Jim Kirk stopped before the sign attached to an auditorium on the Academy’s campus.
“Pie contest,” he read.
His best friend, Leonard “Bones” McCoy finally caught up to him as Jim read the words out loud. Bones had been lagging behind per usual.
“Ooh. I could do a pie eating contest.” He patted his belly. “Now that’s the kind of Harvest fun I can get onboard with. None of this other stuff like a carnival. Do you know how dangerous those old rickety rides are?”
Jim smiled. “Not a pie eating contest, Bones. A pie baking contest.”
“Baking? Oh forget it.”
He shook his head and laughed. “My mom used to make a mean pecan pie.”
“Mean, huh? Did it bite you? Forget it. You don’t want to enter. Maybe we could sign up to be judges.”
“What qualifications do you have to judge pies, Bones?”
He patted his stomach again. “I know how to ‘em. What other qualifications do I have to have?”
“Well—”
“There you are, Jim.” Spock came up behind them, hands clenched behind his back. “Doctor.”
“Spock,” Bones returned.
“I hope you were not waiting long,” Spock said.
“No, just got here. Was thinking about the pie contest. Bones wants to judge.”
“I believe I heard they had all the judges they required.”
Jim smiled. “Spock’s on the Harvest planning committee.”
“Reluctantly.” He eyed Bones. “I believe they are still looking for volunteers for the dunking booth at the carnival.”
“Harty har har. No thanks.”
“Also someone to dress up as a clown in the funhouse.”
Jim grinned as they started walking. “You’d make a good scary clown, Bones.”
His friend snorted. “I think I’ll stick to being a guest. All that greasy makeup messes with my beautiful skin.”
“Maybe I’ll be a clown.”
“You are a clown.”
Jim just laughed and caught up with Spock’s long strides, leaving Bones behind.
Spock reluctantly went to the sickbay to speak to McCoy. Generally their discussions ended up being somewhat acrimonious and he was truly not in the mood for a sparring match with the doctor.
But he had heard the way to a Human’s heart was through his stomach and he realized, to his embarrassment, he did not know what Jim liked to eat. What his favorite dishes were. And he wished to declare his affections in this manner, as thus far, all his attempts had been unsuccessful.
Spock did not want to think that Jim was simply not interested. He preferred to hold onto the belief that Jim was oblivious. He was not used to subtle attempts to be wooed.
“Spock, what can I do for you?” McCoy looked up from studying a medical report.
It bothered Spock that there were things McCoy knew about Jim he simply did not, but he tried to remind himself that one’s favorite food dishes were trivial things.
“Can you tell me what the captain enjoys eating?”
“He eats everything, he’s not picky.” McCoy was once more studying his report.
Not at all helpful. He inwardly sighed.
“Yes, but what does he like in particular?”
McCoy glanced at him. “What’s this about?”
“I want to know what the captain likes to eat. His favorite.”
“Why?”
“Does it matter for you to give me the answer?”
McCoy snorted. “It’s October, right? So, if um, your idea is to impress him, pumpkin cheesecake.” The he smirked. “That is what you want to do, right? Impress him.”
Spock decided to be noncommittal. “Is it difficult to make?”
“Not for a genius like you.”
Spock decided it was time to depart before things became more difficult. He turned and left without another word.
***
“Uh.”
“It is pumpkin cheesecake,” Spock told Jim as he presented the slice of runny orange colored cheesecake to Jim.
They were in his quarters about to play chess.
Jim stared at it, took it from Spock, and smiled. But Spock could tell it was one of his fake smiles.
“Well…this is a surprise.”
“You do not like pumpkin cheesecake?”
“I love it but…uh…this is nice. Why the cheesecake, Spock?”
Spock stared at it. “It is not supposed to be this consistency, is it?”
“No.” Jim smiled and put the plate down without trying it. “Did you make it yourself?”
“I attempted to.”
That earned him a genuine smile. “That’s very sweet of you. Let me try it.”
Spock watched eagerly as Jim stuck his fork into the gooey runny mess and put a forkful into his mouth. But Spock’s spirits deflated when he couldn’t miss Jim’s wince.
“Well.”
“It is terrible, isn’t it?”
“I wouldn’t say that.”
“Because you are attempting diplomacy.”
Jim laughed. “It has nice pumpkin cheesecake flavor but it’s not cooked through. Cheesecake can be difficult if you don’t know what to do. Did you put it in a bath?”
“Why would it need a bath?”
Jim laughed again. But this time to Spock’s utter delight, okay reserved delight, Jim threw his arms around Spock’s neck and kissed him.
Vanik was pleased when Jim stepped aside to allow him to enter the apartment Jim shared with Vanik’s Uncle Spock. He glanced around, already anticipating Jim’s Halloween decorations throughout the apartment.
Jim closed the door and turned to Vanik with his usual congenial smile. “Would you like a snack?”
“I would, yes.” He followed Jim into the kitchen. Jim always kept the best snacks. Spock didn’t prior to meeting Jim. Vanik was responsible for their relationship and he was quite proud of that.
“Cheese flavored chips or pretzels?”
“Where are the decorations?” Vanik asked rather than respond to the question. He didn’t really want to make a choice, he wanted them both.
“Hmm?”
“The bats, the skeletons, the ghosts. It’s October.”
“October third.”
“Yes you had two days to begin.”
Jim shrugged. “I’m going light on decorations this year.” He pointed to the coffee table. “I have a pumpkin.”
“That’s it?”
Jim smiled. “Chips or pretzels?”
“Both?” Vanik said hopefully.
“A kid after my own heart. Both it is.” Jim got out a giant plastic bowl and filled it with the cheese chips and pretzels.
Vanik started munching as he sat on the bar stool next to the kitchen counter. “Uncle Spock won’t eat these, huh? Since it’s got cheese dust.”
“Well, yeah, and he thinks their messy. His loss.”
“Indeed.”
Jim eyed him with a sudden frown. “Put those chips down.”
“What?”
The adult grabbed his arm, surprisingly gently, and brought him into the kitchen, pointing to the sink. “Wash those hands. You’re wearing your school uniform and your Uncle Spock and parents are gonna kill me if you get stuff all over it again.”
“But I want—”
“I’ll put you in a big T-shirt. Just clean up and we’ll take off that shirt.”
A few minutes later, back perched on the stool munching chips and pretzels, Vanik said to Jim, “You are wise.”
Jim laughed.
“You’ll need more decorations for the party though,” Vanik said, returning to the reason he had come.
“Party?” Jim paused with a beer bottle halfway to his mouth.
“Halloween. If you will recall you had one the last two years. It will, admittedly, be difficult to top last years.”
“Uh.”
“What does uh mean?”
“I hate to break it to you, kid, but we’re not having a Halloween party this year.”
“You…are not?” Vanik scrunched up his face.
“Nope. Parties are a lot of work and expense, Vanik. Your uncle and I decided not to have it this year.”
Disappointment washed over him, but with a heavy sigh, he popped another chip in his mouth. “Got any strawberry milk?”
Jim rolled his eyes and went into the fridge for a small bottle that he handed to Vanik. They kept the milk especially for him and Vanik loved that.
“What are the plans for Halloween then?”
“Scary movies, snacks, and cuddling on the couch.”
The door to the apartment opened then and Vanik’s uncle entered. He stopped short on seeing Vanik, then shook his head and reclosed the door.
“Did we expect you today?” Spock asked.
Vanik watched as he came to Jim and gave him a quick kiss. Spock had definitely changed. Thanks to Vanik, of course.
“No. I came to check on the Halloween plans.”
Spock frowned. “Halloween plans? We are not—”
“I know. Jim told me no party. What snacks are we having?”
“What?”
Vanik took a sip of his milk. “I’ll skip the cuddling. I can sit on a chair instead of the couch.”
Spock glanced at Jim, who smiled serenely. He turned away then, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I am getting a headache.”
Vanik looked to Jim. “Snacks?”
Jim laughed. “We have time to think about it.:
He nodded satisfied and realized, mournfully, between he and Jim, the chips and pretzels were gone. He sighed regretfully and slipped off the stool.
:”It is fortunate that Mother, Father and I now live in the same apartment building as you,” Vanik declared as he made his way to the door.
“Yes it is,” Jim agreed, amiably.
Jim was a good egg, Vanik thought. And he said his goodbyes, retrieved his school uniform shirt, and left.
“That’s probably the ugliest Jack o’ Lantern I’ve ever seen.”
“Shut up, Bones. It has character.”
Bones frowned. He tilted his head this way and that as he studied the carved pumpkin on the dining room table of the apartment that Jim shared with Spock and their son, Satok.
“I’m surprised that Satok carved this. I thought he’d be far more careful.”
“Satok didn’t carve it.”
“Oh.” Bones nodded. “I assumed a child had so—”
“You’re just hilarious. You know it was me.”
Bones chuckled. “You never stop making me laugh. Don’t ever change.”
Jim grinned. “Oh, go home, would you? They’ll be here any moment and I’m making butternut squash soup and Kreyla.”
“You’re so domesticated.”
“Yeah yeah. I’ll see you in the morning for breakfast.” Jim walked Bones to the door. He grabbed a chocolate bar and thrust it at his best friend. “Trick or treat. Bye.”’
As soon as Bones was gone, Jim went to the kitchen to finish making dinner. About thirty minutes later, he heard the door to the apartment open and then footsteps as his family arrived home.
“Dad, I thought you were going to wait for me for the squash.”
“All I had to do was bake it and then puree it,” Jim called.
“I meant for the carveable one.”
Jim left the kitchen and saw Satok looking at the Jack O Lantern.
“Well, uh, I left another one for you to do.” He picked up another medium sized pumpkin and set it on the table.
Spock leaned over and kissed him. “It does have character, Jim.”
He grinned. “Yeah?”
“It is…interesting,” Satok said diplomatically.
“How was school?”
“Acceptable.” He put his books down and sat at the table. “But now I am anxious to begin cutting up the squash.”
“Mm. Pumpkin. Dinner will be ready in thirty.”
Satok nodded. “I calculate I can be finished by then.”
Jim kissed the top of his son’s head, laughing at his scowl, and then went back into the kitchen. Spock followed him.
“How were your classes today?” Jim asked as Spock began making himself tea. “Acceptable?” he teased.
“Indeed.” Spock’s lips twitched. “And your time at headquarters?”
“Annoying. Sometimes I want to smash Barker’s face in. I didn’t, of course.”
“Of course.”
There was a knock on the door.
“I’ll get it,” Satok called.
A moment later,
“Trick or Treat.”
Spock shook his head. “An illogical tradition.”
“Probably,” Jim agreed. “But I’ve saved some chocolate out for you.” He winked.
Spock pulled him close. “You are still, technically, of childbearing years.”
Jim laughed. “Er, yeah, maybe. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
“Satok might desire a younger brother or even a sister.”
Jim pulled back and gave him a look. “Spock.”
“I realize the last time was during Pon Farr,” Spock acknowledged. “Satok is nearing seven.”
Jim’s eyes widened.
“Do not worry. We still have some time.”
“I hope so. Go help our son carve his squash, will ya?”
The guy behind the desk looked up. “Are you really?”
Jim nodded. “Yes. And Commander Spock. Here to see the prisoner.”
“Which one?”
Jim glanced in Spock’s direction.
Spock straightened. “Cadet Vanik. We were told he was brought in two hours ago.”
“Oh, right. The half Vulcan. Okay, cellblock twenty.”
“Can we take him home?” Jim asked.
The man looked at his list. “Yes. Long as you pay the fine.”
Jim looked once more at Spock, who nodded.
Jim left Spock to it and then went through the indicated door into the corridor and the cells.
He found cell twenty.
“Vanik.”
The young man quickly straightened from the bunk he was resting on and stood, rushing to the bars.
“Uncle Jim!”
Jim looked at him. “What are you supposed to be?”
Vanik looked down at himself. “Frankenstein.”
Jim arched both brows. “I see. Want to explain yourself?”
“Well, um, there was this party and this fight and…”
“You got in a fight.”
Vanik hung his head. “Yes, sir.”
Jim glanced down the corridor as Spock and a guard came their way.
“All right. We’ve paid your fine. You can come home with us.”
“Thank you!”
The guard opened the door and stood back to let Vanik exit the cell. “You’re free to go, kid. Don’t end up in here again.”
“I will not.”
****
“Uncle Jim seemed angry,” Vanik told his uncle much later as they sat having tea together.
“More…disappointed. Our time is limited here in San Francisco. We depart on the Enterprise the day after tomorrow. Jim has many conferences prior to that and he was forced to take time off from his schedule for us to retrieve you.” Spock sipped his tea. “With your parents on another planet, they looked to us to literally bail you out.”
“It was a Halloween party.”
“I gathered by your choice of attire.”
Vanik blushed. “There were attendants of the party being unpleasant and I admit my emotions were not entirely under control.”
“Given Sybok is your sire I am not altogether surprised. Still you will be lucky if this does not affect your record at the Academy.”
“Do you think it will?”
“What will?”
And suddenly Jim was there, at their outside table, looking good enough to eat, Spock thought, dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt with a leather jacket. He carried with him a coffee and a pumpkin cheese Danish which he was already devouring as he sat.
“Uncle Spock wondered if my arrest would make it to my Academy record.”
Jim nodded. “It would have, yes, but somebody you know and love was able to use his influence.”
Vanik brightened at once. “Really? Thank you, Uncle Jim.”
Jim waved that away. “Just see that you keep out of trouble from now on, Vanik. Spock and I will be leaving again and your parents—”
“Yes, yes. I will behave.” Vanik reached over and tore off a piece of Jim’s Danish.
“Is that behaving?”
“But—”
Jim laughed. “It’s fine, kid.”
Vanik smiled slightly. “And you? You two are well? With everything?”
“Of course we are.” Jim smiled at Spock and touched his fingers to Spock’s.
Spock’s eyes warmed. “Now, tell us how your classes are going.” Vanik popped the pastry into his mouth. “Very well. My one class is—”
“I can’t believe I let you drag me to this,” Bones grumbled.
“Oh, come on, you love this stuff.”
Bones gave him an incredulous look as they stood outside the theater waiting for it to open.
“I do not. First of all, there is no such thing as a headless horseman.” He paused. “There’s no such thing as a headless anything. Well, I mean that still lives…sorta lives. You know.”
Jim chuckled. “It’s all based on folklore. And anyway, tell that to Irving Berlin.”
Bones frowned. “What does he have to do with it?”
“Well, he wrote The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. What we’re about to see.”
“Lord, why do I know you? Irving Berlin wrote White Christmas.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, the song. Sleepy Hollow was by Washington Irving, genius.”
Jim grinned, unphased. “Whatevs. Spock and Uhura are in the play and I said we’d come.”
“What are they playing?”
“Uh. Uhura’s playing Katrina Van Tassel. Spock’s playing the horseman.”
“You’re kidding!”
“No, I’m not. She roped him into it. He’s the biggest, strongest looking guy and he fit the costume. Since he didn’t have any actual lines, Spock agreed to this one time performance.”
Bones smirked. “Now I’m actually looking forward to it.”
“Believe me he told me he regrets agreeing. He’s had to do rehearsals every night for two weeks. Comes home every night so exhausted we can’t even—”
“Yeah TMI.”
Jim rolled his eyes. “I’m just glad this is finally the performance night. Now he can get back to performing—”
“La la la.” Bones stuck his fingers in his ears.
“The doors are opening. Be quiet.”
****
A couple of hours later, Jim and Bones exited the theater.
“I have to say that was a an unexpectedly chilling performance out of Spock.”
“You mean you almost peed your pants,” Jim joked.
“Not quite, but he does make a believable headless horseman. It was a better time than I thought, Jim. I apologize.”
Jim choked and grabbed his chest. “Oh no, Bones apologized, I’m dying!”
Bones grinned. “Shut up.”
“Why is Jim shutting up?”
Spock had appeared suddenly, it seemed, though Jim was sure it really wasn’t. He still wore the dark clothes and the long cape of the horseman.
“Oh, he isn’t,” Bones said. “He never does. I would think you’d know that. Great performance, Spock. I mean that.”
Spock nodded. “Don’t lose your head over it.” He paused. “I mean that.”
Jim burst out laughing. “You made a joke. You’re so cute.”
Bones gagged. “I see Uhura over there. Gonna say hi. Nighty night, boys.”
Jim grabbed on to the edges of the cape. “I gotta say, you look delicious in this. You should have worn this on the ship.”
“This attire does not meet Starfleet regulations for appropriate attire.”
Jim sighed. “I guess so. It’s cold out here.” He shivered. “If we don’t get home soon my joints are gonna stiffen up. It’s hell getting old.”
“You are hardly old, Jim. Didn’t the Admiralty just send you a message about another five-year mission?”
“Uh-huh. But sometimes I wonder if we shouldn’t leave that to younger guys.” He smiled. “Anyway, you ready, honey, or do you have to do something else?”
“I should remove this costume and return it to the costume department. Can you wait here?”
“Sure, but hurry. It is cold.”
Jim moved to the side of the theater to get out of everyone’s way and huddled there. The minutes passed and passed and still Jim was waiting. He would be getting concerned but it was Spock, and no one was more reliable than Spock.
But soon Jim was pretty much the only one still standing outside the theater. He turned to the door, but it was locked. He bit his lip.
“Shit. What do I do now?”
He felt for his communicator even as he heard a noise behind him. Suddenly his heart rate picked up. The show had been spooky. But there were no such things as headless horsemen tossing jack-o-lantern heads at unsuspecting victims.
And yet…why did it sound like the clip clop of horse’s hooves behind him.
Breath held, Jim started to turn around when the theater door opened.
“I am so sorry, Jim.” Spock rushed toward him. “The zipper got stuck and the costume department head wanted to be careful with it so they could use it again in the future. I intended to just rip it.”
Jim blew out his held breath and looked around. There was nothing there. He turned back to Spock, swallowed, and attempted a smile.
He was a starship captain, for God’s sake.
“No big deal. But can we go now? I’m freezing.”
Spock took his coat off and put it on Jim. “Yes, ashayam. We will go now.”
They turned in the opposite direction from the sound Jim heard and he couldn’t help but be glad.
He made it home without losing his head. That was a huge plus.
Chris stared at Zach like he’d never seen him before. Zach sighed and put down the cards.
“You asked if I had any sevens, I don’t, I said pound pavement, that’s the way the game works, Pine.”
Chris yawned then, so big and loud that his eyes watered and his jaw popped. “Sorry. I, uh, I lost track of the game.”
“Because it’s time for little boys to go to bed.”
“But—”
“Chris.”
Chris averted his gaze and Zach wondered what that was about. But he didn’t say anything, so Zach stood, grabbed Chris’ arm and hauled him to his feet.
“Come on. Off to bed with you.”
Zach knew where Chris’ room was, so he pulled the younger man through the house and to the bedroom. There were items there that belonged to her, but Zach decided not to focus on that.
They were always at cross purposes, weren’t they? Jonathan, Olivia, Iris, Miles, and now…yeah, her. The one he’d seemed to be with the longest. Though still not as long as Miles, if it came to that.
A fool for love was still a fool.
He gently pushed Chris down onto the mattress.
“I’ll bet you can manage to get yourself undressed.”
“Yeah,” Chris agreed. Out came that tongue to trace over his lips and Zach fisted his hands. “Only…”
“Only what, Pine?”
“Can you stay here with me tonight?”
Zach laughed. “What? Why would I?”
“Uh.” Chris was blushing now.
“You’re not still thinking of that spider, yeah? Come on. It’s not going to come in here and eat you.”
“It might have had babies.”
“Maybe.” Zach smirked.
“And, uh, the slashers.”
“What about them?”
“We watched a lot of slasher films, Zach. I’m kinda freaked out.”
He sighed again. Ran his fingers through his hair. It felt greasy and he should have a shower, but he felt far too lazy and apatetic to bother.
“You’re a grown man, Chris.”
“I know, but—”
“This isn’t a good idea,” he said in a low voice. But those blue eyes rose to his and they almost looked watery like Chris would cry if he refused. And he just wasn’t. Even if it was the mother of all bad ideas.
“Zach.”
“Okay,” he replied. “Fine. Let me go get my stuff and we’ll go to bed together. To sleep, Christopher. Nothing else.”
“All right.”
Zach left the room and went to get his small bag. He took maybe extra long and it paid off because when he returned, Chris had taken off his clothes and put on low slung pajama pants and a thread-barren T-shirt.
He didn’t say anything when Zach returned, just stood there looking at the empty bed, so Zach went into the bathroom, got into his shorts and tank, and brushed his teeth.
“Do you have to go?”
Zach was surprised by the question when he came out of the bathroom.
“Go?”
“You know, back to New York.”
“Yeah, I do. It’s home.”
“LA’s home too, isn’t it?”
“Sometimes yeah and sometimes no. Right now, home is more New York for me. California’s…complicated.” Zach shrugged. “Anyway, you’re living the good life here. What are you worried about?”
Chris shook his head. “I’m not worried. I just miss you. A lot.”
Zach decided not to address that. “Get in bed, Christopher.”
And he did, too. Zach turned off the overheard light and then walked over to the side of the bed he supposed she normally occupied. For some perverse reason he wanted to smear his scent and greasyish hair all over her pillow.
Zach was here, Bitch
She wasn’t really one, except because of the obvious reasons.
He got in bed and turned off the lamp next to the bed.
“Next time your friends suggest slasher movies, maybe say no?”
A few heartbeats of silence.
“Yeah.”
Zach said nothing for a while and then he heard heavier breathing and knew Chris had fallen asleep. He was glad. Because they couldn’t go there. Not again. Not now as it was between them if they were to remain friends. And that was what Zach wanted. Not to lose Chris. Even if all it ever was, was this.
He almost got back out of the bed and went to the guest room, but no. He said he’d stay and he was a man of his word.
Took him a long time to fall asleep though. But there were no spiders or slashers. He’d slayed them.
“It feels so cold.” Jim shivered as he stepped past the threshold of the house. He suddenly regretted letting his friends talk him into going into the creepy house.
“Well.” Janice scooted next to him. “No one’s occupied it for years, so there’s no heat or anything. It makes sense it would be cold.”
“Mm.”
He was there with Janice, Christine, Bones, Sulu, Uhura and Spock. Jim had a big time crush on Spock, but so did Uhura. She had been jonesing to go out with Spock and get her nails into him since the beginning of the semester of the Academy. That was the sole reason she was there that night. Because of Spock.
Jim had a little hope, though, because Spock had only agreed to go into the creepy house because Janice had talked Jim into attending. Bones told Jim that Janice liked him, but Jim had eyes only for Spock. Yeah, it probably sucked for everyone.
Despite the hope he did have, Jim wasn’t convinced it meant Spock was sexually interested in him. It could just be that he thought Jim was stupid enough to get himself hurt at the creepy house and admittedly they were friends. Spock had sort of made himself Jim’s personal bodyguard ever since Jim’s acrimonious breakup with a girl whose brother wanted to kick his ass.
“Okay, sure,” Jim agreed. “But it seems like…unusually cool. Like blast freeze.”
“Or ghostly visitors?” Bones asked with a knowing smirk. “Trying to go for atmosphere, Jim?:
He shrugged. “This wasn’t my idea.”
He saw a room at the end of the hallway but the others seemed to be headed in the direction of the kitchen. For some reason, Jim felt drawn to that room, so he lingered behind from the group and headed in that direction instead. He put his hand on the outside of the door which almost felt like he was touching a block of ice.
A voice in his head told him not to open the door, but he ignored it, twisted the knob and went into the room.
It appeared to be an old ballroom, from back in the days, he guessed, rich people had those. The room was so cold, Jim could see his breath, and he started to shake uncontrollably.
I shouldn’t be here. Something bad happened here. Really bad.
“Spock,” he said out loud, though he couldn’t say why.
As he turned around to head out, he suddenly realized he was somehow in the middle of the room, though he couldn’t remember walking that far in. Cold fingers touched his neck and he blanched. Suddenly coming toward him was a wisp of smoke or mist and for some reason he found he couldn’t move.
The door of the room slammed open like an explosion in the empty room and then warm fingers seized his wrist and yanked him with unusual force from the the room.
“We are leaving,” Spock’s voice said directly into his ear.
The next he knew, he was outside of the house entirely and being held in Spock’s strong warm arms. Spock was rubbing his back and he was speaking softly but Jim wasn’t sure what he said.
Slowly he began to feel warmer and become more aware of what was happening around him. He realized the others were there too.
“It is all right, Jim. You are safe now,” Spock spoke softly.
Jim nodded and snuggled in closer to him. “What was that?”
“I do not know. Leonard says you suffered from a bit of shock but he gave you something and you are coming out of it.”
“M’kay.”
Spock’s hold tightened. “I am going to take you home as soon as you are well enough to walk away from here. I think the sooner the better though.”
“I’m ready. Just…not sure I want to be alone.”
“I am taking you home with me,” Spock assured him.
Jim summoned up his first smile in quite some time to look into Spock’s face. “Yeah?”
“Of course.”
Nearby Uhura sighed and muttered, “I don’t know why I ever bothered.”
“Told you,” Sulu whispered back.
Spock took Jim’s arm and they all began to walk away from the spooky house. Some looked back as they did, warily, but Jim kept his eyes firmly away. He never wanted to see it again.
But at least…Spock. Something good had come out of it. But it would be a long time before he’d come anywhere near this area.
Spirk (with a small dose of Pinto) 