''And that … is how I met my son.'' Jim explains and Spock opens his eyes.
''You adopted an infant you found abandoned aboard a derelict ship and left your position only a year after attaining your lifelong dream of becoming Captain?''
Spock fights the urge to mention that this is highly illogical even if he applauds and wholeheartedly agrees with James' decision.
''Well... it was the right thing to do you know.'' Jim hums around a spoonful of ice-cream; their lunch date having entered into their third hour without either of them noticing.
''I am in awe of your decision. However, if I had come upon an infant I am not certain that I would have followed the same path as you have. As you are aware I have never served in Starfleet. I must admit that the thought of doing so has long plagued my mind but my responsibilities over the last four years have all revolved around the care and tutoring of my daughter. This has left little time to ruminate on my own future.''
'You want to join Starfleet?'' Jim asks in all seriousness and Spock blushes as he realises he has shared a secret with this man that he has kept to himself since he was fourteen years of age.
''You have an uncanny ability to draw information out of me that I otherwise would never have shared.'' Spock remarks and James' smile widens over the spoon in his mouth, his eyes creasing with fondness in the corners as he accepts the hidden compliment.
''God, I'm sorry Spock. I've spent all this time nattering away about my kid and I haven't even gotten round to asking you any questions.''
''There is not much to tell. I relocated here from Vulcan three years ago where I took up a position at a library that enables me to have access to all matter of materials upon which to educate myself and my daughter. During the course of the evening when T'lera slumbers I assist various companies in reinforcing their security protocols. I am quite adept at programming.''
'Ah, I see. I used to dabble myself once upon a time. Have you heard of the Kobayashi Maru test that all cadets must take if they're in command track?''
''I have indeed heard of it. I was the primary programmer for the test. It was a chance I was given while at school on Vulcan to associate with Starfleet. A Captain Decker located me after witnessing me complete a day's worth of material on computational mathematics in just under two hours. I find that humans as a whole are most easily impressed by that which they wish they could themselves achieve.'' He sips his last sip of water, the glass being carefully placed back down – pinkie cushioning the noise.
''Wow, so you're the guy whose ass I wanted to kick ten years ago.'' Jim laughs, his hands slapping his knees, head shaking in amusement. ''You have no idea the lengths I had to go to in order to pass that damn test. Bones says I aged ten years every time I failed.''
Spock can do nothing but stare at the sight of this human laughing.
How beautiful.
A strange sensation sweeps over him which fills his chest to near bursting point, his hand flinches with an unknown urge to complete an action which he has never before attempted.
''I do apologise if I caused you any distress; my test was merely to see if the cadets were capable of making impossible decisions and how their mental state would manage under severe pressure.''
Jim waves his spoon with an air of dismissal. ''Don't worry about it, I beat your test and got my own ship in the end. It taught me a lot about perseverance and not to mention things about myself that I've never bothered to look too deeply in to.'' He says as his eyes briefly glaze over no doubt recalling an incident of deeper reflection.
Spock continues to stare – his eyes taking in every minute detail to recall later in private. Jim waves over the waitress asking for their bill. Before Spock could protest their meal had been paid for and cheekily Jim gives him a ''wink'' which sends Spock's already turbulent vortex of butterflies in his stomach – into complete and utter overdrive.
''Would you like to go for a walk? I think I need to burn off some of those calories I just devoured.'' A small chuckling-snort escapes him and Spock lifts a brow at the sound. Curious.
A creeping feeling of disappointment stills the butterflies at the thought of not getting to spend any more time with Jim but T'lera must come first. She always will. ''I am interested in the offer however I have to collect my daughter from school.''
''Hey, that's cool. I have to fetch David as well and I've got an ice-cream shift with Bones later.''
''If you teach classes on campus am I to assume that you are a professor?''
''Yeah, I hold three different classes. Xenolinguistics, Strategy and Tactics - and for shits and giggles because most people who have seen me think that I'm nothing but a pretty face – I do a class on warp core analysis and theory.
''Fascinating.'' Spock says with such awe in his voice that he is pleased to notice that Jim turns a brilliant pink and hides his face into his shoulder as he gives a cough in embarrassment.
''T-thanks, Spock.'' James splutters before checking the time- eyes scanning the environment- head cocking to the side as he does a quick calculation on how long he will need to get to David's school.
Spock decides that he cannot let this moment pass and mustering up the courage he once used when leaving his home planet he opens his mouth.
''James, would it be permissible of me to ask if we could meet again? I … I have thoroughly enjoyed your company and I would look forward to a repeat encounter.''
''Hell yes, that would be amazing Spock.'' He smiles as bright as the sun, tinges of pink on his cheeks clashing with the gold streaks in his hair.
''I am gratified you feel this way.'' Spock murmurs quietly, his heart beating a mile a minute.
''Perhaps we could do dinner?'' Jim asks, closing the restaurant door behind him, his hands combing the stray hair out of his eyes as the wind blows across his face.
''That would be acceptable. Perhaps …tomorrow night?'' he asks hesitantly - conscious that humans aren't accustomed to the Vulcan ways of efficiency and speed.
''I like your thinking Spock. Yeah, tomorrow night. Sounds great.''
The two stare at one another for perhaps longer than is necessary in their shared moment until Jim pulls back with a step, Spock following suit.
He raises his hand in the customary taal and says his farewells - grateful that Jim has made no move to touch him as humans do after dates and yet disappointed and conflicted because he yearns for that very same touch.
Spock turns around and prepares for his fifteen minute walk to the other side of town where his daughter is currently being schooled and to his surprise Jim falls in step alongside him.
''My kids school is this way as well.'' He laughs a bit nervously and Spock nods his head in acknowledgement of the statement.
''Then we will indeed partake in a walk together after all.''
''Does T'lera go to school nearby?''
''St Marys on Tudor Street. A fine establishment that offers excellent education and recreational activities for a growing mind. T'lera benefits much from their teachings.''
''So she should be in year zero right now, cause she's what… four now?''
''She is in fact in classes with eight year olds. I worry that she does not have any playmates but the others have taken to her presence surprisingly well. She is after all Vulcan. She excels at the majority of tasks she puts her mind to.'' Jim stifles a snigger at the pride he can hear in Spock's voice and this earns him another raised eyebrow.
''My boy is special too, but he unfortunately isn't doing too well in school at the moment. He has a few…issues. Bones and I are trying our hardest to resolve them. It's slow going but we've made a lot of progress in the last three years.'' Jim's mood turns solemn and Spock scrambles internally to bring about his cheery nature again.
''What school does your son attend?''
''He's currently attending Joan Cuthberts. The school provides an aid and makes sure he doesn't get in to too much trouble.''
''He is five years old correct?''
''Yep. Just turned five last month.''
Conversation lulls for a while, the two simply walking side by side until Jim stops beside a fenced converted cathedral.
''This is me. He should be coming out any minute now; then it's off to the park to play for a while.'' Jim grins but his smile has dimmed and doesn't quite reach his eyes anymore. Spock is disturbed to note that he wishes to lay a hand on the man's shoulder in comfort.
''I will bid you farewell then. Live long and prosper James Kirk. I look forward to your company tomorrow night.''
''Me too, Spock. Oh, hey wait, before you go – here.'' Spock's communicator beeps as a sudden message appears with an unknown number.
''That's my number…T'lera gave it to me last night but I didn't want to totally scare you off by messaging you before our date.''
''You would not have scared me. Vulcans do not get scared.''
''Of course not. Anyway, just in case I'll be late tomorrow or if you end up not being able to come, we can just message each other now instead of going through your matchmaking four year old.''
''Indeed.'' He nods once and turns on his heel walking away, leaving a smiling Jim behind him. He hears the bells of the church begin to chime, the shrieks and clattering of books on the floor from children bursting to regain their freedom permeating the air as he walks to the nearest pedestrian crossing.
The light is red - traffic having suddenly risen due to the hour of the school run and he folds his hands behind his back as he waits patiently for his permission to cross.
He hears a familiar and pleasing voice drift across to him on the breeze and without consciously meaning to his body turns in the direction.
A small dark headed child with a blue rucksack on his drooping shoulder has walked towards Jim. The boy's lower lip was trembling, dark red marks under his eyes evidence that he has spent quite some time weeping. Spock watches as James places a hand on the kids forehead, fingers running through the raven black hair, coming down to his face, thumb rubbing away a tear.
James says something Spock can't interpret and to his astonishment, the boy places his own tiny but grubby hand on James's face - fingers spreading wide in something that seems familiar to him but isn't- before the man's eyes close. Jim nods in agreement to some sort of question the boy has not asked aloud and Spock is perturbed to see that some sort of wordless communication was taking place.
Telepathy between humans was impossible.
The wind picks up and Spock feels his hair rustle and lift in the breeze.
His mouth opens in shock as the boys long hair blows back - revealing a delicate small pointed ear.
''Jim… Jim, come on Kid. Can you hear me?''
''Bones…Wh – Ow. Yeah, yeah ok I can hear you. Sssshh!''
''You've been completely out of it for hours now. You've taken years off my life, I tell ya. Dammit Jim, years you hear me?!'' Bones' roar echoes across the medbay and Jim hives him a sheepish grin.
''It's what I do best.'' A small shrug of his shoulders before he sits up on his bed, supported by Bones who places a hand on his elbow.
''So what the hell happened?''
''Well – turns out the kid is a hobgoblin.''
Jim's eyebrows rose so high they merged into one strand across his forehead. ''Err…what?''
''You know, green blood, organs all in the wrong places – pointed ears you dimwit!''
''He's Vulcan? Is that why I passed out when I touched him?!'' Jim asked with concern, a sensation of guilt creeping over him at so freely touching a child of a race that strongly discourages skin to skin contact.
''Not quite but you're close. He's Romulan, Jim.''
''Ok, what in the actual fuck!'' Jim throws his hands up in the air – thinking of all the legal and interplanetary ramifications this could cause - never mind the shit-storm of paperwork when it was made public knowledge.
''Your scanner tell you all of this? I mean are you abso-fucking-lutely sure that this kid is Romulan? I mean –''
''I'm positive Jim. The other ….survivor … of the ship, he - ah, well he told us that before he died.''
''He died?!'' a groan of epic proportions escapes him as bangs the back his head on the wall.
''Yeah, when we got to him he had taken several shots to the gut and was hanging on by a thread. He had only had access to a rudimentary med kit but infection had set in a few hours after receiving his wounds. Sepsis. Gets us all in the end if we're not careful.''
Jim gives a long suffering sigh – hands coming up to pinch his nose as he forces himself to breathe slowly under the mountain that has suddenly landed on his shoulders.
''So what happened to the ship and where's the kid now?''
''The kid had to be given a mild sedative to calm him down, was screaming the whole place down. We did our best to hold him, making sure not to touch his skin but it didn't help. He's asleep in the room next door.''
''Ok, so the ship?''
''We are currently on route to the nearest federation starbase. We've managed to fly the heap into the hangar bay. Our teams are doing their best to come up with an idea of what went down.''
Jim sucks in his lower lip as he blows out in a childish raspberry. ''What a mess.'' He runs a hand over his face before swinging his feet over the side of the bed, his boots hitting the floor with a thud.
''Right, well first things first – I need to check on the kid. It's the strangest thing but I feel like something is tugging at my brain. I need to go see him.''
''Now you wait just a goddamn minute. Get your ass back into bed. You know what kind of mumbo jumbo was done to your brain after touching the little devil.'' He says angrily as he shoves Kirk back on to the bed.
''I'm fine seriously. I just need to check up on him and then hit the showers before getting back on to the bridge.''
''Over my de-'' he splutters before Nyota walks into the room, ponytail swishing and eyes pointedly staring in frustration at Kirk.
''Hey Babe!'' Kirk hollers and gets a shushing from Bones who points to the room next door where the kid is being kept.
''Jim Kirk you just can't go one mission without it going tits up, can you?'' her voice weary with concern as she places a quick kiss on his cheek.
Jim winks at her and pulls her down to his side. ''Well you know me… resident bad boy out for adventure.''
''Resident idiot. What were you thinking touching a Romulan child so freely.'' She wallops his arm affectionately and he smiles up at her hands folding behind his head.
''You say this like I knew the kid would knock me out the moment I touched him. It is a him, right?'' he looks over questioningly at Bones who rolls his eyes in the affirmative.
''Kid, this tuggin' in your noggin' – is it still there? Is there any pain?''
Kirk puckers his lips and closes his eyes while he roots around in his own head. ''Yeah, no there's no pain, more like an incessant need to do something but I can't quite understand what it means which means I guess - that I have to go check it out.''
''Can you NOT touch the baby again until I'm sure of what it is that we are dealing with here?''
Uhura makes a displeased face and turns to the doctor with a frown. ''Isn't that kind of cruel. Surely after all he's been through it wouldn't be a bad thing to give him some affection?''
Bones sighs and takes a seat on the other empty biobed. ''I don't mean to be cruel darlin' but what with the baby being a Romulan they share similar traits to Vulcans when it comes to touch, telepathy and mind voodoo that I'm not all too familiar with. Better be safe than sorry. ''
''You have any contacts we can call to discuss this Bones?'' Jim makes to get up again before Uhura's glare sends him back down.
''Yeah, an old colleague of mine M'Benga – studied on Vulcan, he may know a few things that us mere humans aren't allowed to know.''
Uhura tips her head to the side, her folded arms demanding more than requesting an answer. ''What do you have against Vulcans Leonard?''
''Once upon a time in a land far, far away, there was a little boy who dreamed of being a doctor and studying at the finest institute which would give him the best medical knowledge in the galaxy. The Vulcan Academy. 'Cept back then they didn't allow us puny humans to attend.''
''So you applied and they rejected you? On what basis.''
''Cultural differences and incompatibility to the lifestyle on Vulcan. Hogwash if you ask me but as I said back then it's mostly cause I was human. M'Benga got in thanks to higher up connection but this old farm boy stood no chance.'' A flicker of jealousy then acceptance flits over the doctor's face before he stands and heads for the exit.
''Playtimes over. Uhura – keep the Captain in bed for another hour just to be safe and after that straight to his quarters for the night. Jim, don't go near that baby till we know more, understand?''
''Yeah, I'll try my best.'' He grins mischievously as Uhura titters with laughter causing the disgruntled doctor to face him ''I mean it Jim! God knows wha-''
'Alright, alright I'll stay away.''
''Good.''
It's late into the night and having seen to the last of his official duties, Jim collapses on top of his bed. His headache has increased tenfold over the last six hours since his escape from the medbay and no amount of hypos he has self-administered has taken away the ''tugging''.
It's been a stressful day he muses before pulling himself up to lean against the wall, his knee raised as he grabs his pad from the bedside table, intending to read for a bit before going to sleep. He gets three pages into his book before realising he hasn't actually processed a single word he's read. With frustration he places it back on the nightstand and lies flat on his back, arms behind his head.
What was this bloody thing in his head? Was it the kid? By touching him had he somehow communicated with the little tyke in a way that he shouldn't have?
He rolls over on to his side, then turns, then stands only to sit back down in his armchair staring out the window. His restlessness has always been a problem but tonight he literally could not sit still.
He had to go see the kid. He wouldn't touch him obviously, but maybe he could answer a few of his questions if he just got near him and …spoke to him or something. Not that he was expecting a baby to be a great conversationalist but...
He dresses into a loose pair of gym pants; the grey matched with a white top before pulling on his trainers as he runs a hand through his wayward hair, thoughts briefly touching on getting a haircut before leaving his quarters.
Only a skeleton crew is currently operating the ship, the majority of them tucked up in their beds and Jim doesn't pass anyone till he reaches medbay. Christine Chapel starts to walk towards him but he raises a hand and she stops in her tracks. Shaking her head in exasperation as she clearly knows where he's off to but not having any say so in the matter if it's the Captain himself who overrules her decision- she disappears behind a curtain and Jim carries on quietly down to the hall to the kid.
He steps through and immediately he notices that the tugging has lessened, he feels a bit more at ease the closer he gets to the infant. He sees the stirring of little arms beneath blankets and he is consumed with thoughts of wanting to pick the kid up. Except it wasn't his thoughts... it was the babies.
''Jesus…'' he sighs and he starts to recall all the scripture and obscure information he has learned about Romulans on his many travels and adventures, comparing them with Vulcan - before his brain picks up on the term 'link' and his eyes go wide.
''Did you link with me without my consent?'' he asks the baby incredulously as it stares up at him, its beautiful hazel eyes piercing through him and Jim is hit with another flash of need; this time the need for food hits him upside the head causing him to wince and he backs away hastily before hearing the kid whimper.
''I mean, I won't be angry if you did you're just a baby after all, I mean, I know Vulcans and Romulans all come with some innate intelligence but don't you think this is something that could've waited until - I don't know you could maybe talk? – All's I'm saying here is that this is a dick move.''
The baby continues to stare at him as its lower lips begins to tremble; its tiny malnourished hand grasping up at the sky in his direction. Kirk blows out a breath and instead takes hold of the kid's clothed feet again, rubbing slowly and the boy drops his hand.
''We need to figure out what's happening here, you know. Cause if you have linked with me, that means that you consider me to be some kind of father figure or guardian and I tell you what kid, I had no plans on ever becoming a father this young and I haven't got the first clue on what to do.''
Jim looks around the room and spies a bottle on the far seat, the milk being kept warm with a mini incubator which he was sure at some point was filled with Snarlack eggs found on Sigma nine. He shakes the bottle and with his thoughts racing back forth faster than warp speed he places it into the baby's mouth who splutters and mewls softly in pain.
''Oh god, you see what I mean little guy, I didn't even think to check the temperature of the damn milk.'' He babbles apologetically and setting it down next to the makeshift cot he leans both arms over the beds railings and hangs his head.
''I would have to give up being Captain if I took care of you.'' Jim's blue eyes lock with the boys and a small smile appears on his face as he witnesses the kid's first snot bubble.
''I've worked really hard to get where I am. Youngest Captain in the fleet you know.'' He says as he wiggles the baby's foot with humour.
Again he gets the urge to pick the child up into his arms and he smothers it down; the baby frowns and his eyes start to go lifeless again making Kirk panic and scoop him up into the air without a second throught.
''Well, I'm not technically touching you.'' He says as he holds him at arm's length above the ground, his thumbs digging into the small onesie they had made with help from the replicator.
Jim can see the kid is too tired to put up much more of a fuss but his head is raised at least and a wary eye was keeping track of him, his tiny leg kicking in the breeze.
''What am I gonna do with you kid? You can't look like I've crushed your whole world simply because I won't pick you up. That's not fair. My heart strings can't take it.'' He chuckles and get a small sigh from the pointed eared elf.
The urge to clutch this lonely and desperate child to his chest grew the longer he gazed into its eyes and ignoring the countless warnings Bones had given him through messages and comm calls throughout the course of the day, he brought the baby into the crook of his arm.
''There... is that any better little guy?'' he hums affectionately as a yawn escapes the boy and he nuzzles further in; a sleepy hand reaches up towards Jim's chin and he bends down slowly aware that this could all blow up in his face but unable to deny the boy anything in this moment.
He feels the small hand grab at his chin, the stubble scratching as the boy flexes his fingers across it before a rush of emotion hits him in the chest and it takes him a while to place the feeling.
Gratitude.
''I guess... you and I are going to get to know one another really well - aren't we?''
He sings a soft lullaby his mother once sang to him, the tiny life in his arms closing its eyes as a gentle snore begins.
''I think I'll call you David.'' he whispers as he settles into a nearby chair.