After drying her hair and putting on some makeup Alex looked at the purple dress Spock had bought her on the planet's surface before starting to pull it out of the closet. "Not that one," she almost jumped when she heard Spock's voice right behind her, sighing as she looked over her shoulder at him.
"Why not?"
"This one," he said as he drew out a different dress, it was green and had a beautiful cape sewn in on the back, he had bought it for her at one of the other stores they had gone into. After putting it on Spock helped her zip up the back of the dress and ran his hand over the fabric of the cape, smoothing it out over her back before she turned around to look up at him.
"How do I look?" she asked, hoping he would approve of the result of her wearing Vulcan clothing.
"One more thing," Spock said softly before going to his dresser and picking up a box. He returned to her and held it out, Alex gently lifted the top off the box and found a beautiful necklace within.
The necklace was truly a statement piece, a beautiful slice of polished orange and crystal rock that looked like a slice of a large triangular geode that had gold wire edges wrapped in intricate patterns and then held with a long gold chain.
"It's beautiful," Alex breathed as she looked up at him.
"It is a slice of a stone found on Vulcan," he explained. "I thought you would appreciate it as you seemed to appreciate my planet and my culture."
"I love it," she told him as she looked up at him with a smile before taking the necklace from the box and slipping the chain over her head. The stone landed against her chest and she touched it gently, smiling as she did before looking up at him. "Are we having dinner here or in their quarters?"
"Jim has given us the use of a private dining room for this evening," he told her and she nodded as he reached out, gently brushing her hair from her face before stroking her cheek lightly.
"Are we ready?" she asked and he gave her a nod before leading her out of his quarters. After taking the elevator up a floor, they walked to a dining room and the door opened with a woosh, they were the first to arrive so Spock took her into the room, pulling out a chair for her and letting her sit before sitting down next to her.
"They will be here in five minutes," Spock told her and she nodded.
"Always punctual?" she asked.
"It is considered rude not to be." he explained.
"We were early, does that make us rude?" she asked as she looked at Spock who gave a small nod.
"It does," he admitted. "But one would think that joining Starfleet instead of the Vulcan Science Academy and beginning a relationship with a human would be rude to our people as well."
Alex couldn't help but smile at that as she leaned in, giving Spock a gentle kiss at his words. "I kinda like when you're rude," she told him as Spock looked down at her lips again, Alex leaning back in to press another sweet kiss to his lips before the door opened, Alex pulling back and clearing her throat before realizing it was just Captain Kirk.
"Sorry," he said a little uncomfortably when he realized he had interrupted their moment. "I just thought it would be best if I was a minute or two early,"
"Understood," Spock nodded as he stood up, Alex looking nonplussed.
"I can wait outside," Kirk offered, surprising Alex who gave him a questioning look.
"It's fine," she waved her hand at Jim before the door opened again and Alex stood this time as Sarek and Amanda walked in.
Truly looking at them, Alex could see the similarities between Spock and his father, but she could also see the similarities between Spock and his mother too. As Sarek and Amanda entered the room Jim smiled at them both charmingly before looking at Spock and Alex.
"Ambassador Sarek," Jim smiled at him. "Welcome."
"Thank you," Sarek told the captain before looking to Spock and nodding. "Spock."
"Ambassador," Spock nodded back before looking at Alex out of the corner of his eye. "May I present Lt. Alex Ramirez," he said as he put his hand on her lower back. "My t'hyla," Spock told Sarek and his mother.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Ambassador Sarek," she said as she nodded to him but didn't extend her hand, knowing Vulcans weren't huge on shaking hands.
"May I present my wife, Amanda," Sarek said as he gestured to his wife, Alex smiled at Amanda who smiled and nodded back, obviously thinking about what had happened earlier.
"It's a pleasure to officially meet you," Alex offered her hand and Amanda looked surprised but shook her hand readily.
"It's been some time since anyone shook my hand," Amanda explained with a smile.
"I understand," Alex replied.
Spock moved to put his hands on the back of Alex's chair and she sat down, letting him push the chair back into the table.
Sarek did the same for Amanda and Kirk sat down at the head of the table watching the two couples.
"I'm so sorry about earlier," Alex added to Amanda. "I'm so embarrassed about that."
"Oh no, please, I wish I had known about you earlier, I never would have just gone into the room," Amanda assured Alex who smiled at the woman who seemed very kind. "How long have you and Spock known each other?"
"Alex is an interesting story actually," Jim commented as he looked at Sarek and Amanda. "Alex?"
Alex chuckled softly at Kirk's comment before shrugging. "I'm a time traveler." she started. "I was a part of an Air Force experiment to test a drug to help our people go into space," she explained. "But it turns out the compound they created worked a little too well, it was concentrated so they ended up putting me to sleep and preserving me for over two hundred years instead of just a year."
"How terrifying," Amanda said as she looked at Alex with rapt attention.
"No ma'am," Alex shook her head. "I woke up in the presence of Starfleet which was close enough to my old Air Force so it's all been very familiar," she explained before looking at Spock. "Spock and I met a few days before the Enterprise went left Earth, when Captain Kirk hired me." she continued.
"So you would have been from the twenty first century," Sarek said thoughtfully. "You must long for your own time."
"Not really," she shrugged. "I don't see the point in wallowing in self pity over what I've lost, I'm alive, I have a job, it's my duty to do my job and do it well."
"That's very pragmatic thinking," Sarek seemed impressed as he looked at her before looking at Spock who gently ran his two fingers over hers.
Dinner was brought in then, and as they ate Amanda and Alex chatted, Kirk occasionally throwing in a comment here or there, but Sarek and Spock seemed rather quiet.
"Spock, are you having a bad time?" Kirk asked him at one point, Spock looking back at Kirk questioningly.
"Not at all Captain."
"You seem rather quiet this evening."
"It is not custom for Vulcans to speak through dinner," Spock explained.
"We endure it when surrounded by humans, but do not seek out conversation." Sarek concurred with Spock's statement.
"They endure us," Amanda sighed as she looked at Alex, Alex grinning as she looked at Spock. "By the way, I love your dress."
"Spock took me shopping today," Alex told Amanda. "We went to Vulcan and he took me to lunch and took me shopping."
"How lovely," Amanda looked at Spock with a bright smile. "Did you show her where our property was?"
"I did not," Spock replied. "We only had a short time on the surface before coming back here," he explained.
"Pity," she said softly before Sarek looked at Alex.
"And what did you think of Vulcan? Most humans find it far too hot for their taste."
"Actually I found the heat rather enjoyable," Alex assured him. "I grew up in a desert on Earth where the heat would oftentimes get to one hundred and fifteen," she explained.
"Oh where?" Amanda asked and Alex looked back at her with a smile.
"I'm from New Mexico,"
"Oh lovely," Amanda smiled. "Oh next time you go to Vulcan you have to see the suns set."
"I would love to," Alex smiled. "I can't wait until I get to see more of the planet."
"Spock is a wonderful guide," Amanda beamed at Alex. "He remembers every little detail and fact about every place he's ever been to."
"I look forward to seeing more of Vulcan with him," Alex smiled as she looked at Spock who gave her a small nod.
"Spock," Sarek spoke suddenly. "Is it your plan to marry this human?"
"I think it's a little soon for that," Kirk chuckled uneasily as he looked between Spock and Sarek while Alex sipped her wine that was served with her dinner.
"It is," Spock replied, Alex inhaling deeply, unfortunately inhaling the wine as well.
She coughed hardly as she put her napkin over her mouth, Amanda standing and moving to her side as Alex looked at Spock in surprise and then to Amanda.
"I'm sorry?" Alex asked when she finally got her breath after taking a sip of water from the glass Amanda had pressed into her hands.
"It is my intention that you and I be married," Spock replied.
"Did you ever intend to talk to me about that?" she questioned, waving the napkin in front of her face, trying to wave off the tears that had sprung to her eyes when she was choking on the water.
"Yes," Spock told her simply. "But I thought it was too soon to discuss."
"It is." she told him. "I mean we've only been seeing each other a few months now."
"I am aware." Spock replied and she stared at him with an unamused look on her face for a moment before waving her hand at him.
"You'll get used to it," Amanda said gently as she took Alex's hands. "Vulcans are very blunt, but very pragmatic," she explained, Alex nodding.
"No I- I know, I just didn't expect to be talking about this anytime soon," she explained with a slight chuckle, blushing at her physical reaction to the conversation. "It's a lot,"
"I understand," Amanda told her gently.
It was a lot to take in, her whole life had changed in so many ways over the past while, and thinking about it, maybe she hadn't given herself enough time to mourn the life she'd had, the life she'd lost.
She knew that her parents would have been overjoyed to know she was in a relationship where at least one party was already thinking about marriage, but they weren't there. She was alone, she had no one from her life and her family, and even though Spock lived without seeing his family very often, they were still there, they may not always be thrilled with the choices he made in his life; but they were there.
When Alex focused again they were in Spock's room and he was helping her out of his dress. She had vague memories of the rest of the dinner, talking, saying good night, and going back to Spock's room.
She stayed quiet as he helped her out of the dress and then walked into the bathroom as he hung it up in the closet for her, coming out of the bathroom a few minutes later with her face washed, teeth brushed and in her pajamas.
After getting into the bed she stared at the ceiling as Spock moved about doing his nightly routine before sitting on the floor to meditate.
Alex closed her eyes for a few moments before she got out of bed and moved to sit in front of him, reaching out with her mind as he reached out with his own.
She felt the familiar feeling of their minds moving together, touching, pulling away and then moving together, twisting and turning and becoming one.
She could feel him explore her uncertainty, she could feel his own conflicted feelings, and she could feel the honesty he felt when he had talked about marriage earlier.
But he could feel her uncertainty on the subject, he could feel her anxiety and the repressed feelings of mourning she had been holding back from her friends and family and her time entirely.
"My t'hyla," she heard his voice in her head, though saying she heard it wasn't entirely accurate, it was more like she sensed that that was what he was thinking- but even so she understood what was happening, she understood the message and the point. "I can help you contain your feelings of guilt, it will not be permanent, but it will help you be able to move forward without having this nagging feeling at the back of your mind."
"Please." Alex thought back. "Please help me do that."
It was a slow almost excruciating process, pushing the thoughts out of sight in her mind, and after a time she felt a sense of peace and relaxation wash over her. "You have not been going to therapy," Spock wasn't accusing her, it was matter of fact and it wasn't in her mind, it was out loud.
"No," she admitted.
"It is required," he told her as she opened her eyes.
"I'll go after we finish everything on Rigel IV," she told him, taking his hands and looking up at him.
"I will not bring up the idea of marriage until you are ready."
"Spock," she held onto his hands as he moved to stand up. "You told me Vulcan's don't do things casually," she looked up at him. "I have only exclusively done things casually, but when you said you don't do casual, I understood what that meant, that someday we'd be discussing that," she explained, holding onto his hands before she leaned down, kissing his knuckles and then looked back up at him. "I understand that we will be talking about marriage eventually, but tonight it just caught me off guard," she continued. "I'd love to talk about it someday," she smiled gently. "I guess I just didn't realize you were already thinking about it."
"I understand." Spock said as he knelt down in front of her again. "I did not mean to concern or alarm you."
"I know you didn't," she told him before letting go of his strong hands, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a long kiss. "Marriage is just something that I've always thought would be forever for me," she explained when the kiss ended. "I mean I know everyone thinks that, but I really don't want to be the divorce type."
"Marriage is forever with Vulcans as well," Spock told her.
"Okay," she smiled softly. "I think we're on the same page now? We'll discuss marriage another time,"
"Agreed," Spock nodded once before standing, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her up and to him. Alex grinned at him, wrapping her arms around his neck before pulling him into a kiss as he lifted her off the ground and lay her on the bed.
Spock kissed her back and then pulled away from her gently, running his finger gently over her lips before he pulled the blankets over them both.
"I had fun on Vulcan today," she told him and he wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him.
"I am pleased to know you have enjoyed my home planet." he told her.
"We'll go back one day won't we?" she asked.
"I assume when the signing of the peace treaty is complete we will be bringing all of the ambassadors back to their home planets," Spock replied. "I would also assume that Jim would give us at least a few hours to spend on Vulcan again," he told her as he ran his fingers through her hair.
"I look forward to it," she told him as she smiled at him.
The next day Alex spent the majority of it playing hostess to a ship full of ambassadors and their groups.
She spent the day running around getting things for everyone who asked before she was called to Sarek and Amanda's room. When she got there she pushed the buzzer outside of the room and smiled gently when Amanda opened the door. "Hi," she said. "Was there something I could get for you?"
"I was just hoping I'd get a chance to apologize for Sarek last night," she explained. "I understand that Sarek and Spock can at times be difficult, it seems that Spock needs to react to everything Sarek expects of him in his own way." she explained and Alex chuckled softly.
"His own form of Vulcan rebellion," Alex offered and Amanda smiled.
"Do you have brothers?"
"I did." Alex nodded and Amanda sighed.
"I am very sorry," she said gently, taking one of Alex's hands. "I can't imagine how hard this is for you,"
"Spock has been helping me through it," Alex smiled at the mother of the man she loved. "He has been helping me compartmentalize it lately until I have the time to process it."
"I see," she said as she watched Alex for a moment. "You are not like many humans,"
"Said one human to the other," Alex commented and Amanda smiled gently.
"I have lived with Vulcans for many years, I have been married to a Vulcan and I am the mother of a Vulcan, they do not always see eye to eye and they have had estrangements in the past,"
"Because Spock is stubborn?" Alex asked and Amanda gave a slight nod of her head looking amused.
"A trait he inherited from his father perhaps," she commented gently, Alex grinning. "I do not wish to see my son and husband estranged because my husband made you uncomfortable, Spock cares very deeply for you if he has considered marriage."
"Amanda," Alex held her hands up gently. "Listen, I love Spock- I mean, I care about him, but I- I won't come between Spock and Sarek,"
"Of course you would," said a voice from within the room, Alex looking over Amanda's shoulder to see Sarek standing there. "If Spock were to hear I did not approve of his intention to marry he would choose to marry you, no matter how illogical."
"Do you disapprove of me Sarek?" Alex asked as she looked at him.
"Spock is a man and he will make his own choices," Sarek replied. "It does not matter whether or not I approve, he has done many things I do not approve of."
"Do you disapprove of me?"
"I don't have enough information to approve of you." he replied and she nodded.
"Got it," she said. "Well, when you care to get more information, feel free to ask, I'm an open book, and until then, you'll know where to find me. Right alongside your son." she said before turning around and leaving the room, sighing when she heard her name being hailed.
Walking over to the intercom she pressed it. "This is Alex,"
"Alex, Kirk, can you report to the bridge please?"
"On my way, Alex out." she let go of the intercom and walked to the elevator, stepping in, activating it and saying "Bridge." When the elevator doors opened she stepped onto the bridge, walking over to Kirk and looked at him. "What's up Captain?"
"It seems like the trip is going to take an extra few days-" Alex let out a groan before stopping herself and nodding.
"Acknowledged Captain," she sighed. "So I'm to assume that means I am going to be taking care of everyone down there for the next few days?"
"I was actually going to ask you to put together a team of a few of you so you're not just doing all of the work yourself. Grab a few people who won't be missed and you take point on it."
"Oh," Alex blinked in surprise. "Thank you Captain."
"Is everything okay?" Kirk asked and she waved a hand as if dismissing his concern.
"I just had an annoying conversation with Ambassador Sarek and his wife," she sighed, Spock who had been working looked over when he heard that and stood.
"What about?" Kirk asked, watching Spock out of the corner of his eye.
"About Spock and Sarek and how Sarek doesn't approve of me." she shrugged, Spock stepping over to them.
"On what grounds does he disapprove?"
"He disapproves on the grounds that he's your father," she told him with a shrug.
"Of what does he have to disapprove of?" he asked.
"He disapproves of your statement of intention last night," she told him.
"Clearly," he replied. "You are avoiding the question."
"The question is illogical," she replied and everyone on the bridge turned to look at her.
"Explain," Spock said and she nodded.
"Your father's has disapproved of everything you have done in your life because of tradition and his plan for you as a Vulcan, you are a Vulcan, but you are a human as well. Your father arranged your marriage with T'Pring which did not happen," she explained, Kirk looking surprised she knew about that. "You begin a relationship with a human, and your father disapproves, so logically?"
"My father disapproves disapproves because you are human," he said as he looked down at her.
"Technically he disapproves because he hasn't enough information about me," she shrugged. "But the long and the short of it that I got was, he disapproves because I'm human, I have emotions, you don't, etc." she shrugged. "Also your mom loves you, you're stubborn, I'm not like other humans, and she doesn't want to see me get between you and Sarek."
"The only thing that will come between myself and the ambassador is his illogical need to assume control over my life." Spock replied coolly and Alex raised an eyebrow.
"Well," she said slowly. "I'm going to go put together a team of people to help me with the ambassadors, I'll see you later, Spock."
She was surprised when he grabbed her arm, pulling her back, a few people on the bridge turning to look as Spock held his fingers out. Alex lifted her fingers, pressing them to his before smiling at him gently. "The ambassador is wrong,"
"Obviously," she smiled at him. "The ambassador doesn't seem to understand that you're a grown up who can make his own decisions,"
Spock nodded slowly and then gently touched Alex's cheek, her cheeks flushing when she realized many of their co-workers were watching with interest at the obvious display of affection from the resident vulcan.
"Spock," she said softly. "I have to work,"
"I will see you tonight."
"You will," she promised him before he let go of her, letting her go to the elevator with a slight flush to her cheeks, Kirk turning to look back at Alex and then back to Spock, a grin on his face.
