Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek, only the DVDs!

A/N: I commissioned artwork based on the last scene of this story from PaintBrushPlushi on DeviantArt. It can be found here:
http://paintbrushplushi./art/Sneak-a-Kiss-Commission-152232620

Alpha shift had just ended on the Enterprise and the crew was in fine spirits. For once the shift had been uneventful, and Captain Kirk had taken advantage of the opportunity to leave early and get some paperwork done. Spock stayed behind for a few minutes to ensure that the shift change went smoothly. He was exiting the bridge when he heard someone call his name.

"Excuse me, Mr. Spock." It was Lakshmi Rahda, Sulu's relief at the helm. "When you finish here can you stop by and help Nyota get some comm. circuit boards from the maintenance room storage closet? They are on the top shelf, and neither of us is tall enough to reach it."

"Certainly Lieutenant."

"Show me what needs to be done, Ms. Uhura," said Spock, entering the closet.

Nyota was balanced on a stool attempting to reach the circuit boards herself. Spock's voice startled her and she gave a little squeak and fell. Spock instantly rushed forward, grasping her with both arms to steady her.

"Are you unharmed, Lieutenant?"

"I'm fine, Mr. Spock. Just a bit clumsy." She smiled up at him.

In the close confines of the storage closet, their faces were nearly touching. Spock felt a flush creep over him. He was finding this contact rather pleasant.

At that instant a voice called out from the main room.

"Oh ho! Caught in the act. Who are you kissing in there, Nyota?" In the doorway appeared the grinning face of Kevin Riley. Uhura, who was used to Riley's teasing, paid him no mind but Spock flinched back guiltily.

"We were not kissing," he said quickly. "I was merely assisting Ms. Uhura with the circuit boards. They were on the top self and she was unable to reach them herself."

"Oh, hello, Mr. Spock. Ny, I was headed for dinner and came to see if you wanted to join me."

"Sorry, Kev I can't. I promised to help Palmer with these circuit boards. Excuse me." Nyota swished past on her way to the bridge.

"Mr. Riley, I was assisting Ms. Uhura retrieve some items from the top shelf," Spock said again. He had indeed been imagining how it would feel to kiss the lieutenant, and he wondered if Riley had somehow discerned this. Perhaps his years living among humans had eroded his Vulcan control.

"Of course, Mr. Spock. See you later." Riley left, wearing a smirk.

Spock face burned. Riley's smirk was disquieting…the man was a notorious gossip. He would repeat the story over dinner, no doubt exaggerating to make it sound even more salacious. Spock knew that if he let this pass it would not be long before the story of "the kiss" was the talk of the ship. He knew how much Uhura hated being the topic of gossip, and to tell the truth he did not relish the prospect himself. It was time for, to use a human phrase, "damage control."

After determining that Uhura had no further need of his help, Spock went to the mess hall and looked stealthily round for Riley. His worst fears seemed to be realized when he spotted Riley in an animated conversation with DeSalle, who was laughing.

"Relating the tale about me and Lt. Uhura no doubt" thought Spock. "And apparently Mr. DeSalle believes it."

He needed to put a stop to this. Suddenly an idea came to him. He would speak to the others in the mess hall and let them know what had really transpired in the storage closet. When Riley started spreading his story he would only make himself look foolish.

Spock, still somewhat discomforted, approached Sulu.

"Good evening Mr. Sulu," he said to the helmsman. "I regret that Lt. Uhura cannot join you as she usually does, but she working late to help Lt. Palmer. In fact I went into the storage closet just now to assist Ms. Uhura with retrieving some circuit boards on the top shelf. She was standing on a stool and apparently I startled her when I walked in, because she fell and I had to catch her. And at that very moment Lt. Riley entered and assumed that we were kissing. Of course I wished to prevent her from falling and injuring herself, yet he talks about kissing. A most illogical man."

"Who's being illogical, sair?" asked Chekov, taking the seat across from Sulu.

"Mr. Riley. I went into the storage closet…"

And he explained once more.

"…One would think he would confine himself to facts rather than indulging in wild speculations. And of course I would never take advantage of Ms. Uhura in such a way," added Spock. He looked round and noticed Leslie and Kyle standing behind him.

"We were speaking of Lt. Riley," he explained. "He came into the storage closet, saw me near Uhura, and for some reason thought we were kissing. He possesses a rather active imagination."

"Who has an active imagination?" asked Janice Rand, walking up next to Spock.

"Kevin Riley. I was assisting Lt. Uhura…"

And on it went. Within half an hour, nearly everyone in the mess hall had heard the tale of Spock and Uhura in the storage closet.

"Now let Riley talk all he wants," thought Spock, pleased that he had done such a thorough job discrediting the story of 'the kiss.' He was so relieved that he remained to dine in the mess hall rather than in his quarters, as was his usual habit. Afterward he meditated and slept quite soundly. For the next few days he thought no more of the incident in the storage closet. Unfortunately the ship's grapevine was hard at work, and Spock's strategy was of no avail. Not quite a week later, he was running experiments in the biology lab when McCoy approached him wearing an evil grin.

"Well Spock, seems like I owe you an apology…you're more human than I ever gave you credit for."

"There is no need to be insulting Doctor. What are you referring to?"

"I'm referring to your little make-out session with Nyota."

"Make-out session?"

"Don't play stupid, man. I'm talking about you kissing Uhura in the storage closet!"

Suddenly Spock felt cold and faint. How had this happened? Somehow Riley's story had gained traction despite his careful campaign to set the record straight. "Doctor, the Lieutenant and I…"

"Are apparently the hottest item on the ship," McCoy finished for him. "A bit of advice: y'all might want to steer clear of Christine for a while." He shook his head. "I must say I'm impressed: I didn't know you had it in you, Spock!" He chuckled and clapped him on the back as he walked off.

Spock left the biology lab feeling as though he had been punched in the gut. He would speak to Riley and demand an apology and retraction. He found him in an isolated corner of engineering.

"Lt. Riley!" he confronted him. "Why have you started this story about Ms. Uhura and me?"

"What are you talking about, Mr. Spock? I didn't start that story. I didn't even know that you and Ny were an item until yesterday."

"We are not a 'item,' Mr. Riley." Spock was the epitome of Vulcan sternness. "And what do you mean you only heard yesterday? Who was it that told Mr. DeSalle that I kissed Lt. Uhura? Was it not you?"

Riley blinked, "Sir, I swear that I never said a single word about you and Ny to DeSalle or anyone else. Ask him if you don't believe me."

Riley's sincerity left no room for doubt. It was evidently not he who was the author of the rumor.

"But who, then?" Spock wondered, "Who could have started this?"