A/N: Sorry this chapter is a bit shorter, I sort of ran out of things to say sooner than I thought I would. Plus exams are looming, and I really should be studying. Thanks for all the great reviews, I'm really, really glad that people like my spin on things. BTW, I kind of love Nero, and was so glad when he decided to make a cameo in my story, Oh, I know he destroyed Vulcan and is evil and all, but I think he's a great character. He just sorta fit. Anyway, I'll let you read. Toodles!

2245: Capture

Spock's sensitive ears picked up her strangely heavy footfalls well before she chose to make her presence known. The heaviness of her step confused Spock; her slim frame implied a light step, not the solid clomp that echoed through the library. He stopped studying and braced himself for what he was sure would be either: A) An accusation, or B) A criticism. T'Pring was always critical of him in some fashion or another. Although it could simply be practice for when they were married, Spock wondered if it was her own personal way of demoralizing him. She couldn't be cruel to him outright, so she criticized him endlessly instead. Spock often thought that he would have preferred it if she actually hit him: it would be less annoying.

"Spock!" her voice rang out sharply as she rounded a shelf and caught sight of him. "Where have you been?"

"Here," said Spock, confused. "Was I supposed to be somewhere else?"

The late afternoon sunshine slanted in through the floor to ceiling windows, illuminating T'Pring as she stalked towards Spock. He saw that she wore a long robe, and her hair was plaited intricately. Realization dawned, and Spock swallowed audibly.

"The meal with your parents…" he said quietly. "It… slipped my mind. I apologize. Shall I join you now?"

"If your busy schedule can allow it," T'Pring replied, more than a little bitterly.

"I believe I can make some time to interact with the family of my intended," he said, gathering his things and placing them in his bag with utmost care. "I apologize for forgetting, but I was working on a mathematical problem and..."

"Save it, Spock," T'Pring snapped. She turned and walked away, leaving Spock to follow in her wake. For a scant moment Spock felt a curious sense of dread at the prospect of being married to this individual for the rest of his natural life. Her emotions were always bubbling very close to the surface, and she was unpredictable at best. Also, she didn't seem to like Spock at all, and he theorized that she may be resentful of being bonded with a half-breed.

"What am I saving 'it' for?" Spock queried as he rushed out of the library on her heels. She gave him a look that was faintly disgusted and kept walking, which Spock found incredibly rude. Then again, she was never all that polite to anyone, least of all him. The only people she seemed to respect were T'Pau and her own father. Spock knew that it was his duty to be civil with T'Pring, to be an amiable mate and see to her needs. But deep down, he cringed at the thought of doing so for the 200-odd year long life he had to look forward to.

She barely spared him a glance as they headed for her dwelling. It was about a fifteen minute walk from campus, and the whole way Spock was a few steps behind her. They spent the trip in silence. Spock felt as he imagined a slave in Pre-Enlightenment times might have felt, submissive, forced to walk several paces behind his master. She wasn't even his wife yet, and she already thought she controlled his life. Well, she did not, and he intended to make that clear. Or at least try.

Upon entering her domicile, they were formally greeted by her parents, Serat and T'Jen. Her mother, calm and serene as always, provided an excellent buffer for Serat's famous temper. Spock found that all too often Serat's anger was directed at him, Spock, and T'Jen had to intervene. Just because Spock was bonded to his daughter did not give Serat leave to criticise him and berate him for simply being who he was.

They sat down to eat. Silence settled over the table as they started into the food, most of which was cold from its long wait on the table. Spock politely consumed his bowl of plomeek soup, and partook in a few of the steamed vegetables in a ceramic bowl in the center of the table. T'Jen brought up the subject of school, and Spock spoke for several minutes of his classes and what he intended to do after he graduated.

"The Academy is the only viable option for a young man as promising as yourself," stated Serat upon hearing Spock's main focus for his studies. This made Spock bristle a bit.

"I am cultivating multiple options. It would be illogical to concentrate on only one course of action, in the event that it does not occur as planned."

"What other courses are you considering?" asked T'Jen, seeming genuinely interested. Serat simply looked condescending, as he often did when he looked at Spock.

"I have considered applying for Starfleet Academy, and I have no doubt that I would be successful should I choose that path."

The other three people at the table stopped chewing, drinking and other miscellaneous activities to stare unabashedly at Spock. T'Pring blinked rapidly. Her mother had one eyebrow raised, but otherwise looked curious as opposed to shocked. Serat's jaw was clenched minutely and his eyes were wide.

"I believe I could excel there, and given my heritage, it is only logical to explore the idea of having Earth be a part of my life." Spock felt as though he was on the defensive. He hadn't said he was going to Starfleet Academy, just that he was considering it as an option. He fully intended to attend the Vulcan Science Academy after he graduated. But in case that did not occur, he thought it would be practical to consider other courses for his career to take.

"But surely that is all it will come to, yes? An idea?" T'Pring looked murderous.

"Perhaps, and given I am very confident in my academic ability, I have no doubt that I will be accepted into the Science Academy."

"Of-…"

The communicator in Spock pocket chirped, interrupting T'Jen and making Spock jump slightly. He pulled it out and flipped it open.

"Spock, you had better be at T'Pring's right now. If you forgot, I am going to be very, very upset with you. I know you two don't get along, but she's your betrothed! You must…"

"Mother, I am eating my evening meal with them at this very moment," he responded into the device, interrupting her tirade before she went too far, unaware that T'Pring and her family could hear what she said. "I will contact you when we are finished."

"O-okay," Amanda responded, clearly realizing that they must have heard her. "Have a good time."

"Thank you, I shall endeavour to do so," Spock responded, flipping the communicator shut and stowing it in his pocket. The other people at the table were silent, gazing at him.

"The soup was lovely, T'Jen, you have outdone yourself," he commented, breaking the silence. "And the vegetables were done to perfection. It was delicious."

"Thank you, I am gratified that it was satisfactory," she replied. She stood, starting to clear the plates into the kitchen area.

"Allow me," he offered, standing and taking the dishes from her hands. He neatly stacked them on the counter beside the sink, and returned to the table to clear the bowls. If Vulcans could experience awkward silences, those few moments would be classified as such, he thought.

"I should return to my studies promptly," Spock said as he returned to his seat. "Thank you for having me to your home."

"Are you leaving so soon?" asked Serat, standing as Spock did.

"Yes, I have an exam tomorrow and I have not studied sufficiently for it. I must continue to review my notes if I wish to obtain my desired grade."

"Perhaps T'Pring could help you study," T'Jen suggested.

"I prefer to study alone," Spock said firmly, and it came out sounding harsher than he'd intended. T'Pring's face flickered with anger and she pushed her chair back and stood.

"If Spock is leaving, then I will retire to my room," she said quietly, dangerously. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, T'Pring," chorused her parents. Spock merely nodded, and she whirled, dashing down the hallway and out of sight.

As soon as she was out of earshot and eyesight of the other occupants of the house, T'Pring let out a small whimper. It was barely audible, even to her, but it ashamed her so much that she clapped a hand over her mouth, ducking into her room and locking the door behind her.

She wished, often and fervently, that she hadn't been bonded to Spock. It left her confused much of the time, and she was unsure if her mixed feelings towards him were genuine or a result of the bond. She had a feeling that if they were not bonded she would dislike him, and the only reason his inattentiveness bothered her was because of their bond, which was admittedly weak. She also disliked him because she was not the one she pined for. Although she knew it was frowned upon to cultivate emotional attachments to individuals outside one's family, lately T'Pring had found herself inexorably drawn to a boy in her Linguistics class, Stonn. He was a full-blooded Vulcan, and a fine physical and mental specimen. He was unbonded, and although she wished every day that she could be promised to him and not Spock, she knew she could not go against her family. So she repressed and hid her interest in Stonn, out of respect for her family and the traditions they observed.

Spock, however, was entirely unaware of her internal struggle. As he left the house, he took a deep breath at being released from what had proved to be a rather uncomfortable situation. But as he walked towards the tram station to catch a homeward train, it dawned on him that he had not escaped. In reality, he had only tightened the vice; by creating tension with T'Pring and her family, he had only made it more pressing for them to spend time with each other to rectify the conflict.

He knew that T'Pring and her family would never approve of him joining Starfleet, and as time passed Spock had been finding that Starfleet was becoming more and more appealing. The idea of doing something entirely unexpected, totally outside the norm, secretly thrilled him. But if he remained bonded to T'Pring, her family's opinions would carry enormous weight. He knew he would have no opportunity to escape to Starfleet with them looking over his shoulder. In essence, his life had been neatly laid in front of him without any of his input. For a split second, Spock felt an emotion: disheartenment. He really was trapped.