Work Text:
You’ve been back on Earth for three days when Leonard shows up to your quarters. You’ve barely seen each other since the Enterprise entered spacedock, with the senior staff undergoing a more vigorous debriefing than the rest of the crew. You and Len have only been casually dating for a few months, and when he hadn’t said anything about spending their extended shore leave together, you had assumed that he would be going back to Georgia to visit his daughter. You’d learned quickly in the time you’d been seeing each other that Len’s divorce had done a number on him, and had resolved not to push him on defining your relationship. When the knock on your door arrives, you give Len a wide smile and move to let him in.
“Hey darlin’.” Len greeted with an exhausted sigh.
“Is your debrief over?” You asked, watching him as he moved to sit down on the small couch in your equally small living room.
“Finally, thank god.” Leonard replied. “Took them damn long enough to pick every minute of the last five years apart.”
You chuckled and sat down on the couch near Leonard, tucking your feet underneath you and leaning your head against your hand.
“Well, at least it’s over.”
“Yeah, now I’m facing a shuttle ride in the morning.”
“Len, you spent the last five years on a starship, surely you’re not afraid of an hour-long shuttle ride?”
“It’s different, on the Enterprise . Unless you look outside, you can’t tell that you’re in space, you can’t feel it.” Leonard replied.
“Well, at least you’ll be back on familiar ground soon enough.”
“What are you doing with your shore leave?”
You shrugged before replying. “Probably just stay here. My family is off-planet, so there’s no one here to visit.”
“Do you want to come with me to Georgia?” Leonard asks, and you’re momentarily shocked at the invitation.
“Really?” You asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Why not?” Leonard replied.
“I guess I just assumed that you’d want to spend all of your time with Joanna.”
“Jo’s in school, I’ll probably only see her on the weekends. You don’t have to come if you don’t want to, darlin’.”
“No, I want to.” You replied, a wide smile on your face as you lean in for a kiss. “What time do we leave?”
The next morning, Leonard is waiting at the shuttleport when you arrive, bags in hand. Len handles the shuttle ride better than you expected. He grips your hand the entire flight, but you don’t complain. A few hours later, you’re driving down the ancient dirt road that led to the McCoy homestead. Once the sprawling farmhouse is in view, you watch the lines around Len’s mouth disappear, and he almost melts into the seat. You can see the sprawling hills that surround the house, half a dozen outbuildings spread out as far as you can see.
“It’s beautiful.” You say with a smile that Len returns.
“It’s home.” He says simply.
Instead of pulling in front of the main house, you watch as Len continues down the road, finally stopping at a smaller guest house near what looked to be horse stables. You’re just beginning to unload your bags when you see an older woman walking down the road. She looks like Len, especially the familiar smile she sends them as she comes closer.
“I thought I heard you come up the road!” She greets, and Leonard gathers her up in his arms.
“Hi Mama.” He replies, hugging her tight.
“And is this the young woman I’ve heard so much about?” She asks as she moves away, and you don’t miss the blush that blooms on Len’s cheeks.
“Mama, this is Y/N Y/L/N. Y/N, meet my mother, Emma McCoy.”
“A pleasure to meet you, ma’am.” You extend your hand, but Emma waves you off and pulls you into a hug.
“None of that ma’am nonsense. It’s Emma.”
“Okay Emma.” You reply with a laugh.
“Mama, we’ve had a long flight. How about we settle in and then we’ll come up to the house for lunch?”
“Oh, alright, alright. I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone.” Emma says, winking at them before turning back to the house. “See you at lunch!” She called as she went back up the road toward the main house.
“So, you talk about me, huh?” You ask once Emma is out of hearing range, and laugh as the blush on Len’s face deepens and he grumbles something you can’t hear as he carries the bags into the house.
Apparently, word spreads among the McCoys that Len is back - and that he’s brought a girl - and by the time dinner is over, you’ve met so many of Len’s relatives that you struggle to keep them all straight. You wander down to the guest house arm in arm, staring up at the night sky.
“Hard to believe we were actually up there.” You say, and Len chuckles.
“Hard to believe we managed to survive in one piece, especially Jim.”
“Oh come on, it wasn’t that bad. You have to admit, it was a little exciting.”
“If that’s what you want to call it.”
“Are you going to re-up?” You find yourself asking the question before you can stop yourself. It’s something you haven’t discussed, your future plans. This thing between you is so new, and undefined, and you realize in that moment that you have no idea what you’ll do if your plans are different.
“Jim wants me to.” Leonard replies as they arrive at the guest house, running a hand through his hair.
“And what do you want to do?”
“I don’t know. I’ve spent the last eight years of my life following Jim Kirk. Not sure I know anything different. Not sure if this is my home anymore. Jo’s here, but she’s almost grown, and I missed it all.”
It’s the most personal Len’s ever been with you, and you’re struck by the emotions boiling up in you. You realize, in that moment, that you love him.
“I don’t want to go back out.” You reply, realizing for the first time that you actually mean it. “Not right now, anyway. I’ve spent five years exploring the stars, I think maybe I’d like to see what new adventures Earth has to offer. Maybe...maybe you’d like to explore that with me?”
Len’s smile is all the answer you need, feeling your stomach flip as he brings your hand to his lips, ever the gentleman.
“That sounds like a plan to me, darlin’.”