Okay, this might be the last chapter. I might start a new story for the married adventures. We will see what the characters think about that.

No Place Like Home

Captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy, Sarek, and Amanda were already gathered outside in the courtyard of Spock's family home awaiting Spock and Uhura so they could make their final goodbyes and beam back aboard the Enterprise.

Spock and Uhura arrived on the scene still touching fingers and Amanda couldn't hide her happy grin.

"Farewell Daughter," Sarek said to Uhura in his usual calm manner as Spock said his goodbyes to his mother.

"Farewell...Father," Uhura said cheekily and she leaned forward to plant a kiss on his cheek, surprising Sarek so much that he nearly lost his composure, but he quickly regained his control.

Amanda could not believe her eyes or her ears.

"So you call him Father?" Amanda asked pulling Uhura into a hug. "You won't call me Mother but you call him Father?"

"Amanda, it just sort of happened," Uhura sad sheepishly. "He asked me to call him either Sarek or Father and it just seemed more appropriate to call him Father. Calling him Sarek seemed disrespectful," Uhura said.

Amanda laughed. "That sly dog. He only gave you two choices and one was sure to rub your officer training the wrong way. So you ended up making the choice he wanted all along," Amand said shaking her head.

"He did, didn't he?" Uhura said realizing how she had been played by that old devil.

"I should have thought of that. From now on you may call me either S'chn T'gai or Mother your choice," Amanda teased.

"Too late! You'll always be Amanda to me... Mother." Uhura said and she hugged Amanda tight. "I cannot believe I am saying this but I think I will miss you." Uhura cried.

"I know I will miss you even though a few days ago I told Sarek I couldn't wait for you all to leave," confessed and she started crying too.

Sarek and Spock exchanged long-suffering looks while their wives hugged and cried.

"I don't blame you. We put on quite a show. I feel like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. I'm about to click my heels and go home but I know I'll never forget my crazy adventure in OZ," Uhura said.

"Well, it's not forever I expect you and Spock to return for a visit soon."

"We'll see. Things aren't exactly settled between me and Spock," Uhura whispered in Amanda's ear.

"They will be, you'll see. Remember you said you'd give it a chance."

"I know but now that reality is returning I don't know how it will work. I'm kinda scared to go home, can you believe it? I think I've gotten used to this crazy place. It's like-"

"Home?" Amanda finished as they broke away from their hug.

"No. Like leaving the hospital or prison." Uhura finished wiping her tears.

"You'll get back to your old routine in no time. I've been on missions with Sarek that lasted for months. You get used to the place and then its time to leave and you wonder where you belong. But you get home and you wondered why you left. Just let things happen naturally. You and Spock don't have to rush at all, you've got the rest of your lives to figure it all out."

"I hope so."

"I know. Rome wasn't built in a day. Take your time, get to know one another and make it work for both of you."

"I will try," she promised.

"That's all I can ask," Amanda said.

They walked back over to the party that was about to beam up to the Enterprise.

"Spock, you be good" Amanda warned.

"I am always 'good' Mother."

Amanda looked at him as if he were a naughty boy and kissed his cheek.

"Spock, Nyota, Live long and Prosper," Sarek said giving them the salute.

"Peace and long life," Uhura and Spock said in unison.

Amanda beamed in delight and Uhura rolled her eyes as she felt the familiar pulse of the transporter.

And just like that, she was home, back aboard the Enterprise where she belonged. Or did she? It was as if nothing had changed, Scotty was there at the transporter controls and Mr. Kyle was with him. Outside the transporter room door, she could see crewmen walking by going about their daily business. But she felt out of place.

"That's the last of the shore party Captian, we're ready to shove off when you are."

"Thank you, Scotty, for holding things down. I'll be on the bridge. Mr. Spock, why don't you and uh... the lieutenant take some time to uh... get settled in before you report for duty?"

"Aye Captain," Uhura said but Spock protested.

"Captain, I am perfectly capable of returning to duty now."

"That may be so Spock but don't you want to um...escort the lt. to her quarters or something?"

Uhura wanted to slap the Captain upside the back of his head. What was he saying! Spock and Uhura were not an official couple. They were not married, not as far as the crew was concerned. The story was she got sick and stayed with Spock's family while on shore leave. That's all. Period.

"Captain, I'm sure the lieutenant is capable of escorting herself, however since she has been ILL," and Spock emphasized that last word, "perhaps the good Doctor would care to escort her?"

"Oh right," Kirk said. "Good idea. Bones, please escort the lt." He noticed Uhura shooting daggers out of her eyes at him and he decided to beat a hasty retreat. "C'mon then Spock playtime is over back to work."

"Lieutenant," Spock said to her with a bow of his head and then he was off.

"Well, lassie its good to have you back aboard, it hasn't been the same without ye."

"Thank you, Scotty, its good to be back."

"How are you feeling, we heard you had a touch of the Vulcan flu?"

Uhura looked at Doctor Mccoy. "Vulcan flu?" she mouthed to him.

Mccoy merely shrugged his shoulders.

She turned back to Scotty. "Oh yes, ahem ahem," Nyota fake coughed. "It was awful, I don't know what I picked up down there but it was a doozy. That dry heat on Vulcan really did help in my recovery though." She lied. She hated to lie to Scotty who had been nothing but kind to her but she didn't want to tell the truth just yet. She still couldn't believe half the things that had happened to her in one short week.

"Well, you do as the captain says, get some rest, settle in and we'll have to have a wee drink when you're up for it."

"Thank you, Scotty, I look forward to it. Its good to be home."

Mccoy escorted her to her cabin and before he released her arm he looked at her seriously.

"Are you alright Uhura?"

"I'm fine, Doctor just tired. I got so used to the heat and gravity there, I just feel a bit light headed and off-center right now. How does Spock do it? It must be such a strain to live on this ship when his natural environment is so different."

"Don't you worry about Spock, he has the constitution of a tardigrade."

"A what?"

"Nevermind. He's tough. You, not so much."

Uhura frowned at him.

"I mean you're tough for a human but he's superhuman."

"I guess. I'm going to lay down for just a while."

"Uhura if you need anything just holler and I'll come 'a running."

"Thank you, Doctor. For everything," She said, her words pregnant with meaning.

"Don't mention it. That's what I'm supposed to do, be there for my patients and my friends." And then he leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

"I didn't get a chance to do that at your ceremony."

"Why now?"

"It's for good luck. You'll need it," he said as he walked away.

Uhura entered her suite and looked around. Everything looked the same but again it felt strange. She wandered over to her bed and threw self down on it. She was suddenly exhausted.

"I's married now," she said with a drawl as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.