Disclaimer: I don't own them - I just take creative liberties with them in my spare time.

Warnings: Language, Adult Themes, K/S, etc.

Author's Note: I bet you thought I'd totally abandoned this story and was never going to give it a proper ending.

Well you are only half right. I never abandoned it. I just didn't have the time to get back into the right "groove" and give it the ending it deserved. I still don't think I quite accomplished that, but I just couldn't procrastinate any longer. So here it is, and it's done. I hope it's okay.

I do plan on doing an MOII sequel this summer - best plans of mice and men and all that - so I need crossed fingers and good luck wishes and lots of encouragement. Review, review, review - And Send cookies and silver dollars. LOL

THANK YOU to all of you who have hung in there with me over the horrible roller coaster that has been my life this past two years. And thank you to all the new readers - you are why we FanFic author's do what we do.
I plan on getting back into the business of BEING a fanfic author. After all - the new movie comes out in a YEAR - which is no time at all - and I need to get on it! Right? RIGHT!

Okay - nuff said

Let's "Get on with it!"
Enjoy!

Jim woke in the middle of the night. Leonard was whispering over the comm to someone in sickbay saying that he'd be right there. He noticed Jim watching him and thinking he was James, assured him that everything was okay. "I just got a patient that needs tending to, that's all kiddo. Go back to sleep," he whispered before tucking 'James' back in and slipping out the door.

Jim had just nodded and closed his eyes, playing along. He waited until he was sure Bones was gone before sitting up. Spock was sound asleep, so he slipped out of bed as quietly as possible. He used the facilities and then headed through the far door into his own quarters, his old quarters, The Captain's quarters. He asked the computer to raise the lights and turn the sound proofing to medium so that he wouldn't wake Spock, then he got to work. Things had changed a bit since his quarters hadn't been in use for so long. They'd had to move things around, store some of Spock's things in Jim's old quarters to make room for James to share Spock's quarters.

The Data PADD with his resignation and the figures he'd so painstakingly put together concerning recruitment and transfers had somehow ended up back on his desk. He sat in quiet contemplation staring at the information for some time, before finally deleting the resignation from the PADD. The time limit he had put into place before agreeing to Dulmer and Lucsley's plan had not been reached, and wouldn't have for quite some time if he'd chosen to lie dormant and wait it out, but nevertheless, James, or whatever James had been, was gone. Jim still wanted proof that there was something more to the numbers, but he'd come to the conclusion that inevitably he was going to have to confront his doubts and fears and accept the fact that his rightful place was as Captain of the Enterprise. Knowing that, he also knew that there was no point in putting it off, he had to jump back in feet first, and with gusto, so that everyone else knew he meant business.

First, he needed to make his space his own again. Losing James was going to be hard on everyone. Jim didn't want to make it harder on Spock or Bones, but James was a part of himself, how he could have been if he'd had a more stable childhood, and he needed to reconcile the loss of his inner child on his own, and say goodbye to James in his own way, before he could do what needed to be done to regain his title and his rightful place in Starfleet. He made quick work of putting everything back where he wanted it, making the space usable again. He did his best to put Spock's things where he thought Spock would want them, mingling them with his own so that it was clear that his intention was for them to continue living together, but as partners. He wouldn't push that though, he knew that Spock would need time and the transition after losing James would be difficult.

The only things of Spock's that Jim took back to Spock's quarters were is meditation tools. He knew that Spock would want them back in his room where they had been, so that he could meditate in quiet privacy. He left everything stacked in a corner of the living room area and then tiptoed into the bedroom and quietly put all of James' things into the box he had brought with him. He stood silently watching Spock's sleeping form, before slipping out the door and returning to his own quarters. His heart was heavy with the sorrow he felt for his friends and loved ones who would miss James. There was also a hollow emptiness inside him where James had been. He still wasn't sure how James had manifested, or what kind of technology those future beings had used to conjure him and he struggled with where James' consciousness might have gone now that it was no longer with him. However, he also knew that he would never have answers to those questions and that dwelling on them would not help him or anyone else. He did his best to set them aside and simply deal with what was. He began putting away all of James' things. He had cleared out one of the drawers under his bed and carefully folded everything and put them away in the drawer. He put in James' blankie last and was about to place Little Spock into the drawer as well, when he had a change of heart. Instead he closed the drawer reverently and then place Little Spock on the shelf above what would become he and Spock's bed. He pondered the placement for a moment while he silently gave his thanks and said goodbye to James.

With that done, it was time to get down to business. He showered and put on his Captain's uniform before sitting down to his desk and getting to work. First he had the computer play back the conversations from the previous night in the conference room after James had re-emerged. He listened fervently to everything everyone had to say, and had to admit to himself that while some of it bolstered his spirits, the rest made him feel naïve and stupid. How had he let himself be duped and played by those three idiots again? How had he not known it was Hardy, Kent and Sandusky the whole time? He of all people should have recognized their particular brand of bullshit. The only answer he could come up with was that he had been so full of self doubt and self loathing that he was looking for affirmation that he didn't deserve his job and he'd subconsciously wanted to believe what they were saying about him. This was the last time those assholes would ever screw with him, that was the one thing he was sure of. He didn't need to hack the records. He knew damn well what the problem was, he was the one who'd had the records sealed, not Pike.

Those three jerk offs just didn't know how to let go of a grudge. They'd all been admitted to the academy on merit of having parents who were officers in Starfleet. Their academic records had been moderate but it had soon become clear to many other students at the academy that they were the type that bullied other students into doing most of their work for them, and didn't really want to be at the academy at all. All three of them were at the academy either because their parents expected them to be, or because their parents had given them no choice. They weren't the only ones like this, there were a number of others who fit into that same boat, but these three had gravitated towards each other like magnets. Sandusky had emerged as the leader, with Hardy and Kent circling him like moons caught in the gravitational pull of a large, arrogant, bullheaded planet. The problem with Sandusky was, he wasn't stupid, in fact he was far from it, he was quite brilliant but he was just as lazy as he was smart. When it became clear that he was going to have to do his own work at the academy it had pissed him off and he'd had to find some kind of motivation to get it done. His motivation had been Jim Kirk. Jim Kirk really pissed him off. Jim Kirk came to class late, spent all his time out of class chasing women despite the strict fraternization policies, never did his homework, cut class often, yet continued to achieve the highest grades in every single class.

Sandusky hated him for it. He'd reluctantly spend hours studying for an exam, all while Kirk seemed to be goofing off, just to have his score beaten by Kirk when grades were posted. It finally infuriated Sandusky to the point that he couldn't take it any longer. He framed Kirk for cheating, not once, but twice. Both times Jim had been exonerated, but the accusations had left a bad taste in the mouths of some of the academy board members, which is why they had made such a big stink out of Jim circumventing the conditions of the Kobayashi Maru by installing a subroutine into the programming. Jim had of course been exonerated of the charges of cheating on the Kobayashi Maru as well, and was presented with an award for "Original Thinking", but that had only served to make Sandusky even angrier with Jim. The fact that Jim graduated in only three years and had been immediately granted Captaincy of the Enterprise didn't help matters. Pike had kept the previous accusations of cheating very hush hush because they'd come from a fellow academy student and had been dismissed relatively quickly when it became apparent that the evidence had all been falsified, so no one had ever known who had accused Jim of cheating in the first place, not even Leonard. Jim had known and had gotten Pike to admit to him that he was right about it, but he'd kept that information to himself, knowing that someone like Sandusky, given enough rope, would eventually hang himself. Which happened right after Jim's coronation ceremony, but before he'd actually taken the helm of the Enterprise.

Sandusky's old roommate had been assigned to the Enterprise crew and had come to Jim in confidence with evidence that Sandusky had been cheating on exams and assignments for quite some time. The evidence was solid, so Jim had no choice but to take it to Pike and the other academy board members. That combined with falsifying evidence against Jim, for which Sandusky had already been placed on probation; caused him to be dishonorably discharged and dismissed from the academy. During his hearing Sandusky turned in Hardy and Kent for cheating and helping him frame Jim as well, but he'd had no evidence to support his claims. Hardy and Kent were questioned and severely reprimanded and investigations were launched into their academic records to substantiate or dismiss the charges of cheating. Both of them dropped out before the investigations were concluded.

Jim had asked Pike to seal the records to protect the ensign serving aboard the Enterprise who had come to him with the evidence against Sandusky. He knew that if Sandusky were able to find out who turned him in, he would seek retribution, and he told Pike that he would rather be in Sandusky's line of fire himself. They had used such a strong encryption code to seal the records, that Sandusky had no chance of hacking into the records. Jim had hoped that eventually the guy and his pals would lose interest in revenge and move on. Apparently the only thing they could come up with on their own was slandering Jim in a chat room. It was a juvenile attempt at revenge, but unfortunately, Jim himself had bought it. The irony was not lost and Jim decided to use his irritation to prove them and himself wrong once and for all. He did want to see the final data that was being put together by the different departments on the recruitment numbers, battle statistics, transfers, promotions etc. , but he had a feeling that everything they were saying in that conference room was true, and it was high time that he put the self-deprecating bullshit to rest.

Looking up at the clock he noticed that it was 0500 and they were due to rendezvous with Admiral Pike's shuttle at 0700. Spock would be up soon, but he wasn't ready to deal with that just yet, he had things he needed to do, and he and Spock could talk later. He messaged Pike and over the next 45 minutes and filled Pike in on anything he wasn't aware of, which as it turned out, was very little. Pike was very well informed and Jim had a feeling Spock was behind that. The Admiral had also already taken the liberty of drawing up the necessary reinstatement forms as he had been informed that Jim's permanent return was imminent. He would officially reinstate Jim as soon as he boarded the Enterprise, and gave him the verbal approval to resume his duties until then. At 0600, just as Spock was knocking on the door to Jim's quarters to find out where he was and why all of James' things were missing from his quarters, Jim was walking onto the bridge of the Enterprise as if no time had transpired since his last duty shift as Captain. He dismissed the Commander who had been filling the Captain's chair for night shift, signed off on duty reports, greeted a stunned bridge crew, who were still on duty until 0700 and immediately asked for a status report and estimated time to rendezvous with Admiral Pike's shuttle as if nothing were out of the ordinary.

Somehow word spread like wildfire, as it usually did aboard the Enterprise and less than a half an hour later the day crew began reporting for their shifts much earlier than they normally would have. And all the heads of the other departments seemed to be finding random reasons to be on the bridge. Jim dodged or dismissed all of their questions by simply sticking to the daily tasks at hand as if it were any other normal work day. He practically had to order Sulu and Chekov to shut up and get back to work when Spock and McCoy walked onto the bridge.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Have you lost your senses man? You can't just traipse up here and resume command until I've run tests and cleared you for duty and your reinstatement has to go through proper channels!"

"Nice to see you too Bones. Uhuhra, please hail Admiral Pike and put him onscreen. All due respect to the Chief Medical Officer," he said snarkily to his best friend, "maybe you should listen to what the admiral has to say before you jump down my throat."

"Look Jim…"

"Point taken. Uhura, why isn't Pike onscreen?"

"Sorry Jim, I'm trying but I can't get through, all I'm getting is static."

"That's impossible. I just talked to him 40 minutes ago."

"You have already spoken with the Admiral this morning?" Spock asked tentatively.

"Yeah, I…uh… have. He um… gave me verbal permission to resume my duties and um….look I'm really sorry, but, he's going to reinstate me when he gets aboard."

"Do not apologize to me Jim, …Captain, as you are well aware, I am most happy to see you reinstated to your rightful position."

"That's not what I'm sorry about Spock." Jim admitted sorrowfully, to which Spock only gave a terse nod, indicating that he was well aware of what Jim was referring to but did not want to speak about it until they could talk alone.

"Wait, if Pike's already given you verbal permission and is ready to reinstate you, without my medical clearance, then that means…"

"Yeah Bones, it does. Look I'm sorry and you can run all the tests you want, but James… "

"Jim, I mean, Captain! I'm receiving a distress signal from Admiral Pike's shuttle and I heard a Klingon transmission just before that."

Everyone immediately sprung into action and returned to their stations. "It's Klingons alright," Sulu confirmed. "I'm tracking two Klingon Warbirds bearing down on Pike's position."

"Take us to maximum warp and get us there now Sulu! Red alert!" Jim shouted, pressing the comm button. "This is the Captain speaking. We have received a distress signal from Admiral Pike's shuttle and have confirmation that there are two Klingon warbirds bearing down on the shuttle's location. I want all hands on deck and at battle stations, ready to engage the enemy if necessary."

"I'll be in sickbay!" McCoy shouted on his way out into the corridor.

"Status report!"

"We'll arrive in elewen second Keptin!"

"Battlestations! Arm torpedoes, shields up!"

The Enterprise came out of warp to find a small debris field. The shuttle had obviously been fired upon. Scorch marks marred her sides, but she was intact and there was no immediate indication where the debris had come from. The Klingon ships were silent and non-responsive to hails. They sent a warning shot across the bow of the Enterprise and immediately went to warp.

"Mr. Scott, have you got a lock on the Admiral?"

"I've already got him on board Captain. I wuz able ta Lock just before we dropped out of warp. He's on his way ta tha bridge now."

"Mr. Sulu?"

"Scans of the debris field are indicating that the debris is consistent with a Romulan Bird of Prey," Sulu stated.

"Romulan?"

"Yes, Romulan,"Pike confirmed from the entryway, one side of his face covered in blood from a cut just above his temple. "They fired on my shuttle, unprovoked I might add. Took out communications, all I could do was flip the distress beacon and hope you picked up the signal, but I was sure I was dead in the water."

"So the Klingons were gunning for the Romulans and not you?" Jim confirmed.

"Exactly. I'm still not sure what happened. Like I said, communications were out so I didn't hear any exchange between them, but just after the Romulan ship fired on me one of the Klingon Warbirds dropped out of warp. They sent a shot across the bow of the Romulan ship and the Romulans turned and open fired on the Klingons. A second Warbird dropped out of warp and they both targeted the Romulans simultaneously. The Romulans didn't stand a chance. That was just about when you showed up."

"Uhura, did you intercept any other communications, anything in Romulan?"

"Nothing in Romulan sir, the Klingon transmission I intercepted just before I picked up the Admiral's distress beacon was garbled. All I could make out was something about 'dishonoring their forefathers.' They must have been referring to the Romulans, sir."

"If the Klingons were reacting to the fact that the Romulans were firing on an unarmed science shuttle, they may indeed have seen the act as dishonorable and were simply trying to make this point to the Romulans by firing a shot across her bow," Spock pointed out.

"And when the Romulans opened fire in return rather than conceding and withdrawing, the Klingons were left with no choice but to retaliate. That makes sense," Sulu agreed.

"I suppose we'll never know for sure," Pike interjected.

"No, we won't and it really doesn't matter. Things have been tense with the Romulans since the incident with Nero. I'm sure that the Romulan delegates will claim that this was another rogue faction that blames the Federation and Starfleet for what happened and will deny all ties with them. We'll start another round of diplomatic talks to ensure the terms of the peace treaty and the neutral zone are upheld. It will be a never ending cycle for some time," Jim confirmed. "Commander Spock, send a report to Starfleet. Bones, let's get the Admiral here down to sickbay and get that head would looked at."

"It's good to have you back Jim," the Admiral simply stated, before following the Captain and the CMO to sickbay. His comment was quickly followed with rounds of agreement from everyone on the bridge that Jim either ignored or shook off politely.

That afternoon there was another meeting in the conference room, this time including Admiral Pike and Captain James T. Kirk. The data had been compiled and confirmed everyone's speculations. Even Jim was finally satisfied that what had seemed unfavorable in regards to serving aboard the Enterprise or under Jim Kirk's command, was not disadvantageous at all, but quite the opposite. The figures reflected the high academic standards that the Enterprise now held of its new recruits. It also took all ranks and transfers, or lack thereof into account, as well as the fact that as the Federation's Flagship, The Enterprise had far more encounters with hostile alien species, was targeted more often by rogue factions, like the Romulans Pike had encountered earlier in the day, who still blamed the Federation for the incident with Nero. Other vessels who had been assigned to scientific missions or diplomatic liaisons by nature of their assignments had very few casualties or injuries to report. This hadn't been factored into the figures Jim had initially looked at.

Jim thanked all the department heads for their hard work. They moved on to the business that Admiral Pike was on board for and by the end of the meeting everyone seemed to be getting used to having Jim back in his role as Captain, including Jim. Bones of course insisted on doing a full workup and taking scans even though Jim insisted it was a waste of time. The anomaly was no longer present on Jim's brain scans however, so that, in a sense, seemed to negate Jim's insistence, as it gave Leonard and affirmation he seemed to need, that James was indeed gone.

Through all of this, rescuing Pike, hours of meetings and endless scans and tests in sick bay, it had not escaped Jim's attention that Spock was avoiding him. He had been nothing less than a perfect first officer throughout the meetings and during his duty shift on the bridge but he had not accompanied Jim to sick bay as he usually would and had continually avoided Jim's gaze. To everyone else he probably seemed to be his Vulcan self, emotionally detached and logically fulfilling his duties but Jim had grown accustomed to these small connections with Spock. Even before the Temporal Agents had interfered and created James, he and Spock had developed a closeness that allowed Spock to let his emotional guard down when it came to Jim. Now he seemed stoic, somber, distant and cold. Jim knew it was because Spock was grieving but that didn't make the rejection hurt any less. When Spock failed to show up in the commissary for evening meal, Jim knew he needed to track Spock down so they could talk.

Bones seemed to understand. Jim was able to speak frankly with his best friend while they had been in sick bay and though Bones would need to bury his grief over the loss of James in a bottle of bourbon that night, he assured Jim that he'd known it was inevitable and had been accepting that for a while. He would come to terms with losing James quickly, he was more worried about Spock, as was Jim.

"He's not just reconciling the loss of his son, Jim, he's also trying to come to terms with the change in your relationship as well and believe you me, there's a hell of a lot of guilt there. Part of him still feels like a child molester, so don't be surprised if he completely pulls away from you. It ain't gonna be easy," he'd cautioned.

"I know. I'm not sure how to even approach things, except to just be patient and give him the time he needs to sort things out. That said, you know how impatient I am. I may need you to, well, kick my ass every once in a while if I'm being a dick."

"I'm well aware. I think that's the primary duty in my best friend's job description. Look, that green blooded hobgoblin will come around, eventually, just turn on that damn Kirk charm, he's a sucker for it."

"I will. When the time is right. Right now, I just need to go find him."

"Keptin, if I may, Hikaru and I saw ze Kommender entering your quarters, I mean his quarters, vell, you know what I am meaning, anyway, zat is where he was jest a few minutes ago as Hikaru and I were heading here," Pavel interjected as he and Hikaru sat down at the table with Jim and Leonard.

"Thanks guys, I think I'll go see if he's still there," Jim acknowledged.

When Jim first entered what had been their shared quarters there was no immediate sign of Spock, though things had definitely changed. Jim peaked into the bedroom and saw that James' bed had been removed and Spock's meditation area had been reinstated. The toys and books in the bedroom were no longer present. Jim wondered if they had been taken down to the daycare center, or simply stored somewhere. He could see that the door to his quarters was open so he crossed through the bathroom to find Spock sitting on the bed with Little Spock in his hands, his head hung low, in deep thought.

There wasn't anything Jim could do or say. This was something that Spock needed to sort through but that didn't mean that Jim couldn't offer comfort. He crossed to his first officer and mate to sit on the bed beside him. He reached out to gently finger one of Little Spock's pointy ears and laid his other hand on Spock's shoulder. It was a simple gesture of reassurance but Spock finally looked up and met Jim's gaze.

"I…. will miss him, a great deal," the Vulcan admitted.

"I know. So will I."

"He made a rather unorthodox suggestion to me not long ago."

"Oh?"

"He advised me, that I should not give up on parenthood, neither because I am a Starfleet officer, nor because my chosen mate is male."

"Well, he was right Spock. He was also pretty intuitive, he knew that you were meant to be a father and so do I."

"I see. So you would not be adverse to the idea? James suggested that we could find…, a surrogate."

"Sure, or we could adopt, Jim offered. "I talked to…Other you, not long ago and he mentioned that there are a fair amount of Vulcan children who were orphaned after the destruction of Vulcan. The New Vulcan colony is doing its best to raise them. It takes a village and all that, but the New Vulcan council would ultimately like to see these children find homes of their own. Unfortunately, rebuilding the colony and the race has proven to be very challenging, and not all of the kids have found homes. In fact, it might be better for us to start with an older child. I hear babies are really time consuming."

"You were time consuming. As James, you required a great deal of attention. An infant might be no different. We have…., a large family aboard Enterprise. I believe we could acquire the necessary help easily. However, you make a good point and have obviously given this a great deal of thought," Spock countered.

"Well, I've known this was coming, and I've had a lot of time to do nothing but think. Look, Spock, whether we adopt an older child, or find a surrogate, or both, all that really matters to me is that we're together. I love you. I want to marry you. I want us to be a family. But I don't want to push it. I know this is all very difficult for you and that you'll need time to process. When you're ready, I'll be here."

"It is difficult. However, it is no more difficult than losing my planet, or my mother. Yes, in a way, I have lost a son, but James was never really a child, and I knew that eventually he would cease to exist. You, however, have been here all along. And through this process, I have truly found, home. I once told you, that Earth was the only home I had left but I realize now that is not true. I have many homes. Earth is a home to me, as my mother was born there. I also have a home with my people, on New Vulcan, and a home here, on Enterprise. I have a family here on Enterprise as well. I was surprised to learn just what it was to be part of a true family, in the human sense of the word. But my greatest home is with you. Wherever we go, as long as we are together, you are my home. This is the best gift James was able to give me, to open my heart to you in every way possible. I love you as well Jim Kirk and I would be honored to be your husband."

"You have no idea how happy that makes me, Spock," Jim admitted, sighing with relief as a wide smile spread across his face. "For now, let's just keep that to ourselves. Someday soon, I'll ask you properly. Get down on one knee and the whole deal. You deserve it."

"Jim that is not necessary. I do not need the pomp and circumstance. I need only you."

"What? No diamond solitaire engagement ring either?" Jim joked.

"You are incorrigible."

"And you love it," Jim smirked. "In all seriousness though, I just want to make sure that you are sure. I mean, I am. I really did have a lot of time to think while James was driving. A lot of time, and I thought through everything, every possible scenario. The bottom line was that wherever I ended up, whether it was here on Enterprise, as the Captain, or with a lesser rank, or not even in Starfleet anymore, all roads led back to you. You had to be part of the equation, or I didn't want it. When I signed my resignation, and was determined to go back to Iowa, or to my Uncle's ranch in Idaho, it was under the presumption that you didn't return my feelings and never would, and that being with you wasn't a possibility. When that changed, so did everything else, along with my perspective on things. I think that's one of the primary reasons I was able to accept that what you were all telling me was true, and stop doubting myself. I'm stronger with you by my side, Spock, and I don't ever want to be without you. That said, I realize that you haven't had the time to think things through that I have, so I want you to be as sure as I am."

"Jim, I do not need time. Even my emotional decisions, are based on logic, and the only logical choice for me is to be with you. I have loved you far longer than I myself had realized. You are one of very few people that I allow myself to show my emotions toward. We have a rapport that I have not been able to achieve with anyone else, human, Vulcan, or otherwise. I did not even experience such comfort and informality with Nyota, when we were dating. It is only with you, Jim Kirk, that I truly feel free to be myself. We are T'hyla, we have a rare bond, and there is no other for me."

"Well you know, Admiral Pike will be with us for a few more days. We could always have him perform the ceremony," Jim teased. "I'm kidding, but I am glad that you are so sure. We can contact your father and Selek and make arrangements for a Vulcan ceremony to be performed next time we are there. I think we are scheduled on New Vulcan in 6 months. Or we have a shore leave period in 4 months' time. We could go then if you want to do it sooner. It's totally up to you. I'm good with whatever."

"Quite frankly I would prefer to have Captain Pike perform a small ceremony while he is still here. This is our home, our crew is our family. We can deal with the Vulcan formalities and ceremonial rituals on shore leave. Perhaps, we can also visit the orphanage?"

"Wow, okay. I was kidding, but if you are sure, then, let's do it. I mean you're sure? It's not too fast?"

"I am sure, and it is not. Not for me. However, if you would prefer to wait…."

"I didn't say that. I just… you surprised me. That's all. Wow. We're…we're getting married," Jim stated in awe as he brushed his thumb over Spock's cheek. "I don't think I've ever been this happy. Let's go find Pike, and, break it to Bones."

The next four months passed without any major incidents. They had a few more brushes with Romulan rogue factions but no casualties. Jim and Spock settled into married life and adjusted to life without James. Bones seemed to have a harder time letting James go that Jim had thought he would. He'd become very attached to the child version of Jim. As a result he was more irritable with Jim some days, and completely overboard with the mother henning whenever Jim was injured. He was gentler with the hypos though, so that was a consolation.

A new group of graduates from the Academy came on board shortly after Jim and Spock were married, and this group was definitely the cream of the crop. All of them had been at the top of their class and excelled in their chosen fields. The only transfers were those who had received officer's commissions and had to be reassigned to other ships. Jim stopped frequenting the chat rooms and ignored rumors and gossip all together. He now had better things to do with his time. He was a lot less frustrated, and a lot more, happy, sated, and satisfied with life in general.

Shore leave brought with it a trip to the New Vulcan Colony. There, Sarek performed the necessary Vulcan ceremony that solidified their union in the eyes of the Vulcan council. Afterward, Selek, which was what Spock Prime went by on New Vulcan, asked them to accompany him to the orphanage.

"We have made great strides in finding homes for most of the orphaned children. Only a few now remain at the orphanage. One in particular, a 6 year old female, is half Romulan, and therefore has had a difficult time adjusting. Because of her Romulan mother, she is seen as somewhat undesirable by prospective Vulcan parents. Even the other orphans are reluctant to engage her in activities. She spends a great deal of time alone. I would like you to meet her. I had thought, that perhaps, given her heritage, the best place for her would be on a federation starship, with a multitude of mixed races, where she would be accepted."

Jim and Spock exchanged a look. Before even meeting this young lady, they were both sure that she would be better off with them.

"I think you're right. It sounds like she needs us. I guess my only question is, how has this all affected her? If it were me, I'd be downright angry, and she is half Romulan," Jim pointed out.

"As I said, it has been difficult for her to adjust. She has much anger and pent up frustration. She does her best to suppress her emotions, but she needs an outlet, a way to express them without fear of retribution, or shame. Having one Vulcan father, and one Human father, would be a good balance for her. She craves attention, love, and acceptance. If you are willing to give her those things, I believe she will open up to you, and give you those things in return. She is very bright and caring. It is obvious that it hurts her when the other children shun her. She was only visiting Vulcan with her parents when the planet was destroyed. They had been living on a science colony and her mother and father had been raising her to embrace both sides of her heritage, so she does not possess the Vulcan discipline that the other children do."

They arrived at the orphanage and Selek led them to a common room where several children were engaged in learning activities. One young girl sat far away from the group, reading in a corner. A look of sadness and longing ghosted across her face as she looked over at the group. Then he caught herself and returned to her reading, masking her emotion as she did so. She was beautiful, her skin was more fair than that of the full blooded Vulcan children and her eyes were full of expression, even when it was obvious that she was trying to hid her emotions.

Selek let the two over to the young girl and spoke to her briefly, telling her that these were the two Starfleet Officer's he had told her about. She quickly rose to introduce herself to them, offering her hand for a traditional handshake, which she had learned was common on Earth. This was rare for a Vulcan to do, their touch telepathy made them wary of direct touch. Jim knew immediately she was trying to gauge their sincerity. He accepted her handshake, trying to send her the telepathic message she was looking for, and let her know that it was okay to let her guard down around them.

"Hi there, my name's Jim, Jim Kirk. And who might you be, little lady?"

"My name is Saavik, Captain Kirk. I am very pleased to meet both you and Commander Spock," she said, directing her greeting to both men.

"It is our pleasure to make your acquaintance as well, Saavik," Spock assured her. "Selek has just been telling us a bit about you. Perhaps you would like to tell us more yourself? What is it you have just been reading? "

Saavik looked curiously from Selek to Spock and back again. "Are you related to Mr. Spock, Selek? You did not tell me," she said, sidestepping the question about her reading material. Jim noticed and slipped behind her to check out her Data PADD.

"You are observant, Saavik. Undoubtedly you noticed the similarities between us," Spock stated, without admitting anything. Selek simply nodded in agreement, but gave her, what could have been perceived as a wink. At this moment Jim started laughing. When Saavik turned to see him with her Data Padd she flushed with embarrassment.

"I, I am sorry, I shouldn't have been snooping, but Selek had told me that you were somewhat rebellious in your youth, and I became curious," she admitted.

"Well of course you were curious," Jim grinned and he gave her a reassuring hug. "There's nothing wrong with that. The question is, now that you know how many times I've been arrested, does that mean you don't trust me and that you don't want me to be your Dad?" He asked sincerely, showing Spock the article on her Data PADD from the Riverside Herald, from about a year before he entered the Academy. The picture showed him, bloody faced from a bar fight, being arrested and put into a police transport. Spock stiffened and shot him a worried glance, afraid that Jim's past would indeed make Saavik reluctant to give them a chance to be her parents.

"Oh no. I find it fascinating. There is a human saying, that you should not judge a book by its cover. You personify that saying. I think… I think that I need a parent, who doesn't just believe that, but knows it is true."

"Well knows one knows that better than I do, except maybe Commander Spock here. You know he is half human don't you?"

"I do. Selek told me. And Mr. Spock's father, Ambassador Sarek, came to speak with me. He told me that you had similar difficulties with the other children when you were young, Mr. Spock. He believes that you and I have much in common."

"We do. And please, call me Spock. You have grown familiar with Selek and no longer call him Mr. Selek. I wish you to feel free to be as informal with me as well. Especially if you will consent to give Jim and I chance to be your parents. I hope one day you would come to call me Father."

"I would like that, very much," the young Vulcan/Romulan hybrid admitted.

Jim and Spock talked to Saavik for another hour or so and it was clear by that time that they needed her as much as she needed them. Arrangements were made for her adoption and a few days later she returned with them to the Enterprise, where she received a warm welcome from the crew.

Spock's old bedroom was re-fitted for her and the atmosphere of family that had presided when James had existed was renewed. This time however Bones became Uncle Leonard and the feeling of family had more permanency. Saavik relished her time with both of her parents, learning Vulcan discipline from her new Vulcan father, and the art of pranking from her human one. Scotty and Keenser became her favorite targets. She spent afternoons playing with Hikaru and Pavel at the playground that had been built for James and her very bestest friend in the whole universe was little Spock, James' green teddy bear with the pointed ears. Jim couldn't think of a better person to take care of little Spock than his daughter. They became a very happy family and somehow Jim knew that James would be very proud of all of them.