Spock awoke alone for the first time in his existence. As it was also the first time he had a life to wake up in, he was not terribly concerned. He was, however loath he was to admit it, quite put out to find that Nyota was nowhere in sight.

After a quick scan of the surrounding area — he could see clearly in spite of the less than optimal lighting conditions — he concluded that he was sitting on a high platform of some sort, several meters from the floor. Simply jumping down in the near-dark meant risking injury and he would be unable to call out for help. There were several items on the platform that might prove beneficial to the endeavor, however. He sat back and began to carefully plan his escape.

.

.

Nyota knew she was alone the moment she woke up. Her sensitive ears failed to detect any signs of life beyond her own measured breathing and a faint rustling from somewhere far to the left of wherever she was. Only the familiar hum of the Enterprise in full operational mode kept her from panicking.

Still somewhat sleepy, she turned to her side and mused, At least I'm lying on something soft. But the utter dark and oppressive quiet made her feel her lover's absence all the more acutely. She knew there was little she could do about that until she had more light.

Tucking a hand under her cheek, she drew her knees up to her chest. In this position, Spock's long-sleeved T-shirt covered her from neck to ankle. Spock will come for me soon, she told herself. Deciding there was no need to remain awake in the dark until then, she drifted back into a dreamless sleep.

.

.

Jim Kirk knew the situation was serious, but he couldn't quite quell the delight he felt whenever the palm-sized disk — its tiny nacelles jutting out behind it — drifted past. The mini NCC-1701 had started flying around his head the second he'd stepped into his office after its larger counterpart passed through the nebula. Now, it floated through the conference room, splitting the focus of its orbit between him and Engineer Scott. He wondered if it knew they were the two who loved it best.

He listened to his department heads and their deputies, one after another, as they relayed reports from their staff about suddenly animate objects.

"…and, um, one plush toy in the form of a… a bear," Scotty concluded his inventory.

Grinning, Kirk looked at the chief engineer, who was absently stroking the little Enterprise. Squelching an irrational burst of jealousy, he told himself he hadn't really seen the ship nuzzle the man's ear before heading back towards him. Unfortunately, he was sure he heard Scotty murmur "bonnie lass" as it flitted away.

"That makes two teddies," Jim noted. "Who does this one belong to?"

The Scotsman flushed. "Tha' would be me, sir," he said, his burr thickening.

The captain had the grace to look embarrassed at having mortified the engineer. He turned towards his first officer, certain that there would be no humiliating secrets there.

Spock quickly went through his list of Animates. The science staff, Kirk was pleased to note, were dealing with a large number of animated model star systems, vehicles and tiny androids. Nothing surprising in that.

He was already nodding his head when Spock suddenly cleared his throat and flashed a quick glance at Uhura.

"Captain," he said, "if you have no immediate need of me or Lieutenant Uhura, perhaps we might be excused for approximately fifteen minutes?"

"Wha— ?" began the woman in question, before firmly clamping her mouth shut as a look of comprehension crossed her face.

Jim's curiosity was piqued. Uhura had already given her report on the Communications staff, and there were still several departments who needed to make reports. He didn't see a reason why he couldn't excuse them for so short a time, but…

"May I ask why, Mr. Spock?" he asked, glancing back and forth between the two senior officers.

Uhura's smile looked as self-conscious as Scotty's red cheeks. Spock's expression didn't change in the least. "You may ask, sir."

Some of the group gathered around the table tensed while others smiled. Kirk shook his head and fell in line with the grinning faction.

"I probably don't want to know, anyway, Spock," he said easily, thinking about what might await him in his own quarters. "Never mind."

The half-Vulcan rose from his seat, sending another significant glance to his girlfriend. She was on her feet almost immediately.

.

.

"I'm going to kill Gaila," Uhura muttered as soon as the doors hissed closed behind them.

Spock raised an eyebrow. "You were sufficiently grateful for her generosity at the time, Lieutenant."

She grinned at him ruefully as they headed towards the nearest turbolift. "Well, that was before I had to worry about what he was getting up to alone in my quart—Oh no!"

Concerned, he turned to face her fully. "What is it, beloved?" he asked, abandoning formality in the face of her sudden distress.

"I left him on the shelf. If he's anything like you…"

"Go," he said. "Ensure he is… unharmed." He resumed striding towards the lift, his pace noticeably faster. "I must do the same for her."

When they reached her deck, she smiled at him again, then stepped out. She had already turned to scurry down the corridor when a disturbing thought occurred to her.

"Spock, what about the—?" she started to ask, turning back. But the lift doors had already closed behind her.

For a few moments, she considered going after him but, deciding he was more than a match for whatever his rooms threw at him, she opted for handling her own problem.

Seconds later, she arrived at her quarters and slapped touchplate. The door swished opened, but before she could enter she felt something brush between her exposed upper calves.

"Shit!" she bit out, then turned heel to follow the escapee.

A/N: Confused? You must not have read Playing With Toys. Find it at: /s/5352231/1/Playing_With_Toys.

If you're enjoying yourself, remember to thank Aphrodite420 for being so damned annoying about asking me to write a sequel.

Disclaimer: I still don't own.