Jim woke slowly, the drug induced sleep only reluctantly releasing its hold on him. At least his jaw didn’t have that terrible ache that he thought had settled in for all time. It still hurt but it was a much more manageable pain.

//Love,// Spock said from the Bridge when he sensed Jim stirrings.

//Hey.//

//Do I need to contact Dr. McCoy?// Spock asked in concern.

//No. I’ll be completely awake soon. You know how it is when I sleep because of his drugs.//

//Yes,// Spock agreed. //Alpha shift will be over in 45 minutes.//

//Oh crap. I hope I can sleep tonight. You should have sent Bones to wake me up,// Jim said as he slowly sat up to see how that would go.

//You will sleep. Do you want me to send Uhura to you?// Spock asked.

//No. She can come another time. I’ll check my messages until you get here,// Jim said as he made his careful way to the bathroom. He decided not to look at himself in the mirror, knowing he would not appreciate what he found there. //I know I’m beautiful to you. But I still look like hell.//

//Not to me,// Spock assured him as he sent waves of warming love to Jim. //I talked to Lt. Sulu while you slept.//

//Is he okay now?// Jim asked as he sat behind his desk.

//He still harbors some guilt but I believe we reduced the amount he was feeling. Will you talk with him again?//

//Of course. Do you want to bring him when you come?// Jim asked as he turned on his computer.

//I will. I will also notify Dr. McCoy that you have finally woken.//

//Was he worried?//

//No. He thought you would sleep the majority of the afternoon,// Spock confirmed.

//’Kay. Ask Uhura if she’ll be willing to come a different day.//

//I will,// Spock repeated.

Jim turned his attention to his computer as Spock turned his attention to contacting the doctor, talking to Uhura, taking care of those things that were actually part of his duty shift. Jim found numerous new messages of good wishes from the crew, some from those who had already sent get-well notes, some new, some letting him know if there was anything, anything at all that they could do, he only had to let them know.

//Dr. McCoy wants to know if he should come,// Spock said.

//No, not unless he really wants to. I’m okay. But I don’t want to eat in mess.//

//Too exhausting?// Spock guessed.

//Yeah. I will tomorrow for breakfast. You’ll just have to make sure we wake up in time to take a shower.//

//I will let the doctor know.//

//Ask if he wants to come eat with us,// Jim said.

//I will,// Spock agreed, contacting McCoy to repeat what Jim had said.

It wasn’t much longer before Spock told Jim that he and Lt. Sulu were on their way to their quarters. Jim sent his agreement to Spock, reading a couple of more messages until they arrived.

“Captain,” Sulu said when he stood before Jim’s desk. Jim waved at the chairs, Sulu taking one as Spock sat in the other.

“The Captain wishes to repeat that you are not to blame for anything which occurred on the planet,” Spock told the lieutenant.

“We should have stopped them, sir. You shouldn’t be the one with the broken jaw,” Sulu protested.

//I’d prefer none of us have a broken jaw,// Jim said, Spock repeating it. //We couldn’t have anticipated what happened. It was a breakdown in communication.//

“Yes sir,” Sulu said, looking singularly unconvinced.

//I understand why you feel as you do, Hikaru. But your guilt is misplaced and completely unnecessary.//

Spock repeated Jim’s words, even using Sulu’s first name which Jim wasn’t sure he would do, never entirely comfort with the familiarity it implied. //They are your words. Not mine, t’hy’la,// Spock reminded him with silent amusement.

“I know that, sir. But…”

“There is no ‘but’, Lieutenant,” Spock said, uncharacteristically placing a light hand on Sulu’s arm. “None of us are at fault for what occurred. And if there is any blame to be placed, it is on me. I should have made certain that they were ready for my presence.”

“It’s not your fault, Commander,” Sulu said in firm denial. “They were being stupid when they said that about you. How anybody could think you are demonic is just….”

“Thank you, Lieutenant. However, many of Earth’s portrayals of Satan include pointed ears and tilted eyebrows,” Spock reminded him.

“That’s stupid too,” Sulu said. “And nobody on Earth believes in the devil any longer.”

//There are still those who think he exists,// Jim interjected. Spock chose to ignore Jim’s words, instead continuing to assure Sulu that his guilt was unnecessary.

“I know, sir,” Sulu sighed.

“You must release your guilt or you will be an ineffective member of the next away team,” Spock told him.

//That’s a little harsh,// Jim said.

//Perhaps it is time for, as Dr. McCoy says, some tough love,// Spock suggested.

//We could go good cop/bad cop,// Jim suggested with a silent laugh.

//No thank you,// Spock said, returning his focus on Sulu.

“Yes, sir,” Sulu agreed. “I understand that. I’m just glad that you weren’t hurt any worse,” he said to the Captain.

//So am I,// Jim agreed, Spock repeating it for him.

“I’m also off duty tomorrow, sir. Is there anything I can do for you?” Sulu asked Jim as he stood.

//No that I can think of. But we’ll let you know?//

Sulu readily agreed after Spock had repeated it, leaving their quarters with a much lighter step.

//I guess he really needed to know I’m not angry,// Jim decided.

“That seems to be a likely interpretation,” Spock agreed, leaning across the desk to very gently kiss Jim’s mouth.

//Mmm…sure wish we could do more than that,// Jim said.

“As do I. Do you want something to eat while we wait for Dr. McCoy?” Spock asked when he sensed Jim’s hunger.

//I’ll wait. I would like something to drink,// he decided, standing up. //Next time we’re at spacedock, I want to buy some Pepsi.//

“Even though it is not good for you and is made almost entirely of sugar,” Spock scolded mildly.

//Yeah, I know. But sometimes all I want is a Pepsi,// Jim admitted as returned to his desk with the apple juice and a straw.

“I understand,” Spock assured him, rounding Jim’s desk to press the communications button on Jim’s computer when it signaled. “Yes Lieutenant,” he said when Akia appeared.

“I have Admiral Pike for you,” she said, her beautiful face marred with a slight frown.

//Oh,// Jim said. //This doesn’t sound good.//

//You can’t be certain,// Spock returned, telling the Lieutenant to send Pike to them.

“Of course sir,” she agreed, fading out.

“Captain, Commander,” Admiral Pike said when he appeared, a distinctive tightening in Jim’s stomach at the formality of the greeting and seriousness on Pike’s face. “How are you doing?”

“He is feeling better than he has been, Admiral. With Dr. McCoy’s assistance, the Captain believes he will indeed live.”

“That is good news,” Pike said with a nod. “I’m afraid I have some unpleasant news.”

“What is that, sir?” Spock asked, feeling Jim’s concern transmitting to him.

“Starfleet is…uncomfortable with allowing you to remain in command, Jim, while you are incapable of communicating.”

//I can communicate,// Jim protested.

“I am able to communicate for him, sir,” Spock pointed out.

“Yes. But you can’t talk. Starfleet Command is concerned about the possibility of the Enterprise coming under attack. The feeling is that you can’t be effective as Captain when you cannot speak,” Pike explained, clearly reluctant to be the bearer of this bad news.

//And what do they think we’re going to do for four to six fucking weeks?// Jim asked in clear cut anger.

“Is he required to leave the Enterprise, sir?” Spock asked as neutrally as he possibly could with Jim’s voice protesting inside his head.

“I’m afraid so,” Pike said.

//And do what?// Jim asked.

“What do they expect of him, sir?” Spock asked, his own emotions threatening to spill over, especially when influenced by Jim’s anger and turmoil.

“They suggested that you take leave,” Pike said, shaking his head. “I pointed out that you have no home to which you can return.”

//That’s a fucking understatement,// Jim said.

“What was their response, sir?” Spock asked.

“I offered to have you come stay with me,” Pike said.

“It is not that he does not appreciate your offer, sir, but he is reluctant to be away from the Enterprise for so long a time,” Spock explained carefully.

//And you. He hasn’t said anything about you. Are you staying here?// Jim asked, his voice rising inside Spock’s head.

“I understand,” Pike said. “However, Starfleet has pointed out that it is against regulations for you to remain on board while you are relieved of command.”

//Ask about you,// Jim demanded.

“Jim is naturally concerned about my assignment, sir. He prefers I come to Earth as well.”

Pike reluctantly shook his head at that. “You must remain on duty, Spock. You will be appointed acting Captain.”

“That is a position I do not desire, sir.”

“I am aware, Commander. There is no relief Captain available. You must remain in command.”

//Then why do we have spousal assignment?// Jim demanded.

“Spousal assignment does not apply in these circumstances, sir?” Spock asked.

“Ordinarily it would,” Pike said. “These are not ordinary circumstances. The Klingons are rattling their sabers. There have been rumors of Romulan activity along the neutral zone.” Pike shook his head, clearly unhappy about the entire situation.

“If there is a possibility that we will be engaging in hostilities, no one will be more valuable to planning a successful strategy than Captain Kirk, sir,” Spock reminded him evenly.

“I do know that, Spock. And I told Command that as well. They were…indisposed to listen.”

“I see, sir,” Spock said, looking at Jim whose face was carefully neutral but Spock was all too aware of the anger simmering behind his fiercely blue eyes.

“I do know that you are at least two weeks from the closest spacedock,” Pike said, his voice a degree more quiet. “And if you were diverted for a mission before you could get there, then it would be even longer before you could arrange transport for Jim to come to Earth. If it took four weeks, for instance, they’d be very little need for him to even come, since he’d be due to be reinstated shortly there after.”

“Our relative distance from spacedock is unfortunate, sir,” Spock agreed. “Do you have our next orders?”

“I do. However, as you are relieved of command, Jim, I cannot relay those to you, Spock, until Jim absents himself,” Pike said, waiting as Jim stood up and circled the desk so that Pike couldn’t see him. “The Enterprise is to travel to FomalhautB to discuss the Federation’s request that they join.”

“Their four prior refusals were insufficient to convince the Federation, sir?” Spock asked, the question coming across as atypically sarcastic, surprising Jim.

“Apparently not,” Pike said, shaking his head. “You’ll get to try and convince them, Spock. Good luck with that.”

“Thank you, sir. They know we are coming?”

“They reluctantly agreed to host the Enterprise,” Pike said.

“We will arrive in five days, sir,” Spock said, really telling Jim not Pike.

“Yes. And please make sure that Jim’s actual or electronic signature doesn’t appear anywhere. Except for personal communications, of course.”

“I will remind him, sir. Has the transfer of command been put in effect?” Spock asked.

“It will be for Alpha shift. Tell Jim I wish there was something I could have done to prevent it,” Pike requested.

“I will convey your regret, sir,” Spock assured him. “And we will inform the crew of the temporary reassignments.”

“Very good,” Pike said. “And Spock, I want to apologize for the misunderstanding with the Bulibelgs. I told those Federation…hardheads to make sure the planet was ready but they refused to listen.”

“No apology is necessary, Admiral. Their reaction was not one that could have been predicted.”

Pike nodded at that, giving Spock other information about their upcoming mission, Jim finally standing to pace, pausing by the door as it slid open to allow McCoy to enter.

“What’s happened?” McCoy asked. Jim waved over at Spock, his agitation clear. When Spock had terminated his discussion with the Admiral, he explained to McCoy. “I said he could return to duty. When did the word of the Chief Medical Officer become insufficient?” McCoy demanded.

“That is a question you would need to pose to Starfleet Command,” Spock said, catching Jim’s hand and pulling him down to sit in the chair next to him.

//I’m sorry,// Jim said with a sigh.

“I understand, t’hy’la,” Spock assured him. “Had he been able to return to Earth, I would have still been required to remain in command.”

“That’s complete bullshit,” McCoy said. “First he shouldn’t be relieved. And second, spousal assignment should mean you’d be together, under every circumstance.”

“That was our belief as well,” Spock agreed. “They, however, view the designation differently.”

//At least Pike said I could stay on board,// Jim said, Spock repeating it.

“What are you going to do, Jim? You’ll go batshit if you don’t stay busy,” McCoy said, knowing all too well the results of Jim not being fully occupied.

“Refine the translators. Upgrade the computer systems,” Spock said. “With a generic access code.”

“You have those?” McCoy asked.

“We will in two days,” Spock said with a nod for Jim.

“Won’t they know?”

“They will not discover it in time to stop him,” Spock said. “Once it is done, they will not require that the modifications be reversed.”

//And Scotty will help me erase any evidence that it was me,// Jim added. Spock nodded, repeating it to McCoy.

“It’s still bullshit,” Bones said.

“I agree, doctor. However, there is nothing any of us can do to alter the circumstances,” Spock pointed out.

“Yeah,” Bones said with an unhappy sigh. “You want oatmeal?”

Jim shook his head, opening his communications program.

“You need to eat, love,” Spock said in coaxing.

//Not right now. I’m still too….//

“I understand,” Spock said, watching him type the message announcing the change in circumstances.

//They probably think you should do it but they are still my crew,// Jim said, continuing to compose the message.

“Yes they are,” Spock agreed, accepting the cup of coffee with extra cream to hold while Jim finished his message.

//Anything else?// Jim asked. Spock and McCoy read the note over Jim’s shoulder, agreeing he had said everything he needed to and had managed to disguise almost all of his anger at the situation.

“Copy it to Admiral Pike,” McCoy suggested, Jim adding him on and sending it out. “You know the crew is going to see red over this.”

Jim shrugged, looking at Spock with a devilish gleam in his eye.

“What are you telling him?” McCoy asked in suspicion.

“He hopes they are angered by it and they let Starfleet know,” Spock relayed, Bones laughing.

“Serve ‘em right,” Bones agreed.

Jim nodded enthusiastically at that, trying to not gloat at the possibility.

“Now. You want some chicken soup?” Bones asked him, making it sound much more like an order than a suggestion.

Jim nodded again, moving to the small table where he sat to wait for Spock and Bones to join him. //At least I get to sleep late, right?//

“Yes, love, you will be able to sleep as late you wish,” Spock agreed, kissing his head before sitting down next to him with his own dinner.

//I won’t pester you, I promise,// Jim said, accepting the bowl of soup from McCoy as Bones sat with them.

“I am not concerned that you will pester me,” Spock assured him. “And there will not be much to keep me occupied until we arrive at FomalhautB.”

“Aren’t you off duty tomorrow?” Bones asked Spock as they ate their meals.

“I am. Mr. Scott is official in command. I will be able to remain here much of the day,” Spock promised Jim.

//Ask him if we can…you know,// Jim requested.

“Jim would like to know if we might engage in activities of an intimate nature,” Spock said as formally as he could, making Bones laugh.

“If you feel up to it, sure. Not so much kissing. But whatever else you feel comfortable doing, have at it.”

Jim nodded in appreciation to that, sipping more of his soup.

“Is it good?” Bones asked, watching him.

Jim shrugged, pointing at the plate of pasta McCoy was enjoying.

“I’m sorry,” Bones said, shaking his head.

Jim sighed and returned to his soup. //Having a dislocated jaw sucks.//

“I know it does, t’hy’la,” Spock sympathized, telling McCoy what Jim had said.

“If there was anything else I could have done, you know I would have,” Bones told Jim.

“He knows, Leonard. He is simply being childish in wanting that which he knows he cannot have.”

//There’s no need to be insulting,// Jim protested with a silent laugh.

Spock just ignored him, chatting with McCoy, speaking for Jim when he requested it. After they finished, they spent some time playing scrabble, a game that they could play without Jim talking.

“How can you play if you know what letters the other one has?” Bones asked casually.

“We partition the knowledge,” Spock said. “I am not aware of the letters he holds.”

Bones nodded at that, looking over at Jim who had not yet taken his turn. “Jim. You done in?”

Jim had to agree, Spock bidding good night to the doctor for them both. “You need to get into bed.”

//In a minute,// Jim said, sitting at his desk to open his communication program. He was not surprised to find over 100 messages from the crew, all of them protesting the actions of Starfleet in relieving him of command. //No doubts where their loyalties lay,// Jim said in satisfaction.

“Did you have reason to doubt it?” Spock asked, going with him to the bathroom. “Are you planning to forward those messages not copied to Admiral Pike?”

//Won’t do any good,// Jim conceded. //It won’t change their mind.//

“I fear you are correct in that,” Spock agreed, helping Jim into bed and pulling the covers up over him. “I will join you shortly.”

//Hurry. I get cold without you,// Jim said, looking up at him from beneath his lashes.

“You simply want me in bed with you,” Spock scolded lightly.

//Is that wrong?//

“Not in the least. However, there are matters I must see to.”

//Yeah. I have some idea what it’s like to be Captain,// Jim laughed.

“Indeed,” Spock said, one eyebrow raised, making Jim laugh harder.

//Go finish so you can come back and warm me up,// Jim requested.

“I will,” Spock agreed, kissing his forehead before going to Jim’s desk to open his own communications program. “Do you object if Mr. Scott reassigns Lt. Barybay to weapons from replicators?”

//It’s fine with me. Scotty knows where she should be. You okay with it?//

“I have no opinion on the matter,” Spock assured him, sending the response to Scotty. Spock asked him about several other matters, Jim advising him as to his thoughts, Spock concurring each time.

//If you already knew what I was going to say, why do you bother asking?// Jim asked with a laugh.

//Your responses are not always predictable,// Spock reminded him, crawling into bed with him.

//I guess I can’t argue with that,// Jim said, comforted by Spock’s arm across his belly. //You’ll wait for me to wake up tomorrow, right?//

//Of course. I have no plans to leave our quarters,// Spock assured him.

//’Kay. Good,// Jim sighed. //Are you going to meditate once I’ve fallen asleep?//

//I had not intended to do so. I will meditate tomorrow.//

//Did Bones leave a hypospray?// Jim asked.

//He did. Do you need it?// Spock asked, evaluating the amount of pain that Jim was experiencing.

//Not right now. If I wake you up, you can give it to me,// Jim promised with a sigh. //Is my pain bothering you?//

//Not at all. I just do not wish for you to suffer,// Spock said, caressing Jim’s hair.

//Me neither,// Jim agreed, drifting asleep with the help of Spock’s comforting presence.

_o0o

Jim liked having Spock with him the entire next day, although he slept more of it than he would have preferred. He got additional messages from the crew, telling him that it was ridiculous that he would be relieved of command because they would follow his orders silent or aloud. He noted that at least a third of them were copied to Admiral Pike, a few sent further up, all uncategorically loyal to him and to Spock.

Jim ate soup in their quarters for lunch, Jim deciding afterward to go to the observation lounge, the walk not as difficult as he had feared it would be. They remained mostly by themselves, some of the crew coming through to chat with their Captain and Commander, telling them that he should still be in command, reinforcing what the messages had said. He appreciated their loyalty, never having doubted it before. Still, it was good to hear.

After his adventure at lunch, he had to sleep when he got back to their quarters. He tried to fight it but exhaustion and the hypospray Bones administered over his protests won out. Spock got some work done while Jim slept, listening for any signs of distress which never came.

The next few days vanished in a haze of sleep and hypospray, interspersed with visits from the crew, some of whom played chess with him, some played Scrabble, some talked while he listened, writing occasional notes in response. And he silently rejoiced each day when Alpha shift was over and Spock was able to leave duty to return to their quarters. Being acting Captain meant that he had to continue working after they had dinner, but Jim understood and usually slept while Spock tried to catch up, something Jim told him would never happen.