“Over the ground lies a mantle of white, a heaven of diamonds shines out through the night, two hearts a-thrilling in spite of the chill in the weather,” Jim sang.

“I can assure you my heart isn’t a-thrilling,” Spock retorted sarcastically.

Jim gave his first officer the side-eye. At the moment they were sheltered in a cabin on the icy planet known commonly as Delta Vega. Jim was pretty familiar with it. Unfortunately.

“It’s from a song, Spock.”

“What song?”

“Kind of an introduction to Winter Wonderland. Done a million years ago by the Eurythmics. That version anyway.”

“I don’t consider this a winter wonderland.”

Jim closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the flimsy wooden wall. He counted to ten.

It was a cabin that had seen better days. It had been abandoned likely decades ago. He was surprised there had ever been such dwellings here. When they returned to the Enterprise, if they did,  he’d have to look that up. The old man had never mentioned it to Jim when he’d been there all those years ago. Of course Nero had stranded him there just before Jim came across him so maybe he hadn’t known either.

So that left Scotty…who’d been stationed there.

“What are you thinking?”

Spock had surprised him by the question.

“That you are rethinking agreeing to see where our ‘relationship’ could go.” Jim used air quotes.

“I am hardly thinking that. And is that really what you were thinking just now?”

“No. I was thinking about the last time I’d been on this iceberg.”

Spock visibly flinched and then lowered his gaze for a moment.

“Hey, it’s okay.”

“I—”

“At least we found this place before any of the Jim eating creatures showed up,” Jim said, trying and failing to inject humor. Spock’s face was stony.

And really, if anyone had a right to be offended because Jim almost got eaten it surely had to be JIM.

Jim sighed and moved closer to Spock under the emergency blanket they were snuggling under.

“This is nice.”

“Mmm.”

“Do you really not want to dump me?”

Spock made a derisive noise. “I do not want to dump you.”

Jim smiled and rested his head against his shoulder. “We’re going to miss the holiday party.”

“Jim, do you really think they will continue to have a party while we are missing?”

Jim chuckled. “I guess not. So, we can have it when we get rescued. IF.”

“We will certainly be rescued.” Spock took Jim’s hand under the blanket and held it.

With renewed vigor, Jim sang, “To sing a love song while we stroll along, walking in a winter wonderland.”

Silence.

And then…

“I am not walking.”