Star Trek 1

"Okay - you know what? This whole formality thing has got to go. Seriously. You guys are stuck with me for five years. The least you can do is call me by my first name." Kirk said, flapping his arms at everyone in the room.

Uhura rose an eyebrow. "What brought that on?"

"Spock!" Kirk pointed at said Vulcan.

"What?"

"I wasn't talking to you! I was answering her question!"

"With my name?"

"Yes!"

Kirk Prime glances at Uhura. "He does realize Spock is doing that on purpose, right?" he asks.

Uhura grins. "Trust me, they both do it. It's like flirting, but not."

Kirk Prime sighs. "Sounds familiar. Two days. He probably thinks I'm dead."

Uhura tilts her head, ignoring her Kirk and Spock. Sulu and Chekov are getting in on the fun now. "He is going to be so happy to see you." she says. "He might even hug you. You never can tell."

That earns her a small grin. "I don't even know how long it's been for him. I know how long for me, but not him. It's - kinda scary, thinking what may have happened to him that I don't know about and wasn't there for." He shrugs. "I feel like I might be meeting a stranger."

She shakes her head. "Nah. Trust me, if the way he treats my Kirk is anything like the way he treats you, you're gold. He still loves you."

He chuckles. "Yeah, we never were subtle."

Kirk made a swipe at Spock, who dodged it and rose an eyebrow at him. Kirk only grinned and turned to rib Sulu and Chekov. Chekov made the mistake of getting too close and Kirk grabbed him in a headlock.

"Gotcha!"

"Keptin! Lemme go!" Chekov yelped, squirming and laughing. Sulu stood, and Kirk shot him a grin.

"Coming to save Chekov?"

"I'm considering it." Sulu said with a grin.

"Bring it!"

"It's brought!" Sulu said with a laugh, tackling Kirk and sending them crashing to the ground, Kirk accidentally pulling Chekov with him. The three of them began to wrestle, laughing and insulting each other as they went.

Kirk Prime started to laugh. "I can say this though, we never did that on the bridge."

Spock stands there watching the three, pinching the bridge of his nose to hide his grin. In response to Kirk Prime, he says, "To quote McCoy, we are a special bunch of crayons. I do not believe he meant that as a compliment."

"Well, Kirk was giving him hell over a silly exam at the time, and you were helping him." Uhura points out.

"In my defense - "

Before Spock can continue, Chekov manages to get himself tossed into Spock. The Vulcan stumbles backwards. Chekov grins up at him.

"Hi?"

"Oh, we got Spock in on it now!" Kirk crows. "It's on - two on two, Sulu!"

"What makes you assume I am joining your side?" Spock asks, approaching the two. Chekov laughs hysterically.

"We have ze Vulcan on our side!"

"Ah, hell. I swear, if it's three on one, that's just bull." Kirk said with a grin, rolling his shoulders and laughing. "I can take ya!"

Spock chuckled. "I do not intend to join in the game. You three may continue, but I won't be joining you."

"Oh, thank God." Kirk said with a grin. "I'm good, but not good enough to take you on as well as Chekov and Sulu."

"So you admit defeat?" Sulu asked with a laugh.

"Oh hell no! I just know what my limits are, and they are going up against a Vulcan." Kirk said with a laugh. "I remember the last time I got my ass handed to me by Spock. I don't wanna repeat the experience."

"Vell, you did piss him off, Keptin." Chekov pointed out. "None of us were wery surprised."

"Yeah, neither was I. I knew I was in for a beat-down, but damn."

Kirk Prime glances between the two of them. "What happened?"

"We did not get along early in our acquaintance." Spock says simply. "The incident the captain is speaking of happened right after Vulcan was destroyed."

"JIM! Oh my - seriously, you can call me Jim. Both of you!" Kirk points at Chekov. "Drop the Captain crap! Call me Jim! You have my permission!"

By this point, Uhura is doubled over laughing. "Your voice keeps going up by octaves." she giggles. "I didn't know you could hit that pitch."

"Oi! Uhura!" Kirk pretends to pout. "I thought you were on my side!"

"I mean it! What's it gonna take? Me wearing a name tag that says 'Hi! My name is Jim'?! 'Cause I'll do it!" By the end of his tirade, Jim is flapping his arms and stomping around the bridge. He pauses for air, and is met with almost complete silence.

He makes a face. "If you listen real hard, you can almost hear crickets chirping back on Earth." he mutters under his breath. That comment makes Uhura, Sulu, and Chekov burst into laughter.

"I'm not being funny! I'm being serious!" Kirk protests.

"We know! Which makes it hysterical!" Sulu says with a grin.

Spock blinks. "What do Earth insects have to do with anything?" he asks, which unfortunately just sets everyone off all over again. Spock gives Kirk Prime, who seems to be the only coherent one, a helpless look. "I may never understand humans. Ever."

"You'll get there." Kirk Prime says with a grin. "You'll deny it to anyone you meet, but you'll get there."

"That sounds like an accurate statement." Spock says agreeably. "I still do not understand the statement."

"I - honestly, I'm not sure I can explain it. It's one of those things that you really need the cultural context to get a good grip on it." Kirk Prime explains. Spock nods and considers it. Kirk Prime smiles at him. "It's funny. I can see my Spock in you, but at the same time, you are completely different from him. It's more like you're his son or something."

Spock arches an eyebrow. "I believe the same can be said of you and my Jim." he says.

Kirk Prime grins. "Your Jim?"

Spock makes a scoffing sound. "To deny what is obvious would be illogical." he says.

"Are you gonna do something about it?"

"Perhaps. If he takes too long."

Kirk Prime chuckled. "Is four years or so too long? Because that's how long it took me to fess up to my Spock. And your Jim has a worse case of the nerves than I did." he slid Spock a sideways look. "So it might take a little longer than it did with my Spock."

Spock glanced at him. "Why would he be nervous?"

Kirk Prime laughed outright this time. "Insecurities are a pain in the ass, Spock. And from what I've managed to learn about him, he's got more than most." he clapped a hand on Spock's shoulder. "The best I can tell you is to be patient. He'll come around. Just give him time."

Spock gave him a small smile, but didn't get the chance to respond. Kirk wandered over. "Whatcha talkin' about?"

Kirk Prime grinned. "You. I'm planning a mutiny - Spock's agreed to help me hide the body."

"Uh-huh. Okay." Kirk said with a grin.

"Hey, your crew likes me. they might help."

Kirk crosses his arms over his chest. "That may be true, but one - I'm faster than you, and two - Spock likes me. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't mutiny against me."

"I would be helping the future version of you secure his place in our world." Spock says, a faint smile on his face.

That makes Kirk laugh. "Right. Once again, you would have to catch me first."

Spock arches an eyebrow. "Should we test that?"

Kirk brightens. "You're on! Sulu, you have the conn."

"Aye."

In a flash, Kirk is over the railing and out the door, Spock hot on his heels. Uhura watches them go with amusement. "Maybe they'll find a closet and spare us all." she says dryly.

Chekov laughs. "Ve can only hope."

The doors whooshed open as Kirk bolted inside. "Will you guys hush!" he yelled as he disappeared out the other set of doors. Spock was practically a blue streak right behind him.

They could distantly hear the crashes as the two of them tore through the Enterprise. Kirk Prime turned to Sulu. "Does he do that a lot?"

"What, come back in here and tell us to shut up?" Sulu said with a grin. "Yeah. There's a reason we do it, though. You're not the only one playing matchmaker."

"I can see that." There was another crash and the doors whooshed open to let Jim tear into the room and vault over the railing to the other set of doors. They'd barely mangaged to close behind him when Spock followed.

Kirk Prime gave an impressed whistle. "He's managed to avoid Spock this long. The longest I managed to avoid mine was five minutes, tops."

Uhura was laughing. "Our Kirk's pretty sneaky."

There was the sound of another crash, followed by Kirk's "Hey!". Spock walks back onto the bridge, Kirk slung over his shoulder. He grins at the crew. "Hi guys. Miss me?"

"I think I proved my point." Spock deposits Kirk back in the captain's chair. Kirk grins.

"I think some of the stuff I did to get away from you would be considered parkour." he says brightly. "That was fun!" He's breathing hard, and to his amusement, so is Spock.

Kirk Prime is grinning when he wanders over to where Kirk has just sank into his seat. "Well, if it's any consolation, you avoided him longer than I could my Spock."

Kirk laughs. "Yeah? By how much?"

"Not much, admittedly. Two minutes, give or take." Kirk Prime said, laughing.

Kirk laughed. "I'll take it. We're gonna hafta do that again, Spock! That was fun!"

"If you say so, Captain."

"Oh, for the love of - my name's JIM! Use it!"

Kirk turns to Uhura. "I would start just calling him Commander, but I know that ain't gonna do any good. He'll just laugh at me."

"I do not laugh at you." Spock says gamely. "I would simply point out that Commander would be a logical thing to call me."

"I am going to chase you across this ship if you don't stop it, smart-ass." Kirk points at him, grinning the entire time.

"We're coming up on New Vulcan, Jim." Sulu says with a grin. "I think we may want to put our professional faces on."

"Aw, it's just Spock Prime. He's used to us." Kirk says. "Okay everyone - time to be serious!"

Spock pinches the bridge of his nose. "Sometimes I question the sanity of everyone on this ship, including myself."

Kirk laughed as he turned to Kirk Prime. "You ready to see your Spock?"

"Oh, God yes." Kirk Prime said, a genuine smile crossing his face. "I've missed him."

"Good. We'll make sure it's a happy reunion. If you'll do me a favor, and step out of the room? We're trying to surprise Spock Prime." Kirk said, grinning when Kirk Prime gave him a thumbs-up and slipped out of the room. He turned to Uhura. "Hail New Vulcan."

Uhura hid her grin as Spock Prime answered the hail. "Jim. I am surprised. You said it would be two days, yet you managed to get here within a day and a half."

Kirk grinned. "What can I say? We were looking forward to having you back with us for a little while. Are you ready to beam aboard?"

"I am."

"Good. I'll meet you in the transporter room with Spock." Kirk said. "See you in a few."

The transmission ended, and Kirk stood and turned to Spock. "Let's go surprise us a Vulcan Ambassador, whaddya say?"

Spock and Kirk Prime follow him into the transporter room. Kirk Prime is practically bouncing on his heels, unable to keep still. Spock glances at him. "You have no reason to be nervous." he says softly.

Kirk Prime grins. "Tell that to my heart. It thinks I'm running laps or something."

The transporter activates, and Spock Prime materializes. He greets Kirk warmly, as he always does, and turns his gaze to Spock. Suddenly he notices who is standing beside the younger man, and freezes. Kirk and Spock exchange looks, but don't say anything. They want to see how long it will take.

Spock Prime moves first. He takes a hesitant step forward, as if unwilling to believe his eyes. "Jim?"

In a flash Kirk Prime is hugging him, and suddenly Scotty, Kirk, and Spock are treated to the sight of the two of them kissing.

Almost in unison, the three men clear their throats and turn to look the other way. Kirk and Scotty are slightly red, and Spock for the most part seems unruffled. Scotty speaks first.

"Well, it wasn' like we dinnae know they were lovers." he says, clearing his throat again. "However, I don't think I need ta see that again."

Kirk allowed a giggle to escape. "I think we should just leave. You know, let 'em emerge whenever they wanna."

"I think this is a good idea, Captain." Spock said, raising an eyebrow.

"Good. Let's go!"

"But my transporter!" Scotty protested.

"We'll clean it later, let's go!"

Scotty groans. "I dinnae need that mental image!"

Once the younger ones have cleared out of the room, Spock Prime pulls away from Kirk Prime. "Are we done terrifying our counterparts?" he asks with a small smile.

"For now." Kirk Prime says. "Dammit, I missed you."

-------/

Back on the bridge, McCoy has joined the rest of the group. "I take it the Ambassador is on ship?" he asks smugly. Kirk gives him a dirty look.

"He's getting reacquainted with Kirk Prime." he says.

McCoy grins. "Is that what they're calling it these days?"

"BONES!"

McCoy's eyes narrowed at Kirk. "Are you blushing?"

"No. Quit looking at me like that, it's creepy." Kirk said, his shoulders hunching.

"You totally are!" McCoy's face split into a gleeful grin. "Spock! C'mere! I wanna test something!"

"You do it, and I'll end you, McCoy." Kirk says, attempting to glower threateningly at the medic. He paused then eyed McCoy suspiciously. "What do you wanna test?"

Spock didn't move. "I do not believe I trust the smile on your face, Doctor." he said, folding his hands behind his back.

McCoy didn't get the chance to answer as Kirk and Spock Prime walked into the room. Kirk and Scotty glanced at each other, before shrugging. They'd seen worse.

Kirk Prime wanders over to Kirk and McCoy. "Thank you." he says quietly. "This means the world to me."

Kirk glances over at his Spock and grins. "I know."

Meanwhile, the two Spocks talk. "Jim told me something of how he got here." he says. "I was wondering as to the status of the admiral who held him."

"Dead." Spock says bluntly. "He threatened Jim and myself. We merely put an end to the threat."

"Okay, so here's the deal." Kirk says, clapping his hands and drawing attention to himself. "We need to head to Starbase 6. Admiral Davidson wants to see Spock Prime here, because apparently he's lacking in good chess players." This makes Spock Prime chuckle. "So, here's the question - you wanna ride with us, or would you rather stay on New Vulcan and take the trip some other time?"

Kirk Prime automatically looks to Spock Prime. The older Vulcan nods. "We will go with you. I am not needed on New Vulcan at this time, and I think Jim would like to see more of this Starfleet."

"Heck yes!" Kirk Prime actually cheers.

Spock smiles faintly. "Some things do not change." he murmurs to himself.

"Alright! Sulu, head for Starbase 6, warp factor five. Let's punch it." Kirk says, settling into the Captain's chair.

Spock Prime smiles and turns to Kirk Prime. "It seems no matter what incarnation, you were always meant for that chair." he said quietly.

Kirk Prime laughs. "I think you're right. You know, he did offer to let me sit in the Captain's chair." Spock Prime rose an eyebrow in surprise. Kirk Prime grinned. "I turned him down - it's rude."

"You have learned manners since I saw you last." Spock Prime says with a laugh. "I am impressed."

"Hey!"

McCoy rolls his eyes. "If anyone needs me - which I sincerely hope they don't - I'll be in medbay catching up on some sleep."

"In other words, if you aren't dying when you bother me, you will be when I'm done with you." Kirk says with a grin. "We get it, Bones, go check your eyelids for cracks." McCoy waves at him and leaves the bridge. Scotty finishes his conversation with Uhura and leaves as well.

A flashing light on his console gets Spock's attention. He goes to it and finds a message from Davidson. "Captain," he says, "it appears we will be evaluated when we arrive at Starbase 6." Kirk is immediately by his side, scanning the transmission. "Apparently it is now mandatory for all Starfleet vessels."

"Have I mentioned I really don't like psychiatrists?" Kirk mutters. "Thanks for the heads-up, Davidson."

Sulu grinned. "Well, we can prove that we're just a normal starship with a normal crew."

Kirk snorted. "Sulu, we're not normal. You have to be a special kind of crazy to join Starfleet."

"Is that your excuse?" Sulu shot back.

"Yep. That was exactly my excuse." Kirk says with a laugh. "I'm all kinds of crazy."

That's when Winona and Amanda decide to appear. They immediately find their respective humans (owners has never seemed like the right word). Winona curls up on Kirk's lap, looking up at the newcomers and cooing softly. Kirk grins. "You can go visit them if you want." he assures her. "They don't bite."

"What are they?" Kirk Prime asks.

"Honestly - no clue. We've been calling them bat-monkeys cuz that's what they look like, but we don't know what they call themselves." Kirk says cheerfully. "This is Winona."

Spock Prime glances over at Spock, who has Amanda curled up around his shoulders, her tail wrapped around his waist. "Am I to assume that one is Amanda?" he asks. Spock nods. Amanda chirps and rubs her head against the side of Spock's face. Kirk laughs at the sight.

"I think they're jealous." he says.

"They have had our undivided attention since they follows us aboard." Spock says. "I can imagine they don't like sharing."

Kirk grins as he strokes Winona's fur. "Probably not." he glances down at her. "Sorry, little girl. I've been kept busy. I'll make it up to you tonight with some food, okay?"

Winona chirped at him, before climbing up to his shoulders and draping herself across them, her tail curling around his bicep. Kirk grinned. "I think I've been forgiven."

"It appears so." Spock said, watching as Amanda investigated Kirk and Spock Prime. She reached out and touched Spock Prime's hand. He blinked in surprise. "She's intelligent."

"Indeed. They both are."

Spock Prime smiled. "I don't doubt it." He reached out and patted Amanda on the head. "She's more than a little miffed with you, I have to say."

"I'm not surprised. I have been kept busy, and away from her. I imagine she is quite irritated with me."

Kirk laughed. "I'm making it up to Winona with food. If you want, you can join us."