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“Uhura!”
The communications officer smiled at the sight of the four-year-old running toward her clad in his soft flannel pajamas. From the room that Jim had come running from, McCoy poked his head out, lips quirking in a grin as he watched Jim greet Uhura.
“Hey there, sugar,” she said fondly as the child hugged himself around her legs. Uhura shifted the PADD she was carrying into one of her arms and reached down to ruffle Jim’s hair. When she noticed it was slightly damp, she added, “Did you have a nice bath?”
“Uh-huh. Bones let me have bubbles, and Mister Spock got to come and play with me!”
Uhura raised an eyebrow, biting the inside of her cheek to keep the laugh building in her throat from escaping. “Did he? That sounds like fun.” She looked up and saw McCoy walking over to them. “He’s as dynamic as always, isn’t he?”
“He’s Jim Kirk alright,” McCoy said, shaking his head affectionately before reaching down and grabbing the boy’s sides, earning a short squeal from him. “Come on, Jim, let’s give Miss Uhura some room and get you into bed.”
“But Bones!” Jim exclaimed, turning around to face the doctor, “I have to brush my teeth first!”
“Is that right?” McCoy said with exaggerated surprise, bringing up a hand to palm his forehead in mock disbelief. “That’s good of you to remember, sport. This old man’s memory must be going.”
Jim giggled at the face McCoy made. “You're silly,” he said, squirming as the man reached for his sides again. “You didn’t forget, ‘cause you’re a doctor! And doctors are smart.”
McCoy’s joking nature softened into genuine warmth. “Glad you think so, kid,” he said, stroking the blond hair. “Now go on, get those teeth brushed.”
Jim ran off to the bathroom and Uhura smiled to herself. She was certain she wasn’t the only one who noticed the changes in Doctor McCoy that began occurring since the captain’s age reduction. The gruff edges he was known throughout the ship for having had softened considerably upon taking up caring for Jim. It was also another reminder to those who knew the doctor on a more personal level that he was a father himself; it never ceased to amaze Uhura just how gentle McCoy could apparently be. And while they hadn’t known each other that well from the beginning of their service together, Uhura liked being able to get to know McCoy better this way. It was certainly an enlightening, and quite endearing, experience.
As they both walked in the direction of the bathroom, McCoy turned to her. “So what are you reading him this time?”
Uhura held the PADD out to him. “He’s taken a liking to this one; he asked for it specifically the past couple of nights.”
“How Many Kisses Do You Want Tonight?” McCoy read off of the screen. He bit his lip as another grin worked its way onto his face, and if Uhura didn’t know any better she’d say he was beginning to blush. “That’s sweet. This is an old one, isn’t it?”
“Mm. Early twenty-first century, I think. My grandmother used to tell me ancient folk tales as bedtime stories, but occasionally she would read me old children’s stories of other origins. I remember she read this one a few times and I thought Jim would like it.”
McCoy scanned through some of the pages, nodding. “I can see why.” He handed the PADD back to Uhura. “Good choice.”
Uhura smiled. “Glad to know I have the doctor’s approval.”
Jim toddled out of the bathroom, immediately latching onto McCoy’s hand. “I’m all done now,” he proclaimed.
“Let me see,” McCoy said, crouching down and squeezing the tiny hand warmly. Jim obediently bared his teeth and let the man examine them, giggling when McCoy pulled back and tapped on his nose. “Good boy. Now come on, off to bed.”
As McCoy began to lead the way, Jim reached out and grabbed onto Uhura’s fingers with his free hand. She felt her smile grow and allowed herself to be pulled along as they walked to Jim’s room. They neared the doorway and suddenly McCoy turned and swept Jim up into his arms, much to the child’s delight. Uhura paused at the threshold, allowing the two to have their moment before she took over. She looked down at her PADD while McCoy began tucking Jim in, able to hear their ensuing soft conversation.
“Are you gonna be good for Miss Uhura?”
“Uh-huh. I’m gonna help her read a story again!”
“That’s good, Jim, I’m sure she’ll like that.” McCoy finished tucking the blankets around Jim’s body and paused. “Try not to get too excited, alright? You are supposed to go to sleep after this.”
Jim smiled, cooing as he snuggled into the blankets around him. “Okay.”
McCoy looked at him a short moment longer before bending over the toddler and kissing him gently on the forehead.
“Goodnight, darlin’,” he whispered. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“G’night, Bones.”
Uhura looked up as McCoy stepped through the doorway and stopped in front of her. The expression on the doctor’s face she couldn’t quite place, but if she had to guess, she would say it was very close to a mixture of fondness and longing.
“He’s all yours,” McCoy said, glancing in Jim’s direction briefly. “I’ll be working out here for another hour, so if you need anything…”
“We’ll be fine,” Uhura lightly assured him.
The man nodded, touching her lightly on the arm almost as an afterthought. “Have fun then.” McCoy started to leave, but then stopped and turned, pointing an accusing finger at her. “Not too much, though; I don’t want him falling asleep over his breakfast tomorrow. I mean it.”
Uhura laughed, able to see the obvious glint of humor in the doctor’s eyes. “We’ll be fine, Leonard, I promise,” she exasperated kindly. “He’ll be asleep before you know it.”
McCoy nodded again, apparently satisfied, before bidding her goodnight and leaving.
Uhura entered Jim’s room to see the boy waiting for her. He was sitting upright now, looking like he was struggling not to bounce in place as he watched her approach. So much for not getting too excited, she thought to herself.
“I’m coming, I’m coming, hold on!” Uhura said as she neared the bed. “Come on, lie back down.” She sat down and scooted herself up to lean against the headboard; Jim lay back down and snuggled into her side, fingers latching onto her dress.
“Is this the one with the animal kisses?” Jim asked, pleading blue eyes gazing up at her.
“The one and the same,” Uhura confirmed, feeling her heart melt a little. “Do you remember the parts I need you to help me with?” When Jim nodded she smiled. “Good.” The two settled down more and Uhura brought up the PADD on her lap so Jim could see it clearly.
“How Many Kisses Do You Want Tonight?” she read from the title screen, then used the stylus to flip to the first page. “‘How many kisses do you want tonight?’ Daddy Bear growled, cuddling Little Bear tight.” Uhura kept her voice soft, allowing them both to relax as they focused on the bedtime story.
“‘I want ONE,’ laughed Little Bear,” Jim recited slowly, “‘A big, loud kiss on my soft, brown hair.’” Jim wasn’t actually reading now so much as he was simply continuing the story from memory. It was true what Uhura had told McCoy before, that Jim had requested this bedtime story more than once. The very first night she’d read it to him and had him help her along with some of the sentences, Jim had managed to read it slowly and with her help, but he’d loved it.
In keeping with continuity, Uhura bent down and soundly kissed the top of Jim’s head. If she had to guess, she’d say that that was the real reason why Jim loved the story so much; but then, what was she complaining about?
She continued on to the next page. “‘How many kisses do you want, young fellow?’ Mommy Duck asked, fluffing Little Duck yellow.”
Jim piped up with the answer. “‘I want TWO,’ he said with a q… quaaa… quack.”
“Very good, Jim,” Uhura murmured quietly.
The child leaned into her further and continued. “‘One on my beak and one on my back.’” Uhura kissed Jim’s head twice.
“‘How many kisses do you want, my dear?’ Daddy Cat meowed in Little Cat’s ear.”
“‘I want THREE,’ purred Little Cat, yawning and curling up on her mat.”
Uhura planted three more kisses onto the blond head.
“‘How many kisses…’”
She continued on, through Mommy Butterfly and Daddy Horse, onto Daddy Bird and Mommy Spider, and with each new animal and their baby came more kisses. With each page Uhura lowered her voice more, feeling Jim gradually sag against her as he fought a losing battle against sleep. He would still answer with his assigned part, albeit softer and slower until he was just barely whispering it. Still, she continued on, reading softly through each pair until she reached the last one.
Uhura paused slightly before reading it. “‘How many kisses do you want, brave knight?’ Mommy asked her Little Boy, hugging him tight.” When Jim didn’t respond, she softly continued. “‘I want a MILLION,’ he said with delight. Finishing his book, he said good night.” She looked down to see Jim fast asleep, cuddled up against her hip and fingers loosely clinging to the fabric of her dress. Quietly, she turned off the PADD before sitting still a moment and watching Jim. Slowly, very slowly, she pulled away from him, letting Jim’s hand unconsciously pull itself toward him and curl up in front of his face on the pillow.
Uhura tucked the blankets around Jim where they had loosened, smiling as Jim slept on, breathing in gentle, lightly whistling pulls of air. Brushing away a lock of hair from Jim’s face, she leaned down and pressed one last kiss to the side of his head.
“Good night, sweet thing,” she whispered. Satisfied that Jim was not in danger of waking up soon, Uhura straightened and slowly made her way out of the room, taking one last glance at the sleeping child before departing.
She waved to McCoy as she left sickbay, giving him a thumbs-up as she passed and receiving a nod of thanks in return. With a final thought to the slumbering four-year-old, Uhura’s mind wandered back to her regular duties; she had a few more to take care of before it was her own bedtime.