Author's Note: Has anyone taken any notice of the chapter titles? They're all song titles :-)

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Getting to Know You

Chapter Nine : I Want to Know What Love Is

Uhura

Monday

She came hurrying into the classroom and seated herself just as he entered and strode to his accustomed place. His eyes flicked in her direction, one eyebrow slightly elevated. Somehow she knew he questioned why she was not in her seat before class started. She reached into her bag, drew out her PADD, shook it slightly before setting it on her desk. Would he understand that? Maybe he had, he had nodded his head just slightly. As the lecture began, she dug in her bag for the missing stylus and began her usual meticulous note taking.

***

She was sweaty and achy again. Commander Terrance always seemed to find some way to make her twist and pull something. She had thought that it would be so great to be trained by the department head himself and now she was beginning to dread Monday afternoons. She limped across the gym towards the lockers. She had almost reached them when she was stopped by a familiar voice.

"Cadet Uhura, are you injured? You seem to be limping." The commander was right behind her.

She stopped and turned around. "Just a little sprain. I'll go cool off in the pool and it should be better. Thanks for asking." She knew she looked a mess, sweaty, hair plastered to her back. If she didn't know better she would think that was concern she saw in those dark eyes.

"You came to your training session with a sprain?" His head was cocked to one side, questioning.

"No, no, I just twisted my ankle a little when I lost my balance. When Commander Terrance knocked me over." Ooops, she shouldn't have phrased that just that way. "I didn't mean that the way it came out. I'm sure he didn't mean to knock me over. It just happened." She did not think that she had been very convincing, Commander Spock was definitely glaring in the direction of Commander Terrance, where he stood across the gym talking to several other men. She hadn't thought that Vulcans glared. Hesitantly she put out one hand and lightly touched his arm, bringing his attention back to her. "Please, just let it go. I'll be fine. If it's still bothering me after I finish my laps, I'll tape it up before I leave."

His eyes searched hers, then he nodded once and turned back towards the free-weight area. She went on into the locker room, changed, and limped out to the pool. She didn't feel like diving in, instead she sat down on the lip of the pool and dangled her feet in the warm water. After a few minutes, she slipped down into the water, holding onto the lip of the pool and just soaking. She ducked under the water to rinse the sweat off her hair and face. That felt better. She started her laps, swimming much slower than normal, just idling along. Her ankle was really throbbing. She stopped swimming and just floated in the warm water, trying to relax. She closed her eyes and went into a light meditative trance, trying to calm herself down.

Spock

Commander Terrance had injured her again. It seemed to happen almost every week. Something must be done. He returned to the weights he had left on the floor to go to her, disassembled the extra weight disks from the bar, and returned everything to the racks on the wall, ready for someone else's use and crossed swiftly to the locker room, where he changed into his swim briefs. He strode out to the pool. She was not swimming laps. She was floating on the surface of the water, eyes closed. Without thinking, he dove into the water and quickly covered the distance to her. Coming up beside her, he slid one arm under her, supporting her body. With a few quick strokes, they were at the pool edge.

"What .... Commander Spock, what are you doing?" Her eyes opened in confusion.

He looked down at her. "You appeared to be unconscious, Cadet. I thought it best to retrieve you from the pool."

"I was trying to meditate - to calm down and keep my ankle from throbbing so much. It got really bad." Her face twisted a bit, she was obviously in pain.

He lifted her from the pool, placing her on the deck at the pool's edge, then placed his hands flat on the lip of the pool and vaulted from the water to sit beside her. He took the swollen ankle gently in his hands and began to probe it, feeling the tendons and bones, trying to ascertain what her injury might be. "It isn't broken, nor do the tendons appear to be torn. It appears to be just swollen and inflamed from being twisted. Do not move, I will bring tape and bandage it." He strode across the room to the emergency medical kit bolted to the wall and retrieved the supplies he needed, then returned to where she lay. Gently he straightened her ankle and wrapped in the stretchy protective tape, securing the end with a small metal clasp. Rising, he lifted her up to a standing position, watching as she carefully put her weight on the affected foot.

"Oh, thanks, that's so much better. I better go change and go back to the dorm and put some ice on it."

"I will accompany you. Do not leave here until I return. Wait there on the bench." Without waiting to see what her reaction might be, he strode into the men's locker and quickly dressed. When he came back out he found her sitting quietly, waiting for him. He walked slowly back to her dorm with her, watching her carefully to be sure she did not stumble. Leaving her in the care of her roommate, he continued on to his own quarters. It did not occur to him until much later that he had touched her bare skin without any hesitation whatsoever.

***

Tuesday afternoon

He almost did not recognize her footsteps. They were not her normal quick cadence. Her ankle was still bothering her, then. Something would definitely have to be done about Commander Terrance but he was not sure what it would be. He would need to consider the matter carefully.

She entered and laid a small book on his desk. "Good afternoon, Commander. Sorry I'm a bit late, but my ankle is not completely back to normal yet, so I'm going a bit slower than usual. If you don't mind, I brought a book I have been reading that I would like some help with." Seating herself on the opposite side of his desk, she pushed the small book across to him.

"Andorian poetry. An interesting choice. Could you show me where your problems are?"

She leaned forward over the desk, opening the book upside down, leafing through pages. Then she sighed. "Well, I can't read Andorian well enough upside down to find what I'm looking for, sorry. This just doesn't seem to be my week."

Without thinking about what he was doing, he rose, moving his chair around the desk beside hers, pulling the book back towards them. "Is this better?"

She gave him a blinding smile and started turning pages, quickly finding the passage she was having problems with. Two heads bent over the book, puzzling over the cramped script. Neither was aware of the closeness of their bodies or how this might look from the open doorway as they concentrated on the translation.

****

Captain Pike strode down the corridor. He intended to insist that Spock come to Thanksgiving dinner at his sister's house. It was definitely time to get that young man socializing if he had his eye on a young woman - FINALLY. He arrived at the door to Spock's office to be met by a totally unbelievable sight. Spock and that young cadet from the street party were sitting side by side in front of the desk, heads close together, speaking in low tones in some off-world language. To say that Pike was stunned was an understatement. He waited quietly for several minutes, watching. Neither of the people before him took any notice - they were tuned only to each other. Finally, he cleared his throat - loudly. Two heads popped up and turned in his direction. He wasn't sure which one was more flustered.

Spock rose swiftly to his feet. "Captain Pike, sir... Please come in. We ... We were just working on a translation." He stopped, obviously not sure how to continue.

The young female cadet retrieved a small book from the desktop and placed it in her bag. "Captain Pike, sir, I'll go and let you speak with Commander Spock. He has been helping me with my language practice." Turning towards Spock, she continued. " 1400 Thursday at suite 16 of the rental center. You don't need to bring anything." She swiveled around and limped out the door and down the hall.

Pike was dumbfounded. Had he really heard the young cadet giving Spock orders to show up somewhere on Thursday afternoon? He turned to Spock, who was moving his chair back around to the other side of the desk. "Thanksgiving dinner plans, Spock?"

"Yes, sir, I have been invited to participate with a group of students who are cooking their own meal in one of the rental party rooms. The ones with kitchens." Spock's face was impassive now, although Pike was sure that it hadn't been just a moment ago.

"Well, I guess my invitation is unnecessary then. Have fun." Shaking his head, he turned to leave the office.

"Captain Pike, sir. I have a problem I need to discuss with you if you have a moment."

Pike turned back and seated himself in the chair the young cadet had just vacated. After listening, he agreed there was definitely a problem.