The Caretaker

K/S Fanfiction
Title:	The Caretaker
Author(s):	Robin Hood
Date(s):	1986
Length:
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Original Series
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The Caretaker is a Kirk/Spock story by Robin Hood.

It was published in One Night Stand #4/5.

Summary

"Spock plays the caretaker in the aftermath of Edith Keeler's death."

Reactions and Reviews

Kirk is distraught after losing Edith; Spock wants to help. Kirk goes to Spock's cabin with a bottle of booze and Spock joins him for a drink. It pleases Kirk that Spock would do this. Spock's reason: "I wish to feel what you feel." What a nice line; what a beautiful sentiment, a lovely overture by Spock. And really nice is their lounging around on a mat by the firepot, and their intimate talk. The dynamics between them are captured and expressed just right—Spock's trying to express his feelings, Kirk's disconcerting nervousness at Spock's openness. I adore when, in response to Spock's confession of friendship. Kirk says. I love you too. They are so open, each is so moved by the other's openness, the feelings they are expressing—this is gorgeous, soul-deep stuff. And holding, and kissing... Beautiful, beautiful. One of those stories where the author had me totally strung out, clutching my heart and sighing between one word and the next.

This story lacks any internal logic. Kirk can't stay in his quarters after "City on the Edge of Forever" because he says there are too many memories there. Of Edith? Why would there be memories of Edith there? Then, Kirk contradicts himself and said that he only fell in love with Edith in the 1930's environment. I also don't believe that for a minute. Kirk's explanation that it was an effort to escape responsibility is bogus. Falling in love with Edith in those circumstances meant shouldering the burden of the success or failure of Edith's dream as well as the future of an entire universe. That's a funny way to escape responsibility. If he wanted to escape responsibility Kirk really should have been entirely indifferent to Edith—both to her dreams and to her fate. Kirk couldn't be indifferent to Edith, however, and remain himself. It's obvious in the episode that this was no superficial relationship. Something in Edith called powerfully to Kirk. I refuse to accept the trivialization of what Kirk truly felt for that woman in order to elevate K/S. It doesn't bother me that Spock isn't Kirk's first and only love. Kirk's other loves are a part of him. To pretend that they weren't important distorts his character.