Disclaimer: Star Trek is not ours. NuKirk and NuSpock are not ours. NuKhan is especially not ours… Mr. Cumberbatch.

A/N: Hi. I have been deeply honored that SpirkTrekker42 has not only asked me to take over this story, but to be my beta! YAY! Thank you so much for the encouragement and the occasional kick in the seat! I am so sorry it took so long. Hopefully you like it! Thanks also to my friends and family and kitties. This chapter maybe little short but future ones should be longer. Disclaimer: Don't own, not making any money, don't have Chris Pine hostage…

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(Recap from Chapter Seven)

Spock didn't answer.

Kirk finally looked up, shocked by what he saw.

Spock's shoulders were slumped, in strange contrast to his usual perfect posture. It was as if he'd just done battle with some invisible force and lost. His tired eyes met Kirk's, who couldn't miss the raw desperation in his gaze. "Captain, I regret that I cannot room with Lt. Uhura at this time, as she has just terminated our relationship."

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Chapter 8: Reasons

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Captain's Quarters

"Spock, I am so sorry! What happened? " Kirk asked with concern as he directed Spock to sit. He truly hated to see his first officer and friend in this bad of condition but a tiny selfish part of Kirk was dancing the tango with joy over the news.

Spock sat at the seat across Jim's desk and started to speak in a shocked, quiet monotone voice.

"As you know Captain, when two people attempt a deep meld, there are no secrets, no thoughts or no emotions that are private. Nyota and I attempted the meld and," Spock's voice cracked with an answering wince on Jim's face, "We saw and felt everything."

The voice spilling out had changed from the quiet shock to quiet desperation that matched Spock's eyes. "I showed her how much I feel for her. She showed me how she was afraid of losing who she was. I saw through her eyes and her heart how much my need to bond made me blind to the fact that she is who she is and that I had almost extinguished what had attracted me to her in my pursuit. She threw herself out the meld. We both knew then. She was the one to say the words aloud. She still cared for me but she felt that I needed to find someone who was strong enough to bear with my emotions and not lose themselves. I stood up, straightened my shirt, nodded to her, and left."

Spock stopped talking and slightly shook his head. "Captain, I apologize. I should not burden you with..."

"Spock, you can stop that right now," Jim said sternly. "I hope that we consider each other as at least friends. This is what friends do; we are there for each other through the rough patches in life." Kirk explained this while he opened up a drawer in his desk and lifted out two different bottles and two glasses.

"Friends also do this." Jim said after a bit, borrowing a tactic of which Bones was fond. The captain sniffed one brown colored bottle, poured some in one glass, and handed it to Spock. Then, he took the second bottle and poured himself a full glass.

Jim was rewarded with a raised eyebrow from Spock. "What is this beverage?"

"It is a fine chocolate liquor for you and a Kentucky bourbon for me." After taking a drink from his glass, Jim prepared himself for what could a very awkward and/or painful conversation.

"Spock, I could quote the old sayings of 'it is better to have loved and lost then never to have loved at all' or 'there are other fish in the sea' but I won't because I know that logically, it will not help you. I understand that it hurts not to be with the one you care for and love." Jim stared deeply into the Vulcan's dark eyes, knowing all too well on that subject. "Also, please don't give me your lame excuse about Vulcans not indulging in the emotion of love. I know for a fact that Vulcans do love but you master and control that emotion along with all others."

"That is true," said Spock in a flat voice.

Flashes of visions from the Elder Spock's mind meld raced through Jim's mind. He knew that Spock felt, and felt deeply. Jim knew that the Vulcan didn't know that he knew. Not yet anyway…

"I know you are hurting now, Spock, and I'm here if you want to talk, play chess, or need a sounding board…" Anything you need, Spock. I will be there for you, Jim thought.

Spock's shoulders slumped slightly as he processed the captain's spoken words and finished his drink. He refilled his glass and they drank for a while in silence. After finishing his second drink, Spock simply asked,

"Why, Jim? Why are you helping me? I do not understand your motivation."

Jim felt the alcohol burn in his stomach and gave a quick thanks to whoever put McCoy and McCoy's sharp wisdom in Jim's life.

"Spock. Goodness knows I'm not an expert in relationships lasting more than a month – however. Here is what I saw. Each of you had a set of personal issues that you were dealing with. One issue that affected both of you is that you both forgot who you were dating. You forgot that Uhura is human with human emotional needs that need to be met in a healthy, long-lasting relationship. Uhura forgot that you are Vulcan with Vulcan intellectual needs and expectations. That issue was exacerbated with the individual issue that you both had.

Nyota worked very, very hard to get where she is today. She spent a lot of time and energy being the best in everything that she put her mind to at the academy. More than likely, she probably didn't have any time to spare for any deep relationships before she met you. She probably didn't realize or know that you have to go into a serious relationship as an equal partner and that includes to speaking up when you are unhappy until you starting talking about the ritual known as mating.

As for you, you have lost major bonds in your life with the loss of Vulcan. Maternal bonds, familial bonds, and a marriage bond - all gone within the space of a moment. With all of that loss, your need for a bond blinded you to Nyota's needs and wants. IMO, you need to step back and not force the issue. I truly believe that you will find someone who will be the partner that you so desperately want and need."

Spock and Kirk locked eyes for a brief moment. The Vulcan remained silent for a heartbeat and stood up. He put down the empty glass and made eye contact with Jim again. "Thank you, Captain - for everything. I will meditate on what you have said. Goodnight, sir."

"Anytime, Spock," said Jim. "I mean it." He thought about giving Spock the Vulcan salute but he chickened out at the last second. "Goodnight." The captain whispered to Spock's retreating form.

After Spock had left the room, Jim put his elbows on his desk, put his head in his hands and sighed. "Fuck". The burn in his stomach didn't go away. Kirk realized that analyzing what went wrong with Spock's relationship while he wanted to hold and kiss Spock's haunted look out of him was not a good thing either emotionally or physically. Him holding back was what Spock really needed, so by God, that was what Jim was going to do.

Kirk then realized that poor Scotty was probably going through the same ringer. He made a mental note to check on his Chief Engineer.

Just then, Jim looked down onto the surface of his desk and saw his PADD. He remembered what he was doing right before Spock came in. Kirk groaned in frustration. The plan with Uhura sharing rooms with Spock was not going to work. Nor would having someone from the Botany Bay room with Spock. The more Jim stared at the list, the more his head hurt. There was only one cure that he could think of for that sort of problem. He pulled out his communicator.

"Kirk to McCoy."

"McCoy here," the Doctor quickly replied.

"Whatcha doing?"

"I'm in my office catching up on work," McCoy explained. "What happened now?"

Kirk told him what had just transpired. "Bones, did I do it right by Spock because I'm feeling like a huge hypocrite."

"Will wonders ever cease? You actually took a page out of my playbook! Jim, only the Good Lord knows why you like that green-blooded elf and I really don't need to know the details. The mental pictures would scar me for life. But I think you did great, kid. I think you should just be his friend for now. But who knows about the future?"

"Yeah," Kirk sighed. "Who knows…"

"Hell, Kid. Ya know, I might be nice enough to bring over my hypo hangover cure for you in the morning. Feeling any better?"

Kirk laughed. "Yeah Bones, I am. A little. Thank you. You are an awesome friend. Have a…"

"You're not getting off that easily," Bones interrupted. "How about those people here in Sickbay that need a place to stay?"

"Ouch. I am going to offer to Cochrane that he can stay in my quarters in the morning but I'm still short on space for the two ladies. My plan went out the door with the breakup." Kirk replied with a wince.

"Okay, Okay. Just hold your horses. I can bunk here in my office until they are gone and the ladies can have my quarters." The kind doctor offered.

"Thank you so much, Bones! What do I owe you?" Kirk hesitated on the second part.

"A new couch, a raid on your secret liquor stash, and an unlimited supply of mint juleps next time we are Wrigley's or Risa."

"Done, Done, and Done. Thanks again, Bones."

"You're welcome." The doctor rolled his eyes. "Don't mention this to anyone! Get some sleep, dammit."

"'Night, Bones. Kirk out." The captain of the Enterprise smiled as he signed off.

Things were definitely looking up.

End Chapter 8

A/N: Didn't my guest author do a fantastic job?! Review and let us know what you think! Also, I would love to debate the current rumor circulating that Alice Eve is Carol Marcus in ST:XII. I'm not really sure what to think about that…