I'll Save You - Spirk

Chapter Twenty

*Jim's POV*

We crept towards the massive wooden door, Spock slightly in front, his lean frame stiff with tension.

He opened it a crack and we both winced at the loud, echoing noise and froze, Spock peering out to see if anyone was there.

Either no one was home, or our theory of them having weak senses was correct, because nobody popped up to drag us back to the cell.

Spock eased the door open a little further with minimal sound, then squeezed through with me right behind him.

The chamber was truly massive, and there appeared to only be two other doors to choose from.

Spock pointed to the middle one with only slight uncertainty and I nodded, happy to trust his judgement.

We moved quickly and quietly, I don't know what the half-Vulcans thoughts were, but my heart was pounding and I felt slightly faint, although that was probably more from the blood loss.

I put my hand to my wound while Spock listened carefully at the door, grimacing when it came away covered in fresh blood.

At least it's clean, I thought lightheadedly as Spock nodded to me and opened the door.

The door revealed a narrow staircase which we climbed slowly, Spock clearly listening for approaching enemies while I concentrated all my energy on not passing out.

We reached the top after a few minutes of climbing and found ourselves standing under a trapdoor which Spock opened easily, flooding us with sunlight. He clambered out, reaching down to pull me out after him.

"Your bleeding" he whispered close to my ear, trying to avoid noise.

I nodded and couldn't repress the shiver that went up my spine when his warm breath hit my neck.

"We have to get further away" I muttered back, hyperaware that his hands still gripped the top of my arms. He seemed to realise this and flushed green, releasing me "do you think you can walk?"

I nodded and we began walking as fast as I could manage, which was embarrassingly slow.

We had only gone about 1 km when we heard a scream of fury from the direction of the underground lair.

"We have to move faster" Spock said desperately, but we both knew it was useless, I was losing too much blood and could feel myself losing the battle to stay conscious.

I stopped and put a hand on Spocks shoulder "go, I'm slowing you down,. Go and I'll hold them off" I smiled weakly.

"No, I'm not leaving you" he said firmly, looking around "I don't think they've seen us yet, only that we're gone, so we might be able to hide" he thought aloud.

His eyes widened with an idea and he began pulling me over to a clump of the burrow things we found before we were captured.

"Are you sure? If they find us....." I didn't need to finish. We both know what's at stake here.

I heard the pounding of heavy feet approaching us and offered no more resistance as Spock crawled into one, pulling me in behind him.

It was a tight fit, Spock pressed himself against the far wall and pulled me against him so that we were both fully concealed only minutes before the first pair of feet thundered by.

We held our breaths as at least a dozen of the creatures passed, none of them even slowing to examine the possible hiding places.

It was only after I allowed myself to breathe again that I realised the position Spock and I were currently in.

Spock was sitting against the wall with his legs open, I was sitting in between them, pressed up against his chest with his arms around me.

I blushed and my vision swam. I looked down at my wound, which luckily appeared to have stopped bleeding.

"Sleep" Spock whispered in my ear "I shall keep watch"

I meant to thank him, but only managed an incoherent mumble before my head fell against his shoulder, my eyes closing as the darkness took over.

.................

It was dark outside when I awoke.

My mind was sluggish and it took me a moment to remember what had happened. I was wrapped in warmth and comfort and it took another moment to remember why.

Spock had shifted while I was out, but instead of moving away as I would expect he had wrapped himself even tighter around me, cocooning me in his warmth.

I certainly wasn't complaining.

I made no move to show that I was awake, but something must have alerted him, perhaps I stiffened slightly or my breathing pattern changed, and he loosened his hold on me. Maybe it was just wishful thinking but I swear the movement was almost reluctant.

Probably wishful thinking, after all, I did lose a lot of blood.

"I think they have given up" he muttered softly. "Okay, do you think it's safe to move?" I whispered back reluctantly, making no move to leave.

He was silent for a moment "maybe we should wait a little longer, I believe they see better in the dark and the sun will rise soon, making it easier for us to see and harder for them"

I nodded in agreement, I must have been out longer then I thought.

True to his word, the first rays of dawn began to lighten the sky only about 20 minutes later.

I wish we could stay like this forever, but at the same time I had begun feeling a little awkward in his stiff embrace.

I tilted my head back to look at him and suggest we leave now, but he had been looking down at me and all thought left my mind when our eyes locked.

His deep, soulful eyes were filled with an intensity that both terrified me and filled me with elation.

I felt the blood rushing to my face but like the day in the library, the day I first laid eyes on Spock, something held my gaze and I couldn't look away even if I wanted to.

A trembling hand came up and touched my cheek ever so gently, Spock's movements feather light and uncertain.

I reached one of my own hands up and ran it through his silky hair, which is every bit as smooth as it looks. I knotted my fingers loosely in it, my knuckles barely brushing his scalp.

We sat like this for a few moments, bodies pressed together, neither of us daring to breathe, our faces so close but still too far apart.

I don't know which one of us moved but suddenly our lips connected in a light, fleeting kiss before either of us realised what was happening.

We detangled ourselves quickly and stumbled out of the little burrow, never making eye contact.

"We should get further away" I mumbled, blushing furiously.

"Indeed" Spock replied without a glance in my direction, a prominent green tinge covering his face and ears the only indicator that something had happened.

We set off at a hurried pace towards the plains we arrived on with the hope that Starfleet would be searching for us, or that perhaps the humanoids would stay in the mountains.

Neither of us acknowledged what had just occurred.