The low benches that usually sat beneath the windows on the ground floor of the Uhura home had been cleared away and small round tables now dotted the areas immediately adjacent to eastern and western walls. A stage had been erected just to the side of the southern entryway and a long buffet table, covered with an abundant variety of food and drink, stood halfway across the room between one of the columns and the staircase leading to the upper floors.

Much to his surprise, Spock was having fun.

That is to say, he appreciated the lively music provided by friends Muta had lured into playing with the promise of free food and plenty of beautiful men and women in attendance. Percussive instruments featured heavily in their repertoire and he found the heavy beats pounding through most of the songs to be as pleasing as they were stimulating.

Clearly, his bondmate was also enjoying the experience. Immediately after they had eaten, he had been required to dance with her as the band struck up their first song of the night. Fortunately, his brother-in-law had instructed his friends to play a waltz which Spock had found easy enough to follow.

Now, though, he could feel that Nyota longed to join the colorfully dressed swarm of people making use of the dance floor. With palpable envy, she watched Upenda and young Joanna McCoy attempt to teach the girl's father to writhe and ungulate in time with the drums. The arrhythmic, but gamely enthusiastic doctor defied the powers of their joint endeavors to shift and twist his arms and legs in ways that complemented their own movements.

Elsewhere, Jim was displaying considerable technical expertise for the benefit of Spock's human cousin, Sarah. The half-Vulcan was not surprised to see that his captain could acquit himself, even to the accompaniment of the selection of various styles of Terran music Muta's friends were playing, in a manner most females and several males undoubtedly considered to be an aesthetically pleasing.

Nyota had explained to him once that many Terran females, either consciously or unconsciously, evaluated an individual's aptitude for dancing as an indicator of his or her probable performance as a partner in sexual relations. The correlation between the two was easy enough to see in the less formal style of dance in which their guests were currently engaged. Spock studied his friend's movements for a time before deciding that he could do better if he chose to do so.

He did not choose to.

Nyota, however — his bondmate, whom he was obligated to please — was another matter.

"Go," he murmured in her ear. "I shall be pleased to stand here and watch you, beloved."

She turned uncertain eyes on him.

"Are you sure, Spock? I don't want to leave you here all by yourself if you're not going to enjoy yourself."

As he thought about the unconsumed portion of Ensign Chekov's "gift" which currently lay in the depths of duffle he would carry to the tent where he and Nyota were expected to consummate their bond and their marriage, his lips rose in one of the near smiles that had become habitual in his time spent among the Uhuras. Perhaps Muta could be persuaded to give him a recording of some of these songs to take as well. His wife would appreciate knowing that, should the need ever arise, her husband could comport himself more than adequately on the dance floor. Further study of her particular preferences would prove beneficial.

He allowed a tiny hint of his anticipation flow through the bond and was rewarded with a knowing grin for his efforts.

"I assure you, adun'a, I shall find the view edifying."

Of the handful of Spock's human relatives who had accepted invitations to the wedding, these two were Nyota's favorites. Although he had never said so aloud, she knew her husband felt the same way.

Samuel Grayson looked a lot like his older sister. His eyes were hazel instead of dark brown and his caramel-colored hair was flecked liberally with gray, but Nyota saw echoes of Amanda in the curves and planes of his face. And when his pretty young daughter, who had her father's eyes and auburn hair all her own, stretched her lips into a wide grin, the smile was so much like her aunt's, Nyota nearly gasped.

"Sarah! Uncle Sam! It's good to see you again!" she exclaimed, pulling him into a welcoming hug. "We're so glad you guys were able to come."

She pulled away from Sam to regard Sarah Grayson again while giving Spock a chance to greet his uncle.

"I can't believe how different you look," she said and grabbed both of the younger woman's hands. "Five years may as well have been a life-time."

Nyota gave Sarah's hands a squeeze and then froze.

"What's this?" she asked, drawing looks from both Spock and Sam. She pulled the girl's left hand closer to her eyes. "Omigod! Does this mean what I think it means?"

Sarah gave a blissful laugh and squeezed back.

"Yes! He asked me last week."

Nyota felt a sudden burst of worry that she knew wasn't her own. A fine time for him to start playing overprotective cousin, she thought, carefully shielding the thought from her husband.

"Oh Sarah," she said aloud, "that's wonderful! Why didn't you say anything?"

The red-haired woman shook her head. "This is your day, Ny. Tom and I weren't going to steal your thunder."

"Nonsense," Nyota assured her. "My family love having something to celebrate and, I promise you, they consider you and Sam part of the family now. Just wait 'til I tell Mama. You'll be swamped with old ladies giving you advice for the rest of the night."

Sarah laughed again and Sam smiled indulgently. But Spock's concern threatened to overwhelm his wife's good mood.

"Sarah," he said, "are you not rather young to be committing yourself to a permanent romantic relationship?"

"Spock! I'm twenty-two. That's older than Nyota was when she told Aunt Amanda she was going to marry you, no matter what it took."

He looked at his wife and raised an eyebrow.

"It seems everyone except your mother and I was aware of your declaration," he said. "I was not aware that it was a human custom for young women to choose their own mates while still in their adolescence."

His cousin shot her a wicked smile.

"I'm sorry I have to include you in on this one, Ny," she said, "but I hope you and Spock have a lot of daughters."

Remnants of the laughter provoked by M'Umbha Uhura's wedding speech still came from the gathered guests as he made his way towards the front of the room. But the silence that met Sarek's ascendance to the stage would have been deafening for a human. Apparently no one expected the Vulcan Ambassador to Earth to deliver a teasingly sentimental tribute to his newly married son. Amanda would have been trying valiantly to hold back laughter. He felt her absence acutely in that moment.

"It is my understanding," he began before the humans could grow too uncomfortable, "that a parent has many choices when addressing those gathered to celebrate the marriage of his or her offspring. I have been told, and have been given the opportunity to observe, that some parents choose to recount tales from their son's or daughter's childhood as a means of using mildly embarrassing transgressions in order to instill a sense that all gathered share an understanding of the offspring's essential nature.

"As many of you know, Vulcans do not exhibit emotions such as embarrassment, and so such an endeavor would be wasted on my son."

There were two titters of laughter from the mass of people watching him. Sarek easily identified his daughter-in-law and her mother as the sources the displays of amusement. He nodded to Nyota.

"Another course available to me would lie in listing my son's accomplishments and singing his praises so that all gathered might know that he is a worthy mate for his bride. However, many of you already know Spock's history and while I am pleased with my son, Vulcans are also taught that pride is an emotion which must be overcome.

"My wife would have told me that telling you this was 'nonsense' and that you would expect me to be proud of him. That he is strong and dedicated. That he is brave and loyal. She would have pointed out that he was intelligent enough to choose a bondmate who is more than deserving of being the beneficiary of the aforementioned qualities. With the last, which she did say on several occasions prior to Spock and Nyota's decision to bond, I must concur." He looked at Spock and inclined his head. "You have chosen well, sa-fu.

"A third recourse would be to offer my daughter-in-law advice, gleaned from my own decades of with Spock's mother, on how to have a pleasing marriage. At this point, my bondmate would have interrupted the speech to remind me that as a 'buttoned up Vulcan' I was incapable of adequately expressing the suitability of their union, much less telling Nyota how best to cope with being our son's wife." This was met with a few more laughs, louder and less restrained this time. Sarek was unsure who the additional voices belonged to.

"As I must also concur with that assessment," he said, "I ask you to listen while my bondmate says what I cannot."

He glanced over to Tabansi who touched a fingertip to a tiny device hidden in the palm of his hand.

The lights in the room dimmed.

An image of Amanda Grayson, his lost mate, appeared on the stage.

"It takes a strong human to marry a Vulcan," the holographic Lady Amanda said. Even to Sarek's acute hearing, her voice was near-perfect. "Fortunately, you are very strong woman. I'm so happy that he has found you."

.

.

"You life won't always be easy, ko-fu, but I believe you will be happy," Amanda told the young woman who had so brashly declared she would marry her son one day. "I believe you will make Spock happy.

"There will be times when he'll try your patience to no end! And in those moments you'll just have to take a breath and remind yourself that you're likely doing the same to him. Don't let that Vulcan reserve fool you — they get annoyed with us, too! — even if they don't show it the way a human will. But I'm sure you already know what I mean about that.

"But the love… the love he will show you is like nothing you can imagine. Being bonded means more than just being married. Its truly becoming a part of one another. He'll always be there, even when you're parted. And you'll do the same for him. Neither of you will ever be alone.

"I know it might feel a little overwhelming at first, but you'll get used to the constant presence and even learn to appreciate it. Because always having him there means always having someone to lean on, and that's important, even in those moments when you want to twist those pointy ears right off his head. Don't laugh!"

.

.

Uhura, and much of the audience, laughed anyway. Sarek saw her clasp Spock's hand in hers.

.

.

"I know my stubborn son, ko-fu, so you can't tell me being with him is always sunshine and roses. Still, since you've stuck it out this long, I know I couldn't have chosen better for him myself," Amanda said, eyes shining. "Oh wait! I didn't, did I? Choose better, I mean."

.

.

If Sarek had been human, and if he had not already known it was coming, he would have winced at the mention of Spock's ill-fated betrothal to T'Pring.

.

.

"Which is why you made me happier than I had been in years, that first time you contacted me. You'd think I would have been a little disturbed to have a near stranger announce 'I'm going to marry your son one day, Lady Amanda'— even if that stranger was an accomplished Starfleet cadet who happened to be the daughter of one of the most respected women in my field. But I knew you were the one, from the moment you opened your mouth.

"Welcome to the family, ko-fu. I never had a daughter of my own, so I hope M'Umbha doesn't mind sharing."

.

.

Amanda's image flickered out and, as the lights came up again, the applause started. Nyota's family and friends smiled toward him and towards the bride and groom who appeared completely unaware of their guests as they stood, foreheads and hands touching.

Sarek scanned the room and saw that M'Umbha Uhura, Sam Grayson, as well as his brother-in-law's daughter, were all wiping moisture from their eyes.

The musicians had wisely begun playing a selection of what Nyota had called some of Lady Amanda favorite dance music again just moments after Ambassador Sarek had left the stage. There had been little time for anyone to grow maudlin over Spock's lost mother.

Upenda Uhura twirled around sending gossamer skirts flying and then stopped suddenly, stamping a foot and clapping her hands. Ten seconds later, and in time with the music, Joanna imitated her perfectly. Bones watched as the pair traded dance moves back and forth for about a minute and a half before rolling everything into one long sequence and aiming expectant looks at Nyota. The three of them repeated the moves until the song ended.

Nyota's big sister was delightful company. She'd even managed to win over his daughter in the short hours of their acquaintance.

When young woman had mentioned (with a wink and a nod) that "we're staying the hotel for a couple days so Daddy can recover from making Nyota's dress" before they set out for their own vacation, Upenda had offered to play chief tour guide and babysitter while he slept off his excesses.

He'd been all set to refuse her kind offer, but Joanna had leapt in before he could get the words out.

"Oh, Daddy, can I please? Nurse Chapel said she has the best taste and really knows how to find a bargain!" she'd pleaded. "Come on, Dad, this way you can sleep in tomorrow. And we'll even bring back a surprise for you. Uncle Jim said you and 'Penda have just about the same taste in booze an— ."

He had cut her off.

"Okay! You ladies make sure you have fun tomorrow," he'd said, making a mental note to have a word or two with Jim about appropriate topics for conversations with a teenager.

"But, who said anything about shopping?" he had asked, pretending to look stern. "And since when have you been interested in all that girl stuff anyway?"

"Ever since you started making wedding dresses!" his cheeky little girl had replied with a wicked grin that reminded him a bit too much of himself.

It really was too bad he was getting back on a starship a few months. And that he'd sworn off romance until Joanna was finished with her schooling, which might take longer than he'd been banking on — the girl had been grilling Upenda about medical school.

"I thought you wanted to be an architect," he'd said breaking out of his reverie and into their conversation.

"It was something I considered," Joanna had confessed, "but between you and 'Penda, the family business is starting to sound more and more interesting. Plus, I got really great marks in cellular biology last term. And it was fun. I'm taking xenobiology in the spring."

Bones had let their voices drift away as Upenda answered Joanna's questions about the merits of practicing general medicine over specializing as Dr. Benjamin Uhura had done. He'd found himself back on the train of thought he'd so recently abandoned.

Family business, she'd said. And had included Upenda in that hypothetical "family." The ex-Mrs. McCoy was an artist.

Nah, isn't smart to even start thinking that way. Though it would have been nice.

He'd shaken his head and happened to catch Christine Chapel staring at their little group. It looked like she'd been studying them for a spell. Not for the first time, Bones wondered which one of them, him or Upenda, was the object of the nurse's affections, now that Spock was taken.

Then Nyota and her overgrown elf had approached and within five minutes of meaningless conversation, the women had abandoned their menfolk for the dance floor once more.

The two Starfleet officers chatted amiably for a few minutes — discussing the wedding ceremonies and playing who's-who among the guests — before either gave into the urge to take a shot at the other.

"Your daughter appears to be rather taken with the Uhura women," Spock noted now. "When she is in their company, she does not seem to be the quiet, studious child you have so often described. Curiously for one who received half of her genes from you, her face is also quite aesthetically pleasing. If their influence has a lasting effect on her personality, I suspect you and her mother will find that she attracts as many prospective mates as her mentors have done. I hope you are prepared, Leonard."

Bones watched as the women started comparing a new series of moves for the latest song. Joanna had a huge smile on her face and the Uhuras were enthusiastically urging her on. He could swear the Vulcan was laughing at him.

"I hope you have daughters, Spock," Bones told his friend. "Lot's and lot's of daughters that inherit Ms. Uhura's gorgeous face and your smart mouth."

Jim arrived at their sides in time to hear the doctor's curse and let out a shout of laughter.

Spock merely an eyebrow.

"You are not the first tonight to have expressed a desire for me to become that father of female offspring," he said and walked off to speak with other guests.

This time, Bones knew the green-blooded cuss had been mocking him. He looked over at Jim, only to find his captain wearing that grin that said he'd spotted likely prey and was about to go on the hunt.

The red-headed beauty was the one, Bones was sure of it. He groaned internally and briefly considered

"Look all you want, but I wouldn't touch if I were you, Jim. That's Spock's cousin, Sarah Grayson. The Elf Prince said she's got a fiancé somewhere around here."

Couples — mostly from the older generations, but surprisingly Spock and Nyota, too — were swaying gently to the more sedate sounds provided by Astra Boipuso's golden voice. Jim hadn't realized that the older Spock had hired the singer from the nightclub as a wedding gift to Spock and Uhura, but now that he wasn't listening to her while half blasted out of his mind, it was clear why the older half-human had suggested they catch her show during Spock's stag night.

Astra Boipuso had a voice a man could get lost in. And even though she appeared to be somewhere between her late forties to late sixties, she still had a face and body Kirk wouldn't mind exploring a little more closely.

It seemed as if half the women close to his age were related to Uhura, and therefore off-limits.

.

"I don't know how you can stand it," he'd told Muta Uhura earlier in the night. "Aren't there any unattractive females on either side of your family?"

Muta had snorted at that. "Trust me, they're considerably less attractive when you've grown up with them. I could tell you stories that would make your jaw hit the floor."

Jim had grinned with unrepentant devilment.

"Lucky me," he said, "I'm not a member of the family and I didn't grow up with any of them."

"I don't think you could handle a Wakufunzi woman, Jim," Muta had warned. "And after a night with an Uhura you'd probably need to spend a week in hospital."

Thinking about the times he'd watched Nyota spar with Spock, fight back unfriendlies on two of the times she'd been a part of disastrous landing missions, Jim had decided that her brother probably wasn't exaggerating.

.

Another quarter were related to Spock — who knew he had (hot!) human cousins? — and therefore off-limits. The rest were either his crew (and off-limits), Vulcan (and off-limits) or not interested in men. And he really didn't have the energy to try to convince a woman to go against her nature.

"Looks like you and our hobgoblin aren't the only ones who forgot to duck when Cupid started shooting his arrows," McCoy observed.

Jim peered across the room to see what had caught his friend's eye.

Ambassador Spock had hired the nightclub singer as a gift for the music-loving couple, but now he stared steadily her at as she finished the last words of her song. It was hard to tell what with the distance and the ambassador's Vulcan reserve, but it sure looked like he wasn't just assessing the quality of her performance. A slow smile stretched over the starship captain's face.

"Think I should go over to her?" he asked. "Force his hand, maybe?"

"Only if you're in the mood to get your ass handed to you again." Leonard smirked. "It'd be pretty embarrassing to take a beat down from a man more than five times your age. And then you gotta think about what M'Umbha would do to you for ruining her baby girl's wedding."

Jim just smiled all the more.

"You're probably right about that, Bones," he conceded. "About M'Umbha, at least."

But then, none of it mattered because the woman onstage had finished singing and was saying her good-byes. Ambassador Spock was already on the move.

A/B: And that's all folks! That is, until we meet everyone again in The Comes Spock. Also, see what happens when Amb. Spock catches up with the nightclub singer in Beneath the New Vulcan Moon.

Disclaimer: Never owned 'em at all.