Author's Note: We have come to the end of this story. It has been a wonderful ride- at least for me. With everything that's going on in the world right now, I needed a place to retreat to and just have a bit of fun. Writing this story provided that much needed escapism for me, and I hope it did for you as well.
Thanks once again to all you lovely readers! Much thanks to everyone who took the time to write a review. A special thanks to my beta reader, LoyaulteMeLie. She never hesitates to help me out whenever I ask for assistance. If you haven't already, check out some of her stories as she is a wonderful writer and storyteller.
Now, here it is, the last and final chapter in this saga. Hope you enjoy!
Conclusion
Six weeks passed.
Trip had gotten used to being home with T'Pol and Xyan. They were now preparing to move to Jupiter station full time. It was bittersweet as they started this new chapter in their lives, because once again he was leaving V'Lyn behind.
This was their last night on Vulcan so V'Lyn was there for one last visit. Now she and Trip sat outside in the garden.
"I can't get over how much you've grown," he said. "After a while, you'll be tall as me."
"You always say that," she smiled. She'd come on exponentially since being back among her own people. Every time she visited, he was amazed by how much better she was talking, how much more self-assured she was. And even though it wasn't physically possible for her to have grown all that much in the time, she just seemed taller as well as smarter every time he saw her.
He smiled back at her. "You're doing so well, learnin' so much. But I always knew you were really smart sweetheart. I'm so proud of you."
V'Lyn laughed. "T'Varra says I have a sharp mind. That it just needed to be trained and disciplined."
His smile became a little strained at that. He knew the child was learning more than just the Vulcan way of talking: the Vulcan way of life, how to suppress her emotions, how to meditate. Almost certainly she'd be expected to become a vegetarian. He was just concerned that one day she wouldn't be able to express herself as freely as she did now. To him, on one level, that was sad; but she was a Vulcan, it would be natural to her in a way it could never have been to him.
"T'Varra is a good person," he finally replied. "She wants nothing but the best for you. But listen honey, I don't know when I'll be able to get back for a visit. Things are starting to heat up with Starfleet and I'm gonna be really busy, but I'll call you as often as I can." He reached over to smooth her hair back, though it hardly needed it as it was brushed into perfect shining order.
"But, before I go, I have something I wanna give you," he continued.
He then reached in his pocket and pulled out a box, which he opened to show her the contents. It contained a miniature IDIC, which was actually a locket that he had had made for her- just like the one T'Pol had given him. Inside was a picture of him and a picture of her. The inscription on the back simply said 'Love'.
V'Lyn gasped. "It's beautiful!" she said clasping her hands together.
"Here, let me put it on you," he said. The child lifted her hair and turned around, letting him put the necklace on her and clasping it to settle it in place.
"I'll never take it off," she said, and hugged him. Trip couldn't help notice again, and with a pang, how well she spoke now.
"I just don't want you to forget about me," he said lightly, touching her on the nose.
"Tr…ip!" she said. "Don't be silly. I could never forget you!" Then she laughed. "I love you hella much!"
He looked at her, his brow furrowed. "'Hella much'?"
"Hella means to the extreme!" she explained gaily. "The most extreme possible!"
He laughed at that, glad that her memories were untainted enough for her to joke about it. From others, Hella had demanded a far higher price.
"I have something for you too," she said. Then, reaching for a portfolio she had with her, she handed him a picture from inside it.
When he'd checked on her progress from time to time, T'Varra had told him that V'Lyn had a high IQ and was a gifted artist. The picture she had drawn was testament to that. It consisted of six frames, the first showing a child with long, dark, wild hair, crawling as a man led her on a leash. The next frame showed a man in a blue jumpsuit, fighting with the man and a large wolf-like creature, and eventually taking her away from them both. The next depicted him fighting with her to give her a bath. There was a frame showing him teaching her how to stand up straight. The next showed him combing her hair and showing her herself in a mirror, and lastly, them hugging.
For a minute he couldn't speak. He couldn't believe this six year-old-child had drawn this elaborate description of their journey together, and done it so well.
He finally looked up at her with tears in his eyes. "I… I don't know what to say sweetheart, this is beyond beautiful!" he said, pulling her in for a hug. "Thank you, thank you so much!"
Then she did something that completely caught him off guard. It was something that he had done when he had first brought her home with him. At first, they hadn't been able to communicate because of language barriers and the fact that no one had ever taught her how to talk. So he'd communicated by a series of hand gestures similar to signing, and speaking to her very slowly and precisely so she could learn the words. He'd performed the ritual with her every night at bedtime and every morning before breakfast, long after she'd been able to understand and use the words herself.
V'Lyn pointed at him and said, "Trip love V'Lyn," covering her heart with both her hands.
"V'Lyn love Trip," she continued, repeating the gesture.
But then she changed the words, inserting her own to complete the gesture.
"Trip saved V'Lyn," she stated.
"V'Lyn never forget Trip." Then she hesitated, in a way that brought an even bigger lump into his throat.
"Trip V'Lyn's daddy – always," she whispered, and then tears rolled down her cheeks.
He pulled her into another embrace, but that didn't feel nearly adequate, so he picked up and sat her on his lap. She laid her head on his chest, the way she had done so many nights on Hella.
"I'm sad you're leaving," V'Lyn said. "But I'm happy at the same time because I know we are bonded in a very special way. Are you happy, Trip?" she asked, looking up at him.
"Hella much!" he said looking down at her. Then they sat quietly together, for a long time.
V'Lyn eventually went inside to say goodbye to her little brother. T'Pol then came out to join Trip in the garden.
"How's Xyan?" Trip asked.
"He's sleeping. But I told V'Lyn she could peek in on him."
"Look at this," Trip said, showing his wife V'Lyn's gift.
"She is quite an artist." T'Pol stated after examining the drawing.
"And you're quite a woman," he said. Then pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"You are my T'hy'la," she said looking down at him.
"Are you sure you're okay with leaving your home behind, again?" he asked. "Seems like you're always sayin' goodbye to this place."
T'Pol looked around for a moment. "It is only a structure," she said. "And though I have fond memories of it, my home is where ever you are Trip."
He pulled her closer to him. "Have I told you today, how beautiful, sexy, intelligent and awesome you are?" he asked with a big smile.
"No- but you may proceed," she said without missing a beat. He laughed.
He just loved her sense of humor.
=/\=
Liz's Place.
Baby Sherrie was home with her parents. Malcolm had practically moved into Liz's place when they'd first brought the baby home; however awkward it felt, it just made sense. It takes a lot to care for a newborn, especially one who doesn't sleep through the night yet, but is wide awake and hungry every two hours. So, Malcolm had stayed over so Liz could get some sleep and rest. Obviously he couldn't help out with the feeding, but he did the nappy changes (he and Liz argued over whether they were nappies or diapers, but then they argued over a lot of things) and the bathing and the walking around carrying the baby till she fell back to sleep again and they could all snatch some rest. Then, just when he thought things were settling down there was the colic and a couple of diaper rashes, which had him castigating himself for not looking after her properly. But like all new parents, they found their rhythm eventually.
They had been thrown together under extreme and traumatic circumstances, but they had worked through most of those issues. Liz still sometimes had nightmares, and if the truth be told, so did he occasionally. But at least they had done the 'bloody counselling thing', as Malcolm referred to it. They'd even done some sessions together, though these had been deeply uncomfortable and stirred up a lot of things he'd rather have left safely buried.
They had spent a lot of time together alone on Hella and they did talk a lot. They had shared lot during those long, cold nights there. They had also spent a lot of time together over the last few months of her pregnancy, taking birthing and parenting classes and shopping for things for the baby. Although he'd complained, he actually enjoyed these activities more than he cared to admit. His life might have taken a direction he'd never expected it to, but it was tremendously rewarding – especially when Sherrie herself put in an appearance.
Now, they were practically living together and for all intents and purposes they were a couple. Having given it some deep thought and contemplation, and after consulting his relationship advisor (Trip – the only person with whom he would ever have discussed anything so personal), Malcolm finally knew what he wanted.
He loved Liz and he was going to do something about it.
Liz had taken Sherrie to a nearby park for a while, just to get out of the house, and he'd suggested that on the way she could pay a visit to the nearby medical centre just to get the baby's regular check-up – it would be quiet just before the place closed. That gave him enough time to put his plan into action. He had bought wine, candles and flowers, and he was going to cook a romantic dinner; and if all went well, as he hoped it might (having planned and prepared with all the care proper to the Tactical Officer of Starfleet's flagship) then he'd just… pop the question!
It was all perfectly organised, he thought smugly.
But then he under-cooked the potatoes, over-cooked the salmon and had a small fire in the kitchen (in fairness, it was hardly 'a fire'; one of the wires in a plug on a borrowed baby monitor shorted, producing the smell of burning he'd tracked down like a bloodhound even before the fire alarm could sound. He'd been promising himself to buy their own for ages, so this would give him just the incentive he needed). In the commotion, however, he'd knocked over the rather expensive bottle of wine he had purchased and it shattered to pieces on the floor.
Frustrated beyond expression, and using words more appropriate to his old life as a Section operative rather than the prim officer the crew of Enterprise would have recognised, he'd had just enough time to clean up his mess and order take-out before Liz returned.
When she got through the door, she seemed excited. "Guess what," she said. "I forgot to tell you this morning, Trip and T'Pol are in town! They've just arrived from Vulcan and decided to stop in on their way to Jupiter Station! So, I invited them over! They'll be here at seven! Isn't that great?"
"What!" Malcolm exclaimed, seeing still more of his carefully-laid schemes slipping from his grip. "Trip and T'Pol, coming over!"
"Well, yeah," Liz said, taking the baby out of the stroller as she slept and taking her into her room to put her down for her nap. "We haven't seen them in months and I wanna meet Xyan and they wanna meet Sherrie."
"But you didn't tell me you'd invited guests over!"
"Guests! It's Trip and T'Pol Malcolm, they're hardly guests. They're our friends! They're coming over."
"Fine then! Just fine!" He was trying not to sulk. He was trying really, really hard…
"You know, you can be just so friggin'…odd sometimes," she said.
"Me, odd!" he replied with a glare, and they were just about to trade barbs when the door bell rang.
"What now?" It was said more in resignation than anything else as he went to open the door.
It was Phlox, accompanied by Travis Mayweather.
"Commander," Travis said. "It's good to see you, man!" and he pulled the Brit in for a hug that was immensely embarrassing.
"Hello Mr. Reed," Phlox beamed, though fortunately he displayed no inclination to hug people.
"Travis! Phlox!" Liz shouted and ran to the door. She threw her arms around Travis' neck and he lifted her off the floor in a hug that wasn't awkward at all. Then she hugged Phlox.
Malcolm was getting really pissed off by this time. It wasn't that he didn't like having visitors, but all this hugging was out of order, and as for when he was going to get the chance to propose…
"Come in, come in!" Liz, on the contrary, was obviously quite delighted to see them.
"I told you I would come by and check on you when I got back from Denobula," Phlox said to her. "Mr. Mayweather was good enough to give me a ride to the surface."
"I hope you don't mind," Travis said, grinning. "We're not intruding or anything, are we?"
"Of course not!" Liz said beaming as she ushered them to seats. "Just a regular old night!"
"Not at all. If you can just excuse me a minute…" Malcolm fled into the dining room, where he bundled candles, plates, cutlery and all into the holdall he retrieved from a cupboard and rammed the lot back into it. There wasn't anything he could do about the flowers, but he dumped them on the windowsill and if Liz noticed them he could say he'd ordered them in for a surprise when she got back. They'd come in such a pretty arrangement it had been a shame to undo it and risk spoiling it, so he could say he'd just rammed it into the vase so they didn't get thirsty.
His desperate clean up had hardly taken a minute or two, and he was soon back in the lounge where the other three were chatting ten to the dozen. Of course, a lot of it was about Sherrie. Liz even let the visitors peek in on the sleeping baby. Malcolm was polite and joined in the conversation, but despite basking in the compliments for his beautiful little daughter, inwardly he was irritated. His big night had been completely ruined.
Then Trip and T'Pol arrived, with Xyan in a stroller, so Liz ordered pizza and set out cookies and beer. (Malcolm immediately had to rush to the bathroom to cancel his own order from earlier on, wearing his temper still further) It was the first time they'd seen Xyan in the flesh. He was a fine boy, with solemn blue eyes and blonde hair, and (of course) Vulcan ears.
The next thing he knew, someone had called Jon and Hoshi; and the next thing he knew after that, they were walking through the door as well, with flowers and a couple of wine bottles. Entirely without his knowledge or consent, it had become a party. But what happened shortly after they arrived was what really floored Malcolm.
The doorbell rang. Half expecting Lieutenant Hess or someone else from the ship to have suddenly suffered the irresistible urge to ruin his plans as well, Malcolm went resignedly to the door.
He could barely believe his eyes. It wasn't Hess; it was his mother and father. They hadn't exactly parted on the best of terms when he'd left home a few months ago; but now they were here.
"It was a surprise!" Liz beamed, coming up beside him, now with Sherrie in her arms. "Your mother called me and said they desperately wanted to come for a visit, so naturally I said yes!"
"Yes of course, naturally," Malcolm said, knowing he sounded stilted and awkward; and he stood back as Liz ushered them inside and his mother got her first look at Sherrie, now getting awake and getting a cuddle from Trip.
"Oh, c'mon Malcolm," she whispered, elbowing him on the arm as she passed him. "They came all the way here to meet me and Sherrie. How can you be mad at that?"
"I'm not angry," he answered, and it was the truth; he hardly knew what he was, but 'angry' wasn't the word. "Surprised, that's all, really surprised. It's just that…that I wanted us to be alone tonight. I wanted to ask you something."
"Well go ahead, ask," Liz said and popped a cookie into her mouth.
"I wanted to ask you… I thought we might…I want to get…"
"Oh, she is a beautiful baby," Mrs. Reed interrupted as she approached the couple. "She is absolutely wonderful!"
Mr. Reed was right behind her, carrying Sherrie and jiggling her gently up and down. Malcolm couldn't believe what he was seeing. His father, playing with the baby he'd condemned him for conceiving 'out of wedlock'!
"I'm pleased to meet you both at last, Elizabeth," he began. "And this little one, she's quite perfect you know. Good, solid Reed stock. And you my dear," he said to Liz, "are quite lovely yourself."
"Thank you sir," the young woman blushed.
"Call me Dad," he continued, much to Malcolm's shock.
"'Dad'!" he repeated, looking at the man who must have lost his mind on the flight across the ocean.
"Sure, Dad," Liz said, glancing at her lover naughtily.
"And call me Mum," his mother added. Then she hugged Liz, who hugged her back.
"You have a fine family," Mr. Reed said to his son, without apparent irony. "You've done well."
Malcolm almost had to pick his jaw up from the floor. Had his father actually said something nice to him? "Thank you," he mumbled. There had been far too much tainted water gone under the bridge for either of them to hug each other, but a truce was more than he'd looked for; and if that meant an improvement in family amity, he was more than willing to keep it.
As the evening went on and everyone continued enjoying themselves, he became more and more frustrated as he couldn't get Liz alone for one moment.
Seizing his chance when Xyan and Sherrie were lying side by side facing each other on a blanket on the hearthrug, and clearly fascinated with each other, he finally took her by the arm and dragged her into the kitchen.
"What's so urgent?" she asked indignantly. "I'm having fun! Can't this wait?"
He glared at her. "You never told me we were having a bloody party!"
"Look, what the hell is wrong with you? I'm having a good time; everybody is having a good time! Everybody but you, that is! Why can't you just relax and enjoy it!"
"All I wanted was a quiet evening alone with you… I told you I had something important to ask you."
"Okay Malcolm." She heaved a sigh and placed her hands on her hips. "What is this thing that's so important that you wanna ask me? Spit it out and we'll deal with it, and then maybe you'll quit acting like a bear with a sore head."
"I…can't do it now, not like this!"
"Spill it!" she demanded. And he was about to, but then someone put on some music. Loud, cheesy music.
That was the last straw. He rushed into the living room and switched off the music, disregarding their guests' startled looks.
"Malcolm!" Liz had followed him out and spoke indignantly. "You're being rude! Turn the music back on!"
"No! I told you I had something to discuss with you, but I can't get you alone for two bloody minutes!"
"And I told you to just friggin' say whatever is sooo important because I wanna spend some more time with our friends and family!"
Everyone just looked back and forwards, much as if they were watching a tennis match.
"Uh…maybe we should leave," Trip said, starting to rise.
"Sit down!" both Liz and Malcolm said together. Trip obeyed quietly.
"Okay Malcolm Reed! Say it! Whatever it is, just say your little speech and get it over with!"
"It's not a speech!" he said, as Liz stood there with her arms folded across her chest. "Silly me, I just thought we might get married, that's all. I want to get married, and I wanted to ask you if you did too! I have a ring and everything!" he said, yanking the little box from his pocket.
Throwing it across the room at her probably wasn't a good idea, but after this evening he was tempted. God, he was so tempted…
Liz stood there stunned a moment. "Well, yeah,' she finally said as the others looked on. "Of course, I'll marry you." Then she smiled and ran over and threw her arms around him and kissed him right in front of everybody. A few moments later, he slipped the ring on to her finger and they kissed again.
"Well now it's an engagement party!" Jon said rising with his glass. They all followed in a toast to the happy couple.
Later.
Trip and Malcolm stood out on the balcony talking.
"You know, it'll be a year in a couple of weeks," Trip said. "Since we crashed on Hella. Have you thought about it?'
"Yes, as a matter of fact I have," Malcolm replied. "It's hard to believe isn't it? We actually survived and made it off that hell-hole."
"And look at us now." His friend smiled. "Look at you! Got a beautiful baby girl and getting married! I'm really happy for you, Mal."
"Thanks!" he said. "I suppose now I have to work out what to do about my career. Everyone else seems to have that sorted out. You've all found the best situation for yourselves. I'm just not sure I want to be gallivanting around out in space on the front line of some war now that I've got a family."
Trip leaned against the rail of the balcony. "Well, Commander," he drawled. "Now that I know how you feel, I have a proposition for you."
"A proposition?"
"Yeah! Why don't you come and work with me on Jupiter Station? I need a First Officer and the station needs a top-notch security chief, especially when we start workin' on the fleet. The station will even have its own ship- for protection and patrol purposes, so I doubt if it'll ever get boring. You can either move up to the station or come back to Earth every night. Whichever you prefer."
"Jupiter Station, huh?" Malcolm said, contemplating what he had just been told. "I'll have to say it does sound appealing."
"Well what're you waitin' on? Let's make it happen," Trip grinned. Then his voice took on a more serious note. "Look Mal, it's not like you're givin' up on your dreams. We both know you're on a fast track to captain and that won't change. But if you want to be able to be close to your family so you can spend valuable time with 'em and take care of 'em – protect 'em – this may just work for you. At least for a year, maybe a little longer. Eventually, we both may have to get back out there, get front and center if this war goes on a while. But in the meantime, I'm gonna take what I can get – and that's as much time with my family as possible. What'll you say?"
Malcolm smiled. "I'd say, you've got yourself a First Officer, Captain Tucker."
"Wonderful!" Trip put out a hand, and they shook on the deal.
Suddenly Liz stuck her head out of the balcony door. "You two gonna stay out here forever, or you gonna come back in and join the party?"
"Be there in a moment love," Malcolm said. Then he turned back to Trip, who grinned at him in a way that took him back years, almost to the 'good old days' when Enterprise was fresh out of Spacedock. And his new captain's words were surprisingly apposite, showing that their minds were – as they so often had been – working along very similar lines.
"Come by the station in a couple of days and we'll get your transfer papers signed. It's gonna be like old times! You and me back together again!"
"Oh God," Malcolm said. "What have I done?"
Trip just slapped him on the back and followed him back inside.
He heard Sherrie starting to whimper a little – she'd had a feed and gone back to sleep, but was restless for just a minute until he talked to her soothingly and settled her down again. A few moments later he quietly re-joined the party.
He sat in a chair in the far corner of the room and just watched everyone for a moment.
He still couldn't believe his parents were there, in his home, and his father was actually playing nice.
The entire original bridge crew of Enterprise was together again, quite possibly for the last time. (Someone really ought to get a picture before they all left). The captain that he respected and admired, was now Commodore Archer; would likely make Admiral before too long.
Travis, the ever upbeat, optimist kid who had been the ship's helmsman for five years – he'd done some fancy flying to get them out of many a dangerous situation. He certainly wasn't a kid anymore.
Phlox, the most annoying, weirdest doctor in the galaxy, but quite possible the best.
T'Pol, who had really become a part of the crew over time, and a trusted friend.
Hoshi, whom he had once loved – and lost. The pain of that still woke sometimes, especially when he saw her laughing and happy and seemingly without a care in the world. But she did seem to be really happy, though she and Jon denied anything was going on between them; and maybe it wasn't, especially noting his behavior whenever Erika Hernandez was around. But perhaps, after all, everything had worked out for the best.
And, of course Trip, his unlikely and steadfast friend and confidant, who had been through quite a few of his own tragedies over the years, but he was still standing, and standing pretty tall at that.
Lastly there was Elizabeth Cutler.
Until Hella, he would have never, ever, seen any prospect of he and Liz getting together. Yet here they were: parents and – at some point in the near future (as a captain, Trip had the authority to carry out the ceremony, and was already inked in to do the honors) – husband and wife.
He looked down and smiled a bit at that. He was just so glad to see Liz regain most of herself back. He'd almost forgotten that she had a wicked sense of humor and kept him laughing – a lot of times at the wrong time. If their relationship was often argumentative, it didn't affect the deep affection and respect they felt for each other. She was a great mother and she was a beautiful and exciting woman. Yes, everything seemed to be falling into place; a really wonderful place too. There was a war looming – they couldn't forget that – but tonight, everything had a shine to it that was all the brighter for the darkness of the clouds beyond.
'What's this?' he said to himself and touched his face, wiping it quickly before anyone saw. Reeds don't cry. He straightened his shirt and smoothed his hair out, then sat back in his chair, still watching this wonderful scene before him.
And for the first time in a long time, absolutely everything in the world was fine.
It really and truly was.
The End.
One last thing: This wrap-up may have been a little over the top for some readers, but I'm a sucker for happy endings, especially after writing a dark story- so what can I say? And, I never, ever intended to pair Malcolm and Liz permanently. But I kinda wrote myself into a corner with the story line and didn't see how to write myself out of it. So, my apologies to die hard Malcolm and Hoshi fans (which I am one of). It just didn't feel right here. Thanks for indulging me though! Until next time! BriW