When I said I'd be posting the first chapter early in the week, I wasn't kidding.

Thank you all so much for your support in this ongoing story! Hopefully this one will be going a bit quicker, but we shall see. To clear things up, yes this takes place during "Into Darkness", but it is not a true rewrite. Parts that do not show up in this story happened as they did in the movie. This story is taking place mostly behind the scenes, with a few scenes from the movie that have to be rewritten. After all, we know Uhura is too great of a character to be caught kissing a married man :)

Many thanks to my beta Amodestpoet, who finds the time to edit my work, even though he has his own work to write.

Please, read and enjoy!

"Yeah, yeah, I still think you are crazy, but I suppose that's the fact of love," Schn T'gai Niniane said, laughing as she spoke to one of her dear friends.

Christine Chapel grinned on the other side of the commlink. "It's not like you can talk. I've married within my species."

"Hey, not judging! I am fully aware of my own madness. I mean, look at who I'm friends with," Nia told her with a wink.

Laughing, Christine nodded. "Yes, I suppose Wena is a little crazy."

Sniggering, Nia hung her head in her hands before giving a grudging nod. "Not what I meant, but I can't exactly disagree. So, tell me, are you enjoying your new life on another planet with Roger?"

"So far so good," the blonde said with a shrug. "Every once in a while, I still find myself surprised by how much he has changed."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. When I ended the engagement before what happened to Vulcan, I really thought that was the end of it."

Nia gave a put upon sigh. "Yeah and then he showed up out of the blue four months ago totally changed, he romanced you, you went on an extended leave that you ended up extending into a transfer from the Enterprise and then you invited everyone to a going away party that was really your wedding reception and announced that were leaving us forever!" She ended on an exaggerated wail that sent Christine into a fit of giggles.

"Oh my, I forgot how much I did not miss you," Christine told her. "So, tell me why you aren't on the Enterprise yourself?"

"Ah," Nia sat up straighter and pressed a button on the side of her screen. A small window appeared and Nia selected the image she wanted to send. "An away team from another ship found this on a new planet, thought it would interest me. It's a plant with some very interesting properties that sound very promising."

"And because more than one scientist is interested in it, Starfleet will only allow you and the other to study it at an Earth based lab."

"Lucky for me, I already have a house in San Francisco," Nia quipped.

Christine nodded. "A very good thing. You really think this might be what you've been looking for?"

She shrugged helplessly. "Maybe. I'm not holding my breath in any case. We haven't yet reached the unknown deadline Spock from the alternate timeline gave us."

"That's just too weird to think about," the nurse told her with a shake of her head.

"You want to know what's really weird?"

Christine caught the mischievous look on her friend's face. "What?" She asked, already dreading the answer.

Nia bit her lip. "Spock Prime, the one from the alternate timeline, told me about how a certain Head Nurse had a massive crush on him…"

"No!" Christine gaped at her, and then frowned. "Well… maybe… but that's… No, sorry, no." She shook her head, hands raised against Nia's cackles. "I am perfectly happy with Roger and you are perfectly happy with Spock and even though my alternate self must have had good taste, just no." She rubbed her face with her hands before asking "When did he tell you this in the first place?"

"Last week. He was here for a couple days with the New Vulcan envoy and came by the house. He didn't realize it was just me on leave to study to plant since, as the Science Officer, Spock could have requested to examine it too. We had dinner, though he absolutely refused Indian."

"Oh?"

"I think it was because of how much I embarrassed myself that time when my dish was too hot. And I'm sure he doesn't want a repeat of snot at dinner."

"Oh gosh," Christine held back the gag the built up in the back of her throat. "Time for a subject change. What is the Enterprise doing without you? Do you even know?"

"Um," Nia checked the date and time. "Right now they should on a recon mission at Nibiru. Have you heard of it?"

Christine looked surprised. "I have. They've got some pretty fascinating indigenous peoples, but they are primitive."

"That's what I've heard. I'm a little disappointed that I won't be a part of that away team, but oh well."

"Possible salvation of home world definitely trumps exploring new planet with husband," Christine agreed.

"But only just," Nia clarified.

"Of course," Christine winked. She sighed. "You know they are going to get into all sorts of trouble without you."

Nia nodded. "I already warned Kirk that anything he does to husband, he should expect an equal retribution from me."

"Decent threat after the slime incident eight months in payback for not telling you about Wena's kidnapping," Christine said.

Nia chuckled. "You heard about that?"

"I think the whole solar system heard him screaming as he transported back to the ship."

"They say revenge is a dish best served cold."

"I don't think they meant literally."

"Eh, still was worth it," Nia said with a shrug.

Christine looked of screen for a moment and turned back to Nia with a soft smile. "Roger's back and it's time for dinner. Can I call you back in a couple days?"

Nia grinned. "Of course. Have fun!" She waved as Christine signed off.

The smile dropped a little as the screen went dark. It had been a long couple of weeks being on Earth without Spock. This is the longest time they have been separated since they'd been married and she was a little lonely. She had a couple friends here on Earth, but none of them were Christine, or Uhura, or Wena.

She winced thinking of Wena. The Powers That Be had decided that Wena and her skills were not vital to the crew of the Enterprise and sent her back to Palad. While the half-Paladian knew that she was needed, there was no doubt that she wasn't happy about being sent away. Pike certainly heard an earful before the brunette stormed off to pack.

Honestly, Nia didn't entirely understand what that drama had been about, unless Wena had lied to Nia about not being afraid to return to Palad. Which, as Nia thought about it, was a very real possibility. It took her a long time to open up to Wena about what happened on Palad, finding it easier to speak with a counselor about it. Wena didn't understand that the counselor was someone outside of the situation and as such, was someone that Nia didn't need to impress nor did she care what they thought. Not really.

That was eight months ago, three months before she got married and two months before Wena was taken off the Enterprise.

Nia sighed, leaned back. She wondered just what in the world her husband, the grumpy doctor, and their mad captain were up to.

If the mounting dread was any indication, it was nothing good.

STSTSTST

Meanwhile on Nibiru:

"We have to do this now!" Sulu shouted as he pulled the shuttle into position. "The shuttle wasn't built for this kind of heat!"

Spock understood this and was already dressed and in the process for final preparations.

Uhura was helping him, a deep scowl marring her features.

"Captain, did the indigenous life forms see you?" The Vulcan asked.

"No, Mr. Spock, they did not!" Kirk's tone was exasperated and more than a little harried as his reply was accompanied by the sounds of rapid movement through vegetation.

Spock did not believe his captain was being entirely truthful. "The Prime Directive clearly states there can be no interference with the internal development of alien civilizations-"

Kirk interrupted him "I know what it says, which is why I'm running through the jungle, wearing a disguise."

Even Uhura could see that that answer did not reassure the First Officer.

"Now blow up your super ice cube and let's go! I have orders to get you home in time for your wife's birthday. Kirk out!" The captain's communications ended abruptly, no doubt having to perform yet another evasive maneuver that would just barely fit the parameters of the Prime Directive.

Sulu rushed the shuttle born trio into action, having never stopped moving, by shouting "If we're gonna do it, we do it now! The ash is killing our coils." Much like it did in primitive Earth engines the molten volcanic glass present in the clouds of ash was adhering itself to the shuttle's coils, heating them far beyond safety protocols and inhibiting their base functions.

Uhura's scowl had faded into a more worried and fearful look. "You sure you don't want me to go instead?" She offered, already knowing it was too late for a last minute switch, but finding herself unable to keep from offering anyways.

"That would be highly illogical as I am already outfitted – "

"Spock, I was kidding," Uhura interrupted. She sighed, but didn't try to talk him out of this coming endeavor. "You got this," she told him weakly. She patted him awkwardly on the shoulder and ignored his look of confusion.

Nia was going to kill them all.

"Guys, we have to go! Now!" Sulu insisted from the front.

Uhura turned back to Spock. "We'll see you in ninety seconds." She turned quickly and dove into the copilot's chair. She watched Spock anchor himself to the cable and pulled the lever to drop him into the mouth of the explosively erupting volcano.

The shuttle began to shake harder as he dropped and additional alarms began to blare.

"We can't hold this position," Sulu stated, deceptively calm. "Spock, I'm gonna pull you back up."

"Negative, this is our only chance to save this species," he replied as he continued dropping through the billowing clouds of very hot and very dense volcanic particles. "If this volcano erupts, the planet dies."

Despite his protests, Uhura was already lifting the level controlling the cable to pull him back up.

The sensors went haywire as the cable snapped, unable to withstand the heat and force of the projectiles impacting it. Uhura and Sulu both shouted in surprise and fear.

The comm. system crackled. "I am, surprisingly, alive. Please standby."

Sulu snorted in disbelief.

"Can we get him back? There's a second suit, I can-"

Sulu cut her off with a shake of his head. "We took too long, we have to abandon the shuttle. We have no choice." His voice was hard. This wasn't a decision he was making lightly.

With an anguished sigh, Uhura nodded, rubbing one hand over her head. This was the risk they knew they were taking when they sent one of their own down into that mess of molten rock. They weren't giving up, not quite yet, but this was awfully close.

"Spock we have to return to the Enterprise." She paused a mere fraction of a second. "We'll get you out," she promised.

Spock didn't respond. He knew there was no chance of rescue without violation of the Prime Directive. He'd known it almost as soon as the plan had been made and had begun to be set into action. As such, he had both made his decision and made his peace with it.

There was no need to feel fear for death as much as there was no need to feel hope for survival. He had a job to do that an entire species counted on being performed correctly.

He climbed over the super heated, but still solid boulder that he had landed on in order to retrieve the cold fusion device and activate it. Despite the dire situation, his intellectual curiosity reared its head in the presence of the very scientific feature that he and his wife had discussed a mere three weeks previous.

"I'm not ashamed to admit I'm jealous that you get to go to Nibiru without me," Nia told him, grinning. "The red jungle trees from the initial scans look incredibly fascinating. Make sure to bring me some samples, will you?"

He'd inclined his head in acceptance. "Do you wish for cuttings only or fruit as well?"

"Oh both, definitely. Can't get a proper study of the growth cycle with just cuttings. And really, just fruit won't help either, but I might try to cultivate the plant from the seeds which will them give me a full view of the growth cycle. And it'll better inform me of any agricultural or cross breed potentials." Her eyes had begun to drift away as she thought about all the experimental possibilities.

He cleared his throat and her eyes snapped back to his. "I will do my best, however you should be aware that Lieutenant Sulu has similar and equally fervent desires."

She smirked and shrugged. "I can share if he can." She suddenly frowned at him and nudged his ankle with her foot.

Her concern and attachment flashed through him at the brief contact.

"Hey," she said. "You be careful, ok? You haven't mentioned the super-volcano showing signs of increased activity at all, but I know it's a possible concern."

"All active volcanoes are treated with caution," he replied. At her look, he let out the smallest sigh. "I wished to avoid increasing your anxiety."

She rolled her eyes. "Didn't work, but I appreciate the attempt." Biting her lip, she admitted, "I'm more worried about whatever mess our dear Kirk will get you into than the volcano erupting."

The irony of her statement was inescapable, even for him.

His comm. system came to life.

"Spock!" The captain's voice was loud and questioning.

"I have activated the device, Captain." He continued to watch his exploding surroundings, moving little. "When the countdown is complete, the reaction should render the volcano inert." The heat was becoming suffocating, even in his environmental suit.

He overheard the ensuing discussion of his rescue. He decided to interject "Captain, our shuttle was concealed by the ash cloud, but the Enterprise is too large. If utilized in a rescue effort, it would be revealed to the indigenous species."

"Shut up, Spock. We're trying to save you, dammit!" McCoy spoke this time.

"Doctor, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few," he replied.

The doctor's grumble was quiet, but Spock still heard it. "I'm sure your wife will appreciate being lumped with 'the few'."

"Spock, nobody knows the rules better than you, but there has got to be an exception," Kirk tried to reason with him.

"None. Such action violates the Prime Directive."

"Spock we're talking about your life!"

"The rule cannot be broken under any circumstances." Spock waited a moment to hear Kirk's further arguing, but was only met with static. It appeared his comms had finally succumbed to the heat of the volcano. Unfortunate, but not unexpected.

With the end in communication, an odd feeling hit him. It was one he had not felt in recent time, but was still familiar to him. Loneliness. He would be dying alone. With the loneliness came fear and despair, and for a moment all three emotions threatened to smother his control.

Closing his eyes, he mentally wrestled them back until the dull acceptance and false tranquility returned.

The fear for death was as pointless as the hope for survival. He had no need for pointless emotions.

Instead, he kept his eyes closed and spread his arms lightly as the lithic block beneath him began rock and shudder dangerously.

The fear of death is pointless.

When he opened his eyes to find himself present in the transporter room, his mind knew the decision his captain had made.

Even as horror and appall won out in the internal battle, utter relief was still present. He believed his captain to have made the wrong choice, but that did not stop the restrained and primal aspect of his nature from being glad to be alive.

A distinctly irritated feminine voice came across the comm. system as the captain and CMO stared at Spock, confused at his lack of gratefulness.

"Is Commander Spock on board, sir?"

"Safely and soundly."

All concern covering the irritation disappeared in her next statement. "Please notify him that his device has successfully detonated."

Kirk either didn't notice or did care about the emotional state of his communications officer as he congratulated his science officer.

Spock refused to acknowledge the congratulations. "You violated the Prime Directive!" Did he not understand the impact of what he had done?

"Oh come on, Spock, they saw us. Big deal."

No, clearly, he did not.

A/N: Somebody's in trouble... multiple somebody's. Next chapter, Spock is home. How do think Nia is going to feel? And how do you think Uhura is going to react, now that she is not romantically involved with Spock, but a good friend is? Would love your thoughts and insight!

Many thanks to those who read, followed, favorited, and reviewed the previous story, "Skies On Fire". I hope you all enjoy this one just as much!

-Spirit