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syredronningTitle: Domino Effects (Draws V)
Author: Acidqueen
Series: Reboot aka ST:XI aka AOS – Draws Series
Codes: Pike/Kirk/McCoy, SpockPrime; other pairings in passing
Rating: NC-17 for some hot scenes; kink inside!
Word count: 16.000
Author's Note: This is the sequel to "Square One". I ignore ENT canon in this story.
Thanks for the wonderful beta goes to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
madelf. All remaining flaws are solely mine.
Disclaimer: Paramount/Viacom owns Star Trek, I own my brain.
Summary: The relationship develops, bringing new insights and challenges on the way.
For the other parts of the series, see Part I: Disciplinary Measures ** Part II: The Game Continues ** Part III: Rochade ** Part IV: Square One.
***
"It's almost too boring lately. Though now that I've said that, no doubt Murphy's going to bite our ass. Bones has been complaining about the kitchen all day after a completely inedible breakfast came out of the slots but I know from trusted sources that they're going to make pecan pie for him tonight. God knows from what material. For all I know, there's an extra storage somewhere because they keep coming up with things that were never on the order list to begin with. But I'm only the captain, and obviously this is a conspiracy between Spock, Scotty and Chef Orlando who joined forces to improve our collective mood."
Three months into their routine, the recordings have long moved from simple cheer-me-up voice porn to intense connections between their worlds. After getting to know them as cadets, then as officers and lovers, Pike is now getting to know who Jim Kirk and Leonard McCoy are as people.
They share almost everything with each other. There are the normal day recordings (which range from happy to moody), the bad day recordings, and the "we had such a fucked-up week we won't even talk about it" recordings, which are mostly taped to lift the recording party's mood. The current recording is of the normal day variety, and these rarely fail to bring a smile to Pike's face.
"I had the pleasure of marrying another lesbian couple two days ago, Mary Holmes from engineering and Shalal from security. Which brings our local queer quota to a whopping twenty-three per cent. The wedding caused some trouble because Shalal refused the traditional Andorian four-way-marriage, and I had various Andorian officials yelling in my line over the last week. I married her off anyway, because this is my ship and my decision. I guess the admiralty will receive an official complaint about me soon. The party was well worth the trouble, though, great buffet with fresh food from the last planetary stop and a bar so well-stocked that med bay was almost running out of hangover pills the morning after. And now I'll go and force Bones to have dinner with me. Pecan pie is waiting. I hope you enjoyed listening. All our love, and we're looking forward to your next message. Jim."
Pike loves listening to stories of their life onboard the Enterprise and especially Kirk speaking about captain's business, stories that mostly ease the pain of not being the one up there, instead of making him think of the loss. There are other unhappier recordings too, and it's an unspoken rule between them that there's no need to hide the darker moments, the sadness that comes over losses or ruined dreams. Often, the Enterprise men make the recordings together or at least know what is sent, but sometimes, he receives a recording that is for his ears only: McCoy's thoughts while Kirk is in an artificial coma for two days, or Kirk's opinion about McCoy's ex-wife and the way she treats the doc - things they need to share with someone but preferably not with each other.
Pike is the perfect confidant, and they are his. Aside from the latest HQ rumors and some more-or-less confidential Starfleet news he'd also share with them if they were on Earth, he doesn't have many interesting things to report. Therefore he tells them some stories about his life, like how he got the first shares of his club. It's a story he records in his club's office late one night, the lights low, the second glass of bourbon in his hand, leaning back in his chair with his feet on the desk and his eyes on the ceiling as his thoughts wander back to the past.
"Barely anyone knows this story, and nobody but me knows his name, but I inherited the club shares from a friend. Actually, he was less of a friend and more of a lover, and it's the best-hidden secret in my life. He was commander and instructor at the academy, and I was cadet in my second year. He was an impressive man, self-assured and with a body that would put Hercules to shame, and I had admired him from afar for a while. When he came onto me, I knew it was illicit but I wasn't averse to the idea at all. We had it all: hurried sex in stalls, stolen nights during a training course, weekends at hotels far away checking in with fake IDs. He literally showed me the ropes and got me into the many varieties of sexual practices people could participate in. It went on until I was posted, then we drifted apart. He took up the next young cadet, which was when I noticed a pattern, but he always remained a good memory. I've learned so much from him… I happen to think I've become a better man and better commanding officer due to him. But I admit that this relationship tinted my own view about instructor-student interaction, making me think that what was good for me might work as well for other cadets, with me on the instructor side. Which can be a dangerous assumption…"
"He died on a mission five years later. I wasn't heart-broken, just rather sad because the world had lost a great man. A month after his death I was contacted and told that he'd passed me his shares of a club he co-owned with a friend. I hadn't known about the club, didn't really care for it either as I was solely focused on my career, trying to meet the high expectations of the admiralty in their young captain. But once again I felt singled-out – of course I wanted to be someone special in the row of cadets he obviously indulged in, and it seemed I was the only candidate he thought was worth his shares. Or maybe he just wanted to press his eternal point that I should loosen up a little. Anyway, I accepted the inheritance. His trails were covered well, his name never showed up in the proceedings. I didn't have as much patience, which brought some problems over the decades and not just from Starfleet, but I kept the shares. A few years ago his old friend died and the heir happily sold me the other half of the club. So now it's completely mine.
"I'm often concerned that I don't spend as much time with running the club as I should, but it's more of a chore than a large personal interest. On the other hand, it's never chore enough to sell it, and it has fostered some interesting connections over the years, to say the least. I also love to think back to that first scene there with you, though always with a bit of a bad conscience now, thanks to the doc. And of course he's been right –it was an abuse of power. Still – if I could turn back time, especially with knowing that that scene would start developments that would get you together and then in bed with me, I wouldn't change a thing. Which possibly makes me a moral failure when it comes to my sex life."
Pike listens to the recording four times; it's a story he's never expected to tell, and he fights with himself before he sends it off, unsure how it will be received.
"Explains a lot about you," is McCoy's only comment in the next recording, while Jim is a bit more explicit in a recording to Pike's ears only.
"Of course Bones feels weird about that sort of story, but what the hell – I've had sex with two of the instructors, and no, Bones doesn't need to know that. Things like that happen, and we all know that the rules are for cases where things go wrong, not for the many hidden relationships that are going on in places like the academy or on a ship. Some people are holier than holy, and while I'm against abuse of rank, many people don't have a problem with being in relationship with someone farther up or down the chain of command – which includes Spock and Uhura, and me and Bones, even though he's prone to forget I'm his captain. It's annoying that once you get married, it's suddenly not a source of concern anymore, as if you started dating on your wedding day. It's a dishonest attitude.
"The memory of that first scene with you is hot, and you actually kept a rather large distance from us in it, so I didn't feel molested by you. If anything, I was jumping Bones. And damn -" Jim's laughter chimes in - "didn't we earn that punishment that night. Everyone else would just have gotten us thrown out – we were mentally blacklisted by so many people, nobody would've stood up for us. You gave us a chance to become officers at all, something Bones likes to forget too. So thanks a lot for sharing your story, Chris. It can't have been easy on you - and thanks for being there for us."
The message leaves Pike feeling strangely absolved, which is, all things considered, neither surprising nor unwelcome.
*
There is also another special kind of recordings – those in which the Enterprise officers talk about other people they're seeing. As Kirk once puts it, "We're living so closely together, sometimes we just need to get away for a moment, be all by ourselves instead of one half a couple."
At first, Pike hadn't been sure if he wanted to hear about those, considering that these people have the chance to be with the men while he's far away. Then he realized that the time those people spend with Kirk and McCoy is limited, while what the three of them have between them is the thing that lasts. At the end of the day, he's the one receiving their recordings with their private thoughts that no one else will ever hear. Still, they tend to be a bit of a challenge, like the one that arrived a few days ago.
"Hey Chris," McCoy's voice starts, amused and just a touch slurred. "It's a nice evening and I'm sitting here, having a glass or two of Scotty's moonshine – getting better all the time. Jim's on tour. Remember that young lieutenant we joked about a while ago, with the sexy ass? Jim didn't want to do anything about it while the guy served here, of course. But guess what, he'll transfer tomorrow so I suggested this would be the perfect moment to get the guy laid. So Jim's off now, dating him. You probably think I should've gone with him but you know me. I'm possibly the only straight guy in this galaxy married to a man. You two are the exception to my rule, not the other way round.
"And before you think I'm all mourning let me tell you about Dr. Ochi. She's one fine lady, yes she is, and a great doctor too. She's been temporarily assigned to the Enterprise for a month; we worked on that virus epidemic together. It's been one of the best working relationships I've ever had."
If Pike had been in a normal relationship with McCoy, a story like this might have been a deal-breaker. Between the three of them, however, where Pike has no official claims on McCoy anyway, the thought of McCoy being with a woman doesn't evoke the same nausea as it evoked with Alain, because it doesn't change anything between them.
The heart is a strange, unpredictable thing.
"Jim was the first to notice, of course, quicker than me, and shoved me a little to take up her unspoken offer. It's always the hardest thing for me to explain right in the beginning how it works between Jim and me, and I've never found a good way of saying it. Just have dinner together and then start, 'Oh, by the way, I'm married to Jim Kirk and we've got this open relationship thing going on and he's okay with me wanting to have sex with you tonight'? I could really use some tips because Jim's suggestions have never been helpful. God knows how he got laid, considering his horrible pickup lines."
Pike can't help but grinning. He's heard some of those lines by now and he agrees with the doc. Maybe some subconscious part of Kirk also doesn't want McCoy to get laid, though Kirk would never admit that.
For all his reputation, Kirk currently sticks to men for the most part after two problematic encounters with women – "I love women but they obviously want something from me that I can't deliver right now, and I'd rather just have good sex for a night than a complicated aftermath in the morning."
McCoy, on the other hand, is really rather straight, something Kirk would mock him for in random moments, sometimes not for his best – "I teased Bones about his crush on the Betazoid ambassador and her terrible hairdo, and he fucked me missionary all week. Missionary, my ass! I'm not that pervy."
The insights these recordings give are more than Pike has ever gotten from any other couple, including those he's been a part of. There's something exhilarating about listening to honest, open stories that show the inner ticking of their marriage, and that he's the one they want to share it with. They're the largest physical distance apart he could imagine but he's got a more intense relationship with them that he's ever had in his life.
Miracles never cease.
McCoy's voice carries on. "So I had dinner with her and I decided to skip the relationship explanation this time and move forward to some romantic moment in the Star Lounge and then she's suddenly the one explaining to me that she's in a relationship and wants to emphasize that she doesn't want more than a few nights with me and asks if that's okay, etc. etc. Imagine my jaw hitting the floor. That's what I get for listening to Jim's opinion on women too much. They're not half as predictable as he thinks they are."
There's the clear sound of glass on glass, the dampened sound of someone drinking.
"In any case, it made everything really easy and funny and we had a great time together. I think Jim was a bit jealous, but hell, she whispered virus replication statistics in my ear during sex and that's just unbeatable." McCoy laughs, making Pike grin in return.
"She's left by now, and it's okay, because she's taken, I'm taken, and I'm not good at compartmentalizing. Got my hands full with the two of you already. Heard we're possibly scheduled to be on Earth in two months, so I hope you clear your schedule because we're going to occupy you as much as we can. No flimsy excuses, Admiral. Good night, Chris, and we'll keep in touch. Touch as in my hands on your dick. Yeah. Hear you soon."
Definitely a little drunk, the good doctor, but Pike can relate. He pours himself a drink and takes it to the balcony. Two months, if he can help it – he's talked to Barnett, trying to get them to Earth a little sooner than originally planned, and he hopes he'll succeed because if anyone needs to get laid right now, it's definitely him. What good is being an admiral if it doesn't help to fulfill personal wishes once in a while?
*
The two months pass in a blink, and suddenly, the Enterprise is docked on Luna space station for minor repairs. He knows that they're already on Earth and likely in the HQ for some debriefing, and he's actually waiting for a message from them when he unexpectedly walks right into them on the main stairways of the academy. They're in uniform, with large travel bags strung over their shoulders, and when they turn in unison upon his call, his heart skips a beat. It's an unbelievable feeling to have them finally here, and he's proud of himself that he manages a friendly hand clasp and hug with each of them without being too obvious. Then he just stands there, out of voice, his eyes traveling between the two men.
"God, Chris..." McCoy says, staring at him as if he's a ghost.
"Admiral – I've got some business to attend to," Kirk breaks the tension of the moment, "but I thought the two of you could take my bag and go ahead to your apartment. I'll catch up with you later."
Pike turns his gaze at him. "Really? After all these months, I can wait a few more hours if need be."
"And I can too." Kirk grins and pushes his bag into Pike's arms. "But I think Bones is going to die if I force him to wait in front of closed office doors, so you've got to take pity on him."
"Pity, my ass," McCoy mutters.
"Acknowledged," Pike says. "I'll greenlight you with the security service so that you can enter the house. Just ring when you're in front of my door."
"Great. See you in a few hours." Kirk waves and jogs up the stairway towards the admiralty, taking always two stairs at once.
McCoy clears his throat. "You've got the car here?"
"No. Let's take a cab." Pike's already signaling one, knowing they wouldn't survive the longer trip with the monorail. It's here in no time, picking them up. They sit together on the back seat, stealing glances at each other without touching. They've said everything important in recordings already, so they've got nothing left to say right now that wouldn't sound like platitudes. The cab delivers them, not as quickly as Pike would've liked, and then they ride upstairs with the lift, walk down the corridor, Pike one step ahead to open the door for McCoy to pass.
As the door closes, they drop the bags on the spot and turn towards each other, eyes burning. They move forward, mouths meeting, lips parting, angling their heads to get as deep as possible with their tongues, their hands all over each other, half-ripping the uniforms away, and they're still kissing, needy and breathless and exhilarated beyond words. They tumble into the living room, hands lacing into collars and under shirts. Finally they break the kissing to divest the shirts, only to return to it while they open the flies with shaking fingers. Somehow they get rid of the rest of their clothes, then McCoy pulls them together in an embrace, pushing their hard erections together.
"Missed you so much," McCoy mutters, his lips right beneath Pike's ear as he starts kissing down his throat. "There were times when I thought I'd never see you again."
"Don't say that," Pike says, lacing his hands into the dark hair. "I always knew you'd make it."
He arches back against the wall, his knees going weak over the way McCoy touches him, fingers and lips everywhere, caressing his skin, stroking his chest, kissing down his hairline to his navel. He inhales sharply as McCoy's taking his hard-on into his mouth, his eyes closing involuntarily. Strong hands grip his ass, controlling his movements as McCoy deep-throats him. He's instantly shaking, so close to orgasm it's not even funny. "Not yet. Please, doc..." he hears himself whimper. McCoy pulls back, placing his hands on Pike's pelvis, caressing the hip bones with his thumbs.
"What do you want, Chris?" McCoy whispers. "Tell me."
"Let me ride you," Pike manages to say, pulling himself to a full stand with trembling legs. "I've had that image in my mind for a while, can't help it, got that new couch because it's the right height and width for it..." He rambles, but McCoy understands as he pulls him along and makes him sit down. The couch is rather deep, very comfortable and supportive for anyone who'd sit on another person. He does just that, putting his hands on McCoy's shoulders and kneeling over the doc's slight spread legs, rubbing their bulges together.
"Get what you mean," McCoy says, eyes dilated. He puts one hand on Pike's erection, squeezing it.
"Careful," Pike mutters but starts stroking McCoy's erection likewise. They start kissing again, lips and tongues battling as they tease each other, always stopping before the point of no return.
"Let me sit down on you," Pike says at last, rising on his knees to crouch higher.
"That's slick enough for you?" McCoy asks, teasing some more precum out of his dick.
"Just fine. What do you think I've done all those months, alone in bed?"
"No clue. You never said a word about it."
"There got to be things you only learn about here," Pike says. "Like about my increasing collection of dildos." Then he adds a frustrated "Come on, help me," as he can't find the right angle. McCoy's hand sneaks down, finding his entry and teasing it with his fingertips before positioning his glans. Pike slowly lowers himself, god, yes, finally. His eyes close as he curls forward with a low moan.
McCoy is kissing his forehead, muttering, "damn, Chris, you're going to kill me if you don't move now". Pike starts moving a little, just a little, doesn't want to go too fast, wants it to last for a while. Really, he can control this - but McCoy is not having any of that and grabs his hips again, shoving into him with hard, short thrusts, and it's only a few minutes before Pike can feel the eruption. McCoy is tightly holding him down while riding out his orgasm through the ebbing movements, pumping the last drops into him. Then McCoy tilts him back a little and grabs his erection that's nudged against McCoy's lower body, stroking the precum all over the head, jerking him off with gifted fingers. Pike's head falls back as he comes with a low cry, feeling his sperm propelled out of his body as if all of him is exploding, head to toe in one orgasmic wave. He's seeing stars and black and needs a moment to regain awareness of McCoy's arms holding him, pulling him into an embrace.
"Chris, Chris, Chris…" the doc murmurs, a sweet litany, and Pike closes his eyes, caressing the body underneath him, placing kisses on the now sweaty skin.
"Love you, doc," slips out of Pike's mouth, and he probably should regret it, but it's true.
"Love you too," McCoy replies without hesitation, stroking his neck. "Didn't think I'd ever say that to anyone but Jim, but it's true, and he knows."
"He's something special too," Pike murmurs. "But it's different."
"Yeah. No problem. It's okay."
They stay in the beautiful haze for a while, until Pike sits up in McCoy's lap, looking him squarely into the eyes. "Jim really got some meetings this afternoon?"
McCoy seems just as unable to keep his hands off Pike's body, caressing down his sides in tender strokes. "For all I know, yes. But I think he scheduled them there deliberately, to give us some time."
"He's unbelievable."
"He's Jim Kirk." They share a knowing grin when, as if on cue, the door bell rings.
"Speak of the devil," Pike says, ignoring his aching knees as he gets off from the couch. The door bell rings again, and he calls out to it, "There in a second." Naked as he is, he trudges to the entry and opens the door. It slides aside.
"Jim, you're –" he says, then stops. "Excuse me – who the hell are you?" he asks, staring at the man in a hooded robe. "You must have gotten the wrong door," he adds without waiting for an answer, but the man puts a foot into the apartment, stopping Pike from closing the door.
"I've come to speak to Jim Kirk," the man says. "I was told I might find him here."
"You were told?" Pike repeats sharply. The address is protected, almost nobody knows where he lives; it should keep students, club rivals and reporters from his door. Not to speak about the security service he paid a fortune for. "I'll ask you again – who are you?"
The man pulls away the hood. It's an old face – it's an old Vulcan. And on second sight, it's an old Vulcan Pike has only seen from afar or on pictures in reports and memos.
"Spock," McCoy says who's appeared behind him, at least wearing pants – Pike's pants, from the color.
"Wait outside for a second," Pike says determined. "Please." The Vulcan nods, retracting his foot. Pike closes the door, turning to McCoy. "Who told him this address?" he snaps. "And what the hell does he want from Jim?"
"Well, I didn't, and I don't know," McCoy retorts, eyebrows drawn together in a deep frown. "And he can only answer your questions when you let him in."
"You let him in. I'm taking a shower and get dressed," Pike replies coolly. "You know where to find everything in the kitchen." He stomps away, annoyed about this surprising visitor and how he's disrupting a reunion that Pike's been looking forward to for months. Behind him, he hears the door opening and closing, dampened voices as McCoy starts talking with the man that's generally called Ambassador Selek, but that Pike knows is a future version of Spock from an alternate timeline.
*
Over the time in the shower, annoyance is partly dispelled by curiosity. Pike has read enough material about this Spock to know some back history, but he has never met the Vulcan in person before. The simple fact that the man is here means that Spock either knows more about him than he should, or that someone else who knows him has talked. Pike has his suspicions, but he doubts Spock would confirm them, one way or the other.
Once he's dressed to his satisfaction in black jeans and a buttoned, long-sleeved blue shirt, slippers on his feet, he walks out and straight into the kitchen, in need of a coffee before any conversation with this Spock.
"I messaged Jim," McCoy says quietly as he joins him a minute later. "Told him to hurry up because we've got an unexpected guest." McCoy is still wearing Pike's pants, but at least his own black shirt.
"Very unexpected," Pike agrees, pushing the buttons of his expensive coffee machine with a little too much force.
"I didn't invite him," McCoy grumbles. "I could well live without him."
Pike rubs his chin, noticing the strain in McCoy's voice. "You got a problem with him?"
"Besides the non-negotiated mindmeld he performed on Jim, and the continuing subliminal suggestion that for him, a Spock is the only acceptable match for Jim, no matter which universe, I don't have a problem at all," McCoy growls into his ear. A damn sexy sound, Pike thinks, even though the words are not. He files away the word non-negotiated for further questions because he hadn't known about that aspect, but is glad to be spared an answer as the door bell rings. He goes to open the door to Kirk.
"Old Spock's here?" Kirk whispers as he's inside. "I wonder what he wants." There's a light frown and something else, intangible, in Kirk's features. He straightens and walks with Pike into the living room.
Spock sits on the couch – approximately at the same spot they just had sex before, and Pike is amused by the thought – and gets up when Kirk enters. They share a Vulcan greeting, before Spock steps forward and places a hand on Kirk's shoulder for a moment, a rather intimate gesture that makes Pike surprisingly uncomfortable.
In the door frame, McCoy nurses a forced façade of calm, while Pike takes a seat on the far-away arm chair. He eyes Spock – rather old and weathered face, white hair, calm but the features not quite as unemotional as the ones of his younger counterpart. The Vulcan wears a traditional robe with a just as traditional large gem hanging around his neck, possibly a statement of sorts like the House of Sarek survived for two thousand years and will proudly withstand even disaster of planetary size.
"So, what brings you to this neck of the wood?" Kirk asks and sits down next to Spock on the couch.
"There is no wood," Spock replies predictably. "I came here to speak with you –" his eyes roam through the room, edging along McCoy, settling on Pike for a long moment before focusing on Kirk again – "about the Borg."
"The species with the cube-shaped starships?" Kirk asks. Pike inwardly nods; this has been the Starfleet's only unsolved encounter within the last few months. One that had endangered the Enterprise.
"Indeed." Spock settles back on the couch, folding his hands. McCoy gives in and walks into the room to sit down on the armrest next to Pike. It makes for a strange double-couple arrangement, but Pike's thought is dispelled by a signal that suddenly resounds in the room, first low, then increasing in noise.
"Oh shit," McCoy growls and gets up again. The other three men watch as McCoy retrieves a small communicator from his discarded pants and starts talking, walking to the other end of the room in the process. His body language tells the story as clearly as the words that reach them, emergency? I'm off-duty and it's only been an experimental procedure, for god sake and at last the words Pike doesn't like to hear at all, alright, beam me over in ten minutes.
"I'm needed in SFM," McCoy says to them as he turns off the communicator.
"Can't they live without you for even one day?" Kirk says, in a palpable a mix of resignation and frustration.
McCoy straightens his back but doesn't retort to the statement, only says, "They'll beam me up from the street. I've got to go." He's not apologetic at all when he leaves to change into uniform.
When he returns, Pike gets up to walk him to the door. "Here," he says and picks a keycard from a drawer. "That will get you into the house and this apartment. Don't lose it – it's the only one I've left. When you're back, we can deal with the voice lock programming."
"Thanks, Chris," McCoy says quietly as he takes it. His eyes flicker back to the living room. "It's a shit moment, but this is priority one. I wouldn't be able to sit around here knowing that a life is at stake."
"I know. Doesn't make it more convenient, though."
"No. Take care of Jim. And beware of this Spock. We don't know what games he plays." And how he might try and lure Jim into them, Pike hears through the words.
"I'll see to it. Go and concentrate on the task ahead," Pike says firmly. "Looking forward to your return." He nudges McCoy's shoulder, then shows him off.
When he returns to the living room, the men on the couch sit in silence, Spock patiently, Kirk slightly edgy. Pike sits down in the arm chair again, waving his hand in a go on signal.
"The Borg," Spock resumes his narration, "are a cybernetic race originating in the Delta Quadrant. In my timeline, the Federation first learns of their existence in 2293, and gets into conflicts with them after 2364."
"Conflicts as in…?" Pike asks, but Spock ignores him.
"2364 – that makes them a hundred years too early," Kirk says. "What changed?"
"That is unclear to me. Much is unknown about the history of the Borg, even at our time. The Borg share a collective hive mind, which is why their members are called drones. The Borg assimilate other worlds to incorporate their technologies and their populations. Captives are surgically altered. Implants are attached to the body, creating a cybernetic being that is under the control of the collective."
Kirk frowns deeply. "What happens if people don't want to be assimilated?"
Spock tilts his head. "They often have little choice in the matter. The Borg like to state that resistance is futile, and many worlds had been assimilated in my time."
Kirk shakes his head. "They didn't send us any statement like that – they simply attacked without warning."
"Maybe their strength is not yet as developed to render the statement valid. As your escape seems to prove."
"Though it was a close call," Kirk states, lost in thoughts for a second before he focuses back on Spock. "Why do you think they wanted us?"
"It may have been pure chance. The current Borg strategy seems different to their future selves. Maybe they currently assimilate technology at random and you were simply an unknown ship with advanced technology close to them."
"But you don't think so."
"As the Borg have a strong interest in the Federation and particularly Earth in the future of my time, it is possible that you were actively selected as a target."
"You mean, they prefer ships named Enterprise?" Kirk jokes but turns serious when Spock's expression changes. Pike tenses, leaning forward in his armchair.
"In a way, they do," Spock says. "Though with the altered timeline, the future is… unclear."
"Anything happening to me?" Kirk asks straight ahead.
"Not in my time," Spock replies to Pike's relief. "Your ship is only the first in a series that carries that name."
"Good," Kirk says, rubbing his fingers. "Getting assimilated doesn't sound like a favorite pastime of mine." He looks at Spock. "So – what should we do now?"
Spock pulls a little disk out of his pocket, handing it to Kirk. "I have written down some background information on the Borg. Some of it from official files that I remember, some from the memories of an assimilated man that were once shared in a meld with me. As I said – the Borg of my timeline are more advanced, but as the influence of the Kelvin timeline on their development is unknown, it is important to retrieve more information on them."
"Why don't you go to the admiralty with your knowledge?" Pike can't help asking, feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the way this Spock is playing his cards. A self-proclaimed deus ex machina, feeding them bits and pieces whenever he feels like.
Spock quirks his lips, granting him a short glance. "It is Jim's choice how to proceed with the information. However, it seems I already informed the admiralty by being here."
"Unintentionally, of course," Pike states ironically.
Kirk frowns at Pike, then looks back at Spock. "It's been five months since the attack. Why didn't you give us the information earlier?"
"I have been occupied," Spock replies smoothly – too smoothly, in Pike's opinion.
"Occupied." Kirk plays with the disk in his hand. "I see." He gets up. "I'll be right back," he says with a warning glance at Pike, conveying don't kill each other, then vanishes towards the bathroom
When Kirk's gone, Pike leans further forward, his laced hands pointing towards the Vulcan. "What kind of game are you playing?"
The unreadable gaze fully shifts towards him, and Pike feels strangely exposed. "There is no need to play games, Admiral. Rest assured that I only have Jim's best interest in mind."
"Only his? What about the Federation? The 'fleet? You're got the knowledge to change things – to prevent disasters, but you're holding it back for whenever you feel like sharing."
"Rest assured that the fate of the Federation is also important to me, as is that of friends and colleagues," Spock says calmly and slightly lecturing, lacing his hands. "However, my latest attempt at changing the fate of one planet has resulted in the loss of two. Therefore I am hesitant to share my knowledge – which is only valid in my own time – with other parties as long as there is no imminent need for it."
"What about other enemies you encountered? Unknown planets and their dangers? Will you always show up afterwards? What if one time, that's too late to be any help for Jim?"
"I attempt to take precautions, but there is a high risk either way. While some events are similar in the two timelines, others are very different." There's a volume of unspoken things behind Spock words, and they seem to have to do with Pike.
"Did we know each other?" Pike asks with a frown.
"Yes."
There's silence for a moment, in which Pike wonders how Spock could distract him from his annoyance and turn his mind to questions he's never pondered before.
"You are curious about our relationship in the other timeline," Spock says.
"Maybe," Pike relents.
Spock looks at him with those very dark eyes. "I served under you as science officer on the Enterprise for eleven years, four months and five days, until you relieved command to James T. Kirk."
"Eleven years!" Pike is surprised, and he doesn't hide it. "In this universe, I've got her more like eleven minutes."
"Eleven years," Spock repeats, "and I've found you to be a formidable commanding officer. You were close friends with the ship's doctor Boyce and your first officer, which you only called Number One. However, there was a certain sadness in you, and I sometimes wondered if the length of time commanding the vessel without having any close relationship to turn to has caused what humans call a burn-out effect. You sometimes considered career alternatives but never took them."
"What happened after the Enterprise?"
"You were instructor at the academy, organizing cadet trainings," Spock says, but it's vague enough to make Pike's neck hair stand up a little.
"Did I live - long and prosper?" he asks, although he knows no man should cross that particular line.
Spock's lips quirk a little, but it looks more like sadness than amusement, in Pike's opinion. "Yes, you did."
"Well, that's all a man needs to know, right?" Pike says stately.
There's suddenly a sound in the apartment, and Pike groans as he realizes it's his console signaling a message from the HQ. He feels with McCoy as he gets up. "I need to answer – I'll be back in a minute," he mutters and leaves the living room for his small office. It's Barnett, and because Pike is on leave, he lets it be answered by the console, impatiently listening to some rambles and two non-urgent requests with his eyes on the teddy bear until Barnett seems to come to his point by saying, "Had a debriefing with Kirk this morning, and it seems you're spending your shore leave together. Took me really by surprise – didn't know you were so close. Now I'm no longer wondering why you wanted to have the Enterprise here a little earlier than originally scheduled. You could've told me, Chris." He sounds a little wounded.
Yeah, I could've told you, but I didn't want to, Pike thinks. Barnett is a good friend for a colleague, but he isn't the kind of friend Pike wants to share details of his private life with. Although Barnett obviously sees that a little differently.
There's another message from Natasha that had come in while he'd been busy with McCoy on the couch, but he decides to keep it for later. He goes back to the living room but only finds Jim Kirk in it, staring out of the window.
"He's gone?" Pike asks.
Kirk turns to him "Yes."
Pike draws closer, taking a place next to Kirk at the window without touching him. "Why -?"
"Why do I play his game?" Kirk asks, gaze shifting back to the window.
"Yes."
Kirk remains silent for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "When I met him on Delta Vega, there was nothing but happiness in him on seeing me. No doubt, no criticism, no annoyance, no accusations – only happiness and total acceptance. For him, I didn't need to prove anything – I already had proven myself over and over in his life. For him, I was the captain, the hero, the best friend a man could ask for... "
"And the best lover?"
Kirk shrugs. "I'm not sure about the physical side of things but in his mind, yes, he and my other self were as connected as two people could be. The level of wordless understanding, knowing each other's innermost thoughts. It didn't keep them from making assumptions or mistakes or just wrong decisions at times, but that never destroyed the friendship."
"Did he tell you that, or did you experience all of it in the mindmeld?"
Kirk shakes his head and doesn't answer that question; instead he goes on, "I know his pain from the loss of Romulus and Vulcan, the pain of this extreme failure that added to the large amount of things and people he had already lost before – like my other self and his McCoy, who'd been a close friend to him too. So there's this man with all this knowledge and with the experience of a Vulcan lifetime, and he's stranded, all of his past gone, the future partly in his hands, and he can't help thinking that he can make a difference. But he's tired and weary of the fallout if he makes yet another mistake. He infiltrates databanks with his additional knowledge, placing hints for events that need to be dealt with when the time arrives. He tries to help without making it obvious where the information comes from. He doesn't necessarily deliver solutions because with the changed future, they might no longer be valid, but once in a while he feels he needs to share information with someone, and then he turns to me – only to me."
Kirk takes a deep breath.
"This is only the fourth time that he has, and believe me, the responsibility of what to do with the knowledge always rests heavily on my shoulders. I don't really have a choice – I need to listen to him because this information might mean the difference between life and death one day, but even if I could choose, I would listen to him because he wants me to. I am his special someone in this timeline – in all timelines, possibly."
He looks at Pike. "When I listened to your recording, about that commander that was your lover and singled you out in his will, I knew what you meant. To know that in the life of another person, you're someone special, someone a little more important than the others – that's both an honor and an obligation. It's not something I can cast aside lightly."
Pike understands, but can't help asking, "Even though Leonard has a hard time dealing with it."
"Yes – and I understand Bones, really I do. If the roles were inversed, I would not be pleased if anyone singled him out like this and then burdened him with knowledge that might mean survival or death in the wrong hands."
"And maybe he fears that this Spock wants you as more than just a confidant."
"Maybe Spock thought about it, yes," Kirk admits. "But that he showed up here today - I take that as a sign that he finally accepts that in this universe, things are a bit different. And I think he likes you."
"He does?" Pike raises a brow. "I didn't get that impression from him. I sure didn't give him any reason to like me."
"When he left, he expressed his contentment at seeing you in good health and remarked that in his life, Captain Pike has had his complete loyalty, and that you obviously command the same. And he wishes us luck. Strange wording for a Vulcan."
"He told me he served eleven years under my other self," Pike says.
"Whoa." Kirk's eyes widen. "That must be a hell of a lot loyalty then. I still feel lucky when my Spock doesn't kick my ass half the time."
"I would never allow any Spock to kick my ass," Pike states firmly, "in any timeframe or constellation."
Kirk laughs, at last leaning a little closer. Pike pulls him into an embrace.
"Damn, this day didn't go at all like I imagined it would," Kirk sighs against Pike's neck, hands lightly on his hips. "Spock showing up, Bones being called into surgery…"
"Everything's fine," Pike says. "We'll catch up with our plans as soon as the doc is back."
"Good," Kirk says muffled, then lifts his head and gently kisses Pike. "Hello, my favorite admiral. Nice being here with you today."
Pike kisses him back before he mutters, "Happy to have you here too."
Kirk leans his head against Pike's shoulder again. "Does it sound weird if I say that I'm tired and hungry?"
"Not at all. What about going out? There's a great new Italian restaurant around the corner. We can drop a note for the doc to join us if he makes it back early."
"He won't make it in time," Kirk says wistfully. "He never does."
"That won't keep us from having a good meal now," Pike states. "What about changing out of uniform? Otherwise you might need to sign autographs."
"Uh, no thanks." Kirk unlaces from the embrace and goes picking up his bag from the corridor floor where it lay all afternoon, then moves away into the bedroom to change.
When he returns in a black shirt and slacks, there's a bright smile on Kirk's face. "I've been in your office. You really put up the teddy bear. Bones will die of glee."
"Don't think he hasn't seen it yet – maybe I should hide it," Pike says with a grin.
"Oh, no, please don't." Kirk's face turns more serious again. "I put the disk under it. It would probably be good if you take it to the HQ."
"Can't say no, can I?" Pike answers, capitulating to the reality that being with Kirk and McCoy also means dealing with the baggage they bring along – and not just bags in his corridor. He opens the door. "Come on, I'm starving."
*
They take their time eating, first sharing mixed appetizers, then a large salad and tuna pasta, topping it all with a bottle of red wine. They speak about Starfleet, the debriefings and the possible plans for the next Enterprise missions, which makes it almost feel like a business meal – not the worst thing after an afternoon of strong emotions, in Pike's opinion.
When they return to the apartment, it's already dark. With their stomachs full and the wine incapacitating their brains and dicks, they simply end up cuddling in bed, enjoying the feeling of being close to each other. There has been no message from McCoy yet, but Kirk doesn't expect one, only says that Bones will show up when he's done. With this off Pike's mind, he soon falls asleep, one arm curved around Kirk's hip.
It's much later when Pike suddenly wakes up, instantly noticing the small sounds outside of the room, the faint click of the door, the dampened steps. He turns his head to look at Kirk and finds the man with his eyes open, a bright grey in the dim light of what had to be early morning. Kirk meets his gaze but says nothing. Side by side, they lie there and wait. Pike remembers one of Kirk's recordings.
"When a surgery goes well, he usually showers in sickbay and then comes to bed right away, still a little wound-up but overall pleased with a job well-done. But when it doesn't, he takes a second, longer shower in our quarters and then stays awake for a long time."
They listen as the steps pass the door and move into the bathroom.
"Damn," Kirk murmurs softly.
They keep lying through the soft humming of the water and the sound of steps moving back to the living room, until the faint noise of the coffee maker can be heard.
"I usually just let him sit for a while, give him time for a drink on his own before I join him. Sometimes, he doesn't want to have me there, wants to stay in the dark mood and ride it out until it starts feeling ridiculous even to himself, but that could take a week and I hate these phases."
Pike isn't willing to let McCoy's mood descend into depression, not with the precious eight days they have. It's time for a distraction, he decides. "Let's go and look after him."
"You go. I'm not up to it right now."
"I never thought you were a coward," Pike retorts coolly.
"Just too damn exhausted to deal with his mood right now."
Pike feels there's a larger story behind Kirk's unsympathetic reaction which possibly has something to do with McCoy's inability to say 'no' whenever a doctor is needed, but he doesn't feel like digging deeper right now. Instead he gets up, pulling Kirk's blanket away in the process. "Get off your lazy ass and walk with me – Captain."
He more guesses than sees Kirk's flicker of annoyance but then the man gives in. They quietly follow the light into the kitchen, where McCoy sits wrapped in a towel on one barstool with his back to the wall, his naked feet propped up on another one. On the table, there's a cup of coffee but it looks untouched.
When they enter the room, McCoy's rather empty gaze shifts towards them. He blinks, shaking off his stupor. "Don't need a damn babysitter," he mutters, drawing his arms around his knees. "Go to bed."
"I'm not used to baby-sitting senior officers, and I won't start now," Pike states and picks up McCoy's cup, taking a sip. Kirk keeps lingering in the door, leaning against the frame with folded arms.
"I think we should get packed for the ride," Pike says without preamble, cracking a grin when he sees their surprised faces.
"Ride?" Kirk asks.
"As I told you before, I've made some arrangements. We've got a cabin in Yosemite National Park. And Jim's got an appointment with Yushi in a day."
"Yushi? As in Yushi Hirayama? That first-class climber?" Kirk's eyes gleam.
"Yes. He's a friend of a friend and agreed to climb with you, show you the ropes in Yosemite."
"Whoa. So that's why you wanted me to pack my climbing gear." Kirk is literally bouncing, which makes him look ten years younger on the spot. "I'll be ready in ten minutes – just taking a shower." He's out of the door in a wink.
"Don't give me that look," Pike says to McCoy, whose eyes positively throw daggers at him. "I've made the safest arrangement I could think of."
"How many favors did it cost you?"
"None – once Yushi learned that his student would be the famous James T. Kirk, he was all game." Pike walks right into McCoy's space. "Hey, you're both so damn ready for vacation and you won't get that in this city. So let's go and enjoy nature, have a campfire, watch Jim go climbing, go fishing…" He cradles McCoy's head against his chest, stroking through his hair, relieved when McCoy puts one arm around his waistline in an answering gesture. "I know the surgery didn't go well. I'm sorry for that, but you're running out of energy from only thinking of others. You need to recharge your batteries. That's what you're here for, doc."
McCoy heaves a deep breath. "Guess you're right." He raises his head, looking up at Pike. "Anything I should know about Spock's visit?"
"Nothing that's important right now. I'll tell you tomorrow."
"Okay." With visible effort and little enthusiasm, McCoy moves to stand.
"Hey man – you just pack and take the back seat, and I'll do the driving. You can sleep all you want in the car." Pike shoves him a little towards the door. "So hurry up, doctor."
"Hate it when you get all authoritative," McCoy grumbles, but picks up speed anyway.
"Liar," Pike mutters after him, then empties McCoy's cup of coffee. He's been packed since yesterday and the Enterprise officers never really unpacked, so half an hour later, they're on their way.
*
Pike drives, with Kirk on the passenger seat and McCoy dead asleep in the back seat behind Kirk, his head leaning against the window, jerking a little with every hole in the road.
They sit in comfortable silence, only speaking when necessary, both drifting a little in their thoughts. Pike focuses on the task at hand, which is finding the cabin, checking its state, then shopping for food. He finds the cabin, and they deliver a rather comatose McCoy right onto the next bed.
"That's always happening in the beginning of longer shore leaves," Kirk says as he takes off his husband's boots and covers him with a blanket. "Accumulated lack of sleep catching up with him."
"So this is good?" Pike asks doubtingly.
Kirk shrugs. "I think so. He should be fine when he wakes up tonight."
They take an inventory of everything they might miss, then leave a little note on the table and go shopping together for food and drinks to last them for the next few days.
"I booked the cabin for six days, but I don't mind if we leave earlier. It's not that expensive," Pike says as they carry two large boxes with supplies to the car. They stow them into the trunk and get ready for the trip back.
"We'll see how we like it." Kirk takes a deep breath, inhaling the fresh air, then smiles. "Being here is a wonderful contrast to our usual life on the Enterprise. Wouldn't want to exchange her for it, of course, but for a few days, this is the best thing on Earth. Literally. It's been a great idea, Chris."
Let's hope the doc thinks the same, Pike thinks, not too sure about that aspect of his plans. Well, if not, he'd have to make him think so.
Go to Part 2 of "Domino Effects"
Author: Acidqueen
Series: Reboot aka ST:XI aka AOS – Draws Series
Codes: Pike/Kirk/McCoy, SpockPrime; other pairings in passing
Rating: NC-17 for some hot scenes; kink inside!
Word count: 16.000
Author's Note: This is the sequel to "Square One". I ignore ENT canon in this story.
Thanks for the wonderful beta goes to
madelf. All remaining flaws are solely mine. Disclaimer: Paramount/Viacom owns Star Trek, I own my brain.
Summary: The relationship develops, bringing new insights and challenges on the way.
For the other parts of the series, see Part I: Disciplinary Measures ** Part II: The Game Continues ** Part III: Rochade ** Part IV: Square One.
***
"It's almost too boring lately. Though now that I've said that, no doubt Murphy's going to bite our ass. Bones has been complaining about the kitchen all day after a completely inedible breakfast came out of the slots but I know from trusted sources that they're going to make pecan pie for him tonight. God knows from what material. For all I know, there's an extra storage somewhere because they keep coming up with things that were never on the order list to begin with. But I'm only the captain, and obviously this is a conspiracy between Spock, Scotty and Chef Orlando who joined forces to improve our collective mood."
Three months into their routine, the recordings have long moved from simple cheer-me-up voice porn to intense connections between their worlds. After getting to know them as cadets, then as officers and lovers, Pike is now getting to know who Jim Kirk and Leonard McCoy are as people.
They share almost everything with each other. There are the normal day recordings (which range from happy to moody), the bad day recordings, and the "we had such a fucked-up week we won't even talk about it" recordings, which are mostly taped to lift the recording party's mood. The current recording is of the normal day variety, and these rarely fail to bring a smile to Pike's face.
"I had the pleasure of marrying another lesbian couple two days ago, Mary Holmes from engineering and Shalal from security. Which brings our local queer quota to a whopping twenty-three per cent. The wedding caused some trouble because Shalal refused the traditional Andorian four-way-marriage, and I had various Andorian officials yelling in my line over the last week. I married her off anyway, because this is my ship and my decision. I guess the admiralty will receive an official complaint about me soon. The party was well worth the trouble, though, great buffet with fresh food from the last planetary stop and a bar so well-stocked that med bay was almost running out of hangover pills the morning after. And now I'll go and force Bones to have dinner with me. Pecan pie is waiting. I hope you enjoyed listening. All our love, and we're looking forward to your next message. Jim."
Pike loves listening to stories of their life onboard the Enterprise and especially Kirk speaking about captain's business, stories that mostly ease the pain of not being the one up there, instead of making him think of the loss. There are other unhappier recordings too, and it's an unspoken rule between them that there's no need to hide the darker moments, the sadness that comes over losses or ruined dreams. Often, the Enterprise men make the recordings together or at least know what is sent, but sometimes, he receives a recording that is for his ears only: McCoy's thoughts while Kirk is in an artificial coma for two days, or Kirk's opinion about McCoy's ex-wife and the way she treats the doc - things they need to share with someone but preferably not with each other.
Pike is the perfect confidant, and they are his. Aside from the latest HQ rumors and some more-or-less confidential Starfleet news he'd also share with them if they were on Earth, he doesn't have many interesting things to report. Therefore he tells them some stories about his life, like how he got the first shares of his club. It's a story he records in his club's office late one night, the lights low, the second glass of bourbon in his hand, leaning back in his chair with his feet on the desk and his eyes on the ceiling as his thoughts wander back to the past.
"Barely anyone knows this story, and nobody but me knows his name, but I inherited the club shares from a friend. Actually, he was less of a friend and more of a lover, and it's the best-hidden secret in my life. He was commander and instructor at the academy, and I was cadet in my second year. He was an impressive man, self-assured and with a body that would put Hercules to shame, and I had admired him from afar for a while. When he came onto me, I knew it was illicit but I wasn't averse to the idea at all. We had it all: hurried sex in stalls, stolen nights during a training course, weekends at hotels far away checking in with fake IDs. He literally showed me the ropes and got me into the many varieties of sexual practices people could participate in. It went on until I was posted, then we drifted apart. He took up the next young cadet, which was when I noticed a pattern, but he always remained a good memory. I've learned so much from him… I happen to think I've become a better man and better commanding officer due to him. But I admit that this relationship tinted my own view about instructor-student interaction, making me think that what was good for me might work as well for other cadets, with me on the instructor side. Which can be a dangerous assumption…"
"He died on a mission five years later. I wasn't heart-broken, just rather sad because the world had lost a great man. A month after his death I was contacted and told that he'd passed me his shares of a club he co-owned with a friend. I hadn't known about the club, didn't really care for it either as I was solely focused on my career, trying to meet the high expectations of the admiralty in their young captain. But once again I felt singled-out – of course I wanted to be someone special in the row of cadets he obviously indulged in, and it seemed I was the only candidate he thought was worth his shares. Or maybe he just wanted to press his eternal point that I should loosen up a little. Anyway, I accepted the inheritance. His trails were covered well, his name never showed up in the proceedings. I didn't have as much patience, which brought some problems over the decades and not just from Starfleet, but I kept the shares. A few years ago his old friend died and the heir happily sold me the other half of the club. So now it's completely mine.
"I'm often concerned that I don't spend as much time with running the club as I should, but it's more of a chore than a large personal interest. On the other hand, it's never chore enough to sell it, and it has fostered some interesting connections over the years, to say the least. I also love to think back to that first scene there with you, though always with a bit of a bad conscience now, thanks to the doc. And of course he's been right –it was an abuse of power. Still – if I could turn back time, especially with knowing that that scene would start developments that would get you together and then in bed with me, I wouldn't change a thing. Which possibly makes me a moral failure when it comes to my sex life."
Pike listens to the recording four times; it's a story he's never expected to tell, and he fights with himself before he sends it off, unsure how it will be received.
"Explains a lot about you," is McCoy's only comment in the next recording, while Jim is a bit more explicit in a recording to Pike's ears only.
"Of course Bones feels weird about that sort of story, but what the hell – I've had sex with two of the instructors, and no, Bones doesn't need to know that. Things like that happen, and we all know that the rules are for cases where things go wrong, not for the many hidden relationships that are going on in places like the academy or on a ship. Some people are holier than holy, and while I'm against abuse of rank, many people don't have a problem with being in relationship with someone farther up or down the chain of command – which includes Spock and Uhura, and me and Bones, even though he's prone to forget I'm his captain. It's annoying that once you get married, it's suddenly not a source of concern anymore, as if you started dating on your wedding day. It's a dishonest attitude.
"The memory of that first scene with you is hot, and you actually kept a rather large distance from us in it, so I didn't feel molested by you. If anything, I was jumping Bones. And damn -" Jim's laughter chimes in - "didn't we earn that punishment that night. Everyone else would just have gotten us thrown out – we were mentally blacklisted by so many people, nobody would've stood up for us. You gave us a chance to become officers at all, something Bones likes to forget too. So thanks a lot for sharing your story, Chris. It can't have been easy on you - and thanks for being there for us."
The message leaves Pike feeling strangely absolved, which is, all things considered, neither surprising nor unwelcome.
*
There is also another special kind of recordings – those in which the Enterprise officers talk about other people they're seeing. As Kirk once puts it, "We're living so closely together, sometimes we just need to get away for a moment, be all by ourselves instead of one half a couple."
At first, Pike hadn't been sure if he wanted to hear about those, considering that these people have the chance to be with the men while he's far away. Then he realized that the time those people spend with Kirk and McCoy is limited, while what the three of them have between them is the thing that lasts. At the end of the day, he's the one receiving their recordings with their private thoughts that no one else will ever hear. Still, they tend to be a bit of a challenge, like the one that arrived a few days ago.
"Hey Chris," McCoy's voice starts, amused and just a touch slurred. "It's a nice evening and I'm sitting here, having a glass or two of Scotty's moonshine – getting better all the time. Jim's on tour. Remember that young lieutenant we joked about a while ago, with the sexy ass? Jim didn't want to do anything about it while the guy served here, of course. But guess what, he'll transfer tomorrow so I suggested this would be the perfect moment to get the guy laid. So Jim's off now, dating him. You probably think I should've gone with him but you know me. I'm possibly the only straight guy in this galaxy married to a man. You two are the exception to my rule, not the other way round.
"And before you think I'm all mourning let me tell you about Dr. Ochi. She's one fine lady, yes she is, and a great doctor too. She's been temporarily assigned to the Enterprise for a month; we worked on that virus epidemic together. It's been one of the best working relationships I've ever had."
If Pike had been in a normal relationship with McCoy, a story like this might have been a deal-breaker. Between the three of them, however, where Pike has no official claims on McCoy anyway, the thought of McCoy being with a woman doesn't evoke the same nausea as it evoked with Alain, because it doesn't change anything between them.
The heart is a strange, unpredictable thing.
"Jim was the first to notice, of course, quicker than me, and shoved me a little to take up her unspoken offer. It's always the hardest thing for me to explain right in the beginning how it works between Jim and me, and I've never found a good way of saying it. Just have dinner together and then start, 'Oh, by the way, I'm married to Jim Kirk and we've got this open relationship thing going on and he's okay with me wanting to have sex with you tonight'? I could really use some tips because Jim's suggestions have never been helpful. God knows how he got laid, considering his horrible pickup lines."
Pike can't help but grinning. He's heard some of those lines by now and he agrees with the doc. Maybe some subconscious part of Kirk also doesn't want McCoy to get laid, though Kirk would never admit that.
For all his reputation, Kirk currently sticks to men for the most part after two problematic encounters with women – "I love women but they obviously want something from me that I can't deliver right now, and I'd rather just have good sex for a night than a complicated aftermath in the morning."
McCoy, on the other hand, is really rather straight, something Kirk would mock him for in random moments, sometimes not for his best – "I teased Bones about his crush on the Betazoid ambassador and her terrible hairdo, and he fucked me missionary all week. Missionary, my ass! I'm not that pervy."
The insights these recordings give are more than Pike has ever gotten from any other couple, including those he's been a part of. There's something exhilarating about listening to honest, open stories that show the inner ticking of their marriage, and that he's the one they want to share it with. They're the largest physical distance apart he could imagine but he's got a more intense relationship with them that he's ever had in his life.
Miracles never cease.
McCoy's voice carries on. "So I had dinner with her and I decided to skip the relationship explanation this time and move forward to some romantic moment in the Star Lounge and then she's suddenly the one explaining to me that she's in a relationship and wants to emphasize that she doesn't want more than a few nights with me and asks if that's okay, etc. etc. Imagine my jaw hitting the floor. That's what I get for listening to Jim's opinion on women too much. They're not half as predictable as he thinks they are."
There's the clear sound of glass on glass, the dampened sound of someone drinking.
"In any case, it made everything really easy and funny and we had a great time together. I think Jim was a bit jealous, but hell, she whispered virus replication statistics in my ear during sex and that's just unbeatable." McCoy laughs, making Pike grin in return.
"She's left by now, and it's okay, because she's taken, I'm taken, and I'm not good at compartmentalizing. Got my hands full with the two of you already. Heard we're possibly scheduled to be on Earth in two months, so I hope you clear your schedule because we're going to occupy you as much as we can. No flimsy excuses, Admiral. Good night, Chris, and we'll keep in touch. Touch as in my hands on your dick. Yeah. Hear you soon."
Definitely a little drunk, the good doctor, but Pike can relate. He pours himself a drink and takes it to the balcony. Two months, if he can help it – he's talked to Barnett, trying to get them to Earth a little sooner than originally planned, and he hopes he'll succeed because if anyone needs to get laid right now, it's definitely him. What good is being an admiral if it doesn't help to fulfill personal wishes once in a while?
*
The two months pass in a blink, and suddenly, the Enterprise is docked on Luna space station for minor repairs. He knows that they're already on Earth and likely in the HQ for some debriefing, and he's actually waiting for a message from them when he unexpectedly walks right into them on the main stairways of the academy. They're in uniform, with large travel bags strung over their shoulders, and when they turn in unison upon his call, his heart skips a beat. It's an unbelievable feeling to have them finally here, and he's proud of himself that he manages a friendly hand clasp and hug with each of them without being too obvious. Then he just stands there, out of voice, his eyes traveling between the two men.
"God, Chris..." McCoy says, staring at him as if he's a ghost.
"Admiral – I've got some business to attend to," Kirk breaks the tension of the moment, "but I thought the two of you could take my bag and go ahead to your apartment. I'll catch up with you later."
Pike turns his gaze at him. "Really? After all these months, I can wait a few more hours if need be."
"And I can too." Kirk grins and pushes his bag into Pike's arms. "But I think Bones is going to die if I force him to wait in front of closed office doors, so you've got to take pity on him."
"Pity, my ass," McCoy mutters.
"Acknowledged," Pike says. "I'll greenlight you with the security service so that you can enter the house. Just ring when you're in front of my door."
"Great. See you in a few hours." Kirk waves and jogs up the stairway towards the admiralty, taking always two stairs at once.
McCoy clears his throat. "You've got the car here?"
"No. Let's take a cab." Pike's already signaling one, knowing they wouldn't survive the longer trip with the monorail. It's here in no time, picking them up. They sit together on the back seat, stealing glances at each other without touching. They've said everything important in recordings already, so they've got nothing left to say right now that wouldn't sound like platitudes. The cab delivers them, not as quickly as Pike would've liked, and then they ride upstairs with the lift, walk down the corridor, Pike one step ahead to open the door for McCoy to pass.
As the door closes, they drop the bags on the spot and turn towards each other, eyes burning. They move forward, mouths meeting, lips parting, angling their heads to get as deep as possible with their tongues, their hands all over each other, half-ripping the uniforms away, and they're still kissing, needy and breathless and exhilarated beyond words. They tumble into the living room, hands lacing into collars and under shirts. Finally they break the kissing to divest the shirts, only to return to it while they open the flies with shaking fingers. Somehow they get rid of the rest of their clothes, then McCoy pulls them together in an embrace, pushing their hard erections together.
"Missed you so much," McCoy mutters, his lips right beneath Pike's ear as he starts kissing down his throat. "There were times when I thought I'd never see you again."
"Don't say that," Pike says, lacing his hands into the dark hair. "I always knew you'd make it."
He arches back against the wall, his knees going weak over the way McCoy touches him, fingers and lips everywhere, caressing his skin, stroking his chest, kissing down his hairline to his navel. He inhales sharply as McCoy's taking his hard-on into his mouth, his eyes closing involuntarily. Strong hands grip his ass, controlling his movements as McCoy deep-throats him. He's instantly shaking, so close to orgasm it's not even funny. "Not yet. Please, doc..." he hears himself whimper. McCoy pulls back, placing his hands on Pike's pelvis, caressing the hip bones with his thumbs.
"What do you want, Chris?" McCoy whispers. "Tell me."
"Let me ride you," Pike manages to say, pulling himself to a full stand with trembling legs. "I've had that image in my mind for a while, can't help it, got that new couch because it's the right height and width for it..." He rambles, but McCoy understands as he pulls him along and makes him sit down. The couch is rather deep, very comfortable and supportive for anyone who'd sit on another person. He does just that, putting his hands on McCoy's shoulders and kneeling over the doc's slight spread legs, rubbing their bulges together.
"Get what you mean," McCoy says, eyes dilated. He puts one hand on Pike's erection, squeezing it.
"Careful," Pike mutters but starts stroking McCoy's erection likewise. They start kissing again, lips and tongues battling as they tease each other, always stopping before the point of no return.
"Let me sit down on you," Pike says at last, rising on his knees to crouch higher.
"That's slick enough for you?" McCoy asks, teasing some more precum out of his dick.
"Just fine. What do you think I've done all those months, alone in bed?"
"No clue. You never said a word about it."
"There got to be things you only learn about here," Pike says. "Like about my increasing collection of dildos." Then he adds a frustrated "Come on, help me," as he can't find the right angle. McCoy's hand sneaks down, finding his entry and teasing it with his fingertips before positioning his glans. Pike slowly lowers himself, god, yes, finally. His eyes close as he curls forward with a low moan.
McCoy is kissing his forehead, muttering, "damn, Chris, you're going to kill me if you don't move now". Pike starts moving a little, just a little, doesn't want to go too fast, wants it to last for a while. Really, he can control this - but McCoy is not having any of that and grabs his hips again, shoving into him with hard, short thrusts, and it's only a few minutes before Pike can feel the eruption. McCoy is tightly holding him down while riding out his orgasm through the ebbing movements, pumping the last drops into him. Then McCoy tilts him back a little and grabs his erection that's nudged against McCoy's lower body, stroking the precum all over the head, jerking him off with gifted fingers. Pike's head falls back as he comes with a low cry, feeling his sperm propelled out of his body as if all of him is exploding, head to toe in one orgasmic wave. He's seeing stars and black and needs a moment to regain awareness of McCoy's arms holding him, pulling him into an embrace.
"Chris, Chris, Chris…" the doc murmurs, a sweet litany, and Pike closes his eyes, caressing the body underneath him, placing kisses on the now sweaty skin.
"Love you, doc," slips out of Pike's mouth, and he probably should regret it, but it's true.
"Love you too," McCoy replies without hesitation, stroking his neck. "Didn't think I'd ever say that to anyone but Jim, but it's true, and he knows."
"He's something special too," Pike murmurs. "But it's different."
"Yeah. No problem. It's okay."
They stay in the beautiful haze for a while, until Pike sits up in McCoy's lap, looking him squarely into the eyes. "Jim really got some meetings this afternoon?"
McCoy seems just as unable to keep his hands off Pike's body, caressing down his sides in tender strokes. "For all I know, yes. But I think he scheduled them there deliberately, to give us some time."
"He's unbelievable."
"He's Jim Kirk." They share a knowing grin when, as if on cue, the door bell rings.
"Speak of the devil," Pike says, ignoring his aching knees as he gets off from the couch. The door bell rings again, and he calls out to it, "There in a second." Naked as he is, he trudges to the entry and opens the door. It slides aside.
"Jim, you're –" he says, then stops. "Excuse me – who the hell are you?" he asks, staring at the man in a hooded robe. "You must have gotten the wrong door," he adds without waiting for an answer, but the man puts a foot into the apartment, stopping Pike from closing the door.
"I've come to speak to Jim Kirk," the man says. "I was told I might find him here."
"You were told?" Pike repeats sharply. The address is protected, almost nobody knows where he lives; it should keep students, club rivals and reporters from his door. Not to speak about the security service he paid a fortune for. "I'll ask you again – who are you?"
The man pulls away the hood. It's an old face – it's an old Vulcan. And on second sight, it's an old Vulcan Pike has only seen from afar or on pictures in reports and memos.
"Spock," McCoy says who's appeared behind him, at least wearing pants – Pike's pants, from the color.
"Wait outside for a second," Pike says determined. "Please." The Vulcan nods, retracting his foot. Pike closes the door, turning to McCoy. "Who told him this address?" he snaps. "And what the hell does he want from Jim?"
"Well, I didn't, and I don't know," McCoy retorts, eyebrows drawn together in a deep frown. "And he can only answer your questions when you let him in."
"You let him in. I'm taking a shower and get dressed," Pike replies coolly. "You know where to find everything in the kitchen." He stomps away, annoyed about this surprising visitor and how he's disrupting a reunion that Pike's been looking forward to for months. Behind him, he hears the door opening and closing, dampened voices as McCoy starts talking with the man that's generally called Ambassador Selek, but that Pike knows is a future version of Spock from an alternate timeline.
*
Over the time in the shower, annoyance is partly dispelled by curiosity. Pike has read enough material about this Spock to know some back history, but he has never met the Vulcan in person before. The simple fact that the man is here means that Spock either knows more about him than he should, or that someone else who knows him has talked. Pike has his suspicions, but he doubts Spock would confirm them, one way or the other.
Once he's dressed to his satisfaction in black jeans and a buttoned, long-sleeved blue shirt, slippers on his feet, he walks out and straight into the kitchen, in need of a coffee before any conversation with this Spock.
"I messaged Jim," McCoy says quietly as he joins him a minute later. "Told him to hurry up because we've got an unexpected guest." McCoy is still wearing Pike's pants, but at least his own black shirt.
"Very unexpected," Pike agrees, pushing the buttons of his expensive coffee machine with a little too much force.
"I didn't invite him," McCoy grumbles. "I could well live without him."
Pike rubs his chin, noticing the strain in McCoy's voice. "You got a problem with him?"
"Besides the non-negotiated mindmeld he performed on Jim, and the continuing subliminal suggestion that for him, a Spock is the only acceptable match for Jim, no matter which universe, I don't have a problem at all," McCoy growls into his ear. A damn sexy sound, Pike thinks, even though the words are not. He files away the word non-negotiated for further questions because he hadn't known about that aspect, but is glad to be spared an answer as the door bell rings. He goes to open the door to Kirk.
"Old Spock's here?" Kirk whispers as he's inside. "I wonder what he wants." There's a light frown and something else, intangible, in Kirk's features. He straightens and walks with Pike into the living room.
Spock sits on the couch – approximately at the same spot they just had sex before, and Pike is amused by the thought – and gets up when Kirk enters. They share a Vulcan greeting, before Spock steps forward and places a hand on Kirk's shoulder for a moment, a rather intimate gesture that makes Pike surprisingly uncomfortable.
In the door frame, McCoy nurses a forced façade of calm, while Pike takes a seat on the far-away arm chair. He eyes Spock – rather old and weathered face, white hair, calm but the features not quite as unemotional as the ones of his younger counterpart. The Vulcan wears a traditional robe with a just as traditional large gem hanging around his neck, possibly a statement of sorts like the House of Sarek survived for two thousand years and will proudly withstand even disaster of planetary size.
"So, what brings you to this neck of the wood?" Kirk asks and sits down next to Spock on the couch.
"There is no wood," Spock replies predictably. "I came here to speak with you –" his eyes roam through the room, edging along McCoy, settling on Pike for a long moment before focusing on Kirk again – "about the Borg."
"The species with the cube-shaped starships?" Kirk asks. Pike inwardly nods; this has been the Starfleet's only unsolved encounter within the last few months. One that had endangered the Enterprise.
"Indeed." Spock settles back on the couch, folding his hands. McCoy gives in and walks into the room to sit down on the armrest next to Pike. It makes for a strange double-couple arrangement, but Pike's thought is dispelled by a signal that suddenly resounds in the room, first low, then increasing in noise.
"Oh shit," McCoy growls and gets up again. The other three men watch as McCoy retrieves a small communicator from his discarded pants and starts talking, walking to the other end of the room in the process. His body language tells the story as clearly as the words that reach them, emergency? I'm off-duty and it's only been an experimental procedure, for god sake and at last the words Pike doesn't like to hear at all, alright, beam me over in ten minutes.
"I'm needed in SFM," McCoy says to them as he turns off the communicator.
"Can't they live without you for even one day?" Kirk says, in a palpable a mix of resignation and frustration.
McCoy straightens his back but doesn't retort to the statement, only says, "They'll beam me up from the street. I've got to go." He's not apologetic at all when he leaves to change into uniform.
When he returns, Pike gets up to walk him to the door. "Here," he says and picks a keycard from a drawer. "That will get you into the house and this apartment. Don't lose it – it's the only one I've left. When you're back, we can deal with the voice lock programming."
"Thanks, Chris," McCoy says quietly as he takes it. His eyes flicker back to the living room. "It's a shit moment, but this is priority one. I wouldn't be able to sit around here knowing that a life is at stake."
"I know. Doesn't make it more convenient, though."
"No. Take care of Jim. And beware of this Spock. We don't know what games he plays." And how he might try and lure Jim into them, Pike hears through the words.
"I'll see to it. Go and concentrate on the task ahead," Pike says firmly. "Looking forward to your return." He nudges McCoy's shoulder, then shows him off.
When he returns to the living room, the men on the couch sit in silence, Spock patiently, Kirk slightly edgy. Pike sits down in the arm chair again, waving his hand in a go on signal.
"The Borg," Spock resumes his narration, "are a cybernetic race originating in the Delta Quadrant. In my timeline, the Federation first learns of their existence in 2293, and gets into conflicts with them after 2364."
"Conflicts as in…?" Pike asks, but Spock ignores him.
"2364 – that makes them a hundred years too early," Kirk says. "What changed?"
"That is unclear to me. Much is unknown about the history of the Borg, even at our time. The Borg share a collective hive mind, which is why their members are called drones. The Borg assimilate other worlds to incorporate their technologies and their populations. Captives are surgically altered. Implants are attached to the body, creating a cybernetic being that is under the control of the collective."
Kirk frowns deeply. "What happens if people don't want to be assimilated?"
Spock tilts his head. "They often have little choice in the matter. The Borg like to state that resistance is futile, and many worlds had been assimilated in my time."
Kirk shakes his head. "They didn't send us any statement like that – they simply attacked without warning."
"Maybe their strength is not yet as developed to render the statement valid. As your escape seems to prove."
"Though it was a close call," Kirk states, lost in thoughts for a second before he focuses back on Spock. "Why do you think they wanted us?"
"It may have been pure chance. The current Borg strategy seems different to their future selves. Maybe they currently assimilate technology at random and you were simply an unknown ship with advanced technology close to them."
"But you don't think so."
"As the Borg have a strong interest in the Federation and particularly Earth in the future of my time, it is possible that you were actively selected as a target."
"You mean, they prefer ships named Enterprise?" Kirk jokes but turns serious when Spock's expression changes. Pike tenses, leaning forward in his armchair.
"In a way, they do," Spock says. "Though with the altered timeline, the future is… unclear."
"Anything happening to me?" Kirk asks straight ahead.
"Not in my time," Spock replies to Pike's relief. "Your ship is only the first in a series that carries that name."
"Good," Kirk says, rubbing his fingers. "Getting assimilated doesn't sound like a favorite pastime of mine." He looks at Spock. "So – what should we do now?"
Spock pulls a little disk out of his pocket, handing it to Kirk. "I have written down some background information on the Borg. Some of it from official files that I remember, some from the memories of an assimilated man that were once shared in a meld with me. As I said – the Borg of my timeline are more advanced, but as the influence of the Kelvin timeline on their development is unknown, it is important to retrieve more information on them."
"Why don't you go to the admiralty with your knowledge?" Pike can't help asking, feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the way this Spock is playing his cards. A self-proclaimed deus ex machina, feeding them bits and pieces whenever he feels like.
Spock quirks his lips, granting him a short glance. "It is Jim's choice how to proceed with the information. However, it seems I already informed the admiralty by being here."
"Unintentionally, of course," Pike states ironically.
Kirk frowns at Pike, then looks back at Spock. "It's been five months since the attack. Why didn't you give us the information earlier?"
"I have been occupied," Spock replies smoothly – too smoothly, in Pike's opinion.
"Occupied." Kirk plays with the disk in his hand. "I see." He gets up. "I'll be right back," he says with a warning glance at Pike, conveying don't kill each other, then vanishes towards the bathroom
When Kirk's gone, Pike leans further forward, his laced hands pointing towards the Vulcan. "What kind of game are you playing?"
The unreadable gaze fully shifts towards him, and Pike feels strangely exposed. "There is no need to play games, Admiral. Rest assured that I only have Jim's best interest in mind."
"Only his? What about the Federation? The 'fleet? You're got the knowledge to change things – to prevent disasters, but you're holding it back for whenever you feel like sharing."
"Rest assured that the fate of the Federation is also important to me, as is that of friends and colleagues," Spock says calmly and slightly lecturing, lacing his hands. "However, my latest attempt at changing the fate of one planet has resulted in the loss of two. Therefore I am hesitant to share my knowledge – which is only valid in my own time – with other parties as long as there is no imminent need for it."
"What about other enemies you encountered? Unknown planets and their dangers? Will you always show up afterwards? What if one time, that's too late to be any help for Jim?"
"I attempt to take precautions, but there is a high risk either way. While some events are similar in the two timelines, others are very different." There's a volume of unspoken things behind Spock words, and they seem to have to do with Pike.
"Did we know each other?" Pike asks with a frown.
"Yes."
There's silence for a moment, in which Pike wonders how Spock could distract him from his annoyance and turn his mind to questions he's never pondered before.
"You are curious about our relationship in the other timeline," Spock says.
"Maybe," Pike relents.
Spock looks at him with those very dark eyes. "I served under you as science officer on the Enterprise for eleven years, four months and five days, until you relieved command to James T. Kirk."
"Eleven years!" Pike is surprised, and he doesn't hide it. "In this universe, I've got her more like eleven minutes."
"Eleven years," Spock repeats, "and I've found you to be a formidable commanding officer. You were close friends with the ship's doctor Boyce and your first officer, which you only called Number One. However, there was a certain sadness in you, and I sometimes wondered if the length of time commanding the vessel without having any close relationship to turn to has caused what humans call a burn-out effect. You sometimes considered career alternatives but never took them."
"What happened after the Enterprise?"
"You were instructor at the academy, organizing cadet trainings," Spock says, but it's vague enough to make Pike's neck hair stand up a little.
"Did I live - long and prosper?" he asks, although he knows no man should cross that particular line.
Spock's lips quirk a little, but it looks more like sadness than amusement, in Pike's opinion. "Yes, you did."
"Well, that's all a man needs to know, right?" Pike says stately.
There's suddenly a sound in the apartment, and Pike groans as he realizes it's his console signaling a message from the HQ. He feels with McCoy as he gets up. "I need to answer – I'll be back in a minute," he mutters and leaves the living room for his small office. It's Barnett, and because Pike is on leave, he lets it be answered by the console, impatiently listening to some rambles and two non-urgent requests with his eyes on the teddy bear until Barnett seems to come to his point by saying, "Had a debriefing with Kirk this morning, and it seems you're spending your shore leave together. Took me really by surprise – didn't know you were so close. Now I'm no longer wondering why you wanted to have the Enterprise here a little earlier than originally scheduled. You could've told me, Chris." He sounds a little wounded.
Yeah, I could've told you, but I didn't want to, Pike thinks. Barnett is a good friend for a colleague, but he isn't the kind of friend Pike wants to share details of his private life with. Although Barnett obviously sees that a little differently.
There's another message from Natasha that had come in while he'd been busy with McCoy on the couch, but he decides to keep it for later. He goes back to the living room but only finds Jim Kirk in it, staring out of the window.
"He's gone?" Pike asks.
Kirk turns to him "Yes."
Pike draws closer, taking a place next to Kirk at the window without touching him. "Why -?"
"Why do I play his game?" Kirk asks, gaze shifting back to the window.
"Yes."
Kirk remains silent for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "When I met him on Delta Vega, there was nothing but happiness in him on seeing me. No doubt, no criticism, no annoyance, no accusations – only happiness and total acceptance. For him, I didn't need to prove anything – I already had proven myself over and over in his life. For him, I was the captain, the hero, the best friend a man could ask for... "
"And the best lover?"
Kirk shrugs. "I'm not sure about the physical side of things but in his mind, yes, he and my other self were as connected as two people could be. The level of wordless understanding, knowing each other's innermost thoughts. It didn't keep them from making assumptions or mistakes or just wrong decisions at times, but that never destroyed the friendship."
"Did he tell you that, or did you experience all of it in the mindmeld?"
Kirk shakes his head and doesn't answer that question; instead he goes on, "I know his pain from the loss of Romulus and Vulcan, the pain of this extreme failure that added to the large amount of things and people he had already lost before – like my other self and his McCoy, who'd been a close friend to him too. So there's this man with all this knowledge and with the experience of a Vulcan lifetime, and he's stranded, all of his past gone, the future partly in his hands, and he can't help thinking that he can make a difference. But he's tired and weary of the fallout if he makes yet another mistake. He infiltrates databanks with his additional knowledge, placing hints for events that need to be dealt with when the time arrives. He tries to help without making it obvious where the information comes from. He doesn't necessarily deliver solutions because with the changed future, they might no longer be valid, but once in a while he feels he needs to share information with someone, and then he turns to me – only to me."
Kirk takes a deep breath.
"This is only the fourth time that he has, and believe me, the responsibility of what to do with the knowledge always rests heavily on my shoulders. I don't really have a choice – I need to listen to him because this information might mean the difference between life and death one day, but even if I could choose, I would listen to him because he wants me to. I am his special someone in this timeline – in all timelines, possibly."
He looks at Pike. "When I listened to your recording, about that commander that was your lover and singled you out in his will, I knew what you meant. To know that in the life of another person, you're someone special, someone a little more important than the others – that's both an honor and an obligation. It's not something I can cast aside lightly."
Pike understands, but can't help asking, "Even though Leonard has a hard time dealing with it."
"Yes – and I understand Bones, really I do. If the roles were inversed, I would not be pleased if anyone singled him out like this and then burdened him with knowledge that might mean survival or death in the wrong hands."
"And maybe he fears that this Spock wants you as more than just a confidant."
"Maybe Spock thought about it, yes," Kirk admits. "But that he showed up here today - I take that as a sign that he finally accepts that in this universe, things are a bit different. And I think he likes you."
"He does?" Pike raises a brow. "I didn't get that impression from him. I sure didn't give him any reason to like me."
"When he left, he expressed his contentment at seeing you in good health and remarked that in his life, Captain Pike has had his complete loyalty, and that you obviously command the same. And he wishes us luck. Strange wording for a Vulcan."
"He told me he served eleven years under my other self," Pike says.
"Whoa." Kirk's eyes widen. "That must be a hell of a lot loyalty then. I still feel lucky when my Spock doesn't kick my ass half the time."
"I would never allow any Spock to kick my ass," Pike states firmly, "in any timeframe or constellation."
Kirk laughs, at last leaning a little closer. Pike pulls him into an embrace.
"Damn, this day didn't go at all like I imagined it would," Kirk sighs against Pike's neck, hands lightly on his hips. "Spock showing up, Bones being called into surgery…"
"Everything's fine," Pike says. "We'll catch up with our plans as soon as the doc is back."
"Good," Kirk says muffled, then lifts his head and gently kisses Pike. "Hello, my favorite admiral. Nice being here with you today."
Pike kisses him back before he mutters, "Happy to have you here too."
Kirk leans his head against Pike's shoulder again. "Does it sound weird if I say that I'm tired and hungry?"
"Not at all. What about going out? There's a great new Italian restaurant around the corner. We can drop a note for the doc to join us if he makes it back early."
"He won't make it in time," Kirk says wistfully. "He never does."
"That won't keep us from having a good meal now," Pike states. "What about changing out of uniform? Otherwise you might need to sign autographs."
"Uh, no thanks." Kirk unlaces from the embrace and goes picking up his bag from the corridor floor where it lay all afternoon, then moves away into the bedroom to change.
When he returns in a black shirt and slacks, there's a bright smile on Kirk's face. "I've been in your office. You really put up the teddy bear. Bones will die of glee."
"Don't think he hasn't seen it yet – maybe I should hide it," Pike says with a grin.
"Oh, no, please don't." Kirk's face turns more serious again. "I put the disk under it. It would probably be good if you take it to the HQ."
"Can't say no, can I?" Pike answers, capitulating to the reality that being with Kirk and McCoy also means dealing with the baggage they bring along – and not just bags in his corridor. He opens the door. "Come on, I'm starving."
*
They take their time eating, first sharing mixed appetizers, then a large salad and tuna pasta, topping it all with a bottle of red wine. They speak about Starfleet, the debriefings and the possible plans for the next Enterprise missions, which makes it almost feel like a business meal – not the worst thing after an afternoon of strong emotions, in Pike's opinion.
When they return to the apartment, it's already dark. With their stomachs full and the wine incapacitating their brains and dicks, they simply end up cuddling in bed, enjoying the feeling of being close to each other. There has been no message from McCoy yet, but Kirk doesn't expect one, only says that Bones will show up when he's done. With this off Pike's mind, he soon falls asleep, one arm curved around Kirk's hip.
It's much later when Pike suddenly wakes up, instantly noticing the small sounds outside of the room, the faint click of the door, the dampened steps. He turns his head to look at Kirk and finds the man with his eyes open, a bright grey in the dim light of what had to be early morning. Kirk meets his gaze but says nothing. Side by side, they lie there and wait. Pike remembers one of Kirk's recordings.
"When a surgery goes well, he usually showers in sickbay and then comes to bed right away, still a little wound-up but overall pleased with a job well-done. But when it doesn't, he takes a second, longer shower in our quarters and then stays awake for a long time."
They listen as the steps pass the door and move into the bathroom.
"Damn," Kirk murmurs softly.
They keep lying through the soft humming of the water and the sound of steps moving back to the living room, until the faint noise of the coffee maker can be heard.
"I usually just let him sit for a while, give him time for a drink on his own before I join him. Sometimes, he doesn't want to have me there, wants to stay in the dark mood and ride it out until it starts feeling ridiculous even to himself, but that could take a week and I hate these phases."
Pike isn't willing to let McCoy's mood descend into depression, not with the precious eight days they have. It's time for a distraction, he decides. "Let's go and look after him."
"You go. I'm not up to it right now."
"I never thought you were a coward," Pike retorts coolly.
"Just too damn exhausted to deal with his mood right now."
Pike feels there's a larger story behind Kirk's unsympathetic reaction which possibly has something to do with McCoy's inability to say 'no' whenever a doctor is needed, but he doesn't feel like digging deeper right now. Instead he gets up, pulling Kirk's blanket away in the process. "Get off your lazy ass and walk with me – Captain."
He more guesses than sees Kirk's flicker of annoyance but then the man gives in. They quietly follow the light into the kitchen, where McCoy sits wrapped in a towel on one barstool with his back to the wall, his naked feet propped up on another one. On the table, there's a cup of coffee but it looks untouched.
When they enter the room, McCoy's rather empty gaze shifts towards them. He blinks, shaking off his stupor. "Don't need a damn babysitter," he mutters, drawing his arms around his knees. "Go to bed."
"I'm not used to baby-sitting senior officers, and I won't start now," Pike states and picks up McCoy's cup, taking a sip. Kirk keeps lingering in the door, leaning against the frame with folded arms.
"I think we should get packed for the ride," Pike says without preamble, cracking a grin when he sees their surprised faces.
"Ride?" Kirk asks.
"As I told you before, I've made some arrangements. We've got a cabin in Yosemite National Park. And Jim's got an appointment with Yushi in a day."
"Yushi? As in Yushi Hirayama? That first-class climber?" Kirk's eyes gleam.
"Yes. He's a friend of a friend and agreed to climb with you, show you the ropes in Yosemite."
"Whoa. So that's why you wanted me to pack my climbing gear." Kirk is literally bouncing, which makes him look ten years younger on the spot. "I'll be ready in ten minutes – just taking a shower." He's out of the door in a wink.
"Don't give me that look," Pike says to McCoy, whose eyes positively throw daggers at him. "I've made the safest arrangement I could think of."
"How many favors did it cost you?"
"None – once Yushi learned that his student would be the famous James T. Kirk, he was all game." Pike walks right into McCoy's space. "Hey, you're both so damn ready for vacation and you won't get that in this city. So let's go and enjoy nature, have a campfire, watch Jim go climbing, go fishing…" He cradles McCoy's head against his chest, stroking through his hair, relieved when McCoy puts one arm around his waistline in an answering gesture. "I know the surgery didn't go well. I'm sorry for that, but you're running out of energy from only thinking of others. You need to recharge your batteries. That's what you're here for, doc."
McCoy heaves a deep breath. "Guess you're right." He raises his head, looking up at Pike. "Anything I should know about Spock's visit?"
"Nothing that's important right now. I'll tell you tomorrow."
"Okay." With visible effort and little enthusiasm, McCoy moves to stand.
"Hey man – you just pack and take the back seat, and I'll do the driving. You can sleep all you want in the car." Pike shoves him a little towards the door. "So hurry up, doctor."
"Hate it when you get all authoritative," McCoy grumbles, but picks up speed anyway.
"Liar," Pike mutters after him, then empties McCoy's cup of coffee. He's been packed since yesterday and the Enterprise officers never really unpacked, so half an hour later, they're on their way.
*
Pike drives, with Kirk on the passenger seat and McCoy dead asleep in the back seat behind Kirk, his head leaning against the window, jerking a little with every hole in the road.
They sit in comfortable silence, only speaking when necessary, both drifting a little in their thoughts. Pike focuses on the task at hand, which is finding the cabin, checking its state, then shopping for food. He finds the cabin, and they deliver a rather comatose McCoy right onto the next bed.
"That's always happening in the beginning of longer shore leaves," Kirk says as he takes off his husband's boots and covers him with a blanket. "Accumulated lack of sleep catching up with him."
"So this is good?" Pike asks doubtingly.
Kirk shrugs. "I think so. He should be fine when he wakes up tonight."
They take an inventory of everything they might miss, then leave a little note on the table and go shopping together for food and drinks to last them for the next few days.
"I booked the cabin for six days, but I don't mind if we leave earlier. It's not that expensive," Pike says as they carry two large boxes with supplies to the car. They stow them into the trunk and get ready for the trip back.
"We'll see how we like it." Kirk takes a deep breath, inhaling the fresh air, then smiles. "Being here is a wonderful contrast to our usual life on the Enterprise. Wouldn't want to exchange her for it, of course, but for a few days, this is the best thing on Earth. Literally. It's been a great idea, Chris."
Let's hope the doc thinks the same, Pike thinks, not too sure about that aspect of his plans. Well, if not, he'd have to make him think so.
Go to Part 2 of "Domino Effects"
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2009-09-14 06:32 am (UTC)Looking forward to more!
(no subject)
Date: 2009-09-14 09:05 pm (UTC)(You saw that this is a two-parter, right? Just asking because you replied to part 1.)
(no subject)
Date: 2009-09-14 11:39 pm (UTC)It's okay... I got to draw out the pleasure!
(no subject)
Date: 2009-09-15 05:03 am (UTC)Can barely see straight right now either *yawns* Sigh. Work. Sigh.
*drags herself to shower***