After a very Vulcan lunch, everyone gathered in the large living room for tea. Spock sat on the sofa next to Stonn. He may not liked to have admitted it, but he was very nervous. He could already feel an air of disappointment rolling off of Stonn's mother in waves. He looked down at his hands, wringing them together. She looked up from her tea.

"Now, with our trip coming up, there is not much time to plan the bonding." she said. Spock's eyes widened minutely, not for the first time that evening. Usually, a ceremony was something completely private that the two getting bonded planned together. Spock had never heard of a family planning one themselves. Stonn's mother looked down her nose at him and continued. "I have spoken with the High Council and asked that they allow us to use their private temple for the event. They have agreed. I have also set up an appointment with my personal seamstress for a fitting of appropriate robes." When she was finished, Spock stared at her for a moment before responding.

"Ma'am. I apologize, but I was under the impression that Stonn and I would be planning the ceremony. Additionally, to honor my mother, I had hoped to have a Terran ceremony here on Earth as well." Stonn's parents looked as if he had slapped them. Their expressions belied their disapproval of the idea. Spock just looked back down. He assumed he would simply have to allow his new in-laws to plan the ceremony and give up the wedding his mother had dreamed he would have since he was a child. Feeling rather low, the last thing that Spock expected was to laugh. However, when the butler came in with a plate of hors d'oeuvres, he tripped on the carpet. The dish clattered to the floor and an olive flew across the room to land in Stonn's mother's tea with a splash. Spock hid his mouth behind his hand as soon as a soft laugh, accompanied by a snort, came out. Everyone in the room stared at him as if they had never seen him before.

"What was that?" Stonn asked, eying Spock. Spock blushed green.

"A laugh..." he said, trailing off. Stonn narrowed his eyes.

"Humans have been a bad influence on you." It was Spock's turn to glare. He took that statement as an affront to his mother. No one insulted his mother.

~x~x~x~

Jim stopped outside of his brother's house. It was quaint. He was nervous and had no idea what was going to happen once he was inside. Before going in, however, Jim decided to open the present that Carol had given him. Unwrapping the paper, Jim pulled out a picture frame. He turned it over to discover that the picture inside was one that she had taken of him and Spock. A small smile graced his lips. He ran a finger, gently, along the edge of Spock's face. Setting the photo down on the passenger seat, Jim opened the door and walked up the sidewalk of the house. He stood there a moment, contemplating whether or not he should stay or leave, before making up his mind and knocking on the door. When it opened, a beautiful brunette woman was revealed. She was wearing a festive sweater that Jim would have laughed at had this been anyone other than his ex. Her brown eyes widened in complete shock when she saw him standing there.

"Aurelan." he greeted. Overcoming her shock, Aurelan smiled kindly.

"Jim. It's good to see you. Your mother and Sam are in the kitchen." She stepped aside and let Jim into the house. It was a nice house. Smallish, but nice. Heading for the kitchen, Jim stopped in the doorway, watching his mother and older brother bustling around, cooking. When his mother spun around to grab something or other, her eyes nearly popped out of her head when she saw her youngest son standing there.

"Jim." she whispered before launching herself at him. Jim laughed, catching his mother in a bone-crushing hug. He looked over her head and locked eyes with Sam. They had to talk.

"Sam, could you give me a hand out at the car?" he asked, releasing his mother. Suddenly, there was a tension that filled the room as Sam and Jim walked out. Once on the porch, Sam finally spoke up.

"If it'll make you feel better, I'll let you take your best shot." Sam said. Jim laughed.

"Hitting you won't make me feel better." Jim paused for a second. "I wasn't sure how I would feel, seeing you and Aurelan together, but now..."

"Now?" Sam prodded.

"You were meant for each other." Sam just looked at Jim in wonder. It was amazing how far he had come in getting over this. He had been devastated when Aurelan left him. Now, he seemed completely fine. Jim hugged Sam and turned to the car. He opened the back of the SUV and Sam immediately pulled out Spock's 'vision board'.

"What is this?" he asked. Jim laughed and looked at the board. Three words stuck out to him and he smiled. Happily ever after.

"That, that's fate." he said.

~x~x~x~

The country club was decorated nicely for the holidays, all prim and proper. Spock looked around in wonder. It was beautiful, but it was no where near the kind of Christmas his mother had made. When they arrived at their table, Stonn pulled out Spock's chair for him. Everyone sat around the table and waited in silence. A waiter came by and set a bowl of rolls on the table. Spock reached out, hesitantly, and took one, only to be burned.

"Ow." he mumbled. "These are fresh." Stonn's father looked smug.

"They are made in house by a pastry chef the club flew in from Paris."

"Oh." Spock replied, dumbly. "Well, they are fresher than the one Jim had last night." he muttered to himself, only realizing what he had said when Stonn stopped with his glass halfway to his mouth.

"Who is Jim?" Spock floundered for a moment then answered.

"He is the one who rented the SUV back at the airport in Buffalo."

"I thought a couple, Leonard and Carol, drove you."

"They rode in the backseat." Stonn's mother made a sound of amusement.

"So, it was the couple, Jim, and you. How...intimate." Spock looked from her to Stonn, who didn't look happy at all. His head was spinning. He had just admitted to lying. Vulcans didn't lie. Yet, here he was. That also made him think of Jim. Bright, blue eyes. Messy, blonde hair. Someone who didn't judge Spock or hold him to seemingly impossible standards. Spock felt a weight in his stomach and set the roll on the plate in front of him. Stonn's voice made him look up again.

"What was he like?" Spock didn't think twice about lying to Stonn again. He realized he truly didn't care about the Vulcan. He was simply doing this for his father.

"Human. Old, gray, bad toupee."

"Look, I just need to talk to one of your guests." The voice caught Spock's attention and sent a shiver down his spine. He looked up, sharply and saw, none other, than Jim. Jim, who was carrying his large vision board with him. Without thinking, Spock rose to his feet and called out to him.

"Jim!" The blonde whirled around and locked eyes with Spock. He smiled broadly and rushed over. "What are you doing here?" he asked in surprise. Jim motioned to the board.

"You left this in the car. I thought you might want it back."

"What is that?" Stonn's mother asked, repulsion in her voice. Jim looked at her, shocked.

"It's a vision board. It helps you focus on your goals to find out what you truly want in life." he finished, staring into Spock's eyes. Stonn's mother glared at Jim as he paid no mind to anyone but Spock, who was smiling back. "Anyway, merry Christmas." he said, turning and leaving. Spock felt hurt. Jim was about to walk out of his life forever. Could he be content with his bonding with Stonn or did he want something more? Stonn's mother drew his attention away from Jim's retreating back and he returned to his seat..

"That did not appear to be a toupee to me." she said snidely. Spock looked around at the three Vulcans sitting at the table. He then looked down at his vision board, only to notice that Jim had put a picture of the two of them on it. Staring for a moment, he came to a decision. He looked back up and to Stonn.

"I apologize. I cannot do this. I cannot live with this. I was so concerned about making my father content that I did not even give thought to my own happiness. My mother used to read me Terran fairytales. She often spoke of a concept that I had pushed away thinking I would never attain it."

"What is that?" Stonn asked. Spock looked him in the eye, a gentle upturn to his lips.

"My happily ever after." With that, he stood from the table and rushed off in the direction Jim had gone, leaving two stunned Vulcans and one glowering one. When he reached entrance to the club, he saw Jim taking his jacket off. Giving in to a truly bright smile, he approached.

"Do you know where one might get a Christmas dinner around here?" Jim turned, still shocked by Spock's breathtaking beauty. Even more so at his smile.

"Maybe." he said, stepping closer to Spock. "But, it'll cost you." He leaned up ever so slightly and met Spock's pliant lips. The two stood there kissing, Jim eventually deepening the kiss, only to break apart when someone cleared their throat. Jim pulled away, laughing and admiring the true happiness he saw reflected in Spock's large, brown eyes.

~x~x~x~

A knock sounded at the door and Winona Kirk rushed to open it. Jim had disappeared earlier and she was hoping that he was back. They were all about to sit down to dinner. She swung open the door, revealing her son with his arm around a tall, Vulcan male. She smiled, though confusion shone in her eyes.

"Mom, this is Spock. Spock, this is my mother, Winona." Spock greeted Jim's mother and took in his surroundings. He smiled when he saw that the decorations around him looked exactly like the ones in his mother's storybooks. Yes, this Christmas was perfect.

The End