Life as we know it... Bones/Paula
Athens, Ga, North America
March 2258
There were nightmares.
Wasn't always the same... sometimes it was Puri's lifeless body, carried by one of the medics into Sickbay, screaming coming from somewhere behind him. Sometimes it was the blank faces of the Vulcans when he examined them, their faces placid except for the grief in their eyes, so bright and intense it hurt to look at them.
Sometimes it was Jim getting strangled by Spock, Bones' feet stuck to the floor, unable to move just like that terrible day.
But that was weeks ago now. Now he was back on Earth, back in Georgia in the warm spring sunshine for some long-due rest and relaxation. Jocelyn even cut him some slack, being a fucking hero of the Enterprise and all, and let him have Joanna for the week, so he picked her up and they landed at his grandparents' house, now Aunt Pat's place. A warm, kind-hearted lady, the sort that made Georgia what it was - she took one look at Leonard and his haggard, thin face and fed him, plates of real southern cooking, then set him down for the first uninterrupted sleep he'd had since that terrible day.
Spending time with his family was healing in ways that Leonard couldn't have imagined. Being in the home that once belonged to his grandparents refreshed him. Memories from his childhood kept his thoughts in the past, back when life was about running and jumping and chasing dogs and throwing balls. Before school and marriage and divorce and death, before Starfleet and Narada. And Joanna with him - getting to know her, hearing her stories, learning everything he could about her precious life. All this reminded Leonard of who he was, what was important.
Leonard loved watching her eat, watching her play, watching her fall asleep on the porch swing in the afternoon. For a little while he could forget about being on the Enterprise, forget that he lived in California now. He was just Leonard, Joanna's dad, and part of him wished he could stay here forever.
But there were commitments to honor, and Leonard was nothing if not aware of his obligations. Everything he did for Starfleet - ultimately it came down to making this planet safe. Keeping this corner of the galaxy intact for his daughter to grow up without danger. When the time came, he thanked Pat for the food, the shoulder, the unconditional affection and for giving him a sense that there was at least one place on Earth that he would always be welcomed. Then he dropped Joanna back at Jocelyn's house, keeping his eyes dry until he drove around the corner, breaking down only then when he knew she couldn't see him. By the time he made it to the shuttle Leonard was mostly put together, flask in his breast pocket for the trip back to California.
Once he got home, Leonard threw his bags and travel packs down on his bed and stripped off his clothes. He stood in the shower for fifteen minutes, washing away the feel of the shuttle. Wearing a towel around his waist, he sat down at his computer terminal and began to go through the hundreds of messages that somehow accumulated in his absence. Extended family checking in, co-workers from the hospital, crew from the ship, reporters, and what seemed like dozens of messages from Starfleet. Counseling offers, class extensions, requests for more interviews... he deleted what he could, ignored the rest.
Tomorrow. He would deal with them tomorrow. Right now, there were just two people he wanted to talk to, so he sent out a couple messages.
message to Jim Kirk
Back. Talk to you tomorrow.
message to Paula Collins
Hey sweetheart. Can I buy you dinner?
March 2258
There were nightmares.
Wasn't always the same... sometimes it was Puri's lifeless body, carried by one of the medics into Sickbay, screaming coming from somewhere behind him. Sometimes it was the blank faces of the Vulcans when he examined them, their faces placid except for the grief in their eyes, so bright and intense it hurt to look at them.
Sometimes it was Jim getting strangled by Spock, Bones' feet stuck to the floor, unable to move just like that terrible day.
But that was weeks ago now. Now he was back on Earth, back in Georgia in the warm spring sunshine for some long-due rest and relaxation. Jocelyn even cut him some slack, being a fucking hero of the Enterprise and all, and let him have Joanna for the week, so he picked her up and they landed at his grandparents' house, now Aunt Pat's place. A warm, kind-hearted lady, the sort that made Georgia what it was - she took one look at Leonard and his haggard, thin face and fed him, plates of real southern cooking, then set him down for the first uninterrupted sleep he'd had since that terrible day.
Spending time with his family was healing in ways that Leonard couldn't have imagined. Being in the home that once belonged to his grandparents refreshed him. Memories from his childhood kept his thoughts in the past, back when life was about running and jumping and chasing dogs and throwing balls. Before school and marriage and divorce and death, before Starfleet and Narada. And Joanna with him - getting to know her, hearing her stories, learning everything he could about her precious life. All this reminded Leonard of who he was, what was important.
Leonard loved watching her eat, watching her play, watching her fall asleep on the porch swing in the afternoon. For a little while he could forget about being on the Enterprise, forget that he lived in California now. He was just Leonard, Joanna's dad, and part of him wished he could stay here forever.
But there were commitments to honor, and Leonard was nothing if not aware of his obligations. Everything he did for Starfleet - ultimately it came down to making this planet safe. Keeping this corner of the galaxy intact for his daughter to grow up without danger. When the time came, he thanked Pat for the food, the shoulder, the unconditional affection and for giving him a sense that there was at least one place on Earth that he would always be welcomed. Then he dropped Joanna back at Jocelyn's house, keeping his eyes dry until he drove around the corner, breaking down only then when he knew she couldn't see him. By the time he made it to the shuttle Leonard was mostly put together, flask in his breast pocket for the trip back to California.
Once he got home, Leonard threw his bags and travel packs down on his bed and stripped off his clothes. He stood in the shower for fifteen minutes, washing away the feel of the shuttle. Wearing a towel around his waist, he sat down at his computer terminal and began to go through the hundreds of messages that somehow accumulated in his absence. Extended family checking in, co-workers from the hospital, crew from the ship, reporters, and what seemed like dozens of messages from Starfleet. Counseling offers, class extensions, requests for more interviews... he deleted what he could, ignored the rest.
Tomorrow. He would deal with them tomorrow. Right now, there were just two people he wanted to talk to, so he sent out a couple messages.
message to Jim Kirk
Back. Talk to you tomorrow.
message to Paula Collins
Hey sweetheart. Can I buy you dinner?