Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you to dinopoodle, Bina W and especially Ardala91 for reviewing.

Debbie Hicks, may I say I am flattered that you are back again to review my work. But I have a question: does this look like a Sailor Moon crossover to you? Your review went off on a wild tangent, and although I appreciate that you want to give me your feedback, is it too much to ask that you keep it on topic?

"I do not have a crush on Benjamin Sisko!" Roxanne insisted. "I do not think of him in any romantic sense whatsoever!"

Solok smirked at her emotional outburst and looked back down at his PADD, scrolling down to the next chapter. "Let's continue with Chapter 21," he replied calmly. He spoke again after a brief pause."I simply noted the amount of time you spend with him and was curious if your relationship was more than platonic."

"As I've told you about five times now, it's not. We're friends." She sighed in frustration and found the chapter, and the lesson continued without any more tangents until the last five minutes or so.

"Are you in a romantic relationship with anyone?"

She looked up at him, frowning. She was utterly bemused as to his motivation for asking the question, and she took a moment to compose an answer. "No...why are you so interested in my love life today, Solok?"

"I am curious about many aspects of your life, Ms. Hartman. Your romantic endeavors are a part of that. Now...are you involved in a romantic relationship?"

She stared at him, her eyes narrowed. "That's none of your business," she growled, and he quirked an eyebrow. A tiny smile formed on his lips, and his eyes became smug.

"I'll take that as a yes," he said softly, staring at her in triumph. Her eyes narrowed further.

"That's none of your business," she repeated slowly and firmly, and he decided to drop the subject. They made plans for their next session, and she packed up, ready to leave. He stopped her.

"There is a concert this coming weekend at the Jubilee Concert Hall in San Francisco. The Vulcan Philharmonic Orchestra is on tour and they are playing several Earth pieces this Friday."

She sighed, suddenly feeling very tired as she thought of the long weeks left of "socializing" with this pompous Vulcan. "Wait, I thought we already did three hours of stuff this week."

"You have fulfilled your end of our arrangement this week, yes," he said, then paused. She looked up, and he was staring at her intently. "I'm asking you to go," he continued, his voice softer, and she could hear the hesitancy in his voice.

"Solok," she said slowly, "are you asking me out on a date?"

He raised one eyebrow, his eyes darkening. "Vulcans do not ask human females on 'dates', Ms. Hartman. I'm asking you to go."

Roxanne shook her head in disbelief. "Sounds like a date to me. Would I have to dress up for this thing?"

He tilted his head. "Is that a yes?"

"I haven't decided yet. Would I have to dress up?"

He stared at her a moment. "Your uniform would suffice, however...I would not be adverse to seeing you in something more formal."

She blushed, not sure if he was complementing her or not. He and his friends had thrown relentless insults at her for the last three weeks, and she had put up with it. Her last Calculus test showed that Solok's tutoring was counting for something, as she actually managed to make a low B instead of the D's and F's she was used to.

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. She had seen the Vulcan Philharmonic before on Dendros II, as part of a week-long summer vacation there with her family. The orchestra was brilliant, ninety-three Vulcans with instruments from all over the Federation, playing a wide variety of musical styles. With or without Solok, she would be happy to hear them play again.

"So will you accompany me or not?"

She paused for a moment. Part of her told her she owed Solok for the good grades she was getting, but then she reminded herself that she owed Solok nothing. He was tutoring her, and in exchange he was slowly making her life a living hell.

"Yeah, whatever, I'll go. But only because I happen to like the Vulcan Philharmonic Orchestra."

His eyes were gleaming brightly in triumph, and he smirked as he made to walk past her. "Until Friday, Ms. Hartman," he murmured. He quickly left the lab before she could turn and face him. She shivered, then sat back down in the chair she had recently vacated, her face buried in her hands.

On second thought, she should have refused him. She should have just walked away and not worried about it. But there was that hesitancy in his voice, and she actually had felt a twinge of pity for the jackass, and couldn't bring herself to shoot him down. She should have turned it around and shoved it in his face, but she reasoned to herself that he probably would have made her life even more of a living hell if she had rudely refused him. Or worse, if such a thing were possible, he would walk away and she would fail and be put on academic probation, or be kicked out of Starfleet altogether. She was relieved to have found a good excuse for her acceptance, and she was too tired to berate herself for agreeing. She tried to think positive, about how it would be wonderful to hear the orchestra, no matter what her companion said or did. Or companions. But then, she didn't think Solok was going to invite anyone else, and the thought made her slightly queasy. She leaped up from the chair, slung her bag resolutely over her shoulder and headed back to her dorm.

Sicily glanced up when she walked in. "Hey," the med student said warmly, "how'd tutoring go?"

"All right," Roxanne replied absentmindedly, picking up a book she had been reading the night before and trying to distract herself with it.

"I can't believe you won't tell me who's tutoring you. Unless of course you do more than tutoring during your sessions...if you catch my drift," Sicily teased, giggling when Roxanne turned red. "I'm sorry, Roxanne, I couldn't resist."

"I didn't need that mental picture, thank you," Roxanne murmured, closing her eyes in disgust.

Sicily sighed. "Just wondering who you're with all the time. You spend half your week with him now."

The redhead sighed as well, once again trying to engross herself in her book.

"Are you doing anything this weekend?"

Roxanne looked up at Sicily, who was busy braiding her hair. "Actually, I have a date on Friday," she said, rather unenthusiastically.

Her roommate turned her head. "Don't tell me it's a pity date. Let me guess, Roger Stone from Intro to Tactics?"

She laughed. "Oh, no, its much worse than that. It's not a pity date, it's...Sicily, if I tell you about this, will you promise not to laugh?"

The med student nodded. "Baby, you know you can tell me anything."

Roxanne sighed. "All right...remember the jackass from the bar? Solok?"

"The Vulcan? What about him?"

"Well...he's my Calculus tutor."

Sicily was quiet for a moment. "No way."

"Yes way."

She frowned in shock. "How...I thought you hated him! Don't tell me this is belligerent sexual tension here."

"What? No! I'm not attracted to him, I just...he invited me to go see the Vulcan Philharmonic Orchestra on Friday. I don't know why, but...I said yes."

Sicily tilted her head. "So you were just being polite."

"Yeah."

She nodded. "There's nothing wrong with that. What are you going to wear?"

Roxanne rolled her eyes. "He said my uniform would be fine. But I don't want to wear what I wear every day, but I don't want to get dressed up just for him, you know?"

"I won't let you go out on a date looking like trash, no matter how much you hate him."

"I'm not going to look like trash. But I don't want...nevermind. I'll think of something."

…

Solok had never described himself as impatient, but he found himself standing by the aircar, shuffling the two tickets in his hands. Stuvak and Verok had questioned him when he procured the tickets, but he had brushed them off; he wasn't ready to explain anything about this...'date' to them yet. When he felt a twinge of anxiety at the thought that she wasn't coming, he shoved it down, and was rewarded with the clicking of heels on pavement.

Roxanne walked out of the campus gate, her eyes bright with irritation, and he nodded to her, allowing his eyes to roam over her body. Her hair was glowing in the dying sunlight, much like he remembered, and the bright blue jacket she wore over her simple black sweater accented her hair beautifully. Everything about her outfit was simple, yet she was holding herself with a confidence that he hadn't seen before, and it made her look elegant.

His companion's eyes roamed over him, and he was pleased to see a flash of approval and surprise in her eyes. He was dressed in the Vulcan equivalent of a suit, a simple, form-accentuating ensemble in dark slate gray with his Starfleet-issued boots. She didn't want to admit to herself that the suit revealed that he was lean and trim, built like a tennis player, or that the color brought out the pale gray of his eyes. No, Solok did not look good in that suit.

The Vulcan, to her surprise, opened the aircar door for her and lightly held her hand as she climbed in, then shut the door and went over to his side. With the press of a few buttons, they were off, soaring in the air over Starfleet Academy, headed over the bay to San Francisco.

"You were late. My opinion of you aside, you are always punctual, even early. May I inquire what prevented you from being punctual today?"

"I ran into Sisko on the way over here. He wanted to know who I was 'gussied up' for...but I didn't tell him."

Solok turned to her and raised an eyebrow. "And why not?"

"Look, I haven't even told him that you're tutoring me in Calculus, much less that you invited me to this concert. He'd have a fit if he knew, and I've already got enough drama in my life right now."

He smirked. "Sisko would have an entirely inappropriate emotional reaction."

She shook her head, a wry smile twisting her lips slightly upward. "He'd hound me down and demand to know why I'm even bothering to spend time with you."

He was silent for a moment. "And why are you spending time with me?"

"To save my grade," Roxanne replied simply.

"I hear you're doing better in Calculus."

"Yeah, thanks to you," she said, not sounding particularly grateful or enthusiastic. "So...what pieces are the orchestra going to play? Do you know?"

"I glanced briefly at the program. I recognized several Vulcan scores, and a few by Bach. Otherwise, I do not know."

She nodded and stared out the window, not sure what to say. His motivation for bringing her along was still a mystery to her, and if she was honest with herself, she would admit that it was nice, although disconcerting, to see him be so cordial toward her. As far as she could tell, he had only lobbed one insult at her so far, and even that was vague. He was practically a gentleman tonight.

He let down the car as smoothly as he had taken off, then helped her from the vehicle. The crowd in front of the concert hall was large and growing by the minute, but he lightly led her forward with a gentle hand on the small of her back, so gentle that she could hardly feel it. They walked side by side; Solok deliberately did not lead her, and each time she fell behind a little, he matched her pace and fell back as well.

They waited in line for perhaps ten minutes, and both were quiet. He found their seats, driving her forward with his hand again. She was a bit annoyed that he simply couldn't lead her, but then she reasoned that he probably didn't want to lose her in the large crowd, and that she had no idea where to go. They sat down, side by side, their seats to the left of the stage and about halfway toward the back. Soon the lights dimmed, and the Vulcan orchestra walked on stage and began to play.

Their first piece was an Andorian concerto, or whatever the equivalent was. Roxanne tilted her head, smiling slightly at the foreign nature of the music. It jumped and skipped in places she didn't expect, and some of the harmonies sounded off, but the general swell and fall of the music made her hair stand on end. Solok glanced at her near the end of the performance, and her eyes were shining in the dim light coming from the stage. Her breathing was steady, slow, relaxed, and her gaze was fixed on the stage. The rhythm sped up, and her eyes widened slightly, her breathing increased. He cocked an eyebrow, fascinated in the physical changes her body exhibited at the sound of the Andorian score.

The next three pieces were by Bach, and her expression and posture were generally relaxed, almost bored, throughout the songs. Then the orchestra began a Vulcan piece, and her eyebrows momentarily furrowed before rising. Her eyes were wide, again fixed on the stage instead of on her lap. She nodded almost imperceptibly to the music, and halfway through the piece, she closed her eyes. He watched her intently, watched her control her breathing and relax into her seat. He raised his eyebrows when a single tear rolled down her cheek, and he stopped his hand from gently brushing it away.

The piece had moved her. Somehow, an art form from his planet had moved her to tears, and the notion both confused and pleased him. He, of course, considered all Vulcan art forms to be above all others in the quadrant, and to watch his human companion breathe in and open her tear-filled eyes as the music reached a crescendo...he felt strangely connected with her, having shared a piece of his world with her and seeing her like it so much that she would cry...

The rest of the concert passed quickly with a few more Earth scores and a Tellarite anthem, and soon the audience was standing and applauding the musicians. The lights came back on, and everyone began moving toward the exit. When Roxanne made to follow the man on her other side, Solok called her back.

"Ms. Hartman," he said quickly, perhaps a little sharper than he intended. He gestured to her seat, indicating that he wanted to wait for the crowd to dissipate before leaving the concert hall. She sat down, watching the orchestra pack up their things and slowly file off stage.

His hands were steepled in front of him and he looked pensive.

"Did you enjoy the concert?" he asked quietly. She nodded.

"It was beautiful. The orchestra is very talented."

"They are one of Vulcan's finest music groups. I'm...pleased that you enjoyed it."

There was a slight pause, and most of the crowd had dispersed, so he gestured toward the exit. She led him out, or it appeared so because he remained behind her. The very last remnants of daylight lit up the western horizon, and a beam of sunlight caught her hair. The tips glowed again, and he shook his head to himself. Her hair was not aesthetically pleasing, especially not in the dying light of day. She was human, irrational. She had cried during the performance. But it had pleased him...was it not a testament to the performance that she would be so moved?

He shook his head of questions and helped her back into the car. He took off, heading further into the city.

"Where are you going? Starfleet Academy is that way," Roxanne said when she noticed where they were going, pointing in the opposite direction of their heading to prove her point.

"I am aware of that."

"Then where are we going?" she said, suddenly sounding nervous.

"I wish to eat," he said simply. "Do you wish to dine with me?"

He could hear her stomach rumbling, and he smirked as she stared at her lap as if conflicted. Obviously, she had not anticipated their engagement lasting this long, and perhaps the thought of a private meal with him was daunting to her. She sighed.

"Yeah, I'm hungry."

"Do you favor Italian food?"

She smiled wryly. "I really don't have a preference right now. Italian would be fine."

They arrived at a restaurant and were seated at a table outside on the patio, in a secluded corner. Roxanne cursed her luck and sighed very quietly to herself as she sat down and looked at the softly lit arbor above their heads. The restaurant was on a hill overlooking the busy street, and the hum of traffic was a soft whisper drifting through the cool autumn air. The horizon was dull pink, fading fast, and the stars were starting to peek out.

"Well," she said softly, more to herself than to him, "this is ironically romantic." She had intended the remark to be sarcastic, but Solok simply tilted his head.

"These surroundings bother you?"

"No, they're just...nevermind, forget I said anything."

He cocked an eyebrow and began scanning the menu, and she did the same. The waiter approached them again and asked what they wanted to drink, and they both ordered water. The man retreated, leaving them alone. The candles on the table flickered in the breeze, and Solok was reminded of his home and sitting in a warm courtyard, surrounded by twilight and sun-baked stone, a candle flickering on the pavement in front of him. He watched the candle for a moment, then his gaze flicked up to meet Roxanne's.

She shivered, and he could see goosebumps rising on her arms. He wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing, only that she was probably cold. It was a cool night out tonight, the air more moist than what he was accustomed to, but the scent of the California wild rose bush growing on the other side of the wooden railing had a pleasant scent, and the lights from the arbor made her auburn hair gleam when she moved. She was right, this setting was ironically romantic by human standards.

Their drinks came and they ordered without further ado, and after a moment of silence as she sipped her water, she set her gaze on him, smiling mischievously.

"So tell me, Solok...what did you think of the concert?"

"It was pleasant," he replied lightly, ignoring the fact that her cheeks were slowly turning pink in the cool night air. "As you pointed out, the orchestra is quite talented."

"Did you recognize the Vulcan piece?"

He paused a moment. "I believe it was composed by Saakek, one of her early works."

Roxanne sighed, her eyes on the candle flame. "It was beautiful."

"It moved you."

She glanced up at that, her expression conflicted. "Like I said, it was beautiful," she said, her voice edged with a defensive tone. He cocked an eyebrow as if in challenge, and she smiled mirthlessly back. He was prevented from saying anything more when their food arrived. Another ten minutes passed as they ate. Finally, Solok put down his fork, fairly full even though only half of the food on his plate was still there.

"You had an emotional reaction to beauty, Ms. Hartman?"

She too had eaten little, and she set down her fork and sipped her water. "I'm human, as you have so lovingly pointed out to me over the last few weeks."

"Love is an emotion," he said firmly, and she grinned, restraining herself from rolling her eyes. "Please refrain from ascribing your human emotions to me."

"Forgive me, Solok," she said with a genuine smile, her voice deepening. "As I was saying, I am human, and a woman at that. I can't help but find beauty to be emotionally stirring."

"I assure you, Ms. Hartman," he said softly, his voice neutral, "it has not escaped my notice that you are human...or that you are a woman," he added after a pause. The look in his eyes as he said those words told her that he did not mean the statement to be patronizing. "It seems to have escaped the notice of many human males on campus. I certainly did not expect you to be free tonight...and I did not expect so many of your male companions to be so blind to someone as...emotionally stirring as you."

She blushed furiously, confused, not quite sure if he had complemented her or insulted her male friends. His statement was cryptic, and Solok was rarely vague. But tonight, he was certainly less straightforward than usual.

Solok silently berated himself for admitting to her the fact that he found her aesthetically pleasing, perhaps even beautiful. But to his relief, his compliment was vague enough that she was confused.

They quickly finished dinner and left the establishment, and soon they were cruising through the dark night sky, finally headed back to Starfleet Academy.

"This emotional reaction to beauty that we talked about...I find it fascinating," he said once he could see the lights of the campus. He prepared for landing.

"Do you?" she said quietly, her grin wry and mirthless. "I thought you detested emotion."

"Scientific curiosity is inherent in almost all Vulcans. Your emotional reaction to beauty appeals to my curiosity. I'm sure you understand."

"Certainly," she said, her grin becoming genuine. "And how do you propose you satisfy this scientific curiosity? Play me beautiful music and watch me cry?"

He smirked. "I will think of something. And I will satisfy this curiosity, Ms. Hartman. I find it the most fascinating thing about you."

She raised both eyebrows, the playful, mischievous gleam fading from her bright green eyes. She blushed and looked down at her lap.

"Sicily will be waiting for me. To be honest, I thought this evening would be a disaster, but...it was nice."

She turned to him and held out her hand, and he stared at it for a few moments before shaking it.

"Bring your best on Monday. We're back to our normal terms, agreed?"

He cocked an eyebrow. "Agreed. Until Monday, Ms. Hartman...I too enjoyed our evening together. Are you free next Friday?"

She glanced at the floor of the car. "As far as I know," she said, meeting his gaze again.

"Then I will begin to satisfy my curiosity next Friday. I would like to spend two hours with you, not one...if that is agreeable to you."

She blushed again, and his eyes gleamed. "I can't believe I'm saying this...fine, satisfy your curiosity."

She got out of the car, muttering to herself about how she was going crazy. She shut the door, then turned around and waved at him with a falsely cheery smile on her face. He raised his eyebrows and drove away, and she went back to her dorm.