This isn't a chapter, I'm afraid. I plan on writing a short intro to the next story during the next few months, and will pop it up here as soon as I do to let you know when the sequel is coming out, but this Chapter is actually written as a response to a not particularly nice review that I recently received. The writer of said review probably won't read this, but I feel like I have to say something.

You're probably all wondering what it was that the review said. Well, it went a lil' something like this:

'I barfed while reading this, but I still can't get the shitty tang of mary sue off my mouth. Ick'

I don't usually respond to reviews, but I think that yours makes a special exception. Firstly, I have no problems whatsoever with people who don't like my work. By all means, hate it as much as you like. What I DO have problems with, however, is when people express their distaste as ineloquently as you just have with 'hurr durr mary sue', instead of making an actually constructive review that could better my writing. I have nothing wrong with reviews that are negative, in my opinion, well-structured criticism is the best way to improve a story, but I do have a problem with people who leave bad reviews just to be an arse.

As for your implication that Alex is a Mary Sue, well, she certainly shares some Mary Sue traits, e.g. she is very intelligent, but I assure you that you would be hard-pressed to find a character in ANY story that didn't share a single Mary Sue trait.
As for Alex, however, there are MANY features integral to a Mary Sue that she lacks entirely:

1. She's always right - Well this is bullshit before we start. Alex makes many bad decisions throughout the story, one of them nearly leading to her expulsion. She gets drunk far too often for it to be good for her, and is stubborn to a fault.

2. Everybody (especially the love interest) thinks that she is incredible - I don't know how much attention that you paid throughout the story, but Spock and Alex don't actually make skin to skin contact until Chapter 14, and pretty much hate each other up to there. There is no 'love at first sight' moment in this story, and the two main characters actually think that the other is a complete tool for a good proportion of time.

3. She is INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL - Alex is nowhere near flawless. She's a bit chubby. Her hair is a mess. She often finds herself outshone by T'yonga, her beautiful Orion roommate. Mary Sues are always stunningly beautiful. Alex isn't ugly, but she's certainly not a person that people would look at twice if they crossed her on the street.

4. She's special or powerful - Alex is a human. An ordinary run-of-the-mill human , who just so happens to have a penchant for mathematics. She isn't the 'Chosen One'. She doesn't have any powers other than the ability to make quite a good lasagne.

5. She has a dark or mysterious past - She's from Peckham. Get over yourself.

6. She is always the main focus of the story. - There are many other characters who also have interesting storylines in this work, e.g. T'yonga, Jim, Jackie, Leonard. Not everything is always about Alex all of the time.

7. She is a one-dimensional character whose only job is to fall in love - Alex is smart. She's focused. She's funny and caring and occasionally a bit of a bitch. She's willing to do anything to get where she wants to be and doesn't take well to being disrespected. She is certainly not one dimensional, and this story is as much about her journey to becoming a doctor as it is about her romance with Spock.

8. She has an interesting or unusual name - She is literally called Alex but thank you for trying.

With the greatest amount of respect, why leave a review telling me how shitty my characterisation and plot is on the 30th and Final Chapter. You must have read the whole way through. That can't have been an incredibly pleasurable experience for you, giving that you apparently 'barfed' every bloody chapter due to the incessant 'Mary-Sue-ness' of my entirely not Mary Sue Character.

Whoo. I'm sorry about that rant, but I'm awfully protective of my characters. I've been writing this story for about a year now, and have put an awful lot of time and care into it, so it kind of pisses me off when somebody leaves a negative review with no constructive criticism, apparently just for the reason of causing harm .

To everyone else who has stuck with Alex for the last 30 Chapters, thank you so much, I really appreciate all that you have don (following/reviewing/favouriting) as it's really kept me going :)