(Here is Chapter 10. Hope you enjoy it. Thanks again for all your reviews, likes and follows. For those of you following my Lucy Potter story, I am almost done with the next update so keep your heads up :) I own nothing but Kat.)

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Part 10

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"It is remarkably good to see you my old Friend. Especially after the events of today." The old Vulcan smiled warmly at the young Cadet as he poked the small fire he had built inside the cave.

Jim stood abruptly to his feet. "Uh Sir, I appreciate what you've done for me today, but...if you were Spock you'd know, we're not friends at all. You hate me. You marooned me here for mutiny...Not to mention you married my sister." He mumbled the last part under his breath.

"Mutiny?" Old Spock raised his eyebrows. "You are not the Captain of the Enterprise?" He questioned.

Jim shook his head at him. "Uh no...you're the Captain." He pointed at the older man laughing bitterly. "You took over after Pike was taken hostage."

"By Nero." Spock nodded his head understandingly. Jim stopped mid pace across the cave. "You know him?" He asked.

"He is a particularly troubled Romulan." Spock shook his head, thinking for a moment before rising from the ground. Jim let out an irritated sigh.

"Yeah well, about you and Kat-." He started to go off when the older man put out his hand towards his face.

"Please allow me. It will be easier to explain this way." Jim flinched away from his touch.

"Whoa whoa! What are you doing?"

"Mind meld. Our minds one and together." Spock smiled sadly as he placed his fingers gently against the side of Jim's face.

"What's-?" Jim started to question when his vision suddenly went blank.

"One hundred and twenty nine years from now, a star will explode threatening to destroy the entire galaxy." Old Spock began as his memories filtered into Jim's mind.

"That is where I am from Jim. The future." Jim gasped as eons passed before his eyes, rushing past him like a field full of stars, comets and planetoids.

Finally the rushing stopped and he realized he was looking at a space port of some sort where a small group of Romulans were discussing something with Spock.

"A star went supernova, consuming everything in its path...I promised the Romulans that I would save their planet." The elder Spock continued to narrate as Jim watched the leader of the Romulans hand the Vulcan a large syringe.

Spock smiled as he took the object, bowed and spoke some words of assurance before turning to board the small advanced type spacecraft behind him.

"We outfitted our fastest ship. The plan being that I would use red matter to create a black hole which would absorb the supernova." The memory shifted again and stopped just in time for Jim to see Spock was now piloting the spaceship straight toward the exploding star.

"I was on route..when the unthinkable happened...The supernova destroyed Romulas and all but twenty of their millions of inhabitants." Jim gasped as the star swallowed its planet neighbor whole.

"I had little time," Spock continued. "I had to extract the red matter and inject it into the supernova. As I was beginning my return trip I was intercepted." A large black vessel dropped out from space just above the black hole that was created and Jim blanched when he recognized the makings of the ship.

"He called himself Nero. Last of the Romulan Empire. In my attempt to escape both of us were sucked into the black hole. Nero went through first...so he was the first to arrive." Jim's vision went blank again clearing only to reveal Nero and a small band of Romulans working in a fuel mine.

"Nero and his crew spent the next 25 years awaiting my arrival." Spock continued, his grip loosening ever so slightly on Jim's face. His voice started to sound hazy in his ears.

"But what was years for Nero...was only seconds for me. When I came through the black hole, Nero was waiting for me." The scene changed again and Jim watched as Spock emerged slowly from his vessel, dropping to his knees when he reached Nero.

"He held me responsible for the loss of his world..and his family. Capturing my vessel, he spared my life for one reason only...so that I could feel his pain. Knowing my wife was already long lost to me, he beamed me here so that I could observe his vengence."

Jim suddenly felt cold as the scene changed again to the snowy terrain of Delta Vega. Spock was standing there in the midst of a blizzard, watching as Vulcan imploded right before his eyes.

"As he was helpless to save his planet, I would be helpless to save mine." Spock's tone turned sadder than before. Jim gasped shocked at the outpour of emotion he felt emanating from the Vulcan.

"Billions of lives lost, Jim because of me...because I failed." Spock abruptly ended the mind meld, shocking Jim as his mind returned to reality.

"Forgive me. Emotional transference is an effect of the mind meld." The old man apologized softly. Jim leaned against the cave wall for support.

"So...so you do feel!" He gasped, still feeling his heart racing.

The Elder Spock nodded his head. "Yes."

"Going back time you changed all our lives." He started to ramble. "Mine, Kat's, our parents...even your own."

Spock dropped his gaze. "I can only hope she can still find the happiness she deserves..." He trailed off.

Jim furrowed his eyebrows at the strange remark. "What?"

"Come Jim, there is a starfleet outpost not far from here." Elder Spock abruptly changed the subject. "Once there we can find a way to transport you off planet. You best leave before night falls on this planet." He turned to grab a torch and pulled his hood back over his head.

"Wait!" Jim stopped him before he could leave the camp area. "Where you came from...in your time...Did Kat and I know our Father?" He asked softly.

Spock paused at entrance to the corridor. "Yes...You both often spoke of him as your inspiration for joining Starfleet. He proudly lived to see Katarina's wedding day and your elevation to Captain of the Enterprise." Jim cocked his head to the side.

"Captain?..Me?" Spock nodded his head. "Yes...a ship we must return you to as soon as possible." He motioned with the torch for Jim to follow him.

After a long moment, Jim complied. "You do realize..." He began as he fell into step next to the Vulcan. "...we're going to have to have a long talk about you and Kat once I get back on the Enterprise." He smirked slightly.

Spock raised an eyebrow at the statement. "Is that so?...Things have indeed changed a lot." He thought more to himself than to Jim.

Jim pulled up his hood as they ventured closer to the entrance of the cave.

...

"I thought I might find you here, Ambassador." Kat looked up at the sound of her Father-in-Law's voice.

"Does the Acting Captain need me, Sir?" She asked without turning from her view of the cargo bay below her.

Sarek came silently to stand next to her. "Speak your mind, Daughter." He spoke smoothly yet firmly the way Spock often did when he was trying to coax her into telling him something.

The old Ambassador knew just by observing her expression that she was irritated and he could well guess the cause of her emotions.

"I..." Kat slowly shook her head. "I'm not sure that would be the smart thing to do at this point." She mumbled, glaring at the ground below as if the working crew was not moving fast enough for her liking.

Sarek calmly folded his arms behind his back. "What is logical...is never unwise." He responded. Kat bit her lip.

"My son as you well know is of half Vulcan and human heritage." Sarek continued. "As such he finds himself often conflicted. Especially when it comes to those he cares much about." Sarek looked down to follow his daughter-in-law's gaze.

Kat let out a sigh. "It's still no excuse for the decisions he's made since kicking Cadet Kirk off the Enterprise. What's worse he won't even admit to it. Not even to me." She straightened and turned as if to leave the catwalk.

"You know with everything that's happened...Amanda's death, Jim's expulsion, Captain Pike's capture and Nero still at large, I'm not sure how much more Spock will be able to take before he shuts down completely...I don't want to see that happen." Kat shuddered at the implication behind her statement.

She knew that Vulcans had an emotional capacity the same as any human being on earth and her husband like any other of his kind had been reared since early childhood to suppress and ignore emotional pressure with the practice of simple logic.

What happens when there are no more logical answers? Kat wondered, not daring to voice her worries lest her Father-in-Law have no comforting answers to her question.

"He is strong." Sarek spoke in a soft emotionless voice that Kat had long ago gotten used to hearing since she first began her work as an Ambassador to Vulcan. "He always has been."

Kat rolled her eyes a bit. "I know..." She mumbled despite herself. Her hands moved almost involuntarily to her stomach.

Sarek noticed the brief movement. "You are strong too, Katarina." He meant the statement to be reassuring. "And if anyone can give Spock the assistance he very much needs at this very moment in time...it is you."

"Ambassador! Ambassador Kirk!" A young Cadet burst in on the two Ambassadors, barely skidding to a stop fast enough to avoid a collision with Ambassador Sarek.

"Captain Spock has requested your immediate presence on the bridge, Ma'am. It's Kirk...he's back!" The boy spat out between pants.

Kat blanched. "What?...But how?"

...

Spock rose abruptly from the Captain's Chair when he heard the turbo lift doors open. He turned expecting to see Kat, but his expression smoothed over when he saw the Cadet instead, accompanied by an unfamiliar man and two Starship Security Guards.

"Who are you?" Spock immediately addressed the stranger as he made his way across the bridge.

"He's with me." Jim cut in before his companion could say anything. "Uh yeah, I'm with him." The slightly older man agreed.

"We're traveling at warp speed. How did you manage to beam aboard this ship?" Spock asked, his gaze never leaving the two men.

"Well you're the genius. You figure it out." Jim shrugged his shoulders a bit insolently. His companion glanced nervously between them.

"As Acting Captain of this vessel I order you to answer the question." Spock attempted to intimidate the Cadet, but the younger Kirk wasn't phased.

"Well I'm not telling, Acting Captain...What did...that didn't frustrate you did it? My lack of cooperation.-."

"Are you a member of Starfleet?" Spock deliberately turned away from the Cadet.

"Uh...Yes can I have a towel?" The other man shuffled his feet nervously as the Vulcan stared him down.

"Under penalty of court marshall I order you to explain to me how you were able to beam aboard this ship while at warp."

"Don't answer him." Jim gave his companion a warning look. "You will...answer me." Spock pressed.

Scott glanced between the two men. "Uh...I'd rather not take sides." He started to back off when the turbo lift doors opened again.

"Jim?" Kat stepped onto the bridge followed closely by Sarek and the Lieutenant who had been assigned to find her.

Her soft dark eyes glanced worriedly between her brother and her husband for a minute before she noticed tension between them.

Jim deliberately ignored her presence. "What is it with you, Spock? Your planet was destroyed, your mother murdered and...you're not even upset." He stepped up to the acting captain.

Spock glared pointedly at him. "If you are presuming that these experiences in any way impede my ability to command this ship, you are mistaken."

"And yet you are the one who said fear was necessary for command. You remember that?" Jim fired back at him. Kat tensed when she saw Spock's expression falter slightly too slightly for anyone but her and maybe Sarek to notice.

She decided to step in knowing she had to stop this before it was too late.

"Jim stop. Please, you don't know what you're-."

"Kat back off! I got this!" Jim interrupted stunning her with the force of his words. Scotty flinched a bit.

"Cadet I order you to-." Spock started, but he didn't get to finish. "Did you or did not see his ship?" Jim took another step closer to the Acting Captain. His daring made Kat felt queasy.

"Did you see what he did? Did you see his machine, Spock?"

"Yes of course I did." Spock swallowed tensely, his gaze hardening as he stared the younger man down.

"So are you afraid or aren't you?" Jim taunted. "What is like huh? To never feel anger, love...or heartbreak? Or the need to stop at nothing to avenge the woman who gave birth to you!" He spat the words out in his face.

"Jim!" Kat started, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. "I will not allow you to lecture me on the merits of emotion." Spock's reply was firm, but Kat could sense that he was losing his patience.

"Did you even love Kat?" Jim stepped even closer to the Acting Captain. "When you married her was it because you loved her or because she loved you and it only made sense logically given your own half human status to be with her since she seems to be the only one on the planet who can stand you?"

"Cadet, I warn you-." Spock began, but Jim ignored him yet again. "You feel nothing! It must not even compute for you up there!...You never loved her or your Mother!"

"No!" Spock lashed out at Jim with his right fist, connecting swiftly and soundly with the underside of the younger Kirk's jaw.

"Spock!" Kat tried to stop her husband as Jim tumbled over headfirst into the Captain's chair.

Bones pulled her back just before Spock could accidentally hit her in his blind rage.

"Let me go!" She struggled and tried to hit the Doctor in the ribs, but he resisted her blows and her pleas. Spock pursued Jim, easily blocking his attempts to fight back before throwing him angrily into a Computer Panel.

Kat threw her elbow into Bones's stomach and he coughed letting go of her in his surprise as Spock clamped his fingers tightly around Jim's neck.

The Cadet tried in vain to pry himself loose from the Vulcan's grip, but his body went quickly slack as his attacker starved him of oxygen.

"Spock!" Sarek's tone was sharp, firm yet calm. Bones grabbed Kat before she could try to get involved though she kicked him in the shin for good measure before Spock relinquished his grip leaving Jim to choke and sputter as the air rushed back into his lungs.

Bones let go of Kat and she rushed forward, checking up on Jim as Spock turned his gaze from Jim to Kat, then to his Father.

"Doctor I am no longer fit for duty." His voice trembled a bit as he attempted to speak the words with the assurity and confidence he had before.

"I relinquish my command based on the fact that I have been emotionally compromised. Please note the time and date in the ship's log." He turned to exit the bridge.

Jim nodded at his sister. "Go...I know you want to." He rasped, glancing at Spock's retreating form before succumbing to a round of coughs.

Kat bit down on her lip. "How could you?" She glared at her Brother.

Jim snorted somewhat painfully in response to her. "It was a bluff...I know that he cares for you, Sis. I just needed him to admit what everyone else on this ship already knows." He smiled and winced at the slight pain in his lower lip.

Kat rolled her eyes at that. "Jim-."

"Go, he'll need you. Much more than I do anyway." Jim chuckled and spit some blood out on the floor.

Now it was Bones' turn to roll his eyes. "You could fool me." He muttered under his breath.

"Kat, seriously go. You're his wife now and that means he comes first." Jim feebly tried to push his sister away. "Make sure I didn't break him too much, okay?" He tried to smile weakly.

Kat pushed his hand away. "How did you know he was my husband?" She asked softly.

Jim shook his head. "Later. Right now you have to go." He struggled to get his feet and settled back into a sitting position.

Kat shoved herself to her feet. "You can't give me orders, Cadet Kirk." She snapped, dusting off her uniform before turning to stride from the bridge.

Jim laughed. "Oh yeah?" He coughed, but Kat did not respond.

The entire deck fell solemnly silent as the lift doors shut noisely behind the Ambassador. Bones and Uhura exchanged concerned glances.

"I like this ship!" Scotty broke the silence. "You know it's exciting!" He grinned.

Bones rolled his eyes. "Oh well done Jim. Now we have no Captain and no ***** first officer to replace him!" He snapped at his friend.

Jim clearly disagreed. "Oh yes we do." He stood carefully. Uhura raised an eyebrow at him. "Who?"

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(So Jim now knows about Spock and Kat. Wait till he finds out there's a baby on the way too. Haha XD So minor issue, what do you guys think it should be? Boy or Girl? I keep going back and forth on it.)