Fic: Two Summers, 2-16
Nyota?
Captain.
How’re you holding up.
Fine, sir.
Fine has variable meanings.
…Jim.
Yeah, yeah, I know. Bad joke. Can’t say I didn’t try.
Well, you did a little. Only just.
I could hit on you. You know, like the good old days. (Before I was married)
(Before you were married…) Scotty’d kill you.
Nah. He understands a joke.
Oh, he understands a joke. That’s not why he’d kill you.
I get it, I get it. You’d sic him on me. Kinda like Cupcake got riled up and righteous for your honor.
No, that was all you, Jim. You called him Cupcake.
Blame the victim, huh?
Well, you were never innocent.
Got me there. (Or something)
I can’t believe you said ‘the good old days.’ We’re not that old.
(We’re not young either) Have you got something against old people, Commander Uhura?
Jim (You’re an idiot)
Are you telling me this whole time, I’ve been working with an ageist! Nyota! It’s like I never knew you! (You’re not laughing) Still not a funny joke?
Still not a funny joke.
Scotty’s ruined you. Bet the only jokes you get now have to do with nacelles.
(Could say the same for you and Spock) You forgot the ones that have to do with Scottish nationalism.
See? I rest my case.
(It’s good to see you laughing, Jim. Even if Spock’s always behind your eyes
(It’s okay. You said two summers, right? I asked Spock. He said two summers. We’ll know after two summers
(I asked my mother where she heard that, and she said it was from an old story, about a mother who lost her son in a war. Her mother told her two summers. It’s been passed down ever since
(Nyota
(Captain
(How’re you holding up
(I’m holding up, Jim. I’m holding up
(Do you miss him?
(Every day. Some days I manage to forget about it
(What do you miss most?
(Honestly?
(Honestly
(He thought you were crazy, you know. Even after the bond
(You think Scotty’s crazy
(We talked a lot. To de-stress, to complain about you or Scotty. I miss the sound of his voice
(You guys had pity parties together and didn’t invite me?
(Jim
(Okay, I’ll stop. I’ll come up with a better one next time
(He was my best friend, Jim. It would be like
(Me and Bones
(You and Leonard
(…I’m sorry I never talked to you about-never talked earlier-or
(It’s all right. You talked to us all right after it happened. We shift the weight around
(Think it’ll ever go away?
(Do you want it to go away?
(…
(Sorry, stupid question. I just meant-
(No, I get what you mean, Nyota. I get what you mean. I don’t really have answer
(I don’t think we’re meant to
(You know what he loved most about you?
(My dazzling intelligence
(He loved your voice. The way it reaches down and pulls. He loved the way you combed your hair before you went to sleep, the smooth motions of it
(Jim-
(There were some missions where it wasn’t the memory of me or our bond that got him through, but that he had ndugu like you
(Which missions-?
(Narada, for one. Caliphon Okrimi, Sigma-4300, Gemini, and that one with the Gesseri people
(I don’t remember what-
(Species extermination. Or extinction. They were all related to Vulcan. The only way he got through those missions was by keeping a memory of you in his mind
(Jim
(You’re the closest thing to family he had. I’m sorry I dumped all that shit on you. Making you First
(Don’t regret it. I don’t regret it
(Yeah, well. Anyway. He loved your voice. I thought you should know that. He was-
(Captain?
(I’m okay
(Jim, it’s all right
(I’m okay. I have to say this-I have to say this
(It’s okay, Jim. Take your time
(He was looking forward to when you and Scotty’d have a family. He was an only child-you know that-didn’t even know he had a half brother-he wanted to see if you’d have kids or something. Did you ever talk about it?
(Yes. I brought it up, thinking about future career paths. Spock made an enormous three dimensional multivariable Punnett square, with statistical probabilities
(Sounds like him
(It was very him
(Yeah
(…How’re you holding up, Jim?
((shrug)
(That good, huh
(Could be worse. Ship’s running. We’re alive. I’m fine
(Fine
(Ha ha, funny
(I didn’t say anything
(You were about to
(Was not
(You were thinking it
“Captain?”
“Lt. Welsh.”
“Sorry to interrupt, Commander, but we’ve got a situation. Need you and the captain on the bridge.”
“We’ll be down in three, lieutenant.”
“Understood, Commander.”
Why do you do that?
Do what?
Answer them for me.
Habit. (Because Spock always did it. And your heart gave out on us)
(Nyota?
(Yes, Captain?
(Two summers. I asked Spock, and he said two summers. After that, we’ll know what to do
(Jim?
(Yeah?
(Thanks. For-
(No problem. You did the same for me
(Yeah
(Yeah. Let’s go.
))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))