Next chapter, they're getting longer at least… I don't want to say this is nearing the end, because I can't guarantee it! Thanks again to reviewers, I love you all
T'Pol unfolded herself from her position on the one, stiff backed, uncomfortable, typically Vulcan chair. She quirked an eyebrow at Archer and invited him to prove the truth of his unrehearsed statements.
"Show me"
"I…what?" Archer was clearly not in full control of his faculties, since he seemed incapable of answering, of forming even a rudimentary response. In his mind the cogs were turning, asking what the invitation meant, whether T'Pol meant what it sounded like she meant. He decided to try and explain a little of what had been running through his mind since their encounter in his ready room.
"I've never felt this way before, I know' Archer paused, hearing how clichéd his words sounded, even to himself, 'I know it sounds cheesy, but it's true, this whole 'soulmates' thing, you were right, for humans it is a fantasy, something we longed to have but knew couldn't logically exist" /ironic really,he mused to himself/ that the principle of soulmates should be proven true by the most logical race in the known galaxy/
T'Pol gave a small quirk of her lips, almost a smile, but not quite and Archer realised with a jolt that she had heard his thought, she was letting him back in to their link.
The captain, a little pleasure addled from this realisation made an effort to get his thoughts, such as they were, back on to the subject.
"And to now be confronted with the reality, it's a lot to take in all at once. Until a few hours ago I had no idea that this occurred on Vulcan, let alone between Vulcans and Humans" but he realised that he had not yet explained his reaction to T'Pol's attempted joining earlier. Archer really did not want to speak his concerns aloud, to voice them would make them a little too real, yet he couldn't let his first officer believe he had not wanted to strengthen their bond. Suddenly he had an epiphany
"Can we try again" he made his voice a little more formal and yet a little pleading at the same time, "T'Pol, would you?"
T'Pol nodded briskly, extending two fingers towards the Captain, indicating that he should make a similar gesture. When their outstretched fingers touched, Archer felt a little flutter of butterflies in his stomach, but he couldn't be sure that it was a result of the touch or if it was just the tension. What happened next, he was sure, was nothing to do with his nerves.
A warm sensation ran from his fingers, moving up his arm and just kept spreading throughout his body. T'Pol moved her right hand up to imitate her posture earlier in Archer's ready room, cupping his face, then positioning her fingers carefully, near his temple and under his chin. Archer wanted to open up, he wanted T'Pol to touch his mind in the same way she had inexplicably touched his heart. He took a deep breath; feeling his mind relax and a tiny tendril of thought brush his conscious mind, light as a feather.
Suddenly, and at the same time, as if he had planned it all along, Archer twisted, trapping T'Pol's hands, one on his face, the other between their bodies. Having made it so far, Archer checked for an instant before betting all he had on this single throw of the dice of life. He ignored T'Pol's look of surprise, and kissed her, tentatively at first, but with more heat when it became apparent that she wasn't going to throw him across the room. She was clearly unaccustomed to kissing, so Archer did no more than press his lips against hers, then pulled back to judge the result of his rash actions.
The look of surprise was still on her face, both eyebrows working overtime and her mouth slightly open in shock. Archer, feeling, for what felt like the hundredth time, like smacking some sense in to himself, set T'Pol upright and moved his hands from her upper arms, standing back and moving out of her personal space. But as he stepped back, T'Pol moved forward. Unsure of his actions, Archer continued to move backwards until his back was against the bulkhead and his first officer was between him and the door. He wasn't sure what he had started, but he felt a flicker of fear at the intense look in T'Pol's eyes.
She closed the remaining distance between them, still silent. T'Pol had no idea what had been awakened in her mind, but it was as if she had a terrible thirst, and the only relief would be to join with the man before her. It was an intense need, but a need of the mind, not of the body. She knew that they must now complete the puzzle, fuse the two halves of their minds and souls and cement the bond. There was no turning back, and with that thought, T'Pol leaned forward and initiated another kiss with her captain. She could feel his reaction, sense his thoughts and knew that he could do the same. Being so open was both terrifying and liberating at the same time, there could be no secrets and no lies. Dimly aware that they were still leaning against the bulkhead, still pressed closely together, T'Pol made a move as if to step back, but hands held her shoulders, keeping her in place. A sensation almost like relief washed over the subcommander, here was proof that Archer accepted the bond, even wished for more.
At last, Archer broke the kiss but did not move from his position, leaning his forehead against T'Pol's, not daring to say anything. She stepped away first, allowing Archer room to move away from the metal bulkhead. T'Pol looked a little dishevelled but otherwise there was no indication of her actions of the last few moments. Archer looked similarly tousled but his emotions were plain on his face, confusion, elation and any number of other confusing words tumbled through his mind.
For the first time since he had come to her quarters, T'Pol spoke, her voice even and controlled
"No doubt you will wish to consider the implications of our link; might I suggest scheduling a meeting at a more convenient time so that we may discuss it? Tomorrow perhaps?"
"Are you serious?', Archer was incredulous, 'you can just brush it off like that? You really don't have any emotion do you? How is it possible that I could be in love with you? How could I be so stupid as to trust my heart to the one person incapable of returning my feelings?" The captain had not meant to say these thoughts aloud, but he heard himself say them all the same. He moved purposefully towards the door of T'Pol's quarters but was surprised when she held his arm in a vice like grip. Her eyes were like chips of ice as she looked into Archer's face and slowly put pressure on his arm, bringing him to face her. This time it was more forceful and T'Pol opened her mind, allowing it to wrap around Archer's and letting him feel all that she felt.
Archer had no idea that under T'Pol's calm exterior there were so many emotions roiling that she worked so hard to keep under control. He detected ambition, desire, fear, longing, happiness and any number of sensations which flitted by too quickly for him to identify. The intensity was incredible and Archer marvelled at the strength T'Pol had to possess in order to keep control. The moment ended and this time Archer was the first to speak
"I don't think I can wait until tomorrow"