A.N. Thank God that's over! Just had two very hard exams so decided to chill out with Spock and Alex. Enjoy! Thanks for continuing to follow this story. Nearly at the end but got a sequel planned. Oh and Cornwall is a county in the west of England for international readers. Not sure how well known it is but its where some of my best childhood memories are J.

"Then it gives me great pleasure to announce that you are husband and wife! You may kiss the bride!" smiled the registrar, a very short, very fat man with the frankly absurd name of Barney Bates. The guy even had comically tiny glasses. Who even wore glasses anymore? A younger Alex may have broken into fits of giggles. As it was she was having trouble. Her glee at everything today was considerably heightened by the atmosphere. Her big sister was getting married and looked absolutely stunning, wearing her blonde hair in an intricate crown on her head and a sweeping light blue dress. Ben didn't need telling twice. The couple pulled each other into a deep embrace and seemed oblivious to the rest of the gathering of 60 people. Alex was the first to stand in applause, the Vulcan-human to her right following suit. She laughed, giving her new brother in law and Kaycee a hug as they passed. As the gathering left the flower-adorned neutral-religion chapel, small boxes were distributed. The two non-Terrans in attendance looked completely bemused at their contents. "We had a Vulcan wedding" explained Amanda.

"Look, here" Alex said, "you throw it over the bride and groom see?"

"Another illogical tradition, Alex?" asked Spock.

"Yep, don't try to understand us, just love us" she beamed at her cousin and uncle who threw the confetti with the best of them without a trace of comprehension on their stoic faces.


Later, the reception was in full swing and Alex plopped down next to her cousin out of breath. "Tell me, why do they give you so much food at weddings if they want you to be in any condition to dance after?" she asked, twirling the string of an ivory coloured balloon around her finger. Spock simply raised an eyebrow, having been educated on rhetorical questions long ago. She took another swig of champagne and giggled. "I do believe you are becoming inebriated, Alex" Spock said disapprovingly.

"Nahh, just happy. It's been a great day. Ben and Kaycee are great together, right? Just look at them. My doing, you know! I had a Tellman's attack at his parent's restaurant when I was with some mates. He was doing work experience there and helped me home. Only Kaycee was home at the time and they got talking."

"A possible career, Alex?" teased Spock.

"Yep! Hey, they could call me the matchmaking mechanic! In fact, there's two guys in my cadet class that would be sooo great together! Schneider and N'karg, human and Andorian. What do you reckon their kids would look like?"

"You are aware that two males…"

"Well, technology these days, right? That's what they said about humans and Vulcan's but I'm talking to living proof that can happen with some help" she grinned across the dance floor "speaking of careers, any joy with your decision?"

Spock sat almost imperceptibly straighter "I do not believe this to be a good time to discuss this".

Alex frowned and was about to speak when the song changed. "Oh boy, it's Queen! Sorry Spock, I can't NOT dance to Queen! Besides, I've to go save my Dad from embarrassing himself alone! Fancy joining?"

"I would prefer not, Alex"

"Suit yourself!" she replied, leaping up and singing along loudly "Open your eyes! Look up to the skies and seeee!"

"I'm just a poor boy! I need no sympathy!" hollered Harry.

"Dad, Ali!" groaned Kaycee "I know neither of you, okay?!"


"Ok what's wrong?" asked Alex with characteristic bluntness. The family were staying at a hotel in Cornwall for a few days before the newlyweds departed for more balmy climes in historic Rome, after which they were to disperse. The Greyson-Stewarts were delighted that Amanda and her family had decided to join them. Spock had been infuriatingly distant since the wedding, having hardly spoken to anyone but he seemed to be especially avoiding Alex. Perhaps that was just because they were normally 'joined at the hip' when they were together according to Melanie. She had put up with it for two days but was finally determined to see what was up.

"To what are you referring?"

"You know what! You've been blanking me all weekend. It's about what you were gonna say at the wedding, right?"

To her surprise, he gave her a straight answer "Yes"

"Well? Speak up!"

"I confess I was unsure about how to inform you of my decisions regarding my future, Alex. After some thought, I decided that the VSA was a better option. I have submitted my candidacy."

"That's great, I'm sure you'll get in. They'd have to be mad not to accept you!"

"There is a second decision I am considering" he said gravely. Alex was worried. It was the sort of tone (not that a Vulcan would admit having one) that most people reserved for delivering news of terminal illness. He inhaled "I am considering undergoing the ritual of Kholinhar."

"What, the purge? No emotion?" Alex asked in shock "wait don't students of Kholinhar have to purge friendships too?"

"Yes, Alex. Any such emotional connections taint the principles of the ritual. I believe it to be the most logical…"

Something snapped inside Alex "taint?" she murmured slowly "is that what we are to you?"

"I am sorry, I do not take your meaning" replied the Vulcan.

"You know bloody well what I mean! You're not doing this cause its 'logical'" she spat the word "cause you want to! You're doing this to please your father. You're not Sarek! You never will be. You should be yourself can't you see that? The best of both worlds!"

"I am aware Alex but I believe it is for the best. In order to honor…"

Alex wasn't listening. A small, rational part of her brain told her she was being unreasonable, mean even but the rest of her didn't care "No! This isn't about 'the best', this is about making up for being related to humans! The ritual, the VSA, all of it! Your father has told you your whole life that you have to be more Vulcan, more everything just to be equal to everyone else. I've never met someone who was racist to his own wife and son! Why did he marry my aunt then? Why did he let me stay over all those years if he didn't want his family 'tainted' with us?"

"You are being irrational. My father is not…"

To Alex's own frustration, tears filled her eyes, so like her cousins "You know you were the best friend I ever had? In truth you were my first friend. People liked me but no one really 'got' me as a kid. But if you're gonna go buddy up with a load of xenophobic Vulcans and purge your emotions, then I guess that means nothing to you?" her voice shook "You don't want my friendship anymore, fine. Love is clearly a disadvantage reserved for us lowly, mentally deficient humans! I just hope Aunt Mandy understands when you explain it to her! I'm sure your mother'd love to hear about how her species and your relationship is 'tainting' your Vulcan logic!". Alex left the room. She didn't even hear Spock speak her name.


Alex sat in the garden. She had been avoiding her family (and especially him) all day. She was torn between the hurt she felt, the magnitude of which even she didn't fully understand, and guilt at her harsh words. She curled against a tree, its bark rough against cheeks raw from crying. "What's. Wrong. With. Me?" she gasped "I'm a freaking Starfleet cadet for crying out loud!". She felt a Tellman's attack coming on but couldn't face going into the place to get her meds.

"Ali?" asked the voice of her sister "Ali, God its freezing out here. You're gonna get sick if you stay out much longer!" then Kaycee noticed her expression "Jesus, Ali, what happened?"

So Alex told Kaycee about the disaster of a conversation earlier, hugging her close "I'm so sorry, Kay! You're on honeymoon! You shouldn't be having to take care of your insane kid sister!"

"I know, you're such a pain in the ass!" Kaycee joked "seriously though, it's ok. It's him who should apologise for being so insensitive! He'll come round."

"That's the thing, though! I'm scared the things I said made him want to push his human half further away."

"I don't think you can get much further away than some kinda spiritual lobotomy." Said Kaycee dryly. At the sight of Alex's stricken expression at the ugly term she winced. "Jesus, sorry, Ali. I'm not very good at this am I? I just want you to know I'm here for you, for what it's worth. I know I should have been better to you when we were kids and I wanna make up for it now, okay?"

"Love you, Kay" Alex half laughed half sobbed.

"C'mon. Lets go inside, you get to bed and we sort this in the morning, okay? Remember that song Mum sang whenever we had nightmares?"

"Bet your bottom dollar, I do!"


Unfortunately, when Alex awoke the next morning, it was to find her cousin and his parents had already left for Vulcan.

A/N P.S. *ducks* Sorry! Hope you don't hate it. Please let me know what you think. This isn't the end I swear! And Bohemian Rhapsody lyrics © Queen and yes, that was a shameless corny musical reference! Kaycee didn't turn out too bad did she? See you next time!