Captain Christopher Richard Pike

Spock's own steps were sure and steady. There was danger, particularly with a human mind, but he was not afraid of this.

He steadied Pike.

In everything he attempted, Spock excelled. He would not allow anything to happen to Pike.

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The farther out they got, the more and more dangerous it became. Pike repeated the same thing he had when he had come into Spock's mind before. That sonor-like echo, sounding out along the thread, making it vibrate.

All they could do was wait.

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Spock was attempting to sleep. He had achieved a trance that would rest his body but his mind....

More calculations and always that constant seeking, searching, yearning, and reaching. His Christopher was there, just beyond his reach. But soon....

Spock.

A full-body shiver caught him at the unexpected voice, stronger this time.

This was wish fulfillment or madness. But he tried anyway. At this point, he could only gasp as the pain ceased, everything in him flaring.

Christopher!

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The Spock on either end would feel it. A feeling of relief mixed with a certain joy that nearly anyone would not have expected from Pike except the one who knew him best. It was faint, but there, tantalizingly close despite the distance.

Spock!

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Spock felt it, and his own relief was a powerful thing. His bonds flared in sympathy, little pulses of love and connection to his own mates. He hung back, allowing Pike and his mate, his Spock, to find each other.

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Christopher.

He could taste his own relief, the sour undertaste of knowing this would be a fleeting touch.

Are you injured?

Spock would kill them all if he was.

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Safe, but captured. He sounded less then pleased and that feeling came through.

You? And my ship? Was it Kirk? He wanted information, some answers to important things.

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The exchange of such information would have struck most as odd, perhaps. But the information was necessary and did not impede the emotion coming through, the fierce protectiveness that Spock felt, the blood hunger to destroy any that harmed his mate.

"I am unharmed and largely unchallenged. Kirk is in the brig. I have not harmed him yet. Though I believe he finally understands the seriousness of my anger."

Spock had paused, on his last visit to the brig, blood still bright and wet on his boot, to make eye contact with Kirk, who had cringed away.

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Good, good. There was a pleased feeling, very pleased, a mixture of knowing Spock was safe as well as that the damned brat was going to get his punishment.

...Can you find me? Is it possible?

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He wants to pull Christopher through the bond, tuck him into his mind where he belongs. But that would destroy his mate, it was an illogical desire.

My calculations are almost complete; I have very nearly located the precise point at which we should be able to retrieve you. However, I will need assistance from your side. Will that be possible?

Because if it was not, Spock would find his way over and make it possible.

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They're willing to help. There was the briefest flicker of longing, unable to fully be controlled despite his shielding. Part of what he had been suppressing all that time.

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Spock can no longer resist the opportunity. He rubs his mind against Pike like a cat, twining as closely as possible.

Yet he knows the limitations of Pike's abilities in this area even better than Pike does.

How have you done this Christopher?

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kirktastic.livejournal.com

They went silent. Dread filled every part of Kirk, singing down through his veins. It might ruin everything, but he had to be sure. Slowly he moved, looking around the edge of the cell.

His heart fucking stopped when he stared at the two of them.

It was his first real good look at Pher who looked so much like the Pike he knew it was impossible to tell them apart. They were pressed up to each other, Pher and Spock, hands against each other's faces. It looked right, like the other melds he had seen... could Pher do the same thing?

He took aim at Pher, the phaser in his hand set on stun despite his better desires.

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We are not alone. Pike informed, but Spock's actions were far from unusual. Their minds are a guarded presence during the day, almost always even from each other, but their night times allowed for their guards to be relaxed in the presence of each other.

Considering their circumstances, though he would never have allowed it in the presence of another, Pike responded what would have been considered the stroking of a feline along its back, against its cheeks. A sign of affection no one else had been privy to see until now.

You can't sense him? He should seem quite familiar. An almost amusement.

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That hand, Christopher's hand... Spock's reclining body shivered again at the mental touch of it.

He did not care about a witness, he had held himself so tightly together and this was a balm, strength he would use to continue the charade of being well.

Still, another presence. He hissed and cast out his mind further, following the trail Christopher had walked.

And found his own reflection.

What is this?

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Spock had prepared himself for this eventuality. He knew this counterpart only through the knowledge of others, through his knowledge of himself, and could not stop the frisson of fascinated curiosity when the voice came to him.

I am Spock. I have aided your mate in finding you in this place, across dimensions.

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This is not the counterpart he had met before, on the Forge. This one is older, more like himself - the one from the young one's memories. The one he could hate.

Spock hissed again, a hostile sound. If this one thought to take Christopher from him...

What do you want?

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To aid your reunion.

And to prevent damage to this Spock's friends and loved ones. An accident of timing, the ambitions of that universe's Kirk, had combined to create a delicate situation.

I have invited, and indeed given assistance to, your Christopher Pike in order that he might make this contact with you and soothe the pain you both carry at the separation.

The shock of Leonard's disappearance, the sheer pain of it, was nothing Spock would wish on any version of himself.

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He can find the young one, this one would not be so different. And he will not waste his time on mysterious other-selves - Already he can feel Christopher fading slightly, the effort required to maintain this direct contact at such a distance exhausting.

Spock circles back to Christopher, a warning over his mental shoulder.

He is mine.

And he is under Christopher's hand again, where he is most content, least alone, most able to be himself in a universe that despises his existence.

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Calm yourself. Pike kept his tone even, keeping up the touch along his Spock's mind, for as long as he can manage it. Yet in his mind there is a sense of pure dominate pleasure at having the panther not-so-tamed under his hand, at the jealousy heard in his bond mate's mental voice.

Find me. Come in any way you can. Come alone, don't harm anyone when you do unless they harm me. This isn't our universe, I don't know the repercussions of you harming anyone here. I'll be waiting for you. Almost all pure command, yet the last few words had a sense of longing in them that could be denied.

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The connection is starting to drift, the contact is fainter now and Spock curses the coming of his solitude. He stretches out, last lingering promises.

I will always come for you, Christopher. It will be as you command. Soon. I will be there soon.

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I will be waiting.

He could not keep the connection any longer. With a phantom drift of fingers to fingers, down over the palm and across the wrist where the brand would sit, he broke the connection.

It was agony at its finest, enough to nearly shatter the meld between himself and this Spock of other universe, like re-breaking a broken leg.

From:

kirktastic.livejournal.com

Kirk stared at the two of them, and to his surprise, saw a ripple of agony go through both of them. He wanted to slug Pher in the face and break the meld, but had no idea what it would do to Spock.

His finger tightened on the trigger, and Jim's words rang in his head. Not to take a life, to be diplomatic in this, that it wasn't his right to destroy what Pher was. ...Dammit, Jim.

He stepped back and pressed against the wall, the phaser dropping to his side.

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The connection was gone and the emptiness of Spock's mind almost overwhemled him, the pain even greater for the brief respite from him. Alone, for this single moment, he squeezed his eyes shut and ruthlessly contained it. He would feel it but it would not rule him. Could not rule him.

He had made a promise to Christopher. And he always kept those promises.

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