The Visitors

Day 10 – Next Wednesday – The final Chapter

A/N: This is the final chapter. This has been a wonderful experience for me. Thank you all for your support and for reading and reviewing. Please make sure to read my comments at the end of the chapter.

Vulcans and the Death penalty – Some of you have commented that the Vulcans were pacifists so they would not have had a death penalty. According to the website where I took most of my Vulcan references it states that they did have a death penalty and it was even mentioned during an episode of "Enterprise". There were very few offenses that warrant a death penalty; only treason was mention. I figured what happened to Nyota would probably fit into the category. But they didn't say they would kill him, only that they were talking about it.

Lastly (but not least) I would to give a big thanks to my new beta reader. Your edits and comments have really helped take this story to the next level. Once again… You Rock!

Nyota woke with a jerk. She needed a moment to gather her thoughts. Did she really make out with Spock on his couch while wearing his shirt? Did she really tell him she loved him? Sounded like a dream.

"Computer, what day of the week is it?"

"Today is Wednesday."

She sighed happily to herself as she hugged her pillow "It really did happen." She thought about the sweetness of the kisses she shared with him.

And then reality came crashing down around her shortly after. She was due to meet him at 0800 hours at the cafeteria. Because she was up late with Gaila she didn't have the chance to lay out her clothing and arrange what items she would need for today. She looked at the clock, the time was currently 0715. The computer didn't have an order to wake her on Wednesdays because her first class wasn't until 1000 hours.

She jumped out of bed and began running around the room like a maniac. She knew her assignments were up to date, but she wasn't sure which PADDs she would need. She bit the bullet and just picked up all of them to be sure. Her bag would be heavy, but he was worth it.

She looked over her shoulder to make sure she had everything, and she couldn't help but smile at Gaila. None of her rattling around the room disturbed her rest in the slightest.

She looked at her watch and she had exactly three minutes to meet Spock. Unfortunately it was a five minute walk. She took off running, determined to run halfway across the quad then walk briskly when she rounded the corner and would be in sight of the cafeteria. She didn't want him to see her running like some scatterbrained, immature cadet; she wanted to maintain she was mature enough to be in a relationship with him.

As planned Nyota slowed to a brisk walk and as she turned the corner she saw the entrance to the cafeteria. It was 0759 and Spock was standing there as if he had been there for hours. He had been looking in her general direction, but then she saw his figure freeze as he focused on her. As she got closer their eyes locked and all of the tension she had built up rushing around immediately dissipated. She felt relaxed, she felt at home. Spock had affection for her, and she was happy. No one was around so Spock addressed her as they would in private.

"Good Morning Nyota."

"Good Morning Spock."

He held the door for her as they entered the area. They grabbed trays of food just like any of the other mornings they dined together. Spock led them to a different section of the cafeteria today, one that was less populated. Normally they sat closer to the door; Nyota assumed it was for efficiency's sake. She still felt a little scared about what was happening between them, but the look in his eyes… this had to be love.

They started eating their breakfasts silently. Nyota had so much to say to him, but she didn't know where to start. She watched his elegance as he ate. To the casual observer he would seem indifferent to her presence, but she saw the slight twinkle in his eyes when he glanced her way.

"I couldn't stop thinking about last night Spock, and about you."

"I was gratified by our interactions as well."

She smiled "I'm glad. When can we see each other again?" He merely looked at her. He was about to respond when she held up her hand. "I know we're seeing each other now, I mean when can we be alone together again, you know, like last night?"

Spock felt conflicted. He had not met with Captain Pike yet. He should not make new plans to see her; he should put a stop to this now. But he looked into her face with her bright shining eyes. 'K'diwa'. He could not wait until the day he would call her that aloud. It no longer mattered to him if Pike said it was forbidden. The worse case scenario would be if he asked her to wait until she graduated next year to progress their relationship.

"We should examine our schedules." Nyota started rummaging around her bag looking for the correct PADD. "Well, what are you doing tonight?"

"I was going to work on special project assigned to me by Admiral Tapping three weeks ago. It is an ongoing view of the impact of our changes in curriculum and the effect it has had, if any, on the Starfleet graduate's performance."

"So since it's ongoing you can work on it anytime."

"That is correct. The data capture is happening as we speak, and I review and draw conclusions from the data as the time presents itself."

Nyota finally pulled out her PADD. "Maybe we could meet tonight? No wait. I've got chorale practice. Study group tomorrow night. Perhaps Friday night?"

"That would not be…" his PADD started beeping. He looked at the message "Captain Pike has returned from his trip, and is summoning me to his office. We will finish our discussion later." He got up and left.

She looked at the cafeteria wall, the time was 0930 hours. She decided to walk back to her dorm to relieve some of her load since she had half an hour until her next class. As she made the trip she began to reflect on her breakfast with Spock. She was still on cloud nine, although in the back of her mind she sensed a bit of hesitancy from him which she chose to ignore. She couldn't wait until Friday, even though he hadn't had a chance to confirm that he was free.

Spock walked into Captain Pike's office. He had been doing meditative exercises on the way there so that he wouldn't have an emotional response if the relationship was forbidden. Nyota had come to mean so much to him and he did not know how he would bear it if they had to put their relationship on hold until she graduated.

"What can I do for you Spock?"

"I have found someone that I would like to pursue a relationship with. I have checked Academy regulations and cannot find a specific opinion on the matter."

Pike's eyes became as large as saucers as he took in the information.

"YOU want to pursue a relationship? You mean like a romantic relationship?"

"I believe that is the human phrase for it. Yes. You seem… surprised."

"I guess I am. I know that Vulcans like all other humanoids require companions, but I guess I never thought about you being interested in someone. Who is it? Commander Whitman, we both know she's had her eye on you."

"No, I would not require your counsel if it were another faculty member."

"I see. An employee?"

"No, actually it is a cadet."

"Wow. When you walk on the wild side you really go for it. Who is it?"

Spock shifted slightly as he looked straight ahead. Pike didn't hesitate, he would get the goods later.

"Nevermind. You won't find anything on the record because officially there are no guidelines for that type of relationship. After several incidents where a professor's husband or wife joined the academy it was decided that these types of relationships are at the discretion of the individuals involved. However, as a friend I want to give you these insights.

"There won't be any formal charges, a court martial or anything of the sort if you get involved with a student; unless the student pressed charges that you coerced them in any way. That's enough to make most professors back off. But what is even less commonly known is that if there are any indications, no matter how slight, that there was favoritism given to the other party you will suddenly find that one or both of your careers will instantly be derailed. So you are officially on your own and free to do as you please, but tread carefully. Honestly, I would keep the relationship hidden, no public displays of affection, don't share it with anyone, etc."

"Thank you for the insights. I will use discretion."

"So if you share the person's name I can help you avoid any ambiguous interactions, off the record of course."

Spock looked at his mentor and conceded the fact that Pike had never given him a reason to question his judgment.

"It is Nyota Uhura."

Spock felt himself become concerned when he saw the surprised look return to Pike's eyes. "Does that concern you?"

"On the contrary Spock. I am very, very impressed. She is one hot little number. There isn't any man on campus that wouldn't like to be with her."

"Although I do find her aesthetically pleasing, that is not why I have chosen to enter into relationship with her. Her intellectual acumen is far superior to most…"

"Whoa. Hold it there big fella. I know she's smart, near top of her class, etc. I only brought it up because even if she wasn't gifted intellectually she would still be on every man's short list."

"Shortlist?"

"Never mind, I can go over that colloquialism at another time. But YOU being with her does cause a particular concern. It's for the best that she is no longer your student, but it can be an issue because she is your research assistant. Just make sure you guys don't do anything in that office, and I mean anything. Don't even close the door if you can avoid it. I would also mention it to Admiral Tapping."

"Your concern is noted. I will make sure we use discretion and I will ensure that I in no way show favoritism to her. I will go to Admiral Tapping's office once we conclude this meeting."

"Nyota Uhura, huh." Pike just sighed and started to mutter to himself "Damn, if I were a younger man…"

Spock merely watched the Captain. Since his last request for explanation was refused he was not going to ask Pike again what the latest human colloquialisms meant. He was able to comprehend that Pike found Nyota desirable, and he would leave it at that. Although it was illogical, he found satisfaction in that thought.

Spock turned and left.

He wanted to speak with Nyota, explain to her everything he had learned from Captain Pike. However he saw the lack of logic in his plan, although she was affectionate with him she had not formally agreed to enter into relationship with him.

Yes, they were involved in some aspects of the human mating ritual, and she expressed her feelings, but was this enough? She needed to formally, verbally agree to their relationship.

At 1350 hours Nyota came practically bouncing into their shared office. She put down her belongings and then closed the door. He stiffened as this was in violation of Pike's instructions, although she did not know it yet.

"May I ask why you have closed the door?"

"I just have a quick question and I didn't want others to hear. My chorale practice was cancelled tonight. If you're available, perhaps we could spend that time together?"

His eyes softened just a bit. "I look forward to it. My quarters?"

"Yes." She then opened the door and started to put away her bag to start on her work. He was pleased with her discretion in this matter. Initially he was concerned that she had closed the door to try and engage him in a bit of physical intimacy such as human kissing, but based upon their discussion her action was appropriate. The afternoon of working wasn't much different than the way they normally spent it, except that Nyota felt comfortable taking long looks in Spock's direction as he worked. And from time to time she was rewarded to look his way and discover that he was looking at her.

On any given day the entire building cleared out by 1700 hours, and this day was no exception. A couple of people poked their heads in to say good-night on their way out. Nyota began to pack her bag to make her way to her dorm room.

"I'm going to head to my dorm and change. When should I come over?"

"You are welcome in my quarters anytime you wish." That statement made her smile. "Tonight I will prepare a meal for you, which I will serve upon your arrival."

"I'll see you shortly."

They left the office together as they might any other time and parted their separate ways knowing that they were only separated by a small amount of time. Nyota was in a rush again. She didn't have to be at Spock's quarters by any particular time, but she wanted to be there as soon as she could. But the best way to do this was to organize. She took a moment to think about what she needed to do for tomorrow. She arranged her work the way she normally would, she put all of her uniforms in the refresher. She straightened up her side of the dorm room. The last thing she needed to do was decide on what to wear to Spock's.

After a few minutes she settled on her emerald green sweater with the low cut front. She normally would wear a tank top underneath, but for Spock she wore nothing but a bra. This meant she would show a good amount of cleavage, and she wanted him to see it. She picked out a black flair mini-skirt that was roughly the same length as her uniform skirt. She ditched her black Starfleet boots for a matching pair of emerald green heels. As she was about to walk out of the door Gaila's words came back into her mind. She promptly went into the bathroom and pulled her hair out of the severe pony-tail she wore. She smiled at herself in the mirror and added red lipstick. 'Perfect' she thought to herself.

She was about to walk out the door, and then as an afterthought she removed her Starfleet issue underwear and added them to the refresher. She went to her drawer and pulled out the little pink and black box with the ribbon on it and the tag with Gaila's name on it. She pulled out the little black thong panties, a Christmas gift from Gaila. She put them on and tentatively walked around the room. She felt a little naked, a little exposed and a little naughty. She had no plans for Spock to see them, but she would wear them for him anyway.

Taking the walk to his quarters proved to be a challenge. She hadn't considered the vagaries of a strong breeze and the effects on her short flair skirt which would give whoever was behind her an eyeful. She nonchalantly pressed the skirt against her body with her hands as she walked.

She walked up to the door and prepared to request entrance when the doors automatically opened. Only after she stepped inside did it dawn on her that it wasn't a malfunction, he had reset the codes to give her access. An open invitation, she was granted permanent entry into his space.

She looked around, but didn't see Spock. She walked in and looked in the kitchenette. It was neatly organized with vegetables which were mostly chopped, spices and some sort of grain was simmering in a pot. She turned when she heard Spock's footsteps. He was coming out of his bedroom.

"Nyota."

"Spock. I was just wondering where you were."

"I needed to relieve myself. But you were welcome to search my quarters."

"Thanks. I noticed that the door was set to let me in automatically."

"I told you, you are always welcome to come here. Setting the controls to let you in was only logical."

"But what about your privacy? Should I call before I come over to give you warning?"

"I don't intend to have any secrets from you. You may come over at your discretion."

She blushed despite herself. "Thank you Spock." She walked up to him and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips. "Can I help you with dinner?"

They worked together to put the meal together, falling into an easy rhythm as if they had been cooking together for years.

As they sat down to their meal, Spock looked over at Nyota and the timbre of his voice changed slightly, indicating to Nyota a more serious conversation.

"Nyota, there are several topics we should discuss before becoming more intimately acquainted. I am not very familiar with human mating rituals and I know I have much to learn. I would like to share Vulcan mating rituals with you at this time."

"Yes, I would love to hear about them." Nyota's heart almost started pounding. She tried doing research, but like with most things of Vulcan culture, there was very little in the database.

"Essentially I have observed the behavior of the cadets and even faculty at the academy. They seem to go through a process of engaging multiple potential candidates until they eventually select someone that they will bond with temporarily. In some cases it would appear that humans are together for the purpose of recreation rather than finding a bond mate."

"You're describing the dating process. From the way you describe it, it sounds as though Vulcans don't date."

"We do not. In many cases children who are at least age seven are bonded together by their families. In the event that parents did not or could not find a mate for their child the adult will look among their peers and select a mate. The individuals will come together and decide for themselves whether their union would be prosperous. If both parties agree they will become bond mates."

"In the context of me and you, what does all this mean?"

"It means that I want you to be clear of my intentions. I do not view this as a casual human courtship. I wish for you to become my bond mate in due course."

Nyota was speechless. Yes, this is what she wanted but this was too soon in the relationship. They had been officially dating for less than 24 hours.

There was silence for a long moment as she took in his words. He sat and merely studied her face. "Spock, I meant what I said last night. I do love you. And I know that we have known each other for a couple of years. But how can you be so certain? How do you know that I am the right person for you? I mean, why wouldn't you want to look around before making such a big decision? "

"I will say that I know what I want and need of a bond mate. You are everything I have ever desired and more. And there has never been another that stirred these thoughts in me."

"Thank you Spock. You are everything I could ever want. But if you don't mind, I will need some additional time before I can say yes that I will be your bond mate, your wife."

"I understand, and am prepared to give you all the time you require. It seemed logical inform you."

"Thank you. I guess it's a good thing that your parents didn't give you one of those childhood arranged marriages."

"They did. I was bonded to a woman named T'Pring when we were both seven years old."

"Oh. I'm sorry, what happened to her?"

"Nothing happened to her, she is alive and well on the homeworld."

She pursed her lips as she looked at him "Now I'm confused. You want to be my bond mate, but you were already bonded when you were seven. Do Vulcans take multiple wives?" She stopped breathing as she waited for the answer. She loved Spock, but she did not want to share him.

"No, Vulcans generally mate to one person for life. I dissolved my union with T'Pring when I made my decision to bond with you."

"Shouldn't you have waited? You had no idea what I would say."

"Yes, there was a risk. But after being around you there was no way I could ever be satisfied with T'Pring. If you refused me, I would have simply studied harder at human courtship rituals and do anything necessary to gain your affections."

She looked at him seriously "You've already won them. I can't say yes to you now Spock, just like with the sex, I need time. But I'm glad you told me your intentions. So from now we can enjoy each other's company, get to know each other more and when the time is right I'll accept your… proposal."

"This is agreeable to me."

"And just to make sure I'm clear, there is no doubt that I will accept your offer."

Spock nodded in agreement. She could see a shift in his eyes, she could see that he was pleased. After the meal they cleaned the kitchen together again. Nyota thought to herself 'I could get used to this'.

"One more question. Once I do say yes, how long is the engagement period? Meaning the time between when I accept the offer and we actually get married… bonded."

"There is no official waiting period. Once two people agree to be bonded it is only a matter of how long it will take to make the preparations. It could take as little as a few days and as long as three Earth months."

She merely nodded her head. "That long?" she said with slight sarcasm. Now she knew that she couldn't say anything to him until she was ready to walk down the aisle or whatever Vulcans did. Apparently, whatever a Vulcan did they did it with conviction.

Once the kitchen was clean they moved back to the couch as they had the night before. This time Nyota was more careful of how she sat. Although Spock's shirt was shorter than the mini-skirt she was wearing, her rear was well covered in her Starfleet issue briefs. This time a subtle shift and he would see more than she intended.

She thought they might start kissing again, she was about to lift her two fingers towards him, but Spock looked at her with serious eyes. "Now that our relationship has been established, we need to discuss how to conduct said relationship. Based upon our working relationship and history as student-teacher, Starfleet Academy would not look upon it kindly."

"Does this mean that we can't pursue a relationship until I graduate?"

"Absolutely not" he responded quickly. "It means we must be conscientious of our actions and diligent in being discrete. I have spoken to Captain Pike and Admiral Tapping. Based upon their input, I have given this considerable thought and believe that on campus we should never be seen in any type of public displays of affection. Do you concur?"

"Yeah, I do. So we can never see each other except when we're working or when we go off campus?"

"No, I think private areas such as my quarters, and your dorm room, provided your room mate is absent, will suffice as well."

"So we will have to be a secret, like our love doesn't exist" she said dejectedly.

"It is not a secret. As I mentioned I informed Captain Pike and Admiral Tapping of my intentions towards you. Their response was that it would be acceptable as long as it was not commonly known and not publicly displayed. The issue is that because we are in the same department, there should not be any appearance of my showing favoritism in any way towards you."

"If that's what it takes to be with you, then I agree."

Spock nodded.

"I know we'll see each other in the office this week, but do you have any time over the weekend?"

"You are generally involved with your studies on the weekends."

"Yes, I know. But now I'll make time to be with you as well."

"Your studies must come first, Nyota. Once you have completed the tasks that you would have normally done, then we can see each other."

She thought about how she would normally study all day long, sometimes only stopping because it was bedtime. If she followed her normal routine, she would rarely see him. "How about a compromise? I can actually do my studies in your quarters. This way I can take care of my work and be with you at the same time."

"This is a favorable compromise."

She smiled as she finally extended her fingers for a Vulcan kiss. Without hesitation Spock returned the gesture. The motion was now easy and natural as she moved to kiss him the human way. The kiss deepened within seconds.

When the kiss ended she pulled back slightly to look into his face. His lips shifted slightly moving back into a neutral mode. If you looked at his face, he could have been just eating or having a conversation. But his eyes revealed how much he liked the kiss.

She felt his hand move from around her waist and slowly travel up her back. It stopped briefly at her shoulder then moved around to touch her hair, her face and ultimately settle around her neck. He gently caressed the back of her neck as he held his hand there. It was a chaste caress, something that would have been appropriate in front of family, but it sent sensations straight through her body. She looked at him and began to wonder, if just a neck touch was that arousing, what would it be like if he touched other parts of her body.

Spock touched the exposed skin on her face and neck. He wished her shoulders were exposed, he would like to feel the skin there. As his hand sat against her neck he could get a sense of her emotional state. She was becoming aroused, and feeling it coming from her heightened his arousal as well. It was pushing very hard against the limits of his mental training. The primal urges were returning. Nyota had already made it clear that sexual intercourse would not take place until further in their relationship. He moved his hand back to her sweater covered waist. He began to clear his mind and engage in a passive mental exercise.

Nyota missed the contact with Spock's skin. She was going to lean in for another kiss, but she saw something shift in his eyes. She wasn't sure what was going on inside of his head, but she accurately surmised that they had either reached or come very close to his tolerance level. She thought it best if she moved away, and give him space. As she tried to pull away his grip on her waist tightened holding her in place. She sat watching him. After several long minutes his eyes focused on her again.

"I apologize Nyota. I was becoming overwhelmed and needed to re-center myself. Touching my hands to the skin of your neck I could feel your desire and mixing with my own it was having an exponential effect."

She smiled at him. Only he could make something sound scientific and sensual at the same time. "So are you centered now?"

"Yes, I believe so."

"So should we stop for the evening?"

"Only if you wish to do so. My lips while sensitive do not contain telepathic receptors." He lowered his hands from her waist freeing her.

"So different parts of the body are more sensitive to telepathic reception than others?"

"You are correct."

Her voice came down several octaves "So, there are no issues if I do this?" She kissed him on the lips.

"None whatsoever."

She put her hands on his shoulders and ran her hands down his arms, careful to stop before she reached his hands. She grasped his cloth covered wrists and guided them back around her waist.

"I think we should test your hypothesis."

"Indeed" he replied as their lips met once more.

Quite some time later Spock walked Nyota back to her dorm room. They wouldn't have an opportunity to be together in his quarters again until this weekend, but at least she would get to see his face everyday in the office. She felt like the luckiest person in the universe.

She was about to go to bed, but she suddenly remembered her promise. She put on her robe and sat in front of her terminal.

Abbey's pillow creased face appeared on the screen.

"Oh my goodness. Abbey, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you would be in bed."

"I shouldn't be, but my body is still working according to San Francisco time. So I'm very glad you called. I can tell by the gleam in your eyes that things went well. So spill."

"Well, we've had two dates since I spoke with you."

"Two dates? So you two are an official item?"

"We are… I'm not even sure how to say it. I'm still trying to get my mind wrapped around it."

Abbey gasped as she donned a big smile "You slept with him already?"

"No!" said Nyota as she started to blush.

"Then what's such a big deal?"

"We are… pre-engaged I guess."

"What? You work quickly. Explain please."

"Evidently, Vulcans don't date. He made it clear that his intention is for me to become his wife, or bond mate as Vulcans call it. So the ball is in my court. When I'm sure, all I have to do is say yes and we'll schedule the bonding ceremony."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that! If I had agreed tonight I think he would have wanted to call our parents on the spot. I do love him, and I already made the decision to say yes, but I can't marry him now. The time isn't right, I'm not ready yet."

"Now that I think of it, my sister announced her engagement fairly quickly. If that's the Vulcan tradition that means she was engaged when she introduced us to him and didn't say anything to the family." Abbey frowned slightly. "Well, that's another story. He's Vulcan, so you know that he's thought this through thoroughly and that he finds you to be the logical choice. So the question you have to ask yourself is, have you found yourself yet? Are you ready to blend who you are, your identity with his? Don't give him an answer until you can answer yes to that question."

"Abbey, were you married before?"

"Twice. One ended in divorce and the other in death. I was quite young when I got married the first time, and I can tell you from experience it can be disheartening the first time someone refers to you as 'Spock's wife' instead of Nyota if you are not ready. It is a two way street, because he will also be addressed as 'Nyota's Husband', but being a Vulcan I doubt it will cause him the issues it may cause for you."

"I never thought of that."

"It's alright. You're a bright girl, which is why you realized you weren't ready for that type of leap when he asked you. But I'm sure the entire night wasn't that serious. Tell me everything else."

Nyota went onto recount the dinners and some of the luscious details that she had not planned to tell. She just felt so comfortable with Abbey, she couldn't help herself.

When she finished her tale, Abbey gave her the most loving smile. "I hope you don't think me premature, but let me say welcome to the family."

Nyota chuckled. "Thank you." Then her head popped up as a thought popped in her head "I need to tell my mom. I hope she takes it well."

"Oh no, would she be against you marrying another species?"

"No, it's not that. She's still holding out hope that I'll go back to my first boyfriend Nigel. She mentions him to me every so often. But once she meets Spock, she'll see how wonderful he is."

"Just remember Ny, that I'm always just a quick call away or message away if you need me."

"Thanks Abbey, I really appreciate that."

After they signed off Nyota finally lay down in bed. For the first time in weeks she felt at peace. Because although the future wasn't written, somehow she knew that she and Spock would be fine. She wasn't ready to say 'yes' yet because she wanted to graduate before she became his wife. After speaking with Abbey she was even more confident in her relationship with Spock than before. She could not imagine anyone else in the universe that she would want or need more than Spock. And when the time was right, she knew she would be honored to bear the title of 'Spock's wife'. Her last thoughts before drifting off to sleep that night were of him, and some how she knew that as he lay in bed he was thinking about her.

Fin

A/N: Thank you for reading to the end of this section. This is as far as I could take the story and maintain my "T" rating. In my mind the story isn't complete until these two have hot and sweaty interspecies… relations. The last chapter of this story is rated "M" and are under the title "Visitations". Because you all have been so awesome I am posting this chapter in their entirety within the hour. By the time you have finished reading this it should be uploaded onto the site.

Your comments and review and welcome.

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