Disclaimer: Don't own them, probably never will.

A/N: Chapter revised. I added more detail and fixed the mechanical errors :)

Chapter 4: Cold Dreams

I am standing on a dry dusty plain, and for a moment I think I am back on Vulcan. However I note that the sky is blue, not red. Earth, it must be earth. I looked around and noticed a singular tree, with two people under it- Nurse Chapel and myself. This is rather odd I am obviously standing over here, yet the figure standing behind Nurse Chapel is also me. I find myself nervously remembering an incident when there were two captains. Surely I haven't been split in two. Suddenly it occurs to me, a dream; I am in Nurse Chapel's dream. Christine's back is leaning against the dream me and he has his arms wrapped around her waist. Both are observing the incredible vibrant rising sun. From my viewpoint I can see both of our expressions, well Christine's and the dream me. I am not grinning; I look as I always do. Odd, I would have presumed that Nurse Chapel would have me emotional in her dream. However, it appears as though she has kept dream me true to character. He is portraying no emotion. Yet Christine doesn't seem to mind, she appears to accept him, me, as I am. I feel intrusive, as if I am spying on her. How did I end up here anyway? I recall my last memory; I was sitting next to Christine, attempting to help keep her warm. Had I fallen asleep?

An icy wind proves to be the solution to extracting myself from her dream. I open my eyes to discover my head bent over Christine's, our temples are touching. I must have entered a partial meld with her. This is the reason Vulcan's don't care to much for physical contact. If our guards are down even a little we can sense the other persons feelings. If we desire it we could even sense thoughts. However there is seldom a logical reason for such an invasion and it is quite difficult to do. Mind melds harness our psychic abilities and use the most susceptible part of humanoids, their PSI points. I gently move away from Christine, so as not to wake her. Looking at her I notice she has knocked her covers off and the rock is no longer heated. I grab the hypo and check her pulse. As I examine her I note that the cold has affected her, she is starting to show signs of hypothermia: Her breathing is shallow and quick; her skin is covered in Goosebumps; her body is visibly shivering; lastly she is starting to get a slightly blue tent around her lips. I check her temperature and discover it is 94.5 Fahrenheit. Not good. I grab my blanket and wrap it around her, then remove my jacket and also cover her. I grab my partially charged phaser and heat the rock up once more. Lastly I pick her up and set her in my lap, under the covers and I wrap my arms around her. Vulcan's are naturally warmer than humans; my body heat may help her. We had been sitting in that position for an hour and forty five minutes when she stirred.

"Spock?" Her normally melodic voice was dry and worried.

"Christine, you should not talk. You were suffering from the early stages of hypothermia." I hand her a few chips of ice to suck on, and check her temperature- its 98.5 again.

"Spock."

She is rather stubborn. "Yes Christine?"

"Were you in my dream? Well, obviously you were in my dream, but umm. Never mind..." I note a hint of embarrassment in her voice; I wonder if she did not mean to tell me she was dreaming of me.

"Christine" this was going to be hard to explain. "When I fell asleep next to you my head was touching yours. While I was sleeping my mental guards are lowered. So because we were touching we engaged in a partial mind meld. I was in your dream, but I assure I did not mean to intrude in on your dream." I hope she understands. Now would be a good time to check our communicator reception.

"I didn't mind Spock, I just wanted to see if I was sicker than I thought." she gave a little laugh and then started to cough. I eased her into a position where she could lean against the rock and I could move.

"Christine, take this phaser. I am going to look around the immediate vicinity and see if there is any better reception for our communicator outside. If you need me before I return try and call me. I will not be far." I stand up and grab my tricorder. With one last look at Christine I head out of the cave.