Destined | Christopher Pike

Chapter Thirty One

It was all falling to shambles quickly and Chris was having a hard time keeping his head afloat. All of the Outposts had been obliterated, including one right in front of his eyes. The Outposts had been attacked by a ship that was near impossible to track. It had the ability to make itself disappear which meant they could not see it's next movement. Now, the potential fate as to what happened next rested in the hands of Starfleet, waiting to give permission to engage the Romulans, and a young Captain he knew nothing about. He was slowly starting to realize why his future self sent him to this point of time.

He didn't know much about Captain Kirk other than the fact that he was Sam's younger brother and that he went to the Academy with Emma. He needed another moment to be alone with his thoughts. He was trying to do everything carefully. He needed to learn from the experience, otherwise sending him to the future meant nothing. His cabin had changed. It had changed a lot in fact. He supposed that was what happened when you got married. Things changed.

Throw pillows and throw blankets that weren't there before were on his couch. A bouquet of fresh flowers that reminded him of the wildflowers back at home sat in a vase on the coffee table. Pictures were everywhere. Most of which included Emma and him. There were some of them inside the Enterprise. Other's were of them in various places; the beach, his home, somewhere outside. Perhaps one of his favorite photos was one of Emma holding the reins of one his horses. She had a large grin on her face and the horse was tickling her hand with it's nuzzle.

He walked over to his control board and searched for Emma's direct comm link. He needed her advice on multiple subjects including her opinion on Captain Kirk.

"This is Emma." He heard her cheerful tone answer.

"Hey, it's me. Is there anyway you can come to our cabin?" He asked.

"Of course. Be there in a minute." She told him.

While he waited for her, he poured himself a much needed drink. He preferred to Captain with a clear head, but needed the alcohol to relax. He kept looking around for any information about what had happened the last seven years. When Emma walked inside the cabin, he motioned for her to sit on the couch.

"What do you know about James Kirk?" Chris asked her after offering her some water.

"I mean, we went to the Academy together. He can be...an idiot, a little cocky. Actually, very cocky. He's smart though. Captains like him are rare." She explained. "Why do you ask?"

"We're going to be using his assistance to help figure out this Romulan situation. I just like to know who I'm working with." He paused to collect himself. "There's something else I need to tell you."

"Okay..."

"This may sound crazy, but I'm not the Christopher Pike you know." He told her.

For a moment she just sat there, but then slowly, a knowing smile spread onto her face. "I know."

"You know?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "How?"

"For one, you don't have your wedding ring on and believe me when I say you always wear it. For two, you don't have a scar on your right eyebrow. You got into a fight with some random guy who felt me up. You refused to let a doctor remove it, because it made you look tougher. For three, you had the same deer in headlight look in your eyes when I told you I was pregnant when you saw me earlier." She stopped talking for a moment and he could see a shift in her face. Sadness took over the amused expression she had. "If you're here, I guess it means that you cheating death didn't exactly work."

"You know about the Klingons and the time crystal?" He asked.

She nodded. "I do. I'm sure you have questions."