Title: The Good Life (2/4)
Author: klmeri
Fandom: Star Trek AOS
Characters: Various
Summary: AU. By popular demand, a series of short one-shot of the Playtime!verse future.
Previous Part: 1

Why, oh why, do y’all do this to me? Fine, a series of one-shots it is. :)

Part Two

“Wait, wait! There he goes!”

Pike is astonished at the positive glee on Jonathan’s face. “Doesn’t this border on stalking?”

Archer smacks him in the chest with the back of his hand. “Hell no! We’re just acknowledging the fruits of our labor.”

“Our labor being breaking and entering,” Pike says dryly.

“Pfft. What’s a little criminal activity?”

Right, no big deal if we end up incarcerated with unpleasant thugs. Idiot. No point in saying that to Archer, though. The man is too thoroughly engrossed in watching the boy ambling down the sidewalk as a leashed beagle happily sniffs the ground. If Pike didn’t know better, he’d think that Jon’s eyes were shiny with unshed tears.

But that’s ridiculous, of course.

Mrs. Scott calls her son and her son’s mysteriously gifted new pet back into the house. Pike slumps further into the seat of the vehicle, certain that the mother can see them and is shooting them a death glare right about now.

Christopher likes his career. Christopher likes being a respectable citizen of this city; he doesn’t want to have to move because Jon enjoys spying on the results of his “good deeds.”

“Jon,” Pike hisses. “Let’s go already.”

“Fine, fine.” Archer starts the car. “Don’t get your panties in a twist, Chris! You’re no fun.” If the man drives away a bit too slowly, he’ll claim that speeding in this neighborhood could have serious consequences.

Yeah, like they haven’t already landed in a big mess of trouble.

Pike wants a drink, badly. Though, he suspects, that is how he ended up playing a strange version of burglar Santa over the holidays. Damn Archer.

One of these days, Pike will learn how to stop his insane friend from scheming rather aiding him.

Some six years later…

“Dad! Dad!”

Jimmy slams through the back door, shouting. Pike has learned by now that if the boy is making a racket then all must be fairly well. It’s when Jimmy is silent—and probably sneaking about—that Christopher feels his heart try to leap from his chest.

The eleven-year-old stops just inside the kitchen, eyes wide. “Guess what?” If Jimmy bounces any higher, Pike will be fixing a hole in his kitchen ceiling.

“What?” Please don’t tell me you tried driving again. Jesus.

The boy, unable to hold still, scrambles onto a stool. “I found Scotty!”

Pike goes still. He hasn’t heard that name in years. Granted, Jonathan will say wistfully on occasion, “The fat one used to—” But they have an unspoken code that mentioning the child is not in anyone’s best interest.

He knows that his “You did?” sounds stupefied.

“Uh-huh. He was hiding behind the benches at recess.”

Pike wouldn’t be surprised if Jimmy intentionally goes looking for those children that seem like misfits. The boy likes adopting everyone who needs a friend. It’s funny, actually, picturing the pre-teen peering behind benches and in corners for an able body to incorporate into his crew.

Nowadays, however, Kirk is smart enough to realize that claiming he is a Captain and parading around a band of shipmates is a quick way to red-flag bullies (“Klingons!” in Jimmy’s opinion). Pike has had to, numerous times, sit with Jimmy in the principal’s office after Kirk (and sometimes several others) had an outright brawl in the school yard or cafeteria.

Pike and Jimmy had a long talk about the Captain business, which Jimmy insists is not just make-believe. Kirk will be a captain one day; and Kirk will fight Klingons. Christopher explained that while Jimmy’s choice of career is a fine idea, practicing his punches on temperamental classmates is not okay. “It doesn’t matter who pushes you first, or what names they call you, Jimmy. Captains must have control of their anger at all times; a vengeful captain is a danger to his own crew.”

Luckily, the boy is growing out of his need to enact space adventures. Pike foresees Jim switching his tactics to the actual study and training of a captaincy. James Kirk is genuinely intelligent and, when his ambition flares, Pike has no doubt that the kid will command a starship one day. (He is secretly proud that Jimmy wants to be a leader; though as a parent, he worries too.)

So Kirk has re-discovered Scotty. He tells the boy, “I am surprised that you remember who he is.”

Jimmy blushes. “I didn’t… exactly. But Scotty called me Captain, and then I figured it out!”

Amazing. Simply amazing how small the world can be.

Pike crosses the kitchen to the refrigerator and pulls out a pudding cup. He slides it and a spoon across the counter to Jimmy. The boy peels back the top and digs in with enthusiasm as he talks between mouthfuls. “Did you know that Scotty lives really close?”

Yes, he did. Four streets over, in fact.

“And that he’s got an older sister? She’s in high school! ‘N, Dad! Scotty has a dog just like Porthos! Wait until I tell Mr. Archer!”

Pike rubs a hand over his mouth to hide his smile. “You do that, son.” He takes away the empty pudding cup before Jimmy starts licking its insides. Kirk pokes out his bottom lip, but Chris pays that no mind. (He thinks he’s becoming immune.) He merely says, “Manners.” The man receives a shrug in return.

Then comes the inevitable question. “Can I ride my bike over to his house?”

“Has Scotty asked his parents if you can visit?”

Again, a shrug. Jimmy runs over to the kitchen comm unit and peers hopefully up at his stepfather. “Can you call ’em? I’m sure that they’ll like you; everybody likes you, Dad. Even mean people!”

He simply can’t resist those pleading blue eyes. Pike sighs.

When Mrs. Scott’s face appears on the screen, she squints hard at Pike and then crows, “I know you!”

“Mr. Christopher Pike,” he reintroduces himself. “I teach at Little Star Academy.”

“Oh, oh! Joe!” the woman hollers. There is a sound in the background, probably her husband responding. “It’s Mr. Pike. Yes, yes, the one who lost Scotty—my poor baby.” Pike feels his face flaming. She turns back to the vid and its caller. “What can I do for you, Mr. Pike?”

“Well, you see… My son—”

There is another exclamation. Unfortunately, Mrs. Scott demands details. So Pike, caught between the inquisitive mother and an impatient, excited Jimmy, spends the next ten minutes giving Mrs. Scott gossip for her ladies’ luncheons. By the time he ends the call, Jimmy is already racing to the garage for his bicycle. Pike grabs his car keys, tells Jimmy to forget the bike and drives him over to Scotty’s house.

He leaves his son there after a brief (again) chat with Mrs. Scott. A fat beagle comes wallowing down a staircase, barking half-heartedly at Pike. Mrs. Scott’s only comment is “That filthy mongrel! I don’t know why Scotty loves him so, but I haven’t the heart to get rid of him. It’s been years and Joe and I still don’t know where that boy found him.”

Pike manages to make a polite sound of interest. She walks him to his car, talking up a storm. Then he is finally free of the Scotts. Pike spies Jimmy contentedly running across their backyard, Scotty trotting in pursuit with a bucket swinging against skinned knees. He drives the short distance home, parks and dials a number.

“Jon,” the man begins, choking back a laugh, “you won’t believe this but…”

Next Part

Related Posts:

• The Good Life (4/4) – from October 21, 2010
• The Good Life (3/4) – from October 20, 2010
• The Good Life (1/4) – from October 18, 2010