Title: Memories

Pairing: Sa/Am

Series: TOS

Rating: NC17 -- I think

Disclaimer: These characters belong entirely to Paramount and Viacom. Only the idea is mine.

Summary: JTB challenge story explaining Sarek’s “condition” when he disembarked from the shuttle.

Amanda sat in a passenger seat closest to the rear of the shuttle with the intent to observe her husband as he and the two aides finalize their strategies for the conference at Babel. The negotiations would need a firm logical hand to be in command of them, due to the unstable nature of the fragile of the proceedings.

She enjoyed watching her husband, the Vulcan Ambassador, work. He was a true master of his art. There were none his equal in her opinion. She was proud to know him and to have the privilege to love him.

Casually she leaned against the back of the chair’s headrest as she eyed him. On many occasions such as this she closed the door to their bond so as not to distract him. His work was vitally important and she supported him whole-heartedly on the matter. Therefore she guarded carefully those things that she was permitted to do so being watchful not to over step her bounds.

As she attentively appraised her husband, her eyes filled with a bright smile that echoed her thoughts. For all appearances he “looked” bored, which shouted that it was an ideal time to play the game that she often would tease him with. Of course, she would always take into consideration the circumstances they were involved in before she initiated it. And since she had not played this game with Sarek in such a long time, now seemed as good a time as any.

She closed her eyes, and searched her mind for a memory that she could toy with, one that would test Sarek’s discipline. A soft smile toyed at her lips at the thought. She loved helping him with his discipline. And just the right memory stood out.

Slowly she adjusted her mind to allow slivers of it to pass through the bond gradually until it would sneak up on him catching him off guard.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

“Tell me my wife, what do you plan for us today?” Sarek asked with a hint of a smile in his expressive dark eyes.

While they had been ‘dating’, Amanda was quick to inform Sarek of her stance on what she believed it took to cultivate a healthy relationship. She was firm on this and unwavering.

Logically, he concluded that indulging Amanda in these small concessions would indeed foster their oneness due to their being unique as a Vulcan–Human couple. And despite the fact that he would never openly admit it to anyone, he was delighted to experience adventures with her as she often brought new perspectives to situations he had not previously thought of, or had but dismissed them quickly because they were illogical.

She looked up at him, innocently beaming. “Being nearly summer I thought I’d like to share a very special Terran custom with you, my husband.”

“And that would be?” he pressed, amused, however not displaying it.

“You’ll see in a moment, beloved.”

They walked side by side, of course not touching, adhering to Vulcan protocols on emotional displays. No matter where they were, they remained under the scrutiny of every watchful eye. After all it wasn’t every day one saw a couple like them dating. With him holding such a high position, appearances had to be strictly maintained. However, the two of them did manage to find their way around it.

Amanda brought them to a halt near a lone building adjacent to a miniature golf course sporting an adventure theme. She eyed that thoroughly, logging that down mentally for an adventure for another day. “Sarek, please sit here,” she requested when she indicated the picnic table that they were standing next to. “I’ll return in a moment.”

He responded with a nod and took a seat after he carefully swept his robe behind him so that he would not sit on it. He watched attentively as she approached the shack and conversed with a female youth and exchanged some credits. If he were human, he would have suppressed a laugh, because the young woman kept peering out from behind the paper advertisements that were randomly taped to the glass surface displaying a variety of frozen desserts.

Amanda’s return was casual as she attended to the immediate task of eating her selection. She handed Sarek his, to which he eyed with interest. His was smaller and completely white, while hers was larger and mixed with chocolate.

“A wise choice, Amanda,” he acknowledged understanding her unspoken reason.

“Thank you, darling,” she said between licks.

He carefully paid attention to Amanda to be sure he utilized the proper technique as she sat next to him. With a raised eyebrow, he scrutinized his now melting cone. Apparently he was not employing the correct technique.

Noticing this, she reached over and lightly gripped his wrist and licked the area where the most melting occurred at the base of the frozen treat.

“I am uncertain as to how I am expected to proceed,” he said to her.

“Just lick it before it melts,” she instructed with a smile.

He raised another eyebrow. “ I have done that and it continues to melt.”

“You have to be quick about it, beloved. Here watch. There are two methods of eating an ice cream cone. The preferred method is the rotating circular method.” She demonstrated it by licking horizontally and rotating the cone half circle in her wrist. “Come, beloved, you must do this quickly or it will melt.”

He did as instructed.

“Or there is the vertical lick it up straight from the bottom method.” Again starting at the base of the ice cream she licked upwards.

Yielding to her expertise in the matter he continued again. “And these are the common methods?”

“Indeed,” she acknowledged enthusiastically between licks.

“And what is the significance of this custom?”

“Ice cream is an essential ritual to acknowledge that spring has sprung and to announce that summer is here.”

“Interesting. Do all participate in this ‘ritual’?”

“For the most part, yes.”

He continued to watch her as she licked the ice cream. “I see your preferred method is the circular rotation.”

“Yes. You must eat, Sarek,” she chided.

When she got the ice cream to just the right height she plunged the top into her mouth into it and pulled off a portion. She continued and slurped a great deal.

“Another technique, I see.”

“Hmmmm,” she acknowledged.

He had managed between the melting to finish it down to the top of the cone, as did she. “The next course of action would be?”

She eyed his efforts with approval and demonstrated the final method. “You can do several things. Loop your tongue into a hook to scoop the ice cream out, or you can place your entire mouth over the cone and suck on it like this to draw it out. Then you begin to chew the cone."

“And these skills, what are they in relation to?”

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Sarek announced his pleasure through the bond at her choice of memory, and he thanked her for sharing it. It was an uplifting diversion.

//Hold on beloved, I am not finished yet. // Her eyes met his as no verbal communication transpired.

// Please proceed,// he encouraged.

She noted the glimmering mirth displayed in his eyes. They were getting one over on the two unsuspecting aides.

Then she repeated that last question of his about the skills. “What are they in relation to?”

Her next image that she shared with him was of them in their quarters; the lights subdued to a casual ambiance, the scent of sandalwood dancing on the air. She let Sarek absorb this.

His robes were opened revealing himself as he sat on the edge of the bed. She coyly looked up at him leaning on his knees clad in a sheer black number that stretched tautly against her skin revealing her milkiness beneath.

With her eyes guiding their collective attention she reached for the ambassadorial tool and took it within her hand. Then she shifted her gaze deeply into his eyes as she allowed her tongue to slither from her lips.

******

Sarek quickly glanced at Amanda who smugly sat in her chair, and winked. The aides raised their eyebrows in question to his reaction. “It is of no consequence,” he assured them with a wave of his hand.

From Amanda’s mind to his, // Are you so sure about that? //

Steadily he felt the ambassadorial tool rise in favor of Amanda’s statement.