Arise

Motherly

"Oh, Phoenix, you're so pale," Amanda commented as she sat across from the young Vulcan woman, her hands reaching up to hover just above Phoenix's cheeks without actually touching them. Phoenix gave the human woman one of her rare smiles, offering her comfort and assurance through the gentle facial expression.

"I am getting much better, I assure."

"But you can't even go outside," Amanda commented sadly, lowering her hands as she glanced over to her son. He had been the one to collect her from the docking bay, bringing her back to their dorm as he briefly explained what had happened to Phoenix. She had been devastated to know that her almost daughter-in-law was sick, and had been to the point of ending up in Med Bay, but Spock was quick to assure that she was quickly regaining her full health.

"Only until it is warm enough outside. I would not have fallen sick had it not been for the differences in climate when it came to my roommate. She preferred the cold," Phoenix explained easily. "We will be better prepared next year, and my health should be back to normal very soon."

Sighing softly as he nodded, Amanda wished that they had at least told her of Phoenix's struggles. She didn't appear greatly ill or unhealthy when Amanda was escorted by Spock to their dorm, but she was very clearly paler than normal and the temperature controls were set to the warmest they could go, recreated Vulcan's hottest weather. "Why didn't you tell her you were ill? I'm sure you roommate would have changed the temperature."

Nodding in agreement, Phoenix folded her hands in her lap in a move that was almost bashful. "Yes, I believe that she would have as well. However, I did not realize that my health was at such risk. I assumed it was simply the acclimation of a new planet. I was wrong, and now I have learned the risks of putting aside my health."

"I will care for her, mother," Spock assured as well, standing behind his betrothed with his hands clasped behind his back, his usual posture. "You have my word, Phoenix will receive only the optimum treatment here."

Amanda nodded with a small smile. "Yes, you mentioned Commander Pike earlier. He seems to have a focus on you two."

"We have top grades in all of our courses, and we are the first Vulcan's to attend Starfleet. Commander Pike is the Pilot of the Starship Enterprise; he favours us on a purely professional level," Phoenix explained, although she assumed that it was mildly personal as well. She couldn't say what could have drawn the man's attention to her and Spock, but she was relieved to know that they had someone on their side in this new world.

Amanda seemed to share her sentiment as she gave her a look she knew well, one that told Phoenix she knew part of her feelings were being omitted. Spock had a similar knack for knowing when she was pushing aside emotion to make way for logic. It was usually reserved for outside appearances, but Phoenix had developed an unfortunately defensive tactic while on Earth. It never truly came into play when it was only her and Spock, but Amanda was something that was reintroduced after nearly a year apart.

"Of course, dear."

Phoenix felt herself relax slightly once the subject was dropped. She was relieved to see Amanda again, but the woman's motherly instincts knew few limits and she had immediately started to fret over Phoenix once Spock had brought her back to their apartment.

"How are your classes?" Amanda asked instead, looking between the two Vulcan youths. "Are they very different from the Academy?"

Spock allowed Phoenix to lead the conversation, telling Amanda about her classes from before and after she'd fallen sick. It was vastly different between the two, since she'd gone from overdoing her hours in the clinic to being locked in their dorm with all of her lessons completed online. With a look from Spock and a nudge through their bond that was impossible to ignore, she gave a nearly inaudible sigh and told her about the bullies that she'd dealt with.

Amanda's jaw dropped low and she scooted closer to the younger woman, her hands automatically reached for her but stopping at the last moment. "Oh, dear, I'm so sorry. I was so worried you two would have to deal with simple-minded people such as that."

"Spock interfered," Phoenix was quick to explain. The sharp cut of his stare was ignored as she elaborated further; "He Nerve Pinched him."

"Spock!" Amanda cried, spinning to face her son who kept his face carefully blank. Amanda knew that he would offer no apology of show of regret, so she sighed and bowed her head. "Dear, please don't make that a habit. You could get in serious trouble."

Phoenix reached out to take the other woman's clothed arm in her hand, stopping her from further displaying her disappointment. "Please, Amanda. He was defending me. And as the wife of a Vulcan, you know how protective the males can be." She offered her a soft smile of assurance. "We have already spoken of it, and I assure it will never come to that point again. So please, worry no more about it. It is in the past, no longer something we can change."

Amanda patted Phoenix's hand in understanding, keeping the touch brief enough that Phoenix didn't get any feedback from the mortal woman's psyche.

"Tomorrow is supposed to be fairly mind," Amanda started instead, looking back over to her future daughter-in-law. "Do you think you're well enough to go outside for a while? I'm sure staying in here for so long isn't good for your mental health."

The two Vulcans shared another silent look between them. "Spock and I were speaking about that earlier. So long as the sun is out, I should be fine. As it continues to warm, I will need to start exposing myself to the weather again to slowly acclimate to the seasons here. It is not recommended that I wait until the height of the summer season; starting now will allow my body to adjust to the spring chill first."

"Will you return to Vulcan for the summer?"

Both shook their heads faintly. "We will not. The extensive class schedule we signed up for at the start of the year meant partaking in classes all year. We will not be able to return to Vulcan for several years." Spock could see the disappointment that coloured his mother's expressions—he truly disliked seeing any sad or regretful expression on her face, especially when it is due to something he had said or done.

"There are holidays that would permit us a visit, but it is quite a short time-frame after factoring in travel time," Phoenix explained further. "However, we are never opposed to receiving a visit from you, and it will provide you the opportunity to see your birth world."

Listening to the two speak back and forth to her, even if their analytical and halting speech, she found she'd been missing it. Having their home on Vulcan so empty was a challenge—at first, she had wandered the halls as though looking for the two. As Spock had grown, he spent most of his time inside studying. He very rarely left to spend time elsewhere, alienated as he had been due to his human blood. When Phoenix had come into their lives, she became accustomed to hearing Spock's deep voice carry through the halls.

Teaching Phoenix as he explained materials to her. Then helping her learn the ability to speak as they had somewhat broken conversations from her end. If she hadn't been a witness to it, Amanda would not believe that the female had ever been mute. She spoke so eloquently and carefully now, perhaps due to having learned from copying Spock and sitting through his lessons.

"Thank you," she said suddenly, reaching out to place a hand on either of their clothed arms. "I will visit. It's been lonely at the house by myself."

"You have father," Spock pointed out hesitantly.

Amanda's smile was somewhat sad as she looked to her son. "He is often gone at work. I was so accustomed to having you both. The house is much quieter now. It will take a bit longer for me to adjust."

Phoenix wished she could suggest finding a place or person who she could spend some time with, but she was fully aware of the reluctant acceptance regarding Amanda's presence on Vulcan. "We will have to schedule some time to speak with you around our classes," she offered instead. "The greatest difficulty will be the time difference, but we can plan around it."

Knowing that displays of great emotion sometimes made the situations awkward regarding Vulcans—even her more emotional children—Amanda rose from where she had been seated. "Allow me to start supper for the evening. Is there anything the two of you have in mind?"

Phoenix rose to assist, knowing their small kitchen was vastly different from the one in their home on Vulcan. "We recently obtained the ingredients for Pok Tar," she explained calmly, allowing Amanda to retrieve the food while Phoenix started collecting dishes they would need. She hadn't even had the chance to reach for the higher cabinets before Spock appeared, wrapping an arm around her waist to turn her away and guide her to the table.

"You have cooked for majority of the semester, allow me assist mother while you rest."

She angled her head to meet his gaze, a protest just touching the tip of her tongue, but relented once she saw the look in his eyes. He would not allow her this time, so she silently acquiesced with a nod of her head. Pulling out her chair for her, Spock waited until she was settled before he placed a heavy hand against the back of her throat for a moment, letting her take in the warmth and weight, then turned to resume what she had started.

Amanda watched the two from the corner of her eye, a smile warming her expression after the previously upsetting conversations. She had hoped the time on Earth would be easier for them. Spock's relationship with his father had already been strained from his and Phoenix's mating, only becoming worse with their decision to leave Vulcan and decline to invitation to the Vulcan Science Academy. Since it was just the two of them now, she was relieved to see that they were no longer reluctant to show affection to one another.

She was sure that if she hadn't been here, it would probably be more than just a hand on the neck, but she was satisfied to have that small confirmation of her hopes.

"Phoenix, would you like a tea?" Amanda asked once Spock had detached from the female, spotting the familiar Spice Tea blend in a glass container on the counter.

Normally, Phoenix would have gotten up and made it for them, but Spock had already turned to look at her before Amanda's question was completely finished. His expression carried no hint of his thoughts, but she could already sense his silent request that she remained seated. That she allow them to cater to her for once. "Affirmative, Amanda. Thank you," she declared instead, nodding her gratitude to the motherly woman.

Amanda's answering smile soothed the restless feeling that came from just sitting with nothing to do.

"So, Phoenix, how are your language classes?" Amanda asked as she started to familiar process of preparing the tea. "What are you learning this semester?"

"Romulan dialects one and two, Betazoid and Andorian," Phoenix listened slowly. The human woman turned with a look of surprise colouring her features. "The Romulan classes are very simple; it has several similarities to Vulcan. Andorian is slightly more difficult but one of the Teaching Assistants from the class recommended a text from the Digital Library that was of great assistance."

Amanda turned her head to show she was still listening even as she spooned enough of the Spice Tea herbs into the proper chamber to steep. "And you can balance all of those classes, alongside your biology and medical courses?"

"It is easier than my lessons when I first woke up," Phoenix explained. "The base concept is familiar and gives me a starting point in my understanding. Everything was confusing and…jumbled, when I first woke," she used a word she had once heard Amanda say, regarding her initial intake when she woke at the Academy.

Amanda placed her cup on the table in front of Phoenix once the tea was finished, another two still sitting on the counter for her and Spock as they continued to make dinner. "Phoenix, can you tell me about that? How you felt when you woke up?" She broached the question carefully, understanding that it might be asking too much. But Phoenix had had time to process what she had been through and simply nodded.

She reached out to cradle the hot cup between her palms as Amanda returned to the prep work for Pok Tar.

"It was very loud and bright," she started calmly, looking down into her tea as she focused on the somewhat murky memories of her first few hours of being awake. "I could hear so much noise, but I could not understand it. The machines, the talking, even my own heartbeat. It was difficult to distinguish between what sound was what, where it was coming from or what it meant. It was frightening. When the Vulcans tasked with watching me tried to speak to me, they were loud and direct. Demanding things I did not know. Strangely, I cannot remember what they asked me. I remember them speaking, leaning over me, but it is inarticulate when I try to think about what they said."

"You didn't understand speech," Amanda pondered quietly. "You couldn't speak or understand words yet, so your mind doesn't remember what was said."

"Yes, we assume the same," Spock confirmed as he took the offered bowl from Amanda to set aside until the other elements of the dish were prepared.

"I started to pick up on some words that were posed frequently, but I mostly used their body language or certain mannerisms to tell apart people or what they could be trying to convey."

Pausing a moment, she watched Amanda and Spock's familiar routine of working around one another to prepare supper. It was a common routine in their home before Phoenix had showed up. Sarek often worked late into the evening, leaving the two alone to prepare their meals. It became quite the bonding experience for them as Spock was growing up. It became one for Phoenix and Amanda as well, and Spock often came to partake in conversation with his mother while Phoenix's muteness left her to listen carefully as she was taught to cook.

"Sarek was different," she declared suddenly, drawing the focus of the mother and son. "He acts differently around you, Amanda. Using miniscule mannerisms that mirror yours—I am assuming he wants you to be able to understand him, read his emotions without having to display them as a human would. I noticed that he was different than the other Vulcans, but I did not understand why until I met you and saw how he interacted with you and Spock."

"His mannerisms?" Amanda asked first, her surprise clear in her expression and her voice.

"Yes. Mostly I see it in his tension; the tension around his eyes or his mouth, in his hands. He does not smile or glare, showing emotions like a human would through emotive facial expressions, but there is a distinct relaxation around his jaw when he speaks with you. It is very subtle, and I assume occurred gradually. The other Vulcans most likely do not even notice."

Overcoming her bought of shock, Amanda bowed her head as she masked a smile. Phoenix caught the slightest upturn of her lips and hid her own look of satisfaction by taking a sip of her tea as her gaze slanted toward Spock. He was staring forward at the wall, processing what Phoenix had said and most likely trying to remember how father's interactions with him in comparison to others.

"When I could not speak, I was often forgotten when around others. They were unfortunately under the impression that I lacked the intellect to watch and to study what was around me. I noticed many small nuances that several Vulcans did that often went against what they, themselves, believed to be wrong among Vulcan customs. Emotional taunting among that list. They use emotion to manipulate emotion. Spock's classmates often showed clear signs of jealousy regarding his greater intellect.

"I suppose it could be said that many Vulcans suffer from hubris. It can be a weakness when they encounter someone with the expectation of lesser intellect—such as Spock and myself—and therefore are unprepared to be incorrect."

Amanda pointed briefly at Phoenix in warning. "That could be taken as hubris."

"I am not boasting our intellect," Phoenix defended. "There could be others who are smarter than us, but many Vulcan's made assumptions that we lacked intellect based only on DNA. It is their hubris that being completely Vulcan makes them better. Quite often in the case of humans, they are correct. But not always."

The human woman shook her head silently. "Would you tell such to a full-blooded Vulcan?"

Phoenix shook her head. "Negative. I was taught to avoid altercations."

Amanda's lips pinched together and she turned to look at Phoenix over her shoulder. The Vulcan woman was masking a coy look as she met her gaze, knowing full well the verbal game of cat and mouse she had just lured Amanda into.

"Drink your tea," Amanda ordered good naturedly. Phoenix's smile grew the faintest bit before she lifted her cup to her lips and took another sip. Although Amanda could not see Spock's face, she was almost certain he was proud of his mate-to-be.