Mbaruku and Faizah walked out to the garden where Mbaruku found his favorite lounge chair under the tree and sat. Faizah took the bench next to it and settled in, leaning her head back while she took a few deep breaths. Mbaruku followed her example, trying to integrate the fact that their world had changed.

Nyota and Commander Spock's story settled many of his concerns, and being honest with himself, as he reviewed everything they had revealed to him as well as his own research, he could find little fault in their actions. They had behaved honorably given their circumstances, trying to reconcile the standards of Starfleet Academy with their own attraction to each other. Mbaruku remained uncomfortable, however.

After a few quiet moments, he spoke. "They are together, unquestionably."

Faizah returned her head to an upright position. "Do you approve?"

"I can neither approve nor disapprove because I do not understand entirely," he replied. "But I will accept it."

Faizah leaned forward and entwined her fingers with his. "Nyota will be relieved. I think that she intends to keep him around for a while."

"For the rest of our lives," he sighed, uneasily acknowledging that conclusion out loud for the first time before adding to it. "Nyota's mouth said that they are together for now; her eyes said 'forever.' We can forego the wedding—for all intents and purposes, they are already married." He felt a pang of loss. Yes, perhaps that was the source of his concern. His eldest truly had left him to become someone's else's, first and foremost.

Faizah tilted her head to one side. "Ah, I don't think it's gone that far."

"Hmm, I think it has," he differed. Inside new worries replaced older ones. Would the commander take Nyota and go to the new Vulcan colony? How often would he and Faizah see their daughter once she left? They rarely saw her now.

"Even if it has, she has found the one destined for her. Be happy for her," Faizah urged.

"Will she be happy?"

"Ah, she already is. Our brilliant and beautiful girl has graduated from the Academy with honors. She is the chief communications officer on the Federation flagship, just as she always dreamed. She has found her soulmate, a brave and brilliant and beautiful man who just happens to come from Vulcan. We never expected this, but I can't say that I mind…now that I know him and know who they have become together. The two of them understand that they have a unique relationship and are realistic about it."

Mbaruku reflected on Faizah's words. "It won't be easy for her, for them. They will have to deal with many obstacles, beginning with their cultural and biological differences, societal attitudes…. And, as you said, Commander Spock is a wounded being right now, and his wounds are deep. Emotional control or not, they will affect him, and they may affect her. I worry. I don't want her to be hurt, by him or anyone else."

"Nor do I, but this is not our choice." Faizah squeezed his hand signaling her understanding, even as her face reflected determination. "She grew up and is living her life, as we had hoped. Will they make it? I think they will. He is resilient, and so is Nyota. They are intelligent enough to deal with most things, committed enough to work through the rough spots, connected enough to know what the other needs. He let Nyota tell the story of their relationship. He knew that she needed to explain it to us. As uncomfortable as it was for him, he sat there, supporting her, answering our questions. If anyone hurts her, it won't be Spock."

Mbaruku sensed warning in Faizah's words, though Faizah looked upon him gently.

"I am optimistic," Faizah continued. "My feeling is that wherever Nyota is, that is where Spock will be. Once they do marry, it will be for life."

Mbaruku reluctantly accepted Faizah's assessment. The "bond" that the younger pair had spoken of had been evident in their silent interactions last night, during breakfast, and as they told their story.

Faizah removed her hand from Mbaruku's and sat up straight. "The way we help them through their obstacles is to support them. Mbaru, he cannot be 'Commander Spock' to you anymore. He is 'Spock,' Nyota's choice, the man she brought home to us. If you think that they are married in all but name, then it's time to stop keeping your 'son-in-law' at a distance."

Mbaruku's head jerked up at the term "son-in-law," reality kicking him in the teeth. Faizah was right. How could he get to know the younger, though? He remained unsure. While Faizah had quickly struck up an easy camaraderie, Mbaruku and the young Vulcan had spent most of their time together eyeing each other warily.

The sound of a door opening and closing, then the sound of approaching footsteps caught their attention as Nyota found her way down the path. She approached her parents somewhat cautiously. Mbaruku noted that she seemed uncomfortable, maybe afraid.

She broke the silence. "Hey there…"

Mbaruku was not sure how to read his daughter, who crossed her arms around her, though she directed a small smile toward them. Contained on her face were a simultaneous tiredness, relief, sadness, trepidation…

Faizah beckoned their daughter to her, reached out and hugged Nyota as soon as Nyota stood in front of her, then patted the spot on the bench, inviting Nyota to sit. "My girl…are you all right?"

"Yes, Mama." Nyota took her seat.

"Where is Spock?"

"Meditating in his room."

"We weren't too hard on him, I hope." Faizah's voice held concern.

Nyota shook her head. "No. We expected it would be harder. Thank you for making it easier." She looked up at Mbaruku. "It was… Spock and I…," Nyota began nervously. "I hope that you understand us better," she said finally.

"We do now," Mbaruku stated, still concerned. "Perhaps we do not understand everything, but it is enough at this time."

Nyota nodded back at him, still appearing apprehensive. Was she actually trembling as she waited for some kind of verdict? Faizah touched Nyota's shoulder, a renewed concern evident on her face before her eyes sent Mbaruku a clear message. Mbaruku knew what Faizah wanted, what she was insisting that he say.

Nyota's obvious worry incited a greater concern. She was waiting for a judgment, waiting to know where she stood with her parents in their eyes. Did she truly thing that anything had changed as far as she was concerned? It was too much.

Mbaruku, now without hesitation, eagerly spoke the words that were necessary to set his daughter's mind at rest. "Nyota, you and Spock have our blessing," he said tenderly, hoping that she would believe it. "We will support you both."

Nyota's eyes shot up in surprise. Though she now sat up straight, her body simultaneously relaxed somehow. Mbaruku had not realized the degree of her tension; the contrast in body carriage, however, made Nyota's previous tension levels apparent. She looked at to her father, elation and joy and relief all fighting for control of her features, eyes now beginning to glisten as the emotional relief at Mbaruku's pronouncement overtook her. "You will…?" she gasped.

Mbaruku rose from his chair and reached out for his daughter.

"Baba!"

Nyota jumped up from her seat on the bench and nearly flung herself into Mbaruku's arms, just as she had as a child. She was so thin that Mbaruku had no problem encircling her with his arms as she, in turn, constricted him in a bear hug at the base of his lungs. Tears of relief showered his left shoulder, and she began to sob. And sob. Seconds passed into minutes as she held onto her father as if the stability of her world depended on it. Perhaps, in a way, it did.

Mbaruku, shocked, could do nothing more than hold his oldest child. As worried as he had been, so, apparently, had she. He held her tighter and she sobbed harder, releasing an incredible flood of emotion that she, no doubt, had been holding back for quite some time.

"Baby Girl…," he soothed, using an endearment he had not used since her departure for the Academy years earlier. "Sh-sh-sh…it is all right. See?"

Nyota had reverted to a younger version of herself, no longer the Starfleet officer, but Mbaruku's daughter, needing her father's consolation. "I…," she choked, looking up, "…I was…afraid…that you would hate him." Another sob burst from her chest, followed by more tears from red, rapidly swelling eyes.

"Sh-sh-sh…" Now Mbaruku's right shoulder dampened as Nyota now buried her face there. Realizing the enormous emotional pressures she had been holding in was torture to him. Had she really feared that he would stop loving her? Had he contributed to her fear? Though he did not want to think about it, Mbaruku was an honest man. He considered it.

Faizah produced a tissue from somewhere and gave it to him. He wiped his daughter's tears and she continued to press into him.

"It's…been hard," Nyota continued, trying to catch her breath. "Really hard…"

Now Faizah was stroking her back. "We know, Baby, we know…"

"We couldn't tell you…." Nyota's voice disappeared on the last syllable.

"I know," Mbaruku said. "We understand."

As difficult as revelation of this relationship had been on Faizah and himself, Mbaruku was realizing that this episode had been even more difficult on Nyota. Perhaps Commander Spock, too, had faced additional stresses, being more vulnerable to them after the loss of his mother and his world.

Commander Spock? Stop. Faizah was right. No more titles. The young man's name was "Spock," Nyota's chosen. Mbaruku had to start thinking of him that way.

"Spock" was key to his daughter's happiness—he could see that now—but also essential were Mbaruku and Faizah's love and approval. He felt it with every heave of Nyota's abdomen as she tried to catch her breath between sobs. As she released her fears and worry, his shoulder—the whole left side of his chest, actually—was thoroughly soaked. He hardly noticed.

"Baby Girl, you did not think that we would stop loving you, now, did you?" he asked.

Nyota was gulping for air, trying to calm herself, still pressed against Mbaruku's shoulder. She could not answer.

"That is not going to happen; it was never going to happen," he said, grateful that she seemed to be calming down. "We only want you to be safe and happy."

Faizah continued to stroke her back. "It's true," she soothed. "You and Spock will be good together."

"I almost lost him…during the battle," Nyota whispered. "We said good-bye before…before he beamed out…"

Faizah's face contorted into pain, and her eyes met Mbaruku's, equally horrified. At any time, under any circumstances, could he have been able to say good-bye to Faizah forever? No. He could not imagine what his Nyota had been prepared to lose in the line of duty.

"He was going to die…" Nyota cried out. "I was so scared, I was so scared…"

Nyota's body shuddered again in his arms as she relived the memories of the battle. She and her crewmates had all performed their duties extraordinarily, sublimating their fears as they fought for Earth, their ship, and their lives. Nyota's cries released more of her fears, sharing the terror that she, Mbaruku guessed, had never shared with anyone else.

At this point, Mbaruku would have done anything to pull back every comment, every stare that had challenged Spock and threatened Nyota's confidence in her parents' love and support. He thought that he had been protecting her. Maybe he had, but that "protection" had come with a price.

Mbaruku lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes. "Spock survived. He saved all of us. He is a good and decent man," Mbaruku stated, believing it emotionally as well as intellectually for the first time. "He makes you happy, Baby Girl?"

"Yes…" The depth of her sincerity was almost too much. Mbaruku feared Nyota would faint with all that she put into her answer. Rarely had one word been filled with so many layers. Spock was the love of Nyota's life. There was only one thing left for him to say.

"Then we welcome him to our family."

Mbaruku had hoped that this statement of acceptance would finish calming her. Evidently he miscalculated. The tears rolled down Nyota's cheeks in torrents, though this time she did not sob. She simply held on while Faizah smoothed the wet and matted wisps of hair from their daughter's face and dabbed away the salty trails of moisture before joining Nyota and Mbaruku in their embrace. No more words were needed as the three Uhuras renewed their connection to one another.

A gentle breeze blew quietly through the garden and enveloped the family. Set upon the currents of air were the peaceful notes of a ka'athyra.

Author's Note June 15, 2011: Nyota may be more emotional here, more so than how we typically see her, but remember what she's been through during the past couple months leading to this moment. Even a strong, professional woman sometimes allows herself the luxury of grabbing a shoulder to pour out her stresses before standing again, marshalling her forces, and regrouping. Oddly, this opportunity to comfort his little girl may have been what Mbaruku needed before he could release her emotionally to her soulmate. Am I right? Am I off-base? Either way, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

T'Soy, thanks again for looking over "Chapter 5," LOL!