Only You

Only You

By Athena

Rating: R
Disclaimer: Star Trek: Enterprise is the property of Paramount
Summary: As Pon Farr approaches for T’Pol she has to make some choices regarding her relationship with Trip. Of course nothing goes as expected and Trip and T’Pol must decide how to proceed with their relationship.
Spoilers: all the way through the end of "Daedalus" and AU after that.

Authors Note: First off, a great big thanks to Boushh and Jenna for all their help with this story. Also be warned, although the beginning of the story contains some angst, the majority of the story is pure sap and fluff. If you not like sappiness you may not want to read the entire story. 

Part I

Chapter 1

Trip sat staring at his food without much desire to actually consume any of it. His bad mood had caused him to lose his appetite for even his favorite foods. Too bad since it looks great, Trip thought sadly, as he gave up trying to force himself to eat.

“Archer to Trip.”

Trip looked up and across the table at his captain and friend. “Huh?” Trip spoke as he realized Jon must have said something and he hadn’t heard it.

Jon gave Trip a sad smile. “I asked if you were going to actually try eating any of that or if you’d like to take it back to your quarters so you could admire it some more,” his friend teased.

Trip pushed his plate away. “Sorry Cap’n, I’m just not hungry I guess.” He looked back up at Jon to see him nod sympathetically.

“Care to talk about it?” Jon asked.

Would I care to talk about how the woman I love is finally free from that sham of a marriage and the first thing she does as a free woman is tell me that it, whatever it was, is over? Out loud he said, “Not really. Just tired I guess.”

Jon’s expression gave Trip the impression that the captain wasn’t buying it, but he didn’t pursue the topic further. Trip pushed himself up from the table and cast a dejected look at his friend. “I think I’m gonna call it a night.”

Jon frowned but nodded. As Trip approached the door, Jon called out to him. “Trip, take whatever time you need to,” he paused a moment before adding “rest up.”

Trip tried to muster a smile as he replied, “Thanks, Jon.”

On his way back to his quarters Trip thought back to his latest encounter with the source of his current woes. Both he and T’Pol had been avoiding each other whenever possible ever since she told him things were over between them. He physically flinched as he recalled how the joy and hope he had felt upon learning her marriage was over had turned into anguish and despair. He had hoped she would approach him about continuing their relationship, whatever it was. At first he had held back on broaching the subject because T’Pol had just lost her mother and he knew she needed time to grieve. Then he had offered to just be there for her and she had dismissed him, stating she wasn’t affected by the loss. Then she had started to shy away from any interaction with him that wasn’t an official duty requirement. He recalled the final blow to any lingering hope of a future with T’Pol when she had visited him in Engineering. I don't think there'll be time for..., she had started. He had cut her off, what do you want me to say? He recalled that sinking feeling in his stomach. That you understand, she had replied. I do. It's not like I didn't know this was coming. He just hadn’t wanted to believe that it was over until she actually told him. He shook his head as if the action would shake the memory from his brain.

Still, they had always managed to behave civilly and professionally around one another. More than once he had caught T’Pol looking at him and he could have sworn that he could still see compassion and even affection in her eyes. Then again, after what had transpired today, maybe he had just been fooling himself.

Having reached his quarters, Trip entered and collapsed onto his bunk, staring up at the ceiling. What the hell happened today? he thought to himself. They had been working on adjusting the scanners in an attempt to locate a Vulcan ship that had gone missing in this region of space. T’Pol had seemed almost antsy. Every time he had stepped towards her she had instantly stepped back. It seemed as though she had tried to maintain the maximum possible distance between them the entire time they were working together. Then, she had simply left, claiming she had other duties to perform. He hadn’t seen her since.

Trip felt like banging his head against the wall repeatedly until he passed out. He wasn’t sure how much more of this he could take.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

T’Pol knelt on her pillow facing the meditation candle. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was measured and steady. Although her outward appearance may have conveyed a calm demeanor, her mind was in turmoil.

She had known for some time that the amok time was approaching, and yet she had delayed making final arrangements to return to Vulcan. Now, however, she was forced to accept that she could no longer afford to delay. Sighing, she also forced herself to acknowledge that a part of her had not wanted to make arrangements to travel to Vulcan to take a mate when the one she desired was right here on Enterprise.

T’Pol gave a small sigh. Perhaps it is already too late, she thought to herself. If that were indeed the case then she would be forced to ask Commander Tucker - Trip to aid her in the resolution of her Pon farr. She felt both excitement and apprehension at that thought. Would she be able to refrain from initiating a mating bond with him? Would he be willing to risk being permanently joined with her? Would he even consider it after she had rejected him? T’Pol felt a knot forming in her stomach at that last thought.

Steadying herself, T’Pol recalled the logic of her decision to back away from a relationship with Trip… with Commander Tucker. Her mental control had been shattered by past events and she felt she had lost herself. She needed to reconnect with her Vulcan roots and remember who she was before the Trellium and before her emotions had gained control of her. The intense emotions that Commander Tucker produced in her left her feeling lost and out of control. She could not regain her emotional control and follow the path of Surak with such a powerful distraction.

T’Pol felt a twinge of pain as she recalled the most compelling reason for her decision. Commander Tucker had made it clear that he did not believe a relationship between a human and a Vulcan, a relationship between them, would succeed. The pain intensified as she recalled his words, It’s probably for the best … It’s not like we woulda’ made an ideal couple… Romeo and Juliet probably stood a better chance. A part of her had wanted to believe he was merely rationalizing a hopeless situation. That hope had died when she had suggested they put their romantic involvement on hold for the time being. She thought perhaps Commander Tucker would argue against her logic, that he would fight for her. He had not. Instead he had joked about the engines still needing him. She had been taken aback by how easily he had let her go, almost as if it didn’t mean that much to him after all. After that, she had decided to return to Vulcan to resolve the Pon farr.

The comm unit sounded, interrupting her thoughts. “Bridge to Commander T’Pol.” It was the night shift communications officer. “I have an incoming communication from the Vulcan Embassy.”

T’Pol knew instantly who it was and the reason for the call. “You may put it through,” she responded.

A moment later Soval’s face appeared on her screen.

“Greetings Ambassador,” T’Pol said as she nodded slightly and held up a hand in the traditional greeting.

“T’Pol,” Soval replied and returned the greeting. “I have been anticipating your response to our last conversation.” Soval paused but T’Pol remained silent so he continued, “Have you decided against returning to Vulcan?”

T’Pol lowered her gaze for a moment before responding, “It would be unwise to remain on Enterprise. I must return to Vulcan so that the Pon farr can be resolved.” Even as she said the words, T’Pol still tried to convince herself of their truth.

“I assume time is now a critical factor,” Soval continued. It was a statement and not a question.

T’Pol merely nodded.

Soval gave her an appraising stare before speaking again. “You have had ample time to arrange to return to Vulcan, yet you have not done so. Perhaps there is someone on Enterprise you would prefer over any arrangement I could make on your behalf.”

T’Pol’s head shot up and her anxiety returned. Trying to mask her reaction to Soval’s assertion she replied evenly, “There would be no logic in preferring a human mate to a Vulcan one.”

“I believe that would depend on the particular human and Vulcan in question,” Soval responded. He was still studying her intently. “It seems that Commander Tucker at least has learned much of Vulcan culture and customs.”

T’Pol fought hard to keep her body and her voice from shaking as she asked, “If I may ask, how has Commander Tucker earned such high regard?” She found she could not meet Soval’s steady gaze and looked away again.

“When I was aboard Enterprise assisting the Commander in preventing war with Andoria, I spent a great deal of time in his company. I was initially surprised to observe his use of our relaxation breathing techniques during some of the more…distressing moments. He did not seem to be aware he was using the technique, which suggests that he has expended a great deal of time mastering it. Additionally, when I requested private quarters for meditation, the Commander supplied meditation candles and pillows before I requested them. He was able to arrange these items properly for meditation without any guidance from me.” Soval paused and waited until T’Pol returned his gaze before continuing. “When I inquired if he had ever visited Vulcan, the Commander informed me that he had accompanied you home following your return from the Expanse.”

T’Pol nodded and looked away once more. She was searching for a response but her mind was once again in turmoil.

“T’Pol.” Soval’s voice held a gentle quality as he continued, “are you certain you wish to take a Vulcan mate?”

T’Pol could no longer keep the tremor from her voice as she replied, “I am not certain that I have any alternative.”

Soval frowned slightly. “Then I suggest you assess your options quickly and contact me when you have determined the proper course of action.”

“Agreed,” T’Pol said more forcefully.

Soval continued to wear a slight frown and he looked pensive. Finally he spoke again, “There is one final detail we should discuss. Given the urgency of the situation, I suggest we forgo attempting to arrange passage to Vulcan and focus instead on finding a suitable male on board one of our ships. This way the ships can rendezvous with much less inconvenience to Enterprise. This will also keep Starfleet from demanding a detailed explanation.”

“A very logical suggestion,” T’Pol responded. In truth, this was more agreeable to her than returning to Vulcan. It was not uncommon for Vulcans assigned to exploration vessels to seek a temporary mate to aid in the resolution of Pon farr without forming a mating bond. It was likely that Soval would have greater success making such an arrangement.

“Then I will await your reply,” Soval said and once again held up his hand in a salute.

T’Pol did the same and the transmission ended.

Alone with her thoughts once more, T’Pol contemplated her options. She could choose to let Soval find an acceptable male who would not hold her to a lifetime bond. If she could resolve the Pon farr without initiating a mating bond she could return to Enterprise and continue to follow the path of Surak. Perhaps, in time, she could master her emotions enough to once again attempt a romantic relationship with Commander Tucker.

That last thought conjured images of her intimate encounter with Trip. She felt a warmth spread through her and her heart beat more rapidly as she recalled his scent and his touch, the feel of his skin against hers, the way their first tentative kiss had ignited into a passionate exploration of dueling tongues.

She quickly suppressed those thoughts as she attempted to regain her control. Such episodes would only become more frequent and increasingly difficult to control as Pon farr drew nearer. A new concern entered T’Pol’s thoughts. Vulcans who were already bonded desired only theirs mates at the time of Pon farr. Was it possible that she had already become so attached to Commander Tucker that she would reject another mate?

She tried to call to mind images of a Vulcan mate but found that any thoughts of sexual intimacy reverted to thoughts of Trip. Perhaps Soval was correct, the most logical course of action would be to discuss the situation with Trip – with Commander Tucker. Once more T’Pol felt lingering fear about approaching Commander Tucker. She would need to meditate tonight and find a way to broach the subject tomorrow.

Once again T’Pol concentrated on the mediation candle and began to bring her disruptive thoughts under control.

Trip had been unable to sleep and had returned at 0600 to continue scanning for any sign of the missing Vulcan vessel. Twice he had thought he was onto something, but neither incident had produced a viable lead. They were traversing a sector of space that was relatively unknown to the Vulcans and completely unknown to Starfleet. This was making the job more difficult because every anomaly and spatial disturbance had to be analyzed thoroughly without the benefit of data on what to expect from this region.

Trip rubbed his forehead in an attempted to stave off a budding headache. He looked up when he heard someone enter the room. T’Pol regarded him for a moment before acknowledging him with a slight nod and moving to study the sensor logs. So much for avoiding that headache, Trip thought to himself.

Trip noticed T’Pol glance his way several times. Once or twice it seemed as though she might actually speak to him but then chose not to do so. This awkward silence continued for almost 20 minutes.

Finally, T’Pol broke the silence, “Is there anything to report?”

Trip just looked at her for a moment before answering, “Nope.”

They stood there regarding each other silently for a few beats. Finally, T’Pol turned her attention back to the sensors. Trip silently let out a deep breath. Well, this isn’t the least bit awkward! he thought to himself. At the very least she could apologize for just leaving yesterday. Instead she just waltzes back in and acts like I’m not even here.

Trip continued to run the data through a set of algorithms and analyzed the results. He was finding it difficult to concentrate with T’Pol only a few meters away. Without speaking, he transferred the data he was studying to T’Pol’s terminal. She turned her head slightly and nodded in his direction but remained silent.

After several moments a sensor monitor at T’Pol’s terminal beeped, indicating a possible warp signature. Trip moved over to take a look at the display. As he reached to change the amplification of the readout, T’Pol snatched her hand away and stepped back as if the near touching of their hands would have inflicted great pain.

Trip quashed the hurt feelings developing in him and turned to confront her. “Ya know, I’m not tryin’ to invade your precious personal space here.” His hurt and anger made his words sound a lot harsher than he had intended but he wasn’t in the mood to apologize at the moment.

T’Pol looked confused and a bit flustered. She actually took another step away from him before beginning to speak. “Commander, I…”

“Look just forget it okay.” Trip didn’t want to hear what she had to say, her actions were clear enough. She obviously didn’t want to give him any reason to think that their relationship was anything other than professional by going out of her way to make sure they never got too close or touched. She probably thought it was necessary to establish these boundaries because, in the recent past, the physical boundaries of the working relationship had become lax.

T’Pol, however, did not let the matter drop. “I wish to clarify,” she began.

Trip cut her off again. “Look, let’s just figure out what we’ve got here,” he indicated the display, “The sooner we can track down that ship the sooner we can both get back to our separate lives.” He knew he still sounded angry but he just couldn’t deal with T’Pol calmly explaining that the path of Surak didn’t include sharing personal space with an overly emotional human. He turned away and avoided looking at her.

“Agreed,” came her cool reply.

When Trip glanced back at her, T’Pol was working at her console and, again, behaving as if he was not present in the room. He turned back to his station and pretended to study the newly processed sensor data. His heart physically ached. He couldn’t stop thinking about T’Pol and this new turn in their relationship. Her exploration of the path of Surak must have affirmed within her that a romantic relationship with a human, or at least him, was not… agreeable. He wanted to rip his feelings for T’Pol right out of his heart. It was too bad he couldn’t simply go to Phlox and have those feeling surgically removed.

Trip was so lost in his own morose thoughts that he had not realized T’Pol must have been speaking to him.

“Commander?”

He looked up and saw her standing with her arm extended holding a PADD out for him. He took note that, again, she was standing as distant as possible while insuring the PADD was within his reach.

Something snapped within him as he snatched the PADD from her. Quickly eying it to confirm they had a warp signature trail, he then returned his gaze to T’Pol. He was sure his anger was showing but he didn’t really care about protecting her feelings, if she even allowed them to exist anymore. His own feelings had been trampled far too often and he desperately needed to get away from the source of the pain.

“Now that I’ve got something ta go on I’ll handle this in Engineering.” There was a harshness to the tone of his voice that he couldn’t contain.

As he headed for the door T’Pol called after him, “Commander.”

Trip stopped but didn’t fully turn to face her. “Look T’Pol I’ve got a lot ta do right now.” Then he left the room without looking back.

T’Pol walked as quickly as she could to her quarters. Her last interaction with Commander Tucker had not gone as planned. She forcibly suppressed her memory of the exchange until she had reached her quarters and secured the door behind her. Looking down at her hands she noticed they were shaking.

She sank to the floor and tried to calm her thoughts through meditation. Once the trembling had subsided, she slowly and cautiously allowed herself to recall the incident with Commander Tucker.

As soon as she had entered the room the sight of him and his sent had caused her body to react, warming with desire. It had taken several minutes to get her more primal instincts under control. Commander Tucker had continued working at his station until the sensors detected a possible warp signature. When he had approached her station to adjust the data being displayed, she had recoiled quickly to avoid possible physical contact. She was sure that any touch from the Commander would have shattered her control.

He had reacted with anger and then proclaimed that he’d had no intention of touching her. He seemed so offended at the thought that he would not allow her to apologize, even stating that he wished to return to routine activities that did not involve her.

A tremor shook her as she tried in vain to suppress the feeling of anguish caused by his rejection of her. After a few moments she stood and went to her console.

“Computer, record message for Ambassador Soval at the Vulcan Embassy, highest priority.” T’Pol paused as she waited for the recording to begin and then continued with her message, “Ambassador, please arrange the rendezvous with a Vulcan ship as quickly as possible.”

Chapter 2

Phlox was busy attending to his collection of alien creatures in Sickbay. Things had been relatively quiet on the medical front, affording him time to enjoy his non-humanoid companions.

He heard the doors open and turned to see T’Pol walking towards him. He could tell by the tension in her features that something was amiss.

“What is the matter Commander?” Phlox asked gently.

T’Pol seated herself on the edge of a biobed. Had she not been Vulcan Phlox might had reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. As it was, he simply gave her a compassionate smile and waited.

“Doctor, I require your assistance in two circumstances.” Her voice was quiet and she appeared somewhat dejected.

“Of course T’Pol, how may I be of assistance?”

T’Pol finally looked up at Phlox. “I would like you to attempt a hormone suppression treatment to slow the onset of a neurochemical imbalance.”

Phlox could not quite contain a frown. “I take it this imbalance is the result of your natural mating cycle?” He was perplexed as to why she would request he attempt to forestall the inevitable onset of the cycle.

“That is correct,” she said evenly and dropped her gaze.

Phlox let a few moments of silence pass before asking, “and the second issue requiring my assistance?”

T’Pol looked back up at Phlox. “I have asked Ambassador Soval to locate a Vulcan male serving on a ship who would be willing to assist with the resolution of Pon farr. Captain Archer will need an explanation for the need to rendezvous with a Vulcan ship.” She paused and looked down again. “I wish to keep the nature of my affliction confidential.”

“Of course… I take it that you wish to attempt to suppress the onset of Pon farr until a suitable partner is available.”

T’Pol nodded.

“Do you have any idea how long the suppression treatment will be necessary?”

T’Pol stiffened a bit and there was a hint of stress in her reply, “I have no indication at present, however, I am certain Ambassador Soval will act expeditiously.”

Phlox contemplated his next question carefully. Technically the personal lives of the crew were not any of his business but in this case, personal concerns and medical ones overlapped. Finally he asked, “T’Pol, have you considered that a human partner would be the simplest solution to your situation?”

T’Pol visibly shuddered and her hands gripped the edge of the biobed. She closed her eyes for a moment before opening them and glaring at Phlox. She did not reply however.

Phlox made another attempt at what he saw as the best course of action. “There would be no need for suppression treatment and also no need to involve the Captain or Starfleet.” T’Pol stayed silent. “You could simply allow the onset of your mating cycle to occur naturally…”

“That may be problematic,” T’Pol cut in sharply. She took a breath before continuing, “The involvement of … a human partner would complicate the shipboard working relations. Humans attach emotional sentiment to acts of sexual intimacy that Vulcans do not.”

Phlox gave her a sad, sympathetic smile. She was obviously afraid that involving Commander Tucker would affect their relationship. She would be surrendering to a biological imperative instead of choosing to initiate intimacy.

“I could speak to Commander Tucker and explain…”

“No!” T’Pol took another deep breath before continuing more calmly, “Doctor, I do not wish to involve Commander Tucker.” Her voice trembled as she spoke Commander Tucker’s name. She looked almost pleadingly at Phlox. “Please proceed with the suppression treatment.”

Phlox frowned. He was certain that Commander Tucker would be willing to assist T’Pol and almost as certain that he would react with anger and jealousy if he found out that T’Pol had rejected the idea. Still, he could not force T’Pol to choose the Commander over a suitable Vulcan male who would require no emotional attachment.

Sighing, Phlox picked up a medical tricorder and scanned T’Pol. Not entirely liking the results he asked, “have you been experiencing symptoms already?”

T’Pol nodded. “They can be controlled, for the most part, through meditation. However, there have been instances where control has been more… difficult to maintain.”

“I see,” Phlox said tersely. “Just how difficult?”

T’Pol’s eyes flickered between Phlox and the ground before she tilted her head slightly and said tentatively, “There have been two incidents where I have been forced to abandon my duties to seek solitude and meditation.”

Phlox crossed his arms in front and replied sternly, “and do you know what precipitated these two episodes?” He had a feeling he already knew the answer.

T’Pol bowed her head and admitted in a quiet voice, “Commander Tucker was present.”

Phlox lost his patience and exclaimed, “T’Pol, you can’t simply avoid Commander Tucker until this mystery Vulcan appears to cure you.” His voice held a high pitch because he was agitated. “Suppression treatments won’t be able to counteract the biological response to the presence of a desired mate.”

T’Pol continued to avoid making eye contact. “The treatments will work if I can increase my meditation and minimize the time spent in the Commander’s presence.”

“Very well,” Phlox conceded. Clearly she was not going to relent. He would have to speak to the Captain about keeping T’Pol and Commander Tucker separated. He would also have to come up with an explanation that kept T’Pol’s privacy in tact.

“Come back in one hour and I should have something for you.”

“Thank you doctor,” T’Pol said softly and then exited Sickbay.

Trip was on his way to the situation room. After he’d calmed down enough to get back to work he had been able to detect several more potential Vulcan warp signatures. He was sure a Vulcan ship had been in the area some time ago. The problem was figuring out where it had gone. It was like trying to follow a path of bread crumbs that were scattered pretty far apart and you kept finding things that looked like crumbs but turned out to be something else.

He rubbed the back of his neck. He could sure use T’Pol’s help with this but the way things had been between them lately he wasn’t sure they’d be any more productive together than he was by himself.

As he entered the situation room the first person he made eye contact with was T’Pol. His heart skipped a beat at first but then that familiar ache returned when she stepped back to the wall and looked down, away from him. He just stood there a moment concentrating on the heavy feeling in his chest before he realized that everyone else in the room was staring at him. The captain looked impatient, as did Malcolm. Travis looked confused and Hoshi looked contemplative. Trip took special note that Phlox looked agitated and he kept glancing over at T’Pol with a hint of concern in his features.

“Well?” Archer asked.

“Oh, um, sorry.” Trip felt a twinge of redness in his neck and cheeks. “I think we’ve got 'em, I just don’t know where they went or how ta track them. We could try a coupla systems that seem likely and see what we find.”

Archer nodded. “Good work Trip. Give Travis a ranking of the most likely destinations.”

“Will do, Captain.”

Archer turned to Hoshi. “Keep listening for a distress beacon or any Vulcan transmission and try hailing them intermittently.”

“Yes, Sir,” Hoshi replied.

Finally Archer turned to T’Pol. “I want you to work with Trip in Engineering and keep me updated.”

Trip ventured a glance at T’Pol and was shocked that she physically paled in response to the captain’s order. He cast a worried look at Phlox whose concern was evident.

Malcolm, Travis, and Hoshi were already exiting the room and the captain did not seem to notice T’Pol’s apparent distress. What the hell? Trip thought to himself. Something’s not right with her and it can’t just be her worrying about sending me mixed signals.

T’Pol seemed to recover and also moved to exit the room. “I will join you in Engineering shortly,” she said without looking at him as she left the room.

Trip stood there in puzzlement for a few additional moments before turning to follow her out the door and headed back to Engineering.

Back inside the situation room, Phlox lingered, knowing he would have to inform the captain that T’Pol was unwell.

“Is there something we need to discuss?” Archer asked lightheartedly.

The small grin he bore faded with Phlox’s reply. “Yes captain, there is indeed.”

Now wearing a serious expression Archer asked, “What’s the problem?”

Phlox clasped his hands behind his back. “It’s Commander T’Pol.” Archer’s expression deepened into a frown. “She is suffering from an affliction that, among other things, weakens her emotional control.”

Archer clearly didn’t like what he was hearing. “Is this anything like her reaction to the Trellium-D on board the Seleya?”

Phlox shook his head. “Not if properly treated, Captain. This is a well known Vulcan aliment but it is serious. She has already made a request for a Vulcan ship to rendezvous with Enterprise in order to receive the necessary treatment.”

“She can’t be treated on Enterprise?”

Phlox glanced away nervously. He did not what to lie outright to the captain. “T’Pol feels that the best course of treatment can be found on a Vulcan ship.”

“But she could be treated on Enterprise if it became necessary?” Archer pressed.

Phlox gave a small sigh. “An attempt could be made to treat her here, however there exists the possibility of…” repercussions “side-effects.”

Archer nodded and looked contemplative. “Is this thing contagious? Is the crew in any danger?”

Phlox smiled despite the serious nature of the topic. “No, Captain, T’Pol’s condition is not contagious and the only threat she might cause the crew would stem from an uncontrollable emotional outburst. You should be prepared for the possibility.”

Archer’s frown returned. “Are you sure there isn’t anything you can do before the Vulcans arrive? Are they already on their way?” Archer appeared to be displeased that arrangements had been made to meet up with a Vulcan ship without his knowledge or consent.

“To answer your first question, I have already begun suppressive treatments but eventually a cure will need to be administered. As for your second inquiry, I have no knowledge of any arrangements, but perhaps you should speak to T’Pol.”

“Thank you Doctor,” Archer seemed to dismiss Phlox who continued to linger.

“Captain, there is one final issue you should be aware of,” he said cautiously.

Archer gave him his full attention again and nodded for him to continue.

“It would be prudent to keep Commander T’Pol and Commander Tucker separated until the Vulcans arrive.”

Archer looked a bit stunned. Clearly he had not expected to hear this. “What,” he said finally finding his voice. “Why?”

Phlox tried not to fidget but found he was swinging his arms back and forth as he tried to come up with a rational sounding explanation. “T’Pol should avoid situations that cause undue emotional distress.” Phlox paused and Archer slowly nodded. “I have observed that Commander Tucker often produces emotional responses in Commander T’Pol. They argue frequently for example.”

Archer bit his lip as if trying not to smile. “And you think their tendency to argue makes it unsafe for T’Pol to be around Trip.” He looked bemused.

“Captain this is a very serious matter,” Phlox chastised. “Left untreated, T’Pol’s condition will ultimately prove fatal. I feel it necessary to take all possible precautions to slow the progression of the condition.”

Archer appeared to be consternated as he tried to formulate a response. “Phlox, if it’s that serious you should begin treating her and the Vulcans can take over once they arrive.”

Phlox shook his head. “Captain, T’Pol does not want to be treated on Enterprise. She is unwilling to risk the possible…side effects.”

“How bad can they be?” Archer threw up his hands and turned to Phlox again. “Phlox, you’ve got to give me more to go on here.”

“I’m afraid I have to respect T’Pol’s privacy, Captain,” Phlox replied sympathetically. “The Vulcans are a very private people in general and they do not speak of this particular affliction to outsiders. I assure you that I will monitor T’Pol closely and intervene if necessary.”

“State secret, huh?”

Phlox chuckled. “Something like that Captain.”

“Okay, I’ll try to keep Trip away from T’Pol.” Archer smiled and looked down. “I just hope I don’t have to involve security,” he joked as they exited the room.

Trip had just readjusted the sensor array when he heard T’Pol approaching. He ran his tongue over the inside of his cheek then bit his lower lip as he turned to look at her.

She had stopped a few meters back and was looking at him intently. Her face may have appeared expressionless to others but Trip could see a hint of fear beneath her calm veneer. What was she afraid of? Could it be him?

She finally stepped forward and activated a nearby consol. “Have you detected any indication of the Vulcan ship’s warp signature?”

Trip studied her a moment longer before replying, “Nothin’ yet.” He continued to watch her for a few moments before she glanced up at him and he gave her a little smile. He was about to turn back to his own work when he noticed T’Pol shudder slightly. He stepped towards her and, predictably, she took a few steps back.

He turned squarely to face her, hands on his hips. He let his tongue play over his lips briefly as he tried to think of something to say. He opted for bluntness over tactfulness. “What the hell’s goin’ on with you?” He paused but T’Pol merely looked away. He glanced around the room. The nearest crewmembers were well outside hearing range so they were essentially alone. “You're actin’ like yer scared of me but I know that can’t be right.” He looked down for a moment and added more softly, “You know I’d die for you.” He looked back up and caught her eyes. Daring to step forward he held her gaze and continued, “Just tell me what’s going on and we can deal with it together.”

He was surprised to see T’Pol shudder again as she wrapped her arms tightly around herself. He stepped right in front of her and gently placed his hands on her upper arms. He could feel her body trembling. “T’Pol,” he whispered.

Just then her head jerked up and their eyes met. Her eyes were dark and held an expression he had seen before. She was looking at him with desire!

Trip was momentarily stunned by the unexpected change in T’Pol’s demeanor. A turn from fear to desire was not what he expected. Then T’Pol pulled back out of his grasp. He tried to hold her but she pulled away forcefully.

“Release me!” she hissed.

Stunned again, Trip let his arms fall to his sides as T’Pol recoiled from him. She was still shaking.

Trip ran his hand across his mouth and gave her an intense stare. She finally lifted her gaze to meet his. “Talk to me,” he commanded.

T’Pol opened her mouth to speak but then closed it along with her eyes. Trip thought she appeared to be concentrating on regaining her emotional control

Trip started forward but stopped when she recoiled further.

“Don’t,” she whispered.

He was now very concerned. “I’m calling Phlox down here.” He started for the comm unit but T’Pol’s voice stopped him.

“Wait, please…I will go directly to Sickbay.”

Trip looked at her with uncertainty, unsure if he believed her. Finally he nodded and stepped back. “I’ll let Phlox know yer on your way.”

T’Pol merely nodded, keeping her eyes downcast as she turned to leave.

Trip watched her go then activated the comm. unit. “Tucker to Sickbay.”

“Phlox here.”

“T’Pol’s on her way ta see you. Doc, there’s somethin’ wrong with her.” Trip felt his statement was a bit lame but Phlox replied quickly.

“Thank you, Commander. I am aware of T’Pol’s condition.”

Trip knew it was unlikely Phlox would simply tell him what was wrong with T’Pol but he couldn’t keep from asking, “Is she gonna be okay?”

“Once she receives the proper treatment she’ll be fine,” came the reply.

“Okay, thanks Doc.” Trip deactivated the comm. and contemplated Phlox’s response. If all she needed was a simple treatment and Phlox already knew what was wrong with her, why hadn’t he gone ahead and treated her already? Something wasn’t right about the entire situation. Trip frowned as he tried to put the pieces together. He was still lost in thought when the Captain entered the room.

“How’s it going Trip?” Archer asked casually as he glanced around the room.

“Huh? Oh fine,” Trip stammered. He felt guilty that he had been focusing on T’Pol instead of the missing ship and its crew. He was about to give the Captain an update when he noticed that Archer wasn’t really paying attention to him.

“Something on yer mind Cap’n?”

Archer turned his attention back to Trip. “I’m looking for T’Pol.”

Trip fidgeted a bit, unsure of how much to reveal. The Captain had a right to know when his senior officers were unfit for duty, but Trip knew how protective T’Pol was of her privacy. “Um, she’s not here Cap’n. She wasn’t feelin’ well, so she went to Sickbay.”

Archer frowned. “I guess Phlox was right,” he mused softly to himself.

A scowl formed on Trip’s face. He wanted to know what Archer knew but he also knew it really wasn’t any of his business. He asked anyway, “Do you know something about T’Pol?”

Archer gave Trip an appraising look. “Not much. Did something happen?”

Trip let his tongue run along the side of his cheek as he chuckled slightly. They were each playing cat and mouse, trying to figure out how much the other person knew.

He decided to answer the Captain’s question and see where it led. “She got a little … agitated earlier. Do ya know why?”

Archer raised an eyebrow and tried to contain a grin as he replied, “I guess you should know since it pertains to T’Pol’s treatment. Phlox said she caught some Vulcan bug and one of the side effects is that she’s having difficulty controlling her emotions.”

Trip frowned slightly and nodded. “That makes sense I guess.”

Archer seemed to have even more difficulty suppressing his grin as he continued, “He also said you should stay away from her until she gets better. To quote Phlox, it's because you often produce emotional responses in Commander T'Pol.”

Trip noticed Archer’s grin fade and realized the Captain was probably expecting him to find the quote amusing. Trip was far from amused however. He needed time to digest the new information and sort things out.

“Trip?” Archer prompted.

“Sorry Cap’n.” Trip shook his head. “Just how serious are these side effects?”

Archer now looked somber. “I’m guessing pretty serious by your reaction.”

Trip rubbed the back of his neck and nodded. “Okay, so how long before she gets better?”

Archer pursed his lips in contemplation for a moment. “I’m not sure. She needs to be treated by Vulcan doctors. Phlox said T’Pol has made arrangements to meet up with a Vulcan ship. Do you know anything about that?”

Trip was a bit taken back by the new revelation and the Captain’s suggestion that he would know something about meeting up with the Vulcans. He needed to break the discussion down so that he only had to deal with one item at a time. He began with the first point. “Why can’t Phlox treat her? There aren’t any Vulcan ships nearby other than the one we’re search’n for. That’s why we’re the ones doin’ the searching!” Trip could tell he was getting flustered so he stopped talking and took a few deep breaths.

Archer glanced around, probably to see if any of the crew had become aware of their conversation. Then he put a hand on Trip’s shoulder. “Phlox can take care of T’Pol if it comes to that, but they both felt Vulcan doctors were the best way to go on this one. I’m sure she’ll be okay, Trip.”

Trip made an attempt to smile at Archer. “Yeah, I guess I just don’t like not bein’ able to help is all.”

Archer gave him a final pat before assuming a more professional stance. “As I recall, there’s an entire ship full of Vulcans out there that you can help by finding them.” Archer’s words were all business but his voice held a playful tone.

Trip gave his friend a mock look of annoyance. Smart Ass! he thought. Out loud he said, “I’ll get right on that.” Both men grinned and Archer turned to leave.

He was on his way out when the comm. unit sounded. “Bridge to Captain Archer.” It was Hoshi.

Trip stepped away from the comm. as Archer returned and answered, “Archer here.”

“Sir, I have a transmission from Captain Soran of the Vulcan ship Kovar. He requests to speak with you privately.”

“I’m on my way back. Relay the transmission to the ready room.”

Trip was dying to accompany the Captain and it must have been evident in his demeanor because Archer gave him a sympathetic look and said, “I’ll keep you as informed as I can, Trip.” Then he left for the Bridge.

Now alone, Trip tried to focus on his work but the situation with T’Pol was foremost in his thoughts. So she was sick and that led to the weakening of her emotional control. Therefore, the emotions he’d seen her express recently had to be her true feelings. That meant that she still wanted him even if her rational mind had decided that such a thing wasn’t logical. She still wanted him! That thought caused his heart to start pounding in his chest.

He knew he had to get back to work but focusing on anything other than T’Pol was incredibly difficult. Just a few hours ago he was sure she had gotten over any feelings she had for him. Now he had reason to think otherwise. He wanted to see her but he knew that wasn’t an option right now. He still had work to do and without T’Pol to aid him, it would take longer to track down the missing ship and the crew of that ship could be in trouble. He had to focus. Regretfully, he put the thoughts pertaining to his personal life out of his mind and concentrated on locating the missing Vulcan ship.

Part 2 (Chapter 3)

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A whole mess of folks have made comments

Really interesting start. I'm looking forward to reading more.

More please!

I'm interested to see how this develops.

That was great. Go on please! I like the way you describe their characters, they seem very natural to me.

Very good fic.
I want to read more of this (especially the sappy and fluffy part) !!!!!!

Great beginning - Bring on the sappiness! ;)

I second that... very good beginning... can't wait for the angst to be resolved!

Beta checking in! Love, love, love this story. :) Now I guess I'd better go and do my final read through so these guys can get more. ;)

arrrrgh! Come on! Hurry up with the rest of it!!! Really good story!

Damn, that was good! This better be TBC pretty darn fast. Looking forward to the next chapter :-)

Excellent, but there are times I want to give T'Pol a good shake for being so very foolish. I do hope something happens to bring her back to Trip before she boards that Vulcan ship. They say the path to true love is never smooth but does it have to have so many Surak-sized potholes? Can't wait for the next part, Ali D :~)

More please and as soon as possible too!!

WOW that was great!!!
Real sad how their missunderstandin hurt both of them and if they both dont come clean they both will be hurt even more. God they had better come clean before any Vulcans show up. Please update soon,,, This was Grrrrrrrrrrrreat! :)

I love well done Ponn Farr stories! More please!

ooooooh goody!! new fan fic! and good stuff too!!
Hope that TBC doesn't last long. LOL.

Great beginning! Can't wait to read what happens!

NEED SEQUEL!

Me like! I can't wait to see how this all turns out, update soon! :)

SEQUEL! NOW! *LOL*
This is damn good! I love Pon Farr stories...

Enjoyed this story! Great start, I'll be watching for the next installment.

PLEASE PLEASE UPDATE SOON!