A/N: Oh god guys, I am so sorry for not uploading this yesterday. Please forgive me. Work and Uni has been so crazy the past week that I have totally lost track of days and thought that today was Friday when it is in fact Saturday. Anyway, here is the chapter you all have been waiting for. Thanks for all the reviews for the last chapter, made this week a lot easier to bear.

She had been his teaching assistant for just over half a semester when he was invited to a conference in the next state over. It was something to do with his latest engineering project, a project that she had absolutely nothing to do with and so was not expecting an invitation. She had received one anyway. He had muttered something about needing her to take notes, keep him organised and get him to places on time. Apparently the conference was more a meet and greet for all the high ranking dignitaries and as Spock's family was one of the oldest in Romania he was expected to mingle and make connections rather than do his talk and then hide in his room as he was used to doing.

It was only two days after Spock had received the initial invitation that he asked her to attend. He made it sound that it was entirely logical for Nyota to attend the three day conference with him. She knew that didn't mean anything by it, but it didn't stop her brain running off and concocting all these elaborate fantasies involving her and Spock spending the entire conference locked in the hotel room without clothing. She was just thankful that their hotel rooms were across the hall from each other. She was going to have enough issues sleeping across the hall from him, she didn't want to think what would happen if they had to share a room.

It was the second day of the conference and if his self-control wasn't as good as it was she was sure that he would have seriously injured someone by now. She was standing half a step behind him and to his right, as was expected of an assistant. Over the years of her higher education there had been a few lewd comments thrown her way mainly because she was female and of African origin. She tended to ignore them, knowing that they only made those remarks to provoke a response from her. If one was particularly bad she would cut them down to size with a few sharp words and if that failed to stop them she would report them to the higher ups, whoever they were. Nyota had not expected any such comments while attending such a prestigious conference and so was mildly surprised when she overheard several such comments.

"There is no way she earnt her position here, she has to be fucking one of the higher ups"

"Did you see her ass? God, the things I would do it."

"Maybe a good fucking would loosen her up." The last one came from another assistant who she had turned down at the start of the conference. Clearly he didn't handle rejection well.

While she was annoyed and slightly appalled at the comments, it was nothing she hadn't heard before. Spock on the other hand was not coping with them quite as well. His jaw was clenched and hands curled into fists, it looked like he was about to go over there and put the speakers in their place. Preferably with his fists. Placing herself between him and the men, she placed her hand lightly on his arm.

"Professor Spock, you need to calm down." He didn't look at her, still glaring at the men. She squeezed his arm. "Spock! I am feeling rather ill; could you please escort me to my room?"

She wasn't sure if it was the increased pressure on his arm or her words that got through to him but he snapped out of it, his eyes darting down to focus on her. "Come Uhura, I will take you back to your room." He guided her out of the room with a hand at the small of his back.

He was silent all the way to her room but she knew he was still furious. They were standing outside her door when he finally said something.

"I am sorry for how I acted, I know it was unprofessional but they were saying those things and I just…" His fists were clenched at his sides again.

"It's okay Spock thank you for the thought. But it's really alright, I've heard much worse directed at me." She gave a little self-deprecating smile.

His hands were suddenly gripping her shoulders and he was closer to her than he had even been before. She could feel the heat radiating off him and it was somewhat intoxicating.

"Who has said these things about you?"

"It doesn't matter, I handled it."

"You shouldn't have to handle, these comments should never been made in the beginning." His eyes narrowd.

"I know that. But, unfortunately, I'm both black and female. Some people take that as permission to make those sorts of remarks." Suddenly remembering that they were still in the hotel hallway where anyone could see them she made to open her door. The noise he made stopped her. "It's okay sir. I was just going to open my door so we could continue this discussion inside."

He released her shoulders, allowing her to fish the key card out of her bag and turn to the door while crowding her from behind. He stayed right behind her as she placed her bag on the side table and kicked her shoes off. When she turned around his blank face was back in place, all hints of anger hidden.

"Nyota I must apologize. I acted illogically and caused you distress. I also thank you for stopping me from doing anything… irrational. It is appreciated." Spock's hands were clasped behind his back in his customary position. "I am still concerned that you receive comments of this nature on a regular basis. I did not realise that such harassment was so common on University grounds."

"It's really not that bad. I just happen to get a lot more than others due to my skin colour. But it's okay, I've learnt to deal with it. I either ignore it or report them to the board, plus I am qualified in several forms of martial arts as well as basic self-defence. And you have nothing to apologise for, it was sweet of you to want to stick up for me."

"It is still not appropriate conduct for such a conference, those men are in positions of power and should not be abusing said power to make comment of that nature."

"I know, but such is life at the moment. I wish that it wasn't like this but unfortunately that is what I have to deal with on a semi-regular basis." She stood in front of him, closer than usual.

He studied her for a while, eyes flicking all over her face as if trying to dechipher a particularly cryptic code.

"Spock, are you okay?"

"I hope you will forgive me for this."

"For wha-"

She was cut off by Spock gently framing her face with his hands and kissing her. It was only a simple press of his lips to hers but it sent what felt like sparks racing across her skin. He pulled away after a moment but she didn't let him go far, grabbing the back of his neck and pulling him back into another kiss and another and another. Eventually they broke apart, his hands still framing her face and her hands buried in the short hair at the nape of his neck.

"The only way I would have to forgive you for that is if it was unwelcome. It was very much welcome."

"I did not want to presume, especially after the earlier comments."

"I have wanted you to do that for quite a while, since you started talking about that plumb spirit you find in Romania. You were so involved and you forgot I was there, your whole face lit up and I couldn't look away." She was carding her fingers through the short hairs at the nape of his neck. She could feel the muscles twitch in response to her touch.

"I have wanted to kiss you from the moment you walked through my doors and asked to be tutored, I just didn't know it. I thought it was just curiosity that made me agree to tutor you but mother pointed out that I was definitetly fond of you after the third phone call to her where I mentioned you at least five times."

"You mentioned me five times? What on earth could you say about me that required five different topics?"

The tips of his ears went red and there were two spots of colour sitting high on his cheeks. "Well to start with, there is your impressive intellect and how you always seem to be on the same page as me, if not a step ahead. Then there is your kind nature, how you are always willing to help those who ask even if it impacts your personal life." As he was talking he was slowly edging her towards the bed, his lips softly peppering her cheeks and forehead with light kisses. "Your laugh is another, it is one of the best sounds I have ever heard, all light and joy and warmth. Your language skills always astound me. How one person can know all those different languages amazes me daily." He nibbled slightly at her ear, making her catch her breath. "And finally there is you, how you walk, how you always have to have a cup of African tea in the morning otherwise you are grumpy. How you hate people who ask stupid questions but answer them anyway. Just you Nyota, everything you do fascinates me."

The back of her legs hit the edge of the bed and Spock slowly lowered her down, still kissing her everywhere he can reach. Eventually she is lying on her back with Spock's comforting warmth on top of her. He was still talking and while it was flattering to hear him extoling her virtues, she just really wanted him to shut up.

"As much as I love the ego boost Spock, there are far better things your mouth could be doing right now." She murmured, pulling his chin closer to her lips with one hand whilst going for his top button with the other.

He eventually got the hint.