Disclaimer: The rights to Star Trek belong to Gene Roddenberry, and NuTrek belongs to J.J. Abrams, Orci, and Kurtzman.
A/N: This is a 'deleted scene' from my fic And Saavik Makes Three, but you don't have to have read that to understand it. It stands alone just fine. All you need to know is that Saavik is Kirk and Spock's young adopted daughter.
A/N2: Dedicated to scraplove. Thanks to her awesome pro-LGBT laundry-verse, I was inspired to write this.
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Proposition 8
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USS Enterprise, Captain's Quarters
There was a timid knock at the door.
"It's open," Kirk called. The doors slid open to reveal a worried Saavik.
"Can I talk to you or is this a bad time?" She said in a rush.
"I'm just working on reports, but I always have time for you." He set his PADD aside and smiled at her. "What's up?"
"History class," she sighed with disgust. "Ensign Barrows taught us about this one period of Earth's history where only opposite-sex pairings were allowed to be recognized as couples. Apparently people who were attracted to the same sex had to hide their true selves to fit in with the…what was it…oh yeah, the heterosexual norm."
Her father frowned. "You hadn't already heard about that?"
"Well, I've heard how backward societies on other planets are, but not Earth! Not where you come from, Dad."
Kirk gently pulled his daughter into his lap in a comforting gesture. "You don't have to worry about that anymore. Humans are more accepting now. Besides, you know that Spock and I won't care if you're attracted to boys or girls or both, right?"
"I am aware of that," she agreed. "Dad?"
"Yes?"
"Speaking of that, I well, I…I think I might like Norvek."
"Really?" Kirk said, playing dumb. It was obvious to most on the ship that his daughter had a crush on the young Vulcan boy.
"Yeah, he's been really nice to me lately. Does that mean that, when I'm older, I'll be attracted to boys?"
"Probably," her dad said. "But like I said, there's no reason you need to worry about that."
Saavik's eyes filled with tears.
"My teacher said that people used to think that same-sex couples were an abomination. You and Sa-mekh wouldn't have been able to be together had you lived on earth during that time."
"Oh, is that what this is all about?" Kirk gave her a sympathetic smile, and hugged her close. "First off, if Spock were here instead of Sickbay, what would he say?"
"That I'm being illogical," Saavik mumbled.
Kirk grinned, because essentially she was right. "He would say that it isn't logical to worry about something that doesn't concern us. Our marriage is protected on Earth as well as on New Vulcan and we have full rights as a couple."
"I know, but what if you go to other planets for First Contacts and the inhabitants think two men together are wrong? Lt. Sulu told me about your mission to the planet Gamus, where their religion only allowed men and women to get married. He said that you and Sa-mekh almost died on the mission."
"Some missions are more dangerous than others, that's true," said Kirk. "That planet was near the outer reaches of the galaxy. That world is the exception rather than the norm. Most planets have developed socially enough to where gender doesn't matter."
"Do you know what changed people's minds on Earth about same-sex couples?" Saavik asked.
"Didn't your teacher tell you?"
"Not yet."
Kirk thought about it. "One of the major changes in Law was when Proposition 8 was repealed in California in the early 21st century. But the real social change came when the LGBT community and their allies advocated publicly over time for rights for all. There were some people who tried to stop the change, but they were suppressed when the common sense of the idea 'let love prevail in all forms' won out. Gays have enjoyed the same rights and privileges as their heterosexual counterparts for 200 something years now."
Saavik snuggled closer. "I'm glad my dads are protected under Federation law."
"Spock and I would've found a way to be together had we lived back then, discreetly if necessary. That's what a lot of the gay men and women did back then, lived 'in the closet' as they say."
Saavik giggled. "Is that where the old phrase 'coming out of the closet' comes from?"
"Yep."
"Hey Dad?"
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"I'm glad we live in the time we do, rather than the time of Proposition 8."
"Me too."
"I'd better go, I'm meeting my friends on the holodeck in ten minutes."
"Then you'd better hurry."
Kirk watched her go, remembering the mission when he and Spock had almost been killed because Kirk had been stupid enough to tell the homophobic aliens that he and Spock were together. Luckily, it had all worked out in the end and the gay-hating government had been overthrown and replaced by a more accepting one.
Yes, Jim Kirk was extremely glad to be living in a time where he and his t'hy'la could serve together as captain and commander on the best starship the 'fleet had to offer, without having to hide their relationship!
A/N: If you are interested in more about the mission, you can read my finished fic, Mission to Gamus, which is up on my profile page.