Spock's quarters
"Spock. I didn't expect your comm so soon." Spock's father said.
"Father, a matter has happend that I needed to speak with you urgently." Spock told his father. Halfway through his shift he had a thought he couldn't get away from. Meditation wouldn't work. He knew.
Sarek raised an eyebrow. "Does this matter involved your captain who was reduced to his younger age?"
"Yes." Spock said and told him about the ritual he performed. "I didn't acknowledge I was performing it until Leonard stepped inside the room."
"He stayed?" Sarek asked surprised.
"No. I wouldn't let him. I..."
"You don't need to explain that Spock. I know."
"Yes that is why I need more information on this matter. The ritual usually takes place between a child and a parent. Jim is not my child and still the ritual took place without my acknowledge."
"It's unusual indeed. Spock from what I understood from our conversations in de past is that you see Jim and Leonard as your 'brothers'"
"Yes father. We are family. That is what Leonard keeps reminding us of."
"Yes. Your 'brother' as you would say was in great distress. I am sure you have created a bond between Jim and Leonard in the time you know each other. Jim is a child now, who needs protection. A child with a broken and a damaged childhood. It is in the Vulcan nature to protect and praise the children. You are one of Jim's caretakers right now. Your Vulcan nature reacted on the situation."
Spock thought for a moment on what his father told him. "Father, is the ritual exhausting for the child. Did I... did I needed more rest after you performed the ritual with me."
"No son. The ritual should give you more energy without the conflict between the mind. Why do you ask?" Sarek asked with interested.
"Jim is showing different signs than I remembered after the ritual was performed. He thinks he just slept through the night but instead it was 1.5 day. He is also very tired." Spock begins and told him what happend in Len's office.
Sarek thought for a moment. "It seems that what I thought was indeed true. You have created a bond with the both of them. When you performed the ritual you gave Jim comfort and for a human child it's the warmed of a body around him and hearing a comforting familiar heartbeat. Jim is seeking for those two. While a Vulcan child would find comfort in meditation."
"Your logic is sound. Father I wasn't aware I created a bond."
"And what I from our conversations understand, neither are they. It's a notice that you have to talk about with them Spock. The sooner is better. They need to know."
"Thank you father. I will do it immediately."
"Live long and prosper, Safu." Sarek said before he ended the conversation. Spock stood up immediately and went to sickbay. He needed to talk to Leonard and Jim.
"Well? What is it? And don't come to me that you will stand me down. I slept. That was all what I needed." Leonard asked Geoff again.
Geoff shook his head and told Len to sit down like he did. "Your body needs more time to recover than the hours you now just slept and you know that too."
"Geoff..."
"But.. I will not stand you down. One night of a good night sleep and eat properly again then you can go back to work."
Len rolled his eyes. "Fine." He said before he leans forward. "What is the rest you wanted to talk about? You got the results form the blood sample?"
"Yes, they are different from the blood sample you took the last time but..."
"What is the but?" Leonard asked curious.
"They look some what like the ones you took when Jim just deaged." Geoff said slowly. Unsure what the results exactly mean.
"What? That can't be right. Let me see?" Len asked as he took the PADD.
"I don't understand it for myself either. The lab just send me a report on the stone. I didn't had time to check that one out just yet." Geoff showed Len the file.
Len was reading it patiently just like Geoff. They didn't talk for awhile. "This doesn't make any sense. It just look like Jim was reacting to the stone." Len said.
"Or the stone reacting on Jim." Geoff said as they looked at each other.
"But how and why? We need..." There suddenly was a knock on the office door before it opened.
"Excuse me for interrupting your conversation but I have a matter that I need to discuss with you. It's information I just received. It explains Jim's behavior." Spock said as he closed the door again. Len and Geoff looked confused.
"What are you talking about Spock? From who did your got information? Explain." Len said immediately.
"My father. Jim's behavior after the ritual was not like I remembered when the ritual was performed on me when I was younger. I asked my father for advice."
"And what did he say Spock?" Geoff asked curiously.
"Apparently I have unconsciously created a bond between Leonard and Jim. Jim reacted strongly on the ritual but the outcome of Jim's behavior was explained by his human nature."
Len stood up frustrated. "What are you talking about? A bond? The outcome!"
"Spock maybe you should start with what your father told you." Geoff suggested when he saw Len's frustration. Spock nodded and told them about the conversation. They then told Spock about he stone and about Jim's blood sample results.
"It seems like this all has reacted to each other." Geoff said.
"We need to talk to the grandmother who gave Jim the stone. Or at least the people." Len said and looked at Spock.
"Lieutenant Uhura was trying to find a way to give the planet a message but unfortunately we are too far away. I asked commander Pike permission to change our course to the planet."
"And... what did he say? Seriously Spock how hard is it to give us an answer in English?" Len asked.
Spock raised an eyebrow. "I am sure you know that admiral Pike needs to consult with the other admirals first to change our course without letting them know that our Captain was turned into a child."
Len mumbled something under his breath that wasn't meant for anyone's ears. "Damn politics."
"So all we can do is wait." Geoff said sadly.
"Yes. But while we are waiting we already took the opportunity to change course if they decided we could go back to the planet." Spock told them while both Geoff and Len looked shocked at him.
"You didn't" Len said in disbelief. "I mean I didn't knew you had the balls to do that. Jim...yeah he pissed off every admiral there is if he wants something but you... damn Jim must be a bad influence on you."
"If I am not forgetting we are doing this for Jim." Spock told him.
"You said we. You mean you were not the only one who decided this?" Geoff asked.
"The command crew was very vocal when the conversation with admiral Pike ended. We all agreed that this was the best option."
Len smiled. "That is our crew."
"Indeed it is."
"Where are we going?" Jim asked Chapel as they walked through the ship.
"Well I thought while the man are talking we could take care of your energy."
Jim raised an eyebrow. "Energy? What energy?"
"You are a little restless child who needs to move. Your energy. So we are going to take care of that."
Jim stopped suddenly. Christine looked confused behind her when she felt the hand that was holding her let go. "What is wrong?"
"You think am too bouncy?" Jim asked softly.
Christine immediately kneels in front of Jim. "Oh sweetie no that was not what I meant."
"Then why?"
"Honey little kids and I think all kids but definitely little kids play all the time. Running, jumping you name it. It gives you energy but also takes care of restless energy. It's just for you to have some fun."
"You sure? I don't want to be at bother."
Christine gave Jim a hug. "You are never a bother. Remember that Jim. You never are. For no one on this ship."
"Mom says I was." Jim said softly almost in a whisper.
"Well you are here now. Come on Uhura is also waiting for us." She told him as she stood up again and held Jim's hand. She gave I quick smile to Jim to make sure if it was also okay for him to move on. Jim smiled back and happily they walked to the gym. Christine made a mental note to talk about this with Len and Spock.
It wasn't long before they entered the gym. Jim's eyes immediately widened. There stood Uhura, Sulu, Chekov and Scotty. They made a play course that Jim couldn't believe.
"What are you all doing here? I thought... I thought..." Jim asked is disbelief.
"Well the lady had some good thoughts and needed help." Scotty said with a smile.
"Da, wee found some fun games for kidz." Chekov told him.
"So here we are. We wanted to play with you." Sulu said also with a smile.
"Really? You want to play with me?"
Uhura kneels next to Jim. "Of course sweetie. So what do you think?"
"I love it. Can we play now?"
"Yes honey. But first take of you shoes so no one gets hurt." Christine said. Soon Jim and the others had them off and ran to the play course.
"I know it may sounds crazy but is it an option to give Jim the stone and see what will happen?" Geoff asked in thoughts as they looked up some more information about Vulcans, children, the planet and the stone.
"What! You want to experiment with the kid. Are you crazy!" Len shouted.
"I said it sounds crazy. And I asked if it was an option not that we had to do it."
"Yeah, keep those options to yourself. Experimenting with kids. How could you even think about..."
"That thought has crossed my mind also doctor don't blame doctor M'Benga for speaking those thoughts." Spock said.
Len stood up. "What you also! Are you both crazy?"
"I believe you are not listening very well Leonard. I said I had them not that we had to do it."
"How could you both even thinking it? That stone should kept locked up where it is now and not leaving that place unless it is necessary."
"Well if you want to know how we got those thoughts... Jim was in distress, Spock went in a Vulcan ritual that he shouldn't have performed, Jim behaving strangely, readings were off, bloodwork came back like he was just changed and on the top off all that the stone got those weird lab results and readings like Jim was having. We said already that it looked like they were reacting to each other!" Geoff told him some what frustrated about being accused for a logical thought.
"I know we said that!" Len said also with frustration.
"I believe we should all as you would say calm down. I understand it is a sensitive subject." Spock told them.
"No shit Spock." Len said as he sat down.
"What has the out..." Spock begins but Geoff stopped him before he could asked.
"It is just a saying Spock."
They were silent for a moment before Len spoke again with hands in his hair. "What if something like this happened again? It will still be days before we arrive at the planet."
"There is nothing we could do. Like we said. We don't understand the readings and why they changed." Geoff said with sympathy.
"And we all know what we could try to get the readings again to learn to understand them." Spock said.
"You mean to connect Jim and the stone. That damn stone. All comes back to that damn stone that is not telling us anything."
"Len, are you now telling us that you want to try it?" Geoff asked confused.
Len looked up again. "I am telling you that I want Jim to be safe. He already deaged of that damn thing."
"And we also want Jim to be safe. We would not do anything to harm him."
"I think we should read more into those readings and lab results so that we could make a plan to connect Jim and the stone safely. We want to do it in a safe setting but also to get the information we want." Spock told them.
"Okay time to begin." Geoff said and Len soon followed.
They all played for a long time before Scotty, Sulu and Chekov were called back to their stations.
Jim was now sitting on his own throwing a ball against the wall. Uhura and Christine were talking for awhile. Suddenly Christine was gone and he looked confused but Uhura smiled at him telling him not to worry. So here he was again throwing the ball against the wall.
Suddenly the door of the gym opened and Christine was back. She called him to her so he stood up and did what was asked. When he was there she kneels in the front of him with her hands behind her back.
"Hey honey did you like the play course?"
"Yeah it was fun. I didn't like it when the others had to leave."
Uhura ran a hand through Jim's hair. "That is understandable. Jim we have something for you. And we hoped you would like it."
"Yes we noticed you were missing something and we thought about it for awhile." Christine told him.
"What was I missing?" Jim asked confused.
"This." Christine said with a smile and held out a teddybeer. Not just a teddybeer the softest teddybeer you could find and wearing a yellow captain's shirt.
Jim took the teddybeer carefully. Unsure if it was really for him. "For me?"
"Yes sweetie." Uhura said.
"I can keep it?"
"Of course. It is your own teddybeer." As Christine said this Jim immediately took the teddybeer close to him. Hugging it and rubbing his cheek over the teddybeer's head. Is was so soft.
"Thank you. Both of you." Jim said with smile.
"You are welcome honey."
"I never had a stuffed animal before. Bones helped me made a puppet but it... wasn't so soft as this one."
Uhura smiled. "That was Bones quick thinking to make you something you could hold but we thought you needed something more like this. A captains teddybeer."
Jim laugh at that and gave them both a hug. He went back to play course and starts playing with his beer.
"He looks so sweet, doesn't he? So happy." Christine said.
"Yes. That he does. You think it was true what he said?" Uhura asked somewhat concerned.
"Said what?"
"That he never had a stuffed animal before. I mean he is a kid. All kids have those. But when we gave it.. he looked so unsure. And then he said that..."
"Len said he didn't had the best childhood. He never went in many details but neglect was one of them for sure."
"I agree. The signs are all over the place. How could a parents do to that to a child?"
"That is something I could never understand. But one thing is for sure. Jim is a strong person. He is our captain. That is one big step for someone who went through this as a child."
"And with that information I felt bad about how I treated him back at the academy."
Christine laid her hand on Uhura shoulder. "You don't have to feel bad about that. You could never know. Jim would let you see what he wanted you to see."
"He is lucky he has Len and Spock in his corners now."
"And us. Don't forget the crew. We are his family now."
"Yes you are right."
"Well I think it is time to bring him back. It looks like he is getting tired." Christine said and walked to him. They spoke for a moment before Jim held up his arms. Christine lifted him up and put him on her hip. His teddybeer still in his arm. Uhura came to them and told them she had to get back to work. Jim waved back at Uhura before Christine walked back with Jim to sickbay. Jim laid his head on her shoulder as he snuggled with his teddybeer.
When they stepped inside sickbay, they just saw M'Benga leaving the office of one Leonard McCoy. Jim looked confused and remembered something. He moved and told Christine to put him down. Just as his feet touched the ground he ran in the direction Geoff went to. Christine calling after him.
"Jim? Is something wrong? Did something happened to Christine?" He asked concerned when Jim came running after him.
"She is okay. She brought me here."
Geoff was still concerned and kneels in the front of him. "Something wrong with you?"
Jim shook his head and walked back so that he was hiding next to a bandage cart and sat down on the ground. Geoff looked confused and sat next to him.
"Okay I see something is bothering you and you think I could help or otherwise you wouldn't come to me."
Jim nodded and held the teddybeer closer.
Geoff looked at it and smiled as he saw the shirt of the teddybeer. "Christine gave that to you?"
"Yes and Uhura. They said I could keep it."
"Well that was kind of them."
Jim nodded again and was silent for a moment before he looked at M'Benga. "Will you be honest with me?"
Geoff looked confused at the question. "Uh.. yes sure Jim always. Did I do something that you believed I wouldn't be?"
Jim shook his head no. "I need to ask you something and you have to be honest."
"Okay."
Jim took a deep breath. "Is Bones sick?"
"Sick? Why would you..."
"It's a simple question. You said you would be honest with me. So yes or no." Jim asked frustrated now.
Geoff looked confused. "I am sorry I hesitated Jim but I was a little confused by the question. No at my acknowledge he is not sick. So my question for you. Why would you think that?"
Jim stood up and looked angry. "Because you said you wanted to talk to Bones privately. Because you had his readings from the tricorder. And you were still in his office when we came back."
Geoff closed his eyes as he now understood how Jim's mind must be working before he looked at him again. "Oh kiddo come here." He held his arms out to invite Jim to come sit with him. Jim hesitated for a moment before he sat down. Geoff put his arms around him.
"When you were with Spock, Len was here working. You slept for a long time. Len did dubbele shifts without enough sleep. I warned him to get some sleep but he told me he was waiting for you. So when you came this morning he finally slept. I ran a tricorder over your body but also over Len to make sure he was okay."
"So was he?"
"Yes. He was just exhausted. The sleep he got did him good."
"So why did you needed to talk to him if he was okay?"
"I wanted to tell him to take better care of himself so we didn't had to repeat this."
"That was all?" Jim asked skeptical.
"Yes that was all about Len's health. He is healthy. He is not sick. You don't need to worry about that."
"So why were you still in his office then?"
"He is still my boss you know. I have to give him my reports." He said as he tickled Jim. Jim had to laugh at that and quickly forgot about other questions he wanted to asked. Much to relief of Geoff. He didn't knew how to explain the conversation about the Vulcan ritual and the stone.
As Jim was slowing down and snuggled more with his teddybeer in his arms, Geoff had now a good idea why Christine brought Jim back. The kid was tired.
"What you say I bring you back to Len and Spock. I think that is better than sitting here on the floor."
Jim nodded and put his arms around Geoff neck so that he could be carried. Geoff looked confused at this. He never thought that Jim would let him hold him. He quickly shook his head and put his arms around Jim and stood up. If Jim was trusting him now enough to hold him he wouldn't let the opportunity go. He walked to Len's office. He caught himself as he walked that he was swinging with Jim in his arms. An instinct he had when holding little kids. Giving them comfort and getting them to sleep. Jim had already laid his head on his shoulder but he didn't knew if he had closed his eyes.
Len and Spock looked up when the door of the office opened and Geoff stood there with Jim in his arms.
"Is Jim hurt?" Spock asked immediately as they both stood up.
"No, just sleepy." He said as he gave Jim carefully to Leonard. Apparently had just closed his eyes before he stepped inside the office.
"And he just let himself be carried by you?" Len asked confused as he was now also examining the teddybeer Jim was holding.
"He was tired. At the point of falling asleep. And what is wrong with being carried by me?"
"Nothing. I am just confused that is all." Len said immediately.
"Jim is not that fond of being carried by everyone or holding hands. So it was understandable that we were confused when he was in your arms Doctor." Spock said as he stood next to Leonard.
"Well can't blame you. I had the same thoughts when he put his arms around my neck."
Len smiled at him. "He got to your heart huh? Wrapped around your little finger. Or was I mistaken when I saw you swinging with him in your arms."
"Oh shut up Len. He is a little kid."
"That he is. So the teddybeer?"
"It appears to have a captain shirt on." Spock told them.
"Oh yes. Cute isn't it. Christine and Uhura got it for him."
Just as Geoff said this, Christine walked by. Len waved at her and gave her a sign to come in.
"Ah I see you got Jimmy in your arms again." Christine said.
"Yes. I can only guess what you made him do to get himself tired out."
Christine smiled and told them what they did in the gym. "I think that was just what he needed."
"Why did you gave him a teddybeer that looks like a captain?" Spock asked suddenly. Christine looked confused at the question.
"Because he is little. He still likes the bridge and the chair so we thought this was a good present for him."
"What has little to do with you giving him..."
"Spock it's just a stuffed animal. Human children get them. Is gives them safety and comfort."
"He got us."
Len sighs and took a deep breath to not to get angry at the Vulcan who didn't understand human habits. "Yes he does. See it as a replenishment. Children need that."
"Yes now that we are talking about that... Uhmm. Jim told me some things. I don't think he got this when he was little." Christine told them carefully.
Len raised an eyebrow. "Told you what things? And what didn't he got?"
"Well not much just small things. You know the signs. He didn't wanted to be a bother. Told me his mom..."
"That woman! Seriously if I see her..."
"Leonard you have to keep calm. On this ship we can't do nothing about it. It was a different time. That said it doesn't mean I don't share you opinion. But we have to think about Jim." Spock told him.
"That is why we gave him the teddybeer. He said he never had one and we believed he needed one." Christine said with a sad smile.
"At least he got a family here for him. Chris thanks again for giving him that and giving him a fun time." Len said.
"You are welcome. He is in our hearts too."
"That he is. What I still don't understand is why you Geoff came back with him." Len asked confused.
"I brought him here. But as soon we stepped inside sickbay he wanted to be put down and ran after Geoff." Christine told them.
Everyone was now looking at Geoff. "Uhmm yeah he was worried about you Len. Wanted to know you were okay. He was confused that I came out of your office just now."
"You didn't tell him what we discussed I hope?" Len asked worried.
"No no. Of course not. Just told him I some report that you needed to see."
"Oh thank god."
Christine was now raising an eyebrow. "What have you been discussing that is so secret that Jim can't know?"
"He can know when it is time." Geoff told her.
Christine crossed her arms. "What are you planning?"
"We want Jim to touch the stone again." Spock told her.
"YOU WANT TO DO WHAT!" Christine yelled.
Unfortunately her yelling woke Jim up and looked confused around him. Len put his hand on Jim's head to keep it on his chest.
"Shh kiddo. Just go back to sleep. It's okay."
"What is wrong?" Jim asked sleepy.
"Nothing, Christine heard something. Nothing for you to worry about. Just go back to sleep." Len kept repeating until Jim was back asleep again. In the mean time Chapel was pacing te office.
"This is crazy." Christine hissed.
"I had the same thoughts. We all had. But.." Len begins.
"No but's. He is a child. A sweet little child. Who went through enough already. We have to protect him not experiment with him!"
"I see that you have some maternal instincts that are coming out. May I remind you that he is still our captain." Spock told her.
If Christine could get any angrier it was now. "I know that commander. But respectfully how dare you to throw my emotions, my logical emotions on my femininity!"
"It's a instinct all female has. I was not..."
Christine throws her hands in the air before she opened the door of the office. "He is a child who needs protection!" She said before she storms angry out of the office.
All the man were looking at doorway she just went through. "Well that went well." Geoff said.
Jim was waking up again. Len quickly gave Jim to Spock so that he could get him to stay asleep. "That went not well at all. And I don't blame her."
"I thought you went with the plan? Why else were we in the office all day?" Geoff asked confused. Thinking that Len didn't agree with them anymore.
"I was. I am. I am just saying I understand her too. I was thinking the same thing. Still am despite the plan. But I also know we have not much of a choice anymore."
"She won't see that. She was furious. We have to talk to her. Soon. We already doing this tomorrow. We need her." Geoff said seriously.
"I know. I will go after her and explain everything." Len said as he went to walk out of the office but stopped when he remembered something. "In the meantime Geoff you could explain to Spock human emotions and what we can and can't say. Seriously you could dismantle a world war or a ship war if you keep this up." He said as he throws his arms in the air and went to look for Christine.
"It is not my intention to do that but the meaning in the sentence also doesn't make sense." Spock told him.
Geoff sighs. "Why don't we walk back to your quarters. You can put Jim in bed and after that we could sit down why I explain what Len was meaning."
Spock raised an eyebrow. "Very well."
