Khan's lips moved slowly against Uhura's as he responded to her kiss.
He placed his hands on her lower back and held her close to him.
Uhura ran her hands across his broad shoulders and rested them on his neck, feeling herself sinking into his touch, relishing in the intimacy between them.
She stopped and abruptly broke their kiss, avoiding his eyes.
This was wrong.
She pressed her lips together, the sensation of his kiss still lingered upon them. She could feel him looking at her,
"I'm sorry," she whispered, stepping out of his hold, "I can't, this isn't fair."
She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples anxiously. What had she done? Why did she do that? Why had it felt so good? She sharply exhaled.
Khan stood unmoving and watching her.
"To whom is this unfair?" He asked her quietly, his voice rumbling through her. She thought for a moment before looking at him,
"To each of us. Especially Spock." She told him. He bit his lip and nodded, turning his face away from her, concealing his thoughts.
Uhura gently touched his cheek, bringing him to face her again, his eyes a stirring pool of unsaid things. She took a breath, composing herself as best she could.
"I have to figure out what to do." She tried to console him. Khan took her hand in his and held it.
"Then I hope you do so discreetly," he said after a pause, "I would like to avoid baring the brunt of Spock's anger again."
She sighed, releasing his hand and sat on the edge of her bed,
"What exactly happened?" She asked him attentively, and gestured for him to sit next to her; he complied.
"Spock had tried to get to you on Rhea," He started, "But too much got in the way, and we were running out of time." He thought for a second, and Uhura cut in,
"Another warbird appeared." She filled in, "The Captain told me that much." Khan nodded and continued,
"When I got you aboard the shuttle there was little we could do but tie your wound and reduce the blood-flow." He recounted, "Spock had been pulled aboard earlier so by the time he could help you he was very insistent. The only way he would listen to what I had to say was when I told him you would die if he didn't." Khan stared at the floor,
"Back on the Enterprise you were rushed to the MediBay, while Kirk, Spock and Sulu had their cuts tended to and I was scanned. We lost the few others who had tagged along." He added. Uhura felt saddened, it was always unpleasant to lose crew members.
"McCoy then approached us." He paused, "He informed us of your poor condition and also said he had analysed and tested my blood sample; he believed it could give you a fighting chance." Uhura watched his expression as he hesitated,
"That's when an argument started," he said, "Spock was adamant that a transfusion from me could be damaging to your system. Kirk and McCoy wasted precious time fighting with him, so I put an end to it; I hooked myself up to the transfuser and withdrew the blood you needed."
She felt moved by the boldness of his actions as she waited for him to continue.
"Kirk and Spock left during this time and after it was completed, I rejoined them on the bridge, only to be greeted by the full wrath of your Vulcan boyfriend." He said with resentment.
Uhura didn't understand. Surely Spock would be logical enough to see that what Khan did was necessary.
Khan shifted slightly and lifted his top a little on his right side nearest her, showing her a bruise that had formed.
"And it was some fight, considering I am not easily damaged." Uhura pulled an sympathetic face,
"Kirk did say you two ended up in the brig." She responded, realising the severity of it.
Khan stood up and reorganised his clothes. As he did, Uhura got to her feet and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, he raised an eyebrow at her.
"Thank you." She said, thumbing the hem of her top. He gazed at her a moment,
"You're welcome, Uhura." He returned. She briefly smiled to herself,
"Nyota." She said and his expression changed, "My first name is Nyota." She had forgotten that he didn't know.
He looked into the distance, contemplating it.
"Nyota." He repeated, she liked how her name sounded wrapped in his velvety tones. He focused on her face again and smiled from learning it.
Uhura blushed slightly. She sighed,
"You should go, I need to rest," she paused, "And think."
"I understand." He answered, and she walked him to the door.
"Goodnight." She said as he left, leaving her with a million new emotions to arrange.
Uhura rose early and dressed into a clean uniform, before heading out to the MediBay to be checked up on and have her bandage changed.
Her vitals were fine and blood pressure normal, she didn't really feel any different having Khans blood coursing through her veins.
She sat down as McCoy removed the bandaging on her leg, preparing to redress it.
"Whoa." He said, calmly bemused and staring at her leg. She looked down.
Amazingly, her thigh had completely healed. A small scratch remained in the place where a gouged wound had occupied not twenty-four hours ago.
"That's amazing!" She blurted out.
"You're telling me," McCoy replied, "The man is like walking miracle-cure." Uhura laughed and stood up,
"Well you are free to go," the Doctor said, "Just keep an eye on how you feel."
She nodded and walked out of sickbay with a spring in her step.
With her errand out of the way, she refocused on the main occupant of her mind. Walking over to the nearest computer, she asked it to locate Commander Spock and it informed her that he was still in his quarters. With no time like the present, she headed there immediately.
She pressed the door alert and it swiftly opened, allowing her inside.
Cautiously, she tiptoed in and found Spock sat peacefully at the table in his room, reading something on his PADD. She cleared her throat,
"I'm not disturbing you, am I?" She asked. He set the device down and got to his feet,
"No, Nyota, not at all." He replied. She walked up to him and hugged him without hesitation. After a moment, he responded.
"How is your arm?" She released him to look at the bandage, running her fingers over it.
"It is fine." He informed her, "How is your leg?" He asked, a hint of something in his voice she couldn't quite distinguish. She stepped back and showed him.
"Fascinating." He observed, annoyance creeping into his expression. She wondered about his arm.
"Did you get that on Rhea?" She questioned, pointing at it. He stood for a moment, staring at the injury.
"No." He breathed. Uhura's expression twisted,
"From Khan?" She asked carefully, knowing she had to be right.
Spock was silent. He stared past her.
"Yes." He said with an edge of frustration, "I imagine you have been informed of everything."
She nodded slowly and he caught her eye again,
"From whom?" He asked, brow slightly furrowed, she swallowed,
"A little from Kirk," she started, "But mostly from Khan..." She trailed off.
"Then I cannot be sure you know the truth." He retorted coldly. She sighed,
"I know that I got hit, you protected me, Khan got me aboard the shuttle and gave me a blood transfusion and that you two had a fight, apparently initiated by you." She stated the main points confidently, "Am I correct about everything?"
He looked at her for a moment,
"Yes you are indeed correct." He acknowledged her,
"Good. Then can you explain to me what is going on with you?" She addressed him directly. "I know we have been fighting recently, and that you don't trust Khan, but what was the tipping point, Spock?" She gazed into his eyes, searching for some form of answer.
He breathed deeply and tried to avoid her eye contact.
"I could not help you." He whispered after a long silence. "I could not get to you on Rhea and there was no way I could have helped you to recover." He put simply, unusually unwilling to elaborate.
She understood his answer, it was true, and it was not like he could have given her a blood-transfusion.
"Helplessness is one of the least favourable emotions I have ever felt." He said, "Then made worse by witnessing another succeed where I could not."
Thinking about his words, and feeling empathetic, she suddenly realised where his reactions stemmed from.
The last time that she could recall him feeling helpless was when his home planet was destroyed, and when he lost his mother.
Uhura suddenly felt horribly guilty.
She was torn. Torn between a man who cared but had trouble showing it, and a man who cared when he shouldn't.
She embraced him tightly again, dubious about how to proceed and uncertain of how she felt towards either of them anymore.