Life's Satisfaction

Vulcan Embassy

2296.81

Sarek and Emma again shared end meal on the balcony of their home, overlooking the embassy gardens and across San Francisco bay. The only sounds were of occasional traffic outside the embassy walls, laughter and conversation floating on the slight breeze, and the birds that chattered in the gardens below.

Eating in customary silence, Sarek regarded his new son Skelan, breastfeeding, grasping Emma's index finger tightly and waving it triumphantly. He watched her smile at their baby, cooing and gently touching her thumb to his forehead. In these moments between mother and son, he would simply listen to her thoughts.

/Ah, my treasure. My precious love./

He could sense the maternal affection flow to the little boy who stopped nursing long enough to smile at her.

Only two months old, his level of physical activity had far surpassed the expectations held by embassy medical staff. In a recent conversation with Sorel, they had begun to discuss additional methods of engaging Skelan's level of activity.

Sarek contemplated the differences between his sons at this particular age, and how those differences would challenge him now. He did not feel the same sense of worry for Skelan as he did with Spock – it was different now, mitigated by his age and life experiences. There were many errors he would not repeat with this new child.

He thought about his method of raising Spock, cogitating upon the notion that he worried too much, shared too little, criticized too much, praised too little – even Amanda had admonished him for it…

…They argued frequently when Spock was a child. After completing his Kahs-Wan trial, Sarek had increased the intensity of his scrutiny, convinced it was the only way to ensure Spock's complete acceptance into Vulcan society.

Inexperience blinded him from the truth, fearing Spock's actions would reflect upon him, instead. Now betrothed to T'Pring, Spock had crossed into a much different arena of social grooming, and Sarek felt duty-bound to ensure he succeeded.

After a particularly difficult day in school, wherein Spock had earned what Amanda described as a 'respectable shiner' for defending her honor, Sarek and Amanda argued intensely.

"Sarek, I am glad he defended himself. Stonn and his hoodlum friends go out of their way to provoke him each day. In fact, this is their thirty-fifth attempt this term, if I am not mistaken," she fumed.

"Aduna, he must not be encouraged to resort to violence simply to manage annoyance - " he stopped when she cut him off.

"He was not managing an annoyance, Sarek! Stonn physically pushed him this time. He laid his grubby little hands upon my child. I will not stand for this," her voice beginning to escalate.

"Regardless, Spock cannot be allowed to give in to the impulse of aggression simply because of what the boy did. He will only demonstrate Human weakness in this," he replied.

Her body language changed, with tremendous subtlety. Sarek saw it and immediately wished to modify his proffered adjective.

"Human weakness," she said softly. "Keep this up and I will show you some Human strength, husband."

"Beloved, I - " he was again interrupted, and sincerely regretted his word choice now.

Her volume had dropped, and her eyes focused on him with fierce intensity as eyebrows furrowed forward and her gaze began to bore through him.

"Don't 'Beloved' me, Sarek. You need to get one thing straight at this moment: when you insult my son, you disrespect me. I will not tolerate that. I left my home world for you, my life there to create one together, to support you – and the best you can do is disrespect us this way? Hear me now, Adun. Offense has been taken."

Sarek looked at her, stunned. "I ask forgiveness, Amanda. I did not intend it. I am performing the duty expected of every father."

"I know you are doing the best you can for him with the skills you have – we both are. But Sarek, you must do better!"…

Emma noticed he was orbiting some unknown star in thought.

"Adun?"

No response.

"Sarek? Haló?"

He blinked and looked at her, realizing she was speaking to him.

"Forgive me, my wife. I was considering the past… and its consequences."

"Anything I can help with?"

He looked into her soft, loving eyes and nodded. "Yes."

After a bath and what Emma called 'guy time' by the fire pot, Sarek laid the slumbering baby in his crib gently, placing his thumb on the tiny forehead, conveying paternal assurance and protection. He would give his very best effort to not repeat past errors, to do better with this new child. He found her reading in bed, glancing over research articles. She did this when unimpressed with the work produced by the author. She would not outwardly complain about them as she felt that rude. However she was unlikely to select their future work without references or suggestion from others. She smiled at him when he entered the room. He felt a strong sense of intimate desire flow across their bond, followed by frustration for the medical limitations she was still under as her body healed from giving birth. She'd successfully recovered from all three reconstructive surgeries, but the healing was taking time.

Without a word, Sarek walked into the bathroom, and began his nightly hygiene regimen. After mentally noting to seek dental assistance the next morning for discomfort in a molar, he turned the light off and entered a now darkened bedroom. He crawled into bed and spooned up behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist. Softly caressing her hip and the outer edge of her right thigh, his fingers traced small, swirling patterns, only coming to rest after she sighed softly. "My Aduna," he whispered into her right ear.

Emma felt her body awaken under the influence of his attention, and knew it would not be a great idea to engage in saucy activities just yet, but oh, how she wanted to. "This is not fair," she whispered, as his fingers had begun to explore her waist.

"I simply wish to share a moment with you." His right hand caressed her cheek slowly, locating the psi points for them to share a mind meld together. Engaging her slowly and gently, he projected memories of how he had seen her over the course of their interactions…

… The staring contest during her interview – how she had tricked him into relenting… observing her instructional methods, performance practices and technique, and her regard for others… reconciling the debt she felt owed from working with Amanda that he had forgiven… interactions with T'Naara and Sonek… her friends, her family… her community on Skye… observing her parent's anniversary celebration… their conversation on the dock outside the pub… satisfaction upon realizing mutual attraction… their love making…

Emma decided to reveal some things as well…

… the flirtation during the interview, that she had hoped he was oblivious to at the time…

/I was only minimally aware. I simply thought I had misperceived it. I did not believe you would find me appealing./

… her delight at his request for historical discourse and conversation outside of her normal schedule…

/It was the only logical method to reasonably request additional time with you./

… The first time she became truly aware of his scent, what it did to her, and what she did after he'd left for the evening…

/Indeed? You have hidden that from me until now,/ he mused.

/I'd never felt anything like that before, Love. Trust me. I enjoyed myself several times that night,/ she confessed.

/As we are revealing secrets…/

... her first night at the embassy, on the jogging path… their conversation as she worked the cramp out of her calf… and his internal struggle with a desire for his eyes to linger on her legs…

/My wife, you are not the only one to enjoy moments such as these. I knew our professional relationship would be challenging for me from the beginning because you occupied my thoughts so frequently./

… their first embrace, exploration, and intimacy…

/ I realized I could make neither assumption nor comparison of you and Amanda – both so human, but unique in the universe. That night was exquisite./

… in front of the fireplace, the scent of peat, tea, and her hair… heat of the fire… physical need… nakedness… male… female… vulnerability… glistening skin… frantic movement… mutual submission and trust… the relief of shared, compounded release…

Their conversation continued into the cool evening, renewing and rebuilding the element of their relationship set aside for the birth of their child. Decades had prepared him for the most important negotiation of his entire life.

Diplomacy indeed.