Bulletproof Soul

14.  Restoration

A/N:  Slash alert.  Fluff alert, too.

She was in the far corner of Kirk’s bedroom, in the chair.  She wore one of Spock’s T-shirts, taking in deep breaths of his fragrance.  Patchouli was wonderful on him.

Uhura was painting her nails and waiting for them to exit the bathroom.  When she entered the room, she heard them in the shower.  Now they were out of it, but still in the bathroom, all up on each other.  No matter.  She could see them in the mirror.  Spock’s face was in Kirk’s neck; he was pulled against him, his long, beautiful fingers wandering over Kirk’s chest.  Kirk’s eyes were closed, his lips parted.

Uhura smiled as she played with her brand-new nail polish wand.  After duty, she went down to the salon to see Nadine, the ship’s stylist.  Nadine offered Uhura the chance to test out the wand, and Uhura, grateful to be rid of nail polish bottles, jumped at the opportunity.  Nadine’s nail wand was amazing because it worked in two ways: the polish would match your mood, or you could program it for specific colors.  All you had to do was touch it to your nails and they would fill with color and be dry in less than sixty seconds.

She sat in Kirk’s chair, listening to them have sex in the bathroom while tapping the wand against her nails.  Uhura had already changed nail colors at least ten times.  Nadine wasn’t getting her wand back.

Three days passed since her chat with Dez.  And as always, the Bajoran was right.  It was time to go home. Uhura missed Kirk and Spock.  She missed being with them, lying with them, talking to them, all of it.  There was no point in staying away any more.  She couldn’t.  They didn’t know she was in the room and she decided to wait before announcing her presence.  They exited the bathroom, Kirk first, leading Spock by the hand.

She smiled.  Spock’s hair was wet and mussed.  It was pushed back from his forehead; obviously Kirk had been running his fingers through it.  Spock pushed him down on the bed and came over him, kissing him.  Kirk slipped his arms around Spock, pulling him close.

Uhura watched them, her eyes hooded.  Now that Kirk’s cast was off, they were able to really get it on, and she did not deny her pleasure watching them do it.  She ran her finger over her lips as Spock held Kirk down by the throat as they kissed.  When he pulled away, Kirk’s breath was wheezy and labored; he liked it when Spock held him down.  Spock climbed over him and straddled him, rubbing his erection into his chest.  Kirk made some sort of sound, gripping Spock’s hips as he leaned over him.  Spock braced himself against the bed as he continued his seductive ministrations.

“Sweet Mother Mary, Spock…!”  Kirk threw his head back. 

“It is only fair, Jim,” Spock said.

“I know, but…gahhhh!”

Then Spock moved again; he could move quickly when the opportunity presented itself.  He was nibbling Kirk’s amazing pectorals and Kirk had him by the hair; double handfuls to ensure a good grip.  He moved down and over, left to right, back and forth, taking time to tongue Kirk’s tattoo.

Uhura watched, her fingers pressing her own tattoo.

Kirk’s gorgeous blue eyes filled with warm light, his passion growing as Spock moved lower, taking him.  He guided Spock’s head, mussing his hair further.  Kirk’s knuckles were white, his breathing constricted, his toes curling against the bed.  He was trying to speak, but Spock cupped his testicles—not gently—and Kirk gave up and in.

“Mmmmffllunnnnbbrrrrhhhhh!”

Spock stared at him, running his splayed fingers over Kirk’s chest.  “Jim,” he breathed.

Kirk moved so that he could get into bed and Spock lay beside him, locking pinkies with him.  It was some time before they spoke.  When they did, Uhura felt her heart swell to burst.

“That was amazing,” he said.

“As always,” Spock replied.  “However, it would be better if—”

“Nyota,” Kirk said.

“I am bereft at her continued absence.  I do not know what to do, Jim.”

“There’s nothing we can do, Spock.  She has to deal with everything in the way she knows how.  It’s been nearly a month.  We can’t rush her, but…”

“I want her to come back to us,” Spock said, matter-of-factly.  “That is the way it should be, it must be.  I would give anything if I could take back…what happened.”

“She will come back, Spock.  She will.  Eventually.”

Uhura had heard enough.  Kirk and Spock were as lost without her as she was without them.  She stood up.  “I’m here.”

Both men sat up.  She could hear the shock in their voices, but knew that Kirk couldn’t see her in the dark.

“Nyota,” Spock said, getting off the bed and looking in her direction.

“Spock,” she said, feeling weak-kneed.  “Jim.”

“Lights,” Kirk said.  The room was illuminated.

Uhura smiled shyly and waved.  “Hi,” she said.

Immediately they were beside her, taking her in their arms, pulling close to her in their usual fashion.  Spock buried his face in her neck and Kirk pressed kisses against her forehead.

“Nyota,” he breathed.  “Nyota.”

Spock’s face was in her hair, her neck, smelling her.   “K’diwa,” he said.  His hands were on her breasts and he was pulling her against him.  Kirk gripped her ass; when Spock pulled her against him, it brought his hands flush with Spock’s hips and they all felt the current flow through them, between them.  Electricity—this was what they missed.

Uhura felt tears on her cheeks and Kirk’s lips kissing them dry.  “I missed you,” she murmured.  “I missed you so much.”  She slid her hand up and around Spock’s neck and cradled Kirk’s face.  “So much.”

“I knew you would come back,” Kirk said, kissing her lips.  “I knew you would.”

“I couldn’t stay away anymore,” she replied as Spock turned her and claimed her mouth.  She closed her eyes, enjoying his wonderfully soft lips and the feel of his hands now on her ass.  And Kirk’s were on her boobs.

She did not know how long they remained like that.  But then one of them carried her to the bed and they lay on it.  Soon she was covered on both sides, their legs linked together and she was warmer than she had been in weeks.  Gods, but she had missed the intimacy.

“Why didn’t you tell us at lunch?” Kirk said, kissing her fingers.

“I didn’t know…I just found myself coming here after leaving the salon.  I missed you and Spock.  I just couldn’t…”

Spock was staring into her eyes, stroking her fingers against his cheek.  “Are you well, Nyota?  Are you healed?”

“Yes,” she said, meeting his gaze.  “I’m fine.”

She’d been experiencing odd little cramps and twinges here and there; Dr. McCoy assured her that everything was fine; it was just her body coming back together after her ordeal.  “I’m good.”

“It is a relief to have you home,” Spock said.  “Jim and I, we have not been the same without you.”

“How long have you been in here?”  Kirk said.  “We didn’t hear you come in.”

“That would be because you were occupied when I did.  I saw you in the shower and sat down to paint my nails and wait for you to come out.”

Kirk blushed.  “We were in there for a while.”

“I know.  I saw you.”

“So you were here when we came out of the bathroom?” Spock asked.

“Yes.  I sat and watched you.  It’s so remarkable when you two are together.  Hot, too.”

“You could have joined in,” Kirk said, moving his hand underneath her shirt.  Spock joined him.

“I’m not ready yet,” she said.

“I am pleased that you returned to us regardless,” Spock said. 

“Our relationship isn’t based on sex,” Kirk said.  “I don’t think it ever was, but I’m glad you realized that you don’t have to have sex with us to be with us.”

“I was afraid,” she said.  “I thought that…Dez told me that it would come back, but it was best for me not to sit around and miss out on our life together while I was waiting for it to.”  She sighed as she felt their fingers around her navel, moving over her belly.  “I thought that if I couldn’t get it up, if I couldn’t have any sex…”

“Sex is obviously a plus,” Kirk said, dipping into her navel.  “But we have missed this…this right here,” He waved a hand over their entwined bodies.  “Talking to you, watching you dance, you taking care of Spock and me, me eating off your plate…all that.”

She nodded.  “I missed it too.  But I needed time alone.”

“It is understandable why you had to stay away, Nyota.” Spock said. 

Uhura sighed into the bed, closing her eyes, loving the way their hands felt on her stomach.  It was so damned good to be home.  A few minutes passed where she just lay and let them touch her.  Then she thought about something Dez said.  She opened her eyes.

“How do I explain this to my mother?”

“You mean us?” Kirk asked.

“Yes.  Dez asked me if I intended for us to last.  I said yes.  Then she told me that I had to get tough because if that was the case, I’d eventually have to take you home to meet my family.  I never thought about that.”

“Fascinating,” Spock said.  “Jim and I have been engaged in this exact line of discourse.”

“Really?”

“Affirmative.”

“Well…how do we explain this to our families?”

“I really don’t give a shit about mine,” Kirk said.  “I barely get along with them.  But considering…”

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing.  It’s just that—”

“Jim wants to have a child,” Spock said.

“What?”

“Not now,” Kirk said.  “Of course, not right now.  In a few years, depending on where we are in our lives.”

“You actually want a kid?”  Uhura looked at him.

Kirk was thoughtful.  “It would be nice.  I could give him what I didn’t have.”

“Jim,” she said.  “There’s plenty of time for that.  But you don’t want to have a baby just to make up for what you lost.  And think of the logistics.  How would we raise a child?  Whose child would it be?  How could we even do this when you two up and run off on every away mission this ship has?  What would we do if, for some reason, you went on an away mission and didn’t return?  How could we survive that?  How in the world could you captain a starship with a baby running around?” 

Kirk actually smiled, picturing himself in the command chair holding his son.  Or Spock’s.  “I want to have a baby with you,” he said.  “I want to have a family.  We can be a family, can’t we?  I mean, this isn’t the textbook definition of family, but that doesn’t mean we have to be confined to such.  Family is what you make it.”

“I feel that Jim’s lack of closeness with his parents and brother fuels this, Nyota.  However, I do not take it lightly.  We are similar in that.”

“I thought you and your father made up.”

“Our relationship is tenuous at best.  We try.  I do not know what he will make of this, as it is illogical.”

“I keep telling you, doofus,” Kirk said, “Logic has nothing to do with this.  Your father won’t understand.”

“I would hope that he accepts it as my choice.  I do not know how he will react.”

“Do you really care, Spock?”

“He is my father.  He has a high stature in New Vulcan in addition to his political duties.  I would not wish his position disrespected.”

“No one can hold Sarek accountable for your actions, Spock,” Kirk said.

“He is my father.  I am his son.”  For Spock, it was as simple as that.

Kirk sighed, his fingers brushing against Spock’s over Uhura’s navel.  He closed his eyes.  “Nyota, we’ve never talked about this, but how does your mother feel about you dating a white man, much less a Vulcan?”

Uhura sighed, folding her arms behind her head.  “She’s not going to be happy.”

“About the white man part or the Vulcan part?”

“The white man part is going to upset her.   The Vulcan part may cause her to have a stroke.  You see, she had my husband picked out for me a long time ago.  It was the son of my parents’ best friends.  Not an arranged marriage or anything like that, but I believe she merely saw us growing up together, falling in love and having a family.  We were very close when we were children, but I went my way and he went his.  If I wanted to, I could have been with him because I knew he liked me.  But I didn’t want that life.”

“Your mother is prejudiced?” Spock asked.

“Yes,” she said.  “She hides it well, but she is.  I didn’t realize it until after I grew up.  It shames me to think that even now, there is a member of my own family that is prejudiced.  I think that’s one of the reasons I rebelled against her wishes and joined Starfleet.”

“We probably shouldn’t meet your folks,” Kirk said.  “I don’t want to get shot.”

 “Do you think they will invoke violence?” Spock asked.

“I don’t know,” Kirk said.  “I can envision Mr. Uhura breaking out a Winchester rifle and aiming it at my head when I tell him I’m in love with his daughter.”

 “Fascinating,” Spock said. 

“Spock,” Kirk said, “it will not be fascinating when he puts a load of buckshot in your ass.”

Spock raised an eyebrow.  Uhura couldn’t help but laugh. 

“I don’t think my father is the one you’d have to worry about.  My brothers, yes.  My mother, absolutely.  But my father…?  He’ll be upset at first, but when he sees how content I am, how much in love with you I am…he will come around.  My happiness is all he’s ever wanted.”

“I don’t know which family is worse,” Kirk said.  “Mine, yours, or Spock’s.  How did three rebellious people from three fucked-up families ever manage to come together and fall in love?”

“It defies reason,” Spock said.  “Yes, Jim, I know…logic cannot explain it.”

“I don’t know,” Uhura said.  “What I do know is that I don’t want any other man.  My life is with you two.  My parents may not like it, but it’s my life.  I’ll have to learn to live with their disapproval.  I will not learn to be without you.”

“Ditto that,” Kirk said.  “You’ve been without us long enough.”

“My father and I have always had our disagreements,” Spock said.  “He never accepted my decision to join Starfleet until recently.  If he does not recognize our relationship, I will learn to acknowledge his lack of acceptance.”

“I don’t give a damn what my mother and stepfather think,” Kirk said.

“Says the man who stole their vintage Corvette,” Uhura reminded him.  “Of course you don’t.”

“Why are things so bad between you, Jim?” Spock asked.  This was as close as Kirk had come to talking about his past.

He closed his eyes.  “Not tonight, Spock.  I’d rather not ruin the moment with bad memories.”

Spock nodded.

“Tell us when you’re ready,” Uhura said.

“Okay,” he said.  “I will.”

Uhura grimaced, closing her eyes.  Spock stopped rubbing her stomach.  “Are you all right, Nyota?”

“I’m fine,” she said.  “I’ve been having cramps, little funny ones.  Dr. McCoy says it’s just my body healing.  Don’t worry, Spock,” she said, cupping his chin.  “I’m all right.”

“Menstrual cramps?”  Kirk asked.

“I’m not sure.  My period’s due in a week or so, but these cramps aren’t like the ones I normally get.”

“Which reminds me,” Spock said.  “You are due to have your injection in three days, eleven hours and fifty-six minutes.”

“Yeah,” she said.  “Don’t worry; I’ll be there.  Talking about having a baby is fine, but it doesn’t mean I’m ready to do it.”

“You want some tea?” Kirk asked.

“No,” she said.  “I’m not hungry.  I just want to lie here with you and Spock.  That’s all.  Nothing else, just to fall asleep between you two.”

“I am able to grant your request,” Spock said.  “It will be pleasant to do likewise, Nyota.  I have missed the scent of you on the pillows.”

“Good.  Then it wasn’t just me,” she murmured, sinking into the bed.

In time, the room was dark and they were asleep.  Cushioned between her men, interlocked with their love, Uhura knew she was there to stay.

*

The conversation they had about family was just that: conversation.  As there was time to get into the decisions, wants and desires of having kids and telling the folks, they merely left the subject there on the bed with plans to bring it up when it was necessary to do so.  So Spock and Kirk focused on Uhura, making her happy, keeping her comfortable, and taking care of her.

They fell back into the rhythm of their relationship so easily; it was as if the split had never occurred.  The new assignment, near Polaris, was one which pleased Spock.  It was a simple data-collecting mission from a recently discovered planet.  Kirk was glad about it; it was always interesting investigating new worlds.  They were scheduled to spend a week cataloguing the planet’s resources.  Spock was near giddy with the prospect of scientific research.

The night after she returned, Kirk took a shower with her and washed her hair.  He took his time with it, scratching her scalp under gobs of shampoo, tipping her back to rinse.  Spock was waiting with her towels and carried her to the bed where he spent a luxuriant hour massaging warm body oil into her skin.  Kirk combed out her hair, stroking the damp strands, his heart in his eyes.  No words were necessary.

The next night, she took a bath with Spock and sat between his legs as he soaped her neck and back, arms and thighs.  He dried her off, patting her down as she stood before him in the bathroom.  He turned her so they could look in the mirror while he massaged her again, moving his nimble fingers over her breasts and belly.  He tenderly kneaded her buttocks and thighs and planted a warm kiss right above her pubis.  Uhura’s breath caught ever so slightly.  It was returning.  She was being restored.

Every night they slept as one, entwined in arms and legs, skin to skin.  Every day was better than the last.

*

Uhura lay curled on Kirk’s bed, waiting for them to enter.  She’d just returned from her quarterly sickbay visit and was absolutely befuddled by what happened with her injection that she wasn’t sure how to explain it to Spock and to Kirk.

Dr. McCoy had asked her into his office.  When he sat down in front of her, there was a strange look in his eyes.  She had never seen him look that way.

“Lieutenant, I’m afraid that I have some…well…news.”

“Good or bad?”

“I don’t know how you’re going to take it.  But I’m sorry and I’ll do what I can to ensure it never happens again.”

“What is it, Dr. McCoy?”

“Again, I apologize, Lieutenant Uhura.  This has never happened before and I’m embarrassed that…”

“What is it, Doctor?  Spit it out!”

“Your last injection…the progestin hormone degraded faster than normal.  It was a bad batch.  I did not realize it until I was preparing your current injection.  I am sorry.”

“What?”

“What I am trying to tell you is that you were not protected from pregnancy for the past two months.”

“Wait, Dr. McCoy.  Wait a moment.  Are you trying to tell me that my birth control didn’t take?”

McCoy’s face was so flushed that he looked as if he were on the verge of a heart attack.  “Yes.”

“I’ve had my periods, Dr. McCoy, and there’s another one due in a matter of days.”

“Having a period doesn’t guarantee anything, Lieutenant.  There is a chance that you might have conceived during Spock’s Pon Farr.”

*

Uhura lay on the bed, pressing her face into the pillows.  She had stared at the doctor for what felt like hours, not even comprehending what McCoy was telling her.

The door swished open and Spock entered first.  Kirk was behind him and they were talking about something.

“Nyota,” Spock said.

“Spock,” she said, sitting up.  “Jim,” she said.

Kirk saw her face and immediately went over to the bed.  “What’s the matter?”

Hearing the tone of Kirk’s voice, Spock turned away from the bathroom and went back towards the bed.  “Nyota, are you all right?  You do not look well.”

“I’m fine,” she said.  “I just don’t know how to tell you—”

“What?” Kirk said, his expression turning to one of worry.

Uhura took a deep breath and blurted it out.  “Dr. McCoy told me that my last birth control injection did not take because of a hormone malfunction.  I’m pregnant.”

To be continued…