Disclaimer: They aren't mine.
A/N: This is my finale fix. I'm actually not certain whether or not I'll continue with the piece, but I think it's fairly contained and hope everyone enjoys it.
Discernment
"Ah, Commander, welcome back," was the first thing T'Pol heard when she woke up. Dr. Phlox was standing over her, smiling.
"You had us worried for a while there," said Trip.
Trip?
"Doctor, I believe that I am hallucinating. I can see and hear Commander Tucker."
The doctor frowned. "Commander Tucker hasn't left your side since you were beamed in."
"He has been dead for a week."
"What?" exclaimed the alarmed voice of Trip.
"I assure you, he is alive and well. Although he could use a full night's sleep." The last part was mentioned with a reproachful look.
Then T'Pol found herself experiencing emotions that were not her own, and yet were familiar. Relief, concern, confusion – they were Trip's feelings.
Trip's feelings? That should not have been possible. They had chosen to allow their bond to remain as latent as possible. It had been six years since then, and the bond was hardly noticeable anymore. Besides that, he was dead.
"Can't you do somethin' for her?"
"We don't know how the Kelari device affected her, Commander. It may have interfered with her memories."
"There were five of them," she said suddenly. "I attempted to fight, but I was outnumbered and my left arm was injured in the crash. Ensign Matterson was unconscious at that point. We were taken to a facility…" she trailed off, confused. She remembered being pulled away by three rough aliens, thinking of Trip alone in their quarters. That did not seem possible. She vividly remembered his death, and they had never shared quarters.
Phlox spoke up. "Ensign Matterson was released two days ago. He was dehydrated and unconscious, but suffered no long-term damage."
"What did they do to you?" asked Trip's voice.
"I am uncertain," T'Pol confessed. "My memories of the last six years are conflicting."
"How so?" asked the doctor, taking out his scanner.
"I recall deciding with Commander Tucker not to pursue a personal relationship, and then I recall details of our shared quarters."
"We've been married over four years," said Trip. She was beginning to believe that he was, in fact, alive. His emotions were too real.
Then she remembered a turning point in their relationship...
Both Trip and T'Pol had been busy all day, as they were aiding the Vulcan ship Bretai repair damage sustained during an ion storm. After the long day, T'Pol was content to meditate. She lit her candles and settled in to position.
She was accustomed to sensing Trip's chaotic emotions, and had grown adept at blocking them out. Try as she might, however, his anxiety was overwhelming. After several unfruitful minutes, she stood up and made the short journey to Trip's quarters.
"C'min." He was still in his uniform and did not look like he was attempting to sleep. She wasn't surprised.
"I thought you were goin' ta meditate?" he said from his seated position on the bed. Suspiciously, Trip avoided making eye contact. Lieutenant Reed insisted that avoiding eye contact was a sign that someone was "up to something."
"I cannot meditate. Your anxiety has grown all day, and it is now quite disruptive. Would you like to discuss something?"
"I haven't found the right words yet."
T'Pol crossed her arms. "Trip, I would like to meditate, but your anxiety level is making it impossible. It is a cause for concern, as such anxiety is unhealthy."
"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I've just gotta find the right words."
She sat beside him on his bed. "Would the wrong words suffice?"
Trip finally looked at her. "Okay, but you asked for it." He took a deep breath. "I was thinkin' about how Priestess T'Lei is on the Bretai."
"This is a cause for concern?"
"No, it's not that. I'd just, well, I'd like ta make an honest woman out of ya." That said, he looked quite relieved.
She was perplexed. "You consider me to be dishonest?"
He sighed. "I knew I didn't have the right words. It's just an old sayin' that people use. I wanna make it official, T'Pol. I wanna make us official."
Comprehension dawned on her. "You wish for Priestess T'Lei to marry us."
He nodded enthusiastically. "It's perfect."
"Would you not prefer to have a traditional marriage from your own culture?"
"I just wanna marry you. T'Lei, Jon, it doesn't matter."
"Captain Archer is qualified to perform marriage ceremonies? I was unaware that he had fulfilled the necessary requirements."
Trip laughed. "Captains can marry people. It's an old tradition. Don't ask me how it started, though. Maybe Malcolm knows, but I sure don't."
She considered this information for a moment. "Perhaps we could incorporate both into a ceremony," she said after a moment.
"So your answer is yes?" T'Pol had not seen Trip look so happy since she agreed to their first public date.
"We are bonded, and I cannot imagine my life with anyone else."
"Woohoo!" Quite unexpectedly, he stood up and pulled T'Pol up as well. She found herself momentarily airborne as he swung her around.
When he put her down, he looked at her shocked expression. "Too much emotion?"
"No. Too much motion."
"Sorry."
One thing was still unclear. "Why was your proposal causing you so much anxiety?"
"I was afraid you'd say no."
"That fear was unfounded. I am quite pleased."
"So am I."
T'Pol looked at Trip fondly. "Tomorrow we will speak with Priestess T'Lei and Captain Archer."
"Sounds like a plan. By the way, how do you feel about wedding rings?"
She thought for a moment about the rings that she had seen and the emotional significance they carried. "I believe that, due to the short nature of our engagement, an 'engagement ring' will be unnecessary, but I am not opposed to a discreet band."
He leaned over and kissed her. "I love you."
"That is fortunate, because I cherish you as well." At that, Trip smiled broadly. He had been disappointed when his earlier profession of love went unrepeated, but T'Pol had held her emotions back. His desire for a lifelong union removed the last remaining barrier for her. There was no reason that she should not tell her betrothed how much he meant to her.
"Sweet dreams, T'Pol."
"Goodnight, Trip."
She returned to her quarters and prepared to meditate. Still, she was unable to focus. She blew out the candles and returned to Trip's quarters.
"Back again?" he asked.
"Your elation is interfering with my meditation. I have concluded that that I should discontinue my attempts."
He nodded. "Very logical."
Wordlessly, she took off her shoes and sat down on his bed. He joined her, and they fell asleep there, Trip's arm wrapped protectively around her shoulder.
In Sickbay, T'Pol saw Dr. Phlox looking intently at her the readings from his scans. "When was the Federation Charter signed?" she asked.
"It's not gonna be signed for another two months." Trip was extremely agitated.
"Doctor?"
"Commander Tucker is correct."
"You are certain that he is alive?"
"Positive."
T'Pol considered her conflicting memories for a moment. "I believe that the Kelari created false memories," she concluded. "Days before the signing of the Federation Charter, Shran approached us. We had believed him to be dead, but he had merely gone into hiding, as former business associates of a disreputable nature believed that he had cheated them. They held his daughter hostage."
"Shran's daughter won't be born for another month!" She could sense Trip's confusion and anger, reinforcing her belief that he was, in fact, alive.
"She was five years old."
"Commander Shran has a son who is five years old," suggested Dr. Phlox.
She vaguely recalled receiving a long-range transmission several months prior. Ensign Sato had informed them that it was Andorian. Pinkskin, it began in Shran's voice, I thought you might be interested to know that my daughter will be born in six months. Ensign Mayweather had commented on the strange nature of the friendship between Commander Shran and Captain Archer.
"We retrieved his daughter by tricking her kidnappers. They caught up with Enterprise but were stopped by Commander Tucker. He was able to deceive them, and they did not survive the experience. Neither did he." She did not mention that she had wondered what it might have been like, had she and Trip pursued a relationship.
"I'm right here, T'Pol."
"Indeed. Your chaotic emotions are unmistakable."
Dr. Phlox chuckled. "I'd like to keep you under observation for another day. We don't know what the Kelari were trying to do or how the device worked, but I am confident that you will make a full recovery."
Captain Archer, who had presumably been notified that she had woken up, strode into Sickbay. "Good to see you, T'Pol."
"Thank you." She was quite tired; it seemed that attempting to discern the difference between real and false memories strained her injured body and mind.
Phlox saw her struggling to stay awake. "You need to rest, Commander. You've been through quite a lot in the past few days."
"May I have a drink?"
"I'll get it," offered Trip.
Captain Archer looked at her with concern. "How are you?"
"I am disoriented."
Trip, returning with a glass of water, explained further. "That thing we found her in apparently made a whole lotta false memories." He held the straw up for T'Pol a she sipped the cool water slowly. Undisguised disgust came through his words. "She thought I was a hallucination when she first woke up."
"The timeline created in my mind was not as pleasing as reality," conceded T'Pol. "Trip was killed."
The captain frowned. "It must be nice to find him alive and well."
"Indeed. However, I still have many conflicting memories that will require meditation."
"That will have to wait until you've slept," said Dr. Phlox. "Your body has been under a good deal of stress."
"How long have I been unconscious?"
Captain Archer answered that question. "We're not sure. We lost contact with the shuttlepod for two days before we found you. That was three days ago."
"There will be time to answer more questions when you wake up," admonished Phlox.
"Very well." T'Pol closed her eyes and prepared to sleep, with Trip's hand over hers. The last thing she heard was Dr. Phlox and Captain Archer attempting to convince Trip to go sleep. It was a wise idea, but she was too tired to tell him so.