If you are seeing this paragraph, the site is not displaying correctly. You can see the content, but your current browser does not support CSS which is necessary to view our site properly. For the best visual experience, you will need to upgrade your browser to Netscape 6.0 or higher, MSIE 5.5 or higher, or Opera 3.6 or higher. If, however, you don't wish to upgrade your browser, scroll down and read the content - everything is still visible, it just doesn't look as pretty.

A Fine Mess-Ch. 17

Author - Chianna
Fan Fiction Main Page | Stories sorted by title, author, genre, and rating

A Fine Mess

By Chianna

PG - Action/Adventure/Romance
Disclaimers in part one

Spoiler: Fusion

Chapter 17

Where All My Journeys End

************

"We’re almost there T’Pol. Trip, buddy, hang on for just a little while longer. Just another 15 minutes and you’ll be tucked into a bed in sick bay safe and sound." Archer waited for an answer from his friend.

Instead T’Pol replied, "The commander is now unconscious. His condition is worsening. Please progress with all haste."

Archer recognized T’Pol’s use of the word ‘please’ as quite a singular event. It added gravity to her typically understated comments. They redoubled their efforts.

This human’s heart rate was over 130 beats per minute. T’Pol found it in true human character, instead of slowing as one would guess under these circumstances, even the organs of the human body would put forth a greater effort to fight to live. She was running out of options.

Then she remembered her ill-advised attempt at a mind meld with the renegade Vulcan, Tolaris. After that, she had reviewed all documentation on this new procedure. It had some success with treating elderly Vulcans with a rare form of emotional control dementia. They seemed to be able to regulate mental as well as some related organic systems. Maybe thus she could maintain the commander until help arrived.

She saw that they had very little to lose, though she knew that the commander had exhibited some squeamishness about intimate involvement with other aliens. Well, he was in no condition to pose an argument.

T’Pol cleared a small area where she could sit closer to the chief engineer. She held her hands out cradling the commander’s head. Her head sunk toward her chest and she closed her eyes.

"My thoughts to your thoughts. Your thoughts to my thoughts..." Suddenly she was surrounded by a host of memories that she was not sure that she could either catalog or comprehend. As the swirling thoughts coalesced, she found herself on the shore of a large lake. The air was heavy, but a faint breeze, perfumed with oleander and jasmine, stirred the tall grass and cattails on the edge of the lake. The sky was pink and purple, red and gold - an unimaginably striking sunset. And then she saw the cabin on the hill overlooking the lake. The porch covered the entire front of the house.

She now knew that Trip had come home. Odd that she now thought of him as "Trip." It normally seemed improper aboard ship. Here, she could not consider thinking of him as anything else. And thinking of him was enough to bring him to her side.

He was barefoot in cutoff jeans and a faded T-shirt with the sleeves cut off that had the Florida State logo. He looked relaxed and at peace in this place. T’Pol was mildly confused.

"You expected that I’d be running around in circles, chasing my tail or somethin’?" T’Pol looked at him, but did not immediately reply.

Trip added, "Your thoughts to my thoughts. Remember?"

"I did expect that the prospect of possibly dying would cause more...turmoil. Your mind right now seems to be a... surprisingly serene place."

He smiled and T’Pol marveled at how clear and bright his eyes looked. In her mind’s memory she saw only the pain of a few moments before.

"Well, it looks like you still have a few things to learn about humans. On the bridge before I left, I could tell when you saw the damage reports that you knew what I was getting myself into. And you know that I was aware of the risks."

"Sure, when the unexpected happens, humans can be caught in turmoil, denial or worse. But I was lucky enough to be given choice. And knowing that my actions saved my friends, how could I have any regrets?"

T’Pol understood the concept of duty, but realized that possibly she was witnessing something more than that. Trip held out his hand, and after a moment’s hesitation, T’Pol place her small hand in his. It felt warm and firm in her grasp. There was also an odd sensation, as if the connection had just amplified itself.

"I have a promise I’d like to keep. I told you that I would play that song for you." On the porch a couple appeared. An older man with dark hair, built like a battleship, sat on a chair with what T’Pol surmised was a guitar. A woman, with hair shot through with more silver than the original gold, stood next to the man. She leaned lightly on the back of his chair. Even at this distance, T’Pol could make out the same striking blue eyes as that of her companion. Tucked under her chin was a violin. Without any prelude, the couple began to play. The old man had a remarkable, tender tenor as the words to the song swirled around them.

**Oh, I've longed for you**

**And I have desired**

**To see your face, your smile**

**To be with you, **

**Wherever you are.**

T’Pol’s face looked thoughtful as she listened to the song.

"Ya’ know, I wasn’t quite truthful about not havin’ regrets." For a moment, Trip did look dazed as he tried to put his feelings into words that would not put off the Vulcan. "I have, despite my better judgment, grown quite...fond of you T’Pol. I would have deeply regretted not telling you this. And I guess I’ll regret that I might not be with you, even if it’s just as shipmates... as friends."

**If you think of me**

**If you miss me once in a while**

**Then I'll return to you**

**I'll return and fill that space in your heart**

T’Pol had sensed Trip’s deeper feelings that he seemed loath to put into words. She could not help pointing out to him as he did to her earlier about the nature of their current link.

"Your thoughts to my thoughts. Remember, Commander?" T’Pol sensed his confusion and dismay as he realized how much she probably understood. She reached out her hand and smoothed back a stray lock of his hair as she had done in the engineering bay.

**Remembering your touch, your kiss, your warm embrace**

**I'll find my way back to you**

**Please say you'll be waiting**

"You spoke of your grandparents favorite song quite accurately. It lacks the overblown emotionalism of many earth songs while portraying a bond and devotion admirable in any pair of lifemates. It is quite pleasing."

**If you wait for me**

**Then I'll come for you**

**Although I've traveled far**

**I always hold a place for you in my heart**

Trip couldn’t help himself. He threw back his head and laughed. He felt like a weight had been lifted off his chest. Somehow she understood and accepted his blundering verbal and mental declarations. Suppressing the urge to grab her and twirl her around, he instead put his hand under her chin, tipping it up just so. He leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. T’Pol looked back at him with her unblinking, unfathomable eyes. And Trip thought to himself and he guessed to her as well that, this could be enough. Almost enough. And almost, just almost - no regrets.

Soon T’Pol heard the song continue, but with another voice. A stronger, more youthful version of the old man’s crooning. When she looked back at her companion, she realized that the grandson had carried on with the song to the accompaniment of his grandparent’s music.

**Together again**

**It would feel so good to be**

**In your arms**

**Where all my journeys end**

**If you can make a promise**

**If it's one that you can keep**

**I vow to come for you**

**If you’ll wait for me**

From some distance they thought they heard voices. Captain Archer seemed to be telling someone that they got them or something like that. Trip listened harder. Looks like she’s using a Vulcan mind meld, he thought he heard the doctor say. Trip overheard the captain’s concerned response. Archer seemed to remember the negative consequences of T’Pol’s first experiences with the mind meld. Trip felt T’Pol withdrawing from him as his mind’s eye closed.

The doctor worked feverishly as he explained, "On the contrary captain, until she broke the link, T’Pol seemed to be maintaining and strengthening Mr. Tucker’s metabolic rate. Undoubtedly, he would not have lasted this long otherwise."

T’Pol was slightly dazed and gentle hands, Mr. Reed’s to her surprise, guided her to the side as a medical team enveloped the commander, blocking her view.

For a moment, Trip’s eyes opened. He seemed to be viewing the scene above him from a distance. Whether he was able to express his concern out loud or the Captain just read his thoughts, he wasn’t sure. But he got the response he needed nonetheless.

"She’s fine Trip. Exhausted, but fine. We’ll be taking her to sickbay with you." Trip tried to focus, but everything started getting so far away. He heard Archer repeat urgently to stay with them. He felt himself slipping away and his last thought was of T’Pol... back in his arms, as the darkness enveloped him and finally took him in its embrace.

(OK – now I have to admit that this whole story was inspired by this one marvelous song that was given to me with the billing that it might be "the most perfect love song ever written." I, being the twisted Star Trek junkie that I am, saw a song that would not offend a Vulcan’s sensibilities and – yes, Dan - maybe the most perfect love song ever written. So for those of you that emailed or wrote in a review that you’d like to hear it - pull out a CD of Tracy Chapman’s called New Beginning and play #7.)

And now back to business. Did you think this was the end? Could I be so cruel? Some might say yes. But today – at least, I am not. Bear with me for just a while longer. I’m borrowing the title of the song for the name of the final chapter...

*****************


Continued in Chapter 18
Back to Chapter 16

Back to Fan Fiction Main Menu

Have a comment to make about this story? Do so in the Trip Fan Fiction forum at the HoTBBS!