Well sorry for the wait, dissertation and projects and upcoming exams. But now I have a new electronic writing pad so I can write at home again so the updates should become a little more frequent, and in one month I finish uni so the last couple of chapters should come one after the other with a few days between updates.

So here it is, another chapter cut in half because of lack of time but part 2 is partly written so there will be another update coming relatively soon.

First week of September

Spock looked around the mess hall, Nyota had not arrived yet so he would choose the place to sit, he choose by the large glass window at the back but close to the door so he would see her as she came in. He set the tray of salad sandwiches peppermint tea and fruit salad on the table. He felt the slightest tingling in the back of his mind he almost smiled as he looked up and saw Nyota walking in. He could feel her, no where near as strong as he used to be able to but still, he could feel her again. He reached back to that point of light in his mind and sent an inquiring thought.

Nyota?

She continued to walk towards the back of the room searching for him. She had not heard him, that part of their bond was still not fixed. He felt slight disappointment but then reminded himself that their bond had already begun to open up again, given time they would be able to communicate telepathically again.

He stood up and raised his hand not bothered that other people in the full mess hall would know he had made a lunch appointment with Nyota.

She turned saw him raised a hand in greeting then pointed to the replicators. Spock nodded and sat back down as Nyota replicated some foods. He noticed a few curious eyes following her as she walked across the room to join him, it seemed that caution was still necessary.

"Ny.." He said as she came within a few feet of the table.

"Commander." She said quickly.

Spock took a deep breath to recover.

" Hello Cadet Uhura." He corrected himself.

She set her tray down and sat down.

"So, how's your first day of term going?" She asked.

" It is as it always is. All the first years get to lectures late because they get lost. All second years arrive late because they all went out and got drunk last night with the friends they haven't seen in six weeks. The third years however always arrive on time as they get anxious that it is the final year and the last chance to get their grades up."

"That's unusually inaccurate of you. I was on time, first and second years and I'll probably be on time for your class tomorrow to. "

" I was taking an existing problem and expanding it to make it humorous."

" Did Captain Pike teach you that?"

" Yes."

" I've uh.. Commander Micko thinks I should go up to your advanced exercise classes but I'd like a few extra weeks to ease myself into it after.. After the summer."

" I shall speak to him on your behalf."

"It's okay I can do it."

They took a moment to eat a few mouthfuls.

" What do you think of your new modules?"

" It seems like it's going to be an intense year."

"I remember my third year, unlike the first two I was not bored."

Nyota gave a small smile.

" Oh I'm definitely not bored. Two days back and I'm already stressed. It's going to take an organizational feat to get everything handed In on time this year."

" You are fully capable of organizational feats."

She gave another weak smile.

"Thanks. I was planning on learning another extra curricular language but I'm just not going to have time."

" You will encounter many opportunities to learn new languages if you get placed on board a ship next year. "

"Yeah, just one more year to go."

" Correct."

" And who knows what will happen at the end of it."

" It is true that unforeseen circumstances can sometimes occur that changes the path that we seem to be on."

Nyota stared at him for a moment then looked back at her salad. They ate in silence for a few minutes.

" The paths we're on." Nyota muttered.

"Was there something wrong with what I said?"

"No, just.. Just the third year blues I guess."

" I have often heard students talk about this but it usually comes later in the year."

" I guess I've just had some chances to reevaluate lately."

"That can be a good thing." He answered trying to still the thoughts in his mind that she had reevaluated and decided she no longer wanted him.

"I guess sometimes the things we're striving for aren't actually the things that will make us happy. It seems like when we find the things that make us happy it can sometimes feel like they're getting in the way of what we're striving for but in truth we should be concentrating on those thing's that make us happy as there's no guarantee that the thing's we're working hard for will actually make us happy or happier than the things we already have. I didn't put that very clearly did I, for a communications officer I.."

" You will be beyond adequate as a communications officer. And I believe I understood and I appreciate you saying it. It would be illogical to give up the things you pursue and illogical to deny happiness if you find it."

"I thought Vulcans didn't believe in the pursuit of happiness."

She chided in an obvious attempt to break up the seriousness of the conversation.

" They believe in serenity above happiness but as Human's believe in the search for happiness above all other thing's it would be unnatural for you to deny it."

" What about you Spock, happiness or serenity?"

" You should know Cadet Uhura I am half Vulcan Half Human."

"So serene happiness?"

The bell signaling the end of the period rang. Spock stood up.

" It was nice talking to you Cadet, and serene happiness is a valid thing to aim for but it is something else that I value above all other things. You." He said in his home dialect. Nyota stared at him her amber eyes wide.

"Spock..."

"I shall see you in class tomorrow cadet."

"Yes Commander, thank you for your company."

" It is always a pleasure." He nodded to her then left wishing they had the time to be alone just for a few minutes but there were eyes watching ears listening and she would not allow him to see her alone. Not yet anyway.

Spock stood at the front of the lecture hall. He entered the data card with his lecture presentation into the consul, he turned on the projector screen, it always took a few minutes to load up so he took a look through his notes as he waited. He wasn't really concentrating on the task, he'd read through and altered them only a week previously. He kept glancing up at the slowly filling hall, all the faces were familiar as this was a recommended module for those on the linguistics pathway. Finally he noticed the figure he'd been waiting for arrive. Nyota, in her dress uniform with boots and her hair tied back. She walked in next to Gaila and they slowly made their way down the stairs stopping to talk to people that they knew. Half way down Gaila separated from Nyota with a wave of the hand and a few quick words and sat next to a young man. Nyota carried on down the stairs and sat in the bottom row, chair nearest the aisle on the left side. Spock felt a sense of contentment, Everything was in the right place. He moved to the middle of the floor, exactly four feet from Nyota.

" Good morning cadets, please make your way to your seats I will be starting in two minutes."

Third week of September

Spock was glad the weather was still reasonably warm as Chris's favorite bar was strangely busy this night but there was a small beer garden in back and Chris agreed to them sitting outside where they could actually hear each other speaking. Chris came out with their drinks and set a glass of ginger beer in front of him.

"Thank you."

Chris sat across from him, took a deep drink of what Spock took to be triple whiskey. Let out a gasp and stretched.

"So?" Chris asked.

Spock raised his eyebrow.

"I saw Nyota in the library yesterday."

" You went to the library?"

" I do read occasionally you know."

" No I didn't."

" I have books in my apartment." Chris complained.

" Yes, bur you pile them up on the floor and use them as make-shift tables."

" I read. Case closed." Chris said sharply.

"If you say so."

Chris glared at him for a moment and took another sip of his whiskey.

" So, Nyota. She's back, have you seen her?"

" Yes. We are trying to repair our relationship. We have lunch together twice a week."

Chris stared at him for a moment holding his glass in his right hand and twisting his wrist so the amber liquid swished around the sides.

"Good." He finally said as if he had actually needed to consider if it was a good thing or not. "Wouldn't want to be one of those couples who break up in the first year of marriage, or.. Bondage."

"Indeed I wouldn't."

Chris gave him his patented 'we're about to have a serious and personal conversion' stare.

"Spock are you alright?"

Spock found himself staring down at his drink, why was it he couldn't just answer 'yes' and move on with the conversation and with life. What had happened could not be undone to concentrate on it was illogical. Perhaps he was just not Vulcan enough.

"There will be time for children later."

"There will." Chris agreed softly.

" At a time when Nyota and I have both decided it is suitable to have children.

"Spock.."

"There is no logic to mourning that which you cannot change. I can fix my marriage therefore that is the logical thing to concentrate on."

"Spock.."

" I think of her." Spock blurted. Chris watched him patiently.

" I dream of her, but she is gone."

Spock felt a hand come to rest on his shoulder as he stared at a ring mark on the table.

" You don't need to hide that pain Spock.'

" It is starting to dissipate. "

"That's good."

Chris finished off his drink and slammed the glass on the table.

" Let's talk about something else."

"Yes. It has been a while since you have seen fit to tell me anything of yourself."

"You've had your own problems to deal with."

"Are you saying that you've had problems?"

" Just ones of the classic kind."

" Classic, as in Shakespearean?"

" I guess you could say that."

" Chris?"

" Well I've not got any of that Romeo and Juliet stuff going on like you have, but, well my ex is back in town. "

" The pilot?"

" Yep."

" How long for?"

" Just a few weeks but in March she's coming back for good. She wants to meet up and talk."

" You have known this woman for many years?"

" Yeah, I was twenty-five when we met, serving on deep space five. I meet her the first night, we lived together for two years then she was offered a promotion and she was gone. " Chris looked down into his empty glass and was silent for a long moment his eyes flickering with memories from half a life time ago.

" Would you like another drink?"

" I don't think I feel like drinking." Chris said. Spock allowed him a moment of quietness.

"There's more to this story isn't there?"

" I'd brought a ring." Chris said fidgeting in his seat as he talked. "Guess I was just stupid to think that she'd stay for me, women in the fleet they have their ambitions and why shouldn't they, but these ambitions get put above everything else. Or maybe she didn't love me then."

"Then?"

"Yeah, every few years we would be in the same sector at the same time and both have some leave stored up. We'd get maybe a week or two together. Five years ago we managed to get a few months together and she told me she regretted leaving twenty years ago. I couldn't answer her, after all those years of stolen moments I couldn't trust her enough to commit. You reach an age when you think ;hey it's finally time to stop gallivanting around the universe and find a nice quiet corner with a farm and horses somewhere. "

" You came back to the academy."

Spock said thinking about how the dates coincided.

" Yeah, thought I'd settle into a desk position, maybe find somebody who wouldn't leave. But, turns out I'm not made for desk positions." He gave a short laugh. " I jumped at the chance to captain the Enterprise."

" And now, she's coming back."

" She asked me to give our relationship a chance."

" Will you?"

" I'm going on the Enterprise, I've already made the commitment. "

" You can have her positioned on the Enterprise."

" I know."

" The board would allow that."

" I know."

" But you're not going to." Spock said. He had never known this aspect of his friends life. Chris had always said he was an old fashioned romantic and Spock knew there had been women, flirtations, maybe something more than that but always short lived. He had not known that there had ever been somebody important to him.

" You love her."

" You want to talk to me about emotions Spock?"

" Yes." Less than two years ago he would have awkwardly avoided the question but he had been learning a lot about Human emotions of late.

" Does it matter? Does it matter if I love her if neither of us can ever commit? if both of us think our careers are more important than love?"

" You do not believe a career is more important than love. You encouraged my relationship with Nyota despite the fact that it could have seriously damaged my career. You protected me when accusations were made. You said it was because you believed in love. Are you afraid?"

"Well why shouldn't I be?" Chris snapped. " It's been years Spock. We've been playing this game for years and we both lost. I need that drink now." Chris got up and walked away. Spock sat outside for half an hour drinking his ginger beer waiting for him to come back but he did not. After some deliberation Spock went inside and immediately saw Chris sat at the bar. There were three more empty glasses in front of him. Spock walked over.

" Christopher, are you ready to go home?"

Chris didn't answer as the barkeeper put another glass in front of him. Chris downed it.

"Yeah, I'm ready to go." He answered. Spock helped him unsteadily down from his stool and they walked silently back to the academy.

Second week of October

Spock was just finishing reading the latest updates on the Enterprise, the ship had been finished whilst he was on Vulcan and all the paperwork for Spock's position as first officer had been filled out and finalized. Later in the week the Enterprise would be moved from the ship yard in Ohio to space dock. Though not counted as a maiden voyage it would be the first time the engines were going to be run and the first time she would be flown though there was a towing ship accompanying her. Spock and Chris had been invited to accompany her to the space dock and take a first tour before the months of intensive testing and trial flights. Chris had agreed but Spock had decided not to, he came up with lots of logical reasons he couldn't go but he's biggest reason was an emotional one. He didn't want to be that distance away from Nyota at this point in their relationship. He had just placed his PADD down when the door swished open. He turned alady knowing who it was.

"Nyota." He said standing up. " I did not expect to see you today."

She stood nervously in his doorway her hand moving up and down her folded arms.

"Come in, tell me what's wrong." Spock said.

She took a couple more steps forwards her eyes straight on the floor.

"Gaila's going through some strange hormonal pheromone thing."

" I had noticed she has not been in class this past week." he said haltingly.

Spock walked over to her and rested a supportive hand on her arm.

"The is no need to worry Orion women go through periods of hormonal instability. They are brief and I have never heard of there being any lasting effects from them. "

Nyota looked up into his eyes, the expression on her face was familiar, it was not worry as he had suspected. He laid a hand on her cheek and opened his mind trying to sense her emotions and found them open to him. He gasped at the intensity of them. He had to take several deep breaths to regain his regular breathing but the rest of his body was still out of control, increased heartbeat, and his blood seemed to be all rushing south.

"You have been affected by the pheromones Gaila has been releasing." He stated.

"Yes, I..I.." She blushed and looked away.

"It is not something to be ashamed of."

"I, I need.."

Spock noticed her hands trembling. He took them in his own, before he could stop it her fingers were running over his sending shivers up and down his spine. A nagging thought at the back of his mind told him that the feelings she was experiencing was not unlike those he had felt at the beginning of his time. He knew he had to help her. He opened his arms and let her step into them. He trailed slow languid strokes down her back.

" I'm here, T'hy'la."

Her fingers clutched at the material of his uniform.

" I need.."

" I know. Open your mind to me a little more." He requested.

He felt the link between them opening slightly and he pried at it opening it just enough so her emotions flowed into him tainting his world until there was only the need.
It was illogical, just pure emotions, and not the ones usually felt when this close to her. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and sucked that slightly salty skin into his mouth. Her hands were already on his pants and as they stroked up and down through the material he felt that familiar swelling increase almost uncomfortably and that desire to be enclosed within her soft flesh. He grabbed at her securing one arm around her back so she was tight against him and then lifted her thigh bringing her center against his crotch. He turned her pushing her against the wall, he heard her slight grunt , knew he had been too rough with her. But she didn't stop she was running one hand through his hair and putting little bites down his neck as her fingers tried to work their way to the opening in his trousers. The little nips sent electric shivers straight to his groin. He pulled away a little to give her the access they both desired. A couple of undignified movements later and her cool fingers were wrapped around his hot and stiff cock. He felt the deep growl rumble out his throat. He tilted his head forwards seeking her lips but she turned her head away from him so he settled for kissing every inch of her face he could reach. His hand found the edges of her skirt and slid down her thighs. His brain quickly did the maths, he would have to let her go to remove the underwear, he didn't want to do that and it couldn't just be moved so the only semi-logical solution was to rip it. So he did, with another sharp gasp from Nyota but she continued to encourage him with her fingers scratching at the back of her neck where the short hairs stood on end. Then the material parting them was gone and they slide effortlessly together. They burned together, their rhythm faster, rougher out of control. The waves that shock her body came quickly and Spock bit down on her neck as her back arched and her hands clung at him. He tried to be a little gentler as he thrust into her a few more times as the incredible pressure in his lower groin and stomach built to breaking point and that blinding little explosion that made him forget everything for a few seconds except his body and the world of sensations it offered. His body slouched slightly as the tension ran out his muscles. He held her close to him for a few minutes as they regained their breath and ability to move jellied limbs. He pulled away from her and wrapped an arm behind her knees and the other round her back lifting her easily and cradling her against his body. He laid her gently on the sofa and sat on the floor beside her tenderly brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face.
"Do you feel better?" He asked.

She nodded slightly.

"Can I get you a drink?"

" Some water." She asked after a moment.

He nodded and went to the kitchen. He poured her a glass of water and took it back to the front room to hand to her.

"Thank you Spock." She said her tone letting him know she wasn't referring to the water.

"You do not need to thank me."

" I don't know how to explain.."

' I have read of the effects of Orion phernomes. "

She gulped the water down thirstily, their was a long moment of silence after she'd put the glass down on the table.

" I couldn't seem to keep control. " She finally said.

" That is a feeling that I am unfortunately familiar with."

Spock said trying to suppress the memories of the lack of control he felt during his fist pon farr.

" You were busy." Nyota said standing up.

" You cannot go out like that." Spock said thinking of her short skirt and lack of underwear." I still have some of your clothing in a draw."

She nodded.

" I'd forgotten about that, thank you."

She went into his room and Spock stood feeling a little awkwardness as he waited. When she came back out the only evidence left of their quick tussle was a slight alluding smell that he doubted the human nose could pick up.

" Bye Spock, and thank you again."

"Nyota, perhaps you should consider going to talk to McCoy he maybe able to give you something to counteract Gaila's phernomes."

"Yeah, I should have thought of that it just crept up on me."

" If you need somewhere to stay whilst Gaila recovers..."

Nyota looked down blushing.

" Thanks. I'll uh..I'll see what McCoy can do first."

Spock nodded.

"Bye." She raised her hand.

"Bye."

After she left all Spock felt was emptiness. After making love he usually felt full, as if his heart could burst, contented and as if he would never truelly be alone as he was only one part of a two part soul. But now he just felt alone and empty, she had needed him, she had burned. He did the right thing so why did he feel empty? Why did he feel distant from her? It seemed to him almost as if they had satisfied their physical needs but not connected in any emotional way. Was that why he felt empty? Was that why he missed her already?

Spock sat at his desk, it was 11 am and the only day of the week,when he did not arrive at his office before 9am and for that matter the only day he did not check his messages before 9am. This was because of the advanced combat class he took between 7am and 8:45am and the federation languages class at 9am. So here he was at 11:03 checking his E-mails before he met with an enthusiastic student at 11:20. There were the usual inter-department memo's and students requesting appointments or extensions. But in amongst them was something of interest.

Commander Spock.

It has been three years since you programmed the kobayashi maru. It was suggested in last weeks tech meeting that perhaps it is time to look at it's security systems and make revisions. As the original designer of the simulation you are the best person to take up the task.

Commander A'dele

Spock didn't hesitate in his answer.

Commander A'dele.

It is indeed time to update the security system and to do a complete systems check. Thank you for bringin this to my attention. As no haste is required I will start in the first week of the new term. I will assign some of the responsibilities to three students. It will be a good teaching opportunity to those in my advanced programming class. I will fill out the relevant security forms.

Commander Spock.

Third week of October

A bead of perspiration was making it's way down the back of her neck. Spock watched it silently. Her back was straight, muscles at the back of her shoulders tightening and relaxing as her arms..

"Commander!"

The husky voice reminded him of where he was, in the middle of the second exercise field surrounded by thirty of his students.

" You have finished your push-ups in less time than usual."

Cadet Lei looked at him with a slightly confused expression.

"Most of us are finished Commander."

" Then why are you still here? Weight lifting has always come after push-ups."

" You haven't given permission for those who are finished to go to the gym."

" Very well Cadets you have permission. I will join you once the newest to the group have finished. "

He watched as twenty-five of his students left the field then turned his attention back to the new members all sent over to him within the last month. He tried to keep his eyes off Nyota and concentrate on one of the young men who had a habit of letting his form go sloppy once he reached the nineties. Within minutes the last five had finished. He walked with them to the gym falling in beside Nyota after a few strides.

"Cadet Uhura, how are you finding the group this time."

She gave a wide smile as she turned to him.

"Easy." She breathed obviously still catching her breath.

At least one of us is finding this experience easy he thought.

So part 2 will hopefully be up soon and be be longer.