Changes
Chapter 7
The morning sun peeked through the gap in the bedroom drapes, casting a beam of light across the carpet and onto the bed.
Jonathan was the first to wake. He noted that T'Pol was still fast asleep and had no wish to awaken his sleeping bride. His eyes travelled to the clock on T'Pol's bedside. It was just after 7am. His body was still in the habit of waking up relatively early, like around 6am as he had on Enterprise.
He gazed at T'Pol adoringly. She looked like some princess from a fairytale he'd read as a child — incredibly beautiful and serene like. He wanted to savour this moment — T'Pol in his arms as his wife. If someone had told him a month ago he'd be married to the woman he'd been in love with for almost ten years he'd have laughed, and said the idea was crazy.
When he'd received the orders for the decommissioning of Enterprise, his future had appeared bleak. Even with the prospect of a promotion, he'd felt sad and lost, uncertain what to do with his life. Enterprise, his father's engine and exploration had been his entire life. Once that had been taken away he was an empty shell of a man.
But none of that was true anymore. His life had changed — and all for the better, thanks to T'Pol. Who'd have thought a hug would be the catalyst in bringing about such enormous changes? Maybe he and T'Pol would have eventually found each other at some point in time, but their embrace that day had kick started their relationship. For that, he was immensely grateful.
His sleeping wife moved in his arms, and turned to face him. "Good morning," she whispered and pressed her lips to his briefly. "What time is it?"
"Just after 7. Go back to sleep, sweetheart. We don't need to get up yet. The shuttle to Honolulu isn't till late this afternoon."
"I feel adequately rested. Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah," he answered.
She studied his face. He did look well rested and as handsome as ever. His eyes were bright green, sparkling like polished emeralds. His hair was slightly askew from sleep, which she found most endearing and the stubble growing on his face just made him more attractive.
"I'm pleased to hear it," she said, leaning down to take his lips in hers. The kiss was passionate and stirred desire in both of them. T'Pol was still amazed at how as a Vulcan she so easily surrendered to these waves of passion that came over her. It wasn't just the physical union that was so satisfying to her, but it seemed the more she was with him, the stronger her emotional attachment to him became, and the physical was an embodiment of the emotional.
I love you.
He'd never expected to hear those words once, let alone several times in the space of twelve hours. He would never tire of hearing this endearment. It was flattering to be told you were attractive, to feel that you were liked, but to be loved…that was on an entirely different plane.
The only other time he'd been in love before had ended in pain, hurt and extreme disappointment. He'd often wondered after his break up with Margaret if she really had ever loved him…or even understood him for that matter. If she had, or at least attempted to, she would have known he could never give up his father's dream — whether it be for her or any other woman. If she'd really loved him…she'd have loved him with the strings attached.
Just like T'Pol did.
Soon all thought was lost as he felt himself drowning…a wonderfully familiar feeling of late, which he succumbed to with pleasure. Wrapping his arms around her naked form, he returned her kisses with equal passion, whispering words of adoration and love.
T'Pol stepped out of the shower feeling refreshed. Grabbing a towel she dried herself off and slipped her bathrobe on. She returned to the bedroom to find Jonathan walking in with a tray laden with what looked like breakfast.
"Hungry?" he inquired.
She surveyed the food before her. It all looked very appetising and had been prepared with care and love. "It all looks delicious," she noted.
"I'm gonna take a quick shower, and I'll be back with you in a minute. I made some porridge; you might like it. Yours is the bowl on the right."
She sat down on the edge of the bed. Taking a dessertspoon in her hand, she sampled the porridge from the bowl on the right. She guessed Jonathan's portion had added sugar and salt. She liked the taste, though it was slightly reminiscent of the food her and Jonathan had been given while being held captive on Coridan.
She finished up her bowl and noted that the shower was still running. Jonathan's porridge would be cold. She knew he sometimes liked to take long showers, they seemed to relax him. Above the sound of the running water she could hear him singing.
"Oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day, I've got a wonderful feeling,
Everything's going my way."
He was in good voice, and she recognised the song from a musical they'd watched together not long ago.
An idea popped into her head and she sauntered into the bathroom, now full of steam, and let her robe slip to the floor. Opening the shower door, she stepped in and joined him.
He turned around at the sound of the shower door opening and smiled. "Why Mrs Archer, how nice of you to join me."
"You were taking so long, I thought you might require assistance."
"That's kind of you."
He took her in his arms and kissed her as the spray assaulted his back.
"I could wash your back if you like," she offered, a little breathlessly, as they broke apart. He answered in the affirmative, and turned so his back was facing her.
At first she thought she'd use the sponge, but decided against it. Her eyes roved over his muscular back, rather pleased with the view. She soaped up her hands and began by first applying the lather to his shoulders and upper spine, gently massaging the muscles of his neck and back.
"Mmm…this feels exquisite."
Her soapy hands journeyed down his back to his waist, caressing his hips and then wrapping around his abdomen.
"You can rinse off now," she whispered, satisfied with a job well done. He moved to face her and let the water wash away the soap. "Let me return the favour?" he asked.
"Another time, I showered earlier."
He looked a little disappointed so she reached up and kissed him. "Anticipation is fun, Jonathan."
He smiled at her comment — she was becoming a right little seductress.
Fully rinsed off, he shut off the water and they both stepped out of the shower. "Your porridge is cold by now."
"I'll just reheat it, no big deal," he told her.
"I enjoyed hearing you sing. You should do it more often, and not just confine it to the bathroom."
The compliments were never ending, it seemed. "Thank you, sweetheart. I'll sing to you whenever you like, though I'm not up on any Vulcan operas."
"That situation can be remedied," she teased.
"I bet." He winked at her.
They got dressed and finished off their breakfast. T'Pol had packed for their honeymoon before the wedding and her luggage was waiting, all ready to be taken to the shuttleport, in the living room. Jonathan on the other hand was a last minute packer and still had a few things to throw into his bag. But he wasn't in any great hurry; they still had several hours until they needed to check in for the shuttle flight to Hawaii.
As he cleaned up after breakfast and put the dishes away, T'Pol sat on the sofa sipping a hot cup of blackcurrant and vanilla tea. He joined her on the sofa, taking her hand in his.
"So…" he began. "We've got a few hours to spare, maybe you could explain this bond to me."
"You aren't packed yet."
"Won't take more than twenty minutes. Are you trying to avoid this subject?"
"No," she answered truthfully.
"I might not be telepathic, but I get the feeling you aren't comfortable discussing this."
"I am comfortable but I am unsure how to explain this to you in terms that you'll understand."
"Just explain it in the normal way. How was it explained to you?"
"I was a child, and did not grasp the full meaning until adulthood."
"Okay…but you understand it now. Let me see if I can have a go at comprehending it."
"In simple terms, married Vulcans share a form of telepathic or psychic bond. This enables them to communicate with each other non-verbally, like I did last night. Instead of voicing a thought, I only needed to think it and you heard me."
"But it wasn't always this way with us."
"No. A bond has to be initiated by either the husband or wife, and this normally occurs during or soon after their wedding ceremony. With Vulcans who become attune to each other, it is not uncommon for them to be able to read each other's thoughts."
"But that won't happen with us?" he asked.
"I am uncertain. It would all depend on how advanced your own telepathic abilities are."
"But as far as I know humans generally aren't telepathic."
"That's true. However, you are able to hear my thoughts when I communicate them to you, which indicates that your species does have some telepathic ability, even if it is limited."
"Okay, so I can hear your thoughts…and I couldn't before because you hadn't initiated this bond?" he asked.
"Correct."
"You said something last night about it not being permanent yet."
"Yes…I realize now I should have discussed this with you before the wedding."
"It's okay, things were kind of hectic."
"Jonathan, I initiated the link between us during our Vulcan wedding ceremony, but didn't test it till later on. The creation of a bond is…how shall I explain…it is almost instinctual and natural…though it is a conscious act. It seemed the appropriate time to initiate it. But as I told you yesterday, it is not permanent yet. If it makes you uncomfortable—"
"T'Pol, it doesn't make me uncomfortable."
"Are you sure?"
"You might be surprised, but I rather like the idea of you being able to contact me telepathically. I'll admit I was a little startled at first when I heard your voice inside my head, but there was something very special about hearing you tell me you loved me in such a manner. It was very intimate."
She squeezed his hand. "That had been my intention."
"I guess the whole purpose of a bond amongst couples is to further intimacy."
"Yes, in every sense of the word," she confirmed.
Jonathan released her hand for a moment, then placed his two fingers against her own in the sign of a Vulcan kiss. T'Pol reciprocated, rubbing her fingers gently against his. A feeling of warmth enveloped both of them. Jonathan noted the beautiful smile in her eyes as he beamed at her.
Do you have any other questions about the bond?
"Yes," he answered. "What happens now? Will I be able to communicate with you in this way? How does the bond become permanent?"
"Making the bond permanent is very simple…I just will it to be permanent. It is hard to explain in human terms, but it is similar to how I initiated it. From then on the link will grow stronger each day. It will help me to be more attune to your emotions and needs, though I cannot read your thoughts without your permission."
"Okay…and if I was ever able to communicate with you in this way, could I also read your thoughts, just like a Vulcan husband could?"
"I can't promise that, Jonathan — but with the correct mental discipline and practice, it could indeed be a possibility."
He hoped that he could learn and that he would have that ability. The idea of being able to share thoughts as well as communicate ideas was very appealing. It was a level of intimacy that he'd never have been able to achieve with a human wife. It also spoke of great trust — the idea that two people could share with each other their deepest secrets.
"I want to learn," he told her. "Is there a technique?"
"You want to try now?"
"Yeah…if that's okay."
"Yes…but please don't get discouraged if nothing happens." He nodded. "Very well, let's try something simple to begin with. Think of a short sentence in your mind, concentrate on the words — imagine them in your head, as if you were reading them on a PADD. Then speak the words to me, but instead of moving your lips, utter them only in your head."
It sounded easy. He gazed into her eyes, pictured the words I love you, T'Pol in his head, and hoped she would hear them.
"Anything?" he asked.
"No. Try again, this time close your eyes and concentrate hard on the words."
He did as instructed, but she did not hear anything.
"It's not working." He tried to disguise the disappointment in his voice.
"It may take time and practice. The bond is young; it needs time to strengthen. It would probably help if I made it permanent."
He asked her to do so. "You are certain? Jonathan, once I do this there is no going back."
"I'm certain. I want this."
"Just relax," she instructed. "You may feel slightly light-headed as the bond is sealed, don't be alarmed."
Taking his face in her hands, she stroked his cheek with her thumb, then pressed her lips to his. He was soon kissing her back, his emotions being as open to her as if they were her very own. It was then that her mind reached out to his, joining them together in this mental bond of union.
Jonathan suddenly felt warm all over, and a little dizzy. If it hadn't been for T'Pol's warning, he'd have thought he was drunk.
Are you all right?
"Yes, just a little light headed as you predicted."
"I'll get you a glass of water." She retrieved a glass from the kitchen cabinet, filled it and returned to him. "Here, have a sip."
Taking the glass from her hands, he thanked her and drank a few sips.
"How do you feel now?"
"Still a little disorientated, but better than before."
"From what I've heard some Vulcans experience this too. The symptoms will dissipate."
Did you wish to try communicating with me telepathically again?
"You think it's safe?"
Yes, I'm sure of it. I would like to see if making the bond permanent has made any difference.
He hoped it had. Finishing off his water, he placed the glass on the coffee table. He closed his eyes and concentrated on another sentence.
T'Pol, can you hear me?
He opened his eyes, as there had been no response. "You didn't hear anything, did you?"
"I'm sorry, Jonathan."
"Well like you said, as the bond strengthens maybe in time…"
"Yes, it's very early days."
She immediately picked up on his sense of disappointment. While the newly formed bond may not have allowed him to communicate with her, it had heightened her connection to him. His emotions were on display to her, just like an open book.
"Shall we go for a walk?" she suggested. Getting some air might help with his dizziness, and they still had three hours left before they needed to depart for the shuttle port.
"Yeah…that sounds like a good idea."
They walked down to the Palace of Arts, hand in hand, but in silence. T'Pol didn't encourage him to talk, she understood that he needed time to deal with his disappointment. Suddenly she sensed he was amused by something.
"Is something funny, Jonathan?"
"Hmm?"
"I sensed something amused you."
"Oh it was just something I remembered. You can pick up that easily on my thoughts?"
"I do not know what it was that you remembered, but I sensed the emotion."
"Oh."
"So what was it?" she asked, being curious.
"I was recalling that I came down here yesterday morning, before the wedding. I was having a bad case of cold feet."
Ten years ago she would have given him a confused expression, unsure of what the term meant, but she'd become accustomed to many phrases in the English language and had learnt their meanings.
"It couldn't have been too serious…you turned up at the ceremony."
"Nope, only last minute jitters. I think it's quite common amongst human males just about to tie the knot. What about you?"
"You're asking if I had any last minute doubts?"
"Yeah."
"No."
"None at all?" he asked, a little surprised.
"None at all," she repeated back to him.
"Hmm…interesting."
"It bothers you that we are different in this regard?"
"No…I guess it boils down to you being Vulcan and me being human. It must be nice to be so secure and not have doubts about life decisions."
"I am not saying I never have doubts over decisions I make, just in this instance, there was nothing to debate over. I had consented to marry you — it was what I wanted."
The way she said it made it sound so simplistic. He hoped her positive attitude would rub off on him in time.
"I couldn't wait for us to be married either…but still I worried about being a good husband, if I could make you happy…those kinds of things."
"And do you still have those concerns?"
"Umm…well yes to an extent…but they didn't stop me from marrying you."
They stopped walking for a moment, and sat down on a park bench. "I acknowledge that you are prone to feelings of insecurity and worry. I can understand that, and it is also part of your personality. People do not see you this way in the role of captain, but you've been more open with me. I know you've been hurt in the past and that makes you vulnerable. I hope in time that these concerns you have will disappear, and you'll be secure in the knowledge that you do make me happy. And I have no doubts as to you being a good husband."
"You have that much confidence in me?"
The vulnerability was showing itself again, and she didn't need to be bonded to him to tell that, she could hear it in his voice.
"I do, and you won't disappoint me."
He wasn't one for overt displays of affection in public, and he was pretty sure T'Pol wasn't either, but he felt so moved by her words of reassurance that he just had to embrace her. He kissed her tenderly on the lips. The vulnerability disappeared into the background and was superseded by extreme happiness and affection for his bride.
"Those kinds of emotions are very positive," she noted, as he released her.
"I see I can't hide anything from you," he smiled. "And I'm glad."
"We should make our way back," she suggested. "After all, you still have your luggage to pack."
"Okay." They stood up and headed back in the direction of their apartment.
"How's your head now?" she inquired.
"Feels much better, thanks."
"Good."
"T'Pol, I hope you didn't mind me kissing you in public like that a few minutes ago."
"We were fortunate there were not many people in the park."
"You understand though, don't you?"
"Yes…you were overcome with emotion. You don't need to apologize."
"Okay."
He wrapped his arm around her waist in a protective fashion, revelling in the fact that he could. She was his wife and he wanted the whole world to see it. He'd never experienced this feeling before — he was drunk on happiness. It was intoxicating and he never wanted it to end.
He still held out hope that maybe they'd be able to communicate telepathically at some point. T'Pol hadn't given up, so why should he? It could be just as she'd said…the bond just needed time to strengthen. In the meantime, he was grateful for all that had been given him — the chance to spend his life with the woman he loved and adored.
As they entered the apartment, T'Pol reminded him once more of the need to pack his bags. She was sounding very wifely, and he rather liked that. She said she'd prepare lunch while he did that. As he threw a few T-shirts into his bag he noticed her standing in the doorway.
"I thought you were making lunch."
"I am. I just wanted to make sure you were taking that blue shirt you wore the other evening."
"Ahh…the one you complimented me on?"
"It suits you — as does your white shirt and your black shirt. You are fortunate, you look very handsome in most colors."
"Thank you, again. So you wanna check over my bag, make sure I took everything?" he asked in a teasing fashion.
"It is not necessary, I'm sure you did. I'll go finish lunch."
"Okay."
After lunch, they collected their bags together, made sure the apartment was locked up and headed downstairs to the limousine that was taking them to the shuttleport.
The flight to Honolulu was uneventful and in less than an hour after leaving San Francisco they were setting down in Hawaii. Jonathan dozed off a little on the flight, and T'Pol guessed he must have been tired. As they disembarked she asked how he felt and he reassured her he was fine. She surmised his sleepiness could have been a side effect from the bonding this morning.
Jonathan drove out them outside the city in a rented vehicle, to a more secluded area away from the bustle and tourists. He'd rented a villa on the beach about 15 miles from Honolulu. There were a few hotels scattered in the vicinity coupled with restaurants and cafes. The villa had a kitchen so they had the option of making their own meals when they wanted, and going out when they were in the mood for that.
T'Pol explored her new temporary home. She approved of Jonathan's choice. It was spacious and airy and the décor was pleasing to her eye. The floors were wooden — the living room was covered with a large rug as was the master bedroom.
Jonathan carried their luggage into the bedroom, depositing it on the floor. She joined him, her eyes taking in her surroundings. There was a large ceiling fan, the bed was queen size and had four posters made from oak. On either side of the bed was a small side-table with a lamp. The room was large and led out onto a balcony from which you could see the ocean.
She opened the French door to the balcony and stepped outside. It was early evening and the temperature was still balmy.
A pair of strong masculine arms encircled her waist, and gentle lips nibbled at her neck. "So what's the verdict?" he whispered.
"It's idyllic, Jonathan."
"I agree," he said as he continued to nuzzle her neck. "And I get to have you all to myself in this paradise for the next two weeks."
"I hope you won't be bored."
He laughed at her statement. He knew she was kidding. "So you fancy dinner here tonight or would you like to go out?"
"I think I would rather stay here, but I don't want you to have to cook."
"Not a problem. We can order something from one of the restaurants and have it delivered. I think there's some menus on the kitchen counter."
After dinner, they went for a stroll on the beach. They walked along the water's edge, the waves lapping at their bare feet. Unlike the Pacific in San Francisco, which was normally cold all year round, the water here was a pleasant temperature. T'Pol was certain Jonathan would want to go swimming in it tomorrow.
"The water's great isn't it?" he asked, almost as if he'd been reading her train of thought. "I used to come body surfing here in my younger days."
"This very beach?"
"No, but on Oahu. I think I'll just stick to swimming though on this trip. Maybe you'll join me?"
She knew how to swim — she'd taken lessons when she first came to Earth, but didn't find the sport particularly appealing. She could sense his eagerness for her to join him, if she declined he'd be disappointed.
"As long as I can stand in the water I suppose I could venture out."
"Don't worry, you'll be safe with me around," he assured her.
They walked a little further on until they came to the area where a few hotels were situated. One of the hotels had a boardwalk that formed into a pier. Jonathan suggested they walk out to its edge to watch the sunset. She agreed.
They climbed up the wooden steps onto the pier, walking down the length of it. T'Pol noted her bare feet were now covered in sand, and it felt slightly uncomfortable. The hard wood surface under her feet felt rough and she hoped she wouldn't pick up any splinters.
"Should have brought our shoes, huh?" Jonathan said.
This was the second time he seemed to have picked up on her thoughts, and at first a flicker of hope was ignited in her as she wondered if the bond was perhaps having an effect on him. But her logical side dismissed the theory — it was probably mere coincidence that he'd brought up the water's temperature and the hard wooden surface of the pier at the same time that she'd been thinking about them.
"We did not know there was a pier, and I don't believe we planned to walk out this far."
"True. I'd be happy to give you a foot massage when we get back," he offered.
She liked that idea and accepted.
The sun was now a bright orange ball of fire against a sky of red, pink and peach. It seemed to be resting upon the dark blue waters of the ocean. T'Pol stood at the pier's edge, her back to Jonathan. He stood behind her, his arms wrapped around her waist. Together they watched as the sun set, appearing to disappear beneath the water's surface.
I'm so happy, Jonathan thought. This truly was idyllic.
"As am I," T'Pol said.
"What?"
"You said you were so happy."
Jonathan turned her around to face him. "I never said a word."
"I heard you — you said and I quote I'm so happy."
"I thought those words, I never spoke them aloud."
"You did?" Maybe her earlier hopes hadn't been that unfounded. "Jonathan, that means the bond is working for you. You can communicate your thoughts to me."
"But I wasn't even trying."
"Try something now," she suggested.
Can you hear me, T'Pol?
With no reaction he guessed she couldn't. "It doesn't seem to work if I try," he explained. "Are you sure you weren't just picking up on my emotions?"
"No, I heard you say the words…I can sense your inner contentment, but to me it was as if you spoke aloud, that is why I responded."
"I guess it's a start." He gave her a half-smile. It was only a few hours since she's made the bond permanent; he should have felt encouraged at this progress. "Maybe I want too much, too quickly."
"Patience, Jonathan."
"Okay." He smiled.
They headed back in the direction of the house, stopping now and then to point to stars and planets that appeared in the sky as twilight set in.
TBC