ST oneshot - Choose the second.
(Unbeta'ed. Beta'ed version will come later)
Spock accepted the position at the Vulcan Science Academy. There he remained, had a family, and would have lived out the rest of his life in the same way - till Vulcan imploded and steered his life path in another direction.
If you love two people
at the same time,
choose the second.
Because if you really
loved the first one,
you wouldn't have
fallen for the
second.
- Johnny Depp
Spock was - content. He felt content, and that was as far as he would go to admiting to experiencing any sort of emotion, even to himself. But the strength of which, and the frequency, he felt this was something he couldn't meditate and get over. So he examined it, and acknowledged it. And understood the reason why.
T'Pring
She soothed his flames in his Time of need. What happened after was more than he could wish for. Fulffilling his duty at the VSA had a large percentage of the Vulcan popluation accepting him. Being officially recognized as the one who would be the future head of the house of Surak had another large percentage of Vulcans acceptance. His bond with T'pring and the birth of their son was what it took for complete acceptance.
No longer was he shunned, no longer were there side stares and words laced with double meanings. For once in his life, Spock felt accepted by the people of Vulcan. It was the year Spock acknowledged the feeling of content, which he had linked more greatly so to T'pring and his son.
That was how he came to the conclusion, that he loved T'Pring and his son so deeply.
When he learned about Vulcans deep rooted emotions, he never thought they would be this intense.
But it was all short lived.
Vulcan imploding was like a nightmare. It all happened too fast, and was over too quickly. Before he could properly regain control of his senses, they were being relocated to New Vulcan. As running head of the family, there was too much to do that no one stopped to mention how illogical it was to expect so much to be accomplished in little time. Neccesity overruled logic, and stress and pressure of completing task after task, project after project, and endless meetings meant little time to meditate and rest.
And it was in this time of turmoil post-apocalypse that Spock met him.
James Tiberius Kirk
Saviour of Vulcans.
Every surviving Vulcan knew of his pivotal role, and many could not hide the awe they had in his person everytime he came in their line of vision. Captain Kirk and his crew had not only been crucial in the recent events surrounding the planet Vulcan recent demise, but also in the relocation and aiding of settlement of the survivors to their new planet.
Spock, being in the position he was, had been working closely with this man many refered to as a hero.
Their working relationship had been excellent despite the less than ideal circumstances. It was soon they became fast friends, thier friendship allowing them to operate even more cohesively as a unit.
Months passed. The survivors were healing but Spock even more so. It was with not without some thought and calculations - following a visit to the healers - did he wonder why was he healing better and faster than the others of his kind. But with his schedule, such wonderings did not gain more consideration as he was once again swept off in another endless cycle of things to do.
In such a short time, Jim had entered his life so completely - it was as though he knew this man from the very begining of their lives. Even T'Pring was taken to him, and that was saying something.
Spock's busy schedule was put to a sudden halt when the news of T'pring's immenent birthing arrived. With carefully disguised haste, he rushed to where she was.
On one hand she craddled her newborn daughter, the other - slim, trembling fingers reached out and Spock returned the gesture.
In the moment that their fingers touched, he knew, he knew everything. Her physical state had been deteorating ever since the day of the mass evacuations. Continuing the pregnancy became a risk due to the psychic trauma, but terminating it was unthinkable as gestation was already half complete. She made an independent decision. Precautions had to be taken. Giving birth had taken its toll on her already fragile body.
His bondmate was dying, months - weeks remain.
The news shocked him, his control faultering for a moment as his face expressed it. T'pring lowered her eyes, giving him the time he needed to regain himself again.
T'pring had been shielding the fact, so strongly, he had no clue of it till this moment. Later, he would rationalise that it was inevitable. Given the psychic shock of the recent events, and the constant flurry of activity that followed afterwards. Spock wouldn't have noticed, ever. Especially given the extra precautions that were in place to ensure it.
Spock was numbed.
He carried on, as the things he had to do did not stop just because his wife was dying. But he did - now that he knew - took more time and spent them with his family.
Jim was the first to notice the change in Spock. It wasn't long before he managed to extract the truth. It was hard to hide it otherwise, seeing as to how close Jim had became to his nuclear family unit.
In the weeks to come, Jim too spent more of his free time with Spock and his family. T'Prings impending demise had its effect on the empathic human. It was a devastating fact that these two powerful men could do nothing about.
When the time came for her Katra to be passed on, T'pring did the one thing neither Spock nor Jim could have expected.
She passed her Katra for both Spock and Jim to hold, and in those final moments she showed them where to forge a new bond in the same place where her bond with Spock would soon wither away. Sensing the emotions that they were unable to articulate, T'pring only smiled and explained that it will all make sense in due time.
With the smile still gracing her face, she passed on. In the moment that her end of the bond withered away, the link she had helped Spock establish with Jim took its place. In the landscape of his mind, Spock could only stare in wonder as their links melded together without guidance - forging a bond that outshone any Spock had ever witnessed in his lifetime.
Not long after, bonds were forged between his two children and Jim. Each happening on their own accord, seemingly resonating towards the being now bonded to their father. Jim had merely touched them, and like a spark, it was done.
The elders were stumped, without much to refer to now that majority of their resources gone. They had no explanation for it but for what it is. Spock and Jim were T'hy'la.
What is, is.
With their lives now sudden intertwined, Spock and Jim had a lot to do. With both of them leading very different lives, plans had to be made, decisions of what to do.
A compromise was agreed on between The Federation, Starfleet, and Vulcan.
The union of Thyla was one so sacred, furthure more one forged between two of the most influential men known in the universe. intergalactic governments would bend laws to allow said compromise.
Many fruitful and eventful years in deep space later, T'pring's sentiment still never was forgotten. The bond between them grew stronger still.
Once, a thought was considered; Should T'pring have lived. Who would have Spock chosen? Jim.
It was without a doubt that they knew, that T'pring would've condoned that decision too.