DISCLAIMER: I don't own Star Trek or any of the Characters below

Busted

His feelings had not changed. But in her absence the logical part of his mind had gone off and wandered in new directions.

Nonetheless, whatever his unease when Nyota walked through his door, smiling, arms outstretched, logic was momentarily forgotten. He let her catch him in a hug and his forehead pressed against hers without conscious thought. Her hands reached up and clutched his cheeks, and she began battering him with kisses. When he brought his fingers to link and found her happiness he let himself be lost in her emotions.

He quickly found himself on the couch, her legs over his lap, one of his hands between her knees, the other on her temples.

She told him about her last days with her family, and he filled her in with the latest details of his life as well.

"Commander Sharpton has suggested a few changes to my first draft, but has said we should proceed with the investigation of the Sol System."

"Awwww....does this mean that I don't get to be on your back?" Nyota said with a smile.

Feeling the link buzz and his ears flush Spock replied, "I am sure you will always find some reason to be on my back..."

That earned him a very satisfying nip on the ear.

There was something else she would be very interested in knowing...

"The Vulcan Science Academy has developed some computer models of proto-Romulan and proto-Vulcan brains. They will be revealing some of their preliminary findings in the next few days to members of the Academy -- the results won't be made public. But my father will hear of them, and my mother has offered to pass them along."

"Really? You didn't tell me about this..."

He felt excitement through the link.

"It was my mother who informed me a few days ago. She knows of it due to her connection to my father. She expressed interest in talking to you about your paper and informing us both of their findings. I suggested that since it is an academic matter we all have an interest in that she contact us in the lab."

Through the link he felt apprehension...

"What troubles you?" he asked Nyota.

"I feel a little strange about talking to your mother I guess. I know you met my parents, and it didn't seem to bother you that they didn't know..."

"But it did bother you," Spock acknowledged.

"Yes. It does bother me that I can't talk to them about you...I'm anxious about meeting your mother. I might give us away...Freudian slip, or just...I don't know."

Ah. Before his mother's discussion on logic he was inclined to think his mother's knowledge of their situation might be a good thing. After all, despite the hostility between himself and Nyota's brother it had been...gratifying...to be acknowledged by someone in her family. But if his mother saw their relationship as illogical...

While thinking these thoughts he grew silent for a few moments. He felt a gentle nudge in his consciousness. Nyota was bumping back.

"Something is troubling you too."

"My mother said something interesting in our last phone call, something I would not have suspected from her...she said that love should be logical." He had no trouble using the word love in a sentence relating facts. He could also use it when reading poetry. It was only in the active sense, direct "I love", "I miss" or "I want" that he had difficulty articulating.

"Your mother is your human parent, right?"

It took a moment for Spock to realize she was making a joke...she was trying to ease the tension he was now feeling in their link.

"Up until a few days ago I thought so," Spock replied and felt some of the tension abate...Humor was so wonderfully useful. Perhaps he should experiment with it among his other human acquaintances?

"I have reflected on it," he continued, "And the only thing remotely illogical I can find is the timing..." He added.

"We do get along well," Nyota said with a smile. "Personally...romantically...professionally...Together and in groups."

Across the link he felt...

Happiness...

He wanted just to be happy, to relax in memories of the times they'd spent alone...and also in their associations with colleagues, the night out with Brian, even their time with her brother -- but he felt compelled to finish his thought. "We are breaking the rules of Star Fleet."

He felt a spike of fear from the link.

"I know you like rules," Nyota said her lips tight.

Tension raced across the link.

He tried to project calm, but it didn't seem to have any effect on Nyota.

Spock tilted his head. "I appreciate logical rules, Nyota. I actually find the conflict between the written and unwritten rules of Star Fleet highly confusing and illogical. And I see problems with both sets of rules when analyzed separately."

Relief came from the link.

"Nonetheless, I am concerned that by not working towards reforming the rules we are contributing to the problem."

Fear...and anger came through his fingertips.

He sat up straighter and looked at Nyota. Her eyes were flashing. "Please do not tell me you having doubts now. If you are not one hundred percent behind this I can't do it."

It was Spock's turn to feel fear. He pulled back his fingers from her temples, not wishing a fear loop to develop.

Nyota snapped. "If you are suddenly going to get all filled with angst let me know so I can get out of here."

She pulled her legs up to her chest so they no longer draped over his lap.

They were not linked or even touching. Spock swallowed.

The jumble that was Star Fleets rules, written and unwritten were not logical. He did understand the rules in so much as they applied to instructors when they were actively teaching...or even typically in cases of assitantships -- but wasn't Nyota more of a colleague than an assistant?

After that things, broke down...Especially since the rules were in practice 'don't ask, don't tell' as Brian had noted. It would be better to tell. Then if a relationship had the potential to color an instructors observations of a former student they could be excused from contributing to that student's evaluations. It would protect the student, Star Fleet, and Star Fleet's personnel.

He believed in rules as they applied to protecting others. But the Star Fleet Academy written and unwritten rules on fraternization did the opposite.

Still, the greater good would be in fixing the rules, not defying them. But...she was his bond mate now.

He tried to lighten the mood. "Nyota, dwelling in angst would be quite un-Vulcan."

It would have been better to be direct.

"Yes, so is breaking the rules," she responded, her voice heated.

"And I still believe our situation is internally logical."

"Then why the sudden 'We're breaking the rules' and 'it would be better to reform them'?" Nyota asked sharply. "If we worked to reform the rules now we'd have to end our relationship in the meantime."

He composed himself and remained calm, even though the thought of loosing her made him feel like a knife had been sliced across his abdomen. "I am not suggesting we end our relationship. It is just something that occurred to me in the last few days. Between my conversation with my mother about logic and ironically, with your brother about right and wrong, I began to question my actions."

It was as if she didn't hear him.

"Well what are you suggesting?" She tilted her head her hands flew in the air between them. "We were just talking about bonding...now you're discussing the rules as if you've just discovered them. I don't want to ride a roller coaster."

Spock tilted his head. He had just said he did not want to end the relationship. Roller coaster?

"I don't like breaking the rules. I hate risking my career and I hate the secrecy." Nyota snapped.

Just then Spock's communicator went off. "Incoming message from Vulcan. Amanda Grayson."

This was not a normally scheduled call. He took a sharp short intake of breath and searched his conscious for any sort of ill ease from his father...all seemed well...unless his current state of unrest was making him unable to detect disturbances.

"Nyota, that is my mother. It is not her usually scheduled call. Something is wrong." Perhaps it was only psychological? He needed to be certain.

Nodding at him, Nyota sighed heavily and rested her chin on her knees.

Spock went to the book case and unfolded his communicator monitor and console. This little monitor obviously didn't connect to subspace directly, there was a relay station at Star Fleet. The signal was translated there to normal frequencies. It created lag that was perceptible, but generally tolerable.

Setting down the communicator on the table Nyota called the 'interrogation table' Spock turned the camera so Nyota couldn't be seen and accepted the message.

"Hello Spock."

"Hello Mother, what is wrong."

"I wanted to ask you something on our last call, and I just didn't quite get up the courage...our call didn't go completely well...and I..."

"Yes, mother?" Spock asked abruptly. He wanted to get back to Nyota -- apparently no one had died or been incapacitated unexpectedly after all.

Amanda began slowly in the very professional, unemotional voice she used when trying not to upset him. "It is probably just my imagination...but I've wondered if you've become involved with your assistant, Cadet Uhura. Please do not be offended. I know it would break the rules of Star Fleet."

As soon as she said 'break the rules' Nyota stood up.

Amanda continued in the same flat voice, "And I know you probably consider the whole idea completely illogical because you are an instructor, she is a student, and it would endanger both your careers..."

Nyota started backing towards the door..

"But I've wondered. And...it is just that I worry..." his mother took a deep breath.

Spock looked up. He had seen a nature holo where a gazelle had paused just as it spied a lion...and then leapt away in a flash to evade the carnivore. Nyota had the same look in her eyes as the gazelle. She looked like she was going to run. Spock reached out his hand below the camera, trying to motion for her to stay. Nyota shook her head and started to slip on her shoes.

The words that came out next were not in the flat tone she used to talk to Vulcans, they came out as pure Amanda, fast, with heavy inflection. "...I worry that if I talk to her in your office I might just blurt out and ask her if she enjoyed meeting the elephants."

Glancing up he saw Nyota freeze in place. Spock was desperate enough to gamble.

"Perhaps you should ask her that question now, Mother."