Author's Notes: Please see the notes in Chapter 1.

XXX

Trip Tucker moved his boots from the middle of their cabin so he wouldn't have to hear T'Pol complain about them again. They had sat there much of the morning, but with her returning from her meditation, he knew time was of the essence. He sat back in the chair he'd been trying to sleep in for the last hour and closed his eyes again.

Elizabeth was napping in the one bed they were all sharing and he had spent the morning tiring her out. Thankfully it had worked. He had, much to T'Pol's chagrin, allowed Elizabeth to crawl around the observation deck. He had done a cursory inspection of the floor for anything she could choke on and had determined it safe. That still hadn't prevented the little princess from finding all the things he'd missed. Then, she had found the small edge under the window and pulled herself to standing so she could cruise along the edge. He'd chased her around the room on his hands & knees, tickled her, and read to her. In truth, Trip was exhausted and he had wanted a nap as much as Elizabeth but he didn't want to disturb her sleep by crawling into bed with her.

So, he sat in the one chair and leaned back with his feet on the desk attempting a relaxed nap position; it hadn't worked. They had left Earth 3 days after they'd spoken with Jon and were on a small, slow transport vessel destined for Filla Station 12. It was the best Starfleet could do in a pinch and the Tuckers were grateful for the lift. They'd been on the vessel for 3 days and Trip couldn't wait until they rendezvoused with Enterprise.

The door opened and T'Pol stepped inside. She looked from Trip to the bed and seemed to relax slightly when she saw Elizabeth sleeping soundly in their bed.

"How are you feeling?" Trip whispered as she approached him.

"Better," she said softly as she watched him drop his feet to the floor and sit up in his chair.

"And Elizabeth?" T'Pol inquired.

"She liked the observation deck," Trip said as he pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her.

"You ensured she didn't place anything in her mouth?" T'Pol asked.

"I did," he nodded as he nuzzled her neck.

"How was she doing with her walking?" T'Pol asked.

"She cruised for a while but she's still scared to take that step," Trip said as he sucked on her earlobe.

"Human children usually walk by now," T'Pol said as she tilted her head so Trip had better access to her lobe. "Vulcan children generally don't walk until they are eighteen months. I'm thinking Elizabeth will be closer to the Vulcan walking age."

"Possibly," Trip mumbled. "But she's pretty darn close."

T'Pol nodded and felt him suck her earlobe harder while his hand ran up the inside of her leg and toward his goal. She squirmed slightly against him as his fingers traced circles around her vagina. She huffed harshly and leaned into his frame a little more, her back relaxing and her head bowing down slightly.

"You like that?" Trip whispered in her ear.

She nodded in the affirmative; they hadn't had sex in over a week and he was managing to turn her on fully clothed.

Elizabeth stirred in their bed and Trip's hand immediately pulled away from her core and she gasped as she sat upright.

"Mama?" Elizabeth asked as she rubbed at her eyes and sat up slightly.

"I'm here Elizabeth," T'Pol said softly before she stood from Trip's lap and walked toward their sleepy daughter.

"Baby?" Elizabeth asked.

"Soon Elizabeth," T'Pol said; gently pushing her dirty blonde hair back off her forehead. It was almost humorous that Elizabeth, herself a baby, was referring to her new sister.

"Tomorrow angel," Trip said to their daughter. "And we'll move to another ship. Uncle Jon's."

Elizabeth's eyes went wide.

"A bigger ship," Trip offered. "A lot more places to explore and loads of people who love you."

The ear to ear smile Elizabeth bestowed on him melted his heart.

"You hungry puddin'?" Trip asked as he too sat on the bed next to their daughter.

The look in Elizabeth's eyes spoke volumes.

"We should go to the mess hall and see if…"

"I found some pancakes for you," Trip said as he lifted her up off the bed. "You want some pancakes darlin'?"

Elizabeth clapped her hands together.

"How did you ascertain pancakes?" T'Pol asked.

"I have my ways," Trip said non-committally.

T'Pol knew exactly what those ways were; he had talked up the nutritionist on board and woo'd her with his cute daughter and southern charm to get Elizabeth her pancakes.

"It worked, didn't it?" Trip asked with a smirk; knowing full well she now knew through their bond how he had got the pancakes for their daughter.

"It did," T'Pol groaned.

"Come on Elizabeth, let's get you some pancakes with syrup," Trip said as he threw her over his shoulder and she burst into giggles.

"Syrup has far too much sugar in it," T'Pol said as she followed them out of the cabin. "She can have some fruit."

"That's got sugar in it," Trip noted.

"Naturally occurring sugars," T'Pol noted in return.

"Pot-a-toe, po-tah-toe," Trip joked as they made their way to the mess.

XXX

Trip looked at his wife controlling her breathing next to him as they waited for the airlock to engage. Elizabeth squirmed in his arms, wanting to be placed down to crawl. He threw her over his shoulder to amuse her and reached for T'Pol's hand.

She willingly took it without stiffening which told him how distracted and worried she was. He hoped, with everything he had, that the baby wasn't unhealthy and that it took to her immediately. She was wrestling with incredible feelings of guilt since they discovered they had a child. He had tried to calm her nerves by distracting her with lists of baby names, but it had only been successful for limited periods of time.

"Vesna?" Trip asked out of the blue.

T'Pol ignored him.

"T'Kal?" Trip asked, continuing with his distracting talk.

"Harsh wind?" T'Pol asked as she turned to face him.

Trip smirked at her. "I knew that would get you."

"I know what you are doing," T'Pol said softly.

"Is it working?" Trip chuckled.

She breathed strongly through her nose. "No."

He let go of her hand and wrapped an arm around her waist pulled her against his side. "She's going to be fine."

T'Pol said nothing in return.

"Mama," Elizabeth whined as she reached for T'Pol. T'Pol took her into her arms and Elizabeth snuggled into her neck.

The airlock opened and Jonathan Archer was on the other side waiting for them.

"You made good time," Jon said as they walked through onto Enterprise.

"We did," Trip agreed as he took Jon's hand in a hearty shake.

"Hello little Princess," Jon said as he peeked at Elizabeth. She buried her head even further into her mother's neck.

"She's quite shy at first," T'Pol offered.

"But give her an hour and she'll be all over you," Trip smiled at Jon before they started to walk toward Sick Bay.

"Your newest daughter is a real looker; a lot like her mother," Jon smiled at Trip and T'Pol.

"We've been on video calls each day but there's nothing like the real thing," Trip said.

"Well, she's been keeping Hoshi busy," Jon chuckled.

"I hope not too much trouble," T'Pol said seriously.

"No, she's a breath of fresh air," Jon said as he met her eyes.

They walked swiftly towards the Sick Bay doors and Trip reached over for T'Pol to hand him Elizabeth. He knew she'd want to be free to pick up the baby immediately.

"Ahh Commanders!" Phlox said animatedly.

Hoshi smiled at them across the room. "She's pretty wonderful."

"Doc, Hosh," Trip said as he embraced the pair of them.

When he looked toward the incubator he saw T'Pol cupping the baby's head with her hand and looking down at her reverently. She had a look across her features that Trip couldn't quite place.

"How is she?" Trip asked Phlox and Hoshi.

"She's got a good set of lungs," Hoshi laughed. "She's not going to let you get a lot of sleep."

"We're kinda used to it by now," Trip chuckled. "Healthy?"

"She's going to need the DNA procedure," Phlox explained. "But, once she has that, I anticipate she'll be as healthy as this little one."

Phlox reached over and jiggled Elizabeth's foot. She retracted it and burrowed herself further into her father.

"She'll warm up soon," Trip smiled at the two of them.

"Do you remember me Elizabeth?" Hoshi asked sweetly as she leaned in to Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth this is Hoshi, you remember her?" Trip asked as he looked down at his daughter. She shook her head in the negative.

"She's real nice," Trip coaxed. "She's my friend and mama's friend."

Elizabeth snuck a look at Hoshi and Trip watched T'Pol pick up their daughter. The baby immediately started to cry and for a moment he thought T'Pol was going to put the baby back down. Trip was just about to say something encouraging when he saw her rest the baby up against her chest. He let out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding.

The baby continued to cry and T'Pol rocked her slightly; there was no sign of relief.

"She likes a bounce," Hoshi said kindly as she looked toward T'Pol as well.

Trip watched T'Pol bounce slightly and their daughter seemed to calm down.

"Elizabeth can you see Hoshi for a minute?" Trip asked as he tried to hand off his daughter.

Elizabeth clung to him like a barnacle.

"Elizabeth, please…" Trip begged.

"Want to meet Porthos?" Jon asked as he pointed toward his dog laying on his little bed.

Elizabeth's eyes lit up and she let go of Trip a little more.

"Go on baby," Trip encouraged as he handed her to Jon and she went with him to see Porthos.

He watched her for a moment before he walked toward T'Pol.

"She's a real beauty," Trip said as he smiled down at their newest daughter.

"She is esthetically pleasing," T'Pol said. "Very different from Elizabeth, but equally pleasing."

"She's all you," Trip said softly.

"She has your brow," T'Pol pointed out. "And your dimples."

Trip chuckled and ran a soft finger along her little foot.

"And your ears," T'Pol noted as she looked at the side of the baby's head.

"They are still a lot more pointy than mine," Trip noted.

"True," T'Pol said quietly.

"Again, with the disappointment?" Trip asked.

"It's fine," T'Pol sighed. "They will grow more of a point as she ages."

"You know, all of our kids won't necessarily get your ears," Trip said before he ran a finger across the baby's cheek and smiled down at her.

"I do realize that Trip," T'Pol said as she handed their daughter to him. "Please don't read more into this then there is."

"Fine," he sighed. "She's so small."

"Elizabeth was this small once," T'Pol explained. "We just hadn't met her then."

"It's like we get to start with an almost-newborn," Trip smiled back at her.

The timer went off and Trip sighed heavily. He carefully placed the baby back in her incubator and looked back toward T'Pol.

"Are you going to try feeding her?" Trip asked.

"After the DNA procedure," T'Pol explained. "When can that happen doctor?"

"If you are prepared, I could perform it in two hours?" Phlox asked.

"Agreed," T'Pol nodded.

"You're resting until then," Trip warned her as Elizabeth started to giggle across the room.

Everyone turned to see her trying to climb up Porthos.

"Let's get you to some quarters," Jon said as he stood with Elizabeth in his arms.

"I'd prefer to stay with the baby," T'Pol said as she eyed the child in the incubator.

"I will stay with her," Trip said as he placed an arm around her waist and drew her away. "Elizabeth needs her nap and you can join her."

"Sounds like a plan!" Jon said enthusiastically as he clapped his hands.

"I'll get you to quarters and come back," Trip said. "Hosh can you stay with her?"

"Of course," Hoshi smiled at them.

"Doc, can you walk with us?" Trip asked.

"Of course," Phlox said.

They walked down the hallway and waited for the turbolift.

"No signs of neglect or abuse?" T'Pol inquired.

"On the contrary, she was incredibly well cared for," Phlox said before they all stepped into the lift.

"And this woman is still on the Vulcan ship?" Trip asked.

"Uh, no, custody of both the baby and her rescuer was transferred to us," Jon explained.

"She's here?" T'Pol asked, surprised.

"In the brig," Jon nodded.

"I'd like to speak with her," T'Pol said as she looked toward Trip. He knew, through their bond, that she was not going to take 'no' for an answer.

"Ten minutes," Trip warned. "You need your rest."

"Fine," T'Pol agreed.

"How about I take you to the brig?" Jon asked. "Trip can take Elizabeth?"

"Yeah, as long as you stay with her," Trip said.

"I promise," Jon said.

"And only 10 minutes," Trip cautioned.

"Fine," T'Pol sighed.

"Where do you got us Captain?" Trip asked.

"B-Deck, one down from T'Pol's old quarters," Jon answered.

"Got it," Trip said with a nod. "We'll see you in ten minutes."

He left with Elizabeth down the hallway.

"He's going to lose it if you take too long," Jon smirked at her.

"I just have to ask her some questions," T'Pol said. "What is her name?"

"Nora Merchant," Phlox answered. "She had some very helpful suggestions."

"She's provided you with assistance?" T'Pol inquired.

"Yes, she is quite…attached to the baby," Phlox explained.

"She calls her Martina," Jon said. "Not that you need to keep the name."

"I have ever intention of naming my own child," T'Pol bristled.

"Of course," Jon nodded.

They entered the brig and T'Pol was taken aback by the woman on the other side. She had soft eyes, a kind face, and was short and round in frame.

"Nora Merchant?" T'Pol asked.

The woman on the other side nodded slowly.

"It was my daughter you kidnapped," T'Pol said seriously.

"I cared for her, I didn't kidnap her," Nora clarified. "But I am sorry."

T'Pol nodded and stood silently observing the woman.

"Why did you choose to save her?" T'Pol asked.

Nora shrugged and walked toward the glass wall separating them.

"She was an innocent child," Nora explained. "I couldn't…"

T'Pol just silently observed her.

"I am sorry," Nora said. "I didn't know what to do. I was scared."

T'Pol said nothing in return.

"You belonged to Terra Prime?" T'Pol asked.

"I did," Nora nodded. "I have now realized how problematic some of their ideas are."

"Some?" T'Pol asked.

"I do believe that humans need to take a step back and be more cautious about involving ourselves with other species but…"

T'Pol, Jon and Phlox stood and waited for her to continue.

"But not when it involves destroying an innocent child," Nora continued. "I loved Martina as if she were my own daughter. I would never harm her."

"Do you have children?" T'Pol asked her, her voice softening.

"I don't," Nora said quietly, her eyes filled with tears. "I thought because no one really knew about her that Martina could be…mine."

"You had every intention of not telling her who her parents were?" T'Pol asked, her back ram-rod straight.

"Yes," Nora admitted quietly. "Until I saw she needed medical help. I was in the process of negotiating my surrender so Martina…"

T'Pol looked toward Jon for confirmation.

"There was a sub-space message sent but it hadn't cleared Starfleet filtering channels before the Vulcans arrived and took her into custody," Jon confirmed.

T'Pol looked back at Nora with new-found respect. It was surprising to herself as much as it was to Nora.

"Why did you name her Martina?" T'Pol inquired.

"I named her after Martina Krew, the first woman to break warp," Nora said as she held T'Pol's gaze. "I wanted my Martina to be special too."

It was then that Nora burst into tears and covered her face with her hands.

T'Pol felt Phlox place a hand on her shoulder and she turned to leave with him and the Captain.

"I know you probably don't want to hear this, but she's been very concerned about the baby since we arrived," Jon said as they walked back down the corridor toward her temporary quarters.

"You're right, I don't want to hear that," T'Pol said softly.

"I'll see you in two hours?" Phlox asked T'Pol breaking the tension in the corridor.

T'Pol nodded and opened the door to her room allowing it to shut behind her without another word.

XXX

TBC