Hello again everyone, this is my first star trek fanfic so please be patient with me.
I don't own anything.
Jim stared at the name on the transfer request. He didn't know what to do... Did the kid, no, he was a man now, know who he was asking to serve under? If he did, would he want to see him, talk about what happened? If he didn't know, would he be able to handle it? And for that matter, would he himself be able to handle it?
To see the kid he had carried, what he later learned to be almost ten miles, with Kodo's men hunting them like animals...
He takes a deep breath, turns back to the PADD, and signs the transfer request... He hoped that he would be able to make it through this.
He gets up from the Captain's chair, giving Spock the Conn, as he walks to the Captain's ready room.
Jim comms Admiral Pike, saying "I need your help, Chris."
-
That night, Captain's quarters, 2300 hours
Jim lays in bed, his lovers arms wrapped around him. He sighs, knowing that he's not going to get any sleep tonight.
"Bones, Spock, can we talk about something?" He asks, knowing that they are both awake and would be for another hour at least.
" 'Course kid, what do you need?" Bones asks tiredly.
"You know all that stuff that I'm not allowed to talk about, like that year and a half long gap in my med file, or why I've got some of the highest security clearance known to Star Fleet?"
"Yes, Jim." Spock replies.
"I- I got permission from the Admiralty to tell you about it, because someone... Someone I knew from when it happened is transferring to the Enterprise. I don't know if he remembers me...
"A-anyway, go ahead and ask, I know that you're curious." Jim says, knowing if he tried to start the conversation that he would break down.
"How do you know the kid?" Bones asks, deciding to start out with something simple.
"I saved his life, several times... Or so they tell me." Jim replies, staring at the wall just past Spock's shoulder.
"Darlin', we don't have to do this if you don't want to." Bones said, seeing how close he was to breaking.
"No! I mean, no, it's fine, I just, if I don't tell you about it then I won't tell anyone about it, but I don't know where to- to start, so please, just ask, and I'll answer." Jim said, trying to get them to understand.
"Okay, Darlin', what's the kids name?" Bones asks, deciding to start off small.
"Kevin Riley." Answered Jim short and concise.
Spock spoke next, asking "how old were you when you met?
"He was eight, I was 14..." Jim said, pausing before continuing in a whisper, "I carried him almost ten miles while my kids and I ran from the guards..."
" 'Your kids'?" Spock said it like a question.
"My kids. I was the oldest by two years compared to the others so I was in charge. We started out with almost 20, by the time we were rescued there were less than ten still alive, Kev was one of them." Jim answered, voice thick with emotion.
Jim flinches as he realizes that Spock is putting it all together far more quickly then he had anticipated. He continues anyway, knowing that by now Spock had probably put the pieces together but still avoiding names outside of himself and Kevin.
"There was a- a 'revolution' he called it. And it was, to a degree. He had overthrown the local government and declared himself 'Governor' while placing all his supporters in positions of power. It worked because he had been well known as a fair and decisive person..." Jim coughs and Bones hands him a glass of water. Jim nods his thanks before continuing.
"Most believed that the Governor would- would keep everyone safe, I guess... And up until he ordered the execution of 4,000 of the colonists, I guess he did..." His voice breaks as he remembers phaser fire and people screaming before a sickening silence.
"You were on Tarsus IV during the massacre." Spock said, having put the pieces together several minutes ago.
Jim went still as Spock named the planet from his nightmares. "Yes." He said, totally monotone as he fought against the memories of his kids dying around him.
S'ti th'laktra, ashaya,"((I grieve with thee, beloved)). Spock said.
Bones just pulled Jim close, not sure what to say.
They layed huddled around each other on the bed as Jim broke down.
"They hurt me." Jim sobs, "They wanted to know where my kids were, but I wouldn't tell them anything. Kodos, he... He was nice at first, but when I wouldn't tell them anything he had his guards hurl me into a little cell and leave me there for a day. After almost a week, he was annoyed enough that he tortured me himself. He swore that he would torture me every day until I broke. But I knew by then how to block out the pain... I had known before I ever got to Tarsus IV..."
"You mean Frank." McCoy says, no doubt in his tone.
Jim just nods, burrowing even deeper into his lovers arms.
Spock looked over to Leonard, confused.
"His stepfather," Bones whispered back. "The abusive bastard that got him sent off world in the first place. His mom divorced the asshole but remarried him as soon as the public looked away."
"He got out of jail last week. No one knows where he is, not even Winona." Jim mumbled, half asleep.
They both turn and ask "What?!"
"Yeah," Jim mumbles into the pillow, "Went off the grid three days ago. A memo was sent because they think he's coming after me..."
Spock and Bones wait for him to continue when they hear a slight snore. Jim had fallen asleep in their arms.
And that's all I have so far. Thanks for reading.