Storytime with Rachel F Hundred

The clatter of the breakfast tray brought Jim back to consciousness.  He sighed and rubbed his eyes as the pretty blond nurse smiled apologetically.

“Sorry, Captain,” she darted away before he could reply.

Waking up in the sickbay wasn’t that unusual.  It was depressing because, well, it was the sickbay, and that meant he’d been injured, or in a fight, or injured in a fight, or if he was really unlucky, had accidentally run into something which triggered his many allergies.

He pried his eyes open and looked about the bright space.  Day shift then, Jim surmised.  He started to push at the thin blanket and wriggled into a sitting position.

He wasn’t at all surprised that even that minimum movement brought Bones out of his nearby office.  He slumped back on the thin pillow with an audible huff.

“Morning to you too, you infant,” Bones greeted him gruffly.  He was already snapping open the medical tricorder and scanning Jim, correlating its diagnostics with whatever the medical bed was telling him.

“What happened?” asked Jim, his eyes widening at the croakiness of his own voice.  He reached for the water on the bedside cabinet.

“What happened is you passed out in the middle of your weekly chess game with the hobgoblin,” Bones said, “that’s what happened.”

Jim sipped his water.  He had a vague memory of moving his Knight and… “Damn it, I had him in check!”

“Well, you check out,” Bones said suspiciously, “there’s nothing wrong with you.”

“That’s good, isn’t it?” Jim posited with a flap of his hand over his chest.

Bones folded his arms and looked at him with a seriousness that Jim disliked intently.  “People don’t pass out for no reason, Jim.”

“I’m fine,” Jim retorted straight away. 

“Are you stressed about the mission?” asked Bones.

“No,” Jim answered honestly.  “I’m looking forward to seeing the historical annals of the Nibrudko.”

“I think you actually mean that,” Bones said, staring at him.

Jim rolled his eyes.  “I can get excited about a diplomatic mission, Bones.” 

In fact, he was looking forward to the break it represented from some of the border patrolling and skirmishes they’d spent three months handling.

“My God, I think you might actually be growing up!” Bones declared sarcastically.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Bones,” Jim retorted.

Bones harrumphed.  “Eat your breakfast and you can leave,” he declared.  “I’ll even clear you for duty, but I want your promise that if you start to feel weird you’ll come back and I want you back in twenty-four hours so I can rerun some tests and rule some things out.”

Jim grimaced.  “Is that necessary, Bones?”

“Jim, three years ago, you were dead,” Bones pointed out, “we have no idea of the long term side effects on your body of Khan’s blood or the original radiation.”  His dark eyes met Jim’s.  “Humour me, kid.”

Jim sighed.  He’d never been able to deny Bones when he brought out the ‘you died and I did experimental shit to bring you back’ card or when he was in his ‘I care about you, Jim’ mode, probably because too few people had ever been in ‘I care about you, Jim’ mode. 

“Fine,” Jim agreed, “I’ll eat my breakfast, come back if there are issues, and return for tests tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” Bones said with exaggerated sweetness.  He passed Jim his breakfast tray.  “Eat up.”  He smirked and walked away.

Jim looked at the unappetising oatmeal, banana and small cup of juice.  But he gamely picked up his spoon and dug in.

o-O-o

Jim walked confidently into the transporter room and nodded at Spock who immediately made his way to his side.

“Captain,” Spock’s eyes swept over him.  “Our luggage has already beamed down to the quarters assigned to us for the duration of our stay.  I trust you are recovered.”

“Do you think I would have let him out of my sickbay if he wasn’t?” questioned Bones caustically.

“You have released the Captain before he is fully recovered twelve point two per cent of the occasions when he has spent the night in the sickbay,” Spock remarked.

“Why you…”

“And we’re leaving,” Jim declared brightly.  He exchanged a brief look of amusement with Scotty.  He motioned at the transporter pads. 

Two security guards in red shirts took the spaces at the back along with two science officers, Kilpatrick and Jumo. Uhura stepped up, taking her place alongside Spock and Bones took the position on the other side of Jim.

Jim nodded at Scotty.  “Open a channel to the bridge, Mister Scott.”

Scotty nodded and pressed a button on the panel in front of him.

“Bridge, this is Captain Kirk, the landing party is beaming to Nibrudko on schedule,” Jim reported crisply.

“Understood, Captain,” Sulu’s measured and calm response sounded from the speakers, “safe travels, sir.”

“Look after my ship, Mister Sulu,” Jim ordered.  He gave Scott the signal to close the channel.  “Beam us down, Scotty.”

The transporter effect took hold almost immediately.

There was a moment’s disorientation as they rematerialized, but Jim shook it off without thought.  He smiled automatically at the three aliens standing in front of him.  Just as the first contact team from the U.S.S. Mayflower had reported they looked like bald cats with their cat’s eyes, pointed ears and prominent whiskers.  They were humanoid otherwise; two arms, two legs, and no tail.

“Minister Dubb,” Jim said with a small bow, “I am most pleased to make your acquaintance.”

“Captain Kirk,” Minister Dubb returned the bow, “we are pleased to welcome you to the Hall of Nibrudko.”

Jim introduced his team and was in turn introduced to Historians Kaleb and Priyanka.

“We’re very much looking forward to the opportunity to study your historical records,” Jim said politely.

Dubb nodded.  “We are hoping that you will consent to providing some first hand accounts of your own to add to our collection.”

“I’m sure we can accommodate that,” Jim agreed readily.

It was a great start and Jim happily settled into the mission as they found their way into a large library which reached up to the sky and was filled with silver cannisters.

It wasn’t too long before Jim found himself alone with Priyanka and Bones in a recording booth – Bones was obviously still mother-henning him because he had insisted on coming along.

“What account would you like to record, Captain?” Priyanka smiled at him, revealing neat feline teeth with sharpened fangs.  “I’m sure you have many wonderful stories to share.”

Behind her, Bones rolled his eyes at the blatant flirting. 

“How about him saving Earth from Nero?” suggested Bones.  “That never gets old.”

Jim smiled at Priyanka.  “He’s right about that.”

Priyanka winked at him.  She opened a drawer and took out a small circular device.  Jim reared back as she went to place it on the side of face just above and to the side of his eyebrow. 

“Not hang on a minute,” Bones ordered.  “What in the Sam Hill do you think you’re doing?”

Priyanka frowned and blinked.  “This is our recording device,” she explained.  “My apologies, Captain.  I thought you were aware.”

“Not aware,” Jim smiled to cover his previous alarm and to soften his and Bones’ reactions.  “Is that safe for humans?”

Priyanka tilted her head to the side as she considered the question.  “We have used it on many species without issue,” she said, “but we have not used it on a human before.”

Bones waved at her.  “Bring it here and I’ll scan it.” 

Jim waited impatiently as Bones ran his medical tricorder over it. 

“Hmmm,” Bones said, “it seems harmless enough although we won’t know for certain until someone tries it.”

“Well, no time like the present,” joked Jim.

Priyanka approached it and he let her attach it.  He grimaced at the pinch as it settled into place.  He wasn’t surprised when Bones started scanning him immediately.

“Everything looks fine,” Bones confirmed with a nod.

Jim smiled at Priyanka again and began talking.  He started from the moment he’d woken up from his allergy issue and realised there was a problem.

It was late when they reconvened with Minister Dubb for a dinner and drinks event.  When it was over Jim went to his guest quarters in the Ministry tired but pleased with how the mission was going. 

His door chimed.

Jim stopped in the middle of taking off his gold shirt and called out for whoever it was to enter. 

Priyanka slinked in.  She had dressed in an almost transparent white gown; low cut at the front showing off her cleavage, slits up either side of her skirt to reveal long willowy legs and low at the back, revealing a stripe of grey fur.

“Captain,” Priyanka wasted no time in grasping Jim’s face and kissing him.

Jim enjoyed the kiss, he enjoyed the kiss very much, but…he pushed her away.  “Historian Priyanka, I am deeply flattered and I really wish I could…”

She kissed him again before he managed to hold her at bay.

“Really wish I could,” Jim repeated, “but I have to decline.  It’s against regulations for Starfleet officers on missions to…to…” he gestured between them.

Priyanka’s face filled with disappointment.  “Are you certain you cannot break such a regulation, Captain?”

“I really wish I could,” Jim repeated again with a wry smile, “but I have to set an example for my crew.”

There were also a number of regulations in place to seek permission if a couple met and wanted to explore something further, but Jim had no intention of going there, just as he had no intention of courting trouble when they were on a mission.  Even if it had been a long time since he’d had sex with anything other than his own hand. 

He felt a moment’s regret at how Carol Marcus had left after their ill-fated six months long relationship.  He had thought they’d been doing OK right up until she’d broken up with him all very amicably by declaring it just wasn’t working for her anymore, and then announced her intention to transfer.

Priyanka sighed.  “Then I will simply look forward to spending time with you tomorrow, Captain.”

“Me too,” Jim said, “I mean, I look forward to spending time with you tomorrow too.”

He showed her out only wincing a little at a smirking and knowing Bones catching them as he entered his own room.  

Bones motioned at Jim as Priyanka sashayed down the hallway.  “Everything OK?”

Jim managed a smile.  “Couldn’t face the paperwork,” he quipped.

Bones rolled his eyes at him.  “Get some sleep, Jim.”

Jim sighed tiredly.  He was beat. He quickly did his bathroom routine, stripped to his boxer briefs and clambered into the oval bed.  It was soft and comforting.  Perfect.

He closed his eyes. 

All in all, it had been a good day.

o-O-o

The rattle of a breakfast tray yanked Jim out of sleep and into wakefulness within a single heartbeat.  His eyes snapped open.

“I am sorry for the disturbance, Captain,” a mature male nurse bustled away before Jim could reply.

“What?” Jim croaked.  He rubbed his eyes and looked around at the sickbay.  How had he ended up in the sickbay again?  Had he passed out?  In bed, asleep?  It seemed unlikely.  He sat up as Bones arrived and started scanning him.

“What happened?” Jim asked, reaching for the water.  “I was fine when I went to sleep.”

Bones glared at him.  “You didn’t go to sleep.  You passed out!”

“No,” Jim said slowly, “I distinctly remember getting into bed on Nibrudko – it was a great bed, Bones, don’t tell me you didn’t like yours, you love soft beds, and then I’m here.”

Bones frowned heavily, his brow creasing.  “Jim, you were playing chess with Spock and you passed out.  The Nibrudko mission is today.”

“No,” Jim repeated, “I passed out playing with Spock, sure, but that wasn’t last night, that was…” he stopped and looked at Bones.  “Oh, no.”

Bones raised one eyebrow sharply as he folded his arms.  “That doesn’t fill me with confidence, Jim.”

Jim flapped his hand around.  “I’m in a time loop.”

Bones’ eyebrows furrowed. “You’re in a time loop.”

“Yes,” Jim said firmly.  “I’m telling you, Bones.  I woke up exactly like this yesterday…well, my yesterday.  You haven’t been able to find out why I passed out; you’re concerned it’s something to do with my miracle death cure.  You ordered me to eat breakfast, return to the sickbay if I felt strange and I was meant to go back for tests today, I mean tomorrow.”

Bones stared at him.  “You really believe that.”

Jim rolled his eyes at his best friend.  “Bones!”

“Alright, alright,” Bones said, “say this is on the up and up.  Why do you know you’re in a time loop and I don’t?”

Jim thought for a moment.  “The Nibrudko recording device.” He made a gesture.  “It’s never been used on a human before and I used it for the first time on the mission.”

“Of all the irresponsible…”

“You scanned it and said it was fine!” Jim pointed out strongly before Bones could get going.

Bones harrumphed.  “OK, say I believe you.  What do we do to break the time loop?”

“We need to brief the landing party,” Jim determined, “and I don’t use the device in this loop.  That should break it, right?”

“Probably,” Bones said, “if your theory is correct.”

“Of course my theory’s correct!” Jim protested.  “It’s my theory.”

Bones sighed heavily.  “I’ll get a briefing set up,” he conceded, “in the meantime, eat your breakfast.”

Jim grimaced and reached for the tray.

Oatmeal, banana and juice.

He was definitely having bacon tomorrow, Jim decided. 

o-O-o

The briefing wasn’t going well.

Spock had his ‘I do not believe we are in a time loop and I am humouring you, Captain” face on.  Uhura’s eyebrows got higher with every sentence.  At least Jumo and Kilpatrick and the two security officers seemed inclined to take him at face value.  Bones sat with folded arms and a grumpy expression.

“So,” Jim said, wrapping up, “we don’t use the recording device, any of us.” He tapped the table.  “Are we agreed?”

“If your theory is correct and we are indeed in a time loop and the device is the source of this loop, it is logical to theorise that not using the device will break the loop,” Spock agreed.  His dark eyes flickered to Bones.  “Perhaps it would be wise for me to examine the device this time.”

Bones’ brow lowered ominously.

“Excellent,” Jim stood up.  “Let’s get to it!  We don’t want to be late.”

They made their way to the transporter room.  

Jim went through the routine of greetings and introductions.  He buried a tiny feeling of impatience at the repetition and reminded himself that the others hadn’t been through it before.

It seemed like hours passed before he was back in the booth with Priyanka and Bones.  Spock had followed them in to examine the device.

Spock ran his tricorder over the circular device and frowned.  “I believe it would be prudent to wait until we can run simulations and tests on the Enterprise before such a device is used by one of our crew, Captain.”

Jim preened at how well Spock had given them an excuse to avoid using the device.  He gave an apologetic smile to Priyanka.  “My apologies, Historian, perhaps I can give you a verbal record on one of our recording devices?”

“That will be an acceptable alternative,” Priyanka agreed, smiling widely at him.

Spock frowned at the feline historian’s obvious flirting.

Instead of the original story Jim had told he regaled Priyanka with a recent mission story which showed the Federation in its best light. 

They stopped for dinner and Jim drew Spock and Bones aside.

“What did you find out about the device, Spock?” Jim asked bluntly.

Spock lifted an eyebrow.  “It appears to be exactly what the Nibrudko claim it to be; a simple recording device.”

Jim blinked at him.

“Ha!” Bones said in a tone which proclaimed ‘I told you so.’

Jim frowned.  “Well, let’s keep our eyes and ears open then, in case the device isn’t at the root of this.”

“Of course, Captain,” Spock agreed. 

He hesitated which was unusual for Spock and Jim lifted an eyebrow of his own in mute query.

Spock pressed his lips together.  “You are certain that your confusion is not related to a medical condition?”

“I’m fine, Spock.”

“He’s fine, Spock.

Both he and Bones spoke together.  They exchanged a quick glance before returning their attention to Spock.

“I wouldn’t have let him leave sickbay if he wasn’t fully recovered!” Bones stated angrily.

“On the contrary, Doctor, you have allowed the Captain to leave on twelve point eight per cent of the occasions when he has frequented sickbay…”

“Gentlemen!” Jim got between them before Bones decked their first officer.  “Spock, I’m fine and my thinking this is a time loop isn’t me going crazy or related to my passing out at chess.”

Spock considered him for a long moment before conceding with an inclined head. 

“Good,” Jim said, “let’s get to dinner.”

There was nothing out of the ordinary at the meal.  Jim was careful to eat and drink exactly what Bones did.  He even waited until Bones left before leaving himself. 

“You really alright, Jim?” Bones asked as they hovered outside the doors to their rooms.

“Just tired,” Jim admitted.  “It’s been a long day.”

“Get some rest,” Bones said.  “Tomorrow is another day.” He waited a beat.  “You hope.”

Jim laughed at his friend’s attempt to cheer him up.  “See you tomorrow, Bones.”

“’Night, Jim,” Bones said.

Jim entered his bedroom with a relieved sigh.  He was in bed when he realised Priyanka hadn’t visited him as she had the previous loop.  He frowned but dismissed it from his mind; he’d left with Bones, maybe that had been enough to prevent her making a move.  He laughed a little at the idea of someone assuming he and Bones were together, although it had happened before.  He and Bones were close, people got the wrong impression. 

He loved Bones and Bones was an attractive man, exactly Jim’s type if he was honest, and he was smart, really smart and kind under the bluster, and he was Jim’s best friend…

It wouldn’t matter if he did like Bones, Jim told himself briskly.  Bones didn’t look at Jim that way and besides if the paperwork was bad for crewmembers wanting to get in a relationship with an alien, the paperwork for a Captain wanting to date a member of his own crew was terrifying.

Jim settled into the lovely soft plush bed and closed his eyes.  He tried to switch his brain off to sleep; to stop worrying over whether the time loop had been broken or not.  He resolutely did a breathing exercise Bones had taught him and somehow between one breath and another, he fell asleep.

o-O-o

The slide of a breakfast tray against the bedside cabinet had Jim jerking into wakefulness.  He gasped for breath as the Vendori nurse hurried away with a muttered apology.

“Not again!” Jim murmured.

“You mean you’ve passed out before and haven’t told me?” Bones snapped, walking up to his bed with his tricorder already out and scanning.

“No, I mean,” Jim struggled to push back the thick blanket and reached over to grab the juice on the breakfast tray, “this is my third time through this day.”

Bones stopped scanning him and stared at him.

“We’re in a time loop, Bones,” Jim continued, sipping the juice.  “I wake up every morning in sickbay.  I have breakfast, we go on the Nibrudko mission, I go to sleep on the planet and I wake up again here.”

Bones continued to stare at him.

“I promise I’m not having a mental break, Bones!” Jim said, reading the worry on his face.  “This is real.”

Bones sighed and rubbed his head tiredly.

“You believe me, right?” Jim pressed.  His heart pounded as he waited for Bones to answer.

“Medical bed says you’re not lying,” Bones said dryly.  He patted Jim’s arm, his hand lingering to comfort Jim for a long moment.  “I believe you, Jim.”  He straightened.  “What do you want to do?”

“We need to brief the senior team,” Jim said briskly.

“I’ll get it organised,” Bones said.  “You eat your breakfast.  I can’t find a damn thing wrong with you so your fainting fit last night was probably down to blood sugar.”

Bones walked off before Jim could protest.

He reviewed the breakfast tray with dismay and reached for the oatmeal.  He probably did need to eat.

o-O-o

The faces on his senior staff ranged from Scotty’s ‘are you pulling my leg?’ disbelief to Spock’s more restrained ‘I do not believe you but I am humouring you, Captain” version, with every variant in between.  Honestly, Jim was worried about what would happen if Chekov’s eyes got any wider.

Only Bones sitting beside him had any other expression and even then his was ‘I’m worried about Jim.’

Jim ended his report on the past two days and lifted his hand.  “Thoughts?” He turned to his left.  “Spock?”

“Are we certain the Captain is not suffering from a mental condition?” Spock asked Bones.

“I wouldn’t let him out of sickbay if I wasn’t sure he was recovered,” barked Bones defensively.

“Twelve point seven per cent of the time the Captain is in sickbay, you release him before he is fully recovered,” pointed out Spock.

“Spock,” Jim said forcefully, “I’m not sick.  I am in a time loop.”

“If you are indeed in a time loop,” Spock said after a long moment, “then logically we must find the source of the loop to stop it.”

“The Nibrudko device was a good guess, Captain,” Scotty chipped in.  “But if neither Doctor McCoy or Mister Spock found anything strange with it…” he opened his hands in a gesture Jim took to mean ‘it’s probably not the device.’

“However, the source of the issue is most probably on the planet below,” Spock concurred, “given that you go to sleep on the planet but wake up in the Enterprise sickbay.”

“I would also recommend we do a ship-wide scan for anomalies,” Sulu suggested.

“I would agree, Keptin,” Chekov said.  “Perhaps there is something which happened on the ship which caused the phenomenon.”

“Right,” Jim said.  “You can run a scan and update me during the night.”

Uhura stirred.  “Captain, do you wish to tell the Nibrudko of the situation?  If this is something on their planet, they may be able to assist.”

“There is nothing in the reports which indicates they have the level of technology required to initiate such a time loop,” Spock said.  “If this is the Nibrudko they may not appreciate us revealing what may be a secret project.”

Jim considered the options.  “Let’s try to solve it without informing them.  At this point we don’t know for certain it is their technology which is causing the loop.”

They all nodded.

“In which case, Captain, I suggest we proceed with the mission as planned,” Spock said.  “I would propose that you utilise the device this time so I may make an assessment while it is active.”

“Agreed,” Jim tapped the table.  “Let’s move.”

Beaming to the planet and going through the rigmarole of greetings and introductions made Jim’s skin itch with impatience. 

He battled through it and until he was back in the booth with Priyanka, Bones and Spock.  Bones and Spock still examined the device before it was placed on Jim’s head. 

Spock frowned half-way through Jim’s retelling of how he had come to enter Starfleet.

“What?” asked Jim.

“I am picking up a faint hint of quantum particles, Captain,” Spock confirmed.  “They are very faint but definitely present.”

Priyanka frowned.  “That is most unusual.  We have never seen such a thing before.”

“I believe I should continue taking readings, Captain,” Spock said, “they may be useful.”

“Continue, Mister Spock,” Jim agreed.  He was beginning to realise that it might take more than one loop to get to the bottom of the issue.

It looked like his fear was right.  They got to the end of the recording session without anything more than the hint of the quantum particles.

“It is fascinating, Captain,” Spock said as he, Bones and Jim reconvened to discuss the finding.  “I request permission to return to the Enterprise to examine the data more fully.”

“Permission granted, Mister Spock,” Jim said, “keep me informed.”

Spock opened his communicator and beamed away.

Bones clasped Jim’s shoulder.  “Come on, Jim.  Let’s get dinner and we can see where we’re at then.”

Jim nodded and went to do his duty.  He was at the end of the meal enjoying the rich chocolate-y taste of a drink Dubb had impressed upon them all to try when he noticed Priyanka and Kabel sneaking out of the hall.

Dubb coughed.  “My apologies, Captain.  They are recently mated and so…” he shrugged lightly, “still in the first flush of heat, no?”

Jim pushed away the memory of Priyanka kissing him passionately on his original loop and the questions finding out she was mated evoked to focus on finding a smile for the Minister. 

Bones stepped in smoothly.  “We call it ‘still on honeymoon.’”

That led to an engaging cultural exchange between the Minister, Uhura and Bones about marriage and weddings.

Jim finished his drink and excused himself.  He was half-way down the corridor to his room when he heard Bones call out his name.

“You going to check in with Spock and the Enterprise?” checked Bones.

Jim nodded.

Bones fell into step beside him.  “OK if I come with you?”

“More than OK,” Jim was pleased to have Bones’ support.

Unfortunately, there was no news.

“Ship-wide scans have picked up nothing on board the Enterprise,” Spock confirmed, “nor have our scans picked up anything on the planet’s surface.”

“What about the readings you took on the device?” asked Jim, a hint of desperation creeping into his voice.

“The quantum particles do suggest that the loop may originate in someway with the device, but the readings are very faint and the data was inconclusive,” Spock said.  “I am sorry, Jim.”

“No need to apologise, Mister Spock,” Jim said, “at least I have more data than I did last time for the next loop.”  He signed off and set the communicator on the bedside table with a sigh.

Bones sat down beside him and slung an arm around his shoulders.  “You OK, Jim?”

“Just…disappointed,” Jim said.  “It’s only been three days, Bones, and I’m already ready for this to be over.”

“We’ll work it out,” Bones said, hugging him.

Jim let himself lean on Bones for a long second.  They’d always been tactile with each other and Jim was grateful for the comfort.

Bones sighed.  He shifted and before Jim could react Bones kissed him.  Jim kissed him back, too shocked to do anything else.

It was long and slow and perfect…

Bones eased back and dropped another light kiss on Jim’s lips.  “I’ve got to go, Jim.  If I stay, I’m going to want to do more than that and you didn’t tackle that paperwork to get us permission for me to blow it by breaking the rules and jumping you in the middle of a mission.”

He kissed him again and got up. 

“Try and get some sleep, Jim.”

Jim watched silently as Bones left. 

He touched his lips.

Bones had kissed him.

That was new.

Except…Bones had also said Jim had put in the paperwork for them to have a relationship.

Jim had most definitely not.  He would.  He most definitely would if a relationship was something Bones wanted to try with him. 

But Jim and Bones had never…well, there had been one drunken pass at the Academy which Bones had reacted to by tucking Jim into bed alone, a jokey kiss under the mistletoe when Bones had dragged him home for Christmas one year, and then nothing.  Nothing but the best friendship Jim had ever had until he’d gotten the rest of his crew; nothing that had ever needed paperwork.

Jim got to his feet and paced, his mind racing as he went back over the loops.

The nurse had been different each day.

Spock’s noting of the percentage of times Bones let Jim out of sickbay before he was fully recovered was different (and Jim knew it was only when Bones believed it would be more beneficial for Jim to be in his own quarters or when there was an imperative for Jim to be on the bridge). 

Priyanka’s attraction to him was different.

His relationship with Bones – so very different.

“Quantum particles,” Jim said out loud.  Quantum not chronoton…he wasn’t looping through time, he was looping through the same events in different quantum realities!

Jim sat down with a thump on the bed.  How the hell was he going to get back to his reality?

It was a thought that kept him awake until he fell asleep exhausted.

o-O-o

The breakfast tray clanged down onto the bedside table loudly.

Jim woke with a gasp.

The Vulcan nurse lifted an unimpressed eyebrow and walked away.

Jim pushed his way out of the blanket and sat up, reaching for the water.  He stopped at the sight of the ring on his finger.  He was relieved to see Bones already walking toward him.  He waited until Bones was at the base of the bed and scanning him.

“Thank God you’re awake, Jim,” Bones had already started talking, “you passed out playing one of your chess games with Spock and scared the life out of us both.  You need to…”

“Bones,” Jim said quietly, “I’m not your Jim Kirk.  I’m from another reality.”

Bones froze.  His eyes snapped up to meet Jim’s.

Jim held up a hand.  “I passed out on my Enterprise,” he began, “and I woke up fine on my own ship.  We went on a mission to Nibrudko.  I used a device which sent me repeating this same day in different realities somehow – I haven’t worked that out yet.  This is my fourth time through events.”

Bones set the tricorder down.  “You’re not lying.”

Jim shook his head.

“You’re not my Jim,” Bones repeated.

Jim shook his head.  He lifted his hand, displaying his ring.  “Are you and he…”

“Married,” Bones said shortly.  “If you’re here…”

“He’s either in my reality or hopping around like I am,” Jim theorised calmly.  He held Bones’ gaze.  “I’m sorry.”

Bones sighed deeply.  “Not your fault, Captain.  It is, uh…”

“Captain,” Jim nodded.  “Bones, we need to brief the senior staff and start working on a plan to reverse whatever happened.”

Bones nodded.  “Yes, but you’re not Captain here, Jim.  I’ll brief Spock.  He’ll need to take command of the Enterprise and make the decisions.”

Jim kept the wince off his face, but he knew Bones was following protocol.

“Eat your breakfast, Captain,” Bones said kindly, “Spock’s going to have questions so you’re going to need your strength.”

They ended up briefing in sickbay with a security officer lurking two beds over.  Jim tried not to react to the sight of Carol Marcus.

Spock cocked his head and looked at Jim when he’d finished.  “Fascinating.”

“You said the device was emitting quantum particles,” Scotty stated, “that sounds like it’s definitely something to do with the reality shifting.”

“But only when attached to the Keptin,” Chekov said.  “In his second loop, Commander Spock did not detect the particles when the device was dormant.”

“Logically, the moment the Captain wore the device in his own reality, he became caught up in the shift,” Spock theorised.  “As he continued to shift when he did not wear the device, it is logical to assume that wearing the device again makes no difference to the shift taking place.  However, it is likely that the device will emit quantum particles regardless if it is the epicentre of the shift.”

“Spock didn’t monitor the device throughout the second session,” Jim concurred.

“Do we inform the Nibrudko of the phenomenon and request their help?” asked Uhura.

“I believe that may be wise,” Spock said.  “It will make taking the required actions to investigate on the planet easier to arrange.”

Uhura nodded.  “I’ll set up a call with yourself and Minister Dubb.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant,” Spock said.  He swept a gaze over the senior staff.  “Mister Scott, set our scanners to start searching for quantum particles.  Mister Chekov, please assist him.”

“Aye, sir,” Scotty responded with Chekov echoing him.

“Mister Sulu, please return to the bridge.  You will have command once the arrangements have been made with Minister Dubb,” Spock continued.

Sulu acknowledged the order and left.

Spock nodded at Jim and Bones.  “I will see you when it is time for us to depart.”

“Thanks, Commander,” Jim said.

Bones offered an awkward grimace as Spock left and escaped to his office.  Jim could hardly blame him.  He examined the wedding ring he wore and rubbed his thumb over it.  He and Bones were married…

The trip to Nibrudko was thankfully free of Jim needing to do any greetings or introductions since he wasn’t in command.  Spock took over and they were quickly shown to the recording booth and Priyanka placed a device on the table beside them.

“What now?” asked Bones.  “We just monitor the thing?”

“Yes, Doctor,” Spock replied.

Bones rolled his eyes and sent Jim a sympathetic look.

Jim offered him a small smile.  If anyone deserved sympathy in their situation, it was Bones, considered Jim.  He had no idea where his husband was and how they were going to get him back.

“So,” Jim said, waggling his ring finger, “when did you and your Jim get together.”

Bones’ smile was fond.  “He almost died, well, did die in an incident three years ago,” he stopped and took a breath, “after, Jim stayed with me while he finished his recovery.  The night of his last PT, he set up a thank you dinner for me and…” he shrugged.  “We’ve been together ever since.”

Jim swallowed hard.  He’d stayed with Bones too.  He’d dragged Bones out for a thank you meal though and had invited the whole team.  He’d spent the night flirting with Carol.  Had he missed his chance?

No, Jim thought determinedly.  He definitely hadn’t missed his chance if the previous universe was anything to by.  That Jim and Bones had just done the paperwork; they were about to try a relationship…

Dinner, Jim decided.  He’d invite Bones to dinner.  Just the two of them and…and have a conversation.

Or he could go with just kissing his Bones.

“I am picking up quantum particles,” Spock said suddenly, capturing their attention.

Jim peered over Spock’s shoulder at the device.  “They’re coming through much stronger here.”

“Perhaps we are in a reality which is closer in quantum signature to the reality where this phenomenon originated,” Spock said.

Bones sighed.  “Is there anything we can do other than monitor the device?”

Spock lifted an eyebrow.  “I do not believe so, Doctor.”

The debrief was held on the Enterprise, apologies made to the Nibrudko for missing dinner. 

Spock nodded at Scotty to start. 

“There is a minute localised quantum fissure on the planet in the location of the recording booth and pinpointed to the device,” Scotty reported without preamble.  “Whatever happened to create the fissure involved the device, likely when the Captain was wearing it.  With that in mind, we took another look at the Captain’s transporter records and his medical scans.” He motioned at Chekov.

“The Keptin’s RNA shows a distinctly different quantum signature to our own reality,” Chekov announced.

Jim perked up at that.  “So if I can find the universe with the same quantum signature as mine…”

“You will be able to identify where you need to go,” Scotty agreed.  “The problem is getting you there and ensuring all Jim Kirks including ours are back where they belong.”

“Until it can be determined how the fissure was created,” Spock said, “it will be difficult to devise a solution to reverse the shifting and seal it.”

“Unfortunately, you may have a few more jumps before you have all the information you need,” Scotty completed unhappily.

Jim nodded, disappointed but not despondent.  If he continued to jump closer and closer to the source universe, it was likely that additional information would reveal itself.  “Thank you all for your efforts.”

“Come on, Jim,” Bones said, “I’ll show you to some guest quarters.”

Jim followed Bones through the Enterprise to the guest room designated to him.  He knew he shouldn’t have expected to return to his own quarters, not when they were married. 

“He’ll come back,” Jim blurted out as he hovered in front of the open door.

“He damn well better,” Bones returned with verve, but he couldn’t disguise the worry in his eyes.

Jim waved goodnight weakly and stepped through into the non-descript room.  He sighed and threw himself on the regulation bed with its scientific firmness and wished for the soft plush bed on Nibrudko.

Or one that had Bones in it.

o-O-o

The breakfast tray thumped down on the bedside table with a muttering Christine Chapel complaining about the state of the oatmeal.

Bones and he had gotten together just before the whole mission with the volcano and Spock.  They’d married as soon as Jim had been well enough to stand after almost dying.

Their findings were reconfirmed, the strength of the particles stronger than before.

Chapel had also been right about the oatmeal.

o-O-o

The breakfast tray beamed in with a cheerful computer voice informing Jim that it was time for breakfast.

Bones and he had gotten together after the battle with Nero.  They’d been married when Jim had been appointed First Officer under a recovering Captain Pike, before assuming the Captaincy on Pike’s death.

Their findings were reconfirmed, and not only was the strength of the particles stronger, but there was another distinct energy reading.

Jim was getting really sick of oatmeal, banana and juice.  Seriously.  Quantum realities and the only thing which remained constant was oatmeal, banana and juice?!

o-O-o

The breakfast tray beamed in with a cheerful computer voice informing Jim that it was time for breakfast.

Bones and he had gotten together since the Academy.  They’d gotten married after graduation, Jim once again taking his place as First Officer and taking over from a very alive Admiral Pike after the Khan incident (which had apparently concluded without Jim dying and being resurrected with miracle blood).

Their findings were reconfirmed, and not only was the strength of the particles stronger, but the two energy readings they’d been able to detect were distinguishable enough that Spock and Scotty had constructed a theory on what had happened.

Jim refused to eat the oatmeal.

o-O-o

“God, oatmeal!  I think I may throw up.” Carol’s voice was enough to wake Jim up and have him flailing as he fell out of the bed. 

Carol peered at him from the other side.  “Jim?”

“Ow!” Jim rubbed his hip and got to his feet.  He frowned at the lack of Bones coming towards him. 

Carol giggled.  “You’re ridiculous.”

Jim’s eyes widened, the retort he’d been about to make freezing on his lips, as he got a good look at her.  “You’re pregnant!”

Heavily pregnant.  At least six months…six months.

Jim shook his head.  Carol couldn’t be pregnant in his reality; she would have told him, not broken up with him and taken a transfer.  Right? 

Carol’s eyebrows shot up.  “Oh, God!  You hit your head!”

“No,” Jim held up a hand.  “Carol, uh, I think you should get Bones in here.”

“Bones?”

Her confusion sent little red alert alarms firing in Jim’s brain.  “The CMO?”

“Since when do you call Wariam Bones?” asked Carol, suspicion beginning to creep into her voice.

Wariam?

Jim sighed.  Doctor Wariam Puri, Bones’ predecessor.  He met Carol’s gaze.  He really didn’t want to panic a pregnant woman but he’d never pretended to be any reality’s Jim Kirk but his own, and that was a rule he intended keeping (unless he dropped into the evil mirror universe he’d glimpsed when Old Spock had shared his memories because then, yes, by all things holy he’d pretend his ass off). 

“Hi, I’m Jim Kirk from a reality where Leonard McCoy is the CMO on the Enterprise.”

Carol’s mobile face froze.  Her Starfleet professional mask came down like a portcullis closing on a castle entrance. 

Jim kept his hands visible.  “I’m going to stay this side of the bed.  I mean you absolutely no harm.” He offered an awkward smile.  “For what it’s worth, you’re a good friend back home.”

He hoped Carol still was a good friend and that she wasn’t hiding a pregnancy from him.  They’d been careful and Jim wasn’t saying he was ready for kids, but if she was pregnant, he’d want to know, want to be there for his kid the way his Dad hadn’t been able to be there for him.

Carol’s frosty demeanour seemed to thaw a little at his sincerity.  “OK, Jim.  I’m going to comm security and my Captain.”  She reached over to the comms panel on the wall and made the calls.

A few minutes later, security arrived and put him under guard.  A few minutes after that both Captain Pike and Spock arrived.  Puri entered a moment later.

Grief caught Jim by the throat for a long moment at the sight of Pike again.  He’d thought he’d got the initial reaction out of the way in the last reality after hearing the news of Pike’s survival, but seeing him…

Jim was glad Carol took the lead, but it wasn’t too long before Pike was turning to him.

“Commander Kirk…”

“Actually, it’s Captain, Captain,” Jim said, gesturing.  “I’m sorry to drop in on you like this.”

Pike smiled warmly at him.  “Well, you’re definitely a Jim Kirk.”

“We should run tests to confirm,” Puri said.

Pike nodded.  “So exactly what is going on here, Captain?”

Jim explained as succinctly as he could.  He’d gotten it down to a fine art after so many jumps.  “…and we were hoping this jump would be to the source universe where I can enact the solution.”

Pike looked at Spock.

“I believe the solution Captain Kirk has devised with the previous universe’s counterparts of our crew is correct if their theory is also correct,” Spock said, hands behind his back, head tilted to the side.

“By the sound of it, we’re not going to know until events play out on the planet,” Pike stated.

Jim nodded. 

Pike sighed.  “Right, Spock, get a briefing arranged with the landing party.  Given we need to let events play out, informing the Nibrudko is not an option.” He turned to Carol.  “Carol, maybe you can get a uniform organised for Jim once he’s cleared medical?”

“Leave it with me, Captain,” Carol confirmed.

A few minutes later, Carol was escorting him to his counterpart’s quarters. 

“You and your Jim…” Jim enquired hesitantly.

“Jim’s my best friend and my sperm donor,” Carol explained with a grin.  “Jim’s going to be there for George; he’ll be a great Dad.”

“George, huh?” Jim smiled at the name.

Carol smirked at him.  “I’ll wait outside while you get dressed.”

Jim wandered into the quarters.  They were appropriate for a senior officer on the crew but not as comfy as his Captain’s quarters.  He made for the closet and started to pull on a uniform.  He stroked a hand down the gold top and stopped.

“Computer, whereabouts of Doctor Leonard McCoy?”

“Doctor McCoy is the Head of Neuroscience at the University of Georgia Municipal hospital,” the computer intoned back.

So, Bones hadn’t even gone to the Academy in this reality; Jim had never met him.  He rubbed his chest at the thought of not having Bones in his life.  He set the thought aside and marched out.  Hopefully, in a few hours, he’d be back in his own universe and with Bones.

The landing party beamed down and Jim immediately noted the difference.  The Nibrudko Minister was feline but Kabel had been replaced by a male historian with canine features named Muja.  Spock had command and took care of the introductions and greetings.

He suffered through the diplomatic dancing until they separated for the recording sessions.  Jim determined that first time round he’d been alone and waved Spock away.  Instead he followed Muja into one of the booths.

Muja directed Jim to sit down and brought out the device.  Jim let him place it on his head without a murmur of protest.

Suddenly Muja smiled, canine teeth glistening.  He brought a weapon from the depths of his pocket.  “I have waited long for this day.”

“Woah,” Jim raised one hand and let the other drift towards his pre-prepared phaser. “Look, Muja, I don’t know you and why you’re pointing a weapon at me but…”

“Your Federation killed my brother!” Muja snarled and opened fire.

Jim dived to the floor and the shot impacted the chair he’d been sitting on.  He got his own phaser out…the timing had to be right…

He could hear footsteps running towards the booth…

Muja shot again and Jim scuttled to the side…

Another shot…

Jim jumped up as the door was thrown open by a fierce looking Spock…

Muja’s phaser beam hurtled across the room and hit Jim’s device…

In the same instant, Jim shot his phaser…his beam intersected Muja’s beam…

The two beams collided…

And the world went white.

A heartbeat.

A breath.

Jim staggered as he landed in his own body, his hand clutching the Knight as he made his move to put Spock in check…

He breathed in sharply…

…and passed out.

o-O-o

The clatter of the breakfast tray brought Jim back to consciousness.  He sat up abruptly in the bed, startling the pretty blond nurse.

“Sorry, Captain,” she hurried away.

Bones strode out of his office and Jim pushed back the covers and threw himself at his friend.  Bones caught him and accepted the tight hug Jim gave him.  “Jim?”

Worry coated every word.  Bones’ arms tightened around him. 

“What in the Sam Hill is going on?!” Bones asked.

“Sorry, Bones,” Jim croaked, “just…it’s been a long day.”

o-O-o

“…so that Spock worked out that the two beams meeting when the device was hit in the source reality caused the quantum fissure and theorised that it had created a quantum link between us, the Jim Kirks,” Jim explained. 

His senior staff looked back at him attentively.

“Mister Scott determined that a reverse beam set to the same quantum signature as my own would send me back into my own body and seal the fissure,” Jim continued, “I just need a focal point, something that I could clearly remember happening before the events transpired.”

“The chess game,” Chekov said with wonder in his voice. 

“But we cannae be certain the plan worked until you wake up without issue tomorrow,” Scotty said, “even if your RNA quantum signature matches with this reality.”

“Which it does,” Bones stated gruffly.

“In the circumstances, I agree with your decision to defer the Nibrudko mission until tomorrow, Captain,” Spock said. 

“Minister Dubb was understanding about the delay due to ship-based emergency,” Uhura said. 

“I think it would be prudent to make some discreet enquiries about their species’ evolution and history,” Spock continued.

“I’ll run some scans for the next twenty-four hours, Captain,” Scotty said, “make sure that the quantum fissure is closed.”

Jim nodded his agreement.  “Thank you all.  Dismissed.”  He caught Bones as he stood up.  “Hey, Bones.  I need to talk about something with you.  Dinner tonight?  My quarters.”

Bones nodded slowly, his eyes intent on Jim’s.  “I’ll be there.”

Jim spent the day in his ready room catching up on paperwork.  He left at the end of his shift, did his usual workout and headed for his quarters for a shower, change and to set up for his dinner with Bones.

His yeoman Janice Rand had organised things with the kitchen and the food was already waiting in stasis boxes. 

Jim was just putting the final touches to the table when the chime rang.  He called out for Bones to enter.

Bones slowed as he took in the table for two.  “Special occasion?”

Jim smiled nervously.  “Just…making an effort.”

Bones hummed.  He sat down and took the cloche off the plate.  He beamed at the steak, baked potato with sour cream and green beans. 

Jim sat down and saw to his own dinner.

“You want to tell me what you left out of the report,” Bones stated bluntly.

Jim almost choked on his steak.  He drank down a gulp of water.  “You noticed that.”

“Of course, I noticed,” Bones waved his knife, “everyone noticed that you were very specific about not mentioning anything about anyone’s personal details.”

Jim nodded.  His crew was brilliant.  “Mostly things were the same,” he began, “the divergence got wider the closer to the source universe.” He paused, emotion catching up with him.  “Pike was alive there.”

“Ah, Jim,” Bones sighed.  He set his knife down, reached over the table and offered his hand. 

Jim took it.  “You hadn’t joined Starfleet.  You weren’t there.”

Bones’ grip tightened on his.  “That why I got the hug this morning?”

“Among other things,” Jim found his mouth dry, his throat closing up on the words he’d practiced.  He sighed.  “Carol was pregnant.”

Bones’ eyebrows shot up.

“We weren’t together, she called me a sperm donor,” Jim said.  “I just…I sent our Carol a comm this evening…”

“If she’s pregnant, Jim, she didn’t have the test on the Enterprise,” Bones said firmly.  “I would have been informed automatically, followed by Spock, followed by you.  Starfleet personnel have no privacy in the matter given the safety considerations.”

Jim nodded.  “I just…I need to know.” He sipped his water.  “If I have a kid out there, I’d want to know.”

“I hear you,” Bones squeezed his hand.  “If my Jo had lived…” he sighed.  “Well, I’m not sure I’d be sitting here.”

Jim squeezed back. 

“You sound OK about not being with Carol,” Bones commented, picking up his fork again and spearing a bean. 

“I am,” Jim said.  “I, uh, might be interested in someone else.”

Bones raised his eyes from his plate, a glint of amusement shining through.  “Oh?” 

“Bones…”

“You finally making your move, Jim?”

Jim’s gaze shot to Bones.  “I made a move back at the Academy.  You turned me down.”

“You were drunk,” Bones pointed out, “I like consent.”

Jim nodded.  Consent was good.  “So, if I’d been sober…”

“You were sober when I kissed you,” Bones said.

Jim blinked.  The mistletoe kiss.

“And you laughed it off,” Bones shrugged.  “I figured you weren’t really interested.”

“I was interested,” Jim protested weakly, “I just didn’t know if you were…”

“Maybe we just needed the time to get here,” Bones suggested, tangling their fingers together. 

“I did the paperwork!” Jim blurted out. 

“You really going to wait for the paperwork?” Bones asked with raised eyebrows.

Jim got to his feet and tugged Bones to his.  They moved into the kiss as though they’d been together for years not minutes.

Jim wrapped himself around Bones and held on as one kiss led to another, led to another. 

o-O-o

The tray sliding across his bedside table whispered through the remnants of Jim’s dream.  He felt the kiss on his shoulder and smiled.  He was in his own quarters, in his own bed, with his own Bones.

He turned over and kissed Bones.

Bones ran a hand through Jim’s hair, cupped his face.  “You are gorgeous.”

“I know,” Jim quipped with all his usual bravado, with a cheeky grin.  “But don’t be sad; you’re gorgeous too.”

Bones rolled his eyes, but he was laughing when he kissed the smirk of Jim’s face. 

“Here.” Bones pulled the tray over.  “Figured you deserved a proper breakfast in bed.”

Jim took in the bacon rolls and hot coffee.

No oatmeal.

No banana.

No juice.

He gave a happy sigh.  “Bones?”

“Hmmm?”

“I think I love you.”

fin.