Disclaimer. In the words of Barlett:"I have gathered a posy of other men's flowers and nothing but the thread that binds them is mine own." I think that's clear enough.


This is for angelbaby1, because she constantly inspires me. If you like this, you should totally go read her Atlas...cause it'll take your breath away.


Warning…There's a lot of swearing in this one. Don't like, don't read.


"Captain. Captain."

Kirk came back to awareness slowly, blinking his eyes and trying to shake the fuzzies from his brain. He shook his head, as though the movement alone could help to clear the cobwebs. Kirk ached all over. His ribs felt like they were on fire.

He wasn't in his dorm bed. Where in the hell was he?

Then in an instant, it all came back. Spock's quarters. Spock's bed. Right.

Spock was shaking his shoulder. Again. God, how many times was he gonna get woken this way?

"Jim."

Wearily and blearily, Jim blinked up at him.

"What'izit?" His mouth seemed to have developed cobwebs like the rest of his brain. His tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth, and it tasted like a tribble had slept in it.

God, he'd been sleeping with his mouth open.

Spock did not appear to have noticed his dilemma. "Captain, wake up for a moment. You will damage your ribs. Doctor McCoy was most explicit that I not permit you to damage yourself."

"H..uh?" Kirk's mind was still fuzzy. He couldn't wake. It was as though his body, finally allowed sleep, was not allowing him to surface from it. Kirk could not focus on what Spock was saying. He was sleeping for the love of God. How could he damage himself?

Kirk was curled into a tiny ball, mostly on his stomach, around Spock's pillow. Ok, so there were more embarrassing things than sleeping with your mouth open. He was wedged in a tiny corner of the bed, against the wall. He didn't have the energy to move. Kirk resolutely closed his eyes and cuddled the pillow. He was going back to sleep.

He felt Spock's hands at his sides, gentler than he could have ever imagined, pulling him gently, almost tenderly back onto his side. "Captain, please roll back onto your back, or your opposite side. You will damage your ribs or your eye if you remain in this position."

Kirk allowed Spock to guide him onto his right side taking the weight off of the more damaged area, while his whole body screamed in protest at the movement.

It was more comfortable. The terrible pressure against his ribs eased a bit.

Kirk felt himself slipping into sleep again. "Thanks, Spock," he mumbled, barely registering the Vulcan's look of surprise before he slipped off to sleep again.


Some hours later, he was shaken awake again, with Spock calling his name.

This time Kirk came to awareness much more quickly. His head felt more clear. He must have gotten a good amount of sleep. Wow. His brain felt normal. It was the first time in quite a while that that had happened. Kirk felt…better.

Sweet.

He stretched, yawning, and allowed his arms to extend up over his head, pointing his toes as the ecstatic shudder rolled through him.

Fuck. Bad idea.

His body hurt. Every muscle screamed in protest at the movement. He could not stop the groan that escaped his lips.

Spock looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Are you in pain, captain?"

Kirk shook his head. "I'm fine, Mr. Spock." Damn, even the head shaking sent tremors up and down his body. This sucked.

He endeavored to roll himself to a sitting position. "Was there something you wanted, commander?"

"Starfleet Command is most insistent to speak with you."

Oh Shit.

Here come the consequences, Kirk thought. Time to see how much saving the world is worth.

His panic must have shown in his face because Spock began to speak again. "Captain Pike is not yet conscious although the doctor believes he will make a sufficient recovery."

Kirk nodded. That was good news.

"Furthermore," Spock continued, "I have already spoken with Starfleet Command. They are aware of the unusual parameters of the situation aboard the Enterprise."

Unusual parameters… Kirk understood Spock's meaning, but really sometimes it was like the Vulcan wasn't even speaking standard.

Spock continued, "Both Dr. McCoy and I were able to keep them from speaking to you for as long as possible, while you were partaking of rest. However, Lieutenant Uhura has been told that if you were unavailable for this communication, the entire bridge crew would be placed on charges for insubordination, with both Dr. McCoy and myself under possible charges for contempt of command."

Wow.

So the crew had gone to bat for him. Awesome. Kirk hadn't been sure whether they liked him that much. Well, maybe they didn't like him, per say, but they respected him enough to risk pissing off Starfleet.

Wow.

Kirk suddenly felt a tightness in his chest that had nothing to do with the pain in his ribs.

He nodded to show that he had understood the science officer. "Okay, okay. Just let me get up and you can put them through."

Spock nodded at him again in return. "I did endeavor to make it known to the Admiralty that you were recovering from injuries sustained in the course of the mission, and that it would likely require some time to wake you."

Kirk nodded again. God, how much of this communication was going to be non-verbal.

He braced his arms beside his body and attempted to level himself off the pillow. His biceps shook from the effort of taking his weight. The trembling increased as he levered himself upward. Instantly, he felt Spock's hand at this back, hot through the thin black undershirt, helping him into a seated position.

Kirk shut his eyes for a second, reveling in the relief from having accomplished that much without thoroughly embarrassing himself. He pushed the covers back with a grunt and was surprised by the slight chill that hit his skin.

Spock had lowered the ambient temperature of the room to human standards.

Damn. And people said Vulcans had no feelings.

For the first time, Kirk began to think that may old Spock was right about the possibility of this friendship.

He swung his legs around to the edge of the bed and nearly fell as they refused to support him. His mind was awake now, but his body felt every bit as tired as it had before he went to sleep.

Kirk could feel the lactic acid in every muscle. He needed water. And food. And more freaking sleep. It hurt to even hold his head up.

He hadn't eaten. He'd barely slept, and he'd been in these clothes for what was now approaching five full days.

He was exhausted enough to consider telling his superiors to fuck off. But that probably wouldn't go over well.

Then again…saved Earth.

He decided to wing it.

Spock helped him limp over the desk on the other side of the room, where the video monitor was located. Spock maneuvered him into a chair and offered to take his leave.

Kirk waved him off. "Stay, commander. They're your quarters, after all."

Spock acquiesced with a nod. "As you wish."

Kirk slapped the red button beside the monitor, and spoke into the comm unit.

"Kirk to bridge."

"Uhura, here, captain. I have an incoming transmission for you from Starfleet Command."

"Pipe it on through down here, please, Lieutenant." Kirk was sure she could hear the fatigue in his voice.

Her "Aye, sir," was in a quieter and more respectful tone than he had come to expect from her. He would have to thank her for that later.

Then again, she might take offense to that.

Hmmm….He'd think on it later, when he had the energy.

The screen on the monitor cellared into a picture of the Starfleet command headquarters. There were at least six admirals seated at the semi-circular table. Only three of whom he recognized, and then two only by reputation. The one furthest from the left sometimes came to chess club meetings, and had never seemed to like him. Two of the others had been at his hearing.

Shit. He was in fucking trouble.

He sighed and straightened his shoulders, because if he was going to get a dressing down for his actions, he was going to do with his head held high. He did not regret his actions.

And if he was court-martialed for mutiny…well, then he was....

He'd saved Earth and he wasn't sorry. Though he wished he hadn't had to say such terrible things to Spock.

He felt the Vulcan move to stand beside him. The science officer's face wouldn't be showing on the monitor, but the Admirals would surely know that he was standing behind Kirk.

Literally if not figuratively.

God, this crew was awesome.

Kirk felt a pang at knowing that he would likely never be serving with them again.

He nearly hung his head.

No one had yet spoken. Weird. They were just starting at him, evaluating him.

Well, time to get this party started.

"Sirs," he said. "I understand you wished you speak with me."

Number four admiral gave number five admiral a look.

Number two spoke first. "We understand, Cadet Kirk, that you had command of the Enterprise during the recent engagement."

"Yes, sir." Kirk gave no further information. If Spock had already reported, then they knew the situation and had no need of further details for which they had not asked. He wasn't about to go volunteering any unsolicited evidence against himself.

The admirals were quiet for a moment.

Then number five barked, "Report, cadet." And that was that.

He told them almost everything, from the way he'd gotten onto the ship to the way he'd known about the lightening storm.

There was some light muttering from the peanut gallery as he mentioned having read Pike's dissertation. What? Like other cadets didn't read their advisor's dissertations?

Well, ok, maybe they didn't. He was a weird one.

Whatever. It wasn't the first time he'd been considered odd.

And really, Pike's paper had been on the Kelvin. Kirk would've read that even if he hadn't been focused in tactics.

Kirk continued his story, growing both more confident and more tired with every word.

They nodded at times and questioned at times, and through the explanation remained mostly stone faced.

Oh hell, Kirk just didn't care any more.

What was done, was done.

He stumbled only once in his story, at the meeting of the older Spock, because really how was he going to explain that. And younger Spock was standing beside him.

He made it sound like he'd encountered some hermit (not entirely untrue) in the ice cave and that he and Scott had worked out the trans-warp thing with help from the hermit.

Kirk could feel Spock's eyes making holes in his back at the questions about the hermit's identity.

Kirk mumbled something about not really knowing and putting more detail into his written report, while starting at his hands.

He deliberately did not look at Spock.

No way was he going to be responsible for blowing up the universe after he hadn't been in time to save Vulcan.

Kirk continued through his story about offering the Romulans mercy and ejecting the warp cores.

When he finished there was dead silence in the room.

No one spoke at all.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.

He felt worse than he had when he'd faced the Hengrauggi.

And he wished Bones was here. Maybe they could drink later. Medicinally. Cause Kirk was going to need a lot of whiskey if he was going to deal with losing this.

Finally number three spoke. "And that's how it happened?"

Kirk nodded, not looking up. "Yes, sir."

"Damn it boy, look at me when I'm talking to you." It came out as a growl.

Kirk snapped his head up, in a respectful imitation of snapping to attention.

"How long will it take you to return to Earth?" the man asked.

Kirk looked at Spock.

Spock answered for him. "Approximatley fourteen days, two hours, and thirty-eight minutes admiral."

The semi-circle nodded, thoughtfully.

Number three's eyes found Kirk's again. "You will report to Starfleet Command immediately upon your return."

Kirk nodded. "Aye, Admiral."

"Until then, Cadet Kirk, you may retain command of the Enterprise as long as Captain Pike is incapacitated."

Kirk felt his eyes go wide with disbelief.

Not at all what he'd been expecting.

"Commander Spock, you will act as his second. Should Captain Pike recover, it is his decision as to which of you will continue as first officer."

They both nodded.

Number six (chess club guy) spoke up. "Kirk, you look like hell."

"Uh, sorry sir. Haven't had much chance to rest."

"See that you get some."

Kirk was taken aback by the gruff show of concern. That guy had always acted like he hated him.

The admiral continued. "And see if you can't do something to relax, you're wound tight as a wire. Play him in chess commander."

Spock looked at him in amazement.

Kirk shrugged.

"Hobby of mine," was all he offered.

"Gentlemen," number five was talking now, "Bring that ship back in one piece. We don't have many left."

Kirk nodded. "Aye, sir."

"Oh and Kirk," this time it was number two again, "Good work, son."

Kirk's eyes bugged as he tried and failed to keep the disbelief off his face, as several of the others in the room nodded their agreement.

They signed off.

Kirk could have collapsed from the relief he felt.

Really? Good work?

Wow. Not what he'd been expecting at all.

His smile could have lit up the whole room and he knew it.

Spock was looking at him interestedly.

"Captain, let me help you back to bed. I believe you require more rest."

Kirk knew he did.

But he did not feel like sleeping now. He was too elated.

"And perhaps when you awaken, you might indulge me at a game of chess."

Kirk nodded. "I'd like that, commander. I'd like that."

The prospect was enticing enough that he allowed Spock to help him back to bed without protest, not commenting as the Vulcan drew the covers up for him.

Kirk fell back to sleep with a smile on his face.


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I've been a writing fiend this week. Go Me.