"Fascinating"

Avoiding

Anja's POV:

I had tried to avoid Spock as much as possible. That morning after I had come back into my room, I had taken a shower, a very long shower. After that I had looked at me in the mirror, at the long scar lining my tummy right through the middle. It will be a constant reminder, of my horrible past, of the trauma I had experienced.

I put on my uniform, slipped into my boots, put the belt around and fell backwards onto my bed, not meaning to fall asleep but I somehow did.

Suddenly a massive knock came from my door "Anja! Are you in there?" I heard Uhura's voice. I shrug up, what time was it?

I run to the door and pressed the button "Uhura! What time is it?" my eyes widened "Its past lunch time, you were missing the whole morning" she explained "Why didn't anyone come and get me?" "Well, Commander Spock said to let you be, he had met you and you didn't seem very well, so he thought the most logical solution would be to let you rest".

Since that morning I had tried to look at, speak and work with him as less as I possibly could. Which wasn't always possible. As our stations were right next to each other, I also had noticed him sometimes glancing over at me.

Once, he had tried to get some communication out of me. He had leaned into me, between me and Uhura,his back towards her. He had to genuinely check something on my station, but as he did that, he looked at me, his eyes full of questions but I turned away and pretended to do something else. He just finished what he had to do and walked back over to his scanner.

Today was the day before the ball, Friday. I was sitting on my station as usual, concentrating on any sounds or whatever I could hear out there. When I saw a shadow appear next to me "Miss Anja?" I heard that Russian accent "How can I help you Mister Chekov?" I turned to look at him "I wanted to ask if it is okay, if I pick you up from your room tomorrow around 1700 hours?" he seemed a little nervous, I tilted my head, remembering the ball tomorrow "Sounds perfect to me Chekov" I smiled, which made a big grin appear on his face "Great, cant wait" he said, leaned down and kissed my cheek, when we heard a short cough behind us, Spock towering over Chekov "I tend to believe breaks are for those kind of conversations Mister Chekov." He exclaimed, Chekov stood up straight "Of course Commander Spock, sorry sir" he said and walked back to his navigation station and Spock walked back to his scanner. I turned around to see if anyone else had noticed what was going, when I saw Jade standing next to Kirk, him in his chair. When did she come in?

Kirk was turned towards Scotty who had to tend to something here on the bridge. Then Kirk turned back to Spock, noticing I was looking at him and he shrug his shoulders. Jade slightly confused as well walked over to me "What was that about?" she asked, I hadn't told anyone what had happened between me and Spock, Uhura and Jade knew I liked him but that was all. "Miss Montgomery, I believe you are needed in the Sickbay?" Spock commented, still looking through his scanner. Now Kirk stood up "My dear Mister Spock, I would appreciate it if you wouldn't let out your bad mood on my crew" "Captain, Vulcans don't have bad moods. I simply want the Ship to run properly and some of us seem to keep getting lost on someone else's workstation" with that he shortly looked up towards Chekov and back into his scanner.

After another 5 hours, our shift was finished, and the next crew came in to take over. The Captain gave the Com to someone else and we all went to our rooms. After a while it knocked on my door. "Come in" I said, brushing through my hair. Chekov again "I was wondering if you would like to join me for dinner?" he asked, I nodded. I tied my hair in a braid and laid it over my right shoulder. We walked down towards the community room.

There was Uhura, Jade and Sulu and they motioned for us to join them.

"Mister Spock is acting very strange recently" Sulu mentioned, shoving a fork of food in his mouth "He seems a little off" Uhura agreed "Shhhhh" Jade said, spotting Spock walking in.

Chekov had rested his hand on the back of the lean of my chair. Spock looked at us for a second, before he walked over to the machine to get a drink.

"Girls, by the way, I was so cheeky and selected dresses for us, they're beautiful!" Uhura exclaimed. Spock had joined some other crew members and started playing a game of chess. "Well, I hope they don't expose the tummy" I mumbled, which made Chekov but a hand on my tummy "And if, I am sure yours looks just as beautiful as the rest of you". I saw how Spock looked over to us. I took Chekov's Hand and removed it "Excuse me" I apologised and abruptly got up. The table Spock sat on was on the way to the door, as I walked past, he stood up. I stopped, looked up. His face didn't give any emotions away. I also tried to just as unemotional look back at him, I put my arm around my belly, his eyes following the movement of the said arm, that's when I walked off. I heard him turning to watch me walk away "What was that all about?" I heard Chekov asked when slowly, the further I walked away the noises got quieter and quieter.

In the hallway I run against Captain Kirk "Oh Miss Ullmann, careful" he smirked but when he saw my face, his eyes turned to concern "Are you alright?" his hands rested on my arms "I am perfectly fine Captain. Thank you" I replied, winded out of his arms and walked back to my room. Great, no food, awkward meetings with the First Officer, running into the captain and an annoying Russian guy who doesn't get the message of me not being interested.

What a great first week! Can't wait for the rest of the year. If it wasn't for the fact that everybody wanted to be assigned to the Enterprise and that she was the greatest Ship of them all, I totally would request a transfer, but I had better chances with my career here on this ship and to be fair, the Enterprise grew on me.

Spock POV:

I saw how Chekov put his hand on her tummy "And if, I am sure yours looks just as beautiful as the rest of you" he said. If he knew how beautiful it did look. I still tried figuring out what I had done wrong, it did my Vulcan brain in. My human brain suggested that she might be very insecure because of the scar and I had crossed a line tracing along it, maybe she had noticed the questions I had. What story was behind that scar? My curiosity was growing and growing.

How could a woman drive me this crazy? Is that the way my father felt towards my mother?

Anja stood up and came walking towards the exit door. My manners showing, I stood up for the lady to leave the room, but she stopped in front of me. I looked down, her hand on top her tummy where Chekov had touched it. I noticed her moving away, turning, I was wondering where she will be going too now. But as she had been trying to avoid me ever since that very early morning, I had tried to respect her personal space.

But why couldn't I just simply forget her?

I sat back down into my chair.

Her friends she had sat with, all looking at me "Is anything the matter?" I asked politely "No, sorry Commander!" Jade excused and everybody looked away and I totally concentrated onto my chess game.

When I saw Kirk walking in, he nodded at me and went to... Jade. I had noticed him paying a lot of attention to her.

He leaned down and said something into her ear, which made her blush and nod. After he walked over to me. I stood up again "Can I assist you with anything Captain?" I requested "Yes, Spock, in fact you can" he replied but his arm around my shoulder and led me out of the room. We walked a few feet away from the door and he stopped me.

"I have a feeling... "he started, I moved my arms behind my back and raised an eyebrow "I have the feeling, that Lieutenant Anja is behaving weirdly because of you, Mister Spock" he looked straight at me. I breathed in and coughed "I have no idea how you came to that conclusion"