All of Time and Space - Epilogue
Epilogue
San Francisco - April 19, 2054
Kenichi met Keiko one year after Leonard and Jim vanished. She'd moved to San Francisco just after the Peace Conference concluded, taking advantage of the abundance of new opportunities that were opening up now that everyone wasn't waiting for the next bomb to fall. Kenichi had first noticed her when he was working on getting new trees and flowers planted all throughout the Castro. She'd been looking at the city with the curious, wondering eyes of a newcomer, her long dark hair blowing gently in the soft breeze. She'd seen him looking and given him such a brilliant smile that Kenichi turned bright red and hurried back to work, but she was still there very time he looked up, and when he was done for the day he manned up and offered to cook her dinner.
The two of them lived in the same tiny shelter that he'd once shared with Leonard and Jim. Kenichi missed them, even though there were times when he was grateful he no longer had to listen to what was happening one bed over in their tiny basement room. Still, whenever he was in the garden he remembered harvesting the daikon roots with Jim, and he kept Leonard's old medical instruments in good repair. He was planning on giving them away eventually - he just needed to find the right person. He was sure that he'd know when he found someone.
Right now Keiko was out tending to the first tender green shoots of the spring plantings, and on impulse he hurried back inside to grab his camera. He crept outside to snapped a quick series of photos just as she was getting to her feet, the late afternoon sun rimming her dark hair with light. She smiled indulgently at him and sauntered over to rest her chin on his shoulder as he flipped back through the images.
"You've gotten pretty good over the years," she said. She reached out and topped the LCD screen just when he landed on a picture he'd taken a little over one year ago. "I like that one. You should print it out and get it framed, maybe."
Kenichi looked down at the smiling faces of himself, Leonard, and Jim, and pressed his finger gently against the screen. He missed them, yes, but he would never forget them.
He would make sure they were never forgotten.
"Yeah," he said, and turned his head to kiss Keiko. "I'll do that."
USS Enterprise - Stardate 2261.157
Spock was not surprised to find Jim alone on the observation deck with his arms wrapped around his knees and his expression distant. This place had always been the Captain's refuge, and Spock waited quietly for his friend to acknowledge him, knowing that Jim was well aware of his presence.
"Thanks," said Jim finally, and turned his head over his shoulder to smile up at Spock. "I was sure you'd look for me."
Spock knew that Jim was not referring to the fact that it was only thirty minutes until they were scheduled to go on-shift. "The Enterprise will not fly without her captain," replied Spock, moving forward to take his place next to Jim. "As you know perfectly well."
Jim laughed softly. "Why Spock, that was almost poetic."
"Poetry has long held a place of importance in Vulcan culture. Surak himself -"
"I know, I know." Jim leaned over to bump against Spock's shoulder. "Never change, Spock."
They lapsed back into silence, comfortable and familiar. After a moment Spock reached out to brush Jim's fingers in a gentle kiss, aware that it would be their last.
"You've changed since your return," he said softly. "Your mind is more relaxed, steadier. I presume this is because of the doctor."
Jim's smile took on a touch of sadness. "Leonard's what's been missing," he said. "The two of us - we tried because we felt we had to, because of what Old Spock told us. But we're not that Kirk and Spock, and we have to make our own choices."
"Nevertheless, I am and always shall be your friend."
"Well, yeah. I should damn well hope so. But that doesn't mean we have exactly the same relationship as the Kirk and Spock in that other universe."
They turned to look at each other then, and Jim leaned forward to brush Spock's cheekbone with a chaste kiss. "You should go talk to Uhura," he said, his breath warm against Spock's chin. "I always thought the two of you were kinda hot together."
Spock's eyebrow arched upward. "Any attempts to witness our relations first-hand will not be appreciated."
Jim laughed, bright and happy. "Duly noted."
They spent the rest of the time before they needed to report to the bridge gazing out at the stars.
* * *
When Jim came off shift hours later, Leonard was already in their quarters, dressed in pajamas and with his nose buried in a PADD. He was adjusting well, all things considered. M'Benga was already putting him to use in Sickbay, albeit in a limited capacity until he got a bit more comfortable with the new technology and various alien biologies, and he was devouring every bit of medical research he could get his hands on. After so many years of scraping by with minimal supplies, the resources of the Enterprise were like manna from heaven, and Jim loved seeing the excitement in Leonard's face when he talked about how much he'd managed to learn even in a few short days.
There was uneasiness, too, of course. Jim could see the wariness in Leonard's eyes whenever they were in the mess hall, the doubt that such an abundance of food could really be there day after day. He also hadn't slept well the first few nights on the ship, and still spent a good hour tossing and turning before finally settling down. When Jim asked him about it, Leonard said he wasn't used to the quiet, or having such a comfortable bed for a change. Jim could understand that - it had even taken him a few days to readjust, and he hadn't spent his whole life in the twenty-first century the way Leonard had. It was to be expected that it would take Leonard time to adjust to this new time, even if it was technically his home.
Leonard looked up as the door slid softly shut behind Jim and smiled, soft and welcoming. "Hey."
"Hey yourself." Jim stepped forward and settled comfortably in Leonard's lap, nuzzling into the crook of his neck. "You smell good."
Leonard snorted, but his fingers came up to stroke gently through Jim's hair.
They basked in contented silence for a minute, then Jim pulled back so he could look into Leonard's eyes. "Are you happy here?" he asked, soft and serious. "I mean, really happy? Not just because of me?"
Leonard reached up to trace the curve of Jim's cheek. He didn't say that he loved Jim, that Jim was enough to make happy; that wasn't what Jim was asking, and he knew it. When he answered, his voice was steady and sure.
"I'm happy, Jim. I don't regret it."
Jim sighed in relief and leaned forward, pressing their lips together in a soft kiss and twining their fingers together tightly.
There would be more close calls, more dangerous missions in the future. But they both knew, all the way down to their bones, that they didn't need to fear what was coming. They'd found each other, after all, in the midst of all of time and space, and together -
- together, they could face anything.