Disclaimer: I don't own anything Star Trek it is all property of Gene Roddenberry, J.J. Abrams, Paramount, and whoever else owns rights to the franchise. I am not making any profits off of this so please don't sue me.

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Chapter 15

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It was a new morning on board the USS Enterprise. In his quarters a freshly shaved and showered Jim Kirk walked out of his bathroom with a towel wrapped snug around his waist. He stepped into his bedroom and his blue eyes immediately went to the foot of his bed where a set of clothes had been neatly laid out. Besides the compulsory black undergarments there was a gold colored long sleeve shirt with the Starfleet insignia over the left pectoral, a pair of black regulation slacks, and pristine shined boots on the floor by the bed.

His uniform.

Taking a deep, steadying breath Jim set to work getting dressed. The undergarments were quickly donned, a black under shirt, a pair of boxers, and socks. Once that was done Jim pulled on the slacks and then he sat down on his bed and picked up one of the work boots. He pulled it on and it went with the ease that came with fitting right. Within minutes both of Jim's feet were boot clad, he stood up and turned to eyes the final garment that remained for him to put on.

Steeling his resolve and knowing that there was no running from this Jim slowly reached down and picked up the shirt. With slow and careful movements Jim pulled the shirt over his head and snaked his arms into the sleeves. He pulled the shirt down the rest of the way and fiddled with it until he was satisfied. He gave it a few final smoothing strokes and then turned to the long mirror that hung by the door to his bedroom.

With a deep huff and a final look at himself Jim pushed aside the nerves and then walked out of his bedroom and then his quarters all together. Jim focused on getting to the turbo-lift. This was his first day back on duty after Bones had cleared him of his medical leave. This was his first day back and he was not going to be late in getting to the Enterprise's Main Bridge.

Jim had just turned a corner to get to the turbo-lift door that stood at the very end of the new corridor when his eyes caught sight of a completely unexpected individual standing by the lift's door waiting for him. Jim came to a grinding halt and stared at this individual, not quite believing his own eyes.

" Spock?" Whispered Jim in cold shock.

Sure enough it was the First Officer of the USS Enterprise standing tall and stoic as ever beside the turbo-lift. Jim stood seemingly frozen to the spot where he had stopped. He was unable to move or think beyond the fact that the one person he had been both yearning and dreading to see in all this time that had passed was now standing just a few feet from him.

Spock stared back at Jim in silence, outwardly he seemed as calm as ever but inwardly he was in as great a turmoil as Jim was. Using all his Vulcan teachings and sheer will Spock forced himself to the first step. Then he took another and another till he was closing the distance between himself and Jim. He came to a stop just an arms length away from the still stunned human. Dark almost black eyes stared unflinching into those of pale blue. A life-time seemed to pass bay in the silence before Spock finally broke the silence by speaking.

" Good morning Captain."

Spock soft baritone was enough to snap Jim out of his stupor. With a blink of his eyes the young Captain spoke.

" G-Good morning Commander Spock." He said formally.

He wanted to ask Spock what the Hell he was doing here instead of on the main bridge. Spock spoke seeming to have read his Captain's mind.

" As you well know Dr. McCoy informed all personnel of your return to duty on this day. I came to this deck thirty-five point four minutes earlier and have awaited your arrival with the intentions of accompanying you up to the main bridge. But I will do so only if you will allow me to sir." Said Spock.

As he gazed into Spock's eyes Jim just barely caught the small flash of emotion just behind their dark depths that looked suspiciously like hope before it vanished back into blankness. Jim felt a minute surge of warmth swell up inside him but he quickly quashed it down as he spoke.

" I will allow it, only for the simple reason that we are both headed for the same place." He said with a frigid undertone to his words.

Spock nodded mutely and then took a step aside clearing the path for the Captain. Jim's eyes lingered on Spock's for a long moment before he blinked and turned his eyes straight ahead as he walked past his First Officer. Time which had seemed to have slowed down for their meeting now returned to normal pace. Knowing where he needed to be Jim made quick work of getting to the Turbo-lift. He could feel Spock's eyes on him where the Vulcan silently stood behind him.

He did his best to ignore it while they waited for the lift, When it arrived Jim quickly stepped in with Spock following right behind him. The Captain and his First Officer stood side by side in complete silence. But they both stole furtive glances at one another with as much discreetness as they could all the way through the ride up. When the lift eased to a stop however, personal feelings towards each other were quickly set aside for the most part and it was all business from then on out. When the lift came to a smooth stop and its door opened Spock sent Jim a silent look before he stepped out onto the main bridge. Jim paused in the lift for a moment before he stepped out too and stood beside Spock. The Vulcan stood to full attention and spoke loudly for all personnel on the bridge to hear.

" Captain on the Main Bridge."

Immediately everyone on the main bridge seemed to stop all at once and their eyes collectively went to Jim. Though the crew had been informed before hand of Jim's return scheduled for this morning they were all still taken in for a moment by the sight of the man himself actually standing there before them in person. But a moment later everyone who was already standing came to full attention and those who had been seated quickly rose and did the same. The main bridge of the Enterprise was silent, absolutely silent as her crew showed their long absent Captain the utmost respect. From where he stood Jim caught the warm gazes of Chekov and Sulu from their places at the ship's helm, from Uhura where she stood by the main communications boards, and from Bones who was standing close by the chair itself.

Keeping his face stoic but feeling the beginnings of full, warm elation starting to slowly rise up inside him, Jim stepped away from a silent Spock's side and slowly made his way towards the center of the main bridge. He silently stepped onto the raised platform where the Captain's chair stood empty and waiting to be filled. With a deep steadying breath and feeling the many eyes that were on him Jim took the final remaining step and then slowly sank down into the chair. Once he was fully seated he finally spoke for the first time.

" At ease ladies and gentlemen."

As soon as he had spoken these words everyone save for a certain First Officer relaxed. Then all at once thunderous applause started up and resonated throughout the whole Bridge. Jim allowed himself a small smile as he looked about the main bridge and eyed the majority of happy, smiling faces. Then he looked to the side as Bones stepped up to the platform and came to stand beside the Captain's chair.

" You ready to get back to work Jim?" Asked the CMO gruffly with a small smile.

" Ready as I am ever gonna be." Said Jim somberly before he smiled back at Bones.

Jim caught a flash of deep blue moving behind him and turned his head slightly in time to see Spock wordlessly walk across the bridge to his own station. Jim's blue eyes lingered on his First Officer for a moment and it did not go unnoticed by certain members of the bridge staff. Chekov and Sulu shared a sad look with each other before quickly turning back to their consoles, Uhura let a small sad sigh escape her before she too turned back to her station, and Bones just stood by his Captain and friend's side, feeling a tiny pang of guilt go through his own heart. These four individual couldn't help but feel bad, the incident with the Antarian delegate had effectively driven their Captain and his First Officer apart in more ways than one and they themselves had contributed to Jim's misery in their own ways.

Jim himself felt a moment of deep longing for the tall and pale, blue uniform clad half-Vulcan who had just taken his seat and was now diligently typing away at his console with seemingly no notice of the blue eyes that were lingering on him. Jim quickly shook himself and forced himself to ignore the emotions that bubbled up inside of him at seeing his not so sure he still was lover. He had just returned to duty and he was going to perform that duty to the best of his abilities. Thankfully Uhura chose that moment to speak.

" Captain Kirk?" She began from her station with a small smile.

Jim turned his head to look at his smiling communications officer and spoke.

" Yes Lt. Uhura?" He said with a small smile of his own.

" We have just received new orders from Starfleet command. We are to rendezvous with the USS Artemis at a planet called Tevores II in the Resundi system. There is a threat of massive destruction in one of the Western regions from wildfires caused by the particularly dry climate and we are to work jointly with the USS Artemis in evacuating several small villages who are at the greatest risk from the fires. The situation is very urgent sir." Relayed Uhura.

Jim nodded and then turned to face his helmsmen.

" Have you guys laid in a course?" He asked although he suspected that he already knew the answer.

" Aye sir, course has been laid in, awaiting your orders sir." Said Sulu with a happy look in his eyes.

" Alright then, take us outta here warp factor five, we got us a job to do." Ordered Jim as he sat back in his chair.

" Aye sir." Came the simultaneous replies of acknowledgment from Lt. Sulu and Ensign Chekov as they set to work, both grinning lightly as they piloted the ship.

" Going at warp factor five to the Resundi system." Said Sulu as he pressed the control to engage warp speed.

Within seconds the ship was jerking lightly as it reached warp speed and disappeared from it's current location like shooting star. This time as he sat in his chair, Jim Kirk didn't notice the pair of dark almost black eyes that were staring at his profile with the barest hints of longing swimming within their depths. Spock quickly tore his gaze away from his Captain and instead focused his attention of the work at his console. But he could not deny that he desired to speak with Jim in more than the clipped tones of formality. He wanted to talk to his T'hy'la and actually apologize to him for all he had done. He knew full well that his apologies would never be enough and could be rejected regardless of how much he meant them but he had to at the very least say something to the human he had hurt so badly.

But for once in his life Spock was unsure of just how to approach the human whom he once had no trouble at all talking to. But that would all have to wait because right now they all had a job to do and people who desperately needed their help.

The Enterprise arrived at the Resundi system in an hour and a half, Jim fell right back into the ways of command, coordinating with the USS Artemis's Captain in coming up with a steady and efficient evacuation plan. And though he wanted to go down to the planet's surface and see to the evacuation himself, a look from Bones told him that it was ill advised. So it was Spock and Bones who were ordered to lead several away teams in getting down to the surface and beaming back with half of the estimated number of villagers while the Artemis took care of the other half.

It took a full four days for the fires to run their course and though there had been a great deal of damage the people of the evacuated villages knew all too well thet it could've been much worse had it not been for the arrival of Federation aid. After four days of having the Enterprise feeling just a tiny bit overcrowded with warm and friendly people, the star ship safely returned all of her guests back to their home on the surface of Tavores II. With a fond farewell the Enterprise parted ways with the planet and the USS Artemis and headed off to another part of the galaxy.

For the crew of the Enterprise words could not begin to describe the feeling of the having their Captain back. It was as if a big hole had suddenly been filled once more and things were slowly but surely going back to normal. But for Jim Kirk there was still one major piece missing from the life he was slowly rebuilding. That piece came in the form of a stoic half-Vulcan who had yet to reach out a hand towards him to try and mend things, and Jim himself was still quite angry with this individual. Over the coming days things were still tense and awkward between Jim and Spock. They spoke only when necessary and had barely any contact outside of when duty called for it. They just couldn't seem to find the right opportunity to actually face each other and just talk like they really wanted to.

And again fate had a strange way of making things work because the opportunity that Jim and Spock both yearned for would come soon enough one night at an ungodly hour for anyone to be awake.