You Had Me From Hello

Chapter Twenty : You Are My Destiny

Spock

Vulcan Embassy, San Francisco, Earth

Early June 2258

He stood before his father, his mind made up, at peace now. Well, almost. There was one thing that was still filling him with trepidation - but he could do nothing about that now - it must wait. Before he could open his mouth to begin his rehearsed speech, his father spoke.

"Spock, my son, so finally you have come to your senses."

Spock gaped at his father in astonishment. He struggled to regain his composure. "Father?"

"Sometimes my son, you do not display your intelligence very well at all. You have decided to stay in StarFleet, have you not?

"Yes, that is the decision I have made, after much meditation, much consideration. It was not an easy decision to make, I did feel the compulsion to assist the Vulcan people very strongly. However, I have received some advice from those older and wiser than I which has influenced me greatly." He paused, noting no surprise on his father's face. Not that he would have expected to see much emotion there, but it did seem that the recent events had caused his father to act in ways that previously he would have considered flatly impossible.

"Do you not remember my telling you that you must choose your own path, my son? This is the correct path for you, I have no doubt. Will you be able to rejoin your ship, or have you delayed too long?"

"I have sent my belongings on ahead earlier today. And spoken with Admiral Pike as well. When I take my leave of you I will be heading directly for the Enterprise." He paused a moment. "I do appreciate your response, Father. It does make it easier for me."

Sarek nodded his head gently. He looked steadily at his son. "And after you are settled there, will you do me one favor?"

"Certainly, Father. What do you desire?"

"Will you make a subspace call to me and introduce me to your bondmate?"

Spock was speechless. He stood there in shock. Finally he managed to make his mouth form words. "Father, we..we are not bonded. I will admit that there is a young woman there who is very dear to me, but ..."

Sarek interrupted. "Spock, bonding with a human is not the same as bonding with a Vulcan. It does not happen immediately, but over a period of time. And must be initiated from the female. Have you not felt this?"

Spock was silent, remembering that small, bright spark that Nyota always left behind her. He marveled. "That is what that is?"

Sarek almost smiled. "Yes, my son. And it would have been completely impossible for you to have bonded with another while that was there. And it is still there, is it not?"

"Oh, yes, Father, very much so." Spock came so close to outright smiling that his father quirked his lips up in an expression that Nyota would have found very familiar. "I..I must go. I must not miss the shuttle. We.. We will call you - when you are settled on New Vulcan." He raised his hand in the familiar Vulcan salute, but to his total surprise, his father took a step forward and embraced him.

He left the embassy full of wonder at all that had happened and swiftly strode the short distance to the transit station, beaming directly to the Academy, almost running to the bay where the shuttle was parked, wanting to be certain he did not miss it.

When the shuttle reached SpaceDock, he did run, down the long corridor to the transporter deck, beaming aboard the Enterprise with very little time to spare.

Nyota

StarFleet Academy, San Francisco, Earth

June, 2258

Listlessly, she packed up her belongings, dressed in her ship uniform, called for transport, boarded the shuttle to SpaceDock. She knew she should be thrilled, but she was still not entirely herself. Once at SpaceDock, she oversaw the routing of her luggage to the Enterprise, then walked slowly down the corridor. The rest of her life was starting, the career she had worked so hard for, the life she wanted - except for one very important part that was so dreadfully missing. She took a deep breath, let it out slowly, straightened up, strode on down the corridor. She would endure.

She arrived at the transporter deck, was sent to the Enterprise, checked in with the yeoman there, who gave her her new quarters assignment - she was a bridge officer now, she would not have to share her quarters with anyone. When she arrived at the door, she placed her palm against the touchplate, entered her id, confirming her identity. The door swooshed quietly open and she stood in the room she would live in for the next five years. A sitting area, with a couch and small table with two chairs, a smaller sleeping area, with bed and dresser, her own small bathroom. There was a desk, with a com unit on it, a replicator, even smaller than the one that had been in Spock's office. Her boxes sat on the floor in the sleeping area. She glanced at the chronometer set into the wall above the desk - she had two hours until the time specified in her orders, she might as well unpack.

***

When she had her clothing stored in the small closet and the dresser drawers, her toiletries stashed in the bathroom cabinet, she was left with books, photos, and other small items to find places for. There was a bookcase built into the wall beside the desk, with restraints to fasten across the front. Her books fit there easily. She took her few dishes and stored them in the cabinet beneath the food replicator, glanced at its menu - very limited - she would not be eating many meals in her room. She looked around the room, finding places to put her small treasures where they would be secure. Now she folded up the transit boxes, placing them outside her door in the hall, as instructed. She was ready for duty now - and the time was right. She stepped into the small bathroom, checked her appearance, made use of the facilities, squared her shoulders and headed towards the door to the hall. As she approached her door, she saw the touch place there on the wall, with the control pad above it. She hesitated. Then slowly her hand drifted to the pad, entered the familiar code there, saved it. She could always pretend that he would be there to use it. She touched the pad and stepped into the hall as the door opened.

She walked down the hall to the turbolift and ascended to the bridge, crossing behind the command chair to her station and sitting down to begin the departure checklist. This was real, this was now, this was her life. She took a deep breath and calmed herself. Sulu and Chekov were laying in the course out of SpaceDock, chatting at their stations before the viewscreen. McCoy entered the bridge, crossing to stand in front of her, beside the command chair. She swiveled her chair about, making her report, then turned part way back as the captain entered the bridge, wearing his gold command shirt for the first time. She noticed that the marks from the fight on the drill and the struggle with Spock were all healed now. Scotty made his report from the Engineering deck. Everything was ready for departure. Everything and everyone was in place, except for one glaring deficiency. The science officer's station was still empty. Then a young man in Science blue crossed from the other side of the bridge and sat down at that station. Her heart faltered, but she controlled it. She would eventually get used to someone else sitting there, she supposed.

Kirk sat in the command chair, gave the order. "Mister Sulu, prepare to engage forward thrus-"

All eyes turned to the far turbolift as it swooshed open. In disbelief and tremendous relief she saw a very familiar and dearly beloved tall half-Vulcan framed in the open doors. He strode confidently across the bridge to stand beside Kirk, who rose from his chair to face him. She heard him request permission to come aboard, present his candidacy for first officer, offer to provide references.

Kirk almost burst out laughing, he was so happy. "It would be my honor, Commander." He resumed his seat and gave Sulu the departure order. And then Spock was walking toward her, his eyes glued to her, but so full of doubt. He had absolutely nothing to doubt about, no, nothing at all. She never even considered anything else.

Spock

He nodded at Sulu's wide smile of acceptance, slightly stunned. They all seemed so happy to see him on board. He had not anticipated this. Ignoring the opening in the railing surrounding the command chair that was right next to the science station, he crossed behind the captain's chair, circling it so that he could walk past the communications station on his way to seat himself. He approached her with a tremendous amount of uncertainty -- he had no idea how she would react. His eyes were drawn to hers, his face tightly controlled. She stood before her console, the control unit jutting from her ear, her face lifted to his. Her eyes gleamed. As he watched, a smile started at the corners of her mouth, spreading wider and wider as he drew even with her. He began to relax, his eyes softening, his mouth relaxing. He could not take his eyes off of her. She was so beautiful. The other man sitting at the science station rose, so that he could take over. He seated himself at the same time as Nyota and there they sat, within reach of each other, side by side at their stations. This was surely bliss. For the next five years, they would sit like this all day, every day, working together. And then there would be the nights. And soon, he would have to find a way to tell her of what his father had told him. For this moment, he was content just to sit here beside her, both doing the work they had trained so hard for.

____

Author's note: This is the end of this story. The first five-year mission starts a new story "Into the Wild Black Yonder", which will start tomorrow - and it's still M rated, so set your filters accordingly :-)