NU2U: "Angels: Home For Christmas", 11/11 (TOS, K&S, S/Ch, Mc, Am, assorted OCs; h/c, anx [G])
Gamin
receiving the angelic visitation after he and Amanda flee his Human
relatives to join Kirk and Christine on Christmas leave in Iowa for an
old-fashioned Christmas with Kirk's mother.
This part: the conclusion, culminating in a big tickle-fight in the
snow
and, at long last, a bonding ceremony for Spock and Christine.
Disclaimers and warnings: Part 1.
*****
It was late that morning when they finally woke up, quickly
separating,
stretching for a few minutes to relieve any stiffness in their muscles
and
hurrying (or in Spock's case, just moving as fast as he could) back
upstairs, where they took turns showering and changed clothes before
coming back downstairs. By that time, Anna had Christmas dinner far
enough along on its way to being ready that she could leave it cooking
for a while, and all five of them gathered in front of the tree to
unwrap presents.
Spock got a dressy, blue and silver winter tunic with matching slacks
from Kirk, a set of six hand-made bookmarks from Christine (to use
with his book collection), a crystal globe with a snow scene inside
and
"snow" that swirled around when the globe was shaken or turned upside-
down) to remind him of his stay here from Anna, and dark green fleece
pajamas with feet in them from his mother. Christine got a silver and
lapis lazuli necklace from Spock, a matching bracelet from Amanda, a
multi-colored, embroidered blouse from Anna, and a pink and gold cap-
gloves-and-scarf set from Kirk.
Amanda got gold ear-rings from Anna, a book of assorted poetry from
Spock, a star-shaped brooch from Kirk, and a colorful scarf from
Christine. Anna got a jewel-encrusted star brooch from Kirk (like the
one he gave Amanda), a flower vase painted in an Egyptian design from
Amanda, a set of decorative hair combs from Christine, and a blue,
green and gold crocheted shawl from Spock. And Kirk got an IDIC
pendant from Spock (a duplicate of his own that he had arranged for
his mother to have made and sent to him from Vulcan), a quilt from
Anna, a short Vulcan robe/tunic from Amanda, and a painting of the
Enterprise from Christine, which she had painted herself.
By the time they had finished, it was time to eat, and Kirk, Spock and
Christine went to sit down at the table while Amanda helped Anna serve
the meal. Anna's brown sugar-baked ham was accompanied by other foods
that had likewise become a holiday tradition in the Kirk household:
whipped sweet potatoes with marshmallows, asparagus with cheese sauce,
corn-on-the-cob (lots of it), ambrosia fruit salad and a choice of
pumpkin pie or bread pudding for dessert.
Spock made himself tolerate the smell of the ham (which was, to him,
nauseating) well enough to stay at the dining table, out of respect to
his
hostess-something he somehow found it easier to do here than he had at
Aunt Elizabeth's house--and tried to focus on the food he chose to
eat, which consisted of a sampling of everything except the ham. He
even tried the bread pudding, at Kirk's suggestion, having never
tasted it before, upon learning that it was Kirk's favorite dessert;
Kirk and Christine
were both especially pleased to note not only the variety of the
dishes he tried, but also the fact that he actually requested seconds
on some dishes--something unheard-of for the perpetually-underweight
Vulcan.
After Kirk and Christine had helped Anna and Amanda put everything
away and clean up the kitchen, the older women having refused Spock's
help on the grounds that it would require too much standing for his
still-healing legs, the Captain and his Assistant Chief Medical
Officer decided to go out in the snow. They realized that Spock would
probably not want to be left behind, and there was some debate as to
whether or not he was recovered enough to go out with them; in the
end, after Christine examined him again, it was decided that he could
go with them for a short time--provided they stayed with him, made
sure he bundled up, and kept him from getting too tired or doing
anything that might strain his legs.
Anna and Amanda watched from the window as Kirk and Christine
progressed from showing Spock how to make snow-angels--lying on their
backs in the snow, simultaneously moving their arms up and down while
moving their legs out apart and back together across the surface of
the snow--to a ground-level snowball fight that negated the necessity
of Spock standing up (after the Vulcan had quickly mastered snow-
angels),
and finally to plain, all-out silliness that seemed from Anna and
Amanda's point of view to consist mainly of the three of them rolling
around in the snow, throwing it at each other, or launching sneak
tickle-attacks on each other.
To the delight of the two Humans, Spock was found to be the most
susceptible of any of them to this particular form of devilment, and
he spent much of his time trying to keep Kirk and Christine from
zeroing in on ticklish spots that illogically remained vulnerable,
even through his layers of clothing. Eventually, he turned the tables
on them, climbing on top of Kirk just to pin him down and tickle him
mercilessly for several minutes--after which he scrambled through the
snow on all fours after Christine, holding her down more gently and
similarly tickling her. Kirk finally stopped him by hugging him
affectionately and pinning his arms, and though Spock knew he had
recovered enough strength to be able to free himself, he gave in,
letting Kirk hug him playfully and listening to his laughter;
immediately, he felt Christine next to and behind him, mischievously
nuzzling his ear as Kirk released him.
Finally, they all separated and simply lay in the snow side-by-side,
insulated from it by either layered clothing or, in Spock's case, a
thermal
snowsuit, Kirk and Christine on their backs and Spock on his stomach
between them, propped up on his elbows. "Spock...how do you feel? Are
you getting tired or cold yet?" Kirk asked anxiously.
"Oddly enough, all I am feeling is...a sort of contentment," he
observed,
meeting Kirk's gaze wonderingly. "It seems illogical, but...Jim, I
believe
I am actually finding this sort of activity rather invigorating."
"Really?" Kirk questioned, both hopefully and doubtfully. Despite
sensing his friend's sincerity, he knew it was probably some kind of
false euphoria resulting from the sudden realization that he had
survived the snow well enough to be able to come out and face it again
like this. No Vulcan should really find being in the snow
"invigorating", especially while still recovering from nearly dying in
it.
Spock nodded. "Could we not continue a little longer?"
Kirk and Christine exchanged uncertain looks, Christine clearly as
concerned as Kirk. "I'd better check his vitals again first," she
decided, getting up abruptly and heading back to the porch, where she
had left her medikit (wanting to have it close at hand without risking
it getting lost or buried in the snow), taking out the medscanner and
returning to Spock's side to sit down next to him. He turned over and
sat up as she passed it over him. "Hmm--I guess he's just glad to be
alive, Captain. No sign of undue physical stress...beyond what one
would expect when this is the most active he's been in the two weeks
since he got lost in the snow...and the cold doesn't seem to be
affecting him yet," she concluded, getting up again. "Better keep him
moving, though, or that'll change."
When she returned from the porch after replacing the scanner in the
medikit, they decided to build a snowman, letting Spock form the two
smallest of the three snowballs that would be needed, while Kirk and
Christine formed the big bottom one themselves. After it was
finished, they went back to their previous frivolity, playing in the
snow until it became apparent that Spock was beginning to feel the
cold. Kirk and Christine helped him to his feet, hustling him back
inside before he could be any more affected by it--and were surprised
to learn from Amanda that they had been outside for almost an hour.
Spock promptly attributed his comparative ease in dealing with the
cold to several factors, all of which could be summarized in three
words: Kirk and Christine.
His previous mishap in the snow had made them extra vigilant and
protective of him--especially when he was out in the snow--and since
his physical state was still a source of concern, Spock found himself
more grateful than embarrassed. //Jim spoke of 'guardian angels'. He
has a Vulcan one, and I seem to have *two* Human ones,// he noted to
himself later, as he peeled offhis snowsuit and put his sweater back
on over the one layer of clothing that Kirk had assured him would be
(and that had been, in fact) sufficient under the thermal snowsuit. //
And one of the two is waiting to bond with me...and waiting and
waiting. I suppose I have put it off for as long as I can.//
*****
After Spock and his friends had put away their Christmas presents, he
devoted the rest of the evening to mental preparations for the bonding
ceremony, even as he once again entertained Anna and Amanda by playing
his Vulcan harp. Kirk and Christine, meanwhile, set about picking out
a place for the bonding ceremony--deciding after a tour of the house
that the best place would be where Spock was the most comfortable: in
the living room, in front of the fireplace and next to the tree.
Once back in the living room, Kirk noticed that his mother had, at
some time since the stockings were put up last night, gotten the gold
glitter-pen out of her Christmas ornament supplies and written Spock's
name over the remnants of Sam's on the unmarked cuff of what had been
the latter's stocking. "I wonder when she did that," he remarked,
calling Spock's attention to it.
Spock, certain she must have done it after--and as a reaction to--his
private talk with Anna, blushed a deep green that Kirk, fortunately,
did not see. "I believe I *know* when," Spock revealed vaguely.
Kirk didn't press him. The implication of his mother's actions was
enough for him: she recognized, as they did, that Spock was as much
his brother as (if not more than) Sam had been. He smiled
affectionately
at Spock, who felt Kirk's smile upon him and looked back up, now
returning his gaze without shame.
*****
The next morning, Christine put on the long dress she had brought--a
holiday gown in red, green and gold, with long sleeves gathered in
tiers and a fitted bodice--and Spock put on the blue and silver outfit
that Kirk had given him for Christmas, while Kirk prepared the living
room for the
ceremony. He moved back the sofa a bit, generally straightened up the
room and got the fire going good in the fireplace before going
upstairs to change clothes, himself-putting on his own burgundy and
gold-trimmed velveteen dress tunic and matching slacks.
Amanda, meanwhile, kept Anna out of the living room and tried to
explain
to her what was going on; after Kirk, Spock and Christine came back
downstairs in formal attire in the middle of Amanda's explanation,
however, Anna's curiosity was piqued sufficiently that she could not
resist following them to the living room door. Amanda followed her to
be sure she stayed far enough back not to be seen.
Just before entering the living room, Christine deliberately planted
herself
in the doorway, under the mistletoe, ignoring Anna and Amanda's
presence nearby; Spock, his mind focused on the impending bonding,
actually moved past her without noticing where she was until Kirk
nudged
him and called his attention to her and the noisy throat-clearing
sounds she was directing at him. Spock paused, returning quickly to
the living room door.
"Forgive me, Christine--I did not see you there," he murmured
apologetically, planting a gentle, cautious kiss on her lips before
leading her into the living room. "Your gown is most attractive," he
observed softly.
"So is your blue outfit," she returned sincerely.
"Jim knows my tastes well...although it *is* a bit loose," Spock
admitted,
likewise studying the silver embroidery on the tunic with
satisfaction.
"Well, we keep *telling* you to eat more," Christine reminded him
chidingly.
"I know."
Kirk sat on the nearby sofa and watched as Spock drew Christine closer
to the tree, where they eventually stopped. One pair of hands joined
as Spock positioned his other hand on her face for the required mind-
meld. He had told Kirk that the bonding should take about twenty
minutes--anything beyond five minutes more or less would mean he was
having problems and Kirk would have to intervene, though Spock
anticipated less difficulty than he'd had with his bonding with
T'Pring, because he and Christine already had a partial bond.
As Spock had hoped and expected, he entered Christine's mind easily
and she responded instinctively, her mind forming the ritual bonding
words along with his: //Never and always...touching and touched...
knowing and known, seeing and seen...separate and together. Our minds
are one, our hearts are one...joined by choice...as I, Christine, to
you...and as I, Spock, to you. In accordance with the customs of my
people, which stand unchanged since the time of Surak, so be it.//
Kirk heard their unconscious, whispered vocalizations of the words as
he
watched and waited, almost holding his breath, tracking the passage of
time by the chronometer on the mantle. They fell silent again, and
for Kirk, the silence was filled with growing tension as he counted
off the minutes. Ten minutes...fifteen...twenty-five...thirty.
Thirty? Kirk stood up anxiously as the minutes continued to tick
away. Thirty-five...forty...
finally forcing aside his reluctance to act and risk damaging their
minds, Kirk stepped forward abruptly and grabbed Spock by the
shoulders, shouting into his mind: //Spock!//
For a moment, Kirk glimpsed the terrifying spectacle of Spock's and
Christine's thoughts chaotically entangled, but he felt Spock's
consciousness respond immediately, sending out tendrils of thought
toward Kirk, though at first, only a few of such tendrils were able to
penetrate Christine's consciousness. //Jim?// Spock's mind called
faintly, through those tendrils.
//Time to end this, Spock. Is the bonding complete?//
//Yes. How long--?//
//Almost forty-five minutes, now. Time to come back with me.//
Spock's consciousness threaded its way slowly around and through
Christine's mind as Kirk's reached deeper--being careful not to get
*himself* entangled in her thoughts--and the Vulcan felt his mind
being drawn toward Kirk's. Gradually, his Captain's stronger bond
with him asserted itself, and Spock felt Christine's mental presence
fade as Kirk's took over the meld. Once freed, Spock's mind reached
out at last for Kirk's. //Can you take me the rest of the way, Jim?//
his mindvoice requested. //I am finding it difficult to focus my
thoughts, and I do not seem to have enough...control...of the meld
left to end it.//
//I know. It's all right...just hold onto my thoughts. Hold on...//
Kirk's
mindvoice was gentle and encouraging.
Spock obediently embraced his friend's thoughts, and in a moment,
awareness of his surroundings began to return. Christine was released
from the meld first and immediately dropped to her knees; Kirk was
released next, a second or so before Spock, and staggered briefly but
remained on his feet as his disorientation quickly faded. Spock,
however, immediately collapsed, though Kirk caught him before he hit
the floor and steered him over to the sofa, making him lie down as
Christine dragged herself over and rested against the base of the
sofa, below Spock. Kirk, meanwhile, sat next to him on the edge of
the sofa. After a time, Spock opened his eyes halfway and looked up at
him.
"Jim? So tired, Jim..." he murmured, somewhat guiltily.
"That's all right--you just rest, now," Kirk urged gently.
"But...Christine...is she...?"
"I'll look after her. You try to sleep, and I'll stay right here,"
Kirk
promised him, reaching for the quilt they had used last night and
spreading it over him.
Spock closed his eyes and slept deeply, while Kirk examined Christine;
she seemed to be recovering normally and focusing more and more of her
attention on Spock. They watched over Spock together as he slept,
eventually joined by Anna and Amanda, who had become too concerned to
stay away any longer.
*****
Spock slept for two hours, waking up to find Kirk and Christine still
with
him and still dressed in the clothes they had worn at the bonding
ceremony. Kirk explained that they had decided to go along with
Anna's suggestion that, since they were all dressed up, anyway, they
might want to go out for a late lunch; he even offered to bow out if
Spock wanted to go alone with Christine (since they were now
officially bond-mates and had something else to celebrate), but
neither of them would hear of it--especially since Kirk was the only
one of them who knew the area well enough to direct them to a
restaurant.
Anna and Amanda chose to stay home, and when Kirk, Spock and Christine
returned, Anna reported that McCoy had called while they were gone to
say that he would be taking a shuttle tomorrow and would expect
Kirk to meet him in Des Moines. After changing clothes, the three of
them re-convened in the living room with Anna and Amanda and spent the
afternoon drinking hot chocolate, discussing McCoy's impending arrival
and reminiscing--with only a few days of leave left to them--on their
Christmas visit with Kirk's mother. "It *has* been a rather eventful
holiday," Spock concluded.
"For you, almost *too* eventful," Kirk agreed dryly.
Spock lowered his eyes, by now instinctively embarrassed by his
getting
-lost-in-a-blizzard incident. "Is it not enough that I am
recovering?" he asked softly.
"Yes, it is," Kirk admitted quietly. "Still...it was awfully close,
Spock."
"Nonetheless, I am...grateful...that you invited me to be with you,"
Spock
returned sincerely, looking back up now with a controlled expression.
Kirk glanced questioningly at Christine, recalling that she had never
really wanted to come--at least, not with him.
"I must admit, Captain, I don't have much to complain about, either,
all
things considered," Christine added, in response, looking knowingly at
Spock. "In fact, there are *some* parts of this Christmas leave that
I
wouldn't have missed for anything."
Spock's expression was unreadable--at least, by Christine--as he
returned her gaze; Kirk smiled secretively as he looked back and forth
between the two of them.
Just then, Anna came back from answering the comm terminal and
informed Amanda that the call was for her. Amanda got up to answer it
and returned a few minutes later to face Spock with an expression of
shock and wonder on her face.
"Mother, what is it?" Spock asked anxiously.
"That was your Aunt Elizabeth, Spock--I gave her this comm code number
in case she wanted to call and say goodbye to me before I went back to
Vulcan," she explained slowly. "Apparently, they all had a long
family discussion last night, and Annabelle and Greg have changed
their minds about you. They and the rest of the family would like to
see you before you return to the Enterprise--I told Elizabeth I'd ask
you and call right back with your answer. *Do* you want to give them
another chance?" She studied Spock doubtfully as she spoke.
At first, Spock was too stunned to respond...then he looked toward
Kirk for advice. "What do *you* think I should do, Jim?"
Kirk shrugged. "That's up to you. Just remember, our leaves end on
New Years' Day."
"Then...if I go back to Philadelphia, I will miss spending part of the
holiday with McCoy."
Kirk nodded. "And all four of us being together on New Years' Eve,
and
watching him unwrap our Christmas presents for him," he added slyly.
"Then again...how often does anyone in your family *ask* to see you?"
His eyes conveyed understanding as they met Spock's. "I know how long
you've been waiting for something like this. It's all right with me
if you want to go if it's all right with Christine. And I think Bones
would understand, too."
Christine was given no chance to back Kirk up, for just then, Spock
came to a decision. "Not all my family are blood relatives," he
reminded Kirk quietly, before turning determinedly back to Amanda.
"Please tell Aunt Elizabeth that I must decline due to lack of time.
If Aunt Annabelle and her family are sincere, this is not a one-time
offer and they will permit a later visit from me," he instructed, his
voice cooling as he recalled their treatment of him. "For now..."
Unexpectedly, his eyes returned to Kirk and Christine. "...I would
rather wait for Dr. McCoy and spend New Years' Eve with my friends."
"I'll tell her," Amanda replied understandingly. "I may as well go on
and
tell her now," she decided, getting up and leaving the room again.
Kirk, meanwhile, regarded the Vulcan uncertainly. "Are you sure about
this?"
"Yes, Jim," Spock asserted factually.
"Do you think you'll really get another chance to see your aunt's
family?"
"I do not know," Spock confessed faintly. "But if *they* cannot
understand my reasons for staying better than my clan on Vulcan
would..." He shook his head slowly in a clear expression of pity and
disgust. "...then perhaps I am better off without them."
"Maybe you are, at that," Kirk agreed, an expression of acceptance
filling
his eyes.
A small smile touched Spock's lips as he returned his Captain's gaze.
"Well, *I've* just enjoyed this Christmas more than I can say," Anna
declared enthusiastically. "Finally getting the chance to meet this
wonderful friend that Jim never stops talking about...and then this
'bonding ceremony'. Christine, I'm sorry I originally thought you
were Jim's girl-friend; now that I've seen you with Spock, it's
obvious you two belong together."
Spock and Christine both blushed slightly.
"Come on, Mom--you're embarrassing them," Kirk chided her
exasperatedly.
Amanda came back just then and handed Spock a small piece of paper.
"Greg and Annabelle's comm code number," she explained.
"They want you to call the next time you're going to be on Earth for a
while."
Spock looked up at her hopefully. "Then, they still wish to see me?"
"Yes..." Amanda hesitated, lowering her eyes in discomfort.
"You do not seem certain," he noted.
She sighed, facing him again. "They did say they want to see
you...but if you contact them, don't be surprised if they make a lot
of excuses for not seeing you. Annabelle listed off a whole bunch of
theoretical
exceptions--things they don't want interrupted or postponed if they're
already planned or going on at the time," she revealed reluctantly.
"Spock, I think they're sincere--but I *also* think they're a little
bit afraid of you."
"What have I done that they should 'fear' me--beyond being in their
presence and not being fully Human?" Spock questioned, bowing his head
in resignation when Amanda failed to come up with any verbal response
and handing the paper back to her. "You keep their comm code number,
Mother. Save it until such time as they overcome their irrational
'fear' of anything unknown or different enough to accept my presence
without hesitation or reservation...and without any manufactured
'excuses' for avoiding it."
Amanda took it back reluctantly, having anticipated this reaction, but
also having hoped that he would be more patient with her relatives
than they really deserved.
As Spock sat back against the sofa with a small sigh of
disappointment, Kirk reached out cautiously to lay a hand on his
Vulcan friend's shoulder.
"Don't give up on them, Spock," he advised gently.
"I appear to have little choice. *They* seem to have 'given up on'
*me*,"
Spock countered, looking up at him doubtfully. "Yes, as I said...I am
content to be *here*."
"And *we're* glad you're here, too," Kirk assured him, cracking a
smile.
Spock returned his gaze appreciatively, affection shining within the
brown
depths of his eyes, even as Christine leaned close and kissed him on
the
cheek. In response, he turned toward her briefly, focusing the
expression of veiled affection in his dark eyes on her and reaching up
to gently touch her face, reflecting on his present situation. Even if
his Human aunt and uncle never succeeded in accepting him and his
presence, Spock knew he could tolerate the pain of their rejection,
just as he had learned to tolerate the rejection of his clan on
Vulcan; his life was full, and the unconsciousness-induced vision of
the angel had shown him that he *was* an important part of the lives
of those he cared about--even when it seemed to Spock that all he did
was cause trouble for them or get in their way.
He felt fortunate to have someone as patient and gentle with him as
Kirk and Christine were to spend Christmas with...and he had found it
unexpectedly pleasant meeting Anna Kirk. His own mother had made a
friend--probably her first real one since her marriage to Sarek (and
something Spock was certain she missed on Vulcan)--and besides, she
reminded Spock too much of Kirk not to inspire his instinctive
approval and affinity.
Best of all, he had rediscovered his previous awareness that it was
all
right for him to share in his Human friends' Christmas celebrations--
if for
no other reason than because they wanted him to. Even to the extent
of
helping them put up the decorations. To Spock's surprise and relief,
his
first Terran Christmas *had* turned out to be something he would enjoy
remembering, after all; as he looked from Christine back to Kirk,
Spock
wondered how he could ever have expected it to be otherwise.
Ignoring Anna's and Amanda's presence, he cautiously but deliberately
reached out to join hands with both Kirk and Christine, sending out
the same emotion-laden thought to each of them: //Merry Christmas,
Jim... Merry Christmas, Christine.//
They felt his rare inner peace and responded simultaneously: //Merry
Christmas, Spock.//
*****
A week later, the three of them were celebrating New Years' Eve with
McCoy, toasting each other and the holiday--Spock with hot buttered
cider and Kirk and McCoy with non-alcoholic egg-nog--after McCoy had
earlier had the chance at last to unwrap his Christmas presents from
all of them. Spock had been duly lectured by McCoy, once the Doctor
had learned the details of the Vulcan's near-fatal mishap in the
blizzard, and congratulated (along with Christine) when McCoy learned
also that Spock and Christine were now fully bonded; the rest of
McCoy's short visit had been spent mainly letting the other three fill
him in on other things he had missed, including a serious private talk
with Kirk about Spock's unexpected--though mercifully transitory--
depression.
The next day, they all said goodbye to each other at the Des Moines
shuttleport. Amanda promised to keep in touch with Anna, and when
Kirk knelt to let his mother kiss him goodbye, she persuaded Spock to
let her kiss him, also, whispering a reminder to him to take good care
of Kirk as the Vulcan blushed a faint green. It turned out to be
fortunate that Kirk and his friends managed to get together with Anna
for Christmas, because--as Kirk had anticipated--it was the last
Christmas he was able to spend with her. For him--as for McCoy,
Christine, Amanda, and especially, Spock--it was a Christmas he and
they never forgot.
...AND THAT'S ALL SHE WROTE!*********
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Feliz Navidad, Bon Natale, Joyeaux
Noel, Happy Solstice, Merry Kwaanza, Happy Eid/Ramadan, and/or Happy
Generic Secular/Religious Holiday Greeting of Your Choice! :^D
...And to All a Good Night!
Gamin
My ST:TOS Fan-Fiction can be found here:
GAMIN DAVIS' SPOCK TREKS
http://spocktreks.bravehost.com
(Kirk & Spock Friendship, Spock/Christine
and pre-TOS Spock fan-fic, plus Art, Poetry,
Filks and a Listing of my Available Zines)