Expectations: The Guardian of Forever
Series Expectations, End of Series
Adventure Sixteen: The Guardian of Forever, Part 4
Author: Aquariuslover
Pairings: KyuWook, Yunjae, YooSu, WooGyu,
Rating: R
Genre: Crossover, Romance, Science Fiction, Adventure,
Length: Chaptered
Beta: tahoeturquoise
Summary: Limitless possibilities.
Prior Adventures
Yunho felt like time was running out.
The look in Yoochun’s eyes had shaken Yunho to the core and had left him very frightened for his friend. Jaejoong’s urgent warnings to go after Yoochun had only cemented that fear.
It felt like it had been a life time ago when Yunho had first met Yoochun at the Star Fleet Entrance Exam Center. They had both passed the test with flying colors, but their shared brilliance was where the similarities between the two boys had ended. Yoochun was as closed as Yunho was open, hated as easily as Yunho loved and was as pessimistic as Yunho was hopeful.
Yoochun had warned Yunho in the beginning that he did not have nor did he want friends; Yunho had laughed in defiance and proved him wrong. As their friendship started to grow Yoochun had shared all with his new friend and when his dark past had not caused Yunho to flinch or pull away in the slightest, the future captain had earned a place in Yoochun’s heart that no other person had ever managed to achieve.
And now Yunho raced through the busy streets on a great black steed, desperate to save that friend who had come to mean so much to him. Ryeowook rode beside him on a beautiful palomino mare. They dodged the crowds while following behind one of the Duke’s groomsmen that Jaejoong had telepathically manipulated into leading them to the Viscount’s residence.
Yunho and Ryeowook both had taken off in search of the engineer leaving Jaejoong and Kyuhyun behind; Jaejoong limited by his need for proximity with Changmin and Kyuhyun limited by his new form.
Yunho wished the ride had been under better circumstances; as a boy he had always taken every opportunity to go horseback riding, and as a member of Star Fleet he had enjoyed riding horses on the holodecks, but nothing was like the real thing.
He envied Ryeowook, who had grown up with horses and rode with complete ease.
Once they reached the Viscount’s estate they quickly dismounted and rushed toward the front entrance. Yunho banged loudly on the door but no one greeted them. Without hesitation Yunho kicked the wooden door in and barged inside with Ryeowook close behind him.
“Shouldn’t a house this size have…servants?” Yunho asked as he quickly started searching the rooms for Yoochun.
“It should,” Ryeowook answered as his eyes scanned the inside of the mansion that was so much different from the Duke’s. It was dark and dusty whereas the Duke’s house had been spotless and filled with colors.
“Let’s split up,” Yunho ordered and pointed up towards the second floor. “We will cover more area that way. If you see any sign of him or anything suspicious yell for me.”
“I will,” Ryeowook agreed and quickly took off.
Yunho continued searching the house to only find it empty, until he opened a door and walked into a room filled with books. In the back of the room was a desk and sitting at that desk, much to Yunho’s surprise, was Heechul.
The captain gaped at the man in astonishment.
Yunho quickly rationalized the man in this reality had to be identical to the Heechul in his own.
“Have you seen the Viscount?” Yunho asked, attempting to cover his initial surprise at seeing someone so similar to his friend.
The man resembling Heechul smiled up at him. “Not recently.”
“Do you know where he is?”
“Yes, I know a great multitude of things, including the location of…the viscount.”
Yunho walked closer to the desk…something did not seem right. “Where is he?”
“I will not tell you.”
“Why not?”
“It is not your place to be with him.”
“Tell me where he,” Yunho demanded, not hiding his sense of urgency.
“No.”
“I must find him…tell me where he is.”
“No, I have a gift for you instead.”
Yunho frowned and monetarily wondered why this man would have a gift for him, but quickly reminded himself he was the duke in this reality. “The only gift I want from you is his location.”
The man leaned back in the chair, chuckled, and folded his arms across his chest. “But you don’t even know what the gift is.”
Yunho remained firm in his determination to find his friend. “I want to know where he is. It is imperative that I find him.”
The man resembling Heechul just shook his head. “You should say thank you…it is a great gift I bestow on you.”
“I will thank you…when you tell me where the Viscount is.”
“You are acting unusually rude, but I will be gracious and not take back the gift.”
Yunho stared at the very familiar man and his mind raced with possibilities…had the imposter made it to this reality? “It is very important that I find him.”
“You are already too late to spare him,” the man told him as he looked down at some papers on the desk. “Also, he wouldn’t want you to see him in his current state.”
Yunho froze; his feeling of unease growing. “What do you mean by that?”
The man looked up at him and there was a familiar sparkle in his eyes. “I warned you to keep a tighter rein on him, but have no fear, that particular friend is not lost to you today.”
“Heechul…”
“But you always let him get away with too much,” the man told him as he stood and stretched out his arms. “It is not entirely your fault…in every life you always see the best in people, and sometimes he is worthy of your faith in him…but sometimes he just breaks your heart.”
“How did you get here?” Yunho gasped as the brilliant doctor walked around the desk towards him.
Heechul stopped in front of Yunho, reached out, and adjusted the lapel on Yunho’s jacket. “I have limitless potential, now.”
“You always did.”
Heechul grinned and winked. “More so now.”
“What does that mean?” Yunho questioned as he reached out and took both of Heechul’s hands in his own. “How can you be here?”
Heechul squeezed Yunho’s hands and then slowly backed away, pulling free of the captain’s touch. “I am no longer bound by the limitations of my physical body or my once damaged mind.”
“No…longer…”
“No; as I said, I have limitless potential now…my fabulousness has no boundaries.”
Yunho froze and struggled to find the words to ask what he feared. Heechul had said Yoochun was not lost to him, but he feared another friend was.
Heechul stopped before exiting the room, glanced back at Yunho and smirked. “I’ll be seeing you, Captain.”
“Are you-” Yunho tried to ask the dreaded question, but Heechul held up a hand hushing him and then vanished.
And before Yunho had time to react he found himself in the most unlikely of places.
***********************
Kyuhyun was pacing the room, hating the fact he was stuck in a young girl’s body, while wishing desperately he could have gone with the captain and his husband.
He was about to ask Jaejoong for the umpteenth time if he had any new information when he suddenly found himself back in his own body and on a starship, but not just any starship; the grandest of all starships.
“What…happened?” a startled Ryeowook, who had been transported along with Kyuhyun, questioned from beside him.
Almost immediately a force field went up around them and the familiar sounding voice of the ship’s computer announced, “Intruder Alert, Deck 33! Intruder Alert! Deck 33, Intruder Alert!”
“It’s the Enterprise…” Kyuhyun whispered as he took in his surroundings.
Ryeowook grabbed Kyuhyun by the wrist, completely taken aback by the other man’s declaration. “How can you be sure…sure…it is the flagship?”
“I was born on this ship and spent most of my childhood on it…I know my mother’s ship.”
“The Guardian…it brought us to your mom. After everything that has-” Ryeowook stopped abruptly as three security guards appeared with their phasers drawn.
Kyuhyun didn’t blink as he urgently commanded, “I am Lieutenant Commander Cho of the U.S.S Expectations and I need to speak with Admiral Cho, urgently.”
The ensign standing in the middle questioned, “The admiral’s deceased son?”
“I am not dead. I am not sure how long I will be here. The Expectations was not destroyed. The anomaly transported the ship to an unknown region of space. We can not even be sure if we are in the same dimension.”
An alarmed Ryeowook let go of Kyuhyun and asked, “Do you think the Guardian will transport us back?”
“I don’t know…I can’t believe it brought us here to begin with,” Kyuhyun explained. “The Guardian is totally unpredictable.”
“Did Jaejoong not say anything before we were transported here? Was he in contact with it?”
“No, Jaejoong didn’t say anything…this was completely unexpected.”
The doctor looked out at the security guards who had their phasers aimed at them, following regulations perfectly. “I hope it your mom’s ship and I hope it doesn’t send us back.”
“The Guardian will do whatever it wants and there isn’t-Mother!” Kyuhyun called out his tone going higher as his mother came into view. The admiral was flanked by her longtime officers; the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Brown, on her right and her Vulcan second in command, Commander T’Vol, was on her left.
Admiral Cho’s face was a perfectly controlled mask
“Ensign Hoya, report,” she ordered, while not taking her eyes off Kyuhyun.
“Admiral, he insists he is your son and that the space anomaly believed to have destroyed the U.S.S Expectations actually transported it to an undetermined place in space.”
Her attention switched to Ryeowook and she asked, “Dr. Cho, is that correct? Did the anomaly transport you while you were on board the Expectations?”
“No,” Kyuhyun answered for his husband, realizing quickly what his mother was really asking. “Ryeowook was on the shuttle…he was separated from the ship. It took us a year to find the shuttle…I thought he was dead.”
“And what of Captain Seung?” she asked, her attention back on her son, her mask still intact.
“Dead,” Kyuhyun answered. “Hundreds dead…the Expectations is manned by a skeleton crew.”
Commander T’Vol prompted, “Explain.”
“The anomaly killed every nonhuman on the ship, and it also killed every male on the ship that was nearing thirty years of age or older…the only females to survive were Lieutenant Sooyoung and the ambassadors’ daughter, Sulli Choi; they were on the shuttle with me,” Ryeowook explained.
“Who is in command?” Admiral Cho asked, stepping closer to the force field.
“Commander Yunho,” Kyuhyun explained, his eyes locked with his mother’s. “I know in this instance you have to be suspicious, and I know all the protocols you must follow, but Mother I swear I am your son and the Expectations is not lost.”
“If you are indeed Kyuhyun Cho then you know your mother must not allow herself to be swayed by emotion,” Commander T’Vol cautioned from behind the admiral.
Dr. Brown scowled at the Vulcan. “Can you pretend to have a heart for a moment?”
“Doctor, I assure you I have a completely functional heart. My heart is a circulatory-”
“Stop,” the admiral commanded as she stood next to the force field, her eyes still fixed on her son. “You spoke of a Guardian…tell me more about it. Describe it.”
“Mom, I swear-”
“Kyuhyun, just answer my question!”
“It is an ancient stone portal. It has a liquid blue center. It is able to transport people back in time,” Kyuhyun replied.
Ryeowook grabbed Kyuhyun’s hand and elaborated, “Not just the past…it can transport anyone to any time and place…to different realities. It is called the Guardian of Time…although I believe it has many other names.”
“Lower the force field,” the admiral ordered.
“Admiral, I must object-”
“T’Vol, shut up,” Dr. Brown snapped as he watched the force field lower on the Admiral’s command. He watched with great happiness as his oldest friend embraced both of her beloved boys.
***********************
Junsu watched, racked with both pain and confusion, as Yoochun vomited all over the floor. He didn’t understand how Yoochun could save him one minute and flee from him the next. He just wanted the commander to come back to him, to hold him.
“Yoochun...Yoochun,” Junsu pleaded, not understanding anything and before any answer could come he found himself in a very different kind of room.
The current room had a wood floor and the walls were made of glass.
Sunlight filled the room with a bright and encompassing light.
The pain was gone but the confusion remained.
Yoochun was across the room from him on all fours and his bearing was unchanged, as if he was unaware of their new location. “Yoochun…we are safe,” Junsu called out. He didn’t know where they were but he felt as if they had been rescued…that they were in a safe place…a place full of warmth, love, and understanding…he could feel it.
The only response the engineer gave him was a bitter, painful laugh.
“Open your eyes and you will see,” Junsu begged. “Open your eyes. We are not there anymore…” Junsu paused as an elderly human woman walked into the room with a young child…a Bolian child at her side. Junsu stared at the child at a loss. Bolians were members of the Federation.
“Yes, and we are in Federation Space,” the woman said, answering his unasked question as she looked curiously down at him.
Junsu gaped up at her and was shocked to see her irises were completely black. “You are a Betazoid!”
Her eyes darted away from Junsu to gaze down at Yoochun, who had sat up to stare at her in astonishment. “Yes, I am a Betazoid and we are on Betazed.”
A stunned Junsu stammered, “We…we are in the…the Alpha Quadrant?”
“Yes, young man,” she answered. “You have a remarkably loud mind. Betazoid children would love to train with you.”
“Old Crow,” Yoochun muttered, not believing his eyes.
Junsu watched as the old woman walked toward the devastated looking engineer. She gently reached down, rested a wrinkled hand against Yoochun’s cheek and told her old student, “You are wrong.”
Yoochun did not move away from her. “No, I am not…I am not.”
“You are,” she insisted with unwavering certainty.
“I am evil…and I never had a choice.”
“No,” she protested firmly, carefully bending her aged body down. She placed her other hand against his face forcing him to look her in the eye. “There is no such thing as evil, there is only absence of genuine feeling and absence of empathy…you are not lacking of either of these qualities…you are full of feeling…full of empathy…full of love.”
Yoochun shook his head frantically, eager to free himself from her touch. “No…no!”
“You were never evil, child.”
Junsu opened his mouth to agree with the woman…he felt it was essential that he agree with her in that moment, but he never had the chance.
*****************
One reality gave way to another.
It was twilight and the night was just beginning.
Yunho immediately felt the presence of his bondmate beside him.
He turned to look upon his great love and noticed Jaejoong’s attention was fixated on the sky.
Yunho followed his gaze and he could not believe his eyes as he took in the sight. Only a few stars appeared in the sky, but what familiar stars they were! Stars he had learned about at his father’s knee as a young child.
Before he could find his voice a beloved howl broke through the silence.
“Lady!” Yunho gasped as the old, yellow Labrador appeared in front of him. He ran to her, quickly realizing he was in his mother’s garden. “Lady!”
The old dog barked joyfully at being reunited with her most favorite of all humans.
“Old girl,” Yunho cried out as he lavished the dog with love and affection.
“Yunho…look up.”
His heart stilled as he followed his mate’s silent command and looked up to find his stunned mother staring at him. Time seemed to slow as he watched the basket of fresh tomatoes she was carrying drop to the ground. Her whole body shook as she realized her long lost son had finally returned to her.
“Mom…momma.”
“Yun…Yunho…Yunho…Yunho!”
“It’s me…it really is,” Yunho promised as he engulfed her trembling body in a strong embrace. “It really is.”
“Yunho,” she cried out in happiness, clinging to her son.
“Momma.”
“They said…they said you were dead…they said you were dead…Yunho…my sweet, brave boy,” she cried. “They said you were dead!”
“Momma, I am fine.”
“I am so happy…I missed you…I love you, so much. I missed you!”
“I love you, momma. I missed you, too.”
“Changmin…is he okay?” She questioned urgently, remembering her other lost boy. “Tell me he is okay. Tell me Changmin is safe.”
“He is fine,” Yunho vowed. “He’s just…” he pulled away from her and cupped her face with the palms of hands and explained, “He’s a baby now.”
Her face lit up in joy. “You found his mother.”
Yunho let out a laugh and looked at his mate expecting to find a look of indignation, but instead found a tearful Jaejoong watching the both of them. “You could say that.”
She turned to look at Jaejoong and her gaze settled on the baby in his arms. “Is that…is that my Changmin?”
“That is him,” Yunho answered as he reached down and clasped his mother’s hand and led her toward his mate and his child. “Jaejoong, are you okay?”
“No, I am not. I am being assaulted with…with too much emotion…your mother…and even the blasted dog is getting to me.”
“Oh, look at him…of course he is Changmin,” she told them with the widest smile spread across her face as looked upon the infant. “I never knew him when he was this little…but I know it’s him. Even though…he is very different…but those eyes…I’d know them in any color. Can I hold him?”
“No, Momma…this will sound crazy, but he’s empathic and our emotions can upset him. I am not even allowed to hold him yet…and he was just born earlier today.”
“Oh, he’s empathic,” Yunho mother responded as she smiled at Jaejoong and reached out to gently wipe away the Joong’s tears. “Did he get that ability from you?”
*********************
The air was running out.
One of the warp nacelles had broken off from the ship, taking countless lives with it.
Cracks lined the walls of the ship as its integrity slowly gave way.
Half of the bridge crew was unconscious and the other half fought for every breath as the cold, oxygen depleted air assaulted them.
Sunggyu wished he could have seen Woohyun one last time, but he quickly pushed all regrets from his mind. In life he had not dwelled on regrets and he refused to do so in death.
“I estimate we have less than 90 seconds,” Sooyoung said from beside him in the first officer’s chair, sounding professional until the very end.
“Shortest captaincy ever,” Sunggyu told her, managing to sound relaxed.
“It does make for a strong…strong argument against mutiny.”
Sunggyu laughed with the last of his strength and he thought it was better to die laughing than dwelling on what could have been. His vision blurred and he felt faint, but before he lost consciousness a blue glow started filling the room. The blue glow filled all the ship and seeped out into space around the ship and spread out toward the planet and the dying sun.
Sunggyu thought he must be hallucinating, but as the blue glow grew brighter he felt stronger.
He inhaled the air that was now filled with life sustaining oxygen. “What’s happening?”
“I don’t know,” Sooyoung answered, staring perplexedly at the blue glow.
Sunggyu got up from the captain’s chair and walked toward the display, his eyes fixed on the sun that has been on the verge of exploding seconds ago. “It’s even out in space…it is everywhere.”
“It seems to have…healing properties.”
“It does…I feel fine.”
“As do I,” Lieutenant Sooyoung concurred as the rest of the bridge crew started waking up.
“It seems to be dissipating,” Sunggyu pointed out as the glow disappeared leaving a perfectly intact ship behind in its place. “The sun appears stable now.”
“So is the ship…it seems.”
“Check the warp nacelle and see if it’s still attached!” Sunggyu ordered as he tried to understand what was going on. He hit his combadge. “Henry! What’s going on?”
“I was going to ask you the same thing,” Henry’s voice replied. “I thought I was a goner…I saw the light but then I thought it was odd that it was blue. Next thing I know I am fine. Did you happen to make a deal with God?”
“Not that I know of…but if I had known it was an option I would have been open to negotiations.”
“Lieutenant,” Lieutenant Sooyoung called from her science station. “The ship is fully intact…and also, the planet is undamaged and full of life.”
An astonished Sunggyu gaped at her in disbelief. “How is that possible? Billions were dead on that planet…it was devoid of life! Was it an illusion?”
“I don’t know,” she replied just as surprised. “It’s like it never happened.”
Sunggyu tapped his combadge. “Woohyun…Doctor Nam, is there any report of causalities or injuries?”
There was pause before Woohyun replied, “Just one…death that I am aware of.”
Sunggyu inhaled a deep breath and asked, “Who?”
“Heechul…” Yunho, who had suddenly appeared on the bridge along with Jaejoong, Yoochun, Junsu, Kyuhyun, Ryeowook, and baby Changmin, answered solemnly.
“Junsu!” Eunhyuk immediately exclaimed, jumping up from his seat and rushing to his best friend, engulfing him in a tight hug. “You are back!”
“Why do you believe Heechul to be dead?” a very surprised Jaejoong asked telepathically.
“Because he is.”
“That…he’s right…Heechul is dead,” Woohyun explained after a pause. “The imposter…had a dagger…and he was going to stab Sulli with it, but at the last second Heechul pulled her away and was stabbed instead…Kangin said it was him…the real Dr. Kim, in that moment.”
An anguished Ryeowook stepped forward and demanded, “How did a stab wound kill him? Surely you put him in stasis!”
“I couldn’t!” Woohyun replied, sounding just as anguished over the communication’s link. “I couldn’t do anything at the time…the ship was falling apart around us and it was no ordinary dagger.”
Ryeowook refused to believe that Kim Heechul had been done in by a stab wound. “I have to see his body. I have-”
“Stop!” Yunho ordered, interrupting Dr. Cho. “He’s dead…I know he is.”
“How do you know?” Kyuhyun asked the captain, dismayed by his certainty.
“The Guardian…allowed me to say goodbye to him,” Yunho answered and then focused on Sunggyu. “Back to the part about the ship falling apart…it appears fine.”
Sunggyu shared a quick look glance Lieutenant Sooyoung before he responded, “Timing is everything, Sir.”
***********************
24hrs later
“Hold up!”
Sunggyu, who had been about to exit his quarters, turned around to find Woohyun standing behind him. “Commander Yoochun has a list of things he wants me to do. And when I say list I mean he actually wrote it out on paper. Nobody does that…not this century or for the last two centuries for that matter.”
“You deserve a night off.”
“He doesn’t think so.”
“He should be grateful for all you did for him.”
“Not when efficiency was down to 88%.”
“I thought the blue glow…made everything perfect.”
“It did…we are at 100% efficiency now, but at one time while he was gone it dropped to 88%.”
“You were kinda busy.”
“I know this, but he does not like excuses…or even to listen to them. That impostors had control of the ship…that one incredibly inept one was in control of engineering for most of the entirety he was gone doesn’t matter to him.”
“How can it not?”
“Have you…ever met him?”
“You know I have.”
“Well, he is the definition of demanding on a good day…and this is not a good day.”
Woohyun walked up closer to Sunggyu and reached out and touched the rank pips on the collar of Sunggyu’s uniform. “Least you get to stay a lieutenant.”
Sunggyu shrugged. “That is a bright spot in all of this.”
The doctor let his hand slide down Sunggyu’s body till he reached the other man’s hand. He clasped it tightly. “We need to talk.”
“No, we don’t.”
“Yes, we do.”
“There is nothing I need to talk to you about,” Sunggyu said with careful emphasis. “I am perfectly content with the current state of things.”
Woohyun shook his head in frustration. “I am going to end up sexually assaulting you…if you keep this up!”
Sunggyu pushed Woohyun away. “You are insane!”
“I am insane! You are driving me insane!”
“Stop joking!”
“I am going insane…insane with love for you! I am in love with you and we need to do something about that. I have been extremely patient with you,” the very exasperated doctor declared. “But you are pushing me past my limits!”
“I know…you have been patient,” Sunggyu admitted reluctantly. “You have been great.”
“Great?” Woohyun snapped. “I have been more than great. I am fucking fantastic! I have been the most perfect friend and glorified sidekick anyone could ever ask for. I’ve betrayed my home world for you, taken on a Joong, climbed frozen mountains, been almost killed by blood sucking spiders, lied to the entire ship, planned a mutiny with you, and let’s not forget I saved your ass, not to mention the ship’s, when I wouldn’t allow Henry to give up during the breach.”
Sunggyu opened his mouth and then closed it knowing nothing he said would make the doctor happy, because everything the doctor had just said was true. Woohyun was amazing and he knew he owed him an enormous debt.
“And I did all of this while remaining celibate the entire time! I don’t believe in celibacy! I think sex makes people happy! I think people should have it all the time. As a doctor, I encourage people to have sex as much as they can! I also self prescribe!”
Sunggyu squinted his eyes at the other man and asked in an over dramatized voice, “Sooo…I should have sex with you because I am grateful for everything you have done?”
“Yes!” Woohyun declared and pointed toward the bedroom. “Strip and go get on the bed, now!”
“You are insane!”
“We have already established that!”
“Woohyun, listen to me,” Sunggyu ordered as he rubbed his forehead. “I think you are gr-fucking fantastic! If I was going to be with anyone on this ship it would be you. You are the only one I want to be with, but I am not going to be with anyone on this ship. I think I might have given you the wrong impression.”
“Oh…no…not you, you’re not confusing at all…even though I am the only one you would be with on this ship! The only one you want to be with!”
A flustered Sunggyu snapped, “Sarcasm noted!”
Woohyun couldn’t help but smile at the flustered man. “So tell me how you gave me the wrong idea.”
“When I told you about how I decided to join Star Fleet…I might have made it sound romantic…but I am not romantic or whimsical.”
Woohyun folded his arms across his chest and tried his best to keep from laughing at the other man. “I assure you, I would never describe you as whimsical.”
“Good, because I am driven…some things might come easier to me than they do to most people, but I am still very driven. I am a newly made lieutenant…I have added duties now. I can not allow myself to become distracted and getting entangled in a romantic relationship with you would be very distracting.”
“I assure you, it would be a good distraction.”
Sunggyu glared and continued, “The captain does not only want me assisting Commander Yoochun in Engineering…he also wants me to assist Ensign Kangin in running security…Ensign Kangin who has no experience running a department. With Lieutenant Sungmin still in the brig that department is going to be a mess. I am going to have my hands quite full.”
“So no romance…”
“No,” Sunggyu replied, showing his relief. “I am glad you understand.”
Woohyun looked extremely sour. “I don’t understand.”
“I know you do.”
“No, I don’t.”
“I have to focus on my career.”
“Do you want to know what I think?”
“No…no, probably not.”
“I think you are asexual.”
“I’m not.”
“You are…those kisses before…like you said, they were an act. You are the perfect definition of asexual, and believe me, I have read the manuals. You like the thought of us being together, but when it is time to get naked you are all eww and gross!”
A blank faced Sunggyu denied, “I do not act like that.”
“I thought you were going to throw up on me the last time I kissed you.”
“You assaulted me while I was sleeping!”
“It makes perfect sense now.”
“I am not asexual.”
“I don’t know why you are denying it. It isn’t even considered an ailment among your people.”
“I am not asexual!”
“Just my fucking luck,” Woohyun complained as he turned and headed toward the bedroom.
Sunggyu grabbed Woohyun by the arm and jerked him back around until they were facing each other. “I know what you are doing and it isn’t going to work.”
“I am not doing anything but preaching the truth!”
The lieutenant leaned his head in until his mouth was brushing against Woohyun’s ear and he whispered, “You are trying to goad me into proving that I am not asexual.”
Woohyun mentally cursed the blush he could feel creeping across his cheeks. “No…no…”
“So you don’t want me to drag you into the bedroom and have my way with you?”
“Well…I wouldn’t…object.”
Sunggyu smirked, let go of Woohyun and headed toward the door. “Nice try, but I am not that easily manipulated.”
Woohyun fumed as the other man exited the room.
Woohyun waited for a few moments before he stormed out of their quarters and toward sickbay. He told himself that if Sunggyu was going to focus on his career then he would do the same. He would go check on Shindong; the man had awakened and was in perfect health but they still had been unable to determine what the imposter had infected him with. Woohyun told himself he would focus on work and stay patient a little longer. He knew Sunggyu couldn’t hold out forever. He knew the other man wanted him.
“Hey, Doctor.”
Woohyun, who had been lost in his own thoughts stopped and noticed the ship’s resident hypochondriac looking at him. “Ensign Sungyeol, I assure you…you are not sick.”
“Did I say I was sick?”
“I am sure it is coming, but let me assure you…nothing is wrong with you. You are not sick.”
“Really, you can confidently say that without an examination?”
Woohyun pointed at his eyes. “My eyes are examining you now and you are perfectly fine.”
Sungyeol cockily ran a hand through the front of his hair. “So you find me attractive?”
Woohyun sputtered, “What?”
“You just said I was fine,” Sungyeol pointed out and winked at the doctor.
“That isn’t what I meant.”
“I am good looking though.”
“Yeah…I suppose so.”
“Good, I agree with your assessment; let’s go on a date.”
“A date…” an incredulous Woohyun repeated in disbelief. He couldn’t imagine anyone he would want to date less on the ship.
“Did people not date on your hick planet? Did they just arrange marriages at birth?”
Woohyun glowered. “I dated…just not my patients!”
“You are one of two doctors on this ship, so we are all your potential patients.”
“Yeah…true, but not everyone is as frequently a patient as you,” Woohyun pointed out to the other man, while noticing for the first time Sungyeol was not in uniform. He was in shorts and a tank top. “Why are you dressed like that?”
“Captain Yunho has not ordered the holodecks to be shut down yet, so a group of us decided we would get together and watch a soccer game while they were still open. Since you won’t “date” your patients, you could join us.”
“How big a group?”
“About ten of us.”
Woohyun pondered the offer for only a few seconds before agreeing, “Sure, why not.”
Sungyeol smiled smugly. “Knew you couldn’t resist me.”
Woohyun groaned as they headed for the holodeck. “Let me assure I am in no way interested in you.”
“You say that now.”
“If I was any less interested in you…you wouldn’t exist.”
**********************
“Please, do not go in there!” a very nervous looking ensign pleaded, following after a defiant Ensign Junsu as he stormed though engineering and towards Commander Yoochun’s office.
“I have to talk to him.”
“He has ordered that he is not to be disturbed.”
“I don’t care,” Ensign Junsu told the other man.
The younger ensign looked at Junsu like he was crazy. He couldn’t imagine anyone willingly antagonizing Commander Yoochun.
The look on the other man’s face had Junsu promising, “It will be okay.”
“I am going to go hide,” the younger ensign replied and took off in a hurry.
Junsu watched as the other man high-tailed it away from him. Doubt started setting in, but he quickly pushed it aside and entered the office.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Commander Yoochun, who was sitting behind his desk, demanded while not looking even remotely pleased to see Junsu.
“We need to talk.”
“Are you the captain or are you even Lieutenant Sunggyu?”
“You know I am not.”
“Well, those are the only two people allowed in this office. Not even Commander Cho is allowed in here.”
“He’s second in command of the ship.”
“I don’t give a shit if he is a fucking admiral like his damned parents. He couldn’t keep his dick in his pants, and I almost died because of it. He’s only second in command by default anyway…what has he ever done for this ship…except get kidnapped?”
“You are in quite the mood…but we still need to talk,” Junsu stated, trying his best to maintain his nerve.
Yoochun looked away from Junsu to focus on his work. “We have nothing to talk about.”
“How can you say that…after what happened?” Junsu asked at a loss. “You saved my life.”
“Big deal.”
“It is a big deal!”
“To you.”
“Yoochun, why are you acting like this?”
Yoochun looked up from his work, his gaze dark. “That is Commander Yoochun to you, Ensign Junsu.”
“Why are being like this…who was that old woman to you on Betazoid? Why did you say you were evil? I don’t understand what happened.”
“Has your little flea brain already forgotten what was said at the briefing? She was an old psychiatrist of mine.”
Junsu flinched. “But I don’t understand…why you were so insistent about being evil…you were so upset.”
“You are an idiot,” Yoochun declared, leaning back in his chair. “The person my soul inhabited was the murderer in the reality we visited. The realities blurred for me…it’s not like I am asking you to understand the transwarp theory…this is simple. Changmin in his current state could probably understand this.”
Junsu fought against the urge to flee and forced himself to ask the most important question. “What about us?”
“There is no us.”
“No…there is…I know there is. We can be together now. I want to be with you,” Junsu admitted sincerely, with all his heart. “I want us to be together.”
The look Yoochun gave him was full of scorn. “You fool, don’t you understand I only wanted you…when I couldn’t have you; when you were a challenge. Now that you are so pathetic and needy I am no longer interested in you.”
Junsu just stared at him, speechless.
“I had actually lost interest in you long before our little trip to Dinosaur Land but I had limited options there…it was either you or the flying monkeys…and I wasn’t sure I could catch one of them. You were the easier option, although I am sure I would have had more stimulating conversations with the monkeys.”
Something inside Junsu changed…hardened. “Go to hell.”
Yoochun watched as, enraged, Junsu turned and stomped out of his office.
Once the door whooshed shut, leaving him alone in his office, his mask of derision fell away. “Goodbye Junsu.”
*****************
Jaejoong was resting lazily on the bed when he felt Yunho enter their quarters.
Yunho stopped at the doorway to the bedroom, leaned against it, and watched his mate and their baby, who was resting peacefully in Jaejoong’s arms.
“I am going to start charging you for viewing rights.”
“I have a replicator at my disposal; charge whatever you like.”
Jaejoong patted the spot next to him on the bed. “Come sit for a moment.”
“I have a million things to do.”
“I insist.”
Yunho shook his head. “I really just came to get my rejuvenating look-see…and to make sure it isn’t a dream.”
“A dream?”
“You two are my perfect dream, but now I must go find Yoochun and find out what is going on in his head.”
“You should leave Yoochun alone.”
“No,” Yunho disagreed. “I know you are telepathic and empathic but I most certainly should not leave him alone.”
Jaejoong sighed and looked worriedly at his mate, thinking about what Yunho might find out…what he might not be able to accept about his friend. In the briefings, Yoochun had left out a crucial detail…that he had killed a man. Jaejoong had not said anything and he was still debating if he ever would. Jaejoong knew if he had been in Yoochun’s position he would have most likely done the same thing but with his mind, not a knife. “If you come and sit with us…I will let you hold him.”
“I…could hold him?” Yunho questioned, but immediately headed for the bed, unable to hide his excitement. “I can hold him already?”
Jaejoong nodded his head as he watched his lover sit down beside him, “If you remain calm. You have to be cool.”
“I was born cool.”
The Joong laughed as he carefully situated Changmin in Yunho’s arms. “You can’t steal him away from me though. I forbid it.”
Yunho gazed down at his son with unconditional love. “I make no promises.”
Jaejoong felt some of the burden lift from Yunho’s soul and confessed, “I really liked your mom.”
“She’s the best.”
“Meeting her helped me.”
Yunho looked away from his son to stare at his mate. “Helped with what?”
“To deal with my agitation with you and others.”
“I am confused…why are you agitated now?”
“Because you all constantly view me as Changmin’s mother.”
“I don’t…I kinda do…do that…don’t I?”
“Yes, you do,” Jaejoong told his mate. “But since I am getting compared to such an extraordinary human I will attempt to be less agitated.”
“She is extraordinary.”
“I am sorry you didn’t get to stay longer with her.”
“Yeah,” Yunho agreed, gazing back down at his son, who was perfectly content in his father’s arms. “We got pulled away too soon.”
“Ryeowook and Kyuhyun feel the same.”
“At least Kyuhyun got to relay some information about our location and our predicament…all I did was pet the dog and hug my mom.”
“I think you hugged the dog, too.”
Yunho grinned. “I missed that dog.”
“I don’t blame you…she is very devoted to you. She was so happy to see you.”
Yunho looked away from his son to smile proudly at Jaejoong. “I love that you can feel animal’s emotions.”
“I feel emotions and emotions are not limited to humans.”
“No,” Yunho agreed.
Jaejoong placed a hand on Yunho’s elbow and softly coaxed, “I have showed remarkable restraint by not using my telepathy to find my answers, but now I must ask…how did you know Heechul was dead?”
Yunho closed his eyes remembering his last moment with his friend. “I saw him.”
“You saw him where?”
“When I went to look for Yoochun…I found Heechul instead.”
“The imposter?”
“No, the real Heechul…he was there.”
“How could he have been there?” Jaejoong asked as he became aware of Yunho feeling slightly embarrassed, “Why do you feel…embarrassed?”
“This is going to sound really crazy when I say this…so, I am going to say it telepathically. Changmin might remember this conversation someday and I can already hear him scolding me for it.”
“Go on.”
“You know I have gone over most of everything the imposters said while they were on the ship. That I have listened to every moment the ship recorded of them speaking alone together.”
“Yes.”
“I think…I think they were trapped here…and they just wanted to end their constant limbo.”
“We knew that.”
“But I think…I think others of their kind ascended to become higher beings…but the imposters were forbidden that option.”
“Go on…”
“I think Heechul…was able to get through to the being controlling him. I think Heechul somehow changed it…what the being lacked before…what prevented it from ascending was resolved by Heechul’s presence.”
Jaejoong’s already large eyes appeared to double in size. “You think Heechul is a God now!”
“I don’t know if I would use that word, but I think he is a higher being now. I think he ascended to higher plain of existence.”
“Did he tell you that?”
“He kinda did.”
“What did he say?”
“He said he had unlimited potential now and…”
“And what?”
Yunho looked back down at Changmin and smiled. “He told me was going to give me a great gift.”
Jaejoong frowned. “That gift you’re holding…I gave you that gift!”
Yunho laughed and nodded his head. “Although Changmin is the greatest gift anyone could ever give me…I believe it was Heechul who allowed me to see my mother, who saved the ship, who stopped an exploding sun, and who restored life to the planet Zilax.”
“You act…you feel as if that is absolutely true…as if you have no doubts.”
“I believe it is. The blue glow-the light that restored the ship, restored the planet, and restored the sun…it originated with Heechul’s body.”
Jaejoong pondered Yunho’s words. “I am sure you are aware of the rumors surrounding my people…that some of them ascended into higher beings.”
“I remember Shindong telling me that story long ago.”
“There might be some truth to that...story.”
Yunho arched both his eyebrows reminding Jaejoong of a grown Changmin. “Really?”
“I am just saying…if there was any truth to that story and maybe if those Gods who the imposters thought were totally ambivalent…weren’t so ambivalent after all; perhaps they are responsible for everything that happened. That Woman did manage to contact Joong.”
“Yes, the Joong Elders arrived on the planet and took what the imposters were looking for…I didn’t even know there were Joong Elders. What else should I know about Joong?”
“Don’t ask me questions I can’t answer…because honestly, I really don’t know all the answers myself. I was always more interested in getting away from Joong than studying it’s very long history…and when I say long I mean very long.”
“Even if your theory is right…I still know in my gut that Heechul still exists.”
“Your gut again?”
“My gut.”
“Isn’t his funeral tomorrow?”
Sadness encompassed Yunho’s expression and Changmin let out a small cry, causing Jaejoong to reach out and take Changmin’s small hand in his. The baby was immediately soothed.
Yunho closed his eyes and pushed his sadness away, not wanting his son to experience it. “The human that Heechul was…that magnificent man is gone, but his soul…I know it isn’t lost. I know he is still out there.”
Jaejoong leaned in and kissed Yunho on the cheek. “Well, he better keep his immortal hands off you, then.”
Yunho’s whole body shook with laughter. “You never cease to amaze me.”
“Don’t you forget it,” Jaejoong teased. “Although, having an immortal being on our side…might come in handy in the future.”
“It might,” Yunho agreed.
“Especially considering your most tiring habit of putting yourself into dangerous predicaments.”
Before Yunho had time to protest, red lights starting flashing and the computer announced, “INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT! HANGER DECK! INTRUDER ALERT.”
“Seriously? Not again!” Yunho groaned aloud. He regretfully handed Changmin back to Jaejoong, quickly got off the bed and tapped his combadge. “Bridge, what is going on?”
“Captain,” came Commander Cho’s immediate response. “There are an increasing number of human life signs appearing in the hanger deck. We are up to eighteen at the moment.”
“Meet me there,” Yunho ordered, before turning back to his mate. “Jaejoong?”
Jaejoong had not moved from the bed as he focused his telepathy on the hanger deck.
“Jaejoong,” Yunho repeated. “What is it?”
The Joong smiled up at his mate and assured him, “It’s a good thing. It’s a very good thing.”
“Intruders are good? Since when?”
“These intruders are good,” Jaejoong insisted, not moving from the bed.
“Are you not coming with me?”
Jaejoong shook his head. “Nope, you got this.”
“Okay…” Yunho replied as he rushed from the room.
*********************
Yunho met Commander Cho and the new head of security, Acting Lieutenant Kangin, at the entrance to the hanger deck.
“Jaejoong is not with you,” Commander Cho pointed out, slightly startled by the Joong’s absence.
“No,” Yunho responded. “He said the intruders…are a good thing.”
“A good thing?” Kangin repeated, not bothering to hide his confusion. “Why would he say that?”
“I don’t know, so let’s find out gentleman,” Yunho ordered as he boldly entered the hanger bay. He immediately came to a dead stop as he laid eyes on the intruders.
“Dear Heavens,” Kangin gasped as he took in the unbelievable sight. “Can it be true?”
“Computer, lower the force field,” Yunho ordered immediately and the force field dissipated. He stared out at the growing number of Star Fleet personal that had appeared in the hanger deck.
A determined looking young man approached Yunho with what appeared to be official orders in his hand.
The young officer stopped in front of Yunho and saluted him. “Sir, I am Ensign Hoya, formerly of the U.S.S Enterprise; Admiral Cho sends her regards.”
An astonished Yunho reached out and took the orders the ensign handed him.
“Captain Yunho,” Ensign Hoya continued. “By order of Star Fleet Command you have been made the official captain of the U.S.S Expectations.”
Yunho stared blankly at the young ensign. “The official…the official captain?”
“Yes, Sir,” Hoya stated. “By order of Star Fleet Command and with the full support of the Federation, you are herby raised in rank to Captain.”
“I just saw you on the Enterprise,” Commander Cho told the ensign, not hiding his surprise at what his mother had managed to accomplish in so little time.
“Commander Cho, since you were last aboard the U.S.S Enterprise, 22 Earth days have passed,” Ensign Hoya answered.
Yunho, who was slowly taking everything in, asked, “But how did you get here?”
“When Commander Cho was on the U.S.S. Enterprise he spoke of a Guardian of Time. In our galaxy there is also such a time portal and it is called the Guardian of Forever. Knowledge of its existence is strictly guarded by Star Fleet and the Federation. It was discovered in 2267 by the late, great Captain James T. Kirk and Ambassador Spock. Admiral Cho had knowledge of the time portal.”
Captain Yunho looked out at the ever growing number of new crew members. “Ensign Hoya, is the Guardian allowing these people to pass through it?”
“Yes, Sir,” Hoya explained. “It will allow some whose ancestry is of Earth to pass through it. Captain, I assure you it is Star Fleet Command’s intention to have the U.S.S Expectations fully manned and at your command.”
Yunho watched as the number of crew members continued to increase. “This is much welcomed news…much welcomed news, Ensign Hoya.”
Commander Cho smiled proudly at Yunho. “Congratulations, on your official promotion to Captain…nobody can take the ship from you now.”
Kangin beamed with happiness. “Congratulations, buddy! A fully manned ship! Hell, we won’t know how to act. This is a day we won’t forget.”
“No,” Commander Cho agreed.
Yunho stared out at his new crew, mindful of all those lost during their journey. “We won’t forget this day or the days that led to it, and the price some paid.”
“No, we won’t forget…we won’t ever forget,” Kangin said, remembering old friends, but he quickly pushed the sadness away and patted Yunho on the back. “But I think things are finally looking up for us.”
“Indeed they are, indeed they are,” Yunho agreed, knowing life was full of blessings and hardships, but most importantly it was full of endless possibilities. Endless possibilities he had just begun to explore, but he intended to; he intended to explore each and every one of them.
The end.
Adventure Sixteen: The Guardian of Forever, Part 4
Author: Aquariuslover
Pairings: KyuWook, Yunjae, YooSu, WooGyu,
Rating: R
Genre: Crossover, Romance, Science Fiction, Adventure,
Length: Chaptered
Beta: tahoeturquoise
Summary: Limitless possibilities.
Prior Adventures
Yunho felt like time was running out.
The look in Yoochun’s eyes had shaken Yunho to the core and had left him very frightened for his friend. Jaejoong’s urgent warnings to go after Yoochun had only cemented that fear.
It felt like it had been a life time ago when Yunho had first met Yoochun at the Star Fleet Entrance Exam Center. They had both passed the test with flying colors, but their shared brilliance was where the similarities between the two boys had ended. Yoochun was as closed as Yunho was open, hated as easily as Yunho loved and was as pessimistic as Yunho was hopeful.
Yoochun had warned Yunho in the beginning that he did not have nor did he want friends; Yunho had laughed in defiance and proved him wrong. As their friendship started to grow Yoochun had shared all with his new friend and when his dark past had not caused Yunho to flinch or pull away in the slightest, the future captain had earned a place in Yoochun’s heart that no other person had ever managed to achieve.
And now Yunho raced through the busy streets on a great black steed, desperate to save that friend who had come to mean so much to him. Ryeowook rode beside him on a beautiful palomino mare. They dodged the crowds while following behind one of the Duke’s groomsmen that Jaejoong had telepathically manipulated into leading them to the Viscount’s residence.
Yunho and Ryeowook both had taken off in search of the engineer leaving Jaejoong and Kyuhyun behind; Jaejoong limited by his need for proximity with Changmin and Kyuhyun limited by his new form.
Yunho wished the ride had been under better circumstances; as a boy he had always taken every opportunity to go horseback riding, and as a member of Star Fleet he had enjoyed riding horses on the holodecks, but nothing was like the real thing.
He envied Ryeowook, who had grown up with horses and rode with complete ease.
Once they reached the Viscount’s estate they quickly dismounted and rushed toward the front entrance. Yunho banged loudly on the door but no one greeted them. Without hesitation Yunho kicked the wooden door in and barged inside with Ryeowook close behind him.
“Shouldn’t a house this size have…servants?” Yunho asked as he quickly started searching the rooms for Yoochun.
“It should,” Ryeowook answered as his eyes scanned the inside of the mansion that was so much different from the Duke’s. It was dark and dusty whereas the Duke’s house had been spotless and filled with colors.
“Let’s split up,” Yunho ordered and pointed up towards the second floor. “We will cover more area that way. If you see any sign of him or anything suspicious yell for me.”
“I will,” Ryeowook agreed and quickly took off.
Yunho continued searching the house to only find it empty, until he opened a door and walked into a room filled with books. In the back of the room was a desk and sitting at that desk, much to Yunho’s surprise, was Heechul.
The captain gaped at the man in astonishment.
Yunho quickly rationalized the man in this reality had to be identical to the Heechul in his own.
“Have you seen the Viscount?” Yunho asked, attempting to cover his initial surprise at seeing someone so similar to his friend.
The man resembling Heechul smiled up at him. “Not recently.”
“Do you know where he is?”
“Yes, I know a great multitude of things, including the location of…the viscount.”
Yunho walked closer to the desk…something did not seem right. “Where is he?”
“I will not tell you.”
“Why not?”
“It is not your place to be with him.”
“Tell me where he,” Yunho demanded, not hiding his sense of urgency.
“No.”
“I must find him…tell me where he is.”
“No, I have a gift for you instead.”
Yunho frowned and monetarily wondered why this man would have a gift for him, but quickly reminded himself he was the duke in this reality. “The only gift I want from you is his location.”
The man leaned back in the chair, chuckled, and folded his arms across his chest. “But you don’t even know what the gift is.”
Yunho remained firm in his determination to find his friend. “I want to know where he is. It is imperative that I find him.”
The man resembling Heechul just shook his head. “You should say thank you…it is a great gift I bestow on you.”
“I will thank you…when you tell me where the Viscount is.”
“You are acting unusually rude, but I will be gracious and not take back the gift.”
Yunho stared at the very familiar man and his mind raced with possibilities…had the imposter made it to this reality? “It is very important that I find him.”
“You are already too late to spare him,” the man told him as he looked down at some papers on the desk. “Also, he wouldn’t want you to see him in his current state.”
Yunho froze; his feeling of unease growing. “What do you mean by that?”
The man looked up at him and there was a familiar sparkle in his eyes. “I warned you to keep a tighter rein on him, but have no fear, that particular friend is not lost to you today.”
“Heechul…”
“But you always let him get away with too much,” the man told him as he stood and stretched out his arms. “It is not entirely your fault…in every life you always see the best in people, and sometimes he is worthy of your faith in him…but sometimes he just breaks your heart.”
“How did you get here?” Yunho gasped as the brilliant doctor walked around the desk towards him.
Heechul stopped in front of Yunho, reached out, and adjusted the lapel on Yunho’s jacket. “I have limitless potential, now.”
“You always did.”
Heechul grinned and winked. “More so now.”
“What does that mean?” Yunho questioned as he reached out and took both of Heechul’s hands in his own. “How can you be here?”
Heechul squeezed Yunho’s hands and then slowly backed away, pulling free of the captain’s touch. “I am no longer bound by the limitations of my physical body or my once damaged mind.”
“No…longer…”
“No; as I said, I have limitless potential now…my fabulousness has no boundaries.”
Yunho froze and struggled to find the words to ask what he feared. Heechul had said Yoochun was not lost to him, but he feared another friend was.
Heechul stopped before exiting the room, glanced back at Yunho and smirked. “I’ll be seeing you, Captain.”
“Are you-” Yunho tried to ask the dreaded question, but Heechul held up a hand hushing him and then vanished.
And before Yunho had time to react he found himself in the most unlikely of places.
***********************
Kyuhyun was pacing the room, hating the fact he was stuck in a young girl’s body, while wishing desperately he could have gone with the captain and his husband.
He was about to ask Jaejoong for the umpteenth time if he had any new information when he suddenly found himself back in his own body and on a starship, but not just any starship; the grandest of all starships.
“What…happened?” a startled Ryeowook, who had been transported along with Kyuhyun, questioned from beside him.
Almost immediately a force field went up around them and the familiar sounding voice of the ship’s computer announced, “Intruder Alert, Deck 33! Intruder Alert! Deck 33, Intruder Alert!”
“It’s the Enterprise…” Kyuhyun whispered as he took in his surroundings.
Ryeowook grabbed Kyuhyun by the wrist, completely taken aback by the other man’s declaration. “How can you be sure…sure…it is the flagship?”
“I was born on this ship and spent most of my childhood on it…I know my mother’s ship.”
“The Guardian…it brought us to your mom. After everything that has-” Ryeowook stopped abruptly as three security guards appeared with their phasers drawn.
Kyuhyun didn’t blink as he urgently commanded, “I am Lieutenant Commander Cho of the U.S.S Expectations and I need to speak with Admiral Cho, urgently.”
The ensign standing in the middle questioned, “The admiral’s deceased son?”
“I am not dead. I am not sure how long I will be here. The Expectations was not destroyed. The anomaly transported the ship to an unknown region of space. We can not even be sure if we are in the same dimension.”
An alarmed Ryeowook let go of Kyuhyun and asked, “Do you think the Guardian will transport us back?”
“I don’t know…I can’t believe it brought us here to begin with,” Kyuhyun explained. “The Guardian is totally unpredictable.”
“Did Jaejoong not say anything before we were transported here? Was he in contact with it?”
“No, Jaejoong didn’t say anything…this was completely unexpected.”
The doctor looked out at the security guards who had their phasers aimed at them, following regulations perfectly. “I hope it your mom’s ship and I hope it doesn’t send us back.”
“The Guardian will do whatever it wants and there isn’t-Mother!” Kyuhyun called out his tone going higher as his mother came into view. The admiral was flanked by her longtime officers; the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Brown, on her right and her Vulcan second in command, Commander T’Vol, was on her left.
Admiral Cho’s face was a perfectly controlled mask
“Ensign Hoya, report,” she ordered, while not taking her eyes off Kyuhyun.
“Admiral, he insists he is your son and that the space anomaly believed to have destroyed the U.S.S Expectations actually transported it to an undetermined place in space.”
Her attention switched to Ryeowook and she asked, “Dr. Cho, is that correct? Did the anomaly transport you while you were on board the Expectations?”
“No,” Kyuhyun answered for his husband, realizing quickly what his mother was really asking. “Ryeowook was on the shuttle…he was separated from the ship. It took us a year to find the shuttle…I thought he was dead.”
“And what of Captain Seung?” she asked, her attention back on her son, her mask still intact.
“Dead,” Kyuhyun answered. “Hundreds dead…the Expectations is manned by a skeleton crew.”
Commander T’Vol prompted, “Explain.”
“The anomaly killed every nonhuman on the ship, and it also killed every male on the ship that was nearing thirty years of age or older…the only females to survive were Lieutenant Sooyoung and the ambassadors’ daughter, Sulli Choi; they were on the shuttle with me,” Ryeowook explained.
“Who is in command?” Admiral Cho asked, stepping closer to the force field.
“Commander Yunho,” Kyuhyun explained, his eyes locked with his mother’s. “I know in this instance you have to be suspicious, and I know all the protocols you must follow, but Mother I swear I am your son and the Expectations is not lost.”
“If you are indeed Kyuhyun Cho then you know your mother must not allow herself to be swayed by emotion,” Commander T’Vol cautioned from behind the admiral.
Dr. Brown scowled at the Vulcan. “Can you pretend to have a heart for a moment?”
“Doctor, I assure you I have a completely functional heart. My heart is a circulatory-”
“Stop,” the admiral commanded as she stood next to the force field, her eyes still fixed on her son. “You spoke of a Guardian…tell me more about it. Describe it.”
“Mom, I swear-”
“Kyuhyun, just answer my question!”
“It is an ancient stone portal. It has a liquid blue center. It is able to transport people back in time,” Kyuhyun replied.
Ryeowook grabbed Kyuhyun’s hand and elaborated, “Not just the past…it can transport anyone to any time and place…to different realities. It is called the Guardian of Time…although I believe it has many other names.”
“Lower the force field,” the admiral ordered.
“Admiral, I must object-”
“T’Vol, shut up,” Dr. Brown snapped as he watched the force field lower on the Admiral’s command. He watched with great happiness as his oldest friend embraced both of her beloved boys.
***********************
Junsu watched, racked with both pain and confusion, as Yoochun vomited all over the floor. He didn’t understand how Yoochun could save him one minute and flee from him the next. He just wanted the commander to come back to him, to hold him.
“Yoochun...Yoochun,” Junsu pleaded, not understanding anything and before any answer could come he found himself in a very different kind of room.
The current room had a wood floor and the walls were made of glass.
Sunlight filled the room with a bright and encompassing light.
The pain was gone but the confusion remained.
Yoochun was across the room from him on all fours and his bearing was unchanged, as if he was unaware of their new location. “Yoochun…we are safe,” Junsu called out. He didn’t know where they were but he felt as if they had been rescued…that they were in a safe place…a place full of warmth, love, and understanding…he could feel it.
The only response the engineer gave him was a bitter, painful laugh.
“Open your eyes and you will see,” Junsu begged. “Open your eyes. We are not there anymore…” Junsu paused as an elderly human woman walked into the room with a young child…a Bolian child at her side. Junsu stared at the child at a loss. Bolians were members of the Federation.
“Yes, and we are in Federation Space,” the woman said, answering his unasked question as she looked curiously down at him.
Junsu gaped up at her and was shocked to see her irises were completely black. “You are a Betazoid!”
Her eyes darted away from Junsu to gaze down at Yoochun, who had sat up to stare at her in astonishment. “Yes, I am a Betazoid and we are on Betazed.”
A stunned Junsu stammered, “We…we are in the…the Alpha Quadrant?”
“Yes, young man,” she answered. “You have a remarkably loud mind. Betazoid children would love to train with you.”
“Old Crow,” Yoochun muttered, not believing his eyes.
Junsu watched as the old woman walked toward the devastated looking engineer. She gently reached down, rested a wrinkled hand against Yoochun’s cheek and told her old student, “You are wrong.”
Yoochun did not move away from her. “No, I am not…I am not.”
“You are,” she insisted with unwavering certainty.
“I am evil…and I never had a choice.”
“No,” she protested firmly, carefully bending her aged body down. She placed her other hand against his face forcing him to look her in the eye. “There is no such thing as evil, there is only absence of genuine feeling and absence of empathy…you are not lacking of either of these qualities…you are full of feeling…full of empathy…full of love.”
Yoochun shook his head frantically, eager to free himself from her touch. “No…no!”
“You were never evil, child.”
Junsu opened his mouth to agree with the woman…he felt it was essential that he agree with her in that moment, but he never had the chance.
*****************
One reality gave way to another.
It was twilight and the night was just beginning.
Yunho immediately felt the presence of his bondmate beside him.
He turned to look upon his great love and noticed Jaejoong’s attention was fixated on the sky.
Yunho followed his gaze and he could not believe his eyes as he took in the sight. Only a few stars appeared in the sky, but what familiar stars they were! Stars he had learned about at his father’s knee as a young child.
Before he could find his voice a beloved howl broke through the silence.
“Lady!” Yunho gasped as the old, yellow Labrador appeared in front of him. He ran to her, quickly realizing he was in his mother’s garden. “Lady!”
The old dog barked joyfully at being reunited with her most favorite of all humans.
“Old girl,” Yunho cried out as he lavished the dog with love and affection.
“Yunho…look up.”
His heart stilled as he followed his mate’s silent command and looked up to find his stunned mother staring at him. Time seemed to slow as he watched the basket of fresh tomatoes she was carrying drop to the ground. Her whole body shook as she realized her long lost son had finally returned to her.
“Mom…momma.”
“Yun…Yunho…Yunho…Yunho!”
“It’s me…it really is,” Yunho promised as he engulfed her trembling body in a strong embrace. “It really is.”
“Yunho,” she cried out in happiness, clinging to her son.
“Momma.”
“They said…they said you were dead…they said you were dead…Yunho…my sweet, brave boy,” she cried. “They said you were dead!”
“Momma, I am fine.”
“I am so happy…I missed you…I love you, so much. I missed you!”
“I love you, momma. I missed you, too.”
“Changmin…is he okay?” She questioned urgently, remembering her other lost boy. “Tell me he is okay. Tell me Changmin is safe.”
“He is fine,” Yunho vowed. “He’s just…” he pulled away from her and cupped her face with the palms of hands and explained, “He’s a baby now.”
Her face lit up in joy. “You found his mother.”
Yunho let out a laugh and looked at his mate expecting to find a look of indignation, but instead found a tearful Jaejoong watching the both of them. “You could say that.”
She turned to look at Jaejoong and her gaze settled on the baby in his arms. “Is that…is that my Changmin?”
“That is him,” Yunho answered as he reached down and clasped his mother’s hand and led her toward his mate and his child. “Jaejoong, are you okay?”
“No, I am not. I am being assaulted with…with too much emotion…your mother…and even the blasted dog is getting to me.”
“Oh, look at him…of course he is Changmin,” she told them with the widest smile spread across her face as looked upon the infant. “I never knew him when he was this little…but I know it’s him. Even though…he is very different…but those eyes…I’d know them in any color. Can I hold him?”
“No, Momma…this will sound crazy, but he’s empathic and our emotions can upset him. I am not even allowed to hold him yet…and he was just born earlier today.”
“Oh, he’s empathic,” Yunho mother responded as she smiled at Jaejoong and reached out to gently wipe away the Joong’s tears. “Did he get that ability from you?”
*********************
The air was running out.
One of the warp nacelles had broken off from the ship, taking countless lives with it.
Cracks lined the walls of the ship as its integrity slowly gave way.
Half of the bridge crew was unconscious and the other half fought for every breath as the cold, oxygen depleted air assaulted them.
Sunggyu wished he could have seen Woohyun one last time, but he quickly pushed all regrets from his mind. In life he had not dwelled on regrets and he refused to do so in death.
“I estimate we have less than 90 seconds,” Sooyoung said from beside him in the first officer’s chair, sounding professional until the very end.
“Shortest captaincy ever,” Sunggyu told her, managing to sound relaxed.
“It does make for a strong…strong argument against mutiny.”
Sunggyu laughed with the last of his strength and he thought it was better to die laughing than dwelling on what could have been. His vision blurred and he felt faint, but before he lost consciousness a blue glow started filling the room. The blue glow filled all the ship and seeped out into space around the ship and spread out toward the planet and the dying sun.
Sunggyu thought he must be hallucinating, but as the blue glow grew brighter he felt stronger.
He inhaled the air that was now filled with life sustaining oxygen. “What’s happening?”
“I don’t know,” Sooyoung answered, staring perplexedly at the blue glow.
Sunggyu got up from the captain’s chair and walked toward the display, his eyes fixed on the sun that has been on the verge of exploding seconds ago. “It’s even out in space…it is everywhere.”
“It seems to have…healing properties.”
“It does…I feel fine.”
“As do I,” Lieutenant Sooyoung concurred as the rest of the bridge crew started waking up.
“It seems to be dissipating,” Sunggyu pointed out as the glow disappeared leaving a perfectly intact ship behind in its place. “The sun appears stable now.”
“So is the ship…it seems.”
“Check the warp nacelle and see if it’s still attached!” Sunggyu ordered as he tried to understand what was going on. He hit his combadge. “Henry! What’s going on?”
“I was going to ask you the same thing,” Henry’s voice replied. “I thought I was a goner…I saw the light but then I thought it was odd that it was blue. Next thing I know I am fine. Did you happen to make a deal with God?”
“Not that I know of…but if I had known it was an option I would have been open to negotiations.”
“Lieutenant,” Lieutenant Sooyoung called from her science station. “The ship is fully intact…and also, the planet is undamaged and full of life.”
An astonished Sunggyu gaped at her in disbelief. “How is that possible? Billions were dead on that planet…it was devoid of life! Was it an illusion?”
“I don’t know,” she replied just as surprised. “It’s like it never happened.”
Sunggyu tapped his combadge. “Woohyun…Doctor Nam, is there any report of causalities or injuries?”
There was pause before Woohyun replied, “Just one…death that I am aware of.”
Sunggyu inhaled a deep breath and asked, “Who?”
“Heechul…” Yunho, who had suddenly appeared on the bridge along with Jaejoong, Yoochun, Junsu, Kyuhyun, Ryeowook, and baby Changmin, answered solemnly.
“Junsu!” Eunhyuk immediately exclaimed, jumping up from his seat and rushing to his best friend, engulfing him in a tight hug. “You are back!”
“Why do you believe Heechul to be dead?” a very surprised Jaejoong asked telepathically.
“Because he is.”
“That…he’s right…Heechul is dead,” Woohyun explained after a pause. “The imposter…had a dagger…and he was going to stab Sulli with it, but at the last second Heechul pulled her away and was stabbed instead…Kangin said it was him…the real Dr. Kim, in that moment.”
An anguished Ryeowook stepped forward and demanded, “How did a stab wound kill him? Surely you put him in stasis!”
“I couldn’t!” Woohyun replied, sounding just as anguished over the communication’s link. “I couldn’t do anything at the time…the ship was falling apart around us and it was no ordinary dagger.”
Ryeowook refused to believe that Kim Heechul had been done in by a stab wound. “I have to see his body. I have-”
“Stop!” Yunho ordered, interrupting Dr. Cho. “He’s dead…I know he is.”
“How do you know?” Kyuhyun asked the captain, dismayed by his certainty.
“The Guardian…allowed me to say goodbye to him,” Yunho answered and then focused on Sunggyu. “Back to the part about the ship falling apart…it appears fine.”
Sunggyu shared a quick look glance Lieutenant Sooyoung before he responded, “Timing is everything, Sir.”
***********************
24hrs later
“Hold up!”
Sunggyu, who had been about to exit his quarters, turned around to find Woohyun standing behind him. “Commander Yoochun has a list of things he wants me to do. And when I say list I mean he actually wrote it out on paper. Nobody does that…not this century or for the last two centuries for that matter.”
“You deserve a night off.”
“He doesn’t think so.”
“He should be grateful for all you did for him.”
“Not when efficiency was down to 88%.”
“I thought the blue glow…made everything perfect.”
“It did…we are at 100% efficiency now, but at one time while he was gone it dropped to 88%.”
“You were kinda busy.”
“I know this, but he does not like excuses…or even to listen to them. That impostors had control of the ship…that one incredibly inept one was in control of engineering for most of the entirety he was gone doesn’t matter to him.”
“How can it not?”
“Have you…ever met him?”
“You know I have.”
“Well, he is the definition of demanding on a good day…and this is not a good day.”
Woohyun walked up closer to Sunggyu and reached out and touched the rank pips on the collar of Sunggyu’s uniform. “Least you get to stay a lieutenant.”
Sunggyu shrugged. “That is a bright spot in all of this.”
The doctor let his hand slide down Sunggyu’s body till he reached the other man’s hand. He clasped it tightly. “We need to talk.”
“No, we don’t.”
“Yes, we do.”
“There is nothing I need to talk to you about,” Sunggyu said with careful emphasis. “I am perfectly content with the current state of things.”
Woohyun shook his head in frustration. “I am going to end up sexually assaulting you…if you keep this up!”
Sunggyu pushed Woohyun away. “You are insane!”
“I am insane! You are driving me insane!”
“Stop joking!”
“I am going insane…insane with love for you! I am in love with you and we need to do something about that. I have been extremely patient with you,” the very exasperated doctor declared. “But you are pushing me past my limits!”
“I know…you have been patient,” Sunggyu admitted reluctantly. “You have been great.”
“Great?” Woohyun snapped. “I have been more than great. I am fucking fantastic! I have been the most perfect friend and glorified sidekick anyone could ever ask for. I’ve betrayed my home world for you, taken on a Joong, climbed frozen mountains, been almost killed by blood sucking spiders, lied to the entire ship, planned a mutiny with you, and let’s not forget I saved your ass, not to mention the ship’s, when I wouldn’t allow Henry to give up during the breach.”
Sunggyu opened his mouth and then closed it knowing nothing he said would make the doctor happy, because everything the doctor had just said was true. Woohyun was amazing and he knew he owed him an enormous debt.
“And I did all of this while remaining celibate the entire time! I don’t believe in celibacy! I think sex makes people happy! I think people should have it all the time. As a doctor, I encourage people to have sex as much as they can! I also self prescribe!”
Sunggyu squinted his eyes at the other man and asked in an over dramatized voice, “Sooo…I should have sex with you because I am grateful for everything you have done?”
“Yes!” Woohyun declared and pointed toward the bedroom. “Strip and go get on the bed, now!”
“You are insane!”
“We have already established that!”
“Woohyun, listen to me,” Sunggyu ordered as he rubbed his forehead. “I think you are gr-fucking fantastic! If I was going to be with anyone on this ship it would be you. You are the only one I want to be with, but I am not going to be with anyone on this ship. I think I might have given you the wrong impression.”
“Oh…no…not you, you’re not confusing at all…even though I am the only one you would be with on this ship! The only one you want to be with!”
A flustered Sunggyu snapped, “Sarcasm noted!”
Woohyun couldn’t help but smile at the flustered man. “So tell me how you gave me the wrong idea.”
“When I told you about how I decided to join Star Fleet…I might have made it sound romantic…but I am not romantic or whimsical.”
Woohyun folded his arms across his chest and tried his best to keep from laughing at the other man. “I assure you, I would never describe you as whimsical.”
“Good, because I am driven…some things might come easier to me than they do to most people, but I am still very driven. I am a newly made lieutenant…I have added duties now. I can not allow myself to become distracted and getting entangled in a romantic relationship with you would be very distracting.”
“I assure you, it would be a good distraction.”
Sunggyu glared and continued, “The captain does not only want me assisting Commander Yoochun in Engineering…he also wants me to assist Ensign Kangin in running security…Ensign Kangin who has no experience running a department. With Lieutenant Sungmin still in the brig that department is going to be a mess. I am going to have my hands quite full.”
“So no romance…”
“No,” Sunggyu replied, showing his relief. “I am glad you understand.”
Woohyun looked extremely sour. “I don’t understand.”
“I know you do.”
“No, I don’t.”
“I have to focus on my career.”
“Do you want to know what I think?”
“No…no, probably not.”
“I think you are asexual.”
“I’m not.”
“You are…those kisses before…like you said, they were an act. You are the perfect definition of asexual, and believe me, I have read the manuals. You like the thought of us being together, but when it is time to get naked you are all eww and gross!”
A blank faced Sunggyu denied, “I do not act like that.”
“I thought you were going to throw up on me the last time I kissed you.”
“You assaulted me while I was sleeping!”
“It makes perfect sense now.”
“I am not asexual.”
“I don’t know why you are denying it. It isn’t even considered an ailment among your people.”
“I am not asexual!”
“Just my fucking luck,” Woohyun complained as he turned and headed toward the bedroom.
Sunggyu grabbed Woohyun by the arm and jerked him back around until they were facing each other. “I know what you are doing and it isn’t going to work.”
“I am not doing anything but preaching the truth!”
The lieutenant leaned his head in until his mouth was brushing against Woohyun’s ear and he whispered, “You are trying to goad me into proving that I am not asexual.”
Woohyun mentally cursed the blush he could feel creeping across his cheeks. “No…no…”
“So you don’t want me to drag you into the bedroom and have my way with you?”
“Well…I wouldn’t…object.”
Sunggyu smirked, let go of Woohyun and headed toward the door. “Nice try, but I am not that easily manipulated.”
Woohyun fumed as the other man exited the room.
Woohyun waited for a few moments before he stormed out of their quarters and toward sickbay. He told himself that if Sunggyu was going to focus on his career then he would do the same. He would go check on Shindong; the man had awakened and was in perfect health but they still had been unable to determine what the imposter had infected him with. Woohyun told himself he would focus on work and stay patient a little longer. He knew Sunggyu couldn’t hold out forever. He knew the other man wanted him.
“Hey, Doctor.”
Woohyun, who had been lost in his own thoughts stopped and noticed the ship’s resident hypochondriac looking at him. “Ensign Sungyeol, I assure you…you are not sick.”
“Did I say I was sick?”
“I am sure it is coming, but let me assure you…nothing is wrong with you. You are not sick.”
“Really, you can confidently say that without an examination?”
Woohyun pointed at his eyes. “My eyes are examining you now and you are perfectly fine.”
Sungyeol cockily ran a hand through the front of his hair. “So you find me attractive?”
Woohyun sputtered, “What?”
“You just said I was fine,” Sungyeol pointed out and winked at the doctor.
“That isn’t what I meant.”
“I am good looking though.”
“Yeah…I suppose so.”
“Good, I agree with your assessment; let’s go on a date.”
“A date…” an incredulous Woohyun repeated in disbelief. He couldn’t imagine anyone he would want to date less on the ship.
“Did people not date on your hick planet? Did they just arrange marriages at birth?”
Woohyun glowered. “I dated…just not my patients!”
“You are one of two doctors on this ship, so we are all your potential patients.”
“Yeah…true, but not everyone is as frequently a patient as you,” Woohyun pointed out to the other man, while noticing for the first time Sungyeol was not in uniform. He was in shorts and a tank top. “Why are you dressed like that?”
“Captain Yunho has not ordered the holodecks to be shut down yet, so a group of us decided we would get together and watch a soccer game while they were still open. Since you won’t “date” your patients, you could join us.”
“How big a group?”
“About ten of us.”
Woohyun pondered the offer for only a few seconds before agreeing, “Sure, why not.”
Sungyeol smiled smugly. “Knew you couldn’t resist me.”
Woohyun groaned as they headed for the holodeck. “Let me assure I am in no way interested in you.”
“You say that now.”
“If I was any less interested in you…you wouldn’t exist.”
**********************
“Please, do not go in there!” a very nervous looking ensign pleaded, following after a defiant Ensign Junsu as he stormed though engineering and towards Commander Yoochun’s office.
“I have to talk to him.”
“He has ordered that he is not to be disturbed.”
“I don’t care,” Ensign Junsu told the other man.
The younger ensign looked at Junsu like he was crazy. He couldn’t imagine anyone willingly antagonizing Commander Yoochun.
The look on the other man’s face had Junsu promising, “It will be okay.”
“I am going to go hide,” the younger ensign replied and took off in a hurry.
Junsu watched as the other man high-tailed it away from him. Doubt started setting in, but he quickly pushed it aside and entered the office.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Commander Yoochun, who was sitting behind his desk, demanded while not looking even remotely pleased to see Junsu.
“We need to talk.”
“Are you the captain or are you even Lieutenant Sunggyu?”
“You know I am not.”
“Well, those are the only two people allowed in this office. Not even Commander Cho is allowed in here.”
“He’s second in command of the ship.”
“I don’t give a shit if he is a fucking admiral like his damned parents. He couldn’t keep his dick in his pants, and I almost died because of it. He’s only second in command by default anyway…what has he ever done for this ship…except get kidnapped?”
“You are in quite the mood…but we still need to talk,” Junsu stated, trying his best to maintain his nerve.
Yoochun looked away from Junsu to focus on his work. “We have nothing to talk about.”
“How can you say that…after what happened?” Junsu asked at a loss. “You saved my life.”
“Big deal.”
“It is a big deal!”
“To you.”
“Yoochun, why are you acting like this?”
Yoochun looked up from his work, his gaze dark. “That is Commander Yoochun to you, Ensign Junsu.”
“Why are being like this…who was that old woman to you on Betazoid? Why did you say you were evil? I don’t understand what happened.”
“Has your little flea brain already forgotten what was said at the briefing? She was an old psychiatrist of mine.”
Junsu flinched. “But I don’t understand…why you were so insistent about being evil…you were so upset.”
“You are an idiot,” Yoochun declared, leaning back in his chair. “The person my soul inhabited was the murderer in the reality we visited. The realities blurred for me…it’s not like I am asking you to understand the transwarp theory…this is simple. Changmin in his current state could probably understand this.”
Junsu fought against the urge to flee and forced himself to ask the most important question. “What about us?”
“There is no us.”
“No…there is…I know there is. We can be together now. I want to be with you,” Junsu admitted sincerely, with all his heart. “I want us to be together.”
The look Yoochun gave him was full of scorn. “You fool, don’t you understand I only wanted you…when I couldn’t have you; when you were a challenge. Now that you are so pathetic and needy I am no longer interested in you.”
Junsu just stared at him, speechless.
“I had actually lost interest in you long before our little trip to Dinosaur Land but I had limited options there…it was either you or the flying monkeys…and I wasn’t sure I could catch one of them. You were the easier option, although I am sure I would have had more stimulating conversations with the monkeys.”
Something inside Junsu changed…hardened. “Go to hell.”
Yoochun watched as, enraged, Junsu turned and stomped out of his office.
Once the door whooshed shut, leaving him alone in his office, his mask of derision fell away. “Goodbye Junsu.”
*****************
Jaejoong was resting lazily on the bed when he felt Yunho enter their quarters.
Yunho stopped at the doorway to the bedroom, leaned against it, and watched his mate and their baby, who was resting peacefully in Jaejoong’s arms.
“I am going to start charging you for viewing rights.”
“I have a replicator at my disposal; charge whatever you like.”
Jaejoong patted the spot next to him on the bed. “Come sit for a moment.”
“I have a million things to do.”
“I insist.”
Yunho shook his head. “I really just came to get my rejuvenating look-see…and to make sure it isn’t a dream.”
“A dream?”
“You two are my perfect dream, but now I must go find Yoochun and find out what is going on in his head.”
“You should leave Yoochun alone.”
“No,” Yunho disagreed. “I know you are telepathic and empathic but I most certainly should not leave him alone.”
Jaejoong sighed and looked worriedly at his mate, thinking about what Yunho might find out…what he might not be able to accept about his friend. In the briefings, Yoochun had left out a crucial detail…that he had killed a man. Jaejoong had not said anything and he was still debating if he ever would. Jaejoong knew if he had been in Yoochun’s position he would have most likely done the same thing but with his mind, not a knife. “If you come and sit with us…I will let you hold him.”
“I…could hold him?” Yunho questioned, but immediately headed for the bed, unable to hide his excitement. “I can hold him already?”
Jaejoong nodded his head as he watched his lover sit down beside him, “If you remain calm. You have to be cool.”
“I was born cool.”
The Joong laughed as he carefully situated Changmin in Yunho’s arms. “You can’t steal him away from me though. I forbid it.”
Yunho gazed down at his son with unconditional love. “I make no promises.”
Jaejoong felt some of the burden lift from Yunho’s soul and confessed, “I really liked your mom.”
“She’s the best.”
“Meeting her helped me.”
Yunho looked away from his son to stare at his mate. “Helped with what?”
“To deal with my agitation with you and others.”
“I am confused…why are you agitated now?”
“Because you all constantly view me as Changmin’s mother.”
“I don’t…I kinda do…do that…don’t I?”
“Yes, you do,” Jaejoong told his mate. “But since I am getting compared to such an extraordinary human I will attempt to be less agitated.”
“She is extraordinary.”
“I am sorry you didn’t get to stay longer with her.”
“Yeah,” Yunho agreed, gazing back down at his son, who was perfectly content in his father’s arms. “We got pulled away too soon.”
“Ryeowook and Kyuhyun feel the same.”
“At least Kyuhyun got to relay some information about our location and our predicament…all I did was pet the dog and hug my mom.”
“I think you hugged the dog, too.”
Yunho grinned. “I missed that dog.”
“I don’t blame you…she is very devoted to you. She was so happy to see you.”
Yunho looked away from his son to smile proudly at Jaejoong. “I love that you can feel animal’s emotions.”
“I feel emotions and emotions are not limited to humans.”
“No,” Yunho agreed.
Jaejoong placed a hand on Yunho’s elbow and softly coaxed, “I have showed remarkable restraint by not using my telepathy to find my answers, but now I must ask…how did you know Heechul was dead?”
Yunho closed his eyes remembering his last moment with his friend. “I saw him.”
“You saw him where?”
“When I went to look for Yoochun…I found Heechul instead.”
“The imposter?”
“No, the real Heechul…he was there.”
“How could he have been there?” Jaejoong asked as he became aware of Yunho feeling slightly embarrassed, “Why do you feel…embarrassed?”
“This is going to sound really crazy when I say this…so, I am going to say it telepathically. Changmin might remember this conversation someday and I can already hear him scolding me for it.”
“Go on.”
“You know I have gone over most of everything the imposters said while they were on the ship. That I have listened to every moment the ship recorded of them speaking alone together.”
“Yes.”
“I think…I think they were trapped here…and they just wanted to end their constant limbo.”
“We knew that.”
“But I think…I think others of their kind ascended to become higher beings…but the imposters were forbidden that option.”
“Go on…”
“I think Heechul…was able to get through to the being controlling him. I think Heechul somehow changed it…what the being lacked before…what prevented it from ascending was resolved by Heechul’s presence.”
Jaejoong’s already large eyes appeared to double in size. “You think Heechul is a God now!”
“I don’t know if I would use that word, but I think he is a higher being now. I think he ascended to higher plain of existence.”
“Did he tell you that?”
“He kinda did.”
“What did he say?”
“He said he had unlimited potential now and…”
“And what?”
Yunho looked back down at Changmin and smiled. “He told me was going to give me a great gift.”
Jaejoong frowned. “That gift you’re holding…I gave you that gift!”
Yunho laughed and nodded his head. “Although Changmin is the greatest gift anyone could ever give me…I believe it was Heechul who allowed me to see my mother, who saved the ship, who stopped an exploding sun, and who restored life to the planet Zilax.”
“You act…you feel as if that is absolutely true…as if you have no doubts.”
“I believe it is. The blue glow-the light that restored the ship, restored the planet, and restored the sun…it originated with Heechul’s body.”
Jaejoong pondered Yunho’s words. “I am sure you are aware of the rumors surrounding my people…that some of them ascended into higher beings.”
“I remember Shindong telling me that story long ago.”
“There might be some truth to that...story.”
Yunho arched both his eyebrows reminding Jaejoong of a grown Changmin. “Really?”
“I am just saying…if there was any truth to that story and maybe if those Gods who the imposters thought were totally ambivalent…weren’t so ambivalent after all; perhaps they are responsible for everything that happened. That Woman did manage to contact Joong.”
“Yes, the Joong Elders arrived on the planet and took what the imposters were looking for…I didn’t even know there were Joong Elders. What else should I know about Joong?”
“Don’t ask me questions I can’t answer…because honestly, I really don’t know all the answers myself. I was always more interested in getting away from Joong than studying it’s very long history…and when I say long I mean very long.”
“Even if your theory is right…I still know in my gut that Heechul still exists.”
“Your gut again?”
“My gut.”
“Isn’t his funeral tomorrow?”
Sadness encompassed Yunho’s expression and Changmin let out a small cry, causing Jaejoong to reach out and take Changmin’s small hand in his. The baby was immediately soothed.
Yunho closed his eyes and pushed his sadness away, not wanting his son to experience it. “The human that Heechul was…that magnificent man is gone, but his soul…I know it isn’t lost. I know he is still out there.”
Jaejoong leaned in and kissed Yunho on the cheek. “Well, he better keep his immortal hands off you, then.”
Yunho’s whole body shook with laughter. “You never cease to amaze me.”
“Don’t you forget it,” Jaejoong teased. “Although, having an immortal being on our side…might come in handy in the future.”
“It might,” Yunho agreed.
“Especially considering your most tiring habit of putting yourself into dangerous predicaments.”
Before Yunho had time to protest, red lights starting flashing and the computer announced, “INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT! HANGER DECK! INTRUDER ALERT.”
“Seriously? Not again!” Yunho groaned aloud. He regretfully handed Changmin back to Jaejoong, quickly got off the bed and tapped his combadge. “Bridge, what is going on?”
“Captain,” came Commander Cho’s immediate response. “There are an increasing number of human life signs appearing in the hanger deck. We are up to eighteen at the moment.”
“Meet me there,” Yunho ordered, before turning back to his mate. “Jaejoong?”
Jaejoong had not moved from the bed as he focused his telepathy on the hanger deck.
“Jaejoong,” Yunho repeated. “What is it?”
The Joong smiled up at his mate and assured him, “It’s a good thing. It’s a very good thing.”
“Intruders are good? Since when?”
“These intruders are good,” Jaejoong insisted, not moving from the bed.
“Are you not coming with me?”
Jaejoong shook his head. “Nope, you got this.”
“Okay…” Yunho replied as he rushed from the room.
*********************
Yunho met Commander Cho and the new head of security, Acting Lieutenant Kangin, at the entrance to the hanger deck.
“Jaejoong is not with you,” Commander Cho pointed out, slightly startled by the Joong’s absence.
“No,” Yunho responded. “He said the intruders…are a good thing.”
“A good thing?” Kangin repeated, not bothering to hide his confusion. “Why would he say that?”
“I don’t know, so let’s find out gentleman,” Yunho ordered as he boldly entered the hanger bay. He immediately came to a dead stop as he laid eyes on the intruders.
“Dear Heavens,” Kangin gasped as he took in the unbelievable sight. “Can it be true?”
“Computer, lower the force field,” Yunho ordered immediately and the force field dissipated. He stared out at the growing number of Star Fleet personal that had appeared in the hanger deck.
A determined looking young man approached Yunho with what appeared to be official orders in his hand.
The young officer stopped in front of Yunho and saluted him. “Sir, I am Ensign Hoya, formerly of the U.S.S Enterprise; Admiral Cho sends her regards.”
An astonished Yunho reached out and took the orders the ensign handed him.
“Captain Yunho,” Ensign Hoya continued. “By order of Star Fleet Command you have been made the official captain of the U.S.S Expectations.”
Yunho stared blankly at the young ensign. “The official…the official captain?”
“Yes, Sir,” Hoya stated. “By order of Star Fleet Command and with the full support of the Federation, you are herby raised in rank to Captain.”
“I just saw you on the Enterprise,” Commander Cho told the ensign, not hiding his surprise at what his mother had managed to accomplish in so little time.
“Commander Cho, since you were last aboard the U.S.S Enterprise, 22 Earth days have passed,” Ensign Hoya answered.
Yunho, who was slowly taking everything in, asked, “But how did you get here?”
“When Commander Cho was on the U.S.S. Enterprise he spoke of a Guardian of Time. In our galaxy there is also such a time portal and it is called the Guardian of Forever. Knowledge of its existence is strictly guarded by Star Fleet and the Federation. It was discovered in 2267 by the late, great Captain James T. Kirk and Ambassador Spock. Admiral Cho had knowledge of the time portal.”
Captain Yunho looked out at the ever growing number of new crew members. “Ensign Hoya, is the Guardian allowing these people to pass through it?”
“Yes, Sir,” Hoya explained. “It will allow some whose ancestry is of Earth to pass through it. Captain, I assure you it is Star Fleet Command’s intention to have the U.S.S Expectations fully manned and at your command.”
Yunho watched as the number of crew members continued to increase. “This is much welcomed news…much welcomed news, Ensign Hoya.”
Commander Cho smiled proudly at Yunho. “Congratulations, on your official promotion to Captain…nobody can take the ship from you now.”
Kangin beamed with happiness. “Congratulations, buddy! A fully manned ship! Hell, we won’t know how to act. This is a day we won’t forget.”
“No,” Commander Cho agreed.
Yunho stared out at his new crew, mindful of all those lost during their journey. “We won’t forget this day or the days that led to it, and the price some paid.”
“No, we won’t forget…we won’t ever forget,” Kangin said, remembering old friends, but he quickly pushed the sadness away and patted Yunho on the back. “But I think things are finally looking up for us.”
“Indeed they are, indeed they are,” Yunho agreed, knowing life was full of blessings and hardships, but most importantly it was full of endless possibilities. Endless possibilities he had just begun to explore, but he intended to; he intended to explore each and every one of them.
The end.