Changes
Chapter 5
A few days after Trip's memorial service, Jonathan went to see Admiral Gardener to officially accept the position of Admiral. Gardener was more than pleased to welcome the former captain to the ranks, and shook his hand with enthusiasm.
"This is what my fellow members on the Starfleet Council were hoping for," Gardener commented, "though I think they feared you'd never give up the exploring."
"Hmm…didn't want to at first, but it's the right move for me now."
"What changed your mind?"
"Personal circumstances."
"You keeping me in the dark on purpose, Jon or is it a state secret?"
"You haven't heard? I would have thought all of Starfleet knew by now."
"Guess I haven't kept up with local gossip. You gonna spill it then?"
"After Saturday my bachelor days are over, Frank."
Whilst he'd never have called Admiral Forrest by his first name, he'd known Gardener since the NX Project days along with A.G. and Duvall when they'd all been competing to become Enterprise's first captain.
"Jonathan Archer is getting married? Wonders will never cease. And who's the unlucky lady?" he teased.
He'd thought T'Pol might have mentioned it to him when she'd seen him last week to discuss her career advancement, but obviously the subject hadn't come up. "I'll give you three guesses."
"I can't think of one woman who'd take you on, Jon, let alone three!" Gardener chuckled. "It's not Erika is it?" the Admiral finally asked after thinking it over.
"No, it's not Erika."
"I haven't seen Rebecca around in years, so I guess it's not her."
"Not Rebecca."
"Oh I know! You correctly guessed the name Ruby picked out for her kids and she feels obligated in keeping her promise."
"No, you're not even close," Jonathan laughed. "Besides, I don't think anyone ever took Ruby seriously on that one."
"Except Trip," said Gardener.
"Right." Jonathan's demeanour changed. "I didn't get a chance to thank you for arranging that promotion for him."
"Was happy to do it, besides he'd have been bound to get it on his own in the very near future. I'm sorry about Trip. I know you guys were close."
"Thanks."
They were interrupted when a call came through for Gardener. He asked Jonathan to wait while he took it.
"Sorry about that, just council business."
"No problem."
"So when do you think you can officially start?"
"Think you could give me a month?"
"You planning on a long honeymoon, huh?"
Jonathan smiled. "Well not a whole month, but a few weeks. And I want to look for a new house."
"Okay, I think I can pull a few strings and get you a month's leave. If you need it, I could extend it to six weeks. That should give you ample time to settle into your new home."
"That would be great. Appreciate it, Frank."
"You gonna tell me who this mystery bride is or what?"
"Well you saw her last week and tried to talk her into becoming an Ambassador for her people."
Frank Gardener stood at his desk with the most surprised look on his face. "You're gonna marry Commander T'Pol?"
"Indeed."
"Jonathan 'I hate Vulcans' Archer is actually going to wed one?"
"I never hated Vulcans."
"You surely didn't love them as I recall. Didn't you say something to A.G. and me about strangling Soval the day you found out T'Pol had been assigned to Enterprise?"
"That was more than ten years ago, and it was only an expression. Besides, people change. T'Pol and I have been good friends for over nine years."
"And a little more I guess," Frank winked at him. "You sly dog, Jon!"
"Whatever that crude imagination of yours is conjuring up, you can stop right there. For the record nothing transpired between T'Pol and me while I was her superior officer. This is something that happened in the last few weeks."
"Okay, okay, I believe you. Let me guess you were in love with her for almost ten years but your principles got in the way and being the honorable man you are, you never confessed your true feelings? Am I warm?"
"Something along those lines."
"Well all I can say is you've got more integrity than me. You know Sarah used to be my first officer. We got married as soon as I got the promotion and she transferred to an Earth side position. But we'd been unofficially together for a few years. I think it's time Starfleet updated those fraternization rules."
"Probably a good idea."
"Well I'm happy for both of you, Jon. And you sure are gonna make it into the history books. Not only are you the man who aided in the forming of the Federation, but you'll be the first human to be in an interspecies marriage."
"I guess I will," Jonathan replied.
"Well I know who to turn to if I need to smooth over Vulcan/Human relations. From the sounds of it you're gonna be married to the next Vulcan Ambassador."
"We hope so, but T'Pol isn't the only candidate."
"I'm sure she's a favourite. I know Soval's put in a good word for her."
"Yes, I'm hoping we hear the final decision before the wedding on Saturday."
"I'll keep my fingers crossed. So do I get an invite to this wedding?"
"There's going to be a ceremony at the Vulcan consulate and the invitations are being sent out today. Check your communiqués this afternoon."
"Sure will. Vulcan consulate, huh? If only your father could see you now. You've come a long way, Jon. I think he'd be really proud of his son."
"Thanks," Jonathan replied. "Well if there's nothing more, I better get on home. I have a hundred and one things to do."
Gardener bid him goodbye and congratulated him once more on his upcoming nuptials saying he looked forward to seeing both him and T'Pol on Saturday.
The next few days were very busy. T'Pol had fittings to attend to for the wedding gown she'd wear for the Vulcan ceremony. She'd designed it herself and selected a local dressmaker to make it. While the dressmaker was more than competent, it entailed standing in the garment for 1-2 hours at a time while adjustments were made so it fitted T'Pol's form perfectly.
For the Earth ceremony she'd purchased a simple cream two piece suit with matching shoes.
Jonathan was to wear Vulcan robes for the ceremony at the consulate. These needed to be made from scratch so he had to attend his own fittings.
As well as getting their garments prepared they viewed several houses on or near the beach that might be suitable for them to move into once they returned from their honeymoon. Jonathan wanted something that wasn't too far from Starfleet, but wasn't situated too close to the bustling city.
Then there were the honeymoon plans. T'Pol left that in Jonathan's hands. She said she trusted his judgement. He didn't want to make the decision entirely on his own so asked her what she preferred when he'd narrowed down the choices to around four or five.
There was Hawaii, Australia, Bermuda or the Florida Keys. She'd perused the information on the different places and found that Hawaii intrigued her the most. It wasn't too far away, visiting the volcanoes would prove interesting and she knew Jonathan would love to get some body surfing in.
As for her appointment to Ambassador, they'd both hoped to hear something before their wedding day arrived. She went to see Soval on Friday morning, the day before the wedding. When she returned to the apartment she informed Jonathan that selecting the right candidate was a lengthy process, and they probably wouldn't know the outcome till after they returned from Hawaii.
"You sound a little despondent," Jonathan noted.
"No, I'm fine."
"You think there's a chance you might not get it?"
"There is always that possibility, Jonathan. I am the youngest candidate and probably considered more of a radical than the others. However, I believe I am T'Pau's favourite, but she alone cannot make the choice."
"She can't?"
"No, there has to be a vote taken by the appointed committee. Every person who sits on this committee needs to review each candidate, and of course this takes time."
"I hope you marrying a human won't be held against you."
She didn't answer but went to get herself a glass of iced tea from the refrigerator. It was a warm day and she was thirsty.
"T'Pol?"
"Yes, Jonathan?"
"You do think that don't you?"
"I am uncertain. Perhaps if I was applying to be Ambassador to Mazar or Andoria, it might be considered a hindrance, but since I will actually be living here on Earth, I do not see why it would be looked upon as a negative."
"Okay."
He went back to checking the current weather in Oahu on his computer screen. It was a balmy 78F, just perfect he thought.
He turned around to look at T'Pol. She was standing by the living room window sipping her tea. Something wasn't right — his instincts told him she was upset. Sure she was Vulcan and kept her emotions locked up, but he knew her well enough by now to decipher her moods. And she didn't seem happy.
He walked over to where she stood, positioning himself across from her. "Wanna tell me what's wrong, sweetheart?"
"I already told you earlier that I'm fine."
"T'Pol, I sense something is wrong. Would you rather not talk about it?"
Considering the fact that he was human and had no telepathic ability, she had to give him credit for being spot on. She hadn't wanted to trouble him with these thoughts; he was busy putting together the final plans for the ceremony tomorrow and their vacation that they departed for on Sunday.
She'd thought he'd interpret her mood as just being her usual stoic self, but it seemed she couldn't keep anything from him, and he read her like a book.
"Are you anxious about not getting the position of Ambassador?" he asked in response to her long silence.
"No, it's not that."
"You having second thoughts about us?"
"Oh no, Jonathan. Not at all," she reassured him. She placed her empty mug on the coffee table and stepped into his space. He wound his arms around her, and she rested her head on his chest, closing her eyes momentarily. She breathed in his scent and found it comforting. "Tomorrow is the beginning of our lives together, I've eagerly awaited that day for a long time."
"Then what's wrong?" he asked her in a hushed tone, stroking her hair.
"I wish my mother were alive to see me marry the right man. She was present at my wedding to Koss, but she knew I was under duress and only went through with it for her."
"And I'm sure she was proud of you for being so self-sacrificing."
"Yes, I believe she was," T'Pol agreed, turning her head to look up at Jonathan. "I guess there's no point in dwelling on this…but I can't seem to shake the thought. I wish she'd known how I really felt about you, and that you were the man I wanted to share my life with."
"Maybe she did?" he suggested.
T'Pol thought back to those few days she'd spent with her mother in the caves in the Forge. There were so many things she wished she'd said. Instead she'd told her she didn't want anything to do with her, and how she regretted coming to the Forge to look for her. She wanted to take those words back now.
But at least her mother had been proud of her. And she'd done what she thought was best for her daughter. She'd known T'Pol was different — how she'd always struggled with her emotions. Maybe she'd tried to understand her daughter's attachments to the humans.
After T'Pau had attempted to remove Surak's katra through the ritual, Jonathan had been knocked unconscious for around three hours. In that time, T'Pol had not left his side. Her mother had witnessed her agitation and concern as T'Pau tried to remove the katra, but with no success. She'd practically had to stop T'Pol running over and dragging Archer away.
Jonathan was carried back to the cell by two Syrannites, T'Pol following closely behind. They laid him on the floor and left. T'Pol recalled the anxiety she'd felt over his well-being, wondering if he'd even wake up again. They'd told him the ritual could permanently damage his nervous system, but he'd agreed to go through with it. Well he hadn't been given much choice in the matter.
T'Pol and Archer were left alone and the door to their cell locked. She tried to brush away some of the dirt from his face with a cloth. She was unsure how much time had elapsed with her just sitting there in silence, watching over the man she cared so much for, when she heard a key in the door, and heard the familiar creak of the hinges as it opened.
"T'Pol, I came to see how you are."
T'Pol's attention was temporarily averted from Archer as she turned to see her mother walk in. "I have nothing to say to you, Mother."
"I know you don't understand now, but if you let me explain."
"I don't wish to hear your explanations. My only concern at the moment is my Captain." She turned away from her mother who had seated herself in the corner.
After a few minutes silence her mother spoke up. "You care for him a great deal."
"He's my Captain."
"Yes, but your emotions for him run deeper than that."
"He's my friend. It is only natural that I care for him," T'Pol explained, a little concerned that her mother could read her so well.
"When you brought Commander Tucker to our house a few months ago, I had thought it was him you were attached to. Now I see I was wrong. It's always been Captain Archer, hasn't it?"
T'Pol didn't answer but glanced back over her patient. He was breathing steadily, as if in a deep sleep. She just wanted him to awaken from it soon. She wished to see his bright green eyes smile up at her and reassure her that all was well.
"You don't have to answer, T'Pol," T'Les continued. "But I think I finally understand why you've remained on Enterprise and why you followed the humans into the Expanse. You may rationalize your actions as loyalty to your captain and crew, but I believe I know you well — you did not wish to leave Archer's side."
"Mother, whatever your reasoning is, whether it be wrong or right, it is irrelevant at this moment. I'm a married woman — entertaining feelings of any kind would be wrong."
"We cannot help what we feel, T'Pol. I'm not telling you to act on them, I'm just glad that I finally understand your true motivation."
A few minutes later Jonathan began to stir and their discussion came to an abrupt end. T'Pol, thinking back on it now, wondered if Jonathan was correct. It seemed apparent her mother had been well aware of her feelings for him.
"It seems you are right," she told Jonathan. "She told me I had feelings for you, that time when you were unconscious in the cell."
"Do you feel better for remembering that?"
"Yes. How did you know? You were unconscious at the time."
"Remember what I told you on the beach that day? That I felt close to you again when we were in the Forge?"
"Yes," she answered.
"I could tell how concerned you were about me and just theorized that perhaps your mother had picked up on it as well."
"I see."
Jonathan hugged her closer. "Feel any better?" he asked again.
"A little. I still wish she was going to be there tomorrow."
"I know. And believe me I can empathise. There's nothing I'd want more than my father to be here tomorrow."
She'd been wrapped up in her own thoughts about her mother. Of course Jonathan would want his father at his wedding. It was the most natural thing in the world. What was unnatural for him was losing his father at the age of twelve.
"I believe we can empathise with each other then, both being parentless."
He nodded.
"Thank you," she whispered, pressing her lips to his briefly.
"For what?"
"For just being you," she explained.
He smiled. "You're welcome."
"And for being more logical than me right now, and for loving me all these years, even when it must have been painful for you."
"I think there were times when it was painful for both of us," he added.
"Yes."
They were quiet for a few minutes, just wrapped in each other's arms thinking about the past and the bright future that lay before them. Tomorrow would be the culmination of their hopes and dreams.
"Why don't I make some lunch?" Jonathan suggested. "You must be hungry."
"A little."
He walked over to the fridge and started taking out all her favourite salad ingredients. "I'll assist you," she offered.
"I can manage, why don't you relax on the sofa and I'll make you some mint tea?"
"No, I'd like to help."
"Okay," he agreed and passed her the chopping board and a knife. "You don't have another fitting this afternoon do you?"
"No. The final adjustments were made yesterday. I have no plans for this afternoon. This evening, however are another matter."
"Oh?" he asked, curious as to what these plans were.
"It seems I've been coerced into what Ensign Sato calls a bridal shower. I did not wish to injure her feelings, so agreed to attend."
"Don't worry, it's painless."
"Will it entail getting wet?"
Jonathan laughed. "No, sweetheart. Hoshi didn't explain?"
"She said she wanted it to be a surprise."
"Okay, well I don't want to spoil it then, but I can tell you that the word shower shouldn't be interpreted as getting wet."
T'Pol looked confused. "Then what does it mean?"
"You'll find out tonight, just be patient."
"Very well."
"So if you're free this afternoon, there's somewhere I'd like to take you."
"Another house to view?"
"No, the agent never called me back about that last beach property we wanted to check out. I guess we'll have to wait till we get back from our honeymoon."
T'Pol questioned him further as to where he wanted to take her, but he told her to wait and see. They finished their lunch and departed.
He'd been planning to come here ever since returning to Earth, but hadn't made time for it. It seemed appropriate to come today — the day before his wedding. He'd thought to come alone, but after his discussion with T'Pol this morning about their parents, it seemed very right in bringing her here.
He held her hand as they walked through the cemetery. They turned a corner and walked a few paces, arriving at the correct place. Together they stood in silence, looking at the marble gravestone. It read Henry Archer 2076-2124, beloved husband of Sally Archer and father of Jonathan Archer.
"Dad, there's someone important I want you to meet," Jonathan began, still holding T'Pol's hand tightly. "I wish you were here to see her for yourself, and I can just imagine you'd be smiling from ear to ear. She's my bride-to-be, and tomorrow we're getting married. And Dad…she's a Vulcan. She's even going to take Ambassador Pointy Ears' place at the Consulate, imagine that."
Jonathan pictured his father's image in his mind, and saw Henry smiling. He imagined him making some teasing comment about how did Jonathan ever get hooked up with such a beautiful woman. On a serious note he knew his father would have been happy for him, not just that he was getting married, but that things between humans and Vulcans had been smoothed over to the point that one was marrying the other.
"And Dad, one other thing — I love her." Jonathan paused, glancing at T'Pol and giving her a smile. "She brings me such joy and happiness, and makes me complete. I know you always said when you married mom that she was your soulmate. Well I finally know what you meant by that. T'Pol is my soulmate."
T'Pol stood by in silence, taking in every word. She was moved by Jonathan's emotional expressions.
He released T'Pol's hand and asked her for the bunch of flowers she'd been carrying in her free hand. She passed them to him. He moved closer to the grave, crouching down and placed them carefully by the marble stone.
"I love you, Dad."
Jonathan's whisper was barely audible but T'Pol's superior hearing allowed her to pick it up. His tone was melancholy.
"There's not a day goes by when I don't think of you. I miss you." The words were spoken softly and with emotion. T'Pol could hear the crack in his voice and felt certain his eyes, if she could see them, would contain unshed tears.
He stood up and rejoined her. She intertwined their hands together, and Jonathan gripped hers tightly. Together they headed back towards the exit in silence, both lost in thought.
"Thank you for coming, T'Pol," he said as he opened he door for her to get into the car. He got into the driver's side and turned the engine on.
"Thank you for bringing me. I wish I could have met your father."
"Me too. He'd have liked you," Jonathan smiled at her, "…a lot."
He put the car into gear and they drove off back to the apartment.
The next morning, the day Jonathan Archer had been anticipating for at least the last ten years finally arrived: his wedding day.
He jumped out of bed and with a spring in his step walked into the kitchen to make some breakfast. T'Pol hadn't spent last night with him, as she'd attended the bridal shower Hoshi had organized. He knew she hadn't been keen on the idea, but hadn't wanted to hurt Hoshi's feelings so had acquiesced. He wondered how she'd got on and what gifts Ensign Sato and the other girls had bought for his soon-to-be Vulcan bride.
He was due to meet T'Pol at the courthouse at noon for the civil ceremony. He made himself a large breakfast of eggs, pancakes, and hash browns. He had quite an appetite this morning.
After finishing his meal he glanced at the clock on the wall — he still had at least 90 minutes before he needed to leave for the courthouse, and it wouldn't take him that long to get ready. He felt a little antsy so decided to go for a run, he decided it might calm his nerves.
I'm nervous?
Jonathan ran unaccompanied. Porthos was already with Phlox — he'd be staying with the doctor while Jonathan and T'Pol were in Hawaii. He decided to run as far as the Palace of Arts and then head back.
As his feet pounded against the pavement thoughts flitted through his brain. Would he be a good husband? Could he make T'Pol happy? Would she be content living on Earth? What if she got tired of him?
He didn't like the direction his thoughts were taking. Was he insecure? He knew T'Pol cared about him, and probably did love him in her own Vulcan way. Okay, so she hadn't uttered the words "I love you" but so what? Didn't mean she wasn't happy and that she didn't care about him.
He'd told her their first night together that it didn't matter and that he didn't need to hear them. But now he wasn't so sure. Or was this just last minute nerves?
"Probably cold feet," he muttered under his breath. He was sure all husbands-to-be went through the same mental dialogue. True, he was the first man to marry a Vulcan woman, so the circumstances were a little different.
So why did he feel a little keyed up and nervous? He felt fine about going to the courthouse, but was a tad apprehensive about the whole Vulcan ceremony. He imagined a whole group of Vulcans in the room boring holes into his back from their disapproving stares, while watching one of their kind join herself to a member of an inferior race.
Oh now he was really letting his imagination run away with him! Vulcans didn't feel that way anymore. The Federation treaty had been signed — everyone was looked upon as equal. Well that was the general idea at least. Despite that the Vulcans did still seem to have that aloof superior air about them, but that was probably something they couldn't help.
He arrived at the Palace of Arts a little out of breath. He hadn't realized how fast he'd been running. He sat down on a bench by the lake that fronted the large rotunda and slowed his breathing. He watched mothers with their children walk by, a young couple hand in hand, and an older gentleman walking his Labrador. For them this was just an ordinary day and they were partaking in daily activities.
For Jonathan this day marked the start of a whole new life. A life he'd share with T'Pol. He wanted it to work, and he'd make sure that it did. In fact he was determined. He knew there'd be problems along the way — there was no such thing as a trouble-free marriage. But he hoped they'd be able to work through their differences when they arose and emerge with their relationship stronger than ever.
When he'd exited the apartment he'd noted that it was a cloudy day. Now the sun, which had been hiding behind the clouds, came out and seemed to shine directly on him. Jonathan smiled broadly — luck was on his side today. He felt very positive about everything, and even his nerves about appearing before a group of Vulcans seemed to settle.
He lifted himself off the bench and began to jog home.
Jonathan showered when he got home, and then started to dress. He found his thoughts turning to Trip as he did so. He'd have been here with him, joking and teasing him about finally giving up bachelor-hood. He'd probably even have got him stinking drunk the previous night at some wild bachelor party he'd have organized. Malcolm had actually attempted to put something together but Archer had practically made it an order that he didn't want anything done. Somehow it just didn't feel right without Trip.
He slipped on his suit jacket and gazed at his reflection in the mirror, straightening his tie. His appearance seemed satisfactory.
Half an hour later he was pacing the corridor at the courthouse waiting for the others to appear. Hoshi and Phlox were coming as witnesses and T'Pol would travel with them, as she'd spent the night in her Starfleet apartment. Five minutes passed and he spied the three of them approaching.
T'Pol looked amazing. She wore a beautifully tailored cream suit consisting of a short jacket and skirt that finished just above her knee. Around her neck was a thin gold chain.
"I missed you last night," she whispered into Jonathan's ear and kissed him lightly on the cheek. She noted how handsome he looked dressed in a grey suit with a white shirt and dark tie.
"We'll make up for it tonight," he promised, with a twinkle in his eye. He offered T'Pol his arm and they walked in together for the civil ceremony.
Hoshi and Phlox watched on, happy to see their captain and first officer finally find the happiness they truly deserved. Hoshi thought they made a perfect couple — watching them over the years serve on Enterprise side by side she'd hoped they'd finally realize what they meant to each other. When Archer had contacted her about 3 weeks ago telling her T'Pol had spent the night, she'd known something was afoot, and didn't believe any of her captain's explanations.
Not long after that incident Archer had invited her and Phlox to dinner with him and T'Pol. She'd been curious to find out what was going on and of course had accepted. When they'd asked her to be a witness at their civil ceremony she'd felt honored. Now she watched on with pleasure as the handsome couple exchanged rings and vows of love.
T'Pol had asked Jonathan for a Vulcan wedding, and that was taking place later this afternoon at the Vulcan consulate. She had assumed this Earth ceremony would be just a formality and in a way it was just that: signing papers and making their union legal.
But the emotions in Jonathan's voice as he promised to love and cherish her till death parted them did not escape her. Her eyes were fixed on his face, and she saw written in his eyes his love for her. She knew he'd waited for this moment a long time. He'd been a patient man. She hoped she could bring him the happiness he deserved.
With all legalities in order, the newly married Mr and Mrs Archer left the building arm in arm en-route to Sausalito.
Jonathan looked into the mirror to check out his appearance. Hmm…not bad, he thought; Vulcan robes actually suited him. His robe was a deep wine color with gold trimming. Underneath that he wore black pants and a black shirt with a high collar in the Vulcan style.
There was a knock at the door.
"Come in."
"Just wanted to see how you were doing," Hoshi explained as she walked into his dressing room. "Hmm…nice outfit. Very becoming, sir."
"Hoshi, you don't have to call me sir anymore. I'm not your commanding officer."
"I know but I'm used to it. Don't ask me to start calling you Jonathan — it just wouldn't seem proper."
"Okay," he laughed. "So how's the bride doing?" He knew Hoshi had been helping T'Pol dress.
"Wait till you see her, Captain. She'll knock your socks off!"
He smiled at Hoshi's expression.
"Large turnout?" he asked.
"I believe everyone you invited are seated and awaiting your appearance."
Checking himself over one more time in the mirror, he left to join the guests. Hoshi accompanied him down the corridor, directing him to the right entrance and told him she was returning to T'Pol to make sure the bride was ready.
He nodded and entered the room where his wedding would take place. It was simply decorated with plain furnishings and a few statues of Surak. Rows of lit candles provided illumination. There were wooden benches for people to sit on, which were now filled with the guests who'd come to witness his nuptials. As far as he was aware this place was normally used for meditation, Kolinahr and weddings.
He walked to the front of the room where the Vulcan priest was waiting to perform the ceremony. He scanned the audience, recognizing most of the faces. His senior staff were all present along with Admiral Gardener. Soval was there of course, and a few colleagues T'Pol had worked with at the Vulcan consulate before being assigned to Enterprise.
He took his position and waited for T'Pol. The room was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. He heard a door creak open and the bride made her appearance, walking down the aisle towards him.
He'd never seen her look more beautiful. She was decked out in a long dark green velvet gown, embroided with gold thread around the waist and skirt. Around her neck she wore a small necklace with the symbol of the IDIC. Resting on the back of her head was a thin greenish veil.
After all this time she would finally be his and his patience had been rewarded.
He held out his hand to her that she took and they both kneeled down on the floor in front of the Vulcan priest. They touched fingers in the Vulcan way as the priest proceeded to bless them and their union.
TBC