A/N: I'm back! Quicker than expected. Been wanting to write a mind meld for a while and I thought that Spock's first one would be a special moment for him. Not a particularly noteworthy reason but hopefully sweet. So here it is (hope it doesn't suck). Not many more planned chapters but there will hopefully be a sequel during the first 5 Year Mission era (so Kirk and Bones yay!) that will be more of a cohesive story.

Also, can I take this opportunity to thank all my lovely readers and reviewers. Love that my little tales entertain people and a new review always gives me a warm fuzzy feeling. Especially when people are willing to wait months for a chapter (sorry btw). Hope you had a lovely Christmas and enjoy New Years.

With that, on with the chapter. Bit of angstyness and (more) shameless ST 2009 borrowing (I think that most of Spock's childhood in that film must be canon in TOS-verse cause the destruction of the USS Kelvin would probably not have made an awful lot of impact beyond Starfleet as an organisation).

Spock opened the door to his cousin who greeted him with her customary wide grin "anybody else in?" she asked, looking behind him.

"We did not expect your arrival for several hours and so my mother stayed in the city to teach her usual afternoon class. Father will also be working late."

"Just us for now then" she smiled, insisting on carrying at least some of her not inconsiderable luggage. Spock frowned minutely as he lifted the larger suitcase into her normal room and settled her on the settee with a drink. "I was under the impression that you would only be with us for a fortnight, krei." he told her with something like mirth.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Brought our Grandad's old telescope. For the meteor shower tomorrow. Was thinking we could take it up the mountains with some snacks. After all, we never did get round to that picnic up there that first summer, did we?"

"That may have been due to the fact your leg was incapacitated for a good deal of it, Alex" her cousin teased. She raised her eyebrows and gave him a gentle push in retaliation. "Besides", he continued more sombrely "I'm afraid my calculations were incorrect as to the timing of the event. It took place several days earlier in the year than it usually does. Therefore, you have missed it by 5 nights."

"Wow. This must be the first time your maths has been wrong. You feeling okay? Thought you had a green tinge" she jested, a slight note of disappointment creeping in to her otherwise cheery tone. For the past eleven years, a strange cosmic phenomenon had started to happen annually in the vicinity of Vulcan. Scientists had examined and artists had described and it had piqued Alex's boundless curiosity. Naturally, she had wanted to see it for herself. The event had been called more beautiful than the aurora borealis. Spock had calculated the date it was expected this year and had informed Alex it coincided with her expected visit. He regretted her disappointment and, illogically, had an impulse to 'make it up' to her.

"My blood is green and therefore my complexion will also be slightly green, as well you know" he couldn't resist replying, taking a sip of his own cool drink. "Alex, I could show you the phenomenon as I recall it from my own experiences. My Mother and I spent a great deal of time watching it last year."

"Are you suggesting what I think you are?" Alex asked.

"A mind meld yes. I have not attempted this before but it should not be difficult to establish a link. Vulcan's have a natural telepathy with their parents. Genetic similarities also make melds between family members easier. However, I am the first known Vulcan hybrid of my particular combination to have survived to a full term birth. I confess that I have no frame of reference for our particular family's case so it may be somewhat different."

"Because humans are psi-null? Wait, does that mean you can't do that telepathy thing with Aunt Mandy?"

"It is unusual in our case but, yes. I must instigate each communication and they are more abstract than the telepathic exchanges I have with my Father. However she is usually quite capable of instinctive understanding despite this. It is Father's opinion that that this is owing to the fact I have a higher than average psi-rating and Mother is a most empathetic and intelligent example of her race. An observation that I agree with."

Alex couldn't help but smile fondly when her cousin spoke of his mother with such affection. Whoever said that Vulcan's couldn't love really ought to be introduced to Spock and Amanda.

"Okay, so how do we do this?"

Spock arranged his fingers across his cousin's face, each fingertip corresponding to a psi-point. "My mind to your mind…" he said softly. Alex inhaled a sharp breath.


And she was standing in her classroom at the Vulcan Youth Academy, having just completed her lesson. She felt, more than heard the group of three juvenile males, all older than herself, behind her. She felt a strange sense of mixed resignation and apprehension at their approach. She knew the interaction would not be pleasant. "I presume you have prepared new insults for today" she didn't quite sigh.

With little preamble they proved her right "you are neither human nor Vulcan and therefore have no place in this universe" the eldest said in a nasty monotone. Alex flinched.

"Perhaps emotional responses require physical stimuli" Alex felt herself being pushed backwards.

With a lurch, the three boys changed into her sister and Jake, their expressions between fury and worry. Spock looked up defiantly at them both. "I don't see why I shouldn't. Not as if they like him anyway!" he yelled at Kaycee.

"You wouldn't dare!"

"See if I don't" he shot back, fuming himself.

SMACK!

"Father Traitor. Human whore." The words filled her head blotting out her reason telling her to hide her reaction. A haze of anger had descended and demanded release. It was a vile, dirty word and she would NOT have it used against her mother! With a wordless cry, she pushed Stonn into one of the vacant pods and slammed her fist into his face, dark emerald liquid pooled in his nose. 'Wow!' thought Alex, impressed 'I'm proud of ya, Spock. Really showed that stuck up bastard where to go!' 'Most illogical, to feel pride for violence' 'aren't I always? God, this is strange!'

Then they were both walking along the path up the mountains, Spock hanging back "Come on, we'll never get there! You not chickening out on me, are you?". Spock felt Alex's amusement at the memory.

And so it went on, snatches of conversations, last Christmas in London, Spock holding on to the fur of his dead pet selat, I-Chaya, then an image of the animal in his younger days, guarding the infant Spock in the garden. Alex, excited to be going to Vulcan for the first time, then teaching another of her cousins three-dimensional chess, amused at the younger child's lack of comprehension. At last, Spock found the memory he had been searching for.

She stood in the garden, looking up at the night sky. "Should be about five minutes" Amanda smiled. She looked up at her mother marvelling at her sense of excitement. It was a comparatively frequent cosmic event after all.

Then, it began, painting colours across the sky. Each meteor ploughed a train of dazzling colour behind it, white hot, igneous ships, carving wakes of beautiful light across the clear sky. With incredible suddenness, Spock understood his mother's love of stargazing 'Alex would certainly appreciate this'…


Spock let go of Alex's meld points. His cousin gaped at him, slightly breathless and wide eyed. "That was, wow!" she said articulately "well we can safely say the family connection works even if you're psi-null! Thanks for the memory, Spock. The one at the end I mean. It really was beautiful."

"You are welcome. I only apologise that you were forced to experience-"

"It's okay, really. Guess both of us were misunderstood kids, huh? You had it worse, though. At least I only had one."

"I disagree, Alex. Kaycee is your sister."

"Yeah, well thanks to you things are better now. We get on. Is Stonn and that lot…" she trailed off.

"No, they did not directly taunt me again after the incident you witnessed."

She snorted "I'm not surprised. Remind me never to piss you off by the way!"

"That will be quite unnecessary, krei" he responded.

A/N P.S. I always imagine that in mind melds you experience memories as if they are your own and as an observer simultaneously which is why it seems to take so much out of people (and the reason for the POV changes in this chapter). I know TOS Spock's melds are a hellava lot more focussed than this, especially when he's looking for something specific but, hey it's his first meld so go easy on him. Drop a review if I did ok. See you in the New Year! J