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It started when Jim got injured. It had happened a thousand times before, but the only difference was now he was with her. The crew flapped around him as he sat in his bio-bed, asking what they could do, did he want them to get him anything, was he in any pain?
"Guys, I'm fine." Jim said, laughing. "Really, just go about your work as usual, I'll be back on the bridge in no time." They all left and McCoy went to get some meds. Only she remained, holding Jim's hand. She hadn't said anything since he'd been beamed back on the ship, just went to his side and took his hand, pressing a kiss to the palm. She'd been pale though and it made him feel awful.
Now, she just looked at him in silence, as if checking for herself he was really there, he had come back and he was alright. He looked back at her, glad to be back with her.
"Scale of one to ten?" She asked softly, barely above a whisper. He gave her a half-smile, reaching out to brush some strands of hair from her face.
"Five?" He said, honestly. It could be worse, he knew that from experience, but it did hurt. She nodded and pressed another kiss to his palm.
"Okay. We can deal with five. Five's okay."
"How about you?" He asked. "Scale of one to ten?" She smiled weakly for him.
"What's the scale? Is one good or ten good?"
"Ten's good." She looked away to think.
"About a four?" He nodded and squeezed her hand.
"I'm okay. Really. I'm not going anywhere."
After that it had become a thing between them. They'd ask each other to rank their feelings on a scale of one to ten and they had to answer honestly every time. After fights it would reassure them both that they still loved each other and were still all in for this.
Jim had nearly gotten himself killed, again. He'd been cocky afterwards, playing it up for the crew, the only way he knew of keeping the shadows off, but she was having none of it. The moment they were alone in their room he could feel the anger simmering from her.
"What's wrong?" He asked and she whirled to face him.
"Are you joking?" He shrugged. "Jim, this crew has plenty of experts who know a lot more than you and could have done it instead, should have done it, because they would've known what they were doing and wouldn't have got themselves and the entire crew on the verge of death."
"That's a little extreme-"
"For God's sake, Jim, you were two seconds away from getting vapourised! There wouldn't have even been any ashes, you'd've just been gone and I'd've had nothing!" She shouted. "And I swear to God if you say you had to do it I will slap you."
"I'm the captain, it's my job to put the rest of the crew before me!"
"No, it's your job to make the hard choices to make sure as many people as possible make it home. You did not do that today! What the hell are we supposed to do without our Captain?"
"That's why there's a chain of command, the first officer takes over-"
"Jim, for Christ's sake, Spock can't replace you!"
"It's literally his job to!"
"Not for me! You just run into these escapades head-first and you never think about what it would do to me!"
"I'm always thinking about you, thinking I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe!" She shook her head.
"So, you thought about what it would do to me, to watch you nearly get killed right in front of me? You imagined the devastation I would feel, how I would have to keep seeing that over and over, thinking why him, why this time, why couldn't he have just stopped and thought for one goddamn second before rushing into things one goddamn time!"
Jim frowned. "Scale of one to ten." He said firmly.
"Jim," She laughed humourlessly.
"I mean it, scale of one to ten."
"Of anger? I'd say this is a 9.5."
"No, of love. Scale of one to ten, how much do you love me." She covered her face with her hands and groaned.
"Ten. Obviously it's a ten."
"Good." He stared at her expectantly.
"What?"
"Aren't you going to ask me?" She shook her head in disbelief and turned away from him and he moved closer, slipping his arms around her waist and pulling her to his chest. She turned in his arms and rested her forehead on his shoulder "Well it's a ten. It's always a ten, it's always going to be a ten. You're it for me, we're it for me, okay? So, I promise, I'm always going to do my best to make it back to you, and you're right, sometimes I should think things through more, but I've made it this far, and I don't intend to go anywhere anytime soon. Okay?" She nodded and he kissed her forehead.
After long days they would know how much special treatment they would need.
She was already in bed, reading on a PADD when Jim came in, his steps heavy and entire body showing how exhausted he was. He leaned against the door and sighed, eyes closed. She watched him for a moment, putting the PADD aside and getting out of bed.
"Scale of one to ten?" She asked gently, pressing a kiss to his lips.
"Three." He mumbled, leaning in to hug her. She hummed in acknowledgement, it was nearing his birthday, which always made him think of his dad and then his mum, and then the responsibilities he had to the ship and Starfleet and to her.
"You want a bath?" He shook his head. "Liar. Come on," She led him to the bathroom and quickly filled it, adding some bubbles before turning to help him undress, him not having gotten further than the first few buttons.
She helped him in and sat on the side, gently washing his skin with a cloth. He kept his eyes closed and she prodded his shoulder. "Don't fall asleep on me, or I'll never get you out of here alone."
"You're stronger than you look."
"I'll take that as a compliment." She teased and he smiled. "Out you get then." He whined a little, but got up obediently and dried himself with the towel she handed him. Once he was wearing a pair of boxers she took his hand and led him out and into bed. She pulled the covers back on his side and he climbed in, smiling up at her as she tucked the sheets up to his neck. She went to her side and got in, snuggling closer to him so she could hold him. Her arms around him and a hand gently running through his hair he feel asleep. His three had become a six.
Once after sex, while they were still panting and skin glistening with sweat, Jim had looked over at her, that grin of his on his face that meant whatever came out of his mouth next was likely to be cheeky and risking a smack. "Scale of one to ten?" She'd laughed too much to be able to answer him. He took it to be a high one though, his ego refusing to even consider anything below an eight.
On their wedding day, when she joined him at the altar he leaned over to whisper in her ear. "Scale of one to ten?" She looked at him, biting her lip.
"Depends on how this next bit goes." She whispered back, her smile bright enough to make his heart pound. Once it was official and they were walking back out, the crew applauding and cheering them she looked at him, tears in her eyes. Ten, she mouthed.
He nodded. Ten, he agreed, though ten felt too small to describe the euphoria he was experiencing in that moment. Ten million, ten billion wouldn't be enough. Nothing would.
"Scale of one to ten?" Jim asked, looking over at her as he untied his shoes, sitting on the edge of the bed. She smiled at him as she took off her earrings, putting them on her bedside table and thought.
"9.3." She said, with a nod, smiling at him.
"Jesus. Really?" He asked, staring at her. She shrugged.
"Its been a good day. A really good day.
"It must've been. 9.3. We've not hit the nines in years. What's got you in such a good mood?" She laughed and pulled on her pyjamas.
"Nothing big, just lots of little things. I had a perfect cup of coffee to start the day off well, I made a breakthrough with the plant samples and finished all my paperwork early so I had time to go to the observation deck to watch us pass the asteroid belt. Then dinner tonight with you was fabulous, of course and just, yeah. It was a good day." She smiled at him. He nodded a little.
"Good, I'm glad." She climbed into bed and looked at him. He was taking off his clothes, but was deep in thought.
"How about you?" She asked as he folded his clothes and placed them on a chair.
"Me? Oh, I'd say a 9.1 now."
"Really?" He nodded.
"My wife's happy, what could be better for making me happy?" She smiled and he got into bed with her. "I'm just thinking though, 9.3 is pretty good, but I think we can do better."
"Really? How?" He grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. She laughed and he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her.
"How much higher do you think I can make it?"
"Depends what moves you pull, Kirk." She teased.
"Oh sweetheart, tonight you are getting all the moves." She laughed again, burying her face into his collarbone as he smiled at her.