Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to Fameanon (and the usual suspects), Ahlysha, maba7x, and Caren Rose for reviewing!

V'Zar, slums, October 31, 2152

Eponine slung the bag of trash over her shoulder, closing the door behind her. The dumpster was just down the street, and she would be back before anyone could get in their apartment and steal anything. She wasn't sure what there was in there to steal, certainly not any money. Yuris kept his credit chip on his person at all times, and was more than capable of defending himself in case of a mugging.

She glanced around to make sure no one was watching her, and she slung the garbage into the dumpster, then turned to go.

She gasped when a warm hand pressed her shoulder, and she tensed before relaxing into their arms, her vision fading to black.

…

When she awoke, she found herself on a plush couch, and an older Vulcan woman was sitting beside her, reading a PADD. She noticed that Eponine was waking up, and she frowned at the alien, looking around the room. She was in some sort of office, decorated yet tasteful, as if it belonged to a king or a baron.

She briefly considered cursing at the woman in French, but decided against it.

"Where am I?"

"You are in the Vulcan Consulate, in V'Zar, Mazar. Forgive the...unsavory methods of bringing you in. Your...caretaker is wanted on Vulcan, and I need to determine what his intentions towards you are."

"Yuris would never-" She stopped and cursed herself, realizing she had used his real name. She swore under her breath. "He is the kindest man I have ever met, and if you hurt him...I won't stand for it."

…

Yuris had a short work day. He was leaving early due to some local holiday that was coming in the next couple days, the entire facility was shutting down. He had not realized this when he went into work, or he would have let Eponine know. He stopped on the way home and purchases some fresh baked bread, and some botanicals that he knew would be agreeable to her. He had been told by some of the local Mazarites that fireworks and festivities would ensue through the weekend, he was going to mention it to her and see if she wished to participate.

As soon as he walked up the stairs to their home he knew something was wrong. The door was ajar slightly, and there were no lights on in the house. His stomach sank.

Entering quietly he saw a large piece of parchment on the wall. He read the words out loud: Eponine is in the custody of the Vulcan Consulate.

He frowned and put his bread and flowers on the table. There was only one thing he could do.

Yuris walked out of the small house, locking the door behind him. He spent the extra money he had and hailed a taxi flitter. "To the Vulcan Consulate," he said, then closed his eyes.

When the driver pulled up to the Consulate, Yuris stepped out, straightened his robes and walked up the steps. He went directly to the reception area and spoke to the secretary.

"I am Yuris, son of T'Kal, and I am here to turn myself in on behalf of Eponine Thenardier. She has done nothing wrong. It is me they are looking for."

The secretary tapped at the com and two guards came forward, and Yuris walked with them of his own will.

…

The woman offered her tea, but Eponine refused it, crossing her arms over her chest. She was angry at the old woman for taking her away from Yuris. He was probably getting worried by now; he didn't panic, but he was bound to be concerned for her. However, getting angry at the woman wouldn't do anything for him.

So Eponine began to cry.

"Whatever is the matter, girl?" the woman said, trying to come closer, perhaps comfort her. Eponine shrunk away.

"How could you?" she whimpered. "How could you condemn him? He has committed no crime, he hasn't harmed anyone, and yet you treat him like he's a monster!"

"We'll see," the woman said calmly, and the door opened. Two Vulcan guards stationed themselves on either side of the door, and Yuris came forward.

Eponine rushed to him and embraced him, burying her head into his chest. "Don't take him away from me, madame," she moaned, squeezing him tightly. "He's all I have in this world."

She sniffed and turned to her. "Don't take mon ange away from me." Don't take my angel.

Yuris embraced her with tenderness and lifted her chin."I will give you my credit chip, Eponine, and you will be fine. I promise you." The ghost of a smile touched his lips as he stroked her hair, but he looked at the ambassador. "I would ask that you see her to safety, perhaps a better location where she will not have to worry about criminals. I know I am in not position to ask for favors, but since she is blameless, I think it only logical that you aid her."

He looked down at Eponine again. "It will be ok, Eponine." His voice was gentle as he reasurred her, pressing his credit chip into her hands.

"No, monsieur," she whispered, not wanting to believe this was real.

"I won't need it, and there is plenty of money on there for you to begin a new life." He closed his eyes, then slowly releasing her, stepped forward to V'Lar. "I am Yuris, the one you have sought. She is blameless. Please, release her."

V'Lar raised an eyebrow and gestured to the guards. "Take her to the lobby. I'll send word to you in a moment."

Eponine shook her head and clung to Yuris, but he turned to her and released her hold on him. "Go with them, Eponine," he whispered. "Go...you will be all right."

Tears filled her eyes, but she bowed her head and went away with the guards.

…

V'Lar gestured for him to sit, and he did so, looking confused.

"Have you ever melded with her, Yuris of Shi'Kahr?"

Yuris shook his head no, "I have touched her mind while she was sleeping. When I first found her she was emaciated and suffered post traumatic nightmares, but it was not a meld, a simple guidance to ease her fevered dreams nothing more."

He took a seat as he was directed. "She was raped by multiple men at one point in her life and was...understandably traumatized. I have not harmed her, ambassador, nor have I melded with her to do my bidding. I found her in the Forge near death, and have nursed her back to health."

The doctor looked down at his hands, and a sudden dread of her not thriving with him locked away filled him. He looked up at V'Lar, a sudden defiance filling his heart. "You will see to her, Ambassador. See that she is taken care of and is safe."

"No, Yuris of Shi'Kahr, you will do that."

He frowned. "She has done nothing wrong. If you are implying she will go to prison with me-"

She held up a hand. "She would follow you to prison, or to death, but you are free to go. A V'tosh katur might have attacked me by now, or have gotten angry with me for taking his beloved away."

"She is not-"

"She should be," V'Lar insisted. "She is devoted to you. I could feel it from her from across the room. You should have sensed it by now, but I guess you were blinded by your concern for her. Go...you were never here. I do not know where you live or how you got here. I have never seen you on Mazar. Am I understood?"

Yuris stood up, his eyes wider than before, "I...I...understand." He raised the ta'al to her, "Peace and long life, Ambassador. You will not hear from us again." he bowed to her and then swiftly walked from the office as if she might change her mind.

He made his way from her office not looking at anyone in the eyes. His mind was a tumble with relief and confusion. Those who were after him were claiming him to be a V'tosh katur, a Vulcan without logic as well as a melder. The Ambassador thought that Eponine desired him. He could scoff at both things; they were not true. Eponine saw him as her caregiver, nothing more, but it was enough for him.

…

Eponine was pacing by the time Yuris came out of the ambassador's office, and she turned to him expectantly. He went directly to her. "Eponine..." he said softly. "Come, we are to leave together...I will explain what I know when we are gone."

She could have cried with relief as they went down the steps of the Consulate together. She took his hand and squeezed, and did not let go as they walked together through the darkening streets. He glanced down at their joined hands, and she smiled ruefully.

"We're supposed to be lovers, remember?" she said, caressing his hand with her thumb. "And..." She couldn't finish her sentence. She still felt scared and insecure, even though they were apparently free to go, and holding his hand made her feel safe. And she liked holding his hand. It was so simple, so delightfully simple, walking hand in hand under the deepening twilight. Her face still felt hot from her meltdown, and the cool evening air felt good against her skin.

This felt a little too much like the past. Sure, she had had her run-ins with the law, but she had always managed to get away. And now she realized how deadly the Vulcans could be. She had thought herself a keen lookout, but they had snuck up on her without a single noise. She squeezed his hand harder, then relaxed her grip back to normal. She didn't want to make him uncomfortable.

"I was scared for you," she whispered, not sure what else to say.

Yuris squeezed her hand and pulled her into a hug. "My chosen brother would have aided you, Eponine, and possibly myself too. However, logic has won the day, Eponine, and Ambassador V'Lar is now an ally. She knows the truth." He placed her head on his shoulder and stroked her hair.

"I have brought you some bread; it is fresh just from the oven the way you like it, and I purchased some flowers for your room. The ones you say remind you of the star gazer lily," he whispered into her hair. "So let us return to our home. I will make you food, and we will put this behind us."

She squeezed him. "Not yet," she whispered. The alleyway they were in was empty, and she wanted to linger in this. His scent was swirling in and out of her nose, and she closed her eyes, following its trail from his chest to his neck, and like a hound on the scent of the fox, she trailed her nose around his neck and back again, breathing in his masculine aroma.

She kissed his cheek, letting her lips linger on his warm skin a little longer than was necessary, then took his hand again and walked back to their home. She felt better now, safe and secure, and contented. She wasn't going to be alone; she still had Yuris. She still had her angel.

…

Yuris's cheek felt hot where her lips had been and as "improper" as it was to hold hands the way they were he could not pull his hand away. As they made their way to their home the words V'Lar spoke lingered in his mind. I can sense her devotion to you clear across the room. He could, if he let himself, search through their skin contact, but then he would be the monster (at least in his mind) that the Command had accused him of being.

He suddenly felt conflicted. Should he speak to her on this matter or not? If he did, and her feelings were not as V'Lar seemed to think, then he had taken from her the one point of safety she felt she had. If she did feel that way...

He gasped audibly. He looked at her and wondered if she might, really might feel that way about him. If she did, how would he discover it without threatening her security?

He unlocked the door to their home and entered first checking for any disturbances. He then bid her enter.

...

"What would you like to eat this evening, Eponine?" he asked, letting go of her hand and the temptation to search her thoughts.

She sat down at the table. "Give me some of that leftover bextal root, and let's have...you called it stir fry?"

He nodded and handed her the root, and her fingers accidentally brushed his as he handed it to her; she gasped, longing to press into that fleeting sensation, but she moved her hand away out of respect for him. She wasn't even sure if he felt the same way as she did...he saw her as a project, only a friend, nothing more. Just like Marius...he was only doing this out of duty.

But to turn himself in to save you? her brain mocked, and she closed her eyes briefly against the onset of tears as she began chopping the root up. She blinked it away and concentrated on not cutting herself. As if he needed more to worry about.

He added some of the vegetables to the wok-like pan, pouring in some vegetable stock and spices for a nice sauce. He bent and put the bread in the oven to warm it up and when he stood again he came face to face with her. She was holding up the root she just chopped.

She watched him swallow and take the root. "You know, V'Lar said the strangest thing to me, Eponine...She said that she could feel a certain...devotion coming from you, toward me."

"How can I not, monsieur?" she murmured, continuing the same routine on another vegetable. "You saved my life, you cared for me when you could have kicked me out into the street, you brought me here...you say all the time that all you have is mine...and then you give all of it up so I can go free..."

She felt a tear slide down her cheek, and she shook her head, willing herself not to cry. He was the most wonderful, caring person she had ever met; it had taken all this to make her realize how much she cared about him, and now that she had made that discovery, she was worried he wouldn't feel the same way. She would be rejected again, just like Marius had rejected her. He didn't feel that way about her, and it was best to let him go.

Yuris moved forward and caught the tear sliding on her cheek. "I am in love with you, Eponine," he said.

She looked up at him, and he opened his arms wide. "All that I have is yours, and I am here to do what you wish. Without you, I have no logical reason to continue, and yet in saying this now, I do not wish to steal your safety from you. If your devotion does not include that feeling for me, then I will live content in taking care of you for as long as I live...but if it does...Eponine, I would have you as my wife."

She stared at him, speechless for a few moments, and then she jumped out of her chair and into his arms. She didn't even think as she sealed her lips over his and pressed, and her other hand sneaked into his hair and made a gentle fist. She let it go after a moment and wrapped her arms around his neck, and yet she found herself unable to keep her hands in one place. She felt the need to touch him all over, to stroke his strong chest and back, to caress the back of his neck, to cup his cheek, to run her fingers through his hair. The vegetables she was supposed to be chopping laid forgotten as she moved the kiss into something slow and sensual, and even though she was hungry, she was more willing to not eat tonight than have to let him go. She had waited too long for this...dinner could wait.

She felt a jolt of electricity run down her spine when he picked her up and held her closer, and it aroused her to think that he could hold her there with ease. His kiss deepened, and she went willingly, slowing the kiss even further. The sun slipped down below the horizon, and the room started to get dark, but still she kissed him. She didn't know how long they stood there, completely engrossed in each other, but she couldn't bring herself to take her hands off of him.

The fire alarm sounded, and suddenly there was a cloud of smoke enveloping them both. Yuris put her behind him and turned; it was the wok, it and all the food in it had caught fire. He pushed Eponine back to a safe distance and got the fire suppressor out, then fired it at the wok, and it was out quickly.

He walked over and looked at their ruined food, then turned back to Eponine. "Perhaps I should take you out for dinner this evening?" he said, a green flush spreading over his cheeks and nose.

He held out his hand to her. "Eponine, I wish a physical relationship with you, but before we cross that barrier...I will make you my wife, and we will speak on what it means to be with a Vulcan man." He pulled her into his chest and held her. "We must eat this evening. We will get that take out and return here to be together in this new way, where we embrace each other as potential mates."

"I like the sound of that," she whispered, blushing furiously. She should have thought about the food cooking on the stove unit, but he tasted so good...

"That was my fault, Yuris, I'm sorry."

He swiftly kissed her lips. "I am as guilty as you; I did not think about the food either."

"You taste better than any food, mon ange," she whispered, kissing his nose. "Take-out sounds very appealing."