Jim woke to a warm hand on his face. He was lying down and not on the hard asphalt he would have expected given he had collapsed in the parking lot. And why had he anyway? Ordinarily he was not the fainting sort. He was pretty sure about that. “You are awake.” The voice was familiar and yet not. It made him feel…safe. Which was altogether odd. He opened his eyes slowly and found himself staring into very dark brown eyes. Dark chocolate framed by long lashes. And strangely arched eyebrows. And a woolen forest green beanie pulled down over the tips of his ears. “You,” Jim said, softly. The man’s head tilted at an angle and for a moment Jim felt queasy. “I apologize. You hit your head when you fell. You likely have a concussion.” “Where…” “You are in the bed of your own room in the farmhouse you are currently residing in.” Jim turned his head to look, but it hurt to do so. “Easy. Do not try to move too quickly.” “Do I know you?” The man looked pensive and he seemed to hesitate before responding. “Here where you are now you do not.” “But…you know where I live?” “I do,” he admitted. “It is complicated.” Jim didn’t think he was up to complicated things right now. His head was still fairly fuzzy though it only seemed to ache when he tried to move it. “That man.” “What man?” “The dean at the college. He called himself McCoy, I think.” The beanie man nodded. “Do not worry about that now, Jim.” “What…who are you?” “I am Spock.” “Spock,” Jim whispered and somehow that name seemed…well, he didn’t know what it seemed. “It will be all right, Jim,” Spock assured him. “I am going to assist you in sitting up and then I am going to give you some tea to drink. Are you hungry?” “I think so.” Spock put his hands under Jim’s torso and carefully lifted him into a seating position on the bed. He’d already propped up pillows for Jim to lean against. Jim blinked. “My shoulder up by my neck hurts a bit.” He tried to turn his head to see but of course couldn’t. “There is a slight bruise there, but it will fade and become less painful.” “A bruise? Weird.” “Indeed,” Spock murmured. He reached over and took a mug from the bedside table and handed it to Jim. “Here is your tea.” He took a sip from the warm tea. “How’d you get into the house?” “I found the key on your person.” Jim nodded, wondering what to think about that. His mind seemed too fuzzy to give it much consideration, and for the moment anyway he didn’t seem to be in any immediate danger. And the weirdest part was that he wanted to trust Spock. Which was probably crazy and due to having a head injury. “If you will continue to drink your tea, I will go and make you some food. What would you like?” “I think I have a can of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup.” “Canned soup?” Jim smiled a little and nodded. Spock shrugged slightly. “Very well. I will be back with your soup. Try not to move too much.” “Okay.” And Jim watched Spock leave the bedroom. He still was…missing something. He didn’t know what.
Jim narrowed his eyes at the short but lanky man with the moustache standing by his trash cans.
“Clyde?”
“Evening, Mr. Kirk.”
“What are you doing?” He lowered the crowbar.
“Becky called me from New York, said you had some racoon problems and to come on out and set up some traps.”
Clyde was Becky’s cousin. Didn’t have a very high IQ but he was a nice man.
Clyde stepped away from the cans. “I don’t see any signs of racoons, Mr. Kirk. But I set out traps anyhow.”
“It’s Jim. What do you see signs of?”
Clyde shrugged. “Nothing really. No signs of rats or racoons. But maybe you wouldn’t see anything specific. Traps are set now though, so I’ll come check on them in a day or two if that’s all right with you, Mr. Kirk.”
“Yeah, that’s fine.” Jim glanced around where the trash cans were and over toward the front yard. “See anything else around, Clyde?”
“Like what?”
Yeah, what, Jim? Glowing red eyes?
“I don’t really know, I guess. Anything weird I suppose.”
Clyde looked at Jim like maybe he was crazy and Jim wasn’t sure he was far off. So he smiled.
“You want a shot of whiskey for your trouble?”
“Wasn’t any trouble, but I’ll take the whiskey.”
Jim hesitated. He didn’t necessarily want Clyde in the house. He didn’t really have any issues with Clyde, but he didn’t exactly trust him either. Becky had mentioned once that her cousin sometimes stole things. Not usually from people he knew, but still.
“I’ll bring it right out,” Jim said. “You wait here.”
“I will, Mr. Kirk.”
Jim went into his house and over to his liquor cabinet. He quickly poured two shots of whiskey and then brought them back out the front door. True to his word, Clyde stood just where Jim had left him.
He handed a shot to Clyde and kept one for himself.
Clyde didn’t immediately drink the shot, but instead asked, “You and Becky going to be married someday?”
Jim wasn’t sure exactly how to answer that. For Clyde, yeah, but most especially for himself.
So he settled on the vague, “She wants to, I think.”
Clyde nodded and thew back the shot. Jim followed suit, feeling it burn down his throat.
Clyde handed the empty shot glass to Jim. “I’ll be on my way now, Mr. Kirk. I’ll check back on those traps like I said. And if you need anything else, you give me a call.
Jim called after him as he headed for his truck, “You want some money?”
“Nope, that’s all right.”
And just a few minutes later he was gone. Jim watched him until the lights from his truck faded away out of sight.
He set the shot glasses down on the porch and walked to where the pumpkins and scarecrows were. He clenched the crowbar.
Looking for what? Again, he really had no clue. And not surprisingly he didn’t see anything anyway.
With a shake of his head at his only foolishness, grabbed the glasses and went back into the house. Double locking the front door. Then he double locked the back door too.
And just before he went to sleep, he thought he heard a whisper.
It was just after nine o’clock when Jim heard a loud crash out in the front yard of his farmhouse.
He put his hand on Becky’s leg. “Stay here.”
“Probably a racoon,” she guessed. “I’ll stop the movie.”
They’d been watching a VHS tape on the brand new player Jim had purchased last week.
It was chilly out, but Jim didn’t bother with his coat. He did grab a crowbar he kept in a closet by the front door though.
He stepped out onto the porch. Several moths flew around the porch light.
“Who’s there?”
No one answered of course. If it had been a racoon or other animal getting into the trash they wouldn’t have and if it was some person with nefarious purposes they probably wouldn’t either.
He stepped off the porch, crowbar at the ready. Nothing by the trashcans and they were upright. He turned and walked to the front of the house by the picture window. Nothing there either. The pumpkins and scarecrows he’d set out in yard in September were untouched, There wasn’t a sign of anybody or anything. Nothing broken.
Jim pursed his lips and went back into the house. Becky was putting on her coat.
“Well?” she asked.
“Didn’t see a thing. Must be kids playing pranks for Halloween.”
“It’s only October 2. Seems a little early for tricks and treats.”
Jim nodded. “Probably.”
“Racoons,” she said matter-of-factly. “You get Clyde to come over and lay some traps. That’ll take care of it. Drive me home?”
“Unless you want to stay.”
Becky shook her head reluctantly. “Can’t. Roberta’s coming for me early. Going out on flight to Denver at six in the morning from Iowa City. And from there New York. Speaking of, I’m going to be gone on several shifts over the next several days. Won’t be back for a while.”
Becky was a stewardess for TWA. She was often gone for extended periods of time. She liked it. And it seemed to ensure neither of them ever got tired of whatever they had going between them.
Jim grabbed his coat and keys and they made their way out to his Ford Escort.
Becky only lived a few blocks away and they were at her apartment in no time. He leaned over to give her a lingering kiss.
“Tell me how the movie ends,” she said, wiping her lipstick from his lips.
“Okay. And safe travels up there.”
“Jim, when I come back we need to talk.”
“That doesn’t sound good.”
She smiled. “Nothing that bad. But it’s time we decide about where our relationship is going. What are the next steps for us.”
“I see,” Jim replied with a nod.
“You love me, don’t you?”
“Of course.” But the response was automatic with no real feeling behind it and Jim couldn’t even say why.
But she didn’t seem to notice or care.
“That’s why we need to talk. Riverside’s great but—”
“My family’s lived here for a lot of years.”
“I know. But it doesn’t mean you have to stay here forever. People sell places and move on all the time. The point is, Jim, I’ve been offered to transfer to the Denver area as my main hub. It’s got a lot more going for it then this Podunk town and you can find a teaching position there, you know you can. It would mean a big promotion for me. And if we moved there we could get married and start a family. Just…think about it. We’ll talk about it when I get back.”
She leaned in to kiss him again, then opened the car door, got out and ran into her apartment building.
Jim sat there in the car for a moment considering. He didn’t want to move. And something…was off. But he had no idea what.
With a sigh, he put the Escort in gear and drove back home.
Once he parked and got out he started to head for the front door. But as he glanced toward the scarecrows and pumpkins he thought he saw glowing red eyes.
“What the hell?”
He rubbed his eyes and looked again.
Nothing.
Jim went into his house and locked the door. He didn’t bother watching the rest of the movie. He just went to bed.
Spock blinked. A moment ago, Jim was smiling and laughing, seated at the dining table across from Spock, those blue eyes of his sparking with mirth and affection that made Spock’s heart beat faster. Anticipation had flowed through Spock that this would be a terrific night of intimacy and perhaps even declaration he had been hoping for.
But Jim’s tone had changed to be ice cold and every trace of enjoyment slipped off his face as if it had been an illusion.
“What is it? What is wrong?”
“Franks is here.”
“Your stepfather?”
“Yes.” Jim shoots daggers toward a tall, gray-haired man sitting at a table several feet away from theirs. “Ex.”
“I assure you he will get nowhere near you ever again.”
“I’m not afraid of him.” Jim thrust aside his napkin and rose. “I have to go.”
To Spock’s shock, Jim stormed out of the restaurant.
He took care of the bill and then hurried after him. He didn’t have far too go. Jim was by the Pier, gazing out at the ocean.
Jim shook his head when Spock approached. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin things for tonight.”
They were on a very brief shore leave. It was back to the Enterprise tomorrow.
“You did not.”
“Yeah I did.” Jim sighed. “Of all the damn places for him to show up. I don’t know why I still let him get to me.”
Spock pulled him close, arms wrapped around him. He could feel a lot of turmoil coming from Jim.
“What are you thinking?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Let me see.”
Spock put his hand to Jim’s face.
“What you want doesn’t matter, you are no one.”
Spock narrowed his eyes and looked at Jim’s face. “That is so far from the truth as to be truly astonishing.”
Jim’s lips curved slightly. “Yeah?”
“You are everything and I love you.”
“Well, if you of all people, love me that has to count for something,” Jim said in an overly jovial manner.
“I will gladly see that he is wiped off the planet, if that is what you desire,” Spock said, quite seriously.
Jim sighed and shook his head. “His very existence doesn’t bother me, Spock. I promise. It just…I was having a really good night, and him being there just surprised me.” He grabbed Spock’s hand. “Let’s go back to the hotel.”
“Definitely. But give me a moment to settle with the restaurant. I will be right back.”
Spock left Jim there for a moment. And of course he already had settled, with the restaurant anyway, but there was something else he needed to do.
Jim was giving him as strange look when he reappeared. He reached up and straightened Spock’s hair. “How’d you get your hair messy?”
It’s that time again, time for a 5 plus 1 story. And since I did a 5 times Jim told Spock he loved him and the one time Spock told Jim, well… I am sure you get the theme.
One
Spock hadn’t ever said I Love You to Nyota. He had managed to get by with things like “I hold you in the highest regard” and “I care about you” and even “You have my affections”. Once he had said, “There is no one else I would rather be with”. That had been true at the time. Until it wasn’t true anymore. Yes, he still cared and still held her in high regard, but ultimately someone else held his affections and he did want to be with Jim, their captain.
Their breakup had been messier than Spock had wanted it to be. They’d ended things before Krall and Altamid, back when Spock had thought he was going to New Vulcan. And when he changed his mind, based on Jim’s needs—but no, based on his own needs—Nyota had misunderstood. He had gone to save her when she was in danger, because of his affection for her, and he had attended Jim’s birthday party to spend time with her, but also Jim, and she had thought it meant he wanted to continue their relationship. When Spock explained the truth, well, the end had been messy. They were better now. All of them.
Spock had established a romantic relationship with Jim when Jim expressed a mutual interest. The sexual part had been beyond anything Spock could have imagined.
Two months into that relationship and spending almost every single night with Jim, either making love or just sleeping together, Spock had dared to whisper those three words for the first time in his life, “I love you.”
He had felt Jim’s smile against his bare arm and Jim had given him a hard squeeze.
And said, “Who do you think should be on tomorrow’s landing party?”
Spock had replied, dutifully, of course, and the moment passed.
I’m off for another adventure and won’t return until Sunday afternoon, so have some Vanik and Jim. One of my favorite combinations!
Jim felt weak, sweaty, and like he was probably going to barf again. He struggled to lift his head when he hear the sound of someone approaching his bed. Not an easy task because his head felt like it weighed eighty pounds.
“I have come to check on you again as promised.”
He eyed Vanik out of blood-shot eyeballs. “Did you check on me only ten minutes ago?”
“Negative. It was thirty minutes ago. I promised Uncle Spock that while he was away I would keep a very steady eye on you.”
“Yeah, okay, but how am I supposed to rest if you keep coming in to check on me every ten minutes?”
“Thirty.”
“Still.”
“Uncle Spock was called away and gave me task until he could return. He was given the task by your own friend, Leonard McCoy, the doctor.”
“I know, I know.”
“Doctor McCoy was required in Georgia for a family emergency. Neither the doctor nor Uncle Spock thought you should be left alone for long periods of time.”
“I have the flu not a fatal illness.”
“During the year of nineteen hundred eighteen on planet, Earth, it is estimated anywhere from seventeen million to fifty million died from influenza.” Vanik paused. “It is time to take your temperature. I have brought the one to scan your forehead.”
Jim sighed, sunk his head back down on the pillow and gave into the inevitable.
“Your fever had reduced a degree but is still alarming. I will check again thirty minutes from now. Do you require tea?”
“I’ll just barf it back up. When does Spock return?”
“His last message estimated nine o’clock this evening.”
“What time is it?”
“Two in the afternoon.”
Jim sighed again. “Okay see you again in thirty minutes.”
I had promised that I would eventually get around to the second part of the flash where Jim and Spock have a son “Tommy” and the mother visits the space station. Taken me a while but here it is. I added the first part too, to remind you of the story. Here’s the thing in full. Enjoy!
Jim sat alone at a two-seater table in the corner of a canteen restaurant on Space Station 12. He had his PADD with him, but at that moment he was people watching.
Half-listening for the beep from his PADD when he received a new message. He was waiting for one from Spock.
They’d been parted now for nearly four months and it was wearing on him.
Jim hadn’t accepted retirement, but he had accepted that he wouldn’t be captain of a starship anymore. Instead he was acting as the military head of this very space station.
And Spock had taken on the ambassadorial duties of his father when Sarek had been too unwell to complete them. Spock was spending his time between Earth, New Vulcan, and Space Station 12. And it seemed to Jim that his location got the least amount of attention from Spock.
Jim got it. He did. And it wouldn’t be forever.
The blood he’d received from Khan all those years prior had insured he would live a life far more matched to Spock’s and for that he was grateful. But he would very much like to spend that life with Spock more often.
Last time Spock was here, he’d been there only a month before leaving for New Vulcan. Jim had traveled four months ago for a visit with Spock on Earth, for a mere two weeks, and he’d had to return.
He spotted the Human woman the minute she’d entered the canteen. She was dressed all in shiny silver, a mini skirt with a halter top. Her white hair was pulled back in a pony-tail reminiscent of the way Uhura had once worn hers. Dangling from her ears were large silver hoop earrings. Even her makeup was silver, glittery. And she looked his way.
When she reached him, she sat down without invitation.
“Admiral Kirk.”
“Jody. I wasn’t aware you were on the Station.” Which annoyed him. He should be alerted to all who arrived. Some security.
She smirked. “Sorry, sir. I should have let you know I was coming. You’re alone?”
He shrugged. ”Unless you’re sitting on someone very tiny.”
Jody laughed. “You haven’t changed.”
“Did you expect I would?”
“No.” She sighed. “Where is he?”
“In class. He doesn’t get out for another two hours.” Jim sighed and picked up his coffee cup, taking a sip, then grimacing when it was cold. “He’ll be glad to see you.”
“What about you, Jim? Are you glad?”
“That ship sailed, as you know.”
“True. I’m just passing through. I’ll be on my way tomorrow, so you needn’t worry I’ll overstay my welcome.”
“Where are you off to?”
“I’ve taken a job on Caltos 6. Six-months. I wanted to see my son before I went.”
He nodded. “As I said, he’ll be glad to see you.”
“Where’s your husband?”
“Working.”
“You two, always busy.”
Jody, of course, had been Jim’s mistake before he and Spock ever got together. Back on a place just like this. Yorktown. They’d spent a few weeks together pretending to have a romance, Jim supposed. It was only ever sex for him as he loved Spock even back then, but he had liked her.
But then after she left, after it was over, she informed Jim she’d gotten pregnant. Their son, Thomas, stayed with Jim fulltime. Jody didn’t want to be tied down to a child, she’d been clear about that, but she did visit Thomas when she could, and they did have a loving if somewhat distant relationship.
“I’m waiting to hear from him now.”
“He’s coming to the canteen?”
“No. He’s on New Vulcan.”
“Oh.” She nodded. “I’ve got some things to take care of. Can I meet you at Thomas’ school in a couple of hours? Maybe we can have take-out together at your apartment.”
“Sure. Okay.”
She smiled, stood, and leaned down to kiss his forehead. “See you in a bit, Admiral.”
Jody turned around and walked right into a tall, thin Vulcan.
Jim stood up immediately, aware he was grinning like a fool. “Spock!”
Spock arched a brow at Jody and stepped around her to accept Jim’s embrace.
“I was waiting for your message.”
“I decided to surprise you,” Spock said. He looked at Jody. “Clearly this is your day to be surprised.”
“Nice to see you again, Spock,” Jody said. “Don’t worry I am leaving again tomorrow.”
“I was not, in fact, worried.”
“She’s going to eat with the family tonight. She wanted to see Tommy before she’s off on a six-month assignment,” Jim explained.
“She will be welcome.”
Jody laughed. “Doubtful, but I appreciate the sentiment. I will see you soon.”
Jim watched her walk away. He put his hands on Spock’s arms. ”Sorry about that. She did surprise me.”
“It is not your fault. And I am actually glad I will be here for her visit.”
“I don’t think I need protecting from Jody.”
Spock gave him a reproachful look. “I do not think she will attack you, but I wish to be there with my family.”
Jim linked his arm with Spock’s. “And we want you there, too. How long are you here this time?”
“For the foreseeable future, Ashaya.”
And now with Spock beside him, Jim knew he was ready to face anything. Even his son’s mother.
****
Despite Jim’s statement that he didn’t need protecting from Jody, Spock knew his husband well. He didn’t miss the tightening in Jim’s shoulders or the pinched look near his eyes. These were definite signs of Jim’s stress as he was well familiar.
Later when they were alone and could put Thomas’ mother’s visit behind him, Spock would make it his priority to care for Jim.
Spock could not help but appreciate that when they arrived at their son’s school, Thomas ran straight to him. He readily accepted the child’s enthusiastic embrace.
“Father! I didn’t know you were home.” Thomas shot a brief accusatory glance at his dad.
“Only just home a short time ago,” Spock assured him. “I managed to surprise even your dad.”
As Thomas released Spock and turned to speak to his dad his gaze rested on the approach of Jody, his mother. The boy’s eyes widened slightly and he put a hand on Jim’s arm.
“It’s okay, buddy. She wanted to surprise you,” Jim told his son. He smiled. “It’s okay,” he repeated.
Thomas nodded and then turned to greet his mother. “Hi Mom.”
He hugged her with much less enthusiasm but he did smile and Spock wasn’t even sure she would notice the difference.
“Hi baby. I wanted to surprise you.”
“I am surprised.”
She laughed and ruffled his hair. “I’m leaving tomorrow for a new planet but I couldn’t go by here without stopping to see you. Your dad and Spock generously said I could have dinner with you guys tonight.”
“Great,” Thomas said.
“I brought gifts too,” she told her son, putting her arm around him. She glanced at Spock and Jim. “Ready?”
“Sure thing,” Jim agreed.
They lived in a two-story villa on the Space Station that overlooked the main city area. The living room and their bedroom had a spectacular view of the city lights and the man-made water feature. Yorktown had nothing on Space Station 12. Jim had his pick of which one he’d be in charge of and he had chosen 12. Spock had approved.
“I’ll order something to be delivered,” Jim said when they arrived. “Tommy, why don’t you show your mom your room?”
“Okay.”
And off they went.
Jim shook his head, went to the whiskey decanter, opened it, and poured himself a drink.
“Are you worried?” Spock asked.
“Worried? About what?”
“Her arrival.”
“No. I believe her when she says she’s leaving again tomorrow.” Jim took his drink to the floor to ceiling picture window. Spock followed him there. “I used to be concerned.”
“About wanting to take her son?”
“Our son. He’s ours, Spock. Yours and mine. She shows up a few times in his life with a smile and gifts like it makes up for her wanting nothing to do with him.” Jim sighed.
“Like your mother did with you,” Spock surmised.
“I love my mom. She did the best she could,” Jim said softly.
“And you have a good relationship with her now. But when you were a child…”
Jim shook his head. “I know. But I don’t really think the situation with Jody is the same. And the truth is, I used to worry she’d come back to take Tommy but I don’t worry about that anymore. She doesn’t want him. She wants to live whatever life she has with no responsibilities to the boy she gave birth to. Tommy is ours and he wants to be with us. If I ever had to fight with her over it, you and I both know I’d win. But she won’t. It’s not what she wants.”
“I am sorry you sometimes have to manage all this without me here.”
Jim smiled, put his drink down, and walked into Spock’s embrace. Spock wrapped his arms around his husband.
“We knew what we were getting into when you took on the ambassadorship. And me this station. We always work it out because we want to. We love each other and there’s no one else for either of us. I don’t blame you when you aren’t here. But I do miss you.”
“And I miss you. I will be here with you, with our family for some time. What duties I currently have can be managed from here.”
“Fantastic.” Jim gave him a squeeze and then stepped out of his arms. “Guess I better order that food.”
“I will do it. You finish your drink.”
Jim blew out a breath. “Thanks. I love you, Spock.”
Jim smiled at his husband as he closed and locked their apartment door. “Yeah, sorry. Mom and I had a few too many margaritas and decided to walk through the park.”
Spock held open his arms and Jim went into them immediately. He noticed how tight Spock hugged him.
“Hey, are you alright?”
“Yes.”
Jim pulled away and looked at him. “How’d it go with your dad?”
“As usual. I apologize, Jim, I should have gone with you to see your mother.”
“It’s no big deal.”
“It is. You are my mate and your needs are more important than mine.”
“Spock, that’s not true.”
“It is to me. How was your dinner?”
“Good. It was good.” Jim took his hand and led him over to the kitchen. “You want me to make you some tea or something?”
“I am fully recovered.”
Jim smiled. The truth was Spock looked wrecked. He had dark smudges under his eyes and he still had a tremor in his hands. But Jim did not argue. “Tea?”
“I can get whatever it is you need,” Spock said instead.
He sighed heavily, grabbed Spock’s hand, and now led him to the sofa. He pulled the Vulcan down to sit and then perched beside him.
“Listen to me. I’m fine. I’m not injured. I’m not frightened of you. I love you. Everything is good between us.”
“Your tissue was torn—”
“Sure, a little. But it got fixed. We were both exhausted but of course we were. You have to stop blaming yourself for something you couldn’t control. We got through it and we’re both good.”
Spock closed his eyes.
Jim took Spock’s hand and put it on his face. “Meld us. You’ll see how good we are.”
A moment later, Spock’s eyes opened and Jim smiled again.
“See?”
“I will never be all right with hurting you.”
“I know,” Jim said softly. “We’re good. I’m not hurt. I love you.”
Spock nodded and exhaled. “Do you think your mother would go to dinner with us tomorrow night?”
“Yes, I’m sure. But why don’t we invite her here and we’ll cook her dinner.”
“That is a good idea.”
“Tea?” Jim asked again.
“Let’s make it together.”
Jim chuckled, kissed him, and pulled him up from the couch. He’d text his mother later. Maybe after some very close time with Spock.
