She followed their brisk pace to the transporter room, with her heart racing and her head practically spinning. She was well trained though; she became bolder and more focused during any intensely terrifying situation. And nothing was more terrifying to her than the thought of losing him.

Spock exuded complete clam and composure, as always. No one had spoken a word in the lift, and as soon as the doors opened Spock had marched straight to the transport pad. The new captain stopped at the com-link to give some final order, but she did not hesitate to follow Spock. She slowed at the foot of the small steps as he turned to face forward on the pad. Neither looked at each other, and she crossed her arm behind her back as she ascended the few stairs. She tried to contain herself.

Still without meeting her eyes, he said "We will be all right, lieutenant." His voice was cool, collected and professional. But she had already lost herself, and reached up to touch his face. Their eyes locked, and hers began to fill with tears. Something in his faltered, and for once, he did nothing to cover it.

For a few moments they stood there, as if no one else was in the room. Her touch on his face awakened something in him that he could not describe and that was utterly devoid of logic. So many times, he had cursed that she always brought out his human side. Every time they were together, he would fight to keep his composure. But in this moment, he softened, and for the first time in their relationship he initiated their course. He leaned in close, closed his eyes, and let his lips find hers.

She let out a soft sigh, very close to a sob, and parted her lips to allow him entrance. Her hands dropped to wrap around his waist as she stepped closer to him. The angle changed, their difference in height becoming more pronounced, and he lowered his head to deepen the kiss. A moment more and his hand found her waist, pulling her in so no space remained between them.

He was awash with emotion, heady with it, almost drunk. Never in his existence had he allowed his emotions to flow so freely, and it heightened the sensation of her taste, her smell, the feel of her pressed against his body. For a few moments, there were no problems or equations to solve, no probabilities to consider. Just this one woman in all the universe, and her intoxicating presence in his life.

She made a small noise of pleasure that inflamed him as his tongue broke into her mouth again, but the sound brought him back to some of his senses. He kissed her deeply for another moment, and then broke their kiss, careful not to move too far from her lips and to keep his hands firmly on her hips. She let out a breath and he felt its warmth across his face.

"I will be back," he whispered, his nose still grazing hers.

She pulled back quickly, her face a strange mesh of emotions he could not decipher through the haze of his own. "You better be," her eyes locked with his again, as she fairly commanded him. "I'll be monitoring your frequency."