Disclaimer: Don't own cover pic or star trek (sadly) but if I did there would be more tribbles. And space husbands.

Jim idly crossed his legs in the captain chair, tapping away at the pad in front of him. Frowning lightly he fought a sigh as the small character on the screen died. Again. An entire shifts work for nothing and only a level away from the big boss fight, to say he was disappointed was an understatement.

For the past few days The Enterprise had been coasting from one small, boring job to the next. Something about needing to take a break he thought Pike said. Glancing around at his command crew it was safe to say he wasn't the only one affected by the inactivity.

Chekov and Sulu were talking quietly and Uhura was lazily scrolling through her pad. Spock was (as usual) working intently at his station, the slightest furrow between his eyebrows that would be almost invisible to anyone else. Suddenly Spock straightened and turned, those dark eyes now completely focused on the blonde who flushed at being caught staring.

"Captain, no significant life forms have been located on the planet," Spock monotoned. One of those elegant eyebrows rose as the Vulcan fixed Jim with a subtle look of concern.

"Are you unwell sir? You appear to be experiencing-"

"Im fine Spock, its nothing," Jim hurriedly interjected, not completely able to ignore the snickering coming from Sulu or the blinding smile Chekov was sporting. Even Uhura looked amused, hiding her smile behind a pad.

So maybe Jim had a little thing for his first officer, just a slight crush. He mentally shuddered at the word and resolved to pick something more manly to describe it in his head for next time. Regardless, apparently the only one onboard who didnt know was Spock himself. And maybe Scotty since he rarely left engineering.

Tuning back into the situation at hand Jim uncrossed his legs and sat forward.

"So we have the green light then?" Spock's other eyebrow snuck into his hairline.

"Green light Captain?" Jim looked at him with amusement.

"I swear you just pretend to not understand sometimes, don't you?"

"That would be most illogical, Captain," Spock assured, his face impassive but a glint of humour in his eyes making Jim smile widely. Sneaky Vulcan.

Standing from his chair with a stretch, Jim felt the first rush of excitement tickle the inside of his stomach. Finally something to do!

"Sulu you have the conn, Spock with me." Sulu nodded and Spock walked shoulder to shoulder with Jim to the turbolift, back ramrod straight and hands clasped behind him. Before long they and twelve others (eight science officers and four red shirts) found themselves in a clearing surrounded by dense jungle.

The plant life was surprisingly similar to that of earth yet instead of greens the flora was a kaleidoscope of colour. Hot pink, yellow, orange and blue seemed to be the main ones and some of the larger trees seemed to be somewhat luminescent. Jim wasn't sure if he found it beautiful or just trippy.

The blue shirted science team all pulled out their tricorders and immeaditely went about recording data, already immersed in whatever readings they were getting. The few red shirts glanced around in interest, since they were part of the security team there wasn't a whole lot for them to do.

Spock strode over to the edge of the trees and inspected a deep blue coloured fern with his tricorder, raising an eyebrow. With a sigh, Jim took the chance to stretch his legs and began walking to the opposite side of the clearing to inspect what looked like a purple umbrella of sorts.

In retrospect he would have to agree with Bones' theory that anything that starts with 'Jim walked away from the group' would inevitably go balls up.

He made it halfway before the umbrella thing quivered and suddenly a long green tendril shot out of the center and wrapped around Jim's arm. With a shout, the young captain was wrenched forward off his feet to be dragged towards the trees. Jim scrambled for his phaser but was thrown violently to the left, dropping it uselessly behind him. A second green tendril shot out and snaked around his chest, knocking the air from his lungs with the force. Amongst the chaos Jim had the fleeting thought that he was going to be killed by a plant before the sound of a phaser shot rang through the air.

A blur of blue and the vines were snapped, falling limp as the young captain rolled to his back on the ground, gasping for breath. Spock knelt by his side, eyebrows knitted together in undisguised worry.

"Captain are you injured?" Spock asked, eyes searching over the blondes body. Jim felt his face go red from the scrutiny- and no it wasn't a blush at all and had nothing to do with the way his first officer was leaning over him. Not at all.

Sitting up, Jim shook his head. "Im fine Spock, thanks for-" he was cut off as another officer shrieked.

All around them roots and vines shot out and grabbed the unsuspecting Starfleet officers, the large clearing becoming smaller as the jungle seemed to literally advance on them.

Spock grabbed his communicator. "Spock to Enterprise. We require immediate-" there was a crunch as the communicator was crushed by a large vine, the tendrils wrapping themselves around everything and anything. In a split second decision Spock lunged for Jim, wrapping his arms around the shocked captain in an effort to keep them together. Jim had just enough time to reciprocate before they were grabbed by the vegetation, thin vines and brambles cutting through his uniform and attempting to wrench them apart. Jim almost felt the sensation of falling as he and Spock were pulled this way and that with surprising speed and anxiously hoped the rest of the away team had escaped. He couldn't hear anything over the cacophony of hundreds of trees and ferns eating them before all was silent.

Cautiously the young captain opened his eyes and raised his head from where it had been tucked against his first officer's shoulder, tentatively unwrapping his arms from the Vulcan.

They seemed to be standing in the middle of the jungle, the foliage so thick only a small amount of light filtered through the canopy casting them in half light. Jim fished out his communicator and was met with piercing static. Awesome, just what he needed.

"Dammit it must be broken, guess we'll just have to try to find everyone the old fashioned way," Jim murmured, stowing away the useless communicator. Spock frowned minutely.

"Captain, you appear to have sustained injuries." Jim glanced down at his stinging arms, small lines and blotches of red against his torn yellow uniform.

"Just superficial stuff I'll manage Spock. And since we're on our own its Jim," he added, choosing a random direction and walking forward. Spock stared after him a moment before following a step behind his captain.

"Very well Jim," the Vulcan amended softly, breath ghosting across Jims neck as he strode past.

And damn if that wasn't one of the hottest things Jim had ever heard.

I am so screwed, Jim thought to himself, suppressing a shiver. Spock allowed himself a small, unseen smirk as the two continued forward.