Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek, or any of the characters besides Rosie. Nope nope nope. The only thing in writing this for me is knowing that people enjoy it. No money, nada.

XXXX

While Scotty hurried off with the pump, Jim had an epiphany. "Spock? Rosie?" He leaned over the comm, talking quietly still.

"Yes, Captain?" It seemed Spock was the one holding the communicator now.

"I have an idea. Do you think you could relay it to the horta once I'm done explaining it?"

"Indeed, Captain."

"The horta…it's corrosive agent is much stronger and more efficient than any of our mining tools, correct?"

"That is correct, Captain. I do not see how that constitutes an idea however."

Jim resisted the urge to snap at the Vulcan just because Rosie was still in the room with the horta. "That wasn't my idea. I was just confirming that as fact. I think, if the horta agrees to it, we could come to a halfway point, where the horta and her children can tunnel as much as they want, our personnel can mine the minerals out of the tunnels the hortas create, and each side will leave the other alone. It's a win-win. The hortas can live in peace, and the miners can get to the minerals much more quickly. What do you think?"

Spock was silent for a few moments before he answered, "It seems logical, Captain. The horta does have a very logical mind."

XXXX

"Alright then. Let me know what she says," Jim's voice crackled in Spock's hand. Spock handed the communicator off to Rosie as he moved towards the horta. Rosie and Bones stayed off to the side while the Vulcan kneeled down and pressed his hand against the horta's body once more.

A few moments of silence passed before Spock pulled away and looked at them. He nodded his head, "The mother horta has agreed to Jim's proposition."

Before anyone could say anything in response however, the communicator chirped. Rosie opened it, "Moure here."

"Lass," Scotty's voice filled the room, "the pump is installed an' working perfectly."

Rosie let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Oh, thank goodness. That's absolutely perfect, Scotty."

XXXX

A few hours later, Rosie, Bones, Spock, and Scotty were all back aboard the Enterprise. The transporter room was getting ready to send all the miners back down to the surface of the planet. Jim was in alone with Chief Vanderberg in a conference room. "So you see," Jim leaned rested his arms on the table between them, his hands folded diplomatically, "the horta was just trying to protect her children."

Vanderberg leaned back in his chair, processing the explanation. "So…is she going to stop attacking us then?"

"Yes," Jim grinned, "she has agreed that if you leave her and her children alone to tunnel, they will leave you and your personnel alone to mine the minerals from their tunnels. Your operation is going to be much more efficient."

"I see. I can't thank you enough, Kirk. If there's anything you need…"

"Actually," an idea just popped into Jim's head, "I could use your help."

"You see there's this girl…"

XXXX

That night, all of the miners had been transported back down onto the planet. Jim was relaxing in his quarters with Bones. "That was some pretty fine work there, Jim, comin' up with the idea of the miners usin' the hortas' tunnels." Bones raised a glass of whiskey to Jim before taking a drink.

"Thanks, Bones."

"I saw Vanderberg come back up on the ship lookin' for you a little while ago after we'd already sent him back down to the planet. What was that about? Did you insult him again or something?"

Jim was grinning like the Cheshire cat now. "No, no. He uh…I asked him to do me a favor, and he was delivering."

Bones' eyebrow quirked up. "What do you mean a favor?"

Jim shuffled around in his seat as he stuck his hand in his pants' pocket. He pulled out a little black box. When Bones still didn't say anything, he popped the lid open. Inside was a ring. It had a silver band with a single, sparkling diamond set in it. "I asked Vanderberg if he could spare one of his mined diamonds and some gold…"

"Jim," Bones was shaking his head, "you've only been together for something like five months. You just managed to work together on a mission without one of you starting a fight for the first time. You can't…it's too soon…" Bones was at a loss for words now.

"I know, I know it is. The timing doesn't feel right to ask her yet," Jim mumbled as he shoved the ring box back into his pocket. "But the opportunity to get the ring presented itself, and I just…wanted to have it with me for when the time does feel right."

Bones sighed and took an even larger gulp of his drink before responding. "You really are insane sometimes, you know that?"

Jim laughed. "You know you can't live without me."

XXXX

The next morning during alpha shift, Jim waltzed onto the bridge and sat himself down into his chair.

"Ship ready to leave orbit, Captain," Spock announced to him. "Course laid in back to Earth's space dock."

"Maybe one day they'll let us stay out in space for more than a few weeks or months at a time," Jim sighed.

"Chief Vanderberg is standing by on channel one for you, Captain," Spock added before moving over to his seat.

Jim pressed the button on the arm of his chair to open the channel, "Yes, Chief. Kirk here."

"Just wanted to thank you again and tell you that the eggs have started to hatch, Captain," Vanderberg's voice filled the bridge. "First thing the little devils do is start to tunnel. We've already hit huge pergium deposits, and I'm afraid to even try to estimate the amounts of gold, platinum, and other rare earths we've uncovered."

Jim laughed. "You guys are going to be embarrassingly rich."

"The horta really aren't so bad, you know, now that they're not murdering us. And once you get past their appearance. Anyway, once again, thanks again for everything, Kirk."

"Our pleasure. Kirk out."

"Curious," Spock chimed up from his console.

"What is, Spock?"

"The horta told me almost the same thing. She found human appearance rather revolting, but thought she could get used to it. Although she found me ears to be the most attractive humanoid characteristic. I didn't have the heart to tell her that only I…" Spock was cut off by Jim's laughter. "What is so amusing, Captain?"

"You, Spock," Jim snorted. "I think you're becoming more and more human every day."

"I see no reason to stand here and be insulted, Captain," Spock replied and then turned his back to Jim.

Jim, still sniggering, announced, "Ahead, warp factor two. Take us back to space dock, Mr. Sulu."

XXXX

A/N: And that's the end! So so so sorry it took me so long to write! I couldn't decide how many more chapters I wanted to split it into and then the holidays came up! Hope you enjoyed the story! Please stick around, there's definitely going to be at least one more, with the storyline going through Into Darkness!