The title is one possible definition of the word 'purge'.

To Rid of Whatever is Impure or Undesirable

I got the message today.

Not from you. Because, I guess I don't warrant that.

But that's me being petty. We both know you thought about it, and you didn't have the guts. Certainly didn't have the guts to come tell me to my face. And a personal message? That would just be admitting you owed me an explanation. I'm sure logically this was the only way.

Kolinahr.

'The Vulcan ritual by which all remaining emotions are purged.'

You would be surprised to know I didn't have to look it up. Just because I don't agree with the lofty pursuit of logic doesn't mean I'm ignorant. I know more about Vulcans than I ever wanted to. Your life was my responsibility for five years.

Five whole years.

I won't give you the satisfaction (which I'm sure is an emotion you don't feel anymore), of wondering if it was all my imagination. I know it wasn't. I know I didn't just make it up.

You were my friend.

I never asked you to care. Not about me, at least. Hell, I fought against it at the beginning. I had Jim, and that was good enough. I wasn't looking to let anyone else in. Not even an inch of them.

But I've always been a sucker. Doesn't matter what universe they're from; they figure it out. The weak link. I care too much, and you were the one person I was sure I was safe from. Can't care about a computer, and a computer can't care about you.

I was wrong.

So very, very wrong.

You cared.

But not enough.

I care.

Too much.

You called me irrational, emotional, human.

At what point did you decide that was truly an insult? Was I still there beside you, eyes light, confident in your friendship? Or did you wait for our contract to end? Till I couldn't defend myself.

Jim's hurt. I haven't talked to him yet, but I know he is. Yet he'll be understanding. A Vulcan's got to do what a Vulcan's got to do.

Bullshit.

Nobody'll ever convince me that doing what's natural gives you some monopoly over what wrong and right.

Me? I can swallow the hurt. You wouldn't believe how much pain I can take and keep on going. Give me some time and I'll be able to smile and tease and nobody will be the wiser. They never are.

It wasn't all for my sake, you know. I may just be an old country doctor, but I can already tell you that you're not going to find what you're looking for. Not by denying what you are. Not by running from this, from us.

All those years I never asked you to pick a side. I just wanted you to admit that there were two.

But now you've picked a side.

Not irrational, not emotional, not human.

I get it.

I understand the message.

I just wish I understood what I did wrong.