Home for Christmas
By T’Lina
PG
Sa/Am
hurt/comfort
hot chocolate story
A/N:
Sorry to post another sad Christmas story, but this is the one my muse
poured into my head the other night. Hope you enjoy it. Any reviews
or constructive criticism would be much appreciated.
Sarek frowned as he exited his ground car and gazed at his home. The
exterior lights shone amber through the deep blackness of the Vulcan night, but
the interior was dark. Reaching out through their telepathic bond, he
tried to get a sense of Amanda's emotional state, but her mental shields were
firmly in place.
Feeling uneasy, he entered his home. From somewhere in the dark house
came the soft strains of a Christmas song, "I'll Be Home for
Christmas." He hung his cloak on a peg in the entry hall and removed
his boots. Slipping his feet into his worn house slippers, he called out,
"Amanda?" There was no response.
He went in search of his wife. The kitchen was dark and silent.
After depositing a small package on the kitchen counter, he entered the living
room. Multicolored lights glowed on the small
artificial Christmas tree they had set up on a low table, but she was not
there. I-Chaya rose from his bed next to the
picture windows to greet his master. "Where is she?" Sarek
asked his old friend. The sehlat sat and gazed up at his master with
soulful brown eyes, whining softly.
"Come, old friend, let us go find Amanda," Sarek said as he stroked
the rough fur of his pet's head. He headed for their bedroom, I-Chaya padding silently behind him. When he entered
the room, he saw her standing next to one of the bedroom windows gazing out at
her garden.
"I've been looking outside all day" she said quietly, "but
there's no sign of snow." It was the middle of Vulcan's "winter,"
and the temperature had struggled all day to reach 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sarek walked over to stand close behind her, resting his hands on her
shoulders. "There is little likelihood of snow this evening, my
wife," he said softly.
She leaned back against him, reaching her right hand up to caress his left hand
where it rested on her shoulder. "I can always dream," she
replied.
After a few moments of silence, she went on. "I saw Dr. Corrigan
today. He said that I'm recovering nicely and we can resume marital
relations in about four weeks. He advised against trying to get
pregnant again for at least four to six months so my body has a chance to fully
recover."
"Amanda…" Sarek
began, but she turned to face him.
"Did you see her? She was a beautiful little girl with blue eyes and
pointed ears."
"I saw her," he replied quietly, stroking
her hair.
She gripped the soft fabric of her husband's tunic, burying her face against
his chest so he wouldn't see the tears welling up in her eyes. Sarek
wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her close against him, lowering his
mental shields completely so she could feel his own unspoken grief.
"I am sorry this happened again, ashayam.
Dr. Corrigan told me this process has taken a toll on your body. Perhaps
we should stop trying to have a child and be content with our life as it is
now. You are all I need, Amanda. If I were to lose you, I don't
know how I would go on."
She burrowed deeper against his chest, wrapping her arms around his
waist. "I want to give you a child," she whispered.
"I want that more than anything."
He sighed and rested his chin on the top of her head. "Your parents
contacted me at my office this afternoon. They were concerned because you
hadn't responded to any of their messages."
"I didn't know what to say to them."
He pulled back and lifted her chin so they gazed into each other's eyes.
"What would you say to a Christmas visit to your parents in
She smiled mistily up at him. It was the first time he had seen her smile
since she lost the baby. "I would, very much. Thank you for
thinking of it. I missed being home for Christmas last
year."
"I bought you something I hope will improve your
mood at least a little," Sarek replied, his dark eyes gazing at her with
what she knew to be love, even though he would never admit to feeling that
emotion.
"What is this surprise?" she asked with a small smile, her curiosity
piqued.
"Come into the living room. Sit and enjoy listening to your
Christmas music, and I will bring your surprise to you there."
Taking her hand, he drew her into the living room and gently helped her sit in
the antique oak rocker she had brought with her from Earth. After
covering her with the dark blue afghan her mother had crocheted for her the
previous Christmas, he went into the kitchen and closed the door behind
him. I-Chaya settled at her feet, resting his
massive head on her lap. "Whatever is he up to, sweet pea?" she
said as she scratched the ecstatic sehlat behind his ears.
Closing her eyes, she leaned back in the rocker as she listened to the the heavenly sounds of her favorite
Christmas carol, "Silent Night." Within minutes, a familiar
smell began to emanate from the kitchen. The kitchen door opened, and
Sarek walked out carrying a tray with a pot of hot chocolate and two Christmas
mugs.
"Merry Christmas, Amanda," he said as he set the tray down on the
table beside the rocker. He poured hot chocolate into one mug and handed
it to her. After pouring another cup for himself, he sat down in his favorite chair on the opposite side of the table.
She took a cautious sip and sighed with pleasure. "Delicious,"
she commented, smiling at her husband. "Merry Christmas,
Sarek. Thank you for thinking of this. You are so sweet, and I love
you so much."
He replied, "I cherish thee, my aduna," as
he extended his hand in her direction. She reached out
and placed her hand in his. He squeezed it gently and released it.
They sat and sipped their hot chocolate in comfortable silence as they listened
to "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas." After a few moments, he
stole a brief glance at his wife. She seemed more at peace than she had
been in days. Perhaps this trip to visit her family would be healing for
them both. Perhaps, in time, their wish for a child to complete their
union would be fulfilled after all. As his grandfather, Solkar, had often said, "There are always
possibilities."
_________________________________
A/N: Dr. Daniel Corrigan is a character created by Jean Lorrah in her novel "The Vulcan Academy Murders."