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Kirk hurried down the corridor toward Spock's quarters. He was worried. Spock had been…almost irritable the past few days. The alteration in mood was slight, though, and Kirk believed no one else had noticed. Now, tonight, Spock had called him and requested a private interview in his cabin.
When Kirk entered the alien's room, the Vulcan was sitting before the smith god, evidently meditating. He hesitated to interrupt, but his concern outweighed the amenities. "Spock, you asked me to come at once. What's the problem?"
He watched carefully as Spock slowly and silently unfolded his long body from the lotus position and rose stiffly, unable to conceal his trembling hands.
There was an awkward silence as Spock controlled his shaking. Finally, he spoke, "I was unsure until today. Dr. McCoy, however, informed me 1.2 hours ago that the tests he made this morning have confirmed the onset of pon farr."
"Oh." Kirk's breath was a soft hiss as he expelled the air from his lungs.
Spock turned away from the pity he thought he saw in the human's eyes. As he did, he staggered slightly, and Kirk reached out to steady him. The Vulcan shuddered and then froze in place.
"It would be best if you did not touch me, Captain." Kirk snatched his hand away, startled. "Sorry."
Spock sat heavily. "It is only that I am having difficulty controlling..." He stopped and began again. "I am a touch telepath, Captain. I do not wish to eavesdrop, and this time...accentuates the senses."
Kirk smiled. "I have no secrets from you." Then his face sobered. "I'll give the orders to set course for Vulcan right away." He turned to go and then halted. "Do you need anything? Is there any way I can help?"
Spock's voice was stark. "There is no help for this."
"I don't want to interfere, but Sarek did say he'd found an acceptable bondmate for you. Are you having doubts?"
"No. This time Sarek was very thorough."
The Vulcan's face and voice were suddenly so devoid of life that Kirk was again assailed by fears for Spock. His tone was soft with concern. "She won't be like T'Pring."
"Statistically, the odds are against it," the Vulcan responded with a trace of his usual wry humor.
Cheered, Kirk made an attempt to sound casual. "Take it easy. I'll delegate your bridge duties. Assign whomever you want to take over Science." He waved aside the Vulcan's nominal resistance. "It'll take at least seven days to reach there. Make your important decisions now."
Overruled, Spock nodded and sat back down in front of the fire pot.
* * * *
Six days later, Kirk was again responding to a call from the Vulcan, and he was even more worried. Spock's condition was advancing rapidly, and the human was terrified that pon farr would proceed fast enough to cause his friend's death. So far, Spock was using all his energies to maintain a waning control.
Even though he had checked the Vulcan several times a day, each visit he was shocked anew by Spock's deterioration. He walked over to him and stood close but restrained his impulse to touch him in comfort.
He disliked disturbing his rigidly posed friend even as he whispered, "Spock."
Spock answered through clenched teeth, "Captain, please stand away from me."
When the surprised human complied, he continued, "The last time this occurred, I asked you and Dr. McCoy to accompany me as--"
Kirk interrupted. "You don't need to ask. You know we'd be honored to attend your wedding."
Spock's face tightened even more. "...as was my right. This time I cannot do so. I must go alone."
Stunned, Kirk tried to think why Spock didn't want him and McCoy. "Of course, Mr. Spock. Whatever you want. But know that McCoy and I hold no bad associations from the past."
Spock lifted tormented eyes to his Captain. "I know that, Jim."
At a loss Kirk said, "Are you sure you don't want McCoy, at least? Your health..."
"...will return as soon as we reach Vulcan and my bondmate."
Kirk colored. "Yes, of course, Well, we'll be there very soon." He turned abruptly and left, finding it strangely impossible to discuss this anymore.
* * * *
Kirk beamed Spock down and turned away from the console with a pang of guilt at sending him alone. Perhaps he should have insisted. Maybe Spock had just been trying to give him an easy way out. He knew Spock would do anything to avoid exposing him to danger, and now he decided that the Vulcan had not wanted him along because of what had happened before. He shook his head sympathetically. Spock had even deprived himself of McCoy so Kirk wouldn't be suspicious. A man needed his friends at a time like this. But he was reminded of what Spock had told him once, "I am not a man...I am a Vulcan." Maybe so, but Spock shouldn't be going alone to face that cold bitch, T'Pau or the stranger who was to become his wife.
Making a swift decision, one that had been growing in the back of his mind for hours, he turned to Kyle as the transporter chief entered. "Mr. Kyle, beam me down to these coordinates."
Seconds later, he was standing a little apart from the all too familiar ceremonial grounds of Spock's ancestors. He heard the gong ring and the delicate chiming of the bride's bells. There wasn't much time so he broke into a run so as not to miss this part of the ritual. For some reason, it seemed important that Spock see him and know that he was here--even if the chances were that the Vulcan would be too deep in the plak tow to recognize the fact. Kirk came upon the scene just as Spock began walking toward a slim, handsome woman. The Vulcan was deep in the blood fever and his attention was wholly focused on her.
Kirk was struck by the change in Spock since he had beamed down. He looked like a new person now that McCoy's tranquilizers had worn off and he was nearing the end of his tortuous wait for his mate. He marched, tall and straight as a Vulcan warrior, his eyes gleaming with the fires of the mating cycle.
As Kirk stood mesmerized, Spock suddenly stopped, and his nostrils dilated, testing the air like a hunting cat. His head lifted higher as his eyes scanned the wedding party and the area inside the circle of ancient stones and came to halt as he spotted Kirk. The human flashed him a victorious smile, ridiculously pleased that Spock had noted his presence so quickly even in the midst of his heat. The smile froze in place as the Vulcan changed his direction. As Spock started toward him, several horrible questions flooded Kirk's mind. Perhaps he had violated some taboo? Or maybe a pon farr maddened Vulcan was expecting another challenge? He cursed himself for acting on his impulse to intrude on this private affair.
Kirk stood very still, noting that everyone else did the same. When Spock reached him, he held his breath. The Vulcan's eyes surprisingly did not hold the mindless fires of plak tow. Instead, they were filled with a blazing, unearthly joy.
Spock touched Kirk's face with a curious gentleness as the human watched him uncomprehendingly, then turned to the others and loudly proclaimed, "The one I would have chosen has arrived. I will have him."
Kirk felt his mouth fall open but didn't seem to be able to do anything about it. Almost in a stupor, he heard the heavy gong ring six times, and then Spock reached out for his hand. Without even thinking, he responded by grasping the Vulcan's hand in return. For several minutes he couldn't break away from the Vulcan's searing glance. His thoughts were in turmoil.
"Kraakow!"
They broke their frozen gaze to turn back to the others. T'Pau was rising to her feet.
"The woman has been chosen. Thee has caused thy family much grief. Do not shame them now. Renounce your claim, Spock."
Spock stared back at her, meeting the disapproving gaze without flinching. "I did not choose. There was no mind touch. I am still free."
"Think, Spock. What thee does now cannot be undone. You speak with the tongue of fever. Accept the elder's decision."
Spock's eyes traveled to the other woman, standing without expression, hardly seeming to care about the outcome. "T'Sere, do you wish this?"
Without a flicker of an eyelash, the woman replied coldly, "I do my duty." Spock turned back to look at Kirk, seeing the wide eyes just starting to understand and feeling the hand remain in his, trusting. "I find I wish for more than duty, T'Sere."
She inclined her head. "So be it. I withdraw."
T'Pau was not ready to surrender. "And you, Kirk?" she addressed him with a sharpness in her tone that was almost unVulcan. "Again, you disrupt our traditions. Did you come here to claim him or to mock us?"
Startled, Kirk glanced at Spock. "I…" Spock's fevered eyes on his gave the only answer. Tilting his chin stubbornly, he said, "I claim him, T'Pau."
The remainder of the ceremony passed Kirk in a daze, the only reality being Spock's hand burning in his. Before he was ready for it, they were alone.
Spock's eyes still glittered with the fever and that uncontained happiness. Unaware of the ancient ways, a confused Kirk allowed the Vulcan to place long-fingered hands on his temples. He wasn't sure what was happening until he felt Spock's mind reach out to him in one swift, deep probe and join them mentally. Disoriented by the invasion, he almost fell, but Spock caught him and swung him up in strong arms.
Distantly he heard the Vulcan murmur something in his ear. "My T'hy’la, in all ways now."
Dazed, Kirk lay in the Vulcan's arms. Even as his senses cleared, he began to realize what must happen next, he didn't resist. With sudden clarity he knew why Spock hadn't wanted him to come to the marriage ceremony--it was because Spock had wanted him and knew that it would have been impossible to resist claiming him. And he had been even more afraid that Kirk would turn away.
But as the fires burner higher in the Vulcan, they began licking at human passions as well.
"Hurry, Spock," he whispered.
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