Subj: DARK FRONTIER (DS/TOS crossover), Conclusion
Date: 5/31/01 9:37:34 PM Central Daylight Time
From: JM Lane

The rest of the four weeks seemed to fly by; in that time, Barnabas improved so dramatically that he almost seemed like a different person--and said he owed it all to Kirk and company; that if it hadn't been for them, he would still be sleeping in a casket by day and stalking victims at night. Instead, he was eating regular food, sleeping by night and living in the daylight, like any normal man.

"I wish you could all be here to see the beginning of my new life...my new *true* life," he amended. "After all, it was all your doing."

"Not quite," McCoy countered. "I needed your friend Dr. Hoffman's notes and formula to do it. It was she who started your cure; I simply supplied the necessary ingredient to make its effects permanent."

"But I would not be where I am today without you," Barnabas insisted.

"Unfortunately we've got to get back to the ship," Kirk told him. "Our time is up in three more days. I'll tell you what, though ...we'll keep in touch, and Quentin will keep us up-to-date on your progress. Then as soon as we can after the two years are up, we'll come back and see how you're doing."

"I guess that is the best I can expect," Barnabas sighed. "And please make sure to let me know how all of *you* are doing. Especially Christine and Spock. I want to make certain that he is treating her as she deserves."

"I don't think you need to worry about that," McCoy chuckled.

"Jim and I fully intend to keep a sharp eye on them."

"Do you agree, Christine?" Barnabas addressed her directly.

"Oh, you can count on that, I assure you. A hawk doesn't have eyes as sharp as theirs," she declared as she looked at Kirk and McCoy, then at Spock, with whom she was crossing fingers and exchanging surreptitious, tender glances.
Barnabas' eyes widened at the unusual gesture; Spock noted his reaction and opened his mouth to speak. "It is a gesture between a couple who are both mentally and emotionally bonded to one another," he told his former rival. "It is a private matter, so I can tell you little more than that, except that we are closer than two Humans could ever be because of it."

Barnabas simply shrugged and smiled. "What matters is that Christine is happy." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her trying to get his attention. "Yes, Christine?"

"If you'd like to see us off, all you need to do is come to the Inn's lobby at 1330 hours--which is where we'll be beaming back to the ship from, you and Quentin, on Friday, November 27th. We'll even take holopictures if you like...and this time, Barnabas will actually show up in the pictures!" Christine exclaimed happily.

Barnabas couldn't help wondering what "beaming" was, but made a note to ask at the first opportunity.

"We'll be there," Quentin assured them before his cousin could draw breath for a reply. In a stage-whisper to the latter, he said, "We've got to go. It'll be our last chance to see them for God knows how long."

The older man finally acquiesced, even though he knew how painful it would be to say goodbye to Christine, not only knowing that she belonged to another, but that he would not see her again for a long time, if ever.

"Very well. We will be there."

**********

The *Enterprise* group was gathered in the Collinsport Inn lobby waiting for Barnabas and Quentin; finally, at 1310, the pair showed up. "We'll miss you," they said with equal sincerity.

"You've done so much for Barnabas that 'Thank you' hardly seems like enough." This was from Quentin alone.

"Just as we're going to miss *you* both," Christine declared, embracing Barnabas and Quentin with equal affection. "Both of you will always be close to us emotionally, however far apart we may be physically."

"Hey, you guys, if you want your pictures taken, get over here and get posed! We've only got a few minutes before we've got to be back aboard ship," the Doctor called.

The others hurried over to the rest of the group, Barnabas and Quentin posing with Spock and Christine first, then Kirk was with them while McCoy took the picture...then vice versa so everyone could get in on the picture-taking. Only a few moments later, Kirk's communicator sounded off; he flipped it open.

"Sulu here, sir. Ready to beam up?"

"More than ready," the Captain replied. "Energize, Mr. Sulu. Kirk out."

"Aye, sir. Sulu out."

Kirk flipped the communicator closed again, then turned to Barnabas and Quentin one last time.

"We shall never forget either of you. May you both live long and prosper," the Vulcan said with the traditional salute; the Humans who could echoed it, including Christine.

Their new friends couldn't do it, so they simply said, "Take care, all of you. All the best always, and we hope to hear from you as often as possible."

"Count on it," Kirk promised. "Goodbye, now." With that, the *Enterprise* group dematerialized and were gone.

Barnabas stared at the empty space where they had been for at least five minutes after their departure, as if he could still see them there.

"We've got to get back to their apartment so I can give you your next injection, Barnabas," Quentin reminded him quietly. "Remember what Dr. McCoy said if we missed even one."

"I know," the older man replied softly. "I am simply being sentimental, that's all."

"I can understand, but we've got to get on with our lives, just as our friends have got to get on with theirs. Besides, we've got pictures of them and will be hearing from them periodically, so it's not as if they're gone permanently," Quentin reminded Barnabas even as the younger man smiled and nodded in empathy.

"Again, I know. It is just so difficult to see them go. It will seem like an eternity before we will see or speak with them again," Barnabas lamented even as the pair of cousins headed for their apartment down the street--and the rest of their (new) lives.

***********

It took Kirk and Spock roughly a week to catch up on the backlog of paperwork once they returned to the ship, but if it hadn't been for the efficiency of Scott, Chekov and Sulu, they would *never* have gotten caught up. The matters the senior officers were attending to now were things that only the official Captain and Exec (or Science Officer) could do, so Scott, Chekov and Sulu had to table it temporarily, then make sure Spock and Kirk attended to it ASAP. Also, since the mission on Earth had been fairly short, the ship had been able to remain in orbit there and wait for the bulk of her command crew to return.

As for McCoy and Christine, it took them at least *two* weeks to catch up--but together, they managed it. Thank God for efficient underlings! They'd never have made up the backlog otherwise. But it was the after-hours goings-on between Spock and Christine that reflected the greatest change. They now shared a larger quarters, being officially bonded, which constituted a marriage on Vulcan. The *koon-ut-kal-if-fee* was merely a formality they would deal with as soon as their duties allowed.

It wasn't until that evening that the now-loving couple were able to discuss the last month and a half. "Hard to believe the last month and a half actually happened, you know, Spock? Seems more like something out of a holo-novel," Christine remarked as she snuggled close to Spock on their bed, her head on his chest as his cheek rested on top of her head. His arms were gently but securely around her, the warmth of his body radiating all through her as well.

"A most...unusual mission, to say the least," the Vulcan agreed. "But what matters is that all turned out well--and that we are together now, as we belong."

Christine looked up at her bondmate, scarcely able to believe that she had heard him correctly, but knew that just by looking at Spock's expression that he was very serious.

"In that case, I can only hope that Barnabas will eventually find someone special now that he's getting back to normal. If anyone deserves happiness, he does," Christine observed.

"It is logical to assume that he will, *m'chejan*, but we can only hope for the best. In the meantime, we have to put the last several weeks behind us and get on with our lives, then allow Barnabas and Quentin to do the same," the Vulcan stated matter-of-factly.

"I suppose so," Christine conceded.

"You do not regret your choice?" Spock asked his mate.

"No way," she returned firmly. "I'm finally where I've wanted to be for at least ten years...and will never want to be anywhere else as long as we both live."

"When do you wish to discuss the dual weddings?" he wondered.

"Tomorrow, my love. For now, let's just get some sleep."

With that, Christine tightened her embrace and soon fell into a deep sleep; Spock did likewise shortly thereafter--and life went on pretty much as usual, at least for the *Enterprise* crew...but *very* different for the Collins cousins, who were now close friends of the former and who would remain so for as long as they all lived.

THE END