She listened carefully as he spoke, fingers gently stroking his. The picture he painted made her aching heart shatter. He'd been through so much, lost so much, and she'd allowed him to think he might lose her, too. Even though there was so much Nyota had always wanted and couldn't have, she had always had a loving, supportive family. They might not see eye to eye on everything, and they might be the biggest obstacle to her relationship with Jim, but they loved her and she them. And though it ached every day to not have her mother with her, she had years of loving memories to keep her heart whole.

To know that Jim had never known his father, had lost his brother, didn't speak to his mother, made tears spring to her eyes. She knew she couldn't replace the family he'd lost, but she renewed her silent vow to always stand at his side, no matter the cost. If it weren't for the colors of their skin, she could have offered him another family as well. Her father and sisters all liked Jim - if it weren't for the race barrier they might have welcomed him into the family. She blinked back the tears and realized suddenly that she was squeezing his hand so tightly it might hurt. She loosened her grip but didn't let go. You're not going to lose me, my love, my world, my everything. He'd asked her not to respond, so she just curled tighter against him and whispered an almost inaudible, "You wont."