Character/Pairing: Uhura/Spock, McCoy, Kirk, Sulu, Adam Braxton, others

Rating: M

Summary: McCoy and Uhura meet with the settlers. Uhura gets a surprise. Or two.

There was relative calm over the next couple of days as Uhura worked to fix and download Braxton's data pads to their tricorders. McCoy was busy too as people started coming by in groups of two and three to meet him and get checked out.

Uhura saw McCoy's legendary Southern charm swing into action and it helped their cause out a lot in winning the settlers' trust. She noted McCoy's passing anger in his eyes when Denita off-handedly remarked that since Brian had gone, there had been no doctor for them to go to. Uhura and McCoy exchanged looks. But all in all, it was a successful interaction, since it also allowed McCoy to share the recorded details of the shape-shifting plant from Spock's tricorder.

It was quiet now that the visitors, who promised to search for the plant, had gone back to their settlement. Spock had taken to meditating, with McCoy and Uhura working on their respective tricorders.

'Damnit.' McCoy stopped working. 'Jim better get his ass back here fast. I'm running out of room on my medical tricorder for all this data I've collected.'

'Just use Spock's.'

'It's not the same and that's not the point. The longer we're in this godforsaken place, the odds'll keep mounting against us. And I'll be damned if I'm running around at night like a lunatic.' McCoy paused, 'No offense, Spock.'

Spock didn't answer and McCoy continued, 'What did you think about Denita's remark on Brian? He's a real bastard for not fulfilling his original obligations as a doctor.'

'I have a feeling this conflict goes a lot deeper than him just stopping being a doctor. I think these folks got a lot closer to those Romulans than they're letting on.'

'When do you think you'll get those data pads working again? I'm really curious as to what kind of research could be on them.' McCoy scratched his beard absently. And then stroked his beard when Uhura smiled at him.

'I think you should keep that beard, Len. You look good. Very rugged. Muy macho.'

'Really? Hmmmm.' He cocked an eyebrow at her and pretended to twirl his mustache.

Uhura laughed. Then she stopped and stared over at Spock who had been lying on one of the bunks.

'Oh Jesus, Ny! Why do you do that!?' McCoy whipped his head around and followed her gaze to Spock, who was apparently mastering the fine art of shifting. He did it two more times, unmoving, eyes closed with hands clasped over his chest, like some kind of sleeping god.

McCoy whispered to her, 'See? This is what I'm afraid of. The longer he's in this, the harder it'll be to get him out of it.' He shook his head and prayed to high heaven for Jim to come back soon.

The days and nights started to drag by as the initial excitement of finding the scouting party wore off. Braxton came by to visit often, sometimes in werewolf form, which was rather surreal. McCoy would stand outside waving his medical scanner at him and they would watch each other warily before Braxton got bored and wandered off.

The others would come by too, though they were much shyer and kept their distance. Uhura would stand on a ledge inside, peering out of the window watching for the pairs of glowing eyes that moved in the dark. She could always recognize when it was Spock.

McCoy's unease had been growing to the point where he was reluctant to stray very far from the outpost. The gash in his calf was healing well, but he picked at the scab constantly, bitching about how it itched. He was really a terrible patient, Uhura thought.

'Len, you know what to watch out for. Stop being so paranoid. Besides, you're always lecturing everyone about getting exercise and being healthy and all that. So put that damned tricorder down and let's get outside and get some fresh air.'

He grumbled, but they decided it was best to go check on the comm. link booster, which was only a few minutes walk away, up a small hill nearby.

'Tell me again, Ny, why the fuck we should trust these people?' McCoy cursed as he and Uhura bent over the damaged equipment. She was muttering a few of her own curses as she picked up some pieces, assessing the extent of the damage.

'We don't know, Len. It could've been an accident. Braxton said before how they had damaged their own stuff when they were shifted. We can't just go accusing people of being Romulan collaborators. And please, don't bring this up with any of them until we can talk to Spock.'

'Would you give me some credit? Jeez, between you and Jim and Spock, you'd think I'm some greenhorn. Damnit, I may just be a country doctor, but I know a thing or two about not pissing off creatures that can eat my ass!'

They hauled the equipment back to the outpost with the hope of fixing and re-installing it on the roof of the outpost where they could keep a better eye on it. McCoy grumbled about why they hadn't done that in the first place and Uhura glared at him.

McCoy knew he was spared from Uhura's comeback when Spock showed up, looking very dirty and tired and a little put out…for a Vulcan.

'What happened to you?' McCoy took out his scanner and ordered Spock to sit down. 'Jesus, Spock, please tell me you haven't been fighting again. Ny, could you help me out here?'

Uhura got out the supplies and they started cleaning and bandaging up Spock's cuts. Mostly superficial, though there was a nasty one on his chest. Seeing the green, rough gash splitting his skin took some getting used to. Uhura let McCoy take over.

'The comm. link was destroyed. I followed the young ones from their encampment, but there were too many of them for me to effectively protect it.'

'I might be able to fix it. But I don't get it Spock. I really don't. What do a bunch of kids get from sabotaging the comm. link?' Uhura sought out Spock's mind, as much as she wanted to reach out and hold Spock's hand, she knew how McCoy had a way of noticing these things.

'Perhaps to prevent an established Federation presence? Uknown. Insufficient data. I do know that the doctor, Brian, is their leader.' Spock closed his eyes briefly.

McCoy sighed, 'Why don't you go clean up and rest, Spock?' He avoided looking at the two of them. Rest? Yeah, right. He wished he could go hide in his office in Sickbay right now. It really sucked being stuck with two people madly in love with each other.

Uhura turned the sonic to its highest settings and got in the shower with Spock, tugging off his blanket. He crushed her to his body, burying his nose in her hair, breathing in deeply and then kissing her.

She could feel the exhaustion gnawing at him, but he burned for her too, that fading bloodlust turning into merely lust. And he wasn't willing to let that go. He pulled at her zipper, but she stopped him. 'No, Spock. He'll hear us. Let me.' She looked up at him and he closed his eyes, acquiescing. The sonics pulsed and hummed over their bodies. He was half-erect already, but his control was still tightly wound.

'Let go, baby. Just relax.' She teased him with her tongue and when she took him into her mouth deeply, he finally relaxed enough that his cock swelled. He was incredibly close already, and it didn't take long for her to make him come. She was on her knees, hands gripping his spread thighs when he climaxed.

She wasn't prepared for him to shift though. It was disconcerting to feel his skin become furred so rapidly under her hands or the clawed fingers holding the back of her neck. He pumped his hips as he came, her lips firmly around his cock. He settled down into his normal self and she looked up at him wide-eyed as she wiped her mouth.

'I…apologize, ashayam.' He was panting. 'I am still trying to assert my biocontrols. Clearly, there is progress yet to be made. Thank you, however.' He sighed, closing his eyes, and let his head hit the back of the shower. The sonics continued to pulse around them and Uhura stood up.

'No problem, babe.' She smirked and gave him a peck on his cheek before stepping out of the shower. She was out of the bathroom before Spock, who was re-wrapping himself.

It was Sulu she noticed first, over by the door staring up at the ceiling. McCoy and the Captain were sitting at the table. Kirk staring intently at McCoy's medical tricorder. McCoy looked up and folded his arms.

Kirk looked up at Uhura, 'Lieutenant.' His face was blank.

Spock fell in beside her, hands clasped behind his back.

'Aaand Mr. Spock.' Kirk got up and walked over to them. 'It's good to see the both of you in such fine shape.' There was a glint in his eyes as he looked down at Uhura. 'When I give you an order to get down, Lieutenant, I expect that it's followed. Instead, you ran off, causing everyone a great deal of concern. You're lucky to be alive.' His golden eyes snapped at her. 'Well?'

'Yes, Captain. I'm very sorry. I was disoriented. And scared.' She kept her eyes straight ahead, watching McCoy drum his fingers on the table in her peripheral vision. Sulu was still staring at the ceiling.

'Understandable. Please don't let it happen again. And may I now have the honor of kissing the bride?' Kirk smiled broadly at her, his hands on her shoulders.

'Oh Captain, of course you can! It's good to have you back!' She laughed and Kirk kissed her on both cheeks and hugged her tight. Spock stood stiffly at attention.

Sulu came over and hugged her as well as Kirk slapped Spock on the shoulder, 'Well, congratulations, Mr. Spock! Nice uniform. You look like hell!'

Spock thawed somewhat and nodded his head, 'Thank you Captain for your well-wishes. I am glad that you have returned. I think you will find the current situation rather perplexing.'

'Perplexing, Spock? You're a werewolf. Which, by the way, I find absolutely fascinating.'

Spock quirked an eyebrow at him and was silent.