Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you to everyone who reviewed.

A/N: I am very sorry for the long delay, but I hope I can make it up to you with a chapter that is twice my usual length. Please enjoy.

A/N 2: I decided to change a few things at the end of the chapter. Just a minor detail switched around. Hope you like.

I didn't see much more of Sam or Senator Barlow as Soval made his rounds. I didn't dare leave his side; the only person I knew here besides Sam was Senator McCabe, and I wasn't really in the mood to try out for new friends. Besides, from the look of it, most everyone thought I didn't belong in this room.

It was nearly midnight before Soval broke away from the crowd and made his farewells, and just like when we came in, he offered me his arm and escorted me from the hall.

Our ride home was quiet for a while, but he was the first to break the silence and drag me back from trying to go to sleep.

"Did you...date any other men before you came to the Consulate?"

"I did." I straightened my posture and rolled my shoulders, willing myself awake. He glanced over at me, raising his eyebrows at my sleep-bleary eyes.

"Forgive me, I did not realize you were attempting to sleep. Go ahead and rest, Genevieve, I will wake you when we reach the Consulate."

"I dated three guys before we met," I murmured, settling back down. "One in freshman year, one six months later, then the last in senior year. Each time, they were the ones to break it off." I closed my eyes, leaning my head against the window.

Even though I couldn't see him, I felt his eyes on me. "Are they partially responsible for your belief that you are not beautiful?"

I sighed. "Maybe...I know I'm ok to look at, but when a woman acknowledges her own beauty, everyone freaks out and calls her vain. I know I'm not ugly, but I'll deny that fact until society gets its head out of its...well, until society changes."

"I see," he said, his tone pensive. "Your previous...lovers...did they tell you their reasoning for discontinuing the relationship?"

I opened one eye. "The word you're looking for is boyfriend, not lover, ambassador." I sighed again. "The first said our beliefs were too different to reconcile. The next wanted to focus on his career and didn't have time for me. And the last just wasn't feeling it after six months."

We rode in silence as he processed this information. "Go to sleep, Genevieve," he said gently after about five minutes. "Thank you for telling me this. As with your account of Sam, I believe this adds to my understanding of you."

"Anytime," I murmured, turning towards the window. I dozed, falling into a light dream-state; a part of me knew I was still in the aircar, but the other half slipped into a dream.

I had the sudden sensation of dancing high above the floor of the Gala hall, in Sam's arms, and he smirked at me. "He'll never love you," he whispered, pointing down below. Soval was saying his goodbyes again, but I was up here, and he was apparently going home without me. I called his name, but he didn't answer, hurrying out the door, and Sam swept me up in his arms. He floated up to the ceiling, in which there was now an open skylight instead of chandeliers. I started to cry and tried to get out of Sam's arms and back to the floor...

A voice speaking softly in a tongue I couldn't process made me wake, and I opened my eyes in time to see the light above me dim. I was not in Sam's embrace back at the Gala. Soval was carrying me, and we were in the turbolift, heading up to our rooms.

"I know I said I would wake you when we reached the Consulate, but you looked too peaceful to disturb. I could not bring myself to wake you."

I sleepily nuzzled into his chest, stretching a bit. He held me tighter at that, and I smiled into his robes.

"Thank you," I mumbled, half-hidden in his outer robe. It smelled strongly of him, and I vastly preferred being in his arms to stumbling up to the fifth floor on my own. I closed my eyes and stayed still, hoping he wouldn't make me walk the rest of the way. He kept me where I was, and I almost felt content and warm enough to go back to sleep.

Unfortunately for me, it didn't last. I felt myself lowered onto a soft surface and him shaking me awake, and I reluctantly opened my eyes.

"Thanks for the free ride," I said, forcing myself into a sitting position; he had set me on the couch. I rubbed my bleary eyes and stretched my arms above my head. "What time is it?"

"1230," he replied, shuffling off his outer robe with a smirk. I tried not to gawk, hiding my curious eyes with a yawn. "Shall I carry you all the way to your bed, Genevieve?"

"No." I stifled another yawn. "Before I forget, could you help me out of this jewelry?"

I held out my hand for him to take so I could stand, and he firmly grasped my wrist and hauled me to my feet. I swayed a bit from sleepiness, but he steadied me with his heavy hands on my shoulders. I turned around and held up my hair out of his way, and even though I was falling asleep where I stood, I couldn't help but notice how his warm fingers brushed my skin as he undid the clasp.

"Thank you for letting me borrow that," I said quickly, trying to gloss over my nervousness. "Thank for everything. You were great tonight."

I busied myself with taking off the bracelet he had loaned me; I couldn't think of much else to say, but he broke the silence once I handed over the jewels.

"These belonged to my grandmother," he said, tracing the silver clasp on the bracelet. "My grandfather gave them to her on the day they were married." He looked up at me, his brown eyes dark with an unreadable expression. "And then when my father came of age and married my mother, he gave these to her."

I swallowed thickly. "I'm honored you let me wear them."

"They were made all the more radiant because you wore them well," he said gently. I blushed and looked at my shoes, but he didn't say anything further on the matter. I bid him goodnight and quickly changed out of my robes when I was alone again. I hung them carefully from the laundry basket in the corner; if he wanted these back too, they had best be washed. Finally, I threw myself into my bed, too tired to even let down my hair, my sleep that night was dreamless.

…

The street was bustling with activity as I slipped into the bookstore I usually frequented this time of year. Silence permeated the shop, the smell of old pages and dust perfuming the air. I wandered slowly through the aisles, perusing each section, and I eventually settled on a historical fiction for Mom and a beginner's cookbook for Dad. Max's gift was already on order and would arrive tomorrow and Oliver's gift was wrapped and waiting under my tree. As for Emily, I could never really find a great gift for her, though she at least pretended to like what I gave her. I searched a while longer and found myself back in the fiction section. Finally, I decided a light mystery with the heroine sharing Emily's field of expertise would be best, so I snatched it up. Then I turned my attention to the more difficult shoppers on my list.

I had already picked up a "winter preparedness" kit for Timok, Sorak and Tos (a blanket, emergency candles and small heat pads), but I felt books would complete the spirit of my gift. As for Soval, I was still a bit flummoxed, but I at least had something of a plan for his present.

I glanced over the section, and a small shelf labeled "Beloved Children's Classics" caught my eye. I rifled through the volumes, pondering fairy tales, high fantasy, magical wizarding worlds and deep space adventures before settling on three classics I felt would encompass not only the genre, but also the human experience.

On the way to the counter, a display caught my eye; several volumes of Colloquial Phrases for Travelers, Foreigners and the Everyman by Glenn Smith were stocked five high, and unlike most of the books in this store, these were so new the covers still gleamed. After a quick calculation, I decided I could afford two volumes, but I only picked up one. Out of everyone on my list, only one person stood out as someone who could really use and appreciate it.

"These just came in last week," the woman at the register said, scanning the Phrases book. "Is this a gift?"

"Yes," I replied, handing her the other books. "These are too."

I walked out smiling, quickly loading my goods into the cargo hold behind my seat. I had requested that each of the gifts for Tos, Sorak and Timok be pre-wrapped, but with Soval's gift, I would take extra care and wrap his again in better paper.

When I arrived back at the Consulate, I didn't expect to see Soval in our rooms. Usually he worked for another hour or so, but there he was, his head down on the table, his chest steadily rising and falling. I crept up to him, trying to be quiet so I wouldn't disturb him, and I noted several PADDs scattered around him; all of them displayed Vulcan script, so it wasn't like I could read them anyway.

In any case, I'd never seen him sleep during the day, and I recalled him telling me that Vulcans required less sleep than humans, so this was odd. As I took a closer look at him, the paleness of his skin caught my eye, and the lines on his face stood starkly against his almost sickly visage.

"Ambassador?" I whispered, lightly touching his shoulder. He stirred, making a quiet noise that sounded like protest, but I tightened my grip and whispered his name again. My instincts told me something was off, so better safe than sorry.

On my second attempt to rouse him, he opened his eyes, staring blankly at the table for a moment before suddenly sitting up, his eyes wide with surprise.

"Genevieve," he murmured, shaking his head up at me before staring in confusion at the PADDs all about him. "Was I sleeping?"

I nodded.

He closed his eyes, breathing deeply in and out. "Forgive me," he said softly. "I am not sure why I..." His voice faltered and he looked up at me, as if in desperation. "I should be working on dinner for you. Excuse me."

He made to get up, but I held him in place. "Are you ok, sweetheart?" I asked, my voice gentle, and I knelt before him. "You don't look so good."

"I am well, Genevieve, do not worry yourself." He paused. "A mild headache at most. I attempted a quick session of meditation to relieve it, but it appears I fell asleep instead." He slowly got to his feet (and I rose with him), but he could not hid a wince from me as he rolled his shoulders back. "Forgive this delay. I will prepare our evening meal now."

"There's nothing to forgive," I insisted, catching his shoulder as he made to move past me. "And there's no rush." My hand crept in closer to his neck, my thumb sweeping over his collarbone. "Are you certain you're ok?"

He nodded slowly, his eyes fixed on the work of my hand. "You called me sweetheart," he realized aloud, his voice no louder than a whisper. "That is an endearment, is it not?"

I flushed and pulled my hand away. "Force of habit," I muttered, and he raised his eyebrow at me, as if questioning my honesty. I couldn't bring myself to look at him, and he moved off to make dinner.

…

Soval continued to look a little out of sorts to me for the rest of the week, which Timok blamed on exhaustion. I didn't see what could have made him so tired, but maybe the High Command was pushing him too hard and, being stubborn, he hadn't taken the proper steps to counteract the extra stress.

"How are you feeling?" I asked him the morning after I had found him asleep, and he promptly reminded me that Vulcans did not have feelings.

"I know that," I said gently, stroking my hand down his back before pulling it away. "That wasn't what I was asking. How are you feeling physically? It's an inquiry into your health."

"I see," he replied. "Then, I am feeling better, thank you."

"That's all I wanted to know."

I showed him the gifts I had gotten for the other people on my list, and he approved them all. The space under the tree became crowded with brightly wrapped gifts from me and more sedately colored presents from the ambassador. We spent our evenings playing games beside the tree, and though he still whipped me every time, I thought the atmosphere created by the Christmas décor helped me.

The morning of the 24th dawned bright and clear, and chill with a slight wind coming in from the west. I woke to the smell of something sweet baking in the oven, and I dressed quickly in festive attire (complete with a Santa hat) and rushed out to see what Soval was up to.

He pulled a small, steaming pan out of the oven and set it on the stove to cool, and once he caught sight of me, he gestured me over.

"This is a Ra'alian sweetbread often eaten on Surak's Day. I thought it would be acceptable to make it this morning, since it is a holiday."

"It smells delicious," I murmured, leaning over it and taking a deep whiff of the spicy, sweet aroma. "I'm sure it tastes even better."

His gaze flicked up to my hat, and a smirk touched his lips. "That color is agreeable on you. Is it tradition to dress up as your Santa on this holiday?"

I shrugged. "It's all part of the Christmas spirit, I guess."

"I thought Santa Claus was an overweight old man with a long white beard."

"He is," I said with a nod. "But we would like to invoke his spirit today. Oliver said once that every one of us is Santa when we spread generosity this season."

Soval raised an eyebrow. "I appreciate the sentiment of that statement."

"I do too. I think it's really powerful." I paused and adjusted my hat. "And if you think about the entire mythos of Santa Claus, his ethic is something to aspire to. This being obviously has either the ability to teleport or, more likely, to slow or stop time. His yearly operation requires considerable manpower, so he essentially has an army at his disposal. And with this deadly combination, he chooses not to destroy humanity, but to give gifts to the good little children of the world. I think that says something about him, and about power and responsibility."

He was pensive for a minute as he digested this. "I had not thought about it that way," he said, and then he fixed me with a soft gaze. "You have obviously given this more thought than I, and your view of it is fascinating. Having a different perspective is so refreshing."

Genuinely surprised, I blushed and stared resolutely at the counter. He handed me a mug of tea and I sat down as the bread cooled on the stovetop. He sat beside me with his own cup and took a pensive sip.

"What are your plans for today, Genevieve?"

"Well," I said, then paused. "I want to deliver the gifts I got for Timok and Sorak and Tos, and I still need to wrap a few presents, and I need to figure out what I'm wearing tomorrow. Oh, and we need to decide if we're going to Senator McCabe's party."

"Do you wish to go?"

I sighed. "To be honest, not really. After everything at the Holiday Gala, I think I'm done with high society for a while."

"Very well then. I will tell Senator McCabe that we will not be attending."

"Thank you." He nodded, but I continued. "I'd much rather spend my time with you."

His eyes found mine, and in them was that familiar gleam that made me think he was smiling. And if I wasn't mistaken, the tips of his ears were a little more olive than usual.

"The bread has cooled enough by now," he said, slipping from his seat to fetch breakfast. I made to rise and help him, but he waved me off. "No, Genevieve, don't trouble yourself. Will two slices suffice for now?"

I nodded, and soon I had two steaming slices of bread in front of me, and he offered me an orange sauce to go over it. I accepted. He in turn poured a little over his bread, and dug in with a relish. I followed suit, and nearly moaned as the flavorful, rich sweets touched my tongue.

"I didn't think you could do it, but you've outdone yourself," I whispered, taking another bite and chewing slowly, savoring the differing textures and tastes. "This is so good."

The olive flush on his ears spread to his cheeks, and I smiled at him, taking an appreciative sip of my tea. I had grown used to the bitter blend Soval preferred, and for once, I didn't mind the taste. It went well with the bread, and I had a clean plate in less than five minutes. He immediately fetched me more, and I polished that off as well.

"I can't eat any more," I moaned as he offered me thirds. I leaned back in my chair, satisfied, almost sleepy. "Thank you for that, it was incredible."

"I am pleased you enjoyed that."

I smiled and focused on my tea, and I had to admit that he looked cute when he blushed.

Soval insisted on accompanying me to deliver gifts, and after such a rich breakfast, I wasn't in any sort of mood to argue. Tos, as always, looked disgruntled to even be bothered, but he thanked me stiffly for the gesture. Timok almost beamed when he opened his gift, which made me beam in return. Sorak seemed to be nervous, but thanked me profusely for thinking of him.

That evening, after I had finished all my errands, we sat beneath the Christmas tree, playing chess as a pot of stew simmered away on the stovetop. He had made another Ra'alian classic that night, something he had not prepared before, and I looked forward to trying it, now more than ever since he was thoroughly destroying me in our game. I only had my king, a bishop and two pawns left, while I had only managed to take one pawn and both of his rooks.

"Are you ready to concede defeat, Genevieve?" he murmured, watching me mull over my next move.

"No," I insisted, and sighed as I moved my bishop. "I'm obviously dead in the water, but I'm not going out without a fight."

He moved one of his knights, and smirked as I silently realized my predicament. "Check," he said softly, and I took out the knight with my bishop. But then he turned right around and took out my piece with his queen, leaving me vulnerable once again. I moved my king, he moved his queen, and the game was over.

"Checkmate," he said, tipping over my king, and I immediately set up the board for another round.

"After dinner, do you want to play again? And then maybe we can open presents? Unless you want to save that for tomorrow..."

"Tonight would be acceptable, and yes, I will play you again."

I grinned at him and clamored to my feet, careful not to step on the chess set as I headed for the table. He joined me a moment later with more of that tea, which I gladly accepted, and for a moment I couldn't think of anything to say. I was saved by the soup (he never needed timers for anything, as he kept time in his head and knew precisely when the soup would be done), and I followed him to the stove. Usually he insisted that I do no work in making food or serving it, and usually I decided not to protest. Tonight, however, it didn't feel right to just let him serve me like a servant. I pulled down two bowls from the cabinet and set them on the counter for him, and then found spoons in a drawer. He thanked me quietly and dished up a bowl of soup for me to take back to the table.

The soup was, as I expected, delicious, with several contrasting textures and flavors. I thought I tasted pak-tar in there somewhere, and maybe even plomeek, but I couldn't be sure. So I asked.

"Yes, both are in there," he said, taking a slow bite. "Do you like it?"

"It's incredible," I replied, smiling. "But not nearly as good as that bread this morning. I'm not sure you could outdo that."

He smirked. "You enjoy your sweets, that is certain. I will keep that in mind."

I flushed and took another bite of soup, trying to calm my pulse. Why did he have to lower his voice each time he teased me or said something even remotely suggestive?

"So...what are your plans for tomorrow?"

He glanced up at me, raising an eyebrow. "The day after tomorrow, I must give an update on the exchange. I will be finalizing my speech, but my staff will be given the day off. There is little point in working if your people are not working either, as we are caught up on all of our assignments and reports. Most establishments, as I understand it, will be closed this evening and tomorrow, and all government offices closed as well. You will be visiting your family, correct?"

I nodded. "Aren't you coming too?"

"I do not wish to intrude, Genevieve, and you should focus on spending time with your family, not on entertaining me."

I opened my mouth to protest, but he held up a hand. "Truly, I must work on this update, and there are a few other things I must attend to as well. It would be imprudent for me to visit your family when I have so much to do."

"But you'd be missing out on Christmas."

"I am not missing out on Christmas at all, Genevieve. Tonight, I am experiencing it fully for the first time."

I flushed red and looked down at my stew.

"You are disappointed?"

I sighed. "I was counting on your being there, but I understand if you have work to do. But, if you don't mind...save a little time for me in the evening, and maybe we could invite Sorak and Tos and Timok for dinner?" He raised an eyebrow, but when I started to backtrack, he stopped me.

"That is an agreeable plan, Genevieve. But are you sure it will not cut into your time with your family?"

"They'll understand. No one should be alone on Christmas Day."

His gaze softened, then he smirked. "If I agree to this plan, will you sing me some of your seasonal songs?"

"Just to you, or to Timok and Sorak and Tos?"

"The others would make you uncomfortable?"

I shrugged. "Timok and Sorak not so much, but Tos...I don't think I could sing for him. I'm not sure I'll sing all that great for you either, but...if that's what it takes to spend some time with you on Christmas Day..."

He shook his head. "You need not make bargains to spend time with me. I will invite Timok and Sorak to dinner tomorrow, and if you wish to, you may sing your holiday music for us."

"Deal," I replied, and the rest of dinner passed in contented silence.

We sat down in front of the tree once the dishes were done and the table cleaned. "Who should go first for presents?" I asked.

He gestured to the board as I made my opening move. "Whoever wins this game has the right to choose."

I agreed to those terms, and to no one's surprise, he won.

"Then, Genevieve, you may open your gifts first."

He slid three dark blue packages towards me, and I carefully took the wrappings off the first box, my heart pounding in anticipation. I gasped as I moved aside the tissue paper and pulled out the sapphire blue robes. They were the same material as the periwinkle robes he had loaned me for the Gala, but I discovered a matching jewelry set of bronze and lapis lazuli in the second box.

"Thank you," I breathed, setting them carefully back in their boxes. "They're beautiful!"

His eyes twinkled, and he seemed pleased.

I then turned my attention to the last box, and smiled broadly at the first thing I pulled out. "I suppose it's about time I read Surak's writings," I said. "Maybe he has something in here about how to beat you at chess and kal-toh."

"I doubt it," he teased back, his eyes still twinkling. "I am pleased you like it."

Underneath the book was hidden a few odds and ends that I had asked for; if I remembered everything on my list, he had given me all of it: the new PADD charger, the umbrella, and a file organization program for the system I used on my PADD.

"You got me all this and those robes and jewelry?" I asked, thumbing through the program's instruction manual.

"Yes, Genevieve," he said, and his voice deepened. "I wanted this Christmas to be pleasant for you."

I reached for his shoulder, and a tiny smile touched his lips as I gripped it. "Thank you." My voice cracked a little as I said it, and I cleared my throat. "Now it's your turn."

I pushed his presents towards him, and he picked up the box on the top of the stack, opening it carefully. He set aside the wrappings and stared thoughtfully at Colloquial Phrases for a good minute, perusing the first few pages with intense interest.

"You like it?" I asked hesitantly, but he nodded, looking almost eager, and he set the book down.

"That will be...what is the phrase...very handy?"

I smiled. "That's the ticket." When he frowned in confusion, I laughed. "Read your book!" I urged him, assuring him that my phrasing would be explained.

He opened the next package more quickly than the first, and he looked just as interested in these gifts as he had Colloquial Phrases. My excursion into the Beloved Children's Classics section had not been in vain, it seemed, as he pulled each tome from the box with care.

"These are fantasy novels, correct?" He held up Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien.

"Yes, but I still think you'll enjoy them," I said as he pulled Chronicles of Narnia and A Wrinkle in Time (by CS Lewis and Madeleine L'Engle respectively). "I've gone through mostly in Narnia and highlighted the best quotes about humanity. Lord of the Rings doesn't have nearly as much along that vein, but it's a classic and I love it and I'd like you to read it. A Wrinkle in Time is...controversial, but I thought you'd enjoy it anyway, and you can form your own opinion on it. It has aliens, so it's more science fantasy than pure fantasy, I guess. But anyway, all of these are classics from the 20th century and have awards and acclaim galore, so..."

He stared down at the volumes. "I appreciate your gift, Genevieve, and I will read them, on your recommendation."

"Each is a series, you realize. I don't expect you'll get through with them before, say, February at the earliest."

"You underestimate my reading ability."

I shook my head with a grin. "I didn't mean there was any rush. Enjoy these books. They're all very good, and I know you'll like them."

He nodded and put them back in the box, and then reached for the last package. He took item after item out of the box, until two board games, a deck of cards, a sudoku puzzle pack and a Rubik's cube lay on the floor. He picked up the cube and examined it, and he found the note I had attached to it.

"I challenge you to complete this in under one minute, then blindfolded, then behind your back?" he read aloud, and I grinned.

"I have to make it hard somehow," I protested. "Same with the sudoku puzzles. Look."

I had written a similar challenge on the booklet, and added a comment challenging him to use a permanent writing utensil such as a pen or a marker.

"I accept these challenges, Genevieve, but you will have to teach me to play these board games. I am somewhat familiar with War of Kings – your father has a copy in his office – but this other I have not played."

"It's easy," I said. "You'll get the hang of it in no time."

He nodded and packed away his gifts, then slid them aside. "I appreciate that you took the time to acquire these things for me, and I hope you enjoy my gifts to you. I will enjoy what you have given me, and think of you when I use them."

I smiled at him, flushing a bit under his gaze, and we took a moment to put away our presents; when I returned from my room, Soval had set up a game of cards. He handed me a very small glass of bright blue liquid, and I immediately recognized Vulcan port. He had a larger glass, and silently toasted me as I sat down.

"Did you calculate my drink correctly this time?" I teased. "I don't want to start Christmas Day with a hangover."

"I have recalculated it, yes. This should not cause you any harm."

"If it does, then what?"

"I am confident in my revised calculations," he protested. "If I am still wrong, then I give you permission to punish me accordingly."

I smirked at him and gestured for him to open the game, and he obeyed with an almost imperceptible smile.

…

Christmas Day was, in a nutshell, boring. It was very nice to see my relatives again, and our time together was pleasant, but somehow, the lack of the ambassador's presence made the day dull and tedious. Maybe I was just tired out from all the Christmas shopping I had put myself through, and was burned out on the holiday. Or else I was simply overwhelmed with the sheer number of people in my dad's house.

"How is the exchange, honey?" my Uncle Mike asked as I passed him the kitchen. "You keeping that Vulcan in line?"

"We get along all right," I replied sincerely. "He'd be here today, but he has a speech tomorrow and needs to work on it."

"Mm-hm," he murmured, and I noted he didn't meet my eye. "You'd think they'd have a bit more respect for the holiday, but whatever."

"It's not his holiday, and we're celebrating tonight with some of his staff," I said in protest. Uncle Mike didn't reply.

While most of the people gathered settled down for Christmas dinner, I said my farewells and slipped out the door. Traffic was lighter than usual, so I made it back to the Consulate in record time. Soval and Sorak were already preparing dinner, and Timok was busy tuning a harp-like instrument, which upon closer inspection turned out to be a lyre.

"Since you will be entertaining us with your traditional carols," he explained, "the ambassador thought he would return the favor with our traditional melodies. I am tuning his lyre for him."

"Then I'd better fetch my guitar."

Dinner was as delicious as I expected it to be, and Soval pulled out all the stops, preparing all my favorite dishes. Once we were all full and slightly sleepy, I sighed and took a deep swig from my water glass, then pulled up the music for the carols.

I tried not to look at anyone as I played the opening chords to God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, and as I sang the first verse, my eyes stayed on my PADD.

"God rest ye, merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay/ Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day/ to save us all from Satan's power when we were gone astray..."

My eyes drifted up to meet Soval's gaze, and the ambassador's expression looked soft in the dim light. I tore my eyes away and focused on the song.

"Now to the Lord sing praises, all you within this place/ and with true love and brotherhood each other now embrace..."

I chanced another glance up at the ambassador and found his gaze still fixed on me. Sorak stared down into his lap, nodding slightly in time to the music, and Timok's eyes were closed. I quickly ended the song and gestured for the ambassador to take a turn, but he and the others insisted on hearing more of me before playing the lyre.

We whittled away the night in this fashion, and I ended up playing almost twenty carols for them. I messed up several times, but my audience did not chastise or criticize my performance. The music Soval played for me sounded lovely and exotic and made me wish, if only for a second, that I could have gone to Vulcan and seen the loveliness and strangeness of that planet for myself. But my family was here, and my schooling was here, and Soval was here. Even so, I hoped that someday I could see my host's homeworld.

There wasn't much to do once our impromptu concert ended, but Timok at least agreed to stay for a cup of tea. Eventually, however, Soval and I were alone again, and the busyness of the day weighed down on me.

"Did you enjoy the music?" I asked, stifling a yawn. He put his lyre back into its protective case and nodded.

"You have a pleasant voice, Genevieve. Your music was most enjoyable. Thank you."

I smiled and patted him on the back. "Thank you for sharing your music with me. I had no idea you could play so well." I realized too late what I had said and backtracked, my face falling in embarrassment. "I mean, you've been playing for years, and I've never heard you..." I shook my head. "Nevermind, please don't mind me. I'm tired and it's making me stupid."

"I understand what you were trying to say," he said gently. "And yes, I have practiced for many years in the aim of becoming proficient."

"I think you've reached your goal."

He smirked. "You think too highly of me."

I breathed in deep to stifle another yawn, but he caught on to my exhaustion. "You should rest," he insisted, "and I do hope this Christmas was pleasant for you."

"It was." I patted his back again. "Merry Christmas, ambassador."

"When are you going to refer to me by name? Are we not on a first-name basis?"

"Fine," I said with a sleepy smile. "Merry Christmas, Soval. Sleep well."

He nodded and gently gripped my shoulder, and then he unplugged the tree and retreated to his room.

…

I didn't see Soval after breakfast that day, as he had too much work to complete before this speech (and apparently a short meeting with the High Command), so I lounged about our quarters for most of the day, flipping absentmindedly through the text he had given me for Christmas. The writing was very dull, the language complex and tedious at parts, but I forced myself to read it. I found explanation after explanation of Vulcan behavior in the first chapter alone, and I was starting to wonder why Soval hadn't just shoved this in my face the first day and saved us both a lot of grief. And I had questions about this material that would probably take several conversations to sort out, which I looked forward to. Learning about his culture and debating his belief system, all with the hope of understanding him better...surely he'd agree to it, and surely it would go well.

Around ten, Timok dropped by to invite me to his quarters to watch the speech when it came on, but I declined. I wanted to be alone this time so I could process the ambassador's words on my own without Timok giving me that look – the one that said he knew something I didn't, but wouldn't reveal the secret, the one that said he knew me better than I did.

Three o'clock rolled around, and I put aside my book and turned on the comm, flipping through the stations until I found the news channel; already they were preparing for his speech, giving a summary of all that our two species had accomplished in the last few months.

The channel then revealed the ambassador, on the steps of Starfleet Command to give his press conference. The decision to hold the event outdoors was made just this morning, as it was discovered that the wiring system in the press room was not working, and could not be fixed until the end of the day. The questions portion of his presentation would go on for much longer this time, as there was apparently much more to discuss. Plans were in motion to extend this exchange program, and perhaps to start asking for volunteers.

"Good afternoon," he began, addressing the camera and the small crowd. "Firstly, for those of you who celebrated the holiday, I hope that your Christmas was pleasant and peaceful. A belated Merry Christmas to you all."

There was some appreciative murmuring and scattered applause from the crowd.

"The first point I would like to address is the new penitentiary program, set up in mid-November, which is already in place and succeeding in its goal. My government offered to take one thousand non-violent prisoners out of your prison system to fill a small labor shortage in the construction and quarrying fields, in exchange for those prisoners receiving a lighter sentence. They arrived on Vulcan on the tenth of this month, and already, the areas in which they are working have seen in increase in their economies. These prisoners are paid a reduced but fair wage for their services – they are working in an environment not meant for humans – and since this program has been such a success, and since our initial exchange is going well, my government has discussed a new program, due to take place in February if all goes well."

He glanced up at the crowd for a moment, then looked back at his notes.

"In some of your cities, specifically in Chicago, Moscow, Baghdad and Quebec, there as been a marked increase in unemployment. We will extend our hand to those who wish to be employed on our planet, and registration offices will be opening in the new year. Volunteers for this program must pass a thorough background check and complete a personality profile, and have proof of at least three months unemployment here on Earth. Details will be finalized by the end of the year, and for those interested, the location and comm number for the Chicago office will be posted on the official Consulate page on January 1st."

He paused again to let the crowd process this, and after the murmuring died down, he continued.

"Secondly, our initial exchange program, with its resounding success, is due to be expanded by next summer. We will begin taking volunteers for this program as well, and the San Francisco office for the exchange will be two blocks west of here, on..."

Soval looked up from his notes, staring up at the other side of the street as if something had startled him, and everyone turned around to look that way. I frowned, a sudden chill racing down my spine, but surely it was just some rowdy teenagers with an obnoxious sign, or maybe a flitter that was obviously off-course. But I was very wrong.

A shot resounded through the chill winter air, and Soval toppled back from the podium, then fell to the ground, his tunic blooming green with Vulcan blood.