Disclaimer: Nope don't own them though if I did that would be an awesome birthday gift.

Author's note: As you can see another update. I have the whole story written out, but I'm doing some tweaking as I go according to reviews. Actually this whole chapter didn't exist until two reviewers made suggestions that I just couldn't ignore because they made plot bunnies run rampant. Hope you enjoy.

When Spock wakes up the next morning he's surprised that Jim had slept through the night. He goes into the bathroom to clean up for the day and change into his uniform before the teenager woke up. Spock is shaving when Jim wakes up with the door to the bathroom closed.

Jim looks around a bit tired still. It takes a few minutes for him to remember where he is again. He had dreamed of Earth and of safety. Jim stands up and starts looking for Spock. His heart rate picks up when he doesn't immediately see the First Officer.

"Spock? Are you here?" Jim questions the worry bleeding into his voice as he walks around the room. The sheets are folded on his couch. "Spock?" The bathroom door opens and Jim breathes in relief.

"I am here Jim. Do you require something?" Spock inquires peeking his head out of the doorway.

"I just-." Jim takes a deep breath calming down. "I didn't see you. I was worried you had left me."

"I was simply shaving, Jim. I will be out in a moment and you can use the facilities before we go to breakfast." Jim nods sitting down on his bed. Spock finishes shaving before stepping out. He takes a seat on the couch while Jim cleans up. The worry in Jim's voice had caused Spock to react to the boy's calls more than anything. He did not like seeing his friend in such a weakened state.

Spock looks up when Jim comes out of the bathroom topless after cleaning up. The teenager turns away from Spock and the man takes a sharp but inaudible breath at the sight of Jim's back. Doctor McCoy might have used the dermal regenerator on most of them but it still looked awful from all the scarring from before then. Jim slips on the shirt and sits on the bed to put his shoes on. Spock stands up and waits next to the door for Jim to be ready.

"So who am I being handed off to today?" Jim inquires as he walks over to Spock.

"Doctor McCoy and I agreed that perhaps it would be best if you remained around myself or on the bridge today," Spock replies glancing at his young charge. "Do you find this acceptable?"

"Sure." Spock glances at Jim again as they walk out of the room to eat with the others. "Hey Spock?"

"Yes Jim?"

"My mom and my brother." Jim looks down at his hands for a second. "Are they still alive?" Jim inquires.

"Yes alive and well. You converse with them often and plan on visiting them the next time you have shore leave," Spock replies. Jim quiets and walks alongside Spock.

On the bridge hours later, Jim is sitting with his back to the railing of the bridge reading on his PADD and quite bored with the whole situation. He looks up as Spock moves over to him.

"I need to talk with Doctor McCoy, Jim. Please remain here until I return."

"Sure Spock." When the Vulcan turns around Jim pouts and his attitude changes slightly. He yawns and leans his head against the support pillar for the railing behind his head. He sighs softly allowing himself to drift off to sleep, the PADD slipping from his fingers to the floor. Uhura looks up at the sound and takes the PADD from the ground slipping it into the command chair. She brushes some of JT's hair away from his eyes and goes back to her station.

Spock, meanwhile, walks into the sickbay where Doctor McCoy is going over all the information they had now gained about Tarsus IV. The two men go to his office to talk the situation over.

"I can't believe it Spock," McCoy says sitting down in his chair and glancing at the PADD on the desk. "I mean I've read these files twice now and I still can't believe it. Our captain is the crazy son of a gun that stood up to Kodos on Tarsus IV. And I checked the records, the Tarsus 9 are also the only kids of Jim's group that survived through the end. Did you know Admiral Pike was there? He was a lieutenant and personally escorted Jim to the hospital ship and back to Earth. Not to mention the torture that they survived and the primitive dermal regenerator they used to fix him up after the torture. All it did was make the wounds scars. I looked at Jim's medical record, he had a layer of fake skin attached to his back when he signed up for the Academy. It covers the scars there."

"I am not surprised," Spock replies sitting down, "that the Captain would go to such measures to prevent anyone from knowing he was on Tarsus 9. However I am just as stunned as you to learn that he is a member of the Tarsus 9. I do, however, believe that it was an example of his obsession with no win scenarios because of the fact that he faced an execution but lived, twice." Spock would have sighed if he were fully human instead he just relaxes his stiff posture as the weight of the situation hits him.

"I don't know how to handle this Spock. He could explode at anything for all we know," McCoy points out. "You seem to be the only one that he'll respond to right now. I don't want to even imagine if anything happened to you. I saw the security video where you caught him." Spock nods silent as he thinks over the fight in his head. When Jim had hit him, Spock had felt all that fear and raw emotion in the boy. "Why did he keep this a secret from us?"

"Simple Doctor," Spock replies, "we are his friends and he did not want us to worry." McCoy nods softly. The two continue to discuss the whole situation, the situation not settling in either of their stomachs very well. For McCoy it was the fact that his friend had been suffering for years and he had been ignorant of the cause and unable to prevent the pain that his dear friend was experiencing. For Spock it was the fact that his friend had gone through something like this and never told himself or Doctor McCoy so the pair could aid him easily during the time of need or if a similar need had occurred one day. Mostly for both men they were worried greatly about Jim because they were his friends.

The intercom of the ship beeps. "Bridge to sickbay, Doctor McCoy and Mr. Spock?" The very worried and strained voice of Lt. Uhura reaches the men.

McCoy hits the button and responds with, "What is it Lieutenant?"

"It's the Captain, sirs. He was taking a nap on the bridge. One of the yeomen brought up a PADD and dropped it. The Captain was startled and when Sulu tried to calm him down, well Jim attacked. We tried to keep him here but he got loose into a Jefferies tube. Chekov is following him right now sirs."

Spock leans forward. "Lieutenant tell Chekov to follow him but keep his distance. What deck are they on right now?"

Five minutes earlier….

Yeoman Cratiz walks onto the bridge and over to Lt. Uhura with a report from one of the other communications centers. He goes to hand her the PADD when it falls from his hands hitting the floor of the bridge with a loud clang of metal against metal. Uhura turns to grab it from the floor witnessing a panicked JT sit up and go rigid at the sound.

"Sulu," Uhura says motioning to him. Sulu turns around and holds his hands up to the Captain.

"JT, buddy, you need to calm down," Sulu starts to say calmly as JT gets to his feet and glares at them all. "Come on we're all friends here."

"My kids. My kids. Kev." JT is shaking as he starts to hurry away from Sulu toward the turbo lift.

"JT, hey buddy your kids are fine," Sulu insists. Sulu moves in front of the kid. "Let me just call Spock up here." JT launches himself at Sulu. Said man was not expecting it and the punch to his jaw lands square. Jim shoves him to the ground and runs like the devil is on his heels. Chekov takes off after him following the Captain with Sulu close behind them. JT spots a Jefferies tub and dives into the opening. Chekov goes in after him with his communicator open for constant contact with Uhura who was calling for him.

"JT!" Chekov calls scurrying after the teenager.

"I need to get to Kev. I need to get to Kev," JT stammers out as he grabs hold of a ladder and starts to climb down to the engineering level. He climbs faster than Chekov who just holds onto the sides of the ladder and starts to slide down after the younger kid.

"Mr. Chekov get him into the hallway. There is an opening twenty meters in front of you, get him through that vent," Spock orders.

"Aye sir." Chekov catches the teenager's ankle before he makes a turn into another Jefferies tube. He pulls the teenager back swearing in Russian as the kid hits him time and again. The vent opens to reveal Scotty there with Spock, McCoy, and Kevin Riley. Chekov pushes him forward until the boy is within reach of Scotty and Kev who pull him out of the opening and try to pin him to the wall. JT slams a fist into Scotty's nose instantly shattering it and slams his head into Riley's causing the man to yelp.

"Let me go! He's coming! I have to warn the kids!" JT screams getting loose of their hands. He shoves McCoy into a wall as Chekov jumps at the Captain tackling him to the ground. JT shoves his elbow into Chekov's stomach and bites his hand. The Russian Whiz Kid yelps in pain allowing JT the momentary advantage to slam Chekov's head into the wall. JT runs away from the group with Spock hot on his trail. JT accidently knocks over Doctor Marcus as he flies by. Cupcake (a.k.a. Hendorff.) grabs JT only to have the kid slide between his legs and kick him in the ass and causing him to trip over Doctor Marcus. Cupcake yells at his security men down the corridor who try to aim phasers but JT slips between the men causing the two men to stun each other. Spock jumps over them all and tackles JT to the ground.

"Captain," Spock says firmly. "Jim!" Spock pins the teenager to the ground where the teen becomes a sobbing mess. Spock, in a very weak Vulcan moment does something human, he sighs.

"I got to save them Spock," JT cries. "Let me save them please."

"It is over Jim. Please calm down. Jim," Spock says in a sad almost pleading way but still largely void of emotions. Spock can feel the transition in the teen as his more violent ego JT turns into the quivering mess of Jim. Spock sits down onto the floor drawing the teenager up and holding him as Jim's fingers latched onto his shirt and he sobbed into his friend's chest.

"They're dead Spock," Jim cries his whole body shaking. "They're dead and it's all my fault!" Lt. Uhura runs up and slides down onto the floor next to the two friends. She slowly rubs Jim's back in a comforting manner. "It's all my fault. I should have saved them!" The sobs continue to rock through the boy's body.

"Shush Jim, it's okay," Uhura murmurs running her fingers through his hair. "It's okay. Kevin and Tommy are alive. Calm down Jim." Jim leans into her as well as Uhura moves closer to Spock and Jim. Spock glances at the mothering Uhura who soothes the boy down for quite some time. McCoy walks up with the rest of the gang in tow. The group kneels around their captain whispering words of calm. They must have clogged up the hallway for a half hour until Jim was silent. McCoy looked at the tricorder in his hand.

"He's sleeping it off," McCoy says gently. "Spock take him to sickbay will you?"

"No Doctor. Mr. Sulu you have the conn. Lt. Uhura your remedy will be needed. I will take Jim to his quarters and remain with him for the remainder of the day. Right now the Captain is in need of a friend and a, as he would say, a shoulder to cry on." Spock gently lifts the limp body up and carries him away from the group.

"Doctor," Chekov says rubbing his stomach with his uninjured hand and pressing his bleeding hand against his side, "why does Mr. Spock act so much like a father to the Captain?"

"Because," Uhura says gently, "the Captain never really had a father and the only one he knows is dead. Spock is responsible, as the second-in-command to look after the Captain's wellbeing. Also, they are friends. I think, besides myself, Jim was the first person to ever really be Spock's friend. They are two sides of a triangle and McCoy makes the third side keeping them both in check."

"What's that make you?" McCoy inquires curiously.

"The glue that keeps you together and the one that keeps you from killing each other," Uhura replies dryly. "Don't you think you should look at Scotty's nose?"

"Right! Ma nose is broke!" Scotty says holding just above the break as blood continues to run down. McCoy rolls his eyes and motions for the Scotsman to follow him.

Spock sits on the bed next to Jim reading a book silently. He didn't hear the boy wake up.

"What are you reading?" Jim inquires.

"Sherlock Holmes," Spock replies. "How are you feeling?"

"Emotionally wrecked. I must make you awfully uncomfortable," Jim mumbles turning away from Spock to stare at his bedside dresser. He finds the drink that Uhura had given him before there.

"I had Nyota bring that for you," Spock informs him. "It was logical as you would need it. As for your statement, you make me no more uncomfortable that I have started to grow accustom to by working in close proximity with you." Spock closes the book and looks at the young man who is now sitting up and sipping the drink. "You are my friend Jim, I will be here when you need me."

"Doesn't your patience wear thin?" Jim inquires.

"With you, Jim, that would take only minutes into one of your more eccentric plans to occur however I am loyal to you, Jim, and will not easily abandon you," Spock replies calmly.

"I can't understand you," Jim mumbles. "You're supposed to be in control of your emotions and yet to me you seem so damn emotional. Are you always like this?"

"Only when you or Lt. Uhura are involved," Spock answers. "Are you up for a game of chess, Jim?"

"Aren't you on shift?" Jim inquires.

"Mr. Sulu can finish the shift. I would much rather keep you from more emotional turmoil," Spock tells him. "I have the chess board set up if you wish."

"You're on," Jim says with a grin getting up from the bed and walking over to the table. Spock joins him and sits down across from the Captain. "Hey Spock."

"Yes Jim?"

"You're a pretty cool guy. Thanks for watching out for me."

"I am and will always be your friend," Spock replies as he moves a piece. "Your turn." Jim smirks and thinks about it before moving the piece he desired.

When I uploaded the second chapter this morning we had: nine reviews, 11 favorites and 31 follows

When I posted this chapter: 18 reviews, 16 favorites, and 45 follows. So let's see here nine more reviews, five more favorites, and 14 more follows.

Mind = blown.

I can't believe that this story got so much love so quickly. I thank you, all the reviews have been amazing.

Reviews are appreciated.