Rescue Mission

Victoria and Kirk followed closely behind Spock as he led them through the halls of the Narada, all of them being as cautious as they could…well, as cautious as Kirk knew they could be with Victoria on a warpath. He understood completely why, every time they hit a corner, instead of peeking around it, she just strode past it with her phaser out and ready. Which was why he ran out with her, firing at whatever Romulans might be ahead of them. He knew, from quite a bit of experience, that Victoria wasn't exactly the best shot facing someone head on. He was still trying to work out who she could be a good shot when she was startled but not when she had time to actually aim. He'd actually been the one to find out that little detail about her, something not even she knew about herself. It had been an accident really, he'd sort of snuck up on her in one of the target rooms, those phasers were more for show, like a water gun but with a flash of light instead of something set to stun. She'd been wearing small earphones and he'd thought it would be funny to throw a candy at her from the pile in his hand. He'd spooked her and she'd spun around, firing without realizing she had…and hit him dead in the chest.

Good thing it had just been a burst of light, hardly even gave him a shock really.

But it had been something they'd tested out a little more, and he was really pleased with himself that HE had been the one to notice that about her, to point it out to her. It was like how she'd pointed out that he had very good aim when throwing things instead of just with a phaser. He'd nailed her right in the center of the back with that candy.

Spock would have rolled his eyes if the human emotion had been a bit stronger in him, at how reckless Victoria was being. He could…empathize with her. He had been on a one track mind when Vulcan was in jeopardy, he'd forsaken his crew, risked his life, and sent himself right onto a planet he knew was on the verge of being made into a black hole just in the hope of saving his mother and father. And now…Victoria had the chance to do the same for her father, and he was determined to ensure that she, unlike him and Kirk, did not lose a parent. He was well aware of the situation with Victoria's mother, Pike's ex-wife, but the fact was that the former Mrs. Pike WAS still alive. His mother was dead, Kirk's father was dead, and neither of them wanted to see another parent lost to the Romulans.

He led them, as quickly as he could, right into the ship that contained the black hole device, the…red matter, if he recalled correctly from the Romulan's mind. And it did appear to be just that, it was like a large glass tube was set up in the middle of the stark white room of the ship, a large red ball hanging in the middle of it, hovering there.

"I foresee a complication," he began, looking around the ship before turning his attention to Kirk and Victoria, "The design of this ship is far more advanced than I've anticipated."

"Voice print and face recognition analysis enabled," a computerized voice called out before either human could open their mouths to comment or try to offer suggestions, "Welcome back, Ambassador Spock."

Spock blinked at that, frowning at how the computer had not only recognized him, but what it called him. He could guess, given the technology, that this ship was from the future as well, but…if the future ship recognized him…wouldn't that mean HE was there too, from the future? If so…where was he?

"Wow," Kirk began slowly, trying to seem innocent and only serving to make Victoria close her eyes and shake her head at him for it, "That's weird."

Spock eyed him a moment, "Computer, what is your manufacturing origin?" he asked it, wanting to test his theory but also to learn just how far into the future the Narada and Nero had come from. If it was a short distance into the future, perhaps they could prevent whatever it was that had led to Nero coming…

No, that would cause a paradox wouldn't it? If they prevented whatever it was that led Nero to them…then the attack on the Kelvin would never have happened. Yes, Kirk would have his father again, but…it would also mean that the event that would trigger this alert to them about some future event would never have happened. That timeline would continue on as normal, and the event that had sent Nero after them would occur as it originally did. Which would just send Nero after them and attacking the Kelvin and them trying to prevent the event and just end up as an endless circle of paradoxes.

"Stardate 2387," the computer answered, "Commissioned by the Vulcan Science Academy."

"Did you have to add THAT part?" Victoria muttered to it, knowing that now Spock was without a doubt convinced that the ship had to have come from the alternate reality, the original one, where Vulcan still existed. She'd seen it on his face before, seen him working out what the ship was and who might be there.

Spock turned to the two of them, "It appears that you have been keeping important information from me."

"You'll be able to fly this thing, right?" was all Kirk countered in reply, not willing to risk the Universe ending just because he told Spock something that could affect the future like his future-self warned.

"Something tells me I already have."

"Well then go with that feeling," Victoria said quickly, turning to Kirk, "We really need to find the Captain now."

Kirk nodded and glanced at Spock as he took Victoria's hand to lead her off, "Good luck."

"Wait," Spock called, making them stop in their leaving to turn and face him again, "The statistical likelihood that our plan will succeed is less than 4.3%."

"And since it's James's plan, let's round that down to 4%," Victoria quipped.

Kirk rolled his eyes, knowing that she was only saying that jokingly…even if it might be true… "It'll work," he promised them both.

Spock just stood straighter, looking at them with a grim quality to his expression, a minute quality, his expressions were very hard to read at times, "In the event that I do not return, please tell Lieutenant Uhura..."

"Spock, it'll work," Kirk cut in.

"And YOU tell her yourself when we get back," Victoria added, "Trust me…it'll mean more coming from YOU than a message from us."

"Come on," Kirk took her hand once more, leading her out of the small ship and back into the Narada, they had a captain to find, not just that, a father to rescue because…in the three years he'd been there…Pike had actually become like a father figure to him, just…a good man that he looked up to. He really, REALLY should have seen the family resemblance between him and Victoria though.

He looked up to her as well.

~8~

Kirk and Victoria ran into the drill deck of the Narada, having spotted Nero standing there, both of them with their phasers out and aimed at the Romulan, who merely turned to look at them, "Nero," Kirk began, "Order your men to disable the drill…"

"And release Captain Pike," Victoria cut in, her grip on her phaser tightening.

"Or we will…"

Kirk was cut off as another Romulan attacked him from behind, knocking him down, Nero reaching out to grab Victoria's phaser as she turned to Kirk and yanking it out of her hand, backhanding her and sending her to the ground as well.

Nero smirked as he looked at the two fallen humans, "You have your father's eyes," Nero hissed at Victoria, sending a swift kick to her chest, forcing her back, sending her rolling across the floor, gasping in pain as the other Romulan held Kirk back, "I can see the resemblance," he sneered, starting to smirk, "You both look the same when you're writhing in pain."

"Nero!" Kirk shouted, doing whatever he could to draw Nero's attention away from Victoria, even if it meant throwing his head back to knock out the second Romulan and break free of his grip, rushing at the man, trying to attack him.

Nero turned and grabbed his arm and a fight commenced between the two, Victoria gasping and panting, trying to get breath enough back to help him.

"I know your face from Earth's history," Nero told Kirk as he gained the upper hand, "James T. Kirk was considered to be a great man. He went on to marry Victoria Pike, become captain the USS Enterprise…" he laughed, slamming Kirk to the floor, "But that was another life," he stood over the man, rising with Kirk's phaser in hand, "A life I will deprive you of, just like I did your father. But not before I deprive you of another you love," he turned and made his way over to Victoria, ignoring Kirk's shouts of 'no!' as the man struggled to find the strength to get up and stop him. He gave a hefty stomp onto Victoria's already injured hand, making her cry out in pain, flailing onto her back and clutching her hand to her chest.

He shook his head, "And that is where the family resemblance ends," he taunted her, "Your father cried," he spat at her, seeing tears in her eyes before he raised the phaser, aiming it at her head.

Victoria let out a strangled scream, swinging her one leg out, sweeping his leg out from under him and sending Nero onto his back, before she twisted, using both legs to give the man a fierce shove with as much force as she could manage with her two legs, sending him toppling over the edge of the platform they'd fallen on before she flopped back onto her back, panting.

"Tory!" Kirk called, scrambling over to her side, reaching out to check her hand, knowing it had to be killing her, "Tor…"

"I'm fine," she swallowed hard, "I'll be ok Jim."

He took a breath before helping her up, glancing over the edge of the platform to see that Nero hadn't fallen all that far, only onto the next platform just below them, the two ducking back as he fired Kirk's phaser back up at them, trying to hit them, when he froze…

"Captain Nero!" a voice called over the comms., "The Vulcan ship has been taken, the drill has been destroyed!"

"Spock!" Nero screamed, turning to run out of the drill room, "SPOCK!"

"Come on," Kirk took her uninjured hand, turning to go…when the Romulan he'd knocked out appeared behind them and threw a punch at him, Kirk ducking under the swing, "Phaser!" he shouted to her, before jumping back from another swing and rushing off to lead the Romulan away to give her time.

Victoria looked around, realizing that Nero had only taken one of the phasers, HER phaser was still there. She spun in a circle before she finally spotted it half hidden in one of the many shadows of the platform. She ran for it, half stumbling to her knees as the pain in her hand reared up at her sudden jolt forward, she grabbed the phaser with her good hand, SO thankful that her father had been wise enough to teach her how to throw a punch with her weaker hand and still make it powerful. He had been in a fight on more than one occasion where someone had intercepted the punch early and twisted his arm up his back, once they even broke his arm in reaction. He'd learned that people would assume that the punching arm was the strong arm and think they'd incapacitated an opponent if they attacked the punching arm.

It was really, REALLY good he'd thought to teacher this, because she was a terrible enough shot as it was than to try and have her shoot with her weaker hand.

She spun around, rushing over to where Kirk and the other Romulan were fighting, pushing herself even faster when the Romulan grabbed Kirk by the throat and lifted him into the air.

"Your species is even weaker than I expected," she heard the Romulan sneer at him.

But she knew that Kirk was barely paying attention to what the Romulan was saying as his gaze was locked on HER over its shoulder, "I can't..."

The Romulan squeezed his throat extra tight, cutting him off, "You can't even speak. What?"

"Nero took MY gun," Kirk smirked.

The Romulan seemed to gather what Kirk meant and dropped him suddenly, spinning around only to see that Victoria was right behind him, too close where not even her own terrible aim could save him, the woman not even giving him a single moment before she fired, the man falling to his knees and then toppling off the side of the platform.

Kirk winced as the phaser blasted right through the man's neck, "Ouch…"

"I was aiming for his forehead," Victoria sighed, shaking her head at that, it was a gruesome way to die but luckily, in a way, the Romulan fell down over the side of the platform as well and crashed on a lower floor…if the blast hadn't killed him, the fall definitely had.

Just as they were about to turn and go after Pike, the entire ship shook.

"What the hell!?" Kirk gasped, rushing to a side window to see that the Enterprise had arrived, Spock at the helm, he was supposed to give him a few more days there, possibly a week, to try and find some more information.

"There's no time James," Victoria ran over and took his hand, pulling him away from the window, "Right now we have to rescue the captain."

Kirk nodded and turned, rushing after her out of the room, knowing that they had to be close to the 'prisoner' if there were so many guards lingering about, "This way," he turned around a corner, dashing into a room and firing Victoria's phaser at a Romulan that was standing above Pike, the man still alive but barely, strapped to some sort of board.

They didn't even wait for the Romulan to fall to the ground before they were racing over to the man, checking him over.

"Captain Pike," Kirk reached for him, trying to get the straps binding him undone, tossing Victoria back her phaser as she tried to wake him instead, "Captain, Pike sir?"

"Dad?" Victoria tried, gently shaking him, "Dad…wake up. Dad!"

Pike winced, starting to blink rapidly as he opened his eyes, looking at Victoria with a frown, not even seeming to notice Kirk standing there, "Tory?" he murmured, his voice hoarse and weak, "What are…what are you…"

"We had to save you dad."

"We?" he frowned, but she nodded across to Kirk who winked at him.

"Captain's orders too."

He gave her a weary grin, "Finally starting to…listen to orders?"

"Not a chance," she offered him a smile too…spin around and fire at a Romulan that was trying to sneak up on them.

Pike let out a wheezing laugh at that, "Still can't fire without surprise?" he teased.

"We can't all be as amazing as you dad," she murmured, realizing she was calling him 'dad' more in this moment than she did in a year.

Pike reached out and put a hand on hers as she moved to try and get the straps holding him to the board on her side off. He stilled her and looked into her eyes, "I am SO proud of you Victoria," he told her, and he was.

Despite how she constantly got into fights and detainment (he blamed Kirk for at least half of them), how little she usually listened to the captain, how disrespectful he knew she could be…he WAS proud of her. Here she was, risking her life to save him, following orders at the same time to boot.

Victoria looked at him, an expression that broke his (and Kirk's) heart to see that she actually looked disbelieving that he'd say that, "You…are?"

Pike nodded, "More than ever."

"More than when I got into the Cadet program?"

"More than that."

Victoria started to smile at that, when they heard the sound of more Romulans coming after them, all of them shouting about how the 'Vulcan's ship' was heading right for them. Kirk quickly called out into their comms., "Enterprise go!"

The familiar white lights surrounded the three of them, depositing them back on the transport pad of the Enterprise, Spock appearing right beside them, having been saved from the ship he had set on a collision course with the Narada on.

"Perfect timing Scotty," Victoria smiled at the man at the transport controls.

"Ha ha ha ha!" Scotty cheered, "I've never beamed four people from two targets onto one pad before!"

"Jim!" Bones ran in, "Vick!"

"Bones!" Kirk laughed, stumbling forward with Pike between him and Victoria.

"I've got him," Bones rushed over to take the man and examine him.

"That was pretty good," Scotty grinned.

"And it's not over yet," Kirk agreed, glancing at Victoria who was still supporting Pike. She gave him a nod and he turned and ran out of the room with Spock, Victoria and Bones trying to get Pike to the medbay. She may not like it, she may hate that room, but…she could get her father INTO it right? And when he was all taken care of she would be out of there faster than a squirrel on hot asphalt…

She blinked at that, she was starting to sound like Bones.

~8~

Kirk and Spock ran onto the Bridge, Chekov being the first to spot them and report their status, "Captain, the enemy ship is losing power. Their shields are down, sir."

"Hail them now," Kirk ordered.

"Aye."

Kirk took another step forward as Nero appeared on the viewscreen, a small image to the side showing them the Narada being sucked into a black hole that had formed when the ship Spock had been in, the one containing the 'red matter' had crashed with the ship, the force of it initiating the red matter into creating the hole.

"This is Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise," Kirk stated, "Your ship is compromised. You're too close to the singularity to provide assistance, which we will provide."

"Captain, what are you doing?" Spock frowned at him, not having expected this at all.

"You show them compassion may be the only way to earn peace with Romulus. It's logic, Spock," he glanced at the Vulcan, "Thought you'd like that."

"No, not really. Not this time. And I rather suspect Victoria will, how do you put it, have your head for offering this to Nero as well."

"Well, what Victoria doesn't know won't hurt her," Kirk remarked, already knowing Nero would turn down his request.

And turn it down he did, "I would rather suffer the end of Romulus a thousand times," the Romulan spat, "I would rather die in agony than accept assistance from you!"

Kirk nodded at that, shrugging, "You got it. Arm phasers, fire everything we got."

"Yes, sir," Sulu put in the command, the Enterprise firing at the enemy ship, destroying it as it sunk further and further into the black hole.

Kirk grinned, seeing that, "Sulu, let's go home!"

"Yes, sir!"

But the smile on Kirk's face started to fade as, instead of warping away, they just drifted closer and close to the black hole, "Why aren't we at warp?"

"We are, sir," Chekov confirmed.

Kirk frowned and turned to the comm., "Kirk to engineering. Get us out of here, Scotty!"

"You bet your arse, Captain!" Scotty's voice drifted over to them, before a grunt sounded, "Captain Kirk, the gravity well has got us!"

"Go to maximum warp. Push it!"

"I'm giving her all that she's got, Captain!"

Kirk winced, the entire room flinching as the Bridge began to crack, other areas of the ship straining not to get caught in the black hole as well.

"James what did you do!?" Victoria shouted as she ran onto the Bridge, having heard his transmission to engineering, and now this, all the jerking and straining and cracking, "I left you alone for not even 5 minutes!"

"It's not my fault!" Kirk defended, about to turn back to the comm. when he recalled, "You're in engineering!" he pointed at her.

"A better time to discuss professions would be appreciated James!"

"No…no not that," he grinned, "How do we escape the black hole?"

She stared at him, "You expect ME to answer that?"

"You always have an answer for me."

She blinked, she had to agree there, "Um…" she shook her head, thinking about it, "Oh!" she cheered, grinning, "I've got it…Scotty!" she ran to the comms., "Eject the core then detonate it. It should…"

"Give us enough of a boost to push us away!" Scotty finished, "It cannae be guaranteed that it'll do anything, though!"

"Don't care, just do it," Kirk ordered, "Do it, do it!"

They turned to the viewscreen to see quite a few warp cores let loose into space, being pulled towards the black hole and, just as they passed the ship, they exploded, sending out a small wave of energy, pushing the ship out and out and out, till they were able to safely get away. The crew cheered, turning to hug each other, Bones, who had come to check on the trio, abruptly turned on his heel and headed back out of the room once more when he walked in to see Kirk pulling Victoria into a celebratory kiss.

She was like his little sister…he did NOT need to see that.

~8~

Kirk and Victoria stood with the rest of the Enterprise Cadets before the academic board once more, though this time for a FAR happier occasion than to debate ethical decisions and contemplate expulsion for. The two of them had been cleared of the accusations against them in dealing with the Kobayashi Maru, oh they were still on record as having hacked the system, cheated, and quite a few other things, but after their actions on the Enterprise, the offense had been forgive, especially after Spock had withdrawn his complaint and report about it.

"This assembly calls Captain James Tiberius Kirk," Barnett called as he stood before the gathered Cadets who had survived the attack on Vulcan, not many were there, not Victoria's roommate, or Uhura's…which had upset both women greatly to realize as it likely meant they'd died coming out of warp to help Vulcan.

Kirk stepped forward, glancing back at Victoria who nodded encouragingly, she really was keeping true to her word about not wanting to be anything involved with captain, engineering and its liaison role were the best match for her. Right now, he was being honored and being promoted as well, something she wanted for him more than for herself.

"Your inspirational valor and supreme dedication to your comrades is in keeping with the highest traditions of service," Barnett continued, "And to reflect utmost credit to yourself, your crew, and the Federation, it is my honor to award you with this commendation. By Starfleet Order 28455, you are hereby directed to report to Admiral Pike, USS Enterprise, for duty as his relief."

Kirk smiled and turned over to Pike, the man sitting in his white uniform, in a wheelchair, Victoria behind him, her hands resting on the small handles of it. He looked at Victoria a moment before turning his head to Pike, "I relieve you, sir."

Pike nodded softly, "I am relieved."

"Thank you, sir," Kirk took a breath, savoring the moment.

"Congratulations, Captain," Victoria had to add, making Kirk send her a wink.

"Your father would be proud," Pike told him, not seeing his daughter and the new captain smiling at each other as he looked around the room, though he missed an older Vulcan who looked remarkably like Spock watching them from above.

~8~

"Engineering thrusters and impulse engines at your command, sir," Sulu called to Kirk as he entered the Bridge of the Enterprise, now dressed in a proper Captain's uniform, Victoria beside him in her red Engineering uniform, ready to take up her role as engineering liaison.

"Weapons systems and chutes on standby," Chekov added.

"Dock control reports ready, Captain," Uhura smiled at the two of them.

"Bones," Kirk patted the man's shoulder as he passed, "Buckle up."

"Scotty," he looked over to see Victoria at the comms. reserved for the liaison, already getting to work, "Are we good?"

"Dilithium chambers at maximum, Lassie," Scotty reported.

"Mr. Sulu, prepare to engage thrusters," Kirk began, moving to sit on the captain's chair, looking around the room a moment before considering if he should change the location of it, Victoria's spot was too far away for him to be able to reach out and take her hand and that wouldn't do.

They looked over when they heard the lift doors open to see Spock standing there, "Permission to come aboard, Captain?"

"Permission granted," Kirk nodded.

"As you have yet to select a First Officer with Victoria refusing the role, respectfully, I would like to submit my candidacy. Should you desire, I can provide character references."

Kirk chuckled at that, "It would be my honor, Commander," he nodded to himself at that before he slapped the armrests of his chair, getting up, "Liaison Pike," he called, he was slowly getting used to that, to her being Victoria Pike instead of just Victoria (Kirk), "A word," he nodded to the side.

Victoria frowned but got up, for one brief moment fearing he might say that, because he was captain and she was a member of the crew that it wouldn't be wise for them to be together…before she realized that her parents had been together and members of the same crew and that Kirk was the clinging type, once he had something he did NOT let it go.

"What is it?" she asked, joining him in the back by the turbolift doors.

"What's wrong?" he countered with a question of his own.

"What do you mean?"

"I know your expressions Victoria," he began, "You've got your worrying face on, the one where you might be over-thinking things. So…what is it?"

She sighed, "I just…I wanted to ask you something."

"Go ahead," he gestured for her to do it.

"What are we?" she asked, "I mean…what do you want us to be?"

"What do YOU want us to be?" he countered.

"Together," she answered promptly, "Even though I asked you first."

He smiled, "I want…us," he told her honestly, "I want there to be an us too."

"We need to see if it'll work though," she warned him, "Just because another us were married, doesn't me WE'RE the same."

"I don't want us to be the same," he shrugged, "I like us being different, I like us how we are," he reached out to take her hand, "We really DO fit. I just want to see where it goes, no pressure, no expectations, just...us, being US."

She smiled at that and nodded, they just had to make sure that they fit well enough to not fall to pieces again, "You know…it's actually the best thing that could have happened that you've taken over for my father."

"How's that?" he asked, genuinely curious. Pike had been the BEST captain either of them had encountered, and it wasn't just them, the other professors and captains in the Academy spoke about him often.

She smirked at him, "He won't be so 'relieved' when he finds out we're together," she nudged him, turning to head back to her post.

Kirk blinked and swallowed hard, he…honestly hadn't thought of that. He'd spent so long thinking of Pike as JUST captain Pike that to find out he was Victoria's father it still didn't make sense to him that the two men were one in the same. And he realized now though…Pike was Victoria's father…Victoria was his only daughter.

He really, REALLY hoped that Pike would remember to set his phaser to stun when they eventually told the man about their budding relationship.

He cleared his throat, not wanting to let on how suddenly terrified he was and starting to think that some distance between them and Earth (Pike) would be a good thing, "Maneuvering thrusters, Mr. Sulu?" he looked at the man.

"Thrusters on standby," Sulu nodded.

Kirk moved to sit back on the captain's chair, "Take us out."

"Aye aye, Captain," Sulu grinned and the ship warped off, Kirk glancing over at Victoria as she looked back at him, both of them so excited to see where the future would take them.

~8~

"Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Her ongoing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new lifeforms and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before."

To be continued...in...Amor Vincit Omnia!

A/N: I can't believe it's over! O.O We're halfway through the Log! I can say that for this story I'm going to be giving a day's break between this story and AVO. So the first chapter for that will be up on the 15th ;)

I just want to take a second to say thank you! To all of you who read/reviewed/favorited/followed/anything this story it really means a lot to me and I'm really so grateful that I have you guys as readers, you're awesome! I'm really touched you liked the story and I hope that I can continue to deliver in Into Darkness for you too :) I love you guys :')

Some notes on reviews...

I won't be posting any spin-offs for February :( There may be a chance for a Valentine's themed one but not till (hopefull) next month. The Spinoffs are on hold till I catch up on my writing :)