AN: Sorry this took so long!! Big school project and my dog had puppies!! (kinda gross when they pop out!!)
Also, there isn't bond-speak yet, but there will be very soon. Slight spoilers for Bounty.
Thoughts are represented like "this". Enjoy!!
Sickbay, 7:00 hrs.
Archer quietly crept towards T'pol's bed, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. "Captain, we need to speak," He heard Phlox say, dead serious. "It is about T'pol. Please follow me to my office." Phlox motioned for Jonathon to follow. As Phlox led his Captain to his office, he couldn't help but to think of how he would break the news to him.
"What is it Doctor," started Jonathon as he closed the door behind him, "is she okay?"
"It's her… emotions. She has a great hold on most of them, but a few, towards… one in particular, Captain."
"I'm listening."
"Have you noticed any strange things about the way she is acting?"
"She has said and done many things I'd never expect from her, but all good things. Why?"
"As you walk her to her quarters today, please talk to her about something."
"Something?"
"Yes. The dream she has been having since about… well, I don't remember, but for a while now. I don't know what she is dreaming about, but I do know who."
"How do you know?"
"Because the only words I can make out are, "No, Jonathon! Don't leave me!" Then she wakes up and acts like nothing has even happened. Very strange, as if her subconscious is trying to tell her something."
"Okay. Well, I came to get her, so…"
"Of course, be my guest. But before that, let me run a few tests on both of you. I have noticed abnormal cranial activity in both of your brains. Perhaps a pathogen, perhaps not. Whatever it is, it is identical in both of you."
"What do you think it is?"
"I am hoping my scanner will answer that for us."
Phlox sat up and directed Archer out the door. As soon as the office door closed, both men walked over to T'pol. She looked very content and peaceful. "Should I wake her up?" Archer asked, smiling down at her. He noticed she was wearing the charm necklace he got for her.
"Please," stated Phlox. As soon as the words left his mouth, Jonathon gently tapped her arm. She wouldn't wake up. Archer looked up at a very amused Phlox, and decided to share the smile. He, again, shook her arm, only harder this time. She didn't wake up. Archer leaned his head down and whispered, "T'pol." She wouldn't wake up. "Damn. She sure can sleep!" Exclaimed Jonathon. Phlox giggled and went over to T'pol's left side and said loudly, "T'pol, the Captain is here to take you back to your quarters." She wouldn't wake up. Jonathon couldn't contemplate why she wasn't waking up. "I'm about to go on duty and I wanted to have that talk with her. I wish she'd wake up." He was starting to get concerned about T'pol. Finally, she woke up!
"Ahh, Sub-Commander, you're finally awake. Please sit up, Captain sit down, and let me run a few scans."
Phlox turned on his scanner and started to walk around them both, making humming noises and twisting his face. When he was done, He turned off his scanner and put it in his pocket. "Just as I suspected. Once I run tests and come up with a hypothesis, I will call a meeting upon both of you. But whatever it is isn't fatal or contagious."
"What are you speaking of, Doctor," T'pol asked groggily.
"I will explain once I know. Your clothes are over there, Sub-Commander, all nice and clean. Captain, whenever she is ready to leave." Phlox gave a stern look to remind Jonathon to talk to T'pol. "I know," Jonathon mouthed. Phlox smiled, nodded his head, and walked back into his office.
"I'll let you get dressed."
"Wait… how long did it take to wake me up?"
"Not too long, but it was a bit difficult," Jonathon chuckled. "How did you sleep?"
"I had a disturbing dream. Other than that, it was fine, thank you. And you?"
"Pretty good. Well, I'll let you get dressed."
"I'll be out in a moment."
Jonathon walked out of the curtained area and sat on a stool by the door. He felt something, not a headache, but something in the very back of his head. It felt strange and… comforting, soothing. He tried concentrating on it more, but he couldn't make anything out. "Maybe it was that thing Phlox was talking about." Jonathon thought. "If I'm feeling it, and me and T'pol have the same thing, maybe she's sensing it too. I'll have to ask her." Now that he actually thought about it, he realized something. He's been feeling it for a while, ever since that bounty hunter tried to turn him in to the Klingons. He also remembered how T'pol was acting when he came back, and Malcolm and Trip, Dr. Phlox. "Strange." He was never told why.
"I'm ready, Jonathon," T'pol said unemotionally (or so she thought), but Jonathon could hear, and strangely feel, the smile in her voice. It made him feel like a kid again.
"Awesome! Let's go." Jonathon smiled. He felt something hit him square in the head, but it wasn't pain, in fact, it felt… fulfilling. No, that's not the word… wonderful! "Are you hungry?" Jonathon asked, trying to get over his childish emotions.
"No thank you."
As they walked down the corridor, they discussed whatever Phlox found about them. Jonathon didn't know what was going on, but T'pol had a good idea of what it was. She decided to meditate and test her logic once Jonathon left for duty.
The trip to her quarters took what felt like a matter of seconds. As she pushed the button to open her door, Jonathon decided to start the conversation about her dreams. "Hey, T'pol, I know that dreams can be difficult to deal with and figure out. If you'd like to talk about it…"
"I do not wish to make you late for your duty."
"You won't. And if I am late, I'll say it was for medical purposes."
"That would be a lie."
"Not exactly. I'm counseling you. That is medical-related, right?"
"Please come in." She stepped aside and Jonathon followed her in. She sat on the bed and he sat in her desk chair.
"This dream I have been having for some time, it is about someone I know."
Jonathon knew exactly who she was talking about. He found it amusing that she was replacing his name with someone I know. "Uh-huh." He said encouragingly.
"In my dream, we are in a small room. I tell him some sort of… secret that I have been… hiding for a long time. When I tell him, he turns away from me and… that is when I usually wake up."
Jonathon thought for a moment. "No Jonathon! Don't leave me!" He remembered Phlox telling him that he always heard T'pol say that when she was asleep. Did this mean…"
"Usually?"
"Yes. Sometimes I don't wake up at that moment. It goes on. He completely ignores me until he learns why I told him. I never see how this horrid dream ends. I can never get it out of my head during the day. I can never…" She couldn't finish her sentence, for she started crying. He felt a sharp somethinghit him in square in head. This time, it wasn't pleasant.
Before she could finish, Jonathon rushed over to her and silenced her by putting his hand on her cheek and wiping away her falling tears. "T'pol, hey, it's okay."
T'pol took a deep breath and said between gasps with a broken voice, "No it's not! This is real! This can really happen!"
"If it does happen, I know you can handle it. You're strong, T'pol, mentally and physically. And if you need guidance, I'm here."
T'pol could say nothing. She wasn't used to crying and didn't like the feeling. She felt her throat constricting and her head pounding… she couldn't think straight, talk, breathe without struggle. She didn't know what to do! All she could think of was to seek comfort from her closest friend. She couldn't help herself but to fall into his arms. She scooted closer to him and laid her head on his masculine chest and wrapped her arms around his waist, letting the tears fall.
Jonathon was surprised for a moment, but knew she needed a friend… needed him. He encircled his arms around her and laid his head atop hers. She snuggled closer to him and breathed in his unique sent.
"Let it all out, T'pol. I'm here and I won't tell anyone, alright." He continued whispering soft nonsense into her delicate ear until she would settle…
……………………………
"Where's the Cap'n?" Asked a moody Trip.
"I don't know Commander, but I believe he is in sickbay. He said he would be a bit late," Replied Malcolm.
"Well, I heard he was going to walk the Sub-Commander back to her quarters. After all she went through on the Selaya, she might need to talk to someone, Vulcan or not," Hoshi said.
"Where did ya hear that?" Asked Trip, twisting his face.
"I'm friends with Elizabeth Cutler, sir." Hoshi retorted, saying sirwith attitude.
"I believe it best we just… forget about it," Said Malcolm with a stern voice. "It's none of our business."
Trip was not in the mood and knew he shouldn't be setting this kind of example in front of subordinates. "I'll be in Engineerin'."
…………………………..
Jonathon and T'pol still sat cuddled together. The crying finally stopped and the silence was comfortable.
"You know T'pol, I'm glad you can trust me enough to tell me anything. It makes me feel… special, I guess."
"You should, Jonathon," she whispered softly. "I trust no one else like I do you. Thank you for helping me through this. I owe you…"
"No, you don't. This is enough for me, T'pol." "More than you know."
"What was that? I did not hear that last part."
"I said 'this is more than enough for me'."
"You did not say anything else?"
"Nope. You must still be tired," Jonathon joked.
"Indeed, I am."
"I'll go ahead and let you rest, T'pol. If you'd like, I could bring us both some lunch?"
"Yes, that sounds agreeable. I will see you at 0:30hrs, Jonathon."
"Alright! Sweet dreams." Then, he left.
"I hope so, t'hai'la, I hope so." T'pol thought to herself. She lit her meditation candles and hoped her calculations on her and Jonathon's mystery was true.
…………………………………..
As Jonathon arrived on the bridge, he saw everyone give him a smiling face. "Good morning everybody," Jonathon exclaimed cheerfully.
"Good morning sir!" said the bridge crew in unison.
Hoshi sat up and asked, "How is Sub-Commander T'pol doing, sir?"
"She's doing better than expected," He started with evident pride in his voice. "She'll be back on duty tomorrow morning. Hey, where's Trip?"
"Um, sir, he's not in the best of moods today. We all discovered that this morning, sir," explained Malcolm.
"But to answer your question, sir, he's in engineering," Hoshi said.
"Thank you. Malcolm, you have the bridge."
"Aye, sir."
…………………………….
Jonathon was, once again, in the corridor of Enterprise on his way to engineering. "I'm willing to bet he's going to shoo me out of engineering the second I get in there." Jonathon thought angrily to himself. He was not in the mood to get on Trip's bad side, but then again, nothing can ruin his day. His morning with T'pol really put him in a good mood; his stubborn Commander isn't going to get in the way of that.
Walking hastily down the corridor, he finally reached Engineering. He hesitated in pushing the button to open the doors, but knew he had to. "Okay, one, two, three." He pushed the button and the doors opened. As he walked in he saw Trip talking to one of his crewman.
"Look, sometimes you gotta get yer hands dirty. Try jumping it a few times an' seeing how that works out, OK?" Trip smiled and gave her a pat on the back. His smile quickly faded when he saw Jonathon standing there. Trip jumped down the ladder and walked reluctantly over to him. "Yes, Cap'n?"
"We need to talk, Trip. I wanted to apologize for yelling the other day. I wasn't in the best of moods. But, that's no excuse. I'm sorry."
"It's OK, but I don't have time for chat. I'm busy, so…"
"I'll leave." "Yep, I knew he was going to shoo me out. Figures." He walked towards the door and to the bridge.
………………………………
T'pol sat cross-legged on her meditation pillow. Whenever she thought of Jonathon, she either felt his emotions or heard his thoughts. Sometimes, both. There could only be one explanation: they were bonded. "I wonder how I should tell him… if I should tell him. I'm just glad it was him, not someone else. I love him." T'pol stopped meditating because she liked the emotions she was experiencing. She loved to feel content and… happy.
END CHAPTER 3
Please review. The next chapter will be out sooner or later.