That night Jim slept in Spock's room. Spock moved to the center of the room in hopes of clearing his rambling thoughts. As he sat, the room echoed with soft whimpers from the blonde curled on the couch and he sighed when the trembling sobs quieted down to soft snoring. Spock didn't bother the captain further after having thier tea, he wasn't one to pry into peoples personsal affairs.
He sat in the center of the room across the sleeping blonde sprawled on the couch trying to meditate. Brows kneaded in deep consintration, sweat trailing down his face, for a Vulcan it was odd, even by his half human standards, Spock almost never broke a sweat. But sitting there now, meditating proved to be a trying task. It only frustrated his distraught mind.
Spock sighed and slumped in his seat. His shoulders hunched over in defeat and he sat crossed legged on the floor. He'd almost forgotten Jim was in the room till he heard the soft snoring again. The commander sat straighter starring at the captain curiously. Jim lay sprawled on the couch, the blanket he gave the captain earlier now on the floor lay forgotten. Spock got on his hands and knees inching his way closer to the sleeping blonde. His curiosity taking over wanting to know what the captain looked like in his sleep. The blondes chest rose softly with each breath, one arm over his head the other hanging loosely off the couch. Spock crawled closer now knealing a step away from the sleeping man. The commander's head tilted curiously looking over the captain, a light green dusting the tips of his ears as he starred at the exposed skin of Jim's abdomen.
Jim twitched and stretched his legs, Spock lowered his gaze catching himself starring and reached down to pick up the blanket on the floor. Bringing up the blanket the commander couldn't control the urge to look at the blonde again. His head tilting again as he glanced down at the tan skin of Jim's stomach leading down to his navel. From this angle Jim really was a specimen of true beauty. The golden blonde hair, the freckles that dusted his face, pretty plump pink lips, and tan skin made Spock swallow dryly.
"Fascinating..."
Jim's lips gave the slightest tug of a smile making the commander wonder if perhaps the captain were awake. He laid out the blanket tucking in the captain around the couch. He pulled the cover to Jim's shoulder and froze as the blonde mumbled in his sleep.
"Spock..."
He flinched dropping the blanket suddenly and sat back away from the couch. Spock wondered if the captain was dreaming about him and glanced down at his hand and back up at the captain. Maybe he could take a look, a quick look wouldn't hurt. After all the captain was asleep. He'd never have to know Spock was in his mind. 'No, I could never... It would be an intrusion on Jim's privacy.' But it was so tempting.
The captain continues to toss and turn in his sleep trying to find a comfortable position on the couch. Spock didn't think as he knealt down picking up Jim's sleeping form, careful not to wake him he paused before he walked him into the bedroom. the commander didn't sleep much anyways, and the captain would sleep better in a bed. Spock slid the covers up to Jim's shoulders turning to walk away. He stopped looking back at the sleeping form in his bed watching the slow steady rise and fall of the blondes breathing before he turned and lowered the lights to walk away.
Jim's dreams were filled with beautiful dreams that could never be possible he knew, but dreaming was so much better than reality. In his dreams is where he wanted to stay lately. Sleeping became his only escape from the stabbin pain in his chest of the reality outside his dream state.
There he dreamed of a beautiful place. A place of luscious green grass and clear blue skies. Cherry blossom trees and the scent of dirt after it rained blew through the air as it carried away pink petals with every wave. Jim walked up a stone path, he knew where he was going, where the path would lead to, where it would end. He smiled finding his destination, looking down at the figure knealing down to pick a blossom from the pond. Jim's heart fluttered and his smile grew into a wide grin as the figure turned to return a loving a smile.
Yes, everynight Jim's dreams lead him to this place. Every night he would return and greet the tall dark figure at the end of the stone path by the pond. It was here that the pain would end, it was here that he felt at home. Just thinking about it, he would die to stay here, in his little sanctuary. The rest of the world could cease to exist, if he could just stay here he would without any doubt. The figure took a couple steps forth reaching his hand out with the flower sitting on his palm
"Jim..." The captain came forth reaching out for the flower in the other mans hand.
"Spock..." Though every night he came here, the conversations always started the same.
"You look remarkably similar to my James... It is a desolate, yet pleasant surprise to see you..." Jim frowns even though he knows the dialogue to this conversation.
"What are you talking about Spock? I'm James, I'm always here, always have been!" Spock smiled, his hand came up to delicately stroke Jim's cheek.
"I lost my Jim long ago, saddly... You are not my James nor I, your Spock." Jim pushed forward hugging his arms around Spock's neck.
"Then pretend... But I promise I'm right here Spock, I am your Jim..."
Spock wrapped his arms around the blonde bringing him closer. He pulled away from Jim taking the blondes face within his hands to kiss the captain. Jim ran his fingers through dark black hair as he felt Spock's tongue slither passed his lips. Jim gasped with each kiss as Spock ravished his face and neck in open mouthed kisses.
"I... I don't want this to end... I don't want to wake up... Don't let me wake up Spock..." Spock pulled away smiling as Jim whimpered at the loss. He held the blondes chin tilting it to face him.
"Jim... My James... My T'hy'la... Your Spock awaits you-"
"But you're my Spock!" Spock smiled sadly.
"In another dimension, I am another Jim's Spock... But here, you shall always be my friend Jim. Perhaps someday your Spock will come to his senses and see the not only logical but beneficial outcome of a bond between you both." Jims lips began to quiver before he could cry he felt the familiar warmth of Spocks tongue lick the side of his neck and he tried to bite back a moan.
"Please don't say... That. The Spock I know- ahh... Will never see me, not the way you look at me..."
"Forgive me..." The captains brows kneaded in confusion, he pulled away.
"Forgive you? Wait why? Forgive you for what? Spock?" Spock smiled sadly.
"Because it is time for you to go." Jim held on tighter to Spock's shirt, trying to hug him closer. Spock kissed the top of Jim's head. His fingers snaked through the captains fingers placing the forgotten flower in his hand. Jim looked up curiously and Spock smiled sadly.
"It's time to wake up Jim..."
Jim gasped sitting abruptly throwing the sheets off the bed. He looked around curiously seeing the neatly organized room and open closet door revealing the perfectly ironed science blue shirts and black pants. The captains eyes went wide, this was not his room.
"Shit! I slept in Spock's room, I better leave before he finds me in here he's going to kill me! And then Bones will kill Spock for killing me, I better go now!"
The frantic blonde slid off the bed putting his boots back on and almost walked out of the bedroom, but somthing caught his eye. He turned around to see next to the bed by the nightstand a sleeping figure sat on a chair. It was Spock, he hadn't noticed the Vulcan in his frantic state. Spock was sleeping peacefully head hanging loosely, arms crossed with a slight green flush to his cheeks made him look almost child like. Jim reached out to touch the commanders perfectly cut bangs when something fell from his hand. He looked down to find the pink delicate petals of a cherry blossom. He covered his mouth shocked reaching down for the flower running from the bedroom before the Vulcan could wake up. He took a quick glance around the living room to see if he had left anything and sighed running outside when the familar swish of the door opening caught his ears.
Jim ran down the corridor stopping when he was far away from the commander's room. He tried to catch his breath leaning back on the wall behind him and looked up to bright lights on the ceiling. He brought out his hand looking down at the flower on his palm. Spock gave him that flower, not his Spock but the other Spock. It happened in the dream, the dream he had every night but nothing like this ever happened. The flower was real, it was there sitting on his hand mocking him in a way and calling him crazy. 'This isn't real...' He thought closing his fingers over the flower. Just then he heard the familiar voice of the cheerful navigator. His Russian accent rolling with every other word. He smiled as he watched the boy wave trying to hold a stack of pads to his chest.
"Good morneeng Keptain! Vat are you doing up zis early!?" Chekov stopped, his smile fading as he noticed the captain looked pale and frightened.
"Keptain, eez ewerything alright?" Jim looked up smiling slightly.
"Y -Ya, everythings good. What do you got there, you look like you could use a hand?" Chekov frowned knowing the captain was hiding something but sighed thankfully as the captain moved to take the pads and shifted his footing .
"Da, z- zank you Kaptain!"
"No problem, looked like you were having trouble with that anyways."
They walked silently for awhile, the silence growing on Chekov's nerves making him turn to curiously look at the captain. His skin still slightly pale, his brow furrowed in deep thought. He wondered what the captain could be thinking about that he'd go completely lost in thought. Chekov cleared his throat nervously trying to get the captains attention. It didn't work, the captain was still walking blindly.
"K -Keptain" Jim blinked and looked at the boy curiously.
"Huh? D -did you say something?"
"Nyet, you zeem lost keptain... Iz ewerything alright?"
Jim blushed at being caught. The dream he had last night was too much and then the flower the other Spock gave him was in his pocket. Nothing made sense and it scared him. 'This is Chekov... Come on, I can tell him... Maybe he won't think I'm crazy... And maybe, just maybe, he won't tell Bones to throw me In the nut house... Ok, here goes nothing...' Jim took a deep breath and started.
"Well... I have these dreams... The same dream everynight for awhile now... But this time, this it was different... I know it sounds crazy but everynight I've had these dreams, same place... Every night the same conversation but different things happen... In different orders... This time was just... I don't know..."
Chekov looked the captain over curiously, he considered his words carefully but really he was at a loss for words. He didn't know how to approach the situation. On the other hand the captain hadn't even told him about the dream, just that it had been strange. He hadn't explained anything. The boy smiled shyly.
"Vell keptain, vhy don't you tell me vaht iz in zee dream?"
Jim sighed and stopped walking, he looked to the ceiling, his eyes lost in thought starring blankly into the distance. Chekov swallowed dryly the captain looked so beautiful under the blue tinted lights of the ship. Lost in a deep thought, a sorrow filled expression graced the captains features making Chekov wonder what could make the always glowing man so broken. Jim spoke bringing the boy out of his thoughts.
"Have you ever been in love Chekov?" Chekov blinked clutching the pads closer to his chest.
"I... Hikaru iz special to me... I zink, I zink I love him... Vhy?" Jim smiled saddly looking back to the boy.
"Sulu... If Sulu left you... Would it kill you?"
"K- keptain?" Chekov stuttered nervously.
"If he died, if he didn't exist, if he didn't love you... And you watch from the sidelines as someone else takes your place... Tell me Pavel... Would it kill you?"
Chekov looked down nervous from the captains cold, dull stare. He looked so lost, so sad, the pale grey tint to the captain's normally blue eyes, made his blood run cold. He looked back up at the captain licking his lips nervously.
"K- keptain... I- I... Yes... It vould kill me..." Jim smiled saddly looking back down to the boy with tears in his eyes.
"Then maybe... You can understand... It hurts so much, the hidden kisses, loving smiles, hidden messages when they speak... Because I know, it will never be me..."
Chekov choked down a cry. He never knew the captain felt this way, and the cause was love. Something so insignificant and small, but it was undeniable love. The boy nudged the captain to follow him to their destination. Chekov placed the pads in their cabinets and stood back to watch the captain do the same. Jim closed the cabinets leaning against the wall and sighed.
"While he sleeps in the embrace of another and the cloaks of passion engulf their bodies in the hidden shadows of the night... The pain eats away at the core of my soul and boils the blood that runs through my veins like poison... I know... In a different life time, an alternate timeline, my timeline... One that should have been mine, was stolen from me..."
Chekov's eyes glistened with tears that fell in sparkling streams down his cheeks. When the boys eyes landed on the captains face he realized that the man speaking before him was not of the captains, but Jim's. It was Jim who was torn and distraught, Jim who had fallen pray to the treacherous clutches of love. So Chekov smiled, because despite his age the boy was no stranger to the pains of love. He cautiously reached out to bring the captain's head down to his height, thier foreheads touching as they stood silently listening to thier quivering breathes.
"Jim... Maybe I am nyet zee best perzon to zay zis but, love can over come all obstacles. If two people vere really meant to be together then lowe vill find a vay. Ewen through multiple univerzes and dimensions... Maybe zis dream vas just trying to show you that."
Jim sniffled reaching into his pocket. Chekov watched him carefully as the captain took his hand and froze.
"But that's just it...I don't know if it was just a dream Chekov. Spock... The other Spock gave me this in the dream, but when I woke up it was in my hand..."
"Vat- " Kirk placed the object in the boys hand, curiously Chekov opened his fingers to see the single cherry blossom in the palm of his hand.
"A flower?"
"Ya... From the dream..."
"Maybe 'Karu can find out if it iz real." Jim smiled and sighed in relief, Chekov didn't think he was crazy! He hugged and kissed the boy in excitement. When he pulled away Chekov was blushing madly, Jim only laughed.
"Keptain? May- Maybe you should speak to zee ambassador? "
"Spock prime? What're'ya crazy?" The boy blinked.
"N- Nyet! But, maybe, he can tell you vat zee dreams mean? T- Technically speaking, he iz from zee future and can maybe tell you if zis iz some sign?"
Jim paced the room, hands on his hips as his mind raced with questions. 'Maybe he's right... What if Selek knows about these dreams? What if these dreams are some sort of sign, but sign of what? Maybe he can tell me about the future? Wait no... He won't...' Kirk ran a hand down his face in frustration. Chekov pulled the captain's sleeve nervously.
"Keptein? Iz ewerything alright?"
"No... The ambassador promised to never interfere or give information that could ultimately influence or alter our time stream... He's not gonna tell me anything..." Chekove smiled.
"Maybe not... But he could help." Kirk's brow rose so high that even Spock's curious ridge would fall flat in defeat.
"Wh- what are you saying? "
"Call zee ambassador... Maybe speak over dinner? Invite him to zee ship for personal affairs zen maybe have scheduled video chatz..." Kirk's face contorted like he had tasted something bitter.
"Wait, stop! Are you... You want me to make Spock jealous? Thee Spock? Vulcan, stubborn, hot-headed, Spock jealous? Are you blind?! That pointy eared bastard has no emotions whatsoever-"
"Captain?" The doors swooshed closed behind Spock as he starred at them curiously. 'Well this is awkward...'
A/N: and thats act 2 guys, I hope its alright and that you guys liked it. Anyways R&R feed back is awesome and flames are for burning marshmallows :)