Captain Kirk and Queen Lena received a hero's welcome on the Virosa home-world. Now officially allied, the Enterprise had landed on the surface and we re-supplying while the crew worked tirelessly on repairing the ship. Brok had made sure news of the warship's destruction reached every corner of the Vaa's Empire. From what he could tell, rioting had begun in response to the Vaa calling for an influx of more troops-the Zezians were growing tired of the war.

Lena collapsed upon returning home. She hadn't told Jim, but that had been her eighth round of Avar's stimulant that week. Her body was falling apart. When they exited the briefing room, she had practically fallen into Veelia's arms. Suria grabbed her and brought her to her bedroom personally. Once the door closed and Lena was safely in bed she said what she had been holding back.

"What were you thinking, Lena?"

Lena looked up - she knew Suria would figure it out. She leaned her head back against her headboard and said nothing.

"Lena - I know you broke betrothal law… Why? Why would you risk losing your Queenship...now, when we need it secure, more than ever?"

Lena covered her face with her hands, "I love him", she said. "I shouldn't but I do...I can't stop. I'm sick and tired of telling myself I don't."

"Bay-Lou knows."

"I don't care."

"You know...Lena...I did not love Avar upon our betrothal. I grew to love him. That is what real love is. The Captain has many many qualities that would, were he a Virosa male, make him a compatible mate for you, but you cannot love someone so desperately, so permanently, without any foundation. That is infatuation."

"He saved our people - he risked losing everything...for us. He might be imprisoned on his return to Earth...He probably will be. That is not love?"

"That is a very VERY good man. I am not saying that you are not in love. Infatuation is a type of love. But real love...partnership...sharing your life with someone…that is what you need. Perhaps, in different circumstances, he could provide it, but here, now, he cannot. And you cannot throw away your position in the middle of a war because of him."

"I'm not going to", Lena said darkly. "I will rescind - I will rescind as soon as I have the strength to move from this bed."

"And then what?"

Lena was spared answering by Veelia slipping into her room.

"How are you feeling?" her protégé asked.

"Much better now that you're here", Lena said with a smile. "Come, I am tried."

Veelia hopped up onto Lena's bed, and snuggled into her out-stretched arms. Lena kissed her forehead, "Your fighters were brilliant - I watched them from the bridge take down the ship."

"You should have told me you were on the ship…" Veelia said quietly.

"I was going to get off…"

"No you weren't -The Captain rescued you….My fighters would have killed you…"

"Veelia-"

"Please don't do that again", the younger girl asked her mentor, "I don't know what I would do if something happened….and if it were my fault…"

Lena looked at Suria, "I'm sorry, Veelia...I guess I lost myself for a second. I won't do that again - I promise."

Veelia rested her blonde head on Lena's shoulder and started to drift off. Lena kissed the top of her head. "I love you...you know that right?"

"Yep", she said.

Kirk sat in Avar's medical bay having recovered from the effects of extended stimulant usage. It was clear that everyone knew why they slowed down the escape pod. He was so tempted to take Suria aside and prove to her that Lena hadn't technically done anything wrong; that if she were betrothed to anyone, it was him. Though that wasn't true either as they had not said any vows. The only thing that stopped him was the knowledge that a fake betrothal was slightly worse than infidelity.

He still didn't know what he was going to do. She was it for him...he was sure. He had never bought into that corny shit of "you just know", but his heart had recently decided it was no longer fond of logic. Of course she was right - they would fall apart here, but the thought of holding her every night, hearing her voice every day; the thought of being with her made more sense to him than anything. He knew if he left her here he might never feel this way again.

All of a sudden the hallway outside the medical chamber erupted with activity. Kirk rushed out into the din. Alarming were blaring and swarms of Virosa swirled around him. He saw Chekov, "What's going on?"

"Ve are under attack, Sir! Ze Zezians have sent ground troops - Ze Virosa are mobeelizing!"

"Shit!"

Kirk saw Veelia out of the corner of his eye emerge from Lena's room, pulling on weapons and light armor.

"Veelia! Where are you going? What happening - Where's Lena?"

She rolled her eyes, "The Zezians hid ground troop on the home-planet an few months ago...they were planning an invasion down the road, but now they are just attacking...retailation I think. They're going to be slaughtered."

"Where is Lena?"

"Lena just got her wings burnt off! She can't fly more than a few feet off the ground...she's stuck here. Plus, she still sort of out of it...Avar asked me to slip her a sedative. I will have to lead us instead."

Kirk grabbed her arm, "Isn't that a little dangerous?"

"This is a war Captain! But… We out-number them, for once. Suria can no longer fight - she's the heir...and it's not like Lena can just get another one now that the Conclave changed the law. This is my responsibility now."

She stepped onto the balcony and lifted the com on her wrist, "All Winged Daughters...with me!"

Kirk dashed into the command room, where he saw that Chekov had taken Veelia's place. The senior officers of his crew were there too. They had a giant com screen up, monitoring everything that occurred outside. Suria stood in the center of the room, watching as events unfolded.

The Zezians were out-numbered, and, to make it worse, every Virosa solider was worth three Zezians; Winged Daughters were worth about 30. The Vaa was going to lose - badly. He remembered how Brok had told him about the Vaa - how he didn't care that he was losing people by the thousands...Kirk believed him, but he never thought a leader would be capable of ordering his troops to walk into a slaughter. It was sick.

The Virosa were pushing the ground troops back. From the hail screen he could see the carnage -what had the Vaa been thinking? Veelia was particularly deadly, she could fly as well as Lena did a year ago - Kirk noticed that she tended to go after tougher targets - Zezians on hover crafts. Chekov watched her quietly. Kirk knew he still cared about her...even if he was now in love with someone else.

Her beautiful face filled the screen. She turned sharply and all at once and went after a large hover craft. She didn't see the Zezian missile that collided into her back.

Suria screamed. Veelia fell out of focus! Everything seemed to be going in slow motion. That didn't just happen! It couldn't have! They were winning!

"Chekov! Find her!" Kirk shouted.

"I cannot, I cannot, I cannot!" he yelled back, panic-stricken.

"Fuck-Bones, Chekov, COME WITH ME!"

"Where are you going?" Suria shouted.

"To find her!"

"Jim…." Suria's eye's filled with tears- it was the first time she called him 'Jim', "There's no way she could have survived that...She's - she's dead, Jim."

"Will see about that."

Kirk, Bones and Chekov sat silently in the shuttle… the battle was dying down. In his heart he knew Veelia was gone, but he couldn't stop looking for her… just in case. They had been out for three hours with no sign of her.

Suddenly he recognized where he was from watching her on the hail screen.

"Land the shuttle", he said to Chekov.

Kirk got out; the scent of blood was thick in the air. He turned to Chekov, "Maybe you should stay here…"

His young Ensign shook his head. "Ve will find her."

Veelia had fallen in a ravine. It was dark now, and their footsteps echoed against the rock. In the distance they could still hear the battle raging on. He smelled the pheromones first, and shined a light ahead in the distance.

Kirk fell to his knees - in the background he heard Chekov throwing up. He didn't need Bones to confirm it. She was dead.

Veelia's body lay broken across the rock, her purple blood everywhere. She wasn't in one piece, either. The missile had ripped her in half, her intestines spilling out into the dirt. Her wings were shattered, twisting in odd mangled angles.

Taking a deep breath Kirk approached her. Her face was the only part of her that had managed to survive the fall unscathed. Her beautiful purple eyes were wide open - staring into his blankly. His eye caught something shiny, sliding out of her wing. He recognized it as her betrothal pendant. She had been carrying it around. He quickly picked it up and slid it into his pocket...so that Bones and Chekov wouldn't see it -she wouldn't want them to see it - it belonged to her family now.

Kirk heard a shuttle land behind him in the background -he knew who it was. Her sedative would have worn off by now, and she would have come looking for her protégé. She heard her swift feet running - sprinting towards him as fast as she could. She fell on all fours beside him, and let out a cry like a wounded animal. When her face resurfaced it was bright red -eyes filled with tears, hysterical. She screamed...so loud it echoed in the ravine. He pulled her up quickly and put his hand over her mouth.

"Lena...this place is still crawling with Zezians…"

"Let them come! I will kill all of them! Everyone, Oh my God, Veelia, Veelia!"

She was convulsing - he quickly realized she was going into shock. He heard footsteps darting towards him. "Oh my God!" Brok was standing beside him, staring at the mess of blood and part parts that was Veelia's corpse.

"Brok - we have to get her out of here."

"No NO!" Lena screamed...she was losing her mind. Just hours ago Veelia had been safely curled up next to her - when she opened her eyes, her darling girl was dead.

"Lena!" Jim looked into her eyes. "We need to go, NOW! Come with me…" He said the last part gently. She obeyed the pressure of his hands, pulling her to his shuttle.

"Burn her body", she heard him say to Bones, "bring back ash from her wings - go with Brok...I'll take Chekov."

Jim sat Lena and Chekov next to each other in the shuttle while he flew it back. Chekov was pale and shaking, tearing up as he watched Lena sob. Jim was in disbelief. Out of everyone, he always thought Veelia would be the one to make it. She was so young. He remembered with a start that when the sun rose that day, she would have turned 18. He had landed with her on the home-world and watched her take over the Virosa Conclave a mere 48 hours ago. It seemed impossible that she was dead.

Jim landed the shuttle inside the base, and pulled Lena from her place off the floor.

"You need to stop crying", he said to her. "The Virosa won today…."

"I don't care anymore" she choked.

"Yes you do. They need to see you be strong. I'll take you right to your room...I just need you to hold it together for a minute."

She met his eyes and nodded. She looked so helpless, like a small child. He took her arm and led her off the shuttle. "Just look straight ahead", he whispered in her ear.

There was a small crowd of Virosa right outside the shuttle. Jim pulled Lena past everyone, pushing people out of her way. Lena was expressionless. He made it out of the hanger and started toward her room, when he heard a voice call out, "Jim!" It was Suria, with Avar trailing her. She appraised her best friend and locked eyes with him. Jim shook his head. Suria collapsed in tears on the floor before Avar could catch her. Jim brought Lena into her room and put her on her bed, and shut the door.

When he turned around Lena had fallen off her bed, and was on the floor throwing up, or trying to. She hadn't eaten, so she was just dry heaving. He sat down next to her and rubbed her back, wordlessly. She let out a dry sob, and allowed Jim to pull her into his arms until she calmed.

After what seemed like hours she spoke, "This is all my fault."

"It's not, Lena she…"

"No it is…" Lena was crying again, "I was the one who refused to sign the peace treaty. I am the one who made the decision to keep the war going….I got myself so fucked up I couldn't lead our ground troops into battle. That should have been me….not her, not my baby. Jim...I can't do this anymore ...I have no idea what I'm doing"

"Lena! This isn't your fault. There was no peace treaty… you know that… it was a trick...a cease fire at best!"

"It would have prevented this!"

"At what cost? Lena - Veelia would have willing died for the Virosa, before she let you-"

"SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE DIED!" she shouted at him. "I SHOULD HAVE DIED!"

Her voice dropped to a whisper, "I promised her mother I would take care of her…."

"You did, Lena!" Jim grabbed her face, "You did take care of her….you took a shy little girl and turned her into one of the greatest Winged Daughters that's ever existed. You turned her into you."

"She's so much better than me, Jim."

"She was...she was amazing. She loved you so much." Jim was crying now too. His mind kept replaying the day he met her in his head, the he ridiculous rescue mission, her insolent eye rolls, how she had driven Spock up the wall on the Enterprise. He laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"Just remembering…" Jim reached in his pocket. He could give it to Lena. He pulled out her betrothal pendant. "This fell off of her… I figured I shouldn't just leave it."

Lena held it, "She would have one this beautiful." It was indeed. Small than Lena's but more intricate, with rings of bright blue around the edges.

"What does the text means? I tried to translate yours, but …"

"It's in an older language… Mine means 'adventure', hers is 'energy'. She would pick energy - she loves physics." Lena started to cry again. She slid to the floor and laid her head in Jim's lap. He stroked her hair and whispered, "It's OK", over and over.

She finally quieted, "I can't do this anymore, Jim. I have no idea what I'm doing."

"Yes you do", he said, "You know exactly what you're doing...it's just a little scary."

"I am so tired," she said, "I am tired of loss, and worry and death. I am tired of losing people I love- You know Kale...she died in first attack. Her daughter too -her unborn child. I am tired of murdering innocent Zezians; I am tired so seeing their dead face in the blackness of my wings. I can't take it anymore!"

Jim looked up at her, "It's almost over Lena, and then…then everything will be OK. The Zezians are already starting to revolt...you win one more battle…"

"One more?! Another battle?! Jim, people die in EVERY single battle. Virosa, Zezians...everyone! Another battle means more people will die...and it will be my fault! I will never be redeemed for this!"

He kissed her forehead, holding her close, for once, not knowing what to say.

The despair at the base camp was palpable. Word had spread that Veelia was dead. Uhura noticed the dramatic shift in Spock's mood. She had never thought him to be particularly fond of Veelia, but now, with her gruesome death fresh in his mind, it was clear that he did feel some affection towards her. Pavel - Ensign Chekov was distraught. Bones had given him sedative to calm him down. He was refusing to see his girlfriend or anyone really, except Julie. He was so young too - 21. He had never experienced this kind of loss before.

Uhura saw Julie walk out of the room Pavel was sleeping in.

"How is he?" Uhura asked.

"He'll be OK, in time", she said. "God...I can't even imagine…."

"It was a great victory...The Zezians are up in arms...this might be enough to do it…"

Julie shook her head, "The Zezians are directing their anger at the Virosa - Lena...not the Vaa. They got a little too good at destroying them."

Uhura said nothing. Julie continued, "Have you seen Jim?"

"No...he locked himself in Lena's room last night…" Uhura awkwardly remembered how less than a month ago he had been almost dating Julie.

"He's gonna stay here. I can tell", Julie said.

"No…"

"He loves her too much...and he can't leave her now."

"I don't know…."

In the distance Uhura heard Spock's footstep, running towards her. She and Julie looked down the hallway to see him approach.

"Please find Princess Suria", he said. "The Zezians have sent us a new treaty. We have two hours to comply"

Spock, Uhura, Bones, Sulu, and Julie sat with Suria...waiting for the Queen. Suria had regained her composure. Her eyes were puffy from what had clearly been a night of crying, but she looked calm now -collected. The door swung open and Lena walked in, flanked by Jim. He had spent the night in her room - a fact that the entire base had now figured out, but no one had the heart to pull him away from her. Lena's great love for her protégé had been no secret.

"The Zezians have sent us a treaty, Lena", Suria said.

"They've done that before."

"Now that you are here...I would review it. It is from the Vaa himself - sent directly to you."

"Fine."

Suria opened it up. It was real. The Zezian promised, in exchange for the release of their fleet and safe passage back to their home-world, enormous retributions. They would leave any ship the Virosa had captured here - they just wanted their people back. They would also give them several million tons of fuel which the Virosa could use to help rebuild their decimated colonies. Additionally, ambassadors would meet every few years to ensure ongoing peace. Lastly, they would cease hostilities towards the Enterprise and let them leave.

"Lena…" Suria said. "This is a good treaty. They have several conditions, though…"

"Let's hear them…"

"We are forbidden from their space."

"Done."

"We cannot try to interfere with their current alliances with other parties."

"Done."

"The Enterprise must leave and never come back."

Lena looked at Spock and said, "Done."

"You...no...no...this...this is not treaty."

Lena peered over at her, "What is it?"

Suria glared at her, "This is insane! The Vaa is demanding that you surrender yourself to his custody...alive."

"Done", Lena said without hesitation.

Everyone at the table promptly stood up. "No way, Lena!" Brok said. "You are our Queen, our leader...you can't."

"Can't what Brok? This is the Vaa's condition-it's a very easy one to meet."

"Queen Lena", Spock chimed in, "It is very likely he will wish to torture you. He blames the loss of this war, and the crumbling of his empire on you. Should you surrender to him, he is almost certain to extraxt his revenge."

"I know Spock…"

"Then you cannot wish…"

"I do wish it though…" Lena said softly. "I know what he wants with me... but I can end this war right now. No one else has to die."

Brok stepped over to her in anger, "She's dead, Lena! Veelia is dead! This won't bring her back…"

"I know!" Lena started to cry. Brok tried to pull her into his arms, but she slapped him away. "I know she is dead! And it is my fault. But ...everyone is someone's Veelia...every person is special to their families...every Virosa, every Zezians...everyone. I can save them...I can stop this maniac right now...I can't ask people to die in one more battle, not if I have the chance to prevent it. This war is over."

Lena turned to Suria, "I know I am not supposed to ask you this...but now I need to know. Are you pregnant?"

Suria nodded, wide-eyed.

"I suspected as much...Is it…"

"Yes!" Suria cried, "It's a girl...a Winged Daughter."

Lena closed her eyes, "Then it is done. You have an heir. You can claim the Queenship in your own right. Our Empire will not be upended. The transition will be smooth."

"Lena you can't! They will torture you...it could be months before you finally die."

"It won't be months, sweetheart. I am dying anyway...I am sick. I am broken. We both know I will barely last a month."

"No no!" she cried, "I can't ..what will I do without you?"

"You will be Queen! And your daughter will follow in your footsteps. You will be safe. You will live out your days with Avar and your children and be happy."

"Lena!" Brok grabbed her arm, "Do you even understand what you're doing...they will HURT you."

"Spock!" Suria said in tears, "Can you ask...maybe... for a clean executi…" She couldn't even finish the word.

"He won't agree Suria", Lena said lifelessly.

"Then WE do not agree!"

"Yes we do…"

"Jim! Stop her! Tell her no!"

Jim pulled her closer, looking down into her eyes. He exhaled and stroked her cheek. He wasn't going to make this harder for her. "I can't Suria…" he said.

Lena smiled through her tears at him...he always understood.

"What are you doing…" he said.

"I am climbing into a warp core and realigning the housing...I am doing what you would do."

He pulled her into his chest and kissed the top of her head - his tears falling into her hair. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Bay-Lou enter the room. He appraised the man holding his betrothal and scowled.

"Does she rescind then?"

Jim was going to kill him. He was the worst, most selfish, piece of shit he had ever come across. Lena was dying for his people...for him, and all he cared about was getting himself detached so he wouldn't have to mourn her. Fuck him!

"She doesn't have to", Jim said poisonously.

"If she does not, and dies while I am still her betrothed-"

"You're not her fucking betrothed!"

"I am not?"

"No - I am."

The whole room collectively gasped. Lena broke away from Jim.

"Is this true?" Bay-Lou asked her.

"Well...sort of - Jim didn't technically know what I was doing...so it doesn't count...but, he is more than you. I'm sorry."

Suria stared at her. "What are you talking about, Lena?"

"Give back the pendent Bay-Lou."

Bay-Lou reached into his shirt and pulled out a gold pendant. It looked strikingly similar to Lena's but the inscription was wrong. Lena took it from his hand and handed it to Brok. "Look familiar?"

Brok laughed in spite of himself. It was the fake pendant Lena had made to trick her mother into thinking she had betrothed herself to Brok when they were teenagers. She had kept it.

"You're so crazy", Brok said.

"So who has the real one?" Suria asked.

"I do", Jim said. "I've had it for a year."

Uhura couldn't take it anymore. She turned on her heel and ran out into the hall, sobbing hysterically. Spock followed her, and picked her up off the floor. Wordlessly he tried to comfort her, but his own tears fell too.

In the quiet of the room, Lena said, "Tell the Zezians we accept. I will be ready."

"What about the insurgency?" Brok asked.

"What about it? It's been eight months and they are just starting to stir up trouble. We can't win… we can't keep fighting. This is our best chance. The Zezians will have to revolt on their own time. The Vaa is doing this is hold the Empire together...I think he'll be on his best behavior from here on out."

"What about you?"

"Do not worry about me. I will try to take my own life once I am onboard. The treaty states that I must be turned over alive...it says nothing about me staying that way."

Though her reasoning was correct, Jim was sure the Vaa would certainly do everything in his power to prevent her from doing any such thing. He couldn't get the image of Vexel dying out of his head...in just a few short hours that would be Lena. She wasn't going to be able to kill herself - if it were that easy the other Winged Daughters would not have lasted as long as they did. The Vaa would keep her alive, suffering. He cast his gaze around the room...Julie was still standing quietly in the corner. He closed his eyes as a wave of realization washed over him.

"Lena", he said. "You're not going to be able to do it yourself...he'll make sure you don't."

"That is a risk I will have to take, Jim", she said.

"No". Jim told them about the poison he and Julie had encountered; it was completely undetectable, slow acting, and painless. It would end her life fairly swiftly, but, before it did, it would destroy her nervous system. She would feel nothing. The Vaa wouldn't be able to harm her.

"We can hide the poison in your wings", Jim said sadly. "We can time it right. The poison is kept in small pods that burst when they detect sudden motion. Once the poison sinks into your skin, it can't be healed or removed. Your circulatory system is completely integrated into your wings. It won't take long for the poison to seep into your organs and then…" He broke off. He couldn't finish his sentence.

Julie did for him, "You'll die."

Jim took Lena's hand and nodded, "But he won't be able to hurt you…" He swallowed, "I won't let him hurt you…"

"Are you out of your damn mind?!" Brok shouted at him. He crossed the room and pushed Jim, into the wall, his eyes crazed. "We can't let her do this!"

"It is the only way, Brok", Lena said softly. "If the Vaa has made one difficult demand. I cannot ask our army to fight again...my life is not my own. It belongs to the Virosa...and they need it now. It is theirs."

Brok whipped around to Suria, "What if we rescued her?"

"That would effectively break the treaty and reignite the war." Spock had re-entered the room, sans Uhura. "Queen Lena had proposed the most logical, yet devastating solution. I overheard the conversation, and already have the poison in transit from the Enterprise."

"Thank you, Spock", Lena said to him. "Can I trust you to handle the...logistics? No one must know we are doing this…"

"It would be my honor."

"There is only one thing left to do now…" Lena turned to Suria. "Grab a Winged Daughter from the hall...we need a witness."

Suria nodded, sobbing and turned to Avar. They waited in silence as Spock sent out a message to the Zezians. It seemed like they were responding quickly. A cool breeze infiltrated the room. Outside they could see the glorious Virosa sun. It was midday. Not too far outside the base they could see the tall trees that reminded Kirk of the California Redwoods, populating the beautiful landscape. This had been Lena's home.

After what seemed like an eternity Avar re-entered with a young Winged Daughter in tow. Jim stared at her. Like most of the Winged Daughters on the base, her hair had been cut shorter into a more utilitarian hairstyle, her arms bulged with lean muscle, and she had small black stains on her wings. She looked 15. Lena was staring at her too… Jim wondered how many of Lena's losses included girls this young. He knew that she and Suria tried to keep the younger ones out of the fighting, but it was much easier to draw the line with non-winged Virosa. This girl, this child, had been training in combat since she could walk, and she, unlike the non-winged Virosa, did not have ownership over her own life. The Winged Daughters might be worshiped, but they paid a terrible price. By doing this...by sacrificing herself, Lena would save her…

"Kevala", Lena said, "you are here to stand as witness. You will be questioned."

Kevala looked confused, but nodded, "As you wish, Queen Lena."

Suria wiped her eyes and stepped forward. "Once you do this, it cannot be undone… You can still change your mind."

"I know…I am certain. You must get to the Queensgate as soon as it is done. Take Kevala with you…Do not wait for me to be handed over. Do you understand?"

Suria stared into Lena's eyes, "I move to replace you as Queen. Do you relinquish?"

Lena smiled, "I relinquish. Kevala – move to recognize Suria as Queen."

Kevala stared at Lena in shock. She would understand soon enough…

Suria threw her arms around Lena. Lena smiled, "You must go…"

"You can't tell me what to do anymore."

She laughed, "No…but I never had to. You always know what needs to be done. Far better than I could ever hope to. You will be the greatest Queen the Virosa have ever known. You will fix us...change us…like we always planned."

"We planned…"

"Tell your daughter of me…"

Suria pulled Lena in closer, "She will be named for you."

Lena let a single tear fall to her friends shoulder, and pulled away. "I love you…now go!"

Suria took a deep breath, composed herself and swept from the room, "Come Kevala"; they heard her say, before there was a great sound of wings flapping. They had taken off for the remnant of the Conclave Palace.

Lena turned to Spock, "How much time before the Vaa's troops arrive to collect me?"

"Twenty four minutes, Queen Lena."

"Princess now, though Lena is perfectly fine, as I said long ago."

"'Lena' is not a title worthy of you, Princess." She smiled at him. She had never been good at reading him… Vulcans were incredibly impassive as a species, but she was able to see a deep sadness in his eyes. "It will take us approximately six minutes to apply the poison, and another three to make it to the hanger where 100 Zezian soldiers will collect you."

She nodded, "I would like to have these 16 minutes with Jim then…please come back when it is time."

Spock nodded. Lena briefly walked over to Brok, and hugged him. He left the room in despair. When they were finally alone, Lena came back to Jim, and ran hand up his arm.

"Thank you", she said.

Her looked down at her –he had been on the verge of losing control before…but now all he felt was a numb permeating sorrow. She had to do this; there was no way around it, no way to win. Lena had been ripped away from him so many times, it was almost ironic that only yesterday he had begun to hope that she might be his to keep. It didn't even seem important now…now that her life was ending. And it would end this time… he would make sure of it. The Vaa would not hurt her.

"For what?" he asked.

"You know… everything…the poison was genius…I'm not afraid anymore."

"Don't be afraid", he said quietly.

She stepped into his arms, crying silently, "It's not fair, really… You have to move on… move past this…but I, I get what I want."

"And what is that?"

"I get to spend the rest of my life with you", she said simply.

He felt his own eyes tear up; he took a deep steadying breath, trying to ignore the searing pain in his chest. "You're so corny…" he said, doing his best to choke down a sob.

"Jim…" she said, looking up at his tear stained face. She reached up to kiss him softly on his lips. "Will you tell me you love me now?"

He pulled in in close, enveloping her broken body in his arms, as she cried freely into his chest. She was right…it wasn't fair. He was certain in that moment that he would never get over this…not really. He kissed her hair her forehead, and leaned down to kiss the beautiful sloped ear.

"I love you", he whispered.