[Transporter room: Open] Wherever we lay our hats is our home..

[dilithiumwanted]

Scotty had been doing nothing but code digging for what felt like forever. Ever since the Captain had transported Spock-that-wasn’t Our Spock and Jim Kirk that wasn’t the captain of our vessel back aboard the Enterprise, Scotty had contacted Spock-that-wasn’t Our Spock and they had worked together on this. They had taken apart every bit of all the

Comments

[lt_moreau]

Marlena entered the transporter room with Kevin Riley, each of them escorting a small boy. She nodded toward the transporter. "You boys get to go home now!" she told them, smiling. "Won't that be nice?"

[doctor_julian]

Jules released Marlena's hand in order to latch onto her legs with both arms. "I don't wanna go home! I wanna stay here with you and Ephram and Kevin!" His lower lip started to tremble, and he sniffled against her skirt.

[ephram_green]

Ephram was extremely nervous, but he hid it way down inside. He wanted to be a big boy for this. "We can write to each other, and call each other..." he said, trying to calm Jules so he could stay calm himself.

[its_oriley]

Kevin nodded, confirming what Ephram had said, and rubbed both boys' backs. "We'll keep in touch. I promise."

[ephram_green]

Ephram looked up at Kevin, a little of his real inner fear showing through his eyes. "So what do we do?"

[its_oriley]

He could tell the boy was scared, and he knelt to he could look Ephram in the eyes. "You go step onto one of those platforms-" he pointed, "and then Mr. Scott will energize the transporter, and the next thing you know, you'll be home."

[ephram_green]

Ephram looked at Kevin for a long minute, before grabbing him in a big hug. "You're a good friend," he said.

He stepped onto the transporter pad and gave his new friend a small wave.

[dilithiumwanted]

Scotty gave his best reassuring smile and cheerfully started transporting. "Home in 3, 2, 1, Energize."

[its_oriley]

Kevin stood and offered Ephram a smile as the boy dissolved on the transporter pad.

To tell the truth, he had no idea what would happen when Ephram became himself again.

The space between Ephram disappearing and reappearing as himself was not long enough for Kevin, and he felt his breath hitch when he saw the man.

[ephram_green]

Kevin. That was the first thing Ephram saw when he rematerialized. Kevin's somewhat anxious face. He wondered why...

Then the memories hit. Oh, God. The kiss, the misunderstanding, the empty corridor afterward. And despite that, Kevin had agreed to take care of Ephram...confused child Ephram who didn't know him. How did one begin to say thank you for that?

Since he couldn't find the words, he did what his gut told him. Ephram stepped off the transporter pad and wrapped Kevin in his arms for an instantly heated kiss.

[its_oriley]

Anything Kevin may have expected shattered in an instant. Ephram was...kissing him. It took a moment for it to settle in.

Kevin whimpered and wrapped his arms around Ephram, overwhelmed by the intensity of the kiss.

[dilithiumwanted]

Scotty let out a whoop. "Free show, eh!" he chortled.

[ephram_green]

Even if he remembered it perfectly, he couldn't get enough of the taste of the man. Ephram poured not only his gratitude but his apology into the kiss, swallowing the sound of Kevin's whimper and pulling him closer when he realized his gesture was welcomed. It was, of course, different than before, but a bit the same too. He imagined Kevin was one to throw himself fully into whatever he chose to do, and at the moment Ephram thoroughly appreciated that.

He changed the angle of the kiss slightly, urging Kevin's lips open, needing to taste more.

[its_oriley]

Kevin parted his lips, eager to explore the other man's mouth again.

Scotty's comment made Kevin acutely aware of the fact that he and Ephram were not alone, but at that point, he didn't care about that. The only thing that mattered was Ephram's lips against his, his tongue sliding between Ephram's lips, Ephram's arms around him. He pulled Ephram closer.

[ephram_green]

Ephram inhaled at the feel of even more Kevin closer in his arms and stroked his tongue into the man's mouth eagerly. Why was he so hungry for this? The engineer's comment reached his ears but didn't quite register in his brain. He was occupied by other things.

[its_oriley]

Kevin stroked Ephram's tongue with his own, and the back of Ephram's neck with a hand. The hand curled around the base of Ephram's neck and gave it a squeeze. For the second time that day, Kevin let out a whimper- part hunger and needing, and part frightened puppy. He clung to Ephram as if afraid the man would leave again.