A/N: Sorry for the delay. I've been very very sick with a bad cold for the last two weeks. I spent so much time concentrating on breathing that I didn't have enough left to write.

"Mandy, I just think you should take things a little slower." Her mother pleaded for the fourth time in an hour and Amanda sighed.

"Mom, it's going the pace it's got to go, alright? Besides it's not really up to me."

"And why the hell is that? It's your life. You should set the pace however you see fit." Her mother huffed, hands on hips as she glared about the nondescript room of the rehabilitation center where Amanda had been moved to work on her recovery. "And do not get me started on how much pain you are in."

"For the hundredth time, mom, the doctors know what they are doing." Amanda pinched the bridge of her nose and tried not to yell. "It's physical therapy. If it didn't hurt I wouldn't be doing it right."

"But you're exhausted." Her mother moved to swiftly refluff the pillow on the bed for the twelfth time that afternoon and she smoothed out the blankets with a nervous hand. "Honey, you've had quite a traumatic experience. I still think some counseling and a nice relaxing stay in that hospital I found in Puerto Rico would be much better for you than staying here." Her mother's tone darkened, "with that man."

Amanda kicked the covers off again and huffed indignantly. "His name is Sarek."

"And what is he to you?" Her mother continued, ignoring her daughters glare as she resettled the blankets yet again, tucking them into the bed firmly making it nearly impossible to shake them off . "He comes and goes out of here like he's a mahārāja and always with a whole slew of people following him about. And that woman that's with him, she's always whispering with your doctors. I don't like it."

"Her name is T-Pae and she's a healer." Amanda angrily worked her leg to the side of the bed and kicked the blanket at just the right spot till it came loose. "Sarek asked her to coordinate my care." Amanda yanked at the blanket until it was free and tossed it angrily over the far side of the bed. Her mother glowered but Amanda continued. "And Sarek and I are together, mother. We have been for some time now. He has a vested interest in seeing me well. Considering how much further advanced Vulcan medical science is, I would have thought you'd be pleased that she's consulting on my case."

"Together – what does that mean? You swore there wasn't anything to that scandal months ago and now you're together! That picture of him carrying you is everywhere, Amanda, everywhere!" Her mother waved her arms to emphasis her point. "It's gone viral. Even the colonies have seen it. You'll never live this down. You know that because of Daddy you have to be more careful! Oh, what would daddy think?"

Amanda smiled and shook her head. "Grandpa would have already leveraged my relationship with Sarek for two new trade routes and probably orchestrated a legal contract for what he'd be entitled to if we married. Face it, mom, you're father would have enjoyed the hell out of this. It's shocking, hopelessly romantic, and wonderful for business."

"I never should have let you spend so much time with him. You are just like him." Her mother complained, slumping into the visitor's chair with a dramatic sigh. "Mandy, you can't expect this to go anywhere."

Amanda automatically felt for the link in her mind and let her attention graze across it. Sarek's presence was a constant thing now, the gossamer thread between them no longer weak and insubstantial but a braided cord of steel. T-Pae had confirmed that the mating link she'd warned about had indeed been fully realized during the long hours Sarek had stayed by Amanda's bedside. There was no turning back now, for either of them. They hadn't discussed it. Sarek seemed to take comfort in it, but he had yet to actually mention it to either of them. But Amanda could feel him gently exploring the link, and her via it, and she could feel his silent pleasure in its existence even if he hadn't openly admitted to it's presence. T-Pae was concerned about his reticence to acknowledge the topic, but she cautioned against confrontation and Amanda agreed. Sarek had some reason for ignoring it, likely rooted in the death of his first wife, and Amanda did not want to poke the bear without reason. She could sense his emotions though the link and while she knew he wouldn't say the "L" word, Amanda could feel it coming from him and directed at her. But there was no way to explain this to her mother. T-Pae said they didn't share information about their bonding or mating rituals and Amanda could respect that. And without telling her mother about the bond there was no way to reassure her of Sarek's intentions.

"Mom, I love him." Amanda confessed softly and her mother's head rose until her startled eyes locked onto her daughter's. "And I think, in his way, he loves me." Amanda continued gently. "It doesn't look like how a man, a human man, might express it, but it is there. You need to have faith that I can handle myself in this."

"But he's so cold, Amanda. And he treats everyone like he's better than them."

Amanda wanted to snap back, 'what if he is?' But she settled on a small knowing smirk. "Mom, your father would say that I'm better than they are and I deserve someone equally as exceptional. What makes you think Sarek isn't just that?"

"I just don't want to see you hurt." Her mother reached out and took her hand. "Mandy, he will eventually go home and they don't exactly invite many humans to Vulcan. You'll be stuck here and he'll be on the other side of the galaxy. You know the saying, 'a fish can love a bird…"

"We aren't fish or birds, mom." Amanda squeezed her mother's hand. "And we will cross that bridge when we come to it."

"What do you intend to do?" Sarek asked softly a week later.

Amanda looked out the window of her private room at the rehabilitation center and sighed. "I can't go back, Sarek. I…I don't think I can stand in front of a classroom again – at least not for a while." She closed her eyes and bit her lip trying to keep the tears back. "Every time I think about it, all I can see is their faces. I hear their screams…"

Sarek's hand gently encased hers. "Come with me." He asked softly. "Let me take you to Vulcan with us. Let me show you a world away from these memories."

"If I leave I don't know if I can ever come back." Amanda confessed, turning watery eyes to her lover. "Sarek, I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't…"

"The rescue workers would have eventually found you." Sarek rubbed the back of her hand gently with his thumb. "And you are a survivor, Amanda Grayson. You would have managed even without me."

"I'm not so sure of that." Amanda smiled ruefully, her thoughts turning to the many hours and days Sarek had remained with her during her recovery. Survivors guilt the psychologist called it. PTSD her doctors warned. Khreya katra – soul trauma- the Vulcan healers said. Whatever it was, Amanda knew that without Sarek she'd have given into it. He down played his importance, but he was the only solid reliable thing Amanda had left of her life. "What would I do if I went with you? I can't teach – not like this."

Sarek's dark eyes held hers. "Amanda, we have not discussed this, but…" He cupped her face gently. "I told you long ago that I could not bare the thought of loosing you. Having come so close, I know now how impossible it would be to continue without you. If you remain here, I remain here. Where you go, I will follow." Sarek leaned forward to rest his head against hers. Ma etek natyan teretuhr lau etek shetau weh-lo'uk do tum t'on

"Sarek?"

"Marry me, Amanda." Sarek's voice was controlled, calm, but Amanda could feel the tremble in him through his touch, both physically and mentally. "What we have now, the shimmer of a link between us, is not enough. I desire to have all of you." He pulled back so he could look into her eyes. I'wak mesukh-yut t'on taluhkong nash-veh k'dular. Koon-ut so'lik ?

"Sarek," Amanda couldn't stop a tear from dripping down her cheek. "You don't know how much I want to say yes. But… but how in the world could you possibly want to be tied to me like that? I'm human, and you'll out live me by a century at least. I'm a mess. I'm more metal than bone at the moment and I'm jumping at every loud noise…"

"Your bones will heal." Sarek insisted. "And in time all of you will heal as best as it can. You are still the wealth of fire that I first encountered in that restaurant, Amanda. Your passion for life, for living, remains untouched. You have only forgotten. In time you will accept what has come to pass."

"Sybok hates me."

"Sybok is displeased with both of us." Sarek admitted, his eyes pained.

Next to the imagined screams of her class, she would often awake to the remembered tears of Sybok. After the funeral service when Sarek had returned her to the hospital, Sybok had finally unleashed his temper on them both. He'd screamed at them, pounded his fists against his father, angry tears and accusations flying. 'How could you!' He'd screamed. 'You let her die! You let Maria die!' He had turned dark fierce eyes to her. 'You promised you'd look after her. You lied! You failed her. You failed all of them!' He'd run from the room, screaming 'I hate you both!' behind him. Sarek had stood at her bedside, shocked, as his security team chased after his son. That was the last she'd seen of the boy. T-Pae had advised them to send Sybok home to Vulcan. Sybok would not return either of their calls. The friendship bond between the two children had been strong, stronger than T-Pae had first assumed, and Sybok had felt her fear, her guilt, and her death. If the image of Maria holding the bomb would forever haunt Amanda, she could only imagine what having felt her last moments would do to Sybok.

"That still doesn't answer the question of what exactly I would do if I did marry you and follow you to Vulcan." Amanda sighed. "Sarek, I think it's fairly obvious that I love you – it's been obvious especially to you, what with you bumping about in my head. But I need to be my own person – have my own life. If I just pick up and move to Vulcan what will I have left that's mine? I can't just sit at home and bake cookies all day. I'm not cut out to be a house wife."

Sarek raised one elegant eyebrow. "I would never expect you to do so. I have tasted your baking."

"Sarek!"

His mouth quirked slightly. "Amanda, have you no other interests besides teaching? Have you never considered another path?"

Amanda picked at her blanket. "I used to think about working with grandpa's company, but then we sold out our interest in it and my uncle isn't about to take me on now, not for any meaningful position anyway. We never got on."

"What if I could offer you a chance to use the same skills?" Sarek's eyes were bright as he explained. "The majority of my work is done not in negotiation rooms, but in the hallways and ballrooms of embassies and palaces. While you would have no official title, I can assure you that as my wife you would be in a position to influence a considerable amount of Federation policy and negotiations. I have reviewed your work with Arthur Grayson. I can see your hand in several of the trade drafts and I believe that together we would make a formidable diplomatic team."

"You hammer them in the negotiation room while I trick and charm them in the banquet hall?"

"Perhaps not the words I would use to describe the strategy, but essentially yes." Sarek looked unaccountably pleased with himself.

Amanda couldn't help smirking back. "Is this a marriage proposal and a job offer in one?"

"I thought the two would have greater success if pared." Sarek admitted. "And if at any time you wish to return to the classroom, there are many opportunities to do so on Vulcan. Or we can return here to Earth. The majority of my time is spent as a Federation negotiator rather than a Vulcan ambassador to Earth as was originally intended. It matters little whether I am housed here or on Vulcan. If you would prefer a neutral location I am confident we could find another planet that would work equally as well as a base of operations."

"Vulcan would put you closer to Sybok." Amanda reasoned. "But won't people get upset if you aren't stationed here? You are still technically Vulcan's ambassador to earth, even if you do work primarily on Federation matters."

"Semantics." Sarek waved off her concern. "Another can be appointed with that title and I may turn my entire focus to the more important issues that this fledging Federation of ours has yet to face. These attacks," Sarek shook his head, "these are but a symptom of the larger problem. Many people, of every species, harbor fear and xenophobia. We will have more incidents like this before the Federation is stabilized. I intend to do what I can to mediate the impact and work to advance the cause of galactic peace and cooperation."

"And we could be a part of it – a part of helping the Federation grow." Amanda finished softly. "You are serious about this? You really want to marry me – and work with me?"

"Yes." Sarek said simply. "It is the only logical course of action."

"Logic?" Amanda huffed. "Is that all this is? A logical move? Don't you feel anything at all?"

Sarek's eyes twinkled with ill-concealed mirth. "Do you find a fault with my logic?"

Amanda sighed and held up her paired fingers. "Something tells me I'm going to get very tired of that word."

"Is that a yes?"

Amanda rolled her eyes as Sarek's fingers wrapped around hers. "Of course it is. You think I can go back to boring human sex after telepathic mating whatever-it-is we do?"

Sarek leaned forward rested his head against hers. "And to think, I have yet to even explain our actual mating rituals…"

"Am I going to like what I hear?"

"Debatable." Sarek replied evenly. "However, I can assure you that it will be anything other than boring."

Amanda hmmed in agreement. "So what do we tell the press when they ask? Do we admit that this has been going on for months? Or do we let them think we hooked up after the bombing?"

"We will tell them nothing." Sarek insisted softly, his hand curling around hers and the bond between them intensifying. "Let them wonder."

"We'll be the romance of the century, you know that? People will talk about us and speculate till they are blue in the face. They will hound us until we give them some reason for us being together."

Sarek's eyes drifted closed. "And I will only tell them the truth. It seemed like the logical thing to do."

Taken from the Vulcan Language Institute:

Ma etek natyan teretuhr lau etek shetau weh-lo'uk do tum t'on = We have differences. May we, together, become greater than the sum of both of us.

I'wak mesukh-yut t'on. taluhkong nash-veh k'dular' - The present is the crossroads of both. (future and past) and I cherish thee.
koon-ut so'lik – formal marriage proposal