Title: Those simple words.

Type/Warning: pure fluff/SPOILERS FOR THE MOVIE. DON'T READ IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT.

Show(s)/Movie(s): Star Trek

Summary: She just didn't know where they stood. Were they teacher and student…or were they more? He was starting to frustrate her to no end. Those words weren't that hard to say, even if he was half Vulcan.

Setting: Post: the movie

Pairing: Spock/ Nyota Uhura

Author's Note: I just thought that it was cute, plus because the movie was really awesome. The part in italics in the very beginning is lines that are most likely not exactly word for word. But a general concept. From the movie.

Also, it's my first time writing anything in the Star Trek-verse. So I'm trying, and be kind.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything! But dialogue and plot. All characters and original story lines belong to their rightful owners.

"James, if I don't make it…will you tell Uhura that…"

James just patted him on the shoulder, "we're going to make it".

"James said you wanted to see me"

He looked up. She never called the Captain his first name unless the crew was out by themselves. Not on the ship.

"I never said that"

He saw her face sink a little at his words. She had been hoping that he had been, really hoping that he had wanted to see her.

"Oh, then excuse me" she muttered before turning to take her leave.

His entire planet, his entire species had been wiped out before his own eyes. He had been powerless to stop it. Helpless like the child he had once been. He didn't like this feeling that had started in his stomach and was now raging through his entire body. Anger, hate, longing…heartbreak. His mother was gone now, forever. He pressed the button on the elevator, but before it would close…Uhura had walked in. all poise and proper. But as the doors closed, he saw the tears she had held back.

She merely looked up at him and started talking about being sorry about his planet. And, then seemingly out of the blue, she kissed him, kissed his cheek and then hugged him.

He had felt the oddest sensation at her touch. Warmth, comfort, something moving in his stomach, human feelings.

The tears stained her face and she went to kiss him again, this time he allowed himself the moment, the pleasure and kissed her back. The doors opened and she returned to where she had stood before, the tears staining her cheeks. And he left her alone.

"Uhura, I thought I told you to report to Spock" Kirk said as she stormed passed him in the hallway. The two had never been on good terms, Uhura and Kirk that is. After all he had hit on her too many times to count and he had gotten into a fight with four Star Fleet cadets because of hitting on her. Plus hiding in her dorm because he was sleeping with her roommate. Who was green, but that wasn't the point.

"You lied" she answered before glaring at him and adding, "Captain"

Uhura could spit fire at him, and it scared him for the most part.

"I don't lie, Nyota. I make an effort not to…unless needed" he replied, taking two steps towards her. "So when I said 'Spock has something to tell you' I meant, 'Spock has something to tell you'" he explained, with a grin. "Now report to Spock and don't leave his side until he tells you." He turned to go the other way. The direction that wasn't where Spock was, because he really didn't want to get in his way if Spock found out that Jim had start this "And that's an order" he called over his shoulder.

He was going on a suicide mission. There was a chance for survival, for them coming out on top. But it was low, very low.

She followed them to the transporter, trying to find the moment to beg him not to go. Kirk stopped to talk to the new man he had brought aboard.

"You can't," she said. She didn't know why she cared so much. They weren't even together. He was her teacher, she was his student; she shouldn't care that much about it. He looked down at her, and his face hinted at his sadness, but she knew that he would never show it. Never not once, the outburst had been a fluke in his resistance.

He touched her cheek before bringing his face down to hers and kissed her. She felt the nervous rush that she always felt when she was talking to him. When ever they bumped into each other, or when they were alone together.

She was going to cry again.

"Don't worry Nyota," he murmured before she stepped back to leave. She wasn't going to watch him disappear to his death.

"You're back"

"Kirk said I couldn't leave until you told me what you wanted to tell me," she explained, taking a seat across from him. She looked frustrated.

The two just sat there in silence, he felt uncomfortable for the first time in his life.

He sighed and put the book down. "When did it start?" he asked simply. She was one of his brightest students, she'd catch on, she always did. She looked at him, with a raised eyebrow. "You know what I am talking about"

She rolled her eyes "You already know the answer"

Her roommate giggled as the two left class. "You know for a guy that such a hard ass, he's pretty cute"

Nyota rolled her eyes. "Seriously? He's a teacher"

"A hot teacher, Nyota, remember that" her friend reminded her before heading towards a different building for her next class. Nyota didn't have a next class, so she had free time for an hour. She turned around only to come face to face with Spock. She gulped.

"Good morning, Miss Uhura"

"Morning, Mr. Spock"

The two stood there awkwardly. Not that he would notice, after all Vulcans never showed emotion. He probably didn't even know what awkward felt like.

"Your friend thinks of me as a hard ass" he stated.

She blushed, God she was so embarrassed. "I'm afraid Gaila speaks her mind whenever she likes no matter what the subject, Sir" she explained.

"I see" he handed her a paper that he had been holding behind him. "I graded your paper," he stated, as she took it from his hand. "You did very well Miss Uhura," he added before leaving to go back into the building. She just stood there, in shock.

She glanced down at the paper she had turned in yesterday. High marks. When she finally got back to the room her friend had snuck in another man. And it had been Kirk, which hadn't surprised her. After she was sure that he had left she confided in her green skinned roommate.

"I think he likes youuu~" Gaila teased with a smile as she changed back into clothes. Nyota shook her head.

"He does not. He's my teacher, it's wrong. And against the rules, and when has he ever broken rules?"

"It was only a paper, nothing more"

"You have over a thousand students, and they all turned in their papers. You graded mine the day of." She clarified "You have to admit it was all a bit suspicious"

He shook his head in the negative. "You've always produced interesting papers Nytoa, why wouldn't I read yours first?"

"It doesn't matter if their interesting, you're the one that started all of this" she sighed, putting her head in her hands. This was getting ridiculous. "You started it"

"Miss Uhura?" he actually looked the tiniest bit surprised at her still being in his classroom when every one else had left.

"Why?" she asked, her arms crossed over her chest. "You never compliment anyone, so why me?"

"You're paper was well written and your explanation about the colony was well said. You did a very good job on it," he answered. She groaned.

"You know what, Gaila was right. You're such a hard ass" she spat.

"I don't see what my telling you that you did a good job makes me a hard ass" he said coolly getting up from behind his desk. Nyota stopped caring if she was pissing him, not that he'd show it.

But he had a point. She sighed, rubbing her forehead with her hand. "I'm sorry Sir, I was out of line," she said, falling back on her usual formalities. She swore she saw him frown a little.

He walked away from his desk and towards her. He placed his hand on her shoulder as he stood next to her. "I like you better when you're less formal" he whispered into her ear before he took his hand off her shoulder and left the classroom. She could feel a shiver go down her spine at his words. She could still feel the heat of his hand on her shoulder.

"I respect you," he said, standing up from where he had been sitting. "I only noted the fact that you respond better when you're less formal"

She rolled her eyes. "I don't want your respect, Spock. I want an answer" so that was a bit of a lie. When she had been his student she had craved for was his respect, because she had believed that once she had that she could get everyone else's.

He didn't even respond as he left the room, Uhura following closely behind. "Lieutenant Uhura return to your station"

She just smirked, her arms crossed. "Captains orders over ride First Officer orders," she said. The two stood there, several other officers passing by, not even paying attention to what was happening between the Half-Vulcan and the Communications officer.

"He's an oddity, Gaila."

"Oh, so just because he doesn't fit into your neat little boy categories he's an oddity?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at her friend. "What about James?"

"Oh the two of you are now on first name basis now, that's a step up" Nyota teased. The Orion women had hyperactive sex drives, which was probably why Kirk had gotten together with her in the first place. And why Nyota had put a ban on guys being brought up into the room.

Her friend glared at her for a moment before returning to writing up her homework. "I hope the two of you end up in a huge fist fight," her friend muttered under her breath. Nyota barely heard it.

She shook her head and left the room. Her relationship with Commander Spock was getting blurry. She was only sure that they weren't friends, but it seemed like the teacher-student relationship had been blown out of the water when he touched her shoulder. She ran into him in the courtyard.

"So you like me when I'm less formal. I'll give you less formal" she said in Vulcan. She had mastered the language easily. She mastered languages easily, like a chemist took to chemicals. "I think you're an emotionless, confusing, annoying, stiff…person. You…you…. why are you smiling?"

He just smiled. He was actually smiling at her. He took her hand in his, still just smiling away making her loose mobility by the mere shock of it. He never smiled. "You're exceedingly more charming when you lose the formalities Miss Uhura. And that is what I like about you the most" he kissed her hand, the smile left his face as quickly as it had appeared and he turned to leave. His touch pleasantly burned her skin.

"You were able to smile in front of me. You never smile, never. Yet you're some how been rendered unable to speak words," she stated moving closer to him as the hallway became empty. "Just say it"

It was a command. Always a command.

"I love you," he murmured taking her hand in his. "Nyota"

She felt the shivers go up and down her spin. She didn't realized how pretty her name sounded in Vulcan. "I love you too…Spock"

The smallest hint of the same smile he had shown to her that day so long ago at the academy crossed his face. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, once again allowing himself to be consumed by how happy her saying those words, his name in his native tongue, and the pleasure he felt when they kissed.