Chapter Text
Shi'Kahr, House of Ambassador Sarek
"What I'm saying is, next year we'll simply go off planet and then they won't even be able to track us down. Let's see how they pull us into emergency duty while we're on shore leave." said Jim, taking off his jacket and handing it to the Vulcan attendant at the door.
Spock simply shook his head as he too took off his travelling robe and began walking towards the kitchen.
Sunlight streamed in, a faint, dry breeze stirring the wind chimes. His mother, Amanda was humming to herself, while stirring something in a pot. She turned around to smile at Spock and Jim before pursing her lips at the hunched up figure at the kitchen table.
"Saavik, please finish your porridge, there's a good girl. It's going to get cold you know."
"I know, I'm sorry," said Saavik, hastily putting down the PADD she was reading. She shoved a spoonful of the porridge in her mouth.
"Greetings, Saavik kam," Spock said, sitting down gracefully in the chair next to her, "My apologies for not coming to fetch you from school today."
"Greetings, Captain, Admiral. It's fine," she said, her mouth still full of porridge. She swallowed it down hastily before continuing, "You don't have to come and pick me up everyday while you're here."
"Oh no, it's absolutely not fine, sweetheart!" Jim said, coming to stand behind Spock's chair, his hands on his bondmate's shoulders. "We were supposed to go that tearoom after school today. If only Starfleet hadn't summoned us for an emergency meeting…"
Saavik didn't even give Kirk a chance to finish. She gulped down the last drop of porridge, picked up her PADD, deposited the empty bowl neatly in the sink, and sped out of the kitchen and up the stairs, presumably to her room.
Kirk looked nonplussed. "Is it something I said?"
"Oh, I don't think so, dear," Amanda smiled, handing him a tall glass of iced gingerade. "Adolescents can be unpredictable, and generally difficult to deal with. Even the half-Vulcan ones," she added softly, smiling at Spock.
"Will you go up and speak to her?" Kirk asked Spock through their bond.
"Affirmative," came the reply. Spock finished his own glass of gingerade and left the kitchen.
……
sweet·heart
ˈswētˌhärt/
noun
used as a term of endearment or affectionate form of address.
synonyms: darling, dear, dearest, love, beloved, sweet…
Saavik snapped her PADD shut and tossed it aside on the bed next to her as she heard footsteps outside her door.
"May I enter?" Spock stood in her doorway.
Saavik nodded, rolling over on her bed to make space for Spock to sit.
"Is anything bothering you, Saavik kam? At school? Or perhaps at home?"
Saavik considered for a moment. "Negative," she said shaking her head. She picked up her PADD, and turned on the screen again.
"How long will your shore leave on Vulcan last?" she asked, not looking directly at Spock.
Spock furrowed his brows. "Two more weeks…"
"And next year you and the Admiral will take shore leave on Earth, with the Admiral's family. Correct?" Saavik interrupted.
"Yes, but…"
"Earlier, in the kitchen, the Admiral called me 'sweetheart'. What does that mean?" Saavik said, sitting up abruptly.
Spock was if nothing, taken aback. "It means the same thing as when I call you 'Saavik kam'. Why do you ask?"
It was Saavik's turn to frown. "Why do you think the Admiral would use such a term to address me?"
"Because," Spock angled his head to look at his surrogate daughter better, "you are beloved to him, as you are to me."
Saavik stared at him with big, disbelieving, brown eyes. A soft knock on the door caused both Spock and Saavik to look up.
Kirk cleared his throat, "Am I interrupting something?"
"Not at all, ashayam," Spock said shifting gently, to make space for Jim at the edge of the bed. "Saavik was merely enquiring about our plans for next year's annual shore leave."
"Well, I thought we could help out my mom with the farm in Iowa for a bit. But I also wanted to spend a couple of weeks in San Fran. Peter's really keen on seeing some things in the city, including Starfleet Headquarters. Which I'm sure you'll love!" Jim said, looking at Saavik. "Of course, I was thinking it would be good to figure out housing at some point, preferably near the Academy, if we are going to make this an annual thing. I think you'll get along really well with Peter, my nephew, even though he's a couple of years older. He turned what, fourteen last year, Spock? But Vulcan kids tend to be more mature than human…"
"Wait, I'm going to Earth next year to spend shore leave with you?" Saavik cut in, looking incredulously from Kirk to Spock.
A look of confusion crossed Kirk's face, "Of course, sweetheart! You thought we would spend shore leave without you? If it weren't for Starfleet regulations I'd have you and Peter on board the ship all year round..."
Saavik turned her attention back to her PADD, even as Jim continued to speak. Unknown to her, Spock noticed her angular lips turn up in a hint of a smile.