Every Breath
By Serena
A/N: Thanks for all the comments! I'm sorry for taking so long to update yet again. This chapter is a bit more intense - just a warning - so the T rating comes into play here. I'm afraid no Kirk, but don't worry, he'll back. Just not with the Terminator accent and not with over-sized muscles. :D
Chapter Seven: Explosion
He was a child of two worlds. An outsider.
She was his student, and therefore, completely unreachable.
Everything in the universe seemed to be against them. And yet…
Fortune favors the bold.
It was a cloudy night, rare in San Francisco. Maybe signs of a thunderstorm. Uhura loved thunderstorms – the rumble of thunder, the crackle of lightning, the dark, billowing clouds, the warm wind blowing past her face.
It was all so wonderfully distracting, perfect for Nyota Uhura at three in the morning.
She knew she was being irrational, sitting on the bench right outside her dorm complex, but she was too exhausted, both emotionally and physically, to think rationally. Her knees were locked up close to her body, and she wrapped her arms around them and let her head fall forward slightly, capturing the warm breeze. She let out a long, tired sigh and sniffled. She knew her eyes were damp with tears, but she didn't feel like moving to wipe them away.
"Cadet Uhura?"
Uhura's eyes flew open, and she stiffened. She knew that voice. Her tired eyes widened as they met a pair of dark, endless orbs that were focused directly on her. And, if she wasn't mistaken, she thought she saw, just for a moment, a hint of worry: his brow furrowed slightly, and his eyes locked with hers. She felt as if he were trying to see right through her, as if he wanted to know what she was feeling.
She was certain she wanted to know what he was feeling.
"Professor Spock!" she exclaimed, and hurried to wipe her wet eyes. "I'm so sorry – I didn't know anyone else was awake." Why, why did it have to be him?
"Nor did I," he said. His hands were folded behind his back as always. "May I enquire as to why you are awake at such an early hour, sitting out under an incoming thunderstorm?"
Uhura wiped her eyes and said quietly, "I know it's ridiculous. I…" She looked down at her kneecaps. "I have really bad nightmares from time to time. Usually they're not that bad, but sometimes they're just really, really disturbing." She looked up at him. "Like tonight."
Spock's lips parted slightly. He looked away for a second, then back to her. "I see. Have you seen a doctor?" His voice had quieted.
"There's nothing I can do about it," she said. "I just go through it. Try to distract myself. That's why I'm out here. Thunderstorm is a nice diversion."
"Indeed." He studied her, and it seemed to her as if he were hesitating.
To encourage him, Uhura asked, "What are you doing out so early, Professor, if I may ask?"
"You may," he said with a nod. "I had many assignments to grade. It took longer than expected. Many had more errors than I had anticipated."
She nodded. "Oh, I see. That bad, hm?" She shot him a small smile.
"It would appear so." His brows drew into a small frown, one that she only saw when he was deep in thought. "Cadet…" He paused again. "Would you mind if I sat beside you?"
Uhura was glad for the darkness; it hid her blush. "No, of course not, Professor. Please, have a seat. I'd like the company."
He stood there for another awkward moment before slowly turning and taking a seat on the other end of the bench. His posture was tense. They remained like that, listening to the occasional clap of thunder in silence, until he, surprisingly, decided to break the quiet.
"You have done exceptionally well, Cadet Uhura," he said. "You have excelled in your classes."
"Thank you," she said with a soft smile. "You're a gifted teacher, Professor."
He paused again, then said, "In informal situations, you may address me as Spock."
She blushed again. "All right, Spock. Then I'll have to insist you call me Nyota."
He glanced at her and nodded. "Nyota." He tested the name on his tongue, and Uhura found that she was blushing even worse than before. His voice was so smooth and low. Her name sounded so wonderful coming from his lips.
'Nyota, stop it!' she told herself firmly. She realized he was speaking again.
"Nyota," he said, "This might not be the best time to say this, but as you just said, you wish to be distracted."
She nodded, wordlessly urging him to continue.
"I have a request to make. Rather, a proposal." He turned slightly to face her.
She raised an eyebrow, inwardly burning with curiosity. But she managed to hide most of her emotions and just give him a small smile. "Shoot."
"I have discovered that my workload requires another person to assist me. As much as I can accomplish, there seems to be yet more tasks to finish; and unfortunately, I cannot see to them all myself. I am wondering if you would like to serve as my aide."
She stared at him. "You want me to help you?" she echoed, wondering if she'd heard wrong. She hoped she hadn't.
He nodded. "Yes. If you wish. Your classes will be finished this week, will they not?"
"Yes."
"Then perhaps, after you are finished, you would care to assist me." Was it her imagination, or did he look apprehensive?
She couldn't keep him in suspense any longer. "Yes," she said, smiling broadly. "Yes, of course I'd like to help you, Prof - Spock," she corrected. "You got yourself an aide."
He nodded; and his posture relaxed as much as she'd ever seen. His eyes grew softer. "Thank you, Nyota."
"My pleasure," she said sincerely, and then yawned.
He rose to his feet and said, "I am keeping you from sleep."
"No, no!" she hastily said, instinctively reaching out a hand to his. But before she touched him, she halted, realizing she was in dangerous waters, and slowly pulled back. "I mean… please, stay. Your distracting is working."
Another rumble of thunder caused him to look up at the sky. "I believe it will rain soon."
"Maybe." She held her breath, hoping against hope that he would sit down. She didn't remember ever being so thrilled when he did.
They sat there in a comfortable silence until Uhura's eyes started to drift shut. She leaned her head back against the hard bench. Unwillingly, her head drooped down and came into contact with Spock's shoulder. He stiffened and looked down at her, unable to mask a bit of surprise. But she was already asleep.
Spock gazed down at her, his eyes roving over every beautiful detail of her face. Against his better judgment, he reached up and gently smoothed her windblown hair back over her head. He froze when she made a small noise, but then she sighed contentedly and curled up closer to him.
Spock swallowed. But he did not remove his hand from atop her head. Instead, he slid it down past her neck, down her back, and then around to her side. The Vulcan side of him told him to get up and leave her there, or simply return her to her quarters. Someone might see. But his human side told him it was three in the morning – no one would be awake. And Uhura's dorm was hidden away in a grove of thick trees, thus blocking it off from most of the Academy. Unless it was a resident, there was no reason to pass by the dorm.
In the end, his human side won. Spock sighed and glanced down at Uhura.
"You are making this very difficult, Nyota."
The ship was small and elegantly carved, Uhura noted. She walked around slowly, with Salran's hands tight on her waist and arm. She had to admit, it felt good to be walking around again, but she could definitely do without the present company. After he showed her the basic layout of the ship, he asked if she needed rest or more nourishment. She replied the former, and he began to return her to her quarters.
"We will reach our destination this evening," he said as they came to her door. "I do hope I can trust you not to run away, Uhura. It would be a dreadful shame if I had to keep you in here."
"I don't even know where we're going," replied Uhura. "And I have nowhere to go. No one even knows where I am."
But maybe, hopefully they do.
He smiled. "Indeed. Well, if you feel well enough, I will take you down to the surface for some fresh air."
"That would be great," she admitted, and forced another small smile on her face.
He nodded, staring intensely at her. "Have a good rest, then." But he made no move to leave her side.
"Thank you." She edged towards the door. "I'll see you in a few hours."
"Yes." Still, he didn't move.
She shot him another small smile, secretly wishing she could turn around and kick him where it really hurt, maybe render him fully incapable of having children; but she simply turned and palmed the door open.
Uhura gasped when he grasped her arm, turned her around, and captured her mouth with his. Her eyes widened and then screwed shut as she forced herself to endure his cool lips rubbing against hers. His arm slipped up her back, and his hand wound itself in her hair as he attempted to deepen the kiss. Uhura forced back either a scream or a whimper - maybe both - and clenched her fists firmly together.
How can I get out of this? How can I make him stop? she mentally cried.
Just as she felt Salan's mouth opening, a hot jolt of furious, wild emotions burst through her. To her astonishment, Salran stumbled back, as if something had ripped him off her. He panted, staring at her with glittering, confused eyes. Uhura breathed just as hard, her entire body tingling with the explosion of emotions that had just passed through her. She wanted to rip Salran's head off. She wanted to tear him to pieces. She wanted to...
Hold it. What had gotten into her?
"What," Salran asked in a cold voice, "was that?"
Uhura simply stared at him. "I don't... I don't know." And she honestly didn't.
Salran's eyes narrowed. "I hope so. For your sake."
Uhura watched, heart fluttering, as he turned and strode away. Uhura rushed into her room as a wave of dizziness washed over her, collapsed onto her bed, and tried to control her shaking hands. Still feeling Salran's taste on her mouth, she reached up and swiped at her lips. She spat on the floor uncaringly and rolled over, panting.
Whatever that burst of energy had been... it had most definitely not originated from her.
Nyota...
Uhura gasped and bit back tears as feelings of utter despair tore through her chest.
But those feelings were not hers.
Spock's jaw clenched and unclenched as he scanned the Regent's datascreens for information on how to track Salran's vessel. It would take some additional sensor modifications, but they would eventually find Salran's ship. And when they did... he would pay. Spock's shaking hands curled into fists. His eyes fluttered closed, and his head went down. Slowly, he reached up a hand and pressed it against his forehead.
No. This couldn't be happening to him. Not now. Not when so much was at stake. Not when she was gone.
Spock groaned and gritted his teeth, leaning against the console. He had to deal with this before it got more out of hand than it already was. Jim was already asking questions - soon enough, he'd send him to McCoy; but how would the Doctor treat something he didn't understand? This was a mess, but he'd have to deal with it. He would deal with it. He would -
Spock's entire body stiffened, and his head flew up, staring unseeingly at the console. A strong torrent of emotions - panic, fear, anger, frustration flowed through him, a deep current of feeling that caused his entire form to freeze. Then, everything became more clear. Feeling became touch, emotion became sense: he was experiencing it all. Through a deeper connection, he felt her.
He felt her sheer panic when a pair of cold lips pressed up against hers.
He felt her dread when a hand slid up her back and caught up in her tresses.
He felt an unwanted, slick tongue pressing up against Uhura's mouth, demanding satisfaction.
He felt her internally scream.
"NO!" Spock roared, his lips curling into a snarl. He let out a cry of rage as his hidden, buried emotions burst forth from his subconscious in a violent crackle of chaotic energy; and he slammed his hands down onto the console in front of him. It sizzled and cracked under his immense strength, the lights eventually flickering away.
He would kill him. He would kill him.
He would make his enemy beg for mercy as he ripped every shred of life away.
Yes, Spock vowed, he would pay. He would make his enemy wish he had never been alive.
A ragged groan ripped through his chest as his head went down. Nyota...
TBC...
Hmm-hmm-hmm. What was up with that?? No Kirk in this episode, but he'll be there - along with Salran's badmouth fiancee. All I'm going to say about the next chapter is that the Search for Uhura will really begin. And, I'm afraid to say, that the next chapter will have a BIG cliff-hanger. Sorry. :D
OK, it's that time - the time you've been waiting for: the ARAGORN QUOTE OF THE DAY (TM)!
"We have till dawn. Then we must ride."
OOH! Getting all kingy on us, Aragorn, are we? ;D
I hoped you enjoyed your ARAGORN QUOTE OF THE DAY (TM). Brought you by yours truly. :)
- Serena
