Well, back again. Thanks for the reviews, really helpful. Happy New Year to the Wiccan readers. Happy Halloween to the rest.
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A shimmer of the transporter effect caught the captain's attention. Turning around, he saw his First Officer materialized into view. When the shimmer had faded, Kirk looked closely at the Vulcan. "Spock, why…." Then he smiled. "I guess I won't be dying anytime soon, will I, Bones?"
Bones was livid. "What are you doing???!!!"
"Please explain further," the Vulcan said, matching the doctor's livid tone with a calm voice.
"Explain?" McCoy stuttered. "Explain, he says." He moved closer, shaking one finger in anger. "How dare you waltz out of my Sickbay when I'm not there!! And you have the nerve to come down here on top of that?!!"
Spock was, as normal, unperturbed by the doctor's outburst. "Are not the Romulans nearby, Captain?" he inquired.
"Point. Let's make ourselves scarce, shall we?" With that, he led the way back into the forest that the landing party had left. The other's followed, although Bones could be heard grumbling near the back. Spock stayed nearest the captain, almost to the point of over-protective. "Spock, why did you come?" Kirk said quietly, for Spock's ears alone.
"It was the logical thing to do."
Kirk smiled slightly. "Be that as it may, McCoy is right. You shouldn't have left Sickbay. What if--"
" The chances of another collapse are small, Captain, small enough that I thought the risk was acceptable." They walked in silence for a moment. Then, very quietly, Spock confided, "In my dreams, I was here. I … feel.. as if I should be here."
"Do you remember it all?"
Spock shook his head. "Only fragments that emerge when events parallel the dream."
Kirk nodded slowly. "You wouldn't mind telling me when you remember something, would you?"
Spock nodded. "That is, primarily, why I am here."
"The secondary reason is curiousity, isn't it." It was not a question, and Kirk smiled as Spock looked anywhere but at him.