Howya, ok this is really short, but it sort of is an in-between chapter 'cause it just deals with the two main characters during summer break. I wanted to illustrate some of the differences between Spock and Aureya, not that they aren't obvious. By giving you a glimpse at her family, I hope you can get a better understanding of her. Oh, and yes, she's Canadian, I don't know why, but she is. (Her dad is Irish, so if you never notice any Hiberno English slipping in there, that's why… nothing to do with me. ;))

Thank you so much for your reviews, I appreciate all the feedback tons.

Just a little note on updating: I'm on holidays at the moment and am too broke to go anywhere, hence the many, many updates. I'm sorry to say that I won't be able to keep this speed up once I'm back at work. (Just so you know) ;p.

To miller 330: Not yet, later, I promise.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek or any of its characters.

Aureya

Aureya's summer break was anything but relaxing. Her baby brother Stephen had hit the terrible threes with a vengeance, and her baby sister Andrea was teething. So, between a screaming toddler, a wailing baby and her completely frazzled step-mom Stephanie, life was hectic. Not that she actually minded; all that noise and mayhem made it almost impossible to form a coherent thought, and under the current circumstances that was just how she liked it.

She didn't feel guilty or reproachful about the things she had told Commander Spock, she didn't wish she could take them back; the sense of finally having some control over her body again was one of immense relief, and the ability to listen to her brain once more was beyond wonderful. Analysing just how badly her raging hormones had effected her, she had consciously made the decision to stop hiding and lying, and had come clean about her feelings. Quite a feat considering that she had been unaware of them until very recently, and that she already knew exactly how he felt about her. But, she argued to herself, they were both adults and she had a duty to be frank about something that could potentially mar their working relationship.

It was no big deal, she further told herself, had not her own roommate had a crush on him too and come out the other side unscathed? She was in fact rather proud of herself for having made such a mature decision. That did not mean that she was not mortified and immensely worried about having to face the Commander come September. She had played the whole scene of her confession over and over in her mind and was in real danger of doing so again, when Steph entered her room, a red-faced and positively screeching Andrea in her arms, and announced:

"Shoot me, shoot me now!" her comic expression and the baby's insistence on scrunching up her face as far as it would go made Aureya laugh. She hopped off the bed and took Andrea from her mother. She gave a momentary start of surprise at being moved, then took a deep breath and let rip again.

"Where's dad?"

"He ran away….I think he's in the garage." Aureya had to smile at the fact that they were talking as if they were in a club, shouting and gesticulating above the din.

"'Want me to get him?" Andrea stopped screeching halfway through the sentence and Eya ended up shouting for no reason. Both Steph and herself had to giggle. Andrea blew a spit bubble, her lids were drooping, she was clearly exhausted from her little aria. The two women gave each other a doleful look; they knew it wouldn't last long.

Aureya gave Steph a pleading apologetic shrug.

"Oh for goodness sake, go then, he did say something about wanting to put in the new ignition today." Steph reached over and took Andrea from Aureya's arms, her face crinkled in concentration, as she tried to disturb the baby as little as possible, for fear of staring her off again.

"I've been babysitting all week, Steph, don't make me feel guilty for leaving you with the little monsters for an hour or two. And may I remind you, they're your little monsters."

"Oh, I know." Steph sighed in defeat "But why do they have to go Satan's spawn on me at the same time, only three months ago I had two little angels."

Aureya had to laugh at her stepmother then. She had not been entirely convinced that her father's marrying a woman 24 years his junior, a mere 12 years older than herself, had been such a great idea in the beginning, but Steph was the best thing that had ever happened to him. And she had a wicked sense of humour.

---

Aureya found her father hunched over a small engine placed on his workbench. He had his back to the door and was too focused on what he was doing to notice her come in. She contemplated sneaking up on him and going "boo", but then decided that 58 was too much of a risk factor, especially when he had two small children to take care of.

"Hey dad."

"Oh, hey honey…give us those pliers over there, will ya."

Charles Newman did parenting the way other men did male bonding, well, at least in her case. Steph had made damn sure he was cuddly and daddy-like with Stephen and Andrea. But Aureya didn't mind, this was just how things were between them. Steph loved psychoanalysing the whole thing and claimed that Aureya's overly affectionate nature was a direct result of her father's lack thereof, Aureya usually just nodded at this, then went and helped her dad build one of his model flyers.

"What's it like in there?" he briefly nodded in the direction of the house.

"It's the apocalypse." She informed him.

"Ah."

"Steph's making chicken for dinner."

"Mm, good… screwdriver."

She handed it to him.

"So…a boy?"

"Huh?"

"You only had two helpings of ribs yesterday, and you're quieter than usual."

"Oh that…. Yea, sort of."

"Hm… soldering iron."

She complied.

"'He like you?'

"Nope."

"That sucks."

He let her test the flyer first when it was finished, he'd only ever done that twice, once when she had broken her arm falling off a tree in the back garden, the other time when her grandmother had died.

"Incoming call, James Kirk, Iowa."

"On screen. What d'ya want, Jim?" Aureya gave Kirk a wide grin.

"Oh sweetheart, I've missed you too." he was grinning right back.

"So, heard from Gaila, about your little condition thingy…"

Aureya groaned inwardly, then gave him a fake smile, making her eyes wide and asking rather innocently:

"What are you talking about?"

"It's me, isn't it?" He gave her another crooked grin.

"You could just have asked, you know. Now, Gaila, Shrem, and I have discussed things and we've agreed that a fourth…" he could not finish his joke as Aureya's exaggerated expression of shock and disgust sent him into a fit of laughter.

"Idiot." Aureya told him, but she too was fighting the giggles.

When he had composed himself again he told her:

"Actually, I'm just letting you know that we're planning a little visit up North, Bones, Nyo, and I,... she's staying with him for part of the holidays." He gave a suggestive eyebrow wriggle at this, and Aureya smiled.

"So, seeing as we are currently all on the same continent, I thought we should pay you a visit. Canada, ay?"

Rather than giving Jim a straight answer, Aureya did a little happy dance, complete with booty shake, then put on her best poker face and announced:

"'K, whatever."

Kirk just laughed at her; then asked:

"'You heard from Pavel?"

"Sure, 'talk to him every day. He's teaching at some mad advanced maths summer camp in St. Petersburg…'Finally gets to hang out with kids his own age and they're all his students." She was shaking her head but smiling indulgently.

"Oh Jim, I just remembered, we're having our family barbie on the 10th, why don't you guys come up for that?"

"You people up there actually do barbeques?"

"Sure, moose and grizzly are lovely with a tang of smoky flavour." She told him, then rolled her eyes and shook her head again.

"Mind you, family barbie might sound a bit misleading, it's just my dad and step-mom, the little harpies, my uncle Mathew and my cousin Jim… yes, I have a cousin Jim."

Kirk laughed again, then confirmed:

"The 10th it is. Bye sweetie,…oh, and give the whole foursome thing another thought, it'd be cool…multicoloured limbs everywhere." He winked.

"Bye Jim. Computer end call."

---

Once Noyota entered the house, the customary chaos of the Newman household crawled into a corner and whimpered for help. Aureya knew what the girl could accomplish in a small one-bedroom apartment, but the fact that she was running the entire house within minutes of arrival still fascinated her. Bones and Steph were sitting on the kitchen table, both holding a beer and a child each, watching in awe as Noyota bossed Aureya around the kitchen.

"No, I need those onions chopped much more finely, Eya. And take the marinated meat out of the fridge now so it can get to room temperature."

"Yes, Sir, right away, Sir." She gave her a fake salute then stomped over to the fridge.

Cousin Jim made an appearance to tell them the barbeque would be nice and ready in another 15 minutes, she told him "ugh" in answer. Men and open flames always reminded her of cave people.

"How come you're not out there poking at the fire and grunting like the rest of them?"

She asked Bones.

He merely shrugged and pointed at Uhura:

"'Trying to get a good idea of what exactly it is I'm getting myself into."

Noyota threw him a dirty look over her shoulder; he just gave her the sweetest smile imaginable.

"Now then." Not-cousin Jim was standing in the door clapping his hands together,

"Are you ready to learn how to make the famous Kirk potato salad?"

"Need really fine onions? They're practically mush? Mmmmmm." Uhura gave Aureya a little whack on the bum.

The fact that Kirk could actually cook amused her to no end, watching him do some fancy-shmancy stuff with cucumbers before adding them to his salad just made her giggle.

Within another 20 minutes they were all seated around the big table out in the garden, laden with more food then three times their number could ever possibly eat. Aureya was having a rather animated discussion with both Jims about classic cars, when her father, quite out of character, tapped his glass. He earned himself some very surprised stares from his family for this.

"Ahm,…I just wanted to say how nice it is to meet you three, Aureya has been telling us so much about her friends and it's great that we get to meet some of them."

Oh God, no.

"Aureya, em, or Eya, is it?, has had such a hard time making friends as a child and it's just so good to know that she has found people who can see her for who she really is. Thank you."

Ah crap, dad, why?

Not to be outdone by his brother, her uncle Matt got up and announced:

"Yea, we've had some hard times with that kid. Jim, remember the time you came home all beat up cause some little brat had been calling Aureya "peppermint" and you had to go and kick the shit out of him?...Well, it's not like that anymore… Hm, to friends and family." He raised his glass dramatically.

Oh well, what's family for, other than to embarrass you?

"To friends and family." They all echoed.

Spock

He would rise at 4 a.m. every morning, meditate for two hours, then exercise, shower, get dressed and have breakfast, which invariable consisted of herbal tea, fruit and cubes of plant protein. He would then dedicate precisely two and a half hours to research, before exercising again, having another shower and then taking his lunch in the mess hall. He occasionally met Captain Pike there, but quite regularly ate alone, reading some academic journal on his pad. Raw salad with a glass of juice and some steamed grains, no fruit.

In the afternoon he would continue his research for a further three hours, then spend two hours preparing his classes for the upcoming year. He would return to the mess hall for dinner, again, he was occasionally accompanied by Captain Pike. Steamed vegetables, a puree of pulses, fruit salad and two glasses of water. In the evening he would dedicate two hours to reading, for anthropological purposes rather than pleasure, then he would practice the lute for precisely one hour and 20 minutes, finally he would conclude his day with another two hours of meditation; invariably in this order and to those specific temporal measurements, unchanging, always precisely the same, consistent.

He had noticed a recent habit of extending his lute practice slightly; he attributed this, however, to a conscious decision on his part to not allow himself to fall too much out of practice. Not that he had been in danger of doings so, he merely wished to safeguard against such an eventuality.

The gift of the small metal finger picks Newman had bestowed on him, and the fact that he was continually reminded of her whenever he played, had not influenced his decision in the slightest.

He used the time during his practice to mentally prepare for the conversation he would have to have with her on her return to the academy. He had as yet to decide whether the circumstances she had presented him with allowed for her to remain his student aide, or whether it would be in her best interest for him to dismiss her. Beyond that, he had the firm intention of clarifying that he had meant no insult and had not been stating his subjective opinion of her when he had told her she was in no way suited as a potential mate for him; he had merely listed facts. He believed her to have understood this; he wanted to be entirely certain, however, that he had caused no offence. The fact that he appeared to still be suffering some rather violent physical reactions to her would also have to be addressed. Beyond that, he was somewhat at a loss as to how to communicate all that he had to say in an anthropologically appropriate manner. Not having been in any situation remotely similar, and entirely unwilling to contact his mother about this particular situation, he decided to accept Captain Pike's invitation for dinner off campus and attempt to seek advice in the most general and non-specific way possible.

---

"Has any one of your students ever indicated any romantic feelings towards you, Christopher?" Captain Pike had just taken a bite of salmon and spinach, which promptly re-exited his mouth and landed on his plate with a soft thud.

"What?" his superior officer looked stunned for a short period of time, before something that would appear to be amusement began to permeate his features.

"Which one?"

"Any one of your students." Spock answered.

"No, I mean which one of yours?"

"I do not follow your statement, please clarify."

"If someone asks you: "has this ever happened to you?" it usually means it has happened to them. So I am asking you which one of your students has the hots for you."

"Ah, I appear to have been a lot less subtle in my approach than I had hoped." Spock tilted his head slightly to the side, indicating concern.

"You will understand that I cannot name the student under any circumstances."

"Of course. I'm sorry Spock. In answer, yes, it has happened on a number of occasions, it's quite a tricky business."

"Indeed. How did you proceed?"

"That depends on the situation."

Spock raised both eyebrows.

"Not what I meant, Spock. It depends on whether the student in question has ulterior motives or is genuine in his or her affection…ahm, can I assume it is a her?"

"You can."

"Is there an option of the student attempting to further her academic career, or improve her grades?

"No, that situation is not feasible, she is an excellent student."

"Has she indicated any interest in a relationship?"

"No, she has not."

"Ok, that's a little weird, what exactly is the problem?"

"I am not entirely sure how to behave in an appropriate manner."

"Just act normal."

"I would not wish for her to believe that I am simply dismissing her feelings."

"Oh." Pike looked momentarily puzzled, then a large grin spread across his face.

"You like her."

"I hold affection for many of my students, even if I do not show it."

"That's not what I meant." Pike sighed in mild exasperation.

"If she were not your student, would you consider a romantic relationship?"

"No." Pike looked a little taken aback at his rather abrupt answer.

"Why not?"

"There are many factors beyond the student teacher taboo that would present insurmountable obstacles. Cultural and physical incompatibility, social disgrace on my part, diversity of interests and mannerisms, behaviour, and so forth."

"So you do like her." Pikes grin began to mildly irritate Spock; his companion's almost childlike fascination with their conversation topic was not what he had hoped for.

"I may have a certain regard for her." He conceded at last.

"And you are physically attracted to her?" Pike appeared to be almost bouncing on his chair, Spock's obvious discomfort seemed to be a source of immense amusement to him.

"I cannot be certain of that."

"I'm sorry?" Pike had stopped smiling and just stared at him in confusion.

"I'm not that versed in Vulcan anatomy, but I was assuming you were a guy."

"If you are currently making a joke at my expense, I must inform you that the exact meaning of it escapes me." Spock noted that he sounded mildly indignant.

"Wow, I'm not sure if I am joking anymore. How do I put this?...Am…Is there a perceivable physical reaction to her close proximity?" Pike looked rather pleased with himself for the phrasing of his question.

"There is, but I fail to understand why?"

"What? …, ahm, "why"?"

"There is a set standard for beauty, for what is considered desirable in a Vulcan mate: Tall slender form, elegance, poise, immaculate appearance. Just as there are personal qualities equally as desirable: restraint, self-control, a quiet and thoughtful disposition; these are the things I would expect to attract me to a woman." Pike had listened quietly as he spoke, but as he had reached the end of his sentence he had donned the biggest smile yet. Hands folded casually in front of his face, he leaned towards Spock almost conspiratorially and whispered:

"And Cadet Newman isn't really any of those, is she?"

Spock took note of the fact that general, non-specific inquiries were apparently not his forte.

A/N: Review please.