Author's Note: Please see previous notes.

I'm going kinda AU here and placing this after T'Pol says she wants him back and kisses him, but before the Terra Prime Elizabeth time. I know there wasn't that much time between the two in the series, but in this world, there's about one month after the kiss and before Elizabeth. I have written something later on in this story in Snapshot 34, but have decided to do some prequel writing before my snapshot. You'll eventually see Snapshot 34 come into play.

I do have some exams so I can't promise a regular posting with anything right now, unless my procrastination monster takes hold of me and I do this instead of study. I've really paid attention in all of my classes and killed on all of my assignments…do I really need to study?

Let me know what you think.

XXX

"I guess we've got a lot of work to do," Trip said before he left her in the hallway perplexed.

She took several moments to think about his words, started to walk away and then, stopping, turned in the direction he was headed and landed at the door to his quarters.

"Took you long enough," Trip said when the door opened and she walked inside.

"What do you mean when you say 'it's no big deal'" T'Pol inquired as she looked at him standing near his window to the stars.

"I mean," Trip said as he turned to face her. "We're both adults, we can handle this."

T'Pol let the words sink in before she asked another clarification question.

"Handle what?" T'Pol asked.

"The fact that you've finally admitted you want me," Trip said with a smirk.

T'Pol crossed her arms over her abdomen and looked at him annoyed.

"We can work on this bond thing," Trip said casually.

"Our bond is not a casual association," T'Pol clarified.

"I know," Trip nodded.

"What kind of work do you anticipate, doing?" T'Pol asked.

"Well, the kissing was nice," Trip chuckled.

"There's more to a bond than a sexual relationship. If you think that…"

"Darlin, I know it's a commitment," Trip said cutting her off as he approached her. "I was just joking."

"Oh," T'Pol shifted her body. "Are you prepared to make this commitment?"

"Yeah," Trip nodded. "Are you?"

T'Pol's eyes went wide, things had changed so quickly. Where she once had the advantage, now he did in his self-assurance.

"Would it scare you if I said I was as well?" T'Pol asked.

"Nope," Trip said, trying to cover a smirk. He knew that she didn't like being off-kilter in this way.

"Fine," she said, trying to feign the trepidation she felt.

"Fine, what?" Trip asked her, challenging.

"I will commit to this bond as well," T'Pol said. "Obviously, there is something between us that our psyches are aware of."

"Oh, there's a lot of something between us darlin," Trip smiled at her.

"Have you ever had some type of psychic bond before?" T'Pol inquired, knowing it was rare in humans but not unheard of.

"Nope," Trip smiled at her. "You're my first."

"Not your first sexual experience though?" T'Pol quickly asked.

"No, you missed that train about 20 years ago," Trip chuckled.

"If we commit to this bond you will not be able to engage in relations with anyone but me," T'Pol clarified. "For the remainder of your life."

"I know," Trip said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I was running out of women on board, anyways."

Her eyes went wide.

"I'm joking, T'Pol," Trip said as he realized that his joke had not been funny to her. "You're the only person on board I've slept with."

"How many women have you slept with?" T'Pol asked.

"How many men have you slept with?" Trip countered.

"You," T'Pol answered.

"And Vulcans?" Trip asked, knowing she was parsing hairs here.

"None," T'Pol answered honestly.

"Wait, only me?" Trip asked. "No other sexual experiences with men, Vulcans, women, other aliens?"

"No," T'Pol said as she pulled her arms in a little tighter. "But you cannot say the same, about aliens, can you?"

"It was some damn rocks," Trip huffed.

"The Princess?"

"Yeah, but just the once and it was in the heat of the…"

"And since you were sixteen?" T'Pol asked.

"A few girlfriends in high school, college, Starfleet," Trip said, trying to minimize the details now that he realized he was her only partner.

"But only myself, and the other non-humans since we started our mission?" T'Pol inquired.

"One woman, a friend on Earth that helped me get through some stuff I was dealing with," Trip said, not revealing much.

"Are you and she in a relationship?" T'Pol asked, worried.

"No, it was just the one time," Trip said. "I was upset, we'd been drinking…"

"How long ago was this?" T'Pol asked.

"Just after you got married," Trip said.

"I wasn't aware, if the bond was already present, it should have alerted me to…"

"What can I say? It was one night, I was upset about you, I've known her forever and, and it just happened," Trip said. "I can't take it back, nor would I. You dumped me. Wait, you married Koss."

"You were at the ceremony," T'Pol reminded him.

"Didn't you have a honeymoon?" Trip asked, confused.

"I told you I meditated on..."

"I know but, didn't you have to consummate the marriage?" Trip asked, still confused.

"No, when you were having drunken sexual relations with your old friend, I was mediating and grieving the loss of you," T'Pol said, annoyed.

"How was I to know that?!" Trip snapped. "You were married for gods' sake. As far as I knew, you were going to stay on Vulcan and I'd never see you again!"

"As you know, plans change," T'Pol said calmly. "I'm surprised you didn't visit this old friend on your three day leave between Enterprise and Columbia."

"T'Pol…"

"She seems like the type woman who would be available when you were upset about us and transferring ships," T'Pol said, some edge to her words.

"I could have not told you," Trip replied, angry. "But I've been honest."

"The bond would have made it impossible to keep that secret at some point," T'Pol countered. "I would have found out eventually."

"You got married!" Trip snapped.

"And you had sex to…forget me?" T'Pol countered, anger edging her voice as well.

"Yes, I did," Trip nodded. "I was in love with you and you took me to your planet, introduced me to your family, and married Koss! What was I supposed to do?"

"Apparently, sleep with another woman," T'Pol quipped.

"Jesus Christ," Trip said before he leaned in and kissed her hard on the lips.

T'Pol resisted at first, and then acquiesced to the kiss.

"I'm sorry," Trip said when they parted.

"I'm sorry I married Koss," T'Pol said softly.

"Can we forget all of that and look ahead instead?" Trip asked as he held her face in his hands.

T'Pol nodded.

"I love you," Trip said as he met her eyes.

T'Pol swallowed, she did love him, however, Vulcans used their bond to express feelings, not their words. But, their bond was so unpredictable, she couldn't be sure it would work.

"I love you as well," T'Pol said softly, afraid to meet his eyes.

She felt his warmth across their bond and looked up to see him smiling down at her.

"I didn't think you'd say it," Trip said. "I think I knew you felt it but…"

"I am adapting," T'Pol said, uncomfortable with the words still hanging in the air between them.

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TBC