"Let your soul take you where you long to be. Only then can you belong to me." - from 'Music of the Night' by Andrew Lloyd Webber


It was the year 1899 and the Central London Music Company was having a chaotic rush of a rehearsal.

Twenty-one year old Nyota Uhura hurried down from her room of the ballet dormitories, her lifelong friend Carol Marcus close on her heels.

"Nyota, hurry up! Father and Pike will be upset if we're late again." The usually soft spoken blonde urged her friend as they finally came to the bottom of the steps that led them to backstage.

"I'm sorry I slept longer than I meant to, Carol." The darker skinned woman tried and failed to hold back a yawn.

"This is the third morning in a row you have overslept. You also missed curfew last night." Carol began to scold her friend in a well-meaning manner.

"I'm sorry. I've just been practicing longer lately." Nyota sighed, annoyed at her friend's persistent way of nagging her habits.

Before Carol could ask her any further questions, the strict and irritated voice of Leonard McCoy interrupted their conversation.

"Ah, Miss Uhura. I'm glad to see you've finally decided to join us for rehearsal." The good manager raised his brow in an accusing manner toward Nyota before his brown eyes softened at her defeated expression. "Very well. I'll allow your tardiness this week to go, but no more of it."

"Thank you, Mr. McCoy. It won't happen again." Nyota kept her eyes on her pink ballet slippers. Carol smiled encouragingly in her direction.

"Keep your chin up. Everything will be right once this show is over-with." The cheerful blonde placed her hand upon Nyota's shoulder, showing her support.

"Everybody listen up!" McCoy's voice echoed around the auditorium, catching all the actors', dancers and stagehands attention. "In case you have not heard earlier this morning, I have both good and bad news for us. I'll begin with the bad. Unfortunately, our lead soprano has been caught with sickness due to apparent pregnancy. Therefore, we have apparently lost our star for this godforsaken play."

Nyota was both shocked and relieved at this news. While she felt sorry for the woman's current situation, she certainly did not envy her attitude. Violetta Nichols was a selfish snob who only sought out the center of the spotlight in all of the London Music Company's events.

"Well, that will be one less parasite to worry about." Carol muttered under her breath, making Nyota glance at her in annoyance.

"The good news, is that we have found two patrons that will help fund out future events. May I present to everyone Mr. James Kirk and Mr. Spock Grayson." McCoy announced the names of the two men as they both stepped into sight.

The name of the latter man caught Nyota by surprise. She knew that name from years before…

"Carol, I think I know him." The petite black haired woman whispered in awe, more to herself.

Coming into sight of the two ballerinas, the two men appeared to be complete physical opposites. James Kirk held an arrogant and self-assured air to himself, with brownish-blond hair and the blue color of the afternoon sky in his vibrant eyes.

Mr. Spock Grayson himself was indeed one to be seen. His dark hair and brown eyes contrasted with the pale of his skin. His tall stature and build of his shoulders would not allow any opponent to cross him easily.

"Thank you for coming, gentlemen. I apologize that it seems to be quite a mess around here." McCoy held out his hand for both men to shake.

"Its no trouble at all, Mr. McCoy. I believe I'm going to enjoy the theater and the company it provides." Kirk was the first to speak, his eyes glancing in the direction of Nyota and Carol.

"Jim, may I remind you that we are here to aid in funding the company with profits for entertainment purposes, not to fulfill your more primal human needs?" Spock rebuffed out of embarrassment for them both.

"Yes, I understand." Kirk shrugged in a nonchalant way.

"Mr. McCoy, I must apologize for my adopted brother's behavior. And for additionally disturbing your rehearsal." Spock briefly locked eyes with Nyota, barely a sideward glance that hardly registered with the young woman, it was so quick.

"Of course. We need to practice for Hannibal, considering that we open for it in a week's time, damn it." McCoy growled out that last statement as he began to lead the two men away from the stage.

As soon as the three men were out of earshot, Nyota found the strength to speak again.

"Carol, I believe I knew Spock back when we were children. My father and I visited the city Vulcan when I was only thirteen. We met and found much in common very quickly. I guess you could say we were childhood sweethearts. He used to confuse my last name with my first. We would always find something interesting whenever we would meet. But it all stopped after father became ill…" She trailed off as the devastating memory invaded her mind.

"Well, perhaps now could be your chance to rekindle what you had with him." Carol suggested, seeing her friend's brown eyes sparkle with tears.

"I don't believe he would remember me, let alone recognize me after eight years." Nyota only hung her head in disappointment.

Carol could not find any more words at the moment to comfort her. They could only face the rest of the grueling day that awaited them of dancing and singing for the chorus.

.

.

Nyota's day was almost over, with one final announcement to await from the managers, Christopher Pike and Alexander Marcus, the latter being Carol's father, something she never wanted to gloat about.

At last, it all came with one final daily meeting before dismissal for the evening.

"Our closing statement for the night, ladies, is how we are to handle the dilemma of our absent leading star for the role of Elissa in Hannibal." Pike spoke to the line of ballerinas standing in a row beside one another, looking into their eyes for sincerity.

"If any one of you think you are ready for this challenge of trying out for this role and desire a chance for fame and glory, feel free to step forward, please." Marcus finished in a commanding tone, harsher in comparison with Pike's somewhat gentle lead-in of what was to occur.

"Nyota Uhura could sing it, Father." Carol blurted out while Nyota felt herself freeze in paralyzing disbelief. "She has been taking lessons from a special tutor."

"Really? Who might that be?" Pike stepped in to question Nyota before Marcus could interrogate the anxious woman.

"I…I'm afraid I don't know his name, sir." She managed to stutter out before she forgot how to form coherent words.

"Father, allow her to sing for you. She's the best out of all the girls here." Carol smiled brightly and wrapped her arm around Nyota's slim shoulders in an adoring embrace.

"Very well, then. Nyota, you may select a chorus from any of the songs of your choosing from the upcoming program and we will see how you may progress." Pike assured the young ballerina as she tried to keep from shaking. He ignored the incredulous glare from Marcus.

Nyota only nodded in response to her employers and took a step forward, clearing her throat. She opened her mouth and the sound flowed from her voice, flooding the auditorium with a heavenly sound meant only for the angels above to hear…

.

.

Later that night, Nyota fell asleep in her bed with a smile on her face, feeling blissful for the first time in what seemed forever.

The young woman was so deep in her slumber that she failed to note the air shifting above her inert form, a shadow falling upon her body, ever vigilant in its guard over her.

Two turquoise eyes gazed in fond manner on her as she slept. As silent as a ghost, the looming shadow reached down and placed on her bedside table a rose, the stem without thorns tied with a scarlet ribbon and the petals blackened into a darker hue of unnatural trait.

The unknowing future starlet stirred in her sleep, fitful in her dreams as a stray strand of ebony hair fell on her forehead. Her dark phantom hesitantly used his gloved fingertip to brush it back into place, being careful not to disturb her peace.

Congratulations, my dear. You have made me feel more triumphant in this one day than any other could have in one lifetime. You may know my voice, but you will soon know much more. Your innocent hands hold my frozen heart and that makes you the most beloved treasure to me. You are my love and my world.

With those parting thoughts to her, the specter disappeared and returned to the darkness.

AN: Yes, I'm aware I used the surname of Spock's mother as his last name in this story, but it was what I could come up with in this setting. Please leave your thoughts down in the box below… Thank you!