Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek rights. This is me having fun in a genre I knew next to nothing about.

Note: This picks right up where In Need and Deed left off.

"Foreign Earth language translated to Standard."

"Alien Language translated to standard."

"Voice being listened to through a communicator."

'Telepathic speech.'

Thoughts.

"Occasionally, a foreign/alien word will be in a sentence."

"Ah, how good it feels! The hand of an old friend." ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

True Friendship- Spock Prime

He'd been too late to do anything. Too late to save the Romulan home planet, too late to stop Nero from going back in time.

Too late to do anything but follow but hope and pray that he could do something to stop the Narada. That the luck that had gotten him and his friends through so many dangers had not run out.

He'd been quick to cloak his small craft when he finally did emerge, and just as quick to make his way to Vulcan. He could hide there, learn what was going on.

At least, that was the plan.

Three days after he had arrived and hidden himself in an old dwelling that had been long abandoned, he was found.

"I wasn't aware anyone was living in these dwellings." The voice was young, slightly sharp in tone, but Spock recognized it. Turning around he found himself face to face with a young James T. Kirk, with piercing blue eyes that seemed almost unreal.

"James T. Kirk, How did you find me?" The Young man frowned slightly, and Spock felt the world shift, along with the realization that perhaps he should have thought more on what he'd do if he met someone he knew- but then again, James Kirk wasn't just anyone. (and his control had slipped, more than was proper, but Jim was right there, alive.)

"How do you know my name? Who are you?" (And completely suspicious of him. Feeling hurt that this Jim didn't know him was illogical)

"I have been, and always shall be, your friend." An old, old promise, that almost didn't seem enough. But how did he explain who he was-

"Spock?" Jim's blue eyes widened (he had to differ them in his mind somehow, but he didn't know how) and Spock found his control at last, forcing himself to think on the most logical course of action. This Jim was young, probably had already hacked the Kobayashi Maru, if his guess of his friend's doppelganger's age was right. (But why was he on Vulcan?)

"From a different Timeline, yes . . . it would be easier to show you." (and he could find out more about this reality, this Jim, find a way to separate the two Jim's in his mind.)

"Go ahead, then." The emotional transference goes both ways, and he doesn't have a lot of control anymore once he gets a glimpse of this James Kirk.

George Kirk died after naming his son, Winona Kirk was absent, Sam had left, and the step-dad didn't care much for Jim- as long as they stayed out of each other's way, they were fine; Tarsus IV, where his alternate and Jim met, Jim's instincts getting both of them through the ordeal; meeting Scotty; A year of recovery on Vulcan, before both enlisted in Starfleet- his Jim had spent years recovering before joining Starfleet at 18, and had graduated in four years because he wanted to experience everything.

Meeting McCoy, much, much earlier than before, the messy divorce, but McCoy got Joanna this time, wasn't quite as hurtful with his words, but still argued with his own alternate (and how illogical was it that he was pleased to hear 'Damn Hobgoblin' again?) . . . Jim hauling a thirteen year old cadet with a thick accent out of a fight, tutoring a familiar face in logistics, word games with a girl with long black hair . . . but this Jim was fiercer, far more feral than the one he had lost, years and years ago.

Spock's bond with his Jim had taken years of good things and bad things to develop and strengthen, because they had been adults and set somewhat in their ways.

The bond this Jim shared with his counterpart had formed when they were young, in a time when both needed it for survival.

He pulled back out of the meld, quickly filing his discoveries into their place so he could go through at a later time, and blinked as Jim took a shuddering gasp and stepped away. Spock hesitated in following- it was not his Jim to comfort.

"Our lives were changed, then?" There was no censure or anger, just a simple statement. But Spock still felt it like a slap.

"I'm sorry, Jim . . ."

"It wasn't your fault, Spock, don't apologize." Jim straightened. "Now what?"

"I need a way to find out more information on what happened to Nero- Your father only delayed him, he will return."

"You also need a new name, Spock . . . you need to be able to blend in."

"A council Elder will be able to officiate a false identity . . . As for a name, I think I have one that might be suitable- this is not the first time I have ended up in the past."

"I know someone who can help."

It took them two hours to get back to town, and Spock followed him to an office.

"T'Pring, is Elder T'Pau recieving visitors?" Spock would have gaped as he recognized the woman wearing a black and white dress and holding a data padd. More astonishing was the almost cordial discussion between the two- in his timeline, T'Pring had almost gotten them both killed.

"Yes, James." T'Pring nodded. "Do you need to speak with her?"

"Yes, T'Pring, it's an urgent matter." She nodded and entered the room, a moment later she exited and nodded again.

"She'll see you right now, James." T'Pring looked at him with curiosity and Spock gave her a short nod.

T'Pau listened to them both, expression neutral, and verified it with a mind meld. Near the end, she sent James out of the room to speak with Spock in private.

"You are capable of great danger, son of Sarek. You have vowed to stop Nero, but what will you do after? Can you truly leave this universe to potential dangers you are aware of?"

"I do not know, Elder, in my time you never took a council position, and James was not adopted by my family. Things have changed drastically, and my knowledge would be insufficient." Spock closed his eyes. "I will leave things alone, become a hermit if I must, but I cannot guarantee anything."

"I will not ask you to." In moments, his identity as 'Selek' was sealed. "Will you and James dine with me? It is time for the mid-day meal."

"I cannot speak for Jim, but I would find it agreeable." 'Selek' exited the room, and almost stopped short. T'Pring and Jim were both leaning over a console, speaking softly.

"It's not noticeable, but if you make this move here-" Jim pointed with a stylus.

"I see, this is a misdirection technique." T'Pring tapped a couple keys. "Humans like to be logically illogical."

"We like mysteries, so we do our best to be difficult to figure out." T'Pring finished, and Jim smiled. "You've become better at this, T'Pring."

"If I have, it is because I have a knowlegable instructor." She gave him a slight nod.

"It is time for the mid-day meal." T'Pau spoke and both straightened, turning to look. "Will you join us, James?"

"I shall, Elder T'Pau."

"And you, T'Pring?"

"I accept your invitation, Elder." T'Pring looked at 'Selek' in brief curiosity, before they all went into the small sitting area with a replicator. T'Pau introduced him to T'Pring, explaining that she had taken on the young woman as an apprentice to deal with her many duties. 'Selek' wasted little time in asking what they had been doing.

"James introduced me to a fascinating aspect of Terran culture regarding mysteries, riddles and Mazes. He has been helping me expand my knowledge." T'Pring explained. "Today, he showed me a program of a labyrinth that required one to solve riddles to make it through. Some of the riddles are highly illogical, but once faced with the answer, make perfect sense."

Lunch passed with 'Selek' becoming slightly more relaxed. This T'Pring was still logical and beautiful, but interested in Earth culture- perhaps this time, if his counter-part went through Pon far, he would not end up almost killing his captain.

After Lunch, Jim took him back to his childhood home to talk. And Selek realized he had not yet asked Jim why he was on Vulcan.

"Medical Leave- I came to Vulcan to recuperate from a attack, and reassure Ko-mehk I was alright. I leave for earth in three days." Jim studied him for a moment. "Admiral Archer is already on his way here. He'll be willing to help you out."

"What about you, Jim?"

"I'll be there if you need me, but I doubt they'll let a lieutenant commander get too close to a security issue." Jim gave a small smile. "You need to start calling me James." Selek stiffened at the sudden push at formality. "All the other Vulcans call me James, Selek, only Spock calls me Jim, and you have to be able to blend in." Logical, but Selek just couldn't imagine calling his best friend by his formal name.

Then again, this wasn't the best friend he had gone through so much with.

"You are correct, I shall do my best." He was truly alone, the last of the seven that had been a miracle creating/finding team. He was surrounded by people he once knew but were oh so different than he'd ever remembered them being.

A warm steady hand rested on his shoulder, and he looked into bright (but not quite right) blue eyes. "In Public, Mr. Spock, you'll have to call me James, I don't care what you call me in private." The hand gently squeezed his shoulder, and 'Selek' felt an irrational sense of comfort from the gesture.

Because Jim, no matter where or when, could always see right through him, and never blamed him for having emotions. 'Selek' would not have Jim's constant presence at his back (he had not had that for a long time) but he would have his support when needed.

It would have to be enough.

And the prologue starts with Spock Prime! I discovered that in the Animated Original Series, Spock went back in time and took the name 'Selek' to hide his identity from his younger self. (I have seen variations of this name being spelled, this is the one from TV(dot)com, and the Memory Alpha, so I'm sticking with this).

Now, as you can see, I'm not going to do this as a 100 percent copy of the movie (I'm sure you've all seen it and don't need me to type it all up again) and while I'll keep a couple lines/quotes from the movie, things will happen differently. Remember, this is an ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. Things will be different.

Next Chapter is in Uhura's point of view.