Chapter Text
Jim Kirk slow danced in a child’s nursery, swaying from side to side with the bundle in his arms. Under his breath he sang a little tune, the words mostly consisting of one word… a name. “David… David… My David… Baby David…”
Spock and Nyota approached the swaying man. Nyota held a stuffed sehlat with a command gold bow tied about its neck.
Jim stopped his dancing and turned around to face the couple. “Look, David… it’s Uncle Spock and Auntie Nyota. It’s our family… can you say hi? Hi to Auntie Nyota… Hi Uncle Spock!”
“Hello, sweetheart…” Nyota cooed as she lightly touched the baby’s head. “He’s beautiful. Look at him… so tiny.”
Jim re-arranged his hold and held the newborn out to his T’hy’la. “Spock…”
Spock took the baby, staring down in awe. Holding him with one arm his other hand lightly touched the newborn’s nose and ears before allowing the baby to wrap his tiny hand around his finger.
“He likes you, Spock.” Jim smiled with fond amusement in his eyes.
Spock leaned down and took a deep breath. Faint traces of his T’hy’la’s scent lingered on the child, making his insides warm and content. Slowly he began to sway as Jim had done, rocking the child.
“Congratulations!” Nyota pulled her eyes away from her enraptured boyfriend to give her captain the present.
“Thank you… although I didn’t do much of the work. Carol did it all…” Jim faltered and bit his lips, focusing on Spock dancing with his baby. “I didn’t know he could dance…”
“He can’t.” Nyota grinned.
“David is… I’m going to be able to see him. Whenever I’m here… and Carol promised to send me transmissions. Will you help me keep in touch?”
“Of course I will!” Nyota smiled.
Jim watched his T’hy’la and his newborn. “My little family…”
Nyota sighed. “I don’t think Spock will ever have children of his own… He would have been a very good father.”
“Yes… he would have…” Jim fondly wrapped his arm around Nyota’s shoulders. “I don’t know what the hell I’m doing… as a parent. You’re both welcome to share in my experience. I meant it when I said we are family.”
“Are you asking me to officially be his aunt? Because I’m pretty sure your connection with Spock makes him an uncle to any of your children anyway… not that you’d be able to deny him his uncle-hood. Look at him.”
Spock was shuffling in circles, cooing in Vulcan to the newborn.
“What’s he saying?”
Nyota listened for a moment. “Child of my beloved’s seed… Long life to you… Beloved child… Prosper and grow.”
“Sounds like he’s smitten…”
“Yes…” Nyota looked up at her captain. “He loves you.”
“I know.” Jim’s reply was short.
“If you ever break his heart I will have to destroy you.”
“And if he breaks mine?”
“He would never do that to you. He would rather die.”
They stood in companionable silence for a long time watching the mesmerizing and improvised Vulcan ritual.
“I’m honored you consider me family.” Nyota whispered.
“I’ve been thinking about this bond… trying to imagine myself as an ancient Vulcan warrior… wondering what they did between wars. There must have been the urge to stay close and yet there were family obligations. Mates and children… it’s my own theory that they must have stayed together. Two households but one family joined together by the connection between shield brothers. I’d like to imagine that they took care of each other and protected each other as a family. His children would be mine… and mine his. Clearly he lays claim to my baby… and I would protect his mate and children. Now that I say it out loud it just sounds weird…”
“No it doesn’t. Humans have polygamist examples of what you’re describing… except usually there is only one man or one woman that is central to all the households.”
“One woman, eh?”
“Get your mind out of the gutter… polyandry exists in some societies, especially when property inheritance is limited… such as Tibet. Brothers would share a wife to keep the land together and pass it on to the next generation of brothers.”
“Well… I don’t have much. My stepfather drank it all away.”
“You have us, James Kirk… and you have Spock.”
“Now I’m kinda glad I never dated you.”
Nyota pulled away and playfully punched him in the shoulder.
“Ow! Be nice to me… I’m a father now.”
“I’m always nice to you!” But she hit him again.
Spock approached, holding David protectively. “The baby is sleeping.”
Jim traded the sehlat for the newborn, fingers finding Spock’s as they passed the child and toy. “Hey there… Did you have fun with your Uncle Spock? See what he brought for you? A bear… cat… thing.”
“Sehlat… from Vulcan.”
“A sehlat… with big sharp teeth. Let’s eat the baby… yum, yum, YUM! Babies are yummy!”
“I had a pet sehlat when I was a child. His name was I-Chaya.”
“Thank you.” Jim smiled up at Spock and then back at the baby. “Hello, David… I’m I-Chaya! I’m Uncle Spock’s sehlat here to take care of you while your daddy is away. Will you be a good boy?”
“Nyota gave him the ribbon. That was not my idea.”
“It’s the color of your uniform.” Nyota answered. “That way David can remember that his daddy is a starship captain.”
“It’s perfect! Thank you both.”
“We better go…” Nyota started.
“Yes… the child should be put to bed.” Spock replied. “Jim…”
Jim held up his hand and allowed Spock to slide their fingers together, causing them both to shiver. “Thank you… I’ll see you in a few days.”
A smile twitched on the edge of the Vulcan’s lips. “Of course…”
“Say bye-bye to Auntie Nyota and Uncle Spock, David…” Jim waved the baby’s hand for him. “Bye-bye!”
Spock lightly touched the baby’s hand. “Goodbye, little one.”
“See ya.” Jim grinned.
Spock smiled and left.
Jim sat down on the rocking chair, holding David and the sehlat in his arms. “I’m going to miss you, kiddo. Five years… I’ll be gone five years. You’ll be old enough for Kindergarten when I get back. My big boy… Take care of your mother, ok? I liked her a lot. I wanted to marry her… She’s a nice lady… you’ll like her.” Jim kissed the baby’s forehead. “Space is in your blood… I was born out in space. I live and work out in space… your mother and I met in space. But you have to stay here on Earth until you’re a little older.” Jim continued to rock facing away from the door to the room, not noticing that Carol stood in the doorway. “The day I was born your Grandpa George died valiantly. He gave his life so that his crew would survive. I grew up hearing stories about him… how fantastic he was… but I never knew him. He never even held me. I don’t want that for you. I want you to know me. I promise I will take care of myself so at the end of my mission we can be together. Until then you’ve got your mom… take good care of her.” Jim continued to rock.
Carol stepped into the room, making her presence known. “There you are, David! Did you have a nice time with your father?” Carol picked up the baby.
Jim held up the sehlat. “Lookie what he got from Auntie Nyota and Uncle Spock.” Jim waggled his eyebrows.
Carol sighed and placed the baby in his crib. “Is that what he’s going to be called? Uncle?”
“Why? What else would he be?” Jim asked as he got up to place the sehlat in the crib near David’s feet.
Carol crossed her arms and frowned. “A stepfather?”
“What? I don’t know what you’re talking about…” Jim made sure David was content in his crib.
“Don’t you?” Carol made a face. “It’s why I couldn’t be with you.”
“Carol… I don’t know what you’re getting at!” Jim replied.
“You’re in love with him.”
Jim blinked and then looked back down at his child. “It doesn’t matter…”
“Yes, it DOES!”
“No… it doesn’t.”
“I couldn’t spend my life being a consolation prize to you. You’re in love with your first officer. How can I compete with that?”
“Carol…”
“I CAN’T compete with that.” Carol moved away from the crib.
“He’s with someone else.”
“No… he’s not. He’s with YOU and goes through the actions of being with someone else.”
“No… he loves her. I can’t intrude on that!”
“And yet you have.”
“That wasn’t my fault! It’s… destiny… or whatever it is that decides these things.” Jim rubbed his face. “But if he can take a mate… then I can take a wife too.”
“No… you can’t. Jim… you LOVE him. It may be some weird Vulcan bond thing but you’re HUMAN. You LOVE him. He is your life partner. He’s the one you should be with.”
“I can’t do that to Nyota… I can’t. She’s my friend and she doesn’t deserve this…”
“You’re right… she doesn’t… but you are all deluding yourselves if you think you can keep up this open relationship. So… I ask… Is Spock really just an uncle or is he something else?”
“Does it really matter, Carol? You should have seen him… he looked like a father…”
“That’s because he IS a father. He considers your offspring to be his.”
Jim bowed his head. “He loves someone else…”
“James Kirk…” Carol stepped up to Jim and placed her hands on his shoulders. “Since when do you give up so easily?”
“Have you ever had your ass kicked by Lieutenant Nyota Uhura?”
Carol shook her head. “You’re afraid… afraid he’ll reject you. You are such an idiot!”
Jim grinned. “But I’m a charming idiot!”
“Don’t be so sure of yourself!” Carol rolled her eyes. “Look… I’m doing this because I like you and we have a child together… You need to let Spock know that you are open to being his mate.”
“Carol… I really can’t DO that! He loves Nyota… She loves him…”
“All I’m hearing are excuses. Jim… just… understand… the only person you should EVER ask to marry you is Spock… otherwise you are going to make yourself or your spouse miserable. You won’t be happy with anyone else… and you won’t be happy watching him take Nyota as his wife. Do you understand?”
Jim nodded, looking away.
“Take care of yourself?” Carol chastely kissed Jim’s cheek. “You have a son to return to.”
“I will… thank you for letting me…”
Carol bit her lip a moment. “It was him… Spock. He contacted me and told me how upset you were with my decision to raise David on my own. He gave a long list of reasons as to why my actions were ‘illogical.’”
“I… I didn’t know…”
“He loves you. Any person who would do that for you… He LOVES you. He wants you to be happy.”
“Are you coming to the dedication ceremony?”
Carol nodded. “I’ll be there.” Catching the young captain’s hand she leaned in and kissed his cheek again. “Take care of yourself out there. Not for my sake… for David’s. He needs you.”
Jim smiled and nodded, wrapping his arms around her. “I’m sorry… I couldn’t be the man you needed.”
^.~
Jim sat, agitated in his chair. Spock had been sent to his cabin only an hour before and the link was bothering him. It felt like the Vulcan was crying out to him but all he could do was sit back and pretend nothing was happening. The sickness had come suddenly, whatever it was. One moment Spock was his usual stoic self and the next he was panting in discomfort. Jim sent him to the medical bay, unsure how else to help his T’hy’la. Spock had reassured him that it wasn’t something to worry about and yet the link told him otherwise. Uhura had been sent to go check up on her boyfriend. There was no doubt in Jim’s mind that Nyota could be professional and stay on the bridge, but for his own peace of mind he sent her along.
The turbo doors hissed open and Jim fought the urge to look back over his shoulder at who entered, not wanting to appear too eager for news that may not be there. “Captain… a word?” Nyota sounded nervous.
Jim turned to smile at her. “Of course, Lieutenant…”
“In private?” Nyota raised an eyebrow.
Jim stood up. “Sulu, you have the bridge.” Following Nyota out into the turbo lift he smiled nervously at her. “What is it?”
“Go to him.” It was in that moment that he noticed that her eyes were red rimmed as if she had been crying.
“I… what? What’s wrong?” Jim asked suddenly full of concern. “What happened?”
“Captain… Kirk… Jim… you have to go to him. He needs you. Have McCoy put you on medical leave… but you have to be with him right now.”
“I don’t understand!” Jim replied even as the doors to the turbo lift opened on the officer’s deck.
Nyota gently took his hand, squeezing his fingers. “He needs you, Jim. You are his T’hy’la… take care of him. He doesn’t… need me. Please… just do this? I will go inform McCoy.” Urging Jim out of the turbo lift, she indicated Spock’s cabin.
Jim felt lost standing in the hallway, staring back at the lift. “Nyota…”
“Take care of him.” And with that the door hissed shut.
Jim headed down the hall to Spock’s cabin and rang the chime. There was no answer on the first ring. “Spock?” The door hissed open and he stepped in, feeling like the environmental controls had gone crazy. The room was dim and it was hot. “Spock? Are you alright?” Jim checked Spock’s office before heading into the living quarters.
Spock sat on the floor in a robe in front of a flaming brazier. A shiver passed through him as he looked up at Jim. “I… burn.”
“Spock!” Jim fell to his knees and took Spock’s hands in his own. “What’s wrong? What is it?”
Spock blinked, his face flushed sage and his dark eyes feverish. “I burn… my Time has come…”
“Your… Time?” Jim blinked, wiping away a tendril of sweat from his own forehead.
“Pon Farr.” Spock trembled as his eyes seemed to cloud over.
And then Jim Kirk remembered Pon Farr from another lifetime… the battle… death… seeing his double die on the sands of Vulcan. “Spock?”
Spock reached out and gently touched Jim’s psi points. “I want this… with you… T’hy’la.”
Jim caught Spock’s hand and held it again. “What about Nyota, Spock? You love her… she loves you. She should be your wife. She should be here for this. Why did you send her away?”
“Jim…” Spock’s voice was low and made Jim’s dick harden with interest. “Our counterparts never had this chance… to be one… parted but never apart.” Pulling his hand out of the human’s hold he again placed his hand on Jim’s psi points. “Be my mate… Jim…”
Mutely Jim nodded with his hand covering Spock’s to keep it against his face. His other hand reached out to mirror Spock’s touch. The moment he made contact something snapped in his mind and he nearly fell over from the force. Feverishly warm arms caught him and laid him down on the floor, pulling away his clothes until he was naked, damp from the heat of the cabin. “Spock?”
Spock positioned himself between Jim’s thighs and allowed the Plak Tow to take over, his body moving by pure instinct as he took his mate for the first time. Their bodies knew each other but this was different… deeper. “Ashayam!” Spock cried out with the first release of his seed… and then he knew no more.
^.~
Jim woke feeling sweaty. It was never a pleasant sensation waking up too warm. The body next to him was cool. Sitting up a bit he stared down at Spock’s sleeping form. Reaching out he touched to check the Vulcan’s temperature, finding it to be what it should be and not feverish. With a fond smile he got up from the floor and felt something wet slide down his inner thighs. Bending down his kissed Spock’s forehead. After changing the temperature of the cabin to something a bit cooler he covered his mate with a blanket. Satisfied he went to the head to take a shower.
^.~
Spock woke up alone on the floor. For a moment he was confused as to his position but then memories came flooding back. Panic filled him as he sat up, his body still somewhat affected by his Pon Farr. The baser, primal feelings would continue for the next day at least. His mate was missing. Urgently he checked the most illogical places, hindered by instincts. Jim wasn’t behind the bed or under the desk. It was only when he checked the fichus in the corner that he heard the sonic shower and relaxed. Sitting on the bed he pulled the blanket tighter around himself just as the shower turned off and a naked Jim Kirk entered the cabin.
“Hey!” Jim greeted and crossed the room to sit on the bed. “How are you feeling?”
“I am… better, Jim.”
“I was worried about you… thought you were sick. I mean… I knew about Pon Farr but I didn’t imagine… it came on so quickly.” As Jim spoke his fingers lightly caressed Spock’s. “I thought Nyota would be there for you.”
Spock shook his head. “She wanted to but I… could not.”
Jim rested his head on Spock’s shoulder. “I’m sorry… Is there anything we can do for her? She loves you…” Jim rubbed Spock’s upper arms as he snuggled closer against the Vulcan’s back. “We broke her heart… there has to be something… some way… I can still share you… perhaps?”
“Vulcans do not share their mates.”
“Except in T’hy’la bonds.”
Spock sat in silence, head bowed.
Jim felt Spock’s misery and guilt through the bond which now blazed strongly between then rather than touching the back of his mind. “Spock I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” Kissing the back of the Vulcan’s neck he tried his best to comfort his mate.
“Husband…” The word was soft and full of affection. “Do no regret this. It is not your fault.”
“Nor was it YOURS!” Jim replied trying to turn Spock around to face him. When Spock finally cooperated he lightly touched the Vulcan’s face, trying to get the dark eyes to meet his own. “She sent me to you knowing what would happen. She did this for you… but there was nothing any of us could have done. You needed this or else… you would have died. Plak Tow would have consumed you, right? Yes, I remember some details from my meld with your double. Pon Farr, Plak Tow… Kolinahr. That would have been the alternative, right? Purging your feelings… Your double tried that.”
Spock blinked in surprise. “He said he did not.”
“After their mission… when my counterpart went off and tried to get married… Spock was left alone and he tried Kolinahr… but he couldn’t. James Kirk was too much a part of him by that point.” Jim kissed Spock’s lips, attempting to guide them both down onto the bed.
Spock allowed Jim to position him on his back and watched as his captain straddled him and then lay down, the human’s body warm and comforting against him. His arms encircled the human’s waist. “So much information in one meld…”
“He did say it would be easier to explain his motives. All that information at once… I’m still trying to wade through it all. It served to get me to trust him within two minutes of meeting him… there was a whole lifetime he gave me…” Jim sat up a bit and shifted his position so he was kneeling between Spock’s thighs.
Spock gave no protest, opening his knees wider to give his husband space.
Jim lightly caressed where he knew Spock’s genitals were hidden. His thumb teased the slit until a double-ridged, oily organ met his hand. “You… ejaculated.”
Spock raised an eyebrow and stared up at his human. “With Pon Farr comes my first… yes.”
“There was a lot of it… inside of me.”
“Pon Farr is a time of mating… if you were female…”
“You might have gotten me pregnant. But I’m male.” Jim leaned forward and kissed one of Spock’s nipples.
“I have reason to believe I may be sterile.”
“Doesn’t matter… we’d find a way…” Jim kissed the other nipple.
“You already have a child.”
“David might like brothers or sisters…”
“I cannot father children.”
“My children will be yours.”
Spock froze and stared up at Jim, eyes wide.
Jim pulled away and leaned against Spock’s leg. “Carol told me… what you did… finding logic in allowing me to be a part of David’s life. She implied… that you should be called ‘step father’ rather than ‘uncle.’ Do you… want to be a father to my children, Spock?”
Spock sat up and held the human against him. “Ashayam… You honor me.”
“It’s not about honor, Spock. You’re my… you’re mine. I’ll father as many children as you want. They may not be of your bloodline but they’ll be ours. If that’s what you want. We can have a whole entourage… little Jim Spocks with my good looks and your brains.”
“They will not have my DNA contribution…”
“I don’t care… they’ll still be yours in spirit. We’ll raise them… together.”
Spock leaned against his mate, face nuzzled up under Jim’s chin. “It is starting again… I feel my blood… burn…”
“Lay down.” Jim gently guided Spock back down on the bed and took position between his legs. For a moment he stroked the oily organ. Using that oil on himself he pushed in. “Is this… alright?” Spock’s body easily opened to him… damn those Vulcans and their muscle control.
Spock did not speak. Eyes closed and face looking a little sage with his warming blood he looked debauched. “Jim…”
Jim snapped his hips forward. Leaning down he made sure to rub against Spock’s organ, fisting it in his own hand. “My Spock… mine…” Bowing his head he pushed in as deeply and hard as he could, knowing from experience that Spock could take it.
Spock grunted and arched his back, cool semen releasing onto his stomach. “T’hy’la…”
^.~
The semen sample had been carefully gathered and sent to the lab for analysis. It didn’t matter that Spock’s mate was male… he would still do his duty to his species.
“Can you imagine? Little pointy eared babies?” Jim teased as they lay in bed together. There was still another day left of McCoy’s medical leave granted to them both.
“Just to be sure… I want you both to get bed rest for the next 24 hours.” McCoy had stated when he was given the sample at the cabin door. After a quick exam to make sure his captain and first officer were physically fit he left them.
“I am only half Vulcan…” Spock sighed and fixed the blanket that covered them both.
“I still want to meet your babies.” Jim played with Spock’s fingers. “My family was… small… scattered. My dad was dead, my mom gone… all I had was my brother who left when I was 12. My step father… I stayed as far away from him as I could get. I’ve never really had a family, Spock. This ship is the closest I’ve had to a real family.”
“We are family, husband.” Spock lightly kissed Jim’s temple. “Never forget that. We are family now. You have David and McCoy… and Nyota. We are all your clan.”
“My clan…” Jim mused cuddling closer to his mate.
^.~
“I… have a small percentage of viability. I am not sterile.” Spock stared at the findings on his PADD.
Nyota and Jim both perked up from where they sat at their shared table in the mess hall. Nyota had been invited to lunch with the newly bonded pair.
“That’s… fantastic, Spock!” Jim beamed at his mate. “That means you can have children.”
“It will be difficult. Artificial pregnancy with donated eggs…”
“I’ll do it.” Nyota stated.
Both males looked at Nyota.
“I’ll give you a baby, Spock.” Nyota took another bite of her salad as if she hadn’t just blown her tablemates’ minds.
“Are you sure?” Jim queried, staring at his communications officer in shock.
“Do you have ovaries hidden somewhere, Captain?” Nyota rolled her eyes. “You can’t donate eggs, but I can. After our mission I may even act as surrogate if you need me.”
“Nyota that’s… that’s wonderful!” Jim almost hugged his lieutenant in front of the rest of the crew. At the last moment he pulled back. “I… thank you!”
“I’m not doing it for you… I’m doing it for Spock… and for David so he can have a little brother or sister with Spock’s good looks and brains. You can’t be the only person in your marriage allowed to breed!”
“I could kiss you.” Jim grinned like an idiot. “But I won’t because you’d probably hit me. I’ll leave the kissing to Spock.”
Spock raised an eyebrow at the conversation.
“SAY something, Spock!” Jim urged.
“Thank you, Nyota.” Spock stated reverently.
“It’s the least I can do, Spock.” Nyota smiled.
^.~
Five years was a long time. In that time children grow up as children are opt to do. James Kirk grinned at his son and lifted him up in the air, twirling him around. “David!”
“Dad!” David replied clinging to the man he only knew from transmissions. When Jim turned the ride into a hug he looked over his father’s shoulder at the man with pointy ears and the woman who stood closely behind him, one hand protectively on her belly. “A’nirih!” David pointed at Spock.
Jim glanced back over his shoulder. “You’ve been teaching him Vulcan during your transmissions.”
“Our children should learn Vulcan.” Spock greeted the kindergartener with a raised ta’al. “Greetings, son.”
David responded with a ta’al of his own before he reached out for the Vulcan and he was transferred over. “Did you miss me?”
“Of course.”
“Should I be jealous?” Jim asked, cocking his head to the side and grinning. “He even knows your hand sign…”
“Of course not, Ashayam. We have a surprise for you, David.”
David smiled up at Spock, clearly the favored father. “What is it?”
“You’re going to have a little sister.” Jim replied, anxious to take back some of the adoration of his child.
“A sister?” David looked perplexed.
“Yes… Auntie Nyota and Spock made a baby together.” Jim stated.
“Artificially…” Spock clarified.
“A sister? Like how Gene has a sister?” David practically vibrated with joy. “I get a sister!”
“With your reputation one would think you’d be the one providing the brothers and sisters…” Carol teased as she approached the group.
“Who me? No… I’m a married man now.” Jim replied with a grin.
“Married life agrees with you, Captain Kirk.” Carol lightly kissed Jim’s cheek in greeting.
“Family life agrees with him.” Nyota stated from where she stood, letting David touch her belly.
“Yeah… listen to my daughter’s mama.” Jim grinned cheekily.
“That still sounds strange…” Nyota mused.
^.~
Jim returned to bed after getting up to get David a glass of water. “All tucked in, A’nirih.”
“I am not your father.” Spock stated from his spot on the bed.
“It was a joke… our son is safely in bed clutching a well-loved stuffed sehlat. He dreams of growing up to be a great Vulcan warrior just like his daddy, Spock.” As Jim spoke he scooted closer to his mate, wrapping an arm around the other male’s waist. “He has no thoughts to his biological dad… who just so happens to be a starship captain.”
“Jealous, T’hy’la?”
“Maybe a little… I can understand his adoration of you. You are pretty fantastic. And you’re about to provide him with an adorable little sister with pointy ears. How can I compare?”
Spock kissed Jim. “You are… everything to me. I cherish thee… honor thee…”
Jim grinned and straddled his husband. “You know I like it when you start tossing out ‘thee’ and ‘thou.’ High Vulcan comes next.” Reaching down Jim caressed Spock’s slit.
Spock wrapped his arms around his mate, pulling him down flush against him. “You are cherished, James Kirk. You are… loved. You make me complete. I am honored to be your husband. I will be at your side until our last breath and my spirit will be bound to yours for eternity.”
“Spock…”
“You have met my double… you have met our mirror selves… you know it to be a universal truth. In any universe Spock belongs with James Kirk.”
The emotion was great and Jim chuckled softly to relieve the moment. “Well… to be fair… the mirror-verse Jim belonged to Spock… physically…”
“Despite that Jim’s status as a sex slave to his Spock… they still belonged together.”
“I can’t believe he tried to seduce you…”
“He thought I was his Master. I declined his services.”
“That didn’t stop your mirror self from taking advantage of me.”
“A Vulcan is stronger than a human. There was no way you could have resisted him once he decided to bed you.”
Jim blinked down at Spock in concern. “Is that true? Even for you?”
“I would never dream of harming you, Ashayam. If you ever wished to decline I would refrain. You must understand… that universe Spock was a slave owner and Jim his slave. There is that mentality of ownership I do not possess. You are my T’hy’la… my shield brother. We are equals. The mirror-verse lacks that equality.”
^.~
Jim blinked, unsure why the transporter room looked so… odd. There was a mural on the wall he hadn’t noticed before. A bearded Spock glowered at him from the controls, looking over the shoulder of a worried looking transporter operator. “What was that?” Spock quietly demanded.
“The ion storm… interference. It won’t happen again!” Kyle panicked, trying to step away from Spock.
“You nearly lost my property.” Spock replied and held out his hand. “Your Agonizer.”
Kyle handed over a small device he kept in his belt sash. “Please no, Captain Spock!”
Spock pressed the device to the man’s chest and he screamed as he fell. “Take that away.” Spock informed the other transport operator who had attempted to distance himself through the proceedings. Spock turned his attention to the pad, barely glancing at Uhura, Scotty and McCoy. “You will come with me, Jim.”
Jim followed through a ship he knew and yet didn’t. It was as if the ship was a twisted reality of his own ship. Where one corridor was supposed to go one way it went another. Crew looked at him with harsh scowls upon their faces. “Spock…”
“I did not give you permission to speak, slave.”
“Slave?” Jim echoed. It felt like someone poured ice water down his spine. “Slave…”
Spock stopped before a door and waved aside two gruff looking men before entering the key code. Stepping aside he waited for Jim to enter before following him and relocking the door.
Jim vaguely recognized some of the pieces in the room as belonging to his own Spock. It seemed this version of Spock also possessed some of the same items. “Spock… I…”
Spock glared at Jim. “You will not address me with such familiarity. Who are you?”
“James T. Kirk…”
Spock frowned. “That is not the name of a slave. Your father failed and you were sold into slavery, losing your name. I ask again… who are you?”
Jim shook his head. “I am James Tiberius Kirk. That is my name.”
“Where did you come from?” Spock demanded.
“I don’t know… an alternate reality. There was an ion storm and… it must have affected the transporters.”
“You are not my slave, James.”
“I am no slave.” Jim replied, glaring defiantly at a twisted version of his husband.
“Fascinating.” Spock answered. “Very well… you will take off your clothes.”
“What? Why?” Jim demanded. “You know I’m not your slave.”
“No matter, James. You will undress and lay on the bed.”
“Spock… I can’t… I have a mate.”
“In every universe James belongs to Spock.”
“Every universe?”
“My double has advised me that any James I encounter I should take for myself.”
“You have a double too?” Jim shook his head. “How many Spocks are there?”
Spock cocked his head to the side. “I have encountered one. He spoke of another his James encountered.”
“And then there’s mine…”
“A Vulcan cannot be owned by a human.” Spock looked offended.
“I didn’t mean that… I… He’s my mate. You mate in this universe, don’t you? Pon Farr? Plak Tow?”
“Take. Off. Your. Clothes.” Spock made each word very clear. “You are mine now and you will obey.”
“I most certainly WILL NOT!” Jim replied. “You will find, Mr. Spock that I am no slave.”
Spock’s eyebrow rose in response. “You challenge me? It is a fight you will not win. I am the superior in strength and intelligence.”
“Even if you break my body you cannot make me a slave.”
“Fascinating…” Spock answered.
^.~
“Your Mirror self was horrible to me…” Jim sighed as he reflected on his experience.
“Dwelling on it will not change the experience.”
“I felt bad for my other self.”
“And yet he was eager to return to his status as my other self’s slave…”
“Universal constant…” Jim sighed and snuggled up against his own Spock.
“Daddy? I-Chaya is afraid of the dark.” Both adults looked down at the child that entered their bedroom.
“David,” Spock began. “I-Chaya is not afraid of the dark because he…”
Jim knew Spock was going to make the argument that I-Chaya was a toy and therefore unable to be afraid. “Because he’s nocturnal. He loves the dark. The dark is his awake time.” Jim sat up and elbowed Spock in the ribs.
Spock made a face at his husband and then glanced down at their son. The boy was a miniature version of his T’hy’la… all wide eyed and trusting.
“A’nirih?”
“Sehlats are nocturnal.” Spock replied.
“Maybe A’nirih will put our little warrior back to bed and make sure I-Chaya stays up to protect.” Jim suggested.
Spock got out of bed and led the child back to his own bedroom. When he returned he settled back into bed. “We should not lie to our children.”
“It comforts him to think his toy is real and protects him at night… When I was a child I had a night light. It did nothing to chase away the monsters in my closet but it helped reassure me that there was nothing there to hurt me. Children need to feel protected… and if a light or a toy reminds them they are safe and protected… what of it? It’s a physical representation of something abstract… like hiding under the blankets with the pillow over your head when your mom and her boyfriend fight… or the warmth of a kitten in your arms when half the colony is being put to death for lack of food.”
Spock blinked several times, stunned. “When did that happen? I have never seen it in our melds.”
Jim shook his head. “It doesn’t matter…”
“Jim…?”
“Tarsus IV… I was sent there after I wrecked my dad’s car. My stepfather couldn’t deal with me anymore and sent me away to my aunt and uncle... they died in the massacre. They were the only family to ever show me kindness and open their home to me but… but they were ‘unworthy.’”
“I grieve with thee…” Spock whispered.
“Story of my life…”
“You have me, Ashayam. You have David… Nyota… our little one… the Doctor… my counterpart… You are loved and admired. You have saved the Earth… You have saved me.”
Jim smiled and gently kissed his husband.
^.~
Jim stood in the nursery holding the newborn baby girl. Gently he danced with her, making a small circle as models of starships dangled above his head. Nyota and Spock stood together, watching the starship captain get to know his daughter, the biological child of his mate and friend. The baby’s parents watched him in silence as he swayed from side to side.
“Child of my beloved’s seed… Long life to you… Beloved child… Prosper and grow.” Jim whispered and kissed the newborn’s forehead.
--Fin