I can't see the stars anymore living here
Let's go to the hills where the outlines are clear
Bring on the wonder
Bring on the song
I pushed you down deep in my soul for too long
I fell through the cracks at the end of our street
Let's go to the beach, get the sand through our feet
Bring on the wonder
Bring on the song
I pushed you down deep in my soul for too long
Bring on the wonder
We got it all wrong
We pushed you down deep in our souls for too long
Bring on the wonder “ Susan Enan
George had had his third birthday party when Jim finally started noticing the slightly disapproving looks Spock and Jim himself were getting from other Vulcans. At first it puzzled him, until he overheard one of the visiting Vulcan dignitaries, from the colony they were orbiting, comment on his own pregnant wife in Spock’s presence. His wife who was pregnant with her second child. They hadn’t seen him, but Jim saw them. The Vulcan dignitary all but preened at seemingly having one-upped Spock. Spock himself carried himself with dignity and aloofness “ but Jim could translate those tense shoulders into something deeper. Spock cared. He might not care that the other Vulcan had gotten his wife pregnant a second time, but the issue of children seemed very important and even touchy.
When he paid more attention to both Spock and the interactions of the other Vulcans over the course of the next few weeks, he started noticing more things. Most of the bonded humans had already had their first child, though Jim was the first male to carry a hybrid child. It surprised him however when he noticed that a large number of the humans whose first child had passed the age of two were seemingly pregnant again. And it shouldn’t have come to be as big as a surprise as it had, when he realized it “ when it finally sunk in beyond the theoretical level.
They needed to repopulate. To repopulate they needed children “ several of them per fertile couple. Spock had only provided the Vulcans with one child. In the eyes of the ever-logical Vulcans, his lover wasn’t aiding their repopulation as he should be “ as he could be if he were to force the matter and make Jim carry a second child. Spock, who hadn’t even forced the issue on conceiving their first child “ their son “ their George. Spock who wouldn’t press the issue on a second child. Spock “ who wouldn’t even mention the disapproval to Jim for fear of making a problem out of the issue, no matter how slight or varied the disapproval they faced.
Jim didn’t think it would ever be a problem. After all, Sarek still hadn’t sired a child off of Bones and Jim wondered if Bones would ever be ready to give Sarek a child. There were no penalties or punishments included in the legislation that Jim had read through “ the legislation of the new Vulcan council to basically enslave the humans to rebuild both their races as one. But still, a race that had made such conclusions, could only frown on a fertile couple not doing the best of their abilities to achieve their goal.
Jim almost unconsciously placed a hand on his stomach and thought about it. He then decided that he would go ask Bones’ opinion on the whole mess in the morning.
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“Of course they’re eyeing you Jim. You’re not being the little breeder they want you to be, and Spock isn’t making you comply for once.” Bones said absentmindedly as he checked the hypo-sprays, slapping Jim’s hand away.
“Don’t touch that, or you’ll have the worst case of Trellian fever in …” Bones frowned as he saw Jim’s face. Jim swallowed the anger and helplessness back. He didn’t want to know what Bones saw in his expression but it still stung. It stung no matter how he tried to not let it affect him; Bones knew about it and now he informed Jim about that fact “ like it wasn’t a big deal. As if Vulcans eyeing your best friend wasn’t something you told them “ as if it wasn’t something you made them aware off. Like all of this was perfectly normal. And damn it, Jim thought. He needed to be able to trust at least Bones of all people with shit like this. Who else was there to confide in. Bones was his best friend. He didn’t want anyone else. Bones didn’t say. He didn’t say. Why didn’t he say?
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Jim asked, his voice edgy and hoarse. He swallowed. “You knew they were eyeing Spock and me, and you didn’t tell me?”
Bones paused for a moment, facing Jim. His best friend then resolutely tugged him to his private office “ sitting them both down on the sofa there. It looked a lot like the one Jim had in his own office, he thought crazily for a moment “ his nails scratching the fabric gently. Bones’ hand came to rest on his own “ stilling the motion.
“Don’t Jim, you’ll ruin the upholstery.” His friend joked but it came out a bit flat and not at all comforting “ not in the way Jim knew it had been intended. Still, it was Bones. And Jim turned his hand upwards “ until both of them were squeezing the other. That made him feel better. Even if it were just a bit. Bones always made him feel better. His best friend drew back and Jim looked at him “ really looked at his Bones and saw that the man was tired. Jim wondered if he looked any better these days.
“What would you have had me say, Jim?” Bones started finally. “Hey Jim, you might not know it but you’re getting eyed because you’re not barefoot and pregnant all of the time. They apparently don’t really approve that your Vulcan isn’t that into forcing you to carry another one of his children? I really thought you should know so you can brood about it?” Blue eyes were fixed on him, and Jim could see the anger and defeat and fear there. “Is that what you wanted to hear?”
Jim deflated slightly. It wasn’t that he thought Bones had kept it from him to spite him or anything. He just felt uncomfortable with the whole situation. People “ Vulcans “ had been eyeing him and had found him lacking in some way. They had found Spock lacking. That upset Jim more than he wanted to contemplate. They had left them alone though and hadn’t addressed the matter. Given that Bones still hadn’t been forced to conceive for a first time “ Jim thought that they might not ever be confronted with the issue.
“I’m sorry Bones, I just…”
Bones’ hand came up to his shoulder and curled slightly “ resting there gently. He locked eyes with his best friend again. The anger had given way for compassion. Bones could never stay mad at him for long. The defeat and fear in his gaze were still there though “ and those made Jim feel protective of his best friend.
“I don’t think that they will ever force you to carry a second child.” Bones spoke, his voice still not quite right but far more forgiving then it had been a moment ago. “They would probably come after Sarek first.” Bones smiled bitterly. And the defeat and fear made more sense then. Jim moved forward and enveloped his best friend in a hug. Bones paused for a moment “ his body unyielding “ before he relaxed into the hold. If Jim had been getting eyed for not producing a second child, he didn’t want to think about the looks Bones must have been getting.
“Sarek won’t ever make you do anything you don’t want to either, Bones.”
He spoke comfortingly as he held the shaking body of his best friend close. His eyes hardened. He’d make sure of it.
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Table of Contents
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Table of Contents
Story Notes:
I do not own Star Trek.
h/c (I don’t want to spoil it for the readers, but really *H/C*. I’m so not kidding. Be warned!)
The details on Klingon culture are either found at the following link or made up entirely by me. No disrespect is intended. Any mistakes are entirely my fault.
*ponders*
I researched Klingon culture. Clearly, this !verse is consuming my life.
*facepalms*
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klingon_culture
Author's Chapter Notes:
Much love to all of you and special thanks and hugs for [info]misagoddess who hopefully won’t kill me in my sleep. Also a lot of thanks to [info]babydrache, [info]hematite_lover, [info]syredronning and [info]tradesland who cheered along with [info]misagoddess during my posts about the writing process of this sequel of sorts. I hope I haven’t forgotten anyone, but if it wasn’t intentional!
*waves at all of you*