Author's note: Basically, I was bored at my grandma's house the other day and sent to much time reading fanfiction…
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek in either universe; most of my knowledge comes from the two reboot movies, about three classic episodes and fanfiction. Any mistakes are my own.
Title: Should you lose your way
Summary: Spock is and always will be a friend to James T. Kirk.
It isn't being trapped in another universe that frightens him, that's happened far too many times in the past for it to worry him, and not being able to return to his own universe is a small price to pay to watch this one unfold.
No, truth be told, the thing that frightens him is this universe's version of James T. Kirk. And for no other reason then this: This Jim Kirk has blue eyes. And as it so happens, a track record a mile wide and longer then the distance between earth and Vulcan it seems. Though, it's not quite that that frightens him either. It's that he didn't recognize the man, boy really, who was the counterpart to his other half. In all fairness, this Jim Kirk was wild and young and had blueblueblue eyes. His Kirk was old and wise and had steady brown eyes. But that is not quite what frightens him either, because he is still James T. Kirk, even with the differences.
No, the thing that frightens him is this: That in this universe, it seems Jim and Spock are not meant to be. Not allies or friends or anything more. Not family. Not like and his universe. And that is why he interferes with his younger self, though it is against everything he has ever known to do so. It may be illogical, but one does not spend a lifetime with James T. Kirk and come out unscathed, physically or otherwise.
It doesn't surprise him when they give James Kirk the Enterprise, though he is only 25. He is and always will be her captain, and the youngest captain in Starfleet history in any universe. Neither does it surprise him that the entire crew from the Nero incident (the very same from his universe, save a few that came later such as Carol Marcus, but Chekov, Sulu, Uhura, McCoy, Scott, every last one of them is there). They may be young, but they are the best team in any universe. Especially when his younger self joins them.
In any universe it seems, Kirk knows Spock better then he knows himself. The choice is logical as well, Starfleet is spread thin and these cadets have proven themselves. Captain, or Admiral now, Pike cannot fulfill his duties as captain with his injuries. James T. Kirk is the obvious choice for captain. And he did it in 3 (one should know better to dare James T. Kirk, or tell him he cannot do something, he will forever prove them wrong). If there is one thing you learn from James T. Kirk, it is this: There is never such thing as a no-win scenario.
It does surprise him how young they all are, though he knows that this universe is both accelerated and less advanced. Everything happens 200 years before it is meant to (according to the stardate), 100 years after (according to himself), and about a decade too soon. They are still children. It was not meant to happen this way. But many things were not meant to happen that did in this universe. Though, if anyone had to do the impossible and survive, he wouldn't bet against James T. Kirk, in any universe.
He is, for all intents and purposes, a child, at least in this universe. His fate has forever been written in the stars. In the end, nothing surprises him, because this universe is exactly the same as his own. He is not frightened, because he knows this story even if the details have changed. And perhaps that in it's self is the frightening thing, that nothing has changed. Except for two things: In one universe, James T. Kirk runs to the stars. In the other, he runs from them. In either, their eyes are filled with stardust. In either universe, he is going to change everything. Spock is and always will be his friend. And should they lose their way, he is there to guide them. Not because Vulcan logic dictates it, but because it is what James T. Kirk would do. Either of them.