One of the reviewers hit the spot. Yes, Spock is going to have a moment with his mother in this chapter :P.

I'm considering to slow down my updates. It seems that very few are interested anyway. No matter how okay my beta and my friend said it is, I feel quite sad. Oh well.

I'm quite screwed with Spock Prime's characterisation and my beta managed to fix them. Thank you Starsinger *salutes*. I could never have managed without her expertise.

Star Trek is not mine.

Chapter 11: Interaction

"You were a Starfleet Captain, the youngest one on Earth, you had the newest ship, the Enterprise and you had a bunch of youngest crew under you..."

"You guys saved the world from Nero and had a hell of an adventure before the Wrath of Vengeance. I say you ended up here because you sacrificed your life for them…"

"Your father was captain of a starship for twelve minutes. He saved eight hundred lives, including your mother's and yours. I dare you to do better."

"James T. Kirk was considered to be a great man. He went on to captain the USS Enterprise...but that was another life. A life I will deprive you of, just like I did your father!"

"I gave you my ship because I saw greatness in you".

"It's gonna be all right, son."

"Because you are my friend…"

Jim gasped and opened his eyes. His surroundings were white. Jim realized that he was in a hospital. His head was fuzzy with various unclear images playing in his mind. It felt like a dream.

"Don't worry, we did what we can for him, please return him here should he feel stressed again for maintenance," a doctor was heard talking to George.

"Maintenance huh? I'm not merchandise which comes with manufacturing defect and warranty," Jim thought to himself.

"Jim, you are finally awake. You were out for three days. How are you feeling?" Jim recognized that man as his father, George Kirk. The father who was assigned to him. Jim laid his hands on his forehead and took a deep breath. Those images were all but a dream.

"I'm fine, George. Just feeling tired," Jim replied weakly. He squeezed his eyes shut and forced them open. He saw someone being blasted in a rain of fire. His blood was splattered over him and Jim was powerless to prevent him from being killed. He sat up all the sudden in fear.

"What was that?" he muttered grabbing the blanket tightly. "Tom?"

"Jim?" George intended to lecture him earlier for calling him by his name once more but stopped when he noticed that his son was having a panic attack. It was not the first time Jim had a panic attack but he knew what to do to help him, "Breathe with me, Jim."

Jim calmed down after a few moments of breathing exercises with his father.

"Are you okay, son?" His Father held out his hand. Jim realized in horror that his father's hand felt cold to him. He ruffled his son's hair to calm him down. "It's just a nightmare. You are safe now," he reassured him.

The young man felt frozen. This world was a lie to him.

McCoy was playing with the newborn baby, Gerard, alone in the sickbay when the couple who recently just gave birth to him left him alone. He could not help but marvel at the fact of the miracle of life. Joanna used to be this small when he held her in his hands when she was just born. He missed his girl.

"A penny for your thoughts?" McCoy lifted his head to the direction of the voice.

"Carol." He greeted and turned back to tickle the baby who giggled at his antics. "Nothing. I'm just missing Joanna." McCoy admitted holding the little hand of the newborn with just his fingers. He could not bear to look at Carol in her face. He had witnessed how a criminal was executed and he could not bear to face Carol. Her father was facing the same consequences according to Ambassador James and there was no way to stop him when McCoy confronted him for a solution such as to erase his memories and made him a citizen of Terra.

"There is nothing I can do when the Lost is certified to be a Lost. A criminal is doomed to remember and they were instantly certified as one. I'm sorry," the elder man shook his head and patted him on his shoulder before beaming off the Enterprise to get back to his work.

"Damn it!" McCoy grumbled and stood up." He took Carol into his arms, "I wish I can do more."

Carol buried her face on his chest. "What are you talking about? You have already done enough for all of us by ensuring our health is not compromised."

"I'm sorry about your father." McCoy said quietly. Carol held his head for him to look at her.

"You are not to blame. I'm already very grateful to be able to meet him again. His death was shocking to me back then. Perhaps, I will be able to let go of my resentment towards him," McCoy held Carol tightly.

"I witness how Leighton was dissipated right into the air and there was nothing I could do to save him. This was the second time; I was so close to him," they were so engrossed that they had forgotten that their Chief Engineer was still in the sickbay watching them closely raising his eye brow. The very first time he came onboard the Enterprise, he witnessed Uhura openly hugged Spock as though there was no one watching. He stared at their newly promoted acting Captain Jim, seemingly asking if this was allowed as they were on duty.

"What are you staring at? Never seen kissing before?" Riley strolled in and joined Scotty.

"Just contemplating. I thought we are explorers but it turns out that we may also double as soldiers. If we are soldiers, do we have to be disciplined to kiss only when they are off duty? Come to think of it, our Captain Spock is not setting a good example himself," Scotty commented. Riley eyed him curiously.

"Did Captain Spock and Lieutenant Uhura…?"

"Yeah of course, try kissing your female colleague who is also your girlfriend right in front of your boss at work. I'm amazed that they have not lost their jobs," Scotty chuckled being reminded what Jim's expression was like when they saw Spock and Uhura's intimate actions on the transporter pad before their final confrontation with Nero. He wondered what it would be like if one day the stoic Spock and Uhura had a fight.

"Have you seen enough? Need popcorn?"

"Yeah, I don't mind," Scotty replied and his face turned white upon realizing that the voice belonged to the doctor he just "badmouthed". Riley stood aside pretending not to hear anything.

"I will get back to work." Riley informed before sneaking away.

"Get back here! You traitor!" Scotty cried.

"It seems that you have gotten better and I will sign you off as fit," McCoy said sarcastically pulling out his PADD and tapped.

"I don't mind. I would rather return to Engineering to ensure the good health of our dear girl. I'm a doctor to her," Scotty said in cold sweat of fear that the doctor would hypo him or something.

"I need you to do me a favour and I will pretend you didn't see that if you tell me how it looks like when Captain Spock and Uhura have a fight," McCoy gave him an evil grin. Scotty decided that McCoy was quite the sadist.

Spock was in the mess hall trying to replicate something but apparently he just could not get it right.

"Mr. Spock!"

"Mr. Spock!" Spock turned to face his elder counterpart. He flushed green trying to hide the mess he had created.

"Replicating a cake I suppose?" Ambassador Spock could almost read Spock by the book. Today was that day.

"I do not suppose I can keep anything from you," Spock started to clear the spilled and deformed cake. He thought he had the calculation of the amount of flour, eggs, cream etc right but apparently it was not as easy as he thought.

"It is meant for our mother," Spock admitted. "Today is her birthday."

"Come on, let's 'bake' the cake together," Ambassador Spock gave Spock a small smile and offered. "With her too," Spock lifted his head to see Uhura smiling at him. She came prepared with some recipes with the intention to make a cake for Amanda, but was really happy that Spock beat her to it.

"I'll help out too. I know how to make cookies."

"I notice that I have never tried your cookies before, Nyota," Spock realized.

"I'm sorry. The only favour I know how to make is chocolate. Chocolate is just like alcohol to Vulcans, you will be drunk. I shall let you try some once I can bake cookies of other flavours. I just learnt how to make them two years ago and I haven't had the time to learn. I don't mind telling you that only Leonard tried them," Uhura started pressing the button of the replicator to programme that matched the recipe. Spock eyed Uhura feeling a little sour. He turned to Ambassador Spock who nodded. He seemed to him that it was a feeling of jealousy.

The trio only succeeded after their twentieth time. Using a replicator was unlike baking a cake in reality. After all it was the sincerity that came with the cake.

"Honestly, I'm really surprised, Spock," Amanda Grayson was surprised by the cake her son and her future daughter-in-law had baked for her. Ambassador Spock would not come for obvious reasons.

"Mother, I just want to say Happy Birthday!" Spock stood at the door feeling awkward. His mother glanced around the surroundings and led them inside her house. Amanda gave her beloved son a warm hug and Uhura as well.

"Thank you so much for taking care of my boy. I sure hope he didn't give you much trouble, Ms Uhura."

"Call me, Nyota, Madam Grayson."

"Call me Amanda, and I wouldn't mind if you address me Mother. You are such a beautiful child. I wish I had met you earlier." Amanda had checked over Uhura and was glad that she Spock was her boyfriend. She should not be surprised, considering that she was a human married to Vulcan. Her son was blessed. He was undeniably a child of two worlds.

They were gathered at the house assigned to Amanda. Currently, she was set as single, unattached, and would become a Sister in three years time. She was currently a counselor, counseling depressed kids. That helped her in her job as an agent of the Organisation. She could easily sift through people who had become Lost and either do a "reboot" to their memories or have them join the Organisation for exceptional cases without attracting attention from security robots run by the System.

"Make yourself at home, I'll make dinner".

"Let me help you, Ma… Amanda," Uhura offered. Spock nodded at Uhura as the ladies headed to the kitchen to make real food.

Spock looked around the house. He saw photos taken with kids most likely from her job. These were all kids who did not exist on Earth. He felt a tinge of sorrow for them.

"You will not find people who left the Earth by natural causes here," was what he was told by Ambassador James. He noticed the words, his mother had written.

"Tarsus IV," these were the kids who perished from Kodos' massacre he realized. "Wrath of Vengeance" were likely those who were buried under the debris of the fallen buildings or some of the crew he had lost during the battle with Khan and Admiral Marcus. He almost reached for the last one which had her and a blonde young man's photo when he heard the door knock.

Spock looked over to the kitchen. His mother was busy. He wondered if he should answer the door and if he would get his mother into trouble. He peered through the door and opened it. A middle-aged blonde man appeared before him. His blue eyes took him by surprise. He immediately recognized him as the famous hero, George Kirk. The man appeared to be surprised by his appearance before reverting to his usual in 1.2 second.

"How may I help you, Mr… Sir?" Spock asked politely.

"Who are you?" George asked.

"I am someone invited by Ambassador James to interview Mo… Madam Grayson," Spock thought everyone on Terra should know that man who had a major influence in the planet. "My name is Spock." He paused a while to think of the next action and offered his hand for a handshake. George took it.

"Oh! I heard about you. You guys are on the agents of the Enterprise Agency James spoke about. I'm rather impressed by the cases you guys were on and keeping the peace on the Terra and even saved my son's life," Spock looked at him in gaped mouth. This man knew quite a lot about them. It seemed that he had a family assigned to him, unlike his mother who was lonely.

"Who's there?" Amanda walked out of the kitchen upon hearing some voices. She felt a little uneasy to see George Kirk, who peered past Spock at her holding up a box. Amanda approached George who wished her a Happy Birthday.

"Looks like you've got company, Ms Grayson," George gave her a hug as a form of greeting. He passed her the box. It was a cake.

"My son ordered it. Apologies. He was still sick in the hospital, unable to come in person to wish you a Happy Birthday. He was sorry for breaking his promise to celebrate your birthday with you this year, and to thank you for organizing a birthday party for him," George told Amanda.

"Not an issue. Please take care of him. He is a good boy. Ask him to come and see me anytime after he feels better," Amanda smiled looking at the nicely baked cake. Spock had to admit he felt a little sour as his cake was sort of messy and it came from a replicator.

"Watch your intake of chocolate!" George reminded. Amanda nodded in understanding.

"I'm off!" George saluted and sped off. He was quite an energetic man in a sense. Spock watched the back of the man feeling perturbed. He turned back to the series of photos of those people Amanda had counseled from afar and found the last one very alarming. He was his former Captain in thick-framed spectacles.

"Spock, are you alright?" Amanda asked in concern. "You looked pale."

"I am alright mother. Who is the person you have at the end of the photo?" he pointed at that particular photo his Captain was in.

"James Tiberius Kirk, son of George whom was just at our door. His son is sick and currently recuperating in the hospital. I sure hope he won't become a Lost. That boy had a harsh life back on Earth from what I heard from James, the ambassador. George hoped that he would be able to find some happiness, being assigned with new lease of life on Terra when he brought his boy, who was disturbed when he first arrived, to me," Amanda headed back to kitchen not noticing the expression of his son who looked really shocked. She left the cake in the fridge. There was something in the cake she would need to see after seeing her son and Uhura off for the night.

Even though Spock was at a loss from what he had heard, the three of them had a pleasant night where Spock sang for his mother while flushing in green while Uhura was laughing away at his stoic voice in tears. He could not help but to keep his eyes on the photo of Jim who had his sparkling eyes smiling brightly without trouble at the back of his mind, a smile which he had never seen and he expected not even his Chief Medical Officer had seen before during the time they became acquainted with one another.

"Thank you, Spock, thank you Uhura. I had a wonderful birthday. It is a pity that Sarek isn't with us. I miss him," Amanda smiled sadly standing at the door.

"He told me he loves you," Spock stated looking into Amanda's eyes. Amanda nodded in acceptance.

"I know. I always knew."

On their way back to the usual point where they would be transported back to the ship, Spock was quiet. Uhura felt uneasy when Spock was deep in his own thoughts. Spock's communicator beeped. It was the Ambassador who requested to see him.

"At this hour?" Uhura asked in bewilderment. Spock nodded.

"He asked me to meet him at the rooftop of San Francisco Hospital. Nyota, you return to the ship first," Awkwardly, Spock gave her a kiss. "I will return very soon."

"DR. McCOY!" McCoy swore he jumped up from his seat dozing off on his desk after a few rounds of brandy.

"What's wrong?! " He rubbed his eyes and saw the young Russian standing in front of him fidgeting nervously.

"I think I took Keptin's communicator by mistake."

"So?" McCoy asked feeling annoyed with his sleep disrupted.

"He took my phone. Ambassador James asked to see him," Chekov showed him the message.

"At this hour?"

"He requested to be beamed aboard to see him but Keptin is on Terra with his mother and Ambassador Spock is meditating," Chekov handed him the phone. "You are close to the ambassador so I thought it is the best to inform you."

"Close, my foot!" McCoy took the communicator and sighed. "Fine! I will see him. Inform acting Captain Sulu and beam that old man aboard, kid, I will take over from there."