“Hey,” Jim’s sleepy voice said as Spock slipped in bed, fitting his warm body to his Human’s. “Ship’s status?”

“All systems report normal, Captain,” Spock said, kissing the back of his bondmate’s neck, his right hand rubbing over the barely rounded belly which still filled them both with wonder and awe. Dr. McCoy remained unable to explain how Jim had conceived a child but had declared that if any Human man was going to get himself pregnant, he’d have laid odds it would be Jim Kirk. “How are you feeling?” Spock whispered into the round ear of his love.

“Tired. But okay,” Jim sighed, backing closer to the warmth radiating from Spock’s body.

“Are you still cold, t’hy’la?” Spock asked in concern. The doctor said that he figured that the quarter-Vulcan child was taking Jim’s body heat for insulation, making Jim cold most of the time.

“A little,” Jim agreed, his hand on top of Spock’s as he continued to silently greet their child.

“I’ll get another blanket,” Spock offered.

“No. You’ll warm me. Don’t go,” he requested, holding tighter to Spock’s hand.

“I’m not going anywhere, love,” Spock promised.

“Good. I checked some computer records today. The baby seems awfully big for only being two months along,” Jim said in a sleep laden voice.

“Have you checked with Dr. McCoy?”

“Not yet,” Jim said.

“We’ll visit with him tomorrow,” Spock said, the matter decided.

“Hmm… “ Jim responded, neither confirming nor denying. He could no longer stay awake to discuss it at any rate.

~0~0~0~0~0~

Jim waddled across the Bridge, no other word available for the way in which he moved, the presence of the twins making him large and awkward. When he settled in his chair, he was again very glad that his Captain’s chair was large enough to still comfortably accommodate him and the babies. The crew silently acknowledged his presence but no longer stared at him. A pregnant Captain Kirk seemed to be all in a day’s work for his crew. So many other odd things had happened already – this seemed to only be one more.

“Captain,” Spock said from his science station.

“Yes, Mr. Spock?” he responded automatically, rubbing his extended belly to sooth the babies who were kicking at the sound of their other father’s voice.

“We will arrive at Spacestation Eagle in 15.3 hours, sir,” Spock said, watching his lover for any signs of distress. Dr. McCoy said the babies would be ready to make their appearance within the next week and they had agreed that the Spacestation had facilities much better equipped for the extraordinary delivery than did Enterprise. The Captain would have preferred to bring them into the world on his ship but had conceded to the combined persuasive power of Spock and the doctor.

“Very good, Commander,” the Captain agreed, his blue eyes shining at his Vulcan in happiness and anticipation. And if Spock saw the smallest amount of anxiety there, he refused to acknowledge it. “Mmm…” he grunted quietly.

“Are you alright?” Spock asked, crossing the Bridge before most of the crew could even register the sound.

“I’m fine, t’hy’la. One of them kicked me in the bladder,” Jim said with a tiny smile. He unwedged himself from the chair, standing with Spock’s help. “I’ll be right back.”

“Do I need to accompany you?” Spock asked in concern.

“I’m just going to the bathroom. Stay here,” Jim requested with a warm smile.

“Yes, sir,” Spock said, watching him enter the turbolift before sitting in the Captain’s Chair. It was several moments later that the comm on the arm beeped. “Spock here.”

“Can you come to the bathroom?” Jim asked, a notable lack of panic in his voice.

“Are you well?”

“I’m fine. I need your... assistance,” Jim said quietly.

“I am on my way,” Spock agreed, turning the Bridge over to Sulu. He entered the men’s room right off the Bridge where Jim stood holding the two sides of his extra extra extra large uniform pants.

“I can’t seem to zip them up,” Jim admitted, the color rising in his cheeks.

“Oh t’hy’la,” Spock said, kneeling before him to assist in the final steps necessary for the Captain to leave the small room. After Jim had washed his hands, he turned and smiled at Spock, nearly blinding him with happiness.

“Just a few more days. And we can hold them,” Jim said, tears threatening to spill over.

“An event I am anticipating with tremendous excitement,” Spock agreed, kissing Jim’s forehead, his arms almost around the expanded girth of his love. “You should return to our quarters and rest. I know that you have not been sleeping.”

“It’s a little hard with a baby sitting on your bladder,” Jim agreed, rubbing over both of them to show there were no hard feelings. “Can you come tuck us in?”

“Certainly. The Bridge will alert me should they require my presence,” Spock agreed, opening the door so that Jim could waddle out of the bathroom and down the corridor.

“I don’t know how women have done this since time began,” Jim said, one hand on the small of his back. He was sure the ache that had settled there would never be relieved nor would his hips ever stop hurting. It was physically impossible for him to deliver the babies so why did his body insist on trying to widen his nonexistent birth canal?

“I believe their physiology makes them better suited to motherhood, my love,” Spock reminded him, replacing Jim’s hand with his own, rubbing the spot in Jim’s back that was always knotted.

“I guess so. Otherwise every single person ever born would be an only child,” Jim said wearily. “I swore being pregnant wouldn’t affect my position.”

“You have not allowed it to alter your duties in anyway until this last week,” Spock reminded him warmly. “It is understandable that you require additional rest.”

“Yeah,” Jim sighed. He was very glad when they arrived at their quarters, Spock keying in their code to allow them to enter. He escorted Jim to the sleeping area until Jim slowed, turning to the bathroom.

“Again?” Spock teased.

“They need to get off my bladder,” Jim said with a shrug. “Will you undo my pants?”

“Of course,” Spock said, reaching around him to unbutton and unzip the trousers. “Leave them in the bathroom. I will deal with them later,” Spock promised softly.

“Okay,” Jim agreed, disappearing into the bathroom. When he emerged, he was completely bare, the babies looking even larger without the covering of his uniform. “I’m looking forward to seeing my cock again,” Jim laughed as he gratefully and awkwardly got into bed, Spock sitting down next to him when he was snug under the covers.

“It is still in tact and as beautiful as it has ever been,” Spock assured him.

“Good. How soon after they’re born can we make love?” Jim asked from under this lashes in an unmistakably flirtatious tone.

“I have no experience in such matters. I cannot provide you an answer,” Spock said, kissing his forehead.

“’Kay. Have you decided about their names?” Jim asked.

“I thought we had settled that, love. George and Amanda.”

“Are you sure you don’t mind if they aren’t Vulcan names?” Jim had to ask, had to be sure.

“I am quite certain. It is very fitting that they bear the names of our parents.”

“Okay. Have you heard back from Ambassador Spock?”

“He is on his way here,” Spock said softly. “He wishes to be present at their birth.”

“That’s nice, isn’t it?” Jim asked sleepily.

“It is. I hope he is not sadden by it.”

“Me too. He’ll make a good uncle.”

“Indeed,” Spock said, watching his Human’s face relax into sleep, an increasing rare commodity the past week. Apparently both babies had temporarily left their perch on top of Jim’s bladder.

~0~0~0~0~0~

“Spock,” Jim’s voice came over the comm.

“Spock here, sir,” he responded from the Bridge where he was busy watching the spacestation seem to orbit beneath them.

“I think it’s time,” Jim said breathlessly.

This brought an unnatural silence to the Bridge, everyone holding their breath. The Captain was about to have the babies. Spock was temporarily stunned into immobility. He vaguely heard Uhura behind him relay the message to Medical.

“Spock?” Jim’s voice said over the comm.

“Yes, t’hy’la. I’m on my way. You are in our quarters?”

“Uh huh. Tell Bones,” Jim reminded him, sounding calmer than he had the right to be.

“Uhura has alerted him,” Spock said, leaving the chair in a rush and going to the turbolift, wishing it would move more quickly. When he finally reached their quarters, he was relieved to find McCoy already there, waving his medical tricorder over Jim’s bulging mid-section. Jim looked serene, only periodically flinching in pain. McCoy had said that he would have preparatory contractions, to alert them that the babies were ready to arrive.

“Hey,” Jim said when he saw Spock enter, giving him a slightly pained smile from where he was sitting on their bed, reclining awkwardly against the wall.

“How are you feeling, t’hy’la?” Spock asked, coming closer but carful not to interfere with Dr. McCoy.

“You know,” Jim said with a shrug, watching McCoy who was watching him closely.

“They are definitely ready,” McCoy confirmed.

“’Kay,” Jim agreed. With Spock’s help, he managed to stand up, swaying slightly when he was on his feet.

“I really wish you’d let me get a wheelchair,” Bones said not for the first time.

“I need to walk,” Jim said, shaking his head and inhaling sharply. He would have doubled over in pain if Spock had not been there to hold him upright. “Oh yeah. They’re definitely ready.”

“I do not think walking is wise,” Spock said quietly.

“It’s three minutes to the medical facilities. I’m pregnant, not an invalid,” Jim said in his best Captain tone. That put an end to any further protests from his love or his friend.

“Alright,” Bones sighed, close by his side as Spock helped Jim walk slowly down the mostly deserted corridor.

“Mmm…” Jim groaned, stopping momentarily and taking a deep breath. “Okay,” he said before continuing. “Hold on babies. It won’t be much longer,” he promised, rubbing over his very very large tummy.

When they finally reached the medical facilities, everything happened in kind of a blur. The pain had become constant, Spock doing everything possible to help him ease it. Jim felt badly about imposing it on his Vulcan but it was worse than he had anticipated, the babies clearly impatient to greet their world. Jim was stripped and put on a warm, hard surface, Spock holding tightly to his hand.

“We have to sedate you, Jim,” Bones said. Jim nodded, not even trying to argue, looking up steadily at the warm, black eyes of his love. Bones had told them what was going to happen and Jim had promised to submit to everything they were required to do to deliver the babies. Jim felt the hypo against his neck before the warmth spread through him, bringing with it an unwelcome darkness. He had wanted so badly to be awake for the birth but knew that was not to be.

He woke slowly, automatically reaching to touch his almost-flat stomach, avoiding the still healing line across his lower abdomen. He missed the connection with the babies that had grown within him but knew he would very soon have something better - he would be able to hold them, see their faces.

“Spock?” he said quietly, looking over toward a soft sound to find Spock holding a tiny blue bundle. The other Spock held a matching pink bundle.

“T’hy’la,” Spock said in relief, crossing over to him. “Perfect. They are both perfect,” Spock whispered, handing Jim the beautiful little boy. Jim looked at the tiny person they had created, his hands out of the blanket to reveal ten perfect fingers, one perfect thumb in his mouth, blonde curls placed sparsely over his head. There was a faint green tint to his skin, his ears graced with tiny points, his eyebrows swept up over tightly closed eyes.

“What color are his eyes?” Jim whispered.

“Brown,” his Spock said, smiling at the other Spock who handed their daughter to Jim. She was also perfect, fuzzy black curls, upswept eyebrows, the same ears, ten perfect fingers. “Her eyes are blue. Like her father’s.”

Jim had tears in his blue eyes as he looked up at the other father of his children. “They are perfect.”

“They certainly are,” the elder Spock said reverently. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you, Ambassador. And thank you for coming,” Jim said warmly.

“I could be no place else,” Spock said with a nod. “And I will leave now so that you may get to know your perfect children.”

“You’re not leaving?” Jim said quickly.

“Not the spacestation, Jim,” Spock assured him. “I will see you soon.”

“Okay. Good,” Jim said with a nod, watching him leave. “Where’s Bones?”

“Waiting to be invited in,” his Spock said.

“Will you ask him to come?” Jim requested, kissing the sleeping infants in turn.

Spock nodded, going over to the door to invite the Doctor to enter, all smiles as he crossed over to Jim’s bed.

“You did a fine thing here, Jim,” Bones said happily.

“Thanks,” Jim said, smiling brightly at him. “And thanks for helping them into the world.”

“Of course I was going to birth my niece and nephew,” Bones said, reaching over to tenderly touch the little girl who sighed at the contact.

“She likes you,” Jim teased.

“Of course she does,” Bones agreed. “The rest of the Command Crew wants to meet them when you feel up to it.”

Jim looked up at Spock in question. “Do you mind?”

“Certainly I don’t, t’hy’la. It is only appropriate. They feel a true connection with them.”

“And they will be helping to raise them,” Jim acknowledged with a smile. If it didn’t completely reach his eyes, neither of the other men mentioned it. Being tired was a natural result of giving birth to two perfect children.

The Command Crew entered quietly, Uhura shushing them so they wouldn’t wake the babies. She insisted on holding them, none of the men quite so willing, except Chekov who seemed the most at ease after Uhura. They left after only a few minutes with promises to return the next day.

“You’ll be out tomorrow or the next day,” McCoy promised. “We have to make sure your body will rebound. We don’t exactly know what to expect.”

“Okay,” Jim sighed, smiling tiredly at the babies. “Will you stay?” he requested of Spock.

Spock nodded, kicking off his shoes and climbing onto the bed, careful not to disturb the babies.

“They should be in their cribs,” McCoy said, shaking his head.

“Not yet.” Jim cradled the little girl, Spock holding the tiny boy.

Bones just shook his head again, sitting in the chair by the dark widow where Spock had waited earlier.

“You don’t need to stay. We aren’t going to drop them,” Jim teased.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Bones said. “They’re goin’ wake up before you do and somebody’s got to feed ‘em. So sleep while you can.”

“’Kay,” Jim agreed, scooting further down in the bed so Amanda could be snug on his chest. Spock had George on his chest, both babies content at their proximity.

~0~0~0~0~0~

Jim stirred at the sound, rolling onto his back and counting silently in his head. When he had counted to 30 and Amanda had not quieted, he carefully left the snug warmth of the bed, crossing over to her crib. “What’s wrong, darlin’? Are you hungry?” he whispered to her, holding her against him. It didn’t take long for the moisture to seep into his tee shirt. “Okay. We’ll take care of changing you then we’ll get something to eat. Won’t that be good?” he whispered into her pointed ear.

“You aren’t expecting an answer, are you, t’hy’la?” Spock teased, kissing the back of his head.

“You never know. With two such smart daddies, they could start talking any day,” Jim said, laying her carefully on the padded vanity.

“Even the most gifted children will not talk at four months,” Spock told him softly, picking up George when he began to stir.

“He wet too?” Jim asked, removing Amanda’s diaper and disposing of it.

“Quite,” Spock agreed, peeling off the baby’s blue pajamas.

“What time is it?” Jim asked as he replaced Amanda’s diaper, doing it automatically and not needing to think about it. It was hard to believe that only four months ago, he felt like he was all thumbs every time he changed one of the babies. Plenty of practice had made them both experts.

“02:12,” Spock said, handing a freshly changed George to Jim where he sat in one of the rockers in the babies’ quarters.

“Who is watching the babies today?” Jim asked as Spock warmed their formulas, Jim rocking both cooing babies.

“We are, t’hy’la,” Spock said warmly.

“Oh. It’s our day off duty?” Jim asked.

“You are very sleep deprived,” Spock confirmed, trading a bottle for a baby. He and George settled in the second rocker, both babies soon sucking happily on their bottles.

“Apparently,” Jim had to agree. “Are you sure we’re off duty? I mean, of course you are. But why don’t I remember?”

“Because you are exhausted, t’hy’la. You have not slept an entire night since before the babies arrived,” Spock said.

“Oh. Please tell me my efficiency rating hasn’t suffered.”

“Not in the least, Captain. The children have not effected your command in the least.”

“That’s reassuring. And it’s thanks to all the help from our crew,” Jim said.

“They would be most displeased if they were not allowed to assist,” Spock reminded him, putting George over one shoulder when he finished his bottle. 

“He done already?” Jim asked affectionately, Amanda still happily sucking from hers.

“Quite. Takes after his Captain father when it comes to eating,” Spock teased.

“Apparently. Are you sure you don’t mind if we give them meat, love?”

“Not at all. It will simplify feeding them,” Spock said, kissing George and patting his back.

“Okay,” Jim agreed, putting aside Amanda’s empty bottle to put her over his shoulder. “And Sarek will be here in a couple of weeks?”

“He will. He regrets not being able to come sooner.”

“We understand, don’t we Amanda?” Jim cooed into her ear, yawning before he could stop himself.

“I will take the children in the morning. You sleep as long as you can,” Spock recommended as he put a sleeping George back in his crib.

“I appreciate it. Think Uhura or Chekov would take them for a little while tomorrow afternoon?” Jim asked hopefully, looking up at Spock with a promise in his blue eyes.

“That would be most…satisfactory,” Spock said, kissing his bondmate and their daughter. “I’ll put her back to bed. Will you put yourself back to bed?”

“Uh huh. I have to change my pajamas,” Jim realized when he looked down at his soaked and stained shirt.

“You could simply take them off,” Spock suggested from where he was settling Amanda in her crib.

Jim laughed softly and shook his head. “I’d like to. But when they wake up, I’ll need to help feed them. Can’t do that naked.”

“Very well,” Spock agreed, taking his hand and leading him back to their quarters. He stripped Jim of his soiled tee shirt and light pants, helping him back into fresh pajamas. “Sleep, t’hy’la.”

“You comin’?” Jim asked when he was back in bed.

“As soon as I change,” Spock assured him. When he had on fresh pajamas, he slipped into bed, careful not to wake the other father of his children.

~0~0~0~0~0~

“Daddy.”

“It’s your turn,” Jim said to Spock, moving his arm that had been draped over the warm Vulcan stomach.

“Daddy,” Amanda said more insistently.

“I believe that it is your turn, love.”

“No. I got up last time,” Jim insisted.

“DADDY!”           

“She is calling you,” Spock pointed out, not surprised when George also woke and called out.

“Daddy.”

“Okay,” Jim sighed, finally getting up and going to the adjourning quarters.

“Daddy, daddy,” Amanda sang out, her arms up and ready for him to take her from her crib.

“Daddy,” George echoed from where he sat in his crib, staring at his father with wide brown eyes, so like his other father’s. His thumb was firmly in his mouth, the cause of one of the few disagreements Spock and Jim had ever had.

“What are you two doing awake?” Jim scolded lightly, picking up Amanda and carrying her over to George’s crib.

“Santa. Santa,” Amanda reminded him, her happy smile making her cheeks dimple.

“Not yet, AK. Not until ship’s day,” Jim told her with a kiss.

“Santa,” George said in his more serious way.

“Santa,” Amanda said in approval to George.

“Santa only arrives for children who are asleep,” Spock told them as he entered their quarters.

“Papa,” George said, standing to hold his arms up to Spock.

“Papa,” Amanda greeted him cheerfully, leaning over in Jim’s arms to kiss her Vulcan father.

“If the Kirk children are not asleep, Santa will not come,” Spock warned, sitting in the rocker with George as Jim sat with Amanda.

“Santa?” Amanda asked Jim, her blue eyes threatening to become sad.

“He’s going to come, AK. But like Papa said, you and GK have to be asleep.”

“No, daddy,” Amanda said, shaking her head. “Santa.”

“Were you this stubborn at 15 months, JK?” Spock asked Jim with an affectionate gaze.

“Probably. Especially at Christmas,” Jim said with a shrug.

“Santa,” George repeated in certainty and with a determined nod. That settled, he put his thumb firmly back into his mouth and relaxed against Spock, almost instantly asleep.

“GK’s asleep, Amanda. You going to sleep too?” Jim asked with a kiss.

“Santa,” Amanda responded, her only answer.

“Will you go back to sleep if you’re in our bed?” Jim asked her.

“Daddy bed,” she agreed.

Jim chanced a look at Spock who was just shaking his head in silent amusement. //You don’t mind, do you?//

//They will learn eventually,// Spock assured him, standing with George snug against his chest as Jim carried Amanda back to their quarters. It didn’t take long for them all to fall back asleep, visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads.

~0~0~0~0~0~

“Daddy,” George said from where he stood in front of the Captain’s chair.

“What are you doing on the Bridge, GK?” Jim asked affectionately, leaning down to once again tuck his son’s shirt into his jeans.

“Lunch, Daddy,” George announced, climbing into the chair to sit with his father.

“Apologies, Captain,” Spock said when he arrived, Amanda’s hand in his.

“Daddy,” Amanda said happily, slipping free of Spock to climb up next to George and kiss her father.

“Hello darlin’,” Jim said, returning her kiss. He knew his Bridge crew was watching the family interactions and knew equally well that they were all smiling.

“Daddy?” George said, looking from Jim to Spock and back, his dark eyes serious.

“Yes, GK,” Jim said, wondering what his question would be this time. He had a lot of them, forever trying to puzzle out the world around him. Amanda was content to let it exist without really figuring it out, and found delight in every facet of her world. She knew if something was really important to understand, George would be right there to explain it to her.

“Why does Papa call you Captain?” George asked. Amanda was uninterested in the question or any possible answer and slide off Jim’s lap to go over to Uhura. Jim heard them talking in Vulcan, not bothering to translate their conversation.

Jim looked up at Spock with a smile. They both knew the day would come when they had to explain about their ranks. They just hadn’t expected that day to come quite so soon. But both children continually surprised them, as they had for the entirety of their two and a half years. “You know that I’m the Captain of our ship, GK,” Jim said.

“Uh huh,” George agreed with a nod. “But why does Papa call you that?”

“Because I am his Captain,” Jim said.

“You are … the boss of him?” George asked, his upswept eyebrows furrowed, a look Jim knew very well.

“Yes. Papa reports to me.”

“But you are his t’hy’la,” George said.

“Yes. I am also his Captain. He calls me that out of respect,” Jim explained.

“Papa?” George asked up at Spock.

“Yes, love,” Spock answered, squatting before him to study his perfect face.

“Are you a Captain?” George asked.

“No, GK. I am the Commander,” Spock said.

“Are you the boss of Daddy?”

“No. I am in charge of everyone except the Captain,” Spock said. “Because Daddy is in charge of us all.”

George considered that, looking over at Sulu who was watching them with a warm smile. “You are the boss of Mr. Sulu?”

“I am in charge of Lt. Sulu. Daddy is in charge of him first,” Spock said.

“Mr. Pavel?” George asked.

“Yes. Daddy is in charge of him first. I am also in charge of him,” Spock repeated.

George had to give this some thought, studying each member of the crew before turning his black eyes on his Human father. “You are the most in charge?”

“Of the ship, yes. Of you and Amanda, I’m not so sure,” Jim said with a smile. “Do you understand now, love?”

“GK,” Amanda called over to him from where she was leaning against Uhura’s chair.

“Huh?” he responded, standing up on Jim’s lap to see her.

“I’m hungry. You’re hungry too.”

“I’m hungry,” he obediently told Jim and Spock, making his Human father laugh.

“Would you have forgotten if AK didn’t tell you?” Jim asked, looking up at him.

“No,” he decided, turning around to smile at Spock. “Carry me?”

“You are perfectly capable of walking,” Spock said, none-the-less picking up his son as requested.

“Uh huh,” George agreed, smiling down at Amanda as she danced at Jim’s side, her hand in his, her black curls bouncing.

“I think someone’s sleepy,” Jim said, caressing George’s blond curls, George’s thumb in his mouth.

“GK,” Amanda said.

“Hungry,” George insisted.

“You and Papa can take a nap after lunch,” Jim said to them all.

“Daddy nap too,” George said.

“Daddy’s on duty, GK. I’ll be in our quarters soon after you wake up,” Jim promised. “Mr. Sulu, you have the Bridge,” Jim said as he and his family entered the turbolift to once more face the adventure that most people simply called lunch.

~0~0~0~0~0~

“George and Amanda Kirk,” the ship’s loudspeaker called in Scotty’s unmistakable voice. “You come back to your quarters this instant.”

Jim tried to school his expression into one of serious fatherly concern but didn’t think he had succeeded as he looked over at Spock. Spock turned from his Science Station, one eyebrow raised. “Problem Mr. Scott?” Jim finally asked into the intercom.

“Captain,” Scotty responded, breathless.

“Have the children escaped again?” Jim asked, trying very hard not to laugh.

“Aye, Captain. That they have,” Scotty finally admitted. “I’m very sorry, sir.”

“Alright, Scotty. Spock and I will take care of it,” Jim assured him.

“Aye Captain.”

“Where did you see them last?” Jim asked.

“They were headed at top speed toward the Bridge, sir,” Scotty said. The last of his statement was interpreted when the two children burst from the turbolift and raced over to Jim.

“I win,” George announced, climbing onto his father’s lap. 

“You cheated,” Amanda said, her arms folded over her chest, a frown on her face.

“Why are you two even here?” Jim finally asked, trying unsuccessfully to not laugh.

“We were racing,” George told him innocently. “AK said I wouldn’t get here till tomorrow.”

“Did not,” Amanda said, deciding that was enough of that particular conversation and going over to greet Spock. “Hey Papa.”

“Hello, AK. Why are you not with Mr. Scott?” Spock asked, trying to bring some order to her black curls as she leaned against his leg.

“’Cause you and Daddy didn’t come home,” she said. “Alpha’s over.”

“We were about the leave the Bridge, love. And we will as soon as our replacements arrive,” Spock explained as he so often had. He wondered why George hadn’t explained it to her again but he had probably tried. Spock knew all too well that when Amanda decided something, like her Daddy, that was that. There was no changing her mind until she got her way.

“They’re late,” she announced.

“They will be here shortly,” Spock assured her. “Why did you leave Mr. Scott? Have we not requested that you not evade your caretakers?”

“Uh huh,” she agreed absently, looking around him to peek at Uhura, one of her favorite crewmembers. “Hi.”

“Hello, AK. We still have a play date tomorrow?” Uhura asked her.

“Uh huh. You’ll take me to spacedock?” Amanda asked.

“Of course. I’m very excited about it,” Uhura agreed with a smile.

“Me too. Papa, you’ll give her your credit chip, right?” Amanda asked with a blinding smile.

“I did promise,” Spock agreed. “It is not everyday that my perfect children celebrate their fourth birthday.”

“’Kay,” Amanda said, studying Uhura for another minute before looking up at Spock. “Papa?”

“Yes, baby?”

“Why don’t George and me have a mommy?” Amanda asked, looking over at Jim and George, deep in conversation.

“George and I,” Spock corrected automatically.

“But why, Papa?”

“Daddy gave birth to you and GK,” Spock reminded her.

“But the stories. The ones you read us. There’s a mommy,” Amanda said, trying to figure it out.

“Most children are born to a mommy,” Spock agreed. “You and George were born to me and Daddy.”

“Did you have a baby?” she asked him.

“No. Daddy did.”

“Daddy had me and GK,” Amanda said, turning over the information. “Will George have babies when we’re grown?”

“Chances are much greater that you will have children,” Spock said.

“When?”

“When you are much older than you are right now. You will find that your t’hy’la and the two of you will have a child,” Spock explained.

“Will George have a baby too?”

“I do not know, Amanda. No one thought JK would have you and George until you came along,” Spock said.

“Is Daddy going to have more babies?” Amanda asked thoughtfully. “Me and George would like it if he had more babies.”

“It is most unlikely that Daddy will have any more children. We already have two perfect children. We are indeed fortunate,” Spock said with a kiss.

“Oh. Good,” Amanda said when beta shift arrived, finished with her conversation with her father. “You’re late,” she told Lt. Paramter when he approached the Captain. She was standing just beside Jim, staring up in accusation.

“I apologize, AK. It won’t happen again,” the Lieutenant promised her, trying very hard not to laugh.

“Hey,” George said to the Lieutenant. “All systems report normal.”

“Thank you, GK. I will assume command, with your permission,” Paramter said with a perfect salute.

“Permission granted,” George said with a nod. “We are relieved, Daddy.”

“We certainly are,” Jim agreed, standing up with George in his arms. He was silently laughing when he looked over at Spock, the love and amusement reflected in those perfect black eyes.

~0~0~0~0~0~

“Shields at 64%, Captain,” Sulu said. Although he was trying to keep his voice calm, he knew some of the concern was showing through. The Klingons had appeared out of nowhere, firing on Enterprise almost before they became visible.

“Understood,” the Captain acknowledged, looking over at Spock. He could not disguise the fear in his blue eyes, the children not yet located. “Bones, please tell me you have them.”

“They’re here, Jim,” Bones said breathlessly. “In my office. They’re fine.”

“Thank you,” the Captain said, turning all of his concentration on defeating the more heavily armed enemy vessel.

When the smoke cleared, literally, and the Klingon bird of prey had self destructed, the Bridge crew took a deep breath, calm entering them with the air.

“Excellent work,” Jim said in praise, smiling at each member of the Bridge crew in turn. His most radiant smile he saved for Spock, the relief shining back at him.

“Jim,” McCoy said over the comm. His voice betrayed the bad news he was about to deliver. “You and Spock need to get down here. Now.”

“Oh dear god,” Jim said. “Is it the children?”

“Come now,” McCoy repeated, terminating the link.

Jim and Spock raced to sickbay, their stomachs clinched in fear. “Would you know if they were….” Jim couldn’t finish the question, could not bring himself to say the unthinkable.

“Yes,” Spock said, entering sickbay with him.

“It’s Amanda,” McCoy said, one hand on each man’s shoulder. “She’s alive. She has a concussion and a broken leg. She has internal injuries. We can’t operate because we can’t convince George to leave her side.” This was all said in one rushed breath, the men finally going around him to approach the biobed on which their two children lay. Amanda was as pale as the sheets under her body, George laying beside her, one hand on her meld points.

“Daddies,” George said, looking up at his fathers. “Don’t let her leave me.”

“We won’t, GK,” Jim promised, his own tears threatening to spill over to join the ones running down George’s face. “Dr. Bones needs to help her. You need to come with me.”

George shook his head, looking back at his sister. “I have to keep her here.”

“I will do that, GK. Go with Daddy,” Spock instructed gently, putting his hand on the left side of Amanda’s face, mirroring George’s fingers.

“She’ll leave me.”

“We are not going to allow that to happen, baby. Go with Daddy,” Spock said, kissing George on the head. “I have AK.”

“Don’t let her leave me,” George cried as Jim picked him up. His son sobbed against his shoulder as Jim carried him out of sickbay and to their quarters to wait, the hardest job of all.

Jim rocked and waited and worried, soothing George as best as he could, between ordering the repairs to his ship to get them safely to spaceport. Even with directing his crew, he still had too much time to wonder if the naysayers had been right. Maybe they should have turned the children over to Sarek to be raised on New Vulcan. They were almost ready to go to school. Maybe it was selfish of them to want to keep the children with them instead of allowing them to grow up on a planet with other children. Or maybe he and Spock should have resigned from Starfleet for the sake of the children. They could have returned to Earth or even settled on New Vulcan. If they had chosen any of those other paths, Amanda wouldn’t be in sickbay now, tenuously holding onto her father’s mind. Jim couldn’t use their bond to communicate with Spock, the distraction too dangerous to Amanda. But he could tell that Amanda’s life force flickered in and out and only Spock’s presence had kept it from being extinguished.

“AK?” George asked Jim, his eyes red, his nose running, his cheeks tear stained.

“She’s still alive,” Jim whispered, kissing his son’s golden curls. “Papa’s with her.”

“I can’t feel her,” George sobbed into the wet front of Jim’s uniform.

“You will, GK, you will,” Jim promised, sending as much strength and warmth to Spock as he possibly could.

After minutes or hours or days, Spock came into their quarters, exhausted and elated. “She is going to be fine,” he reported, accepting George in his arms. “She wants you.”

“AK,” George confirmed, nodding. “Come, Daddy,” he ordered.

“Yes sir,” Jim agreed, finally able to smile at his son and his bondmate. Together they all went to sickbay for the happiest of family reunions.

~0~0~0~0~0~

“JK?” Amanda said where she stood beside Jim. He was at his desk in their family room, having commandeered the conference room next to their quarters. They had it converted into an office for the Captain and the Commander, more than half the space taken up with the children’s toys and swing set. Amanda was playing dress-up as Jim tried to work on some of his reports, Spock working on his own. George was on the swing-set, pretending to fly.

“Yes, AK?” Jim responded, looking down at her in her princess wedding gown, a part of her fifth birthday present from the crew.

“What was your wedding like?” she asked, smoothing the veil from the crown she wore, a perfect match to the billowing white tulle underneath her skirts.

“SK and I never had a wedding,” Jim said.

“Of course you did,” Amanda insisted. “You’re married.”

“We never got married, baby. We’re bonded.”

“You and Papa aren’t married?” she asked, nearly scandalized by the idea of it.

“We’re bonded, AK. The Federation recognizes that as legally binding,” Jim explained, looking up at Spock who was not able to disguise all of his amusement.

“GK,” Amanda yelled over to her brother.

“Don’t shout, love,” Jim requested.

“Come over here,” Amanda ordered, ignoring her father.

“Kay,” George agreed, leaving the swing. “S’up?” he asked, making Jim laugh.

//Where would he have acquired that particular expression?// Spock asked.

“Papa and daddy aren’t married,” Amanda said in horror.

“They’re bonded, AK,” George agreed, climbing up on Spock’s lap with his help.

“But they aren’t married,” Amanda repeated, her hands in fists on her non-existence hips.

“So?” George asked, leaning against Spock to watch his sister in all her indignation.

“They have to be married. They are our daddies. Parents have to be married,” she insisted.

“We are considered married, AK,” Spock said reasonably.

“But you never had a wedding. You can’t be married without a wedding,” she said.

“Starfleet considers us legally married,” Jim repeated with a carefully hidden smile.

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I want you married. With flowers and rings and music and a cake. Married.”

“A cake,” George repeated, suddenly interested in the conversation.

“That is redundant and unnecessary,” Spock told her gently. Her response was tear-filled eyes and the quivering of her bottom lip.

“But you aren’t married,” she said, sniffing when the tears spilled over.

“Why is this so important to you, baby?” Jim asked, picking her up to hold her on his lap.

“If you aren’t married, you won’t live happily ever after. You’ll leave me and GK,” she said.

“We are going to live happily ever after, AK,” Spock promised her.

“Not if you don’t get married. Like Cinderella. She lived happily ever after after she got married.”

“That’s not real life, AK,” Jim tried, wanting to stop his daughter’s tears.

“You have to be married to live happily ever after,” she sobbed.

The two men were helpless in front of the complete unhappiness of their daughter and finally promised that they would begin to plan their wedding right away. That calmed her enough for her to nod, accepting their promise that they would indeed live happily ever after. And that’s how they ended up having a wedding they didn’t need but actually enjoyed far more than they expected.

~0~0~0~0~0~

“JK,” Spock said from where he leaned against the door jam of George’s room. Jim was picking up action figures, the floor strewn with miniature replicas of the crew of Enterprise, an inordinately high number of Captain Kirks and Commander Spocks all over the floor. Jim put miniature Spock’s boot back on before placing him in the container marked Enterprise. Next to it was the container for “Federation Allies” and the smallest container marked “Federation Enemies.” Spock had tried to talk him into using a less volatile word but George was insistent that it was what he wanted on the bin.

“Uh huh,” Jim responded, picking up three more Commanders and two more Captains, as well as collecting two Dr McCoys and four Scottys. “Don’t tell Bones George has more Scottys,” Jim said as he put them in the bin.

“I would not presume to inform him,” Spock promised, entering George’s room to sit on his bed. “Do you know what today is, love?”

“Mmm… not precisely,” Jim admitted, smiling back at Spock. “I’m sure you and George know exactly.”

“Indeed. It is one month until the seventh anniversary of your conception of the children,” Spock said, looking up at Jim.

“The seventh anniversary,” Jim repeated slowly, turning all of his attention to his bondmate. “Which means… “

“In approximately 28 days, we will enter pon farr,” Spock confirmed.

“Oh,” Jim said, sitting next to Spock and looking down at the miniature Uhura in his hands. He wondered briefly why she seemed to be wearing his uniform but dismissed the stray thought. “Oh.”

“What do you want to do, love?” Spock asked gently.

“Well,” Jim said, considering it and stalling for time. They had not discussed it previously but they both knew the time would come when they would have to decide what to do about the children during pon farr. “Would Sarek and Ambassador Spock keep them for us?”

“I believe they would be amenable to that arrangement. Especially if Betty would accompany them,” Spock said. After considerable time and effort, they had finally hired a part teacher, part nanny for the children. They had agreed that having a woman help care for the children would be a good influence, as they spent considerably more time with men than they did with women. It had been important that especially Amanda have a woman to talk to, to confide in. Uhura was always willing to talk to either of the children but neither of them wanted to put the burden of being the primary woman in their life solely on her. The children adored Betty as she adored them. And the fact that Betty’s husband was on Scotty’s engineering crew only helped justify her presence to Starfleet. Not that they would have denied them the official position of a nanny. But it was a somewhat unusual request.

“You know she would,” Jim said. “We could stay on New Vulcan. I think it would be easier for both of us if we weren’t on the ship this time.”

“I agree. I would request that Dr. McCoy also be present on New Vulcan.”

“Yes. That would probably be best,” Jim agreed, taking a deep breath. The intrepid Captain Kirk who had faced down Kingons and Romulans without batting an eye, who could survive on no sleep and less food, who commanded the undying loyalty and devotion of his entire crew, practically quivered at the thoughts of what the Vulcan mating fever did to his bondmate. The additional sexual activity could have been pleasant but it was as though he wasn’t sharing it with his Spock. Spock became a feral, pre-reform Vulcan who took what he needed with little thought or regard for his bondmate.

“You know if there was any way I could spare you from enduring pon farr that I would,” Spock said gently, caressing the side of his love’s face and wishing he could erase the fear and trepidation that word stirred in Jim.

“I know. But it did give us GK and AK,” Jim said, smiling at Spock, the smile not reflected in his blue eyes.

“Do you suppose we will be so blessed again?” Spock asked, rubbing Jim’s very flat stomach.

“Seems unlikely. Since I never should have conceived the first time.” Jim took another deep breath, putting the miniature Uhura in the bin before straightening, his demeanor transformed into the Captain of his starship. “You contact Sarek. I’ll talk to Bones and Betty.”

“Yes sir,” Spock teased, kissing the side of his head. “I love you, JK.”

“I know you do,” Jim assured him, looking at him and seeing the love reflected in his eyes.

~0~0~0~0~0~

They had been back on their ship for three days when Jim finally gave into the combined forces of Spock and McCoy and ventured down to Sickbay.

George and Amanda had enjoyed their time with their grandfather and the Ambassador on New Vulcan but could not disguise their utter happiness at being back with their fathers aboard their ship. They had insisted on sleeping in their fathers’ bed each night, no real rest accomplished for the adults. But they did not mind in the least the wiggling presence of their perfect children, glad to have their soothing presence after the mental and physical exhaustion of the mating fever.

“About damn time,” Dr. McCoy said by way of greeting when Jim and Spock entered Sickbay. They were in one of the private examining rooms, McCoy standing by the biobed, a familiar and determined scowl on his face.

“I’m fine,” Jim insisted to them both.

“I don’t care. Strip,” Bones ordered.

“That’s entirely unnecessary,” Jim protested.

“I’ll decide what is and is not necessary,” Bones informed him sternly. “Now out of your uniform or Spock will do it for you.”

Jim started to protest again but one look at Spock’s determined face stopped any words from forming. Spock knew that Jim was not as “fine” as he wanted to pretend, which was the main reason he finally conceded and came to Sickbay. With an exasperated sigh, Jim reluctantly removed his uniform, finally laying on the biobed in only his briefs. He closed his eyes, deciding he didn’t need to see Bones’ disapproval at the bruises that hadn’t completely faded. Maybe he wouldn’t figure out that Spock had accidentally cracked his ribs again or that two of the fingers on his left hand would barely bend. Those hopes, naturally, proved to be in vain.

“Why the hell didn’t you tell me about your ribs or your hand?” Bones demanded.

Jim just ignored him, using his mental barriers to also block out Spock’s silent scolding.

//Do not keep me out, t’hy’la. I will dismantle your barriers if I must.//

//Get out of my head. You were there enough last week,// Jim snapped back, unaware that he was still angry until he felt it rise like bile in his throat.

//I cannot apologize again. I believed you when you told me that I had your forgiveness.//

//I do forgive you. But I don’t want you in my head right now,// Jim said, trying unsuccessfully to keep his anger contained.

“Whatever you are doing, stop,” McCoy ordered. “Your blood pressure keeps jumping and your adrenalin levels are all over the place.”

“I will leave for now,” Spock said, some of his almost-anger coming through. “Alert me should you require my assistance.”

“I will,” Bones agreed, watching him leave, his back stiff, his head high. “Are you still pissed at him?”

“Yes,” Jim confessed quietly, his right arm over his eyes. “I know he can’t help it. But…”

“Yeah,” Bones agreed. “I saw how bad it was.”

“I can’t get the picture out of my head, Bones. He was…he wasn’t my Spock. The father of my children. He was…he scared the shit out of me. And I didn’t like feeling so vulnerable,” Jim said, only slightly above a whisper.

“I know, Jim. He hates it too. That’s why he’s spent almost seven years trying to find some way to mitigate the effects of pon farr.”

“I hope he succeeds before the next time,” Jim said. “Do you think George and Amanda will go through it?”

“I doubt it. They are 75% human. Amanda a little more so,” Bones reminded him.

“Yeah. Can you tell if I’m pregnant again?” Jim asked, not entirely sure how he felt about the idea.

“Not yet. If you have conceived again, we’ll know in a couple of weeks. Or you’ll know sooner if you start throwing up every few hours.”

“I haven’t yet. So maybe I’m not.”

“Do you want to be pregnant again?” McCoy asked as he continued his scan.

“I don’t know. We love George and Amanda so much it’s hard to imagine having another child. I think Spock would like more children. And the kids definitely want a brother or sister,” he said, smiling sadly.

“And you, Jim? What do you want?”

“I really don’t know,” Jim repeated with a shrug.

“Well, it won’t be too long before we know,” McCoy reminded him kindly. “Do you want me to sedate you before I repair your ribs and fingers?”

“I don’t care,” Jim said in defeat.

“Alright,” McCoy responded. “We’ll try it without sedation first. If it gets too intense, we’ll go to plan B.”

“Fine,” Jim said, clinching his eyes closed against the growing pain as McCoy used the bone mender on his cracked ribs. The pain eased and he opened his eyes to see the black eyes of his bondmate looking down at him in love and compassion, his warm hand on the meld points to take some of the pain. “I’m sorry,” Jim whispered.

“Shh…,” Spock whispered back, kissing his forehead.

~0~0~0~0~0~

“Spock,” Jim said, the pain waking him with a start in the middle of the night. “There’s something wrong.” He was doubled over, his hands clinching his stomach as the pain radiated out from the barely formed embryo.

“What is it, t’hy’la?” Spock asked, studying his bondmate’s agonized face.

“The baby. It’s…” Jim looked up at Spock, tears shimmering in his eyes. “I think…” He shook his head, unable to finish the thought.

“Spock to McCoy. Command emergency,” Spock said into the intercom. Jim was laying on his side, curled up around the unbearable pain.

“Uhn…” Jim groaned, curling up even tighter. “Spock.”

“I’m here, love,” he said, sitting next to him and taking away some of the pain.

“The baby,” Jim said, tears threatening to spill over as he looked up helplessly at his bondmate.

“I’m sorry, JK, I’m so sorry.”

McCoy used his CMO override to enter quickly, kneeling next to the bed. “I need Spock to back up a little,” he said gently to Jim.

Jim may have nodded but he wasn’t sure if he had. Spock moved down the bed, his hand remaining firmly on Jim’s shoulder.

“Is it the baby?” McCoy asked, scanning Jim.

Jim nodded, his eyes clinched shut against the pain. “It’s…bad.”

McCoy looked up at Spock, fear and sadness in the black eyes. “I need him in sickbay.”

Spock nodded, carefully lifting Jim from their bed, Jim’s head on his shoulder.

“Call Betty,” Jim whispered before he flinched again, the pain taking away his breath.

“I will,” McCoy promised, walking next to Spock as they hurried to Sickbay. Spock gently deposited Jim on the biobed, staying close but out of the way. McCoy continued to scan his Captain, the readings disturbing, the pain intense. “It looks like his body is rejecting the baby,” McCoy said softly.

“His body perceives it as an alien object?” Spock asked.

“It looks that way. It could be that this baby is far more Vulcan than Human,” McCoy said, shaking his head.

“Can you save it?” Spock asked trying unsuccessfully not to sound hopeful.

“I don’t know,” McCoy admitted. He studied the scans, one hand on Jim’s stomach over the embryo.

“Bones,” Jim whispered.

“I’m right here,” Bones assured him.

“I can’t feel the baby,” Jim said barely aloud.

“I know. Your body is trying to reject it.”

“No,” Jim said, shaking his head. “Make it stop.”

“I don’t think I can. Your body doesn’t think it should be there. It’s trying to protect you from the intruder.”

“Can’t you suppress my autoimmune responses? Trick my body into accepting it?” Jin asked very softly.

“That much suppression could endanger both your lives,” McCoy said. “And I can’t use the suppression agent for the next seven months.”

“You have to do something,” Jim pleaded. “Don’t let us loose it.”

“Is there any way?” Spock asked, holding tightly to Jim’s hand, sending soothing thoughts to his Human.

“Not without endangering Jim’s life,” Bones said, feeling the loss of a member of his family.

Spock nodded very slowly, taking a deep breath. “You must save Jim’s life.”

“Yes,” Bones agreed. “I’ll step out for just a minute.”

“Thank you, doctor,” Spock said, watching him leave. “We have no choice, t’hy’la.”

“I don’t want to loose the baby,” Jim said, shaking his head.

“We cannot save it, love.”

“There’s got to be a way.”

“There is not. We must ensure your survival,” Spock whispered.

“No. Save the baby,” Jim pleaded.

“We cannot, love. We must let it go,” Spock said very sadly.

“No no,” Jim said.

“I’m sorry,” Spock said, watching the doctor return. He immediately sedated Jim so he would not be able to protest the inevitable decision that had to be made.

~0~0~0~0~0~

Spock silently entered the private room where Jim was recovering. His eyes were closed, his breathing shallow.

“I don’t want to talk to you yet,” Jim said in a completely neutral voice.

“I understand. The children have been asking for you. May they visit, please, t’hy’la?” Spock requested.

“Not yet. I’m not ready yet,” Jim said, shaking his head.

“Alright,” Spock said, sitting by his bed.

“Go. I don’t want you here,” Jim said.

“I am aware of that. I cannot leave you. Not when you are in this much pain.”

“You shouldn’t have let him do it,” Jim said not for the first time, turning his head away from his bondmate.

“There was no choice, Jim. You know that. We could not allow you to die.”

“You don’t know that I would have. We both could have lived. Instead you allowed him to kill my child,” he said in angry accusation.

“Neither of you could survive the amount of immune suppressors that would have been required to stop your body from rejecting the embryo.”

“It wasn’t an embryo. It was my child,” Jim said between clinched teeth.

“It was our child, love. And it was killing you.”

“You don’t know that. Neither of you do.”

Spock did not try to respond, keeping his thoughts to himself and sending only warmth and love over their bond. He was once again relieved that they had not told anyone of his pregnancy, so they did not have to explain what had happened. Eventually they would both be ready to discuss it but not yet.

“Does Bones know if it was a boy or girl?” Jim asked very softly.

“He did not tell me, love,” Spock said.

Jim nodded, turning tear filled eyes to his bondmate. “I’m sorry.”

“You have no reason to be,” Spock assured him.

Jim untangled one hand from the covers, reaching out to Spock. It was all the invitation he needed, grasping Jim’s hand and kissing his forehead. “Will you ask our children to come, please?”

“Of course,” Spock agreed, kissing him once more before going to the intercom to invite their perfect children to come for a visit.

~0~0~0~0~0~

“Spock,” Jim said from where he sat at his desk in their family room. The children were still in school, their fathers on beta shift for this rotation, making their family more scattered than they liked.

“Yes, t’hy’la,” Spock responded, turning from his computer to look at his Human love, seeing the lost look in his eyes that had been there since their barely formed baby had died.

“Do you think Starfleet would grant us family leave? For a little while?” Jim asked, loath to admit he wanted some time away from his starship.

“I am certain that they will,” Spock said.

“Even though we had to take leave to go to New Vulcan?” Jim asked, unable to say the words that represented the real reason they had been there.

“We have enough leave accumulated to take off three years,” Spock reminded him. “They understand the difficulties we face raising our family on board our ship.”

“Yeah,” Jim sighed, scooting his chair closer to Spock’s, savoring the mental and physical warmth emanating from his bondmate. “You wouldn’t mind, would you? Taking some time off?”

“So long as I am with you and the children, I would enjoy it,” Spock said, kissing the side of his head.

“Me too. Where should we go?”

“Earth,” Spock said. “The children need to have some time in their native environment.”

“Their ship is their environment,” Jim said with a half smile.

“Yes. We could take them to San Francisco.”

“They’d like that. Maybe Disney World.”

“Certainly,” Spock agreed. “How long should we request for leave?”

“Mmm…I don’t know. Three weeks? A month?”

“Enterprise is due for maintenance next month. We will need to evacuate for at least three weeks.”

“Yeah,” Jim said, considering it. “I don’t know how I feel about leaving during the repairs,” he admitted.

“You can return to the ship any time you want, t’hy’la. And you know that Mr. Scott will remain to oversee the upgrades.”

“But he’s not the Captain.”

“Maybe you need a time to not be the Captain,” Spock suggested softly.

“Maybe I do,” Jim sighed. “I don’t like thinking it, much less admitting it.”

“I understand,” Spock said, smiling at the unmistakable sound of the twins entering the family room.

“Daddy, Papa,” they said in noisy greeting, rushing over to their fathers.

“Hello, GK, AK,” Spock returned, lifting Amanda into his lap, George climbing into Jim’s.

“How was school?” Jim asked, kissing George’s head.

“Good. We learned about…”

“Super novas,” George finished for Amanda.

“Yeah. And black holes. Did you really make one, Papa?” she asked breathlessly.

“Yes, love. Only because I could not avoid it,” Spock said.

“Wow,” George said with wide eyes. “We didn’t know you saved Earth, Daddy.”

“It was a long time ago, GK,” Jim told them both, shaking his head.

“Are you still a hero, JK?” Amanda asked.

“Not if I can avoid it, princess,” he responded with a smile. “SK is one too.”

“Uh huh,” George agreed seriously. “Wow.”

“We’re thinking about visiting Earth, babies. What do you think of that?” Jim asked in an attempt to change the subject.

“All of us?” Amanda wanted to know.

“All of us. When Enterprise is in spacedock,” Jim explained.

“Like a holiday?” George asked.

“Like a holiday,” Spock confirmed.

“Yeah,” Amanda cheered. “Will Betty come with us?”

“Well, I don’t think we were planning to invite her. She might want to have some time to herself,” Jim suggested, considering it.

“Oh,” Amanda said. “So we won’t be in classes?”

“Not while we’re on holiday,” Jim agreed.

“’Kay,” Amanda said. “We can talk to her, right?”

“Of course, AK,” Spock agreed.

“Can we go see grandpapa?” George requested.

“If you want to, we certainly can. We can do whatever we decide to do,” Jim assured them.

“Grandpapa,” Amanda confirmed.

“I think it’s settled,” Jim said with a smile for his family.

“It would be appear so,” Spock agreed, hugging his daughter close, considering once again how very lucky they both were.

//We have been blessed many times over,// Jim agreed, smiling at them in contentment and love.