*V'tosh ka'tur is a Vulcan term meaning 'Vulcans without logic.' I thought it was an appropriate term for a character in this story in this story. Other Vulcan terms are included in this story, but they are described.

Please enjoy! :)

V'tosh Ka'tur

"You do not belong here."

"What are you going to do? Run home and cry to your mother?"

"Your mother does not love you."

"It's probably because he doesn't love her."

"Yes, that's a likely cause."

"What's wrong with him? There's no response."

"I don't know. Let's get to class."

Spock sat in silence, staring at the computer screen in front of his face while the other students left. They were running out of derogatory insults. They had already used his mother on several occasions. Spock couldn't understand what it was about his human half that fascinated them so much. It hardly ever shows, thought Spock. Illogical…

He stood, ejecting a number of memory chips he had been meaning to study. Placing them in a pocket, he turned and left, passing a few other students who watched him as he evacuated. Instinctively, he straightened his posture and held his head higher.

Once outside, Spock was hit with a wall of hot air. The thick, dry heat clung to him tightly like a second skin. As he walked, hot wind sprayed dust into his eyes, and his inner eyelids closed protectively, shielding him from the onslaught of dirt and sand.

But Spock favored the heat. It was much more preferable than the cooler temperatures of Earth. Amanda had taken Spock to her home world once, and he had had to wear two layers of thick clothing the entire time to stay comfortable. He visibly shivered at the memory, then scolded himself for the ridiculousness of physical reactions to mere thoughts.

Spock walked into his home and dusted himself off. He made his way into the living room, then paused, staring around at the empty house. Now what was he to do?

Sarek would, no doubt, be disappointed in his son when he found out he left school early. But, Spock thought, I've already finished the day's assignments, and I have notes on several memory chips. I'll have an entire report written by tonight.

Feeling less hesitant about his ditching school, Spock made his way into his room and sat down at his desk, taking out a chip on different Vulcan philosophies and placing it in his computer.

After a few minutes of reading, Spock stood up and walked into the living room, deep in thought. He was distracted by a string instrument resting lazily, propped up against a wall. The Vulcan Lyre. The wooden, harp-like instrument with what seemed like an infinite amount of strings was tantalizingly close.

Spock grabbed the instrument and sat down on a couch. He sank down into the fluffy, thick cushion, feeling slightly uncomfortable. The soft couch had been a luxury Amanda had not wanted to live without.

Reorienting himself into a better, more proper position, Spock plucked his fingers gingerly over the strings, creating his own music. Although Spock usually wasn't the best at making stuff up out of the blue, he had to admit that this wasn't sounding half bad. He continued to pluck, getting lost in the strange sounds. He closed his eyes.

"Spock." He didn't know how long he had been playing, or even how long his father had stood behind him, watching him being engulfed in the music. Spock realigned himself, realizing he had allowed himself to slump down into the soft couch and rest his head back, getting far too into the music.

Standing up rigidly, Spock put the Vulcan Lyre back and looked at his father.

Sarek's back was ram-rod straight, and there wasn't a wrinkle on his clothes. His angled eyebrows accented his disappointment in his son. His mouth was a straight, tight line, showing no emotional response.

"Yes, father?" Spock asked, forcing himself to meet the dark eyes. They bore back into him, causing him to flinch. If Sarek saw, he gave no notice.

"You missed school today." Spock stood in silence, merely trying to hide any fear or guilt from his face. It was a huge effort, so he was hardly paying attention to his father. Luckily, Sarek didn't seem to feel like getting into any lectures. "See to it that is does not happen again." Spock nodded and returned to his room, lost in thought once more.

Mother wouldn't have scolded me, he thought. She would have asked why I skipped. She would have bothered to listen. She would have cared.

Spock shook his head and went back to reading about Surak and his followers, focusing harder now and trying to keep his head clear.

Vulcan, Vulcan… I am Vulcan.

Spock gave up trying to study and lie down on his bed, relaxing on his back. For once, he closed his eyes and rested before the end of the day.

Illogical…

Spock walked into the library in the morning, returning the data chips he had borrowed before and never studied. He had woken up to his mother sitting on the edge of the bed, a worried look in her eyes.

"What's wrong, Spock? You're not yourself today." She had said, reaching to touch his shoulder, then pulling back as if rethinking her action.

Everything, Spock had wanted to say, but, of course, he said "Nothing". Amanda, though still looking upset and worried, had nodded and left the room, leaving him to rest. She was always worried about him. She thought he was fragile and weak due to his human half, just like all of his classmates. I am not, Spock thought defensively.

As Spock placed the chips in their designated area, he heard an unfamiliar voice from the other side of the room. He turned slightly, listening and stealing peeks every so often. It was a girl about his age, but he had never seen her before. She must be new, he thought. A few other classmates were talking to her. They had no emotion in their voices, but they were obviously trying to provoke her.

"But you are human," one boy stated, tilting his head. "Why are you attending the Vulcan School?" He placed his hands behind his back and stared intently at the poor girl. She looked shocked, as if the boy had just slapped her across the face and spit in her eye.

"I- I'm only half human." Her voice was soft and hesitant, and she shrank away from the small group. "Me and my mother moved here recently from Earth. After my father died." She looked extremely uncomfortable and small compared to the others.

"I believe you mean, 'my mother and I'," one student corrected, raising a skeptical eyebrow. The other students murmured agreement and left the girl stunned. She stood rigid, her mouth hanging open.

She's half human? Spock thought, turning to look at her straight on. She was only a few inches shorter than him, and very slim. She had silky black hair that hung down to her shoulder blades, and bright blue eyes. He would have thought she was a human if it were not for her pointed ears and blushing, green-tinged cheeks.

The girl turned, noticing Spock for the first time. He wasn't sure whether or not he had made himself appear friendly, but he supposed she was willing to meet anyone who wasn't the rude group of students. She walked up to Spock, tucking a lock of her hair behind her sculpted ear.

"Hi. I'm Siobhan." She didn't smile, but her eyes were friendly and open, though somewhat hesitant. After what he had just witnessed, Spock did not blame her. She held out her hand to shake his, but quickly pulled it back, laughing nervously. "Oh, right. Sorry, I'm new here."

"That's quite alright." Spock said, nodding slightly. He wasn't sure whether hanging around this girl would be a good thing or a bad thing, but he also didn't want to be impolite to her like the other students. Her body language hinted more at the fact that she was nervous and uncomfortable. Spock tried to look friendly without seeming too human.

"I am Spock." He stated, and she seemed relieved at the fact that he wasn't being bad-mannered or provocative. He held up the Vulcan Hand Salute, and she held up her own hand. He quickly realized that she was more out of practice of Vulcan culture than he thought. She studied his hand for a moment or two, then clumsily tried to copy it, having to use her other hand to help prop her fingers. After a few uncomfortable moments, Spock lowered his hand and watched as Siobhan blushed and apologized.

"Have you never learned about your second half?" Spock questioned, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. It seemed strange that she wouldn't have studied half of her life.

"I've never had to know about it. The only reason me and my- my mother and I," she corrected mid-sentence, "moved back here is because this is where her only family is. After my father died, she wanted to be surrounded by relatives."

Spock nodded, actually enjoying the girl's story; it seemed interesting. He found himself staring intently at her as she spoke, and he hung on her every word.

"My condolences for your father." Spock said formally, bowing his head fractionally. She smiled slightly in response and shrugged, though he saw sadness crawl over her face then disappear quickly. If she can hide her emotions that quickly, Spock thought, she might fit in here.

"You seem to be the only nice person here." Siobhan said, frowning ever so slightly. "Every other Vulcan seems hung up on my human half." She crossed her arms and stared at the ground beside Spock. Taking a deep breath then letting it out slowly, she smiled. "How illogical." She said, putting emphasis on the often-used word.

Spock nodded, placing his hands behind his back. Yes, he thought. How illogical.

After classes were over, Spock headed out of the school back into the heat. He sank easily into the thick air, feeling its comfort down to his core. It was much less windy than yesterday, so he was grateful he didn't have to worry about sand in his eyes. He walked aimlessly out in front of the school for a few moments, then set in a mental course for his home.

Siobhan calling his name out distracted him. When he turned to see the girl walking towards him, out of his peripheral vision he saw a few students stare at the two of them and whisper comments amongst themselves. If he were human, he would have rolled his eyes… If he were human.

"Hello," he said as Siobhan came up to his side. She was just a few inches too close for his liking, so he casually walked to the side, as if he were headed home. She kept up with his pace, saying a gentle greeting in return. She was obviously glad to see him, and even more obviously trying to hold back a smile.

"Are you doing anything?" She asked suddenly, tilting her head to the side. To Spock, she almost resembled an Earth puppy, with the way she followed him and tilted her head so often. He cocked his eyebrow upwards in his mind, but not physically.

"I am walking and conversing with you…" He responded, not understanding the significance of her question.

"No, I mean are going to do anything now that school is out?" She giggled softly under her breath.

"I had nothing planned," Spock said, contemplating his answer. There was something about the girl that made him edgy, yet also something that gave him a scientific curiosity. "Why?"

"Well I was going to go out for a walk in the desert, and I wanted to know if you wanted to tag along?" She looked over and up at him, biting her bottom lip strongly. Spock had to force himself to keep walking while he thought deeply. If he went, he might learn more about the girl to feed his curiosity of her. However, the other students at school might find out and talk about him even more. Or worse, talk to him even more. But, sadly, his curiosity got the better of him.

"Yes, I think I will."

Spock walked next to Siobhan in the desert, the heat even more intense here. It bore down on him like an extreme force, and he relished in the contentment. Siobhan looked less comfortable. Not pained, exactly, but out of place. She tucked her hair behind her ears, revealing the pointed tips.

They walked on in silence, the city behind them growing fainter, until it was barely visible on the horizon. Neither of them wanted to go too far out of sight, in case something bad would happen. Because between them, they were no more than thirteen Earth years each, and neither had too much strength to offer in a fight. Especially not Siobhan.

Spock stopped suddenly as Siobhan waltzed over to an area in the sand that was shielded by a large rock overhang. It had a faint shadow where the Sun was blocked off, and she sat down in the sand, patting a spot next to her for Spock. He raised an eyebrow, but walked over without comment, standing beside her.

"Well? Are you going to sit?" She asked, staring up at him expectantly. He nodded and sat down beside her, his posture straight and his shoulders back. His legs were Indian-style in the sand, and his hands were locked together in his lap. He looked over at Siobhan, who was sitting on her bottom, her hands propping her up behind her and her fingers digging into the sand. Her legs were spread out before her, outside of the faint shadow. She had her head tilted to the side again, resting it on her shoulder, and appeared to be staring out into nothing.

Siobhan slowly turned her head to look at him, blinking once or twice to get adjusted. When she saw him and the way he was sitting she couldn't help but laugh loudly. She threw her head back, grinning and giggling to the world. Spock flinched, shocked by the sudden outburst. Was this how all humans acted?

"May I inquire why you were inclined to that sporadic laughter?" He asked, his eyes widening slightly as she chuckled and shook her head, looking back over at him. She took a few seconds before answering.

"You're just so… Tense." Spock raised an eyebrow. "I mean, look at the way you're sitting. We came here to relax," Spock restrained himself from correcting her that he, in fact, did not come to relax, "and you look like you sat on a needle." She chuckled again and gestured to her own body. Spock had an immature, ridiculous moment as he thought of how attractive she was, as he looked her up and down. He almost felt guilty as he did so. "Just relax, like me."

Spock, not wanting her to talk about it any longer, gave in and uncomfortably readjusted himself to her standards. He felt clumsy and silly as he lay back on his elbows, his legs straight out in front of him. He had to bend his back slightly to be comfortable, but Siobhan seemed pleased. He rested his chin on his chest.

"That's much better." She said, here eyes sparkling with amusement. He realized now that she had only done it to get a cheap joke. His thoughts burned with resentment for a moment, then he cooled down and changed the subject.

"How long have you been on Vulcan?" He questioned, turning to face her. She stared out at the desert before her, so all he could see was the side of her face. The tipped ears seemed alien on her, and stuck out like a sore thumb.

"A couple of months, now. It took a while to find a good place to live and a school that I could get into. But I like it here." She sighed, as if deep in thought. "But my favorite part is all of the desert. I love the openness of it all. The sand, the heat, the silence. It's fascinating." Spock straightened his head, catching himself in the act of tilting it to the side. Fascinating, he thought. He lipped the word, and it rolled off his tongue. That's a good word, he thought. I'll have to use that sometime.

Spock sat in silence, waiting for Siobhan to continue. He liked to listen to her, but for the moment she seemed finished speaking. She stared out into the desert, squinting her eyes slightly. He didn't have to squint at all, hinting again at her unfamiliarity with Vulcan's conditions. He could only see half of her eye, but it still sparkled bright blue.

She lay her head back on a rock gently, closing her eyes completely and becoming very quiet. Her breathing was steady and slow, and she didn't move a muscle. Spock held his breath, not wanting to disturb her peace.

As Spock sat and watched Siobhan, he couldn't help but think that there was something about this girl that intrigued him. She was the perfect balance of human and Vulcan. He almost allowed himself to envy her ability to cope with the mixture in her genes. But the longer he sat watching her be still and silent, the more Spock felt compelled to admit to himself that he was more than just intrigued with her. He really… liked her.

Suddenly Spock snapped his eyes closed, sitting up straight and tense. I am Vulcan, he thought sternly. I feel no emotions towards this girl, nor anything more than scientific curiosity. No, I don't even feel that. I am Vulcan. I am Vulcan!

He stood up hastily, kicking sand out in every direction. He brushed himself off and straightened his posture, trying not to look ruffled and failing miserably. Siobhan stood up after him, looking shocked.

"Spock, what's wrong?" She genuinely looked worried, her blue eyes wide despite the harsh, bright sunlight. She held out a hand, and Spock ignored it as best as he could, hardening his expression and doing Vulcan meditation in his mind.

"Nothing is wrong. I need to return home at once." He bowed slightly and turned away, walking as quickly as he could without sprinting. He could feel Siobhan's eyes on his back, willing him to turn around, to come back. He forced himself onward, breathing in slow, calming breaths.

Spock walked into his home and immediately felt better. The smell of ulan soup came to his nose and he breathed in deeply, walking into the kitchen in time to see his mother finishing dinner. Sarek was sitting down at the dinner table. The thick, dark wood had intricate carvings running down the leg, and Spock found himself tracing them with his eyes casually as he sat down.

Amanda smiled proudly as she presented the soup to her two Vulcans. She placed a bowl in front of everyone and took a seat, sniffing the dish heavily and sighing. Amanda had also made Vulcan spice tea, and Spock poured himself a cup-full, taking a small sip. They were all silent as each of them sampled the soup. Spock let it pool onto his tongue, then swallowed gratefully. The hot, flavorful liquid slipped down his throat, and he hungrily took another spoonful.

"So, Spock," Amanda started, looking over at her son, "where were you? You were almost late for dinner." She placed her hands comfortably in her lap and smiled over at Spock, who, in return, swallowed his mouth-full of ulan and set his spoon down. He debated telling his family about Siobhan for only a split-second before deciding it was illogical to think telling them about a new student would be a bad thing.

"I went out for a walk in the desert with another student. I did not think I had been gone for very long. I apologize." Spock said, meeting his mother's eyes. He knew that there was no need to apologize, because Amanda had most likely not thought he was doing something wrong.

"Oh? And who was this student? A friend?" Spock caught his father giving Amanda a quick, hard glance before continuing to pretend to be too busy eating to contribute to the conversation. Amanda's smile was now a full-blown grin as she thought of the possibility of Spock having a nice, little friend to bring home.

"Siobhan," his mother's face lit up even more as she realized it was a girl. "She just moved here from Earth." Spock wondered if he should include the half-human fact, but decided that would only encourage more fantasies from Amanda about Spock falling in love someday. He busied himself with eating, not wanting his soup to get cold.

"She sounds nice." Spock raised an eyebrow. How could his mother make such a conclusion from so little data? "Is she cute?" Spock nearly coughed up his current spoon-full of ulan, but forced it down his throat. The liquid suddenly seemed more like a solid to him.

Sarek set down his utensil harder than necessary, staring at his wife. He blinked a few times, as if unsure that he heard her correctly.

"Amanda, I do not think that is an appropriate question." Sarek looked over at his son, who sat with his spoon half-way to his bowl, frozen in confusion. Should I answer that? he thought, looking back and forth from his mother to his father. She would, he supposed, be cute according to a human male's perspective. He, however, did not regularly think about that kind of thing.

"Oh, it's just a harmless question." Amanda stared back at Sarek for a moment, then held up her hands in defeat. "Okay, fine. I won't ask if she's cute or not." His mother looked over at Spock and winked so only he could see. He lifted an eyebrow, wondering what the gesture meant.

The rest of dinner was eaten in awkward silence. When he finished his soup, Spock stood up and excused himself to his room, thinking about his mother's question more than once as he studied for school.

Spock looked up from his console at a soft, almost inaudible knock at his door. If he were human, his senses would not have picked up the sound. Turning towards the door at his seat, he sat up straight and tall.

"Come in," he said formally yet quietly, almost certain that the person at the door wanted privacy. They would not have knocked so quietly if the case was different.

Amanda opened her son's door and stepped in, closing it slowly and carefully behind her. Once she heard the tiny click, she sighed in relief and turned around, smiling at Spock.

"Sarek is in his study, so now I can actually talk to you." Amanda chuckled lightly and sat down on the edge of Spock's bed, crossing her legs and folding her hands into her lap. Spock's eyes followed his mother carefully, unsure of why she'd have to talk to him behind his father's back. Something about it made him feel like he had done something shameful.

"What would you like to discuss?" Spock asked, hesitant about the answer. Somehow, he seemed to know what her reply would be.

"Siobhan," Amanda tilted her head slightly and gave Spock a knowing look. Knowing what, Spock had no idea. "Is she sweet? Do you have things in common?" She placed her chin on her hand and stared intently at her son. For Amanda, this was the closest thing to 'dating drama' that she had witnessed in years.

Spock visibly became more uncomfortable. His back stiffened and he looked around uncharacteristically. Inside his mind, he debated how to answer, then finally decided to just come out an say it.

"Well, she is half human, like I am." Amanda seemed to gape, impossibly more interested than before. "She and her mother moved here a couple months ago when her father died. They have family here." That seemed to upset his mother, so Spock quickly changed the subject. "She does not know much about our culture, and she does not fit in at my school very well. But she does like the desert. That is why we went for a walk. It seems to be her favorite part of Vulcan." Spock was surprised at how much he could talk about Siobhan. He had had to force himself to shut his mouth. Easily, he could have talked about her for several minutes, even with the little knowledge he had of her.

"Oh, that's wonderful! I bet she's glad not being the only half-and-half student." Amanda smiled warmly at Spock, but her son looked down guiltily.

"Actually, I have not told her I am half human." Spock looked up at his mother through his eyelashes to see her frowning in disappointment. He looked down again at his hands and fiddled with his pant seams.

"Why not? Spock, you need to tell her. It'll help her adapt better, if she knows she's not the only one." Spock stayed silent, not wanting to promise anything. She was right, though. It would be the correct thing for him to do. Spock looked up at Amanda as she stood up and straightened her clothes.

"Think about it." She said quietly, then smiled and left. Spock turned back to his console in silence.

Spock stood outside of the school, the wind blowing his short bangs up and over his forehead. He had intended to find Siobhan and somehow start a conversation about his family, slowly hinting that his mother was human. He hoped she wouldn't be angry that he didn't tell her earlier. Do I really care? Why? He shook his head slightly and walked forward towards the door.

He regretted not getting in the school earlier.

Spock stopped in his tracks, staring at the students in front of him. It was the usual group of students that teased him, hoping for an emotional response. Lately, he had learned how to ignore them long enough for them to get bored and walk away. Siobhan, however, had not learned how to do that.

The students were gathered around the poor girl, all of them talking almost too quickly for comprehension. Some of them were even speaking in Vulcan. She stood wide-eyed and her mouth gaping, stuttering and trying to understand their rude questions. Her face was becoming a shade darker as she blushed and shook her head.

"I don't understand…" She whispered swallowing hard. The students exchanged glances, triumph in their eyes. Spock gritted his teeth and was surprised at the anger he felt toward the students. How dare they do this to her! She's lived on Earth her whole life! Of course she'll have emotional responses!

Spock clenched his fists and took a step forward, prepared to come to her defense, when one student said something else. He didn't hear what it was, but apparently Siobhan heard. She made an odd choking noise and covered her mouth. Tears filled up her eyes and she sprinted towards the door, running past Spock and hardly noticing him.

The group of students stared unemotionally towards the door, then to Spock. Before they could see his clenched jaw and fists, Spock walked out the door after Siobhan, hoping to calm her down. But, to his dismay, she was gone. He looked back and forth quickly, walking forward and peering either way down the road. She was nowhere.

Spock stopped and closed his eyes, taking a deep, calming breath. Okay, he thought, where would she be? Sadly, he didn't know where she lived, but he doubted she would go there anyway. It took him only a split second to come up with an answer.

The desert.

Spock sprinted as fast as he could in the desert, spraying sand out behind him. He looked down again to make sure he could still see the faint indentions in the sand where he supposed Siobhan had been heading. For all he knew, he was chasing down some random person. He brushed away the thought, but stopped to look down at the footprints.

They were obviously made by a humanoid, which could include a Vulcan or human… Or both. The front of the print was farther into the sand, indicating that the person had been running, which he supposed Siobhan had been doing. Standing and feeling more reassured, Spock started running again, faster this time.

He didn't want Siobhan to do anything too impulsive. Humans, he knew, were very hasty in their responses to unanticipated situations. This thought made him take a deep breath and take longer strides.

The footsteps he was following suddenly changed course. The turn was so sloppy and unnatural it made Spock nervous. Why did she turn so suddenly? He looked to his right. The steps led over to the bottom of a small mountain, or large rock. It was hard to tell.

What he saw did not make him relax. Now he understood why she turned so suddenly. Siobhan was crouched in the sand, looking terrified and helpless. Directly to her right, strolling towards her casually, was a growling sehlat. Its sharp, glistening fangs were thrust towards her threateningly, and the deep, hollow sound of it's growl shook the ground.

"Hey!" He screamed suddenly, the urgency in his voice scaring even himself. He had hoped to distract the beast with himself. Unfortunately, the only one to look over at him was Siobhan. She looked both surprised and scared.

The sehlat was taking large, lumbering steps toward Siobhan, and Spock did not like it. With a burst of energy he shot himself forward, intent on tackling the animal. But logic hit him like a brick wall. The animal was at least twice his size, and no doubt much stronger. He thought fast, and changed his course to Siobhan.

Siobhan stood up, now only looking more terrified. She screamed as Spock grabbed her arm- perhaps a bit too hard- and launched her up towards the rock wall.

"Cling on!" He demanded, looking over at the sehlat, now coming even closer.

"Where?" Siobhan said, looking around her shoulder at the desert behind her.

"No, not Klingon. Cling on, as in grab the wall!" She obeyed, grabbing onto the rock with all her life. Spock crawled up after her, going up farther and finding a small ledge that they could fit on. He reached down and pulled her up, his fingers latching onto her hip to help. She gave him an odd look when she got situated.

"What was that?" She asked, pointing toward the sehlat, which looked slightly confused as it barreled around, searching for the being it had just seen.

Spock looked over at Siobhan, a laugh almost bubbling up inside his mouth despite the situation. He quickly repressed the ridiculous action. "And why would there be a Klingon in a Vulcan desert?" He ignored her previous question, truly curious about why she thought a Klingon would be dawdling around on a foreign planet.

"Well, I don't know. Why would someone throw me onto a rock wall and scream at me to cling on?"

"You were about to get attacked by a wild sehlat! I wasn't about to just watch it happen." Spock looked over the side of the ledge and saw the beast sauntering away, its head drooping.

"A sehlat? Is that what that was?" Siobhan peered over the ledge and watched curiously as the animal ambled away.

"Yes, and it could have torn you to pieces." Spock shuddered slightly when he thought about what could have happened if he had just shown up a few moments too late. Siobhan seemed to be thinking the same thing, because she sat back farther on the rock overhang and cuddled her legs to her chest. "Sorry," Spock mumbled, adjusting himself so he was sitting cross-legged.

"It's okay," her voice was barely over a whisper, and she stared down at her knees. Spock suddenly noticed how tired she looked. There were bags under her eyes, and her eyelids were red-rimmed, as if she had just cried.

"What did they say?" Spock leaned forward slightly, a worried look on his face. Siobhan rubbed her eyes, but it only seemed to irritate them more. They started to water profusely.

"They called me 'T'Vareth'. I don't know too much of the Vulcan language, but I do know what that means, and I know it isn't a term of endearment. Then they pointed out that my dad is dead." She sniffled and shrugged, resting her chin on her knees. "I guess I over-reacted. It was kind of silly-"

"It wasn't silly." Spock spoke up sternly, moving himself closer to her so he could place his hand on her shoulder. The touch was little, soft, barely a touch at all. But he knew it would be enough to comfort Siobhan. Even the most ignorant humans knew Vulcans hated to touch and hated being touched. To do so was a great deal, and it meant a lot. "Losing a family member isn't something insignificant. It can bring a great deal of emotional stress onto a person. Just the loss itself can bring emotional responses, let alone some immature children trying to provoke you. Your response was logical… Inevitable."

Siobhan sniffled again and wiped her eyes, smiling slightly. She looked up at Spock a grinned, and Spock almost smiled back, but caught himself before it was too late.

"You can always make things sound so scientific." Her voice was still throaty. There was a long, silent pause as neither of them said anything. Then Siobhan sat up straighter and placed her hand on Spock's, which was still resting lightly on her shoulder.

"I'm going back home." She whispered, looking down at her knees.

"I'll walk you home…" Spock offered, tilting his head. He was already calculating how to get down off the ledge when Siobhan shook her head, smiling painfully.

"No, Spock… I'm going back to Earth." The calculations stopped and he turned to stare into Siobhan's eyes. She refused to meet his stare, but continued to look at her legs. "I don't belong here."

"If it's what the other students said-"

"It wasn't them. I knew all along I didn't belong here. I haven't even ever visited this place, let alone lived here." She shrugged. "Besides, there's deserts on Earth. I can just go hang out in them. At least there I don't have to worry about… What were they, sehlats?" Her fingers slipped off of Spock's, and his slipped off of her shoulder.

"My mother and I are leaving tomorrow." Siobhan finally looked up to meet Spock's eyes. His were almost as pained as hers. "I'll miss you." She leaned forward, and Spock didn't move. He didn't budge as she kissed him lightly on the lips, and he didn't even flinch when she started climbing down the ledge. "Goodbye, Spock." She disappeared over the edge, and Spock finally moved.

He crawled to the ledge and watched her walk off into the desert, heading towards the city. Sharp rock pieces dug deeply into his palm, but he didn't care. She gradually grew smaller, and he finally had to sit back when he couldn't make out her shape in the distance. She was gone.

He rested his back against the hard, sharp rock, not caring when it dug into his back muscles and shoulder blades. His head rolled back and forth on the rough surface as he shook his head, unable to believe she was gone.

I didn't even get to tell her I'm half human, he thought, a new wave of emotion hitting him like a hammer. Perhaps that would have convinced her to stay.

Spock sat with his legs pulled up to his chest and his face buried in his knees. He didn't cry, but just thought. He thought about Siobhan, and what he could have done to convince her to stay. He thought about what would have happened if he had told her he was half human. But most of all, he thought about how different they were.

Sure, the both of them were hybrids. They both were half human and half Vulcan. But all in all, they were completely different.

Siobhan was laid back and relaxed. She enjoyed life and all of it's pleasures. She bathed in delight and content. Yet she was very vulnerable. Her weaknesses were exposed, and she was defenseless against any attackers. But she was strong. Nothing could keep her down for too long.

And then there was Spock: Logical and unemotional. He constantly struggled to be the best, to learn the most, to prove he wasn't some pitiful human child in need of comfort and encouragement. He had vulnerable spots, yes. But he kept them clandestine in the back of his mind, so no one could get to them. He was strong, like Siobhan, but in a different way. He didn't even give life a chance to hit him.

But, Spock thought surely, being like Siobhan would not be bad. She is who she is, and she's fine with that. If I had to be like anyone else, it would be her. She's… fascinating.