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

I drifted awake to an unpleasant gurgling in my stomach, and I frowned at the soft voices whispering near my ear. I couldn't understand what they were saying, but as I became fully conscious I realized the voices were speaking Vulcan.

The events of the early morning flooded back to me, and I groaned, forcing my leaden eyelids open.

"What time is it?" I murmured, trying to sit up. I felt a warm hand grip my upper arm and assist me, and I smiled wanly at the ambassador. He was sitting in the bed beside me, and I turned to see who else was in the room with us. Dr. Avarak raised his eyebrow in greeting, and seemed to understand before I did the need for a bucket, so one was placed in front of me and I choked out the vomit boiling in my stomach.

"It is 0300, Ms. Forrest," Avarak replied to my question. He seemed completely unfazed by me vomiting my guts out in front of him, but I supposed that came with the territory of his profession. "You have contracted a stomach virus, though my estimation is such that it should run its course in twenty-four hours or less."

"Great," I groaned, spitting a bit of puke into the bucket. "Just what I needed right now." I sighed and turned to face him. "Thank you, doctor, for coming. I apologize for the inconvenient hour. I had really hoped I wouldn't need to see you for a very long time, but it seems life has other plans."

"The sentiment is mutual," he said, his voice vibrating with what sounded like amusement. "If you have not vomited for an hour, please try to sip on the electrolyte solution I will leave with you. If at that point you do not experience any nausea, continue to consume the fluid slowly until three hours have passed without an incident. I will inject you with a solution now to help replenish your fluids, and if you have not stopped vomiting after twelve hours, contact me and I will send the medical aides to transport you down to the infirmary."

"Her case is not as severe as we first believed, then?" Soval chimed, helping me settle back into the pillows as the nausea abated.

"No, not so severe as we anticipated. She should be in better health by the end of the day, certainly by tomorrow. Do you require a notice from a physician for your university?"

"No, no, they usually don't question nowadays. Besides, I've only missed...what, two days these past two semesters? If they have any questions, I'll have them contact you." I glanced at Soval, then back to the doctor. "This stomach virus I got...is it contagious to Vulcans?"

"No, Ms. Forrest, it is not. The ambassador will not become ill from this."

I sighed in relief. "Good...I don't want to pass this around."

He bowed his head and set a bottle of the electrolyte solution on my bedside table, along with another hypospray. "Inject her with this after six hours, three if her vomiting is exceedingly severe. I will contact you at 1200 hours for an update on your condition, but should you require assistance beforehand, do not hesitate to contact me. Good day, Ms. Forrest."

He said something more to the ambassador before gathering his things and bowing his head as a respectful farewell, and then we were alone again.

"Could you help me up? I'm going to go clean out this bucket," I asked, and moved the covers off my legs, hairs prickling all over my body at the sudden chill.

"No," he said firmly, taking the bucket out of my hands. "I will clean this, Genevieve. You must rest."

"Ambassador-"

"My name is Soval."

I nodded. "Right. Soval...that bucket smells like hot garbage and I don't want to subject you to the grossness of human bodily fluids. Let me do it."

"I said no," he repeated, his voice firmer still. "It is of no consequence what it smells like. You are unwell, and as I have repeatedly told you, I am responsible for your safety and health while you reside in this Consulate."

I was far too tired to argue the point further, so I relinquished the argument and laid down in the pillows. "Fine, if you want to mess around with literal human filth, you can be my guest. My apologies to your nose for this horrendous offense."

His eyebrow quirked upward, but his gaze softened as he gently laid a hand on my shoulder. "There is no offense where none is taken." And with that, he made for the bathroom, and I closed my eyes against the sounds of him cleaning the bucket and flushing the mess down the toilet. I fully relaxed once I heard him return and set the bucket down beside my bed, but my eyes snapped open as I felt the bed sink to my left.

Soval half-laid on the covers beside me, propped up with one elbow as he shifted to face me, and his hand felt almost feverish as he gently tucked a stray hair behind my ear.

"Go back to sleep, Genevieve," he murmured to me, his voice low and soft and soothing. My eyes drooped. "I will be right here if you have need of me."

"You don't have to-" I stopped at the look on his face, then sighed in defeat. "Thank you...for staying with me. I'm glad you're here."

He stroked my hair, and I closed my eyes, exhaustion taking over my senses. "I am pleased to be of service," he cooed, and I drifted once more into sleep.

…

When I woke again, faint sunbeams peeked in from the window, making everything in the room look dim and soft and hazy. My stomach seethed again, and I reached over the side of the bed to grab the bucket.

A warm hand gently stroked my back as more of yesterday's dinner spewed from my mouth, and as I rested my chin on the edge of the bucket, I heard Soval whisper soothing words in his mother tongue; the sound of his voice might have sent me back to sleep, if it weren't for another wave of nausea wracking my body.

My stomach contracted again, and Soval's hands moved from by back to my arms, nearly bracing my body against the storm brewing in my stomach. But after two more passes, my stomach ceased its attack on my senses, and I leaned heavily into Soval's chest, too tired to do much else. His hands returned to my hair, gently stroking through my locks, and I sighed into it, settling into position with my head nestled under his chin. It was only after a minute of silence that I realized just what I was doing, and quickly pulled away.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

He gently gripped my shoulder and set his intense gaze on me. "I did not make any indication that your actions made me uncomfortable. Why did you pull away? Have I caused you discomfort?"

"No, that actually felt kind of nice, but...what, you...you didn't mind?"

He shook his head. "My intention was to comfort you, since you are feeling so unwell. Did I do something wrong?"

"No," I said, frowning at him for a moment before shaking my head. "Nevermind...um...you can keep time easily in your head, right?"

"Yes."

I nodded. "Then, could you tell me when..." I bit my lip. "Well, I forgot how long I'm supposed to wait."

"Dr. Avarak has instructed you to take the electrolyte solution after an hour has elapsed with no incident. I will inform you when an hour as passed."

I nodded and slowly slipped my legs out from the covers, and Soval quickly shifted beside me, quickly retrieving the bucket before I could even think about taking it with me to empty it. I followed behind him to the bathroom, aches piercing my joints and chills crawling over my skin. I felt disgusting and sweaty, and I desperately wanted the shower.

I watched from the doorway as Soval methodically cleaned out the bucket, and I could tell nothing from his posture or mannerisms that the smell bothered him at all. He went about the work as precisely as he when he cooked, each movement planned and calculated to be efficient. Once he had completed the task and washed his hands, he turned and raised an eyebrow at me.

"Forgive me, did you require use of the facilities?"

"I was hoping to take a shower? I probably smell pretty bad right now."

He shook his head, something akin to amused exasperation on his face. "Of course you may take a shower. If you require assistance, please do not hesitate to call for me."

I nodded to be polite, not because I intended to let Soval anywhere near this bathroom while I was using it. I quickly gathered a clean set of clothes; he took the bucket out of the bathroom and I stepped out of the way, leaning against the doorframe for support. He gestured for me to enter, and I obeyed, offering him a slight smile before closing the door behind me.

Before long, sonic vibrations gently scrubbed away all the sweat and grime from my body, and I breathed in deeply, bracing myself against the shower wall. My stomach still churned a bit, but I thought I could probably finish my shower and get back in bed before anything else happened. Even after my hair and skin was clean, I leaned into the sonics and almost fell asleep standing up. My abdomen ached as I leaned there, but the clammy feeling on my skin had lessened.

After a few minutes, I decided that if I didn't move now, I was going to fall asleep in here and probably wake up vomiting all over myself, so I might as well get out while I still could. And no sooner had I slipped on a clean set of pajamas did I hastily kneel down in front of the toilet and empty my stomach into it once more.

"Genevieve!" I heard through the door. He knocked firmly, and I lifted my head from the porcelain throne.

"It's okay!" I shouted back. "I made it to the toilet in time."

"Are you dressed?" He paused. "Do you require assistance?"

"I'm dressed!" I replied, then quickly turned and hurked into the toilet.

"Then may I come in? You have not told me if you require assistance or not."

"I think I'm okay," I said, and squeezed my eyes shut tight against the next wave of vomit. "But you're free to come in if you want to."

I heard the door open, but my attention turned once more to my stomach as I retched again. I heard the rustling of his clothes as he knelt beside me, and his hand felt warm and soothing as he stroked my back. When it was finally over, he pulled me back into his chest, holding me gently as my body settled.

"You might want to reset that mental timer," I mumbled into his chest. He made a noise in agreement, slowly stroking my hair.

"I'm sure you'd rather be in bed than on the floor of a bathroom."

"I don't know," I sighed. "This bathroom floor feels pretty nice right now…"

I thought I heard him chuckle, but he moved his hands to my shoulders. "Genevieve, it will not do for you to fall asleep here."

He helped me stumble to my feet, and I made sure to clean the mess I made and my hands before scooping up my dirty laundry and tossing it into the hamper. Soval, for some reason, lingered in the bathroom, but it was only after I had slipped back into bed that I realized why.

He came out with my hairbrush in his hand, and I smiled in thanks, holding my hand out for it. But he shook his head, and wordlessly nudged me forward on the bed so he could sit behind me. My heartrate increased slightly as I obeyed his silent request, and he reached over to the bedside table to pick up my abandoned hairtie.

The brush gently glided through my hair, and I closed my eyes, hardly believing that Soval wanted to do this for me. My hair fell past my shoulder blades now, but Soval went slowly, gently untangling the knots, and nearly sending me to sleep in the process.

When my hair was neat and smooth, he set the hairbrush aside, and separated my hair into sections; he wove a familiar pattern into my hair, and I frowned in surprise.

"I've got to ask," I said softly, trying not to disturb the quiet moment too much. "Have you always known how to braid hair, or did you figure it out by logical deduction?"

"My mother taught me," he replied, his voice tranquil and soft. "My father and my uncles served in the military, alongside both my aunts. They were called away on an emergency mission on the borders of our space when I was only ten years old. My uncle's child, a girl of four, could not accompany them for obvious reasons, so she stayed at our home for nearly a month while her parents were away. My brother Sitar was not even two at the time, and drove my mother to distraction – he was just then learning to walk – but my cousin still had school to attend. Since my mother was so occupied with my brother, she taught me to braid V'Sel's hair so our morning routine might not be so tiresome."

I nodded. "I've seen some of the long hairstyles your women wear. How they find the time and patience to do their hair like that, I'll never know." I paused. "How long did it take you to do your cousin's hair every morning?"

"When I first learned, nearly an hour. But I could do it in little over thirty minutes by the end of her stay. She even asked me to perfect a new style she had seen on a woman from Gol, which I did in three days." He tied off the end of my hair and pulled me backward, so I was leaning on his chest. "The way you wear your hair is not nearly as complex. Even if I did not have such instruction in my youth, I could have deduced the pattern with ease."

"Of course," I whispered, too exhausted to think about why he wished me to sleep this way. "It must have been child's play to someone like you."

A sound kind of like a purr resonated near my ear, and Soval tucked a few loose hairs behind my ear and let out a deep breath, his exhalation grazing my cheek. "Go to sleep," he murmured, his fingers brushing down my arm. "You need your rest."

"Whatever you say, Doctor Soval."

Something akin to a growl rumbled from his lips, but I simply smiled and got comfortable, and soon I drifted into a dreamless sleep.

…

A voice laced with a lofty, British accent murmured something indecipherable in my ear, some alien tongue...and I realized it wasn't a British accent, but one from the capital of Vulcan, Shi'Kahr...

"She is waking, Osu...fascinating, isn't it? The way humans wake from sleep? I find it endearing."

"As do I." The voice continued speaking, slipping back into that alien language I didn't recognize...

I parted my eyes slightly, sleep clinging to me as I tried to decipher more of the conversation taking place right beside my bed. "What time is it?" I murmured, snuggling deeper into my pillow.

Only it wasn't a pillow.

I opened my eyes fully and realized my face had been buried in Soval's shirt, and though I dimly recalled falling asleep on my back, I had apparently rolled over in my sleep, and now my face was mushed up against Soval's chest. And he didn't seem at all perturbed by this.

I pushed myself up off his chest and sat up slowly, rubbing the last remnants of sleep from my eyes. "What time is it?" I repeated, and looked to see who had joined the ambassador.

Timok raised an eyebrow at me. "It is 0730, child."

I turned to Soval, who nodded with a satisfied look on his face. "It has been over an hour since you vomited last. Dr. Avarak instructed you to take small sips of the electrolyte solution."

I reached over and took the bottle off the bedside table, and unscrewed the cap. With both men watching me intently, I took a small sip, then another, then set it aside.

"You need to drink more than that," the ambassador protested, handing it back to me. "You are at risk for dehydration with this current illness, and you will do as the doctor prescribed to become well again."

"I'll drink more in thirty minutes if nothing happens," I countered, setting the bottle down again. I turned to the old man lingering by the bedside. "What brings you here, old man?"

He reached out and gently gripped my shoulder. "Can an old man not visit a friend when she's ill? I had hoped to eat dinner with the both of you tonight, but it seems we will have to postpone."

"Oh, Timok, that is so sweet of you to think of me!" He smirked and withdrew his hand. "And as for dinner, I think tomorrow night would be better. Viruses like these don't hang around for very long, thank God, and I already feel about a thousand times better than I did at three this morning. Just ask Soval."

The ambassador raised both eyebrows. "You do appear to be in better health. However, you are hardly over this virus. You need your rest."

"Yes, I know, Doctor Soval," I quipped, and he narrowed his eyes at me, though I saw no real annoyance in his features. I chuckled and reached for my PADD, accessing my messages so I could shoot off a quick memo to my professors.

Timok did not linger long, as he had visited solely to see how I was faring; upon seeing that I was on the mend and wouldn't be sick for much longer, he bid us farewell and headed out the door. I got a message back from two professors wishing me a speedy recovery, and I set the PADD aside, reaching once more for the electrolyte solution.

Soval nodded in approval, gently guiding me back onto his chest again.

"We should probably change these sheets," I said, screwing the cap on the bottle and holding it in my lap.

"I will inform the housekeeper as soon as you drink more of what you were given," he replied, and my PADD dinged an alarm. I scrolled through messages, and saw that Soval had made several notations on the copy of my thesis I had sent him.

"Your work is quite good," he said, perhaps knowing that I had seen his notes. "However, in the portions I have notated, you should make stronger supporting arguments. I could easily dismantle your current points, and I imagine your professors would not hesitate to do the same. But on the whole...your writing is professional and your main argument is well-crafted. I found it gratifying to read your work and hear your voice in the words."

I grinned at my PADD. "Holy crap, I will take that! Thank you! I'm...I'm flattered you think that about my work...and thank you for slogging through it all. I really appreciate you taking the time, and I appreciate your feedback. I'll make sure to fix those weaker points before preliminary review."

"It was no trouble," he said softly, and I set the PADD aside once more. I had no intention of working on my thesis today. "I am sure you will do well when you present this work to your professors."

I smiled and leaned back again. "That's high praise, coming from you...I feel way better about it now."

"I am pleased that I was able to be of service to you. Now drink the electrolyte solution, Genevieve. I will not have you becoming dehydrated."

A smirk spread across my face and I obeyed his order, and I thought to myself that the sunbeams peeking through the curtains couldn't match the brightness of my current mood.

A/N: I hope everyone is staying safe and well as the world facing its current crises. And I hope that my stories have brought you some solace in an uncertain time. Be safe out there.