The Bond

The Bond

BY: TLR

Rated G
Disclaimer: Enterprise is the property of UPN and Paramount pictures, a company I might add who have been very disloyal to it fan base and not to mention pretty dumb for cutting off a good thing……!!!!!!! Sorry, just venting..…….

Summary: For about a year now I have pondered just when the bond became a thing. Many would argue that it was when they consummated their relationship. Although glorious, I'm sure I feel it was a bit sooner. For most, there is a belief that their growing friendship from season one was when it formed, but I believe that could have been just the stage for when it was being set up. Perhaps this idea may be the true explanation of why our impressive science officer and her dashing chief engineer just couldn't leave each other alone……Hope you like…..T

December 30th, 2005

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"She's coming to……She's coming to…" Archer shouted as he burst through the door carrying a squirming science officer in his arms. Trip followed with Malcolm, helping the MACO into the area. The security officer's wounds were much less severe, but the cessation of battle coupled with his loss of blood, made the young man weak and groggy.

Trip watched in fear as the Captain plopped the Vulcan onto the scanner table. He saw Phlox immediately start to strap the alien down, as the upper half of her torso arched up and at Jon. The Human's eyes bugged when T'Pol began to choke the life from his friend and this paralyzed the chief engineer to the spot where he was standing. This was, so not the peace preaching female that came into their lives just three short years ago.

Trip helped Malcolm get the MACO onto an adjacent bio bed, then left to help get the sleek Vulcan fingers from around his friend's neck. But before he could reach them, he heard the blood curdling yell T'Pol let out and saw the Captain move to the top of the bed. He watched them restrain her movements more forcibly and heard the hiss of the distant hypo that eventually stopped the caterwauling which filled the room. Even the MACO, having seen the horror himself was struck with fear for the young woman that nearly kept their escape from being successful.
As Trip got up to the scanner, he heard Archer ask Phlox if they were in time. His heart sank at the response that came from the good natured doctor, "I don't know."

The scanner closed around the sedated woman, whose chest was still heaving under the weight of the sedation. He could tell that even though her thrashing had stopped, the war within her still raged, only this time she was defenseless to strike back at it. Trip stood there watching beside the Captain, who had himself been saying a few prayers for the young woman's recovery. There was a climate of fear in the room for the first time since they entered the Expanse. Somehow, the Vulcan's presence seemed to be the one thing that gave the Humans hope of succeeding. To loose her would most assuredly make their odds a lot grimmer.

Trip remembered that day just three months ago, as they sped toward Vulcan to bid goodbye to T'Pol. The sense of pride and comfort he felt when Archer announced that their plans had changed. He knew that in defying the High Command's wishes, the young alien would most likely be sealing her own fate, but it was still good to know she would be there. It was evident on all the faces of the bridge crew, as she silently resumed her station, no praise required. Even the Captain's shoulders rode a bit higher, knowing the weight of the world now rested on them both. For the first time, Trip could see the assurance in Archer's eyes and something inside him too was overjoyed at the prospect of having this knowledgeable and experienced, seasoned officer along for the journey.

The Captain opted to remain in sickbay, but ordered Trip, much to his dismay, back to getting the shuttle pods repaired. He barked a few orders into the intercom at Travis to set course for their next destination, then went back to standing beside the scanner tube. Trip wasn't sure, but thought that maybe Archer felt his presence would give the young woman something to hold on too. He left his old friend there and began his duties.

Between his duties, and checking on the Trellium cargo they brought back from the meteor surface, Trip hadn't eaten all day. When the Captain came down from sickbay to inspect the ore, the young engineer hoped for some good news of the Vulcan's recovery. He was less than informative, having little to relay himself, except "she is still in the re-imaging chamber".

The Captain told Trip about the ore, and the affect it had on the Vulcans aboard the Seleya. After instructing him to store it in a biohazard locker for now, the Captain left to go back to his vigil beside the large cylindrical device. Trip on the other hand, decided to try and get a little something in his stomach and give his friend a bit of space. He knew if both of them were standing around sickbay, Phlox would get annoyed and make them both leave. He would wait and see her later, after second shift had gotten off.

Sitting in the Mess hall, deserted and alone with his thoughts, Trip tried to get down a few bites of pie. It was pecan, his favorite and should have been a welcoming thing, but his thoughts and in fact his heart wasn't in this confectionary prize. Instead they were three decks away with the frail woman lying in the scanner. He wondered what his life would have been without her. Of all the Vulcan's Trip had met in his lifetime, she and Mr. Vedic were the only two the young Human could honestly say he respected. They were the only ones he found, that wanted to get to know Humans for what they were. They weren't consumed by the need to change them, as so many others he knew were. Instead, they looked up to the Human species as equals, and wanted to understand them, to exchange ideas in an equal manner. For this, Trip knew his life was richer and couldn't begin to fathom what it would be like without the beautifully exotic female in it. It would be a few hours and very few bites later before the young blond male found his way to her side again.

****

In sickbay, around 01:00, Trip eased his way through the doors. He looked to the scanner and found it open. Phlox was sitting at his desk just to the right of the large machine. He crept up to him, not wanting to wake the MACO at the far corner of the room.

"Hey Doc……T'Pol okay?" His anxiety over this question left little room for pleasantries.

"She'll be fine Commander….It will just take a few days for her to regain her control." Phlox showed Trip a relieved smile, the good doctor, himself feeling the weight of the woman's recovery leaving his own shoulders.

"That's great Doc……good job…. Can I see her?" He asked not realizing the hour.

"It's late Commander and I want her to rest….Perhaps you can stop back…." Phlox's words were cut off by a commotion coming from behind the curtain covered area.
He left the young Human and went behind the white shear coverings. Trip could hear him calling T'Pol's name and eased over to the material to see if he could be of assistance. He peered through a slit and saw the Denobulan trying to wake an obviously distraught T'Pol, who was just starting to thrash about on the tiny bed. He saw her eyes tear open in fear, saw her body start to react to the heavy arms of the doctor holding her in place. Strongest yet were the grunting sounds she made as she came to consciousness still believing she was fighting hoards of what ever it was she'd been battling. Trip watched on as the good doctor quieted her with his assurances. He felt her fear and saw it reflected in her eyes as they nervously searched her surroundings. They looked for verification of her safety with the rotund male in this strangely sterile environment. Trip's heart sank, seeing the mature female looking more like a frighten child searching for its mother for comfort. He wanted to go and sit with her a while, but knew that her Vulcan upbringing would probably want not to be seen in this light.

Trip eased back to his original position across the room, as the good doctor left the alien's side. He reappeared through the white sheeting, and came over to speak with the engineer about what he'd obviously witnessed.

"I'm sure you are concerned for her…. Everyone on board is…..but Vulcans are very private about their emotional states, Commander…..I'm sure I don't have to ask you to…." Phlox was cut off by a quick hand from the young male.

"I understand fully…. Not a word Doc, I promise." Trip looked at the floor wishing he could find a reason to stay. "I guess I should be…" he motioned toward the door, knowing full well that there wasn't a hypospray in the world that would get him any sleep tonight. Just to know she was all right would be the only way sleep would come.

"Perhaps, Commander, if you can't sleep, you could come by later to see her. If she is resting, I would have too…" Again the alien was cut off by a hand, but this time it was accompanied with a soft smile.

"That would be great..... Not a problem…… I'll see ya in a few hours." And with that the very concerned and lonely young Human exited the area. He went to his quarters and to his surprise collapsed into a deep slumber for four full hours. At that point, feeling more rested, Trip quickly showered and returned for his pre shift visit.

Walking in, he found Phlox once more behind the curtain comforting a very scared T'Pol. She apparently had had a few more of these nightmares. The squawking of the back ground menagerie wasn't helping either. They simply added a more horrifying aspect to the dreams, almost giving sound effects to an already terrifying ordeal. The MACO in the corner was braced up on one elbow, having been put through this several times. Trip went over to him and checked on his observations.

"Hey Ensign….how are you doing?" Trip tried to take his mind off what was going on about 12 meters away.

"I'm doing a lot better than the Commander……She's had a very rough night. Can't say as I blame her….It was terrifying on that ship. The crew, they turned into some sort of monsters…. Stun setting didn't even faze them. You had to stun them over and over before they'd fall. And they only stayed out a few minutes at best." Trip could tell the man had his own fears about the mission. His becoming injured took back stage to what the science officer was going through.

"I know… The Captain filled me in on what happened. It must have been very terrifying. I'm just glad that all of you got out okay." Trip laid an understanding hand on the man's shoulder.

"Did we…?" He looked in the direction of the silken curtains.

"Yeah….you did…. And you got Commander T'Pol out just in time….You should be very proud of that Ensign…… You did good work." Trip faked a reassuring smile.

"Actually it was her, Sir…. She led us through the ship and even got us to where we needed to be to overload the power grid. It wasn't until she lost control and started fighting the Captain did we have a problem." Again the young officer looked toward the closed off area.

"She started fighting the Captain on board the ship?" Trip asked, having only a brief description of the happenings on the Seleya.

"Yes, Sir. When Lt Reed didn't align the power couplings correctly and the circuitry exploded, there was no other alternative but to overload the grid. The Commander warned them that the antimatter containment was unstable and the ship could be destroyed, but there were no other options. That's when she started to fight back. She took her phase pistol and set it to kill. She had the Captain in her sights, but hesitated, as if she didn't want to kill him. All the while though, she kept spouting things about how Humans didn't trust Vulcans and how the Captain resented them for holding back his father's work. It was weird…. She was a totally different person. The Captain was able to talk her down from that one, but as we made our way back to the shuttle, the Commander saw several of the Vulcan crew lying dead on the deck plates. It freaked her out or something, cause then she started lunging at him. It was like she was in some uncontrollable rage." The Ensign continued to relive the moment as he spoke. Trip was riveted not because he was interested in the mission, but more because he wanted to understand the horror the woman had been put through.

"The Commander told me this wasn't uncommon for Vulcans though." That part brought Trip back from him mental picture of the event.

"What?" He asked almost amaze at what T'Pol must have divulged to this male.

"Yeah…she said that before logic, her people were a very violent race. Paranoia and homicidal rage were common. At least that is what she told me." The MACO felt himself becoming a bit defensive at the look he was getting from his superior officer. The Ensign didn't understand why suddenly he felt like he was explaining himself to a jealous boyfriend, rather than an impartial Starfleet commander.

Through the door entered the captain, showered and shaved, he was just as eager to check on his first officer. He came up to the two men, wondering quietly where Phlox was and whether that was a good sign, his being missing.

"You're here early…." Archer nudged his old friend's arm. "How are you doing Ensign?" Jon now looked to the MACO who attempted to sit up a bit straighter in military fashion. "Fine, Sir" he barked off trying to impress the man whose abilities saved the away team.

"At ease crewman….. I'm glad you're doing better. Get some rest." Archer turned once more toward the open area. Trip watched his eyes and knew what he was thinking.

"He's with T'Pol….. Apparently she's had a rough night." That statement triggered some worried feelings in the Captain.

"No…she's stable…. Just having a rough time of it…. Nightmares and all." Trip reassured him and saw his friend's shoulders once more lower from their pensive perch.

Phlox came out from the curtained area and went to his desk. Trip and Jon approached him leaving a still curious MACO on his biobed. As the two drew nearer, they lowered their voices to allow more for the first officer's privacy.

"How's she doing Doc?" Archer was the first to speak, but Trip wasn't too far behind.

"Well she'd be doing a lot better if she could rest." Phlox seemed quite flustered by his inability to get the woman some solid sleep.

"Can't you just give her a hypospray?" Trip asked before Archer could form the words. The Captain shot him a slightly miffed look.

"A hypo spray may make her body sleep, but it won't stop her thoughts…. and mostly it won't stop her dreaming. At least on her own, she can wake herself if the dreams become too overwhelming. Under sedation she would be trapped in them and could possibly suffer some cardiac damage from the stress." Again Phlox was at a loss as to how to help her.

"Well I guess you're gonna have to keep doing what you are doing and hope she comes out of it soon." Archer tried to reassure the man but could feel his frustration.

"You don't understand Captain…. Vulcans are empaths…. And they have incredibly sensitive hearing. The noise of the machines…and even my animals could be sparking these dream states in her. She needs the quiet of her quarters, but I dare not allow her there alone.
"Well then, what's the problem….. Simply sit with her in her quarters." Archer seemed at a loss as to the doctor's dilemma.

"Captain… I'm needed here…and furthermore I only require sleep four times a year. The alertness of my mind could keep her from resting." Phlox had gone from frustrated to flustered. He wanted to give his patient what she needed but didn't know how to accomplish it.

"No problem…. Then assign a medic to stay with her… Crewman Cutler perhaps, T'Pol knows her." Again the Captain was the only one who was clueless to the Vulcan's true needs.

"That won't work." This time it was Trip who answered before Phlox could. Archer turned to him a bit surprised.

"Cutler hasn't been here to see this. T'Pol wouldn't want anyone else having to know about this. Vulcans are incredibly private people." Trip was thinking himself about how to work the logistics of what the Vulcan needed.

"All right fine…. Then I'll sit with her." Now Archer was feeling like odd man out on this conversation.

"I don't think so Captain." This time Phlox broke in with his opinion.

"Why not?" Jon was getting a bit perturbed by this game. "I've seen this more than anyone. We are friends…. She knows me, why can't I sit with her?"

"For one thing, Cap'n… the ship needs you. You can't be cooped up in T'Pol's cabin for days at a time." Trip was a bit too quick to get his reasoning out. Archer shot him a glare.

"And mostly because she has to work through her feelings about you, Captain." Phlox added, making both men stop and look to him to explain.

"She holds a deep respect for you Captain, but you did give the order that killed 147 of her people. That is causing her a bit of a problem right about now. I think your presence might be a little distressing. She needs to regain her control before you two can talk about the situation." Phlox saw the realization hit the Human like a lead balloon.

"I know you had no choice, Captain….and somewhere T'Pol realizes that too. It's just that her emotions are playing havoc with her mind right now and she needs to control them first. Then she can start to deal with the loss of her colleagues." Phlox laid a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. He got an understanding nod back from Jon. Suddenly a thought came to the good natured doctor.

"Perhaps Commander Tucker could sit with her?" Phlox looked to the blond haired male. He knew secretly that the young engineer would be thrilled to spend the time with T'Pol but would never have had the courage to purpose such a thing for himself.

"Me?" "Trip?" The two men returned in unison.

"Yes…. You have seen this fright she is going through. You two have worked closely with your Neuropressure sessions, so she is comfortable having you in her quarters. My understanding of the practice, indicates she would have some trust in your abilities to allow you to learn Neuropressure on her. And you've indicated she has done a lot to help you talk through your feelings about your sister's death. I think this would be a wonderful way for you to return the favor." Phlox blurted out a lot of what Trip told him in passing about his and the Vulcan's sessions. Archer eyed the young man suspiciously, wondering why he'd turn to T'Pol to tell his troubles too.

"What about engineering?" Archer asked before Trip could think of it.

"All the repairs to the ship are completed… If anything does arise I can replace him while he is working and then he could return. The Commander has a normal sleep cycle that would allow for T'Pol to rest more fully." The doctor's confidence began to grow, having found the perfect answer to his problem.

"And what…. He is supposed to just sleep with her too?" Archer was starting to get a bit punchy at the idea of his friend being the perfect choice for the Vulcan.

"Na Captain… I could sleep on the couch." Trip started looking off into the distance trying to figure out a way to pull this off.

"The couch?" Archer was flustered, but this time at the engineer.

"She's got cushions along the wall Captain….. I lay on them all the time for some of the Neuropressure postures. A few times I've even fallen asleep. They're pretty comfortable." Trip thought a moment longer.

"This could possibly work… I have a ton of reports to get through. I can use the computer in her quarters and sleep on the cushions. If she has a bad dream I could be there to wake her up." The engineers face started showing the same positive thoughts as the doctor's. Archer still wasn't convinced this was such a good idea. He eyed his friend with a very suspicious glare.

"Look Cap'n… I could make sure she eats… I can make sure she rests…. And possibly I can get her to talk about things. I mean she's really not that private once she knows you a bit. And she has done a hell of a lot for me. I do owe her, more than I can begin to say." Trip's eyes were earnest and his friend was quickly giving in.

"All right… If Phlox thinks she'd tolerate it better, than you can stay with her, but if I need you in Engineering….." Archer stopped and Phlox finished his statement.

"I will relieve the Commander immediately and you'll have him there in a matter of minutes Captain." He turned to the younger male. "Gather some things you'll need, do what you need to do in Engineering and report back here in a few hours, Commander."

Trip just nodded as he left the room. Archer stayed a while longer and talked with T'Pol about what afflicted the Vulcan crew. During this talk, he found that the doctor was right. Her strain to keep control when speaking of her friends was evident. He felt the guilt building up inside knowing he would forever have to live with an order he knew directly led to the death of over 140 Vulcan crewmen. T'Pol's pleas to leave her behind on some habitable planet echoed in his ears as he walked down the hallway. And his own answer to that plea, "I can't save Humanity without holding on to what makes me Human." Seemed to be the only comfort he could find from the guilt they both were going through.

****

Trip and T'Pol walked silently through the passageways toward the science officer's cabin. The engineer felt compelled to hold onto the young woman but knew if he did so, the Vulcan would be mortified if anyone saw them together. So instead he walked at a respectable distance and observed her gait closely. Trip had decided that only if T'Pol needed his help would he step in. They made it slowly to C Deck, and entered her quarters relatively unnoticed. Once there though, the awkwardness really began.

T'Pol stood in the center of her quarters, her arms wrapped about her body and head tilted downward. She felt tense and out of place in the presence of her friend and confidante. The emotions that whirled in her head made her body shiver occasionally, from their shear force. The Vulcan's control was far from stable and she didn't want this particular Human to see her like this.

Somehow, Trip sensed this. He stood behind her and set his duffle of clothes onto the cushions where he'd be sleeping. He inched up to her and started to touch the alien's shoulder, but stopped short, thinking better of it. He put his hands back into the pockets of his overalls and took in a deep breath.

"I know all this is very hard for you." He started a bit nervous by her silence. "Those must have been some horrible nightmares you were hav'n in sick bay." He came around her and looked down at her frail stance.

"You know if you need anything… I'm here for you." Trip put a lot of heart into his words hoping that would help the Vulcan to relax. Instead it made her turn from his glance in shame.

"You've really helped me since Elizabeth died…. I don't know what I would have done without you." Trip looked to the floor knowing his gaze was making her self conscious. He could feel her eyes returning to him, so he kept up this very careful dance. "There were times when I thought I was loosing my mind and there you were. I can't tell you how much that means to me." The engineer was becoming lost in his own words, remembering just how much pain he was in before the two of them started their sessions. He'd long since realized that not only was he getting more sleep from their time together, but also the best therapy he could have, someone to talk too.

Oh he had Jon and Malcolm, both eager to be there for him, but they wanted to talk of memorial services and death. Phlox was always so clinical in his dealings with the young Human. Trip couldn't help but feel he was being analyzed. But with T'Pol, he could speak of what ever came to mind, and talk at his own pace. This is what impressed him the most. One minute they'd be discussing warp drive repair and the next Trip would be telling the Vulcan all about how he and Elizabeth were as kids. He still chuckled at her answer to the southern man's admission about making sure all the boys in his sister's class got a good look at him.

T'Pol simply returned "She must have really appreciated your protection."

Ironically that wasn't quite the response Trip remembered his sister having. It was more like. "Charles James Tucker the third, if you do that one more time so help me I'm gonna give you a knuckle sandwich." Yep that was more Elizabeth's feelings on the matter and more her style to boot. That's what T'Pol had given Trip. Before their sessions, he had to close the door completely on his memories in order to function at all. Everyone tried to pry that door open, bringing all the pain along with it. Normally it would take a couple shots of Kentucky bourbon to get anything out of him. The Captain and Malcolm both tried that tactic. Malcolm had even felt the heat of the young man's anger at the offer of his assistance. Only T'Pol knew how to play the game with him. She read him like a book and eased him back into the world of his memories. Now he could open that door and visit when he needed too. That was the gift this small framed alien had given him and he was damn sure gonna be there for her now.

"I want you to know that I'm here for you…. I mean here if you need me." Trip's voice still held a bit of nervous energy.

"Thank you Trip." T'Pol murmured knowing that using his nickname would relax him quicker. Even in her own distress, she was thinking of his comfort. True to form, the Human's anxiety level took a downward plummet. The Vulcan could physically feel the level of emotions change in the room. Normally such emotional swings would irritate the young woman, who had a daily chore of keeping 83 humans' emotions from interfering with her ability to function. But this time it was strangely comforting to have this compassionate male around.

The smile returned to Trip's face. He pulled his hands from his pockets and set about trying to get his charge more comfortable. "I got an idea."

T'Pol suddenly had a change of heart in her earlier judgment. Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to be left alone with this gregarious male. She drew in a deep breath and waited for his revelation to continue.

"How about you meditate?" That thought seemed strange coming from a Human, this one in particular since he had accused her on more than one occasion of meditating too much, and missing out on things, namely movie night. She looked at him directly and saw the gleam in his eye. It lifted her spirits somehow, to know that he was truly thinking of her needs.

"You told me once that Vulcans meditate to keep from dreaming. Maybe that will work now." Trip moved closer and continued when she didn't stop him. "Why don't you change into something more comfortable and I'll put out the meditation candles. I know where they all go." Trip's enthusiasm was now becoming contagious. Meditation was something the young female had longed for the last several hours.

T'Pol nodded slightly and moved to her bureau. From it she pulled her blue two piece lounging clothes. As the Vulcan turned, she saw Trip gathering up all the candles from the shelf. He grabbed the torch lighter and shot her a soft smile before going to set the items in their proper placement.

Trip went about the task of lighting all the candles. The torch flame blazed hot at first and he readjusted his hand so as not to damage the surrounding wax. The wicks were long and curled, indicating much use. He finished lighting the last one when the door chime sounded.

Opening the door, Trip saw Malcolm standing there with a tray of food items. "Phlox told me to bring these down to you." The young Brit searched over Trip's shoulder to see if the Commander was anywhere in sight. When he didn't see her, the engineer responded.

"She's in changing her clothes." This seemed to be the response the tactical officer wanted. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a hypospray. He handed it covertly to the southern male and leaned in to whisper the reason in a quieter tone.

"Phlox also wanted you to have this just in case. T'Pol's strength is impressive, even for a Denobulan. If her fears turn too out of hand, he said you should use it."

"What is it?" Trip asked wondering why anyone would think T'Pol would hurt him.

"A very powerful sedative. The kind they used to put her out when she first came back from the Vulcan ship." Malcolm again looked for any signs of the officer.

"She's not gonna hurt me, Malcolm." Trip stated low, offering the item back to him.

"Phlox says when she has these dream states T'Pol isn't sure about anything around her. She wouldn't intentionally hurt you, it's true Trip, but what if she isn't aware it's you……." His eye brows raised in a mock understanding motion.

Trip wasn't sure he liked this conversation. It made him feel uneasy with the whole idea of keeping a loaded hypospray as a backup, but took the item anyway and slipped it into his pocket. "All right…All right….thanks Malcolm." The engineer finally realized that both he and the good doctor only had their safety in mind. At that moment, T'Pol immerged from the bathroom in her blue two piece lounging outfit. She hadn't taken her robe, not feeling the need to since Trip had seen her in this outfit plenty of times. She was a bit taken back by the Lt's presence in her doorway. He eyed her, surprise by the attire then dropped his gaze when he saw the Vulcan do the same in shame.

"All right then…Call if you need anything." Malcolm ended his conversation and turned to leave. On the way down the hall, he reviewed in his mind the Vulcan's attire and many of the old feelings on the subject returned. ( It would appear that the Commander gets all the hard assignments.) He quipped low to himself wondering just what type of healing was about to go on in that cabin.

Meanwhile, Trip having secured the door, took the tray of food stuffs to the table. He noted a cup of hot tea on the tray and knew instantly it was meant for T'Pol.
"Malcolm brought us some things to munch on. Here…." He brought the cup to her and placed it gently in her hands.

T'Pol whiffed it and found it to be Chamomile. The warmth of the mug in her hands relaxed away some of the tension the Lt's visit has caused. She eased down onto the pillows beside the table and sipped slowly at the steamy light colored liquid. It felt good on her throat, which had been in a knot since returning from the Seleya.

Trip sat down across from her and picked up his coffee from the tray. He thought a moment to begin talking, but decided better of it when he saw T'Pol's tensions beginning to ease. They sat in relative silence for many minutes just enjoying the calm of the room. When T'Pol finished her tea, Trip took the cup from her. He moved over and replaced the last candle directly in front of her.

"You need anything else?" he asked wanting to make sure she had all she desired. The Vulcan shook her head slowly. "Okay then, I'm gonna be right over there." He pointed to her desk area. "I've got some reports to work on and I promise I'll be as quiet as a church mouse." The blond haired male eased into the revolving chair to her left. T'Pol watched as he touched a few buttons and changed her screen from Vulcan to Human symbols. He dove into his work, not at all noticing her watching him.

When T'Pol was sure he wasn't observing her, she turned to focus on the candle light. The flickering of the flame pulled at her soul, as it did all Vulcans. She closed her eyes and concentrated heavily on its shimmer through the cover of her lids. Its warmth, minute as it was, began to waft toward the young woman and the smell of candle wax touched her senses with a comforting familiar presence. Normally at this point, the cleansing breaths she took would have achieved their purpose, sending her mind directly to that plain white space she knew as safe. But this time was different. Her consciousness instead was lifted from her body and placed itself in the back of the room, watching a very busy Commander Tucker doing his work. The Vulcan wondered lightly why her mind would have taken such a detour, but found strange comfort in the knowledge of his presence. In her mind's eye, T'Pol drew nearer to him, glancing over his shoulder to see what he was working on. As she did so, the alien saw him cast a glance over to her physical form, still sitting straight and tall on the pillows. She saw him smile softly, as if feeling his fears for her lessen. Somehow this Human knew she was doing better and didn't need any other verification. He was more perceptive than she'd ever given him credit for. A moment longer her mind ascended to that plain white space, now content for having seen his caring side more fully.

****

The day had past rather quickly, T'Pol meditating intermittently between meals and reading. Trip had been the perfect nurse, seeing to her comfort and leaving her be, when quiet was indicated. He fought hard, his need to converse, knowing that his chatter could be an irritant to her now more than ever. It was getting late and the engineer wondered just how the young woman would take to him sleeping in her quarters. Trip suggested a bit of neuropressure to help relieve her tension, and practiced what he knew on her, T'Pol guiding him as needed. He was right, the feel of his touch on her skin soothed the Vulcan, feeling connected and less alone for the first time in two days. She allowed this for over an hour and Trip was impressed at just how well things were progressing.

When the session was over, he cleaned the area, blowing out all the candles and replacing them to the shelf. He offered to get T'Pol some more tea, but she declined having had 3 cups already today. She moved over to the bunk, sitting on its edge in a rather awkward silence. Trip decided to seize the moment and keep it from getting too much more so.

He came over and took up the blankets that lay folded at the foot of the bed. He held it up, allowing it to unfold with gravity. He stood there waiting, as T'Pol slipped down beneath the covers. Tucking the blanket close about her shoulders, Trip knelt down on one knee. He looked directly into her eyes and tried to convey as sincere a response as possible.

"You get some rest. I'll be right over there if you need me." He looked at the round eyes that seemed to plead with him. "Don't worry. First sign of a nightmare and I will wake you…. I promise." He patted her shoulder and brushed the bangs from her temples before rising and moving to the other side of the room.

Trip removed his shoes, and eased beneath the blanket he'd brought with him. The sweats he changed into after dinner were a bit more than he was normally used to sleeping in, but they were far more comfortable than the blue jumpsuits that were standard ship's wear. He beat at the pillow T'Pol gave him, trying to find a comfortable spot in the overstuff mound. After a few moments, they settled into a light dream state.

(Dream)

Trip walked the halls of the ship noticing the relative quiet around him. It was late and he knew that most of the crew was tucked in their beds sound asleep. The skeleton crew was at their posts, not leaving anyone to meet in the passageways. But what bothered him most was the fact that the silence was almost deafening. The normal hum of the engines was missing and its absence was unnerving the young engineer, who used it to gauge if the ship was okay. He looked from side to side to try and get a sense of something to help him.

As Trip turned the corner, he saw the commotion going on at the other end. At the far end of the hallway were a group of monster like creatures tugging and pulling the first officer apart by her limbs. Though valiantly fought, the frail Vulcan female was loosing her battle against the crowd. Trip ran to her assistance, realizing only now that even though there was a full out scuffle, there still wasn't any sound.

T'Pol's mouth was open. It formed what the engineer could only assume was a scream, yet still no sound. As Trip reached the group, the outer monsters turned to face the Human. Their eyes were wild, sunken and dark, the rage they held showing clearly through. They grabbed at him, ripping at his overalls and tearing into his flesh. Trip could feel the hot streaks of his skin as it was being torn from his body. He let out a shriek of his own. Like the Vulcan's, his was no more audible. The pain that seared through his lungs brought the young southern male back to consciousness.

Trip woke in a start, sitting bolt upright on the cushioned surface. Hyperventilating, the breath running in and out of his lungs stung at the back of his throat. He took several seconds to regain his bearings. As his eyes adjusted to the low blue lighting, he began to hear the broken grunts coming from the bed. He sprang to his feet and rushed to the Vulcan's side. Trip placed his hands on T'Pol's shoulders. He shook her lightly calling all the while her name out loud. "T'Pol... T'Pol"

The Vulcan's eyes snapped open, her hands wild in the air. In a split moment, one of those hands slipped behind her pillow and pulled a curved blade out into a defensive stance. The blade came forward at the Human and stopped short just a few inches from his nose. Trip jumped backward, standing now about 2 feet from the crazed female. T'Pol's breath was rapid and her chest heaved, gasping to catch up with her fright. Her eyes were as wild, searching the room back and forth for any other threats. Trip kept his hands up in front of him just in case the first officer decided to lunge out at him. He placed one hand on the hypospray that he'd tucked into the pocket of his sweats. He continued to try and sooth her frayed nerves.

"It's okay T'Pol…..It's okay T'Pol…..you're safe now…..You're on the Enterprise…. No one's gonna hurt you.." Trip reached out and saw the knife mimic his movements, so he shifted back.

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

Part 2

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A whole mess of folks have made comments

WOW! Great take on the development of the bond. I can't wait to se where you take the story. Hopefully you'll continue beyond part 2.

Very cool. I'm really looking forward to seeing the next chapter.

What a cliffhanger! I can't wait for the next part. Thank you.

What a cliffhanger! I can't wait for the next part. Thank you.

hmmmm what an interesting idea. can't wait for more.

Very exciting so far. Terrific idea. I'm curious to see where you'll take this.

woah1 Woah! WOAH! better hurry this took a spiral . HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Woah! Intense! Update soon, this looks really good! :P

Loved it, great new story. Hope there will be more than two chapters. This is going to be AU right?

great so far any chance we could have it sooner i'm on holiday next week

great so far any chance we could have it sooner i'm on holiday next week

Excellent story so far, Can't wait for the next part soon please !

Interesting. Like Distracted, I'm curious where you're taking this, too.

*gasp* Is it next week yet?!

How about now?!

NOW?!?!?

More please!!

Fantastic, I love it.. Happy New Year..and please hurry.. I can't wait for you to continue..

WOW!! Wonderful TLR. This is lookin to be one of the more interesting way's of explainin how the Bond formed, an when. I cant wait to see How T'pol reacts once she regains her thoughts. Loved the Shared Dream. Im sittin on the edge of my seat waitin update already will Ya. :p :D

T'Pol's not a Commander yet in Season Three:

Opening the door, Trip saw Malcolm standing there with a tray of food items. "Phlox told me to bring these down to you." The young Brit searched over Trip's shoulder to see if the Commander was anywhere in sight. When he didn't see her, the engineer responded.

Minor nit though. I can't wait until we get the next piece!

Nice cliffhanger! Can't wait for more

I have been away for a long time and I can't believe what good stuff you have come up with TLR. i can't wait for the next chapter.

Glad you like it, been working hard on school. Taking a religion class and it's not what I expected it to be. Boy it is out there, and I can't write about something I can't grasp. Just finished writing a term paper on Hinduism, and goodie, now I get to tackle Buddism....I just can't wait... Ha...Ha...Ha. Will hurry with the next part on my days off, in the mean time have a good new year. T

Hmmm interesting! I bet Trip was burning up wearing sweats in T'Pol's quarters as she probably keeps it really warm in there....wonder if he'll strip down? LOL Can't wait for the update!

Liked it very much, can't wait for next week, so many ways this could go.............