Title: Dawning
Author: Mana
Rating: PG
Pairing: A/Tp... this is a Twilight Episode ;)
Summary: A day in the life of Twilight!T'Pol and Twilight!Archer. A few things dawn on them.
Authors Notes: Thanks to Brat who did a quick beta. You're a pal!!
Dawning
A small insect blinked and fluttered its wings, shaking the dew that clung to them. The sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon, lighting up the small buildings beside the insect's home. As the area brightened, the insects gaze fell upon a familiar site: the woman.
She sat, like always, in an oversized gray chair sipping her tea. It was a daily ritual. She would leave the building, her home, and sit on the back porch watching the sunrise and collecting her thoughts. The insect wasn't sure why, but she always seemed rather melancholy, out of her element. The man that lived with her always seemed disoriented in the morning, yet at night seemed somewhat happy and rather affectionate towards the woman. When the insect had first observed them, it had believed them to be mates, but now it wasn't so sure.
Taking compassion for her, the insect rose up on its legs and took flight. He landed on the woman's hand as she raised it to her mouth, sipping the contents of the mug. Her eyes were clouded, but brightened slightly at the sight of the insect. She breathed deeply and the insect realized the depth of her feelings. On the surface it appearded to be mainly confusion, but as the insect sat there longer it couldn't help but wonder if it went deeper.
The two stared at each other a moment longer, until a muffled thump aroused her senses. Her eyes closed momentarily, and then opened, a renewed sense of purpose shining in their depths.
As a mumbled unsettled "Hello?" resounded out the open door, she rose. Setting her mug down, she whispered a single word, "Jonathan."
T'Pol stood, shaking her hand slightly sending the butterfly type creature off into the air. It hovered by her for a second, and then zipped out towards the undergrowth in the garden.
Momentarily, she envied the insects ability to forget everything, and just fly away, but she suppressed that emotion almost instantaneously. She was weary, that was all. Bending her neck to the side, she popped it and walked through the circular door.
Jonathan stood in the middle of the room, his back to her, surveying his surroundings. His rumpled clothing fit loosely around his frame. He had put on a little weight and his hair was graying around the temples, just enough to distinguish him from the man he used to be.
"Jonathan," T'Pol called out.
He turned around to her, his brow furrowing slightly.
"T'Pol? What's going on?"
She moved to the cupboard, removing two small plates and glasses. Looking over her shoulder at him she asked, "Would you like the long version today, or the short version?"
He walked closer to her, stopping beside the counter. "I don't know. Just tell me what the hell is going on."
"Why don't you sit down? I'll get your breakfast and then we'll talk."
He took her offer and sat at the small table beside the kitchen. She placed a muffin on each plate, and poured the juice in the glasses. Setting them on the table, she joined him.
"Today will be the short version. A little over 6 years ago, you were infected with a disease. Do you remember walking down the corridor with me on Enterprise and the anomaly striking?"
He nodded.
"The anomaly contained parasites which attacked your hippocampus. These parasites make it to where you cannot remember anything that has happened after the infection. You and I, along with a human colony are now living on a planet in the Ceti Alpha system. I decided to be your caretaker and stay with you, as I knew you would need to be with someone you trusted. Trust me now, Jonathan."
He stared at her for a long moment. "Of course I trust you T'Pol." Looking down, he broke a piece of muffin off and ate it. "I suppose if this is true," he began after he swallowed, "then you must tell me the same story everyday."
She simply nodded slightly and took a sip of her juice, looking down at the table.
"That must grow tiresome."
She looked up at him. He was acting rather odd today. Usually he asked her to continue on with the story, or claimed that it was a joke. But today, he seemed more concerned about her well-being than his own. It was unusual.
"I knew something had to be up when I saw that your hair had grown since the last time I saw you...or at least the last time I remember seeing you." His hand reached out to touch a tendril. She reached up and stopped him, her own fingers caressing the tresses.
"You once told me that I didn't need to keep my hair so short anymore, as there was no need or regulation. I concurred."
He drew his hand back and stood up. He walked towards the window and looked out. "I suppose this is a new human colony. I've never heard of the Ceti Alpha colony. I guess this means that the fight with the Xindi went well. I mean, if we have enough resources to start another colony, we must have won."
She drew in a deep breath. He seemed so hopeful, she didn't feel it right to dash his hopes. At least not today, a good day. He turned around to her.
"What happened to Enterprise? Who's in command?"
"Captain Tucker. He was promoted when I resigned."
"You were captain?" He seemed shocked. At her nod, he continued. "That's great T'Pol. At least I feel better knowing that Enterprise was in good hands during the mission." He smiled at her slightly, a smile that threatened to tear away at her remaining strength.
She couldn't tell him that she had been in command as his home world was destroyed, humanity decimated. Today, she just wanted to forget, no matter how illogical it was.
He stared at her hard. "You seem to be uncomfortable with this. I can't imagine this is easy for you. No matter how curious I am, how about we just leave the questions there for a moment. Why don't you tell me about the colony? Is it a science colony? What do we do here?"
She blinked slightly. This had never happened before. More often than not, the mornings would end with him in tears as she finished the story. Never had he offered to not talk about it.
"This is not a science colony. It is merely a colony of humans that came from Earth. As for what we do here, I take care of you. Usually you and I go for a walk after breakfast. Sometimes we visit the school where you talk with the children about Enterprise's earlier missions. Other times, we just stay here. You play with Porthos while I attend to the house."
Archer brightened. "Speaking of Porthos, where is he?"
"He is out in the garden. He likes to lie out there under the sun." She explained turning to look out the window. Sure enough the beagle lay stretched out in a tiny patch of grass, the sunshine beating down upon him.
Archer smiled a half smile and walked out the door calling for Porthos. T'Pol watched as the beagle jumped up and limped over to him. His right hip had begun to affect his walk, but the beagle never seemed to complain. She watched as the man rolled around on the ground, playing with his dog. If she could put a name to it, she felt relief. At least today he seemed to be almost back to normal, whatever normal used to be.
Author: Mana
Rating: PG
Pairing: A/Tp... this is a Twilight Episode ;)
Summary: A day in the life of Twilight!T'Pol and Twilight!Archer. A few things dawn on them.
Authors Notes: Thanks to Brat who did a quick beta. You're a pal!!
Dawning
A small insect blinked and fluttered its wings, shaking the dew that clung to them. The sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon, lighting up the small buildings beside the insect's home. As the area brightened, the insects gaze fell upon a familiar site: the woman.
She sat, like always, in an oversized gray chair sipping her tea. It was a daily ritual. She would leave the building, her home, and sit on the back porch watching the sunrise and collecting her thoughts. The insect wasn't sure why, but she always seemed rather melancholy, out of her element. The man that lived with her always seemed disoriented in the morning, yet at night seemed somewhat happy and rather affectionate towards the woman. When the insect had first observed them, it had believed them to be mates, but now it wasn't so sure.
Taking compassion for her, the insect rose up on its legs and took flight. He landed on the woman's hand as she raised it to her mouth, sipping the contents of the mug. Her eyes were clouded, but brightened slightly at the sight of the insect. She breathed deeply and the insect realized the depth of her feelings. On the surface it appearded to be mainly confusion, but as the insect sat there longer it couldn't help but wonder if it went deeper.
The two stared at each other a moment longer, until a muffled thump aroused her senses. Her eyes closed momentarily, and then opened, a renewed sense of purpose shining in their depths.
As a mumbled unsettled "Hello?" resounded out the open door, she rose. Setting her mug down, she whispered a single word, "Jonathan."
T'Pol stood, shaking her hand slightly sending the butterfly type creature off into the air. It hovered by her for a second, and then zipped out towards the undergrowth in the garden.
Momentarily, she envied the insects ability to forget everything, and just fly away, but she suppressed that emotion almost instantaneously. She was weary, that was all. Bending her neck to the side, she popped it and walked through the circular door.
Jonathan stood in the middle of the room, his back to her, surveying his surroundings. His rumpled clothing fit loosely around his frame. He had put on a little weight and his hair was graying around the temples, just enough to distinguish him from the man he used to be.
"Jonathan," T'Pol called out.
He turned around to her, his brow furrowing slightly.
"T'Pol? What's going on?"
She moved to the cupboard, removing two small plates and glasses. Looking over her shoulder at him she asked, "Would you like the long version today, or the short version?"
He walked closer to her, stopping beside the counter. "I don't know. Just tell me what the hell is going on."
"Why don't you sit down? I'll get your breakfast and then we'll talk."
He took her offer and sat at the small table beside the kitchen. She placed a muffin on each plate, and poured the juice in the glasses. Setting them on the table, she joined him.
"Today will be the short version. A little over 6 years ago, you were infected with a disease. Do you remember walking down the corridor with me on Enterprise and the anomaly striking?"
He nodded.
"The anomaly contained parasites which attacked your hippocampus. These parasites make it to where you cannot remember anything that has happened after the infection. You and I, along with a human colony are now living on a planet in the Ceti Alpha system. I decided to be your caretaker and stay with you, as I knew you would need to be with someone you trusted. Trust me now, Jonathan."
He stared at her for a long moment. "Of course I trust you T'Pol." Looking down, he broke a piece of muffin off and ate it. "I suppose if this is true," he began after he swallowed, "then you must tell me the same story everyday."
She simply nodded slightly and took a sip of her juice, looking down at the table.
"That must grow tiresome."
She looked up at him. He was acting rather odd today. Usually he asked her to continue on with the story, or claimed that it was a joke. But today, he seemed more concerned about her well-being than his own. It was unusual.
"I knew something had to be up when I saw that your hair had grown since the last time I saw you...or at least the last time I remember seeing you." His hand reached out to touch a tendril. She reached up and stopped him, her own fingers caressing the tresses.
"You once told me that I didn't need to keep my hair so short anymore, as there was no need or regulation. I concurred."
He drew his hand back and stood up. He walked towards the window and looked out. "I suppose this is a new human colony. I've never heard of the Ceti Alpha colony. I guess this means that the fight with the Xindi went well. I mean, if we have enough resources to start another colony, we must have won."
She drew in a deep breath. He seemed so hopeful, she didn't feel it right to dash his hopes. At least not today, a good day. He turned around to her.
"What happened to Enterprise? Who's in command?"
"Captain Tucker. He was promoted when I resigned."
"You were captain?" He seemed shocked. At her nod, he continued. "That's great T'Pol. At least I feel better knowing that Enterprise was in good hands during the mission." He smiled at her slightly, a smile that threatened to tear away at her remaining strength.
She couldn't tell him that she had been in command as his home world was destroyed, humanity decimated. Today, she just wanted to forget, no matter how illogical it was.
He stared at her hard. "You seem to be uncomfortable with this. I can't imagine this is easy for you. No matter how curious I am, how about we just leave the questions there for a moment. Why don't you tell me about the colony? Is it a science colony? What do we do here?"
She blinked slightly. This had never happened before. More often than not, the mornings would end with him in tears as she finished the story. Never had he offered to not talk about it.
"This is not a science colony. It is merely a colony of humans that came from Earth. As for what we do here, I take care of you. Usually you and I go for a walk after breakfast. Sometimes we visit the school where you talk with the children about Enterprise's earlier missions. Other times, we just stay here. You play with Porthos while I attend to the house."
Archer brightened. "Speaking of Porthos, where is he?"
"He is out in the garden. He likes to lie out there under the sun." She explained turning to look out the window. Sure enough the beagle lay stretched out in a tiny patch of grass, the sunshine beating down upon him.
Archer smiled a half smile and walked out the door calling for Porthos. T'Pol watched as the beagle jumped up and limped over to him. His right hip had begun to affect his walk, but the beagle never seemed to complain. She watched as the man rolled around on the ground, playing with his dog. If she could put a name to it, she felt relief. At least today he seemed to be almost back to normal, whatever normal used to be.