Vulcan Shadows.

By Estellio

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Spock goes missing and all evidence points to McCoy while he is off trying to find him. However, after discovering one of Spock's most shocking secrets will McCoy still be able to help or will he condemn his friend to death and commit professional suicide? First, do not harm.

A: Woah I haven't updated in ages. I should be ashamed. The last three weeks though I had an excuse, I was up in Dublin having the time of my life, falling in love, falling out of windows, falling through windows, generally falling everywhere but now I'm back and writing. When I started this fic I only had a vague idea of what I wanted and how to get there. It was one of the first serious fanfics I had ever posted and I was a novice writer. Then, as I came back to it, I realised I hated what this fic had become. Mary Sue's were rife, plot holes were massive and plot lines just kinda drifted off into nowhere. Now that I have a bit more experience and credibility to my name I've sat down and tried to figure out to save my little fic. The mark of a good writer is the ability to write a good story but the mark of a great writer is the ability to change a really bad story into a moderately good one. Lets hope I can but now, a plot twist so big it defies the laws of gravity.

IOIOIO

The cool, smooth marble beneath his knees was a welcome feeling. With an ease from years of practice he slipped into a light meditation. The drugs flowing through his system caused a haze to descend over his mind and finding his centre was a lot harder than he ever remembered it being.

"Nem-ta Sa-mehk." The cry pierced through his mind and his eyes shot open. He had been replaying the scene in his mind over and over again. Seeing V'au lying there, looking at him with those large, sorrow filled eyes. She believed she had failed him but it was he who failed her.

"V'au." He covered his face with his hands. The scene replaying over and over again in his head. Images of a copper haired little girl clinging to him in sickbay, terrified out of her wits and turning to him to protect her, filled his mind and his throat clenched tight. He wouldn't cry. He was Vulcan, he wouldn't cry.

Beep beep.

Spock looked up as the door chimed and resisted the urge to growl at it. The door kept chiming for nearly a minute until he finally barked.

"Come in." When the door slid open he saw Therris waiting at the threshold.

"You should have this." The Klingon said, stretching out his hand to reveal a small bag. "It is all of V'au's personal possessions. She liked to travel light." He put the bag on a table by the door. "I would have liked to have known you better, father of V'au. Perhaps we could meet for drinks later but now I must go. I am already too deep in Federation Space and my crew worries." He raised his hand and made an effort to make the Vulcan hand salute. He ended up just splaying his fingers out, unable to make the correct configuration of the ta'al. "Peace and long life." With that he turned away and left. Spock stared at the closed door for several minutes, a burning fatigue crept up on him and his gaze drifted to the bag. He might as well get it over with.

IOIOIO

McCoy rubbed his temples slowly, inhaling the coffee in front of him deeply. Today had been possibly the longest day of his life. Spock was going to be okay physically as far as he could tell but it'd be a long time till Spock was alright mentally. McCoy couldn't even begin to imagine the pain he'd go through if he lost Joanna. He knew V'au wasn't his biological daughter, that much was certain from the DNA but still… McCoy blinked, looking at the readings again. That couldn't be right, could it? He ran a check of her DNA against that of a passenger that Enterprise had a few years back and came up with a 100 species match.

"Damn that green blooded, pointed eared, lying son of a VULCAN!" McCoy slammed his two fists down on the table. Spock knew, he had to have known. That was the reason why Spock adopted her, he was protecting her from the Federation! He was protecting Vulcan interests. Damn him, it was never about the girl! No wonder she ran away, she must have discovered the secret Spock had been hiding from her.

McCoy stormed out of sickbay, practically bowling Christine Chapel over on his way. He marched straight to Spock's quarters.

"YOU LYING SON OF A BITCH!" McCoy roared, not expecting to see Spock standing or raise a hand to silence him.

"Whatever you believe I have lied to you about I believe we have just been lied to ourselves in a far more serious capacity, look at this." He stretched out a small leather book to McCoy. IT was a photo album and McCoy recognised V'au with her arm slung around two Klingons, one he recognised as Therris, the other Kang. The one below that was of a blonde haired man balancing a stick with a plate on top of his nose, it had writing beside it but it wasn't a language McCoy was familiar with. The next one down was V'au, Therris and about six other people, none of whom McCoy recognised.

"This is V'au's photo album, so what?" Spock pointed to a picture on the next page and McCoy looked over. Unmistakably there was V'au, smiling and laughing with her arm slung around a grey skinned man who was also smiling, his arm around her waist. They looked very happy but most of all very friendly.

"The date," Spock said, pointing to glyphs in the corner McCoy didn't recognise. "Says this happened two years ago. Flip on." McCoy flipped through the album and saw over a hundred photos, some with V'au in them, some not, but he also so many photo's with V'au and Kek. Even one where it seemed Kek was having a ceremony preformed on his child, or at least a Cardassian child, and V'au was there with him. "The inscription says 'Skela's Naming Ceremony' It's dated about a month ago. V'au and Kek aren't the mortal enemies they'd like to lead us to believe. In fact, if anything, I'd say they are as close as we are." McCoy shook his head.

"Perhaps they fell out, perhaps…"

"Doctor, there is something you should know about V'au. She's a…"

"A Romulan, I know, that's what I came here about. Spock, why didn't you tell us, why'd you keep her? It shouldn't have been that hard to find out who her parents were." McCoy looked up to see Spock shaking his head.

"V'au isn't just Romulan, Doctor, V'au is the daughter of the Romulan Emperor." He watched McCoy look up from the album slowly, his face paling and eyes bulging.

"What?"

"V'au and her mother was assassinated by a powerful senator whom had carried his bastard child, she then married him and took the title of Empress to ensure her son got her rightful title. Now, with Emperor Talamon old and frail, her son is set for the throne. If they had discovered V'au was alive they would have killed her, that is why I never returned her to Romulus. I was planning on telling her when she grew old enough to understand but she ran away. It is my belief V'au found out about her parentage and made herself known somehow. Of course, her half brother Ta'keil, would hate to see her return to the fray or his ailing father to discover his treachery. For killing his older half-sister and her mother he'd be executed most dishonourably. It seems to me that he hired Kek to kill me because I am the only one who knew, it is also my belief that Kek didn't know about V'au's connection to me and when he found out he reconsidered the deal. Instead of just leaving it he decided to put on a good show. Make it seem like V'au was killed and you ensure her life, also, I presume with her death it ensures me a small measure of security, why ensure my silence when she is now definitely dead." McCoy nodded, letting this sink in. "Except she isn't." Spock sighed and sat down, steepling his hands. "Faking her own death would eliminate many problems. Firstly the Romulan's would stop looking for her, she'd be free to live her own life, where ever and with whom ever she chose and without interference from anyone, especially me." Spock's shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Spock, it's been a long day." McCoy said, perching himself on the arm of the chair and putting a hand on Spock's shoulder. "You should get some rest." For once in his life Spock complied without any complaint and for that McCoy was eternally grateful. "At least now we can put this sorry business behind us." McCoy reassured him as he opened the door and left.

"I have a feeling, Doctor McCoy, that it's not over yet."

IOIOIO

She shot up off the bed, clutching her chest and gasping up giant lungfuls of air.

"You smarmy bastard. You actually stabbed me!"

"You were in a sickbay, I knew they could patch you up. Plus, you said it had to look good, your father was a smart man." V'au fell back against the cushions, rolling over onto her side and coughing so hard Kek had to reach out and steady her.

"It's alright now. Therris arrived like a knight in shining armour, totally clueless per usual." Kek said, reaching across to get the glass of water she was groping for at her bed side.

"What did you tell him? Is he alright?" He asked, taking a sip to quell the coughing.

"I didn't have the chance to contact him. He was the one who scooped up your father, funnily enough, then he took the Doctor and your ship away to rendezvous with the Enterprise. I'll call him later."

"How long have I been out?"

"Oh, only two days. You'll have to stay bed ridden for a little while." He laughed at V'au's scandalised look. "Come back to mine, I'll take care of you and it'll keep you well out of the Empires reach, both of them." V'au smiled weakly, putting her hand over his that rested on her shoulder.

"What would I do without you, Kek, what would I do." He reached down and kissed her cheek.

"I have to call the missus, she worries. I'll tell her to expect wounded, will I?" He jested and turned to leave.

"I'm just glad this is over." She sighed, resting back against the cushions. "It's all finally over."

End…

I don't think so.

IOIOIO

Doctor Mark Piper stood up and wiped a hand across his brow. He heard the bell at the front of his house being rung and put the trowel down on a pile of churned earth. "Coming! Just a sec!" He shouted, wiping his dirty hands on the front of his jeans. He rounded the corner of the house, a jolly smile on his face until he saw who was at his door. A gun was raised and levelled at his chest.

"Doctor Piper. Care to take a walk?" He turned to run but a beam lanced out from the weapon and he was felled. "Ensign, be a dear and bring him to the ship. My arm is stiff again."

IOIOIO

A/N: This wasn't the plot twist I originally had in mind but muses will be muses. Ah well, I can work it in later. Speaking of twists, I'm in the mood for a Twister. No, not the game, the icecream. I'm off. Don't forget to drop me a line, tell me what you think.