A/N

Hey! :) This chapter is huuuuge! Sorry, it just got away from me. Aand it's late and I haven't had a chance to proof-read all the way through so apologies for any silly errors, I'll sort them tomorrow!

Warning:Scenes of a sexual nature. Rated M for a reason folks! Oh. and Peril. Plenty of Peril.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"What time is he picking you up?" Carol asked her daughter who was busy applying her makeup.

"Uh… in about ten minutes," she said, glancing at the time. She wasn't dressed yet. Her makeup was barely acceptable. This was not going to plan.

She'd finally relented and agreed to go out with Leo for one date, as part of their agreement to have a fresh start. He'd agreed they'd go somewhere secluded so that nobody would see them and suspect anything about her 'relationship' with Chris and she had to admit she had butterflies.

They'd spent a lot of time together over the last few weeks, and watching Leo take care of Chris was really encouraging to see. She was worried he'd become totally selfish, but seeing him watch over his twin so carefully gave her hope that he was still his same old self.

Chris was doing much better. As far as she knew he still hadn't really spoken to David, only by text message so he could keep himself detached from the situation.

"How are you getting around this 'you dating Chris' situation?" asked her mother, peeking her head around the door as Emily began to empty her closet all over the floor, looking for something to wear that she didn't hate.

"Leo said he'd take care of it," Emily shrugged, pausing at a green dress before skipping past it and going for a black one instead. The green was a nicer cut, but Leo hated colour…

"The black one, definitely," Carol encouraged and Emily rolled her eyes and then turned to face her mother.

"Yeah, I'm going with this one. Be right out," she said, closing the door and unfastening her bathrobe, letting it drop messily to the floor before wandering to her chest of drawers for some underwear. She settled on a relatively nice set, nothing too fancy, but not something she wouldn't want to be seen in. She had no idea if Leo was going to try to get into her pants, or if she'd let him if he did…

She began to get dressed. Navy blue lace panties with a small pink bow on the front, with a bra to match, followed by her black dress and then her favourite platform heels. She messed up her hair and finalised her makeup, making sure her bright red lips were perfect and not smudged at all, and her eyes were the perfect level of smudged. Sometimes it exhausted her, the amount of effort it took to just… be a girl, but she wanted to make sure she looked good tonight.

She checked herself out in the mirror one last time before opening her door and beginning to make her way downstairs. She could hear her mother talking in the doorway, so assumed Leo had arrived early. She crept up beside her and grinned at the sight.

Leo was standing on the doorstep looking utterly adorable. He had a single white rose in his hand and a nervous smile on his face. He was wearing clothes that definitely didn't belong to him. She'd seen Chris wear that navy blazer a million times, and the grey pants were a little too snug, again, proof that they belonged to his twin.

The other thing that stood out about his appearance was that his hair had been cut. It was no longer hanging long, but cut much shorter and styled messily, almost exactly how Chris would wear his hair.

"I'll leave you kids to it," Carol smiled, heading back upstairs to get on with her business.

"Well, you look great," he said, offering her the rose with one hand and scratching the back of his head with the other.

"Sorry, which twin are you?" she asked and he smirked.

"I know right? I'm like his clone," he sighed.

"You look a little bit like when you were kids and were dressed exactly the same," she teased, accepting the rose and beckoning him into the house so she could put it in some water.

"Oh ha ha. This is my plan, so we can go out and nobody will know. I've stolen Chris' identity, and car, for the evening," he grinned, leaning in the lounge doorway as she hunted for a small vase.

"You don't know how to drive," she laughed and he shrugged, removing his wallet from his pocket and pulling out a drivers license and handing it to her.

"That says that I do, so…" he beamed and she sighed as she looked at it.

State of California, Earth.

Driving Licence – Class: Car, Motorcycle – KIRK, CHRISTOPHER GEORGE

The picture was definitely Chris, but if you didn't know the twins well, Leo would easily pass for his brother.

"Hmm, yep, I guess it does," she smirked handing it back and he winked as he tucked it back away.

She located the slender vase she was looking for and took it to the kitchen, Leo following, and stood at the sink to fill it with water, almost dropping it as she felt a warm hand on the small of her back and breath tickling her ear.

"Do you have any idea how good you look in that dress?" he mumbled, placing a tiny kiss on her neck and causing her to shiver. He crowded her against the sink, hand now sliding around to rest low on her flat stomach, pulling her close against him.

She felt really small against his body. Two years ago he'd been skinny, even maybe a little puny looking though under his clothes he was very toned. But now he was in Starfleet and keeping up with the rigorous physical demands, as well as seeming to enjoy keeping in shape, he'd really bulked up.

"Let's go, I'm really hungry," she lied, slipping away from him and setting the vase on the side. He smirked and nodded, and she led the way out of the kitchen, snatching up her purse and coat and then following him out to Chris' car.

"Wow you even cleaned in here!" she gasped as she sank into the passenger side.

"And you do not want to know the kind of nasty shit I found," he groaned as he pushed the key into the ignition. She watched him curiously as he backed carefully out of the driveway, then smoothly set off down the street.

"Chris been teaching you to drive?" she asked and Leo shook his head.

"Seren, actually. Well, she was, lessons stopped after she went public with her whole… breakthrough. She's been busy fighting of thousands and thousands of men who want to pay her all the money in the world to undergo treatment. She's feeling pretty overwhelmed right now I think," he explained and Emily nodded.

"Yeah. I guess I can sympathise, not to the same degree, but it isn't nice when everyone wants a piece of you," she said and Leo glanced at her.

"Nobody else can have you," he said lightly, one hand sliding across and settling on her knee. She smiled, unable to tell if he was joking or not.

"So what's Chris been doing if he hasn't been teaching you to drive?" she asked and he shrugged.

"Some DIY project. Building a… bookcase? Or something. I don't know. Making a huge mess in my apartment. Tonight he's gone to London. Left a few hours ago, he and David are going to talk stuff out, which is good I guess, but he was a nervous wreck when he left," he said. He removed his hand from her knee and focused on the road, he seemed tense now that Chris had come up.

"You're worried about him?" she pressed and he nodded.

"Yeah, I mean, he's not stable right now. Hopefully getting everything aired out with David will help, but he's in a lot of pain at the moment… it's been getting worse for a few weeks. He asked me if I'd carry some and I am, but it's exhausting," he sighed, one hand rubbing his forehead.

"You're… what?" she asked, frowning a little.

The twin's minds were unique in the way they were joined, and Emily didn't have a great understanding of it.

"Where we're linked… I can uh… it's kind of confusing to explain. Basically, I'm half in his head and taking half of his pain. Like blocking his receptors by putting my own in the way. So my chest hurts, and my brain is half occupied, so if I fall asleep by eight thirty then I'm really sorry," he said with a chuckle and she felt herself almost well up.

"That's really sweet of you to do that for him."

"I'm sure he'd do it for me," Leo shrugged.

"Doesn't it get like... confusing with your two minds in one?" she asked and he shook his head.

"Nope. Our minds aren't joined in that way… just kind of… fringing? I really can't explain it, it's too weird. I don't think even Spock understands it properly. I can't see everything, only what he projects to me on purpose, or anything so strong that he can't hide it. So the pain for example, that's too strong for him to keep to himself if I pull at it from my end, but what he's thinking right now I couldn't tell you, If that makes any sense?" he asked and she made and indecisive sound.

"So what's for dinner?" she asked and he grinned.

"Now this is something I can explain!"

*~*~*~*~*PAGE BREAK*~*~*~*~*

Chris tapped on the door again, cursing David for being such a damn heavy sleeper.

It probably would have helped if the other man knew he was planning to visit, but he hadn't wanted to give him any chance to escape without speaking to him face to face.

Chris glanced up and down the corridor, making sure to keep his hood up. There was nobody around and he was grateful for that, but had no idea how long it would last.

He knocked the door again, this time able to hear shuffling inside the room.

I'm outside, come let me in he passed through their bond quickly. The shuffling inside the room stopped and a few seconds later the door opened slowly, revealing a half-dressed a very sleepy looking David.

"Wha'samatter?" he mumbled blearily, stepping aside to let Chris into the dark room and closing the door behind him.

"Just thought I'd come say hi," Chris shrugged casually.

David yawned and stretched.

"At two in the morning?"

"Had to make sure nobody would see me here," Chris pointed out. David crawled back into his bed and slumped against the pillows. Chris just looked at him.

"Should I just go?" Chris asked and David frowned, sitting back up.

"No, don't go. Sorry, I'm fucking exhausted. Did a lot of ridiculous stuff today… stupid fitness evals are kicking my ass," he groaned, slumping back into the pillows and burying his face.

"They're making you do them again?" Chris asked, frowning.

David nodded into his pillow.

"Yep. Apparently they 'lost' my scores from over in San Fran, so the only way they can be sure I'm actually as fit as I need to be is to put me through my paces. And after three days of it I'm beat," he sighed.

Chris felt himself beginning to get annoyed. Nobody ever had test results 'lost'. Everything would be saved to David's personal file, meaning there would be no need for him to repeat anything.

Now that they were in close proximity Chris could feel David's exhaustion through the bond like a dull ache.

"You hurting all over? What did they make you do again? All of it?" Chris asked and David groaned an affirmative response into his pillow.

Chris felt very sympathetic. He'd only completed half of his required evaluations, and the one's he'd done had left his every muscle so sore he barely wanted to move.

He shrugged off his jacket and kicked off his shoes, going for his belt and jeans next.

"I'm not in the mood," David grumbled and Chris sniggered.

"For a backrub?" Chris offered and there was a pause.

"Uh… well a backrub wouldn't be the worst thing."

"Thought so," Chris chuckled as he climbed onto the bed now only wearing his boxers and tee-shirt, straddling David's hips and lowering his hands to the expanse of skin beneath him.

"Your hands are freezing," David complained, flinching away.

"Aww. Give me a minute, they'll warm up. It isn't exactly warm outside," Chris pointed out as he began to work the knots out of David's shoulders carefully, applying just the right amount of pressure.

"How'd you get here?" David slurred into the pillow, half asleep.

"Secretly," Chris answered vaguely.

"Leo beam you across?"

"Scotty did. Leo's busy tonight, taken your sister out on a date."

"Hmm. Not sure how I feel about that," David mumbled.

"Me either… he says she's got doubts about him, I don't know what'll happen between them really… could go either way," Chris answered, the heel of his hand digging into a particularly tense area near David's shoulder and causing him to let out a small sound of mixed pain and pleasure that jolted right to Chris' crotch.

"You think he's going to try and fuck her?"

Chris snorted.

"Eloquent as ever, McCoy."

"Don't care. You think that's what he's up to?"

"I don't know. Probably. I think he does actually want a relationship though, I mean, if he just wanted sex he knows where to get that from," Chris sighed.

He'd been so lonely since David left, sometimes feeling as though he was physically aching for his touch.

"He seems kinda weird, in that regard," David said, shifting beneath him slightly, getting more comfortable as his hands settled into a natural motion, slowly teasing the soreness out of his shoulders and spine.

"I don't know too much… I know a girl once tied him up and whipped him and that he liked it, but then I asked him to please stop talking so… " Chris trailed off and giggled nervously.

"Kinky," David giggled back.

"I don't know that I'd enjoy being tied up and whipped," Chris mumbled, lowering his mouth and kissing the back of David's neck, watching the way the shiver ran all the way down his spine.

"We could find out," David answered back quietly, turning his head and peeking up with one eye through the gloom. Chris shifted back a little, his hands stopping their slow circles and gripping David's pyjama pants waistband.

He crawled backwards down his legs, pulling the soft, stretchy fabric with him. David complied and lifted his hips so Chris could pull the clothing off and throw them onto the floor, adding to the huge mess of clothes there.

"You should really learn how to keep your room tidy cadet," Chris smirked, his breath tickling the back of David's thigh as he slowly crawled back up his legs.

"Bad behaviour like that? You could get a reprimand for it," he warned, pushing David's thighs apart and kissing the back of both knees lightly.

"Mmm and what would that involve?" David asked in a low voice.

Chris pushed his tights further apart, laying on his stomach now and trailing small kisses up the inside of one leg. He slid his hand, flat and firm, up the other thigh before raising it a few inches, pausing, and then bringing it down with a sharp smack that made the smaller man jolt and squirm, but unmistakeably grind his hips down so his erection rubbed against the sheets.

Chris smirked and repeated his action, a little harder, feeling a tingle of excitement at the small moan that he received as a reward. He crawled a little higher up, running his hands over each of David's thighs until they settled on his ass. With no warning he dove in, warm wet tongue lapping at David's entrance and causing him to groan into his pillow before becoming very quiet and tense.

I want you so badly.

"Mmmm Chris I thought you wanted to talk," David fought back half-heartedly.

We can talk when my mouth isn't occupied.

David moaned as Chris's lithe tongue speared into him, grabbing handfuls of the sheets and pushing back desperately.

Chris paused momentarily, diving for the drawer beside the bed where he knew he'd find lube before returning, tongue once again trailing over the sensitive nerve-endings, causing David to writhe and moan quietly into the pillow as he did his best to keep quiet.

Chris dipped lower, lapping at David's balls as he began to work one finger inside him, adding cold lube that caused him to jerk away and hiss.

"What's wrong?" Chris asked playfully and David turned to look at him and glared.

"Christopher, now isn't the time to play games with me," David warned, voice unsteady and Chris laughed quietly, angling his finger to brush his prostate and causing him to gasp.

"Not playing games. You aren't the only one frustrated here you know, been weeks since I've had you like this… I've missed you so much," Chris rushed out, carefully adding his second finger and causing his bondmate to let out another low groan.

"What have you missed the most?" David asked breathlessly and Chris smirked.

"Missed having you like this, all spread out for me… missed touching you… tasting… feeling. Missed that little noise you make when I-" Chris paused and brushed David's prostate again, causing him to moan. "Just like that," he smirked, carefully removing his fingers before adding more lube and pressing them back inside.

"You think you can be quiet?" Chris asked in a low voice.

"I'll try," David mumbled back.

"Try hard," Chris taunted, crawling up the bed so he was now kneeling between David's legs and using his free hand to encourage David to lift his hips off the bed.

He winced a little as he coated himself with the colder-than-comfortable lube before removing his fingers and lining up, holding still for a minute and leaning down to David's ear.

"You good?" he asked quickly.

"Mmm go slow, been ages," he warned and Chris nodded, placing a gentle kiss on his cheek.

"It's been too long," Chris agreed, fighting the urge to rut mindlessly forwards and forcing himself to proceed very slowly and gently. David winced and closed his eyes.

Sorry.

"Don't apologise, don't be ridiculous. We can switch if you-"

"No. This is good. Just need a minute," David gasped out and Chris nodded, kissing his neck affectionately as he allowed David time to adjust and relax.

His hands ran over the smooth skin of his back again, fingers moving in slow circles, beginning to work out the rest of the tension in his muscles. David sighed contentedly and Chris continued for a few minutes before leaning down and kissing his neck, trailing up to his ear.

"You ok?" he asked and David nodded.

He moved very slowly, the first half-muffled moan from David a welcome relief.

You have no idea how badly I want to pound you into this bed right now.

"No? Tell me," David whispered in response to the thought through the bond and Chris bit back his own moan, lowering his lips to David's ear.

"You look so fucking good like this, all desperate and spread out for me," Chris growled and sank his teeth into David's neck before he could stop himself, the moan he received in response to the biting only encouraging him further.

Arousal spiked through their bond and Chris picked up the pace, David whimpering needily into the pillow as he tried to stay quiet. Strong hands snaked around to his front, one finding a nipple and pinching hard, the other moving lower until it closed around his erection.

"Careful," David warned, trying to back down from the edge he was rushing towards.

"Is this good?" Chris asked, removing his hand but increasing his speed, David pushing back against his every thrust, gasping as his sweet spot was struck dead-on.

"Chris-fuck," he gasped, biting his forearm now to try and stop himself crying out.

Chris growled and pushed his head down, hard, grabbing his hips and pulling them higher and pounding into him roughly, hands gripping his hips hard enough to leave bruises.

You don't get to come until I do, clear?

David whined at the order and nodded, allowing Chris to partially block his pleasure through the bond to hold off the inevitable.

"Harder," he grit out, pushing back more insistently and causing Chris to lose his patience. He pulled out, easily lifted the younger man and flung him into his back before dragging him to the edge of the bed and standing between his legs.

"Trust me," he ordered, lifting David's legs so his ankles were over his shoulders, lifting him by his hips and pressing back in carefully. David groaned as he got used to the strange angle, only his shoulders now in contact with the bed, completely under Chris' control.

He was powerless to protest as Chris lifted him off the bed entirely, quickly sitting up so he could hold on around his neck, his legs over his shoulders as he was pushed against the wall.

"Don't drop me," David warned, followed by a sharp intake of breath as Chris found what he was looking for on his next thrust and kept the same position, slamming forwards again and again and depriving David of all coherent thought, mouth hanging open uselessly as he gasped for breath between loud moans of pleasure.

Chris's hand obstructed his mouth, the other hand wrapping around his cock and stroking in time with his thrusts.

Harder

Chris narrowed his eyes and removed his hand from David's mouth, replacing it with his own lips, crashing them together messily. He obliged David's request and thrust harder, the raw power from his body strength now half crushing him against the wall as he chased his own release.

"Going to- fuck, David," Chris gasped out, too much pleasure crashing through the bond sending them both over the edge in a few more thrusts, David biting Chris' shoulder to try and muffle the loud moan that escaped his mouth as he spilled over their stomachs as he felt a rush of heat as Chris spilled inside of him.

They stayed still for a moment, panting, foreheads resting together before David laughed out loud.

"What was that?!" he demanded and Chris blushed.

"I don't know… I'm sorry, felt all… dominant all of a sudden. I don't know why I… yeah. Sorry. I'll put you back on the bed," Chris chuckled, carefully carrying David back over to the bed and setting him down before disappearing into the bathroom for a moment, returning with a warm, wet washcloth and cleaning his stomach up, pushing his hair back off his forehead.

David was surprised by the affection, but didn't mind, he lay contentedly letting his bondmate take care of him and feeling his body returning to normal.

Chris curled up next to him, wrapping him in his arms and nuzzling his nose into his neck. David absentmindedly traced a few of the scars on Chris' chest, following the thin lines from many surgeries in their respective directions before placing a small kiss on Chris' forehead.

"Love you. Sorry for leaving like I did… I just… something happened and I had to go," David mumbled and Chris looked at him carefully.

"There wasn't… somebody else?" he asked and David frowned.

"Course not. No. Never. I had a run in with Mitchell and he… has a picture of us kissing. He didn't seem too happy about it either. So, he sent me here, to get me away from you, to try and break us…

"This is all so ridiculous," Chris sighed, running a hand through his hair tiredly and yawning.

"But then I heard from… someone… that he and… Jim allegedly had a thing while they were at the academy. So he's a massive hypocri-"

"They didn't. Jim told me this story. Mitchell was like his best pal at one point, they shared almost all their classes, trained together… everything. Mitchell made a move on him one night and Jim shot him down pretty publicly. I mean… do you think this is where this is all coming from? Seems pretty pathetic if it is," Chris said and David's eyes widened.

"Nothing happened between them?"

"No. Jim told me about it. Mitchell made a move on him and Jim tried to let him down easy but Mitchell wasn't having any of it, he got really offended and transferred all his classes and just stopped talking to him after. There has to be more though, he wouldn't behave like this over something so petty, would he?"

David thought for a second.

"Could he be jealous? Like… Jim had a great career, even once he became Commodore and didn't get involved so much, he still had some big achievements. Between the two of them Jim and Spock have some of the best service records there's ever been. Youngest Captain in the fleet, the Narada, everything that happened with Khan, the five year mission… everything Spock has done on missions since then, and Jim planning that hit on that Orion slave ship, rescuing all those slaves? They've done some amazing things. I can't think of anything notable that Gary Mitchell has ever been a part of. I think that's it. He can't stand that we're set to follow in those footsteps, he wants to try and make sure we don't get to. I mean I know my dad doesn't get on with him either… that could be why he hates me so much, plus I'm hardly a model student…" David trailed off with a smirk and Chris grinned.

"Wouldn't have you any other way. But you're still a dick for leaving me without telling me," he said and David sighed.

"You're a dick for getting drunk over something so stupid. Of course I wasn't leaving forever, or because I'd cheated on you, ok? You need to just trust me that I'm not going anywhere Chris. I'm committed to you, I'm here for you, that isn't going to change," he assured and Chris made a face.

"Ick. You said the 'C' word," he frowned.

"Committed?" David smirked and Chris nodded.

"Well that's what we are, right? Our bond isn't exactly temporary," David pointed out and Chris shrugged.

"I know… just when you say things like that it makes me think of like… getting married and stuff. It all just feels too fast," Chris said and David did his best to hide his disappointment at hearing Chris say that.

"You wouldn't want to get married?" David asked and Chris looked at him carefully, smirking as David gave away too much information through the bond.

"You… were going to ask? Weren't you?"

David blushed and opened his mouth to speak, but finding no words came.

"Oh my god! You were totally going to propose to me!"

"Not now but I mean… one day… yeah. I will ask, if that's ok?" David said, now feeling nervous but relieved that he hadn't asked before this point if Chris wasn't ready for such a step.

Chris met his eyes properly, warmth seeping through their bond as he smiled.

"One day I'm sure I'll be ready to say yes."

*~*~*~*~*~*PAGE BREAK*~*~*~*~*~*

Leo groaned against her plush lips as she ground down against his clothed erection.

"Hmm what's the matter?" she smirked.

He almost bashed his head against the roof as he pushed her off his lap so she was laying flat across the back seats so he could get on top of her.

"The matter is this car isn't big enough for me to do everything I want to do to you," he growled, kissing her neck as he ran a hand up her thigh and under her dress, other hand resting on one breast through the fabric.

They'd barely made it through dinner. He just couldn't stop himself, he was so desperate to touch her and she seemed to be the same.

"We could go back to your place?" she offered and he sighed, awkwardly balanced above her on the back seat of the car.

"We could, long way though…" he said thoughtfully, looking outside. They were in a deserted parking lot up on a hill, looking down at the city lights.

"We can't go outside. Too cold," she protested and he whined.

"I'll keep you warm?" he offered.

"We've got room in here," she said, pushing him into a sitting position again and slowly undoing his jeans as he watched with dark eyes, pupils blown wide. She reached his boxers and pushed the waistband down enough that his cock could spring free, causing him to let out a sigh of relief that made her giggle.

"You have no idea how painful jeans are in this situation," he smirked as she leant down, licking a stripe from base to tip that caused him to go very quiet as she teased him for a few moments before shifting to sit on his lap.

His hands were back under her dress again, pulling at her lacy underwear, dragging them down her thighs as their lips met in a desperate kiss.

He groaned in frustration when he couldn't get her underwear further down and used both hands to rip them and throw them aside. She protested and he gave her an apologetic look.

"I'll get you new ones," he promised and she smirked.

"Damn right you will Kirk."

He trailed his hands up her thighs again, settling on her hips and pulling her down to take him in slowly.

Their eyes met as he inched inside, a soft moan escaping them both.

Leo had to close his eyes. He couldn't look at the way she was looking at him; it was getting him too wound up. He nuzzled his face into her neck, nipping at her earlobe and trying to think of something else.

There was just something about her today that was pushing him to the very edge of his control.

She pushed up with her legs and sank back down and he bit his lip, doing everything he could to get himself to back away from the edge.

He held her hips still, kissing her hungrily and trying to distract himself, trailing his hands all over her body.

"You know I've still never seen you naked," he pointed out and she chuckled.

"All in good time," she smirked, squeezing her internal muscles around him without warning and tipping him just that bit too far.

He couldn't stop himself, groaning as he hit his release and tensing up as he rutted up into her just few times before slumping back against the seat, trying to catch his breath. She looked startled and he grabbed for her hand quickly.

They stayed perfectly still for a stunned minute. Leo feeling warm blush rising in his cheeks.

"I swear, this has never happened to me before-"

"It's ok," she said quickly and he looked at her for a moment before starting to laugh through his embarrassment.

"It really isn't. I seriously have no idea what-"

"Leo, it's ok. These things happen, I'll just have to mock you about it forever now," she smirked and felt his blushing intensify.

"Like I said – I have no idea what that was. Give me like two minutes and I'll be good to-"

"It's ok, don't worry about it," she said with a small smile.

He could feel from her telepathically that she was being genuine. A little bit of amusement mixed with sympathy for him and a touch of concern were seeping across from her and he did his best not to get too worked up and annoyed at himself.

"Sorry… really I uh… that's never happened to me before, don't know what uh… I think I was just too excited because it's you, and I… yeah…" he trailed off awkwardly and she smiled.

"You can just owe me for next time," she smirked and he grinned, pushing his embarrassment down as best he could.

"I'll hold you to that. Anyway… now that uh… I've done just about the worst thing I can do for my self confidence, what would you like to do now?" he offered and she giggled, wriggling a little still sitting on top of him. He winced at how oversensitive he was, confused that though he thought he was done, part of his body seemingly hadn't got the memo.

"I mean I'm still uh… apparently… pretty happy to see you, so I mean…" he began and she smirked, lifting up a little and sinking back down onto him.

"You going for thirty seconds this time? As opposed to twenty?" she teased and he glared, gripping her hips and pulling her down all the way.

"You're in so much trouble," he mumbled as he flipped them, pinning her to the back seat of the car, and whether it was just his bruised pride he wasn't sure, but something was urging him on, making him need her not just want her.

*~*~*~*~*~*PAGE BREAK*~*~*~*~*~*

Chris groaned as his communicator started to chirp loudly, arm flailing for the device and fingers eventually closing around it.

"'Lo?" he offered sleepily.

Chris when are you coming back?

Leo's tone was urgent and Chris immediately felt more awake.

"What's wrong?" he asked and Leo sighed deeply.

I have a problem.

"Well I guessed that. What's wrong? What problem?" Chris asked. David nuzzled closer behind him, mumbling sleepy nothings against the back of his neck and wrapping his arm around his waist more tightly.

You alone?

"Nope."

Just David there?

"Yep."

David, sorry, close your ears unless you want to be mentally scarred by the image of me doing bad things to your sister. Me and Emily… well… we drove up to that romantic spot you suggested, everything was going great and then I… well… got a little over-enthusiastic…

Chris smirked to himself, having an inkling of what his twin meant but wanting to confirm first.

"Wait… I don't follow?"

I… well, shit, I practically jizzed in my pants! I don't know what the fuck happened man, all was good, and literally twenty seconds and that was that. I couldn't even stop myself, it was so wei-

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Chris yawned and Leo groaned.

I know and I'm sorry but this is really important Chris! Has this ever happened to you? How the hell do you stop this happening?!

David leant across and took the communicator.

"Leo. Look. Everybody gets a little excited sometimes, just laugh it off and move on. And please never ever talk to me about screwing my sist-"

It happened twice. And my mind is basically screaming for her and my body won't co-operate and… I don't know what to do.

Chris frowned. All of a sudden this situation wasn't so funny anymore. David made his suggestion through their bond and Chris nodded, taking the communicator back from him.

Pon Farr?

"Do you feel ok? Other than the obvious?"

I feel completely fine, totally normal. Like I really just… I figured after the first time I'd be fine, but then it happened again! And now she's gone home and I feel so weird and… I don't know. I felt fine a minute ago. Now I feel kind of weird.

"Weird in what way?" Chris asked slowly, his worry increasing.

Kind of… feverish. Shaky. Too hot and too cold.

Chris carefully extricated himself from the tangle of limbs and blankets, leaving David in the bed blinking sleepily up at him as went in search of his clothes.

"Where are you? At your apartment?"

Yeah. Why? You think it's my… you know? The Pon Farr? I mean… I can't bond with her Chris. If it is then I'm screwed.

"Can you beam me back to you?"

David was looking worried now, watching Chris from the bed as he frantically pulled his clothes back on. He hadn't been planning on staying and sleeping, but they'd talked for a long time and then he'd been so tired and it had been so nice being in the same bed that he couldn't bring himself to leave when he was supposed to.

I can. You ready now?

Chris leant down and placed a tender kiss on David's forehead.

"I'll see you soon, ok?"

"Mmm, ok," David mumbled sleepily and Chris chuckled, ruffling his hair and kissing him again, this time on the corner of his lips.

"I love you," Chris said sincerely and David smiled, pulling him down for another kiss before letting him go so he could go help his twin.

"Ok Leo, ready," he said, stepping back from the bed and waiting a few seconds before white lights began to circle him. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, opening them again and finding himself in Leo's living room. His twin looked stressed.

He snapped his communicator closed and put it in his pocket.

"You look like hell," Chris commented and Leo sighed.

"I tried to comm. her and she won't pick up. Fucking hell Chris… what am I meant to do?"

Chris thought for a second.

"You think it definitely is? I mean… want to show me?" he offered and his twin hesitated for a moment before nodding. They sat on the couch next to each other, Leo's right hand on his brother's face, Chris's left hand the other way.

"My mind to your mind…"

"It's weird in here, too noisy," Chris frowned as he was bombarded by the contents of his twins mind. There were about a million different thoughts rushing around, things he was working on, Starfleet stuff, things for his classes, equations, warp theory, and then finally, what he was looking for.

"This doesn't feel like what it felt like for me when it was starting… you're too… controlled. For me I was like… I don't know. It sure as hell wasn't optional and I knew it had to be David. Like every molecule of my body was pushing me to him. This doesn't seem the same to me, like sure you're thinking about her, but you aren't burning."

Leo was silent for a moment inside the meld, trying to field away some of the more irrelevant thoughts.

Chris noticed something and went towards it, something strange that shouldn't be there. Leo backed off.

"Leo, what-"

"It's nothing, leave it ok? Is it Pon Farr or not?"

Chris frowned mentally.

"No… it isn't. But something weird is going on here. Go talk to Bones and-"

Chris almost fell off the couch as Leo forcibly broke the meld, the emotional transference was always jarring but this was something different, something else.

"Leo, what the hell?" he demanded as his twin flung himself to his feet.

"You should leave," he said shakily and Chris just stared.

"Christopher. Leave. Now."

"I-" Chris started but Leo grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and pulled him to his feet, shoving him backwards.

"I said GET OUT!" Leo roared. A sharp pain flared through Chris' head and he was momentarily disoriented by it, blinking at Leo before turning to leave.

"You need to-"

"You don't get to tell me what I need. I need to meditate is what I need, so leave," he said, anger retracting slightly but still evident.

Chris obeyed and left, shocked that Leo had grabbed him like that, his brother wasn't one for physical altercations at all.

He commed Emily for her own safety and left her a message asking to meet but being vague enough, then headed back to his apartment to shower and change before going to class.

Inside his apartment Leo dimmed all the lights, retrieving from his bedroom his meditation mat and candles. It had been far too long since he'd made time to do this and maybe his mind was punishing him now.

He lit the candles and rolled out the mat in the centre of the floor, reaching for the point in his mind where he could still faintly feel his link with his twin and sending through an apology, hoping it would be noticed.

He sat down and exhaled heavily, closing his eyes and ordering the room temperature up to as hot as he could bear it, then trying to sort through the hurricane of information currently swirling in his over-taxed mind.

*~*~*~*~*~*PAGE BREAK*~*~*~*~*~*

"Fuck it," Jim hissed as he cut his thumb on a sharp edge of metal.

He sucked the digit into his mouth, pressing his tongue against the fresh wound until the bleeding slowed and stopped.

The metallic taste in his mouth helped to remind him to keep going, he was alive now, but maybe wouldn't be for long unless he could get this fixed.

He started at the replicator again, using the few tools he had aboard the ship to try and dismantle the unit and solve the fault.

So far he'd been working for hours and all he had was a sore back to show for it.

The replicator appeared beyond repair, but he couldn't give up. He'd starve to death without it, so he had to find a solution.

He walked away for a few minutes, hoping to clear his head and return to the problem refreshed and able to solve it.

Standing by the controls of the small ship, Jim looked out at the stars. He recognised constellations now, this close to Earth. By his best guess and the limited information he could gain from the damaged scanner systems, he was around four hundred and twenty thousand kilometres from Earth, much closer than he'd been when he'd fallen through the singularity originally.

This worried him, as he knew he hadn't come back to exactly the same location, but the fact he was so close to the planet gave him hope. There was a reasonable chance a Starfleet vessel would find him here, or that he might be able to make it home once he figured out the small problem of escaping the gravity pull of the still-active small wormhole.

He decided to send out another comm. burst, knowing that doing this regularly would make it more likely it would be detected.

"Computer, begin comm. burst please, all channels all frequencies," he requested and the computer acknowledged and he began to speak.

"Requesting immediate assistance. This is James T. Kirk of the Federation planet Earth. My ship has taken damage and I am in need of assistance. If anybody is receiving this, please respond, assistance is required, over," he offered half-heartedly. He'd been at this for hours and nobody was answering him, he wondered how much longer he could keep this up.

Spock.

God damn it Spock, I'm so close but so far. Wish you could hear me and you'd come save me.

He forced the message into the part of his brain where he knew the bond had been. He could barely feel it now, but hoped against hope that somewhere Spock could hear him and would come and save him.

After sitting for a few more minutes he returned to the broken replicator unit, and after several more fruitless hours of being unable to fix it and now barely able to focus due to the desperate rumbling of his stomach, he cracked with frustration, hurling a screwdriver across the ship where it hit the wall with a satisfying thud.

He stared at the accursed machine that was failing him and resigned himself to what he knew he was going to have to do to survive.

He pried apart the casing using whatever he could until he reached the tank that contained the raw replicator protein. It was heavily concentrated stuff and very unpleasant, but in desperate situations people had survived from consuming it.

He sniffed at the sludgy liquid tentatively and recoiled, trying to stop himself from retching. The liquid was vile, smelling strongly like food that was rotten and should be discarded, an unappealing grey colour and lumpy like spoiled milk.

He retrieved a small cup that he'd located in a storage compartment and lowered it into the tank, filling it halfway with the goop before bringing it back up and looking at it for a moment.

"God damn it," he muttered.

He was starting to panic, he knew it. The hunger was driving him crazy; it was making him think about the unthinkable, about Tarsus.

He'd barely thought about Tarsus since he and Spock had bonded, but being this hungry for this long was bringing all the memories back. The things he'd had to do to find food, the kids who hadn't made it…

He retched before he could stop himself, tears brimming in his eyes. He put the cup down and crawled away from the replicator, wrapping his arms around himself protectively and curling into a ball on the floor.

Leo would know how to fix this damn thing.

If it had been six months since everything had happened when Spock Prime found him, by Jim's calculations it should now have been almost two years, despite the fact that for himself it had barely been a few months. He wondered what his youngest child was doing now, if he was at Starfleet, if he was going to follow in his footsteps out into the stars.

He pulled his communicator from his pocket and flipped it open, tears rolling down his cheeks now.

"Leo… hey buddy. I miss you a lot today," he paused and took a deep shaky breath. "I hope you're doing good, I hope things are good… I wish you'd come find me. Bring me home, then we could go get breakfast that place you and Chris like, with all the pancakes? Remember how you said you could eat your body weight in pancakes, kid? Right now I think I could eat our combined body weight in pancakes. I'm stuck on this stupid ship… replicator's dead, comms are barely functional, warp drive is fried… you'd have all these fixed in no time," Jim paused again before sniffing as he tried to pull himself back together, wiping his eyes on his sleeve.

"God I miss you guys so much. Don't give up on me, please? I know you think I'm gone. But I'm not Leo, I'm here and I need someone to help me, because I think I'm stuck here otherwise. I just want to come home," he finished quietly, voice cracking. "I just want to come home," he whispered as he snapped the small device shut and crawled back over to the replicator and the small cup of the raw protein.

"Spock you had better bring me breakfast in bed every day for the rest of our lives when I make it back to you," he muttered as he pinched his nose and brought the cup to his lips, forcing down the sludge and fighting his body's natural response of trying to eject it immediately.

Once it was all gone he sat back, panting a little and grimacing at the vile taste in his mouth.

He sat in silence for a long few minutes until his communicator chirped out it's sound announcing his battery was finally about to die on him.

He sighed and picked himself up, heading to the small sleeping area of the ship to settle down to get some rest and hoping somebody would pick up one of his comm. messages and come looking for him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*PAGE BREAK*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"So, why engineering, son?" Mitchell asked and Leo did his best to remain calm and respectful. In the five minutes since he'd arrived at Mitchell's office as requested, he'd been called 'son' repeatedly and it made him angry. He found a lot of things made him angry much more quickly than usual recently.

It had been a few days since everything happened with his disastrous date with Emily and then the altercation with Chris afterwards. He'd spoken to Chris but not yet to Emily, but he was meant to be meeting her for coffee that afternoon once he'd finished his classes after this meeting. Chris had arranged it and that had annoyed him a little, but seeing her was better than not seeing her so he'd agreed to go along.

"I uh… like to fix things, sir?" he offered weakly and Mitchell smiled, leaning back a little in his chair.

"I always liked you son, you're the best of the three in my eyes, you stand right out," he said and Leo blinked hard.

"In what way, sir?" he asked obediently. He knew exactly what this was, Mitchell was trying to get a rise out of him.

"Well I don't know… I mean, your sister. Brilliant doctor, research projects are a little… out there, but brilliant all the same, but kind of an obvious choice. Your brother… well, I don't know. He's a good guy at heart I'm sure, but a little in love with himself, and not as bright as you… not as many options open to him I'm sure you'll agree?" Mitchell offered and Leo did his best to be diplomatic.

"I'm sure that Chris could manage anything he put his mind to if he put the effort into it, it's confidence that he lacks, not ability, sir," he answered as politely as he could, doing his best to keep his cool. He was curious enough to find out where this was going to play along for the time being.

"I mean, sir, I don't stand out to anyone. I haven't achieved anything yet," he pointed out and Mitchell shook his head.

"Course you have, son. I've read your papers on advanced warp theory, there are some solid points there. I'd like to make you offer, Leo, if you'll hear me out," he said and Leo nodded once, standing a little straighter to attention. Mitchell hadn't ordered him at ease yet and he didn't want to slip up.

"Skip the Academy. Come work for Starfleet now, in the engineering branch. You already know Commander Scott? You'd be reporting directly to him. All you'd need to do is complete your current term with your current grades remaining constant, and then you could start right away. Building the next generation of ships, the next generation of warp engines. What do you say?" he offered, a twinkle in his eye as Leo disobediently kept his expression neutral.

"That's quite an offer Admiral," he said flatly.

"Not an offer I make to just anyone," he pointed out and Leo nodded.

"I understand, sir. I'd need to think about it for a few days, if that would be acceptable?" he asked and Mitchell nodded.

"Of course. Take all the time you need. Actually, while you're here, I had another question to ask you," he said, picking up his PADD from the desk and activating the screen, pulling up the morning's news headlines.

"How are you holding up?" he asked and Leo frowned slightly.

"I don't follow sir," he said and Mitchell handed him the PADD, a news story on the page that made Leo want to hurl the PADD at the wall behind Mitchell's head.

Son of late Starfleet Commodore terminally ill?

Beneath the headline there was a picture of his own face, obviously outdated as he looked thinner and paler.

Leo forced a chuckle but inside he felt his anger bubbling steadily. His medical records were classified, so somebody had to have leaked this information.

"They're a bit slow off the mark sir. I was ill over two years ago. I'm in perfect health," he said casually, putting the PADD down on the desk.

"You're sure? Because I don't see any reports of any physicals since then in your personal file Leo. You know that it's a requirement to attend your quarterly physicals, right? That you could be expelled from the Academy for not doing so?" he asked, clearly a threat.

"Yes sir, I'm aware of that. I don't know why there are no records, but I can assure you I am perfectly healthy," Leo responded, again keeping his voice calm and measured.

"It was a tumour? In your brain? Is that part of the story accurate at least?" he asked and Leo frowned.

"Yes sir."

"And you beat it?" he pressed and Leo nodded once.

"Yes sir, with a little help from one of Starfleet's finest and my sister," he answered. He was really hoping Mitchell would back off with his questions.

"Doctor Leonard McCoy," he said flatly and Leo nodded in confirmation.

"Brilliant doctor… kind of abrasive as a person," Mitchell commented and Leo held his tongue. He knew Mitchell shouldn't be making comments like this about a senior officer to a cadet, but he let him go with it.

"We've traced this media leak to his office, and we're going to press charges. Can't have trashy stories like this circulating about one of our best and brightest cadets now can we?" Mitchell offered and Leo took a nanosecond to think before he answered.

"Doctor McCoy is like a father to me. He'd never leak my medical records to the media, sir. It must have been somebody else," Leo protested, again keeping his tone calm and level.

Mitchell looked at him severely for a moment.

"We have this traced to a computer terminal in his office. Somebody sat in his chair and sent this to the media, you think it wasn't him?" Mitchell pressed.

"I'd bet my life that it wasn't him sir, there's no way."

Mitchell leant forward in his chair, elbows resting on the desk and voice becoming dangerously low as he asked his next question.

"But could you prove it?"

Leo stared at him for a moment, a million retorts to that statement crossing his mind before he settled on the one that made the most sense to him.

"Can you prove that it was him? Sir? I mean, anybody could break into his office after hours, wouldn't be difficult. It only has the standard security on that door, it wouldn't take a genius to hack it," he suggested. Silently adding in this own mind: and it's a good thing it wouldn't take a genius to hack that door, because you're no genius Gary.

"I think we're done here Kirk. Doctor McCoy will be facing an enquiry about this, and we will see where that leaves us. Dismissed Cadet!" he ordered and Leo practically sprinted from the office.

People were giving him weird looks as he walked swiftly through the corridors, he assumed about the bullshit story in the media. He ignored them and raced across campus, skipping his next class as he went to hunt down Bones and warn him that Mitchell was out to get him.

He found Bones quickly enough, sitting with Scotty in one of the engineering hangars sipping on a glass of Scotty's questionably legal home-brew and putting the world to rights.

"They're trying to pin the leak on you, Bones," he announced as he walked across the hangar to the two men.

Bones was immediately up and out of his seat, ranting with every curse word under the sun.

"-fucking asshole! I swear to god, I swear to god that guy had better watch his back or so help me…" he trailed off. Scotty looked vaguely concerned, Leo did his best to hide his smirk. With all his grumping and grousing, Bones wouldn't really do someone actual harm.

"Leave it to me, Bones, I have a plan," Leo said with a cheerful smile.

"Mr Scott, I've been offered a job. You know anything about this?" he asked and Scotty nodded.

"Aye. I requested it. I need a new assistant round here, someone who knows their stuff rather than the cadets he keeps assignin' me. Half of them couldn't find their own arse in the dark if their life depended on it…" he muttered and Leo laughed out loud.

"I think I'm going to take it. It'll let him think he's got leverage on me, when obviously he doesn't, and I can stay in his pocket, let everyone know what's going on. Bones – this thing with the media. Any idea who could have leaked it? Who could have had access to your office?"

"Not a clue, kid. Me… couple of my staff, Carol… jeez, I don't know. Nobody that would do this, and certainly not who would do this and try to make it look like I did it!"

"It was him that did it," Leo said simply and Bones nodded glumly. Scotty finally catching on.

"Wait… you're sayin' that Admiral Mitchell… framed Doctor McCoy?" he asked in a hushed tone.

Leo nodded and Scotty looked worried.

"I don't like this Len, it's like Marcus all over again… except this time we don't have Jim to deal with him," Scotty finished miserably.

Leo grinned.

"You've got me. And I'm going to need to borrow Molly, if you can spare her? When's Mitchell's big public address? It's soon right?" he asked and Scotty nodded.

Molly appeared from a back room and smirked as she strode over confidently.

"Listening to our conversation?" Leo asked and she nodded, smirk widening.

"Up for a little organised chaos?" Leo offered and she nodded again. Scotty half opened his mouth to object and then closed it again.

"You have a plan, kid?" Bones asked and Leo nodded.

"Just wait for his big speech, Mitchell won't be conveying quite the message he had planned. He needs to learn if he messes with one of us, he messes with all of us," he grinned, grabbing Molly by the arm and whispering rapidly to her as they left the hangar together, leaving Bones and Scotty to theorise and worry about what on earth they may have planned as revenge.

It was three weeks before Mitchell's large public address. It was a big enough event that David managed to come back from London to attend it, and Leo was glad. It was something he really wanted David to see.

Leo had accepted Mitchell's offer to graduate early and go right into working with Scotty. He'd need to complete the academic year with top grades to be able to do it, but that was far from his biggest concern.

Leo's mind had stabilised a little. He'd talked to Emily, smoothed things over with her and managed to convince her to go out with him again. After their meal he'd convinced her to come back to his place, and thankfully this time there was no further incident. He convinced himself it was just an off-day and that he didn't need to worry about it happening again.

The day of the large public assembly had finally arrived, and Leo and Molly had put a lot of planning into their revenge for the Admiral. They'd decided embarrassment was by far the best course of action, and had prepared a slideshow with some backing music that would replace the one the Admiral had been planning on playing at the event.

Using her hacking skills that were second to none, Molly had got around the various security features and switched the presentations just minutes before the event was due to start. Leo had added a little extra to the prank that he'd failed to tell Molly about, just for extra comedic value.

"You ok? You're acting weird," Chris pointed out as Leo practically skipped along the sidewalk on their way to the arena for the assembly.

"I'm fantastic, just fantastic," he said genuinely. David and Joanna shot him quizzical looks and Chris just rolled his eyes.

"You'll see guys. I have a feeling this assembly is going to be great," Leo beamed as they neared their destination.

David looked tired and Leo wondered if he and Chris had been up the entire night before. He knew they'd barely seen each other, only once more since Chris had been to visit him in London and it was putting a strain on them both.

Hopefully his stunt today would at least entertain them for the morning.

The four cadets took their seats, Molly arriving shortly afterwards and sitting with them too.

Leo noticed Spock sitting up near the front with Scotty and Bones and gave him a small smile which was thankfully returned. Leo knew he should try to spend more time with Spock but he was such hard work that he normally avoided him. Maybe if he was in a good mood that would make things easier.

Molly caught Leo's eye down the row of seats and they shared a smirk before forcing themselves to not look at each other again, they didn't want anyone to become suspicious that they had sabotaged the presentation.

It took a while longer for the assembly hall to fill up, and then Mitchell stepped up to the podium.

He droned on for a while, speaking in his usual tone, completely devoid of any charisma. Today he was talking about the qualities he expected to see in every cadet, the things that would make them great officers, give them great careers.

"And now, a short presentation on what makes some of our best and brightest just so exceptional," he introduced, stepping aside as the holo-player readied to take over.

Music started playing, and it was a few seconds before Mitchell visibly reacted, just confusion at first as it obviously wasn't the music he had been expecting. Rather than the track from the original slideshow, Leo had replaced it with something a little more fitting, something he'd dug up from the twenty-first century.

The loud vocals kicked in just as the video did and the assembly hall descended into stunned silence as the garish voice boomed out over the equally abrasive guitar line.

You! I want to take you to a gay bar.

Mitchell blanched. He leant in to one of his minions and obviously ordered them to shut off the sound system. The man spoke briefly into a communicator but the music only grew louder as holographic shirtless men danced around the stage provocatively, all grinning as they did so as though they had been pre-programmed to sense Mitchell's discomfort and find it highly amusing.

I want to take you to the gay bar, I want to take you to the gay bar!

Mitchell was quickly progressing through emotions. He'd gone from shocked, to angry and confused, to downright murderous.

Gay bar, gay bar, Woooow!

Leo felt an elbow jab him in the side and turned to see Chris and David fighting to keep their laughter in check, Molly had tears running down her face, powerless to stop herself. The rest of the assembly seemed to be laughing too now, nobody could help it.

The sixty second clip finally stopped and there was a short pause where the room fell silent again, every cadet terrified to be seen laughing by the incredibly enraged admiral.

Even the other admirals standing at the back of the stage looked amused, Leo noticed gleefully.

And five, four, three, two, one…

A small pop sounded above the assembly hall and confetti rained down from above, the confetti cannon having been triggered remotely.

At first it just looked like pink, but Mitchell's rage seemed to crank up a notch when he noticed what the small pink blobs actually were.

"Penis confetti!" Joanna squealed, unable to hold back her laughter as the hall descended into chaos once again.

Chris caught Leo's eye.

This was you, wasn't it?

Leo smirked and shrugged, turning away. He wanted Chris to have plausible deniability in case he was somehow questioned on it.

After a few more seconds the fun was over.

"SILENCE!" Mitchell roared into the microphone and every single cadet ceased speaking and laughing immediately.

"When I find out who is responsible for this, you will not only be expelled from this academy, I will personally ensure that your life will not be worth living!" he roared, storming from the stage.

His departure would have been more dramatic, Leo thought, had Mitchell not had several pieces of the phallic confetti in his hair and on his shoulders.

A quiet hum of chatter slowly crept back into the assembly hall until Admiral Bennett stepped up.

"All cadets dismissed. And whoever is responsible for this, I don't suggest you come forward if you want to keep your head attached to your shoulders," he warned, turning and leaving through the same door as Mitchell.

The assembly started to file out noisily, everyone still laughing and in awe of whoever the prankster was. Nobody had ever done anything like this in Starfleet's history, and whoever it was would surely be stuff of legend for years to come.

"-and then the confetti! Jesus, he looked so pissed!"

"- The holograms were hilarious! I swear one of them did a few hip-thrusts right at the Admiral!"

Leo smirked to himself as he caught snippets of conversation on the way out. He was careful not to walk out with Chris or David, keeping his distance from Molly too, he knew the surveillance around campus would likely be looking for the culprit and any suspicious behaviour would be enough to get him questioned.

"That was quite the stunt," a calm voice said close behind him, making him jump and look back.

"Don't sneak up on a man like that," he sighed at Spock, slowing down to walk beside him as they descended the stairs at the front of the main building.

"Wasn't me," Leo shrugged. Spock gave him a knowing smirk.

"Ok. What gave it away?" he asked and Spock smirked wider, almost more than Leo had ever seen.

"You are very protective of your brother," Spock commented casually.

"Not really, I just don't like people thinking they can tell people who they can and can't be. And yeah… the guy's an asshat, he deserved worse," Leo mumbled and Spock nodded.

"Indeed he does, however, I believe that to be an acceptable starting point," he commented and Leo raised an eyebrow.

"Are you… you hate him too? Why?" Leo asked and Spock's face fell back into his usual neutral expression, though there was still a twinkle in his dark eyes.

"Because as you so rightly said, he is an 'ass… hat'," Spock trailed off and Leo spluttered with laughter.

"Did you actually just say that?!" Leo demanded. Spock gave one nod and Leo burst into uncontrollable laughter, wrapping his arms around Spock tightly.

Spock seemed taken aback by the affection but allowed it all the same.

"Oh dear, got a disk on your shoulder there," Leo laughed harder, flicking the piece of pink tissue paper to the floor and still holding his father in a tight hug until he felt Spock's arms close around him in return.

They stood that way for a few moments until Leo calmed down.

"You may have just made my year," Leo smirked as they pulled away.

"It is enjoyable to see you so amused, though I do not believe your reaction is quite-"

"Leo!" Chris bounded over, smirk still on his face, eyes shining with happiness and obscene pink confetti everywhere.

"Shh. Later, ok?" Leo said quickly and Chris nodded.

"I wanted to speak with you both. I was hoping you would agree to join me for a meal tomorrow evening?" Spock asked and Leo checked his mental schedule. He was busy… had two classes.

"Sure, yeah, sure," he answered quickly, telling his brain to shut up. He'd barely spoken to Spock for months and seeing him felt incredibly good, especially to see him looking vaguely like his old self and like he still had a personality and sense of humour.

"Uh… David doesn't go back until the day after, we were kinda hoping to-"

"He is also welcome to join us, I would not wish to exclude him," Spock offered and Chris nodded.

"I'll ask, sure," Chris answered brightly.

"Your sister has already agreed she will be attending. It will be… nice for us to all be together," he said, sounding a little forced but genuine all the same.

"Yeah, that'll be good. I'll let you know by this evening," Chris answered quickly as Spock's communicator chirped. He glanced at it.

"Unsurprisingly, Admiral Mitchell has called a staff meeting of Academy board members to try and locate the culprit of today's incident. I must attend. I hope to be seeing you both tomorrow," he said, turning and leaving quickly.

Chris let out a low whistle.

"Whatever that guy has been smoking, I need to get my hands on some," he said and Leo sighed.

"Yeah… that was… weird. He seemed… weird. Think you and David will go?" Leo asked and Chris shrugged.

"I think so. I mean, yeah, can't really say no I guess," he said and Leo nodded in agreement.

"Today was uh… fairly epic," Chris commented and Leo shrugged.

"Don't know what you're talking about," he smirked as he turned to walk away.

*~*~*~*~*PAGE BREAK*~*~*~*~*

The house smelled amazing when Leo arrived. Seren was already there, helping Spock in the kitchen and he kicked off his boots by the front door, still in his reds.

He undid his jacket and hung it up, noticing that Jim's jacket, which had hung there since the day he died, was now finally nowhere to be seen.

He closed his eyes for a second, pushing his thoughts of Jim away, pushing the pain down, burying it deep and composing himself.

"Smells incredible Spock," he complimented as he padded into the kitchen.

Seren met him in the doorway and glanced down at his feet first of all.

"Your socks do not match," she commented and he wiggled his toes, looking down and finding one plain black sock, the other patterned with cartoon tribbles.

"Uh… guess not?" he said, smiling when she did as she hugged him warmly.

"It's been a long time since I've seen you," she sighed and he nodded.

"Too long. How's everything going?" he asked but was interrupted by Chris and David arriving.

David seemed a little awkward, but Chris seemed content in his presence and that slowly filtered through until they were both settled.

Spock had truly outdone himself with their meal. Three courses, all of Vulcan dishes they'd eaten during their childhood.

David was struggling and Chris was clearly amused by it.

"Not nice?" he offered and David shook his head.

"It's all delicious, Mr Spock, thank you," he said formally and Leo laughed, getting up and going over to the fridge, returning with a bottle of ketchup.

"This makes it better," he offered the bottle to David and Chris nodded.

"I see that your eating habits have not changed since you were nine years old Leo," Spock pointed out, but there was nothing scathing in his tone, he sounded… light-hearted, friendly.

"I eat better now, just this sauce can taste kind of bitter if you aren't used to it. The ketchup just brings out the flavours properly," he protested and Chris snorted.

"Masks the flavours you mean?"

"Boys," Seren warned and both twins obediently fell silent.

"I will not be offended if you choose to add a condiment to your meal. Jim often would, and I believe ketchup was initially his idea paired with this particular dish," Spock said to David who nodded and added some of the red sauce, going back to his food and seeming to find it a little easier now.

"So, Seren, I asked earlier… but how's everything going? With your trials?" Leo asked and Seren took a sip of her drink.

"Everything is proceeding well. I currently have twenty five couples, so fifty candidates at present," she answered and Leo nodded with interest.

"Would you mind explaining the whole process? How this all goes? I mean… so long as it's appropriate for the dinner table that is," David offered.

Leo smirked down at his plate as he picked up the very thinly veiled personal interest there and couldn't help but taunt his twin mentally through their link.

David totally wants your babies Chris.

Leo winced as his brothers foot collided with his shin under the table, hard.

"The way that it works," Seren said, pausing to glare at her brothers as she noticed the kick.

"At the moment I'm only accepting couples for trial where both partners would be willing to carry, just to give twice the chance of a success. I assess both men, determine the better candidate through a variety of factors-"

"How do you pick?" David pressed and Leo smirked at Chris who glared at him.

"A few tests. Medical suitability, medical history, genetic conditions, general health and fitness, and build… things like wider hips are better so the uterus doesn't cause so many problems as it expands. Anyway. Once I've determined who the better carrier would be, I use cloned muscle tissue to create the uterus surgically and implant it. It settles for eight to twelve weeks and in the meantime, I take genetic material from both parents and create a selection of embryos. Sometimes only one will be viable, so I will normally try to create up to ten. The best chance is chosen and implanted via keyhole surgery, and then we wait and see. We can usually determine a positive implantation after around a week, then we monitor carefully throughout the pregnancy, and with any luck, nine months later… voila!" she finished with a grin and Leo couldn't help himself.

"So, Ser, David or Chris?" he offered and she looked confused for a moment.

"Leo, shut u-"

"David," she blurted quickly.

"Chris. Sorry. You uh… wouldn't be a viable candidate. If you guys wanted to do this, it would have to be David," she explained quickly and Chris forced a laugh that couldn't have sounded much more fake if he'd tried.

"We wouldn't be looking at anything like that," Chris answered bluntly.

"Right now," David butted in and Chris gave him a look. Leo felt strangely pleased with himself that he'd caused them to argue. A part of him was horrified, but a part of him was enjoying watching the tension build between them, wondering who was going to blow up first.

He could feel Spock's eyes on him now, burning into the side of his head but he didn't look.

"We should talk about this another time," Chris said quietly and David looked hurt.

"I require assistance in the kitchen. Leo," Spock ordered, getting to his feet and walking off in the direction of the kitchen.

Leo followed him, feeling three sets of eyes watching his progress into the next room.

Spock slid the door closed and then he knew he was in trouble.

"I am unsure what is happening to you," Spock said bluntly and Leo frowned.

"What are you-"

"You just caused Christopher and David to argue about a very personal matter. It is none of your concern if they were to choose to-"

"I was joking Spock. Jesus, what did your new-found sense of humour only last two days?" he muttered and Spock stepped closer.

"Your behaviour is disturbing. I have been keeping track of you recently and I am concerned about you," Spock, voice softening.

Leo closed his eyes for a moment, pushing down the part of him that wanted to yell and scream and lose control.

"I'm fine, Spock," he mumbled.

"You are not. I kept telling myself that I was… fine. I was not. I have finally sought the help I needed. I believe you should too," he said and Leo looked up and met his eye.

"You saw that grief counsellor?"

"I did. He was… actually very helpful. I believe he could help you," Spock offered and Leo broke their eye contact, looking back at the floor.

"I don't know if anybody can help me," Leo muttered quietly and Spock had an eyebrow raised when he glanced back up, but he couldn't be certain if he heard what he had said.

"Anyway, let's go back. I have big news myself!" he said enthusiastically, rushing Spock from the room and going back to the table where the atmosphere was now not nearly as relaxed.

*~*~*~*~*~*PAGE BREAK*~*~*~*~*~*

FIVE MONTHS LATER

It had been a turbulent few months for everybody. Doctor McCoy had managed to prove he hadn't been the one to leak Leo's medical records to the media so he was off the hook, though he got the impression someone still wanted him out of a job. Chris and David were struggling through barely seeing each other, desperately waiting for David's graduation in a few short weeks so he could finally come home.

Seren was continuing to build her project, and was about ready to set up her own dedicated clinic. She knew she wanted to do it, she just needed backing and funding, something she was readying herself to go in search of.

Spock hadn't tried to press things with Leo since the awkward incident at dinner, and Leo had been so busy since then that he'd barely seen him at all. He was trying to cram as many credits into one term as possible, wanting to really prove himself by not only graduating early, but with nearly as many credits as people who'd spent three whole years at the academy.

"I can see why you've been putting this off!" Leo yelled over the roar of air rushing in through the now open door of the shuttle.

David nodded. He was deathly pale and terrified. Leo knew he just needed to help him any way he could.

"It'll be ok man, all over in a few seconds," he said, clapping him on the shoulder warmly.

David shook his head, rushing off to empty his stomach into the designated bucket.

A lot of cadets found this the most difficult part of graduating. Leo could understand why as he looked out from forty-thousand feet above the Earth. Leaping out of the shuttle was pretty low on his list of wants right now. It was his final requirement to be finished with the academy in just one year, as per Mitchell's offer. He was graduating early and taking the job working directly for Scotty. There hadn't been a jump taking place in San Fran in time for his graduation, so he'd signed up for the London one, and by chance ended up on the same shuttle as his twin's terrified bondmate.

"Cadets, take your mark please," the instructor ordered.

David was more towards the front of the line than Leo, and Leo tried to catch his eye once more before they jumped, but he couldn't, David was staring at the floor, trying to get himself into the zone and ready to prove himself.

There were four cadets between them, and two in front of David.

"Set. Begin!" the instructor ordered and the first cadet jumped without hesitation, cadet number two moving forwards to take his place in the shuttle doorway.

He too jumped when ordered, turning backwards and folding his arms across his chest before tumbling out of sight.

David stepped up.

Come on David. This is the last hurdle now and then you've done it.

He too turned backwards, and Leo could see the terror hiding behind the mask of calm on his face.

At the order he took a large step backwards, vanishing from sight immediately.

Leo breathed a small sigh of relief, he'd been worried David would freeze up and not jump – an instant fail. Now he was out of the shuttle, there wasn't really anything he could do wrong.

The cadets in front of him each took their turn and when there was only one remaining, Leo felt the beginnings of nervousness rising in himself.

He closed his eyes and felt better. If he couldn't see the Earth rushing up to greet him, he wouldn't be scared.

"Look's like someone lost their chute!" the instructor suddenly yelled. "Everybody stay where you are!" he ordered.

Leo felt a jolt of fear – someone lost their parachute? They were falling to certain death without it.

He looked out of the door as far as he could, looking at the tiny dots below that were his fellow cadets – one of them David.

He almost fell to his knees as Chris burst into his mind. They'd never used their link over such a distance, but desperation was clearly the drive for it.

David's falling without a chute. Leo. Please. Help him!

Without a moment's hesitation he pushed aside the cadets now standing at the doorway, ignoring the instructors orders to not do what he was about to do.

Without looking back he closed his eyes and leapt as far as he could away from the shuttle, startled by how quickly he began to fall and the almost painful jolt his body took from the acceleration. He fought to stop his head from whipping back, his limbs from flailing everywhere. He quickly reassured Chris through their link – ignoring the sharp pain in his head emanating from where their link was.

The instructor stopped everyone else when he saw the lost chute – but I'm after him. I'll need you to help me find him – I should catch up pretty quickly.

He did his best to slow himself, and activated his visor, his altitude and speed flashing up in the corner. He was heavier than David so his terminal velocity would be higher, and he needed enough time to plan what he was going to do.

His own parachute was only rated for his own weight – it certainly wouldn't tolerate being overloaded by so much extra as another person.

Leo smiled as his viewscreen finally activated – little coloured crosshairs marking the position of his comrades below him, falling much more slowly with their open parachute. He became vaguely aware of people yelling at him over the com-piece in his ear, but he ignored it, waiting to spot David's symbol on the screen.

Chris – warn David that this is going to hurt, I'm coming in really fast.

He approached quickly and smashed into the younger man, latching onto him with all of his limbs so they didn't get separated. He could immediately feel nothing but paralysing terror that he knew wasn't his own and it took him a moment to come to his senses and get his hand onto David's face, channelling his own thoughts into his mind.

Keep calm for me, ok? I have a plan.

David seemed to relax a little, wrapping his own legs and arms around Leo and hanging on like a limpet.

Leo glanced down and could see the wires that had been holding David's parachute dangling uselessly from the pack on his back. The edges of them looked frayed and he did his best to push down the anger he felt beginning to bubble up.

Someone had done this deliberately.

What's your plan here Leo because you need to open your chute!

Leo glanced at his face, fear like nothing he'd ever seen before in David's eyes.

Not yet.

They were falling so quickly now, their combined weight increasing their terminal velocity to an almost unbearable speed.

The viewscreen altitude in the top corner of his vision was bothering Leo.

He didn't have enough time to think up a plan 'b', so he'd have to go with plan a.

Listen – I'm going to pull my chute at about a hundred metres, maybe two hundred. I'll use it to slow us down a little, and steer us into something soft – but then it's going to break and we'll be on our own. You need to brace yourself ok? This is probably going to hurt.

"McCoy to Armstrong shuttle! Falling without a chute – can you beam us up?" David yelled over the roar of the air.

From the look on his face Leo could tell he'd had a negative response.

"Trust me, you'll be fine!" Leo yelled back to him, scanning the rapidly approaching ground for a 'soft' landing point. He wanted water ideally. That way he could make sure he hit first, break the surface tension, and save David. He couldn't be certain of what would happen to himself.

Chris I've got him, ok? David's safe, he's going to be fine. I won't let anything happen to him.

Leo continued to search for a body of water, the ground drawing ever closer. The altimeter was now reading less than eight thousand metres and he spotted a wide river winding lazily through the countryside below.

"There!" Leo shouted, pointing out the water to David who turned his head as best he could to try and see.

They waited the agonising few seconds to get close enough – Leo an unwilling witness to all the information streaming through David's mind and into Chris's. It was like he had temporarily joined their bond – he could hear and feel everything and it made him somehow more uncomfortable than the falling to Earth without a chute situation did.

He watched the number tick down, the ground seeming almost unbearably close now. He had low altitude warnings from almost every piece of equipment – the comm. piece in his ear now also warning him – "Low altitude – abort."

"Hang on," Leo muttered, he didn't know if it was to himself or David. He counted three more seconds and then took a deep breath, pulling his own parachute and hanging on to David tightly as they decelerated rapidly, almost being torn apart by the force.

Leo counted ten seconds before the chute failed. It was longer than he'd been expecting, but far from ideal.

He flipped them at the last moment, so his back was facing the water below and used his last chance to send David some reassuring thoughts before he grabbed him tightly, wrapping his arms around his torso and doing his best to make sure he'd be protected from the impact by his own body.

His feet hit first and it was worse than he had expected, almost like hitting concrete.

He was certain he felt his leg break, the water rushing around him, the thud he'd made when he'd hit resonating in his ears which were now starting to ring. He was sinking but couldn't move to push himself up to the surface, aware of David no longer being wrapped in his arms.

There was a dizzying few seconds before Leo was aware of being grabbed and dragged upwards.

The air hit his face again but he didn't know how to breathe, head lolling back uselessly.

He couldn't decide where it hurt the most, white hot agony surging through his body. His back and leg were certainly strong contenders.

The sky was above him now, and he could feel grass under his hands.

"T-this is McCoy, I need emergency medical help right now to my location! My chute failed and Kirk… just, send someone!"

Leo felt a warm sense of relief that David was alive and well enough to be asking for help, but the ringing in his ears was getting worse.

"Leo? You hear me ok?" David asked nervously, his face coming into view, blurry around the edges.

He couldn't move, he couldn't breathe, he just stared upwards blankly, still not having taken a breath since the moment of impact. His eyes started to roll back and he was aware of David's hands on his chest, pushing down hard and making him cough up a lungful of dirty river water.

The world was narrowing, darkness seeping in at the edged of his vision.

In desperation, David forced his mouth against his and pinched his nose closed, pushing air forcibly into his lungs which he coughed and spluttered at, head feeling a little clearer.

"Leo?"

Leo mumbled something he wasn't even certain the meaning of and moved his arm, trying to get it to his head which was swimming.

"Just stay still buddy, help is on the way. Jesus… Leo you shouldn't have done that for me," he stammered.

"Pro'ly not," Leo admitted weakly, coughing hard again, trying to get all the water out of his lungs so he could take a proper breath.

He tried to move again and David placed his hand flat on his chest, holding him still.

"You need to stay still, you're hurt," he said quietly. "It'll be ok, they won't be far away," he assured, looking far from certain.

After another few agonisingly long minutes David was looking around anxiously, having commed for help from Starfleet twice more. He also called the normal emergency med help, and felt massively relieved when he could hear a siren in the distance.

They seemed to be out in the countryside, nobody was really around and David was getting more and more nervous.

"Dav-" Leo started, getting cut off as he had to cough again, dark green blood bubbling from his mouth this time.

"Shit, just keep calm, they're coming, I can hear them coming. Just keep your airway clear, try not to move your lower body if you can help it ok?" he said gently, helping Leo turn his head to the side so he could spit out the blood preventing him from breathing properly.

"A'you'urt?" Leo struggled to force out.

David patted himself down.

"Bruises. I'm fine Leo… you saved my life. But we need to make sure you're ok, that's the important thing now, just keep still and stay with me," he said and Leo whimpered in pain uncharacteristically.

David offered him his hand and he accepted it, trembling fingers barely able to close their grip.

The sirens drew nearer and louder before stopping, David leaving Leo's side for just a moment and running up the riverbank to the road to meet the ambulance before leading them back to Leo who was fighting to keep himself conscious.

"What's your friends name?" they were asking.

David told them as he was practically dragged away by another paramedic trying to get a look at him.

"Leo? You hear me?" the man asked, crouching at his side.

Leo made an affirmative sound.

"I'm going to give you a shot ok? It's a painkiller, should make you a lot more comfortable. The hover-am is coming to pick you up, got to get you to the hospital quickly."

"N-shot," Leo struggled out.

"Can you say again?" the medic asked, his colleague joining him now, muttering to him as she looked Leo over, tricorder in hand whirring frantically.

"Broken femur, tibia, fibula, his right foot… sixteen broken bones. Broken vertebrae in all regions of the spine, ribs-"

"No shot," Leo hissed out, the edges of his vision becoming white.

He grabbed at the patch on the front of his uniform with his name, pointing to it.

"Allergies," he bit out.

"Get me his medical history, right now!"

"Leo you're being very brave, but we need to move you and it's going to cause you pain so we need to give you something for it."

Leo blinked up at the blue sky, David's face coming back into view above him.

"Xaltharium, right, that's the one you can have?" David offered and Leo gave a tiny nod. "He's allergic to about a billion things so you need to be careful. Call Starfleet medical, get them to send-"

There was a loud hum of a transporter beam and David looked up, his face turning into a weak smile.

"You're gonna be ok Leo, they sent the cavalry," David assured, his hand a comforting presence on Leo's forearm.

Leo could have cried with relief as Bones' face came into view.

"Jesus kid, you're gonna be the death of me," he grumbled, taking over from the attending paramedic.

Knowing he'd be safe in Bones' hands, Leo finally allowed the strong pull of unconsciousness take him.

*~*~*~*~*~*PAGE BREAK*~*~*~*~*

"He's not gonna be awake for a while, but damn that was too fucking close," Bones muttered, running his hands through his hair tiredly. He wished his days work was done now, he wished he wasn't going to have to disclose what he'd found as he was doing his best to patch up Leo's injuries from the impact.

If Leo had been human he'd be dead. If he'd have been Vulcan, Bones was pretty sure he'd also be dead. It was his uninhibited blood that had saved him, the strength in his body and the ability to heal himself.

"He's going to be ok?" Chris asked quietly.

"Sit down kid," Bones ordered.

They were alone in his office, Leo having been transferred back to San Francisco from England at Bones' request. Spock, Seren and David were waiting outside Leo's room until the nurses allowed visitors, Emily on her way to the hospital.

"His injuries from today were very severe. He broke his leg in five places, smashed almost every bone in his foot, broke his back, his ribs, punctured and collapsed lung… not to mention all the bruising to almost his entire body. I… you don't need me to tell you how close this was," he said gravely and Chris nodded.

"I feel like there's a 'but' coming," Chris said uncertainly and the doctor sighed, pulling up scan image on his PADD before turning it around to show Chris, magnifying the image over a certain point in Leo's abdomen.

"I spotted this," he said, pointing out the round grey area on the scan. It was reasonably small, around the size of a pear and looked inconspicuous enough to Chris' untrained eye.

"What is it?" Chris asked nervously.

"It's a mass that shouldn't be there. I need to do a biopsy to confirm," Bones said slowly and Chris closed his eyes for a second, drawing his knees up, feet on the chair, hugging his knees to his chest.

"The cancer's back?"

Bones looked miserable and his expression said it all.

"At this point I can't say, but this doesn't look like anything good."

*~*~*~*~*A/N

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