DISCLAIMER: The Star Trek characters
are the property of Paramount Studios, Inc and
Viacom. The story contents are the creation and property of Djinn
and are copyright (c) 2012 by Djinn. This story is
Rated R.
Happily Ever After—or Something Like
That
by Djinn
The
castle dripped with gold, the strains of a waltz filling the portico. Chapel stood in front of a crystal
carriage, trying to avoid being trampled by the mouse-grey horses. She rubbed her eyes while she tried to
figure out where the hell she was and why she was wearing an
elaborate—and damned uncomfortable—ball gown. Only a few moments ago sheÕd been
waiting in line to board a shuttle—hadnÕt she? And the captain had been there,
too.
ÒChris?Ó Kirk came barreling out of the castle entryway,
dressed to the nines in something vaguely akin to what she imagined a European
prince of long ago would have worn.
ÒSir?Ó She frowned. ÒAre we on the Pleasure Planet? Because I swear to God this is not my fantasy.Ó
ÒWeÕre
not on that planet. I donÕt know
where we are.Ó
ÒThis
seems familiar.Ó
ÒI
know.Ó He moved closer to her. ÒNice shoes, Cinderella. I guess that makes me Prince Charming?Ó
She
looked down at her feet, which were starting to really hurt. The reason was possibly the glass footwear
adorning her size ten clodhoppers.
ÒThese donÕt breathe.Ó She
put her hand on his shoulder to steady herself as she
wrestled them off. ÒJeez, death by
stilettos.Ó
He
smiled. ÒThey looked good.Ó
ÒYeah.
Yeah. IÕm sorry, but IÕm not
interested in suffering for beauty.Ó
She waved over a servant who looked like he wore about her size. ÒGive me your boots.Ó
ÒMadame?Ó
ÒGive
me your damn boots.Ó At his frown,
she added, ÒPlease.Ó
The
servant looked at Kirk. ÒYour
highness. This is most irregular.Ó
ÒGive
the lady your boots, man. And be
quick about it.Ó Kirk smirked, no
doubt pleased that he sounded like something out of The Three Musketeers.
Big ham.
The
servant gave her his boots and socks. They stunk to high heaven but she put
them on.
Kirk
frowned. ÒThey donÕt go with that
dress.Ó
ÒI
donÕt go with this dress.Ó She
followed him into the castle. ÒSo
why are you the prince?Ó
ÒSomeone
had to be?Ó He glanced back at
her. ÒYouÕd have preferred Spock,
maybe?Ó
She
sighed. ÒI had one little slip when
he came back to the ship. We were
all staring death in the big VÕger face, so I think
you could cut me a little slack.Ó
ÒUh
huh.Ó
ÒWhy
do you care?Ó
ÒI
donÕt. This is me
completely unconcerned that youÕre still carrying a useless torch.Ó
ÒThe
only torch is the one IÕm going to jam up your...Ó She smiled as he looked back. ÒUh, nowhere. Nowhere at all.Ó
ÒYou
lack respect, Doctor. Add a medical
degree to the ones you already had and look at you.Ó He was smiling though when he said
it. The man appeared to like
sass.
ÒI
know. IÕm a pain.Ó She almost ran into him as he stopped on
an ornate landing and stared down.
She edged next to him and saw a huge ballroom laid out beneath them with
lots of people dancing.
No
one they knew, though.
ÒWhy
us?Ó
ÒHell
if I know.Ó He made a face. ÒThat didnÕt come out right.Ó
ÒItÕs
okay. IÕm sure there are other
people youÕd rather be with right about now.Ó
ÒUh
huh.Ó His tone was halfway between
distracted and annoyed. ÒWhy a
fairy tale?Ó
ÒBeats
me.Ó
ÒWhy
this fairy tale?Ó
She
decided not to answer, just watched the people dance. ÒTheyÕre in perfect unison.Ó
ÒHuh?Ó He glanced over the balustrade. ÒWow, they really are, arenÕt
they?Ó He started to grin. ÒWhat do you want to bet theyÕre
androids. IÕm death to those
babies.Ó He suddenly looked
contrite. ÒUnless itÕs Roger.Ó
ÒYou
would have been death to him, too, if Andrea ÔWhere Did I Put My Real Clothes?Ó
hadnÕt beaten you to it.Ó
ÒGreat
girl.Ó He took her hand and led her
to a staircase, then down the stairs.
A general hum of excitement filled the room as they came into view.
A hum that dimmed a bit when they took in ChapelÕs choice of
footwear.
ÒOkay,
we dance.Ó He eased her onto the
dance floor, stayed carefully in time with the other dancers.
Chapel
felt like they were smelt caught in a river of dancing fish.
Kirk
pulled her closer. ÒYouÕre good.Ó
ÒMy
grandmother was a dance teacher.Ó
ÒDidnÕt
know that.Ó
ÒProbably
a lot you donÕt know about me, sir.Ó
ÒProbably
so. And right back at you.Ó He
started adding more complicated dance steps, making her laugh as he tried to
throw her off. ÒYouÕre very, very
good.Ó His grin grew. ÒOkay, so now, letÕs not be quite so
good. What do you suppose will
happen if we crap all over the group gestalt?Ó
ÒIf
they spontaneously combust, this will not be anything to smile over.Ó They were smack in the middle of the
dancing group. ÒYou sure theyÕre
androids?Ó
ÒHave
to be.Ó He stumbled—on
purpose—and she followed his lead.
Nothing.
He
led her directly into the path of another couple; she braced for the inevitable
collision. The couple turned
gracefully, other couples did the same, keeping the two of them safely in the
middle.
ÒUmmmmmmm.Ó
Chapel stopped dancing, pulling Kirk up as she did. The couples managed to dance around
them, making very small circles, waiting, it seemed,
for the two of them to start dancing again. ÒSo much for crapping.Ó
ÒTheyÕre
good.Ó He led her back into the
dance, their fellow dancers followed without a fuss. ÒBut maybe not androids. They seemed a bit dismayed by your
boots. Why would androids care
about your choice of shoes?Ó
ÒMaybe
theyÕve got a foot fetish?Ó
He
ignored her. ÒMaybe some alien weÕve
never met before. And they donÕt
seem hostile.Ó He rubbed his hands
together. ÒHow fun is this?Ó
ÒWell,
dancing with you is swell, but being stuck in this weird fairy tale? Not so much fun.Ó
ÒBut,
on a scale of one to ten, with one being weÕre tied up and tortured and ten
being Risa or the Pleasure Planet, where would you
put this?Ó He was still
grinning. ÒIÕd give it about a
five.Ó
ÒPoints
off for unknown? You do seem to be
enjoying our little waltz here.Ó
ÒHavenÕt
danced in a while. Kind of miss
it. DidnÕt expect you to feel quite
so good in my arms.Ó He seemed
fully aware of how his last statement could be taken. ÒI think we should look around, as much
as I hate to leave this lovely dance floor.Ó
He
led her off to murmured calls of ÒYour MajestyÓ and Òlovely party, Your Grace.Ó
ÒAm
I a King or a Prince?Ó He looked
around, nodding at the people that were bowing and curtseying as they walked
by.
ÒI
thought Your Grace was for a Duke.Ó
She shrugged. ÒTo be honest,
my protocol classes were a long time ago.
At any rate, itÕs safe to say youÕre supposed to be Prince
Charming. Given the glass slipper
and all.Ó
The
clock in the ballroom began to chime, and she glanced at the hands. Midnight. ÒDo I turn into a pumpkin when it
finishes?Ó
ÒYour
coach does. You just—Ò
With
a poof her ballgown disappeared, leaving her in a
rather distressed—and short outfit.
Kirk
smiled. ÒNow that outfit is
actually improved with the new boots.Ó
ÒI
think IÕm supposed to skedaddle.Ó
ÒI
suggest you stay put. Consider it
an order, even.Ó
She
saw looks of anticipation. The
crowd had even cleared a path for her from the ballroom to the front
steps. ÒNot moving, people.Ó
ÒAre
you defective?Ó she heard, felt a pointy object hit her on the shoulder, and
then she disappeared from KirkÕs side in a flash. She appeared in the kitchen of a lovely
house and immediately hurried outside, intent on getting back to the
castle. Which was nowhere in
sight. In fact, there was open
countryside for miles on all sides.
ÒWhat
the f—Ò
ÒYou
were very nearly discovered.Ó
Chapel
turned, saw an ethereal creature floating just above the ground. She was of indeterminate age, with
golden curls that looked, if Chapel were to be honest, a bit ridiculous on her. The frothy chiffon gown she was sporting
only made her look more foolish.
ÒLet me guess. Fairy
Godmother?Ó
ÒBut
of course. And now I must be
off. Do take care with your
stepfamily. They will not be happy
with you.Ó
She
heard a coach drive up—far too soon for anyone to have arrived from a
castle that was nowhere in view, so clearly the timestream
here was a bit off—and shrill voices sounded in the hall.
Two
girls who might have been attractive if their expressions hadnÕt been so sour
appeared in the doorway. An older
woman—this time truly homely—pushed past them. ÒWhat did I tell you?Ó She loomed large over Chapel.
ÒWhere
is my captain?Ó
The
woman seemed taken aback by the scorn in ChapelÕs voice. She poked a finger in her sternum. ÒI asked you a question. What did—Ò
Chapel
kicked the womanÕs legs out from under her and followed her down into a
wrestling hold sheÕd been dying to try out since sheÕd learned it in
self-defense class. ÒAnd I asked
you, you nasty old bitch, where is my captain?Ó
ÒHeÕs
here,Ó the ebullient tones of the Fairy Godmother sounded just as Kirk bounded
in and said, ÒIÕm here.Ó
ÒReally?Ó
He
looked very embarrassed at being forced to bound. But that might have also been due to the
tights—they were more formfitting than his dress outfit had been and left
very little to the imagination.
Chapel had never seen quite so much of her commanding officer.
Not
that she was complaining. The man
had clearly been hitting the gym while stuck on Earth. Made sense, in a way. Man like him, lost his friend, lost his
ship. Only thing he could control
was how he looked.
And
he looked so very fine.
ÒChapel,
you want to get up off that woman?Ó
He sounded very proud of her.
She
climbed off, but not before giving the womanÕs arm a little twist. ÒI was about to get her to tell me where
you were.Ó
ÒWell,
no need. The fairy tale brought me
to you.Ó He looked around. ÒIÕd have found you eventually, though.Ó
She
smiled. ÒSo now what?Ó
He
pulled out the glass slippers sheÕd abandoned. ÒIÕm afraid you have to put these on.Ó
ÒNo
goddamned way. Those things are
lethal, provide no traction, and have terrible arch support.Ó She moved to him, took the slippers and
tossed them to the stepsisters.
ÒGot any other ideas, because I am not wearing those torture devices?Ó
She
realized she was standing far too close to him. But it did make it easier for him to put
his arms around her, pull her in, and give her a kiss.
A rather perfunctory kiss.
Distracted and far too quick.
This
was the best that Captain ÒT is for TomcatÓ could do?
Or
maybe it was the best he could do with her?
She
pulled away, couldnÕt meet his eyes until he softly said, ÒChris?Ó She realized everyone was bowing or
curtseying, and she was once again in the ballgown,
which gleamed like it was backlit.
The
Fairy Godmother hovered in the corner, dabbing at her eyes and saying, ÒI
always cry at this part.Ó
Then
the scene fell away and everything turned to black.
##
Chapel
woke and squinted into the bright sunshine. Her ball gown was gone, replaced by a
dirndl and white ankle socks with black mary janes. ÒYouÕve got to be kidding me,Ó she said,
trying to pull the very short dress down a bit.
She
heard a grumpy sounding moan and turned to see Kirk sitting up from where heÕd
been sleeping, a little bit down a grassy path. His tights were gone. Lederhosen had taken their place.
He
met her eyes, seemed to realize she was about to laugh and frowned. He took in her dirndl and said, ÒOh,
please God, no,Ó as he looked down to check out his own ensemble.
ÒOh,
please God, yes, sir.Ó She couldnÕt
help it; she started to laugh.
He
got up and strode over, holding his hand out to her and then yanking her up
with more force than was necessary.
ÒStow it, Doctor.Ó
She
realized he wasnÕt kidding and tried to wipe the smirk off her face.
ÒThis
is not one of my favorite fairy tales.
I had my share of hiding from a real monster when I was a kid. Hansel
and Gretel have nothing on me.Ó
She
met his eyes, all amusement gone.
ÒI didnÕt think of that.Ó
ÒI
always think of that. ItÕs the
nasty benefit of having lived through that. And not in a way that made me proud.Ó
ÒYou
survived.Ó
ÒUh
huh. That makes it all worth
it.Ó He let go of her and walked
off. ÒIf our last interaction was any
indication, we have to finish the fairy tale to move on. IÕm all for doing that and trying to
figure out what the hell is going on and how we get out of here.Ó
She
followed him, trying not to take his eagerness to get out of here—and
away from her—personally. He
was right, of course. The
Cinderella nonsense had seemed harmless.
This...this was scarier. A lot of the GrimmÕs fairy tales
ended badly if you read the original version. Which she had. Oh, God, why had she? They were probably taking all this stuff
directly from their minds. ÒWhat if
there really is a witch?Ó
ÒShe
couldnÕt have been a witch. In the
story, Hansel and Gretel fooled her too easily. She was just an old woman who liked to
eat people. SheÕll probably drug
any food or water sheÕll offer us.
And donÕt let her touch you.
WouldnÕt want to bet she wonÕt have some kind of topical tranquilizer or
pheromone.Ó
ÒCheck. No food. No drink. No touch.Ó She double-timed it until she caught up with
him. ÒYou have a plan beyond that?Ó
ÒI
do. Throw her in the damn oven.Ó
ÒBut...Ó
He
looked over at her. ÒBut...?Ó
ÒWell,
we canÕt just throw a potentially harmless old lady in the oven.Ó
His
sheepish smile conceded the point. ÒHow
evil does she have to be before sheÕs fair game?Ó
ÒWe
have to be sure.Ó
ÒOf
course we have to be sure, Chris.
But odds are good theyÕre going to be following the script on this
one. The first sign of evil and
sheÕs going in the oven.Ó
She
thought it was a good plan. A great one even.
First sign of evil and into the oven. It was a good plan until they ran into
what had to be the sweetest lady in the universe—a lady who didnÕt even own
an oven.
ÒOh,
dearies, I never cook. IÕm on a raw
diet.Ó
ÒRaw
meat?Ó Chapel asked.
ÒOh,
my, no. Vegetables. Some fruits if my arthritis isnÕt
bothering me so much I canÕt climb the ladder to pick it.Ó She grinned at them both. ÒI have some lovely apples right
now. Would you like some?Ó
Chapel
glanced at Kirk. He was staring at
the old woman with a very put-out expression. Had he wanted her to be evil?
ÒWe
just ate,Ó she finally said when the lady shot them a puzzled look.
ÒWell,
IÕll get you one for the road. You
have a long journey ahead of you.Ó
She teetered off to a basket sitting under a roughhewn table. Picking through the gleaming red fruit,
she finally settled on two and brought them over. ÒThere you are. Two of my best.Ó
ÒThanks.Ó
ÒYou
run on now. TheyÕre waiting for you
down the path a bit. Quite spun up
they are.Ó The woman winked at her,
patted Kirk on the arm gently, and started working in her vegetable patch. She sang as she pruned, the song
following them as they walked further down the path.
Chapel
realized her mouth was watering; the apple smelled heavenly. ÒThis really looks good. Can I eat it?Ó
He
glared at her.
Sighing,
she tossed it into the woods. He
did the same.
ÒDisappointed
she wasnÕt evil, sir?Ó
He
shrugged.
ÒWell,
on the bright side we werenÕt drugged.Ó
Again the shrug.
ÒCaptain,
did I do something wrong?Ó
ÒNo.Ó
ÒBut
you seem...not happy with me.Ó Or
was it that he was not happy that she was here—when there were probably a
whole lot of other crewmembers heÕd rather spend time with.
When
had she ever cared what he preferred?
One not-so-great kiss and she was suddenly interested? God, she was a thousand kinds of pathetic. She sighed loudly.
He
stopped, took a deep breath. ÒWeÕre
accomplishing nothing.Ó
ÒWell,
we donÕt seem to be in control right now.
Maybe if we go along for now, weÕll figure out how things work?Ó
ÒOr
maybe weÕll just be stuck on an endless loop of ever grimmer fairy tales. Not all of them end with happily ever
after, you know?Ó
ÒI
know.Ó She stopped walking. ÒSir, this may be my fault.Ó
ÒWhat?Ó
She
looked down. ÒBefore I woke up in
the carriage on my way to CinderellaÕs ball. I was waiting to board my shuttle.Ó
ÒYeah,
I saw you. You were just ahead of
me.Ó
Another
pang. He hadnÕt even wanted to sit
with her? A long boring shuttle
ride and heÕd have rather been alone than come talk to her?
ÒChris.Ó His voice was very gentle. ÒHow is this your fault?Ó
ÒI
saw a friend...someone I used to be involved with. HeÕs...heÕs very happy. New wife. Kids. The whole shebang.Ó
He
waited.
ÒI
thought to myself after I left him in the bar, while I was standing in line
waiting to board, that it wasnÕt fair.
That I wanted the happy ending.Ó
He
sniffed, it was a laugh of sorts and he was shaking his head. ÒQuite a pair we are. I ran into a friend of mine from the
Academy. HeÕs married, stationed
with his partner. TheyÕre
happy. He has it all.Ó He took a ragged
breath, let it out slowly. ÒI was thinking about happy endings,
too. And why they seem to elude
me.Ó
ÒAnd
thatÕs all it took? Us both
thinking the same thing at the same time?Ó
She met his eyes. ÒWell,
they sure screwed up if they think they can get their
happily ever after with us.Ó She
smiled, a cockeyed, Òbring it onÓ type of smile.
He
studied her, his mouth turning up gently. ÒCome on, Chris. LetÕs go see whatÕs down this path.Ó
##
She
wasnÕt sure how it happened, but somehow they got separated. ÒSir?Ó
Nothing.
ÒCaptain
Kirk?Ó
Still
nothing. The forest creaked and
groaned as if it was coming alive around her.
ÒJim?Ó She whispered his name, a name sheÕd
never called him before.
Nothing. She glanced down at her dirndl, which
now was just a simple country dress.
What fairy tale was this?
ÒDonÕt
be afraid.Ó A new
voice. A
manÕs voice. A deep, slightly sad voice.
She
whirled. A very burly man stood in
front of her, dressed in leather and holding a really long knife.
Her
first instinct was to scream. She
opted against it since he wasnÕt moving.
ÒWho are you?Ó
He
frowned. ÒWhy, IÕve watched you
play all your life, Princess.
Surely you know me.Ó
She
shook her head.
ÒThe
Queen...Ó He
looked down. ÒThe Queen has given
me a hard order, dearest Snow.Ó
Oh. That fairy tale.
With the magic mirror and the dwarves—err little people.
The
man fell on his knees in front of her and said, ÒI just canÕt.Ó He looked up. ÒRun, Princess. Run before I change my mind.Ó
She
ran. Down the path, but then she
heard him coming behind her. Much
as Hansel and GretelÕs witch had broken tradition by not trying to capture
them, this clownÕs sense of self-preservation seemed to have overtaken his
ethics.
He
caught her eventually. And this
time she did scream. He ignored
her, his knife flashing as he lifted it high.
There
was a sharp hiss by her ear and his expression changed to one of
shock—possibly due to the rather large arrow sticking out of his
neck. He let go of her and
fell.
ÒYou
okay, kid?Ó A man, very short,
walked out of the woods. His bow
was as big as he was. Fortunately,
he had massive muscles.
ÒAre
you Sleepy? Or Grumpy maybe?Ó
ÒMy
name is Reginald. Who the hell
names their kids Sleepy or Grumpy?Ó
He checked the burly manÕs pockets, stashing away a leather sack and the
knife. ÒThere a reason this one
wanted you dead?Ó
ÒIf
I remember the story right, itÕs because IÕm prettier than my stepmother and
she wants to be the fairest in the land.
Also, thereÕs a magic mirror.Ó
He
looked her up and down. ÒNot
entirely buying your story. YouÕre
not bad looking, but I canÕt say youÕre the fairest in the land, toots.Ó He nodded toward the woods. ÒYou hungry?Ó
ÒDo
you live with six other dwar—errr people?Ó
ÒMy
family, yeah. You have issues with
our size? Cuz
I can shoot an arrow through you, too, if you want to get smart with me.Ó
She
held up her hands. ÒNo issues. ItÕs
just...some things in this story are changing.Ó
He
shrugged. ÒLife is change.Ó
Great. A philosopher dwarf.
ÒSo,
is there a Prince Charming in these parts?Ó
ÒNope.Ó
ÒYou
sure?Ó She sighed. ÒMaybe a dashing Starship captain?Ó
ÒOh,
yeah, heÕs back at the house. Good
looking guy, likes to flirt?Ó
Kirk
was flirting with dwarves? Well,
she supposed heÕd flirt with anything if it got him closer to freedom. Or wait. Maybe in this version, the dwarves
werenÕt all men? Maybe there was a
pretty girl dwarf there. Prettier than Chapel probably.
ÒHe
said youÕd be in danger.Ó
ÒHe
didnÕt come himself?Ó
ÒSaid
it wasnÕt his role. I know. I didnÕt get it either.Ó Reginald pointed down the path. ÒShe look
familiar?Ó
The
old woman was back. Or her sister possibly.
Her wrinkled, much more bitchy sister. Had to be the evil queen, loaded up with
apples that if possible smelled even better than the first witchÕs stock.
ÒGirl,
you look hungry. Here.Ó The old
woman shoved an apple at her. ÒEat
the hell up.Ó
ÒYouÕre
not even trying to fool me.Ó Chapel
moved closer to her. ÒWhat is your
programming?Ó
ÒEh,
whatÕs that?Ó The woman peered at
her like Chapel was insane.
ÒWhat
is your goal?Ó
ÒJust
eat your apple like a good girl.Ó
Chapel
handed it back. ÒItÕs poisoned.Ó
ÒOf
course it is. But if you donÕt fall
asleep, then your dashing Prince canÕt wake you up, and youÕll be stuck here
with Reginald and me for all time.Ó
The woman gestured around them. ÒThe windÕs stopped. The leaves arenÕt moving. There is no noise but my voice. WeÕre stuck in this moment...forever, if
you donÕt eat that damn apple.Ó
Chapel
hesitated.
ÒYouÕd
like your pretty prince to kiss you again, wouldnÕt you? For real, this time. A good, sweet kiss.Ó
ÒThat
is not why IÕm doing this.Ó Chapel bit into the apple and felt like
sheÕd taken a big gulp of cleaning fluid.
Her mouth burned, and she clutched at her throat, then felt the fire
continue down to her belly.
SheÕd
just been monumentally stupid.
As
she lost consciousness, she saw the old woman walk away, no sign of triumph on
her face.
##
She
woke slowly, moaned softly as Kirk kissed the hell out of her.
ÒJesus,
Chris, I thought youÕd never wake up.Ó
He pulled away quickly and she tried, and failed, to not feel bad about
that.
ÒSorry
to put you out, sir.Ó She climbed
out of the glass coffin—what was it with all this glass? Were the GrimmÕs voyeurs or something? Feet encased in glass, now dead
people. Ugh.
He
held out a hand and helped her.
ÒGrisly thing, isnÕt it?Ó
She
nodded, realized he hadnÕt let go of her hand and decided not to say
anything. ÒNow what?Ó
ÒI
have no idea.Ó He looked
around. ÒIt should end. This is where this one ends.Ó
ÒMaybe
youÕre supposed to go back and knight all the dwarves.Ó
ÒWellÓ—he
smiled, a smile she decided she didnÕt like very much—Òexcept for Esmeralda.Ó
Damn. There had been a girl in the mix.
ÒDonÕt
let me stop you from getting back to her.Ó
He
gave her a funny look.
ÒI
mean it. You should not have to do
anything you donÕt want to—fairytale ending be dammed.Ó
ÒYouÕre
an idiot.Ó He drug
her behind him, toward a little house.
ÒEsme?Ó
A
little girl ran out. ÒJim, youÕre
okay. Uncle Ferd
said you were but I wasnÕt sure.
WhoÕs this?Ó She stared up
at Chapel, a look of adoration crossing her face. ÒAre you my mom?Ó
She
felt Kirk squeeze her hand, then he let it go to pick
the girl up. ÒNo, sheÕs just a
silly princess I felt compelled to rescue.Ó
ÒWith
a kiss?Ó the little girl asked.
ÒYep. Damn good one, too. Not that our Chris is any kind of
appreciative.Ó He grinned at
Chapel, who grinned back, feeling incredibly stupid.
He
passed the girl to her and she melted when the child grabbed hold of her hair
and leaned in. She sat down on a
nearby log bench and laughed as the girl told her stories about Ferdinand and
his brothers.
She
met KirkÕs eyes, saw a warmth in them sheÕd never seen
before.
Then
everything went black again.
##
The
tower was very high. Chapel stood
at the one window, looking out onto a vast vegetable garden. Her hair, which had grown monumentally
since she was Snow White, was piled around her. Her head ached from the weight.
She
looked for a cutting instrument, found nothing.
ÒSo,
now we know why Rapunzel didnÕt leave her stupid tower,Ó she muttered to
herself, walking around the tower, looking for a part of the stone wall that
might be rough enough to use cut through the rather frizzy tresses.
Finally,
she found one and got to work sawing at her hair. By the time she heard someone shout out,
ÒRapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your long hair,Ó she had the hair braided and
ready for use as a rope.
She
walked to the window and looked down.
Another witch. Uglier than the first two. ÒLet me up, kid.Ó
ÒUh,
no.Ó
The
witch didnÕt look happy. ÒUh, yes.Ó She crossed her arms. ÒDonÕt make me fly.Ó
ÒIf
you could fly, why would you be climbing in the first place?Ó Chapel leaned against the windowsill. ÒI want some answers.Ó
ÒNo,
IÕm not youÕre real mother. Now let
me up.Ó
ÒI
knew that, actually. YouÕre not
even my fake mother since I just got here.
So...where is here?Ó
The woman looked at her and grinned.
ÒYouÕre learning.Ó Then she
turned, strode across the vegetable garden, and disappeared into the woods.
Chapel
heard a whistle, saw Kirk peeking his head out from some rose
bushes. She motioned him over. ÒHello, sir.Ó
ÒNice
haircut, Chapel. Did you do it with
a buzzsaw?Ó
She
threw the hair braid over the sill, smiled when the end beaned him. ÒI had to get this off my head. Hurt like a son of a bitch.Ó
He
climbed up and dusted his hands off once he was safely in the tower. She pulled the hair rope back up and
turned to him. ÒSo.Ó
ÒSo.Ó
They
stared at each other. Then she
smiled and so did he.
ÒFuck
the plot.Ó She threw the hair back
over the sill and shimmied down.
Which she should have done in the first place. He followed her down.
ÒNow
what?Ó He looked around the
garden. ÒShouldnÕt the witch show
up and, I donÕt know, be ticked off we escaped?Ó
ÒWell,
technically, we havenÕt escaped very far.Ó
ÒOh. Good point. LetÕs get out of here.Ó He headed off toward the side of the
garden; Chapel presumed it was how he got in it in the first place.
She
sighed.
ÒSomething
the matter?Ó
ÒItÕs
just... Does any of this make sense
to you?Ó
ÒIÕm
not sure itÕs supposed to make sense, Chris. Maybe itÕs some kind of test?Ó
ÒAre
we passing?Ó
He
glanced back at her, his look thoughtful.
ÒHell if I know.Ó
ÒI
donÕt need rescuing. ThatÕs
abundantly clear.Ó
ÒIf
thatÕs true, whyÕd you eat the poison apple?Ó
ÒThe
witch told me to.Ó
He
grinned and gave her a funny look.
ÒWhat?Ó
ÒAnd
if a witch told you to walk out an airlock, would you do it?Ó
She
rolled her eyes. ÒNo, I mean, she
said if I didnÕt weÕd be trapped in that moment forever. She pointed out the wind wasnÕt blowing
and the birds werenÕt singing and it would just be she and I and Ferdinand,
trapped like that potentially forever.Ó
He
stopped and turned. ÒShe said
that? The witch?Ó
ÒYeah. She seemed quite intent on me getting us
all out of there. She said youÕd
rescue me. Or she implied it. But the fact that you would be kissing
me awake was pretty clear.Ó
ÒWhy
would one of these characters care what we do?Ó
She
met his eyes. ÒUnless theyÕre not
all extras.Ó
ÒMaybe
weÕre not the only ones caught in here?Ó
ÒShe
didnÕt say anything like that though, sir.
She seemed...deep in her role.
Just more self aware.Ó
ÒLike
the Hansel and Gretel woman.Ó
She
nodded.
ÒThis
is important.Ó
A screech rang out from the tower.
ÒRapunzel, you ungrateful bitch, come back here!Ó
ÒTime
to make haste, my lady,Ó Kirk said with a wink as he pulled her over the fence
and into a meadow that divided the witchÕs yard from the forest.
ÒSo,
what would Spock make of all this?
WeÕre looking at it from a human perspective, but heÕd look at it
from—Ò
ÒHis
super smart, Vulcan point of view?Ó
Kirk sounded put out as he stomped off into the forest with no look back
at her.
ÒCan
you slow down? IÕm lacking footwear
this outing.Ó
He
turned and seemed to realize she was barefoot. ÒThat wonÕt do.Ó
ÒThere
were no shoes in the tower. Nothing
we can do about it now.Ó She caught
up with him. ÒI just hope there
arenÕt any briars.Ó
ÒIÕll
keep an eye out.Ó
ÒThanks.Ó She winced as she stepped on a
particularly pointy rock. ÒSo,
Spock would think—Ò
ÒSpock
wouldnÕt think anything because Spock would have gotten us out of this by now. IsnÕt that what youÕre saying?Ó
ÒNo,
actually, itÕs not. What is your
problem?Ó
ÒWeÕre
stuck as romantic archetypes and all you can think of is Spock.Ó
She
stopped him with a hand on his shoulder, waited until he turned to look at
her. ÒSince when do you care?Ó
ÒSince...Ó He took a deep
breath. ÒSince...I donÕt. All right. I donÕt.Ó Then he frowned. ÒActually, I donÕt care.Ó
ÒI
know you donÕt. YouÕve never
flirted with me a day in your life.Ó
ÒBut
I do care. Now. I feel...jealous.Ó
ÒOf
somebody whoÕs not here, and who doesnÕt even like me—me: a woman you arenÕt interested in.Ó
ÒI
know.Ó He shook his head. ÒMore mind games, I guess.Ó
The
way he said it stung. The whole
conversation, truth be told, stung.
ÒWell,
IÕm glad we got that cleared up, sir.Ó
ÒYou
never call me Jim.Ó
ÒYouÕve
never told me to.Ó
And
he wasnÕt telling her to now, apparently, despite his observation. She took a breath, was dismayed to hear
it come out far too ragged.
He
didnÕt miss it. ÒWhat?Ó
ÒNothing.Ó
ÒNo,
somethingÕs wrong and it might be important. Might be more of their games and we need
to know what theyÕre doing to us.Ó
ÒFine. I feel... What you say, when you say that
you donÕt...Ó
ÒChris?Ó His tone was that of commanding officer
asking her to get to the point.
ÒWhat
youÕre saying is hurting me. That you donÕt want me.
Even though I know you donÕt and that you never have and it shouldnÕt
bother me, it still does.Ó
He
sighed. ÒGreat. WeÕre both emotionally iffy when we need
to be on our game. ThatÕs just what
I wanted to hear.Ó
She
looked down. ÒIÕm sorry. You know me. Ever emotional. IÕm surprised you let me stay aboard,
frankly. When Decker left.Ó
ÒI
wasnÕt aware there was a reason to ask you to leave?Ó
ÒNo? You wasted no time demoting me.Ó
ÒAnd
IÕd do it again in a second. I need
McCoy, you know that.Ó
She
nodded. Stung now on a personal
level in addition the professional.
ÒItÕs
not a slam against you, Chris. I
just...I just listen to him.Ó
She
took a deep breath. ÒOkay.Ó
ÒI
mean it—Ó
ÒI
said okay. LetÕs drop it, all
right, Jim?Ó She said his name in a
mean way. In a way that let him
know she was aware he hadnÕt really given her permission to use it.
ÒConsider
it dropped.Ó He did not look happy
with her.
She
pushed past him. Briars be damned.
And
the world went black again.
##
ÒWell? What are you waiting for?Ó Yet another witch—or was it a
fairy this time? Chapel was having
a hard time keeping track—sat at a spinning wheel with an impatient look
on her face. ÒPrick yourself
already.Ó
After
that last conversation with Kirk, a little nap for oh, say, a hundred years,
sounded like a great plan. She
looked around for a needle.
ÒWhat
are you doing?Ó
ÒYou
said to prick myself. But...on
what?Ó
ÒThe
spindle.Ó
Chapel
surveyed the spinning wheel. Not
really sure what she should be looking for.
ÒYou
have no idea how this thing works, do you?Ó The witch/fairy motioned her over. ÒItÕs all in the twist see?Ó She bent down, pulled some raw wool out
of a basket. ÒIf you pull it this
way, itÕs not strong. It comes
right apart. To be put together, to
be made stronger, the wool has to be molded and twisted. Then it can withstand so much more.Ó
ÒIs
there a buried message in there about the captain and me?Ó
The
woman met her eyes. ÒNo. You just seem ignorant on what to
do.Ó She held up a metal rod with a
bulb at the end. ÒThis is the
spindle. ItÕs normally not
sharp. But I need it to be, so it
is.Ó
ÒWhat
if I needed it to be dull? Would it
be?Ó
The
woman smiled and looked down. ÒJust
keep asking those questions.Ó She
held up the spindle. ÒIf you donÕt
mind...?Ó
Chapel
pushed her finger into the thing.
It hurt, the room started to spin, and then everything faded to black
again.
She
felt hands behind her neck, warm lips on hers. She moaned softly and smiled underneath
his lips. ÒJim.Ó
ÒWho?Ó The lips were gone, and she sensed
someone hovering above her.
Opening
her eyes, she saw a stranger standing over her. ÒWho the hell are you?Ó
ÒWhy,
IÕm the one who braved briars and dragons and much, much else to find you. IÕm Prince Charming.Ó
ÒWell,
youÕre the wrong Prince Charming.Ó
She pushed the covers someone had laid over her off and got up,
steadying herself for a moment as dizziness rushed over her.
ÒHere
now. YouÕve been asleep for a
hundred years, you know. Best not
to hurry things. Sit down like a
good girl.Ó
ÒWhere
is my captain?Ó
ÒGood
looking fellow? Likes to flirt?Ó
She
took a deep breath and nodded.
ÒWell,
he was all set to come up—have to say he didnÕt seem overly eager,
though—when I told him I was Prince Charming and here to save you. He stayed back, nice chap at the end,
you see. Let me do the heavy
lifting.Ó
ÒThatÕs
swell.Ó She pushed past him.
ÒNow
wait just one moment. WeÕre to get
married and live happily ever after.Ó
She
turned and gave him her best glare.
He
visibly paled.
Turning
back toward the nearest door, she worked her way down a hell of a lot of
stairs—had someone had to carry her up to the top of this tower?
Kirk
was sitting outside the tower. ÒYouÕre
awake.Ó
ÒNo
thanks to you.Ó
ÒI
was testing things. Seeing how
integral we were to this process.Ó
She
leaned against the castle wall. ÒWell,
now we know. You never have to kiss
me again, sir.Ó
ÒI
shouldnÕt have kissed you at all.Ó
ÒShoulda, coulda, woulda.Ó
He
gave her a hard look.
Prince
Charming chose that moment to come bursting out of the castle, dashing cape
flying behind him. ÒI say, my
dearest. I understand the need for
some fresh air after being cooped up in that dreadful place, but you could have
waited for me.Ó
ÒGet
lost,Ó Kirk said, not even looking at the Prince.
ÒWhat?Ó
ÒYou
heard me. Beat it.Ó He got up, took Chapel by the shoulder
and started to lead her away.
ÒUnhand
her at once.Ó
Kirk
ignored him. Until
a sword came thrusting through his stomach. He looked over at Chapel, then fell to the ground, clutching his gut.
ÒAre
you insane?Ó she yelled at Prince Charming as she cradled Kirk to her.
ÒWell,
youÕre mine. I went through the
trials--fire and prickly things and a hell of lot of stairs.Ó
ÒGo. Away. Now.Ó She stared at him till he turned on his
heel and left. ÒSir?Ó
ÒThis
is not good. Next time IÕll be the
one to climb the stairs.Ó He
reached up, touched her cheek. ÒI
like you in that color.Ó
She
realized her dress was a muted plum.
He was right: it was pretty—and it didnÕt show the blood that was
pooling where he was bleeding out on her.
She touched her hair—the damage from when sheÕd been Rapunzel was
all better, miraculously restored to the length it had been when she was just
Christine and not some stupid princess.
So
heÕd be all better, too, next time.
WouldnÕt
he?
He
had to be.
She
leaned down and kissed him. He
smiled and murmured, ÒI donÕt think thatÕs how it works, Chris.Ó
She
leaned down and did it again, a good kiss, one of her best. He whispered, ÒThatÕs nice,Ó then
slumped.
ÒNo,
goddamn it. No, this is not the way
this will end. I wonÕt—Ò
The
world faded around her.
##
She
woke in a room full of straw and a spinning wheel. She could see a guard outside the door,
but then he moved away and Kirk strode in.
She
ran to him and hugged him. ÒOh,
thank God.Ó Then she realized what
she was doing and pulled away. ÒIÕm
sorry. IÕm just so happy to see
you.Ó
He
patted where Prince Charming had skewered him. ÒI know. Close call. Very glad thereÕs a reset button
here.Ó He looked around the
room. ÒYou know how to spin?Ó
ÒNope.Ó
ÒItÕs
pretty simple. YouÕre adding
tensile strength by twisting the fibers.Ó
He smiled at her look.
ÒWhat, you thought only Spock could be brainy?Ó
She
smiled. ÒI donÕt think tensile
strength is the goal if this is Rumpelstiltskin. If memory serves, I think youÕre going
to kill me if I donÕt spin this straw into gold.Ó
ÒBit
draconian.Ó He moved closer. ÒWhat if I donÕt?Ó
ÒI
donÕt know. LetÕs see what
happens.Ó They both sat down in the
straw and leaned against the wall.
ÒReminds
me of home sort of.Ó He was playing
with the straw, put it in his mouth and closed his eyes. Then he opened them and smiled. ÒExcept we had pigs. At least at my grandmaÕs place. TheyÕre smart, pigs are. Get a bad rap.Ó
ÒLike
Tellarites?Ó
Try as she might, she never got that comparison out of her mind when
working with the aliens.
ÒI
wouldnÕt go that far.Ó He grinned,
then his smile faded as the ground started to shake and suddenly a smallish man
appeared in a puff of smoke.
ÒSo...the
king will kill you if—Ò
ÒYeah,Ó
Kirk said, Òsitting right here. And
for what itÕs worth, IÕm not going to kill her.Ó
ÒYouÕre
not?Ó
ÒNope.Ó Kirk stuck the straw back in his mouth.
The
small man slid into a crosslegged seat in the
straw. ÒWell, this does present a
problem.Ó He glanced at
Chapel. ÒIÕm used to getting a
first born out of this.Ó
She
nodded; it was never fun when someone changed the rules mid job. ÒI donÕt know if it helps, but youÕd
have waited a long time for that kid.
IÕm on some pretty strong contraceptives.Ó
ÒAnd
since itÕd theoretically be the kingÕs--that is: mine--IÕd also have an issue
with that. IÕve had enough of
losing kids.Ó He looked over at
Chapel. ÒLong story.Ó
ÒSome
other time?Ó
ÒWeÕll
see.Ó
She
nodded and tried not to look hurt.
Turning to the small man, she said, ÒBesides, I know youÕre name is
Rumpelstiltskin.Ó
He
laughed. ÒThatÕs just my stage
name. ItÕs my given name thatÕs a doozie.Ó He watched
the two of them. ÒI donÕt see you
guys lasting.Ó
ÒMaybe
because weÕre not together,Ó Chapel said before Kirk could interject something
more apt and probably more painful.
ÒNo? Then...why all this?Ó
ÒYou
tell us,Ó Kirk said.
ÒWhy
ask me? I look like the cosmic
mastermind around here?Ó
Rumpelstiltskin was staring at them with unusual intensity.
ÒSo
there is one?Ó Chapel looked around. ÒHave we met him or her?Ó
ÒBeats
me.Ó He pushed himself up. ÒWell, if you two arenÕt going to play,
then IÕm going to take off.Ó He
lifted his arms up, muttered something impressively Latin sounding, and
disappeared in another puff of smoke.
ÒNow
what?Ó she asked Kirk.
He
shrugged. ÒItÕll shift up
eventually. In the meantime, we
talk.Ó
ÒBut,
youÕre the king. We could escape.Ó
ÒI
tried that. Before I came down
here. Got as far as the fancy
gardens before I felt like I was walking through mud. This is where weÕre supposed to be.Ó
ÒWhat
do you want to talk about?Ó
ÒLetÕs
start with why youÕre on the ship.Ó
She
knew better than to look away.
ÒBecause on the ship is where IÕm supposed to be.Ó
ÒBut
why?Ó
ÒItÕs
the Enterprise.Ó
ÒNot
an answer. Not for you.Ó
ÒDo
you want me to leave? I can
leave. Really. No skin off my nose.Ó
ÒWhy
are you still on it even after I demoted you?Ó
She
pushed herself up, suddenly wanting to be as far away from him as the room
allowed. ÒBecause I didnÕt know you
wanted me off. Why the hell didnÕt
you just say so?Ó
ÒI
donÕt want you off.Ó
She
wanted to pace. She wanted to walk
over to him and bop him a good one.
She wanted to go the door and scream for the guard. She opted instead to walk back over to
him, sit down, and ask, ÒWhat answer do you want me to give?Ó
ÒAre
you still onboard because Spock is?Ó
ÒNo.Ó
ÒYou
sure?Ó
She
laughed, a brittle, almost broken sound.
ÒAfter VÕger, Jim, Spock came to me.
Open. Questing. Horny as hell.Ó
His
eyebrows went way, way up.
ÒIt
was fun. It was very aerobic. It was also empty. He feels nothing for me. And, to my surprise, after all that time
carrying a torch, I found out once I got fucking him out of my system, I was
over him.Ó She knew her voice was
mean, knew her words were not right for a conversation with her C.O. She didnÕt care. ÒDid he come to you, too? Did he fuck you, too, Jim?Ó
ÒYouÕre
out of line, Lieutenant.Ó
She
laughed softly. ÒSo, are you mad at
me or mad at him?Ó
ÒNeither. What difference does it make to me?Ó
ÒI
donÕt know. But youÕre the one
making us talk about Spock.Ó
He
took a deep breath.
She
exhaled softly, trying to find a happier, calmer space to talk about this
from. ÒYou know heÕs with Uhura
now, right?Ó
ÒIs
he?Ó
ÒAfter
we...didnÕt work, he moved on.Ó Chapel
looked down. ÒThey seem pretty
happy.Ó
ÒKind
of makes sense. They always seemed
to get on.Ó
ÒYeah,
I used to be jealous of her. I
never told her though. ItÕs not
like she was trying that hard.
SheÕs just...Uhura. Exotic
and talented and beautiful.Ó
ÒOkay,
so youÕre not that exotic. But
youÕre two of those things.Ó
ÒWell
IÕm one of those things, even if you didnÕt think I was talented enough to keep
as CMO.Ó She smiled at his look. ÒBut thank you for the lie.Ó
ÒYou
are pretty, Chris. I donÕt think
you realize the allure you have. If
you ever do, youÕll be dangerous.Ó Then he stretched out on the straw. ÒWake me when they figure out what to do
with us.Ó
The
world went black before she could do that.
##
She
woke up on a wooded path, carrying a blanket, and wearing a red cloak. A wolf howled in the distance, then
again from much closer.
ÒSir?Ó
No
Kirk. Who would he be in this? Grandma was probably out, so the
woodsman maybe? But the woodsman
came at the end.
ÒHello,
little girl.Ó
She
spun, saw a wolf in front of her. ÒNot a little girl, you furry twit. IÕm a full grown woman.Ó
ÒDoesnÕt
make much difference.Ó He seemed to
smile. ÒGoing to GrannyÕs house
again? My, my, what I wouldnÕt give
to come with you.Ó
She
crossed her arms. ÒNo.Ó
ÒYour
attitude could use an adjustment.
WhatÕs got your lacy knickers in a twist?Ó
ÒNone
of your damn business.Ó
He
nodded as if her answer was expected.
ÒAll right, then. IÕll just
be going.Ó He disappeared into the
woods, but she had a feeling he hadnÕt gone far, so she just stood where she
was.
Finally,
he poked his head out from between two trees. ÒSomething wrong, Red Girl?Ó
ÒNot
a thing.Ó
ÒThen
get moving. WeÕve got a story to
tell.Ó He pulled back and waited
some more while she studied her cuticles and tried to make out cloud shapes
through the trees.
ÒYou
know,Ó he said, as he walked back to her, Òthis kind of behavior may fly with Silus.Ó
ÒSilus?Ó
ÒHe
goes by Rumpelstiltskin, too. But
it wonÕt fly with me. I believe in
respect for traditions. Honoring
the old ways. You need to get to grandmaÕs
house. Double time. LetÕs go now.Ó He tried to clap his paws together.
ÒNo.Ó
The
wolf studied her, then slashed out with a paw, catching her with claws that
while not a sharp as a catÕs, still hurt like hell.
ÒOw. Jeez.Ó
The
wolf got closer. ÒIÕm not kidding
here. Move!Ó
She
thought she heard Kirk calling her from deep down the path. She turned and gave the wolf her best
snotty smile. ÒNo. Goddamn. Way.Ó
There
was a moment of sheer triumph while the wolf processed her words. Then triumph turned to terror and pain
as he attacked her.
When
he finished, she could barely move.
ÒRules. Sometimes you should follow them.Ó He loped off into the woods.
ÒChris. God, Chris.Ó Kirk was there, holding her up as she
began to choke on the blood.
ÒThereÕll be a reset. Just
hold on. ThereÕll be a
reset.Ó
She
tried to talk, couldnÕt get words out.
Everything was going black, but that wasnÕt because of a reset. It was because she was dying.
She
heard him murmuring. ÒHang on,
sweetheart. Just hang on.Ó
Sweetheart? That sounded nice.
Then
she faded away just as the world went black.
##
She
woke up in the water. Alive but more fishy than sheÕd been before the wolf. Her tail—her
tail? Yes, her tail moved
sinuously under the water, propelling her toward shore and the man waiting on
it.
ÒRemember
when I said you werenÕt exotic?Ó Kirk asked with a grin. ÒI was wrong.Ó
She
laughed as she slapped her tail down, splashing him lightly. She stopped laughing when she realized
he was trying his best to not look at her chest.
Which
was bare.
Of course.
ÒNice
look, Chris.Ó He glanced around,
clearly in search of a shirt for her—or maybe a few strategically sized
clamshells.
She
settled for holding her hands over the especially naughty bits as she floated
closer. ÒSir...Ó
ÒCall
me Jim. All the naked doctors on my
ship do.Ó He glanced back at her
and grinned. ÒWell, your hands will
do in a pinch, I guess.Ó
As
she came to rest in the shallows, he sat down on the shore near her.
ÒThis
story doesnÕt end happily ever after, Jim.Ó
ÒSure
it does. You get legs; you lose
your voice; you get the prince. We
live happily ever after.Ó
ÒThatÕs
a later version. In the original, I
get legs and lose my voice, but you marry a princess, I die the night you take
her to your bed.Ó
ÒBut
that doesnÕt make sense. I donÕt
have someone else.Ó He pursed his
lips. ÒSo this is really more like
my version.Ó
ÒWell,
whichever version it is, I need to lose this tail, become human, and—Ò
ÒAnd
lose your voice? Bitchy as it can
get, I happen to like that voice.Ó
He began to crawl toward her, into the water. ÒLetÕs try thinking outside the box,
Doctor.Ó
ÒOkay.Ó
He
pushed her down into the surf, moved her hands off her chest, and stared down
at her. ÒI presume those are
yours.Ó
She
laughed. ÒYep, but I understand why
you asked. Enhanced hair, now a
tail—these babies could be better than the real thing.Ó
ÒTheyÕre
incredibly nice.Ó And so was he,
being very gentlemanly and skipping her chest for now even though she could
tell he really wanted to play with the girls. His lips touched down on hers, his hand
pulled her closer, and they moaned together as they kissed.
When
he pulled away finally, she still had her tail. He kissed her gently again, little soft
kisses more full of true affection than a nefarious master plan to change her
to human.
She
leaned back and sighed happily as he worked his way down her neck, stopping at
her collarbone.
ÒOh,
for GodÕs sake, Jim. You know you
want to.Ó
ÒYou
are so right.Ó His kissed his way
to her breasts. Took his time with
first one, then the other.
She
was writhing by the time he eased away.
ÒI
used to dream of this. A woman to love, the surf lapping over us. A beach to walk on.Ó
ÒI
fail on that last part.Ó
ÒThatÕs
okay.Ó His eyes were kind—but
filled with an emptiness that made her sad for him. ÒI donÕt think IÕm meant to have that
part anyway.Ó
ÒIÕd
change if I could. IÕd walk with
you.Ó
ÒI
know.Ó He kissed her tenderly. ÒBut if you did...Ó
ÒWhat?Ó
He
started to smile. ÒWhy should you
change?Ó
ÒThe
wolf made it pretty clear what happens when we donÕt try.Ó
ÒThereÕs
already more than one ending. LetÕs
give it another.Ó He grinned, then
turned to the open ocean and yelled out, ÒYo, Sea
Witch!Ó
The
witch from the woods, she of the raw diet, appeared on the shore. ÒIÕm filling in. MarinaÕs on holiday. What do you want?Ó
ÒI
happen to like this lady here. IÕd
like to get a chance to be with her.Ó
ÒIf
she wishes to become human, I can make that happen. It will involve—Ò
ÒI
know what it involves.Ó He grinned
at the old woman. ÒWhat do I have
to pay if I want to become a merman—if I want to become like her?Ó
The
woman thought about it. ÒNo one
ever asks for that.Ó
ÒWell,
IÕm asking that. WhatÕs the price?Ó
For
a moment, the woman was silent. Her
eyes seemed to turn from a soft blue to something electric and dangerous. Then she smiled. ÒThere is no price. Have fun, you two.Ó
And
suddenly Jim had a tail. A tail that did nothing to hide a rather splendid example of
manliness.
ÒIs
that really all you?Ó
He
looked down. ÒYep,Ó he said with a
proud grin on his face. ÒMeet Jim
Junior.Ó He tugged her hand, drew
her into the water. ÒI want to
enjoy this for as long as we can.
God knows when the fade to black is gonna
hit.Ó
She
followed him and when they hit the open water, he pulled her to him. Breathing underwater, swimming
effortlessly in place, they made love.
Again and again and again.
The
fade to black never came.
ÒRace
you,Ó he said with a grin as she was still trying to recover from the last
orgasm heÕd given her.
ÒCheater.Ó
But she took off after him anyway, her tail powering her as fast as sheÕd seen
dolphins go in the waters off Greece during a vacation. They swerved and leapt out of the water
and raced until they were very far from shore and drifting softly in each
otherÕs arms, heads just breaking the surface to enjoy the warm sunshine.
ÒI
like your ending, Jim.Ó
He
smiled. ÒI do, too.Ó Letting out a long breath, he seemed to
finally relax as he floated on his back, his arm looped around her, holding her
close. ÒI never considered
you. I was an idiot.Ó
ÒDitto.Ó
He
chuckled. ÒSo, you think weÕll be mer-people forever?Ó
ÒI
donÕt know. Barring some enormous mermaid-eating
shark or whalers, I canÕt see the downside. I mean if going home isnÕt an option.Ó
ÒBut
you do want to go home?Ó
ÒTo
the ship? Yes, I want to go back
there.Ó Then she closed her
eyes. ÒExcept...Ó
ÒExcept?Ó
ÒExcept
there I wonÕt have you.Ó
ÒYeah,
thatÕs a problem.Ó
Before
she could think of what to say to that, the world faded to black.
##
She
woke in a cell, dressed in her Starfleet uniform. Kirk lay next to her, his arm looped
around her. He moaned when she
nudged him, then opened his eyes.
ÒJim?Ó
He
took in her uniform, checked his own and said, ÒWell, this is different.Ó
ÒOh,
good, youÕre awake.Ó A floating
ball of light hovered just outside the bars of their cage. ÒNo permanent damage, I hope?Ó
Kirk
stood up and went to the bars. ÒAnd
you are?Ó
ÒNone
of your business.Ó The ball of
light turned into a human, middle aged, female with her hair skimmed tightly
back, wearing a white coat and carrying a padd. ÒThis persona should make you feel more
comfortable.Ó She stepped toward
the bars. ÒI usually donÕt
interview my test subjects but my advisor thinks it would enhance my research
if I did, so...letÕs talk.Ó
ÒYour
research?Ó Chapel said, pushing herself to her feet.
ÒOn
anthropological archetypes as manifested through folklore: focused on species
Human. I really wanted Klingon
legends, but someone else got that.
Even Cardassians would have been more
interesting than this.Ó She looked
toward them. ÒSo...what was it like
being part of your legends?Ó
ÒWhat
was it—you took us without asking, you plopped us down in the middle of
this...this farce, and you ask us what it was like?Ó Jim was clearly gearing up for a good
ÒAliens who think theyÕre gods are shitÓ speech.
The
woman cut him off. ÒDo you ask the
lab rat if it minds your experiments?Ó
ÒWe
donÕt use rats anymore. HavenÕt for
a long time.Ó Chapel moved next to
Jim. ÒHow can you not know that?Ó
The
woman shrugged. ÒIÕve been doing
this for a while. Centuries start
to mingle when you live as long as we do.
Anyway, please answer the question.Ó
ÒNo.Ó Jim folded his arms over his chest.
Chapel
did the same. ÒDonÕt think so.Ó
The
woman sighed. ÒLook, I know it was
a bit strange being inserted like that into your fairy tales. I even gave you extra time at the end
since you finally were enjoying yourselves. Although it seemed to be going downhill
so I pulled you out earlier than I might have otherwise.Ó
ÒYouÕll
excuse us if we donÕt fall all over you with gratitude.Ó Jim was at his surliest.
ÒNo,
I probably wonÕt excuse that, but it really doesnÕt matter.Ó She got a very faraway look on her
face. ÒOh, hereÕs your ship
now. YouÕre going to get there
ahead of schedule—see, this wasnÕt so bad at all, now was it?
ÒQuick,
before I send you back. Nothing to add about the experience? This is for posterity?Ó The alien sighed again. ÒFine.Ó
In
a flash they were standing on the bridge of the Enterprise. Spock stood
up, and he looked surprised to see them.
ÒCaptain. Doctor. Where—Ó
ÒLong,
oh so long story. Suffice it to say
we caught the express.Ó Jim turned
to Sulu. ÒGet us the hell out of
here.Ó
She
decided not to say that their actual position in space probably wasnÕt that
important if the alien decided she wanted them back. Jim clearly needed to be in command
again after their sojourn in make-believe, and it did feel good to be speeding
away from wherever they were.
Jim
turned to her. ÒDoctor, we should
have Bones give us a clean bill of health.Ó
She
nodded and followed him to the lift.
ÒMr.
Spock, you have the con.Ó He smiled
at a very confused looking Spock, but his smile faded as soon as the lift doors
closed.
ÒIs
this where you remind me you donÕt fool around with people in your command?Ó
He
nodded.
ÒWell,
I clearly already know that so you donÕt need to bother.Ó She moved away till the wall of the lift
stopped her. ÒI, of course, wonÕt
say anything about this. Except for
whatÕs in the report.Ó
ÒWhich
sex wonÕt be.Ó
ÒOr
kissing.Ó She laughed, and the
sound was way more bitter than she meant it to
be. ÒOf course itÕs a fairy tale. Kissing is part of the genre. Maybe when they read it...Ó
He
glared at her.
ÒFine. Forget I said anything. ItÕs not like
it meant anything anyway.Ó
ÒHold
lift.Ó As the lift shuddered to a
halt, he grabbed her and shook her gently. ÒIt meant something. Do not think it didnÕt mean
something.Ó He looked like he was
about to kiss her, but then he let her go and said, ÒResume lift,Ó as he
stepped away from her.
She
followed him off the lift and let him take the lead with Len, didnÕt offer much
except when absolutely necessary.
Once Jim had left, Len came up beside her. ÒYou okay?Ó
She
nodded.
ÒChristine,
this is your friend asking, not your boss.
Fairy tales. Just you and Jim.
Maybe I can do the math.Ó
ÒIÕm
fine.Ó She gave him a real smile. ÒItÕs just been sort of strange, you
know? Definitely not what I
expected when I was waiting in line for my shuttle. Got to know the captain
though. Came out alive. So win win,
yes?Ó
He
gave her a suspicious look but when her smile didnÕt waver, said, ÒOkay. Win win if you say so.Ó
Once
heÕd gone back in his office, she took a deep breath and got to work.
##
She
didnÕt see Jim for the rest of the day, but the next morning at breakfast, she
ran into him on her way out of the mess and he gave her a sweet smile, murmured
ÒGood morning,Ó and headed off to get his food.
This
is what it would be like. It was
okay. It had to be okay. TheyÕd been nothing to each other
before. Why should one alien
science experiment change that?
Even
if the sex—had they even really had the sex or had it all been in their
minds?—had been amazing. Real or not, it had ranked way up there
on the Òbest sex sheÕd ever hadÓ list and Spock had pulled out a lot of stops
on his tour of her body. Roger
hadnÕt exactly been a shirker in the sack either.
Maybe
it was just the added novelty of being fish people that had made sex with
Jim—with her captain: she had to stop thinking of him as Jim—seem
so goddamned good.
She
worked through her shift and finally got Len off her case and chattering away
about nothing in particular. She
was just about off shift when Jim—the captain came in.
She
turned and busied herself with nothing much, giving him privacy to talk to
Len. Then she heard him come up
behind her.
ÒSir,Ó
she said softly.
ÒChrisÓ—his
voice was pitched just for her and her alone—Òcan you come to my quarters
when you get off shift?Ó
She
turned to look at him, trying to gauge his mood. His expression was even, too controlled
maybe? ÒI can. Do I want to?Ó
ÒI
can make it an order if youÕd prefer.Ó
His voice dipped down into an area she wasnÕt sure sheÕd ever heard from
him.
ÒNo,
sir. IÕll be there.Ó
ÒGood.Ó He walked over to Len, said something
that made Len laugh and they went into his office. A few minutes later, Jim walked out and
left without saying another word to her.
She
was feeling rebellious so she waited a few minutes after her replacement showed
up before she headed to his quarters.
He was standing at the large viewscreen,
staring out at the stars when the door opened to her chime.
ÒLieutenant
Chapel reporting as ordered, sir.Ó
ÒTechnically,
I didnÕt make it an order. I only threatened to.Ó He turned, studied her. ÒAre you all right? No lingering effects from our day as lab
rats?Ó
ÒWeird
dreams. Dying can do that I guess.Ó
He
gave her a tight smile. ÒYeah, me,
too. Being perforated wasnÕt much
fun.Ó
ÒBeing
ripped to shreds by a wolf probably has that beat.Ó
ÒWell,
it wasnÕt really to shreds...Ó He waited for her reaction then
grinned. ÒOkay, okay, you win the
award for most gruesome death.Ó He
turned back to the stars.
She
waited and he didnÕt say anything, so finally she whispered, ÒIf you want me to
transfer off, just say so.Ó
ÒThatÕs
the interesting thing. I
donÕt.Ó He went back to being
quiet.
She
went back to standing and waiting.
Finally,
he turned and looked at her. ÒHow
much time, apart from purely mission reasons, and not counting our little
sojourn in the fairytales, would you estimate weÕve spent together?Ó
ÒAre
we counting crew parties?Ó
ÒNo.Ó
She
thought about it. ÒAre we counting
when we found Roger?Ó
ÒNo.Ó
She
shrugged. ÒIÕve got nothing.Ó
ÒMe,
too.Ó He moved closer to her. ÒLeaving aside having my gut perforated,
I actually had...fun with you during our little test or whatever it was. You were good company.Ó
ÒBefore
or after we fucked?Ó
He
laughed. ÒYowza,
Doctor, donÕt pull any punches.Ó
ÒIÕm
sorry. But I donÕt know where youÕre
going with this.Ó
ÒPoint
taken. Okay, I was having fun,
before, during and after we fucked.
Until we got back here and reality set in.Ó
ÒI
see.Ó
ÒEveryone
has always been off limits.
But...youÕre really not, are you?Ó
ÒNo,
if I were actually interested, I would not be.Ó
His
expression changed, grew immediately wary.
ÒIÕm sorry, I just assu—Ò
ÒOh,
stow it, Jim. Of course IÕm
goddamned interested. But youÕre
acting like this is some big unilateral decision you get to make, as if IÕll be
lucky if you choose me and should just go along, whatever you want is fine.Ó
ÒThatÕs
not—Ò
ÒI
get to choose, too.Ó
ÒOkay. My apologies.Ó He took a deep breath. ÒThis is all my way of asking you if
maybe you would like to have dinner with me. We might want to get to know each other
a little better before we choose anything.
What do you think?Ó
She
started to smile.
He
moved closer. ÒOkay?Ó
ÒDinner?Ó
He
smiled. ÒConversation. Maybe a walk around the deck after we
eat.Ó
ÒDrinks
at the rec lounge?Ó
ÒThat
could be arranged.Ó
ÒIÕd
like that.Ó She could feel a smile
growing—a shy smile this time, no smart ass visible and for a moment she
worried that he wouldnÕt like it.
But
he touched her cheek and said softly, ÒWeÕll write our own damn fairy tale.Ó
She
nodded. ÒOnce upon a time there was
a gallant captain.Ó
ÒAnd
a pain-in-the-ass doctor.Ó
She
laughed. ÒThatÕs how you like
me. Admit it.Ó
ÒI
do like you like that.Ó He offered
her his arm. ÒThe mess, my lady?Ó
As
she took his arm, he folded his other hand over hers and asked, ÒIÕm not
imagining how good our mer-sex was, am I?Ó
ÒOh,
God, no. It was really fabulous.Ó
ÒDo
you think we can repeat it as just two humans?Ó
She
met his eyes. ÒI donÕt know.Ó She let go of his arm as they got to the
door, saw him smile in approval at her discretion. ÒBut IÕm not opposed to giving it the
college try sometime. If we decide
we want that. We.Ó
He
laughed. ÒYes, IÕm getting the
bilateral aspect of this. DonÕt
worry.Ó
She
bumped against him slightly. ÒIÕve
never had a happy ending, Jim. I
may not be your best choice for romance, you realize?Ó
ÒIÕve
never had one, either. LetÕs just
play this by ear, shall we?Ó
ÒWe
can make our own ending?Ó
ÒDamned
straight.Ó He grinned, that
wonderful grin that used to not move her at all.
Now,
it was the prettiest sight sheÕd seen in a long, long time.
FIN