Having decided to get married sooner rather than later, Spock and Jim's wedding planning started fast and furious. Jim left most of it up to the ladies, putting in input when he was asked, of course, but most of the time letting them handle it since they knew way more than he did. Bones agreed to be his best man and Pike said he'd be willing to officiate the human part of the ceremony, which made Jim happy. Spock took him aside and explained each part of the Vulcan ceremony and just what bonding entailed.
"So, they'll literally connect our minds so we'll hear each other's thoughts?" He'd asked.
"Yes, Jim. Such bonds are not broken, but I will teach you shielding techniques to help you balance your privacy."
She'd given him a taste of what it felt like when he'd let her meld with him for the first time graduation evening and Jim had been very surprised and amazed at how right it felt, not invasive, to have her mind in his. How thankful he was that the Orions weren't telepathic.
He'd had several heart to heart secure calls with Spock and L'Ren to discuss dealing with physical triggers and the ghosts of his past. Jim had a list of things that he knew would be problematic, but he didn't imagine Spock would be likely to try most of them, extreme as they were. He was pretty sure they'd freak her out as much as him, in fact, so he gave her the less specific concerns for now and she took it in soberly and thoughtfully.
Jim had returned to Vulcan with Spock and her parents days after graduation to start putting their plans in motion. They only had five weeks before the big day, but it would be enough. Vulcans were extremely efficient with their ceremonial readiness and five weeks didn't faze them.
Spock was as serene and calm as usual during the madness-Vulcans didn't do Bridezilla, Jim thought with some humor.
T'Pau had met with him and made sure he thoroughly understood the ceremony and his husbandly duties to Spock. Jim blushed a bit, but he listened politely and told her he would do his best to love Spock as she deserved.
Bones grumbled a bit over having to wear Vulcan garb as they dressed for the ceremony on the July afternoon before the evening ceremony.
"What's the problem, Bones? You look great!" Jim teased, adjusting the elaborate blue tunic on his wedding outfit. Spock had strongly urged him to wear blue because it was so "aesthetically pleasing" on him. Bones had a forest green tunic that suited his darker complexion quite well, but the faces he was making ruined the effect.
"It's too stiff and uptight. Pinches my neck. I feel unnatural."
"Better than a tux," Jim reminded him. "You'll be okay, Bones. Anyway, I need your moral support right now. This is a huge deal for me."
Bones's face softened.
"Sure is, kid. Just think about how purty Spock will be all dolled up in her Vulcan Finest."
Jim's stomach lurched thinking about it. He hadn't seen her for three days, that being the required period of separation for a betrothed couple before the bonding took place.
He imagined she would be devastatingly beautiful, whatever she was wearing.
Spock, meanwhile, was being pampered and beautified from her dark hair to her toes, her own nerves occasionally rising to the surface as Her cream and gold bridal array was carefully arranged and fastened precisely. Most of her hair was piled on her head except for two curled locks dangling in front of her ears and soft gold satin slippers added a pretty touch for her feet. Amanda and Nyota stepped back and smiled tearfully at the result of their labors and turned Spock to face the mirror.
"See how beautiful you are, darling?" Amanda whispered.
Spock was... pleasantly surprised. She did indeed feel and look like a bride. In just one hour, she would be walking towards Jim in the ceremonial circle where all weddings were held on Vulcan.
"I feel...emotional, mother," she said, slightly bewildered. "Happy and sad and nervous and excited all at once."
"Of course you do, dear," Amanda said, smoothing out the gold Train that flowed from Spock's shoulders to sweep the ground behind her. "I felt that way myself when I married your father. It's a leap into a brand new chapter of your life. Soon you'll have the wonderful marriage bond and be able to teach Jim clever uses for it."
Spock blushed. She did look forward to helping Jim adjust to the telepathic connection. What they did with it, well, she didn't dare imagine yet.
"Nyota, you look very pleasing as well," she told her friend, who was wearing a red Vulcan gown and had done her own hair in similar style to Spock.
"Thanks. I do love the design-sleek, elegant and pretty. I wonder how much Len's griping about his own Vulcan garb," she chuckled.
Spock guessed quite a bit, knowing the doctor's propensity for grumbling.
As evening neared, both parties arrived at the ceremony site, where torches blazed and a audience of important Vulcans and earth friends stood waiting.
The arches of stone in a circle made Jim think of Stonehenge, the ancient site in Britain, but these were still neat and standing. The air smelled faintly spicy from incense and Jim could feel the solemnity of the occasion hit him hard. This was it. No going back. Bones squeezed his arm supportively as he took his position at the center of the circle.
The elders of Spock's clan arrived next and then T'Pau, Sarek, and Amanda and Uhura. Bones made a weird noise in his throat that he disguised as a cough and Jim smiled. Then he saw Spock and it was his turn to be awed. She was...stunning-all in cream and gold with her black hair done up elaborately and gold jewelry sparkling in the torchlight. The dark eyes were looking at him approvingly and Jim couldn't believe this was happening to him of all people.
The procession stopped as they met him in the center of the circle and T'Pau took charge. After giving a brief greeting and stating the purpose of the gathering she turned to the couple.
"Do you, James Tiberius Kirk, intend to bind yourself to this woman as her mate for life?
"Yes," Jim said, still looking at Spock.
"Do you, S'chn T'gai Spock, intend to bind yourself to this man as his mate for life?"
"Yes," Spock replied firmly.
At the matriarch's nod, she slipped her arm through Jim's and they faced T'Pau. It was a fairly long ceremony with all the speeches and Vulcan blessings, but then they were kneeling for the bonding part and T'Pau placed her hands on them and facilitated the joining of their minds.
Jim felt the presence of Spock in a way he'd only had glimpses of before. It was powerful and warm and he could feel her contentment and love washing over him as he tried to project his own joy right back to her.
T'Pau gently placed Spock's hand in his, which brought color flooding into both their faces and completed the joining.
Uttering another blessing upon them, their clan, and their future offspring, she bade them rise and pronounced them bondmates.
That was the signal for Captain Pike to take her place and Jim and Spock to start the human vows. He beamed at them as they faced each other.
This portion went smoothly and quickly: Jim and Spock repeated after him the well-known classic vows with the "for better or worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part." Then an exchange of rings which got Spock blushing again, and Pike declared "Jim, you may kiss your bride."
The humans cheered as Jim introduced Spock to the delights of human kissing, leaving them both a little breathless and giddy. He couldn't remember ever kissing someone he'd actually wanted to, let alone loved, so it was like a first time for him as well.
iNo one else ever shall do so without your consent./i he heard in his head. Spock must have read his thoughts. He smiled at her, mesmerized by her exquisite face glowing in the dim firelight.
iYou're right, gorgeous. No one but you is allowed to kiss me./i
iI shall endeavor to do so frequently, my adun./i
And Spock went up on tiptoe to kiss her beloved once again.
Sarek was rather amazed at his daughter's boldness, but Amanda giggled with glee. Those two were so perfect for each other and Jim's face as he embraced his new wife was unforgettable. She barely recognized the hollow shell he'd once been standing in her house with broken Shackles lying at his feet.
"Are you crying, my wife?" Sarek inquired.
"Happy tears, honey, happy tears," she sighed, wiping them away. "I'm so glad you brought him home with you that day four years ago. Turns out Vulcans are the best thing for him."
"And caring humans," he added, looking at her. "Now, shall we offer congratulations to the newly bonded pair?"
Amanda took his arm and they joined the throng surrounding the bride and groom.