Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek or any of its characters. I just want to make tribute to a great man.

Returning to the Stars

Jim wasn't quite sure why he was here. The Enterprise had received a message from New Vulcan requesting Spock's presence. It had been followed by a more private message for just Spock after he asked for more details. Whatever was happening was enough to convince Spock that they really needed to go to Vulcan. What was surprising though was that Spock had then requested that he, Jim, beam down with him.

Spock had actually called him Jim, too. That was enough to start the alarm bells ringing; still Spock had insisted that nothing dire was happening.

So, now here the two of them stood before Spock Prime's residence and Jim still had no clue what was going on or why he was here.

"Seriously, Spock," Jim asked once more, "What are we doing here?"

Spock didn't answer as he rang the bell. He placed his hands behind his back as he straightened. "We are here at the request of my counterpart."

"Yeah, I kinda got that considering that we're standing right outside his place." Jim didn't bother hiding the slight annoyance in his voice. Sometimes, his First/Science Officer's matter-of-fact manner really rubbed him the wrong way.

A Vulcan whom Jim did not recognize opened the door. After gesturing them inside, he said, "He is within the bedroom."

"Thank you." Spock intoned as he gave a slight nod to the Vulcan, who Jim now realized wore the robes of a Vulcan Healer. Something in Jim's gut clenched as a bit of anxiety crept in and he mumbled his own thanks.

Spock ignored Jim's anxious glance and walked swiftly towards where his other self was. Jim quickly kept pace, and therefore heard when Spock finally answered his question in a low voice, "My counterpart is dying."

"Indeed."

Jim startled a bit at the sound of the familiar low baritone, though as per usual it sounded so much older than the one that came from the bridge's science station. Sitting in a chair overlooking the garden on the other side of the window sat the original Spock, or Spock Prime. He looked just as he always did, but there was a tension in the air.

Death was lingering at the doorstep.

Jim felt a lump well up in his throat as he looked at Spock Prime.

The elderly Vulcan gave a slight smile, which was like a full grin on a Vulcan. "Thank you for coming, Spock, Jim."

"It is unfortunate that we meet again in such circumstances, Spock." Spock replied, though Jim would swear that he heard a touch of sadness in his voice. It was unusual for Spock to show such emotion.

Well. Jim glanced at Spock's older self. It was unusual for him at this age at least.

"Perhaps." Spock Prime replied. "However, I have lived a long time, and I cannot say that it has been a life unfulfilled."

"Indeed." Spock said quietly.

"How do you know?" Jim managed to choke out. "I mean, it's not like you're sick or something. You could still live for quite a while yet."

The two half-Vulcans, the same and yet so different due to what they had both experienced so far, exchanged a glance. They were both far too accepting of this for Jim's taste though.

"Come on." Jim knew he whining, but this was the one person who had shown him who he could really grow to be. This was the first person to call him "Captain."

"Jim." Spock Prime said gently. "It is my time." Upon seeing this wasn't going to cut it for Jim, he gave a tiny breath almost like a sigh. "Jim," he gestured out the window, "Life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory." He paused. "I am no long for this world, however, I will, as you humans put it, 'live on within you and others.' So therefore, simply remember me." He gave that slight smile again, and Jim had to turn away in order to hide his tears. He still couldn't believe this was happening.

"I assume it was not simply to see us that you called us here." Spock said, moving closer to his counterpart.

"Indeed." Spock Prime turned wise, old eyes on his younger self. "Would you please do the honor?"

Jim glanced at Spock and saw his eyes widen a bit and sensed his shock. After a moment, the Vulcan's face smoothed over into its normal calm expression. "Of course, though the honor is mine."

Spock Prime's lips quirked a bit, "It is indeed."

For a moment, it seemed like the two half-Vulcans were sharing a common joke though it only caught up to Jim a few moments later. By that time, both Spocks had lifted their hands and fitted them over each other's psi points.

"My mind to your mind," Spock started.

"My thoughts to your thoughts." Spock Prime finished the traditional saying.

Both of them closed their mind as they entered the mind meld.

Jim was a bit confused. Why would they choose now, of all times, to meld? It didn't make sense.

Jim wasn't sure how long the meld lasted, but eventually, the two Spocks pulled away from each other and Jim would have sworn that they both seemed a bit misty eyed.

"Thank you." Spock said as he stood up. "I will remember."

Spock Prime shook his head. "No, thank you." The two half-Vulcans shared a look before Spock turned to Jim, signaling that it was time leave. "Farewell, both of you." He lifted his hand in the Vulcan ta'al. "Live long and prosper."

"We will." Jim said quietly as both of them left.

It was shortly after they left orbit that word reached the Enterprise of Spock Prime's passing. The main bridge crew, who actually knew who he was and where he had come from, showed their dismay. They also threw glances over at the steadfast First Officer to check his reaction. After all, it's not everyday that you are told that you have died.

Of course, Jim and Spock had known what was coming, so Spock easily gave no reaction. Still, once shift was over, Jim sought Spock out and found him at the observation deck that they both liked to go to when they wanted to think. It had an excellent view of the stars, and Spock was observing them quietly when Jim walked up to him.

Instead of asking how he was, Jim asked something that had been bugging him. "So what was up with that mind meld?"

There was a short, contemplative silence before Spock finally spoke. "It may surprise you, Jim, as it often does when others learn of this, but Vulcans do believe in souls."

Jim raised his eyebrows, actually surprised. "Really? I would think that such a thing that cannot be proven would be illogical for you."

Spock's lips quirked up a bit. "Except that we can prove it." Jim's eyes widened in shock. "When a Vulcan is dying, he or she can transfer the soul, or katra as we call it, to another being. Often, the katra is then taken to be stored in the Katra Arc so that the knowledge may be passed to later descendents." He paused as Jim took this in, and then he quietly continued. "It is believed that if one does not do so, then the katra is doomed to wander the void for the rest of eternity."

"Wow." Jim said just as quietly. He looked out at the same stars that Spock was contemplating. "I never knew that Vulcans could be so… spiritual." Realization hit him suddenly. "Wait, so when Vulcan collapsed…"

"Yes, much was lost at that time." Spock said placidly, no hint of emotion over the event coming through.

"I see…" Jim thought a bit more. "So, old Spock transferred his katra to you? But I didn't see you store in anything."

"He did indeed transfer his katra to me." Spock gave a huff of breath. "I saw everything…" His tone held a hint of wonder in it, and Jim knew, from the glimpse he had gotten in that one meld he had had with the elderly Vulcan, that there had probably been so much for Spock to learn from his counterpart. "However," he continued, "I shall not be storing it anywhere."

Jim frowned. "Why not?" After all, he didn't want old Spock to wander for eternity.

"That was not what he wished." For the first time, Spock looked over at Jim, meeting his eyes. "Now that his body has passed, I shall release him."

Jim sputtered in indignation. "But then he'll – "

"Perhaps." Spock said, but his lips quirked up. "However, I have faith that that it will work out."

Jim found himself stunned at Spock's belief. After all, faith was not something that could be quantified by logic and despite the fact that he knew that Spock believed in him, he had never heard him express faith in something that could not be proven.

Spock closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he released it, in the blink of an eye, everything changed.

Jim found himself on the bridge of a starship. It wasn't like the one of his beloved Enterprise though. It looked older, less sleek, and more boxy, he had to say. It was colored not in white and silver, but in muted grays and blues, with the occasional bright orange.

He didn't recognize it and he had no idea what was going on. However, he knew it wasn't a simple hallucination as he heard a soft, "Fascinating," come from beside him.

It was then he realized that the bridge wasn't empty. The captain's chair was turned away from them, but a figure sat in it wearing the gold command uniform, a different shade from his own shirt, that stretched over broad shoulders. Blonde hair was combed neatly to the side, and the figure looked straight forward, through the view screen.

Jim heard the whoosh of a door opening and closing, and turned around to see Spock walk onto the bridge. He was different from the Spock by his side or even the one he had seen hours before. He was way younger than Spock Prime, yet he was older than his Spock, and his uniform too was more of a lighter blue than he was used to.

"Permission to come aboard, Captain?" Despite the monotone, there seemed to be something teasing about the way this Spock said this.

The chair turned revealing its occupant. "Spock, you've kept me waiting! It's not like you to be late." The blonde with the Captain stripes on his sleeves grinned up at the Vulcan, and Jim knew that he was seeing his own counterpart.

Spock raised an eyebrow. "Illogical, Captain. I have arrived precisely when I was meant to."

Kirk chuckled. "Yes, you always have managed to arrive just at the nick of time." A fond expression crossed his face. "I have missed you, my old friend."

The expression on Spock's face softened as well. "And I you."

Kirk grinned and slapped Spock on the shoulder, his fingers lingering for a moment. "Well, then." He turned his chair forward and Spock stepped up so that he was behind his right shoulder. "Where shall we go next?"

"I shall leave it to your discretion, Captain." Spock and Kirk shared a long look. Jim could not even see all that passed between them.

"Very well, then." Kirk turned forward. "To where no man has gone before."

With another blink of the eye, it was gone. Jim stood there shaking over what he had seen. He couldn't even take it all in. He knew that that had been what Spock Prime had been talking about. It was simply as if all was right in the universe as long as these two were by each others' side.

"What was that?" He finally managed to croak out.

"Hmm." He turned to see that Spock had a thoughtful expression on his face. "I do not know." He admitted. "However," he continued, "I believe it is suffice to say that wherever my counterpart has ended up, he is not alone."

"Yeah," Jim said dumbly. He was quiet for a long moment, and the two of them simply looked out at the stars. "He really lived up to your guys' saying, huh?"

"He did indeed." Spock agreed.

There was another long pause.

"Do you think we'll ever be like them?" Jim couldn't help but ask. Because he wanted what he had seen, someone who would stick by him even beyond death.

"Maybe not quite like them, as we are not the same." Spock finally responded. "However, I do not think that you have to hope for us becoming like that."

Jim felt something inside of him begin to crush itself a bit before Spock continued.

"After all, I think we are already like that." As Jim blinked up at Spock in surprise, the Vulcan's lips quirked up into a small smile as he gazed at him. "We have risked our lives for each other many a time, and we have already faced death separately and together." He looked back out the window. "And I am your friend."

Jim felt like his heart was about to burst as a grin lit up his face.

"Good night, Jim." Spock nodded at him as he turned and left.

Jim stayed a while longer, gazing out the observation window and thinking about Spock, both past and present.

"Thank you, Spock." He said one final time to the elderly half-Vulcan that was surely exploring the stars with his own captain. Then he turned and went to prepare for his next adventure.

RIP Leonard Nimoy. You truly did live long and prosper. Thank you for everything.