Living Among the Thorns - Ch 5

Living Among the Thorns

By Triplover

Disclaimer: See Chapter One.
Summary: See Chapter One.

Chapter Five

Captain Halias stood on the bridge, a smile across his lips as he watched Enterprise closely. Business with the Xindi eh? It must be important if now you’re planting spies on their ship! He had known all along that the Humans were lying. While on his ship he was able to steal loads of information on their vessel and knew their defensives inside and out. The captain was interesting to say the least, he had survived many times when he should have been dead and he knew that in a fight with such a man he would have to be cunning. But knowledge made *him* more powerful now. He knew their ship. He knew their crew. And he knew where to put the most damage. The best places to attack would probably be the bridge and the nacelles. Both were important spots and would be protected heavily, if he was good enough, he could get through their, polarized hull just in case plan A didn't work out.

He simply had to come up with a strategy that could defeat them. He'd made sure to leave a nice little data module for them to have which also allowed him to tap into their systems. He could control their ship now, it would be his and his alone. A ship like that would be most expensive—he'd be rich. Beyond rich! And he knew the Xindi wanted the ship out of the way, he'd probably be given a metal for what he was about to do! But he just had to wait until the perfect time to strike, a time when they were... occupied with other things perhaps. That way, it would make it even harder for them to strike back. His attack would be coming, it was only a matter of when, and where.

**********

Travis Mayweather hadn't eaten all morning, so he was hungry, beyond hungry when he finally came down to the mess hall along with Hoshi for lunch. The two quickly found a seat and ate together, sharing food and things like that as they always did. Travis wasn't sure why, but he loved being around her. He loved talking to her, he just loved her. With that he paused, frowning... love? "Hey Travis, try this." Hoshi told him. He smiled, even though inwardly he was still frowning. Why had his mind said what it did? He opened his mouth and Hoshi fed him her fork full of food. It was good.

"Hey, this isn't bad... what is it?" He asked her. She put on a wicked smile, the kind he always found intoxicating. Another frown. Intoxicating?

"Horse." She told him. His eyes went wide as he suddenly felt sick. He was eating horse?! He moved his table cloth to his mouth and tried to get the already swallowed piece out. Hoshi laughed. Travis glared at her.

"Not funny, that's nasty Hoshi!" He exclaimed. Hoshi shook her head still giggling.

"That's for the Jello prank... I told you I'd get you back." She told him. He relaxed in knowing that it wasn't actual horse.

"Hoshi, that happened like a year ago."

She shrugged. "I said I'd get you back... sometimes you just have to wait for a good moment. Besides... you looked a little bothered by something. Anything on your mind?" Travis frowned as he thought about what he had been thinking.

"Oh... uh... nothing... just thinking about all I've got to do today." He lied clearing his throat.

"Want to share a Sunday?" He then asked her. She smiled back.

"Do you even have to ask?!"

**********

They'd been slowly following the Xindi cargo ship for days. All they could do was wait, something Archer hated. Time wasn't in abundance anymore—it was running out. He couldn't help being upset as he sat in his chair, palms sweaty, and tried to ignore the headache he felt. He knew something was wrong, he just couldn't figure out it was. Was it Trip and T'Pol? Were they hurt? Or was it perhaps someone else, near Enterprise that was... Archer shook his head. What was he thinking? Everything was fine. He just had to wait. He hated waiting, and he knew it always made his mind wonder and start coming up with silly ideas as to what was happening. He couldn't let his imagination get to him. He had to believe that they were fine, safe. He had to believe that they were okay.

**********

"Are you okay Tobin?" T'Pol found herself asking as she looked down at a very shocked looking Human. He finally looked up at her, eyes wide, but he sat up just the same.

"I think..." His voice trailed off when he saw his arm at his side, useless. T'Pol frowned. She then looked at one of the engineers, Aleena Rydor

"Aleena, please hold his hand while I set this." She requested. Aleena complied and went to Commander Tucker's side, holding his hand tight. The entire engineering team seemed to be worried about the commander as they watched him. Trip winced.

"Oh great... oh great... Okay... All right, I'm ready. On three... one... two... three!" He grunted grinding his teeth. T'Pol nodded then set his bone in place. Commander Tucker screamed his lungs out in pain, then closed his mouth and breathed hard. She looked to see if anything else was out of place. He was fine, except for a bruise here and there and a few cuts and scratches. Trip collapsed on the floor, still breathing hard. "Damn that hurts!"

T'Pol let an eyebrow lift as she helped him to his feet. He sighed and looked at the broken relay he'd been trying to fix which had blown him across the room. If he had been closer, she was sure he'd be dead. "Maybe we should get you to the infirmary." Aleena offered. Trip shook his head, then moved the arm that had been out of place. He winced, but made sure not to make a sound to show any indications of pain.

"I'm fine." He said through his teeth.

"You don't look fine." Aleena pointed out with a smile. He smiled back.

"Honey, I haven't been fine for a long time. Somehow I don't think the infirmary will be what I need." He sighed. Aleena laughed then shaking her head, got back to work along with the other officers. T'Pol had noticed that Commander Tucker was finally getting used to living with the Xindi, he even found ways to enjoy his time with them. In a way, it was like another home, for the both of them. T'Pol couldn't quite figure it out. He had been throwing up not but a few days ago, yet now all he did was get queasy. She guessed it was the body trying to get used to what was going on—that really was her only guess.

Commander Tucker rarely talked about his problems, even after they'd spent so much time together. He was used to her, but she could tell he was still keeping things from her. And she had no idea how to get him to tell her what was going on. He would probably never tell her. He was quite stubborn. Much like her. No wonder they got along so well, they were so different, yet completely the same.

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

Travis Mayweather had spent the whole time with Hoshi worrying. He wasn't sure why... but there was one word swimming around in his head and it wouldn't leave. Love. Could he really be falling for Hoshi? His friend? He'd always thought of her as like just one of the guys... not someone he had feelings for. Travis shook his head as he headed back to his quarters where he found Hoshi walking to hers. She smiled. "Hey Travis." She greeted. Travis gave her a smile as he felt his heart doing flips.

"Hi Hoshi." He said back to her and walked into his quarters before he could make a fool of himself. He'd have to say something soon... if those feelings were real... he couldn't just act like they weren't. He'd have to talk to her, before things would end up getting out of hand. It had happened before in the academy, the last time he'd been in love. It wasn't pretty and Travis wasn't about to repeat his mistake. He would just have to tell Hoshi, and hope that the woman wasn't totally disgusted with him afterwards so that they could still be friends. He wasn't about to lose her as a friend. Not Hoshi....

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

Trip Tucker focused on the candle before him. Focused hard on it, trying to meditate. He knew he still wasn't getting it, but he was at least trying... which was probably part of the problem. Free your mind, let everything go. It wasn't working though. He could tell that he wasn't going to meditate. There was way too much on his mind for that. He was having another rough day. He felt sick, and then there was the accident he'd had. That certainly didn't help him! Finally T'Pol walked into their quarters, he sighed then blew out the candle. "You still could not meditate?" She asked him. He nodded looking up at her.

"I guess there's just too much on my mind." He mumbled with yet another sigh. T'Pol's right eyebrow moved up, at that moment he knew he'd made a mistake.

"Care to elaborate?" She asked. He smiled.

"Don't worry about it, I'm fine... just thinking." He told her, another lie. A lie he'd told her so many times that he was starting to believe it himself... starting to.

"Think about what?" She asked, not backing down. She never did.

"Nothing important." He almost whispered, not feeling like going through their normal bickering about how he needed to talk and things like that.

But to his surprise, she wouldn't give up. What was even more surprising were her next words. "They are important to me."

He paused, looking at her in mostly shock. "What?"

"I wish to know what is bothering you. I am tired of letting it go, hoping that perhaps later you will confide in me. You can not keep this all to yourself. You need to tell someone what is going on." She fought. Trip eyed her in shock. Was this his T'Pol who wanted to help him so badly? He'd never seen her so worried. He frowned.

"It's complicated, you would understand...." He said, trying desperately to get out of it, but when he tried to walk to the bed she stood in front of him. "T'Pol! I'm not playin' games with ya! Let me get some sleep!" He told her. She didn't move. He knew she was stronger than him, he held back a huff. "Fine, I guess I'll just sleep on the floor then!" He mumbled and lay on the floor, closing his eyes.

"You are still upset about your sister. It is painful for you to be around the Xindi, I understand Commander. You are hurting and there is nothing I can do to help you unless you let me in!" He'd never heard her raise her voice, not even once the way she was doing it now. He opened his eyes and looked at her wide eyed.

"Why do you care?" Was all he could get out. T'Pol slowly got to the floor at his side and looked into his eyes.

"Because I care about you, and if something is upsetting you... then I wish to know. To see you upset, makes me upset. I do not wish to see you like this." Trip stopped his mouth from opening wide at the revelation. Feel? She was upset? She was feeling an emotion... upset to see him hurt? Something must be wrong if she's tellin' me she's feelin' things! Trip looked into her eyes for a long time before he could speak again. Finally, he sat up and leaned on the bed next to her. It was time to tell someone, and suddenly, the only one he wanted to talk to was her.

"You know, I was always the one who protected Lizzie. From guys, from people who wanted to hurt her... anyone who messed with her... messed with me. I never let any bully hurt her... never let her get into trouble like I had. I wanted her life to be as easy as possible. So I did whatever I could to make sure it was." He finally told her. Slowly he moved his eyes to look out their window. "Then one day, Cap'n Archer tells me that I'm gonna be goin' in deep space. That I'll see things I never saw before. I was so excited, I couldn't think of anything else. Lizzie never did understand why I loved space so much. She never found it as interesting as I did. She was content stayin' where she was. When I was to leave on Enterprise for the mission, she was late to the whole thing. She couldn't make it along with my other family members. I said goodbye to my entire family... except for her. And worse than that, I hadn't even sent her a letter. I hardly sent any of my family letters, ‘cept for my mom and dad. Lizzie was so busy, she never sent me anything either. We'd been so close, then suddenly we were hardly talkin' to each other. Then the Xindi attacked... and... they killed her. And all I could help but think was how I never got the chance to say goodbye. I don't even know where she was when she died. Never saw the body either."

"You never got closure." T'Pol understood. Trip looked at her and nodded.

"I can't seem to let go... I just can't let it go. The sad part is... I'm not really that angry with the Xindi for killing her. Although I'm mad... I can't say I'm as mad about that anymore. Now I'm more angry with myself for not setting out some time to talk to her, to send her a letter. And of course, me bein' who I am... I'd never want to accept the fact that it was all my fault. So I blame all the Xindi for something I didn't do." If T'Pol were human, he would have thought she seemed to sigh. She looked deep in thought.

"So you’re upset with yourself. I understand... But you were not to blame. The Xindi killed your sister... the fact that you two did not converse would not change anything."

"It's not just her though."

T'Pol cocked her head. "What do you mean?"

"T'Pol... look at what's happened ta me. I feel like a completely different person. I dream about ways in which my sister could have died... I don't feel the same... hell, I'm doin' neuropressure with you so I can get a good night's sleep. And then... there's... there's Sim. The man I never knew... yet he knew me, saw me, had my memories... and my love for Lizzie. I don't even know what happened... no one's told me much. Can't say I blame them I guess... I doubt it was easy for them." Trip closed his eyes.

"He was... you. Seeing you hurt... yet there was yourself standing, doing what you'd do... it was difficult even for me. I was not ready for the impact he had on me... and on the crew."

Trip opened his eyes and looked at her. Was she spacing out on him?

"I shouldn't even be alive... I mean... a man was killed... so that I would be...." He could say no more. He just sighed and looked out the window.

"It was the logical choice." He shook his head.

"I don't care bout logic, T'Pol. You should know that by now... the doc never should have brought me back. I was supposed to be dead." he whispered. His response seemed to alarm T'Pol, but he chuckled at her worry.

"I do not see how you can laugh." She pointed out.

"Yeah, I know...” he said, shaking his head. “It's just funny how Humans are with things. I can't believe that for the first time in my entire life... I actually wish I were Vulcan. Vulcans never have trouble with emotion... they suppress it all. No worries. No grief."

T'Pol shook her head. "We still experience them, more than we'd like to admit. I, myself, at times have trouble with my emotions. Emotions are very powerful... and can be overwhelming."

"Even so, not many Vulcans out there are drownin' in self-pity... or guilt."

"Perhaps not...” she sighed.” But in the end... our two races are not as different as you think. We simply have learned to hide things. But emotions still control even Vulcans to a point. We still feel anger, we still become arrogant, and we still become prideful. Things that I'm afraid may be the reason why Humans and Vulcans have so much trouble getting along. Even the Vulcans have much to learn."

"I suppose it isn't until I started livin' among the thorns,” he whispered, “that I realized just how much I was hidin' and just how bad things have gotten. We Humans tend to want to protect ourselves; it's like a defense mechanism. We try so hard to make ourselves feel better, but in the end, we only hurt ourselves." T'Pol looked at him; their eyes locked.

"You must rely on your friends, instead of this defense mechanism. You should know that you can always rely on me." Trip straightened.

"You consider us friends?"

"Of course."

"Well then, friend,... my friends call me Trip."

T'Pol suppressed a smile. "Then Trip is what I shall call you... unless we are on duty... and here I must call you Tobin...." She trailed off, as Trip chuckled.

"You know, T'Pol, you really are a diamond in the rough... ya know that?" He commented while getting to his feet. He offered his hand to help her up. She took it and he pulled her up, their eyes again locking as they realized just how close they were to each other.

"Diamond in the rough?"

"Yeah it means... you're special... different... important... amazing...." He explained just before their lips touched, and they kissed.

Continue to Chapter 6

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Two folks have made comments

I haven't had a chance to write a review, althought I've been reading this story as every chapter gets added. I really like this, not only the interactions between Trip and T'Pol, but also the Xindi characters, and how T/T are with them. Keep it coming!

Oh, I liked this chapter VERY much!! And I just could kiss T´Pol for this statement:
"Because I care about you, and if something is upsetting you... then I wish to know. To see you upset, makes me upset. I do not wish to see you like this."

Please post the next chapter sooohooooon! *bg*