Three Days Too Die

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek: Enterprise or any of their characters.

A/N: So, so, sorry that it has taken me so long to write another chapter! This story is definitely still alive and I plan to keep working on it until it's finished! Thank you for leaving reviews, they definitely boost my motivation! Please enjoy :)

The atmosphere on the Bridge was tense to say the least. Archer had announced to the whole ship that they were returning to the planet and had discussed his plan in detail with T'Pol, Malcom, and the retrieval team. Worry for Trip and a sense of urgency was at the forefront of all of their minds.

They had been traveling for hours and it was only just now eighteen hundred. They still had roughly an hour to reach the planet. Archer was aware that they were cutting it close, but they were traveling as fast as they could.

As it was, they would reach the planet at night and hopefully be able to get in and out quickly, with little to no trouble from the locals. They would fly in as fast as they could while staying under the radar.

Malcolm was in charge of planning out the stealth mission to find the plant using T'Pol's calculations to mark the search field. Phlox was working to tend the remaining patients in Sickbay and battle Trip's symptoms, which were still affecting his body even though he remained in the coma.

Everything was coming together, now they just had to wait. After double checking with Malcolm and T'Pol that they were handling their parts, Archer made his way to his quarters. There was nothing more he could do and he really needed a shower.

The water was warm and stung his injured arm, but he could feel his muscles relax and the tension in his shoulders give to the flow of the water. A little less than 24 hours ago they had been stuck in Trip's quarters, worried that he was going to die in their arms, now they were hurrying up to wait, worried that he is going to die in Sickbay.

Archer let out a frustrated sigh, he didn't know how much more he could take. Leaning his head against the wall, he fisted and un-fisted his hand. Why did this have to happen to Trip? How did they not catch it before it got this bad? My best friend is in a coma for land's sake!

And here he was, helpless, powerless. Trip was supposed to be giving him crap from Engineering, not laying comatose in Sickbay. Trip was supposed to be the one telling him that he was pushing the engines too hard, that he was worrying too much, that this was the adventure of their lives.

Instead, the silence from Engineering was deafening. The worry overwhelming, and the adventure of their lives seemed as if it would cost Trip his. But Archer was the Captain. He had a job to do. Trip isn't dead yet and I don't plan to let him get there anytime soon, Archer thought to himself, determination firmly planted in his heart.

They were going to save Trip. His best friend would not die this way. With his thoughts firmly set on saving Trip, and all other possibilities pushed to the far recesses of his mind, he stepped out of the shower, got dressed, and made his way to Sickbay.

He was going to spend what time he could at Trip's side and then he was going to go get the cure and save his best friend's life. Then, Trip was going to wake up, make some smart remark about having just had the best sleep of his life and everything would go back to normal.

Any other outcome was unacceptable and therefore promptly thrown out of the Captain's mind before he reached the doors of Sickbay.

Arriving in Sickbay, he quietly walked to Trip's bed and sat beside him. Trip's skin was still radiating heat, but his breathing sounded better to Archer's untrained ears. Phlox was still milling about between other patients and it looked as if several monitors were displaying the results of this test or that.

Despite the hustle of Phlox around Sickbay and the occasional groan, it was pretty quiet. Archer could hear the hum of the life-saving machines and was surrounded by the smell of a sterile environment.

Attempting to distract himself from more morbid thoughts, Archer began to think about the plan and how everyone had reacted as they worked to put it together. For some reason, T'Pol in particular stuck out in his mind.

Something was different with her. She seemed quieter, but not only quieter, she seemed almost worried. Archer knew that Vulcans had emotions, even if they didn't show them, but he had never seen T'Pol express an emotion and was surprised at how strange she was acting.

T'Pol was one of the most self-controlled people that he knew, so whatever she was feeling must be extremely strong in order for it to be seeping through her walls.

As his eyes came to rest on Trip, he suddenly realized how much of an idiot he was. He had originally thought that her emotions were out of check because they were all under a lot of stress and sleep deprived.

However, the more he thought about it, the more sense it made that her emotions were connected to Trip's condition. She'd been acting weird ever since they were locked in Trip's quarters. He couldn't believe that he hadn't recognized this sooner. Yes, he was tired, still injured, and under the pressure of saving his best friend's life, but he still should have seen the now very obvious connection between the two.

Eventually his shock at how blind he was dissipated, and he knew that, as Captain, he should be strict on this matter. But he just couldn't bring himself to disapprove of their feelings and where that might lead them. He'd known Trip had feelings for T'Pol, especially when he had fought so hard not to like her. He'd seen the moment that Trip had stopped fighting his feelings, but he'd never believed they would develop into what they are.

And to see it reciprocated blew his mind. Not that Trip wasn't worthy of T'Pol, or that there was no way they could fall in love, just that T'Pol and Trip are so different. T'Pol is reserved, factual, and rule-focused, while Trip is an extrovert, he follows his gut more than the facts, and he doesn't always follow the rules, especially when he can bend them.

Archer almost smiled as he thought about how their opposite natures would definitely make for an interesting relationship. Then his desire to smile faded as another thought pushed its way through his mind.

…If Trip lived long enough to have one.

Quickly pushing that thought as far away as he could, Archer shook his head. Trip has so much to live for that there is no way that this infection or whatever it is will get the best of him. Trip will live and he will get to see his feelings for T'Pol returned in full force. No if ands or buts about it.

Just then T'Pol walked into Sickbay.

"Captain, everything is ready. We should be arriving at the planet in ten minutes." T'Pol addressed the Captain as she approached, but her eyes were glued to Trip's comatose figure.

Her tone remained neutral, but the amount of emotion in her eyes betrayed the picture of self-control that she was attempting to hold on to.

Standing, Archer placed a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you, T'Pol."

Looking at Trip, Archer slightly squeezed her shoulder in comfort, "He'll be okay. Trip is the strongest willed man I've ever met."

Nodding, T'Pol didn't meet Archer's eyes. "I'll see you on the Bridge" Archer stated before leaving Sickbay and Trip. Hoping against hope that this wasn't the last time he would get to see his best friend alive.