AN: I am so sorry for the long update time, but I have some awesome news! I'm officially published! If you're interested, go to Amazon's website and look up Shadows Within by Heather Jarosz. That's my book. Go read it and tell me what you think.

ch 14

Over the next six months, T'Leia watches Spock and Jim grow. She watches as they learn themselves, each other, and the McCoy child. He is accepted easily into their makeshift family, yet he seems to understand that he is different to them. A cousin rather than a brother, perhaps.

After the exploits with the medical skeleton, Jim starts calling Leonard 'Bones'. It doesn't take long for Spock to pick up on the nickname as well. Leonard grumbles about it, but he accepts the name easily enough. T'Leia finds herself reluctantly impressed with how well the McCoy child adapts to being friends with Vulcans. He knows better than to touch without permission, keeps his displays of emotion to a reasonable minimum, and doesn't demand that Spock and Jim show their own humanity.

Strangely enough, he also accepts Jim as a half-Vulcan, despite his purely human genetics.

T'Leia watches them, and she thinks she understands why T'Lana didn't just kill the half-breed like she was supposed to. Her late sister had always been more emotionally inclined than proper for a Vulcan woman. Perhaps she decided to raise the child as her own, considering her inability to produce a child herself.

That was T'Lana's choice. T'Leia will not make the same mistake. It's time to act.

/-/

Jim is still in lessons. Spock and Leonard are in the mess hall, discussing their days. Leonard chuckles. "So, how did that go?" he asks.

"I believe the saying 'an absolute disaster' is appropriate." Spock says, taking a bite of his salad. "Apparently, while I have an excellent poker face, I cannot lie very well. I lost every game."

Leonard laughs outright at that. "I could have told you that!" he says with a grin. "Did Jim do any – no, wait, he was in detention by that time, wasn't he?"

"Correct." Spock says. "I cannot believe the teacher punished him and not both of us. We were equally responsible, and she knew it, yet she allowed Jim – "

He stops, eyes widening. Leonard leans forward, all mirth gone as he inspects his friend. "Spock? You okay, kid?" He waves a hand in front of Spock's face, but the young Vulcan doesn't even blink. Chills break out down Leonard's spine. "Spock? Come on, kid, you're scaring me. What's wrong?"

"Jim."

Leonard has never heard such raw emotion packed into one word. There is fear and pain and loathing, and suddenly Spock's entire body jerks. He grabs the table to steady himself. Leonard reaches out and touches his arm, keeping the cloth of Spock's shirt between his fingers. "What's wrong with Jim?" he asks quietly.

That seems to be all it takes to snap Spock out of his stupor. Hands shaking, he shoves himself away from the table and takes off down the hall. With a surprised yelp, Leonard is up and after him.

Not for the first time, Leonard wishes he had a communicator. Ian doesn't think he's old enough for one, but right now, Leonard has no way to reach his father or Serek or Amanda, and he's scared and confused and he needs help right now.

Spock races down the halls, drawn on by something Leonard can't see or hear. Despite being taller, he can barely keep up. They skid to a halt at the turbo lift, and Spock quickly enters. Leonard almost doesn't get in before Spock barks a command and they're off again, the lift heading to the upper levels. Leonard glances at him.

"Where are we going?"

"To find Jim." Spock's breathing is short and erratic. He reaches up and grips his arm hard, digging his nails into the skin. There's a slight hiss of pain before blood starts trickling down his arm. Leonard utters a cry of surprise, reaching out to the younger boy, but Spock's voice stops him. "Don't. It's the only way I can concentrate right now."

Leonard's eyes are dark when he finally pulls his gaze away from green blood. "Did you learn that after Tarsus?"

"Yes."

Damn Kodos. Damn him to hell. Leonard opens his mouth to say something – anything – but before he can think of the words, the door has opened and Spock is heading down the halls once again. He's left with no other option but to follow.

They enter an empty conference room. The tables have been removed, the floor glistens from fresh polish, and T'Leia stands in the middle, one hand wrapped around Jim's wrist while the other holds an ornate dagger. Leonard feels his stomach drop. Spock takes a step forward.

"Let him go."

T'Leia's head snaps up, her attention directed away from Jim. Her face is disturbingly blank, even for a Vulcan. Leonard has spent enough time around Spock, Jim, and Serek to search for the subtle signs. T'Leia displays none of them.

"No." she says flatly. "You will both die today."

Spock lifts his chin. "Bigger people than you have tried and failed to kill us." he replies in kind. "What makes you think you will be any more successful than them?"

"I know how to strike."

She raises the knife.

Several things happen simultaneously. Jim twists into T'Leia, narrowly avoiding the knife. It still slices through his shirt and grazes his arm. Spock hurls himself at the Vulcan woman, knocking her back and into the ground. Leonard darts to the side of the room and slams his fist down on the emergency red alert button.

The flashing red lights and blaring siren only add to the surreal feeling of the scene. Adults should not be killing kids. This does not happen. Leonard can hardly take his eyes off the knife. He feels so useless. What is he supposed to do?

Spock and Jim, on the other hand, know exactly what to do. They kick, punch, bite, and scream, twin tornadoes driven by fear and rage. T'Leia, untrained as she is, doesn't really stand a chance. For one terrifying moment, Leonard is sure they're going to kill her.

"Oh shit." Pike materializes behind him. Serek pushes past the two of them, intent on his children. Somehow he manages to reach past them and pinch T'Leia on the neck. She immediately goes still.

Spock and Jim stop. As one, they turn to their father. Serek kneels and reaches out to them, and they cling to him in turn. After a moment he stands. Spock and Jim flank him, keeping one hand fisted in Serek's robes. Serek looks calm as ever, but his hands give him away – they're shaking slightly, despite his efforts.

Pike steps forward. "Everything okay?"

"We will need security." Serek says quietly. "It appears my aide accompanied me on this trip for the expressed purpose of murdering my sons."

Pike's eyes harden. "Shit. I'll take care of her. You take care of the kids. Let me know if there's anything else I can do." Serek nods and moves towards the door, Spock and Jim following silently. They pause next to Leonard.

"You should come with us." Serek tells him. "Spock and Jim trust you. They will need to know that trust is not misplaced."

There are a lot of things Leonard can say to that. He voices none of them. Instead, he simply follows the three down the hall, back to the turbo lift, and to the medbay where Ian waits for them.

/-/

Serek and Ian discuss things while Leonard sits on the bio-bed with Spock and Jim. The two younger boys are sleeping, snuggled against Leonard's sides with hands clasped across the older boy's chest. Ian smiles at the sight. "They've become close." he says.

"You intended it." Serek points out. "I recall you once expressed concern that Leonard was withdrawing into himself."

"Len has always concerned me." Ian says mildly. "Especially after his mother left us. It hurt him badly. I thought maybe having someone who's also been hurt to look after would be good for him. Looks like I was right." He turns his attention back to Serek. "Spock and Jim are fine. A little bruised and scraped, but nothing that won't heal overnight. I think T'Leia might have strangled Jim a little by accident trying to hold him still."

Serek's gaze darkens. "He is a fighter."

"They both are. I thought she was dead at first." Ian shakes his head. "What the hell caused this, Serek?"

"Not everyone believes half-breed children should exist." the Vulcan says quietly. "I – I have my suspicions about Spock. Our last attempt to have a child was a stillborn, but if he survived, he would be Spock's age."

"He does look an awful lot like Amanda." the medic agrees. He glances at Serek. "I can do a genetic analysis if you'd like."

"No."

"You don't want to know for certain?"

"There is only one thing to know for certain." Serek says, never taking his gaze from the boys. "Spock and Jim belong to each other. I am their father because they allow me to be. Whoever else they decide to accept is their decision alone."

"Basically it doesn't matter if one of them is actually yours – you don't want to know because they're both yours anyway." Ian says dryly.

Serek raises an eyebrow. "Why do you insist on repeating me?"

Ian smirks. "It gives me emotional security."

"How illogical." But he is amused nonetheless.