A/N: We can all blame Dinopoodle and KK for this chapter, she suggested them and I gave them to her, and look what they are doing now! Yes, you get a two chapter day...that said there won't be one Monday I'm sure of it, but we remember Sunday fondly ;) Also, for the next 24 hours Tilly is my default, because she demanded it!
Somewhere, in the middle or near the end of the meld, Jon fell peacefully to sleep. They all knew it was only sleep, because the running brain telemetry indicated he went into an REM state. Occasionally, Sabrina called numbers of note. The meld lasted thirty minutes, at the end Yuris gently let go of his face, letting him lull softly in the chair. Yuris was physically drained. Strom poured him a glass of water, handing it to him before aiding Sabrina in unlocking the chair so it laid flat. She shifted Jon slightly, placing a small halo over his head, she began the after meld scan. She tapped in the codes, and the scan began to show on the screen on the back wall. It only took a few minutes. Tapping again she brought up the old scan. The difference was phenomenal.
Strom's mouth parted as he approached the screen. "This can't be possible."
"It is, Strom." Yuris said taking the last sip of his water, "You can see it for yourself. Think of the advancements in vulcan medicine now that it's not considered an aberrant behavior."
Strom stood before the evidence, looking between the scans in absolute amazement. He had not been this shocked since Yuris confessed that he was a melder at the hearing about T'Pol.
Sabrina gently moved the halo from Jon's head and the motion woke Jon, "Man, I feel relaxed." Jon said with a yawn.
Strom turned around, Sabrina was helping him to sit up. She was smiling, "What was that my friend?" she asked encouraging him to talk again.
"I said I'm so relaxed. Like, peaceful." he stretched.
Strom looked at Yuris who nodded, and then back at Jon. "Jon, how do you feel otherwise?" Strom asked.
"Normal." he said and the realized he was talking, really talking, and he had no glitches. "Oh wow. WOW…." He slid off the bench, "No way! This, this is amazing! I am talking!" he turned to Yuris who was now standing. In an instant he tackled the young vulcan man in a hug, "Thank you! Oh my! Thank you!" He let go of Yuris and moved to Strom, who he picked up as he hugged him.
Sabrina laughed, the look on Strom's face reminded her of Tilly if she tried to give Tilly a bath.
Jon let go of him, "I can't believe this! Funny thing, I can't think of much to actually say now." he laughed, "I can't wait to show Alma!"
Yuris stepped forward, "Jon, you will need to relax for the next twenty four hours, drink fluids, and talk as much as you can."
"Yes, Osu!" Jon said, "Oh, I bet my vulcan is going to be so much better now."
Strom said firmly, "Go home, your are dismissed for the weekend, and under strict orders to follow Yuris's direction.
"Yes, Sir!" He started to leave but hugged Yuris one last time, "Thank you, thank you both."
Yuris looked pleased with himself, "The documentation on that was superior, Thank you, Sabrina."
"You're welcome, thank you for letting me participating in history."
"It will be a footnote in history at best." Yuris said modestly.
"Oh I think it's going to be huge." She looked at the scan, "It already is for Jon."
Strom interrupted the exchange, "I am sure you are fatigued, we should get you to your apartments to take rest."
"I was actually hopeful that we'd share last meal." Yuris replied.
"I have other plans, Sabrina is making a cultural food this evening." Strom said in his clipped way.
"You are more than welcome to join us." Sabrina interjected, thinking Strom was being a tad rude for no reason.
"I would be agreeable to that." Yuris said, "send me the locations, and I will join you when I have met with my human counterpart here."
"Very well." Strom said, tapping a padd to send him the addresses of both his apartment and Sabrina's home. "We talk as we eat." Strom threw in to let him know of the cultural difference.
"Fascinating, that is not something I imagined you ever doing, Strom." He glanced at Sabrina, the side effect of the meld with Jon was that he now potentially understood what he saw in Strom. Jon suspected they were becoming an 'item', at the very least that Strom had strong feelings for her, he knew that he had to tread carefully. "I will see you both this evening."
Sabrina turned her attention to saving the documentation and placing it in a file and in a redundant file for further study. She was unaware but Strom was watching her the entire time. When she turned around he was standing near by. She smiled, handing him the extra data chip. "I never knew you could do that."
"Do what?"
She placed her fingers on her face, "This. What did you call it? Mind melt?"
"It's a mind meld, and I am not trained in doing such things." he said, his thin lips thinning further.
"Can you be?" She asked, "Because I could see where that might come in handy. I'd do it if I could. Do you know how many unresponsive people I might have been able to help. I've never been jealous of any species before for anything, but I admit that I am completely jealous over my lack of ability to do a mind meld."
The edges of his lips turned down, "Don't you think the intimacy of the act is a bit much?"
"I can see where it could be, but to reach out to someone you love or to help someone who might die, or even help a dying person who can no longer express themselves. I can see a lot of good in it."
"If I were to learn this, would you wish to experience it?" Strom asked, 'As a part of your own cultural learning."
"Strom our relationship is a blurred line. We work together, and now we'll live together, do you think, thinking together might be a bit much." she chuckled softly. "Let's know each other for longer before we talk about that."
"Understood." Strom said, relieved that, from the sounds of it, she'd not invite Yuris to meld given she'd only met him.
"Now, are you ready to head home? I am."
"Yes, I will drive the flitter, if that is agreeable."
"Completely, I'm tired and we are having company."
"You invited him," Strom said, opening the door for her, "I did not."
"Yeah, what's that about. Isn't he an old friend or working companion?"
"He was, yes." Strom said placing his hands behind his back,
Sabrina shook her head and walked beside him. He wasn't going to go into whatever was going on in his head, so she'd change the subject, "I bet Tilly is ready for some attention."
His eyebrows perked, "I have started a small cultivation of catnip in my office. It has just sprouted. When it gets larger, I will bring it home."
It sounded weird for him to call her house home, but when he did it was connected to something thoughtful and sweet. "You said you wanted to talk about something when we got home, since we are going to have company do you wish to discuss it now?"
He unlocked the flitter and opened her door for her, "It isn't necessary." walking to the other side he got in.
She didn't say anything in reply for the longest time as they made their way toward the house. About half way she decided she couldn't hold it, and since he was going to stay with her there were things that probably needed said. "Strom, is this going to be weird?"
"Beena, you have started your sentence in the middle of your thought. Please define, "This" for me."
"You staying with me on the weekends. You said it's perfectly normal on Vulcan, and if we go to Vulcan it will be this way, but do you think it will cause issues at work? I mean, I already hugged you, just because I am starting to feel very comfortable around you, which is good-and not good."
"Do you fear knowing me too well, and familiarity?"
"Maybe. I've lived alone for a long time." She sighed, "But then there is also…"Her mind suddenly went blank. She was supposed to be his cultural person, and they got along really well, so far. She couldn't imagine he was a slob, and Tilly loved him. If he weren't her boss, her Grandma would have been picking china patterns for their wedding. Still, it was an intimate arrangement. "Is there any Vulcan taboo or custom for men and women living under the same roof?"
"I will make breakfast every morning, as I am your guest. Other than that, I will abide by whatever house rules you have." He cleared his throat, "At home I am Strom to you, and you are Beena. At work we are Dr. Strom and Nurse Howard. I will hold you to high standards and you will perform your job admirably."
"You make it sound simple."
"Because it is." Strom said firmly. "Married and bonded couples work together all the time, if they can we can."
They pulled up in front of the house, "I will get my clothes out of the flitter and be in." Strom said unlocking the doors.
"Nonsense, I'll help you." she smiled, "And your correct, I'm just overthinking things."
Yuris knocked on the door and Strom answered with Tilly in his arms. It surprised Yuris that Strom, and not Sabrina opened the door, but he was not well versed in human customs. "Please come in, Yuris. Beena was just pulling the pizzas out of the oven."
"Beena? Am I meeting someone new?"
"That is her familiar name, one only used by intimates. You should still address her as Sabrina, unless she states otherwise." Strom was showing off on several levels, one being a working knowledge of obscure human customs, and the other was that he did indeed have permission to call her by the intimate name.
"Understood. What are you holding?"
"She is Tilly, she is Beena's pet feline. She may allow you to pet her, but she may not, she is not agreeable to everyone."
Yuris found this side of Strom amusing. "Very well, I will gain permission."
He stepped to the side letting Yuris into the house.
"Bring him on back to the dining room, Strom, I'm plating things up. Please serve the drinks." Sabrina called out from the kitchen.
He lead him back to the table, gently placing Tilly on the floor, which got a murrrrrt, in protest. He poured lemonade, from the pitcher, as it was something he found he liked. "It's made from a fruit called a lemon." He handed him a glass.
"You seem to have settled into Earth very well. Do you believe you are ready to return to Vulcan?"
"I have much left to learn of Earth, but I do believe I could return. Jon and Beena will be…" He stopped seeing Yuris frown, "What?"
"They will not be going to Vulcan in this round." Yuris said mildly, "The business I had here was about that very subject. There are two young doctors that have been given the spaces. You, on the other hand, can go with them. Dr. Oratt will take your place. They may be able to go on the second round."
Strom's mouth went completely dry, but he said nothing as Sabrina entered with a large platter of cut triangles of pizza. "Hi, Dr. Yuris, welcome to my home. It's an informal food, usually eaten with the fingers, but Strom put out silverware for everyone." A quick glance between them and she knew there was something wrong. Strom looked stern, more than she'd ever seen him or any vulcan.
Everyone sat down, and Strom placed his napkin in his lap, "When would this assignment begin?"
"In seven weeks time, after Oratt finishes his assignment on Denoblia." Yuris answered looking at his plate.
"What's going on?" Sabrina asked softly.
"Strom is going to be reassigned back on Vulcan in seven weeks." Yuris answered.
Sabrina looked at Strom, whose jaw was flexing.
"I thought you'd be agreeable to this, you did not wish to come to Earth, and now you may return home."
Sabrina never felt so awkward at her own table before in her life. "We'd go with him, right?"
"Oh, I am afraid not, Sabrina, two others have taken the spots. I have top slotted you for the next two year cycle though." Yuris added picking up his silverware, "This looks very good."
"Thank you." She replied giving a half smile, but watching Strom, who, even though he was not saying anything, she would tell he was very angry. He took a drink of lemon aid, and he brought himself under control. He was not going to speak about this now, but he would eventually have to do something, this was displeasing. He picked the pizza up with his finger and took a bite. Chewing, it tasted like ash in his mouth, but he was going to push through the evening until he could think of something to do.
After dinner, Strom stood and began clearing the table. Sabrina stood but he motioned for her to stay seated. "I will only be a few moments."
"Thank you." she said, shocked that he was clearing up and doing the dishes. "Would you care for more lemon aid?"
Strom paused at the door, when he heard Yuris said that he would. A small smirk crept over his lips when he saw Sabrina slide the pitcher over for Yuris to pour it himself. "Good girl." he thought.
The table cleared, Tilly now knew she could hop up and join the party. She swished her tale at Sabrina and then carefully walked toward Yuris, who perked up seeing the silver furball come toward him. "Strom said she doesn't like everyone."
"She doesn't, she's picky."
"Do you mind if I speak with her, I can touch her mind as I did Jon's today, in a much milder manner."
Sabrina chuckled, "Oh please do, just what every cat parent needs, to know exactly what their feline thinks."
Yuris gently reached out, stroking her ears for a few moments until Tilly seemed to warm to him a little. With care, he placed his fingers on her head and closed his eyes. Tilly's eyes widened and her pupils dilated slightly. "She says she loves you, Sabrina. She calls you Meeewt, which...is like a mother."
Strom entered the room, absently placing his hand on Sabrina's shoulder, "What is he doing?"
"He's talking to Tilly." She whispered.
"She is very much in love with you, Strom. Your scent is pleasing, and your fingers tingle. She wishes to nap on your neck."
Strom shifted uncomfortably.
"She hates the tuna, you feed her." He said with a frown, "And desires...desires...more time curled on a lap, she believes Strom will do this now that his scent fills the room she was not allowed in, but went in secret."
A second later, Tilly moved and swatted Yuris's hand, flipping her tail at him she walked across the table toward Strom, where she flopped over exposing her stomach.
"Oh...Did she scratch you?" Sabrina asked jumping up.
"No," he said mildly, "She was simply done speaking and allowed me to know."
Strom ran his fingers over Tilly's stomach, "It is getting late, Yuris."
"It is, I have an early meeting tomorrow, I should retired." he stood, "Thank you for a lovely dinner, Sabrina." he said softly, nodding to Strom he showed himself out.