Convalescing

Fanfiction
Title:	Convalescing
Author(s):	Charlotte Frost
Date(s):	1987
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:	on AO3
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Convalescing is a K/S story by Charlotte Frost.

It was published in the print zine As I Do Thee #8.

Summary

"Stricken by a rare and debilitating type of Vulcan flu, Spock is helpless while Kirk deals with the disappearance of their bond, a lieutenant with a crush on Spock, and the not-so-simple ins and outs of nursing a very ill Vulcan."

Comments from the Author

My other award winner in 1988. It never got any feedback, because, like many editors of the time, the publisher wouldn’t pass along feedback from readers, even though she claimed that she did.

I loved hurt/comfort and I loved slash. Hurt/comfort was in gen zines, and slash was in slash zines. Why couldn’t they be combined?

So, I combined them. The results was enthusiastically received. Poor, sick Spock, being lovingly tended to by Kirk. I got an “in person” feedback comment at a con, from somebody who hadn’t known I was C Frost (I had my real name on my name tag). That “you’re Charlotte Frost?? You wrote ‘Convalescing?’ ” surprise was a fun moment.

Everyone deserves a moment like that.

At the time I wrote this story, I was sick to death of ill characters having the infamous “dry heaves”. They squat before the toilet, and vomit… nothing. Gosh darn it, I was going to have poor Spock vomit real stuff. He vomited yuck-yuck all over the turbolift.

After that, characters started vomiting real yuck-yuck in other stories.

Not that I can prove it or anything, but until somebody shows me otherwise, I take credit for being the first fanfic author to have a character vomit real stuff. That’s my claim to fame (even if I’m the only one who knows it). :-)

Reactions and Reviews

1987

CONVALESCING by Charlotte Frost was my favorite in the zine. Spock gets a form of Vulcan flu and becomes extremely ill. With the deterioration of his body and mind, the bond between himself and Kirk disappears which is a natural result of this illness. Kirk is also confronted with a crewman who has fallen in love with Spock. The story is a very sensitive one, and I felt it brought out the qualities that make the relationship between Kirk and Spock so special.

1989

I enjoyed reading and rereading this gentle story of Kirk's caring for his bondmate. Occasionally, the author slips a bit on dialogue— a few too many modifiers, a few too many complete sentences, a little more explanation than is natural, even for Spock. The details of his recovery, his relapse, his bottles of soup, etc., made it all seem real.

1990

There's some lovely characterization in this story about Spock recovering from the Vulcan flu, but again I find myself noticing Kirk charging off the bridge during his shift on what Fleet Command might call a whim. This is actually a common occurrence in K/S, and I think that writers should be more careful about doing this. Is this particular breach of regulations justifiable? Yes, it is, but only in Vulcan terms. Vulcan would defend this by saying that if a bond has been dormant due to illness, and is suddenly reactivated, it is absolutely necessary for the bonded partners to be together because it is as if they were newly bonded. For Vulcans, the K/S bond would have priority over regulations, and I think that they are right to believe this. So Kirk's leaving his post was more acceptable to me in this instance, than in other circumstances where Kirk might have had less pressing reasons for doing so.

1991

This story deals with Kirk and Spock three years after their bonding. Spock contracts the Vulcan version of the flu, and is seriously ill for a while, and then recuperates for several weeks. The flu interferes with mental processes, so not only is Spock slow to comprehend things, the bond between the two men is gone, at least temporarily. A subplot involves a Lt.Parker who is attracted to Spock and eventually decides to transfer off the ship when he realizes the love between Kirk and Spock is strong and there to stay. I really enjoyed this story for several reasons. First, it dealt with what life was like between our heroes after the first big step. Second, there wasn't anything catastrophic that happened, but we did get a glimpse of ordinary life on the Enterprise: the botany section, how Kirk and Spock rearranged their quarters after their bonding, a subspace "telephone" call among Amanda, Kirk, and Spock. I even liked the section where Parker asks for a transfer, so that we had a glimpse of administrative details, like Kirk wanting all transfer requests to rest for a week before being granted.

This story has very little sex in it, yet it is suffused with the feeling of a relationship. And I positively melted when Kirk tells McCoy, "We've been married for three years now..." I'm a sucker for romance, and I consider this to be a very romantic tale.

My only real complaint with this story is a common one I have with many others. When there is a competing love interest, why does it have to be male? Are same-sex relationships so common in the future? Wouldn't it make more sense for a woman to be attracted to one of our guys, in the natural course of events? Just statistically speaking, it would have pleased me if Lt. Parker had been female, not male, and I can't see where it would have detracted from the story at all.

[reply by the author]: Re: your LoC on my story "Convalescing" last issue and your question "When there is a competing love interest, why does it have to be male?" That's a very good question and one that in the years since writing the story I've even wondered about myself. I don't recall my thought processes at the time, so can't say for sure what prompted me to make Lt. Parkers a man. It could be that I actually thought I was being somewhat original at the time. However, regarding fandom's tendency in general to make most competing love interests male, I think it has to do with the ladies of K/S wanting to read about men. It seems that whenever a K/S story has a strong female character, it is immediately disliked (even if she isn't a love interest). I know of some fans who automatically label a story a "Mary Sue" if it contains a major female character, no matter how intelligently that character may be written. To be honest, I think it's probably one of those unpleasant little hypocrisies of K/S. Many of us claim we like K/S because it represents a completely equal relationship, but we tend to not want women to have equal status in those same stories. Perhaps we subconsciously see them as competing with us— the female fans of K/S.

1999

I wanted to write about a Charlotte Frost story this month but couldn't pick a favorite—until my bout with the flu led me to reread this one. Like so many of her other pieces, this story is deeply passionate in a very quiet way; indeed, I like that the crisis has already passed when the story begins. Spock had earlier become terribly ill and almost died, and because the illness suppresses the bond, Kirk had thought he was losing Spock. But we see all this only later in a lengthy flashback. When the story starts, Spock is slowly improving and Kirk has brought his love back to the cabin they have shared for the three years they've been bonded. And that is where much of the story takes place as Spock recuperates.

I love all the tenderness here, which is never sappy because we know that Spock's illness was so serious. Much of the story consists of the little gestures Kirk makes in nurturing Spock. so clearly revealing the depth of his love and commitment When Spock sleeps. Kirk works in his adjacent office, the place where we primarily see the other characters in the story. In the main subplot Kirk learns that Lieutenant Parkers, the crewman filling in for Spock in sciences, has been in love with the Vulcan for some time and has pursued him, even though he knows about the bond. Parkers, of course, must come to understand his infatuation is hopeless, and his interaction with a sympathetic Kirk is nicely written. Kirk can understand why someone would fall in love with his Vulcan!

A funny moment occurs when McCoy, checking in on his patient is puzzled by his scanner readings; Spock is unusually relaxed and his hormonal readings are a bit off. And then the doctor realizes what activity the guys must have just engaged in: "You two have already started that again?" he asked in disbelief," He leaves after grumpily ordering Kirk to keep his hands off Spock until he's certified fit.

We may not get to see any wild lovemaking in this story, but every scene is suffused with deep love, the foundation of the life they have made together.

2011

I have read every K/S story ever written by this author and I can unequivocally state that while all of them are great, this by far is and always has been my favorite. The plot of the story is simple, as listed on the K/S Archive - “Spock almost dies from a Vulcan "flu" and while Kirk nurses his bondmate he deals with running the Enterprise, along with the problems caused by a crewman’s crush on Spock”. But what is missing from this brief description is the care and love and meaning the author puts into each word, each phrase that is guaranteed to leave a lasting impact on the reader. Kirk’s utter devotion and patience in caring for his incapacitated bondmate shines so clearly through this author’s words, revealing a side to our captain we don’t often get to see. And as for the crewman who Kirk learns has a crush on Spock, while there is that feeling of rivalry, of “you can’t have him because he’s mine”, there is also a great deal of sympathy on Kirk’s part because if anyone can understand how this young man feels about Spock, it’s Kirk. The resolution to this problem is one that neither Kirk, Spock, or the young man is satisfied with, but there really is nothing else to be done.

I cannot even say how many times I have read this story over the years, but I can say that no matter how often I do so, it never fails to leave behind that indescribable feeling that is the essence of K/S. This story is so moving, so unforgettable that it is little wonder this is one of my favorite K/S stories, not by this author, but of all time.

1998

Rereading this twelve year old story reminded me of how much I miss the always touching work of Charlotte Frost. How very much a misnomer is the pen name Frost for this lady who always finds a way to warm your heart. If you're still out there. Charlotte, please consider lending your very special touch to K/S again. Your stories are all treasures. This particular treasure has all the tenderness and compassion you'll ever require at one sitting. No flames, just all-encompassing sensitivity and understanding and the heat of a log glowing on the hearth. In observing Kirk caring for his Vulcan as he recovers from a particularly debilitating flu. we see a Kirk that can put his own wants and desires aside and let his mate's needs become of utmost importance. We should all be so fortunate if we are ill — to have someone recognize the things that are most important to our recovery. Kirk gives support, both physically and emotionally, but is never condescending or resentful. So we wont be overburdened with Spock's slow recovery, there's the added interest of Spock's love-struck subordinate, who must deal with his feelings for his Commander. At first he thinks he might have a chance at distracting Spock from the Captain (what an optimist) but then he overhears them reinforcing their feelings with words of devotion and knows he can never compete. Doesn't this say it all for our favorite Vulcan as he thanks Kirk for caring for him in his illness. "I can be free with you. I do not ever feel the need to hide any part of myself from you." Would that it were so for all of us. This story defines so clearly what it means to truly put someone else's interests ahead of your own — not in a dramatic way by risking life and limb, but by Kirk's giving up of his free time, his own cravings, maybe even allowing himself to realize the person he loves is only "human" and vulnerable but loving him anyway — and with all his heart. It's written in a style that is at once comforting and thrilling and — if I may say it once more — heartwarming.

2011

Classic Space Husbands fic. Spock has Vulcan Flu and Kirk gets to play nursemaid. There's a subplot that doesn't really go anywhere, but that's okay because it's all about the schmoopy romance.

2021

5/5: This was very good and I enjoyed it quite a bit. There are a few misplaced punctuation marks, but not so many that it ruins the flow. Kirk's reaction to the crewmember with a crush on Spock was very much in character, which I enjoyed. The story turned very smoothly from angst to fluff, which was very nice.