Title: Never Dies the Dream
Fandom: Star Trek: the Original Series (Mirror Universe)
Pairing: Mirror!Kirk/Mirror Spock UST
Rating: PG
Length: words
Content notes: Choose not to Warn
Summary: After an assassination attempt during a mission, Jim fell unconscious so Spock must hunt for a cure. (Mirror Universe)
Author's Note:

When the empire sent the ISS Enterprise to suppress civil disorder on Maltar, Jim shook his head. "It must be an excuse to get us off the ship. This place looked like a fake backdrop for Terran fairytales, not that you read them, Mr. Spock."

Spock raised an eyebrow. "It is illogical to spend time on stories targeted at immature minds."

Jim laughed, "Don't let the dragons hear you."

---

Jim ended up getting no sunlight. Since the assassination on Maltar three days ago, he remained unconscious. The assassin was captured and interrogated, but remained unhelpful so far.

Spock wished he could use his private medical facility on the ship, but it was too risky to beam Jim up and expose Jim' weakness to his crew. Vulcans were supposed to master their emotion, but he was dangerously close to get frustrated about the lack of progress.

---

"Any changes to the captain's condition?" Spock asked Doctor McCoy, who looked up from his medical tricorder.

"No. Have you got anything from the bastard that did this?"

Spock stiffened his lips as he looked at Jim. It was unnatural for Jim to be so still. "He is interrogated."

"When you go through with him I want to join in," McCoy said. "I was looking forward to my shore leave"

Spock glared at him. "If the captain does not recover soon, it will be the least of your worry."

McCoy paled and left the room, leaving Spock alone with Jim.

---

While sleeping, Jim looked shockingly young and innocent for the most renowned and hated captain of ISS Enterprise. Tempted, Spock brushed a lock of his hair away from his forehead. It was as soft as he had guessed.

However, the empire did not tolerate weakness. If Jim did not wake up soon, he would be such a huge target that Spock may not be able to protect him.

He took a breath to calm himself. Jim would wake up. His captain defeated the powerful Gorn by himself, captured the First Federation warship and crushed the invading Klingons despite overwhelming odds. He would not be destroyed by an imbalanced assassin.

After posting guards to secure Jim's safety, Spock visited the assassin' cell.

"Have he started to talk?" Spock asked his operative.

"No, my lord." The operative lowered his head.

Spock frowned and marched towards the prisoner.

While Vulcans were feared for their mental ability, it was risky to enter hostile minds, but Spock was running out of time, so he initiated a meld.

"Our minds are merging. Our minds are one. I feel what you feel. I know what you know." With the ritual words, Spock ripped the knowledge from the assassin' mind.

---

Although the doctor administered the cure to Jim, Jim did not wake up.

Spock returned to Jim' bedside. Jim looked calm in his sleep, smiling faintly as if having a good dream.

"Please return to me," Spock whispered. The ship might run on a man' greed, but Spock would only willingly serve Jim as his captain.

Jim' lips opened slightly as if issuing an invitation. Dazed, Spock bowed down to kiss him.

He withdrew quickly as if bitten by a le-matya. What am I doing?

Jim' eyelashes fluttered. His hazel eyes looked up into Spock'. "Status?"

"The ship is under control. Welcome back, Captain."

---

Jim recovered quickly afterwards, striking the terror of the Empire into the planet and returned to the ship in triumph as usual. He behaved the same as before, so Spock' secret was safe.

Part of Spock felt bitter that everything remained as before, but it was not worth risking their good working relationship for sex. At least now he could recreate the taste of Jim' soft warm lips in his dream.