Photo by Kristina Paukshtite on Pexels.com

Jim was rushing home from having made a last-minute stop at the toy store. It was already two days before Christmas and he had to make sure Santa was going to deliver all the presents Georgie had asked for.

That morning, just before twenty-year-old Jim had left to go to his classes at Starfleet Academy, his little girl, Georgie, short for Georgette, named after his father, had advised him she’d asked Santa for a “Shelley Doll” and she sure hoped Santa would give it to her as she really really wanted it.

Jim had drawn a complete blank. He had never heard of this doll and it was the first time he’d heard Georgie ask for it.

Georgie was just four years old and very strongly believed in Santa. When Jim was sixteen and still living on Tarsus IV, he and his friend, Helen, slept together. Helen ended up pregnant and later, after giving birth to their daughter, she hadn’t survived the famine and killings there. Jim had taken Georgie back to Riverside with him and for a while, while he was still just a kid, his mom helped him.

But now his mom was back out in space herself, and Jim was going through the Academy. Georgie was with him in San Francisco.

He had to get that doll as there was no way he was going to disappoint his little girl. Fortunately, after his last class today, he was done until the second week of January.       

But he was running late, later than he had intended, and he’d just received the second text from his babysitter asking when he would pick up Georgie.

So it really shouldn’t be a surprise when he ran smack into someone so hard that he went flying in the air and landed on the ground, smacking his head and his tailbone as he did so.

“Ow, fuck.”

“I apologize, I did not see you barreling toward me.”

The familiar voice cut through his pain filled head. Spock, the Vulcan instructor. Just figured.

Jim groaned and tried to sit up.

“Lie still, Mister Kirk. I will call for emergency transport to the hospital.”

“No, no, no. I can’t go.” Jim rubbed the back of his head. He wasn’t sure what hurt more, his head or above his butt. “Wait! Where’s my package?”

“Package?” Spock was crouched in front of him.

“Yes! Damn it. Where is it? I can’t lose Shelley.”

“You clearly need the hospital, you are delirious.”

Jim frowned, getting annoyed. “I’m not delirious. I had a bag from the toy store with a doll in it for my daughter for Christmas.”

“You have a daughter? But you are barely twenty.”

“Yes, I know. Where…” Jim spotted the bag nearby just before it was about to be stepped on. He snatched it up. “I hope it’s okay.”

He opened the bag to peer in. The doll seemed intact.

“Perhaps it is best to get up and out of the way of the pedestrians.” Spock reached down and pulled Jim to his feet. He held on to him when he swayed a bit. “I highly recommend you go to a hospital.”

“Can’t. It’s two days before Christmas and I gotta play Santa to my daughter. And right now she’s with her babysitter and I need to get her. Are you okay?”

Spock frowned. “I was not hurt.”

“Good, then I’m going to go.”

“If you will not get medical attention, at least allow me to accompany you to your home to ensure you are all right.”

Considering normally, Jim would jump at the opportunity to spend time with Spock, or jump on Spock, really, he figured he probably should agree.

“All right, fine.”

They only had another block to the apartment building where Jim lived, which also happened to be where Georgie’s babysitter lived.

The door to the apartment opened even before Jim had a chance to knock.

Leonard “Bones” McCoy peered out at Jim. Then he opened the door wide. “What happened to you?”

Jim gestured to Spock with his thumb. “Ran into a Vulcan brick.”

“Daddy!” Georgie hugged his legs.

“Hey, pumpkin.” Jim shoved his bag at Bones and scooped up his daughter. “Spock, this is Georgie and Bones. Bones is a doctor, so I’ll have him check me out.”

Georgie peered at Spock curiously. “Is he staying for dinner?”

Spock opened his mouth.

“I’m sure he probably has something better to do,” Bones interjected.

“I would like to stay,” Spock said with an arched brow.

Jim smiled. “Great. Uh. You want to come over too, Bones?”

“Someone has to be the chaperone,” Bones grumbled.

“Down, Daddy. I want to show Spock where we live!”

“Okay, okay.” Jim laughed and put her down. He was surprised when Spock let her grab his hand and lead her away from Bones’ apartment to theirs.

“What’s this?” Bones asked, shaking the bag.

“Shelley.”

“Huh?”

“Georgie asked Santa for a Shelley doll. So…”

Bones nodded. “Got you. I’ll hide it with the others until tomorrow night.”

“Thanks, Bones.”

“What’s with you and the hobgoblin?”

Jim shrugged. “I don’t know. My ass is killing me though.”

“Hey, no telling me personal stuff!”

Jim rolled his eyes. “I fell. Hit my tailbone and my head.”

“No wonder you’re with him,” Bones cracked. “Let me put this away and get my medical bag and I’ll be right over.”

“Thanks.” Jim smiled and shook his head as he heard Georgie chattering away at Spock. It would be an interesting night, for sure.