CHAPTER TWO
T'Pol nodded slighty as Phlox said," I'm just going to grab something to eat, will you be okay?"
As he exit Sickbay she looked at Trip closer and wondered if he dreamt in this state and did he know how badly hurt he was? Glancing down at the disfigured scar tissue that now covered an area of his chest, just one millimetre to the right and he would have been dead. Looking along his bare arms, her eyes falling on the needles stuck into his skin and she knew without the medical systems the Enterprise could offer, he would have died on that planet. Closing her eyes she allowed herself to remember.
..... TWO WEEKS AGO, RESCUE SHUTTLECRAFT .....
" Lieutenant Reed? Commander Tucker are you reading me?"
" Sub Commander?"
" Yes Lieutenant it is I, Hoshi recieved your SOS and the Captain has entrusted me with your retrieval."
" Follow my comm signal, you have to hurry Trip is hurt badly and I think I'm losing him."
" I understand."
Landing on the planet surface she hurried out, noting that the shuttlecraft Trip and Malcolm jad been in was ripped nearly to shreds," Lieutenant?"
" Over here."
Following the sound of his voice he found them not too far from the crash site, a small fire burning and a coughing Trip with Malcom supporting him met her gaze. T'Pol knelt down ordering," Lieutenant get a message back to the Enterprise and ready the shuttle." Malcolm nodded before rushing off. Looking at Trip, she saw a weak smile cross his lips and those eyes she was so used to seeing alive were pain filled and disorientated.
"..T'Pol...good to see..you."
" Don't talk Commander, you need your strength. I am going to see if I can stabilise you for the trip back to the Enterprise."
Trip laughed slightly before he coughed violently, blood trickling out of his mouth," Not easy..with this thing through my chest...Malcolm had to cut me free."
T'Pol tried not to look but she was aware of his chest struggling to take breaths and the blood that flowed freely, placing her hand on the side of his face gently she noted the cold sweat that drenched his face. Scanning him, she frowned at the extent of his injuries before she rummaged for a hypospray.
She looked up suddenly as Trip's hand caught her arm and his eyes cleared for one minute as he gasped," T'Pol I know I ain't in good shape but I need to..to tell you something..." T'Pol tried to calm him but he insisted on continuing," You know that night...when you told me your thoughts, I really enjoyed that and just need you to know..I.." Coughing his eyes clouded over with agony but he managed to say," I feel for you..more than I think I should.." T'Pol's eyes widened before she watched as his eyes began to close,
" Commander! Commander, stay with me!" Gasping as he looked blankly at her all the strength he had left ebbed away slowly before her own eyes, as the shuttlecraft she had piloted hovered above her she slowly passed up Trip to Malcolm and they made a speedy trip back to the Enterprise.
*************
T'Pol opened her eyes and felt a strange sensation, moving a finger to her eye she peered curiously at the wetness that covered it. Living with humans was certainly opening her up to many new things and tears were one of them. Moving her hand close to Trip she slowly stroked his hair, the doctor had said touch and talking to him might bring him round. Her thumb gently traced the bruising that tainted his face, she sighed she was so used to him arguing with her and having an opinion on anything and everything not the quiet person she saw in front of her.
Looking up as the Sickbay doors opened, she laid eyes on Ensign Hoshi," How is he?"
" Still no changes but the doctor assures me he is stable."
Hoshi smiled softly before she approached his bedside, taking his hand in hers gripping it lightly," Just came to see how he was doing, miss him you know?" T'Pol simply nodded watching as Hoshi leaned down and pressed a kiss to Trip's cheek," Come back to us Trip, I'll get back to my post. I can see he is being watched over as it is." With that she left Sickbay.
The last words of Trip kept repeating over and over in T'Pol's head," I feel for you more than I think I should." She cpuld also remember the look and tone of his voice got when he said," I guessed it, Captain Archer always did have a flair for the ladies." She should have known it was because of his personal feelings and told him the truth about who she meant that night. What was wrong with her? This wasn't what Vulcans did, they controlled everything but she just couldn't. This human had that kind of effect on her, that's why she always snapped at him so much.
Taking his cold right hand in hers she began to trace along the lines that decorated his hand, she didn't quite understand why he had this kind of affect on her but she knew it wasn't a bad thing, whispering softly," Commander, if you can hear me you have to fight. Many people still need you and want you here, I would have never admitted to this when I first joined this crew but I will miss you and I have come to feel for you."
Sighing as nothing happened and he still remained quiet and unmoving, placing down his hand she slowly took her leave of Sickbay.
LATER THAT DAY .....
Jonathan walked into Sickbay and frowned as the sight of his best friend lying like that made him feel distinctly odd. Walking over," Hey there Trip, sorry I haven't been coming to see you but well have to be there for the crew. I hear from Phlox your wounds are healing slowly and that eventhough you're not waking up, he is sure there's no brain damage. I guess the only way to kill braincells is the good ole fashioned way, alcohol." Swallowing deeply he looked down at Trip and couldn't quite believe it.
" Captain you are needed on the bridge."
Tapping his comms badge he replied," Be there in a few minutes." Squeezing Trip's shoulder," Come on hurry up and get back to us."
***********
As night fell well night time in space was always a bit debatable but Phlox liked to go on his own time he kept. Gave him a lot of time to do his work and pursue his interests but at night these days, he checked on Trip. Seeing no change he muttered," See you tomorrow morning Commander." Switching off the lights except for around Trip, Phlox left for his quarters.
A LITTLE WHILE AFTER .....
Trip opened his eyes slowly, wincing as the light seemed to burn them before he looked around. Where was he? What happened? Gasping at the dull thudding pain that pounded through his head, he struggled to sit. Looking down his eyes widened at the scarring that now had a place on his chest, flashes of that crash hit him hard. Struggling off the bed, he cried out as once his legs touched the ground they collapsed under him. Pulling off the headset and then the various needles which were stuck into his arms he looked around trying to work out where he was.
END OF CHAPTER TWO!
T'Pol nodded slighty as Phlox said," I'm just going to grab something to eat, will you be okay?"
As he exit Sickbay she looked at Trip closer and wondered if he dreamt in this state and did he know how badly hurt he was? Glancing down at the disfigured scar tissue that now covered an area of his chest, just one millimetre to the right and he would have been dead. Looking along his bare arms, her eyes falling on the needles stuck into his skin and she knew without the medical systems the Enterprise could offer, he would have died on that planet. Closing her eyes she allowed herself to remember.
..... TWO WEEKS AGO, RESCUE SHUTTLECRAFT .....
" Lieutenant Reed? Commander Tucker are you reading me?"
" Sub Commander?"
" Yes Lieutenant it is I, Hoshi recieved your SOS and the Captain has entrusted me with your retrieval."
" Follow my comm signal, you have to hurry Trip is hurt badly and I think I'm losing him."
" I understand."
Landing on the planet surface she hurried out, noting that the shuttlecraft Trip and Malcolm jad been in was ripped nearly to shreds," Lieutenant?"
" Over here."
Following the sound of his voice he found them not too far from the crash site, a small fire burning and a coughing Trip with Malcom supporting him met her gaze. T'Pol knelt down ordering," Lieutenant get a message back to the Enterprise and ready the shuttle." Malcolm nodded before rushing off. Looking at Trip, she saw a weak smile cross his lips and those eyes she was so used to seeing alive were pain filled and disorientated.
"..T'Pol...good to see..you."
" Don't talk Commander, you need your strength. I am going to see if I can stabilise you for the trip back to the Enterprise."
Trip laughed slightly before he coughed violently, blood trickling out of his mouth," Not easy..with this thing through my chest...Malcolm had to cut me free."
T'Pol tried not to look but she was aware of his chest struggling to take breaths and the blood that flowed freely, placing her hand on the side of his face gently she noted the cold sweat that drenched his face. Scanning him, she frowned at the extent of his injuries before she rummaged for a hypospray.
She looked up suddenly as Trip's hand caught her arm and his eyes cleared for one minute as he gasped," T'Pol I know I ain't in good shape but I need to..to tell you something..." T'Pol tried to calm him but he insisted on continuing," You know that night...when you told me your thoughts, I really enjoyed that and just need you to know..I.." Coughing his eyes clouded over with agony but he managed to say," I feel for you..more than I think I should.." T'Pol's eyes widened before she watched as his eyes began to close,
" Commander! Commander, stay with me!" Gasping as he looked blankly at her all the strength he had left ebbed away slowly before her own eyes, as the shuttlecraft she had piloted hovered above her she slowly passed up Trip to Malcolm and they made a speedy trip back to the Enterprise.
*************
T'Pol opened her eyes and felt a strange sensation, moving a finger to her eye she peered curiously at the wetness that covered it. Living with humans was certainly opening her up to many new things and tears were one of them. Moving her hand close to Trip she slowly stroked his hair, the doctor had said touch and talking to him might bring him round. Her thumb gently traced the bruising that tainted his face, she sighed she was so used to him arguing with her and having an opinion on anything and everything not the quiet person she saw in front of her.
Looking up as the Sickbay doors opened, she laid eyes on Ensign Hoshi," How is he?"
" Still no changes but the doctor assures me he is stable."
Hoshi smiled softly before she approached his bedside, taking his hand in hers gripping it lightly," Just came to see how he was doing, miss him you know?" T'Pol simply nodded watching as Hoshi leaned down and pressed a kiss to Trip's cheek," Come back to us Trip, I'll get back to my post. I can see he is being watched over as it is." With that she left Sickbay.
The last words of Trip kept repeating over and over in T'Pol's head," I feel for you more than I think I should." She cpuld also remember the look and tone of his voice got when he said," I guessed it, Captain Archer always did have a flair for the ladies." She should have known it was because of his personal feelings and told him the truth about who she meant that night. What was wrong with her? This wasn't what Vulcans did, they controlled everything but she just couldn't. This human had that kind of effect on her, that's why she always snapped at him so much.
Taking his cold right hand in hers she began to trace along the lines that decorated his hand, she didn't quite understand why he had this kind of affect on her but she knew it wasn't a bad thing, whispering softly," Commander, if you can hear me you have to fight. Many people still need you and want you here, I would have never admitted to this when I first joined this crew but I will miss you and I have come to feel for you."
Sighing as nothing happened and he still remained quiet and unmoving, placing down his hand she slowly took her leave of Sickbay.
LATER THAT DAY .....
Jonathan walked into Sickbay and frowned as the sight of his best friend lying like that made him feel distinctly odd. Walking over," Hey there Trip, sorry I haven't been coming to see you but well have to be there for the crew. I hear from Phlox your wounds are healing slowly and that eventhough you're not waking up, he is sure there's no brain damage. I guess the only way to kill braincells is the good ole fashioned way, alcohol." Swallowing deeply he looked down at Trip and couldn't quite believe it.
" Captain you are needed on the bridge."
Tapping his comms badge he replied," Be there in a few minutes." Squeezing Trip's shoulder," Come on hurry up and get back to us."
***********
As night fell well night time in space was always a bit debatable but Phlox liked to go on his own time he kept. Gave him a lot of time to do his work and pursue his interests but at night these days, he checked on Trip. Seeing no change he muttered," See you tomorrow morning Commander." Switching off the lights except for around Trip, Phlox left for his quarters.
A LITTLE WHILE AFTER .....
Trip opened his eyes slowly, wincing as the light seemed to burn them before he looked around. Where was he? What happened? Gasping at the dull thudding pain that pounded through his head, he struggled to sit. Looking down his eyes widened at the scarring that now had a place on his chest, flashes of that crash hit him hard. Struggling off the bed, he cried out as once his legs touched the ground they collapsed under him. Pulling off the headset and then the various needles which were stuck into his arms he looked around trying to work out where he was.
END OF CHAPTER TWO!