Hey guys, sorry it's been so long. I've been busy with a lot of life stuff recently. I finished with my long term boyfriend a few weeks ago so that's been hard to deal with, and it's been my birthday as well. But here is another update, that I hope you enjoy.

Flashback

The club music around us was pumping through my veins, the rhythm of the uptempo beat flowing through my body. My blood was red hot, the sticky air of the club causing a few droplets of sweat to form on the top of my forehead. The dance floor was packed, bodies shoulder to shoulder as everyone danced along to the DJ's set.

It was Halloween. All of San Francisco's clubs were booked out and full to their capacity, each patron sporting a costume. A fair majority of the club goers that night were from the Academy. Uhura and I were in one club, I didn't care to remember the name. She had booked us a VIP table with some of our friends with the aim to celebrate the holiday and as she put it, 'get wasted'.

I'd chosen to go as a pirate, wearing an 18th century military jacket in a royal blue, wearing underneath it a short, cream coloured dress. With this I wore some over-the-knee high-heeled boots, which made my legs look like they went on forever. Uhura had taken the task of curling my unruly and never ending brown locks. They had fallen out after a mere ten minutes after walking out of the Academy and hailing a cab, but they looked good hanging down from underneath a black pirate hat I had placed on my head. Uhura had also done my make up, smoking my eyes out with the darkest black eyeshadow she owned, leaving my lips a nude colour.

Uhura herself looked stunning as Catwoman, a full-sleeved, black leather jumpsuit hugging her body in all the right places, and a mask with cat ears on top hid half of her face. As we stood in the mirror in our dorm room, she let out a satisfied sigh before dragging me out of the door and into the night.

The first thing we did upon entering the bustling club was head to the bar, ordering three shots of Jack each and drinking them one after the other. I let out a hiss as Uhura handed over credits to the bartender, sending me an amused smile. The shots had gone straight to my head.

"It's going to be one of those nights," I called to her over the top of the noise, reaching out to grab her gloved hand. She laughed loudly as we weaved our way through the dance floor to our fellow cadets in the VIP section. An hour or two passed, full of laughs, dancing, and drinking very expensive vodka and champagne that kept on coming. The alcohol seeped into my brain, my inhibitions dissipating as the night progressed. I looked out onto the large dance floor, skeletons, zombies, witches, wolves and a few cheerleaders to name a few, all jumping around to the music. I so badly wanted to join them, and was about to drunkenly declare we should all join the dancing, before I heard my name being called from behind me.

"Alex!" I spun around, my eyes squinting through the dim light to make out the source of my name. My eyes flickered around before landing on a pair of eyes that I would recognise anywhere. Jim Kirk, or should I say, vampire Jim Kirk waved to me. He was stood at the bottom of the stairs to the entrance of the VIP area, leaning on the rail as if he owned the place.

He held his hands out towards me, gesturing me to come closer. I nodded, telling everyone I'd be back in a second. I let a lazy grin settle on my face as I examined his costume. He hadn't really made much effort, with a simple white t-shirt, splattered in fake blood and a pair of dark fitted jeans. The fake blood was splattered all over his neck and around his mouth - as he grinned I discovered he had stuck in some fake fangs to make the costume more realistic. I never wanted to admit it, but he looked pretty hot that night.

"I don't think I should come any closer," I said, just loud enough for him to hear me over the music. "Don't want to get bitten," I explained, waving a hand at the fake blood all over him. He laughed.

"Who knows, you might enjoy it, Al'," he slurred, raising his eyebrows suggestively. "So far everyone else has."

"That's disgusting. And you're drunk," I scowled back at him playfully. He shook his head, dismissing my scorn with a wave of one of his blood covered hands.

"You're drunker." I let out a 'pfft' in response, rolling my eyes.

"Anyway, I was going to ask you if you wanted to dance with me," he began, throwing a quick glance over his shoulder before snapping his attention back to me. "Bones left me. He wasn't enjoying being a mummy," I tilted my head, inviting him to elaborate.

"I wrapped him up in all of his bandages from this first aid kit he had lying around. I left him for five minutes at the bar, came back, he was gone," he exclaimed as I giggled.

"Oh, come on then. I don't want to leave you alone on one of the scariest nights of the year," I winked as I sashayed down the stairs and past him and onto the floor. I turned to face him, walking backwards and sending him a somewhat sexy smirk. This newfound confidence that I had was definitely from the large intake of alcohol that was in my system, but Jim smirked back, following me.

I began to dance then, letting the music take full control over my body movements. Jim danced close to me, occasionally his hands brushing my waist or the top of my thighs. We both had smiles on our faces, and for a while it felt like Jim and I were the only people in the club. It was when the song changed to a slower and more intense tempo Jim slipped his hand around my waist, pulling me closer, his mouth to my ear.

"You look so good tonight, Alex," his hot breath tickled my neck as I raised my hand to touch my hat, but I discovered that it was gone after what must've been an hour of dancing with Jim. I gulped as I realised his hand didn't move, and instead pulled me a lot closer to his warm body. His mouth remained at my ear as his breath continued to fan over my neck, sending goosebumps all over my body. He swayed us to the music as I let the alcohol take control. I raised both of my hands to his shoulders, running my palms over his chest and up to his neck, ignoring the stickiness of the fake blood.

My heart began to thump ten times the beat of the music in alarm at what Jim and I were doing, swallowing hard when Jim let a deep groan escape his lips. I frightened myself when my hands, which were now in his hair, tugged, clenching harder. Slowly, Jim pulled his head back, his eyes meeting mine, glinting with something. Before I could stop myself my eyes dropped downwards, taking in the sight of his pink lips, droplets of fake blood surrounding them. They moved, to form a smirk as my eyes darted back up to meet his, his other hand coming up to hold my cheek. I marvelled at how my skin burned at his touch. He began to lean closer to me, his blue orbs flickering down to my glossy lips. I gravitated towards him, pausing as our lips were just a centimetre apart. Our breaths merged into one as he looked into my eyes, sort of asking for my permission. I granted it to him, letting my eyes flutter closed and leaning forwards ever so slightly.

The sensation of Jim's soft lips pressing onto mine was enough to make every nerve in my body tingle. After a second or two, he pulled me closer, the kiss taking a more passionate turn. But it hadn't even been five seconds before we were split apart. Someone next to us on the dance floor had stumbled due to their drunken state, crashing into Jim and I, breaking us free from each other's embrace. The skeleton staggered back up to his feet, making sure he shouted an apology to the both of us. The song in the club changed and I suddenly felt the shock of what had just happened wash over me, my eyes widening significantly as I made eye contact with Jim. His friendly and amused gaze turned into a worried one as he took in my expression, taking a step closer to me.

"Are you okay, Alex?" He asked, bending down to my level. I bit my lip, nodding.

"I should probably go and find Uhura, she'll be wondering where I am." He pondered for a second, seeming to be fighting an internal battle. After a few moments hesitation, he nodded.

"Okay, I'll see you later," he replied, but I span on my heel and walked back to the VIP area, not giving him a farewell. I was terrified - I'd just kissed one of my friends, who I had never been attracted to in the entire time I had known him. Sure, he was hot and all, but he was Jim Kirk, who as far as I was concerned, was definitely not my type. I shook my head, telling myself that it was an accident: I was drunk, I let the moment take over. I let out a sigh as I laid my eyes on a very drunk Uhura, who was dancing her heart out on top of one of the tables to an old school Beyonce track.

"Come on, Miss. Drunk in Love. Time to go home."

"I lost her."

I couldn't describe the look on Spock's face as he and his fellow Vulcans materialised onto the landing pad, without his mother. His hand was out stretched to where his mother would have been stood. Some would say that Spock looked emotionless, that he would cast you the same look after you'd just told him a hilarious joke. But his eyes betrayed him. From where I was standing next to the transporter controls, I could make out his pain and heartbreak.

The silence in the transporter room was deafening. None of us knew what to say. I felt a single tear roll down my left cheek, though I didn't dare move to wipe it away in case I disturbed the silence of the room, instead deciding to let the oncoming stream of salty tears fall without protest. With two steps, Spock stood where his mother would have, looking down at the spot, his confusion evident in his cold glare. He looked up as it finally dawned on him. His home had been destroyed, a part of his family with it. My heart ached as I remembered the pain I felt when I lost my father. My stomach twisted as the memories of Jim holding me for hours as I cried flashed through my mind.

We were carted off to the medical bay, not long after McCoy had joined us in the transporter room, inviting all the Vulcans to go along with us. Jim strode beside me, our arms brushing from time to time as we all walked in silence, our eyes glued to the floor. The other crew members simply moved out of the way for us as we made our way through the Enterprise, caution evident in their wary glances.

Jim and I exchanged a wide eyed look as we were each carted off into different areas of the medical bay. My heart began to beat faster at the sudden distance that was put between us. He turned around to face me as he sat up onto the biobed a few beds in front of mine, sending me a tight but reassuring smile. I let out a scoff in my head as I chastised myself for being so clingy. I put it down to being involved in a near death experience with him just a while earlier, and not wanting to risk losing him again.

McCoy saw to my injuries, scanning me over with a tricorder. I tried not to let out a groan as his fingers poked and prodded the multiple bruises forming on my body. My eyes watered at the pain and because of the empathy I felt for Spock. McCoy swallowed hard as he glanced upwards from his crouched position in front of me as he was scanning my ribs. I knew he wanted to say something, but he held his tongue, simply advising the nurse who was observing him what treatment I needed. I two bruises forming where I was hit in the face, a small cut remaining on my left jaw. My ribs were slightly bruised and my wrist would bruise also, but I was cleared of having any serious injuries.

I didn't wait for Jim as I rose from the biobed and headed to my shared quarters. I hurried through the bustling corridors of the Enterprise, deciding to take a quick shower as I entered my quarters. The warm water soothed the aching in my body as I washed off stubborn dirt and dust that was stuck to my body. I wished that I could stay under the steady stream of water for hours, but I hopped out after five minutes and wrapped a towel around my body. I didn't bother looking at my appearance in the mirror, knowing for sure I looked like hell. I made my way into my room and couldn't help but let out a surprised yelp as I saw Jim sat on the edge of my bed.

His eyes widened at the sight of me in a towel, his eyes examining every drop and rivet of water on my body. After a moment they settled on my face, and he shot me a smile, rising from where he was sat.

"You left your room door open," he explained, knowing immediately what I was thinking. Are you okay?" He almost whispered, his voice faltering as his eyes flickered down to my bruised jaw. I nodded, tugging my towel tighter around my body.

"Yeah. You?" He turned away from me, taking in the layout and set up of my small room. I hadn't had any time to set it up or unpack, but he found something interesting to look at as he mumbled a 'mhm'. I took in a sharp intake of breath after a few moments of silence, his head swinging back to me. "You mind turning around so I can change?"

"Oh, yeah, sure," he replied, flustered, a blush rising up his neck. I couldn't help but let out a wry smile as I let the towel drop to the floor with a thud.

"You nearly died, Alex," he breathlessly said in front of me.

"We nearly died," I corrected, I quickly changed into a clean set of underwear and underclothes. I was in the process of pulling my blue regulation dress down my body when Jim turned around, his eyes filled with an emotion I couldn't decipher. Either way, it made my heart ache.

"I didn't look after you, like I said I would." Jim finally said. I rolled my eyes. "No, listen to me," he took a step closer to me, his body towering over my, still slightly damp one. "I don't know what I would have done if I lost you." I smiled at his words, but shook my head.

"You don't have to think about that, Jim. You saved mine and Sulu's life. You can't lose me that easily." He released a breath, his shoulders immediately looking less tense. "We look after each other, alright?" I brushed past him, seeking out my boots and pulling them on. I turned back to face Jim, only to be met with his chest as he engulfed me in a hug. His chin rested on top of my damp head, his hands wrapping around my back.

"I'll see you on the bridge," he exclaimed into my hair, before walking out of the room. I stood there in silence, the scent of him lingering around me. It was almost as if he was never there as I fought the feeling of loneliness wash over me. I shook myself out of it, deciding to brush my hair and get ready to head back to the bridge where I would be reporting as Deputy Science Officer.

The bridge doors opened with a swish, and I strode in confidently, sitting down at the unoccupied seat at the science station by Uhura. She sent a welcoming smile at me, as I sent one back, before looking wide eyed at Jim sat in the Captain's chair, deep in thought.

"Earth may be his next stop, but we have to assume every Federation planet is a target." He declared. I immediately caught on to what we were discussing - Nero, the Captain of the Romulan ship, the Narada, had Captain Pike. We wanted to know what his next move would be, and ultimately, decide on what the Enterprise's would be.

Spock turned his head at the sound of Jim's voice, choosing to discount his thought and simply chastise him. "Out of the chair." I let an amused grin grace my features, but it didn't last long as the bruises on my face began to throb. Jim let out a huff as he rose, walking to the right of the bridge.

"Well, if the Federation is a target, why didn't they destroy us?" Ensign Chekov stated from his station at the front of the bridge, all attention turning to him.

"Why would they? Why waste a weapon? We obviously weren't a threat." Sulu tagged on. Spock shook his head as he continued to wander around the bridge in thought.

"That is not it. He said he wanted me to see something, the destruction of my home planet." He came to a stop.

"How the hell did he do that, by the way? I mean, where did the Romulans get that kind of weaponry?" McCoy asked, his southern drawl echoing around the bridge.

"The engineering comprehension necessary to artificially create a black hole may suggest an answer." Spock replied. I stood up from my station.

"Artificially creating a black hole? We're talking years and years of research. That's ahead of our time." I chipped in. "Wait, time. Space is time." I felt everyone's eyes on me as hundreds of thoughts and ideas racked through my brain.

"If you had that kind of equipment, technology... comprehension, there's a possibility that a hole through space-time could be created." I tried to explain.

"Damn it, Hart, I'm a doctor, not a physicist. Are you actually suggesting they're from the future?" McCoy asked incredulously as I tried not to laugh at his outrage.

"Uh, yeah. I guess." I glanced to Uhura who sent me a reassuring wink.

"If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. Lieutenant Hart is logical in her thinking." Spock answered McCoy, sending me a curt nod. McCoy rolled his eyes, dismissing Spock.

"How poetic." He exclaimed with a wave of his had as I silently sniggered.

"Then what would an angry, future Romulan want with Captain Pike?" Jim posed a very important question, causing me to frown in thought. He had a point.

"As Captain, he does know details of Starfleet's defences," Sulu suggested. Jim nodded, walking forwards toward Spock from his leaning position against one of the railings.

"What we need to do is catch up with that ship, disable it, take it over and get Pike back." Jim declared.

"We are technologically outmatched in every way. A rescue attempt would be illogical." Spock shot back. I found myself grinding my teeth as the tension in the room seemed to build.

"Nero's ship would have to drop out of warp for us to overtake them." Checkov added on. My heart fell as I worried for Captain Pike.

"Then what about assigning engineering crews to try and boost our warp yield?" Jim suggested, seeming to have an answer for everything.

"Remaining crew are being used to repair radiation leaks on all lower decks." Spock answered, continuing to explain his point. He seemed to have an answer for everything too. Jim let out a cry of frustration, as I raised a hand to rub my forehead as the two spoke over each other. This was much like what happened in the assembly hall a few hours earlier.

"We must gather with the rest of Starfleet to balance the terms of the next engagement." Spock declared once Jim had stopped talking, coming to stop in front of him.

"There won't be a next engagement. By the time we've gathered, it'll be too late." Jim replied. He did have a point. The Romulan drill had destroyed a significantly sized planet in a matter of minutes. Nobody knew how long it would take for them to destroy another, or wipe out the rest of Starfleet. "You say he's from the future, knows what's gonna happen? Then the logical thing is to be unpredictable."

"You are assuming that Nero knows how events are predicted to unfold. The contrary, Nero's very presence has altered the flow of history, beginning with the attack on the USS Kelvin, culminating in the events of today, thereby creating an entire new chain of incidents that cannot be anticipated by either party."

"He hit the nail on the head there," I mumbled under my breath as Uhura took a few steps forwards from where she stood.

"An alternate reality."

"Precisely. Whatever our lives might have been. if the time continuum was disrupted, our destinies have changed." Spock thought aloud as he made his way away from Jim and towards the Captain's chair. "Mr. Sulu, plot a course for the Laurentian system, warp factor three." Spock took his seat, and everyone else was about to as well, but Jim spoke up.

"Spock, don't do that," he groaned before raising his voice and coming to stand alongside Spock. "Running back to the rest of the fleet for a confab is a massive waste of time."

"These are the orders issued by Captain Pike when he left the ship." Spock calmly replied from his seat.

"He also ordered us to go back and get him." Jim fought back. "Spock, you are Captain now, you have to make-" Spock cut Jim off. I gulped.

"I am aware of my responsibilities, Mr. Kirk."

"Every second we waste, Nero's getting closer to his next target." Jim's voice was now very loud, and I could sense everyone on the bridge feeling uneasy about the scene that was playing out before them.

"That is correct, and why I'm instructing you to accept the fact that I alone am in command." A shouting match ensued, with Uhura, McCoy and I joining in and trying to diffuse the tension.

"Jim, calm down," I tried to reach his eyes, but they were fixed on Spock. He stood suddenly.

"Security, escort him out." Jim stared coldly at Spock, not breaking his gaze as two red shirted men stepped forward. I felt my heart break as Jim's eyes met mine for milliseconds before he was turned around by the security officers. They had an arm each of Jim's and were leading him away successfully, but it was only seconds before Jim fought back.

"Jim, stop!" I cried as he battled with the two of them, having the upper hand. I didn't notice Spock stride foward and place a hand on the base of Jim's neck and squeezing. Jim let out a sigh, and fell to the floor with a thud. We all stood there, speechless.

"Get him off this ship."