NOTE: I MESSED UP!! For anyone who was confused I posted chapter 11 then 13 without 12!! Sorry...uh...here is 13...again.

Chapter Thirteen

Salen woke slowly and fluttered his eyes open. He could feel Joanna's breath brushing against his exposed chest, however, it was unsettling not to hear the air rushing in and out of her lungs as she slept. The complete silence caused his heart race painful in anxiety. He wasn't sure what would become of him if he never regained his hearing. Salen knew that there was a place for the deaf in Starfleet, but it wasn't the place he wanted.

Closing his eyes once again Salen wrapped his arms around Joanna and held her closer. Still sleeping she nuzzled against his chest. The slash across his chest protested painfully, but he ignored it. The pain was worth having her warm body near. Focusing on her he was able to calm his out of control fears a bit. She had convinced him to return to her dorm and they were comfortably settled into her small bed together.

Salen smiled as Joanna snored softly. He was certain that she would never accept the fact that she snored. It wasn't long before she woke as well. Salen could feel her entire body tense for a moment as she tried to figure out why someone else was in her bed with her. When she recalled who her guest was she gave his ribs a kiss and looked up at him.

Salen watched as Joanna's lips moved without her lyrical voice. He smiled sadly and just shrugged. Joanna's eyes widened and she clearly apologized as she blushed. Rolling over she sought out the translator that had fallen to the floor. Picking it up she returned to her place against his side.

'I'm sorry, Salen, I forgot.' Salen read. 'I was asking how your chest felt.'

"If I tell you that it hurts will you attempt to comfort me?" Salen asked.

'Of course.'

"It is terribly painful," Salen answered with a sly smile "nothing short of agony."

'Oh, poor thing. Does this help?"

Salen raised a slanted eyebrow as Joanna moved so that she could kiss his stomach. A pleasant chill swept over his skin as she ran her fingernails down the sides of his ribs. It was rare that anyone's touch brought him anything other than pain or humiliation. Enjoying the gently treatment Salen sighed heavily as he relaxed further. Joanna's touch suddenly turned more medical as she started to inspect the damage on his chest.

"Am I going to live?" Salen asked.

'I did a good job patching you up, if I do say so myself.'

"I have never been in better hands."

'Where did you learn to be so smooth?'

Salen knit his brow as he read the translator. "I am sorry, Joanna, this device must not be working properly. I have not learned my skin texture."

Joanna rolled her eyes and he could see that she was chuckling. 'It's working just fine you pointy eared literalist. I was just wondering how a Vulcan, famous for being cold fish, knows exactly what to say to warm a woman's heart.'

"My adopted father is Admiral Christopher Pike..."

'Ah, yes, the Original Ladies Man.'

Salen watched as Joanna laughed in silence. He couldn't help the way his heart felt heavy as he watched her laugh. Joanna noticed the sadness in his eyes and looked at him with a mixture of concern and pity. Not wanting anyone's pity Salen settled his face into a more emotionless expression. Not fooled Joanna put her hand on Salen's arm.

'Salen?'

"I miss your voice."

Joanna pushed herself up, and being careful not to put any weight on Salen's chest she kissed him. Salen carded his hand into her soft brown hair and returned the passionate kiss. Salen reluctantly broke off the kiss and pushed her away.

"I am sorry, Joanna, I have to go. I must find Langin."

'You need to go to Academy Security. If you don't report this now it is going to get increasingly complicated.'

"No..."

'Don't you think Starfleet is going to want to know why you're suddenly deaf?' Joanna demanded and tapped on the translator to make sure he was reading it. 'Every minute you sit here the more guilty you look.'

"Guilty? I did not do anything. I let him live."

'Trust me, men like Langin have their ways of turning things around. Twisting and bending the truth. Salen, please, let me take you to Security...I could get kicked out of the Academy for helping you as well you know.'

"What? No, you saved my life..."

'I practiced medicine without a license. The longer we keep this a secret the more danger we put our careers in.'

"I do not want to cause you such trouble." Salen said seriously.

'Then go to the authorities and tell them what Langin did to you.'

Salen hesitated, but brushing Joanna's cheek he nodded in agreement. Joanna kissed his hand and got out of bed to get ready to go. Salen sat up and noticed a tablet book on the night stand that caught his attention. He picked it up and the tablet activated. Salen smiled as he read the digital cover.

"Vulcan anatomy and physiology..." Salen read out loud.

Joanna whipped around and Salen could see her gasp in shock as her eyes widened. Blushing heavily Joanna rushed over and snatched the tablet away before Salen could see what page she had last been looking at. Salen looked up at her and smiled brightly.

"You know, if you are curious about Vulcan anatomy..."

'I...I have to make a decision soon on what I wish to specialize in.' Joanna explained, holding up the translator for him to read. 'I've decided to specialize in alien care.'

"Like your father."

'My father never wanted to specialize in Vulcans, Spock forced that decision on him.' Joanna smiled.

"He does a wonderful job, as do you."

'Thank you. As for your offer on a Vulcan anatomy lesson, I'd love one...'

"As long as it does not involve dissection I am more than happy to act as specimen for you."

'Hands on is always the best way to learn.' Joanna glanced at the clock and smiled mischievously. 'I don't think it will make a difference one way or another if we don't make it to Security for another hour or so.'

Salen read the translator, but before he could respond Joanna had taken it away from him and tossed it aside. Finding himself in another deep kiss Salen wrapped his arms around her slender waist. She slid her hands down his sides and worked them under the waist band of the white medical pants that he was still wearing. With her palms resting on his hip bones she pleasantly pressed her fingernails into his flesh.

To prove to himself that he wasn't going to lose control the way he had with T'Pring Salen let her explore his skin without doing the same. His encounter with the woman who was now with his child had been so chaotic and violent. He did not want the same thing to happen with Joanna. Salen was unsure if it was even possible for a Vulcan to remain in control once a certain threshold was reached.

Feeling that he was still himself Salen risked a soft bite to Joanna's ear. She encouraged him at first, but she suddenly jerked as though startled. Horrified that he had frightened her Salen instantly released her and took a step back. Joanna looked at the door and said something, but Salen wasn't sure where she had placed the translator. She looked frightened.

"Joanna, I am sorry..."

Joanna shook her head and pointed at the door as she searched for the discarded translator. She called out something as she continued to hunt for the device. Salen realized that someone must be at the door and it was agitating her.

"Is Academy Security here?" Salen guessed.

Joanna nodded.

"Answer the door. Everything will be okay."

Joanna didn't look so sure, but she nodded again and went to the door. There were two officers at the door, but they didn't seem to be from Security, they looked like city cops. Pushing past Joanna they came up directly to Salen and demanded something that he couldn't hear. Joanna rushed over to try and explain, but the officers were not interested in what she had to say.

"I am sorry, I can not hear. I do not know what you want, however I will follow you peacefully."

The officers were not convinced and one of them brought out a set of ion cuffs. Salen was not surprised that they wanted to restraint him, however it was clear that Joanna was furious. She snarled and growled at the officers, pointing at Salen's wrists which were already cut and bruised from Langin's cuffs.

"Joanna, please, I do not wish for you to get hurt. I will..."

Salen stopped when one of the officers raised his hand in a motion that looked to Salen like he was about to strike Joanna with his heavily armored hand. Clearly Joanna feared the same thing as she took a step back. A flash of anger surged through Salen and without a second thought he attacked the officer to protect Joanna.

It wasn't until Salen was in the middle of a fight that he realize just how disadvantaged he was without his hearing. Glancing in Joanna's direction he could tell that she was yelling at them all to stop. Realizing that he was placing her in more danger by struggling he put his hands up in a peaceful gesture. A cold contact against his back was joined by a stunning jolt of pain and quickly followed by complete darkness.

Salen wasn't sure how long it took him to regain consciousness after the stun blast. Opening his eyes he stared at a concrete floor a few feet away that was slowly moving. In the silence it took Salen a moment to figure out that he was being supported by two men who were dragging him down a hallway.

He fought to get his feet underneath himself to walk along rather than be carried like a drunk. The men helping him were in police uniforms, but not Starfleet. They allowed him to walk, but kept a firm grip on his upper arms. Pulling at his wrists Salen found them bound behind his back. Nothing around him was familiar and he was having trouble focusing in the dark hallway that was punctuated every ten feet with powerful overhead lights.

"Where am I?"

Salen could see one of the officer's lips move, but it didn't help him understand what was happening. Without the translator he had no hope of receiving an answer. Salen didn't fight the men until they came to a cell that they clearly wanted him to enter. Instinct made Salen dig his heels into the floor as best he could to avoid being locked in the small room.

"No, wait, please." Salen said. "I need to speak to my father, I need to speak to Admiral Pike. You can not lock me in here without letting me contact someone first. I do not even know why I am here."

The officer growled something.

"I can not hear!" Salen snarled. "Langin attacked me, I did what I needed to in order to escape with my life. I demand to know under what charges I'm being incarcerated."

The first officer put his palm between Salen's shoulder blades and shoved him forward forcefully. Stumbling into the cell Salen felt the other officer quickly deactivate the cuffs. As he was turning around they slid a heavy set of bars closed. He couldn't hear the noise the bars made, but he had that particular clang memorized. Instantly thrown into a panic Salen rushed up and grabbed a hold of the bars in hopes that he'd discover that they weren't real. The cold steel bit into his palms proving to him that this was not just a nightmare.

"No! You can not place me here without telling me why!" Salen cried. "I am a citizen of the Federation, I have rights! I must be allowed to contact Admiral Christopher Pike."

The cops looked at one another and discussed something between themselves. The first one turned to Salen and gave him an explanation that he couldn't hear. Panting with fear Salen shook his head.

"I can not hear you."

The officer tried again, clearly with more volume this time.

"I am completely deaf, speaking louder will not help!" Salen spat. "Anything you say to me must be written down."

Losing interest in their prisoner the officers left. When the lights that were in his cell were turned off the harsh hallway lights splashed a frighteningly familiar pattern across the concrete floor. With memories that he had worked hard to push to the back of his mind suddenly flooding back Salen doubled over and retched violently.

"Help! Please, do not leave me in here! Please, hold me somewhere that does not have bars... I can not stay in here!"

The silence that surrounded Salen only allowed the noise in his own head to roar louder. Unable to even hear himself crying out for help Salen backed up until he bumped into the wall. Welding his eyes shut he screamed for release or at least explanation until his voice was hoarse. It was more than an hour before he came to the disheartening conclusion that he wasn't the only one who couldn't hear him.

Opening his eyes he glanced around his new environment. There was a small bed on the side wall that was bolted in place. Seeking shelter Salen crawled under the bed, pulling the coarse blanket along with him. Terrified beyond rational thought Salen pressed himself into the corner in the small space under the bed, hugging the blanket to his chest. He didn't even notice the throbbing pain from the deep cut on his chest. Salen closed his eyes again, but the lack of sight did nothing to block out the fact that he was locked up and alone as he had been as a child.

"What kind of prison even uses bars anymore..."