Everything In Its Own Time

by mochachill

Years after Enterprise, two old friends meet for dinner. (C.J.)

Title: Everything In Its Own Time
McCool21 (C.J.)
PG-13
Tu/S
Summary: Years after Enterprise, two old friends meet for dinner.

Disclaimer: Enterprise is the property of Paramount. This was written for recreational purposes; no profit made!
Beta read by Susan217, whose specialty is encouragement. Thanks, woman!

****

Light flashed briefly, illuminating the soggy sky before it faded back to a dingy gray. The pavement and wooden sidewalks were slick with water, while the pervasive sand that spilled up from the beach, creeping into the crevices of everything, was quickly being beaten into a tattered pattern. Rain thudded a staccato tempo against the awning over his head, dribbling down into the collars of the few people still scurrying about.

Trip Tucker leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. He was pressed far back enough from the edge of the sidewalk that only the occasional drop splashed back up against his bare calves and ankles. To him the rain was a welcome break to the oppressive Florida heat that usually took hold during the afternoon. He didn't even mind waiting in weather like this—he enjoyed watching the rain.

Beside him, voices drifted out of the large open windows of the establishment that he was leaning against. Teenage boys bickered back and forth as they sat inside eating ice cream and waiting for the rain to pass. Trip smiled, thinking of himself and his brother sitting in their place, having the same basic argument—not so long ago.

His smile widened when a transport pulled up on the street before him. He caught an image of dark hair as the woman inside leaned over the front seat, offering her payment. Next she threw open the door, bag in hand, and ran at him in a mad dash. He pushed himself off the wall, wishing briefly for an umbrella—but by then she was under the safety of the awning. Head down so that her long hair protected her face from the rain, she nearly ran headlong into him. Laughing, he managed to catch her shoulders. She tossed her hair back in surprise and smiled broadly.

"Trip!" She threw her free arm around his neck, soaking his white T-shirt and khaki shorts with her own sopping clothes.

He didn't mind. Pulling back, he planted a kiss on top of the damp hair and grinned at her.

"Hey, Hoshi." He reached for her bag as he said, "How was the trip?"

She allowed him to take the bag, using both hands now to smooth her hair out of her face. While she answered him, she produced a band from the pocket of her own tan shorts and secured her hair in a ponytail. "Fine. Wet," she added, making him chuckle. She reached out a hand, giving his arm a squeeze. "Wow, it's good to see you. It seems like it's been forever…"

"Almost two years," he provided. He smiled down at her. "An' I can't believe we let it go so long. Hey, you hungry? I was thinkin' we could grab a table at this great little place around the corner—it's open air, but we'll be under a roof. Beachfront."

"Sounds good." She wrung out the hem of her red T-shirt and tucked her arm through his. He led her around the corner, down a short sidewalk lined with various touristy shops. As they walked, lightning occasionally flickered against the pane of rainfall.

"So how've ya been?" he asked. "And what brings you to Pensacola? I'd like to know who t' thank."

She laughed. "Thank me, or yourself, since you're the reason I'm here. Actually, I was at a conference in New Orleans, which is practically next door…it's just been so long since any of us got together. I decided to call you."

"I'm glad ya did." She shivered and he slipped a companionable arm around her shoulders. He was surprised to find her skin was warm through the T-shirt. Close-up, she smelled like…vanilla? He smiled. Yeah, vanilla.

They came to the host stand at the edge of the outdoor restaurant. A waitress, a tiny blond teenager in shorts, smiled and led them to a table at the edge of the platform along the beach. The ocean was only a few meters away, the rain turning it a bleak gray that blended with the sky. Trip tucked Hoshi's bag under the table and they sat. The waitress took their drink orders and left.

Trip studied Hoshi, smiling brightly at him from across the table. "Man," he said, grinning. "I can't believe you're here."

She laughed. "I know. So, how are you? How's Natalie?"

Trip's smile dimmed and he glanced out at the water before answering. "Actually…I wouldn't know. Nat and I aren't together anymore."

"Oh." Hoshi looked startled—she had attended their wedding, after all. But her eyes showed concern. "I'm sorry, Trip. You seemed so…happy at the wedding."

Trip smirked a little, embarrassed now. "Yeah. I was. But that's not always enough, I guess." He shrugged, leaning forward with his elbows on the table. "We just kinda jumped into it…the first day I came home to visit after Enterprise, we ran into each other. We were both looking to be in love…get married, start having a family. I'd only been back for four months when we got married." Hoshi nodded; she remembered. Trip thought of how she had hesitated when he'd invited her to the wedding…but she hadn't criticized, only accepted and wished him happiness.

The waitress came over, interrupting him. She placed bottles of beer in front of them and took their orders. Trip chatted with her for a few minutes—his sister had once babysat for the girl. Damn, that made him feel old. Finally, she moved on and Trip grabbed a swig of his beer.

Leaning back in her chair, Hoshi waited for him to continue. She didn't touch her drink yet.

"Anyway, six months into it, we realized it wasn't going to work. We parted on pretty good terms, though," Trip finished, knowing that he sounded a bit wistful. Funny how such a huge event in his life could be summed up in so few words.

"I'm sorry, Trip," Hoshi said simply.

"Eh." He held the beer up in a mock toast before taking another drink. "Everything worked out for the best. What about you? Last I heard, you were gettin' married."

Now Hoshi reached for the beer, sipping lightly before she grinned at him. Over the bottle, her cheeks flushed a little. "Yeah, I was. And then I didn't."

"Oh?" Trip grinned. "Do tell."

She hesitated.

"C'mon, I spilled my guts. What happened?"

"Honestly?"

"No, lie to me. Of course honestly."

She sat forward. Now they were both resting their elbows on the table, giving each other their undivided attention. "I really thought he was the guy for me. He was smart, handsome, for the most part pretty kind. And one day we were at dinner with some friends of ours and he was going on and on about something—I can't even remember what now. Right in the middle of it, though, I looked at him, and I thought 'I can't do it.' Period."

Trip chuckled.

"We went home that night and he went to bed and I stayed up all night, just thinking…maybe it's cold feet or whatever…maybe it'll pass." She took another swig of beer. "By the time he got up the next morning, I was mostly packed."

In the middle of taking a drink, Trip snickered, nearly pouring the beer down his front. While he wiped his chin, he grinned at Hoshi. "So that was that, huh?"

She laughed. "That was that."

Trip held up his glass. "To true love."

Hoshi clinked her glass to his. "To true love."

They each took a drink. Once they swallowed, they laughed again. Trip settled back against his chair.

"Well, we might both be lousy at relationships, but I can't complain right now. Brought us here, huh?"

"Damn right," Hoshi said, causing him to chuckle. They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes, looking out onto the beach. The rain was still falling steadily, making for an interesting concert in combination with the sound of the waves. It was starting to get dark; behind Hoshi, a band was setting up for the dinner crowd.

"Speaking of bad at relationships," Trip finally said, "have you heard from Malcolm?"

Hoshi made a face at his joke. "Actually, I have. And he's getting married."

"What? I've only been in Pensacola for four months. When did that happen?"

"They've been together for four years, Trip. It's not like it's such a huge surprise." Hoshi smiled at him. "And I think it's about time he realized what he has."

"Julia's great," Trip conceded. "I'm just shocked that Malcolm was able to get his head out of his ass long enough to realize it." He softened the remark with a wink. "No, but seriously, I'm glad for him. He deserves it. When's the wedding?"

"Next time the Orion is in dock. The perils of marrying a Starship Captain. But when Julia called to tell me about it, she was pretty excited."

Trip suddenly sat up straight, looking at Hoshi intensely.

"What?" she said apprehensively.

"You realize what this means, don't ya?"

At her questioning look, he announced, "It means that of the entire Enterprise Senior Bridge Crew, you and I are the only two losers left."

Hoshi laughed, leaning forward to slap at his shoulder. "Speak for yourself, Tucker."

"I'm just sayin'…Travis, John, now Malcolm…hell, even T'Pol found Mr. Right."

Amidst their laughter, the waitress stopped by, dropping plates of fries and hamburgers in front of them. She also gave them each a fresh beer. Hoshi munched a fry while Trip drowned everything in ketchup. For a while they kept up a steady banter about their old friends, juxtaposing it with sardonic remarks about their own love lives. The band finally started up in the background, playing soft, island-sounding music.

When their plates sat mostly empty in front of them, Hoshi sighed. "That was great. I was starving."

Across from her, Trip watched her watching the water. More than a decade had passed since they had first met on Enterprise. For her part, Hoshi looked almost the same; her skin didn't reflect the years at all. If anything, she looked better. But then, he liked to think that he still looked pretty good for a guy who was aging faster than he liked. A few more laugh lines around the eyes, and he'd been wearing his hair longer during his leave of absence. Otherwise, he imagined the two of them looked a lot like they did when they sat together in the Mess Hall during that first year. Back then, he'd thought Hoshi was pretty but young. Now…

She abruptly looked back at him, smiling when she caught him staring. "What are you doing here, Trip?" she asked him softly.

He shrugged. "Look at this place. Even when it's raining, how could you not want to be here?"

"No, Trip. I mean, what are you doing here? Truly?"

He glanced over, signaling to the waitress for two more beers. "Truly? I don't know. I just…well, I've been on the fast track since I was in junior high, basically. Advanced courses, all designed to get me where I wanted to go—Starfleet. And I did it. I was the Chief Engineer on the first deep-space mission at 32 years of age." He smiled. "You know what I mean. You were what, 23 when we got started?"

"24."

"Right. Well, I worked my ass off non-stop for thirty years. And yeah, I had fun—I loved every second of it. Well. Maybe not every second."

They both smiled, thinking of near misses.

"I'm tired, Hosh. I want to stop and smell the roses, so to speak. I tried to cram it all in…a career, a family…and it didn't work. I even lost track of my friends." He nodded towards her. "I've done the career. I decided to take some time off, come home, figure out where I want to go next. I took a leave of absence and here I am." He smirked. "My mom was thrilled."

"Are you happy?"

"Happier than I have been in a long time. I'll get tired of doing nothing eventually. But not quite yet."

The waitress interrupted again by bringing them the two beers. At Trip's request, she also dropped off the check. Waving away Hoshi's hands, he studied it and dropped a number of bills on the table.

"The rain stopped," he commented. "C'mon. Let's take these beers to go, walk out on the boardwalk."

He stood and held out a hand. When she placed her warm hand in his, he pulled her to her feet. "Hang on a sec." Grabbing her bag, Trip approached the bar, weaving through the growing crowd. After speaking to the bartender briefly, he handed over the bag and returned to her. "Tony's a friend of mine. He'll keep an eye on your things til we come back."

Picking up their beers, he handed one to her. The two of them walked out of the restaurant. The boardwalk started just a few meters from the entrance. As they crossed the small amount of beach to the walkway, Hoshi took his hand. When he glanced at her, surprised, she smiled enigmatically and looked ahead towards the ocean.

They climbed a small incline, feet thumping hollowly against the damp boards. As they reached the top and started the long walk out over the water, Trip was surprised at the feeling of warmth and contentment spreading through him. He wondered briefly if he'd had a few too many beers. Looking over at Hoshi, her ponytail lifting in the damp breeze, he knew it was more than alcohol causing that feeling.

"Your turn."

She seemed surprised by his words. "What?"

"Tell me what's going on with you. I take it you're still runnin' all over Earth and the galaxy?"

She nodded, swigging beer. "Teaching keeps me busy. When you're the best, you're in high demand."

He chuckled. "I know what you mean. But you still like it?"

She was quiet.

"Hoshi?"

They were about halfway out now, the only two people on the walkway. Hoshi stopped walking. She turned to lean her arms on the rail, watching the waves and the boat lights in the distance. The walk was only faintly lit, but it was enough that he could see her face. She looked thoughtful.

"I love my work. But…I guess I really know what you mean about missing something. I travel two-thirds of the year, and when I'm home, my schedule at the University is packed. Brazil is beautiful, but I barely see it."

Resting against the rail beside her, he was silent, listening to her soft voice on top of the waves that lapped against the boardwalk legs.

"Yesterday I was going over my itinerary and I realized I had two extra days before I had to be back in Brazil." She turned to meet his eyes. "And I thought of you. I called you up, signed out of the hotel…and here I am."

"I'm glad," he said.

"Me too." She looked away, almost shyly. "It's wonderful here."

"Yeah." He followed her gaze out onto the Gulf again. "When I'm here, I have a hard time rememberin' why I ever leave."

Hoshi returned his smile and leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder. The wind kicked up a bit, causing her to shiver. He realized that her clothes were still a bit damp. Reflexively, he put an arm around her shoulders, wrapping her tighter against him. "Cold?"

She shook her head. "Not now."

Trip only paid partial attention to what she said. He was conscious of the warmth spreading to his body from hers. His skin tingled. An…unexpected thought occurred to him. He glanced at her. Leaning down the way he was, their heads were almost level. Feeling him turn his head, she rounded her face to him. Their eyes met. In her expression, he could see that she was having unexpected thoughts of her own.

"Hoshi?" he said, his uncertainty reflected in his voice.

She shifted, turning her back to the rail. The movement forced him to stand, but he didn't remove his arm entirely. He settled his hand on her shoulder, keeping them close together. She watched his face. "Yes?"

He set his bottle on the rail next to hers. "Why don't you stay? You said you've got two days, right?"

"I don't know…how's your Mom going to feel about that?" she teased him, attempting to lighten the mood.

But she still had the expression in her eyes. She felt soft against him. The corner of his mouth lifted a little. "She'd love it. But it doesn't really matter; I've got my own house."

"Oh." She bit her lip, searching his face. "When you say stay…do you mean…?"

Trip brushed his fingers through the strands of hair that were blowing around her face. He leaned down, and touched his lips to hers very lightly, holding the kiss for a moment while he experienced what her lips felt like against his. Warm and smooth, welcoming.

He leaned back. She had closed her eyes, too, and they fluttered open slowly. "I see," she said quietly. She touched her fingers lightly to her mouth.

Trip started to feel nervous. It was quickly becoming very important to him that he convince her. "Hoshi…"

She stood on tiptoe, pulling his mouth back down to hers. This time she kissed him, much less cautiously. He wrapped her up tight against him, feeling how small she felt against him…thinking what a perfect fit it was.

When she released him, they smiled at each other.

"Show me that house of yours," she said, and the relief made him feel a little weak.

****

The new day promised to be as bright as any Florida day, all threat of rain gone during the night. Sitting in his screened back porch, watching the sunrise touching on the waves, Trip thought of the night before. The rain had come back, accompanied by flashes of lightning and lazy thunder. They had barely noticed until almost dawn…images of lightning illuminating skin, of soft sighs mixed with thunder rolls caused his body to respond again. He shifted in the deck swing, trying to position the shorts he was wearing more comfortably. As he settled again, he picked up his coffee cup, careful not to spill it on his bare chest, and sipped.

"Good morning." A sleep scratched voice caught his attention and he turned his head. Hoshi stood in the open doorway. She'd managed to dig out his old blue cotton robe—she could've gotten two of her in there. When he looked at her, she smiled nervously and started rolling up the sleeves.

"Mornin'," Trip said softly. He returned the smile. She responded to the welcome in his voice by letting out a breath that she'd apparently been holding. Trip lifted his arm, and she took him up on the invitation, crossing the porch to settle against him on the swing. She tucked her feet up beside her.

As she leaned into him, Trip kissed the side of her neck and tugged lightly at strands of her hair. "Coffee?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I'll make some tea in…" She stopped at the little sound he made. "No tea?" she asked.

He shook his head, making a regretful face. "Sorry. Never touch the stuff."

She grimaced a little and smiled, "Coffee it is then. But I'll get it later."

"Did ya sleep ok? I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No. Not exactly anyway. I just sort of…missed you. I know it sounds funny…it's not like I'm used to…"

"Hosh." She stopped. "It's ok."

She sighed happily and rested her head back against his shoulder. "Yeah, I guess it is."

They sat and watched the sun finish rising, the elevated house allowing a distant view. Trip rocked them lightly in the swing. Hoshi still smelled like vanilla, only mixed with the aftershave that clung to the robe. Gradually, he became aware of her steady breathing and realized that she had fallen asleep. He stopped rocking and carefully slipped out from under her, laying her down on the swing. He stood for a minute, watching her sleep, thinking that she was beautiful.

Finally, he went back into the house, heading into the little kitchen, where he rinsed out his coffee cup. Looking out of the window over the sink, he stretched, admitting that he was starting to feel the effects of the night himself. Walking to the bedroom, he flopped belly down onto the bed. His pillow smelled like vanilla.

In a few minutes, he was dozing. Just before he fell into a deep sleep, another weight tipped the mattress slightly. He smiled as a warm body curled into his, a small arm settling onto his back. At ease, Trip went to sleep.

****
Trip slammed through the front door of the old house, carrying several bags. "Hoshi?"

Getting no reply, he moved through the living room to the kitchen and dumped the bags on the counter.

"Hoshi?!" he called again, while he rooted through the bags for the perishables and stuck them in the fridge. That task complete, he went back through the living room to the porch. Late afternoon sunlight had turned the beaches snowy-white. He scanned the beach below. There were a number of people on the beach, wading through the water and finishing up sand castles before the sun went down. As he reached the door, he looked down and spotted Hoshi sitting at the bottom of the steps leading from the porch to the sand. Smiling, Trip trotted down the steps.

She turned around, smiling as he reached her and settled beside her on the wooden step. She was wearing one of his white T-shirts over the red bikini she'd bought the day before. In her hands was a half-eaten orange.

"You're back."

"Yep," he replied, gladly accepting the kiss she offered. Sticky and orange-flavored.

She held out an orange slice; he ate it out of her hand. After he'd swallowed the juicy piece of fruit, he said, "I got tea. Plus dinner stuff—I was thinkin' we could eat in tonight. I've never cooked for you." He paused. "Unless you count the rations I heated when…"

"I don't," she said, wrinkling her nose.

He laughed. "Fine. Well, you're in for a treat."

Hoshi smiled. She smoothed the fingers of one hand across his cheek and into his hair. "Thanks."

"For…?"

"Asking me to stay. Giving me two days of just living and breathing, with no running. For two days of you." She touched her lips to his again. Trip brought his hand up, holding her in the kiss for a few minutes, deepening it.

"I should be thankin' you," he said when they came up for air.

She grinned. "Fine, let's call it even."

He chuckled. "Deal." He sat back, resting his elbows on a step behind him, and turned his face towards the water. "What time is the transport coming?"

Hoshi sighed, tilting her body against his, resting her head on his shoulder. "Seven a.m." She made a frustrated sound. "I dread it."

"Too early?"

"Yes," she said softly. Knowing she didn't mean the hour, Trip looked down at her. She leaned back from him so that she could see his expression.

He scanned her face. "I want you to stay, Hoshi."

Her eyes widened in surprise, cresting with tears. "Oh, Trip." She put her hands on either side of his face, kissing him. "I really wanted you to say that."

The terror he'd felt just before saying it receded, replaced by relief and elation. He kissed her back. "So you'll stay?"

"No," she said, shaking her head and pulling the world right back out from under him. "I can't. But I wanted you to ask—to know that you want me to stay as much as I want to."

Frustration gave his voice an edge. "Hoshi, I think you're makin' a mistake. You'll be walkin' away from something great, heading right back to where you don't want t' be anymore."

"I have classes. It's the middle of the semester…"

"So what? Get somebody else to cover for you."

"This isn't easy for me you know. I'm trying to do the right thing," she snapped.

"An' I'm tryin' to tell you what the right thing is. Stay here. Stay with me…see where this is goin'," Trip insisted. A part of his mind knew he was pushing too hard—unfortunately, that part had never had much influence on him.

"Can't you at least try to see where I'm coming from? I've made a lot of promises."

"Right." Trip's jaw clenched and he looked away. "And you sure haven't made any t' me."

Hoshi growled in irritation and pushed off of the steps. Back stiff, she stomped down the beach.

Trip watched her go for all of ten seconds. "Shit." He scrambled after her. "Hoshi! Hoshi, wait up!"

She stopped but didn't turn around. When he caught up and came around to face her, he found tears were starting to fall. "Aw, crap. I'm sorry, Hosh. Don't cry."

She rubbed angrily at the tears, glaring at him. "You know, you don't get to tell me what to do anymore. I'm not in Starfleet."

"You're right. I…"

"So I'll damn well cry if I want to."

That stopped Trip short. Despite the situation, he had to laugh. "Ok."

Hoshi tried to remain angry, but faced with his affectionate smile, she laughed, brushing away the last of the tears. "Trip, I don't want to leave you. I could…just give me a few months. I'll take next semester off and come back after finals."

"How long until then?"

"Two and a half months."

"Two and a half months? Hosh, a lot can happen in that much time. By then, Starfleet's gonna be after me to make a decision about goin' back." Trip shook his head. "I'm sorry. I can't promise to wait that long."

"You can't wait for two months? After all that talk about…promises…and…and…this being something great…I can't believe you!"

Trip rubbed his chin thoughtfully, and talked right over her tirade. "Yeah, I know you. All that time by yourself, you'll start overthinkin' the whole thing. Talk yourself right out of it, prob'ly." He sighed. "I guess the only thing to do is for me to come to Brazil."

He peered down at her nervously, waiting for her reaction. It came fast. She punched him in the left shoulder as hard as she could.

"Ooowww." He did a little dance, rubbing at the offended skin. "What the hell?"

Hoshi folded her arms around him. "You scared me to death." Keeping one arm around his waist, she used her other hand to rub his shoulder. "Are you serious? You're coming to Brazil?"

Having greatly exaggerated his pain, Trip caught her hand and held it to his mouth, kissing the fingers. "If you want me to."

Hoshi leaned up and kissed him passionately, wrapping herself into him and tasting until they were both breathing hard. "I want you to. I really, really want you to."

"I guess we'd better head back then; I've got some packing to do." But first Trip indulged himself, kissing her again. His mind was racing with the sudden new direction his life had taken since Hoshi climbed out of that transport. The slow motion pace that he'd been plodding at for the last few months had suddenly picked up speed with a vengeance. Only now he had a destination, and Trip Tucker was always in a hurry to get to his destination. He faced the changes eagerly.

"C'mon." Taking her hand, he led her back to the steps and up to the house. Inside, they surveyed the cluttered bedroom. Despite Hoshi's natural inclination toward neatness, they hadn't paid much attention to housekeeping in the past few days. Clothes were strewn around the room; the pillows on the bed still held the impressions of their heads. The sheets were snarled at the foot of the bed.

"Um…where do we start?" Hoshi asked, grinning at the chaos before them.

"Ah, I'll just grab some things. I'm not that picky. I'll have to call my brother and ask him to close up the house…" As he talked, Trip went to the closet and dug out a suitcase. He tossed it onto the bed. From a dresser, he started removing items of clothing, throwing them into the open bag. "I guess the same clothes would work for Brazil as here…"

He turned from the dresser, intending to go back to the closet. Hoshi was standing in the doorway, resting against the frame with her arms crossed. She was watching him with a preoccupied expression that included a small smile. Trip paused.

"What?"

The smile widened. "Nothing. I was just taking a mental picture."

"Oh yeah?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Because right at this moment, I am absolutely happy. I want to make sure I don't forget this feeling. Ever."

The emotion pooling in Trip's stomach immediately spread through his whole body. "I think maybe we're gonna have a lot of moments like this, Hosh."

She just kept smiling at him.

"But now that you mention it, maybe we should be paying a little more attention." Trip turned back to the bed. With one hand, he flipped the bag off the bed, dumping it and its contents onto the floor.

Hoshi gave a surprised laugh, repeating it when Trip grabbed her around the waist and swung her over onto the bed.

"Plenty of time for packing," he assured her. The contact with her warm skin through the T-shirt had his body pulsing.

"Mmm," she said between kisses. "Maybe we can delay that transport for a few hours…what's one more day?"

"Now you're thinkin'," he answered against her neck.

**

Sounds of the jungle, birdcalls and animal chatter, drifted through the open window of the bungalow. Kneeling on the dark ceramic floor, Trip sealed the packing container in front of him. He looked around the kitchen with satisfaction. Each of the light-colored cabinets stood open and empty. He could check this room off of his to-do list.

Hoshi padded into the kitchen barefoot, wearing a loose white shirt and gray shorts. "It's hot in here," she said crossly, lifting her hair off of her neck. "You're letting out all of the cool air."

Trip grinned. "I know. But it's not so bad now that it's getting dark out. I like the way it sounds."

"Right." Hoshi walked over and slammed the window shut. Trip laughed. She grinned over at him, happy now.

"All done?" she said. Rooting around in an unsealed box, she produced two glasses. Next she took a pitcher from the fridge and poured out two lemonades.

"Yep. You?" She nodded as she poured and he smiled. "We're just about finished, then."

He stood and walked over to the counter. After landing a kiss on her lips, he grabbed his glass and drank heartily. He jumped back, grimacing, after his enthusiasm caused the lemonade to spill down the front of his blue T-shirt. "Aw, dammit…"

Hoshi snickered. Setting her glass down, she handed him a dishtowel. "I haven't packed all of your shirts yet…" Hoshi's voice faded as she walked out of the kitchen in search of a shirt for him. He was just mopping at the mess when a chime alerted them that a call was coming through.

"Can you get that?" Hoshi called. Frowning down at his front, Trip wandered over to a desk at the far end of the kitchen. Dropping into a chair, he pushed a button. The screen filled with Malcolm Reed's image.

Malcolm looked a bit startled and Trip saw him glance down, as if to check if he'd made a mistake. But the Captain recovered quickly, smiling at Trip. "Trip! It's been a long time. How are you?"

"Great! Better'n great, maybe. I didn't even know the Orion was in dock; how long you been back?"

"About two days," Malcolm replied. He smiled. "I was going to start contacting everyone sooner, but it had been so long since I saw Julia…"

Trip grinned. "I understand. Glad you fine'ly got around to it. So what's up?"

"Actually, I was calling to speak with Hoshi…among other things, to find out if she knew where you were. I suppose this has saved me a call." Malcolm looked at him inquiringly. "I don't know if you heard, but Julia and I are going to be married."

Trip nodded. "I heard."

"Oh." Malcolm smiled nervously. "Well, I'm going to be in dock for one month, and Julia and I are trying to get the wedding put together as quickly as possible. I was hoping that you might be available to be my best man."

Trip was touched. "Of course, Malcolm. I wouldn't miss it."

"Excellent." Malcolm beamed. His apparent nervousness faded some. "Is Hoshi around?" Trip could see that he was trying desperately to conceal his curiosity. And he was almost succeeding.

Trip kept his face straight. "Yeah, hang on. Hosh! It's Malcolm."

"Coming!" Her voice drifted up from the back of the house.

"She's on her way," he told Malcolm, even though he'd undoubtedly heard.

Malcolm nodded. Trip could see the inner debate before inquisitiveness won out. "So Trip, what have you been up to? Why aren't you in San Francisco?"

"I took a leave of absence for a year to sort some stuff out. Actually, your timin' is perfect. I'm heading back this week; I've decided to resume my post at Starfleet Command. Oh, wait, I hear her comin'."

Trip pulled himself out of the chair as Hoshi entered the room. She tossed him a red T-shirt, which he caught, and she hurried over to the desk. As she settled into the chair, her shirt tightened across her stomach. Trip watched Malcolm's face. When it slacked with surprise, Trip laughed outright.

"Malcolm! When did you get back?" Hoshi asked happily.

"Um…just a few days ago…how are you, Hoshi?"

"Never better," Hoshi said simply. She smiled as her hand rubbed lightly at the slight mound of her stomach. The shirt she wore still mostly concealed her condition, except for when she made certain movements.

As his mind slowly caught up with his initial shock, Malcolm grinned. "So I see. It seems I've been gone longer than I realized."

"Not so long," Hoshi answered. Her smile was a touch smug. "We haven't exactly wasted any time."

Trip, in the process of changing shirts, called, "No time to waste when you're gettin' as old as us."

Hoshi snorted and picked up Trip's discarded dishtowel. Without turning, she hurled the wadded towel at him. Trip laughed and drug a spare kitchen chair over beside her. Settling down, he kissed her cheek loudly.

Malcolm watched them with a mixture of amusement and bewilderment. "So…the two of you…"

"Yes. The two of us. I guess we're the first people you've spoken with from the old crew?" Hoshi said, smiling. She gave Trip a mushy look. He knew the way he was looking at her was equally goofy, but he couldn't work up the interest to care.

Malcolm shook his head. "I'm sorry…I'm just a bit startled."

Trip grinned. "Don't feel too bad. You're taking it better than Jon did."

Hoshi giggled. Turning back to Malcolm, she asked, "How are the wedding plans coming?"

"Not too badly, I think…"

"Is Julia there?" Hoshi interrupted.

Malcolm looked surprised. "Um, yes. Shall I call her?"

"Yes! I've got some things to show her…I have the cutest idea for wedding favors…Just a minute." Hoshi hopped back up and ran into the next room.

Trip and Malcolm stared at each other before breaking into chuckles. As they settled back down, Malcolm's gaze changed. "Are you happy, Trip?"

"Absolutely happy," Trip said. And meant it.

"I'm glad for you both, then."

Trip smiled. Privately he wondered how he could have let so much time pass since he spoke to Malcolm. "Right back at ya."

Hoshi burst back into the kitchen, arms full of material and other oddities. She stopped short when she caught sight of the two men. "Where's Julia?"

"Right. I'll fetch her." Malcolm looked back at Trip. "It's been too long. Let's not let that happen again."

Trip smiled and nodded at his old friend. "I'll see you in San Francisco, Malcolm."

****

Turquoise light danced along the stucco walls and the cement deck. It would have been quiet except for the occasional thunder roll and the sound of rain slapping lightly against pavement and water. Beyond the pool, past the bars that housed the collapsible transparent walls, the night was misty black.

Trip sprawled in a lounge chair below the under hang of the roof, which ran the length of two sides of the pool. He unbuttoned his dress shirt, letting it hang open while he enjoyed the cool air. His jacket lay in another chair nearby. He was making a conscious decision not to see the various bottles, glasses and plates that were scattered on tables and the ground. Once he noticed them, he might have to face cleaning them up.

He sighed, resting his head against the chaise, and thought lazily of the evening he'd just had. Behind him, he heard the doors leading from the kitchen to the pool open.

"The boys asleep?" he asked, without raising his head.

"Mmm-hmm."

Hoshi moved into his line of vision. She was still wearing her black party dress, but she had kicked off the fancy, heeled sandals she'd worn all evening. She smiled down at him, and he returned the expression.

"You look beat, babe." He held out his hand. She accepted it, settling herself between his legs and leaning back against him. She stretched her legs out alongside his. Her perfume smelled exotic—and comfortably familiar.

"So do you." She watched the rain spatter the pool water. "I didn't even know it was raining. Why didn't you close up?"

He shrugged. "I like watching the rain. Always reminds me of that night you came to see me in Pensacola."

"Mmm. That was a good night." He couldn't see her face, but he could hear her smile. "But tonight was a good night too. I can't believe they all made it. Even T'Pol and Phlox this time."

"I can't believe how many kids we've managed to have between all of us. This place was a zoo. I swear Travis has a new one ev'ry time we see him."

Hoshi laughed. "Charlie and Raidon loved it. They're crazy about Henry."

"They're together here or at Jon's every day anyway."

Hoshi ignored the comment. "And I think Charlotte has her eye on Raidon."

Trip snorted. "Don't tell Malcolm. I think it'll be a while before he can face that." He paused. "Be a while before I'm ready for it."

Hoshi chuckled. "Well, I think you're safe for a few more years." She sighed. "Anyway, I had a wonderful time. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Happy birthday, Hoshi."

They were silent for a while, Trip enjoying the solid feel of his wife against his body. Finally, Hoshi said, "I guess I should get started on cleaning up." She made a half-hearted attempt to rise, which Trip easily halted. He tugged her back against him, wrapping his arms around her middle.

"I think it'll wait til tomorrow. It's still your birthday. The guys and I'll get it tomorrow."

Hoshi turned enough to steal a kiss. "An offer I won't refuse. Maybe instead I'll go take a bath."

"That sounds like a better plan."

"Candles…soft music…bubbles." She wiggled out of his grasp, standing and stretching languidly. She leaned down to kiss him again, this time a lingering kiss with warm lips. Pulling back, she whispered, "Care to join me?"

Trip smiled, running his hand up the outside of her leg as she stood up straight. "Oh yeah. Just give me a couple of minutes."

"Ok." She started to walk away, back into the house.

"Hoshi?"

She was out of sight again, but he heard her stop and turn back. "Yes?"

"I love you."

"Love you, too."

Her answer came casually, with a certain accustomed air. But it was also genuine. He smiled, listening to her open the door and go back inside. He sat for a few minutes, watching the pool light shimmer.

He occasionally missed seeing the ocean from his back porch. But the water from the pool was close enough, when he considered the life that he was getting in exchange for giving up an ocean view. And he could still see the stars, most nights.

Trip Tucker had found his place in the world.

Trip smiled and stretched. Climbing out of the lounge, he peered up at the sky. Sure enough, there was a patch of stars, peeking through the clouds. He thought of the days when he'd lived up there, seeing the stars outside of his window every day and night. Working with people who would matter so much to him…especially one person.

He thought about warm water, bubbles, and exotic perfume. The hell with this. Stars'll be there tomorrow. With a grin, Trip walked back into the house.