AN: Here it is here it is! Sorry it took me forever to update this baby. I hope this satisfies all of my readers (you know who you are and thank you ever so much for reviewing and putting this story on your favorites lists and story alerts, it means the world). To clarify before I get asked, Spock wakes up on the Enterprise, but beams down to Metra 7 with Lillian to say goodbye to Spock Prime/Solkon. Enjoy, my darlings!

Chapter Four

When Spock awoke from his induced comatic state, thanks to Doctor McCoy, he had a headache and there wasn't a bone in his body that didn't hurt. His first impression was loathing for T'Pring, and her selfishness. If not for Doctor McCoy, it would have truly been his death. Solek had been much stronger than he was, and some part of him knew T'Pring had done that on purpose. He'd never given her any reason to hate him so much as to want him dead, not that he could think of. But there was someone who cared, and someone who cared so much more than T'Pring. Spock thought of green eyes, fair skin with a sprinkling of freckles across the cheeks, wavy blonde hair with bold streaks of burgundy. Lillian Pike. Her face came to his memory and he exhaled slowly. His troubled Human, flawed in so many ways yet so perfect in others. She reminded him a great deal of his Captain, but Lillian was so many things Jim would never be. She was very rational, and had eventually convinced him that if T'Veia made his father truly happy, then he should not be resentful of that happiness.

He heard the door open and tried to turn his head. It was Lillian. Early in their stay Lillian had adopted several native mannerisms and also native dress, which she said was to honor her hosts. And, as dictated by tradition, she was always the first one in the household awake.

"How's your head?" She whispered as she sat down. Humans always asked the most bizarre questions. It was fairly obvious he was in pain, and yet she asked. "Doctor McCoy said you would probably have a headache."

"I do."

"I saw Solek take that swipe at you, no wonder." Lillian looked sad, and Spock wondered what she had seen in the arena. He thought they might have returned to the Enterprise, Lillian wore her duty-uniform. She leaned down and Spock closed his eyes as her lips made contact with his forehead. He knew that if he rested, he could heal more quickly, but some part of him didn't want to miss anything Lillian might do or say.

"Lillian?"

"Yes, Spock?"

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." She didn't ask what he was grateful for, he suspected she already knew. Lillian smiled and pressed her hand gently to his forehead, "Go to sleep, Spock, and heal. You need to do this for yourself." Weary and sore, Spock obeyed and knew Lillian would not be there when he awoke again.

After the kal-if-fee, the Enterprise took it's leave of Metra 7. Before they left the colony-world, Spock and Lillian paid a visit to Solkon to say goodbye and to thank him. He was not home, but they knew where to find him and hiked to the top of Seleya Peak where they found him in meditation.

"Solkon?" Spock called softly, "Ambassador?" They waited five minutes for him to finish his meditations. He rose gracefully for someone his age, picked up his robe, and turned to them with a knowing smile.

"You've come to say goodbye."

"Well, at least for now." Lillian corrected. Solkon chuckled and came to them.

"All is right with the world now. I have done my duty." He said with a strict nod. He was done interfering with the time-lines, and planned to settle down and live out his days in peace here on Metra 7. Solkon looked from Spock to Lillian and his expression became serious, "You two are one step closer to what is meant to be, tread carefully. And don't worry about hurting Jim's feelings, he's found his happiness." Lillian was only confused for a brief moment. She looked at Spock, who had apparently come to the same conclusion.

"Nyota." They said it together and Solkon nodded wisely.

"That's a concept." Lillian frowned, "Nyota can't stand James, or at least she couldn't stand him." Solkon only smiled and Lillian wondered what he'd been up to. Sneaky Vulcan. Solkon summoned Spock, wishing to speak to him alone, and Lillian watched them walk together.

"Enterprise to Pike."

"Go ahead, Captain." She smiled.

"We're ready to depart the system, we're just waiting for you and Commander Spock to come back."

"Give us a few minutes, sir."

"Make contact when you're ready."

"Yes, sir." She closed off her communicator and folded her hands behind her back, "Commander Spock, the Enterprise is preparing to depart the system!"

"Thank you, Ensign." He came back with Solkon, and she activated her communicator.

"Enterprise, two to beam back."

"Energizing. Stay where you are." She heard Mr. Scott and smirked. Solkon raised his hand in salute.

"Commander Spock, Ensign Pike, in farewell I say only this: Live long and prosper."

"Peace and long life, Ambassador." She returned the salute, wondering as the transporters picked them up if she would ever see the elderly Vulcan again. When Solkon died, she would loose a teacher and a mentor, the one person who had ever believed in her. But she would have Spock, and lots of time to figure out this strange little thing called love. Who on earth would have ever expected her to find love with a Vulcan? Not Lillian and certainly not Spock himself. Yet, there it was.

A month wasn't enough time to foster a real romantic relationship, they definitely had some work to do. First order: ask the captain's permission. Apparently, it was stated somewhere in regulations that in order to pursue a romantic interlude with a member of an alien species, you had to secure the permissions of your commanding officers. Lillian had the permission of at least one commanding officer, the same one she was involved with. She just had to get the captain's blessing. She sure hoped he was willing to give it, Ambassador Solkon had promised them it was meant to be this way after all. The least they could do was ask, the worst Jim could say was no.