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Accustomed to Her Face - Ch 2Accustomed to Her Face By Amok2 RATING: PG SPOILERS: This takes place in season 4, so be warned there are spoilers I’ve incorporated for what the NOTE: THANK YOU ALL for your supportive comments! I didn’t know until I finally submitted the story if it I promise it’ll speed up after this, because I have a pretty good idea of how the story’s going to end... ---------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2 23:00, Starfleet HQ When she heard Trip’s answer, T’Pol drew in a deep breath that she hadn’t even known she’d been holding. “I am glad, Commander, that you will be accompanying me,” T’Pol said. For the first time that night, Trip flashed his signature grin. “I gotta admit-- I’ve always been curious about the Fire Plains of Vulcan. Maybe it’s the Florida boy in me, but I’ve always been drawn to the heat,” he said.
“Well, it’s like I was expecting to do a lot of surfing on Vulcan, but I guess I’m gonna learn to get used to your desert,” Trip said. “Indeed,” T’Pol said. “I will help you adjust. Perhaps we can focus some of our meditation exercises in training you to disregard any discomfort you may experience.” “Whatever you say, T’Pol. I know I’m in good hands.” He paused and took a long sip of his drink until the ice clinked in the glass. “But I gotta tell you, as curious as I am about Vulcan’s natural wonders, I’m more curious about your family. I don’t know anything about them,” he said. “What would you like to know?” “Well, for starters, tell me about your mom,” Trip asked, pulling his chair closer to hers. Trip saw what passed for a frown on T’Pol’s face -- that lovely face -- in the most subtle of adjustments. “My mother, T’Les, is...a formidable individual, a seasoned scientist and respected elder in the High Council,” she said. “No offense T’Pol, but that’s not really telling me what she’s like. Or what she likes. Like, how’s she feel about humans? Given how friendly you were when we first met, I’m not sure the apple fell far from the tree. Is she gonna be ok with you bringing me home to the family?” The familiar signs of T’Pol’s growing exasperation began to appear on her face, causing Trip to cover his mouth as his grin grew wider. “Commander, I do not fully understand the reference to dropped fruit in your question, but if I am to discern the meaning of your question, you wonder if because I possessed preconceptions of humans when I first boarded the Enterprise if that is a reflection of intolerance ingrained in me during my upbringing?” “Well, in a nutshell, yes, T’Pol. That’s what I’m “I come from a traditional Vulcan family, Commander. I was raised to abide by a strict code of conduct infused with discipline -- mental and emotional. Science and rational thought were the cornerstones of my parents’ teaching. Logic above all else was prized,” she said. “Sounds like you had a really fun childhood, T’Pol,” said Trip, dripping sarcasm into his usual drawl. “It was not what you would consider the most spontaneous household, Commander, but I assure you I always felt cared for and protected, nurtured and encouraged as an individual,” she answered, cocking one eyebrow as she reached for her own drink. “My family imbued within me a deep appreciation of our heritage,” she said. “You know of my struggle to reconcile that with my commission on Enterprise.” He was quiet for a moment. “I know what you sacrificed, T’Pol, what it meant to you to cancel your wedding and disappoint your family,” he said. “But I can’t say I’m sorry you did it. I can’t imagine this mission without you.” He almost added -- but he didn’t -- that he couldn’t really imagine his life without her. “I do not regret my decision either, Commander,” T’Pol said. The two spent the rest of the night in companionable silence, watching the fog roll into the bay, obscuring the moon that rolled off the waves below. 0700, Enterprise, Engineering As he passed through the doors to engineering, Lt. Malcolm Reed quickly scanned the room and briskly ascended the stairs to the catwalk overlooking the department, where the ship’s chief engineer was lodged underneath a console, muttering incoherently as he picked up and applied his instruments. Leaning down on his haunches, Malcolm poked his head underneath. “So I heard the strangest rumor going around the ship and I just had to find out for myself whether or not such an incredible tale could possibly be true,” Malcolm said. Trip pulled himself out from under the console, wiped his hands and stood up squarely, his hands on his hips. His scowl was full-on. He was clearly not up for any good natured banter this morning. “You’re in a peach of a mood, I see. I can’t understand why, if it’s true that you and T’Pol are going on holiday to Vulcan. Sounds like a cozy arrangement to me,” Malcolm said. Trip started counting to 10, remembering the reason for his bad mood wasn’t his friend in front of him, but the one with whom he spent most of the previous night. The morning had not begun well. He’d been gathering up his things when a one of the sensor arrays had ruptured and because practically the entire ship’s crew was on Earth on leave, he had to fill in. Normally, a repair wouldn’t put him in a foul mood. It was the conversation he’d had with T’Pol on the way to the Vulcan compound the night before that weighed heavily on his mind. They had left the party around midnight, even though it was far from winding down. T’Pol was staying at the Vulcan compound near Starfleet headquarters and Trip had offered to walk her there before he returned to Enterprise to gather his things before they left for Vulcan. The fog had continued to roll into the bay so that Trip and T’Pol seemed to walking in clouds. He put his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket and pulled it tight around him. T’Pol wore a long, flowing charcoal wrap over her red cat suit that she also pulled close around her. They had been walking quietly side by side when T’Pol started wandering in the direction of the water. Trip followed her to a bench facing the bay and said nothing as he sat down beside her. He sensed she was holding something back, something she didn’t want to divulge. He saw the struggle on her face to control her emotions. He had learned it best to keep quiet and let her work her way into a conversation. Maybe the Vulcan penchant for patience was finally rubbing off on him. “Commander, I...I must be completely honest with you about the reason for my return to Vulcan,” T’Pol said, struggling to maintain her composure, looking down at her hands crossed on her knees. Trip wanted to reassure her, and moved to put his hand on hers. “I’m listening, T’Pol,” he said. She looked up at him and took a deep breath. “Do you recall my betrothal?” “Of course,” he said, blushing slightly at the memory of how he’d intercepted the message and misconstrued its meaning. “You wrote him a Dear John and stayed on Enterprise.” An eyebrow went up at the colloquial reference, but she pressed on. “That is not altogether accurate. I had believed the bonding ceremony to be canceled with my refusal to leave Enterprise that my intended would choose to move on and marry another. I was incorrect,” she paused. “He waited for me, Commander.” Trip removed his hands from T’Pol’s. “Oh, I see. And now that you’re back, your mother wants you to fulfill your obligation.” T’Pol lifted her eyes to meet his, but Trip sat with his arms crossed, jaw set and facing the water. He wouldn’t meet her eyes. “I was promised as a child, Commander. I told you that is our tradition. Despite my actions, Koss’s family still wishes to be joined to mine,” she said. “But you’re an adult now, T’Pol. Old enough to make your own decisions,” Trip said, his voice strained, trying to keep from raising his voice. “Earlier tonight, you told me you didn’t regret your decision.” “I did not -- I do not -- Commander,” T’Pol said. “I would never take back my experiences during the previous three years on Enterprise.” “But now that we have completed our mission successfully, I cannot continue to disregard the wishes of my family,” she said. “Please Commander, I wish for you -- as my friend -- to support me. I wish for you to be a witness at my wedding ceremony.” Trip couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He got up from the bench and started pacing, running his hands through his hair in a gesture T’Pol recognized as extreme anxiety. His smiles, his frowns, When had she become so attuned to the Commander’s moods? He had stopped pacing, choosing to stand beneath a streetlight illuminating a stretch of trail alongside the Bay. He was clearly in distress. His hands were gripped his hips as he bowed and shook his head, cursing quietly. T’Pol rose from the bench and walked until she stood inches from him. “If it makes any difference, Commander, this decision does not come easily to me,” she said. “I would rather continue our journeys aboard Enterprise. I was looking forward to further explorations as science officer.” “I had not been in contact with my family since we entered the Expanse. But when we returned to Earth yesterday, I was called to the Vulcan compound, where my mother had left a message for me to contact her. I spoke with her today. My family needs this marriage to reclaim their rightful place in Vulcan society. My actions -- my disobedience -- have radicalized my family by association. They have endured social stigma in my absence. Marrying Koss will redeem my family’s name.” As T’Pol spoke, Trip’s anger died down. He could see how difficult it was for her to tell him, could see the emotions so close to the surface, something that had been happening with almost alarming regularity since they were in the Expanse. He reached out to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. She stiffened, but she didn’t do anything to remove his hands. But she still wouldn’t meet his eyes, keeping her head bowed. Trip drew her even closer and moved his hands to cup her face, tipping her chin up to face him. Her eyes were swirling with emotion. “I’m sorry, T’Pol. I know how much it hurt you to turn your back on your family,” he said. “I can see how you’d want to make it up to them.” “I guess I’m also just feeling so many things about my own family. I know what kind of knots they can tie you up in,” he said. “I thought you said you had no family besides your sister, Commander,” T’Pol said. “I wasn’t being entirely honest with you, T’Pol. I said the Xindi wiped out everything that mattered to me here with Lizzie’s death. It’s just, that’s what it feels like. My parents just shut down when she died. They were in so much pain, it’s almost like they died too. It’s just too painful for us to be together now. We remind each other too much of what we’ve lost.” T’Pol reached up with one of her hands to grip one of Trip’s hands, pressing it close against her cheek. “I regret you continue to suffer,” she said. “I know. It’s not your fault. You’re the main reason I’ve come out of this better. I talked to my parents briefly already. They were relieved I’m ok, but we’re gonna need some time apart before we can be a family again.” T’Pol removed her hand from Trip’s and placed both of her hands on Trip’s face, her actions mirroring his. She pulled on him so that their foreheads touched. Her voice was barely a whisper when she told him, “I do not wish to return to Vulcan without you. Will you go with me?” She felt him shaking, then felt him move his head to the side of hers. He breathed his next words into her ear. “I already told you, I’d be honored to.”
“Is everyone on this ship always watching what we do?” said Trip, irritation plain in his rhetorical question. “Well, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: You’re hard to miss,” Malcolm said. “Did you think we wouldn’t notice, you and T’Pol off by yourselves all night? And then you walking her back to the Vulcan compound? And then putting in for a leave, destination Vulcan?” “First of all, I’m not going on a vacation with T’Pol. She’s got some family business to deal with and I don’t want to deal with mine. I just need some space and she’s the first one who extended the offer,” Trip said. “Oh, so if I had asked you to come to my mum’s, you would have gone?” Malcolm smirked, leaning against the console with his arms crossed in front of him. “She’s just going through a lot now, Malcolm. I owe her, after all she did for me to get through Lizzie’s death,” Trip said. “What kind of turmoil is our resident Vulcan experiencing? And how might you be able to help her? I thought Vulcans go back to their homeworld to purge themselves of emotional upheaval?” “I can’t talk about it Malcolm. If she chooses to tell you, that’s her business. But there are certain things that are private,” Trip said. “Now, if your gossip mongering has been satisfied, I gotta finish up here and then get cleaned up. T’Pol’s picking me up at 14:00 hours.” “Fine. I’ll leave you two to your un-holiday and see you in a week, is that right?” “Yeah, see ya in a week,” said Trip, who was already halfway beneath the console finishing up the repairs Malcolm interrupted. Malcolm smiled as he skipped down the stairs off the catwalk and out of engineering. He couldn’t wait to tell Hoshi how right she’d been about the two of them. Have a comment to make about this story? Do so in the Trip Fan Fiction forum at the HoTBBS! A whole mess of folks have made commentsNo, no! Not Koss again! NOOOOOO! Please find a solution quick, an acceptable one, please. ;-) This is wonderful! Your explanation for Trip's parents' absence is "logical", as is T'Pol's reason for marrying Koss. More soon please! :) oooohhhhhhh. i want that update now please That was a great chapter. Trip took the news pretty well considering how he feels about T'pol. I must admit asking someone who is in love with you to attend your wedding is a bit harsh. T'pol must be aware how difficult this must be for Trip. Excellent chapter. I'm looking forward to more. I was surprised that T'Pol knew the quote from "My Fair Lady". I guess she must have seen it with Trip during one of the movie nights on Enterprise. It is pretty funny how Malcolm teases Trip about his relationship with T'Pol and how Trip is so defenceive about it. Malcolm is such a big snoop. :<;-): I found it helarious when Malcolm said that “Oh, so if I had asked you to come to my mum’s, you would have gone?”. Malcolm is milking the situation for all its worth. :<:-D: I love the way you explained Trip's parents absence. It was quite, pardon the pun, "logical". :<:-): Though I can understand how people try to avoid things and situations that remine them of their deceased loved one. :<:-(: I am sure Kos will not like T'Pol's decision in traveling companions. I think he would be very suspisious about their relationship. I am sure I would be very pissed if my bride to be was in love with someone else. I just wonder why Koss stuck around after T'Pol posponed the wedding for 2-3 years. Kos must be a very patient Vulcan or dose not get the hint. Then agine Vulcan's live to be more than 200 years, so I guess they can affored to be patient. I wonder how T’Les will react when she notices some of T'Pol's emotions from the Tralliun-D addiction in Season 3. How will she react to Trip? Will Kos notice some of T'Pol's emotions as well? Will she met with any Vulcan coleges (Dr. Yuris, etc.)? Will Kos or T’Les find out about her Pa'nar Syndrome? I am sure Kos should know that she has it before the wedding. After all it would not be ethical to tell the person you are going to marry that you have a disease that will eventually kill you. I think he would be disgusted since the disease is mostly associated with the melder on Vulcan (similar to how AIDS was associated with gays in North America). I feel sad for Trip. Trip took the news about the wedding quite well. It must be tough on Trip when the person you love askes you to attend the wedding. Trip knows she has feelings for him since she did tell him her age. :<;-): I am not sure how T'Pol is going to untangle herself from the wedding. If she goes by way of ritual combat as in Amok Time show in the origial series it will most likely get Trip killed. He is an enginer, not a fighter and vulcans much stronger than humans. Also if the dry heat dose not get him, the low oxygen concentation in the atmosphere will. Kos may not want to marry T'Pol if he learns about her Pa'nar Syndrome. Archer probly knows or suspects that Trip and T'Pol might have a relationship because of what he said to them when he left the ship in "Zero Hour". Well, anyway, to summarize. I love chapter 2 and can't wait for chapter 3. Please post it soon! Good chappie! Hope to see more soon! cool story!!!!!!!!!! A+++++++++++ That Koss is like a bad penny, always turning up at the exact wrong moment. Poor Trip. Poor T'Pol. As for Malcolm, boy has he ever got his suspicions wrong this time. Great writing, thanks. Ali D :~) Not Koss again! He's like overdue homework, try as you might you can't permanently forget about him. Well, I'm sure that Trip and T'Pol will prevail in the end...or will they? Will this be another fic where T'Pol marries Koss and leaves Trip alone with the torture of unrequited love? AHHHHHH! Please, write more and put my poor, tortured spirit to rest. P.S. Great story Great story! You're hitting your stride in this chapter. Can't wait for the next one! This story rocks, I totally love it. Can't wait for chapter three. great chapter! it made a wonderful addition to an already great story! ;) Thanks for updating so soon! Don't leave me hanging... I hope a new chapter is up tomorrow! Oh hurry, hurry, hurry! The suspense is killing me. Why do I torture myself this way? I should just wait til all the chapters are done and read it then!! Wow, could I be addicted to Trip and T'pol? Is there a cure for this? :) Awwwwwwwwwwww:( I just got finished readig 0700 engineering. So touching. I'll be back. Ok, Im back. I throughly enjoyed this chap. Great Story, continue it soon please |