A/N: Yeah, here's chapter four. I have great news! The muse and plot
gremlin have splurged and provided me with an actual plot! So, it's not
just going to be a character study: YAY! Gear up, folks; we're in for a
long haul. Also, in case you're confused, this story is dedicated to *both*
Becky and Carrie. New dedications may pop up from time to time.
Also, it may help to have read my previous story "Vulcan Siblings". It's not necessary, but it may help you understand who Emris is. The other brother, Stol, will be showing up later.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The following morning, Trip and T'Pol sat at the same table as they had the previous night. This time, they were joined by the baby, who was eagerly gulping down her Plomeek broth from T'Pol's spoon. Watching the thin green water disappear into her tiny lips, Trip suppressed a shudder.
"Commander?" T'Pol said. Trip rolled his eyes. Was there anything she didn't notice?
"I can't believe she's actually happy ta be eatin' that stuff."
T'Pol looked at him blankly. "It is food, Commander. It's only natural that she eats it willingly, as she hasn't eaten since last night."
"Yeah, but it's so unappetizing!"
"A pleasing taste is secondary to nutritional value. Do not human children eat what is set before them?"
Trip chuckled. If she only knew the pickiness of human kids. "Definitely not. They can only do that when they get older, usually around the teenage years. At that point, they eat everythin' they can get their hands on."
Teval gurgled and burped as excess Plomeek broth dripped down her chin. Trip took a corner of his napkin and wiped her pudgy little face, grinning as she screwed her eyes shut.
"Have you thought about getting her back to Vulcan?"
"Yes. My brother is conducting some research for me."
"Emris?"
"No, my second oldest brother, Stol."
Trip seemed surprised, but his answer was cut short as Hoshi and Malcolm came to stand beside him, both laden with trays.
"Mind if we join you?" The linguist asked. Trip gestured to the empty chairs before continuing,
"So how many siblings do you have, exactly?"
T'Pol lifted Teval so that she was up on her shoulder and massaged her back in fluid circular movements to inducing any needed burping. She looked surprisingly tender, Trip noticed. He was beginning to like this new, softer side of T'Pol very much.
"I have two older brothers." She said indifferently.
"That must have been hard." Hoshi lamented, reaching a hand up to the baby. She stroked her tiny foot, playing with the miniscule curled toes.
"Yes," Malcolm added, "one older brother is bad enough, but two . . . it must have been a constant struggle growing up."
T'Pol's eyes narrowed. "I assure you it was not. My brothers have always treated me with respect and kindness. There was no struggle to speak of. They were my mentors and protectors."
Teval burped and squirmed, trying to snuggle into T'Pol's neck. Accordingly, the adult Vulcan lowered her charge and allowed her to snuggle all she wanted. The feeling of the child's sigh against her skin sent a warm feeling spiral through her stomach, which was actually quite pleasant.
"That's just it," Trip explained, "brothers tend to overprotect their little sisters. I knew I did. Wouldn't let 'em go out till they were sixteen, and even then the guys had to get past me first."
T'Pol appeared to consider this for a moment, no doubt adding it to her human anthropology files. Teval's breathing had become deeper and she had stilled, thus signaling her successful journey into dreamland. Surprised at the ease of the action, T'Pol wondered why it had been nearly impossible last night. Looking up, she could see three faces of an unrecognizable expression watching her. She suddenly remembered the topic under discussion.
"I see," she said, "that would not apply to us, as our marriages are arranged during childhood."
Hoshi was astonished. "You mean; you've never been on a date?"
"What would you say consistutes a 'date'?" She countered.
Hoshi shrugged and looked towards the men for help. They looked more than uncomfortable, T'Pol noticed. Coming to the conclusion that they wouldn't be of any help, Hoshi turned back to T'Pol.
"A date is when someone asks to spend time with the object of their affections. Usually they're alone, but sometimes they go out with another couple. In any case, its purpose is getting to know each other to see if pursuing a relationship is a possibility."
"In that case, I have never dated." She stood and excused herself, telling them that she was going to put Teval down for her morning nap. After she'd left, Trip tried to change the subject, but Hoshi was onto something.
"Wait a minute, if they arrange marriages when they're kids, does that mean she engaged?!" Looking at their faces, she knew Malcolm was as curious as she. But Trip was definitely feeling a different kind of emotion. His face was an interesting shade of pink and he seemed to be looking everywhere except at her. And to her finely tuned ears, his accent had become much thicker.
"Maybe, but . . . um . . . uh. . . yeah. Anyway, I'm due on the bridge. See y'all later."
Hoshi decided to file that interesting tidbit away for later. For some reason, she was beginning to suspect that something was going on between her two commanding officers.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Back in her quarters for only a moment, T'Pol surveyed the little figure sleeping on her bed. Satisfied that she would sleep soundly for a few hours, she took the opportunity to check her personal computer. Still no word from her brother. It was odd that the search was taking so long, she mused. Glancing at the chronometer, she stood and took one last look at Teval before silently leaving the room. She knew she would have to check on her soon, and she didn't like the idea of leaving the baby all alone. Already she had begun to feel something for Teval, a kind of closeness that she had rarely felt before. She wondered if this was how she would feel about her own family, in the event that she would marry. The breakfast conversation had stirred up thoughts of her betrothal, and consequently its end. She didn't like to think that she would remain alone for the entirety of her life.
T'Pol entered the bridge and proceeded to the daily debriefing towards the back of the room. Her colleagues had already assembled there, waiting to see what today would bring them. The captain greeted her from the head of the consol.
"How's the baby?"
"She is currently sleeping." She responded.
"Any problems?"
"Nothing that Mr. Tucker and I couldn't deal with." She replied nonchalantly.
Archer's eyebrows rose as he ventured a glance at his smug chief engineer. How Trip had come to be of use to a Vulcan baby, he would never guess. Actually, he had never heard of his best friend actively helping with children, and he said as much. Trip shrugged and gave T'Pol a secret smile.
"Guess it's just part of the ol' Tucker charm."
Archer shook his head, trying to convince himself that Trip was not flirting with T'Pol in full view of the entire senior staff. If T'Pol had noticed anything, she kept it to herself. But looking at the way she and Trip stood next to each other, Archer knew their relationship was progressing. He also decided that it was time to get a clear understanding of Starfleet's feelings on the matter. He finished up the debriefing and sent everyone to their duties before retiring to his Ready Room. He was about to have a long overdue discussion with Admiral Forrest.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
That evening, T'Pol sat at her desk as Teval played on one of her meditation mats with a set of blocks. T'Pol was dressed again in civilian clothing and was awaiting Trip's arrival. He had expressed an interest in meditation and they had scheduled his first session for that evening. And as expected, he was late, no doubt making a few modifications to the engines or fixing minor problems. As a Vulcan, she could appreciate his willingness to devote extra time to his work, but she also appreciated punctuality. The chime of her doorbell sounded.
"Come in." She called, shutting her computer monitor down. Trip entered looking somewhat shamefaced, but upon closer inspection she learned that he wasn't ashamed at all.
"Before you say a word' let me show ya what made me late." His grin held mischief and his hands were behind his back; an unnatural pose for the informal man. T'Pol stayed in her chair and waited. He produced from behind his back a collapsible box of sorts.
"So this explains your tardiness," she said, "What is it?"
"A playpen. I figure you could probably keep Teval on the bridge durin' your shift, and that way you wouldn't have to keep checkin' on her all the time."
T'Pol regarded the pen, intrigued with the idea. Vulcans had similar devices, but the thought of using one had slipped her mind. It presented an ideal solution to one of her problems.
"You think Captain Archer will allow her on the bridge?" Trip had already opened the pen and placed Teval inside, testing its sturdiness. Apparently pleased with it, he sat back on his haunches, watching the baby play with her blocks.
"Sure. She's quiet enough, and won't be too much of a distraction. Besides, we can see you're preoccupied with her. This'll increase your efficiency, to coin your phrase."
T'Pol was mildly alarmed. They knew she was preoccupied? Had her performance level dropped so noticeably in just one day? Still mulling over it, she sank onto the pillow nearest to her, while Trip did the same across the table. Returning to the events at hand, T'Pol prepared to concentrate. She would deal with the disturbing information later.
"Are you ready?" She asked. At his nod, she took his hand and placed her fingertips along the creases, finding the pressure points. She closed her eyes, readying herself for the initial shock of telepathic connection. Almost instantly, she could feel his presence in her mind: a warm, rust- tasting entity. She was surprised at the relative peacefulness of his psyche.
"Breathe with me." She murmured, counting the seconds between each inhalation and exhalation. Trip did as he was told, and soon forgot that he was sitting in T'Pol's quarters. He was in a desert, he realized with a start. But this wasn't like the deserts that he hated. For one thing, the sand was so fine and soft it may as well have been dust. All he could see was mountains and dunes of the strange substance, changing from brown-red to crimson and back to rust, sometimes stark against the sky and other time melting into it. It was breathtaking.
"T'Pol." He whispered, wanting to know if she could see it as well.
"Yes?" her voice seemed to come at him from all directions.
"Where am I?"
"This is the largest desert on Vulcan. My home is not far from here."
"How can I see this?" he sounded a little scared, even to his own ears. And with good reason, he thought. He'd never experienced something like this before.
"When we meditate, we are taught to focus on our personal place of calm; a place where we feel safe. You are seeing it because I am showing it to you."
They said no more, and Trip was content simply to gaze at the spectacular view. Everything here was so open, but at the same time so protected; so isolated. He could see why this was her 'place'. A sound in the distance reached his ears, and he frowned. A sound like that didn't seem to fit in with the desert. Suddenly, his vision blurred and he felt himself moving again, being pulled from the trance and back into the realm of reality. He opened his eyes, expecting to see T'Pol across from him. When she wasn't there, he twisted; squinting into the dim light to locate her and that sound. He found her on the bed, rocking a thrashing Teval in her arms. Trip groaned and crawled over to T'Pol's side, holding his arms out for the seemingly inconsolable baby. She gladly handed her over.
While Trip worked his magic again, T'Pol stole a look at her chronometer. They had meditated for nearly thirty minutes. Normally, that wasn't long enough to be considered a full session, but tonight it would have to do. They couldn't very well concentrate with a crying baby in the background. She looked back at the pair, and found Teval had quieted. A few minutes longer and she was asleep. Trip gently placed her on the bed, and yawned. He grinned sleepily at T'Pol.
"That was a hell of an experience."
"The meditation, or being brought out of it?" She asked wryly, stretching her back. Trip watched the muscles move beneath her robe and swallowed hard, fighting to keep his breathing at a normal rate.
"The meditation. I'd like to do it again sometime, if yer willin'." His voice sounded hoarse.
"Of course. You seem to have a natural aptitude." She told him, crossing the room to extinguish her candles. Trip took it as a sign that it was time to leave.
"Thanks and sweet dreams, T'Pol. I'll see ya in the mornin'."
"Indeed. Goodnight, Charles."
At the sound of his title-less name on her lips, Trip couldn't help but let his smile grown into a full-fledged grin. He left T'Pol and Teval to themselves, but the night was not going to progress they way they expected.
Moments after the man had left the room, Teval had taken up her cry again. T'Pol soothed her as best she could, but it seemed she just didn't have the 'magic touch', as Charles liked to say. She executed one form of comfort after another, but nothing had any affect on Teval. In a last attempt, she called Mr. Tucker back to her quarters. He arrived, sleepy but pleased, and agreed to take the infant with him for the night.
T'Pol hadn't been asleep more than five minutes when her doorbell chimed for the third time that night. Trip stepped in, gripping a screaming Teval as gently as he could. T'Pol marveled at the power of her tiny lungs before taking her back into her own arms. And just as soon as she had, Teval quieted, snuggling herself into T'Pol's neck as she had done earlier. Trip sat heavily on the bed, slack-jawed from exhaustion and shock.
"I don't understand." He offered simply. T'Pol confessed she didn't either.
"It seems she isn't content unless both of us are near her." She said, resisting the urge to lie back down.
Trip scratched the stubble of his jaw, thinking. T'Pol didn't have to ask; she had arrived at the same conclusion, more or less.
"I'll stay until she's been asleep for a while." He offered, getting off the bed and settling on the closest floor pillow. T'Pol lay back down with Teval tucked into the curve of her arm, and fell instantly into a deep, dreamless sleep. Neither adult realized that they had both spent the night in her quarters until the following morning.
A/N Continued: Yep, that's it for this one. What do you think? In chapter five, we'll begin to get into the actual plot. Be patient with me, I have a bunch of things to do: College applications, school work, SAT studying, and extra-curriculars. It might take me a while, but reviews have been known to speed the process considerably ;)
Also, it may help to have read my previous story "Vulcan Siblings". It's not necessary, but it may help you understand who Emris is. The other brother, Stol, will be showing up later.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The following morning, Trip and T'Pol sat at the same table as they had the previous night. This time, they were joined by the baby, who was eagerly gulping down her Plomeek broth from T'Pol's spoon. Watching the thin green water disappear into her tiny lips, Trip suppressed a shudder.
"Commander?" T'Pol said. Trip rolled his eyes. Was there anything she didn't notice?
"I can't believe she's actually happy ta be eatin' that stuff."
T'Pol looked at him blankly. "It is food, Commander. It's only natural that she eats it willingly, as she hasn't eaten since last night."
"Yeah, but it's so unappetizing!"
"A pleasing taste is secondary to nutritional value. Do not human children eat what is set before them?"
Trip chuckled. If she only knew the pickiness of human kids. "Definitely not. They can only do that when they get older, usually around the teenage years. At that point, they eat everythin' they can get their hands on."
Teval gurgled and burped as excess Plomeek broth dripped down her chin. Trip took a corner of his napkin and wiped her pudgy little face, grinning as she screwed her eyes shut.
"Have you thought about getting her back to Vulcan?"
"Yes. My brother is conducting some research for me."
"Emris?"
"No, my second oldest brother, Stol."
Trip seemed surprised, but his answer was cut short as Hoshi and Malcolm came to stand beside him, both laden with trays.
"Mind if we join you?" The linguist asked. Trip gestured to the empty chairs before continuing,
"So how many siblings do you have, exactly?"
T'Pol lifted Teval so that she was up on her shoulder and massaged her back in fluid circular movements to inducing any needed burping. She looked surprisingly tender, Trip noticed. He was beginning to like this new, softer side of T'Pol very much.
"I have two older brothers." She said indifferently.
"That must have been hard." Hoshi lamented, reaching a hand up to the baby. She stroked her tiny foot, playing with the miniscule curled toes.
"Yes," Malcolm added, "one older brother is bad enough, but two . . . it must have been a constant struggle growing up."
T'Pol's eyes narrowed. "I assure you it was not. My brothers have always treated me with respect and kindness. There was no struggle to speak of. They were my mentors and protectors."
Teval burped and squirmed, trying to snuggle into T'Pol's neck. Accordingly, the adult Vulcan lowered her charge and allowed her to snuggle all she wanted. The feeling of the child's sigh against her skin sent a warm feeling spiral through her stomach, which was actually quite pleasant.
"That's just it," Trip explained, "brothers tend to overprotect their little sisters. I knew I did. Wouldn't let 'em go out till they were sixteen, and even then the guys had to get past me first."
T'Pol appeared to consider this for a moment, no doubt adding it to her human anthropology files. Teval's breathing had become deeper and she had stilled, thus signaling her successful journey into dreamland. Surprised at the ease of the action, T'Pol wondered why it had been nearly impossible last night. Looking up, she could see three faces of an unrecognizable expression watching her. She suddenly remembered the topic under discussion.
"I see," she said, "that would not apply to us, as our marriages are arranged during childhood."
Hoshi was astonished. "You mean; you've never been on a date?"
"What would you say consistutes a 'date'?" She countered.
Hoshi shrugged and looked towards the men for help. They looked more than uncomfortable, T'Pol noticed. Coming to the conclusion that they wouldn't be of any help, Hoshi turned back to T'Pol.
"A date is when someone asks to spend time with the object of their affections. Usually they're alone, but sometimes they go out with another couple. In any case, its purpose is getting to know each other to see if pursuing a relationship is a possibility."
"In that case, I have never dated." She stood and excused herself, telling them that she was going to put Teval down for her morning nap. After she'd left, Trip tried to change the subject, but Hoshi was onto something.
"Wait a minute, if they arrange marriages when they're kids, does that mean she engaged?!" Looking at their faces, she knew Malcolm was as curious as she. But Trip was definitely feeling a different kind of emotion. His face was an interesting shade of pink and he seemed to be looking everywhere except at her. And to her finely tuned ears, his accent had become much thicker.
"Maybe, but . . . um . . . uh. . . yeah. Anyway, I'm due on the bridge. See y'all later."
Hoshi decided to file that interesting tidbit away for later. For some reason, she was beginning to suspect that something was going on between her two commanding officers.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Back in her quarters for only a moment, T'Pol surveyed the little figure sleeping on her bed. Satisfied that she would sleep soundly for a few hours, she took the opportunity to check her personal computer. Still no word from her brother. It was odd that the search was taking so long, she mused. Glancing at the chronometer, she stood and took one last look at Teval before silently leaving the room. She knew she would have to check on her soon, and she didn't like the idea of leaving the baby all alone. Already she had begun to feel something for Teval, a kind of closeness that she had rarely felt before. She wondered if this was how she would feel about her own family, in the event that she would marry. The breakfast conversation had stirred up thoughts of her betrothal, and consequently its end. She didn't like to think that she would remain alone for the entirety of her life.
T'Pol entered the bridge and proceeded to the daily debriefing towards the back of the room. Her colleagues had already assembled there, waiting to see what today would bring them. The captain greeted her from the head of the consol.
"How's the baby?"
"She is currently sleeping." She responded.
"Any problems?"
"Nothing that Mr. Tucker and I couldn't deal with." She replied nonchalantly.
Archer's eyebrows rose as he ventured a glance at his smug chief engineer. How Trip had come to be of use to a Vulcan baby, he would never guess. Actually, he had never heard of his best friend actively helping with children, and he said as much. Trip shrugged and gave T'Pol a secret smile.
"Guess it's just part of the ol' Tucker charm."
Archer shook his head, trying to convince himself that Trip was not flirting with T'Pol in full view of the entire senior staff. If T'Pol had noticed anything, she kept it to herself. But looking at the way she and Trip stood next to each other, Archer knew their relationship was progressing. He also decided that it was time to get a clear understanding of Starfleet's feelings on the matter. He finished up the debriefing and sent everyone to their duties before retiring to his Ready Room. He was about to have a long overdue discussion with Admiral Forrest.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
That evening, T'Pol sat at her desk as Teval played on one of her meditation mats with a set of blocks. T'Pol was dressed again in civilian clothing and was awaiting Trip's arrival. He had expressed an interest in meditation and they had scheduled his first session for that evening. And as expected, he was late, no doubt making a few modifications to the engines or fixing minor problems. As a Vulcan, she could appreciate his willingness to devote extra time to his work, but she also appreciated punctuality. The chime of her doorbell sounded.
"Come in." She called, shutting her computer monitor down. Trip entered looking somewhat shamefaced, but upon closer inspection she learned that he wasn't ashamed at all.
"Before you say a word' let me show ya what made me late." His grin held mischief and his hands were behind his back; an unnatural pose for the informal man. T'Pol stayed in her chair and waited. He produced from behind his back a collapsible box of sorts.
"So this explains your tardiness," she said, "What is it?"
"A playpen. I figure you could probably keep Teval on the bridge durin' your shift, and that way you wouldn't have to keep checkin' on her all the time."
T'Pol regarded the pen, intrigued with the idea. Vulcans had similar devices, but the thought of using one had slipped her mind. It presented an ideal solution to one of her problems.
"You think Captain Archer will allow her on the bridge?" Trip had already opened the pen and placed Teval inside, testing its sturdiness. Apparently pleased with it, he sat back on his haunches, watching the baby play with her blocks.
"Sure. She's quiet enough, and won't be too much of a distraction. Besides, we can see you're preoccupied with her. This'll increase your efficiency, to coin your phrase."
T'Pol was mildly alarmed. They knew she was preoccupied? Had her performance level dropped so noticeably in just one day? Still mulling over it, she sank onto the pillow nearest to her, while Trip did the same across the table. Returning to the events at hand, T'Pol prepared to concentrate. She would deal with the disturbing information later.
"Are you ready?" She asked. At his nod, she took his hand and placed her fingertips along the creases, finding the pressure points. She closed her eyes, readying herself for the initial shock of telepathic connection. Almost instantly, she could feel his presence in her mind: a warm, rust- tasting entity. She was surprised at the relative peacefulness of his psyche.
"Breathe with me." She murmured, counting the seconds between each inhalation and exhalation. Trip did as he was told, and soon forgot that he was sitting in T'Pol's quarters. He was in a desert, he realized with a start. But this wasn't like the deserts that he hated. For one thing, the sand was so fine and soft it may as well have been dust. All he could see was mountains and dunes of the strange substance, changing from brown-red to crimson and back to rust, sometimes stark against the sky and other time melting into it. It was breathtaking.
"T'Pol." He whispered, wanting to know if she could see it as well.
"Yes?" her voice seemed to come at him from all directions.
"Where am I?"
"This is the largest desert on Vulcan. My home is not far from here."
"How can I see this?" he sounded a little scared, even to his own ears. And with good reason, he thought. He'd never experienced something like this before.
"When we meditate, we are taught to focus on our personal place of calm; a place where we feel safe. You are seeing it because I am showing it to you."
They said no more, and Trip was content simply to gaze at the spectacular view. Everything here was so open, but at the same time so protected; so isolated. He could see why this was her 'place'. A sound in the distance reached his ears, and he frowned. A sound like that didn't seem to fit in with the desert. Suddenly, his vision blurred and he felt himself moving again, being pulled from the trance and back into the realm of reality. He opened his eyes, expecting to see T'Pol across from him. When she wasn't there, he twisted; squinting into the dim light to locate her and that sound. He found her on the bed, rocking a thrashing Teval in her arms. Trip groaned and crawled over to T'Pol's side, holding his arms out for the seemingly inconsolable baby. She gladly handed her over.
While Trip worked his magic again, T'Pol stole a look at her chronometer. They had meditated for nearly thirty minutes. Normally, that wasn't long enough to be considered a full session, but tonight it would have to do. They couldn't very well concentrate with a crying baby in the background. She looked back at the pair, and found Teval had quieted. A few minutes longer and she was asleep. Trip gently placed her on the bed, and yawned. He grinned sleepily at T'Pol.
"That was a hell of an experience."
"The meditation, or being brought out of it?" She asked wryly, stretching her back. Trip watched the muscles move beneath her robe and swallowed hard, fighting to keep his breathing at a normal rate.
"The meditation. I'd like to do it again sometime, if yer willin'." His voice sounded hoarse.
"Of course. You seem to have a natural aptitude." She told him, crossing the room to extinguish her candles. Trip took it as a sign that it was time to leave.
"Thanks and sweet dreams, T'Pol. I'll see ya in the mornin'."
"Indeed. Goodnight, Charles."
At the sound of his title-less name on her lips, Trip couldn't help but let his smile grown into a full-fledged grin. He left T'Pol and Teval to themselves, but the night was not going to progress they way they expected.
Moments after the man had left the room, Teval had taken up her cry again. T'Pol soothed her as best she could, but it seemed she just didn't have the 'magic touch', as Charles liked to say. She executed one form of comfort after another, but nothing had any affect on Teval. In a last attempt, she called Mr. Tucker back to her quarters. He arrived, sleepy but pleased, and agreed to take the infant with him for the night.
T'Pol hadn't been asleep more than five minutes when her doorbell chimed for the third time that night. Trip stepped in, gripping a screaming Teval as gently as he could. T'Pol marveled at the power of her tiny lungs before taking her back into her own arms. And just as soon as she had, Teval quieted, snuggling herself into T'Pol's neck as she had done earlier. Trip sat heavily on the bed, slack-jawed from exhaustion and shock.
"I don't understand." He offered simply. T'Pol confessed she didn't either.
"It seems she isn't content unless both of us are near her." She said, resisting the urge to lie back down.
Trip scratched the stubble of his jaw, thinking. T'Pol didn't have to ask; she had arrived at the same conclusion, more or less.
"I'll stay until she's been asleep for a while." He offered, getting off the bed and settling on the closest floor pillow. T'Pol lay back down with Teval tucked into the curve of her arm, and fell instantly into a deep, dreamless sleep. Neither adult realized that they had both spent the night in her quarters until the following morning.
A/N Continued: Yep, that's it for this one. What do you think? In chapter five, we'll begin to get into the actual plot. Be patient with me, I have a bunch of things to do: College applications, school work, SAT studying, and extra-curriculars. It might take me a while, but reviews have been known to speed the process considerably ;)
