I was surprised to be greeted by Sarek when I arrived at the medical facility on New Vulcan. I had been surprised to be contacted at all by Spock or any of the Vulcans, really.
Spock and I had parted…not acrimoniously or anything, but at the end of our mission, we’d said our farewells, and for my part, though I regretted it, I had accepted this was the end of our great friendship, if that had ever been what it was.
Yet now I had been contacted two years later when Spock had been injured in a research ship crash on a less explored part of New Vulcan. I didn’t mind at all going to check on Spock’s recovery, and I had been told he would recover, yet still Sarek waiting for me as I arrived was unexpected.
“I hoped you would come,” Sarek said. He looked so much older than when I’d seen him last. Like something had aged him in ways that were not usual. The pain of living, perhaps?
“Of course,” I replied. “Spock’s my friend.”
He gave me an odd look. “Yes, of course. But more yes?”
I stared at him blankly for a moment trying to fathom what he meant. What he imagined perhaps. Though once I had thought…but no.
“You do not know, do you?” Sarek asked quietly.
“Know what?”
Sarek didn’t speak at first, but then he said rather stoically, “You are his mate.”
“What?”
“His T’hy’la. A special bond that is rare among my people. That you are unaware…I cannot speak of such things, but, please, go and see my son.”
With a frown, I watched Sarek walk away. I turned and went into see Spock in the hospital bed. He was sitting up, looking pale and sickly, still weak and injured. There was a smudge of green blood by his left eyebrow and I felt a moment of outrage that no one had cleaned it from his face.
I stopped at the nearby sink, wet a cloth with warm water and went to do it myself. He silently watched me, gaze intent.
After I removed the dried blood, I returned his gaze.
“I saw your dad.”
“Yes.” He nodded. “I thank you for coming.”
“Did you ask for me?”
He looked away then, and nodded.
“Spock, why does your dad think I’m your mate?”
“Because…you are. We are T’hy’la.”
I slowly blew out a breath. “Why’d you wait so long to tell me?”
I had surprised him. He stared at me, eyes wide.
“Yeah, I knew. I mean, I thought. The ambassador…well he may have told me some things.”
“I did not think you would ever want me.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“A skinny, pale Vulcan? You are the radiant sun.”
I smiled and took his hand. I brought it to my face. “Let me show you.”
Spirk (with a small dose of Pinto) 