Jim sighed. "Okay, here's the deal. I'm scared I'm going to die, Bones."
McCoy inclined his head. "So's the rest of the general population, kiddo. That's not that unusual. Is there something in particular you're worried about right this instance?"
"Well, Solion said his Jim was 'taken too soon'. I know he's been – he was – alone for a long time. What does that mean? When am I going to die? Next week? Next month?"
"I thought you said your timelines weren't exactly the same."
"They are not. Solion also confided that something changed in this timeline that made him feel significantly more at ease about Jim, did he not, ashayam?" Spock explained.
"Yeah." Jim smiled. "We figured it's David. Solion's Jim didn't raise his son, so we're different there. But still, I can't shake the feeling that I'm going to die any day now."
McCoy pretended to be worried. "Well, Jimmy, you'd better call Starfleet and update your will and I should get a physical in now while you're still healthy and – "
"Whatever," Jim shot back, embarrassed.
"Jim, you just lost a lifeline. You've never been a religious man, but you were experiencing the same effect by talking to this man. You could go to someone you considered a power greater than yourself and ask questions and receive a sort of guidance. And that's gone now. You're going to have to ask yourself, what are you going to replace it with?" McCoy explained gently.
Jim shivered, and Spock reached forward to touch his shoulder again. "Ashayam, you do not have to decide this tonight. You have received unexpected information today and it would be understandable if you wish to merely sleep."
"Yeah. Sleep sounds good. It's been a shitty day."
As they walked in the house, Jim and Spock went in the kitchen to finish cleaning up and McCoy went upstairs to change clothes. David heard the adults return and crept down the stairs.
"Dad?"
Jim turned around and Spock carefully took the wet plate from his mate's hand before another accident could occur.
"I was wondering, do you think I could maybe … you know …." David paused painfully.
"What, slugger?" Jim dried his hands on his jeans.
"Could I move back with Mom?"
Spock felt a pang of sadness tear through the bond and he put the pan back in the water and turned to watch the conversation unfold.
Jim sidestepped to the kitchen table and sank in a chair. "You don't want to live with us anymore?"
David shrugged. "It's not that I don't want to live with you, it's just … I want to live near Bridget," he finished slowly.
"Oh." Jim nodded. "David, come sit with me." David walked to the table shyly and sat across from his father. "Listen, there's something that nobody's pointed out to you, and I hate to be the one to do it, but it needs to be said. Spock said you're in love with Bridget. That doesn't guarantee how she feels about you."
David shook his head. "No, she likes me too. She actually said it to me once, on the comm. She said the L word. I know she likes me just as much."
Jim exhaled sharply. "Still, you've got so many friends here in San Francisco. You're a junior this year. Don't you want to finish high school with your friends?"
"Jim," Spock murmured. T'hy'la, let him make his choice. Do not force him to stay.
"You know this will break your old man's heart, right? And Spock, he won't say anything but you know it'll crush him too. Who's going to keep me company when I'm grading finals? Who's going to keep Spock's soccer skills sharp? Who's going to teach us which new band is cool and which is lame?"
"Dad," David began, "please don't make me sad about this. It's not like you can you move Bridget here," he posed hypothetically.
Jim bit his lip. He looked at his only son, the bright spot in his life, his pride and joy, and realized he was going to have to let go.
"Let me talk to your mother tomorrow," Jim relented.
"Thanks, Dad. I'm going to bed. Night." David walked out of the room and silence descended on the house.
Spock finished the dishes and put them away, mulling over his options. Then he went and knelt in front of his shell-shocked husband and took Jim's left hand in his, playing with the matching wedding band.
"Jim, you will not be alone. I will not leave you."
There was a derisive snort. "I would have believed that a week ago."
Spock wrapped his arms around Jim. "Please believe me, I am grieved I ever made that decision. I cannot apologize enough, nor can I think of how to regain your trust. All I am able to do is stand by you and assure you I will not leave, and follow those words with my actions." He tilted his head. "You are saddened that you cannot discuss this with Solion? Do not forget Dr. McCoy has agreed to stand in his place. The lights are on in the living room. I do not believe he has retired for the night," he hinted.
Jim nodded numbly and got up. "You go on to bed. I'll be up after a while."
Spock stood and turned to leave, pausing once to look back. "Ashayam, please do not resort to any drastic measures again."
Jim pointed to the refrigerator. "You poured out the rest of the beer."
"Very well." Spock left, and Jim poked his head in the living room.
"Bones? You up, man?"
McCoy looked up and sighed. "Hey, kiddo, I hate to tell you this, but I heard every word. Hazards of crashing on the couch, I guess. Are you okay?"
"How would you feel if you got Joanna back from Michele and lost her again?" Jim growled.
"Jimmy, my only daughter chose to live with her mother once I returned. I wasn't even given the chance. Don't lecture me about that."
Jim sighed. "You're right, Bones. I'm sorry. I just – if I thought this was the right thing to do, I'd do it. I'd send him home on the first transport – signed, sealed, and delivered to the girl. But I can't shake the feeling that something's off. I don't think it's going to work out."
McCoy shut off his padd and laid it down. "Do you want my honest reaction?"
"Yes."
"Okay, well when I got a call from this reckless, free-spirited captain friend of mine telling me he was tying the knot with a rigid, rule-worshiping taskmaster of a Vulcan, I thought, Hey, this is the worst idea I've heard of in years! But I gave him my blessing. And do you know what happened to those two?"
Jim smiled weakly. "What?"
"They went on to have one of the the greatest marriages I've heard of in this day and age. Jim, I had the worst feeling about you and Spock. But you've proven me wrong time and time again. If I had gone with my gut instinct and told you to forget about it, where would we be today?"
"But Bones, I was 25! Spock was 26! We weren't some babes in the woods, we were men!"
"Bullshit!" McCoy barked suddenly. "You forget, I did both of your psych evals. I know where your heads were. You were a rebellious, ill-tempered brat and Spock was a holier-than-thou stick in the mud with serious parent issues! Neither one of you had any business in a relationship, and I thought Spock had dodged that bullet when Uhura broke it off with him. But nooooo, he just picked right up with you!"
"I had to weigh in with the brass as to what I thought of this 'blessedunion' and do you know what I did, Jimmy T? I lied. I told them it was a great idea and that I supported it 100%. I swore if you made me eat my words I would tie you to a warp coil and give you a thousand lashes. But you didn't. You and Spock bonded, literally and figuratively, and I never had to regret my actions."
"So when you ask me whether I think a fourteen year old boy and a fifteen year old girl can have a go at it, after hearing Spock's analysis of the situation, I throw my hands up and back away, because I don't ever want to think of what would happen if I stepped in and I was wrong." McCoy folded his arms across his chest and sighed. "There, I said it."
Jim digested this monologue in silence, looking from the floor to his friend, up to the ceiling and back to the floor. Finally he opened his mouth and his eyes watered.
"I thought I'd have a few more years …."
McCoy pulled the man down on the sofa and hugged him. "Jimmy, the fat lady ain't sung yet. It's still just the first quarter."
Jim laughed softly. "You know Spock hates it when you mix your metaphors."
"Well, the hobgoblin's in bed. What he doesn't know cheers up my best friend."
There was a gusty sigh. "I guess I really have to call Carol tomorrow."
"I'll be right there for ya, kiddo. Why don't you go upstairs and get some rest? Or not," McCoy hinted. "But stop thinking about it all for a couple of hours. Go on, git," the doctor ordered, pushing the other man off the sofa.
Jim climbed the stairs and paused at David's room out of habit before going to bed. Once in bed, Spock laid his hand on Jim's hip and after several minutes there was the soft sound of sniffling. Spock rolled over and held Jim in his arms, murmuring soft reassurances and endearments.