Hi again! This one's a bit shorter, but I hope you like it. Read on and enjoy!
BadWolf63- Thanks so much for reviewing; it means a lot! And I'm glad you still like the story =)
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Vulcan; ShiKahr
The closer they got to Vulcan, the more the reality of it sunk in. It was really daunting to think about going back to live on a planet that made her feel so unwelcome in the past, especially since her daughter was accompanying her. Would the child have the same experiences that she did?
No. Things are different now.
Indeed, they were. The dry world's overall mood had been cold in her youth, but the aloofness of the elder Vulcan was the coldest thing of all. However, in this case, his presence would be their safe haven. Also, Yesfir still remembered the one occasion that she'd been on the planet before, when she'd gotten to meet her wonderful Human grandmother for the first and only time. That memory was more than enough to cause the young Ryosian to be pleased about coming here.
Eventually, the ship reached its destination and beamed the nervous passengers directly onto the walkway of the homestead. It was odd to see this house again, but as they went inside, the woman's reluctance died down. Sarek was waiting in the sitting room, and rose to his feet upon seeing them.
"Greetings."
Laken smiled, barely able to contain her feelings. In light of their unpleasant history, she couldn't believe how far he'd gone for her. Not only had he saved her life years earlier, but also, when her daughter was about to be stolen from her, he'd travelled such a long distance to stop that from happening. And now, he was opening his home to both of them.
"Grandpa Sarek!"
Before either of the adults could say or do anything, Yesfir had run forward and thrown her arms around Sarek's waist.
"Oh, sweetheart, that's not…"
"It's quite all right."
With a surprisingly relaxed expression, the Vulcan placed his hands upon the girl's shoulders and carefully moved her back. She seemed confused, but her mother swiftly walked to her side.
"Yesfir, he's a Vulcan, remember? They don't show their emotions like we do."
"Like Uncle Spock?"
"Yes," Laken confirmed with a grin, pleased at her understanding. "Yes, like Uncle Spock. They have feelings, but they express them inside their minds."
Yesfir's eyes beamed in realization. After another moment, she gently reached up to the man.
"May I take your hand?"
Sarek offered his palm without hesitation. The contact only lasted for about ten seconds or so, but judging by the soothed look on her face, the elder Ryosian could tell that the child knew his true sentiments.
"Spock never kept many adornments in his quarters," the Vulcan stated, still grasping his granddaughter's hand, "so I had it prepared for her. Is that suitable?"
"Yes, thank you. Do you mind if I go out to the garden for a bit?"
"Not at all."
While her adoptive father took her daughter to her new room, Laken headed out the back door. The garden hadn't really changed; despite Amanda's absence, it appeared that Sarek still tended to the various plants. Their colors reminded her so much of the Human woman who'd saved her life and raised her as her own. In fact, she also found herself thinking about many other things from the past. The lake by her Seattle home had the prettiest pink flowers in the spring, and whenever she and Sheila would take a walk between classes, they'd pass by the campus greenhouse. And the floral life of Ryos…
Then, all of a sudden, everything started pouring out. She collapsed to the ground and hugged herself, not even trying to restrain her sobs. How could any of this be real? The warmest memories of her husband did nothing to calm her. Rafal was dead, and she would never see him again. She would never again feel his reassuring touch, nor would she see the way he looked at his daughter, and at her. They'd always have recollections of him, but for him to actually be gone—
"Laken."
The Ryosian turned around, embarrassed at her appearance.
"Oh, I'm…I'm sorry."
"There is no need to ask forgiveness." Sarek reached down and helped her to her feet. "Come."
They sat upon the nearby bench. Laken wiped at her face, vainly trying to hide her tears from the Vulcan. After a minute or so, she made herself speak.
"How's Yesfir?"
"She seems to have settled adequately."
"Good."
"I do not wish you to feel as though you cannot be yourself here."
"Thank you, but…I know it makes you uncomfortable."
"That is a Human feeling."
The woman nearly chuckled, but her sadness made it impossible. However, Sarek soon laid the fingers of one hand over Laken's. She could feel his grief for her loss, along with his own enduring sorrow for Amanda. In addition to this, she could also sense how pleased he was that they were there. Despite his duties, the empty homestead had aroused feelings of intense lonliness over the past few years. But now, the presence of another child would surely bring life back into the environment; the Vulcan was determined to not make the same mistakes with Yesfir that he'd made with his other children.
After several minutes of quiet sharing, Sarek spoke again.
"The transport beamed down your belongings a short while ago."
"Oh, okay."
"Will you need assistance?"
"Probably not, but I'll let you know if that changes."
"Please do."
The two of them stood up and began walking back towards the house. Any doubts that had lingered in Laken's mind before arriving here were no longer present. Despite having to leave the place she'd called home for such a long time, she didn't feel quite as hopeless as before. For the first time in her life, she was able to call Vulcan home.
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Let me know what you think.
