Not the Only One...
Disclaimer: Nope don't own anyof it...
A/N: Set about one year after Enterprise being decommisioned. Archer was promoted to Admiral and T'Pol has taken a post with the Vulcan council.
Admiral Archer stared bleakly at the mound of work in front of him on his desk. Somehow his promotion and subsequent shift from explorer to desk patrol and diplomat just did not seem as appealing as it had a year ago. Although, he had to admit to himself that working towards and achieving in small steps the founding of the Federation was beyond what he had ever thought possible. His imagination soared at the potential good that all of this would achieve. His heart grappled with the absolute need for the Federation to exceed whatever hopes he held for it...too much had been lost for any of it to fail. So, with a sigh, he reached for his first padd and began to sift through the paperwork to reach those goals.
He had actually made some progress when his assistant chimed from the comm. "What can I do for you Lt. Griffin?"
Archer's assistant, although very competent, was a rather stiff and pompous sort. She had been assigned to him and each time he dealt with her he thought of how he needed to get her reassigned somewhere else...somewhere far from him. However, other things always seemed to take precedence... and she was still there.
Her crisp rather nasally voice came back over the comm. "A Vulcan is here to see you, but she does not have an appointment, and I told her that you were far too busy...but she insisted"
Archer smiled at her disgruntled tone. Not like a Vulcan to just drop by without notice though...sticklers for protocol that race. "Well, Lt. it must be important so I suppose I can take a small part of my morning and find out why she has come to see me. Send her in."
There was nothing but silence on the other end of the comm and Archer could just feel the Lt. seething on the other side of the door that he had disregarded what she had told the Vulcan. Sometimes the little things in life could just make you smile. Petty...yes, but satisfying.
The door slid open and Archer stood to greet his mystery guest. He had just made his face a mask showing nothing, when he burst into a large grin of pure pleasure.
"T'Pol! I had no idea that you were even back from Vulcan!"
Archer's eyes scanned his former first officer...still as lovely as ever. Barely changed in appearance. It took everything he had to not walk over and give her a giant bear hug. He so rarely got to see his old crew, except for Malcolm and even that was rather sparse.
"Is something amiss Admiral?" T'Pol's voice cut into his reverie.
"What? Oh, I am so sorry for just staring at you, it's just been awhile. You look wonderful."
Her head inclined to accept the compliment and the explanation "As do you Admiral. I apologize for coming to your office without an appointment, but I found that I needed to speak with you and time was of the essence."
Archer leaned back against his desk and lost his smile. "This sounds serious T'Pol. Is everything alright?"
T'Pol actually fidgeted before responding causing small alarm bells to go off in Archer's head. T'Pol never reacted this way...certainly never fidgeted. What the hell was wrong?
T'Pol walked to the window overlooking the bay and finally spoke "Everything is fine at the moment, but yes this is a matter of some seriousness. I have come to ask a favor of you and I am unsure of how it will be received or if it is even proper that I ask it of you."
"T'Pol, whatever it is, however serious it is, know that I will help you however I can."
T'Pol held up her hand and replied "Hear what I have to ask before you commit yourself. This is personal in nature."
Archer gestured for T'Pol to sit and he walked around his desk to sit in his own seat thinking that perhaps some formality might give T'Pol some comfort and make it easier for her to ask what she needed of him. Personal? What could she want from him that would be that personal... that would cause her to show so much emotion?
T'Pol closed her eyes briefly. This was much more difficult to ask than she had anticipated in all of her logical musings. "Admiral, I find that I am fast approaching my time of Ponn Farr and I will be in need of assistance in that matter. Do you have any knowledge of Ponn Farr?"
Leaning back in his chair he contemplated the term... he had heard it somewhere before, but it seemed a lifetime ago. "If I have heard of Ponn Farr I can not remember the reference."
She shifted in her chair "Ponn Farr is the biological impetus to mate. It is very personal and is not spoken of with outsiders...and rarely among ourselves. It occurs every seven years."
Archer sat frozen. Mate? Mating? He could suddenly hear the pounding of his heart in his ribcage. Just what was she asking of him? He cleared his throat "Um, and you are approaching Ponn Farr"
Inclining her head T'Pol continued "Yes, generally this would not be an issue as most Vulcans are bonded and married at an early age. I, however, am neither bonded nor married. I will require..." she paused to look up at Archer "assistance"
Certain his heartbeat was even louder, that he must be mistaking what she was asking he met her gaze and again cleared his throat "Surely there are Vulcan's who would be willing to... assist you in this matter."
"I find that I am unwilling to seek help from that quarter unless forced to do so."
"Why?"... Why? He stood and walked to the window staring out of it while he tried to reconcile what she was asking of him. Why him? "Why me?"
T'Pol stood and walked towards him "Because I have been around humans far too long. Because I have no wish to share such a personal event with someone that I do not consider a friend. Because I know no one who is Vulcan that I wish to involve in this."
Archer turned and searched her face and her eyes for a moment before saying quietly "I am not Trip, T'Pol"
He nearly flinched at the sudden stricken flash in her eyes, before she composed herself. It had to be said. A year had passed since their friend's death...and many more since Trip and T'Pol had shared more than friendship. Archer, however, was not a fool. He knew that both had maintained emotions far stronger than just friendship, he knew that sharing the loss of a child (two children really) affected T'Pol and Trip for all time.
Her voice broke into his reverie softly spoken "I do not expect you to be Trip. While it is true that we shared much... it is also true that Trip was not the only one aboard Enterprise that I cared for."
Shared much... T'Pol thought to herself. Yes, even a bond that was left to founder and wither rather than be cultivated and cherished. But there was much shared. Much missed... and much regretted.
Archer sighed and rubbed his face with one of his hands "T'Pol, there is nothing I would not do for you that I could... this is no different, just unexpected."
"No, I will not accept you saying yes right now. This is something that you need to think on before agreeing. I will give you a few days to consider."
Before Archer could reply, T'Pol turned and sailed smoothly from the office.
T'Pol continued past the grim looking assistant and out of the Federations new offices. She continued walking rather than getting a transport and headed for the bay. Once she reached the grey water, she stopped and breathed the cool air into her lungs. Too cool she thought absently of the air.
So, she thought, I have asked the Admiral to join with me in Ponn Farr.
She contemplated why it had been so important to ask him rather than accepting help from her own people. She reluctantly acknowledged that her reasoning held little logic. That what she had told Archer was true...she had spent far too much time with humans; that after sharing a bond with Trip, she knew that she would want a partner like he should have been...like she should have let him be. Internally sighing, she also recognized that her emotions again betrayed her and she wanted that possibility with Archer; something that could never be explored while he was her commanding officer, something that could not have been while Trip was alive. Perhaps she could move forward and this time have no regrets.
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Archer continued to watch the door, almost waiting for her to come back inside. He finally shook his head to clear it and reached out and tapped the comm. "Lt.Griffin, cancel all of my meetings today and get me Dr. Phlox from Denobula on the line as soon as possible."
That done he sat at his desk and pretended to work on the mound of orders in front of him. He continued to struggle to concentrate on his tasks, all the while wondering how long it would take before Dr. Phlox could be reached. His mind was buzzing with new possibilities; things he had never allowed himself to really focus on.
Three hours later, Archer had given up on trying to work and was pacing the small office in frustration. Just as he reached out to punch the comm to ask what progress Lt. Griffin had made... the comm sounded softly. Eagerly he jabbed the button "Yes Lt.?"
There that sounded professional didn't it?
"Dr. Phlox on the line sir" her nasally voice said.
This time it did not even bother him; he was so relieved to hear that news. "Put him through"
Dr. Phlox's smiling face appeared on the screen sitting on his desk. "Admiral! What a pleasant surprise to hear from you. I hope all is well and you are not requiring any medical attention, though I'm sure that the Federation has doctors a trifle closer than I am right now."
Waving his hand and shaking his head, Archer could not help but smile back. Yet another face that he had seen for so long and now he rarely saw. "No, nothing wrong with me yet Doctor. It is good to see you though. Actually, I called because I have a question regarding the Vulcan Ponn Farr."
Phlox raised his brows in surprise. "Ponn Farr? Why ever would you need to ask a question about that? It is not something that Vulcan's discuss and it is not something that many medical doctors outside of Vulcan even know about. Have you had some problem with the Vulcans in San Francisco?"
"No, No nothing like that at all. This was uh..." Archer cleared his throat. "This was a personal inquiry only"
Phlox's brows rose even further and his head tilted sideways, like it always did when he was intrigued and he knew what was going on. "Oh I see. She came to you did she? I had wondered if she would choose that path."
Archer blinked in surprise. "She?" he countered trying to sound as though he had no idea to whom Phlox referred.
Phlox just waved his hand in dismissal. "Yes, yes. She...T'Pol. I knew her time was approaching and had wondered how she would choose to handle the situation. I am glad that she came to you with this."
"You seem to know a great deal more than I do Phlox. Care to fill me in on all the secrets?" Jonathon's dry tone belied how curious he really was.
"Ponn Farr is the mating period of the Vulcan, which occurs every seven years. Generally a Vulcan has been bonded and married by the time the Ponn Farr occurs, but some are put in jeopardy due to their circumstances such as T'Pol."
At first Archer just nodded, nothing that T'Pol had not already told him, then something that Phlox had said struck him "Jeopardy? What do you mean jeopardy?"
Phlox stopped and met Archers gaze steadily. "If T'Pol does not engage in Ponn Farr, then she will die. It is a Vulcan biological fact"
Stunned, Archer sat back in his chair. Die? "Are you certain Phlox?"
"Quite. But I was assuming that would not be problem. Have you turned her down?"
Archer shook his head "No, no I did not. She would not let me say anything. Said that she wanted me to think on it before agreeing. Of course, she never mentioned that part either. Why were you not surprised she came to me with this rather than going to someone of her own race?"
"Well, It was just a feeling I had. She always cared for you and..." he shrugged "Trip is gone. It left a door open to her. She never seemed as comfortable around her own people at times."
"Thank you Phlox."
The Denobulan nodded and was about to say farewell when he paused and smiled again "Um, Admiral. I think it only fair that I warn you about some other things concerning Ponn Farr."
Archer's brow wrinkled as he tried to imagine what else T'Pol had failed to tell him. "Go ahead"
"As you know, Vulcans were a rather emotional race inclined to violence and rather primitive extremes. Ponn Farr is a throwback to those times. The reason Vulcans do not discuss this issue, apart from it involving their mating cycle, is this; Ponn Farr takes a perfectly sane and controlled Vulcan and unleashes all inhibition and passion. They are no longer controlled. They are primitive and wanton. It is, of course, abhorrent to that proud and logical race." Phlox was grinning now "Expect to feel a little pain Admiral, T'Pol won't be quite herself".
Dumbfounded, Archer nodded and bade the doctor farewell.
Afterward he sat lost in imaginings of an out of control sexually uninhibited T'Pol. Any doubts he had regarding his decision to aid her in this had been squashed as soon as Phlox mentioned that she could perish if she did not go through Ponn Farr, but now a far more stimulating reason tantalized him.
That night Archer entered the great ballroom in his dress uniform at yet another event to garner more agreement and collaboration between races and worlds. Diplomats and politicians and aspiring Star Fleet Officers abounded in the room full of food and music. At one time, these events had thrilled him aboard the Enterprise when he felt like the Universe was his to explore. Now these events were just one more step in attaining the final goal.
He was speaking to some Ambassador from somewhere when he saw her. She was gliding down the staircase with Ambassador Soval and another Vulcan male. She was stunning. A regal queen of fairy, fit for a Midsummer Night's Dream, dressed in a flowing chiffon dress of deep blue and adorned only by the IDIC pendant given to her by her mother. Suddenly he was seeing her as a man sees a woman... all curves and soft skin... full lips and sultry eyes.
It became more difficult to concentrate on the inane babble from the diplomats around him and make the appropriate responses. Instead, he found himself wondering who the younger Vulcan with T'Pol and Soval was. Was he a possible choice for T'Pol should Archer decline her request? Archer was surprised by the surge of jealousy that went through him. As politely and quickly as possible he extricated himself from the conversation and made his way towards T'Pol, who was now sitting at a table with several Vulcans.
T'Pol caught Archer's movement towards her and tensed slightly. She had not anticipated having to deal with the Admiral until tomorrow. She mentally berated herself for not realizing that as an Admiral partially in charge of dealing with the particulars of the foundling Federation, Archer would of course be at this function. She was so intent on watching Archer stride towards her, that she failed to notice that her breathing rate increased. She also failed to notice that it drew Soval's attention.
Soval watched T'Pol surreptitiously noting the changes in her demeanor after she had seen Archer. He suspected that she was approaching Ponn Farr due to her recent behavior. Small things; lapse of memory, momentary exhibits of emotion, inability to concentrate as well as he knew she could. Of course, he would never broach the subject with her... far too private. Despite himself though, he found himself considering how she planned on dealing with the issue since she was unbound and unmarried. Watching her reaction to Archer's presence gave him some possible insight on the matter, however.
Archer slowed on approach suddenly realizing that he did not know what he was going to say to her or her companions. In an effort to hide his sudden discomfort he greeted Ambassador Soval first. Exchanging banal polite words it took him a moment to feel like Soval actually knew what he was there for and was amused at his behavior. So, he turned and greeted T'Pol as though they had not seen one another in awhile. He actually saw her jump slightly in her seat.
"Ambassador, would you mind if I borrowed my former first officer for a dance?"
Soval leaned back in his chair convinced now that his suspicion was correct. "Of course not Admiral, if T'Pol has no objections then I of course have none."
T'Pol looked at Soval as though he had grown horns... "Dance? Ambassador, Admiral I must admit I do not dance. Perhaps another partner would be more accommodating."
Archer started to frown then reached out for her hand "Well T'Pol, if you are going to be in diplomacy perhaps learning would be logical. Amuse your former CO"
He kept his hand out forcing her to take it or cause a scene in front of Soval and the others. He nodded to Soval and the others as he drew T'Pol up from her seat.
Reluctantly, T'Pol allowed herself to be drawn up and onto the dance floor. "I had not anticipated seeing you tonight."
Archer smiled at her "Nor I you. You look very nice T'Pol."
She inclined her head accepting his complement. "I do not know how to dance Admiral."
"It's easy T'Pol...just follow my lead."
She looked around and followed the hand placements she observed on other women on the floor, and allowed Archer to take control. "Admiral, I..."
Archer interrupted her "As, you are going to share my bed soon, I think you can call me Jonathon."
T'Pol nearly tripped and lost her tenuous control of her emotions, but her voice remained smooth as she commented "You have decided then?"
He crooked a smile at her "How could I refuse such a tantalizing offer." His expression turned serious for a moment "How could you not tell me all of the repercussions of your condition T'Pol?"
She met his gaze steadily and did not pretend to not understand his reference. "I did not wish any decision you made to be done so out of a human sense of obligation."
"Mmmmhmmm, and did you ever plan on telling me?"
"Admi... Jonathon, if you agreed then it would not be required to tell you anything. If you did not agree then it would not be required to tell you anything. I do not intend on dying. I would have sought the aid I needed elsewhere. Where did you find out this information?"
Jonathon smiled at her impeccable logic. "Phlox"
She shot him an irritated look "I should have realized that you would have contacted the Doctor. Was there anything else that the Doctor saw fit to tell you?"
Glancing around at the other parties on the dance floor, he made several turns then led T'Pol off the floor and out a side set of doors to the sprawling garden outside. "He did say that Vulcans become rather...ah uninhibited and unrestricted during that time. He warned that I might take on some damage."
Archer's smile grew wider when he noticed the sudden green flush of ...embarrassment?... on her face.
"Admiral...Jonathon If this is a concern for you, I can only say that you are not bound by your decision. I would not purposefully put you in harms way."
T'Pol was surprised by the soft chuckle coming from Archer.
Archer's blue eyes sparkled in the moonlight. "T'Pol, I would have to give up my manhood if anything like that frightened me away. I did have a request of my own though"
T'Pol eyed him suspiciously, but nodded for him to continue.
Archer suppressed a sudden desire to ask her to make love with him that very night before Ponn Farr took her, but he cleared his throat and instead stated "I think that it would be prudent if you stayed at my residence until this matter is over. It would be safer for us both and more private for you should you need to reach me quickly."
T'Pol looked away from him for a moment back to the glittering dance floor and chatting diplomats inside, but she never really saw any of them.
"I have cleared a great deal off of my schedule and will be able to do a lot of work from home." Archer held his breath, feeling as though he held a frightened deer in his arms just waiting to flee. "It is just a suggestion T'Pol"
Catching the deflated tone in Archer's voice her eyes locked with his. "Jonathon I believe that you have made a very logical request and I can do no more than bow to that logic. I will stay with you." Pausing for a moment to again search his face she continued "I had not anticipated an answer tonight... and after our conversation earlier I was uncertain if you would agree to what I was asking of you"
"I admit that you threw me today...It was the last thing I ever thought to be asked by you...and I had to ask about Trip." His eyes flared with grief for a moment before he continued "I guess I don't want to think that you are constantly wishing it were his arms that held you. I'm just human and we tend to have fragile egos." He smiled sadly when he finished.
T'Pol watched him for a moment sensing some of her own grief. She would always have a part of her that missed Trip, but even Trip would have given her a sharp hard kick if she denied herself anything due to his absence. "There is no changing what is past Jonathon, there is only the future and all that it holds." Silently she plead with Archer to give her something to move beyond her own fears and the all too human grief she sometimes felt.
Driven by his own sense of loss and need for T'Pol to be his, Archer pulled her to him and possessed her lips with his own.
Startled, T'Pol did not attempt to pull away. His lips pressed for more, his tongue sliding across her lower lip asking for entry. When she complied, she felt him groan and pull her harder against him. Archer forgot that they might be seen even in the darkened garden only lit by the moon and stars. A hunger roused in him that he had not realized he still possessed for this woman...drove him onward.
Stunned...at Archer's boldness and at her own compliance. Never had she imagined that he could be so bold, never had she imagined that she would respond so readily. Trip had been the only male that she had felt drawn towards...despite her own best efforts. But this...this sensation of losing control again... Trip had never been so bold, so aggressive. Perhaps this accounted in part for their faded relationship and faded bond.
She pulled away from Archer, who immediately straightened and flushed red like any school boy caught overstepping his bounds.
"I'm sorry T'Pol, I don't..."
T'Pol reached up and pressed her fingers to his mouth silencing him. "I will be in touch with you tomorrow to make the arrangements for our staying together. Good night Jonathon"
With that T'Pol turned and glided inside and out of view. He took a deep shuddering breath and wondered what the hell he had been thinking to have kissed her like that. One did not just touch T'Pol like that. God, he suddenly felt like an out of control teenager. Not wishing to return to the gala event, he skirted the room and fled as quickly as he could. Things had been so much simpler when the lines between Captain and Commander were clearly drawn. But not nearly so exciting...a part of him thought. Again his thoughts drifted to Trip. One kiss and he was aching for more. No wonder Trip had been such a mess those early years...but what had happened to separate them? Was grief for a child that strong? How, after knowing her, could Trip have walked away and let her go?
Unaware of Archer's thoughts, T'Pol sat before a lit candle grasping at peace through meditation. Peace which eluded her as her as she too contemplated Trip. She could not recall a time when Trip had ever been that presumptuous or aggressive in initiating any sexual contact. Perhaps that was why they never continued in a relationship and had been unable to move beyond the numbing pain of the loss of a child. Perhaps that loss added to the already tumultuous relationship was the death stroke. Despite many nights questioning these things after his death, T'Pol had yet to find an answer. The only legacy left to her was all too human regret.
Again the sensation of Archer's lips on hers took hold of her. She was suddenly resolved that there would be no more regrets. Her decision made...her mind finally slipped into blissful meditation without further hindrance.
Archer found no such release. He felt as tense and frustrated as he had just after he had kissed T'Pol. He lay in bed staring at the ceiling wondering if T'Pol was going to change her mind after his juvenile performance tonight. Rubbing his hand over his eyes he continued to entertain fantasies concerning Ponn Farr.
Lt.Griffin looked askance at Admiral Archer after being snapped at for the third time for questioning his conflicting orders. The Admiral never behaved with such poor leadership skills and his assistant was frankly not adept at dealing with such a shocking change in behavior.
Archer's tension mounted hour after hour when he still had not heard from T'Pol. She must have changed her mind he thought to himself. Perhaps she decided that a Vulcan partner would be better for her after all. It did not encourage him when that thought was a little depressing. What the hell was the matter with him! It wasn't like he had a relationship with her beyond that of friendship. They had hardly even been in touch with one another this last year... His teeth ground together in frustration and when the comm. sounded he jerked and slammed his hand against the button. "WHAT!"
A small silence before his assistant responded "Admiral you have a visitor. The Vulcan, T'Pol, whom you have been expecting."
Archer went still. "Of course Lt. send her in please"
"Of course Admiral"
Archer ground his teeth again at the smug tone in the woman's voice. He really was going to have to find somewhere else for her to go.
T'Pol glided into the room. "Admiral"
Nodding back at her he said "Good afternoon".
"Good afternoon"
Surely it had to be a good sign that she had come to his office after all... surely. When she stood before him without further response he felt increasingly nervous and cleared his throat. He realized that he had been doing that a lot since yesterday. "You know you did not have to come in person to tell me you have changed your mind. I would have understood. I wouldn't blame you either. I acted quite the fool last night and I had no right."
T'Pol blinked and her brows rose slightly. "Change my mind? Why would I have changed my mind? Because you kissed me last night?"
Archer shrugged "I overstepped the boundaries last night"
"Considering the boundary we are about to cross, I find that overstep to be slight" T'Pol was surprised to see Archer visibly relax. "I am sorry to come so late, however, I had certain duties to attend to before I could meet with you and they took longer than I anticipated."
He crooked a smile at her in thanks at her forgiveness, then handed her a padd with all of his information. "Anytime you want to arrive is fine by me. I'll make certain to have things there that you would like for dinner. No more chef, but I'm not terrible in the kitchen."
"I'm sure everything will be satisfactory and I also can help prepare the meals." She turned to leave, then turned back to face her former captain. They stood watching one another for a moment before T'Pol said "I should arrive sometime this evening. I doubt that it will be too long before the onset of Ponn Farr, so I will not impose on you longer than I must."
"Impose on me as long as you want T'Pol...I'm not in a hurry for you to go anywhere."
Almost a ghost of a smile crossed her lips and then she was gone, leaving Archer to stare at the door.
A/N...Ok I am sorta in a funk trying to connect the storyline from here to the end, so be patient with me and I'll get it out as soon as I possibly can. Hope you enjoyed so far. Please let me know what ya think. (I'm really a Trip and T'Pol fan, but if we have to get stuck with thatfinale I figured that I had nothing against Archer and T'Pol outside of Trip himself. Anyway, having said that, I wanted to impart that both Archer and T'Pol would miss and grieve for Trip, but that they would both realize that they must move on and live...)