The Satisfaction of a Slap

Author's note: Brain worm warning: This is what happens when you watch Babel before going to bed and wake up with dialogue ringing in your brain, forcing you to get out of bed and write.

"You did what?" They had made it to Babel in one piece, despite all the efforts otherwise and Sarek now lay safely ensconced at the Vulcan Medical Unit, where a qualified staff would determine his progress before the conference began and whether he would be able to participate.

"I slapped him," Amanda stated it matter of factly, "I slapped Spock and I did it as hard as I could. He was being just as pig-headed as you are."

She had set to busying herself about the room, straightening a curtain, adjusting a flower in the vase.

"I am not…pigheaded," Her husband countered only seeming to reinforce her opinion.

"You are," She turned back to him now, meeting his eyes and holding them, "I couldn't bear the thought of losing you."

"I am still here, am I not?" Sarek raised his brows in a statement of fact.

"Stop that," Amanda firmly set her mouth in a straight line, willing him to feel her disapproval, "Only by luck are you still here. I couldn't bear the thought of living without you. I don't think I could."

"You would continue as always."

"No. No, I couldn't. You know that isn't true," Her stance softened now as she moved to his bed, taking his hand in hers, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"There was-"

"No, no the real reason," She wouldn't let him continue on that well-worn path, "I have had enough of this nonsense."

"I would not have you worry needlessly," He stated it quietly, as a matter of true fact.

"Needlessly? What I just went through would have been needless if you had told me the truth in the first place."

"I did not lie. Vulcans- "

She stopped him again before he got any further, she already knew what rubbish his next words would be, "Don't tell me Vulcans do not lie. They do, whether by omission or a careful crafting of 'facts'. You lead me to believe everything is fine and dandy until all hell breaks lose and I find out otherwise."

"I would ask your forgiveness then, My Wife, if I have distressed you," His tone softened as he felt the pain he had caused by not sharing his condition with her.

"I could have lost you due to your damn foolishness," Amanda felt the tears forming in her eyes and willed herself not to cry. She had done enough of that.

"You did not."

"And that is your saving grace, Sarek of Vulcan. I forgive you, but only because I love you."

She held his held tighter even as he moved to hold the fingers of his free hand to hers in embrace, feeling the familiar brush of his mind, making her too aware of what she might have lost.

A gentle chime sounded, signaling the arrival of a healer and their hands fell away.

"It is time to enter your healing trance, Xcha'ala'at, " The healer stood patiently. She was only there for observation. The work would be done by the ambassador.

Sarek nodded and closed his eyes, settling into a light meditative trance, the first steps leading to a deeper state.

"I want to be here when he is awakened, " Amanda gazed toward her husband as she moved to leave, giving him one last look, praying that all would be well. He needed to be able to concentrate and she could not be an unnecessary diversion in the background while he had work to do.

As she moved to the door, she turned to look at him one final time, not sure of whether he could hear her or not, "I want to be that one that gives you that good hard slap when you're ready to come back."

The door slid close silently behind her. She was tired to her very core. It had been three long days, far too long, far too eventful. But she laughed to herself as she made her way back their suite. In fairy tales, one awakens one's lover with a kiss, but she could hardly wait to give him that good hard slap. He deserved it.