Sorry guys just moved back to uni and laptop now definitely bust. I thought as it's going to be so long before I can actually write another chapter I'd cut this one in half and post what I've written, it was that or leave it anther week with out updating.

June 8th.
They had taken a public land transport to the outskirts of the city and hiked all day. Spock had chosen the path and [ace carefully so that she would not tire and they would pass many species of flora. They had stopped to picnic by a brook and Nyota had laid on her back and described how she had watched the clouds form in the rainy season and when they finally broke would run out to feel the cooling drops hit her face as it quenched the thirsty land.
Spock in turn had explained how on Vulcan the rain only came twice a year. As a small child it had fascinated him until he had started attending school and science had taken all the mystery away.

" Why do you love science so much if it takes away all the mysteries in life?" She had asked him.

Spock had raised his eyebrow at the highly emotional word.

" The universe holds many undiscovered fascinations." He had explained simply. " Just because I am able to examine their properties does not make them any less of a fascination to me."

" But the rain, as a child."

" It is a simple process it does not actually hold any fascination it was my ignorance that made me believe that it did."

She gave a small smile and carried on eating. When they had finished he watched as she reached down and unhooked the laces of her walking boots. She took them off along with her socks and rolled her jeans a few inches up her calves. She stretched her toes out scrunching the grass between them, then stood and proceeded to the edge of the brook. He watched intently as she first cautiously dipped her toes into the clear running water and then firmly stepped off the grassy bank submerging her feet up to the ankles.

" Nyota may I ask what purpose that action serves?"

" No purpose."

" Then why do you put yourself at risk?"

She gave him a pointed look.

" It's a little stream Spock, I'm not going to drown."

" The likelihood of you drowning is below 0.001%, however you may slip or cut your foot on a sharp stone which would allow for water born bacteria to enter your blood stream."

She starred at him for another twelve seconds and then stepped out of the water.

" You see the illogical nature of your actions." Spock said satisfied.

" No, I see my adorable boyfriend getting worried I might hurt myself."

He felt his eyebrows twitch upwards again.

" Boyfriend is an inexact term. I know you mean to use to indicate that you are in a romantic relationship with me but still I am not a boy, I am a sexually mature male and have passed the Vulcan rites of passage. And although I am happy to be considered a friend you are fully aware that I now wish for more than this."

" What would you like me to call you?"

" Commander in public." Spock answered eliciting a smile from her. " Whatever you wish in private, as long as it is dignified."

" I suppose your right, referring to a full-grown man a boy is undignified. You're not a sweetie, and darling or dear is to old fashioned. I'll have to think on it."

She walked over and knelt before him giving him quick kisses that instantly turned more passionate when she lifted his fingertips to her mouth to gently nip their pads. He wondered if she had any idea of the extent to which that small action affected him. She might have begun to have an inkling when he let a small growl escape his lips and he firmly pushed her into the grass and attacked her lips.

The sun was setting as they reached the golden gate bridge. They walked on the footpath stopping mid-way to take in the view of the sun setting across the water.

" I can't believe I have been in San Francisco for a year and I've never been up here."

" I thought you would find it aesthetically pleasing at this time of day."

" Aesthetically pleasing, why not say it's beautiful?"

" That is an emotional and inexact word. What is beautiful to one person is not so to another, it is not measurable."

" So you've never called anything beautiful?"

"I cannot recall ever having done so."

He looked over at Nyota, the setting sun glinting in her hair.

" You are beautiful Nyota."

Her smile was dazzling.

June 9th.
They laid together side by side on his couch. Their fingers were entwined and Spock was allowing himself to be flooded by her contentment. It was a wonderful kind of peace, he was used to the empty peace that he gained through meditation and suppression of emotions. This happy peace had its merits, it was his favorite of the emotions he had felt through his link with Nyota, kind of quiet and unobtrusive. The fact that he had a favorite was proof to him that his Human side was starting to become integrated with the Vulcan. He was not comfortable showing emotions and doubted that he ever would be but he was not as ashamed of having them as he was a year ago. They were allowing him to connect with Nyota after all.
Spokh, can you hear me. Nyota's voice sounded in his mind, it surprised him she had never communicated with him through their link before.

" Yes, do you wish to say something?"

" No, I was just exploring..." She lifted their joined hands up. " This."

Spock nodded.

" Is it safe?"

" Safe?" He raised himself up on his elbow to look down at her.

" To explore.. this."

" Bond is the word Vulcan's use. And yes it is safe."

" I won't accidentally access your thoughts or erase your memories or something."

Spock's lips twitched in amusement.

" The bond is not that strong and I could easily block you if you tried to access my mind."

He looked down into her curious eyes and knew the time had come as he knew it would.

' Perhaps it is time that I fully explain the bonding process."

" I would like to understand it better."

" You have realized that the bond is a telepathic link between the two of us. I am not sure what first implanted it but it has grown over time. It is always intensified by skin to skin contact as Vulcan's have telepathic receptors in their skin just as Humans have various sensory receptors in their skin."

" That much I've figure out already."

" Touches that to a Human can seem almost casual can mean many things to a touch telepath. We can express emotions this way and offer support or calming influences to our partners, we can even share what for a Human would be the most passionate and intimate kiss through the slight touch of the fingertips."

" And you let me touch you without explaining that?" Nyota said with a light teasing voice as she ran her fingers up and down his sending a strong desire through his body.

" Sometimes." He continued trying to finish so that she would be more fully aware of the nature of the relationship they were building. " We can actually communicate by talking telepathically, though this takes a lot of energy."

" Yes, I do feel a little headachy and tired."

" It will get easier with time." He took a deep breath. " It is not something talked of but I have never heard of a bond forming naturally as It has done with us."

" I don't know what you mean."

" Usually a weak bond is created between male and female at a young age through an elder. That bond is allowed to strengthen over time and then when they reach maturity the bond draws them close to each other and the formal bonding ceremony is performed. They're minds become fully linked and the bond becomes permanent. They become as Husband and wife."

" And ours has come about without being implemented by a third party. Do you think that perhaps this is perfectly normal but nobody talks about it. I mean Vulcan's do not discuss private matters even amongst themselves, do they?"

" It is something that I have considered, my mind is not bonded to that of another Vulcan as most are and therefore was free to create a bond with another. I believe it may have first occurred when we first joined hands. I know that it was strengthened when.. on Valentine's Day. I had to perform a partial mind meld to communicate telepathically with you at that time."

" I remember, but I called you and you heard."

" Yes. I have never understood that. But I am glad for it."

" Spock these bonds always become permanent in the end?" Nyota looked up at him, innocent curiosity in her eyes.
Spock hesitated.
" It is the usual way, between Vulcan's. But you are Human and I am half human, we are free to make our own decisions concerning the future."

" Yes, we are." She said reaching her hands up to tangle in his hair and bring him down for a kiss.

" Thank you for explaining, I know you were reluctant to do so."

" I admit I worried that you would not be accepting of it. I have always known that my mind would one day be privy to somebody else's emotions and thoughts. However as a Human this must be new to you."
Spock felt a wave of understanding and acceptance.

" Thank you Nyota. Though could you try to be a little gentler, it is difficult not to be overwhelmed when you push your emotions at me with so much force."

" I'm sorry. I didn't know."

" You will learn with time."

She snuggled back close to him and knowing there discussion was over and a relative success Spock laid back down relishing the feeling of her fingers stroking over his palm. After twenty minutes of silence Nyota spoke again.
" Spock, can we listen to that music disk again, the one where you're playing some kind of instrument?"

" It is a Vulcan lute. I have it here, I could play it for you instead."

" That would be nice."

He looked down at her considering how to ask her to move into the bedroom. Then with a small quirk of his eyebrows he quickly hooked one arm below her knees and the other around her back.
"Spock." She squealed as he lifted her of the sofa. She giggled as she hooked her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. He almost forgot what his original aim had been, but then breaking off the kiss he started to carry her to the bedroom. He laid her gently on the bed and then went to meditation room to retrieve his lute.
As he entered the bedroom and saw he laid out before him on the bed he felt a tingling shiver down his spine, she was beauty beyond words. He sat wordlessly on his bed and begun to play a soft tune occasionally looking around at her, as he seamlessly changed songs her eyes drifted shut, she had a small contented smile on her face. AT the end of the third song he stopped for a moment, she opened her eyes and looked up at him.

" You play beautifully."

" Thank you."

" I always wanted to learn to play an instrument but I just never seemed to have time. I was working so hard on learning as many languages as possible that I didn't have time for anything else."

Spock held his hand out too her, feeling a rush of contentment as her fingers closed around his, he pulled her up gently so that she was sitting.

" I could not teach you in one evening, but you may play a few notes if you wish."

She smiled, and taking that as her response Spock handed her the Lute. She held it awkwardly. He pulled himself back along the bed and sat directly behind her, he stretched his legs out so that she was resting between them and she leaned in against his back.
He reached around her and moved her hand so that she was holding the lute correctly. Then speaking gently and moving her fingers gently along the strings he taught her five of the basic notes. He could tell that he concentration was fading but it did not irritate him. He had been fully aware that as he had stroked his fingers up and down hers and gently clasped her hands to move them her desire had risen.

" Practice." He instructed her. He watched as she deftly played the few notes he had instructed her, they were not as clear and consist as they should have been but it was a starting point.

" Watch me." He instructed. He played a simple tune consisting of the five notes as she looked down watching him intently. He felt his lips twitch into an unseen smile and closed his eyes, he buried his nose into the soft skin of her neck taking in that mixture of smells that was uniquely her, his partners. As he finished the song he heard her give a little yawn.

" Am I boring you?" He asked.

She moved around to look at him her eyes dancing with mischief.

" Are you teasing me Spock?"

Spock considered the question, teasing was not something that he had ever participated in before, but he had definitely asked the question in a teasing manner. Curious.

" Yes, I was. Do you mind?"

" Not at all." Her fingers reached up and trailed through his hair she leaned up and joined their lips for a quick kiss. Even though it was very brief, no more than a few seconds Spock still felt his stomach flip and his heartbeat increase.

" I think I'm just tired, hard to tell though, I feel so relaxed right now. DO I have to leave?"

" No. You do not have to." Spock answered carefully, he knew he should not allow Nyota to stay in his room for another night, especially as he had no good reason this time. But he doubted they would be found out, everybody was eagerly awaiting the end of year or getting stressed due to having too much to do before the end of it. Nobody would think to check where one particular student was.

" Do you wish to tell your roommate So that she does not worry?" Spock asked thinking of the last time Nyota had failed to return to her dorm room and Galia reaction if it occurred again.

" I suppose I should."

Nyota stretched and got up off the bed. Spock followed her into the front room but left her to talk to Galia as he went into his meditation room to carefully return his lute to its safe little stand. As he walked through the front room careful not to listen in on Nyota's conversation and sat on the bed waiting for her.

She gave him a wide smile when she entered the room three minutes later.

" I promised her I would be back early tomorrow morning. We're going shopping for accessories."

" Accessories?"

" For tomorrows ball. I'm sorry."

" It's the last day you will see your friend I would not begrudge you that."

" Thank you Spock."

She walked towards him and stopped in front of where he sat on the bed. She bent her head down and kissed him , it was a long building kind of a kiss that made Spock fell as if it was the beginning of a lot more kisses. He held back a little smirk. Kissing Nyota was quickly becoming his favorite pass time, more interesting than technical journals and chess by far.

Nyota took a quick breath then pulled him towards her again in a demanding manner. Her lips putting far more pressure on his than had done before, their tongues danced against each other, it was a rushed dizzying kind of a kiss that lasted for minutes at a time before Nyota broke of gasping for air only to start kissing him again after a few moments. Her fingers drifted through his hair and then gently graced along the edges of his ears, he had to reach up and remove her hands from them before he lost control, the simple movement had already caused him to become aroused.

Spock was not sure when they came to be resting in a lying position but as she was stretched out on top of him he knew he had not instigated it. The kiss was becoming far too heated and he was finding it more difficult by the second to control his impulses. He may dream of having a sexual relationship with Nyota but he did not actually wish for one. At eighteen she was still young and even though not a virgin he knew her experiences were not good. He knew despite her actions she was a little weary of a physical relationship. These last couple of days since she had first kissed him he found himself more able to see her motivations it as a sign that their bond was becoming more secure now that they had committed themselves to a relationship.

Spock did not actually fully understand human sexuality, for Vulcan's it was not something that was talked about, for Humans at time it seemed all that they talked about. He knew they were physically compatible and he had some knowledge of the physical differences between Vulcan and human males. But he was so much stronger than her, he was capable of harming her if her lost control for even a moment. Also he did not know what a sexual relationship would do to their bond, he feared that during mating he could enter Nyota's mind without her permission and make their bond permanent. Humans did not usually have to be concerned with these kinds of things and although he had been honest with her he had to wonder if she fully understood, surely if she had she would have been less accepting, more scared.

Although there was logically one person he could talk about these issues with he felt embarrassment at the idea of asking his mother. When the time came he would have to suppress that emotion and act in a logical manner.

" Spokh?" He heard Nyota's voice in his ear, he looked up at her.

" You just kid of spaced out on me." Her voice was worried. " Sorry I mean…"

" I have heard the phrase before. I was merely thinking, sorry if it seemed like the wrong moment to be doing so."

" That's okay." She rolled of off him to lay by his side. " What were you thinking about?"

" It is nothing to be concerned about at this moment my Nyota." He reached out and laced his fingers through hers.

" You are tired." He stated feeling it flood into his mind

" A little."

" Do you want something more comfortable to sleep in?"

" Yes."

He went to the cupboard and pulled out the T-shirt and Jogging trousers he had previously worn to sleep in when she had been there. He handed them to her and pulled out two similar garments for himself. Without a word he went into the bathroom and changed brushed his teeth and washed his face.

He hesitated as he reached his own bedroom door then knocked.

" Who is it?" Nyota called from inside his bedroom. Spock paused, He wondered who else she could think it was, they were alone in his apartment after all and the doorbell had not sounded in the five minutes and eight second since he had left her to change.

" It is Spock."

He heard a muffled little laugh.

" Come in Spock."

He walked in ready to ask her who she had been expecting but he froze, The sight before him made the question fly out of his mind and he had to pause to think what he had been meaning to ask and why it was that seeing Nota in his shirt had such an affect on him when he had seen her in greater states of undress many times. The T shirt was baggy on her it hung over her frame lightly and came to a stop a few inches below her thighs showing copious amounts of those legs he enjoyed to peak a glance at whenever he was given an opportunity.

" The trousers were much to loose they just fell straight off my hips."

Spock nodded, unconsciously he took a step towards her and another, his body closing the distance between them without any input from his mind. He kissed her with a force and an intrusiveness he had not dared use in the last few day though he had desperately wanted to at times. When he finally pulled away they were both breathless. Nyota looked at him with a puzzled almost timid look in her eyes.

" Forgive my impulsiveness." He gasped quickly removing his hands from where they were roughly grasping the top of Nyota's arms, hard enough to bruise. He felt a small amount of guilt at the idea that he could have caused her discomfort.

" I think I like your impulsiveness." She answered after a pause, she stood on the tips of her toes and gave him a quick chased kiss then turned around and pulled back the sheets of his bed. He adverted his eyes as she climbed under the sheets and he saw the hem of the shirt work it's way upwards revealing the cotton underneath. Having her in his bed, again, and this time entirely of her free will gave him a little thrill. Something curled in his stomach.

He walked around to the other side of the bed and awkwardly got in, he laid stiffly on his back a few inches away from Nyota and wondered for a second if he had made the right decision in letting her stay he had not expected to feel so much awkwardness and discomfort, after all he had secretly been thrilled at lying with her before.

He was about to order the lights off when Nyota spoke in a whispered voice.

" Spokh?"

He noticed her trend of pronouncing his name correctly when she was being affectionate with him and not only when talking in his language.

" Yes?"

" Vulcan's do not sleep as long as humans."

He heard the unasked question that came with the statement.

" I will watch you sleeping."

"Won't that be boring for you?"

" On the contrary, the few times I have had the opportunity to observe you in a sleeping state in the passed I have found it fascinating."

She gave a small laugh and turned towards him. She gave him another quick and chase kiss, then in a move that surprised him a little she scooted down the bed and laid her head on his chest. Her hand stroked down and came to rest just above his heart. They laid silently for a few minutes. Spock having calmed himself a little allowed himself to stroke his fingers through her hair. He wondered if he had ever been so happy in his life, he also wondered when being happy had turned into something to be desired and not just another illogical emotion. It felt safe to feel these things with Nyota, when it was just the two of them at least. The rest of the time he could keep his mind clear from emotion and illogical thoughts with ease. Nyota brought out the illogical human in him, but he didn't mind it.

She moved her head slightly nuzzling at him and taking a deep breath as if berthing in his scent.

" So warm and cuddly." She muttered against him.

" I do not think I have ever been called cuddly before." He stated and then wondered if any Vulcan had ever been called cuddly before.

" Maybe not cuddly exactly." Nyota corrected herself, he voice a little clearer as she looked up slightly. " Your kind of firm, but you make me feel safe and cared for."

" I do care for you and I will keep you as safe as I possibly can."

" I know and I will look after you too. Goodnight Kipenzi."

Spock did not know what the word meant but he could hear the affection in her voice. He looked down to reply but saw that she was already sleeping. He smiled, brushed the hair away from her face and quietly told the computer to turn the lights off.

Kipenzi – lover, darling.