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Little Drummer Boy

Advent Day 15

“Jim, say you’ll come.”

Jim pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. He was seated at Spock’s favorite vegetarian restaurant waiting for Spock to come back from the bathroom.

“Mom—”

“Please. Just for a few days. Peter—”

He frowned. “Who? Who’s Peter?”

She sighed. “Sam’s little boy. He’s three and a half. I know I told you about him. It’s just going to be me and Peter. So it would be so nice if you can come. And Spock, of course.”

“Where’s Sam then?”

“He and his wife have to be off planet, so they asked me to watch the baby.”

“Of course they did.”

“Jim.”

He spotted Spock headed back to their table.    

“We can get a tree, like I said. And all your favorites. We can get Spock’s too. It would be so nice for you to meet Peter. He’s such a sweetheart.”

“Fine, okay.”

“You’ll come?”

“Yes, Mom. When?”

“Can you be here the 22nd?”

Jim glanced at Spock as his boyfriend slid into the booth to sit across from him. “Yeah, okay. I’ll be there.”

Spock looked his question after he disconnected. “Your mother?”

“Yes. Invited us for the holiday. On December 22. I guess Sam saddled her with his kid for the season.” Jim blew out a breath. “You don’t have to come but…”

“I will accompany you.”

***

Peter was cute. Even Jim had to admit it.

He looked like a miniature Kirk. Which is exactly what he was.

His mother had arrived at the shuttle bay in Riverside to pick up Jim and Spock and she’d, of course, brought Peter.

He had a mop of blond curls and big blue eyes with chubby cheeks dotted pink from the cold.

Until that moment, Jim had never thought about having kids, but he couldn’t deny if he had one like Peter, it might be okay. Of course being with Spock, that was highly unlikely.

Jim crouched down next to the boy to talk to him at his level. “Hi, Peter. I’m Jim.”

“Daddy’s brother.”

“Yes. And that’s Spock, he’s with me.”

“Hello, Peter,” Spock greeted him.

Jim straightened up and made to move away, therefore he was surprised when Peter reached for and took Jim’s hand. He smiled down at the boy.

“We’re all going to get a tree on the way home if that’s okay.”

“Sure.”

On the way to the tree farm, Jim asked the kid, “So what do you want Santa Claus to bring you for Christmas?”

“A drum!”

Jim laughed. “A drum? Yeah?”

“Uh-huh. Wanna bang it.”

“I sure hope your daddy’s around when you do,” Jim said. “I bet Santa gets it for you.”

Peter smiled happily.

Jim ended up going around with Peter at the tree lot, holding onto Peter’s hand the whole way.

Winona watched them and moved closer to Spock so she could speak to the Vulcan.

“Thank you for bringing him here.”

Spock shook his head. “I had nothing to do with it. He would have come without me.”

“I’m not sure.” She smiled. “But I appreciate you’re coming too. I think it makes it easier for him. He and I have our problems.”

“He has not mentioned it.”

“Really?” she asked, doubtfully. “We’re not…close. I want to be but Jim…anyway, thank you.”

Spock inclined his head as Jim approached with Peter.

“All right, Peter has chosen the tree he thinks is perfect for us.”

Winona laughed. “All right let’s get this done.”

****

“Your mother is concerned about your relationship.”

Jim glanced at Spock as they shopped in a store for Christmas gifts.

“She brought it up?”

“She did.”

Jim sighed. “I’m sorry she involved you.”

“It was no issue for me. I was not aware that you and your mother do not get along.”

“We do actually. I think…she just wants us to be closer than we are.” He shook his head. “There’s too much in our history, I think, for us ever to be the shining example of Mother-Son she wants us to be. Years where she wasn’t there.”

“And your stepfather was.”

“Yeah,” Jim said softly. “I love my mom, but there’s still a lot of pain there. I guess she’s gotten past a lot of Sam’s walls, but I’m not Sam. And Sam left and wasn’t there for a lot of Frank’s shit.”

“Understandable. Was this why you were reluctant to come here for the holidays?”

“Sure. Part of it. Anyway, I’m having a good time and it’s nice to spend time with Peter.”

“Indeed.” Spock stopped before a display of drums. “And here we are.”

***

“A drum! Santa gave me drum!” Peter exclaimed excitedly Christmas morning.

Winona beamed happily and rested her hand on Jim’s leg. He sat beside her on the floor, each of them clutching a cup of coffee. Spock sat in a chair right behind Jim’s back.

Peter sat directly in front of the Christmas tree.

“Thank you,” she whispered to her youngest son.

He smiled. “You’re welcome, Mom.”

Peter started right in banging on his drum.

Jim chuckled.

“Now, honey, Santa brought you other presents. Why don’t you open those?” Winona asked indulgently.

“Wanna play my drum!”

“Sam’s gonna kill me,” she mumbled.

“Pay back’s a bitch.”

“Jim.”

He laughed again. “Now how about I put those cinnamon rolls in the oven?”

“Okay, but one more present for you.” Nervously she handed him a small, wrapped box. She had no idea how he was going to react to it.

Jim raised both eyebrows at her but finally he tore off the green and red plaid paper. He opened the box and stared down at the contents.

“That was your dad’s Starfleet insignia.” She bit her lip. “Not the one he wore that-that day, obviously. But before.”

His gaze flew to hers. As usual, she could not read him.

“Thank you.” His hand closed around the symbol, his thumb rubbing the command part. He nodded. “Thanks.”

She smiled. “Merry Christmas, Jim.”

“Merry Christmas.”

In Dulci Jubilo

Another request/suggestion

Advent Day 14

‘What’s wrong, lass?”

Nyota looked up as Monty moved to sit at her table in the mess room. She’d been staring into her cup of spiced tea for a while now so she wasn’t surprised he’d come to ask her what was wrong.

“I have a problem.”

“And what would be that?”

“I think Kirk wants to get with me.”

Monty frowned. “The captain? But well, now, are you sure?”

“Not entirely,” she admitted. “But I do have evidence to come to that conclusion.”

“What evidence?”

“You know how he came on to me when we first met.”

“That was a long time ago, lass.”

“I know, but I was with Spock for years, so obviously he wasn’t going to jeopardize his friendship with Spock and command over that. We’re not together now and ever since Kirk found out he’s been paying far more attention to me.”

“Oh?”

“Even had a drink in my quarters a few weeks back. We started talking about music and I was playing some holiday stuff. I admitted to him how much I loved In Dulci Jubilo.”

“The old hymn?”

She smiled. “Yes. Spock told me long ago that it was his mother’s favorite, even though, you know, she was Jewish, she loved that song and even sung it in choral when she was young. I told Kirk all this and I said when I listened to it, I fell in love with it. I thought it was so pretty and I play it every year since.”

Monty shrugged. “A few outings with the captain hardly proves he’s interested in you, lass. He hangs out with McCoy and Spock too.”

She waved away that. “They’re different. They’re his male buddies. You know what a hound dog with the women Kirk is.”

He pursed his lips. “Hmm.

“There’s more.”

“I’m listening.”

“He’s been acting mysterious lately. Throwing me furtive glances. So one night I kind of followed him. I wondered what he was up to and if there’s something mentally wrong with the captain, I think Starfleet should know.”

“Ny—”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong. I like Kirk as much as everyone else these days. Not at all romantically, of course.”

Monty smiled. “I should hope not.”

She laughed and touched his hand. “I just mean, I was worried about him. That mission on Alasidair was particularly hard as four crew members died and Kirk himself was seriously injured. So I found him in this little area of engineering no one else goes to. He was making something.”

“Making something?”

“Yes. Out of wood. Carving this little box. I couldn’t see what the carvings were but while I was there, he operated a mechanism in the box that played music and I realized he was making some kind of music box. It looked very pretty, honestly. The song he was playing was In Dulci Jubilo.”

“So?”

Nyota sighed. “Don’t you see, Monty? It’s obviously a gift for me. He was obviously grilling me that night to find out what I liked and he’s making it for me. Probably to give to me for the holidays to soften me up to the idea of him as a partner.”

“Surely he knows you and I are seeing each other,” Monty pointed out.

“I don’t know if he does as I haven’t told him, but even if he did, it might not matter.”

“I don’t believe that. You said yourself Kirk didn’t try anything once he knew you were with Spock.”

“True. Then he must not know. I just don’t know what to do when he presents the gift to me. I’m not at all interested in him. I’m with you. I don’t want to hurt him, but I have to be honest with him.”

Monty nodded. “Perhaps you should explain to him. But in private, not in front of others, so as not to embarrass him.”

“Yes, exactly. It’s not a conversation I wish to have with him, but he’s leaving me no choice.”

****

Nyota approached the captain’s quarters. As she started down the corridor she heard low murmuring, so she stopped her forward motion.

Standing in the corridor next to Spock’s quarters were Kirk and Spock. She could see from where she was that Spock was blushing. She didn’t quite understand why.

“It is calligraphic Vulcan,” Spock whispered.

“Yeah.” Kirk’s tongue darted out and he shifted nervously. “I, uh, I studied it. Wasn’t easy to carve believe me.”

“You carved it yourself?”

“Well, yeah. I made the whole thing from start to finish. Sam and I used to do a lot of woodwork when we were kids. Our Grandpa Kirk taught us. Making the boxes, carving, even the little musical parts. He taught us all that.” Kirk ran his hand over his hair. “It’s been a long time since I made one.”

Spock’s warm brown eyes were glistening as he looked at Kirk, somewhat in awe. “And the music?”

“In Dulci Jubilo.” Kirk paused. “Your mother’s favorite, right?”

Nyota’s breath caught in her throat and she put her hand to her mouth as she realized what an absolute fool she’d been.

“Yes,” Spock agreed. “How did you know?”

“A friend told me.”

Spock looked toward the door of his quarters. “Will you come in?’

Kirk smiled. “I’d love to.”

Spock opened the door and her two command officers disappeared inside. With a shake of her head, Nyota smiled, and went to tell Monty.

The next evening at the Enterprise holiday party, she was not at all surprised to see how cozy Kirk and Spock were.      

Here Comes Santa Claus

Advent Day 13

as requested

“That Vulcan you like is here.”

Amanda glanced up from her spot on the floor where she was finishing up wrapping a gift for a child.

It was a holiday party for Federation children of all races and religions. Some had been orphaned, some just had parents off planet doing things for the Federation and Starfleet. Many hundreds of toys had been donated and Amanda was helping to wrap them.

“Sarek?”

Her friend, Ellie, smirked. “Is there more than one Vulcan you like?’

Amanda felt herself blush. “I didn’t expect him to come to the party.”

“He arrived with several other ambassadors. I heard he was looking for you.”

She bit her lip. She wanted to see him. It was true she had something of a strong crush on him, but she did say she would wrap these gifts.

“Oh take a break, Amanda. I’ll wrap these toys.”

“Well…” She smiled. “Okay!”

She struggled up from the floor, smoothed out her blue and silver gown she had chosen to wear and walked out of the private room to the main room of the party.

A waiter passed by, and she snagged a glass of sparkling cider off his tray. Her gaze sought out her Vulcan and spotted him only a moment later approaching her.

He wore severe black from head to toe but somehow it managed to make him look more attractive. Amanda was aware he’d been married before to a Vulcan woman and that they had a son together. She’d been told that Vulcan woman had died, and she knew absolutely nothing about the son.

“Ms. Grayson,” he greeted her and bowed slightly. “It is quite pleasant to see you here. I had been told you were a volunteer at this event.”

Amanda dared to hope that was why he had come.

“It’s Amanda, please. And it’s equally pleasurable to see you, Ambassador.”

“Amanda, then. And I give you the use of my name as well.”

She smiled widely. “I’d ask you to dance but it’s not that sort of gathering.”

“Amanda!”  Ellie suddenly rushed up to her. Amanda realized she was clutching the Santa costume in her hands. “It’s an absolute disaster.”

“What’s happened?”

“The Santa we hired has canceled.”

Sarek arched a brow. “That hardly seems to be a disaster.”

She chuckled. “It is for the children, believe me.” Amanda sighed. “We’ll have to find another to play him.” A thought occurred and she glanced at Sarek. “Ambassador—”

“Sarek.”

“You could play Santa Claus.”

“Me?”

Ellie closed her mouth and shoved the costume into Amanda’s hands. “I’ll, uh, get back to wrapping. Good luck.”

Amanda muttered ‘coward’ as her friend scurried away. She turned back to the Vulcan who looked downright owlish at the moment.

“All it takes is wearing this costume with a bit of padding and a fake beard.”

“Amanda—”

“You wouldn’t want to distress all those children who will be arriving to see Santa any minute, would you? You just sit on that throne over there and the child sits on your lap—”

“On my person?”

“Well, just for a moment,” Amanda explained. “Long enough to tell you what they want from Santa Claus.”

“I do not understand.”

She moved closer to him and patted his arm. “I know. Let me summarize it. You put this on, pretend to be Santa, go ho ho ho and all that, speak softly and kindly to the children, ask them what they want from Santa, no need to make promises or anything, and hand them a candy cane, and they move off to another part of the party where the wrapped gifts are. Once you’ve seen every child who wants to visit with you, you’re finished and can take off the costume.”

Sarek frowned. “How many children?”

“Oh…perhaps fifty or sixty.”

“That is a lot.”

“It will go fast. Please?”

Sarek looked away and then back at her. “This is quite illogical.”

“Yes,” she agreed. “My family is Jewish. But…the children were promised Santa.”

“If I agree then you must accompany me to dinner tomorrow night.”

Amanda smiled. “I would have agreed to that anyway.”

Sarek nodded. “Then you have made quite the bargain.”

She laughed. “Indeed.” She pushed the costume at him. “Thank you.” She leaned close and kissed his cheek.

Sarek took hold of the costume and with one hand, held out two fingers. She looked a question at him.

“You touch your same two fingers to mine.”

Amanda exhaled and touched the pads of her fingers to his. “Is this right?”

“Yes.”

Both of their eyes were shining.

****

A bit later, Amanda snuck close to Santa’s throne to listen in on the children visiting the very serious “Santa.”

“And what is your name, child?’

“Billy.”

“Very well, Billy, what logical present do you wish Santa to bring you?”

Amanda covered her mouth to stop her laugh from bursting forth.  

“Huh?”

“What is it you want?”

“A bicycle.”

“Santa” nodded. “A practical present for traveling to school.”

Billy frowned. “No. I wanna ride it around the neighborhood.”

“Want to.”

“Huh?”

“The proper way to make your request is to say, I want to ride it around the neighborhood.”

“Oh.” Billy nodded. “Can I have my candy cane now?”

“Santa” sighed and presented the candy cane to Billy. “Ho ho ho.”

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

“J” or “Dreams” wanted a happy Consuming Me Pinto fic so this is it. She wanted something about a tree, but in their time period, Regency, there were not yet Christmas trees. Sorry!

Advent Day 12

 I stood back as Chris stepped down the stairs his coachman had set up for his carriage. He was dressed quite formally with a top hat and gloves, his cravat neatly tied at his throat, an elegant evening overcoat over his other clothing, more for show than warmth.

There was a December chill in the air to be sure but the coldest weather was yet to come. Not that Chris ever seemed to care about the weather.

“I shan’t let a little bit of inclement weather stop me from looking my best, Zach,” I recalled him saying, quite fondly. That is I was fond of him saying it.

He glanced in my direction and offered me a dazzling smile that caused my heart to flutter, my stomach to tingle, and my balls to tighten.

He was here, at last. And I was filled with a thrilling anticipation.

“All right, my good man,” Chris said to his coachman. “Be on your way before the weather turns temperamental. Should you decide to stay overnight in the village, tell them to look to me for the charges. And come back to fetch me in exactly one week.”

“Yes, my lord. And a Merry Christmas to you.”

“And to you and your family as well.” Chris handed the man a small bag of coins and the man beamed happily.

“Thank you, sir.”

Chris moved to stand beside me then, his face carefully not giving anything untoward away. We watched his carriage drive away down the long road off the estate together. When it was gone and out of sight, he put his hands on my arms.

He did not lean in to do anything else but the feel of his hands on me, even through his gloves was a thrill.

“Welcome and Merry Christmas.”

“And a very happy one to you, my friend,” Chris said with a teasing lilt. He looked toward my house. “Shall we? It is a trifle cold out here.”

I led him inside my country home, which would house only the two of us for the next week. I had already dismissed by staff to go and make jolly for their own holidays.

Chris set his bag down at the foot of the stairs that led to our bedroom, where we would stay for the next definite future, and I would happily reacquaint with him all night.

But just then I took his hand in mine and removed the gloves so I could feel his bare skin with mine.

“Zach,” he murmured, the light in his blue eyes enchanting me.

“I have quite a feast ready.”

“A feast?”

“Mm. A turkey roasted to perfection. And many accompaniments including roasted chestnuts and a Christmas pudding which I shall light aflame when we are ready to consume it,”

I dragged him off toward the formal dining room, making him laugh as I did so.

“I have yet to remove my overcoat, oh eager one.”

“Well do so then.”

Chris discarded his coat on the nearest piece of furniture as we entered the dining room.

He smiled wide when he saw all the greenery I had the servants lay out. Boughs of holly and ivy and mistletoe. Glittering candles. There was hardly any space that had been left bare.

“Oh and I have smoking bishop too,” I declared, pointing to the bowl of mulled wine.

“You’re positively glowing as though you were Father Christmas himself. I did notice the growth of beard, perhaps you intend to play the part.”

I laughed. “Perhaps I should. But before we have our feast there is yet one more thing before our true celebrations can begin.”

Chris gave me a quizzical look. “And what is that pray tell?”

I took him to the side board where lay, tied together with yet more greenery, holly, and yes, mistletoe, with dark mulberry colored ribbons.

His eyes widened. “You remembered.”

“Of course I did. How could I ever forget you mentioning we ought to be handfasted? And though it may not make us legally wed, I believe under the eyes of God and this house, and each other, we are.”

I wrapped the greenery and ribbons around our wrists, entwining us together.

“In the joining of the hands and the fashioning of a knot, so are our lives now bound, one to another…” I tied a knot of the ribbons about us. “May this knot remain tied as long as our love shall last.”

“Forever then.”

I smiled and kissed him. He kissed me back, moving closer, his eyes closed, his lips pink like his flushed cheeks.

“I love you.”

“And I love you.”

Taking our still linked hands and arms, I brought him to the table.

“Not only is it our Christmas but our wedding feast, too,” I whispered.

“You are a very romantic, merry gentleman, my dearest Zachary.”

And that night and every night after was magic.      

White Christmas

Advent Day 11

“I’m so tired of this, Bones.”

“About time,” Bones replied. “I told you not to go out for a second five-year mission.”

Jim sighed glumly. “It’s not even that. I heard from my mom. Back home it’s the holidays and it’s snowing. And Sam’s there with Aurelan and their son, Peter. Did I tell you she’s expecting again?”

“Congratulations.”

“I’ve never even met Peter and now there’s going to be another one.” Jim shook his head. “I’m never going to have a family. Not like that.”

“Well, it would be hard for you and Spock to have kids. At least in the same way Sam is with Aurelan,” Bones pointed out.

“Yeah. It’s just…sometimes.”

Bones frowned as he took a sip of his coffee in the mess room. “Don’t tell me there’s trouble in paradise, Jim.”

Jim snorted. “Hardly paradise. I wanted to put up a Christmas tree and I got ‘that’s illogical’.”

“What did you expect from Spock?”

“A little more consideration? I don’t know. It took so long for us to get together, Bones, and admit our feelings. Was it too late or something? Maybe I should have given up a long time ago. You know Carol wanted to get married and have a family but—”

“You were too hung up on Spock.”

“Yeah. Is it too much to dream of a white Christmas?”

“On a starship? Yeah I think it is. Are you saying you don’t love Spock anymore?”

“No, of course not. I just…sometimes what you want doesn’t end up being as great as you thought it would be, I guess. Of course I love Spock. And I don’t know, maybe I should cut him some slack. He’s not Human. Not fully anyway. And his mother was Jewish. He doesn’t have any experience with Christmas trees and all that.”

“What you’re saying is you’re feeling homesick and left out.”

“Yeah.” Jim laughed a little. “Yeah. And I really hope Mom and the rest of a great time. I just wish I was there, that’s all.”

****

Jim woke to the smell of gingerbread and smoke from a fireplace. He sat up, frowning.

“Spock?”

“Who’s Spock?”

Jim’s head turned quickly to see his brother, Sam, standing in his bedroom doorway.

Wait, what?

“Sam? What are you doing here?”

“Aurelan and I were coming for Christmas, don’t you remember? It’s Christmas Eve. Mom said to come wake you up.”

“But when—”

“We got here about an hour ago. Get dressed and come down. Mom has coffee made.”

Jim looked around the room after Sam left. It looked like his bedroom in Riverside, but he hadn’t been there in years. There was no sign of his boyfriend either.

He got out of bed and went to the bathroom. While there he peered at himself in the bathroom and realized he looked about five to ten years younger than he was. Weird.

He found jeans and a pullover sweater and got dressed.

When he got downstairs he still saw no sign of Spock. He did see his mom in the kitchen and Sam and a very pregnant Aurelan in the living room by the tree. No sign of Peter. It looked like maybe Sam’s wife was pregnant with Peter at that moment.

He wouldn’t know as he hadn’t known her when she had Peter. He’d never met Aurelan in person. Only over a video chat. Sam had met and married her on the planet, Deneva.

“Mom?”

“Oh there you are, honey. You got your wish.”

He stared at her. “Wish?”

“It’s snowing. It’s a white Christmas.”

He followed her gaze to the window and saw that, yes, snow was falling.

“Coffee’s ready. Help yourself. I’ve got gingerbread in the oven. You want some breakfast?”

“Uh. Okay.” Jim went to the coffeemaker and poured himself some.

“What time is that girl coming?”

He turned and stared at her. “Girl?”

Mom laughed. “Your fiancé. Or so you say. She’s coming today, isn’t she?”

“Fiancé,” he said faintly.

“Mm hm. Ruth.”

Jim had no clue who Ruth was. He didn’t know a Ruth. He blinked and looked around the house.

“You okay?”

“Not sure. I…I think I had a strange dream last night.”

“A dream? What kind of dream?”

“I was the captain of a starship—”

“Jim,” she interrupted sharply. “We’ve had this discussion. No Starfleet.” She shuddered. “We lost your father thanks to Starfleet. And you almost weren’t born. No more Starfleet.”

His head hurt. He took a sip of the strong brew. “Well,  it was a dream I guess. And I had this Vulcan boyfriend.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “A boyfriend? All you’ve done was chase girls. And don’t forget Ruth.”

Except he had. Or he thought so anyway.

There was a knock at the door and he automatically went there to open it to a blonde, pretty woman who grinned at him.

“I’m here! I can’t wait to meet your family.”

“Ruth?”

“Of course, Ruth,” she said with a laugh. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly. “Merry Christmas, Darling.”

“Jim, close the door, you’re letting in the cold.”

Jim did and then Ruth linked her arm with his and he moved away into the rest of the house where everyone waited to meet her.

“I’m Ruth,” she declared. “Jim’s fiancé. It’s so great to meet all of you.”

Aurelan smiled her welcome. “We’re happy to meet you, too, Ruth. Jim’s so settled since he met you.” She glanced at Jim’s mom who was talking to Sam. She lowered her voice. “Jim had been talking about joining Starfleet.” She shuddered. “For obvious reasons we all hated that idea.”

“Oh, don’t any of you worry. There’s no way I’m letting Jim join Starfleet. He’s going to stay grounded right here on Earth. We’ll have children and make a home here.”

“Here?” Jim asked, absently. It all seemed so strange. It was like he was watching this whole scene happen to someone else. They were talking about someone else. He didn’t know any of these people.

Ruth snuggled up to him. “Yes, here. Daddy’s already been looking for a house for us. And he has the perfect job for you in mind.”

“A job for Jim?” Mom put in. “Do tell.”

Sam came up to stand by Jim and he put his arm around Jim’s shoulders. “See, Jim, we can all be a real family. What you’ve always wanted. Look, little brother, it’s snowing harder.”

Sam led Jim over to the kitchen’s picture window where several moments they stood watching the snow fall on the farm.

Jim shook his head. “This isn’t…”

“Isn’t what?”

“Spock,” he whispered.

“I don’t know who that is, Jim. You’re with Ruth. You’re getting married soon and you’ll have a family. Just like me and Aurelan.”

“That’s not what I want.”

“Of course it is,” Sam insisted. “Before you know it, you’ll be happy with Ruth and your family and you won’t even remember the dream of Starfleet.”

“No, I want stars and space and Vulcans and—”

“Jim.”

“I don’t want Ruth or any of this—”

“Jim, wake up.”

Suddenly Jim sat up straight, gasping for breath. In front of him on the bed, dark eyes wide with concern, was Spock.

Spock!

“Oh my God, it’s you.” He threw his arms around the Vulcan and hugged him close.

“Jim”, Spock murmured. “It is all right.”

“Yes. Now it is. Spock, I missed you so much.”

Spock pulled back just a little to look into Jim’s eyes. “I have been right here all along, ashayam.”

“No…you were gone. And there was Ruth—”

“Ruth?” Up went the eyebrow.

“A nobody. It was a white Christmas. What I-I thought I wanted. But what I want is you. Always you.”

Spock’s lips curved upward. “And you have me. Always.” He stood then. “Look, Jim.”

There on Jim’s desk was a Christmas tree, decorated and lit with bright twinkling lights.

Jim grinned. “You put up a tree.”

“Indeed.”

“Thought it was illogical.”

“Well, as a Human, you are. But I want you to have what makes you happy.”

Jim grabbed Spock’s hand. “You are what makes me happy.”

Spock sat back on the bed and drew Jim into his arms, kissing him thoroughly.  

Mele Kalikimaka

Advent Day 10

“It’s like 80 degrees out on Christmas Eve.”

“Yes, that’s the joy of being on Hawaii,” George told his girlfriend, Winona. They’d arrived for a vacation just two days early. He’d sprung it on her in San Francisco. She’d wanted to go home for Christmas, but George had other ideas.

“Hmm.” She picked up the sunscreen and handed it to him. They were lying on oversized towels at the resort’s private beach on Waikiki. Winona wore a tiny little green and red bikini she had purchased for their tropical Christmas vacation. “And it’s only nine in the morning. It’s only going to get warmer.”

“Yep,” George said, cheerfully. He squeezed out some sunscreen and began to rub her shoulders. “It’s great. I mean, sure, I miss seeing the family just a teeny bit, but there’s always next year. And since we’re leaving paradise on the 27th, we can have a belated Christmas New Year kinda thing with family.”

Mercifully shortened due to the fact they’d have to be back to San Francisco for the next semester at the Academy. To George it was merciful, anyway. He liked her parents okay. He wasn’t sure they liked him, but whatever. George could usually charm people into liking him. She missed her family though. George’s dad had passed away a couple of years ago and his mom was spending the holidays with George’s sister in New York. Everyone in the Kirk family was happy, and so George figured Hawaii and only a short time with his sweetheart’s family was the perfect compromise.

“But it doesn’t snow here,” Winona pointed out obviously.

“Honey, there are a lot of places where it doesn’t snow for Christmas.”

“Yeah, but I’ve never been to any of them.”

George laughed. “Come on, Winnie. It doesn’t snow every year where you’re from.”

She sighed. “No. But I have had lots of white Christmases.”

“No one cared about all of that until a Jewish guy wrote a song about dreaming of one,” George said. He moved down from her shoulders to the small of her back. “That and that printing company, Currier and Ives, who put out all those sleigh riding pictures.”

“Another history lesson, Georgie?”

“Of course. The point is, the first Christmas, in Bethlehem, it was most definitely not snowing.”

She sniffed. “I still like white Christmas.”

He leaned back and stopped rubbing. “Are you sorry you came then?”

“What? Oh no.” She turned on the towel to face him, linking her arms around his neck. “I didn’t mean that, George. I love being with you no matter where we are. Just not used to being away from family for Christmas is all. But this place is beautiful.”

He smiled. “Good. You know here they say Mele Kalikimaka.”

She grinned. “Mealeee Kaileekiiimaka”

George laughed. “That’s um, almost right.” He pulled away. “Listen, I have something for you.”

“A present? But Christmas isn’t until tomorrow!”

George searched through his bag. “I know. But I think maybe you need this now.”

He pulled out the ring box and turned toward her. Her eyes got real big as she spied the box. He flipped it open to reveal the diamond ring he’d picked out a few days before their vacation.

“Will you-“

“Yes!” She squealed, knocking him over into the sand.

George laughed. “I didn’t even finish.”

“It’s still yes.” She kissed him. “George Kirk, you know I’ll marry you.”

“Still, a guy likes to get to ask.”

She nodded and straightened up, smoothing the strings of her bikini and attempting to look serious, though her eyes were shining brightly.

“Winona, will you be my wife?”

“Well.” She pretended to consider. “Let me think about this.”

“Hey!”

She laughed again and knocked him into the sand once more. “Yes, a thousand times yes. And Merry Christmas!”

“Mele Kalikimaka,” George said as he pulled her in for a kiss.

Santa Baby

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Advent Day 9

“Did you see December?”

Spock’s ears perked up. Not literally, of course. But he guessed the two unimaginative ensigns he happened to be walking behind were discussing the Starfleet Calendar that had just come out to for next year’s use. It was a publicity recruiting tool of some sort that Spock didn’t quite understand.

They had asked various well-known Starfleet officers to participate for each month of the calendar. Spock had been asked to take part but he had, logically, declined. However, he had learned that his captain, James T. Kirk, had accepted the invitation. And he also knew that the captain had been given the month of December.

Since it was December at present, according to the old Earth calendar at any rate, which Starfleet was following for this project, he knew that it was a year before Jim’s month in the calendar. Unless, and Spock had not anticipated this, they decided to go with the 18th month calendar idea. There had been some talk that they might have so many participants that they’d have to go that route.

Spock had yet to see the calendar so he was not certain.

“Are you kidding? Not only have I seen it, but I’ve already drooled over it.”

The other ensign chuckled. “Right? I’m just gonna skip over the other eleven months and go straight to the captain.”

That confirmed for Spock that it was indeed only a twelve month calendar.

“I dunno. Commander Marcel’s pretty hot in March. I think they made her uniform even skimpier.”

“All those pictures are kinda risqué. More than I guessed they’d be. Thought they were gonna be tasteful.”

“I’ll take this one! Tasteful schmasteful.”

Spock had reached his destination, the medbay, so he went through the doors rather than pursue the ridiculous conversation between the two ensigns.

McCoy looked up from his tricorder, which he held over Nyota, who did not look at all well.

“She’ll be fine. Just a bit of sickness left over from that landing party a couple of days ago.”

Nyota smiled wanly. “Leonard says I need bedrest. Guess you’ll have to go to the holiday party without me.”

“I do not need to go.”

“But you should,” she insisted. “You can go with Jim.”

McCoy’s glance went between them, looking suspicious.

“We shall see.”

“All right, Lieutenant. Off duty for forty-eight hours. That ought to do it.”

She jumped down from the biobed.

“Nyota, if you do not need assistance getting to your quarters, I would like a moment with the doctor.”

“No, I can manage. Talk to you later? And go with the captain!”

McCoy was eyeing Spock in an assessing way. “Well?”

“Have you seen the Starfleet calendar?”

The doctor blinked in surprise, clearly not anticipating what Spock wished to discuss. “Yeah, I have. Why?”

“Do you have it?”

“The paper copy or the digital?”

Spock thought about it. “Paper.”

McCoy nodded, and walked over to another area of the medbay. He picked up the calendar and went right to December, clearly guessing now what Spock wished to know. He handed it to Spock.

There was Jim in a Santa hat and little else. He was mostly naked except for the hat and a candy-cane striped satin jock strap, leaving nothing to the the imagination, as far as Spock was concerned. He had one leg lifted higher than the other, resting on a glittery gold box tied with a ribbon to look like a Christmas package. And speaking of packages…the posture was provocative. 

“This is the picture the captain submitted?”

McCoy shrugged. “I don’t think so. He submitted one where he’s wearing a suit and Santa hat with a wreath around the picture.”

“Then how did this happen?”

“Something about a prank. Some old friend of his sent that one in and the ‘Fleet liked it. Look, Spock, if you really want to know, why not go talk to Jim?”

“I intend to do just that.”

“About time,” McCoy muttered under his breath.

Spock arched a brow, but said nothing. He ripped out December’s picture from the calendar.

“Hey!”

“You still have the digital calendar,” Spock replied, as he turned and left the medbay.

****

“Uh, hi, Spock.”

Spock held up the December calendar picture.

Jim turned red and laughed. “Uh, yeah. That’s…I tried to talk them out of using that one. But Admiral Komack—”

“Doctor McCoy said it was sent in by an old friend of yours.”

Jim licked his lips and nodded. “Look, that was, that was a long time ago. You can kind of tell, you know? Look how young I was. It was just…it was a silly time, right?  I was goofing off. And anyway, I’m pretty sure some of that picture was touched up or manipulated.”

“Oh?”

“I don’t remember it looking quite like that, honestly. But Komack liked it.”

Spock exhaled. “Komack is a pervert.”

Jim laughed. “Yeah. Okay, fair point.” His smile slipped. “You aren’t mad, are you?”

“No,” Spock replied. “But I wish to check.”

Jim frowned now. “Check?”

“To see if that picture has indeed been touched up or manipulated. I wish to see for myself. CAPTAIN.”

“Spock, are you…” Out came the tongue again. “Are you really saying…”

Spock grabbed him and pulled him close. “You talk too much.”

“Spock—”

He shut Jim up. Yes, he was going to enjoy seeing if that picture was real. Either way, Spock knew, he would be…satisfied.

Deck the Halls

Advent Day 8

“Jim.”

Jim put a nail in his mouth as he hammered the one he held into the rooftop. He did not look down. He was quite aware of the Vulcan standing at the foot of the ladder below. And though he was not looking, Jim absolutely knew he was getting the Vulcan version of the side-eye.

“Jim.”

To the untrained ear, the repeat of his name sounded just like it had before, but Jim heard the slight irritation behind the second time his name was said.

He removed the nail held in his mouth and hammered it in, stringing the line of lights across the latest two nails.

“Be right down,” he called, not looking. He’d been up in space for decades, had faced death and injury numerous times, fought and won against more foes than he could count, and even survived the death and resurrection of that Vulcan, his husband, waiting below, but he hated heights. He’d considered asking Spock to do this part, but Spock had a secret. He hated heights more than Jim did.

Well, and to say either of them hated heights was not exactly true. Jim enjoyed mountain climbing, after all. And Spock had those rocket boot things he’d used to reach Jim on that mountain. But there was something different about the roof of one’s house and Jim couldn’t say what.

“Can you turn them on so I see if they’re all lit up?” he called down.

He heard the definite huff from Spock, but a moment later the lights were lit and Jim leaned back slightly on his haunches to detect if every last light was on. He couldn’t see any that were out so he mentally patted himself on the back and then inched his way to the ladder.

Perhaps some of his trepidation was due to the fact he’d actually fallen from said roof the prior year. Thankfully, just like Humpty Dumpty, they’d been able to put him back together. Not that he appreciated the comparison.

When he landed on the ground below, Jim felt relieved, and offered a smile to his grumpy husband.

“All done with the roof.”

“I thought we had agreed last year that if you continued this ridiculous, illogical competition with Bob Jenkins and Doctor Morely, you would hire someone to get on the roof.”

“You mean someone younger and in better shape than me,” Jim said, rolling his eyes. “I thought about that but the rules are we have to do all the decorating ourselves.”

“Who decided these rules?” Spock asked pointedly.

“The three of us as a committee. It’s just in good fun, Spock. It doesn’t really matter who’s won. There’s no reward.”

“Except the bragging rights to use all year round that you had the best decorated house for the holidays.”

Jim smiled, and rubbed his hands together, moving farther out in the yard to survey his handiwork.

“Right! And I’m absolutely fine with not winning.”

Spock gave him that side-eye Vulcan thing again and Jim ignored him.

Shooting out of a giant menorah on the roof, placed there for Spock, were twinkling yellow lights that looked like candle flames. He’d just purchased that this year. Also on the roof was a life sized Santa and sleigh with reindeer. Actual reindeer or Caribou, not just the Bambi type substituted so often.

He had more reindeer, elves, and snowmen in the yard surrounding the house too. Candy canes. Snowflakes. Gingerbread men.

“Do you think I did enough?” he asked Spock when Spock moved to stand beside him as they surveyed their kingdom.

“You are serious?”

Jim chuckled. “Yes, of course.” He took out an apple from his pocket and took a bite. “I don’t like to lose.”

“You just said—”

“We both know I lied.”

Spock sighed and nodded. “I believe you will succeed in maintaining your winning record.”

“Now that’s what I want to hear. All right, Spock, let’s go inside where it’s warm. I want to contact Jenkins and Morely to tell them they’re going to lose again.”

Spock sighed even more dramatically. “Very well.”

Jim took Spock’s hand in his and led him to the door of their home. “Well, perhaps, I’ll wait to warm you up a bit first.”

“That would be most agreeable.”

Light One Candle

Advent Day 7

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Spock went looking for Jim in the early evening on the first night of Hanukkah. They were visiting Spock’s parents on Vulcan during the time Hanukkah started and though Sarek did not care at all, Spock’s mother had been raised Jewish and enjoyed participating in many of the traditional celebrations.

That morning she had cheerfully served them all sufganiyot. On the menu tonight was potato latkes.

Jim had given to sitting outside in the evenings, the view of the city being one he was particularly fond of. He would sit outside sipping coffee and mulling over the fate of the Universe. Or so he would jest with Spock.

“Jim, Mother is preparing to light the Shamash candle to begin the first night of Hanukkah,” Spock said as he found his husband sitting next to the wall that surrounded Sarek’s house.

Jim smiled. “Great. I meant to go in before. I got lost in thought. Help me up?”

Spock reached down and pulled Jim up from the chair. He had a feeling Jim was bored with their visit, but he never said so.

“Do I need to change?”

“Certainly not.”

They returned to the house where Mother waited. There was no sign of Sarek, which Jim commented on.

“Sarek doesn’t come for the lighting?”

Mother smiled and shrugged. “Sometimes yes, sometimes no. At present he is in conference and we cannot wait.”

They gathered near the Menorah. Mother lit the candle in the middle, the Shamash candle.

“Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha’olam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Hanukkah.” Mother spoke the first blessing.

“Amen,” Jim and Spock murmured.

“Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha’olam, she’asah nisim l’avoteinu, b’yamim haheim bazman hazeh.”

Spock’s mother smiled at them.

“And now, since it is the first night, we say the Shehecheyanu.”

“Blessed are You, O Lord Our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who has kept us alive, sustained us and brought us to this season”, Mother said in standard this time.

“Amen,” they replied.

She used the Shamash candle to light the first candle on the left. She then picked up the Menorah and brought it to sit in a window to the left of the main door.

“There! Thank you, boys, for indulging me.”

“We are hardly boys, Mother.”

She laughed. “To me you are. Let’s have some wine. Well, you and me, Jim. Spock can have some if he wants.”

Spock inclined his head. “A small amount would be fine.”

She poured them all small glasses of red wine and they sat in the room overlooking the Menorah.

“Many Vulcans over the year have asked Sarek why he allows me to continue with these traditions,” she said, taking a sip.

Jim raised his brows. “And? What does he say?”

She smirked. “I do not allow her anything. She is free to make her own choices.”

Jim saluted with his wine glass. “Wise.”

“It reminds me of home, of my family. For years, when they were alive, we could participate in it together, over conferences, videos, that kind of thing. Once when I was quite young and Spock had been recently born, we were even on Earth at the time, and we spent that time with them in person.”

“I did not know that,” Spock replied. “I do not remember.”

“It was a lovely time. And you were a Kanbu.”

Spock sniffed.

“Now,” she said wistfully. “Most are gone and I do it to remember them. I’ll be following them soon enough.”

“Mother—”

“No one lives forever, Spock. Not even me. I am not saying I will pass tomorrow, but each Hanukkah might be my last.” She shook her head. “I don’t pretend to think you’ll carry on the traditions when I do, but it’s nice to be able to share it with you now, while we are both here.”

Jim reached over and squeezed Spock’s hand. He knew Jim was thinking of already having lost Spock once. And Spock did not look forward to the day he would face without Jim. Without them all, likely.

But for now—

“How about a toast?” Jim said, speaking up cheerfully. “To being together, to family, friends, to traditions. Happy Hanukkah.”

Mother smiled. “Happy Hanukkah.”

And they all took their sips. The potato latkes were particularly good that night.

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