OKay so the last couple weeks have been very very insane. Not really the good kind either but I won't go into that, but that has lead me to falling behind in posting so from here on out I'm going to do 2 chapters a week, Tuesdays and Fridays because that way I'll still finish posing before I have to leave for the US

Thank you for being so patient and as always I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter!

-Galia

Chapter 25

"Time moves slow
When half of your heart has yet to come home
Every minute adds up
Leaving it's mark on us"

- "West" by Sleeping At Last

Trip wakes up a few hours after drifting off, the clock on the wall says 9 am, he rubs his eyes and looks at Lizzie. She's still asleep on the bed, pale as ever. The IV bag is gone but the line remains in her hand.

"Phlox?" Trip stands up and peeks around the curtain.

"Ah you're awake." The Denobulan doctor says.

"uh yeah, did Lizzie wake up at all last night?" Trip mutters sleepily.

"No she didn't, she's been asleep since before you. She finished the bag of antibiotics but her temperature is still up there." Phlox says.

"Shouldn't you give her more?" Trip asks.

"No, we'll get the blood work back soon – Dr. Cutler has gone to pick it up from the lab, and then we'll know what course of action should be taken." Phlox explains

"What do you think it'll be?" Trip scratches the back of his neck.

"Well obviously we hope for the best, something that we can fix with antibiotics." Phlox says. "But really I have no way of knowing what it is without the blood work. Why don't you wake Commander T'Pol, I assume she'll want to be present when the results come in."

"Yeah, yeah." Trip nods, shuffling back to the seats, T'Pol is curled up in what must be a very uncomfortable position but she must be sleeping well and is snoring lightly. "T'Pol." Trip mutters, tapping her shoulder. "Come on get up."

T'Pol's eyes open and she stretches, looking around briefly. "Has something happened?"

"Not yet." Trip says. "The blood work will be back soon though."

"What does that mean?" T'Pol asks, straightening up.

"It means we'll know what's goin' on with Lizzie. Thought you might want to be awake." Trip mutters sitting down in the other chair.

"Thank you." She mutters, adjusting her position and looking over at Elizabeth. "Has she been awake yet?"

Trip shakes his head. "No, Phlox says she slept all night. Poor baby's still got a fever, but she hasn't been sick more."

"Should we wake her?" T'Pol asks, watching Elizabeth's chest rise and fall.

"Nah, let her sleep." Trip sighs. "She needs it."

Elizabeth rolls over, coughing hard in her sleep for a minute before settling back down on her other side.

"Should we be concerned about that?" T'Pol asks.

"We should be concerned about everything." Trip admits. "But if she doesn't wake herself we don't need to call the doctor early. He'll probably give her something when he comes over with the blood work."

At that moment Dr. Phlox pulls back the curtain and steps into the room, and Trip doesn't like his expression. "Good morning Commanders."

"What's the news?" Trip asks.

Phlox sighs and leans against the foot of Elizabeth's bed, facing Trip and T'Pol. "I wish I could say, the blood work came back and it matches something in the Mehtevaian plant samples brought from the surface."

"What does that mean?" Trip frowns in confusion.

"It means the virus originated on Mehtevas and wasn't eradicated properly." Phlox explains. "I'll know more in a few days after I've run further tests."

"A-a few days?" Trip gulps, he can feel the color draining from his face. "Will she be okay? Will she live?"

"I don't know." Phlox admits. "For the moment all we can do is treat her symptoms, give her support and hope she's strong enough to get through it."

Trip looks over to where his little girl sleeps, she coughs again and flops over onto her back, letting out an uncomfortable whimper. He doesn't want to believe what he's hearing.

"You've always been able to fix her before." He mumbles.

"And there's no reason to believe I can't fix her this time." Phlox says. "But the fact is we don't know right now. If we can treat the symptoms and the illness passes then it's likely nothing to worry about, but if treating the symptoms does little we don't know where the disease will go next since we know nothing about it."

"W-where to we start?" Trip asks.

"We need to bring her fever down, and try to get her to eat something, if she can keep food down then we don't have to worry about dehydration as much." Phlox says. "I'm going to start her on more antibiotics but if you'd like to get her cleaned up a little you should do that now before the IV goes in."

Trip nods. "Thanks doc."

Phlox exits through the curtains and leaves the three of them alone again. T'Pol is staring intently at Elizabeth and looks somewhat shell shocked.

"You okay?" He asks.

"Dr. Phlox has no idea what he's dealing with." T'Pol says.

"No he doesn't, but he's been able to help her before," Trip assures

T'Pol is right to be worried however, every other time Phlox has had to pull Elizabeth back from the brink he's known what he was dealing with. The flu, pneumonia, chickenpox, all common but very deadly in those with weak immune systems and Phlox had brought her back from every one of them. Had they been on Earth she likely would've died from one of them years ago, germs can survive in the vacuum of space but there's far less of them then there is anywhere on Earth.

"Trip?" Captain Archer's voice calls from around the curtain.

"Come on in sir." Trip says.

"T'Pol sent word that Elizabeth was sick." Captain Archer says, pulling the curtain back and stepping into the small space.

"You did?" Trip asks, frowning at T'Pol, he hadn't even thought about telling the Captain.

"Yes, this morning before I fell asleep. I asked Dr. Cutler to send someone when you were at breakfast." She nods to the Captain.

"What's wrong with her?" Captain Archer asks quietly.

Trip shrugs. "Somethin' wasn't properly decontaminated when comin' back from Mehtevas, carried somethin' up and made her sick. Phlox ain't sure what exactly it is yet…"

"You're both going to stay with her?" Captain Archer asks.

"We'd like to sir." Trip nods.

"You certainly can, I'll have Lieutenant's Hess and Borichenko take your places until she's better." Captain Archer nods. "Phlox'll be able to fix it."

"Yeah." Trip mutters, but he isn't very sure.

After the Captain leaves he turns to T'Pol, she's tucking the blanket around Elizabeth a little more. "I know we have to wake her but she seems uncomfortable." T'Pol says quietly.

"Probably is, has a fever and can't stop coughing." Trip nods. "Do you mind stayin' with her a moment? I'm gonna go change and bring her toothbrush, hairbrush and some new clothes."

"Of course." T'Pol says. "Would you stop in my quarters, I have a copy of the Kirshara on the night stand, and the IDIC in the drawer."

"'Course" Trip nods, he bends over and kisses Elizabeth on the forehead. "I'll be right back baby girl."

T'Pol watches the curtain swing closed after Trip's departure, she hasn't been alone with her child while she was sick in 7 years – it's been a week of firsts and she's not really been enjoying this one. She sits back in her chair and watches the little girl sleep restlessly, she must be very uncomfortable, her cheeks are flushed green and she keeps whimpering in her sleep.

Elizabeth's sleep doesn't last much longer though and Trip hasn't even been gone five minutes when she opens her eyes and whimpers. "Where's Daddy?" She whines.

"Your father has gone to get a change of pajamas and some hygiene products for you, he'll be back soon." T'Pol assures, moving from her chair to sit on the edge of the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Hot." Elizabeth mumbles, kicking off the blankets. "And my throat and tummy hurt."

"Would you like something to drink?" T'Pol says, starting to pull the blankets up around Elizabeth again.

"Stop it!" Elizabeth whines. "I don't want the blankets!"

T'Pol hesitates a moment, but decides this isn't the battle she wants to have with her daughter and sets the blankets down. "Would you like something to drink?" T'Pol repeats. "Tea to help your throat?"

"Water." Elizabeth mumbles.

"I'll be right back." T'Pol gets up and goes over to the sink and fills a paper cup with cool water.

"Is Elizabeth awake?" Dr. Cutler asks.

"Yes, she's quite uncomfortable, she's requested water." T'pol says, holding up the cup.

"I'll get Phlox, he'll want her to eat something and she needs another IV." Dr. Cutler says.

"Perhaps Plomeek broth, it's easy on the stomach and contains nutrients she likely lost while vomiting last night." T'Pol suggests.

"I'll run it by him." Dr. Cutler nods.

T'Pol returns to Elizabeth's bedside and hands her the paper cup of water, she drinks it and lays back down in the bed.

"When will daddy be back?" She mumbles, rubbing her face against the stuffed puppy and looking sadly up at T'Pol.

"As soon as he can I'm sure." T'Pol says. "Dr. Phlox wants to give you another IV, it should help you feel better."

"Nothing helps me feel better." Elizabeth mutters. "Will it hurt?"

"I don't know." T'Pol says honestly. "But I'll be with you th entire time."

"I want Daddy to be with me." Elizabeth scowls.

"We'll see if the Doctor will wait until he gets back." T'Pol nods.

Phlox comes around the curtain holding a new IV line and a bag of fluids. "Hello Elizabeth, did you sleep well."

"No, I had a bad dream." Elizabeth mutters. "Are you gonna have to put a new IV line in?"

"Yes I'm sorry to say we are." Dr. Phlox nods. "But it won't take very long if you hold very still and let me do it quickly."

"Can we wait until Daddy gets back so I can sit on his lap?" Elizabeth asks, trying to push herself back into the pillows. T'Pol doesn't like to see her so afraid and has to suppress the instinctive desire to side with her, she knows the IV should be given sooner rather then later.

"No Elizabeth we can't, we need to get this medicine in you as soon as we can." Dr. Phlox says. "But I'm sure your mother will let you sit on her lap, won't you T'Pol?"

T'Pol looks at the Doctor and then at her daughter, she wasn't so sure about that. "I… I suppose yes, you're welcome to sit with me Elizabeth." She tries to keep her voice as gentle as she can.

Elizabeth watches her for a moment as though trying to decide if she's going to comply or throw a fit. "I guess… We really can't wait for Daddy? We always did before…"

"You were littler then." Phlox says. "You're almost nine years old and your mother is present, you can sit on her lap, now take a seat and give me your arm."

T'Pol moves back on the bed and crosses her legs, Elizabeth slides anxiously into her lap and sits against her chest. "Hold me," She demands, then as an after thought adds; "Please?"

T'Pol puts her arms gingerly around the little girl. Her body is much tinier and more frail then she'd have thought, at least it feels that way. Her skin is worryingly hot underneath the hospital gown and it makes T'Pol wonder just how high her fever has climbed. As Phlox takes her arm and starts to prepare her hand to take the IV Elizabeth squirms back against T'Pol's back as though trying to disappear inside her.

"It's okay Elizabeth." T'Pol whispers. "You need to calm down and it will be over soon."

"Wh-what?" Elizabeth whimpers, she looks back at T'Pol, and is distracted by the Vulcan speech long enough for Phlox to quickly get the IV in. "Ow!" She yelps, looking back at Phlox. "You didn't count to three!"

"You didn't need me to." Phlox smiles. "See you were just fine with your mother, now how about something to eat?"

"I don't want to eat." Elizabeth pouts, moving off of T'Pol's lap and back against her pillows.

"You have to at least try a little." Phlox says, pressing the buttons to raise the bed into a seating position.

"Fine." Elizabeth mutters, Dr. Cutler comes around with a bowl of plomeek broth and sets it down in front of Elizabeth.

"There you go Lizzie." She smiles.

"Thanks." Elizabeth mutters, she eats a few bites begrudgingly, but is quickly distracted by the return of her father. "Daddy you're back!"

"Course I am princess." Trip smiles. "You okay?"

"I had to get an IV and sit on T'Pol's lap 'cause you weren't there." She pouts.

"Did you?" Trip looks over at T'Pol for a second. "Well I'm sorry princess, I had to go change and get you some new clothes and a hair brush. How you feelin'?"

"Phlox says I still have a fever." Elizabeth pouts. "And my throat and tummy hurt. Also I have to pee."

"Well how about Dr, Cutler takes you pee while I talk to T'Pol for a second?" Trip suggest.

"I guess…" Elizabeth puts the bowl of soup on the nightstand, her hands shaking as she does so. Dr Cutler helps her out of bed and leads her off towards the bathroom, rolling the IV pole along with them.

"She do okay with the IV?" Trip asks, sitting back down.

"She made it very clear I was not her first choice." T'Pol explains, moving from the bed to her chair again. "She wanted you there. Did you get what you needed?"

"Yep." Trip says, holding out the Kirshara and the IDIC to T'Pol. "Here's your stuff."

"Thank you." T'pol says, putting the Kirshara on the end table and hanging the IDIC on the bed, it's the same one she hung on the incubator when Elizabeth was in the hospital as a baby.

"No problem." Trip says. "We'll brush her hair and teeth when she gets back. She seems lively though."

"She's exhausted still." T'Pol says. "I can feel it, every little thing is taking it's toll today."

Elizabeth's return cuts their conversation short and Trip helps her back onto the bed asking; "Feel better darlin'"

"Yes daddy." She yawns, letting him tuck her back in. "I'm sleepy now."

"Well how about you let me braid your hair back so it's out of your way and then you take a little nap?" Trip suggests.

"Can T'Pol fix my hair?" Elizabeth asks, it catches T'Pol off guard and she looks up at her daughter.

"um," Trip says, obviously a little hurt by this unexpected request. "Do ya know how to braid T'Pol?"

"I do yes." T'Pol nods, Trip holds out the hair tie and hair brush to T'Pol and Elizabeth turns around so her back is facing T'Pol.

"Not too tight." Elizabeth warns as T'Pol begins to brush out and separate her hair. T'Pol works quickly and ties the long braid off at the end a couple of minutes later.

"There, finished." T'Pol says, Elizabeth has started to doze off but jerks awake.

"Thank you." She mutters, laying back down and pulling the blankets up. "Daddy it's cold…" She mutters before falling asleep.

Trip stands up and looks at T'Pol. "I uh – I'm gonna go get her another blanket, sit with her a minute?"

"Certainly." T'Pol says, sitting back in her chair. She hadn't expected Elizabeth's request but it leaves her with a strange feeling in her stomach, hope. Hope that Elizabeth will get over this, hope that she can be a real mother again and hope that she and Trip can work something out for Elizabeth's benefit. She reaches over and picks up the Kirshara, disappearing into Surak's words and trying to distract herself from the other nagging feeling – worry.