When Spock woke, the first thing he became aware of was that the fever had gone. His first pon farr had come and gone and, despite all logic, he was somehow still alive.

Spock reviewed his memories, only somewhat surprised to find he had very few of them. The one time his father had broached the subject to him, Sarek had said that all logic was stripped away. Spock hadn't realized that his memories would be stripped away in the fire of the plak tow, as well.

The last thing he remembered clearly was asking Jim to stay, so that he could lean on Jim's strength. He had a less distinct memory of Jim returning to his bedroom, and the vaguest impression that Jim hadn't been alone at the time.

That impression required investigation - but not, perhaps, until after he had washed away the effects and evidence of what he'd gone through. Spock rose from his bed, removed the sheets and put them into the fabric 'fresher, before stepping into the sonic shower.

When he emerged a few minutes later, he pulled on his robes and crossed on bare feet from the 'fresher through his sleeping room and into the living area. He paused when he saw not just Jim but also Nyota on his sofa, leaning against each other in sleep.

Well, Nyota slept, he amended. Jim was looking at him through half-lidded eyes. After a moment in which Spock felt Jim fully waking up through their bond, Jim shifted out from under Nyota, lowering her head gently onto the seat of the sofa before rising and crossing the few steps to stand in front of Spock.

Spock endured Jim's scrutiny, braced himself against the questions he knew were coming. Then Jim grinned as though he'd heard that thought and said, "Better?"

"I am alive," Spock said, "and that is more than I expected. Therefore, the answer to your query is yes."

"And back to your usual self." Jim chuckled softly, and Spock felt his relief, even joy, through their bond.

"Jim -" Spock began, then broke off.

"Yes, Spock?"

"I do not remember what happened," he admitted. "Did I -"

"No. You didn't."

Spock raised one eyebrow, unwillingly amused by Jim's certainty. "I did not what?"

"Do anything that would cause you concern. You can check, if you want."

Although he trusted Jim implicitly, Spock found himself reaching for Jim's psi-points without words.

Spock would never admit the relief that filled him when Jim's mind welcomed him as though nothing untoward had happened, even though something untoward most definitely had. Several somethings, in fact - Spock fought down momentary self-loathing at the memory of slamming Jim into the wall bearing Vulcan weapons so hard that several weapons had fallen from their mounts.

Then there was an external view of Spock ravaging Nyota when Jim came in, not once but twice, to force a mind-meld and calm Spock's urge to claim his mate when his ardor threatened to injure Nyota. Spock had lashed out the first time, catching Jim unprepared and bruising his ribs, before Jim's fingers landed on his psi-points and the mating urge receded somewhat. The second time, Jim came in before Spock had reached that too-primal point.

Spock was grateful that despite those moments, Jim bore no animosity toward Spock. He was more grateful that Jim had stayed through it all, and then taken care of Nyota afterward.

Spock let the link convey his gratitude, and was surprised when Jim reached out to pull him into a hug. Spock resisted initially, but only for a fraction of a heartbeat. This was his t'hy'la, his brother in all but blood, his closer-than-friend, and if his t'hy'la wanted or needed a hug, it was the least Spock would do for him.

"Glad you're still with us," Jim said, and released Spock from his grasp. "Next time, we'll plan for it."

Spock blinked, and Jim grinned. "Yes, next time. I've got seven years to rack up all the favors I might need to call in to get the three of us together again."

Spock allowed exasperated affection to bleed down their bond, and was rewarded by a bigger grin. Jim clapped his shoulder, then strode into the sleeping area, to return a moment later, pulling a black undershirt over his head.

Jim slid his feet into his boots. "Bones has us on medical leave for another day. Take it if you need it, and be sure she does, too."

Spock raised an eyebrow. "You are not staying?"

"She doesn't want me to. And the two of you need time to … you need time."

Spock reviewed Jim's words. "Do we not need time, t'hy'la?"

Jim chuckled. "No. I get it - at least enough. And you and I are not like you and her." He paused, then said, "Maybe I should've said she needs time."

Then Jim knelt beside Nyota, shifting her head on the pillow so she'd be more comfortable. He was sober when he stood. "She's a keeper, Spock."

Though he objected to the term, Spock had to agree with the sentiment. "I am aware."

"Make sure she knows you're aware."

Spock sat with Nyota, not truly meditating but not fully alert, either, simply stroking her hair where her head lay in his lap. He knew that position would be comfortable for her, or at least that she'd never suggested otherwise during the many nights they spent that way listening to music or a lecture that one or the other of them found stimulating.

Tonight - for it was night, according to the ship's chronometer - he let the rhythmic motion of stroking her hair lull him into a relaxed state where his thoughts never completely rested, as they did in meditation, but they did slow to a more leisurely pace.

Jim's words before he'd left ran through his mind on a continuous, if illogical, loop.

She needs time. Make sure she knows you're aware.

The first words still made no sense - what did Nyota need time for? - but the second… Spock was certain Nyota knew her importance to him, but he could and would reassure her if she needed it.

Some time later, Nyota stirred under his touch, and he looked down to see her blinking tiredly at him. Her gaze focused, and she smiled.

"Spock."

He didn't stop stroking her hair. "Nyota."

"Are you …?"

"The plak tow has passed. I am myself again." He paused, then forced himself to ask the question he'd thought he'd answered by looking at Jim's memories. "Did I hurt you?"

"No," she answered immediately. "Not the way you mean. It was rough, sure, but … No. Nothing serious, nothing permanent."

"I am gratified to hear that." Spock paused again, unsure how to proceed.

She glanced around the room. "Where's Jim?"

"He left shortly after I woke." Spock noted her use of his given name and wondered what it meant. "He said you did not want him to stay."

She chuckled briefly. "The awkward part's already over. Him staying for this is nothing."

"The … awkward part?"

"The part where we were both with you."

"But he only entered the room twice."

"He was here. And we were…" Nyota shook her head. "It's illogical, and I know it, but I keep feeling like I should have been enough, that he shouldn't have had to be here."

"Nyota -" Spock began, but hesitated. Despite his time with humans in general, and this one in particular, and his bond with one, he still could not analyze and parse their emotions logically.

"I know it didn't work with just me because I'm psi-null," she continued. "But I still feel that it should have, somehow."

He had learned one thing about Nyota - it was always better to say something, to acknowledge her words than not to speak and risk making an uncomfortable situation worse. This time, he had to be honest. "I don't know what to say."

"I don't know there's anything you can say. I have to learn to accept that I'm not enough for you, that I can't help you when you need it most."

"I disagree," Spock said. "You have helped me, often. Many times the fact that you are psi-null has been the larger part of it."

"Really?" She gave him a dubious expression.

"Vulcans do not lie," Spock assured her, but she appeared to need more, so he sought the words that might help her. "When we touch, your emotions do not overwhelm me. You are a place of rest for me, for which I am grateful."

"But these last few days, you needed more. You needed him."

"I needed emotions that matched my own." There was no point denying it. That she'd raised the issue, however, suggested there was more to her statement than first appeared. "Does that trouble you? I know your first meeting with the captain was less than pleasurable, but you have worked together well enough since he took command."

"I thought… after it didn't work when we tried without him, I thought you needed him," she said. "And not just as … as … whatever he was for us. I thought you needed him the way I wanted you to need me."

"I thought perhaps I did, too," Spock admitted. "It wasn't until we, too, failed as you and I had failed that I knew differently, and I resigned myself to death."

"I knew it," Nyota declared. "The threesome was his idea."

"It would not have occurred to me - it did not occur to me. Vulcans mate for life," Spock explained, though he was certain Nyota knew that already.

"I get it - and I'm glad we saved your life. But I'll bet he's getting off on it right now."

Spock opened his mouth to tell her she had misapprehended the situation - he knew from the bond that Jim was not, in fact, getting off on a threesome fantasy at the moment - but something in her expression stopped him.

After a moment, he said, "I trust if this has changed your opinion of me, you will tell me."

Nyota blinked at him, once, twice. "Changed? In what way?"

"If you are not comfortable with this aspect of my nature and what it requires, I will understand."

"Spock." Nyota reached out, hesitated before taking his hand. He turned his own, extended two fingers, and was gratified when she touched her fingers to his. The gesture did not, of course, enhance their bond, but it was still intimate in a more subtle way than most human interactions were.

After a moment, she spoke again. "I can't say I'm comfortable with it, exactly. But I accept that it's part of you, and if I love you, it's a part I'll have to learn to live with."

"My mother could not."

Before Spock could be surprised that he'd spoken those words aloud, Nyota was frowning at him.

"She couldn't? But ..."

"She endured my father's first pon farr, but refused to endure another one." In answer to her unasked question, he added, "There are alternatives. Or there were, on Vulcan. I presume there are or will be alternatives on New Vulcan as well."

Her mouth twitched. "I'm sure there are - and I'm equally sure no Vulcan woman could put up with James Tiberius Kirk in that situation."

Spock almost told her that Jim wouldn't be necessary if he bonded with another, but some warning in an internal voice that sounded far too much like Jim told him to keep that thought to himself.

He was rewarded when Nyota leaned forward until she was almost nose-to-nose with him. "I may not be happy that he's part of our sex life every seven years, but I promise you won't need to go looking for alternatives."

# # #

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here ends "Unsettling Times," the second story in my Changing Times 'verse. I'm currently working on more stories (more meaning at least three or four more... Trying Times, Uneasy Times, Unexpected Times, Party Time, though not necessarily in that order), and I will post each one as I finish it. I hope you've enjoyed this story and others as they appear!