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 24
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Spock blinked slowly as he gazed out at the light, amber colored sands that surrounded his father's home. It was just about late afternoon over Vafer-tor, and Spock was standing along on the veranda that was attached to his father's residence. Sarek's new house was very similar to the home Spock had lived in as a child with his parents on Vulcan. That home, one of his parents, nearly all of his people, and his home planet itself had all been viciously ripped away from him, never to be retrieved.
But as he stood there in silent contemplation, Spock remembered something else that was precious to him, that had also been ripped away from him as well. Because of his own stupidity, and the disgraceful actions of a perverted alien diplomat, Spock's prior life with Jim had effectively been shredded into a million or more pieces. But unlike the loss of his mother and his home world, Spock had somehow managed to retrieve some of what he had lost with Jim, mainly Jim himself.
A part of Spock, most likely his human half could still scarcely believe that he and Jim were somehow back together, and that they were here at his father's house on New Vulcan. But Spock was no fool, nor was he suffering from any kind of delusion about the reality of things. Sure, Jim was with him, they were together, but Spock knew full well that Jim was no where near back to the confident man he had been before the horrifying ordeal he had suffered through during the diplomatic missions involving the Antarians.
It deeply pained Spock to know that Jim had not yet recovered himself in regards to intimacy. Spock whole heartedly desired to help Jim overcome this obstacle, but he dared not overstep any of the boundaries that he himself had places. Jim was still haunted by what had happened, and Spock would first put a phaser, set to kill, to his own head before he ever added to Jim's fears with any kind of sexual advances.
They were here now, and things were going pretty well between them, and Spock would do all that was within his power to keep it as such. And besides all that, Spock had been patient in regards to everything thus far, there wasn't any reason why he could not remain that way still, for as long as it would take.
He could earn back the privilege of intimacy with Jim, like he had earned back what he had with the young man thus far.
Spock probably would have spent the rest of the day immersed in his thoughts about the dilemmas that still remained between himself and Jim, but the deep, and familiar voice of Jim himself broke Spock out of his musings.
" Spock?" Jim called as he stepped out onto the veranda.
Spock turned to see Jim standing by the doorway and he immediately made quick work of getting across the veranda to the blond.
" Jim." Spock greeted back once he was standing before the young man.
As he quietly observed Jim, Spock noticed that Jim's eyes were a little red, and he seemed slightly drained. Though he already had a good idea that this was because of the very charged and cathartic conversation he had partaken in with Sarek, Spock decided to still ask Jim anyway.
" Are you alright Jim?"
The small smile that was already adorning Jim's features widened before he nodded and spoke.
" Yeah Spock, I'm good. Plus, I just took one of the tri-ox hypos Bones was so gracious enough to pack for me, so I won't be passing out on you from the heat."
" That is very well Jim, I would not wish for you to lose consciousness on what is your very first day here on New Vulcan." Spock nodded.
" Likewise." Jim added as he and Spock began walking further into the veranda. The pair came to stand by the railing, they stood side by side in a comfortable silence.
They stayed that way for a long while, just taking in the quietly beautiful New Vulcan landscape that encompassed Sarek's house. It was Jim who finally broke the silence.
" It's really beautiful out here." He sighed while he leaned against the railing.
" Indeed, the scenery is very much like that which existed on Vulcan." Spock said, before a small glint filled his dark eyes.
" However, I find that the scenery before us is not the most aesthetically thing that is among us."
To this, Jim turned to look at Spock with a slight frown, until he saw the way Spock was looking at him. In an instant, Jim realized the meaning behind Spock's words. A deep rush of several emotions, from warmth to slight embarrassment, rose up inside of Jim as he felt his face heat up and he turned his head away with a shy smile.
To Spock, this act only made Jim look even more breathtaking, but he stayed silent and waited for Jim to make the next move.
" Spock, I'm not some girl y'know. You don't have to say things like that." Jim said without really meeting Spock's deep, dark eyes.
" On the contrary, and please forgive my boldness Jim, but I believe that I should have to say such things. I desire to let you know that despite all that has transpired, both between us, and with you yourself, that I too believe you to be an extraordinary being." Spock said.
Jim gave a small jerk of surprise before he looked at Spock with a knowing look as he spoke.
" I take it, you heard what me and your dad talked about."
" Only a small portion of the end of it." Spock said, before he ducked his head slightly and continued. " Forgive me for eavesdropping on you Jim. I had simple been in search of you after I had completed my meditation and happened to come across you and my father in his meditation room. I will understand if this has angered you in some-"
The rest of what Spock wanted to say was abruptly cut short when the Vulcan felt a pair of warm and soft human lips cover his own in an unexpected kiss. But before Spock could properly respond, Jim was drawing back with a satisfied smirk on his face. The smirk quickly turned into a soft smile as Jim caught the slightly wideness to Spock's dark eyes, and the faint green flush to the tips of his delicately pointed ears. Jim reached out and gently cupped the side of Spock's neck as he spoke.
" It's alright Spock, I'm not angry or anything, Hell, maybe you could have joined us and I could've talked some sense into you both about your shared guilt complexes." Jim said with a small grin that was tinted with the barest hint of remorse.
" Perhaps there will be time later on in our stay here where the three of us will be able to sit together and discuss certain matters." Spock said as he reached up to cover the hand Jim had on his neck with his own.
Jim's smile turned into a blinding grin when he felt Spock's hand over his own, the sensation of a live current buzzing between them at the skin to skin contact. Spock's face remained stoic as was customary for a Vulcan, but his eyes were bright with veiled joy as well.
Feeling somewhat emboldened by the good atmosphere between them, Spock decided to take a calculated risk. The Vulcan took a small step closer and then carefully wrapped his free arm around Jim, gently pulling the blond to him. Jim stiffened for a split second until he realized what Spock was doing. With his grin softening to a quiet smile, Jim stepped forward and moved to wrap his own arms around Spock in turn.
" Thank you allowing me to hold you like this. I have desired to do so in the twenty-five point our minutes since I left you and my father in his meditation room and came out here to the veranda." Spock said softly.
" Well, I'm glad you didn't have to wait any longer than you did." Jim smiled against Spock's shoulder.
" And, you're welcome Spock." He added softly before he promptly buried his face into the junction where Spock's neck met his shoulder.
Spock simply gave a small, silent nod in reply before he tightened his own hold around Jim and pressed his face into Jim's hair.
They stood there outside under the New Vulcan sun, totally oblivious to all else but each other. They did not notice the Vulcan eyes that were silently watching them from within the house. From where he stood hidden beside the door to the Veranda, Sarek watched as his son embraced the human who was his chosen companion. Sarek felt a myriad of things as he gazed at the pair.
Sarek was once again silently marveling at the capacity for love and forgiveness he was seeing in Jim. And beneath all of his Vulcan heritage and discipline, Sarek found himself also feeling a deep sense of pride in his son for having somehow managed to earn back the love of the human he was holding after so much negativity had transpired between them.
With a small nod of silent approval, Sarek turned away from the door to the veranda, and the quiet but very poignant seen he had just born witness to. The elder Vulcan left Jim and Spock to their embrace, and headed towards the hallway that would lead him to the kitchen where he could over see the arrangements for diner later in the evening.
A few hours later...
Jim let out a small sigh as he sat on the wide window sill of the arched window that stood in his room. The sun was setting over New Vulcan, painting the skies a striking red color that seemed to paint everything from the Heavens up above, to the sandy, arid land down below. It was absolutely beautiful.
A small smiled curved Jim's full lips as he gazed at the red sky. Sarek had informed both him and Spock that dinner would be served in about two hours. Shortly there after Spock had left the house, saying that there was an errand he needed to run. Jim's smile widened a bit when he remembered how just before Spock had taken his leave, he had stolen a quick kiss before all but hightailing it out of there in his father's hover car.
Though Jim was curious as to what the errand Spock had gone off to do was, he put it to the back of his mind, knowing that he would find out soon enough when Spock returned. Jim rose from his seat and stretched lightly before he stepped away from the window and made a B-line for the glass table that stood next to the window. There was a small computer terminal on top of the table, and Jim decided to use it for the purpose of a sub-space communication.
Jim sat down in the surprisingly comfortable chair that was with the table and pressed the button to turn the computer terminal on.
As he waited for the terminal to boot up, Jim felt his eagerness to get on the terminal rapidly increase. When the terminal was booted, Jim immediately went to work, activating the video-chat features of the terminal. Once he had the program open and sent out his invite to the person he wanted to take to, Jim waited for the reply. At first there was only the loading screen, but after about two or three minutes, there was a soft chime as the screen changed, and a familiar face filled the screen.
" Hey Bones." Jim smiled as he gazed at the good doctor's face on the screen.
" Hey you, took you long enough to call me up." Bones replied with a mock scowl.
" Oh lay off, it's only my first day here." Jim groused back good-naturedly.
" Are you baking you butt off?" Bones asked with a small smirk.
" You'd like that wouldn't you?" Jim challenged before he let out a small snort. " I'm fine, I think the temperature controls in my bedroom have been set so that I'm comfortable, and I've been taking the tri-ox compound you packed for me."
" Well, that's very considerate of the Hobgoblins, and I'm surprised you've been hyposprayin' yourself without fuss. I think the hot air's already messed with your brain somehow." Bones commented, sounded dead serious.
Jim burst out into a fit of hearty chuckles before he shook his head.
" God, even all the way from Earth, you're just so bossy." Jim teased.
" Well someone's gotta be when it comes to you." Bones said flatly before he continued. " How are things with the colony though, they doin' alright?"
" Yeah Bones, the colony is doing really well. They've basically got a small city going on here. Spock said he'd show me around later." Jim replied.
" Say, where is Pointy-ears anyway?" Bones asked. " Thought he'd be glued to your side and everything."
" He went on some errand, he said he's be back before dinner." Jim explained.
" Is the food as bland and stunted as the people?" Bones ribbed good-naturedly.
" Surprisingly, neither the food or the people are bland in anyway. Sarek had lunch prepared for us a little while after we arrived, and I gotta say that I really liked some of the things that were on the menu. Sure was better than anything a replicator ever conjured up. " Jim said in all honesty.
" Don't know whether or not I should take your word for it Jim, there's a pretty good chance you're biased." Bones snarked.
" Oh come off it, if you don't believe me, you'll just have to come to New Vulcan and try it for yourself." Jim countered.
" Huh, it'd have to be something ordered by Starfleet, some kind of wide spread medical crisis, or a really, really auspicious event for that to every happen." Bones mock-scoffed.
" well if that's the case, I'll have to ask if there is anything special coming up on the calendar and let you know." Jim said with a chuckle.
" It'd have to be something extra special for me to come to a place that's hotter and dryer then the Sahara." Bones quipped.
" You never know Bones, something extra special might come up." Jim replied with a shrug.
" Well, we'll just have to see then." Bones said before he let out a small huff and continued. " And in the very, very off chance that you call me up about some big event, I might just hope on the next available ship and see you and the colony for myself."
" I'll hold you to your words, make no mistake Dr. Leonard Horatio McCoy." Jim said with a bright grin.
" Oh, the usage of the full name, you must be pretty serious behind those teeth. Well, you know me, I'm a man of my word." Bones smiled.
" Like the perfect Southern gentleman your mama raised you to be." Jim said with an airy, fake southern accent while he batted his eyelashes.
Bones rolled his eyes in mock exasperation but couldn't help the wide grin that spread across his face at his best friend's playfulness. After that the pair went into an easy conversation about how things were in there respective shore-leave destinations and what other plans they had for the rest of the time they had off.
About twenty minutes later, Jim was reluctantly bidding Bones goodbye and signing off of the computer terminal. The blond made his way out of his and Spock's shared quarters and headed down the room towards the front of Sarek's house. When he reached the end of the hall that led into the living room area, Jim was greeted by Sarek, who was sitting on one of the plush sofas with a data PADD in his hand.
" James, please have a seat." Sarek said as he stood up and gestured to his guest.
Jim smiled and nodded before he walked over and took a seat next to Sarek.
" Spock still out of his errand?" Jim asked, not feeling so nervous sitting next to Sarek.
" I believe so, I sent Spock out to fetch someone who desired to join us for dinner this evening." Sarek explained.
" Oh, who's this guest?" Jim asked immediately.
Sarek parted his lips to answer Jim, but before he could utter anything, the sound of the front door suddenly opening had both Jim and Sarek turning to see who had arrived.
When his eyes fell of just who it was Spock had brought back with him, Jim felt his heart leap as a wide grin immediately spread across his face.
" Selik!" Jim all but yelled as he shot up from the sofa and rushed over to the newly arrived quest, one Spock Prime, now known by the name Jim had just cried out.
" Jim, it pleases me greatly to see you here on Vafer-Tor." Selik said with the ghost of a smile on his weathered face as he and Jim embraced each other.
From where he stood a few feet behind his elder counterpart, Spock watched Jim hug the older Vulcan and felt a small twinge at how comfortable Jim looked in Prime's arms. Spock also felt the sting of shame raise it's head inside him, because he felt that he had no right to harbor ay sort of feeling of envy. While he had hurt Jim so terribly all those months ago, this version of himself had done nothing of the sort to Jim, and was therefore free to be as affectionate as he wanted with Jim.
When Jim and Selik drew back from each other, all warmth and soft smiles, Jim turned his attention to where Spock was standing and immediately went to him while Selik walked over to where Sarek was standing in order to greet the other Vulcan, who was technically his father.
" So you snuck off to bring back another guest for dinner?" Jim asked with a smile.
" Father and I both agreed that there was a high probability that bring Elder Selik here to join us in the evening repast would serve to please you. Were we correct in doing so Jim?" Spock asked.
" Well yeah, if the smile on my face in any indication. Thank you." Jim smiled before he surprised both himself and Spock by reaching out and taking one of the Vulcan's pale hands in his own and giving in a light squeeze.
Spock was stunned for a moment, knowing full well that Jim was aware of how intimate his actions were. The two of them were basically kissing the Vulcan way right now, and Spock couldn't help but silently revel in the sensation. He gently squeezed Jim's hand back before he reluctantly drew away, not wanting to scandalize any of the Vulcan sensibilities that were among them.
" You have no need to thank me Jim. I have not done anything of extraordinary value here." Spock said quietly.
" I'd have to disagree with you there, not many would be comfortable with bringing another version of themselves over for dinner and seeing their boyfriend hug said alternate version." Jim countered.
" I witnessed how it pleased you, therefore I have no qualms." Spock replied.
Jim opened his mouth, but then closed it before he ducked his head and smiled shyly before he looked back up to meet Spock's dark eyed gaze. The moment their gazes met, the air seemed to become charged with a sort of quiet energy that hummed between them. In that moment there was so much that Jim wanted to say and do, and the feeling was mutual for Spock. But then Sarek's voice rang out, breaking the moment.
" James, Spock, let us all proceed. Dinner has been prepared and arranged for us outside on the veranda."
" Well then, lead the way sir." Jim smiled before he turned to Spock. " C'mon, I'm starving."
" Then we shall have to remedy this immediately." Selik said with a small quirk of the corner of his lip.
With a nod of agreement, Sarek led the way outside to the veranda with Selik close behind, and Jim with Spock walking a bit closer to him than was normal rounding out the group.
Outside, the table where Jim, Sarek, and Spock had enjoyed lunch earlier that day was now laden with a various array of Vulcan dishes, and much to Jim's silent glee he could clearly make out the large bowl of plomeek soup with his name on it amidst the veritable spread.
" I take it from the expression on your face that dinner has met your approval James?" Sarek asked neutrally, though he was secretly pleased by Jim's quiet enthusiasm.
Before Jim could say that yes, he approved of the dinner spread very much, his stomach beat him to it with aloud rumble that the three sets of Vulcan ears had no problems hearing. There was a beat of silence, and then Jim was ducking his head as a sputtering laugh erupted out of him.
" Well, I guess that answers your question sir." Jim chuckled.
From where he stood next to Jim, Spock felt a small wave of heat uncurl in the pit of his stomach at the sight of Jim's smile. Whenever mirth filled Jim's pleasing features, it made them all the more brilliant in Spock's eyes. Spock felt the strange urge to simply grab Jim and kiss him senseless, but Spock naturally restrained himself from doing so for it was rather unbecoming for a Vulcan, especially in front of his father and his alternate self, who were two Vulcan elders. In addition, Spock was fairly certain that Jim would not be really receptive to his actions if he had actually taken such liberties.
The three Vulcans and one human made their way over to the food-laden table and took their seats. Spock immediately took his seat right next to Jim, while Sarek and Selik took their seats across from the pair. From where he sat, Selik gazed at the younger versions of himself and Jim Kirk and felt a momentary surge of nostalgia as he remembered how he and his Jim had once enjoyed dinner with his father much like they were all about to do so now. But that had been another life, another time, and in a place that no longer existed in this universe thanks to Nero's madness.
As he quietly observed his younger self and Jim, Selik noticed a sort of shyness between the pair that had not been there in any of the previous encounters he had had with them. There was also a hint of sadness in Jim that had not been there previously. As he watched Jim tuck into a bowl of freshly poured plomeek soup while Spock began digging into the plate of Vulcan stir-fry he had picked from himself, Selik made a mental note to sit down and speak to them both, perhaps after dinner.
For now, Selik thought it best to simply enjoy dinner with those who were in essence, his family.
Dinner was filled with easy conversations and warm compliments to Sarek's personal chef and his staff for a very authentic and surprisingly tasty meal. Jim himself had eaten a little bit of everything until his stomach was well and full. Bones may have called him biased when he had raved about Vulcan cuisine, but Jim was fairly certain that even without the so-called bias, he would have been raving about dinner regardless.
After all of the dishes had been cleared away, the quartet sat at the table, satiated of hunger and lulled into quiet conversation. It was here that Spock Prime saw an opportunity to speak with Jim.
" I beg everyone's pardon, but would it be permissible to speak with you in private Jim?" Selik asked.
Though he was not expecting this, Jim quickly recovered and looked from his Spock to Sarek before settling his gaze on Selik and spoke.
" Yeah, that would be just fine. I'm sure neither of you mind, right?" Jim asked with the barest hint of uncertainty as he looked from Sarek to Spock.
" James, you are free to do as you please. If you desire to speak with Elder Selik, then by all means do so. You need not ask for permission of any kind, to even believe so is quite illogical." Sarek replied.
Jim ducked his head slightly sheepishly, feeling his cheeks heat up at Sarek's kind words before he looked up to meet Spock's gaze. The Vulcan gave his own nod of agreement while gazing at Jim with veiled warmth.
" I believe that you would enjoy speaking with Elder Selik Jim, and he appears to want very greatly to speak with you as well." Spock said.
" Spock, perhaps you could join me in my office then. I wish to speak with you as well about certain matters." Sarek chimed in as he rose to his feet.
The others followed suit in Sarek's wake.
" I'll see you later then Spock." Jim said with a smile.
" Indeed." Spock replied before he reluctantly moved away from Jim and followed after his father as Sarek led the way back into his house.
This left Jim and Elder Selik to each other out on the veranda.
" Come Jim, let us converse for there is much to discuss." Selik said with warmth shining in his weathered eyes as he gestured for Jim to follow.
" Lead the way." Jim smiled back.
The pair walked away from the table where dinner had been enjoyed towards the other end of the veranda. As he walked beside Spock Prime, Jim glanced to his side at the doorway that led into the house, the one Spock had gone through with his father just moments ago.
As he walked, Jim couldn't help but wonder just what would happen once the conversations he and his Spock were about to enter in separate areas of Sarek's house got underway. Jim had an uncanny feeling that the topics of these conversations would most definitely be about him, and what happened. Sarek would probably be admonishing Spock for the part he play, while Selik would be learning about the horrifying ordeal for the first time.
Jim could only wonder and hope that by the end of the night and both conversation, Spock would come out of it relatively unscathed.