The doors to the second floor opened. Spock was leaned against the frame feeling a unusually heavy, dark atmosphere. Spock leaned away from the wall using the cane. Spock strolled out of the hall past several doors that were the quarters of some well known residents. His cane clicked against the floor almost squeaking. It had been two days. Jim had a little over thirty-three point twenty-six percent chance of waking up while he were in the death ward. As most humans say, "It would take a miracle for someone to awaken from a coma" or something along the lines of a very powerful chemical that allows the person to be awake for twenty-four hours. It was a harsh reminder to what lay ahead of Spock. And that he could easily outlive most of the older and younger people here.

Spock came to the large doorway that lead to the deathward. It became apparent that they had to install doors into the doorway per McCoy's insistence most likely. Spock had not noticed the addition for the last five to six months. Spock came toward the doors applying weight to his right side. The doors opened before the Vulcan. He strolled in to see there were visitors sitting alongside biobeds that held the slowly dying fast asleep and some who barely appeared to be asleep watching the screen hooked into the wall across from them. At the end of the wide room rested one biobed was a small group . Alongside that biobed on a individual biobed was a familiar face. That face was of Trelane's. It surprised Spock that Trelane was here instead of Charlie Evans. Evan's life was going down the hellhole. After all, he hadn't seen Trelane in seven days. Not since the new year started. Trelane's eyes were not full of life as they used to be. They were staring into nothingness apparently. Sitting alongside Trelane's bed was a resting Koloth with a book in his hands dipped forward and his shoulders slouched sitting down in the chair with his chin on his chest.

Trelane and Jim were both in gentle red outfits that matched. He could only tell that they were in matching red admission outfits because they were both covered halfway to the chest by the non-so-complimentary color of blue. Jim, on the other hand, appeared to be ill. His skin was white. His hands were sweating even though he was not running which was impossible given his current paralyzed state. The screen behind the captain indicated that he was not doing too well. McCoy had his arms folded, leaned against the wall, and his head lowered. Scotty and Sulu were sitting alongside each other shoulder to shoulder appearing to be napping. Uhura was sitting alongside Sulu, napping, too while they were holding what was apparently a glass. They never really drank in the afternoon or slept in the afternoon. Which was off. McCoy's glass was on the neighboring table.

Spock came over to the biobed then sat down into the empty chair alongside McCoy.

Koloth's eyes opened and he straightened up in the chair.

"Hello, Ambassador." Koloth said. "Or should I call you Commander Spock?"

"Ambassador is preferable." Spock said.

"It is good to see you are in your right senses again," Koloth placed his novel on the nearby counter then slid out a drawer out. "I was starting to believe the captain would go without making his farewell."

"What do you mean?" Spock inquired.

"The captain and I made a agreement a month ago." Koloth said. "That if . . . " Koloth looked down, almost choking on his words, as though it was a difficult subject. "He could not wake up. . ."

"I understand your predicament." Spock said.

Koloth looked up toward the Vulcan.

"It was difficult to abide his request," Koloth said. "To give him the injection . . . It took me a day to finally stand up and come over to him." Koloth came to the side of the biobed. "My brother fell ill seven days ago." He rolled the devie in his hands. "Your captain had a fighting chance against this virus. To live."

"You should be explaining yourself to the doctor not me." Spock said. "He is not my captain."

"Ooh?" Koloth asked, raising a gray eyebrow. "The captain implied you served under him long ago."

"We never did." Spock said. "He was delusional with his dreams as of lately."

"I never met you back in those days." Koloth said.

"Served on the USS Endeavor during his time on the USS Enterprise." Spock said. "Lieutenant Commander,first officer, science officer."

"Have you ever met Thelin?" Koloth asked.

"Negative." Spock said.

"You and he would have much to talk about." Koloth said,applying the device to Jim's neck. "I will not stay long after my brothers passing. . . Ambassador."

Koloth stepped back then hid the hypospray. Spock's eyes turned in the direction of the well aged captain. His eyes slowly fluttered open. Those hazel eyes appeared to be lethargic but regardless there was life still glowing insdie of them. A smile appeared on the human's face. His eyes directed at Spock.

"Ashayam." Jim said.

That was a word that was not in the books Spock had left in Jim's posession. It was a Vulcan word for beloved. There was no circumstance how he could know it. Unless the dreams were real under some odd pseudo science. It was possible. But it never did happen in reality except for this one in a billion chance. Spock was mentally calculating how such a event could be possible let alone happen. How could dreams allow Jim to know of a word that was never spoken of in this building? Spock was the only Vulcan lingering around this building. It was not close to being logical.

Spock moved the chair forward closer to Jim's side taking his hand.

Why don't you look at that,Spock looks more gorgeous than he did yesterday, Spock overheard the man's thoughts.

"Jim," Spock said. "Are you allright?"

"It's time." Jim said.

"For what?" Spock asked.

"For me to go," Jim said. "It's been. . . fun."

Spock slowly shook his head.

"Jim. . ." Spock said.

"Take care of Bones, will you?" Jim turned his head toward the resting man. "He is going to need you."

"Leonard will not admit that." Spock said.

"And you are going to need him." Jim said.

"Certainly." Spock said.

"You need each other." Jim said. "And you don't need me."

"We do need you." Spock said. "T'hy'la."

Jim smiled kindly back at him.

"That is what you think." Jim said.

"Nonsense," Spock said. "It is the truth."

"At least. . . I won't die alone." Jim said. "I always thought. . . I would die alone."

"You have your crew." Spock said.

"With my crew." Jim said.

"May I. . . engage in a mind meld?" Spock inquired, his hand out reached trembling.

Oh, his hand. Not still as it used to be and could be held without his emotional state being revealed. Once upon a time he could hold his hand straight and fine. There was only one occassion in his adult life when his hand trembled in emotion and that was during Pon Farr. His youth was spent punching those who killed his mother a whore, and slut, and his father a traitor. Called him a disgusting creature from hell. His Vulcan peers had long ago recanted their insults after seeing his career climb to Ambassador.

I love you, Spock, Spock could hear from the telepathic touch.

"Permission granted." Jim said.

Spock placed a hand on the side of the man's face. Spock felt himself through into a explosive world of emotions. Positive, loving, and caring. Deep, blazing passion. More than what T'pring had in their previous mind melds. It was overwhelming and powerful. Spock reached forward toward the man's katra. Spock could see a small flickering flame. Spock chose to return into that warm, loving raw pool of emotions. He could see memories that were never made with him and Jim. Spock could register a strong bond set up between him and Jim. Spock could feel a tear trail down his cheek at some of these brief but exemplary memories that showed them into their careers in their ancient age taking care of McCoy's grandchildren and serving alongside each other in Star Fleet. He could see so many things that had not happened. The first kiss. Cuddling together on the bed. Being a couple in general on Shore Leave with McCoy close behind them. The first wedding that was officiated by McCoy between Spock and Jim. Eventually bringing McCoy into their Vulcan Polygamy marriage. And so much more.

I love you too, Jim, Spock meant this with his heart. The Jim he knew was barely there, and it was only logical to let him believe that he was his Spock. The imaginary one he dreamed up. But how did he come up with a ancient word? That was a mystery. Spock let go of the side of the man's face feeling a wet tear come down his cheek. The room was full of a heavy atmosphere, moisture, and it felt like there wouldn't be another smile for decades sitting in this room. Spock took his hand back from the man's face.

"You do not need to worry," Spock said, placing his other hand on Jim's hand. "Leonard will be taken care of."

Chekov's eyes started to open seeing Jim smile for the last time at the Vulcan.

"Jim?" Chekov said.

The light in Jim's eyes faded and his chest stopped moving. The wail from the devices indicating his health let out a sharp wail jolting awake the rest of the crew. Uhura straightened herself up and her eyes flew open to see the expression on Spock's face. Scotty and Sulu straightened up blinking, quite alarmed, really. The blue lines on the wall behind Jim reading out that he had flat lined. Spock was left in a loss. He was struck by emotions. Strong,massive emotions that were powerful than the ones he had experienced with the loss of T'pring. McCoy was at first wary, concerned understandably, if this were not the memory regressed Spock he had seen earlier. McCoy could hear a distinct noise coming from the Vulcan. Spock's trembling hands let go of the deceased man's hand slowly sliding his hand back on the biobed. McCoy placed a hand on Spock's shoulder.

"Spock?" McCoy asked.

Spock turned toward McCoy.

"Jim was happy, Leonard." Spock said.

"Come here, you pointy eared hobglobin." McCoy said, bringing forth the Vulcan into a hug that was met with little to no resistance. Spock's shoulders went up and down as the Vulcan cried into the man's shoulders.

Koloth watched the grieving little family then looked over toward Trelane. There was a look of knowing on the elder Klingon's face. He looked down into his hand where it rested a spare hypospray that had contents that were not of the same poison that he had given to the captain. It made natural causes believable. He had exactly one hundred point thirty-three seconds to administer it before the nurses came in and the doctors to handle the death. He looked over to Trelane then applied it to the man's neck. Trelane's chest stopped moving. Koloth took the item off the man's neck then pulled back his sleeve. He changed the setting on the hypospray that had one green half and the other half being red.

"I am sorry, Nurse Gilbert. . . " Koloth apologized, solemnly. He looked over toward the two very human couple behind him. The woman was on the biobed degrading into a bony mess. The husband was clutching onto the woman's hand looking at her. He turned his head away making last minute considerations. "For using you. But it must be done."

Koloth applied the hypospray onto his forearm then leaned back into the chair and thought of the last time he had a worthy battle. His band,Sto-vo-kor would have to be disbanded. Funny, death was the only way for it to be disbanded. He could hear the tears of the small group from across. He could his heart struggling to beat. He could feel a tightness in his chest. His heart fought to continue pumping. The chambers clammed shut. The last chamber was struggling to continue moving. His breathing slowed. It gave the impression that he was falling asleep, peacefully. Could he be accepted into Sto-vo-kor? Perhaps not. He had committed a different variation of his kinds form of suicide.

"Come on, brother, let's go to Sto-vo-kor!" His eyes had opened to see a hand out for him and Trelane before him, grinning, a decade younger. "Don't keep me waiting. We have so many enemies to fight against. Isn't that the best?"

Koloth took Trelane's hand with a well earned smile.

"Yes . . . Brother." Koloth said.

Together they walked into what was most definitely a odd and unique city leaving behind the setting that once housed them. Nurse Gilbert, Nurse Young, Nurse Bell, Nurse Pallet, and Doctor Cameron arrived. Nurse Gilbert stopped at the Klingon's side of the room appearing to be horrified. He used the side of the other biobed to keep himself up. Pallet looked over to see the man's reaction. Gilbert struggled to go forward then he closed Trelane's eyes.

"Time of deaths. . ." Came the usual but despaired train of thought.