You may notice that this story is now officially complete. Don't worry I hope to post the next story within the week. Last exam tomorrow :D

Thank you for all your followes and the reviews I have had. I read every single one and each one gives me the incentive to write more.

Thank you for reading and I hope I have made this story enjoyable. I hope to see you at my story instalment of this series.

Until the next time!

Vex

"To Lieutenant Smith." Bones said raising his glass of whiskey into the air.

"To Chief Medical officer McCoy." Jim said copying the action with his beer. He then turned expectantly to Eva.

"To me and Bones." She clicked her beer bottle with Jim's bottle and Bones's glass.

"What about me?" Jim asked, pretending to be offended by the chocolate haired woman.

"Your big celebration comes tomorrow." Eva told him. "Let me and Bones have the spotlight for now."

She smirked at him and Jim couldn't find it in himself to argue.

"To Eva and Bones." Jim conceded.

The group then continued their drinking for a few hours until Bones decided to call it a night.

"I'll leave you kids to drink until your livers fail." He scolded them as he left. Eva and Jim couldn't help but laugh at his grumpiness.

The two watched as Bones left and an awkward silence was left in his wake.

The two sat around Jim's table at his new 'Captain's' apartment, spending the night just catching up. With everything that had happened on the Enterprise the friends had had hardly any time to just relax with each other.

They were on shore leave while the Enterprise was being repaired. Tomorrow Jim would officially relieve Admiral Pike and in a month's time they would be back in space.

Eva, like the rest of the cadets on board, had automatically graduated thanks to the real life experience she had obtained. Eva was glad she didn't have to go back to sitting in a boring classroom after having experienced everything first hand. Plus she was going to keep her job as weapons officer which was the icing on the cake.

"So..." Jim left it hanging in the open. Though they had been on shore leave a week already, this had been the first time the two had been alone together.

"So." Eva nodded her head, picking at the label on her beer bottle. She really didn't want to look Jim in the eye.

"We kissed." Jim stated.

"We did." Eva agreed.

An awkward silence followed before Eva couldn't help but laugh.

"What?" Jim asked but soon he found himself laughing as well.

"After everything that's happened you want to focus on a little kiss?" Eva said in between laughs.

"It wasn't little though was it?"

The laughter quickly died down and Eva decided to look her friend in the eye.

"No it wasn't." Eva admitted. "But it didn't mean anything either, it was just your incentive to come back to the ship in one piece."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Jim you are the womaniser of the academy and, I'm sure, now Star fleet." She told him crossing her arms over her chest. "Even if there was something there, you're not ready to commit to a relationship. Also who says I don't enjoy being a single woman?"

Jim laughed at her remark and Eva found herself smirking.

"You're right." Jim sighed. "It's not like we've been harbouring secret feelings for each other."

The two gave out short laughs but now that they both thought about it...

"Well I'm glad we got it sorted." Eva said, trying to cut off her train of thought. Jim was grateful for the distraction also. "Friends?"

She offered her bottle and he chinked the top of it. The two smiled at each other as they finished their drink.

"I better get going." Eva said as she stood up. Jim stood up as well though he didn't understand why. "I've got some angry English doctors to deal with in the morning."

"Don't envy you there." Eva sent him a snide smile at his comment.

Eva held out her hands for a hug and at first it was awkward. Jim purposely made the hug as if it was Bones he was hugging and the two felt extremely stiff before they relaxed. Eva's head rested on Jim's shoulder while his leant into the crook of her neck. He buried his head into her shoulder not even realising he closed his eyes as he did so. Eva wrapped her arms tightly around Jim and he reciprocated the closeness.

It was a hug that went past friendship but the two didn't seem to mind.

They stayed like that for a while before both seemed to realise how long they had been stood like that.

Once they pulled apart another awkward silence followed.

"Hey it's not too late. I'm sure there's a girl you can call to liven your night." She punched Jim on the arm but was internally cringing at her words. She had never felt so self conscious in front of Jim before. Plus she didn't really like the idea of Jim with another girl, something which had never happened before either.

"Yeah I might do that." Jim gave out a laugh even though he had no intention to do so.

The two gave a forced laugh before Eva sent him a small smile and walked towards the door.

"It was a good kiss." Jim said.

Eva stopped walking and turned to look over her shoulder to see Jim looking at her.

"Yeah, it was a good kiss." She looked to him and gave another small smile. "See you tomorrow Kirk."

"Until then Smith." He gave her a mock salute and then Eva was gone.

"I don't know what you're getting so worked up about?" Eva sighed at Hein in front of her. The weapons officer was once more sat at a desk after tests had been run on her.

"Worked up? Worked up?!" The woman scoffed. "Eva you were not cleared to go on that ship."

"Well I clearly was otherwise I wouldn't have been assigned to it." Eva argued back, infuriated that they had told her off. She wasn't a child.

"You don't understand-"

"There is nothing to understand!" Eva shouted as she stood up. "I am in perfectly good health, even after a fight with some Romulans-"

"You were in a fight?" Hein asked, suddenly worried.

"Yes but-"

"Did you sustain any injuries?"

"I should have but I didn't, listen-"

"This will all have to go in the file." Though the woman looked down, Eva didn't miss the hint of happiness in her eye.

"The file that's classified even for the Chief Medical officer?" Eva crossed her arms over her chest.

"How do you know-"

"It doesn't matter." Eva shrugged her off. "Listen Hein, I'm grateful for all that you've done for me but it's time for you to let me go-"

"You need to be kept-"

"Let me finish." Eva sent her a deadly glare and the doctor had no choice but to be quiet. "As I was saying, I'm happy to come in for visits when I'm on shore leave but I'm now a qualified Lieutenant. I am the weapons officer on Star Fleet's newest and now most predigest ship. I'm not going to give that up because some doctor wanted to run a few tests when they know I'm perfectly fine!"

Eva paused for a moment, letting her anger subside.

"I worked my arse off at the academy but what was all the point in that if I don't get to put what I learnt into practice?" She looked at the doctor. "I'm 24 doc, not a scared 19 year old anymore with no memory of her childhood. I can take care of myself."

The doctor was quiet and Eva feared she had spoken on deaf ears.

"Every shore leave?" The woman asked quietly. So quietly Eva wasn't sure she heard right at first.

"Every time I'm back on Earth you'll be the first people I visit." Eva replied eagerly. "I'll even make my way to London."

"We can decided when you're back about who visits who."

"Does that mean you're letting me do this?"

"Don't sound so surprised." The woman said sternly. "Weren't you the one shouting at me only moments ago to let you?"

"Yes but I didn't think you would go along with it." Eva smiled and ran up to hug the doctor. Hein froze under the contact but Eva didn't care. She broke the hug and quickly ran to pick up her bag.

"Don't you want to know the results?" The doctor called after her.

"You know as well as I do everything will be the same." Eva smirked at Hein as she walked backwards out of the door. "Besides I have a relieving ceremony to attend."

"Jim!" Eva called when she finally found the handsome man down in the shuttle bay.

He was stood talking to a rather old Vulcan. When he heard his name though he turned around to see Eva running up to them. A smile erupted onto his lips, one he couldn't help.

"Hey." Jim said once she had made it over.

"You're going to be late to your own ceremony." She told him.

"Well how can I be late if they're waiting for me to start it?" Jim asked her with a smug look.

"You know what I mean." Eva said with a snide look. The two then remembered they were not alone. Eva looked at the older Vulcan and paused for a moment. "Have we met?"

"Spock this is the Enterprise's weapons officer, Lt Smith. Eva this is Spock." Jim introduced them. At Eva's confused face Jim decided to elaborate. "Spock Prime."

"Fascinating." The older Spock mumbled but neither Jim nor Eva heard.

"The one who saved you when stranded?"

"Well he didn't save me, I would of-"

"Pleasure to meet you." Eva cut Jim off, sending him a smirk. "From what he's said about you, you sound a lot friendly than the Spock we're stuck with."

"Vulcan company is an acquired taste." Spock Prime said.

"Was that a hint of a joke?" Eva asked shocked but she was teasing. Her lips turned into a smile. "It was nice meeting you but I'm afraid Jim and myself have a ceremony to attend."

"I'll be there in a minute." Jim told her. She nodded at him before walking away.

"Oh you can stop staring at my arse." She shouted over her shoulder.

"I was not." Jim shouted back.

"Yeah you were." She smirked as she turned back around and told him. As soon as she had done it though she was already walking forward and out of the hangar.

"Yeah I was." Jim muttered under his breath, unable to hide the smirk on his lips. He looked to the older Spock and saw an inquisitive look on his face. "Hey Spock I got to ask. Me and Eva, in the other reality, was there anything there?"

It had been bugging him since that kiss and maybe if he had future knowledge then he would know the best way around these damn annoying feelings.

"I'm sorry Jim, I cannot answer that." Spock Prime told him.

"Oh I understand the whole paradox-" Jim shrugged, not surprised but disappointed. He was cut off though by the Vulcan.

"No Jim, I cannot answer that because in my reality, there is no Eva Smith."

Jim looked shocked at the Vulcan before turning his head in the direction Eva had left in.

"This assembly calls Captain James Tiberius Kirk. Your inspirational valour and supreme dedication to your comrades is in keeping with the highest traditions of service, and to reflect utmost credit to yourself, your crew, and the Federation, it is my honour to award you with this commendation." Bennett placed a medal on Jim's cadet uniform and Eva found herself smiling in pride. "By Starfleet Order two-eight four five five, you are hereby directed to report to Admiral Pike, USS Enterprise, for duty as his relief."

An injured Pike was wheeled on where Jim walked to him. Both with smirks on their faces.

"I relieve you sir." Kirk said.

"I am relieved." Pike told him.

"Thank you sir."

"Congratulations Captain." Pike said to Jim, shaking his hand. "Your father would be proud."

The room erupted into applause, Eva even threw in some whistling. Bones didn't look too amused.

Jim looked to the audience and there were his friends cheering the loudest. He looked to Bones and then Eva which made him smile even wider.

However Spock Prime's words echoed in the back of his mind.

Who are you Eva Smith?

"Engineering thrusters and impulse engines at your command sir." Sulu turned his body to the door.

"Weapons systems and chutes on standby." Eva said as she too turned to look at the door.

"Navigation and route is planned and set sir." The Russian whiz-kid said as he turned his chair.

"Dock control reports ready, Captain." Uhura said and all four of them watched as Jim walked into the room.

He stood and paused, looking at the bridge which was now his to command.

"Bones, buckle up." He patted the CMO on the shoulder who didn't look too happy. Eva smiled to herself as Jim took his seat and opened a channel to engineering. "Scotty how we doin'?"

"Dilithium chambers at maximum Captain." Was Scotty's reply. "Get down!"

Eva just continued to smile wondering what antics Scotty was up to.

"Mister Sulu, prepare to engage thrusters." Kirk ordered but turned to look at the hiss of the lift doors.

"Permission to come aboard Captain?" The younger looking Spock asked.

"Permission granted."

"As you have yet to select a first officer, respectfully I would like to submit my candidacy." Spock approached Jim while he stood up. "Should you desire I can provide character references."

"It would be my honour, Commander." The two nodded before Spock went to his station. Jim looked to Eva and the two shared a smirk. "Manoeuvre thrusters Mister Sulu."

"Thrusters on standby." The pilot told him. Jim sat down, looking at ease in the chair.

"Take us out."

"Aye aye Captain."

Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Her ongoing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life forms and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.