Good to have you back Dee. You're not the only one concerned for civil rights.

When I came to this chapter and read that they were getting married my first reaction was, wait WHAT?!?! I'm with Bones here. Jim is really acting rash. Did he not forget that Spock left because he cheated on him? Sure he may want to commit to Spock now but dies he really have the ability to sublimate his own needs for someone else's? 

I so much enjoyed this story, the leisurely pace, Jim's mind voice, so perfectly fitting the character. The crisis, the way out of it, no tragedy, no panic, it's a part of life, it can be overcome. I enjoyed the quiet familiarity of the sexual encounters, Pon Farr not entirely disarmed, but managable and even enjoyable. Great work, keep going.

This was sweet. I was wondering how this was going to end.

haha first comment!!!!

I really enjoyed the fifth chapter, especially the way it ended.
It made me curious about the content of their discussion concerning Jim’s issues.
This chapter begins with a wonderful mixture of terran/vulcan holidays! The way you make up these things is magical! I loved this family gathering on occasion of the celebrations. The comments on Spocks new hairstyle and the Romulan ale thing were hilarious. Just imagine Amanda drinking to much… and poor Spock, losing all his dignity at night… Indirectly the reader finds out about their plans for the future that is so well done… The song composed by Spock was moving; no need for heartbreaking goodbyes at the shuttle bay, everything important between them has been said.
I can imagine Jim having a fulfilling job on Starbase EI and feeling happy and full of energy again. Luckily they came up with an emergency plan in case of Pon Farr. Seems like they are going to need it… hope they will be in time without any complications!!
(Sorry for any mistakes I make, my native tongue is Dutch, but I simply want to let you know I appreciate your stories very much)

Author's Response:

Thank for sharing your observations!  I had a lot of fun writing this chapter have writing a series of very serious ones - after all, there have to be moments of joy and levity, rght, to make it all worthwhile? :) 

Thanks for the comments on my reviews. To me, your stories cry out for a close reading because of the authenticity and integrity of your writing. That, and the way the smooth flow of your prose and the way you spin a good yarn draws the reader into the story's hidden depths. 

So, Kirk, as a sort of 23rd-century Updike's Rabbit? I dunno, I think he loved his former job not just because he was good at it, but because it was meaningful work that enabled him to make a difference. Your comment that Kirk has to figure out for himself what he can do now that's he'd be good at and would satisfy him brought me up short. In my RL field, we do a lot of planning for people who need a sort of roadmap for the next phase of their lives -- the processes have names like personal futures planning, essntial life-styles planning, or just person-centered planning, but usually involve a facilitator, and most important, the participation of friends, family and people who care about the person. So I guess I have come to assume that deciding what to do with the rest of one's life is best done in company with other people who are important in one's life. I think Kirk is right that he is facing an existential crisis. I would hope that McCoy sees that and is not tempted to pathologize it or think it can be solved with meds or therapy. Surely, at its core, it is a moral and spiritual crisis. 

Kirk still seems to me as though he is on the outside looking in at Spock's life. I think you are right, Kirk doesn't understand that he is the cornerstone of Spock's existence. I suspect that goes back to Kirk's framing his current life choices as putting Spock first, to make up for the way he hurt him in the past. And Spock's "what's not to like?", while most understandable and certainly not wilfully obtuse, is an incomplete vision, as well. At least that's how it seems to me. But I look forward to seeing what the next chapter will bring!

P.S. to my earlier review. I feel badly because I think I am being too hard on Spock. He cannot be faulted for failing to figure out the cause of Kirk's ennui, when Kirk himself is unable to put a name to it. And, by most standards, they do have a pretty good life.

But it was Spock himself who told Kirk in The Wrath of Khan, "If I may be so bold, it was a mistake for you to accept promotion. Commanding a starship is your first, best destiny; anything else is a waste of material."

So I'm thinking, that must still be true in this A/U, and both men recognize that truth on some level? 

Leave it to Lori to ruin everything!!

YAY TAS! Very under appreciated!!!!!!

The subtlety in the characterizations is great! Jim is definitely going to midlife crises. boredom, impulsive,immature behaviour, feelings of nostalgia, unhappiness with his lifestyle, he is showing all the signs! When confronted with the youthful strenght and energy of David, the ridiculosity of Jim' s actions is even stronger. I love those little actions , telling so much about Spocks personality. "Tap Tap" Yeah, no need to look up the codes, he knows them by heart! Spock is brilliant but how to cope with all this illogical behaviour of his bondmate? I hope Bones can talk some sense into Jim. Just count your blessings....

Author's Response:

Yes, good old Bones to the rescue can always be counted on to talk some sense into Jim!  He's a natural nurturer and caretaker of people in general and Jim in particular.  And he's on Spock's side too, recognizing that Spock doesn't always have the tools he needs to manage Jim's complex and conflicting emotions.