Well, here be the next chapter. Probably second to last (not counting an epilogue that I may or may not write).

Pairings: Kirk/Spock (major), Scotty/Chekov (minor)

Warnings: some language, but really nothing else

Dream Encounters

Wake Up Call: Kirk

Kirk drummed his fingers over one of the control panels on the arm of his command chair, only making minimal effort to avoid hitting any buttons. He was bored; everyone was. He was half-asleep, but he could tell that his tapping was starting to grate on the nerves of the other occupants of the Bridge; Chekov had started to fidget (Not a small twitch, but a full-body shudder. He had been close to twitching himself right out of his chair more than a few times, which Kirk found hilarious.), and Uhura's fist was clenching and unclenching, like she was weighing the pros and cons of sucker-punching the Captain.

Finally, something broke the monotonous routine: one of the machines at Uhura's station beeped. She put her ear-piece back on and listened for a moment before turning to Kirk.

"Sir, we are receiving a transmission from New Vulcan," she said, slight shock coloring her tone.

Kirk was now at full attention, turning quickly to face the communications officer. "What about?" He asked. Anticipation and apprehension coiled in his gut, almost making him physically sick.

"There was no specific reason mentioned, sir," she stated. "One of the ambassadors has requested an audience with yourself and the Chief Medical Officer."

"Route the visual communication to Conference Room B, and tell Doctor McCoy to meet me there asap."

"Aye, sir," she replied.

"Mr. Sulu, you have the conn." Kirk stood up quickly and walked to the turbo-lift, directing it to the proper level. On the way to the conference room, he wondered who it was that had called on him. Of course, the list was quickly narrowed down to Ambassador Sarek and Spock's older self, both of whom he assumed were very unhappy with him. What confused him, though, was why they had waited so long to call and yell at him (or give him a stern talking-to; whatever it was Vulcans would do in this situation) and what any of this had to do with Bones. He had not even told the doctor what had happened between him and Spock, but he knew he probably would not be in the dark for much longer.

Entering the conference room, Kirk switched on the view screen, seeing Ambassador Spock's face materialize before him.

"Jim," he greeted in a completely neutral tone.

"Ah... hey, Spock," Kirk replied in turn, trying not to sound too nervous.

A rather awkward silence settled in the room. Thankfully, Bones came stomping in to break it only moments later.

"Now what's all this about, Jim?" he ranted. "I've got other idiots besides you to deal with right now."

"Still a regular Georgia peach, I see, Leonard," Spock drawled good-naturedly, his light tone relieving some of the tension that had been building in Kirk.

"And how exactly does a man that I've never met know my name?" Bones asked, eying the man on the screen suspiciously.

"Why, doctor," Spock replied, "I am almost insulted that you do not recognize an old friend. It is I, Spock."

Bones guffawed. "What a load of shit! What kind of joke are you tryin' t' pull?" he asked, looking accusingly at Kirk. "I don't have the time for this!"

"Well, um... Bones, that's really Spock," Kirk tried to explain. "Not our Spock; another one. He... he came through the same black hole-thing as Nero."

"Dammit, Jim! I'm a doctor, not a science fiction writer! I've got no idea what the fuck you're goin' on about!"

"I am from the same time line as Nero," Spock supplied. "That incident stranded me in your reality. In my time, I had worked aboard the Enterprise with Jim and yourself for years. That is why I know your name. And I must say that it is pleasing to see you after such a long time, for we had been friends in my time."

"Of course," Bones replied sarcastically. "Now it all makes perfect sense."

"Whether or not you comprehend my presence here, Doctor, it would be logical to move ahead in our conversation. There is a rather urgent matter that we must discuss."

"What?" Kirk asked frantically. "What happened? Is something wrong with my Spock?" The old Vulcan cracked the barest of smiles when he heard Kirk's slip of the tongue. Bones did not seem to notice.

"The issue does pertain to my younger self," Spock said, sobering. "It is a matter of Vulcan biology, and as Doctor McCoy is responsible for the health of a Vulcan, I believed it was logical for him to also be present for this conversation."

"Well, out with it, man!" Bones prompted harshly.

"Doctor, are you aware of the mating habits of Vulcan's?" The following silence answered his question well enough. He continued. "Ever seven years, starting in the mid-to-late-thirties, Vulcan males go through what is known as Pon Farr. It is a strong urge to mate, and if the Vulcan male fails to mate, and, during the first Pon Farr, consummate a telepathic bond during the Plak Tow, or blood fever, it is very likely that they will not survive."

"So they have t' fuck or die. Okay. But what does that have to do with Spock right now?" Bones asked. "He's only in his mid-twenties."

"Remember, we are also half-human, so, with the shorter life-span, it is likely for Pon Farr to occur earlier. Also, it would appear that recent stresses have caused hormonal imbalances that have triggered a premature Pon Farr."

"So in some way," Kirk began uncertainly, "that's kind of my fault."

Spock sighed. "Partially, yes. But rest assured, Jim, that with all that has happened regarding Nero and the destruction of Vulcan (Spock looked very sad for a brief moment), your rejection of him is only one of many stresses."

"Wait," Bones cut in. "What does he mean 'rejection'? What haven't you told me, Jim?"

"Err..." Kirk, embarrassed, was having trouble getting the words out.

"Jim has had relations with my younger counterpart," Spock answered for him.

Well... cat's definitely out of the bag now...

"Relations...? You had sex with him?" Bones exploded. "That hickey you had was from Spock?"

"Um... yeah."

"And now you've pushed him into an early mating trance? Way t' go, Jim! Way. To. Go!"

"Hey!" Jim defended. "I didn't even know that I'd been sleeping with him until a week and a half ago!"

"Gentlemen, please," Spock interjected. "We are not here to argue over what is passed. We are here to discuss a solution."

"Well," Bones said, glaring, "what've you got?"

"Spock's betrothed, the female that we had been bonded to as a child, was destroyed with Vulcan," he began, "but he has inadvertently bonded himself to another."

"Who?" Kirk asked, slightly worried it would end up not being him.

"He has bonded himself to you, Jim. Despite the fact that you have never actually melded, the compatibility of your minds and the strength of your emotions for each other allowed a partial bond to be formed through... other contact."

Kirk bushed beet-red. Bones tried not to gag.

"So..." Kirk said, "you think that I need to bond fully with him to save him."

"That I correct, Jim. But this must wholly be what you desire. If, after he has emerged from the fever, my younger self is able to sense any hesitance on your part through the bond, his guilt and self-loathing will be extreme. He loves you, and I fear that if he thinks he has forced you in to a life-long commitment, he will do something rash."

"No. It is!" Kirk assured. "It's definitely what I want!"

"It is?" Bones asked, shocked.

"Yeah. I love him," Kirk admitted quietly, "and I hope that you're a good enough friend to accept that."

Bones just stared at him for a long moment before speaking. "Y'know what? I'll be fine with whatever ya wanna do, just as long as ya don't make me watch any of it."

"Thanks, Bones. That means a lot," Kirk replied softly, smiling. He turned back to the view screen. "Was it the same for you, too? You and the other me?"

"Yes." Spock smiled, seeming slightly lost in his memories. "In my time line, we were bonded, though it took far longer, and our coming together was far less... dramatic."

"So, it's fate," Kirk stated, smiling.

"Yes." Spock smiled back. "One could say it is fate."

3 3 3

Kirk walked determinedly back onto the Bridge, taking his place.

"Mr. Chekov, set in a course for New Vulcan."

There you have it.

And man... I just love Bones and his "I'm a doctor, not a yada yada yada" lines. And I've practically been dreaming about someone calling him a Georgia peach, 'cause he's sooooooo totally a sweet lil' Southern Belle. Lol.

Next chapter will have smexing, so you have something to look forward to, you horn dogs, you!

Bye-bye, y'all!