Author's Note: Please see previous notes. Anything in italics is a bond conversation.

So, I didn't get into a course I need...which means my whole schedule is thrown off. I'm bummed. I had plans that now all have to be changed. I know it's not a HUGE deal, but it's just crummy. So, my bad mood continues and instead of taking it out on my other WIPs, I'm doing some one-shots. This one may turn into more if you like it.

Also, J Morningstar wrote me a story to cheer me up-how awesome is that! Take a look! s/13258992/1/What-s-eating-you

Let me know what you think!

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T'Pol watched him across the park with his son. It was a busy day, so she blended with the many others that were enjoying a sunny Saturday with friends and family. Except, she was alone.

Trip lifted the four year-old up into the air and the child burst into a fit of giggles and Trip cracked a huge smile.

He had met with the social worker on his own, they had met with her together, but visits with Dylan were with him alone. He was Dylan's father and she just his partner. The social worker thought it best to start with only Trip before bringing a Vulcan partner into the picture. The fact that she was Vulcan was also a sticking point.

It was Trip's first excursion with his son. Prior to this, all visits had been supervised and mainly indoors. He had been nervous all morning, hoping it would go well when it was just the two of them and, so far, all seemed well.

They had only learned about Dylan recently. Trip hadn't known he'd had a son until 33 days ago and now it was almost all they talked about. Dylan was the gift that was changing everything in their lives.

Dylan was the result of a sexual encounter he had almost five years ago with Shelley Fairlawn. Shelley had worked with him as a Warp Core Specialist on a project he'd been hand picked to supervise. They got along, were friends, worked well together, and one night, slept together.

She had been the only woman he'd slept with since he and T'Pol split seven months prior and he regretted his decision in the morning. Apparently, Shelley had been understanding and supportive when he said he couldn't continue with a relationship. T'Pol even met Ms. Fairlawn a month later afer she and Trip got back together and she stopped by his work so they could go to lunch. T'Pol couldn't help but be jealous of Shelley's past with Trip but noted that the woman seemed to have little interest in her mate. Soon afterwards, Shelley transferred to a project in Asia and they didn't see or hear from her again. And she had not felt the need to tell Trip about his son until her will was read. Dylan Tucker Fairlawn was the result of the one encounter, on the one night. The encounter that caused Trip to come back to her. The result of that encounter was now their greatest gift and was also their greatest issue.

Because of their bond, T'Pol knew about Trip's sexual encounter right away. But him appearing at her apartment the next day was a surprise. He asked if they could try again. She was hurt, and he knew it. Despite the fact that they weren't together, it still didn't make it easier that he'd slept with someone else. But, they tried again. And it was better than before. Now, after five years and eight days together, she couldn't imagine her life without Trip.

Ms. Fairlawn died in a workplace accident six weeks ago. In her will, she had named Trip Tucker as the father to her son and awarded him custody. With several government agencies involved, a workplace death investigation, a legal order to access Trip's DNA stored at Starfleet, and a confirmation of parentage, they were finally contacted. Dylan had been under the care of social services and they would remain his legal guardians until Trip was deemed competent to care for the son he didn't know existed.

"How are you doing darlin?" Trip asked her through their bond.

T'Pol, surprised when she saw him looking right at her across the park, shifted on her bench.

"I knew you couldn't stay away," Trip chuckled.

"I wanted to see him," T'Pol confessed. "A picture is not the same, and you two seem to be interacting well."

"He's a card," Trip said.

She watched him follow the little boy with blonde hair to the swings and place him on a plastic elephant that Trip pushed.

"I shouldn't be here, social services…"

"I spoke with them about that today," Trip said. "I filed an appeal."

"Trip, you shouldn't…"

"You and I are a pair," Trip said clearly. "I'm sick of bending to their…"

"You are risking losing your son," T'Pol said forcefully.

"I'm not losing you either," Trip said with some force. "Let's not argue."

T'Pol sighed. She couldn't imagine her life without him, but Social Services was not as welcoming of their non-traditional marital status and mixed species relationship. She would be moving out tomorrow; they wouldn't release Dylan to Trip otherwise. They were told it was temporary, but there was something intrinsically permanent about it in some undefinable capacity.

T'Pol got up from her bench and started to walk back toward their home. The home that had been theirs for four and a half years; she needed to pack.

"T'Pol…" Trip called out to her.

"I'll see you after your visit with Dylan," T'Pol said calmly. "Let's not argue. Hoshi is expecting me tomorrow."

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