Spock entered the great hall of the recreation deck. There were already surprisingly many diplomats and shipmates present, but Dr McCoy and Jim were still absent. At a table on the opposite side of the room sat Christine, slurping some smoothie-like refreshment. Mr Scott and Mr Chekov had already assembled at the bar, debating, unsurprisingly, about scotch and vodka. Lt. Uhura and Sulu seemed to mingle with the diplomats.

Spock glanced towards Christine, just as she diverted her gaze from him, and he made a choice, moving in her direction. He did not want to mingle with the diplomats or engage in discussions about alcoholic substances, as this was neither an official function nor a reason to break one of his reasonably logical habits.

He sat down in front of Dr Chapel, nodding in greeting after she smiled kindly at him. The silence stretched and Spock sighed.

"I wanted to congratulate you on your promotion, as I did not find the opportunity to do so earlier. It was well deserved." Christine smiled. A genuine smile.

"Thank you, Spock, the well-wishes are appreciated."

They slowly got into a friendly conversation about Spock's time away on Vulcan, Christine's doctorate and general things concerning the Enterprise and her crew. While they were talking, some of Christine's insecurities about being back on board seemed to melt away, just as some façade of Spock's seemed to disappear. No, that façade was gone long before this moment, and at the same time, it was ever present.

"How are you feeling, Spock?", Christine asked, looking Spock directly into the eyes. He raised an eyebrow, studying her face.

"I am…doing fine, thank you.", he replied, continuing after a short pause. "I have recovered it seems. Both of the encounters with V'Ger and the Kolinahr, so to speak. It is…evened out now."

Christine nodded, knowingly. "It's healthier this way, you know?"

He looked at her, pretending not to understand, waiting what she could say next.

"You seem…at peace now, Spock. Neither stuck up nor troubled. Peaceful, content. You may never directly admit it, but you do have emotions." Spock was glancing in the direction of two figures now entering the room. "You love them", she ended, indicating Jim Kirk and Leonard McCoy, wondering if he would deny this gentle side of his. He didn't.

"Christine…I have had some troubling experiences with emotions. During the five-year-mission, they have often been in the way of the mission in the form of outbreaks."

He lowered his head, as if ashamed of what he admitted.

"Spock, that wasn't you. Every time it was a real outbreak, it was influenced by some other power. I did not mean those. I meant the emotions inside you, not their forcefully provoked realization."

Her own words began to remind her eerily of words she had spoken roughly five years ago, in sickbay.

Spock looked at her and stood up, looking towards the Captain and the ship's surgeon. Now it was Christine's turn to sigh.

"It's all right. Go on, I'm doing fine."

His hand stretched out towards her and she looked up at him, meeting his imploring gaze. She took his helping arm and rose.

"If I'm not mistaken,", Spock began, "both the Captain and Dr McCoy have joined Chekov and Scott at the bar, consuming alcohol. Moreover, McCoy threatened me to "show me how to 'shake a leg and show some Vulcan rhythm' ".

"Oh, well, and it is my duty to rescue you?", she sneered mockingly.

"I believe it is.", he answered seriously, as they were moving toward the small group at the bar. "Oh?"

"It's what friends do, Christine.", he said, looking at her. "and as our other friends have proven quite incapable of rescuing from social gatherings, the both of us have only one remaining option: socialize."

Christine smiled encouragingly at him, pressing his arm thankfully, happy with his use of the word 'friends'.

As they arrived at the bar, Leonard seemed to have drunk quite a bit already, trying to catch up with Chekov and Scott. Jim smiled at them as they approached.

"Finally decided to socialize?"

"Indeed.", they replied in unison.

Jim smiled, pleased with the missing tension between the two officers. He was just planning on accompanying them to the buffet when McCoy discovered the two of them.

"Well, if that isn't Chris with our favourite elf!"

It was obvious that he was already drunk or at least merrily giving in to the substance. Not as drunk as others might have been, but drunk enough to lower his inhibitions.

"What ye sayin', my dear Spock? Care ta show us the dancing skills of yours?"

Spock raised his eyebrow and Christine looked at Bones admonishingly.

"Leonard…be sensible. I know you're not as drunk as you pretend to be."

"That's all right, Christine, none of your concern, my dear. I wanna know how well your Vulcan can dance!"

"He's not 'my' Vulcan, Leonard! And it's his decision if he wants to dance or not.", Christine burst out, angrier than she expected.

"It's all right, Christine", Spock reassured her, "The good Doctor is under the impression that I am incapable of moving rhythmically to music. I fear I have to prove the opposite to get rid of him."

"Right you are!", Bones grinned and raised his arms, daring Spock to show him his dance moves. Spock ignored them, looked at Christine, meeting her knowing and reassuring gaze.

"If I may…"

He bowed, took her hand and led her towards the dance floor, followed by McCoy's astonished, opened-mouth gaping and Jim's sniggering.

When a classical melody began to play Spock gently led Christine on the floor and they began to dance. She recognized that he was, to her surprise, quite good at dancing.

"Thank you, Christine.", he whispered, looking at her deeply.

"Well, what are friends for, Spock?", she smiled and squeezed his leading hand reassuringly. "Are you enjoying yourself?", he suddenly asked.

"Yes, I am, thank you, Spock. And you ?"

"I believe I am."

"You do know what they're thinking now, do you?", she asked, somewhat concerned.

"I have no idea.", he smirked, "and frankly, I don't care. I see two friends dancing after they have been too preoccupied with their past to entertain that possibility. What do you see?"

"I see the same, thank you Spock"

She smiled at him when he bowed formally as the dance ended and led her back to their small group of friends. McCoy's look hadn't changed at all. And then slowly, his face changed to a delighted grin and it became apparent that he was, in fact, quite sober.

"Well, I'm glad you're getting along! Let's drink to that. What do you say, Spock?"

Spock considered.

"All right, Doctor, just this once.", he said as Leonard was handing out small glasses of whiskey. "Now, Spock. To friendship!", he said, smiling earnestly at his friend.

"To friendship.", Spock replied gently, as Christine, Jim, Chekov and Scotty followed.