I don't have any more chapters laid out, so expect updates to be slower. Reviews or private messages would be super helpful right now, thanks! Enjoy the chapter, even though it's much shorter than usual.

I don't own Star Trek.

Days passed by with no communication with Spock. Weeks passed, and I could finally feel the hurt vanish, the childish feelings disappearing without a trace, and I could finally go to work and not feel hurt or anticipation that he would drop by. I came to the conclusion several times that I was childish and ridiculous and unprofessional; however I soon had a wake up call that truly pulled me up. I didn't need Spock; I had enough to deal with between work and my sister so he was an unnecessary pain.

An unfortunate side effect of trying to purge him from my thoughts was also the feeling of uneasiness. He had been there when I got my voice back and he had taught me how to use it. Severing our relationship, romantic or not, felt like I would be letting go of my sister, although the connection between both of them was just my voice. I was able to ignore those thoughts more than my emotions towards Spock, which did put me at ease for a little bit.

Despite my edgy mind, I did feel good enough to attend the ship's bar night which Nyota had invited me to. She claimed it was time for me to get out and go to one, and decided to not so discretely mention there was an extremely good looking and intelligent engineering officer that would be just my type. Figuring I couldn't turn down such a tempting offer,(I use that term loosely seeing as I had never met the man) I said yes. After all, it was time for me to get out and experience another one of the occasions, especially because this one was celebrating the Captain's birthday.

The occasion was semi-formal, which meant I could get away with not wearing fancy dress. It's not that I would mind wearing one, but it just so happened to be that I lacked one in my meager closet. I had three sets of the same uniform, one spare lab coat, an unused jacket meant for landing parties on hostile planets, and an outfit that I could hopefully pass of for semi-formal. It was a dark red shirt and a matching black skirt that flowed down to knee length. It was modest enough for me, seeing as it was longer that my uniform dress, but it was slit up inches on the side which would no doubt expose part of my thigh.

I checked my options. Nyota was far too tall and much thinner than I for me to borrow a pair of pants from her. Christine and Gaila were curvier, the exact opposite of my less striking body figure. My next option was to borrow another outfit from Lieutenant Aster, for we had spoken on some occasions and was more similar to my shape. But I knew all these ideas were fruitless. The Lieutenant had never shown her face at any of the ship parties or events, giving me the idea she might have also lacked the appropriate attire. I ran out of ideas.

I settled for the red blouse and black skirt, figuring that the worst that could go wrong was a crude, light hearted joke from a semi-sober Captain. I could also count on the fact that Gaila would be wearing an even more eccentric outfit and eclipse mine, just as I would like. I twisted my hair into a high bun and secured it with a number of pins carefully. I was out the door, the clock on my bed stand notifying me that the party began in a few minutes.

The ship's mess hall had been transformed, from its normal metallic color to a glittering menagerie of purple and blue lights. Light music was playing, setting a nice tone for a quiet party. I knew the mood would soon shift to a more upbeat atmosphere so I enjoyed the peace while it lasted.

Nyota arrived minutes after I had, taking a seat next to me at an empty table. She looked stunning, in every sense of the word. Her hair was long and loose, silky strands of ebony flowing down her tall back. She wore a pair of jeans and a white blouse, exposing her arms and collar bone area. I didn't need Gaila for me to hide behind; Nyota did the job just fine.

Kirk arrived soon after, dressed in a flattering gray shirt and black pants. I was slightly surprised by how handsome he looked- he cleaned up nicely- and I spent a good thirty minutes avoiding him because of that. He had been going around and swirling female crew members off their feet with the devilish charm he seemed to naturally possess. The music was the perfect melody for dancing, so saying the song wasn't appropriate for dancing would not be a good excuse. However he had yet to ask me and I decided not to worry about him stealing me to the dance floor. My worries soon disappeared when Spock arrived. It was replaced with nervousness.

Similar to the Captain, he was wearing black pants and a plain, dark blue shirt. His dark hair was the same, along with the expression he wore. However the outfit shift caused a drastic change; he seemed more striking, even more so without the uniform on. I was happy Nyota was next to me.

"Stella, you alright?" she said, a smile on her face but I knew she was a bit concerned. She didn't want me to end up like her; rejected and heartbroken because he lacked the same feelings he had for her. I had finally experienced what she felt. The only difference is that at one point in time, Spock did love Nyota, and they had been in a relationship. Mine was just nonconsensual affection.

I nodded and turned to look at her.

"I'm fine. Just worried that the Captain with want to dance with us." I smiled sheepishly, not lying completely. Nyota laughed and we spent thirty minutes of the party laughing and talking, the amusement growing as we were joined by Christine and some other crew members. Gossip also ensued; Ensign Mina had plenty to talk about the new transmission officer she was supposed to train. Apparently he was muscular and handsome beyond belief and she had a few suspicions he was going to ask her to dance with him tonight.

Doctor Marcus had also joined us, asking me to call her Carol when I repeatedly called her Doctor. I didn't know her that well however we got along nicely. She was extremely intelligent and confident, similar to Nyota. She was clever as well, with a sharp tongue that she told us got her into heated discussions with the Captain. Both of their cunning personalities clashed against each other, but she added they were mostly good natured. I couldn't imagine the Captain ever holding a grudge and as the night went on, Carol seemed too mature to hold one as well.

"Stella, would you like to grace me with your presence on the dance floor?" I heard Kirk's voice and I turned to face him. Christine and Carol had gone off the get drinks, and Ensign Mina's thoughts were confirmed when a tall, light haired man came by and offered to bring her a drink. That was followed by her going with him to dance and disappearing on the slightly crowded dance floor.

Nyota watched, slightly amused as I smiled somewhat forcefully. I couldn't flat out refuse to dance with him, nor could I make up an excuse, try as I might. It was rude and as I pondered the offer, dancing with the Captain might not be as bad as I made it out to be. I stood up and took his out stretched hand. He smiled.

"For a moment there I thought you might refuse to dance." He led me onto the floor and placed a hand on my lower back and pulled me close. I wasn't uncomfortable, like I thought it would be, however it was only the beginning of the song.

"I would never, I can't imagine how any woman could resist the birthday boy." I said, and he chuckled.

"I am quite irresistible, aren't I?"

The music was nice, a slow, sensual pace that made it easier for me to dance with him. A faster pace would lead to much tripping and clumsiness on my part. I felt his hand drift downwards every few minutes but I didn't say anything about it. He held me close to him, and I felt the warmth of his body against my chest. It felt odd, being in his arms but it felt pleasantly nice as well.

I also noticed that, as we continued to dance, he looked away from me and around the room, as if he were looking for someone else. I ignored it, assuming he was just looking for his next female victim to dance with.

"So how's work going?" He was trying to engage in conversation again.

"It's going well. Nothing new but something is always interesting."

He nodded, his eyes glancing up once again and then flickering back down to my own. His blue gaze was intensely staring at my own.

"Good to hear. How are you doing now that Spock isn't continuing with your sessions?"

He must have felt me tense up, for his hand tightened on my waist firmly. I didn't want to pull away but I didn't want to push myself against him in order to escape his grip. I dealt with it and managed to speak.

"I'm doing fine, Captain, thank you for asking."

"Call me Jim."

I wondered how long the song was going to last.

"Thank you, Jim. I would ask the same for Commander Spock but I have a pretty good idea that he is doing just fine."

His eyes flickered up again, and I felt a bit of annoyance flare up. He looked back down, smiling unnaturally widely. His hand drifted lower again, and my jaw clenched. This was not characteristic for him, however the enigma that he was made me believe it was normal behavior. After a few moments, he leaned down to my ear, his lips almost touching my ear.

"You look beautiful, Stella. The skirt suits you."

I froze and my heart beat sped up. Jim pulled away from me and glanced up again. Seconds passed by and I stared at him. The initial shock was still present from the closeness of his mouth.

"Jim, would you mind telling me what's so important that your eyes need to be on it?"

Jim smirked down at me, leaning in again.

"Not it. Him."

I didn't understand at first. I was confused, and I'm sure it showed on my face quite obviously.

Then I understood. I glared at Jim as we swayed in time with the music.

"Jim, please tell me you're joking, Jim-"

My voice was rising.

"Stella, relax, just dance." He said, amusement in his voice. "He seems tense right now. You should see his face."

I didn't want to see his face, nor did I want him to see me. Embarrassment spread through me quickly, and I desperately wanted Jim to let me go so I could leave this silly party. But he held me snug against him in his arms.

"Jim, is that the only reason you're dancing with me?" I was still confused. He shook his head.

"No, this is a wonderful birthday present. You do look stunning tonight. Honestly." He reassured me and I smiled slightly.

"Thank you, Jim, but I also hope there wasn't an ulterior motive that regarded the Commander, was there?" I asked skeptically. He smirked, his mouth ghosting my ears and my fear rising. I could only pray Jim was pulling a prank on me.

"Of course not." His lips left my face and the warmth of his arm disappeared from my lower waist. The song ended and I was left to my own devices as Jim was taken into the arms of another woman, flashing me a smile before he merged into the crowd. I walked to an empty table and sat, my mind buzzing and my ears still feeling Jim's mouth so near to them.

I couldn't imagine Spock being jealous. I knew he probably wasn't and Jim was just trying an elaborate setup that would ultimately fail due to Spock's infallible emotionless wall.

I hadn't made eye contact with Spock the entire night, and I prayed to keep it that way. I was still confused, from dancing with Jim and the assumption that Spock had been watching, to the fact that Spock had seemed to vanish. I was surprised to feel disappointment. Did I want Spock jealous? Did I want him watching the Captain and I dance?

At this moment in time, I realized how hard it really was for the Commander. Just like I had trouble understanding my own emotions, I could only imagine how much worse it was for him. He didn't want to feel, but yet he did, at least if what Jim said was true. I was unable to comprehend the fact that Spock wasn't human, at least not completely. He couldn't control or convey his emotions the way he wanted to.

I left before the party ended, giving one last birthday wish to the Captain and saying good night to Carol and Nyota. I used the excuse of having a headache and hoping to rid myself of it with rest. They thankfully understood and I made a quick exit, heading for my quarters and my welcoming bed.

Although I never saw them that night, a pair of dark brown eyes was the last thing I saw before I fell asleep

Like I said, it was short, almost half of what I usually write. I just won't be able to update as quickly any more. Sorry. I really hoped you enjoyed this part because it was a lot of fun writing it!

Please review, follow, you know the rest! Thanks!