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Chapter 11. Sex and the Single Vulcan, part I

This chapter written by TalesFromTheSpockSide.

I'm just going on shift one morning when I hear my name being paged shipwide, calling me to Sickbay. Sickbay? My mind races; is my roommate hurt? Do they need something repaired?

I walk into the main ward and tell the medic there who I am, and she nods toward Dr. McCoy's office. "In there," she says. "He's waiting for you."

I stand before the door and touch the pad, hear the chime in the next room, and the door whisks open. "Come on in," says Dr. McCoy and I do. The door closes.

"You wanted to see me, Doctor?" Then I realize that there's someone else in the room, standing, hovering, wandering, hands before him, clasped as if in prayer. Spock. I tear my eyes from him to find McCoy's blue eyes on me. They're not their usual twinkling selves.

"Have a seat, Ensign," he says and I sit in the chair in front of his desk and wait. I've found that senior officers appreciate someone who can keep their mouth shut and listen.

"Commander Spock has come to me with a medical issue that he thinks you can help him with," says McCoy. "I'm here to make sure you understand what he's asking you to do."

I glance at Spock, wondering why he's not talking to me himself, and the doctor tells me, "He asked me to speak to you. You'll understand after I've explained it."

He tells me about Vulcan biology, the mating instinct, the bond Spock had that was broken by T'Pring. I knew about T'Pring, but not about pon farr.

"Vulcan males endure this condition every seven years, give or take," McCoy says. "For reasons unknown, it's occurring ahead of schedule this time. He hasn't had the chance to make arrangements."

"Arrangements? For what?" I'm still confused about my role in all this.

"For a partner." Spock's voice emerges from the shadows, low, harsh. "I must have a female for the duration of this time. To help me through it. To couple with me."

Enlightenment. I address Spock. "Of course, if I can do anything - "

"Before you agree to anything," the doctor breaks in, "let me tell you exactly what this entails. I know you and Spock have been sleeping together for some time now, but this is not what you think.

"Vulcan control is even more necessary than most humans think. Their strength is typically three times that of a healthy human. Their emotions are correspondingly extreme. During pon farr, he will be at the mercy of his body and his emotions; he'll be unable to control himself. At all.

"He may have periods where he doesn't know who you are - or care. He may say or do things he'll be ashamed of later. He may say or do things that will hurt you, emotionally or physically."

McCoy is watching me as he goes on. "This condition usually prevails for several days. The only other time I've seen Spock deal with it, it lasted ten days and he came out of it after he thought he'd killed the captain."

"Mate, kill, or die," says the specter wandering the room.

"Now, like I said," McCoy continues, "I know you and Spock have been enjoying each other sexually. But I don't want you thinking this would be an exciting, week-long fuck fest. This is life or death for him, and it could be dangerous for you."

"What are the alternatives?" I ask firmly, confidently. I hope.

"Sedation, which may or may not work," says the doctor. "Restraints, or isolation. Or finding another female willing to risk it for him, preferably a Vulcan woman."

"Doesn't sound likely, does it?" I say and McCoy shakes his head slowly. He leans forward on his desk and his tone softens a little.

"Listen, this is above and beyond the call of duty. Whatever understanding you and he have, he knows this is asking a lot. That's why he wanted me to talk to you; he didn't trust himself to be fair and objective." He takes a deep breath, lets it out. "It's probably none of my business, but do you care about him?"

I've never even asked myself that question, but the answer seems obvious. "I do, very much."

The specter halts in his pacing and his brown eyes come up to meet mine.

"If I were your sister," I say softly to the blue eyes, "would you be okay with it?"

McCoy leans back again and considers.

"I don't know about okay," he says at last. "But I think I'd understand. And for what it's worth, I care about that green-blooded hobgoblin too."

"You are fortunate, then, that I do not prefer males, Doctor," says Spock, emerging from the shadows with a faint smirk. "Or I might be importuning you for help."

"Shut up, Spock. Well?"

I realize the doctor is addressing me; I'm still registering the brusque exchange between two old, trusted friends.

"I'm willing," I say. "What do I need to do?"

*

I enter Spock's quarters feeling like I'm going on a blind date. I have some personal effects with me, in addition to various items I've left in his quarters before. Dr. McCoy checked us each out medically. I was grateful to him for his professional demeanor, but also for the moment when I slid down off the table and he said to me, out of the corner of his mouth, "Oh, and leave your sonic screwdriver at home, missy."

I grinned. He must have figured out how we'd broken in, last time he was on shore leave.

Now I stand in Spock's living area, wearing loose, comfortable clothing, heart pounding. What am I doing? Will he really die if I don't do this? Then Spock turns to me, after securing the door, and I realize he's probably thinking the same thing. His deep-set eyes search my face; he comes over to me and takes both my hands in his. They're hot, hotter than I've ever felt them.

"I cannot tell you what it means to me, that you are here," he says softly. "I did not expect you to agree to this."

"I can't let you die, Spock," I say, a little shakily, and he smiles down at me and puts his arms around me, gathering me to him. I lay my head on his chest and listen to the hum of his voice.

"You are afraid," he says and I nod. "I cannot change your fear. Indeed, it may become more intense at times during the course of this trial. I can only tell you that, whatever happens between us, I am still here. I am still your lover, your Vulcan. However strangely I may behave, remember - it is still me."

He sounds almost desperate and I hug him tighter and feel his hand come up to stroke my hair. We stand in silence for a minute and then I lift my head and stand on tiptoe, pull his head down for a long, soft kiss. When we part he takes my face in his hands and kisses it all over, my forehead, my cheeks, even the bridge of my nose, which makes me smile.

"Each time we make love," he murmurs, "it is all new again."

The secret of a great lover, I think. Every time is the first time.

x

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Reviews for this chapter as it existed before this whooshing together.

ejectingthecore:

Every time is the first time. You're such a romantic! I really like the ways this starts. Nice.

hot4edward:

So far, so good, nothing scary...yet. Hopefully their love and their connection will help temper the crazy times for him.

StarTrekFanWriter:

I really like the Spock/McCoy interaction in this chapter.