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Jim Kirk hated waking up to an empty bed. Especially while on shore leave. He had to wake alone often enough while on Enterprise. Swimming up from the depths of dreams, he lay for a moment, registering what was missing.
Earth was still in a way that Enterprise never was. Nothing shifted, everything was solid and nearly empty. When Jim was on board, the subtle hum of her engines always sang in the back of his head, a presence that was unique to her like a fingerprint. Even waking aboard another ship threw him. It wasn’t like she didn’t sit on an even keel -- like the Hood had, always three degrees drunkenly to port, until she was lost at Vulcan -- but waking anywhere but his Silver Lady was always a strange experience.
He knew he was alone in the bed and squinted open one eye and winced. Sunlight stabbed through the old blinds and pierced the heavy green curtains. He rubbed at his face for a moment and then pushed himself upright. Warm blue checked flannel sheets were bunched around his waist. A pair of black ‘Fleet trousers were draped over the simple synth-pine chair Sam had built in woodshop ages ago. He slowly peeled the sheets back and hissed out a breath for a moment when his bare feet touched the wooden floorboards.
“Fuck, forgot how cold it was.” Jim muttered even as he cat footed it across the smooth boards, hopping into his trousers and fumbled to the dresser to pull on thick woolen blend socks. He doesn’t care that they are neon green and have beer bottles printed across them. They are warm and an insulator from the cold that seeps up from the frozen ground.
Jim padded over to the old style wardrobe and pulled on a long-sleeved grey tee and then shrugged on a solid blue flannel shirt, doing up the buttons even as he slipped out the door, hearing it shush and whine closed behind him.
Stepping into the bathroom, he saw that the cap for the toothpaste tube was lying in the sink, the tube standing proudly upright otherwise. The apple flavored stuff that Joanna favored was squeezed out of the very center, but neatly capped and on the left side. He shook his head with a smirk and picked up the cap and screwed it back onto the mint his lover prefered.
Jim stole a bit of Joanna’s toothpaste, scrubbed his teeth and rinsed with water before he dropped his fresh toothbrush back into the mirrored cabinet. He then stepped through the door that led into the hallway and smiled.
Something sweet was in the air, making the house smell amazing. Jim knew it was too early for cookies -- he and Joanna had planned to do that tonight. Also, Bones wouldn’t bake if his life depended on it, he was almost certain of that fact.
Padding down the stairs, carefully avoiding the fifth one down that squeaked, he peered into the kitchen and blinked in shock.
It looked as though a blizzard had exploded on the kitchen island, down into the farmer’s sink and up one wall. Bones turned quickly, obviously hearing something, mouth open to yell. Jim held up both hands in surrender and his lover flushed and rolled his eyes.
“Damn it, Jim. I was expecting Joanna.”
“What happened?”
“Southern Peach Cobbler. Should be ready in about five minutes. Jo was talking about that boy she likes… Malik Ambough? Apparently he was seeing Leslie Rhodes and now is side eying our little girl. I mighta had the bag of powdered sugar in hand when she said that.” Bones was a bit sheepish.
“Who is fifteen, Daddy.” Joanna muttered as she stepped into the kitchen, bringing a flurry of snow in with her as she kicked the door shut with a booted foot, arms full of logs. She dumped the armful she had grabbed into the designated box and then pried off her boots, shook off her coat and nearly strangled herself in the scarf. Jim was there in a second to help detangle her from it.
“It’s pretty. Where’d the scarf come from?” Jim asked, knowing that the fine navy blue wool wasn’t something she would have needed in Georgia.
“Mama and Stanley. Of course, Mama really got it for me. Stanley doesn’t know what to think of you and Daddy, Papa.” Joanna muttered as she took the length of wool from her Father’s lover and tossed it over the hook.
“It’s the twenty-third century, Jo-Jo. Not the Twentieth.” Jim grumbled. The young woman smiled and rolled her eyes at the same time. Both shot a glance at Bones, who was growling and carefully picking up a sheet of parchment paper, creasing it to keep as much of the powdered sugar as possible. Jim smiled and slipped around Joanna to reach into a cupboard along the back wall. He pulled out a container that he remembered from the last time he and Len had stayed at the house and set it down in front of his lover. The flurry of white powder slid into the clear container.
“I know that, Papa. But.. well, Stanley isn’t the brightest. He also doesn’t like the fact that Daddy is more important than him. Being a Ship’s Chief Medical Officer and all.”
Jim chuckled and jolted along with Joanna and Bones when the old timer buzzed its way off the stove and clattered onto the floor with a dismal ring.
“Cobbler’s done.” Jim said as he skirted around Bones and fished a kitchen towel out of the left hand island drawer. Len had gotten most of the sugar that was salvageable. He ran water in the sink and then used the entire towel to start wiping away the excess. He did two more passes before he was satisfied that the counter would not dry sticky. He then rinsed out the towel and turned towards his lover, who had stood and simply watched Jim clean.
“Almost.” Bones contradicted and then spluttered as Jim came after him, swooping in for a long kiss, before attacking with the towel, wiping away traces of white from neck, face and jaw. They both heard Joanna laugh and Jim smirked and stepped aside.
“You kiss pretty, Len.” Jim murmured. He watched his best friend and lover blush lightly.
Joanna set down the cobbler on the now clean island and stepped back. Both men blinked when the old fashioned kettle rattled and then shrieked.
“You two got lost in a make out blitz.” Joanna said as she moved the kettle and then pulled down three mugs from the glassed cabinets over the island. Ignoring the way both men blushed, Joanna made both herself and her Papa hot cocoa. For her Dad? A tea bag was dropped into the mug and slid over to the man.
“Thank you Jo.”
“You’re welcome, Daddy. I figure you and Papa don’t get a lot of time to just kiss. Considering how many times your logs have you swearing, and Papa looking rather pale? I figure this is more than just a Christmas shore leave.”
Jim turned and pulled out plates and dug out forks. He dragged out a stool and settled onto the smooth wooden surface. Joanna took a seat next to him and Bones settled onto his daughter’s other side.
Forking up a bite, Jim sighed and then cradled his cup of hot chocolate closer. He smirked when Bones growled and swatted his daughter’s fork away from his plate.
“Bourbon?” Jo asked, arching an eyebrow in the same way as her Dad.
“Just a capful. Don’t tell your mother.”
Jim and Joanna both laughed and continued eating. Jim pressed a kiss to his lover’s cheek when he was finished and then refilled his lover’s mug, adding a new bag to the container. He stirred more powder into his mug and added a splash of milk. It was already shaping up to be a good day.
Then Joanna looked up and smiled, “Merry Christmas, Papa.”
***
That evening, sprawled next to the crackling hearth in the living room, Jim passed Joanna the last present he had found for her, from Gesh’vel 9. He smiled as she shredded the bright red paper with snowflakes. She drew the iridescent blue sun and moon bracelet from it’s box. He smiled when she gasped. He grinned when Len glared at him. That was the third piece of jewelry he’d handed the girl.
“Damn it, Jim.” Bones griped. Jim merely laughed and snagged the slightly singed chocolate chip cookie from a plate that lay nearly buried in the detritus of christmas wrappings.
“I see something pretty, I think of our girl.” Jim shrugged. Bones huffed, Joanna snickered and tossed a bit of popcorn at her father.
Jim shook his head when Bones got up off the couch and awkwardly hunkered down on one knee next to his lover. Jim’s eyebrows rose when Joanna tossed her father a small black box, which the man easily caught. He then turned back to the man sprawled leonin bright on the green and white braided rug.
“Jim? I never thought I’d ask this question again… but… well…”
The click of hinges was loud even next to the hearth’s crackle, and Jim felt like the room had suddenly hard decompressed of all atmosphere. Two silver colored bands winked in the firelight.
“Would you do me the honor of being my husband, darlin’?” Leonard McCoy managed to ask.
“Holy shit, Len. Yes.” Jim breathed, eyes widening. He reached up blindly and dragged the other man into a kiss, barely hearing Joanna’s pleased laughter behind them.
****
The Fleet Times is pleased to announce the marriage of two of Starfleet’s finest. Captain James Tiberius Kirk (USS Enterprise) and Doctor Leonard Horatio McCoy (USS Enterprise) were wed by Admiral Christopher Pike (Starfleet Command) in a small, private ceremony at the Captain’s boyhood home in Riverside, IA, USA, Earth on December 26, 2278.
The happy couple return for duty aboard the Federation Flagship on January 15 for the start of another five year mission. As the couple is unavailable to any media at this time, we here at the Times join the rest of the ‘Fleet and the Federation in wishing them both all the best in their service together.