Kirk's fingers absently intertwine with the leather lace as he gazes vacantly out the viewport.
A shadow darkens the doorway behind him. He stiffens. Relaxes. Pivots.
McCoy clears his throat. "Jim? I, ummm...well, if you want to be alone-"
Kirk holds up a hand. "No. That is, I-I did. At least, I thought I did." He takes a deep breath. Exhales. "I'm sorry. I just...it was my life, Bones. Our life. Together."
McCoy nods. Both men stand still for a moment, letting the silence fill the room.
"One." He raises his hands until they are eye-level with the doctor. "One plus one, plus..." He stills, jaw clenched.
"One." McCoy places a hand on the middle of the lace, lowering it so he can look into Kirk's eyes. "That's what I came to tell you, Jim."
Kirk's chin wobbles.
McCoy removes a record tape from his shirt pocket. "I ran a more detailed analysis of her medical scans after we got back to the ship." He lowers his head. "The baby...it was a little girl, Jim. I'm so sorry."
The captain's head jerks up. "A...daughter?"
McCoy nods.
Kirk takes the card and brushes it with his thumb, gently, as though stroking the cheek of an infant. He swallows. "Thank you, Leonard. Knowing...I..."
He looks out the window, placing one hand against the glass. "A daughter...our daughter, beloved."
"She would have..." He chokes up. "...would have been as beautiful as you. I-I don't know how you'd say it, but...Song of Stars. Yes. Her name," he whispers.
A single tear trails down his cheek. He turns. McCoy is gone.
Kirk slips the card into his pocket and walks out.
A shadow darkens the doorway behind him. He stiffens. Relaxes. Pivots.
McCoy clears his throat. "Jim? I, ummm...well, if you want to be alone-"
Kirk holds up a hand. "No. That is, I-I did. At least, I thought I did." He takes a deep breath. Exhales. "I'm sorry. I just...it was my life, Bones. Our life. Together."
McCoy nods. Both men stand still for a moment, letting the silence fill the room.
"One." He raises his hands until they are eye-level with the doctor. "One plus one, plus..." He stills, jaw clenched.
"One." McCoy places a hand on the middle of the lace, lowering it so he can look into Kirk's eyes. "That's what I came to tell you, Jim."
Kirk's chin wobbles.
McCoy removes a record tape from his shirt pocket. "I ran a more detailed analysis of her medical scans after we got back to the ship." He lowers his head. "The baby...it was a little girl, Jim. I'm so sorry."
The captain's head jerks up. "A...daughter?"
McCoy nods.
Kirk takes the card and brushes it with his thumb, gently, as though stroking the cheek of an infant. He swallows. "Thank you, Leonard. Knowing...I..."
He looks out the window, placing one hand against the glass. "A daughter...our daughter, beloved."
"She would have..." He chokes up. "...would have been as beautiful as you. I-I don't know how you'd say it, but...Song of Stars. Yes. Her name," he whispers.
A single tear trails down his cheek. He turns. McCoy is gone.
Kirk slips the card into his pocket and walks out.
