Unbeknownst - Chapter 4
Author: Mousling1014
Story: Unbeknownst
Chapter 4 of ?
Rated: T
Pairing: AOS Spock/Uhura
Warnings: Mind-control, sexy times (rating will change to R for that)
Synopsis: What happens when you thought you were in control, but you're not....
Disclaimer: I don't own them - Paramount does and I'm making nothing from this.
Chapter 4
Academy Medical Center
It was as if time had slowed down, at least that’s how it felt to Uhura. She sat in the hospital room next to a bed surrounded by monitors. The recumbent figure in the bed was breathing more slowly now, deeper, as the sleep of the Vulcan healing trance took him. Spock’s right hand was covered in regenerative gel to repair the damage caused by the plasma burns. The doctors had assured Uhura that the burns were superficial and would heal as would the finger; the gel would help his fingernail grow back. Now the main concern, the doctors told her was the hypothermia that had begun to set in.
Bringing Spock’s body temperature back up to Vulcan norms; or what was within norms for Spock wasn’t an easy task. With him being half-Vulcan/Human his physiology was of course unique. Vulcan body temperatures being higher than humans, the cold had plummeted Spock’s core temperature down. Plus there was the fact that no-one knew how long he had been outside, and Spock himself couldn’t provide the answer, he simply didn’t know. And also there was the fact that Vulcans being touch telepaths, mind and body were much more dependant upon each other. The Vulcan Embassy had therefore been notified and a Vulcan healer had been dispatched to help Spock enter a healing trance.
Uhura rubbed the back of her neck and stretched, she shifted position in the chair to get comfortable and then looked down at Spock’s face. In sleep he looked much younger, and even though his features remained emotionless, there was a certain softness to them. It made him appear vulnerable, boyish even. Uhura knew though that Spock was in fact only a few years older than she was. In fact the vulnerability made Uhura want to reach over and fluff his bangs and push them back off his face, it made her want to stroke his hair like her mother used to when she was sick. But Uhura didn’t. She just sat there and studied him instead and listened to the even tones of the monitors around him, his steady breathing and the sometimes frenetic pace of what was happening outside of his room, the regular normal sounds of a hospital.
Uhura’s eyes were drifting closed, her muscles cramping from staying in one position too long. When she felt her head bob forward she decided that, that was it, what she needed was a good old fashioned caffeine jolt. She got up and quietly left the room and headed towards the waiting room at the end of this particular set of halls, there Uhura knew she would find a replicator and the much needed coffee fix. She had just finished putting creamer in her steaming cup when she heard the sound of approaching footsteps. She half-turned around, and focused her gaze on person standing next to her. His badge identified him as part of the Psychology and Psychiatry unit; he was 1st Year Medical Intern Premara Delarouix.
The intern smiled at her. He was humanoid in appearance with curly dark hair and medium build. He also was Napean, the ridge of skin feathering out from his nose up onto his forehead coalescing into the classic leaf pattern of his species.
“Good evening Cadet Uhura isn’t it?” His voice was warm, lilting and soothing. “My name is Premara Delarouix, but everyone just calls me Prem. I heard that you were the one that found Commander Spock and alerted emergency services. I thought I’d come by and see if there’s anything I can do for you?”
“Um, not really, I’m doing ok, it’s the Commander that I’m worried about, a Vulcan healer came by earlier and Commander Spock has been sleeping since then. The doctors are worried about hypothermia and I did hear one of them mention something about there possibly being psychic damage?” Uhura trailed off, her eyes locking with Prem’s. “To be honest it’s a little disconcerting seeing him like that, you know, it’s somehow undignified.” Uhura crinkled her nose and continued. “I’ve gotten used to him wearing that Vulcan mask of stoicism, trying to be more Vulcan than Vulcan.”
“Ahhh.” Prem chuckled. “The ever present misconception that Vulcans don’t have emotions. We still have a little bit of work to do in the ‘preconception department’ at Starfleet.” Prem drew Uhura’s gaze into his own. “Or if I can use a human metaphor for describing Vulcan emotion, Vulcans are like a frozen lake, the surface glassy and still, but underneath that icy veneer is movement, sometimes gentle, sometimes volatile and passionate, but always present and always trying to break its way through the surface. I personally have always admired Vulcan discipline. It’s especially refreshing when you’re at a medical symposium and the discussion is becoming heated, all those emotions just screaming at you. I always go and sit next to a Vulcan afterwards just to feel that control they have.”
“That’s right, Napeans are Empaths. So have you met Commander Spock before? If you have, what impressions do you glean from him, emotion wise?” Uhura was curious.
“Well you’re right about him trying to be more Vulcan than Vulcan. With Commander Spock when I’ve encountered him, I’ve always felt his emotions as quick flashes, hot sparks which he damps down really quickly, so he can be difficult to read sometimes. Humans, on the other hand are not so difficult. Human emotions are like light beacons in space, very bright and sometimes difficult to ignore. Especially the more base ones, or romantic ones, they’re the strongest. You know, fear, terror - love.” Prem stared pointedly at Uhura.
“Oh, really? Well that would make sense, those are pretty strong emotions.” Uhura fidgeted slightly, her coffee forgotten. She was becoming a little uncomfortable with the turn of conversation.
“Yes they are, especially since they are emotions which tend to grow rather than diminish, you know feelings for co-workers, friends even teachers can change from platonic to infatuation or adoration in the right circumstances.” Again Prem was looking at Uhura. She thinned her lips and frowned.
“Prem, exactly what are you implying? My relationship or my feelings for Commander Spock are inappropriate? Is our discussion on this going to appear on my Starfleet record anytime soon?” Uhura was getting ticked off now.
“Cadet Uhura, your feelings towards Commander Spock are not mine to discuss with anyone but you. And since I’m in the interspecies counseling training program, I really don’t want to start my internship by violating medical codes of ethics if I were to talk to anyone else.” Prem touched Uhura’s arm gently. “Right now I feel your emotions for Commander Spock because you’re probably tired, stressed, and your guard is down, so that’s why they’re coming on so strong. Besides it’s not unusual for feelings to develop between students and teachers, hence the regulations that are set forth on just that conduct. But I wanted to let you know that you’re projecting right now, and I may not be the only one who picked up on it.”
“I assure you that I have never acted on my feelings towards Commander Spock, Prem!” Uhura was furious. “I’m not about to jeopardize either my career or his, I graduate in six months and as far as I’m concerned the occasional little hot day-dream about my professor is completely harmless and gets me through my day sometimes. It’s a damn crush, that’s all it is. I mean, come on, I’m not the first person to ever have a crush on a teacher, and I’m not going to be the last!”
“But it’s not just a harmless crush though is it Cadet Uhura? Your feelings are much stronger and deeper than that, and they keep growing every time you see him don’t they?” Prem held his hands up in a conciliatory gesture. “But I also know that you are a mature and responsible adult, who clearly is able to make the right decisions concerning her life and her choices. I’m sorry if I’ve upset you. I should have handled that a bit more gently.”
Uhura continued to bristle as Prem continued. “My bedside manner needs to be improved, I fear. Sometimes being an Empath sucks, but it could be worse, I could be telepathic and empathic like a Betazoid, and I dread to think what my bedside manner would be like then. But please accept my apology, I deserve the anger you’re throwing at me now. And under normal circumstances Commander Spock is probably not aware of the depth of your feelings for him.”
Uhura bit her lip and sighed loudly. “I’m just touchy right now, and tired. It’s been a long day. And I shouldn’t be taking it out on anyone, especially someone I’ve just met. So how about we call it a truce, I need to get back and see if Commander Spock is ok.”
Prem nodded to Uhura and stepped back allowing her to pass him. He studied her back as she walked back towards Spock’s room and smiled inwardly. Cadet Uhura was a firebrand that much was certain. If she ever did completely let loose emotionally on Commander Spock, Prem felt sure that the Vulcan’s logic and mental defenses would simply crumble under the onslaught.
Uhura stood just outside of Spock’s room and mentally slowed her breathing. Get a grip Ny, she told herself. You’ve got just six more months, six more months, time will fly. It’s a crush, no matter what anyone else says - just a crush, now come on! Uhura breathed out slowly and entered the room.
Spock was awake and sitting up in bed. He looked at her and raised an eyebrow. Uhura smiled at him and moved closer. “So you’re finally back in the land of the living, how do you feel?”
“I believe the expression is ‘none the worse for wear’, I understand that it was you who found me.” His face was unreadable, but the expression in his eyes showed puzzlement.
“You called my name, Spock. Do you remember where you were, where I found you? Do you remember what happened? No one can make sense of it.”
Spock frowned slightly. “I was performing my evening meditation, I remember experiencing a mental disconnect, then my next memory is that of staring into your face and experiencing cold, I could not get warm.” Spock looked over Uhura’s shoulder, a far away look on his face; they didn’t speak for several minutes. Then Spock snapped his gaze back to Uhura. “Nyota, the mental disconnect. I remember feeling like I was being shorn away from myself, like I was two separate halves, two separate beings. Then nothing until you.”
“Well Spock, that’s a big something, have you ever experienced that feeling before?”
“No, this is a new experience for me.” Spock lay back down. “I would say that I need to meditate on this further, but I am reluctant to do so.”
Uhura spoke gently. “Not surprising Spock, especially since these things are happening while you meditate, something like that would make me think twice as well. Did you let the Vulcan healer know what you just told me?”
Spock looked at Uhura; she knew from the look on his face exactly what he would say. “No Nyota, I did not. The healer only wanted to be in my presence for as long as necessary.”
Ahh..Uhura thought, Vulcan bigotry rears its ugly head again. “Well Spock, I’m going to let you go so you can get more rest. I’ll come by tomorrow, I’m sure you’ll be discharged by then.” Uhura made to leave and was surprised when she felt Spock’s left hand take hers.
“Nyota. Thank you.” Spock said simply, then in a gesture that made Uhura gasp, not only at the quaint old worldly charm of it, but the fact that it was Spock performing it. Spock brought Uhura’s hand to his lips and softly kissed the top of her hand.
TBC