Michael, Spock and I-Chaya were playing in the garden, as they often did lately. Spock had taught I-Chaya to throw a frisbee with his mouth, therefore the Sehlat participated in their game of ultimate frisbee. Surely, it was a bit of a strange game to play with only two players, a giant ball of fur and a rather small field, but the children didn't care.
Spock had just caught a very wet frisbee from I-Chaya, when he stepped on a rock, lost his balance, and fell right into one of his mother's rose bushes, face forward of course. He heard Michael laugh. Slightly offended, he tried to wiggle free, but the plant's thorns had caught him. "Help me!", he whined in the ground's direction. "Are you caught?", Michael asked and came nearer. "Indeed.", Spock muttered, suddenly a bit ashamed. I-Chaya began to howl and sniff at him. What would his mother say if she saw the damage he had caused? She had told them to pay attention when playing in the garden, but they hadn't listened.
Michael gave her best at trying to free her brother, but she got tangled up herself. With some force, she managed to break away. "Let me try.", Amanda suddenly offered. Spock tried to move his head. He hadn't heard her coming. "Be still.", his mother ordered. She kneeled down and put an arm around his belly and lifted him up. Once in this position, she pulled all the rose branches out of his clothes. After a few moments, Spock was finally free.
"Haven't I told you not to play frisbee in the garden?", his mother asked, more amused than annoyed. She put him on his own feet. Spock looked at the blood running from his arms and legs. Michael just stood there, unsure of what she should do. Amanda sighed. "Let's get you cleaned up before dinner.", she said and they followed her inside.
Upon seeing his shredded-looking son following Amanda into the house, Sarek lifted an eyebrow. "What has happened?", he asked in Vulcan. "He has fallen into one of the rose bushes.", Michael answered him in Standard. Now, Sarek raised the second brow as well. "Can you clean him up while I continue making dinner?", Amanda asked him. Sarek nodded. "Of course."
"Why did you fall?", Sarek asked his son while helping him out of his clothing, occasionally pulling out a thorn. Spock sniffled a bit. "I stepped on a rock and lost balance.", he confessed. "You will have to pay more attention next time.", Sarek stated as he took a wet cloth to clean his son's bloody arms. Spock nodded fiercely. "I will."
At dinner time, nobody, not even Sybok, commented on Spock's change of outfit. Lately, Sybok was rather preoccupied with other things. He hadn't been mean to his little brother for at least a month. Or maybe, he had finally grown out of it. Still, Spock seemed to lack appetite, if him playing with his spoon was any indication. Finally, he did take some of his plomeek soup.
After dinner, Michael came up to Spock. "Do you want to play chess?", she asked. Spock shook his head. "No. I want to be alone.", he replied and left rather hastily. Michael shrugged and followed him up the stairs to get to her room.
"I believe our son is emotionally compromised.", Sarek said to Amanda as they were sitting in her office together. "Really? I didn't realize.", Amanda said, the irony obvious. "However, I do not understand why.", Sarek continued, refusing to be irritated. Amanda snickered. "Because he is embarrassed for his little stunt from earlier. You know how much he tries to be the perfect Vulcan." Sarek nodded. "What do you suppose we should do?", he wanted to know. "Why don't you tell him the story of your first meeting with our roses?", Amanda suggested.
Somebody knocked at Spock's door. He pretended to not be there and snuggled even closer to I-Chaya's body. It knocked again. Defeated, Spock went and opened. His father stood there. "May I enter?", he asked, looking imperceptibly uncomfortable. Curious, Spock let him do so. He sat next to I-Chaya again. Thinking for a moment, Sarek decided to sit on the floor as well. He remained silent for a few moments, only petting I-Chaya between its ears.
"Have I ever told you the story about how I have fallen into the rose bushes?", he asked out of the blue. Spock shook his head. "You were just two and a half months old. We had just received the roses in a transport from earth and had planted them." Spock nodded expectantly. "I was in the garden, throwing a frisbee for I-Chaya to catch." At the mentioning of its name, I-Chaya opened its eyes and looked at his master. Sarek resumed petting the Sehlat. "We engaged in a game in which I would throw the frisbee, and both of us would run to catch it before the other did. I was so focused on the task that I overlooked the rose in front of me." Spock started to understand what his father wanted to tell him.
"Amanda had to come and help me up, as I was unable to do so by myself. I was wearing my long robes as I was scheduled to meet a Terran diplomatic envoy later that morning. I did arrive late, due to this incident. The Terran ambassador refused to believe me, as he was certain that Vulcans had perfect body control and peripheral vision. I could not convince him otherwise."
Sarek looked at his son for a moment. He laid a hand on his shoulder. "I thought you should know.", he said as he stood. Without another word, he left, leaving Spock to wonder what had just happened. He snuggled against I-Chaya, feeling a lot better than he had before.
This story is dedicated to my newest follower for inspiring me to write another chapter. You know who you are.
