AN: Not that much Spock/Uhura here either, but it's a deep breath before the jump.
Also, I don't own any of them. Uhura's mother would certainly not agree to being owned.
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„Can you actually believe it?" Gaila said a couple of days later as she was sitting with Nyota in her quarters. "I mean, there are twenty people in the IT division of the department, but no, he has to pick me to work with Kirk."
"He's the captain now, Gaila-" Nyota started half-heartedly.
"No shit. He's still the jerk who used me to hack his test."
Nyota raised her eyebrow in one of her many Spockisms. "You are aware he saved the Earth, right?"
Gaila shrugged. "Yeah. And I respect him as captain, I really do. But that's completely different from him sitting next to me at my station, looking over my shoulder as I work. Don't you understand? He's the captain and I'm still angry at him, but his pheromones are as strong as ever."
"Oh. Crap."
"Precisely."
Nyota thought for a moment. "Well, if it is of any consolation, I'm pretty sure he's having almost as much trouble as you do. Normally, he'd try to flirt his way out of the situation, but he knows he can't now. It must be extremely awkward for him."
"I could well do without it being awkward for him if I could avoid it being awkward for me!"
Nyota grimaced. "Sorry."
"Yeah, well, nothing you can do about it." She shook her head: "Only two weeks in, and I already get in a situation like this. I mean, it's not fair! I never slept with any teachers at the Academy, or officers, or ever grad students, precisely because I was afraid of this, but who knew you can get into this kind of trouble when you sleep with a guy who's a year younger than you?"
"Yes, the only way to be sure is abstinence."
Gaila just stuck out her tongue, and said: "You're just one accident away from a much bigger problem. If something happened to Kirk, Spock would be the captain, and then where would you be?"
Hmm. Nyota wondered what the regulations said about that – if your partner became the captain during a mission, were you supposed to break up or what? She changed the topic, not liking the new direction of the conversation much. "Is there something you miss about Earth so far?"
"The space," Gaila said immediately, then laughed. "It sounds stupid, doesn't it? I don't mean like deep space, I mean like living space. Everything is so small here – you room is practically huge compared to mine," Nyota laughed at that, since she got almost claustrophobic every time she entered it – but it was true that it was approximately twice as large as Gaila's. "It's not like I was used to wide open spaces at home, but this is a bit crowded."
"Then imagine how I must feel – I was born with the savannah in my blood!" Nyota shrugged. "But I guess we are compensated with the space behind our windows. That gives me an immense sense of freedom."
"I envy you. My imagination is probably not enough for that – I need actual space to move."
"Then sign up for the first shore leave..."
"That's still at least two months away," Gaila pointed out.
"True. But having something to look forward to is always a good thing, right?"
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The reminder that she had been in space for two weeks made Nyota think of her parents, and she arranged to for a call to them one morning before her shift. As the head of department, she could have easily made room for her call whenever she wanted, but she waited patiently for a free spot, which was only few days away. Then she shut the door of the com booth after her and dialed home.
"Ny!" Her mother exclaimed when she saw her on the screen. "How are you?"
"I'm fine, Mum. You?"
"As always, as always. Nothing new or exciting happening here, you're the one who's in space! I want to hear the stories!"
Nyota smiled. "Nothing particularly new and exciting here either, at least nothing mission-related."
"And otherwise?" Her mother asked immediately.
"Well..." Nyota took a deep breath. She knew she was going to get quite a reaction, and she steeled herself for it. "I'm in a relationship."
Her mother blinked a couple of times. "A romantic relationship?" She asked then, carefully.
"Yes."
Her mother's face brightened by a smile so wide it threatened to split it in half. "Oh, tell me everything! Who is he? Or she? How did you meet? How long have you been together? Is he from you department?"
"He couldn't be from my department, then I'd be his commanding officer and it would be against Starfleet regulations. No, actually...you were right with your suspicions all along."
"My suspicions?" Her mother seemed confused.
"I'm with Commander Spock."
Her mother stared. "Your Vulcan teacher?" She clarified.
"He's not my teacher any more, he's the First Officer of the Enterprise now, but yes."
"Wow, Nyota, when you go for it, you really go for it, don't you? A Vulcan, the first officer of your ship – the highest you can go, since captains cannot date any of their subordinates – and the son of Ambassador Sarek of the High Council."
Nyota blinked. "Mother, you are aware I am not with him for any of these reasons, aren't you?"
"Of course! It's just that if some list of titles spelled unattainable to me, it would be this one. Not that I am very surprised, though. You are amazing. After all, you are my daughter."
The daughter in question laughed. "Right."
Her mother grew serious. "How is he? After the loss of Vulcan and his mother, I mean..."
Nyota sighed. "Frankly, I'm not sure. I don't want to talk about it unless he starts, I don't want to disturb him unnecessarily, so..."
"Maybe you should. He is a Vulcan, he will find it difficult to ask for emotional help, but he will need it, in all likelihood."
Another sigh. "You're probably right. It's just that it scares me a bit – what if I don't know what to say in the face of his sadness and despair? What if I can't help him?"
Mwezi Uhura frowned. "I didn't raise you to be a coward, Nyota. Go and talk to him. It is your responsibility."
"Yes, mother," Nyota said heavily, knowing her mother was right.
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She put it off for another couple of days, telling herself she was busy with the new mission, which was surveying a planet inhabited by intelligent warp-incapable humanoids, among other things, and so was relatively challenging for her. She had to listen to recordings that came through from cloaked scouts sent out in the atmosphere, and then separate actual language from other sounds that were picked up. She was hardly on the bridge these days, instead working in her department with the best people she had, both technicians and linguist. They needed to be quick so that the scouts could be reprogrammed to focus on what they identified as language, and thus get clearer recordings. Later, there would be plenty of time to attempt and decipher the language.
However, once the mission was over, there were no more excuses left, and so she just allowed herself one evening to rest, and then she went to see Spock, fully determined to open the topic.
Of course, with the way the physical aspect of their relationship was progressing, it was getting easier and easier to get distracted. When Spock's skilled fingers were playing with her nipples, it was rather hard to force herself to ask how he felt about his dead mother.
After they grew a bit more tired and relaxed, however, she did force herself to say: "Spock...I wanted to...well, I guess I just wanted to ask if you were all right. I don't want to talk about the immeasurable loss, I don't want to stir bad memories, but it occurred to me," she didn't think it a good idea to mention it was suggested by her mother, "that you might need to talk about it."
He didn't answer for a long time, but through their holding hands, she could feel that he was considering his answer. "I am not certain that I am capable of talking about it," he said at length. "Once we meld, you will have an answer to your question...and perhaps that will enable me to discuss it."
Nyota nodded. "That's another thing I wanted to bring up, anyway," she said. "The meld. I understand there is no hurry, but I want to meld with you. Also, seeing where our physical relationship is headed, it would probably be wise to do it soon."
He nodded in acknowledgement. "You are correct. I wish to start with a partial meld, if you do not mind, and then after some time, if you are agreeable, we can attempt the full one."
"All right then. When do we do it?" Nyota asked excitedly.
"When do you wish to?"
She smiled. "How about now?"
He shook his head slowly. "I need to prepare, to meditate on it. But I could be ready in three days, if that suits you?"
"Sure. I can't wait, to be honest."