A/N This is the night and morning before the bonding ceremony. In the privacy of each of their sleeping chambers we look into Spock and Nyota's minds.

Chapter Thirty nine

Flesh of my Flesh

When You Wish Upon A Star

Spock observed himself as he stepped out of his shower. He did not remember ever doing what he was about to do. He examined his naked body, which was typically Vulcan. This was the last night that he would view his body as his, by this time tomorrow, his body would belong to Nyota, as hers would belong to him. Her's would be the eyes that would next view his unclad body.

His mind focused on the reality of that statement. He would own her completely. Her body would be his, to pleasure her completely, to satisfy her entirely, to own her totally, mind, body and spirit. With that thought in mind he dressed in his under garments and robes, and then went to his meditation area, lit his asenoi and as he closed his eyes Nyota's face smiled up at him.

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Seated, Mother T'Pau finished her final instruction,

"Child, mentally you must show your adun what will pleasure you. He will comply and be gentle with you."

T'Pau rose and said,

"You must rest now, for there is no way I can possibly tell you when you will sleep again. Such is the way of the Vulcan male. He must be completely sated before he will rest his own body and thus allow you to rest your own.

In her sleeping area Nyota disrobed, it dawned on her that this would be the last time she could view her body as her own. Spock would claim her tomorrow night. She so wanted to be able to please him. What she knew about his needs, was what she had been told by T'Pau. She was truly inexperienced and he would have to guide her and T'Pau promised he would be considerate of her state. Her sleep was fitful and whenever she would finally dream, Spock's face dominated her unconscious mind.

That morning, first meal was brought to T'Pau's room and was eaten in silence. Nyota went back to her sleeping area and sat down. After a short time there was a slight rap on the door and she said 'Enter'.

It was T'Paal, Amanda and her mother, M'muba smiled and said,

"Sarek had talked to T'Pau and convinced her that in view of the long separation between you and I, she should bend the Vulcan rules a little bit for me and allow me to join Amanda, T'Paal and her to help you get dressed."

T'Pau then entered with a formal Vulcan robe, undergarments and soft slippers. These were laid on the bed. T'Paal then went to the bathroom after announcing she would run Nyota's bath. Once the hot water was running the scent that filled the rooms was simply wonderful. Nyota breathed deeply and found they also had a calming affect.

T'Pau said, "You will soak in these waters until your mother comes to get you. Then cover your self and come into this room and we will start to style your hair."

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Spock heard a slight rap on his door and said, "Enter."

Sarek entered with clothing draped across his arm. He laid the robes and under garments gently on the bed and placed the soft slippers on the floor at the end of the bed.

Sarek informed Spock, "These garments have been passed down from your great-grandfather. I was bonded in these same robes. There is a wistful look in his eyes and then he said, "I will return in two hours to assist you in getting dressed. Benjamin will accompany me."

Spock nodded and decided he would return to his place of meditation to gain strength, he had no idea when he would sleep again. His feeling of apprehension were almost over powering as he thought of His Nyota.

`0`0`0`0`0`0`

Nyota had laid her head back and reclined in the full length tub. She was submerged to her chin, an advantage to tailor-made Vulcan tubs. The bride-to-be was not really a bath person. She loved the stimulating feel of the pulsing waters of a shower against her skin, but, these bath waters had been turned into a bubbling scented place of pleasure, which encouraged complete relaxation so she closed her eyes.

`0`0`0`0`0`0`

At his place of meditation Spock was skimming the surface of his consciousness when he was snatched back to reality by the tap on his door.

"Enter."

Both dressed in formal Vulcan robes, his father and Benjamin appeared.

Before Sarek could formally start "The Ritual of Preparation". Benjamin stepped forward.

"Spock, we have been family since before your birth. I have now entrusted my second most precious possession to you, my daughter Nyota. Your promised joining is now upon you. Be conscious of her innocence, set boundaries for yourself and make her satisfied and happy-this is my wish. Welcome to the other clan-The Wakafunzi."

Sarek then laid each article of clothing out as his son stood before him, clothed only in his Vulcan drawers.

"This ritual has been passed down from time immemorial, it is the preparation of the mind and the body for the bonding of the male and female. It is The Vulcan Way."

The first article Benjamin passed to Sarek was a loin cloth which took the place of Spock's drawers, his arms are stretched out on either side of him, but he lowered them as his father handed him the article and Spock wrapped it about his groin as his father intoned,

"This cloth is covering your life source, it now belongs only to your Aduna, to pass on your seed to her alone, it is The Vulcan way. May your offspring be abundant."

Benjamin then handed an undershirt, with a padded embroidered front. The Vulcan script read, "The heart is protected by adherence to the ways of Surak, your heart is now shared with his thoughts and with your aduna."

The next article is a long tunic that reached mid-calf.

As Sarek straightened the shoulders of the tunic Spock bowed his head. Then Sarek said, "This tunic hides the things underneath. So, within your household, hold the things of your house private. This elevates your house above reproach and protects your Aduna from idle minds and mouths."

Benjamin shook out the next garment, an under robe in fine white cloth with fasteners on the sidd.

Spock's father held it for him to place both arms into and then said,

"This garment protects the formal robe from contamination from the body of the wearer. You must protect your family from any contamination-physical, moral, spiritual or mental, it is your responsibility as the Adun."

The final garment is the ornate formal robe with the script of the S'chn T'gai clan on the front lapel.

Sarek gestured for Spock to be seated, and placed the soft slippers on his son's feet.

"You will now walk the way of a bonded male. Although the slippers provide a degree of protection, there still will be things that make the road difficult to navigate. Your bondmate is there to assist you in life's travels."

Once Spock was dressed, the three males lowered themselves to the meditative posture, and spent the final minutes before the bonding joined in this way.

lapel`0`0`0`0`0`

M'muba touched her daughter's shoulder and said, "My Star, you may come out of the bath now."

She handed her daughter a plush white bathrobe that was so large it swallowed her up. Nyota is led into the room where T'Pau and T'Paal wait with hair pins and other supplies that would aid them in the accomplishment of their difficult task-the placing of all of Nyota's thick hair on top of her head.

As the females admired their work Nyota knew that she would have a headache until she was able to remove every hair pin and clip and allow her hair its freedom.

T'Pau then addressed Nyota,

"You will now be clothed in the garments of a aduna. Your adun will remove these from your body before he removes his own. Once you are dressed you will be silent until you utter your vows of loyalty to my grandson.

Nyota looked so beautiful in her robes. Her mother eyes wheld with tears.

"I can offer you no better advise than T'Pau, but I will say this to you my daughter, "Live Long and Prosper."

T'Pau's final words were,

"We will leave you now so that we may prepare ourselves. Meditation is recommended. T'Paal will come
for you when the time of 'last light' approaches.

With that Nyota is left all alone. She is afraid to even move, afraid she will wrinkle her garment. She wished the rituals of this day was over.