She knocked on the door instead of using the announcement bell. Something she had always done, even if it was a bit of an ancient custom and unnecessary.
Inside he sighed in resignation. Who would be disturbing him at this time? He cast an apologetic look, well apologetic for a Vulcan, to his… to Nyota and removed himself from her embrace on the couch in his quarters.
Nyota sighed in understanding. Obviously whoever was knocking on the door had good reason to, but why the person couldn't use the com panel at the very least was perplexing.
Spock opened the door, and was in fact, quite shocked to see the newly acting captain Jaemisen T. Kirk on the other end. It was not yet a full day in which she had ruthlessly, although quite logically, emotionally compromised him. And he had almost strangled the life out of her. She had not fought back against him. An act he was deeply ashamed of. Why, then, would she be here outside his quarters as the Enterprise was surely on its way to Earth in hopes of stopping the Narada from destroying a second planet? Perhaps the captain required him for something.
"Captain, may I be of assistance?" Spock asked, and still slightly compromised, his evident confusion was not nearly as controlled as normal.
"Umm…I need to talk to you." Jaemi Kirk replied shyly.
"Is the need immediate, captain?" Spock asked. He was unsure of how to proceed. He did not wish to be further compromised and possibly act in a way unbefitting a Starfleet Officer, let alone a Vulcan.
"You haven't filed any reports about the uh…the bridge incident yet have you?" She asked him nervously.
"Perhaps this is a conversation to be had in private, were my quarters not currently occupied I would offer them, however-" Spock started, hoping to move the conversation to a more appropriate venue.
"Mine then." She interrupted him and swiftly turned on her heel, expecting him to follow. He did.
They entered the captain's quarters, which of course were right next to the first officer's, and stood to face one another.
"Look, Spock, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. For…compromising you. It was the only way I knew how to get what needed to be done…done in time. I can't really tell you why, and I'm sorry about that too, but I hope you can just trust me. Not that you really have any reason to. Wow I suck at apologies."
The captain took in a deep breath, paced for a moment, then came to stand in front of the Vulcan officer who had yet to speak, questioning the logic of doing so until the captain was finished with her ineloquent speech.
"Look, I had to do it. But really, I should have found a different way of doing it." She. I KNOW you loved your mother, don't deny it, I saw how you reacted. So I lied to make you react. And I did it in front of…everyone..." She drifted off, taking another deep breath when her Vulcan first officer did not respond right away, merely staring at her.
What Spock did not expect were her next statements, made in Vulcan, and after a traditional fashion. "I beg thy forgiveness. I have grievously wronged thee by speaking of private affairs publicly, by insulting thyself, and by aiming to produce an unfitting emotional reaction." She wavered a bit before finishing. "I grieve with thee."
Spock looked upon his captain, and to his credit, he did not show emotion now. However, he was awash anew with it. How this… human female. This completely illogical and emotional person could stir within him the very thing he fought control over, was… astonishing. Even more so because his passions, however violent previously, were now reserved to a passionate respect. Not even Nyota Uhura could speak in High Vulcan so flawlessly. He was unsure how to process this new information. It was… fascinating.
"I…give you your forgiveness freely." Spock said. It was not exactly traditional, but it was sincere. "Your actions, although crude, were… logical. I would not have relinquished command in any other circumstance." And it was true. Commander Spock, first officer of the Enterprise, then acting captain, and Vulcan, would not have relinquished command in any other circumstance. Though perhaps, he should have.
"I was unaware you spoke Vulcan, captain, specifically High Vulcan." Spock remarked after he realized Jaemi Kirk was taken aback at his quick acceptance of her apology, and commendation of her logic, however crudely employed.
"Yeah, well, don't go telling everyone about it. Wouldn't want to put Uhura out of a job. Not that I would, she can still speak more languages than I can, and has way more patience for learning new ones and communication than I ever will." Jaemi seemed to relax more, although she was certainly still nervous. Spock did not understand how he could… feel this from her, but he knew it to be true.
"I believe the lieutenant's job is secure. After all, a captain cannot hope to do the job of a communications officer." Spock replied. His tone was even, controlled, even in his still slightly compromised state. Jaemi looked at him, a poor impression of his eyebrow raise, and realized he was teasing her.
"Are you teasing me, Spock?" She half laughed.
"Indeed not, captain. I merely state the fact." Spock replied. Jaemi knew then he most definitely was teasing her. How they had gone from hating each other, to him almost killing her, to this new and odd… acquaintance, was mystifying to Spock. Jaemi, however, was happy to note that maybe, just maybe, what the older Spock had shown her could grow to fruition, well, at least the friendship part.
He was after all, in the very human sense, dating Lt. Uhura.
"Right. Well, anyway, I asked you about the report because, well, you can't say anything about the bridge incident in it. I've already spoken to everyone who was on the bridge then and none of them will ever repeat to anyone what occurred. I also managed to delete the footage, and no one in security saw it. I guess a crisis tends to make people focus on different things."
While the apology had not been expected by Spock, and the more Vulcan traditional apology even less so, this… action, was least expected of the three.
"I…I am grateful to you, captain." Was all Spock could manage to say.
"Well, you should get back to your girlfriend, sorry for interrupting you."