Chapter 2.

Kirk ran a frustrated hand through his hair. They were late, well, technically they were just not early. Spock and Uhura were exemplary bridge officers; always calm, collected and available. Except when they weren't. Uhura was supposed to report to him in ten minutes with her welcome message, and Spock, though Kirk had given him the afternoon off, would need to be here when she sent it. They did this once every other week or so; just disappear. Kirk couldn't blame them, per say, especially in light of his affair with Marcus, but it was annoying; Uhura had probably finished writing the message in twenty minutes.

Looking across the bridge he watched Marcus impassively scan and analyze the Virosa system of weaponry. She was really very pretty when she was calm. Kirk felt a twinge of guilt; of course she was right. She had explicitly told him on multiple occasions that she thought pursuing a relationship was a bad idea. But, because he could sense she was attracted to him, he had persisted. Similar to every experience with women he had ever had, it ended badly, only this time he was stuck on a ship with her for the next four years. Spock, as usual, was right.

Sometimes Kirk felt a tiny pinprick of jealousy when he watched Spock with his longtime girlfriend. At 29 years old, Kirk had never experienced anything so serious himself. It was almost cute the way their eyes followed each other when they thought no one was watching, or would be if Vulcans did cute.

They were one minute late.

Suddenly the door to the turbo lift opened and they strode onto the bridge, impeccably dressed, and showing no signs of hurry. "Apologies for our tardiness, Captain", Spock said, "I requested Lt. Uhura add a final passage at the last moment. The welcome message is ready for submission."

Only Spock would apologize for being one minute late.

"What's in it?" Kirk asked.

"Basic information, as requested, sir." Spock answered.

Kirk frowned - that was vague. He looked from Spock to Uhura, who was quite preoccupied with her consol. Then it dawned on him - Spock hadn't read it. They had spent the whole afternoon together, and he had completely disregarded his assignment, then he been late to his shift to boot! Kirk was incredibly tempted to call him out right then and there, but considering how Spock had, just hours earlier, gracefully stepped in to fix Kirk's mess with Carol, he thought the better of it. But he couldn't shake off the feeling of incredulity. Though he was sure that Lt. Uhura didn't need Spock's help to compose a message a first year cadet could write, he still felt frustrated that she had lied to him about how long it would take. She certainly didn't have the afternoon off.

"Ok", Kirk said, "Lt. Uhura? Let's say 'hello'".

"Transmission sent, Sir."

"Excellent. Mr. Spock, will you accompany me for a moment? I have something I need you to look over."

"Of course, Captain."

As the doors closed behind the two men when they got into the turbo-lift and Kirk whipped around at Spock.

"Are you kidding me!?" he asked.

"Captain-"

"Jim, this is unofficial for now."

"Jim, I do not know what you are referring to. I do not recall engaging in a jest."

"You didn't read that message. It didn't take Uhura three hours to write two paragraphs. You guys did it again! This is getting a little out of hand."

The turbo lift opened and the two men walked down the hall into the Kirk's quarters. Typically, reprimands took place in the briefing room, but Kirk didn't want this to be official.

"Jim, I. . . . Nyota and I have not technically broken any rules. We delivered what was promised in the time it was promised in. And while I admit to not reading it, considering her skill, it seemed superfluous."

"You volunteered to look at it! I wouldn't have had you waste your time either, but you VOLUNTEERED!"

"Indeed . . . I see your point. My apologies once again."

"I don't want you to apologize, I want this to stop."

"What to stop?"

Jim sighed with exasperation. "This. This thing the two of you do. And stop looking at me like a deer in headlights. I already told you this wasn't official."

Only someone who knew Spock as well as Jim could have read to anticipation in Spock's face.

"You and Uhura are constantly sneaking off together! You always start by coming up with some bullshit project, or giving me a bullshit timeline on something stupid, or - like last week, you hand me an 82 page report on core maintenance, and insisted that I read it right now, as you desperately need to discuss some of the finer points with me, then calculated how long you had to fuck your girlfriend based on my average reading speed, which is faster than you think, by the way!"

Spock looked vaguely embarrassed, but said nothing.

"I have better things to do. So do you, and Uhura. Why do you guys keep making things up?! You make up the bridge officer rotation schedule, for Chrissake, why don't you just give yourselves some overlapping time off?"

"That would be inappropriate", Spock answered. "Many of our duties on the bridge require the presence of at least one of us. It would be inefficient for us to have overlapping off duty hours with any sort of frequency."

"What about at the end of the day then? You know most people see their girlfriends after work."

"That is not a viable option."

"Why?"

"Lt. Uhura is very focused on her career, as I am sure you are aware. Our interpersonal relationship, while having been given an official sanction by Starfleet -"

"Still don't know how you guys pulled that one off-"

"- is not considered to be appropriate by Starfleet bylaws. I am her direct supervisor, and therefore, should not be fraternizing with her in an unprofessional way."

"Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" Jim joked, smiling.

"I am being quite serious, Jim. She has consented to our relationship on the premise that it does not negatively impact her career. I have done everything in my power to make sure that it doesn't. We do not fraternize during off-duty hours, nor does she stay in my quarters because we wish to remain discrete. I am displeased you were able to isolate our behavioral pattern, but perhaps it is because you knew what to look for. Nyota would be exceptionally upset should the crew discover our longstanding affair."

"They know, Spock." Jim said.

"They know what, Jim?"

Kirk sighed. Spock could really be obtuse sometimes. "They know Uhura is your girlfriend. I know you think you're being discrete, but you're not. Those stupid turn of phrases you use to signal each other, the looks you guys exchange when it's been awhile, the weird telepathy you guys have right after you "do it". The whole bridge knows what's going on. And people talk. And of course this is all confirmed when you guys DISAPPEAR for hours on end, randomly. Someone from engineering asked me about you guys the other day. Engineering for fuck's sake! Uhura's been down there all of twice! They KNOW, Spock."

Spock swallowed. This would be a very unpleasant conversation with Nyota later. She would be livid. His girlfriend possessed a rather volatile temper beneath her crisp demeanor. Though they could be terrifying, Spock somehow found her rapid mood swings to be charming, at times. But he did not like to see her upset.

Jim interrupted Spock's thoughts, "OK now that we have established that you guys are about as discrete as a Klingon warship, would you like to hear my suggestion?"

"I am, as humans would say, all ears, Jim". Not for the first time Jim wondered if his friend actually had a sense of humor.

"Why don't I just reassign her living space to your quarters? You only own like five things, so there would be more than enough space for the two of you. You already lived together on Earth. This way you would have plenty of time to do . . . whatever . . . it wouldn't be during off-duty hours, and you guys could actually do your jobs without pulling this crap anymore."

Spock blinked. What Jim had suggested was something he, himself had been considering. It was not, after all, completely unprecedented for mated pairs to live and work together on board starships. Jim's own father, as First Officer, had brought his pregnant wife with him on the mission that would eventually end his life. Of course Spock had dismissed the idea whenever it crossed his mind. It would be impossible to remain discrete if Nyota were sharing his quarters. But Jim had said they had already failed in that endeavor; that everyone knew anyway.

"I have considered the possibility Jim. Do you have a moment to stop by my quarters tonight; there is something I wish to discuss with you."

"I'm all ears, buddy."

After his shift, Kirk arrived at Spock's door ninety seconds late - on purpose. He knew tardiness was one of Spock's idiosyncrasies.

"Enter" he heard Spock say from inside, and stepped into a blast of heat.

"Holy - Spock, why the hell is it so hot in here?"

"This is a comfortable temperature for Vulcans. Our home planet, is, or rather, was, quite warm and dry. I can lower the temperature if it pleases you."

"Yeah, let's get it back down, please."

The room instantly started to cool, and Kirk treated himself to a look around. He had never actually been in Spock's quarters before. Predictably it was neat as a pin, and was sparsely decorated. It was smaller than his, but still contained an en suite bathroom, office, and conference room off to the side. Unlike his, the living area was studio-style, with his bed in the same room as his small sitting area. It was weirdly intimate being there with Spock. They were friends, and had certainly grown much closer since Spock has saved Kirk by going after Khan, but it was still a fairly new bond. But it was one that strengthened with each mission.

"So what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" Kirk asked settling himself on one of Spock's couches.

"Our discussion today about Nyota relocating to my quarters, and how the crew was aware of the nature of our relationship."

"Yeah - so you think it's a good idea then? Look at you! Shacking up!"

Spock sighed, "Yes but that is not what I had in mind. Of course I would be very amenable to having her here with me, but there is something else, something that our desire for discretion has prevented me from doing. I had initially planned on making my intentions clear at the end of our five year mission, but, as you have pointed out, delaying my actions for the sake of secrecy is no longer logical as that secrecy was only an illusion."

Spock said this uncharacteristically quickly, and did not make eye contact. He went to his dresser and pulled out a plain black box. He emptied the contents into his hand, and went back to Kirk, sitting down across from him.

"I am going to ask Nyota to marry me", he said.

Jim's mouth fell open. Marry!? He had not even considered the possibility that they would ever get married; perhaps it was because he, himself, could never fathom getting married. He had honestly thought that they would just stay together forever. But now that Spock had said it out loud, it sort of made perfect sense.

"Wow, umm Spock, congratulations - "

"-are unwarranted until she accepts. If she accepts."

"She'll accept", Jim said quickly. "I just can't believe you're getting married. That's awesome, Spock!"

Spock broke into one of his rare smiles. " I am glad you think it's a good idea."

"Do you have a ring? Do Vulcans do that?" Jim asked.

Spock opened his hand and held it out to Jim. In his palm was a beautiful, simple, silver ring with small diamonds around the band.

"You already have it?"

"I have had it for quite some time." Spock said. "It was the ring my father gave to my mother - in accordance with human customs."

Spock seemed very far away when he spoke, "Vulcans do not wear jewelry, as it is a sign of vanity, but my mother told me that my father sensed she wanted some physical reminder of their commitment. He presented her with this ring shortly after my birth."

"All her possessions were incinerated along with her body the day my planet was destroyed, except for this. She had sent it to Earth to be resized, and by a fortunate series of events it was still in transit when she died. My father gave it to me before departing for New Vulcan. It is the only possession of hers I have. I bring it with me everywhere."

"I wish to present to Nyota. I believe my mother's memory would be honored . . . and it feels right to me that she should have it. Nyota is my family now."

Jim was floored. He had never really given much thought to their relationship, it just sort of existed. But he understood now - Spock loved her. He loved her more deeply that Jim would have thought possible. She was everything to him, and he would do anything for her. He knew how much Spock revered his mother, and how it had affected him to watch her die before his very eyes. This was all he had left . . . and he wanted to give it to Uhura; because she meant that much to him.

Impulsively Jim stood up and threw an arm around his friend. Spock briefly stiffened, then relaxed, and moved to hug him back. He was unaccustomed to physical affection from human men, but Jim was his friend.

"Congratulations, Spock", he said. "Have you told anyone else?"

"You are the only one who is aware, currently", Spock answered.

"I'm honored, really. Jesus, we need to celebrate!"

"There is nothing to celebrate ye-"

"We're celebrating, that's an order!" Jim responded. "Meet me in the mess hall at 00:00 hours and -"

"Acting Captain Uhura to Captain Kirk", Uhura's voice blazed through the intercom.

"Ms. Uhura?"

"Please report to the bridge. We have a response from the Virosas."