It was love at first sight; and if Amanda Grayson knew anything about her son, it had been the same for him. Of course, Spock would never admit to such a thing. In fact, even after over forty years of marriage, Sarek wouldn’t, either.

Not that it was in her husband’s nature to state the obvious when all parties were apprised of the facts.

Lieutenant Uhura had entered sickbay, glaring passionately at a woozy, yet not nearly woozy enough, Captain Kirk. Her hand on the handle of the case she carried had been squeezing so hard Amanda could see the other woman’s veins appear.

“Oh, good, you brought it,” he’d said with a tired smile.

“This is highly irregular, Captain,” she’d replied through clenched teeth and a tense smile, her eyes glinting in the lights of the sickbay.

“Nonsense!” Captain Kirk had denied with a lazy wave of his hand. “I’m sure the ambassador and his wife wouldn’t mind some calming music to accelerate the healing process!”

Looking at her husband, Amanda grinned at the raised eyebrow and curious expression on his face as he regarded the lieutenant.

“I know that voice,” he murmured in Vulcan. “In contact with our shuttlecraft…all over the ship…”

Amanda shushed him and smoothed the covers of her husband’s torso, one hand pausing a bit at the space where his heart beat strong and sure once more. Warmth filled their bond and Amanda smiled wider. “I have a feeling you will become much more acquainted with it in the near future.”

Sarek slipped his eyes toward his wife, amusement and slight exasperation now joining the curiosity.

“I was just going to eat,” Lieutenant Uhura explained, exhaustion clear in her voice. “It’s been a long day, Captain, and it will be an even longer night—”

“Just one song, Uhura, please,” the Captain coaxed, his grin devilish.

Lieutenant Uhura frowned harder.

“Here’s a chair, darlin’,” Doctor McCoy said, placing one right in front of the captain’s bed. He helped the lieutenant get herself situated, Amanda intrigued by the tenderness he showed that was nothing like the gruff compassion with which he’d treated his captain and her son. In fact, he’d quite passionately argued against Spock returning to duty, but all of the doctor’s instruments had indicated Spock was healthy enough to do so.

“Len—”

“It’s all right,” Doctor McCoy assured the communications officer, touching her cheek briefly with his fingers.

Lieutenant Uhura looked to her and her husband. “Ambassador, Lady Amanda, if you do not wish—”

“The captain is correct,” Sarek murmured in Vulcan just as Lieutenant Uhura had been speaking. “A soothing melody will more easily facilitate the onset of the healing trance.”

Nervous eyes skipped to Amanda, who returned the gaze encouragingly. “Please play, Lieutenant.”

A quick, shy smile and the shift to proper position was the response.

Lieutenant Uhura played beautifully, her eyes closing as the melody she evoked swept her away. Captain Kirk fell asleep with a smile on his face while Sarek, though not yet in a trance, appeared so relaxed Amanda suspected it would only be a matter of moments before he was.

Doctor McCoy was leaning against the wall behind Lieutenant Uhura, his eyes bouncing from the performer to the patients in steady intervals. A surge of maternal protectiveness raced through Amanda, and she approached the good physician.

Doctor McCoy immediately straightened from the wall and inclined his head. “Anything I can get for you, Lady Amanda?”

She didn’t bother insisting on him to just use her given name. She knew men from the southern United States were big on manners. “Some answers, if you don’t mind,” she said, smiling a little when Sarek finally entered his trance.

“More than happy to,” Doctor McCoy complied, leading her to his office. He pulled out his usual seat for her to take and then sat opposite her in the one primarily reserved for visitors.

“Thank you,” Amanda said once he was settled, and decided to go straight ahead. “I was wondering…is Lieutenant Uhura attached?”

The doctor’s eyes widened briefly, but then his expression turned mischievous. “If she’s not, she should be!”

Amanda raised an eyebrow. “So, she is not with you?”

Doctor McCoy snorted. “Unfortunately, the Fates have decided not to deem me so lucky!”

Amanda nodded, recalling a communication the lieutenant had sent to the Captain while he’d been giving her a tour of the ship. “She is very bright, I can tell, and very beautiful…”

“Bright and beautiful don’t even come close,” Doctor McCoy whispered, his eyes unfocused as he stared at the computer monitor. Seemingly coming back to himself after a quick moment, the doctor cleared his throat and shook his head. “Well, then…”

“Yes,” Amanda concurred, smiling a bit. “I am assuming she and my son are friendly, given her skill with the lute?”

The red creeping up the doctor’s cheeks told Amanda all she needed to know, but she expounded anyway. “I mean, I was surprised when Spock contacted me with the dimensions for a new lyre to give to the artisan. I knew it would be too small for him, but he wouldn’t say anything else about it…”

Doctor McCoy pulled at his collar. “They are…ahem…as close as a human can get to a Vulcan.”

“Oh, you mean like Sarek and me? We’re fairly close, wouldn’t you say?” Amanda asked innocently.

He coughed. “Ma’am, uh, Spock is a very private person; and unless it affects the well being of the crew, I try not to pry into personal matters.”

Amanda nodded her concession. “Thank you, Doctor; this conversation has been most illuminating.”

Doctor McCoy practically shot up from the seat, as if it had suddenly become blazingly hot. He came around and assisted her to her feet, escorting her back into the bay. Lieutenant Uhura was just ending the song.

“You play wonderfully,” Amanda complimented once the younger woman opened her eyes.

“Thank you, Lady Amanda,” she replied, bowing her head.

Nodding gracefully, Amanda clasped her hands to her abdomen. “I wonder…would you mind terribly directing me to your cafeteria? Pity that you have not eaten yet; but also most fortunate, as I have not yet eaten, either. Would you care to accompany me?”

Amanda didn’t miss the terrified glance Lieutenant Uhura sent the doctor, and smiled when he nodded supportively.

“It would be an honor, madam,” Lieutenant Uhura said and stood, obviously gaining some confidence from Doctor McCoy’s gesture.

“I’ll keep your lute for safekeeping, darlin’,” Doctor McCoy vowed, taking the case as soon as she’d completed packing the instrument in it.

The lieutenant gave Amanda an unofficial tour of the ship, stopping by Amanda’s quarters briefly so she could pick up her clutch, as they went to the officers’ lounge. After securing their meals, the younger woman suggested eating in the arboretum. Amanda agreed, grinning to herself. It could’ve been an innocent suggestion, but the communications officer was the first person to show her this part of the ship.

“It’s lovely,” Amanda praised upon entering. It reminded her of the indoor botanical gardens on Earth; those had always been among her favorite places to visit when she’d been younger.

“Thank you; I’ll admit it’s been a while for me, but I’ve always liked coming here,” Lieutenant Uhura replied as they sat at a table. There weren’t any others with them, but the pair ate in relative silence for those first few minutes. Amanda had a meal of roasted chicken while Lieutenant Uhura had beef stew. For as many years as Amanda had been on Vulcan, the taste of animal flesh hadn’t completely left her. Even Sarek would take her, on rare occasions, to restaurants in Shi’Kahr that served more eclectic fare, usually of outworld origins, to satisfy her more diverse appetite.

“You know, I almost can’t tell the difference,” Amanda decided to say while cutting into the chicken breast for another bite.

Lieutenant Uhura nodded. “You eventually get used to it; but I have yet to have spaghetti with meatballs that’s as good as my mama’s!”

Amanda smiled. “Would you tell me about her? Your family?”

Lieutenant Uhura slowed her movements, then went back to normal speed as she nodded once more and smiled. “All right.”

Lieutenant Uhura was a wonderful storyteller and a very believable mimic. She had Amanda practically rolling with laughter as she spoke of a race she and her brothers had run to see who could reach the horizon first.

“And I was winning, until I realized they’d stopped altogether and had gone back to the house! They knew we’d never reach it, but I was only seven…I didn’t know any better,” Nyota—as she’d insisted Amanda call her—said on a chuckle.

“Older brothers,” Amanda said sympathetically.

Nyota snorted. “Nah, they were just mad I’d been beating them from the start!”

“And now here you are,” Amanda said, looking around.

“Yes, it’s amazing. I was the only one to join Starfleet. Drove my mother insane, but my bibi encouraged me.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Amanda said.

Nyota smiled. “She would always tell these fantastic stories about faraway planets and even Earth’s history. My older brother Zorion became a historian because of her while my oldest brother Kalil became a xenoarchaeologist. They work together with our parents at the Sankofa Institute in Timbuctoo.”

“And what do your parents do?”

“My mother is a linguist and my father is an anthropologist. They are very good—sometimes Starfleet calls in my mother to help decipher a text, or my father to help figure out how best to greet an unknown culture. When I was growing up there were frequent trips to San Francisco for them, but I rarely went. I always wanted to stay with my maternal grandparents in Chicago whenever we traveled to the States.”

At that, Amanda regaled Nyota with stories of her own. Soon, their food was forgotten and they talked and talked for who knew how long. Apparently, the length was sufficient enough to cause alarm.

“Mother. Lieutenant.”

Both women jumped slightly, drawing back quickly from the mini-padd Amanda held in her hands. She bit her lip and gazed from her son to Nyota, who was looking at Spock with a tender twinkle in her eyes.

“Oh, Spock, you were adorable!” Nyota cooed.

Spock’s brows furrowed and his lips thinned, glancing down at the padd. Displayed was a photo of a naked three-year-old Spock pulling himself out of a bath full of green and purple suds. The toddler’s expression was one of distaste, similar to the one the adult version wore. “Mother—”

“Oh, I couldn’t help myself,” Amanda muttered, not a trace of apology in her tone. “And you can thank your grandmother for this one, Spock. She’d been clearing out her collection recently and zapped this one right over to me.”

“I will be sure to convey my gratitude upon our next communication,” Spock said dryly.

Nyota shot up then. “Oh! Oh, how irresponsible of me!” She immediately cleared her space, Amanda standing and looking at the bustling woman in surprise.

“She was due back on the bridge fifteen point four-two minutes ago,” Spock explained.

“But it’s late into the night!” Amanda cried.

“Yes, and technically she would not be on duty; but since the nature of this transport is so high in priority, and given attack we have already endured, Lieutenant Uhura has primary responsibilities, although her relief is a capable officer as well,” Spock said.

“It was very wonderful to meet you, Lady Amanda,” Nyota said, holding out her hand for a handshake.

Amanda tsked and embraced the woman, feeling Nyota’s shock settle to acceptance as the communications officer returned the hug. “I do hope we can do this again…maybe breakfast?”

Nyota laughed and pulled back, though she kept her arms around Amanda. “I don’t think I’ll be very good company tomorrow morning!”

“Brunch, then,” Amanda suggested.

Nyota danced her eyes over Amanda’s shoulder, no doubt at Spock, then shrugged and smiled. “I will contact you.”

Amanda beamed. “Excellent! Now, hurry along; I don’t want you delayed anymore than you already have been.”

Nyota gave one last quick hug before hurrying out of the arboretum, barely pausing enough to give Spock an acknowledging nod, which he returned. Amanda couldn’t stop her beaming as her son continued to watch Nyota’s progress as she left, staring at the closed doors for a long moment until she delicately cleared her throat.

Spock turned easily to her and arched an eyebrow, his hands ever present behind his back. “I trust you and the lieutenant had a satisfactory dining experience.”

Amanda sighed and approached him, her grin softening and her hand coming up to cup his jaw. Spock didn’t ease his face away. “I like her, Spock.”

“That is logical. Lieutenant Uhura is a most amiable person,” he replied evenly. “I will admit to some relief that Nurse Chapel and the lieutenant have been able to keep you occupied enough to maintain your own level of health.”

Amanda raised her eyebrow. “Concern? Careful, Spock, your human side is showing.”

“And that is entirely your doing, Mother,” he returned, though his face softened considerably.

She cocked her head to the side. “Oh, I don’t think that’s completely accurate…”

Sighing, Spock walked around her and began gathering up the tray. “You are finished?”

“Yes, my son,” Amanda replied, replacing the mini-padd into her clutch.

He bussed her tray and returned to her, holding out his arm. Amanda took it.

“Shall I escort you to your quarters or to sickbay?”

Sarek was still in his trance. “My quarters.”

They did not speak on the way there, and Amanda didn’t let her son go upon entering the room, although he’d tensed as if to take his leave as soon as they’d arrived at the door. He remained standing, straight-backed, while Amanda finally slid her arm from him and went to the desk where the computer monitor was, setting her clutch next to it. They stared at each other for a while, then Spock lowered his eyes. She continued watching him, amazed by her son’s sense of honor and duty, humbled the universe had decided to gift him to her.

“I am so very proud of you,” Amanda finally said.

Spock’s shoulders sagged.

She went to him, bringing down his head to kiss the cheek she’d slapped so viciously many hours before. “I’m sorry for striking you.”

“You were distressed, Mother; your husband was dying.”

“That’s no excuse,” Amanda insisted, brushing the tendrils at her son’s nape with her fingers. “I said and did things I didn’t really mean, and I am truly sorry.”

Spock removed her hand from his neck and straightened, though he didn’t drop her hand. Her heart broke at the anguish he allowed her to see, and she kissed the back of his hand.

“My poor, sweet boy,” she murmured against his knuckles. “So busy trying to be something he can never be.”

“Mother—”

“You can never be completely one or the other, Spock, so stop trying. Know there are people who love you just as you are…and it’s okay for them to,” Amanda implored, curling their hands together at her chest.

Spock lowered his head.

“And it’s okay for you to love them back,” Amanda added.

He looked at her, raising an eyebrow, but remained stubbornly quiet.

Unbothered, Amanda kissed her son’s cheek one final time and stepped back. Spock kept his hovering hand balled up briefly before tucking it behind his back. “Will you come to brunch tomorrow?” she queried.

“I cannot make such a promise; however, if time allows, I shall endeavor to make an appearance.”

“Excellent!”

“However, I do have a request.”

“What’s that, Spock?”

“Please refrain from showing any more pictures of me during my youth. Especially ones where I am unclothed.”

Amanda laughed and shook her head. “Goodnight, Spock!”

Matching his father’s earlier expression of exasperation, Spock glanced to the ceiling quickly, yet inclined his head. “Goodnight, Mother.”

He left with all the gracefulness and dignity inherent in a Vulcan, making Amanda’s breast swell with pride and love. Sarek’s words filled her mind then, about Vulcan mothers not having the right to embarrass their sons. But Amanda didn’t think showing Nyota baby pictures of Spock was embarrassing; and clearly neither did Nyota, who’d oohed and ahed over them almost as badly as Amanda herself had, and had even offered to share pictures of the Uhura family in return. Nevertheless, should it be considered so, Amanda had a most logical loophole.

She was human.