Author's Note: I seem to be in an alternate writing mode for Trip/T'Pol lately. There is a relationship present, but it may not be as clear cut as we like. So please be warned if you only like fluffy romance. I'm picturing this during Kir'Shara in season 4. All the characters belong to Paramount and I don't make any money from this.

If you do decide to take a chance and read something a little different, please review!

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Trip Tucker cursed Vulcan gravity as he was escorted down the hallway of the Vulcan hospital. Both Captain Archer and T'Pol were there after their trip with the Syrannites. It resulted in Jon carrying the soul of some revered Vulcan and T'Pol's mother dying.

"Commander, I ask that you wait here for the doctor," the man said to him.

"No, I need to see my crew members," Trip said clearly. "I want to be taken to them."

"Commander, you must be aware that…"

"I am aware that I need to verify their whereabouts and condition," Trip demanded with his hands on his hips.

If Vulcans could look annoyed, his Vulcan escort would be. But, with a quick nod to his head he walked with Trip trailing behind him into another area of the hospital.

"Why is another human here?" A doctor demanded of his escort.

"He insisted," his escort explained with some venom.

"Captain Archer is still getting his skin graft and Commander T'Pol is…"

"Then just take me to T'Pol," Trip said with a nod.

The doctor nodded to his escort and the Vulcan escort left quickly, probably relieved to be done with Trip.

"She was dehydrated and having difficulty suppressing her emotions," the doctor explained.

"Her mother just died," Trip said surprised they were even considering that she would supress her feelings.

"She's always had difficulty," the Vulcan doctor said.

"You know her?" Trip asked him, surprised.

"We have a history," the doctor said non-committally.

"Childhood friends?" Trip inquired.

"No," the doctor said. "I should take you to her room."

Trip knitted his eyebrows together and tried to piece together the bits of information he had.

"Your name is?" Trip asked him before they approached her room.

"Sarr," the doctor said as he made eye contact.

"Nice to meet you Sarr, I'm Charles Tucker," Trip said as he stood a little taller to match the Vulcan doctor's height.

The doctor nodded and then escorted him to T'Pol's door where he knocked politely.

"Enter," T'Pol said from inside.

The doctor walked in first and Trip followed him.

"Sarr, I would like to…Trip?" T'Pol asked surprised.

"How are you doing?" Trip asked her as he walked toward her.

"I'm fine," she said as she straightened in her bed.

"What did you want to request?" Sarr asked as he leaned against her bedframe casually.

Trip looked at the gesture perplexed; it was far too comfortable and casual for a Vulcan.

"Nothing," T'Pol said as she eyed him and then Trip.

"Thank you for escorting Commander Tucker," T'Pol said dismissively.

Sarr seemed slightly taken aback as he stood upright again and nodded before he left the room.

Trip's eyes followed the doctor out of the room and he paused before he looked back at T'Pol intrigued.

"It was unnecessary for you to…" T'Pol began.

"How do you know Sarr?" Trip asked her, his voice slightly lifted.

"The doctor?" T'Pol hedged.

Trip just looked at her annoyed.

"He and I spent some time together many years ago," T'Pol said not meeting his eyes.

Trip's eyebrows rose and then he spoke. "Spent time together? In what way?"

T'Pol's eyes shifted from side to side. "We should get an update on the Captain's condition."

"He's still getting his graft," Trip offered, annoyed. "Spent time together?"

"We were intimate," T'Pol said. "He and I reached pon farr at the same time and the Science Academy matched us for…"

"You had sex with him?" Trip asked. "Because the Science Academy did some crazy pon farr blind date?"

"We were matched based on scheduling and…"

"So, some scientist says, 'have sex with him' and you do?" Trip asked flabbergasted.

"You make it sound tawdry," T'Pol said as she rose from the bed and reached for her clothes to change out of the thin hospital nightgown she was wearing.

"No, tawdry wasn't the word I was thinking of," Trip said as he stepped toward her. "Was it…was it your first time?"

T'Pol looked at him confused for a moment before realization hit her. She wasn't sure how he came to the correct conclusion about both Sarr and their involvement.

"Yes," she said frozen for a minute with her pants in her hands.

"Shit," Trip said as he stepped toward her and pulled the pants from her hands and dropped them on the bed. "T'Pol…"

"It is not something to get sentimental about," T'Pol said as her back stiffened slightly.

But, as Trip looked at her scared and vulnerable in her thin hospital gown he knew it was something that she had been forced to remember when Sarr had been her attending doctor.

"You could have asked for another doctor," Trip said softly as he looked down at her.

"Sarr was capable, it would have been illogic…"

He pulled into a hug just then and she allowed it. In that moment, it didn't matter that she was married to another man or that he was still in love with her. What mattered was that she had just been reminded of a very unpleasant time in her life and she needed a friend there with her, comforting her. He knew she was okay when her own arms wrapped around him and he felt her body settle against his. Trip rested his chin on top of her head and just sighed.

"I'm fine," T'Pol said, her weakened voice betraying the lie.

Trip rubbed her back and sighed. "Vulcans aren't supposed to lie, remember?"