Author's Notes: Hey you guys! Sorry for the long wait! I'm currently still stuck in Madrid but should be home by the end of the month. Stupid thing is, I was going to go to Thailand for X-mas... Oh, well. I guess I can spend a Holiday in Chile for a change. I might take a little while to come up with the next chapter, I still have the Harry Potter fest to answer for and that fic will become my priority for a while.

Now onto the fic!

As the third month of their trip home neared its end and Sam and Jim managed to settle into a comfortable routine of studying, resting and healing, the call the older sibling had been waiting for finally reached the Vulcan cruiser.

Sam had been loath to leave Jimmy alone that night, but he knew he didn't want his brother to know exactly what he'd been up to until the whole process had been completed and they could both be considered free of the past that dragged them down.

Jim, however, was still vulnerable and needed to be watched over in case any emergency arose while he was away. Which was the reason he almost dragged his feet over to the other side of the ship, cursing his own necessity as he knocked on a single door.

"Hey, Stonn?" he called. "Are you there?"

Not three seconds later the door opened in a rush and a nervous – or as nervous as a Vulcan could look – Stonn approached him, hands tense behind his back, brown eyes anxious and confused.

"Dr. Kirk?" he asked. "Is everything ok?"

"Hey," Sam greeted awkwardly. "Listen, I know we started on the wrong foot and everything, but you like Jimmy and he can relax around you more than he relaxes around The Admiral…"

Stonn nodded solemly.

"That is correct, James and I have formed a bond," he said, almost proudly. Sam shook his head. Bond didn't even describe the way the young Vulcan hovered around Jim whenever he thought he could get away with it. Sam had received almost uncountable complains from him everytime little Kevin or Tom decided to spend the night in Jim's bed and no matter how much he tried to reassure Stonn it was perfectly normal behavior between human males who have undergone a stressful situation together the boy would not bulge and insisted he would patrol the room while the three slept, if only to make sure they were not a threat to Jimmy's safety.

Sam had smiled at that.

Usually a Vulcan instructor had to be called into the room to bodily drag Stonn away while stoically reprimanding him in their mother tongue. Sam sometimes wished he'd taken Vulcan in school instead of Andorian, if only to understand what the older Vulcan was telling the stubborn brat.

Of course, there was the memorable time when Stonn had been grounded for a few days in his rooms. T'Ping said it was because his unseemly behavior while in Jim's presence, as he had engaged in a fist fight with another Vulcan student.

Sam had listened in between horrified and amused, when the Vulcan girl explained that Sekra, the other Vulcan, had told Jim quite smartly that he now looked like a character from a traditional human tale of adventures and heroics, and therefore, it was illogical of him to try and return to his normal human appearance.

Sam had stared at the Vulcan girl, not quite understanding how a simple compliment to his little brother had evolved into a fight.

"I do not understand it as well, Dr. Kirk," she said. "But your brother seemed quite upset as he realized he had been compared to a character from The Lord of the Rings and found himself crying in earnest, which irrevocably began the fight."

Sam had rushed to his brother's room only to find him sulking in his bed, arms crossed.

"What happened, Jimmy?" he asked softly. Jim grabbed his PADD, still unable to speak on his own, and began typping furiously.

'I don't look like fucking GOLUM, right?' he typed, cheeks flushing.

Sam had to laugh at that, cradling his brother in his arms and assuring him that the other Vulcan boy had most likely not read the whole book and must have thought he was flattering Jim.

"At least Stonn put him in his place," Sam tried to sooth. Jim nodded and that was the last time they spoke of the incident.

So yes, he knew Stonn was irrational, jealous and a little creepy, but he cared about Jim enormously and would make sure no one touched his little brother or even looked at him in the wrong way until he was back from his call.

"You see, Stonn," he explained. "I have to take a private call in a few minutes and it might take me a few hours, depending on what I hear."

Stonn's eyes widened further, his whole pose one of Vulcan eagerness.

"Am I to assume you wish me to remain by James' side for the duration of your absence?" he asked, rising and eyebrow. Somehow, to Sam, he looked a little like Ambassador Sarek, but really, all Vulcans looked the same in a way, and it must have been his own imagination.

"You've been lurking around Jimmy's room anyways," Sam sighed, already regretting his choice, something told him he was giving the little Vulcan far too much power over Jim. "Just make sure you keep your telepathic Vulcan fingers to yourself and we'll be fine, ok?"

Stonn's eyes fell to his shows.

Sam grinned.

"Don't play innocent with me, boy," he said. "I am a xenobiologist, I just had to do some research as Vulcan anatomy is not something I have seen yet, but it wasn't all that hard to guess what you were trying to do to my brother once I had all the data."

Stonn had the decency to look embarrassed.

"I must admit I was curious," he defended himself. "James is a unique subject."

"A subject," Sam repeated with a frown.

Stonn nodded.

"James presents a level of abuse not seen on any human in the last two centuries, yet he remains alive and coherent," the Vulcan boy explained. "Older and more experienced humans succumbed to famine while he has not, it is a fascinating paradox, that of his mental state."

Sam narrowed his eyes.

"Don't try my patience, brat," he hissed. "My brother is not your lab rat…"

"I believe I could not explain myself correctly," Stonn interrupted, his cheeks flushing green. "I am quite aware James is a human and an admirable one at that. I do not wish to study him as n anomaly, but as an example of your race."

"If I find you've been lying," Sam threatened.

"Vulcan's do not lie, Dr. Kirk," Stonn replied.

The beeping on Sam's terminal alerted them both, the human sighed.

"Damn it," he swore. "Ok, stay with Jimmy until I come back. Please make sure he eats and don't let anyone but myself or Admiral Archer into his room, got it?"

Stonn nodded, eyes full of determination.

"Understood," he said. "No harm will come to James while I am by his side."

Sam dashed into the communications room, flashing his special permit to a surprised security officer and smiling gratefully at the Vulcan woman holding the comm for him.

"Doctor Kirk will be taking your call now," she said, her face expressionless. Sam thanked her once more before he took the earpiece.

"…hello?" he said hesitantly.

Mr. Parker's laughter filled his ears as his jolly face appeared on the screen.

"That Vulcan sure is a scary woman," he laughed. "Would you ask Miss T'Pan whether she'd like to come to Earth and work with me?"

Sam turned towards the woman and could almost imagine her horror at the prospect. He shook his head.

"I don't think Miss T'Pan would like that very much, Mr. Parker," he said. "Anyways! What news do you have for me?"

The lawyer sobered quickly, his glasses glinting in the light.

"Lt. Commander Kirk was finally available to respond to your demands and your request for emancipation, Mr. Kirk," he said seriously.

"Finally!" Sam grinned, eyes wide. If his mother had signed his petition he could start looking for a house for him and Jimmy right away and have it furnished and ready by the time they landed on Earth. "Did she sign?"

Mr. Parker shook his head.

"As you requested I forwarded both your emancipation and your petition for the custody of your younger brother, as it might have been the last time we had contact with your mother's ship in a long time," Parker explained, bushy eyebrows meeting in a frown. "She didn't take it very well."

"How bad was it?" Sam asked, sitting a little straighter in his chair. Parker shook his head, eyes apologetic.

"She is waiting on the other line," he sighed. "And will not release the comm until she has spoken with you and your brother."

Sam felt his skin turn cold.

"Jim is in no state to talk to her!" he protested. "He doesn't even know what I'm doing."

"I told Commander Kirk the same thing," Parker said tiredly. "She insists her sons cannot fool her as they have obviously fooled me."

"Should I take the comm?" Sam asked, feeling butterflies on his stomach. His hands were sweating and his ears felt numb as he saw Mr. Parker nod.

"I believe you should, she is your mother after all. However, as your personal and legal advisor I would recommend I'm present during the conversation," Parker said, eyes solemn. Sam sighed.

"Pass her through, then, Mr. Parker,"

Parker gave him one small, encouraging smile before pressing a button on his own console. His screen split in two and while one half still held the image of Mr. Parker, who now remained muted, the other half now showed the face of one Winona Kirk.

Her face was older and more tired than Sam remembered, paler, harder, streaks of silver already bleached her blonde hair. Her hazel eyes, the same as his own, were cold and her cheeks were flushed an angry red. Sam instantly knew his mother was pissed.

"Samuel," she greeted calmly, her hands resting on her lap.

"Mom," Sam replied, trying to ignore the voices inside of his head urging him to take it all back and apologize, to maybe beg for forgiveness and hope for some of his mother's love. He's come too far now to go back.

"I would like an explanation, Samuel, about these documents I just received. Not only are you calling me unfit to be your mother, but you also question Jim's safety under my care?" she asked, her frown deepening the wrinkles around her eyes that Sam had never seen before.

"I never wanted it to come to this," Sam said seriously. "But you and Frank left me no choice."

Winona rolled her eyes, her hands tightening on her lap were the only indication she was struggling to keep her cool.

"Is this about your brother's punishment again, Samuel?" she asked tiredly. "I know you and Frank have your differences, honey, but this is taking it all a little bit too far."

"A little too far?" Sam repeated, not able to believe his ears. "You think THIS is a little too far?" From the side-screen, Mr. Parker waved his hands frantically, urging Sam to calm down. Sam slumped on his chair, feeling drained.

"I know you think I was too hard on Jim, maybe you are right, but your brother was getting out of control. With you working on the shipyard and Frank taking care of business, no onw was there to look out for Jim."

Sam frowned suddenly.

"How do you know I was working on the shipyard?" he asked, eyes straying towards Mr. Parker's confused frown.

"Frank told me," she replied. "I called home after we spoke last, he said you left and were working on the shipyard near our farm for the summer while Jimmy was away."

Something cold and heavy settled on the teen's chest, something painful and disgusting. He tried, almost desperately, to see his mom on the woman on the screen, to see the laughing woman who taught him how to tie his shoelaces or how to write his own name on the dirt, the same who sang old Terran songs to him before he fell asleep. He tried to draw a mental giggle out of her mouth and to imagine those calloused hands serving him and Jimmy pancakes and showering them with playful kisses.

With a knot on his throat he realized, however, that he couldn't. The woman before him was not the same one that had loved them so long ago. This woman was the one who was barely home, the one that spent her shore leaves locked in her bedroom or wandering their farm like a ghost.

And Sam finally understood that the mother that had loved them and the one they had tried to protect with their silence was long gone.

And it hurt.

"Where are you, mom?" he asked softly.

Winona blinked, confused by the sudden change of subject.

"My team and I just left the mines of Argel XI, tomorrow we pick up our equipment and head back to Earth," she said.

"And you'll pick Jimmy upon your way home?" Sam asked.

Winona nodded.

"That's correct," she said. "I sent a report to the governor informing him of our arrival."

Sam felt that ugly cold weight pummel down inside of him.

"I don't think the governor got your comm, mom," he sighed. "Considering he's been dead for months by now."

"What?" Winona asked, leaning forward.

"And you won't find Jimmy on Tarsus IV anymore," he continued. "He's with me, we're on a Vulcan ship on OUR way back to Earth."

"Samuel!" Winona cried in surprise. "What did you and your brother do this time! I told you I would pick Jim and then we would talk this over as a family."

"We're not a family, mom!" Sam cried finally. "Not anymore! If I'd let you pick Jimmy up he would have been dead by now!"

"Let me talk to him, Sam!" the woman demanded. "I'll clear this matter at once! Both of you will go back home where you belong and I'll meet you both there as soon as I land."

"Jimmy can't come and talk to you," Sam interrupted with a hiss. "He can't walk much less speak. He doesn't need people upsetting him, for him to realize his mother didn't care about him enough to check whether he was alive or not."

"What is it you are talking about?" she asked. "Of course I care about Jim! As much as I care about you!"

"Did you read the report, then?" he asked. "All ships near Tarsus IV received a report, your ship should have it as well."

Winona frowned, eyes hard and distrustful.

"Go on, mom," he said. "I'll wait."

The woman took her terminal in her hands and started clicking away. Sam leaned back, knowing he should smile in victory over his mother, he was a better parent that her and this proved it. He even had Mr. Parker as a witness. He realized, however, that he didn't have the power in him to move, no strength left on his body to force a superior smile out of him.

He watched in silence as his mother's angry eyes scanned the report, her face quickly losing its color and twisting into a mask of pure horror. Then her hands went to cover her mouth and unsuccessfully cover her choked screams of distress.

After half an hour, Winona turned red-rimmed hazel eyes on him and whimpered.

"Is he well? Did you get there in time?" she said desperately. "Is he…"

"He's alive," Sam assured. "Though he wouldn't have been if I'd gotten there a day later. I'll send you the file and his records."

His mother nodded, eyes wide.

"I'm not a bad person, Sam," she whispered. "I didn't know this could happen, no one could have predicted this!"

"Yes, but I found out about is as soon as it happened while you just now come to hear of it." Sam argued. "And not because of Starfleet's contacts but because I checked on Jimmy everyday. I sent him mail and asked after his health and laughed at his jokes. I know how good his grades were, how many years he skipped of school, I know his favorite books and that he wants to learn how to hike. Can you honestly say you know all that?"

"I was busy working..:"

"And so was I!" Sam snapped. "I finished highschool, started college, but you didn't know that either, did you? I left home after I called you a year ago."

Winona shook her head, shocked.

Sam felt the fight leave him, so tired he was, so sick and tired. He wanted to go to sleep, to curl around Jimmy's smaller body and forget all the horror they had gone through. That he was seventeen and studying medicine while fighting a legal war against his own mother for a little brother he had singlehandedly dragged out of hell and who might never be the same cheerful boy he adored again.

He shook his head.

"Sign those papers, mom," he pleaded. "We can do this the easy way. In a year I'll be an adult anyways and I'll battle you for Jimmy all over again. I don't want to keep hurting us all."

"If I don't sign them we can all meet back home in Iowa," she tried to reason. Sam's eyes narrowed.

"I won't take Jimmy to Frank anymore," he threatened. "Sign those papers or I'll take Jimmy away where you can never find us, I've got friends who can help me. You'll never hear from us again. We'll be as good as dead to you."

"You are bluffing," Winona said.

"Are you willing to take the chance, mom?" he sneered. "Can you really tell whether I'm bluffing or not? Do you really know me that well, if at all?"

The woman's shoulders slumped.

"Will I be able to visit you both whenever I'm on Earth?" she asked in defeat.

"Of course," her son answered. "You can mail and visit and everything."

Silence fell between them. Sam could feel the nervous sweat on the back of his head, the ache of his tense muscles and how his teeth grounded on his tongue. His mother looked at him for a minute that seemed eternal and must have lasted less than a wink, when her hand grabbed her stylus and a broken sob escaped her throat.

"You were always so grown up, Sam," she sighed, easily signing both documents. "I hope you will send me your address as soon as you get it, we can spend Christmas together?"

Sam's terminal beeped its own anticlimactic confirmation.

He, George Samuel Kirk, was now a legal adult on the eyes of the Federation and the sole guardian of his younger brother, James Tiberius Kirk. Sam knew the knowledge should have come as a relief.

He had won, he was free…

… it didn't, really.

He stared at his mother, her thin body, roughened knuckles and tired eyes. Her whole pose exhuded defeat.

"Mom," he said, startling her and himself. "I think you should take some time off, see a doctor." His mother sent him a questioning look, he flushed. "You've been sad since dad died, and it's not fair to you, to us."

"It's hard…" she said. "Letting go of your father."

"Get some help, mom," Sam urged. "It's not fair. You deserve to be happy again, we miss you."

Winona tried to smile at him… and was not very successful.

"I'll think about it, son," she sighed. "I… love you, you know? You and Jimmy. Make sure neither of you forget that."

Sam nodded.

"See you on Earth," he said and tried not to feel insecure when she absently nodded and finished the call.

Sam felt drained, sitting there before the blank screen. A part of him told him he should tell Mr. Parker, still on the other line and staring sympathetically at him, to start the paperwork on his inheritance and search for a suitable house for him and his brother, but right now he couldn't move, couldn't speak another word. There was a knot lurking in his throat that made bile rise to his mouth and stain his tongue with the curious taste of ashes and soap.

Someone pushed a handkerchief into his line of vision. Sam looked up and found Admiral Archer's stern face staring back at him, eyes as tired as he felt, as lonely.

"I'm so sorry, Samuel," he said. Sam wanted to ask him what he was sorry for. He had won, he was free. He would never have to depend on his mother or stepfather anymore.

Today he had broken his last remaining bond to his mother.

Oh.

Suddenly he realized there were tears streaking down his cheeks and that lump was crawling its way up to pour from his mouth. He took a deep breath, maybe two, before he burst into deep sobs, the pain, the worry and the frustration of the last year finally caught up with him and refused to be ignored any longer.

He cried quietly at first, softly, but as his sorrow gained momentum, his sobs became screams that left him gasping and disoriented.

Admiral Archer wrapped an arm around his shoulders, still silent, and let him cry at his leisure. Sometimes he ran a comforting hand down his back, some others he sent T'Pan an apologetic smile. He must surely be shocking her with such emotional display of grief.

Sam would fall asleep on the old Admiral's arms and wake up the following morning on Jim's bed, his little brother comfortably snuggling on his chest. He gently ran a finger down his brother's sallow cheek, marveling how the color was slowly turning back to a healthy pinkish gold, the silvery nano-wiring holding Jim's mouth shut would be removed in a few days and the keratinne and protein treatment on his hands had restored his little nails almost to normal already.

But what made him smile the most was the soft fuss of blond hair growing steadily on his baby brother's scalp.

The road to recovery was still long and hard for both of them. Sam had purposefully made them both orphans, Jimmy might never be the same sweet child, but for the first time since their nightmare had started, Sam knew they would be ok.

With a contented sigh he wrapped both arms around Jim's still too-thin frame and fell back to sleep, the world could wait a few more hours for the infamous Kirk sibblings.

To be Continued.