By Keleshnar
Rating : PG-13
Spoilers: mild references to "The Expanse"
Disclaimer: I still don't own them and I'm still not making any money from this. Although if you want to pay me…
A/N: Mana and Faith are all-mighty betas. Even though I'm not going to beg as hard this time, still please review! ~~And this should answer your questions about the pairing…~~
Chapter 2: Changes
Phlox was worried. For once, he had no power at all over a patient's condition. When T'pol had come to him for help, there was nothing he could do but give her a mild sedative and give her cabin leave for a few days. He hoped that she would act soon and that it would work because he didn't want to lose a friend and fellow alien onboard the Human ship.
He had, as demanded by protocol, told the Captain about T'pol's need for a medical 'leave of absence', but had left out the specifics of why. He had only said that T'pol had come down with a flu that could become troublesome if it spread around the ship. Of course Archer had granted T'pol the leave without question; he trusted his doctor fully. Phlox was slightly worried, however, about how closely Captain Archer might try to 'monitor' T'pol's condition – he didn't want anything to happen that someone regretted.
* * * * *
Jonathan Archer looked at the chronometer next to his computer – 17:34. The Beta Shift was on, and he didn't have anything to do. Actually, there was plenty for him to do, but he really wasn't in the mood to do paperwork. He went through the PADDs on his desk, scattering them around and making a mess. He got to one particular PADD and started to read – it was another of Lt. Malcolm Reed's request to improve security, which the Lieutenant had started to file again since they had been in the Delphic region. The requests were quite validated, and Archer put a 'note to self' in his head to fully read them over later. 'Yes, definitely later' he thought.
As Jon leaned back in his chair, his mind flitted to T'Pol, 'I wonder how she's doing with that flu?" To find out his answer, he keyed in T'Pol's code into the comm on the side of the wall
"Archer to T'Pol." If he had known that his actions could have impacted her so significantly, he probably would not have commed her.
"T'Pol here." she responded warily. Jon was surprised to hear the emotion in her voice, but dismissed it as an effect of the comm.
"Uh, I was just calling to see how your flu's coming along. So how're you feeling?" At this question, T'Pol hesitated in responding. For once, she didn't even think of telling him 'Vulcans don't feel.' She couldn't tell the whole truth to him, but she didn't want to downright lie.
"Tired," she finally responded. 'Tired of the emotions, tired of the constant worrying, tired of the loss of control…' she added on in her mind.
"Sorry to disturb your sick leave, but have you had a chance to look at the scans I sent you?" They had been orbiting a class M planet and Ensign Lear had taken scans of the atmosphere and geography. It had been weird not having T'Pol at her station for the past two days – he actually had to tell the Ensign that had taken her place to do specific scans as opposed to them already being done when he thought to ask, as they would have been with T'Pol. He had missed her reassuring presence, surprisingly enough.
"Yes, I glanced at them. Quite a funny contrast." 'Glanced, funny? Am I talking to T'Pol?' Jon thought, 'Maybe what I heard before wasn't the comms…'
"Um, sure. Hope you feel better soon. Archer out."
As the comm cut off, T'Pol had two things in her mind – feeling better and the planet. She hoped she would get well soon also, though it was a little more complicated than he though. In the last day, her symptoms had progressed to the point where she would be hard pressed to control herself around any male that she was even slightly attracted to. This sentiment made her worry what would happen if she was 'checked up on' by Jonathan, no – the Captain, she corrected herself. She did not call him Jonathan often, and the unconscious use of it now worried her even more.
Thinking about the scans of the planet, T'Pol picked up the PADD that she had transferred the information to. With the light in her room turned down almost all the way, the light from the screen cast her face in an eerie glow. It was a planet with high temperatures, and the environments were primarily rainforests and deserts. The contradiction made it an interesting phenomenon. While half of the planet was dry and harsh, the other half was steamy and teeming with life and energy. It was almost like having Vulcan, Risa, and parts of Earth all rolled into the same planet.
* * * * *
"Beep!"
The door panel roused her from her thoughts. She knew that it would be Phlox with food, since he was the only one allowed near her while she was sick with the 'flu' that was, quoting Phlox, "Possibly highly contagious for humans." The thought of food made her stomach gurgle loudly as she opened up her door, the bright light from the corridor blinding her eyes for a second. She immediately took the dished meal from Phlox without a word of greeting or thanks and dug right in with her hands.
"Good afternoon to you too, Sub-Commander. I see that your Pon Farr is progressing normally. I'll come get the dishes in a half an hour and give you your sedative to help with the symptoms." With that, Dr. Phlox left the newly savage Vulcan to her meal.
* * * * *
When the door chimed again twenty minutes after T'Pol had gotten her food, she answered it, but was surprised at the timing – the Doctor was usually punctual. When the Captain stood there holding a hypospray instead of Dr. Phlox, there wasn't time for the emotion of alarm to register within her before the desire pushed it away. Jon was startled in the change in her eyes and demeanor and took a step back, but then his own instincts kicked in and he was drawn to her, the undelivered hypospray dropping from his hand.
As the door slid shut behind them, the two officers crashed onto the small bunk, their lips finding each other in a searing kiss. After they both came up gasping for air, Jon stood up as if realizing where he was and looked around, his eyes landing on T'Pol. She was sitting on the bunk, staring up at him, the passion in her eyes smoldering and uninhibited. Jon looked into her eyes and said rhetorically, "I'm guessing you don't actually have the flu."
In one fluid motion, T'Pol stood up in front of him, their bodies a mere inch apart. They could both feel the heat radiating from each other, and Jon suddenly felt all of his blood go southward. They both watched as T'Pol reached out to Jon, almost in slow motion, trying hard to control herself long enough to explain the circumstances somewhat. When she had seen him in her doorway, she had finally accepted in her mind what she had been feeling for longer than she wanted to admit - there was only man who would do. Still, she would not be able to live with herself if she pulled him in without him first realizing the circumstances and accepting them. She knew he wanted this also; she had noticed the signs of it - mostly because she was doing the same things. "The Pon Farr…" she managed to get out before she succumbed to her desire to touch him. Jon had heard of that term somewhere, but the details escaped his highly distracted mind at the moment.
They were both momentarily shocked by the electricity of their first touch. Then her hands roved over his body – his hair, his neck, his back, his buttocks – sending sparks all through him. He kissed her on her mouth, then moved up her cheekbone to her ear tips, down her neck and along her collarbone. T'Pol began to shudder from all of the wonderful bombardments on her senses as she ran her hand through the nape of his hair. As she began to pull both of them down on her bunk once again, she whispered, "Help me." They tumbled onto the bed and began to tear off their clothes, the Vulcan's desire fueling the Human's. In those few precious moments, their relationship had changed forever.
* * * * *
As it turned out, the doctor had gotten caught up with new patients from a small accident in the mess hall, making it impossible for him to deliver T'Pol's hypospray. When Phlox expressed this conflict, Jon, who had helped to escort the injured to sick bay, took the hypospray and headed off to be helpful and give it to T'Pol before the Doctor could say another word. Now, as Phlox finished tending his more critical patients and went on to the others, a small worry formed in the back of his head about his supposed 'slip of the tongue' about the hypospray, but he thought he had made the best choice where his patient was concerned.
He remembered his conversation with T'Pol after the Captain had called to ask how she was. She had mentioned that she was worried that word might get out, but mostly what to do because she could feel the symptoms progress. He had immediately sensed from her body language that Archer heightened her heat and would definitely be the best choice because of their mutual feelings, which the Doctor had seen growing in the two years that they'd known each other. She was oblivious to these feelings except in her subconscious, though Jon had realized them for a while. He had kept them at bay for fear of both the general reaction and his work morals. They worked well together, trusted each other, and usually wholly supported one another. With these reassurances in mind, he shifted his focus back onto his patients, not even thinking of the two now lovers drifting off to sleep.
Cont…