Here is the next chapter! I don't think I can update as often anymore, because I have really big and important tests coming up. But I will try to update at least once or twice a week, hopefully more. Thanks so much for reading, I hope you enjoy it so far. A lot of development is happening in this chapter, especially with Stella. I mean it. I'm not just saying that.

I don't own Star Trek, I only own Stella, my OC.

When I woke up, the shiny white ceiling with bright lights told me I was in med bay. I felt my body vaguely, hooked up to several tubes that made me nauseous just to feel. In my dizzy haze, I was barely aware that my head ached, a throbbing that demanded to be felt. I groaned weakly before slipping back under, back into unconsciousness.

When I woke up for the second time, the nauseousness had subsided slightly and the ache in my head was almost gone. The pristine glassy whiteness of the med bay glared into my eyes, uncomfortably straining them. I swallowed thickly, trying to dampen my parched throat.

"Morning, Sunshine."

I smiled despite the pain at the southern drawl, instantly relieved by Bone's voice.

Doctor McCoy stood next to the bio bed, typing on his PADD and checking the screen next to my bed. I eyed the metal splint on his finger. A minute passed before he spoke again.

"A concussion. Minor bruises. A particular nasty black and blue on your abdomen. That's the worst of it.", he read out from the monitor.

I could feel the ache in my stomach as soon as he mentioned it, so I closed my eyes and listened to the hum of the medical machinery. When I opened them again, Doctor McCoy had crossed the room.

"You can be discharged tomorrow, in case you were wondering."

I frowned. My bruises would not impede my ability to work, and the concussion would be old news by tonight. Sometimes I thought he wanted to keep me here just to torture me.

I sighed deeply before the realization dawned over me, eclipsing the dreadful fact that I couldn't get back to work sooner than he would let me.

I couldn't speak.

First was disappointment, then anger, and then more disappointment.

I could have been angry at Kirk, or Parmen, or my sister or the world. But I wasn't. I felt frustration towards myself, for being so trusting and sensitive and pathetic. I leaned my head back and held back the tears that threatened to appear in my eyes, pushing the lump in my throat down. I sighed quietly but deeply, trying to mold the feeling into a more tolerable one that I could deal with once my body had been physically repaired. But clearly that wasn't going to happen.

The tears would have fallen if Kirk didn't walk in at that moment, Spock trailing behind him briskly.

"Hey, there's my favorite lieutenant on the ship!" He said flirtatiously with a hint of glee. I felt my lips perk up, even though the cloudy sadness I was currently feeling.

"Good morning Lieutenant. It is good to see you are faring well." I looked at Spock and nodded. The cut above his lip was almost gone, and he had regained his perfect mien and put together self. His eyes were placid, brown pools without a ripple. Kirk answered my question that was hanging in my head.

"I bet your wondering what happened?" Kirk glanced at Bones, who was frowning.

"She just woke up Jim. Don't get her too riled up." The doctor warned.

Jim smiled and shrugged.

"I do have that effect on women.", he quipped.

Doctor McCoy scowled and I just shook my head. I wasn't interesting in Jim's womanizing side at the current moment. I wanted to know what had happened.

He paused and took a deep breath before talking, getting rid of his comical self and becoming more serious.

"When Spock had knocked me out, I fell and the ground hit my ear piece, which I had been using to communicate with the Enterprise. Scotty was unable to beam us back beforehand because in the building we were in. It seems telekinesis wasn't the only advancements they had. The underground palace had special properties, a shield, preventing anyone from being beamed in or out of it."

I nodded slowly, trying to take everything in. I didn't know Jim was wearing an earpiece- or that he had been communicating with Scotty. More questions erupted in my mind. What happened to Parmen? Sarila? How were we able to get back?

He continued.

"Well, as I said, when Spock got me on the ground, it damaged my earpiece but sent a distress signal to the Enterprise, something all communication devices are supposed to do if they get destroyed in battle. That way, anybody who's alone and in a situation, we can help them before they get hurt."

I could hear the last words that he probably wanted to say. Hurt, or worse, killed.

"Scotty was able to lock onto our signals. But as I said before, we couldn't just beam out. So he beamed people down, outside the entrance of the building we entered."

I absorbed the information and blinked slowly. So everyone was alright. And I was without a voice. But everybody else was alright. I let out a small sigh of relief, but still was racked with a heavy feeling. I swallowed before signing to Spock, still curious as to how we were able to escape. The tubes prevented me from being to flexible with my arms, but I managed.

What happened after that?

He explained this time.

"After several of our security officers ran into the room, it was chaotic. You had fallen unconscious, so I carried you until the original landing party was beamed up back to the ship. The second group of officers followed suit. There were no casualties."

I nodded before looking to Doctor McCoy and signing. Spock translated what I signed verbally.

"She wishes to be informed if she could be allowed to leave med bay sooner than you have permitted."

Doctor McCoy shook his head, and I inwardly scowled.

"She isn't going anywhere until that concussion of hers is taken care of. You'll be out in less than 24 hours."

I wanted to cross my arms but seeing as all the tubes in my arm prevented it, I settled for a pout instead. Jim smirked.

"Just can't wait to get back to work, can you?"

I shrugged, smiling slightly.

Yes, it was nice to have a short break, and rest up. But after everything that had happened, well, I wanted to throw myself into my work and never crawl out of it. Just research and fall into the familiar rhythm I was stuck in for the past few years.

"Please write this down for me Stella."

I began to scribble down letters and numbers as Spock read them aloud. The long string of code I assumed was a formula for a new plant soil took up the entire pad of paper as he listed them, letters and numbers alike tumbling off his tongue.

After another few minutes of working in relative silence, he put down his tools and looked at me. I glanced at the clock, narrowing my eyes. We still had another hour before it was time to pack up and be done. His eyes seemed more penetrating now than they had before.

"Stella, I must apologize for the recent events regarding the landing on Platonia. Seeing as I was not control of my body, I hope you can be more understanding of what has happened between us."

I stood still, shell shocked by what he had just said. I quickly brushed a stray tendril of hair out of my face before finally looking at his eyes. But as soon as they met his, small picture like memories came back.

His body pressed against mine.

Dirt smudging his lower cheek.

His lips centimeters from my own.

His dark eyes so deep and lost in thought that I felt I would drown looking into them.

I could feel myself flush and immediately shoved the thoughts away, burying them below the current situation. It was a day I didn't like to think about, even as so recent.

I shook my head quickly, as Spock looked on with vague curiosity and amusement. I wanted to speak, tell him not to be sorry, and that it wasn't his fault. All the aggravation, the sadness, the regret that I had been feeling for a long time came rushing through me, an overwhelming sensation that pulsed through my body. I didn't know what triggered the onslaught of emotions that was like a balloon popping but it happened. All the hate that was directed at myself was projected tenfold, and I had the desire, the urge to speak again. The need say things and laugh and sing.

The need to talk.

He kept his eyes on me as my mouth opened, then closed, and then resumed to open again. I tried to forced words out.

My lips moved as if into a silent letter that would refuse to be spoken. Then he seemed to finally realize, his eyes widening a bit.

My eye brows lowered in frustration, my eyes blinking slowly with sudden exhaustion but I forced them open with determination.

"S..."

I froze as the sound slipped off my tongue, trying to form what I wanted to say. It was so hard, just to get one damn word off my tongue. But a bit of happiness and excitement began to churn in my stomach, tiny butterflies fluttering around in my gut.

Spock looked on, his eye brows furrowed. He couldn't help me, but what was he supposed to do? But I didn't want his help anyway, so I licked my lips and blinked hard for a moment.

I swallowed and tried again, my hair messily surrounding my face as I continued to form the word.

"Sp...sp..." I wanted to growl at how difficult this was, even though it was an everyday task for most people. Spock's eyes widened a fraction, telling me he was surprised, for a Vulcan at least. The butterflies were morphing into birds.

I continued to wrestle with the first sound, reaching up to my throat to feel the vibrations with my hand.

Suddenly, surprising me greatly, he reached and grabbed my clothed wrist, careful not to touch skin to skin.

My own eyes widened in surprise as he led my glove-covered hand to his own throat, and spoke his name.

"Spock.", he said firmly, so I could feel the vibrations it made when he said it. I shut my eyes and focused on my voice, not the man in front of me. I felt his strong throat under my fingers, the vibrations he made when he said his name. The only thing separating me from his skin was the thin glove I wore.

"Sp...spo..." I squeezed my eyes again before he repeated his name again articulately, raising an eyebrow when I had almost sounded his name.

"Spo...Spock."

My eyes fluttered open in surprise as he released my wrist and I smiled widely.

"Spock, Spock, Spock!" I said his name excitedly, not caring if it was his name or if he was irritated by the rising volume of my voice.

My voice.

I bounced on my toes, practically jumping. He stared on, mildly amused but mostly surprised. I had finally gotten my voice back. No more signing! No more nodding! I had found my voice! I kept repeating the words in my head, over and over, as if to reaffirm it was really happening.

Once I had calmed down ever so slightly (but it wasn't really much, I was still radiating off giddiness), I turned to Spock, still hopping slightly. I shut my eyes again as he cocked his head. I gathered up all the confidence I thought I had in me, and took a deep breath.

"T...thank...y-you." I stuttered slowly, and opened my eyes to meet his when I got the words out. Amusement was shining in his dark eyes, a smirk painting his lips ever so slightly.

"Your gratitude is unnecessary but appreciated. This is an important accomplishment for you."

I heard the slight hint of happiness in his voice, for me. He was glad I had found what I most wanted, or so it seemed. That, or he was just showing an uncharacteristic amount of emotion for the day. I turned away from him, glancing around the room.

Tears pricked my eyes as I began to walk around the lab, trying to name the tools and specimens and about everything else my eyes landed upon. He watched me carefully as I would sometimes pronounce the words incorrectly but smile anyway. I was talking, and frankly I didn't give a damn if I was stuttering or saying words wrong. I could be muttering gibberish for all who cared.

"Seeing as this is an important discovery, I see it fit for me to provide speech lessons for you, along with our normal lab sessions."

I turned to him. Speech lessons? Just for me? I blinked in surprise.

"R-really?" I slowly whispered, not really sure he had heard, but he nodded.

"Of course. I am your mentor, and it is only logical for me to teach you as much as possible."

I smiled brightly, clasping my hands together gleefully as I skipped to him and wrapped my arms around him, not caring if he was uncomfortable. My head only reached his upper chest, my arms stretching around his long torso as my head rested against him, His warmth was pleasant, and it only made my happiness spread through out my body and make my head buzz like I was drunk. I was expressing my gratitude, and he seemed to only falter for a few seconds before returning the embrace slowly, one head landing on my upper back and the other a bit lower. He didn't pull me in close but he didn't push me away either. He simply held me as I held him, and his breath brushed against the top of my head as I smiled into his body. It was awkward from his half, but I didn't mind.

I had my voice back.

You can practically feel the fluff, but don't worry, more action awaits!

Stella has finally gotten her voice back, so the issue of her sister and her missing voice will soon be a thing of the past. I hope you like the developments so far. Please tell me if anyone (especially Spock) seems out of character. I promise Spock won't immediately fall in love with Stella but he is starting to develop feelings for more than just a colleague or senior officer.

So no one our except for two people have reviewed my story. As a new writer, and someone who wants to pursue it as a career, I would love to read your reviews or comments. Any suggestions could also be messaged to me.

Please review and rate! Thanks for reading!