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Imagine that Starfleet never existed because we never broke the warp barrier; and since that never happened, the Vulcans never made first contact…until now. In the year 2258, the number of crop circles across Earth began to increase to such an extent that conspiracy theorists began to panic. It was a sign they said, a sign that we were being watched! Most people laughed it off, but science still couldn’t explain what was causing the phenomenon. And then suddenly, for an entire month, nothing new occurred. That, of course, set off an entirely new amount of speculations. People finally began to calm down closer to the end of the month.On the night that the crop circles returned, a mass abduction of people occurred in locations all around the world nearest the crop circles. The International Space Station reported alien vessels that would not answer their hails. The people of Earth were horrified but had no way of locating their missing people. The people that were taken are where the story begins.Several large spaceships hovered just above Earth and, at the appointed hour, sent down pulsating waves of energy to create the crop circles in a form of writing declaring Earth as the property of Vulcan. Within moments of the crop circles forming they beamed up the selected humans and left the system behind. The humans were terrified but safe and handled with gentleness.“You have been chosen from your species to return with us to Vulcan and mate into our society. You will not be harmed,” the tall alien with pointy ears and intriguing eyebrows informed the group of humans aboard his ship. “You will be revered for the sacrifice you are making by leaving your home and joining ours.”The speech stuck in the head of James T. Kirk, an astronomy major from the University of Iowa. He had always believed that there was life outside of their solar system but he never imagined that those lifeforms would abduct him to play husband to one of their own. Why had Earth been chosen? The alien species that had abducted them had not explained their reasoning. Jim spent most of the next day in front of a set of observation windows watching as the familiar planets of his own solar system passed by as the new ships sailed onward. Humans had never made it past Mars and probably wouldn’t for another century or so. Jim thought it might have been that fact that caused so many of his fellow abductees such despair. Even if Earth had the means to perform such a massive rescue mission they had no ability to make it out of the habitable zone of their solar system.His blue eyes watched as the Keiper Belt began to fade away into the distance and felt the ship begin to pick up speed. Home was gone; left behind in a river of tears and sorrow bled from those around him. He didn’t realize he was actually crying until an alien knelt next to his spot on the floor.“A cloth for your tears,” the alien said, holding out a handkerchief. “Thanks,” Jim mumbled and wiped his face.“I must ask for your hand. I need to take a blood sample,” the alien announced.“What for?” Jim asked.“It will be used to determine where you will go once we reach Vulcan. It will be a painless procedure.”Jim held out his hand and watched as the alien pricked his finger. A small drop of blood was gathered on a test-strip. A small square of gauze was given to Jim to apply pressure and the alien moved on to the next human. He went back to watching the windows.That evening most of the humans refused to eat anything. Whether that was due to being too upset or a hunger strike Jim didn’t know. He accepted a cup of water and some type of bread from one of the female aliens. There was no use in starving himself and becoming too weak to fight if needed. As he munched on the bread he studied the other humans in the vicinity. Most looked exhausted and terrified but one man caught his eye. A scowl painted his face and thick stubble graced his chin. Strong, broad shoulders were hunched as the man tore bites of the bread off and chewed slowly.Jim must have studied the man for a moment too long because suddenly green eyes were boring into his own blue ones. Jim felt a blush rise to his face and he quickly looked back down. When his bread was gone he looked back up and found the man watching him. Jim offered a small smile but turned his attention to the alien who was asking for his drinking cup.“How far you reckon they’re taking us?” The man’s deep Southern twang filled Jim’s ears.Jim stared as the man sat down next to him. “I don’t know. Must be pretty far though.”The man sat with his back to the windows and stared out at the people. His brown hair hung around his face in a way that only came from running his hands through it a great deal. He looked weary.“Jim Kirk,” Jim held out his hand.The man looked over at him, “McCoy, Leonard McCoy.”“What part of the South did you call home before last night?” Jim asked.“Georgia. You?”“Iowa. I was an Astronomy student,” Jim breathed.“Doctor,” McCoy replied. “Why us?”“I don’t know.” Two more days passed, and Jim came to know Leonard more. He gave him the ridiculous nickname of “Bones” just to watch the man stare at him incredulously. They had been allowed to bunk together at night when the humans had been led to sleeping quarters. Jim only hoped that he and the grumpy older man would be close to each other at their new destination. As it often does in times of uncertainty for one’s fate, both men developed strong feelings for the other; a sort of doomed romance that they could remember in the years to come. Jim compared them to star-crossed lovers; destined to love but damned to a cruel twist of fate.“I wish I had met you before,” Jim whispered into Leonard’s ear as they stood in their room early that morning.“Me too, darlin’.” Leonard turned to face Jim and placed a hand on the back of Jim’s neck.“Promise you won’t forget me,” Jim pleaded. It was cliché, but he felt a desperate need to know that this moment would be remembered by both of them.Leonard smashed his lips to Jim’s and pressed the younger man to the bulkhead. The kiss was desperate and rough, but Jim clung to him like it was his lifeline. The hot press of Jim’s body against his was enough to make him groan aloud. Jim was not a blushing maiden, however, and he pressed back and fought for dominance in the kiss. Leonard’s thigh pressed firmly between Jim’s, trapping him and holding him still; Jim ground firmly down against Leonard’s leg and smirked at the responding moan from the other man. Strong hands wandered down Jim’s body finally coming to rest on his sides.It might have continued further if an announcement had not been made ship-wide at that exact moment. “At this time, we are moving into the orbit of the planet Vulcan. We request that all humans report to the common areas for sorting and disembarkation. You will not be harmed during this process or afterward. On behalf of the crew, and all of Vulcan, ‘Welcome’.”Jim looked at Leonard and saw trepidation take hold. Leonard leaned in and kissed him once more before they both stepped out to join the steady stream of hesitant humans. Some of the others, like Leonard and him, had made strong friendships and were clinging to each other. The common area filled quickly and Jim looked out the windows to the red planet below. He could hear the humans’ names being called one by one but he continued to focus on the view.“Kirk, James T.?” One of the aliens, Vulcans now, asked him.“Yes,” Jim nodded.“Please follow me. We must get you to the shuttle.”Jim looked back at Leonard with a heavy heart as he was led away. This may be the last time he saw the grumpy doctor and fear filled him. He would miss that man until the day he died.“Do not worry. Your friend will not be harmed in any way.” The Vulcan male stated as they walked.“Where will he go? Where am I going? Jim spat, his fear dissipating into anger.“All of your questions will be answered soon.” The Vulcan led them into a shuttle bay where the other humans were beginning to board. “You are in shuttle 6.”Once at the surface, Jim followed his shuttle mates out into the oppressive heat and into a large building. He was given toiletries and led to a set of showers. This was followed by long waits between a doctor and a dentist. The gravity on this planet was higher than Earth’s and Jim could feel himself growing tired faster than normal over the course of a few hours. He wasn’t the only one; many of the others had taken to sitting on the ground.The Vulcans began to move slightly faster when more of the humans wore down. Several of them wandered through the crowd bringing much-desired water and energy bars. As the day progressed, a few of the humans began to cry silently. Emotions were running high and fragile, and the new physical strain from the planet’s gravity proved to be a bit much for some. Even Jim felt like giving in after a while.“Please, it will not be much longer. Try to rest,” one of the Vulcan females whispered to a Human woman.“I want to know what’s going on! Why is this happening?” The woman’s sobs grew louder.Jim turned away from her and placed his head in his hands. He half wondered if this was a nightmare and he’d wake up to find himself slumped over his textbooks again. A boot appeared in front of his folded legs and he looked up.“Kirk, James T?” The Vulcan asked looking at a padd.“Yes,” Jim nodded. “That’s me.”“It is time for your placement. Do you need assistance to stand?”Jim shook his head and stubbornly forced himself to his feet. He felt like he hadn’t rested at all. The Vulcan nodded and motioned for Jim to follow him. They made their way out of the large room housing the Human’s that arrived with him and down a long corridor. Several doors went by before he was led into a room with a comfortable looking chaise.“Please, Kirk, James T, have a seat and rest. Your mate will be here momentarily.”Jim watched at the alien left the room before he settled onto the soft seat. Mate. This is why they were taken from Earth. The Vulcans hadn’t hidden that fact from them but it was still a shock to hear. His mate was coming to get him. Would it be a female or male? Would he like them? Or was he doomed to live the rest of his days on a foreign planet in an unhappy relationship?The door opened and in walked a tall male with the traditional black hair and dark eyes. He wore a deep blue robe with geometric designs. He paused before stepping closer to Jim.“Greetings, James. I am Spock, your mate.”Jim didn’t respond, only continued to stare at him.“Do not be afraid. I will not harm you, T’hy’la,” Spock reached out his hand to touch Jim’s hair.“No!” Jim jumped to his feet and out of Spock’s reach. “I want to know why I have been taken from my home.”Spock paused and nodded. “I will explain all of this if you wish. However, I would prefer to do this at home. You must be hungry.” He looked at Jim’s hesitation. “Please, James. I wish to provide for you.”Jim stared at Spock and finally decided that he was being truthful. He nodded and Spock’s mouth curved faintly into a ghost of a smile.“Our other mate is waiting for us. We should retrieve him,” Spock stated as he opened the door and Jim followed.“Other mate?” Jim asked.“Yes, I was fortunate to have two humans. I met him earlier, just before you. I fear his temperament will not hold for very long. He was quite irate at our introduction.” Spock’s voice wavered slightly at the end as though he were upset.Spock led Jim to a lobby where a few humans were sitting next to Vulcans. This only held Jim’s interest for few seconds before his eyes found his grumpy friend.“Bones!” Jim exclaimed.“Jim! Thank God! Are you alright?” Leonard jumped to his feet and pulled Jim into a strong hug.The occupants of the room watched them for a moment before returning to their own business. Spock stood close by and observed.“Yes, I’m fine. You?” Jim refused to let Leonard go, afraid he’d never see him again.“It is pleasing to find that you know each other,” Spock’s voice interrupted.Jim and Leonard turned to look at the Vulcan.“What do you mean?” Jim asked.“James, this is our mate, Leonard,” Spock indicated. “Leonard, this is our other mate.”Jim felt a strange sense of relief fill him at the thought that at least he would have Bones through this. He grabbed Leonard’s hand tightly and looked at the man in utter relief. Leonard’s eyes echoed the emotion back at him.“T’hy’las, we should begin our journey home. The sun will have set by now and the nights grow cold quickly. I will explain everything after you have eaten. Come.” Spock motioned for them to follow him outside.Spock wasn’t kidding about the temperature falling quickly. The sky was still faintly light but the air was already dipping low as the darkness progressed. Jim shivered and Leonard pulled him close to share body heat. Spock looked pleased that the two men were comfortable with each other.“What is that?” Leonard asked when they’d stopped at something that looked similar to a car.“It is our transport, dear Leonard. It is a hovercraft. I assure you it is quite safe.” Spock informed. “I would never place either of you in harm’s way intentionally.”The ride away from the arrival center where Spock had picked them up was interesting. The hovercraft ran much smoother than any vehicle Jim and Leonard were familiar with and it moved much quicker. Jim thoroughly enjoyed the trip but Leonard looked slightly ill when they finally stopped at a sprawling home far from where they had been.Spock’s eyes betrayed his alarm at Leonard’s pallor when he stopped the vehicle and he promptly pulled the human out of the vehicle. “Leonard, you are unwell?”Leonard took several deep breaths and tried to untangle himself from the Vulcan but was unable. “I’m a ‘lil motion sick.”Spock paused briefly before swinging Leonard up into his arms and carrying him easily into the house. Leonard’s shout of indignation caused Jim to peal in laughter. The sight of Leonard being carried bridal style was too much to resist and Jim thought it would likely become one of his favorite memories.“Sit, beloved, I will make you a tea to soothe your stomach,” Spock commanded Leonard as he placed him on a kitchen chair. “James, please join him.”Jim was still giggling as he sat but they faded at Leonard’s glare. The two humans studied the room as they sat in silence. The kitchen was large and airy but the red, brown, and orange coloring gave the room a warm feel. It was comforting.“Here, Leonard.” Spock sat a steaming cup of tea in front of him. “Please drink this. It will calm your stomach.”“What’s in it?” Leonard asked warily.“Mint.”Jim and Leonard looked at the Vulcan with questioning faces.“My mother grows mint leaves and we make tea from them. She finds the taste soothing and I must agree,” Spock answered before turning back to something that was simmering on the stove.“Where did your mother find mint leaves on a desert planet?” Jim asked as he watched Leonard sample the drink.“My mother is human, and when she arrived here our scientists had also brought samples of earth vegetation.”“Your mother is human?” Leonard rasped.Spock did not speak but began to ladle the contents of the pot into three bowls and slice fresh bread. He placed the dishes on the table before pouring water into drinking glasses. Spock waited until they had both started to eat before he began his own meal.“You said you would explain everything over dinner,” Jim said.Spock nodded, “I did. Many years ago, our explorers discovered your planet and began to study your people. Our culture found you fascinating and, before long, began to wonder if your people would be able to survive here. We knew your space exploration had not advanced very far and we have rules keeping us from interfering with that process. The government decided to conduct an experiment and took exactly ten humans from different sectors on the planet and brought them here. My mother was one of those humans, and my father mated with her. “We found that we could produce offspring between our species fairly easy. I was the firstborn among our people and the other humans brought here eventually produced children as well. The fascination for your species became rampant and many Vulcans desired mates from your planet. They studied my parent’s relationship and the relationship of the other pairs. It was discovered that T’hy’la bonds had formed in seven out of ten pairs. With more research, it was found that blood testing for compatibility would produce these types of bonds in a large percentage of mated pairs.“With this knowledge, many of my people including myself signed up to have mates chosen and brought from Earth. Your blood was tested for compatibility among all the Vulcans who had consented. I must admit I was surprised to have received notification of two compatible mates. To have more than one is rare and precious. “Jim and Leonard sat in complete silence. Jim couldn’t believe what he had heard. They had been abducted from their planet for the romantic whims of another.“The crop circles, what did they mean?” Leonard finally choked out.“They were a warning to other space-faring species that Earth had been claimed by the Vulcans and trespassing would not be tolerated.” Spock looked at them. “You are safe here. I will provide anything you need or desire.”“Take us back!” Leonard suddenly exploded in rage. “Your people took us for their own pleasure! I want nothing to do with this!”Spock’s eyes dimmed a little and he looked up at Leonard. “Dear Leonard, you cannot go back to Earth. You have seen too much.”“Bullshit!” Leonard raged. “People claim they’ve been abducted all of the time and no one believes them. I don’t care what the rules are! I want to go home! I had family!”Spock replied, “We are your family now, beloved. James and I are your family.”Leonard shot Spock one of the dirtiest looks that Jim had ever seen and even he shrank back a little. “I don’t want you!”Jim watched the little bit of light in Spock’s eyes fade. He suddenly felt inexplicably sad and a need to calm the situation.“Bones, we don’t have a choice right now. We should try to at least make the best of the situation until we can figure out what to do,” Jim’s voice soothed. “We’re both exhausted and had a lot of information thrown at us today.”Spock latched onto those words,” James is right. I will show you to our—your room. Sleep will help and we can continue to talk in the morning.”~*~Over the next several weeks Jim began to thrive in his new home. Spock was incredibly fond of his blond-haired mate and he often indulged the man in games of chess or long scientific conversations. Spock thrilled in teaching Jim the constellations seen from Vulcan and showing him all of the data that had been collected from space travel. Spock would often take him on long walks in the early evening when the temperature was cool enough that he wouldn’t suffer. They tried to get Leonard to participate but the man remained stubborn and did his best to avoid Spock. Jim saw how Leonard’s distance affected Spock and how much Leonard was hurting from the strain of being unhappy.Things continued this way for quite some time until one evening Spock came home with a sniffle. Leonard’s stone countenance softened slightly at the pitiful green tinted nose the Vulcan sported. Jim watched Leonard shooting Spock more concerned looks as the evening went on and the sniffles progressed.By the next morning Spock had a strong wheezing and by that evening a fever. Leonard had given up any pretense of avoiding the Vulcan and was attempting to treat Spock to the best of his ability. Jim was hovering worriedly at the end of the bed.“Do you need help?” Jim asked.Leonard sighed and placed a strong hand on Spock’s forehead. “I think we need to send for a Vulcan physician.”Jim nodded, “I’ll take the hovercraft into the city. I’m sure I can locate a doctor.” Jim grabbed Leonard’s face and planted a firm kiss, “I’ll be back as soon as I can, Bones.” He leaned down and kissed Spock’s forehead before swiftly taking his leave.Leonard turned back to his patient and placed a cold compress to the Vulcan’s bare chest. Spock barely stirred and his wheezing continued. Leonard felt helpless. He was a doctor, dammit! He should be able to heal this man! A sudden flash of guilt flickered into existence. Maybe if he had given Spock a little bit of time over the last few weeks then he might have picked up on a little of Vulcan anatomy and physiology. There was no crying over spilled milk now. The best thing he could do now was to try to cool the fever and wait for another doctor.Jim returned with an elderly Vulcan physician two hours later. Both humans were asked to leave the room while the woman examined Spock.“Who is she?” Leonard asked Jim as they stood outside the bedroom door.“Healer T’Partha. I saw her office on the edge of town and went in. She knows Spock’s father fairly well so it wasn’t terribly hard to convince her to come out for a house call.” Jim ran a hand through his blond hair. “How is he doing?”Leonard shook his head, “About the same. His fever is still high and his breathing is strained.”The two of them stood there for another twenty minutes before T’Partha stepped out of the bedroom. She looked blankly at the two of them before speaking in low tones. “Your mate has a mild form of the Vulcan influenza. He will need rest. Make sure he drinks plenty of tea.”“Wait! That’s it?” Leonard asked. “Rest and tea?”“Yes. As I said it is a mild case and he will be able to throw it off easily enough. Good day.” T’Partha escorted herself out of their home.Leonard looked over at Jim in exasperation. “The flu?!”Jim just shrugged and retreated to the kitchen, “I’ll make the tea.”~*~Spock was able to move to the living room and sit on the couch after a couple of days. Leonard hovered constantly, checking pulse and temperature. Spock looked at his mate fondly and allowed the human to care for him. Jim seemed amused by the fact that Bones kept hovering and running his hands over Spock.“Leonard, I am quite well for the moment. Please sit and rest for a few moments,” Spock requested late one evening.Leonard looked like he wanted to protest but he finally settled into a squishy armchair and let Jim hand him a mug of tea.“Thank you for watching over me during my minor illness,” Spock said.“Minor! You were barely breathing you green-blooded hobgoblin! Minor, my ass…”Leonard grumbled.Jim laughed, “You’ve grown on him, Spock. But you did give us quite a scare.”Spock studied both of his mates. “I am sorry I worried you. It has been many years since I have fallen ill. I am thankful I had both of you to help me.”Leonard nodded and took a sip of his tea. “We didn’t do much. I don’t know enough about Vulcan anatomy to be much help.”Spock raised an eyebrow. “I would be pleased to teach you what I know and provide you with educational materials for the rest if you would like? I am reasonably confident that you could set up a practice of your own in town. Many Vulcans have human mates who will need medical care. Would you like to consider the idea, ashayam?”Leonard looked over at Spock in surprise. “I think I would actually.”Jim grinned from his seat. He chuckled as Leonard began to lecture Spock on taking it easy from work for the next week. He could tell Leonard was beginning to warm up to Spock. It would take a while but eventually, Leonard would be comfortable on Vulcan. It amazed Jim how much happiness had come from such a terrifying experience. Vulcans were true romantics at heart. Kidnapping humans for mates after designing crop circles all over the planet? Dramatic, too. Jim couldn’t imagine being happier in his life, however, than he was at that moment with his handsome mates.