Seven and a half years earlier
Kirk nervously adjusted his gold command shirt as he waited for the turbo lift to stop at the bridge. Gary Mittchell, Kirk's friend of 15 years, laughed and said, "Jamie if you adjust that shirt anymore it will rip! You'll be fine, just breathe old boy." Jim scowled at his friend, "First off you know I hate that nickname, secondly that's easy for you to say since you're content being a helmsman." Mitchell just had time to smirk before the doors swished open and he was forced to put his face into a neutral position as he headed to his post. Kirk took one last deep breath and a final adjustment to his already perfect shirt before he took his step onto the bridge and his new life.
"Captain on the bridge!" a yeoman stated, and everyone quickly stood to face their new captain. Fleet Admiral Pike gracefully rose from the captain's chair and turned towards his replacement, brown eyes sparkling. "Welcome aboard the finest ship in the fleet Captain," Pike said as he extended his hand towards Kirk. "Jim, please, and it's an honor to meet you sir," as Kirk warmly returned the handshake. Pike smiled at the man's energy and warmth, he knew that Kirk would be a good fit for the Enterprise and that she would be a good match for the golden haired man standing in front of him. "Come let me show you around your new home, Number One you have the bridge."
Over the next three hours, Pike showed Kirk his new domain. Kirk quickly fell in love with the ship and understood Pike's reluctance to leave her. They ended their tour in the Captain's ready room where they were joined by Una (Pikes Number One, who would be following him to San Francisco and a leadership role of her own) and a man he had noticed earlier on the bridge - a tall graceful man, with thick straight black hair, dark, chocolate brown eyes…..and pointed ears? How had Kirk not noticed those before? Not that it mattered, the man was stunningly handsome, and he felt a low heat in his belly that had never occurred before. Interesting, he would have to reflect on that later. Pike cleared his throat, and Kirk blushed as he realized he had been staring at the man. "Let me introduce you to my number two and science officer, S'Chn T'Gai Spock or as he prefers to be called Spock." Kirk had been about to extend his hand when he remembered his cultural anthropology class at the academy - Vulcan hands were highly sensitive and were considered an erogenous zone for Vulcans. Instead, he raised his hand in the Vulcan salute saying, "Live, Long, and prosper Mr. Spock." With a raise of his eyebrow, Spock returned the gesture with the response, "Peace and long life." For the next several hours the four senior officers discussed the runnings of the ship and personnel. To say Kirk felt overwhelmed would have been the understatement of the 23rd century but there was a reason he was made the youngest captain in Starfleet history. He sighed and with a self deprecating smile turned to Una and Pike, "Words cannot express my profound gratitude for the two of you. I have enormous shoes to fill, and I have a feeling it will never quite happen. The Enterprise and its crew will be forever in your debt," he turned toward the Vulcan with sudden butterflies in his stomach and asked, "Mr. Spock, I realize I do not know your plans but I was hoping to convince you to stay on board the Enterprise as her first officer and science officer. I know there is no finer science officer in the fleet." Spock gave Kirk a piercing look that seemed to stare into the depths of his soul before responding, "Yes Captain, it is only logical that I stay on the Enterprise - she is the finest ship in the fleet and needs highly qualified people to run her." Kirk gazed at him in surprise with his mouth slightly ajar, to which Pike chuckled.
"Captain Kirk, you will have to get used to Mr. Spock's way of speaking - he is very methodical and logical. I thought I had loosened him up a bit but clearly around new people he reverts to his more reserved self."
"Quite accurate Admiral Pike, the Captain will have to earn my trust." With that statement Spock got up, gave a nod in the direction of Kirk and stated, "If you will excuse me Captain, it is quite late and I must meditate." Kirk nodded, and thanked his first officer again and turned back toward the two remaining officers. Una and Pike had a silent conversation, a reflection of their years serving together in a variety of situations, before she too got up saying, "There is a surprise party for Chris and me in the forward mess hall that I think it's time I attend. I will tell them you are close behind Chris?" Pike nodded, "Of course you would know about the party - you know all the inner workings of this ship." Una shrugged, gave a knowing smile and walked out of the room.
Pike turned to Kirk, "Never, ever underestimate the value of a strong, capable first officer. The Enterprise and I would not have survived this long or discovered so much without Una. Your first act as captain was to pick a strong, capable first officer who always has this ship and crew at heart. If you continue to make decisions like that, then I know the Enterprise is in good hands. I have known Spock for many years now, we are about as close as two people can be. He is one of the greatest men I have ever known, and if you hurt him in any way I will have you demoted to midshipman so fast it'll make your head spin." Kirk gave Pike a questioning look, a reflection of how unexpected this turn in conversation was. Pike huffed and continued, "Don't think I didn't do indepth research about the youngest captain in starfleet history who was taking over its flag ship - I know you're an Omega," at this Kirk was about to protest, but Pike cut him off, "and a damn fine officer and man, I was not demeaning you son. I've seen your Starfleet record, exemplary I might add, and know of your horrific experiences on Tarsus IV. No, what I am going to say now is a warning to tread carefully. Spock is one of the most loyal, self sacrificing and intelligent men you will ever meet who also happens to be an Alpha. On Vulcan 90% of the population is beta while 5% is Alpha and the other 5% are Omega. In general the biological rules are the same except Alphas also experience their own heat. I will not give you more than that, since that will be a conversation to be had between you and Spock. My point is, I saw a spark of…," here Pike stopped as if at a loss at how to describe what he witnessed, "interest? Emotion? Questioning? You ruffled my, now your, science officer - an event that rarely occurs. In all our years of serving together I could count on one hand the amount of times Spock has allowed himself to do what he did today and I'm guessing you felt something too. Please, proceed with caution. Spock has moved mountains to become the man he is today. Please, don't add to his burden. If, as I suspect it is, you two are meant to be together you couldn't ask for a better mate in life - please be the same for him." Kirk felt like he had been blasted with a phaser on stun, unsure how to process everything Admiral Pike had just said. "Son, I know it's a lot, especially on top of your newest responsibilities but I look out for my crew and I know you will do the same," at this Kirk could only nod, "how about we join the rest of my crew for my 'surprise' party and I can get you a couple glasses of scotch?" With that the two men went to join the rest of the crew. That evening, as Kirk sat in his quarters, he reflected on his first day as captain and how completely overwhelmed he was - had he taken on too much? Could he do this? He shook his head, knowing he was letting his insecurities get the better of him. He knew he had earned this position, and he was determined to do the best job he could.
The first two weeks of Kirk's tenure as Captain were going as smoothly as could be expected, as the days passed he became deeply grateful for the senior crew he had chosen. He was glad that he had allowed Gary Mittchell to stay on board ship - he had a unique ability to make Kirk laugh at himself, and not take situations too seriously. While he had Gary Mitchell to lighten his mood, he was still unsure of what to make of his science officer. Spock was so serious, factual and never smiled. Whenever Kirk was around him, the warmth that he felt on their first meeting remained but he was unsure what to make of it - for the first time in his life Kirk did not know how to interact with another person and it made him uncomfortable. Unconsciously, Kirk began to rely more on Mitchell than his first officer. It was smooth sailing until he hit his first emergency as Captain - a salt sucking alien bent on killing his entire crew. After the incident, he sat with McCoy in his quarters, a tumbler of Romulan Ale in each of their hands discussing the aliens ability to pry on weakness.
"How are you doing, Bones? And before you say 'fine' remember I've known you for over five years and can see beyond your grumpy exterior."
McCoy huffed, rolled his eyes, and thought for a moment before responding to Kirk. "I know you're asking me the question in both of your roles Jim - as Captain and as a friend. In response to my Captain: no this has not affected my ability to be a comptant CMO, I do not need to be taken off rotation to 'recover'. As a friend: this whole experience has left me with a bitter taste in my mouth. It's made me realize, yet again, how lonely I am. Don't get me wrong, I love my work and I know I am damn good at what I do - I wouldn't be on the Starfleet flagship if I wasn't. It just gets lonely coming home to empty quarters every night. On the plus side I have been communicating more with JoAnna and improving that relationship. I know being with a significant other doesn't fix all of one's problems but it does ease one's burdens….I'm sorry Jim, it must be those three glasses of ale talking!" Then he eyed Kirk suspiciously, "How about you Jim, how are you holding up?"
Kirk gave him a strained smile before answering. "Bones, besides Gary, you're the person who knows me best on this ship. Hell, you probably know me better then Gary considering what you and I have been through the past few years. Somehow, I've always felt Gary was having a laugh at me. I've always had a healthy self esteem, sometimes to my detriment," here he gave a wry smile and McCoy had a chuckle, "but with Gary I get the sensation that he's condescending to be friends with a stack of books with legs (as he frequently calls me). I've come to rely on him heavily during my first few months as Captain, and it's hurting my professional relationship with my first officer. Perhaps I am putting my ship and crew in danger by staying in my comfort zone." Kirk didn't add that he was scared. Scared that his first officer was his Alpha, his soulmate. What would happen if that were the case? Would he still be allowed to be Captain? Would Starfleet fall victim to the old prejudices about Omegas not being able to fend for themselves? What if he couldn't? What if all he wanted to do was stay at home and become a broodmare after he spent his whole life for this moment of being captain? On the other hand he was scared that Spock, this smart, stern, handsome as hell Vulcan would reject him when he finally went into heat and realized that the two of them belonged together. Kirk started to panic at all the what if's.
McCoy cleared his throat and Kirk realized he had been lost in thought longer than he realized. "Jim, breathe for me please and ground yourself, you're in the beginning stages of one of your panic attacks." Kirk began a breathing and grounding routine McCoy had taught him when they first met. He slowly opened his hazel eyes and softly smiled at McCoy, "Thanks Len, any woman (or man) will be lucky to have you for a partner. Don't let your ex ruin all that for you, be patient."
McCoy scoffed, blue eyes sparkling, "Thanks Jim, you're right, not that I need to inflate that beautiful head of yours anymore then it already is, and don't think I didn't notice you trying to get the subject off you and back onto me - - it won't work." Kirk shrugged, as if to say, "can't blame me for trying!" McCoy shook his head at this man that he loved like… a brother? Or was it more? Either way, why else would he be on this flying tin can hurtling through space if he didn't love and respect Jim? McCoy sighed, "I applauded your self realization with Gary - that friendship is not equally balanced, Gary has more power and he knows it. That isn't healthy - for either one of you. As with regards to Spock, I know he intimidates you but could it be more than just the fact that he gives off a stern and unapproachable air? Is it the fact that he is an alpha, and you are an omega? I've watched you around him Jim, I know you feel something and it probably scares the hell out of you and I don't blame you. You cannot let that fear get in the way of the Enterprise running smoothly and more importantly standing in the way of your happiness. Now, we are going to sit here for a while, I will make us some comfort food and we will make a plan of attack for you to slowly withdraw from Gary and to slowly build a relationship with your first officer. How does that sound?" With a look of relief on his face, Kirk nodded.