“Hi, Jim. You okay?”

Jim glanced at Bones who had come up beside him on the observation deck.

“Hey, what brings you here?”

“Been looking for a while. Finally gave up and asked the computer.” Bones sighed. “You left sickbay without authorization.”

“I’m fine.”

“Still.”

Jim grimaced. “It’s been a helluva day.”

“You mean three days.”

“It feels like one long ass day. I tried three times to tell Spock how I feel.”

“How’d that go?”

Jim laughed. “Not well. First one was when those Klingons attacked and we went to red alert.”

“Ah.”

“Then we got stuck in the turbolift so I decided to tell him then.”

“And?”

“Just as I was about to pour my heart out, the turbolift doors opened and there was Uhura and Sulu,”

“Uh-oh.”

“And then?”

“Nomad. Erasing Uhura’s memories and killing Scotty. Not really time to confess undying love, you know?”

“They’re both okay now,” Bones pointed out.

“Then I got thrown against the bulkhead and ended up in sickbay. I’m tired and sad and cranky,” Jim admitted. “I just feel like it’s not meant to be.”

Bones straightened. “I gotta go.”

“What?”

“I just remembered I have a patient waiting.”

“What the hell? Bones—”

And as he turned to watch Bones leave he spotted Spock standing nearby.

Oh shit.

Jim cleared his throat. “Hi.”

Spock didn’t say a word. He just opened his arms. Jim might be slow sometimes but this time…no.

He walked forward and stepped right into Spock’s arms. They wrapped tight around him and Jim sagged against the Vulcan.

“This feels good,” Jim murmured.

“It might feel even better in your quarters.”

Jim chuckled. “Yeah?”

“And when we are there you can tell me all about your undying love.”

“You heard that, huh?”

“Indeed.”

Jim didn’t pull away. He snuggled closer.

“What did you think about that?”

“I suspect you will soon find out.”

“Aren’t you coy?”

“Quarters?”

Jim sighed and buried himself in Spock’s arms even more. “In a bit, Spock. In a bit.”