Link to the prequel 'Puppy Instincts' is: s/9695765/1/Puppy-Love

Not Mine, Never Mine, Usual Disclaimers.

It was very late, or extremely early, depending on how you looked at it, and the Enterprise was seemingly deserted. Soft footsteps penetrated the silence, soft, and light, the complete polar opposite to their owner's thoughts, which were dark, and heavy. No matter how many times she replayed the scene in her head, Nyota Uhura could still not work it out. Two days ago Kirk had transformed back into his human form and she had confronted him in sickbay, where he was being held for observation, much to his disgust. He had looked confused when she asked what her punishment was, when she clarified it as the consequences for her actions, assaulting her superior officer for one, he had laughed at her.

'Your boyfriend tried to strangle me, and I didn't do anything. So you threw something at me while having a mini melt down, it's no big deal, unless you do it again. If you do it again, I'm leaving you to Bones' mercy.

"McCoy said that...,' she tried, trying not to look as if it hurt that he still considered Spock her boyfriend, she didn't know what he was anymore.

'He over reacted at any rate, and can't actually do anything, well he can, but he won't, if I tell him not to.

She had muttered something about not putting it past the doctor and while Kirk had laughed at that comment, she had left, trying not to let the blood rushing to her head colour her face. It was two days later and she still couldn't understand why he had let her off the hook so easily. The thought that she had lost control so easily frightened her, she was just thankful that McCoy had threatened her with a reporting that would have gotten her a court-martial, in the privacy of the turbo lift. She reflected on her decision to cool things off with Spock, they weren't over, but they were no longer together either, she had called a break to their relationship. She just hoped that she would be able to sort herself out by the time it came to have round two of "the talk" with Spock. Nyota was so distracted by her thoughts that she didn't realise where her feet had been taking her until a familiar voice jolted her out of her revive.

'Bit late for ya to be down 'ere lass.'

Nyota looked up to see the always cheerful face of Montgomery "Scotty" Scot, the Enterprise's chief engineer.

'It's not that late,' Nyota returned, not sure if she welcomed the company.

''Tis early,' he agreed, gesturing for her to enter the room he was in.

She hesitated then entered. Looking around, she realised that it was some kind of mixture between workshop, office, storage place and a dumping ground for everything broken and small enough to squeeze in.

''Scuse the mess, Ima not accustomed ta visitors from beyond.'

Nyota had heard that engineering often had their own language, but this was the first time she had ever had proof of it, which just went to show how much attention she paid at times. Spotting what appeared to be a bed tucked into the corner, Nyota was seriously beginning to think that the Scotsman never left the bowels of the ship.

Catching her gaze he gave her a wink, 'I like ta be close whenna she's havin' troubles.'

Sitting in the chair offered Nyota began to think that there was more to Scotty than met the eye, and was proven right when the contraption she thought to be broken, lying on the bench as it was, produced a rather strong tasting alcohol.

'What's on ya mind lass?'

Nyota opened her mouth before she even thought about it, 'I just can't work out why Kirk didn't get me into trouble for what I did. When I first met him I thought him to be a typical country dog that slept with anything that moved, regardless of its sentience status. At the academy I saw him as a show off, and now, now I don't know what to think.'

'Have ya eva tried to see it from his point of view? No? You're a talented communications officer, who isn't afraid to tell it like it is, who stands up for what they believe in. Someone who is dedicated to their craft, and is indispensible for what they do.'

Nyota stared at Scotty for a moment. She had never considered that Kirk would ever see her in that way. Handing Scotty her glass she thanked him and headed for bed.