Author's Note: Since all of you were so kind as to review, I finally got
out another chapter. "//" denote italics, since I have no idea how to get
those to show up on fanfiction.net. As for the reviews: 1.) This chapter
is all T'Pol. Hopefully those who called for her will be satisfied with
it. Let me know how my characterization was, T'Pol makes me nervous. 2.)
I've reformatted Chapter 3 so it's easier to read. (Evil fanfiction.net
formatting!) I've also corrected Chapter 2. If there are any mistakes in
this chapter, let me know. 3.) To A. Windsor: Don't worry, we'll get to
older T'Lizabeth. It should be a ball when she's a teenager! Review, let
me know how this chapter was!
Chapter 4
//Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth - and the hat began to sing:
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can-"//
T'Pol was interrupted by a small hand on her arm. Looking up, she found her four-year-old daughter looking at her expectantly.
"Yes, T'Lizabeth? Why are you not in bed?" she asked.
"I can't sleep." Said the little girl. T'Pol marked her place and closed Hoshi's borrowed book. Hogwarts would have to wait.
"What is keeping you awake?" she asked patiently.
"There are bald monsters with big ears and pointy teeth in my room." She said. " I need Daddy to scare them away."
T'Pol felt the impulse to raise an eyebrow, but controlled herself. As she and Charles had agreed, it was more productive to treat T'Lizabeth's adolescent concerns seriously rather than belittle her. Yet T'Pol could not control a thread of annoyance at Charles for introducing their daughter to the concept of monsters, nor the story of the pirates who had almost abducted key members of Enterprise's crew.
"He is at work right now. Do you not remember him saying goodnight to you and leaving after dinner?"
T'Lizabeth pursed her lips in concentration, trying to make her sleepy mind cooperate. Finally, with a disappointed expression, she nodded. "But Daddy is the only one who can scare the monsters away." She continued. "You can't do it. You don't have the magic touch."
At that, T'Pol's eyebrow did rise. "The magic touch" must have been supplied by Charles. She wasn't sure she agreed with the idea of their four-year-old repeating personal phrases, regardless of whether or not T'Lizabeth was too young to understand the double meaning of the words. With unfailing patience, T'Pol challenged her daughter.
"What do you recommend be done to rectify the situation?" she asked.
A look of concentration came over the little girl's face again, and T'Pol's face quirked in amusement when T'Lizabeth stroked her chin, as Charles was wont to do when he was concentrating. They both needed to be careful, as T'Lizabeth was in such a phase of emulation. If they weren't, she might one day try to shave like Daddy.
T'Lizabeth had reached a solution. "What if I stay out here with you until Daddy gets home?"
"He will not be home until morning, T'Lizabeth. You cannot wait for him all night." She replied gently.
"What if I stayed out here with you, until the monsters left?" she persisted.
Intrigued with where her daughter was going, T'Pol asked, "How long do you believe the monsters will stay?"
T'Lizabeth shrugged. "As long as they want to." Such simple logic, it could only have come from the mind of a child. "They'll probably have to go home when it's their bedtime."
T'Pol looked down, taking a moment to hide her amusement. Considering, she decided that, since she had no classes tomorrow, she would indulge T'Lizabeth. She gave a nod, and the small child disappeared, only to return moments later with her quilt from Grandma Tucker.
She climbed up into her Ko'mekh's lap, and snuggled against her comfortably. T'Pol's arms went around her, and mother and daughter sat in silence for a time, simply enjoying the moment. But then the inherent curiosity of all four-year-olds surfaced.
"Mehk," she asked quietly, "why is Daddy always smiling and happy and you are not?" She pushed herself up to look at her ko'mehk. T'Pol was stunned by her daughter's blunt question. The tactlessness and innocence of the young was astounding. Organizing her thoughts, she focused on giving T'Lizabeth an answer she would understand. Not being raised strictly as a Vulcan, it was difficult for T'Pol to give her understanding. How could she explain the violent, primal emotions Vulcans kept in check through extreme control? She was much too young to have the cycle of Pon-Farr explained to her. And how would she justify Charles' displays of emotion without sounding condescending? Perplexed as she was by her dilemma, a drawled male voice echoed through her mind, //Keep it simple.// T'Pol nodded to herself. That was her husband's advice on many occasions, especially when jury-rigging repairs. Taking in a breath, she focused herself on the searching face of her daughter.
"I am Vulcan, T'Lizabeth, and your father is human." T'Lizabeth afforded her a look of indubitability. "I know THAT." She said. "I meant, why do you act so different?"
Naturally, T'Lizabeth was not going to accept a straightforward answer. She would have to elucidate.
"Vulcans prefer to control their emotions and not show them to others."
T'Lizabeth pondered that statement for a few moments, until she found fault with it. "But you show emotion with Daddy. I've seen you smile before, but you're just sad most of the time."
T'Pol regarded her daughter for a moment. She was quite content with her life. Her job was satisfying, the work was challenging, her husband was especially pleasing, and her daughter was a gift she could not imagine living without. How had T'Lizabeth arrived at the conclusion that she was not happy?
"Daddy is always smiling, or being mad or happy or sad. But you don't do those things a lot. At the Christmas Party, you didn't seem happy. You looked...not good."
The older Vulcan was quiet for a minute, thinking how best to reassure her daughter. "Just because I do not laugh aloud, does not mean that I am not happy, or that I do not find things amusing. Vulcans do not demonstrate amusement or happiness regularly, but it is there."
"But why do you keep it inside Mehk?" she asked persistently.
"It is the Vulcan Way." T'Pol said simply. Seeing her daughter's uncomprehending look, "You will understand far better when you are older." The little girl made a face and resigned herself to the fact, trying to be patient. Believing the conversation to be over, T'Pol relaxed, only to have her child continue.
"But why does Daddy laugh and show what he feels?" she asked.
"Humans in general do not keep their feelings to themselves. Most things are displayed for others to see."
"Why?"
"It is easier for them to communicate."
"Why?"
"Then can more accurately judge the mood of the person they are talking to, and can decide how to best approach a situation." T'Lizabeth was confused. "If Aunt Hoshi acts mad, Uncle Malcolm knows not to tease her about her latest target practice. Instead, he can praise her for her improvement or suggest ways to improve her score next time."
"How do you know how to talk to someone?"
"Through experience."
"How do you get that?"
"Through years of talking to other people. When I first became the first officer on Enterprise, I was not attuned to the moods of my human colleagues. There were several disagreements that could have been avoided if I had taken human emotionalism into account." T'Lizabeth again pondered, but seemed to find no fault in what she had been told. She cuddled back into her mother's side, and peace reigned once again. Then T'Lizabeth sat back up. Her face was troubled.
"Ko'mehk," she asked, "I am both Vulcan and Human. Do you want me to act like you or like Daddy?"
T'Pol froze, starring at the tiny elfin child wordlessly. Then her eyes swept to the family portrait on Charles' desk. She and Charles had had this conversation, but had never reached a decision. The closest they had come was agreeing to raise T'Lizabeth with both Vulcan and Human customs. She could hardly make the decision now. And what about Charles? He was supposed to be here when this conversation was had with their daughter. Both of T'Lizabeth's parents needed to be involved in the decision. She glanced back at the four year old, who still had a distressed look on her face. //What would Charles say?// she thought. Then the answer came to her. She knew what her husband would say. It was a lesson he had taught her a long time ago, long before the Expanse, when she was still ruled by her Vulcan convictions. That lesson had resulted in a series of radical changes and decisions in T'Pol's life, changes and decisions that were the reason for her current life. To think that she had ever turned up her nose at Pecan Pie, a dish that was now among her favorite desserts. Conceding to the past wisdom of her husband, she repeated what he had once told her.
"What do you want to do?"
T'Lizabeth regarded her closely, not understanding her ko'mekh's intent. "What I want doesn't matter." She said slowly. "I want to know what I am supposed to do."
T'Pol hid her smile at the familiarity of the conversation. //How similar to me her reaction is//, she thought with amusement.
"T'Lizabeth, deciding to be Vulcan or Human in behavior is an important decision, one that cannot be made in a single evening. It is also one that neither your father nor I can make for you. You must follow your heart, and do as it tells you."
T'Lizabeth rolled this new freedom of choice around in her mind, still not fully grasping the implications. Such importance placed on such an obscure concept was beyond her comprehension, although she was trying extremely hard to understand, judging by the bunching of her eyebrows.
"You will not understand it tonight, Daughter. Rest now and we will talk more in the morning." T'Pol said as she pulled T'Lizabeth back down and covered the two of them with Grandma Tucker's quilt. For a time, she was not sure T'Lizabeth's speeding mind would calm enough for her to fall asleep, but presently she heard the even, deep breathing of unconsciousness. Despite feeling relieved that the four-year-old was asleep, it was a long time before T'Pol's mind relaxed and she was able to fall asleep.
* * *
Commander Tucker had left Engineering early. There was nothing left to do, and it was his day off anyway. And besides, R.H.I.P: Rank Hath Its Privileges. It meandered down the corridor, in a good-natured mood, to his quarters. Punched in his code, and then stopped just inside the door. He was treated to a tender sight. T'Pol and T'Lizabeth were wrapped up in his grandmother's quilt in his lounge chair. They must have been there all night. Silently, he took two steps to his desk. Locating his camera in a drawer, he pulled it out and focused in on his lovely ladies. He took three shots, for safety's sake, and then put away the camera.
He walked to the chair and gently picked T'Lizabeth up in the quilt. T'Pol's arms tightened around the child instinctively, but he calmed her and she relaxed. Carefully, he pulled back the rumpled blankets and put his daughter to bed. He lingered over her, face peaceful in sleep. He smiled, and then left the room.
T'Pol had curled up in an attempt to compensate for the loss of heat. Trip scooped her slight frame into his arms and carried her off to their bed. Once there, stripped and tucked them in, his arms automatically going around her as she nestled into his embrace.
"Love 'ya, darlin'." He whispered.
T'Pol smiled in her sleep.
* * *
A/N: Concerning reviews: honesty is the best policy. I'm only happy when I'm picked apart. Thanks for reading!
Chapter 4
//Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth - and the hat began to sing:
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can-"//
T'Pol was interrupted by a small hand on her arm. Looking up, she found her four-year-old daughter looking at her expectantly.
"Yes, T'Lizabeth? Why are you not in bed?" she asked.
"I can't sleep." Said the little girl. T'Pol marked her place and closed Hoshi's borrowed book. Hogwarts would have to wait.
"What is keeping you awake?" she asked patiently.
"There are bald monsters with big ears and pointy teeth in my room." She said. " I need Daddy to scare them away."
T'Pol felt the impulse to raise an eyebrow, but controlled herself. As she and Charles had agreed, it was more productive to treat T'Lizabeth's adolescent concerns seriously rather than belittle her. Yet T'Pol could not control a thread of annoyance at Charles for introducing their daughter to the concept of monsters, nor the story of the pirates who had almost abducted key members of Enterprise's crew.
"He is at work right now. Do you not remember him saying goodnight to you and leaving after dinner?"
T'Lizabeth pursed her lips in concentration, trying to make her sleepy mind cooperate. Finally, with a disappointed expression, she nodded. "But Daddy is the only one who can scare the monsters away." She continued. "You can't do it. You don't have the magic touch."
At that, T'Pol's eyebrow did rise. "The magic touch" must have been supplied by Charles. She wasn't sure she agreed with the idea of their four-year-old repeating personal phrases, regardless of whether or not T'Lizabeth was too young to understand the double meaning of the words. With unfailing patience, T'Pol challenged her daughter.
"What do you recommend be done to rectify the situation?" she asked.
A look of concentration came over the little girl's face again, and T'Pol's face quirked in amusement when T'Lizabeth stroked her chin, as Charles was wont to do when he was concentrating. They both needed to be careful, as T'Lizabeth was in such a phase of emulation. If they weren't, she might one day try to shave like Daddy.
T'Lizabeth had reached a solution. "What if I stay out here with you until Daddy gets home?"
"He will not be home until morning, T'Lizabeth. You cannot wait for him all night." She replied gently.
"What if I stayed out here with you, until the monsters left?" she persisted.
Intrigued with where her daughter was going, T'Pol asked, "How long do you believe the monsters will stay?"
T'Lizabeth shrugged. "As long as they want to." Such simple logic, it could only have come from the mind of a child. "They'll probably have to go home when it's their bedtime."
T'Pol looked down, taking a moment to hide her amusement. Considering, she decided that, since she had no classes tomorrow, she would indulge T'Lizabeth. She gave a nod, and the small child disappeared, only to return moments later with her quilt from Grandma Tucker.
She climbed up into her Ko'mekh's lap, and snuggled against her comfortably. T'Pol's arms went around her, and mother and daughter sat in silence for a time, simply enjoying the moment. But then the inherent curiosity of all four-year-olds surfaced.
"Mehk," she asked quietly, "why is Daddy always smiling and happy and you are not?" She pushed herself up to look at her ko'mehk. T'Pol was stunned by her daughter's blunt question. The tactlessness and innocence of the young was astounding. Organizing her thoughts, she focused on giving T'Lizabeth an answer she would understand. Not being raised strictly as a Vulcan, it was difficult for T'Pol to give her understanding. How could she explain the violent, primal emotions Vulcans kept in check through extreme control? She was much too young to have the cycle of Pon-Farr explained to her. And how would she justify Charles' displays of emotion without sounding condescending? Perplexed as she was by her dilemma, a drawled male voice echoed through her mind, //Keep it simple.// T'Pol nodded to herself. That was her husband's advice on many occasions, especially when jury-rigging repairs. Taking in a breath, she focused herself on the searching face of her daughter.
"I am Vulcan, T'Lizabeth, and your father is human." T'Lizabeth afforded her a look of indubitability. "I know THAT." She said. "I meant, why do you act so different?"
Naturally, T'Lizabeth was not going to accept a straightforward answer. She would have to elucidate.
"Vulcans prefer to control their emotions and not show them to others."
T'Lizabeth pondered that statement for a few moments, until she found fault with it. "But you show emotion with Daddy. I've seen you smile before, but you're just sad most of the time."
T'Pol regarded her daughter for a moment. She was quite content with her life. Her job was satisfying, the work was challenging, her husband was especially pleasing, and her daughter was a gift she could not imagine living without. How had T'Lizabeth arrived at the conclusion that she was not happy?
"Daddy is always smiling, or being mad or happy or sad. But you don't do those things a lot. At the Christmas Party, you didn't seem happy. You looked...not good."
The older Vulcan was quiet for a minute, thinking how best to reassure her daughter. "Just because I do not laugh aloud, does not mean that I am not happy, or that I do not find things amusing. Vulcans do not demonstrate amusement or happiness regularly, but it is there."
"But why do you keep it inside Mehk?" she asked persistently.
"It is the Vulcan Way." T'Pol said simply. Seeing her daughter's uncomprehending look, "You will understand far better when you are older." The little girl made a face and resigned herself to the fact, trying to be patient. Believing the conversation to be over, T'Pol relaxed, only to have her child continue.
"But why does Daddy laugh and show what he feels?" she asked.
"Humans in general do not keep their feelings to themselves. Most things are displayed for others to see."
"Why?"
"It is easier for them to communicate."
"Why?"
"Then can more accurately judge the mood of the person they are talking to, and can decide how to best approach a situation." T'Lizabeth was confused. "If Aunt Hoshi acts mad, Uncle Malcolm knows not to tease her about her latest target practice. Instead, he can praise her for her improvement or suggest ways to improve her score next time."
"How do you know how to talk to someone?"
"Through experience."
"How do you get that?"
"Through years of talking to other people. When I first became the first officer on Enterprise, I was not attuned to the moods of my human colleagues. There were several disagreements that could have been avoided if I had taken human emotionalism into account." T'Lizabeth again pondered, but seemed to find no fault in what she had been told. She cuddled back into her mother's side, and peace reigned once again. Then T'Lizabeth sat back up. Her face was troubled.
"Ko'mehk," she asked, "I am both Vulcan and Human. Do you want me to act like you or like Daddy?"
T'Pol froze, starring at the tiny elfin child wordlessly. Then her eyes swept to the family portrait on Charles' desk. She and Charles had had this conversation, but had never reached a decision. The closest they had come was agreeing to raise T'Lizabeth with both Vulcan and Human customs. She could hardly make the decision now. And what about Charles? He was supposed to be here when this conversation was had with their daughter. Both of T'Lizabeth's parents needed to be involved in the decision. She glanced back at the four year old, who still had a distressed look on her face. //What would Charles say?// she thought. Then the answer came to her. She knew what her husband would say. It was a lesson he had taught her a long time ago, long before the Expanse, when she was still ruled by her Vulcan convictions. That lesson had resulted in a series of radical changes and decisions in T'Pol's life, changes and decisions that were the reason for her current life. To think that she had ever turned up her nose at Pecan Pie, a dish that was now among her favorite desserts. Conceding to the past wisdom of her husband, she repeated what he had once told her.
"What do you want to do?"
T'Lizabeth regarded her closely, not understanding her ko'mekh's intent. "What I want doesn't matter." She said slowly. "I want to know what I am supposed to do."
T'Pol hid her smile at the familiarity of the conversation. //How similar to me her reaction is//, she thought with amusement.
"T'Lizabeth, deciding to be Vulcan or Human in behavior is an important decision, one that cannot be made in a single evening. It is also one that neither your father nor I can make for you. You must follow your heart, and do as it tells you."
T'Lizabeth rolled this new freedom of choice around in her mind, still not fully grasping the implications. Such importance placed on such an obscure concept was beyond her comprehension, although she was trying extremely hard to understand, judging by the bunching of her eyebrows.
"You will not understand it tonight, Daughter. Rest now and we will talk more in the morning." T'Pol said as she pulled T'Lizabeth back down and covered the two of them with Grandma Tucker's quilt. For a time, she was not sure T'Lizabeth's speeding mind would calm enough for her to fall asleep, but presently she heard the even, deep breathing of unconsciousness. Despite feeling relieved that the four-year-old was asleep, it was a long time before T'Pol's mind relaxed and she was able to fall asleep.
* * *
Commander Tucker had left Engineering early. There was nothing left to do, and it was his day off anyway. And besides, R.H.I.P: Rank Hath Its Privileges. It meandered down the corridor, in a good-natured mood, to his quarters. Punched in his code, and then stopped just inside the door. He was treated to a tender sight. T'Pol and T'Lizabeth were wrapped up in his grandmother's quilt in his lounge chair. They must have been there all night. Silently, he took two steps to his desk. Locating his camera in a drawer, he pulled it out and focused in on his lovely ladies. He took three shots, for safety's sake, and then put away the camera.
He walked to the chair and gently picked T'Lizabeth up in the quilt. T'Pol's arms tightened around the child instinctively, but he calmed her and she relaxed. Carefully, he pulled back the rumpled blankets and put his daughter to bed. He lingered over her, face peaceful in sleep. He smiled, and then left the room.
T'Pol had curled up in an attempt to compensate for the loss of heat. Trip scooped her slight frame into his arms and carried her off to their bed. Once there, stripped and tucked them in, his arms automatically going around her as she nestled into his embrace.
"Love 'ya, darlin'." He whispered.
T'Pol smiled in her sleep.
* * *
A/N: Concerning reviews: honesty is the best policy. I'm only happy when I'm picked apart. Thanks for reading!