Captain Spirk

Disclaimer: Still isn't mine. Now there's a pity.

A/N: A BIG and WONDERFUL THANK YOUs to all of the reviewers from the last chapter. Also, to the many readers who have added this to favourite and alerts and for anyone following with an interest: THANK YOU!

And in the previous chapter did Spock actually saw the dream? And if he did, wouldn't he be livid; but instead he seemed HAPPY. I'll leave it at that.

This chapter is mostly Kirk-based (I'm a Kirk girl, I know) and his weird musings. It's getting more serious now so expect less humour and more angst (yeah like I can try right?) but it'll be sexy times full steam ahead hopefully should I get this ruse of a chapter out. I mean the title of this chapter has got to mean something huh? Right? Right? OK I'll shut up now.

ENJOY!

Chapter 12: The Telling Heat

'This is unacceptable!'

Everyone in the briefing room did their best not to wince. And they collectively avoided the smouldering (and not in a good way) stare the Captain/First Officer combo is sending their way.

Presumably (and with good reasons), it is safe to say that most of the 'glaring' was done by Kirk and not Spock unless the latter is 'emotionally compromised' and that is definitely not a good thing.

It has been two weeks since the 'freaky transporter incident' as it is known shipwide and there is still not even any speculation available on how to reverse and correct the situation. It is widely believed throughout the Enterprise (with very, very good reasons) that a transporter malfunction is the most likely culprit. And to that many reactions had been one and the same and in the vein of: 'Well duh'.

Unfortunately, even after Scotty and his whole caboodle (like he liked to call them) of the Engineering department had pick and prodded all over the transporter systems and came out with…absolutely nothing.

True, Scotty explained, rather defensively it might be added to the Captain/First Officer that the transporter for some reason had a tendency to malfunction at the most unfortunate moments BUT that is definitely NOT the case here. Neither Kirk nor Spock were thoroughly satisfied with the explanation, however, but they both trusted Scotty and after dishing a good 'Work it Scotty' and receiving the obligatory (and rather stiff) 'Aye sirs', they had left the Scotsman's domain.

And thankfully failed to overhear the string of curses released by the bruised Chief Engineer.

But that was a while ago and since then, no clue has surfaced and Kirk in particular had nearly lost his already thinning thread of patience. So today, he had called out all the department heads (again) in a bid to solve the problem. So far, from the feedback he had received from all departments, it looks like they would sooner be able to cure common cold than find a way to return Spock and himself to normal.

That made Kirk one unhappy camper.

Admittedly, it is very unfair to be angry at his crew for an occurrence that probably has never occurred since the first star was created in this part of the galaxy.

Who even know how to undo this merging when the exact cause is still unknown?

It doesn't matter that the Enterprise owns the best in-ship science labs and research centre in the entire Federation fleet, the mystery is still refusing to unravel itself. After all, Spock and himself along with the science department had worked extra hard at studying the Enterprises' databanks for possible clues.

Their efforts yielded no hit whatsoever.

Kirk sighed and returned to watching his currently trying-hard-not-to-fidget crew. Uhura was watching Bones watching Scotty watching Sulu who is currently staring at Chekov. The navigator meanwhile is the only one who seemed to be immune to the Captain's ire since he is currently still paying rapt attention to the Captain/First Officer.

'God bless Russia,' Kirk thought sourly.

Kirk could feel Spock's consciousness surrounding his like a warm blanket. Spock's presence is about the only thing that is stopping him from having a major blow up.

Which is very strange dichotomy really, because, here they are discussing (or trying to) ways to separate them again and the only person who can actually calm him down is the person he is currently trying to unstuck himself from.

And the fact scared Kirk badly because, he realised with a painful jolt that he even now does not seemed to mind Spock reading his mind and things like that and more alarmingly, even welcomed it as it made it easier to communicate and the knowledge that despite the fact that Spock's mind is strangely Vulcan and so very different from his Human one in so many ways, he discovered quite amazingly in fact that their minds are beautifully synchronised where it really mattered.

Sharing a mind with Spock made Kirk realised that they not only worked well together, so well, in fact most of their decisions to many different situations are mostly in synch.

But what Kirk was scared of is how comfortable he is with relinquishing his thoughts to Spock. And the fact that he is so comfortable with him. For a young man who never had any close acquaintance with anyone and who grew up mostly alone, it was like finding a home finally.

That knowledge in itself scared the hell out of Kirk because for goodness sake; this is Spock he's thinking about and that's wrong because…well, for one thing it's just wrong.

His own inner voice jeered at him: 'Liar, Kirk, liar. You know what is it that you want…and it's so ripe for the taking,' he swore he nearly clawed his/Spock's face after that thought.

And surprisingly to Kirk, he notices that slowly, almost unnoticeable at first, he felt that Spock, the uptight Vulcan who had so far did nothing but hide behind his Vulcan mind-wall, even when they are sharing this body, had begun to loosen up a bit. It was little things, really, that might have passed Kirk by if his own mind had not been so sharp, but he began to see as if it was within himself, flashes of thoughts and even feelings passing through the vulnerable barrier that separates his thought from Spock's.

It reminded him painfully of that dream.

Kirk found himself mesmerised by what he saw there, and if he had not caught himself would probably have entered where he was not welcomed. It was so tempting that it took every amount of his self-control to stop himself.

And even more alarming is Spock's apparent consent. Consent. It was unbelievable. Kirk personally didn't know what had passed to permit Spock to suddenly become so open to him. Perhaps, the Vulcan can feel his sincerity and decided that Kirk is someone he could trust.

Now, that's a thought. A very, very nice thought, in fact…

Denial unfortunately, no matter how cliché' it sounds, is not a river in Egypt.

[Captain…Jim]

Huh? What?

[The board is still waiting for you to continue…]

Oh.

Apparently he had been spacing out for the past few minutes when Spock took over the board.

How embarrassing.

Thank goodness though; Spock had taken care of everything.

It was the middle of ship's night and Alpha shift had ended for a couple of hours. Kirk normally would have been trying to catch up with sleep but somehow, it's not an easy goal to achieve tonight.

Because it was hot.

Seriously, seriously, annoyingly hot.

'God,' he puffed and could have sworn that his body is so full of heat that his breath came out in vapours of steam.

Spock is silent. Not sleeping though; Kirk could read his mind pattern well enough already to determine that fact. But just silent.

Like a lion about to pounce on its prey silent.

Kirk gulped involuntarily as the sudden thought crossed his mind. Spock with his Vulcan strength could crush him into a pulp should he desire it. He had been the recipient of that formidable display once. He has no desire to repeat it again…although…that might not seemed like such a bad idea at all.

'Jim.'

Spock's voice sounded different too. Lower, deeper…an almost guttural quality.

Jim Kirk found it to be fascinating.

'I feel the heat Jim.'

Which is an odd statement coming from Spock who came from a desert planet and perceived heat in a different manner to Human.

'Yes, I felt rather hot too Spock. Shall I lower the cabin temperature?'

The Vulcan's answer was enigmatic: 'Such actions will not quench the thirst.'

Kirk's answer to that statement was one of bewilderment: 'Huh?'

He felt Spock's consciousness shifting and swirling around him and once again he found himself shuddering and thinking once again of a wild animal ready to launched itself on its prey. Like Spock is the animal and him, Kirk, the Vulcan's prey.

Oh dear God.

'What is going on here?'

Suddenly he realised that something was indeed amiss. Spock's thoughts usually calm, ordered is jumbled and restless. Kirk could feel the Vulcan's attempts at self control and found himself looking at a vision of the Vulcan fighting against total loss of control.

Is this the adverse reaction Spock is experiencing due to the strained of their combined physicality?

'Spock, what's wrong? Are you alright?'

To Be Continued…

Well now; what's wrong with Spock? Cookies for the readers who guess right!

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