Space, a place full of vast possibilities, is where the Starship Enterprisebegan it's journey and ended it as well. Upon that journey, two of the crew fell inlove dispite their differences and beliefs.
Note: Several Changes, one such as T'Les never dies in Kir'Sharaand Elizabeth is buried on Earth outside Starfleet Command in their gravesite. I also do not own the characters or the original story line, just this one.
Earth Orbit, Enterprise, Trip's Quarters, June 12, 2155, 13:00
Trip stood packing for his shore leave when he found a box, sitting down he opened it to find a letter. It was in Vulcan and although they had buried his bond with T'Pol through a Vulcan ceremony, he understood it as he did most Vulcan. It was from T'Pol and inside the box was also the IDIC she had given their child.
'Trip,
By now we have already buried our bond and Elizabeth is with her ancestors but I know we left everything unfinished. You gave me your heart and bared it wide, I destroyed it the day I asked you to bury our bond. Know that even though I did so, I love you and will never marry for I have loved and lost the only one who could be my husband.
Do not make things worse by revealing when you found this letter, let us continue our lives and be friends. I know you loved me and will forever do so, as I will forever love you, so do not cause what we have left to be ruined.
I give you this for it was Elizabeth's, I have her jumper and I give you this to have something.
Always your beloved,
T'Pol'
Trip folded the letter and placed it back in the box, pulled out the IDIC. He looked down to see a photo of him, Elizabeth and T'Pol, one that Travis had taken once aboard Enterprise. Turning it over, it was written in T'Pol's Vulcan script.
'Our Family, for only a short time. Trip Tucker, T'Pol V'Laktratenera and Elizabeth T'Les Tucker, January 22, 2155."
Trip held it up and remembered what his father had once said about Elizabeth, Trip's sister. "Never forget the good, always treasure the moments."
Nodding, Trip knew he had lost his lover and child but he would never give up what he had left, not for the past. His doorbell rang and he looked up, "Come in." The door opened and T'Pol stood there, she had never come to his quarters since Elizabeth's death.
Placing the photo aside, he stood and walked outside the quarters, "you found..." He placed a finger to her lips, shaking his head.
"No, don't, you asked that I don't so don't." She nodded and he placed a hand on her arm. "What do you need, walk with me."
"The captain wishes us to join him at the Starfleet Interspecies Children's House, he said something important has arisen and they requested him."
"Did he said how long it would take?"
"I informed him of your shuttle departure and he said you need to reschedule the shuttle. He will say nothing of the importance, I did push the issue but he has said nothing."
"When do we leave?"
"Now, he sent me to... he used the word 'fetch'." Trip chuckled and nodded.
"If we hurry, we can get a canteen from Chef." He walked with her and they headed to the mesh hall."
Earth, San Fransisco, Starfleet Interspecies Children's House, June 12, 2155, 15:00
The three were met by Phlox, "Good, you're here."
"What's going on Phlox?" Trip was a little on edge.
"How is the issue?"
"Farely well, soon, very soon." Phlox started walking and they followed, Jon looked at Trip.
"Three days ago someone came to the House with a need, soon the House realized the situation and today Starfleet informed me."
"Of what?"
"You'll see."
Earth, San Fransisco, Starfleet Interspecies Children's House, Infirmary, June 12, 2155, 15:15
They entered to see a pregnant woman with Starfleet guards posted by the door. Phlox looked at her, "how are you Maya, the pain better?"
"Alot better doctor, thank you. You must be Commanders T'Pol and Tucker, I asked that you be here."
"Why would you do so?"
"John Frederick Paxton, he had several people in the communities doing his work...I was doing it for my son but unlike Paxton, I don't share the values he has."
"I don't understand?" Trip looked at T'Pol, who looked at Phlox.
"You have another daughter, this time with no flaws. Maya is carrying her."
Trip looked at Maya and placed a hand on her belly, the baby kicked. Maya smiled, "she has never kicked before, she must know her father. I wanted you to see the birth of your child."
Trip looked at T'Pol and she stepped forward, taking her hand, Trip placed it on Maya's belly, his over hers. The baby kicked again and Trip saw the twinkle that had left T'Pol's eyes, since their failed 'marriage' and the lost child, return again. He smiled and looked at her, whispering in her ear, "maybe the future isn't for us to decide."
She nodded and looked at Maya, "thank you for having us here."
"It is the right I can do for the wrong I have done."
Earth, San Fransisco, Starfleet Interspecies Children's House, Vulcan Unit, June 12, 2155, 15:15
T'Pol spent some of the hours waiting for her daughter's arrival with the young orphan Vulcans.
The Starfleet Interspecies Children's House was a interspecies orphanage, orphans of all species, including humans, learned and lived at the House. The House was made up of Units, each Unit was for a different species but the Common Area was where all the children, regardless of species, played together.
The children enjoyed her time there with them, they asked questions about her and about her posting.
"Yes T'Rar?" She looked at girl of only ten, who raised her hand.
"T'Pol, why are you here?"
She looked at the children and hid no shame in the birth of her child, "a woman downstairs is carrying my child, I am here for her birth. Perhaps you could suggest a good name for her."
The children all started shouting names, she placed a hand up and they quieted. She looked at child who raised his hand. "T'Kir, it means 'great star', you live among the stars."
"Or A'Ral, the daughter of Surak, it means 'daughter of logic'." A girl smiled and stood, she could be no more then four, "Surak says we should share great things with others, perhaps the first priestess of the Kir'Shara and his way could share her name."
"Come to me child." She walked around and to T'Pol, T'Pol pulled her onto her lap. "What is your name?"
"P'Rail."
"P'Rail has started young in learning of the Kir'Shara, all of you could learn as she does. For she knows of the fifth book of the Kir'Shara, can anyone but she name it?"
Silence came and T'Pol smiled, P'Rail answered them. "A'Ral, the books are Karav, T'Lonv, Ma'v'ra, T'Lor and A'Ral. Each book tells of Surak's wisdom in stories, A'Ral tells the story of both love and logic."
"Very good, down you will go." Placing P'Rail down and looking up, Trip was at the door. "Excuse me."
She got up and walked around the children, they turned to see as Trip placed a hand on T'Pol's arm, whispering. She nodded and placed a hand on his arm before he left, she went back to the children. "T'Pol, who is that?"
"That is Commander Charles Tucker, the chief engineer of Enterprise. I must go, for my child is coming."
"T'Pol?" P'Rail looked at her, "will you bring your child for us to see before you leave?"
"I will. Goodbye for now." She left and they all waved.
Earth, San Fransisco, Starfleet Interspecies Children's House, Vulcan Unit, June 12, 2155, 20:35
Trip waited outside the unit for her and smiled as she exited. "The Kir'Shara at so young, young P'Rail is bound to be a scholar."
"You listened?"
"Yes, you with children...a must. Phlox says not much longer now, she's nearly dilated. He asked that I get you."
Earth, San Fransisco, Starfleet Interspecies Children's House, Infimary, June 12, 2155, 21:00
Maya laid giving birth, Trip was standing aside while T'Pol helped, she was a certified midwife of the former Vulcan High Command, now the Vulcan High Council. Phlox would be on standby since they wanted a Vulcan birth, at least as much as possible. A Vulcan birth consisted on the father, mother and a midwife, this time the mother and midwife were the same.
"Very well Maya, push as the contraction comes." T'Pol looked at Maya.
The screams of a woman in labor filled the room and Trip's stomach flipped and flopped, he winced at each grunt and scream. Finally the cry of his newborn daughter made him smile, T'Pol walked over with their child and placed her in his arms. "Your second born child, a daughter." She spoke in Vulcan and he nodded, taking the infant.
Not knowing what to do since he could only understand Vulcan and not speak it, he looked at his child. Knowing that the psychic bond of child and mother was only possible to form within an hour of birth if the child was not born to the mother, Trip placed their child in T'Pol's arms. He looked at her, "form the bond, you must, time is against us."
He left to get Phlox, so that Maya was seen to, T'Pol placed a hand on her daughter's head and formed the bond she would have till her daughter's first year. Maya was seen to and she spoke briefly to the Tuckers, giving hope she had done the right thing.
Earth, San Fransisco, Starfleet Interspecies Children's House, Infimary, June 12, 2155, 22:00
T'Pol stood with her daughter, Trip watched by the door as nature prevailed over mother and child. She looked up and he looked at her, she nodded and he entered. "How are my girls?" He looked at his daughter, blue eyes shown at him as she gripped his finger. "I've spoke with Soval, he has arranged her Naming Ceremony at Starfleet Command this Saturday, have we decided on a temporary name?"
"No, as tradition, she will have no name till that day, you will decide her name."
"Tradition or not, her mother will have input." He pushed some of T'Pol's bangs aside, "you deserve to take part in your child's naming, as you were with Elizabeth's."
T'Pol eyed him and knew their heartbreak was behind them for their child was now in their arms. "Very well."
He looked down at their child, she was eyeing her father. "She is starring at me."
"She knows you as her father, the bond is complete." Trip gently took his child, looking at the blue-eyed pointed ear newborn in his arms.
"You will forever be loved, learning logic from your mother, with my help of course and warp engines from me." Holding her to his chest, their daughter instantly closed her eyes and began to sleep.
T'Pol eyed the newborn and her father, "she has bonded with you, I believe she prefers you above her mother." She placed a hand on their daughter's back, "most Vulcan mothers would find this offensive but I know her father is full of emotion and will care for her well."
"My little sehlat, down to sleep before her first meal." He looked at T'Pol and she nodded, allowing him to give their child the nickname of 'sehlat'.
"That was priceless." Jon entered, his camera in hand, "I got that picture. So what's her name, I need to know the name of our newest crewmember, roster and all."
"Vulcan tradition states she will have no name till her Naming Ceremony." Trip looked at Jon, "it's saturday."
"Two days without a name, I think Starfleet can wait that long." He looked at the newborn, "eyes, weight, come on...the crew is anxious."
"They'll know it on Saturday once she has a name. They've agreed to let us stay here with her till Saturday, we'll be going to my parents after that.
Earth, San Fransisco, Starfleet Command, Garden, June 14, 2155, 11:50
Everyone of the senior crew was present for their newest crewember's Naming Ceremony. They stood to one side as Soval, Gardner and Samuels stood to the other. T'Pol and Trip stood in the middle, dressed in Vulcan robes, with a Vulcan priest. Trip held their child, she was asleep in her father's arms.
The gong was rung and the priest looked at them all, "this day another has joined the V'Laktratenera Family, two days ago her birth came and went and now she stands to be welcomed." The priest dipped his finger in oil and looked at Trip. "Her name?"
Trip looked at the priest as if he were no threat, which he wasn't. "T'Kir V'Laktratenera, daughter of T'Pol V'Laktratenera, daughter of K'Var V'Laktratenera."
The priest nodded and placed the oil on the infant's head, stepping forward he placed oil on T'Pol's as well. "This oil gives the sign of the bond between mother and child, Vulcan ways and traditions unbroken." He took the infant as Trip handed her to him, holding the infant up, he spoke in Vulcan. Once finished he handed her to her mother. "Truly you have chosen well T'Pol V'Laktratenera, for only one so true would not take a husband's hold and not allow such events to occur by tradition."
T'Pol nodded, "truly I have."
The priest rang the gong and the ceremony was over, Trip looked at their child, she now had a name. "Hello T'Kir, welcome to the universe." Trip placed a hand on T'Kir's head and noticed the newborn stared at him, she moved her tiny hand to grasped her father's finger. Looking at his lover, Trip smiled and eyed her, for T'Pol was taking motherhood by storm.
"She is her father's child." T'Pol looked at him and he nodded.
"Just my eyes, she looks like her mother most of all."
They had given her the common name of 'T'Kir-Grace A'Ral Tucker, Trip planned on not having a nickname for T'Kir and T'Pol found no objections.
Earth, Mississippi, Brookhaven, Tucker Residence, June 15, 2155, 12:15
The shuttle transport dropped them off in front of Trip's parents' house. The house was beautifully crafted and a two story with a balcony, Trip figured that they had bought it because it looked like some of the houses his sister had built. T'Pol looked down at T'Kir, she was asleep in her carrier. Bending down, T'Pol placed a blanket over the carrier to keep T'Kir from the sun's heat.
"How is she?" Trip looked at T'Pol, she looked at her lover.
"Asleep, she will probably sleep for hours." She picked up the carrier and Trip looked at the house.
"Well, I haven't been here since I came after Vulcan, it's been almost a year." T'Pol placed a hand on his arm and he nodded, knowing she would support him.
The same Vulcan priest who preformed T'Kir's Naming Ceremony, took on the task of unburying their bond. It was a process that was hard on them both, harder then it had been to bury it. Within four hours it was unburied and somehow the link that T'Pol had with T'Kir transferred to him as well when the ceremony was over.
Going up to the door, Trip pressed the doorbell, a voice came from the comm system. "Who is there?"
"It's Trip, can you open up Mom." The door opened and they went in, Gracie Tucker came from the backroom to see T'Pol and Trip, T'Pol held the carrier.
"Trip, oh it's been nearly a year." She hugged her son and looked at T'Pol, "hello Dear."
"Mrs. Tucker, my name is T'Pol." She held out a hand and Gracie took it.
"Nice to meet you, what do you got there?" Trip smiled when Gracie lifted the blanket to see T'Kir. "A granddaughter, finally. May I hold her." T'Pol held the carrier as Gracie lifted T'Kir out, she was still asleep. "What's her name."
"T'Kir-Grace A'Ral Tucker." Trip smiled as his mother held her first granddaughter, he looked at T'Pol, she had a slight smile.
"She's beautiful, looks like her mother." The door slid open and Charles Tucker came in, Gracie turned and looked at him. "Charles, Trip's here and also brought our granddaughter."
Charles Tucker looked at his son and at the newborn in his wife's arms, T'Kir was sleeping as quietly. "What's her name?" He looked at T'Pol and then back at his son, ignoring the newborn's mother.
"T'Kir-Grace A'Ral Tucker." Trip placed a hand on T'Kir's head, as if sensing her father, T'Kir opened her eyes. "Hey there, finally decided to wake up, ready to meet your grandparents." T'Kir looked around then went back to stare at her father before crying.
T'Pol took T'Kir from Gracie and even her mother couldn't calm her. "Very well my child, you may have your father." T'Pol handed T'Kir to Trip and soon the child calmed, becoming quiet. T'Pol said nothing and felt no jealousy because she would teach their child and he would comfort her.
"You must stay for lunch."
"We were hoping to stay for a few days." Gracie nodded and looked at her husband, who said nothing.
"You must stay."
Earth, San Fransisco, Tucker Residence, June 15, 2161, 12:15
Six year old T'Kir stood still while her father brushed her hair, it was the color of her mother's and down to her back. "I do not see logic in having to go to someone else's marriage Father."
"It's a occasion which others go to celebrate the couple, we are guests." He braided her hair and then turned her around, "it's Aunt Hoshi's day and we're family to her."
"Did people come to your marriage to mother?" The six year old was bright yet still a child, "besides Foremother and Ambassador Soval?"
"The Enterprise's former crew, now...go get dressed." She took her brush and left for her bedroom, Trip stood and walked to the kitchen, T'Pol was packing their son's diaper bag. "T'Kir's getting dressed, how's Charlie?"
"Asleep, he will be waking up soon," snapping the bag, T'Pol looked at Trip. "would you see to dressing our son?"
"Yeah, I'll get T'Kir on the way down."
He leaned over and kissed her cheek before leaving the kitchen, T'Pol hit his arm playfully.
"You know the last time you did that, we were late for Jon's wedding." He smirked and left the kitchen, T'Pol stood looking out the window.
Jon Archer married his long-time girlfriend, Erika Hernandez, three years before, they now had a two year old daughter, Istelle. Istelle Archer dreamed to be a starship captain, even at her young age of two.
Trip and T'Pol managed to not themselves decide their future, fate decided for them. Six years later, they had their daughter and son and Starfleet jobs, allowing them to live a normal life and raise their children. Their relationship seemed never dull or boring, always surprising and Trip did his best to keep their marriage playful and fun.