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 26

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A soft sigh escaped past Jim's lips as he wiped at his eyes that had long-since dried of tears. Now they were itchy and slightly puffy from the saline that had understandably been spent.

" I trust that you have, for the most part, regained your composure Jim?"

Jim turned his slightly exhausted gaze over to Elder Selik, who was dutifully sitting beside him in one of Sarek's lounge chairs. They had both retaken their seats some time ago, and Jim had continued with his recounting of the harrowing ordeal he had lived thorugh. Once he had gotten through telling Selik everything that happened, he had shed more bitter tears, and Selik had freely given him more warmth and comfort. Now Jim and Spock Prime found themselves sitting in a more or less tranquil, but slightly exhausted state.

" Yeah, yeah I'm good Selik, thank you."

Jim sent the elder Vulcan a warm smile for further reassurance. Spock nodded in acceptance before he spoke with the ghost of an admiring smile playing across his sage countenance.

" Jim, I beg your pardon if my next words cause you any kind of embarrassment, but I must say that while I am deeply appalled by the injustices you were forced to suffer, I am also very much in awe of your strength. Had the Hellish events that you have recounted to me happened to anyone other than you, James T. Kirk, I do not believe they would have survived at all, much less regained themselves as you have."

Jim ducked his head and clenched his jaw tight to keep it from trembling, Selik's gentle, admiring words touching him deeply, to his very soul. Taking in a deep breath, Jim softly replied to Selik.

" I'm... I don't know if I've regained myself fully, but thank you. Thank you for saying that, it means a lot."

" I shall say it a thousand times over if necessary."

Jim sent Spock Prime a watery smile, one that Prime returned a Vulcan smile with his eyes. The pair drifted off into a comfortable silence after that.

Twenty minutes later...

An almost visibly exhausted looking Spock walked out of his father's study with Sarek following wordlessly in his wake. The father-son pair walked down the hallway towards the center of the house in a comfortable silence, each feeling a great deal lighter after having had a very in-depth conversation about certain issue that had really needed to be discussed.

Just as Spock and Sarek reached the end of the hallway that led into the living room area, they both turned in time to see a smiling Jim lead Elder Selik into the house via the veranda door.

Both parties immediately came to a halt when they caught sight of each other, but the impasse that followed lasted only a few seconds before both parties were moving towards each other, meeting halfway in Sarek's living room area. It was Spock who spoke first, and naturally his attention was focused first and foremost on Jim.

" Are you well Jim?"

Jim smiled warmly at his love as he spoke.

" I'm fine Spock, but you're looking kind of wrecked. Is everything alright with you?"

Jim looked between Spock and Sarek who was standing a couple of feet behind his son, wondering just what happened between them while he and Selik had been conversing outside on the veranda. It was Sarek who stepped forward and spoke.

" I assure you James, that all is well. My son and I partook in a very deep conversation, the issues we discussed were... understandably somewhat difficult."

Jim nodded to Sarek before he turned concerned eyes on Spock.

" Are you okay Spock?"

" I am alright, for the most part."

Spock was silently touched by Jim's concern, but when he happened to glance at the older version of himself, Spock felt his Vulcan heart stammer for a moment when he say the cold way Selik was gazing at him. It didn't take Spock very long to realize that his older self had come to learn about Jim's rape, and the part he himself had played in adding to the misery of that entire situation. Spock immediately averted his gaze from the weathered eyes of elder Selik as Sarek spoke.

" Elder Selik, I trust that the evening repast was adequate."

" Indeed, I must say that it was more than adequate. I wish to convey my gratitude for your hospitality in inviting me on this evening."

Selik gave a small bow of his head, one which Sarek immediately returned before he turned to Spock.

" My son, would you please repeat your earlier duty and transport Elder Selik back to his residence?"

Spock hesitated for the barest of seconds before he glanced at Elder Selik and turned to his father as he spoke.

" Of course father, I am more than willing to take the elder back to his home."

Sarek looked between his son, and the elder Vulcan before he gave a curt nod.

" Very well then."

Spock then turned to face his older self and spoke as he, Jim, Sarek, and Elder Selik all started walking towards the front door of Sarek's house.

" Come Elder Selik, I shall drive you."

" Indeed."

If Selik's reply was somewhat curt, no body else commented on it as the group made their way to the front of Sarek's house. When they had just about reached the door, Selik turned to Jim and spoke.

" It has been a most pleasing, and revealing evening. I very much desire that both you and Spock come and visit me at my residence during your stay here on Vafer-Tor."

Jim glanced over at Spock and caught sight of the barely-there expression of surprise that tinted his lover's face before he focused back on Selik.

" That would be awesome. What do you think Spock?"

Jim and Selik turned in time to see an unreadable look pass across Spock's face before his schooled his features and spoke.

" I am very amenable to your request Elder Selik. Perhaps we could discuss the finer details on the drive back to your residence?"

" There are a few other things I wish to discuss with you Little One." Thought Spock Prime as he nodded in agreement before turning to Jim.

" With reluctance, I must take my leave of you Jim."

Jim smiled and nodded before he spoke.

" I'll see you later then, once you get the date and time fixed, or maybe me and Spock'll just drop by and surprise you."

The corner of Spock Prime's mouth twitched minutely at Jim's words as he spoke.

" Indeed, I would not put it past the both of you to simply, pop up at my residence at some random point in the day during your stay here on New Vulcan. Although I find that perfectly acceptable, I would much prefer that a proper date and time be fixed so that I may make adequate preparations for my guests."

Jim shook his head and let out a small huff of laughter at the elder Vulcan's words.

" You don't have to go out of your way or anything, it's not like me and Spock here on some diplomatic assignment. We're on vacation, so so you don't have to go and break out the special silverware or anything like that."

Jim barely kept himself from dissolving into laughter as he watched Selik, Spock, and Sarek all tilt their heads slightly to the side and quirk one of their eyebrows at him.

It was Selik who spoke.

" Jim, I do not own silverware, all of my dinnerware is made from materials found on this planet, and unfortunately, silver is not among them."

Before he could stop himself, Jim's face broke out into a grin that lit up his entire face as chuckled heartily.

From where he stood closest to the door, Spock felt a strange sensation in his side where his heart resided, a strange sort of fluttering that was completely illogical for a Vulcan to feel. But Spock couldn't really help it, Jim just looked absolutely breath-taking whenever he smiled like that, and his laughter was strangely melodious to Spock's ear.

While Sarek watched on with his face as blank as ever, but with a minute softness to his usually sever eyes, Elder Selik's eyes shone with warmth and amusement as they all waited for Jim to sober. After a few moments Jim finally ceased in his chuckling.

" I'm... I'm sorry, but there you go taking the things I say literally."

At this, Sarek piped up.

" Indeed, Vulcans are known for being literal beings after all."

Jim continued to grin as he turned to Spock.

" Well if that's the case, then there's a very literal Vulcan who still needs to get home, so get to it Spock."

" Indeed Jim."

Spock nodded before turning to Elder Selik and gesturing.

" Come Elder, we best be on our way."

Selik nodded and spoke as he stepped forward.

" Very well, again I take my leave of you Jim, and of you as well Ambassador Sarek."

Jim and Sarek both nodded respectfully to the elder Vulcan. With that Elder Selik walked over the threshold of Sarek's home and out into the New Vulcan night air with Spock following in his wake. Jim stepped forward to watch the person he loved and the older version of said person both walked down the small, paved path that led to the area where Sarek's personal hover-craft vehicle was dormant and neatly parked. Selik came to stand beside the front passenger door, while Spock walked around to the drivers side door of the hover-craft. Before they climbed into the vehicle, Spock and Selik both turned to look back up at the house to see Jim standing out in front of the door with Sarek beside him.

Selik raised his hand in the Vulcan salute, his eyes warm as he watched as both Jim and Sarek raised their hands in the same salute. Spock stood by the driver's side door and watched on in silence, all the while gazing solely on Jim, and the while feeling a myriad of emotions rise up inside him, the chief of which was a deep yearning. There was still a great deal left between them that needed to be addressed before they could move forward, but it would have to wait because Spock was currently entrusted with the task of getting the older version of himself back to his home safely.

With that in mind, Spock spoke quietly.

" Come Elder Selik, let us proceed."

Selik turned away from the house to eye his younger self before he gave a wordless nod of agreement. With that, Spock and Elder Selik both smoothly opened their respective doors to the hover-craft and climbed into the vehicle.

From where he stood beside Sarek back up at the house, Jim watched on as the hover-craft carrying Spock and Elder Sarek came to life with a low hum and its head lights igniting. The young man watched as the hover-craft was carefully backed out of the place where it had been parked earlier and then it was hovering away from Sarek's house with stream-line grace, heading back towards the main colonial city.

" I hope things will be alright with those two." Jim said quietly as he watched the hover-craft until it was nothing more than a small speck of light in the distance.

Sarek turned to his human quest and spoke.

" I have every confidence that Spock and Selik shall settle things between themselves, therefore there is no need to worry James."

Then Sarek turned and started going back inside.

" Come, I believe that a cup of authentic Vulcan tea is in order."

Jim turned and began following after Sarek's wake with a smile.

" A cup of tea sounds pretty good sir."

With that, Sarek and Jim disappeared back inside the former's residence.

Meanwhile, on the road back towards the Vulcan's main city-state...

The interior of Sarek's hover-car was more silent then a grave. Both occupants, so much the same, yet so very different, were both equally unhappy. The conversation he had partaken in with his father had left Spock deeply drained, and the knowledge that he still had to face his older self just made him feel worse. But Spock would not voice any protest, this was all because of his own actions, and now he had to reap what he sowed. From where he sat, Elder Selik was silently seething, and the cause of his anger was sitting a mere arm's length away from him driving the hover-car. Though he had expressly promised Jim that he would not cause any bodily harm to his younger self, Spock Prime was still sorely tempted to do something contrary to his promise.

It was only after several long minutes, and after the hover-car had seamlessly entered the main Vulcan city state that Elder Selik finally broke the silence.

" When we reach my residence, do not speed away the moment I exit this vehicle."

Spock turned his head to eye his older self, seeing the hardness in the older Vulcan's usually warm dark eyes, and the cold expression on his weathered countenance. This was more that enough to let Spock know that his older self was in no mood for games. With this in mind, Spock spoke quietly as he turned his gaze forward and focused back on driving.

" As you wish."

The pair tapered off into silence once more after that, and they remained silent as Spock navigated the hover-car through the main colony streets. After about ten minutes, the still busy city area gave way to small, suburban neighborhoods. Spock expertly navigated the quite streets until he finally turned onto the street where Elder selik's house was located. When they reached the Elder Vulcan's dwelling, Spock smoothly turned the hover-car away from the street and into the small drive-way. Once the hover-car was in the drive-way, Spock set the parking mechanisms on the vehicle and pressed the button to kill the engine. When the hover-car smoothly lowered itself to the ground, Selik wordlessly opened his side door and fluidly climbed out of the vehicle.

From where he sat, Spock took a moment to steady himself before he too climbed out of the hover-vehicle. No sooner had Spock climbed out of the vehicle and closed the hover-car door, the back of his head was exploding in dull pain. Spock was dimly aware that he had just been smacked, rather forcefully, upside his head. But before he could fully recover, Spock was letting out a small, stunned and pained cry as one of his pointed ears was seized by unforgiving fingers and pulled sideways. It was well-known just how sensitive Vulcan ears were, therefore Spock had no choice but to go in the direction he was so painfully being pulled.

Spock Prime's face was the picture of barely veiled fury as he pulled his younger self behind him none-too-gently by the ear as if he were a naughty Terran child. Despite the fair amount of pain he was in as he hurriedly walked behind the older version of himself, Spock couldn't help but silently marvel at the good amount of strength Elder Selik, a Vulcan well on in years, still possessed.

Spock Prime strode with determination in his steps as he walked up the path that led to his residence, dragging his younger self behind him without and thought or care as to any of his neighbors seeing him do so. Once he reached the door, Prime quickly punched in the security code in the panel the reside beside the door, and once said door slid open he unceremoniously forced the younger Spock in first by pulling on his ear until the younger Vulcan had stumbled over the threshold. Then, without releasing his pinch-hold on his younger self's ear, Elder Selik stepped over the threshold himself and the door sliding shut in his wake.

Before Spock could rightly compose himself, Elder Selik got right up into his face, pinning him where he stood with just a searing look as he spoke.

" We are not normally a race that gives in to violence, but I believe that you and I are both in agreement that the circumstances we currently find ourselves in are an exception to all that."

Spock averted his gaze to the floor, feeling all of about three inches tall as he gave Elder Selik a mute nod of agreement. Spock Prime would have none of it.

" Look me in the eye you foolish child."

Clenching his fists at his sides, Spock forced himself to look up and meet the elder Vulcans weathered eyes. In these eyes so very much like his own, yet so vastly different, Spock could see a myriad of emotions swirling within their depths, the most prominent being outrage, and disappointment. It took all Spock had not to avert his gaze to the ground again. The two versions of Spock stood and stared at each other for what seemed like a life-age before Spock Prime finally spoke.

" You are fortunate that Jim loves you enough to forgive you for what you did to him, had I been in his place, I would not have been willing in the least to give you even the slightest chance."

Spock minutely clenched his jaw for a moment before he replied.

" That is where Jim has been, most extraordinary. He found it within himself to give me a chance to redeem myself from that which seemed unredeemable. He forgave me for my many grievances against him, and he allowed me to slowly win back his trust, and his love"

" Jim may have forgiven you, but it will be a long time before I do. The way you treated Jim, the way you abandoned him when he had most need of you, is absolutely despicable."

Spock looked away for a moment, feeling a dull twinge in his heart at these words.

" That is well within your rights Elder, you may be able to forgive me in time, but I shall never forgive myself. And as for my actions, your description is accurate, they were most despicable, and I shall have to live with the knowledge that I committed them for as long as I live."

The hard edge did not leave Spock Prime's eyes as he spoke.

" Well good for you then, but do not expect a great deal of sympathy from me Young One. As the human saying goes, you have made your bed, now you must lay in it."

" In-Indeed I must and I shall."

With that Spock turned to take his leave of his older self, but before he even got one full step away, a weathered but strong hand was wrapping around one of his wrists an yanking him forward with a good amount of force. The next thing Spock knew, a pair of arms were wrapping around him in an almost vice-like embrace. Stunned, Spock stood rigid as he spoke.

" Elder?"

Spock Prime tightened his hold around his younger self and spoke.

" He was innocent, he needed you, and you broke his heart, and in the process you broke your own. I am...deeply grieved, for both Jim, and for you."

Hearing these words, so softly spoken from one such as Spock Prime, made something inside Spock shatter. All at once, Spock's body lost its rigid stance, and he was melting into Prime's embrace, returning it whole-heartedly.

" I am sorry."

The words, so softly spoken against his shoulder, made Spock Prime tighten his hold around his younger self even further as the two stood in the elder's house. And if a few moments later, Spock Prime felt his shoulder suddenly become slightly wet, he said not a word.

There was a great deal more that Spock Prime desired to say, but words could come later, when raging emotions ran their course.