Ch 2: Going Home

The next 24 hours on the Enterprise were a bit of a blur for its crew. When people weren't sleeping, they were packing, and when they weren't doing that, they were chatting excitedly about the shore leave and the mission that followed after it. The mess hall had a constant stream of people coming in and out of it, fueling themselves before their arrival at Starfleet. If you were a fly on the wall of the hallways, you'd hear a dull roar of sound coming from all directions.

For some, the Enterprise's arrival at Starfleet came far too quickly; for others, it too far too long. Regardless, every crew member was completely prepared to disembark after the Enterprise docked. Shuttles sent everyone down to the surface of Earth, where they would all go their separate ways.

Spock and Uhura emerged from one shuttle. Per Uhura's request, they sat together on the ride down. Spock was unsure why she insisted on sitting right next to him, but it didn't displease him to be in her company. She seemed to be extremely excited to have the chance to go back to her home in Africa, as she chatted about it the entire flight. Spock listened politely, but found his attention drifting before long.

His attention snapped back to her when he heard her ask, "So, how are you spending your shore leave?"

He looked at her and replied, "I have acquired the coordinates for the new Vulcan colony and plan to spend some time monitoring their progress."

Uhura smiled sadly when she heard him say this. "That's good," she said. "I'm glad that you'll be able to spend some time with your people. I kind of wish you'd come with me to meet my family, but I understand that being with what's left of your race while we have the time is more important."

"You have my thanks for your comprehension of my situation," Spock said, a little too formally. Seeing the sadness in her face, he softened his tone. "I do hope that you enjoy your time with your family. I will miss being in your company these next two weeks."

Uhura leaned forward, her lips puckered for a kiss. Spock moved to meet her lips and they shared a sweet yet simple kiss. Uhura was mindful of how Spock felt about these public displays of affection she was privy to, but that didn't mean she refrained from indulging herself in them when the situation called for it. They received a few smirks from people around them, but they didn't notice a single one. They also didn't notice the searing look Kirk found himself giving them either.

With a final smile, she said, "Don't forget about me while we're apart, okay? I'll be thinking about you every day." Spock nodded in kind, but said nothing. He watched her walk away until his attention was abruptly shifted to the slap on his back. He turned to see where the unwanted physical contact had come from, and as he expected, there his captain stood beside him.

"Rather touching parting, no?" Kirk said sarcastically. "Here's hoping she doesn't find an old flame back home and loses all interest in you."

Spock's eyes closed briefly, a sign that he was irritated but was trying his hardest not to show it. In the last three months, Kirk had started to pick up on some of his ever so slight shows of emotion. He smirked as the Vulcan gave just the reaction he was aiming for but decided against irritating him any further. He changed the subject by asking in earnest, "So, will you be hopping on a shuttle and just scooting off? Or will you have to personally request permission from Starfleet to visit the new Vulcan colony?"

"I will approach Starfleet personally and request that I be granted full use of a shuttle to travel to Vulcan alone," Spock replied. "I do not wish to be at the mercy of Starfleet for the duration of my visit, as I do not plan to spend the entirety of my shore leave there."

Kirk looked at Spock strangely. "Why wouldn't you want to spend your entire visit on Vulcan?" he asked, genuinely curious. "You have no idea how long it'll be before you can go back. Besides, I'm sure you're going to be spending plenty of time with Spock Prime."

"On the contrary," Spock interjected, "I plan only to spend a few hours at most with Spock Prime. I seek him out solely for information, and seeing as he is an older version of myself, he will logically only expect to see me for as long as it takes to give me the information I desire."

With a shrug of his shoulders, Kirk smiled. "To each his own I guess. Is it safe to assume you want to cut your visit short to spend some time with Uhura?"

Spock stared at Kirk. "You seem to take quite an interest in my relationship with Nyota. Is there a reason for it?"

Without warning, Kirk felt his face grow warm. "No! Of course not! Why should I care about you and Uhura? You know, minus the fact you're the only one she's volunteered her first name to, and the fact that every time I see you two you seem to be cuddling or kissing or whispering in each others ears…"

"Captain," Spock interrupted. "Would it be accurate for me to assume that you are experiencing jealousy of my relationship with Nyota?"

His face went from warm to hot as more blood rushed to his cheeks. Though it was very subtle, he could tell that the corner of Spock's mouth was perked upward in a smirk. Something about Spock being cheeky with him both flustered and infuriated him. Pulling his bag over his shoulder, he stomped away as he yelled, "Have a good trip or whatever. Just spare me the details when we get back, alright?"

The Vulcan watched in mild amusement as Kirk moved further and further away as quickly as he could without running. As always, out of all the humans that he worked with and came to know, Kirk proved to be the most fascinating one of them all.

"Jimmy! It's so good to see you!" his mom cried happily as her youngest son pulled up on his motorcycle. Kirk had been extremely fortunate that the man he tossed his keys to when he decided to join Starfleet was the epitome of honesty. Instead of keeping it, like Kirk had intended, he gave the keys to Admiral Pike, who reprimanded Kirk for "haphazardly throwing away such a beautiful bike". The bike was then put into storage, waiting for the inevitable day when Kirk returned to Earth and wanted to ride it again.

Winona Kirk gave her son little time to get off of his motorcycle before running up to him and hugging him tightly. He smiled and kissed her on her forehead. "It's good to see you too mom. Where's whats-his-name?" The smile on Winona's face became a frown rather quickly. "Jim, honestly, I know you don't care for your step-father, but you could at least call him by his name." When he didn't respond, she sighed and said, "He's inside, waiting for you. You know, he was actually very proud to say his step-son was the youngest captain in the history of Starfleet."

"Oh that's great," he said sarcastically. "He only gives a shit about me when I'm worth bragging about."

"Jim!" his mother said sternly. "I may have missed you while you're away, but I will not have you and your step-father fighting the entire time that you're here!"

Kirk sighed in resignation. He really didn't want to upset his mom, but that didn't change his utter hatred for the man she decided to marry. Deciding it wasn't worth it to continue talking about it, he brought up what he hoped would be a less touchy subject. "How's George doing? Are he and his family going to come and visit while I'm here?"

The look of irritation on his mother's face didn't go away. In fact, he thought he saw it get a little worse. Great, he thought. Apparently that wasn't a good subject to bring up either… Without making eye contact, she said, "He doesn't like bringing his family over to visit very much because of your step-father. It's a shame I can't get my sons to at least pretend they like their step-father after all these years." She turned to look at her son. "He's told me that he's busy for the next couple of weeks, but he'll be able to see you off before you go."

Kirk laughed lightly. "Well, I guess a goodbye is better than nothing at all. How's his wife and kids."

Finally, he found a subject that didn't ruffle his mother's feathers. Though it was small, a smile returned to her beautiful face. "They're doing well. You should see the boys; they've all gotten so big so fast. His wife is just as lovely as she was the last time you saw her, and just as happy if not happier." She gave a small laugh, her smile growing bigger. "She's actually talking about trying for another child."

"Another?" Kirk exclaimed. "She's already got three boys! How many more kids does she want?!?"

Kirk's mother laughed a little harder. "It's because she has three boys that she wants to try again. She's always wanted a baby girl, and from how it looks, she's going to keep trying until she gets one!" Kirk shook his head. "I don't think she really wants another child, I think she just enjoys the practice!"

He laughed as his mother swatted his arm. "Oh stop! You're such a little lecher! What happened to the sweet baby boy I remember?"

"He learned to walk and talk," joked Kirk. "Once that happened, sweet went out the window!"

Winona laughed so hard she found herself gasping for air. The two laughed together and then smiled at each other. She gave her son another hug and said, "It's good to have you home, Jim. I missed you so much."

Kirk held his mother tight. "I missed you too mom." Pulling her away, he asked, "Wanna know what else I missed?" She smiled knowingly and asked, "What?"

With a hug grin, Kirk shouted, "My soft bed!" and ran into the house. His mother soon joined him, laughing at her silly little boy.

Spock's shuttle landed on the small planetoid not far from where Vulcan once floated. As opposed to Delta Vega and what was formerly Vulcan, this planet was warm and humid, with green foliage all around. He pulled the paper Kirk had given him from his pocket and re-read the exact coordinates. According to what Spock had written, there should be a Vulcan colony not far from where he landed. While it would be more logical to simply land in the colony itself, he did not want to openly announce to Spock Prime that he had come looking for him.

After walking for some time and making note of some of the flora and fauna he passed, Spock finally entered the colony that now housed what was left of the Vulcans. Memories of his home planet came rushing in as he moved past newly erected buildings. It was amazing that they had managed to build homes so quickly after being relocated, but not surprising. A pang of sadness gripped at his heart before he could block it out. It took all the strength and control he had not to think of his mother…

He inquired as to where he could find Spock Prime and was swiftly directed straight to his home. He stood in front of the door and raised a hand to knock, when he froze. Was this really what he wanted? Was he really and truly ready to learn everything Spock Prime knew? It was a large step that could change him forever.

Spock knew that fear of the future would prevent any true progression in the present. He regained his nerve and knocked. Moments later, Spock Prime answered the door, draped in traditional Vulcan garb. A look of surprise spread openly on his face when he saw his younger self before him. The surprise quickly faded, as he knew this was bound to happen. He nodded to Spock, who nodded back in kind. Spock Prime stepped aside, opening the door wider and allowing Spock to enter. With a heavy sigh, he closed the door.

The quiet countryside was disturbed by the sound of a motor. A lone motorcycle sped through the night, sending dust flying into the evening air. Atop that motorcycle, James Tiberius Kirk's mind raced with the thoughts of his last night on Enterprise. Did he do the right thing allowing Spock to pursue the memories of a life neither of them had ever led? Should he have stood his ground and kept Spock in the dark? He'd give anything to be in Spock's position, blissfully unaware of what he knew now. Then again, deep down he knew that if he really were in Spock's position, he'd not only request to know, he'd demand to know.

The wind whipping through his hair and leather jacket only served to pull his attention away from his thoughts in short bursts. The ride he had expected to help clear his mind only gave him ample time to focus on the matter. The soft, warm bed he had left behind was ready and waiting to have its old master lay in it once more when he entered his room. As comforting as it was to curl up in a familiar place, even in sleep he found himself unable to escape. More and more the memories of missions not yet accepted, worlds not yet explored, and words not yet spoken slipped in and out of his subconscious. He saw himself as he is and as he will be, speaking amicably with a Spock he's never known. What were more disturbing to him there were their private encounters with stole into his mind. There were soft whispers, gentle caresses, tender kisses, and fevered touches, all of which were both so foreign and so familiar to him at the same time. Each time one of these encounters entered his dreams, he'd wake up flushed and drenched with sweat.

Kirk shook his head violently as yet another such encounter flashed in his mind. He couldn't keep going on like this! The longer he went without addressing these strange dreams, the worse they got. The last three months had proved to be far too long without attempting to deal with his situation, and he was now regretting not mentioning it to McCoy before they left. There had to be some way to get this out of his head, so he headed to the only place where he knew you could forget anything and everything: The local bar.

The bike slowed to a stop as Kirk arrived at the exact same bar he had met Admiral Pike at almost four years ago. Shaking off the nostalgia of that faithful night when his life drastically changed, he hopped off his bike, strode into the bar, and proceeded to throw back any and every hard liquor the bartender would throw at him. Hours flew by, and each one brought Kirk closer and closer to complete drunken oblivion.

When the bartender said the familiar phrase, "Sorry buddy, you've had enough, I'm cutting you off," Kirk staggered out of the bar, laughing wildly. His idea worked like a charm, or at least that's how he felt for now. He hopped onto his motorcycle and revved the engine loudly. The very same bartender that cut him off came out and shouted, "Hey buddy! You better stay off of that bike! Call someone to take you home!"

Kirk shouted over his shoulder, "Don wurrie 'bout me pal, I dun dis a miiiiiiiiiillllion tiiiiiimes, ha ha!" With a final rev, Kirk reared back into a wheelie, which would have made for a very dramatic exit had his motorcycle not flipped him onto his back and landed on top of him.

"Oooooooowwwwww…"

The bartender ran over to Kirk and flipped the motorcycle off of him. "You damned fool! Didn't I tell you to stay off the bike?!?"

Kirk was lifted to his feet with a loud groan. The bartender shook his head and dragged him back into the bar. "Stupid drunks, thinking they can do whatever they damn well please…" The bartender brought him to the back of the bar, where he kept a lounge for his employees to rest when they needed a break. He laid Kirk gently on the chez lounge that doubled as a bed for the drunks with no way home. Putting his hands on his hips, he said loudly, "Since it's obvious you're too drunk and too stupid to find a safe way home, you can sleep your alcohol off here. And you better be able to walk a straight line when you wake up!"

The door slammed shut, leaving Kirk alone. "'s fine wif me sir!" he yelled. "Ah wuz kinda shleepy anywayz…"

Kirk snuggled on the chez lounge and drifted off to sleep. For a while, his dreams were normal, alcohol induced dreams. It seemed as though for the first time in weeks, he'd have a peaceful sleep, even if it meant when he woke up he'd have a stellar hangover. But peace didn't last very long. More images swirled in his mind, more feelings overwhelmed him. He no longer could decipher which feelings were his and which feelings were Spock Prime's. It was like he had taken the entirety of the elderly Vulcan's life with the alternate version of himself, threw it into a dicer, and was pouring chucks of it into his mind.

But soon, unfamiliar scenes played before his eyes. He was no longer looking into Spock Prime's life, but fantasizing of his own. He saw Spock rejecting Uhura, coming into his quarters, removing his clothes. Spock climbed into his bed, caressed his face, kissed him deeply. His hands roamed down his neck, down his chest, down, down to his groin…

Kirk woke up with a gasp. Sweat soaked through his clothes. The chez lounge beneath him was moist from where he lay. His breath was labored as if he had run a mile. He looked at the clock across the room: 07:14 AM. He had clearly slept off the alcohol, and yet he still felt intoxicated. Though he was thoroughly impressed by the lack of a hangover he was experienced, he was feeling very, very confused about himself. He stood up carefully and left the room.

The bartender sat in the corner of the room sleeping. Kirk gave him an envious look. Must be nice to sleep in peace like that… He patted the man on the shoulder to wake him up. The man woke up startled, looking around to see who was interrupting his slumber. He saw Kirk and said sleepily, "Oh, 'syou. Finally sober enough to drive your motorcycle without killing yourself?"

With a laugh, Kirk nodded. "Yeah, I'm good. Thanks for letting me stay in your break room." The bartender stood on his feet, wobbling slightly. "Sure, no problem. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to call my wife and have her take me home. She just hates it when I have to stay past closing for drunkards like you." The bartender gave Kirk a smirk that Kirk happily returned.

"Don't worry; I'm sure she'll appreciate you keeping another dumbass from killing himself by driving drunk. Sleep well mister!"

The bartender waved at Kirk as he revved up his motorcycle and drove off. Kirk wasn't sure what he was going to do about these unwanted thoughts and feelings, but the recent development of his dreams disturbed him to the core.

Guess alcohol wasn't the answer to his problems after all.