Title: Cause and Effect

Author: Josephine

Rating: R

Genre: Romance/General

Pairing: T'Pol/Archer, Hoshi/Trip, Reed/Cutler

Summary: Archer helps T'Pol with a problem; her situation has a domino effect.

Notes: I got my Vulcan phases and words from . Thanks, Chris! All mistakes with syntax are my own. My apologizes for taking so long.

Disclaimer: Paramount owns the Trek dance hall; I like to call the steps once in awhile.

Chapter Five

Archer stepped out of the bridge lift, covering his mouth to hide a yawn.

"Morning, Captain!" Mayweather's eternally cheerful voice made Archer wince.

"Morning, Ensign." Archer replied, also nodding to Luer at communications and Thompson at science.

"Rough night, Sir?" Reed's voice was respectful, but Archer could see a quirk to his grin.

"You might say that. How was your night?"

"The gym was just what I needed." The grin got wider.

"Was it, indeed?" Archer murmured, taking a sip of the coffee waiting by his chair.

----------

Hoshi slowly became aware of the pillow under her head and the sheets around her body. With a small groan she started to swing her legs over the side of the bunk, only to hit her knee on something. She opened one eye to see a gray metal bulkhead. :::What is that doing on this side of the bed?:::

Memories of last night came rushing back as Hoshi rolled over see Tucker's cabin. She saw a note on the desk with her name; opening it she read: 'H - I haven't left, I'll be back with breakfast.'

"Mornin', darlin'." Hoshi gasped as the door opened to let Tucker in. She scrambled for the sheet, trying to cover herself.

Tucker grinned, setting the breakfast tray on the desk. "How're you feelin'?"

"Fine," Hoshi replied, as he sat at the foot of the bunk.

He placed a kiss on her nose. "You look deliciously rumpled."

"My hair must be a mess. I usually braid it before I go to bed," blurting out the first thing that came to mind; putting up a self-conscious hand.

"Let me brush it for you." Tucker got up, coming back with a small case he had carried in with the tray. "I went to your cabin and got a few things." He moved behind her on the bunk, pulling her toward him and starting in on the tangles.

Hoshi just sat there, lost in thought. The gentle tugging of the brush through the snarls brought her back.

"You got breakfast?"

"Yep. Pancakes, bacon, and grits."

"And you went to my cabin?"

"Uh huh. Got a change of clothes, some other stuff ---"

Hoshi twisted around to look at Tucker. "Why are you doing this?"

"What do you mean?"

"This - all of this --. Breakfast, my clothes, brushing my hair --."

Tucker looked at her for a moment. "I realize that we kinda jumped head first into this; there wasn't much time for courtin', not with our hormones goin' wild. I thought you might appreciate some of the nicer things in life right 'bout now. 'Specially since I think those hormones are still running wild."

Sighing, Hoshi turned back around. "I'm sorry I was suspicious -"

"Don't be. This is new for both of us." Tucker picked up the brush; soon the tangles were gone, but he kept smoothing out her hair. "I didn't realize it was so long," he murmured.

"It's my one vanity," Hoshi said in a soft voice. The slow strokes of the brush were sensually hypnotic, relaxing her posture so she leaned back against Tucker. She rubbed her hands along the sides of his thighs; the sheet slid down her, unnoticed.

"I can think of more," Tucker said, putting his arms around her waist; kissing her shoulder, moving up to her ear. "A lot more -"

----------

Archer was eating lunch when the now familiar surges of desire and need started rapidly building. :::Better nip it in the bud before she rips off more than just my shorts.:::

"Archer to the Bridge."

"Reed here, Sir."

"I'm going to be busy for awhile, I don't want to be disturbed."

"Aye, Captain. Will do."

Archer was prepared for the gravity shelf this time, but the heat was going to take some getting used to. He peered through the dim light in the cabin, finding T'Pol in front of the flame pot.

"Moi kima,1 T'Pol."

"Good afternoon, Jonathan."

Archer came in and sat next to her. "How are you feeling?"

"The fever has abated somewhat, but it is far from over. I will need you again soon."

"I know. I felt it building, so I came early."

T'Pol met his eyes. "That is - interesting. I did not know you felt the connection so strongly."

"Yeah, well, I'm full of surprises." Archer cleared his throat and shifted.

:::Jonathan:::

Archer looked up, but T'Pol had closed her eyes again. He got comfortable and closed his own eyes.

:::Wani ra tako itisha.2:::

:::Wani ra Yana Yakana futisha ro faitorshinai."3

Archer took a moment to work his way through the tangle of different verbs and articles.

::: Wani ra kotai Yakana ro konusha.4 I've been boning up.:::

:::Why?:::

The question threw Archer. :::Why?::: With the link he knew he had to be honest.

:::I have a Vulcan Science Officer. While I'm still suspicious of the Vulcan High Council, I realize that I can't judge all Vulcans by their actions. And although they assigned you to us, this - relationship - we have has made me understand you a little bit. Learning your language might help me understand more:::

:::I see.:::

Archer wondered if she did, since he himself wasn't quite sure of his motivations. He could hear T'Pol's breathing getting shallower and more rapid. Thinking of another time when he felt at peace, Archer sent a memory of camping with his Dad, watching the sparks from the fire float up into the night sky, pretending they became the stars.

:::Always the stars, Jonathan.:::

:::I suppose so. Don't know why --:::

:::I have learned there does not always need to be a reason why.:::

Archer heard the rustle of T'Pol's robes as she slipped them off and stood up.

:::Come, Jonathan. I cannot control these desires for you any longer.:::

----------

Cutler was staring out a window, eating lunch, when out of the corner of her eye she saw someone was standing beside her. Looking up, she found it was Reed.

"May I join you?"

"Of course." Cutler cleared the various odds and ends left over from her meal. "What can I do for you?"

Reed removed his lunch from the tray, neatly arranging everything on the table before looking at her.

"I'd like to see you again."

"Are you asking me out on a date, or back to your room?"

"Last night was - immensely gratifying, but I'd like to do this right. We're too good of friends for a one-night stand, or even a series of them." He bit into his sandwich.

Cutler grinned at him. "Thanks. I was hoping you'd say that, although I would have taken the one-night stands."

Reed looked at her for a moment, then grinned back.

----------

Mayweather hopped out of the Captain's chair as Archer stepped off the lift. "Enjoy your lunch, Sir?"

"Yes, thank you, Ensign. Anything happen while I was gone?"

"No, just the usual."

"A few communiqués from Starfleet came in Captain, I sent them to the ready room terminal." Ensign Luer looked like he thought Archer was going to bite his head off.

"Ah, paperwork. No matter where you go, there it is. I'll be pushing a stylus around for a few hours, gentlemen." Archer looked up as Reed came out of the lift. "Mister Reed, you have the comm." The ready room doors slid shut after Archer.

"See, I told you he wasn't so bad," Mayweather whispered to Luer.

----------

Hoshi put down her book and nudged Tucker. "I need some activity. I feel restless."

"Some activity, huh?" Tucker put down his technical manual and leered at her. "I can think of something we can do -." He reached for her leg.

"That comes later!" She swatted the book at him. "I meant a run, or handball, or something. I've got energy to burn."

"All right, darlin'. Let me change and we'll go to your cabin."

"I'll go now and meet you at the gym." Hoshi got up to leave but Tucker's voice called out.

"I want you with me." Hoshi started to say something, but he stopped her. "I know the reason why I'm feelin' this way, but that doesn't mean I can just let you go. Right now, if you left without me, all I would be thinkin' of is that there are fifty-two men out there and they're gunnin' after my girl. My girl. Now a small part of me knows that's not true, but there's a bigger part of me that believes it. Please, humor me?"

Hoshi just looked at him a minute. "All right. For now. I think we both need to get out of this cabin; you might need the exercise and 'fresh' air more than I do."

"You got that right, darlin'."

----------

Archer rubbed his eyes. Four hours of paperwork had given him a headache. He kept hoping that something would come up and he'd be called back to the bridge, but after the third time of Reed telling him that everything was fine, and no, they didn't need him, he gave up. Captains had an image to maintain after all, he told himself.

His growling stomach finally made him get up. Archer reached out for T'Pol, but didn't sense a lot. Figuring she was asleep, he decided not to bother her. Coming out of the ready room he saw it was later than he thought; Beta shift had already started.

"Good morning, Captain."

"Swinson." Archer nodded to the Lieutenant Commander and the rest of the Beta crew as he left.

Wandering into the mess hall he took note of who was eating with whom. :::Reed and Cutler. I wonder if that's why he was so chipper this morning. Vignerot and Alexander -- ::: Archer noticed the two men sitting at a table in the corner, heads together, talking and laughing. :::Hope that relationship doesn't cause anyone to act stupid, you'd think in this day and age --:::

Not finding anyone to eat with, he went into the wardroom and sat down.

"Just yourself tonight, Captain?" the crewman asked.

Archer sighed. "I think I'll eat in my cabin. Bring it up when it's ready, and have Chef add something special for Porthos." He got up and left.

Reaching his cabin, Archer threw himself down on the buck, scratching Porthos behind the ears when the dog jumped up on him.

"Just you and me tonight, kid. We'll take a walk later. Would you like that? We can throw a ball around the shuttle bay." Porthos' tail started thumping the bed.

----------

Hoshi and Tucker ate dinner in his cabin in silence.

"You didn't have to beat Thompson so badly at racquetball," she finally said.

"He was comin' on to you."

"What has that got to do with beating him in all three games by at least 10 points?"

Tucker looked at her. "He was challenging me for you, just like Reed did. He thought if he beat me at something physical, you'd pick him over me."

Hoshi just stared at him. "That's silly."

"As soon as we walked in the gym he came right over, even though I was standin' next to you. He kept askin' if you needed a spotter; if you wanted a partner for racquetball, he had an extra racquet if you didn't have one; a stretchin' class was just starting, he could join you for that, or maybe you wanted to -"

"You're right." She put down her fork and pushed her plate away. "I had hoped that nonsense would have been over with by now."

Tucker cleared the table, reassuring her. "It will be soon. Thompson was the only one who was makin' an ass of himself. Before long it'll be back to normal."

Hoshi sighed dramatically. "Then no one will want me anymore." A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she put a hand to her forehead.

A slight frown was on Tucker's face as he turned around, which turned into a lewd grin as he saw her play-acting. "Oh, I think there might be someone who will take you in, my pretty." He crept toward her. "I'll even let you keep the old homestead."

Giggling, Hoshi ran to the other side of the cabin. "Oh, won't anyone help me?"

Tucker swiftly caught up to her and swung her into his arms. "You're mine now, my sweet."

He tossed her on the bunk, still giggling. "All mine -." Tucker started to take off his shirt.

"Only if you can catch me," Hoshi retorted, shrieking as she slipped past him.

1 Good afternoon. 2 I am here. 3 I did not know you spoke Vulcan. 4 I understand a little Vulcan.