All Good Things

by Starsinger

Returning friends have a surprise waiting for them. Don't own them.

Uhura and the rest were back in San Francisco. They'd wanted to go see Jim first, but Admiral Archer insisted that he debrief them first. He'd get to Kris and her crew later. They approached Archer's office, and his secretary nodded at them, "Please wait, he's with someone. Something about a five year cruise."

They all sat, disappointed. They wanted that cruise as much as their captain. A small signal must have come through because she soon told them to go on in. They entered to find Jim Kirk standing there, leaning on a cane, "Hi guys." His soft words and welcome grin broke through all they had endured. Uhura was the first one to him, throwing her arms around his middle. With a surprised grin and returned the embrace while the others greeted him with relieved expressions on their faces.

"Nyota, this is nice and all, but I need to breathe," Jim said with a smile. She let go with a hiccupping laugh.

The Admiral cleared his throat, "Jim, we do have a ceremony to go to." They suddenly noticed that they were in their dress uniforms. "I'm sure the President and the Council will forgive your lack of dress blues," he said with a glint in his eye.

They slowly made their way down the corridor toward the Federation Council room, Jim was walking, just not very fast. "Wait, I'm going to be the great great grandfather of somebody important?" he laughed. "Well, I suppose it runs in the family. We're all important, at least to each other." As they approached the doors opened up, unconsciously Uhura had taken both Jim's and Spock's hands, not wanting to let go of the moment. Soon they parted as Jim went to stand in the middle of the room.

Begare Turmino of Alpha Centauri stepped forward. Her clothes as formal as her new role. "Nearly a year ago, San Francisco was nearly wiped off the surface of the Earth by a madman. Many good men and women died that day, and, I'm told, you were one of them. You thought of all those around you who would die if the warp core reactor did not restart. So, you did the impossible, and the Enterprise did not slam into the ground."

"It's been a long road for you, Captain, and I see you are still suffering from some of the effects of your ordeal. So, for your role in stopping the total destruction of the City of San Francisco and saving the lives of millions of men, women, and children without thought of your own personal safety, I, formally, award you the civilian's highest honor, the Medal of Honor." She brought the medal around his throat and clasped it there. "Congratulations, Captain." She reached out and grasped his hand.

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Epilogue

Two months later

The crowd was dispersing. Spock stared at his elder self as he greeted an elderly lady, and he watched in awe as he realized that this was his wife. Jim's comment about Uhura jolted him out of his contemplation about this future woman and he took no further heed. He glanced around trying to gain his bearings as Chekov walked up, "Look who it is."

Across the way stood the several of the officers of the USS Gagarin. He met eyes with her Captain, Kris nodded. It was not time for the two captains to meet. He acknowledged this with a simple nod of his head as well. Kris turned and led her crew off, disappearing into the crowd.

"Why did they not stop and say hello," Chekov murmured.

"Because this is not their time," Spock replied. His eyes alighted on the Enterprise's Captain. Whole, hale, and healthy. He no longer needed a cane to help him walk. This was their time, and maybe these two would one day meet, but this time, it was not meant to be.

I can easily see this pulling out on the Enterprise as more people try to keep Jim from meeting Sisko's great great grandmother, but the Prophets are just as determined, and they will find a way…