DISCLAIMER: I do not own Star Trek or any of its characters, this is just a play on the end of the second movie ' Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan'.
SUMMARY: A slightly different take on the end of 'Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan'. The story starts right after Scotty has stopped Kirk from opening the door in the radiation room to get to Spock. Warning: includes character death, blood, and a hint of insanity.
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"Spock!" Jim cried as he slumped down to kneel before his dying friend on the other side of the glass. "Spock, please get up." He choked out with a sob as he placed his hand against the cold unfeeling glass that separated them. "I need you to stay with me."
"Jim.." Spock faintly whispered as he forced his body to stand. Jim was safe. Straightening his tunic Spock flashed his old friend a weak smile as he took a shaky step towards him. "Ship safe?"
Jim blinked furiously as he stared at Spock in disbelief. 'How could he still be thing about the ship at a time like this?' Choking back a sob, Kirk stared at his first officer; barely holding back the moistness that was threatening to overwhelm his eyes. "Yes, Spock, the ship is safe."
"I.. am .. glad." Spock said, falling to his knees before Kirk, he brown eyes feverishly roaming over his captain's face. "Jim.. do not ..be sad." Raising his right hand, Spock placed it against the glass directly across from Jim's. "This is not the end, my friend." He managed to say, breaking into a coughing fit, green blood escaping his mouth.
With watering eyes, Jim stared at Spock, as the blood dripped down his chin. "Spock, how can you say that! You are dying!" Jim cried out, as water fell unbiddeningly from his eyes. His chest felt tight; as if a Gorn had reached a fist into his chest, to slowly squeeze the life out of him. "I forbid you to leave me." He commanded hopelessly.
"Jim…" Spock choked on an illogical soft chuckled that had managed to escape his lips at his captain illogical order. "This will not be forever, captain." Spock said in a broken version of his usually calm voice, his fingers moving of their own accord to form the Vulcan farewell. "I will return.
"Spock!"
"I have never taken the Kobiyashi Maru test, until now. What do you think of my solution?" Spock asked, hoping to briefly distract Jim from his pain. Even as the words ate up the his steadily draining energy, he felt in himself the need to try to cheer up his captain. His eyes met Jim's sorrow fillde pained gaze. "You have, and shall always be my friend." He gasped, his body sagging against the glass, as his eyes closed forever.
"SPOCK!" Jim cried out as his friend's body suddenly slumped against the glass, a feeling of dread coursing through him. "Mr. Scott, have our systems clean away the radiation, immediately!." Kirk barked, barely registered Scotty's reply of, "Yes, captain." Jim stared at his friend, brother, and lover; denial fighting to rear its ugly head. Spock would never breath again. He would never be there to advise him. His logical presence would never be heard from again.
Curling in on himself, Kirk hugged his knees into his chest; not caring about the rest of his crew, who could be watching. A captain was supposed to remain strong in front of his crew, but he did not feel like a captain right now, he felt like a little boy who had just had his world destroyed before his very eyes.
As soon as the radiation cleared, Jim found himself flinging open the door, and hurrying inside, pulling Spock into his arms. 'He is not gone.' He told himself, hugging his friend. 'He is just asleep, he will awake shortly.' He thought resting his hand against the back of Spock's neck. 'He will awake.'
Scotty and McCoy watched as Jim collected Spock into his arms, speechless. Taking a deep breath, McCoy took a step forward to comfort Jim. "Jim." He whispered quietly, trying not to startle him. "You need to let him go or else the radiation will affect you too."
Jim turned his haunted hollow eyes to meet Bones'. "No." Standing up, he shifted Spock into his arms. "He not going anywhere, he is staying with me." Making sure Spock was held securely in in arms, Jim left the engineer room, and headed up to his quarters. 'Spock would awake, and he would be there when he did.' Laying Spock down on his bed, Kirk locked his door so that no one would disturb them, sitting down at his desk, his eyes never leaving Spock's limp form. 'He'll wake shortly.'
