Forwarded by the ASC-VSO Posted: 7 May 2004 19:38:10 -0700 In: alt.startrek.creative From: djinn@djinnslair.com (Djinn) TITLE: Man and Man and Wife AUTHOR: Djinn CONTACT: djinn@djinnslair.com http://www.djinnslair.com SERIES: TOS RATING: R CODES: K/S/Ch, HUMOR, Chapel Fic Fest PART: 3/3 DISCLAIMERS: Paramount and Viacom own these characters--they never intended this to happen. SUMMARY: Our intrepid threesome explores a new frontier: getting Professional fictional characters at work: Do Not Try This at Home. Probably best not to read this at work. Thanks to Rabble Rouser and Trekki for the beta! --The Reception-- "How's my hair?" Christine asked as she got out of the flitter. "It's sexy as hell," Jim said, patting her on the ass as he followed her. "Yeah, but is it the same as when I got in the flitter." She touched her hair, couldn't tell if they'd knocked it askew or not. "They'll know we were up to something if it looks different." Spock took her arm. "We are fifty-two minutes late to our own reception. I believe they will suspect the worst no matter how your hair appears." "Good point." She heard Jim giggle. "It's not funny, you." He put his arms around her, pressed his chest against her back. "I liked it better when you didn't have the dress on." He reached out and pulled Spock to him. She was held safe between them as they hugged, one big indigo/ivory sandwich. "Once more into the breach?" Jim whispered as he pulled away. "What are your parents going to say, Spock?" "No doubt my father will pretend nothing is amiss. Although he will give me frequent disapproving looks." "And Amanda will wink at me," Christine said. When Spock shot her a look, she nodded. "It's true. Your mother seems to enjoy the idea of us." She frowned. "Who were all the other Vulcans at the wedding?" "Nobles. It is required that they attend higher functions for the other houses. But I believed they would not consider it their duty to venture to Earth." "Well you believed wrong, my fine Vulcan friend." Jim laughed as he pushed them both toward the reception hall, a hand on each of their butts. "Ah. This is the life." The hall was bustling and they tried to sneak in but Sylvio spotted them from across the hall. "There you are," he shrieked. Everyone turned. For one brief moment there was a dead silence. Then Jim stepped forward. "Wow. Look at this turn out. This is great. Thank you for coming." He started nodding to people, clasping a hand here, grabbing someone for a quick hug there. "Now there's a man who knows how to work a room," Christine said softly to Spock. "Indeed. Shall we do likewise?" "Why, yes. We shall." She squeezed his hand quickly, then headed off to say hello to Sarek and Amanda. "Doctor Chapel," Sarek said stiffly. "Oh, Sarek, she's your daughter-in-law now. You have to call her Christine." Amanda drained her champagne glass and turned to Christine. "Come along, my dear. I need more champagne." "Wife, you do not need more champagne." "Oh, darling. That was just my way of saying Christine and I are going to have the talk." Sarek looked vastly uncomfortable. "As you will, my wife." Amanda giggled as she led Christine to the bar. "I don't have to give you the talk, do I?" "God, I hope not." Christine watched Amanda sip at her drink. "Are you okay with all of this?" "What's not to be okay with? You love my son. Jim does as well. It's perfectly obvious to me that Spock is crazy about you two. I'm just glad he's happy. He's had so little of that in his life." Amanda looked over at Sarek. "And he'll come around. Once he gets over the shock." Amanda grinned, the expression was filled with pure mischief. "And possibly the envy. The three of you do look pretty together." Christine looked over at Jim where he was standing talking with some former crewmembers. He looked happy, at ease. And heartstoppingly handsome. She searched for Spock, found him deep in conversation with Uhura and Sulu. He seemed to feel her gaze on him, looked up at her. His expression softened. She could feel her own smile soften as she looked at him. "See what I mean?" Amanda said. Sylvio rushed up to them. "Doctor Chapel. I must speak with you." "Will you excuse me?" she asked Amanda. Amanda nodded and wandered back to Sarek's side. "What is it, Sylvio?" "You didn't tell me we would have thirty Vulcans here. High-ranking Vulcans." "Oh. That. Well, I didn't know they were coming. What difference does it make?" "The caterer didn't make enough of the vegetarian dish." "So? Let them eat cake." She'd always wanted to say that. Sylvio just glared at her. "What? They don't eat eggs?" She pulled Sylvio to her, kissed him on the forehead. "You're the wedding planner, Sylvio. I'm just the bride. You figure it out." And with that she left him, determined that logistical details were no longer in her bailiwick. She mingled as Sylvio scurried around near the buffet tables. It looked like he was taking the rice and vegetables back into the kitchen area. Then he grabbed the crudites platter. Whatever. She walked over to where Scotty stood alone by the bar. "So. This is all pretty strange for you, huh?" "Oh, lass. I didn't mean to give you that idea." He put his arm around her, squeezed her with surprising strength. "I can remember when you were the nurse with the hopeless crush on yon Vulcan. I always felt sorry for you. Now look at you. You've got him and the Admiral both." He smiled gently. "I'm happy for you, Christine. I'm happy for all of you. And maybe a little jealous. I find love, but I never seem to be able to hang on to it." Christine remembered all the women he'd dated on the ship. He never did seem to make a go of it with them. "Maybe you just haven't met the right one." He laughed. "Or the right two? Maybe that's what I was doing wrong. Thinking I had to pick just one." She smiled. "Maybe so." Jim walked up to them. "I hate to do this, Scotty, but I have to steal her away. The pastor apparently has some documents for us to sign." Christine looked over at the minister. He did not look happy with them. Scotty grimaced. "And you don't want to tick off a clergyman." Jim nodded toward the buffet. "Our wedding Gestapo said to help yourself to the buffet. Would you mind getting people headed that way?" "Not at all, sir." Scotty seemed glad to have an official purpose. He looked like an indigo and white border collie, herding the guests toward the waiting chafing dishes. Christine and Jim joined Spock, signing the forms quickly for the pastor. Then they waited till people began to sit and moved around the tables, stopping to talk and then moving on to the next one. Sylvio came up. "If you three are eating, do it now." He checked his padd. "We have cake cutting in ten minutes." "Why ten?" Jim asked. Sylvio's expression was full of affront. "Because I said so. And I'm the planner." "Right." Jim sighed. "Let's get some food." They followed him to the buffet but none of them seemed very hungry. Spock stared at one of the dishes. "I do not believe we ordered this." Christine looked inside. Sylvio had dumped the rice, vegetables, and raw stuff all together. And added some sort of spice. "It's the vegetarian dish," she said. "It does not look as I remember it." Christine shot him a look. "It's vegetables, isn't it?" "Yes but--" "--Spock," Jim said, with a warning glance. "Let it go." With a last, somewhat dismayed look at the food, Spock turned away. Sylvio marched up to them. "And five, four, three, two, one." They all just looked at him. "Go cut the friggin' cake. How many times do I have to tell you?" Sylvio's attitude was unraveling by the second. Christine decided not to argue with him. "Okay, guys. Let's go cut the cake. On five, four, three--" Jim swatted her on the butt. Then his hand reached for her again, this time running softly up and down the satin. "Fixated tonight, love?" She leaned back and kissed him. Then she pulled herself and her apparently alluring caboose away and headed for the cake table. She turned and saw Jim and Spock kiss lightly, then they came to join her. "Shove this in my face and die," she told Jim, then turned to glare at Spock. "I wouldn't dream of it," Jim said as he cut a small piece and, with a surprising amount of restraint, fed them gently to her and Spock. They returned the favor. Everyone clapped and the waiters wheeled the cake table away to begin serving. Christine looked at Sylvio; he was making an odd throwing motion. "I believe he is having some sort of seizure," Spock said softly. "Oh, shit," Jim said. "Chris, where's your bouquet?" She frowned. She'd had it during the wedding. And then they'd gone straight to the flitter... "I think it's safe to say it's history." She smiled at the two men. "You just wait here for a second." She walked over to Rand and Uhura. "Could I borrow a bouquet?" "Left yours somewhere?" Uhura asked with a smirk. Rand touched her hair. "It's holding, but I notice there's a lot more strands down then I remember." "Guys, please?" Rand pressed her bouquet into Christine's hands. "I already used it to wap your planner. What's a little sail through the air gonna do to it?" Christine kissed Rand on the cheek. "Thanks." She carried it back to Jim and Spock, turned around and saw that a bunch of women she'd never seen before had lined up on the dance floor and were jockeying for position. Rand and Uhura were still seated and studiously avoiding looking at her. "Okay ladies." She turned and whispered to the men, "I want this to go to Janice." She held up the bouquet, gave it a few practice lifts. "Turn to your left, more, more, yes." Spock studied her aim. "Minimal force." Jim nodded. "Straight back and you should have it." He glanced over at the women. "They're going to kill each other." She laughed. "They may kill me before we're through here." She took a deep breath. "Okay, here goes," she called out. She let the bouquet fly, heard some squeals and heavy grunting from the women, then heard Rand say, "God damn it, Christine. I don't want to be married." The whole room broke up. "Excellent throw, Christine." Spock nodded approval at her. "Damn good aim." Jim sighed. "Can I get a drink now?" The wedding planner was making little dance motions. "I do not wish to dance. You two do it," Spock said, and headed off to the table of Vulcans. "Well, I like to dance," Jim said with a laugh as he held his hand out to her. "Honor me with this one, love?" She smiled. She'd do just about anything this man asked her to. She took his hand and let him lead her onto the dance floor. Jim smiled at their friends. "Since our stalwart mate claims to not like dancing, you're stuck with us." He grinned at Spock, then pulled Christine into his arms. "Not that I mind in the least dancing with you, Chris." "I know. But they really do need to invent a three-person waltz." He laughed. She felt very conspicuous at first, dancing alone with him on the big dance floor. Then his arms tightened around her and his lips found her ear and cheek and she lost herself in him. Before she knew it, the music was changing and others were getting up to dance. McCoy walked up. "I believe it's customary to dance with the father of the bride." Christine laughed and pushed him into Jim's arms. "You're right. It is." McCoy looked startled; Jim pulled him in extra close. "Let's dance, Bones." And off they went, Kirk led him out in a fast waltz, McCoy gamely trying to keep up. Spock walked up behind Christine. "I do not believe that was what Leonard intended." She giggled. "Nope. I imagine you're right." She felt Spock touch her, his hand running along her waist. It was sensual and in time with the music. "So you do dance?" "This is hardly dancing." "Could have fooled me." She leaned back, felt him lean in against her. The movement was subtle but comforting. "When we get home, will you dance with us there?" "I believe I have been dancing with you there for some time." His voice was amused. "Oh, is that what you call that?" "It is nicer than some other words I have heard you and Jim use." His hand tightened on her. "Not that I mind those words particularly." They stood together, her back pressed to his chest, his hand on her waist. Jim and a breathless McCoy danced up. "I'm going to kill you for this, Christine." McCoy wiped at his forehead. "Damn fool stunt." She led him back out to the dance floor. "Dance with me then. Slowly." "That's more like it," he said, his grumbles continuing for half the dance. She saw Jim dancing with Rand and smiled, looked for Spock and saw him talking with his parents. She relaxed finally. It was done. They were married and soon all these people would go back to their homes, and she and Jim and Spock could get on with their lives. Their lives together. "So you leave tomorrow for your honeymoon?" She nodded. "Where you going?" "Not sure. Spock picked it out. Won't tell us where. Said it's a surprise." McCoy harrumphed. "Probably some damn Vulcan monastery." She remembered just what Spock had been doing in the flitter. "I doubt that, Len." "I don't want to know." "And I'm not going to tell you." She laid her head down on his shoulder. "Wake me when the reception's over." He laughed. "Like Jim will let me monopolize you that way?" "True." She kissed him on the cheek. "I love you, you know." His hands tightened on her and he sort of stuttered. "Oh, darlin'. I love you too. I love all of you." He started to chuckle. "Even if you are a bunch of nymphos." "We're not nymphos. We just like sex." "Oh. My mistake." The music ended and she found Sulu at her arm, saw that Uhura had claimed Jim from Rand. And Spock, Scotty and Chekov looked deep in conversation. She closed her eyes as the dance started, trusting Sulu to lead her safely through the steps. She was suddenly very, very tired. "Stay awake or I'll be insulted." Sulu's voice was gently amused. "I'm awake. Just dead on my feet." "You can sleep then. I'll look out for you." She nodded. She knew he would. That any of them would, just as she would for them. It was what friends do. --The Honeymoon-- Dead tired, Christine stopped at the open door to the apartment. They had all decided they wanted their first night as spouses to be spent in their lovely big bed. The honeymoon could start the next day. But now came the crucial question. Who was going to carry whom over the threshold? She turned to Jim. "Race you for it," he said with a grin. They both charged the door, but she felt Spock's hand on her arm bringing her up short. Jim too jerked back. They both giggled. Far too loud. "Our neighbors may be trying to sleep." Christine looked over at Jim, rolled her eyes. Spock still lived in that wonderful world of denial. The one where their walls were sound proof and the neighbors didn't hear just how loud three people could get. Jim said softly, "You have a better suggestion, Spock?" "I do." Spock lifted them both slightly off the ground, as if they were two sacks of groceries. Then he turned sideways and carried them the few short steps through the door before putting the down. "As far as sweeping us off our feet goes, that was pretty lame." Jim pretended to pout. "Jim," Spock's tone was velvety seduction. "I believe I have been sweeping you two off your feet for some time." He eased the door shut with his foot, was already pulling off Jim's jacket. "Christine is overdressed," he told Jim, as he continued removing the tuxedo. "I can remedy that," Jim said, pulling her dress off. "Do we care if it wrinkles now?" She shook her head. That's what they made refreshers for. "Good." As soon as they were naked, they turned to Spock, pulling his robe off of him, then his undergarments. He drew them into a tight meld, went deeper than he'd taken them before. Then he backed off. "Spock?" Christine could feel Jim's concern through the meld. She could feel something else. A deep need on Spock's part. For more, for completion. And it wasn't for sex. "Can you bond with us both?" she asked softly. And if only with one of them, who would he choose? She could feel his reaction to her question come flying back through the meld. He would live forever with the unfulfilled need before he would choose between them. It touched them both. Their love sang through the meld. "Can you try?" Jim said. "See if it works and pull back if it doesn't?" "I believe so." Spock let go of the meld points and herded them both to the bed. "You must be relaxed and as open to me as you can. I am not sure if this has been tried." Christine smiled. "Everything under the sun has been tried, Spock. It's probably just not been talked about." "Excellent point, Christine." They lay down and Spock knelt at the foot of the bed. He seemed to be thinking so Christine stayed quiet. Finally, he said, "Kiss each other, touch each other. Make me burn for you. For both of you. When I move up, allow enough room for me to kneel between you. But do not let go of each other. The connection must be there for this to work. I hope." "Hope?" Jim smiled tenderly. "We trust you Spock. If anyone can make this work..." "Kiss us first," Christine said. She didn't want to say, "In case something goes wrong and one of us ends up on the outside." But she could tell from his expression as he leaned down to kiss her tenderly that he knew exactly what she was thinking. "I will pull back. It will not come to that." She nodded, watched him as he kissed Jim just as tenderly. Then he backed off and Jim pulled her toward him. Their kisses started out playful, affectionate, but the lust between them grew, seemed to be stoked by the nervousness at what was to come. As Jim began to kiss down her body, she looked over at Spock. He was watching them intently, his eyes half hooded, as if he was meditating. Or deep in the mating rut. He slowly began to crawl toward them. Jim moved back up, until he was kissing her on the lips again. His hand found hers. He whispered, "I love you." Then he moved away, and Spock moved between them. Jim squeezed her hand and she realized he was scared--as scared as she suddenly was. What were they doing? What if this went terribly wrong? Then Spock's fingers were on their faces, the familiar sensation of him in her mind calmed her. His mindvoice was so full of love, his thoughts so tender even as he seemed to burn with the need to make them both his. She opened herself up to him, could feel Jim do the same as he squeezed her hand again. She suddenly had a picture of what she had looked like to him as she'd walked down the aisle with McCoy. Spock gave her the scene from his perspective. She tried to show them how handsome they had looked to her, waiting at the front of that scarily big church. Humor suddenly filled the meld, all the silly things that had happened flowing easily between them. She shared Amanda's approval of their union, Spock showed them how even Sarek had tried to unbend in private, Jim shared something McCoy had told him about how lucky they were. Love. So much love. And enjoyment. And passion. None of them had ever known such joy. Joy in simply being together. Christine felt a burning start deep in her mind. She squeezed Jim's hand, felt him squeeze back. His mind in hers was suddenly much stronger. Spock moved closer, his hand tightening on her face. "Parted from me..." "And never parted," she responded, heard Jim saying the same thing. They were so in synch they almost sounded like one voice. "Never and always..." Spock's voice was barely a whisper. "Touching and touched." She felt the burning turn into a fire, a blaze that roared across her mind, and theirs. The three of them. Now one. One person. Out of three. It was a new world. She could feel their love surrounding her in a way it never had before. Love and support and desire and amusement. Their affection for her that had nothing to do with the lust that flowed so easily between them all. They loved each other. They liked each other. They were bonded now. Forever. "My god," she said, and was suddenly weeping. She felt Jim's arms come around her. Could feel Spock feeling Jim's arms come around her. Spock touched her face and she could feel how Jim felt the sensual touch. Sex. They all three thought it at the same time. Sex. Now. Like this. When it truly was impossible to know who was touching whom. She realized she had stopped weeping, that Jim was crying softly. Tears that stopped quickly as he learned to deal with the overwhelming and utterly beautiful sharing. "I love you," she said to the unit that they had become. The family they now were. "I love us." She felt Spock's relief. He had been far less sure than he'd let on that it would work. "We had faith in you, you old lech," Jim said, pulling him in for a kiss. Their tongues met and Christine could feel the shock of contact. And then they all fell upon each other. For hours, days, weeks, years. They made love and none of them was sure who was doing what to whom, just that it felt wonderful. That it felt loving and warm and safe. When they finally came to the next morning, they had managed to kick every trace of bed linen off the bed. Even the bottom sheet was wadded up at the foot of the bed. "Wow." Jim smiled. Christine could feel the pulse of their minds in hers. Gentle now. Not at all invasive. A comforting presence. Jim smiled. Spock sighed, as if in contented relief. Christine turned to look at him, realized her leg was somehow twined with Jim's and gently pulled herself free. Spock's hand was curled in her hair and he let go. She moved and something poked her. She fished under her hip, found a hairpin. So Janice's design wasn't up to post-bonding sex? Surprise, surprise. "So where's the honeymoon?" she asked, not really caring. In fact, she didn't really want to leave their apartment. Wanted to explore this new place Spock had carried them to. He suddenly looked sheepish. Jim laughed out loud. "Why, you cheap bastard." He began to tickle Spock, a feat made easier since both he and Christine could now feel Spock's reactions so much better. "Try behind the knee," she said softly, and he changed the line of attack. "I did not know if it would work." Spock was squirming, trying to get away from Jim's hands. He finally caught them up in his. Jim turned to her. "Go." She laughed and launched the second offensive while Jim held Spock down. "So you had a back up plan, did you?" he asked. "I did. We can still go." "Go where?" Christine asked. Spock's eyes seemed to sparkle. "Thule." "Thanks," she said as she gave up tickling him and began to kiss his inner thigh. "I think I'd rather explore this new world you gave us." "Me too," Jim said, pulling Spock's mouth to his. Spock reached for them, lightly touched their faces and the meld sprang into life. He let go and the thing pulsed on, as if with a life of its own. "The bond makes it easier to sustain the connection," Spock explained. "Thus freeing up your hands for our pleasure," Christine said with a grin as she turned back to what she'd been doing. Spock's pleasure was important too. "Damned considerate of you, Spock," Jim said as he moved around behind Christine. His hands rubbed down her back, stopped and lingered on her ass. She moved her mouth away from Spock, groaned as Jim began to do all sorts of naughty things...in all sorts of naughty places. Spock groaned as her pleasure sang through the meld. Jim almost stopped what he was doing as it ricocheted back on him--in a most intensely pleasurable way. His reaction was broadcast back to them, starting the process again. "We'll never get out of bed," Jim said softly. "We'll die in here and they'll find our cold dead bodies." "And we'll all have huge smiles on our faces," Christine said, bending back down to Spock's waiting body. "Even our stoic Vulcan husband." Their stoic Vulcan husband cried out loudly and said a very un-Vulcan like word. Christine felt him shudder, both his body under her mouth and his mind inside hers, sending another loop of passion and bliss crashing against her and Jim. Jim began to move faster, pushing them both over the cliff, still drowning in Spock's orgasm, sending their own climaxes back to him. As they lay in a heap, Spock touched her head. She looked up at him. "Is it your medical opinion, Doctor, that sex like this might kill us?" She tried to catch her breath, somehow managed to grin. "Only if we're very, very lucky, Spock." "Good." His head crashed down on the mattress as if it was too much work to hold it up. "I think I'm really going to like being married," Jim said, as he crawled up to rest next to them, his head nestled on Spock's chest, his hand stroking her back. He got no argument from them. --Marriage Is What Comes After the Wedding-- Christine heard the front door open. Jim was home. She could feel him, if she reached out just so. Feel his mind even as his footsteps sounded down the hall, quicker and lighter than Spock's. "Hey," he said, coming into her study and leaning over her. His arms were warm around her as he kissed her neck. "What's my favorite wife doing?" She smiled. "I have no idea. But I'm reading up on new treatments for Cyrriothic Rheumatic Fever." He laughed. "Sounds scintillating." "It is actually. Not that any of us will ever get it. It only affects Andorians." "But you'll be ready." He kissed her again, then straightened up. "Is that dinner I smell?" She nodded. "Spock got home early and wanted to cook." She grinned. "I can't imagine why he always offers when it's my turn." "We both know you burned that first meal on purpose just to get out of KP." He touched her cheek. She leaned into his hand. "Moi? Burn a meal on purpose?" "Yes. You." He sighed. She turned and looked up at him. His face was tighter than she liked to see. She wondered what it had been like before they'd started joking around. "Work was bad?" He shrugged. "Jim." It was the voice she'd perfected. The "don't bullshit me" voice that seemed to work equally well on both Jim and Spock. He sighed, rubbed his eyes. "I hate it." When he didn't say more, she rubbed his arm. "I know. I'm sorry." He shrugged again. "You and Spock are happy. Two out of three ain't bad, isn't that the saying?" "If it is, then it's a stupid saying." She sighed. "Maybe a different position?" He looked down at her, didn't bother to reply. They both knew what position he wanted. Wanted back. Watching the Enterprise being rebuilt, watching Decker assemble his crew--Jim's old crew--had to be murder. She was increasingly glad she'd turned down the offer to be CMO. She hadn't known that she'd be married to Jim and Spock, but even back then she'd known that she didn't want to leave them. Ever. Jim smiled. "I have an idea. You get pregnant and I'll stay home and raise the kids." She stood, ruffled his hair, then pulled him in for a tight hug. "Not that you wouldn't be great at that, but I don't think it would be utilizing your full potential." She was channeling Spock and they both knew it. He smiled. Then the smile faded. "Sometimes I think I'd like that. The chance to try again. After David." She nodded. She knew how not being able to see his son was eating him up. She still wanted to kill Carol Marcus every time she saw her in the halls at Starfleet Command. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you." He started to pull away. She wiggled to his side instead, wrapping her arm around him and pulling him out of her study and down the hall to the kitchen. "What about your reading?" "It can wait. I don't see any Andorians here, do you?" He kissed her cheek. "I love you." She smiled. "I know." Spock looked up, stared at them both and asked quietly. "You did not have a good day?" "It's good now." Jim's smile almost reached his eyes. Spock's expression lightened, but concern still showed in his face. Christine pushed Jim to one of the counter stools and fixed them both Scotches. "Spock, we need to think up a way for Jim to get the Enterprise back." "All right," he said, turning back to the vegetables he was cooking. He sipped at a glass of Vulcan red as he worked. "We could commandeer the ship." Christine looked at Jim, checking to make sure he was okay with the jokes. He was grinning. "We could kidnap Decker and send him to Risa. While I take over on the ship. No one would notice, I'm sure." Spock shook his head. "Neither of those options is viable for the long term." Christine leaned up against Jim, watching Spock cook. She always found it soothing. Maybe because she really did hate cooking? "You have a better option, my husband?" He loved it when they addressed him the old-fashioned way. "It is simple. You must find a way to convince Nogura to put you in Decker's place. Back in command." Christine looked over at Jim. "Now why didn't you think of that?" "And just how am I going to do that, Spock?" "As you always do. By taking advantage of circumstances as they present themselves. By playing your cards right, is that not the saying?" "I never should have taught you fizzbin." Jim grinned; he seemed lighter. She and Spock were good for him. But then she already knew that. Spock suddenly sighed. "What is it?" she asked. He turned to look at them, sipped again at his wine thoughtfully before saying, "I am unsure. I feel..." He sighed. Sometimes words were imprecise when Spock's feelings were involved. He moved the vegetables off the heat and walked over to them. "Let me show you?" When they nodded, he touched the meld points. Instantly, they were linked, the feeling as heady as it always was. She could feel their love caressing her, knew her own would be bumping up against them too. She reached for Spock, felt him drop the guards they all were perfecting, that they had to perfect to keep the intense sharing from running their lives--and keeping them in bed all day. A wave of unease swept over her. It was as if, very far away, something was calling to Spock. The feeling of longing was unmistakable if very alien. But the source. The source was unknown. Although it seemed to be getting closer. Only she wasn't sure how she knew that. Spock pulled his hands away, and the meld eased. He returned to the stove, went back to cooking the vegetables. "You see why I am uneasy. I first noticed the feeling several days ago. It has been growing ever since." Jim sat quietly, seemed to be deep in thought. Then he began to grin. "Something funny, Jim?" She looked over at Spock. His eyebrow went up and he shook his head slightly. He obviously did not know what was going on either. "What if something is coming?" Jim got up, began to pace a bit. "Something big. Something unbelievably destructive. What if it's something that only we can stop?" He looked like a kid let loose in a toy store. He pulled her to him, kissed her soundly, then pulled Spock close, kissed him just as intently. Then he seemed to realize they were looking at him with some astonishment. "What? You don't think I can go without you two, do you?" Spock looked at her. "It would be lonely without him." "Damn straight." She turned to Jim. 'While you're at it, get McCoy back too. I don't want to be CMO." "Okay. I will." Then Jim frowned. "Does he want to come back?" He laughed, as if it was inconceivable that anyone wouldn't want back on the Enterprise. "Well, I feel better. Don't you?" Christine said, unsure that they were really helping Jim after all. "Jim," Spock said, his voice soothing but still that of the person who is forced to say what the other doesn't want to hear. "What I shared with you may be nothing." "Or it may be something, Spock. It may be the biggest something anyone's ever seen. And wouldn't that be great if it was?" He rubbed his hands together. "I've got some reports to read. Call me when dinner's ready." And he was off. No doubt to access his restricted "unknown thing headed for Earth, James T. Kirk the only answer" channel. "You've created a monster," she said to Spock, as soon as Jim was out of earshot. "I fear so." They both fell silent. Finally Spock said. "Do you think he is right?" She shrugged. "I wouldn't want to bet against our husband. He does have the luck of the devil when it comes to getting what he wants." "That is true." "You think the quartermaster will let us ship the bed?" Spock shrugged. "I will check the protocols for groups." "You do that." She knew if both Jim and Spock were working on this that Will Decker was in for a very short tenure as captain of the Enterprise. Provided that the thing she'd felt from Spock really was anything threatening. And headed their way. She laughed. What Jim needed was a new job. Not some crazy pipe dream about getting the Enterprise back. He'd had the ship for five years. How many more did he think he could finagle? She began to set the table. Unlike her husbands, she planned to spend the evening doing something practical--checking the position announcements to see if she could find something that would make Jim happy. Or at least happier. After all, how likely was it that something destructive would be headed to Earth? Or that only Jim Kirk could stop it? She finished the table and walked over to Spock. He pulled her to him almost absently, his mouth touching down on her hair. She loved it when he was so casually affectionate, as if he didn't have to think with them, never had to keep up his guard. She heard Jim whoop. Spock looked down at her as Jim came running into the kitchen. "Don't wait dinner for me." He pulled on his coat. "I'm going out. I've got an admiral to talk to." He looked at them both for a moment as if making them some kind of promise. Then he hurried out. Christine leaned into Spock. They stood, not speaking for a long moment, then he began to dish up the vegetables. "I guess after dinner I should check the regs on non-standard furnishings?" She sighed. Being back on the Enterprise hadn't really been in her plans. Oh well, whither thou goest and all that. It was what marriage was about. And they'd be with their friends. If they survived. "Maybe it's nothing," she said quietly as she sat down. "Perhaps not." Spock poured her some wine. They looked at each other then both shook their heads. If Jim could swing this--all of them serving together as a family--then he'd be the snake oil salesman of all time. She wouldn't put it past him. FIN -- Stephen Ratliff ASC Awards Tech Support http://www.trekiverse.us/ASCAwards/commenting/ No Tribbles were harmed in the running of these Awards ASCL is a stories-only list, no discussion. Comments and feedback should be directed to alt.startrek.creative or directly to the author. Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ASCL/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: ASCL-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ From ???@??? 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