Friends with Benefits - Chapter 7 - Part 2
Thursday - July 9th - 5 p.m.
Jim's holed up in a study room with Allison Loftus. She's strumming a few keys on the acoustic guitar they borrowed from the Youth Area of the library while Allison is taking a mock test on Jim's PADD. Jim has always been a quick learner, so she'd picked up on what Allison taught pretty proficiently. Allison had been impressed and Jim assured her that she still would her help earn her GED even though Jim wouldn't need to be tutored anymore.
Allison makes a frustrated sound as she slams her hands onto the table. "This is hopeless, Jim," she exclaims. "I'm never goin' pass any kind of test, let alone learn anythin'. And I know you mean well but maybe I'm not teachable. All that information just falls right out of my head!"
Jim stands and walks over with the guitar. She leans against the edge of the table as she looks down at Allison. "If you can teach me, then you can be taught," she promises. "Just stop thinking for a moment."
"Shouldn't be too hard. Nothing's ever up there anyway," Allison mumbles and mopes.
Jim frowns and she says, "We just need to find an approach that works on you." She pauses to think before it comes to her. "Allison, you love music more than anything right?"
Allison nods with a perplexed expression.
"What if we rewrote everything you have to learn and turned it into a song?" Jim suggests. "Here, listen to this." She begins to play the guitar as she recites the Pythagorean theorem in a pathetic attempt to sing.
Allison's face twists as she fights against a smile but she ends up laughing.
Jim grins and hops on her feet and begins to waltz around Allison as she continues to sing in algebra facts. She sings (horridly) for the next ten minutes before she stops and points right at Allison. "Now what did I just say?" she asks.
Allison hesitates and her brow furrows as she thinks. "A over C plus B over C equals A plus B over C?"
Jim claps her hands together and says, "Correct! What else?"
"If A is less than B then A plus C is less than B plus C and A minus C is less than B minus C and oh my God I remembered all of that and it makes sense!" Allison hops to her feet and takes a moment to do a little giddy dance. "Oh my God, it worked!"
Jim laughs proudly. "See? You are so capable of learning if you put your mind to it. Now. Let's focus on something else. Like Earth history." She begins to strum away on the guitar as she sings about all the main world wars, human evolution, rebellions, revolutions and so on.
Allison recites everything back perfectly and she looks so very delighted to be able to do so.
Their study session goes over its usual time but neither Jim nor Allison notice until one of the librarians warn them that the library is closing. She returns the guitar and they exit the library together.
"You made a lot of progress today," Jim compliments as they stroll towards the parking lot.
"You think so?"
"No doubt about it," Jim reassures. She smiles. "I bet you'll be ready to take that test by the end of this month."
"Oh that would be lovely." Allison sighs pleasantly as they come to her car. She turns to face Jim. "You ready for this weekend?"
Jim makes a face and shrugs.
Allison chuckles. "I know. I feel the same. I mean, a whole weekend with those horrible girls," she remarks as she thinks on it. "Have you decided on a talent you're gonna do, if you don't mind my bein' nosy?"
"No, it's fine," Jim says with another shrug. "Honestly, I still haven't worked that out for myself. It's not like I can take a white board up there and solve some of my favorite equations or recite the speech Alexander the Great gave at the Hydaspes River in India."
Allison blinks and says, "Guess not." She takes a moment to think. "Well, why don't you play the guitar? I mean, I taught you how to, so you might as well utilize it, right?"
Jim's mouth dips thoughtfully as she considers it. "Yeah, I could. But what else? You've heard my singing. That's definitely out of the question."
Allison laughs. "I don't know, Jim. You'll figure it out. You're smart and you seem to always find a way." She gives Jim a quick hug before she climbs into her car and drives off with a wave.
Jim finds her way to her bike and she straddles it, taking a moment to rev the engine before she drives off and heads back to the house.
The house is dark and quiet when she enters, and she quietly locks the door behind her. She then goes up to her room to hang up her jacket and take her medication before she ventures down to the kitchen with her PADD where she makes herself a big bowl of instant macaroni and tuna.
Jim takes the warm ceramic bowl (along with her PADD) out to the back patio and she curls up on the porch swing with it. She has one leg folded under her while the other hangs over the edge so she can use her bare foot to push against the floorboards to get the swing to sway back and forth gently. She hums to herself as she shoves spoonful after spoonful of gooey cheesy pasta and tuna goodness into her mouth.
In the distance, an owl makes a continuous loud call as the crickets chirp away up in the apple trees. It's a peacefully quiet night and Jim feels content with it. She smiles around her spoon as she swallows and tries to make out the stars in the sky over the top of the apple trees and between the clouds. She continues to swing as she empties out her bowl and sets it beside her.
Jim grabs her PADD and does something that is completely her, which is reading up on Los Angeles and San Francisco gang culture from the 21st century. It's a peculiar thing for her to do but she likes reading peculiar things. She leans back as the swing sways and she reads as the cool night air threads around her body while she presses a hand to her lower stomach.
Midnight reaches inside of her and causes her to yawn. She rubs at her eyes tiredly before she shuts off her PADD, carrying it inside with her. She puts her empty bowl in the sink and treks up to her room. Changing out of her clothes and into some sleepwear, she ventures into her bathroom to brush her teeth and she feels her stomach twist a little as she takes the moment to think about Bones.
She misses him.
Jim spits and sighs before she rinses out her mouth and spits again. She flicks off the light and wanders to her bed, climbing in with another tired sigh. She drags one of her many pillows over and hugs it to her chest as she curls up on her side, facing the opens windows. She ducks her head down and presses her mouth to the top of the pillow as her hand rests on her lower stomach. She closes her eyes and her mouth moves wordlessly against the cool fabric.
Jim falls asleep with Bones wrapped up in her thoughts and prayers.
888
Friday - July 10th - Noon
Just because Jim has found peace doesn't mean she can't be annoyed.
She is heavily annoyed.
For one, she's been stuck on this luxury bus with eighteen other girls who wont stop gossiping and arguing and whining. Secondly, it's hotter than hell and the bus's air conditioner is broke. Thirdly, none of this is helping with her growing migraine. Lastly, Allison, bless her sweet heart, wont stop talking and all Jim wants to do is fall asleep.
This three-hour drive to Albany County for the weekend retreat is pure torture and it's only been an hour and a half so far.
Jim almost wishes she would have gotten on the other bus with the mothers but how could she have known that it was going to be anything like this?
Hazel Becker shrieks when Serene McCoy spits in her face and some of the girls have to jump up and separate them when Hazel tackles Serene into the middle aisle.
Jim sighs and fishes for her PADD, pulling up her music library before she syncs her wireless headphones with it. She puts on her large cherry red DJ headphones and adjusts it to her head before she closes her eyes with a smile because she has successfully drowned out all the drama. She shifts and pulls her knees up so she can lean against the cool window and lets the bus rock her to sleep.
Allison shakes her awake when they arrive at the plaza hotel and Jim climbs off the bus with the other girls and attempts to grab her luggage.
Pauline and Eleanora find her and fuss, claiming that they can help and that Jim shouldn't strain herself.
Jim openly rolls her eyes and shoves her PADD under her arm while she follows them inside. She glances around the lobby and can't help but to admire how fancy the hotel is. She's never stayed in a swanky place like this before. It's a treat.
Jocelyn snaps her fingers to draw everyone's attention. "Ladies, you can decide amongst yourselves who you would like to room with. Everyone has to have at least two other roommates," she clarifies. "Feel free to explore the metropolitan area but be safe and smart. You have a curfew of midnight and remember that tomorrow we'll be going to visit the East Bay Children's Hospital to do a bit of community service and then Sunday you'll be dressing in your designated uniforms and showcasing your talents during the Fallen Heroes Festival. Understood?"
There's a simultaneous sound of 'yes' and Jocelyn nods in satisfaction before she joins the other judges at the front desk to begin handing out the room keys.
Jim leaves Eleanora and Pauline's side to quickly snag Serene and Allison as her roomies. Luckily, they're just as agreeable to this arrangement and together they collect their room keys before they trek to the elevators.
Their room is located on the thirteenth floor and it just so happens to be a luxury suite with a Jacuzzi tub, three plush king-sized beds with Egyptian cotton sheets, a living room complete with plush furnishings, and a killer view of the metropolitan area.
Serene climbs on her bed and begins to jump up and down but other than that she doesn't seem to be impressed with anything else.
Jim grins amusedly as she walks to the mini-fridge, grabbing herself a bottle of soda.
Allison is digging through her hot pink luggage. She says, "Okay. So the other girls were talkin' about grabbin' a shuttle bus and goin' down to Pleasure Island."
"Pleasure Island?" Serene pants as she continues to jump. "What the hell is that?"
"Apparently it's like party central and this weekend they're supposed to have like all kinds of events and activities goin' on. I heard it's wicked fun," Allison explains. "So what do you guys say? You in?"
Jim nods, even though she is a bit tired.
"I'm down," Serene decides as she hops off the bed. "Lemme find somethin' absolutely filthy to wear. I wanna get laid tonight."
Allison's face twists disapprovingly. "I don't feel like that's safe," she says.
Serene shrugs as she fishes through her bags for a pair of skinny jeans and a see through yoke colored chiffon blouse and a dark blue lace bra that would be easily spotted under it.
Jim finishes her bottle of soda before she looks for a change of clothes herself. She puts on a one-shouldered, coral blue, animal print bandage dress with a pair of candy pink pumps.
Allison changes into an aquamarine blouse pair tucked into a pair of high-waist, black and white, abstract print leggings with some silver heels.
They help each other with their makeup and hair before they spritz themselves down with enticing perfume. They exit the hotel and climb into a shuttle bus with some of the other girls and drive down to Pleasure Island, which isn't so much an actual island as it is a village comprised of clubs and restaurants and casinos.
Jim has a moment of silence for all the liquor she wont be able to drink tonight before she sucks it up and follow Allison and Serene in the Tajmahal buffet where they gorge themselves on the best Indian cuisine that Jim's ever tasted. After that, they just bounce around the village and Jim enjoys herself as best as she can while at the same time acting as a chaperone for both a tipsy Allison and Serene.
Somewhere between the magic shows and the table of black jacks and the techno clubs, Jim and Allison accidently lose Serene. And from there on in, it just becomes about hunting down the wily McCoy female. So Jim and Allison go up and down area, bothering people and tracking down Serene. Oddly (hilariously) enough, they find her in one of those entertainment clubs, in the midst of a Drag Queen contest, making out with a Vulcan female by the name of T'Para.
And Jim thought she was sexually ambitious.
Allison passes out on the shuttle bus back to the hotel and Serene snickers evilly as she draws a dick on her cheek with a permanent marker.
Jim means to stop and scold her but she's too busy laughing because that is the most accurate sketch of a dick she's ever seen.
The shuttle bus jolts to a stop and Serene slaps Allison awake before all of them pile out of the bus with some of the other girls.
Serene and Jim carry Allison up to their suite because she can't walk on her own and they drop her down on her bed when they get there. She passes right out and snores loudly.
Jim kicks off her pumps because her feet are achingly swollen.
Serene strips down until she's completely naked before she dives under her covers.
Somehow Jim isn't surprised at all. She snorts and tucks away in the bathroom to take a nice, long and hot bath in the Jacuzzi tub. She strips down and climbs in when the water is the right temperature and she lets herself soak in it as she plays with the bubble suds. By the time she climbs out, she's squeaky clean but her skin is pink.
After she climbs into some sleepwear, she crawls into bed and practically moans at the soft and plushness of it. She rolls around a bit in the cool sheets before she settles on her side with her hand tucked into the band of her pajama bottoms and over her lower stomach.
Jim falls asleep with Bones wrapped up in her thoughts and prayers.
888
Saturday - July 11th - 2 p.m.
East Bay Children's Hospital
The type of community service they do is a lot simpler than what Jim thought it would be. She was sure that they'd be doing something like scrubbing floors or ironing laundry. But her problem is that she's been watching too many prison movies so that's why she originally thought this.
What Jocelyn and the other judges have them do is to pick out a compassion task from a fish bowl as a sort of charity raffle.
Jim gets 'read fairytales' and pretty soon she's being led to the trauma ward where she sits at the head of a group of amputee children and reads a variety of books. She enjoys the time she spends with them and she has to fight back tears at the pure optimism and good-natured spirits of these children. It puts a few things in perspective for Jim and once more she's reminded how fortunate she is.
The kids like her and she barely even notices when Jocelyn and the judges pay a visit to watch her interactions with the children. She's too busy reenacting the scene between Jack and the Giant upon their first initial meeting.
The kids are giggling delightedly as Jim channels the fierceness of a giant and the meekness of a simple farm boy.
Jocelyn and the judges move on to the next girl but Jim is still hardly paying any attention to that. By the end of the story, she gives a dramatic bow as she's applauded and cheered.
"I have an idea," Jim says as she motions to one of the supervising nurses. "How about each one of you make your own fairytale?"
The kids cheer agreeably to that idea.
"Can we get some paper and some markers?" Jim asks the nurse and the nurse nods, scurrying off to retrieve the items. When the nurse returns, Jim helps her pass it out to each of the kids.
The kids spread themselves across the floor, chatting excitedly amongst themselves as they doodle and draw and write out their creative fairytales.
Jim smiles as she goes from child to child, asking them questions here and there. But then she comes to eleven-year-old boy with short black curly hair who isn't trying to participate at all, yet she notices that his right hand is actually prosthetic. She asks, very delicately, "What's your name?"
"Wallace," he mumbles shyly. "Wallace Mitchell."
"Nice to meet you, Wallace. My name is Jim Kirk."
Wallace stares up at her with curious green eyes but he doesn't say anything.
"Would you like some help?" Jim offers with a friendly smile. "I'm a pretty good ghost writer."
Wallace still doesn't say anything.
Jim decides on a different approach. She sits down across from him and folds her legs under her. "Wallace, what's the coolest thing about you?"
Wallace blinks and he shifts slightly as he folds his legs under him as well. "Coolest thing?" he repeats in slight confusion. He glances down at his prosthetic hand sadly. "There's nothing cool about me at all."
"I'm sure that's not true," Jim debates cheerfully, even though she wants to cry at the totally defeated tone of his voice. "You just have to dig down real deep and think really hard."
Wallace frowns but he seems to be thinking. He reaches up with his real hand and tugs at the curls licking at the base of her skull. "Well," he starts. "I know how to sing, and I'm kinda good at it."
"Kinda?" Jim challenges, just to see what he'll do.
Wallace straightens his posture and, with a little more confidence, claims, "I'm excellent. I'm an excellent singer."
Jim gives him the thumbs-up. She says, "Well why don't we do a fairytale about singing? I'm sure the others would be interested in hearing it. I'll help if you want."
Wallace smiles timidly, and he's a little handsome devil so it melts Jim's heart. He says, "Thanks, Jim, but I can do it. I've been teaching myself to right with my left hand so this is just more practice." He picks up a marker with his left hand and begins to write out his story as best as he can.
Jim grins a bit before her gaze turns to the other children.
Pretty soon there are a gang of nurses filtering in the room for the midday snack, handing them out to the kids before they move on with their treat carts.
Jim's stomach grumbles as the sweetly smell of those snacks reaches her and she carefully gathers to her feet, asking the supervising nurse where there are some vending machines and when she's told she tells the nurse that she'll be right back. She exits the ward and treks down the hall to the small vending machine sit-down area located around the corner at the end of the hall.
Luckily, it's completely deserted.
Jim goes from machine to machine, just observing the contents of them before she quietly says, "Alright, Jellybean-what should we eat?" She presses her hand to her stomach before her blue eyes zero in on the ice cream machine. She smirks. "Good choice." She wanders over and purchases two mud fug ice-cream sandwiches, a strawberry shortcake cone, and M&M's cone. It's greedy but Jim doesn't usually care and she certainly isn't going to start now, especially since she's pregnant.
Jim rips open the wrapper of one of the mud fug sandwiches and shoves it in her mouth, taking a moment to savor the mixtures of caramel and nuts and fudge. It's so fucking good and her tongue trembles in appreciation.
"-stop making a big deal out of the little things. Why can't we just, I don't know, get carried away."
"Oh yeah, sure. Let's just forget all our responsibilities and runaway together!"
Jim chokes as she recognizes that one of those voices belongs to Jocelyn and it seems to be headed her way. She panics for a second before she quickly runs to the end of the room and hides on the other side of the soda machine, not because she's scared, but because Jocelyn sounds pissed and she doesn't want to be caught up in that and okay maybe she is just a bit nervous. She peeks around the edge of the machine and sees Jocelyn storm into the room with a very tall, very tan, very handsome gentleman with dark curly hair, green eyes and he's outfitted in the academy red of Starfleet.
Jim can't help but to notice how he looks exactly like Wallace but like an older version.
Jocelyn hisses, "You're impossible, Gary. I should've never told you that I was pregnant in the first place. No, scratch that. I should've never slept with you. You're making my life more hectic and complicated than it already needs to be. And you already have a fucking kid? You should have told me that."
"You should have told me about yours. I think we're even," Gary coolly retorts. "But I wasn't the only pretending that weekend in New York three months ago. I mean, who would've thought we'd run into each other here? Life is funny like that."
Jocelyn scowls and pushes him away as he presses closer. He towers over her and she has to lift her head to meet his gaze. "Look, just listen," she implores as she moves out of his reach and bats her hair out of her eyes. "I admit that what we had was fun, but it was just fun and now I'm paying the consequences for it."
"Is this about your marriage? Because I told you I don't care," Gary says.
Jocelyn's purple lips twist unhappily. "No, it's not about that. And I'm divorced," she corrects. "But none of that matters because I have more important things to deal with, rather than waste my breath on a presumptuous and unattractively cocky cadet."
"Last I remember, you like my cockiness," Gary remarks with a confident smirk.
"I'm getting an abortion."
Gary looks stunned, then furious, and, Jim's not exactly sure, but she could swear that his eyes flash silver for a moment. Could be a trick of light though. "You can't," he growls lowly.
"I can and I will if it's my choice to do so because this is my body, Mr. Mitchell," Jocelyn coldly states.
"I have rights as the child's father!" Gary snaps.
"This conversation is over. Goodbye, Gary."
Gary looks positively livid and he seems to be choking on several different responses as the lights flicker for a moment before he storms off and disappears.
What the hell did I just witness? Jim silently wonders as she waits for Jocelyn to leave as well.
Jocelyn just presses a hand to her forehead and stomach as she exhales audibly. She wavers a bit before she says, "You can stop skulking like vermin anytime now, Ms. Kirk."
How the hell did she know I was here? Jim thinks, startled. She steps into view with her melting pile of ice cream and tries not to look as awkward as she feels.
Jocelyn eyes her tiredly and she snorts wryly. "Don't look so shocked. I could hear you breathing," she explains, like it isn't fucking bizarre at all.
Jim opens her mouth to say something but nothing comes to mind so she shoves her ice cream sandwich in there instead.
Jocelyn turns away and walks over to a small table with a chair and sits. She looks absolutely drained.
Jim wonders is she should be concerned. She walks over and offers her strawberry shortcake cone. "You should eat," she mumbles.
Jocelyn just blankly stares at her.
Jim rolls her eyes and sets the ice cream down. "Look, I know you're pregnant and I know, by the looks of it, you haven't eaten anything in a while, which isn't good because you're the kind of person that likes to overwork yourself because of your massive control freak tendencies. Plus, I also happen to know you like strawberry. Like a lot. So there."
Jocelyn slowly lifts a finely arched brow and only she can make that not look ridiculous.
Jim is the one that ends up feeling ridiculous instead and her face burns. "Shut up," she grumbles. "I just-I notice things about people, okay? Especially the ones that have it out for me. I've seen you eat strawberry flavored things at least twelve different times."
Jocelyn doesn't stop looking at Jim like she's bizarre but she does pick up the ice cream cone and tears the wrapper off. She neatly licks away at it and Jim tries not to stare because Jocelyn appears to have a wickedly clever tongue. After a while, Jocelyn notices that Jim's staring and she lifts her eyebrow again but she doesn't stop licking.
Jim reddens and she looks away as she shoves the rest of her gooey mud fug sandwich in her mouth.
"Thank you," Jocelyn says after a long while.
Jim is halfway through her second mud fug sandwich when she hears it and she almost chokes because Jocelyn sounds completely genuine and not spiteful or critical or with any of her usual animosity. She mentally flounders for a bit before she replies, "No problem. Can't let the woman who's judging my every move in this competition faint because of malnourishment."
"Don't press your luck," Jocelyn calmly warns as she stands with the cone. "Get back to your post, Ms. Kirk. No more snack breaks."
"There's the Jocelyn I know. I knew she was still in there somewhere," Jim sarcastically drawls.
Jocelyn ignores the comment as she clicks away in her expensive pumps and disappears from sight. But then she reappears with this odd little smirk and says, "Oh, and one more thing before I forget. You ever tell anyone about what just happened, I will-"
"Jesus, I got it," Jim says with an exasperated frown. "Blah, blah, threat. Relax. Your business is your business."
"And don't ever forget it," Jocelyn adds, always fond of being the one to have the last word. She purposefully gives her cone a long (absolutely filthy) lick as she maintains eye contact with Jim and smirks. She clicks away again, but this time for good.
Jim's cheeks are burning and she shakes her head as she finishes up her M&M's ice cream cone. When she does, she finds a bathroom to pee and wash her sticky hands. She returns to the kids shortly after and smiles at their eagerness to read the finished products of their stories. She sits down with the group of kids as one by one, the go to the front of that group and tells their stories.
Her attention is divided because she can't help but to notice that Wallace is missing. Nevertheless, she cheers and applauds and encourages the kids as they go up and dramatically relay their story to the group. After everyone tells their story, they start to have this sort of dance party slash game of 'Simon Says'.
When it's gets dark and visiting hours are coming to an end, Allison and Serene come to collect Jim.
The kids boo and whine, claiming they want Jim to stay and spend the night because she's so much fun.
Jim sadly declines with the help of the supervising nurse, who begins to usher them off to their designated beds for dinner and eventually sleep.
"You guys go on, I'll be down at the bus in a minute," Jim promises.
Serene crosses her arms and huffs, "Yeah, well, don't take forever. I hear we're eatin' at the Grand Palace buffet for dinner and if you make me miss that, I will literally rip out your spinal cord and play jump rope with it." She then smiles like a shark before she glides from the room.
"That girl scares me," Allison says with a dramatic shudder.
Jim hums with a nod before she watches Allison follow after her. She wanders over the supervising nurse and asks, "Hey, um, about one of the kids. His name is Wallace Mitchell-I didn't get a chance to say goodbye."
"That's unfortunate. His mother and father just came to collect him for the weekend before the father returns back to the Academy for his schoolin'," the nurse explains.
"Oh, okay," Jim says and she knows she sounds disappointed. "Well tell him that I really enjoyed his company."
The nurse nods before she goes back to tending to the children.
Jim waves at them all before she makes her way out and down to the shuttle bus. She climbs in and sits beside Allison as they wait for the rest of the girls. When everyone is all assembled, they take the drive out to the Grand Palace buffet for dinner.
Jim sits with Eleanora and Pauline at their own table and they begin to discuss and prepare for the festival tomorrow. She has to sadly explain that she still has no idea what kind of talent she wants to display. She's not much of an entertainer but she can play the guitar now, yet that may not be enough.
Eleanora and Pauline then go back and forth about different ideas until its time for everyone to return to the hotel. They invite Jim up to their room so they can continue this line of discussion.
Pauline gives Jim a manicure/pedicure, adds extensions to her hair, spreads some kind of lime green mask over Jim's face, and starts pinning up her hair with large styling rollers.
Eleanora has Jim stand on the coffee table when Pauline finishes her handiwork. She says, "Let's go over the speech you're gonna give once they call you to the stage."
Jim exhales and straightens her posture.
"Relax, Jamie. Try not to stand like someone is holdin' a gun to your back," Eleanora instructs with humor. "Think light, graceful, like a fallin' feather."
Jim's face twists as she attempts to channel that.
Eleanora sighs.
Pauline chuckles. "I got it," she says and pats the back of Eleanora's hand affectionately. She stands and joins Jim on the table. "Alright. I'm gonna teach you a trick I use to give to the models I toured with. What you gotta do is display yourself like a queen. Now, in order to do such, what you wanna do is come really tight from your core." She pats Jim's stomach. "Relax the shoulders." She slides her hands down over Jim's shoulders. "Make your neck long like a swan." She gently lifts Jim's chin. "And think, 'murder'."
Jim snorts but she does, turning elegantly to face Eleanora.
Eleanora presses a hand to the base of her neck and she shakes her hand in fond bafflement. "My Lord, Pauline, you are an absolute miracle worker," she declares.
Pauline winks before she climbs down carefully and returns to the couch. "Now, your majesty, you may commence with your speech."
Jim grins and begins speaking the rehearsed lines, correcting any errors that Eleanora and Pauline point out. She then grabs the acoustic guitar and plays a simple song that's pretty average but has a bit of touching sentiment to it.
Eleanora and Pauline still look unsure about it but they keep their comments to themselves, instead, choosing to just hope for the best.
Jim runs through this routine over and over until everyone is satisfied with it and she yawns tiredly. She hugs Eleanora and Pauline on her way out the door and returns to her room. She's not even slightly surprised that Allison and Serene are in the living room area watching a gory horror movie with Allison practically in Serene's lap out of fear while Serene just watches with a gleefully entertained grin.
Jim declines their offer to join and she slides under the cool sheets of her plush bed.
And like all the other previous nights, Jim falls asleep with Bones wrapped up in her thoughts and prayers.
888
Sunday - July 12th - Noon
Fallen Heroes Festival
The festival's being held in the metropolitan's main park. It's crowded by the masses of people and their families and the sponsors of the events. At the center of the park, away from the concession stands and the game stands and the carnival rides, there is a large black stage where well-known solo musicians, bands and other entertainers play their sets.
Jim's stomach is up in knots, and she feels just a bit ridiculous in this old Starfleet uniform (even though all the other girls are wearing them too). She doesn't feel like it falls right, and though Pauline had done a killer job with her makeup and with her hair (electing to give her the kind of up-do that fit with the timeframe of the old uniform), she still feels silly.
Rosemary Suarez had warned them that they would be going on stage later that evening, and until then, they should just enjoy the festival but not too much that they'd miss their slot.
Jim is currently eating away at a glazed pretzel as she watches Serene drag Allison on every carnival ride they find since Jim had declined being her ride buddy. Of course, Jim would have loved nothing more than to climb on some rides, but she's pregnant and that's not exactly safe. So, Jim just stays content with gorging herself on festival drinks and treats, careful to avoid anything that could flare up any of her allergies.
Time flies quicker than Jim would like, and before she knows it, they're being herded together by Mrs. Gloria Albright and guided to the back area of the stage. They're lined up in order and Jim isn't sure if it's a blessing that she's last or a curse.
Jim straps on the cherry red acoustic guitar that Pauline and Eleanora had gifted to her a few days prior and she tries not to puke from anxiety alone.
"Jim?"
Jim blinks and turns to see none other than Wallace Mitchell. He's got a stick of cotton candy clenched between the robotic fingers of his prosthetic hand while his real hand is holding a huge waffle cone of chocolate/vanilla swirl.
"Hey! Wallace, I didn't know you were here," Jim says as she leaves her place in the slow moving lineup of anxiously fidgeting girls. "You here with your parents?"
Wallace nods and he uses his head to gesture behind him where Gary Mitchell and a Hispanic woman are talking with another couple. "My mom and I come to the festival every year, and sometimes my dad joins us when he can," he explains. He takes a moment to eye her and the guitar attached to her. "You up to something?"
"Unfortunately," Jim drawls before she shrugs. "I'm apart of this pageant and-" A thought suddenly occurs to her. "You didn't get to display your fairytale yesterday."
Wallace shifts but he smiles timidly. "I didn't have much anyway. Just a song."
Jim slowly starts to smile. "How would you like to do me a tremendous favor?"
Wallace frowns curiously.
"I think you should ask your parents first," Jim supposes as she returns to her spot in line. "You don't suffer from stage fright, do you?"
Wallace expression clears into comprehension as he starts to get what she's indirectly asking. "No. I used to do talent shows before my accident, um, did you want me to-"
Jim nods before he can even finish.
Wallace considers that for a moment before he straightens with a determined look. "I'll be right back, Jim," he promises and he goes to his parents.
Jim watches as he hands over his cotton candy and ice cream to his mom as Gary rests his hand on the crown of Wallace's head while they both listen to his petition. His mother frowns thoughtfully but Gary shrugs with a slight grin, saying something that gets her to give a reluctant nod.
Wallace hugs Gary happily and then his mom before he joins Jim in the lineup.
Jim waves and smiles to Wallace's parents when they glance over before she turns her attention away. She gives a brief explanation to Wallace about what would be happening and he nods with a sober expression. Jim can't help but to think that if she was a queen, then Wallace was her little knight in shining armor, honor bound to offer his services during these 'trying' times.
When Jim is called to the stage, she and Wallace walk up the steps together and she walks over to the mic, trying not to calculate how many people are in the crowd.
Jocelyn and the other judges are standing at the other end of the stage, watching her curiously.
Jim touches her hand to the microphone on its slim stand and she remembers everything that she went through with Eleanora and Pauline. So she stands like a queen and commands the attention of the audience and says, "My name is Jim Kirk. I know a lot of you recognize my last name and its association with my father, George Kirk, who was a fallen hero in his own right. A lot of times when I think of courage, I think of my father and the sacrifice he made when he, during his time at Starfleet Academy, manned a Starfleet shuttle, and with impossible calculations, managed to damage and intercept a foreign drill before it could wipe out Earth. That at the cost of his life, he was able to drive away our mysterious alien attackers, and save our planet from certain doom. This is why I can I completely understand what those of you who's had ancestors perish in the Earth-Romulan War in efforts to protect and preserve all that we hold dear on our planet. We've come to learn that the universe is vast and contains so much that we still don't know. But in all this, I think it is important for us to remember, as our fallen heroes had, what it is worth fighting for. So my dear friend, Wallace Mitchell, is going to help me sing the Anthem of the United Federation of Planets. Please feel free to join us." She lowers the microphone stand as Wallace steps up to take her place.
A stage worker quickly brings Jim another mic and an accompanying stand for her guitar before leaving again.
Wallace looks to Jim and Jim nods at him and begins to strum away at her guitar as he turns away and bravely sings.
The audience hushes, enraptured by the stylistic vocals of Wallace and Jim doesn't even blame them-the kid has beautiful pipes. She gets a bit teary-eyed as she continues to play and he continues to sing. Pretty soon everyone out in the audience is joining along, and there is a moment of lovely harmony.
In the end, Jim sniffs and wipes her tears as she goes to Wallace and hugs him as he hugs back with a few tears in his own eyes. They wave and exit the stage as there is a thunderous moment of applause and cheers.
"Damn, Jim. You blew us out of the water with that one," Serene complains as she and the other girls gather around them when they come down the stairs to the back area.
"You are so gonna win this thing," Allison says, a bit woefully and the other ladies hiss at her. "What? She is."
Jim smiles self-consciously and shrugs as she ruffles Wallace's curls. "It was this guy right here. I didn't do a thing," she claims.
"It was clever," Nicki Jones decides. "There's no way the judges won't consider it."
The other ladies nod in agreement.
Zonta, who's been avoiding Jim like the plague all weekend, walks over to Wallace and says, "You have such a gorgeous voice."
Wallace cheeks turn pink and he ducks his gaze. "Thank you," he mumbles.
Zonta smiles at him but she doesn't spare Jim a glance as she walks away.
"Well, hell," Ruby Chatterjee huffs amusedly. "I thought I was a pro at givin' the cold shoulder. You two got beef or somethin'?"
The other ladies look on with interest for her answer.
Jim grins tightly. "It's complicated," she says as evenly as possible. "Excuse me. I've got to return him to his family." She's glad she has an excuse to flee from all those curious eyes.
Wallace is quietly smiling, sensing her discomfort. He barely makes it a few more steps before he's being ambushed in a hug by his mother, who has tears and mascara running down her cheeks. She's frantically kissing around Wallace's face, exclaiming how proud of him she is.
His father, Gary, is looking on at the two of them with a soft kind of fond proudness.
Jim decides to slip away, feeling like she's intruding on a private family moment, but before she can completely disappear, someone grabs her hand.
It's Wallace. His face is smeared in lipstick marks. "Jim. Thank you. I haven't done anything normal in a long while," he says and he smiles. "I don't know when we'll see each other again but-"
"I'm sure we will," Jim promises.
"Yeah, but if we don't," Wallace continues and he uses a pen to write his comm link in her hand. "Please call me once and a while."
Jim takes the pen from him and returns the favor. "Please call me," she echoes with a small grin. "You did me a huge favor. Let me know if there's something I can do for you."
Wallace nods and he waves a reluctant goodbye before he returns to his parents.
Jim wanders off to find Eleanora and Pauline, who congratulate her on a job well done. It's not too long after that before they're all hustling and bustling to the luxury buses so they can return to Hudson Hill. Their entire luggage is packed and stored away from this morning, so all they have to do is climb on their respective buses. Jim doesn't make the mistake of getting on the bus with the ladies and Eleanora somehow talks Jocelyn into letting Jim on their bus.
Jim settles in the back beside a window with Eleanora flocking her side while Pauline sits in the aisle seat across from them. She's tired (always tired) and she puts on her large headphones and pulls up her music library on her PADD before she curls up in her seat and leans against the cool window. The bus rocks her to sleep and Eleanora throws a thin fleece blanket over her, which she kicks off because it's too hot.
By the time they arrive in Hudson Hill, it's close to eight p.m. and the sun is just beginning to set.
Jim climbs into Eleanora's truck as Eleanora and Pauline sort out the luggage. The drive back to the house is short and quiet.
Once their clothes and everything is sorted out and put away (and Jim changes into something more comfortable, like a scandalously short, aquamarine silk and lace nightgown). She foregoes wearing a bra because it would only agitate her already tender chest, and to be honest, the cool slick of the nightgown is all too soothing in a lot of ways against her skin. She waltzes down to the kitchen, where Pauline and Eleanora are making chicken potpie from scratch before she tucks away in the living room with her communicator.
Jim curls up on the couch as she anxiously eyes the blank touchscreen of her communicator. It takes a while before she can muster up the courage to send off a quick text to Bones.
*Are we still in a fight?
Jim gnaws on her bottom lip nervously until she can taste a bit of blood. She soothes the small cut with the tip of her tongue as she waits and waits and waits.
Finally, she gets a reply.
**You make my life unpredictable.
Jim laughs and feels the knot of anxiety in her chest loosen as she responds.
*You drive me crazy, you know that right? I could choke you as much as I could kiss you.
**Glad the feeling is mutual.
Jim grins as she nibbles on her bottom lip and types out a reply. She hesitates with it a first, feeling vulnerable and uncertain, but in the end, she braves the unknown and just sends it.
*I miss you.
Bones's reply is instantaneous.
**Me too. Always.
Jim feels her cheeks heat up and she throws her communicator to the other side of the couch before she covers her face with her hands. She makes a few incoherent sounds and shakes her head against the giddy, elated feeling that tries to bubble up in her as if she were some twelve year old with a stupid crush. She doesn't have a crush, okay? She just really likes Bones as a person and he's quickly becoming her best friend and that's the end of it.
Jim huffs out a sigh as she drops her hands to her side. She gets herself together and grabs her communicator so she can type out her next reply.
*Me and Jellybean are fine by the way. If you were wondering.
**Jellybean?
*Our baby.
**Interesting. And of course I wonder. It's all I can think about.
Jim wiggles her mouth against the smile she wants to give. She types out her reply but he's got another text coming in before she can.
**I heard you had your first prenatal appointment with Dr. Becker. How was it?
*Fine. Normal.
Jim waits a bit before she adds another text.
*You should've been there.
**I should've.
Jim brushes her fingernails against the seam of her bottom lip as a wave of guilt and regret washes over her. She types out her next text.
*The next one is on the 22nd. We'll find out the gender together.
**I'll be there.
*And from now on, let's agree that when we fight that it's never like this. It shouldn't get to the point where we aren't talking at all.
**I agree. I'm sorry.
*Not as much as me.
**Believe me. I am. I shouldn't have tried to pressure you to stay or not go for what you want.
*But you were right about the whole stability thing. I haven't had much luck with it and I was being selfish. I wasn't thinking about the baby when I said those things. I was thinking about me and how I felt. I was unhappy.
**Was.
*?
**You said you 'were' unhappy. What changed?
*The baby did. And it's not like I feel like I have a new purpose in life or anything. It's just that I have a better sense of direction. Life's too short to be sitting around miserable and me being pregnant isn't a curse.
**I'm glad you feel that way. I always thought it was amazing. You're amazing.
*Stop flirting.
**You're the mother of my child. I'll flirt all I like.
Jim snickers and types out a reply.
*I want you to know that I decided what I wanted to do with my life. With my future.
**I'm all ears. I'll support you no matter what it is.
Jim smiles at that. She types out the next text.
*Starfleet.
**I lied. That's a terrible idea and I can't possibly support that.
*BONES!
**Fine. Fine. You wanna go up into outer space with all that madness then I wont stop you. I guess all I can do is follow and pray God have mercy on us all.
Jim blinks in surprise and she rereads that text at least six more times before it sinks in. She types out a reply.
*No way are you coming?! Like are you serious? What about Jocelyn and Joanna?
**Joyce and I are working that out. I think she's going to agree with my petition for full custody. Joyce wants to move to New York to run for mayoral office and she's gonna have to realize that she's not gonna be able to divide her attention. We can give it a few years of Joanna being with me and see what happens. Things change.
*Wow. I don't know what to think. I just think that Jocelyn would totally be against me being around Joanna and stuff.
**Don't be an idiot. Her opinion is irrelevant when it comes to our business and our child. I'm coming with you and that's the end of it.
*But what about your family clinic and your mother and your life here?
**My cousin Robert will be fine to take over in my absence. My momma will be fine and my life is with Joanna and with you and with our kid. Hudson Hill will always be here waiting for me. Can I say the same about you, Jim?
Damn it, that clever bastard has a point. Who knows where Jim will be in three years? Especially since she's going to be packing up and shipping out to join arms with Starfleet. She wants to be a Captain. Something in her gut is telling her that she'd be excellent in the command track and she won't know for sure unless she tries.
Jim types out her next text.
*We're still not in a relationship and I'm not going to marry you and you can't blame me if things don't work out with Starfleet.
**You done?
Jim rolls her eyes but she can't help the small grin that spreads on her lips.
**I don't need anything other than what you wanna give me. I mean that. Just don't run from me. Don't chase me off. And don't be afraid to talk to me about anything. I'll give you the same courtesy. You know I will.
Jim gnaws on her bottom lip as she rereads the text and moves to go to the kitchen when Eleanora calls her for dinner. She keeps her communicator in her lap as she eats and thinks long and hard on her reply. In the end, she just stops stressing it and sends something legitimately simple.
*I'll be fair.
**Damn right you will.
Jim laughs and ignores the amused glances that Eleanora and Pauline send her. She shuts off her communicator and she concentrates on eating instead. She is noticeably chipper, she realizes, but that's just because. Just because.
Jim blends herself a fruit smoothie after she finishes her dinner and she carries it (along with her communicator) out to the back porch. She settles down on the middle of the porch swing with both of her bare feet brushing the smooth floorboards while the swing sways. She admires the stillness of the night and the serene sounds of nature.
Eleanora and Pauline bid her a goodnight before they disappear upstairs.
Jim swallows the last of her smoothie as she checks her communicator screen for the millionth time but it's still blank.
"Waitin' for somethin'?" a gruff voice says to her immediate right.
Jim jumps and chokes in terror. She whips her gaze and sees Bones standing right there with a small brown paper bag in his hand and a smirk on his face. "You asshole," she hisses as she stands and punches him in the shoulder. "You scared me half to death!" she complains.
Bones doesn't look the least bit sorry for it. He shoves the paper bag into her chest and ignores the way she hisses in complaint.
Jim glares at him but she sits back down and opens the bag to see what's inside. When she does, she laughs. She pulls out a small jar of Greek olives. "Bones, what did I tell you about trying to woo me?"
Bones lowers himself to his knees before her before he grabs her left foot and begins to massage it. "M'not," he denies. "I'm doin' a favor for my pregnant best friend."
Jim twists the cap off with a small smile. "Best friend?"
Bones scowls at her and dares her to argue the point.
Jim just laughs and wiggles her foot in his magical hands. "Don't look at me like that. I'm just surprised to hear you say it. I mean I was always suspicious that we were, but I figured I'd let you work that out," she says with a slight grin before she pops an olive in her mouth with a sigh.
Bones rubs his thumbs up and down the soles of her left foot before he switches to the right.
Jim fidgets as the gentle touch shoots sparks up and down her calf muscles and causes a pool of warmth to flood her lower gut. She pops a few more olives in her mouth and clamps her thighs together.
Bones leans forward and kisses her right knee and then moves up higher to kiss her stomach before his lips find hers.
Jim sinks into it and she has to fumble with the jar of olives for a moment before she can put them on the ground.
Bones's fingers curl around the soft curve of her inner knee and he uses that grip to tug her forward so that she can wrap her legs around his waist. He picks her up and turns, taking her place on the swing so that she can straddle him.
Jim twists her fingers in his soft hair as she presses closer, sucking on his tongue as she angles his head back so that she bite on his lower lip in frustration.
Bones rumbles and his large hands slide along the outside of her legs, gripping at her thighs before he slides past the hem of her nightgown to find the elastic band of her underwear. He tugs sharply and they rip, leaving behind a slight sting on her inner thighs.
Jim's kisses turn a little desperate as she reaches down between them to yank open the fastenings of his fly, drawing her hand inside to pull him out. She coils her tongue against his as she lifts her hips slightly before she steadies his cock under her and sinks down on him with a quiet gasp.
Bones stamps a trail of wet, biting kisses down her freckled neck to her collarbone as he tugs the straps of her nightgown down, exposing her breasts to the cool night air.
Jim makes a small sound as she starts swaying her hips back and forth, building up a breathless rhythm that causes the chains holding the swing up to squeak in protest. She moans and trembles as he closes his mouth over her right nipple, thrusting up as she rides down. She gasps as she rotates her hips and grinds down against him as his nails scratch down her back.
Bones grunts and lifts his head to pull her head down into a desperate kiss and Jim pulls away with a breathless laugh as she works her hips faster, holding his gaze as she moans and moves faster. He wraps his arms around her and presses her closer so that their chests are touching.
Jim feels a flush break out across her body and her thighs tremble from the burn of riding him as enthusiastically as she is. God she wants this so bad-missed the intimacy so much. She kisses him again and folds her arms around his neck as she tangles a hand in his hair, gasping again when he thrusts up roughly. Her orgasm slams into her entire body unexpectedly and races across her skin like delicious licks of flames until she's sobbing against his lips, hips jerking in a skewed pattern as Bones writhes under her as he comes.
When Jim falls back into her body again, her forehead is pressing against Bones's and their breathing together with their arms around each other. She shifts up until he isn't inside of her anymore and he tucks himself away before he tugs down her nightgown and pulls the straps over her shoulders again.
Jim sighs and drops her forehead to his collarbone and just breathes him in as he rubs his hands up and down her back. "Stay," she murmurs.
"Hm?"
Jim lifts her head and says, "Stay. I want you to stay."
Bones studies her face before he nods.
Jim gingerly climbs off him and moves to grab the jar of olives and her communicator. She puts the olives away in the fridge before she tangles her fingers with his and leads him up to her room. She climbs into bed with him and hugs a pillow to her chest as he hugs her to his. She presses a hand to her lower stomach and his hand joins hers there.
Jim doesn't have a prayer to say tonight because its already been answered.
Resolution.
Chapter 8
Author's Note: Questions? Comments? Concerns?