Still catching up from my break, so yes I’ve got lots to do.
I also had an internet outage Tuesday. Our router died and I had to make a trip to Best Buy for a new one. Man have they gone up in price since I bought my last one! Sheesh. Everything has, I know.
I also went to see Dungeons and Dragons Tuesday. Cute! Fun movie. And Chris is adorabe. Spoiler alert: He lives.
When I came back from the movie, I had to set up the router so I was up late. The good news is they make those so easy to set up these days.
Anyhow, I haven’t yet done the next part of Bombaby. But will get it up sometime Friday if it’s not first thing.
I have some home projects to do this weekend but I hope to get the next chapter of The Wrong Captain done too. Busy busy.
I’ve got two trips coming in May. May 04-07going to wine country and doing wine tours and whooping it up with beautiful scenery. That’s in Paso Robles. Then later in May I’m off to San Diego/Temecula again May 25-28.
So look for Bombaby sometime Friday and everything else as I can get it done.
He almost didn’t make it in time. Spock thought he might not, but then as they were about to hand the infant over to Spock, Jim appeared, somewhat out of breath.
His smile was radiant as he looked down at the tiny child Spock cradled in his arms.
“He’s just so beautiful,” Jim said. “Perfect.”
“As next to perfect as it is possible to be.”
“I’m sorry I’m late. I had a million meetings before I could get away.” Jim moved closer.
“You are here now.”
Jim stared down at their newly born son. Created with biological material from Spock and a surrogate Vulcan female. The boy was 3/4s Vulcan. The process had not only given them a child to raise but helped with the Vulcan population, which was why they’d ultimately decided on Spock’s involvement. But Spock was not nearly done with trying to convince Jim.
He handed over the sleeping infant to Jim, who’s smile got brighter if that was possible. Seeing his husband and son together filled him with an overwhelming emotional warmth and contentment.
“Now we should have one with you,” Spock spoke up, unable not to voice his opinion once more.
Jim shook his head, but he was smiling. “Who wants to pass my flawed self onto an unsuspecting baby?”
“Jim.”
“Well.”
“And I do. I can only imagine how stunning our son or daughter would be that was created with your DNA.”
“Let’s just enjoy our newly born son for now, okay, Spock?”
Spock moved closer to his family and leaned in to kiss Jim and then then baby’s head. He would not give up. He wanted a child born of each of them and he was certain he could talk Jim into it.
Jim woke alone in bed and as he placed his hand on where Spock was supposed to be it was cool to the touch and the sheet smooth.
He sighed in the darkness, straightened, sat up, and turned on the light in the bedroom. Definitely no sign Spock had ever come to bed.
Jim glanced at the digital clock and saw it was two in the morning. The room felt chilled.
He got out of bed, reached for his robe, and slipped his feet into slippers he kept by the bedside. He trundled over to the window, opened the blinds and observed that it was snowing. In April.
He almost went back to bed where it was reasonably warm. But it was also lonely and staying there by himself wouldn’t solve anything.
Jim turned from the window, left the bedroom and went down the stairs to find his Vulcan.
Of all the species and all the planets he’d visited over the many years, Vulcans were the most stubborn. And maddening.
He followed the lone light to the room downstairs they both used as an office and sure enough Spock sat at his desk, a cup of tea beside him, staring at a computer.
For a long time, Jim just leaned against the doorframe, observing Spock at work, tiny frown lines between his eyes as he furrowed over something no doubt too illogical.
Jim had no doubt Spock was aware of his presence. They were always aware of each other.
“Are you still mad?”
Spock’s gaze met his, those dark eyes warm. “I was never truly angry.”
Jim came into the office and over to the desk and Spock pulled him down and into his lap. Their lips met in a deep kiss.
“Then what are you doing down here?”
“I had trouble feeling sleepy,” Spock admitted. “I received a message from my father that has…unsettled me.”
Jim glanced at the computer. “What’s wrong?”
“He seems a bit unwell. Just vague mentions but he appears to be…depressed. He is hard to read. I fear he doesn’t have long.”
“Do you want to go see him?”
“I do not want to draw you away from here. You like being here.”
Jim smiled, his heart warming further. There was never any doubt that Spock would go alone. They never went anywhere without the other anymore. Hardly ever did, really.
“I like being here because we’re together. It’s snowing.”
“I know.”
Jim laughed at Spock’s disgruntled face. “We can go. We should go. He’s our only parent left, we should go and see him.”
Spock nodded, his eyes turning solemn at the reminder they only had Sarek left as their elder. It was a reminder, Jim figured, of their own mortality.
“Hey.”
Spock looked at him.
Jim leaned down and kissed him. “We’re still here. I’m still here. And we have plenty of time.”
Spock returned his kiss and then looked at Jim with love. “Let’s go to bed. We can decide when to leave when we wake up.” And they left the home office together, arm in arm, heading upstairs.
An attractive dark-haired woman greeted Spock in the foyer of a two-story home in the heart of the main city of Deneva.
The home looked sterile and impersonal, from the outside, and in the foyer where Spock was greeted.
She had introduced herself as Aurelan Kirk, George Samuel’s wife.
After Spock explained the situation, she had picked up the animal carrier to study Bombay herself.
“Jim! I can’t believe it.”
“Then you do believe this feline is indeed James Kirk?” Spock asked.
After the meld, Spock was certain himself, but he found himself having to ask nevertheless.
“Oh, yes, this is him.” She held on to the carrier as she returned her glance to Spock. “Please wait here.”
Spock couldn’t have said why he felt anxious that she took Jim with her, but he did. It was illogical. He’d brought Jim here for the Kirks to help him, naturally they were going to take charge of him.
But Spock did not like being parted from the cat, which made him realize he had more of an emotional attachment than he’d realized.
After a while it began to become clear that he’d been waiting for someone to return to his location for some time and Spock began to pace. His leg ached a bit from standing for so long and he was disinclined to rub it for he did not like to show weakness.
He heard a noise behind him and was about to turn when something struck him on the head.
Spock regained consciousness when someone shook him awake. He blinked up at a man in uniform.
“Sorry to wake you, sir, but we’ve reached out destination.”
“Destination?”
“Yes, sir. The shuttle has landed in San Francisco. Everyone else has already disembarked.”
Startled and not a little alarmed, Spock quickly looked about and saw that indeed he was on a shuttle. A now empty one.
Still a bit dazed, he got to his feet and stumbled out of the shuttle and into the bustling crowed of the San Francisco Shuttle Bay.
Clearly the Kirks had incapacitated him and sent him on his way back home.
He had lost Jim.
Yep totally left it on a bit of a mean cliffy! Bombaby/Jim will be back April 14!
I glanced at Suvoc as he stood in the kitchen staring at me as I prepared the hardboiled eggs for dyeing. “It’s for fun.”
“Fun,” he repeated as though it was the strangest word in standard. “I do not understand.”
I sighed. “You dye them different colors, like, you know, for spring, they represent, um, well, whatever. They are pretty.”
Suvoc raised an eyebrow and then turned to Spock. “Sa-mekh?”
“Yes?” Spock asked from his perch on a stool at the breakfast nook in our apartment. He was reading something on his PADD while sipping his spiced tea.
“Do you understand this odd Terran practice?”
Spock inclined his head. “I am aware of it but I do not appreciate its purpose.”
I rolled my eyes. “Well, wait for Bones to get here. He’ll be on my side.”
“He is always on your side,” my husband said with some amusement.
“Yeah that’s what besties are for.”
Suvoc turned his curious dark eyes on me again. “Besties?”
“Yeah it’s like a nickname for best friend.”
“I thought Sa-mekh was your best friend.”
I smiled and met Spock’s gaze. “Well, yeah, but he’s way more than that.”
Suvoc nodded. “I have a best friend.”
“Yeah? Who?”
He seemed to think about it. “Is it permissible to have more than one?”
“Sure.”
“Then you, Father, and Sa-mekh are two of my best friends,” Suvoc said seriously. “And Bones.”
I smiled. “And friends your own age?”
“There is Carla.”
I remembered her as Suvoc had commed me about buying her a present for her birthday. “Good choice.”
“And T’Saralonde.”
“Are all your best friends from school females, Suvoc?” Spock asked.
He seemed to think about this. “I believe so. Is that not acceptable?”
“Of course it is.” I ruffled his hair which I knew he disliked. I laughed and brought the boiled eggs and dye to the table to sit down. Suvoc dutifully followed me there.
“Will you dye eggs with us, Sa-mekh?”
Spock glanced at his PADD wistfully but set it aside to join us at the table. He eyed the dye dubiously. “Perhaps we should wear gloves so as not to dye our fingers at the same time as the eggs.”
The door opened and closed with a loud bang and I knew Bones had arrived. “What’s this about wearing gloves?”
“In order to refrain from dyeing our flesh along with the eggs, Bones,” Suvoc said.
Bones rolled his eyes and took his seat at the table. “Dyeing your fingers is all part of the process, kid.”
Suvoc scrunched up his face. “Is this true, Father?”
I shrugged. “You and your Sa-mekh can use gloves if you prefer.”
“I do prefer,” Spock said, arching an eyebrow. He went into the kitchen and returned with two sets of latex gloves. He pulled his on immediately.
Suvoc stared at the other pair of gloves and then watched as Bones picked up an egg and swished it around in blue dye. “What do you do with the eggs once they have been dyed?”
“You crack them and peel them and eat them,” I said, sticking one in green dye.
“Why not do this now before coloring them?”
“Then it’s not fun.”
His brows furrowed and he picked up an egg, still without putting the gloves on. He dipped the egg in purple dye and then stared at his fingers. “I believe I would prefer the gloves.” He pulled them on his hands.
I laughed. “Figured you might.”
“A wise choice, Suvoc,” Spock said with approval.
“Amateurs,” Bones mumbled.
“What else is part of this Terran celebration?” Suvoc asked after a moment.
“Chocolate bunnies.” Bones eyed Suvoc and Spock. “Although not for the two of you.”
“Indeed, doctor. Jim is also allergic to chocolate.”
I stuck my tongue out at him.
“More for me then,” Bones announced with glee.
“You can also hide eggs around and then you hunt for them,” I told Suvoc.
“For what purpose?”
“To find them.”
“Why? Why do you hide them only to re-find them?”
I shook my head. “For—”
“Fun,” he finished for me. “Terrans are very strange.”
Spock nodded. “Something you will learn very quickly. Fortunately, we are able to adapt to their peculiarities.”
“Let me see your egg,” I said, nudging Spock.
He held up an Easter egg that was beautiful and precise, perfect.
“That looks too good,” I scoffed. I held mine up which was made up of several runny colors leaking into each other.
“And that is…interesting looking,” Spock said.
“Best damn…er…darn Easter egg in the whole universe.”
“So the purpose is to make them unattractive?” Suvoc asked.
“Oh be quiet,” I said. “I like my egg. It’s Eastery.”
“Is that even a word, Jim?” Bones asked with a smirk.
Spock watched as his husband and bondmate hummed to himself as he stuffed items into a brightly colored basket he had referred to in previous years as an Easter basket. Jim filled it was colored eggs in pinks, blues, greens, and yellows. Also there was a small chocolate bunny for Laurel and one made of non-chocolate candy for Sidak, which meant ‘out of two’. Jim had also included books, toys, little bags of chips and other treats.
“You have overdone it again,” Spock told him quietly.
Jim bit his lip and looked at the overstuffed baskets. “Really?”
“Yes, ashaya. You spoil them.”
“Well, this might be the last year they believe in the Easter Bunny.”
Spock knew that neither of their children believed in the Easter Bunny anymore. Sidak had stopped even before Laurel, though he was the younger of their children. They’d had a long discussion before the children could talk about whether they should teach their children to believe in mythical creatures. Spock had believed their children should be told only the truth, but Jim wanted them to have the magical childhood he could only dream of. Jim had won. Spock didn’t have the heart to tell his mate the children had stopped believing in the Bunny. And Santa too.
“Now, I just leave these on the table at their seats and we wake them up.”
“Would it not be better to allow them to wake naturally?”
“Where’s the fun in that?” Jim put the baskets on the table. “You coming with me?”
Spock nodded.
Jim went to Sidak’s room first. Their adopted Vulcan son opened his eyes immediately when Jim shook him gently.
“Hey, kiddo, the Easter Bunny has been here,” Jim said.
Spock watched as Sidak worked to keep his expression blank.
“The Easter Bunny,” Sidak repeated.
Jim’s smile faltered just a bit. “Yeah. You should see what he brought you.”
“A giant rabbit walking on two legs to deliver baskets filled with eggs and candy is completely illogical,” Sidak said stiffly.
“I…uh.” Jim turned a little red, ducked his chin. “Yeah maybe.”
Sidak met Spock’s gaze over Jim’s head. He gave a slight nod. “Nevertheless, I am anxious to see what has been left for me.”
Jim’s smile returned. “Yeah?”
Sidak nodded and took Jim’s hand. “Yes, Dad.”
“Let’s get your sister.”
They went to Laurel’s room. She was a little harder to wake, but eventually she traipsed out after them to the dining room table, rubbing her eyes the whole way. They had adopted her as a baby when she had been abandoned by parents. She was half human and half Andorian. She did not have the Andorian blue skin but she had the white hair and the antennae.
Laurel went to the basket at her seat with a big smile, which made Jim grin. She started chattering away about all her gifts. “Look at this Daddy.” She held up a stuffed chick.
“Very cute,” Jim said, grinning.
Spock was pleased she was better at hiding that she knew the gifts came from her daddy then Sidak was.
Then Jim turned to Sidak. He surveyed his basket. “It is an acceptable assortment.”
Spock arched a brow.
Sidak cleared his throat. “It is quite pleasant.”
Jim sighed a little in disappointment, but tried to cover it. “Okay. Well. Uh. I guess I’ll make breakfast.”
Sidak watched him walk into the kitchen. The young Vulcan boy bit his lip as he’d seen Jim do many times. He abandoned his basket and followed Jim into the kitchen. Spock went to the kitchen doorway to…well to spy on them. He could not deny it.
Sidak hesitated at Jim’s back. Finally he tugged at the hem of Jim’s shirt. When Jim didn’t immediately notice, Sidak cleared his throat.
Jim turned and looked down at the boy. “Yes?”
“Thank you, Dad.”
Jim dropped down on his haunches until he was closer to the boy’s height. “Me?”
Sidak nodded solemnly. And then to Spock’s surprise—and surely Jim’s too—Sidak threw his arms around Jim’s neck, hugging him tight. “I am grateful for the Easter basket, Easter Bunny.”
Jim laughed and shook his head. “You’re welcome. Want to help me with breakfast?”
“It would be better if I did. Last year you burned the hot-cross buns.”
“I did not.”
Sidak arched a brow in a fair imitation of Spock himself. “Ask Sa-mekh. He is spying on us.”
Jim glanced at the door and grinned. “So he is. Did I burn the hot-cross buns, Spock?”
“And the hash browns,” Laurel said, coming up to stand next to Spock.
Jim laughed again, a sound that pleased all his family. Perhaps they would pretend the Easter Bunny was real for one more year.
“You don’t have to be here to help me,” Jim told his first officer self-consciously as Spock reached over to assist Jim as he got out of the hospital bed.
“I am quite able to assist you.”
“Yeah, I know.” Jim faltered and slumped down in Spock’s arms, who immediately helped to straighten and stabilize Jim. He had to lean against Spock even still. “But you shouldn’t have to. I-I can get a nurse to help me use the restroom.”
“There is no need when I am right here.” Spock hooked an arm around Jim. “Walk slowly.”
“Don’t you…I mean you must have somewhere else to be.”
“I do not.”
Jim sighed, feeling out of sorts about letting Spock assist him.
There’d been an attack on Yorktown by a rogue Klingon vessel and during the attach Jim had sustained injuries which was why he now found himself in a Yorktown military hospital with Spock now helping him go to the tiny closet sized toilet in his room.
Slowly he made his way over to the bathroom, Spock holding him all the way, and when they finally reached there, Jim hesitated. He’d need help to stand in front of the toilet as he peed. And the idea of Spock having to—
“Perhaps you want to go check on Uhura.”
“She was discharged yesterday and is recovering well in her temporary apartment.”
Jim nodded, glanced away.
“Jim, please. Allow me to help.”
He blew out a slow somewhat painful breath. Because yeah his injuries still hurt like a bitch even though they’d healed what they could and he would recover.
He looked down at his arm in a sling. “Can you help me lift up this hospital gown so I don’t pee all over it?”
Without a word, Spock lifted the gown and helped Jim to the toilet.
“Can you look away?”
Spock did without comment for which Jim was glad.
He did his business, conscious of the sound of his pee stream, feeling his face redden. Stupid, of course. Spock had to pee just like anyone else.
He turned to the small sink and Spock turned on the water and Jim washed the hand that wasn’t in the sling and Spock tried it for him.
His first officer then helped him back to the bed.
After they got Jim settled, he said, “You can go now if you want. They’ll be bringing in my dinner soon.”
“I will help you to eat since your preferred hand is injured.”
“You really don’t—”
“Jim, why are you persisting in trying to get rid of me?”
“Because…I don’t want to keep you from doing what you want to do.”
“Do you really not know?”
Jim frowned. “Know what?”
“What I want to do is to be by your side. At all times.” Spock paused. “Always.”
Jim sucked in a breath. “Uhura—”
“Is my friend. We are not together.” Spock reached for Jim’s left hand and held it to his side. “I would like to stay. Even watching over you while you sleep tonight if you will permit me. I do not wish to worry about losing you again.”
Jim’s heart felt light. “You can stay. In fact…I would love that.”
“Then you will allow me to assist you as your potential mate?”
He felt almost dizzy at that question, but he smiled and nodded. “Yes, Spock. But take that ‘potential’ out of the equation.”
Spock leaned down to kiss Jim’s chastely.
They both heard the clang of the dining carts.
“Your dinner has arrived.”
And that my friends, is a wrap for March flashes. Thank you!
Spirk (with a small dose of Pinto) 