Disclaimer: Not mine
Rating: PG
Epilogue
"You'd make a good nurse," said Archer.
For that remark, Archer earned himself an eyebrow raise and nothing more.
As T'Pol left sickbay she experienced gratification that Archer appeared well, but she nonetheless had to suppress irritation. T'Pol respected those who dedicated their lives to the sick, but considering her skills and training, the idea of spending her life getting pillows for Jonathan Archer rankled her. He enjoyed being waited-on far too much for her.
No wonder he never married, she thought, even human women weren't that foolish. As much as she respected him as a captain and enjoyed his friendship, T'Pol nearly shuddered at the idea of bonding with Archer. The very qualities that made him such an effective captain were the things that would have made him an intolerable bondmate.
T'Pol was so caught up in her thoughts, she walked straight into Commander Tucker, who deftly grabbed her arm to prevent from knocking her over.
"Whoa there," he said, making sure she kept her balance.
Normally, T'Pol would have winced at such casual physical contact, but the neural pressure sessions had made her more physically comfortable with Tucker than she was with other humans.
"What's got you so distracted?" he said.
"I'm not distracted," she stated, "I am simply relieved that the captain was not more seriously injured during the anomaly."
"Right," he drawled, smiling, "How is the Captain?"
"Resting comfortably," she said, "Phlox believes he will soon be able to return to duty."
Trip's body relaxed a little. He may have been affecting a casual attitude, but she knew the captain's injury, superficial though it was, had caused him great trepidation. Tucker, perhaps even more than the rest of the crew, recognized Archer as essential to the success of their mission. Strange, she thought, how I have come to sense his feelings.
"I guess he'll have to miss the movie tonight. That's a shame. It's one of his favorites," said Trip.
"He'll be watching it in sickbay," said T'Pol.
"Yeah," said Trip, "but it's not the same. Horror films need to be experienced as a group. Heightens the effectiveness."
T'Pol sighed.
"Then perhaps I will decline," she said, "I will be unable to contribute to a group sense of fear, since I don't experience fear."
Trip smiled.
"I don't know, it's a pretty creepy movie. . ."
T'Pol blinked at him.
"Still," he continued, "We'd miss you. I'd miss you, if you didn't come."
"Then, I shall see you there."
*****
T'Pol headed back to her quarters after the film, not staying to discuss its plot and themes with the others. While T'Pol did not experience emotions, she did find the story disquieting. As dissimilar as the their cultures were, Humans and Vulcans clearly shared anxiety about procreation and the rituals that surrounded it. Such a scenario as portrayed in the film could never happen to a Vulcan woman, for reasons she wasn't at liberty to share with her human colleagues, but the film had been instructive about specific human fears.
Her Vulcan hearing recognized familiar footsteps behind her.
"How'd you like the movie?" asked Trip.
"It was fascinating."
"Did it scare you?"
"No," she said honestly, as she arrived at her door.
"Always scares the hell out of me. Could I trouble you for a little neural pressure? It'll help me ward off the nightmares. . ."
"I suppose of any male on the ship, you would be the most likely to relate to Rosemary's predicament."
Trip furrowed his brow a bit at this.
"Oh. . .oh yeah. You're never gonna let me forget that are you?"
"Do you wish to engage in neural pressure treatment or not?" she asked, gesturing for him to come inside.
Trip followed her, and they fell into what had become routine for them. Soon, he was on the floor, sprawled on his stomach and shirtless. She was pressing into a neural node on his back, when the ship shook all around them, tossing her off her knees and onto his back. A PADD slid from her desk, and several objects fell from the shelves. They had encountered another anomaly.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yes," she said, as she crawled off him and sat up, "I hope I did not injury you."
"I'm glad you're so tiny," he said as he got to his feet and reached out a hand to help her up.
She took it and stood up next to him.
The standard procedure was for all hands to stay put, including senior officers. Trip used the comm to call down to engineering, and he gave a few orders to his staff. T'Pol contacted Malcolm on the bridge, and he reported that while they were at dead stop, everything seemed to be under control despite them being trapped in the anomaly. After that, all they could do was wait.
"Seems I'm stuck here, Commander," said Trip.
She thought she detected a hint of a smile from him.
"It would be illogical not to proceed with the session," said T'Pol as she finished picking up the stray objects and returning them to their rightful places, "since neither of us can go anywhere."
Trip got back down on the floor, and she crawled on top of him once again. When they had finished, the anomaly had yet to pass, and Trip was clearly becoming sleepy.
"Please, Commander," she said, "I require far less sleep than you. You may take my bunk. I will awaken you if we clear the anomaly."
Trip shook his head.
"I can't take your bunk," he said.
"I'll be meditating for the next hour at least," she replied, "You'll be in my way if you are on the floor. I prefer you in the bunk."
Trip relented and climbed into her bunk.
"Wake me if anything happens," he said.
"I assure you, I will," she said as she positioned herself on the floor.
****
T'Pol opened her eyes, and she found herself on Vulcan. It was a very specific place on Vulcan, the garden of her mother's house. Except, when T'Pol looked at the sky, she saw what appeared to be Earth's moon. T'Khut and its moons were not visible.
Am I dreaming? she thought.
She looked down at herself and saw that she was wearing a blue Starfleet uniform, with a gold stripe and, more surprisingly, captain's pips. She fingered the metal circles, as if to be certain of their existence. They felt solid.
T'Pol guessed that this was a dream, but her experience with dreams was so limited that she was unsure. She turned around and decided to head inside, but sitting on the steps leading to the main house was a child.
The Vulcan girl had straight brown hair and was adorned in the robes common for those children in late primary school.
T'Pol approached her and was startled to see that the girl had blue eyes.
The girl elevated her hand and spread her fingers in the traditional Vulcan greeting. T'Pol responded in kind.
"Who are you?" asked T'Pol.
"Don't you know?"
T'Pol shook her head, and the girl sighed in un-Vulcan frustration.
"I don't exist in your timeline," said the girl, "but I might. There's still a chance."
"What do you mean?"
"There was another timeline," she said, "I came into existence there, but you had to stop that timeline. You did the right thing by stopping it, but I disappeared along with all the bad things."
"Who are you?"
"I think you know. Deep down."
T'Pol looked over her shoulder, and she saw Trip sleeping on a chaise at the edge of the garden. T'Pol walked to him and knelt down to see if he was in distress.
"I tried to go into his dream," said the girl, "but I couldn't. His mind isn't focused enough. Not yet. But you could help him. You did in the other timeline."
T'Pol suddenly recognized the girl's eyes.
"Where are we?"
"This is my white space," said the girl, "I've made it - more interesting. Grandmother said I did it because my human half can't abide simplicity."
T'Pol was silent.
"You're only here because this anomaly is special," said the girl, "We're not in your timeline or my timeline. We're somewhere outside of time. Unless you create me, I won't be able to see you again."
T'Pol looked over at Trip, understanding.
"I can't . . .It's not. . ." she found herself stuttering.
T'Mir walked toward her mother and took her hand.
"It's very logical," said the little girl, "You just need to open your mind to the logic of it."
T'Pol was quiet, and T'Mir closed her eyes. It wasn't quite a mind meld, but T'Pol did manage to sense something of the bond that had existed between the three of them in the other timeline. She nearly fainted, but she steadied herself as T'Mir let go.
"The anomaly is collapsing," said T'Mir softly, as she again lifted her hand in the familiar salute, "Live long and prosper, mother, whatever you decide."
T'Pol found herself in her white space for what seemed like a long, empty time. She then felt a hand on her shoulder.
"T'Pol," said Trip from somewhere far away, "are you okay?"
Her eyes flew open, and she was back in her quarters. She turned to him and saw worry in his face.
"I had an alarming. . .vision," she said.
"The all clear came," he said, "but you couldn't hear it. It's like you were catatonic or something. . .I think you should go see Phlox. You look really pale."
She met his eyes, remembering the strange images from her dream-state.
"The anomaly affected my meditation. I believe I should not engage in the practice while we are trapped in one."
Trip nodded.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"I saw. . .strange things. . . hallucinations. . .it was disquieting. I believe I should rest."
Trip took the hint, but he didn't appear at all happy about leaving her.
"I will be fine, Commander," she said, standing up and escorting him to the door.
"Okay, but if you have any more crazy meditation visions, go see Phlox. Promise?"
She nodded her promise, but before he left, she spoke again.
"Humans believe dreams and visions have meaning, do they not?"
"Most cultures think so. My mom always said dreams were your subconscious mind telling your conscious mind things it didn't want to know. For better or worse."
"Fascinating," said T'Pol, regaining he composure.
"You know it's funny you should mention dreams," he said, "I had a dream I was on Vulcan - in a garden. I didn't know they had gardens there. I thought it was just desert everywhere. Anyway, I suppose sleeping in a Vulcan's bed will do that do you. . .anyway, sleep well, Commander."
She sensed he wanted to say something more, but he didn't.
"Good night, Commander."
After he was gone, she did not go to sleep. Instead, she meditated in her white space for a long time, trying to find that garden on Vulcan with a single moon visible in the sky.
