Aren't these two just precious? They're so in love its sickening isn't it? This is not what I had planned for them but this is where they are taking us, so it's taking me a while to figure out the next few chapters until I get them back inline :-) What do you think will happen next?

I got the Swahili from google translator I hope it is correct, and the Vulcan from the Vulcan Language Dictionary.

Quid Pro Quo

Uhura looked at Spocks sleeping face in awe. It wasn't often she got to see him this way. Sleeping, calm, vulnerable. On rare occasions, he would fall asleep with her after they made love but she always awoke with Spock up and ready to go or with him awake and staring at her as she slept. She finally had him at a disadvantage and could look her fill at him.

And look she did. He still insisted that they sleep without clothing so he was gloriously naked. He had compromised and procured her the promised covering but they had kicked that off the bed during the night. Spock kept his quarters toasty warm befitting his Vulcan biology and comfort and Uhura had to admit this was the more logical way to sleep.

He had been working double overtime in the science labs, a feat even for Spock who practically lived there anyway when they were not on a mission. Since she had been relieved of duty he had been absent much of the time. He was no doubt looking for an answer to her dilemma. What was causing her continued emotional outbursts?

She had had another incident, though she didn't tell Spock about it. She had become extremely angry when she learned she had been put on report for defending herself from that Rogers fellow. Before she knew what was happening she had smashed her data PADD. The incident shook her and she disposed of the remains of the PADD before Spock returned that evening.

Spock was under enough pressure. He determined to find the answer and heal her himself if need be. He was so sweet, sometimes she thought she didn't deserve him. Uhura found her husband so fascinating to use his own word. As she studied him she drank in his alien beauty.

From the tips of his elegant ears, her eyes traveled across his light olive-skinned face that had a hint of five o'clock shadow. She had never seen Spock look disheveled or unkempt. Even when they had spent several days in that darkened cave he still looked like Spock the officer. Of course, he had a scruffiness to his chin in the cave that she found utterly sexy but it was so dark and she had been so distracted with other things she never got a good look at caveman Spock in all his glory.

Uhura giggled to herself. Caveman Spock? That seemed to fit the situation. Every once in a while that primitive Spock would rear his head and take over, usually when he perceived a threat to herself. Spock seemed to have no problem with his caveman side asserting itself if it was for the good of his wife. This caused Uhura to smile as well. She was Spock's wife. She still had to pinch herself to believe it. She was laying beside Spock naked and it felt as if this was where she always belonged. What had taken them so long to get here?

Uhura sighed. They had both been very foolish, that's what. The more time she spent with Spock, the more they confessed to their secret feelings and their fears concerning those feelings. Was this what love was all about? Uhura didn't know. She had never really believed in all that love and romance stuff. Sure she had a crush on Spock and she had been infatuated with him like every other woman on the ship but she never thought it would ever lead to marriage and certainly not love with a Vulcan. That was just fairytale mumbo-jumbo. But here she was Spock's wife and with all the baggage and benefits that went along with it.

After looking him over for a while she noticed she urgently had to pee. Gingerly, she tried to leave the bed without disturbing his rest. She could tell he needed his sleep, after all, he wasn't really Superman like she had teased him he was.

She made her way to the washroom and took care of her business. Since she had been relieved of duty she had been resting a lot too. Oddly enough it didn't really bother her as she thought it might. She found that she really needed the rest. But today she felt refreshed and ready to go. She decided to take a shower and see what she could get herself into. She had some projects of her own that she had put off since her erstwhile marriage and now was as good a time as any to resume them.

She had only been showering for a moment when the door opened and Spock stepped into the stall.

"Spock! What are you doing?"

"I think it would be wise to conserve water do you not agree Aduna?"

"Oh, sure that is very logical."

"I have neglected to put in a request for your room assignment to be changed. Once I do we shall have double the water rations."

"Will we also have double the space? I haven't agreed to move in here either. You tricked me." Uhura pouted playfully.

"I gave you every opportunity to disagree, Aduna."

"I didn't know what I was agreeing to."

"That is unfortunate but it does not void your verbal consent."

Spock took the buff-puff she was using to bathe herself and turned her so he could proceed to lather her back and shoulders.

"Mmm, well at least you're good for something," Uhura said as Spock continued to lather and wash her body. When his hand wandered down to her nether region she grasped his wrist.

"I can handle that."

She took the puff and lathered it again.

"Turn around and I'll scrub your back."

Spock turned his back to her and Uhura slowly dragged the puff over his broad shoulders.

Uhura didn't know why but Spock never looked so big and sexy in his uniform. But now as she washed his back she noticed that his shoulders and back was defined with muscles. As she went lower he had a trim waist and firm buttocks that led down to lean long legs. She must have gotten distracted because Spock spoke and she nearly jumped.

"Aduna, are you finished?"

"No, not yet." She reached around his waist and pressed herself into his back. She rubbed the puff over his wet chest and dragged it down his taut abs and finally, she reached his nether region but he did not grab her wrist to stop her.

"Mmm hmm," Uhura said as she dropped the puff and all pretense of bathing Spock.

"Aduna," Spock said in a strained voice as Uhura stroked him. "We do not have much time" Spock admonished her.

"Then we better be quick," she said and she wrung another moan from him.

Spock spun around and pressed her against the shower wall.

"This was not my intention when joining you."

"What was your intention?" She asked looking up into his eyes as the warm water pelted down on them.

Spock shook his head as if it didn't matter. He grabbed her about the waist and easily lifted her up. Uhura quickly wrapped her legs around his hips and Spock slowly lowered her back down until their bodies were joined as one.

Uhura gasped when Spock entered her. She loved the feeling of being filled by her husband. It was the most incredible feeling in the entire galaxy and for those all too brief moments, Spock felt like he truly belonged to her. Not only their minds, but their bodies were joined as one and she was reluctant to let the moment end too quickly despite what she said earlier. She wanted Spock to take his time and love her right.

Of course, Spock could read these thoughts and he shared her sentiment. The times when he made love to Uhura were the best moments of his life. It was the only time he could allow himself to operate on pure instinct and emotion, the only time when he was neither Vulcan nor Human, when he was just a man.

The water ran out before they finished but Uhura didn't care.

"Oh sugar, I meant to help you get clean, not help you get off." She smiled and then groaned in Spock's ear as he slowly lowered her to her feet.

"I much prefer the latter," Spock said. He noted that Uhura as reluctant to let him go and she seemed to be in a dreamlike state. Spock started the blower that quickly dried their skin and then he scooped her up and carried her out of the shower room and back into the bedroom. He gently lowered her onto his bunk and sat beside her.

"Nyota, Aduna," he softly called to her.

"Hmmm," she moaned.

"Are you alright?" Spock asked. She still looked dazed.

"Oh, sure honey. I'm just tired. You've worn me out." She sighed and stretched. "A girl could get used to this. That's some morning routine you got here Mister."

"Indeed Aduna?" Spock smiled at her very satisfied antics. That was what he liked to see, a well pleased and happy Nyota. It made his heart swell with pride. He bent and kissed her forehead.

"Rest my wife. I must finish dressing and then I will attend to you before I leave."

"You've already attended to me," she practically purred.

"I will feed you," Spock said getting up and finding his uniform.

"Oh. I could eat. I'm suddenly famished."

Spock hastily finished his morning routine and then prepared Uhura's meal as promised. He brought a tray to the bed. Uhura was fast asleep. He hesitated to wake her but he needed to know she had eaten before he left for the day.

"Nyota, Aduna?" He gently shook her shoulder.

Uhura opened her eyes and greeted Spock with a smile.

"Your breakfast, k'hat'n'dlawa."

"Umm, thank you," she said sitting up digging into the meal of fruit and cereal.

"k'hat'n'dlawa? What does that mean? I am unfamiliar with the term." Uhura asked.

Spock was quiet for a moment debating. "It is equivalent to my beloved," he said finally.

Uhura stopped eating to stare at him. "Really? I never suspected Vulcan to have such words. I have so much to learn about you... mpendwa wangu," She resumed eating her fruit.

"Mpendwa wangu? Is that Swahili?"

"Yes, it means my beloved as well. I think you should learn Swahili if I'm to learn Vulcan."

"I agree and I have an excellent tutor in mind."

"Do you now?" she asked.

"Yes, k'hat'n'dlawa. Will you teach me?" Spock asked the question very sincerely and Uhura felt perhaps he was not speaking only of her native tongue.

"Of course, mpendwa wangu. There is so much for both of us to learn from one another. I think it will take a lifetime to learn everything."

"It is indeed fortunate that we have the rest of our lives to spend learning."

"I hope so," Uhura said somberly thinking of her strange outbursts and what they could mean.

"Nyota, do not worry. We will find what is ailing you and we will treat it successfully. You will die a very old lady."

"Oh gee, that makes me feel so much better!" she teased.

"I thought it would," Spock said.

"Get out of here Mister. You'll be late for your shift and the Captain will blame me."

"He would not do so." Spock took her tray back to the kitchenette.

He returned to her once again. He retrieved the bed cover that had fallen to the bottom of the bed and covered her.

"What will you do today?" Spock asked as he tucked her in.

"I don't know," she said and yawned. "I was going to do some work in my office but now that I've eaten I think I will take a little nap. Then I'll have to go to my quarters for a change of clothing."

"I will return to escort you during my break."

"You never take breaks."

"Then I am due a very long one."

"You don't have to escort me to my quarters. I know the way and I promise not to break any ribs along the way."

"That is not humorous."

"No, it isn't. I am not an invalid and I am not a danger to myself or others. Yes, I lost my temper but I feel fine now. Please trust me?" she pleaded.

"I trust you with my entire being, Aduna. I want to protect you. I need to know that you are well and safe. Do you understand?"

"No," she said stubbornly. "But I will wait for you, I don't want to argue." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Go on now. I'll be right here waiting for you."

Yes, in my bed where you belong, Spock thought. He held forward his two fingers to her and Uhura touched her fingers to his. "Until I return my wife, be well."

Spock left a moment later and Uhura fell back onto the bed and fell into a fitful sleep.

/*-/*-/

*k'hat'n'dlawa = half of each other's heart & soul

*mpendwa wangu = beloved