Jim stood up and wiped his brow, sweat trickling down his neck and arms. The sun beat down hard as the men worked to get their fifth building, a twelve-bedroom inn, up and functional. Two weeks after the devastating fire and Jim had yet to see the moral of the people wane. He searched for your shining (h/c) hair and smiled when he spied you laughing while you ladled water into an awaiting miner's cup. You looked up and smiled when you saw Jim's gaze on you.

But a dark shadow cast over the blond captain and he had to tear his eyes off of you. Bones stood before him, a PADD in his arms and a scowl on his face.

"Jim, you can't be serious."

Jim smiled up at his friend and gave him a one shoulder shrug. "What? It's not like we are going anywhere."

"Not until we are finished helping them get back on their feet. Which should be sooner rather than later. After that, we need to go back to being Starfleet's flagship crew. The Enterprise wasn't cut out to double as a colonization repair barge."

Jim nodded. "I know. But we have been with these people for this long. I don't think it would hurt to help them a bit longer."

"What will hurt is her when you have to be Captain again," he pointed to his PADD then pointed his thumb back in your direction, "and there isn't anything in my medical books or sick bay that can mend a broken heart. Trust me, I know, no thanks to you."

As always Jim appreciated his's friend words of caution but this time he didn't like the feeling of dread that accompanied it. Bones was right. How can two people from practically different worlds be together without leaving one of those lives behind?

It was simple. You can't.

The sound of giggling children running around drew their gaze and Bones sighed.

"Look. Just be careful. As much as I want to support you with this one, I can't in good conscious, let you throw away something you sacrificed years for, for a girl who you may or may not want to stick with."

Jim looked back at his friend and gave him a smile, patting him on the arm. "Thanks, Bones. Who knew you would give such sound relationship advice."

Jim didn't miss his CMO's eyes flit to the side to gaze at a pretty blond that sat with a group of small children; possibly the school marm. Jim smiled wide and shook his head and clapped Bones on the back as he walked past.

You walked up to Jim as he sauntered up to you. He gave you a wide smile that you returned.

"Hi," he whispered.

"Hi."

"Looks like we about have this one all finished. How goes the food storage?"

You looked behind you and pointed to the smaller of the four finished buildings, the supply and food storage, where the sheriff was standing guard. It stood next to the church house, school building and mayor/sheriff's office, the small town slowly coming to life.

"The people are hungry but we have enough to last us while we wait to harvest next month." You turn back to him and sigh. "Trick is to keep people from picking food too early and getting sick or letting them get to the stored food and stuff themselves."

Jim chuckled. "Looks like we just have to work a bit harder. How are you holding up?"

You looked down at your feet wiggling your toes in your too big shoes as a blush dusted your cheeks at his worried tone. "I'm fine. Just glad we have the beginnings of a town and a place to sleep."

Jim reached up and gently lifted your chin with his finger. You lock onto his blue eyes as he took a step forward. "I'm sorry you lost everything."

Your breath hitched as a lump formed in your throat. "I am too. But I'm glad you are here to help." You shook your head slightly. "I don't think I could imagine going through all this-this without you."

Jim's smile widened and he chuckled. "Lucky coincidence."

You tried to smile back but it came out as more of a grimace. You couldn't get the thought out of your mind of what would have happened if he and his crew hadn't been here when the fire started. Three days after the initial shock of what happened died down, Jim sat you down and explained who he was and why he was there in your town.

At first, you were upset but it quickly went away as you watched him take lead and start building your home again. You knew everything couldn't go back to how it was before, that took two years and a special colonization crew. But you were happy for what help the Enterprise and her crew could give.

You just didn't want to think about what would happen afterward. After most of the homes were finished. After the supplies were gathered. After your little town didn't need any more help. After he remembered he was a captain of an intergalactic federation ship.

Jim could see the cogs working overtime and his stomach dropped. Not wanting you to worry yourself about the inevitable future, he bent down and kissed your forehead lightly, then your cheek, then came dangerously close to your lips and hovered there.

"Miss (L/n), would you mind taking a stroll with me by moonlight after tonight's celebration of the fifth finished building."

His whispered words made you shiver. You could only muster a nod, your eyes flickering to his lips, your earlier thoughts successfully banished. A corner of Jim's mouth lifted as he placed a breath of a kiss on your lips, making you wonder if he kissed you at all.

"I'll meet you by the new school building."

And with that, he was gone. You watched him wistfully as he strutted off, nodding and waving to others as they passed. Your heart ached to have him close, to be in his arms like the day he saved you from your burning bar, but in more of a romantic setting. You let out a breath and shook your head as you turned to give water to more workers finishing up the Inn.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kirk, Spock, and Bones stood in a conference room still fitted out in their town clothing. The screen before them shown with the Starfleet emblem, staring back at them almost in mockery. Kirk took a harsh breath as Bones clenched his teeth. The general over their town mission wasn't happy with them but not for reasons Kirk had assumed she would be.

Bones folded his arms and turned to Kirk. "Jim. Please tell me what we just heard was a joke."

Spock stepped forward and shook his head. "It seems we had miscalculated the purpose of this colonization mission. Nyota will be most displeased."

Bones huffed. "Displeased is one way of putting it." He ran a hand over his face and sighed, a whisper of a name leaving his lips.

Kirk shook his head. "No. I refuse to believe this." He groaned and ran a hand through his hair. "Those people volunteered to leave their home and start a life all over, leaving everything behind. All in the name of science. They deserve more than this." Turning to his two friends, he clapped each one on the shoulder. "I have a date tonight that I plan on following up on, therefore, we need to get this ship ready to take on three hundred other passengers."

Spock cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow. "Am I to assume we are going against the general?"

Bones rolled his eyes. "It's safe to assume we will not only go against the general but expose her as the stone-hearted witch she is."

Spock gave a single nod in understanding. Kirk smiled as a plan started to take shape that Bones and Spock eagerly took part in. He grew more and more excited to see you and tell you that he plans on taking you on more late-night walks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You smiled as you watched the children run around giggling as the adults sang and played on what few musical instruments they had. With an Inn, they now had enough rooms for the children and the elderly have beds to sleep. Your heart warmed at the worry that no longer pulled at your mind of the town having issues turning back to normal. So, instead, you let your mind turn to the man you grew to love.

Jim was talking animatedly with the mayor and sheriff, his posture stiff and his face stern. You had been watching him for the past thirty minutes and you didn't like the lack of his carefree smile or relaxed shoulders. You were ready to march over there and smooth the tense lines with your thumbs but he turned to look at you. You smiled as you watched him visibly relax. The sheriff said one thing more and then with a wave of goodbye, Jim started his way to you.

You reached him, the light of the bonfire dancing across his bright eyes and blond hair. "Is everything alright?"

Jim reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. "Now it is."

You gave him a puzzled look and he gave you a smile. But it didn't reach his eyes. He looked down and took your hand in his, lacing his fingers with yours. Your heart jumped and you held fast to him as he pulled you along the outside of the group but close enough to use the fire as light.

He was quiet and you could tell he was thinking. You gave his hand a squeeze and that drew his eyes to you.

"Are you sure everything is alright? You seem a bit preoccupied. If you want you can go be with your friends-"

"No, (Y/n), I want to be right here. With you." Jim lifted your hand and lightly kissed the back of it.

An excited current zipped through you but you could still tell he was holding something back.

"But..."

Jim sighed. "But there is something I need to tell you. I just promise to hear me out."

Your heart dropped and you nodded. "Alright. I promise."

Jim nodded then lead you to a tree stump, having you sit as he stood, pacing. Your eyes widened as he told you about the briefing he had with their mission general and how she had told him that the explosion was expected and was planned to devastate the town. Not destroy it like it had but to set the people back, to see how they would handle such a sudden tragedy.

Tears pooled in your eyes as Jim knelt down and took your hands, giving you a sweet smile. "Now would you like to hear the good news?"

You let out a weak laugh, nodding.

Jim pulled you up to stand, wrapping an arm around your middle, effectively pulling you close to him.

"The Enterprise is now fitted and ready to take every one of you on board. We don't know what we will do but we do know that we can't just leave you al here on your own."

Now your tears fell. Jim continued to talk, telling you what they had planned so far and how it will all work, but all you could think about was how happy you were that he was here and that you will be going home to his ship with him. No goodbyes.

"We will need to put everyone to sleep first so they can wake up in the ship and hopefully they won't freak out. Bones was thinking-"

But you shut him up by pushing yourself up on your toes and pressing your lips to his. You smiled against his lips as you could tell you successfully took him by surprise. But he quickly relaxed, slowly kissing you back. You melted into him as he deepened it, not hungrily, but full of promise, protection, and love. You pulled back and rested your head against his chest. He held you to him and kissed the top of your head, warmth reaching every bit of your body.

"So how does future Mrs. Captain sound?"

Your eyes widened and you pulled back just enough to look into his radiant eyes. He was smiling wide but his eyes held a question as he held his breath.

"I figured you would want me to be a bartender. You do have a bar on the ship, right?"

Jim chuckled. "Sure do. I go there a lot in my spare time."

A smile pulled at your lips. "Do you think I can be both?"

Jim looked like he was thinking it over. "Both? Yeah, sure. Why not." He bent his head down, resting his forehead against yours.

You closed your eyes and breathed in his scent. "Only if you can handle seeing me even in your spare time."

Jim moved a bit and kissed the tip of your nose. "I think I can suck it up for a bit." Then he claimed your lips with his, your knees going weak as he held you firmly in his arms; a perfect fit.