Anyone can be a princess... [Leonard, Jim, Olivia]

[dctr_mccoy]

They were approaching their sixth year on board the Enterprise, and while Leonard recalled Halloween celebrations in the past, this was the first year that there was a child on board old enough to be cognizant of the holiday, and the crew seemed to be taking note, judging from the number of people asking him about Olivia's costume

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[genius_level]

Sometimes, it was like he was still that brash, cocky, untested cadet who'd been handed the moon and the stars, and the Admiralty were poised ready to snatch them back at any moment. Those times were fewer and farther between the longer they stayed out here, and by the end of the first mission, Jim was pretty sure there was nobody who could say he hadn't earned his stripes. Now, a year into their second tour, the fleet had stabilized, the influx of new starships building their strength and broadening the sharp, narrow focus that had been trained almost solely on Enterprise since Jim had been named captain.

He'd earned those stripes by being damn good, and Command had come around to valuing him as an officer, not just the ultimate feel-good story. But after the Klingon attack and his injuries--and Olivia's premature birth--they clearly wanted to make sure they covered their asses this time around. Jim had been fine with stubbornly refusing Command's repeated suggestions that he take their ridiculously generous family leave offer and cut back on his duties a few months earlier than he and Bones had planned. However, when they extended that same 'courtesy' to Paula Collins and she forwarded the thread of repeated offers to him with a note suggesting what Command might do with their requests, he had to draw the line. Harrassing him was one thing; it had become a favorite game over the past few years, outwitting Command and scoring points of respect. Harrassing his crew, however, was another story.

Jim was still irritated when he let himself in the door to their quarters, and he chucked his datapadd on the desk with more force than was strictly necessary. "I'm home," he called out. He spied the boots and crown from Olivia's costume and grinned, some of the weight sliding off his shoulders as he carefully crouched to pick them up off the floor. Jim grasped the arm of the chair as he hauled himself back up, grimacing and taking a slow breath. He'd stood up too quickly, and he concentrated on breathing like Bones had told him to do when he had those moments of dizziness.

[dctr_mccoy]

"We're in here," Leonard called out. "Stay here," he said to Olivia, who giggled and splashed in their modified bathtub. Standing, he headed out to the living area and spotted Jim taking deep breaths.

He walked behind him, a worried look on his face. "You okay, darlin'?" he asked, rubbing his back. "That meeting took too damn long." Leonard suspected he knew what they were grumbling at Jim about, and it infuriated him.

[genius_level]

Jim sighed, leaning back against Bones. "Just stood up too fast," he murmured, holding up the tiny crown. He gave Bones a small, crooked grin. "I was so pissed at Command I think I forgot for a moment that getting down onto the floor and back up again is a production right now." There was also the fact that he'd been giving the admirals hell earlier for assuming he couldn't handle his job--and more importantly, that he wasn't capable of making sure his officers were able to--so Jim recognized that maybe he was still trying to prove he was capable, even if just to himself.

He turned and leaned more comfortably against Bones as the lightheaded feeling passed. "It did. I actually had to end it." Jim shook his head. "I told them I appreciated their concerns but that I had a ship to run, and that unless they chose to make their 'suggestions' an order and relieve me of my command, I have no intentions of going anywhere before I'm damn well ready." He slid his hand up over Bones' chest and shoulder until his fingers found the warm skin above the collar of his shirts. "And that they can leave my officers the hell alone."

[dctr_mccoy]

"Fucking admiralty," Leonard muttered, becoming more and more frustrated with the system every time they tried to take Jim down. But knowing that they were hassling Paula as well just made it worse. "The stupid part is that in the end, no one is taking the ship from you. You're the best they have, and that's what bothers them."

Taking Olivia's costume bits from Jim, Leonard tossed them on the sofa and gave Jim a big hug. "She's looks amazing in that. Remind me later to thank your mom again for sending it to her." Taking Jim's hand, he led them both toward the bathroom, to check on Olivia. "Look who I found," he said.

Olivia's face turned toward the both, and Leonard could see that she was wearing most of the bubbles from her bubble bath in her hair. "Daddy!" she called out with a big grin. "Doctor Daddy said we could watch a movie tonight!"

Leonard smirked. The kid was going to keep them on their toes. "After dinner and veggies." He looked at Jim, wrapped an arm around him. "Want to go get out of that uniform, or stay here with her while I get dinner going?"

[genius_level]

"It's stupid," he agreed. "They can't get it right no matter how hard they try, because they have to involve themselves in everything. It's none of their business when we decide to go on leave. Not as long as we're fit to serve, and we are." Jim growled, frustrated, then took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Sorry, they should know better than to provoke me right now." He'd kept his temper as far as he could, and had avoided saying anything regrettable, but Jim had made his outrage clear in the end.

He rolled his shoulders and then hugged Bones back. "She didn't want to take it off again, did she?" Jim chuckled. "We'll talk with Mom later this week. You can tell her then. Maybe Olivia can thank her, too." He followed Bones to the bathroom and peeked in, biting back a laugh at the sight of Olivia, covered in bubbles from head to toe. "Hi, sweetheart," he told her with a grin. He glanced at Bones, both of them aware that she would be fast asleep within the first ten minutes of a movie, even if she made it that far. She was a morning person, their little girl, up and playing hard from the moment her eyes opened. "I think that's a great idea, too."

Jim settled against Bones' side. "Mmm, veggies. I'm starving," he admitted. "But I can help Olivia get dried off and into her pajamas, so why don't I do that, then maybe she can pick which movie while I change clothes. Sound good?" he asked, easing himself down on the edge of the bathtub and reaching for a towel.

[dctr_mccoy]

"You'd think they'd learn this by now. Fu-Damn politics," Leonard said, looking down at the big blue eyes narrowing at him. "We'll talk more later, Jim."

"You said a swear, Daddy."

"I did, Pumpkin, I'm sorry." He sighed, squeezed Jim's hand and kissed his cheek. "I'm going to go get dinner started. Olivia, tell Captain Daddy about what Ensign Kroft taught you today about the months of the year."

"There are twelve of them, Daddy. Wanna hear?" Leonard heard Olivia ask as he closed the door behind them, and headed toward their kitchen area to order their dinner from the galley.

[genius_level]

"Yeah," Jim murmured. Talking about the Admiralty in front of Olivia was dicey, because she was at that age where she soaked up every word, and they were trying to set examples for her. He kissed Bones back, then reached out to brush some of the soap bubbles away from Olivia's forehead before they could slip down into her eyes. "Now, tell me all about the months of the year," he said, smiling as she rattled off the list, getting most of them right, or close. "Did Ensign Kroft say which month it is now?"

"Yeah! It's October," Olivia told him, excited. "That's why Gramma 'Nona sent me my costume, 'cause it's Halloween. And two more months is December, and David will be here."

"That's right," Jim said, covering her eyes to finish rinsing the bubbles away, one hand resting on his belly for a moment when he felt a jab under his ribs. He was still grinning when he helped her climb out of the tub and wrapped her in the warm, fluffy towel, then started drying her hair. "Which pajamas do you want tonight - dinosaurs or kittens?" he asked, once she was warm and dry.

"Dinosaurs!" Olivia insisted. She dressed herself, for the most part, though he helped her when she got tangled up in the shirt, tugging it down over her head. Jim smoothed her soft, shiny brown hair and kissed her on the nose. "Let's go see if Daddy has dinner ordered."

"Okay!" Olivia took the lead, but she turned back at the bedroom door and waited for Jim to get to his feet. "C'mon, Daddy!"

[dctr_mccoy]

Leonard had gotten the table set, and filled glasses with tea for the three of them. One of the galley mates dropped the trays just as Olivia came flying out of her room, Jim moving slower behind her. She jumped into her chair and began eating from her plate, small bits of diced chicken and veggie cubes, with some fruit sliced into stars and hearts and a cookie. It made Leonard feel good knowing that the galley took special pleasure in making Olivia's tray. the little treats and snacks he knew were just for her (though enjoyed by all),

He could tell from Jim's silence that he was exhausted, the quiet way he ate, his eyes tired as they watched Olivia. It wasn't that Jim couldn't do his job - but Jim on a good day did the work of two and a half crew members, never satisfied with just staying on the bridge. Long meetings added to his normally full schedule were crap, in Leonard's opinion, especially unnecessary meetings. But they'd talk about that later, if Jim wanted to vent. Right now was family time, something that still amazed him on board this ship. Olivia chattered on about her day, Leonard contributing every so often with his own news.

But soon he caught her yawning as she finished her cookie, and glancing over at Jim, he smiled. "Why don't you two find a movie and I'll get this stuff into the recycler."

[genius_level]

He watched Olivia as he walked over to the table, then grinned at Bones as he sat down. Their girl still loved to eat, even the veggie cubes disappearing in between stories about her day. For his part Jim was quiet, but he felt himself unwinding as he listened to her, and he reached his foot out to nudge against Bones' beneath the table. This was his favorite part of the day, spending time together.

Jim smiled and reached over to wipe some of the crumbs off of Olivia's face. "How about it, sweetheart? What movie do you want to see?" He stood up and leaned over to kiss Bones on the cheek, then followed Olivia as she scampered over to the couch.

"I want the one about the pirates, please!" Olivia crawled into Jim's lap once he had settled onto the couch. He kissed the top of her head and bit back a groan as one of her knees jabbed him in the process. "Okay, one pirate movie coming up," he laughed. Jim ordered the computer to queue the movie up and then reached for the blanket on the back of the couch and draped it over them. He peeked down at Olivia and saw her blinking sleepily. She would be out soon, right on schedule, and he rubbed her back while they waited for Bones to join them.

[dctr_mccoy]

Leonard headed over to the sofa, settling on the other side of Jim, pulling Olivia's legs onto his lap. They had seen the pirate movie a dozen times at least, but she loved it, so they watched the opening credits roll, the pirates singing something about sailing the open seas.

Thirty minutes later, she was snoring lightly against Jim, her tiny hands wrapped around him. "Here," he said, standing slowly, extracting her from his arms. She was getting heavier, longer now, and Leonard had to admit that she wasn't his baby anymore. Kissing her forehead, he walked her into her bedroom, hearing Jim following behind them.

Depositing her onto her bed, they pulled the blanket up, and Leonard saw the nightlight shining softly above them. "She's so damn big now, Jim," he whispered, his hand finding Jim's.

[genius_level]

Jim kissed Olivia's forehead and let Bones carry her to bed. He hauled himself off the couch to follow and helped tuck her in, then smiled when Bones' hand found his. "She is," he murmured. He slid an arm around Bones as they watched her snuggle under the blanket, reaching out for her pink rabbit and clutching it tightly. Jim turned and nosed against Bones, planting a soft kiss on the corner of his jaw. "I love seeing her grow, but I miss when she was little, too." It was such a bittersweet feeling, but he wouldn't trade a moment of it.

"We'll have our new little one soon," he continued as they crept out of the room. "What do you think Olivia will make of him, really?" He ordered the lights down in the living room and led Bones toward their bedroom. It was early, but he liked the idea of some quiet, grown-up time together. "Shall we continue the pirate movie? Or maybe there's something else you'd like to see," he said, his voice still soft in the quiet of the room. Jim wandered over to sit on the edge of the bed and began to tug at his boots.

[dctr_mccoy]

Another baby. Leonard was excited about it, and while he told himself that he was glad Olivia was out of the diaper phase, he was really looking forward to having that feeling of holding an infant, the tiny helpless weight in his arms. It felt right, having a little boy to round things out, that final puzzle piece clicking into place.

But right now, Leonard's mind was on something else. Kneeling in front of Jim, he helped him with his boots, then spread Jim's knees further apart, sliding between them. Lifting Jim's shirt, he nuzzled his abdomen, the stretched skin, and began undoing Jim's pants. "I wanna see this, Jim," he murmured, rubbing Jim's groin with his hand as he tugged the zipper down.

[genius_level]

Jim shifted when Bones knelt in front of him, his hands going to rest on the edge of the bed. He gave a low rumble of interest when Bones' hands slid up his thighs to lift his shirt, and Jim sighed at the feel of Bones nosing against him, his breath warm against the tight, sensitive skin. "Yeah," he groaned, his breath hitching at the feel of Bones' hand cupping, rubbing him through the fabric of his pants. He leaned back, propping himself on his hands, his cock already hardening, pressing against his pants as Bones worked them open.

"Been thinking about this all day," he breathed, his voice low as he watched Bones. Jim reached out with one hand to cup his jaw, his thumb skimming over Bones' mouth. "Thought about walking down to your office, distracting you from your charts. Seeing if I could get you to bend me over the desk again," he said, his voice quiet but rough. They had learned, especially once Olivia was mobile, that they had to take advantage of what privacy they could find. "You think you might like that idea?"

[dctr_mccoy]

Groaning at Jim's words, Leonard knew exactly what Jim wanted, needed. More than closeness, sometimes they needed to feel wanted and alive, that sexual energy flying between them. Most nights they were warm and loving and comfortable, and Leonard loved that, had never wanted anything more than to be the one Jim turned to for affection. But sometimes they needed to be two men who wanted to fuck each other, over a desk, against a wall, across their big bed. "Yeah, Jim," Leonard grunted, one hand squeezing his own cock, rock hard in his pants. "Right there, makin' you keep quiet so no one can hear."

They'd learned how to best work around Jim's changing body, wider and more pronounced that usual. Leonard mouthed all along Jim's shaft, working down and sucking lightly on his scrotum, still mostly covered by the clothes before sliding up and circling the tip of Jim's cock with his lips. Slowly taking as much into his mouth as he could, Leonard looked up and into Jim's eyes before sliding back up, releasing it with a wet noise. "All your clothes off."

Yeah, they both needed this. Time together and each other.

[genius_level]

They were both so busy with their work and spending time with Olivia, and now with David on the way there were many nights Jim just needed that loving affection that showed itself in words, or the brush of a hand as they cleared up after dinner or picked up toys or settled in for the night. But always underneath it was that hunger, and if they had to exercise a little more patience now than they used to, sometimes all it took was a look or a kiss to make it flare bright and sharp. "I'll be biting my lips, trying not to get too loud," he murmured, his tongue darting out over his bottom lip as he watched Bones squeeze his own hard shaft. Fuck, it never got old, never would; the sight of Bones like this made Jim ache.

He groaned, soft and low, when Bones' mouth closed over him, the heat and suction so damn perfect, but then it was gone all too soon and Jim let out a whine. His eyes darkened at that low growl, though, and he leaned forward to tug Bones into a hard, wet, needy kiss before standing up to slide off his pants and shorts and kick them aside.

[dctr_mccoy]

"Fuck that, I wanna hear you loud." Leonard's hands gripped at Jim's hips as he helped him pull off all his clothes. "Wanna hear you groan my name, begging me for more." Sliding up toward Jim's side, he settled behind him, his mouth kissing every inch of skin it found.

It was easier like this right now, with Jim's body larger and wider than normal, still strong but Leonard was careful, or tried to be. His hands slid around Jim, moving and caressing, pinching a nipple and scratching lightly on his chest and abdomen. Nudging his cock against Jim's ass, he felt that heat, the light friction as he rubbed slowly. Leonard swallowed, the need in him building until his hands almost shook. "Want you, Jim," he growled low, biting the skin on the back of Jim's neck as he pressed harder against him. "Fuck, want you so bad."