[Chapter thirteen-A- five years later]

"Mommy! Looky, looky, looky what I found!" a young black haired, blue eyed, pointed eared, high eye browed boy screamed, running through the house with his hands cupped together.

"Kitchen, Joey." A young man replied.

The boy ran to the kitchen, bare feet getting cold as he ran across the tiled floor to the blue eyed blond man who was setting full plates on the round table which sat near the large window on the far side of the kitchen.

Jim turned to his son and bent so he was eye level.

"What is it, Joey?" Jim asked.

"Lookit." The boy held up his hands and opened them to show his mother what he'd found.

Jim laughed when he saw the black and yellow butterfly, which flew away from them.

"It's so cool, mommy, can I keep it?"

"No, love, the butterfly, like the toad, the dragonfly, and the bird, belongs outside, in nature, if we keep it in a jar, well, it would die quicker." Jim said as he walked to the cabinet the butterfly had landed on and caught it.

Jim then walked to the window Joey had opened while he caught the insect. Joey knelt on his chair as Jim put the hand which held the butterfly out and opened it. The butterfly sat on his hand a moment before it flew away.

"What was this one's name?" Jim asked as he brought out a book from his back pocket.

"Her name was Amanda."

Jim penciled the name next to the species of the butterfly and drew a quick sketch.

"Okay Sweetheart, Amanda's written in." Jim put the book away. "Now it's dinner time."

Joey and Jim talked quietly over dinner. After dinner they went to the living room where Jim finish grading papers, he'd managed to get a degree in teaching and now taught high school science, and Joey read aloud from one of the history books that Jim had bought when he was younger.

The door bell rang, which caused Jim to look up.

Jim stood, "Keep reading, Joey." He said as he walked to the door.

Jim opened the door to reveal the crew of the Enterprise.

"Hello Jim…" The brown eyed, hazel eyed doctor said.

"Hi guys." Jim said, shocked.

"Can we come in?" Uhura asked, it was her fault they were here, Bones had been going off again about Jim abandoning them, even Spock agreed.

She remembered the almost kicked puppy look that Chekov had worn for days after they'd met the new captain, remembered that even to this point in time Spock had not once called the man by the title 'captain', that Scotty had almost gotten kicked out of Starfleet, that Sulu had thrown himself into his swordsmanship, and Bones couldn't stop yelling about how Jim had become everything Jim had said he'd never be.

So when Bones started ranting again, well, she'd lost it and had blurted out that a starship, even the Enterprise, was no place to raise a baby.

"Uh… Sure." Jim moved to let the group in, Sulu, Chekov, Bones, Scotty, Uhura, and finally Spock. "Living room is on the left, follow the voice."

Jim had noticed that Joey had begun to translate the section of the history book he'd chosen to read into Vulcan, like he'd done since he'd learned to read, mainly because Jim had done that when he'd read to Joey as a baby.

Jim followed the six people to his living room.

"Mommy, who are they?" Joey asked, running to Jim.

"Joey, this is Uhura, Sulu, Chekov, Scotty, Bones, and Spock." Jim said, pointing to each. "Guys this is my son, Joey."

"Pleasure to meet you." Joey murmured, "Hey you're a Vulcan, right?" Joey asked noticing Spock's features.

"Yes," Spock said, looking at the child, seeing almost the same features. "Are you one as well?" he couldn't help asking.

"Joey, go upstairs, please." Jim requested as the child opened his mouth.

Joey nodded and left the room.

"Why are you guys here?" Jim asked.

"Why didn't you tell us about him, Jim?" Bones asked. "We could have helped you and your girlfriend."

Jim shook his head. "Bones, I'm Joey's mother, I carried him for nine months." Jim explained.

Chekov choked, "How?"

Jim shrugged. "Haven't a clue, but Joey's my little miracle." Jim smiled.

"Captain…" Spock began.

"I'm not your Captain, Spock; I haven't been for five years. You and I will talk later, okay?"

Spock nodded.

The group talked for a few hours before Jim told them they should go get some sleep, Spock stayed behind.

"Cap-" Spock began again.

"Jim, Spock, I'm no longer a Captain."

"Jim, Joey is Vulcan?" Spock asked.

"Part, yes." Jim answered.

"Whose is he?" Spock asked, surprising Jim with the possessive growl.

"Why does that matter?" Jim returned, angrily, glaring at Spock, before turning away from the Vulcan.

Spock grabbed Jim's upper arm and turned Jim so he faced Spock.

Spock's face was angry, not just his eyes like normally, which meant the Vulcan was severely pissed.

"If he's mine, then I am responsible." Spock said calmly.

Jim ripped his arm out of Spock's grip.

"No, you're not!" Jim snapped, voice rising. "Joey is a little boy, I will not have you treating him as an obligation, I don't need you to pretend to care about him. You already broke my heart, I wont let you break his." Jim yelled. "I know what it's like to be an obligation, my mother made sure I knew that I was, and so did Frank. I don't want Joey to feel that way. If you don't want us then get out and don't come back!" Jim finished, walking to the kitchen.

Spock made a motion to follow but the child, his child, beat him to it, slipping into the kitchen. Spock went to the doorway and stood watching Jim, who was gripping the counter tightly and kept making gasping noises.

The young boy walked to his mother and tugged on Jim's pant leg.

"Mommy, are you okay?" the little boy asked.

Jim took a deep breath before turning to Joey with a forced smile.

"Yeah, baby, Mommy's fine."

Joey smiled almost heart breakingly, "I love you, mommy." The boy said happily.

"I love you, too."

Joey hugged Jim and Jim hugged back.

"So, Father doesn't want us?" Joey asked, quietly.

Jim didn't say anything, biting his lip.

Spock stepped into the kitchen.

"Yes, I want you both." Spock said and picked up the child. "I was willing to only be responsible because you left and I assumed that you would not be agreeable to a relationship deeper then that of two parents who only see each other and are civil for the sake of their child." Spock explained, looking at Jim.

Jim stepped closer to Spock.

"Spock, I told you five years age that I loved you, that hasn't changed because you're a, to borrow a phrase, 'Stupid, green blooded, hobgoblin.' At least you're my stupid, green blooded, hobgoblin." Jim said pressing a kiss to Spock's lips.

Jim took Joey from Spock, "Time for bed."

"But mom!' Joey whined.

Jim went up the stairs t Joey's bedroom, Spock following.

Jim was tucking Joey in, as Spock leaned against the door frame, watching, Spock expected Jim to leave the child after tucking him in, however Jim sat on the bed after tucking in the child, his hands in his lap and began to sing.

"Sunshine, you are my Sunshine, you make me happy when skies are grey, you'll never know, dear, how much I love you, please, don't take my sunshine away." Jim kissed Joey's forehead when he finished singing and the child was asleep.