Keeping Watch

Saint Vincent de Paul Hospital, Paris, France, 2291.293, 0117 hours. They all watched dumbfounded as Ny left the room while Spock stood rooted to the floor. As she disappeared down the hall and around the corner he still made no move to go after her. "Well?!" Len finally cried in exasperation, "Aren't you going to follow her?!"

The Vulcan's flinty gaze didn't waver. "Not at this time, no." He turned his back on them and headed for the nearest window while the French girl collapsed in a seat in the corner muttering prayers of thanks. The four of them stood speechless in the middle of the room just looking at each other. They'd sensed the tension earlier between the pair but attributed it to Se'tak's unknown condition. Now that he'd survived the surgery they thought…well clearly whatever the hell they thought was wrong. Having known Ny and Spock for over 30 years it was clear something was seriously off and it went beyond whatever happened to their son (and they still didn't have all the details on that either).

No, whatever the cause of this rift was it was sudden and it was deep. Very, very deep.

Just like in the old days on the ship Chris and Taline made a discreet exit so the boys could have one of their famous heart-to-hearts. Len braced himself, as did Jim. If the past was any indicator then they were going to have to drag the truth out of Spock tooth and nail.

Instead he surprised them again by speaking first. "Have either of you ever withheld information from your spouse believing that the omission was for their benefit and not to their detriment?"

Len could've been knocked over with a feather. He glanced over at Jim to see how he wanted to play this. "Well we all know my answer to that question," Kirk replied, obliquely referring to his ill-conceived journey to Tarsus. "Bones?"

"What kind of lies are we talkin' about here?" Spock continued to stare out the window while Jim shot him a pointed look. "Never mind, it doesn't matter. Maybe I've 'withheld information' once or twice, but so has she. Chris cottoned on to your son being in love with our little girl before I did and she didn't see fit to clue me in."

One eyebrow rose up steeply. "That singular omission did not negatively impact your family," Spock replied. "Nor did it negatively impact mine."

"No it didn't, but…"

"Ahem!" Jim coughed and elbowed him hard in the ribs, swiftly earning him his best Georgia glare-until he remembered they were trying to get to the bottom of things between Spock and Ny. Right. "What information did you exactly withhold?"

He spun around suddenly, the night sky further darkening his already solemn countenance. "Se'tak was attacked this evening by his stalker."

Len's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "He had a stalker?" Jim asked in alarm. "I thought this was random!"

Spock shook his head once. "This was not an isolated incident; rather, this was the first time she identified herself. Previously she had taken to leaving messages full of unwanted romantic overtures in his dorm room, on his person, and formerly in his apartment. Although he did not know her identity Se'tak informed me of this woman's presence 238 days ago. At the time of disclosure he requested that I keep this news from Nyota."

"Why the Devil would you do that?" Len lashed out in spite of himself. "He was in trouble!"

His friend's eyes narrowed to hard slits and he looked like he was ready to pounce. "You do not understand." Spock took a calming breath. "I was also deceived. Se'tak did not tell me that his stalker made contact, nor did he disclose that the activity escalated with evidently violent intent."

'Evidently violent intent?' That could mean almost anything! "You're going to have to explain that one."

Looking toward the girl in the corner Spock quietly said, "She illegally entered the apartment Se'tak was sharing with Marie. The stalker murdered their pet and left a threatening message behind. Subsequent to that act there was a medical emergency that irrevocably destroyed the relationship my sa-fu previously shared with the young woman you see here tonight. I was unaware of these events until the police officer investigating Se'tak's case informed me 71.4 minutes ago."

Len took a minute to process what he'd just heard; Se'tak and his girlfriend were young and in love, they were living together, there was a medical emergency… "She was pregnant?" he blurted out.

Spock nodded. "Marie miscarried the same evening as the break-in."

"My G-d."

Jim looked shocked. "No wonder Uhura's upset."

"Yes," Spock glumly concluded, "And I am unaware as to how to go about repairing the breach."

Simultaneously they reached the same conclusion: this was going to take more than a single conversation to fix.

Saint Vincent de Paul Hospital, Paris, France, 2291.294, 0156 hours. Nyota was living her worst nightmare. Her baby was lying in bed hooked up to life support and there was nothing she or anybody else could do. Family and friends rallied around her, trying to comfort her and offer her hope, but what did they know? Their children were fine and Se'tak might…might not…

She couldn't even bring herself to think about it let alone say it.

Each minute felt like an hour and the hours felt like days; still, her son didn't stir. She couldn't eat, couldn't sleep…she barely left the room to answer the call of nature. The only thing Nyota could do to stop herself from going mad was keep vigil, hold his hand tight in hers, and will him to live.

It didn't escape her notice that throughout every torturous minute of her ordeal Spock was conspicuously absent—and for that she was grateful. There were signs that he was lurking nearby (trays of food, the imprint of his form on the opposite chair, a shadow whisking away out of the corner of her eye) and from time-to-time she sensed his presence but he wisely kept out of her sight. Nyota never thought it'd be possible but she positively loathed her adun right now. If he hadn't conspired to keep her in the dark she could've saved Se'tak and spared them all all of this hurt; instead they were on the verge of losing him.

And if he did…she gulped hard and forced herself to think the thought, even if it was only in her own head…even if Se'tak did die…then there was going to be hell to pay. Of that she was certain.

Saint Vincent de Paul Hospital, Paris, France, 2291.295, 1409 hours. Her mother did not stir as she entered the room; her rest was fitful but it was also deep. A mere 5 steps from the doorway T'Alora paused and observed Se'tak in his bed. Her affable, vibrant sa-kai now possessed an ashen appearance and was connected to no fewer than four live-saving machines. Journeying as swiftly as she could from New Vulcan T'Alora knew the situation was dire, however, until she saw him she did not truly understand.

Se'tak might die.

Meanwhile Mama sat awkwardly in her chair, her head resting beside Se'tak's limp hand which she clasped firmly in her own. Her neck was twisted at an odd angle and her expression-even in sleep-was pained. For the first time in her recollection her mother appeared older and more fragile than she ever had in the past. It worried her to see her so out of sorts.

"Mama?" No response. Gently T'Alora reached out and shook her by the shoulder. "Mama?" She stirred but did not fully awaken. T'Alora shook her more firmly but said nothing.

Her mother's head shot up, eyes wild and gaze intensely focused on Se'tak where her hope for his recovery was swiftly shattered. T'Alora hated herself for causing her further hurt in the midst of all this turmoil.

"Mama…"

"T'Alora?" No sooner did she register her presence then her mother stood and drew her into a fierce one-armed embrace. "You're here!"

"Yes."

Her mother's gaze searched the room. "Where's Veren?"

"He is at the hotel across the street with Sa-mekh, securing our room and depositing our luggage."

"Oh." T'Alora was astute enough to notice the way Mama's entire aspect deflated at the mention of Sa-mekh. Privately she conjectured as to the cause of this rift in their otherwise solid relationship, yet her outward expression did not betray these thoughts. "Mama, are you…?"

"I'm fine!" she answered hurriedly. A small tear slipped down her cheek as she slowly sank down into the well worn blue chair. It did not escape T'Alora's notice that in all that time Mama never relinquished Se'tak's hand. "I'm fine. Just happy you're here."

T'Alora seriously debated the veracity of that remark but chose not to pursue that line of inquiry further. Instead she took hold of the nearest chair and pulled it toward the foot of her sa-kai's bed. She knew that her presence could not bring Se'tak back to full health yet that did not prevent her from placing a hand on his blanketed leg and squeezing tight to let him know she was here.

Saint Vincent de Paul Hospital, Paris, France, 2291.296, 0330 hours. He was not refused access to Se'tak's bedside yet neither was he permitted. Rather than force the issue with his adun'a, Spock kept a discreet distance between them—the best, he had found in previous experience, to help mitigate her anger—while also keeping close watch on his sa-kai.

Only this time her anger did not dissipate. If anything, the longer Se'tak lay unmoving in his bed the more Nyota's discontent intensified. He was…uncertain…as to how to proceed.

If only Se'tak would awaken…

Spock stood in the middle of the darkened hospital room, pinching the bridge of his nose and squeezing his eyes shut in an un-Vulcanlike display of frustration. He was not so naïve as to think that Se'tak's return to health would repair what he alone had destroyed. No, for that change to come into effect he and Nyota must talk.

How fervently did he wish that she would open the bond to him at this moment of confusion and grief. Her presence-in his mind and in his heart-had always been a balm to him. Nyota's continued disregard pained him to his core.

To his knowledge T'Alora, Selas, and their respective spouses were unwitting of the breach. The situation was fraught enough with anxiety that he did not wish to add to it with such burdensome news. Their presence was a great salve for his k'diwa, as they were for him also.

Silent as a sentinel he watched over Nyota and Se'tak as they slept while mentally calculating the odds of a successful outcome. The odds were not currently in their favor.

Saint Vincent de Paul Hospital, Paris, France, 2291.297, 1748 hours. Selas sat beside his sa-kai; it was the first opportunity he had had to be alone with Se'tak since his and Rebecca's arrival 32.36 hours earlier. Mama was in the restroom while the others stepped out to retrieve some food for the evening meal; no doubt they would encounter Sa-mekh in the waiting room under some obscure pretext and provide him with an update as well. There was no change in Se'tak's condition.

It did not escape their notice that Mama and Sa-mekh were currently at odds with one another even though they took great pains to hide that fact. He hoped it was nothing more serious than their deep concern for Se'tak's precarious health that had them so distraught. If that were the case then he wished that they would soon reconcile. Mama and Sa-mekh worked best when they worked together, not apart, and in this time of clan crisis they should be supporting each other.

The turn of the faucet in the restroom reminded Selas that his time with Se'tak was fleeting. Groping the edge of the bed he felt under the covers for his sa-kai's hand and strove to forge a deeper connection. Only scant traces of Se'tak's essence permeated the bond; this knowledge left him more unsettled than he had been previously.

"You must return to us, Se'tak," he strongly urged him. "You must. There is no other alternative. Do you understand?"

He hoped for a response—a cough, a sigh, a slight squeeze of his hand—and instead was met with deathly quiet.

A/N: Chapter 2 of "Undoing" will begin after Chapter 49 of "Being Se'tak".