This is a scene addition to 'The Augments'.
I don't own Enterprise or any of the characters.
Don't Lose Hope
T'Pol hesitated briefly before entering Commander Tucker's office in engineering. She had already decided on this course of action, and there was no turning back now. Trip was seated at his desk, holding up a padd and studying it intently. She took a deep breath and walked in.
The last person Trip expected to see this late was T'Pol. His shift had ended a short while ago, but he wanted to finish reviewing the injector modifications before he called it a night. He just hoped she was here for ship's business as well.
"Hey, Commander. What can I do for you?"
T'Pol's gaze shifted to her feet. He usually called her by her name, even if they were on duty. She centred herself and looked back up at him. "I wish to speak with you, if that is acceptable. I went to your quarters first because I thought your shift had already ended. Crewman Rostov informed me of your location."
'Why does she have to look at me like that?' Trip thought to himself. 'She probably doesn't even know it, but that sort of shy look she has when we talk personal stuff does a number on me. Where are those annoying hails when you need them?'
"If this is a bad time..." T'Pol didn't want to leave but she would understand if he didn't want to talk to her.
"No, not at all. I'm just looking over some modifications. Actually, my shift did end a while ago, but this office is sort of like my Fortress of Solitude."
T'Pol raised her eyebrow. "That is a Superman reference."
Trip grinned. "Yeah, it is. I remember we saw that one together. It took enough coaxing to get you to go, but who could resist..." Trip stopped himself just in time. What the hell was wrong with him? 'Get a grip, Tucker. That was way too close to flirting with a married woman.' He looked over at the padd in his hand, collected his thoughts, and then met T'Pol's even gaze. "So what can I do for you?"
T'Pol sighed inwardly. For that briefest of moments, things were the way they used to be. But all that had changed for the worst. "After we returned Dr. Soong to Earth's authorities, I looked up the reference you made earlier." At his perplexed look, she added. "The reference to Romeo and Juliet."
"Oh. Did you know it's one of our most popular stories? William Shakespeare wrote it." Trip knew this wouldn't divert the conversation, but he really didn't know what else to say.
T'Pol obviously didn't take the bait. "I wish to know why you used that reference."
'How do you get yourself into these things?' Trip sighed and finally put the padd down on his desk. "Things didn't work out for them, T'Pol."
Feeling more at ease by his use of her name, T'Pol took a step forward, closer to his desk. "I realize that. I wish to know why you thought it would be suitable to our situation."
Trip didn't understand her question. As far as he was concerned, the reference spoke for itself. "Well, we didn't work out and they didn't work out..." Trip shook his head in frustration. "Do I need to spell it out for you?"
T'Pol decided to get to the point before she agitated him further. "Both characters in the story commit suicide as a result of Romeo being oblivious to Juliet's plan. After his death, any hope in their relationship was lost. Is this what you were referring to?" T'Pol finished her question by moving her eyes away from his.
Trip didn't understand why she was making this so difficult for him. "You're married T'Pol. I told you I understood why you had to do it, but that doesn't change the fact that things are the way they are now. I don't know what you want from me." Trip's voice was low and his eyes were now cast downwards. He didn't notice T'Pol until she was right beside him. He looked up at her and saw all the sadness in her gorgeous brown eyes.
"I want you to have hope." Her voice was trembling. Trip hated doing this to her but there was no other way.
"How can I have hope in something that I've already lost? Marriage is a serious thing to me, T'Pol. You're Koss' wife. Plain and simple." He turned away from her.
T'Pol used every ounce of strength she had to prevent the tears from falling. She turned to leave, but remembered why she had come here in the first place. She loved this man, more than she ever thought she could. He may have given up on her, but if he cared as much as she thought he did, then she would be strong for the both of them.
With renewed strength and determination, T'Pol turned back to him and placed her hand gently on his shoulder, urging him to turn around.
'Why can't she just go? What's the point in talking about something that's never going to happen?' Trip slowly rotated his chair around to face her, but barely kept eye contact before casting his eyes downward again.
T'Pol removed her hand once she had his attention and let it rest at her side. She took a deep breath and spoke, if barely above a whisper. "If you don't lose hope, you will never lose me."
Trip looked up at her then, surprised by the strong emotional statement. "But T'Pol..." She cut him off. Her voice was different now, more firm and certain.
"If you don't lose hope, you will never lose me."
Trip smiled at her. If there was one thing he learned about T'Pol, it was that she was always full of surprises. They had one hell of an obstacle in their way, but if she wouldn't give up, neither would he.
"I won't lose hope, T'Pol. I promise."
-------------The End------------