Isobel opened her eyes as her internal clock chimed 4:30 a.m. and let eyes roam around the unfamiliar surroundings. The room was bigger than hers and looked different, felt different; a nagging at the back of her head said she should know where she was but for the life of her Isobel couldn't remember. She looked to her side to find some clue to her current location and froze at the sight. Commander Spock. Sleeping. Mussed hair. The last observation gave her great pleasure. How can anyone not want to muss that hair just to see the impeccable Vulcan look even a bit shoddy! That thought gave way to her naked state under the covers, which led her to remember last night's events. Isobel cringed. And then sighed. She remembered every moment in vivid detail. Curse her eidetic memory. And their activities had only ended an hour ago. Certainly not helping. Blinking back to the present, Isobel checked if the Vulcan was awake. Finding him fast asleep, Isobel quickly and quietly got out of the bed and started gathering her clothes. Finding her underwear she cringed again at the backlash of memory attached to them. Well, at least they aren't torn. Yes, that's it Isobel, be positive. Quickly putting on her bra she looked back to check again. Still out. Slipping on the pantie, she picked up the cocktail dress lying at the foot of bed, again cringing and slipped it on, zipping it. Isobel looked around the room, finding what she was looking for, she quietly stalked towards it.

Commander Spock

About last night, it was consensual. I would very much appreciate if last night's events does not affect the professional relation.

Putting down the PADD, Isobel walked out of the Commander's room, shutting the door behind her quietly. She knew Commander Spock would remember everything; it was foolish to believe otherwise. It was better to close the matter as clean and quietly as possible. She only hoped that he won't come around to talk about it. I was only helping an officer and that's about it!

Isobel reached her room and quickly got in; the only good about this morning was no one was about to witness any of it. Quickly stripping and tossing the clothes for washing, she slipped into bathroom and brushed and scrubbed every inch of her clean vigorously. Finally satisfied, she came out and went about with her chores as if nothing happened and went to engineering deck early and started working. Mr Scott was surprised and rather pleased with her, which earned her a day of working with him. It was turning out to be a great day.

Spock woke up and felt surprisingly normal. He turned to look at the time on his nightstand, it was 1830 hours. Quickly getting out of the bed he entered the bathroom and started getting ready for the day; though the mystery of his sudden normality bugged him, he pushed it aside to enjoy it a bit. Stepping out, he made way to his closet, inspecting his room for the first time; he frowned at its state. His clothes were not folded and kept aside for washing instead they were just discarded near his bed. Putting on his clothes quickly he started gathering up the discarded ones but reeled back at the pungent smell coming from them and suddenly, everything started coming back. He quickly walked to his other nightstand where his PADD was lying and picked it up. On the screen was a note left for him. The note calmed his fears but he wanted to make sure. She hasn't signed her name. That made him reluctant but he had to make sure, what has happened between them could prove to be trouble in future. They had broken the Inter-personnel directive that applied to long voyages such as theirs. It strictly discouraged any personal relations between two officials; this was to ensure optimal working environment and avoid any unnecessary conflict of interests. Deleting the note, Spock walked out of his room; he was getting late for work.

Spock sat sipping his plomeek soup, simultaneously reading through previous reports. Captain and Dr McCoy were chatting amiably about something when a group of ensigns from engineering came through the canteen door looking worse of wear. They plonked themselves on a table among other engineers. Captain Kirk smiled at the sight and Dr McCoy grumbled at it. All of the crew was suffering from the hangover and the sight was not uncommon this morning. In fact, Jim was wondering why Spock was not suffering from one too.

"Spock, are you ok?"

"Yes Captain. Why do you ask?"

"You were pretty drunk last night."

"Vulcans don't suffer from hangover as the others."

Jim grinned at use of word 'hangover' by Spock and went back to his breakfast.

Suddenly Spock sat up ever so slightly trying to focus on a conversation that had caught his interest.

". . . . . and don't forget two lattés of coffee for Isobel. She is not exactly all cheery and fluffy this morning."

Spock then discreetly looked around for ensign Carrington who seemed to have not come for breakfast. He had been pulled into the conversation with Captain and Doctor that he hadn't even thought of looking for Isobel. Spock stopped at his thought . . . did I just address Ensign Carrington by her first name? It hadn't felt out of place to call her by her first name; he hadn't even realised until he had said it. Pushing it aside for later scrutiny, he stopped reading the reports and quickly ate his soup, intending to visit engineering deck before starting his shift.

Spock nodded to Captain and walked out of the canteen towards the engineering deck, all the way thinking about the situation he had found himself in. Though he was grateful, he had been wondering whether Ensign Carrington knew about his predicament; after all no one would so blatantly disregard Inter-personnel directive or risk loosing their job as well as a remark on their record, not a ensign at least.

Entering the engineering deck Spock looked around to locate Ensign Carrington and slowly made his way to Mr Scott. He hadn't been able to locate her as he reached Mr Scott so Spock engaged in little conversation with him when he spotted her working. So today she is working with Mr Scott. He wasn't able to see her face but her posture, although perfect, indicated subtly that she was tired. Spock remembered them falling asleep quite early in the morning. A faint blush appeared on his cheeks and tip of his ears, which vanished just as quickly. She must have slept two hours at best, not adequate for humans. A ensign came running to her and placed two coffee lattés on her desk; she turned around giving him a bright smile as she took one of the latté and sipped from it, looking relieved and sighed.

Something twitched inside Spock when he saw Isobel smile brightly at the ensign and it intensified seeing her relieved, which was illogical. Spock frowned mentally at his own reaction and pushed it aside to study later. Nodding to Mr Scott, Spock quickly walked out of the engineering deck.

Isobel leaned into the chair with a sigh when their ten minutes break started. She needed this day to end quickly; she wouldn't hold much longer before falling flat on her desk, asleep. And added to sleep deprivation, she had been made aware of pain on her back. She had an idea what could be the reason but desperately hoped she was wrong. Deciding that another latté was in order, Isobel made way to canteen; also she badly needed to shake off the sleep, which was slowly creeping in on her.

Spock walked down to science lab, logical way to utilise ten minutes break as today was slow day on the bridge. He thought back to the morning occurrences as he made way to the lab, why had calling Ensign Carrington by first name felt so normal, natural? Spock didn't think it was completely due to consummating with her. A faint blush appeared on tip of his ears at that thought, which vanished quickly. No, there has to be another reason; they were not even professionally acquainted, all he ever knew about her was from her résumé and credentials. Most bothersome was the twitch he had experienced at the sight of her smiling brightly at a fellow ensign; why had he felt that? And what exactly had he felt? And why had it intensified when she was relieved? Shouldn't he be happy at her comfort?

He stepped into the lab and all the thoughts disappeared to be replaced by reports and queries of the ensigns.

Spock sat eating his lunch, discreetly eyeing the entrance of the canteen; he had sat facing the entrance so as to not miss Isobel's entry, it was less awkward and efficient this way though Captain and Doctor were surprised at the switch.

Few minutes later the group of new engineering ensigns entered but Isobel was not one of them. Spock mentally frowned and went back to the lunch in deep thought. Is Ensign Carrington avoiding me? This is a bit too extreme, not eating. This can't continue! I have to go talk to her. Just then Spock heard the group cheer a bit and looked up to see Ensign Carrington walking towards the group. She had a haggard appearance. Though worried, he went back to eating, feeling relieved. Wait . . . What? The number of times word 'feeling' coming up in his thoughts was unnerving him.

Isobel sighed happily as she reached her room and typed the code with much enthusiasm not reserved for such trivialities. Tossing away her bag and stripping the uniform, she flew to the bathroom and stood before the mirror. Sombre and anxious, Isobel slowly gathered her hair onto one shoulder and with dread, turned around to inspect her back. The upper back was littered with nail marks while the lower back was littered with finger imprints, which had turned blue. Even the hickies, littered across the nape and collarbones, looked big now, shining in all their glory. Isobel growled. Has he marked me?! That pointy eared bastard! Her nostrils flared. These won't heal until a week; good thing the uniform has a turtle neck undershirt! It was good thing she hadn't analysed the situation in the morning. Why oh why? Once again accepting her fate, she stepped into the shower and went to sleep.

"Permission to come on bridge."

Jim swirled around. "Granted." And smiled at the new ensign whom he vaguely recalled.

Spock watched as the Captain smiled at Ensign Carrington as she walked towards the Captain and held out PADD, explaining the document. She looked better, much better today. He saw Captain nod and sign.

"Is Scotty busy?"

"Not more than usual, sir."

Spock saw Isobel smile faintly.

"So you are his new protégé." Jim gave a crooked smile.

Ensign Carrington smiled in answer.

Something flared up inside Spock as he watched the interaction; he quickly looked away before he acted on his untoward anger. Deciding to better avoid the Captain, Spock walked back to his station.

Spock watched as the group joked around while Ensign Carrington ate quietly, throwing a word now and then, smirking. He had yet to understand the random and untoward emotional reactions he experienced around Ensign Carrington; not even meditation had helped him yesterday. He hoped to resolve this before it got out of hand, as Jim said.

Spock stared at the wall as he lay on the bed, hands folded on the chest. It had been 3.4 weeks since he had first experienced the unseemly illogical emotional reaction and has yet to arrive at a logical explanation. Today, he decided, to find it, once and for all.

It has been 2.3 hours of mental revaluation and Spock was yet to find an answer. Suddenly it dawned and Spock breathed sharply.