Inside, Spock stood in front of the comm, hands clasped loosely in front of him. "I am Spock," he spoke softly.
"I need to speak with Captain Kirk," the woman replied tersely.
Spock stepped aside only far enough to let Jim in camera range.
"You've got me." Jim eyed the screen. "Mrs. Colway. What a pleasant surprise. I didn't realize you performed school business on a Sunday."
"This isn't school business. The social worker says she can't find a reason to pull David out of your home. I bet you think you've won."
Jim smiled. "Mrs. Colway, your dedication to your students is a credit to you. I intend to make sure the school district knows what a jewel they have in you. But you've got to realize, you came in on a very difficult point for our family, and you saw us at our worst."
"If you knew us whatsoever, you would realize we're really a pretty good family. I know we're not the Cleavers, but we work. We both love our son very much, and we'd appreciate it if you'd stop trying to take him from us. It's not necessary, and it's not nice." Jim stuck his hands in his pockets and waited for her reply.
She stared at the men for a long time, and then sighed. "Captain Kirk, I have that worker on speed dial. If David even hints that something's wrong, I'll call her so fast your head will spin. Captain Spock, I'm not extremely sanguine with you raising a child with your choice of partner, but you're a good influence on David, so I'm trusting you." With that, she said goodbye and disconnected.
"James," Spock began in a small amount of shock, "you were not overwhelmed in the least. How did you handle that so well?"
Jim shrugged in a depreciating way. "I just told myself she can't hurt me any worse than I can hurt myself. It's something I learned in anger management."
Spock reached a hand out and touched Jim's forearm, and ran his fingers down the tawny skin. "I am so impressed, t'hy'la. I am honored to be your bondmate."
"Because I didn't tell her she was a psychopathic bitch and that she could take her investigation and shove it somewhere no man has gone before?"
There was amusement through the bond, and Spock's eyes twinkled. Jim shoved him gently and gestured outside. The two went back outside to play soccer with their son, just enjoying being a happy family for a while.
…
Jim sat at the table, sucking on a frozen yogurt bar, while Spock finished putting the dishes in the cleaner. Finally, the Vulcan sat down as well. McCoy sauntered in and stood in front of them.
"I don't know what to do with you two."
Jim tilted his head and Spock raised an eyebrow, and McCoy continued. "I figured because of your behavior that you were so screwed up it would take forever to straighten you out. But Jimmy's doing marvelous in his anger management class, Spock seems to be more content now that his hubby is doing whatever Vulcan mind voodoo he's supposed to be doing, and David is even calming down. What's a therapist supposed to do when his clients cure themselves?"
McCoy sat down. "So now I want to know why. Why did you let it get to this point, and why did it take a nuclear meltdown for you two to talk?"
Jim laughed. "Bones, on my end, I learned that I got angry really slowly. It built up from my childhood and it just lurked in my life. Sometimes it came in handy, like when I was on the ship and the shit hit the fan and they needed Captain Kirk to save the day. But more often than not, it ended up hurting someone. I just never realized how bad until I almost lost David."
"The drinking thing was sheer stupidity and a childish reaction to losing a dear friend. I've taken steps to assure that won't happen again. And the voodoo you brought up? Spock explained he had been denied telepathic intimacy before, and when I realized I was doing the same thing, I knew I had to let go."
"What about you, Spock? What are your reasons?" McCoy pressed.
"I believe both our statements could be begun with the phrase, I did not know. I learned from my mother the practice of holding one's comments and reactions until what she referred to as 'mission critical'. Had I known the endgame in this drama would be the near fatality of our marriage and the loss of our son, I would have spoken to Jim sooner."
"I have learned allowing Jim to indulge in his behavior to excess is more damaging than correcting him when necessary. I have also learned that leaving is not an answer. It merely causes more turmoil and strife."
"Okay, repeat it back," McCoy instructed. It was something he always had them do after they shared.
Jim nodded. "Spock learned as a kid to keep his mouth shut until things blew up, but he's learning now that he doesn't have to wait to say something to me. If I need disciplining, he can do it earlier and gentler. And he doesn't want to consider walking out an option anymore."
Spock straightened. "Jim's anger was a learned behavior as well, and was occasionally rewarded. He was unaware of its destructive power until recently, however he is now aware and attempting to correct his patterns. I must interject, he appears to be succeeding impressively." Spock glanced at Jim. "Jim has taken steps to prevent future alcoholic mishaps and will no longer hide his emotions in our bond."
McCoy beamed at the men. "You see, guys? A week ago you were barely speaking civilly to each other, and I was getting scared. But you got through it, and you've learned the most important lesson of all: to talk to each other. Don't keep it bottled up inside." He stood. "Now, I've got friends I'm meeting in two hours – "
"You've got night plans again?" Jim exclaimed.
"Dr. McCoy, you must allow yourself to rest. You did not sleep last night and I believe your work here has overextended you." Spock looked the man over. "I cannot insist you refuse this invitation, however would you be opposed to resting on our bed tomorrow while we are at work?"
"Jim?" McCoy questioned.
"Hey, that's Spock's sanctuary, and if he's offering, he's serious. He started letting me lie on his bed while we went over reports before we got married and I didn't realize what an honor that is. You've just been graced with the privilege of sleeping on Spock's bed!" Jim grinned enthusiastically at his friend.
McCoy stroked his jaw for a moment and then shrugged. "Thank you, Spock. I'll go rest on your bed tomorrow when I get in from whatever craziness they've got cooked up. I'm very honored."
There was a thundering noise of feet pounding down the stairs and David appeared, a thousand-watt smile on his face.
"Father! I did what you told me and she said she really does love me and she doesn't want to be with anyone else and I told her I would come back as soon as I could but even if I couldn't we'd always talk and then I SAID IT TO HER!" he blurted.
"Did what? Said what to who?" Jim replied.
Spock nodded regally to his stepson. "You have learned the same lesson your father and I have learned. Honesty strengthens a relationship. Congratulations, David."
"Somebody clue me in here?" Jim whined.
The Vulcan turned around. "David had raised concerns about the legitimacy of Ms. Irving's affection, and the veracity of her desire to be in a relationship with him. I urged him to speak honestly with her, to ascertain her motives. Your son has done so, has apparently received pleasing results, and if I understand his last part, has given her his affections officially."
"You said the L word?" McCoy asked the boy.
David blushed. "Yeah."
Jim put a fake smile on his face. "That's great, David. I'm happy for you." He scuffed a tennis shoe on the floor. "You said you'd come back, as in to Riverside? You still want to try to go back with your mom?" A note of disappointment crept into his voice.
"Yeah. Why not? You're afraid she won't take me, aren't you? Well I figured, if I tell Mom how great Jakob is and make him sound super cool like I did with you about Mr. Spock, then she'll let me stay!"
The movement in the room stopped abruptly. Jim looked over at Spock, who had paused in his attempt to rearrange the silverware. Then Jim looked at McCoy, who whistled silently. David was still oblivious as to what had just gone down.
McCoy sidled up to Jim and whispered to him, "You want me in on this one, kiddo, or you want me to make myself scarce?"
"Take Spock in the other room, will ya Bones?" Jim murmured back.
McCoy went and whispered a fraudulent request for help with busy work on the computer. Spock shook his head but McCoy insisted, and finally the Vulcan put down the forks and shut the drawer, walking out of the room.
Jim sat down at the table and snapped his fingers over at David. "Come here, David." His tone was not pleasant. David edged up and Jim leaned against the table with one arm. "You don't fully understand what you just said in front of my husband, do you?"
David knew when Mr. Spock stopped being 'Father' and started being his father's husband, something serious was going on. He stood a little straighter and put his hands behind his back.
"No, sir. What did I say, sir?"
