I'm not sure if I've posted this before or not.  I don't see it in the archives, but I was going through my files tonight and found this, and it seems to be finished...so... Hope you like it.

Title: Experiment

Author: Saidicam29

Rating: R

Pairing: Sa/Am

Summary: A short ficlet that explores Sarek's "logical thing to do" comment from JTB in a little bit different way and tries to tie up some canonical loose ends.

Disclaimer:  Sigh...ya know what...Gene is gone, and now Majel....Jane and Mark are gone...to hell with any disclaimers.  Ok, you know what...I am only borrowing what IMO now belongs only to Rod Roddenberry.


**~~**

He thrust into her, over and over, breathing deeply against the crook of her neck.  He felt her move beneath him, her hips lifting to meet him, but she remained oddly quiet.  Drawing his knees under him slightly he thrust harder, felt her nails bite into his back in response, but still there was silence.  Perplexed, Sarek released a deep breath and raised his head to check on her.  Her face was turned from him, her eyes squeezed tightly shut and her bottom lip crushed harshly between her teeth.

"Is something wrong?"

Amanda's eye popped open, startled.  "No."  She brushed her tongue across her bruised lips.

"Am I not pleasing you tonight?"  He reached out to brush some slightly dampened tendrils off her cheek.

"Of course you are!"  She squirmed beneath his weight, so Sarek adjusted his weight onto one elbow.  "Why?"

"You are not making noise."

A blush crawled over her features.  "Neither are you."

"Yes, however," Sarek surrendered to his body's urgings and thrust gently into her again, causing her to gasp, "I never do.  You, so far, always have."

"And you made fun of me for it."  She placed a hand against his shoulder and pushed slightly.

Sarek ignored it.  "I did not."

"You sure did!  You were practically laughing at me!"  She pushed again, harder.  He did not move.

"That is a fabrication."

"Move, please?"

"We have not finished," he implored.

Amanda grimaced.  "I'm finished."

With an impatient sigh Sarek rolled off her.  Amanda got up, slid into her robe and wrapped it tightly around her.  She sat at the end of her bed, her back to Sarek.

"I did not 'make fun' of you.  I merely mentioned the sounds because...I was unaccustomed to such a reaction."

"Well now I'm self-conscious about it."

Sarek got onto his knees and crawled to the bed of the bed.  Kneeling behind her brushed her hair away from the nape of her neck and leaned in close.  "I enjoy your noises."  Seeing no sign of rejection, he leaned in to press his lips against her neck.  "I like knowing that I am pleasing you."  Amanda turned toward him, staring deeply into his eyes, and Sarek felt a swirl of anticipation take flight in the pit of his stomach.  Perhaps the evening was not lost after all.

"I've been talking with the other girls in the program."

The swirl spun into a fiery crash...one that rose up into his chest in a bitter taste of indigestion.  "Indeed."  Sarek sat back on his rump, knowing this was not going to move in the direction he had hoped.

"The other girls have only been...um...participating once or twice a month, when the ovulation tests indicate it.  You've been coming over once or twice a week."

"I thought you enjoyed my visits."

Amanda shook her head, her face contorting in frustration.  "That's not the point."  She stood to face him then spun her back to him again.

Sarek took note of his naked form and flipped the blanket over his waist. Despite their activities the past few months, she still found it uncomfortable when he was completely bare to her.  "Amanda, those other couples are virtual strangers to each other.  When I was asked to participate in this program, I asked you to join me specifically because we were already acquaintances.  It was to make this easier for us.  However, as there is only a very finite period of time human females can conceive each month, and many conditions that must be exact for conception to occur, it stands to reason that the more we increase the...opportunity for my genetic material to be present at the time your genetic material is susceptible for conception, the better our chances for success."

"They keep warning us about becoming attached.  They always remind us that the men in the program are almost all married, or committed in some way."

"That is true."

"Maybe," she sighed loudly, "maybe our friendship is making things more difficult."

"Do you wish to withdraw from the program?"

She turned to him then, her face lifted hopefully.  "Has anyone else withdrawn?"

"No."

Her face fell.  "Oh."  She stared down at her hands, which were twisting nervously at her waist.  "No, I don't want to withdraw.  I gave my word."

"I," Sarek shook his head, "I do not, will not, settle for you tolerating my touch out of some obligation you feel to the Vulcan government."

"It's not like that, Sarek."  She came over and sat back on the bed.  "You know our time together is," she smiled at him demurely, "it's very nice."

"Then it is your wish that I reduce my visits?"

Amanda shrugged.  "I don't know."

"Amanda, if you are having issues with maintaining adequate detachment in this, have you considered how much more difficult it may be when you carry my child?"

"If," she reiterated.

Sarek bowed slightly to concede her point.  "If, then.  The question remains the same."

Amanda nodded solemnly.  "When you asked me to do this, you made it seem so simple.  And it still seems simple.  Two friends, with similar philosophies, conceive and raise a child."

"On Vulcan," Sarek reminded her.  "Do not forget you have agreed the child will be raised in the Vulcan way, if possible."

"I know.  I look forward to it.  It seems almost ideal, really.  Friends rarely come to hate each other the way spouses do.  At least as they do here.  And to be raised on a planet without the bigotry and hate that exists everywhere else.  What do you call it?  Infinite differences in…"


"Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations," he corrected her.  "That is the idea, at least.  The absence of such strong emotion does enable people to act more logically."

"Then it's my fault.  I'm complicating things."

Sarek moved further down the bed, to sit beside her.  "We were informed that many human females have difficulty separating physical couplings from emotional ones.  Do not blame yourself.  It is your biology."

"I'm weak."

Sarek studied her a moment.  "No.  I would not use that word to describe you."

Amanda smiled mischievously.  "Then how would you describe me?"

Sarek stiffened under her scrutiny.  "I would describe you as a Human, female,
22 Standard years of age—"

"That's not what I meant." She swatted his arm playfully.  "And you know it."  The couple sat in contemplative silence for several minutes.

"I believe I am expected to dress and take my leave now."

Amanda glanced over to meet his eyes.  "Would you mind?"

"This is not how I expected my evening to end," he tilted his head in a shrug, "but you have much to consider, and need privacy to do so."  He tossed aside the cover and padded across the room to his clothes and began to dress.

"I wonder if they would let us do this artificially?"

Sarek glanced at her briefly then leaned against the wall to pull on his socks.

"Do you think we should ask?"

"It has already been done artificially."  He picked up his boots and took them to the bed so he could sit to put them on.  "They have managed Human/Vulcan embryos in a laboratory setting, although I understand it is difficult.  The purpose of this experiment is to see if our people could breed successfully through natural means."

"I don't get it.  What difference does that make?"

Sarek set his boots down and turned towards her.  "You recall that my race nearly caused its own extinction?"  At her nod he continued.  "As a result, out of concern that we could repeat our errors, we have developed an exacting culture, regimenting our lifestyles to a minute degree."

"And it's worked.  Your people are the only truly peaceful race in our existence.  It may be hard, I can only imagine how hard it is for you, but surely worth the effort?"

"I am not arguing that, Amanda, but it is not necessarily enough."  His lips curled ever so slightly at the corners.  "Vulcans tend to be somewhat alarmist.  Despite our many millennia of peaceful existence, my people are always concerned with how we will survive, as a species, if something should occur."

Now Amanda's mouth curved into a grin.  "So their plan is to swoop up all the human females?"

"Not all, surely."

"Don't you think the human men will have something to say about that?"

Sarek sat up straighter, his brow raising challengingly.  "I do not believe that is of much concern to us."

Amanda laughed.  "Tsk.  Such arrogance."

"Merely stating a fact," Sarek countered.

"The question is," Amanda grabbed a pillow from behind her and laid down, clutching the pillow to her chest, "are you stopping for awhile, or  forever?"

"Is that what you want?  Forever?"

"I'm not talking about me; but no woman wants to raise a child alone."

"On Vulcan no one raises a child alone regardless of their martial status."

"Yes, I've heard.  And that's nice, but our women want more than just financial support.  We want a companion to raise our children with."

Sarek leaned back so he lay beside her, raised on one elbow to look down at her face.  "A companion, or a mate?"

"That's semantics.  Invariably a companion becomes a mate at some point."

Sarek nodded.  "I am hardly in a position to dispute that, am I?"  She smiled and shook her head in agreement.  He reached out to remove her pillow protection.  "Speaking of positions, we seem to be back to where we began."

"You have a one track mind, Vulcan."

"Perhaps, but it makes me more efficient."  He saw her roll her eyes. "Should I leave?"

"You can stay, if you want."

Sarek leaned over her, reaching out to pull the closure of her robe open. "I want."

**~~~****

Sarek allowed himself a moment to soak up Vulcan's sun before sliding the card key into the reader that would allow him entry into the dormitory the program's remaining females were housed in.  He was surprised at the level of security the women were being granted.  It had taken him nearly three v'hrals to gain access to the compound, and then only with the help of his father's influence as Ambassador.  He closed the door behind him, having to wait to allow his eyes to adjust to the dim interior.  All the windows were closed, shades down blocking out virtually all daylight.  The climate controls were set low, enough so that Sarek regretted not having worn his warmer tunic.

No one came to greet him, so he hesitantly moved into the adjacent room in search of one of the occupants.  He found three.  There were three obviously pregnant females seated in the lounge.  Two sat on a couch watching the vid, and the third sat in a rocking chair making something out of yarn.  All three noticed his arrival, but none offered a greeting.  In fact, Sarek had the distinct impression they were watching him with something akin to anger. Amanda was not among them.
"I wish to speak with Amanda."

"She's in her room." The rocking chair woman answered brusquely.  "Down the hall, second room on the left."

Sarek nodded slowly.  "Am I permitted to visit her room?"

"Could hardly do more damage than's already been done."

Sarek stared at the surly woman a moment then move past the them without another word.  He walked to the aforementioned door and knocked quietly.

He heard her beckon and stepped inside, closing the door behind him for privacy.  Amanda lay on her bed, on her side, facing the door.  Her stomach was obviously distended.  Her eyes widened upon seeing him, but she did not greet him as he expected.  Rather she seemed to shrink back, and her expression very much resembled those of her companions.

"I just this morning arrived."  At first she said nothing, and Sarek wondered if it were possible she did not hear.  "Amanda?"

"What took you so long?" she spat at him.

"It took time for my transfer to go through.  Much longer than I had anticipated."  He walked further into the room, studying her.  "You look much different.  Have you been well?"

Tears welled up in her eyes and leaked onto her cheek.  "No, I haven't been well.  I've been horrible!  I haven't seen my feet in weeks, although I'm told they've swelled up to twice their size.  My back hurts.  I'm constantly being poked and prodded, and I'm on more drugs than I can count, all of which make keeping down food all but impossible.  There have been thirteen miscarriages since I've come here and two deaths."  Her tears ran freely now, months of tension coming to a head at once.  "And I've been alone through all of it."

"I am sorry this has been difficult."  Sarek picked up a chair sitting at her desk and placed it beside her bed then took a seat.  "I came as soon as I could, but you were not alone."

"We were all alone!"

"That is not logical, Amanda."

"Oh, shut up."  With obvious effort she rolled to turn her back to him.

"Those words are offensive," he reprimanded.  "Do not speak to me that way."

"Lying is offensive!  Trickery is offensive.  How dare you lecture me on mannerisms?"

"What is this you speak of?  No one has tricked you."

She turned onto her back to face him.  "We were all tricked.  This isn't about our people coming together; it's about using us as surrogates.  These babies aren't ours.  We aren't going to be allowed to keep them."

"Wait, Amanda, please."  Sarek reached out to take her hand in his, hoping to provide a calming influence, but she pulled away.

"Did you know, Sarek?  Were you a part of this from the beginning?"

"I know nothing of which you speak; but Vulcans do not lie, Amanda."

"Oh, I know.  We've heard that countless times in the months we've been held captive here.  Vulcan may not lie, but they do 'withhold the truth', don't they?"

"Held captive?"  Sarek shook his head.  "Please, start from the beginning. I cannot make any sense from your words."

"You know the beginning!"  Amanda tossed her head side to side in frustration.  "Right after our pregnancies were confirmed we were brought to Vulcan because, apparently, this is the only place we could receive adequate care."

"Yes, and you knew this would be the case before we began.  You expressed eagerness for this as you wanted to see Vulcan; you wanted to do some studies here."

"I know that!"

"Very well," Sarek soothed.  "Carry on, please."

"As soon as we got here they started loading us up on all these drugs.  I don't know what they were but they insisted we needed them.  All I know is they made all of us very sick.  Then they started doing...procedures." Tears welled up again, but she kept them from spilling.  "At first we didn't think anything of it, when it was the first couple of girls.  But then it was all of us. All of us having the exact same complication, needing the exact same intervention.  That seemed odd, and it was painful...so painful. They went inside us.  They did something to the baby, changed it.

"That's when everyone started having miscarriages.  One right after another. Every couple of days one of us would be whisked from here bleeding, crying in pain.  And they never came back, Sarek.  We didn't know what happened to them, but there's only two options, really.  Assuming it's not the worst, and all those women died, then it could mean only one thing.  Once these babies are out we won't be allowed to stay."

Sarek opened his mouth to respond, but decided against it.  He would let her finish her story then he could calm all her fears.

"We couldn't understand why they would do that.  It wasn't until one of the women went into sudden labor, at the dormitory, and actually gave birth before they got here that we saw it.  Sarek, there was nothing human in that baby.  Nothing at all.  Then some of the girls started intentionally giving birth here, wanting to see their babies before they saw it, before they could do anything.  They were all the same...all large, all beautiful, but all Vulcan...and all dead."

An errant tear fell down her cheek, she hastily wipe it away.  "They were mad at us.  As our punishment we aren't allowed to leave the campus without a Vulcan escort.  And now we have these medi-chips in us, so they will know the moment we start labor and can come get us."  She looked up at Sarek, his eyes hooded and dark.  "I told you we were captives."

"Are the four of you all that remain?" he asked.  At her nod he sighed deeply.  "I regret that this experience has been so terribly difficult for you, Amanda."  He reached up to wipe away another of her tears.  "But I fear you are succumbing to the uninformed and irrational fears of your companions."

"Irrational!"

He cupped her face with his hand, brushing his thumb affectionately cross her lips.  "It is hardly surprising that there are some inherent complications involved in combining Human and Vulcan genetics that would require extensive, and apparently uncomfortable, interventions."

"There's no combining—"

"Based on what, Amanda?  The infant's appearance?  You know better," he chided.  "Does the blue eyed human suspect an infant is not hers when the child has brown eyes?  Physical appearance does not indicate one's genetic makeup.  I suspect Vulcan genetics are simply dominate in these cases."  He placed his hand upon her bulging belly.  "This child is yours, put there by me.  Nothing more."  Sarek felt a ripple beneath his palm, then a distinctive push against him.  "I feel him moving," he murmured reverently, his eyes lighting up at the experience.

"Don't get used to it," Amanda warned.  "It will be dead soon."

Sarek's face tightened, his expression closed.  "Such thinking is not productive."

"Why would I be any different than the others?"  She pushed herself to a sitting position.  "Okay.  Let's just say, for argument's sake, that you are correct; and we've been grossly overreacting.  That doesn't change the other facts.  That each of us has been deported as soon as the pregnancy was  over."

"I do not imagine many human women would wish to remain here with no reason to keep them."

"Without saying good-bye?"

Sarek nodded.  "I see your point; that would be uncharacteristic.  However, perhaps they were concerned that seeing those women afterwards could have detrimental effects on your emotional wellbeing?"

"Why are you making excuses for them?"

"I am not.  I am only suggesting possible Vulcan points of view to explain their motivations to you."

"Then explain these medi-chips, and explain why I am stuck here for the remainder of this pregnancy."

"It seems to me," Sarek began gently, "that during the course of this experiment several of the ladies have made dangerous and possibly deadly decisions.  I must admit after hearing your story I am rather comforted by the knowledge that you are under constant monitoring.  But you are not captive, I promise you.  If you want to leave, you can."  He watched her, her indecision clear to see in her expression. "Do you want to return to Earth?"

"If I do, the baby will have no chance of survival."

Sarek nodded.  "However, if you are expecting that result anyway, and for a child you believe is not yours to begin with, then what difference does that make?"  Amanda shook her head.  "You are frightened," Sarek took her hand and placed it upon her stomach, keeping his hand covering hers, "but you know this child is ours, and you would never do anything that might harm him.  I regret that I did not come sooner.  I could have made this much easier for you."

"How long are you staying?"

"For several months.  I have been transferred to the diplomatic tract, and have returned to undergo my training."

"You'll be here when I go into labor?"

"I will be by your side the entire time, if you wish."

Amanda threw her arms around Sarek's neck and hugged him tight.  "I'm so glad you're here."

Sarek loosely folded his arms around Amanda.  "I wish to make this easier for you, in any way I can."

"Thank you."

Sarek pushed her back from him, looking into her eyes.  "For now, I think you have been confined to this campus too long.  Where would you like to go today?"

"Anywhere!  And I'm in no hurry to come back!"

**~~**

Sarek arose from his mediations to an insistent banging somewhere in his home.  Listening, he realized someone was striking at his front door.  He rose to his feet, wondering if entrance chimes had malfunctioned in some way.  As he made his way to the front of the house he began to hear his name being shouted, screeched was perhaps a more accurate term, amidst the banging.  It was Amanda.  Sarek picked up his pace, imagining what his neighbors must be thinking of this display.

He opened the door to a sweaty, distressed, gravid Amanda.

"I was afraid you weren't home!" she exclaimed, storming past him into the house.

Sarek closed the door and followed her to the kitchen, where she had procured a cold cloth and was pressing it against her overheated skin.  "You cannot have such displays.  It will not be tolerated here," he reprimanded as he retrieved a glass from his cupboard and filled it with cold water for her.  "You will become dehydrated," he warned, pressing the glass into her hand.

"It won't matter, I won't be here."  She put the glass on his table and pulled a parchment from the pocket of her maternity shirt.  "Look what they sent me."

Sarek took the form from her, noting her breathless, pained expression as she rubbed her hand across her stomach.  He rolled open the letter, his brow raising as he read its contents.  Amanda's student visa had expired, and she was to report to the space station in forty-eight v'hrals for transportation back to Terra.  Sarek rolled the sheet back up.  "This is obviously an error."

"Oh yeah, it's an error all right.  They didn't expect I'd go past my due date and expired my visa anyway."  She stiffened again, clutching her belly.

"Perhaps you should sit," Sarek pulled a chair from his table.

"No, it feels better when I stand.  I'm all right, just crampy."  She took a sip from the glass of water.  "What are we going to do?  You said they wouldn't do this.  You promised!"

"It would not due to jump to conclusions."  Although he now was also having his doubts about his government's intentions.

"I'm not!  Sarek, how can you deny this still?"  A sudden, severe, cramp wracked her body, doubling her over in pain.  Sarek rushed forward to support her.  "Oh my god, my water just broke."  He glanced down and saw the growing wet area on her pants.  Amanda looked up at him, panicked.  "They're going to know.  They're going to come for me.  What are we going to do?"

"We are going to remain calm; and we are going to accompany them back to the compound."

"No!"

"We must.  You are in labor, Amanda.  We need medical assistance."

"No.  I don't trust them.  I don't want to go there.  Something will happen, I just know it."

"You are letting your fears control you."

"Please, Sarek."  She grabbed his tunic, desperately pulling at him.  "Take me someplace else.  There are other doctors, other hospitals."

"There are other hospitals, but they do not treat non-Vulcans.  And the medi-chip would still lead them to you."

Amanda released him sitting heavily into one of the kitchen chairs. "Then that's it.  I'm at their mercy."  She clenched, working through another contraction, this one strong enough to bring tears to her eyes. "They're going to send me away.  They're going to take my baby from me."

"No.  That will not happen."  Sarek watched her helplessly.  He could help her through the physical pain, but it was her emotional turmoil that tortured them both.  "I give you my word that you will not be separated from this child."

Amanda reached out to him, and he took her hand in his.  "Don't make promises you can't keep.  My faith in your government, in your people, has been shaken; but I couldn't stand losing my faith in you too."

Sarek crouched down beside her, making them level.  "I promise.  I have an idea.  I cannot guarantee we will find help there, and if they should turn us away I do not know if there will be time—"

"Take me.  I don't care where it is, as long as it's not back there."

With a grim nod Sarek scooped Amanda into his arms and took her to his flitter.

**~~**

Sarek led Amanda to a stone bench and helped her to lie down.  He removed his outer robe to use as a pillow as they waited.  Amanda's pains were coming quickly now, her pain intense.  In the hours since they left his home Sarek's mind retraced all that he knew of this.  What his government had told him, what Amanda has said.  It did not seem possible, and yet he could not deny he was giving more and more credence to Amanda's beliefs as time went on.  And if she was right, he had to protect her.  Her and their child, if it was their child.  No, it was not possible that science could manipulate DNA to such extremes as to remove nearly half a child's make-up. Was it?

The sound of wood scraping across stone alerted Sarek that someone was entering their catacomb.  He stood to meet them, subconsciously placing himself between Amanda and the doorway.  Upon seeing Priestess T'Rea before him, Sarek released a sigh of relief, earning him a cursory brow raise from his former wife.

"Your presence is unexpected, Sarek'am.  After all these years, you have need of me?"

"I do, T'Rea.  Forgive my intrusion, but I would not have come if it were not urgent.  I require your assistance."  He moved to the side and gestured to Amanda.

T'Rea stared at Amanda for several moments, assessing her, then turned her attention back to Sarek.  "I do not understand."

"She is about to give birth.  She needs help."

"I can see that, but why bring her here?  I know nothing of Q'uomi physiology."

"It is not so different than ours.  I cannot take her elsewhere."

"Why not?"

Sarek look away uncomfortably.  "It is complicated."  He looked at Amanda, her agony, and her bravery.  Her attempts to control and conceal her pain were excruciating, and very obvious.  She knew nothing of where they were, or who this woman was, but she was trying not to embarrass him, of this he was certain.  She honored him.  "The child is mine," he admitted, straightening his spine and staring directly into T'Rea's eyes.

This time both her brows raised, and she looked towards the exit, no doubt wishing to escape.  "I can explain," Sarek offered.

"Not necessary," T'Rea stopped him, holding a palm up to punctuate her decree.  "I will assist, but I cannot guarantee success."

"No one can, particularly in our case."  Sarek bowed to her.  "We are indebted to you."

"I come to serve," T'Rea intoned, bowing.

"Your service honors us," Sarek offered the traditional response in return.

"See to your woman, Sarek'am.  I will collect my supplies."

Sarek watched T'Rea leave, then turned to Amanda, who was watching as well. "She has agreed to help us," he explained.

"Who is she?"

T'Rea returned with two basins of water, one of which she handed to Sarek.

"A friend," Sarek answered, catching T'Rea dubious glance.  He took the basin from her, noticing the cloth inside, which he wrung out and began bathing Amanda's face and neck.

**~~**

Sarek stood by, watching T'Rea positioned at Amanda's feet, urging her to push the infant out.  It had been hours of this, pushing, relaxing, pushing some more.  He heard T'Rea assuring Amanda progress was being made, but he wasn't so sure.  Should it take this long?  Surely Amanda could not withstand this much longer.

He'd said nothing since the delivery process had begun.  In part because he did not wish to interfere in the women's' work, to disrupt their concentration.  And in part because all his doubts had come raging to the surface, all the assurances he's given Amanda forgotten.  What if they did, indeed, intend to deport Amanda from the planet?  Could he actually stop them?  And what was about to come forth from Amanda's loins?  Was it a hybrid, a creation of Amanda and himself; or something else, something…engineered?

Amanda's cry of agony pulled him from his reverie, startling him.  A fist clenched his heart as he saw her collapse onto the bench, exhausted.  He turned to T'Rea for help, but she was otherwise occupied.  Her back was to him, but then she turned, and in her arms she held the infant.  He, and it was definitely a he, had dark eyes and hair, and tiny pointed ears that could only be of his people.

"Sarek, your son."  T'Rea held the boy up for Sarek to see.

Sarek stepped closer, studying the infant, but could not detect a single human trait.  Then the baby began to struggle in T'Rea's hands, his tiny elfin face crumpled, then his mouth opened to emit the strongest cry of outrage Sarek had ever witnessed in such a tiny body.  Taken aback, Sarek could only stare as T'Rea pushed the child at him to be rid of it.  Sarek held him strongly in his hands and only one thought occurred to him as the contact allowed his mind to touch the infant's fragile thoughts.  "So human," he murmured incredulously.

Some instinct, either a never realized ability to nurture or a telepathic sense of the child's needs, caused Sarek to cradle the infant against his chest and immediately he quieted, nuzzling against him.  Sarek glanced over to see T'Rea watching them, a strange expression on her face until she noticed his stare, then it was gone.

"She did well, Sarek'am.  She needs rest now, but expresses a desire to spend time with the child before I tend to them."

Sarek nodded.  "Thank you."

T'Rea shook her head.  "Gratitude is illogical, Sarek.  I acted in the only logical way open to me.  If I did not assist, two lives would have in jeopardy."

Sarek nodded.  "Still, others would not have helped."

"Is there anything more you need from me?"

Sarek looked down at his son, their son, then looked at Amanda who was watching him with a tired but joyous expression.  "Yes."  He walked to Amanda, kneeling beside her to place the child upon her chest and help her hold him.  "There is one more service we need you to perform."

He looked to T'Rea, who nodded knowingly.

**~~**

Sarek entered his home, the aroma of dinner wafting to him immediately.  He could hear Amanda and their child playing in the next room.  A serene smile spread to his lips for just a moment before he whisked it away and searched out his family.

Amanda was seated on the floor, holding Spock perched on the edge of the couch, his shirt pushed up as Amanda repeatedly pressed her lips against his belly and blew, making their son squeal in delight.

"Which of you enjoys this game more?" Sarek asked from the living room doorway.

Amanda smiled upon seeing him.  "You're home early!  Dinner will be awhile still."

"I am in no rush."  Sarek sat on the couch, taking his son in his arms. "And how was your visit to the Healer, my son?"

"Right as rain!" Amanda exclaimed.  She moved up to sit beside them.  "The Healer was pleased with his progress.  After a slow start he's finally caught up to Vulcan children his age.  And," she reached out to pinch Spock's cheek, "if you'll recall Spock is six months old today.  The age the Healer's said we could stop worrying about any unexpected complications."

"Yes, I do recall."  Sarek leaned forward to place Spock on the floor with some of his toys then turned towards Amanda.  "Which also means as of today we have been married for six months."

Amanda nodded, her expression becoming serious.  "Yes, I know.  I've been meaning to talk to you about that.  I don't think I've ever thanked you for what you've done."

"I have done nothing-"

"No," she interrupted.  "You have.  I know I can't prove it, but I know that if you hadn't gotten that priestess to marry us they would have sent me away, and I never would have seen Spock.  You gave me your name, and your home...and our son."

"I gave up nothing—"

She cut him off again.  "I just wanted you to know that…if anything changes…if you need to be free to, you know, move on with your life, I'll understand.  We'll work around it.  I don't want to ever become a burden to you."

"You could never be a burden, Amanda.  However." Sarek looked away, using the pretense of watching their son at play to form his words carefully, "these past few months with you here, and with Spock, it has made me realize there was.some...thing missing in my life.  Having a child has made me nearly complete."  He looked back to her.  "All I am missing is a wife."

Amanda nodded sympathetically.  "I understand."

Sarek shook his head.  "I am not certain you do.  Legally speaking, I do have a wife," his gaze met and held hers, "but she does not give of herself to me, not all of herself."

Amanda swallowed hard.  "Sarek, I…"

Sarek reached up and cupped her cheek in his palm, then pulled her closer, close enough to kiss though he did not do so.  "I have everything I need within my reach, but I cannot grasp it."

"Tell me what you want from me and it's yours.  I owe you everything."

"I want you in my life, as my wife with all that entails, but not out of obligation."  He moved closer, pressing his lips to hers in human fashion.

"A woman hardly needs obligation to be in your bed."

"Then I stir you as you do me?"

"Yes," she answered breathlessly.

"And you have found these past months on Vulcan to be tolerable?  You could be fulfilled with an existence such as this?"

Amanda nodded, sliding her hands up his arms and clasping them loosely behind his neck.  She leaned forward and kissed him back.

"Then, tonight, you shall move your things to my room."

Amanda nodded, her breathing growing heavier.  "And will you then make me your wife, officially?"

"Perhaps before tonight," Sarek pushed her back and lay atop of her intertwining his body with her, their legs, their lips, their tongues.

A small tap on his head pulled his attention, and he glanced up to see his infant son's face inches from his.

"Oh," Amanda laughed.  "We have a visitor.  Sarek, do you know what this means?"

"Yes.  Spock needs his own room."

"No, he pulled himself up.  Look, he's standing!"

Sarek sat up noticing that, although he held onto the couch for support, his son was indeed standing.  "Yes.  Very good, Spock.  Although I do hope his timing will one day improve."  He glanced at Spock, whose toothless grin promised of no such thing.

The End