Captain Christopher Richard Pike

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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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.

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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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The pain of their connection breaking nearly sends Spock to his knees but he controls his mind, his body, finds himself once more under his own arching sky, panting at the effort and the pain.

Pike. Is his mind intact?

You have returned, Pike. He is coming for you.

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He'll come, no matter the difficulty, and he'll listen to my command. This crew is safe.

Pike started to withdraw from the meld, needing to regain his footing and mental focus as well as force down the pain.

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Spock felt Pike's withdrawal - stopped him momentarily.

If you wish to contact him again, you need only to ask it.

And then they were separate, Spock uttering a single gasp.

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It was only maintaining a sense of decorum that kept Pike from immediately sitting down and putting his head into his hands. The ache was deep, like a burn that would not stop being on fire until the nerves healed themselves. He did step back from Spock, eyes closed, face almost impassive except for the furrowing of his brow.

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Spock's voice was very slightly raspy.

"You will require rest after this."

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"Yes." Pike said in a quiet tone, carefully sitting down. Perhaps there was no surprise as he began to replace the gloves on his hands immediately. He paused as he finished pulling on the second and looked up to Spock. He nodded slightly, the harshness of his gaze softening. A silent thank you.

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He was finding slightly more to understand about this man. Perhaps a dangerous thing.

The nod was returned and Spock moved to the entrance of the cell. He repeated almost the same words that had ended their last... visit.

"I will speak with the captain."

He raised the barrier and withdrew, leaving Pike to his rest and his pain.

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Kirk took a long breath as he looked at Spock, glared at Spock, then silently turned and walked out of the brig entirely. Only when they were both out and out of Pher's hearing range did he turn, "What the hell is wrong with Spocks!? Both of you! Maybe I should be worried about Prime too but evidently a hundred and twenty years FINALLY puts some common sense into that Vulcan brain of yours!"

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Spock is rather exhausted from this effort and the residual pain of their broken link is throbbing inside of him.

He bent his head, looked at James through dark lashes.

"There was less risk than you suppose. I am not undefended, James. And he has extracted a valuable promise through his command of his Spock."

His voice was quieter than usual. He would let James' wrath wash over him rather than object because it was all he had the energy for at the moment.

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Kirk clipped the phaser to his belt in an angry motion, almost snarling, before he turned and suddenly hugged Spock hard. "...Damn you." He whispered, just for a second, breathing in the scent of the Vulcan, before letting go and walking away entirely, leaving Spock there.

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