Title: A Vulcan Cure to Hiccups

Chapter 2 Title: When Salt Water Attacks!

Rating: PG-13/K+

Character: Kirk/Spock, McCoy

Summary: One of his most illogical and stupid moves he had ever made in his life, he knew before he jumped into the water that he may be condemning himself to death.

Author's Note: What may work for Spock and Kirk in What May Come To Pass may not work here and vice versa. Thanks for the reviews and enjoy this chapter...

"Your afraid of the water?" Kirk asked amused, smiling brightly. If he was more human Spock would have been annoyed as it were he just looked at his Captain with a raised eyebrow.

"Vulcan was a dry and aired planet; water was a valuable commodity not something to play with." Spock stated sternly but not angrily, he was not annoyed. He tried not to flinch when a harsh breeze off the sea blew bits of ocean spray on on him as he stood on the little island that they had been beamed down to. Kirk did not catch his first officers slight change in mood as he was trying to find a way to communicate with the race the federation knew existed on the planet. Spock had detected a large and vast array of communities and life signs but they were all underwater.

"Well I guess you'll just have to wait on this boring piece of land while I explore the big ocean blue." Kirk stated as he brought out his filter and the communication device that Spock and Scotty had constructed to communicate with the humanoid race.

"The species on this planet are similar to what your ancient culture called Mermaids and Merman. They can only hear underwater because of the way the sound waves move differently in the dry air compared to the water. This water has a very high salinity, that allows fast communications under the surface of the water."

"In short our hosts should arrive momentarily once I send out the signal." Kirk stated smiling at Spock and walking closer to the edge of the water. Spock stayed where he was, he would not move closer.

"Spock come on are you serious? You would let your fear, an emotion I might add, get in the way of a discovery of a new race and culture." Kirk said as he turned to see Spock still not coming closer to the ever rising tide of the ocean, that might have something to do with the three moons orbiting the planet.

Before Spock could answer Kirk turned back to the communication device and began to speak. Things happened quickly after that, Spock watched in mild disappointment as Kirk was able to stand in ankle deep water with out a care in the world. He noted that if he was still Captain of the Enterprise he would have had to delegate this type of mission to another officer. He realized that Kirk had been a better choice for most of the missions they had been on in the last six months. It had been life changing the things he had learned from the very emotional, fast to get in a fight, slow to get out of one, Captain James T. Kirk. What really surprised him was that he enjoyed it.

Suddenly he shook his head in bewilderment, what had come over him? Why was he not able to concentrate on the task at hand? Listening to his Captain talk to a new and fascinating race of mermen. Spock restrained himself from allowing his logical thoughts to conclude that he was being effected by the salt water. He didn't want to admit it, denial another very human trait. Kirk turned around smiling at him, then his face suddenly turned into a frown.

"Spock are you all..."

"Captain the mermen have requested you join them as guest of honor at their house. I will monitor from above and translate your information to the ship since your communication will be cut off underwater." Spock stated not allowing Kirk to finish his sentence, not allowing himself to dwell on how to answer.

"Of course Mr. Spock, logical as usual, and it will keep you dry." Kirk stated as he removed his shirt.

"Captain?"

"There is no need to get my entire uniform wet Spock, especially since the water here is a comfortable temperature. I guess you would say it was from the two suns." Kirk stated. He placed the shirt on a dry part of land.

"Yes Captain." Spock stated somewhat strained.

Kirk looked up at him about to say something but decided not to. He then turned and walked purposefully into the rising waves. Spock watched in silent tension as his Captain was swallowed by the waves. It only took him an instant to get in contact with him under the water, he confirmed that he could hear Spock and then everything went silent.

For over thirty minutes everything was silent, then Spock saw a tell-tale sign of something gone wrong. His eyes were looking for anomalies in the color of the Kirk's-eyes-blue ocean, the crimson tint that flowed towards him was easy to find. Immediately he began to worry, a human trait that seemed to be cropping up more often around Kirk then any other human. As the tint became more obvious overtime he decided to act. One of his most illogical and stupid moves he had ever made in his life, he knew before he jumped into the water that he may be condemning himself to death.

Azure and unbreathable substance surrounded him immediately, it took him a moment to orient himself in the almost zero gravity of the ocean. When he had found his bearings he looked towards where the crimson had come from. In the distance he saw what he was looking for. Panic and fear for Kirk made him realize that he could move within the water with some simple strokes of his hands and the push of his feet. It took him only fifteen seconds to get to the body. Instantly he pulled himself and the body above the surface he knew Kirk needed air. As he slowly moved back to land he found that he had jumped in with his communicator, successfully ruining it since it wasn't waterproof. He would berate himself later as he finally felt hard unmoving land underneath his feet. He began to feel gravity take back his weight and Kirk's, he was lighter then he expected.

He finally got to dry land and ignored his own shallow breathing and rapid heart rate. He watched as Kirk's chest did not rise and fall like it was suppose to. Immediately he reached for the communicator, the one Kirk had left with his dry shirt. He called up to Scotty informing him of the problem and requesting McCoy to meet them in the transporter room.

Scotty answered with some troubling news, the planets thick cloud cover and strange electronic disturbances would make it difficult to pinpoint their location. Spock had no medical supplies with him to revive the captain, so he reached into his mind for an ancient human technique that had worked, though primitively, to resuscitate humans who had swallowed too much water.

He didn't think about it he just did it. He pulled back Kirk's neck making sure his air pipe was open then he listened for breathing, he didn't hear anything. He turned Kirk's head and breathed into his open mouth, holding his nose closed. Then he sat up situated himself beside Kirk's chest and pressed down just below his rib cage. He repeated for three rounds and as he began to press his mouth against the cold calloused lips of Kirk for the fourth time he felt himself dematerialize and materialize on the Enterprise. As he moved to pump against his ribs he saw movement in his chest and suddenly heard the coughing sound from Kirk's throat. They had made it back on the ship, and his Captain was alive.

He suddenly realized what he had been doing, what he had just done, what it meant for his own body. Fear was an understatement of the emotions going through his body. As Kirk turned to look at him he was too distracted with his own emotions to interpret what was being conveyed in Kirk's eyes. As he heard the door open and McCoy enter he found himself able to control his facial expression at least and got up not ready to display the reaction to salt water to his captain, not ready to admit what it might mean for their relationship.

The last thing he heard before the doors closed was McCoy yelling at him about going to sick bay. He had no intention of going to sick bay, he needed to go to his quarters and stay there until he could convince the captain to get him to New Vulcan. If the evidence from the few other incidences of salt water and Vulcans were any proof he only had one week to get to New Vulcan, before his body shut down completely.

*

McCoy was not a happy man. He had been able to stabilize Kirk and he knew he was going to be alright, though out for a few hours. He had already informed Sulu that the Captain was not going to be on the bridge because of his medical condition and that Spock should be noted as the Acting Captain in his next report. However he knew from his own research in to Vulcan physiology that salt water was very detrimental to a Vulcan's body. He was annoyed that Spock had not come to see him yet. So he planned to go and see him.

As the lift door opened to the deck where Spock and Kirk's private quarters were he realized his usual stubborn manner was not going to convince Spock to come back with him to the medical bay. He decided to try another tactic. He rang and wasn't surprised when the door didn't open. He was the only person other then the captain who could override a lock on a door, he used that ability. The door slid open silently and let out a draft of overheated air, McCoy was taken back by how hot the air was and how dry.

Spock was sitting cross legged in front of his bed, his hands by his side his eyes closed. McCoy stepped inside and walked towards him, he pulled out his triquarter and scanned Spock. Already his vitals were going down, McCoy noticed Spock's hands were shaking. "Spock."

"Doctor I do not wish to be disturbed."

"With Captain Kirk down in sick bay out cold you are now Acting Captain. You must decide what to do Spock."

"Doctor you know I am in no condition to take on those duties of Acting Captain." Spock stated his voice just above a whisper.

"Spock please come back with me to sick bay I will be able to monitor you better there." McCoy couldn't believe he was begging.

"Doctor I..."

"I know what is happening to you Spock, I know about your condition. I was informed by your vulcan council about the mating ritual Ponn Far and that it happens every seven years. I know that salt water..."

*Hiccup*

McCoy was quite as he tried to believe what he was hearing. *Hiccup*

Spock was hiccuping...a Vulcan was hiccuping. McCoy remembers reading a very vague explanation of what the very rare side effect hiccuping does to a Vulcan. He remembers that Vulcans had never found a cure to hiccups. The article had not gone into what had happened to the Vulcans who had the hiccups, but he didn't believe it ended well for them.

"Spock I am ordering you to sick bay this instant." McCoy said going into doctor mode immediately. He went to the comm and informed Sulu of Spock's medical condition and that Sulu would have to take over ship Captain functions until he could release the Captain or the first officer from sick bay. Sulu acknowledged and he turned around to see Spock standing up.

McCoy nodded and walked towards the door. As the door opened he turned to make sure Spock was following him, Spock followed him out into the hall. McCoy sighed in relief he had been sweating badly in the over heated room. Spock seemed to have the opposite reaction to the coolness of the hallway. McCoy had never thought he would see the day when a Vulcan was too sick to stand, but at the moment Spock seemed to be unable to balance on his own two feet.

McCoy caught him and allowed him to lean on his body. McCoy noticed the shirt Spock was wearing was still wet. "Spock why didn't you get out of your wet clothes?"

Spock didn't answer and McCoy didn't expect it. He was able to with a little help from Spock, get them to the lift. It took only a matter of seconds to get Spock onto a sick bed. However once there he was not being cooperative.

"Spock I demand that you take these, you are loosing your equilibrium, I can only do so much for your half-vulcan body."

"*Hiccup*You understand Doctor *Hiccup*none of your human remedies *Hiccup*will help me.*Hiccup* I have to...*Hiccup*"

"You don't have to do anything. Vulcan's are incredibly smart but they are not very imaginative. I have a few remedies that I know your Vulcan Scientist wouldn't think of trying." McCoy stated. "First things first though I want you to remove your wet clothes and put on some dry ones."

"Doctor *Hiccup*read article 1037 in *Hiccup*issues 201 of Doctor Medicine.*Hiccup*" Spock stated as logical as ever, if not for the greening skin, the shaking hands and the hiccuping..

McCoy frowned and pulled up the article read the first three lines and decided that Spock was really too stubborn for his own good. "As I said Spock I can try..."

"One of the Doctors*Hiccup* on the team was a human, *Hiccup*she tried every human remedy *Hiccup*she could think of, nothing worked." Spock explained.

"You are not pure Vulcan Spock what applied to him might not apply to you. Do you understand that I am trying to help you."

"Their are more pressing*hiccup* problems right now *hiccup*then my hiccups*hiccup* doctor." Spock stated with emphasis.

"Yes I realize. I believe the symptoms come by the end of the month. They accelerated if their mate was near by." McCoy paused as he suddenly realized what he was saying. He then looked up at the monitor and did the math in his head. Spock's body was shutting down, much faster then it was suppose to. "Your mate is on the Enterprise." McCoy stated.

Spock hung his head as if in shame *hiccup*. McCoy didn't know what to say at the moment. Then he remembered the relationship between Lieutenant Uhura and Spock.

"Is it Lieutenant Uhura?"

"No." Spock stated. *hiccup*

"Spock tell me who it is dammit. Don't let your stubborn Vulcan non-emotion crap stop you from surviving this."

"I will not.*hiccup* I will go to New Vulcan *hiccup*and find my mate...*hiccup*"

"You stubborn pointy eared green blooded..."

"Cursing at me *hiccup* will not solve *hiccup* my problem Doctor. *hiccup* I must request time off at *hiccup* New Vulcan, it is the only way *hiccup* to cure my *hiccup* problem."

()

"You just don't want to admit that you can..."

Spock did not pay attention to why McCoy had paused in his statement. He was too humiliated, a purely human trait, to react to much of anything. He heard McCoy say Jim's name, his body reaction was to try and respond but he held back. He was not going to allow himself to be taken over by the emotions that were boiling up inside of him, he was going to control them. He was going to be a Vulcan.

He saw Jim out of the corner of his eye and didn't move to meet his eyes. He tried to hold on to his control, it was painful as close as Jim was. He was impressed with himself when he interrupted the doctor with a hand gesture. He had to get his request out before McCoy said anything else. "I would like to take a leave of absence on New Vulcan Captain." He almost lost control, his voice sounded strained to him.

Then Jim asked what was wrong he sounded so sincere and worried he almost let his guard down.

"No one alive will be able to cure me, Captain." Spock stated defeated.

Spock heard the question in Kirk's voice saw the turn of McCoy's head and knew the doctor was wondering why he wasn't telling Kirk the truth. Ponn Far will allow a half vulcan to do some interesting things, white lies happened to be one of them. He answered Kirk's next question almost too quickly. "Indefinitely."

Now it was McCoy's turn to manipulate the Captain. He knew what McCoy would be discussing however since his mind wasn't working properly he couldn't think of any good excuse as to why Kirk shouldn't listen to McCoy's advice. So he let himself be left alone. Slowly he got up knowing his ability to walk was going to be compromised. He was able to find his feet and the ability to walk, slowly he walked out of sick bay and into the hallway.

*

Spock tried to relax and concentrate on clearing his mind, keeping his emotions controlled and his feelings in check. It was hard and as he felt a slight pressure on his shoulder his body reacted too human like for him to admit. He jumped up and immediately turned to see who had found him in the observation room, though if his logical mind was working it would have concluded the answer before he had asked himself the question. "Jim what are you doing..." Spock waited suddenly realizing that he had not hiccuped in *hiccup*.

If he had thought the sick bay was hard this was even worse. The worst part about it was that he didn't know what the emotions and feelings meant, he had never gone through Ponn Far with out help from his parents, he had made a pact with T'Ping, but that had been seven years ago. He couldn't define the emotions, he was worried that if he released them he would attack Kirk. He feared that the emotions were one of rivalry.

He suddenly realized that Kirk had been talking to him. He had been automatically answering trying to get Kirk to leave and not worry about him, it was useless. Then Kirk had suggested earth remedies, but Spock knew they had already been used. Kirk was not going to take no for an answer. Spock conceeded if just to get Kirk to leave him alone so he could get control of his emotions once again.

"I have no knowledge..." *hiccup* He tried to explain his lack of experience with earth cures to hiccups. Kirk had an answer for that, he had succesfuly relieved his brother of hiccups. "I am only half *hiccup* human Captain what worked on *hiccup* him may not work on me." He stated again trying to discourage him. Kirk would not be discuoraged he even pointed out the moment Spock had jumped stating that the hiccups had stopped. Spock was not convinced. "It didn't work so your conclusion that earth cures may work on me is still invalid."

Kirk was not deterred. "First is holding your breath."

"How is that to help with...?" *hiccup*

"Don't try to think of the illogic behind the remedies Spock. They are created by humans." Spock realized the logic of the statement and decided to try, for his captain's curiosity. He held his breath trying to stop the hiccup from errupting, he was able to hold for a few seconds but it didn't work. Kirk looked at him expectantly after he had hiccuped. Spock looked back, he knew there was no cure.

"Ever hear of the saying if once you don't suceed try, try again? Two more times Spock you of all people should know an experiment can't be determined by only one test." Spock saw the shine in Kirk's eyes at the argument, Spock realized that Kirk had matured quite well in six months. He decided to follow Kirk's suggestion. He held his breath again but it didn't work it was worse then last time. For the third time he was breathing in to get enough breath when he saw a spark in Kirk's eye. As he closed his mouth Kirk moved towards him.

It might have been the allergic reaction to the salt water or the hiccups themselves but Spock was unable to move as fast as he usually did. He didn't see Kirk coming in until his lips, warm moist and pushing slightly, rested on his own lips. He opened his mouth in surprise and they disapeared. He suddenly had an urge to pull him back for another kiss, but his control though cracking at the edges held. He didn't even realise his hiccups had stopped until Kirk pointed it out, he had been completely distracted. He watched as Kirk left after smiling at Spock and saying something about New Vulcan and finding his mate.

With those words Spock instantly knew what his body was trying to tell him Kirk was his mate. He bemoaned his realisation, the kiss had just been a cure not a gesture of reciprical feelings. The relationship would not work, he would have to find another way to cure himself of the Ponn Far. At least he wasn't *hiccup*ing.