After the Mutara Nebula incident, the crew of the Enterprise is entitled to being a little shocked. However, McCoy's conversations with the admiral seem to be about to tip the balance.

When Jim Kirk turns seventy, his life as star-ship captain seems farther away than ever before, but soon he is forced to realise that domestic life on Earth might lead to events which are more disastrous to him than most deep-space missions.

K/S and McCoy/Natira. Contains mention of major character death, minor character death, hospitals and explicit spoilers for TWOK and TSFS, as well as some TOS episodes.

Betaed by cicero_drayon of Livejournal.

The scars on Spock’s back had been an encyclopedia of old hurts suffered. 

Even if Vulcans usually do not speak of private matters, sometimes they have to. When Cadet Saavik receives some bad news, the only person she can confide in is her Vulcan captain. 

James Kirk had not realised before that he had spent his life cut in half.