Falconheart: Thank you!
Hikaru: I like Uhura, too. She's an awesome character, and she really cared about Spock—they just weren't compatible (he had to have Kirk, after all!) Don't worry, I've got her taken care of. :)
NayNymic: Definitely not all! We've still got a few chapters to go.
Fullmetal Embers: Thanks!
MissStud: Neither am I, but I find myself knowing more and more about all these little details. I keep checking Memory Alpha to make sure I'm getting everything right.
LawlietsDarkAngel: I've seen it twice, too! :)
neenabluegirl: They do make great villains, don't they? I like the fact that they are related to the Vulcans, too.
Page; Library Page: haha! Hopefully this chapter leaves you more satisfied. :)
quantuminferno: Sometimes I have to give in to the cliffhanger temptation—they make such great spots to end chapters!
Kate Andromeda: Thank you!
: Haha! I updated as quickly as I could.
Ai-Sarang: This chapter ends more definitively. :)
Jan7: I really appreciate your wonderful critique. I'm all about getting details correct in every story, whether fanfiction or writing in the real world, so I'm glad you brought these things to my attention. Let me see if I can clarify some things, and if I'm still erring, let me know. I don't have a huge knowledge of the Star Trek universe, so I appreciate this kind of help. When I scoured Memory Alpha for details on escape pods, I found this: "Escape pods, also known as rescue pods, of the Odin were capable of traveling at warp 1 for extended periods." Now, when I went back to look, this info is apparently from TNG, so maybe the escape pods in Kirk and Spock's day didn't have warp. I actually wasn't aware of the shuttles until you mentioned them—good info for future stories, but as I've already established escape pods here, I'll just have to go with it for the sake of continuity. As for the battle with Nero—the Enterprise appeared near Titan, but while Spock was in the Jellyfish, he went into warp. The Narada and Enterprise both pursued. So I assumed that they were quite far from Saturn at that point. If they were still near Saturn, though, you're absolutely right, and I admit a plot hole. :) Does anyone know?
sexy-jess: When I went to see the movie the first time, I went with my parents and my husband, and my dad was flabbergasted at the Spock/Uhura relationship! haha. I have no intentions of making her a bad person, just getting her out of the way. ;)
mia-piin: I know! It kills me to do it, but it had to be done… otherwise I couldn't think of a way to make this work. :( I've got other little plot bunnies for K/S stories running around in my head, and I promise that in all of those, the Enterprise will be safe from destruction. :)
A/N: Thanks as always for the reviews, all of you! And thanks for reading!!
xx
Kirk stared longingly out the window at the Enterprise.
"It was the only logical move." Spock said, preparing for warp. "Captain Pike will not be angry with you. He will be thankful for the survival of several members of Starfleet and the elders of Vulcan."
Something told Kirk that this was Spock's way of expressing gratitude for providing cover fire as the Vulcan elders warped to safety.
"Hmm."
Kirk turned. "What?"
"It seems we have been captured."
"Oh, God damn it, they're pulling us in—shit—" Kirk watched the last pod warp out of sight.
"Do not let panic overwhelm you, Captain," Spock said calmly. "We have just escaped a similar situation. Perhaps we can manage a negotiation."
"I guess you really are an optimist."
xx
Several minutes later, Kirk found himself alone in a room facing the Romulan captain. He had a sharp, defined brow ridge, and his eyes were an unsettling shade of green.
"So you are the Captain of the Enterprise."
"Yeah."
"We received word that your ship destroyed a Romulan vessel."
Kirk squared his shoulders. "We did."
"What ship was this?"
"The Narada."
The captain cleared his throat. "I am not familiar with this ship."
"No, you wouldn't be. It was built in the 24th century."
Kirk proceeded to explain their fantastic story, crossing his fingers that the captain had an open mind.
He didn't.
"As far as I can tell, Captain Kirk, you've chosen to launch an unprovoked attack on a Romulan ship and then mock me when I ask you why. Hardly the behavior expected of a Starfleet captain." Rising from his chair, he nodded to the two guards. "Make him talk."
xx
After being tortured and beaten, two thick-necked Romulans dragged Kirk back to the cell and deposited him unceremoniously on the cold ground. Coughing, he dragged himself to his knees, cussed at the guards, and turned to Spock.
"What'd they—oh, God." He felt a hot streak of rage fuel up inside.
Spock held a square of cloth, torn from his Starfleet uniform, to his bloody nose. His face, covered in green-colored bruises, showed none of the calm reserve Kirk was used to. Blood dripped from his cut lip.
"Spock—"
"I fear," he said, "they find joy in this."
"Well I wonder if they'll find any goddamn joy in having my boot in their face, the sons of bitches." His hand curled into a fist.
"Jim." Spock's voice was quiet, restrained. "I have sustained severe internal injuries."
The next string of cuss words caught in his throat and he stared at Spock. "What?"
"Please sit with me."
Wordlessly, he perched on the cot next to the Vulcan. Two urges battled within him: the urge to break out of the cell and kill as many Romulans as he could get his hands on, and the urge to be as close to Spock as possible.
"If you would permit me," Spock began slowly, "I would—" His body suddenly seized with pain, and Kirk was unable to stop himself from putting an arm around the man and offering a hand to squeeze. I am going to kill every motherfucker on this ship, he thought, as Spock relaxed.
"I would like to give you my katra," Spock finished.
He stared at him in shock. Of all the things someone could have accused James T. Kirk of being, sentimental was not one of them. But those eight words brought tears to his eyes. "Spock," he whispered, not knowing what to say.
"You," Spock said, with increasing difficulty, "are the only one in this universe I would trust with it."
Kirk took one of his hands. "You're being illogical," he said with a faint smile. "The only reason you'd transfer your katra is if you were dying."
Spock said nothing, only stared at his feet.
"No," Kirk spat. He took him by the shoulders. "As your Captain, I order you—"
"Not to die?" Spock's mouth twitched. "You can't control everything, Jim."
Which was undeniably true. Kirk felt the floor being yanked out from under him, the threads of control being pulled from his fingers. He'd lost his ship; he wasn't going to lose Spock. Finally, he made a decision.
"You can transfer your katra to me only if you are about to take your last breaths," Kirk told him, depression building up in the pit of his stomach at the thought. "We're going to get the hell out of here."
"Will you allow me to mind meld?"
"Of course."
"Lie down. Wait—help me to lie down first."
Kirk helped to ease him into a comfortable position, then settled in to face him. In an uncharacteristic gesture of affection, Spock set one hand on Kirk's waist, then arranged the fingertips of his other hand on his face, and closed his eyes.
It was like a flood. That's how Kirk would have described it, because there were no human words to articulate what happened in those few short minutes.
Confusion. Spock watched Kirk beat the Kobayashi Maru.
Frustration and admiration. Spock learned that Kirk had cheated. The system should have been impenetrable. But, no doubt, the solution Kirk had chosen was clever, albeit wrongful.
Gratitude. Kirk flouted authority and sprinted to the bridge to save the ship and crew from an ambush.
Unease. The realization, in his heart, that he did not mind James Kirk. In fact, he rather liked him at times—especially those blue eyes, which seemed to pierce him to his core every time they spoke. And his voice, which was like liquor for his ears. An addiction. The realization that Nyota did not have this effect on him.
Grief. The loss of his mother, the only family member who encouraged the expression of his deeply hidden emotions. His mother, his planet, gone…
Wrath. Marooning Kirk on Delta Vega. Freeze to death, for all I care…
Hate. The primal hunger to extinguish Kirk's life after accusing him of not caring for his planet or his mother. Of course he cared, of course he wanted to blow that god damn Nero and his whole crew to pieces—
Dejection. —but he was Vulcan.
Regret. Despite everything, Kirk still saved his life on the Narada. Somehow, he knew there was a reason for what he had said—he provoked him for a reason. Sooner or later he would find out. They would both apologize to each other.
Anger. Losing control. Wishing Kirk would not have even thought of saving Nero.
Indecision. Staying with Nyota was the logical choice. Wasn't it? His father had loved his mother—did he love Nyota that way? James Kirk entered the room and said something about the ride home being slow. His eyes glowed like a warp core.
Decision. No. No, he didn't.
Reprieve. Finally, he felt a little free. He refused to hesitate. He watched Kirk's face in the soft glow of the lights, his eyebrows arched in surprise and pleasure. Neither the bridge, nor he, would ever be the same.
Love. It was illogical. It was logical. It was true. He loved the captain. The corners of his mouth curved upward, and he laughed out loud in the middle of his quarters. He was Kirk's first officer now, whether it was official or not, because he was going to stick with him. No matter what.
Kirk felt a shock as Spock took his fingers away. He now believed. Vulcan emotions really were much more powerful than human ones. As he tried to sort out everything he'd just experienced, Spock watched him with those dark brown eyes.
"No one has ever seen you smile like that, have they?" was all Kirk could say.
"I had never smiled like that before," came Spock's measured reply. "Also, I have never done this." He moved forward, hand still on Kirk's waist, and pressed his lips to his.
If he couldn't taste the coppery blood on Spock's lips, Kirk never would have believed it was happening. But the metallic taste lingered on his tongue, and the heat from the Vulcan skin radiated across his own cool human flesh.
"You love me," Kirk said, somewhat breathlessly, after Spock let go.
"Yes."
Something in the warm tenor of the Vulcan's voice told Kirk that it was the truest thing he'd ever said. He was speechless. Completely speechless. If it was a liberating change for Spock to show signs of emotion, Kirk was in a life-changing moment of his own.
"And you?"
Kirk stared back at Spock, and suddenly everything cleared. There was only one possible answer to this question.
"Of course."