Author's note:

I would like some input on who you'd like to see Orion with. Current standings: Jim-3, Bones-2(I cast my vote, only because I honestly can see her with either one but Bones is my favorite character so I'd vote or him even if I end up pairing Orion with Jim. XD)

But with out further ado....I give you the next chapter!

The young lass had nightmare after nightmare about Artemis and her family. After one particularly bad one, Orion had bolted away with tears running down her face and sweat (for she was a girl who didn't glow or glisten or even perspire) dripping down her neck. She took a few minutes in the very nice bathroom to clean up a little, after which Orion decided to take a walk to clear her head since her last attempt had ended with little success.

Upon opening her door, Orion stuck her head out and peered up and down the halls. Her concept of time was a little whacked, but she was sure it was close to the dead of night. Which explained the reason why she saw no one. Not to mention the fact that the guest quarter wasn't used too frequently, so not many people wandered that way( at least that was what she heard from the young lady who brought her to the room). Tonight, Orion was thankful for that.

Orion stepped out the room with extreme caution. She remembered those times that she had sneaked around her own home while her parents were asleep, and used the same kind of maneuvers. However once the loud (comparatively speaking since she had just gotten accustomed to silence) swish of the shutting door shocked Orion wide awake, the young woman dropped to the flats of her feet and continued down the hall as if there was nothing she could do to wake up anyone in the vicinity.

She had only gone a few doors down when a beautiful melody resonated through the door. It was like nothing she had ever heard before. Orion had knocked on the door before she even realized it. The music stopped, though she wished it hadn't despite the fact she was the very person to interrupt. Only a few moments later the door glided open. The young woman was a little shocked to see the elderly Vulcan there.

"Miss Montgomery, this is a pleasant surprise," he said quietly as though there were more guests trying to sleep. For all Orion knew, every room she had past could have been filled with aliens or humans.

She smiled lightly at the elderly gentleman. He seemed, in her mind at least, to be almost the perfect grandfather figure. Her brow furrowed slightly. What she couldn't understand was what he was doing up so late. "Sir, if you don't mind my asking, why are you up so late?" Orion asked, using a formal sir, since she did not know the Vulcan's name, plus she didn't wat to seem rude.

He smiled softly, though from what Orion saw of Spock, Vulcans were not so big on the whole emoting thing. "I might ask you the same thing," he said with slight amusement, but undercurrents of something that Orion couldn't quite place. Like he knew something that she didn't (although given his age, she doubted there was something she knew yet the Vulcan didn't).

Orion scowled with a slight smirk before she frowned. Tilting her head to the side, she looked up at the taller man. "How come you shook your head when Cap'n was about to introduce you? Who are you?" she asked, hoping she wasn't insulting him.

The Vulcan just stared slightly. Her observation skills were sharper than he remembered. Nodding slightly, he left the room. "Care for a tour of the Enterprise? I guarantee to convey all that I can, though you are a smart woman and will logically get the correct conclusion eventually," he said as the doors closed behind him. .

"Are you sure you know your way around the place?" asked Orion once the started down the hall. She was skeptical because how was he to know about the ship if he was a guest too. Though in reality Orion figured he had been here at least one time before or else he wouldn't have offered..

Looking over and up, Orion saw a nostalgic smile grace the weathered face of the Vulcan. "I have spent and will spend much of my adult life aboard this ship," he began while looking in awe at the walls and people. It was as if he was reliving the first time on board. "The USS Enterprise...words fail me at this point to describe how much this vessel has meant to me. How it will mean to me," he said, gently leading Orion down a different hallway.

"Sir, how could you you spend most of your adult life on board and not be an officer?" Orion inquired. The way he was talking was confusing her. Why both past and future? Did the Vulcan really plan to stay aboard till he died?

The elderly gentleman gestured toward some rooms. "These are recreational rooms where crew members can come to relax and socialize," he said before slowly continuing on. "Orion, you and I are more alike than you might realize." He paused and turned to look at Orion. "We are both out of our natural times."

Orion stared at him with her mouth agape. Her eye were wide, but her brow furrowed in thought. Her mind was mulling things over. "So you traveled back in time then, correct?" she asked of him. With a slight nod from him, Orion nodded. "Right, so..."

Comprehension dawned on Orion's features. "Oh my giddy horse lovin' aunt," she said with little surprise. "You're Spock. That is why Cap'n hesitated when he introduced you...well your younger self. He wasn't sure if you wanted to be recognized as the same person." She grinned slightly. "Didn't want to overload my pitifully illogical mind by seeing that all those movies and books had time continuum wrong?" she mused with amusement.

"Hardly," he said with slight amusement himself. "You have one of the more logical humans I have been fortunate enough to be acquainted with." His brow furrowed slightly before returning to the usual 'dead' expression which was softened a little in light of knowing Orion and old age. "Shall we continue? I think I should bring you to where you will be working, once you learn a couple hundred years worth of engineering knowledge," Spock said as he returned to walking, this time toward the turbo-lift.

Orion had seen the frown and wondered if there was something older Spock wasn't saying. She shook it off though, figuring she could always ask at a later time. "Sure I'd love to. And exactly how am I to learn...." Orion trailed off. "Hundreds?" she squeaked.

"Yes. Hundreds. Your time machine didn't have any program to say how far into the future to bring you. Some aboard this ship would say Fate brought you and your brother here and was what pulled your brother back to the twenty first century. Undoubtedly, young Ensign Chekov shared with you the accounts of three years ago with a Romulan rogue, Nero," Spock turned his head to see Orion nod. The turbo lift doors swung open, and the two night wanderers entered. Spock entered the destination in before he resumed his response to Orion's question.

"His appearance altered the reality. What I know of Captain James Tiberius Kirk is different than what my young self would know. In this reality, Jim never knew his father. From where I came from, Jim's father played a significant role in Jim's joining Starfleet and being able to become a captain at such a young age. " Spock sighed and stared straight ahead of them though all that was there was the walls of the lift.

Orion looked at him. She could understand now why he seemed so aged. Chekov told her all he knew, which was most of the details. Her heart went out to the Vulcan who just wanted to do right by the Romulans, yet failed and ended up losing basically all that was important in his life. She now fully understood why it was hard for Spock to explain with words how much the Enterprise meant to him.

"Your appearance is more than coincidence. You appeared in my time as well as in this new reality. According to how things had been going, you shouldn't have appeared. However, I would propose to those who question that if neither you nor your brother arrived, all that is would never have been," Spock explained, hoping to quench some of the numerous questions Orion was probably thinking of.

She had been a very inquisitive person, and he had enjoyed their bouts of logical debate along with answering her questions (though admittedly he did that to prove how superior his knowledge was in comparison to her petty knowledge base). Spock remembered how she often responded to his "highly illogical" comments. Orion said that he may have had the best brains in the world, but what was brains without wisdom or common sense or a heart of emotions? To which he would often just stare at her before murmuring a "fascinating" and walk away.

The turbo lift stopped, the doors opened and the two figures walked out and down the hall. "This is the engineering quarter...and the engine is just through there," Spock stated almost in a dead accurate tone of a bored tour guide, despite the feeling Orion got that he was anything but bored.

As for her, Orion was totally awake now. She knew so much more even from the small chats with Chekov, Bones, and Spock. At least she understood more of the crew. Her eyes went wide as she took in all the mechanical and electrical things about her. It was almost as if she had died and gone to her personal heaven. Orion was itching to try things out. However, she knew that her greedy hands wouldn't be touching a thing until she knew what she was doing.

"When can I start this learning?" she implored Spock while looking around her. One might think she was a child in her favorite store. It was a tell tale sign that this was the area of the ship where Orion belonged. Of course Spock knew that even before he was aware of her presence in this time.

Spock tilted his head slightly. "In the morning after you have rested, and had a proper meal, I will assist you, since most crew members have rather inflexible schedules."

Orion turned and smiled at Spock. "Thanks. And now that you mention it, I am feeling a little tired now. Do you think we could continue this riveting discussion later?" she wondered as she wandered back to the door where Spock stood. The Vulcan nodded and lead Orion back to her room.

"Good night, Orion," Spock said softly before lifting a hand. His face was impassive, void of much, like his younger self. He held up an aged hand. "Live long and prosper," he said with great feeling. "It is the typical Vulcan farewell. Although a farewell is not quite appropriate as we shall be seeing each other in the morning, I wished to introduce you to some Vulcan culture. Should you run into my younger self, I think you may surprise him with that small bit of knowledge." Spock had a twinkle of mischief in his dark eyes.

Orion grinned when she noticed that. She already loved the elderly Spock better. He wasn't quite as uptight or rigid. Orion liked his suggestion. It might prove to be interesting to rile the young Spock to loose that stoic facade even for a moment. Her grin soften to a smile. "Thank you so much for everything, Spock. And you have a good night and sweet dreams," she quietly bade him before entering her room.

Spock knew at one point he would have mentioned to Orion how illogical dreams were, however, tonight she had taken in much information, and would not have appreciated a logical discussion. He shook his head slightly before padding slowly and silent down the hall in a ponderous expression. "Still a very fascinating woman."

Author's note;

Thank you for reading! I hope you take some time to review! Don't forget I'm still wishing for some input!

I hope you enjoyed this I'm sorry if people are totally OOC. I'm trying I really am. Deal with it XD.

But again I digress, thanks and hope you read again!