Disclaimer: In part 1.

Note: I'm now up to 20 sections of the challenge done! Yay! 20 more to go.

Over the Borderline
by Estirose
part 4
c 2005

16. Song

There was a song out there, Trip was sure, that described how he was feeling. But the songs of this world and this century didn't stick in his mind, in some ways as utterly inexplicable as the world itself.

But his world's songs weren't much better. Why sing of romance when you didn't even choose your spouse?

That was why he'd left. Who wanted him? He was nothing. His psychic abilities were weak and he didn't do anything particularly useful.

At least on Earth, he was wanted. Even in a world where his people were misunderstood, he felt more free than he'd ever been at home. The most famous author in his village was right - sometimes one had to go against authority to find out who you really were.

But he didn't feel like singing, even if he knew what to sing.

17. Why?

If Katie looked carefully, she could just see Wes and Trip talking. Or at least Wes was talking. She didn't know if Trip was paying much attention.

Even if Trip were learning to lie, something that he'd never really learned to do in their own time, he'd never learned to lie to her. Avoid questions, yes. Duck, yes. She knew those signs of avoidance in Trip like she did her own brother's.

And he was getting good at avoiding. Avoiding her. Avoiding questions. Too good.

Why was he acting that way? Why was he doing what he was doing?

She looked down. Maybe Wes was asking that very question of Trip, maybe even getting an answer. She felt envy at his ability to connect to Trip sometimes, especially since they had so little in common.

She wished she could grab him, shake him. But that wouldn't go over so well with either Trip or Jen.

So she had no choice but to wait, and to wonder.

18. Spellbound

"Trip?" Wes asked again, waving a hand in front of his teammate's place. His teammate seemed to be off in some mental world. Just as he was about to call Circuit for advice on dealing with the Xybrian, Trip blinked.

"Oh!" he said. He turned to Wes and gave a sheepish smile.

"I wondered if you were okay," Wes said. "Or if this was some weird Xybrian thing." He wondered if it was some weird Xybrian thing. Even though Trip seemed human a lot of time, there were still some times where his teammate surprised him.

Trip's smile turned into his shyest one. "No," he said. "Just... just..."

"Has to do with Katie?" Wes asked.

His teammate's head moved in what might have been a nod.

"Look, I know girls." He paused amending his statement. "Well, women. Some women. You gotta let them know you care for them. If you say it, it won't be so scary." He prayed that Trip took his advice; it wasn't as if he was succeeding with Jen, himself, but she was a special case.

Trip made a quick head movement again.

"What do you love in Katie? What do you like about her?"

Leaning back, Trip seemed to consider. In fact, he was sitting so still, Wes had to wonder if he was doing some weird Xybrian thing. Maybe that was how Xybrians acted when they were in love.

"I... she..." Trip seemed to trip over his own tongue. "I don't know. It's... she's so warm, and understanding, and strong..." He stared into the distance again.

"And?" Wes asked. "Why has she got you so spellbound?" He paused for a second, remembering their recent adventures. "No pun intended."

Trip looked confused for a moment, seemed to file Wes' statement away as something he couldn't understand, and then tried to proceed. "Because she likes me. I think." He seemed to color a little bit. "Not that she has a reason to, but..."

"Trip," Wes said patiently, hoping he wasn't stepping out of line. "She likes you too."

Trip looked wide-eyed. "She does?"

19. Helm

I dreamed once that Trip and I and the rest of the team were on a ship. It was off the coast where we lost the time ships, and it was as pleasant as could be.

And I'd dared Trip to steer the thing. He was laughing, not in the self-effacing way that he usually does, but in genuine joy. I've heard him laugh that way sometimes when he's not around.

Sometimes I wish Trip was a little bit more bold. Silly, isn't it, when you consider that he's fearlessly risking his life for the people of this time and ours. But then I remember what he's doing here, and how he's fighting for a species not even his own, and I am glad he's here. He probably won't ever be a good leader, but he is a good person. And I'm glad to be his friend.

As I watch Trip and Wes head inside, I wonder if he's gotten any more confidence. I like it when he laughs.

I want him to laugh again.

20. Confidence

Trip knew he was staring at Wes, but couldn't help it. "She does?" he asked. Humans were confusing sometimes, all saying one thing and meaning the other. He wasn't sure if Wes meant as a friend, a teammate, or something more personal.

"Yeah," Wes said. "I think she really does. Why don't you ask her out?"

"I... um... she wouldn't..." Trip was sure a coherent sentence was in there someplace.

"Trip..." Wes was sounding exasperated again. "You'll do fine. If you love her, you'll tell her how you feel. She won't reject you, trust me."

"I wish I had your confidence," Trip said.

"Come on, Trip," Wes said, dragging the Xybrian back towards the clock tower. "You'll be fine."

Trip gulped.

-tbc