Star Trek and its characters are the property of Paramount. This not-for-profit piece of fan fiction is not intended to infringe on that ownership. The author's copyright applies only to the creative content and her original characters.
This story is one in a series about the relationship between James Kirk and Suzanne Brandt. The Kirk-Brandt Chronology lists all the stories, both in order of occurrence and order of creation.
This is an idea I've had since I conned, er, *allowed* Wildcat to include a cameo appearance by Captain Brandt in "A Woman's Touch." I hope my characterization of Uhura is somewhat close to the lovely way Wildcat writes her, and I thank my feline sister for letting me play with her ball of string.
"Dr. McCoy," Uhura said as she swiveled away from the communications board. "There's a message coming in for you from the Transgalactic Hotel on Oahu."
Dr. McCoy turned away from Mr. Scott, halting the engineer's bubbling description of all the loving attention he'd be able to give the Enterprise during the next forty-eight hours in space dock.
She pressed a brightly colored square on her panel and said, "Go ahead, Ms. McCoy."
An enthusiastic voice said, "Daddy, I've checked in. It's wonderful! When will you be here?"
"I'm about to beam down, so I'll be there within half an hour, Joanna. I can't wait to see you."
"I can't wait to see you, either! Bye!"
Uhura beamed at the doctor. "Sounds like she's pretty excited."
McCoy's eyes sparkled with pride. "Joanna's never been to Hawaii before, and I'm going to enjoy squiring my beautiful daughter around. As well as showing her off tomorrow at Sulu's wedding."
She shook her head, smiling. "Sulu getting married."
Both heads turned toward an unexpected but very welcome voice.
"Nurse--I mean Dr. Chapel! What are you doing here?"
Hugging her two old friends, Chapel explained, "I couldn't wait a minute longer to see you, so I came aboard."
"Wonderful!" Uhura exclaimed. "We can beam down and then go to Admiral Kirk's together."
"I hope we can get a cab. It's raining in San Francisco."
As they stepped into the turbolift, McCoy said, "Deck seven." Then he turned to the two women and frowned. "You're going to Jim's?"
"Yes," Chapel replied. "They're installing new floors in my apartment, so he and Captain Brandt have offered us their spare room for the night. We'll all make the hop over to Hawaii in the morning."
"I've stayed with them, so I'll warn you," McCoy said ominously. "They're both cheerful in the morning."
"Then all I can say is, I'm glad I'm staying at the Transgalactic."
The turbolift doors opened, and the three started toward the transporter room.
"You know, ladies," McCoy said with some gentlemanly hesitation, "Jim just beamed down a few minutes ago himself."
"Yes, Doctor?" Chapel asked with a sly look at Uhura.
"Well, he hasn't seen Suzanne in some time..." McCoy equivocated.
"Yes, Doctor?" she frowned innocently.
"I don't have to spell it out for you, do I?"
Unable to suppress her laughter any longer, Uhura put a gentle hand on his arm and said, "Don't worry, Leonard. I haven't bought a wedding gift for Hikaru and Susan yet. Christine and I are going shopping. I imagine we won't get to the admiral's apartment for at least two hours. Does that sound about right?"
McCoy cleared his throat. "Well..."
"Oh, Nyota!" Chapel admonished her. "For a friend as good as Sulu? Picking out the right gift will take *much* longer than two hours."
"You're right. And I haven't had lunch yet," Uhura replied, eyes sparkling mischievously.
"I wouldn't mind a little sight-seeing."
"I haven't seen a tri-vee in ages."
"There's an exhibit at the museum of--"
"All right, all right!" McCoy cut them off. "Give him three hours." They stepped onto the transporter platform as he muttered, "That ought to be enough for any man."
The rain beat against the windows, almost drowning out the impassioned sounds of the two people inside the apartment. Locked in a fierce embrace, gasping each other's names between hungry kisses, they ignored the dog dancing around their feet and beating his tail against their legs. As they tore at each other's clothing, they stumbled against a book shelf, sending several books and outworld artifacts tumbling. The clatter momentarily covered the sound of the door chime, which would have gone completely unnoticed if not for the dog barking.
They stared at each other for an agonized moment.
"Zip up, Jim," Suzanne sighed. "I think our guests have arrived."
"Ohhhh..." he groaned. "Give me a minute, will you?" He turned away and leaned his forehead against the book shelf, breathing heavily.
"How could you let Nogura pull you into a three-hour meeting?" Suzanne asked as she pulled down her sweater, which was damp from being crushed against him. Then she bent to the floor and picked up the raincoat that had been flung aside only moments earlier in passionate abandon.
"It couldn't be helped." Adjusting himself uncomfortably, he followed her across the room. As she hung his raincoat on the hook near the door, he kissed the back of her neck and murmured, "I'll make it up to you later. I promise."
"Just remember where we left off," she said as she turned and pulled him into a smoldering kiss.
The door chime sounded again, and they broke regretfully.
He swallowed hard. "I think I need another minute."
Her eyes longingly followed his buttocks until he disappeared into the kitchen. Then she dredged up a smile and opened the door.
Taking in the clutter near the book shelves, the puddle under the dripping raincoat, and Brandt's flustered distraction, Uhura felt herself flushing with embarrassment as sheand Chapel were ushered into the apartment.
"Excuse the mess," Brandt said as she quickly straightened furniture and replaced overturned bric a brac. "Jim just--I mean, I didn't have time--uh, he's in the kitchen, um..."
"Making coffee!" came a shout from the other room.
"Making coffee. Let me show you the spare room so you can get rid of your things."
Following their babbling hostess, a look of dismay passed between Uhura and Chapel.
'Making coffee?' Chapel mouthed.
"The sofa converts to a bed," Brandt continued. "Hope you don't mind sharing. It's actually very comfortable. Well! I'll, um, let you settle in."
After Brandt left, Uhura closed the door and hissed, "We have to get out of here."
"What have they been *doing* for the past three hours?!"
"The admiral just got here. Probably about five minutes ago."
"He's 'hiding' in the kitchen, the front of her clothes are wet, and his raincoat is still dripping on the floor. We have to get out of here."
"Nyota, it's pouring, and the cab's already gone. Let's just tell them that we're tired from shopping and want to relax in here for a while."
"No, we can't do that. Put your coat back on."
Uhura pushed the door open and entered the living room, smiling. Chapel followed, also smiling, but without as much conviction.
"You're not going to believe this," Uhura said.
Standing very close to each other at the window, Kirk and Brandt ended their muffled conversation and turned to her.
"I forgot to get a card for Hikaru and Susan," Uhura went on. "So we'll just--"
"There's a place down the--" Kirk said.
"It closed," Brandt said quickly as she moved to the two women, her eyes pleading eloquently. "Went out of business."
"I've heard there are some very unusual card shops in Sausalito," Uhura said, her own eyes sending a benevolently gleeful message.
"Yes! They're wonderful!" Brandt almost squealed.
"Suzanne, it's raining--" Kirk began.
She twirled toward him and snarled, "They can take the flitter!" Then she turned to her guests and smiled brightly. "Right?"
"Great!" Brandt walked them hurriedly to the door. "It's the blue KB-69 right across the street. The access code is 2728. It's a lovely drive. Take your time." As she all but shoved them into the hallway, she said in a heartfelt whisper, "*And thank you.*"
"Come on, Chris. It'll be fun. I've never seen Sausalito. In the rain."
As they started down the hall, there was a loud thud as something--or someone--fell against the other side of the door.
With a naughty grin, Uhura said, "And when we get back, I'm sure that Suzanne will insist on buying us dinner."
"She better." Chapel rolled her eyes. "Sausalito."
"No, Chris. The lights are still out."
"But they're home. We know that."
"No. This is a wonderful opportunity for you and me to have a nice chat. Tell me how you like working at Fleet Medical."
Chapel sighed. After discovering that the flitter's power source was empty, they'd poked around in the little shops along the street. At first it had been fun, especially giggling over the thriving business going on in the card store. But now the shops were closed, it was getting dark, and she and Uhura had been sitting in the flitter for over an hour.
"I'm on call until tomorrow morning, you know," she groused. "And at this point, I'd almost rather be paged than sit in this flitter another minute."
"Just a little longer. It's too bad Larry couldn't be here this weekend. I was really looking forward to meeting your husband."
"He wanted to meet all of you, too, but he's presenting a paper at the Xenoneurology Association on Nuluna." She turned to Uhura and gave her a thoughtful look. "You know, Nyota, now that I've gotten Sulu matched up--"
"What did you have to do with it?"
"Susan Ling was my research assistant. I introduced them. I knew they'd be perfect together. So now I think I should find someone for you."
"No, thanks, Chris. Why don't you work on getting Jim and Suzanne to the altar?"
"That's a tough one. I can't figure them out. They should have been married by now."
"How much did you lose in the pool at the end of the five-year mission?"
Uhura nodded sadly. "I lost two hundred when we came back from the V'ger assignment. I gave them twenty-four hours."
"Look, Nyota! A light just came on in the bedroom." Chapel pushed open the door and darted across the street.
"Chris, at least give them a minute to get dressed!" Uhura shouted as she got out of the flitter and pulled her coat up over her head against the unceasing rain.
"Forget it! It's past my dinner time!"
Uhura sighed and followed her friend into the building. As they shook off the raindrops, she said, "I hope Hikaru and Susan have good weather tomorrow."
"It's clear in Hawaii. I checked." They stepped into the lift and Chapel continued, "And I hope they have as much fun on their honeymoon as those two upstairs have been having. Honestly. What can two people *do* all that time?"
"Frankly, Chris, it's been so long that I can barely remember."
"Nyota, let me set you up with someone."
The lift doors opened, and they headed toward the apartment.
"Weddings are a great place to meet people," Chapel mused as she pressed the chime. "I met Larry at a wedding. Maybe you'll meet someone tomorrow."
The door opened, and a rumpled and happy Admiral Kirk greeted them.
"Welcome back! How was Sausalito?"
Awakened by a rustling sound, Uhura opened her eyes and squinted into the dim morning light.
"A little after six. Go back to sleep. I didn't mean to wake you," Chapel apologized as she pulled on her coat. "I've been paged. If I don't make it to the wedding, explain it to Hikaru, will you?"
"Sure," Uhura mumbled and turned her face to the pillow.
She heard the door open and close softly. She moved to the center of the bed and settled in, happily contemplating the prospect of sleeping in a few minutes longer. In a bed that was surprisingly comfortable. With the sun playing across the pillow. To the sound of...
The steady squeak of a mattress.
She sighed. *No wonder they're cheerful in the morning.*
Pulling her pillow over her head, she thought of the day ahead and hoped she *would* meet someone. It had been much too long.
If you want to find out what happened at Sulu's wedding, I suggest you go to Wildcat's Trek Fiction and read "A Woman's Touch."
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