Never and Always...

Disclaimer: Star Trek: Enterprise is the property of CBS/Paramount. All original material herein is the property of its author.

A/N: It's always a pleasure to see familiar names turning up in the reviews section (yay, you're not bored yet) and also nice to find new names now and again. Thank you for continuing to drop by and read, and for taking the time to leave comments.

And now, on with the show...

Chapter 2: The Cosmic Maxim Strikes Again

NX-01 Enterprise
orbiting Vulcan

Jonathan Archer stepped through the airlock hatch to find Malcolm Reed waiting, his normally reserved British mien alight with a warm smile. He must have enjoyed being in command these past two days. "Welcome back, Captain."

"Thanks, Malcolm," Archer replied. "It's good to be home."

"How are you feeling, sir?" Malcolm inquired, a bit hesitantly. "Commander Tucker mentioned you were possessed by some sort of Vulcan spirit...?"

"Two, actually." Archer tapped his forehead. "It got a little crowded up here for a while, but now it's just me. Nice and quiet again." He smiled. "I appreciate the quiet a lot more."

They headed toward the turbolift. "How's T'Pol?" Archer asked.

"She and Commander Tucker returned to duty this morning. She appears much improved, sir." Malcolm smiled knowingly to himself. T'Pol and Trip had hardly stepped foot out of her quarters since she'd come back; Malcolm could only imagine what they'd been doing to, er, restore her glow of good health. "I've never seen her look better, in fact."

"Tucker therapy," Archer nodded. "Good for what ails you."

"Indeed, sir." Malcolm handed over several padds. "Ship's status, repair updates, Phlox's latest injury reports, and a message from Lieutenant Archer."

Archer pulled up, staring at the last padd in shock. "Lieutenant?"

"I didn't know she'd joined Starfleet," Malcolm continued, pleasantly oblivious. "Or that she'd been posted to Columbia."

Archer was scanning Karyn's message now, looking like an abandoned puppy. "Neither did I."

Finally, Malcolm put two and two together. "Oh, dear," he murmured in belated mortification. "I've spoilt a surprise, haven't I, sir?"

Archer attempted to shrug off his sulkiness. "Nah, I just have to get used to this. It must be one of those cosmic maxims: The Captain Shall Be The Last One To Know About Family Milestones." He started walking again, with Malcolm falling back into step beside him. "Since I haven't had family for so long, I'm learning all over again." He chuckled. "Next you'll be telling me Trip and T'Pol had some monumental development while I was getting all these Vulcans out of my head."

This time it was Malcolm who stopped in his tracks. "Well..." he began awkwardly. "Uhm...actually..."

"Aw, dammit!" Archer glowered as he entered the turbolift. "Where are they?"

Trip and T'Pol were at their stations, catching up on status reports, when Archer barreled onto the bridge. Trip smiled brightly. "Hey, Cap—"

"Tucker! T'Pol!" Archer barked, not even slowing down. "My ready room!" And he was gone, inside.

Malcolm stepped off the turbolift in the wake of Hurricane Archer, shaking his head in dire warning to the two commanders. They rose and cautiously entered the ready room.

Archer was waiting for them, arms folded, steaming. "Two days. I leave you alone for two lousy days, but you still have to go and do something without me knowing. It's bad enough that I find out Karyn and Lorian are already in Starfleet, already on Columbia—"

"They didn't tell us, either," T'Pol pointed out.

"Hold on—you knew they were going to Columbia?" Trip asked. "Why didn't you—"

"Shut up! I'm ranting here!" Archer snapped.

"Aye, sir." Trip and T'Pol stood ramrod-straight and silent, shoulder to shoulder, apparently trying to look contrite. Not doing a decent job of it at all, in Archer's assessment.

"Out with it," he commanded. "What'd I miss this time?"

"Koss released me," T'Pol replied promptly.

"And we're engaged," Trip added quickly.

Archer stared at them. Trip and T'Pol braced themselves for an explosion. But the captain broke into the cutest little-boy smile they had ever seen on him. "Finally!" He pumped Trip's hand, then touched T'Pol's shoulder affectionately. "I feel like I've been holding my breath for three months. Congratulations."

The couple relaxed. "Thank you, Captain," T'Pol replied.

"Yeah, thanks, Cap'n," Trip echoed. "You gotta understand, it wasn't really something that could wait..."

Archer waved him silent. "I know. I understand. I'm happy anyway. God, I'm so happy for you both." Abruptly, he slapped his forehead. "Now I really have to get with Admiral Gardner about Starfleet's policy on married officers. I've got two engaged couples to ask about." His eyes fell on the fading bruise on T'Pol's cheek, and suddenly he was remembering the destruction of the T'Karath sanctuary, and T'Les dying in her daughter's arms. "How are you?" he asked T'Pol quietly.

She glanced at Trip, slipping her hand into his. "Better," she told Archer. "I was not alone. Thank you, Captain."

Archer was glad that she felt comfortable enough to be so open in front of him. "Shared sorrow lightens grief," he quoted Surak, with a smile to Trip.

"Now, if you're done yellin' at us, Cap'n, we'll get back to work," Trip said, his eyes twinkling.

"Damn straight, smartass," Archer shot back good-naturedly. "Vacation's over. Time to make up for slacking off the last two days." He grinned. "By the way—Captain's Mess tonight, 1900 hours. I want details about the big Koss heave-ho."

"Yes, sir," they both replied smartly.

Archer led the way back onto the bridge. After he took the center seat, he simply watched his two friends for a time, as they traded looks across the room. He saw the sparkle in their eyes, the shared bliss of true togetherness. At last, all was right with the world.

-tbc-