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Chapter Six
After having salad and pasta, Archer now cleaned the dishes as T'Pol was sitting on the bed, scrolling through the messages the crew had recorded for her. Everyone had a little something to say, even people that she never really talked to were telling her that they wished she would soon be able to return. T'Pol was flattered, she would have never experienced this companionship on a Vulcan vessel. As she waited to open Trip's message, she called Archer. "Commander Tucker recorded a message for the two of us together."
"I just got done anyway," Archer responded, and sat down next to her on the bed. T'Pol pushed a button and Trip's face appeared on the view screen.
"Cap'n, T'Pol… we're doin' our best up here to work on a way to get you back, and I just want to let you both know, that… in case we don't find one… I will carry on Enterprise's mission. Starfleet has given me strict orders. They are not very optimistic about your situation. They told me to hang in orbit for three weeks at the most, and then to… leave you. I hope you have everything you need down there. I will miss our meals together." He paused for a moment, as if we wanted to say more but wasn't able to. "We will drop you a padd every day to keep you up to date. Tucker out."
Archer put the pad aside. He stared at it for a long time before he turned to T'Pol again.
"I don't know what to say," he whispered. She didn't answer. They sat there, in silence, for a long time. Archer wondered what had happened to his ever so optimistic attitude. He couldn't give up. Not yet. But a part of him asked Why bother? You have this wonderful woman here with you. Why bother going back where you will never have the chance to love her?
Archer was afraid of his thoughts. All he had ever dreamed about was to be a starship captain. She had changed everything.
He got up from the bed to fetch his clothes for the night. "What do you want to wear, T'Pol?" She looked at the different clothes he was pulling out of a container. She pointed at the standard Starfleet nightgown, no big surprise for Jonathan. He helped her into it before he changed into the Starfleet pajamas. "Are you all done?" She nodded. Archer switched the light off and laid down next to her, covering them both with the blanket.
T'Pol felt the sensation of his skin, the unused cool temperature that emerged from it. Inside her she realized the urge to explore the unknown, alien body next to her. She really enjoyed it when he had touched her, she wanted to feel him again. Archer was lying on his back, listening to her breath. It was so comforting, making him forget all his sorrows. He closed his eyes and tried to absorb all the heat that T'Pol emitted. She is so close…I can almost touch her… Archer felt how his hand wanted to move towards her, but he could hold it back before she noticed something. He took a deep breath. "Good night, T'Pol. Don't let the bed bugs bite." He tried the old earth saying again and awaited a confused reply, demanding an explanation. He was surprised to hear her answer. "I won't Jonathan. Good night."
He couldn't fall asleep. His mind was uneasy, and although every single part of his body hurt from the exhausting day, he couldn't find the comforting rest of sleep. Just when he was about to try it again, he felt T'Pol move. She had turned her head to face him, although she couldn't possibly see him in the dark. "Are you still awake, Jonathan?"
"Yes," he whispered.
"Jonathan, I experience the need to talk with you." She felt how his body got tense.
"Go ahead." He didn't know what to expect. Would she tell him to stop looking at her the way he did, to stop touching her longer than necessary? She must have noticed.
"I thought about the possibility that we might be stranded here." T'Pol realized how Archer held his breath. "I just want to let you know, that I really appreciate your company and all your help." He didn't answer, he didn't believe his own ears. "If we were to stay here… until the end of our days… I will be able to deal with that," she added. What she didn't say was that she truly enjoyed the thought of spending the rest of her life here with him.
Jonathan thought about what she just said. He knew that she would probably never be able to move her legs again unless she were treated on Enterprise. She would consider living here, disabled, appreciating his help and company. She was so strong. He turned his head towards her face, knowing she was there, looking at him with her beautiful eyes. "Thank you, T'Pol. I… enjoy… spending time with you also, and I believe that we could make it." With his hand he searched for hers, taking it and holding it to encourage both of them. He was afraid that she would pull away, but she didn't. He didn't know how long they were lying like this, holding each other's hand, looking into the darkness, but knowing that the other one would look back. Archer felt like a teenager who just met the girl of his dreams and who is afraid to take the next step. He didn't want to be yellow. There she was, staring at him, waiting. Waiting what for? He didn't know. But he just had to find out. He slowly moved his hand to pet her arm. She didn't scare away.
His touch filled her with something she had never experienced before. A heat emerged from inside her, demanding more. It was not her mind who controlled what she said next. "Please Jonathan." He stopped moving, expecting to be told to turn away and forget about this. "Please, don't stop," she whispered. He didn't trust his ears.
Jonathan had to swallow. "Can you… say that again?"
Silence fell between them until she finally decided to break it. "Please, repeat what you were doing. I… enjoy… it."
Archer knew how hard it was for her to speak those words. His hand moved to her face, softly stroking her skin. At this point he couldn't help it anymore. He leaned forward, searching for her lips. T'Pol awaited his kiss, and when their lips finally met, the world seemed to explode around her. She could hear a little voice inside her mind, asking her if she knew what she was doing, but it turned so quiet that she didn't hear it anymore. Jonathan thought he was dreaming. He was kissing her, holding her body tight, feeling her heat and need, overwhelmed by emotion. He wasn't sure whether it were his or hers, now that they were touching their bodies that way he couldn't really tell them apart anymore. He wanted to stay here forever, kissing her. T'Pol laid her arms around him and pulled him closer. "Thank you, Jonathan," she whispered in his ear. "Thank you for doing this to me." Although he couldn't see it, he knew she was smiling. Holding each other tight they were finally able to fall asleep. Both of them were dreaming about this very first intimate kiss they shared.
