Spirk (with a small dose of Pinto)

This may or may not be the last one. Maybe I’ll do one for next Friday and maybe not. If this is the last one (ever) I hope you enjoyed.

“I think the sleigh is crooked.”

Jim grimaced from on top of the roof. Silently he counted to ten. “Yeah okay. Hang on.”

“Sorry,” she called from below.

“No problem.”

It wasn’t really. It was just that he’d been up on the roof of the farmhouse for at least an hour trying to get his mother’s Christmas decorations just right.

He was tired and cold and wanted to be done with the whole thing. But yeah, he’d said he would. So he would.

Jim carefully stepped back over to the front of the sleigh where the reindeer led. The roof was slanted and it was hard to get them just right. When he’d been a kid and his mom wasn’t around, they hadn’t ever had to put up the decorations. Frank hated the holidays.

“While you’re there, can you retie the red velvet bow around Dasher’s neck?”

Fake velvet bow, Jim thought to himself.

“Sure.”

“Thank you, honey.”

Jim retied the bow and surveyed the other reindeer to see if they needed to be done too, but they seemed okay, so he adjusted their position.

“How about now?”

“Perfect. That looks good.”

Jim sighed in relief. “Okay, just need to finish this last strand of lights then on the roof.”

“Great. But, um.”

He tried not to glare down at her. “What?’

“The Santa sticking out of the chimney is a crooked.”

“Maybe it’s the house,” Jim cracked.

“Well, if you don’t want to move it, you don’t have to. Really.”

“No, I will.”

The old fireplace in the living room hadn’t been used for decades so at least the plastic Santa wasn’t about to go up in smoke, Jim was pretty sure jolly old St Nick would be happy to hear that.

Yep, losing it.

He trudged over to the chimney, thinking about how it was a good thing he was not afraid of heights. With a twist and a pull, he got the Santa right, and his mother called out her approval.

Fifteen minutes later, he had finished the lights and came down the ladder.

He rubbed his gloved hands together. “Now I just need to get the gingerbreads, the light up trees, and the snowmen from the barn and put those out in the yard.”

She gave him an apologetic smile. “I’m so sorry about this. Id’ do it myself if I could.”

She wiggled her cane a little even though it had hardly been necessary.

“I know, Mom.”

“When you’re finished, I’ll make us hot chocolate.”

“If it has peppermint schnaps in it, you’re on,” he said, cheerfully, and made his way to the old barn.

He reminded himself often this might be her last holiday season. She was not doing well, both of them knew this, though they didn’t particularly talk openly about it.

And so here he was, spending the season with her.

He was no longer captain of the Enterprise. He’d had his last mission as her captain a month ago. It was time. The crew had many fantastic adventures, some scary ones too, but all good things had to end.

So he was spending this time in Riverside making decisions about his future while celebrating with his mom.

After he set up the lawn decorations, he went back into the house where she had waited for him. As promised, she had hot cocoa for him with the schnapps.

They both took their mugs to the living room to sit by the Christmas tree he had set up for her the day before.

“What’s that friend of yours doing now? The doctor.”

Jim smiled faintly. “He’s gone to Georgia. His daughter is in medical school and engaged and they might set up a practice there.”

“So he’s leaving Starfleet?”

“I think so.”

“What about your other friends?”

Jim laughed. “I’m not really that close to others, Mom. Most of the crew is staying in Starfleet. Some got assigned to other ships. I think a few will stay on the newly built Enterprise. Others are taking other assignments.”

“Mm. Like you maybe.”

“Right.”

He’d been offered Yorktown. Commodore Paris had left and recommended that he take over command of the Starfleet presence there. He’d also been offered another space station called Lorington. It was as beautiful as Yorktown but further out. Jim hadn’t decided which he’d take, if either.

HQ in San Francisco had promoted him to Admiral and indicated they wanted him to be head of Starfleet Academy.

Then the Federation was trying to recruit him to be Ambassador to the planet, Zector, as they had asked for him specifically after joining the Federation. They’d been successfully recruited by the Enterprise and the inhabitants there had come to really like and respect him.

It was great to have so many opportunities to choose from, honestly, but he couldn’t deny he would give up every single one to be back on Enterprise.

“Anyway, I think I’m going to go sit with my cocoa on the porch and admire the night sky,” Jim told his mother.

She yawned. “Okay, put on a jacket. If I don’t fall asleep here by the tree, I’ll take myself off to bed.”

He dropped a kiss on her brow. “Night, Mom.”

He grabbed his coat, a thermos he’d set up earlier, and his cup of enhanced cocoa and went out to sit on the porch.

Before he sat, he went out to the yard to admire his handiwork and had to admit it looked pretty and festive.

There were two chairs on the porch, both rattan with high backs and big cushions. For the first time that day, Jim let himself relax.

“I’ll be home for Christmas, you can plan on me. Please have snow and mistletoe and presents on the tree,” Jim sang.

He’d been sitting there for ten minutes when the hover car arrived. A tall Vulcan got out, dressed in jeans and a big pullover sweater that made him look a little like a child wearing his parent’s clothes.

Jim grinned. “Hey there.”

Spock took the steps up to the porch, bag in hand, which he set down before sitting in the other chair.

“You look well settled in,” Spock commented. “The decorations look good but I thought you intended to wait for me to assist you.”

Jim shrugged. “I had time.” He handed Spock the thermos. “Gingerbread tea.”

Spock’s lips twitched. “You think of everything.” He took off the lid that doubled as a cup and unscrewed the stopper before pouring himself some steaming hot tea.

“I couldn’t wait until you got here,” Jim said. “How’d it go?”

“Well. My father sends his regards as well as wishes for a good holiday season for you and your mother. And your mother?”

“She was thrilled knowing you were coming. I think she was more excited than me.”

Jim reached for Spock’s hand and held it.

“There is nowhere else I would be,” Spock assured him. “Have you made any decisions?”

Jim thought about it. “I don’t think I’m going to take the ambassadorship.”

“I am not surprised.”

“Yeah, that’s not really me. You, sure. Not me. And I don’t really think I want to take over Yorktown. I appreciate Paris recommending me, but I think that time has passed.” He took a sip of cocoa. “Lorington? Too far away and not really different than running Yorktown.”

“I see. Then you are going to choose leading Starfleet Academy.”

Jim smiled. “I think so. If you’re amenable to living in San Francisco.”

“I defer to you to choose where we live. My only request is that we are able to make visits to New Vulcan where time allows it.”

“Of course. Any time. But for now, let’s focus on giving Mom the perfect Christmas.”

“Agreed.” Spock eyed him. “There is room for you in this chair with me.”

Jim laughed. “Okay.”

He got up and joined Spock in the chair, mostly squished against him, but Jim knew that the closer he was to Spock, the more content the Vulcan was.

Spock’s arms wrapped around him and Jim rested his head on Spock’s shoulder.

“I’ll be home for Christmas, you can plan on me. Please have snow and mistletoe—”

“No snow,” Spock interjected.

Jim grinned and leaned over to kiss Spock’s nose. “Okay, no snow.”