The Anniversary
By AnnaPhylactic
Disclaimer: Don't own Star Trek, but then, you all know that.
Premise: Trip arranges a surprise for Hoshi on their wedding anniversary. Post-Enterprise.
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"Trip? Where exactly are we going?"
"Hang on, darlin', just a bit longer."
Trip led Hoshi further down the almost pitch-black corridor.
"Oww!" She cried out. "I just stubbed my toe!"
"We're here," Trip said, ignoring her and pushing open a steel door to the left of them.
Peering inside, Hoshi realised they were entering an enormous space dock.
"Just down this walkway – come on," Trip reached for her hand.
Hoshi kept looking, and soon realised they were headed for whichever star ship was docked in front of them, but she was too close to see anything.
"Trip Tucker – if you are taking me to look at some new type of warp core you'll be sorry," she warned, following on behind her husband reluctantly.
Trip just chuckled ahead of her but didn't reply.
"We'll use this to get to the ship," he informed her as they reached the end of the walkway, an orbital pod was waiting at the end of it.
As they slowly moved off towards the enormous star ship, Hoshi began to see a bit more. Then, spotting something, she stood up to get a better look.
"Recognise it yet?" Trip asked, with a smile.
Hoshi turned to him, an amazed look on her face.
"Trip… is this Enterprise?" she asked.
"Enterprise NX-01, the first ship of it's kind, and possibly the best, in the flesh, so-to-speak. Happy Anniversary, Hoshi."
Hoshi turned around again to get a better look at the ship on which she had served for five years of her life.
"Trip, I don't know what to say. How did you get clearance for this?"
"Let's just say I have connections."
They both felt a jolt as the pod docked on the underside of the ship.
"Ready to step aboard?" Trip asked quietly, reaching for her hand.
After a pause, Hoshi nodded, putting her hand in his.
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They went to the bridge first.
Hoshi hurried to her old console and sat herself down. She ran her hands over the old controls.
"It's just the same," she said, shaking her head.
"'Course it is," Trip smiled, sitting himself opposite her in the captain's chair. "Been kept in premium condition ever since it was decommissioned. This baby's still the pride 'a Star Fleet."
Hoshi was still shaking her head.
"It's weird being here without the others, isn't it?" she smiled, looking round. "It just feels so… empty."
She looked back to her husband, but he was looking at her in a way that made her say;
"What is it?"
Trip didn't break his gaze. "I was jus' rememberin' the first time I ever saw you. You were sat right there, tryin' out your chair, spinnin' it round –"
Hoshi blushed a little and giggled.
"You must have wondered what Jonathan had let us all in for, choosing me."
Trip shook his head. "Nah. I coughed or somethin' – you hadn't heard anyone come in, and you went all red like ya did jus' now and apologised. I remember thinkin' even then how beautiful you were."
Hoshi stared at him.
"You really remember all that?"
"Of course, I do."
There was a long silence between them.
"C'mon," Trip said at last, "We've only got a couple of hours, and we've got to see everythin'."
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"You remember this?" Trip asked her.
"Of course I remember this, it's Engineering."
"Not the room," Trip said impatiently, "I mean this spot."
Hoshi looked about them.
"Remember what?" she asked innocently.
Trip ran a hand through his hair indignantly. "Well if you don't remember, I ain't remindin' ya."
He started to walk away but Hoshi caught his arm.
"No wait – something interesting must've happened here, or you wouldn't have said anything. Please tell me," she said sweetly.
"Something interesting!" Trip exploded, he swung round quickly, but then saw her face. He relaxed immediately. "This," he said pointing, "this is the place where we had our first ever kiss, but you, you already knew that."
Hoshi smiled at him teasingly.
"Of course I did. I'm surprised you remembered though."
"Why?" Trip asked surprised.
Hoshi shrugged.
"You've been so busy lately I'm surprised you even remembered our anniversary."
She walked towards the warp core; the antimatter inside was dormant, the old hum absent.
"You miss Enterprise, don't you?" she asked, turning to Trip.
He stood quietly, watching her. "Sure," he said lightly. "Don't you?"
Hoshi shook her head. "Sometimes," she said slowly. "But I love being able to teach again. I love the home we've made with you, me and Charlie. Serving aboard Enterprise was incredible, but I've done it. Do you know what I mean?"
Trip stared round his old engine room, not answering immediately.
"I know you'd like to serve in deep space again, Trip, you don't have to pretend. And I know about the job offer – Jonathan told me, he thought I knew."
Trip went to her. "I should've told you before, Hoshi, I'm sorry. But there seemed no point in the end. I can't take it."
"Chief Engineer on Star Fleet's newest deep space vessel? Don't tell me you didn't consider it."
"It's two years minimum," Trip told her.
"So?"
"So I can't do it," he snapped. "I'm sorry," he said, taking a deep breath. "I shouldn't a talked to you like that. Look, let's go to the Mess Hall or somethin'," he suggested, starting towards the door.
But Hoshi stood her ground.
"You gave all this up for me, Trip, and you're about to do it again - without even discussing it with me. I'm not going to let you turn down every opportunity you get because you think I won't like it."
"Listen to me, Hoshi," Trip walked back to her, his temper rising. "I didn't give up the Enterprise, she was decommissioned. We were all out of a job, if ya remember? I took a position on Earth because I wanted us to be together - I wanted us to build a home together, and I don't regret a single second of it."
"But can you honestly tell me that if you hadn't had a wife and baby, you wouldn't have been on the first ship back out there? You could've had your own command by now!" Hoshi persisted.
Trip kept shaking his head. "No, Hoshi, no. I'm not havin' this conversation. Let's go to the Mess Hall."
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"Where did Chef go after we came home?" Hoshi asked, peering into the empty food cabinets of the Mess Hall.
"Star Fleet Headquarters," Trip grinned. "Though Travis did suggest he open an intergalactic restaurant. Most everyone that came on board this ship would've eaten there."
"They could've made him the next cultural ambassador for Earth," Hoshi giggled.
"They could've had a toss-up between him and T'Pol."
Hoshi laughed.
"You know, I always thought she liked you," Hoshi smiled to herself. "And yes, I do mean it that way."
"What?"
"T'Pol. I mean, she was always very disapproving of our relationship. I used to think she was jealous."
"Have you been drinkin'?" Trip asked.
"I don't think she was ever in love with you, or anything like that. More a physical thing. I think the captain was a better match-up. She probably didn't see you as being mentally mature enough."
"Oh, thanks."
"Oh well, she didn't know you like I do, dear," Hoshi muttered absent-mindedly.
"Are you done, yet?" Trip asked
"I think so." She looked up, beaming at him. "I know where to go next."
He followed her out, mumbling behind her…
"Not mentally mature enough, my ass…"
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"My turn this time," Hoshi grinned, as Trip raised his eyebrows.
"A shuttle pod?"
"Not a shuttle pod, the shuttle pod."
"The shuttle pod – you're sure it's this one?"
"Uh-huh," Hoshi said, still grinning.
"The one we took on shore leave? The one Charlie…"
"Was conceived in?" Hoshi finished. "Uh-huh."
Trip grinned this time.
"Oh."
"You do remember, I hope?"
Trip scratched his chin thoughtfully.
"Hmm… Now I seem to remember somethin' happenin'… Didn't I get sunburn that week?"
Hoshi brushed past, accidentally digging him in the ribs.
"Ow!"
"Oh, sorry!"
Hoshi walked through to the cockpit.
"I'd forgotten how small these things are," she said, looking round.
"Cosy enough for two," Trip grinned.
"We did have fun, didn't we?" she asked, a little wistfully.
"You make it sound like all the fun's over."
"It's felt like it sometimes. Or are you and the boys at Jupiter station having fun without me?"
Trip sighed and closed his eyes briefly
"Hoshi, I know I haven't been very… attentive lately, and I'm sorry. I wanted to bring you here to remind you about how good things can be between us, like they were in the beginning."
"Trip –"
"No, Hoshi, let me finish. Ya think I didn't tell you about that job because I wanted to take it. The real reason is it made me realise how much I didn't want to go back inta space. I'm happy with you and Charlie – really happy, and I don't want that to change. I'm goin' to try harder. After all you're right, we've been into space, we've done it. And we were the first. Now I can do just as important work right here, with you."
"With no regrets?"
Trip shook his head.
"None."
Hoshi smiled gently. She leant forward and rested her forehead against his, lightly kissing his cheek.
"It's been a lovely present, Trip, thank you," she said.
"Happy Anniversary, baby," he said softly, kissing her.
After a time, Hoshi stirred and pulled herself free of Trip's arms.
"There's only one small problem," Hoshi admitted, a mischievous tone in her voice.
"Hmm?"
"Being back here, on Enterprise… It's reminded me how much I came to love being in space."
"Hoshi!"
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The End
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