So here is the next chapter! Expect weekly updates but probably no more than once or twice a week. I have a few more chapters planned, and soon I will have more time to write more and finish up the story and start some new fics! Please review, I can't tell you how much I spazz out when someone reviews, follows, or favorites my story! It's a great self-esteem booster and it makes me want to write more, haha don't kill me for saying that. Please enjoy this chapter, and don't kill me for it because it was really hard to make this one detailed. It's obviously shorter than my past chapters and I will try to keep them longer. Enjoy!
"Microscope."
"Microscope."
"Cellular."
"Cellular."
"Frequency."
"Fre...frequency."
Spock nodded and I smiled brightly. Our past two weeks had been full of wonderful achievements, in my opinion. Aside from our regular lab time, we spent an additional hour doing speech therapy. I saw Spock look on as if amused, as I continued to smile happily.
"I believe our sessions have made quite an impact on your speech, Stella."
Since I had first found my voice again, I immediately ran to Uhura's quarters after saying goodbye to Spock. I excitedly rang the bell in a hyperactive manner, and she answered the door, frightened.
"What's wrong? Stella, what happened?"
I had smiled widely before speaking.
"Nothing, Nyota. Nothing at all!"
The look on her face was priceless. She had been frozen before enveloping me in a tight hug, giving me only a few spare moments to see the bright smiled that adorned her gorgeous features.
"You...just talked!" She said excitedly, and I saw some crew members turn towards us and stare in the corner of my eye, surprised by the scene.
"Yes!" I replied, still buzzing from what was going on. It was a lot to take in, and I was still questioning what had happened, even as I jogged to see Sulu while he ate in the mess during his break. He was casually eating, not noticing I was there until I took the vacant seat next to him.
"Hey Stella. What's up?" He asked nonchalantly as he took a sip of his tea, "Why so excited?"
I was bouncing in my seat, even as I spoke.
"Thank you for the flowers."
He nearly dropped his fork before he smiled even wider than I had.
"Stella!" He said gleefully as I wrung my hands in excitement, "this is great! What...how?" He asked, and I stopped buzzing. Then I began to actually think about what had occurred back at the lab.
How had I gotten my voice back? I had just been in the lab with Spock, studying the specimens as we always had before, when he began to apologize. I had felt the need; the urge to stop him from saying sorry. But how was that possible? I had felt the wanting before, but I had never actually talked before. No ideas popped into my head as I thought, and I was left puzzled.
I had interrupted Spock and surprised myself in the process, but why? How? It hurt my brain just to think about the bewildering paradox of questions and silly theories to pair with them.
I broke from my thoughts of that morning and looked at Spock.
"And it's all thanks to you, Spock."
I stood up and shrugged off my lab coat, and he followed suit.
"Your gratitude is unnecessary, however appreciated." He said coolly, glancing down at me as we hung out coats up.
Man, he really was more intimidating, seeing as he seemed about a foot taller than I.
I was about to pull off my goggles when my stomach growled.
My face tinged pink and I smiled sheepishly.
"I guess that's my cue to go eat dinner.", I wrung my hands as I quickly slid away from him and undid my goggles.
I began to pack up my lab supplies and cleaned off the last of our utensils.
"Perhaps you would let me join you, seeing as I have not eaten as well. We may discuss what we will be researching next regarding our specimen."
I paused. Was he asking me to eat dinner with him? I momentarily stopped what I was doing and looked at him.
"Of course, if you haven't eaten yet." I stuttered quietly, thanking whatever deity was out there that kept me from stuttering. He nodded curtly before going to his own lab station and shuffling his papers and packing up his tools.
When we had both finished, we headed to the mess. The walk was silent besides the clacking of our shoes on the metallic floor echoing off the ships interior walls. The halls were practically empty besides a few crew members idly heading off to bed, seeing as it was getting late into the evening.
The mess hall was just as empty and quiet, and by the time I had replicated an apple and a cup of tea (yes, by voice, for the first time!) the whole cafeteria was vacant apart from Spock and I.
I took a seat across from him and saw he had gotten soup, a dark looking liquid with steam floating off of it. It smelt lovely, but the aromatic scent it produced was nothing familiar to my nose. My best guess was that it was a Vulcan meal, one he had replicated for the sake of his vegan appetite. I took a bite of my apple, savoring the sweetness of the white flesh and the bitterness of the dark red exterior. After eating in silence for a minute or two, he spoke up.
"You are aware of the developments in our research, correct?"
I nodded slowly.
Where was he going with a conversation starter like that? The plant from Platonia we had been studying in depth had been showing startling reactions, different from any native terran plant.
"It seems our first hypotheses that the plant would react similarly to a terran plant was incorrect. When exposed to certain radioactive chemicals, the plant does not wither or die, like it was expected to.", he explained, and I nodded. I already knew this, though. We had both been taken back by the surprising reactions the plant had. It didn't die- it blossomed, flourished with the elements it had been exposed to. Lethal elements.
He eyed my critically before continuing.
"With this new discovery, I find it necessary to inform you of the toxic releases that the flowering plant can excrete."
I blinked apprehensively. I was not aware it released a toxic gas; he must have made the discovery on his own.
"When did you find that out?" I asked slowly, wanting an answer.
"While you were resting previously. When I discovered the poison I did not wish to cause you panic while you were recuperating."
He said one eye brow quirked up half a centimeter. I sighed.
"You didn't have to do that. I'm tougher than I look you know."
I smiled and took another bite of my apple. His mouth didn't move but his eyes seemed to smile for him.
"Regardless, the poison probably will not have any fatal effects. However, it may hormonal or chemical imbalance to the body, very similar to the Andorian cactus toxin you were exposed to." He added as I sipped my tea thoughtfully.
I was not in the mood for another bed ridden week in the dreaded med bay. There was nothing to do and Christine could only keep me entertained for sparse minutes during the day. I downed the rest of my tea and placed the metal cup down carefully.
"So how do we go about experimenting on it?" I asked, and he nodded as if he were expecting me to ask that.
"The chemical is skin borne, but it will not affect me as severely as it would you. Technically, it should not be able to harm a Vulcan at all." He gave me a moment to piece together what he meant. His half human heritage left him vulnerable to a sickness that his chosen race protected him from. He continued.
"Presently, I do not have any solution apart from wearing protective gloves and being careful to no gets exposed to the poison." He said.
I took bite of the apple and nodded.
"I will try to be more cautious of it."
Seeing as we were both done without meals, I stood up. He followed suit, rising to his full height inches above me.
"It is getting late. We should return to our quarters." He stated simply.
"Yes, I supposed we should."
I threw out my cup and half eaten apple before making my way to the door.
"May I escort you to your room, seeing as it is in the same corridor as my own?" I heard Spock say, and I froze.
Escort me. Back to my room? At this late hour? He was probably tired, and I didn't want to be a nuisance. I did enjoy his company though, probably more than I should as his junior colleague. But he had a calming affect on the lab we worked in, and always managed to soothe any frayed nerves I had. Despite my drowsiness from the days events, I chose the more appropriate decision that hovered in the back of my mind.
"Spock, it's not necessary, it's really late." I said quickly, wanted to dash to the door before changing my mind and agreeing to let him walk me to my quarters. I managed to stay in place however, by the sheer dignity I had and not wanting to cripple it by sprinting away from a commanding officer.
He raised an eyebrow at my quick response.
"It is not a hindrance. As I said, your quarters are in the same corridor as my own."
I nodded slowly, giving in and reassuring myself it was rude and fruitless to argue with him.
The hall way was filled with the tapping of our shoes on the floor and my soft breathing that wasn't audible but was still apparent to me in the silent hall. The corridor was practically empty, probably because it was so late. We walked silently until we reached my door.
I stopped and turn on my heel to face him.
"Thank you Spock. Good night."
I was about to turn around and punch the code in for my door when he frowned. Well, it was just a small downward tug at his lips, but still. I cocked my head.
"Are you alright Spock?"
I suddenly felt squirmish under his analyzing gaze. His brown eyes seemed even more penetrating and his tall frame seemed to overshadow my own more than usual.
My breath hitched in my throat as his hand reached up and went for my forehead. I felt his long fingers streak above my eyebrows, sweeping a few tendrils of hair that escaped my bun behind my ear. I swallowed thickly.
"Commander..." I mumbled slowly, and his fazed eyes snapped back to attention. It seemed to remind him of his rank and my own. And how awkward the situation was as well as unprofessional.
What the hell?
He pulled his hand back quickly before standing up slightly straighter and shuffling back.
"I should be returning to my quarters. Good night Stella." He said rather curtly. I nodded slowly and watched as he walked down the hallway swiftly. I was left stunned as I entered the door code and collapsed onto my bed, lulled to sleep by the buzzing of the ship.
Spock walked quickly down the ship's halls, his thoughts racing.
Why had he done that? The urge, to reach up and shift a dark strand of brown hair back into place in her normally tight bun had seemed so important and necessary at that moment, but even he would not show such unprofessional-ism for an urge. He had never felt such thing, to want to fix something on someone else, even in such a minute way. Whether it be a wrinkled uniform or an untied shoe lace; never the need to fix a strand of hair that had escaped it's designated spot.
His mind was still warmed with confused thoughts, even as he prepared for his evening meditation. He hadn't crossed any boundaries or lines. But it was clear she was uncomfortable with him being so near to her. He noticed it, the way she seemed to shrink under his gaze or when she shuffled nervously when he was too close. His towering stature and calculating eyes tended to do that to lower ranking crew members, whether or not he meant to have the effect on people. It was just the way he looked, the atmosphere he brought to the room when he walked through the door. But why did it bother him that she saw him that way?
He closed his eyes calmly, falling into meditation as he calmed his windy thoughts. He tried to push the thoughts of confusion and anxiousness away, replacing them with waves of control and serenity that would keep his thoughts from straying into unmarked territory.
And speaking of unmarked territory, I will try and stay away from to much fluff that makes the story sappy and unreadable. I will be adding more action soon, but I thought this but of romance would be nice for everyone reading, seeing as it's February! Spock's not about to fall head over heels for Stella bad the feelings are emerging... and so is the action, muahahaha. Thanks for reading, and I will hopefully update by next week!