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( closed ) but I promise you this

who: Jim Kirk & Lucy Mills
what: pancakes and some slightly more serious talk
when: couple of days after the rescue mission
where: their place
warnings: none

[ They'd all set up a big tent in the living room the first night they brought Lucy home. She'd been through a lot, and honestly, if after all that a sleepover in the living room was all she was asking for, both Jim and Victor were perfectly alright with making that happen for her.

The second night she did go to her bedroom. However, it came as no surprise when she knocked on their bedroom door less than an hour later, asking if she could sleep with them.

They tucked her in between the two of them. At some point during the night John climbed onto the bed too, near their feet, carrying Oona with him. Victor had an early shift at the hospital, which saved him the mild discomfort of waking up with nearly eighty pounds of dog covering up half his legs.

That was the spot he currently found himself in. Well, he did manage to convince John to move a little, but the quiet fuss was enough to wake Oona up, who in turn started wiggling and rubbing against Lucy's face. That was bound to wake her up, he had no doubt. ]

Oh, come on... Shh, shh... [ He murmured as quietly as he could manage, picking Oona up and trying to move her away. She squealed a bit, little porg legs wiggling in the air. ]

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[It was going to take time for Lucy to readjust. Going through something that traumatic would change her, and somethings wouldn't be the same. Like going to sleep by herself--how she wanted to stay in the living room with Victor and Jim, holding onto one of them. The sleepover in the living room was need, she was afraid of waking up without one of them around her.

The following night, she asked the door to not be closed and for a light to be left on. Sadly, it didn't stop Lucy from waking up terrified and climbing into Victor and Jim's bed. She knew she couldn't keep doing it, but she didn't want to be left alone. She didn't like the feelings and memories it brought.

When Jim woke up, he'd find Lucy closer to him, but facing away, Lucy didn't start to stir until Oona rubbed against her face, a stark contrast to how she was woken up with the cultists. She started to come around, yawning and stretching, only to roll over and hug whoever was there.

So not only did Jim have the dog on him, but also Lucy too. Oona's squealing didn't stop, she continued to squirm and move around, even tried flapping her wings to get away. Lucy's eyes slowly opened. Her vision blurry, but her mind was starting to pick up on things.]

What's....going on? [Her voice was raspy from waking up.]

[ Jim froze in place when Lucy yawned, then rolled over and latched onto him. He felt a little ridiculous, lying there awkwardly, holding Oona precariously with his hand while trying really hard not to wake Lucy up.

And then she spoke. Jim let out a defeated sigh, sinking into the mattress again. He also let Oona down onto the bed, and she promptly snuggled up against Lucy's back.

May as well give up, since Lucy was waking up now. ]

They followed you in last night. [ He nodded in the general direction of both the dog and the porg. ] Sorry I woke you up.

[Lucy's vision became clearer allowing her to focus on Jim. She could feel Oona on her back, making her reach behind her to try and pat them on the head.]

No...it's okay....[She ducked her head a little.]

I'm sorry I climbed into your bed.

[..To be fair, this would not have happened if they slept in the living room last night.]

Did you want me to go? [Lucy hasn't felt as confident as she had been in the past. More reserved and quiet, still trying to process what happened. Handling a curse was one thing--being kidnapped and threaten with actual harm was another.]

[ Jim smiled down at her, settling his head comfortably on his pillow again, an arm draped over her. ]

It's fine. I didn't mind it.

[ They couldn't keep sleeping in the living room though. Jim had actually been expecting this anyway, so it hadn't come as much of a surprise when Lucy had showed up in their bedroom last night. ]

No, of course not. Sleep a little longer, if you want to. It's still early.

You sure?

[Lucy finds herself asking it just to be on the safe side, but once his arm drapes over her she moves closer to him to curl up against him. One hand moving up to grab onto his shirt like she had when he rescued her.

They could sleep in the living room--not forever, but another night or two. But it may happen again tonight where she felt scared to be left alone--even with Dr. Whale and Captain Tiberius with her.]

Mmm, I'm already up...I don't think I can go back to sleep.

[Oona moves to rest by Lucy's head, trying to get comfortable there which makes her smile a little. She's missed this--having the pets with her. It's comforting, but she still wants an adult nearby.]

Are you going to work today?

I never say anything I don't mean, Lucy. So yeah, I'm sure.

[ No harm in double-checking, granted, but she really didn't have to worry about that with him. Honestly, after what she'd been through, he was impressed by how brave she was being so far. He'd already expected her not to want to sleep on her own— he was just glad that she felt this comfortable and safe around him now.

He chuckled as Oona burrowed closer to Lucy, while John had settled down near the end of the bed and was staring at them both with his big, pleading eyes. ]

No, I'm taking the week off. So if there's something you wanna do today, name it.

I don't know...if I mean, don't adults and kids say things they don't mean when they're angry?

[She's heard kids fight about things on the playground at school, but Jim was a very truthful guy. Still, hard to believe he wouldn't say something out of anger and then regret it later on.

Lucy peaked down at the foot of the bed, looking at John and patted the spot next to her. John took that invitation and moved over, sandwiching Lucy between him and Jim. Really, how could anyone be upset about having pets joining them in bed? It was the best thing ever.]

...Can we see Papa at the hospital? Maybe bring him lunch?

[There wasn't anything she wanted to do specifically, but...there was a faint rumble in her stomach.]

Think we could get chocolate chip pancakes?

Sometimes, yeah, some people might. But do I look angry to you right now?

[ He rose his eyebrows, looking down at her with smile, which dissolved into a chuckle when John moved up on the bed and pressed himself up against Lucy's back. Normally he'd tell him to stop, but it seemed to help Lucy feel better, so he went along with it. ]

We can do both those things. [ He ran his fingers through her hair. ] But you have to decide in what order you wanna do them.

[ He winked. Of course he knew she'd want the pancakes first. ]

[Lucy shook her head no, Jim wasn't mad at her. He meant what he said, and she didn't have to second guess anything, but she still wanted to make sure. Eventually, she'd get used to it.

A faint smile started to tug at the corners of her mouth. Of course they would need to have pancakes first! They couldn't see Victor on an empty stomach.]

You're silly sometimes. [She chuckled holding Jim a little tighter before attempting to sit up. Lucy wasn't expecting him to pick her up or anything.]

I think we still have pancake mix, I don't know about the chocolate chips but if we don't that's okay. If we don't have syrup then we have a problem.

[Joking, of course. ]

[ He liked seeing her smile. He considered it a success right now, all things considered, and he poked the tip of her nose playfully. ]

I know. It's my best feature. [ He winked at her, hugging her back briefly before letting her sit up. ]

There's still syrup, no need to panic. [ He sat up too, much to John's delight. He seemed about ready to start his day too. Probably because he knew breakfast was happening next and he was hoping to get a piece. ]

I'll get your slippers. [ He ruffled her hair a bit, then headed to her bedroom, coming back with that pair of slippers. No need to get dressed just yet, if they were going to have a lazy pancake day. ]

I don't know. Maybe not your best feature, but the most fun. [She's smiling a bit more now, it's easier to do with playing around with either Victor or Jim. They were her family, and she thought she wouldn't see them again.

Oona moved to perch on top of Lucy's shoulder, ducking under her long hair. She'd need a haircut soon, but she could tie it up once they get started on the day. She climbed out of bed and slipped on her slippers, moving with Jim to head to the kitchen.]

Can we make eggs too--! [Wait a moment, didn't Jim say he was bad in the kitchen? Or was he joking then?] I mean...we should have eggs in the fridge. [And eggs are easy, he can't mess that up!

Once they're in the kitchen, she checks in the fridge taking out the butter and the eggs. John was poking his head in there too, trying to see what he could possibly take for himself.]

[ That's a compliment! It's true, he does have a lot of great features, it's hard to choose the best one.

He slid his feet into his own pair of slippers, a hand resting on Lucy's back as they headed out of the bedroom and towards the kitchen. He seemed as curious as John about the contents of the fridge, though he wasn't just looking for a treat. ]

Mm, I can manage scrambled or boiled eggs now. [ He's learning!! For now he started taking things out of the fridge: the pancake batter, milk, syrup, eggs and whatever else they might need for their breakfast. ]

Get me the frying pan for those pancakes, will you? [ He got the oil for the pan. ] What do you want to drink? Chocolate milk, juice...?

Scrambled is fine, Dad.

[ Lucy doesn’t think about what she said, only that it slips out and then she goes to look for the frying pan that Jim wanted. She’s careful to close the door, making sure Oona doesn’t get locked in there and John didn’t grab anything he shouldn’t.

Lucy grabs the frying pan, putting it on the stove and starts to grab plates and utensils.]

Water is fine. Do you want juice? [ And now that she thinks about it, she moves to grab Oona and John’s dishes to wash to make their breakfast. ]

I’ve got John and Oona’s plates, I can make their breakfast! Oh! Should we bring Papa pancakes?

[ Ah, there's that word again. Lucy had said it twice during the rescue, and a few times throughout the rest of that first night, but then she didn't say it again, and he'd figured it had been something in the heat of the moment, a way for her to cope with everything that had happened a little better.

But now he wasn't so sure what to think. For a second he went still, pressing his lips briefly, as she took out the pan and set it on the stove. ]

No, I... it's fine, I'll have some coffee. [ There was still a bit left from what Victor made in the morning. He smiled and nodded at the question. ] Yeah, we can bring him some pancakes.

[ He poured just a bit of oil onto the pan, turning on the stove and letting it heat up for a little while. Look at him, cooking like a big capable adult and all! ]

Hey, Lucy... [ He glanced at her, debating on the best way to put his thoughts to words. ] You know... you don't have to call me that or anything, right?

Call you what?

[Lucy asked over her shoulder as she started to get out the bird and dog food for their pets. John barked once then twice, tail wagging excitedly for food. She....sort of knew what he was talking about...

Lucy was aware of what she said when Jim took her to the medics after rescuing her. How she clung to him, begging him not to go. She called Victor Papa, and he was fine with that. Whereas Jim....okay, he wasn't married to Victor (yet), but he was important. He was part of their family...

And he was her second (or maybe third) dad?

Did he not want her to call him that? Did he just see her as Victor's kid--not his?]

...I mean...do you want to only call you Jim?

[She was a bit...embarrassed she called him that--especially because she had been scared, but he probably preferred to have her call him Jim, nothing else.]

[ He opened his mouth a couple of times, struggling with what to tell her to that. Between her being busy with serving the pets' food and him starting on those pancakes, at least he bought himself some time.

Eventually she realized what he was talking about, and he felt mild relief that he didn't have to say it out loud. But she didn't get what he was aiming at when he brought it up, either.

He finished the first pancake, sliding it onto a plate, then setting the pan aside for a little while so he could turn towards Lucy, crouching in front of her. ]

I don't mind you calling me that. It was... surprising and a little weird, but I kind of liked it, actually. [ He placed his hands on her arms, smiling at her. ] I just didn't want you feeling like you had to do it. But if you want to, then... yeah, you can call me dad. [ Or daddy, or whatever other diminutive she could think of. ]

[Lucy managed to put Oona's plate down and then John's. The dog happily trotted over, chowing down on his breakfast while the porg seemed to pick at their food for a moment. It provided a good distraction for the conversation between Lucy and Jim.

Lucy knew Jim would never replace Henry--no one could. But, the man had been acting like a father figure to her. He was the one who rescued her and brought her back home--to the pets and to Victor. It was natural for her to call him that, and she thought it was okay. If Jim said it wasn't, then she wouldn't do it again.

The smell of pancakes wafted through the kitchen making Lucy's tummy rumble softly. When Jim crouched in front of her, she couldn't bring herself to look at him. Her gaze was on the floor.][Lucy's gaze lifted to see Jim's smile. She started to chew on her lower lip a little as she tried to sort out her feelings on this.]

I would like to...and you're not replacing Victor or Henry--I know that. But...[She felt a bit nervous for what she wanted to say.] You already act like a dad...and...I love you a lot.

[ Jim smiled a little as she spoke, nodding slowly. ]

No, I'm not replacing anyone. I know you know that.

[ A family could be a very complicated thing, sometimes. Jim never really had a dad, and he barely had a mom too, so he knew how important it was to have parents around, protecting you, supporting you. Admittedly, he hadn't ever imagined himself in that spot, but...

Well, here they were. ]

I love you too, Lucy. [ He brushed his thumb across her cheek. ] Now— give me a big hug, then we go back to the pancakes. Sound good?

[Families were big, complicated things. Looking at Lucy's family tree would prove that to be true, but they all made it work. Everyone loved one another and Regina and Emma found a way to raise Henry together and he turned out fine.

Now, Lucy had Victor and Jim...which was a bit funny, considering how they started out. Lucy nearly screaming at Jim when he showed up at their house and trying to make it work...

Now, she moved in closer to him to give him a big hug, holding on tightly as she placed her face in the crook of his neck. She whispered another 'I love you, Dad' before pulling back.]

Okay--but if we have chocolate chips, can I be the one to add them in?

[She still likes to help out in the kitchen--and feeling left out, John moved over to Lucy and Jim, trying to press his head into their sides.]

[ Their rocky start did come to mind, at times. Jim found it funny now, even though at the time he honestly worried that he and Lucy might not ever get over that hurdle.

He pressed a kiss to her temple as she moved in to hug him, petting her hair, then pulling back as she mentioned the chocolate chips. ]

I'm sure that can be arranged.

[ He looked down when John tried to push his head between the two of them, chuckling softly. ]

Looks like someone's feeling left out.

[Lucy started to grin, excited she could call Jim 'Dad' and for helping out with breakfast. Maybe she place the chocolate chips in a specific order to make it look like one big happy face? No, she'll dump as many chocolate chips as possible for chocolate goodness.

As for John....]

Awww, he shouldn't. We love you a whole lot. [Lucy's attention was back on the dog, petting him as much as possible. John was in heaven, loving the attention and nearly plopping at their feet to show off his belly. Good boys deserved belly rubs right?

Lucy played along, moving to rub John's belly for a little bit before getting back up to wash her hands in the kitchen sink.]

I can ask Papa what time he's coming home. Maybe we could all go out for dinner? Or are you planning to surprise him with a home cooked meal?

[ Jim didn't spare John a lot of petting, because— well, it looked like Lucy had it covered. That dog was spoiled enough as it was.

He got to his feet before Lucy did, hunting for the chocolate chips, digging them out of one of the cupboards and shaking them at Lucy with a grin. Since she said she wanted to mix them in herself, he set them down next to the rest of the batter. ]

I'm not that good yet. [ He rose an eyebrow at her. ] But we can go out for dinner. I'm sure Victor won't say no, but we can ask him when we bring him his lunch.

[ Lucy was going to spoil John. Jim needed to get used to that fact, if he hadn’t already.

She watched Jim hunt through the cupboards until he found the bag of chocolate chips. Yes!! He was able to conquer the clutter in there and find the divine chocolate! Lucy moved to sit on top of the kitchen counter, just so she could watch the pancakes being formed. She needed to wait until the right moment to drop in those chips. ]

Could go out or order in. I’m not picky. We haven’t done Chinese food in a while.

[ Or pizza but anything would do. ]

I’m starting to think we’re bringing him brunch. Since we’ll be bringing lunch stuff and pancakes. Unless we just bring pancakes? So he doesn’t get too full for dinner?

[ He may allow it at times, but he'll never get used to it, nor let John get used to it either. He's a good, obedient boy, though. Jim will make sure he won't turn into a spoiled (and very fat) dog.

With the help of a large serving spoon, he pours some of the batter into the hot pan, stepping back and waiting until Lucy adds the chocolate chips to flip it around.

He shrugs, pursing his lips. ] No, he'll be fine. He'll have the whole afternoon to burn through that food. But we won't bring him too much, so it doesn't go to waste or anything.

[Lucy wouldn't spoil John with just treats. She would take more time with him on walks, play around longer, and give him as many belly rubs as he wanted. The dog was going to spoiled one way or another, just like Oona would be.

Lucy loved animals, something she got from her great-grandparents.

She put some of the chocolate chips into the pancake batter, pulling back so Jim could flip it.]

Okay, that makes sense. I hope he isn't working too hard...

[Victor does tend to throw himself into his work. It shows that he cares a whole lot about people, but he shouldn't work himself to death or anything.]

[ As long as it doesn't interfere in his training, Jim won't complain. But John is still also a working dog, and he has to be good and obedient. So long as treats and belly rubs didn't mess with that, he won't tell her to stop or tone it down. ]

He's always working hard. [ He says, while flipping the pancake around. ] But it's up to us to make sure he doesn't overdo it. You know how he can get when he's focused on his work.

[ And he still remembers when he first met Victor. How he told him he basically just split his time between the hospital and the Prometheus labs. That up until he met Jim, he never had much of a reason to have time off and find ways to enjoy himself.

Pancake finished, he slides it onto a plate, then pours more batter onto the pan. ]

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