"Jim?"

The human growled at his fiancée, warning him away. Spock ignored and walked over.

"You know the casualties on Terra Nova are not your fault, correct?"

Jim growled again.

"You could not ignore a direct order from Star Fleet."

Jim shot the Vulcan a glare of death which Spock easily ignored.

"Jim…" Spock sighed and pushed his lips to Jim's hair, "You did all you could. CS was attempting to protect us."

"Condemning herself to death…"

"Be that as it may, she was thinking of you and the friendship you have built. She did not wish to see you perish along with her fiancée and friends."

Jim sighed, "It still makes me feel like I've failed."

"You have not failed." Spock kissed Jim's forehead.

"But without us they'll die."

"Cease speaking, you are ruining the mood I am attempting to create."

Jim chuckled as Spock kissed him, gently pushing him onto the bed.

"Science labs to Mister Spock."

Spock hissed at the comm unit and pushed the button, "What?"

"Sir, we—"

"Whatever the issue, it can either wait or be researched in the ship's logs. I am busy at the moment. Goodbye." He flipped off the unit and looked back at Jim.

"Did you just deny the science labs for me?"

"I did."

Jim wrapped his arms around Spock's shoulders, pulling him closer, "Oh, God, Spock! I love you!" he pushed his lips to Spock's, still laughing.

"And I love you, Ashaya."

Jim sighed and smiled, "You know, I've been thinking…"

"You do that?"

Jim punched Spock's arm playfully, "Jerk. I was thinking about maybe actually adopting Saavik. We have room on the Enterprise, we have enough people here to keep her safe in an emergency and give her lessons. And if someone can't teach something, the library banks probably could. She already likes you, and I'm sure she doesn't hate me."

Spock paused, "Alright."

"Really!" Jim smiled, "We can!"

"I will ask the Admiralty and state your logic I do not see in what instances they could deny."

Jim kissed the Vulcan again, "Jeez, I love you!"

"And I you."

Four months later

Saavik stared in horror at the man in front of her. Whoever they were, they just saved her life. The attacker, wearing a white suit with a matching helmet that covered her face, swore in Standard, their voice a high feminine pitch with an obvious British accent, and ran.

"A-are you alright, child?" The man asked.

"Yes… thank you… I will call for a doctor!" She ran over to the comm unit and jumped to hit the button, "Deck… um, six! Deck six to Medical Bay!"

"Saavik?"

"Christine! I was attacked! We need a team to help the man who saved me! Hurry!"

"Stay where you are. We're coming!"

Saavik ran back over to the man, who was now sitting against the wall, green liquid running down pooling on the floor. Saavik pulled off her jacket and ripped the sleeves open, wrapping it tightly around the wound and applying pressure.

"Thank you, again."

She looked up and gasped.

"You are uninjured?"

Saavik stared in horror, allowing tears to fall from her eyes, "G-Grandfather?"

Sarek looked down at her, slowly moving to wipe away her tears, "Do not cry, child. You are much like your human father."

Saavik wrapped her arms around her grandfather, sobbing. Sarek blinked, surprised by the sudden contact, but placed a hand on her head. He could hear the Medical team coming now.

Four months earlier

"T'hy'la?" Spock called. Strange. Jim's schedule usually matched his, so their off time should be together. So where was the blonde?

Jim grinned and jumped on Spock's back, "RAWR!"

Spock jumped in surprise and fell forward from the sudden attack. The pair both landed flat on the ground, Jim laughing, Spock wearing 'you-shall-die' look.

"Scared you, didn't I?"

Spock sat up, "I had not been expecting you to attack me. I have news."

"We're finally getting a better food replicator?"

"One may dream… but this is different."

"Well?" Jim smiled, "Spit it out, man!"

"Saavik will be here in time for the Terran ceremony."

Jim screamed and hugged the Vulcan, "We're gonna be daddys!"

"Yes, we are."

"Wait, how will we distinguish each other? Like you be Dad and me Daddy or something?"

"I had believed you would prefer Mommy."

"No!' Jim hissed.

Spock thought for a moment, "She could refer to me under the Vulcan title and simply call you Father."

"What's the Vulcan title?"

"A'nirih."

Jim smiled, "A'nirih and Father… yeah, I guess that works. Give Daddy a hug, A'nirih!"

Spock lifted Jim off the flood and placed him on the ground, "I have other ideas."

Lieutenant Mari Shayes' job couldn't get any worse at the moment. She'd been rushed back to Starbase 24 because of some stupid child who had seen her working. So her employer panicked and called her back.

"Mari? Did anyone see you? Anyone else?"

She rolled her eyes and looked at the comm screen, "No, Commodore. No one else, and the girl is too panicked to think straight."

Commodore Barstow sighed, "Good. What of the group you brought back with you?"

"Unconscious in the brig. The old brig that no one goes near because it's supposedly haunted."

"You have to kill them!"

"Can't. Someone would know they're dead and then a big investigation would start."

Barstow bit his lip, "Keep them quiet, at least."

She rolled her eyes, "No." She said sarcastically, "I was gonna let them scream and run around freely."

He glared and cut the connection.

She then allowed herself to bite her thumb in thought. There was those three who had seen her once. She couldn't risk letting them report her. She quickly used her resources to look up the ship that had been orbiting Terra Nova.