Platonian Crisis: Aftermath by Romulania
Summary: Our favorite Vulcan comforts a distraught Christine after the forced kiss in Plato's Stepchildren.
Chapter 1
After beaming down with Uhura, Christine wanted to disappear. She hated the garish makeup and flimsy gown she had worn on Platonius. She could barely look at Spock in his Greek attire. She was beyond humiliated. She was mortified. As soon as she stepped off the transporter platform, she tried to rush to her quarters, but a strong arm grabbed her and held her back.
"We must debrief in the Conference Room, Nurse Chapel," Spock commented dryly. "The events on Platonius need to be recorded while they are still fresh in our minds."
"Yes, sir" she replied dully without even looking at Spock.
The Captain, First Officer, McCoy, Uhura, and Christine each gave their accounts of the events on Platonius. McCoy kept his eyes on the rest of the crew. As the CMO their well being was paramount in his mind. He really felt for the women and Spock and wondered how much the humiliation and almost abject terror had unhinged the minds of the nurse and the communications officer. He was also concerned that being forced to almost brand Christine with a flaming poker had stripped the Vulcan of his normal emotional control.
Captain Kirk seemed to be the least affected. He simply gave his account and chaired the proceedings. Spock was his usual controlled self but he almost winced when he had to speak of the forced kiss with Christine. "I can honestly ,say that I found " remarked the First Officer, "that forced intimacy to be one of the most appalling experiences of my life." This made the nurse flinch even more. Spock probably found her presence distasteful. He would never want to stare at her again. Christine glanced up at the First Officer and recoiled at the cold hard look of smoldering fire in the black eyes. Uhura was able to gloss over her part in the outrageous affair. She even laughed and said that she might have enjoyed kissing Kirk in different circumstances. When it came Christine's turn to speak she recounted the events in a monotone. She also explained that she was sorry for the humiliation everyone had suffered especially Spock for the forced kiss. Spock did not acknowledge her words but the cold hard look in his eyes was gone.
Christine disappeared as fast as she was able when the meeting was over. When she entered her quarters she flung the flimsy symbol of her humiliation off her body and tore the hated gown to shreds. She then threw herself on the bed in her sleeping alcove. She sobbed and sobbed until there were no more tears to cry. She went into the sonic shower and scrubbed off the hated make up. She changed into a clean uniform. Then she rushed to work in Sickbay. Perhaps caring for her patients could get her mind off Spock.
"Chris " said McCoy, "I think you need a few days off to come to terms with this."
"Len, I am fine,"she snapped. "Working will help me. I do not want to stay in my cabin and relive this."
"All right, McCoy answered. "but you and Spock need to work this out."
"Spock has made it clear that he despises me, sir,. Now if you do not mind I would like to finish inventorying the medical supplies,"
McCoy shrugged his shoulders. He would offer her counseling when she needed it. She does not realize she is as tight-lipped and stubborn as Spock, he mused.
Chapter 2
During the next three days Christine threw herself into her work. She put in overtime and worked out in the gym to overcome the memories. She avoided Spock as much as possible. She refused to eat. But she could not keep the painful memories at bay. She often dreamed that Parmen forced her to whip or brand Spock. Sometimes in the dreams Spock would state his distaste for her and give her to Parmen. She would often wake up from the nightmares screaming. She reported to work almost dead on her feet. The most painful part of the whole situation was her heart. It was broken beyond all repair. She knew in the back of her mind that Spock would never love her. He could not stand the sight of her for she reminded him of his most degrading moment. She could never work with him as a colleague or even as a friend. She felt a black searing pain that blanketed her body and consumed her thoughts.
She needed and desired to find a way to escape that pain. She recalled the words she had said to Spock before the forced kiss "I want to crawl away and die." Death seemed to be the only way out. She would never have the man she loved and eventually her state of mind would render her useless to everyone on the ship. Better to end her worthless miserable life as soon as possible. She would do it tonight.
McCoy was alarmed at the depression in the Head Nurse. He would have to confront her about it soon.
He wondered if Spock could help him. He was sure that Spock and the incident on Platonius was the cause of Christine's distress. Everyone except Chris seemed to adjust to what had happened on Platonius. McCoy sighed as he turned on his computer monitor to reach Spock.
Spock switched off the monitor after his talk with McCoy. He was deeply troubled.
Spock was ambivalent about his experiences with the Head Nurse. He has spend the last three nights in meditation coming to grips with his complex emotions. He was mortified that the gentle nurse was forced to kiss him. He was alarmed that the Platonians had caused her such great distress. He also realized that he enjoyed the kiss. He was very upset that the nurse seldom greeted him. He had not seen her in days. He felt her waves of sorrow and embarrassment. He reasoned the Platonians had picked her because she was important to him. He realized that he found a growing attraction and affection for the nurse. Christine was the only woman who loved him the way he was. She did not require him to be any less Vulcan or any less human. She was intelligent and caring. She was a talented science researcher. She was everything that Spock needed and desired in a bondmate. He should go to her right away. Every day it seemed her growing sadness and desperation had bloomed into a veritable storm of heartache. As soon as he was finished with his shift, he would seek her out.
Uhura had already approached him about speaking to her. Nyota was concerned for her friend's welfare. She had never seen her so hopeless. As Spock kept musing one sentence added to his growing
apprehension " I want to crawl away and die." He had to see Christine as soon as possible.
Chapter 3
Christine was ready that night after her shift ended. She had sneaked a steak knife from the Officer's Mess. She bathed and dressed in her Starfleet issued nightgown. She walked into the bathroom and stood over the sink. She raised the knife to slice into her left wrist and poised it there. Did she really have to do this? God she was such a coward. She did not have the strength to carry out her own demise.
Tears welled in her eyes. She willed them back and took a deep breath . She raised the knife again over her left wrist.
Christine did not hear the door to her quarters swishing back or the quiet footsteps coming towards her.
She was determined to carry out her plan. She was about to cut her wrist when a strong hand locked onto the knife hand with a steely grip. The large hand twisted her wrist and the knife dropped out of her hand and clattered to the floor.
Spock forced Christine to turn around and face him. She looked up into his angry black eyes. She tried to wrench free from his grasp but she was no match for his Vulcan strength.
"Let me go!" she yelled. He forcibly marched her over to her bed and sat her down.
"It seems you are in great mental distress, Miss Chapel!"Spock commented firmly. "Out of concern for your well being I cannot leave you alone. That would be most illogical."
"To hell with your damned LOGIC! Leave me alone!" she hissed.
Spock's voice assumed the iron tone of command as he replied.
" I am afraid I cannot do that Miss Chapel. You can either talk to me in my quarters or you can go to Sickbay and be placed under Suicide Watch. Either way you will not be left alone tonight. It is your choice. Do I need to call Security and have you placed in Sickbay?"
"No, I will go with you to your quarters," She contritely replied. He coldly observed her as she packed a uniform and underclothes in a tote.
Spock scooped Christine up in his arms and carried her and her tote bag to his quarters. Luckily they did not run into anyone.
The First Officer gently placed Christine on the couch in his quarters. He ordered the replicator to make two cups of a soothing Vulcan herbal tea. Christine could not look at Spock. She loathed herself and she did not like the fact that he had saved her from committing suicide. She feared she might be sent to a mental hospital.
Spock did not say anything to her. He gave her a cup of tea and sat at his desk staring at her as he drank from his cup. She flinched under his gaze.
The Vulcan finally put his tea down. He stood up and walked over to her with his hands clasped behind his back.
"Miss Chapel, " he began in a soothing tone. "I do not know what led you to do such a desperate and illogical act. My only guess is that it has something to do with the events that transpired on Platonius. I am concerned that you suffered a severe trauma from that event. Please let me know what I can do to help. You are a very valuable crew member aboard this ship and I consider you my friend."
His gentle tone unnerved Christine. She looked up at his soft velvety black eyes and tried to speak past the large lump that was forming in her throat.
"How can you even look at me after what happened, Mr. Spock? I hated embarrassing you. It sickened me that they forced you to do something against your will. I have always loved you and dreamed of being close to you but those bastards ruined it. They degraded you and me both. And now I remind you of that awful event! I can't live with that! I have night mares! And now you find me appalling! They ruined all my hopes and dreams! My life is over!"
After this speech tears started streaming down her cheeks. She tried to cover her face with her hands.
Spock sat down next to her on the couch. He pulled her into his arms and let her face rest against his shoulder. He stroked her back while he let her cry.
When she stopped crying, she sat up and looked at Spock. "I'm sorry I did that," she said.
Spock gripped her shoulders.
"Christine, you have nothing to apologize for. And let me assure you that I do not find you appalling in the least. I was upset because of your distress. That is what appalled me the most.
"Christine, I need to explain things to you. This is most difficult but I will try. The Platonians picked you because they realized that you are very important to me. I know of your feelings for me and it was hard for me to accept them. It was even harder to realize that I have strong feelings for you. I am not familiar with emotion Christine but realize this. In that moment when they forced us to kiss I found it pleasant because I was with you. In these last few months I have realized that I have come to cherish you. You are a strong woman like my mother. You love me for what I am and you do not ask me to change. You are compassionate and intelligent. You have a strong sense of duty. If I could love anyone I think it would be you. In fact I can now truly say that I do love you. When the Platonians forced you into kissing me I was unhappy at the way it affected YOU. I could not stand to experience your distress. It unnerved me."
Spock drew Christine into an embrace and tilted his head to place a gentle kiss on her lips. She hungrily kissed him back in return. The two spent the night comforting and embracing each other. They both felt they were on the road to recovering from the traumatic events on Platonius.
The next day Spock took Christine to see Doctor McCoy. After a few counseling sessions she was able to sort out her feelings about the incident. Spock had Christine help him with his research in the Science lab. He felt that with her doctorate in biochemistry she was really wasting her talents as a nurse and he wanted to encourage her in the pursuit of science.
Spock and Christine's love grew. They bonded and married on Vulcan. After the Enterprise's five year mission, Spock became an instructor at Starfleet Academy and Christine went to medical school. Both had children and grandchildren and faithfully kept up their friendships. They advanced in different fields but that is another story.