Star Trek

Flash Fic, 02/05/2019

“You can’t save Spock by sheer will, Captain,” Sulu declared.

Jim pressed on Spock’s gaping, bleeding wound. “Watch me.”

“Captain, we’re sitting ducks here in this clearing.”

“Do what you need to do, Mr. Sulu. In fact, that’s an order. But I’m not leaving him.”

“Captain,” Spock said weakly. “Go with the others.”

“No.”

“If you stay then we will both die.”

“Okay then.”

“Jim…”

“I’m not leaving here without you, Spock. So can it.”

“Keptin,” Chekov spoke up. “I have the Enterprise. They can beam us up.”

“Do it. Beam us up. All of us.”

It was much later that Spock looked at him with somewhat droopy eyes as he rested on a biobed, all patched up. Or mostly. Thanks to Bones.

“Captain, you should have left me behind.”

Jim smiled a little and squeezed Spock’s hand. “There’s an old saying from Earth, Mr. Spock. Used by comrades for hundreds of years. You go, we go.”

Spock just stared at him. Jim nodded and turned to see Uhura approaching.

“Stay with him,” he urged. “He’s in and out of it, but he’s doing much better.”

He went to move past her, but she put her hand on his arm.

“Captain, thank you. For what you did down there.”

“I would have done that for anyone. And you’re welcome.”

She looked thoughtful for a moment, looked at Spock and then back to Jim. “He’d want you to stay.”

“I’ve got work and anyway, I’m sure he’d rather have you.”

“No. You’re wrong. Maybe it’s not my place to tell you, but, Spock has…” She stopped, bit her lip, and sighed. “He has very deep feelings concerning you. He doesn’t know how to express them.”

“Lieutenant…”

“And I have a feeling you reciprocate those feelings. I’ve thought so for a long time. Whatever you think about Spock and me, right now, we’re just friends. It’s been that way for a while. He’d want to see you, Captain.”

Jim exhaled. “I do have reports and a few things to do. But…I’ll come back later.”

“So…what I’m telling you…it does have meaning?” She searched his eyes.

He chuckled low. “Yeah. It’s meaningful.” He patted her arm. “Thanks. I’ll be back later.”

“And you should clean up,” she said, arching a brow like her former, apparently, boyfriend. “You still have Spock’s blood all over you.” She frowned. “And your own?” Her gaze went to the red on his shirt. “Are you bleeding, Captain?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Has Leonard checked you out?”

Bones suddenly appeared. “Did I hear my name?”

“The captain is bleeding.”

“Uhura! Damn it. Bones, I’m fine.”

Bones grabbed him and hauled him away. “I’ll be the judge of that, you idiot.”

February 5, 2020

Flash Fic, 01/24/2020

A prequel…

Jim couldn’t remember feeling this bad ever. Mommy must have been worried too, because despite the fact Mommy’s new boyfriend, Frank, didn’t want to be bothered taking Jim to the hospital, because he told Jim’s mommy that Jim was just faking it for attention. That Jim didn’t want Mommy going out with Frank.

“If you had waited too much longer, I’m not sure he would have made it,” the nice doctor said to Mommy. Jim heard them talking near his bed, trying to be quiet. “He’s very sick.”

They left him alone then, to go talk some more, Jim guessed.

But then a man stood over his bed. One Jim didn’t know. But he was not human, Jim knew. He had pointy ears and dark eyes, that were kind when Jim looked at him.

“Are you a Vulcan?” Jim asked, weakly

“Shh. It is okay. Do not speak.” The Vulcan put his hand on Jim’s face. “You have a fever.”

“Mommy says I’m very sick.”

“You are, Jim. But I am here to help you.”

“Are you a doctor?”

“Something like that.” His finger spread out across Jim’s cheek. “Go to sleep, Jim. When you wake up, you will feel better.”

“But…”

The Vulcan smiled very slightly. “All will be well.”

Jim felt a warmth in cheek that flowed from his skin and seemed to envelope him. And his eyes felt so heavy. The fingers moved from his face as he fell into a deep sleep.

January 24, 2020

Sunday Flash, 01/19/2020

Probably a little too young for this story, but you get the idea

The tall mysterious Vulcan who would not give his name had saved Jim from a pummeling by his stepdad. Jim didn’t see what happened to Frank. He was told to go back into the house, so he had.

Then the Vulcan returned but Frank had not.

The Vulcan dropped to his knees and examined Jim. “Jim? Are you hurt? Jim?”

Jim frowned. “You know my name.”

“Yes. Are you hurt?”

He bit his lip, but then that hurt, so he stopped immediately. “My lip hurts.”

“It is bleeding.” The Vulcan produced a dermal regenerator. He ran it over Jim’s lip to heal it. “Where else?”

“My arm.”

The Vulcan’s eyes turned soft, brown, like chocolate. Jim liked chocolate. He fixed Jim’s arm.

“Anywhere else?”

“No. Frank…”

“Will never hurt you again. Are you hungry?”

“Yeah.”

The Vulcan stood, took Jim’s hand, and drew him into the kitchen. “What would you like to eat, Jim?”

“Macaroni and cheese? Please.”

“Very well. Sit there at the table while I make it.”

Jim moved to do as the Vulcan said. He watched him silently, but then, “I’ve seen you before.”

“Have you?”

Jim nodded. “I think so. When-when I was four, I got really sick and ended up in the hospital. You were there.”

The Vulcan said nothing, just continued to fix Jim food. He’d been in the hospital two years before.

“You came to me there and you put your hand on my face.” Jim’s frown deepened. “I told Mom later that you were there, but she didn’t believe me. No one did. They thought it was because I’d been delirious. I got better after you were there.”

The Vulcan walked over to the table and handed a plate of macaroni and cheese to Jim. It was heaping with food, but Jim was hungry, and he thought maybe he’d eat all of it. He took it and began to eat it while the Vulcan watched him.

“Are you sure Frank won’t hurt me again?”

“I am positive, Jim. He is out of your life now. You need not worry about ever seeing him.”

“But Mom—”

“She is on her way home to take care of you. She knows about your stepfather.”

“’Kay.”

“In the meantime, a man named Christopher Pike will be here shortly to watch over you while your mother returns from being off planet.”

“You can’t stay?”

“I cannot, I am needed elsewhere. But you can be certain that I will return whenever you need me.”

Jim nodded. “Okay. This is good. Thank you.”

“You are welcome, Jim. Please eat all of it. And when you are done, I want you to sleep. When you wake up Lieutenant Pike will be here.”

“Oh. Is he in Starfleet?”

“He is. He will take good care of you, Jim. He will not hurt you.”

“And no Frank?”

“I assure you that he is gone. Do not worry.”

When Jim finished eating, Spock took his hand once more and made him go lie on the couch. He put his long elegant fingers on Jim’s face like he did in the hospital.

“Sleep now, Jim.”

“When I wake will you be gone?”

“Yes. But Lieutenant Pike will be here and then your mother. You will not be alone. I promise.”

Jim smiled a little. “And will you tell me your name?”

The Vulcan returned the smile, even more slight then Jim’s. “Someday, Jim. Someday.”

January 19, 2020

Cold…Flash Fic January 10, 2020

The first indication that something unusual was wrong was a very loud and sudden sneeze.

Jim turned so fast in his captain’s chair to gape at his first officer, he had to hold on not to fall out.

Sulu and Chekov had also turned around to stare.

Uhura, predictably, was up off her feet and rushing over to him. “Spock? Are you okay?”

He gave every one of them a look of consternation. “I sneezed.”

Jim nodded.

“You never sneeze,” Uhura said. Also predictably, she added, “I shared a bed with you for years and I never once recall you sneezing.”

Jim tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair and counted to ten. Spock, likewise predictable, glanced his way surreptitiously.

Spock glanced back at Uhura. “It is nothing, Nyota.”

Which made Jim turn his chair back around. Jealousy was ridiculous. Jim knew that. Spock wasn’t with Uhura anymore, he was with Jim. Sorta. Recently. Yeah. But, right.

There were no more bridge sneezes, but after their shift when they were standing near the replicators to get food, Spock sneezed again.

This time Bones was with them and he narrowed his eyes.

“I heard about that.”

Spock, wiggling his nose, peered at Bones. “Heard about what?”

“You sneezing.”

“I had one sneeze.”

“And this is the second,” Jim pointed out.

“You’re sick.” Bones poked a finger at Spock’s chest.

“I am not. Please do not touch me.”

Jim rolled his eyes at Spock. “If I hear even one more sneeze out of you, mister, you’re reporting to the medbay.”

“Captain, that is hardly…”

Jim gave him a quelling look and Spock closed his mouth.

Dinner passed without further incidents, but later, in Jim’s quarters, while he was bent over trying to set up the chess set he heard a peculiar noise out of his Vulcan. Well, not his. Not yet. Or sorta. Maybe.

Jim straightened and turned to stare at Spock with his captain look again. “That wasn’t you trying to suppress a sneeze, was it?”

“Would I do that?”

Not exactly a denial, which meant Spock was trying to say no, but without actually lying about it.

“Maybe we should postpone this.”

“Captain, I feel fine.”

“Still. You should rest. It’s already late. You need sleep, Spock. We can play another day.” And he meant that about more than the stupid chess game. He didn’t even like chess. But Spock did and Jim was pretty okay at it even though he didn’t care for it.

Spock hesitated. “I…very well.”

“What?”

“I did not really wish to retire to my quarters just yet.”

“Oh. Well. Um. You want to-to sleep here? In-in my bed?”

Great work at sounding like a love struck teenaged boy, Jim.

“If agreeable.”

Jim grinned. “It’s totally agreeable. And I’ll, um, try not to attack you. For now.”

Spock nodded. “I appreciate that. My sleeping robe…”

“You can borrow some jammies.”

“And I like to have tea.”

“I’ll make you some.”

Spock’s nose twitched. He sneezed.

Jim walked up to him, put his hand on Spock’s forehead. He sighed. “You have a fever, honey.”

“Honey?” Spock blinked.

“Yeah. Honey. You got an issue with that?”

“I do not.”

“I’d better call Bones.”

“I do not wish to go to the medbay.”

“He’ll make a house call. And then after, you can go to sleep in here. It’s not like no one knows.”

Spock nodded. “Very well. I do not usually catch colds.”

“But you are half human.”

His Vulcan sighed. Totally his Vulcan. “Yes. And it rears itself up at the most inopportune times.”

“Of course.” I patted his cheek affectionately and commed Bones. “Hey, can you come check out Spock? He’s sick.”

“Be right there.”

Jim smiled. “Now for those jammies and tea. You deserve some pampering, honey.”

“Well.” Spock looked rather pleased. “If you insist.”

January 10, 2020

A Visit With Mom

“There’s my baby boy!”

Jim winced at his mother’s exclamation as he entered the restaurant on Rigel 9 to meet her. She had stood up from the table and had come around to the aisle to embrace him.

As he hugged her, he noticed the brightly wrapped boxes on the table.

“Mom.”

“What?” She followed his gaze as she let go of him. “Oh. Those. Well, Christmas just passed, you know, and your birthday is only days away. It’s not like I’ll get to see you again after tonight,” she said wistfully.

He frowned as he slid into the booth across from the glass of red wine he assumed she’d ordered. She got in and picked up the glass to take a sip.

“What do you mean by that? We’ll see each other again.”

She nodded. “I know. That’s not what I mean. I mean it’ll be a long time. You’re…out there. And knowing you, you’ll sign up for another five years when this one is done. It’s a miracle we get to have this time. There won’t be any opportunities for presents for a while.”

“You make me feel guilty I didn’t bring you anything.” He picked up the menu.

She waved that away. “You with me right now is all the gift I need.”

Jim snorted. “How come that didn’t work both ways?”

“You’re my son, I get to spoil you when I can. I didn’t nearly enough when you were younger, and now the opportunities, as I said, are rare. Order what you want. My treat.”

“Mom.”

“There’s that voice again. I can do it as I’m the mother,” she insisted. “Speaking of…”

“Wait.” He gestured to the waitress. “I’m going to need a drink for this.” He ordered one, and then, when it was brought to him, he said, “Okay, proceed.”

“It’s not that bad.”

“Sure.”

“Are you still seeing that girl?”

Jim stared at her blankly. “What girl?”

“The blonde one. The admiral’s daughter.” She lowered her voice. “You know, the evil one.”

“The evil blonde or the evil admiral?”

“Jim!”

He rolled his eyes. “If you mean Carol Marcus, no. That ended…actually, it never really began. I thought about it for half a minute and so did she, but ultimately, she left Starfleet to concentrate on her scientific career.”

“Bummer.”

“Why the interest in my love life anyway?”

“When you get to be my age, you start to think about grandchildren.”

Jim choked on his drink. “Yeah, that’s not happening. No time soon, anyway.”

His mother sighed as the waitress approached to take their food orders. “So no special woman in your life?”

“Certainly not.”

She took another sip of wine. “Well I hate to think of you all alone.”

“Who said I’m alone?”

“But…wait. So you…you are seeing someone?”

He shrugged.

“It’s not that lovely Doctor McCoy, is it?”

Jim laughed. “Um. No. No.”

“Then…”

A shadow fell across their table. Jim glanced over.

“Mister Spock.”

“Captain. Forgive the interruption. Admiral Fremont insists on having a quick word with you. I did say you were dining with your mother but…”

Jim shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. It’ll just take a second.” He smiled at Spock.

“Oh!” His mother exclaimed. “It’s him.”

They both glanced, startled at her.

“Mom…”

“I can see, Jim. You’re glowing just talking to him.”

“Mom…”

She smiled at Spock. “But he’s doing the same thing right back at you. Why don’t you have a seat, Spock, while Jimmy deals with that pesky admiral?”

Jim almost laughed out loud at Spock’s wide eyed deer caught in the headlight look. Ah, hell he did laugh. Slid out of the booth and touched his fingers to Spock’s discreetly. “I’ll be back as quick as I can. Keep the seat warm for me.”

“Captain…”

Jim merely smirked and left the restaurant to handle Admiral Fremont. As he looked back through the glass of the restaurant, he couldn’t help but grin as Spock sat across from his mother.

December 29, 2019

Saving…

Christmas may be over but the flashes just keep coming…until the end of the month that is!

Jim was surprised when Uhura approached him on the observation deck. Generally when he came here to ruminate, no one dared to disturb him by some unwritten code.

“What are you doing here?”

Jim glanced at her, surprised she had asked him the question he’d been about to ask her. “Isn’t that my line?”

She shook her head, her ponytail swaying behind her. “Why I’m here should be obvious. Looking for you. But you…that I don’t know.”

“Where should I be, Lieutenant?”

“By his side, in the medbay. He was injured protecting you, Captain.”

“I know that,” Jim said softly. “Bones said he’ll be okay. Shouldn’t you be there?”

“Oh, I intend to. But he wants you. Are you really this thick? Spock loves me and I love him. That has never changed.”

Jim winced. He couldn’t help it.

Uhura snorted. “But I’m not the one he’s in love with.”

Jim eyed her.

She rolled her eyes. “You, Captain. Spock’s in love with you. How can you not know that? Don’t you feel anything for him?”

Jim narrowed his eyes. “My feelings are of no concern to you.”

She huffed. “But they are of concern to Spock. And even if all you feel for him is friendship, you need to be by his side.”

He knew she was right, but he wanted to remain stubborn. Because, damn it, he was angry. Furious with Spock for putting his own life in danger just for him. And he knew, yes, he did, he knew Spock hadn’t protected his captain, he had protected Jim. And yes, there was a huge difference.

Uhura was staring at him too intently, too much like she could read his mind. She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “How can you be mad at him for saving you?”

Jim blew out a breath. “Aren’t you?”

“No! Don’t you remember with Krall…?”

“That was your captain.” He paused. “And your ship.”

“And my friend. My family. Wouldn’t you have done the same? For your ship and us, yeah, you did. But for us as individuals.”

“Yes.”

“Why would it or should it be different for Spock?”

“I don’t want him sacrificing himself for me.”

“He didn’t. He saved you and he’s going to be all right. Why in the world are you up here sulking instead of telling him how much you love him right back?”

“I…” Jim gave her a tiny smile. “I don’t know.”

She hugged him. “Tell him I’ll come see him later. Now go.”

Jim went and the minute he got to the medbay, Bones just pointed.

Spock was sitting up in bed. He looked vaguely surprised to see Jim. “Captain…”

Jim just shook his head, put his hand on Spock’s jaw, leaned down and kissed him.

He murmured against Spock’s mouth, “Jim.”

December 28, 2019

There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays

Jim walked outside and looked around. But he didn’t see Spock. Not anywhere he could see in the immediate area. For a moment, Jim glanced back at the house thinking maybe he had been wrong about Spock coming outside.

But then he saw a flash of color in the darkness. The Christmas red and green sweater Spock had reluctantly put on because Jim had asked him to.

With a smile and warmth blossoming in his chest, Jim headed toward the barn where he could see Spock leaning against the dark red structure.

“Hey, babe, you okay?”

“Affirmative.”

Jim walked up to Spock and was pleased when his Vulcan straightened enough to pull him into his arms.

“Sorry you came with me to see my family for the holidays?” Jim was only half teasing. The Kirks could be challenging for most people, Jim guessed, but especially staid Vulcans like Spock.

“I am not.”

Jim pulled back to look at Spock. “You sure? I understand if we’re too much. And honestly, I didn’t know Sam and Aurelan and Peter and Uncle George and Aunt Loulabelle and…

“Jim. I am not sorry.”

“It’s a full house. And with Bones here too…did you come out here because you got a little…overwhelmed?”

For a moment, Spock didn’t answer, but finally he slowly nodded. “They are rather boisterous.”

“They are.” Jim kissed him. “Are they too much?”

Spock blew out a breath. “To be with you, nothing is too much.”

“God, I love you.”

“My affection for you transcends everything.”

Jim laughed. “Some how that sounds way better than my simple I love you.”

Spock shook his head. “Not to me.”

Jim hugged him close. “Aren’t you cold out here, babe?”

“I was before you came out. But if that is your way of asking me if I am ready to come inside, I am.”

Jim held on to Spock as they turned toward the house. “There’s no place like home for the holidays.” He chuckled. “Want some hot chocolate?”

“I could get…frisky.”

“I’m counting on it, Spock. I’m counting on it.”

December 24, 2019

White Christmas

TOS OMS

“I want to go to Riverside for December.”

Spock paused in reading the missive he’d been sent by the Federation. He glanced up from his PADD. “What was that, Jim?’

He had, of course, heard what Jim said, but he was still having trouble processing the idea. Iowa was cold in December and sometimes even had…

“Snow, Spock.”

He stared at his husband.

Who smiled.

Jim sat in his favorite chair, sipping at a glass of brandy in front of a fire in their San Francisco apartment. It was November and to Spock it seemed pleasantly cozy there without having to add something like cold and frost in Iowa.

“I do not understand.”

“Of course you do.”

Of course he did. He knew what Jim said. OF course. But that didn’t mean he agreed with the idea.

“My ambassadorial duties…”

“Can be done from the farmhouse. You aren’t due to go off for any conferences or meetings until after the first of the year, Spock.”

“But—”

“I’m dreaming of a white Christmas. Like the ones I grew up with.”

Spock opened his mouth.

“The trees glisten with that white stuff. Like sparkling diamonds.”

“The temperature drops to freezing,” Spock said dryly.

Jim chuckled. “Yeah. Yeah, it does. Sweetheart, you don’t ever have to leave the house if you don’t want to. I’ll happily pamper you and allow you to take up the sofa wrapped in luxurious blankets and sipping tea and eating sugar cookies as you please.”

Spock had to admit that did sound rather nice. Perhaps his little Vulcan heart was melting to the idea.

He opened his mouth.

“We leave in the morning.”

“What?”

Jim smiled slyly and sipped his brandy. “I figured you’d agree. It’ll be great, Spock. You’ll love it. And I’ll take care of all the outdoor stuff. Firewood, shoveling snow, whatever.”

Spock inwardly sighed. “Very well, Jim.”

“Thank you. You’re the best.”

He shook his head and went back to his missive, but he could not concentrate, and instead got up to pack whatever passed for warm clothes in his wardrobe. He packed for Jim too.

December 20, 2019

Spirk (with a small dose of Pinto)

Fan Fiction and Personal Ramblings

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