AN: This story has been a long time in the making and I am very grateful for those people who have been waiting patiently for me to post. The girls at WA have been infinitely supportive and enlightening, without them I never would have gotten this anywhere near as cohesive, so thank you ladies!

Another Path

Prologue

T'Pring

It was an outwardly placid seventeen year old Spock who sat serenely on a seat in the embassy anteroom, awaiting the arrival of his father's guests. His back was straight, his expression pleasantly neutral and his hands were folded neatly in his lap.

Resting on a small end table by his elbow there stood a dainty flower from his mother's nursery, safely encased within an atmospheric containment field. The flower was to be a gift to his betrothed, the famously beautiful T'Pring, daughter of Sappor - who in turn was a member of the council of elders. Sappor and Spock's father had arranged the betrothal between he and T'Pring while they both were still younglings. Spock was grateful for his father's foresight; not only had he spared Spock the discomfort of having to court and screen potential mates, but he had also secured for his son the most highly regarded beauty on Vulcan.

Spock's mother on the other hand, had quietly opposed the arrangement that the men in her life were so content with, from the moment it had been put into place. She firmly believed that Spock should be free to make his own choice of wife, the same way that Sarek had. Worryingly, she had heard murmurs from her female acquaintances that not only was the daughter of Sappor beautiful, but she had also inherited her father's wandering eye. Amanda knew that Spock was determined on marrying T'Pring, exactly as his father wished, but she feared the Vulcan would use the fact that Spock sometimes thought with his heart - rather than his logic - against him.

Spock shifted imperceptibly in his seat, attempting to still his nerves. T'Pring was beautiful and every time they met for their chaperoned visits, he felt something completely unrelated to Logic stir within him. He was always conscious of the eyes of the older Vulcans on them during these visitations and he was constantly worried that he would do something to embarrass himself or his father. He hoped that today, on the occasion of their tenth meeting, the elders would allow them a moment alone; he planned to ask her permission to use the ozh shok-tor, the two fingered gesture of affection. He had become extremely fond of T'Pring and was keen to show her his regard in the traditionally acceptable manner.

His tummy roiled and he swallowed. Just the thought of touching his beloved in such a way was filling him with nerves.

Associating the Standard word of 'beloved' to T'Pring may have been a little premature, but Spock was - as his mother would have said in her peculiarly Terran vernacular - falling for her. He was not so far gone that he would think of her as his ashayam, but the far less emotionally charged Terran equivalent was, he felt, appropriate.

The sound of soft chimes filled the air, heralding the arrival of T'Pring and her escort and Spock bolted to his feet, almost knocking the flower off the table with his surge of motion. Quickly smoothing down his robes, he took a deep, calming breath and forced his face to be free of the excitement fluttering in his middle.

The doors to the anteroom opened; Spock's heart leapt into his throat and remained there. She was even more lovely than he remembered. The hint of a shy smile threatened at the corner of her pouting lips and the robes she wore today were a particularly flattering shade of cream. She moved towards him and came to a halt two feet away, her hand raised in greeting.

"Peace and long life, Spohck." Her soft, whispery caress of his name kicked his heart back into motion and it returned to his middle, where it thumped madly against his ribs.

He returned the greeting, forcing himself to remain stoic as he did so. "Live long and prosper, T'Pring." He lowered his hand and gestured genteelly to the sofa. She inclined her head slightly in thanks and moved to sit.

Spock sat beside her and looked up at the lady who had accompanied his wife to be. "It is gratifying to see you again, T'Shar. May I request a moment in solitude with your charge?"

The middle aged Vulcan woman raised an eyebrow but Spock - ever in tune to the subtleties of Vulcan displays of emotion - could detect a twinkle in her eye as she responded coolly, "I am to see that Mistress T'Pring comes to no harm while away from the safety of Elder Sappor's domicile."

"I can assure you, T'Shar, no harm shall befall T'Pring while she is in my presence." A note of territorial defensiveness had slipped unconsciously into his voice and he was partly embarrassed, partly pleased that the older woman picked up on it as she nodded slowly.

"Very well. I will be nearby." She nodded to the balcony of the room, it would afford the two young lovers a degree of privacy if she spent a moment upon it, while still leaving her well within range if she were needed.

Spock nodded his thanks and waited until she was out of earshot before turning to T'Pring, carefully hiding his eagerness.

"I have a gift for you." He turned and picked up the containment unit. The flower swayed happily as it was proudly presented to it's new owner. T'Pring took the gift and rotated the containment unit around in her hands, examining the bloom from all angles.

"An intriguing plant. What is its function?"

Spock fought back a pleased smile. "My mother grows them, it is called a rose. It has no function other than to look aesthetically pleasing."

She raised an eyebrow. "It is a plant from Earth, yes?"

He nodded.

"I see. That explains much." She put the flower down on the floor by her feet and returned her cool gaze to his. "Thank you for the gift."

Glossing over her lack of positive reaction to the gesture, Spock pressed forward with the next step in his plan to fully win her over. "I have a request to make of you, T'Pring."

She cocked her head curiously. "Indeed?"

Swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat, he did not attempt to speak knowing that he would most likely squeak like a pubescent teenager if he did. Actions would speak where words could not: he held up his right hand with the first two fingers extended. T'Pring's eyes widened infinitesimally before flickering to the balcony where T'Shar had exited the room. Once she was certain that they could not be seen, she raised her hand to meet his. Their fingers touched and Spock had to inhale very slowly in order to maintain his cool.

It was like nothing he had ever felt before. Dainty tendrils of sensation crept down his arm, into his core and coiled around his heart. His soul sang, this was what he had hoped for, he and T'Pring could love one another, they could-

T'Pring broke the contact. Her hand shot into the safe confines of her voluminous sleeve as T'Shar re-entered the room. Calm and composed, she was the emotionless Vulcan that Spock could only hope to be; his heart pounded in his middle and he was sure that his cheeks had flushed a deep green as T'Shar swept them both with an assessing gaze. The older woman looked at him and raised an eyebrow while he struggled to conceal his reaction to the shok-tor.

"Come, T'Pring. Your father awaits you."

T'Pring rose from the sofa, kicking over her rose with the movement. She bowed her head to Spock, who had risen with her, and moved to follow T'Shar out of the room, making no attempt to collect the now horizontal Terran bloom.

Spock looked down at the fallen flower. The containment field had been compromised and away from the safety of Amanda's nursery, the rose quickly wilted in the overpowering Vulcan heat. He sighed and crouched, retrieving the discarded gift before leaving to return home. It was a shame that T'Pring's robes had caught the flower and killed it, but accidents happened.

At least they had finally been allowed to experience the shok-tor. Despite himself, Spock smiled slightly, he wondered if T'Pring was as happy as he. He certainly would have trouble focussing on his studies for the rest of the day.

*

Six months later, Spock left Vulcan for Starfleet Academy. Four years after that he returned home, to find that the woman he had waited for had not waited for him.

AN: Next: Chapter 1, the academy years.