She awoke in the stillness of her quarters. Slowly she was aware of the slight humming of the ship's engines, a quiet humming, that was familiar and comforting. T'Pol realized her room was empty. As the room was Spartan in design, empty was not the word to describe this feeling. She began to sit up and stopped short laying proped up upon one arm. Something was missing.

Or was she missing something? Currently in a earth ship, on a mission into the expanse. A mission once completed she would return home. Home. Where was that? Vulcan ? After her non-approved departure, what would await her there? And did she desire to return there ? She had gotten used to the crew. The behavior and idiosyncrasies of the humans aboard were fascinating. Life upon a star ship was a great learning experience. It was unpredictable and often very chaotic. It challenged her to think on her feet. A human expression she found fit. To blend with the natives, you needed to think and understand things the way they do. To live, learn, and throughly imerse oneself in another culture, was the way of understanding them and learning more about your own culture. To see it with fresh eyes. Another earth "saying". Home. What was the human's axiom about home? Home is where the heart is. Not something, but someone was missing. And she realized who. She had just seen him 5.75 hours ago, and would see him next shift. Could that be what had woke her up? This part of space had taken a toll upon her being. Non-logical streams of thought were just part of this experience. Not wanting to dwell upon this odd thought, and the exponential questions that would follow, she let the rhythmic hum of the engines lull her back to sleep.

Maybe, after this voyage was complete, she could seek a position with Earth explorers.

Trip looked out the viewport at the stars. So much to wonder about. Some stars hosted planets with warmth and energy. Numerous planets containing unique wonders unto themselves. The possible life forms each world could harbor, just as marvelous.

And at the same time this view was a reminder of how huge, impersonal and cold the universe could be. He was far from home. Or was he? Earth was the place of his birth, and most of his family life had been there. But now so much had changed. Really where was home? Was it here on the ship? He liked the work. Hell, he enjoyed being in his engine room. He had a few friends aboard. He was most comfortable with his captain. No, that was true before this expanse. His bond with his best friend, like the earth being home, had changed. Both seemed very distant to him now. The planet he called home was now scarred and forever transformed. So was his captain. Trip could feel the change in his friend. Jon's mood was dark and the responsibility he carried now crushed down upon his command. He sighed as the past few month flashed through his mind. Home, Home is where the heart is. A smile crossed his lips as he mused about who he was most at home with. He knew she felt the same.

She would never verbalize it, but he knew, she knew. And that was enough for right now. Some things change and sometimes some things change a lot.