Generational - part 5

Generational

By TLR

Rated R
Disclaimer: Enterprise is the property of UPN and Paramount Pictures. And don't forget about the online petition. Make your voice known, it only takes a minute.
Summary: To this point, Trip and T'Pol have gotten successfully through their marriage and honeymoon. Although Trip could easily allow T'Pol into his mind, the Vulcan has until this point still not been able to allow her mate's essence into her mind. She is disheartened about her inadequacies. She now desires for this more than even, finding herself more and more drawn to him. The deep affection she has for him has grown into something more intense than she first expected, and in some small way it is frightening her from allowing the bond to be completed. Let's see how they handle it.

Feb. 5, 2005

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Part 5

Many months passed since their romantic nights tucked away in that cargo bay paradise. The Tuckers had settled down into a sort of routine, trying hard to be the perfect married couple. Trip would allow T'Pol free access to his mind, even encouraged it by finding reasons to bump into her when they worked together. T'Pol had become so accustom to his desire for her essence, it was a reflex for her to slip in and out of him with only the briefest of contact. But to this point, she still was unable to allow him entrance, a fact that made her constantly chastise herself as a mate and wife. Her husband though grew all the more supportive with every failed attempt and there were many. T'Pol would even try to anger him, hoping that if she could tolerate his most violent emotions, then the rest would come more easily to her. This didn't work for Trip knew what she was attempting and wouldn't go after the bait. Not even the most direct shots she would try.

The two had even enlisted the good doctor's help, hoping that he'd have some potion or treatment that would wear down her barriers and force the young Vulcan to take in her mate's life essence. Phlox however, only gave them sage advice, the type that Trip was repeating over and over again. "It will come in time…. Try taking it slowly… and use the more positive emotions to start, those will be the most amenable to your system. The others will only trigger your barriers and make them stronger."

It became a nightly ritual for the two to go through neuropressure, then meditation, Trip even trying yoga to make his chi more palatable to her sensitive nature. After one particularly long night of standing on his head in a tripod position, the young Human realized that ancient Chinese rituals were probably not the way this bond was going to come to life. But it didn't stop him, participating in anything T'Pol would come up with, and mostly enjoying it immensely. Their love life was just as aggressively being exercised, the commander often limping out of bed in the morning aching for that early shower to wash away the sore muscles of the night before. Not that he was complaining, far from it. More often the smile that came with a good night's passion didn't wash off in the shower and followed him throughout the day and well into the night. Many of the crew nagged him about his over cheerfulness, it being annoying and so childish.

Today though, Trip was returning to their cabin (T'Pol's old cabin because it was bigger) from a hard days work in engineering. He knew his wife was there, having gotten off early from her gravimetric surveys and indicated she would meet him. They had another long evening planned, which included movie night and a romantic stroll through the exhaust manifold crawlspace, a favorite necking spot they had due to its lack of security cameras and distance from anyone hearing their passionate sounds. The southern male was looking forward to their activities together, when he entered the cabin and went directly to the bathroom. There he saw his wife in the shower stall, just turning off the water. She stepped out, droplets falling heavily from her breasts and hind parts, reaching for a towel that was draped outside the boxed in area.

"Mrs. Tucker…."Trip started, his mock annoyed tone getting her attention. "What have we discussed about water rationing…. It is our duty to conserve our resources." He brandished her, a lightly displeased grin.

"Mr. Tucker…the water aboard Enterprise is recycled. Therefore no resources have been wasted." She stood there, not trying to cover herself, knowing part of his act was to prolong his view of her nakedness.

"Yes, but recycling the water takes energy, and there in lies the waste. You would do well to remember that next time and await my arrival. I would have been most amenable to adjusting my schedule and bathing with you if I had been given the opportunity." His eyes covered the distance from her head to her toes and back again many times.

"Yes but our water conservation tactics often keep us from arriving on time to our planned events. You seem to have difficulty controlling your physical response to my attempts at bathing. And when you assist me, we are all the later for our efforts." She looked down and saw the bulge growing in his jumpsuit. "You see, even now you are having a reaction to my mere presence in this room. Perhaps we should rethink this water conservation plan of ours to better incorporate time constraints and physical preparedness states."

"That isn't anything. I am just pleased to see you are keeping your body in such good condition. It is most comforting that you are assisting me in helping you to stay healthy." Trip liked this game of talk like a Vulcan. It was even more fun than the all out arguments he used to pick just to get a rise out of her.

"That explains now, but what about every morning…. You seem to have difficulty controlling your body's response to my closeness."

Trip looked a bit flustered by her comment. He did react a lot around her, but who wouldn't. "I told you that is simply a morning rise. It's natural for a male to wake up like that."

"And what type of rise is this?" she asked indicating his protruding lower crotch with her eyes.

Trip coughed a bit realizing how well his wife could play this game. "It's a ,….I am pleased to see you so fit and in such good health…. rise , nothing more I assure you."

It was only at this time, did T'Pol reach out and take hold of the towel. Her nudity before him didn't bother her, in fact she took great pleasure in the fact that he enjoyed it so. As she began patting the towel to her breasts, Trip came up with another and began dabbing at her back side.

"Poor Malcolm.." he thought aloud.

"I beg your pardon?" T'Pol asked clasping the towel loosely to her front.

"Oh, nothing." He stopped himself then saw the accusing look coming from his wife's turned face.

"It's just that Malcolm always said he thought your bottom was a really nice one…. It's a shame he'll never get to see what I see." Trip continued to pat at the rounded firm surface.

"You wish me to allow the security officer to have a look at my bottom?" She asked knowing full well his answer.

"Hell NO!!!" Trip returned very protective. "Let him get his own girl…"

"That is good to know. I dare say he would not be too receptive at seeing his best friend's wife in the nude." T'Pol thought a moment. "Lt Reed is having a bit of difficulty finding himself a mate." She stated a fact that both were all too aware of.

"Don't worry about Malcolm, he's got the ladies lining up to go out with him." Trip tried to convince them both not to worry.

"Yes, but he rarely asks them out for more than one date. And the ratio of women to men on board is such that if he doesn't act quickly, there may not be any left for him to choose from." T'Pol was looking at this clinically.

"I know, but you can't make him fall in love with someone by stating facts. It's gotta happen naturally and so far, it just hasn't happened for him yet." Trip wrapped his arms about her, holding the towel as a barrier between her clean wet skin and his slightly dirty overalls.

"Perhaps you should discuss with him the benefits of water conservation. It seems to have made it easier for you to continue to desire me." T'Pol knew that would break him out of what ever worried state he'd gotten into over his friend.

"That's a good idea…. I'll have a discussion with him tomorrow on that very subject." Trip leaned in and kissed his mate. "Now if you don't mind, I think a shower would do me and my engineer's mate a world of good." He smiled and began unzipping his blue denim outfit.

"Do you require my assistance?" His wife asked him, standing there ready to drop the towel and do her part.

"No, this one I think I can do solo, but perhaps later you will assist me in other ways." Trip smiled as he remembered her latest fetish of taking the lead for only part of the adventure, usually the disrobing. She could live out her fantasy with him and both benefited from the compromise. She brushed up against him sharing the memory of last night's exotic escapade, before turning to leave the room.

Trip called back as she got to the door. "Oh and darlin, next time you want me to remove your clothes with my teeth, try not to wear anything elastic. It got loose from me and snapped my nose something fierce." Trip rubbed at the offended spot to further emphasize his point, then smiled and removed the rest of his clothes. The Vulcan lingered in the doorway, watching his naked body enter the stall and begin enjoying the warmth. She thought for a moment to go in and join him anyway, but knew there would be much time for that later. She left the room feeling very encouraged about the evening's activities.

***

It was 18:56PM and the mess hall was filling up. The women were all seated, dotting the rows of chairs, awaiting the return of their dates. In the front row sat T'Pol, keeping the seat to her right open for her husband's return. She made it a point not to arrive late to movie night, because she wanted an unobstructed view of the film. Usually, sitting in any other row gave them a view of at least one or two couples necking, touching or in general acting inappropriately in the eyes of the Vulcan. Trip understood her lack of desire to share closeness in this way, but made it a point to do subtle things, like causing their fingers to touch in the popcorn bowl, sliding his hand beneath the bowl, as it rested between them and allowing the back of his fingers to brush against the outside of her thigh. Initially, his mate warned him, not wanting to break the custom of no public displays of affection, but after a while she grew used to it and noted further that his actions were always well camouflaged, not in any way trying to embarrass her. This pleased T'Pol that her mate was so conscious of her need for privacy, and she even took pleasure in their clandestine stolen moments.

The men formed a line at the back of the serving area waiting patiently to get their bowls of popcorn. In this line stood Trip and Malcolm, moving slowly as the bowls of lightly buttered treats were being filled and handed out. Trip and his friend were talking low, trying to catch up on some of the events that had been happening. The one thing that had changed was Trip's free time. Now, other than the occasional water polo match with the Captain, Trip concentrated most of his free time on forming the bond with his mate. He would sometimes run into Malcolm in the gym, but mostly only saw him in passing in the mess and at staff meetings. Little social events were the only time they had to catch up.

"So, who is the lucky lady tonight?" Trip asked moving up another few inches.

"Joanna Pender" Reed pointed to the sultry blond in the next to last row.

"Crewman Pender……. Nice…… Seeing a lot of her lately?" Trip knew the answer, but asked anyway.

"No… other than in passing, this is our first date….." Malcolm stepped up behind the slow moving crowd.

"So you two have a lot in common?" Again the engineer wanted to know why his friend chose this particular female as his date.

"Not really, but I believe we could find enough in common to have a really nice time." The Brit gave his friend an exaggerated wink.

"You're chief of security and she's an exobiology specialist… what are you gonna talk about?" Trip was wondering if Malcolm was purposely trying to jinx his dates. He noticed his friend watching a particularly close couple enter the room and wondered why their activity meant so much to the man who already had a hot date of his own.

Hoshi Sato entered on the arm of Corporal Jenkins, a MACO newly promoted after the loss of two of his colleagues. She leaned into him, talking low and giving him the cute little laughs that she used to attract male attention from all those around her. They walked past the line, moving to the back of the rows and took a seat on the far end of the room, almost evenly across from where Malcolm and his date would be sitting. Trip watched the security officer's interest in this activity with great curiosity.

"Malcolm…." Trip called when he'd moved up, but the Brit had not. "Malcolm…" He called more forcibly, reaching out and grabbing him by the arm. The commander pulled his friend further up in line and back from that distant place he was for a brief moment.

"Okay…. Spill it." Trip leaned in and shot that comment to his friend like an ultimatum.

"Spill what?" His British accent made the question seem all the more fake.

"Why, when you are here with one of the most drop dead gorgeous women aboard, would you be so concerned with whom Hoshi is dating? Come on spill the beans or else I'll go ask our resident communication's officer." Trip again, drug him further up in line, waiting for the answer.

"I don't know what you mean?" Now Reed was starting to squirm.

"Listen, Malcolm. You and Hoshi have been friends now for over two years. You always found ways to flirt with her, but because of the no fraternization rules, you didn't follow through with it. Now's your chance. If you have feelings for her, you'd best let her know soon, or else it may be too late." Trip looked at him very seriously and saw his friend giving into honesty.

"It's already too late…. It's rumored that she and Corporal Jenkins are going to get engaged soon….." Malcolm trailed off realizing the bitter truth of what his friend was hearing for the first time.

"It's not too late Malcolm, not until she says 'I do'. You gotta tell her and tell her now. If there's a chance for you two, then you gotta be honest with her." Trip jabbed him in the arm to magnify his point. "I mean look at me and T'Pol. I just got up the courage one day and let her know the truth…. And ever since then we've been…." Trip was cut off by the cynical reply of his friend.

"You two were already married to one another long before you got together publicly. Everyone on board knew you two would be together…. Don't even begin to tell me you thought other wise." Reed scoffed at the thought of the blond haired commander believing he could be happy with anyone else aboard. It was so obvious the attraction the two shared, even as far back as their argument on the bridge during their mission against the Suliban.

"The point is Malcolm. If Hoshi is already a good friend, then maybe if she knows you'd like to be more, she wouldn't be dating mister MACO over there. She can't read minds, she's not T'Pol." Trip let it slip, everyone on board already suspicious of the Vulcan's mysterious abilities. He caught his friend's eyes searching again for the interesting couple that sat quietly together in a distant row.

"Will ya just think about it?" Trip interjected, having just been handed his bowl of popcorn. He waited there for an answer.

"Yeah…well….. I'll give it some thought… but in the meantime…" Reed's demeanor changed as he took his bowl. "I have another more pressing engagement to take care of." He flashed his date a smile, seeing her wonder where he'd gotten too. Malcolm left Trip standing there totally pissed at the Brit's lack of judgment. To be in love with someone and to be dating someone else was not exactly Trip's idea of the best way to handle things.

****

It was late, about 22:00, as the Tuckers made their way through the halls toward engineering. They walked, as usual, with only two fingers touching a proper version of holding hands in Vulcan. As they walked through the doors of the engine room, T'Pol was questioning her mate about the movie plot they just saw.

"I don't understand….if they knew the computer was malfunctioning, why didn't they shut it down immediately? It would seem the logical thing to do." T'Pol was truly engrossed in the elements she saw on the screen.

"Honey…. That's why they call it Sci Fi, because there is no logic to it." Trip lent her a hand as they descended the ladder into the smaller area of the crawl space. "Besides, I think they didn't have a clue until the first crewman was killed. And by that time HAL had already set up his perimeter defenses. Everyone that got close to turning him off was killed."

"But would it not have been logical to have numerous back up systems that would let you override the computer in case of a malfunction?" T'Pol wasn't grasping the idea of fiction.

"Yes, but the writer wanted the computer to win. He wrote the story so they couldn't get to him. Didn't you see them get into that one pod to talk, 'cause they knew HAL had them bugged." Trip helped her down into the narrow tube and waited for her to catch up to him, before crawling ahead of her.

"Yes, but isn't it Human logic to write stories that have the Humans come out as the victors?" Trip had to laugh at her total fluster over the picture show.

"Yes, but that is why they make sequels, to give the Humans a chance at revenge." He crawled along toward the light at the end of the tunnel. T'Pol kept up with him easily, still trying to interpret the movie's abstract meanings.

"So you are saying that in a sequel, the Humans came back to the ship and destroyed HAL?" She asked wondering why they didn't see that picture as well.

"Well in a way…. They did come back in the movie 2010, and instead of destroying the computer, they brought along a computer shrink and gave it therapy…." Trip laughed at his own words. They sounded so comical to him. He wondered how they must seem to the logical science officer. T'Pol stopped her advancing for a moment and shot him a perplexed look. Trip sensed it without even glancing back.

"Look… It seems HAL wasn't a bad guy after all. He was given conflicting orders and he did his best to interpret and carry them out. But it got the first crew killed. The second time around, this computer doctor, found out the conflict and helped him to resolve it in a way that would help the Humans, not harm them. After that, HAL ended up saving the day, giving up his own existence to see to it the Humans escaped in time. All he really wanted was a straight answer…." Trip again giggled at that remark, knowing it would have his wife contemplating the subject throughout the next several days. They got to the end of the tunnel, which opened up into a very small area, no bigger than a powder room. It had sleek white walls, with dials that were high up on the bulkhead. The 'wall to floor' junctions were sloped, making this spot, a very pleasant place to sit and relax. Since their marriage, Trip would often come to this place when he needed time to play his harmonica. Occasionally both of them needed time alone, T'Pol to meditate and Trip to relax and let his emotions run wild. This was as good a place as any, and when they realized how secluded it was, it became a great place to come and have a little romance that was not confined to the walls of their cabin. Trip looked around the room and found it vacant.

"Coast is clear." He announced, scrambling out and reaching for his wife's hand. T'Pol eased out ready to ask another question about the movie when Trip pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately upon the lips. This melted her thoughts, realizing that their work on the bond was to take precedence over everything else.

She returned his kisses, pulling her body close up to his. He felt her warmth, rising through him like a hot beach front day. Her hands wrapped about his head, fingers running through the short strands of blond mane. T'Pol's essence wafted through his mind, making him so joyously happy. Trip attempted to ease himself into her mind, but again met the barrier that was there at the mere feel of his mind trying to contact hers. They continued on with their romancing, kissing and caressing as they slipped over to the far side of the room and sat down. After a half hour, they relaxed there in each other's arms, just enjoying their closeness.

"You know…. This place is peaceful enough, why don't we try our meditation here?" Trip asked his wife, who was at the moment just content to remain quietly with him like this.

"We have no cushions." She replied trying to change his mind on the subject.

"Well I'm comfortable just like this." Trip retorted.

"Yes, but proper technique is to sit upright and maintain good posture."

"I know. But is it absolutely necessary? I have been able to meditate here in the past on my own." Trip really didn't want to leave this peaceful place.

"No, however we have no candles… Meditation would be difficult without the presence of candles." T'Pol started to move from his arms. He pulled her back into his chest and tightened his embrace of her.

"Difficult perhaps, but not impossible. Just let me try and you go along for the ride." Trip's voice was reassuring, as if not having a problem with taking the lead on this one. "Just the way you taught me too."

After just a few cleansing breaths, Trip slipped into a very relaxed meditative state. With practiced ease, T'Pol found herself in that plain white space sitting cross legged with her mate seated opposite her. They stared at the quiet surroundings trying to broach the subject of her fears. Trip seemed very sympathetic, knowing just how nervous the Vulcan was about accepting his katra as he had hers. The disappointment he sensed from her was palpable, knowing T'Pol felt guilty for their failure. Trip decided to take matters into hand and try to solve the problem.

"T'Pol…. I'd like to try something." He laid a soft hand on her arm. The Vulcan nodded.

Trip closed his eyes and concentrated hard. Within a few seconds, he disappeared from his spot before her and in his place were half dozen small golden furred puppies. They climbed all over one another coming toward the young woman. T'Pol tensed, not fond of the Humans' favorite pet. She started to rise, but heard Trip's voice telling her to stay. She eased back down into her lotus sit. The puppies, a mix of sizes seemed all the same breed. Short haired with long tails and dark black noses. Some climbed upon the Vulcan's legs, others cuddled up beside them. Still others barked and yapped, growling and snarling between grabbing at the small chew toys that came with the group.

The most exuberant of the bunch was a small blue eyed pup that kept licking at the Vulcan's fingers. It climbed veraciously trying to get to the young woman's face, to do the same. T'Pol backed up and watched the creature's efforts, dodging the intermittent leap and paw that came close to her chin. The Vulcan wondered what these animals were doing here and even more so why they all had a desire to be in contact with her. It wasn't until her mate's voice came to her again, did she realize what he'd done.

"Pick one up." Came a soft whisper from behind her. She turned and found no one standing there. "Go ahead… pick one up and hold it." The voice came again.

"Why should I do this?" She questioned the invisible voice.

"Because…. These are my emotions. They are all separate. Maybe this way you can accept them." The voice sounded so confident in this plan.

"How is holding the animals going to help me accept your emotions better?" T'Pol was very apprehensive about touching the creatures.

"Cause they're cute and cuddly and non threatening…. Maybe if you can accept them as such, you can incorporate them. Come on honey, give it a try." Trip allowed a bit of his consciousness to warm her. Her mind in his was so comforting, that even this repulsive behavior was not considered too unacceptable.

T'Pol looked at the pups, as they stumbled all over each other. She wondered which one to pick first. They had no markings, denoting nothing to tell the Vulcan which animal was which emotion. "How can I tell them apart?"

"By the way they act." Trip tried to relay confidence to his mate and her task ahead.

T'Pol looked at the mangled mess of puppies. She saw the one that was still trying to get into her face and decided simply for proximity, that that one should be first. She eased her fingers around the furry little body. The pup wriggled within her grasp and pushed off her chest with its hind paws to get closer to her face. She held it up in front of her, wondering what was to come next.

"Hold him to you." Trip whispered giving her a soft nudge. "Hug him….that's what he wants." T'Pol looked at the pup, knowing this was not going to be the easiest of tests. She pulled the soft critter to her chest and let it nuzzle close into her neck, feeling the frantic licking it did as it came in contact with her. After several fevered attempts to paste her face with doggie kisses, the puppy settled down and laid its face into the crack of her neck. Its tail wagged back and forth happily and its breathing steadied from the frantic pace it started with. More over T'Pol, instead of loathing this feeling, began enjoying it, as it brought with it a strange comfort that made her less apprehensive about the process. She allowed the small creature to perch there for as long as it wanted. Absently, the Vulcan's hand came up and began stroking the soft fur of the creature's back. She heard the contented breathing, with the occasional lip smacking and brief licking that accompanied this behavior. She closed her eyes and allowed her fears to smooth further. It was clear to her that this version of man's best friend was not like the real thing. This was an extension of her mate and being so, it was no different than holding him close. She relaxed the muscles of her upper chest and shoulders, concentrating on the rhythmic breathing of the animal. This told her it was sleeping, totally at peace with its conflicting needs. The other pups began to fade from her attention, concentrating only on the one in her arms. There was a sudden rush of warmth that entered her brain. It was like a soothing breeze of a desert wind. It took her by surprise, totally unaware of its strength as it entered her and took its place in the back of her consciousness. T'Pol gasped experiencing the luxurious feeling of the emotion. She opened her eyes and found that the puppy she was cuddling had vanished. She looked around for it, wondering what had happened. Then her thoughts felt its presence within her and she knew this emotion, 'love', more exactly her mate's love for her was now a part of her being, there permanently and forever sharing her mind as she did his. This encouraged her, being the first of her mate's emotions to have gotten through.

T'Pol heard the brief voice again come to her mind. "That a girl…." She could feel the emotion fill her heart, as her mate sent more and more of it into her being. The Vulcan looked down at the remaining puppies, all doing their own thing at her feet. She wondered which other would be easy for her to incorporate next. Her eyes fell upon a small pup in the corner, lying next to her boot. Its head rested on the footwear, eyes closed and long streams of wetness drawing down from them. The soft creature made the slightest of whining sounds, as if in pain for some reason that the Vulcan could not comprehend. Its demeanor drew her to it, reaching over and lifting it to her instantly. The small fur ball didn't fight the move, allowing her to do whatever she willed. When it came in contact with the soft material of her uniform, the golden haired puppy crawled in deeper, resting its snout into her skin as if the touch would bring it comfort. It continued to cry softly, bringing out the nurturer in T'Pol. She stroked it gently, adding a soft "shhh" to her movement, meant to sooth the animal. It took some doing, and the Vulcan grew a bit apprehensive about what strength of emotion was behind the severe sadness it was displaying.

Finally the crying stopped, replaced by the same even breathing that the first had come to. There was another flash of warmth, this one tinged with a bit of heaviness that crossed her heart like a change in gravity. It pulled at her, wanting to crush her under the weight of its sadness, but T'Pol didn't give in. Her stroking of the animal continued, making her even more determined to accept her mate's pain as her own. The heaviness decreased, being totally taken over by the emotion of love that seemed to be ready to care for all the other emotions that got through. This response acted like a great equalizer, and suddenly it was clear to T'Pol that what ever she faced in dealing with his emotions, his love for her would be there to help keep her from being overwhelmed. The second puppy disappeared from her hold, and into her mind to join the first. In her mind, T'Pol could sense her mate's pleasure. He was joyous, and there was an overwhelming sense of pride coming from him to her, for her. This was a most attractive experience, making the Vulcan push forward in her attempt.

She looked down and saw the remaining puppies, all portraying the emotions they were meant to represent. There was one who kept popping its head out from behind her, shivering and darting back to its cover for safety. That one, T'Pol decided would be the next. Clearly afraid, the pup quivered under her touch, eyes full of fear at the sight of the female lifting him. He burrowed into her neck, the moment she laid it to her, trying to crawl through the small tunnel and get away. T'Pol held onto it tightly, rubbing it gently with a free hand, but keeping it from escaping her. She lifted it occasionally to her face, looking into its eyes with a very soft and loving gaze. It sniffed at her, testing her caring cautiously with baby steps of its own. The pup returned to its safe place, buried in the curve of her neck. It licked lightly at her hair, as it draped down the back of her neck. That same soft smacking sound played occasionally in her ear, as T'Pol felt the puppy finally becoming confident in her ability to care for it. The licking went to her skin, as the puppy thanked her for her caring. There was another wave, this one bone chilling, as if all her fears came back and were magnified. Though just as strong, this feeling didn't last long, as the first puppy quickly came up and pulled the scared one into the fold of the others. Within a second, all was calm in her mind again, and the Vulcan could relax once more.

T'Pol checked the status of her thoughts. She looked for weaknesses in her control and found it hadn't been affected by the presence of some of her mate's emotions. Though different, she found them no more disruptive than the 83 Humans' emotions she had to learn to deal with from the start of their mission. In fact, these were more organized since they were all coming from one person. The strongest of which, love seemed to be the controller, keeping the other emotions in line. The mere presence in her mind wasn't near the threat she dreamed it to be. With that in mind, she searched for Trip in her consciousness, hoping that having half his emotions would be enough to truly feel his essence there. He still was on the outside looking in. T'Pol knew it was time to get the remainder into place and allow the bond to truly form. She opened her eyes and viewed the remaining puppies.

Two of the puppies were snarling at each other. One being protective over a toy it had in its possession, the second, just being agitated over the rambunctious ness of the other two. She lifted the two foul acting pups, leaving the last one on the floor at her feet. It jumped and played with the sole of her shoe, practicing its skill at hunting on the brown block shaped rubber item.

Holding the disagreeable pups, T'Pol brought them both to her chest. Each lay there snarling and spitting at the other. The Vulcan wondered how to appease these two, most unruly creatures. Then she decided that merely caring for them would sooth their foul moods. She eased them up into her neck, hearing the hissing and spitting as each reluctantly did what she bid them to do. The one clung to its toy, holding it in its mouth through clinched teeth. T'Pol simply moved over her head to incorporate the stuffed animal. The other continued to growl off and on for many long moments. Its tail straight and ears back, T'Pol wondered if she would be safe from its wrath should the animal decide to attack. Instead it simply lay there, just as burrowed as the frightened pup had been. Finally both dogs' growling subsided, overtaken by the soothing strokes of the Vulcan's hands upon their fur. They disappeared quickly, as a sharp wave of heat hit her square in the brain. The green in her skin came to full flush, her ear tips becoming a vivid shade of olive. Then just as suddenly as it came over her, this rush of anger and jealousy, subsided, again giving way to the love that came up quickly to corral them both and put them in their proper place. The overwhelming weight of these emotions left T'Pol a bit dazed and she could feel a soft hand steadying her from their onslaught. She knew the hand was that of her mate, even though there was still no one in sight.

The last puppy remained in front of her yipping and attacking the rubber sole of her shoe. It pounced and jumped back several times, barking in short bursts at the very unobtrusive piece of footwear. Its tail wagged happily, slapping into the Vulcan's leg frequently. T'Pol took a deep breath, realizing that this emotion would be the most powerful of all. Knowing her mate as she did, his playful side was enormous, and could often light up the room in which he was, spreading contagiously to all those around him. She released the breath she was holding and reached down for the pup. It dodged her playfully backing up and crouching on its front paws. It yapped several times, warning her that he was ready to play and wanted company in his game. He bounced back and forth, preparing to avoid her grasp even further. It jumped out of the way and continued its playful romp for several attempts. T'Pol let out a low growl, trying to express to the rambunctious creature her displeasure at his evasiveness. It sat down in front of her, appearing to have understood and remained there while the Vulcan lifted the pup to her. The animal folded its legs beneath its full soft body. The puppy's head fit nicely in the curve of her neck. It play bit at the brown strands that tickled its cold black nose. Then occasionally came the soft licks to her skin, which caused the Vulcan to shiver. T'Pol stroked the animal's back, watching its long tail wag back and forth across her face. It poked at her eyes, tickled her nose and generally kept in time to its own playful schedule. This emotion wasn't absorbing like the rest, having too much fun being independent. T'Pol continued to stroke it trying to have the patience required. Finally, she pulled the puppy from her chest and held it before her. She gazed deeply into those bright blue eyes and noticed the loving look that she so enjoyed from her mate. Those eyes sparkled, brimming with mischief, and good humor. She looked at him sharply, watching its paws wriggle beneath her concentrated scrutiny.

Finally, the puppy lurched forward and lapped at the Vulcan's nose. Its oversize tongue connected with her skin, leaving a very moist trail up the center of her face. The dog then began to pant, forming the largest smile T'Pol had ever seen. She brought the puppy to her chest again, and sensed its disappearance almost immediately upon reaching her skin. The wave hit her even more brilliantly than the last, making her head spin with extreme velocity. Again she felt a hand steadying her, presuming her mate was still not there. But when she opened her eyes, T'Pol saw his arms wrapped about her, enclosing her slight frame in warmth. The Vulcan turned in them, laying her head against his chest. Trip leaned his head onto hers, feeling the change in his mind as his essence entered hers with ease.

There were pictures swirling all around them as they sat in the middle of this chaos. It made the Human a bit apprehensive, feeling as though he wasn't prepared to handle the amount of information coming at him. He leaned back, pulling away from the onslaught. T'Pol looked up at him, seeing his confusion. She stabilized her thoughts, clearing a lot of the images that swirled about them. This helped her mate focus on just a few images at a time.

Trip saw some scenes becoming clearer. One of them was of his mate and her father on the patio at her home. The child snuggled deep into her father's chest, the older male planting intermittent covert kisses on her hair. The child T'Pol giggled softly at the sensation, which made her father all the more pleased. He flashed her, a mock look of displeasure, which changed quickly into a faint smile.

Another was of her mother combing the long silky strands of dark hair that draped down the small child's back. The hand that followed the comb, smoothed the long silk into place, but also sent soft shivers of care and love through the child. She smiled, unabashed by the constraints of her parents' emotional control.

Trip saw the scene changing again and noted the next image was that of them in decon that first time. The concentration it took on the Vulcan's part not to respond to the soothing she felt as his hands caressed her body. This time though, Trip could sense the pleasure she felt at his touch and it pleased him to know that he wasn't the only one who enjoyed that moment.

Finally the images changed to their honeymoon, the long evenings they were together just enjoying the special surprise her mate had created for her. T'Pol's feelings were open to him now and he felt the great pleasure she had at the sight of his creation. The fountain she so adored, now stood in the corner of their quarters continuing to bring her soothing feelings of home. Even though Trip knew he'd done well with his little surprise, it was difficult for him to read just how much she really liked it. Now he knew.

But most overwhelming was the love he felt coming from her. Although referred to as deep affection, Trip couldn't believe the level of love he felt from her now. The Human often thought that his was the greater emotion, but now knew that hers was equally if not more intense and it only grew with every loving glance he gave to her. This made him light headed, and he squeezed her tightly to keep them both from getting lost in its grandeur. They remained like this for a long while, both contented to explore the other's consciousness.

It would be a long time before they would allow themselves to come out of the meditation again. Trip was apprehensive, not wanting to loose contact with his wife, afraid that with the loss of touch, his mind would once more be separate from hers. But T'Pol reassured him that wouldn't be the case and with a bit of faith, he allowed her out of his arms. Her essence remained with him just as brightly, and in his mind's eye they were still wrapped in each other's embrace. This soothed his worried mind. They walked back to their cabin and spend the remainder of the night exploring just how this newly formed bond would change things between them. It would be early morning before either would fall to sleep. Tired but happy they looked at this moment as the beginning of their lives together.

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Part 6

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A whole mess of folks have made comments

I have been waiting for this chapter and it was certainly worth the wait. I have enjoyed all of your stories, however I believe this one is my favorite. Can't wait for the chapter.

Hey gang, sorry for the delay. Turns out that the original I sent on Tuesday, never got through. I found the 'delivery error' message this morning. Glad I sent it again. Hope you enjoy. T

what can i say, worth the wait!

Love your writing style. Can't wait till Tuesday!

Nice. The puppy analogy was interesting considering T'Pol's distaste for Porthos. But then, you could say she had the same aversion to Trip's emotions.

Nice work here. Only one small nitpick: lose/loose. To loose (rhymes with moose) is the opposite of to tighten. To lose is the opposite of to gain/win. Most of the time in fic, you want to use lose, as in "...not wanting to lose contact with his wife."

Sorry about that Binah, I have to say I often confuse the two. I go mostly by sounding, which can get me in a lot of trouble. I always think of Choose and loose. So when I think of chose, I think lose sounds the same way. It's an easy mishap, but I will make a note of it in the future. Thanks T.

Yoga Originates from India, not China

Hugs AND puppies? It's my lucky day! Malcolm should get off his - ahem - backside, and just ASK HOSHI OUT ALREADY!!! I hope he does, it would just be icing on the cake! Great stuff, once again! :)

Neat idea. It took me a while to figure out what was going on but once I did I liked it. I think puppy idea is pretty slick.

I reread this and while you probably should have one of the puppies humping T'Pol's leg (to capture all his emotions), I'm glad you didn't. :-)

Cute idea, if you like puppies. At least imaginary puppies don't piddle on the carpet, LOL!

Puppies!

is the new chapter still coming out today.

I thought this was a great story, and I loved the ideas of the puppies, it was a original way of getting t'pol to understand his emotions. Can't wait for the next chapter....

I am running a little behind. My grand father fell and broke his hip this week and that is where I have been all week. Will have it out by Thurs, I promise. Sorry, T.

is the next chapter still going to be put up today

Sorry guys, my grandfather has gotten worse. I just sent it in. T

Hope your grandfather gets better soon TLR