Summary: Although Saavik is thriving under Spock's care, Uhura points out that he has left certain gaps in the child's education and volunteers to help.

Disclaimer: Paramount owns Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and company. I have just borrowed them for a while and will not profit from any of this.

Many thanks to Carolyn Clowes for my very favorite ST novel 'The Pandora Principle,' which describes the year Spock took time off from Starfleet to raise and educate Saavik. Even though I used that novel as a basis for this story, however, note that I ignored the idea that Spock's friends did not know Saavik prior to her visit to the Enterprise as a cadet.

Also, many thanks to Jungle Kitty, who not only beta read for me but loaned me something or someone that belongs to her.

Feedback is desired. Please feel free to let me know what you think!

A Woman's Touch, Chapter 1

"I hate my shoes. They are uncomfortable. And they are inconvenient! Why do I have to wear them? Those people outside are not wearing any."

Spock took a deep breath and opened the closet door. "Saavik, I have explained to you that humans do not wear shoes on the beach. They do, however, wear shoes to formal events." He closed the closet and glanced under the large stuffed chair in the corner of the room.

"That is a most illogical attitude. If one does not wish to wear shoes, one should not have to wear shoes! And I do not wish to wear shoes, especially not these shoes. The woman who sold them to us was not being truthful when she said that everyone was wearing them this year. I have not seen one other person wearing them!"

"She was merely employing an expression of speech. She did not mean it literally." Brandishing the small shoe he held in his hand, he turned to Saavik and asked, "Saavikam, please try to remember where you put the other one."

His young ward stood stubbornly by the window. "That little boy is throwing his bread in the air and the birds are eating it. He is very stupid to waste his food like that. The pigeons are much fatter than the seagulls and easier to catch, too."

Spock knelt and lifted the edge of the bedspread. "I assure you that he is merely watching them feed for his own entertainment. He is not hunting his next meal."

"Then he is even more stupid than I thought."

Spotting the elusive shoe far under the bed, he stretched out on the floor and blindly reached for it. He knew that he would come away with dust all over his sleeve, but there was nothing to be done for that now. Groping, he finally felt it against his fingertips. There! He stood and handed it to Saavik.

"Here. Do not take them off again. We cannot afford any more delays."

She sat on the bed. "Spock, tell me again who will be there today."

As he brushed the lint from his clothing, he turned away so that she could not see the amusement on his face. She might pretend to dislike their current activity, but he understood very well that she already knew the answer to her question and simply wished to hear his description of what the day would bring.

"While some humans choose to have a small ceremony that only the closest friends and family attend, similar to a Vulcan bonding, it is also quite common for a wedding to be a large event. It is my understanding that Mr. Sulu and his fiancee have chosen the latter. Therefore, we may expect to see many people. I have never met Susan Ling, so I know nothing of her family situation, but I assume that she will have a number of relatives in attendance. As for Mr. Sulu, I anticipate that you will meet both of his parents, as well as his three sisters, his grandparents, and several of his great-grandparents. Here, Saavikam, please brush your hair." He handed her the brush and continued.

"Of course, the senior bridge crew of the Enterprise will attend with their guests. When I spoke to Admiral Kirk three days ago, he stated that he would be escorting Captain Suzanne Brandt, and that Doctor McCoy intended to bring his daughter. I will be quite pleased for you to meet Joanna McCoy."

"Is it almost time to go?"

This time, he did turn to her. An affectionate almost-smile on his lips, he said, "Yes. It is time to go. Your appearance is quite acceptable, Saavikam. My friends will be most impressed to meet such a well-groomed and well-mannered young lady."

She beamed as he closed the hotel room door behind them.

* * * * * * * *

Uhura sat on the padded wooden bench and couldn't help but smile to herself. What a joyous day! The church was beautiful, bright and spacious, and the yellow Hawaii sun shone brilliantly through the huge stained-glass windows. She closed her eyes briefly and inhaled, enjoying the scent of the flowers that were so abundantly draped over every flat surface around them.

Unable to resist, she leaned toward the person next to her and patted him on the arm to get his attention, then motioned discreetly to the pew in front of them.

"Doctor, look at Admiral Kirk and Captain Brandt," she whispered. "Aren't they a great couple? I'll bet they're next."

McCoy smiled. "Jim? Getting married? That's hard to imagine."

"Yes, well, mark my words. They'll be married before the year is out."

Joanna, on the other side of McCoy, spoke up. "Oh, that would be romantic. They're so much in love."

McCoy smiled indulgently. "Joanna introduced me to her boyfriend when I picked her up. She's only fifteen, but she's an expert on romance."

"Daddy! Be quiet!"

Their conversation was silenced when they saw Kirk glance up and smile. Thinking at first that he had overheard, Uhura realized when he said something to Captain Brandt and looked back in their direction again that he was actually watching something in the back of the church. They all turned and looked over their shoulders.

McCoy, laughter in his voice, muttered, "Well, I'll be damned!"

Walking up the aisle of the church was Scotty, stiff and serious in his role as usher, with a young Vulcan girl on his arm. Uhura guessed that she must be about ten years old. Following them both, dark and dashing in his Vulcan robes, was Spock. Even though his expression was no less serious than Scotty's, she thought that she could detect a note of... something... in his eyes. Pride? Yes, that was it! She smiled in surprised delight. This must be the child that he'd taken under his wing almost seven months ago.

Everyone watched the new arrivals as they approached. When Scotty released her, the little girl slid over to sit directly next to Uhura, and Spock carefully settled his long frame into the last remaining spot on the pew. The child's brown eyes were huge as Spock whispered quick introductions, and Uhura's smile grew even wider when she realized that the child, Saavik, knew exactly who each of them was. Hardly able to sit still, she looked as if she might simply burst at the seams with excitement and unasked questions.

Abruptly, the subdued music became loud and the opening chords of the wedding march washed over them. Sound filled the church, and Uhura felt goosebumps ripple down her arms as everything--the floor, the pews, even the air itself--seemed to vibrate with the resonations from the massive pipe organ. They turned as one to the front of the church, and she had to blink away sudden tears at the sight of Sulu, handsome and radiant with happiness, striding out to stand before them with Chekov at his shoulder.

As they all came to their feet for the bride's entrance, she realized that Saavik could not see. Before she could react, though, she saw the child tug on Spock's sleeve. He bent close to her as she whispered in his ear, then he moved her to stand in front of him so that she would have a direct view of the aisle. Uhura was touched at the simple exchange. Who would have thought it? Sulu getting married, Kirk all but married, and Spock acting like, well, a parent. It all seemed so right.

When the minister asked everyone to be seated, Uhura pulled out a hymnal and slipped it underneath Saavik so that she would be better able to view the ceremony. The little girl gave her a quick flash of a grateful expression before craning her neck to watch the events unfolding before her. She was so captivated that she hardly seemed even to breathe.

Uhura glanced at Spock. He met her eyes, clearly amused, and she smiled in response before they both looked back to the front of the church to watch the exchange of vows. Their attention was interrupted again only moments later, though, when Saavik kicked off her left shoe. Luckily, Spock saw it coming and snatched the shoe up before it could hit the floor with a clatter.

Uhura almost laughed out loud at his reaction. Instead of putting the shoe back on her foot, he removed its mate. The three of them sat like that, Spock and Uhura close to one another with the serious little girl squeezed between them, and Spock holding two small beige shoes in his lap, for the duration of the service.

* * * * * * * *

Saavik slipped over to the long food-covered table and helped herself to another item. Spock called these 'canapes' but they just looked like crackers with radishes and cucumbers on them to her. Anyway, they were good. Torn between eating and listening, she took another, glanced up, grabbed two more, and hurried back to the conversation between Spock and Admiral Kirk.

"... anyway, we've missed you back at Starfleet, Spock, but it looks like someone else needs you more than we do right now."

Saavik scowled as she approached them. She didn't want them to talk about her, she wanted them to talk about the Enterprise or their missions together or something interesting. She swallowed quickly and decided to steer the discussion back to a better topic.

"Admiral Kirk! Tell me about the time you had to fight the Gorn. Spock said that he was big and strong and green and wanted to kill you, and that you made---"

"Saavik. You interrupted---"

"No! I did not interrupt. You stopped talking and it was my turn!" Belatedly, she realized that she had interrupted his last sentence, even if she hadn't interrupted the first time. She added a quick, "Excuse me."

"Nevertheless---"

"That's okay, Spock. I don't mind." Admiral Kirk smiled, obviously pleased. "I'll be glad to tell her anything she wants to know. Now, when we encountered the Gorn that time, we didn't know anything about them yet, and..."

She sneaked a triumphant little glance in Spock's direction as Kirk settled into his story. Spock frowned slightly and met her eyes, but she pretended that she didn't notice his displeasure. Anyway, it was worth it to get to hear this story from Admiral Kirk. Firsthand!

* * * * * * * *

Uhura hugged Sulu and his new wife. "Goodbye, you two, and good luck!"

"Goodbye, Nyota. I love you!"

She grinned. Sulu loved everybody right now. "I know. I love you too, Hikaru. Best wishes, dear friend."

Backing away to make room for Pavel to kiss the bride, she spotted Spock and Saavik standing just off to the side and away from the excitement. She pushed her way through the crowd of well-wishers to join them. They each held a small ribbon-tied packet of rice, and she laughed when she drew close enough to overhear their words.

"Spock, why did they give us these grains? They are not cooked. I will eat more ca-na-pes, but I will not eat this rice."

"It is a human custom to throw rice upon a newly married couple when they leave. Gently, Saavikam. You do not hurl the rice, you merely toss it."

Uhura interjected when she saw Saavik balancing the little bundle in her hand as if to estimate its heft. "Saavik, you untie the little ribbon, like this, and take the rice out of the fabric. Quickly, they're leaving! Come with me!"

She grabbed Saavik by the hand and pulled her over to the door, and Spock tagged along behind them. With a quick flurry of activity, the bride and groom rushed out amidst a shower of rice and shouted good wishes. Everyone waved, then they were gone.

The noise level in the room suddenly dropped to just a low murmur, and Uhura took a deep breath. She felt almost melancholy as she gazed at the now-empty doorway. She was definitely tired. When she turned back to the room, she found all of her friends clustered around her and noticed that everyone's expressions seemed to mirror her mood.

Her piping voice cutting through the subdued noise surrounding them, Saavik nodded resolutely and announced, "They will go and have sex, now. That is what humans do after they marry."

Uhura met Kirk's eyes and saw him choke down the urge to burst out laughing. From the corner of her eye she noticed McCoy move closer, and all three of them glanced at Spock to see his response.

Spock stood frozen. Saavik picked up on the mixed reactions to her comment and became slightly defiant. "Well, that is true, is it not? They will do mating tonight and try to make little humans."

Closing his eyes briefly, Spock said, "Saavik, that is considered a personal matter, and is not to be discussed. I am quite certain that you remember our conversations about privacy."

"But it is so obvious! How can something so obvious---"

"Saavik, that is enough." Spock's voice was firm, and her eyes grew large before she clamped her lips together into a rebellious tight line.

McCoy clapped Spock on the shoulder and said, "Kids! Aren't they terrific? C'mon Scotty, let's go get another drink while the bar is still open. Joanna's over there talking to Sulu's cousin, and it looks like she's going to be a while, so this is my chance to enjoy a little more of that Kentucky sour mash."

Soon everyone drifted away, including Saavik who stomped off to the buffet table. Uhura was left alone with Spock.

He sighed and raised both eyebrows as he watched Saavik leave. "Nyota, sometimes I wonder which one of us truly possesses the stronger will."

She chuckled. "Oh, that's no contest. She has you beat, hands down."

"Do not confuse a strong will with a headstrong, opinionated, and stubborn manner."

"I'm not. If we're going to talk about who's the most headstrong, stubborn, and opinionated... hmmm. I'd have to think about that one for a little while. I think the race might be a little closer."

The corner of his mouth turned up. "Perhaps."

She thought again about Saavik's comments earlier on 'sex' and 'mating.' The child's attitude about the whole matter had seemed awfully, well, clinical. While Uhura didn't have much question in her mind about where Saavik would have picked up such a sterile approach, she was a little hesitant to say what was on her mind. She finally decided to be direct.

"Spock, when you've talked to Saavik about the, uh, facts of life, have you used any words like 'commitment', 'love'..." At his raised eyebrow, she hastily amended, "Er, scratch that last one. How about 'tenderness' or 'sharing'? You know."

He gazed into the empty space ahead of him. "I have explained to her the biological mechanics of reproduction. I saw no need to embellish it."

"But she's a young girl. She can't go into adulthood with such a cold approach to sex."

"She is still many years away from the need for such knowledge."

"What about the changes that will happen to her body when she reaches puberty? Have you gone into that at all?"

"As I said, she will not reach sexual maturity for many years."

"But you can't wait until she gets older. Do you think it will be any easier to explain it when she's a teenager? You don't her want to hear about it from her college roommate or, worse, some boy, do you?"

When he finally faced her, she realized how uncomfortable he was, and she softened.

"Do you think," he said quietly, "that I am unaware of the fact that she needs to learn these things? Perhaps I am merely a coward, but all I can do is repeat the explanations that I, myself, received as a boy from my own father. I do not wish for her to suffer because of my own discomfort, yet I fear that I can do no better."

Uhura thought about it for a moment. "What you need is a woman's touch."

He blinked. "I assure you, I do not---"

She laughed. "No, I mean that you need a woman to get involved in her life. Someone that she can trust, someone who will be willing to explain things to her, female to female. Someone like me."

"You would do this?"

"Yes I would, and I'd be thrilled to do it, too. The only problem is that I'd want to spend some time with her so that we could get to know each other first, but I promised to do a two-week seminar at the Academy starting Monday."

"What about after your seminar?"

"Well, I have some leave due."

"Would you care to come and visit us on Dantria IV? We have a house with a spare room, in the forest. It is quite pleasant, actually, and we have no commitments on our time other than Saavik's daily lessons."

"That's a wonderful idea! I'd love to come visit you."

"Then it is decided."

End chapter 1

A Woman's Touch, Chapter 2

Uhura climbed out of the flitter and planted her feet on the dry, rustly leaves that covered the forest floor. Looking up, she marveled over the size of the huge trees before her, towering over her head like solemn giants. The air was rich and promising, brimming with life and energy despite the silent, sedate setting, and she knew that she would like it here.

Saavik bounded out and ran to the front door of the small abode huddled by the edge of the forest. "Come with me, Nyota! See where we live!"

"Yes!" she laughed. Saavik's excitement was contagious. "I'm coming!"

She glanced over her shoulder to see Spock pulling her luggage from the flitter.

"Go ahead. I will bring your belongings," he said.

"Thanks. I guess I shouldn't keep her waiting."

"Please do not. She has awaited your arrival for over two weeks, and I believe that requiring her to wait another moment will tax her patience beyond endurance." He paused for a moment. "And mine."

Throwing a sympathetic grin in his direction, she hurried to catch up with Saavik, who grabbed her hand and pulled her through the front door.

"This is the big room. Over there is where we cook and eat, and over there is where we study. At night sometimes it gets cold so Spock builds a fire in the fireplace." Uhura struggled to take it all in as she was dragged through the house. "Over here is your room. My room is in the middle and Spock's room is in the back. You and I have to share a bathroom, but I do not mind. We have a garden behind the house and sometimes the little animals come and eat our vegetables, but I do not mind that either. Sometimes I catch them, but I do not eat the little animals. I also do not eat the big animals, but sometimes I think that they would like very much to eat me. I am too big and strong, though, and anyway Spock says that the large animals do not eat people."

As Saavik rattled on, Uhura took a moment to survey her surroundings with appreciation. The entire house seemed to consist mostly of one big area with a kitchen and table in the back right corner, a big fireplace dominating the right wall with a comfortable sofa and several chairs in front of it, and a desk and terminal in the front right corner by the window. The entrance and the three bedroom doors were all situated to the left. Spock wasn't kidding when he said that the house was small, but the roomy main living area gave the impression of spaciousness. Plus, she figured that they spent most of their waking time outside, anyway. Who wouldn't, with such a beautiful setting! She wandered to the back and gazed out the glass door at the well-kept garden and the surrounding flower-filled meadow, shaded here and there by the spreading branches of smaller trees.

Detecting a movement at her shoulder, she looked up to see Spock standing beside her. Saavik had not stopped her running commentary.

"I planted radishes in the garden and they are even bigger than the little radishes at Mr. Sulu's wedding. Spock says that they are too hot but I like them that way. One day..."

Spock met Uhura's eyes and murmured, "I am quite certain that eventually she will exhaust her supply of information."

Her voice also low, Uhura responded, "That's okay. She's a great kid, and I think I'm going to have a wonderful time here."

Saavik, clearly realizing that she was in danger of losing her audience, took Uhura's hand again and pulled her away from the window. "Come and see my room. I have a pet lizard but he is hiding from me at the moment."

Uhura smiled over her shoulder at Spock as Saavik led her away. Yes, this was going to be a terrific week.

* * * * * * * *

Much later that night, Saavik had finally succumbed to the wearying excitement of the day and fallen sleepily silent. She had not wished to go to bed, though, and only Uhura's promise of a bedtime song had persuaded her to retire to her room. Spock sat, now, at the dining table and listened to Uhura's voice as it drifted from the bedroom. She appeared to be singing a song about a magic dragon, although he could not fathom the meaning of the words and was not certain he heard her correctly.

Soon, Uhura's voice faded away and there was a long silence. He watched Saavik's bedroom door and frowned slightly, wondering if Uhura had also fallen asleep, but eventually she reappeared and gently closed the door before joining him at the table.

"She's asleep. What a beautiful child."

"She is quite extraordinary. Would you care for a cup of tea?"

"Thank you, I'd like that very much."

He rose and filled a teakettle with water, activated the archaic old cooking pad, and placed the kettle on to heat.

"Your home is lovely. How did you come to find this?"

"It was actually easy. After some research, I determined that I wished to locate us on Dantria IV and contacted an agent here. I described what I wanted, and she immediately recommended this house. I knew as soon as I viewed the holovid that it would suit our purposes perfectly." While he spoke, he opened a canister and pulled out two teabags. "I must apologize for the quality of this tea. I would prefer to serve you a Vulcan variety, but Saavik took it upon herself recently to prepare my tea and I have as yet been unable to replenish my supply."

She waved her hand. "Oh, I'm sure this will be just fine."

The kettle whistled, and he poured the water into the mugs. "At any rate, we have lived here for 6.6 months and have found it quite satisfactory. Saavik enjoys the forest setting, and the isolation allows us to concentrate on the areas of study which I have deemed most appropriate for this stage of her education."

They were quiet for a few minutes while the tea brewed. He glanced at Uhura and saw that she appeared to be lost in thought. Perhaps it was time to tell her something of Saavik's background.

Discarding the teabags, he placed one of the mugs before her and sat across from her with his own.

"You are wondering how I have come to find myself in the position of caring for a young child."

With a guilty start, she met his eyes. "Yes, that's exactly what I was wondering, but I really didn't want to say anything. I mean, I figured that it was none of my business, and that you'd tell me what I needed to know when I needed to know it."

He nodded as he formulated his thoughts.

"Saavik lived the first nine or ten years of her life with virtually no contact with other beings. I must be approximate about that number, because I do not know exactly how old she is." He glanced at Uhura to judge her reaction. Her face had become very still. "What little contact she did have was hostile and abusive, and she was left to fend for herself in an inhospitable environment at a very young age. I really know very little about her life before I met her."

Uhura looked at him with pain in her eyes. "She was abandoned?"

"Essentially, yes, which one might conclude was fortunate, when one compares abandonment to the fate she would have suffered if she had not been abandoned." He hastened to add, "I must point out that the adults in question were not Vulcans."

"I assumed that. What brought the two of you together?"

"I regret, Nyota, that I am not at liberty to discuss all of the details, but suffice it to say that we found one another. She had no one, not a soul in the entire universe, so I took it upon myself to become her guardian." He looked at his cup of tea. "I have no doubt that she would be better off with a 'true' family, but I find that I cannot bring myself to alter her situation."

Uhura reached across the table and touched his hand lightly with her fingertips. When he looked up, he was surprised to see her eyes brimming with unshed tears.

"I think that she's lucky, Spock, so very lucky, to have someone like you. It's obvious that your relationship is special, and I feel honored to have been allowed to share in it, even in this small way. Thank you."

Swallowing past a sudden constriction in his throat, he attempted to lighten the mood. "You may not agree with that statement by the end of the week. Raising Saavik is a constant challenge."

She gave him a wry look, clearly signaling not only that she didn't agree with him, but that she knew perfectly well he didn't agree with those words himself. "I've never known you to back down from a challenge," she said teasingly.

"True. But I fear that this time I may have met my match."

She smiled but had to quickly stifle a yawn before she could continue. "Oh, sorry, it's been a long day."

"Yes, and I am certain that you are ready to end it." He stood and picked up both mugs. "Are you in need of anything before you retire?"

She shook her head and came to her feet. "No, not a thing."

"Very well. Goodnight, Nyota. I will see you in the morning."

"Goodnight, Spock. Pleasant dreams."

He watched her until she vanished into her room, then he raised an eyebrow, turned, and busied himself with tidying up the small kitchen.

* * * * * * * *

Uhura woke the next morning to the sound of birdsong. Stretching, she opened her eyes and noticed a dash of color against the bright sunlight, and she was charmed to realize that the sweet little serenade came from her own windowsill. When she sat up, though, her tiny visitor saw the movement and flitted away to safety.

Snuggling back down into her bed, she could tell by the muted sounds outside her door that the others were already up. Her trip had been exhausting, though, and she decided that she wouldn't feel too guilty if she caught just a few more winks.

Suddenly, she became aware of something crawling on her bare arm. Unable to suppress a shriek, she bolted upright and brushed it off. A little brown lizard darted away and froze, as still as a statue, on the side of her bed. It studied her with its shiny black eyes, and she sighed in relief.

Shaking her head at her own foolishness, she almost jumped out of her skin a split-second later when her door flew open and Spock burst into the room. "Nyota! Are you..."

She pulled the covers up to her chin as he backed away in confusion. Saavik peeked out from behind him.

"Forgive me. I thought that you were in distress."

Although she was hugely embarrassed, she couldn't help but laugh. "Sorry! I was half-asleep and felt something crawling on my arm. It startled me."

"My lizard!" Saavik pushed past Spock and came over to the bed. "You found my lizard!" She picked it up and cradled it gently in her hands.

Spock took another step backwards and, one hand on the doorknob, motioned with the other for Saavik. "Once again, I apologize for the intrusion. Come, Saavik, we must leave."

Her attention still focused on her prize, Saavik walked past Spock. Before he could follow, though, she turned back to Uhura.

"Nyota, could you tell me if you see my other pet? It is an insect, and it is slightly larger than my lizard."

Uhura's eyes grew big as Spock placed a hand on Saavik's shoulder and forcibly removed her from the bedroom. Meeting Uhura's gaze briefly in apology, he pulled the door shut. In the instant before it closed, she heard his last words.

"Saavik, I have asked you not to bring insects into the house unless you keep them in a suitable container."

She jumped out of bed and yanked the covers back. Nothing. Oh well, it was time to get up, anyway. As she gathered her toiletries and took them into the small bathroom, she wondered what other surprises the week might hold.

* * * * * * * *

"Lightning bugs?"

"Yes, that's what we called them. Of course, we didn't have lightning bugs where I grew up, but sometimes we would visit my great-aunt, and I can remember spending many cool summer evenings running around in her back yard, having a contest to see who could end up with the most in a jar."

Uhura smiled as she watched Saavik rolling this bit of information around in her head. The three of them were sitting tiredly on the back porch, listening to the night sounds and gazing at the stars. She figured that this was part of their nightly routine, for Spock and Saavik had both gravitated out here in what seemed to be wordless agreement as soon as each had completed what was evidently his or her evening chores.

"What did you do with them after you caught them?"

"Watched them for a while, then let them go."

Saavik nodded wisely. "That was The Right Thing To Do. I let the little animals I catch go, too."

Uhura got the definite impression that this was a running theme between Spock and Saavik, so she decided to reinforce it.

"Yes, it's good to let the little animals go. They have their homes just like you do, and you wouldn't want to take them away from their homes."

"That's what Spock says. He let me make a new home for my lizard, though."

Spock, who had been silent throughout this exchange, spoke up. "Saavikam, I would assume that your lizard is hungry. Perhaps you should catch his supper."

"Oh yes, I almost forgot. I will be back soon, Nyota!" In a whirlwind of motion, Saavik ran off toward the dark woods.

Watching her go, Uhura asked, "Spock, is she all right in the woods by herself at night?"

"Yes. When we first came here, she would vanish for hours at a time without telling me where she had gone. I must confess that I became quite concerned on a number of occasions. In the beginning, I attempted to restrict her nocturnal explorations, but I was mostly unsuccessful. Our compromise came when I realized that the best approach was to channel her excursions. If she leaves with a finite goal in mind, she is more likely to return in what I deem an acceptable time frame."

Uhura shook her head. "I'm impressed, Spock. No offense, but you're probably the last person I would have expected to see raising a young child, and here you are, a veritable expert on child psychology!"

"I would hardly go so far as to claim expert status. Saavik and I have simply learned to approach life on a day-by-day basis. It never fails that the moment I reach a level of relative comfort, something happens to throw my sense of equilibrium into turmoil."

"That's pretty typical."

"So I have gathered."

They sat quietly as Uhura listened for any sound of activity from the nearby woods. Either Saavik had gone far away, or she was utterly quiet on her nocturnal bug hunt. She smiled fondly, imagining Saavik prowling around the dark trees and underbrush, confident and entirely fearless. Funny how she could already summon such a perfect mental picture of the little girl; even though her visit had just begun, she felt like she had known her forever. Rubbing her aching leg muscles, she figured that it was probably because the child had packed at least a week's worth of activity into their first day together, and the entire 'getting to know you' process had simply been accelerated. In any case, she couldn't believe how quickly she had become attached to this quick, bright, impulsive bundle of sheer energy.

"So," she said. "Today we picked berries, worked in the garden, took two long hikes in the woods, prepared three meals, chased after a fugitive lizard, looked up and memorized the scientific classification of twenty species of wildflowers, waded in the pond, and categorized a boxful of rocks. What's on tap for tomorrow?"

"More of the same." At Uhura's weary groan, he added, "Although hopefully at a much slower pace."

"She's going to wear me out!"

"Yes, she does tend to have that effect on anyone who attempts to keep up with her---"

Saavik chose that moment to dash out of the woods with her fists clenched. "Nyota! Let's go feed my lizard! And after that, tell me more about lightning bugs! Do you want to see my leaf collection?"

Spock raised an eyebrow and continued, "---although it would appear that I have been given a reprieve."

Uhura came to her feet with mock exhaustion and grinned as Saavik took her by the hand and dragged her into the house.

End chapter 2

A Woman's Touch, Chapter 3

Digging around in the kitchen drawer, Spock frowned slightly when he realized that the paring knife was not where he would have expected to find it. Indeed, he should not have had to rummage through the drawer at all, for if the contents were as he had left them, the knife would have been situated neatly to the right with the other knives. Saavik must have been in here. Logically concluding that the knife was no longer in the kitchen at all, he decided to search in her room. If that failed, he would search the garden.

On his way to her room, he glanced out the back window yet again. Still no sign of either of them. Evidently they had found much to discuss. He projected Saavik's potential reaction to the topics Uhura had intended to broach, and he wondered if they might be gone all afternoon. It was very possible that he would not see them until supper. When Uhura had informed him that she wished to walk alone with Saavik this afternoon, he had correctly deduced her intent and tried discreetly to warn her that Saavik was certain to take exception to what she was to learn on this walk. Perhaps he should have been less discreet.

As had become his habit, he paused in Saavik's doorway to ensure that he was not about to step on her lizard, an insect, or any other small creature that might be wandering about. Nothing. Instead of continuing forward, however, he placed a hand on the doorframe and allowed himself a small sigh. When Uhura had volunteered to tell Saavik about the "birds and the bees," she had obviously believed that the facts of her own biology would also be applicable to someone of Saavik's heritage, and he had done nothing to dissuade her of this notion. He could not deny that he was experiencing a small amount of discomfort, perhaps, or even guilt over this. It would be safe to assume that she had never heard of pon farr. In addition, she would have no way of knowing the specifics of Romulan biology, but of course that did not matter because she did not know that Saavik was half Romulan. There was nothing to be done for it now, however, and the information she was relaying at this moment was technically not inaccurate. It was simply incomplete.

He continued into Saavik's room. A quick search provided no clue to the whereabouts of the knife, so he headed for the garden. On his way out the back door, he noticed a freshly-dug hole by the corner of the house and knew that he would find his knife there. Just as he bent to sift through the loose dirt piled next to the hole, he heard voices, so he stood to watch Uhura and Saavik approach.

Surprisingly, they were chatting amiably. Saavik had no trace of the belligerent expression on her face that he might have expected, and Uhura did not appear any worse for the wear. Perhaps he had been wrong about Saavik's reaction, or perhaps Uhura was simply much more skilled at covering such complicated topics than he would have been. In either case, he was greatly relieved to discover that what was sure to have been an awkward and uncomfortable discussion was behind them.

Uhura motioned to the door when they neared him. "Saavik, why don't you run on inside and fix me a glass of cold water?"

The little girl nodded and dashed into the house to do as she was told. Uhura watched her until she was gone, and then looked at Spock. He regarded her cautiously.

"Am I correct in assuming that your expedition was successful?" he asked.

"Oh yes, we covered a lot of ground, both figuratively and literally. She was very curious about everything and asked a lot of questions. We had a wonderful heart-to-heart talk about what it means to be a woman, how a physical relationship can be an expression of so much more, and the types of changes she can expect to see in her body as she matures."

"Thank you for handling this for me, Nyota. It would have been difficult for me to explain all of this to her."

"Think nothing of it." She looked back to the house to see Saavik signaling that her water was ready, so she walked to the back door. Opening it, she put one foot inside before turning back to him.

"Oh, and by the way, she didn't believe a word I said, and she's planning to come to you for confirmation." She smiled sweetly and disappeared into the house.

He stared at the closed door for a long moment, sighed, and knelt to resume his search for the wayward knife.

* * * * * * * *

Saavik walked down the lane, savoring the feel of the warm dust between her toes and the comfortable security of an adult on either side of her. The past week had been more wonderful than she ever could have imagined; these two people were here just for her. All for her and no one else! At the moment, though, they seemed to have forgotten her, which was fine because she enjoyed eavesdropping on their conversation. She stayed very quiet and imagined that she was like the little mouse-like animal that crouched in the corner of the kitchen sometimes.

"Well, I'm telling you, Spock. It was about the strangest thing I've ever seen, and that's saying a lot. It scared the dickens out of us, especially because we were in such a hurry to intercept V'ger."

"I understand that the temporal distortion effect of a wormhole can be most disorienting."

"Oh, it was! I remember swiveling in my chair and trying to reach for something on my board, but everything just got slower and slower until finally it seemed like I was paralyzed. The worst part was that even though my brain slowed to the point where I had to concentrate just to complete the simplest thought, I was very aware of what was happening. It sure played havoc with the engines. I don't know what we would have done if you hadn't arrived."

He frowned slightly. "I am certain that Mr. Scott would have restored the intermix formula without me."

She was silent for a long moment, and Saavik dared a quick glance. Nyota was looking at Spock with concern in her expression.

"You know that's not true," she said. "I'm so sorry things didn't work out for you on Vulcan, but we needed you. We still do, all of us." Although her voice had been gentle when she started, it gradually became more heated. "I can't imagine not having you around, Spock! Don't you know how important you are to us? If you'd just left us and never come back..." She snorted, suddenly fierce. "What the hell were you thinking, anyway, to run off like that? Without even a word! Admiral Kirk was devastated, you... you... shithead!"

He winced. "I suppose that I deserved that."

This was getting more interesting every second. Saavik pretended that she was invisible.

"Yes, you did. And then, just showing back up that way. When you stepped out of the lift and onto the bridge, I didn't know whether to smack you, fall out of my chair, or jump up and kiss you. I wish now that I'd done the latter, just to see how you would have reacted to me. It couldn't have been any worse than being flat-out ignored."

He stopped walking and looked at her, clearly mystified. "You are still angry at me about that entire episode."

"Yes, actually, I am! I never said anything about it because I was just so happy to have you back, but that doesn't lessen the fact that you really made me mad. And the worst part of it was that you were totally oblivious to how badly you hurt us all."

Spock took a deep breath. "Nyota, I will say this once, and once only. I am very sorry for the way I treated you. I was confused and unsure of myself. I was certainly not oblivious to the hurt I caused. None of this, however, excuses the fact that my behavior was callous and unkind. I will never forget the look on your face when I ignored your greeting that day, and I have always regretted that I did so. Indeed, I shall most certainly regret it for the rest of my life."

He drew himself up to his full height. "There. You have spoken your mind, and I have spoken mine."

Saavik looked up at him. He towered over her, his chin high and his expression severe. She shivered; he looked like some of those other Vulcans, the ones who had been different. She looked quickly at Nyota and was awed by the seriousness of the human woman's face. She looked like one of those Vulcans, too. Spock and Nyota stood with their gazes locked, and no one said anything for a long time.

Finally, Nyota relented. "Thank you, Spock. I know that those words were difficult for you to say."

"Yes."

"You should have said them long ago."

"Yes."

She raised her eyebrows in slight exasperation. "Okay, let's head on back."

The three of them turned and resumed their slow pace. After a few steps, Nyota ran a gentle hand over Saavik's head and pulled her closer, then looked up at Spock and held his eyes briefly. They walked the rest of the way in silence.

* * * * * * * *

That evening after Saavik went to bed, Uhura took her tea and sat out on the back porch to look up at the stars. The weather was especially mild, and she had stated that she simply wished to enjoy the night, since she would be leaving in the morning for the Enterprise and would not see anything like this again for a while.

Spock stared at the computer and tried to plan Saavik's lessons for the next week, but he found it difficult to concentrate. Finally, he picked up his own tea and slipped out the back door. She did not turn when he sat on the porch steps next to her, instead keeping her head tilted back so that she could gaze at the sky.

After a short while, she spoke. "What a beautiful night."

"I am pleased that we had agreeable weather for your visit."

"It was all perfect. The climate, the scenery---"

"Our discussion this afternoon."

She chuckled. "Yes, even that." At his raised eyebrow, she continued. "We needed to say it, Spock."

"Perhaps so."

Other than a thoughtful nod, she did not respond, so they sipped their tea in quiet companionship. Nothing was audible but the chirping of night insects and the rustling of the leaves as the breeze gently wound around the trees. After a few minutes of this, she began humming softly. He was able to identify the tune almost immediately, but he did not comment until she had finished.

"Amazing Grace."

She looked at him with mild surprise on her features. "Yes, you're right. I wouldn't have expected you to know that one."

"Actually, I know it quite well. I have always been partial to it."

"Oh, really? Is there a reason for that?"

"Yes."

She waited expectantly, but he was beginning to regret even having said this much, so he did not volunteer any additional information. It was not unanticipated when she prompted him to say more.

"And?"

He darted a quick glance at her face. "You will think me sentimental."

"I don't believe you need to worry about that. C'mon, Spock, I'm really curious now."

"Very well. My mother told me that she sang it to me on the day I was born. The first time she held me. In retrospect, it seems a rather unusual selection, but that song evokes my first true memories of interacting with her. As I said, the association is perhaps overly sentimental, but it exists nevertheless."

"That's a beautiful memory. You're right, though, that it's not exactly a conventional lullaby. Do you know why she chose it?"

"She told me later that her own mother sang it to her, although of course her memories do not begin at such an early age as my own. It is perhaps significant that she has stated repeatedly that it was the first song she ever heard, and that someday she wants it to be the last. While it is always difficult to envision the demise of one's parent, the thought that she should view her own eventual death with such a serene acceptance is also comforting."

"You're right. I guess we should all hope for such a peaceful end."

"Yes."

They fell silent once more, and she leaned back on her elbows and closed her eyes. "This last week has been magical. I feel like I could stay just like this forever, and never need anything more than the woods and the flowers and the breeze and the stars over my head. I know that it's illogical to wish for an experience to never end, and I love my life on the Enterprise, but right now I would make this moment last forever if I could."

He tilted his head, struck by a sudden idea. "Is there really any reason for you to return tomorrow?"

"What?"

"Do you have any pressing business aboard the Enterprise? Admiral Kirk told me that you do not actually ship out for several more weeks. Perhaps you could extend your stay with us."

She sat up. "Do you mean that?"

"I would not say it if I did not mean it. Saavik would be most pleased if you were to remain longer. As would I."

"Well, I do have another week of leave available."

"Would you care to spend it with us?"

"Oh, yes, I'd love that. You're sure?"

"Yes, of course."

"Okay! Let me go make a few calls and see what I can do." She stood. "Oh, and Spock--thanks."

"You are quite welcome."

She vanished into the house, and soon he could hear the muffled sound of her voice as she contacted Starfleet command. He could not help but wonder what had possessed him to offer such an impetuous invitation. Envisioning Saavik's surprise when she discovered in the morning that Uhura was not leaving, however, he experienced a sense of satisfaction. He had undoubtedly done the right thing.

He picked up his tea and took another sip.

* * * * * * * *

The next afternoon, Saavik announced that she was going to fix their supper that night, and that she would harvest it from the garden. Uhura was tickled at the declaration. Saavik had been so excited at the unexpected news of her extended visit that the child had been virtually glued to her side all day long. So, it was no surprise when Saavik dragged her out to 'help' in the garden. Spock indulgently joined them, and he allowed Saavik to boss him around as he fetched garden implements, lugged their bounty into the kitchen, and so on.

Uhura was kneeling next to the tomato plants, describing to Saavik how it was considered a regional delicacy on Earth to fry the fruit before it had ripened, when she happened to glance up and see two little gray faces peering around the corner of the house.

"Humans eat green tomatoes?" Saavik was appalled. "I tried to eat green strawberries once and they were not good. I do not think that I will eat green tomatoes."

"Saavik, who is that, over there? Watching us from around the house."

Saavik glanced up, and her lips tightened in disapproval. Uhura had to stifle a laugh at the familiar expression; she had seen that same look on Spock's face about a thousand times before.

"Those are the boys who live on the other side of the forest. They are stupid. They always want to do silly activities such as climbing trees for no particular reason. The most stupidest thing they do is hiding."

"Lots of children do that."

"Then they are stupid, too. Why would people invite a person to join them and then hide from that person? It is illogical."

As the boys crept out into open view, Uhura heard Spock's voice from behind her. "Greetings."

"Uh, hello," said the bigger boy. "Can Saavik play?"

"You will need to ask Saavik that."

They became bolder and ran up to stand at the edge of the garden. "Saavik, do you want to play?"

"I do not wish to do hiding," Saavik replied sullenly.

The little boy whined. "But I wanted---"

"Be quiet, dummy." The bigger boy pushed his brother's shoulder. "I saw a bird's nest way up high in the tree by the creek. Do you want to go see what's in it?"

Saavik brightened at the mention of the bird nest but was still hesitant. Deciding that it would do her good to play with children her own age, Uhura bent close and whispered, "I'll bet you're the only one who can climb that high."

Saavik's eyes widened with the suggestion that she could do better than the boys, and she nodded resolutely. "Okay, I will do climbing with you.

As Uhura watched Saavik run off with the other children, she became aware of Spock standing by her shoulder with a handful of Andorian squash.

"I would venture to say that we shall have to prepare our own meal tonight if we wish to eat."

She laughed and plucked a red tomato from the vine. "Oh, I think it's pretty safe to say that we would have ended up having to do that anyway. So, how about tomato and squash casserole?"

End chapter 3

A Woman's Touch, Chapter 4

"Spock, this is a great idea. I love to sit in front of the fire on a cold day. But that's okay. I'll enjoy this, too."

Uhura was teasing him again. Late in the afternoon, a cloud cover had moved into the area and the air had become chilly and damp. Perhaps it was not particularly cold, but he would nevertheless be pleased to have a fire. He knelt on the hearth and added some tinder, and the flames began to crackle and pop. He stood and brushed off his hands.

"Saavikam, do you wish to watch the fire? I will turn the sofa if you will get up."

She frowned at him. "I do not want to get up."

"In that case, Nyota and I will bring chairs over to the fire and watch it without you."

"No! I don't weigh much. Can you not just turn the sofa like this?"

"You are in the way. It will only require a moment, and then you may reclaim your place."

"Nyota can help you turn it around if you are not strong enough to do it alone."

Spock pulled two chairs over to the fire. "Very well. You may stay there by yourself."

"NO!"

Unable to suppress an aggravated sigh, he seated himself at the fire. Saavik had refused to eat her dinner, then had become increasingly uncooperative all evening. His own patience had suffered accordingly, and he sincerely hoped that she did not push him any further.

He glanced over his shoulder when he realized that Uhura had perched on the edge of the sofa. Trying his best to appear uninterested, he turned his head slightly so that he would be able to overhear.

"When I was a little girl, I used to love to sit and watch the fire," she said.

Saavik ignored her.

"It would be very special to me if I could sit next to you and we could enjoy it together."

"I don't want to see that stupid fire. Go away."

Spock glanced up sharply at that. "Saavik," he said sternly.

Uhura shook her head at him and tried again.

"Well, then, I'll miss you, but I'm going over to sit next to Spock. It's a glorious fire, and it will feel good on a, uh, cold night like this."

"I don't care what you do."

"Saavik, you are overtired," said Spock. "If you cannot be polite then I must insist that you go to bed."

"No! I'm not sleepy!"

"This is not open to discussion. Good night."

She glared at him for a moment before stomping off to her room and slamming the door.

Uhura pulled her chair a few inches closer to the fire and sat down. "Whew! What brought that on?"

"I do not have the vaguest idea."

Holding her hands out to the fire, she said, "I guess all kids test their limits now and then, even Saavik."

He gave her a wry look. "If there has been one constant in my life with Saavik, it has been her ability to detect the boundaries I have drawn and to move just one step beyond them."

"I'll bet you never did that when you were a child."

"Of course not."

"Oh really? Seems like I remember hearing something about a little Vulcan boy who was seven years old and ran off to the mountains by himself."

"That was different."

"Sure it was."

"It was."

"That's what I said."

"In that case, it is good that you agree with me."

"Uh huh."

"Because it was a different situation."

She looked pointedly at the fire with a smug expression on her face and did not answer. Having no rebuttal for that, he frowned slightly and turned to the fire himself. They sat quietly until she stood and eyed the sofa.

"We'd really be much more comfortable on that. Would you help me move it?"

"Certainly."

They dragged the sofa around and settled themselves on the cushions. Several minutes passed in silence as they gazed at the fire.

"Spock?"

"Yes?"

"Tell me the truth. When you were a child, didn't you ever object to going to bed early? Refuse to eat your spinach? Dislike the shirt your mother picked out for you to wear?"

He regarded her for a long moment. "I did not like spinach."

She grinned. "Neither did I."

* * * * * * * *

Uhura woke suddenly and thought that she had heard something. Picking up the small clock by her bedside, she blearily tried to focus her eyes and wondered what had awakened her.

"Heavens, it's 0155 hours," she muttered.

She decided that she must have been imagining things and had just settled back down onto her pillow when she heard it again.

"Spock! Nyota!"

What was going on? She stumbled out of bed and grabbed her robe. Throwing it around her shoulders, she opened the door to her room and discovered that she was just a few steps behind Spock, who was barefoot and moving toward Saavik's room.

"What is it?" she asked groggily.

"I do not know." He pushed the door open. "Saavikam? Do you require something?"

"I do not feel good. My stomach hurts."

He sat on the edge of the bed. "How long have you felt like this?"

"It hurt a little bit all day. It got worse after supper, but I just woke up and it is a lot worser now."

Uhura fumbled around for the light switch. "Watch your eyes, I'm going to turn on the light."

Even though she turned it to its lowest setting, Saavik scrunched her eyes closed at the sudden brightness and rubbed them with her hands. "My head hurts, too, Spock. Make it stop!"

He leaned closer and placed his hand against her forehead. "Your temperature is elev---"

Uhura suddenly knew what was going to happen, but she could not react quickly enough. Just as she reached beside the door for the small trash receptacle, Saavik wailed, "My stomach hurts!" and threw up all over the bed and the front of Spock's pajamas.

He grabbed her shoulders and tried to hold her steady, but her little body was bent double as she continued to tremble and heave. Uhura dashed over with the trash can and held it beside the bed.

"Saavik, honey, use this. Spock, help her."

She noticed the frantic expression on his face as he pulled Saavik over to the edge of the bed and supported her weight. If Saavik wasn't so miserable, Uhura would have been amused despite herself. She'd never known Spock to fall apart, ever, no matter the circumstances, but he sure looked like he was about to panic right now. Not certain which one of them she was actually reassuring, she murmured, "It will be all right."

When he had Saavik situated, she shoved the trash can into his free hand. "Here, hold this. I'll be back."

She ran into the bathroom, grabbed a couple of towels, and quickly wet a handful of washcloths. When she returned, Saavik was still leaning over the trash can, but she wasn't throwing up anymore. Uhura took the little girl gently by the shoulders and pushed her back against the pillow, then picked up a washcloth and ran it over the small frightened face.

"It will be all right, honey. You just have a little stomach bug. You probably caught it from those boys yesterday." She glanced up at Spock. "Why don't you go change your clothes, then we'll see about putting some clean sheets on this bed. Just leave the trash can right there in case we need it again."

He didn't move. "We should call a doctor."

Turning back to Saavik, Uhura spoke in her most soothing voice. "No, of course not. You'll be just fine, won't you sweetie?"

"She is ill. She has a fever. I do not think that I will be able to locate a pediatrician at this hour, but---"

"Spock, she doesn't need a doctor. All she needs right now is to rest, and we'll see if this runs its course. Children get stomach bugs like this all the time."

"Not in my experience."

This made her look back up at him. "In your experience? How many other children have you ever been around?"

He frowned uncertainly. "Myself..."

"Go change your clothes, and we'll get Saavik all cleaned up. I guarantee you that she'll feel a lot better now. We'll keep an eye on her, and if her fever goes up or she's still throwing up in the morning, we'll take her to the doctor. All she needs right now is for us to remain calm."

"If you think---"

"Yes! I know. Go ahead."

He reluctantly left the room, and she folded one of the washcloths and placed it on the child's forehead. "No wonder you were so grumpy earlier. You'll feel better now, I promise."

Saavik looked at her gratefully. Despite her pitiful condition, the words that came out of her mouth were so typical that Uhura had to smile. "It is fortunate that you were here, Nyota. Spock did not know what to do."

"You're absolutely right, but that'll just be our little secret."

Nodding seriously, Saavik closed her eyes and was soon asleep.

* * * * * * * *

Spock wandered into Saavik's room and studied her pale face. She was asleep and did actually seem to be much better. She had been ill twice more throughout the night, but her temperature had never increased, and she had been able keep down three crackers this morning. Uhura had been right. Knowing that her fever was almost gone but unable to resist the impulse, he rested his hand briefly on her forehead to reassure himself that she was no longer hot. And, of course, she was not.

He picked up an empty glass from her bedside table and carried it into the kitchen. Uhura, partially reclining on the sofa with a book, looked up as he passed.

"How's she doing?"

"She appears to be much better."

"Good. Maybe she'll feel like eating something tonight."

He rinsed out the glass and refilled it. On his way back into Saavik's room, he stopped and regarded Uhura.

"You appear to be very tired."

"I'm okay."

"If you wish to take a nap, I believe that I can manage now without you."

She smiled at his dry humor. "Well, I guess that you can at that, but really, I'm fine."

He nodded and took the glass back into Saavik's room. On his way out, something darted in front of him, and he had to halt quickly to avoid stepping on it. He looked around and spotted the little brown lizard hiding behind the door.

"Ah, there you are." He scooped it up and gently placed it into the small terrarium that was supposed to be its home. It immediately zipped under the broad leaf of a colorful plant and peeked out at him.

He walked back out into the main room. "Nyota, you will be pleased to learn that I have apprehended..."

She was sound asleep, her neck twisted awkwardly and the book dangling from her fingers. He carefully eased her shoulders down against the arm of the sofa, and retrieved a blanket from her room to cover her.

Sitting in a nearby chair, he picked up her book and began reading.

* * * * * * * *

As she bustled around in the kitchen, Uhura wondered if Saavik would be able to eat any supper. She'd been awake most of the afternoon and had continued to munch on dry crackers, but she had dozed off about ten minutes ago and was probably still asleep. Uhura placed two bowls of stew on the table, but then decided that she'd better go check on Saavik one more time before they ate.

She walked quietly past Spock, who was sitting in his chair by the sofa with his eyes closed. He'd been very quiet for the last couple of hours, and he hadn't even helped with the preparation of their meal. She was a little worried about him. Either he was meditating or he was really tired, or something else was going on.

Saavik was sleeping peacefully. Relieved to see that it was good, quality sleep and not the restless uneasiness of earlier, she carefully pulled the door shut behind herself, leaving it open just a crack so that she could hear if Saavik called her.

She tiptoed up to Spock, and he opened his eyes. Her heart sank when she realized that he looked awful, his face ashen and his eyes glassy. She put a hand against his forehead, but she couldn't tell if he had a fever or not--he always felt hot to her.

"Spock, why don't you go lie down? I'm sure you don't want anything to eat right now."

He brushed off her concern. "Nonsense. I am fine. You have worked hard to prepare a nutritious meal, and the aroma is quite appealing."

Still skeptical, she watched him closely as they moved to the table and he picked up his spoon. He studied his bowl for a long moment, then closed his eyes and bolted to his feet.

"Excuse me." He dropped the spoon onto the table with a loud clatter and disappeared into his room.

She took a deep breath. "Well, shit." Knowing that he'd rather she left him alone for a while, she picked up her own spoon and ate her supper. It didn't taste nearly as good now, though, as it had when she had sampled it over the stove.

* * * * * * * *

Uhura stood outside Spock's door and listened for any signs of activity. It had been over an hour since he had left the supper table, and she had come to his door five times over that interval. She bit her lip and wondered if she should risk disturbing him. She didn't want to intrude, but Saavik had been so miserably sick. What if he was that sick, too? Or worse? Without stopping to think another moment, she steeled herself and tapped on the door.

"Spock?" No response.

She tapped a little louder and tried the doorknob. "Spock? May I come in?"

The door was unlocked, so she pushed it open a centimeter. Surprisingly, the light was still on. She frowned. "Spock? Are you all right?"

This time, she heard a muffled. "No."

Taking that as an invitation, she stuck her head through the door.

"Spock?"

He was stretched out on the bed with his arm draped over his eyes, and he did not move a muscle as she approached.

"Oh, Spock, I'm so sorry. Did you catch Saavik's virus?"

He grunted, and she interpreted the sound as assent.

"Can I bring you anything?"

He grunted again. She was starting to wish that she knew how to read his mind, because she sure wasn't getting anywhere this way. Maybe she should tell him to grunt once for 'yes' and twice for 'no.'

"How about a damp washcloth?"

She watched him for a moment. He licked his lips and mumbled, "Thank you. Yes."

Suddenly bashful about rummaging through his personal items, she searched gingerly in his bathroom until she found a clean washcloth. She was very careful not to jostle him when she returned and sat on the edge of his bed. His arm was still across his eyes. Slowly, she grasped his wrist and lowered his arm to his chest, but the movement evidently disturbed him because he drew his brows together and swallowed convulsively, never opening his eyes.

"Sorry," she whispered. "Your arm was in the way."

She brushed his hair away from his forehead and placed her hand there. Yes, he was definitely hotter now than usual. As gently as possible, she ran the washcloth over his face, taking special care to cool his cheeks, his eyelids, all the way to his hairline... After about five minutes, he seemed to relax. After about fifteen, his breathing became more even and she knew that he was asleep.

Standing to leave, she felt a little tug in her chest when she noticed something that she hadn't noticed before. Oh, Spock. He hadn't even removed his boots! She slipped each one off and set it on the floor, and found a trash can to move close to his bedside.

She paused a moment at the door before she turned off the light. Thank heavens she had stayed the extra week. It would have been a disaster if the two of them had been ill like this and on their own.

Crossing her fingers in hope that she didn't catch it, too, she turned off the light and closed his door.

* * * * * * * *

"Saavik, I am fine. I do not require any more broth." Noticing her pouting face, he amended his statement. "It was very good broth. That is why I had two bowls. I will save the rest for later."

"I will put it away for you. Tell me when you want it!"

"I will be certain to do that."

He watched her departing back. Although he was much better, she had so relished her role as nurse that she did not want to relinquish it. Yesterday she had devoted her entire day to bringing him water, books, crackers... She had even tried to bring him a bowl of the leftover stew from two nights ago, but her well-intentioned offering had only served to set his recovery back by a good two hours.

"She was such an angel while you were sick, Spock."

He glanced up to see Uhura emerging from her room with her hiking boots in hand. Sitting in the chair next to him, she looked fondly in Saavik's direction. "What a sweet child. She was so worried about you. She did everything that she could think of to help."

"Yes, I am aware of that. I must say, however, that she had an excellent role model."

"Well, you would have done the same for me."

"I would have tried. At any rate, I am sorry that your idyllic vacation was not so idyllic over the last few days. Perhaps the remaining 2.8 days will be better."

"I didn't mind. Really. And I'm sure we'll have a great time from here on out." She patted him lightly on the hand and rose. "Are you sure you're up to walking with us?"

"I will make every effort not to overtax myself."

She smiled at his teasing tone. "Okay, just make sure that you don't, because if you get sick again, my assistant and I will have to make you some more broth."

"Broth is acceptable, but please do not offer me another bowl of stew any time in the near future."

"Believe me, I wouldn't dare do that! Let's go."

End chapter 4

A Woman's Touch, Chapter 5

The cool front that had passed through earlier in the week had long been replaced by mild weather, but it had scrubbed the sky in its passage and left everything washed and clear. Uhura looked up the stars, so familiar by now, and reflected on how terribly she would miss this. This, such a simple pleasure but the part of their routine she loved the most--sitting on the back porch, sipping her tea, and enjoying the feel of the nighttime air as it whispered around her. Tomorrow she'd be en route to the Enterprise, but tonight she would savor every tranquil second.

"Nyota? Tell me about the time you went to the mirror universe."

"Uh, how much do you know about that?"

Saavik, to her left, leaned a little closer. "I know that you got caught in an ion storm! And that you switched places with yourself! And that Mr. Sulu was really mean and that Spock had to figure out how to get you back."

"Well, there's really not a lot more to say about that." Not that I want to tell you or Spock, anyway. She had never let on to anyone exactly how she'd been able to distract the mirror Sulu, and just thinking about the experience still gave her the creeps.

During her silence, Saavik took the moment to settle herself even more comfortably against Uhura's arm. The little girl was trying her best to pretend to be wide-awake, but she had gradually pushed Uhura closer to Spock, who in turn had also moved over until there was no more room on that side of the steps. Uhura smiled to herself at the fact that Saavik had managed to situate herself so that she took up almost two-thirds of the room on the steps.

Saavik sleepily continued to fish for a story. "Then tell me about the time you met Alexander, and you had to dress up in a toga, and they made you do things you didn't want to do."

Uhura frowned and looked briefly at Spock, wondering what he'd been telling this child. "And how much do you know about that?"

"I know that those people thought they were Gods, and they were mean to Alexander just because he was little!" Saavik was evidently very impressed with that part. "I don't know more than that, though. I don't think Spock ever told me everything."

"Why would you think that, Saavikam?" asked Spock.

"Because you always change the subject! You never tell me how it ends!"

Uhura smiled and put her arm around Saavik. "If you will put your head in my lap, I'll untangle your hair and tell you a story that I'll bet even Spock hasn't heard."

"Yes! First time!" Saavik enthusiastically flopped her head down on Uhura's lap. Uhura looked at Spock again. She had thought that the little girl was getting sleepy, but evidently not. He shrugged slightly in reply.

Uhura ran her fingers through the child's thick, unruly locks. "I want to tell you a story that happened to me, Admiral Kirk, and Dr. McCoy.

"About three months ago, we received a call from the Alarian government stating that they had taken a Federation citizen into custody and wished to extradite him. To hear from the Alarians was a bit of a shock to us. After all, they're very hostile to the Federation, and we would have expected them to savor the chance to lock up a Federation criminal and throw away the key. Instead, here they were almost pleading with us to come and get this person. After some communication with both Starfleet command and the Alarians, we decided that the call was authentic, so we entered Alarian space. We made it all the way to their home planet completely unchallenged, so of course we were very suspicious, but every message we received from the Alarians consistently struck us as desperate. They really wanted to get rid of this person.

"When we got there, we talked to all of the proper authorities and slowly learned what had happened. The person had managed to find his way into Alarian space, and he landed in one of their populated areas. Well, the Alarians are very superstitious, and it turned out that he not only landed during an exceedingly holy celebration, but landed right in the middle of the sacred ground. They took this as an omen.

"When he disembarked from his craft, he was greeted by a contingent of holy men, who escorted him to the temple. Now, this person was very unscrupulous, and he had actually landed in hopes of selling some contraband Deltan perfume. I don't know if Spock has told you much about the Deltan culture, but Deltan perfume has the effect of making everyone who smells it, ah, fall in love with the person wearing the perfume."

Uhura paused for a moment, wondering if Saavik was going to react to that statement, but she was very quiet so had evidently accepted it.

"So anyway, the bad man saw that the reason for the holy day was that the beautiful princess, whose mother ruled over that city, was to be wed to the young son of the queen of their rival city, and that it was to unite the two factions. Because the princess was so beautiful and powerful, though, he decided that he wanted her for himself. After all, everyone was worshipping him as a God, and he wanted to keep the riches, the royal treatment, and the adoration for himself. When no one was looking, he opened a tiny vial of the perfume and rubbed it on his neck, and then called for the bride to be brought to him."

"Did she fall in love with him?" mumbled Saavik.

Uhura chuckled. "Well, it didn't quite work out like he had planned. Because this was a matriarchal society, the word 'bride' translated into the masculine, and it wasn't the young princess who was brought to him. Imagine his surprise when the door opened and the young prince entered! The prince was not rich, and not attractive by human standards. And imagine his further surprise when the prince suddenly declared his love for the bad man and called off the wedding to the princess! The bride's people were furious. They said that they should never have trusted the prince's people in the first place, and that if he didn't marry the princess, war would be the result. Fighting broke out between the prince's contingent and the princess's contingent, and soon spread to the streets. That's when the Alarian authorities were forced to step in and take the bad man into custody. The prince was distraught. He brought his entire entourage to stay in the main hallway of the Alarian government building where the bad man was being held. When we got there, we couldn't believe the chaos. The prince's people had completely taken over the building, and the princess's people were camped out on the lawn in front of the building, and it was a constant struggle to keep them away from each other's throats.

"Finally, we asked to see the prisoner. You wouldn't believe who it was! None other than Harcourt Fenton Mudd. Harry Mudd! Do you know who Harry Mudd is, Saavik? Saavik?"

Uhura leaned over and studied the peaceful little face resting in her lap. Saavik had fallen asleep. Uhura looked at Spock and whispered, "She's asleep. Do you think you could move her to her bed?"

"Yes, I will do that, but first I would like to hear how you were able to resolve the conflict with the Alarians."

Uhura smiled. "It turned out that there was such a strong taboo in the Alarian culture against marital infidelity that once the prince learned Harry was already married, he completely lost interest. You'll love how we managed to prove that Harry wasn't available. Just telling the prince didn't do enough to convince him, so we did a little searching and located none other than the infamous Stella, who came and took Harry into her own version of custody. And if that's not poetic justice, I don't know what is."

"A most fitting end. Indeed, even I can appreciate the humor in such an ironic twist."

She continued to run her fingers slowly through Saavik's hair. "What a beautiful child. I'm so glad that I was given the chance to get to know her."

"She has certainly benefited from knowing you. Indeed, your presence here has enriched both of our lives immeasurably."

Uhura glanced up quickly, touched by his statement, but he had already risen to his feet and bent to pick up Saavik before she could respond.

"Allow me to carry her to her room." He slid his hands under Saavik and lifted her, and she immediately settled against his shoulder like a dead weight. Uhura marveled over how it seemed to be a universal fact that all children were sound sleepers--human, Vulcan, it didn't matter. Every child she'd ever known slept like that.

He disappeared into the small house, and soon Uhura heard the sounds of tea preparation. She waited patiently, and after a few minutes he returned with two cups of tea. He handed one to her and squeezed back into the small space he had vacated earlier.

"Oh, sorry Spock, let me give you some more room."

"That is not necessary. I am fine."

She stayed put, and they sat quietly and sipped their tea.

Eventually, he broke the silence. "It is fortunate that you did not catch our virus."

"I really thought that I might come down with it, too, but I guess since three days have passed, I would have gotten it by now if I were going to get it at all."

"It is my belief that your assumption is valid."

She took another drink of her tea. It was strong, with the edge blunted by a dash of milk. Perfect. Just the way she liked it. She looked at Spock and smiled. "The tea is good."

"I am pleased that you think so."

She continued to sip her tea until it was gone, then carefully placed the mug on the ground near her feet and took a deep breath. "The air here smells so wonderful. What is that sweet aroma? Is it coming from the trees?"

"I would assume that the fragrance you detect is coming from the pond on the other side of the meadow. A species of water plant grows there that only blooms at night."

"Oh. That would explain why I've never noticed it during the day."

They were quiet again for a long time as Uhura allowed her mind to wander. Her thoughts eventually turned to the future, and she realized that she didn't know what would happen to Spock and Saavik. She broke the companionable silence to ask her question.

"What are you going to do after your year here is over?"

He did not answer at first, and when he finally did, he was hesitant. "I am uncertain. Perhaps I will locate a school for Saavik. It will be time for her to establish a life that does not revolve around me. I do not look forward to the time that we leave, but I accept that it is inevitable."

"I know that it's hard to think of that. You have the perfect life here."

"Yes, or so I thought."

She met his eyes, curious about the tone of his voice.

He continued. "Two weeks ago, I believed that we had everything we could ever want, right here. Now, however, I know that after tomorrow this will no longer hold true. It is illogical, for all will be exactly as it was before your arrival, but I anticipate that the house will seem curiously empty without you."

"Spock, that's so sweet."

She cringed internally at her choice of words, but he didn't seem to mind. Instead, he leaned closer and murmured, "It is simply the truth."

Uhura tried to formulate a reply to this, but she was only able to gaze at him speechlessly. Their faces were just inches apart. She felt his warm breath brush her cheek, and suddenly the breeze seemed cool in comparison. She shivered, all too aware of his warm body, so close. A few stray hairs tickled her forehead as the gentle wind surrounded her, teasing and enveloping her, urging her forward. His heat drew her like a magnet, and she found herself unable to avoid leaning closer to him. His eyes were huge, dark, and inviting, and she could not look away. She was caught, spellbound and paralyzed, and she understood with a start what was about to happen.

He's going to kiss me. Spock is going to kiss me. Her heart was pounding so hard that she knew he could surely hear it. The warmth from his body, so close to hers, seemed to penetrate right to her core, and she felt her own heat spread from deep in her belly in response. My old friend is going to kiss me. Yes, oh yes...

The door behind them flew open, and they both jumped and turned guiltily in that direction. Saavik stood in the doorway.

"Nyota! You did not finish the story! What happened?"

Uhura could not respond at first. Placing a hand on her chest, she tried to slow her racing heart. She looked quickly at Spock and saw that his eyes were wide, his brows drawn together and his lips parted, and she knew that his stunned expression mirrored her own. He licked his lips and blinked.

"Saavikam, why are you not asleep?" His voice was hoarse, and he cleared his throat.

"I could not sleep. I never heard the end of the story!"

Uhura stood quickly. "Saavik, go on to bed. I... I'll tell you the rest sometime else. Tomorrow!" She knew that she was stammering, but her head was still spinning from the turn events had taken and she couldn't solidify her thoughts.

"No! Not tomorrow! Now!"

Realizing that the quickest way to end this rebellion was to simply comply, Uhura took Saavik's hand. "If I tell you, will you lie quietly in bed and listen?"

"Oh yes, I'll do that. Promise!"

Uhura turned and looked apologetically at Spock. "This should only take a few minutes, and I'll be right back."

He nodded, still looking like he felt every bit as shaken as she did, and she pushed Saavik through the door ahead of her.

* * * * * * * *

An hour later, Saavik was finally asleep. Uhura left the bedroom to find Spock working at his computer. She cursed to herself when she realized that he didn't intend to stop what he was doing. Obviously, the mood was broken, so she said goodnight and went to bed.

End chapter 5

A Woman's Touch, Chapter 6

Uhura sat in the front of the flitter next to Spock as he brought it into the parking area by the Dantrian Spaceport. He had been quiet and withdrawn all morning, as if he had erected little walls around himself to keep her from getting too close. She didn't want to end her vacation on a sour note, but she couldn't help but be slightly irritated with him. Okay, more than slightly. Very irritated. Last night he had almost kissed her, for heaven's sake, she was sure of it, but today he was more Vulcan than T'Pau herself. Well, to hell with him.

Saavik rattled on, oblivious to the tension in the small vehicle. "When I am big, I will come on the Enterprise. With you! You will see! I would go sooner, but I have to grow up first. Will you show me how your communications board works? Nyota?"

"Huh? Oh sorry, Saavik. Yes, of course I will. And I'll even let you call someone, anyone you want."

"Well, Spock will already be on board, so I will not want to call him. I will have to meet someone! Or maybe I will call those stupid boys who gave me the flu. They will be surprised!"

She grabbed Uhura's arm and continued in the same vein as they left the flitter and entered the spaceport. Since Spock had still chosen to remain silent, Uhura was glad for the constant stream of chatter. It allowed her to just forget about him as he walked behind them. She wondered if he was planning on acting this way until she left. Would he even say goodbye?

She walked right up to the counter and handed her identification to the agent. The Dantrian spaceport was just like the Dantrian people: quiet and unhurried. It was also almost completely empty, with just a few Dantrian citizens leisurely moving here or there. As a matter of fact, she glanced around the area and noticed that she, Spock, and Saavik were the only non-Dantrian occupants of the whole spaceport.

The agent directed her to the nearest terminal, and they moved in that direction. There were empty seats everywhere; evidently even the shuttle was going to be mostly empty. That was fine with her. She ignored Spock as she settled herself into a seat near the door. Saavik plopped down next to her, and Spock took a seat across from both of them. He still did not meet her eyes.

She turned to Saavik. "Will you write me?"

"Every day! I will tell you about the garden, and the little animals, and my lizard. Only I wish you didn't have to go! Couldn't you stay with us? Just a little longer?"

Uhura melted at the plea in the little girl's voice. "Oh, honey, I have to get back to the Enterprise. I had a wonderful time here with you, though, and I'll think about you every day until I see you again."

Saavik was quiet, her face stony as she struggled to retain her control. Although her internal battle was more visible than Spock's ever was, Uhura was reminded of the times she had seen him do the very same thing. She couldn't resist glancing at him.

She caught her breath at the expression on his face. His eyes were so troubled--his features were completely still, but the pain in his eyes was unmistakable. His words from the day they had quarreled on the dusty road came back to her.

I was confused and unsure of myself.

An announcement came over the loudspeaker. "All passengers taking the shuttle to Starbase Four, please begin boarding." That was the hop that would take her to her connecting flight.

I was certainly not oblivious to the hurt I caused.

They stood and she picked up her bag. The other passengers were already beginning to move through the door at the edge of the area.

I will never forget the look on your face when I ignored your greeting that day, and I have always regretted that I did so.

The other passengers were gone, and the flight attendant turned in her direction. "Ma'am, it is time to board," he said.

She nodded distractedly, remembering what she had said to prompt Spock's words that day. I didn't know whether to smack you, fall out of my chair, or jump up and kiss you...

Struck by a sudden impulse, she acted quickly before she could change her mind. She took one step and then another, until she stood directly before him. Holding his gaze for a moment, she reached up and placed a gentle hand on his cheek, closed her eyes, and kissed him. Lingeringly, and on the lips. When she broke the kiss, she immediately bent toward Saavik and kissed her on the top of her dark little head so that she could avoid meeting his eyes, and wondered if she had just made a huge mistake.

She rushed to the flight attendant, who took her ticket and motioned toward the exit. Uhura took a step in that direction, then finally steeled herself to turn and face Spock and Saavik.

Saavik was bouncing up and down, waving furiously. "Goodbye! Goodbye, Nyota!" She reached for Spock's hand. "Say goodbye to Nyota, Spock!"

He swallowed and straightened. When he lifted his chin, she saw humor, appreciation, and... something else, something... dangerous, and masculine in his expression. Something she had never seen before on that serious, somber face. She could feel a slow, wicked grin spread across her own face in reply.

He raised his hand in the Vulcan salute. "Live long and prosper, Nyota Uhura. Goodbye, until we meet again."

"Goodbye, both of you! Keep in touch! I'll see you soon!"

The flight attendant, finally becoming impatient with her, reached for the control that would shut the door, and she dashed out in the instant before the door swooshed closed. As she rushed down the hallway and found her seat on the shuttle, she realized that she had felt Spock's fingertips brush against her arm when she kissed him. It was very, very light, but she knew that she had. She ran her hand over the spot where he had touched her and then brought her own fingertips to rest on her lips, remembering the heated feel of his skin against her own.

Another five months before he rejoined the crew of the Enterprise? Suddenly, she knew that it was going to seem like five years before she saw him again.

End story

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