The older Spock smiled, actually smiled with his lips and everything, very slightly. "Yes, I did request I be left to speak to you alone. I doubted that Spock would allow for you to be left alone in my presence if deception was not utilized."

Chris rolled her eyes. "You learned that from Jim."

The smile twitched slightly wider. "Yes, I did."

Chris found she didn't really mind the deceit. In fact it worked in her favor. She narrowed her eyes at the Vulcan. "You are, as Bones has said many times, a pointy eared BASTARD. But I'll add to that. You are a manipulative, sneaky, infuriating pointy-eared bastard."

The smile did not waver. "Thank you."

She sighed, exasperated, and dropped her head to the table top. "Why did you give me that little bit of hope? I could have gone possibly YEARS more, before I finally snapped. Before I finally realized I loved him." She lifted her head and glared at the older Spock. "Damn it, he doesn't love me. I KNOW he doesn't. I'm an empathy, remember? What I know you feel is NOT what he feels."

Those eyes widened slightly. "You are not a couple?"

She snorted. "Good God, you actually believed that?" she shook her head. "No, no. He noticed the look in Me'Me's eyes earlier and realized that I'm still a minor here. He did me a favor by pretending to be my lover."

"But he touches you." Was the soft, determined reply.

"Acting, remember?" She sighed. "He's my friend. He cares for me only as a friend does. I ought to know. And the worst part is, if I'm not careful… He'll see what I'm trying to hide and… I don't even want to think about it…"

She heard him shift slightly. "I would be willing to teach you to meditate, to heighten your natural Vulcan telepathy." He offered gently and the bittersweet emotions he felt made her realize he'd taught her the task once before… in another life. Her Spock could have taught it to her… if she didn't love him… or if he loved her…

She lifted her head. It wasn't a bad idea, in fact it was inspired. She nodded slowly. "I could come down tomorrow, after my shift but before my movie night with My Spock."

His lips twitched from their usual expression. "Your Spock?"

She nodded. "My Spock. I'm introducing him to Looney Toons."

She saw and felt the amusement he felt. "I remember that… our daughter had just turned five…" He trailed off, his eyes widening slightly. Chris bit her lip and closed her eyes, trying not to think about that sentence. "I apologize. I did not wish to cause you distress."

She shook her head. "I… we…" she bit back the words. "No, don't tell me. Don't torture me with knowledge that isn't mine to know." She took a deep, steadying breath and opened her eyes. "So… tomorrow evening, nineteen hundred hours?"

"I shall meet you." He answered just before Chris' Me'Me came back in, carrying a tray of mugs.

Spock watched his father as they walked back from the small house his Father now called home. There was something… off about his father. He seemed a bit too open, a bit too accepting. He seemed to genuinely LIKE Chris. And while it shouldn't bother him… it DID.

Sarek had distinctly NOT liked Chris the first time they met, at academy. He had considered her reckless and a rule-breaker. But it seemed as if his Father was… oddly happy Spock was seeing her. He wondered why. Before he could ask his Father spoke.

"You mother was very fond if Chris." He said, startling Spock and making the slowly healing hole in his heart ache.

"I was aware." He said slightly tersly. "She spent a week, last summer, with us both. She invited Chris to nearly everything we did." He'd enjoyed it, having his dearest friend so happy, and his mother so fond of her…

"She thought the two of you were lovers." Sarek said, startling Spock into stopping in his tracks.

"Please, repeat that. I must have mis-heard you." He said politely.

Sarek looked at him and Spock could almost see the amusement in his father's eyes. "You did not. Your Mother felt that Chris was the human you had mentioned dating. She believed that… the two of you would eventually reach this point. It is a shame she is not here to see it."

Spock fell back into step with his father, suddenly glad his Mother was not with them, because he could not have lied to her.

Sarek continued. "She would have gloated. She made a bet with me, saying that by this Christmas Chris would have wooed you."

Spock felt his brows raise in his surprise. "Woo me?"

Sarek glanced at his son. "You are my son, Spock. And… Chris is very like Amanda. Your mother wooed me, she felt that Chris would eventually woo you."

Spock bit his cheek, fighting away his conflicting emotions. He had not been wooed… he did not love Chris as a man loved a woman, but as a friend loved another friend. But it was so… very EASY to fall into the role of Chris' partner…

They reached the house and Spock immediately dismissed his serious thought when he saw the look in Chris' eyes. Something was distressing her, though she sat beside her two cousins, talking to the four Vulcans as if nothing were wrong… He immediately walked to her side, his fingers brushing her hair absently. It was surprisingly easy to make himself touch her…

The tension in her flowed away as soon as he was beside her and she leaned slightly back against his legs. She tipped her face up to look him in the eyes and he was given a fantastic view down the top of her dress.

"You ready?" She asked softly.

"If you are." He answered. She stood and motioned for him to take her seat. He did so and she walked around behind him, settling her hand on his shoulder. Her index finger just touched the bare flesh where his neck and shoulder met.

Immediately he sank into her welcome mind. It felt like dunking his head just under the waves of an ocean. (Though he had never done this he could imagine it as he had seen it in vid files). He could see everything just on the surface of her mind but much of the warm depths were dark to him.

"This was one of my Mother's favorites." Chris explained softly. "She used to sing it to me as I fell asleep. It… it's one of my first, and my strongest, memories of her." He felt her sadness like his own, as raw and new as his own.

'Let's do this.' She thought to him. He saw the sheet music in her mind… his mind… their mind. His fingers began the song, plucking out the right notes for a few seconds before Chris began singing.

"Spend all you're time waiting, for that second chance. For a break that will make it okay. There's always some reason… to feel not good enough. And it's hard at the end of the day." Spock felt Chris begin to lose herself in the music, in the bittersweet memories. As much as he tried to stop himself he fell with her, his fingers moving across his father's lute with little to no conscious direction.

"I need some distraction, ohhh beautiful release. Memories seep from my veins, and make me empty, ohh weightless and maybe I'll find some peace tonight. You're in the arms of the angel, fly away from here, from this dark, cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear." Absently he felt her fingers move, caressing his shoulder. Though her skin had touched his before, the caress made his skin tingle, a powerful shock of electricity shot from her fingers to his groin, coiling into a hot ball.

"You are pulled from the wreckage, from your silent reverie. You're in the arms of the angel, may you find some comfort here." He opened his eyes, forcing distance from their emotions and his mind. It took effort, to keep them together but separate, because her mind felt… intoxicating. Far more so than the finest wine. He tried not to think about that, for fear she would hear it in his thoughts.

The song drifted to a close, haunting and sad. Unlike last time Chris did not remove her hand from his shoulder immediately, idily she traced a pattern along his shoulder.

"That was audibly nearly perfect." Sarek murmured gently.

Chris smiled and flushed a pale green. "Thank you."

The girls were shepherded off to bed and Spock made their excuses. "We must be up quite early tomorrow, it was a pleasant evening."

He saw the unease in Chris' eyes so he slid has hand on her back to guide her to the door. She smiled at the senior Vulcans. "I hope to see you all soon. Live long and Prosper." She said sweetly before preceding him out the door. He nodded politely and joined her.

Once out of earshot she turned to him and threw her arms around him in a very exuberant hug. "You are my Hero Spock! I could kiss you."

Spock felt… strangely warm at her words. "There is no need, Chris. We are friends and it did help me also." He didn't dare return the hug, aside from being totally improper he wasn't sure if that was all he would do. In fact he dared not even attempt to remove her arms from his person, lest his skin brush hers. He could not guarantee he could control his impulses, and around Chris he couldn't even anticipate his impulses.

But she must have sensed his unease for she released him and blushed emerald. "Oh, sorry. I'm just so relieved it went so well."

He shook his head and motioned for her to continue walking. "It is not a problem, Chris. I, too, am relieved." He tapped his communicator. "Enterprise, two to beam up."

2258- August 10th

Chris felt mildly guilty for not telling her Spock about the meeting with older Spock but she had a feeling he would seriously disapprove. At lunch she had expressed a desire to 'take care of a few things' before movie night to her Spock. She was to meet him in her rooms at 2200 hours.

She glanced at her watch. That date time gave her two hours and fifteen minutes before he would arrive at her door. Spock was nothing if not prompt. She dashed to the transporter room. She'd told Jim where she was going, he hadn't minded, but she'd also asked he not tell Spock. He'd agreed, but he'd looked really curious.

The engineer on duty was, thankfully, an Ensign. She scared him into telling no one where she'd gone, threatening the worst possible punishment she could think of (Telling Scotty to make the kid his personal bitch for a week). When the swirling lights faded she saw the aging face of Spock the older.

"Good evening, Chris." He greeted.

She glanced around and, seeing no one, replied. "Good evening Spock."

"Please, come with me." He said gently, settling his hand on her arm and guiding her to a small house in the opposite direction as her Me'Me's. The main room was exactly as she pictured it. Slightly sparse, tidy to the point of obsession, and done in black and grey.

She sank gracefully onto the provided floor pillow, tucking her feet under her knees. She didn't relax, however, until Spock (the elder, she had to keep reminding herself) settled down in front of her. "Close your eyes," he suggested softly. She did, felling nervous and hyper-aware.

For a long moment there was no sound, and then she heard the slight rustling of clothing on the floor and the very light groan of the footfalls. Music began playing. Her lips quirked up slightly. This song she knew, "Push" by Sarah McLachlan. "I love this song." She murmured.

"I am aware." Came the soft reply. "Relax, I shall do nothing but speak. This is, as you have said, 'all you.'" She snickered slightly but let herself relax, let her mind float, trying to think of nothing in particular.

"Good," he said, and she heard him settle back down, closer. "I will touch your arm so I might lead you to the right place, if that is alright."

She thought about it for a moment, "Not a mind meld?"

She could hear the smile in his voice. "There is no need. I have a lifetime of familiarity with your mind, and you are, as I saw last night, quite comfortable with my mind."

She frowned. "No… I'm comfortable with MY Spock's mind." She didn't need her empathy or her eyes to know she'd hurt him. She bit her lip. "Sorry… but, I can't explain it. I'm… comfortable with you but…"

"You have not yet shared such an intimacy with him, he has not yet seen your whole mind. You do not wish for me to 'be your first' in that regard." He said, his voice a little more distant.

"Partially, but… I just feel like I don't know you well yet… I'd like to know who I'm letting into my head." She explained and she knew it had been the right thing, logical and honest, her Spock would have liked it.

"I understand. But do not worry, it will be as little of a connection as you offered Spock last night." The older Spock murmured. She felt the heat of his hand a top hers without the touch of his skin.

Suddenly she was nervous. Would THIS Spock's touch do the same to her as HER Spock's? Would it buzz against her head and make her heart quicken? Would it make her stomach tie into knots and the warm wave of mild arousal hit her? How weird would that be? How terrible? Would it be like… cheating?

She scolded herself. It couldn't be like cheating, she wasn't WITH her Spock, or any Spock, or anyone- period. She was being stupid. Totally illogical. She had a quick, mental giggle at that thought. God… now she sounded like Spock. Forcing herself to relax she nodded once.

The warm hand engulfed hers, hot and tingling against her skin. The buzzing in her head began instantly. But there was no stomach knotting, no lust, none of the symptoms of love and lust she felt when HER Spock touched her… Instead she felt… not quite like she was safe in her Father's arms… but something very similar.

She relaxed further and felt the gentle tug of his mind guiding hers. It felt… like twisting in on herself, to look at herself from the inside. She had her eyes closed and couldn't see a damn thing… but it FELT like she was seeing. She was 'looking' into a vast expanse, dreams and memories and emotions all higgly piggly, rippling around her.

And how she KNEW what the amorphous blobs were… the ever changing shapes and colors, she didn't know. Absently she felt Spock withdraw. She didn't know if she WANTED it too organized… But she didn't want Spock… HER Spock accidentally seeing something when he touched her mind again.

It felt like only seconds had gone by when a soft voice said. "Chris, my dear…" The first word shattered her concentration ad she hadn't realized it was so fragile.

"Wha?" She asked, her eyes flying open in shock.

Older Spock chuckled, actually CHUCKLED. It was mildly unnerving. Her Spock NEVER showed so much emotion, even to her in private. "You must leave soon."

She blinked. "I didn't tell you when I was supposed to leave." She said, glaring slightly at him.

He looked completely innocent. "You were thinking about it, it was very close to the surface of your mind and I could see it." He explained.

She frowned. "So… Spock could do that. He could see things he has no business seeing?"

The eyes so like the ones she loved saddened slightly. "Yes, and I am quite sure he has. Last night it seemed as if he were having trouble keeping the two of you separate. I would speculate he was feeling your emotions as his own."

She winced. "Shit… well THAT can't happen again. Is it possible to… to stop things from leaking into that connection? Without totally organizing my mind?"

He smiled. "You do not wish to organize your mind?"

She wrinkled her nose. "Heck no. I LIKE my mind just as it is. I just don't want to let things slip."

"That is good. My… My Chris found she was incapable of organizing her mind to the Vulcan standard. She wanted to be organized and was… disappointed when she could not." Older Spock admitted and Chris felt herself recoil slightly. Why would she EVER be displeased with what she was, exactly as she was?

She glanced at her watch and blanched. "I should go…" she bit her lip.

He waved a dismissive hand. "I am busy tomorrow. The day after you may come back and we shall work on your control of what you share. Meditate tomorrow, practice finding your own mind."

She smiled. "I will. Thanks Spock. I'll see you in two days." She stood and dashed out.

Spock pressed the buzz on Chris' door and was mildly surprised when it did not automatically open.

"Hang on a sec!" He heard her call from her rooms with his Vulcan hearing.

The door hissed open a moment later and she was tugging on a sweater to cover her revealing night top. She looked very like she had the night Nyota ended their relationship, in white cotton pants, a dark blue top, and a black sweater. She motioned him in. "You're still in your uniform!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide.

"Is that not advisable?" He asked, curious as to why that would be a problem.

She pouted. "Spock… it's okay. It's just…" she shook her head. "No, it's okay." Her fingers curled around his arm, grasping where the cloth of his uniform covered his skin, and tugged him to the floor pillows. "Sit, I've got the replicator just finishing popcorn."

He did as he was bid, sinking into a pillow, while she went to fetch the 'snack'. He had tasted it before, on 'movie night' with the crew. It had been nearly unbearably salty. A bowl was set on the floor by his knee and Chris sank onto the floor.

"Computer, please play program 'Spock's reeducation one'." She ordered, grinning at him. The look in her eyes said she was teasing him.

A blank section of her wall became awash with color and images and he turned to focus on it. The vid was being projected onto the wall… quite creative. "Impressive, Chris." He told her.

She smiled and shrugged. "I have my moments. But I stole the idea from an old 21st century sort of TV. So don't give me too much praise."

Spock watched the entire program, three 'episodes' of a 'TV show' from the 20th century, 'Looney Toons'. An animated cartoon about sentient animals doing strange and stupid things for no logical reason. And then a 'movie' with real people AND the cartoons. 'Space Jam', it had been called.

Half way through the movie Chris had fallen asleep, her thin body spread out along the floor. By the time the movie ended she had shifted until they nearly touched. He looked down at her and fought a sigh. He couldn't leave her there. She would awake with severe back pain.

Her skin was completely covered, he noted. He could quite easily lift her, given her size and his strength. With what a bystander would call 'undue caution' he collected her small body into his arms and stood.

She groaned and curled into his arms, her face pressed against his chest. His heart beat sped up from it's usual 140 beats a minute to somewhere upward of 200 bpm. Her small hands fisted in his outer shirt and she nuzzled him, sighing. He stood completely still until she settled once more.

After a moment he carried her to her bed and settled her among the mess of pillows. He tried to stand but found that her grip on his uniform was quite firm. He would have to loosen her fingers… He steeled himself and gently coiled his fingers around hers.

Immediately his mind buzzed against hers, slipping into her sleep clouded mind as if he belonged there. His fingers buzzed against the back of hers, sending not unpleasant rippled up his arm. The sensation like a Vulcan Kiss but much more mild. Gently be began to loosen her fingers until they no longer held his shirt.

He straightened when her fingers, still loosely tangled with his, shifted, twisted, and brushed along his, pad of finger to pad of finger. He gasped at the fleeting sensation as liquid heat rushed along his skin from their fleeting touch up to his arm and down to his groin, burning away his control as it went.

He did the only thing he could. He ran.

AN: I love you all. As of right now we need 48 more visitors to reach my goal of 1000 visitors to my story since I posted it less than two weeks ago. And I've gotten more reviews for this one story than I have all my other stories combined! So thank you SO MUCH! You all rock!

Hope you enjoyed the little bit of tension there at the end. And no, he didn't RUN. More like… walk purposefully and swiftly away. Because Vulcan's do not run from anyone, even sexy little sleeping crewmates. ;)

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