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

Chaos. Screaming. Shouting. Police trying to restore order. Soval's aides shielding him from further attack.

Sorak was in the group of aides shielding him...hadn't he done this already?

A man running up the steps of Command to join the aides. They let him through...so he wasn't the one who fired the gun...

I recognized the man. That was my dad...he was running to help his old friend...

My mind was numb as I watched the chaos unfold. Everything was in an uproar, though the cameraman, in some fit of valor, had not run away from his post, even though there was a great possibility that he and others could be attacked. Police were convening on Soval, adding further shields, and from what little I could make out, they were trying to move him inside...

A knock at the door woke me from my numbness, and I ran to the door, my hand trembling as I undid the lock and put my hand on the knob. But then I stopped. What if the Consulate had come under attack during Soval's speech and this was someone here to hurt me? I briefly considered it, then comforted myself with the fact that terrorists were few and far between and security on the premises was top-notch. No doubt if the ambassador had given his press conference here instead, we wouldn't be in this pickle. I turned the knob.

Timok and a security officer were standing there, and the old man had a slight look of worry in his eyes.

"Genevieve, we must hurry," he insisted. "If they attack the Consulate next–"

I didn't even let him finish before running to unplug the tree, turn off the comm and grab a few personal effects (keys, credit stick, etc). I ran back to the door and obeyed Timok's repeated request to hurry.

"Security is scanning the premises now," he relayed, his aged hand gently touching my shoulder as we entered the turbolift. "Everyone is convening in the basement."

"Where will they take Soval?" My voice came out choked and husky, and my throat felt as if something was squeezing it shut. If we had to evacuate, then the Consulate infirmary would no longer be safe, and did any human hospital in the area have the tools or medicine to save him?

"Dr. Avarak will be transported to the Vulcan ship T'Mara, which is in orbit," the elderly man explained, and he nearly pushed me from the turbolift as the doors opened on the ground floor. Apparently the turbolift didn't go down to the basement, and we would have to take a separate stairwell to get there.

Timok's expression was calmer now, almost placid, but there was an urgency in his movements that made me nervous. "Ambassador Soval has already been transported the ship. The physician on board is very skilled, Genevieve."

"About his wounds..." My throat voice came out so quiet that only a Vulcan could hear it. "What are his chances for getting out of this alive?"

"Above sixty percent, young one. That is not a vital area for Vulcans. The main danger now is loss of blood, and I know for a fact Soval's blood type is very common. They have all the means necessary aboard the T'Mara to help him now."

I shook my head, my limbs like lead as I followed the old man into another turbolift. "You can't promise me that he'll be ok, though."

Timok sighed. "There is never any guarantee of anything, child. But the odds are with him. Let that thought comfort you."

I was silent for a time, trying to block out the whispers and tense looks around me. If this had been a Consulate full of humans, I'm sure there would have been yelling and hysteria, but I was with Vulcans. They proceeded about this evacuation as if it were a walk in the park, but I didn't miss the furrowed brows and stiff jaws of my neighbors. They weren't exactly relaxed, not that I blamed them.

"Timok, why are we going to the basement?" I asked suddenly. He straightened.

"The basement is fortified against nuclear attacks, and is built to withstand any assault from orbit or from the planet. It is the safest place for us now. Should we be attacked in the next hour, there would not be enough time to evacuate everyone to the T'Mara. We will gather here until security has cleared our return."

I nodded, and once he turned away to address an aide, I backed away and started looking for a quiet corner to sit in. My hands were shaking, my heart still racing, and I felt a creeping numbness slither up my arms and legs; I needed to sit down and get my bearings. No one followed me as I turned a corner around some ceiling-high shelving and sat down on some sort of pallet, drawing my knees up and putting my head between them. Deep breaths, I told myself, shoving my hair out of my face. Deep breaths. He's going to be ok...they have everything they need to help him onboard the ship...he'll be ok...

I closed my eyes and focused on breathing, praying to whatever deity was out there that the ambassador would make it out of this alive. If I lost him now, when our relationship was finally starting to go somewhere...if he died, would I have to move out of the Consulate? Would my contract be broken by his passing? Or would they simply take me to Vulcan, or move me in with someone else in the Consulate? I couldn't start over fresh with someone else, not at this point. And I didn't know what I would do with myself if Soval were to die. For the first time in a long time, hope was starting to sprout, hope that I might not die alone with thirteen cats, hope that there might be someone out there who was made for me, who was meant to walk through life with me at their side. For the first time in a long time, I acknowledged to myself that I liked Soval, that I cared deeply for him, and wanted him to be my partner, or at the very least that I wanted to try this with him.

I am in love with him, and that is completely understandable, I told myself. I'd never admit it at this point to him or anyone else, but I can acknowledge this within myself. I am in love, and that is natural. That is normal. He is a good man, and he's attractive, and if he lives through this, dear God, there might be hope for me. For us. Just hang in there, sweetheart...please don't die...

It felt like an eternity had passed since we had come down here, and after what seemed like days, Timok rounded the corner and approached me. I swallowed back tears and accepted his hand on my back.

"He made it through surgery," he told me gently. "He'll sleep aboard the T'Mara while they complete the blood transfusion, and maybe tonight you can go up and see him."

"How long has it been?" I choked out.

"Three hours."

"Do we have an update on our situation here? Are we free to leave yet? I'm kind of tired of sitting on this pallet."

Timok smirked. "Had you stayed with me, we would have found you a cushion. The others are mostly meditating or working while security completes their scans. No further signs of attack are presenting themselves, but we estimate another three hours before we can return. The High Command has put the utmost importance on keeping this Consulate safe. The other Vulcan Compounds are on lockdown as well. But soon enough, if all goes well, we can return to our quarters. Would you like to join the others?"

I shook my head. "No, I'd just be a distraction...any word from my dad? Can I talk to him?"

"Unfortunately, no, you cannot. But as soon as we are given a signal to go back, you may contact him and tell him you are safe."

My hands trembled as I pushed my hair out of my face and took in a shaky breath. "So...now that he's made it through surgery...his odds...?"

"Approximately 90.2361% chance of survival, Genevieve. He will make it."

The weight of that statement pressed down on me, and I slumped forward, breathing in deeply. "God damn it..." I muttered to myself, willing myself not to cry. "Thank God...oh, thank God...thank you, Timok. I'll just stay here for a little while longer, if you don't mind...I'd like to still be alone."

I stared down at the floor, my vision going blurry as his hand found my shoulder. "You truly care about him, don't you?" he whispered. I nodded.

"Of course I do, old man, I'm not heartless." I sighed and put my head in my hands. "Just...keep me posted, ok?"

"I will keep you apprised. And I will see that you are given some tea."

"Thank you." He patted my shoulder, and then left me alone. I put my head down again and willed myself to be strong. It was bad enough that whoever did this to the ambassador was, in my opinion, probably human. I wasn't about to let the Vulcans see me cry. Not today. Not after my people had most likely put their lives in danger.

Timok returned with tea and handed it to me, and I took it and held it between my still-shaking hands. I didn't drink it, but having something to hold, just feeling the warmth of it against my skin, was a comfort in its own right. The elder left me alone again, returning to his people, and I continued to stare at the floor, waiting until I was allowed to do something.

The rest of our time in the basement was a blur, less worrying than those first few hours when there was a greater chance Soval might die. Now it was just a waiting game, numbness and questions and shots in the dark. Now that I knew Soval would probably survive, my thoughts turned to likely culprits for this assassination attempt.

I had seen firsthand (on my college campus and elsewhere) various humans who, for one reason or another, didn't like the Vulcans. Gardner was among that group, I was sure, and probably his son. But they weren't extremists. They didn't let bigotry and hatred rule their actions. I didn't think either of them was capable or stupid enough to pick up a gun and take a shot at Vulcan's ambassador. Terrorism seemed beneath the Gardner family, and yet...the admiral had tried to warn me on several occasions that the Vulcans were hiding something, that their motives were far more complex then simple learning. Could he have been warning me that an extremist might take action against our allies, that I should stay away?

And what about Sam and Senator Barlow? Somehow they were easier to write off my very short list of suspects. Sam might have been jealous of the ambassador for being my date (I was still bewildered as to why), but he was probably in bed with the senator right now. He had no motivation for attacking the ambassador; even if he had managed to woo me or whatever, I would be no more than some passing fling. He and the senator had no motive for trying to kill Soval, other than sheer spite. And I don't think either of them would risk it just for that purpose alone.

That left me with no other suspects that I knew of. It was probably some nameless agent of a hate group, or more frightening, some Vulcan who had a grudge against Soval. But other than it being a great cover-up in which humans might be blamed, I could think of ten better ways to kill Soval than standing on a rooftop or in a window and trusting a bullet to do the job correctly. If the suspect was Vulcan, they would have a much easier time if they had gained entrance to the Consulate and tried to take out Soval in his office, or in our quarters, or heck, in some empty stairwell. This was too sloppy for a Vulcan.

But what about the day Soval had been attacked in his office? Was that perhaps linked to this attack on him? Upon his failure, did the assailant then turn to a contact to finish the job later? Was some human in the employ of a Vulcan assassin who wanted Soval gone? Questions and half-formed answers spun around my head, and I took a deep breath, trying not to think too much on this. It was still too soon to see if the suspect was human or Vulcan, and once I had more information, maybe this ridiculous puzzle would finally make sense.

…

I let everyone else go ahead of me as we filed out of the basement and back up into the Consulate. The city streets were back to normal, though the police were still patrolling everywhere, here and in the other cities with Vulcan Compounds. I knew my first priority should be contacting my family and assuring them of my safety, but as I climbed the steps to the first floor, my feet directed me towards the infirmary. I had never gone this way, and given the late hour, the corridor was practically deserted. Soval, they said, would be transported down in an hour.

I abandoned my route and took the nearest turbolift up to our rooms, and I quickly made use of the comm.

"Dad," I said, smiling as I saw his face. He looked haggard and worn, his entire visage older and more exhausted than I had seen in a long time. "How are things on your end?"

"Better now that we know Soval will be ok...and better now that I know you're all right. How are you, pumpkin?"

"Same," I said, clearing my throat as it threatened to tighten. "How's mom?"

"Worried," he replied, his face falling. "She wants me to come home, but you know I can't. Too much paperwork to do here. I figure I'll work about three more hours and call it a night."

"You're only human, dad." He smirked, but I pressed on. "Don't overexert yourself, ok? I can't have two of you in the hospital at the same time. I can't handle that."

"Sweetie, they tell me Soval will be just fine. You're just like your mother...there's no need to worry, Genie. He'll be ok." He paused. "I'm guessing you haven't seen him yet."

"No...Timok – that's his aide – called an emergency meeting with him. Once he's transported down, it'll be a while before I can see him."

"You'd think they'd give the guy a break. He just got shot."

"Timok insisted. He said it's urgent business. The High Command doesn't want to wait...they've been pushing him so hard, dad. What if..." I couldn't even complete the thought. "Nevermind. Thank you for helping him, dad...I don't know if he thanked you, but...that was really brave."

"Your mother is furious, but I did what I had to do. He's my friend, no matter what people say. And you know your father's not a coward."

"Far from it, dad," I assured him. "Well...I'll let you get back to work. I just wanted to make sure you were ok."

"I'm far from ok, but we'll be all right, Genie. Just hang in there."

We exchanged goodbyes and "I-love-you"s and got off the comm, and I paced around the empty room. My eyes were drawn to various spots where Soval was prone to linger: his seat at the table, the side of the couch where he liked to read, his meditation corner, even the kitchen where he cooked for the both of us. This place felt empty without him, too cold and too big and too dark. I couldn't stay here, not when he wouldn't be returning here for some time.

I was out the door again before I could blink, and I walked resolutely to the turbolift. By the time I reached the infirmary, there was already a phalanx of Vulcans milling about, whispering to each other. Timok was among them, presumably giving directions or dictating notes, but before he noticed me, a Vulcan security guard approached me.

"T'Sai, you cannot be in this area," he said firmly, and I frowned up at him. "Until the ambassador has been debriefed, no one but authorized personnel is allowed here. If you are in need of a physician, one will be sent to you as soon as possible."

"Terik, leave the girl be. The High Command will make an exception for her." Timok said, sidling up to me. "You could not stay away, could you?"

"I couldn't stay in that room...not while he's down here."

The old man was quiet for a moment, watching me stare at the floor. "He will be pleased to see you."

"Are you so sure of that?" I whispered huskily. "I'll leave if I have to. I don't want to disturb him if he'd rather-"

"He will want to see you, child. Trust me. I have known him longer than you, Genevieve. He will want to see you. Do not stray far."

…

His aides had filed out of the infirmary fifteen minutes ago, but I was still in my seat, waiting for I didn't know what. Now that I was so close, the same old doubts came rushing back. What was I doing here? He didn't want to see me, what was I thinking? I should just go back to my room and go to bed, not bother him while he was probably trying to rest. Timok said the ambassador would want to see me, and I truly wanted to see him, but if that was going to make things worse for him, I would rather be on the other side of the continent than here.

"Ms. Forrest?"

I turned and smiled at Sorak, who looked even more tired than my dad, if that was possible. I wanted to hug him, but I settled for a silent wave.

"He is asking for you," the aide reported. "He thinks you will not see him."

My eyes closed briefly of their own accord, but with a sigh, I brushed past Sorak and entered the infirmary. The doctor was nowhere to be seen, but Timok stood stoutly by his superior, gently speaking to the ambassador in Vulcan. Soval wasn't turned towards me, but I approached anyway, trying to be quiet.

I was only a few steps away from his bed when he looked up at me, his eyes widening. "Genevieve," he said, his voice sounding strained. "I thought you would not come."

I shook my head, fighting tears. "I don't want to bother you, I mean...I'm sure you want to rest after..." My throat closed and I couldn't finish. My vision swam, but I blinked until I see clearly again. He frowned.

"You thought I would not wish to see you?"

"Well, I don't think there's much you would want me to do, so if you want me to leave, I can come back tomorrow or just leave you alone, whatever you-"

"Do not leave me."

I could not meet his earnest gaze, and tears sparked in my eyes, threatening to boil over. "I...I was really worried about you," I whispered, inching forward. "How are you feeling?"

He shook his head up at me. "There is no need to worry, Genevieve...I will recover."

I nodded, teetering on my feet, until all at once my face was awash in tears and I had hurried to his side, gasping for air as I leaned down and pulled him into a tight embrace. He stiffened as I buried my nose in his neck and breathed in, but he made no motion to move me, nor did he protest. Even so, I wasn't about to take that as consent for me to touch him, so I swiftly made to retreat, flushing in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, I should just go. I don't know what I was thinking trying to-"

Arms like iron bars pulled me back down to his chest. His grip was relentless, and I found my nose right back at his neck; I was surprised, but once my initial shock wore away (and I realized he wasn't letting go, at least not at the moment), I sunk into him, hugging him back with all I had in me. His hand crept up my back, and I pressed myself to him, hardly believing I could finally embrace him like this, that he would allow this.

"I'm so glad you're ok," I whispered as his hand threaded into my hair. I tried not to think about how intimate his actions were, but something in me decided to turn towards his warm cheek and press my lips to it, if only briefly. I pulled back then (as far as he would allow) and looked down at him. "You promise you'll be ok?"

"You sound as if you are leaving," he all but growled, and his fingers found the band holding my hair up, and he snapped it off my head and tossed it away (in fact, I was almost certain he had broken it). I gasped as my hair cascaded down like a curtain on either side of him, but he took a strand in his fingers and held it to his nose, inhaling the smell of me with a dark expression in his eyes.

"Ambassador, let her go." Timok had apparently seen enough, but Soval did not obey. My heart was pounding now, and I tried to gently dislodge myself from his grip.

"Ambassador?" I asked quietly, timidly. This wasn't like him at all.

His eyes darkened as they found mine. "My name is Soval. I want you to call me as such."

"Soval...this is...I'm not going to lie, this feels really nice, but...my back hurts. Can you let me go, please?"

"Only if you stay with me," he said, his voice low and insistent. I nodded.

"I promise you, sweetheart, I'm not going anywhere."

For a moment, he almost smiled. "It is pleasant when you refer to me with your human endearments." He sighed and sniffed at my hair again. "And it is pleasant to have your scent surround me like this...you must stay beside me."

"I will," I said firmly, and he reluctantly let me stand. I rolled my shoulders and stared incredulously at Timok.

"What the hell?" I hissed, pulling him aside. "He's acting like...I don't even know what. What the hell is going on?"

Timok looked weary. "Vulcans have developed the habit of healing ourselves through meditation and the power of the mind. However, even though he is perfectly adapt at pain management in any normal circumstance, something is preventing that now. He is on medication to control the pain, and he is not reacting well to it."

"So why is he all touchy now?"

The old man shook his head. "You are a lovely young woman, and he has been through a great ordeal. You approached him with affection and tears of relief. You do not know what that sort of thing means to a Vulcan male, do you?"

"Obviously not." I glanced over my shoulder at my roommate to find him staring intently at me, his eyes dark as they narrowed at Timok.

The old man stepped closer to me. "I would not suggest repeating your actions again, Genevieve. He could easily grow a little too fond of that in his current state. He will continue to demand it if you continue to offer. I know you are fond of him, but for your own sake, keep a little distance. He could hurt you if he thinks you are abandoning him."

"I'm not going to abandon him," I said, my expression set. "How long will this last?"

"Until he heals further and the dosage can be lowered," he said with a shrug. "A week perhaps, depending on how fast he heals...it is apparent now that you must stay. He will not do well if you are not beside him. He has decided that much."

I nodded. "Whatever makes him heal fastest, so we can have him back."

Soval's tense expression relaxed as I returned to his side. I leaned down, gently placing my hand on his bicep. "I'm going to grab a chair from the waiting area. I'll be right back," I promised, and I hurried to find a seat.

Timok hovered near the bed as I walked back with a chair in hand, and he glanced over his shoulder as the doctor came back to check on his patient.

"I know you're tired, old man," I said, my voice as heavy as my limbs as I plunked down into my chair. "You should go to bed. I'll stay here with him."

The elder Vulcan shook his head. "I should stay here. You have seen how easily he can trick you into giving him the intimacy he craves."

"More like affection, and no, you need to sleep. You look dead on your feet. I'm younger, I can stay up later. You go on to bed. The doctor can keep an eye on things."

Avarak nodded and gently asked Timok to retire to his quarters, and with a sigh (and a promise from the doctor that he would not let his patient harm me in any fashion), the old man agreed to go back to his rooms.

"I will be back in the morning, Genevieve. Do not let him trick you, no matter how much he pleads." He gripped my shoulder in farewell, bid the ambassador goodnight, and reluctantly trudged out the door.

I slumped in my chair, staring somberly at my companion, and he reached out and touched my tear-stained cheek.

"Why do you look so unhappy?" he asked, stroking a finger down my cheek. "Have I displeased you?"

I shook my head. "Someone tried to kill you, Soval. I'm not exactly going to be jolly about that, you know...do you remember anything? It looked to me like you heard something or just had a hunch...you looked up across the street. What happened?"

His eyes drooped, and he shook his head. "I do not recall at this time...perhaps when I am fully healed, the memory will return. Security is making inquiries now."

He sounded so much like his old self, but then his pupils dilated and he turned his body to face me. "I thought, after my aides left, that you would visit me. Timok said you were outside the infirmary during our meeting...what kept you?"

"I thought you might want to rest," I whispered. "You look so tired. It makes me sad, seeing you like this."

Indeed, his face was paler than usual, the lines on his face stark and bold on his face. The bags under his eyes were especially noticeable, and I didn't miss the five-o'clock shadow on his upper lip and chin. But his gaze was intense and he kept pressing his lips together, and I felt a flush creep up my cheeks.

I needed to say something to break the tension. "I'm so sorry this happened to you...you deserve so much better than this."

He shook his head, his lips contorting into a smirk. "It seems my injuries are a blessing, if this is what it gets me. You tended to me at the beginning of the month, and if you are to stay with me...who is to say this is something unfortunate? You have never tried to embrace me before...you have never kissed me."

My cheeks grew hot, and I stared at the floor. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I won't do it again."

"That would be a shame," he sighed, rolling onto his back. "It has been a long time since I have held a beautiful woman in my arms. I suppose I will have to wait a good while longer before I can experience that again..."

It took me almost a minute to come up with a reply. "Do...do you want me to hug you again? I mean...if that's what will make you feel better, I will do it. I'm not joking."

His eyes flashed with a mischievous look. "You would ignore Timok's advice and allow that?"

I glanced towards the door, then to what I assumed to be an office or lab or something in the back of the infirmary. We were truly alone in the room (the doctor had disappeared), and I nodded and stood, looking to him for direction.

"What can I do to make you feel better?" I whispered, and he gently took my wrist and pulled me forward. I leaned over him, working my left arm under his neck, but then I hesitated.

"Can you sit up? Or are you required to stay down?"

"The doctors have informed me that I must stay in this position for two days at least."

With that, I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around him, squeezing him carefully. "Tell me if I'm hurting you, ok? I don't want to make things worse for you."

He sighed into my hair, his hand working slowly through my blonde locks. "I should probably wash my hair," I murmured into his shoulder. "Sorry if it's oily."

"It is not," he said. His fingers continued to weave patterns, gently tugging my hair this way and that, lightly squeezing several locks one moment, then releasing them the next, sometimes stroking me, then digging in all the way to my scalp. "Your hair is fascinating," he whispered to me. "Blonde hair is not present in the Vulcan genome, nor is this wavy texture."

"You're looking at a genetic mutation from millennia ago." I closed my eyes, at a loss for what to say. "What color was your hair when you were younger?"

"Brown." His hand left my hair and wrapped tightly around me, that relentless grip returning. "I warned you that you would not like the outcome of tending to me...do you remember? And yet you do this anyway, for my sake...I am fortunate to have you."

"I'm just glad you're safe." I pulled away as much as I could to look at him. "What else can I do to make this easier for you?"

His eyes flashed again, his gaze growing intent on me, but before he could reply to my inquiry, a darker olive hand pulled the ambassador's arm off of me and gently righted me to standing.

"Timok will have me dismissed if I allow this to continue," Avarak said, and Soval almost looked as if he were pouting. "Ambassador, I must change your dressings and prepare you for bed. Ms. Forrest, if you would wait outside, I will call you when he is ready."

"She will stay, doctor," Soval said coldly, his expression darker now. "She promised she would not leave."

"Tell you what," I said as the doctor geared up for a retort. "I'll go fetch my pillow and a blanket from my room, and I'll get changed into my nightclothes, and you do the same. By the time I'm back, it'll be bedtime for both of us."

"And where do you intend to sleep?" Avarak asked, raising his eyebrow at me.

"If it's all the same to you, I'll sleep right here." I patted the biobed next to the ambassador.

The doctor sighed and nodded. "I will have the medical aide adjust it for you. No doubt your room has been engineered for your comfort, and we cannot do the same here. But I will have him lower the temperature of the bed and outfit it with sheets. And I will provide you with all you need. Outside contamination would not be conducive to his health that this juncture."

"Gotcha," I said. "Well then, let me go get changed and brush my teeth. I'll be back, I promise."

Ten minutes later, I strolled into the infirmary dressed in a hoodie and sweatpants, underneath which were what I intended to sleep in. I waited until Avarak had given his final instructions and bid us goodnight (I made a point to ask where the bathroom was before he slipped away), then I stripped down to the shorts and tank top I knew I would need to survive a night down here. And once my sweats and the socks and shoes I had worn were stuffed into the rucksack I had brought, I sat down in my chair.

Soval had watched me strip down and remove my socks and shoes, and I pointed that out to him. He didn't even look ashamed.

"Now I know something's off with you," I murmured, and he raised an eyebrow. "By the way, you left this on the table." I held up the Lord of the Rings series I had given him on Christmas Eve. "Thought you might want it for light reading. Maybe tomorrow you can get into it, now that you have time to kill."

He nodded slowly, a tiny, almost imperceptible smile touching his lips. "I appreciate the gesture, Genevieve. Thank you."

"Anytime." I slipped it into the built-in drawer under his biobed (which also contained several PADDs and what looked like changes of clothes), then stood and gave him one last hug good-night.

"Sleep well," I whispered in his ear. "And don't hesitate to wake me up if you need something, ok?"

"The doctor is on-call," he replied, his voice hushed like mine. "But I will keep that in mind. Good night, Genevieve."

"Good night, Soval." I stayed still for a few moments, my cheek pressed to his forehead. "I'm glad you're going to be ok."

"As am I," he said. "I am pleased you chose to stay with me."

"It's the least I could do. What kind of person would I be if I just left you hanging? I'll be right here if you need me."

I squeezed him one last time and reluctantly pulled away, and I could still feel his eyes on me as I climbed into bed. The feeling faded as he ordered the lights to be dimmed and night mode commenced, but I stared up at the ceiling for at least another hour before even attempting to sleep. So many questions rolled around in my head, but my main concern was Soval's changed behavior. He was never this forward, this brazen in doling out affection to me. Sure, over the last few weeks, we had moved as far as a friendly hand on the shoulder, and he had relieved me of my headache at the Gala...but this was beyond that. Could medication change a Vulcan that much? He kept insisting on touching me (not that I was complaining), but would he be the same after he healed? Surely not. I had best not get used to this, and as much as I wanted to take advantage of the situation to fulfill my own desires, it would be terribly rude to do so. He would remember and hate me, or even if he didn't remember, I would hate me for doing that to him.

Timok's warning crawled back to me, but I brushed it away. I could dole out friendly hugs if that's what it took to make him happy, but as for tricking me, I didn't think Soval was even capable of that, not in this regard. He wouldn't do that. He was just loopy on medication, and I was being nice. Timok had always said the ambassador was lonely, and for now, I was making him less so. Whatever it took to heal him faster, I would do.

And with that, I sighed to myself and glanced over at my exchange partner. He was asleep finally, and he looked peaceful, his head turned towards me. I smiled at the sight and closed my eyes, willing myself into slumber.