Based off
two lovely pictures from
jim_and_bones. And then...random AU: What if McCoy never joined Starfleet?
Title: A Strange Thing
Fandom: Star Trek xi
Characters: Jim, Bones
Rating: G
Notes: Originally
posted on jim_and_bones. Yeah, this is comment fic.
Leonard shifted impatiently, glaring at the long line of adoring fans ahead of him. What the hell was he doing here again? Oh, that's right. He was a father with an adorable nine-year-old daughter, who knew just how to pout up at him, blinking fake tears from her baby blue eyes until he folded like a cheap lawn chair. "Pretty please, Daddy," she'd said, and somehow he'd ended up on a shuttle to San Francisco just in time to see the famous crew of the even more famous Enterprise disembarking from her maiden voyage. A voyage they'd been lucky to survive.
Leonard fidgeted again. He felt uncomfortable here, though he couldn't say why. It wasn't that he had anything against Starfleet - he'd even considered joining up himself a few years ago, when things between him and Joce had been at their worst. But the thought of giving up his baby girl had put an end to that particular plan, and in the end they'd worked things out. It wasn't perfect, but at least they didn't get on each other's nerves like they used to. He had his work at the hospital, and if Jocelyn still went on a few too many "business trips" to be wholly believable, well, Leonard had learned to turn a blind eye. It wasn't like he didn't have a free pass of his own - he just hadn't had cause to use it. Yet.
An excited murmur rippled through the crowd, and Leonard jerked out of his reverie. "Oh," a woman behind him gasped. "Look, it's him! It's Captain Kirk!" Leonard frowned. She was pointing at a blond man standing near the front of the crowd and grinning toothily for the cameras. As the man approached, Leonard realized he was very young - much, much younger than Leonard had expected the "hero of the Federation" to be. Christ, he barely looked old enough to shave, Leonard thought, and his scowl deepened. Since when had Starfleet started sending infants like that into space?
Kirk continued down the line, smiling and waving, signing the occasional PADD. Leonard noticed that the majority of the signatures went to young, attractive fans and had to restrain a snort. So much for this trip then - it looked like Joanna would have to do without her signature. Should've paid that pretty girl at the local coffee shop to come instead.
But to Leonard's surprise, Kirk paused right in front of him, his perfect grin faltering. "Uh," Leonard started. Up close Kirk's eyes were a shocking shade of blue, and Leonard found himself abruptly speechless. Kirk cocked his head to one side, curious. "Have we met before?" he asked.
Leonard's eyebrows shot up in confusion. "No."
"Oh." Kirk frowned, now looking bemused and slightly embarrassed. "Sorry, you just looked - I don't know, never mind."
"Right," Leonard said for lack of a better response. Christ, this was awkward. He glanced down at the PADD in his hands and suddenly remembered the whole purpose of this stupid trip. "Um, if you don't mind..." He held it up questioningly.
"Yeah, of course." Kirk took the PADD and began scribbling something. Leonard looked down at his now-empty hands, wondering what to do with them.
"Who should I make it out to?"
"Huh?"
"The signature," Kirk said, twiddling the stylus between his fingers. "Or I could make up a name, if you'd prefer." Leonard thought he caught the edge of a flirty smirk on the young man's lips, but it was gone before he could be sure. "It's for my daughter," he answered gruffly. "Joanna."
"To the lovely Joanna it is then." Kirk finished with a flourish and handed the PADD back to Leonard.
"Thanks," Leonard mumbled, scowling down at the PADD again. He hoped the other man would move along quickly; all he wanted right now was to get back to the hotel bar for a strong, memory-erasing drink.
The sound of a throat clearing made Leonard glance up. Kirk was still there, watching him with an odd expression on his face. "Are you sure we haven't met?" he asked again. He sounded almost wistful. At Leonard's incredulous look, Kirk laughed uncomfortably, shaking his head. "Sorry, it's just I'm sure I've seen you somewhere before. You ever been to the Starfleet shipyard in Iowa?"
"I'm a doctor, not an engineer," Leonard groused, and for some reason that caused Kirk to laugh again, but naturally this time, his bright blue eyes twinkling even more brightly in his young face. Something warm settled in Leonard's gut and stayed there.
"Captain," a cool voice interrupted. Leonard turned to see a tall vulcan in science blues watching them, eyebrow raised like a challenge. "You are impeding the disembarking process. The remainder of the bridge crew is awaiting your signal for beam-down."
"Right, right, sorry Spock." Kirk rolled his eyes at Leonard, but allowed himself to be chivvied away by the vulcan. "See you around, Bones!"
"Bones?" Leonard muttered to himself. Weird kid. Well, his old dad always said that space made some people a bit nutty. Remembering his PADD, Leonard flipped it on to check what Kirk had written.
Dear Joanna, it said. You're very lucky to have such a cool dad. Grow up to be awesome like him! XO Jim
Leonard snorted, scrolling down further to see if the message continued. It did.
P.S. If your cool dad is ever in San Francisco, tell him to call me. A personal comm number followed.
Leonard stood frozen. Surely Kirk didn't leave his personal number on every PADD he signed. Leonard looked up quickly, craning his neck to catch sight of Kirk and Spock. He caught the captain's eye just as he was exiting the bay. Kirk grinned and mimicked holding a phone to his ear, mouthing "call me" before turning to leave. Leonard rolled his eyes.
But he saved the number.
So...it's kind of been ages on the fic-writing front. *is nervous* Let me know what you think. (Oh, and just to clarify: my thinking is that Jim's mind-meld with Spock prime left him with some "memories" of McCoy, so that's why he keeps thinking he recognizes him!)