Chapter Seven

Spock POV

I sat as soon as the captain left the room, his words still echoing in my mind even from the night before. I had failed; I could see his limp as he left, something I know he didn't notice. I had come to learn after Nero's attack that he had a very large amount of pain tolerance, something everyone but Doctor McCoy wondered about.

But he is, like most times, correct; I did incapacitate Frank when he went to attack my captain. I am still unaware how I had sensed the oncoming attack as he was obscured from my view and yet I still reached out and incapacitated him. He had been taken away by the local police and would be then claimed by Starfleet and will be in their hold till a trial, or placed directly in jail.

The sound of shuffling and smashing catches my attention and I make my way slowly out of the room and down the stairs, stopping on the last step when a bauble of some kind comes hurtling from the lounge room, smashing on the wall.

"That bastard!" Winonayells, her voice filled with venom and regret.

"Mom, it's fine, settle down!" Jim replies softly, a tone I recognised when one of his own was hurt and upset, a tone he had used with me many times in private.

"Oh, Jimmy, my sweet boy… how could I have not seen? You and George, you were my babies; you so very much like your father. Oh, I am so sorry my pain over losing him caused you so much pain." She cries, causing me to wince at the volume in one part of her speech. "If I had just listened to you then Tar…"

"It's fine." Jim cuts her off, my brows rising in curiosity. "Just don't mention that place, only Bones knows because of my bunking with him."

I look for any indication of a reflective surface to see into the room. I know it's wrong of me to eavesdrop and so very much out of character for myself to do such a thing, but this topic is one that could give us more insight into the Captain.

"You haven't told Spock about it?" Winona asks, surprise lacing her tone; making me pay more attention to the conversation. The sound of Jim sighing follows but a ruffling of fabric indicates to me he sat down.

"No, I haven't, I don't know how he will react to that particular time in my life." A frown pulls at my brows as curiosity swells in my chest.

"But how are you keeping it from him if he is your bonded?" This takes me off guard and by the shocked, choked noise from the captain it too takes him by surprise.

"Mom, he's not my bonded, he's in a well committed relationship with one of my Lieutenants; anyway I highly doubt he would be interested in me if he did bat for the same team." I know this reference, having heard it many times when I was teaching in Starfleet; yet his words set me to reeling.

I quickly turn on my feet and silently make my way back to the room, closing the door with a soft click. My thoughts racing as I went over the last few months with the captain, he thought that I was still with Nyota. No one, not even she and I had told him that we were no longer together and haven't been since the Volcano incident.

In fact, we hadn't been in a proper meaning of a relationship since before the mission, having ended it on mutual ground. She was now dating Mister Scott, albeit hesitantly and only since the time the Captain was in his coma, healing from all the damage he had taken from the radiation.

But as Winona's words echo in my mind it began to connect things together, one in which would be the reason why he and I were attuned. With this thought I make my way back down stairs, letting my presence be known.

"Spock!" Jim greets, his face brightening. "What can I do for you?"

My hands clasped behind my back as I reply. "I was wondering if I could use the vid phone in your room to contact New Vulcan to speak with Selik." I ask him, causing his smile to drop slightly.

"Sure Spock, go right ahead. When you're done I'll take you for a tour around town." He replies, still smiling as he helps clean up the destruction of the room. I give him a short nod before turning and making my way upstairs. It would be late on New Vulcan, the sun already set but it is slightly an emergency.

I close Jim's door before making my way over to the vidphone, and I am not surprised to see Selik's personal number already saved and waiting. Did he know that I would need to speak to my older self or had he spoken to him already in the short time I was away from him?

xXx

"Spock, I was waiting for this, something told me you would be calling." Selik quipped, his eyes glittering at my slight surprise at his quick answer.

"Tomasu, it is good to see you and you are correct, I did indeed need to speak with you. I am in Riverside." I tell him, watching as his face drops.

"Jim is well, yes? Or is there another reason not so dire for you to be there?" He asks causing me to nod.

"Yes, he is but I called with a personal question to ask you." I state, making his brows rise in interest.

"What is it I can answer for you?" He asks, but I can hear the underlining warning that he forms when people ask him questions of his life.

"How did you know you were bonded with your Captain?" I ask, causing his brows to rise into his hairline, his eyes darkening ever so slightly.

"The bonding with my Captain and I was after he had been chosen for koon-ut-kal-if-fee and I had thought to kill him, I had bonded to him then as I had realised my feelings for him. Tell me, what made you ask this question? Have you bonded with your Captain?" He asks me, shaking away the memories and pain lacing his tone. Jim had always told me to never question his life, that it causes him pain and I had followed his word.

"I was woken from my slumber with sheer terror and agonizing pain; it had felt like I was suffocating. I knew then that it was Jim; I had found him in the barn where I left him. I can sense what he feels to some degree and my anger, ever since that day he perished before me, my wrath and protective nature has increased for him." I explain, causing a smile to play on his lips.

"Yes, Jim told me that you never left the room according to all the sources. I cannot help you with his feeling, Spock, as that is his place to tell you, but I know that what is happening between you and the Captain is that of the beginning of a bond. Now, I will leave you with this. My Jim, he was my T'hy'la." He finishes with a smile before closing the connection, leaving me stunned and looking at the black screen.

"T'hy'la?" I repeat in wonder before standing and making my way back downstairs.

Author Note: Ohhh theres that 'T' word :P also for those of you who don't know what koon-ut-kal-if-fee and Tomasu means it's listed below.

koon-ut-kal-if-fee - a Vulcan mating ritual which literally means "marriage or challenge" and is fundamentally a wedding ceremony