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 22
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Jim let out a hefty sigh as he sat back in his chair and gave his stomach a light pat beneath the table top. To put it simple, Jim Kirk was currently stuffed, and happily so.
" I can't believe I ate so much." Said Jim with a smile as he looked from Sarek to Spock.
" Indeed Jim, you seem to have taken a particular liking to many of the dishes that were prepared." Agreed Spock.
" Yeah, the Plomeek soup was really good." Smiled Jim. " Way better than the replicated stuff back home on the ship." At this Sarek spoke.
" I am please that you have enjoyed the meal James, and that you have been made aware of the superiority of authentic, home-made Vulcan cuisine over that which is merely replicated." He said, with words that were filled with pride said in a flat, logical tone.
" Amen to that sir." Agreed Jim as he reached up an lightly rubbed at one of his eyes.
" Are you well Jim?" Asked Spock as he saw Jim do this.
" Oh I'm fine Spock." Answered Jim. " Just starting to feel a little groggy now that my stomach's so full." Jim then let out another sigh and sent a reassuring look Spock's way.
" If that is the case, then I believe that it would be best is we all went back inside my residence." Said Sarek as he rose from his seat.
" Yeah, that actually sounds like a good idea." agreed Jim as he and Spock rose from their seats as well.
Sarek led the way as the three of them headed back inside and out of the New Vulcan afternoon. As they walked, Sarek and Spock could both see how sleepy Jim was becoming. It was Sarek who addressed the situation.
" James, I believe it would be best if you retire for a time to the quarters that have been provided and allow yourself to take rest."
" Indeed Jim, I find my self in agreement with my father's suggestion." Said Spock from where he stood beside Jim. " You appear to be experiencing a rapid loss of energy Jim." He added.
Jim looked between Spock and Sarek and found himself smiling lightly. He knew a Vulcan double-team when he saw one, and if he were honest with himself, an afternoon nap did hold a rather strong appeal at the moment.
" You know, I think I will head in for a bit." Said Jim finally, barely stifling a yawn.
" Very well then, I shall walk with you back to our quarters." Said Spock before he turned to his father. " Excuse us father." He added as he stepped over to Jim.
" Very well my son." Said Sarek with a nod.
" I'll see you later sir." Said Jim, still giving Spock's father the respect of calling him my his title, even though it was he himself who had insisted on informality in regards to how he was to be addressed.
" As I shall do the same James." Replied Sarek.
Spock gave his father a final nod before he and Jim proceeded to head back to the quarters his father had provided for them.
As he watched Jim and Spock walk down the hallway and disappear around the corner, Sarek felt his intrigue from earlier return. Now he would definitely be speaking to his son in private. Sarek decided that he would obtain some answers to clarify the questions that had raised, but that he would do so only after Spock saw that James was settled. Sarek turned and headed towards his office with a plan of action formulating in his mind.
Meanwhile, Spock and Jim walked along the hallway in a comfortable silence. It was Spock who spoke first.
" I am pleased that you enjoyed your lunch to such a degree Jim." His said with a sideways look to the human.
" Yeah, it was surprisingly good considering how Bones always keeps telling me Vulcan food is the blandest stuff in the universe." Replied Jim. " And look, I'm not going into anaphylactic shock. There isn't even a slight tickle at the back of my throat." He added brightly.
" If that is the case, then I am doubly pleased that your consumption of Vulcan cuisine has not had any adverse effect on your health." Said Spock as he and Jim reached the door to their quarters. Spock pressed the button on the wall panel and gestured for Jim to go in first when the door slid open.
" Yeah, good thing that didn't happen." Smiled Jim as he stepped across the threshold into the room and Spock followed in after him. " We've only been here on New Vulcan for a few hours tops. I'd hate to have needed a visit to Medical so early in my shore leave."
At this Spock spoke.
" Rest assured Jim that I shall endeavor to ensure that you will not be needing a trip to any medical facilities while we are here on New Vulcan." He said with all seriousness.
Jim let out a small chuckle as he eyed Spock. He smiled brightly with a definite mirth shining behind his pale blue eyes. The sight nearly had Spock stopping dead in his tracks in awe. Thankfully, Spock kept himself from doing so and he continued with his easy gate as he saw Jim to the entrance of the human's bedroom area. The pair came to stand by the doorway where Jim spoke.
" Tell you dad thanks again for a great meal." He said still smiling.
" Indeed Jim." Replied Spock. " I shall most definitely convey your gratitude to my father."
Then Spock took a minute step forward closer to Jim as he spoke.
" Now I shall take my leave of you Jim, and allow you to rest." He said quietly while his eyes unbidden flickered to Jim's lips for a fleeting moment before he caught himself and returned his gaze back to Jim's pale eyes.
The action, however subtle, did not go unnoticed by Jim. His bright smile softened as he gazed as the tall Vulcan standing across from him. Gathering his courage, Jim threw caution and the potentially disastrous consequences to the wind and stepped forward. Spock stood still as a statue while his brow faintly knitted together, the only sign of his confusion as he watched Jim advance towards him. Jim fought hard against his body's screaming urge to pull back and retreat to his bed room area. He didn't want to retreat because it was not the vile being who still haunted his dreams even in death, this was Spock. This was the man who, even though he had hurt him to titanic proportions, was still the one he loved above all others.
Jim slowly reached out and carefully wrapped his arms around Spock's shoulders, pulling the Vulcan into a warm embrace. From where he stood, Spock was stunned to the point where he felt his heart nearly slam to a dead stop in his side where his liver would have been located had he been a full-blooded human. Out of every possible scenario that had been playing out in his head about what Jim had intended to do when he had been stepping towards him, what was currently happening had never once entered Spock's mind. From where he stood pressed up against Spock with his own heart pounding wildly within his chest, Jim drew back slightly and spoke.
" Spock?" He asked softly, his lips hovering over Spock's pale cheek.
Jim's voice, so soft and slightly unsure, was enough to break Spock out of stunned stupor. Spock's entire being seemed to almost sigh as the Vulcan raised his own arms and slowly wrapped them around Jim in reciprocation.
Jim gasped softly when he felt Spock's arms wrap around him. He exhaled a shaky breath as his eyes fluttered shut and he basked in the solid warmth that surrounded him. Spock's own dark eyes fluttered for a moment as he felt Jim's back beneath his sensitive palms. As he breathed, Spock's heightened olfactory senses caught Jim's faint scent. The scent of standard soap and the light musk that was distinctly Jim's seemed to spark fire through Spock's copper-based blood. The Vulcan tightened his hold around the human without truly realizing it. Jim himself felt a sudden rush of heat rise up from deep within him. It was a sensation he had not felt in many long months, and it was a truly glorious feeling. Jim and Spock stood embracing each other for the better part of an eternity before Spock decided to make a move of his own.
Spock slowly drew his head back so that he could stare into Jim's pale blue eyes. There was only the charged silence between the and Spock started at Jim and Jim stared back at Spock with unwavering focus. Then Spock's eyes slowly drifted down to Jim's lips and then back up to his eyes again. It was a silent message, a silent question really, but it was one that Jim immediately understood loud and clear. Spock had just asked him for his permission. In response, Jim's lips turned up at the corners slightly into a small, reassuring smile before he tilted his chin up a little bit and leaned in closer. He stopped just a few sparse inches from Spock's face.
Had he been fully human, Spock would have described what he was feeling at this moment as his heart singing with joy. But since he was half-Vulcan, Spock decided to best describe the feeling he was feeling now as his body merely responding to the stimulus of Jim wordlessly giving him the go ahead. Spock slowly leaned in, closing the remaining distance between them. Spock parted his lips and gently sealed then over Jim's. The moment their lips touched, Jim and Spock both felt like there was a live current going through them simultaneously. Jim's eyes fluttered shut and he smiled against Spock's lips as he lost himself in the kiss.
Spock's fingers flexed against Jim's shirt covered back as he felt the human respond to him. This was nothing like the desperate kiss Jim had planted on Spock that night after he had revealed that It'Vek had been killed trying to escape his confinement. Nor was it anything like the light and utterly chaste kisses they had been sharing since that one emotionally charged night together. No this, this was the real thing. This was what they had both been missing so terribly for so long. The two of them were so lost in this sort of reunion between them that when the comm-link chirped with an incoming call, it startled them both. Jim and Spock instantly broke apart at the intrusive noise, but remained in each others arms. Jim let out a small groan of disappointment as he rested his cheek against Spock's shoulder and spoke.
" You better get that Spock." He said slightly breathless. " It's probably your dad, and I'm supposed to be in my room sleeping by now."
With great reluctance and barely keeping the disappointment he himself was feeling from showing on his face, Spock all but forced one of his arms from around Jim and reached over to the communication panel that was situated in the wall beside the entrance way to Jim's bed room area. Spock pressed a button on the panel and spoke.
" Spock here."
" My son, has James settled in for the resting period he wished to partake in?" Asked Sarek's disembodied voice through the comm-link.
Bringing his eyes back to Jim, who looked slightly embarrassed, but was smiling, Spock spoke.
" Yes father." He said. " Jim is settling as he speak. He had informed me that he is indeed very fatigued from our journey, and that our afternoon meal served to both satisfy his appetite and add to his drowsiness."
Jim barely stifled the laugh that bubbled up inside him upon hearing Spock's matter of fact explanation.
" If that is the case, then please allow James his rest and come to my study." Came Sarek's voice through the comm-line. " There are certain matters I wish to discuss with you my son."
" Very well father, I shall join you shortly." Acknowledged Spock, curios at what his father wished to speak to him about.
" I await you my son." Said Sarek before the line went silent.
" Well, there's nothing like a parent to ruin the moment." Said Jim jokingly.
When Spock didn't immediately say anything back to him, Jim looked up to find the Vulcan staring at him with a quiet intensity. Jim was about to speak when Spock's hand came into his line of view. Jim's words evaporated from his lips and he was silent as Spock gently cupped his cheek. Spock's palm was very warm, almost hot against Jim's skin, and the feeling was nearly as glorious as when, just moments ago, they had been sharing that kiss. Jim leaned into the touch and smiled up at Spock.
Though he did not smile back, Spock's intense gaze softened considerably before the Vulcan leaned in close and pressed his lips to Jim's forehead. Jim let out a soft laugh, but his eyes fluttered at the intimate contact. Jim almost groaned in protest when Spock pulled away a few moments later and spoke.
" As my father had told me, I should leave you to your rest." He said quietly.
Jim sighed. " Yeah, and he really wants to talk to you about something so you shouldn't keep him waiting."
Jim acutely felt the loss when Spock withdrew his hand from his cheek. With a nod and another smile, Jim reluctantly turned away from Spock and headed into his bedroom area, stealing a final glance back at Spock before he disappeared inside. Spock watched Jim until the human was no longer in his line of sight. Then Spock turned and proceeded back towards the main door that led out into the rest of the house. Once he was out in the hallway, Spock began making his way towards his father's study. As he walked however, Spock indulged in the sudden and illogical urge to bring his fingertips up to his face and lightly ghost them over his lips.
For those heavenly moments all the darkness of what had happened, and what still lingered between he and Jim faded into obscurity. In those moments, they had simply been Jim and Spock, partaking in the human version of a kiss. There had been no pain, no anger, no despair, only the warmth and love of two people coming back together after so much time apart. Had Spock had his way, his mind would've stayed on the highly enjoyed experience he had just shared with Jim without any qualms. As it were, reality would not allow such things as Spock caught sight of the door to his father's study up ahead. All thoughts of Jim's wonderful lips fled from Spock's mind as he subconsciously stood up straighter and added more stoicism to his expression as he walked the remaining distance to Sarek's study.
From where he sat behind his desk going over some papers on his computer terminal, Sarek looked up when the sound of approaching feet caught his ears. When his gaze fell on the door to his study, he found his son standing in the doorway.
" I am here as you requested father." Said Spock stoically.
" Indeed." Said Sarek as he rose from his seat and walked around his desk to properly greet his son.
Father and son stood in silence for a beat before Sarek spoke up.
" Spock, I shall begin by reiterating that I am most pleased that you accepted my invitation to come and visit me here on New Vulcan, and that you brought Captain Kirk along with you."
" Of course father. I too am pleased that I have come here to New Vulcan and seen the progress of the colony first hand. I am equally please, if not more so that Jim has accompanied me in order to share in the experience." Replied Spock.
Sarek nodded and spoke. " Come, let us sit and converse." He said as he gestured to the small sofa by the wall on the right side of his office.
Spock nodded and followed after his father as the pair made their way over to the sofa and took their respective seats beside each other. Father and son sat in silence for several moments before Spock spoke.
" Father, earlier you said that there were matters you wished to discuss with me." He said as he looked at his father. " What are those matters father?"
" I had logically deduced that subtlety would be the best way to have this conversation. I see now that this particular tactic is not the wisest, so I shall be blunt with you my son." Said Sarek. " Do not mind me Spock, but may I know the true nature of your relationship with James?"
Spock barely kept himself from jolting at the question his father asked. Thankfully, Spock kept his composure, and while feeling a slight blush creep across his cheeks, he spoke.
" Jim and I are... Our relationship is... of the utmost professionalism when we are on duty, but while we are here on New Vulcan for shore leave he is my very close friend... Actually he is more than that, more than just a close friend I mean." Explained Spock as calmly as he could.
" So you and James are... Intimate?" asked Sarek.
" Yeah father, Jim and I are intimate." Said Spock.
Sarek's face was as blank as his Vulcan heritage dictated, but inwardly, the Vulcan's mind was deeply intrigued by this new information in regards to his son and said son's good friend and commanding officer. Knowing that he needed to tread carefully now, Sarek spoke.
" May I make further personal inquiries my son?" He asked, looking Spock directly in the eye. Spock met his father's gaze unflinchingly.
" Yes father, you may do so."
" May I know for how long the two of you have been... together in this relationship?" Asked Sarek.
" Jim and I are currently in the fifth month of this relationship. However, we were together in a relationship prior to this current time." Answered Spock, feeling guilt and shame slowly rising up inside him because he knew he would have to reveal what had happened to his father.
" You and he were together in a relationship prior to now?" Asked Sarek.
" Yes father, we were." Answered Spock.
" If you are willing to answer, may I know the events that transpired my son?" Asked Sarek.
Spock stared at his father in silence for the longest time before he forced himself to remain calm and battled back the urge to flee from his father's study.
" Father, Jim and I were together in a relationship for ten point four months, but then a... incident occurred." Said Spock vaguely, subconsciously trying to delay the inevitable.
" Tell me what happened my son, and whether or not I should go and have words with Jim." Said Sarek in all seriousness.
Spock felt a strange ache inside at seeing his father so willing to defend him, but Spock knew that it was not he who deserved this fatherly duty. Taking in a deep breath, Spock spoke.
" Father, what happened was in no way Jim's fault." Said Spock before he got up from the sofa and walked over to the large window behind Sarek's work desk. " The blame falls entirely to me and my utter stupidity."
" What do you mean by that Spock?" Asked Sarek as he too rose and came to join his son at the window. The pair stood side by side as Spock spoke.
" Father, I cannot find any other way to say this, so I shall be blunt." Said Spock as he turned his head and met his father's gaze. " We received orders from Starfleet for a diplomatic mission. We were to go to a nearby starbase in the Jazinon star system to negotiate with the people of a planet called Antara. The mission started out well, and the Antarian delegation seemed like a respectable group, and most of them were. But there was one delegate who was not so."
Here, Spock paused as a deep hatred towards said Antarian bastard rose up inside him. Using all his Vulcan discipline to control himself, Spock continued.
" This delegates name was It'Vek and he... He drugged Jim one night at a official dinner and... vi-violated him." He said softly.
Beside Spock, Sarek's eyes widened slightly and he barely stifled the gasp that threatened to escape him. The Vulcan felt an acute horror grip him as he stared at his son and forced himself to speak.
" James was violated by the delegate?" He asked as neutrally as he could. Spock nodded.
" That is not all father. Afterwards, Jim somehow managed to walk all the way back to the ship and board. We were sharing quarters at the time, so I was there when he arrived."
" So you were able to give James the assistance he needed." Assumed Sarek.
Spock felt a wave of molten hot shame hit him like a tsunami. He bowed his head low.
" No father... I did not assist him. I did worse to Jim than the one who raped him." He said softly.
" What do you mean my son?" Asked Sarek. " Please tell me?"
" I took one look at Jim and instead of seeing a victim of sexual assault, I saw someone guilty of infidelity." Answered Spock.
" You did what?" Asked Sarek quietly as he took a small step back from his son.
" I assumed that Jim had cheated on me with someone at the dinner party. I... I packed up all of my belongings and left Jim there. I didn't even let him speak, I just... I abandoned him because I deduced that Jim had been unfaithful and a willing participant because of his past reputation father." Said Spock softly.
Spock's voice died into a deathly silence. With great effort, Spock forced himself to look up and meet his father's gaze. When he did, Spock almost did a full body flinch when he found his father's dark eyes all but glaring at him, as much as a Vulcan could glare at least. Ever line of Sarek's face was rigid, and behind his eyes swirled barely concealed disappointment disbelief.
" Father I-" Spock began when Sarek wordlessly held up his hand and spoke.
" My son, we can have a full discussion later, and rest assured I shall be speaking all that is within my mind in regards to your deplorable actions." He said with deadly seriousness before he continued. " As for right now, I sense that the tale is quite far from over. Please continue Spock, and do not even contemplate omitting any details. I wish to know every single thing that happened because of your foolishness."
When Spock moved to bow his head again, Sarek reached out with lightening fast speed and halted his son's actions with to fingers under his child's chin.
" Do not bow your head to me Spock, look me right in the eye as you speak." Said Sarek with warning underlying his tone as he withdrew his fingers.
" As you wish father." Said Spock as he met his father's gaze and began speaking once more.
He told his father of how the rest of the command crew had sided with him and turned their backs on their captain. Spock told his father of how afterwards they had all basically left Jim to fend for himself at the diplomatic gathering that had been scheduled for that day, and that it had been a red-headed Lieutenant by the name of Mirna Bansalli who had sent Chekov to then with the video footage that had proven just how stupidly wrong they had all been in accusing Jim of infidelity. Then Spock recounted the harrowing hostage situation in which It'vek further injured Jim and gloated about his vile deeds against the human. Spock then recounted how at the very instant that It'vek was going to plunge a knife into Jim's chest and finish him, Lt. Bansalli had intervened and saved Jim's life. After this, the recount became about how he and Dr. McCoy had rushed Jim back to Sickbay for emergency surgery while Bansalli had taken care of It'vek.
" Afterwards when Jim came back to consciousness from surgery, he was undoubtedly furious at me and everyone else." Said Spock.
" As he was well within his rights to be my son." Countered Sarek flatly.
" Indeed he was father." Agreed Spock. " Jim was so angry towards me that he struck me across the face when I tried to apologize."
Sarek had only the slightest sliver of sympathy for his son, but most of his understanding went to Jim in this instance.
" It took Jim many months to recover. Initially he refused contact of any kind from any of us. Then Ensign Chekov was the first to make strides towards obtaining Jim's forgiveness by taking lunch and sharing it with Jim one day. It was rather courageous of him. This one leap of faith my the youngest member of the command team started a trend of everyone tentatively seeking Jim out. I was the last to do this for the obvious reason that I sinned the most against Jim. Once I did, Jim somehow found it in himself to grant me his forgiveness, and he asked me to be his friend as I once was before our romantic involvement."
Sarek was silent for a long moment before he turned his head to look outside the window at the New Vulcan scenery painted gold under the afternoon sun.
" It has always been a remarkable trait i have observed in humans." He began, then he turned to look back at Spock. " To be able to forgive such grievous crimes, particularly those like the ones that you committed against James."
" In-Indeed father. This quality in Jim has made me starkly aware of my own short comings, and it has made me love and respect him even more." Said Spock.
" How is it that the both of you came back together after all that has transpired between you?" Asked Sarek, deeply curious to know how. To him, a reconciliation between Jim and his son had seemed next to impossible after what Spock had done.
" I do not truly know how Jim could even bare to have the slightest thought of me in a romantic manner." Agreed Spock. " However, it was through a very emotionally charged incident that Jim allowed me to come close to him."
Sarek silently nodded for Spock to continued.
" Approximately five point six months ago, we received a diplomatic mission from Starfleet command. We were to oversee peace talks between two feuding clans in the Nerosi system. Jim seemed ready to take on this sort of mission, but then he received a private message. The message left Jim very distressed, but he continued on with the mission and performed quite admirably that first day of negotiations. Then later on in the evening I, along with the rest of the command crew all accompanied Jim to a diplomatic dinner that was being held at the starbase where the talks were taking place. Myself and the others kept watchful eyes on Jim, over the course of the dinner he became very agitated and abruptly left. I followed after Jim and came to his quarters to find him in deep emotional distress. It was there that Jim revealed to me that the message he had received earlier had been from one of the Antarian delegates, an individual by the name of A'tal. A'tal had commed Jim to inform him that It'vek, the one who had raped Jim had been killed trying to escape. It was discovered that the vile scum had been planing to hunt Jim down and exact revenge. Thankfully one of the prison guard shot him while he was trying to escape."
" I am pleased to know that James is safe, and that the rapist has paid with his life." Said Sarek with veiled satisfaction tinting his voice.
" As am I father." Said Spock before he continued. " Afterwards, Jim looked to me for comfort and support, and I was more than willing to give it to him."
" What do you mean by that my son?" Asked Sarek.
" Jim and I spent the rest of the evening together taking, and then we retired to his bed, but I simply held him in my arms while he slept, nothing more. The next morning Jim thanked me, and was then struck with a rather brilliant idea as to how to solve the conflict between the two warring clans."
" What did James propose?" Asked Sarek.
" He proposed that the son of one of the clan leaders should marry the daughter of the other, and he got them both to admit that they were in love with each other amidst the initial chaos that had erupted."
" I take it this proposal worked?" Asked Sarek, feeling amusement towards Jim's rather bold way of handling a rather delicate situation.
" Indeed it did. Jim, myself, and Dr. McCoy who was there in attendance with us were dismissed so that the clans could handle it for themselves. Later, when we were back on the ship, the two clan leaders commed to inform us that instead of war, we were all cordially invited to the wedding of their children." Said Spock, feeling proud on Jim and what the man he loved had accomplished.
Sarek was again silent, and his face was a mask of neutrality that Spock could not really read anything from. Gathering his courage, Spock spoke first to break the charged and oppressive silence between them.
" Are you ashamed of my father?" He asked softly. " I understand if you are."
Sarek almost gave a start at this and looked at his son intensely before he spoke.
" I am ashamed of your actions, but not of you my son." He said truthfully.
If Spock felt his throat suddenly tighten at his father's words, he would chalk it up to the dry air affecting his throat muscles.
" Come, let us sit and talk further my son." Said Sarek as he gestured to the sofa. Spock nodded mutely and followed after his father and Sarek led the way.
Father and son resumed the seats they had long since abandoned. It was Sarek who looked to Spock and spoke.
" It is now, at times such as these that I feel your mother's absence more acutely than others." Said Sarek.
Spock had to look a way for a moment and focus on maintaining his control. It took him a few moments before he turned back to face his father and spoke.
" Would... Would she be ashamed of me?" Asked Spock softly.
" No my son, like me she would be disappointed in you for the way you treated James, who was completely innocent and turned your back on when he needed you most. She would most definitely be angry with you, but most importantly, she would want you to continue making amends and get back that which you lost because of pure foolishness."
" I do not really know how to begin doing that. Yes, Jim and I have tentatively begun a romantic relationship once more. We partake in meals together, we play chess in his quarters on an almost nightly basis, in fact I asked him to come with me to New Vulcan while we were playing. Our working relationship is better than before and Jim is slowly coming back to himself." Said Spock before he paused and remembered that not everything had been going as smoothly in Jim's recovery. With a small sigh, Spock continued.
" But father, I know that he is still deathly afraid. Though I do not share quarters with him as of yet on the ship, I can still hear him during the night hours. Some nights I know that Jim does not sleep soundly, if at all. I can catch the faint sounds of him shuffling around in his rooms, restless and agitated. I desire to help him, to comfort him as I did that night when he told me of It'vek's death, but I do not wish to frighten him further."
" It is understandable that you would feel this way, and that James would be in such a state. I believe that it is safe to say that the Antarian who defiled James took more than just his body, but that he took James's peace of mind." Said Sarek quietly as he glanced at the hallway through the open door of his study.
" How do I help restore that peace to him father?" Asked Spock.
" I cannot answer that for you my son. Only time can truly tell." Said Sarek.
" I love him father." Said Spock softly.
" If that is the case, why did you cause James so much pain by abandoning him so cruelly?" Challenged Sarek.
" As you have said father, I was stupid, and a complete fool to think that Jim would've so callously discarded our relationship." Said Spock.
" Fools, however stupid as you have put it, can obtain redemption." Said Sarek. Spock looked away as he felt his throat tighten up further.
" My son, James is here with you now, even after everything that had transpired between you. That says something about his character, and about how he feels towards you." Said Sarek.
" I do not feel I deserve someone like Jim, not back then before what happened with the Antarian, and not now in the aftermath." Countered Spock.
" I do not believe that, and I am fairly certain that James does not either." Said Sarek firmly.
" What do I do father?" Asked Spock.
" I think it best that you simply keep doing what you have been doing. From what I understand, James wanted you back as his friend and the both of you have slowly graduated from that. I do not think it logical that Jim is here for any other reason than to be here with you."Answered Sarek.
" Father, Jim told be his reason for accompanying me to New Vulcan was to see the colony's progress for himself." Countered Spock, all the while feeling the tips of his ears heat up slightly.
" Your mother used a very similar tactic during our courtship." Said Sarek, internally feeling warmth and sadness flow through him at the thought of his beloved wife.
" What do you mean father?" Asked Spock.
" I mean, that when I decided to ask you mother to accompany me to dinner, she said yes, but gave me the reason that she wished to see the gardens that were located near the eating establishment I had arranged to take her to." Explained Sarek.
Spock mulled this over for a few moments until he spoke.
" So what you are saying is that mother put up the front of wanting to go see the gardens when in actuality she wished to go to dinner with you?" He asked, hoping that he grasped the concept.
" Yes my son, that is a correct assessment." Said Sarek.
" Why did she take this particular course of action father?" Asked Spock.
" It is one of the many intrigues of human courtship that I discovered. You mother wanted to come off as nonchalant about going to dinner with me, when in fact I believe that she was quite pleased that I had asked her. Her actions are not so different from those that you described James to have taken. I believe that your mother felt slightly embarrassed that she was so pleased I asked her to dinner. In James's case, he may have felt very similar to your mother and was embarrassed by those, and therefore told you that he wished to see the progress of the colony. I do believe that James did have an active interest in seeing New Vulcan's progress, but that it was quite secondary to simply being with you my son. " Explained Sarek.
" Has my explanation made sense to you my son?" Asked the Vulcan to his son.
Spock mulled his father's words over in his head before he silently nodded in acceptance.
" Yes father, and may I say that you were surprisingly astute in your explanation and your observations."
" Indeed, I am Vulcan after all, if there is one thing about our people, however few of us there are now, we are still known for our skills at understanding the more subtle things that come under our observations." Said Sarek.
" Well put father." Said Spock, with his eyes almost smiling.
" Indeed." Relied Sarek.
About an hour later...
Spock slowly walked down the hallway of his father's residence. His father's voice was still ringing in Spock's ears as he walked. Sarek had just verbally trounced him, like is deserved, and in a way that only a Vulcan could verbally trounce their offspring. Though Sarek had indeed been very disappointed in Spock, he had told his son that he was also pleased to see that he had made amends to the point where Jim was comfortable being here in New Vulcan with him. Sarek had told his son that it would be a little while before he forgave him for bringing such shame to them, but that he would eventually forgive as well.
Now, Spock walked along the corridors with his mind contemplative over all that had been said. But as Spock turned a corner and saw the door to the quest quarters, his thoughts immediately switched to the blue-eyed, blond haired individual he knew was currently occupying one of the sleeping areas of the quarters.
Feeling his pulse speed up just a tiny bit, Spock made his way to the door and stepped through when the door opened with a soft hiss. Once inside Spock found himself standing in the living room and he was faced with two options. On his right side was the doorway to his own sleeping area. On his left was Jim's sleeping area, where he knew his Jim was. Spock took one careful, measured step forward and look first at the door to his own sleeping area, and then to Jim's before he looked straight ahead.
Several long moments passed before Spock moved again. He turned towards his own sleeping area and took a couple of steps towards the arched doorway, but then he abruptly stopped. Another long beat passed before Spock slowly turned and began walking towards the doorway to Jim's sleeping area. This time his step did not falter as Spock carefully made his way inside Jim's sleeping area. Spock moved noiselessly into the room and came to stand near the doorway on the other side. His dark eyes immediately went to the bed, and its lone occupant. Jim lay on his side with one arm tucked under the pillow his head was resting on. The expression on his face was serene in light slumber. To Spock, Jim looked every bit as stunning as he thought the human to be.
However, as he stood there Spock once again began to question why he was currently standing there watching Jim sleep. Spock felt a momentary flare of uncomfortableness before he quashed down the feeling and forced himself to move instead of remaining idle by the door. With the stealth and grace of his Vulcan heritage, Spock noiselessly made his way across the room to Jim's bedside. Spock smoothly lowered himself to his knees next to the edge of Jim's bed. He took a moment to yet again admire Jim looking so truly peaceful after so long. Then, with mild reluctance Spock slowly reached out and gently rested his hand over Jim's shoulder and gave it a feather light squeeze.
Jim's brown knitted in a light frown at the disturbance. Spock squeezed Jim's shoulder a second time to rouse Jim and then withdrew his hand. Jim's eyes moved rapidly beneath his lids until his lids were fluttering open to reveal his striking blue eyes.
" Hmmph." Groaned Jim softly as he slowly came back to awareness.
Jim blinked a few times and then yawned lightly. He stretched his limbs and then noticed who it was that had woken him up.
" Spock?" Asked Jim as he slowly pushed himself up onto his elbows and gazed at Spock in confusion.
" What is it? What's wrong?" Asked Jim softly. " Why are you kneeling on the floor?"
Spock was silent, and he gazed at Jim with intensity. Jim stared back, unable to look away from those dark eyes.
" Spock?" Jim whispered, wondering what was going on.
The next thing he knew, Jim felt a pair of arms gently wrap around him, pulling him into a warm and loving embrace. Jim let out a soft gasp when he realized the Spock was holding him.
" Jim." Whispered Spock finally, his voice muffled against Jim's shoulder.
Jim was about to speak further, but his voice came our as a soft gasp as he felt Spock press a tender kiss to his neck and then bury his face against it. Jim's eyes fluttered shut for a split second. Seemingly out of their own volition, Jim's arms moved to wrap themselves tightly around Spock, returning the embrace with fervor. Jim rested his face against the sight of Spock's head, his cheek pressed up against Spock's delicately pointed ear. The two stayed that way for the better part of an eternity, neither man saying a single word.
Words could come later, right now they were once again simply Jim and Spock, and they were together.