Love, Commitment, and Valentine's Day in the 23rd century

**Title: Love, Commitment, and Valentine's Day in the 23rd century.**

Summary: So how exactly do you convince your girlfriend of four years that you're not proposing to her because she accidentally got pregnant due to a 'mission mishap', but rather you're head over feet in love with her and you want to spend the rest of your life with her, ring or no ring? How do you assure her that regardless of the fact that your first marriage was a knee jerk reaction to the condom breaking you are committed to her? Bones has his work cut out for him on Valentine's Day 2264.

Series: What to get the Captain and First Officer who have everything, but each other.

Direct follow-up to: How to Surprise Your Boyfriend for Christmas. Although it takes place in the same universe this is essentially a standalone story. This story focuses on Bones and Carol; therefore, you don't need to be familiar with the first three stories in the series.

Pairings: Bones/Carol and background Jim/Spock, but they're not the main pairing in this story.

I'm pretty sure this is my first story that's not Jim or Spock centric written in the Star Trek universe. Look, I am keeping my New Year's resolution of branching out in Star Trek stories.

For those of you reading this on KS archives, I decided to attach this story as an epilogue of sorts to _How to Surprise Your Boyfriend at Christmas _because while this really is not a K/S centered story (although the couple have their moments in this), it's in the same series as the other three stories and I may pull bits and pieces from this story for the final story in the series. Also I received some reviews asking what happened with Leonard and Carol, so I didn't want these people to miss out on the answer to their questions.

Proofread by: GraysonSteele

* * *

Leonard McCoy has an inglorious history of the metaphorical condom breaking on him. At least this time he could blame it on alien plant life that managed to completely deactivate both of their birth control. (He would need to create new protocols regarding proper decontamination after collecting strange alien biological samples because of this.) More importantly, this time the person he accidentally got pregnant was somebody that he actually loved and wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Did he want to find out he was going to be a father for the second time in a hallway surrounded by other people after she threw a ring at him? No, but it could've been a lot worse.

He never expected to fall in love with Carol Marcus. He hadn't expected to fall in love at all not after his disastrous marriage that left him with nothing but his bones. After that catastrophy, he promised himself that he would stick to encounters that were mostly devoid of emotions and would end at breakfast, if that.

Then four, almost 5, years later he met this woman who would not abandon him to an imminently exploding torpedo and every promise he made himself after his first marriage imploded went right out the window. It also didn't hurt that she proved to be completely immune to Jim Kirk's charms which definitely made her a keeper in his book.

They actually dated as much as possible when you were in space with death and destruction all around you. After the first six months, he realized this was more than just a sexual relationship. That was obvious by the fact that he helped her co-parent her wayward teenage niece, Kristen, who she had custody of and lived with her for the first year and a half of this five-year mission. (Jim is very good at working around the rules and hired the teenager to be his assistant. Remarkably, she was the only good one he's ever had.) Leonard didn't even realize he had slipped into that role until he was threatening a certain asshole for touching her the wrong way at the Enterprise Christmas party spectacular of 2260.

They did movie nights and he had even cooked for her. Yes, something other than breakfast, even though she loved his biscuits and gravy, when they had time to actually venture to the kitchen. Most of those early movie nights included Kristen, although the teenager wisely made herself scare sometimes. Sometimes spending time with Kristen made him sad and miss JoJo even more, but the fact that he could tell Carol about this made him think that maybe this relationship was going somewhere.

He could tell her about his failed marriage as well as missing his daughter and she could tell him about Rebecca and being absolutely terrified that she was going to scar Kristen for life. If he thought divorce was painful, having your girlfriend died during one of the worst terrorist attacks in the history of the Federation was so much worse. Yet, Carol was nowhere near as bitter about it as he would've been. She also didn't hold onto that bitterness and let it keep her from falling in love again.

Things progressed in the relationship and after Kristen left for the Academy two and half years ago, they ended up moving in together. With Kristen gone she no longer qualified for a family suite, so instead they ended up in a couple's room.

Somewhere in his mind he kept thinking that their relationship was going to fall apart and someday this wonderful woman would realize that he wasn't worth it. Four years later, they were still together and he began to think maybe they could be together forever and that marriage might not be the hopeless institution that he once thought it was. This led to a very strange conversation with Jim last Valentine's Day where he admitted he actually wanted to get married again. (The pair had plenty of time to chat while he dealt with Jim's latest Valentine's Day gift mishap. Who knew books could be that dangerous.)

Because things went so badly with his first marriage, Leonard never thought he would willingly participate in that arcane tradition again. Yet, during the crew's last shore leave before Christmas, Leonard dragged Jim into practically every jewelry store on the planet the ship was orbiting or at least the one's in the city where their shore leave was taking place. It took forever, but he finally found the perfect ring for her and a chain to put it on so she could wear it even when working.

And then everything fell apart. As soon as he bought the ring, it seemed like Carol was becoming increasingly distant from him. She wasn't opening up to him like she used to and it felt as if she was keeping some big secret from him. His mind automatically went to her wanting to break up with him and overlooked that her constant throwing up was a symptom of a surprise pregnancy that she was unsure of how to deal with. He was so convinced of her imminent departure that he had Kristen bring him an alternate Christmas present for Carol because Leonard was smart enough to know that giving her a ring at that point would send her screaming into the night.

He was right about that, but it wasn't his fault. The hobgoblin, in an effort to surprise Jim the nosy, hid his own engagement ring in a box of chocolates. A box of chocolates he accidentally gave to Carol. The chocolate encrusted engagement ring was thrown at his head as she cursed him for being an idiot and adamantly refused to end up like her parents.

At the time he'd did not connect that last part, but now that he know she's pregnant, Leonard realizes she was referring to her parents' loveless marriage. The future Starfleet Admiral did not want his career put in jeopardy by having an illegitimate child, so he married someone he didn't even like let alone love. Carol's entire childhood was traumatizing because of it.

Currently, Jim and the hobgoblin along with Kristen and Nyota were in their room looking for the ring while they were in Kristen's room sitting side by side on her bed. Neither was saying anything. Leonard was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that despite meticulous use of birth control, he was in this position again.

The more he thought about it, however, the more he realized it wasn't the same situation as last time. He was not a dumb kid for one thing. He loved Carol and more importantly he got along with her and they could solve their disagreements without throwing things - usually. He wasn't just trying to make things work to give their child a happy life. This would not be a shotgun wedding. Like he told her a few minutes ago, he wanted that life with her even before he found out the timeline had been moved up. Her current silence wasn't giving him any clues as to how she felt though. Yes, they kissed in the hallway, but that doesn't mean everything's okay.

"So," he said after the silence became too much.

"I'm sorry I threw Jim's ring at your head." Carol said sheepishly.

"It didn't hurt that much." It hurt like hell, but he wasn't going to tell her that right now. The first rule of pregnancy is don't upset your baby's mom.

"You're lying."

"Maybe, but not about how I feel about you. I really did get you the ruby engagement ring months ago," Leonard told her in all sincerity.

"But then you got terrified and had Kristen picked up crotch less panties and a vibrator. That doesn't give me much confidence." _I got scared because I thought you were going to dump me_. He doesn't say that out loud especially because he's afraid that's going to happen anyway.

"Also, that little gift mishap resulted in me having of very uncomfortable conversation with my best friend about her feelings for my niece. I'm just relieved Kristen did not actually get her sex toys. I may never forgive you for that."

Kristen has had a crush on Nyota since she was 16, but nothing happened at that point because she was too young. Now that she was 20 and no longer dating a person that reminded Leonard too much of his ex-wife, he hoped things would get better.

"She's 20. You have to let her go." _Like that's going to happen. _He wasn't even in the same quadrant as JoJo and he was unbelievably overprotective. Today's Christmas video call will be spent grilling her about that boy in her math class.

"She's my baby. One of them anyway," Carol puts her hand on her stomach protectively. The gesture makes him not even ask the 'are you keeping this baby' question. Her body language alone tells him that she is. The real question was 'is she keeping him'. As much as he loves her, he refuses to be a satellite parent to another child.

"Carol you have always and will continue to be protective of your babies in the future. I just hope you don't feel like you have to protect them from me." Maybe he revealed a little too much in that statement.

"I'm not going to keep you from your child, if that's what you're asking. Yes, there was a part of me that wanted to fly off in the middle of the night, but I can't do that to you. I've seen how much not being part of Jo's life hurts you. I won't do that to you. Besides of the two of us, I think you actually have half a chance of being a good parent." Leonard snorts at that last part.

"You did okay with Kristen."

"She was 15 when I got custody of her and I almost sent her off to the same London boarding school that I was forced to attend just so I could keep up with my Starfleet career," she looks down at her stomach during this confession.

"But you didn't." Leonard places an arm around her. "You worked something out with Jim so Kristen could be on Enterprise and you called in every favor you had to make it happen."

"More like I reminded them of the vast quantities of career ending information I have on everyone." Carol snorted.

"Still, you did what you had to and because of it the rules about children aboard starships are completely different. We don't have to take a planetside assignment." Although, Leonard would be perfectly okay with that because he still feels that space is a disease filled cesspool.

"We wouldn't have to take it earthbound assignment - I would under the old rules. I still might do so." Carol flinches under his touch.

"Why?" _Why did you just pull away for me? Why do you feel that I would make you raise this child alone_? The only reason why he was away from JoJo was because he didn't have an option. The cow made it so Starfleet was the only place that would take him.

"Seriously? Because Kristen was an orphan at 15. Because my mom died on a mission when I was a baby. Because Jim's dad died as he was being born. Because it seems as though at least one security team member gets killed on every single mission. Because when I first met you, Leonard, you almost died due to the torpedo accidentally activating itself. Because I buried my girlfriend and I don't want to do the same to you. Space is a dark, dangerous place. I'm not sure if I want to raise our child in this world, but I am certain I don't want to leave him or her alone in it. I was selfish with Kristen because she was almost a grown-up, but I can't do that with the baby, not even for you. " She was crying at this point in her speech. He was going to envelop her in a complete hug, but then the door open.

"Kristen could you give us…" He started to say but it wasn't Kristen, it was the roommates. They looked highly unpleasant.

"We're not Kristen. I have no idea where the special princess is." One of the interns complained.

"If it wasn't for nepotism she wouldn't be here. Who are you and why are you in our room?" God, the interns get stupider every year. He could understand them not knowing him if they haven't been in his Sickbay yet, but Carol is well known around the ship. Leonard is pretty sure these two were legacy interns which makes their comments even more ridiculous.

"Kristen earned her place on the ship by being the only decent assistant Captain Kirk has had in the last four years. I am rather curious as to how you two got posted here since you're stupid enough to say something like that in front of the Chief Medical Officer and the Deputy Chief Science Officer, who also just happened to be the woman who raised Kristen." Carol replied icily to the girls. He doesn't understand why Carol doubts her parental abilities. She was doing a good job already.

* * *

"Will you stop playing with your ring you toddler," Leonard yelled at Jim a month later during one of their drinking nights. They were in Jim's quarters because the smell of alcohol made Carol sick. If she wasn't allowed to drink for the duration of her pregnancy, neither was Leonard, at least not in her presence. This meant drinking was strictly reserved for the weekly boy's night with the toddler.

"But it's so shiny." He'd been doing this for the last month ever since he accepted the hobgoblin's proposal. It was as annoying as hell.

"You've had it for weeks. You should be over the novelty of it by now. You're already planning your Christmas wedding."

Since they got together on Christmas and got engaged on Christmas, the pair felt that they should keep up the tradition and have a Christmas wedding. Leonard really didn't care what the hobgoblin and the toddler did as long as they kept him out of it. He doesn't even want to hear the word wedding right now, especially with things with Carol so precarious.

Yes, they were still together and she still had the engagement ring he gave her at Christmas, but she wasn't wearing it. It was hidden in her sock drawer in their quarters.

She didn't even talk to him about her bid list for post Enterprise assignments. He knew that not a single one of them was for a starship position except for a re-up for Enterprise once the ship was back in space after the renovations. This meant their son or daughter would be a year and a half at that point. Really he should just be happy that she agreed to stick out the pregnancy in space. He did not trust her medical care to anyone else even if he could not be the doctor in charge right now. Thankfully, Jim talked Dr. Akia into coming on board for the next year. The woman was legendary.

"Well, I'm not over it yet. I didn't think that he would actually propose. Marriage is kind of a human thing." Jim said in a giddy voice. It was annoying.

"Not all humans." Not Carol. Marriage apparently made her break out in hives.

"So, she doesn't want to get married until…" Jim started.

"At all." Leonard cut him off with the gruff words.

"It's not a big thing. Everybody has their reasons. I mean of all people I thought that you would be the last person to ever want to get married again." Leonard agreed with that, but Carol was not his ex-wife.

"That's because my first marriage ended with me losing my daughter, my practice, and most of my money. This won't end up like that."

"But nothing is ever guaranteed. You can obviously see why I'm shocked that you're willing to go through this again." Jim said as he kept sipping his beer. Seriously, how does Jim get all this alcohol here? Do they really believe whatever bullshit he spins about needing the stuff for hospitality?

"If bad experiences kept you from doing new things, then you wouldn't be twirling that platinum ring around your finger. Your mom was…" Even before he finishes his sentence he knew that this was going too far.

"Beaten to death by her husband. Go ahead and say it." Jim supplied for him. "The thing is Spock is not my mom's ex-husband and I use that title loosely. The only time Spock ever put a hand on me was when I was literally trying to get him to do it."

"And Carol is not my ex-wife." She wouldn't use the baby as a bargaining chip or means to control their relationship.

"But that's not really the problem here. The problem is her thinking that she's her mom and I'm her dad and we're making the same mistakes all over again." Leonard finishes his drink.

"Which is not the case. You're making completely new ones." Why was Jim such an asshole?

"Why do I come here?" He asked in complete exacerbation.

"Because I still let you drink booze. Do you want another beer?" Jim asked.

"She doesn't want to get married."

"But you do because you actually do care, but you don't want to say you care because you don't want to be… Leonard just glares at him.

"I don't necessarily need a piece of paper. I've learned a long time ago that the sentiment behind the paper is more valuable than the paper itself. I just don't want to be several light-years away from another child and have to arrange visits through teams of lawyers." Leonard finally confessed.

"She didn't say anything about keeping you away from the baby, did she?" Jim asked pointedly.

"No, except she keeps bidding on mostly planet based assignments without telling me anything. I keep telling her that I want to be part of this child's life and that I want to be there with her, but she keeps acting like she doesn't want me there." Leonard was highly irritated at this point.

"I don't think that's it."

"Enlighten me." Just because he has been dating Carol for four years does not mean he understands how her mind works sometimes.

"She doesn't want to end up like her mom forced to be part of some arranged marriage for the supposed greater good of a child which just made her miserable."

"But I'm not trying to push the marriage issue anymore." Leonard argued.

"But she doesn't want you to be trapped."

"I don't feel trapped. I don't feel like I have to follow her, I want to."

"Then show her that," Jim said it as if it was the most simple thing in the universe.

"How the hell do I do that?" That's when Jim smirked.

"Tomorrow, there will be a certain form in your inbox. Fill it out. Also, you may want to get her a Valentine's present that does not come from a sex shop. Seriously, what type of couple always gets each other sex toys for Christmas? Valentine's Day I get, but…"

"Good thing it's Valentine's Day this time." Bones felt it best not to say 'I only get her stuff like that because I know she'll actually use it'. What the hell was he going to do this time? Good thing they have a stopover at Starbase 32 between now and then.

"Hey speaking of presents, do you know what Spock got me this year?" Leonard just poured himself a shot this time. If he didn't do that, he would bang his head on the table. This was getting ridiculous.

"No. Are we going to do this every holiday despite how bad things turned out at Christmas?"

"Maybe," Jim said grinning like an idiot.

"You are unbelievable." Leonard shook his head.

"I know you love me."

"I hate you."

* * *

Pregnancy was not as bad as she thought it would be. She was not completely locked out of the lab as she feared. There were certain materials that she wasn't allowed to touch anymore and she wouldn't be venturing on an away mission to a strange planet for a while, but she was still able to do her job. Considering touching a strange plant put her in this position in the first place, she wasn't that eager to participate in a landing party anytime soon.

Plus Spock gave her an intern to torture or rather to do all the things that were baby unfriendly. It was a bonus that said intern just happened to be one of Kristen's new roommates who were also being absolutely horrible to her. The first set of roommates had been absolutely terrified of her by the time they left a month ago. Unfortunately, Kristen made her promise not to touch the new ones. Apparently, intervening would make the nepotism accusations worse.

Starfleet wasn't trying to ground her. In the years since her father was removed from power, gender equal policies regarding pregnancy were put into place (and the female Starfleet uniform had become more practical).

Even if the old policies were still in place, Captain Kirk would ignore them. They had already had a lot of discussions about her upcoming maternity leave and then childcare once she comes back. It was part of the reason why Enterprise was the only ship she was applying to for her onward assignment, even if it will involve a temporary assignment elsewhere during the renovations. Her other options included a planet based research facility, a Starbase research facility, and a teaching position.

She wouldn't mind being at the London Academy again. She missed the city. It was like another home to her. She wouldn't mind raising her baby there and she'd been told that Academy positions come with free daycare.

She had been expecting to do this all alone which was why she was panicking so much initially, but now Carol realized she was anything but alone. In addition to helping her modify parts of her job, Spock also brought her a special type of Vulcan tea that actually kept Carol from throwing up during her shift. He was being a lot nicer to her now that she was pregnant. Maybe it took her being pregnant by someone else for him to realize that she wasn't interested in his future husband at all. She had no idea Vulcans were so irrationally jealous.

Jim managed to pull a lot of strings to get Kristen's internship extended until after she gives birth. Kristen would have to return for classes in September, but at least she would get to be there for the first few months. Then there's the fact that he keeps sending her links for baby furniture and designs for the nursery.

Kristen has been invaluable. She already had maternity uniforms ready for her when Carol realized for the first time there was no way she was going to fit in her regular uniform. Kristen also reprogrammed the replicator for baby friendly food or at least things that do not make her throw up instantaneously.

Nyota had also been a good friend during this whole process. She had kept her relationship with Kristen in the friend zone even though they all knew that wouldn't last beyond Kristen's 21st birthday. She helped her go through baby books and baby catalogs to get everything ready (when you're in the middle of the universe literally it takes forever to get things shipped unless it comes from the Red Light District adult novelty store). Nyota also helped compile a list of the best Starfleet positions for a single parent. Originally, she compiled a list of best positions for a couple, but redid the search when Carol insisted that she would not force Leonard to go with her.

Leonard was also there for her. He went with her to every baby checkup even though she never asked. He even went along with her no drinking rule without complaint. She really thought that would've sent him packing. He followed her to the restroom every time the baby sickness got too much and compiled a list of every single possible homeopathic remedy to deal with the worst of the symptoms of pregnancy. If the baby journal articles on her PADD did not come from Nyota or Spock, they came from Leonard. He even gave her foot massages and back rubs without her even asking. Leonard also convinced Scotty to reprogram the replicator to make pickle ice cream three days ago when her first strange craving came upon her.

They were even coming up with strategies on how to tell Jojo that she was going to be a big sister. Carol was more than a little worried about telling the preteen their news for fear she would resent the new baby.

Part of her was reluctant to believe that he would remain a part of this. She didn't want to push. She definitely didn't want to trap him in a relationship that he did not want to be in. Carol made it her goal to be the antithesis of his ex-wife. She was willing to go as far as putting it in writing that she wouldn't keep the baby away from him, but he hadn't asked that of her. Actually, he hadn't asked anything of her.

After the fiasco at Christmas, Leonard never mentioned the M word again nor did he say anything about the fact that she had held on to the ruby engagement ring. It really was pretty and she knew by the payment transaction receipts that Jim showed her that Leonard purchased it well before the strange alien plant incident. She didn't want the engagement ring or rather what the ring signifies, but she didn't want anyone else to have the ring either. She was blaming the whole thing on pregnancy hormones and leaving it at that.

When she walked into their shared quarters on February 14 after a very long day in the lab during which she made her intern cry (and Kristen laugh hysterically), she found candles and sparkling cider too good to actually come out of a replicator waiting. She wondered if he was going to ask again. Really, can't they just let things be whatever they'll be?

"Did you cook?" She finally asked after a minute.

She loved when he actually cooked. It was rare because they would have to go to the ship's kitchen that was normally reserved for when the ship had to host diplomatic dinners.

"Yes. We're having noodle free zucchini lasagna because the baby doesn't like gluten this week." He replied as he pulled out her chair.

"No, the baby doesn't like replicated macaroni and cheese this week. There's a difference." She joked.

"In that case it was a good thing I made extra of my momma's homemade, or as close to homemade as you can get on a starship, garlic parmesan biscuits. I was just going to eat them myself, but this way you can still have one. I picked up most of the ingredients on our shore leave last week. Thankfully, the zucchini held." Okay, that meant serious planning went into this. Was it wrong that she wanted to run to the dresser to make sure the ruby ring was still safely tucked in her favorite pair of black socks?

Why did you do this? "This is nice."

"It's Valentine's Day. I figured you deserve something nice."

"Last year you got me a box of chocolates." Before you left abruptly to deal with Jim's latest gift related emergency.

"And a full body massage. There was also really good bottle of wine involved." As well as shower sex, but there's no need to mention that.

"And if you say I'm only doing this because you're pregnant, I'm taking my lasagna and going to Jim's quarters. At least that way I can guarantee that he won't have an allergic reaction to dinner."

"Do you really want to go anywhere near there on Valentine's Day? You know what usually happens before Jim breaks out in hives." Carol replied. Leonard shivered.

"And sometimes afterward. Okay, I will give your lasagna to Kristen and pray to every omnipotent being in the universe that she's actually alone." Carol raises a glass to that.

"Or at least with Nyota." Then she frowns at him.

"You know she's the best choice."

"And when Kristen is 21 or at least not in rebound mode, I promise I will completely back off." Leonard just looks at her strangely.

"I'm pregnant. I get to be irrational. I think it's in the manual."

"Whatever you say."

The lasagna was good. Real food always tastes better. That is another consideration as to why she was looking at planet based assignments throughout the Federation. Did she really want to raise her child on replicator food for most of his or her adolescence?

"I got you a present." He said after dinner was over.

"Please tell me it's nothing from the red light district specialty store."

"I think you specifically banned me from buying new sex toys ever again." Especially after the last gift almost gave you a heart attack. Being pregnant, she doesn't need to deal with the stress right now.

"Yes, after my cousin ended up accidentally giving it to her crush of more than four years."

"I promise that this is anything but adult."

"I can't even promise that. I bought you a bottle of scotch and I'm going to let you drink it." Carol said taking the box from him.

"This is why I love you." Leonard kissed her cheek.

She quickly lifted the lid of the large gift box wrapped in pink paper with glitter hearts. Carol quickly pulled back the tissue paper to see a cute little purple teddy bear. This was not a Valentine's Day bear, but the type of teddy bear you give to a newborn. Underneath were several onesies. One said 'Somebody in Starfleet loves me'. Another one read 'My mommy is a badass.' The last one stated 'My daddy is a doctor, but my mom has 2 PhDs'. The lettering on the last half was twice as big. She wondered where and when he had them custom-made. Finally, there was a PADD at the bottom of the box. Why was that in there?

"I was going to get a print out of this form, but you have no idea how hard it is to get things on paper nowadays. I think giftwrap may be the only type of paper we still use." Leonard joked.

"What is this?"

"So in our modern times there are other ways to qualify for tandem assignments besides being married or bonded including sharing a child together. I know you don't want to stay in a relationship for the sake of the baby and I would never do that either. I saw firsthand how miserable Jojo was every time she saw her parents fighting and I won't do that to another kid."

"I was that kid." She said closing her eyes trying not to remember all the fighting. Sometimes she thought that if her parents hadn't fought all the time, her mom would never have accepted the mission that killed her.

"I'm well aware of that, but you're not my ex-wife and we are not your parents."

"I know that." Intellectually anyway.

"But here's the thing, I'm not sitting on the sidelines again. So, if you want to take that research position on the Vulcan colony, I want to go with you. If you want to teach at the Academy in London, then I'm going to end up being the doctor for a lot of stupid freshman who forget to use their own hangover hypos. Even if you don't sign that form for tandem assignments, I'm still going to try to end up wherever you are or as close to it as I can manage. This would just make it a lot easier."

She had no idea what to say to that. She was literally speechless. Fortunately, she didn't have to.

Thanks to Jim Kirk's impeccable timing Leonard was called out of their quarters because he had an unexpected allergic reaction to whatever the pair of handcuffs were made out of. (She knows far too much about her Captain's sex life.) However, at least this gave her time to think. She knew that Leonard was not her dad and this wasn't the same situation. Nothing about this was the same except for a really unplanned pregnancy. She was never touching strange plants again without six layers of gloves and a hazmat suit. So what did she really want?

Without even intending to, Carol found herself holding the ruby engagement ring. She had to admit she played with that ring more than she ever thought she would. It didn't even look like a normal engagement ring. It could mean anything. Holding it in her hand, she finally figured out what she wanted to do.

* * *

"Seriously, can't he go one major holiday without ending up in my sickbay?" Leonard growled as he walked into their quarters three hours later. He was expecting Carol to be asleep, but she wasn't. She was working from the couch.

"I think he likes the attention." Carol joked as she looked up from her PADD. "Was he at least dressed this time?"

"Unfortunately…" Just as he was about to respond in the negative, he noticed the necklace that she was wearing or rather the fact that there was a ruby ring attached to the necklace.

"You're wearing the ring?" He asked not believing what he was seeing and afraid to hope what it might mean.

"I decided that this ring is not you trying to push me into participating in an outdated and arcane institution that ends in divorce 63.2% of the time, but rather a symbol of your commitment to this relationship and our future family. Also, it's a really pretty ring." He responds by kissing her.

"I'll take it." He said after reluctantly ending the kiss. He would take any positive sign that she was willing to give him.

"I signed the forms and sent them in while you were dealing with Jim. Our careers are officially linked together for the rest of time." She actually sounded cheery about that.

"Or at least until we wise up and join the private sector." He quipped.

"There's always that." She said with hand on her just recently starting to show stomach.

"At least I wouldn't have to deal with Jim being attacked by his gifts. Seriously, this time the swelling was caused by handcuffs they'd used before. I swear somebody probably sprinkled something he was allergic to all over them just to fuck with me." It was getting rather annoying.

"Do you want your Valentine's Day present now?" Carol asked nicely.

"I just spent three hours dealing with a naked Jim and hovering Spock. I need the whole damn bottle."

"Or we can have shower sex while I'm still small enough for us both to fit in the shower." That sounds better than alcohol and might actually get the image of naked Jim out of his mind.

He kissed her stomach at her words. "You're barely showing and you're going to be even more beautiful when you do."

"Good answer." By the way Carol smiled at him; Leonard knew their future was looking good. When she led him into the shower, he thought the present was pretty damn great too. This was turning out to be the best Valentine's Day ever despite Jim Kirk's allergies of doom.

The end.

* * *

There will be at least one more story in this series about Jim and Spock's Christmas wedding which I'm already planning for KS Event 2015. However, I wonder if anybody is interested in a story about the birth of the Marcus/McCoy baby at the worst possible time. This might be my Fourth of July story.

Remember reviews make the writer happy and more willing to step outside her comfort zone again.


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