A/N: Did I not post on Monday? Whooooops. I was rearranging my room, sorry. The crazy's getting to me.
Thank all the quartermasters that ever were that Cmdr Chanax had replicated heat-wicking versions of three days worth of clothes for her. "It's only been ten minutes and I need a pool," Elle muttered, tugging her hat more firmly over her ears.
"My parents' home will be sufficiently cool for a human," Spock assured her. He spotted their rental car and walked towards it.
Elle stuck to his heels in the crowded spaceport. There were very few short Vulcans and a huge percentage of them looked basically like Spock. She was not gonna get lost in the first half hour. She barely avoided crashing into someone and hastily caught up to Spock. She resisted the urge to take his hand, but she did grab the other end of his carryall.
They got in the standard rental hover car and Elle immediately set her side of the envrionment controls to cooler temperatures.
"Oh, nice," she breathed, face against the vent. "I love AC."
Spock retrieved a water bottle and handed it over. "Remember that you are not used to this gravity or heat and you must hydrate frequently. If you start to feel ill or faint in any way, inform myself or my parents immediately."
"Yes, sir." She drained the water bottle and settled in to watch the scenery. "Spock?"
"Yes, ax'nav?"
"Are you nervous?"
He didn't reply for two whole klicks. "Yes," he said.
"Your dad totally loves you, ya know."
Spock accepted that silently.
"And if he's mean I'll tell him off," Elle added.
He was definitely not-smirking. "You cannot reprimand a Federation ambassador."
"Hasn't stopped me before," she pointed out. "Besides, isn't that why you're bringing me?"
"I am bringing you because your favored language, culture, and philosophy is Vulcan and this will be a most instructive period," he said.
"Oh."
"I am also bringing you because my parents are very fond of you. As am I."
Elle bit her lip to keep from squeeing. "I return the sentiment," she said.
He nodded.
The house was more like an estate. A big estate. With a fortress. That looked like a house. It had a wall.
"I knew it," Elle said victoriously. "You're a prince!"
"Vulcans do not have royalty."
"You're the closest thing to it, though."
"I am not."
"You live in a castle."
"I live on the Enterprise."
"You come from a castle."
"It is not a castle."
"Is too."
He parked the car and gave her a Look.
"I've studied bloodlines," Elle reminded him.
He rolled - actually, legit rolled - his eyes.
To get to the house you had to park outside the wall and go to the gate with the intercomm. "Spock and Elle Wilcott," Spock announced.
The gate opened.
From there they walked up to the house through the gardens. Rock gardens, naturally, with native plants nestled in places. A fountain bubbled in the center.
Another Vulcan met them at the front door. "Commander Spock. Welcome home."
"Storel. This is Elle, my guest."
"Welcome to Vulcan, Elle." Storel took their bags and ushered them inside.
It was at least fifteen degrees cooler in the house. Elle sighed in relief. "You have a butler," she pointed out.
"Storel is a long time family retainer in charge of the household when my parents are not in residence."
"He's a butler."
"Steward would be the closest approximation."
Elle snorted. "You're not helping your case."
From the other end of the hallway, Lady Amanda appeared. "Oh, Spock."
"Mother." He let himself be hugged, eyes fond.
"And Elle, I'm so glad you came," Lady Amanda said, giving her a hug. "Oh, you look so well."
Elle squeezed the older woman tightly. "Thank you for inviting me, T'Sai Amanda."
"You are always welcome here," Amanda said. She led them to a sitting room and poured water into three crystal glasses. "Tell me how you've been."
They sipped their water and chatted. Elle couldn't help rambling a bit as she explained what she was learning in school.
Amanda smiled. "I'm glad you're so comfortable with all three languages."
Elle frowned. "Huh?"
"The way you switch back and forth between them, reminds me of Spock when he was little."
Elle blinked. "I do that? I don't do that." She glanced Spock. "Do I do that?"
He avoided meeting her gaze, focusing on the glass in his hand.
Elle scowled. "Is this like the pigtails thing where you all avoided telling me I looked adorable so I wouldn't stop doing it?"
"Affirmative."
"Seriously!?"
Amanda laughed. "Being the baby of the family is like that."
"No kidding."
Lady Amanda showed them to their rooms. Elle was just across from Spock's room, in the family quarters.
"Family quarters," Elle mocked. "This is totally a castle."
Spock just rolled his eyes again.
Her room was nice. A nice fluffy queen size bed, a reading nook, a private balcony, and a tiny cactus in a pot on the side table. There was an ensuite bathroom with a water shower as well as sonics. "Noice."
She came back out to the main room. A moment later Sarek entered. "Greetings, Elle."
"Greetings, Ambassador."
Spock came in at that moment. His spine straightened so fast Elle practically heard the creak. "Father."
"Spock."
"I am pleased to see you are well," Sarek continued, awkwardly.
Spock didn't seem to know what to say. "I return the sentiment," he said, after a second.
Elle cleared her throat. "So... when's dinner?" she asked.
"We normally eat at 1800," Sarek replied.
"Cool." Elle plopped down on the sofa and watched as the two Vulcans followed suit. "So, tell me a funny baby Spock story?"
Spock's ears flushed emerald green.
Sarek looked pleased. "Has he told you of I-Chaya?"
"Father," Spock complained.
Sarek's look was nothing less than mischievous. "Your guest has asked a question," he said.
Amanda came in halfway through the retelling of "bb!Spock decided he wasn't going to bed and escaped the house and was therefore carried back in giant fanged teddy-bear's mouth like a cranky pup", and she and Elle laughed at Sarek's dry retelling. "I'd forgotten about that," she said. "Elle, help me set the table?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Oh, call me Amanda, dear."
"Yes, ma- Amanda," Elle stuttered.
Amanda laughed lightly and smoothed Elle's hair. "Come along."
They overheard, from the dining room, Spock ask Sarek something about work and then the two of them found their groove talking politics. "After all, politics is still a science," Amanda said, grinning.
"I want to be you when I grow up," Elle said honestly. "You are a queen."
Amanda just laughed and handed her some plates.
They ate, talked more about the Enterprise's adventures and general Federation politics, and Elle watched the sun set, the entire desert horizon shimmering like a special effect as the sky grew dark. She yawned.
"Perhaps you should retire," Spock suggested. "This gravity and atmosphere are draining when one is not acccustomed."
Elle was about to protest, yawned again, and then grinned sheepshily. "Yeah, I probably should. You're still gonna take me to the VSA tomorrow, right?"
"As agreed upon," Spock said.
"Noice." She gave him and Sarek smiles, gave Amanda a hug, and headed out. "Good night."
"If you require anything, remember my room is directly across from yours and you may wake me at any time," Spock called after her, a true mother-hen at heart.
"Yes, a'nirih, thank you," Elle called, from the hallway.
She brushed her teeth, changed into pajamas, and slid into bed. The heavier gravity pinned her to the deep mattress and she fell asleep within seconds.