Hey, guys!

This is going to be the last chapter! Thank you so much for all of your support. As I said, If You Were Gay has already been put on my pro and Childish Tendencies will soon be, as well.

ALSO - Many of you have been loyal, supportive readers, but I wanted to make sure I labeled something as THEIR IDEA - the air conditioning scene was inspired by mckenamacabre's comment, saying that it would serve the same purpose. I am so sorry for not mentioning you in the earlier chapter, it was so wrong of me not to.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek, just whatever I've mentioned in the previous chapters and the story. No stealing, please.

We all piled into Manyara's car after our heartfelt goodbyes. It was already getting dark and a little chilly. When Gaila wrapped her arms around herself after folding into the hovercar, her and Spock shared a look and she visibly deflated - I didn't ask, sliding into the back seat beside him. Instead, I opted to lean into his side for warmth.

'So, what was that between you and Gaila?' I asked him curiously through the bond.

'I pointed out the day she arrived that it appeared illogical to take the doors off of a hovercar if an air conditioner served the same purpose. She retorted that it was 'Merely a small price to pay for happiness.'' he said, his lip twitching. I stifled a chuckle, resting my hand on his knee.

"Break it up, lovebirds, we've arrived," Gaila called back to us and I rolled my eyes, although amused at Spock's confusion pertaining to why one would relate to two beings in a relationship to fowl.

I took my bag, full of whatever I wanted to bring with me on mission that wasn't back at the Academy, and got out of the hovercar. I could see the small shuttle in the distance, waiting for us to board it and fly back to London, where we would connect to our next Shuttle.

"It was so awesome to see you again, Manya!" Gaila gushed, giving my sister an enthusiastic hug. She returned the gesture, giggling happily.

"And in five years, we're gonna have even more fun!" she said, helping her take her suitcase out of the car that was filled with unnecessary clothes.

I walked up to my sister and pulled her into a tight embrace, kissing her on the cheek. "Great to see you, sis," I said, rubbing her head affectionately.

She chuckled, freeing herself from my hold. "You, too. Have a safe trip back. And congrats on the Enterprise, all three of you," Manyara said, backing up to lean against her car, "It was nice to meet you, Mr. Spock."

He held up his hand, the fingers splitting down the middle. "Likewise - Mene sakkhet ur-seveh."

Out of curiosity, she raised her hand, too, trying to split it down the middle like he had. "Mene... What?"

"Live long and prosper," he told her before we turned to our shuttle to board. I sat by the window, watched the lights of our car fade away as we were raised into the dark sky.

"So, where do you think you'll go next, Gay?"

"Well, London, obviously. Then I'm thinking some other famous cities like Paris or Rome or something," she said, buckling herself in, "I was considering maybe stopping in St Petersburg to say hi to Pavel, or Tokyo to say hi to Sulu, or maybe even Edinburgh and stopping in to see Scotty. Plus, that way I won't have to pay for a hotel."

I raised my eyebrow. "You do realize that Pavel is seventeen years old, and that if you went at him it would be considered rape, right?" I asked her under my breath and she just laughed, winking at me slyly.

"He's also staying with his parents, who would not tolerate a horny Orion woman," I reminded her and she rolled her eyes.

"I said I would say hi, not perform a bootycall!"

"Isn't that the same thing?" I teased and she laughed, starting to gossip to me about the night that I missed as I looked out the window, the stars outside reminding me of how we would soon be soaring through space.

We soon arrived in London and, after getting off of our shuttle, Gaila gave me a big hug.

"Be safe," I told her and she laughed.

"Aren't I always?" She turned around, bag in hand, and walked toward where all the hovertaxis were waiting. "See you both soon."

I sighed, sitting down in our terminal with exhaustion. "How long is our layover here?" I asked him, eyeing the vending machine hungrily.

"Approximately thirty-four minutes, but if you are hungry, it would be more beneficial to your health to eat freshly prepared food and not something that has been in a metal box for an undisclosed period of time."

I laughed, not having pegged him for the type to be anti-fastfood or anti-vending machine. I could feel his disgust toward it through the bond.

"No, that's fine. Our journey back isn't that long, anyway - I'll eat back at the Academy," I said, resting my head on his shoulder tiredly, my eyes fluttering sleepily. I didn't realize I even fell asleep until he was gently shaking me awake.

"Sorry," I mumbled hastily. He comforted me apologetically through the bond, not wanting to have woken me up, but knew I would not have appreciated him carrying me on the shuttle - I was much too independent.

"Thank you for considering that," I said, taking my bag in hand and wheeling it onto the shuttle behind us. I lifted my bag over my head to place in the metal basket before sitting down beside a green-skinned alien that reminded me vaguely of a female Keenser. Spock sat beside me.

'Are you still fatigued?'

'Yeah, but this shuttle goes back to the Academy. I don't want to accidently fall asleep on you and raise any questions,' I thought to him, trying to disallow my eyelids from drifting shut.

'I see no one. And even so, I do not see why it would be any concern of theirs.'

I smiled. 'Good point.'

I buckled myself in, making sure the harness was comfortably loose before sagging against him and drifting off.

- - -

I collapsed on the bed, not bothering to get changed. I felt him tug at my pants.

"You will be uncomfortable in the morning," he reminded me gently and I buried my face in the pillow.

"Don't care. Too tired," I whined and I could feel his amusement as he pulled my pants off for me. "You don't need to do that, you know. Get in bed already."

I reached out to him but, instead of laying in bed with me, he pulled my shirt off for me.

'You're treating me like I'm twelve,' I thought with a pout, trying to unbuckle my bra, but my fingers too clumsy. He assisted me, first by dropping a t-shirt in my lap and second by reaching around to undo the clasp for me.

"About time you got in bed," I said after throwing on my shirt, not allowing him to get up again.

"Nyota, I do hate to upset you, but I am still clothed."

"Oh, fine, hurry up," I said, smirking a little in my drowsy state and releasing him to get ready for bed.

When I felt the bed shift under his weight and his arms curl around me I couldn't help but sigh. 'Finally,' I teased, burying my face in his chest. As his fingers started weaving through my hair, ever so often brushing against my scalp, I could feel our minds opening to each other, becoming one mind once more.

"I don't want this to ever change," I confided, "I want to feel like this forever."

"It is likely things will change over the years. The cycle can never stop," he whispered and I shook my head.

"Not this."

He tightened his hold around me and I looked up into his face. He wore the same, heartbreaking expression he often did when realizing something that, to me, was always so simple.

'I am always going to want you, Spock,' I told him, 'Just as I do now.'

I could feel the connection between us, linking us. I probed it, soothed it, thanked it. He wasn't half anything - he was whole. He was accepted.

'I am glad.'

"Do you want me, too?" I prodded playfully, rubbing my nose against his, eliciting a small smile.

"Always."

Thank you so much for all of your support. If/When I post the sequel to this I'll try to remember to post something on here saying so.

Thank you all so, so much.