"Spock,"

"Jim,"

The words were said in perfect unison and both men looked at one another, each suddenly aware that they were once again thinking almost as one, that what they had once had was lingering just beyond their grasp. For a moment they just looked at each other and then Kirk felt Spock pull his hand free and watched as he friend reached up, closed his eyes and nodded in response to the unspoken question before feeling those loving fingers touch his face in familiar places and freely opened his mind. As before there could be, would be, no barriers between them as each opened their mind to the other.

While Spock had thought his shields were strong the emotions that flooded into him through the link from Jim threatened to overwhelm him. He saw the images Jim had seen while in that cell, heard what he had heard, and understood how over six weeks his friend could not have sustained resistance to that. He felt the sense of betrayal the images and treatment Kirk had received had conditioned him to believe in a betrayal. Then the tremendous guilt that Kirk felt when he saw the recording of what Collins had done to him, when Collins had tormented him and had him beg on the bridge. And finally the guilt at not knowing how to get back the trust and the friend he had pushed away from him.

Kirk saw how Spock had protected his crew against Collins, saw how he had often challenged Collins's authority, saw all the times Spock had defended his crew against Collins's charges and demands, how he had spent hours studying the charts of all the buildings in the city where he could have been. There before him were the times Spock would stop what he was doing to send calming and reassuring messages through the link and how he had been so traumatized by the treatment he had received from Collins, and how Collins had sadistically deliberately humiliated him in front of the others by making Spock believe that there was the remotest of possibilities that by begging he would be allowed to search for him. The there had been the realization how, despite knowing Collins was going to kill him, Spock had chosen to freeze to death rather than tell Collins where he was. He felt how Spock, at first, was going to just slip into death but had clung to awareness long enough and the cold was shutting down his body, to say goodbye to him through the link. Spock felt Kirk's wonder about how his friend's last thought had been of him despite all that had been said and done to him by and because of that friend.

Through the link Spock felt the all-consuming fear of being alone coming from Jim. The crushing guilt of what he had done to his friend, the shame at what he had said to one of his two closest of friends, and the belief that he had lost that friend and trust forever. There was an uncertainty as to how he could captain again, how he could face what he would have to without knowing that there was somebody right there for him, beside him, supporting him in so many ways, and just there, just to his right side.

Slowly and carefully Spock used his skills to ease the painful memories of his friend into the deep recesses of his friend's mind where they would remain but not be easily accessed. He saw the torment leave Jim's face as he eased his hands away from him. Also on Jim's face was the indication that he accepted what he had seen in Spock's mind.

"Thank you, Spock. Are you,"

"I was honored to do it for you, Jim. I am fine though tired." He saw a flicker of disappointment on his friend's face, "But I would enjoy a game of chess, if you do not mind."

There was no denying the relief that swept over Kirk's face as he squeezed Spock's hands as he stood, "If you sure you are not too tired. I will just go get the board."

"I believe I can walk to your quarters, Jim."

As Kirk looked across the small table and the three tiers of the chess game at his friend contemplating his next move he was sure he felt something deep inside him smile and sing. He was on the ship he commanded and, more importantly, he had his best friend back. For a moment he looked at Spock as the Vulcan still contemplated his next move as Kirk had done yet another impulsive move. A smile took command of his face as he looked at Spock, his best friend had come back for him and to him.

FIN

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Well, that's that one done and that leaves only another 26 as I did write my friend 30 TOS stories in her last year. So hard to believe that was 30 years ago. Hope you all enjoyed it. Possibly will not start retyping the next one till mid-week as need to get yardwork done so I have summer vegetables and berries.