Uhura was still doubled over laughing and Spock was still managing to look completely unaffected when Sulu's noisy arrival smacked everyone else out of their guilt-induced stupors.
"What did I miss?" the handsome helmsman asked as he walked passed Spock and Uhura to hand McCoy a sealed garment bag. At Upenda's raised eyebrows, he gave a small nod.
Rod Stewart sang, "Just let your inhibitions run wild."
Sulu erupted into laughter.
"Oh my – Omigod!" he sputtered. "You guys, that's just wrong!"
Sheepish grins abounded. But, soon enough, (almost) everyone was greeting the couple and offering up refreshments and generally settling back into big-kid-party mode. Chekov's eyes darted from person to person as his stylus flew over his PADD.
Upenda made her way over to Spock after Uhura got dragged into a show-and-tell with Gaila, Rand and Chapel. She offered him her cheek and, dutifully, he kissed it.
"It's not that I don't respect Vulcan culture, kaka," she told him. "But in just a few days, you'll have aunties and cousins surrounding you, expecting you to pay them proper respect, so I figure you might as well get used to it."
Spock gave the pretty woman who resembled a taller version of his love a slight bow.
"I understand perfectly, dada," he said. "Mama warned of what might be expected of me, in spite of her efforts to apprise your relatives of my situation." He flashed one of his almost-smiles. "She also assured me that in you I would likely find my most useful protector."
Upenda threw back her head and laughed.
"Oh Spock," she told him, "you are so much like my baba it's scary!"
For a moment, Spock was so vividly reminded of M'Umbha and of Nyota, he blinked. Then he allowed Upenda to take his elbow and lead over to Bones.
Nyota was trying not to glare at Gaila and Rand, who were trying not laugh as Chapel showed off the dress she'd chosen for the wedding.
"Upenda said it might get a little warm, but it's so gorgeous I just couldn't resist!" she told their small group while holding up a delicate wool crepe gown dyed a stunning green. "She said this was one of your favorite colors, so it's almost like I'm giving you another gift!"
This time, Gaila couldn't hold back a giggle, but somehow, she managed to make it seem as if she were laughing with the pretty nurse, rather than at her. Damned Orion pheromones.
Uhura shot her former roommate a look.
"That's so sweet of you, Chris," she told Chapel. "It's almost exactly the same color as Gaila, so even if she got hit by a transport or something and couldn't make it to the ceremony, it'd be almost just like she was there anyway."
She leaned over and hugged Chapel, dress and all.
"Nyota, my dress!" exclaimed the blonde as she carefully extricated herself from Uhura's embrace. She began smoothing nonexistent wrinkles from the green fabric.
Just out of her line of slight, Rand had turned bright red in her efforts not to mock the woman. Gaila stuck out her tongue at Uhura and offered Rand a wink.
Across the room, McCoy stood in front of the windows and was trying to get everyone's attention.
Spock and Uhura both drifted to the center of the room and stood together, but not touching.
"Pipe down everyone, and pay attention," he said. "And someone turn off the infernal noise before the hobgoblin has an aneurysm." Obviously, he'd been doing more than just examining bourbon with Upenda. He winked at Spock.
The Rod Stewart compilation died away, the other voices faded and he continued, "We're gathered here tonight to honor two of our crewmates" he inclined his head towards Upenda, "and siblings, who are either about to make the biggest mistake of their lives" he smiled, "or, as most of have no doubt is more likely the case, make the best decision in the universe."
Applause exploded throughout 1701's sitting room.
"Shut up!" McCoy snarled. Then, just because Bones is Bones, he smiled. "I ain't finished. And you'll probably never hear me say these words again, so listen close."
He paused to allow a few chuckles before continuing.
"I can't think of any two people more deserving of a loving partnership than Miss Nyota Uhura and Mr. Spock, here," he said, holding up his glass of booze. "And I've never seen so much love between two people as I see between them. They're best friends as well as lovers. They're ass over eyeballs, but also know that love doesn't last without compromise and patience and open eyes. These two have all of those things going for them, and I just want to say… watching them has been a lesson in how to do it right."
If anyone wondered how he could tell the notoriously stoic half-Vulcan was head-over-heels in love with his beautiful communications officer, they didn't ask. He was doctor, damn it! It was his job to notice these things. No one asked; instead, everyone just lifted their glasses and drank to Spock's and Uhura's love.
"I know some of you are wondering how I know the pointy-eared bastard loves the lovely lady, well, I'm a doctor, damn it. It's my job to notice these things. But if you're not quite convinced, I've got evidence aplenty."
He nodded to the huge vid-screen that dominated the wall directly across the windows. Everyone turned to look.
The screen lit up to reveal an image of Spock in his office, talking to M'Umbha via subspace transmission.
"You know a boy is in love when he takes it upon himself to get his wedding planned because his girl's too busy to help her momma."
The image switched to another of Spock, still in his office, this time surrounded by several bolts of fabric, in various shades of orange.
"You know a boy's in love when he doesn't give up, just because the damned seamstress doesn't do what she was hired to do," he announced. "Though, I gotta say, for someone who is as smart as he's supposed to be, it seems awful stupid to hire someone who his other self said attacked us in our other time."
A few titters sounded in the room as the image changed again. Spock and Kirk sat in Spock's quarters, staring at another vid-screen that displayed sewing lessons for morons.
"You gotta believe a guy's in love when he enlists the captain of his starship to help him make the damned dress!"
This time, the laugher was long and loud.
"Hey," protested Kirk, "I offered to help!"
A new image lit the screen. McCoy, Spock and Kirk sat at a table, working on a nearly finished dress and veil, while Sulu held up several orange and cream-colored flowers for their inspection.
"You know man loves his woman when he doesn't just buy her flowers, but has them grown, just for her," McCoy concluded. He stared at Uhura and Spock before turning to pick up the garment bag Sulu had delivered earlier.
Uhura eyes had already filled with tears and she'd unconsciously pressed a hand to her lips.
Everyone turned back to the doctor after the last picture faded and the screen darkened.
McCoy unzipped the bag and pulled out a vibrant confection in shades of orange and apricot. He held the dress aloft for everyone to see.
"See?" he asked when he knew he had everyone's attention. "Ain't no doubt it; Spock's in love."
A/N: Hope that wasn't too much sap for those of you expecting more funny. The sugar/spice ratio will be inverted in the next chapter.
I resisted my sleep-deprived urge to have Bones channel Evelyn "Champange" King and sing "I'm in Love." But look for the song later.
Once again, I don't own (most of) the characters, the starship or the music.