T'Slash: Today was a hard day for me and I am sure many of us with the wonderful Leonard Nimoy passing on. He will always be in our mind and our memories, and we can revisit him in the episodes and movies. This is dedicated to that great man, one of the reasons I became a Trekkie. I will always miss him but he will never be far from my mind and heart.

Gone but Remembered

It was finally time. He could not hold on any longer. All of his friends had left long before him. Chekov, Sulu, Uhura, the good Doctor and even the out of time Mr. Scott. The Captain….Jim had left long ago. On that disastrous mission with the Enterprise-B.

He could still feel the pain of that long ago wound. Could still feel that loss that his mind had suffered. The steel door that had closed on their bond. Parting them forever. It had been so painful at the time, nearly crippling him. He had only made it that far due to the people who supported him. The people who were part of his old crew. The ones who became his friend thanks to Jim.

Jim…so many of his life events happened do to him. So much of his life was influenced by that one man. The man who encouraged him to break out of his shell, so to say. The one who forced himself to become friends. Jim…he became someone that he cared for more than anyone. No matter how illogical it was, he cared for him. Jim was his T'hy'la. Even after he was gone.

Spock looked out at his world, at the world that he had helped make. He had done so much over his lifetime, he had explored the deep black, the five year mission with his crew, and he had died and was brought back thanks to his friends. Thanks to the people who cared for him more than they cared for their careers. They risked everything to bring him back…and they had succeeded and he was reunited with Jim.

He had so many happy memories. He had been able to accept both parts of himself. His Vulcan half and his Human half.

But now…such a long life…it was over. He knew his time was coming. That it was here.

He was the last one left from the original Enterprise, everyone else was gone now. Never forgotten. As Doctor McCoy had said long ago, in another life, "He's not really dead. As long as we remember him." That was so true to them all. To him they were all still alive. Still with him, inside of his heart.

Now it was his time. He could trust the people he was leaving behind to continue with his lives work. Continue what he started. They were good people after all. Quite logical.

He could only hope that his katra would be reunited with his old crew. No, his friends. He had elected not to have his katra stored on Vulcan. None of the Vulcans had understood his decision to let his katra fade away.

"Jim…I am coming," Spock whispered as he felt his body shut down. Felt is katra fighting to be free of this weakening body. Spock was not afraid though. No, he had already experienced death once before. He had no fear of death…all of his loved ones were waiting for him as well.

Spock looked out once more. Looking over his home, the one he used to share with his T'hy'la. Taking in all the memories that were held in this small house before he closed his eyes. Letting himself fade away. Letting go of the life he had lived in for so long. He had no regrets.

"About time you got here you pointy eared bastard! What the hell took you so long?" McCoy's voice yelled out, surprising Spock.

Spock opened his eyes and looked around, raising an eyebrow at what he saw. It was the original bridge of the Enterprise, everything was the same. Lt. Uhura was at her station, smiling over at him, and her hair back to the dark black it was so long ago. At the helm was Sulu and Chekov, both young again. Lt. Scott and Doctor McCoy stood to the side of the captain's chair. Mr. Scott smiling over at him while the Doctor had a glare on his face.

"It is good to see you as well, Doctor McCoy," Spock said, his eyes locking on the blue eyes of the good Doctor. He knew that was just McCoy's way of greeting him.

"Well you haven't changed at well. I don't know why I thought that a few decades that separated us would result in you becoming a little more human," McCoy said good naturally, glaring at the man.

"Now, now, McCoy, you know zat you are happy to see him," Chekov said, smiling over at the older man, looking just as he did back in the good old days of their five year mission.

"Aye, the lad is right," Scott said, looking over at McCoy. "You no you have missed him. As have the Cap'n."

"We all know that Jim missed this green blooded hobgoblin," McCoy said, rolling his eyes. "At least now that you are here Jim won't be such a pain."

"You know you missed him just as much as I have," came the familiar voice from the chair. Spock's eyes locked on the chair, waiting for it to turn around to reveal the speaker. The one he had missed the most. "Well almost as much."

"Never as much as you have, you crazy man," McCoy said, looking heavenward. "What on Earth did I do to deserve this afterlife?"

"Something good, Bones. Something good," Jim said, finally turning to face Spock. "Hi Spock. Did you miss me?"

Spock couldn't talk. All he could do was stare at his T'hy'la. It had been decades since he last saw him. Since he last laid eyes on the man who changed him so much. Who helped him reach new skies in more than one way. Jim looked the same…he was back to how he was all those years ago, his hazel eyes twinkling happily as he looked Spock over, the gold shirt spread out over his muscles. Spock was sure that he looked just as he had in that mission lifetimes ago.

Jim just smiled at him, easily reading how much Spock had missed him in his eyes. This was Spock…he would never just come out at say it and Jim had learned to read Spock's expressions long ago.

Jim slowly stood up, walking up to Spock, waiting for him to say something.

"Permission to come aboard, Captain," Spock said, the familiar twinkle in his eye as he looked over Jim, taking in everything. He wanted to gather him up in his arms, to never let Jim go again…but as he told Jim so long ago, "Not in front of the Klingons," he didn't want to do it in front of the crew. Doctor McCoy would never let him get away with it.

"Permission granted, Mr. Spock," Jim said, smiling brightly. It was a smile not one of the bridge crew had seen, not since they were alive. Jim ached to wrap his arms around Spock, to never let him go but…there was time for that later. He was just happy that Spock was with him. That Spock was finally here.

"I apologize for my…tardiness," Spock said, raising his eyebrow slightly as McCoy scorfed.

"Only you would apologize for something like that," he said, throwing his hands up in the air.

"I was sure that Mr. Spock would ask where we were first," Sulu whispered to Chekov, forgetting about the superior Vulcan hearting.

"No, he iz happy to see ze Kaptin," Chekov said, smiling over at his friend. "Zere vill be time for zat later."

"Just hug or kiss or whatever now. We have better things to do then just stand around watching you two go googly eyed at each other," McCoy said, sick of them just staring at each other.

"Doctor!" Uhura laughed, her brown eyes twinkling over at her college.

"Bones never did shut up," Jim said, rolling his eyes before reaching out and clasping Spock on the shoulder. "I am just happy you are here. You know I would have waited forever for you. No matter what."

"I am aware of that face, T'hy'la," Spock said, gently brushing their fingertips together. "I no longer wished to wait."

"Well then, I can't argue with Vulcan logic," Jim laughed, turning back to the screen. "What do you say to another whole adventure? It's all out there just waiting for us?"

"Straight on till dawn again, Jim," Spock asked turning to face the view screen as well.

"Of course," Jim said, turning to smile at Spock again before looking at his team. Spock looked over them as well. Happy to have seen them again. Happy they were all here again.

They had all lived long and prospered in their own way. He could only be illogically happy that they were reunited again in the afterlife. He knew this was not a dream…nothing had ever felt as real. Seeing Uhura, Scott, Sulu, Chekov, McCoy and Jim again. It was all he had wished for in the last years of his life…and they were back.

Back where they belonged. Together exploring space together.

Just as it should be.

Forever

The End

T'Slash: I think I am a little rusty but I hope you all enjoyed it. I would love it you would leave a review and tell me what you thought. Leonard Nimoy LLAP we shall miss him. He is now with James Doohan and DeForest Kelley now.