Sorry for the wait and sorry this isn't longer but it's the second half of chapter 24 and I hope to be updating again by this coming weekend! Thanks for the support guys and for hanging in there!

Enterprise-

Seraphina had booked it out of that mess hall as fast as her little legs could carry her, which was quite fast. She fought against the rising emotion that threatened to spill from her in the form of a thousand tears. How could he do something like that to her? Ignoring everyone else Seraphina didn't stop until she reached her room and then proceeded to lock the door, even though Spock had the override code to gain entry. Still she hoped that if he did come to her and found that his first attempt at the lock was denied that he might leave her alone. Even though she didn't really want him to leave her alone, she wanted him with her, by her side logically explaining himself away and taking her curse words in stride as per usual. Sliding down against the door Seraphina sat on the floor and rested her head upon her knees.

"Ashayam?" It felt like a year by the time Seraphina heard the 'access denied' machine voiced on the other side of her door, "There had been a misunderstanding, open the door."

"There better have been a miss understanding! I'm this close to kicking your alien butt!" Agatha's loud and angry voice can be clearly heard through the walls.

"Beloved, open thy door for me." Spock pointedly ignores Agatha and speaks to Seraphina in Vulcan.

Seraphina opens her mouth to speak, to say yes, to say hell no, but nothing comes out. It's as if her ability to speak has been robbed from her, stolen by the betrayal she felt in her heart. Tears were close but she refused to let them spill, to let them over take her because then she might never stop. She leans her head against the door and listens as Spock continues to try and appeal to her in both English and Vulcan while Agatha threatens him from close by.

At least Spock is wise enough to not use his override code right away, he wants her to know that she has a choice when it comes to him. That she is allowed her own space, even though in this moment he wants nothing more than to break down the door and take her into his arms and explain what it was that she saw in the mess hall. It wasn't what she or anyone else thought and he needed to tell her that. But in order to do that he needed her to open the door. It had to be her choice though, to open the door, he wasn't going to force her. He would stand there though for as long as it took.

"Agatha why don't you share my quarters for the night? I'll take you there now." Christine Chapel was told by Kirk who was told by Uhura that Spock had screwed up big time and that Seraphina had locked herself in her quarters with Spock begging entry while Agatha threatened him, she assumed the couple would need their privacy and therefore made her offer to Agatha.

"Sure, doesn't look like I'll be getting into mine anytime soon." Agatha crossed her arms and consented grumpily all while glaring at Spock, they'd been standing outside the girl's quarters for over a half hour now.

"Please my beloved, open the door." Spock tried again after Agatha and Nurse Chapel left him there alone, he would beg for another ten minutes before to door finally opened.

Spock entered before the door had even opened all the way, not taking the chance that he may be shut out once again. Taking in the small room he quickly located Seraphina sitting at the kitchen table, leaning back in the chair with her arms crossed tightly as she refused to look him in the eye. Spock joined her, allowing the silence to continue on for a moment long before he went on to explain, logically, what it was that Seraphina had seen.

"T'hy'la, what you believe you saw happen in the mess hall this afternoon and what actually happened are two different things," he began, "Lt. Uhura and I were engaging in conversation when she mentioned her niece that had been recently born. I was curious as to the welfare of the child due to the fact that I had knowledge of the difficulties of her sister's pregnancy. Lt. Uhura was showing me her memories of the child." The whole truth and nothing but the truth.

"Okay." Seraphina replied numbly, staring at non-existent spot on the table.

"It was not appropriate for her to have done so by such a familiar touch, however she meant no offence toward you." Spock added increasingly worried about Seraphina's current state. "She has no desire for me, our relationship is firmly in the past."

"Okay." She answered again.

"You do not seem okay." Spock commented furrowing his brow ever so slightly.

"Why were you spending your free time playing with you ex while I was stuck in this God forsaken room 24/7?" Seraphina looked up at him, her voice was tense but quiet, her eyes held rage and hurt.

"Lt. Uhura and I did play chess twice since we left Terra, once was the second day of our travel the other was yesterday. Both events took place after I visited with you. She was attempting to calm my mind so that I would be able to better contemplate out current situation." Spock responded.

"Fucking logical answer for everything." Seraphina mumbled under her breath while she fidgeted slightly in her chair, Spock clearly heard her but said nothing.

So maybe Chekov had over exaggerated, and maybe she had overreacted a bit. But what the hell was she supposed to think when her fiancé's gorgeous ex just happens to be hanging around him and touching him? Especially when touching is a big deal in his culture? Damn logical answers for everything, now she wasn't just mad at him she was mad at herself. She couldn't even just be pissed at him for a day with ending up endangering herself or looking stupid for it. Damnit. But another question popped up in her head.

"Why didn't you talk to me about what was going on?" She wondered staying defensive.

"I did not wish to worry you anymore than you already are. It is my duty to protect you and I am." Spock answered simply.

"Around and around we go! You need to talk to me about stuff! This has got to be the third or fifth time we've ended up in a bad place because you're not communicating with me!" She shouted at him, throwing her hands up in the air.

"I-" He started.

"No you've promised me you won't keep things from me and that you'll talk to me but you're doing it again. Spock I know you want to protect me but what you're doing only ends up hurting me." She explained exasperatedly. When was he going to get it through his thick skull?

"You are correct. I have failed you once again." Spock lowered his head at his admission to failure. She was his to care for, to keep safe and yet he was usually the one to hurt her! She deserved a better mate, Spock felt so ashamed.

"Hey," Seraphina reached across the table and laid her hand over his, Spock was surprised to feel that she still loved him and not surprised that she was still angry with him. "This whole shutting down and keeping what you're thinking to yourself isn't going to work for us. You need to tell me what you're thinking Spock."

"You are correct Ashayam, I will endeavor to never fail you again." The promise was made verbally and mentally.

"Spock, actions speak far louder than words, human saying," she threw in when she felt his confusion, "tell me what's on your mind. I know you want to protect me from all the scary things in the universe but with what's going on that's going to be impossible and the universe is not always rainbows and sunshine. You're treating me like a fragile piece of glass, I'm not just someone you need to protect I'm someone you need to treat like an equal."

"I treat you-" Spock went to defend himself.

"Spock since we've gotten on this ship I've felt like little more than another cadet to you. Which I know you're a Commander and I'm a Cadet and obviously that's going to create issues sometimes separating work and our personal life but right now we need to be a team, we need to be equals." She impressed the idea upon him. "You're my superior in about three or four different ways Spock but when it comes down to it we need to be on the same level."

"I believe I understand." Spock answered.

"If you do then you'll start talking." Seraphina replied pulling her hand back and crossing her arms once more waiting for him to begin.

They spent the rest of the day talking, well mostly Spock voicing his concerns and instead of getting defensive or angry about how ridiculous some of those fears were, Seraphina listed carefully. It was important for Spock to understand that he could talk to her about anything and everything. She had thought they had reached an understanding about this weeks ago but as it turned out it was going to take more than one strongly worded conversation for it to get past his thick Vulcan skull. Despite the urge to yell at him that SHE WAS NOT A CHILD, she held it in and stayed quiet. Seraphina was capable of being a diplomatic adult about all this. Spock would just need to be constantly reminded that despite her being about 14 years young then him she's not a child or a fragile piece of glass that needs to be hidden away and protected. It was important that before they bonded Spock saw them as equals, something Seraphina only felt they were every once in a while otherwise he was experienced older commanding officer/teacher. Pretty sure she'd landed about a million girls fantasy.

As Spock got the end of his horribly long list of all the awful things that could happen to Seraphina, they went from legitimate ones about the Sher'Mec attempting to kill her to the ridiculous like her wondering down to engineering and losing a finger or a limb. She was surprised she hadn't bitten her tongue off with how hard she'd been biting it. When it came to her turn Seraphina reiterated what she had said before that they need to be equals and that over half of Spock's fears were illogical (okay there was logic behind them but seriously why the hell would she ever willingly run down to engineering and try to fix something?) and that he needed to let them go. After trying to convince him for over two hours Spock reluctantly agreed. Seraphina did however share some of this same fears, like being killed by the damn Sher'Mec, others around them suffering because they chose to help her.

By the end of the night both parties felt like a weight had been lifted from their shoulders, they understood one another better and where on the way to a much healthier level in their relationship.

5 Days Away from Betazed-

The Jones girls were in much better spirits as the Enterprise continued onto Betazed. They were granted the space they needed from each other during the day which made it possible for them to keep sharing quarters. Gone was the urge to maim one another. Agatha had also stopped her threatening of Spock once she saw the couple calmly and quietly eating breakfast the morning after the fight. Seraphina still had yet to formally meet Lt. Uhura but presently she had no desire too. Maybe when all this shit was over she'd had the control necessary when meeting a fiancés gorgeous ex, something she definitely did not have that day in the mess. Everything had turned out to be a miss understanding and honestly the woman was risking her career and her life to help them, thinking back on the way she'd approached them Seraphina felt like an idiot.

This afternoon Seraphina sat in the game room with Agatha and Ensign Jefferson who was a somewhat new engineer who was studying under the great and all powerful Scotty. At least that's what he referred to the man as. The girls could not stop laughing over Jefferson's serious man crush. It was more than adorable it was, all sorts of cute. The three of them were enjoying a nice card game when the ship shook.

A second later the alarm sounded.

"This is Captain Kirk we are being pursued and shot at by a foreign ship. Would both Cadet Jones's return to their quarters." Kirk's voice sounded out above them, the girls shared a look before dashing off to their quarters, and Jefferson went to the engineering deck.

As they ran down the corridors they passed other people running to and fro unaware that they were bumping into each other. At their room Seraphina punched in the code and then shoved her sister inside before getting in herself. This was not good. They were too far away from Betazed, and everyone knew it was the Sher'Mec who was firing on them. By the constant shaking of the ship Seraphina shut her eyes, clenched her jaw, and held back her fear as she thought 'he won't stop until I'm dead'. The sudden stillness of the ship had her eyes popping open.

"Cadet Seraphina Jones, report to the bridge immediately." Kirk's voice rang out in the quiet of the room and for a moment Agatha tried begging her sister not to with her eyes, she didn't want to be separated from her.

Meanwhile on the Bridge-

The bridge was a chaotic mess, people were running around, typing furiously on their touch screens trying to keep up the ships protective shield while also firing back. Due to the nature of the mission Kirk had only been able to grab a crew half the size of one they needed to stand evenly in a fight. They had sustained a large amount of damage to the right side of the ship before their attacker finally faced them. In a manner of speaking.

"Captain their hailing us." Uhura's voice broke out over the noise.

"Bring it up." Kirk ordered from his Captain's chair.

"Bringing it up now Sir." She answered pressing a few buttons as the screen before them turned black for a moment before lighting up and fixing on a figure cloaked in black.

"This is Captain Kirk of the U.S.S. Enterprise. You are firing upon a Starfleet Federation Vessel-" Kirk stated but was interrupted by a rough voice.

"Why must humans insist on stating the known?" The man pulled back his hood, revealing his wrinkled purple skin and frayed white hair. "You will surrender the human female named Seraphina Jones to me and I shall spare you on this day. If you do not I will kill you all."

"Mind telling me your name? I'd like to know exactly who is threatening my crew." Kirk replied keeping his cool.

"I am Master Gertan of Sher'Tak. Now hand over the human female." The otherwise human looking man spat out.

"No." A voice broke over the quiet on the bridge, a deep baritone full of authority and tightly leashed fury.

"Ah, you are her mate," Gertan was looking over Kirk to where Spock was now standing, "A half breed Vulcan, of all the races yours could have dominated the universe, but instead you gave yourself over to 'logic'." The amount of venom in his voice stunned the crew. "You will hand over your mate or everyone will die. I will give you five minutes to place her on the transport pad." The screen went black once more.

"Captain-" Spock turned to Kirk.

"Spock, we're not letting him take her. He had the advantage when he surprised us but know that everything stopped he can't beat us." Kirk assured his First Officer and friend.

"I understand Captain, however I was going to suggest calling Cadet Jones to the bridge." Spock responded locking his hands together behind his back.

"Why? What are thinking?" Kirk gave the Vulcan a curious look.

"Seraphina has been able to connect with the one whose soul is attached to the Aruzul stone, perhaps that soul can be of use." Spock responded and then confided into the Captain and the immediate crew what his plan was, Scotty and Bones were informed on secure channels as well.

"Everyone ready?" Kirk asked as he went to make the announcement.

Now-

Seraphina had ran all the way to the lift and could hardly stand still as she waited for it to reach the bridge. Once it did she took a deep breath and attempted to prepare herself as she exited.

"Permission to come aboard Captain?" Her voice was shakier then she wanted it to be.

"Permission granted." Kirk gave her a sympathetic smile.

"It's him isn't it?" She asked before either Kirk or Spock could say more. "He wants me or he'll kill the crew."

"Yes." Kirk's smile fell and his face grew into that of a serious battle worn Captain.

"I'll do it." Seraphina responded in a tiny voice looking at the floor, not daring to look at Spock.

"You are not going anywhere Cadet." Kirk spoke up before Spock could. "Your fiancé has quite the plan." He informed her of what was to happen next and what her roll would be.

The next few moments had to go off without a hitch or they'd all be screwed.

What's Spock's plan? Will everyone make it? Do you hate me yet for all this cliffhangers? Review away my lovelies!