All Good Things

Chapter One - It Doesn't Seem Like That Much Time Has Passed

Africa

June 2273

Spock

It did not seem possible that it had been ten years since they had stood in this same yard, and pledged themselves to one another, with all of her large family, and some of his smaller one, about them. And now they were here again, and with them their two children. Sarek and Elinor and their children were here as well. And Selek and Durra, with their children. Once again, the yard was full of children, running and playing, calling out loudly, a riot of movement and color. And the porch was filled with adults, sitting in the shade, drinking cold fruit juice, talking together while they kept one eye on the children.

He watched his daughter, standing in the middle of a shrub full of flowers, delighted. Her hands moved, pulling one flower after another off the stems, until they were full. She buried her face in the fragrant mass, smiling from ear to ear, and then she came, balancing carefully as she negotiated the stairs, and presented them to him, as though they were a treasure of precious metals. He thanked her gravely, and took the flowers, and threaded one behind his ear, his eyes dancing at her as she giggled at him. And then he took others, and pushed the stems though the tiny braids on her head, decorating her to her great delight. She went from one adult to the next, showing off her new decorations, and even her grandfather Sarek had trouble concealing his mirth.

The next day, there were even more children in the yard. All the relatives had come, bringing their whole families. There were easily five generations present. There were children of every age from a few months to college students. And the ages of the adults took up there and continued to well over a hundred and twenty. It seemed impossible, but he was sure that there were more people here than had been at their wedding. Well, ten more years of children being born, and surely some marriages in that time, as well.

He sat on the porch, with his father and his older self, and Nyota's father and brother Hamed, and all the other men of the family, and luxuriated in the feeling of being surrounded by family. The air fairly hummed with joy and love. It was not something that he was accustomed to, nor had the chance to experience often, and he found it strangely compelling and satisfying. His daughter came and crawled into his lap for a nap, and he sat there, stroking her softly as she sank into slumber, totally content.

That evening, after all the food had been cleared away, a large fire was built, in the stone ring in the center of the yard. And blankets were spread about on the ground, for people to sit on, and the instruments came out and the singing started. Nyota leaned against him and joined her voice with that of her family, singing songs both old and new. And when the dancing started, she tugged at him, and drew him out onto the flat ground, raising her arms and swaying her body, just as she had done that night ten years before. He growled softly at her, and began the steps he remembered, that her brother and cousins had taught him, mimicking the actions of a warrior, leaping and lunging about her, stomping his feet on the ground, letting his remembrance of what had happened that other night flow through the bond to tantalize her. Their children watched in amazement, but could not stay away long. Grayson came running, to follow behind in his footsteps, copying his every action, grinning widely. Amanda was there as well, straining to hold her arms in the air and not fall over, swinging about and laughing happily, until Nyota lifted her up and held her high, joy running over.

When the fire was long died out, and the children were all snoring in piles, he led her off, down the dark path, to the trees that bent low, offering hidden places, with soft drifting dust to lay down in, and murmured to her of what they had done here before, those ten years ago. She sighed and wound herself about him, and bit his ears until he growled low and deep and stripped her clothing from her so that he could bury himself within her soft wetness. He captured her cries with kisses deep and filled with love, and shuddered as she bowed up beneath him, filling him with ecstasy overpowering. It was some time before they rose and wandered slowly back to the darkened house, climbing the stairs quietly to the room that had been hers as a child.

Although he had not though it possible, the the day of Amanda's second birthday was even noisier and more active than the days that proceeded it. And all the sugar consumed made the children just that much wilder. But after the late dinner, with the roasted sweet potatoes and the spicy peanut sauce, the children settled down for the story telling, and amazingly, they all drifted off to sleep eventually, although he thought surely that with the amount of sweets that had been consumed that day they would have been up half the night.

When the day came that Selek and Sarek and their families must leave for San Francisco, the children did not wish to be separated from their cousins. But when they were assured that they would see each other again in San Francisco in a few days, they reluctantly separated, and Grayson and Amanda stood and waved as the others boarded the shuttle. The children moped about after that, until M'Umbha suggested baking cookies, which distracted Amanda very successfully. Grayson stuck about however, listening intently to what Alhamisi was telling him about the lion which had been seen recently, threatening the local livestock. There was talk of a hunt. He would be interested in participating, if it was held while they were there, but Grayson would most definitely not be going with them, no matter how hard he begged.

The leave-taking was difficult. There was crying, which made him uncomfortable. He knew the waits between visits were long, and the children would grow much before their grandparents saw them again, and so he said nothing, and endured the discomfort, knowing that it eased the tension for them. But when they were settled in the shuttle, and on the way back to San Francisco, he was more at ease, and able to relax.

Nyota leaned against him, now that the children were sleeping, and spoke softly, not to awaken them. "Did you get a chance to talk to Baba about what Admiral Nogura offered you?"

"Yes, we did speak of it. And I informed him that if they continued in their insistence, over my objections, that we would be leaving StarFleet, as we had decided, and taking the children to New Vulcan. He was not happy about this, as predicted, but I did point out, that if this occurred, there could be more visits, as the Embassy shuttle goes back and forth every week. This appealed to him most heartily. I believe he now wishes that the Admiral does not listen to my objections." He quirked the corners of his lips at her, and she grinned back at him.

"We shall just have to wait and see. How did Sarek and Selek take the news?"

"I am firmly convinced that they both agreed with your father."

She giggled now, and snuggled down, resting her face against his chest, not quite asleep, but very content and relaxed. She would accept whatever happened, as would he. Their decision was made.