Back to life

[genius_level]

His dreams were disjointed and murky; just snatches of conversation or flashes of images, nothing continuous. He heard the enraged roar when the first Klingon had charged him, bitten off abruptly by the blast of phaser fire striking him squarely in the chest. Jim saw Ellison's face again, felt the shock of the blade penetrating skin and muscle, but

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[genius_level]

She was so wiggly, arms and legs kicking while they peeled off the messy little outfit and dressed her in a clean one, and he could only imagine what it would be like when she was bigger and stronger. Jim watched Bones sit down with her, expertly rocking and rubbing her back, and felt a slow grin spreading across his face when he heard those soft, teasing words. "It was a memorable introduction, that's for sure." He wriggled out of the soiled shirt and balled it up, then shrugged on the fresh one Bones had handed him. It felt good, cool and light against his skin.

"I think I'd like to try your office, yeah," Jim decided. He was stiff from lying still so long, so getting up and moving around would be good. "How's Spock handling everything?" Jim knew the reports would be waiting for him when he was ready to read through them all. Maybe, if he was good, Bones would let him have a datapadd for a few hours. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up on the edge, his movements slow and cautious.

Jim sat there for a few moments, watching Bones sooth Olivia to sleep and tuck her back in the incubator. "How long will she need to stay in there?" He felt that itching already, that need to get out of sickbay and be in their own rooms, but he didn't want to leave Olivia alone. Even with the medical staff watching over her almost as protectively as he and Bones could, it wasn't the same.

[dctr_mccoy]

"You were more sick that she was, but I know that M'Benga and your dad were concerned about her lungs, her oxygen levels were still pretty low. The incubator's helped, and we're keeping a close eyes on her pulse ox. Another day, I think," he told Jim, glancing over him from head to toe, making sure that he looked well enough to go out into sickbay and be around the others.

"People are gonna be glad to see you, he said honestly. "Spock's been great, taking care of everything, but your crew loves you. They want to see that you and the baby made it out of all of this fine." Unhooking Olivia's incubator from the room's metrics, he rolled it out toward the door, holding out an arm for Jim. "Need some help?" he asked, not sure how far Jim could manage on his own.

[genius_level]

Jim knew that look. He ran a hand through his hair, then slipped down off the bed. He felt the effects of being flat on his back for two days, and an underlying fatigue he supposed had to do with the trauma and the effects of whatever they'd had to do to heal him. His legs were a little wobbly at first, but once he was steady he took the couple of steps to reach Bones' side, determined that the crew would see him up and about, even if it was just for a few minutes. He knew how important that would be, giving a boost to their morale in the aftermath of the fight. "Let's go," he murmured.

He was surprised as they walked the short distance to Bones' office at how he felt, over all better than he would have imagined given the severity of his injuries. Their progress was slow, mostly for his benefit, he thought, though also because of all of the nurses and medics who nodded and called out to them as they passed. He was still uncomfortable, he admitted to himself as he leaned on Bones, and was very glad when they reached the office and he could sink into a chair.

[dctr_mccoy]

Leonard could feel Jim's lagging strength as they walked, pulling the incubator next to him, though he doubted many of the medical staff would have known exactly how weak Jim was. But it did all of them good, Jim included, to have the captain back up and out of bed.

And knowing his staff, the communication lines were already a buzz about Jim Kirk almost ready to take control of his ship again, maybe fight some more Klingons. But for right now, it was enough that Jim was sitting up in his office, ready to ingest some food. "I'll order you some soup, okay?" he asked, sliding Jim his datapadd so he could take a look at what was going on.

[genius_level]

He leaned his head back against the chair, relieved that he'd managed to make it all the way without faltering and at the same time impatient, frustrated that the short walk had taken so much out of him. It drove home what Bones had said about the severity of his injuries and the unique healing process.

It felt strange, settling back into the cushions without the bulk he'd grown accustomed to over the past few months. The persistent backache was gone... but Jim watched as Bones moved Olivia's incubator up close and felt a pang of guilt. He knew it wasn't his fault, that he'd done his best, but Jim would trade a few more days or weeks of discomfort for Olivia being a little stronger, ready to breathe without the extra oxygen. It was a powerful feeling, that knowledge that he would sacrifice his own comfort for hers.

"Soup sounds good," he agreed, glancing up at Bones with a faint smile as he took the datapadd. Turning his attention to files and reports, he skimmed through the contents, frowning as their exact position sank in. Impulse power, maybe some limited warp capacity if Engineering could get it going. Damage scattered all over the ship, with a heavy concentration near the shield generators. "Damn. They knew what they were doing, all right," he muttered. He looked up at Bones, worried. "Casualties?"

[dctr_mccoy]

"A few," Leonard admitted, knowing Jim would find that list soon enough. "The crew jumped into action like you've never seen, Jim, just as soon as they realized shit was going down." It was heartening as well, seeing how his own staff worked hard getting Jim here, taken care of as quickly as possible, for both his own sake, and that of the baby's.

He walked to his computer and input the soup request, along with a sandwich for himself and some snacks for the medics' breakroom, then he walked over to Olivia's incubator again. Checking the readings first, he smiled then lifted her out and into his arms. "Much better, baby girl. You are breathing on your own so well." He kissed her forehead,laughing as she squealed. "Makes Daddy so happy."

[genius_level]

He found the list as Bones ordered their lunch. It was short, and he recognized each name instantly, staring at the brief report while he thought about the letters he would need to write. It was his least favorite part of the job, but he took care to give his best nonetheless. They deserved that, his crew and their loved ones.

His dark mood lifted, though, when Bones lifted Olivia into his arms and made her squeal. That happy noise made him smile, his gaze softening as he watched the two of them together. "She's a Kirk," he chuckled. "Doesn't want to be in sickbay any longer than she has to, like me." Jim reached up, resting his hand on Bones' arm. "I love you two," he murmured.

[dctr_mccoy]

He could see that Jim must have found the list of the dead. Each one weighed on Jim, that was clear, and Leonard knew that would make Jim an even better captain. But Olivia's presence would be a buoy for both of them, her smile and laughter already a balm for the both of them. Jim's whole face changed when he looked at their daughter, and Leonard laughed at Jim's words. "She's a Kirk with a little McCoy stubbornness. The universe better look out."

Jim's kiss brought out those tender feelings that Leonard had kept aside during his illness. Now that Jim was awake and moving around, it was that much closer to when they could return to their rooms and be a family, together, alone. "I love you, hon, and this little bit," he turned, holding Olivia between them both, "she loves you so much. I can just tell, looking at her, just the few hours you've been awake."

[genius_level]

"Scotty will want to know what time she was born, her weight, and all that," he remembered with a grin. "If I'm not mistaken, he was running a betting pool. I wonder if anyone even came close." He shook his head and then reached out, tickling one of Olivia's tiny little feet. Jim grinned when she squealed and kicked, amazed at how vocal she was already. "Let me hold her again," he asked, reaching out. He'd only been awake a short time, but he didn't think he could ever get enough of her.

Jim was careful as he took Olivia, his big hands cradling her securely over his heart. "I'm half afraid I'll drop her, she's so tiny," he murmured, his fingers stroking her fine, wispy hair. He looked up at Bones, a tired, soft smile on his face as he studied him. "You've been sleeping here with us, haven't you?" he observed, noticing the shadows under Bones' eyes, the stubble on his jaw.

[dctr_mccoy]

Leonard laughed, having forgotten all about the bet. "Yeah, no one will have gotten it," he nodded with a grin. "Maybe the person who came closest, I'll have to send him the information, if no one else has done it." He was watching Jim's face and each time Olivia made a noise or smile or wiggle, he lit up and Leonard knew that tiny baby had the captain of the starship wrapped around her teeny finger already. "We're in trouble," he murmured to himself.

"It's where I wanted to be," Leonard said softly, not mentioning to Jim that no one had even suggested to him that he leave Jim and Olivia's side. "With any luck, tomorrow night we'll all be home." There was a soft chime at his door and it slid open, revealing one of the galley staff, holding a tray. Leonard could see the young woman's face light up at the sight of Jim awake, and then she looked down at the baby, making an audible noise.

"Lunch, sir," she grinned happily, handing the tray to Leonard as her eyes were drawn to Olivia. "She's beautiful, Captain."

[genius_level]

He glanced up again, his eyes bright and amused. "I heard that," he murmured back, looking down at Olivia and shaking his head. "Your daddy thinks I'm whipped," he told Olivia seriously. Then he leaned in and kissed her nose. "He's probably right, but so is he." He laughed when she blinked at him. "There, you see, Bones? She agrees."

It felt good, being lighthearted and a little silly, and Jim's gaze was warm as he nodded at Bones. "I'm glad you were here with us," he said. "I hope we can go home tomorrow, too. I just want to sleep in our own bed, and show Olivia her room."

Jim looked up when the door opened and smiled broadly at the woman. "She is, isn't she?" He chuckled, holding Olivia up a little to give her a better look. "Ensign, this is Olivia Rose Kirk. Olivia, this is Ensign Foster." Jim glanced over at Bones with a grin, unable to help the note of pride in his voice.

[dctr_mccoy]

Leonard set the tray down on his desk, watching Jim's face beaming with this light as he held their girl. Something very right about the picture the two of them presented, Jim looking all the more masculine and captain-like, protecting a very small child.

Ensign Foster looked fit to burst, as his mother would have said. Reaching in to touch a tiny hand, her breath seemed to catch in her throat as she looked down at Olivia. "I am quite pleased to see you, Miss Kirk. You too, Captain," she chuckled, glancing up at Jim. "We all were hoping you and the baby would be up and around soon." After a moment, she realized that they were having a private moment, and excused herself, another glance at Olivia, who stretched at the right moment, extending her tiny hand up in the air. "What a cutie," Foster murmured as she left, and Leonard could hear her chattering with some of the other staff outside his door.

"I'm sure everyone will want to come say hi, sooner or later," he told Jim, both irritated and understanding. "Here, let me take her while you eat."

[genius_level]

Jim watched Olivia gaze up at this new person, her expression serious, and grinned at Foster's excitement. He didn't mind the interruption, really, part of him proud to introduce his daughter to their friends and the rest of the crew, but he was very aware that he was exhausted, and that he needed to eat. His eyes met Bones' as Foster withdrew, her excited squeals clear even after the door had shut. "You're popular already," Jim murmured, kissing Olivia on the forehead before handing her over to Bones.

He reached for the water glass on the tray and sipped it slowly before turning his attention to the covered bowl and plate. Chicken soup and toast; simple enough, he decided. He wasn't particularly hungry, but Jim knew Bones would worry if he didn't eat. His progress was slow, but once he had some of the soup in him he began to feel more himself. "I guess we'll have a lot of guests for a while, won't we?" Jim put the spoon down and picked up a triangle of toast, dipping it in the broth before taking a bite. "We'll have to figure that out, how to juggle everything."

[dctr_mccoy]

Jim's color got better as he ate, Leonard decided, walking over to the edge of his desk as he rocked Olivia in his arms. "She's our social butterfly," he said, grinning at her matching smile. He picked her up and held her at his shoulder so she could look out at everything with her still-weak eyes.

"Maybe once she's out of all danger, and you've had some time to rest, we can have a get together at our place on Sha-Kwai," he mused, "if Spock's family doesn't mind." Time to spend with their closest friends, introducing them to their daughter.

[genius_level]

He finished the toast and leaned an elbow on the desk as he watched Bones rock Olivia, lifting her high up so she could see everything. "A party?" A smile tugged at Jim's lips. "I like that idea," he agreed, taking another couple of bites of soup. "Maybe we can find time to see a little of the colony, too." He was curious about the planet, which by all reports was quite different from Vulcan.

Jim sat back with a sigh, the bowl more or less empty. Bones' comment caught his attention, though. "Will she need the incubator while we're there?"

[dctr_mccoy]

"I know we hadn't decided how long to take, but rumor has it that the ship repairs will take about a month. I'm figuring that you'll want to come back on board when everything's done, be ready to fly out with everyone again." It was good, knowing that they wouldn't miss any important missions, but it also meant that everyone would be planetside, not just the two of them. There would be more entertaining that Leonard might have wanted, but as Ensign Foster just pointed out, people wanted to see the baby.

Jim's soup had done him well, even though Jim could see the strain of being up and around for a while beginning to show. "Let's go lay down again, and Geoff should be around to see you soon. Once he sees how good you look, maybe he'll okay you going home tomorrow." Looking down at her, Leonard sighed, touching her soft skin. He wanted to believe she was perfect but the truth was, she was too small, not enough fat, her skin, her eyes, her organs were all still fragile. "I don't know," he told Jim truthfully, sitting across from Jim in a chair.

Time for the real story. "Under normal circumstances, she's still be in the incubator all day, since her lungs were very underdeveloped at the time of her birth. But," Leonard hesitated, looking down at Olivia, "it was not a normal birth. She, well you both really, had some extraordinary assistance."

How would that affect her growing up, that injection of magic? Leonard suspected that Jim's long sleep was his body's way of processing that magic, and he'd be up and around much faster than he should.