Out of the woods

Set free

"Spock . . ."

"Jim, I accept your choice but you must make sure to check in on me every once in awhile."

The younger human squeezed the Vulcan's hand.

"I'll be fine, Spock." Jim said, reassuringly.

"I am scared of losing you." Spock Prime admitted.

"I'll be right back, I promise." Jim said, with a kind smile.

"Promises are broken." Spock Prime said.

"I will keep it," Jim said. "And I will give you a kiss to seal that promise."

The old man planted a kiss on the Vulcan's hand.

"I will keep you to it." Spock Prime said.

Jim stepped back to his stuff on the transporter pad letting go of the hand he had been holding ever so tightly.

"I will see you, tomorrow, honey." Jim said.

"Be safe." Spock said.

Jim grinned.

"When am I not safe?" Jim asked.

Spock Prime came out of the healer's apartment. He had set himself free and Jim's katra as well. There was emotion in his eyes that no Vulcan should have. It was heavy grief and deep sorrow. Spock held a pendent in his hand. He let go of the pendent to show it is a holo-emitter. The Vulcan walked with his head lowered.

"Jim. . ." Spock said. "You promised."

The Vulcan closed his eyes feeling a tear come down. It was logical to grieve over the loss of a great friend and his greatest half. He wouldn't find him easily again. He was going to attend the funeral procession of his former mate, Jim. He deserved that kind of farewell. The Vulcan raised his head up. He would cherish what he remained of the once charismatic human who did most of the talking. A man full of life. A man who attracted a lot of women but never really married any of them. Jim had turned them down.

Spock Prime came to the passenger ship.

"About time you got here," Came a older familiar voice. "I thought you were going to be late."

Spock Prime turned in the direction of the voice.

"Doctor McCoy?" Spock Prime said.

McCoy looked the same even though he was now older than he had been before. The older man smiled with a nod.

"I thought you would need some comfort," McCoy Prime said. "We lost a great friend today. I know you don't show emotions but for Jim . . . Let's hug it out."

"Might I remind you that 'hugging' it out will not be of any use to grieving?" Spock Prime asked.

"Spock," McCoy Prime said, stepping forward. "You need a shoulder to cry on. I know you are half human, so, for once, let it out."

McCoy Prime was at the entrance of the passenger ship. It seemed only logical then to board the passenger ship with McCoy Prime. Just for this once he could too let the emotions out in a safe manner without killing himself due to his Vulcan half. The old Vulcan approached the older man, and not so awkwardly, was brought into a hug. The two friends grieved together at the loss of their great friend who meant different things to each other. To McCoy Prime, Jim was like a son. To Spock, was his other half.

McCoy Prime heard the tears of a Vulcan.

Something he would never hear again in his lifetime.

And McCoy Prime cried, as well.