. . . 2263. . .
"What do you mean, you are leaving?" Kirk asked.
So young, and Kirk didn't understand the context of 'I am leaving to the Nexus'.
Spock Prime sighed, then turned toward the young man with blue eyes.
"I am leaving." Spock Prime repeated.
"But. . . but why?" Kirk asked, confused.
"New Vulcan is able to stand on its own two feet, and as it is in the hands of Vulcans," Spock Prime replied. "I am assured my presence here is not needed."
"You are always needed." Kirk said.
"I can't be there to tell you what should happen and what would have happened," Spock Prime said. "There is a good chance you will never see me again." He looked over toward his younger counterpart conversing with the doctor. "But," He directed his attention off to his younger counterpart who Kirk turned his attention to. "Logically you will see me in him."
Kirk raised his eyebrows, turning his attention back toward the older Spock.
"Will I get old enough to see your hair go white?" Kirk asked.
"Far as I am concerned, you will likely see the progression of my hair color change if with the aid of Doctor McCoy," Spock Prime said. "I expect not to see you where I am going."
"You haven't told me what it is." Kirk said, with a frown.
"Paradise, eternal paradise,one half of you is left behind when you leave it," Spock Prime said. "I have already informed my younger counterpart of the fate that may or may not await you."
"You said your Jim died." Kirk said.
"Affirmative." Spock Prime said.
"So . . You are going to reunite yourself with the echo of him." Kirk said.
Spock Prime nodded.
"Dying is irrelevant in the Nexus," Spock Prime said. "For all I know, it may be the real Jim, and for me, it will be the real Jim."
Kirk held his hand out.
"Shake my hand for good luck." Kirk said.
"Illogical," Spock Prime said. "I have a ninety eight point ninety-two percent of succeeding. I also will not fall for the trick that you are to play to hug me. Been there, done that."
Kirk's blue eyes dimmered as he lowered his hand.
"We can't help you, not at all?" Kirk asked.
"I have collide with it and I am inside, so negative," Spock Prime said. "It is my choice. In my years, I am heading to the end. As you have discovered with my flawed heart partially dying yesterday." Kirk seemed to be sad at the mention of it. Spock Prime had suffered a heart attack during Kirk and Spock's visit, so Bones had to be brought in to be quite frank what happened because the healers were so 'vague'. "Why not spend the rest of my lifetime in content?"
Kirk nodded.
"That is sound logic, Mr Spock." Kirk said.
"Goodbye, captain." Spock Prime said.
Kirk held his hand up with the sign of the ta'al.
"Live long and prosper." Kirk said.
Spock Prime had one of his rare smiles at the young man.
"Live a long and prosperious life with your Spock." Spock Prime said.
Spock Prime's smile faded.
"I will." Kirk said, lowering his hand.
Spock Prime boarded the shuttle that was relatively easy for him to operate. After all, after getting the news from Bones himself what was going on with his heart made complete sense. He had done extensive research regarding the Nexus in this reality as he had in the previous. Spock Prime couldn't go after Jim because he had duties of his own to the federation. He had put off numerous excuses because they were true. Lately, he had been considering going after Jim prior to the heart attack due to the self sustaining Vulcan Council making the decision on their own logical and soundly. He already bid farewell to Sarek (who honestly would miss him because they could converse about topics like politics unlike his other son who isn't interested) regarding his decision. Spock Prime would miss everyone in this reality and the ones he knew in his prime reality.
Spock Prime wasn't sure young Spock and young Kirk would get together so soon.
Besides, if Spock Prime had asked to be taken there by the crew of the Enterprise then they would pull a limb by taking out Jim instead of sending him in. It was a logical choice but . . . dying all over again? Hell no. Spock Prime didn't want to die on Jim, again, besides, he would rather die on his own accord. With Jim. It was unfair to die on Jim like that again. His T'hy'la preserved at his prime. Their broken bond was softened by the healers and partially by himself. He had up the mental shields that he could to prevent people from contacting him telepathically.
Now is the time to lower the telepathic barrier communication.
Cho-op!
Two pieces of wood went flying with the swing of an axe embedding itself into the tree stump.
He recalled being on a bridge. What kind? He didn't know. He had decloaked something, what was it? A launcher of some kind. He remembered seeing the image of a bald man coming down the path leading to his cabin with Antonia. The women who got away. The one he . . . Turned down. But for whom? That was the question. Why could Jim not remember who he had devoted himself to? It would be nice to know. He felt as though this person important.
Jim let go of the axe.
T'hy'la.
Jim saw a shuttle, circa not-2293-or-any-era-he-knew-of. The Shuttle was sleeker and battered almost as though it had gone through hell. There was a individual inside. Jim could sense that he was here. Spock. The pieces of the puzzle fit together. He had a great fall that may have hurt his head. He could remember the metal pressing against his chest. His legs in pain, horrible pain. Blood coming from the corner of his mouth. Oh god, Jim had died. And then he came back. The Nexus drew him back in to a realm of paradise.
Jim approached the shuttle, feeling his heart pounding.
The door slid open and a platform came down taking on the shape of steps.
A short figure came out of the ship with pointy ears.
"Spock." Jim said.
The brown pairs of eyes brightened up.
"Jim." Spock said.
Clearly, it had been decades since their last encounter. Spock's once dark hair had turned gray,his eyebrows once black were gray, his once prominent and prime youthful appearance had become elderly with wrinkles. How many centuries had Jim's T'hy'la been without him? Nearly a century or close to a century, going off the ancientness about Spock's appearance. The two were in a long over due hug and they broke the hug but remained close. Spock's wrinkled left hand went to the back of Jim's neck below the head and their hands were together.
"You are so old," Jim said. "And might I note, more beautiful than how I last saw you."
Spock smiled.
"I missed you." Spock said.
"How long has it been for you?" Jim asked. "Been half a century?"
"Ninety-nine years, two months, thirteen days,three hours, and ten minutes." Spock said.
Jim grew concerned.
"How did you get here, Spock?" Jim asked.
"I used a shuttle craft to collide with the Nexus and find you." Spock replied.
"Ninety-nine years?" Jim asked, with a gasp.
"I had duties to the Federation and New Vulcan," Spock said. "None of them are important right now. Being with you is important to me."
Jim's face turned pale and there was a 'what happened?' expression on his face.
"New. . . Vulcan." Jim said.
"I expect that I have some explaining to do." Spock said.
"Yes, you do." Jim said, concerned.
Jim was comforted at the fact that Spock came for him.
His T'hy'la.
His old T'hy'la.
Jim's soul mate, so to speak.
"Spock, afterwards, can we renew our bond?" Jim asked.
"It will be easy to arrange," Spock said. "As I have unmended the wound. Our bond will heal it."
Jim brought Spock into a kiss with his arms on the backside of the much older Vulcan. It was quite passionate, but more so from Spock's side of the kiss. Wherever Jim would go, Spock would follow eventually. It was quite what the doctor had prescribed for Jim. "I know what you have. You have a bad case of love. That's all you have. Why don't you just go ahead and admit it to the poor Vulcan you love him? He'll follow you wherever you go if he could. He is the equivalent to the most loyal partner you'll ever get, Jim."
The two broke their kiss.
"Might we do our catching up in the cabin?" Jim suggested.
"That sounds rather ideal, ashayam." Spock replied.
The two went hand and hand back to the cabin.
If a great wave shall fall
It'd fall upon us all
And between the sand and stone
Could you make it on your own?
Jim went in first, and then,Spock went in last closing the door behind him.
If I could, then I would
I'll go wherever you will go
Way up high or down low
I'll go wherever you will go
The End.