SPOCK/CHAPEL – For Sentimental Reasons
Chapter 1
Captain Kirk and Mr Spock strolled down the corridors of the U.S.S Enterprise. Spock walked with his hands behind his back, like he was standing to attention in front of his captain. Kirk, of course, walked with a much more casual disposition, like the king of his castle. They walked and talked about anything work related. As they turned a corner Spock spotted Nurse Chapel in the distance. Instantly he stopped talking and put his head down pretending not to notice her. She always made him nervous and so he did his best to avoid her. However she was a highly intelligent human and her knowledge bio-research meant she understood much of Spock's technical mumbo-jumbo. Bizarrely, Spock he found he actually enjoyed her conversation. Spock's mind had wondered so much that he almost completely missed the creature that suddenly ran past them through the corridors.
"What was that?!" Kirk cried.
Christine whipped her head up and down the corridor trying to see where it went. Then she walked up to Kirk and Spock and gave her reply.
"I think it was a dog" she said cautiously, realising how ridiculous it sounded.
"A dog?" Spock asked curiously.
"A domesticated Earth animal, Mr Spock" Kirk replied.
"How could a dog have gotten on-board?" Spock said realistically.
"I don't know Mr Spock. But it did and I think it's injured" Christine argued as she ran to try and catch up with the canine. Kirk and Spock chased after her. They finally caught up with dog as it clearly could not move very quickly as they noticed that it was limping. Christine knelt down and went to pick up the dog.
"Wait!" Spock insisted. "We don't know where it comes from. It could be diseased or hostile or it could even be a trick. How can we be sure of what we are seeing?".
"Just like this" Christine answered as she picked up the dog and carried it in her arms.
"What are you going to do with it?" Kirk called to Christine.
Christine did not even look back as she replied "I'm taking it to sick bay".
Spock turned to Kirk, "we may have let ourselves in for untold dangers here sir".
Kirk didn't seem worried, "I once had a dog, A Great Dane. His name was Butler. He was a big old softy. I don't think this dog poses any kind of threat, especially not in its current condition".
"But Nurse Chapel is working to revive it ask we speak".
"I trust Nurse Chapel's judgement" Kirk interrupted.
"My judgement is worth far more than you humans. Your sentimentality makes fools out of you!".
Chapter 2
Spock stood in the doorway of the sickbay watching Christine tend to the dog. She had bandaged its wound; put food and water out for it, made a bed for it to sleep in and now appeared to be preparing a bath for it. Christine hadn't notice Spock when he called out purposefully, making her jump a little bit.
"Where's Dr McCoy?"
Christine answers without turning around to Spock, as she kneels down to stroke the dog "he stepped out for a moment"
"Ah so he has the same skepticism regarding the canine as I" Spock said with a trace of smugness.
Christine turns to Spock trying to contain her laughter under a mischievous smile, "actually it turns out Dr McCoy is allergic to Lucille".
"Lucille? Why Lucille?" Spock titled his head in confusion.
"Because that is what I decided to call her. Because I woke up this morning, Lucille was not insight. I asked my friends about her but all their lips were tight".
"You mean the canine went missing?" Spock failed to get the blatant human reference.
"No. I gave her that name because I love Lucy"
"How can you form an attachment like love to a dog?" Spock still failed to pick up on the reference. Christine rolled her eyes and picked up Lucille and put her in the bath she made for her. Spock watched in utter bewilderment.
"You seem well experienced in how to look after one of those" Spock commented.
Christine smiled at his interest "When I was younger I had a friend who I always looked up to, Agent K-13"
"Nurse Chapel, I fail to see the relevance here".
"He was a dog, Mr Spock".
"Then why did you look up to him?"
"Because I was 4 six years old and he was a Bernese Mountain dog". Christine decided to give up on the references and explains things to Spock as simply as she could, as if he were a child. "It used to follow me around and watch me and then it would come and sit next to me just waiting for some attention. And, at times, it could get very protective". Christine took Lucille out of the bath and dried her off with a towel but Lucille refused and simply shook off the water. Spock look shocked but Christine just laughed. But Spock was even more disillusioned when Christine began talking to Lucille.
"I'm sorry. You're right, I'm smothering you".
"Why do you care for it so?" Spock asked with intrigue.
"Oh I don't know Mr Spock. It's…sentimental".
There was that word again. Of all the human emotions that completely baffled Spock, he understood this one the least.
"Sentimental?" he tilted his head again as he always did when he was confused.
"Oh you know. It's emotional, tender, affectionate. It's nostalgic and I guess it makes you feel at home".
Christine and Spock stared into each other's eyes for a moment, both trying to understand the other a little better, until Spock interrupted the moment with logic.
"I do not pretend to comprehend this emotion. However I have faith in your choices regarding the canine".
Christine watched Spock leave the sick bay not really knowing what to make of his comments and feeling like she knew him less than he did before. But maybe that wasn't a bad thing.
Chapter 3
In the days followed, Lucille became like one of the family. All of the crew became very fond of her but she stuck close to Christine, who would take her on long walks around the ship and Spock would follow them around studying their behaviour. The crew became so familiar with Lucille that Captain Kirk even invited her and Christine onto the bridge. When Christine and Lucille stepped onto the bridge everyone crowded around them, 'oohing' and 'aahing' and generally fussing over them. Everyone wanted to hold and stoke Lucille and Christine didn't mind the passive attention it brought to her either. Especially after so long of pining for the attentions and affections of one man, and never getting anything in return. For her this was long overdue. Spock watched her from the doorway of the bridge, unsure of how he felt about Christine's new found popularity. However some how he felt himself longing to be a part of what was going on, so he sat himself down in the Captain's chair (it's not like anyone would notice right now) next to where Christine was standing. Spock stared up at Christine waiting for a response. Suddenly Lucille leapt out of Christine's arms and went running out into the corridor. Christine put her hand on Spock's knee to acknowledge him as she ran out into the corridor chasing after Lucille. Everyone watched with a smile thinking it was some kind of a game, everyone that is except Spock. Suddenly the sound of growls came from out in the corridor. Then, a scream. Spock ran as fast as he could out in the corridor to find Christine being attacked by the dog. Christine fell to the floor as the dog pounced at her. Spock jumped in front of Christine guarding her from the dog. Kirk ran behind the dog and pulled her back. Spock immediately turned to Christine and crouched down next to her. He turned her onto her front and brushed the hair away from her face. She appeared to be unconscious when Spock gently snuck his arms under her body, picked her up and carried her to sick bay. But if he had not been so concerned for her safety he may have noticed her open one eye and give a cheeky smile. After all she had dreamt of this on so many nights.
Chapter 4
Back on the bridge, the crew had locked Lucille in an empty room and were desperately trying to come up with a solution to their problem. Suddenly they heard a beeping.
"Captain, someone is attempting to communicate with us" Uhura called to Kirk.
"Begin contact with them Lieutenant" Kirk responded.
On the screen appeared someone of a species resembling the humanoid form but had a snout, more hair and larger ears that seemed to hang down on the side of its face.
Kirk attempted to talk to it "who are you? Why did you contact us?"
"We are the Canidaens and you have stolen our sacred one"
"Who is your sacred one?"
"The canine!" the Canidaen growled.
Kirk leant back in his chair and chuckled, "you mean the dog is your God?"
"Of course! We encountered it on Earth and immediately recognised the similarities to our species. The canine is the only link we have to our heritage. Return it to us at once or we shall be forced to launch an attack on your vessel" the Canidaen demanded.
"But we never meant to kidnap your God. We found the canine aboard our ship. We have no idea how it got here" Kirk was still finding the situation rather amusing.
"Um, Captain? The day we found the canine, I do remembering having some problems with the transporter. Perhaps our ships' transporter beams crossed and picked up the canine by mistake" Scotty admitted cautious of the consequences of his carelessness. Kirk gave him an annoyed glare and then put on a smile as he turned back to the Canidaen. "You see this is all just one big misunderstanding" Kirk laughed nervously.
"Fine! We are willing to overlook your foolishness if you return to canine to us immediately" the Canidaen seemed less than amused.
"Of course, I'll have our Chief Engineer beam her over to you ship now" Kirk signalled over to Scotty to go do it.
But the Canidaen stopped them before Scotty got to the door. "Careful! It can become quite hostile when it is kept captive". Scotty gulped as he went to go pick up the canine.
Christine awoke in the sick bay to find Spock sat at her bedside, holding her hand. He had placed flowers on a table in front of her and tray after tray of uneaten meals on the table by her side, just in case she was to wake up. He figured the first thin she would feel was hungry. Christine sat up in bed with an alarmed look on her face. Spock quickly took his hand away from hers, hoping she hadn't noticed.
"The crew! Are they all alright?" she cried.
"Everyone's fine" he said, pushing her gently back down onto the bed and trying to relax her. "I'm afraid Lucille is gone though".
"It's all my fault. If only I hadn't let my stupid sentimentality cloud my better judgement" Christine sighed.
"That's not true. Though I can never fully comprehend human motivations, I have a much greater understanding of your sentimentality" Spock blurted out.
Christine's face lit up, "how so?"
Spock remembered her story of the dog she had once owned. How it had followed her around, stared at her, sat down beside her and was very protective of her. Spock then recalled his actions over the last few days. How he had followed her around, studying her. How he kept standing in doorways watching her. How he sat down beside he on the bridge waiting for her to notice him. How when she was faced with danger he had done everything in his power to protect her. And how just as Christine had cared for an injured Lucille, Spock was now taking as studious care with an injured Christine. Spock shook his head out of his daydream and Christine was still staring at him waiting for answer. "Well even Vulcans have some sentimental traditions". Spock held out his two fingers to Christine. She smiled remembering how his parents had done the same and she gently pressed her two fingers to his.