Last Moment

Last Moment

By Aleda Gildeth

Disclaimer: Only in my dreams.
Rating: PG
Genre: Angst
Spoilers: None
Summary: A very short T/T’P vignette from Archer’s POV. Angst feast.
Author’s Note: I wrote this late one night while I was brainstorming. It just ran out of my pencil, so I hope it makes sense. I was planning to make this a part of a larger story, but I doubt I’ll have time. So enjoy! And please R&R of course.

Last Moment

I stare at them on the floor. He clutches at her, holding her to him, fear and tears threatening to spill, the front of his shirt soaked in her blood. She clings to him, trying to stay with him; she’s forgotten the rest of us, and she fights, whispering broken words he won’t hear.

This is a last moment, a Last Moment. A moment I’m not in.

This isn’t the Trip I know. This isn’t the constant, fearless, ever-ready-for-action man that I brought on board. This isn’t the engineer who bickered with our science officer, even good naturedly, at every opportunity, who joked about Vulcans and drank with me Saturday nights.

He’s clinging to her as though for his own life.

This isn’t the T’Pol I know. This isn’t the detached, reserved woman I’ve relied on. This isn’t the logical, steady, unreadable Vulcan that came onto my bridge by chance and then refused to leave.

Her hand lies on his chest, her fingers clutch his uniform, but it’s not pain. She can’t possibly be feeling anything now.

His hands are covered in her blood. He can’t stop it, but he begs hopelessly for her to hold on. Her chest rises and falls in labored breaths as she tells him something no one else can hear, cut short as she chokes on the blood slowly filling her lungs.

He looks up at me, panic flooding his face, and he yells at me shrilly. “What are you doing?!! Call the Enterprise! Call Enterprise, God dammit!!!”

In my shocked stupor I manage to pull out my communicator, but my own voice sounds far away. “Archer to Enterprise. Get Phlox down here now. T’Pol’s wounded… She doesn’t have much time.”

He’s turned back to her, sweeping blood-matted hair from her face, her hand on the back of his neck, her eyes only on him.

I’ve disappeared again.

She utters his name. The name no one calls him. “Charles…” It’s all she can manage.

“No, no, darlin’. You gotta hold on. Stay with me. Please, hold on…”

There is no Commander or Sub-Commander here. No engineer, no science officer. No Human or Vulcan.

Just T’Pol and… Charles.

She’s slipping through his fingers. I should be panicking too. I should be trying to help, help her breathe, staunch the flow, however pointless it would be. But all I feel is lost.

I don’t know these people. I don’t know who they are.

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A whole mess of folks have made comments

please whrite soon more of this story.
its very good.
is T'pol going to dye?

Dramatic and poignant. I liked the viewpoint from Archer's perspective, as if only now is he seeing Trip and T'Pol in a clear light and the view shatters him but there is not yet any real glimmer of understanding filtering through to his befogged brain. He is seeing them as strangers instead of understanding them as friends. I hope you have more of this story in the works. Can't stand the thought of T'Pol dying, even if she does get to do it in Trip's arms. Ali D :~)

If you kill her off, I'm going to have a tantrum...

Write a sequal involving Phlox, a blood transfusion and a stammering Archer trying to come to terms with his Chief Engineer and Science Officer being a couple...or else! :D

Lovely Vignette though!

That was very angsty! I liked it! Especially from my anti-Archer goggles. He's such a butthead.

I liked this! Especially after E2 where Archer is just beginning to realize Trip and T'pol's relationship. Great job!

Very sad... now I have to go and cry! Waaaaaaaaa!

This is solid work, I loved Archer's point of view, his panic and sense of desolation at seeing the 2 "strangers". It makes T'Pol's end and Trip's grief more tragic when seen from a "lost" point of view. Superb.

I loved it just the way it was... It's beautliful. (made the hair stand up on the back of my neck) Good job!.

Don't change a thing. Leave the angst!

AWESOME and TERRIBLE. Please write more!

that was so sad

Fabulous and sad. I loved it. Just T'Pol and Charles - brilliant.

One in the eye to those accusing you of fluffy writings!

This is a material for crying. Nice job.

This is a material for crying. Nice job.