A/N: Thank y'all so very much for amazingly quick feedback. Yeah, I know Trip is acting a bit out of sorts...hard to figure what his emotional status is when the writers just sort of dumped that last episode on us with no explanation after Terra Prime. Glad you liked the nod to House of Tucker 8-).

Disclaimers: Nope, still don't own anything belonging to Star Trek.

Better Late Than Never: Chapter 2

T'Pol's eyes met Trip's with something bordering on lioness fierceness the next morning. Trip turned red as he remembered his dream? Was it a dream? If it wasn't... he muttered something about getting breakfast and going swimming then fled the room like a coward.

Kathleen lifted her brows over her coffee mug and smiled at T'Pol. "Oh I think he will come along nicely."

"Indeed" was the only reply T'Pol made, still looking toward the direction Trip had fled. Setting her own tea cup down and making a polite withdrawal, she decided that a swim sounded a most logical way to start the day.

If T'Pol had not been Vulcan, she would have smiled wickedly the way Trip stumbled in the water and gave a double take when she walked down the beach in a brilliant scarlet one piece...well sort of a one piece. Trip would have argued that description. T'Pol, with deliberate slowness, stopped and placed her large beach towel on the sand. When she stood up Trip was beside her looking at her with what could only be described as hunger.

"Decide to go swimming?" he managed

"Yes. I have found that both swimming and your Scuba diving are pastimes well worth taking up."

He nodded slowly "If you are up for it we could go Scuba diving before lunch...sorta kill two birds with one stone ya know."

T'Pol watched the waves for a moment then inclined her head "The last time I was out was several days ago, so the CO2 in my system will not be an issue."

Trip, who had nearly been holding his breath, sighed suddenly in relief. He hadn't really wanted to contemplate her turning him down. "Great! That's just great. I'll go grab the gear and check the tanks and we can head out..."

Without waiting for further reply he strode purposely for the house.

Trip busted through the door causing his mother to look at him in mild alarm. "Trip what's wrong? Are you and T'Pol sniping at each other again?"

"Huh? Oh, no...Where is Dad? I need the Scuba gear for the two of us."

Kathleen smiled and pointed up to the study and shook her head in amusement when Trip bound up the stairs like a young boy.

"Dad! I need the Scuba gear...Where is it? For both myself and T'Pol."

Trip's father leaned back in his chair and calmly regarded his son. "It's downstairs in the room just off the kitchen. Take her to Sanabel Is. and ask for Mark. He knows of a little spot that is privately owned and allows me the use of the place. He will take care of you. The tanks are filled...I did that yesterday." Charles lifted a knowing brow at the gleam that entered his son's eyes. "Go and enjoy yourself."

"That is what I am hoping to do. See ya."

T'Pol was relatively astonished at how quickly Trip had gathered their things and was ready to head out for Sanabel. She allowed him to bustle her to the boat going across to the island without complaint or comment. She was actually rather pleased at the turn of events.

Once they arrived and Trip spoke to someone at the dock, they found themselves on another small boat heading around the island to another location. When T'Pol stepped off the boat and looked around she furrowed her brow. "Why is this location so deserted? I have not been to a beach yet that is not teeming with people."

"Dad's secret private beach apparently" He turned to Mark, who smiled and told them he was going to push off, but to go to a small bar up the beach called the Bronze Pelican and call for him there when they were ready.

T'Pol watched him go, then began gearing up.

"You need any help?"

"No, Your father was very thorough in his instruction."

"Yeah, nothing ever got past him when he was teaching...I remember."

In less than 10 minutes they had both entered the cool blue green water and begun to experience the underwater world.

Once T'Pol had discovered how peaceful and quiet the water could be when diving below its surface, she had become a regular diver when in Florida. The feel of the water sliding past and the bright colorful life, calmed her and had given her such a sensation of solace almost as good as meditating. It suddenly occurred to her that it had also made her feel close to Trip... being on his homeland and being one of his favorite pastimes. She looked over at him swimming silently next to her enjoying the quiet peacefulness as much as she. In a flash of amusement, it also occurred to her that this was the most silent that the Commander had ever been.

They spent nearly two hours at a depth of only 45 feet, but it was filled with schools of rapidly moving fish... Trip grabbed her arm and pointed eagerly to her left, showing her a graceful manta ray gliding through the water like a bird, then later tugged at her again to show her the jagged toothed barracuda lurking in the wildly swarming school of silver fish. T'Pol let his youthful eagerness to show her his world work through her own tired lonely soul. By the time they surfaced, she turned her face to the warm sun and breathed deeply. When Trip walked out of the water to stand next to her, she expected the usual glib chatter, which had always characterized him, but instead he just sat down his equipment and lied down on the beach enjoying the sand/sun as much as she.

Trip was famished but he felt more relaxed than he had in months and so he did not want to disturb the gentle peace any sooner than necessary. It was T'Pol who actually turned to him and made her own hunger known. He sat up with a smile and agreed. They walked to the Bronze Pelican...and despite the expectation of a small tattered bar...they were pleasantly surprised by a tidy seaside restaurant. Lunch's conversation held innocuous commentary of the day's dive upholding the tenuous peace and lack of tension. By the time they called for Mark, the day had sunk into late afternoon.

T'Pol walked to the balcony and stared down at the crashing waves strangely reluctant to leave and end the day... their day. Trip joined her and leaned against the rail watching her. "I've had a really nice time today. I have to admit, I never once thought that you would go for something like Scuba and swimming...just seemed so far from anything Vulcan I guess."

"I was reluctant at first, but your father can be a very persistent man when he chooses...Just like his son." She turned warm brown eyes to his "I am pleased that he did not give up and that I made the attempt. Down there, the serenity is something I achieve only in meditation. It was why I took your suggestion and changed the landscape of where I go to meditate."

"My suggestion? When did I ever suggest you change that?" Even as he asked the question, he could feel the years melt away and heard himself saying how he had expected some sort of beach or exotic place like the Fire Mountains on Vulcan... Then his breath hitched, in her oh so Vulcan way, she had just told him that last nights dream had truly been no dream. That long ago feeling of lightheadedness whenever he was near her swept over him, leaving a sudden ache of regret and newer need.

Before either could speak, the jovial Mark called out to them from inside letting them know that he had arrived. Their eyes dipped toward and away from one another after meeting briefly, then they turned and made their way back to the boat and to home.

Trip found himself staring out at the water afraid to look too closely at T'Pol. He felt tense again, but this time it was more because he was looking back at the sudden waste of six years...questioning why? Why and how. The ache in his heart grew heavy and he felt suddenly close to tears. At the end of the ride, he found T'Pol watching him with that same weary heaviness in her own eyes. Neither of them spoke as they continued to his family's home.

Kathleen met them at the door and gave both of them a quizzical look. She had not been expecting this sense of sadness to come walking through her door. Determined to alter that state of affairs, she decided that she would corner T'Pol .

Trip excused himself commenting that he had to put the gear away.

Kathleen noted the way T'Pol's eyes followed him out of the room. "Was it a bad day dear?"

Startled T'Pol replied "Not at all, it was actually a very pleasant day. I found I enjoyed it very much."

"Come onto the patio for some tea. Then why are you both looking so glum?" Kathleen chattered drawing T'Pol toward the patio.

"It was as though each of us realized the time lost to us both and neither of us know how to either explain or deal with that knowledge."

Kathleen patted T'Pol's arm and sighed. She could not explain that to herself let alone to Trip or T'Pol... tea would have to do.

In the side room Trip was joined by his father. He sighed heavily and met his Dad's knowing gaze. "I have no idea where to go from here Dad. Any ideas?"

"Well, it depends on where you want to end up."

Pushing the last tank against the wall, Trip snorted. "Yeah, well that's part of the problem isn't it? I know what I used to want, but that was a long long time ago. What if I just want the past now?"

Charles smiled "Oh, I think you regret the past, and are afraid of the future... Never knew you to shrink from a challenge boy. Your little escapade this last eight months sure should tell you the same thing."

"Not risking the same kind of pain Dad... There was a whole 'nother universe of pain when we lost Elizabeth. It should have brought us together...I thought it would, then the next thing I know it's six years later. "

Grief touched Charles own face at the thought of the granddaughter that he had never known. He reached out and put his hand on Trip's shoulder. "I know what a loss that is Charles...twice over I know that loss. Your Mom and I, well we had some pretty rough patches there during both. We got through em, but I tell ya son, we have the benefit of being married and knowing each other for nearly forty years, knowing how to talk to each other. Seems to me, you and T'Pol had barely even turned a corner to admitting anything was between you two at all. Losing a child and not really knowing what to say or do around each other...well that can drive a wedge even between two humans.

I can tell you this: if she did not care, she never would have brought your stuff to us, she never would have continued coming here. "

Trip stared at him for a long moment then nodded. Maybe all wasn't lost. "I'm sorry again Dad. I guess I never really though about how much pain I would cause."

Charles gripped Trip's shoulder and gave it a shake, nodding, not trusting his own voice for a moment.

They finished up and headed back to the kitchen.

Outside on the patio swing, Kathleen watched a silent T'Pol. "Have you ever considered offering to meld with him to show him... to share with him what is going on in that logical mind of yours"

T'Pol's teacup rattled as she set it down "That would not be prudent."

"Hmmmm, I doubt very much prudent and you and my son belong in the same sentence. You offered that solace to me. It helped more than I can say; your sharing of some of your memories of Trip." She closed her eyes for a moment "I am ever grateful to myself that I did not allow the fear to override my decision to allow that meld."

"I too am glad of your own shared memories. It made my time of grief easier to bear as well."

"Then what, pray tell, is the difference? If you two could just talk that would be fine, but I know you and I know my son... you can argue just fine, but ..." Kathleen threw her hands into the air signifying her frustration.

Both were distracted by a smiling Malcolm sauntering up the stairs. T'Pol lifted a brow and rolled her eyes when he winked at her. "Lovely day ladies, lovely day. I must admit I have not had such a pleasant afternoon in a long while."

Kathleen shook her head and got up muttering about randy young men.

"I suppose you and Lt. Perkins spent the day together?" T'Pol almost drawled.

Malcolm shook his head "Oh no, this was even better. " With that cryptic remark he strolled inside leaving T'Pol to blink and cock her head in confusion. As usual her curiosity got the better of her and she followed him inside. "You have spent nearly every waking moment with the Lt. and now you have so easily moved on?"

Malcolm, still smiling again winked at her "Mrs. Tucker, I must thank you very much for your wonderful hospitality, but I find that I have an important place to be"

"Where ya going Malcolm? Staying with Helen are you?" Trip said from the doorway.

His smile turned sly "Actually no, I've taken a page from history and learned from it...I'm headed to Brazil...to see Hoshi."