The home-tree didn't offer the same comfort that it had before. Hoshi stood perfectly still inside. Jon, Trip and T'Pol were in the village center, talking with Katheba. Jon had wanted to offer his gratitude for her warm treatment of his crewmembers. He talked of taking them back with him; Hoshi could only see the hurt and bewilderment in Katheba's eyes. So she left.
She waited now. When Trip's voice interrupted her thoughts, she looked over her shoulder at him with no surprise.
"Hey."
"Hi."
"So. Pretty crazy, huh? I still can't believe they're here."
She smiled faintly. "I know."
Trip crossed the room, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. Against her hair, he said, "So now what?"
She answered honestly. "I'm not sure. I know you want to go back."
"Don't you?"
"Yes. I think so. But I'm frightened. What happens to us when we get there? Where you're a Commander and I'm an Ensign? Where Malcolm is?"
"We'll deal with it, best we can. I'm not sure, but I know we can work it out."
Hoshi smiled. "Always the optimist."
"Damn right. An' have I ever been wrong?" She shook her head, and he said, "I miss my family and my friends, Hoshi. This thing with the time…we've been given a second chance. I think we gotta take it."
"It will be hard, saying goodbye." It was Trip's turn to smile, knowing that she had made up her mind. She turned to face him. "Where are Jon and T'Pol?"
Trip smirked. "I left 'em with Katheba. The huggin' was startin' up again. You shoulda seen T'Pol's face when Mila grabbed her." He and Hoshi laughed. He gave her a quick squeeze. "We better pack up and go tell everyone goodbye."
***
"Hoshi, it's time to go." At Trip's gentle nudge, Hoshi reluctantly tried to extract herself from Rissi's grasp. The little girl sobbed and wrapped herself more tightly, until her father pulled her into his own grasp. Smiling sadly at Hoshi, he stepped back, whispering comforting words to his daughter.
Most of the village had followed Trip and Hoshi to the temple to say their goodbyes at the foot of the stairs. Now, only Katheba, Mila and Tiron stood with them outside the temple doors.
While Trip spoke to his friend Tiron, Hoshi hugged Mila tightly. "I love you," she told her friend. "I will always think of you."
Mila nodded. "I love you as well. Goodbye, my friend." She turned away tearfully, finding comfort in Tiron's waiting arms.
Trip and Hoshi faced Katheba. She smiled and embraced each of them. "You will always be welcome here, friends."
Trip returned her embrace enthusiastically. "Thank you, Katheba. For everything." He glanced meaningfully at Hoshi.
She nodded and moved to Hoshi, who hugged her tightly. "Goodbye. Thank you."
With a final smile, Katheba turned and led Tiron and Mila back down the stairs. Hoshi and Trip stood together watching them go, and then scanned the landscape one last time. Trip squeezed her hand. With a sigh, she turned and followed him inside. They walked through the temple alone, hand in hand. Approaching the Sh'ron, Trip remarked, "Guess it must have worked for them."
The Captain and Subcommander had gone ahead—Jon rather grudgingly—after T'Pol pointed out that they would need to leave well ahead of Trip and Hoshi. Otherwise, given the time discrepancy, they risked interfering with one another's arrivals. Apparently, their strategy for returning had worked—they hadn't returned to the village.
Hoshi shrugged. "Are you ready?" she asked.
"Ready as I'm gonna be."
Hoshi responded by pulling out the hypospray that T'Pol had given her. Phlox had carefully designed it to alter their body chemistry just enough to reverse the Sh'ron. Trip made a face as she injected him, and then took the hypo and injected Hoshi.
They stepped into the Sh'ron together, and stood in the cramped space waiting for the hypo to take effect. Hoshi looked up at Trip with frightened eyes. "It's gonna be ok, Hosh. I promise." He kissed her softly.
His hands wrapped themselves in her hair and he pulled her head forward until their foreheads rested together. She slipped her hands up around his inside of her hair. She heard the sound—the one she had been waiting two years to hear. But she still stood, eyes closed, until strange hands reached inside the Sh'ron and pulled her out.
"Hoshi!" It was Malcolm. He snatched her into his arms and the scent of him was familiar and comforting. "Thank God." He just held her, whispering it over and over. "Thank God."