Sorry for the delay in putting up these chapters. I'm going to try and put up another one soon and finish this off as we're getting near the end. Thanks to Pennyforum, my wonderful beta for putting up with me.

Chapter Fourteen

A few hours later, Charles Tucker II walked down the corridor to the airlock accompanied by Captain Archer. Archer could tell by Mr. Tucker's somber mood that something had happened between him and Trip, but he didn't want to pry into something that was obviously personal between the two of them.

"I'm sorry you're leaving so soon," said Archer.

"It's probably for the best," replied Mr. Tucker sadly. "Tell Trip I--"

He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence because he suddenly saw Trip standing at the airlock door waiting for them. He obviously knew his father well enough to know that this would be his next move.

"Ya not leaving are ya?" asked Trip.

"Wasn't sure if ya still wanted me to stay."

"Nothin's changed … Dad," said Trip softly. "An' to answer ya question from earlier, yes ya have done all of those things."

Charles Tucker II sighed a deep breath of relief and clasped his son in a huge bear hug. "That's good to hear …" After a few minutes he turned around with a large grin, "So Captain Archer, how about breakfast instead of that dinner you promised us?"

"It'll be a pleasure, Charlie," replied Archer, glad to see that the two had gotten over their rift from last night. "If you'll follow me, I'll have Chef prepare us something."

"Cap'n, Dad, if you'll excuse me for a moment, I have to see someone first," asked Trip. He was trying to be as vague as possible because he hadn't seen Phlox yet and the slight tremble in his hand was an indication that he was overdue for his daily injection.

"Can't it wait till after we've had breakfast?" asked Mr. Tucker, curious as to who was so important for Trip to see right now.

Feeling cornered from their close scrutiny, as any further explanation would require going into details that he didn't want to divulge just yet, Trip smiled and said, "It'll wait," before following them both down the corridor to the Captain's Mess.

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Thirty minutes later, Trip was slowly tucking into blueberry pancakes, feeling acutely embarrassed as his dad regaled numerous tales of his exploits as a young boy to Captain Archer who was relishing his discomfort.

"It sounds like Trip was quite a handful", chuckled Archer, as Charles finished telling a story about how Trip had taken apart their dining table one Thanksgiving.

"I'd say. He had this fascination for taking Sue's kitchen appliances apart so he could understand the mechanics," laughed Charles. "It got so bad, she took to hiding them." Glancing at Trip, Archer smiled at this, remembering how young Sim was just as inquisitive as a young boy.

Trip said nothing to this exchange. His head was throbbing through the sheer concentration it was taking to maintain a tight grip on his fork.

"Are you okay … Son?" asked Charlie, noticing that something was not quite right.

"Trip?" enquired Archer, also noticing that something wasn't quite right.

"Can … can you … call Phlox?" asked Trip quietly, as he dropped his fork and rubbed his forehead. "He'll know what to do." He really didn't want to involve his dad and Captain Archer just yet, but right now, he just didn't feel well at all. Not only was his hand trembling quite badly, but he was beginning to feel light-headed as well.

As Captain Archer went to the comm. unit to call Phlox, Charles Tucker grasped Trip's hand in a reassuring hold to let him know that everything would soon be okay and that help was on its way. Trip smiled at his dads non-vocal sign of support. Captain Archer came and sat down with them after he'd put the call through, concerned about his young friend and brother.

After a few minutes, Phlox hurried into the room carrying his medical bag. "How bad is it?" he asked, as he scanned him with his tricorder. "Same symptoms as before?"

"Yeah, but I'm feeling a little dizzy as well."

"That's to be expected. You've never been this late with your medication before," he said, while injecting Trip with a hyperspray, much to Archer's and Charlie's surprise. "This should start to relieve your symptoms in a few moments." With a quick glance at Captain Archer and Charles Tucker II, Phlox indicated to Trip that he was going to leave. "I want to see you in sickbay after breakfast for a quick examination, just to make sure that everything is okay."

"Sure, Doc," replied Trip, as he shot a quick glance at his father and Commanding Officer, who were both anxiously waiting for an explanation of the events that had just transpired.

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"Medication?" asked Charles Tucker, looking at Captain Archer and Trip.

"I'm just as much in the dark as you are, Charlie," replied Captain Archer, as he also turned a questioning look at his friend.

"Yeah … medication," answered Trip, looking them both in the eyes. "I've got Clarke's Syndrome." Charles Tucker and Captain Archer stared back at him with white, shocked faces.

"Are you okay?" asked Charles Tucker, after a few minutes when the initial shock had worn off.

"I'm okay. Phlox is monitoring me and providing daily medication for the initial symptoms."

"How long have you known?" asked Captain Archer. He couldn't believe the unfairness of it all, having first watched his father suffer from this disease, and now having to do the same with his baby brother.

"Not long," replied Trip. "I've been suffering from constant headaches for a while. Phlox did some tests and found out what was causing them. I was gonna tell ya … I just needed time to get used to this myself. It's not easy finding out ya only going to live about another five or six years at best, ya know," he said with a slight humorous undertone, as though trying to lighten the atmosphere.

Charles Tucker stood up and pulled him into a huge bear hug. "Hey … really I'm okay, I'm coping with this …" came Trip's muffled voice, as his father hugged the living daylights out of him, more as a kind of support for himself, as it was for Trip.

"I know, Son …" said Charles, trying to keep the emotional turmoil that he was feeling from showing in his voice. "Just give me a moment, will ya …"

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