A/N: University is taking up all my time right now, so I haven't been able to edit. I finally made time today! Thank you for all the reviews, support, and poking! It's all written, and I'm trying my best to update every couple of weeks.

Special thanks to Paula (vampirealchemist13) and Leo. Thanks, too, to StarTrekFanWriter for the messages of support!

Since I've been gone so long, here's a summary so far:

Nyota and her roommate Gaila go to a bar to blow off steam after Autumn term finals. Nyota meets an attractive Romulan named Sorel. Spock shows up, concerned that Nyota has left her communicator off, and walks her to the flitter station. She trips and he catches her - and they accidentally transmit their emotions to each other through their skin contact. Meanwhile, Spock and Uhura's linguistics paper needs a native speaker; Sorel agrees to help.

Posted: 11/06/11

Last edited: 12/31/11


Sorel and Nyota spent a late lunch at Mira's on Saturday, going over the translations she and Spock had made. Sorel pointed out several errors, and Nyota noted them to bring to Spock's attention. In an hour they had corrected the finished translations - a much quicker task than Nyota had expected, given the time it had taken Spock and her to translate them in the first place.

"We couldn't have done this without you, Sorel," she said with a relieved sigh. "I'm not sure how I can repay you."

He waved her off with a charming grin. "It's my pleasure. When do I see you again?"

Nyota's stomach quivered, and she got up to recycle her serving tray. It was a seemingly innocuous question, but his phrasing suggested otherwise. "Can you come by the lab on Friday afternoon?" Sorel was an attractive man, and he was helping with her work. Why did it feel like there was a downside? "I'll be doing more translations from Low Rihannsu while the Commander is out of town, and it would be helpful if I didn't have to struggle through them alone."

"I'll be there," Sorel promised with a warm smile.

Nyota swallowed. Mira winked at her from behind the counter as they left.


Spock had spent a productive afternoon grading final exams from his Interspecies Ethics course. At the beginning of fall term he had been assigned an aide, but to his confusion and Nyota's quiet amusement, she had quit on her first day after he had reprimanded her for arriving nineteen seconds late. Nyota was his only aide who had lasted for more than one term.

Since Spock had no official aide this term, Nyota had assisted him with the ethics course during her free time, as a favor, in addition to their official research work as colleagues. Contrary to his usual disinclination to what humans termed socializing, Spock welcomed her company. It was only logical to work with her; he had been fascinated to note that in her presence his own efficiency consistently increased by three to seven percent.

Most humans irritated and distracted Spock with their irrational behavior, and as a result he had many acquaintances and few friends. The friendship that had developed between Nyota and him over the past two years, therefore, had come as a pleasant surprise. Though Nyota was most definitely human, she was far more agreeable than any other human he had known. He appreciated her efficiency, her dedication to her work, and - perhaps the most unusual - her understanding and apparent enjoyment of his experimental attempts at humor.

Lately their dynamic had been uncomfortably different, however. The quality of her work had not declined, but they did not joke with each other as they normally would have. Comments and expressions aimed to elicit laughter from her now brought only small smiles that did not seem genuine. Most noticeable to Spock, her teasing - an art that few had the boldness, quickness of mind, and personal knowledge of Spock to attempt - had all but ceased.

Winter break was usually the least stressful part of the year, but Spock found himself unable to focus on what little work he had. Nyota's behavior was as professional as ever, but for the first time, she distracted him, and no amount of meditation could purge her from his mind.

Every night in his dreams he caught her in slow motion, the skin of her arm cool under his fingertips. He did not pull away, and he found that her longing was for himself alone.

In the next moment she was in his bed, her lithe body covering his, her full mouth raining wet kisses all over his skin. Then he was inside her and she was around him, sliding slick and cool, and he was jerking up into her body, one hand on her hip, his fingers on her temple, crying out things a Vulcan would never say, claiming her with his body and with his mind.

It was inappropriate in every way.

The falling.

The touching.

The longing.


Nyota was aware of Spock's superior hearing, so when she entered the lab she was disconcerted to realized that she had startled him.

"Good afternoon, Cadet Uhura," Spock exclaimed, blinking twice.

"Is this a bad time?" The Commander's keen senses were legendary on campus, and in three years she'd never seen him startled by anything.

"As good a time as any, Cadet," he replied. His expression and his voice held nothing of the previous surprise, and Nyota found the shift in demeanor both reassuring and disorienting.

Nyota handed him a PADD, careful as always not to let their fingers touch. "I was nearby, so I thought I'd deliver the most recent translations by hand. Sorel offered some useful amendments this morning."

Spock nodded tersely. It was the most she expected from him, and even this was a compromise compared to normal Vulcan behavior. "I have some free time," she said casually. "Would you like help grading exams?"

Spock paused, and for a moment she thought he was going to turn her down. Then he handed her a stack of PADDs. "Thank you, Cadet."

She smiled and took a seat across from him. As usual, she would grade the half of the exam that consisted of short answers regarding the semester's material while Spock graded the longer essay questions.

They spent an hour or so in silence. Nyota grew uncharacteristically distracted and found herself watching his long fingers, curved gracefully around his stylus, making efficient notes... She imagined reaching for his hand and uncurling his fingers from around the stylus, bringing them to her mouth...

Spock's office felt warmer than Nyota was used to. She willed her mind and her gaze away from his fingers and forced herself to focus.

A few minutes after Nyota had completed her work and gone to heat water for tea, Spock finished grading the essays and joined her in the kitchenette. "Sorel seems quite willing to assist in our research," he said without preamble, measuring green tea leaves into an infuser. "As he is not a linguist or even an academic, he has no vested interest in being credited in our paper. I must question his motives."

Nyota frowned at the unusual topic of conversation. "I think he's being friendly."

Spock reached a long arm around her and collected his own mug from the cabinet. "Romulans are not known for 'being friendly.'" He did not step away. "It seems more likely that he harbors non-professional interest in you."

He held her eyes for a moment. Then his gaze flicked to her lips, and Nyota froze, her heart pounding.

The electric kettle chimed to signal the water was hot. Spock blinked twice, as he had when she had entered, and abruptly turned his back to her to pour water for his tea.


When Nyota returned to the dorm room Gaila was naked and giving herself a French manicure. "Ny!" As usual, she was in a teasing mood. "When are you gonna hit that?"

Of course she starts in immediately. "Gaila," Nyota warned.

"I know you like that Romulan, Ny," said the Orion gleefully, brushing translucent green polish over her white-tipped pinky fingernail. "Your pheromones are all over the place. You're like a female fox in heat."

"When have you smelled that?" Nyota decided not to admit that she had seen Spock again after her morning meeting with Sorel. Gaila would be far too smug about the fox smell then.

"San Francisco has one of the best zoos on Earth, silly. I can smell the animals. Don't worry -" Gaila blew on her nails to dry them. "The foxes don't smell so bad."


A/N: As always, concrit is welcome, and no matter how busy I get I reply to all reviews, even if it's just a thumbs-up or thumbs-down. :-)