Vulcan Family Problems

Amanda Grayson

Work. Work. Work. That's all that surrounded my life these days. I sighed as I sat in another meeting surrounded by the other members of the council. A current crisis that Sarek and I had suggested countless opinions, only to get denied. The better thing to do was to just sit, side by side, and watch the members complain as we sat silent. My mind dozed off, thinking of Spock. He was at a hard age; the children were merciless. He was being teased at school, and I knew he had a hard time controlling his temper. Unfortunately, something I had, and still have, a hard time doing. As Sarek stood up to give his option for the 50th time on the matter, a servant coming into the room interrupted me from my thoughts, he went straight over to Sarek and whispered something in his ear. All I could make out was Spock's name.

"What is wrong with Spock?" I asked, trying to continue to be as professional as possible.

With a lean, my husband leaned forward and whispered in my ear, lightly. "he has been in a fight, Amanda".

Professionality seemed to fly out the window as I got up and left the room, running down the corridor and out the building. I wasn't even aware of Sarek behind me, getting into the car. Home was only 10 minutes away, I told the driver to step on it doing whatever he had to do to get there quickly.

"What happened?" I asked, in a mixture of panic and annoyance, removing the veil from my head and the pins from my hair. Stupid council members ashamed of me for my species, not listening to anything, long hours, and now my son is hurt. It all erupted within me like a Volcano. I tried to hold what was left of my composure as my husband told me of the fight and subsequently Spock's suspension from school. GREAT! Those stupid bullies. I should have known.

As we pulled into the driveway, I rushed past the servants and through the door, seeing our two head servants and acting Governess and Tutor for the Boy: Felix and Linnea, already there sitting beside Spock. The boy was stoic like his father, dark black hair and no emotion on his face. He had a split lip, and a bruised eye. Before I could even ask, Linnea handed me a wet cloth and I dabbed the fried blood from his lip.

"Tell me what happened, did they sit you first?"

Like his father, he looked up and gave me the same look, "No, mother. I insinuated the first action".

I was surprised, but all anger went away, it must have been some self- defense?

"now why would you do that?" I asked him softly, dabbing the rest of the blood from his lip sitting beside him.

Spock told me the beginning of the story. Linnea and Felix listened and watched doing all that they could to comfort me. However it wasn't working as, after all, they are Vulcan too, but had not mastered how to use emotions like Sarek secretly had done.

Before Spock could tell me the rest, Sarek had interrupted. "Amanda, may I speak with you?" He asked, I looked over to see a rather impatient Sarek. Apparently, it couldn't wait and I could sense annoyance in the mist of his monotoned voice. I ran my fingers through the boy's hair as he sat still with excellent posture and no emotion

"I will be right back". I said, getting up from the boy. With a bow and curtsey from the servant, I picked up my dress from my feet and walked to my husband, standing at the end of the corridor. He reached out, taking my arm, and gently pulling me further away from view of Spock. Sarek, this better be good if you are going to take me away from our child.

"Amanda" he said with a sigh, "I do not think you should coddle the child. Spock had no responsible expectation of serious injury".

I sighed in annoyance. I knew where this was heading. Grow up Spock, be a man! Is how I would translate it from the Vulcan way of thinking.

"Come on Sarek, they tease him, they pick on him every day!"

"which is precisely when reason must guide his actions"

"I want him to embrace Vulcan, but he has to be himself and that means occasionally being human and standing up for himself!" With every word I tried to keep my voice at a reasonable level, the last thing the boy needed to hear was his parents arguing.

"His humanity is the source of his ostracism".

I rose a brow, seriously? Was he suggesting that… I felt my blood boil, my mind racing. That was uncalled for,

"When Vulcan's get completely disgusted with eachother they never walk away do they?" I asked

His looked at me confused, almost surprised at my response. "No"

"Well, humans do". I jerked my arm from his grip and walked back down the hall to Spock. I tried to shake off the anger, I took a deep breath as I approached him, Felix and Linnea sitting and talking. I bend down to the boy:

"How would you like to go out with me and get some Ice Cream?" It wasn't a traditional Vulcan food, of course, but that is one thing the people thank me for on a hot day.

"Certainly, mother. We shall leave at once".

With that, I took Spock for some Ice Cream, and took the time to remotely cool off from the altercation. As we walked back to the house, the ice cream in his hand, Spock asked:

"Mother, are you and father going to dissolve your relationship?"

I looked at him, rather surprised, sometimes I forgot how intuitive my boy was. I smiled at him, "No, darling" looking at Linnea and Felix who were trailing behind us.

"Your father and I just do not see eye to eye right now. It is certainly nothing to dissolve our marriage about".

He looked straight, still stoic as could be. Sometimes it felt like I was talking to a brick wall, his little arm wrapped around my waste.

"You seem to smile when Father does this, has it worked now?" he asked, I looked at him and broke out with a smile. Moments like that make me realise that he was not a brick wall all the time.

"Yes, Spock. It has"

His head rested against the bodice of my dress as we continued to walk. As I was about to ask if he was tired his next words felt like a dagger in my heart.

"They called you a human whore".

I stopped us in our tracks, I could see Linnea and Felix in my peripheral vision drop their heads in dismay. The dagger wasn't pain for me, but pain for my child. He would have to live with what I am for his whole life, and I never thought I would feel this bad about being different. Pushing my feelings aside I walked him to the side of the road, in the dark to shield us from the sun and the people passing. I bend down to him.

"Spock" I said softly, "People will always talk, and believe you me, I know how hurtful that feel, and how angry you can get. The most important thing is, is that you remember how YOU feel about that person. There will be other people, son. They won't just talk badly about me. With time, you will learn how to block those people out, whether it be with a song, or some memories… they are not worth listening to Spock. The only thing that matters in the situation is what YOU think. Now unfortunately, you get your temper from me and your human grandmother. That is something, that I hope you will learn to accept as you get older. If you hate me now for it, I understand".

"I do not hate you mother. As father says, I care very deeply for you". I must admit it does hurt not to hear your child say, I love you. However, I know deep down he does. With that heat taking over, I get up and walk him back to the house.

"Linnea, Felix. Take Spock into his room and you all cool down".

They curtsey and bow "Yes, my lady" and walk away with the boy. It didn't take me long to be greeted by my husband:

"Amanda"

Just his voice brought back the anger. Not once have I ever felt so ashamed of being human and yet by my own husband. The council members were one thing, but my OWN husband? I sighed looking at him,

"I would like to discuss our altercation"

I walk away, the anger was making my blood boil, but alas I felt his presents following me "I'd rather not. I see how you really feel about my species and our son".

"Amanda" He took my arm, stopping me in my tracks. "Please"

He seemed sincerely apologetic, and with a lot of reluctance I relented "fine, lets talk". I leaned against the cold marble wall, attempting to cool myself from the hot summer sun. I listened to him talk, a typical Vulcan apology. Stoic, monotoned, and empty. He had the capability to speak from his "heart", he just wasn't and thus I couldn't forgive him.

"I must go. Miranda request my presence for dinner preparations" I lied, leaving him in the corridor to go to the bedroom.

I take off my headscarf tossing it on the floor while I place my sunglasses on the end table. It was certainly getting hotter by the hour. I reach behind me to unlace my dress, feeling the wet slide off my forehead. The unlacing halted, but the dizziness worsened. Hands wrapped around my waste as I almost collapsed against the body. While still supporting me somehow, I felt my dress loosen and loosen and the air rush to the body. The hands pulled me back against the body as my dress fell to the ground, now only in my slip. The aroma of his cologne ran up my nose, as he rocked me back and forth, still supporting me.

"Damn you Sarek, I'm still mad at you" I said still rather groggy from the heat.

A chuckle escaped his lips, "Of course you are, my dear. You should listen to me the next time I tell you not to wear your back corseted dress out when it is above 36C".

The emotion in his voice was comforting.

"Will you not require medical services if I let you go?"

"I am fine now". I said, turning around. A smile greeted me, as his arms wrapped around me.

"I am sorry Amanda. I did not mean to offend you so. I ask your forgiveness and trust in knowing that I shall never inquire such things again".

I am one to admit my temper is at times over the top, I felt my body relax and the anger melt away.

"You are forgiven, my love". I said, wrapping him in an embrace.

"Thanks for saving me before I succame to the horrid heat of this planet" I said sarcastically.

His lips graced my neck, a shiver ran down my spine along with a chuckle.

"Stop that. You will have to finish what you've started" I smiled.

"That's the point" His lips caressed my shoulder. And trailed… oh goodness, was the door open?

My head relaxed against the pillow as the make up continued and soon we laid there resting my head against his shoulder.

"What will you say to Spock?" I asked him.

"I will talk to the boy later tonight" He said, kissing my still sweaty forehead.

A knock on the door broke the relaxation.

"Master Sarek?" called the voice, "Lady Amanda? Dinner is ready"

"We shall be there soon Miranda" I called out. As I move to get out of the bed, he pulled me back to him, his lips crushing mine. He kept me there for a moment, and then reluctantly released me. I get out of bed, soon followed by him. After tossing each other our clothes we leave the bedroom hand in hand. For now, life goes on as normal. Such a smile on his face, that soon faded as did mine as we rounded the corridor and again we were our proper, professional selves for the moment only to have it fade away that night.