...

Spock's Ponn Farr To-Do List

1. Locate and rent private cave house in safe location with full food & water supplies.

2. Trim fingernails and toenails.

3. Shave and/or trim hair in relevant areas, in accordance with Nyota's preference (leave chest hair and 'treasure trail' untouched).

4. Ask Dr. McCoy for information on effective medical treatments for 'hickeys' (colloq.), bruises, and scratches.

5. Ask Jim for alternative 'folk medicine' methods of concealing or reducing inflammation from 'hickeys' (colloq.), bruises, and scratches.

6. Securely pack edible massage oils and lubricant.

7. Pack specialized First Aid kit.

8. Pack firepot and meditation robe.

9. Hide gift for Nyota in bottom of trunk; present gift to her after my Time has ended.

10. Speak privately with Sarek.

...

Asking his father's advice with anything related to his marriage still made Spock uneasy. Unfortunately, New Vulcan's infrastructure remained incomplete, and Vulcan society still felt somewhat closed off to a half-Vulcan bonded to a human woman. Spock could not find easily find the private place he needed by searching databases of local businesses, nor did he know who to ask for help but Sarek. Secluded caves where a couple might survive Ponn Farr were hardly the sort of thing even the most free-thinking Vulcan would advertise. Cheeks flushed, Spock sat down with Sarek before breakfast, looked him in the eye, and spoke honestly.

Despite Spock's odd behavior - one moment, his voice was so calmly flat that he might have been discussing Parliamentary meeting schedules, the next, he became so agitated that he leapt up to pace around the room - Sarek was pleased to be consulted, and he felt a rush of fatherly affection for his son.

In less than one Standard hour, Sarek made a few quiet inquiries and secured the rental of a private cave house far from the curious ears and eyes of city residents. Working together, father and son established a safety plan for medical help, should it be needed, and scheduled transportation to the site.

"You will travel there separately and allow her to come to you," Sarek said firmly. "Already you cannot easily control your emotions. There is some risk that you may touch your bondmate inappropriately while others are present, or become too physically aggressive before she is ready."

"No, father! I would never shame my wife or hurt her. She is too important to me; you know this."

"Believe me, Ponn Farr is unpredictable. Also, your wife has no prior experience with this; she did not observe you during your previous Time. You must not frighten or distress her."

"We have spoken of it. I am confident that Nyota will endure it as best she can."

Sarek looked vaguely horrified. "Endure? Have you not considered her physical and emotional responses to your actions? Spock, you are too old to need what Amanda would have called 'the sex talk' again."

Spock blushed and turned his gaze to the wall. "I prefer to avoid any such discussion."

"Very well, but I warn you that it is to your advantage to please your wife at all times."

Spock stared at the stone floor as though seeking a hole to hide in, but Sarek continued. "Especially during your Time. Your wife is brave and kind, but she is also a woman possessed of human tenderness. Be wise and equally tender in your treatment of her."

Mercifully, their discussion ended quickly afterward. Spock found Nyota at breakfast and told her of the plan.

...

Leonard McCoy lifted his communicator from the bedside table and groaned when he saw who had left him a message.

"Lord have mercy, why is there no bootleg whisky on this dry planet?"

After a lively night on the town with his crewmates, he was less than delighted to find the message indicator on his communicator flashing red, indicating Spock's wish to meet with him privately at the earliest possible convenience.

The cryptic message made McCoy apprehensive. Although Spock was no hypochondriac - indeed, the Vulcan hated going to Sickbay for even a routine checkup - during the past year he had begun asking the Enterprise's doctor questions about improving and maintaining relationships. Each question was disguised as a scientific inquiry about human psychology, but Leonard quickly grasped the real meaning of his inquiries. One benefit of Vulcan upbringing was that it made Spock an unconvincing liar when it came to personal matters. Spock's desire to protect and provide for Nyota was difficult to conceal; his obvious devotion to his wife warmed what was left of Leonard's busted, worn-out heart.

"You might could ask your Daddy for advice, Spock. Sarek's a wise man, and from what I've heard, he adored Lady Amanda. If it doesn't make you both too sad, you could talk to him," Len said on one occasion.

"Sometimes we take after our parents in ways that we don't expect; not just our looks, but in the ways we behave toward others. Sarek's had enough time and experience to learn how to make a marriage work. Talk to him."

Spock fidgeted, something he rarely did, and agreed to make the effort. Naturally, some things were too embarrassing to discuss with one's own father, so here was Spock, asking his advice again.

"Dag nab it, I ain't that much older than him," McCoy complained as he stumbled into the shower. "I'm not some sagely font of wisdom and experience."

Len had enjoyed his night of carousing and dancing. Sulu, Jim, and Scotty talked him into bar-hopping, getting some dancing in when they visited a dive called Lullaby - but he'd been glad to sink into the large, comfortable bed and sleep while the New Vulcan sunrise was still a few hours away. The others flirted with the locals in a manner suggesting rest was not on their agenda.

No one was at the breakfast table except Spock and Nyota. She made a startled sound and dropped the piece of fruit which she was teasingly feeding to Spock, who quickly let go of her thigh.

Len generously failed to notice where either party's hands had been, and cheerfully returned their awkward greeting.

Spock informed Len that the couple needed to make an unscheduled rural trip, certain details of which he wished to discuss with the doctor privately.

Right. That means sex talk with an uptight Vulcan. What have I done to deserve this? "Of course, Spock, not a problem."

Seeking lighter breakfast conversation, Nyota asked Len about the Enterprise men's night out, and Len recounted those parts of their evening adventure suitable for a lady's ears. Nyota's laughter relaxed Len, though Spock seemed edgy. Eventually she excused herself to pack her bag and send messages, leaving Spock alone with the doctor.

"All right, Spock, what's up with this man-to-man talk you want to have?"

"Dr. McCoy - "

"Len, Spock. I've told you umpteen times you don't always have to use my title. I'm sittin' at your daddy's breakfast table, for cripes' sake."

"Leonard, as an experienced xenobiologist, I know that you are familiar with the characteristics of Vulcan life cycles. I am in the early stages of Ponn Farr."

Leonard coughed, trying not to choke on a mouthful of steamed grains. He gulped down a glass of fruit juice. "Well, butter my biscuit. Uh, yes, as an intern I treated several Vulcan patients for Ponn Farr-related problems. Abrasions, bites, sprains, bruises, inflamed tissues.

"Your most recent physical exam indicated that you're healthy, fit as a fiddle, and you appear to have recovered from the transfusion without any bad effects. You're physically ready, but now I wonder about your mind. How can I help? Are y'all both prepared for this?"

"I am uncertain," Spock confessed. "Nyota considers herself prepared because she is in good health, and she feels determined to help me survive. I will of course treat her carefully and try not to injure her. However, I am concerned about possible negative psychological effects."

"Spock, I'm a doctor, not a sex therapist."

"Understood. However, I would appreciate any suggestions. You have advised many human female patients, some of whom might have experienced...'newlywed syndrome', to repeat a term I once overheard."

"Cystitis. Women can prevent it by keeping hydrated and preventing the transfer of bacteria through careful cleansing. Make sure she drinks lots of liquids and takes plenty of showers, not baths. I'll give you some topical painkillers, antibiotics, and lubricants suitable for most humanoids. I usually bring that stuff along on away missions, especially if Jim's coming - I'm not aiding and abetting his behavior, understand, I'm just being realistic," he sighed.

"I'll be honest with you, Spock, the only one who can solve your other problem is your wife. I know that you'll be riled up and illogical some of the time, but try to remember a few things:

Ask for her full consent, number one.

Ask if she's comfortable or in pain, number two.

Ask if there's anything that you can do for her, number three."

Spock sighed. "Thank you, Leonard. I will try. I dislike the prospect of being in an illogical state of mind."

"Most of us on the Enterprise have our addled moments, and we manage just fine. Relax, Spock. You're a good man and I believe you'll do right by our Uhura."

...

Nyota's Ponn Farr To-Do List

a. Message home, let family know where I am but ask for no calls or messages unless an emergency; include Sarek's private contact information

b. Contact Gaila - advice urgently needed

c. Pack the waist beads that Folosade gave me...or wear them under my clothes for Spock to find and enjoy?

d. Specialized First Aid kit

e. Massage oils, lube, etc.

f. Skin lotion (maybe without cocoa butter, Spock may overreact to it)

g. Lingerie

h. Check finger and toe nails, shave, pluck, trim, etc.

i. T'voria's message said that she has a gift for me; meet up for a quick cup of tea. Give her thank-you gift of textiles from home in appreciation for her friendship and help.

j. Thank-you to Vulcan Security Force officers

k. Thank-you to Sarek's nursing & house staff, especially Sietla

l. Pack scarves - not strong enough to really hold Spock down but maybe we can pretend?

m. Research the Vulcan artisan carpenter Donstelralth - need to visit his shop before leaving New Vulcan

n. Thank-you to hospital staff; also make appointment to donate to blood bank before I leave New Vulcan

o. Take nap (Ha! Can't relax enough)

p. Why am I making this list?

...

Later that morning, a few hours before the Enterprise group left for Parliament to speak in support of the Coridian application for Federation membership, McCoy's communicator buzzed repeatedly.

Jim needed a quick examination of a bite mark ("She didn't break the skin, but could you please look anyway?"). Sulu wanted to soothe sore lower back muscles ("I was, uh, kind of busy last night. Didn't forget to use protection with either person, though."). Scotty quietly requested nothing more than a headache remedy ("Stayed out a bit late dancing and chatting, nothing more. I've met someone aboard the Enterprise. Our connection 'tis fragile, and I dinna wish to break it.")

Leonard fulfilled the requests in the most confidential way possible, sighing in relief when he finished.

Just once, he'd like to have his own morning-after needs to fulfill.

...

In her response to T'voria's message, Nyota only hinted at the reasons why she and Spock would suddenly become unavailable for the next several days. Vulcan women, especially those bonded to Vulcan men, knew how to read between the lines. T'voria responded in turn by discreetly offering her unprofessional, personal advice on dealing with Ponn Farr, if Nyota might happen to find it useful in the near future.

"How did you know?" Nyota asked as soon as they were alone.

T'voria spoke in a low voice, even though the parlor door was shut. "It is obvious. You suddenly decide to accompany your husband on a rural journey although many of your personal and professional interests are linked to urban life. When I saw him recently, Osasu Spock appeared, how do you say, flushed, agitated. I remember well how my own husband looks when - please forgive me if I have embarrassed you. I do not want to be rude. May we speak together openly, as women?"

Partially covering her face with her hands, Nyota managed a nod.

"I assume this is your first experience of Ponn Farr? Do not worry. I was afraid when my husband first had it during our marriage. Some kind older women told me how to prepare myself; I will help you if I may. Have you gathered supplies?"

Nyota described some of the items on her list; T'voria gave her an encouraging look, not quite a smile.

"You are well prepared in a physical sense, then. You appear healthy and strong. The most difficult part of my experience was not physical, it was..." she tapped her forehead, then her side. "Humans might say, the mind and heart."

Nyota suggested, "Perhaps Vulcans would say katra (soul)."

"Ha (yes). My husband's hidden emotions were exposed to me. As I once told you, other Vulcans often shamed me for expressing my own feelings, but it is my opinion that I was better able to survive my husband's Ponn Farr because I know how it feels to release and express emotions. All that we experienced together in Ponn Farr - body and soul - made our bond stronger. Please do not be afraid of your husband's Time. It will be difficult, but ultimately good."

T'voria reached down into the large satchel she had brought with her and pushed a long, flat basket across the table towards Nyota. . "My life as a mother is typically quiet, but not since I met you and the Enterprise crew. I appreciate your friendliness to me, and I hope you will accept this gift."

"Thank you for thinking of me; I've got a gift for you as well. You've been so kind..." Nyota removed the lid and lifted its contents, turning them this way and that in the sunlight streaming through the window.

Puzzling over the strips of heavy fabric, she rubbed her fingertips across the polished metal rings attached to the ends of some straps and the flat, smooth metal reinforcing studs.

Awareness dawned. "Are these restraints?" Nyota gasped.

"Yes, and there is a convertible harness too, suitable for use with suspension or on a bed; I sewed them all myself. Are you angry? I hope that I have not offended you?"

"No...really, no. I was thinking about how to deal with that part of Ponn Farr, and well, there are no sex shops on New Vulcan that I'm aware of...and I couldn't walk into one as a lone woman."

"True, and that is why my business has been so successful."

Blinking, Nyota dropped the straps with a clatter. "Pardon? I thought that you designed dresses."

T'voria smiled. "Yes, that is correct. However, so do many others. Although my husband is securely employed, I decided that I myself could not sufficiently contribute to my household and family with dresses alone. I purchased industrial sewing equipment soon after my arrival on New Vulcan, and refined my personal designs for restraints and harnesses. I sell them to friends and acquaintances, although I hope to soon establish an ordering system. Business is profitable and customers are satisfied. Your gift is our strongest restraint and harness system."

"Some people say it's always the quiet ones who get up to things," Nyota giggled.

T'voria shrugged. "Even we 'nice' ladies enjoy intimate adventures with our mates, do we not?"

"Perhaps the less we say about it, the more we do about it." Nyota winked.

"Indeed." T'voria winked back.

...

Following Sarek's advice, Nyota said goodbye to the Enterprise crew while Spock was in another room. She kept hugs to a minimum anyway, thanked everyone profusely for their bravery and good spirits during the chaos of the past few days, and wished them well until the following week. Smiling and laughing, she managed to avoid saying exactly why she and Spock were taking an unplanned visit to the countryside.

Leonard McCoy knew why. An unlabelled box containing pain numbing medication that had mysteriously appeared outside the door of her guest suite. She'd found a brief, friendly message on her padd requesting that she check in with him periodically to report her physical condition and state of mind.

"That Vulcan better treat you right," he said quietly as the others left the room to say good bye to Spock. "I'm willin' to come back to this dusty planet and smack him a good one if he doesn't."

"Len, that's sweet of you, but I think we'll be fine. Thanks for caring about me. What about you? Maybe you can take it easy aboard ship and reflect upon the commendation the Vulcans gave you for convincing Thelev to confess."

"Maybe someday I'll have a nice, warm, living being to commend me. Or at least join me for dinner."

"Oh, Len, I hope that you will. Someday soon."

...

Spock grew increasingly moody and agitated during the course of the day, unsettling the household staff. Finally Sarek insisted that his testy son leave for the cave house early. Spock was driven there in a caravan of two transport vehicles. Sarek left one vehicle at the cave house, explaining to Spock that he would give Nyota an operations code, preventing Spock from driving in his agitated state.

"You should not attempt to sabotage the vehicle in order to come back and claim your wife ahead of time," Sarek warned. "You will not have long to wait, and Nyota would be ashamed. Wait for her to come to you. Let the entire thing happen between the two of you here, alone."

Spock barely listened. He only wanted his bondmate all to himself for a while, away from the sight and hearing of well-meaning persons who understood nothing about the emotions and desires raging within him. He was silent during the drive into the countryside, growling an apology and a farewell to his father and the staff member who accompanied him. Finally, alone in the house, he struggled to meditate.

...

After sending confidential, encrypted messages to her family and Gaila, Nyota finished packing, accepted the vehicle override code from Sarek without fainting from embarrassment, and spent some time alone, praying. When she was ready she pulled on a simple dress of lightweight fabric suitable for the hot countryside and told her father-in-law that she was ready to leave.

Shame aside, Nyota would have welcomed the presence of one of her female cousins, Gaila, or even her open-minded Auntie 'Chelle (Mama would have probably cried and asked Nyota and Spock to spend the Ponn Farr period at the Uhura household instead, an option too uncomfortable to even imagine).

The only women Nyota could claim any personal relationship with on New Vulcan were T'Pau and T'voria. Nyota asked T'voria.

The Vulcan woman responded positively, bundling her children off to a friend's house for the afternoon and whispering reassurance to Nyota while Sarek's valet, Sietla, loaded Nyota's duffel bag into the transport vehicle. Nyota managed to make eye contact with Sarek, who wished her safe travel and a pleasant stay in a fashion that made it seem as though he expected her to do nothing more than hold hands with his son.

...

The landscape in this part of New Vulcan was beautiful, if one calmed down enough to notice. Farmland planted with rows of fruit, vegetables, and edible plants gave way to splashes of tall, wild grass, trees, and rippling hills and cliffs of exposed sedimentary rock colored with bands of gray, tan, and white stone. Windows, doors, and cave entrances appeared in some of the smaller hills; roads and footpaths wound between hills and houses.

Nyota felt the transport reduce its speed, and her heartbeat quickly sped up. Oh G-d help us both.

"You see how the houses are far apart from each other for the sake of privacy," T'voria explained. "It is quiet here, and you will not be disturbed."

"Small river close here, T'sai Uhura. Agreeable landscape." Sietla said, determined to practice his conversational Standard skills even under these tense circumstances. Nyota wondered if the huge, expressionless man had experienced his own Ponn Farr yet, knowing that she could never ask him. She'd already asked T'voria all the questions she could think of. Any remaining questions could only be answered by Spock.

Sietla tapped a small button on the dashboard, and it chimed. After a moment a second, higher pitched tone chimed in response.

"I tell Spock you are near now," Sietla explained. "He respond, say yes, he wait for you."

Suddenly nervous, Nyota felt her lungs constrict. The interior of the transport spun, and she bent forward and placed her head between her knees.

"Nyota?" gasped T'voria. Sietla pulled over to the side of the road.

"I'm all right! I just -" she caught her breath and calmed down. "Anxious. Gimme a moment, please." She closed her eyes and counted to ten, taking in a full inhalation and exhalation on each count. When she sat up and opened her eyes, the Vulcans stared at her, concerned.

"I am ready now," Nyota assured them.

They blinked.

"I am," she insisted.

A dusty, loose stone road led to a small hill, more of a rock formation nestled into the foot of a much larger hill. The vehicle came to a stop on a semicircular driveway near a low stone wall. The gate stood open. Sietla stopped the vehicle and everyone got out. The air felt clean, dry, and hot. A few of the small birdlike creatures Nyota remembered from earlier in her visit soared overhead, emitting soft chirps.

Beyond the wall, a small courtyard led to the façade of a cave house carved into the hillside; Nyota saw a large reinforced door, several windows in odd shapes, vents, solar panels and chimneys. All but the solar panels were painted to blend in with the bands of color waving through the stone. At any other time she'd have thought it charming.

It was extremely quiet. Other cave houses were visible in the distance, but they might well have been empty. Glancing up at the windows and balcony, Nyota looked for Spock, but if he was watching she couldn't tell where he was. He had partially closed his side of their bond. Heat and erotic yearning simmered beneath his efforts at control.

"You may wish to remove your earrings," whispered T'voria, "as he may greet you...enthusiastically."

"Oh! Of course, right." Nyota removed her green jade hoops and tucked them into her shoulder bag. Sietla placed her duffle bag on the ground next to her feet, bowed, and moved several feet away.

""Sanoi, T'sai Uhura, please understand I cannot carry bag inside house for you. Possible that Spock kill me, his fire make him not understand why I am here."

"Oh, I do understand. I don't want any problems. I often carry my own bags, thank you anyway." The uneasy feeling returned, then faded as she remembered her communicator, personal alarm device, and the restraints in her bag.

"Thank you so much for everything you've done today, Osasu Sietla," she said politely. "I will see you upon our return to Sarek's house. I'm sure that Spock will appreciate your help too, when this is all over."

Bending a social rule, T'voria quickly clasped Nyota's hand. "We must leave quickly. Be well."

Alone, Nyota watched the retreating vehicle disappear behind dust clouds on the road; then she turned back to the gate, focusing her thoughts and wondering when Spock would let her in. Even the communications panel was set into a recessed stone, making it difficult to find at first glance. The design of these cave houses seemed illogical, aiming more for camouflage than discovery. Just as she reached for the panel, the gate slid back; she stepped through. The front door swung open quietly and shut behind her.

"Spock?"

Her voice didn't echo much inside; colorful tapestries on the walls and a thick mat made of braided grasses absorbed much of the sound. Nyota removed her sandals and cleaned her feet with a jar of water and towel by the front door. She ascended a staircase and walked through a few cool, irregularly shaped rooms decorated with carpets, low padded benches, low tables, and oversized pillows. Curtained windows, many shaped like portholes, let plentiful daylight in. Shelves and niches for lanterns were carved into the walls. A kitchen held an abundant supply of food and water. With relief she noted the presence of full, familiar plumbing in the kitchen and bathroom, as well as electrical power in all of the rooms.

"All very nice, but where is my husband?" Nyota wondered aloud.

Most of the rooms were linked to each other, snaking along the stone of the hill. She found a comfortable bedroom, the broad, high bed set in the center of the room and swathed with gauzy curtains; a small set of steps sat next to it. A small sink was set into one corner, and there was a balcony. She set her bag down, ascended the steps, and lay across the bed, looking up at an opening in the top of the cave, now glassed in to create a skylight. One of the planet's birdlike creatures flew past.

"Lovely, but better with Spock." She crawled across the bed, descended the steps, and opened a door in the far wall. She was in an odd room with metal rings and a showerhead into the walls and low ceiling, a floor drain, and a sink in the corner. A wooden platform took up part of one corner; it came to just above her waist and held a pile of large wedge shaped pillows, mats, and towels.

Nyota would pay attention to all of these things later. All she could see at the moment was Spock, who stood in the center of the room, his chest rising and falling as though he had exerted himself. He wore dark trousers and a partially unfastened black shirt.

"Nyota." He hesitated, swaying a bit, and quickly crossed the room, pulling her into a tight embrace. "Mmm. Ashayam."

"Spock. I'm so glad." His skin was hot against her fingers as she cradled his face and kissed him. He returned the kiss, coaxingly, seductively at first, then harder. Then he froze, as though aware of himself, and loosened his grip. "I do not want to hurt you."

"We'll both be careful. You know I'm looking forward to this as much as you are. You may have to warn me sometimes. Do you feel well? You didn't come to the door."

"I experienced a temporary loss of emotional control when you arrived, and I did not wish to challenge the male with you to combat."

"He doesn't want me, Spock. He drove me here, nothing more."

"Intellectually, I comprehend this. Emotionally, I could not."

"Easy, sweetheart. We're alone now. Let's think of something else." She ran her hands over his chest, over his flat belly, and gently cupped the bulge at the front of his trousers. "Let's do something else."

Spock looked down into her eyes. "I have craved your touch and your wildness for too many days." His hands stroked down the curve of her back and hips. She eagerly slid her own hands below his shirt and sought the opening of his trousers, but Spock pulled away. Nyota couldn't help but make a frustrated sound, an inelegant cross between a growl and a whimper that made him smile.

"Not in this room; I prefer to make love to you in a...softer environment first." He lifted her into his arms and carried her back into the bedroom. "I have not been a proper husband during this visit. Roughness may come later on. For now, I offer you the romantic and erotic satisfaction that I earlier denied you."

Spock set her down on the bed and leaned over her, capturing her lips in another deep kiss. Nearly every nerve ending in her body felt as though it were prickling to alert life. He teased, stroked, and caressed her mouth with his own lips and tongue. He pulled away to let he catch her breath, then set her to panting again as his white teeth nipped her neck and his hands smoothed and squeezed her breasts, her belly, her thighs.

"Nyota," he breathed against her neck, "There is something beneath your clothes I wish to see."

"Ahh, I certainly hope so." She smiled. "And I can't wait to see what you've got for me, big man."

"To clarify, you are wearing something around your waist which provokes my curiosity."

"Oh! The waist beads. A surprise for you, adun. It's an old custom, present in many different cultures in the United States of Africa. Mine are a gift from an old school friend, my Yoruba tutor."

Spock leaned on one elbow and cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Not that kind of friend; she never gave me the kind of private tutoring that you did. I was saving the beads for a private evening during our visit here on New Vulcan. You do see that I also wear the pretty bracelet you gave me?" She lifted her wrist, encircled by the curving metal in two colors, then let it rest between her breasts; his gaze followed.

Spock took a deep breath and seized both edges of her neckline. "Adun'a, are you fond of this dress?"

"I'll mend it."

His strong hands ripped the thin fabric open down the front. Tiny buttons and fasteners bounced and clicked across the floor. He stared down at her exposed body, moving unsteady fingers above and between the rows of beads encircling her waist. Spock muttered something that sounded like a variant Vulcan dialect, surprising Nyota; it sounded complimentary, and the lustful expression in his eyes thrilled her.

"Relax, honey; you're shaking. Are we in the beginning or middle of your Time now?"

He rubbed his clean-shaven cheek against her belly. "I begin. The fire has not completely engulfed me yet." He unfastened her bra and pulled the fabric of the torn dress from beneath her, balled both garments up and threw them across the room.

"Really? Your skin's burning hot."

"Much of this is my own reaction to you," Spock admitted. He kissed her again, bit the place between her neck and shoulder, and sucked one breast into his mouth. Nyota's back arched, and she let out a cry of pleasure as her head fell back.

"I have missed this," he said, and moved his mouth to her other sensitive nipple. "Why did we deny each other?"

Nyota wriggled, trying to push down his trousers with her feet.

"Spock, please."

Spock smiled almost arrogantly. "Patience. I want you ready for me so that I will not hurt you."

His strong hands grabbed her hips to hold her still: first, to clasp the edge of her underwear between his teeth and pull it off, next to gently pull back her labia with his thumbs, exposing her clitoris. He gently blew on it, making it stand out more stiffly than it already did, and her thighs quivered. Lowering his mouth, he licked and sipped at the little nub until she felt loose and slippery. Nyota cried out again; Spock grinned and pulled away.

"What do you want from me, th'y'la? Are you bold enough to take it?"

Nyota managed to rise upon quivering knees. Her fingers wouldn't remain steady on the front openings of his black shirt, so she tore the shirt off him.

Spock made a sound of purring approval and shrugged off the remaining pieces of torn cloth.

Something about the flexing and rolling of his shoulder muscles pushed her to the edge. Nyota put her hands flat on his chest and leaned her full weight against him; he could easily have resisted, but he let her take him down. As she pulled open his trousers, he whispered encouragement to her, mixing Vulcan and Standard.

"I give you myself."

He was so hard in her hands, so smooth against her tongue.

"Take me."

His hips bucked in response to the stimulation. She pinched a tuft of his chest hair between her fingers and pulled, making him groan.

"Mercy..."

His voice grew harsher, his breathing loud in the stillness of the room. She pulled away and leaned forward to suck the tip of his ear into her mouth. The point of his ear was hot. She felt hotter. Even the cave's natural coolness had changed.

Spock writhed against the bed as she licked and pressed a trail of soft bites around the edge of his other ear.

"I want you."

Nyota balanced herself over him, resting her hands on his chest. His dark eyes shone and his smile could be described as nothing less than wicked.

"Do it." He clasped one hand over hers, gave it a quick and tender squeeze.

She was already very wet, and he slid up into her smoothly. Moving down slowly, she moaned at the delicious friction.

Spock's hands were everywhere he could reach, exciting her further. He stroked and pulled her nipples to hard points and caressed them with his palms and he closed his hands over them, lightly squeezing. He rubbed her belly, played with the beads around her waist, moved his fingers down to play with her clitoris. Nyota kept moving through it all, gasping and crying out. Each separate thing he did felt good, but having him inside her felt so exceedingly fine that she couldn't concentrate on one thing at a time. Logical thought melted away.

Spock watched her, smiling, his eyelids rising and falling in an expression of pleasure. He moaned each time she clenched her muscles around his shaft. Their bond, muted for so long, opened fully, and he used it to ask how he could angle his hips to increase her pleasure. He shifted his body as she responded, and it was even better than the intensely good feeling she already had.

The mental bond was good, but there was nothing quite like hearing his deep, smooth voice.

"Ride. Harder."

She did, hard enough to make the sturdy, purpose-built bed creak rhythmically. Everything inside her quivered, and Nyota knew she was close.

"I love you," she said. He didn't speak, but she caught her breath as their bond opened completely and she felt him tell her the same.

The wave of feelings - love, trust, fear, hope - from her bondmate peaked in time with her own physical and emotional responses; she heard herself shout something, and swayed forward as her muscles went limp. Spock held her, lowering her to the mattress and carefully turning them both on their sides so that he remained inside her.

Rational thought and normal vision faded for a time. While she lay catching her breath and remembering her own name, Nyota looked up through the skylight. A triangular formation of bird-creatures flew overhead below puffy, graying clouds.

Spock brushed a kiss over her temple.

"Ashayam, are you well?"

She looked at him - flushed green, hot - and managed an affirmative, satisfied purr in response.

His penis twitched inside her; he grew hard again. Of course, she remembered. He won't tire easily now, not until his Time ends. But I'm ready.

It wasn't just sheer will. She really was ready, and she knew that she would be ready even after her sore muscles throbbed and her body craved sleep. Everything in her mind, heart, and soul wanted Spock close to her. He appealed to her even in his altered state.

Nyota unfastened the waist beads so that they wouldn't break and pushed them aside. She motioned to Spock with a press of her hips. Spock understood and tried to make them both comfortable, pushing a pillow beneath her head, then lifting her leg over his hip. Nyota toyed with his ears again, deliberately disordering his hair as he groaned and began to thrust into her.

"Can anyone see us through that skylight?" she asked. As her own lust grew, she was dangerously close to not caring, but at heart Nyota was a private person.

"No, shy one." Spock kissed her. "All skylight and window glass in this house is coated for privacy. We are able to see out but no being can see in." He looked down to where they were joined. "I will not share this view with anyone."

A sensation of indulgent delight rippled through her body again, and she laughed. "I am pleased to be yours alone."

His hips moved faster. Beads of sweat formed all over her body. A muscle in her hip protested their position, and she frowned. Spock paused, rolled her onto her back, and rested his forehead against hers.

"Hurt?"

"No. I'm all right in this position. Don't stop."

"Ah. No." He kissed her, then drew back, his lips parted to pull in air as his hips moved. She opened herself a little wider, felt him stuff another pillow beneath her hips, adjust their positions again - different, but still good. Locking her ankles together, she felt him slide in as deep as she could let him go. Spock moaned things, lovers' talk, between kisses on her damp face and mouth. Every sentence was fragmented and imprecise.

"Th'y'la, when I enter you I fall into a valley of honey -"

"You overwhelm me -"

"I want to ride and be ridden by you at the same time -"

"I cannot have enough of you -"

Finally, he became nonverbal, as Nyota herself had been for some time. Moments after she reached her own peak, he shouted and his thighs shuddered as he followed her.

...

She was growing hungry. She wanted to wash up, unpack her bag. She needed water.

That much, Nyota could manage. A carafe and two glasses waited on a shelf carved into the wall; she filled the carafe at the sink and they both drank. She replaced the glassware on the shelf and turned around to see Spock, nude, pulling back the coverlet on the bed. He lay back, fully erect, his body beautifully displayed against the sheets, and gave her a look both helpless and expectant.

Nyota smiled back. Her lower back ached a little, but already she felt herself opening for him. She couldn't stop wanting Spock.

One more time, out of a thousand times or more.

...

Her nails were trimmed, but she still dug them hard enough into his back to leave green half-moons. As she arched her back, she felt the warm breeze from the open window on her sweat-dampened skin. Both of them were moaning, then screaming loud enough to make a smart neighbor call the police or to summon Security aboard the Enterprise, but here they disturbed no one's peace but the birdlike creatures flying through the undulating valley.

...

It was dark outside when she woke. Spock lay on his back next to her, his chest rising and falling evenly, one hand loosely curled around hers. Light shone from a small lantern mounted in a niche carved into the wall.

Spock felt her awaken. He rolled onto his side and nuzzled her neck. "Mmm." He blinked sleepily at her, then slid a hand down her belly and curled his fingers over her vulva. "Want more."

She ran a hand down his chest. "So soon, tal-kam?"

Something about their mental bond was cloudy, strange. She tried again, but her husband was disoriented, unable to communicate normally.

So here comes the hard part. Nyota suddenly felt alone, but calmed her fears. Spock is still here, he's just different. He promised not to hurt me and I trust him. I have the personal alarm and my communicator. I can use the computer here to call Sarek. If none of those work and I'm not injured, I can walk down the road to one of the other cave houses and ask them to summon help.

His eyes closed, and he slept.

"Our activities are enough to tire even you out, apparently." Carefully, Nyota sat up, gritting her teeth at each twinge of an overworked muscle. Even her feet ached. She'd flexed them while changing positions, pushed against the bed's headboard and footboard to keep herself steady, and her toes had involuntarily curled each time Spock had brought her to orgasm. How many times had it happened? Four, five, six times? Did full-body muscle tremors count? Nyota couldn't answer her own question in her endorphin-addled condition.

Planting both feet in the soft rug by the bed, Nyota limped to the bathroom; her hips and knees were sore too.

Hot water eased some of her discomfort. After bathing she put on her dark pink robe, boiled water for an herbal infusion said to ease aches and fatigue, and sat on one of the padded benches, sipping the hot liquid and gazing out into the dark valley. A few lights shone from distant cave houses but she heard nothing beyond typical wilderness night sounds.

Oddly, she wasn't very tired. She even felt slightly irritated with Spock for sleeping while she sat in the cozy, empty room. She imagined her hands moving over his face and body and felt herself becoming wet again. Perhaps she could tie him to the bed with the versatile convertible harness. He would smile up at her, and she would stroke and arouse him then climb over him and tease him, rising and lowering herself until he pleaded with her -

"Who has Ponn Farr here, him or me?" she wondered aloud. Her libido had revealed itself again, proving to be in good, rude health. Such revelations seemed to happen whenever she had private time with the only man who had ever loved her as fiercely as she loved him. Soundproofing and distance from relatives helped a great deal.

Relaxing, Nyota stretched out along the padded bench. She heard water running in the shower. Maybe Spock would eat a simple meal with her. If he were still coherent, he might tell her how he felt, what was happening to him. She might as well nap while she waited for him.

One big hand grabbed her ankle, startling her awake. Spock leaned over her, water dripping from his body; he hadn't bothered to dry himself off. In his normal state of mind, Spock objected to incomplete processes.

His eyes were wide, dark, and wild.

"Mine," he said.

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