The Jim and Bones Show, Episode 2: Purple Icing

Summary: Jim just wanted to surprise Bones on his TV show for his birthday. Things don't go according to plan, but that doesn't mean it wasn't one of the best birthdays Bones has ever had.

Disclaimer: These wonderful characters still don't belong to me. If you have a problem with this, send Karl Urban around and we'll talk about it.

Author's note: My first sequel! Thanks to everyone who read and commented on the first story and encouraged me to write more about these characters. The first story in the series - The Jim and Bones Show - can be read here: s/10726545/1/The-Jim-and-Bones-Show. Otherwise, here's a quick synopsis of the first story *spoilers ahead*: Jim Kirk is an accomplished chef and a rising TV star at the Food Network. He meets Leonard McCoy when the doctor, much to his chagrin, appears on Jim's show to talk about nutrition. Their snarky banter goes viral, and soon Leonard becomes a TV sidekick (again, much to his chagrin) and looks after Jim after a severe allergic reaction. As Jim puts it, it's the start of a beautiful friendship.

Jim Kirk watched surreptitiously from his office as the back door of the studio closed behind Spock and Nyota on their way to lunch. Moving like a ninja, Jim crept along the walls and stuck to the shadows of the hallway (as much as there were shadows in modern fluorescent office lighting).

A minute later he managed to reach the door of Nyota's office. Granted, it was actually located next to his, but he had to entertain himself however he could while everyone else was out.

Nyota had left her office door open, not because she trusted Jim but because Jim was too scared of her to risk going through her stuff. However, he had no qualms about going through the metal cabinet in the corner in search of the secret file.

After searching through Nyota's meticulously-ordered files for a moment, he hit paydirt and triumphantly lifted his prize out of the drawer. Hurrying back to his office, Jim grinned as he started reading the pages inside the file. He'd hit the jackpot: not only did the forms contain Bones' birthdate, but his emergency contact was his mother, and she had a phone number.

Bones would be pissed if he knew that Jim had read his file, but Jim also knew he would be forgiven because he was an awesome friend. Quietly humming the theme to Mission Impossible under his breath, Jim got up to replace the file in Nyota's office before she returned.

~o~O~o~

Jim stood in the arrivals area of the airport, shifting from one foot to the other. Beside him, Nyota sighed and checked her watch but didn't chastise him. He had been distracted for a few minutes when another person waiting in the arrivals area had recognized him and fussed over him as he signed an autograph and posed for a photo. This, in turn, had attracted the attention of others. Jim was pretty sure some of them had no idea who he was, but had insisted on a photo for future bragging rights if they ever discovered his identity. Finally, the hoopla had died down and he had been left to wait and hope he wasn't making a mistake.

Finally, the doors opened and he spotted a face he recognized walking beside an airline employee. "Jo!" he called, secretly delighting as her face lit up into a grin as she spotted him and waved excitedly.

"Hey, kid," Jim said, bending down to give her a hug. The airline employee cleared her throat, and Jim quickly produced his ID and signed the release form.

"Thanks, Darcy," he said with a blinding smile, looking at her name tag as he handed back the clipboard. Darcy stammered and blushed at the attention before tearing herself away to return to work. Jim could almost hear Nyota's eye roll behind him.

"You're really tall," Joanna told him seriously. Jim laughed – since meeting Bones, Jim had spoken to Joanna many times on Skype or on the phone, but this was their first face-to-face meeting.

Standing up, Jim turned and introduced Nyota, who was no longer waiting impatiently but had an indulgent smile on her face.

"Oh, you're the nice lady that Daddy says has the misfortune of working with Jim," Joanna said.

Nyota laughed in delight. She always had time for Leonard McCoy, M.D., and it appeared that the apple hadn't fallen far from the tree.

On the drive from the airport to the studio, Jim explained to Joanna how the taping would work. She couldn't help but squirm and grin with excitement. She and Jim had been partners in crime from the moment they met during a video call on her birthday last year, but today would be their best moment yet: Bones would get his birthday surprise.

Jim had known Bones for several months when he began wondering about the man's birthday. He could have just asked the man himself or requested the file from Nyota, but Jim never liked to do things the easy way. Hence, his mission as a secret agent in the office. While at times Jim had considered the possibility that Bones had sprung fully formed from the garbage can of Oscar the Grouch, the file had proven that the man actually had a mother. When he realized that Bones' birthday was coming up in a couple of months, Jim had phoned Eleanor McCoy, who had turned out to be a surprisingly delightful and non-grumpy woman who was pleased to help her son's friend surprise him for his birthday. It had taken a lot of phone calls, including some interesting ones with the ex-wife, to arrange for Joanna to appear at the taping of the show the day before Leonard's birthday. Jocelyn had been understandably reluctant to ship her only child across the country into the care of strangers. Jim was pretty sure that his position as a recognizable TV star had been the deciding factor in his favor since everyone would know who to blame if something went wrong.

They arrived back at the studio a couple of hours before taping was due to begin. Nyota had given the awestruck Joanna a tour of the studio and introduced her to the crew. Scotty's, "Ah, here's the good doctor's wee lass," had earned him some giggles, much to his delight. At least the elder McCoy's grumpiness didn't seem to be a genetic trait. Tour finished, Nyota had installed Jo at a table on stage to do her homework while Jim prepped ingredients, Spock and Scotty went over technical details, and Nyota made sure that everything was ready to go.

Less than an hour to go before taping, Nyota's phone rang. Her heart dropped as she looked at the caller ID: Dr. Leonard McCoy.

"Nyota, darlin'," he said when she answered. He sounded rushed. "I'm really sorry, but I'm not going to make the taping today. There's just been a big accident on the interstate. It sounds like I'll be in surgery for the next few hours."

She could hear him talking to someone else for a moment while Nyota considered telling him that Joanna was there, but paused. Joanna's presence wouldn't change the fact that he had surgeries to perform, and it might serve as a distraction to the doctor. She bit her lip, considering.

"Could you please give Jim my apologies? He wasn't answering his phone," Leonard said, sounding rushed.

"Sure," Nyota said. She took a deep breath, deciding to say something about his birthday surprise, but was cut off by sirens in the background.

"Sorry, I've got to go," Leonard said, hanging up on her. Nyota couldn't be angry with him, considering the circumstances. She sighed. She wasn't looking forward to breaking the news to Jim.

~o~O~o~

Nyota approached the stage where Jim was dicing vegetables with practiced hands. "Hey," he said, looking up quickly before returning to his work.

"Leonard just called. He said you weren't answering your phone," she said.

Jim shrugged. "Yeah, I left it in my office since it was fairly close to show time." He paused, then looked up slightly panicked. "Wait, please tell me he'll be here."

Even though Leonard didn't do segments on the show any more, the banter between him and Jim had proven so popular with viewers that he would often sit on stage during tapings for no reason other than to heckle Jim while he worked. Jim said it was the epic bromance of the ages that attracted viewers, but Leonard secretly figured that people just enjoyed watching a good-looking TV star cut down to size.

Seeing the apologetic look on Nyota's face, Jim's heart sank. All of this work, and he wouldn't get to see Bones' face as he walked onto the set and was greeted by his daughter. He had hoped it would bring to his friend's face one of the smiles that only Joanna seemed able to produce, but apparently it was not to be.

Nyota felt bad as she took in the disappointment in Jim's eyes. Although she didn't know details, she knew that Jim hadn't had the easiest of lives. He could be alternately cocky and charming, but Nyota knew that when push came to shove, Jim would do anything for his friends with no thought for himself. She had been so heartened to see the friendship bloom between the surly doctor and the TV chef. The strength of the friendship had surprised everyone, not least the men themselves. It was still hard to believe that it had been less than a year since Leonard had begrudgingly entered this studio for the first time.

"Apparently there's been a major accident and he's needed for the next few hours. He felt really bad," she told Jim.

"Well, the show must go on," Jim said. "I'll tell Jo and we can take her to the hospital afterward." Despite his disappointment, Jim was proud of his friend. After the doctor had helped him recover from a severe allergic reaction on their second show together, Jim had looked him up and had been surprised to see that his Bones was one of the leading doctors and medical researchers in the country. Say what you will about his bedside manner; the man had skills and wasn't afraid to use them.

Joanna took the news better than Jim could have hoped despite her disappointment. As the audience filed in, Nyota took a moment to help Joanna comb her hair and tie on an oversized apron. When Jim was introduced to the audience, he held out an arm to Joanna and she strolled in beside him with a smile on her face. She squinted for a moment in the bright lights before Jim showed her where to stand. Even though her dad couldn't be here right now, she was spending time with her cool uncle Jim and could tell everyone at school that she was on TV.

"Sorry, folks, Dr. McCoy couldn't be here tonight because he's off saving lives," Jim told the audience with a shrug. They probably had no idea that he was being literal, and Jim couldn't help but feel a bit guilty for doing something as mundane as taping a cooking show while his friend worked frantically in the operating room. There were a few disappointed groans. "But today I have another assistant. Jo's going to help me as we work on some dishes that you and your kids can make together in the kitchen."

Nyota couldn't help but roll her eyes as she watched the audience. She was pretty sure that more than a couple of people were swooning at Jim's display of domesticity. She was also sure that despite giving only Joanna's first name, the girl's dark hair and southern accent would probably clue in more than one audience member to her identity.

A while later, Jim popped the lasagna in the oven and pulled over the cake they had baked earlier. The entire studio smelled wonderful. Clapping his oven mitts together, he joyfully told the audience, "Tomorrow is Jo's dad's birthday, so we've decided to make him a birthday cake. While the lasagna bakes, we're going to be making some icing and decorate it."

Jim walked viewers through the making of buttercream frosting ("It's so easy to make, and once you try it you'll never want canned frosting again.") and frosted the cake with white icing. "Now, it's time to decorate," he said. "Jo, what color do you think your dad will like?"

"Purple," she said with conviction. A few audience members snickered. Jim knew purple was probably the last color Bones would choose for anything, but he also knew that Bones wouldn't care if this cake was decorated with the most hideously-colored glop known to man. Jo had made it for him, and Leonard would love it no matter what.

"An excellent choice. Purple it is," Jim declared. He talked Jo through the mixing of food coloring to achieve the desired hue, reminding her of what she had learned in art class at school. A few minutes later Jim filled a piping bag with icing the color of the lilacs in his grandparents' back yard when he was growing up. He handed the bag to Joanna and let her go at it, keeping one eye on her so she didn't fall off the step stool while he explained to the audience which tips were best for decorating. He coached her in how to make flowers, how to trace out the letters before piping them on, and how to make a nice border around the cake.

Finally, Jim positioned the cake under the overhead camera so Scotty could get a good shot of the wobbly letters which read 'Happy Birthday Daddy'. Jo was pleased as punch with her creation, and at that moment Jim couldn't have been prouder. All that was missing was Bones.

~o~O~o~

Jim had called the hospital as soon as the taping had finished – Bones was still in surgery and would be for a while yet. He, Jo, and the crew ate the lasagna for dinner, and Jim made sure to set aside a serving for Bones. The doctor had told Jim about how exhausting surgery could be, both physically and emotionally. Today was going to be a real doozy; hopefully having Jo around would be a plus.

Nyota dropped Jim and Jo off at the hospital on her way home that evening. Jim rolled Joanna's suitcase and carried dinner for Bones as they made their way inside. Jim couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. He had never pictured the day turning out this way.

Feeling a hand on his elbow, he looked down. "It's okay, Jim," Joanna told him. "I love Daddy, but sometimes other people need him more than we do."

Jim smiled down at her. "Yeah, you're right," he told her. She had been a surprisingly insightful child from the very beginning.

"Jim!" a woman's voice grabbed his attention. "Joanna?"

Jim looked up to see Christine Chapel standing in front of a vending machine. "Hey, Christine!" he said, frowning as he took in her tired, disheveled appearance.

"Hi, Christine," Jo said, obviously having met the nurse on a previous visit with her dad.

"Rough day?" Jim asked.

Christine sighed. "You have no idea. I think he'll be really happy to see you, though," she said to Joanna before giving Jim a significant look.

Jim had met Christine the first time he had made a social call to the hospital to drop off some dinner for Bones when he was on the late shift. They had taken an instant liking to each other since they were apparently were among the few people who saw through Leonard McCoy's gruff exterior and had each assigned themselves a role of caretaker. Jim was thrilled to see that Christine could harangue McCoy into taking care of himself even better than he could, and the nurse had been happy to see that the blooming friendship meant that Leonard quit working such long hours and actually went out once in a while.

Because of this mutual interest in McCoy, the two had quickly come to an agreement: Jim would provide Christine with DVDs of all episodes, including outtakes, in which Leonard appeared ("For blackmail purposes," she explained. Jim had nodded in understanding.). In exchange, she would call Jim if Leonard had lost a patient or had a particularly hard day, knowing the chef would find a way to check up on their friend.

What had really sealed the deal in Christine's mind, though, was one night a couple of months earlier. A freak windstorm had hit the area, bringing with it torrential rains and knocking down trees and power lines all over the city. Jim and company had closed the restaurant as soon as the approaching storm was announced, hoping all of the patrons would be safely at home by the time the full force of the storm hit. After sending home most of the staff, he and Gaila hurriedly packed up all of the remaining food that had been prepared for the evening service, Jim cooking anything that needed to be finished. They waited in the restaurant until the worst of the storm had passed, making sure the generators kept the fridges and freezers running and that the plate-glass windows at the front of the restaurant remained intact. Then Jim had strapped boxes of food to his motorcycle and carefully picked his way along debris-strewn streets across the city to the hospital

This kind of weather always meant that the hospital would be swamped with illness and injuries, requiring all hands on deck. That night, Jim managed to enlist the perky orderly named Chekov he recognized from his hospital stay to help him carry the boxes into an empty staff room. Soon the room had filled with exhausted, amazed doctors and nurses who quickly descended upon the gourmet meal. Bones told Jim later that the meal had been the turning point in the evening for staff morale. It had earned Jim the adoration of most of the hospital staff and profuse thanks of Dr. Pike, but Jim had shrugged off the praise – he was more concerned that the food didn't go to waste and that the medical staff had something to eat than in earning brownie points.

The look that Christine gave Jim now suggested that tonight also hadn't been a good night. Jo had obviously picked up on the tension and leaned into Jim, forcing him to carry everything in his left hand while he gripped Jo's smaller hand in his right one. "Come on, sweetheart, let's go find your dad."

~o~O~o~

Dr. Leonard McCoy sat down wearily at his desk more than eight hours after he had originally left it to go get lunch. It had been a hell of a day. Looking down at his hands, he noticed them shake slightly. He'd never actually managed to eat lunch – all hell had broken loose before he'd even left the hospital. In the back of his mind, he considered that he hadn't eaten since some oatmeal this morning. He knew he should go home now, but somehow he just couldn't summon the strength or the willpower. Once he did manage to make it home, tonight's dinner might just come from a bottle.

Sighing, he propped his head in his hands, elbows on the desk. Today had been one of the worst days he'd ever had. He'd lost a patient – a young one – on the operating table. That little girl would never even reach Joanna's age. It was at times like this that he missed Georgia and his little girl. His heart felt truly empty at the thought of the distance between him and his daughter. He lamented the fact that he couldn't just go home to reassure himself that she was alive and safe. He felt tears prickling behind his eyelids and tried to console himself with the fact that maybe Joanna would call him tomorrow for his birthday.

A quiet knock sounded at the door. "Come in," he said, his voice gravelly with emotion.

Jim poked his head in. "Hey, Bones," he said in an uncharacteristically quiet tone.

He must already have heard, Leonard thought. "Jim," he said. "Sorry I missed the taping."

Jim shrugged, still leaning through the doorway. "It's just a cooking show, Bones. You had lives to save."

"Yeah, that worked out so well," Leonard muttered to himself, putting his head back in his hands and scrubbing at his face. "Look, Jim, I'm not feeling very social right now. Do you mind if we meet up some other time?"

"Daddy?"

Leonard froze. He could swear he had just heard…

Raising his head, Leonard looked up and took in the sight beside him. "Joanna," he breathed, quickly spinning his chair and sweeping her into his arms. He held her tightly, eyes closed as he reveled in the feeling of her in his arms until he felt her squirming and let her go. "How?" he asked, her hands in his.

"Jim called Mom and asked if I could come out here for your birthday and be on his show," Jo said. Leonard looked up at where Jim lounged in the doorway, a soft smile on his face.

"I, I don't know what to say," Leonard said, feeling choked up. He hoped that his uncharacteristic emotions weren't scaring Jo, but she was a smart kid.

Jim shrugged. "We were going to surprise you today at the studio, but I guess it didn't work out." Leonard could see that Jim was a bit disappointed that his plans had been foiled, but Leonard certainly couldn't complain.

Finally willing himself to stand, Leonard put a hand on Jo's shoulder and maneuvered them around the desk. "Come on, Darlin'. Let's go home."

Jim took in Bones' slow movements and slumped shoulders. "Hey, Bones, give me your keys. I'll drive your car."

It was a testament to how tired and distressed the doctor was that he handed over his keys without question. It was only a few moments later that something occurred to him. "Wait, you didn't bring Jo over here on that death trap of yours, did you?" he asked.

"Relax, Bones," Jim said, slapping Leonard on the shoulder. "You know that even I'm not that stupid. Nyota gave us a ride over on her way home."

"Oh," Leonard said, feeling bad about the accusation. Jim just seemed amused, though. With Jo's hand in his and his best friend at his shoulder, Leonard finally left the hospital.

~o~O~o~

Leonard seemed happy to sit partially turned in the passenger seat and listen to Joanna tell him all about the taping of the show rather than harangue Jim for his driving. Jim was happy to let the two of them have their time together and smiled in the darkness.

It was easy to see the weariness in Leonard's posture and movements as they made their way into the house. "Thanks, kid," Leonard said as he took back his car keys.

"Do you mind if I crash here tonight?" Jim asked cautiously. He didn't want to intrude on father-daughter time.

"Knock yourself out," Leonard said, gesturing in the general direction of the living room as he fought back a yawn. "'Fraid the guest room will be taken, though."

"No problem, Bones," Jim said with a grin.

While Leonard took a quick shower to wash off the hospital smell, Jim coached Joanna through the reheating of Bones' dinner and dug through the refrigerator in search of salad or other food to accompany the lasagna. Jim was pleased to see that the doctor kept himself better provisioned these days. It seemed the griping and harassment in this friendship went both ways.

It was clear to Jim that something was still bothering Leonard as he picked at his dinner and talked with Joanna about school and her friends. Soon, though, she had propped her cheek on one hand. Jim bit his lip to keep from laughing as Joanna's eyes kept drifting closed despite her insistence that she wasn't tired.

"Come on, Darlin'. Time for bed," Leonard said as he finished his meal. When Joanna protested, he pointed out, "It's nearly your bedtime here, which means it's way past your bedtime at home."

With some grumbling, Joanna walked around the table to Jim. "Good night, Jim!" she said as she kissed his cheek and gave him a hug.

"'Night, Jo," Jim said, swallowing back the lump in his throat. He knew his life had seriously lacked unconditional love. He hardly knew what to do at moments like this.

"Thanks for dinner. It was really good," Leonard told Jim quietly as Joanna went upstairs to her bedroom.

"No problem, Bones," Jim said. "Of course, Joanna did most of the work."

Leonard grinned at Jim's (somewhat uncharacteristic) modesty. Joanna may have been the one to get her fingers all over everything, but he knew Jim had been the power behind the throne.

While Leonard disappeared upstairs to tuck in Joanna, Jim cleaned up the kitchen and took his laptop into the living room. He figured there was a chance that Leonard would fall asleep while reading with Joanna or stumble off to bed immediately afterward, so he was pleasantly surprised to hear footsteps coming back downstairs a little while later.

Leonard went into the kitchen and returned a few minutes later with two small glasses of bourbon. He set them on the coffee table in front of the couch and sat down heavily near Jim.

"So, what's on your mind?" Jim asked as he took his first sip.

Leonard chuckled tiredly. "Isn't that my line?"

Jim shrugged. "Do you want me to try it in a Georgia accent? I might be able to do it after listening to you and Jo over dinner. Your accent gets thicker when she's around, you know."

Leonard slouched down on the couch, resting his head on the back. He exhaled heavily. "It was a rough day."

Jim waited patiently, knowing that this was probably the first chance Leonard had had all day to get his thoughts in order.

"I lost a patient today," he said finally, his voice cracking slightly. "She was only eight years old. She was so tiny, and I tried so hard to save her. I tried so, so hard, but I just couldn't do it." He sat forward, hiding his face in his hands.

Jim put a comforting hand on Leonard's shoulder, letting the man take his time. He felt tears prickling in his own eyes; he ignored the tears he could see falling down Leonard's face in the dim light when the doctor turned to speak again.

"You know what the worst part of it is? I saved my next patient – a 57-year-old man. He caused the entire pile-up because he was driving drunk. Tonight, that little girl is in the morgue because of his idiocy while he gets a whole lot more tomorrows."

The friends sat in silence for a while. Finally, Jim spoke up. "Yeah, he'll wake up tomorrow, and each day after that. But every single day, he's going to have to live with the knowledge that he killed that little girl, that it's his fault that she won't grow up.

"Trust me, Bones, life isn't fair. But I know that you did everything in your power to save her. If you could have fought off Death itself as her personal champion, you would have. That's who you are. One of the things that makes you such a great doctor is that you care, about everyone."

Leonard shifted forward to rest his elbows on his knees, once again burying his face in his hands. Jim could see the shaking in Leonard's shoulders. It broke his heart to see his friend in pain. He quietly rubbed Leonard's back as the older man cried. It was a strangely touchy-feely moment for the two of them, one which would never be spoken of in the light of day.

Finally, Leonard seemed to have reached the end of his energy reserves and simply sat. Jim broke the silence. "I hope having Jo around isn't going to be an imposition. I'm sorry if it is. We just wanted to surprise you for your birthday."

Leonard sniffled and sat up. "You and Jo are never an imposition," he said. Jim felt his heart warm to be included in that sentence. "Actually, she was exactly what I needed. Dealing with kids in the hospital is hard because they're so young and innocent and it breaks a doctor's heart to see them suffer. Before the divorce, whenever I had a bad day at work I would go home, and the first thing I would do is go upstairs and pick up Joanna and just hug her. Jocelyn always got mad at me because a couple of times I woke Jo up after it had taken her a while to get her to sleep. But I just had to remind myself my little girl was okay. That's the biggest regret I have about leaving Georgia and leaving my little girl behind. Now, I just have to hope that maybe I can hear Jo's voice over the phone the next day while all I want is to hold her in my arms and protect her from all of the pain in the world.

"That's actually what I was thinking about when you guys walked in. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the only way today could have been any better was if the accident had never happened and I had made it to the taping."

Jim would deny it to anyone who dared ask that a tear escaped from his eye at Leonard's statement. Sensing Leonard's physical and emotional fatigue, Jim decided to interrupt the moment. "Well, Bones," he said, slapping Leonard's shoulder, "it looks like when I'm good, I'm fairy-godmother good. Glad to make all of your dreams come true."

Leonard's eyeroll lacked its usual intensity due to his red, puffy eyes, but Jim was happy to see that his friend looked a bit more relaxed now.

"Dude, go to bed. You're making me tired looking at you," Jim told Leonard.

"Why, Jim, are you this nice to all of your friends?" Leonard asked.

"Only my favorites, Bones."

"Lucky me," Leonard said sarcastically as he levered himself from the couch, but his tone was canceled out by the smile on his face.

"And don't you forget it," Jim said. "By the way, what's a guy got to do to get a pillow and blanket around here?"

Leonard's eye roll this time was back up to its regular intensity. He left the room and returned a minute later with bedding. "Brat," he said as he tossed the pile at Jim's head.

"'Night, Bones," Jim said.

"'Night, Kid," the doctor said fondly as he yawned and headed for the stairs.

Jim grinned as his friend walked away. Bones seemed more centered now than he had been since they met him at the hospital. Hopefully that would translate into a good night's sleep.

Jim powered up his laptop and sipped at his bourbon as he dove back into work. Leonard's glass sat untouched on the coffee table.

~o~O~o~

Slowly resurfacing toward consciousness, Leonard heard someone moving around the house earlier than he would ever get up on a day off. His sleepy mind vaguely remembered sitting around the table with Jim and Jo as he ate lasagna. Hoping it wasn't a dream, Leonard grudgingly opened his eyes.

He mumbled out some form of answer when he heard a light knock at his bedroom door. The door quietly opened and Joanna shuffled into his room.

Definitely wasn't a dream, then.

"'Mornin', Sweetheart," he said with a grin as Jo came in and jumped up onto his bed.

"'Morning, Daddy!" she said, bouncing where she sat, wide-awake and full of energy.

Leonard managed to buy himself a few minutes to fully awaken while chatting with Jo. His little girl was growing up so quickly; he could hold fairly grown-up conversations with her now.

"Suppose you're getting hungry, aren't ya?" Leonard asked, stretching and finally dragging himself out of bed. He could definitely use more sleep, but he could sleep when Jo wasn't around.

"Yep," she said. "Should I go wake Jim?"

Knowing Jim, the idiot had probably stayed up half the night working on media projects. Leonard was pretty sure the kid was permanently running on fumes in an effort to prove himself in the culinary world. "Let him be for now. He'll probably wake up when we're making breakfast, anyway."

Leonard sent Joanna off to get dressed and quickly found a pair of jeans and long-sleeved shirt. She was already in the kitchen when he went downstairs. He stole a look into the living room as he walked by – Jim was passed out on the couch with his mouth open, his laptop open but asleep on the coffee table. Looks like Leonard's prediction hadn't been far off the mark.

Today Leonard had the day off. He had been unhappy when he first found out he had his birthday off as he didn't want to spend the day lamenting Jo's absence, especially since Jim would have to work. When he had protested the schedule a few weeks previously, Pike had told him in no uncertain terms to quit his whining and appreciate the gesture. Leonard hadn't been suspicious at the time despite never getting his birthday off of work, but now he was pretty sure Jim Kirk had something to do with it. Jim had formed a lot of valuable alliances at the hospital, not least with Pike. Now that Jo was here, though, he was thrilled with time off.

Not long ago Jim had given Leonard a waffle recipe which he now pulled out and assembled using ingredients that Jim insisted he should have around the house. Joanna washed some strawberries and carefully sliced them. Leonard didn't even want to contemplate how much faster Jim could have done all of this, but the idiot was still asleep on his couch.

He was just pulling the real maple syrup ("Once you have real maple syrup, you'll never go back to that maple-flavored corn syrup crap," Jim had told him. The brat had been right.) out of the refrigerator when Jim finally deigned to make an appearance in the kitchen.

"Good morning, everyone!" he said entirely too cheerfully, although Leonard could hear Jim's scratchy throat from sleeping with his mouth open.

"Good morning, Sunshine. Coffee's that way," Leonard said, pointing Jim at the French press on the counter before turning back to the waffle iron.

Soon everything was assembled and set out on the table. "It's a good thing we had a professional chef in the house to help us cook breakfast," Leonard teased Jim good-naturedly.

"But you did use my recipe," Jim pointed out. "I'd like to think that I provided the inspiration for this meal if nothing else."

"There was definitely nothing else," Leonard confirmed.

Joanna laughed at their antics. In that moment, Leonard was more content than he had been in a long, long time.

After breakfast, Joanna brushed her teeth while the adults cleaned up the kitchen. "Hey, Bones," Jim said casually. "You two should come eat at the restaurant tonight. If you don't mind an early dinner, it shouldn't be a problem to get you a table."

Leonard stopped and stared at Jim with a raised eyebrow. He knew for a fact that there was a waiting list of several months for a table at the Enterprise. "You sure?"

"Of course," Jim said cheerfully. "What's the point of owning a restaurant if you can't get a table for some of your favorite people? Come by around 5:30."

Leonard was touched by Jim's generosity, but he couldn't let the kid see it. "I'll bet you say that to everyone who lets you sleep on their couch."

"Or in their bed," Jim said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Ingrate," Leonard muttered. Jim laughed at his friend's pretend indignation.

In short order, everyone was ready to go. Leonard felt like he had two kids, making sure that Jo had her jacket and Jim his laptop. There was no question which of the two kids was more mature.

After dropping off Jim at the studio to pick up his motorcycle ("That's death on wheels, Jo. You are never allowed to ride one of those monstrosities," Leonard told his daughter. Jim rolled his eyes behind Bones' back, much to Joanna's delight.), Leonard drove to the hospital. After installing Joanna in his office and thanking his lucky stars that he had a daughter who could entertain herself with a book and some markers and printer paper, Leonard went to check on his patients. Even though the hospital had plenty of other doctors to look after patients, he liked to check up on patients whenever possible, and they often appreciated meeting the surgeon who took care of them.

Both the mother and father of the little girl he lost yesterday were still in critical condition and hadn't been told about their daughter yet. Leonard fought the urge to beg for forgiveness from the assembled relatives, and instead checked on other patients under his care. However, he couldn't bring himself to check up on the drunk driver. The man was receiving adequate care from other physicians, and Leonard was afraid he might speak his mind to the patient. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of satisfaction when he noticed a police officer stationed outside the man's hospital room, waiting to take him into custody once he was released.

Joanna sensed his need for hugs and didn't squirm or complain when he gave her a long one upon returning to his office half an hour later. For his part, Leonard was grateful; he had wished for these moments so often, yet never had Jo nearby. This felt like a luxury, and Leonard felt far more centered today than last night when he had sat at his desk with his head in his hands. It was certainly better than waking up hung-over in an empty house.

Today they left the hospital in much higher spirits, with Leonard even deigning to send a wave at Nurse Chapel's 'Happy Birthday!' and scowling slightly less at the other nurses. He didn't want to give them any ideas that he might be happy.

The day ended up being one of the best Leonard had had in a long time. He and Joanna went to the aquarium and ate lunch outside in the sunshine. Joanna played on the swings in the park near Leonard's house and then they lay side by side under a large tree and talked for half an hour.

Upon their return home, Joanna went upstairs to get ready for dinner while Leonard phoned his mother.

"Happy birthday, dear!" she said, before slyly adding, "I hope you got your birthday gift."

"It was perfect, thank you," he said, fighting down a lump that formed in his throat. "Having Joanna here is the best gift I could have asked for." He told his mother about the previous day, and how Jim had appeared with Joanna just at the moment he needed her most.

"Your friend Jim is such a nice young man," Mrs. McCoy said.

"He sure is something," Leonard joked.

"He's quite a handsome young man, as well," his mother continued.

Leonard groaned and put his face in his hand. He was pretty sure Jim had yet to meet a person he couldn't charm. "I really didn't need to hear that."

"Oh Leonard, I'm widowed, not dead," Leonard's mother laughed at her son's discomfort. "He did promise me front-row seats at his show when it comes to Atlanta this fall. I look forward to meeting him in person. Maybe the two of you could come stay here for a few days afterward – he said Atlanta is his last show of the season."

Jim's cooking show was becoming increasingly popular, so Spock and Nyota had been working long and hard to set up a cross-country tour in order to film new episodes for the next season. He had already promised Jim he would attend the Atlanta taping. Leonard hated flying, so if he was going to do it he might as well kill two birds with one stone and visit his family at the same time. He also planned to thicken his Southern accent for the episode because it 1) charmed viewers and 2) annoyed Jim.

After ending the call with his mother, Leonard went upstairs to change. Jim's restaurant was fancy enough to warrant a suit, even if it was early in the evening. Leonard usually hated the things because it had been a while since he had worn a suit for anything besides business or divorce court. However, he was actually looking forward to the evening.

Jo came bouncing downstairs while Leonard was tying his tie in the mirror over the mantelpiece. Turning around, he saw her pink and white dress which was full of ribbons and bows and glittery things. Suddenly, he began to suspect that Jim's dinner invitation wasn't as spur-of-the-moment as his off-handed comment had suggested.

After putting his surgeon's dexterity to good use by braiding his daughter's hair (with exasperation and eye-rolls from both parties), Leonard grinned as Joanna spun around in her dress. His little girl was sugar and spice and everything a 10-year-old girl should be. He hadn't been this happy in a long time.

"Come on, Darlin'," he said to Joanna after placing a kiss on her head. "Let's go see if Jim cooks as well as he tells everyone he does."

Hand-in-hand, they walked out the door.

~o~O~o~

Gaila, who was manager of Enterprise and Jim swore he couldn't live without, was there to meet them at the door.

"Happy birthday, Leonard!" she said with her usual energy, kissing his cheek much to his embarrassment and Joanna's amusement. "Jim said you could come into the kitchen first if you want."

Joanna bounced on her toes, so they followed Gaila through the empty dining room and into the clean white kitchen in the back. Controlled chaos reigned, and Leonard immediately slapped his hands over Jo's ears at the language being tossed about by the kitchen staff.

"Guys! Small person on deck," Jim called, hardly pausing in his preparations as he flitted between chopping and frying something in a pan. The culprits immediately shut their mouths and looked sheepish under Leonard's glare.

Finally daring to uncover Jo's ears, Leonard asked, "Have you managed to keep all of your fingers so far tonight?"

"Bones, ye of little faith!" Jim said good-naturedly. "I cut myself once and you'll never let me forget it."

"Yep," Leonard said. "Consider it payback for the nickname."

"Right, Bones. Sure, Bones. Whatever you say, Bones," Jim said.

Leonard rolled his eyes and muttered, "Infant." He wasn't sure Jim could hear him from way over there, but Jim's lips quirked all the same.

Gaila led them out of the kitchen and to their table, making a fuss over Joanna and her dress. Leonard smiled in thanks as she left them to look at menus and take in the still-quiet restaurant. Leonard had never actually eaten a proper meal at the restaurant before. Sure, Jim had cooked for him at home plenty of times and sometimes dropped food off to him at the hospital when he had to work late. It' wasn't as if he'd never been inside the Enterprise before, either. Sometimes, at the end of the evening, the TV crew and restaurant staff would gather in the restaurant after closing time to rehash the day and generally wind down. If Leonard had been at a taping or working late, he would sometimes join them as they sat at the bar for a couple of hours, sharing a drink and laughing. Leonard had become good friends with Spock, Nyota, and Scotty at these gatherings, and Gaila had certainly taken a shine to him after watching him and Jim interact. There was only one rule during these gatherings: Scotty was not allowed behind the bar unsupervised.

"Jim's offered to make both of you a tasting menu if you don't know what want," she said, wandering back a few minutes later with a glass of wine for Leonard and a Shirley Temple for Joanna. Once she explained to Joanna that Jim would make several small courses for them, both McCoys nodded.

What followed was course after course of delicate, exquisite creations. A year ago, Leonard would have scoffed at the small piece of food laid out beautifully on a big plate, but hanging out with Jim had taught him to eat with his eyes as well as his palate and to savor beautiful flavors instead of simply shoving food into his mouth. Tonight there was a small serving of pate, a tangy artichoke salad, something that involved tart berries and a creamy soft cheese, fish that nearly melted in Leonard's mouth, and a thin slice of the most succulent beef he had ever tasted. He explained the different foods to Joanna when he could identify them and let Gaila, who had decided to be their personal server in between greeting customers, explain when he couldn't. In between, he and Joanna chatted as much as they ever had and Leonard knew he had probably smiled more today than so far this entire year.

After tonight's meal, Leonard decided he would never again tease Jim for waxing poetic about fine food. So often during their short friendship, Jim would reminisce about favorite foods and exquisite meals he had eaten. Leonard could see it in his eyes when Jim drifted off into his memories, recounting in a wistful or enthusiastic tone what he had eaten, what it had tasted like, and just how sublime it had been. It reminded Leonard of people recalling lost loves or memorable moments in their lives. He had never understood Jim's devotion to food – until tonight. Now he understood.

"Would you mind if I borrowed Joanna for a moment?" Gaila said slyly toward the end of the meal. Hand in hand, the two of them immediately headed back toward the bar. Leonard could just see the top of Joanna's head as she followed Gaila. A moment later, Jim emerged from the kitchen and joined them.

Leonard could see a glow reflecting on the scheming faces that were focused on something and realized what was up. Hopefully this restaurant was too classy to allow singing, but since Jim was the owner he wouldn't make any bets.

A moment later the procession emerged from behind the bar. Gaila carried a cake with an indeterminate number of candles while Jim and Joanna followed her, looking very pleased with themselves.

"Bones!" Jim shouted as they neared the table before lowering his voice. "Happy birthday! Jo said you'd probably kill me if we sang to you and I know you know how to use a knife, so I didn't want to chance it. Consider it my birthday gift to you."

"Gee, thanks," Leonard drawled, as if Jim hadn't already made his entire birthday.

"We didn't want to start the cake on fire, so we only put some candles on it," Joanna added helpfully. Leonard couldn't help the snort that escaped. Jim, the conniving bastard, wore a grin that suggested Joanna was repeating his words.

Leonard blew out the candles in one go and got a better look at the cake. His face broke into a large smile when he took in the purple icing and the message written in uneven letters. "When did you make this?" he asked Joanna.

"Jim and I made it on his show yesterday," she said proudly.

"Jo figured purple was your favorite color," Jim said.

"It's perfect," Leonard said, kissing Jo on the temple as she stood beside him.

Gaila used Leonard's phone to snap a photo of Leonard and Joanna with the cake. Jim stood beside her looking at the beaming faces and felt satisfaction at a job well done. He hadn't had many of these moments in his life, but to make it happen for these two people was an amazing feeling.

"Jim, you get in there too," Gaila said, urging him forward. Jim walked to Leonard's side opposite Joanna and leaned down with an arm slung across the back of the chair while Gaila snapped a couple more photos.

Too soon, Jim had to rush back to the kitchen and Gaila went to get them a box to take home the rest of the cake - under Leonard and Joanna's condition that she cut slices for herself and Jim, as well.

Weeks later, Leonard would print the photos from his phone. The picture of him and Joanna, with matching dimpled grins, sat on his desk at the hospital. The other photo, with the two of them in the same pose and a grinning Jim making rabbit ears behind Leonard, eventually found its way onto Leonard's mantelpiece.

~o~O~o~

"Bones!" Jim said gleefully, making his way to the table where Leonard sat waiting. "How's it going?"

"Just peachy," Leonard grumbled. Early that morning he had gathered up Joanna and driven her to the airport. The airline employee who would see Jo to her flight waited a bit impatiently as Leonard had given his daughter a last, long hug. Jo had indulged him, and both had fought back tears in true McCoy fashion. Now that Jo was on her way back to Georgia, the joy and enthusiasm that followed her everywhere was noticeably absent. Life was too quiet now.

Enterprise was closed on Mondays, so Jim had made a point of meeting Leonard for lunch during the doctor's midday break to cheer up the man. As an added bonus, they were eating sushi. Leonard had steadfastly refused to eat raw fish until Jim had essentially dared him to do it, and the doctor had become a fan. Now every time they ate at this sushi restaurant near the hospital, Jim loved to remind his friend of his initial stubbornness.

"Joanna Banana home yet?" Jim asked the doctor. Jo had wrinkled her nose at the nickname, but she hadn't blatantly told off Jim for using it, so he considered that tacit permission to keep calling her that.

Leonard shook his head and looked toward his phone. "No, she'll still be in the air."

Jim watched his friend's downcast face. "You know, she's a great kid."

As predicted, Leonard smiled a sad smile. "Yeah she is." He cleared his throat. "Thanks for bringing her here. It was the best birthday present I've ever gotten. I doubt Jocelyn would have allowed it if I had been the one to ask."

Jim whooped and threw his arms in the air in victory. Nearby diners stared and Leonard put hid his face in his hands in embarrassment.

Then he quieted down. "No problem, Bones. I'm sorry that the whole surprise with the show didn't work out, though."

Leonard laughed. "Are you kidding me? Even with all of the stuff that happened last Thursday, it was still the best birthday I've had in a long, long time. Even if I did have to go to that heap you call a restaurant instead of convincing you to cook in my kitchen."

Jim put his hand over his heart. "Bones, you say the nicest things."

"I'll be a whole lot nicer if you'd figure out what you want to order. I'm hungry."

Jim laughed. "Bonesy, you're the best!"

FIN

It's the end of this story, but there's a third installment on the way! For some reason, ideas for these stories keep coming to me while I wash the dinner dishes. At least there will never be a shortage of those...