No Laughing Matter

Spock took Uhura to a hotel room on Starbase 6. This time it was not a fancy room but more practical and less sex oriented than the suite on Argelius. He had carried her the entire way through the base, causing turned heads and speculation. Uhura just buried her face in his shirt and hoped nobody recognized her. Fat chance of that! Who else would Spock be carrying around like a damsel? She would have no street cred at all when he got done with her.

"Put me down now!" she commanded when they entered the room.

Spock ignored the command and took her to the bed where he gently deposited her.

Spock stood above her and stared down at her while she was leaning up on her elbows.

"You enjoyed that, didn't you? You like going all caveman any chance you get."

"I did not 'go caveman'. I was seeing to your wellbeing. You were shaken after your encounter with Admiral Komack." He said.

"Shaken maybe, but not stirred. I told you I could handle Komack."

"Yes, I see how well you handled him," Spock said.

"I did handle him. He wanted to charge you with rape! And me with domestic violence. He is out of his mind."

"What did he say to you?"

"He said he had all our testimonies about our unplanned trip to Vulcan and he knew that I was forced to marry you and that perhaps the Vulcans were 'persuading' me to lie about it or something. I flat out refused to cooperate when he wanted me to sign a complaint against you."

"I see," Spock said deep in thought.

"And when I refused he pulled out his secret weapon. Said someone reported me for domestic violence and that if he wanted to, he could charge me. I knew he was bluffing, you'd have to sign a complaint against me as well and I knew you wouldn't. So he let me go."

"For now," Spock said.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you think he diverted the Enterprise all this way just to threaten you and let you go? He thought you would cooperate but now that you have defied him he will go after you too."

"So? Let him charge me with domestic assault. I have an exemplary record, the most I would get is a slap on the wrist and mandatory rehabilitation."

"That is not the most you would get. You could be court-martialed for assaulting a superior officer."

"Well, that sounds serious," Uhura said sitting up.

"It is very serious."

"What are we going to do?" She asked looking up to him as if he held all the answers. Spock felt the weight of a thousand suns crashing down on his back. What was he to do indeed?

"I do not know... yet."

"Why does Komack have it in for you? What'd you do, sleep with his daughter or something?" Uhura joked.

"This is no joking matter, wife."

"Stop calling me 'wife' like that. I have a name you know?"

"Yes, a name only your friends may call you." Spock reminded her.

"Precisely. You may also call me that other name you used, aduna?

"Aduna. Yes, it is Vulcan for a female mate or life partner." Spock said and it caused Uhura to grin.

"I like that. Female mate. And how do I say 'male life partner'?"

"Adun," Spock said.

"Adun. Come sit down." She patted the space beside her.

Spock sat down and Uhura took his hand entwining their fingers.

"Adun, why can't people just leave us alone?"

"I do not know, however, I am sorry that you are affected by my actions in this fashion."

"Stop apologizing. We're in this mess together." She leaned her shoulder into his. "I have to be honest with you though, Komack frightened me. He sounded unhinged. He hates Vulcans."

"It is most illogical."

"He seemed to think he was saving me and human female virtue from Vulcan males."

"Fascinating. Human/Vulcan relationships are not a common occurrence. In fact, interspecies relationships of any kind are still quite rare. There is not an abundance of Vulcan males stealing away with human brides, Sarek and myself be being the clear exception."

"Yeah, it sounded very personal. Are you sure you didn't do anything to him? Or maybe Sarek?"

"I do not know and I do not care. He has crossed a line. He must answer for his actions."

"You sound like that other Spock," she said with worry.

"I thought you liked that other Spock and his rakish ways?"

"I told you, I say a lot of things. That Spock was right for his world, but he doesn't fit here any more than I fit there. He had to hold his own in that violent environment but here he would be dangerous."

"I have tried to convince you many times that I am dangerous," Spock said.

"I believe you, that's why I am worried. I want to say don't do anything foolish but then I realize it's you I'm talking to. You don't do foolish things. But then again..." Spock cut her off.

"Nyota," He pulled her onto his lap held her in his arms when he felt her anxiety through their bond.

"You promised to never leave me. You better not lie to me." She said as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Vulcans do not lie."

"Good." After a while when her nerves were settled she sat in Spock's lap and listened to the rhythm of his deep calm breathing. She rubbed his back and felt his strong muscles through his uniform. As her hands wandered over his back a thought occurred to her.

"Are you ticklish?"

"No."

"What if I tried tickling you to see?"

"I would not recommend it."

"Why not?"

"The Vulcan nervous system is different than yours."

"So? What does that mean?"

"Vulcans generally do not laugh. I would, however, likely react to such stimulus."

"But how?"

Spock was stubbornly silent.

"Okay then, I'm gonna have to tickle you now and find out." Uhura threatened.

"Please, do not," he said but he didn't seem to mean it as he made no attempt to escape her embrace. What kind of game was he playing? And why the hell was a Vulcan playing a game, to begin with?

So she tickled his neck lightly near his jaw.

"Aduna," Spock warned. "I asked you not to do this."

"But you didn't say it with any conviction. You can stop me at any time."

Next, she tickled his armpit, that was always a good spot for her.

Spock remained stoic but he looked tense. Aha, she was getting to him. She trailed her fingers lower and went or his ribs, a nice sensitive area for humans. She tickled his ribs for a moment and stopped.

Spock still didn't laugh but Uhura knew she affected him. She definitely felt something being stimulated in his pants.

Ooh. This was very interesting. She tickled him some more and he grabbed her wrists to stop her.

"That is enough. I think you should stop now Aduna," Spock said through clenched teeth.

"Why?" Uhura asked innocently? "I'm trying t find your spot."

"You found it."

"No. that isn't it, you didn't laugh." She tried to pry her wrists free but his hold was solid.

"Vulcans do not laugh," he warned again.

"Then what happens when you tickle a Vulcan?"

"This." Spock flipped her over on the bed and pinned her with her wrists above her head. He ground his hips into hers. "Is this what you want Aduna?"

Oh hell yes! She thought.

Spock held her hands above her head with one hand and with the other he grabbed the hem of her tunic and tugged it up. All the while he stared down into her eyes.

He didn't pull her shirt all the way up though. He stopped at her stomach and then he did something purely evil. He tickled her.

"Stop that!" Uhura squealed and squirmed trying to get away as she laughed uncontrollably. "No!" she cried. "Oh my god! Don't you dare!" she said through her laughter.

"Spock! Adun! I yield! You win! Please!" she cried.

Spock stopped and she tried to catch her breath.

"You think you're funny, don't you?" She said.

"It would never occur to me to be funny."

"Haha. You know what I meant. Why did you do that?"

"Turn about is fair play, is it not," he asked.

"Yeah, but I didn't make you laugh," she pouted.

"No, you did not. I have not repaid you properly." Spock said with his deep sexy voice.

"No, you did not." She said breathlessly.

Spock lifted her tunic again and this time he didn't stop at her stomach. He didn't make her laugh again either but he did make her cry out his name and he was content with that.