Chapter Text
That Christmas, Jimmy makes him a new mug. It’s stainless steel, and as Pike notices, completely throw-proof.
Engraved in over sized, crooked lettering the side reads Galaxy’s Best Captain.
Someone has been letting the kid play with lasers again.
*.*
Jimmy’s biology phase ends shortly after New Year’s, much to the relief of the crew as a whole. By the end of March, all of his bacteria and mold cultures have been located and disposed of. Pike hopes so at least. Some of them were quite efficiently squirreled.
Of course this shift in focus occurs after four separate biohazard containment leaks and seven instances of food poisoning. None of which Jimmy actually suffered from himself, of course.
So needless to say, when Pike hears the kid is no longer interested in microbes, he almost wept with joy.
That is, until the little shit takes up chemistry.
*.*
Jimmy’s seven years old, and he’s no longer getting lost in the walls. Pike will never admit that he almost misses having to play Pull Jimmy Out of the Machinery (the most demented game of hide and seek ever created).
That doesn’t mean he’s no longer climbing inside of the walls. No, that would be borderline normality.
He’s just stopped getting stuck.
Pike doesn’t know whether or not he should be pleased with this development.
*.*
This is by far, a shitty day.
A run in with a Bird of Prey has landed twelve of his crew in Medbay, shields are all but depleted, and negotiations are not going well.
In fact they are going so poorly, that no one notices Jimmy step on to the bridge until he speaks.
“Is that a Klingon?”
“Jimmy,” Number One whips around at her station. “That is indeed a Klingon, and unless you leave the bridge immediately you might cause him to reopen fire.”
She turns around, sparing him no further attention.
Pike risks a glance at Jimmy, who’s standing, open mouthed and wide eyed at the Klingon Captain on the viewscreen.
The Klingon Captain who’s still screaming obscenity at Chris, by the way.
“Maw’tok!”
As all heads turn to the source of the vehement Klingonese curse. Jimmy covers his mouth as though he had not intended to speak, and bolts for the turbolift.
The Klingon Captain blinks in surprise, but negotiations continue.
It’s not until several hours later, ship out of danger, shock wearing off, when someone ventures, “Captain?”
“Yes, lieutenant?”
“When did Jimmy learn Klingon?”
Pike shrugs. He honestly doesn’t want to know.
*.*
Two hours out from Vulcan, everything is going fine (for once). Pike is just going over the last details for the resupply mission when the floor of the bridge vibrates.
Pike doesn’t need to check a single mainframe to know exactly who was responsible.
He’s getting Jimmy Kirk off his ship. Even if it’s just for the day.
Good thing the kid likes Vulcans.