A/N: For the remainder of this story, a million thanks go to Hannah, for her insights into Vulcan culture, words of encouragement, and for the future ideas she is helping me to develop. And also for putting up with my long, rambling e-mails ;) You are my sounding board. This story would not have nearly the same quality as I feel it will have now. I will be recognizing her in every update from now on. Thank you, Hannah.

To Pup-of-Power, I said I was going to send you love, and here it is: LOVE!

To the rest of my readers, thank you. You are all wonderful. Be patient as I progress. I will be building details up slowly, as I feel this is beneficial in writing. I hope that you continue to enjoy what I have planned. Keep letting me know what you think!

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Vulcan II was much like its predecessor in numerous ways. With the exception of more vegetation and its five seas, it could have been considered the sister planet to Vulcan. The new colony had been established for only two years on this world. Originally, it had been sparsely populated with various forms of wildlife, which made it key among its desirable qualities. Recommendation of the planet came by way of an anonymous Federation official, and then the colony was founded by the remaining Vulcan elders; it was they who opted to rename the world in honor of their fallen planet. Rumor stated that the Federation official resided somewhere in the distant mountains, despite lack of evidence to support the claim.

In addition to the depleted Vulcan population, this planet was now home to a human named Lauren Grayson-Reed.

Two days of extensive rest found Lauren rejuvenated and her strength restored. With assistance from Sarek and a house servant, she had been well fed, cleansed, and became familiar with the planet's background.

While she had recuperated from the journey and her parents' loss, Sarek worked diligently to set events in motion for his niece. First and foremost, he sought to have her citizenship awarded. Once she was a recognized resident of Vulcan II, more doors of opportunity would be accessible. The most important of these was the continuation of her education. Along with all Vulcans, Sarek valued education highly. Lauren had achieved decent grades in the Earth education systems, and, as her uncle, he desired to see her achievement blossom. Once citizenship was established, he would enroll her in one of the Vulcan academies to ensure this. Under his guardianship, she would become a better-rounded example of a human being. The request for citizenship had been submitted; a hearing for consideration would have to be scheduled, in which the Vulcan High Council would decide on her status here. Biding time, Sarek kept Lauren closely guarded at home, until she stated that she was ready to venture out into the colony itself.

In her room, Lauren leaned against the stone ledge of her terrace. Even though her room was on the lowest level of the house, this terrace was present, and she appreciated it. The view she had was impressive. Scanning the towering mountains, she took time to make as many memorizations as possible. It was like staring out at some of the places of natural beauty she was familiar with on Earth. Kind of like the early landmark known as the Grand Canyon. Even though it was hot and desert-like, it did possess its own beauty. This was immensely different from the forests and farms she was used to in Northern Michigan, but Lauren thought she could grow to appreciate what lay before her. What she took immediate comfort in was the blue sky that stretched above her in the daytime. It was blue here as it was on Earth, extending to the ends of the mountains themselves. How far did they go? The sky was a perfect complement to the scenery.

At one point, another Vulcan entered her room, someone who was not her uncle. A female. Nonetheless, Lauren was unafraid. T'Nuur, one of Sarek's house servants, had been assigned as Lauren's attendant. She came to her young charge, handing her a flat, lightweight screen.

"Do you require anything else, Lady Lauren?"

She blushed. As the ambassador's niece, Sarek had explained, it was a title of respect. For her. Still, it caught her off-guard to hear it voiced. "Not right now. Thank you, T'Nuur."

T'Nuur bowed her head, silver streaks showing through her brunette hair. "My lady." She had very dark violet eyes. Lauren admired them. The attendant turned and left the room.

Touching a corner of the screen in her hands, Lauren's eyes drank in the digital images that materialized. It was a photo album that she had brought with her from home. She knew Sarek saw no need for sentimental reminders, but this was solely for her benefit. In the album, she reminisced while looking at pictures of her parents, her aunt, her few close friends. Memories anymore. Her parents and her aunt were gone. Despite the saddening thought, it was nice to think back on the times that had been pleasant. Out of habit, her hand drifted unconsciously to clutch the pendant around her neck.

Giving her head a shake, she touched the corner again, looking through the pictures that included Sarek and Spock. These were significantly fewer, but at least she had them to call her own. And it did not matter to her how serious they might have appeared compared to the rest of the family. They were just that: family. Her family. Moving to the next image, she bit back the giggle that threatened to bubble forth. It was one of her favorite pictures of her and Spock together: Lauren, younger and smaller, had her head in Spock's lap and was fast asleep. Who had been lucky enough to capture that picture? It must have been Dad, she thought. He was rather playful at times. The look on Spock's face was quite unforgettable, as it was a combination of uncertainty and interest. Comparing that to her peaceful face was comical, even if he could not find the humor in it.

How she wished to see her cousin again soon. Just a few more days, she thought.

Reaching up, she wiped away the beads of perspiration that dampened her forehead. The intense heat was an adjustment that was going to take time to get used to. How can you tell the difference between a human and a Vulcan? She mused to herself. Well, one sweats a lot more than the other…

She looked up when Sarek appeared in the doorway, and entered the room without a word. She smiled as he approached, coming to sit next to her on the terrace ledge. T'Nuur had dressed Lauren in a set of gray robes. While she might have viewed them as too large, to a Vulcan, they were fairly respectable. Taking the screen out of her hands, he examined its contents. There was no indication of whether he approved or disapproved of the images.

"Digital reminders of your past hold much significance for you. The idea of keeping such relics was never logical in my mind." He paused. "On the other hand, your aunt harbored a fondness for them. There were many of these in her possession before Vulcan was destroyed."

Lauren's brow furrowed slightly. Something in his tone had changed, but it was so subtle, she must have been mistaken. Looking down at the screen with him, she noticed he was looking through the images of her and Spock.

"Your cousin controlled his emotions well as he matured over the years, but even he could not disguise his affection for you." He was staring at the picture of her napping on him.

No one else on Earth would have associated that with affection, but she could. She nudged Sarek with her shoulder. "I miss him." As an afterthought, she frowned and added, "I miss them."

"Your parents."

She nodded to verify, eyes turning away.

He was thoughtful. "Lauren," he said softly, setting the digital screen aside. The girl looked at him, and he lifted a hand. "May I have your trust?"

She paused, staring at the hand. Normally, she would have thought such a question silly, but he had asked for a reason. A reason she comprehended. Six years ago, Grandpa Reed had passed away, an event that was hard on her immediate family. During a visit, Sarek wanted to understand what her mother was experiencing during the time of mourning. Sarah had given her consent. She remembered; he had placed his hand on her face, and something had occurred. What that something was, she had no idea. Clear enough was her mother's reaction to it afterward, and how the incident seemed to yank tears right out of her eyes.

A mind-meld, she recalled. He referred to it in this way. A method for Vulcans to understand human experiences with emotions.

It slowly dawned on her as to his intentions. He wanted to understand what she had been through with the deaths of her parents. She kept staring at him.

"I will do this only with your consent, as you are capable of answering for yourself. Are you agreeable?"

She hesitated briefly. What would she see and feel as a result? This was something that not even Spock had done to her. But despite questions, she trusted him. She knew this without a second thought. Her uncle; she trusted him. Breathing in and looking directly into his brown eyes, she nodded silent consent.

"Say it aloud, Lauren."

She complied. "You have my trust." The conviction in her voice was true.

This finally appeased him. Bringing his hand to her face, he positioned his fingers, touching the proper pressure points. She blinked at the sensation, feeling a mild tingle inside her head, then closed her eyes, relaxing.

He felt himself entering her psyche. Waiting momentarily, he searched until he found the hold he wanted. "Our minds, together as one," he uttered, and explored her thoughts carefully.

In her mind, he saw the moments following Jonathan and Sarah's deaths. This made sense, as Lauren would not have been nearby at the time of their demises. He saw himself become her, as she answered the door to two Starfleet officers, both with grim expressions on their faces, informing her of an accident that had taken place; her heart fluttering madly, knowing that Starfleet would not be here notifying her unless…As the words left their mouths, the numbness spread outward from her chest, leaning against the doorframe and sliding down, as the strength to stand upright had completely fled. Apologies sputtered from the officers, but the numbness had spread to her ears, blocking their words…

The surroundings changed, and she was in a morgue, accompanied by one of the Starfleet officers. The officer had protested, but she had insisted on seeing their bodies, no matter how many tears she had been shedding, and was still shedding. Before her were two stretchers, both containing masses that were contained in black body bags. The technician in charge unzipped one of the bags, revealing to her a sight forever tattooed on her mind: the melted remains of her mother, face twisted and revolting, blackened from the fires she had been consumed in. Portions of her jaw were visible through the broken skin, hair singed away, eyes burned out of their sockets…Lauren fell to her knees and nearly retched, caught in the steady arms of the officer. Her body convulsed numerous times, trying to repress her stomach's reaction. Tears came hard and fast again, but she did nothing to stop those…

A service was held for them a few days later, in a cemetery on the outskirts of her town. She was surrounded by Starfleet personnel, all who had been acquainted with her parents. She did not focus on the chaplain's words, nor the consoling hands placed on her back now and then. The numbness had not worn off, and she could only stare through everything. It was all she could do to keep from breaking down into a fit of sobs again, watching as their coffins were gradually lowered into their juxtaposed plots. Earth swallowed their forms, and her heart burned with the pain of loss…

Sarek chose to break the contact, removing his hand from Lauren's face. She gasped quietly, shoulders rising as she worked to regain control of her breathing. "It will pass. A first mind-meld is an emotional experience for humans." She focused on this for a minute longer, then looked at the Vulcan beside her. Sarek placed a solid arm around her shoulders, an action he deemed logical, given her state.

"That was strange."

How human. "I thank you for your thoughts. There were many answers I obtained from this activity. I must ask, though: why did you request to see their corpses?"

God, she hated to hear them described in such a way. "Bodies," she corrected. "I just…had to see their bodies."

"Explain."

She thought long and hard about his question, but ended up shaking her head slowly. "I don't know. I don't know what I wanted to see…" She became quiet again.

His eyebrows rose. "Perhaps I may offer a theory: this might have been an attempt to increase your sense of courage."

She shot him a confused look. "What do you mean?"

He was patient with his reply. "One emotion I have spent a great deal of my life studying is fear. I have discovered a vast amount of this on Earth, within the hearts and minds of humans, for various reasons beyond my comprehension. The fear that was within you was the fear of not surviving without your parents. When you subjected yourself to viewing them, it was an attempt to disprove the fear to your mind. You forced your eyes to look upon them, and while your reaction was understandably human, you survived seeing them in that state. You were able to see them in death, and yet you remain. You have proven your fear to be less powerful than your will."

Considering this, she wiped away the errant tear that crept from her eye. What he said was difficult to wrap her young mind around, but it sounded…right. Good.

He studied her carefully. "Are you disappointed with the situation?"

"The situation?"

"Being here. Now that you have left Earth, do you regret doing so?"

"No," she responded, laying her head on his shoulder. "You need to stop asking that. We both agreed to this, remember? It's not going to do me any good to wish I was anyplace else but…" she looked up at him, "here, with the people who care about me most: you and Spock. I wouldn't have found that if you hadn't come for me." She pressed her lips into a thin line. "I guess if I have any worries, it's about whether you think I'll do well here."

He gave the barest tilt of his own head. "If there has been one common trait among our family members, it's the ability to endure any hardships in life. I will cite my wife and my son to illustrate this fact."

This caused her to grin. "I'm glad to be with my family."

"You are family, Lauren. And despite the repression of emotions in the Vulcan race, always know that it is something eternally treasured here." Bending down, he touched his forehead to hers, bringing forth a smile of pure and utter happiness from the young girl.

There. It was that smile. That was how she resembled Amanda. A smile so radiant there was no mistaking its joy. The action was one he only did with Amanda and Spock. She appeared to realize that having him likewise with her was an indication of her importance to him. In the depths of his chest, his heart swelled with buried affection.

Nothing more needed to be said in this moment. Sarek had already done so much to give her hope. Rising, he placed the screen back in her hands, grazed her cheek with one finger, and quietly exited the room, hands clasped behind his back. Ever the dignified Vulcan ambassador.

Looking at the digital screen in her hands again, she smiled at the younger versions of the two cousins. She decided to keep this picture as the default, and placed it on the nightstand next to her bed.