Chapter Text
Peter:
As always, you are invited to our Hanukkah celebrations. Saavik is, of course, also welcome.
David:
Yeah, we’re coming.
Jo’s emptied the cargo bay of all things suspicious just for the trip.
Peter:
That is most kind of her.
We await your arrival.
David:
See you soon.
*.*
With most of their weird jigsaw puzzle of a family off planet, weekly dinners at the Pikes’ have somehow become a thing. So Chris has found himself with a house full of loud, scary, genius children.
The sad thing is, he’s used to it by now.
“David, will you be coming over for Christmas?”
“Hmm?” David looks up from his and Connor’s chess game. “Oh, no, sorry. Going to Hannukah with Peter’s family.”
Chris blinks.
“Oh, right,” he says. “Spock mentioned that they overlap this year, I forgot. I assume you’re going too, Saavik?”
“Yes, sir,” Saavik says. “It is always a fascinating time.”
“But Davey, you’re always around for Christmas,” Demora says, frowning. “Why do you have to go to Hannukah for Christmas?”
“Because that’s the way it is, peanut.” He pulls her into a side and presses a kiss to the top of her head. “Don’t worry, you’ll still get my present.”
“I don’t care about presents,” Demora says. “You’re always here. What’s so special about Hanukkah?”
David shrugs.
“Family time with Peter and Uncle Sarek,” he says. “They only see me once a year, you know.”
“David, it is nearly six. We must leave if do not wish to be late,” Saavik says, gently lifting Tubey from her lap and settling her onto the couch. “Thank you for inviting us for dinner, Admiral. I hope the Commander will be able to join us next time.”
“Of course, Saavik.” Chris smiles. “Number One said she’ll only be gone another day or so. Brass has been trying to convince her to take a captaincy.”
“She will not take it? Why not?”
Chris’ smile is a little sad.
“She won’t go to space without me.”
David presses his hand against the small of Saavik’s back when she opens her mouth to ask for clarification.
“Thanks for having us, Gramps,” he says. “Merry Christmas, guys. Be good, alright? Santa can pull your names from the nice list last minute.”
“Santa Claus is not real, David,” Connor says, eyebrow arched.
“Yeah, well, whatever.”
The door shuts behind him when Tubey turns to her father.
“Where is Hanukkah, Dad?” she asks.
Chris pinches his lips against the smile.
“Sarek’s place,” he says. “Come on, time to clean up. You’re on dish duty tonight.”
Tubey rolls her eyes but hops to it, catching Connor by the hand to drag him along.
“It’s not fair,” he hears Connor mutter to Tubey. “How come David gets to go to Hanukkah and we can’t?”
Chris snorts. Kids, right? They’re so cute, sometimes.
“Space Grandpa,” Demora starts slowly, eyes wide. “What did Connor mean, that Santa isn’t real?”
Something in him goes cold. Think fast, Christopher.
“Oh no, sweetie, he’s real! Santa Claus is very real!”
Tubey crosses her arms. “Then why does Number One say he is not?”
“Well… you see…”
“Are you trying to tell us Mom lied?” Connor pipes in.
He can fix this. “Nobody lied. Santa just comes to human children. So of course Demora, if you’ve been a good girl this year, Santa Claus will bring you wonderful presents.”
For a moment Chris thinks his babbling has actually worked. His kids accept the logic of their Illyrian heritage voiding out the Terran myth, and Demora no longer looks to be on the verge of tears.
Crisis averted.
That is until Demora opens her mouth again. “So… Santa’s racist?”
Ben’s gonna kill him.
*.*
“Hanukkah must be the name of Uncle Sarek’s estate,” Connor murmurs thoughtfully that evening. Demora is spending the night, as she does most Saturdays, already tucked under the floral blankets of her little pullout bed between them. “The English name estates belonging to important people. Why shouldn’t Vulcans?”
“It does not make sense that David and Saavik would be the only two invited to ‘family time’,” Tubey says. “We are also family.”
“I wanna go, too,” Demora says, pouting. “Santa is a racist meanie. If David leaves, then Christmas will be totally ruined.”
“You bring up a good point, Tubey,” Connor says, ignoring his little cousin. “We are also considered family. It is unlikely we’d be barred from a familial event.”
“It is only on Vulcan,” Tubey adds. “Not so far, really. If we can find a civilian ship willing to take us, it is unlikely Uncle Sarek would turn us away.”
“No one will take us. We are too young to travel without parental supervision.”
Demora sighs.
“Maybe Jo’ll take us along,” she says. “I mean, she’s already taking David and Saavik.”
There is a pause.
“That is… a possibility,” Tubey muses. “I will call her in the morning.”
“Daddy won’t let me go unless Papa says it’s okay, though,” Demora says. “And Papa won’t let me go alone.”
“Let me talk to Jo in the morning,” Tubey says. “We’ll work something out.”
*.*
“Not on your life,” Jo says. “I am not being held responsible for Number One’s children. She will kill me in the night if either of you get a goddamn scratch, and I don’t even want to think about Mr. Sulu’s reaction. No.”
“But Jo—”
Jo hangs up on her, but Tubey doesn’t take it to heart. Jo is rarely fully coherent before noon, most days.
“She will not change her mind,” Connor says. “She is not incorrect in her observations of our mother.”
“So,” Demora says, frowning. “What do we do?”
“Well, Demora,” Tubey says slowly. “It appears we will have to be creative.”
“How so, sister?” Connor asks.
“Jo is remarkably unobservant,” Tubey says. “All we have to do is sneak onto her ship.”
“What about permission?” Demora says. “Daddy definitely won’t let me go like that.”
“Mother will not be pleased if we miss Christmas, either,” Connor adds. “Neither will Dad.”
“It is all in the dissemination of information,” Tubey says. “We will inform Mother of our plans, of course, and ask her to remain silent on our behalf until she is on-planet to talk to Father in person. She will be home the evening after tomorrow. Jo will be leaving with David and Saavik that afternoon. That’s plenty of time for us. As for your parents, Demora, well…” she smiles. “If you do as exactly as I say, you should have the required permission.”
*.*
Demora:
Papa, I wanna go to Hanukkah with David and Saavik and everybody. Is that okay?
Papa:
Hanukkah?
I mean, yeah, if you want. I didn’t know David celebrated.
Just ask Daddy, okay?
Demora:
Okay!
I love you, Papa.
Demora:
Love you too, munchkin.
*.*
“Daddy, Davey and Saavik and the twins are all going to Hannukah on Vulcan and invited me along,” Demora says on their way home from the Pikes. “Can I go?”
“Well, sweetie, you’ll have to ask your Papa,” Ben says. “Vulcan’s kind of far away.”
“I know— I already asked.” Demora fumbles for her comm to show her father. “See? He said it was okay if I went to Hannukah.”
Ben looks over the messages. Well, if Hikaru is okay with it…
“Who would take you?” he asks.
“Jo’s taking us all.”
“Who will you be staying with?”
“Uncle Sarek.”
“Oh, if that’s the case…” Sarek is her godfather— for good luck, according to Hikaru. He’ll take care of her. He seems to enjoy children— as much as a Vulcan can seem to enjoy anything, anyway.
Hikaru has always been the one who worried about Demora traveling off-planet. Especially since Yorktown. The fact that he’s said okay is reason enough to let Demora go. Knowing his husband, he’s already triple-checked everything.
“Well, I suppose that’s alright,” he says. “When are they planning on leaving?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Not much time for packing,” Ben muses. “Alright. If your Papa’s okay with it, I have no objections. Not so long as you comm me every night. And morning. And afternoon.”
Demora giggles.
“Daddy, you’re funny,” she says. “I’ll call you every day, I promise.”
Ben grins.
He has such a good kid.
*.*
Number Two:
Mother, Number Three and I would like to accompany David and Saavik on Jo’s ship to visit Sarek.
Mother:
I suppose it is that time of year. Is anyone else aware of your plans?
Number Two:
Only Demora. It would be preferable if you did not tell Dad until you were planetside. He will not be happy.
Mother:
He will not.
I will keep your confidence, provided you are not surprised when your father demands to be taken to Vulcan.
Number Two:
Of course not. Thank you, Mother.
Mother:
Do not get caught by Jo until you are suitably far from Earth. She will not hesitate to turn around and leave you.
Number Two:
Noted.
*.*
Number One:
You will have additional guests for your Hanukkah celebrations, Ambassador.
Ambassador Sarek:
Your children?
Number One:
Affirmative. It appears David mentioned it at the last family gathering. I also have a strong suspicion that Demora may accompany them. She is aware of their plans.
Miss McCoy is not.
Ambassador Sarek:
Understood. I will set up the extra guest rooms.
*.*