chocolate melted on my tongue. Mom was still staring at me, looking puzzled. I just gave her an innocent look as I chewed my cake. Swallowing, I nodded towards the projector. "Are we going to continue watching the home-made movie or what?"
And with that, Jim pressed resume on the projector, and I was spared the need to answer my mom's inquiry.
4 year old Julia and Jim stood side by side, both of them dressed in formal attire. Julia in a white dress with red cherries on it, and Jim in a white tux suit with a red undershirt and black tie.
"Mommy," Jim said, pulling at one of the sleeves, "Do I have to wear this?"
"Yes, Jimmy," Winona said from behind the camera. "You most certainly do. After all, we're having guests over."
"I don't like ghosts!" Julia exclaimed, dashing out of the camera frame and up the stairs. The camera moved from where Jim and Julia were standing to where Julia was running.
"Julia - sweetheart please don't run up the stairs in that dress!" Winona's worried voice said as she placed the camera down. From the angle it was placed, one could clearly see the bottom step of the stairwell, as well as Winona herself as she climbed up the stairs.
"But I don't like ghosts!" Julia's voice called out. Winona sighed as she brought Julia back down stairs, and placed her firmly on the ground in front of the bottom step.
"Honey, I didn't say ghosts." Winona stated. But Julia shook her head.
"Yes you did," Julia protested, folding her arms. "You said we ghosts coming over."
"Guests, Julia - guests." Winona said, trying to stifle a laugh. "And if you don't stop - I will invite a few ghosties over."
"No!" Julia whined, turning to go back up the stairs. Winona caught her and looked into her eyes. Teary eyed, Julia looked back.
"You won't have to worry about the ghosts if you're a good girl." Winona said. Julia nodded her head in acknowledgment, and turned back to go stand next to Jim again. "Okay - now that that's settled, lets get things ready for the party.
Mom placed the camera on the stairway ledge, then. And no sooner had she done so, the door bell rang. Julia ran over to hug Winona as the mother went to answer it. When she opened it, Sarek, Amanda, and Spock stood on the front step.
"Spock!" Julia exclaimed, coming back around from her mother's legs. "I thought you were a ghost!"
"Ghost?" Spock asked, raising an eyebrow. Sarek also raised an eyebrow and looked to Winona for an answer. Winnie shook her head and wave a hand to dismiss it.
"Don't ask," She said, and then glanced down at her kids. Jim looked up at her and realization dawned upon his face. He went to stand in front of guests and gestured inside.
"Won't you come in?" He said, stepping back so they could enter the house. Julia bounced on the balls of her feet next to her brother. She was clearly excited.
"Thank you, I would be very honored to come in," Sarek said. Spock looked up at his father, and then back at the Kirk twins. They looked back at him with hopeful looks on their faces.
"I am also honored to be invited inside," Spock said, stepping into the household. Julia jumped up and went to give Spock a hug. She was oblivious to him stiffening up in reply to the affection.
"Julia!" Winnie said, grabbing her daughter by the shoulder. "It's not polite to hug someone without asking them first."
"Oh," Julia said, and stepped back from Spock. "I'm sorry, Spock."
"It is...all right." Spock replied, taking several deep breathes to calm himself down. He was used to his mother's attention, but not Julia's. And he did not want to admit this to anyone, but the hug had felt good.
"Is it okay if I give you a hug?" Julia asked, and Spock slowly shook his head. Julia nodded, determined to impress her vulcan crush. "Okay. Do you wanna see some horses?"
Spock glanced back at his parents and they nodded. Spock turned back to Julia and gave her a nod as well. Smiling, Julia gestured for Spock to go along with her as she squeezed passed the adults on the steps. Jim and Spock followed, only they said "Excuse me," to the adults rather than just running through as Julia had done.
Then the video blacked out.
"Funny," Jim said, from the floor. "I don't remember that tid-bit about you being afraid of ghosts." I rolled my eyes and leaned against Spock. Since mom was busy eating cake and watching the video, she wasn't paying attention to the two of us. I felt Spock stiffen as I leaned against him, and I glanced back at him.
"Do you want me to stop?" I whispered. He looked down at me, and I saw that he was still nervous about my mom. Easing up on the leaning, I decided to get comfy on the couch. Hoisting myself up, I lay across it comfortably. Jim looked back at me and gave me an impish grin. And then - before I could move - he went and sat down on my feet.
"Ah, sure is comfy up here," He said, settling in. I turned to look back at him, and tried to pull my feet out. I succeeded with one foot, but with the other -
"Ow!" I exclaimed, feeling a burning pain in my ankle. I'd forgotten about the tree I'd twisted my foot on earlier today. "Jim! Get off my foot!"
Quickly, Jim stood up, and glanced down at my leg. My ankle had swollen up, and it was throbbing like crazy. Soon Spock was beside me, and he glanced at Jim with annoyance.
"Perhaps next time you should abstain from sitting on your sister's anatomy," He said, and I felt a laugh start up within me. The way he said it sounded so weird. I even heard Jim laugh as he sat down by the end of the couch. "I do not see what you find funny."
"Nothing," I said, letting my head relax on the cushions of the couch. Spock raised an eyebrow and was opening his mouth to respond when my foot experienced another pain. I winced, and pulled my foot towards me. "I hate to ruin the moment, but I think I might need medical attention."
"That would be wise," Spock agreed, and I looked over at Jim and mom. Jim gave me an apologetic look as Spock hoisted me into his arms again. "Do you wish to leave now?"
"Yeah," I said, looking back at mom. I gave her a little shrug. "Sorry mom, I guess we'll have to finish the movie night later."
"It's okay, Julia," Mom said, getting up to come say goodbye. "All I ask is that you send me the information on your wedding."
"Sure thing," I said, giving her a smile. The pain in my foot made me wince again, and that was when Spock started for the door. He had just passed the stairway when Uncle Frank came over and opened the door for us. I gave him a quizzical look as he held it open, and watched him warily.
Mom had told me, about a year or two ago, that Frank had changed since I'd left for Star Fleet. At the time, I was so busy with my schoolwork that I hadn't taken her words into consideration. But now, I began to wonder about what she'd said. Had Frank really changed? Or was he just acting nice because he wanted to stay with mom?
Well, those questions were ones that would be answered later. Right now, I was being taken to the hospital to take care of my poor foot. Hopefully it wasn't broken (though I doubt it was. I was able to walk on it fine before Jim sat down on it).
Hi! I know I haven't updated in a while, and to be honest, I was suffering from writer's block. I had to re-write this entry several times before I got to here. Also, I know I said I'd get to the fourth birthday party video this chapter, but I decided to save that for a little later. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Till next time, chow!