Chapter Nine

Kirk POV

Besides the horrible morning the day's perfect and relaxing, the sun shining down and casting away that odd chill in the air as we drive towards town, the windows down and a little bit of Garth Brooks on the radio. I love all old Terran music, country usually what I listened to when I was home.

"Fascinating, I didn't know that you could turn everything backwards and reclaim everything." Spock states, causing me to laugh, the song was called Backwards and it was in a figurative sense.

"No Spock, it's a figurative meaning. Just don't analyse the music that way, enjoy it, and let the music speak to you." I spout out, one of the very things a friend had said to me long ago when introducing me to a new age techno beat.

I see him raise his brows before shaking his head and continuing to look out the window into the never-ending dirt land. I let the music seep in, letting my mind focus on the road and the beat instead of everything my mother has said.

Soon town comes into view; it has definitely grown from the old Terran days. What was once a main street now had grown into a large town of two thousand plus the workers who stayed here while building new ships.

The town brings forth both good and bad memories, mainly bad. I had hell growing up here, many fights, heartbreaks and beatings ever since Sammy left. Many of the kids wouldn't touch me because of him and the second he left the bullying started. I let them, after all I knew if I got in trouble my beatings with Frank were going to be worse.

I drive through the familiar roads till I come to a stop in front of Loraine's Diner, the very safe haven I'd had back then and Loraine was a mean cook. I always had my fill here and worked off my meals cleaning the tables and dishes. She was like a mother to me, her son Alex being my only friend in this hell.

"Wait till you taste Loraine's cooking, she can cook the most amazing food, that I can actually eat of course. Don't worry, she cooks Vegetarian things as well, she and her son Alex are also vegetarian and some of my very good friends." I tell Spock, excited, as I hadn't seen Loraine since I'd left for the academy, and she wasn't able to attend my Captaincy Ceremony.

"Then I am sure to enjoy both the food and meeting her." Spock replies, stepping to my side as I open the door for him to enter. Smiling as the familiar bells chime, Alex's head pops up from across the room ready to give his usual greeting.

"Well, isn't it Jimmy Kirk! MOM, JIMMY IS HERE!" He yells, causing a loud clatter from the kitchen followed by a few curses as she flies from the back and to my side, pulling me down into her arms for a crushing hug.

"Oh my Jimmy! I am so glad you are home, I heard what happened from Wy, are you okay? Let me take a look at you." She babbles out while holding me at arm's length and looking me over.

"Oh, you've gained some weight, good. OH! How rude of me, I am Loraine Lar." She blurts out as she finally sees Spock by my side, his eyes slightly wide as he takes in her features.

With a chuckle I slap him on the shoulder. "Loraine, this is my First Officer Spock, he's the finest first officer I could ask for."

"I am and have always been your first, first officer, so your statement is irrelevant." He states before facing Loraine once more and raising his hand in the ta'al for greeting.

"Peace and long life, Loraine Lar." He greets causing her to smile and copy his action.

"Dif tor heh smusma." I shake my head, blinking as Vuhlkansu slips from her lips. I know she very little used it, not needing to when she and her bonded were exiled long ago for her acceptance of emotions.

"Come, come, you boys must be hungry. Oh! Silly me, making everything all complicated and weird. Alex, take a break and come see Jimmy." She croons while shuffling us towards an empty table and bustling back into the kitchen.

"Jimmy, it is good to see you again Sa-kai. I have heard about you Spock, I must thank thee for saving my friend, brother." Alex states, his arms tensing as he resists the urge to clasp Spock in his usual way of welcome.

Spock's eyes darken a little at the last phrasing before flickering between Alex and I. His body rigid in a way I knew was his slightly hostile position. It put me on edge, my eyes shooting between him and Alex now. Pain begins to bloom from my neck and chest causing me to stand as my eyes flicker to the clock.

"I'll be back," I state before making my way to the kitchen so I can get Loraine to give me this god forsaken hypo. I really hate them and I hate doing it to myself even more. I would just forget it but then if I began to be in pain Spock would go all moody Vulcan on me again about forgetting.

"Jimmy!" Lore calls happily, chopping something akin to potatoes.

Wincing, I pull out the hypo and hold it up to her. "I need you to do this." I state while gesturing to my neck. She raises her brows before placing the knife down and wiping her hands. Her eyes running over the words on the vial as she takes it from my hand.

"Jim? Why are you taking such a strong pain medication? Is there something that hasn't been spoken? Now that I notice, you are paler than normal but I had assumed it was from being in space, but I also see the almost healed wounds." She states, pushing the hypo to my neck and activating it. I cast her a grimace before placing the hypo back in my pocket.

"You know the whole incident with Kahn?" I ask, seeing her dark look.

"Yes, I have seen the news and I saw the footage of your ship falling to earth before beginning to hover once more." She replies blandly, a tone I have only heard a few times in my life since knowing her.

"The warp core of my ship had been jerked out of place so I did the only thing logical, to save my ship, my crew…" I trailed off, my eyes casting back out the kitchen door before turning back to Lore. "I climbed in and fixed it. I died in the engineering room while the chamber was decontaminating. I died with Spock by my side and I was dead for a long time till Bones had made a serum from Kahn's blood to bring me back to life. But my organs and everything else was and still is heavily radiated and is still healing, hence the strong pain medication." I finish with a wince, stepping back as her eyes darken and her face turns into that of a familiar stoic Vulcan.

"How did they capture Kahn?" She asks and I cast another look over my shoulder.

"Spock did, they wouldn't tell me the full story but Spock caught him. It is because of him I am still alive." I reply softly causing her features to soften, a spark of knowing behind her eyes.

"You care deeply for him, don't you?" She asks just as soft, causing me to laugh.

"I do, is it that obvious?" I ask making her smile and shake her head before continuing on with her cooking.

"To those close to you maybe, go back before he wonders where you are." She replies, never answering my question fully. With that I turn and leave, smiling as I see that Spock no longer seems to be hostile towards Alex.

Author Note: *giggles* well then...