Spock is driving their ground vehicle down the coastal highway with T'Mara sitting on the passenger side. They are engaged in conversation about their special anniversary weekend at Santa Cruz. T'Mara smiles at him as he glances over at her. He has always felt from the very first day he met T'Mara that she had an infectious smile. Now they have been married 11.0004 years, and his love for her has grown.
"T'Mara, let's find an outlook to park the car so we can view the sunset," he mentions as his eyes still focus on the road.
"That would be most agreeable." She smiles, then peers out the open side window.
Spock slows the vehicle down a bit so T'Mara will be able to seek out a vista. As they head south on the highway, T'Mara locates a scenic stop and lifts her hand. Spock also notices the outlook and speaks up first. "T'Mara, yes, that does appear to be an adequate location."
T'Mara smiles as she nods in agreement.
Spock guides the car into the designated space. Both emerge from the vehicle at the same time. T'Mara walks over to where Spock is standing. Gazing out to where the ocean meets the skyline, he declares, "This should be the most optimal spot for viewing the sunset." The sun was now nearing the horizon. The sky began to take on the glorious colors of pinks, oranges, and purple.
"Yes, and each sunset is different from the last. God's glory never ceases to amaze me," she says to him with her hand behind his back and his hand behind hers. She expects him to give her the scientific reason for why each sunset was different.
Spock acknowledges to himself that being married to T'Mara challenges him to broaden his views on Oekon, Vulcan's ancient concept of a Supreme Being. Since they are returning from a pleasant anniversary weekend, he does not wish to initiate a debate. He clears his throat. "It is not illogical to appreciate one's home world and all its living things."
T'Mara is not disappointed by his response since she always knew that her husband's upbringing made it hard for him to completely accept God as Lord of all. She graces him with a sweet smile, but it fades as she begins to feel that he is distracted. She notices him gazing at the cliff.
Curiosity rises in Spock. He removes his hand from hers and walks to an ancient protective fence at the cliff's edge. He peers down the boulder-filled cliff to the ocean below. The bluff plunges down at a 98% angle. It is approximately a 1500 feet drop to the ocean. He is grateful for the security barrier that guards him against the dreadful chance of falling down the cliff. He surmises that if one would slip, the outcome would surely be death. A painful death, indeed.
T'Mara walks over to him. She watches him as he raises his head to look towards her, for he had heard her approach. "Doing a study of rock formation?" she asks, wondering what had him so deep in thought.
"No…" he exhales. "No…it was the memory of your accident. Morbid thoughts of falling off the edge and ending one's life." He shakes his head slightly to and fro to stop the horrid thoughts.
T'Mara takes a quick glance down, which causes her to inwardly tremble. "Oh Spock, I can understand how this would bring back such awful memories. Maybe we should just leave."
"No, my aisha, let us focus on the sunset." He offers his hands, and she places her hands in his. He guides her back to where they last stood. Both now face the ocean's horizon. The sun begins its descent. It is going below the skyline, and the beautiful colors intensify. T'Mara now places her arm behind his back with her hand touching his side. He does the same, and thinking back to the time before they were married, realizes that his initial attraction and feelings for T'Mara were not just for her outward beauty, but her inner strength. Is her faith in her Lord the source of her fortitude?
She leans in closer to him, causing him to snap him out of his ponderings. "It is pleasant to be able to spend this beautiful, quiet moment with you," she tells him and then kisses his cheek.
"Agreed...these moments are worth cherishing," he whispers into her ear.
She sees his expressive eyes. She smiles with love at him.
A sound of screeching tires in the distant cause them to break their romantic mood. Both turn their heads and face the roadway.
"A ground car is coming down that hill way too fast," T'Mara states.
"Yes. By the sound of the engine, I would say the vehicle is designed for speed, but not of this century," he observes. Both keep their eyes on the highway. The ancient car starts careening around the curves. "If the one driving that automobile does not decelerate soon, the car will not be able to handle that last curve before the outlook," Spock concludes as he points at the bend in the road.
He and T'Mara still watch the black two-seater, as it is now approaching the last turn before the outlook. It seems to pick up speed. Seeing the car coming their way, Spock pulls T'Mara towards their ground vehicle.
The driver now realizes they are traveling too fast, and presses the brake pedal hard with his foot. He sharply turns the steering wheel. He apparently overcorrects which causes the vehicle to swerve and sway towards the vista.
Spock swiftly pushes T'Mara behind him. He wants to make sure she would not be hit by the car. His concern was not just for her life, but the life inside of her, for she is seven months pregnant with their son. T'Mara closes her eyes as she fears the couple will be doomed to fly off the ledge. Spock sharply inhales as he witnesses the ancient Corvette screech to a halt after crashing into the old fence. Since the outdated barrier could not withstand the impact, the whole front of the vehicle teeters on the edge of the cliff.
The female passenger begins yelling at the male driver, "Jason, this is all your fault!" Her words seem to be slurred. She wiggles in her seat, causing the sports car's front to tip further.
Spock, seeing the car in danger of crashing off the ledge, sprints to the rear of the car. He places his hands on the back end of the trunk and presses it downward with his Vulcan strength. Knowing that his wife is contacting the authorities, he can only hope they will arrive before his strength gives out.
As he concentrates on saving the young couple, he loudly instructs, "T'Mara, get into our car and back it right behind the Corvette, about 1.5 feet from the rear bumper. Then get the emergency cord out of the trunk."
In the meantime, he slowly maneuvers both hands under the bumper to attempt to pull the vehicle off the edge. The apparently drunken woman does not cooperate and moves back and forth in her seat. Her movements cause the car to lurch downward. Spock quickly places his hand back up on the trunk and applies his weight to make the car to tilt back in a more upright position.
Inside the car, the young man named Jason barks back at his female companion, "Tonya! Stop rocking the car! Keep it up and you'll send us to our deaths. Don't you realize that man is trying to rescue us?"
"Why? Why…I should just get out and leave you," she says loosely, with anger.
"Tonya, if you were not yanking on the steering wheel, we wouldn't be in this predicament," Jason shouts back as his eyes bore into her.
The intoxicated Tonya starts obstinately rocking in her seat. Her commotion causes the back wheels to almost lift off the ground. It takes every bit of Spock's strength to prevent the car from tilting towards its demise. His muscles begin to scream from the strain. He ignores the pain and places every bit of his focus on saving the two occupants of car.
"Tonya!" Spock calls urgently. "Listen to Jason! You must cease moving completely! You are jeopardizing both your lives!"
Tonya completely ignores Spock's request. She continues her irrational actions. Out of frustration, Jason slaps Tonya across the face. The vehicle wobbles forward, causing the rear wheels to raise off the ground. Spock manages to place one foot on the rising bumper and continues to push hard with both hands on the trunk.
T'Mara has now driven their car into position, and removes the rope from the trunk. She proceeds to quickly fasten it to the rear bumper of their vehicle, then secures it to the rear bumper of the Corvette.
Inside the Corvette, Tonya and Jason's voices intensify with anger. "Jason you are a freaking asshole!" Tonya says as she shoves him. He overreacts to her words and punches her hard on her arm.
"I am getting out of here!" she shrieks. "I'll getting out, then watch you drop to your death!" She slides over and opens her door. That causes the front of the car to tilt at a 30-degree angle downwards.
"No, Tonya!" Spock pleads. "I beg of you, stay in the car!"
She does not obey. She scoots over and jumps out of the rocking Corvette. She manages to jump to the cliff's edge. She staggers and falls to her knees, but grasps a huge, protruding rock and pulls herself up to safety.
The rope slips out of T'Mara's hands before she can fasten it, and she watches helplessly as the Corvette starts to tilt over the edge of the bluff. She hears sirens in the distance, but she fears the rescue workers will not arrive in time. Her eyes widen as she witnesses the horrifying events unfold. As she moves to help Spock hold back the Corvette, the car begins to plummet down the rocky hillside. He falls after it, and she screams.
Spock's eyes widen as his hands slip off the car. His body twists as it tumbles after the vehicle. He had never feared death before. This time he experiences fear, for he is not sure where his soul would reside. Was his soul doom to be trapped in an abyss? Then, to his amazement, the front of the car collides with an outcropping and comes to a stop. What was going to be a fifteen hundred feet fall turns out to be only a thirty foot drop. His body slams back-first into the rear metal bumper of the Corvette. Pain momentarily stuns him.
Up on the cliff, Tonya is laughing hysterically. "Ha, Jason, just what you deserve!"
The damaged engine starts crackling in protest. Sparks rise from under the crumpled hood, then turn into flames. Spock shakes off a woozy feeling and manages to raise himself off the ground and steady himself against the car's trunk. Realizing that Jason is in grave danger from the burning vehicle, Spock ignores intense back spasms and edges along the driver's side of the car until he gets to the door. He yanks at the door handle, but the crumpled door does not budge.
The fire is spreading. All but blinded by the smoke, Spock hears the rescue team repelling down the cliff with their equipment. He picks up a rock and smashes the driver side window. He then places his torn and bloody hands inside the door and yanks on it with what was left of his strength. The door finally budges and opens. Spock goes to Jason, who is slumped over the steering wheel. He places his fingers on the man's neck. There is a pulse. He gets himself in position to lift Jason out of the burning car. He moves Jason clear of the fire and is carefully laying him on the ground when the rescue team reaches the ledge. The firemen begin putting out the fire. One of the medics examines and then tends to Jason.
The female medic approaches Spock and drops to one knee. "You are one brave man. You just saved that fellow's life," she states with admiration. She begins treating Spock's deeply cut palms as he sits with his legs bent towards his chest.
"Brave? Perhaps, but I only did what I deemed necessary. Jason needed to be removed from harm's way," Spock states with a hoarse voice.
On top of the outlook, a county sheriff escorts Tonya into the back of his vehicle until the medics can evaluate her condition. As he attempts to question her regarding the accident, his fellow officer approaches T'Mara, who is distraught.
"Please, I need to get to my husband!" she cries out. "He's dead, isn't he?" She steps closer to the raw edge of the cliff, but he restrains her.
"Ma'am, don't try to go down there. Would it help your husband if you injure yourself? And what of your baby? Here, we can go to the retaining wall and look over."
With the kind officer at her side, T'Mara peers over the edge and sees the rescuers, Jason, and Spock. Jason is on a hover-stretcher and a medic is tending to her husband. She goes limp with relief.
Down on the ledge, the fire has been put out. Rescuers begin lifting Jason's hover-stretcher up the difficult, rocky hill. Once they are sure Jason is safely on the outlook, they come back down to Spock.
The female medic touches Spock's arm. "Captain, we need to place you on the gurney now."
"No…just help me scale the hill," Spock insists as he stands. He sways, but manages to balance himself.
"Captain Spock, we can't do that. Your body is overtaxed and you have several injuries. You are in no condition to be scaling a steep hill." She places one hand on his upper arm to guide him to the litter.
"No. Believe me, I am quite aware..." Unexpectedly, a severe pain radiates down his spine, which causes him to almost stumble. Giving in to reason, he sighs, "Alright...alright, place me on the stretcher."
The pretty medic pats his shoulder. "Don't worry, Captain, we'll get you to your wife in no time."
Her partner helps maneuver the hover stretcher up to where T'Mara is standing. As Spock gets closer to T'Mara, she observes his battered face, along with the fatigue and pain in his eyes. However, she is overjoyed, for he is alive.
Smiling in relief, she says, "My husband."
Spock meets her gaze with a fond look. "My wife...I am indeed pleased to see you."
ooooooooooooooo.
T'Mara pulls her car into the lot near the emergency entrance of the Fleet Med Center, checks in, and is escorted to ER room two. A dark-haired doctor and a petite nurse are already in the room. The nurse is removing Spock's torn black shirt. The doctor turns on the monitor above the bed. The device displays Spock's vitals in three-dimensional visuals of his injuries.
Studying the images, the doctor quietly says, "H'm…wow, you really took a hard fall. Well, don't worry. There's no sign of internal injuries. We'll have you patched up in no time." He turns to T'Mara. "Hello, you must be Lieutenant Commander Spock. I'm Dr. Robert Ross and this is my nurse, Kelly Greene." He smiles, then turns back to Spock. "Captain, I am bit old fashioned, for I don't rely just on this mechanical device. I like to physically examine my patients. The nurse will help you turn onto your stomach."
Greene makes Spock comfortable, so that his head is on the pillow and he is facing his wife.
As the doctor begins to gently touch Spock's injured back, he says, "Relax, Captain. I'm an expert in Vulcan medicine. I was raised on Vulcan. I was an MK."
"MK?" Spock asks.
"Missionary Kid," T'Mara interjects.
"I was not aware of any missionaries on Vulcan," Spock remarks.
Dr. Ross looks up at the monitor as he palpates Spock's lower back and spine. The heavily bruised area had directly impacted the Corvette's bumper, and now the doctor's touch triggers painful spasms that register on the pain indicator.
"Hurts...huh?" Dr. Ross asks.
"That, Doctor, is an understatement, but I am in complete control," Spock answers without expression.
"Of course. As for missionaries, we were few and far between on Vulcan. Unfortunately, human Christians – uh, no offense – found Vulcans rigid in their thinking and therefore lacking an openness to faith. That caused many missionaries to abandon hope of converting any of them. It is unfortunate they did not put their trust in the Almighty." Dr. Ross finishes examining Spock's back.
"No offense taken, doctor. Faith is a concept that most Vulcans find untenable. We prefer the concrete," Spock replies, but his heart still wonders about this God.
Dr. Ross's gut feeling is that Spock is still questioning what he truly believes. He looks to the nurse. "Well, back to business. Nurse, please hand me the nerve analyzer."
"Yes, Doctor." She takes the analyzer from a small portable table.
Dr. Ross places the device on a large greenish-black contusion at the base of Spock's neck, between his c5 and c6 vertebrae. The instrument would detect any neuro signals from the spinal cord.
"Captain, do you realize you are very blessed to be alive right now?" the doctor asks as he continues running the device.
"Doctor…I have been contemplating what transpired, and have come to the conclusion that I have no rational explanation for why I am still alive. That car should have continued down the cliff and plunged into the ocean's depths, taking me along with it," Spock states with all honesty.
Hearing her husband's admission, T'Mara wonders if he starting to take to heart that there surely is more to wisdom than logic.
The doctor takes a breath and speaks again. "What I am trying to get across, my Vulcan friend, is that you might not be alive right now because the force of hitting that car could have snapped your neck." He frowns at the diagnostic display. Then placing a hand on Spock's shoulder, he asks, "Have you experienced any loss of feeling in either leg?"
T'Mara moves closer to the bed after hearing the doctor's last words. Concern covers her face.
"Yes," Spock replies, "I did. As I was lying on the gurney when they were maneuvering it to the transport vehicle, I had no feeling in my right leg. The numbness lasted for 2.8 minutes."
The doctor slightly nods. "I see. Well, I'm going to run a simple test now." He presses a button on the nerve analyzer. "Can you move your right leg?"
Spock focuses on the limb and swallows hard. "No…I cannot. I have no sensation in any part of it."
As Dr. Ross releases the button, T'Mara stares down at her husband, then at Dr. Ross. Her eyes well up as her worry grows into fear. "Doctor...will he become paralyzed?"
The compassionate doctor gives her a reassuring look. "No...no. Just trying to clarify the situation." He looks directly at his patient. "Captain Spock, your obstinacy could have done you in. When you arrived at the ER, the head medic informed me of your stubbornness. 'Tough one here, didn't want to get on the stretcher.' One wrong move and you might have ended up in a wheelchair or and spending the next six months rehabbing. I tell you one thing, God certain must love you."
Feeling has slowly returned to Spock's leg. He moves it slightly and exhales in relief.
Dr. Ross turns back to T'Mara. His face brightens. "Don't worry. I just need to run the bone fuser over the area of his c5 and c6 vertebrae. It will mend a crack that lies between them. Spock should have full use of his lower extremities and will not have any complications except a sore neck for a few days."
"Thank you, doctor," T'Mara states gratefully.
Spock looks directly at Ross. "Doctor... I was not aware of the severity of my injuries due to the Vulcan discipline that blocks out pain." He then remembers what McCoy once told him. Pain is a friend Spock, for it warns you that something may be wrong. Perhaps Vulcans don't always know best? He keeps his face stoic, but Dr. Ross and T'Mara both know the physical suffering that he is trying so hard to hide from them. He has reached his mental limits.
"Captain, I am going to put the bone fuser on the back of your neck, where you have severe bruising. You will first feel a tingling sensation, then it will start to burn. Do not be alarmed when the sensation becomes intense, for that's actually a good sign. It will mean the crack is sealing. Natural healing will then take its course, and the crack should be completely gone in a couple of days." Dr. Ross puts the small device in place. "Ready Captain?"
"Yes, proceed," Spock says, preparing himself for the procedure to begin.
The doctor turns on the device. It slightly vibrates as it begins to seal the crack. Twenty minutes later the doctor removes the bone fuser. "Okay Cap, you can sit up." He turns the monitor off. "Nurse, please summon an aide to bring the Captain some Star Fleet issue sweats."
"Yes, doctor." She walks to the intercom, and a set of sweats are promptly delivered.
Before Spock is given the privacy in which to dress, the doctor approaches him with a small medical patch.
Spock's eyebrow rises. "Doctor as you are aware, I will not be in need of that."
"Horse hockey. And besides, the main purpose of this patch is to stop your back spasms. Or do you enjoy experiencing approximately 135 spasms in a 24 hour period?" Dr. Ross raises his own eyebrow.
"No, doctor. I prefer to not experience even one spasm," Spock admits.
"I thought so," Dr. Ross says, placing the patch on the lower center of Spock's back. "Captain, I'm sending you home with a box of these patches. Make sure you put on a fresh patch every morning for the next seven days. Your back should be normal by then. Your medical record will be forwarded to Dr. McCoy. I want you to pay a visit to him by the end of the week." He turns to face T'Mara. "Of course, you'll make sure he follows my orders?"
Spock reacts with another raised eyebrow. "Indeed. Do not worry, knowing my wife as I do, she will make sure your orders are perfectly followed." He gives T'Mara a slight smile, and his eyes twinkle as he looks at her
T'Mara sees that the doctor is about to leave, and speaks up. "Doctor, if I may ask, where did you grow up on Vulcan?"
"In the city Surakahr," he reveals.
"Really…my mother T'Sain was born and raised there," T'Mara informs him.
"H'm…the name seems familiar…" Dr. Ross studies T'Mara's features. "Wait…T'Sain, the daughter of Selik and T'Kira?"
"Yes, they are my mother's parents," T'Mara says with restrained excitement.
"Fascinating, a small universe. T'Sain was three years my senior. She had come by my house out of curiosity, and continued sneaking over. I was twelve at the time and developed a crush on her. But after her parents found out what she was up to, it came to a stop." Dr. Ross feels a tinge of sadness as she reminisces back to his youth. Oh, how he wishes he had gotten to know T'Mara's mother better. She was a sweet and pretty young girl.
He snaps himself back to the present, and continues. "On those few visits, T'Sain would actually assist in handing out the Bible reading materials to the children. My parents were disappointed when she never came back, for they had hopes for her." He hesitates. "T'Mara, may I ask you a personal question?"
"Yes, go ahead," T'Mara urges.
"You are apparently half human. What happened to your mother's betrothed?"
"From what I was told, his parents broke off the betrothal. Her parents never had her rebonded, so my mother was free to choose her bond mate. When my mother was of age, she left for earth. She attended the University of Pennsylvania, and that is where she met my father, Andre Victorino,"
"The Andre Victorino? The one who played for the Phillies?" Dr. Ross asks with surprise.
She smiles proudly. "Yes, the one and only."
Dr. Ross returns her smile. "Well, Mrs. Spock, you indeed hold all the beauty of your mother."
"Thank you for your very kind words," T'Mara says, then turns her head towards her husband.
Raising a hand to her face, Spock gently cups her chin with his long fingers. He leans closer, and his lips briefly meet hers. After the tender kiss, he says to her in a soft voice, "More beauty than this man deserves." Feeling his cheeks flush, he lets go of her and realizes he was a little jealous of Ross's attention to his wife.
Dr. Ross watches the interaction and is amazed by Spock's open display of love, though he had heard rumors that the Captain was not a typical Vulcan. Before moving on to his next patient, he raises his arm and with his fingers forming a V, says in Vulcan, "Goodnight to you both. Live long and prosper."
Spock and T'Mara return the salutation.
After Spock is checked out of the emergency room, he is about to exit the building when an officer from the Sheriff's Department stops them.
"Captain Spock?"
"Yes," Spock replies.
"I want to inform you that Jason Evans suffered no serious injuries, and will recover completely. He wanted to thank you for saving his life."
"Thank you," Spock tells him. "I am pleased to hear that he was not critically injured."
"Well, goodnight to you both." The officer turns and leaves.
The sunset that Spock and T'Mara planned to enjoy, had ended hours ago. The stars are shining when they locate their vehicle in the hospital's parking lot.
As Spock settles into the passenger seat, he sees his wife placing a hand on her belly, well-rounded by seven months of pregnancy. Reaching for her, he says, "T'Mara, with all that went on, I did not ask how you are doing. Witnessing the accident had to be emotionally stressful."
T'Mara smiles wearily and places his hand on her waist. "All is well. Your son just decided to be active now."
Feeling the infant moving, Spock's eyebrow goes up into his bangs. "Indeed."
T'Mara inwardly shudders and silently thanks God for sparing her husband's life. "Yes, it was terrible when I saw you fall down that cliff and thought you had died. You were taken from me before T'Anya was born, but God allowed you to return to us. I couldn't stand the thought of losing you again. God has spared me from that pain, and not just me, but our children. God must have plans for you, my husband," she adds, and then kisses his cheek.
He slowly removes his hand from her waist, his eyes never leaving her face. "Yes..." He clears his throat. "Perhaps, T'Mara, your husband is reevaluating his views of the Creator." He caresses her face. "We had better leave, for I am sure we have three anxious people awaiting our return."
T'Mara had been pleased when her father agreed to move to San Francisco to be closer to his family. The children were with Andre when the accident occurred. "Yes, I contacted Father en route to the med center. Then I updated him when Dr. Ross was tending to your neck. He told me he just got the girls to bed."
As Spock leaned back in his seat, she started the car and drove off.
ooooooooooooooooo.
They arrive at Andre's around 2300 hours. Spock and T'Mara walk up the front steps of the old Victorian row home. Andre sees them through the front bay window. He opens the front door and is so overjoyed to see his son-in-law alive that he wraps his arms around Spock and tightly embraces him.
"Father!" T'Mara injects.
"It is alright, T'Mara," Spock assures her as Andre lets his hands drop to his sides.
Andre smiles at him. "My son, I am quite happy to see you are among the living and for the most part well."
"Thank you, Father. Believe me, I am very pleased to be alive." A slight smile comes to Spock's face. "Are the girls upstairs?"
"Yes, I believe they finally fell asleep. Both were quite worried," Andre informs Spock.
Inside, T'Mara sits on the love seat as Andre sits back down in his favorite easy chair. Spock heads up the staircase. He walks into the guest bedroom. He quietly opens the door so not to startle the children. T'Meika is asleep on her side, facing away from where Spock stands. T'Anya is across from her in the other twin bed. He drops to one knee beside T'Meika's bed and lightly places his hand on her shoulder.
"T'Meika," he says softly.
She stirs and turns herself over so she could face her father. Her eyes widen and a smile spreads over her face. "Father! Oh, Father!" She wraps her arms around his neck. Becoming aware of her overly emotional reaction, she says in a more even tone, "Sorry, Father."
He gives her a small smile and gently says, "T'Meika, it is alright." He strokes a few strands of her dark, curly locks from her eyes.
"Father, can you do me a favor?"
"What is that?"
"Please try not to travel near any cliffs." She smiles up at him.
He almost chuckles at her request. "T'Meika, I will try to keep that in mind. Since the hour is late, we are going to let you spend the night here. We will come around 0900 hours to pick you up.
Hearing voices and realizing she is not dreaming her father's voice, T'Anya sits up and then blurts out with excitement, "Daddy!" She hops out of bed, then embraces him. "Oh, we were so afraid that you were badly hurt."
T'Meika shakes her head. "Oh...T'Anya, you exaggerate. Grandpa told us father was going to be fine." She looks back at Spock. "Can't we going home with you tonight?"
He does not have a rational reason for why they could not come home with them right now, but he is experiencing a strange urge to return to the scene of the accident. There is an insatiable need to answer the unresolved questions in his mind. Being able to have their daughters here would allow him and T'Mara to leave early in the morning to go back to the outlook.
Spock finally finds the words he wishes to say to his girls. "T'Meika...T'Anya...you remember when mother was missing?"
Both nod.
"I had to go back to the area where the accident took place. Well, I need to go back to the cliff. I seek information for something that baffles me. So please understand."
This time young T'Anya speaks up. "But Father, can't it wait till tomorrow afternoon?"
He takes in a breath. "Normally, I would say yes, but not in this case. Now, you both need to go back to sleep. Do not be concerned. It will not take long. Goodnight." He kisses T'Meika's forehead, then T'Anya's.
"Goodnight father," they say together.
Spock heads downstairs and sits with the others. Deep in thought, he says, "Father, I have been considering what transpired today, replaying the whole incident in my mind. After T'Mara and I arrived at the outlook, I examined the cliff. As you are aware, I value being very observant. The drop to the ocean was at a 98-degree angle and there was not a single ledge, let alone one large enough to hold a vehicle of any sort. As I fell behind the Corvette, I was certain that the young man and I were doomed to die. For the briefest of moments, I was apprehensive as to where my soul was headed. I felt it was en route to an abyss." Not attempting to hide his bewilderment, he adds, "I cannot rationalize how our lives were saved, nor can I explain it away with logic."
Andre leans back as he considers Spock's words. "First, my son, you were placed there to help rescue that young man. Perhaps you were sent down the cliff because God wanted to get your attention. I know, for I have experienced the Lord trying to get me to focus on Him. He tried several times, but I was not paying attention. Finally, that day at the Giants game when you saved us from the disruptor fire, I realized that God was speaking to me. From that day forward, I never had another drink of alcohol. I am now able to become the father to T'Mara that I should have been all those years ago. Do you understand what I am trying to tell you?"
Spock also sits back. "I understand, but to be honest, I still have a lot to ponder. In any case, I will take to heart what you have shared with me." He pauses. "The girls are so comfortable in their beds. Can we wait until morning to take them home? We can be here at 9:00."
T'Mara casts him a questioning look.
Andre smiles and rises from his chair. "Of course. Now, I'm sure you are both tired and want to go home. Goodnight, my children. Get some sleep."