Second Time

K/S Fanfiction
Title:	Second Time
Author(s):	Kitty Berman
Date(s):	1995
Length:
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Original Series
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Second Time is a Kirk/Spock story by Kitty Berman.

It was published in the print zine Scattered Stars #7.

Summary

"Meeting as teenagers when Amanda takes Spock with her to Earth to visit an old friend, Spock and Kirk fall in love but part until, 15 years later, they are reunited when Kirk is made captain of the Enterprise."

Reactions and Reviews

Amanda visits her old school friend, Kirk's mother, on her lowan farm. She takes her son, seventeen year old Spock and of course, he meets sixteen year old Kirk. After spending time together, horseback riding (Spock is a natural) and swimming, they become good friends. Kirk eagerly accepts a "light mind link" with Spock and they discover their extreme compatibility. We learn that the crafty moms are working on a plan to bring the boys together—no problem, of course, that they're both males. In fact, no problem for the boys, either, as Kirk finds all this fine and dandy as he is really bisexual, anyway.

Still, the story is written in a nice, clear manner with some inventive ideas. I actually enjoyed the easy and rather inhibited way that the young Kirk and Spock learn to love each other. Sometimes it's refreshing just to have them go for it with such innocence. Well, they are teenagers, after all. This innocence leads to some charming dialogue like when Kirk asks: " 'Is that [Kirk's bisexuality] a problem for you? I mean, don't Vulcans...are same sex pairings forbidden or something?' " And some cute moments like Kirk hoping Spock is as aroused as he is: " 'That would be embarrassing; me wanting you and you being turned on by a horse.' "

Then they make plans to be together for the rest of their lives. Hey, not too fast for me...

Even though written with a great deal of charm, sometimes the charm only goes so far. A few moments were tough to take like Amanda laughing until she cried when Mrs. Kirk tells her that their sons are probably having sex together.

The camping trip, the horse riding, the scenery and atmosphere were all done appropriately vivid and idyllic. The young lovers' continued communication via letters was unrushed without the problem of trying to cram tons of information from a long period of time into a short story.

At first I was frustrated by what I thought was another one of those lengthy misunderstandings where one thinks one thing and the other thinks another thing and they never talk about it. But I changed my mind a little when Spock explains later that Chris Pike convinced him that Kirk was really a stud bucket. Except for Spock bursting into tears too easily—appropriate characterizations. Overall, a thoughtful and ingenuous story.

I really enjoyed this story, here Kirk and Spock's mothers are friends and the two meet as teenagers/young men, they go their separate ways and after much angst get together again in later life when Kirk commands the Enterprise. When they are young Kirk's irrepressible enthusiasm for life knocks Spock of his feet. Whilst I really like the characterisations Kitty has written, I feel that for many of you this Spock will seem too hesitant, shy and unsure of himself. So perhaps this story is not for those of us who cannot see some facet of that in Spock. However I found it an enjoyable read, it had a rather 'classic' feel to me, akin to some of the early K/S I have read and enjoyed. The plot is interesting and their two parents are very nicely written, the scene where Spock almost bonds them when a youthful Kirk insists they try the mind meld is very good indeed. The ending left me with a real feel good factor and sense of happily ever after. Very nic. Thank you, Kitty.