Author's Note: Well, it was hell having to rewrite chapter 6, but with the support of you readers, I was able to do it. If you read the original chapter 6 I suggest that you don't read the updated version because in my opinion it's not nearly as perfect as it was the first time. I will forever sigh over my bad luck with that chapter. Lol. I still put my best effort into it, but it just didn't seem to come out the same for me.

By the way, I had to really fix up chapter 2 as well. Somehow a whole damn part got missing. I swear, I feel like ffnet is just out to get me at this point because I swear that I had that part backed up, and somehow it just wasn't there anymore. (Grumblegrumble) Somehow I had everything but the part where Jim sees one of those visions with his father in it. Sighhh. Oh well. Again, not sure if I wrote it as well as I did the first time, but hopefully it is able to meet everyone's standards.

Once again, I was extremely encouraged and flattered by reviewers and people who added this story to their favorites and author alerts. Thanks! Also, sorry this chapter took so long to get out. I had to take a break for a while because I was so irritated ffnet kept eating and duplicating chapters, causing me to rewrite more than necessary.

I've basically been gone for a little over a year, so please forgive the long author's note this time around! Hopefully the length of the chapter makes up for it!

Disclaimer: More fabrication about bonding! Hahaha. I also make up stuff about Jim and Spock's mental abilities. And as always, everything else you need is in chapters 1-3.

Warnings: More sex! Lol. If I scarred your eyes the first time, you might want to skip this bit. I'm actually not sure if I will write any more sex scenes after this. It'll kind of depend on how the story goes; I don't initially have anything planned though. Maybe Chulu deserves one? Hmmmmm. Lol.

Shoutouts: To Magpie1600 - Great to hear from you again! And I'm glad you enjoyed it! Lol.

To RedGlassesGirl18 - Please don't go back to the updated chapter 6! Lmao. What if it ruins how you felt about it the first time? Not that I can stop you if you do...thanks for your continued support via PM as always~!

To LoveSpock - Woohoo! Another reader who's followed this fic a while. Great to finally hear from you! Hehe~ Twins. Interesting...I will consider it. Hahaha.

To BellaStrawberries - Oh dear! You think you did? Maybe you didn't and it was because I left a huge gap somewhere in this chapter. Where do you feel like you got lost?

To meakamaxwell - I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter! I'm also glad to hear that you are enjoying this story in general. As for what you seem like you're looking for, maybe this chapter will be the food you need, lol.

To Andi - I'm glad you enjoyed the bed bit, lol. That was pretty tricky for me to write because I had all the images in my head, but I was having trouble finding a way to write it all out. And you know what's funny? The second half of your comment—that was almost the exact same wording my friend used to explain it. LOL. I'd wonder if you were him, but unless you used a fake name, my friend's name isn't Andi. Haha. Also, I take you enjoying my fic as a huge compliment because I think most of the people who read my fics are straight females, and as a straight female myself I realize I'm at a disadvantage at writing a gay male love story that a gay guy might like reading, so I'm really glad to hear you like this one!

To Kim - Yes, yes it was. Or at least...it was my attempt at it, lol. I'm glad you liked it!

To Zarra Rous – Thank you for your sympathies. As I've mentioned, it was hell going through all of the rewriting.

To SeverusDmitri18 – You're one of the more recent reviewers from during my yearlong hiatus from this fic. I thank you profusely for your words of encouragement.

To sarah-msu – I am, as you can see, still working on this. Hahaha, I just needed to take a step back for a little while.

And finally to applepie1989 – You are in luck, because here is the latest just three days after you've posted the review, haha.

I've said it before, but thanks to everyone else who's still following or is new to this fic! I appreciate all the support!

Chapter XII: Lessons in Bonding

"So you have only just created the framework for the bond."

"That is correct," Spock said to his father, whose face was on Spock's communication screen. "Approximately seventeen hours ago."

"There is still an opportunity to change your mind, my son."

"One that I have no intention of taking," Spock replied.

Sarek let out a small sigh. "And yet, I find it necessary to ask you one last time to reconsider."

"Father, to be quite clear," said Spock. "I have not called seeking your permission."

A light frown appeared on his father's face. "Then what is your reason?"

"Out of respect, Father," said Spock. "The ship's doctor has been monitoring me the past few hours."

Sarek's lips pressed into a firm, thin line. He already knew what his son was going to say.

"I have been showing mild symptoms of the beginnings of plak tow," said Spock. "I believe I do not have long until I break into a full-fledged fever."

Sarek said nothing at first and just stared at his son. Spock made sure to keep his slowly growing impatience and irritation towards his father in check. Sarek said his next words quietly.

"Then do what you must."

Without giving his son a chance to reply, Sarek cut off the call. Spock stared at the blank screen for a moment; his jaw involuntarily clenched and relaxed just once. He then entered in a command on his communication screen. This time, the face of McCoy blipped onto his screen.

"Yeah? What is it, hobgoblin?" the man asked gruffly.

"I am placing a request for a doctor's order," said Spock. "One that will allow the captain and I to be absent from the bridge for the next seventy-two hours."

"Jiminy Christmas! When that other hobgoblin said you two were going to need a long time, he wasn't kidding," said McCoy. "You'd better not do anything to hurt Jim, or I'll—"

"Pardon my interruption, Doctor," said Spock. "But who is this other 'hobgoblin' you speak of?"

McCoy frowned on his screen. "You want a name you mean? I don't know, I think it was Stan or something like that. And let me tell you, the guy's got less of a personality than you do."

"Stonn..." Spock said drily. "And I suppose Jim advised you to speak with him?"

"Well yeah," said McCoy. "You Vulcans aren't exactly public about your medical conditions and practices. I learned a lot from him too—that guy actually gave me a ton of information. And don't worry, I'll keep it all private."

"I am pleased to hear you were able to take advantage of such a rare opportunity," Spock said with his voice lightly laced in sarcasm. "However, I request you cease any further communications with him."

McCoy chuckled. "Yeah, Jim told me you were probably going to say something like that. Don't even worry about it, because it won't happen. Dealing with just one of you guys is already more than I can take. Give him a little credit though—thanks to him I'm going to give you the physician's order easy, no questions asked."

"How wonderful..." said Spock.

"Isn't it, now?" said McCoy. "You've got the portable menders, right?"

"Yes."

"So is that it? There anything else you guys will need?"

"No," said Spock. "Thank you, Doctor."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," said McCoy. "I swear, ever since I've become friend's with Jim, my life has—"

Spock didn't even bother to hear the rest of what the doctor had to say and cut off the communication. He then punched another command on his screen, making one last call. After several rings, Jim answered and his face flickered onto the screen. The blonde captain smiled.

"Hey there, Spock."

The Vulcan wasted no time with pleasantries. "Jim. You and I have both been issued a physician's order granting us absence from the bridge for the next seventy-two hours. I request that you please make your way to my quarters at once, and that you arrive dressed in garments that you do not mind losing as well as a proper change of attire."

Jim blinked at took a minute to process the sudden overflow of information. "Wow...uh, okay. I can do all that, just give me a few minutes I guess. See you soon...?"

"Yes," said Spock. "You have my permission to enter without announcement."

Not giving Jim a chance to say anything else, the Vulcan abruptly cut off the communication. He then proceeded to strip off his clothes. He was fully naked by the time Jim arrived; the other man was wearing a plain tee-shirt and sweatpants. He also had with him a plastic bag with a fresh set of clothes that Spock said he would be needing. Jim's jaw dropped immediately upon seeing the Vulcan.

"Shit, Spock! What in the world—"

"Drop the bag, Captain," Spock ordered, cutting the other man off.

Jim did so out of reflex; he was still stunned. With incredible speed, Spock swept Jim off his feet, carried him over to the bed, and then unceremoniously shredded off what Jim was wearing.

"Holy hell..." Jim said softly, looking up at Spock, eyes wide.

Hardly giving the other man a chance to digest what was happening, Spock immediately pushed the both of them up so that they were in a better position on the bed. Jim let out a surprised gasp when Spock gripped him tightly; blue eyes beginning to cloud with arousal. The blonde made an appreciative noise when the Vulcan's lips met his for an intense kiss; Jim slid his fingers through Spock's black hair. Jim let out a soft and breathy chuckle when they broke apart for air.

"Well damn. You're just ready to get right into it, aren't you?" he said.

Spock responded with a grunt before pushing Jim up just a little bit higher and spread his legs apart, surprising Jim slightly with his sudden aggression. Jim was able to stop Spock before the Vulcan did anything too rash.

"Whoa now, easy there, tiger," Jim said, laughing lightly when the Vulcan let out a noise of frustration. "I like a good roll in the hay as much as the next guy, but you can't just rush into it or someone might get hurt, yeah? Mm...!"

Jim shuddered with pleasure when the Vulcan gently bit down on his shoulder. Spock then moved up to nibble on his ear, causing Jim to shiver. He was a little bit dazed when Spock spoke into his ear.

"Then what is it that I must do?"

Jim let out a soft chuckle as he trailed a tongue over his bottom lip, wetting it. "That ready to go, huh? All right, just follow my lead and do exactly what I tell you, and I promise we'll both enjoy this."

"Yes," Spock murmured, nipping lightly at Jim's neck.

"Mm! Okay, first we've got to get me ready," Jim said before taking the fingers of Spock's right hand into his mouth.

If Jim were to be honest, he would have to admit that he sort of envied his lover as he moaned—Jim could only imagine how much more sensual the experience probably was for Spock, since Vulcans were extra sensitive to touch. He released Spock's fingers from his mouth when he felt that they were wet enough. He slid a hand behind Spock's neck and drew the Vulcan closer to him so that their foreheads were touching. He gave Spock a quick peck on the lips.

"Okay, now just take your fingers down below and just slide one of 'em in, all right?" Jim said, his eyes mostly closed. "Just keep slidin' it in and out for a bit; you'll know when it's okay to add more—it'll start feeling a little less tight."

There was a pause in the Vulcan's actions. "You've done this many times before?"

"Um...yeah, I guess so. Sort of," said Jim. "I mean I haven't done it with as many guys though."

Jim squirmed a little when he felt Spock's disapproval through their very light bond. He caressed the back of Spock's neck with his hand and gently turned the Vulcan's face to look at him. He opened up his eyes and met Spock's gaze.

"Hey," he said. "I can't change the past. I honestly would if I could, but I can't, and I'm sorry about that. I can promise though that I'll never do this again with anyone else. Okay? You have my word."

Spock stared at him long and hard. In the end, he seemed to find what he was looking for in the other man's eyes, and Jim let out a very small sigh of relief when the Vulcan resumed his movements. He couldn't deny that he was inexplicably turned on watching Spock slip his fingers into his mouth to wet them again before sliding them inside Jim, one at a time and at a gradual pace. Jim let out soft gasps of pleasure at the penetration mostly because he hadn't been on the receiving end in a long time, so he had somewhat forgotten the sensations that came with it. Needless to say, he welcomed the reminder. He also found himself becoming rather impatient.

"Aw, fuck it. Just put it in, Spock," said Jim.

The Vulcan didn't have to be told twice. Jim's hands automatically flew to the top of his head and he let out an appreciative moan when Spock penetrated him. Jim noted that his feelings of arousal were even stronger than the first time they had sex, and he wondered if it was due to the foundational bond that they had created together.

"Shit, that's good," said Jim.

Spock merely grunted in response. Jim wasn't surprised to find that the Vulcan was a quick learner, and they took less than five minutes to find the perfect pleasurable pace. The blonde captain watched Spock through lust-filled eyes as he reached down and fondled himself while the Vulcan pounded him. He was halfway to his climax when Spock did something unexpected; while continuing to slide in and out of Jim, the Vulcan lifted one of his hands to the blonde's face and pressed down firmly on the other man's melding points. Jim barely had the chance to recognize the action from his prior experience with the Vulcan's alternate version before he was thrown into an otherworldly experience again. This time their mental connection seemed to last considerably longer than the first time they had done it. In fact, this time Jim became overwhelmed by a vast array of images. Some of the things he saw were past memories of his own life, even the ones that he had at some point forgotten. Other memories that he saw were ones that clearly belonged to Spock, and Jim felt as if they were being embedded deep into his subconscious.

While all this was happening, Jim also felt himself entering a heightened state of ecstasy. He wasn't sure if it was due to the fact that they were in the process of strengthening their bond or if it was because Spock was projecting his euphoric feelings to Jim through their bond, but whatever the case was, Jim found that he didn't really much care. Either way, Jim couldn't deny that he was completely enjoying himself and was more than thrilled that the sensations showed no sign of ebbing any time soon. As they both reached their climax, Jim was blinded by a bright white light and found himself feeling oddly detached from the sound of his own screams even though they were in accompaniment to the shocks of pleasure coursing through his body.

It took a moment for Jim's vision to clear, and when it did the first thing he saw was the pitch black eyes of his lover, completely dilated in lust. Both men were out of breath, but only Jim's chest heaved more visibly. He let out an almost strangled gasp when Spock ran his fingers gently down the blonde's chest; Jim twisted and moaned when the Vulcan's hands traveled down below his waist and gripped his length.

"Fuck, that's sensitive," Jim gritted out. "Nn, shit...!"

Spock soon had the blonde captain reduced to soft groans and whimpers; his body unusually sensitive to the Vulcan's touch. Spock couldn't resist teasing Jim, raking his fingers all over the other man's body. He chuckled when Jim let out a stream of curses.

"Nngh, Spock," said Jim. "What the fuck are you doing to me? Why does this feel so damn good?"

The Vulcan couldn't help but to smirk as he nuzzled the crook of his lover's neck. "Does it not always feel this good, Jim?"

"Mm, go to hell," Jim moaned. "Don't be such a smart ass. I know you've done some kind of Vulcan voodoo shit to me. Never in my life did just being touched by someone feel this fucking good."

"Well, it is of the utmost importance that a Vulcan's bondmate feel as aroused as possible during the process of mating," Spock said in a mock-lecturing tone. "Of course, this is also an exceptional case."

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Jim cursed softly as he felt the Vulcan's hands trail downward again. "Exceptional case how?"

Spock found himself thoroughly enjoying the other man's moans in response to his trailing a tongue from the base of Jim's length to the tip, and he was also beginning to understand why Jim had delighted in hearing him beg before, when Spock had been on the receiving end of things. He also found himself rather pleased to see Jim too paralyzed in a state of euphoria to do much more than grip his hands tightly around tufts of pillow as the Vulcan continued his ministrations.

"You see, Jim," Spock said, while slowly pumping the other man. "Under normal circumstances, bonding is usually between two Vulcans. In that situation, each partner is able to maintain his or her own constant state of arousal during the mating process. This is most important because Vulcan bonding requires a great deal of stamina. However, as a human you do not have the required means and are therefore incapable of doing so. As a result, the responsibility then falls on me to project upon you such a state through our growing bond."

"Mm, I think this is the dirtiest I've ever heard you talk," Jim said with a slight whine in his voice. "And yet, you still manage to make everything sound like a classroom lecture."

"I believe it was you who said that I was a great orator," Spock said, his voice lightly teasing. "In fact, I believe those were your exact words."

Jim groaned at the Vulcan's cheesy pun. "Spock, you're killing me."

"On the contrary, Jim," said Spock. "As I have just explained, that is the very opposite of what I am actually doing."

"Fuck, whatever," said Jim. "Let's just stop talking now and get the hell on with it."

"Of course, Jim," Spock said with a small smile. "Of course."

And had the blonde captain been in a fully functioning and proper state of mind, he might have been a little more careful about what he asked for—or at the very least, he may have been a little more careful about how he asked for it.

####

Jim found that he could hardly move when he woke up to the sound of Spock's alarm clock on the morning of the fourth day of his sharing the same bed as the Vulcan. He let out a soft groan when he felt strong arms wrap around his thoroughly exhausted body, and despite himself, Jim couldn't help but chuckle weakly with mild amusement.

"Please, no more," Jim said in a hoarse voice, his body no longer in a mode of hypersensitivity. "Seriously, Spock. I don't think I can take any more. I'm sore all over."

Spock let out a small laugh as well as he turned the other man around to face him as well; the Vulcan pulled Jim in closer and ran a hand affectionately through the other man's hair.

"Not to worry, Jim," Spock said, the corners of his lips quirking up into a tiny smile. "We are quite done for a while."

"Oh, good," Jim said, letting out a little sigh of relief and leaning into Spock. "Never thought I'd ever say this, but I think I'm going to be pretty good without getting laid for a while—that all sure was something else. Tell me something, Spock. Do all Vulcans have a libido as high as yours?"

Spock tilted his head slightly to one side. Jim continued talking without giving the Vulcan a chance to respond.

"You know what? Then again, now that I think about it, it actually kind of makes sense. I mean, you guys pretty much stay abstinent your entire lives, right?"

Spock nodded. "That is correct."

"Well then hell," said Jim. "I'd probably be fucking ready to go too by the time my future spouse finally decided to roll around and say hey."

Spock let out another small laugh and gently ran his fingers up and down the other man's spine. "How are you feeling?"

"Just sore all over, like I said before," said Jim. "Nothing broken or anything though."

"Good. Do you think you can get up?"

"You mean sit up? Yeah, I think so. If you're asking if I can get up and walk though, I think that's going to be a different story."

"Hm...if you can get into a sitting position, that should be enough."

"Huh? Enough for what?" Jim asked, looking up at the Vulcan.

Spock turned briefly to reach for something behind him; it was a portable mender. Jim chuckled.

"Bones."

"Indeed," said Spock. "He requested that we only stop by fully clothed or if there is something serious that requires his attention."

Jim laughed. "Can't say I'm surprised—sounds about right, for him. Want me to get up now?"

"If you are able."

"Yeah, okay."

There was a rustle of sheets and soon both men were in an upright sitting position. Jim's backside was to the Vulcan as Spock began treating him with the mender. After Spock had finished, he even treated Jim with a relaxing massage. Roughly an hour later, they were back to lying down in bed. Jim was the first to break the comfortable silence that had fallen between them.

"Hey listen, Spock," said Jim. "Shouldn't we be reporting to the bridge now? Alpha shift already started."

"The crew has managed without us for three days," said Spock. "I am most certain they can handle another few hours."

Jim laughed. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Spock propped himself up on his side and looked down lovingly at Jim, who appeared to be lost in thought. "Something on your mind, Jim?"

"Hm? Um, not really, I guess," Jim said looking up at Spock. "Well, except for the fact that I feel really happy right now. And safe. God, I sound like a chick, don't I?"

"Those feelings are normal after effects of our bonding, T'hy'la," Spock said with a slight chuckle. "You are content because we have established a strong and permanent connection—you feel safe because we are within close proximity of each other, and you can see that I am well."

"Huh. So this bond thing we have can actually have an impact on my emotions."

"That is correct."

"I see," Jim said, processing the information. "By the way, Spock."

"Hm?"

"What was that you called me a second ago? Ty-lah or something?"

"Ah. T'hy'la."

"Yeah, that," said Jim. "What's it mean?"

"A word that has many meanings," Spock murmured. "Brother. Friend. Lover. Soulmate."

With each word, Spock gently pressed his lips to a different part of Jim's face; his forehead, nose, cheek, and lips. Jim smiled after Spock broke away from the last kiss. He reached up and caressed the side of the Vulcan's face.

"T'hy'la. I like that," said Jim. "Call me that from now on? When we're alone like this?"

"Of course," Spock said, covering Jim's hand with his own.

"So Spock, tell me something else," said Jim. "There's more things I've been wondering about all this other stuff you Vulcans do. You know, in addition to bonding."

The Vulcan arched an eyebrow. "Certainly. Any questions you may have about our culture I will answer to the best of my ability."

"All right," Jim said, getting back up into a sitting position on the bed. "Let's start with bonding then. You said we would be able to communicate through touch telepathy..."

"That is correct," said Spock. "Though it may take some practice, since you are not Vulcan."

"Yeah, I figured as much."

"Bear in mind also that we have established a very permanent bond, as opposed to a rudimentary one," said Spock. "Therefore you and I are not as limited in how we can communicate as T'Pring and I were."

"What do you mean?"

"Through the light bond T'Pring and I shared, it was only possible to send certain shallow emotions through the link," said Spock. "And in order to have a private conversation while in a public setting, a connection would have to be made through touch, as you witnessed during our visit to Vulcan II."

"All right," said Jim. "I think I follow. So what about us?"

"As bondmates, in addition to being able to feel emotions through the link and communicate by touch, we now also have the ability to keep in close contact, even if we are not in within close proximity of each other," said Spock. "Though this will probably also require a great deal of practice on your part. Vulcans are taught from childhood how to master this ability in preparation for the future."

Jim looked confused. "I don't get it. Keep in contact without the use of touch and even if we aren't right next to each other? How?"

His eyes widened when he heard the Vulcan chuckle lightly in his mind.

"Like this, T'hy'la," Spock spoke in Jim's mind. "Eventually, after improving our skills, we will be able to communicate with each other like this even if we were on different planets."

Jim frowned. "You know, I don't think I've ever been the clingy type, but for some reason when you said that just now I couldn't help but think that I'm not sure I like the idea of us being that far apart."

The Vulcan laughed again lightly in Jim's mind. "That is another natural instinct that comes with the bond."

"What, separation anxiety?" Jim snorted.

He could feel the Vulcan smiling in his mind. "I suppose it is something to that effect."

"Okay," said Jim.

His eyebrows furrowed together and his face held an expression of a sudden, deep concentration. Spock looked at the other man curiously, but remained patient, waiting to see what the other man would do. He was mildly surprised when Jim looked up at him because the minute their eyes met, Spock felt the vague and somewhat familiar sensation of being drawn in. He felt more than saw Jim's lips curve into a small smile.

"So now that we're on the subject of being in each other's thoughts," said Jim. "Maybe you could answer a few of the questions I have about that."

The Vulcan half-smiled. "You learn quickly, T'hy'la."

Jim mentally shrugged. "I mean technically, Spock, we've done this a few times before. Now that we've bonded though, I think I've got a better understanding as to how to channel it."

"Yes, I can see that," said Spock. "What is it that you wish to ask?"

"When I connected minds with the other you," said Jim. "He did something where it was like I was in another world in his mind. Like an alternate reality made of thoughts."

"Ah," said Spock. "Yes, I suppose that is one way to put it. That is a connection that occurs when the minds connect through touch; the link is best made when one connects through the melding points on an individual's face. The purpose is usually to provide visual aid when telling a story."

"Like sharing a memory?"

"Yes, precisely."

"All right," said Jim. "Then that leads me to my next question."

"And what would that be?" asked Spock.

"When I was on Delta Vega, you—the other Spock—showed me something I'm not sure I was supposed to have seen."

"I am afraid I do not understand," said Spock.

"Well he did that melding thing you were talking about, putting his hand on my face and everything. He showed me everything that had happened in his reality, but while he was doing that, I got to see something else too."

"What else did you see?"

"It was weird, I mean, it seemed like it was a memory I was watching, except that I was in it. And the strangest part was that it all felt so real."

Spock thought about this a moment. "What you are describing is not altogether unusual."

"Huh? It's not?"

"No," said Spock. "It is not. I could show you an example if you would like."

"Please."

"Very well."

Jim vaguely registered Spock's fingers pressing down on the appropriate points on his face. Soon their surroundings changed and they were now standing in a darkly-colored room. Jim took a moment to take in the change of scenery before looking over at Spock.

"Wow," he said. "Where are we?"

The Vulcan's hands were clasped behind his back. "We are in one of the rooms of my father's home on Vulcan."

"Vulcan?" Jim asked. "You mean the one that..."

"Yes," Spock said, nodding. "This is merely a memory from the past."

"Oh, so we didn't like...time travel or anything like that?"

"No," said Spock.

"So where's the memory?" Jim asked.

"We are currently reliving it," said Spock.

He pointed over to a corner where a younger version of himself was sitting. Both of Jim's brows raised.

"Oh," he said.

"On this day, I sat on that side of the room for several minutes before my mother arrived," Spock said softly. "To comfort me."

"Ah," said Jim. "Mind if I ask what happened?"

"Not at all," Spock said, turning back to look at Jim. "As we are now bondmates there should no longer be any secrets between us."

Jim half-smiled. "Yeah, but if you're not comfortable sharing, I understand."

"It's all right," said Spock. "Many times throughout my childhood I was ridiculed and taunted for being of half-human heritage. I was able to endure most of the insults. Unfortunately, if anyone chose to speak poorly of my father and mother, I was unable to maintain any form of self-control, and I would react most unfavorably. It caused a lot of grief for my parents."

Jim frowned. "Unfavorably? What do you mean unfavorably? You punch these kids out or something?"

Spock chuckled softly. "Yes."

"Well good! I would have too!" said Jim. "Those kids got what they deserved."

"Perhaps, but my actions were considered most inappropriate, at least according to Vulcan standards."

"Aw, to hell with their standards!"

The Vulcan tilted his head, slight amusement on his face. "I believe my mother would have agreed with you."

As if on cue, there was the clicking sound of a door opening and Spock's mother entered the room. The first thought that crossed Jim's mind as he watched the woman walk over to the young Spock was that he found her to be very beautiful—he could see where Spock got his softer features from. Jim felt a small pang of sorrow coming from Spock and he reached out his hand to comfort the Vulcan, only to realize that Spock was no longer beside him. He looked around, confused, but Spock had somehow disappeared without a trace. It took him a few minutes to realize where the other man could have possibly gone. Recalling the time he had experienced a memory of his other self through a mind meld with the other version of Spock, Jim looked in the direction Spock had pointed to earlier, where the younger version of himself was sitting.

Jim couldn't prove anything, but he was almost certain that the child was now more than just a projection. The way the child reached out for the woman and the look of longing in his eyes was enough to convince Jim that Spock had somehow slipped himself into the memory so he could interact with the shade of his mother from a first-person perspective. Jim felt a tight clench in his chest as he watched the interaction. When the memory concluded, Jim was not the least bit surprised to find that Spock had mysteriously reappeared by his side.

"Hey," Jim said softly.

The sound of Jim's voice broke the Vulcan out of his trance. He looked at his lover.

"I apologize," said Spock. "I did not mean for—"

"Don't worry about it," Jim said, shaking his head. "I understand. Can I ask you something though?"

"Yes, of course," said Spock.

"You were in there somehow, weren't you? Just now?" Jim asked. "You got to live things all over again from that angle?"

"That is correct," said Spock. "Humans have the same ability in their dreams, but compared to a Vulcan, the results are far more erratic. Since we are trained from a young age to hone our mental abilities, we are able to do things like this simply through meditation."

"All right, well I guess that kind of explains things," said Jim. "I actually sort of had something like that happen when I was connected with the other you back on Delta Vega. The only thing is, I'm not sure if what I saw was real or not."

Spock raised an eyebrow. "You believe you shared in a daydream as opposed to a memory? That seems somewhat unlikely and unusual."

"What do you mean?"

"Most of what is shared through the bond are the life memories of each partner," said Spock. "Much of which is buried deep within the subconscious. If anything were to unintentionally surface during a connection, it would more likely be one of those memories rather than a fleeting dream with no personal significance."

"Huh. Interesting," said Jim. "When you say it's all buried deep though, do you mean that neither of us would be aware of it?"

"That is correct," said Spock. "Unless there is a trigger, or unless one of us summons a particular memory, most of the time it is just tucked away, forgotten."

"So you're saying right now I have all your memories from as far back as you can remember until now?" Jim asked.

"Yes," Spock said, nodding. "In addition, you may even possess memories that even I have forgotten."

"What?" Jim asked, frowning. "That doesn't make sense! How is that even possible?"

"Think of the mind as a recording device, and your eyes as the lens," said Spock. "We see many things, day to day. While we remember most immediately the memories most important to us, our minds are capable of storing an immense amount of information."

"Okay, so let me see if I've got this right. Say I see pizza on the cafeteria's menu. I'm probably not going to remember that it was thirty years from now, but you're saying even if I don't think I remember, I really do?"

"Precisely," said Spock. "Under that same concept, the minute we established our permanent bond, our minds made more than just a connection—they also made a transfer. You and I now both possess a copy of each other's lifetime memories."

"So you're saying I can access your memories at any time I want to?" asked Jim.

"Technically, yes. Though normally in order to do so it would require some meditation," said Spock.

"Well that's just an invasion of privacy right there, isn't it? No wonder you guys mate for life," said Jim. "Imagine all the blackmail material if you guys chose to break things off."

Spock chuckled. "Perhaps, but there is a far more important reason as to why Vulcans choose to mate with just one partner—the severance of a bond, whether professionally or unexpectedly done, can cause very serious side effects, one of which is death."

"Oh yeah, that's right. I forget who told me about that, but I remember learning about it," Jim said, shaking his head. "You guys just turn everything literal, don't you? Married until death do you part?"

"I suppose it may seem that way," said Spock. "For the most part though, Jim, neither partner typically pries into the memories of the other."

"Well why does it happen then? Do you guys know?"

"The reasons are not entirely clear," said Spock. "It is something Vulcans have been researching for years. However, the current theory is that the open access to a spouse's memories is to create a sense of trust between partners. We place a high priority on an individual's privacy, and therefore trust is established by not prying into the memories of the other party."

"That's...logical," said Jim.

"Indeed," said Spock.

"You mentioned earlier that you guys don't typically pry into the other person's memories," said Jim. "Does that mean sometimes you guys do?"

"Only in rare cases," said Spock.

"Such as?"

"An extreme case would be if an act of violence rendered you comatose," said Spock. "I may feel inclined to sift through your memories to see if I could find who put you in such a state, so that I could...handle them properly."

Jim's lips quirked into a small smile at Spock's words. "How noble of you. There is something else I'm wondering though. Is it possible for me to say...tap one of my memories through you?"

"It is possible, yes."

"Even if it isn't from this lifetime?"

Spock frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well when I connected with you—the other you, I mean—I think I got to see a memory that belonged to the other me. God it feels weird saying that."

"Ah, I see," Spock said, nodding. "That is possible, since you are still yourself, regardless of whether or not you're from the same time period."

"Okay, but based on everything you've been telling me, shouldn't it have been more difficult for me to get those memories?"

Spock took a moment to think about Jim's question. "You make a valid point; however, there is a chance my guard may have been down."

"You mean the other you, right?"

"Yes."

"Why would your guard have been down?"

"I imagine because I may not have seen you in quite some time," Spock said, his cheeks flushing a very faint green.

"Oh," Jim said, his own face turning a light shade of pink even though he didn't really have a reason to feel embarrassed. "So you Vulcans are secretly sentimental."

"...perhaps."

Jim chuckled softly. He then looked away from Spock and took a brief scan of their surroundings. They appeared to still be in Spock's father's house, but the room they were in was empty.

"Well, it doesn't look like another memory is playing or anything, so how are we still here?" Jim asked, looking at the Vulcan.

"A good question," Spock said, also taking a look around. "It appears the combined strength of our mental abilities is allowing us to remain in this meditative state."

"We're meditating right now?" Jim asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I can see no other explanation," said Spock. "It is not unusual to visualize one's form or realistic surroundings."

"Huh, well that's interesting," said Jim. "I've got some more questions for you later, if you don't mind."

"Certainly. I will answer any of your queries to the best of my ability."

The two of them then gently transitioned out of the mental connection. Jim soon found himself back in reality, and in the comfort of his lover's arms.

"Mm...listen, Spock, as much as I hate to say it, I'm still feeling pretty tired. I'm not sure if I'm ready to get back into the swing of things just yet."

"Then I believe it may be best that you rest for another day," said Spock. "I will send a request to Dr. McCoy to extend our leave until tomorrow."

"Good idea," Jim said, leaning into Spock's body and his lips curling into a small smile.

A/N: Okay. So writing sex scenes are so difficult they make me sweat. Lol. I mean, who knows what future chapters will bring, but for now I think I'm just going to take a break from it, eh heh. Anyway, already working on the next chapter! Here's to no more future technical difficulties on my end, eh? Lol.

This chapter was also originally meant to be longer, but in light of the fact a sequel to the 2009 film is coming out, I've decided to see if that movie might change a few things I initially had planned with this one. Can't say anything for sure yet, but definitely stay tuned.

In other news, I've finally written something on my LiveJournal (link to it is on my ffnet profile), and I've decided that for now I'm just going to use it to belt out angry, frustrated rants every time I hit a writer's block. So feel free to keep up/interact with me there, if you'd like.

Other than that, see you all again next chapter! Hopefully people are still reading!