The Vow au bc I love this plot twist and Aqua/Jim are adorable

[done_in_3]

Three years, nearly four, of wedded bliss. Jim was calmer, more focused and honestly a better captain. He had his wife, his beloved Aqua to thank for that, she was his light, his heart, his whole world. She kept him grounded and morally upright and he honestly took fewer stupid risks with his life thanks to her. The crew ran better, the Enterprise had better records, life was good.

Jim had bought them a house for when he was on Shore Leave on Earth, it barely got used but when Enterprise was docked, well they needed to crash somewhere. It was a nice place in San Francisco, in the heart of downtown and worth every penny of the millions it was worth.The property values were sky high but Jim was a veteran captain and got paid accordingly. He used his money on very little else besides charity so he was happy to spoil his wife with a comfortable home. Besides, if and when they had kids... well if their house just happened to be in an ideal school district he wouldn't call it an accident.

Everything was perfect, which begged for it all to come crashing down soon enough. Jim wouldn't remember the crash or the drunk kids in a truck behind him and Aqua on the road, he wouldn't remember that he shouldn't be alive, his wayfinder had saved him....but he doesn't know what this anymore. All he knows is he's laying in bed, he feels numb.. and he's waking up in what sounds and smells like a hospital.

"Mmm... mm." he was so tired and yet his mind was racing with questions. 'Where am I? What happened? Where's my ship?'

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[watersacrificed]

It was normal for Jim to want to lay down with her whenever he had a lot on his mind. It didn't matter what Aqua was doing, she'd stop long enough for Jim to crawl on top of her and hold her. In a way, it was another form of bonding between them. At least Jim sort of remembered that. As she held him, she began to drift to sleep too.

It would be a while until she woke up. Suddenly she felt extremely tired from playing around with her husband and dealing with the stress of his amnesia. Or maybe the baby was making her more tired than before. Whatever the case, she was content with holding Jim as she slept.

[done_in_3]

Or a combination of both. She had a lot on her plate, Jim wasn't surprised she was succumbing to exhaustion. He tried to be there for her in any capacity he could. He cooked her plenty of 'cheating' food. Cakes, cookies, cheesy delicacies and perfectly roasted vegetables.

Over the course of a few days though, his dreams got darker. He didn't normally have recurring dreams b when he did they were usually nasty. Within days he was visualizing a woman, an assassin, a warrior come to slay him and the Enterprise. And Aqua was gone... had the woman taken her? No.... no Aqua WAS the woman. She had been taken and returned in this state. His mind twisted at the thought of her being the enemy... but his dream focused on her being gone then, gone and no clue to follow her with.

He dreamed about being powerless and needing his wife home. About his terror that she was dead or worse... and his despair deepening each night.

Ewach night in bed he'd toss and turn until he woke himself up and went back to sleep. This time though he was calling out, moaning her name, grabbing the sheets and kicking them off.

"Aqua... Aqua... no.No! NO!" he bolted upright with a gasp and a cold sweat.

[watersacrificed]

The next couple of days were an interesting bunch. They were still navigating the waters of his amnesia and her pregnancy, but Aqua tried not to think too much about it. If anything, she tried to think about it as them going back to dating. There was some flirting, some bantering and Jim made some of the best food she ever had.

She had no idea about his nightmares, but she sensed there was something wrong. Whenever she asked him if he was okay, she hoped he would tell her more, but nothing. She didn't press him into telling her anything he wasn't ready to divulge.

They were in bed again, sleeping through the night when she felt Jim start to toss and turn. At first Aqua tried to ignore it, but when he sat up calling out her name, she was instantly awake. She pulled down the sheets and sat right up. Her hand went to rest on his before drawing him in to hold him. She could only guess what he was dreaming about, but he was awake now. the dream wasn't real and she would chase any fragments of it away.

"Shhh, I'm here, Jim. I'm here."

[done_in_3]

He hadn't wanted to stress her even more but when she was having to hold him to calm him down the words just spilled out. He was shaking, breathing heavily, trying to form words while his arms snaked around her tight as could be. As if letting go would mean she disappeared forever.

"Y-you were..... you were gone... I couldn't find you... y-you c-c-came back as... an enemy, tried to kill us. I.... I couldn't sleep. I would just pace until I passed out from exhaustion. I needed to know where you were. I.... god I was terrified."

[watersacrificed]

Aqua stayed quiet as he spoke, cradling him as best and as tightly as she could. Her mind went back to those days when she was locked in a cell, staring at Jim without a clue to who he was. How...angry she was whenever she looked at him and how she wanted nothing more than to have his blood on her hands. She never wanted to harm anyone like that before. But that's what she was brainwashed to believe.

Silence rolled in after he was done talking with Aqua trying to find the right words to comfort him with. Her heart ached for him, suddenly remembering one of the worst times in his life.

"...I'm sorry I made you go through that, Jim... I never wanted to hurt you like that." Aqua pressed a kiss to his temple.

"But you brought me back. You got through to me and I have yet to leave your side...and I never will."

[done_in_3]

"Y-you didn't force me through it, it happened to you. I failed you. I..." he buried his head in her chest, still shaking, just needing for the nightmare to leave the reality to set in. He was at home, he had his wife and their baby, they were safe and well.

"I... remember bringing you back... You were so stubborn." he smiled "You always have been."

[watersacrificed]

"No. You did not fail me." She was quick to cut him off then, looking right at him as she said it. At the time it had been her choice to leave, to fend off more of the attackers so the Enterprise could get away. She wanted his crew and him to get away safely, not in pieces and bits. Neither of them failed each other. What happened afterwards, her kidnapping and brainwashing, that was beyond both of their controls.

The topic switching to her stubborn trait brought a faint smile to her lips.

"Think it's what attracted me to you in the first place. I could be just as stubborn as you."

[done_in_3]

"We can be stubborn together then..." he supposed that's what they were doing right now. Her trying to hold the house together while he intended to remember his life on his own without help or pity from her. It wasn't the most cohesive strategy and in fact he could now see how it was costing her physically.

"Is that your type then? A man as stubborn as you? That's all I ever had to be? So sad these killer good looks and charm were worthless." he smiled faintly. He remembered so much now that he was coming around. His feverish nightmares while she was missing, the pacing, the impatience, being literally sick with grief over losing her, Spock noting that as each day passed they'd more likely find her remains than her.

He hugged her tight.

"I don't remember how we first met... what's your side of that story?"

[watersacrificed]

Aqua returned her husband's tight embrace, hoping he was finding some comfort in her arms. After a moment she loosened her hug in favor of letting her fingers run through his hair. They were both stubborn to the point where it was a wonder neither of them ever tried to kill one another. Though it didn't help Jim could be arrogant at times.

"I never knew I had a type until you came along. Believe it or not, your charms...your looks, they all went over my head," she began, a faint smile creeping over her lips.

"I was accidentally beamed onto the Enterprise. I was wearing my armor, so no one knew I was human, or female apparently. I surrendered myself and placed in a cell. Then you and Spock came along...I tried to explain myself as best as I could without revealing too much. You didn't believe me...but, I tried leaving the ship and each time I failed. Eventually you took pity on me, I think, and let me stay on the Enterprise. I locked myself away for a few days in the room you gave me, pouring over text, digital and paper, to find a way off your ship...

"I suppose things just fell into place after that."

[done_in_3]

"Sounds...uncomfortable for us both at first. It makes sense though." he believes her of course, he's just trying to step into his past self's head and feel the confusion he knew he had and the defense for his ship, the need to understand if she was a threat to his crew.

"So the charms and good look ARE useless. I can just stop shaving now?" he smirked. He might let it grow out, he kinda liked the stubbly 5 o'clock shadow look but he didn't know how Aqua felt about it. Whiskers weren't the nicest things to kiss with.

"I do remember one thing.... you... spinning. You had light glowing all around you, bluish swirls in a cone over your head. You looked like a ballerina but you were taking out enemies like they were nothing. I had thought we were screwed. You called it Spell...something. I just remember I had to pick my jaw off the floor when you were done."

[watersacrificed]

Aqua had hoped her explanation made some sense. She could only guess to what had to be playing in his mind right now. At least she was being honest with him and didn't try to anything about their first meeting. If anything she showed how interesting and unique their first meeting truly was.

She let out a soft chuckle, lowering her head to brush her lisp against his forehead. "Yeah, you can, but don't go full mountain man on me," Aqua teased, bringing a hand up to card through his hair.

"Oh..?" Well...she never knew that. Her cheeks were pink now, finding herself ducking her head a little to try and hide the coloring. "..Were you impressed with my skill or that I could move like that?"

[done_in_3]

He leaned into her kiss, closing his eyes.

"Full mountain man? I just imagine a lumberjack or some hobo with leaves in his hair." he chuckled at the idea. Himself just living in a hollowed out tree and scaring passers by. He could never do that though, too much wilderness, not enough comforts. Not enough Aqua.

"Both? I hadn't expected anyone to really have magic that worked and that was so effective. You didn't really need me there at all, I had thought I'd have to take our enemies down myself but you just handled it with such panache." he see that blush.

"Why do you always hide your face when you blush? Look at me... can I see?"

[watersacrificed]

The image that JIm was describing earned him another chuckle from his wife. Not quite the image she was going for, but she wasn't about to tell him any differently. He might start to grow out a full bread just to mess with her. No, no, he should just stick with 5 o'clock shadow or clean shaven.

"It what I was tried to do and I wasn't about to have them harm you or your crew." She remembered how bad things were getting and had to step things up. Her magic was something no one else was expecting, so the element of surprise was really on her side.

As for blushing, the fact that he was calling her out on it made her cheeks turn pinker. Letting out a soft sigh, she forced herself to look at him.

"...I don't like feeling embarrassed or how I look when I blush."

[done_in_3]

He might just grow the beard anyway, he wanted to try it.

"Well it worked lady, let's keep that one in the basket of tricks." he smiled as she turned to look at him, blushing darker.

"Awww, look at that." he clucked his tongue. "I like it though, is that enough? Did I try to make you blush on purpose? I must have. You're so cute." he paused, seeming to feel bad.

"If you don't like it, I'll stop."

[watersacrificed]

If Jim tried to grow out a beard, then...Aqua would have to one day make flapjacks and find a plaid jacket for him to wear. Maybe even give him a Mountain man sounding name.

"No..its not that I don't like it, I mean I don't, but you've been telling me for years to just embrace it. That it's part of who I am and you still find me cute regardless..." Which was true. She did look cute, though she could never take herself seriously whenever she did blush.

"You used to try and make me blush. It was a bit of a game for you..especially since, when we did first kiss, I blushed and asked..." she paused to let out a series of laughs. "I asked if you were okay and if you meant to trip and kiss me so suddenly."

[done_in_3]

They're called pancakes and his level of facial hair did not change what word needed to be used. You just can't handle the power of a beard, Aqua. For shame.

"Well you're still cute regardless. I can't change the facts... and, not gonna lie, past me sounds really suspicious. Bet you I totally did mean to kiss you but hid it like a trip. I'm a sneaky bastard like that." he chuckled.

"You didn't see through that?" man what innocence. He adores it.

"You're a trip."

[watersacrificed]

"Ah...you are a sneaky bastard, but you're my sneaky bastard.." she teased, trying hard to not place her palm to her face over how she used to act. Yes, she supposed it was cute and she didn't know any better!

"I didn't see through it at all. I never knew when people were flirting with me. I, uh.." she chuckled at the memory, carding her hand through his hair.

"I really thought you were serious, thinking you did trip and you landed on me and kissed me by accident. That was my first kiss and you were so proud of that. You had this moment of panic, but I told you I didn't mind, you had this smug look on your face. Made me want to knock you back down a few pegs, but I let slide because......I liked it. I liked it alot."

[done_in_3]

Well he had that smug look again, as well as a happy gleam in his eyes. Her hand in his hair was nice, he lay pliant under her so... keep it up please? He's like a dog. Don't stop petting him.

"I bet I was. A cute innocent girl like you? I bet I had to stake a claim right there, before anybody else had the chance. And if you liked it I wouldn't have let up." he snuggled "Probably would have pursued it as far as it could go... so eventually we'd have dated, then gotten married, got a house, had a bunch of kids... grown old together." he didn't believe himself entirely but he knows he can make that work. Maybe. He certainly will try for Aqua.

[watersacrificed]

Oh yes, that smug look. The one she hated at times, but deep down secretly loved. It was one of his trademarks that really made him stuck out to her in her mind. One of the things that was truly Jim through and through. Her hand didn't stop carding through his hair and occasionally had her fingers drift down behind his ear and then to his chin.

"We dated, we went through things, and it took a while before we were engaged. We were busy and...we were separated for a while--not because we wanted to, but I had a mission to complete..." she explained, letting the information sink in his head.

"...Every night I hoped you were okay...and I was expecting to find you had moved on, but you hadn't. We waited for each other and for the day we could reunited."

[done_in_3]

He had his moments, his annoying smugness, his ego, his need to pick at things that could just be left alone and his way of sniffing out trouble. But he was a lovable loyal dog right?

He nearly purred under her touch. Yes m'lady more, never stop.

"I think I remember this... you... didn't come back. I just decided that I wasn't going to even try to have anyone else. Spock and Bones were surprised. I didn't think I'd see you again but I was okay with never loving again. When you came back though..." he remembered his nightmare about her being the enemy.

"Am I mixing things up? Did you return normal then disappear again and we found you were brainwashed?" he rubbed his eyes. "I feel so confused, like the memories are barely there just out of my reach."

o.o!! This thread is over a year old.

[watersacrificed]

Jim was more than a loyal, lovable dog. He was her teddy bear, her best friend, and overall the person who held her heart even when the rest of her was barely holding together. She kept carding her hand through his hair, letting her digits play with each strand.

It was soothing for the both of them, doing something they both liked.

The mention of her being brainwashed left her quiet for a handful of moments.

"I...was gone for a long while. It felt like years. I sacrificed my power, my armor, everything that protected me, I gave up for him. It left me stranded in a place where I couldn't reach anyone or anything. I survived and came back to you. That night we got engaged and...

Just as things were settling down, your ship was under attack. I went out to help, using what I could to help. I saw an out for you and the Enterprise and let you go. I sacrificed myself for your crew and you...and that resulted in me being a prisoner, unable to recall who you were, but I remembered everything else. They left my memories of my life intact, but everything about you, it was gone..." She let the information sink in, hoping it wouldn't be too much for him to take in.

/gets a cake and candle for the thread/ /makes party blower sound/

[done_in_3]

He looked at her hard then, focused on her face.

"You... lost your memory of me?" he sat up, looking her in the eyes, his own rather piercing but not threatening. He's putting together the puzzle now.

"So... this happened before with us, one of us forgetting the other but remembering everything else. What happened, how did you come back? Did you remember me or did you have to relearn who I was?...Why did you never say that before?"

/sets the candle/ MAKE A WISH

[watersacrificed]

There was a slow nod of Aqua's head. She didn't know why, but she felt ashamed for keeping that from him. Part of her wanted to look away to hide her guilt.

"I didn't..." she sounded so small then, afraid of telling him her reasons.

"I didn't want to tell you because, that was one of the lowest points in my life. I wanted to kill you, Jim. I didn't want to bring that dark period back up.

I didn't relearn, you forced me to remember. Little bits at a time, and prior to the enemy capturing me, I locked my memories away. I cast a spell to keep my memories of you away from them. The only way it could be broken was with a kiss...and it worked."

/BLOWS IT OUT/

[done_in_3]

He listened, understanding... then he couldn't help but chuckle.

"A kiss? Really? That's.... that's perfect." so her. He couldn't really laugh AT her, he just loved how dorky it was but how well it worked with her persona. Only Aqua could make that cheesiness sound so perfect.

"Just like you... but unfortunately I don't have powers, I can't save myself like you can... I have to learn it again little by little... don't give up on me ok?"

:D

[watersacrificed]

Well, it was an idea that was born out of panic. In her travel Aqua heard that true love's kiss could do wonders. So, why not in that instance? At the time she hoped Jim would find a way to kiss her. No one would think of it and thus, no one would have suspected it.

"..That's not like me. I got the idea from Princesses and books.." and after meeting Sleeping Beauty, it made sense. If she had more time, she would have hidden a message, some where, some how.

"I didn't save myself, you did. You..." she started to get teary eyed.

"You stayed up several nights for me. Tried to get me to eat when I wanted to be left alone. The more you kept trying, the more I pushed you away, but you didn't let that stop you. You didn't give up on me, and I'm not giving up on you.

I love you too much to do that."