Is it slashy birthday month? IDK, but the 4th was the lovely Madame Angel's b-day! :D Love, kisses, and slashy hugs my darling, this chapter is for you!

Also, in case some of you did not know this, September 15th is the VERY OFFICIAL "K/S Day," aka The Day Amok Time Aired on TV in 1967, when what was already amazingly canon became 95890759037 times more canon *wink*

Chapter Six: Suppressio Veri

"Tell me about this 'allergy incident.' Mr Spock seems to have completely disregarded direct orders here, and I need to know exactly what happened."

"Yes!" Jim jumped up excitedly in his chair and accidentally brushed the back of Spock's hand where it lay against the armrest with his fingers, he was so agitated. It was immediately pulled back of course, in a lightning-fast move.

He also caught Moss' little indulgent smile at this overt show of enthusiasm, which was something that the young Captain hadn't demonstrated since they'd met.

"Yes, that was total bullshit! It says here…" He re-read the entry on what he'd come to think of as The List of Doom and bristled with annoyance. "... The unscheduled stop for medical supplies ordered by Acting Captain Spock was to cure a simple allergy. First of all, yes it was unscheduled, but we still made the rendezvous in time, and protocol on non Starfleet-approved stops is unclear at best, especially if we consider that technically the health of a crewman was at risk. Second, that 'simple allergy' wouldn't let me breathe properly, therefore one could argue it impeded my command."

"Really?" Moss scribbled furiously. With a pen. On a paper. Jim stared, then turned to share a look with Spock but found no dark eyes ready to meet his in silent complicity. Instead, the half-Vulcan was looking intently at the notepad the lawyer was using. "But one could argue you weren't in command, since Mr Spock was forced to take over and he was the one who ordered the ship's detour."

"But… but that's my point. Of course I wasn't in command, I just said I was unable to… I was in Sickbay because of that 'simple allergy!'"

Moss smiled and Jim had already guessed this was another little test.

"Of course you were. But lawyers will twist your own words against you. So, instead of 'one could argue it impeded my command' you say 'I was forced to relieve myself from command because of this serious medical condition.'" Spock still hadn't even glanced at his Captain. Moss kept talking. "This is all very useful stuff. I'll need your CMO's log entries filed as evidence, of course."

"Sure." Jim kept staring at Spock, his enthusiasm deflating, replaced by annoyance when it became apparent that his First Officer was avoiding him deliberately. What the hell was that about?

"Kirk?"

Was Spock angry for some reason? Maybe he hadn't been as cool about the thing with Ben Finney as Jim had thought?

"Kirk."

"What? What?"

There was a second's pause, and then Moss heaved a heavy sigh.

"Okay. All right, I've had it. What we said yesterday? Forget about it. All of it. This isn't going to work."

"What?"

Jim slumped back down on his chair, feeling like the air had been knocked out of him. "What do you mean 'this isn't going to work?'"

"Yes, please clarify," Spock said, positioning himself slightly forward in his seat and clasping his hands together resting on his thighs. No doubt this was an unconscious move, since his Vulcan ears could pick up every word perfectly, and where was the logic in tightly holding his fingers?

"I can't pass you two off as co-workers. It's just not going to happen. I will also be unable to make anyone ignore the obvious bond that exists between you. And before either of you thinks to interrupt me with a brave speech about friendship, just save your breath and don't. Listen to me."

For once, they both did. In Jim's case it was pure fear, as he became flooded by the kind of panic that locked his limbs, not the kind that gave him clear thought and an extra burst of adrenaline during a crisis. He wasn't good with this type of subtle… emotional… stuff. He didn't know how to act, and right now, even thinking semi-coherently felt like a challenge.

"Friendship or no, love-affair or no, I am removing this issue from the equation. Forget about distancing yourselves. Well, okay don't forget about it, do remember to act normally… as in, like normal friends do. But from now on, we are above all that laughable speculation. If the prosecution wants to bring it up, we say 'You're being ridiculous.' If they claim you're in a relationship we say 'That's not relevant to this court.' But I'm not risking this thing backfiring on us. There's just no point in fighting the inevitable; I'm sure Areel will want to use it to hurt you somehow and if she's smart she'll find a way to make sure it looks like—"

"Wait." Ice-cold dread clenched Jim's stomach muscles until he felt a painful cramp. "Wait. Areel?"

"Oh, right, I wanted to tell you. Starfleet put this young prosecutor on the case… and to be honest I'm not sure what they're playing at because she looks about half my age and can't have had her degree for more than a couple of years, maybe three—"

"Areel Shaw," Jim interrupted, his voice flat.

"Yes. Is something wrong?"

"Jim was previously acquainted with her," Spock volunteered. "She appeared to harbour romantic feelings toward him."

"What?" Moss looked like he was about to have a stroke.

"No! What? No. It's not… it wasn't like that at all," Jim interjected quickly. He stared at Spock and suddenly felt alone, and… hurt, for some reason. Spock still refused to meet his eye. "We met at this club about a year ago, but it's not… there was never anything… nothing happened."

"My apologies," Spock said quietly. His head gently drooped down and he seemed very Human in that moment; looking at his lap in what could almost be called shame… or embarrassment. At the very least, confusion. "I was… mistaken."

But… Spock? Embarrassed or confused? Never.

Dammit, what was wrong with him?

"That's… I mean, she only asked to dance." Jim lowered his voice and edged closer to his friend worriedly. "I said 'no,' remember? We were just talking about this, what…?" What had changed? Since an hour ago when he and Spock had fought a common enemy and won, sort of, what the hell had happened to make the Vulcan suddenly uncomfortable to be in his presence?

Would it be too weird if Jim put a hand on Spock's shoulder?

Moss took a deep, steadying breath and rapped his table impatiently with his knuckles.

"Excuse me. Mr Spock, please be kind enough to leave the room; I'd like to speak to Captain Kirk."

"It's okay. I don't mind, let him stay."

He said this without thinking, of course, because Spock leaving was usually something bad, but after he'd spoken he realised that maybe it wouldn't be a terrible idea to hear whatever the lawyer had to say to him alone.

He was spared this little crisis when Moss shook his head firmly.

"I'm sorry, Mr Spock, but this is necessary."

A flicker of distress momentarily ghosted over Spock's features, and then he stood up from his chair in a single smooth gesture. Something was definitely preoccupying the Vulcan, since normally not a hint of inner turmoil would peek through that stony façade.

"Do you wish for me to remain outside?"

"Yes please, Commander." Moss nodded. "I'd like to speak to you alone later as well."

"Very well."

As Spock turned to leave Jim wished he'd touched the Vulcan's shoulder after all, even if all it would have done was make Spock slightly uncomfortable… because Jim knew that Spock knew that the gesture was meant to be comforting, and therefore would be interpreted as such.

"See you in a few—"

The door hissed shut behind him and Jim realised, not without some irritation, that he'd turned to stare forlornly after Spock's retreating back, like he was some sort of lovestruck puppy or something equally pathetic. What if what was really troubling Spock was his clingy attitude? What if Spock had finally realised it was entirely Jim's fault that all of this was happening in the first place?

The trial was messing with their heads.

Get a grip, Kirk. He needed to snap out of it; he had already realised he was relying on his First Officer too heavily; he needed to back off, remember who he was and that the metaphorical sun didn't rise and fall with Commander bloody Spock.

"Kirk."

"Yes?"

Moss steepled his fingers and sighed.

"I think we can beat these charges."

"Uh… okay?"

"I think it will be difficult and it will take time, but we can win. Of course we can win. People admire you and respect you, you're appreciated among the fleet by now—"

"Well I wouldn't say that exactly."

"Really?" Moss's eyebrows shot for his hairline. "I'd heard you're one of the most well-liked Captains out there."

"That may well be the impression the nets wanna give… but it's not true. I'm not… I'm still learning. Obviously. And many veterans know that. Most of them are… shall we say 'weary' of it… and some don't like it."

"Hmmm."

He wasn't going to fall for it. He wasn't going to ask— "What?"

Dammit.

"Nothing. It just seems to me like… you may be more popular than you think."

To this Jim could only snort and shake his head.

"So what's all this about you two being seen kissing, then?"

Oh… God.

"What?"

"You heard me."

Jim groaned.

"This is a joke. This is definitely a joke, yes?"

"I really wish it was, Captain Kirk. Sadly, it's not. Rumours are positively flying around here… and this is not a good thing. The media should be getting to Theta in about a week—"

"Media? But I thought-!"

"-before the trial actually begins, and I do not want any more love-story articles floating around the nets."

"Your sense of humour sucks."

"Kirk, please."

He couldn't help it; his palm slammed against the table and he stood up, chair falling backwards in a crash. "Of course we haven't…! Fuck! I hate this! I hate all of it! It's so… you people and your stupid assumptions and…! It's got me wallowing! Wallowing! I used to hate people who wallow! And I want to do something but every time I try it just seems to make stuff worse for us, and Spock… oh no, oh please don't tell Spock." In a sudden move he leaned over the table, knowing full well that he was wearing his most earnest and beseeching expression and that his eyes looked huge up close. "Please, I really don't want him to know this."

Moss met his gaze with cool reserve. "You know he's either hearing us through that door or he'll find out eventually."

"Yes. But please… for now, just keep it quiet. Spock doesn't need any more emotional complications than the ones he already has here… I don't wanna add yet another burden… this whole mess is the stuff of Vulcan nightmares."

"I'm sure it is."

Jim didn't like the way the lawyer spoke, like he knew things that Jim didn't, but this time he was determined not to rise to the bait.

"Look, Kirk. I wanted to talk to you alone because I feel it would be good if we clarified one of the most important points in the accusation once and for all."

'Here it comes', Jim thought. 'Are you secretly harbouring a passionate and burning repressed love for your First Officer…?'

"What is it about landing party protocol that you feel the need to ignore every single time?"

Oh. What?

That was unexpected.

"That's your final question?"

"Yes."

He shrugged. "Look, I like going on away missions. There's nothing on regulations about a Captain being forbidden to take lead in them, and nothing above a recommendation that h—the First Officer remain on board while I'm on-planet. I'll admit I often take Spock with me, but that's because he's the best Science Officer on the ship. And even then, we don't always go together."

"Oh, I know that. I'm not talking about that. I mean the occasions when there's a potential danger, or section 6.2 is involved…? You will admit that it looks bad."

Section 6.2.a had to do with the unavailability of a starship's First Officer to beam down to a surface due to a medical health issue, and more or less prohibited the Captain from going as well if that was the case, to prevent both senior officers from being out of commission and/or involved in a perilous situation. 6.2.b further expanded on this by citing that if said FO was down on planet and unable to come back up, the Captain was not allowed to be a part of the search party that went to retrieve him, for the same reason.

Technically Jim had broken this one several times, he knew.

"But that rule is idiotic," he found himself saying. "Basically, if Spock is in danger when I'm already on planet it's okay to try and rescue him myself… but if I was up on the ship when it happened, I can't?"

"I'm not saying 6.2 makes sense, Kirk. I'm saying you broke it on multiple occasions knowing full well what that entailed."

"Ugh."

"And Mr Spock did, too."

"Really?"

He tried to remember… yes, there had been a couple of times when Spock had beamed down with the rescue… Jim allowed himself a brief smile. He remembered Spock in that lab telling him about how he got the list and 'I believe you have always operated under the impression that I will abide by the rules no matter what the circumstances are...'

"We can argue against it, though," Moss said with a reassuringly confident voice. "Don't worry, I've been researching other Captain's records—"

"Wait, you're allowed to do that?"

"—and found a rather interesting pattern regarding most cases that will shed a positive light on your mistakes. I really don't think any of this justifies removing Mr Spock from his post at the Enterprise and reassigning him to another vessel."

"Oh. Good. Thanks."

Moss flashed a smile that only held a twinge of condescension. "It's my job."

Jim rolled his eyes, but for the first time felt that he might just trust this man.

"So… is that really what you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Yes, that's mostly it. I'll see you back here after lunch, then?"

"Okay."

Jim strode to the door, eager to talk to Spock and discuss what bothered him (in an infuriating round-about way, no doubt, seeing as how Spock would take some time to admit he could even feel 'bother'), but then…

"Kirk? One moment."

"What?"

"These… accusations. They seem a bit innocent to bring to a court-martial. More fitting of a cautionary report, don't you think?"

Jim's fingers hovered over the panel next to the door, but he didn't turn around. Of course he'd considered it. Of course he'd thought of this the moment Spock had explained the charges (or, well, maybe after he'd finished panicking and whatnot). He'd just never figured the military lawyer would actually confront him with it.

"Yeah. I figured."

"I'll speak plainly, James. Do you know anyone in the Admiralty with a grudge against you? Because something like this would be very easy to arrange, of course, and technically you have broken regulations… just pointing it out ensures a trial must be conducted. But you're not the first Captain to do so and you won't be the last, so I'm not entirely sure what the purpose was… to hope you lost against all odds and were separated from Mr Spock, both of you with a mark on your previously glowing and pristine records? To deliberately sabotage Stafleet by ruining their poster-boy's fame with scandal?"

"Please don't call me that—"

"To see you face that which you most fear and force you to accept how fragile your status is? To help you?"

Jim clenched his hand into a fist and felt that anger again, that irrational anger that was directed at… at the world, at the unfairness of it because he didn't have anything else to channel it to.

"They shouldn't have brought Spock into it, then," he gritted finally. "If that's what this is, some sort of… of warning or something. Some sort of convoluted attempt to mould me, to try to make me better, colder, more detached, I don't know. They made a big mistake involving Spock. If they put so much as a little smear of official controversy on my First Officer's reputation and then try to take him away from my ship, from… if they do this to him…"

"… Oh? Will you make them suffer?"

Jim punched in the exit code and the door swished open.

"No. But I'll make them angry."

x

Spock was waiting outside, his back against the far wall without touching it, one hand clasping the other by the wrist, standing ramrod straight and showing no signs of fatigue. His eyes flickered to Jim when he walked over, then stared forward again.

"Hey."

"Captain."

A curt nod and he was walking past Jim, his pace only slightly faster than normal, which nevertheless told Jim with horrible, glaring quality that Spock was trying to get away from him as quickly as he could.

"Wait."

His arm shot out without his consent and clutched Spock's wrist when he drew level; forcing the Vulcan to either wrench it free or keep moving and have Jim stumble after him.

Spock stopped so they stood side by side but facing in opposite directions, except that Jim's head was turned to watch Spock's face but the latter just stared straight ahead.

"Look at me," Jim blurted, fear and anger both fuelling his voice. He was nervous and on-edge and he needed Spock; he could not do this alone.

"Hardly a logical demand, Captain," Spock replied calmly. But he turned around, eyes guarded and face carefully blank, concealing some unknown emotion, no doubt.

"Tell me what's wrong." Apparently asking nicely had been bypassed some time ago and all he could do now was issue orders. Oh well, he was blaming this on the stress of the past couple of days, and also on the way Spock's jaw was clenched in what had to be anger; a strangely distracting sight.

"Release me first. There is no need to resort to physical aggression."

Jim stepped sideways so they stood even closer; his shoulder brushing Spock's chest and immediately noting the way Spock's muscles tensed even more at the contact. He was suddenly glad that the brightly-lit corridor was empty and they didn't have the added job of acting, because at least now he could glare at Spock, let go of his First Officer's hand but not give him the luxury of personal space, and resist the urge to slap himself, all at the same time (yeah, he did the multi-tasking thing like a pro).

"Explain."

"Please step away."

"I'm worried about you, Spock! Can't you see that?"

"Please step away, Jim."

With a barely suppressed groan of frustration, Jim took two steps back and raked a hand through his hair, feeling feverish, out of control.

"I'm sorry I touched you. But… but what just happened? I mean… we were fine and suddenly you're back to your distant… Is it-have I done something to upset you? You can tell me, Spock, it's okay, I know sometimes we don't understand each other and I may have offended you in some way, maybe? Just… tell me how to fix it and I will, but please. Please let me fix it. If it's something I can help with…?"

Spock stayed silent for what felt like an endless time, his dark eyes fixed Jim's in a way that almost made him want to take back his earlier words and ask Spock to look away, please, because it was a bit too much, the way Jim was unable to move; limbs locked into place and breathing was almost too much of an intrusion, too much of a fuss, so maybe it wasn't necessary anymore…?

He closed his eyes, this is the moment, he'll say 'I desire a significant reduction in the frequency and duration of out interactions,' and he wouldn't be able to handle that, Spock pushing him away for real? No way, no, it couldn't happen…

Then there was a warm hand on his upper arm, clutching him in firm grip again; he hadn't even heard him take that step forward, damn stealthy bastard, and then Spock's deep voice, soft and filled with… regret?

"I am sorry. You are not to blame for my personal issues at present… I did not wish to convey an erroneous impression."

Jim opened his eyes and smiled a little, a powerful wave of relief engulfing him and nearly making him shudder with it. "Well, that's the problem, see? When you don't want to show anything it's very easy for me to tell that there's something you're hiding."

Surprise flitted by so fast he almost didn't catch it.

"Most perceptive of you, Jim," Spock said.

"And he does compliments, too. Well, you sure know how to make a Captain feel special."

As he'd known it would, a cute little suspicious frown followed these words. But then Spock lifted a brow and Jim was so happy to see he was back he nearly gave in and hugged him, which would have been silly indeed.

"Care to share?"

"You wish to discuss that which is giving me cause to further distance emotion?"

"I can distance emotion! I totally can!"

They shared a grin (Jim grinned, Spock… did his thing) and it was better because it was left unsaid, a private joke, an intimate moment that only they understood and Jim had missed this, for the past few minutes, which when you thought about it made his almost-panic-attack seem rather silly, but then again Spock.

"I believe Mr Moss is awaiting my presence."

"Oh… right. I forgot."

He totally had.

Oops?

"So… I can wait for you. If you want."

"That will not be necessary, you have not yet had the chance to visit the facilities."

In truth Jim was itching to do some exploring, yes, but he'd much rather do it with Spock to tease by his side.

"Neither have you," he pointed out.

"That will not be necessary," Spock repeated. "I shall, however, find you here after the eating intermission."

It wasn't a question.

"Eating intermission? Seriously? It would kill you to say 'lunch', wouldn't it?"

"Death by colloquialism is highly unlikely, Jim."

And a joke. Jim smirked and clapped Spock's bicep. "Fine, fine, I'll see you later."

In the end he realised Spock had expertly avoided answering the question of what was wrong with him, but that was okay. A man could have his own private life.

Obviously Jim would figure it out eventually, because if something had upset Spock then Jim was going to find what it was and then punch it in the face, but he could wait.

He was nothing if not stubborn.

The following is what happens when I am intensely bored. You have my sincere apologies for this in advance ;)

Rainbows and unicorns are not as gay as Star Trek TOS (and they wish they were half as slashy as the scrumptious 2009 movie)

Everyone is attracted to Chris Pine (and no, he doesn't care what you think your sexual orientation is)

Vulcans are cool. But half-Human half-Vulcan Commanders named Spock are just plain awesomesauce.

I can't believe some people honestly think Kirk and Spock are just friends...

Even though I can respect different opinions (EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE—

WRONG, SO WRONG MY GOD! XD)

Plz?

Okay seriously though, you guys are bearing with me fantastically and the Fun Stuff is coming up soon... yeah. I'm excited :D