Wherefore Art Thou Romeo

Wherefore Art Thou Romeo?

By Triplover

Disclaimer: I don’t own it, nor do I want to… cause it’s all yours Paramount! Nor do I own Romeo and Juliet….
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance, Angst
Summary: It’s all about the Shakespeare baby!
A/N: I couldn’t help myself after “The Augments.” After Trip’s little comment about Romeo and Juliet it got me thinking and then of course their conversation came to a halt when it SHOULDN’T HAVE so I thought I’d fill in the blanks. Dang Coto, do you have any idea how bad you’re killing me here?! Thank you DAK for being my beta!

*~*~*~*~*

Commander Charles Tucker had never really liked Shakespeare, but the more he read it the more he began to enjoy these many stories. He’d never really been the romantic type, but after his visit to Vulcan he’d changed. Romeo and Juliet was far more interesting than it had been in school. The very first sentence of Hamlet made him want to cry, and The Merchant of Venice was the most beautiful thing he’d ever read. Sure, he didn’t quite understand all of it, but it was beautiful nonetheless. Still, Romeo and Juliet was the book he couldn’t put down. He hadn’t slept for nearly five days since the augments had been stopped in order to finish the book, though he was far from done. Who knew Malcolm had such good taste?

He’d borrowed the book from Malcolm when the Lieutenant had noticed he had far more free time on his hands. Since the wedding between T’Pol and Koss Trip had been working himself constantly. Malcolm Reed had noticed and told him about Romeo and Juliet. Malcolm had said how much Trip’s life and relationship with T’Pol reminded him of the book. Trip rolled his eyes. Malcolm was so annoying sometimes.

In only a few hours he would have to get to engineering for duty. He’d gotten an hour in to sleep, but that hour hadn’t exactly been his best. His dreams hadn’t been to nice to him lately, especially when his subconscious was focusing on a certain Vulcan.

“Commander Tucker?”

Trip jumped in surprise before seeing T’Pol standing before him with an odd look on her face. Trip quickly closed the book and hid it under the table. “Uh… T’Pol… hi.”

T’Pol raised an eyebrow before sitting across from him at the table. “What were you just reading?” she asked with a cup of tea in hand.

“I didn’t think anyone would be up at this hour,” he told her, purposely avoiding her question. He couldn’t exactly figure out why, but for some reason he felt slightly embarrassed. He sighed when he felt his face grow hot.

T’Pol cocked her head. “I am always up at this hour. Vulcans do not sleep as long as Humans normally do, as you well know. What are you doing up at this hour?”

Trip considered his options. Should he simply tell her, or would it be better to lie? “Uhhh just readin’ Romeo and Juliet. Malcolm let me borrow it.”

“I did not think you liked Shakespeare.” He could see her shift uncomfortably at his answer. Obviously she had thought of their earlier conversation.

“I don’t… well I didn’t. They didn’t seem to relate much to my life so I figured what was the use?”

“That is not necessarily true.”

“Yeah, I sorta figured that out. So far I really like this Romeo guy. It’s funny… I read this story in school, but I never cared much for it so I didn’t pay too much attention. My teacher used to say I could be one of the smartest men alive if I would just pay attention. She had such hopes for me. I used to write great poetry.”

T’Pol’s eyebrows shot up. “Somehow I cannot see you writing poetry.”

Trip smiled. “Oh believe me, I was pretty good with this kind of stuff. I had a gift for words. I mean, I wasn’t exactly proud of it at the time bein’ that it wasn’t a very manly thing to do, but I just liked doin’ it. Not to mention the ladies loved me for it! It helped me get things out in the open, things I could never say out loud. After a while, though, I had to give it up. Everyone used to bug me about it all the time, my brother bein’ the main culprit.”

“I wish to see something you’ve written.”

This time it was Trip’s eyebrows that shot up. “Uhhhh I dunno if that’s such a good idea.”

“Why not? What was the title of the last poem you wrote?”

Trip smiled. “It was called “The Heart and Soul” by Commander Trip Tucker.”

“It sounds beautiful, when did you write it?”

Trip hesitated.

“Commander, is there something wrong?”

Trip shook his head. “I wrote it a few days after I left Vulcan.”

T’Pol’s eyes widened, but the expression left just as quickly as it had come. “I see.”

The Commander looked down, unable to meet her gaze. “I hadn’t written in years… it was kinda strange. I felt so stupid writin’ it, but I’ve never been good with expressing myself.”

T’Pol resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “You seem to express yourself quite well, Commander Tucker.”

Trip chuckled. “I know, right? But there are some things not even I can express.”

“I would like to read it.”

“I dunno T’Pol, it’s not exactly any good. I only did it because I felt like writin’. In fact it really sucks.”

“I would still like to read it.” T’Pol just didn’t seem to want to give up today.

Tucker paused and looked down at the table. “I don’t think that would be such a good idea,” he said, his voice lowering.

T’Pol frowned before setting her cup down. “Trip, we must find a way to deal with this. I realize you need time to adjust, but as I mentioned before this is not easy for me either. I need y-” T’Pol stopped suddenly before continuing. “I need your friendship.”

“You have it. You always have and ya always will till the day I die.” Finally he looked up at her. “I know it’s not easy for you. I know that better than anyone how hard it was for you to marry Koss. Every bone in my body felt for you when I watched you marry Koss. Even your mom realized that this decision was hard for you.”

T’Pol sighed. “After the ceremony my mother and I talked. She told me how much she appreciated what I did despite my relationship with you.”

Trip cocked his head in surprise.

“She believed that if it were my choice, I would have chosen to be with you.”

Trip shook his head, smiling. “Oh really.”

“She also said that if the circumstances had been different… she would have been honored to have you in our family.”

Not even Trip at that moment could stop the tears from swelling in his eyes, a few falling to the floor as their eyes connected together. “She told me she didn’t approve.”

“She had told me the same before. I asked her what had changed her mind. She said that your selflessness was what changed her mind. I am not exactly sure what she meant by that though.”

Trip smiled faintly. “Guess I have a gift for makin’ friends with Vulcan women. They always seem to like me more than the men ever do.”

T’Pol raised delicate eyebrow. “Indeed.”

“If it means anythin’, under different circumstances I woulda been honored to be a part of your family,” he told her before his hand rested on the table.

T’Pol rested her hand on top of his and their hands held, his thumb caressing hers. “It does mean something, Trip. It means everything.”

Trip let out a sigh before pulling his hand away as he stood. “Well, I better go… I haffta be on duty in a few hours.” He then grabbed his book and headed for the mess hall door when she heard him call his name.

“Trip!”

He turned back around. “Yeah T’Pol.”

“You told me that you believed Romeo and Juliet would have more of a chance than us,” she began. “You and I both know that is not true.”

“Why do ya say that?”

T’Pol stood and walked over to him before kissing his cheek tenderly. “Because, even with the whole universe against us no one could ever change how I… feel about you.”

Trip’s eyes were completely captivated by hers. He just simply could not move. “That alone couldn’t keep us together, T’Pol. I mean, just by you gettin’ married we’ve been pushed apart,” he fought.

T’Pol moved a hand to touch his face. “You are wrong. I will never let my marriage push us apart.”

“But we are apart, T’Pol.”

“As long as we have this friendship… and as long as we still care for each other… nothing will ever be able to push us apart. Why do you think I came here to the mess hall? I do not want to lose what little we are allowed to have. I realize a relationship is out of the question, but we can still be together in every other way that counts. I need you.”

Trip’s hand covered over hers still on his cheek. “Then I’ll be there. You can count on that.”

T’Pol’s eyes shone as she looked back at this human. “Then as you can see, our chances are far superior compared to Romeo and Juliet. At least we are still alive, at least we still have each other.”

The Commander chuckled. “Yeah, I guess so. A Vulcan and a Human… who woulda thought? Just promise me one thing.”

“What?”

“Promise me you won’t ever drink any poison,” he joked as his forehead touched hers.

At that moment not even T’Pol could stop herself from giving a small smile, though to Trip it was as big as if it were from ear to ear. “I promise, Trip.”

The End

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Eight hardy souls have made comments

Great story! Still just as sad as Romio And Juliet! How about another chapter where Trip shows T'pol his latest bit of writeing?

Cute story Triplover. I was wondering if T'Pol had ever read Romeo and Juliet.

Awwwwwww...i liketed it :)

Triplover, you've set this up with a sequel in mind, right? I would really, really like to see T'Pol's reaction to the poem. Seeing the poem for myself would be a bonus! (Never would've thought of Trip as a poet, but it fits . . . .)

I so feel for Trip, what a hard situation to be in. And T'Pol bound by her familial ties to wed a man she does not love. Such a tangle of hearts. I hope you will write a sequel. Ali D :~)

Cute story, but I have some nitpicks.

You wrote:
************************************************
Trip smiled. “It was called “The Heart and Soul” by Commander Trip Tucker.”
************************************************

This line cracked me up. You do realize there's a song called "Heart and Soul" by a band called T'Pau (from Amok Time, ST:TOS), right? Good song actually. But it was too funny to read Trip wrote a poem called the same thing. That kinda took me out of the story for a bit.

You also wrote:
************************************************
“You told me that you believed Romeo and Juliet would have more of a chance than us,” she began. “You and I both know that is not true.”

“Why do ya say that?”

T’Pol stood and walked over to him before kissing his cheek tenderly. “Because, even with the whole universe against us no one could ever change how I… feel about you.”
************************************************

I hate to nitpick, but Romeo and Juliet didn't "break up" because their feelings changed. They both committed suicide because they couldn't bear life without the other. So that passage doesn't really make any sense. Or, it makes T'Pol look stupid.

I don't know if it's because I'm really emotional right now, but that was the one of the most beautiful things I've ever read!

I hope there is more to come!