A/N: I'm so sorry it's taken me so long. I just moved away to college and it's so hectic. I'll try my best to finish up the fic. I haven't left a fanfiction unfinished yet and I don't plan to start with this one.
A/N2: Just to let you know, this starts with a little recap of the end of the last chapter. Just a reminder of what last happened.
HEART BEAT by Lina Shay
Chapter Six: Aloof
Taurik leaned closer to Sito as her hand felt up the side of his face.
"Enterprise to Ensign Taurik. Come in, Ensign Taurik."
Taurik didn't want to stop for anything, but Sito pushed him away.
"Taurik, it's the captain," she breathed.
Taurik placed his thumbs and forefingers together in a meditative manner and took a few deep breathes. His blood burned so badly he could hardly stand it. His hands were shaking and his brow was sweating.
"Enterprise to Taurik. Taurik, are you there?"
Taurik slammed his hand on the control panel, activating the comm-link. In an enraged voice, Taurik responded, "What?"
"Ensign Taurik, what in the devil did you think you were doing taking a shuttle without authorization?" The captain demanded.
"It will be difficult to explain, captain," Taurik muttered, closing his eyes.
"I look forward to it, Ensign," the captain said in a tone that made it tough to decipher if he was sarcastic or sincere.
"Aye, sir," Taurik said, glancing at Sito's discomforted expression. "Two to beam up."
"Two?"
"Yes, Captain."
Commander Worf was waiting in the transporter room when they materialized. He looked sternly at Taurik until his gaze fell upon Sito. His eyes widened in shock.
"Ensign Sito, you're alive?" Worf asked in surprise.
"Yes, sir," she said, a smile playing at her lips.
"Commander Worf, do you have them?" The captain asked through Worf's comm badge.
"Yes, sir," Worf said, still quite astonished.
"Bring Ensign Taurik to my ready room immediately," the captain said harshly.
"I believe you will want to see his companion as well, Captain," Worf told him. "It is Ensign Sito, sir."
"Ensign Sito?" There was a pause, then the captain continued, "Bring her as well."
"Aye, sir."
Taurik couldn't help but notice how often Commander Worf glanced Sito's way. Taurik's anger was kindling. If Worf had not been a senior officer, Taurik would have insisted he occupied his odious gaze in another direction. Taurik mediated in the turbolift to keep control.
All eyes locked on Sito as the three entered the bridge. Lavelle, who was working ops, almost fell out of his chair at the sight of her. Sito briefly waved to him before they went into the captain's ready room. The captain stared at Sito and Taurik intensely.
"Dismissed, Mr. Worf," the captain began, "where have you been for the last two months."
As Sito related her story to the captain, in much more detail, Taurik retreated to the wall and meditated. It wasn't until Sito was done that she and the captain noticed Taurik had moved.
"Ensign, are you ill?" The captain asked, standing.
"He didn't seem himself on the planet, sir," Sito informed, looking rather worried.
"Ensign, what's wrong?" The captain demanded.
Taurik closed his eyes, his hands trembling, and said, "N-nothing, sir."
Captain Picard didn't seem convinced because he gave Sito the order, "Ensign Sito, take him to sick bay."
"Aye, sir," Sito replied, sprinting to Taurik's side. She put an arm around his back and led him from the room. Taurik's mind was going fuzzy. He wasn't sure what was going on or why, but he had an urge to fight it.
"We're almost there, Taurik," Sito said comfortingly.
Taurik swatted her arm away from him, fuming. "I don't need any help!"
"Taurik," Sito said calmly, "you need to see the doctor. There's something wrong with you."
"There is nothing anyone can do for me!" Taurik exclaimed, every muscle in his body flexing in rage.
"Please, Taurik," Sito begged, her eyes getting wet around the edges.
Even in this state, Taurik could deny Sito nothing. She was so beautiful. Taurik reached out and touched her face. A tear trickled down onto his hand. Taurik wanted to badly to take her in his arms. Now that they were on the Enterprise, being with Sito was no longer an option. It angered him to be so close to having her and yet light-years away.
Taurik pulled his hand back, turned and marched down the corridor toward sickbay. The minute he entered, Doctor Crusher came over.
"The captain said you were coming," Doctor Crusher informed, pointing him toward biobed B. He walked over and sat upon it. Doctor Crusher did a few scans. "He said you were acting irrationally. That seems unusual for a Vulcan."
Taurik folded his arms and said nothing even when Sito came into sickbay and stood beside him.
"That's odd," Doctor Crusher said to herself. "You seem to be suffering from a chemical imbalance."
Doctor Crusher stared off pensively for a few moments, then excused herself to do a little research. After Crusher had gone to her office, Sito put a hand on top of Taurik's. He immediately wrenched his hand away from her. Sito looked at him as if she wanted to say something, but Doctor Crusher came back before Sito could say a word.
"Do you know what it is?" Sito asked.
"I think so," Doctor Crusher muttered, taking another scan of Taurik's brain. "I just want to make sure. Yup." She tapped her communicator. "Crusher to the captain."
"Yes, Doctor."
"I recommend we go to Vulcan as soon as possible," Doctor Crusher advised.
"Pardon me?"
"Ensign Taurik needs immediate shore leave on Vulcan," Doctor Crusher insisted. "May I remind you, Doctor," the captain began, "that Ensign Taurik still needs to be reprimanded for stealing a shuttle craft."
"I believe when we get to Vulcan, all his recent conduct will be explained," Doctor Crusher declared.
"All right, Doctor. You had better be right about this."
"Understood. Crusher out."
"Why Vulcan? I don't understand," Sito asked, looking between Crusher and Taurik.
"As I said to the captain," Crusher began, "all will be explained when we get there."
Taurik sat cross-legged on the biobed mediating while Crusher continuously monitored his brain function and adrenal levels. Sito stood anxiously nearby, biting her lip. It felt like hours since Crusher had told the captain to set a course for Vulcan. Of course, they were rather far out in space. Without much memory of the shuttle journey, Taurik couldn't guess how long it would take to get to Vulcan.
"Captain to sickbay. We are approaching Vulcan."
Taurik instantly got off the biobed and left sickbay. Doctor Crusher and Sito followed him. The three of them got in the turbolift and went up to the bridge.
"Captain to Ensign Taurik. Vulcan is hailing you specifically. Would you like to take it in sickbay?"
Just then, the turbolift doors opened and Taurik stepped onto the bridge, saying, "No thank you, sir. I'll answer the hail here."
The large view screen displayed the face of a young Vulcan woman. Her dark hair was twisted into two loops sticking out on either side of her head. Her face was emotionless as her dark eyes fell upon Taurik.
"Silara," Taurik said, his hands behind his back. "Parted from me and never parted. Never and always touching and touched. We meet at the appointed place."
"Taurik," she replied, "parted from me and never parted. Never and always touching and touched. I await you."
Taurik took a defeated breath, then turned to the bemused faces of the bridge officers.
"Ensign Sito, Lieutenant Lavelle, would you accompany me to the surface?" Taurik requested.
"What for?" Asked Lavelle who was seated at Ops.
"My wedding," Taurik told them.
A/N: I bet you were expecting her name to be T'something. Well, I'm rather sick of all the T'Pel, T'Pal, T'Pau, T'Para and T'Prings. On Wrath of Khan and Search for Spock, the Vulcan chick's name is Saavik. Since she didn't have a T', I'm not giving my Vulcan chick one.