It has been seven months, fifteen days, and ten hours since Lady Amanda's memorial service. Spock's father contacted him twice by video communication to discuss his mother's final wishes. Spock's observant eyes did not miss Sarek's haggard appearance. His face seemed thinner than usual. What puzzled Spock the most was his father's reluctance to ship his mother's items that were designated to him, even with him offering to cover all charges. Despite the fact their relationship was rarely copacetic, down deep Spock still cares for his father. So he decides to meditate over his decision to take his family back to Shikahr.
The following day he takes the matter to T'Mara. His wise wife agrees they should return to Vulcan. She suggests for them to turn the journey into a vacation. They had enough leave left, and T'Meika and T'Anya were still on summer break. Stefan had just passed six months of age and should be able to travel with them. T'Mara had always wanted to visit the city of Raal for its rich beauty and history.
ooooooooooooooo.
Days later, they are pleased when the starliner reaches orbit around Vulcan. They are transported down to the main station in Shikar. Spock and his family take their baggage and head to the vehicle leasing kiosk. He deposits the exact amount of credits to rent a family-size skimmer. Once accepted, they all head to the proper lot. After a brief flight, Spock lands the vehicle in the hotel's parking facilities. They gather their belongings and check themselves into the hotel. T'Mara sighs in relief when they enter the large suite, for the starliner flight had seemed long and draining. The quarters had been very small for a family of five. Even Spock's nerves got rattled by the lack of privacy and space.
After they settle in, T'Anya goes to her father and asks, "Why can't we go with you and mother to Grandfather's home?"
"Well, first we are only going to gather some of Grandmother Amanda's belongings and arrange to have her grand piano shipped to our home. Second, your grandfather…" The word almost gets stuck in his throat, since Sarek did not refer to himself as their grandfather. He begins again. "Sarek will not be present, for he will be attending council meetings. Do not worry, my daughter, we will arrange another time to meet up with …Grandfather."
Hope rises in T'Meika for a brief moment. Will her parents trust her to watch over her younger siblings? But reason soon tempers that hope. At the age twelve, they still considered her too young to watch over an infant. Her father, at times, could be overprotective. In any case, she smiles up at her parents as she inquires, "Are you going to allow me to babysit?"
T'Mara answers her question. Being in a hotel, she felt uneasy leaving the children alone. "If we were at home we might have said yes; however, we both feel it's best to have Grandma T'Sain come here."
Their eldest releases a heavy sigh. Her pretty face becomes tight. "Really? This is Shikahr, what dangers can happen here? Don't you both think I am responsible enough?"
Her father calmly replies, "Many have the misconception that Vulcan must be an idealistic place due to the fact that we live by logic. Although it is mostly safe, there still is crime. T'Meika, you have shown us that you are a conscientious girl. We do trust you, but just feel more comfortable having your grandmother keep you company."
T'Meika adores T'Sain and truly loved to have her visit with them. With her disappointment gone, her serene face looks up at her father. "Alright, Father, Mother. It will be nice to see Grandmom again."
oooooooooooooooooooo.
Spock pilots them to the outskirts of Shikar. Sarek's home rests on a parcel in the desert plains of the city. They walk to the door, and Spock presses in the passcode. Vulcans did not believe in locking their doors, but all high officials like his father were recommended to do so for they were at times targets for assassins of other worlds, especially from their distant cousins the Romulans.
Spock and T'Mara enter the stately home. Sarek is not present, as expected. They go to the guest room where Sarek had placed all of Amanda's belongings. Spock and T'Mara prepare the items for shipment and place them by the door. They then enter the spacious living room. The room is furnished with sturdy practical furnishings. T'Mara sees the black grand piano. She sits down on the bench. She moves over so Spock could sit next to her.
"Go ahead play something," he encourages her.
She taps on a few of the keys. "I am surprised that it's still in tune."
"Father had a built-in tuner installed as mother aged. Therefore, she no longer needed to tune the piano herself."
She thinks for a moment. Then she proceeds to play "Amazing Grace [My Chains are Gone]". It was one of the very few songs she knew how to play on the piano. They sing the song together.
Suddenly the door swooshes open, and there stands Sarek. Caught off-guard, Spock and T'Mara cease their singing. They both quietly stand up and move in front of the piano. Spock clasps his hands behind his back. T'Mara looks towards the stoic ambassador. Did she see a hint of disdain in his eyes?
She begins to say in Vulcan, "It is my honor to see you again, Ambassador Sarek. The time we …"
Her greeting is cut short as Sarek turns away from her. He then focuses on his son. "Spock, I see you have come to gather your mother's belongings."
"Yes Father, we have arranged for a shipper to pick up the piano tomorrow." Perturbed by Sarek's rude behavior towards his wife, he adds, "Father, T'Mara is my bond mate. Can you not give her the respect that is due to her?"
"I accept her as your bond mate. But since she caused you to betray all your Vulcan beliefs, I refuse to give her the 'respect' you believe she deserves." Sarek ends his opinion on the subject.
T'Mara stands quietly with her emotions in check. She figures it would be fruitless to speak her mind. Anything said would be seen as disrespectful and reinforce Sarek's beliefs about her. She keeps her hands behind her back and keeps her face unreadable.
"Father, I find your lack of respect towards my wife distasteful. We traveled here because we were concerned if all was well with you."
Ignoring Spock's first statement, Sarek replies, "It was kind for you to make the effort to come, but I am fine. I believe the real reason you came was to retrieve what Amanda willed to you. Since I have been off-world the past month and a half, I did not have the time to ship them." Sarek looks about him. "I see you did not bring the children. If they want to visit, they have that right." Though at times the loss of his wife still caused his control to waiver, he does not allow his emotions to come through.
Spock assimilates all that his father has said to him. Surely Sarek had time before his Ambassador's duties to have the items delivered by a cargo ship. Then there are the grandchildren. Down deep, did he actually wish to see them? Since Sarek adhered to the traditional Vulcan way, it would be hard for him to admit any attachment to family.
At last Spock responds, "Father, since you were attending council meetings, we assumed there would be no time to socialize." There is one thing he yearned to know, but doubts that Sarek will reply to his inquiry, especially with T'Mara present. He clears his throat and then proceeds. "May I ask a personal question?"
"You may."
"Did you love my mother?"
Sarek fixates on a painting of Amanda. He then turns to his son. "Love? Spock."
"Yes, Father. Love is not exclusively a human emotion. I have known full-blooded Vulcans who admit their love to their spouse. So, Father, did you?" he asks again.
Sarek stares at his son. "Alright, Spock, I will grant you an answer to your inquiry." He pauses. "Those whom you mention are nonconformists. In any case, I deeply cherished your mother." His voice almost cracked, but he quickly recovers from his emotional lapse.
Spock did not miss his father's lapse. He should have known that Sarek would not say the word 'love'. Nor had Sarek referred to him as son. "Thank you for sharing that with me. It is probably best that we now take our leave. Live long and prosper, Father," he says, giving the traditional hand gesture.
At first, his father does not respond in kind, but slowly raises his hand in the familiar salute. "Live long and prosper," he says in a quiet voice.
Spock and T'Mara both gather the smaller belongings, then exit the house. Sarek leaves the house through a side door.
Seeing that Sarek had left, T'Mara places a hand on Spock's shoulder. His hurt resonates within her. "My sweet, I am sorry that your father has caused you such emotional turmoil." Her anger towards Sarek has switched to concern for Spock.
He looks into her eyes. "T'Mara…thank you for caring. I do not believe we will return here. I will not subject our children to a man who does not accept them as his grandchildren and does not respect their mother."
She looks at her husband with tender eyes, and holds out her arms to him. "Come to me."
He steps closer to her and is about to wrap his arms around her waist. A noise out in the garden causes him to drop his arms and pivot around. He glimpses something moving through the desert rose bushes. "T'Mara get in the skimmer! Now!" he insists.
Spock turns away from the vehicle and slowly backs towards it. Suddenly a Le Matya springs from the bush and knocks him off his feet. Why was a Le Matya so far from its territory? The sabretooth-like animal pins him to the ground and swipes one great paw across his chest.
In the corner of his eye, Spock sees T'Mara starting to exit the skimmer. "No, T'Mara, stay!" his voice strains. He attempts to free his right hand in order to nerve pinch the wild animal.
T'Mara could no longer obey her husband. She leaves the vehicle, picks up a baseball-size stone, and throws it at the Le Matya with all her strength. She throws another, and this one hits the animal right in the abdominal area. It leaps at its new target. T'Mara attempts to get back into the skimmer, but she is not quick enough, and it knocks her to the ground. Spock jumps up and climbs on the back of the Le Matya. This time he succeeds in applying a nerve pinch. The animal collapses to the ground.
Spock runs to the skimmer, flips open the front compartment, and retrieves the anti-venom serum hypo. He gives a shot to his wife, and then himself. Le Matya claws contain a poison that slowly kills the victim. But T'Mara does not respond to the antidote, so he picks her up and places her in the back of the skimmer. He straps her in. He pilots the skimmer into the air. Fortunately, he is a trained pilot for he maneuvers it through the tightest areas. He arrives at the Shikar Med Center within minutes. He carries his wife into the center's emergency area. Seeing him, a healer's aide guides him to a room. The aide presses the intercom button and summons a healer.
The healer arrives within a couple of minutes and questions Spock, whose face does not betray the anxiety he is now feeling. He watches the monitor that is above the bed where his wife now lies. Her vital signs are low. Her heart rate drops way below the Vulcan norm of 240 beats a minute. Why did the antidote not take effect? Was she dying? He closes his eyes and attempts to send positive thoughts to her. Thoughts of life. He then silently prays as the healer tends to T'Mara's wounds from the Le Matya. The assistant draws blood and deposits the blood in the portable blood analyzer.
"I do not understand," Spock admits. "The anti-venom neutralized the poison in me. Surely it should have done the same for my bond mate."
The healer's helper comes back around with a padd showing the results. "As you see, Healer Stark, she is not suffering from the venom of the Le Matya but poison from the plant Shikayan. It appears that a high concentration of the toxin was somehow injected," he states, even- toned.
"That would explain her condition," responds the healer. Then, with some urgency, "Mr. Selik, prepare the antidote immediately."
Suddenly T'Mara's heart stops. The healer quickly applies a heart stimulator, and her heart begins to beat again. The aide comes in and injects her with the needed antidote. Spock closes his eyes. The healer and his aide do not see Spock's actions as unusual. T'Mara is his bond mate, and to be concerned over a bond mate was not considered a breach of Vulcan discipline.
As T'Mara's vital signs begin to stabilize, Healer Stark searches T'Mara's body for any sign of a needle mark. He finds it on her right arm, and removes an imbedded piece of needle. Turning to Spock, he says, "I will give this as evidence to the authorities. A dart gun may have been used, with the Le Matya as a diversion or secondary mode of attack."
Spock fully understands what was just told to him. "Yes, that would be a logical assumption. But why? Obviously, the intent was to kill."
"That will need to be answered by the investigators." Healer Stark now begins to treat the cuts on Spock's chest. "Your wife should recover completely in 2.35 hours. I will return then and determine if she is ready to be released."
"Thank you, Healer Stark."
"Not necessary; it is my profession to heal," Stark coolly replies as he works.
Spock realizes it is illogical, but he wishes that the healer was Dr. McCoy, for the good doctor would have patted him on the back and said, "Don't worry, Spock, she'll be fine." How ironic for him to actually wish for his emotional friend while here on Vulcan.
After the healer leaves, Spock locates a chair and sits down next to T'Mara's bed. He contacts T'Sain. He informs her of what had just occurred, but not to worry, for her daughter was out of danger and should soon be in full recovery.
An orderly enters the room to hand Spock a shirt, for his was torn to shreds. He puts on the black pullover after the aide leaves. He sits back down and takes hold of T'Mara's hand. He closes his eyes to focus on his mental strength so he could transmit to her a feeling of hope. But exhaustion causes him to fall fast asleep.
About an hour passes by, and Spock is roused by his hand being squeezed. He shakes himself awake. He rubs the back of his neck, trying to get out the kinks that are a result of sleeping in the chair. Then he tries to speak, but his voice strains. He tries again. "T'Mara…my love…you are awake." He stands up and moves closer.
She graces him with a weak smile. "Yes…what happened? The last thing I can remember is being knocked down by the Le Matya. It must have gotten me with its poisonous claws." Her voice is still shaky.
"Yes, but I gave you a shot of antidote. This is something more. You are suffering from a dart that contained the poison of the Shikayan plant. Fortunately, I got you here in time. T'Mara, I had asked you to stay in the skimmer. Why did you not heed my words?" He strokes her hair away from her eyes.
"Wow…that poison is deadly. I am grateful for you and the healers. I couldn't sit there and watch the Le Matya tear into you. True, you might have gained control over the beast, but watching as it pinned you down and the claws dug deep… I just had to do something. Wouldn't you have done the same if our roles were reversed?" She watches his face change.
He continues to gaze at her, then says in a gentle voice, "Yes, I surely would have, but…my wife, as you lay here with your life drifting away, the thought of losing you pained me." He still has hold of her hand.
"And you prayed?'"
"Yes," he says, his voice soft but with no inflection. At least T'Mara did not hear any.
"I am here breathing. I guess it's just not my time to go yet." She smiles at him, but his face stays stoic. She could not help wonder why he was so tightly controlled.
"Yes, my wife," he answers as Healer Stark enters the room.
"Ah, Mrs. Spock, you are awake. Excellent. How are you managing?" the healer asks in Standard.
"Alive, but all my muscles ache, and so does my head," she answers in Vulcan.
"To be expected. Your body should fully recover by tomorrow," he responds. He then turns to Spock and converses with him in Vulcan. He tells him to keep a vigilant eye on his wife and if he notices any signs of muscle weakness or dizziness, bring her back in. He informs Spock that he could take her home.
ooooooooooooo
Along with two anxious girls, T'Sain is waiting for Spock and T'Mara to return. Fortunately, she was able to get Stefan to take a nap. All three turn their heads as they hear the door swoosh open. Her daughter and son-in-law enter the hotel suite. She manages to remain calm while greeting her daughter. "Oh, T'Mara, I am so relieved you are well and have returned to us."
T'Mara's eyes glint as she faces T'Sain. "Yes, Mother, I ache, but I am alive and well-pleased to be back."
T'Meika and T'Anya run up and embrace their mother. "Mom...Mommy," both say with joy.
She holds them for a long moment. "Oh, I am so pleased to see you both. Stefan – is he taking a nap?" She releases the two girls.
"Yes, Mother," T'Meika answers.
Feeling the need to see him, T'Mara quietly goes to the bedroom to check on Stefan. Seeing his cute sleepy face, she smiles. She soon returns to the main room. Fatigue and emotions seem to overcome her. Facing her family, she says, "I'm going to take a shower. I think that will help revive me."
In the master bedroom, T'Mara undresses to shower. As she begins to clean herself, she sinks down to the tub's bottom. She just sits, allowing the water to hit her body. Tears pour out, and her arms wrap around her legs. Many questions swim in her mind. Was her husband beginning to believe what his father said? That because of her he no longer follows the Vulcan disciplines? Was that the reason for his distant behavior at the hospital? He had become a more loving and caring man because of his newfound faith. Was he feeling he made an error in judgment? Her mind jumps to the recent attack. Why were they a target? Why would someone want her or both of them dead? All questions and no answers. She finally rises, turns off the shower, and attempts to compose herself. She walks to the bedroom and gets dressed.
Feeling uneasy, Spock walks into the room. Stepping up to her, he confesses. "My wife, come to me, for I must apologize for my behavior. I have not been myself." He offers his arms. She comes to him and embraces him as his arms wrap around her. He holds her tight, then slowly lets her go.
T'Mara's eyes peer into his deep brown eyes as if she could search his soul. "Be honest with me. Have you ever felt like your father believes…I've caused you to lean too much on your human half, or even worse, betray your Vulcan race?"
He brings her closer to him. "T'Mara, I am always honest with you. …I have never believed that you, my wife, ever had a negative influence on my life. You have beneficially impacted my life, as I hope I have yours. As I said, I have not been myself since we arrived here on Vulcan. I believe I have been overcompensating because of my father. But that does not excuse me for not showing you the emotional support you needed. Forgive me, my Aisha." His face no longer holds the stoic look it had earlier.
She relaxes in his arms. "Yes, my husband, I do forgive you. We have been through a lot in a short period of time. From your father's rejection, and then Le Matya attacking us, to me being poisoned. We need to rely on our bond. We need to take it to God. As always, He will get us through this. But talking about attempted murder, where are the authorities?"
"I must assume they are probably at my father's home. They are probably gathering evidence and asking my father questions," he replies, as he lets go of her.
"You believe they have contacted your father? I am surprised he has not contacted you. You are his son."
His eyes narrow as a feeling of resentment rises; his father did not care enough to check on them. Then he thinks that, as a Vulcan, it was only to be expected. "I would assume they have contacted Sarek and told him that all was alright, and you were being tended at the med center. He probably believed there was no reason to speak with me."
T'Sain stands up and goes up to her daughter. "T'Mara, I am going to leave now, but if you require me to return, or need to talk, please contact me."
T'Mara appreciates her mother's kindness. T'Sain seems to have changed since they last visited her. Perhaps God has touched her heart in some way.
T'Mara lightly touches her mother's arm. "Thank you, and I will call you anyway to keep you updated."
"Alright, my daughter." She glances at Spock and grandchildren. "Take care." She leaves the suite.
oooooooooooooo
Only an hour passed when the wall computer announces there are two visitors.
"Please identify the two visitors," Spock asks of the computer.
"Investigators Salik and Shaque. Their identities have been verified by the retina scan," the voice responds.
"Allow them to proceed," Spock instructs the computer.
A few moments later the two investigators are at the door. Spock approaches the door and views through the small door window. He observes their identification. He allows them in the room. Spock sits next to T'Mara. Each investigator pulls up a chair. They introduce themselves.
One speaks in Vulcan at first, but stops as he notices T'Mara's ears. "Does your wife understand Vulcan?"
"Yes, please continue," Spock coolly replies.
They brief Spock and T'Mara on the lack of evidence found at the scene. They found the dart gun, but there were no traces of DNA left on the gun. There were footprints at the scene which were not Spock's, T'Mara's or his father's. They say they took hologram images of the prints to run through the computer. They ask Spock to share all that happened right up to T'Mara's poisoning.
Spock gives the details of the events that led to T'Mara ending up at the med center. He notices that the two investigators ignore T'Mara. They even brush off any statement T'Mara gives, though what she says is logical and she has convincing theories on the attack. Salik just nods in a demeaning way. Both investigators only direct their questions to Spock.
Spock wonders if his mother had faced such arrogance from some Vulcans. He believes the answer is yes. His wife was half Vulcan, yet still did not gain the investigators' respect. Should it matter if she was half Vulcan or fully human? She deserves consideration from them both. He stares hard at the two men and coldly says, "My wife's family hails from Surakahr. She is the daughter of T'Sain and Andre. She is the granddaughter of Selek and T'Kira. Please give my wife and her family the respect that is due them."
Salik studies T'Mara. "Ah, I too hail from Surakahr. T'Sain – the name is familiar to me. Wait, was it your mother who left Vulcan to marry a human?"
"Correct, she is one and the same," T'Mara answers. She wonders if Salik is going to make a comment about her mother marrying a human.
He just nods and continues asking more questions of Spock and T'Mara.
Stefan begins whimpering in the bedroom. His mother begins to rise when T'Meika stands up. "It's alright Mother, I tend to him."
"Thank you, T'Meika," T'Mara says to her.
"You are welcome," she responds back in Vulcan.
T'Anya, feeling timid around the two men, goes up to her mother. She taps her arm. "Mommy, may I sit on your lap?"
T'Mara slightly smiles. She then indulges her. "You must promise to be quiet. Father and I still have business with these two gentlemen."
"Okay, Mother," she replies as he springs upon her lap.
Shaque looks towards Spock with a disapproving glance; it only lasts for a few seconds, but he speaks with a condescending tone. "She is an emotional girl, is she not? But I suppose with her human heritage, that is to be expected."
Not allowing these two men influence him, Spock responds with no inflection. "T'Anya is still very young, and her emotional control will come as she matures. In fact, it is no concern of yours. Are you both finished with your questions?"
"Yes, we are finished and ready to take our leave," Salik says.
Spock stands up. They raise their hands in the traditional gesture. Spock returns the hand gesture but does not utter a word. The two investigators take Spock's nonreply as an insult, so they turn sharply and leave the hotel room.
Spock watches as the two leave. He then turns to his family and faces T'Mara. "If those men were examples of what being Vulcan means, it would be a condition that is most undesirable."
T'Mara puts their son down to the floor. She faces her husband and looks into his deep brown eyes. "No, they were not prime examples. I just hope their investigating skills are better than their social skills. But anyway, do you believe the attack was a random act? A psychotic person or persons just going around killing people? A serial killer? I cannot think of anyone who would want to take vengeance on us. Can you?" she asks with weariness in her voice.
Spock hears her tiredness. Seeing her face, he realizes that she still had not completely recovered from the poison. He too was feeling so worn from the day's events that he had almost lost his control with the two arrogant men. Now he was not sure if he could provide the answers for his wife's inquiries. His answers would be at best speculations.
"T'Mara…with the lack of evidence, my guess would be no better than yours. As for anyone who has a grudge against me to the point of terminating both of us, no I cannot come up with even one name. T'Mara… let us let go of the sufferings the day has brought. Let us decide on getting nourishment for all of us. You need your strength, and I am sure the children are hungry. We can summon room service and have them bring up our evening meal. Then perhaps we all can relax."
With a half-smile, she says, "An excellent suggestion."
They order a traditional Vulcan meal. T'Mara chooses an old-fashioned movie on their laptop computer – Rocky I, a fictitious tale about a man who becomes a folk hero for the city of brotherly love. Spock downloads the movie to the main viewer in the living area. It is nearing 2030; T'Mara curls herself up and leans against Spock with her arm intertwined with his.
"A fascinating choice, T'Mara," he comments as the movie progresses.
"Being on our home world made me homesick for my other home city. I had never seen this movie before. So far, I'm enjoying it. Seeing how the city once looked, I realize that not much has changed. I love that South Philly Italian accent. Yo, would you like some whadder or maybe a cup of coughee? Or perhaps AI should taawk like this. Maybe I should buy T'Anya some antique crowns[crayons] for her birffday. Dat's all." She lets go a chuckle.
Spock is tempted to roll his eyes at her, but gives her a sidelong glance. "If you continue to talk like that, perhaps we should cease watching the movie." His tone is playful.
She winks at him. "Okay, I will refrain from speaking with my best Philly accent. I'll go back to speaking Standard." She nudges him. They continue to watch the movie.
Halfway through, T'Mara lays her head on Spock's shoulder. T'Meika, seeing her mother closing her eyes, looks to her father. "Perhaps we need to finish the movie tomorrow night," she suggests in a soft whisper.
"Yes, goodnight T'Meika," he says with a low voice.
"Goodnight, Father. Say goodnight to Mother for me." She walks to her bedroom and is followed by her younger sister.
Spock gently lifts his wife into his arms and carries her to their room.
ooooooooooooo
It is the middle of the night. T'Mara wakes with a start. She had an unnerving nightmare. She quickly peers over at her husband. She slowly rises from the bed to go to the children's room. First, she checks on Stefan. She bends down to place a soft kiss on his forehead. She brushes back his dark curly hair. He stirs but does not wake up. She heads over to T'Meika and T'Anya's bed. Feeling each of them breathe, she deeply sighs with relief.
Turning, she bumps into Spock and gasps in surprise. "Oh, I didn't know you were there. You're so light on your feet," she whispers, hoping not to wake their offspring.
"T'Mara, are you alright?" he asks after they leave the children's room.
She leans into him, and his arm goes around her. "I had a terrifying nightmare. There were men dressed in black jumpsuits, with masks covering their faces. Two of them had just sliced the children's necks. You know right at their jugular. As I witnessed our children's death, the other men had hold of you, and one was raising up a long dagger to your throat. The men who had just killed our children held me down. All I could do was yell, NO! And then I awoke. I knew it was a dream, but I had to check that everyone was alright."
He brushes back her bangs. "A natural response for a parent. I might have reacted in the same manner."
She smiles sweetly up at him, and he feels her breath on his neck as she strokes his chin and says, "I'm surprised you decided to grow back your beard before we left for Vulcan." His chin and upper lip were now covered with dark, thick stubble. Most Vulcans did not like having facial hair. His father had told Spock that he did not approve of his beard when he talked to him before their arrival. He requested that Spock shave it off and stay with the Vulcan traditions. "A bit of a rebel in you? Huh?" She continues to caress his face.
He gives her his famous raised eyebrow. "No, just being who I am. And I have grown accustomed to it. But perhaps to some Vulcan eyes, I am a bit of what humans term a rebel. But that label has been with me ever since I joined Star Fleet. I have been seen as one who did not follow the straight path," he confesses as he appreciates the woman before him.
As his lips caress hers, he feels her desire and becomes fascinated by the fact that all after these years as husband and wife, they still yearn for each other. His breathing becomes heavier. "I desire thee as I did when you first shared how you felt about me."
"Yes, yes, my love," she whispers seductively into his ear, and they return to their bed.