TITLE: Blood & Water

AUTHOR: DramaLexy

DISCLAIMER: don't own, don't sue

AUTHOR'S NOTE: To everyone who read my first story: hi, again! I hope you like this one, too. For everyone who hasn't: why haven't you? Just kidding. This is a sequel, but you don't have to read the first story to understand it. Basically, all you need to know Nyota and Spock got married on the Enterprise about a year after the movie, and this is now 4 years after that. (But if you'd like to go read the first story, I won't complain.)

The USS Enterprise was about to depart from high orbit of the planet Lenosa. Or at least they were supposed to be departing. James Kirk scowled as he looked over to the communications station on his bridge. One of his closest friends was supposed to be at that station instead of the fresh-faced ensign that was currently sitting there, but she was ten – now eleven – minutes late for her shift.

The turbolift doors opened, and Kirk didn't need to turn around to know who it was. "Sorry, Captain," Nyota Uhura said as she made her way over to take her post.

"Glad you could find the time to join us," he told her. "Hope your job's not interrupting something more important."

She ignored his tone. "You want a doctor's note?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You have one? For what?"

"Nothing you need to worry about." Her fingers danced across her console, "I'm opening a channel to the Lenosan consulate."

Before Kirk could say anything else, the diminutive, blue-haired leader of the planet appeared on the screen. "Has the time come to say farewell?" she asked.

Kirk gave his best farm-boy smile, and Nyota hated to think of what exactly he'd been doing during his leave on the planet. "Unfortunately, it has. On behalf of my crew, I wanted to thank you for your very generous hospitality…"

~ % ~ % ~

The official goodbyes went just as smoothly as the rest of their time at the planet. The Lenosans were a very open and artistic society and had been very interested in relations with the Federation. Everyone who had been lucky enough to get shore leave on the planet had come back with souvenirs and a sun tan.

Once the Enterprise was at warp, heading on to its next assignment, things on the bridge calmed down slightly. Spock got a chance to step away from the science station and approach his wife. "Is everything… all right?" he asked, referring to her comments from when she'd entered the room.

Nyota nodded, knowing what else he was asking her without actually saying it out loud. "False alarm," she quickly replied.

He considered that for a moment. "Are you all right?"

She forced a smile. "I'm fine. We'll talk tonight."

Spock was the first to get back to their quarters, and had food ready (with the assistance of their food synthesizer) by the time that Nyota arrived. "I'm not that hungry," she told him when she saw the plates upon walking in the door. "Sorry."

"It is not a problem. Are you sure that you're all right?"

"I'm fine!" she shot, then realized how it had sounded. "Okay, I guess I'm not fine. It's stupid, really… Yesterday I was terrified by the idea that I might be pregnant and now I'm disappointed I'm not."

He sat down with her on the couch. "It is understandable."

"Is it really? Because you can explain it to me, then."

"Yesterday you were only thinking of your fears. Now that they will not be coming to pass, you can consider the other aspects of the situation."

She sighed. "I was awake half the night thinking about what it would be like. How it would feel to have a child, what it would look like. I was trying to talk myself out of all the negatives of being pregnant right now on this ship – and I think it might have worked."

"I did not sleep well last night either."

"I still think it's too much. Yes, Enterprise is normally on peaceful and scientific operations but it's still dangerous. This ship isn't set up for families, and frankly, neither are our schedules at the moment."

Spock slowly nodded. "I understand your reasoning. We have been onboard the ship for 5 years; perhaps it is time for something else."

Nyota narrowed her eyes; she knew her husband well, and right now he was trying to figure out how to tell her something he wasn't sure she'd like. "What did you do?" she asked.

"I sent a message to Admiral Pike this morning, before I knew the results of your test."

"Saying what?"

"Merely inquiring into his current teachings at the Academy… and whether there were any open spaces for the coming year."

She was speechless for a moment. "Are you serious?"

"I shared the concerns that you voiced last night. It was logical to look into the availability of alternate options."

Nyota thought about that. "What did he say?"

"Their advanced courses in phonology have not been offered since I took my position here on the Enterprise. They are also in need of a teacher for several of the basic language courses."

"You ARE serious," she concluded. "Wow. Being back planet-side would be strange."

"It would be an adjustment," he agreed, "But I believe you were right when you stated that it would be the best environment for having a family."

She nodded. "So we're doing this?"

"It would appear so. There is one other person we must speak with, however."

Nyota frowned. "Yeah… How do you think Jim's going to take it?"

TBC...

As always, feedback is greatly appreciated! :-)