Previously:

It was quite human, he realized as he was in the act of pulling back his arm. Any self respecting Vulcan would have resorted to a non lethal pinch. Scratch that: any self respecting Vulcan wouldn't have found himself in this position.

Never the less, Spock's white knuckled fist connected with the corner of Japheth's smug smirk in a glorious arc of perfectly sculpted muscle and cartilage. The later dropped to the floor with a sickening thud followed by the crowd arresting sound of a breaking glass tumbler.

At once, all eyes were upon them.

X-X-X

CHAPTER 13

"Oh good lord." Nyota breathed, as her hand flew to her forehead.

The silence in the ballroom was apprehending.

Jaepeth lay sprawled on the floor completely unconscious. The shatters of glass sprinkled around his head like glitter.

Captain Pike was at once at Spock's side with a mixture of unadulterated pride, and shock brimming from his bright gray eyes. He surveyed the situation pragmatically and instantly whispered, "Take Nyota and leave now. You know your objective."

Without even a nod of acquiescence, Spock turned on his heel, grabbed Nyota's wrist, and made for the top of the stairs. Still in shock, she followed lamely, looking behind her at the crowd of shocked and confused faces as they slowly crowded in around the unconscious form.

It wasn't until they were out side that Nyota looked up at the man tugging her along. His brow was down cast, and she could tell he was lost in his own thoughts.

"Spock?" She asked sternly, pulling her arm from his grasp in a poor attempt to gain his attention.

He looked back at her for only a moment as he continued on down the street. If she was hoping to have a heart to heart, he was having none of it, as he briskly continued on towards his goal. The fact that she failed to use his proper title did little to bristle his attention. A very small part of him realized at once that he relished her sudden lack of formality. He scowled further.

She stood for only a moment gapping at his back, before she followed after. The combination of entirely too high stilettos paired with his long stride made catching up to him an impossibility. He was half way across the street before she called out,

"Please… wait."

He stopped abruptly halfway across the cross walk. He refused to turn around, afraid of what emotions his face might reveal. Rather, he stood facing forward until she was a few yards behind him, and then continued forward with out her. He only made it two steps.

"Spock!" She yelled at his back. He stopped then, still facing forward. She surveyed him as she approached. His shoulders were tense and she saw that his hand was still shaking. Turning to face him, she demanded his gaze as she placed her hand delicately upon his forearm.

"Are you okay." She asked softly, her deep brown eyes searching his.

"No." he rasped, dropping his gaze to the dirty street, unable to face her bright seeking eyes.

In a moment of possessed boldness, Nyota reached her hand up to his face, sliding her smooth palm along his jaw. Receiving the reaction she was hoping to illicit, Spock's eyes snapped to hers. His piercing gaze caused heat to slide down her abdomen as her heart pounded in her chest.

In his eyes she saw a mixture of raw shame, and shock, mixed with an intensity she could not begin to fathom the meaning of.

"What was that?" she whispered, referring to his highly unorthodox laying out of her slimy boss.

"I don't know," he breathed, looking at her like a lost child. Her palm was warm against his face, and he found himself involuntarily leaning into her hand.

He was shocked at how natural her touch felt to him. Instead of awkward or inappropriate, her touch was comforting in the most debilitating way. In the back of his mind warnings were firing off against frazzled synapses, but he shut the roar of them out. Nothing seemed to exist beyond this moment, beyond her absolute attention, beyond her touch.

With a mind of its own, his hand reached towards her waist. It was greeted with the soft silk of her dress, but he could feel the heat of her skin just beneath. His long fingers wrapped around her rib cage, his thumb brushing upwards. Her sharp intake of breath, and the dilating of her pupils, caused the same response in him.

He was attracted to her.

There was no toeing around the issue any longer. She caused responses in him that where volatile and dangerous. He seemed to forget himself and his upbringing when around her. No amount of meditation would rid her from his mind. His resolve was weakening to the breaking point. His eyes darted down to her pink full lips. Never before had he been so overwhelmed with the desire to press his own lips to another person's.

Nyota noticed the change in his eyes. They became darker and hooded. She had seen other young men's gazes drop to her mouth. Each time she knew they were debating on whether or not to kiss her. She was both surprised and enthralled to see Spock's gaze shift the same. Her judgment grew hazy. The only thoughts at the forefront of her mind were loud and dominating in their demand to not let the moment pass.

Purposefully she took a step closer so that their bodies where nearly touching. He felt the heat coming off her in droves. His head became clouded as he felt his impulses taking over. His hand at her side was on fire as his eyes bored into hers.

He had a choice to make.

He could give into his impulses and sudden insatiable curiosity. Just bend forward to touch his lips to hers. Or, he could step away. The appropriate course of action would naturally be the latter… but he found his insistent impulses demanding the former. He felt his grip on restraint slipping, as he debated. The fact that he was even questioning kissing the cadet was ludicrous. How on earth did it get to this point he wondered, as he fell apart under her cinnamon gaze.

Suddenly they were jarred from the dream

Sucking in breath sharply, Nyota shook her head from side to side as if to clear it, and took a step back. Thus instantly ending the half-vulcan's precarious quandary. His hand dropped to his side, suddenly feeling cold and dejected.

"I…" Nyota started, but her words became clogged in her throat. She didn't know what to say. She couldn't apologize, because she wasn't sorry. And she didn't want to admit any sort of guilt. Nothing had happened after all. Yet… yet that wasn't true and she knew it. Nothing physical had happened, but certain lines had never the less been traipsed right over. Something was building between them. She was not foolish or flighty enough to wonder if she had imagined it. It was common to second guess a moment, and to over analyze the intentions or thoughts of another. But there was no room for that in this situation. The feelings between them had nearly been tangible, as if you could reach out stroke the tension. The small amount of air between their bodies had at once become opaque with the strong mixture of emotions rebounding between them.

She didn't need to lay in her bed later that night and wonder. It was plain. On some level he wanted her. There was a natural magnetism between them that could, and eventually, would not be denied.

They both stood silent as that thought sloshed around in their respective minds: It was only a matter of time. The confusion on the vast emotions that erupted from this thought was overwhelming. And though neither of them voiced it at that time… they both knew it to be the unequivocal truth.

"We should go." Spock replied curtly, as he turned on his heel and started once again down the street.

She breathed in deeply, attempting to compose herself, before following after. She was so wrapped up in the after glow of their shared moment and the jumble of thoughts, that it wasn't until a few blocks later that she realized where they were headed.

The shining tower that was Wyncorp loomed over the skyline a few blocks west.

Of course.

She would be fired the moment Jaepeth came to. If they had any hope of getting past security, it was now. They briskly walked the last few blocks in silence. Just outside the entrance Spock turned to her.

"Will you get us up?" It wasn't a question of her ability, but rather one of her consent. She nodded lamely. Glancing through the glass window, she breathed a sigh of relief that Brian was behind the counter. He had a crush on her. Should be simple enough.

She breathed in slowly, raised her chin, and plastered a brilliant smile on her face.

"Play along," she whispered, as the main entrance door slid open. The only sound in the massive lobby was the echo of her stilettos as they pounded the marble floor. Brian looked up from the monitors and a wide smile broke out on his face as Nyota and some robot approached. He couldn't help but eye her up and down. Spock glared at him.

"Brian," she greeted warmly.

"Ny, you look amazing, how was the gala?"

"Incredibly boring, and unfortunately not over. Mr. Wyndamere asked me to pick up some notes from his desk for Mr. Spock, can you buzz us up?"

"Sure, no problem." Brian smiled, "Just let me check with Mr. Asanti."

"Oh you better not bother him, last I saw him he was chatting up Becky from accounting. He'll be livid if you cock block him." Nyota laughed. Brian started laughing as well while Spock grimaced at both Nyota's vulgar expression and how easily lying came to her.

"Think Becky's after a promotion?" Brian raised his eyebrows.

"I really don't know." Nyota laughed easily leaning slightly over the counter towards Brian, giving him an excellent view of her cleavage. Spock noticed Brian's gaze shift. "Besides we really are in a huge hurry, we're expected back soon." Brian's eyes were nearly popping out of his head.

"Yeah no problem," he told her breasts, as he swiped his pass. The door to the left of the reception station slid open.

"Thanks Brian," Nyota smiled as she walked through it flanked by Spock. Once the door slid closed Spock asked through clenched teeth,

"Was that really necessary?"

"Yes." She replied candidly as she punched the button for the lift. The doors opened, and they both stepped inside. She leaned in close to Spock so she could reach the floor button, her perfume assailing him. He was instantly reminded of the so called incriminating footage from the last time he was alone in an elevator with her. So much had changed. What he wouldn't give for the opportunity to try even the most chaste of kisses.

They rode up in silence, each one deeply lost in thought. Finally Nyota broke the stillness. "Spock?"

"Yes?"

"When we're finished here, we should probably… discuss our…" Her voice trailed off. She was at a loss for what to call it.

"I agree." Spock said softly. She looked over to see he was gazing down at her, his eyes brimming with intensity, and her breath caught in her throat. Just then the bell chimed signaling they had reached their floor. She gave him a weak smile and stepped out of the lift.

At once two arms grabbed her and forced her into the wall. She let out a cry of surprise and pain. Spock had only a moment's thought before he two was jumped, and forced to the ground, his head hitting the tile hard.

Something struck the back of his head powerfully, and the last thing he heard before surrendering to blackness was Nyota scream his name.

(To be cont.)