Plot: When Amanda comes down with the flu on Valentine's Day, Sarek surprises her by making one of her favorite days special. Romantic Fluff.
Note: I am two days late, but I figured better late than never. As always, constructive criticism is always welcome but as always be kind. Live Long and Prosper!
Valentine's Day
We were sent on a week-long mission to Andoria. With a busy schedule filled with meetings, lectures, and paperwork, I was very happy to finally return home and get some much-needed sleep. After 14 hours, we finally walked up the path and through our front door very late at night. I was very surprised to see the children by the door who immediately greeted us. I bend down,
"You two should be in bed." I said, with exhaustion radiating through my voice I pulled them my usual awkward three-way hug and muffled a yawn. Even with the exhaustion, I couldn't even try and hide my excitement as I tightened my grasp around them and broke out in a huge smile. "I missed you both so much." I caressed their soft pajamas against my fingers.
As Sarek spoke from beside me, the children pulled away.
"I fail to see the meaning of why the two of you have stayed awake past your bedtime."
I looked up, continuing to caress the children's backs. "They just wanted to say hello, Sarek. We have been gone for a week. That's a very long time." I turned back to the children. "Right?" They both nodded as they stood in their white pajamas, Spock carrying his little stuffed rabbit.
"Right," I covered a cough, "I will tuck you both into bed and then I must sleep, I am very tired."
Michael turned to Spock and patted him on the arm. "Race you there!" she said, excitedly.
Together they turned around and ran up the stairs. I turned to Linnea who stood next to her husband, Felix, still in their day's clothing. I found myself feeling guilty that they were in such uncomfortable clothing when it was nearly 2:00AM. I covered a cough as I gave Linnea my coat,
"Are you feeling alright, Madam?" she asked.
"Oh yes, I'm just tired" I said, "I'm sure I'll feel better in the morning. If you'll excuse me, I'll tuck the children in. Oh, and please get out of your work robes you two, pajamas are much more comfortable at 2 o'clock in the morning."
They covered their mouths from obvious chuckles, "Very well, Lady Amanda."
I covered another cough as I walked up the stairs to the children's rooms. After tucking them each into bed, I was very happy and relieved to walk down back downstairs and through the long dark corridor to the bedroom. I opened the bedroom door and was quite surprised to the holographic candles activated throughout the room and my husband already in bed.
"Are you feeling alright?" I asked, covering another cough. "You are never in bed before me."
"I am in perfect health, Amanda. I dare to suggest that you seem to be becoming unwell."
After shimmying out of my dress, I slipped on my nightgown and took the pins out of my hair. Sweet Relief.
"I'm sure it is just from the travel, my love. You know I do not fare well traveling far distances."
I went into the bathroom and grabbed a wipe and began to wipe the makeup off my face.
"If you insist, but I've noticed from Michael's bedroom that the consistency of your coughs is more frequent, occurring every 15 seconds. I also noted that the sound in your cough suggests an infection of the chest."
"It's just jetlag." I assured as I finally pried all the makeup off my face. I threw the wipe in the bin before joining my husband in bed pulling the covers over my waist.
"Perhaps I should send for the doctor tomorrow?" he wrapped his arm around my shoulder as I rested my head on his shoulder covering another cough.
"Don't be silly. It's just jet lag. I'll be better in the morning. Computer, terminate illumination".
I didn't remember when I went to sleep, but I do remember opening my eyes to the bright sun shining through the closed curtains. Jesus, so bright! As I tried to prop myself onto my elbows, I became blind-sided by my head starting to pound. I began to draw in a deep breath through my nose, realizing right away that my nose was completely clogged. I covered a deep chesty cough that rattled my chest.
"Oooww" I groaned and laid back down in the pillows. I turned to see Sarek on his side staring at me.
"I told you that you were unwell." He blunted stated.
I could have hit him for the comment. The flat voice didn't help matters and made it seem a bit patronizing. I tried to lift my arm, but the achy feeling throughout my body worsened overnight. I sighed and simply nodded, pulling the duvet over my head hoping to get some relief from the bright sun. I'll hit him later.
I awoke to a shake on the shoulder and a foreign voice, "Lady Amanda." I opened my eyes to see a human healer above me dressed in white. "How are you feeling?"
I never understood why they asked such a question when the person literally just opened their eyes. How am I supposed to know how I feel when I just woke up? I took a moment to adjust, propping myself to a sitting position. My head immediately beginning to pound.
"I've been better, Doctor."
He placed his bag on the nightstand beside me and opened it. "What are your symptoms?" He took out a tongue depressor and a light. Hmm an old school doctor, apparently. "Open, please."
After a look in my mouth, he removed the depressor.
"Okay, good."
He reached back into his bag and took the tricorder. Perhaps not so old school after all. He scanned my body from head to toe as I listed off my symptoms.
"I have a headache, stuffy nose, chest hurts, a cough, body aches."
"…and a fever" he added. "102.0 degrees." He turned back to his bag, "You have the flu, Lady Amanda. You must have picked it up on your recent mission."
"Is it dangerous?" Sarek asked, standing at the end of the bed.
"Do not be alarmed." the doctor said, taking out some medicine from his bag. "It is nothing to be concerned about". He handed me four tablets, "these will lower your fever," he pointed to the two pink tablets, "and these with help with the congestion and other symptoms" he pointed to the white pills. "Take two of each three times a day and try and get as much food and water in you as you can during this time, this is a hot planet and as you know we, as humans, are prone to dehydration."
"Yes, I know." I covered another cough. "I think I can eat. I don't feel nauseous".
"Excellent." He turned to Sarek, "I shall take my leave now. If her temperature elevates over 104 degrees, call me right away".
"Your assistance is greatly appreciated. Thank you, doctor"
He turned back to me as he began to collect his things. "It's a pity that you happen to be ill, especially on such a special day."
Special day? What special day? I grabbed a tissue on the nightstand and blew my nose.
"What day is it today?" I asked, covering another cough.
"It's Valentine's Day today, Lady Amanda."
I felt my face mold into one of disappointment. Oh no! I loved Valentine's day, even though many people hated it. I loved the flowers and the chocolates and the nice breakfasts even though it was, indeed, tacky. I smiled sadly and lowered myself back in the bed.
"Yea, I always loved this day. I suppose I'll just have to celebrate when I get better."
"Indeed." He rubbed my shoulder reassuringly, "Promise me you will call if your fever elevates or you feel any worse."
"I will. Thank you."
"But sleep, medicine, and liquid are all you need for the time being."
He glanced over at Sarek who seemed relieved by the diagnosis. "And maybe some love, given the day."
I couldn't help but flinch at the joke. Vulcans weren't very good at understanding jokes, and my husband was no exception. His arms were crossed at his front and with a nod he flatly:
"Thank you for coming Doctor, I suppose we should leave my wife to rest."
"Indeed, we should." After collecting his items I watched as they both left the room and soon, I drifted back to sleep.
I opened my eyes many hours later and was very surprised to hear nothing throughout the halls. No Spock, or Michael. Linnea or Felix. Christina or Westley. Or even T'Pal and Savek. Hmm, that's unusual. Slightly concerned, I tossed the covers off my body and slowly found my footing, wrapped my robe around me I opened the bedroom door and looked to the left and right down the long corridor. Sure enough, it was completely empty with not a servant, or child in sight.
As I walked along the corridor, I was rather happy to discover that my head was no longer pounding but my chest and nose were still completely clogged. I covered many more coughs as I reached the sitting room. I looked at the clock on the wall, my mouth dropped in shock when I saw the time.
"16:05. Oh my. Slept all day." I whispered and continued to walk through the corridor. "I must really be sick."
As I reached the staircase, I heard some commotion coming from the kitchen nearby. As I got closer to the kitchen, I was surprised to see Sarek cooking. He rarely cooked these days, as we were often so busy, but that was beyond the point. He was supposed to be at work. Sarek, what are you doing? You are supposed to be at work.
He turned to face me and looked rather confused as I walked into the kitchen, "You are supposed to be in bed." He stood still wearing his work robes as he started to stir something in a pot.
"I have slept all day. I am no longer tired." I covered another cough and moved closer to the stove. "You are supposed to be at work and where are the children and the servants?"
"I have called us both in sick at the Embassy. I gave the servants the day off and the children are away with Linnea and Felix until later tonight".
As I looked in the pots on the stove, I noticed he was cooking some un-Vulcan like food. But the smell was most delicious and made my stomach growl.
"What is this?" I asked, looking at the yellow mush in the pot. "Are those eggs?" I asked surprised at the excitement in my voice. "Are you cooking eggs?" I looked at the other pans and its contents. That one definitely had bacon and the other had some kind of gravy. "Is that Bacon and Gravy?" I felt my stomach growl louder and louder as I inhaled the missed smells from home. "My love" I sighed, a tinge of sadness radiated through me. "I appreciate you doing all of this but why are you making this? You aren't going to eat any of it."
He turned off the stove, "If I recall correctly, the Earth day that is reserved for love is your favourite, yes? I have prepared the meal that you consumed on our first date which happens to have fallen on this day ten years ago. On that day, I consumed oatmeal."
He motioned to the side of the stove which had a lone pot that was covered with a towel. Upon further inspection, I had discovered that he had already made his meal. Plain oatmeal with exactly 1 tbsp of brown sugar.
"Where did you get all of this?" I asked, covering a cough, "Vulcan doesn't possess any of these ingredients."
But he remained silent. This was, indeed, out of character for him and it was kind of shocking. In our ten years together, he had told me that Vulcans do not celebrate holidays, and he explained that due to the vegetarian diet of Vulcans meat products were not available on Vulcan. It was a fact that I had grown to accept over the years, but as I watched him cook, I wondered if after years of not eating meat, was my husband about to change? I continued to watch him cook, deciding it was probably not the best idea to question it.
"I can't believe you remembered." I said in disbelief, joining his side again. I placed my hand on his back as he began to plate the food. I covered another cough and turned to the refrigeration unit.
"Would you like some juice?" I asked, "I think Felix and Linnea brought some more of that black currant you like on their recent trip back."
"They did. It is on the first shelf on the left."
I pulled out both the orange juice and the blackcurrant juice, before bending down to the cupboard under the stove, recovering two glasses. I poured the liquid in the glasses and placed them on the counter on the table just in front of the stove.
As I placed the juices back in the unit, I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with love as I watched him place the plate and bowl on the place mats. The thought was so caring, but it was so unlike him. As I turned to face the unit I broke out in a huge smile. I had never felt so loved.
Arms wrapped around my waist, and lips nuzzled in the caress of my neck sending a shiver down my spine.
"You are happy." He said as his lips pressing gently against my neck.
"Yes, Thank you."
"Come, you need to eat."
Sitting at the counter next to my husband, I smiled as I remembered our first date. I was honestly surprised that I remembered it so vividly. I scooped some gravy on top of my eggs and held the spoon in my mouth for a moment. The taste, it was the same. The exact same. The details of the café walls flashed through my head as I remember gawking at them with nervousness as I listened to him answer all my questions I had about Vulcans and the foreign culture that I had grown interested in. I remembered what he wore, the distance of the café from my flat, and even the smidge of brown sugar in his oatmeal. I found out many things that day the main one being that Vulcan's were vegetarian and did not drink coffee.
As I glanced up at him, I noticed he was looking at me as he slowly ate his oatmeal, I smiled and lowered my mental wall, inviting him in to see the precious memory.
We sat at a table right at the back of the café. There were hardly any customers, which provided a good sense of privacy. I couldn't remember if my dress was blue or green, but I remembered what he wore and the look on his face when he realized I didn't know that Vulcans were vegetarians.
-O-O-
"You are unaware that Vulcan's do not eat meat?" he asked as he held the cup of tea to his lips.
"Oh." a surge of butterflies ran through my stomach. "If…if it offends you, I can get oatmeal."
"Why would it offend me that you eat meat, Amanda? The dietary needs of Humans and Vulcan's are different, and I encourage you to eat whatever your body needs to sustain your life."
I relaxed back against the booth; it was relaxing hearing that. The last time I had gone out with someone who was vegetarian and ordered eggs they were deeply offended and almost walked out. I didn't want it to happen with him, he was far more special.
"I was thinking that maybe the smell would make you feel sick or something." I said timidly, closing the menu in front of me.
Suddenly I was looking at myself at the opposite side of the table staring at myself as I looked down at the menu, Sarek had pulled me into his thoughts and showed me his view of the day.
"Your dress was a green knee length dress with black heels". His voice radiated through my head.
My heart, well his heart, was beating awfully fast, and just as it started to slow down it began to speed up again as my face dropped with shock
"If… if it offends you, I can get oatmeal."
As I stood up from my seat, he, well me, reached over and grabbed my arm.
"It is no worry, Amanda. I promise. Please sit down".
I watched myself slide back down into my booth. His heart, mine, now beating really quick, I thought for sure it was going to beat out of his chest. But he looked so calm. I remember.
-O-O-
As our voices muted, I was suddenly brought back to reality. I looked down at my half-eaten meal and smiled. I looked up at him and reached for his hand that rested right next to his bowl. I couldn't help but beam from ear to ear, I was nothing but grateful to him. For everything.
"Thank you for showing me" I caressed his hand gently, "You were so nervous." I whispered. "…but I still can't believe you remembered."
"It would be illogical to forget."
As the time passed, we continued eating and reminiscing about our first date. I was looking at my now empty plate when he suddenly got up and went over the table back to the counter and returned with a box with a white bow and placed it on my lap.
"Since today is a day for bonded mates, it seems only logical to present you a gift as a token of my affection."
"Sarek," my shoulders slacked, "you have given me enough these past ten years."
It was rather big box with a beautiful white bow around it. I pulled the bow loose and pulled the top off the box to reveal a beautiful burgundy dress with a lace overlay and a matching headscarf. I held up the long modest dress in awe. He remembered my favorite color and my love of lace. I stared in a mixture of disbelief, shock, and love.
"I hope you find it meets your expectation"
As I caressed the fabric against my fingers, I couldn't help but admire its beauty. "Oh Sarek, it's beautiful". I smiled, covering a cough. "I would kiss you right now, but I don't want to get you sick". I placed the dress back in the box, "I promise I will wear it when I am able."
"Of course," He leaned forward and just as I was about to pull away his lips pressed against my cheek lightly. "But for now. I insist you take your medicine and return to bed."
Oh, but he still liked to give orders. I rolled my eyes playfully a mischievous smile grazed my lips,
"I took it already, Mr. Ambassador". I said, placing the box to the side.
"Well then." He slowly removed his napkin from his lap and placed it over his empty bowl. He stood up and slid his arm under my legs and the other around my waist and before I could even protest, he lifted me off my feet, "You must return to bed."
"Sarek, what are you doing?" I wrapped my arms around his neck as he walked us out of the kitchen.
"I am carrying you to bed." He said plainly, "You must preserve your strength."
"My love, I can walk." I protested, but he simply ignored we started to walk down the corridor. I rested my head against his shoulder as he carried me through the corridor to the bedroom. He laid me down carefully on the bed and pulled the covers up to my waist.
"I hope you will permit me to work next door in your office. It would seem logical to be close to you during this time."
"It's always open to you, and yes I'll call you if I need anything."
One would think that he was not the caring type, but on the contrary he only showed it when we were absolutely alone. While, at times, it wasn't as most humans are used to, it was enough for me.
The children returned late with Linnea and Felix. While they were cautioned to stay away, they still insisted on seeing me. With my fever broken, Sarek allowed the children to come in for our nightly bedtime story on the condition that they read.
With Michael cuddled to my left and Spock to my right on my bed, Michael read the green open book on my lap as they nuzzled close to my still warm body under the red duvet,
"Foolish Tootles was standing like a conqueror over Wendy's body when the other boys sprang, armed, from their trees. "You are too late," he cried proudly, "I have shot the Wendy. Peter will be so pleased with me. "Overhead Tinker Bell shouted, "Silly ass!"-
Red started to flood Michaels cheek and she held her hand over her mouth. I looked over to see her suddenly become scared.
"It's okay, honey." I reassured, "It's just in a book. You're not in trouble."
After a moment, she looked at Spock and then started to chuckle. I looked at him to see the sides of his little mouth twinge before I knew it, he broke out in a smile. Soon they both were chuckling; it was a lovely sight. It would have been nice if he continued, but Spock soon stopped and returned to his reserved self.
The eight-year-old girl on the other hand still struggled to contain her emotions, and it was something that both Sarek and Spock did not quite understand. Yes, she had only been in our care for a year, but she had been going through extensive logic training since the very beginning. Sarek explained that she should be displaying more logic qualities and often expressed his disappointment.
I must admit, I was happy that she struggled. She was not Vulcan after all, but like it or not, I had to accept that she would eventually be molded into what society wanted her to be, to what my husband wanted her to be. The best I could do was encourage her to hold on to her humanity and hopefully reading these stories would help.
For now, I enjoyed her laughter, her chuckles and her smiles. I reached my hand over and began to tickle the little girl. "Is it still funny?" I laughed, "Is it?" She began to shriek with delight and began to kick her legs under the duvet. I stopped as she began to gasp for breath.
"Right" I smiled, covering another cough. "Your bedtime is soon, finish this paragraph and then you must be off to bed."
"Yes, Mother."
"Yes, Amanda."
"…Silly ass and darted into hiding. The others did not hear her. They had crowded round Wendy, and as they looked a terrible silence fell upon the wood. If Wendy's heart had been beating, they would all have heard it."
After ushering the children upstairs to their own rooms for bed, I could no longer stay in bed and yearned to do something. Knowing Sarek was in my office attending to documents, I decided to join him. I stood in the doorway in my long burgundy robe admiring him as he paced through the room reading the latest document. He looked up from his document and stopped in his tracks,
"Aman-"
"I know, I know. You want me in bed, but I've slept so much. Just let me do one document and I promise I'll go back to bed."
After a moment of awkward silence, he sighed and relented. "Very well. One document and I insist you-"
"Go back to bed, yes. I promise." I closed the door behind me and walked in the room.
"Were the children satisfied with the story tonight?" He asked, not looking up from his document.
"Yes, they were. And they kept their promise and read tonight." I covered another cough and walked over to my desk, brushing my hand along his shoulder as I passed him. I sat down and pulled an unedited document from the pile, but I had no interest. I really did not want to read, I just wanted to be with him, to be in his company. So, I pretended to read the document.
He knew. He could see right through the façade. I felt his eyes looking at me not long after I began to pretend to read, I was about to look up when he said "Computer, play A Thousand Years".
I immediately formed a smile, but one more of surprise. Dancing. We never dance. As I looked up, he reached over and took the document me and placed it on the side before offering his hand out to me.
"Come." He commanded in a soft voice and glanced back at his hand.
"What is this?" I asked, placing my hand into his. "We never dance." I covered a cough and stood up. He walked us to the middle of the room as the music started, he held our hands up just below his shoulder and the other one rested on my waist. Slowly we began to sway from the side to side.
"This is the song we danced to during the bonding ceremony insisted on by your parents".
"The day we met; frozen I held my breath. Right from the start, I knew that I'd found the home for my heart."
My parents insisted that we have at least a small ceremony for them and my family to attend since they were unable to attend the Vulcan ceremony, we had just a week prior. I held back a scoff as I remembered my mother's words, "if you are going to have a traditional Vulcan ceremony then you must have a traditional 'Human' one as well".
I remember teaching Sarek how to dance in a private dance studio just days before the wedding. He did not see much logic to it at first, but upon explaining how it would mean a lot to my parents and I, he relented.
The precious memory ran through my head as we swayed from side to side with the music in my office. I had lost track how many times he had stepped on my foot as I tried to teach him to put his left foot forward as mine went back. It was quite the struggle teaching him to dance and took longer than I expected, I soon realised afterwards that Vulcans were not very artistic beings.
I could hear my voice echo through my mind as I kept time out loud in attempt to trigger his muscles into remembering. We had been in the studio for many hours and the sun was set by the time he finally got it.
One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three.
"See" I beamed, "You got it".
And soon we started to glide about the room.
Throughout the memory, I could see every detail of Sarek's traditional black robes as we began to glide more confidently around the dance studio while I was breaking in a high neck maxi dress. Our first diplomatic event as husband and wife was later that night and I remembered that I had insisted on practicing in a long dress. I continued to watch as we glided across the dance studio, my laughter radiating through the room…
Sarek's hand glided up my back, a gesture that broke me from the precious memory. His eyes stared into mine as he moved his left foot forward, in response I quickly placed mine back. He then moved his right foot to the side and soon we were doing the box step as the music continued.
"Time stands still, beauty and all she is, I will be brave I will not let anything take away…"
"Cheater." I whispered jokingly. "You read my mind."
On the corner of his mouth I was a small twitch. A small smile. A very small smile was seen. My hand wiggled out of his grip and found his forefinger. I brushed them tenderly against his mine feeling the surging emotion from the Ozh'esta radiating through me. With his other hand still in mine he lifted them up over my head,
"I believe this is where you twirl."
And I did as instruct. Once. Twice. And then another. Happy laughs escaped my lips as I remembered the sweet surprise on the dance floor of our wedding reception on Earth. I hadn't taught him that twirling was a part of dancing, but it seemed that he had been doing his own outside research.
"I have died every day waiting for you, darling don't be afraid I have loved you for a thousand years…"
As he pulled me back against his body, I felt tears of happiness well in my eyes. I didn't know what had gotten into him, why he was being so romantic, but it was nothing that I'd question. I simply enjoyed the moment.
"Haven't twirled since our wedding." I beamed,
"And all along I believed I would find you; time has brought your heart to me I have loved you for a thousand years I loved you for a thousand more".
"And yet you still remember." He commented, his hand moved down to my waist and he began to caress gently with his thumb as the music slowed down.
"One... step … closer, I have died every day waiting for you. Darling, don't be afraid I have loved you for a thousand years".
We found ourselves swaying again, abandoning the waltz for just a simpler style. He tilted his head and inched himself closer to me. I pulled away reluctantly, Sarek, I'm sick… but he continued inching himself closer to me. His voice was soft and calming as he whispered,
"It does not matter, my love."
His lips pressed gently against mine as we continued to sway the last verse of the song.
"And all along I believed I would find you; time has brought your heart to me I have loved you for a thousand years, I'll love you for a thousand more."
We lingered there for a moment, even after the instrumental stopped. He pulled away gently and looked at me with sweet and sensitive eyes. Only in private did he reveal his softer side to me. I wrapped my arm around him and rested my head against his chest.
"I believe the appropriate sentence in our current circumstance would be, Happy Valentine's Day, Amanda."
I smiled and muffled a cough against his robes. "Yes, Mr. Ambassador, you are correct." I caressed his back gently, "Happy Valentine's Day, Sarek."
~*The End*~