Six years.

Six years I've been actively writing this plot and I've been researching and thinking about this story longer than that (almost 9 XD). And the writer who started this story is definitely not the one ending it. Car accidents, COVID, insane work travel, buying a house, losing my job, losing family members. It's been a roller-coaster of life and it's not slowing down.

This is not the end of Charlie and Jim's story, but I'm going to take a bit of a break. Afterall, WE STILL HAVE A WHOLE ASS MOVIE TO GET TO. Just need to get life things sorted again.

I want to also take the time thank the reviewers and fans who have kept me going. It's for you I write, and it's because of you I finished. Your comments, your ideas, your prodding is everything to me. When I read, I just want a fun story to take me away to the stars, and I really hope this has done that for you. So it is to you that I dedicate this final chapter.

As we go on, I will leave you with this tiny spoiler, dearest reader: Go boldly, go fearlessly, go confidently where none have gone before.


Chapter Twenty-One: A Safe Place to Land

Charlie's back connected against the mat, the sting becoming an annoyingly common sensation that spread across her shoulders. She shook her head to clear the stars, glaring at the smirking man standing above her, his arms crossed across his chest. His blue eyes danced with mischief and his smirk turned into a grin as she tried to swipe his legs out only for him to read the move and jump out of the way.

"Stop forecasting your moves," Jim said through his grin as she gingerly hauled herself to her feet, feeling the new bruises along her body. "Fighting is like poker – you may get dealt a shitty hand but as long as you don't advertise it, you can bluff your way into winning."

"Easy for you to say," she snapped, lunging at him while he grabbed her arm, wrenching it behind her back, his knee in between hers and his other arm pulling her back into his chest, effectively pinning her to him. She puffed a loose strand of dark, sweaty hair out of her eyes.

"Control, Charlie," Jim whispered into her ear, the sensation highlighting goosebumps along her bare arms. "It may seem like I fly by the seat of my pants, but I never get into a fight I'm not prepared to win."

He let her go and she stumbled forward. Turning to face him, Charlie smoothed her tangled hair from her face. "Now, come at me and make me have to guess what you're going to do."

Charlie huffed at first, but then took two deep breaths, settling her heated blood. She moved back into a fighter's stance, her right leg position behind at an angle while she braced in a stable squat. She brought her wrapped knuckles up in front of her face, and her dark eyes were narrowed and focused. She scanned his stance, looking for a weakness she could exploit.

Jim shifted between the balls of his feet, never staying in one position too long to move his balance from his center. His biceps tensed, waiting to block the blow he expected to come from the right, but she saw he'd still have enough time to bring his forearm up on the left if she feigned.

Charlie knew Jim waited, and knew he wouldn't attack first, trying to take Charlie's normal defensive stance and turn it aggressive. It was her fall back from fencing. Wait for the strike to come first, parry, control, and then strike back.

Grappling was like chess. Trying to anticipate moves, line up your strategy, judge the other player. It would translate into a real fighting scenario, as she already experienced with the Klingons and Khan. Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.

She threw her punch, anticipated his feign, braced for the uppercut, used the momentum from his swing to get herself into position and as she tumbled, got her legs around his neck to take him down with her.

With his arm in her hands, and her legs around his neck, Charlie had Jim pinned.

He quickly tapped her leg with his free hand, coughing from the wind being knocked out of him. Charlie quickly released and sat up, Jim following with his face red.

"That. . ." he coughed. "Was much better. But you forgot one thing."

Charlie frowned. "What's that?"

"Never trust your enemy."

He pounced, pinning her to the floor. His legs were braced on either side of her hips, his pelvis keeping her own pinned to the floor while his hands had both her wrists locked to the ground. His amused face hovered inches from her own irate one.

"Even me," he said, his blue gaze full of mirth but also seriousness. "As a Starfleet officer, there may come a time when you must fight against another officer for the benefit of the ship, or even the Federation. Never let your guard down in that case, even among friends. Even if it's me."

Charlie blinked the memory away, the image of a feral Starfleet Captain taking its place. A captain she loved with every atom in her body. A captain she now needed to fight in order to protect the crew, the ship, and the Federation.

Spock was at Charlie's side in an instant, his face for once betraying a startling amount of alarm. His eyes met Jim's, seeing the flicker of the man still fighting beneath the surface, but the blackness was overpowering.

"Lieutenant Uhura, get security personnel to the bridge immediately," Spock ordered, his voice steady but urgent. Turning to Jim, he continued, "Captain, you're not yourself. We need you to come with Doctor McCoy to sickbay."

Jim's gaze remained icy and unyielding, his expression a chilling mask of control. "Sickbay?" Jim's voice was cold and distorted, each word carrying an unsettling edge. "Why would I go to sickbay when I'm perfectly fine?"

The dark mass continued to press in on the Enterprise. Tendrils of Vril tightened around the ship like a predator with its prey. The hull groaned under the strain, shuddering as the force intensified. With a sudden, violent jolt, another surge of dark energy shot into Jim's body like a lightning strike. His eyes snapped open, glowing with a sinister, unnatural red. The Vril had fully possessed him.

Jim moved with unnerving calm, his actions no longer his own. The malevolent energy in his eyes and the cruel smile on his lips struck fear into the bridge crew. Their captain, now something else, stood before them.

"Ssspock," Jim's voice was dripping with malice, each syllable twisted and unnatural. "You always think you're in control. But you were never quick enough, were you? Vulcan logic can't defend you here."

Spock's jaw tightened as security entered the bridge and waited for orders. "Captain Kirk is no longer in control of his actions. We must restrain him."

Jim laughed, a thousand voices mixing together. "Restrain me? C'mon Spock. You know nothing will ever be able to stop me again."

Before they could blink, Jim lunged at Spock with blinding speed. Only Spock's Vulcan reflexes let him intercept the strike, catching Jim's arm mid-motion, but the Vril-enhanced strength behind the blow was immense. Despite Spock's effort to maintain control, the force of Jim's attack nearly sent him crashing to the ground.

In the ensuing grapple, Spock struggled to subdue Jim's erratic movements while trying to avoid inflicting injury. With a sudden, ferocious burst of energy, Jim threw Spock across the bridge with a violent force. Spock's body slammed into a console, sending sparks flying, and he crumpled to the floor, dazed and incapacitated.

"Spock!" Uhura shouted.

The bridge erupted into chaos as the black mist of Vril energy shot through the bulkheads and lunged toward the crew as if waiting for permission from the possessed Kirk.

"Oh for fucks sake!" Charlie shouted, her eyes blazing with determination as she drew her phaser. She fired several controlled shots, each burst of energy dispersing a tendril of the dark mist. "Focus on the wisps and keep them off the crew!" she ordered.

Jim, having already taken care of one Vulcan problem, turned his predatory gaze toward the only other person who stood in his way. The Vril filled his head with one thought. Destroy the last link to the Brethren.

With a guttural snarl, he lunged at Charlie just as she fired at a wisp heading toward Uhura. His movements were unnervingly swift, a relentless predator closing in on its prey.

"Spitfire, look out!" McCoy yelled, diving for cover as he evaded the wisps of dark energy and the barrage of phaser fire.

She turned and was barely able to dodge Kirk's first strike, a vicious punch aimed at her face.

"Jim!" she shouted surprised, but his eyes were cold, empty.

He came at her again, swinging with deadly precision. Charlie blocked the blow with her forearm, the impact reverberating through her bones forcing her to drop the phaser as her hand went numb. She countered with a quick jab to his ribs, but Jim barely flinched, his strength amplified by the energy inside him.

He grabbed her wrist, twisting it painfully as he forced her to the ground with a yell of pain. She gritted her teeth, using the momentum to kick him in the head and break free. Rolling to her feet, she knew she couldn't hold back. This wasn't the Jim she loved anymore. This was something far darker.

Jim came at her again, this time throwing a brutal uppercut. Charlie dodged, grabbing his arm and twisting it behind his back. She pushed him into the wall, slamming his head against the bulkhead, hoping to knock him out.

But Jim spun, catching her off guard. His hand closed around her throat, lifting her off the ground. She gasped, her vision blurring as she struggled against his iron grip. Not again.

With a surge of strength, she grabbed his arm with both hands and drove her knee into his solar plex, forcing him to loosen his hold with a grunt. She dropped to the floor, coughing, but before Jim could recover, she was on him again. A fierce punch landed on his jaw, then another to his gut, sending him stumbling back.

The glow in his eyes flickered, and for a moment, she thought she saw the real Jim behind them, the man she knew, the man she loved.

"Jim, fight it!" she shouted, her voice cracking with desperation.

He hesitated, his hand twitching as if he were trying to reach for her, but then the energy tightened its grip, and his eyes darkened once more. He charged at her, a wild fury in his every move.

Charlie barely ducked in time, feeling the rush of air as his fist sailed past her head. She spun, delivering a brutal kick to the back of his knee, bringing his knees to the ground. She grabbed his arm and twisted, pinning him on his knees with her arm around his chest as she tried to contain him, but she knew it was only a temporary victory. The Vril were still inside him, and she had no idea how to get them out.

"Charlie," Jim gasped, his voice weak. "It's…inside me."

"I know," she whispered. "I'm not giving up on you, but you have to fight it."

The battle around them raged on, phaser fire barely keeping the Vril from possessing other crew members, but Charlie wasn't about to let the darkness claim victory. Not this time.

Jim's body convulsed violently as the black wisp of Vril energy sank deeper into him. His frame jerked as if torn between two forces, his eyes widening before the red glow ignited, swirling like embers. His breaths came in ragged, animalistic gasps.

His muscles tensed and rippled beneath his uniform, his expression twisting into a grotesque mix of pain, fury, and cold detachment. His fists clenched, and a low, guttural growl rumbled from his throat as he fought to maintain control.

Despite the overwhelming presence of the Vril, Charlie glimpsed the real Jim struggling within. His face contorted with a flicker of fear and desperation, his eyes briefly returning to the familiar blue she cherished. But the moment was fleeting; the Vril's influence surged stronger, and the red light blazed back into his eyes, colder and more menacing than before. The captain she loved was slipping away, buried beneath the dark force.

Then suddenly like a light switch, the struggle was over. The Vril now had complete control. Jim's gaze turned black, now fully possessed, and snapped to Charlie. With a predator's precision, he reached out, seized her with unnatural strength, and threw her over his shoulder. The Vril had unleashed a force that no longer resembled the man she knew.

She tumbled across the hard floor. As she rolled to a stop, her body alight in pain and new bruises, she had a startling realization that bruised her heart worst of all. There was no more time for defense, no time for strategy or play. It was kill or be killed.

With her own grunt of pain, she leapt up, her fist connected with his cheek as he charged her again, Jim's human reflexes not quite in tune with the Vril that possessed him. His head snapped to the side, and he stumbled back into the console, Uhura leaping out of the way as Charlie came at him again.

Her breath was ragged, heart hammering in her chest as she grabbed Jim's head and slammed it against the screen behind him. The force reverberated through her arms, and the screen cracked with a sickening crunch.

If I can just knock him out, I can fix this.

Desperation fueled her strength, but even as she repeated the motion, slamming his skull again and again against the cracked glass, it became clear that brute force alone wouldn't be enough.

"Go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep," she whispered, her voice trembling as she pounded his head against the screen. Jim groaned, his body slumping for a brief moment. But then, with terrifying speed, his hand shot up, fingers wrapping around her wrist in a vice-like grip.

"Charlie…"

The voice that came from his lips wasn't his. It was cold, distant, nothing like the warmth she knew so well. The Vril's influence was taking root deeper by the second. His eyes, usually vibrant and full of life, were now dark, devoid of the man she loved.

With a violent twist, he shoved her back, throwing her across the bridge. She hit the ground hard, the breath knocked from her lungs as pain radiated up her spine. Before she could recover, Jim was on her, his body moving with predatory grace, faster than a human should move. He pinned her down, one hand clamping around her throat, squeezing just enough to send panic shooting through her.

"Fight back, Charlie," he hissed, a twisted grin forming on his lips. "I want to see your strength. I want to see if you're worth saving."

She gasped, her hands scrabbling at his wrist as she fought for air. Her vision blurred, but she wouldn't give up. Not now. Not ever. Jim is still in there, she told herself. He has to be.

With a surge of adrenaline, Charlie shifted her weight, bringing her knee up hard into his ribs. Jim grunted, his grip loosening just enough for her to wriggle free. She rolled to her feet, breathing hard, and squared off with him, her amber eyes blazing.

"You're still in there, Jim," she said, her voice steady despite the tremor in her limbs. "And I'm not going to let this thing take you from me."

He cocked his head, that eerie, feral smile still on his lips. "I'm more than him now, Charlie. Stronger than you. Stronger than any of you."

Without hesitation, he lunged again, but this time, she was ready. She ducked beneath his swing, her smaller frame giving her just enough agility to evade his attack. Charlie spun, planting a hard kick into the side of his knee. Jim faltered, his leg buckling, and she followed up with a sharp elbow to the side of his head.

But the Vril's control was growing stronger. He didn't go down. Instead, he spun with increasing agility, grabbing her by the arm and slamming her into the nearest console. Sparks flew as the impact sent a shockwave of pain through her ribs.

Charlie coughed, tasting blood in her mouth. She felt the heat of the broken console burning her back, but she couldn't stop now. This is Jim. This is the man she loves. She can't give up.

Gritting her teeth, she pushed herself off the console, twisting free from his grip, and slammed her palm into his chest, willing the golden light that always worked before to work now.

"Jim," she pleaded, her voice breaking. "You're stronger than this. I know you are. Come back to me. Please."

His hand faltered, and for a brief, heart-stopping moment, she saw it. His eyes flickered, the cold void replaced with a glimpse of recognition. Black to Blue. He stepped back, his breath labored, the conflict raging inside him.

"Charlie." It was Jim's voice this time, weak and filled with pain.

Her heart swelled with hope. "Yes, Jim. I'm here. Fight it, you can do this." The golden light pierced his uniform and went no further.

As quickly as it came, the moment vanished. The Vril roared back into control, its fury driving Jim forward with renewed violence. He threw her to the foot of the captain's chair. Charlie coughed, her ribs screaming as she glanced up to Jim towering over her, eyes blazing with otherworldly rage.

The entity controlling Jim emitted a chilling, inhuman laugh that sent shivers down her spine.

"You think you can challenge our power?" it hissed, its voice dripping with menace. "You have no power here. Your kind is obsolete."

"I won't let you take him," Charlie snarled, her voice unwavering with determination as she stood, the bridge crew silent in the exchange, the black mist beaten back for the moment. "I won't let you harm anyone else. Your reign is over. Return to whatever hell you came from. Your time in this universe is done." Even though her body screamed, she stood to her full height, the warmth of some unknown light and confidence propping her up. "As a member of the House of Noland, one hundredth generation of Brethren, I declare it."

The Vril's voice twisted with Jim's, a haunting blend of distortion. "You are nothing without us," it snarled. "We are your power. We will not be banished. Join us, and together we will rule."

As the Vril reached Jim's hand out for her to take, her father's voice echoed. We are descended from beings of another universe. It's what has given our family their strength and cunning. What has driven us for centuries; to protect our world and others from the Vril. We are the protectors. That's it. Her blood was why they couldn't touch her, why she held sway over them. Jim's would have, but the addition of Khan's made him more susceptible to their control. An idea as delicate as butterfly wings took root in her mind. Maybe it would work, maybe it wouldn't, but she couldn't keep fighting them forever. She had to have hope.

She glanced around at the crew, too stunned to reach beyond staying out of the way of their fight. She made her decision.

"If I join you, will you leave this crew be?" She asked, shifting her body forward as her back hand slid down her thigh.

"No one else will suffer," Jim said.

Her gaze swept over to Spock, who had just regained consciousness after his struggle with Jim. She held his gaze for a fleeting moment, silently conveying her plan. Spock, understanding her unspoken message, gave a subtle nod and slowly slipped behind Jim whose full attention remained on Charlie.

"Actually, I don't think so."

With a determined breath, Charlie leapt.

She seized Jim's arm, while Spock quickly secured Jim's torso, pinning him down. Jim's scream erupted, a chilling and inhuman sound that sent shivers racing across her skin.

"Just you and me to the bitter end," she commanded, her voice firm despite the chaos. The possessed captain thrashed violently, and Spock struggled to maintain his grip. With a swift motion, she cut a deep line across Jim's palm, red and black blood pooling in the wound.

Without hesitation, she made a similar cut across her own hand, wincing as the pain flared. "I won't let you go," she whispered, her voice trembling as tears threatened to spill. "Just don't you dare let go of my hand."

Jim's movements faltered. The Vril inside him hissed in frustration, but her words seemed to pierce through the darkness. His breath caught, as though he was wrestling with the entity within him, fighting for control—fighting for her.

"I know you're in there, Jim. I love you. Come back to me."

She clasped his palm tightly in her own, mingling their blood.

"Cor Unum, via Una," she whispered, her knuckles white with strain as she pulled their joined hands to her chest.

A giant, white force seared their hands together, bright, white vines unwinding from the blood dripping down their arms, wrapping first around their fingers, then their arms, then around their bodies. Spock was thrown back away from Jim, leaving them the only two standing as the light got brighter, a white tornado beginning to swirl around. Their hands burned, but they couldn't release each other, the heat molding them into one. Jim's black eyes cleared, then turned back, wavering until they blended to form a chestnut brown, the same as Charlie's. He blinked, his mind finally freed, seeing Charlie in front of him with her eyes were the color of sky and her auburn hair caught in the wind, swirling upwards.

Words she did not know appeared in her mind, first in the language of the ancient ones and then changing to English. Her gaze connected with his and Charlie knew the same were in his mind.

"You are blood of my blood, and bone of my bone," they said in unison, their voices woven together by a force beyond themselves. "Through us, the light and dark may live, illuminating the shadows and strengthening our light."

The black and white began to merge, swirling together like smoke twisting through air. Darkness encroached upon the light, tendrils of shadow weaving into the circle, drawn from their joined hands and the universe around them pulled in, like moths to a flame.

Raising their intertwined hands, their eyes now glowing like twin suns, Charlie and Jim felt the power of their bond surging outward. The force rippled across both the physical and ethereal realms, shaking the ship beneath them as their hearts thundered in perfect sync. The wind roared louder, the energy becoming a storm that whipped through space itself. They felt the weight of their ancestors, spanning across time and distance, joining them as threads of fate interlacing with the power coursing through their veins.

Then, suddenly, flashes of images, alien and ancient, rushed through Charlie's mind, too fast to fully comprehend. She gasped as the Brethren, the light to the Vril's dark, flooded into her thoughts. Their presence was vast, their purpose clear. They showed her glimpses of what had been, and what was at stake.

A world once bathed in pure, radiant light, stretching across dimensions in an endless gleam of harmony, coexisted with its counterpart: a realm of darkness, serving as its natural and necessary opposite. This delicate balance was maintained by the Brethren, who embodied the light, and the Vril, who represented the darkness. Each force complemented the other in an intricate dance of equilibrium, keeping the cosmic order intact.

However, this harmony was shattered when the dimension itself was violently torn apart, ripping the Brethren and the Vril from their intertwined existence and casting them into chaos. The separation threw the cosmos into disarray. As the two forces were cast into turmoil, cities once aglow with brilliance fell into shadow, civilizations that had thrived under the steady hand of balance crumbled into ruin, and the equilibrium that had kept the universe stable was violently disrupted. The profound disjunction between the light of the Brethren and the darkness of the Vril left a void where once there was harmony, plunging the universe into a state of upheaval and uncertainty.

"Together we are strong. Together we are free," Charlie and Jim intoned, as the images continued to bombard her mind.

She saw the Brethren weaving through the stars, reaching out across galaxies, calling to her. They had always been there, waiting for someone like her, someone whose soul was strong enough to hold both light and dark in perfect balance. She could feel their wisdom, their strength, filling her, intertwining with her essence. They were becoming one.

In another flash, she saw Jim—his life, his legacy. His birth, his struggles, his triumphs. The Brethren showed her what the Vril had taken from him, the cracks they had created in his soul. But they also showed her how their bond, her bond with him, was mending those cracks. How the love they shared had made them stronger than the darkness could ever anticipate.

The Vril's poison, like black tar, twisted through space, trying to grip them, to pull them into the abyss. But Charlie's newfound strength, empowered by the Brethren, fused with Jim's resolve. They were unstoppable now, their unity more powerful than either of them could have imagined. They would force balance back into the cosmos.

She could see inside Jim's mind, see his fears and doubts, his love and his hope, just as he saw into her own. They knew they were connected in a way no human had ever been before. The black was drawn out of him, like poison from a wound. Her strength fused with his, pushing and pulling as each Vril possession was exposed and shattered, other forces intertwining with the pieces left behind.

"We are one, and one are we," they whispered in unison, the air vibrating with their shared power.

Another flash, this time of the Enterprise itself, surrounded by the stars, but also something deeper: the universe's core. The Brethren showed her a vision of the galaxy, its swirling center a maelstrom of creation and destruction. She and Jim stood on the edge of it, tethered to the light, pushing the Vril into the yawning blackness.

Their connection deepened, stretching beyond their bodies. They could feel the pulse of the Enterprise around them; the hum of its electrics, the steady beat of its engines, the circuits, the cables, the very atoms of the ship itself. It was as though the ship was alive, breathing with them, connected to their will.

Another flash, time itself unraveling before her eyes. The Brethren had fought this war for millennia, across epochs of existence, but now, here on this bridge, it had come to its final battle. The balance they had fought to build rested in her and Jim's hands.

Charlie focused her mind, guiding their bond further, reaching into the ship's systems. She felt the power surge through her, through Jim, through the Enterprise. Then amplified to all the ships around them united in one goal: balance. Together, they accessed the transporter, bypassing its safeguards, and sent the remnants of the Vril hurtling through space.

The last flash, of the black hole at the center of the galaxy, the point where all light and dark converged. Charlie felt its pull, the crushing force of its gravity, but the Brethren's light held steady within her. With a great burst of energy, Charlie and Jim transported the Vril and whatever else clung to them into the heart of the galaxy, into the black hole that spun all of their stars together. The final wisps of darkness were drawn from Jim's body, from the ship, from the very fabric of the universe around them. The black hole consumed the Vril completely, their joyful release falling into the void.

As the darkness vanished, the light between Charlie and Jim blazed brighter, and the storm that had raged around them began to calm. The wind stilled, the ship steadied, and the glow in their eyes faded to a warm, gentle light until it was gone completely.

The bond lingered, warm and quiet now, like an ember beneath the ash. Charlie and Jim stood together, still holding hands, breathing hard, with hearts beating as one.

They blinked, realizing where they were and what had just happened.

"We did it," Jim whispered, his voice filled with awe. He looked down at her with eyes sky blue; bright, open, with no red within. The man she had fought so hard to save no longer burdened by the darkness that had tried to claim him.

Charlie beamed, her amber eyes soft. "Together."

They hadn't just saved the ship;, they had saved each other.

"What the hell just happened?!" Bones' voice rang out behind them, a mix of shock and frustration as he hurried toward the pair, tricorder already out and scanning both of them.

Jim, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, shot Charlie a glance. "Did we... just get married?" His tone was half-joking, but the moment felt surreal. "Kinda felt like we just got married."

Charlie burst out laughing, the sound light and free, something she hadn't felt in what seemed like ages.

Bones, ever the skeptic, shot Charlie a bewildered look as he waved the tricorder in front of Jim.

"Married?!" His eyebrows shot up, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Well, I guess I missed the part where I'm supposed to hand out champagne at a possession ceremony!" He jabbed a finger toward Jim, the doctor's irritation clear. "You know, for a guy who's been 'hitched' by alien energy, you look a hell of a lot worse for wear, Jim."

Jim groaned, rubbing his temple. "Thanks, Bones, always a ray of sunshine."

Bones rolled his eyes, putting the tricorder away. "Spirits or not, you're lucky to be standing here at all. I don't see anything, and you might feel fine now, but I'm going to want you both in sickbay for a full check-up." He turned toward Charlie, giving her a stern once-over. "And that goes for you too, missy. Vril, Brethren, blood rituals—whatever that was, I'm not taking any chances."

Charlie raised her hands defensively, still catching her breath. "Yes, Sir. But seriously, no more possession-induced weddings, alright?"

Bones grumbled, shaking his head as he moved toward the exit. "Next time, invite me to something normal, like a space plague."

Charlie wiped at her face, half-laughing, half-crying, the tension of the moment finally releasing. "I would not count that as getting married," she said, her voice shaky but laced with humor. Tears welled up, both from relief and the absurdity of it all. "It wasn't us. It was the Vril and Brethren that did it." Charlie brought herself composure as she gathered her hair in a high bun, the tangled mass something she'd deal with later. "I realized our blood was too diluted by that point, but it was enough to be conductors for them. Like Carol said. They needed us to get to a place where they could be sent back home. That was all they wanted. To go home. Together. You as the messenger. Me as the protector. It was our connection they needed to create the balance and open the door."

Kirk blinked, processing everything Charlie was saying. "What about Khan's blood?"

Charlie paused, shifting through the trrents still going through her brain. "Khan was more closely associated with the Vril. I would guess they had a hand in the creation of the augments, and when you look at what their history was… his blood was like an amplifier. Cutting our hands, joining our blood brought it all together. And it healed us."

They looked down at their palms, no evidence of a cut marked on their skin. Their bruises gone.

With a sly glance up, Charlie smirked, "Tell me, still feeling homicidal? Power-mad? Despotic?"

Jim laughed, a lightness he hadn't felt in weeks uplifting him.

"I think that ship has sailed," he grinned. "And I can tell you've been practicing. That right hook had some power behind it." He reached up to rub his now healed cheek.

"Where did you send them?" Spock asked, the Vulcan gaze mirroring the confusion in the rest of the crew.

"They used the black hole at the center of our galaxy to go home," Charlie explained, stepping back from Jim, her eyes still clouded with the weight of what they'd just witnessed. "I don't fully understand how or why, but at some point, they were thrown apart—through the black and white holes—and it took them millennia to get to this point. It's like those black holes were doorways, opening up to their dimension. They had us use the combined transporters of every ship here to send them."

Jim, still trying to shake off the surreal sensation, nodded. "For a moment, it felt like we weren't even here, just . . . energy, holding the door open for them."

"That takes transwarp beaming to a whole new level," Sulu muttered.

Spock's brow furrowed, his analytical mind already running through the possibilities. "Fascinating. Black holes are known to be one of the most destructive forces in existence, yet they used it as a gateway?"

Charlie nodded, her expression serious. "It wasn't destructive force for them. It was like a bridge—between dimensions, between worlds. They aren't from our universe, and being torn apart caused chaos... for them and for us."

Spock's expression shifted to one of deep contemplation. "It would suggest they are creatures bound by forces far beyond our comprehension. Not merely light and darkness as we perceive them, but elements of a cosmic balance that transcends our universe."

Charlie ran a hand through her hair. "That's what I think. It's not like good versus evil. They both have their place, keeping their universe in balance. But when they were torn apart—" She hesitated, her voice softer now. "That balance was broken, and that's why we've had all this chaos."

Spock's voice was quiet but steady. "The implications of what you're describing are profound. If the Brethren and Vril can manipulate such forces, it raises questions about the true nature of our universe and of the dimensions beyond." He paused, the weight of the discovery hanging between them. "We may have witnessed something far more significant than we realized."

Jim reached out and took her hand in his very warm one, pulling her to his side. "Are they still a part of our DNA?" he asked. While he heard the words and knew what to say, the Vril kept the secrets of the Brethren locked from him.

"I don't think so," Charlie said, feeling something inside of herself shift. "I think we're back to being perfectly ordinary humans. There's so many images they gave to me, I'm trying to process it all." She rubbed her forehead, the small headache of information overload still swirling.

"But from what I gather, it wasn't so much us that we held the power. They just hopscotched through each generation until they could find one of us to get them home. It's why I couldn't leave with Kate and Philippa. The Brethren knew I needed to stay in this timeline; a Noland had to be here. That's how I could control where I went through time. They used my thoughts as the guide, and they did the maneuvering. It was never me."

"And the Vril used the darkness," Jim added, his eyes unfocused. "They thought that because humans had darkness inside that they could use the power of anger, hatred, and greed since those emotions are so strong. They were not inherently evil. They don't have a moral code; there's no good and evil with them. There just . . . is."

Jim and Charlie stared at each other.

Charlie smirked, the tension easing from her shoulders as she quipped, "I definitely didn't have 'possessed by ancient mythical beings' on my last year at the Academy bingo card."

Spock, ever composed, raised a brow. "The concept of 'possession'—or any form of magic—is merely a primitive interpretation of phenomena not yet understood. In my experience, even the most inexplicable occurrences follow patterns, rules that, given time and study, can be deciphered. What appears supernatural is simply nature we have yet to fully comprehend."

He paused briefly, his gaze intense but calm. "The Vril may seem beyond our science now, but like all things, they are bound by laws. Our task is to discover what those laws are."

Charlie tilted her head, a half-smile playing at her lips. "I don't know, Spock. Sometimes, science and magic are just two sides of the same coin. We call things impossible until someone proves they aren't." She waved a hand toward the bulkhead. "Your transporter beams, warp speed, stuff like that would have been 'magic' to the world I came from."

Spock inclined his head slightly, considering her words. "What you refer to as 'magic,' Ensign Noland, is simply the absence of sufficient data. Warp speed and transporter technology were once theoretical, yes, but they were never beyond the reach of logical inquiry. Given enough time and study, even the most perplexing phenomena—such as the Vril's influence—can be unraveled through the application of scientific principles."

He glanced toward the bulkhead, his gaze thoughtful. "The boundaries of science may seem indistinguishable from magic when our understanding is incomplete. But discovery is a process of turning the unknown into the knowable."

Charlie shrugged, amusement flickering in her eyes as she and Jim both rolled theirs. "Maybe, but it's still a kind of belief. When you stare into the unknown, sometimes the only thing you have is the drive to keep going even if you don't have all the answers yet. Call it faith, curiosity, whatever you like. It's what pushes us forward."

Spock's brow furrowed slightly as he considered her words. "What you refer to as 'faith' is an emotional response. I prefer to rely on empirical data." Uhura, scoffed to the side shaking her head. This was not the first time they'd have that debate either.

Charlie chuckled softly, shaking her head. "That's the thing, Spock. You and I? We're both chasing the unknown. Whether you call it science or I call it magic, we're after the same thing. It's what keeps us searching for answers, even when we don't have all the pieces yet. It's why we keep pushing boundaries. Whether we call it science or magic, it's faith that drives us to explore what we don't understand."

Bones snapped the tricorder shut with a dramatic sigh. "Faith, science, magic—hell, why don't we throw in some pixie dust while we're at it?" he grumbled, shaking his head. "Only on this ship could we get into a philosophical debate right after nearly getting ourselves killed by a bunch of cosmic energy blobs."

He shot Charlie a pointed look. "You ever try having faith in a bottle of bourbon? That's about the only thing that makes sense around here anymore."

Charlie smirked. "Wow, somebody needs a hug," she teased.

"Somebody doesn't," Bones shot back, his glare softened by a hint of amusement.

Jim chuckled, slinging an arm around Charlie's shoulders. "Oh, I missed this."

"Don't get sentimental on me now, Jim," Bones muttered, though there was a smile tugging at his lips.

Jim gave Bones a sly grin. "Too late, Bones. You're going soft on me."

McCoy scoffed, crossing his arms. "I'm a doctor, not a therapist. But between the two of you, I might need to start charging for the latter."

Charlie snickered, leaning into Jim. "And here I thought you'd bill us for all the times we've nearly gotten ourselves killed."

"Trust me, Spitfire, I've considered it," Bones said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "If I charged for every time one of you pulled a stunt like this, I'd own a moon by now."

Spock raised an eyebrow at the remark. "I find it curious, Doctor, that you would assume ownership of celestial bodies based on medical services rendered."

Bones threw up his hands in exasperation. "Of course, Spock, leave it to you to take a metaphor and break it down to its most literal form."

"Your metaphor was lacking in logic," Spock replied matter-of-factly.

Charlie chuckled, glancing up at Jim. "This feels oddly normal."

Jim squeezed her shoulder affectionately. "Normal for us is borderline insanity."

Bones shook his head. "Insanity? That's an understatement. Just promise me next time we save the universe, it doesn't involve a crisis of faith or cosmic goo trying to possess you both."

Charlie gave a mock salute. "No promises, Doc."

Jim just laughed. "Wouldn't be the Enterprise without a little chaos, Bones."

Bones muttered under his breath, "I need that bottle of bourbon..."


San Francisco, Six Months Later:

When dawn breaks, we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shadow? Where do we find peace when chaos is all we know? Where do we find strength when the ground crumbles beneath our feet?

For four years, I have asked that of myself not realizing that the answers were found in those around me. In my crew, and their strength of unity. In the Federation, and the strength of their purpose. In my family, and the strength of their love. It took looking outward before I finally found what I needed inside. To be strong in the face of adversity, to be soft in the face of ferocity, to trust in the face of deceit.

It is our unity as a Federation of Planets as diverse and unique as snowflakes that creates our power. It is these connections that define our convention. Starfleet symbolizes all that we can be. The honor, sacrifice, and promise we've made to each other and ourselves.

And, yes, we are far from polished, far from pristine, but that doesn't mean we are striving to form a federation that is perfect. We are striving to forge a federation with purpose. We closed the divide because we knew to put our future first, we first put our differences aside. We laid down our arms so we could reach out our arms to one another. We reached without knowing if our hand would be grasped, and yet we still reached. Our first steps into this notion of Starfleet all started the same. With a reach into an unknown future.

We have faced intractability in the last few years. Our principles have been shattered, and our guarantee for that future turned to uncertainty. Our stability morphed to quicksand. Our order to chaos. For chaos wanted from us what we were unwilling to give: our hope.

For chaos did not know our intransience, it did not know our conviction. It did not see our ascendency. I stand today forged from that battle with chaos, one that we may all face in the coming years. But it is through that conflict, that we find deliverance.

A poem I found from a time before our Federation existed said this:

'That even as we grieved, we grew.

That even as we hurt, we hoped.

That even as we tired, we tried.

That we'll forever be tied together, victorious.

Not because we will never again know defeat, but because we will never again sow division.

If we're to live up to our own time, then victory won't lie in the blade, but in all the bridges we've made.

For while we have our eyes on the future, history has its eyes on us.

If we merge mercy with might, and might with right, then love becomes our legacy and change our children's birthright.

When the day comes, we will step out of the shade of flame and be unafraid.

For there is always light, if only we're brave enough to see it. If only we're brave enough to be it.'

We take those steps today, as Starfleet Academy graduates, to find that light. It is time. Go boldly, go fearlessly, go confidently where none have gone before."

As Charlie descended from the stage, the last echoes of applause faded into the cooling afternoon air. She held her head high, her Academy uniform crisp, and the weight of the moment beginning to settle. The speech had gone better than she'd hoped, the words resonating not just with her fellow graduates, but with herself, too. Each step felt lighter, as if she were walking into a new chapter, untethered from the challenges that had led her here.

Through the sea of cadets and proud families, she spotted him. Jim stood with his arms crossed, that familiar, mischievous grin lighting up his face. He looked proud, though she could also sense the teasing remark just waiting to be unleashed.

"How do you feel, Lieutenant?" he called out, raising his eyebrows as she approached, his grin widening. She matched his smile, feeling a warmth blossom in her chest as she joined him. "And nominated by the class to give the closing speech? Well done."

Charlie chuckled, brushing off the compliment. "I feel very much like Elle Woods," she said, with a light laugh.

Jim blinked, clearly lost, his brow furrowing in confusion and panic. "I'm not sure I know her."

She rolled her eyes playfully. "It's from a classic movie back in my time. The important thing is, whoever said red is the new pink was seriously disturbed."

Jim's grin returned, shaking his head with amusement as he caught up to her quick-fire humor. "I'll take your word for it, Lieutenant."

Charlie glanced down at her uniform and then back at Jim, her eyes twinkling. "Now, where's the part where I get to hop on a starship and live the adventure? Oh wait, I've already done that."

Jim chuckled, shaking his head as they turned to walk along the balcony outside the graduation reception. The city lights flickered on below, casting a soft glow on the descending evening, but it was the stars above that held their attention. Their fingers naturally intertwined as they strolled through the cool night air, a comfortable silence settling between them for a moment.

"So," Jim asked, breaking the quiet, "any word on your first assignment?"

Charlie pretended to mull it over, a playful glint in her eye. "Well, Admiral Jaimeson said I basically had my pick. I thought about the USS Horton since they just got clearance from the Klingons to study Dayos IV as part of the continued negotiations for a Federation/ Klingon Alliance. There's a rumor of a mysterious fortress. Some serious Indiana Jones things going on there."

Jim raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "A fortress, huh? Sounds like a lot of paperwork for a brand-new lieutenant."

Charlie laughed, giving his shoulder a playful nudge. "Or maybe a chance to get into trouble."

Jim grinned, returning the nudge. "That definitely sounds more like you."

"But then I realized," Charlie added with a dramatic sigh, "with that new five-year mission coming up, someone needs to make sure you don't do something stupid, like crash the Enterprise on some rogue planet. With my new commission, why not me?" She glanced at him with a mischievous smirk. "But with the regulations the way they are, I wasn't sure if that would be allowed."

Jim's heart raced as he nodded. "Typically, it isn't."

"And that's why," Charlie continued, her eyes sparkling, "you won't be my commanding officer. Spock will have full and utter supervision over me, with no input from you." She grinned as Jim began to understand. "Per orders from the C-in-C herself. Her advice to me was, 'when a team works, you don't break it up.'"

Before she could react, Jim swept Charlie into his arms and spun her around, their laughter mingling with the cool night air. As he sat her down, he said, "Looks like you're stuck with me and I'm guessing for forever. Any last words?"

Charlie shrugged, her arms around his neck. "Could be worse."

Jim frowned, his hands interlocking behind her back. "Not what I was thinking."

She chuckled, her lips crushing against his. Pulling away, she smiled, "We could be having to deal with Q."

Jim's face scrunched in confusion. "Who's Q?"

"Trust me, you don't want to know."

"Come now," A voice scoffed behind them. "You speak as if the universe could function without a little je ne sais quoi from yours truly."

Charlie gasped. "Oh no."

The End. . . . maybe.