Hey guys! So this is the final chapter of Fragments. Many thanks to everyone who read the story. Feel free to check out our other fics too. We hope that you enjoy this last chapter, much love xox

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They'd been captured, tortured. Jim had been chained to a wall, and Spock had refused to leave and save himself when he'd had the chance. He would kill all of them for laying hands on his First Officer.

I can help you, Jim… Let me save you…

They would let them both go…but they must…no! They couldn't, Jim couldn't ask that of Spock, couldn't do it to himself.

I will not let you die. I cannot let you die…

He wouldn't listen to Jim, he didn't know, couldn't know how much Jim wanted that between them, but not like this. How would Spock ever look at him again?

For your life… I would do anything… For your life I would risk our friendship…

He tried, really he did, to stop Spock from making this mistake, and in the end he stopped trying and threw himself into the moment. He relished every touch, every kiss, every sound that the Vulcan would give him. He'd wanted this for so long, and this would certainly be the first and last time it would ever happen. He no longer cared that they had an audience.

I will pay whatever the price is… because you… Jim, you are too precious to me…

He hadn't known Spock felt that way, did it mean…?

Spock was inside of him and it was pure bliss, nothing had ever felt better in his life. He couldn't care less about the cold stone on his back, or the metal trapping his wrists because the man he loved was inside him, touching him, kissing him with such intense passion.

Jim…

God, the way Spock moaned his name, they were so close to the edge, he could feel it building and burning inside of him.

Please forgive me… Jim… please…

Spock still didn't understand; Jim wanted this, wanted him, desperately. There was no time, they jumped off the precipice together.

I am begging for your forgiveness…

Jim couldn't move, but he could feel Spock's guilt, that was weird. Spock was in turmoil with himself. He still hadn't realised that Jim wanted him. He was disgusted with himself, had betrayed his morals as a being and a Vulcan. He had been selfish in going against his Captain's orders, because he couldn't stand a world without James Kirk. The man was too precious to him, to Starfleet, he had to save him. He had said that he would pay the price, was it cowardice to make Jim forget? Surely only one of them needed to carry the burden. He was no longer worthy of this being, if he ever had been.

My intention was never to hurt you, as I once stated you are too precious to me. Even more so than I could ever confess.

He still couldn't move, he needed to, needed to tell Spock, needed him to know…if only he could move, or speak…

Therefore, I am taking away all of the bad memories from you…

No! No, Spock! Move dammit!

Forget…

o.O.o

Jim woke with a start, but it wasn't the same as the last couple of mornings, it was that feeling of being late for something that wrenched Jim from his dream. No, his memories! He remembered everything. And more somehow. Somehow he knew Spock's emotions, his thoughts, in the hospital.

Spock! He had to find his First Officer, had to stop him from leaving, had to set the story straight.

He jumped from the bed and cringed from the feeling of wet boxers, he sincerely hoped that that would stop now he had his memories back. Not wasting any time, Jim discarded his boxers and had the quickest shower of his life; he was still a Starship Captain, he couldn't be seen running around the Enterprise, or god forbid, the Starbase in his current condition.

While he was drying, Jim ran a search for Spock's whereabouts on the ship's computer.

"First Officer Spock is currently not on board the USS Enterprise."

Jim's stomach flipped. The computer showed that they had docked at the Starbase already, so he tried the transporter room next as he dressed in his command uniform.

"Aye, Scott here."

"Scotty! Has Mr Spock transported off the ship this morning?"

"Aye sir, not two minutes ago. He seemed mighty eager to be the first one off."

Shit! "I'll there in a few minutes, did he say where he was going?" he ran a hand through his hair and pulled his boots on.

"No sir, is everything alright?"

"If I can find Spock it will be," he bolted from the room without ending the communication and raced to the transporter room.

He ignored all of the looks the crew gave him as he rushed through the corridors and then the door of the transporter room and onto the transporter pad, "Beam me down, now Mr Scott."

"Aye Captain," Scotty worked the console without asking any more questions, and Jim felt the familiar tug of his person being transported to another place. He landed on solid ground, immediately glancing around the crowds for Spock.

Panic rose in his chest, there were too many people; he needed to be higher. He spied some crates over by some travellers and jumped atop them without a word to the people they belonged to. They yelled at him in a language he had only heard a handful of times, and knew not a lick of.

Desperately, Jim searched the crowd, and then there, in the stream of people headed away from the main entrance Jim spotted a black bowl cut between two pointed ears.

"Spock!" he called out.

The travellers grabbed one of his arms and yanked him down off of the crate, "Sorry!" he tossed over his shoulder as he barrelled into the crowd in the direction he'd seen Spock. People gave him disgruntled comments, and affronted looks as he barged his way through them calling out for his First Officer.

The crowd thinned out in the next section and Jim caught sight of a dark grey robe with Vulcan inscriptions between a pair of purple ladies with four eyes and forest green hair.

"Spock!"

The Vulcan stiffened and turned on the spot, searching for the source of his name, "Captain?" he called back upon spotting Jim.

Jim hurried to catch up with him in case Spock decided to flee, but it seemed the Vulcan was rooted to the spot.

"Captain, what are you-?"

Jim slapped him across his left cheek, "That's for taking away my memories and leaving," there were so many emotions bubbling in his chest. Spock was still reeling from the slap when Jim gripped his robe and kissed him hard.

"And that?" Spock stared at him stunned as the people passing by watched them.

Jim sighed; he still had to spell it out, "Aren't you supposed to be a genius? I love you, you fucking idiot."

Spock opened and closed his mouth a few times, like his brain struggled to comprehend what he'd just heard, "I-I don't understand…"

"Is your hangover that bad?" Jim joked, hiding his nerves; this could still go sideways on him.

"Do you not remember…what I…what happened?"

"I remember perfectly Spock, please come back to the ship. This isn't really a conversation I think either of us want to have in public," he reasoned, glancing around at the crowds.

o.O.o

The pair didn't speak until they were behind the closed door of the Captain's quarters, and even then the silence clung to them.

Where should he start? How could he explain? Self-doubt crept into his mind, and suddenly he wasn't very sure of where this conversation was going to end up. Would Spock still choose to leave? Was the damage done already?

"Spock, I-"

"Captain-"

They both started at the same time.

"You go Spock…"

Spock nodded and stepped forward before dropping to his knees, head bowed, "I beg thee for forgiveness. If there had been another way to save you, I would have taken it. I surrender myself for discipline Captain. For what it is worth, I am sorry," his voice very slightly cracked at the end.

"Spock…please get up. You don't understand…" Spock raised his head to look at up Jim, but made no move to get up.

"I understand what I did perfectly Captain."

"No, you don't," Jim sighed, it was time for his confession, "I love you Spock, god, I've wanted to be with you since we first met. Down on that planet…I wasn't trying to stop you because I didn't want to have sex with you. I've wanted to be intimate with you for so long, I didn't want our first, and probably only time to be like that, because of that situation. I didn't want you to do it because you thought you had too. To know that you would only touch me like that out of duty, I didn't want that."

Spock was silent for what felt like an eternity, Jim could almost hear the wheels turning in his head, and see the emotions flashing through his eyes.

"I…" Spock was clearly struggling to find to the words, "I apologise, I did not know. I had hoped our first coupling, if we were to have one, to be under better circumstances also. Although, I admit that I did not realise that your feelings went past friendship."

"I didn't realise yours did either…you know until you told me I was precious, and you kissed me last night," Jim pointed out, still uncertain of how the conversation was going. "I, um, also got some of your…thoughts and feelings with my memories…"

"Ah," Jim would swear that he saw the tips of Spock's ears turn green, "emotional transference can occur at times."

"Oh, that would explain it," Jim knelt down to be at Spock's level, "I understand why you did what you did Spock. I understand it from my perspective, and yours. I don't know what I would have done if the role had been reversed, but you made a decision that saved both of us, and I know that decision wasn't easy for you in any way. That takes courage Spock. I couldn't even stick to my guns…" he blushed at his own thoughts, the way Spock had felt against him, inside of him, fuck.

"Will you be handing me over to Starfleet for appropriate discipline?" Spock asked, and then added, "I still disobeyed direct orders Captain…"

"Spock! Are you even listening to me? I'm not reporting any of this to Starfleet, as far as I'm concerned you did everything you could to save my life. Though, we should probably try communicating better, so that this sort of misunderstanding doesn't happen again," Jim thought for a moment, "and don't ever take away my memories again unless it is on my explicit orders."

"Yes Captain," Spock dipped his head, "permission to stay aboard the Enterprise as your First Officer?"

"Granted," Jim could breathe a little easier now that Spock had chosen to stay, they hadn't resolved everything however, "I had hoped that you might be more now though…"

"I am also the Chief Science Officer…" Spock reminded him, "was there another role that you wished me to take on also?"

"I rather hoped that you might take on the role of boyfriend…would-would that be something you'd be interested in?" Jim inquired anxiously.

"After everything that has happened, you would still wish for…us?"

Jim nodded firmly, "Yes, no doubts." He'd waited so long for this, went through so much to get here. It wasn't a conventional method of finding out your crush liked you back, but Jim wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Who knew how long they could have danced around this otherwise.

"Captain, it would be most pleasing to accept your offer. When should I start?" Just like everything else in his life, Spock obviously took this seriously too.

"How about right now?" Jim asked silkily. He leaned forward, finding Spock's cheek with his palm and kissed him gently. He let Spock set the pace, not wanting to push the Vulcan too far too fast.

They simply kissed for a while, long, languid caresses of lips, where the world around them ceased to exist because that was how it was always meant to be, how it should have been the first time.

Jim's fingers skimmed over sharp cheek bones to trace a pointed ear. He loved Spock's ears, and was grateful that his Vulcan heritage had won in the gene selection of ears. His thumb rubbed the very tip and Spock inhaled deeply through his nose. Jim smiled into the next kiss; it would be exciting to learn every little intimate detail of Spock's body, what made him gasp, or moan, or beg.

One of Spock's arms came to wrap around Jim's lower back, drawing him in closer until two arms could be wound around Jim. It was tender, but greedy, like he was worried that the moment he would let go it would all disappear again.

"I'm not going anywhere," Jim whispered against Spock's lips.

"It was foolish to think that I could leave," Spock admitted in response, "it was foolish to think that you needed me to make all of the decisions for you. You are an intelligent being, and while you do make questionable choices at times, they are usually the correct ones."

"You don't need to continue apologising," Jim wrapped his arms around Spock's shoulders in a hug and pressed his cheek to Spock's. "I'm not going to suddenly change my mind and cast you out," he assured his Vulcan, "and…if, uh, if you want to take things slow that's totally okay too. I can't say that I'm an expert on Vulcan intimacy and dating…yet, but I want to learn about you and your culture, and what you like and are comfortable with."

Spock's arms tightened around Jim, "Taluhk nash-veh k'dular," he said softly while he got a better grip and picked Jim up as he stood and walked them over to the bed.

"You can teach me your language too, I'm pretty decent with my tongue," there may have been a double meaning to his sentence, but he doubted that Spock would pick up on it.

Or maybe he would. Spock sat Jim down on the edge of the mattress and raised an eyebrow, "I can confirm that to be true, and I would be honoured to teach you Vulcan."

Jim chuckled, "Oh Spock, you only got a taste of my talents."

"I see, I look forward to further demonstrations then."

"Yeah?"

"Yes Jim," Spock confirmed, "I must admit that I have never felt this drawn to anyone in such a way before. It can be…consuming."

Jim licked his lips, fuck, that sort of admission did things to a guy, "Just to clarify…are you wanting to take this slow, or…?"

"Unless you wish too, then no, I see no point in building up to something that we have already done."

"I don't want to wait either…I want to make new memories with you, ones that we will both enjoy and want to remember for the rest of our lives."

Spock properly slotted himself between Jim's legs and leaned in to kiss him again. Jim's arms once again circled around Spock's neck and then dragged him down on top of him without breaking the kiss as he laid back on the bed. Strong hands gripped Jim's hips and moved them both further up the bed so that their feet no longer dangled off of the edge. On the planet, Spock had held him in place, but this time he released his grip and put his hands to better use.

Their legs tangled together and Jim bit off a groan as their groins settled against each other. Just the weight of Spock on him was enough cause a chain reaction. God, did he want to feel Spock bare against him, he longed for it. The memory of how good it had felt wasn't enough, he wanted to feel the real thing, right that minute.

"I believe that this would be more productive if I removed my robe," Spock stated, waiting for Jim to let go of him.

Jim nodded and propped himself up as Spock got back off of the bed. He was eager to see Spock in all of his naked glory properly for the first time. He had only been able to feel Spock against him last time, and he wanted to be able to view the entire package. Just thinking about it made his pants tight.

Spock removed his robe and hung it over the chair at Jim's desk. Jim was disappointed to find that the Vulcan was also fully dressed in Starfleet blacks under his robe.

"I think that you should also take those off…" Jim suggested huskily, his tongue darted out wetting his bottom lip.

"You are still fully dressed," Spock pointed out, though he eyes raked over Jim's body causing him to shiver.

Jim couldn't move fast enough to rid himself of his shirt and pants, he tossed them to the floor, leaving himself naked apart from his boxers. He spread his legs on the bed and leaned back on his elbows, giving Spock a come hither look through his eyelashes, "Better?"

Spock's brown eyes flared with what Jim now theorised was lust, and scolded himself for not recognising it for what it was earlier.

Procedurally, Spock removed and folded his own clothes, leaving him in the same state of undress as Jim, who was practically drooling by that point. The Vulcan was toned, with a nest of dark chest hair, and what appeared to be a tattoo on his left calf. Jim would have to ask him about that later, but it certainly added to the look.

"Come here…" Jim requested, holding out a hand, "I can't wait to touch you, god, I've wanted you like this for so long Spock. The memory of us being together only makes me want to touch you more, and lay my eyes on every inch of your stunning body," he admitted, he needed to calm down or he was going to ravage Spock the moment he was on the bed.

Spock stepped towards the bed as if he had all the patience in the world, however his words gave away how much he wanted Jim in return, "Did you not think that I may also be affected by these memories…? Underneath all of the other things, there was still desire Jim, there has been for some time. Like I said; it is consuming, the want to be joined in every sense. If I had not thought…my body yearns for yours Jim, my mind, and my soul, yearn for yours," Spock informed him, he was so close to Jim that a slight movement would cause them to touch. "To meld during intercourse is highly intimate for Vulcans, I would not have melded with you at that time, except that there was no other way to ease the pain that you would have been caused. I did not intend to go that far into your mind, but your mind was very receptive, welcoming even, you felt like…home, and I lost myself in the moment with you," he crawled back onto the bed, but was careful not to touch any part of Jim as he lined his body up with Jim's and held himself up on his hands and knees. "I believe that we partially formed a bond, one that will be with us both forever."

Jim wasn't sure what to say, he had assumed that melding during sex would mean a lot for Spock, which is why he had been so surprised when it had happened. He hadn't known about forming a bond though, he supposed that must line up with what Spock had said about yearning for him. Which, he had to say, was about the most freaking romantic thing that anyone had ever said to him. He had to wonder why Spock was bringing it up now though.

"Please tell me that you aren't trying to apologise again…" Jim finally said, he just wanted to touch the Vulcan already.

"I cannot bring myself to regret the outcome of our meld. Even only partially formed, I know that it is special. However you have the right to know that it is there, and that should we choose to, we could become a fully bonded pair."

Brown eyes searched his blue ones, and Jim felt the weight of his gaze, "Okay, I understand. I'm not upset with you about it or anything."

"You should know that the bond is sacred, and should not be taken lightly."

"I respect that Spock, and if you want, we can get dressed and talk about these things more…or we can talk about it further later if you would prefer to continue where this was going…" he glanced down the line of their bodies to allude to what he meant.

"Ah," something seemed to click in Spock's brain, "this was not the time to bring up such things, I apologise, I only wished you to be fully informed. I am not certain that I will have the strength to walk away again if you decide that this is not what you want after we do this."

Jim used a move that he had learnt for sparring and combat to flip them over on the bed, so that it was Spock's back on the soft covers while Jim held himself mere millimetres above the Vulcan, "Spock, I only want you, have only wanted you since we first met. I'm not going anywhere, I promise," Spock hesitated a moment and then nodded in acceptance of his words. "Can I touch you now?"

"I would like that."

Jim laid his body on top of Spock's, chest to chest, legs between legs, and finally Jim could feel Spock's manhood against his own. He gasped, even that contact, still protected by two layers of cloth was electric. Hands moved to his back, trailing up and down a few times until one cupped the back of his head and the other rested over Jim's ass cheek.

Another kiss was initiated by Jim, this one was more urgent than the previous kisses they had shared that day though. Jim's hips automatically ground into Spock's, while his hand discovered Spock's chest, playing over dusty green nipples and through dark hair, and then dancing up his neck to caress those pointed ears again. He could feel Spock growing in his underwear beneath him, and the hand on his ass slid down the back of his thigh to find the opening of the leg of his boxers and glide back up to grip the same cheek firmly, causing them to be pressed together tighter.

Jim moaned into Spock's mouth as the Vulcan sucked on his tongue, god, it was even better than he remembered to be touched by Spock. The fingers gripping his ass cheek ran down his crack and ghosted over his hole. He bit Spock's lip and whined, bucking his hips.

So Spock did it again, and Jim felt frenzied; he nibbled down Spock's neck to which the Vulcan groaned, his head thrown back against the pillows. He stopped at the protruding collarbone and bit and sucked a deep green bruise into the skin there.

Spock exhaled deeply and then swallowed, "I-I trust that you have lubricant…"

"Yeah," Jim replied breathlessly before reluctantly climbing off of Spock to retrieve said lube from his bedside table. He hurried back to his previous position and handed the Vulcan the lube before shimmying down to strong thighs and taking Spock's underwear with him.

Jim's cock throbbed at the sight that he had uncovered, like damn, and to think that it had already been inside of him once, and was about to be again. He couldn't believe that this was happening; he'd fantasised about this for so long, never truly trusting that he could have this one day. And yet here they were, about to consummate something that they both knew was the beginning of the most special relationship of their lives…

"Jim?"

He'd stared too long, lost in beauty of the man in front of him, "You're fucking gorgeous Spock."

The tips of Spock's ears and the ridges of his sharp cheekbones flushed green, "I find your physique most appealing also."

Jim picked up Spock's hand and kissed his knuckles as a sign of appreciation. Now that he'd been brought back to the present, Jim traced his thumbs down the grooves of Spock's hips and groin. The Vulcan hummed in response, his well-endowed, green erection sat curled up on his stomach, just waiting, inviting Jim to bestow all manner of touches upon it. Jim was not a man to ignore his lover's obvious needs; he slid his fingertips down and then back up the silky green length and then used his thumb to familiarise himself with the head, gently rubbing at the glands.

He was rewarded with breathy sighs from the Vulcan under him, and then the sighs turned to quiet whines as Jim leaned his head down and licked at the slit in the tip. He was determined to taste what he knew would fill him later, and fuck if that thought didn't make him shiver with anticipation.

Jim sunk his mouth down over the length without warning, and the sexy grunt that escaped Spock's mouth was more than worth almost choking as his hips bucked involuntarily, forcing his cock further down Jim's throat. He didn't give Spock time to recover, Jim immediately began bobbing his head in long movements, he had one hand at the base while the other gripped Spock's hip.

Jim made sure only to keep a pace that would continue to make Spock groan, but not allow him to come; he didn't want this to be over before he could feel Spock inside a different hole. It appeared that Spock could only take so much though, and soon Jim felt a hand grip onto his hair and then he was pulled back up to lay on Spock again.

Spock's free hand tore down Jim's boxers, while the other continued to hold on to his hair, and he was kissed with fiery passion. The way Spock kissed him combined with the hair pulling and the feeling of their lengths brushing against each other almost made him dizzy.

Suddenly there was a wet finger at his hole, and Jim spread his legs, offering himself to Spock, there was nothing holding him back this time, he wanted this with every fibre of his being. The finger pushed into him slowly, knuckle by knuckle until he could finger fuck Jim's hole with ease. Two and then three fingers filled and fucked him, and Jim had never felt more exposed, yet safer in his life. It felt super intimate, like no other sex he'd ever had, he'd never put his heart into the mix before but with Spock it felt right. Their first time had not been like this, it was incredibly hot and desperate, and while it didn't lack emotion, it wasn't the love, safety, and honest desire that this encounter radiated.

"Spock, p-p-please…" Jim whimpered, he was a naked mess; cock leaking, body shaking, breath heavy.

"Are you sure…?" Spock's voice was deep with desire, but as Jim looked into his eyes, he could see the hesitation, the uncertainty, the deeper meaning to the question.

Jim made sure that Spock was staring back into his blue eyes as he confidently assured his Vulcan, "I am sure…sure of you, of us, of this."

Spock brought their heads close enough to kiss him with fervour. Jim heard the cap of the lube bottle and then he was being manoeuvred into position above Spock. Jim gripped Spock's slicked up length between his legs and helped to slowly guide him in. He gasped, digging his fingers into Spock's shoulders at the feeling of finally being filled with the man he loved.

"Are-" Spock swallowed and tried again, "are you alright?"

"Mhmm…yeah, fuck, yes. You feel so good. Are you ready if I move?" he was trying not to squirm from the way Spock was hard-pressed into him so deeply.

Spock licked his lips and nodded. Jim barely waited for him to finish nodding before he was lifting himself back off of Spock's solid erection and dropping back down onto it. Hands gripped into his hips and ass cheeks, helping him to bounce more effectively, meanwhile Spock made small thrusts up into him as he came down onto his length.

"Ah, ah, ah, ah," Jim moaned with every thrust.

Without warning Spock stilled Jim when he was fully seated and then rolled them over. Something in Jim's mind had expected cold stone, but there were only soft covers against his back, and then the thought was gone and he choked on a moan as his knees were bent over Spock's shoulder and his needy hole was ploughed into.

"Uggghhnn Spock!"

Spock set a moderate pace to start with, one that Jim could easily keep up with but was made more difficult with the added pleasure of Spock's mouth paying attention to the legs over his shoulders. He nibbled and sucked at the sensitive skin of Jim's thighs, all the while his pace quickened, and Jim was quickly losing his mind.

Jim swore he heard Spock growl something before leaving a decent sized hickey on his right thigh, causing Jim to keen. He'd always enjoyed being marked, but it felt like Spock was laying his claim on Jim, and that thought alone brought him closer to the edge.

"Mmm, yeah, claim me, I'm all yours," the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.

Spock's gaze turned to him, his eyes ablaze, as was his body where it was connected to Jim's, and he growled again, though this time Jim understood the single word; mine. It made him shudder as desire spiked down his spine and pooled in his groin.

"Jim, mmnnn, Jim," Spock grunted swapping to shorter thrusts while he leaned in to lock lips with Jim. It was a lot of tongue and teeth, and a little wet, but goddamn if it didn't only spur them both on further.

Spock's pace was punishing after that, he pushed impossibly deeper into Jim, filling him again and again, their bodies slapping together. Spock adjusted their position so that he could wrap a hand around Jim's solid, dripping erection and it had Jim crying out with every stroke and thrust.

"Oh god, yes, yes, Spock! Ahhhhggnnn!" Jim's orgasm ran through his body like lightning as his back bowed and his body tightened around Spock's. The hand on his cock milked him through the waves of pleasure until there was no more to give.

Through heavily lidded eyes Jim watched as Spock brought his come coated hand up to his mouth and licked it clean.

"Fuck," Jim groaned breathily, he almost couldn't believe how hot that was, and that it was Spock doing it.

Those smouldering eyes caught Jim's and Spock continued to thrust into him with renewed vigour until moments later when he spilt his load deep inside of Jim with a guttural groan.

After Spock had regained enough breath and energy, he pulled out with a heavy sigh and then let Jim's legs down. He lowered himself to the bed next to Jim, still panting.

"I apologise if-"

"I swear to god Spock, if you are about to apologise for anything that just happened I am going to slap you again," Jim told him sternly and rolled into the Vulcan to kiss him. "It was incredible," he assured, his tone softer this time.

"I also found it greatly satisfying," Spock curled an arm around Jim and held him close while they kissed more languidly.

Jim eventually ended up with his head on Spock's chest, having cleaned themselves up enough to rest a bit longer. His finger curled in Spock's chest hair as he wondered how different things would be with this new development between them. Would Spock be more open to emotion now, like he had been under the spore influence on Omicron Ceti III, and with that woman?

"I know that Vulcans pride themselves on being emotionless, but, I obviously know that you do feel, are Vulcan couples emotional with each other in private?"

"A Vulcan couple shares a bond, any emotion is often shared through the bond, however I can only speak certainly of how I have observed my own parents interact, and since my mother was human, I believe their relationship would be an outlier."

Jim hummed, he wasn't sure what to make of that answer, "What about your relationship with Uhura? Were you different with her?"

Spock stiffened minutely under Jim, "I do not believe that you wish to know about my relationship with Nyota. You are concerned that our interactions will not change, even though we are now in a relationship…"

Jim picked at the covers sheepishly, "Uh, I guess you could say that…"

"Jim, you must know that while we are on duty, I must remain professional, as should you. Off duty of course is somewhat different. I would ask for your patience and understanding Jim; I will do my best to be what you need, but I do not wish you to be upset by my lack of outward affection, in public and in private. I would implore you to remember what you truly mean to me."

Jim considered his words, he hadn't really expected Spock to just flip a switch and be different, "I understand Spock. You said earlier that we were partially bonded, if we decided to fully bond, would it…help?"

Spock took a long moment to respond, and Jim hoped he hadn't said the wrong thing, "It is difficult to describe, but we would be closer in every way. It is something to consider, not to jump into on our first day as a couple."

"Hmm, okay. I-" Jim was cut off by his comm trilling. He sighed and reluctantly pulled himself from Spock's comfortable embrace. "Kirk here," he told the speaker as he reached the comms.

"Uhura here Captain. We have just been informed that the Bradbury has docked. They are requesting yourself and Mr Spock for a conference."

"Thank you Lieutenant. Please respond that we will meet up with them shortly. Kirk out," Jim padded back to the bed where Spock was already getting up. He sighed, "Time for work I guess."

"It would appear so," Spock agreed, "I must return to my quarters for appropriate clothing. I will re-join with you in ten minutes."

"Yeah, okay."

Spock suddenly pulled him back in for one more lingering kiss, "Do not forget that you are the most precious thing to me Jim, you always will be."

Jim melted in his lover's arms, a content smile curled the corners of his lips, "I love you too Spock."

As Spock left his quarters, Jim couldn't help but to wonder what was in store for them in the future, but whatever it was he felt certain that they would face it together.