Breathe

Kirk let out a breath as the transporter room re-formed around him he had an awful sinking feeling in his stomach from the vision he had just seen, he swallowed looking down seeing he was once again dressed in his normal uniform. “Captain?” he glanced up to see Mr Spock…his Spock looking questioningly at him from the transporter console looking complete in his blue uniform. Kirk noticed there were three guards in the room, all holding phasers, waiting for a signal from the First Officer but before Kirk could speak Uhura had let out a muffled sob and ran to the Vulcan hugging him tightly round the waist. His eyebrows disappeared into his hairline “Lieutenant!?” Uhura let him go wiping her eyes “Oh I’m sorry Mr Spock I just…the last thing I saw was…I’m glad you’re ok” She smiled at him, he nodded to her and the guards seemed to take this as a sign holstering their phasers. Giotto broke in “Mr Spock, if you have no further need of us” Spock glanced at the away team “No I believe everything is as it should be” Giotto nodded and turned to leave “Oh, Welcome back, Captain” Kirk smiled as he watched the security team leave then chuckled as he saw Spock was still eyeing Uhura warily almost afraid she might hug him again.

Scott also stepped off the platform “Aye it’s good to be back,” he looked over at Spock in a relieved way “if yeh don’t mind I’m gonna go see what state my engine room is in.”

Spock focused on the Chief engineer “You need not be too concerned, your counterparts had limited time alone before it became apparent something was amiss”

Scott nodded but continued towards the doors “Well if you don’t mind I’d still like to check”

Kirk smiled fondly at Scott’s dedication to his engines “All right but don’t work too hard, we all could use a break”

Uhura smiled and left with Scott leaving the three men alone.

Kirk leant on the transporter console close to Spock as he could get without touching him so he could feel the re-assuring presence of his First Officer “I trust you had an interesting time, Spock?”

Spock clasped his hands behind his back, “Indeed, your counterparts were brutal, savage, unprincipled, uncivilised and treacherous.” McCoy who had been quietly studying Spock broke in “They wouldn’t have had anything to do with that bruise your sporting would they?”

Spock straightened his face going blank in control, a sure sign something was wrong and now Kirk looked closer he could see a darker green mark on the left side of Spock’s face, faint now but given a few hours it would develop further.

Spock shifted as the two men studied him, “It was one of the main contributing factors that allowed me to see they were not who they appeared to be.”

McCoy couldn’t help the teasing smile “Weren’t expecting the Captain to clock you one huh?”

Spock raised his brow “No, however it was not the Captain who stuck me, you have quite a formidable ‘right-hook’ Doctor” McCoy’s eyes widened in shock “My double hit you?!” Kirk saw the teasing glint in Spock’s eyes and interrupted the impending argument, “How long Commander?”

Spock eyes lowered dulling slightly “18 minutes, 43 seconds” then mis-reading Kirk’s shocked expression as disappointment “I assure you I acted as soon as I…” Kirk raised his hand to stop him and smiled “How were you able to identify them so quickly?”

Spock tilted his head “I am sure it was far easier for you as civilised people to behave like barbarians, than it was for them to behave like civilised people.” He lowered his eyes seemingly ashamed of his next sentence “They also did not give off the same emotional resonance that I have become accustomed to receiving from yourselves”

Kirk felt a warm sensation at the admission “You mean you had a ‘feeling’ it wasn’t us?”

Spock nodded “I had just finished transporting them back to their Enterprise when your patterns appeared in the system, I trust you also had an interesting time?”

Kirk smiled sadly “We had a lot of help”

McCoy lightly patted Spock on the shoulder “I’m glad to be back” Spock noticed a small amount of green staining the Doctor’s hand, McCoy followed his gaze then removed his hand staring at the stains himself “there are something’s that seem to be a constant no matter where I go,” he met Spock’s gaze “I always end up patching you up”

Spock let out a small sigh “It is appreciated Doctor” He straightened “I would suggest you go to your quarters to refresh your self” his gaze lingering on the blood stained hands.

Kirk’s gaze roamed over to two of them and he smiled, “It’s good to be home”