Back on the Enterprise, Leonard found himself restless.
It had been years since someone had gotten into his head like this, and it frustrated him.
He wasn't even sure if Georgie wanted to see him again. They had talked, laughed, shared something, but that was before she knew he was stationed here. Before she knew they'd be working on the same ship.
She had a hell of a career ahead of her. And he was just—him. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. He wasn't going to chase her down. If she wanted to find him, she would. And damn it, part of him hoped she would.
It had been five days since Georgie had officially joined the Enterprise, and he had barely spoken to her.
He had seen her around, though.
Once in the corridors, focused on her work, barking orders at junior security officers with the kind of commanding presence that made it clear she belonged in that role. Another time in the lounge, reviewing reports on her PADD while ignoring the conversation happening around her. And once, just yesterday, they had exchanged a nod on the bridge—nothing more, nothing less—like two professionals acknowledging each other and nothing deeper.
He figured she was just busy settling in, proving herself to the crew, making her mark.
Why would she come visit him?
They had shared one night of drinks and conversation, but now? Now she was his colleague. The universe had a cruel sense of humor like that. Still, she lingered in his thoughts more than he wanted to admit.
Leonard had gotten into the habit of hitting the gym early in the morning. It wasn't that he loved working out—hell, he'd rather be drinking coffee—but he knew his body needed it, especially with the stress of this job.
Jim, naturally, showed up late, looking a little too pleased with himself, as if he had just rolled out of bed and decided today was a good day to be insufferable.
"Bones," Jim greeted, stepping onto the treadmill next to him. "Morning."
Leonard grunted in response, focusing on his run.
Jim adjusted the speed on his treadmill, then casually said, "So, I invited Lieutenant Commander Knox for a one-on-one."
Leonard nearly tripped.
He recovered quickly, eyes narrowing. "You what?"
Jim smirked. "Relax, it's work-related. You know, team bonding, captain checking in on his new department head, all that good stuff."
Leonard huffed. "And let me guess she turned you down?"
Jim sighed dramatically. "Hasn't even accepted yet. Which is rare. I'm very charming."
Leonard rolled his eyes. "You're a damn menace, that's what you are."
Jim just grinned.
Before Leonard could change the subject, movement on the other side of the gym caught his attention.
Across the room, Georgie was engaged in an intense sparring match with Spock.
Leonard slowed his treadmill to a stop, arms crossed as he watched.
It was a sight to behold.
The two moved with precision, their bodies shifting and striking in calculated rhythms. Georgie was fast—damn fast—her athletic build making every motion seamless. Spock, ever composed, countered with Vulcan efficiency, every strike and block executed with absolute control.
It was almost brutal, but it wasn't lethal.
Leonard had seen fights before real ones and this wasn't that. This was something more disciplined, an exchange between two warriors testing their limits.
And Georgie was holding her own. No, scratch that—she was pushing Spock.
She moved with a kind of strategic grace that made it look easy, anticipating his attacks, countering with precision. She struck, he blocked. He lunged, she dodged. It was an even match, and he could see the briefest flicker of something in Spock's expression, acknowledgment.
Then, with one final strike, they both landed a hit at the same time.
A draw.
Spock took a step back, lowering his hands. "Impressive, Lieutenant. Your proficiency in hand-to-hand combat is formidable."
Georgie smirked, breathing evenly. "You're not so bad yourself, Commander Spock."
Spock nodded his head, clearly satisfied.
Leonard was still staring.
He had known she was good at her job. Tactical and Security officers had to be. But this? This was something she had trained years for.
Jim let out a low whistle. "Damn. I gotta say, I love seeing someone go toe-to-toe with Spock."
Leonard huffed, shaking his head. "That was more than toe-to-toe. She kept up with him."
Jim's grin widened. "I think I should take a shot."
Leonard turned sharply. "You what?"
Jim was already stepping forward, rolling his shoulders like he was warming up.
"Lieutenant Knox," he called, striding toward her.
Georgie turned, one brow raised in mild amusement. "Captain."
Jim stopped a few feet away, smirking. "I'm impressed with your fighting abilities. But I'm also curious."
She crossed her arms. "About?"
Jim cracked his knuckles. "How you'd fare against me."
Leonard groaned.
Georgie, to her credit, didn't even blink. Instead, she studied Jim like he was a puzzle she was already solving. "Are you sure you want to do this, sir?"
Jim grinned. "What's the worst that could happen?"
Leonard muttered under his breath, "You get your ass handed to you."
Jim ignored him and squared his stance.
Georgie exhaled, shaking her head. "Alright, Captain. Your funeral."
It lasted three moves.
Jim went for the first strike, too eager.
Georgie side-stepped effortlessly, hooked his wrist, twisted his arm behind his back, and then swept his legs out from under him in one fluid motion.
Jim hit the mat hard.
Leonard burst out laughing.
Jim groaned from the ground, blinking up at the ceiling. "Okay. That was fast."
Georgie smirked, standing over him. "You asked for it, sir."
But Jim wasn't finished. Still on the ground, he twisted and swept his leg out, trying to knock Georgie's feet from under her in one last-ditch move.
She saw it coming.
Just before his leg could connect, Georgie shifted her weight, pivoted on one foot, and hooked his ankle with hers, sending him to the mat with precision. In one smooth motion, she stepped forward and pressed her foot lightly but firmly against Jim's chest, holding him down without breaking a sweat.
"Nice try," she said, not even winded.
Jim blinked up at her, dazed. "I… really thought that was gonna work."
Leonard leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, a wide grin tugging at his mouth. "That was the best damn thing I've seen all week."
Still flat on his back, Jim lifted a hand and pointed toward him. "Not a word, Bones."
Leonard held up his hands, the smirk not leaving his face. "Didn't say a thing."
Spock, observing from the sidelines, tilted his head. "Captain, did you take Lieutenant Commander Knox's combat background into account before initiating this sparring match?"
Jim sighed. "No, Mr. Spock, but I'm sure you're about to enlighten me."
"Based on her records, Lieutenant Commander Knox has been training in martial arts since the age of seven," Spock said evenly. "She is proficient in Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido, and Muay Thai. She has won several hand-to-hand combat tournaments at the Academy and placed first in inter-fleet sparring competitions. Given this information, your odds of success were minimal."
"Appreciate the heads-up," Jim muttered. Georgie stepped off of Jim and offered a hand, which he took with a groan.
Leonard raised a brow, low whistle escaping under his breath. "Hell of a résumé," he muttered, genuinely impressed.
Georgie finally turned toward him, calm, composed, but the smile she gave him now was different. Not a polite smirk. Not the guarded amusement she'd flashed before.
A real smile.
Warmth flickered in Leonard's chest, unexpected and a little too welcome for comfort.
She tilted her head, eyes narrowing slightly, like she knew he'd been watching. Like she knew exactly what he was thinking.
"Excuse me, gentlemen. Duty calls."
As she passed, her arm brushed his, light and deliberate. "I'll be in the gym tomorrow," she said, glancing back at him over her shoulder. "If you want a go, Dr. McCoy."
Leonard grinned. "Not unless I'm in the mood for a bruised ego and a dislocated shoulder. I'll stick to observing."
And just like that, she was gone, leaving the scent of sweat, fruity, and something else entirely in her wake.
Leonard sat alone at the ship's bar, nursing a drink as he watched the Ole Miss vs. University of Illinois football game on the screen above him. His face was set in a scowl, arms crossed as the final play sealed his team's fate.
A deep, irritated groan escaped him.
"Damn it," he muttered, shaking his head as the game ended in a loss.
From the other side of the bar, a loud cheer erupted.
He turned his head toward the sound, brow furrowing.
At the far end, a small group of crew members were exchanging high fives, their celebration clearly tied to the very loss he was groaning about. And right in the middle of them, Georgie.
He leaned back, watching as she smirked, shaking hands with one of the officers, her short brown hair slightly tousled from the excitement.
She liked sports. Huh.
He hadn't known that.
He pushed off his seat and wandered over, sliding his hands into his pockets as he came up beside her.
"Let me guess," he said, tilting his head toward the screen. "You cheerin' for Illinois?"
She turned, looking up at him with that same unreadable expression she always had, but there was a spark of amusement in her dark eyes.
"Yup," she said simply. "I'm from Chicago, remember?"
He blinked. "Oh I remember."
She smirked, taking a sip of her drink. "Yeah. It's my Alma mater."
He sighed dramatically. "Well, your Alma mater just beat mine."
She chuckled. "That so?"
He exhaled, rubbing a hand down his face. "Yeah. And I gotta admit, it stings."
She raised a brow. "You really take your football seriously, huh?"
"I'm from Georgia," Leonard deadpanned. "College football is damn near a religion."
Georgie smirked. "And here I thought I was competitive."
He gestured toward her empty glass. "Well, in the spirit of being a good sport, how 'bout I get you a celebratory drink?"
She tilted her head. "Now that, Doctor, I'll accept."
He ordered them both another round, and as they waited, the group she had been sitting with turned toward her.
"You coming with us, Knox?" one of the ensigns asked.
Georgie glanced at the fresh drink Leonard had just set in front of her, then shook her head. "Nah, I think I'll hang back for a bit. Besides, I've got more work to do later."
One of the officers smirked. "Workaholic already, huh?"
Georgie shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first time."
They laughed, gave her a few playful nudges, and headed off, leaving Leonard and Georgie at the bar.
He raised an eyebrow. "Already makin' friends, I see."
She took a sip of her drink. "Getting there. I've met a few crew members so far. Those were some people I knew back at the academy."
He nodded, watching her carefully. "That's good."
Georgie smirked at him. "What?"
He shrugged. "Just… glad to see you settlin' in."
She hummed, taking another sip. "Well, I'd say the Enterprise is starting to grow on me."
He smirked. "Even after watchin' Jim get his ass handed to him?"
She let out a low chuckle. "Especially after that."
He laughed, shaking his head. "That was the best damn thing I've seen in a long time."
She leaned against the bar slightly. "Kirk is not exactly what I thought he'd be."
He gave her a curious look. "How do you mean?"
She hesitated for a moment, then exhaled. "Can I ask you something off the record?"
He nodded. "Course."
She set her glass down. "You seem close to the Captain, but is Kirk always this… flirtatious?"
His brows lifted slightly. "He been givin' you trouble?"
She shook her head. "Not trouble exactly. Just… he's just nonstop."
His expression darkened slightly. "You sure you're alright? 'Cause if you ain't comfortable, I can—"
Georgie held up a hand. "It's not a big deal. I know how to handle guys like him."
He exhaled slowly, still watching her carefully. "Still. If he ever crosses a line—"
"He won't," she assured him, meeting his gaze. "I won't let him."
She finished off the rest of her drink and set the glass down. "Anyway, I'm sorry I didn't get with you sooner. Just been busy." She sighed to herself. "I say that now but you just watched me watching a football game with some crewmates."
He waved it off. "Ain't no thing, Georgie. You got a lot on your plate, you don't owe me anything."
She exhaled, then glanced at him. "I enjoyed getting to know you on the starbase and I've been wanting to connect again. How about lunch sometime?"
He lifted a brow. "Lunch, huh?"
She tilted her head. "Unless you've got better plans."
He smirked. "Lunch sounds real good."
She nodded. "Good. I'll message you."
And with that, she stood, gave him one last glance, and disappeared down the corridor, leaving him staring after her, that same damn warm feeling creeping into his chest.
A few days later, Leonard sat in the mess hall, poking around on his PADD with a tray of food to the side while trying not to check the door every five seconds. He was trying to play it cool, but the nerves were there tight in his chest.
When Georgie finally walked in, tray in hand, she gave him a nod and came to sit across from him. "Hey, stranger," she said, setting down her tray.
He smirked. "You're late."
She raised a brow. "I'm five minutes early."
He shrugged. "Time moves differently when you're hungry."
Georgie chuckled, then picked up her fork. "This the legendary mess hall food I've heard about?"
"Legendary might be generous," He said. "But edible, most days."
They chatted for a while, mostly about her department. Georgie explained some of her current duties—how she was rotating through tactical drills and observing simulation scenarios, prepping for a leadership pipeline. Her voice, already expressive, took on a sharp, animated rhythm as she spoke about live training ops and decision-making under fire.
Leonard listened, at first with polite interest, but that soon shifted into something deeper. The way she spoke—it wasn't just confidence, it was conviction. Her hands moved as she described running a security exercise where everything had gone sideways, and how she had to think three steps ahead to keep her team from failing. He found himself smiling—not just at what she was saying, but at how she said it. Her whole face lit up. She was passionate, unapologetically proud of her work, and her emotions… she wore them right there on her sleeve, as unguarded as she was composed.
"You really love what you do," Leonard said quietly, half to himself.
Georgie glanced over, still a little breathless from her last story, and grinned. "I do. It's not always easy, but… I feel like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, you know?"
He nodded slowly. "Yeah. I know that feeling. Doesn't always last, but when it hits… it's like breathing for the first time in weeks."
That made her pause, her brows gently furrowing. "What about you? You've probably seen it all by now, ever get tired of it?"
Leonard chuckled low in his throat. "I don't know about 'seen it all.' I've seen enough to know that people surprise you… sometimes in the worst ways, but often in the best." He glanced down at his food, pushing his fork around idly before looking back at her. "I became a doctor because I wanted to fix things. I think I thought it'd be easier than it is. But—turns out, even if you can't always fix the body, you can still do something for the person."
She looked at him differently now, softer. "That's kind of beautiful."
He shrugged, sheepish. "Don't forget, it's kinda messy too, you know, dealing with bodily fluids and all."
Georgie laughed. Before he could ask another question, a familiar voice cut in.
"Hey, Georgie. Hey, Doc," Sulu said, approaching the table with a tray.
Georgie smiled. "Hey, Hikaru."
Sulu glanced between them. "Mind if I join you guys?"
Leonard hesitated just a beat too long. "Sure," he said, forcing a smile.
Sulu sat down beside Georgie, launching into a story about a flight sim gone wrong earlier that day. Georgie laughed and Leonard felt something twist in his stomach. He watched the way Sulu nudged her elbow, the familiarity between them.
He couldn't help but wonder.
Were they... interested in each other?
Leonard tried to shake the thought, but it lingered. Everyone seemed to be catching Georgie's attention these days.
And he wasn't sure what to do about it.