CONCLUSION

Forty Eight Hours Later. Sick Bay.

"He's coming around," Phlox said. "Commander. That's it, you can wake up now Commander Tucker."

Trip slowly opened his eyes and tied to sit up. "Take it easy," Archer said holding him back down.

"W-where… where am... I?" Trip asked. Then he jumped up. "Where's Malcolm!"

"You're on Enterprise, and Lt. Reed's right here," Archer said pointing to Malcolm. Malcolm waived. "How do you feel?"

"Like I just blew up a planet, fought with a 3000 year old demon, teleported off a ship, had someone else's brain in my head, but now they're gone."

"Well, that just about sums it up," Phlox said.

"What?" Trip said. "I was just kiddin'."

Everyone looked at one another. "Trip, don't you remember?" Malcolm asked.

"I remember," Trip grumbled. "I'm still workin' on believin'.

"Just one question Commander?" Malcolm asked. "Did you know? That you were going to be able to get us out of there, I mean?"

Trip shook his head no. "Didn't have a clue about that, not 'til that very moment. It just happened. Guess T'Vier was saving that little jewel for last, right before she left me for good. You alright Mal? That thing you fought with on the bridge of that ship didn't hurt you too much did it?"

"Lt. Reed did suffer some injuries," Phlox spoke up. "He had some minor brain trauma from the creatures' failed mind meld and from the teleport. But I was able to repair the damage, thanks to U'don's formula, and he was able to get a few hours rest, so he's good as new."

"Trip, what I experienced in just a few moments with that thing was horrifying," Malcolm replied. "I can only imagine what you and the others endured from the attacks you suffered."

"But Mal," you fought their leader," Trip said. "It was the oldest, most powerful one of them all, and you stood your ground with it. You should have seen him Capt'n. That thing was killin' him, tryin' to turn his brain into mush. But our Lieutenant here was havin' none of it, no matter what it did to him, Malcolm wouldn't back down, wouldn't let go. He got that bastard to tear himself apart, manifested himself physically; we would never have been able to kill him if he hadn't."

"Just doing my job, Sir," Reed replied as if embarrassed and quickly changed the subject. "Besides, Commander that little god-awful mind meld you performed on me over there certainly helped to keep my emotions in check and helped me stay focused on the task at hand."

"Trip performed a meld?" Archer asked.

"Capt'n you already know the answer to that," Trip said.

"T'Vier?" Trip just nodded slightly.

"Sorry 'bout that Mal", Trip apologized. "I know it hurt like hell, couldn't be helped though. Guess the doc told ya huh?" Trip said looking at Phlox. "Probably be a month or two before your head is really back to normal. You know headaches, weird crazy thoughts, nightmares. It gets better though."

"Can't say I'm looking forward to that. But are you sure she's really gone this time?" Malcolm asked.

"I can't feel her floatin' around up here anymore," Trip said. "I can't hear her talkin' to me either. She's gone."

"Nor can I detect any traces of the katra on these scans," Phlox said pointing to the monitor above Trip's head.

"Where did she go?" Archer asked. "Did she join the others on that planet?"

"That is unlikely," T'Pol finally spoke up. "It is a long held belief that when a katra leaves the physical body and it is not passed on to another host, it goes into oblivion. Then it ceases to exist. It truly dies."

"So T'Vier is really dead now?" Trip asked.

"Yes," T'Pol replied.

"Well, part of me is sad that she's dead. But I'm glad she's not in my head anymore. And I'm glad she did what she did. I mean, telling us how to destroy those things. Her life was stolen from her, and she hurt a lot of people, but at least her death has meanin'."

"Doc, is Commander Tucker well enough to resume his duties?" Captain Archer asked.

"Yeah Doc what gives, Malcolm's up and running around am I'm still stuck here?"

"As I said before, Lt Reed did suffer some injuries, but he regained consciousness a lot sooner than you did and his recovery was swifter. You on the other hand, had a little matter of having someone else's brain in your head for a period of time. It has taken several days for your brain patterns and neuro-pathways to return to normal. Actually, you are still healing."

"So Captain, I'd like to observe him for 24 hours," Phlox said. "He's been through a lot and he needs to rest for at least another 24 hours."

"Consider it an order," Archer said. "Now everyone, we've got a ship to run. I think we should let Commander Tucker get some rest." With that Archer, Malcolm and Phlox all turned to go.

"Hey Mal," Trip said. Malcolm stopped and turned to face Trip.

"I'm really grateful that you stayed with me on that ship. If you hadn't, I wouldn't be here right now. You put your life on the line for me back there, takin' on Apollyon like that. I won't be forgettin' that. Thank you."

"You'd do the same for me you bloody idiot! Now get some rest." With that they all said goodnight and left sickbay, but T'Pol lingered.

"Commander," she began.

"Commander?" he replied.

"Trip." She said and he smiled. "When you are released, I would like to request an audience with you."

"An audience with me?" he frowned.

"I need to talk to you."

"Why didn't you just say so?"

"I just did."

"Okay. About what?"

"About us."

"What about us?"

"Our relationship."

"What about our relationship?"

"I need to share some very intimate, serious, private, and personal…things. Afterwards, you may not wish to be… in a relationship with me." Trip leaned his head in his hand on one elbow and just stared at T'Pol.

"Okay," he said. "Should I be worried?" She looked down. He could sense her worry. He grabbed her hand. "Please don't do this to yourself."

"Trip," she said. "I am not the person you think I am. But, I cannot speak about this now. I need some time to meditate. I need to have my control intact."

"So, you think if I knew certain things about you, I wouldn't want to be with you?" She only nodded, ever so slightly. "You mean if I knew you had Pa'nar disease. That it's incurable and potentially fatal, that you are still legally married to that Koss guy, while you're technically and spiritually married to me because of this bond we share. That Vulcan's go through the pon farr every seven years, and when you do, you might get pregnant; but if you do, it could be real dangerous for me cause I'm human and you could kill me; dangerous for you cause of the Pa'nar; dangerous for the child cause of the Pa'nar; and it could also piss the Vulcan government off cause you got two husbands and might have a Vulcan-human hybrid!"

"Trip! Phlox! He had no right."

"Oh Phlox nothing! He didn't tell me anything!" Trip said. "T'Vier told me. T'Pol, I cannot believe you've had all this going on and never said anything to me about any of it. If nothing, I thought we were friends. I thought we trusted each other."

"How did T'Vier tell you?"

"She was Vulcan darlin'. Her katra was floatin' around in my head. She was blockin you from feelin' and hearin' me and her, but boy she was feelin,' hearin,' sensin', thoughts, emotions, the whole shebang from you for days babe. But it was like she was storin' it all up or something. It's weird, like I knew, but I didn't know, or couldn't verbalize it until now."

"So, you are angry with me?"

"Damn right I'm angry with you! You didn't trust me." T'Pol hung her head.

"I will leave you," she said and turned to go.

"Get back here," he said. He took her hand. "I still wanna be with you. Don't you know by now how I feel about you, you nut case? I love you."

"You love me?"

"Of course I do!" T'Pol just stared.

"Now say it back," he replied.

"Love… is an emotion," she stated flatly.

He closed his eyes, "Say. It. Back," he demanded through clenched teeth. She hesitated.

"I. Love. You."

Trip twisted his mouth and looked at her with narrowed eyes. "That'll do for now. "Look, when I get outta here, we're gonna have a big fight about this, alright. I mean this is not over, not by a long shot. We got a lot of stuff to work through, but that's what you do in a relationship, you work through stuff together. So, we are gonna get into it, and it'll be a huge fight." T'Pol nodded her head. "Then we'll have great make up sex. But right now, I just want a big, sexy, steamy kiss, a feel up, something to dream about and think about all day tomorrow, and somethin' to help me sleep tonight, so come here."

She moved over closer, leaned in and kissed him, deeply. He placed his hand behind her head then they kissed again as he rubbed her back with his other hand, her back side and her upper thighs. She finally, reluctantly stepped away.

"If I do not leave now," she gasped "I will be forced to join you on the bio-bed, and I will not be responsible for what I may do to the sick and infirmed." Trip laughed.

"And they say Vulcans have no sense of humor." With that he grabbed her and pulled her up on the bio-bed with him. Then she pulled the curtain around the bed closing them off… from the rest of the world.

THE END

Epilogue

Somewhere, millions of light years away, deep in a dark abyss, a creature lay breathing heavily, yelling and hurdling insults at one called the Hunter. He spat out venom and cursed the Hunter's name and offspring for generations to come. But, the abyss held him firmly. He had failed again. Once before he had failed when he had been released on the galaxy of Earth's realm over 3,000 years ago, and now having been released to wreak havoc in space just eight centuries ago.

The creature shouted the name of the Hunter whom he hated, whom he vowed to have his revenge upon and leapt to his feet to take flight, but the chains of his prison kept him grounded in the black tarry pit. He was bound, perhaps this time for millennia, or until the one whom he served saw to release him. Until then, the Destroyer… reigned no more.