Disclaimer: Enterprise and its characters belong to CBS/Paramount. Some of the lines are taken from their corresponding episode and belong to their authors.

Thanks: to Alelou, who is conscientiously editing this story and to Lady Rainbow, who was the first to read the unfinished draft and encouraged me saying "Cool! You can continue it."

Author's note: The premise of this story is not mine, it's from dialee who mentioned it in one of the reviews, so if somebody likes the premise, praise dialee, not me. The carrying out of the premise, however, is mine, so if somebody wants to blame somebody for its quality, blame me.

The idea is: what would happen if Archer had died naturally in the "Twilight" universe? Because the parasite has some host-parasitic relationship, we could assume that if Archer died the parasite would die as well, and time would go back. But Archer would be dead. So that's how the story begins: Archer dies in the "Twilight" universe and remains dead in the RU. So the rest of the third and fourth season should happen without him.

By the way, in the beginning this story was going to be a one-shot, so I can proudly say that it's finished. Just be a little patient while the busy Alelou edits the rest of it.


Prologue: the Beginning of the End

He is dying.

There is no doubt about it.

Phlox has tried everything he can, but it's too late. Too late to save him. Too late to find a last-minute cure. Too late to regret.

The Denobulan looks at T'Pol, who is sitting in a chair near the bunk bed while she gazes at her hands on her lap. She doesn't show any expression. Her eyes are empty, but they were empty before the news. T'Pol was drained years ago. Caring for the amnesic Jonathan Archer has been a great burden, too great even for a Vulcan female.

Phlox has to admire her strength of character; she has done it with no complaint, with no resentment. She's been his caretaker, his only support, his confidante, for almost ten years.

The problem is, he doesn't remember anything about it. He remembers what happened ten years ago, just before the accident, but he can't remember what he ate yesterday. And, of course, he can't remember if he was in pain a day before, or two days before, or a month before, until the day he can't get out the bed because the agony is so profound that he can't even breathe.

T'Pol called Phlox immediately, but the damage was already done: the illness had spread inside him like a starving pack of hounds. The only thing Phlox could do was alleviate his pain.

And wait for his death.

At the back of the room is Trip. Phlox can't help it, he can't think of him as Captain Tucker. Or he couldn't before. Now, with his arms folded, his blue gaze darkened by the anguish and that weird grimace on his mouth, Phlox can't remember the usual cheerfulness in him that used to make him "Trip". His eyes are dry. Like T'Pol's. It's ironic that Archer's two greatest supports, the woman who takes care of him and his best friend, can't muster a tear for him.

Phlox wonders once more what kind of universe this is — a place so full of pain that a good man can't be cried for.

The sedatives will do their work soon. Everything will end soon.

Phlox turns away and fixes his eyes on the scans hanging on the wall. The heart beat is getting slower.

Until it's just a flat line and one long, steady tone.

And then, it's as if time stops. Just for a second. A subtle ripple passes through the room. In the twinkling of an eye Phlox goes from Archer's room on Ceti Alpha V to the Enterprise's infirmary.

Just like that.

He notices the change, at least for a heartbeat. For a moment he thinks 'Wait a minute, I was on other planet. I wasn't on Enterprise. Have I used the transporter?' But it doesn't last long. Any thought of Ceti Alpha V vanishes from his mind as if it never existed.

In the Enterprise's infirmary, Doctor Phlox has to certify Captain Archer's death. An anomaly caught him when he tried to save T'Pol. At first Phlox had thought there were just some brain injuries, apparently provoked by a type of parasite…

Phlox pauses.

He can't remember what he was saying. Something with a parasite? Impossible. There is no parasite in Archer's body. The anomaly did something to the Captain, but Phlox hasn't been able to determine what, exactly. Captain Archer has died and he doesn't know why.

Phlox turns and looks at Trip and T'Pol. The blonde Commander is crying his heart out. The Vulcan Sub-Commander is very still, almost in shock.

Captain Archer's corpse is on the narrow bed. It looks extremely fragile. 'This was a man who could make Andorians tremble,' Phlox thinks, 'and now he seems as dangerous as Porthos.'

The Denobulan doctor sighs. He has to do his job.

"Time of death: 1052."

And it hits him suddenly: Captain Archer is dead.