Chapter Text
Not So Imaginary
By: Kaya Sawada
Prologue
Having an imaginary friend is a part of growing up for most children. Children create these imaginary playmates out of loneliness or a need to express themselves. Once a child reaches the age of five they no longer feel the need for their imaginary friend. Some children that do keep their imaginary friends won’t acknowledge them out loud because of expectations placed on them by adults.
It is extremely rare that a child would create an imaginary friend after the age of five. Some children who are born with unique abilities create imaginary friends to handle those abilities until they are able to understand and handle it themselves. Those children eventually come to terms with their psychic abilities, whatever they may be. Once they have accepted those abilities; their imaginary friend is no longer a necessity.
However, one can’t help but to wonder what happens when a child can’t come to terms with their abilities and continues to rely on their imaginary friend throughout their life?
Chapter 1: Doctor McCoy
“Doctor McCoy, may we please speak to you about the Captain? There is something wrong with him”. It wasn’t anything knew. Lately the good doctor had been getting many concerns/complaints about the captain and his “odd behavior”. Doctor McCoy had his own theories about what the problem was and he wasn’t about to say anything lest the crew think he’s just as crazy as they currently think Jim is. “What is it now? I don’t think there is anything that moron can do that will surprise me”.
“The Captain has been acting weird and talking to himself. He tries to cover it up, but he isn’t doing a very good job of it”. Yes, McCoy had a damn good idea as to what was going on, but first he needed to find Jim and confirm his suspicions. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll check into it and find out what’s going on”. The crew member relieved and reassured that the Doctor would be able to help the Captain; walked away.
McCoy became lost in thought. Damn It Jim! I thought you were past this. How the hell am I supposed to deal with the crew thinking you’ve gone crazy? Doctor Leonard H. McCoy sighed knowing that some time soon he would have to confront Jim about what was going on. He knew that he would have to be extremely careful in his approach for the only time it appeared as if Jim was talking to himself was whenever HE showed up and McCoy knew that the only time HE showed up was when Jim was emotionally troubled and lonely.
If Jim is unhappy then this could have an effect on the crew. HE would react to the crew the way Jim couldn’t. McCoy grinned at that thought. Now there was something positive that would come from HIS return. If there is one thing McCoy knew that HE wouldn’t put up with; it was anyone being cruel to Jim. Spock and Uhura had been giving the young Captain nothing but trouble ever since he was given the position as Captain of the USS Enterprise.
Leonard thought that Spock’s attitude towards Jim was caused by a number of things. The first being the Kobasyashi Maru test that Spock programmed to be unbeatable and that Jim hacked to make it possible to beat. The Second issue he had with Jim was his actions during the Narada incident. The third and final issue that Spock had with Jim came from Spock’s Girlfriend and her beliefs about Jim.
What Jim is unaware of (and he’s the only one on the ship who doesn’t know) is that Uhura has convinced Spock that the only reason Jim is trying to be his friend is because he wants in his pants. Uhura has stated quite loudly that Jim was incapable of having a friend. Which caused Leonard to look at her as if she was mentally deficient, because if Jim was incapable of having a friend then what the hell was he? Uhura’s attitude towards Jim is based off of a chance meeting they had in a bar when they first met and the fact that she caught him with her roommate one time. In the end her opinion about Jim is based on rumors and her own diluted imagination.
The Doctor could very easily picture HIS reaction to the couple. It would serve them right if they got a hefty dose of reality that was long overdue. McCoy shook his head with a deep chuckle and headed out to find Jim. The sooner he found out if his theory was fact or not the sooner he could sit back and watch the chaos that was bound to come from the return of Jim’s “imaginary” friend.