"You are reinstated to your post, Amanda, and shall begin your work again this coming Monday. Despite the complications, I am satisfied with this state of affairs. You will, of course, complete any backlogged reports that you have yet to file with Starfleet. We shall expect work from you from the interim days."
Though T'Rea's words were as marble smooth as ever, Amanda got the idea that she was pleased. She accepted the cup of tea that the woman offered her and sat cradling it in her hands. "Thank you, T'Rea. I am so grateful to you."
"There was no possibility that they would keep you away long," Ataur said, settling back into his chair. They were together in T'Rea's garden, this time seated among the flowers. Sarek, seated at Amanda's side, gave her a calm look that nevertheless conveyed his pride in her. Amanda felt quite pleased, and just as warm through and through as the cup of bitter tea in her hands. She felt as though she had come through the turmoil of the past few days and was now resting in the calm left behind by a storm. It was exceedingly pleasant, especially when she could clasp Sarek's hand under the table as often as she liked. There was no need to be secretive any more - besides the rules of Vulcan courtesy, of course.
T'Rea gave Ataur a sharp look. "You make light of the matter, Ataur." The accused folded his hands in his lap and presented her with a look of innocence that Amanda couldn't possibly miss.
"I apologize, T'Rea. I say it only because I was aware that you were doing everything in your power to keep Amanda in her position - and your cleverness and influence are formidable." Ataur's voice was calm and meek, but Amanda smiled inside to notice that strange brand of Vulcan humor. T'Rea ignored him and turned instead to Amanda.
"It is good that we shall not lose you, Amanda. The project is still fragile, and the loss of our protege would have been extremely detrimental to its continued stability." Amanda read between the lines to understand that T'Rea was happy she was not going home. I am good at this Vulcan-reading. But not quite good enough.
When she and Sarek left T'Rea's home, Amanda felt oddly nauseated, and not because of the strong tea. Only a day had passed since her meeting with Sarek's father, but she still had not told Sarek what she had told his father. For some reason, telling the severe councilman that she loved his son was far easier than telling the son himself. Amanda had never been in love with anyone before - at least, she had never admitted it, and now whenever she thought about telling Sarek, the words seemed to stick in her throat.
Amanda glanced at Sarek as they walked along - they had chosen to walk, as the journey was not too far and it was a pleasant day. Sarek had just come from an important meeting with the High Command, and was looking official and somewhat severe in an excellently cut tunic with a high collar. He was explaining a political tangle that he had been obliged to sort out, and was gesturing with one hand while he held the other at the small of his back. I do love him, Amanda thought, watching his face, the slight crease between his brows as he unwound the complex anecdote. He glanced over at her, and his dark eyes met hers.
"Amanda, your mind is wandering." He said, his face relaxing into one of his not-smiles. Amanda blushed and looked at her feet.
"I'm sorry. I was...distracted."
Sarek raised an eyebrow, and Amanda was surprised to see a spark of something mischievous in his eyes. "Yes, I know. You did not seem to notice that we have arrived." He turned and opened the gate - Amanda blinked. They were indeed standing in front of her house. She had completely lost herself in her thoughts. Again. "May I come inside?"
Amanda gave him an odd look. "Of course," she said. "I had assumed you were going to anyway." She took his arm and gave him a small, private smile. "You need me to assure you that I enjoy your presence?"
"No, I know that you enjoy my presence," Sarek said flatly, although his eyes were still smiling. "That is perfectly clear to me both through the bond and your body language. For instance, you are currently holding yourself against my arm. Seeking contact with another individual is an indication of sexual interest."
Amanda stifled a laugh and rolled her eyes. "Come on, before we offend someone on the street." She gave his arm a little tug and led him towards the door. "Can you take time off from your ambassadorial duties this afternoon?"
"I have cleared my schedule," Sarek said. "It is my intention to spend the entirety of the day with you." The unspoken words at the end of his statement came to Amanda through the bond - and perhaps the entirety of the night as well. Amanda felt herself blush. They had reached the door and were standing beneath the exuberant fronds of the purple-flowering plant. A hint of scent drifted down to Amanda, the almost spicy perfume of the flowers. I have to tell him! Her heart gave a weird little somersault of excitement and nerves. Sarek paused, halfway towards opening the door, and gave her a questioning look. "There is something on your mind, Amanda."
She swallowed and brushed a stray lock of hair out of her eyes, suddenly very aware of all her arms and legs and awkwardness. Sarek's face was half in sunlight, half in the shade of the flowering plant's fronds. Amanda felt singularly tongue-tied, looking up at him. "Sarek, I..." She swallowed again. Why was this so difficult? "I...love you." There. Finally. Amanda felt a sudden flood of relief. She felt weak and drained with the effort of it, but she had finally gotten the words out.
Sarek, on the other hand, seemed nonplussed. "I know." He said, his brows drawn together in puzzlement. Amanda blinked. This was certainly not the reaction she had been expecting. Perhaps she had imagined that Sarek would be surprised, but at least pleased, and perhaps kiss her.
"How do you know?" She asked, still buoyed by the tide of her anxiety turning into relief. "I haven't told you yet...had I? No, I'm sure I didn't."
Sarek seemed to realize something, and an amused tinge entered his expression. "Amanda, we are bonded. I have always known."
For some reason, Amanda felt the prickling of tears in her eyes. She clasped her hands together uselessly, feeling like a shy child again. "Well...but...I didn't." She managed to say, looking into Sarek's dark eyes and feeling a total fool.
"And now, you do." Sarek said, taking her in his arms and pulling her close to him. Amanda rested her head against his collarbone, feeling little swirls of confusion and happiness dance around inside her. She could just feel the thrum of Sarek's heartbeat, low beneath his ribcage. It was a reassuring, soft kind of noise, that made her feel wonderfully safe. Strange, how you could be comforted simply by the feel of another living heartbeat near your own.
After a moment, Amanda stopped leaning on Sarek and looked up into his face. "Sarek, what happens now?"
"I believe," Sarek replied, in a warm tone, "that we should go inside, and I will kiss you, repeatedly." And that seemed like a fine idea to Amanda, but it didn't quite answer her question.
"All right, but, I meant now that we're truly together." Amanda felt a blush creeping over her cheeks, but she had to ask. So far their relationship had been defined by its secrecy, and Amanda had no idea how Vulcans proceeded with a typical romance. Somehow she couldn't picture herself and Sarek going for horseback rides on the beach at sunset.
"Of course. Might we discuss it indoors? The heat is not beneficial to you. You appear to be sweating."
Amanda blushed in earnest now and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand as Sarek turned to open the door. "It is hot," She mumbled as she followed him inside. "Stupid Vulcans and their non-sweating bodies."
"The fact that our bodies do not produce perspiration has no effect on our intelligence, Amanda." Sarek commented, but Amanda could tell that he was amused. She stuck her tongue out at his back and collapsed onto the sofa as Sarek took off his heavy ambassador's coat and hung it by the door. Amanda watched him, content for now to just watch the lines of his body as he moved. Love makes you think so strangely.
Sarek joined her on the sofa as Amanda removed her shawl and let her hair out of its pinnings. It was nice to release her mane from the tight arrangements T'Iva had made that morning, although Amanda felt slightly guilty for destroying her maid's fantastic work. She was about to set the pins down on the low table beside the couch when she felt Sarek touch her hair. "Your hair is beautiful," He said, gently running his fingers through it.
"It's a mess," Amanda said, somewhat awkwardly - Sarek's touching her hair was rather erotic, due to the sensitivity of his hands, and Amanda found it...provoking.
"I noticed it, even the first time we met." Sarek was saying, still looking at her hair as if fascinated. "No Vulcan has hair like yours, Amanda."
Amanda smiled, turning slightly so that she could see him more clearly. "I can just imagine what you were thinking - 'look at that girl with the pretty hair, I should go and be mean to her'?" She said it as a joke, but she could see the guilt on his face the moment the words left her mouth.
"I am ashamed of how I acted. I should never have spoken to you in that way." He looked away from her, and Amanda felt like a heel for having mentioned it. Of course, Sarek had been rather awful to her, but she had been awful in return - their debt to each other was paid. "I was very...confused by you."
"So I gathered," Amanda said. She reached out and tilted his face back towards hers gently. "That really doesn't matter any more, Sarek. Neither of us is perfect." She leaned forward and kissed him, softly, but Sarek was soon pulling her to him and deepening the kiss. She relaxed into his embrace, and for a long moment there was only the softness of Sarek's mouth and the warmth of his arms around her. A little purr grew in Amanda's chest, and she intensified the kiss, sliding her tongue more eagerly against his - and felt him withdrawing from her. Puzzled, Amanda opened her eyes and looked up at him. There was a green blush darkening on his cheekbones.
"What's wrong?" Amanda asked, her brow furrowing slightly. Sarek would not meet her eyes, and she could feel his elevated heartbeat, both through the bond and in his chest. She could sense that there was anxiety hiding behind his calm Vulcan expression, although his green cheeks certainly gave that away as well.
"Perhaps we should not." He said, voice somewhat hoarse. "The last time we engaged in intercourse...I relinquished control."
Amanda blinked, truly frowning now. "You...do you think it was a mistake?" She felt a strange sensation of panic flooding her; she had wondered, very briefly, if perhaps Vulcans went about bedroom matters differently - if she had not done what Sarek had been expecting. The sensation of having those fears potentially realized was like ice creeping over her body, rime forming on her heart. "Did you not like it?"
"No." Sarek met her eyes, and there was a mixture of worry and desire in the dark depths there. "I enjoyed it...very much. I simply..." His jaw clenched, a sign of distress that Amanda had come to know well. "You know that Vulcans do not have premarital...relations of that sort. This incident with my father has reminded me that I have not acted as I should. There was always the possibility that I would truly lose control and...potentially hurt you." He spoke stutteringly, with anguished pauses that half amused, half distressed Amanda.
"It's all right, Sarek." She said, reaching up and brushing his cheek with one hand. "We don't have to, if you don't want to." Unfortunately, a guilty little cloud of disappointment had descended on her, and before she could stifle it, she knew Sarek had sensed it. With that slightly unnerving Vulcan quickness, he reached up and grasped her hand, looking into her eyes. She was surprised to see the depth of desire in his, a smoulder only partially banked.
"I do want to." He said, in that low voice that made a shiver run down Amanda's spine. "Please do not mistake me." Amanda couldn't help it. How could she resist, when he looked at her that way? She glanced at his mouth - the almost delicate curve of his lips was just too tempting. She leaned forward caught his mouth with hers in a passionate, unrestrained kiss, her wrist still held in his grasp. Sarek did not respond, at first. Amanda could sense his concern battling against his libido - and, feeling slightly like a dirty fighter, she broke her hand free of his grasp and interlaced her fingers with his. A cheap trick, but one that worked wonders. Sarek shuddered and his breath caught as Amanda felt his arousal surge. Gotcha.
This time, once she had safely shut the door to her bedroom behind them, Amanda felt a sudden urge to take control. She had never been particular adventurous in her sexual activities, being somewhat less than bold. Now, though, feeling her pulse racing in her throat and knowing that Sarek was just as engaged as she was, Amanda wanted to vent her desire a little. There was something incredibly reassuring in being so connected to Sarek that she knew she couldn't make a mistake here. He wanted her, however he could get her...that was certainly apparent to Amanda by the significant bulge in his trousers, and the slightly feverish look in his eyes. Amanda pulled her blouse up over her head and dropped it on the floor. She couldn't help a little smirk when Sarek's eyes immediately left her face - it was nice to have such a strong effect. She pushed him down onto her bed and climbed into his lap, straddling him in a manner that she had never tried before.
It took very little time to get them both divested of clothing, although Amanda found it very difficult to stop kissing Sarek. Every time their lips met she felt as though an electric shock had travelled to her core. That feeling only intensified when Sarek's hands found her bare breasts. She could feel his pulse jump at the smoothness of her skin beneath her fingers. That was enough for her - Amanda felt a sudden, intense desire to feel him inside her, huge and hard as he was.
Amanda put her hands on Sarek's shoulders and, hesitating a bit, slid onto Sarek's cock. She bit her lip; it had been enough time that the sensation was very slightly painful, but the gasping grunt that Sarek made more than enough made up for it. His fingers dug into her back, and she could feel the intense surge of excitement that hit him at the sensation of filling her.
Amanda had never tried being on top before. She had feared that it would be awkward and difficult, and for the first few moments she had a bit of trouble finding a position that was comfortable. Sarek grasped her hips and, to Amanda's surprise, helped her find the right angle. Amanda gasped - she had been wetter than she realized, and once she tried hesitatingly rocking against him, a jolt of pleasure ran through her.
It was at a slower, more sensuous pace than Amanda had ever experienced, and so delicious that Amanda dearly wished it could last forever. Sarek started kissing her neck, breasts and collarbone, his breath hitching every time she sank down onto him. Amanda arched her neck back, sighing, relishing in the sensation of being so closely tangled with him. It was wonderfully intimate and at the same time intense. When she could no longer resist it, Amanda took Sarek's hand in both of hers, stroking his palm and the long, elegant fingers. Sarek didn't exactly cry out, but the strangled noise he made sent a huge wave of pleasure down through Amanda's body. An idea occurred to her, and Amanda brought Sarek's hand to her mouth, running the tip of her tongue lightly over his fingers.
Amanda had not yet had the occasion to experience Sarek's elevated speed and strength, and so she was intensely surprised when Sarek seized her around the waist and brought her down with him onto the floor. They hit the ground with a thump, Amanda on her back and looking up at Sarek with surprise. His lips were slightly parted, his eyes as dark as she had ever seen them. He lifted her hips again and began thrusting into her, the angle deep and slightly harsh. Amanda didn't care - her heart was beating furiously with excitement, and she gasped with pleasure at the new fast pace. She didn't relinquish his hand, either, but experimented with kisses, licks and nips at his palm and fingers. Sarek moaned - actually moaned - at each one, his breath coming ragged and desperate.
"Amanda...may I..." Sarek panted, when Amanda could sense that he was nearing the end of his tether. She nodded eagerly and brought his hand to her cheekbone, her heart rate already spiking in anticipation. Sarek laid his fingers surprisingly gently across her face, a caressing gesture...and they were one again. Amanda was nearly overwhelmed by the intensity of his ecstasy. Within moments her body was deliciously seizing up as she climaxed, her fingers digging into Sarek's arms as she felt both her own orgasm and Sarek's deep pleasure at feeling her contracting around him. He thrust into her more urgently, groaning as joined her. Their shared climax hit Amanda like an earthquake, and she was insensible until, ages later, they began to come down.
Sarek collapsed on top of her, breathing hard, and for a long moment they simply lay there together, tangled up in both body and mind. Amanda's eyes fluttered closed. She felt incredibly peaceful and quiet, like reaching a still pond after a storm. She thought only of breathing in and out, and the sweet comforting presence of Sarek's being interlaced with hers. Amanda ran her fingers over Sarek's back, just delighting in feeling the smoothness of his skin, the tenseness of his muscles underneath. How wonderful it was to lie there, in the embrace of a body she found so beautiful. After a long while, Sarek eased off of her and lay down beside her instead, immediately wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close.
Amanda considered telling Sarek that she loved him, but that would be as obvious, just then, as saying that the sky was blue (on Earth, at least). She thought of all the times, though, that she could have said it, and didn't, and was about to voice her thoughts when Sarek propped himself up on one elbow, kissed her neck, and said "I know. And I you, Amanda." And that was that.
Amanda wasn't sure how long they lay there, disregarding the discomfort of the floor. After a while Amanda felt Sarek stroking her hair, smoothing it away from her face. She sighed, utterly content. I wish I could always be here, she thought vaguely. This is perfect.
Such was her tranquility that when the communications console in her bedroom began to chirp the alert that signified an incoming call, she jumped so violently that Sarek was shocked. "Amanda? Are you well?"
Amanda sat up and looked around, slightly dazed. In her surprise, her mind-link to Sarek faded, tearing gently like tissue paper parting. "Oh, I'm fine, it just startled me..." Amanda brushed her hair behind her ears and hopped up, looking around desperately for something to pull on. The most immediate article of clothing was Sarek's shirt - she grabbed it and pulled it over her head. It was far too large on her, but it smelled so deliciously of him that Amanda paused to cuddle in it before dashing over to the console in the corner. "It's George!" She exclaimed, more for her own benefit than for the befuddled Sarek, who was still on the floor.
Amanda hastily accepted the call, despite Sarek's protest of "Amanda! I'm not dressed!" George's face flickered onto the screen, wearing a smile so large that it threatened to spring off his face and run away. "Amanda!" He said, his blue eyes laughing. "I have the best - oh, what's up?" He blinked a few times, and Amanda realized how mussed-up she must look, with her hair more mane-like than ever and sporting a shirt that was clearly a man's.
"Uh, nothing!" She said, grinning herself. "Nothing, really. I was just...uh, what were you saying?" She could hear Sarek trying to discreetly get up and find what articles of clothing she had left him.
"Oh, well," George said, his smile becoming bashful. "I just wanted to let you know, before you got the invitation...Winnie and I have finally set a date! February third!" Forgetting herself for the moment, Amanda squealed and covered her mouth.
"That's wonderful, George!" She said, dropping her hands to reveal a smile nearly as big as George's. "I'm so happy to hear that."
"Yeah, Winnie wanted a summer wedding but I convinced her to settle for February. I've got some leave coming up and I can't wait any longer! I told her to get over it and marry me, and she finally agreed." His expressive eyebrows quirked into an expression of slight worry. "I hope you can come out for it - I know two months isn't far away, and I guess you'll still be on Vulcan. Maybe you can get a dispensation to leave for a few days?"
"I'm sure I can." Amanda said, then glanced over her shoulder at the half-dressed Sarek. "I can get a few days leave, can't I?" She asked him. The Vulcan's face flushed dark green - he was only half-into his trousers. He was, thankfully, out of George's view, but apparently it was the principle of the thing. Before he could answer, however, Amanda turned back to the console. "Sarek is here, sorry, I should have mentioned that."
"Oh! Uh, hello, Ambassador." George said, blinking in surprise and giving Amanda an amused look. Amanda could feel waves of indignation and embarrassment coming off of Sarek, but she only gave him a smile.
"Lieutenant," Sarek mumbled, finally managing to fasten his trousers.
George's smile was distinctly wicked now, and Amanda felt a blush of her own color her cheeks. "Later..." she said under her breath, and George shrugged, although Amanda had the impression that he was hiding his amusement. "I think I should be able to get time off, anyway."
"Good. I'm really hoping you'll be able to make it. Winnie is too! I included a plus one with your invitation, by the way." George winked at her, and Amanda had to stifle a sheepish giggle. She felt incredibly giddy, even though she could tell Sarek was beyond confused. "I'll let you get back to your guest, but give me a call later." George continued. "I'm not on active duty for a while tonight."
"I will. Thanks for calling, George." Amanda said, giving her friend a smile and a wave. In typical George fashion, he smirked and gave her a smart salute before closing the connection. Amanda bit her lip to hide her smile and turned around, brushing her hair out of her eyes. Sarek was standing in the middle of the room, holding his jacket and exuding an air of thorough confusion and just a tinge of annoyance.
"I'm sorry about that," She said, sheepish again. "But um, do you want to maybe go to a wedding with me?"
Author's Note: Blah! I started writing this almost immediately after uploading the last chapter, and it's taken me this long to get it finished. I think I'll have an easier time of it now that the whole Skon thing is out of the way...or is it? Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and keep watching for the next one. It'll be here soon, I pinkie promise!
As always, thank you so much for your kind reviews. I love reading them - and you guys have actually given me a lot of great suggestions for things to include, so thanks!