Awaking in the darkness Jonathan Archer knew he was alone. His mind had
been expecting T'Pol to leave but his heart still cried out. Quickly he
dressed and silently returned to his own quarters. Showered and in a fresh
uniform Jon stepped off the turbolift onto the bridge thirty minutes later.
At her station completely unemotional stood T'Pol. Instinctively his eyes
sought hers, her eyes which he had learned to read through all T'Pol's
control, eyes that had only hours before been utterly feral and open were
shuttered and Jon knew the walls separating them were higher than they had
ever been before.
Trip saw the pain flash in Jon's eyes as he looked at T'Pol. As he looked even Trip could tell that T'Pol was even more separated from them than she had ever been before, And that separation was hurting Jon.
As the interminable hours of the shift passed Jonathan Archer found his eyes drawn again and again to T'Pol, hoping for some sign from her. When the shift was finally over Jon found himself alone in the turbolift with Trip. Jon leaned against the turbolift wall.
"Computer, Halt turbolift." called Trip. The look in his eyes communicating exactly what he wanted to talk to Jon about.
"Not here!" Jon hissed through his teeth with a negative shake of his head and called, "Computer, Resume turbolift."
Not another word was spoken as the turbolift doors swooshed open and Jonathan Archer strode quickly down the corridor. He didn't look back, he knew without looking that half a step behind him Trip was following. He knew that Trip could tell something was wrong, and Jon knew he would tell Trip if he asked. And the look Trip had given him was definitely asking.
In Jon's quarter Trip sat in a chair across from the bunk facing where Jon sat looking resigned. Finally after what felt like hours but in reality was only a few minutes Jon took a deep breath.
"Let me say what I have to say. No interruption, okay," He spoke with a serious tone, his eyes locked with Trip's. Trip nodded his agreement to the condition and Jon continued. "T'Pol wasn't sick. It seems that story about Vulcans mating once every seven years is partially true. Every seven years Vulcan's go through something called 'Pon Farr'. Their body goes into hormonal overdrive, creating an imbalance that kills them if they don't mate." He looked up from his hands realizing he had been staring at them as he spoke. As he looked at Trip he hoped his friend could put the pieces together.
Trip blinked and tried to swallow his mouth suddenly dry. He knew he had to ask, had to make sure he hadn't misunderstood. "Jon. Your sayin' ya mated wi' T'Pol, right?"
Jonathan Archer's only response was an affirmative nod.
"I've thought for awhile ya loved her." Trip didn't know what to say. "But I'm here to talk if you need too."
"Trip, I've had her, she is mine. She's the other half of my soul. Every cell in my body is screaming at me to do something to bind her to me forever. I want something, anything, to make it so she has to be with me 'til death do us part'. And that need is scaring the hell out of me."
Trip saw the pain flash in Jon's eyes as he looked at T'Pol. As he looked even Trip could tell that T'Pol was even more separated from them than she had ever been before, And that separation was hurting Jon.
As the interminable hours of the shift passed Jonathan Archer found his eyes drawn again and again to T'Pol, hoping for some sign from her. When the shift was finally over Jon found himself alone in the turbolift with Trip. Jon leaned against the turbolift wall.
"Computer, Halt turbolift." called Trip. The look in his eyes communicating exactly what he wanted to talk to Jon about.
"Not here!" Jon hissed through his teeth with a negative shake of his head and called, "Computer, Resume turbolift."
Not another word was spoken as the turbolift doors swooshed open and Jonathan Archer strode quickly down the corridor. He didn't look back, he knew without looking that half a step behind him Trip was following. He knew that Trip could tell something was wrong, and Jon knew he would tell Trip if he asked. And the look Trip had given him was definitely asking.
In Jon's quarter Trip sat in a chair across from the bunk facing where Jon sat looking resigned. Finally after what felt like hours but in reality was only a few minutes Jon took a deep breath.
"Let me say what I have to say. No interruption, okay," He spoke with a serious tone, his eyes locked with Trip's. Trip nodded his agreement to the condition and Jon continued. "T'Pol wasn't sick. It seems that story about Vulcans mating once every seven years is partially true. Every seven years Vulcan's go through something called 'Pon Farr'. Their body goes into hormonal overdrive, creating an imbalance that kills them if they don't mate." He looked up from his hands realizing he had been staring at them as he spoke. As he looked at Trip he hoped his friend could put the pieces together.
Trip blinked and tried to swallow his mouth suddenly dry. He knew he had to ask, had to make sure he hadn't misunderstood. "Jon. Your sayin' ya mated wi' T'Pol, right?"
Jonathan Archer's only response was an affirmative nod.
"I've thought for awhile ya loved her." Trip didn't know what to say. "But I'm here to talk if you need too."
"Trip, I've had her, she is mine. She's the other half of my soul. Every cell in my body is screaming at me to do something to bind her to me forever. I want something, anything, to make it so she has to be with me 'til death do us part'. And that need is scaring the hell out of me."