AN: Just a warning. Angst ahead. Be warned and enjoy! The concept of Academic Leave is all mine, fyi, a handy little concept I came up with so Jim can spend two weeks on Vulcan without worrying about missing class or getting into trouble with the Academy higher-ups for being away during class-time.

After that first encounter, Jim would never call it something so mundane as a meeting, Jim managed to stay in relatively close touch with Sarek and Amanda through various trusted channels. It became a regular habit of his to call Vulcan before or after dinner, which drove Bones absolutely crazy, but he knew Amanda didn't mind hearing from him, seeing as she heard so little from her own son, who was an officer of Starfleet such as it was.

One day, Jim was passing through the Starfleet Command complex when he happened to look up and see a Vulcan transport coming to land. Instinct kicked in and he changed direction.

"Bones, come on!" he grabbed Bones by the sleeve and broke into a run, "Come on!"

"What…where are we going?"

"That's a Vulcan transport! Hurry!" he raced into Primary Hangar 10 and skidded. The transport touched down and Jim watched, waiting, forgetting to breathe. Oh please, oh please, oh please. He begged. The boarding stairs came down and he watched various passengers, Human and Vulcan alike, come off. Crossing his fingers, praying. Finally, there! Oh thank you sweet Jesus!

"Jim, we're not supposed to be in here, you do realize that, don't you?" Bones was being himself, Jim was ignoring him. Sarek had come alone, and Jim felt a weird knot of something in his gut. Uh-oh. Jim pulled away from Bones and headed for the debarkation area. Keeping one ear to the ground as he did, he'd have heard about any summits or ambassadorial duties to bring Sarek, Jim hadn't heard a squeak. Bones kept up, complaining about how much trouble they were in for if somebody caught them where they didn't belong. Finally, Jim had heard enough and turned.

"Bones, if you're really that worried about it, go to Captain Pike. Just tell him I had personal business."

"Personal business? What personal business?!"

"Ambassador Sarek's here, Bones, and I don't think he came to see the Federation Council. Talk to Pike, he'll talk to Archer and Tucker. Excuse me." He brushed off his uniform jacket and left behind Bones, who blustered and just about swallowed his tongue. Jim caught up to Sarek and caught him by the sleeve, two fingers only.

"Kuramano." He kept his voice low. Sarek turned, and the relief was almost comical, "The Admirals don't know you came here, do they?"

"No."

"Come on, I think we need to talk." Jim gestured in a particular direction and looked over his shoulder as he let Sarek go ahead of him. Bones was absolutely dumbfounded, his jaw hung open. Jim hoped he would go to Pike, he had to figure out what brought Sarek to Earth with no clear purpose. Once they were safely ensconced in the gardens, Jim broke the silence, "I know you don't come out here with no good reason, Sarek. Hell, I haven't seen you outside of our video chats in three months. What brings you now? And where's Amanda?"

"She has stayed home after deciding it would not be wise for her to travel in her particular condition."

"She's not sick, is she?" Jim felt a pang of panic, "You say the word, sir, and I'll drop everything."

"I know that, James, that is why I've come to you now. I did not come to Earth to speak to Federation Council, or to speak with your Admirals. Though, perhaps I will take a moment and speak with T'Pol as I have not seen her in some time and she would like to hear the news."

"Oh, so it's good news?"

"Yes, James." He swore the Vulcan smiled, if a Vulcan could smile anyway, "Amanda would have come with me, but her advanced condition did not allow for it and I would prefer she remained at home."

"So…everything's okay?"

"Yes. Amanda is with child, and very near her due-date."

"I…whoa, what? Excuse me?" Jim stopped himself, "Did you…?"

"But I am not the father of my wife's child, James. The child is fully Human."

"Fully Human? But she nev…never….oh." He sat down before he fell over, stunned, "Uh, Ambassador?"

"The child my wife carries is yours, James. And I am very proud."

"Ghh." Jim had to put his head down. He was about to become a father!! Holy Jesus, Bones would shoot him! This could get him kicked out of Starfleet so fast. He looked up at Sarek, stunned and secretly thrilled, "It's mine?"

"Yes. Amanda is beside herself with joy, and I share her response."

"But…but…Sarek, you're the Vulcan Ambassador to the Federation! Amanda is your wife! I was a fluke, a one-night stand!"

"And a source of great friendship and many hours of conversation both Amanda and I have cherished. Do not berate yourself, James. We bear as much responsibility in this as you do, if not more."

"How could you bear more responsibility?"

"We initiated the actions which resulted in the child's creation. You could have refused, but you are a man of honor." Sarek looked appropriately contrite, very humbled.

"And honor kicked my ass that night. I've never, ever regretted that night, and I've never had so much fun at a gala. Right under their noses, Sarek, right under their noses." Jim chuckled nervously, his hands shaking as he raked his fingers through his hair, "Holy shit, I'm a father?"

"I am very sorry we never said anything before."

"No, no, oh god, please don't apologize! Jesus, it's just…this is huge for me." Jim sat for a long time, processing this, and wondered if this was why Amanda was always so tired when he talked to her, and yet so utterly content and happy.

"James, you do realize, don't you, that every life is precious, no matter the source?"

"God yes, and this one especially. How long does she have left?"

"Less than a week. I was dispatched on the sole task of attempting to coax you to return with me to Vulcan to be there for the birth of your daughter."

"Daughter? It's a girl?!"

"Yes."

"Oh, Sarek…Jesus, I'd say I'm sorry, but what could I apologize for?"

"Nothing, James, apologize for nothing. At her age, a child is a gift and a miracle for Amanda. She is not so young anymore."

"There haven't been any, uh, problems, have there?"

"Nothing to threaten her life or the child's. But the reputation of the Kirks preceeds you, and you are survivors."

"Yeah, I guess we are. You're okay with this?"

"My wife is happy, James. And I am guilty of a special fondness."

"Does your son know?"

"He was incredulous, and somewhat displeased when we told him the child was fully Human."

"Remind me to keep my distance. What's your son's name?"

"Spock. I believe he is an instructor at the Academy."

"I don't have any teachers by that name, which may be a good thing."

"I am not distressed, James, I am happy because my wife is content."

"Thank you." Jim looked at Sarek, whom he really did respect, grateful for his acceptance and understanding. Jim spent the remainder of his afternoon with Sarek, leaving the complex with him to get a late lunch. Over the course of the afternoon, he came up with a list of possible names and tried to figure out ways to be on Vulcan for the birth. Amanda apparently wanted him, she'd sent Sarek all this way just to get him. It was Thursday, the due-date was four days from now. Jim could theoretically leave on Saturday and stay until…well, he wasn't really going to be in that much of a hurry to leave Vulcan. When he got back to the room that night, Bones didn't ask questions. Jim was grateful for that, the man would freak on him if he said anything.

The next day, Jim looked at the calendar and realized next week was Academic Leave, where Cadets had a week off from classes and field-training. Two weeks were set aside for this, and Jim realized that this month, he had both weeks of Academic Leave for his own purposes. That would work. The next morning, he started packing before class. He had lunch with Sarek at the Embassy and told him about the two weeks of leave and how he anticipated at least one of them being used on Vulcan. That afternoon, he finished packing. Bones caught him and asked where the hell he thought he was going.

"I'm going to Vulcan, Bones. For at least a week."

"For what? It's Leave!"

"I know, that's why I'm going." He smiled, looking at his baffled best friend, "Remember how Ambassador Sarek showed up yesterday?"

"Yeah, you disappeared for the rest of the afternoon. Pike and Archer told me not to worry about it."

"Bones," Jim sat back on his heels, bursting with excitement, "I'm a dad!"

"You're a what?"

"I'm a dad! Lady Amanda's pregnant and it's mine!"

"Whoa, how…oh, wait. That gala, right?"

"You got it."

"Holy Jesus. Did he flip a shit?"

"Nope, turns out he's only here to bring me back. So…guess how I'm spending my Academic Leave?"

"Shew! Take pictures, kid!"

"You don't want to come, do you?"

"Not this time. Just bring back proof, pictures. I want pictures."

"Okay, Bones, I'll bring back pictures." Jim hugged his best friend.

"Boy, that's gonna be one cute kid." Bones cracked a smile, "You're one handsome devil, and Lady Amanda's more than pretty. The Ambassador's a lucky bastard."

"Don't I know it?" Jim just grinned like an idiot. He was nervous as hell, but excited, too.

Two days later, Jim made the trip to Vulcan for the birth of his daughter. In typical Kirk fashion, the little bugger came that same night, at midnight. The attendants kicked him out of the room for the worst part, and he just sat outside and waited, a nervous wreck. Suddenly, his hearing caught a lusty wail and he bolted into the room. Jim, in his haste, tripped, picked himself up, and approached the bedside.

"Oh…wow!" he forgot how to breathe, "She's perfect!" Amanda was practically glowing, she was in tears but they were tears of joy.

"Shall we fetch the Ambassador?"

"Yes, please do." Jim smiled at the attendants. They bowed and left. As soon as the door had closed, Jim looked at Amanda, "Can I hold her?"

"Oh, Jim, isn't she beautiful?" Amanda surrendered her tiny burden and Jim held his breath as the little weight settled, "What should we name her?"

"Evangeline." He touched the tiny forehead, the little hand that latched onto his finger, "Evangeline Sheval Grayson-Kirk."

"It's perfect." Amanda just smiled.

"And for short, we can call her Ninli." Jim looked up as the door opened, admitting Sarek. Jim was willing to share, even though he didn't really want to, but Sarek never asked to hold Evangeline. He did ask the baby's name, smiled when he heard all of it, and approved of the shortened address of Ninli. So, that's what they called her: Ninli.

True to the promise he'd made Bones, Jim took as many pictures of Ninli as he possibly could, and became utterly smitten with his infant daughter. Trying to spend as much time with her as possible, Jim spent all of the two weeks allotted to Academic Leave on Vulcan bonding with Ninli. Sarek and Amanda promised to send pictures when they could, they didn't want him getting left out of the parenting process even though he couldn't be there in person.

So there you have it, Part Deux of who knows how many. A little angst, a little happiness, and Jim Kirk's a daddy. Won't that come as a complete and utter shock to everybody else? Well, everybody except Bones, of course. I can just imagine Spock's reaction, I got it down on paper last night. Hehe. I'm bad. Feedback is mana to authors, and on this one I really need to know what the readers are thinking, so click and review, folks! Love, VW!