"Spock," said Kirk, "my parents are dying to meet you!"

Spock inclined his head slightly. "And I would be honored to meet them as well."

"Then what's the problem? We both have leave time, and it's Thanksgiving!" exploded Kirk, throwing his arms wide and looking at Spock with a bewildered expression. Even after so many years, getting Spock to reveal his thoughts could still be like pulling teeth.

"Well," said Spock finally, "are you certain that they understand the nature of our relationship?"

Kirk laughed. "Spock, of course they do! I to—" Kirk stopped.

Did they?

Kirk had always felt very close to his family. Growing up in tiny Riverside, Iowa, his brother Sam had been his best friend. Kirk had never kept secrets from his parents.

However, he didn't get to see them very often at this point. And there were just some things that were hard to talk about through a video screen.

Just about everyone at Starfleet knew he was essentially married to Spock by now, despite their feeble attempts to conceal it. Their bonding ceremony had occurred three years previously, in the middle of their second five-year mission. Spock had been undergoing his second ponn farr at the time. Kirk had assumed that, due to the notorious nature of their relationship, everyone in his life knew. However, due to the nature of the mission, he had not seen his parents in more than five years. Not since before…

Come to think of it, he had never come out and told them he was bisexual, either. He saw it as something that shouldn't really require confession. It wasn't as if he had ever told them he was straight and needed to take back what he had said. They had assumed that on their own.

Spock raised an eyebrow. Kirk narrowed his mouth. Once again, Spock had proven to know more about Kirk's life than Kirk did.

"No, Spock, I suppose they don't."

They transported down to Cedar Rapids, then took a pod to Riverside. Kirk was nervous, although he wasn't sure why.

His parents were in for a surprise.

It wasn't as though he feared a negative reaction. By 2277, homophobia was virtually nonexistent in Terran culture. No, it was more that at this point, it would look like he had been hiding something from them—lying. Spock looked over at him. He squeezed Kirk's hand, tracing the end of his pointer finger across Kirk's palm. Spock gave Kirk the smallest of reassuring smiles—you would have had to know him well to catch it at all—and Kirk smiled back.

The two exited the pod, shouldered their bags and began the short walk through town towards Kirk's parents' house.

"I understand," said Spock, "that it is a tradition on Earth to have a large meal featuring a turkey on Thanksgiving, and that this is usually done with family. Does your family participate in such a ritual?"

"Yes," said Kirk, inhaling the fall air, "they do." We're the only ones coming though, apart from my nephew, Peter. By now he must be...wow, almost…"

"Twenty-one years, eleven months old," said Spock.

Kirk laughed. "Something like that," he said, "he came down from Starfleet Academy last week. Hear he's doing pretty well."

"Fourth in his class," said Spock, "He is set to graduate next year. Shows some talent as a scientist, if I hear correctly." Spock kept his eyes forward, but Kirk heard the hint of smugness in his voice.

"Now look here, Spock," Kirk joked, grinning, "That boy will become a commanding officer. No nephew of mine is going to become a blue-shirted sissy!"

"As long as he doesn't wind up in a red shirt," said Spock, "You know what they say about the life expectancy of red shirts."

Kirk laughed.

They were almost at the house now. As Kirk turned up the path that lead to the door, a wave of uneasiness about what he had to do hit him once more.

Peter Kirk opened the door. He had apparently been waiting near the window for them to arrive. "They're here!" he shouted over his shoulder, grinning. He walked briskly forwards to greet his uncle, shaking Kirk's hand and then Spock's. Peter had met Spock for the first time right after his parents—Kirk's brother and sister-in-law—died. The two had met again once or twice since. Kirk was surprised but gratified to see Spock engaging in the human custom of hand-shaking, one that would have been considered highly improper on Vulcan. Spock knew that this was going to be a difficult situation for Kirk, and he was trying to ease the tension.

"Peter!" exclaimed Kirk, "I haven't seen you since…well, since you were in your first year at Starfleet!"

Peter nodded. "You miss a lot on a five-year mission," he said. "Say…you don't think you're going to be doing another one, do you?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well…when I graduate, I'm going to need a ship to serve on…"

"Let's think about that when we get to it," said Kirk with a smile. He saw much of his own ambition in Peter sometimes.

"Come in," said Peter. The three went inside the house.

George Kirk was a retired Starfleet officer. He and his wife Winona were, at seventy, still full of life. As the three men walked in the door, Kirk's mother embraced her son, exclaiming "Jim!" His father did the same.

"Mom, Dad," said Kirk, "This is Spock."

Another round of hand-shaking occurred. "Why don't you two go upstairs and get settled in, Jim?" asked his mother, "Peter is in your brother's old room, but I have your room made up for you and the guest room made up for Spock."

Kirk and Spock exchanged glances.

Peter accompanied them upstairs. It occurred to Kirk that, having been at Starfleet for several years, Peter probably knew about Kirk and Spock. Sure enough, Peter followed his uncle into the bedroom and closed the door behind him. "They don't know, do they?"

Kirk sighed. "No."

"Why not?" Peter asked, "I was wondering why she wasn't just making up the big bed in the guest room, but I didn't want to say anything."

"Thank you for that, Peter," said Kirk heavily.

"But why?"
"I just…haven't gotten around to telling them."

Peter looked skeptical. "What did you say when you told them Spock was coming?"

"It didn't occur to me that they didn't know. I suppose they just thought he was coming because the two of us have been best friends for years. They know that much. They've wanted to meet him for a while, actually, but I never got around to introducing them."

"So they think…pardon me for asking, but do they know you're gay? Because if they did, you'd think they would have…"

"Bisexual," corrected Kirk, "There's a difference. And no."

"Sorry." Peter let out a low whistle. "This should be interesting," he said.

There was a knock at the door. Spock walked in. "Are you ready to go back down, Jim?" he asked.

"Yes. We might as well get this over with as soon as possible, Spock."

"Mom," said Kirk, "There's something…"

"Are you hungry?" asked Kirk's mother, "We have…"

"I need to..." Kirk tried to continue.

"One moment, Jim. Are either of you thirsty? I was going to go to the store, but I didn't get a chance so all we have is…"

"I'm fine, thank you," said Spock.

"Mom," said Kirk, "I…"

"Are you sure you don't want tea or anything?" asked Kirk's mother.

Kirk turned to his father. "Dad," he said, "I have something important to talk to you two about. Rather, Spock and I do."

"I'm listening, Jim."

Kirk's mother, noticing how serious her son looked, go the message. Soon they were all seated around the table. Kirk and Spock sat on one side, and Kirk's parents sat on the other. Peter perched himself on the corner of the table, looking both wary and amused.

"Mom, Dad," said Kirk, "there's something I've neglected to tell you, and I apologize for that. In my defense, I didn't think it was something I would ever have to sit down and tell you like this. That's all changed." Kirk and Spock looked at each other for a moment.

Kirk's parents looked utterly nonplussed. "Well?" said his father. He, like his son, could be an impatient man.

"It's complicated," said Kirk, "But, well…at least by Vulcan standards…Spock and I are married."

"When were you planning on telling us that?" asked Kirk's father.

"Of course we needed to know!" exclaimed his mother.

"No…I never anticipated you needing to know that I am bisexual."

"How long have you known that one?" asked Kirk's father.

Kirk looked at the ceiling and wiggled his fingers, apparently counting.

"Based on what you told me, Jim," said Spock, who had been silent during this whole exchange, "you've known for 28 years."

"That…that's about right," Kirk admitted, grinning, "Thank you."

Kirk's parents still looked dumbfounded. Kirk continued. "Three years ago, we had a Vulcan bonding ceremony. I'm sorry you couldn't attend, but non-Vulcans traditionally don't. And they were already making exceptions. Vulcans typically don't marry outworlders, and they almost never marry anyone of the same sex."

"Well," said Kirk's mother philosophically, "you won't be needing both rooms in that case, will you?"

Kirk tried not to smile. "No, we won't."

Kirk's father was still looking at his son a little oddly. "Dad?" said Kirk.

"It's going to take me some time to get used to the idea," his father said.

Kirk nodded. "Let's take a walk, Spock," he said.

"Good idea."

The two left.

"That wasn't so bad," said Kirk, "They'll just need some time to adjust. They're fine with homosexuality, it's just that this was not expected."

"They have taken it far better than my father did, if you recall," said Spock.

Kirk did. Spock's mother had known that Spock was gay since Spock was thirteen. Sexuality was never spoken of on Vulcan, and he had asked her to explain why he had the feelings he did. She had done her best to impress upon him that Terran sexuality was different from Vulcan sexuality; that on earth, love was not limited the way it was on Vulcan. She had been surprised at the question—it must have been burning in Spock's mind for a long time. This was the first time that Spock had expressed his feelings to her since he was seven years old. As he had grown older, he had tried to divorce himself more and more from his human half. Upon learning that it was a human trait he was suffering from, Spock had tried to control and eliminate this part of himself. He hadn't told his father until he and Kirk announced their intentions three years ago.

Sarek's face had darkened. He glared and Kirk and Spock before turning to Spock's mother. "So human," he said, "He tries to be Vulcan, but his weaknesses win out. Why did I ever have a son? I cannot understand him. I try to teach him to make the logical decision, to be a Vulcan, and what does he do? He falls for an irrationally chosen human."

Sarek had left the room.

Spock's mother turned to Kirk and Spock. "Don't listen to him. He doesn't mean it. He never really means it when he insults humans."

"What did he mean to say, then?" asked Kirk, "That he simply does not approve of me?"

Spock's mother had sighed. "He likes you, Jim. He just doesn't think it's appropriate for his son, a Vulcan and the son of an ambassador of high standing, to marry another man. Vulcans are traditional and can be downright close-minded when it comes to their rituals and ceremonies sometimes. They claim they're being logical, but I'm not sure I agree."

"Let's go, Jim," Spock had said, "We have the right. We do not need my father's consent."

"I would have liked it, though," Kirk said as they left.

"Indeed," said Spock, "But when has my father ever approved of my choices?"

Pulled back to the present by a cry of recognition, Kirk turned around to see none other than Laura Jamesson.

Uh-oh.

"Jim!" she exclaimed, "How ARE you? I hear you're an admiral now!"

"Laura!" said Kirk, trying to sound enthusiastic, "Yes, I am. Laura, this is Spock. Spock, Laura Jamesson." Spock inclined his head slightly, keeping his hands clasped firmly behind his back. No more handshakes noted Kirk, he knows who this is. Somehow, he knows. Kirk thought he caught a glimmer of amusement in Spock's eye as he searched for something to say. Spock always seemed amused when Kirk was confronted against his will by his exes. It was as if he was thinking, "serves you right for not waiting for me"—a statement that would have been quite hypocritical.

Kirk had dated Laura in high school, something he had tried repeatedly and unsuccessfully to forget. He hadn't seen her in years, though. He wasn't even sure how she had managed to recognize him from the back.

"How have you been?" asked Kirk.

He and Spock were then subjected to a rundown of everything that had happened in Laura's life since high school. Thankfully, they were able to excuse themselves shortly afterwards.

Spock was clearly trying not to smile. "Was this always the manner of her appearance, or is it safe to say that the years have treated you much better?"

Kirk laughed.