A/N: This is a story I wrote originally in German and translated a few months ago. Well.

It's a Spirk fanfic, even if the pairing is just slightly mentioned. Or, to be more precise: If I -someday- write more of this idea the Spirk will be there. Yep.

That's it. Screw me.

I don't make money with that, characters aren't mine.

Volcanic Lady

I. Twelve at night

Jim started to walk faster as he normally would because he was in a hurry to reach Bones and his home. He was late anyway; the medical officer and doctor would be even more annoyed if he got to know that Jim actually wasted time by walking through the city.

The houses and buildings around him were silent but around this time it was only normal behavior. How did he get the idea, again, to walk through the streets of Shi'Kahr around midnight just to wake up in his own flat and next to Bones instead of staying at the camp for exchange students which would have given him a perfectly fine bed, too?

The houses who lined up Jim were huge and ended high above him. He could see them from his below point of view. Though, the one thing he did not see was the step of the small stair he had to pass but stumbled.

He was able to rescue himself before connecting with the hard ground but the book he carried with him fell down. A curse escaped his mouth and the word sounded way to loud in those empty places. Jim picked up his copy of 'Warpdrive' from the dusty street and knocked off the dirt, then he went upstairs.

The ally wasn't broad nor was the pitch of the stairs easy. And to top all of that the light here was virtually zero: No streetlights and no moon at all. What kind of planet did not have a moon, really?

Jim was about to curse himself because he choose this way. No one else except him could have made such an stupid decision; walking through the backmost places in Shi'Kahr, find the most annoying stairs ever and that around twelve o'clock when everyone slept and everything was silent.

Did he mention that he could not see anything?

The end of the damned stairs didn't appear in front of Jim for a while (a while that felt like eternity). He breathed heavily, his legs felt as if they were made out of stone and the book in his arms weighed three times more then before. His only wish was that he had listened to Bones who told him to always take the route which led around the city. Or make more fitness training. (The doctor was especially right about the last thing: Since Jim was with all those vulcan people he forgot to take care of his health pretty often. Or at least more often then would be normal for him.)

As Jim was near to take a break (or just fall down and die in self pity) he reached the last step and left the deadly stairs behind him. He crossed a public and again somehow dusty street which still counted as a small ally in Shi'Kahr. It was empty and silent, of course it was; except for; well, not completely.

Jim was fetched back into reality when he saw a small light glowing at the other side of the road in one of the houses. It came from a balcony and it's shine was unbelievable orange but above all it was bright in such a dark night. Then again Jim heard the lapping of water as if someone would dip a cloth in a bucket or a bowl and the scent of warm coals reached his nostrils.

He was around twenty meters away but still he could see the person who sat on the balcony. It was a young and male Vulcan who was bathed in the reddish candlelight.

It was impossible for Jim to break away and continue his way and so it came that he watched the man, well, wash and dry his feet and hands. Another weird thing Jim noticed was that the Vulcan did not wear any traditional clothes but a black Starfleet uniform with it's sleeves and fabric for the legs rolled up.

It was as if the time itself stopped and it was unknown to Jim afterwards how long exactly he stood there and stared. Then he finally snapped back and detached his look, viewing the still empty street and wondered what to do.

And then shook his head about himself. What did his mind mean 'What to do?', he would carry on with his way and meet up with Bones, getting another of his speeches about diseases and other stuff and why was he late again, WHAT he walked through the city, really, Bones' ass.

II. Half past eight

Jim was frustrated and angry with himself. He knew the damn way! He walked it a thousand times before, there and back, he lived at Vulcan for a while now (one and a half years) after all, he should know how to find the Vulcan Science Academy.

It was truly embarrassing. Not only that he was all dressed up and had nowhere to go, totally lost in this city at 8 o'clock AM when everyone was on the way; no, he also was a few minutes late. And until he would arrive those few minutes surely would have become three-quarters of an hour.

Which, you know, would make him look stupid in front of the vulcan professors he wanted to meet for the exchange of cultural peculiarities between humans and Vulcans.

"What the hell am I supposed to do now?" To cap it all he forgot his datapad on the breakfast table at Bones and his home which made it impossible to inform anyone that he'll be to late or to open a basic map to maybe find his way soon enough.

Jim tried to concentrate and to remember anything around him to get a clue were exactly his current location was.

The apartment towers at the other side of the street, huge and tacky and brown and pretty vulcanic without looking arrogant, the main street in front of him which was ruled by brisk traffic, shops behind him which opened and were already opened hours ago; and all around him a swarm of people.

Yes, there was a light bulb above Jims head which lit up.

Many people were on their way around here and Jim noticed more of them were aliens then Vulcans. So, it was only a logical conclusion to suppose that he had to be close by the shuttlehaven and the visitors center.

It did not take long until Jim found the main-entrance and exit of the crowds and hit the trail quickly towards it. He walked along with all the others, observing more and more different languages and species and then finally he saw the transportation system and an information point where tickets could be bought, too.

Eventually, everything stared to work out again.

Jim edged himself through the crowd while using his elbows and being ruthless to reach the ticket counter. The acoustic level was unbearable and Jim asked himself how the people who worked here could stand this every day.

The round and red painted cabin or box of information output had six windows and now Jim stood in front of one of those. On the other side of the glass a young female Ba'ku grinned at him, she seemed to be the only person around this place with a happy mood.

Jim flashed a grin back, he couldn't help it.

"Live long and prosper which means hello on Vulcan and now please tell me, how may I help you?" She said in the vulcan language and Jim was pretty glad that he was proficient in it.

"I desperately need to be at the Vulcan Science Academy, like, an hour ago would be awesome." He answered, his accent there but not heavy.

The woman still smiled, typing something into the digital pad in front of her, then telling Jim the prize for his ticket.

Jim gave her his 'I can do anything because I'm awesome!' card which he got as a part of the exchange program and which payed his everything. He waited until the dates of today and time were dated on it, then he gave one last smile to the the Ba'ku person and left.

"Thank you, Alandra, for being so nice! -Oh, no, you're welcome, it's my job!" The woman talked to herself when Jim was on his way to his transportation shuttle bus thing, whatever those thing were called here. He got into the brown wagon, held up his payment-card for the control magnet to read it and took a seat next to one of the windows.

~...~

He storms through the corridors of the Academy, being way to late when he reached the door which lead to a room with four Vulcans waiting for him in it. He had to catch his breath before he opened the door.

Somehow Jim felt as if he was about to jump into a shark tank.

Because, he was late. He didn't inform anyone.

That made two things which would certify typical human behavior in the eyes of Vulcans: The inability to correctly plan and forgetfulness.

If it had not been Jim himself he could have laughed about it.

He waited for another moment to calm his nerves, then he opened the brown door.

All four pairs of eyes were fixed on him momentarily, looking away from the datapads to look daggers at Jim. Or at least, that's how it felt.

He entered the room completely and looked around. It was nice here: A few plants, a digital computer screen, huge windows at the exterior of the building, two digital and square desks with chairs around them as well as a nice light floating everything without being hurtful bright.

Pretty intelligent and pleasant room for a conversation.

Two Vulcans sat at one of the digital tables, researching and organizing datas while the other two stood in front of one of the windows, talking quietly.

Jim smiled sheepishly when he reached the professors at the desk.

"I am inconsolable that I broke our appointment. The street and transportation system of Shi'Kahr is pretty complex and I still have some difficulties to find my way. If the time of yours does not allow you to talk to me anymore I definitely understand that." He didn't know where to rest his eyes at and felt even more mortified when one of the Vulcans stood up and greeted him with the usual 'Live long and prosper' gesture.

"Well. It is not a problem, Mr. Kirk. We considered such a possibility and calculated it when we told you about the time of this appointment because we foresaw your difficulty with the transportation requirements." Which meant: Yes, it's okay, we knew you would be to late because we knew that you're to stupid to remember a map.

He totally felt like a student who was lectured by one of his teachers because he overslept.

Jim simply nodded and sat down at one of the desks. He knew that the words weren't supposed to be insulting because, hello, it were Vulcans he talked to. Everything said here would be said because of logic, and logic only.

"I am glad. And sorry, again." Jim opened his bad and took out one of his ow datapads (one with a lot of information about the human race but WITHOUT any maps of Shi'Kahr city) and connected it to the digital table.

~...~

Jim again walked through the halls and alleys of the Vulcan Science Academy, content with himself and the rest of the world. He learned more about vulcanic culture then he hoped for and to top that he got the allowance to observe a few experiments and achievements about shuttle technology.

It didn't take him long until he found and entered the huge test halls; the Academy was very neat ordered and there where signs which always showed the way.

When he stepped inside the first hall an exuberant fascination surrounded him and took over. He was a member of Starfleet for quite a while now and knew a lot about starship technology and it's features but new ones, developed by Vulcans? That was something utterly different; a completely different kind of knowledge.

Jim discovered a group if scientists who discussed the take-off and the landing of a new shuttle variation eagerly when he caught sight of the pilot who exited the cabin.

He was a Vulcan. But- Jim suddenly realized that he knew this one: It was the Vulcan he saw a few weeks ago washing his feet and hands at the balcony.

The light pipes above them and the few strings of daylight from outside made the Vulcan look fluorescent himself and again Jim was mesmerized, couldn't help but stare as he did those days ago.

The young Vulcan slightly shook his hair into it's place while Jim stood in the hall, again all dressed up and nowhere to go, looking as if he got lost.

The pilot passed a few other shuttles and was reflected by the chrome surface. A second later Jim noticed that the man approached him.

"Hello." Was everything he managed to get out of his mouth when the Vulcan was next to him.

The pilot paused in his steps and intelligent, curious eyes gave Jim a glance of appraisal. Those unbearable brown eyes clung to his nameplate which identified him as a student of the exchange program and knowing appeared on the Vulcans face.

"Hallo." The volcanic pilot greeted him, his expression open but neutral, maybe a little bit surprised to find a human at the Vulcan Science Academy.

Maybe. Jim had no idea, he construed the facial expression and the gesticulation.

"You're the pilot of this special shuttle. Would it be possible for you to tell me about the new technology which was used?" He smiled and hoped that it would not be to detailed and complicated, his knowledge about said shuttle technology was there but not pretty distinctive.

The Vulcan seemed to considerate Jims words and then nodded.

"Of course. But if I may suggest to continue this conversation in one of the recreation rooms?" The pilot turned towards to exit and Jim followed him.

"Good idea! And by the way my name is James Tiberius Kirk but you can call me Jim."

"My name is Spock." It appeared that the Vulcan wanted to say something more but changed his mind.

Together they left the huge test halls and Jim got the feeling that he was exactly where he was supposed to be: At the side of Mr. Spock.

III. As the sun began to set

Jim was nervous when he stood in the huge office and waited for the volcanic ambassador. The sun threw it's last sunbeams at Jim and the working desk while he could see the small and lonely trail outside because the room was located in the ground floors. It was pretty reassuring and calming.

The building of ambassador Sarek was beautiful; not just the house itself also the exposure because it was afar from the city and surrounded by the typical volcanic nature except for a few flowers in front of it. Those flower were from earth.

He nearly screamed when he snapped back to reality because the door behind him opened. He smiled and expected to see the ambassador himself enter.

But instead he saw someone else standing in the door frame.

It was Spock.

Jim relaxed immediately. Spock and he became good friend through the last weeks; or at least that's what Jim would say if someone asked him. The Vulcan probably would say something else because, well, Vulcans do not feel and with that they could not have friends in the human traditional sense but Jim knew they had this friendship, anyway. Call it irrational human behavior.

However, he still was confused and surprised to see his friend in the office of the ambassador because those were private locations and Jim was sure that Spock did not have the allowance to come and go just as he liked.

"Hello Spock. What are you doing here?" He asked, smile on his lips, and then noticed that Spock seemed to avoid his eyes. He observed that -of course for volcanic standards- his friend looked nervous, too.

"What's up?" Worried but wary he walked nearer to Spock who straightened his back and now caught Jims eyes all of a sudden and started to explain:

"Since we know each other you told me a lot about yourself but I have to state that there is one fact about my stock I never informed you about. Please forgive me if this should look like a deceptive maneuver. It was not my intention to mislead you in your conclusions." A short break which electrified and intensified the air around them.

"My father is the volcanic ambassador Sarek."

Well.

Who would have guessed that?

Jim was again utterly surprised. Spock always found a new way, another thing about himself to astonish him.

After a few shocked seconds Jim pulled himself together again.

"Huh." Was his very intelligent commentary at it. Spocks shoulders tensed straightaway but barely noticeable.

"Furthermore I shall inform you that I am a hybrid because my mother is human and my father a Vulcan."

Yeah. Obviously.

He should have known that because he already met the ambassadors wife. And she clearly was human.

"Nice to know. Thanks for telling me." Jim said while he tried to comfort his friend with a smile because he knew how much the withheld of information would look like a lie to Spock. And lying was something Vulcans didn't do. So, huge conflict in Spocks head there because for vulcan standards not telling everything you know was already a lie.

"Don't worry, it's all fine. I can understand why you did not tell me until now." Actually, he did not understand it completely but he himself knew that he did not run around with new friends and screamed to everyone 'Hey my name's James T. Kirk, my father died when I was born and now my mother is crazy!' either.

"But I decided in full awareness not to tell you."

Jim didn't feel betrayed, though.

"Hey, I'm sure you had your totally and logical reasons for it." He shrugged slightly when Spock walked up to him just to stop again after a few meters.

"I did not want to be compared to my father and his actions and neither to my mothers. In addition I like to draw your attention to the fact that human behavior is different around celebrities and in human standards I would have such a special position. I did not want you to act differently around me because of it."

Which meant: 'I wanted you to see me and not just my parents or my genes' when translated to understandable words.

A reduction of Spock himself because of his 'child of two worlds' complex or because he was related to the ambassador wasn't what the Vulcan wanted. He wanted to be seen because of his own actions and his own personality.

A bubble of affection rose in Jims chest.

He grinned and patted Spocks shoulder slightly and for short moment.

"I like you Spock and I made friends with you because... Well, just because."

The Vulcan gave him a questioning look which said 'how completely illogical'.

"Don't ask, I have no idea what it was what drew me towards you. But that's not the point here: I didn't knew you were Sareks son nor that you're just half-vulcan but that's okay. Because I wouldn't have cared from the start nor do I care now. We're friends because we... fit."

Jims smile and Spocks relief in combination with the late sunlight created a moment of peace and love and affection without being noticed for seconds which felt like eternity.

When Jim finally caught the meaning of their shared chick-flick moment and how emotional his words had been the spell was broken. He took a step back, cleared his throat and was back to normal.

Spock followed him instantly.

"So, where's the ambassador got to?"

The smallest hint of amusement appeared in Spocks brown eyes.

"My father is tied up with business matters. That is why he send me to answer all your questions."

Oh. Right. Enlightenment gives it's greetings.

~FIN~