Title:  The Sting of Mortality
Author:  Ronda Sexton
Series:  TOS
Code:  Spock/Chapel
Rating:  PG13
Archive:  ASC, ASCEML, Spock/Christine list, BLTS


It had started out like any ordinary day.  Spock and Christine
were enjoying shore leave on a quiet planet.  They had been
bonded for three months.  This was their first chance to be
off the ship since they had bonded.

There had been no inkling of trouble whatsoever.  Suddenly
shouts broke out in the gardens surrounding the quaint
cottage in which they were to spend their shore leave .
Spock and Christine peered out the window.  Angry people
were coming from every direction.  As they surrounded the
cottage, Spock quickly drew Christine away from the
window with him.

"You in there," a harsh voice shouted.  "We know you are in
there."

"Spock, what's going on?" asked Christine in a frightened
voice.

"I do not know," he answered quietly.  He held her close to
reassure her.

"You in there!!"  the angry voice shouted again.  "Who do
you think you are, staying there with a human female?"

"It would appear that they object to me being with you.  I
am sure the local law enforcement officials will come to our
aid."

"Both of you come out now, or we'll come in after you,"
yelled another angry voice.

Spock, noticing that the hostile mob was rapidly advancing
on the cottage, quickly grabbed his communicator from a
table near the windows.  "Spock to Enterprise, emergency
beam out!"

The door burst open, and an enraged man stormed in.  Just
before the transporter took them, he fired wildly, striking
Christine in the chest.  As she slumped to the floor, the
beam dissolved them.

After they rematerialized on the transporter platform, Spock
immediately crouched down beside her.  "Get a medical
team immediately!" he ordered Lieutenant Kyle.

As Kyle hurriedly contacted Sickbay, Spock gathered
Christine in his arms.  "Hold on my T'hy'la, help is coming.
You must hold on."

"Spock," she whispered weakly.  "The baby...." Her
eyelids flittered and closed.

"Baby," said Spock in confusion.  He had not know she
was pregnant.

Dr. McCoy and medical techs rushed into the transporter
room.

"Oh my God," gasped Dr. McCoy.  He hurried to their side
and began scanning her immediately.  "Let's get her to
sickbay immediately."


Spock stood by the bio bed as Dr. McCoy feverishly worked
over Christine.  She was fading away despite all of Dr.
McCoy's efforts.

Spock grasped her hand and tried to find her consciousness
through their bond.  The faint flicker of her mind brushed
against his.  //T'hy'la, don't leave me, I can not go on
without, thee.//

//Spock.........why is everything so bright?  I see bright lights,
I hear beautiful music.//

//T'hy'la,// called Spock in desperation.  //Stay with me,
please stay.  I need you and our baby.//

//Spock, it is so beautiful, there is a little girl with me.  She
looks like you....//

Her presence flickered and was gone.  Alarms went wild in
sickbay.

"No," a voice screamed.

Spock felt hands grab him and pull him away.  He heard a
hypospray hiss, and slipped into blessed unconsciousness.

Later, Spock stood over his mate's lifeless form.  The planetary 
law enforcement officers had already executed the man who 
had shot her.  Had the man still lived, he knew that he would 
have claimed Stol-kar-fa-lee, the ancient rite of killing the one 
who slayed his bondmate.  He felt so empty.  The severing of 
the bond had left a gaping hole in being.  He had been here for 
hours.   No one could dissuade him to leave her.  When he asked 
Dr. McCoy about the baby, he had confirmed that Christine was 
pregnant the day before, and she had planned on surprising 
him tonight.  He could not believe she was gone.  How could 
he go on without her.  She was the one who held his soul.  Tears 
of sorrow began flowing down his cheeks.  His entire body 
began to shudder.  He collapsed over his bondmate's body.  
He was alone again.....so alone.