Author's Note: Countdown : Ignition.

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You Had Me From Hello

Chapter Four : Light My Fire

Nyota

Starfleet Academy, San Francisco, Earth

Early February 2258

Wednesday

She walked out of the Chorale practice room, talking to friends, waving to them as they all separated, going down different paths to their quarters. She found herself the only one going down the particular path she had chosen, at least for a short distance. Then she found she had a familiar warm body walking beside her. She turned her head and smiled up at him. "Where did you come from?"

"It is quite dark outside. I thought you should have an escort."

There was a light, almost teasing tone to his voice. Maybe no one else would have heard it, but she did. She moved her hand sideways and curled the first two fingers of her hand against his. Familiar warmth stole over her. "Hmm. Yes, always. Never can tell when a squadron of Klingons is going to jump out of the bushes at you."

One dark, slanted eyebrow rose high on his face. The corners of his mouth quirked up ever so slightly. "Only one squadron? You should be able to handle that by yourself, surely?"

She giggled. He was getting better at this. The time she had devoted to explaining humor to him was paying off. Practice did help. And thinking of practice reminded her of the things they had been practicing lately. She felt herself growing warm at the memories. Some of that must have leaked across the connection between them, because she heard him make a very small growl, low in his throat.

"Nyota." Slightly chiding.

She sighed. "Sorry, that just sort of slipped out."

They walked along the pathway, content to walk silently tonight, the warmth shared through their linked fingers enough. They had almost reached her building when she felt him tug her off the pathway, towards a small clump of trees. She raised her eyebrows, now, questioning. He quirked the corners of his mouth at her again. She followed, curious to see what he had in mind. Through the trees he led, into the shadows. When he reached the spot he had selected earlier, he stopped, pulling her up against him.

"I take it this spot is not visible from any of the pathways?" Her voice was low, trembling with laughter.

"Once again, you have stated an obvious fact, Nyota." He almost purred in her ear, rubbing his face against hers. His hands stroked her back, he sighed.

She sighed back. This was so nice. She had not expected to see him at all this evening. She moved against him, rubbing, feeling him respond. He growled, low, as his lips found hers, tasting softly, his tongue gliding out to tease her. One of her hands rose, sliding up his neck, fingers caressing the edge of his ear, sliding over the pointed top, making him moan, so softly, against her mouth.

A few more caresses, a few more kisses, and they were both panting. She turned her face away and buried it against his neck, trying to calm herself down. His chin rested on the crown on her head, his breath warm on her scalp. He inhaled slowly, deeply, seeking calm again.

"Practice."

She giggled then, relieving stress. 'Oh, Spock!"

"Much practice is necessary to achieve the proper level of control." Once again she heard the humor lurking there, hiding in his almost level tone.

"What am I going to do with you?"

"I could make a list.." She was giggling again, he could feel the vibrations against his chest, the puffs of breath against his neck. "Or was that a rhetorical question?"

She lifted her face to his, giving him one of her blinding smiles. "That might be an interesting list to have. This was nice, Spock." She straightened up a little, separating their bodies just slightly. "But, unfortunately, I need to get to bed because practice let out later than usual." She sighed a bit. "I have such a stack of PADDS to grade tomorrow."

He dropped his arms from around her, retrieved her fingers, and led her back to the pathway, on to her dorm. He cupped her face gently for a moment, resting his forehead against hers, and then straightened up, releasing her, watching her turn and enter her dorm. He walked back to his quarters, his lips quirked up in that small smile he was wearing more and more often.

Thursday

When she walked into the message array lab he was already there and the team they were to relieve had already left. She closed the door behind her carefully, checking to be sure that it was latched, then crossed the room to stand behind his chair, grinning to herself. She reached out with both hands and caught the tips of both ears, sliding her fingers up and down the sensitive edges. He hissed. His hands froze on the controls on the console before him, then raised slowly to catch her wrists.

"Nyota!"

"How did you know it was me?" Laughter filled her voice. She leaned forward and kissed his temple, still caressing his ears.

"No one else smells like you. Nor would anyone else be so presumptuous." He growled softly at her. "This is not wise, Nyota."

"I just wanted to say hello, Spock." With a great sense of satisfaction, she released him and seated herself in the other chair. Only to find herself lifted bodily onto his lap and claimed with a deep kiss that completely took her breath away. And then deposited back into her own chair, heart thundering. Guess two can play that game. She checked her console, now completely hot and bothered. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the barely concealed smirk on his face.

***

When they were relieved by the next shift, they walked slowly across the campus in the foggy dark, the lights hazily obscured by the mist. Their fingers were hooked together, but otherwise they did not touch, nor did they speak, the feelings flowing between them through their linked fingers sufficient tonight. When they reached that small clump of trees near her building, once again he tugged her in that direction. Tonight she went smiling, knowing what awaited. He pulled her against him, mouth hungry, tongue teasing, hands roaming, so much more confident that he had been just a few short weeks ago. In no time at all she was panting and moaning, moving against him, so hot. His face burrowed against her neck, searching for skin.

"Your jacket collar is much too high." He was frustrated. He turned to her ear, tugging at the earlobe, his hot breath in her ear, exciting, causing goosebumps all over her body. He ran his hands down her back, over her hips, down to the hem of her uniform skirt, then up under it, cupping her bottom in his hands, pulling her closer to him. His voice, low and deep, rumbling, turned her to fire. "Can you feel how I desire you, Nyota?" He pulled her even closer, his hands kneading her bottom, setting her ablaze.

"Ah, Spock, oh... " She couldn't think, she wanted him so bad. Her hands wound around the nape of his neck, pulling at the short hairs there, digging her short nails into his skin, making him gasp and growl at her. She shook against him, so aroused she would have engulfed him right there in only a moment more.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on whose viewpoint events were viewed from, at that moment they heard voices coming in their direction. He froze, then moved his hands, pulling her face down against his chest, hiding her identity. He turned his face down onto the top of her head. They stood so silent, not moving, until the group of inebriated cadets passed down the pathway. Then they both straightened up, breathing deeply, struggling for composure.

"I am sorry, Nyota. That was inappropriate behavior."

"Spock, it was both of us. Don't blame yourself."

"But I must be responsible for you. It is my duty." He heaved a deep sigh, brushed his lips softly across her forehead, and led her back to the pathway, on to her dorm, not noticing the strange look on her face.

Spock

Friday Morning

Nyota had just finished making tea when her com link chimed with a message. Spock could not help but overhear as some male cadet begged her to be on his crew for the Kobayashi Maru simulation.

"It will have to be on a Friday afternoon because that's all the free time I have. If you can get it scheduled that way, I'll help."

"Great, thanks, Uhura, I'll get back to you as soon as I get it scheduled." and the young man signed off.

Not ten minutes later, there was another similar conversation. Nyota grumbled after the call was over. She had so much work of her own to do, she didn't really have time for all those extra simulations. On the other hand, they were good experience.

Fifteen minutes later the third request came through, and another twenty minutes after that. When her com link chimed again, she reacted with irritation. "What, are all you guys standing around in a circle deciding who gets to call me next? No more, Okay! Four is all I'm going to schedule."

There was silence from the other end of the conversation for a minute, then muttered apologies. "But we all just want the very best cadet in the whole Communications track on our team - and that's you!"

He was glad it was almost noon, because she was definitely out of sorts now. She didn't need any more interruptions to her work. He was trying, once again, to concentrate on the paper he was reading when he heard her low voice behind him.

"Spock, can you please help me calm down? I am just so irritated and edgy."

He swiveled his chair around, so that he faced her. She was facing him, her elbows on her thighs, her hands dangling between her knees. She looked absolutely miserable, her face all pinched. Immediately, he reached towards her, clasping her hands between his, initiating the link between them, sending calm, peace towards her. He remembered how she had helped him regain his control when he was so close to losing it and tried to do the same for her. As he watched, the lines slowly smoothed from her face and the tension in her shoulders eased.

She sighed softly. "oh, that's better. Thanks." She raised her chin and looked at him, a very small smile starting. "They're just driving me crazy!"

"But you handled them well, Nyota. You informed them that you would not schedule any more simulations at this time. They should leave you alone now."

"Yeah, right. Spock, you forget that most humans are not at all logical. Some of those guys will probably just try a lot harder now, bother me even more."

He cocked his head, his eyes unfocused for a moment, then looked at her again. "You could make a recording, telling them that they must come apply in person during office hours. I would be here to intercede."

She looked at him for a moment. "Spock, you don't want half the command track traipsing through your office next week! But thanks for the offer." Her smile was wider now, much of the tension relieved.

He took advantage of their position and her improved temperament to mention their plans for the evening. "That holovid that was recommended is still playing, if you would like to see it this evening. And the theatre is very close to the pizza place you heard about." He waited for her response.

"Okay, that sounds good to me. I will be ready at 1700 - and hungry." Now she grinned at him.

He quirked his mouth at her and let her feel his pleasure at her reply through the link before dropping her hands and turning back to the paper on his desk.

She switched off all her equipment for the weekend, gathered up her belongings, and left the office, brushing her fingers against the back of his neck just briefly on her way out. Behind her, his lips quirked up again.

***

They walked across the campus in a direction they didn't often go, found the pizza place and ordered a large vegetarian pizza. They didn't order any beer, because this place only had a very poor quality draft beer. Instead they had bottled water. The waiter thought they were weird, especially since they kept talking in some strange language full of squeaks and whistles. After finishing their mediocre pizza and deciding that they needed to find a different place next time, they walked the block to the theatre and stood in line to buy tickets. Inside the lobby, they found only a short line before the concession stand.

Nyota immediately went to stand in line. He couldn't figure out why. "We just ate, Nyota. Why are you going to buy more food?"

"But it's popcorn, Spock! You have to have popcorn when you watch a vid. With lots of salt and greasy butter-stuff." Her smile was big and wide. He didn't understand why she wanted it, but he was not going to deny her. Once they had the large bucket of popcorn, they went into the semi-darkened theatre to find seats. Nyota threaded her way down the back row of seats, right to the middle of the row and settled down with the popcorn in her lap. Spock sat next to her. The seats were fairly small and very close together. Their shoulders pushed against each other. Spock was trying to figure out how to resolve the crowding problem when Nyota leaned over to him. "Spock, you're supposed to put your arm around my shoulders."

He looked down at her, thinking she was teasing him. Her eyes were sparkling. He looked around the theatre. Sure enough, most of the young men had their arms over the backs of chairs containing young women. He lifted his arm and draped it over the back of Nyota's chair, resting his hand lightly on her shoulder. About this time, the lights went out. Good, no one would be able to see if he caressed her ear.

The holovid started and Nyota began to fish popcorn out of the bucket and nibble on it. Spock was so fascinated by her behavior that he totally lost track of the story on the screen, which looked pretty illogical anyway. Eventually Nyota realized that he was watching her eat the popcorn. Misunderstanding why, she reached into the bucket, retrieved several kernels, and turned her wrist and stuffed them in his mouth. He was taken completely by surprise. He did like the feel of her fingers on his lips, but now he had a mouthful of salty, greasy popcorn. There was nothing for it, but to chew. He chewed all the popcorn up and swallowed it. Before he knew what was happening, Nyota was stuffing more popcorn in his mouth. He wasn't sure that he wanted any more, but it was already in his mouth. He chewed and swallowed. He opened his mouth to tell Nyota not to give him any more and she stuffed more popcorn in. He chewed this mouthful more slowly, beginning to actually taste what he was eating. It wasn't what he had expected. He was very surprised at the taste. It was actually almost interesting. He swallowed the last of the popcorn, and there were Nyota's fingers with more. This was fascinating. How did she know when his mouth was empty? He began to consider all the factors in her behavior. He found himself chewing and swallowing absently, mind focused on the problem. It was totally unexpected when she whispered to him that the bucket was empty. How much popcorn had he eaten?

***

When the vid was over and the lights came on, they filed out of the theatre and started back towards the campus. With no hesitation, both headed for his quarters. The corners of his mouth turned up happily. More practice would soon occur.

When they entered his quarters, he took her jacket and crossed to hang it in his closet, along with his. He turned to find her right behind him.

"Spock, I have a suggestion." She stopped, looking at him, the tip of her tongue caught between her teeth.

What was she thinking? "Yes, Nyota. What is your suggestion?"

"Well, I thought maybe you would want to hang the rest of my clothes up, too." She stood there, eyes wide, waiting for his response.

His nostrils flared, his heartbeat accelerated. He opened his mouth to answer and heard words he had not intended to say. "Lights 25 per cent. Temperature up 3 degrees." His hand reached behind him and took a hanger from the closet, handing it to her. She handed the hanger back to him and he stood there and watched as she pulled her sweater off over her head and handed it to him. He stood there with the sweater in one hand and hanger in the other and watched her remove her slacks. She turned to him with the slacks in her hand.

"Spock! You're supposed to be hanging them up! Come on." She handed him her slacks, turned towards the bed, undoing the clasp of her bra as she went. She took her bra off, laid it on his dresser, and pulled back the covers on the bed, laying down on the sheets in the center of the bed, wearing only her little white panties. "I'm waiting, Spock." She grinned at him.

He swallowed, hard. With hands beginning to shake, he draped her clothing over the hanger and hung it in the closet. He pulled his sweater off over his head and undid the fastening on his slacks, letting them drop to the floor. He stepped out of his slacks, bent to pick them up, never taking his eyes from her, draped his clothing over a second hanger and hung it in the closet and crossed to the bed, wearing only his briefs. He lowered himself down beside her, already feeling that hot swelling starting.

She reached up and caressed his chest, running her fingers through the dark hair growing there, grinning widely. "I like this, Spock." And then she raised her head and nuzzled against him. "Umm, that's so nice."

That felt so wonderful. He found himself growling softly at her. Her fingers against his skin were once again making trails of fire. He moaned as her fingers found his nipples and pinched lightly. At his response, she made a small sound of satisfaction and raised her head just enough to lap against one of those little nubs with her tongue, while still caressing the other with her fingers. He was beside himself. There were jolts of energy going from the sensitive flesh she was caressing straight to his lower belly, causing more hot swelling to occur. Did she feel the same thing when he caressed her breasts? He bent his head and took one rosy brown nipple into his mouth, laving it with his tongue, pulling on it with his lips, very lightly using his teeth to tug. She was moaning in his ear now. He wanted to ask her about those jolts and streaks of electrical energy, but she was so compelling that he could not remove his mouth from her. The other nipple drew his attention and he reached across and rolled it between his fingers. She was moving against him, pressed close, running her hands over him, kissing his skin, biting his neck, moaning, sighing, setting him on fire. He ran his hands down her body - she was so soft and cool. He circled her waist, drew his hands down her hips, caressed her thighs, everywhere he touched she moved her body against him, lifting up, pressing against hands, filling him with her sighs and moans. He could feel through all the places where their skin touched how good she felt, how much she liked what he was doing. Could she feel what she was doing to him? Maybe he should open the link more, be sure she could feel him. He concentrated, trying to show her how she made him feel. She moaned so loudly under him that he shuddered. Maybe that had been too much. Her hands rose up his body, found his ears, fondled, caressed, pinched. He growled louder, his heart pounding, his temperature rising, his body swelling, hot.

She was pushing against his shoulders. He lifted his head from her, looking at her face. What did she want?

"Roll over, Spock. Your turn to go first."

Not sure what she meant, but willing to do anything she wished at this point, he rolled over onto his back. She followed, arranging herself partially on top of him. She started with his face, kissing, biting gently, teasing him, she caressed his ears first with fingers, then with tongue, and then with teeth, causing him to growl and thrust his body up at her. He had his hands on her bottom, pulling her against him. She slid one leg over his, resting her knee on the bed between his legs. He could feel her warm against his leg, that spot that was wet. He moved his leg against it, making her moan louder.

She worked her way down to his neck, kissing and biting. He was in absolute delight. She bit the hard plane of his shoulder, hard. He growled again, louder, pulling her even harder against him, wanting to feel her weight against that hot swelling that kept growing the more she tantalized him. Her lips swept down his chest, nibbling on skin grown so hot, so tight. She followed that line of dark hair down the center of his chest until it disappeared inside his briefs. Without pausing at all, her hands moved down inside on both sides and stripped his briefs down, down, as far as her hands could reach. Then she was moving, pulling his knees up, pulling his briefs down over his feet and throwing them on the floor. She pushed his knees back down to the bed, rolling over his leg so that she was now between his legs, her body touching the inside of both legs all the way down, her arms along his body in the crease between thigh and abdomen, her hands on his hips. He could feel her cool skin everywhere. It was glorious. She moved back to where she had left off and continued her downward descent over that line of dark hair, nibbling, biting, driving him insane with pleasure. His hips were moving, pushing at her, his hands pulled at her, trying to move her up over him, but she resisted, continuing to nibble on his skin, all over his stomach, on both sides, but not on that hard, hot swelling that greatly desired her attention.

"Nyota." His voice was deep, husky, vibrating. "ah, Nyota. More."

She laughed softly at him. "Soon, Spock, soon."

"Now, oh, Nyota, now, more." He wasn't sure what more was, but he wanted it. Wanted it desperately.

She moved between his legs, sliding down until her chin rested just below his scrotum. He could feel her breath against him there. And then her tongue, licking, swirling, setting him on fire. And then her teeth, scraping, biting, tiny little bites that jolted through him like lightening. He pushed up against her, wanting more, growling, moaning, wanting more. And then her hands were on him, on that hot swollen part, caressing, stroking. Two fingers circled him at the base and stroked up the whole length, squeezing gently. He bucked against her. He felt like his whole body would explode soon. He cried out her name again, drawing it out, long, liquid. Her head lifted, her tongue swept up him from base to tip. One fingertip on the very end, spreading the liquid oozing from his body, pulling the slit there apart just enough that the tip of her tongue entered. He came completely undone at that point, thick, hot, sticky fluid jetting from where her tongue touched, covering his belly, his chest, hitting his chin as waves of incredible pleasure racked his body. It was amazing, wonderful, ecstasy beyond what he had felt the previous week. He threw his head back, his body arched, growling, calling her name. It was utterly wonderful.

When the waves of ecstasy receded, she was still laying there between his legs, still holding him in her hand. "Sorry about that. I didn't think you'd come quite that fast. Let me go get something to clean you up." She started to lift herself up, off of him.

He immediately clasped her and pulled her back down. "No, Nyota, more."

She looked at him. She tensed her fingers around him. He was still hard, still fully erect. "Whoa. How did you do that?"

"More. Please, Nyota."

"Okay. I think I know what you want. But I don't want that stuff in my hair, Okay? Let me clean you up." She reached over brought up one corner of the sheet and mopped at him, cleaning off the sticky fluid. Then she moved again, putting her hands flat on his abdomen, her arms supported against his hip bones, and starting at the very tip, began to swallow him. At least that's what it felt like. The inside of her mouth was warmer than her skin, but still cooler than that hot part of him that she was engulfing. Her tongue slid down, caressing, sucking, her teeth gently scraping against his sensitive skin, as she took more and more of him into her mouth. He was shaking now, blazing, moaning, growling, moving his hips upwards trying to get more of himself into her mouth. She was moving up and down, so many sensations, so much glorious ecstasy, and then she compressed her tongue against him and sucked. And he flew apart, shuddering, shouting, blazing with fire everywhere.

It was some time later before he was able to think. She was still laying between his legs, her head resting on his abdomen, turned sideways so that her face was towards his center. Her arms were across his body, her hands against his sides, just lightly holding him. He was full of lassitude, totally relaxed, all muscles soft. He felt almost like he was floating. He brought the hand next to the back of her head up and stroked her hair, rested it against the back of her neck. He sighed, a long soft sigh.

She sighed back at him, turned her face enough that she could rub against him. "Are you ready?"

"Ready?" What was she referring to?

"My turn."

His mind began to race. His 'turn' had been wonderful. And now she expected him to do the same things to her? He began to swell again.

"No, no, Spock." she was giggling at him. "MY turn!" she rolled over, off of him, onto her back. "Come on." She spread herself out, raising and lowering her hips, wiggling her body at him. "I'm waiting."

He rolled over so that he was against the side of her body, bent his left leg at the knee and placed the lower part of his leg between hers, his knee against that wet spot. She sighed. He was supporting himself with his right arm, bent on the bed. He put his left hand on the bed on the other side of her, rolled a little more so that his chest and hips rested against her body and bent his face down to hers. She was smiling up at him, waiting. His heart was pounding again. He started at her temples, kissing softly. He kissed every part of her face, sucked on her earlobes, her neck, bit her softly where her neck curved into her shoulder, pulled her lower lip between his, sucked on it, bit it softly, teased her with his tongue. She sighed, she moaned, she moved her body against him. It was wonderful. He kissed her soft shoulders, nibbled on the hard line of her collarbone, raised one hand and sucked her fingers into his mouth, swirling his tongue over them. She breathed his name, so soft, so long, sighing. He bent his head to her breasts, kissing, caressing, teasing the nipples harder and tighter, murmuring against her skin with words he hadn't realized he knew. She arched her body against him, moaning. He kissed her skin in a line down the center of her body, starting at her neck, moving down between her breasts, down between the edges of her ribs, down to the top of her little white panties. She was panting beneath him, her body hot, her heart pounding. With great care, he peeled her panties down. She lifted her hips so that he could pull them lower. He had to shift his position to get them down further. She bent her knees, bringing them up to help him. He finally got them free of her feet and tossed them to the floor. For the first time this part of her body was bare to his gaze. He feasted on her with his eyes. She was so perfect, so beautiful. He bent his head again, kissing the soft skin of her belly. She sighed again and spread her legs apart, showing him her center. He moved his face down, his nose almost touching her and inhaled deeply.

"Nyota." Her name came out long and liquid, his voice so deep, so low. She sighed again, spreading herself further for him, showing him the soft, wet folds of her flesh. He lifted his left hand from the bed and brought it to her, gently stroking, touching her there for the first time. She moaned. He grew a bit bolder, applied slightly more pressure, stroking again, touching. She moaned again, tilting her pelvis up, pressing herself against his fingers. He followed the soft folds of flesh to the little bud at the top, he knew what this was, he had found much explanation during his research. Carefully he touched. She moaned louder. He stroked softly. She pushed against him, still moaning. He stroked again, moving his finger from side to side a little. She began to buck against him, moving her hips up and down.

"Inside, Spock. Inside."

He drew that finger down her folds, finding the opening there, drops of moisture surrounding it. He slipped one finger inside, stroking her soft, warm, very wet flesh.

She sobbed, "yes, yes." He eased another finger inside, stroking gently. She was writhing against him, her hips moving up and down in time with his fingers. He looked carefully at her, considered the size and shape of his hand, twisted it slightly, placed his thumb against the little bud at the top and pushed gently, while sliding his fingers into her again. She surged up against his hand, screaming at him, "More, more." Well, he certainly knew that feeling. He applied a little more pressure, a little more speed. She convulsed around him. He could feel the throbbing in that small bud under his thumb, the contractions of the flesh around his fingers. She was screaming his name, crying, jerking, shuddering, and through the link between them, through his fingers touching her, he could feel her ecstasy. His body bowed, jerking, as he followed her into that glorious, wonderful, ecstasy.

After some time he became aware enough to roll over onto his back, pulling her up against him, her head on his shoulder, his arms around her, cradling her against him. And then they just laid there, all lax, enjoying the wonder. Until eventually it occurred to him that is was very, very late and she should be in her dorm.