Spock was alone in his quarters, but his ceiling had become a sky filled with storm clouds that twisted and turned like his troubled thoughts. It unsettled him that he was alone and without his Jim. He didn't like to be alone.

No sooner did the thought cross his mind than Jim was at his side, his arms wide and ready for him.

The tiny Vulcan raced into his embrace and snuggled into Jim's top, basking in his caretaker's acceptance.

"Spock." Jim whispered, his question going unspoken but heard.

Spock looked shamefully away from Jim's questioning gaze and instead of answering lifted the top of Jim's gold shirt.

Even in the land of dreams Jim's bruises stood out plainly against his tanned skin. Knowing that Jim could not feel pain here Spock placed his hands against the bruise and aligned his fingers to match it.

"I have hurt you. I am so young yet I am much stronger than you. My ears are pointed and yours are not. I hear better than you and I am the only telepath on the ship. That coupled with my rapid ageing and green blood can only lead me to believe that I am more different than I once thought. I want to know why. Why I am so different? To which world do I belong? Who are my parents? Why am I in your care?"

The clouds above their heads thundered and flashed in violent burst as an unseen wind whipped around them. Spock wiggled free of Jim's hold and stood before him with clenched fists.

"I need to know the truth! Why do you lock these facts from me in your mind?! Why do you tell me nothing of my existence?!"

Jim watch in wide eyed horror at the rage that Spock unleashed at him, wondering how he could have missed the growing wrath inside the tiny Vulcan.

Immediately he was overwhelmed with guilt at having kept the details of his life from Spock. This was a completely understandable reaction and he knew that Spock deserved nothing but the truth.

Without a thought of the mental backlash that Spock could unleash upon his mind Jim knelt before the teary eyed tot and cupped his face between his hands.

"I'm sorry Spock. I didn't mean to keep the truth from you. I just didn't know if you would understand, I see now how wrong I was. I'll tell you everything. All you had to do was ask."

The wind died down as though it had never been and as Spock's hand unclenched and his anger vanished.

"Jim….I didn't know….I am sorry." He whispered softly, ashamed at his outburst.

Jim smiled softly and shook his head.

"You have nothing to be sorry about Spock. You have every right to question the world around you. Next time, just come to me instead of letting your anger build like that. Your kind feel things very deeply, so much so that if you let your emotions have free rein they'll consume you. But you must never deny them, because without that fire inside you, life losses it's meaning. Promise me that no matter what I tell you about yourself that you will not lose that fire."

Spock nodded in confirmation and sat down cross legged next to his caretaker. Jim sighed and gathered his thoughts together.

"You are many things Spock. A child of two worlds, a great first officer, but you have been and always will be my friend….

The two talked for hours about what had transpired before Spock's transformation and Jim didn't sugar coat it at all.

He told Spock everything, from the destruction of Vulcan to the strangling on the Bridge. Spock took it all in stride, asking only the occasional question or query about Jim's tale.

When Jim was finally done he looked to Spock for any reaction to his explanation.

"Do you understand now Spock? I may not be your parent by blood, but I do care very deeply about you. As much as I would if you were my own brother. But if you would rather be in the care of Uhura, your fiancé, I would understand. You weren't terribly fond of me when you were grown and our parental bond will only keep you bound to me for a week more. It's your choice to make."

Spock looked away from Jim and leaned against his side almost tiredly despite this all being a dream.

"I do not wish to be apart from you. Bond or no bond. I do not know this Uhura woman well and whatever she was to my older self she is not to me. If it does not inconvenience you terribly I would request to remain in your company for as long as you will have me."

Jim felt his insides warm at Spock's admission and was secretly delighted to have more time with the Halfling.

"You are always welcome at my side Spock. I will never turn you away."

The tot blushed lightly, but Jim was more focused on the parting clouds above them and feeling the warmth of the sun on his face.

"I'm glad we had this chance to talk Spock. I'm glad your mind chose me. That we were compatible. I always had a feeling we would be…..The older you just never gave me a chance. He never got past what happened when we first met."

Spock could feel Jim's sadness and how it caused the mist like fog that had begun to form around them. He wanted nothing more than to end his sorrow.

"My older self must have been a fool to not give you a chance Jim. It is his loss to never know the depths of your understanding and the warmth of your mind. I will never make his mistake."

Jim's sadness was replaced with a warm feeling of affection and the captain was quick to gather the tiny Vulcan in his arms and shamelessly hug him.

"I hope you remember this time Spock. Maybe when you are grown again this bond will not be lost to us. Maybe we will be the best friends that it was foretold we would be. Like we are now."

Spock stopped trying to escape from Jim's bone crushing hug and looked up at him with awestruck eyes.

"I am your best friend?"

Jim looked up at him from his own musings and flashed an embarrassed grin at Spock.

"I guess I shouldn't assume something like that. I mean it must be hard to have someone like me in your head all the time."

Spock could sense his insecurity and it pleased him in a small way.

"Your mind is nothing but welcome and warm Jim. I would be proud to call you my best friend." He assured his caretaker. The burst of happiness he received at in response was worth more than anything to him.

"Thank you Spock, that means a lot to me."

The two sat a while longer in a silence that held no tension or worry. Together they were at peace as their bodies rested for the day ahead.

Neither were experienced enough with bonds to realize their bond was changing, morphing from that of family, to something more. It's interesting to wonder how things might have turned out if they had known then what it would become. What it would cause.

Well…what do you think?

Yours truly,

Jessica499499