Hey, all! Here's another chappy. :)
Same usual disclaimer.
"Read me a story and maybe I will," he said with a wink and I rolled my eyes.
"Damn it, Jim. I'm your doctor, not your father. When I tell you to sleep you sleep!" I grumbled, picking up the sedative to inject into his IV. He just laughed.
The bruises on his face were healing well, only leaving a scratch or two and a battered cheek, although I didn't dare look under the blanket that covered his bare chest again. We finally managed to get his ribs bandaged up, though.
"Sit with me for a sec, Bones," he requested as I shot the sedative into his system.
"I do have other patients to attend to," I pointed out, but sat down anyway.
"Sorry, Doc," he said goodheartedly and I tried not to smile.
His fingers traced the hot pink cast on his arm with a small smile. The drugs would be kicking in soon.
"I think I made her happy today," he muttered to me softly. I glanced up at the entrance to the room and saw no one there to over hear us.
"Well, she loves that damn elf, so I see why," I grumbled in return, not bothering to mention they were probably procreating like bunnies as we spoke. I tried not to cringe at the visual in my mind.
"You think so?"
His blue eyes looked up at mine, holding my gaze sleepily. I nodded.
"I do, Jim," I told him, my mouth curving up into a sympathetic smile, "Be grateful for her friendship, because it's all she can give. But look at this beauty, Jim - the Enterprise, the most sought-after lady in Star Fleet, and she's all yours."
He chuckled sleepily. "Yeah, I guess so - just don't call her Mrs Kirk, I don't think she likes that," he said, starting to drift off. I laughed with him.
"Count backward from ten for me, Jim."
He barely made it to seven.
- - -
I would have usually been meditating by now, but this particularly evening I chose instead to enjoy the feeling of Nyota's warm body pressing against mine. It was not late, but the backup star ships would be continuing control of the bridge until the next morning and then quite possibly helping us complete this particular mission, seeing as most of our crew was incapacitated.
My hand explored the dark hair that spilled from her head onto the pillow beneath our heads and onto our shoulders. I ceased my ministrations for a moment to focus on the colorful images of her mind - her dreams. They were colorful, I noted, and bright. I found the sensation enjoyable, seeing as I never dreamed.
I watched every breath enter her body, watched how her diaphragm moved with the habitual act. One of Nyota's brown, toned arms was still wrapped around my bare waist and the other clung to my chest, the contact enough to keep our minds open to each other even as she slept. As I enjoyed the flowing images behind her eyelids, currently of a place that was most likely her home, something concerned me. I could feel in her a dark grain of worry that seemed to be starting in the core of her body. I longed to listen, to learn and comfort her accordingly, but the visual communicator on my wall was being paged.
"Transporter room to Commander Spock." The words were quiet, seeing as my hearing was sensitive enough not to require it above a level three. They caused Nyota to stir slightly.
I carefully stood up, making sure my bonded was comfortable before walking to the communicator. I felt the corners of my lips curl upward when I thought the word.
"This is Spock," I said, keeping my voice low.
"Crewmembers from the USS Republic have beamed up with the child," Mr Scott reported, his face appearing on the console.
"Affirmative."
"Sir, we meant to move her into a spare room before she was interrogated in the morning, but she is afraid. She specifically requested Lieutenant Uhura as her guardian while on this vessel."
"I have no objections," I told him, picking up my shirt from where it was neatly folded, "I will be in the transporter room in approximately four minutes. Spock out."
- - -
I tried to hold onto sleep for longer, but I felt it slipping from me as sand would through my fingers. I mumbled something.
"I think she is wake," a small voice said, like bells.
"Awake," I corrected sleepily, still not opening my eyes. I groaned softly.
"She sounds like my Diarsi when she wakes up."
I recognized the language, and it all slowly came back to me. "Abria?" I asked, reaching up to rub my eyes and sat up. Her pretty, white countenance came into my vision, along with the rest of my quarters.
My quarters?
I looked down at myself, seeing my usual pajamas and shook my head, a small smile on my face.
"I apologize, K'diwa, for interrupting your sleep, but the child insisted upon having you as her guardian," I heard Spock say to me in Vulcan, but in my sleepy state I couldn't tell if it was thought or said.
"Gud Morning!" the child said brightly from where she stared vacantly at my general direction. I smiled at the adorable accent on the child.
"Good morning, Abria," I said, stretching my arms into the air above my head with a yawn. She looked puzzled upon hearing this.
"What was that noise?" she asked me softly, her head tilted to the side.
"It's called a yawn. Humans make that noise when they are not getting enough oxygen, usually because they are tired or waking up."
She smiled with her newfound understanding. "Diso said I can learn much when coming here!" she told me happily and I smiled at the endearing term for her father.
"Is that so?" I asked her, "What else did he say?"
"He said that I must behave ab... Admerra..."
"Admirably," Spock supported, causing me to look up at where he stood, watching the two of us converse with interest.
"He said that I must behave admirably, for I am representing my planet for the Federation of Planets," she said with a victorious grin.
"I am sure you will. Now, if you will excuse me for a moment, I have to talk with the Commander. We will return shortly," I told her, rolling out of bed rather gracelessly before gently touching her on the shoulder.
We walked out of the room. I looked both ways, making sure our conversation would not be overheard. I placed my hand on his warm hand, allowing our brains to mesh pleasantly.
"Thank you," I told him, allowing my gratitude to flow from my mind to his.
"Your idea may prove very beneficial to this mission," he said, but I could feel deep inside of him that he was happy to do this small thing for me, "Your assignment from now until the child is returned to her ship is to learn all you can."
"Yes, Sir," I said with a teasing smile.
He froze suddenly, pulling away from me toward the door.
"What's wrong?" I asked him as the automated doors opened, but I didn't need an answer because, on the floor, was Abria with tears streaming down her face.
I immediately dropped to the floor with her and pulled her into my arms. Her body radiated intense heat, just as my burn did. "What's happened, Abria?" I asked her, alarmed. She held out her hand to me for my scrutiny and I gasped, seeing the red lines. Spock knelt before her, taking her hand into his to study it.
"There was a loud nose like..." she started making this odd noise, and I listened in puzzlement.
"I belief she is referring to the air vent," Spock said softly, reaching to the bedside table beside us and pulling out the first-aid kit.
"I went to look, and hurt my hand."
Spock was gently wrapping her palm with gaze, gently rubbing it in a way that was unfamiliar to me.
"That helps," she spoke up after a moment, "My hands always hurt. Do yours?"
"Yes," Spock responded, "My species has very sensitive palms. I will lend you an ointment developed on my planet once the wound closes."
She nodded, and I watched in amazement. "May I see you?" she asked him after a moment. He looked at me for a translation and I smiled since I'm almost never needed as an intelligence bank. I motioned to my face and he nodded quizzically.
"I have no objections to your method of sight," he said. She cocked her head and I laughed.
"He means it's fine."
The young girl reached up to his face and traced her fingers along his face until he reached his ears.
"You are not human," she said matter-of-factly.
"I am Vulcan."
She nodded in understanding, retracting her hands from his face.
"I am hungry," she said and indignantly stood up, her tears dried and her injury forgotten.
R&R!