Be Careful What You Wish For - Ch 9

Be Careful What You Wish For

by Evalyn A

Disclaimer: Not making a dime off of this, they belong to Paramount, they don’t belong to me, although finally they’re starting to act as if they did.
Rating: Action/adventure, T/T shippiness of course, G. May be archived, just let me know.
Takes place sometime after “Home”. Thanks to Quills for inspiring this plot by his cryptic spoiler comments. Officially A/U since that episode.

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Chapter 9: Conclusion

Archer paced in front of the docking bay as he waited for the Vulcan shuttle to meet up with Enterprise. He reviewed in his mind the progress that had been made in the negotiations over the past few weeks. Once the Vulcans and Andorians had come to the conclusion that there was more to be gained by cooperation than from arguing, the negotiations had proceeded at a lightning pace, albeit with incessant bickering.

The alarm sounded, indicating that the shuttle was about to dock. He watched as the shuttle was drawn in, the indicators cycled through and the deck pressurized. Moments later, the door to the shuttle bay opened, permitting him to enter to greet T’Pol as she disembarked, carrying her small bag of personal possessions.

“Good morning, Commander. It’s good to have you back,” he said warmly. She nodded, acknowledging his greeting, and fell into step beside him.

“How did it go on Vulcan?” he asked.

“In what regard?” she replied, clearly hedging.

“In any regard you might care to tell me about,” Archer replied, refusing to be put off. “The negotiations, first. I haven’t had an update in a few days.”

“The negotiations continue to proceed well,” T’Pol replied. “The terms of the joint patrol have been largely determined, and Starfleet has begun to discuss the composition of the human crews that will serve on board the Andorian and Vulcan ships.”

“Do you suppose there will be a lot of volunteers for those positions?” Archer enquired teasingly.

She ignored him pointedly. “As for my other business on Vulcan, that has been completed in a satisfactory manner.”

Archer nodded. “That’s good to hear,” he said. “You probably have some other unfinished business that you need to tend to, then,” he continued. He held out his hand and took her bag from her. “I believe Commander Tucker is likely to be in his quarters.”

She nodded. “Thank you for your understanding, Captain,” she said, somewhat hesitantly.

“Under the circumstances, I think it’s in my own best interests,” he pointed out. “Now go. Just remember, senior staff briefing at the usual time.” He gestured her into the lift whose doors were opening in front of them. As the doors closed, he made a silent bet with himself regarding the likelihood that his two senior officers would make it to the briefing on time. He chuckled, shook his head, and headed off down the corridor, his mood lighter than it had been in some time.

After the lift doors closed, T'Pol stared ahead, alone with her thoughts. She steeled herself as the doors opened again, leaving her to exit the lift a few doors down and walk to Commander Tucker’s quarters. She reached up and pushed the chime.

After a few seconds, the door opened. Tucker stood on the other side, looking slightly tousled and unshaven. “You’re back,” he said, stating the obvious while indicating that she should enter. “I wasn’t sure …” he left the sentence unfinished.

“The High Command felt that my return was appropriate,” she explained, knowing that that was not what he had meant. “They have concluded that when Vulcans and humans work together they achieve more than apart.” She paused, and continued softly, “I found their reasoning sound.”

This was clearly a leading statement, and he felt his throat tighten. “What about your marriage? Don’t you still have to spend time on Vulcan?”

“The marriage was found not to be legally binding. I have had it dissolved.”

“What?” He was taken completely by surprise and found himself stumbling for words. “How? Why?”

She drew a deep breath, and decided on total honesty. “The binding between Vulcans before marriage need not simply be an agreement, it can be a deeper connection than that. This connection can be created using the proper mental techniques; occasionally it can form by itself during the course of time when two individuals are close. Sometimes this binding can be so close that each can sense the other’s thoughts and feelings under certain circumstances. Once a Vulcan has been bound to one individual in this manner, they cannot be wed to another unless the binding can be reversed.”

“You were bound to Koss.” He was beginning to have an idea where this was going, but he was having trouble taking it in.

She looked into his eyes, unblinking. “The binding I had with Koss was the more conventional agreement between families. The binding I share with you is that of our katra – our souls. It can only be reversed by the intervention of a priest with many years of experience … or by death.”

The shock he felt was so strong, it reverberated through their bond to the depth of her being. He stared at her, his expression one of bemusement. After a long pause, he murmured, “That … does explain a few things. What do you want to do now?”

“That depends on you.”

“On me …” He shook his head, still in shock from the revelation.

“The choice is yours – whether to attempt to reverse the bond, or whether to proceed to solemnize it in the appropriate ceremony.” T’Pol paused, and then added acerbically, “Or, of course, you could arrange to have me killed.”

“You’re tellin’ me you’d marry me?” Tucker’s sudden half-grin acknowledged her witticism as well as his delight in her statement.

“I believe that is what I said,” she replied, dryly.

Just as abruptly his mood shifted. He stood abruptly and strode to the viewport, looking out at the stars. “You married Koss out of duty, because you were bonded to him.”

She recalled her feelings that day – walking towards Koss while her heart stayed with the human who watched from behind. “It is not comparable. You are the other half of my soul. To reverse the bond we share would be as if I chose to sever a limb. The outcome could be just as dangerous. However, if you wish, we will try.”

He turned back to face her, and examined her with an intensity that made her skin burn. “I do not wish. I just need to know that you are doing what you choose, not what you feel you must.”

She inclined her head. “It would appear my heart made the choice for me some time ago. Any other choice, now, would be foolish. Would you wish me to be foolish?”

He couldn’t help but smile at the logic. “I guess that depends. Would lettin’ me ravish you on the spot be considered foolish?” He walked toward her purposefully, stopping so close that they were nearly, but not quite touching.

She was aware of the bond as she had never been before, as a zinging wire that pulled them together. Trying to maintain her dignity, she closed her eyes and replied faintly, “Highly foolish. The Captain is expecting us in a half an hour for a senior staff briefing. And you have not yet eaten,” she pointed out, indicating the breakfast tray sitting on his desk.

“For some reason, I’m suddenly not hungry…” he murmured, and as his fingers stroked the tip of her ear down to her jaw, she felt an explosion of need, of want, of joy, that she would not have considered possible to bear a few scant months ago.

“What about the staff meeting?” she murmured, as he propelled her over onto the bed.

He smiled, and reached for the comm. “Tucker to Reed.” He trailed his finger down her collarbone and she shivered.

“Reed here.”

“Malcolm, I’m kind of caught up in something, and might have a bit of trouble making the start of the senior staff meeting. Do you think you could suggest to the Captain that we need to delay a few minutes?”

There was a pause, and then Malcolm replied, in a tone of amusement, “In fact, I believe I’ve found a small glitch in the weapons array that really could use immediate attention. I’ll suggest to the Captain that a one hour delay in the meeting would be advisable, and that I’ll notify everyone.”

“I owe you one Malcolm,” Trip replied with a grin at T’Pol, as he pressed her body to the bed.

“I’m keeping track,” Malcolm replied. Trip punched the comm. button, and said, “Now where were we?”

“I believe you were about to demonstrate the advantages of interspecies co-operation,” T’Pol replied, her hands pressed against his chest.

“Mmm,” he replied, his lips too occupied for further conversation.

While part of her was delightfully occupied in the ensuing interactions, another part of her, the logical, Vulcan part, could not help but analyse the astonishing changes her life was going through.

It was evident to her that this particular interspecies negotiation would be a protracted one, and it would likely be marked by just as many disagreements as the negotiations that were ongoing on Vulcan. Yet, she had no doubt that the rewards would be as great – although some might be a bit more intimate in nature, she admitted as she found herself briefly attempting to extrapolate her current activity onto the Vulcan and Andorian delegations.

After a few entrancingly distracted moments, she brought her contemplations back. She thought she understood now what her older self on that other Enterprise had tried to tell her, that to be T’Pol of Vulcan was not to be without emotions, but to be at peace with them – to use them to strengthen the soul without allowing them to weaken purpose and logic in those things that mattered. And this man was the other half of that soul, helping her reach that balance she had sought her entire life.

“You’re thinkin’ too much, darlin’,” Tucker murmured, clearly sensing some of her thoughts. “There’ll be lots of time for that later.”

“All the time in the world, thy’la,” she replied, and let her heart lead her.

Fin

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A whole mess of folks have made comments

OMG!!! This is wonderful! Simply wonderful! It's a shame that the only time the screen TnT' ever seem to come close to dropping their barriers enough for real conversation is in the white space... your resolution is short, sweet and to the point - and their dialogue even sounds like them. I expecially liked Trip's concern that T'Pol was willing to continue the bond out of a sense of duty - a reasonable caution, I think. The exchange with Malcolm was priceless. And I simply love the last few lines of her reflections and his perception of them. Lovely piece! I hope you continue to write for this couple, even after the nefarious finale! ;)

First off I have to give you an encore. This was a great piece of writing. I really loved the ending. I have to agree with PM AnneAlder in saying that it does sound like them. Again great job, but I do wish you could keep this story going with another plot. It says "fin" but I truly hope that is not the case and you just need a break. So please continue this story because what you are doing is great.

Real great! A wonderful ending for a wonderful story! ;) I look forward to more in the future, this was was sure gold!!!!!!

i love it.

T’Pol paused, and then added acerbically, “Or, of course, you could arrange to have me killed.” .....PRICELESS!!! LoL

A wonderful story with a perfect ending. Please continue to write.

Just loved this Trip and T'Pol goodness, I so adore it when love gives logic a run for its' money - taking stubborn, stiff-necked Vulcans with it. Wonderful! Ali D :~)
You can't take the sky from me

I like it! That was great, hope there's a sequel! :)

Very sweet... I hope there is a sequel as well. :-)

That was fantastic :)! I also couldn't help but smile at the logic..

I've waited till the end to make any comments on this piece; I can't begin to tell you how much I've enjoyed your writing!! Some of the lines you have T'Pol say are hysterically funny...."arrange to have me killed".......

Also, I like how you've written the development of the bond between them. I like the fact that she doesn't appear to 'automatically' know what
is causing this discomfort.

Your style of writing clearly paints the picture for me and I have no trouble visualizing the scenes. Sweet, really really nice. Please do continue to write, as it seems only in fanfic like this to Trip and T'Pol actually ever come to 'talk this out' like people should, and resolve any of their angst.

This was great! Nice plot, nice characterizations, wonderful Shran and Soval inclusions, and of course, excellent Trip and T'Pol interactions. I like the way you portrayed the bond between them. Can't wait to see more from you!

What a marvelous story! Not only did it have a plot with far-reaching implications for three species, but it had characters who acted like adults. Terrific dialogue (the "Or you could arrange to have me killed" line is =classic=!) and wonderful insight into who these people are. Top notch all the way around. Thank you.