I am so happy to be back to the land of our favorite lovers. Welcome to the sequel of "Tag, you're it" – Hide and Seek prepare yourself for loving and laugher, tears, betrayal and the most amazing ride. New characters will be introduced and old ones will change to form new friendships. Are you willing to forget perfection and walk with passion?

My recommendation is that if you haven't read TAG, go back and read it before beginning this book. For those of you new to my writing, I have discovered I like to write using music as a sound track. Some people find that it is joyful to listen to the music before reading the chapters. Some people like to read during, some after, and some not at all. "Do what feels right," Spock Prime.

Special shout out to my e-friend, Donna, who was a real Communications Officer in the United States Army for her help in the research on what classes Nyota would be taking right now. Also, my poor Beta sent me a perfect corrected copy of this chapter only for me to add zillion little things later. Any mistakes you see are mine.

You all help me by asking questions and throwing out songs. I love that. The feeling of this book maybe different, so prepare yourself. I don't know because I let the characters lead me. I just write down what they tell me.

Let's not waste anymore time. Let us begin……..

I do not own…. I just adore….

*****Intro from the last chapter of TAG******

Spock and Uhura spoke every day, mostly about the new language lab he was installing and how it should be completed in a few weeks. On one particularly beautiful summer morning after Spock had finished his morning run, he was met by Gaila. "Hi Commander," she said sleepily. " I'm supposed to tell you 'I've hidden'. She said the last two words in rusty Vulcan. "That is all." She made her way back up the stairs to go to bed for the first time or go back to bed, he could not make out which.

Closing his eyes, he summoned Nyota and knew exactly where she was. Turning sharply, he moved to the back of the building through the familiar entrance where secret lovers met amongst the foliage and flowers. The horticulture students had done a masterful job keeping this area esthetically pleasing, but he found it of little importance. Standing in front of the closet door, he opened it slowly. A small lopsided grin crept across his face as a soft female voice said in perfect Romulan, "Am I what you seek?" As he was pulled inside, he closed and locked the door behind him.

*******

Vanessa Williams - The Sweetest Days

She hadn't seen him in weeks, but he was still just as beautiful. His skin, just as hot to the touch, his smell – oh, his smell – was a mix of adrenaline from his run and smoke from his candles and oils. It beckoned her to capture all of him and never, ever, let him go. She watched as he moved closer, stopping a few millimeters from her and looking into her eyes. He was studying her. He always did. She stood still and waited for directions in the tiny lover's hideaway.

As he watched her, he contemplated the hours and minutes since the last time he had been this close to his fiancé. Her face? Pleasing. Her skin, unblemished, darker, he noted, from the African sun. Her hair flowed from her head like a crown of ebony. Still, nothing was as important as his last observation. She was right in his personal proximity. That was gratifying.

Moving his hand up to her face, he slowly moved it under her chin and brought his face down to meet hers. No words were spoken. None were needed.

If a heat sensor had been placed in the small closet they were in, it would have alerted Starfleet Fire Department to the man and woman sharing the small room moving slowly over and over each other's bodies as if plotting the way to forever and ever. They memorized the sounds coming from each other, so that the path could be followed again with the same results.

They forgot about time and classes and people coming in and out of the greenhouse. They had long since discovered that the closet was virtually sound proof. Spock had made the necessary corrections after the first time they had slept within its walls. Now, they needed each other, and they fed each other what each was missing until each was full.

Her hair wet with sweat from the humid confines of the closet, Nyota rested her head on Spock's bare chest and listened to him regain control of his breathing. It was early Saturday morning and she knew he had no classes to run off to but he was Spock. Duty would soon rear its ugly head. Therefore, she treasured these simple moments with him.

Closing his eyes, he slowly regained his 'center'. He was in no rush to move from the position he was in. He had his Nyota with him. Her head on his chest was appropriate. It didn't belong anywhere else but on top of his torso. He moved one hand from under his head and wrapped it around her. He gave her a light hug and felt her nestle closer to him.

"Welcome back, Lieutenant Junior Grade Nyota Uhura," Spock said using his commander's voice.

Lifting her head up while removing the damp hair from her face so she could see him, she looked surprised. "Really? Really? It's official?" she whispered softly. "We've made it?" she asked, watching for his answer and hoping against hope that she had heard him correctly. She prayed that she had not just heard what she wanted to hear.

Without looking at her, Spock dryly replied, "Correct. Your commission is complete. Congratulations, Lieutenant," He said without moving a millimeter.

Nyota couldn't believe it! She sat up, staring at the nondescript wood door. "We made it," she whispered, placing her head in her hands. Spock sat up quickly realizing that she was in despair and needed him.

"Nyota?" Spock queried swiftly without useless intonation

Turning to him, she struggled successfully to reposition her body so they were both facing each other. She wrapped her legs around his back and placed her hands on his face. Smiling, with tears streaming down her face, she sang, " Do you know how many times we have been told 'NO! You can't be with each other, near each other, love each other'. Her question was rhetorical, because before he could answer she planted kisses on his stolid face. He understood and reciprocated.

"We control our own destinies, my Nyota. Never again will we be at the mercy of another's control," Spock replied evenly as he held her in his arms as her hair feathered across his chest. They sat there wrapped in each other, in complete silence; content. For the first time in their lives they were truly free to love one another, and there wasn't a damn thing anyone could do about it.

********

Little Wonders - Rob Thomas

Before leaving each other, they discussed their jobs and the need for continued discretion. Nyota would be Spock's teaching assistant. She would share the duty of teaching some of his lower level classes in addition to sharing his office. Her own classes would consist of: basic communications courses; electronics installation, leadership development, basic compact lifesaving, communications systems installation, basic weapons, hazardous materials, land navigation, and troop organization.

She wasn't worried about the language classes, she would cleft-out of most of those. The others, like basic weapons, leadership development and troop organization, would require a new set of skills that she had never practiced.

Spock listened taciturnly at her concerns. Rubbing her shoulders from behind as he leaned in to kiss her neck, he said simply, "I can think of no one who is more capable of being successful. Do you remember the tower team challenge at camp?"

" I remember being scared to death, but not really all the details. Tell me, Commander. How does that relates to this at all?" she said, placing her head down to accept the neck massage.

There was a slight tone of remembrance in Spock's voice as he took them back to camp. He began, "As I recall, it was eight days into the start of camp, six days before our first kiss, when the tower challenge was announced." Memories flooded them both.

********

A very tall woman with a mustache was standing in front of the group of campers. "Hello, boys and girls! Hello! Okay, today we are going to begin to divide you into two groups. Uhura, you are team captain on one team, and Spock, you are team captain on the other," she said, looking at them smugly.

The soon-to-be 14 year-old Uhura looked at the 16 year-old Spock. He returned her gaze with a nod. "This is bull crap," she whispered to him, shaking her head walking forward with Spock and turning to face the other children and teens.

The mustachioed woman continued, " Each of you has been assigned a team. I will call your name and you will stand behind your team captain." As the children were divided, Uhura couldn't help but notice the disparity. Spock's team was made up of the fastest, most gifted athletes, while hers was certainly not. As a matter of fact, her team looked sickly compared to Spock's shiny brass-plated one.

Amused with herself, the woman continued, "Now, the goal is to cross the finish line first and have the most points at the end of the challenge. There are three challenges your team will face. The first will be the bridge cross, where each team will be responsible for building a human bridge and crossing the small creek. The second is tug-of-war. Each team on one side will pull until someone from the other side is in the mud." She said this with a smirk, looking at Uhura. "Lastly, the tower. Each team is responsible for every person climbing the tower. Each person completing the climb is a point for the team. The losing team will wash the camp dishes for a week."

"Any questions?" she asked, with no intention of answering any. "The contest will start tomorrow. I suggest you captains get with your team and make a plan."

Looking around at the unequal teams she smirked and made her way back up to the porch where the other adults were standing.

One of the junior counselors looked alarmed at the two teams. She leaned over and whispered to the hairy lady, "Marge, you made that kind of lopsided, didn't you?"

The hairy lady never turned her head, but she spit out the words, "I'm sick of her attitude! Time to knock her down a couple of pegs. As she waved her hand at Spock, she continued, " Plus, that off-worlder thing can't get in the way if he is on the other team!"

Because of his excellent hearing, Spock overheard every word.

The junior counselor spoke up, "Marge, they are children. I can't let you do this. You must see it's wrong!" she said stepping up, but Marge was ready.

"Listen, I don't really care what you think! This is my last year at this flippin' camp and then I'm gone." "Write a formal complaint," she challenged. "By the time they get it, I'll be gone. Now, shut up and move out of my way!" she said, pushing the junior counselor out of the way with her shoulder as she walked passed."

Spock watched his team move away from him rather than towards him. They left him standing alone as they circled a large, red headed boy with obvious physical strength and stamina. The boy, whom the others had chosen as their leader, looked smugly at young Spock. Spock bowed slightly and turned and walked towards Nyota and her wayward bunch.

"Spock, what are you doing here?" she asked puzzled, then looked over her shoulder to see the other team. She began to understand what had just happened. "Those Fuc…, but Spock shot her a look and she stopped herself from the onslaught of curse words she was about to spew at the other team.

Spock spoke with no concern in his voice whatsoever. "One cannot lead a team that has chosen another, "he said in his monotone voice, "When they are in need, I will be here. It is only unfortunate that I cannot assist your team in any way as I am still a part of the other team."

"That's okay, Spock, I understand," she said half-heartedly. Looking in her pocket she pulled out two rubber bands, divided her hair in half, and made quick work of braiding it in two ponies and securing them on the ends with the rubber bands.

"Okay team, lets move over to the cabin and get to know each other," she said with a smile. What she was really thinking was, "What the hell am I going to do with this band of misfits?"

Spock watched and listened from a distance. He admired Uhura's tenacity. With great patience, she listened to each camper discuss a skill they had that would be useful to the group, unlike the leader of the other team who was barking out orders. When her team was done she said, "Okay, let's see. You three are biggest, so you will be our anchors. You little ones are the most agile, which will really help with the first challenge."

Leaning in to the somewhat confused group, forcing the group to lean in with her, she said, "Let's become ants."

"Who are the best bridge builders in the world?" she exclaimed, allowing the smallest child to answer.

"Ants!" the child rang out, her chest full of pride.

"Correct!!" Uhura sang back, praising the child by messing her hair. "Come on, we have some more planning to do."

She rose up and began to walk away with the group, but as she did she spoke in hushed tones, " Spock, I know you can hear me." Walking away, holding hands with the youngest of the motley crew she said in Vulcan, "I wish you were here with us."

Coming back in a few hours Uhura noticed that Spock was still in the same spot he was in when she left. It broke her heart to see him alone. Looking at her group, she announced that they could take a small break and to be back in 15 minutes. As the group ran off to use the rest room or get their inhalers, she walked over to her friend. She sat down beside him and kicked the dirt with her foot, making small dust storms appear. She spoke softly. "I hate that they haven't included you," she said as she looked ahead.

Spock spoke in a stoic tone, "It is illogical to hate what one cannot control. Use your resources to control what you can," he said, looking ahead as well.

Uhura turned to look at him, "You're right. We can't beat them in the tug of war. I know that, but the other games, we might just have a chance."

She sat quietly with him the rest of the free time, as they often did when they were together.

With five minutes left to spare, Uhura spoke, "Spock, you are the best friend I've ever had in my whole life! I am really glad you came to camp here." She continued, "Question for you. I didn't think that Vulcan's took vacations. Why does your family?" she asked, standing up and dusting her shorts off.

Spock stood, facing her. "Vulcan's value their privacy, Uhura," he said dryly

Nyota took a small step back and lowered her head. "I'm sorry Spock." She turned and began to walk away until she heard him speak.

"…but I value our companionship and trust your discretion," he said, stepping closer to her, the closest, in fact, they had ever been to each other. So she could hear him clearly, Uhura notioned to herself. He smells nice, she thought and then leaned in to show she was listening.

"My mother is human," Spock said. He waited for a human expression of shock but, when one did not come, he noted this and continued, "She had a "best friend", as you humans would say, that was stationed on the U.S.S. Kelvin. My mother and her friend would often speak of going on family vacations together, but they did not put forth the effort needed to see it to fruition."

Spock looked around and moved closer to her.

"When the Kelvin was destroyed by unknown forces and her friend was lost, my mother decided to follow through with the commitment to go on family vacations. So, every other year we visit Earth for the summer months. Hence, why I met you." he said surreptitiously, slowly moving away from her.

"These little wonders," Uhura whispered to herself, closing her eyes before she realized it.

Spock looked at her with puzzlement in his eyes.

"Explain," he asked, stepping closer to her once again. Something in him moved as he watched her open her eyes. It shook him to his core, and he was forced to quickly push it back down.

"My grandmother, she would say to us that great things come to us in 'these little wonders', meaning turning points of some sort. Would we have met if the U.S.S Kelvin had not been destroyed? And if we had met, would we be best friends like we are now?" she said, finding herself with her stomach turning flip-flops for no reason she could come up with.

Spock looked at his friend and started to comment, but a little voice brought him from his thought of Uhura's words sounding like poetry. Looking down, he could see the small child grab Uhura's hand.

"Time is up, Uhura. The group is back," she said, smiling up at her.

Looking down at the child, Uhura said, "Okay, little one. Here I come. We will need to learn to be tigers now." Looking up, she said, "Spock," but he was already back on the small porch steps with the other group.

"Good bye, Spock, and thank you for your trust in me," she said to him as the little girl pulled her towards her awaiting group, but not before she turned around to see him nod his head.

********

Survivor - Eye Of The Tiger

Uhura didn't see young Spock for the rest of the day, and not until the next morning. Her group met in secret. They even ate dinner and breakfast together. She invited Spock to join them, but he declined. He chose to sit near his group instead. Damn, he's stubborn, she thought, laughing to herself. Still, she felt a loss. He wasn't near her like he normally was.

On the day of the trials, Uhura's team looked terrified. She knew it because she was scared too. The other team looked so massive compared to her young and awkward group. Once again, Spock walked over to her when he noticed her emotional state.

"Uhura," he said, "I can think of none who could do a more masterful job than you. Be the girl I met on the bus." He turned and walked away before she could respond.

She remembered that girl. She liked that girl. She was that girl! Turning to her group, she said, "Okay guys, we got this! We know what to do! Be the tiger!" she cheered, causing the group of children to growl in unison. "Louder!!" she yelled "Growl!!!" they said louder and with more force, causing the other group to look a little alarmed.

Uhura's group marched passed the other group with a sense of renewed spirit about them. The counselors were in shock as well, especially the hairy-lipped woman. Uhura's group walked passed her and flipped her off one at a time, even the littlest one, although she used the wrong finger. The meaning was still clear.

As the first game began, Spock watched the groups move into position.

"Remember, ants okay? Let's go!" Uhura said, prompting her team to transform. They had focus! They were ready! They were Ants!

"Fascinating" was all Spock could say, then turned to his team and watched as they fell apart. With no real strategy, their strength alone could not outwit the team approach of Uhura's. Before long, it was clear that Uhura's team had won the first match.

Spock walked swiftly over to his team. "For the next exercise, may I assist you? Your methods are flawed and without forethought," he said, stoically watching the leader of the group's face become as red as his hair.

"We don't need your help, alien freak!" the boy shouted too loudly, as the junior counselor stepped off the porch and rushed over.

"That is it! No more of the ill talk! What? Are we living in the twenty first century? McHenry, apologize!" she said, with authority in her voice. The boy said nothing. "Fine, go to the office and wait for me there. Spock, you are in charge of this group. Take over, they win - it's you, they lose- it's you." With that, she turned to walk to the office with the boy as the hairy lipped woman screamed in her ear.

Spock could hear the junior counselor tell the hairy lady that she had reported her and as of right now, she was fired!

Spock turned and cleared his throat. "Now, I do not fail," he said in the most commanding voice anyone had ever heard him use. " Anyone who wishes to NOT follow my leadership, please remove yourself from my presence, as we will complete this mission without you." In response, the group closed in around him.

He glanced over at Uhura and gave her a look that said, "Game on". Her look said the same.

As Uhura had predicted, the second game was a total wash. Spock's team made easy work of Uhura's in the tug of war. Thatmade the last game, the tower, the most important one!

The tower was as tall as the largest cabin. Each child had to climb to the top and ring a bell for the team to get a point. Because Spock's team was down one man, this gave Uhura's team a slight advantage, very slight. She knew some of the little ones would be hard-pressed to reach the top, but they said they would try.

At the sound of the whistle the teams were off! This wasn't a race about the fastest time, it was a race using will power. Spock's team took the easy lead, as he had organized them as Uhura had hers, strong climbers behind the weak ones for support. Uhura and Spock on the ground below. Uhura would yell support to her teammates and Spock would give his the look of death if they thought about turning around. Both strategies seemed to be working!

"Help!" yelled a very young voice. Looking up, Spock was the first to spot the young child. "Help me!" she yelled, too terrified to let go. Her shirt had gotten caught on a loose nail and she was stuck and frightened.

Before Uhura could place one foot on the tower rail, Spock was three rails ahead of her! Reaching the young girl, he commanded her to grab hold of him, which she did quickly. Ripping her shirt from the nail, he easily brought the girl down and handed her to the awaiting counselors.

"Thank you Spock," the little girl said, running back over to him and hugging his leg.

"What is this touching thing human's have?" he thought to himself before looking up as Uhura called to him.

"Last one up loses!" she said, laughing at him and waving him up. Spock was up the tower in no time! The race was on! Uhura had a slight lead, but it was not nearly enough to beat him to the bell. With sweat pouring from her face, she laughed as she hung two rails below him. Spock sat on top of the tower like he was king of jungle.

Uhura looked down at her group and yelled, "Be the tiger!" The whole camp began to run around the tower, growling with delight.

As darkness fell, Uhura's group began washing the camp's dinner dishes and singing songs she had learned when they'd had a halfway decent director some years back. It wasn't a bad job when you have this much help. Looking up, Uhura saw pale hands washing dishes on the other side of the large sink.

"Spock! What are you doing here? Your team won," she said smiling at him, happy for his company.

Continuing to wash the dishes and hand them to the little girl he had helped down from the tower to rinse them, he said, "We have much work to do with our language studies. It is logical to work with you as we can continue without delay," he said as placidly as ever.

"I missed you too," she said in Vulcan, smiling at him. She turned to start up another song.

************

After Spock and Uhura were completely dressed and as composed as one can be after spending four and one half hours in a hot closet, she laughed at the memory. "See, I wasn't the first female to adore you," she said, kissing him on the cheek. "You always know what to say to me to help me remember who I am. Thank you, my love.

"I'll see you later?" Somewhere other than this closet?" she whispered laughingly at their hideaway.

"Yes. We will need a more private, appropriate place to meet," he said, drawing her into a final tender hug.

"Better places to Hide," she said, hugging him back.

Kissing him quickly, she opened the door slowly to make sure the room was clear before she slipped out. He waited until she signaled that she was safely in her room. Then, promptly and with stealthy speed, he too was gone.

tbc

REVIEW ya'll REVIEW

(smile)