A.N. To set you up this is mid-way through Bound. Kelby, under the influence of the Orions, has fried the warp reactor. He is in the brig and the three Orions are still aboard and not known to be spies. Yet. Meanwhile, T'Pol attempts to broach a difficult subject with Trip (for the first time.) Now please read, review, and enjoy.

Commander Charles "Trip" Tucker the third fiddled with a panel then cursed. "Increase power by 10." The ensign did so and the panel…didn't change. "Damn it, Kelby's fried 'em good. Okay, bring 'er down."

"Bridge to Engineering."

"Engineering here, capt'n. It doesn't look good."

"Acknowledged. How soon before we have warp."

"As soon as we get the necessary parts. I can give you impulse but warp; those ports are gone for good." There was a pause as the words sunk in.

"T'Pol, how long would it take to get home at full impulse?"

"Approximately 215.9 years, sir. However, there is a space station 76 hours from our current position."

"I say we try the station. Travis, set a heading. T'Pol, go help Trip in Engineering."

"On my way Captain."

"Good, Bridge to Engineering."

"Engineering still here sir. T'Pol's comin' down."

"How'd you know that?" Captain Archer's voice matched the puzzlement that Trip knew was written all over his face.

"Ya forgot ta shut down the com-link sir." Trip said with a smile. It was unlike his friend to be so forgetful. Maybe the Captain had some other things on his mind. Three green girls for instance.

"Right, Bridge out."

Trip turned back to the panel. It was strange really. Every male on board except him seemed to be drooling over these girls, like they were Aphrodite come to life. Why wasn't he? They should be the perfect distraction from his own problems. They should be helping him move on, forget- The door slid open and in walked T'Pol. Forget her. The woman, who betrayed him, used him, who cared nothing for him. Yes, these women should be the perfect distraction, and yet they weren't.

"Do you require assistance?" T'Pol's voice was as calm and cold as ever. Well two could play at that game. "Yeah, could you adjust the plasma relays when I tell ya ta?" Tucker asked while getting on his back to see if he could fix the broken relies and get phaser banks back up. They worked in silence for a little while, T'Pol contemplating what she was about to say, Trip remembering the rule "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

"Have you had any unusual daydreams lately?" T'Pol asked without preamble.

"Daydreams?" What the hell? Why did she want to know that?

"Daydreams. They would involve a large white room and-"

"Yeah." T'Pol paused, gearing herself up. Trip pulled himself out angrily. "Wanna tell me what the hell they're about."

"I believe we are bonded."

"Bonded eh? And this means…" Of course he had to ask; she could never just straight out tell him anything. Like "I love you" or "Go to Hell, I through with you." No she had to keep him guessing; well no more. He wasn't playing her game any more, he'd get over her; if it meant cutting off the nose to spite the face, well who needed a sense of smell anyway?

"We are telepathically linked."

"Ya can read my mind." Trip's anger was growing by the second.

"Not exactly."

"Well then what exactly does it mean?"

"We are joined forever-"

"No, no we are not, T'Pol. There is no we to be joined." T'Pol looked thoroughly confused. "Don't ya get it T'Pol, I've had enough, I'm through. Ya can go bond with someone else, but I'm done with ya." And he stalked out the doors without a backward glance.

T'Pol sighed. That had not gone well at all.