Hey! Thanks for the reviews everyone! It made me feel awesome! :D

Hope everyone's having an awesome Christmas or whatever you celebrate! Here's a gift for you! :D

I only own T'Pel. :P

Everyone stood waiting on a signal from Spock. T'Pel grabbed a handful of Pavel's uniform shirt, worried. He didn't seem to mind. He just stood, waiting for a sign from the acting captain. Jim saw the connection, and he didn't like it. He put a hand on T'Pel shoulder and she looked up at him. He gave her a reassuring smile and she placed her small hand on top of his.

"Spock to Enterprise. Get us out now." Spock's voice came through the intercom and Chekov jumped into the seat.

"Locking volume. Don't move. Stay right where you are." He said. "Transport in five, four, three, two…"

T'Pel watched over his shoulder and she got a confused look when one of the vital signs vanished. It was Spock's mother. "Chekov!"

"I'm losing her! I'm losing her!" he frantically tried to regain control of the lock on, but with no avail. It was gone. "No! I lost her. I lost her."

T'Pel looked up when the rest of the part materialized. Spock with his arm held out, reaching for his mother that was no longer there. The rest of the Vulcan's looked severely confused. She swallowed nervously when she couldn't spot her grandfather. She tenderly peeked out from behind the controls and took a step and a half forward.

"Sa'mekh'al?" she said timidly.

"Young one," said one of the elders. "Your sa'mekh'al could not make it out of the katric ark."

"Oh, man." Kirk whispered.

She sucked in a breath, and her knees almost gave out. But within a second she regained her posture. Her face emotionless and her back perfectly straight. She looked truly Vulcan then. She nodded to the elders, and turned on her heels. She glanced at Spock who was standing over the pad where his mother should have been. She looked down only a moment before walking away. The elders knew of her choice back on Earth, but to see her cry was too much. She choked back the tears.

She stood at the door, her emotions whipped from her face as she looked over at Jim and Pavel. Jim knew that look in her eyes.

Help.

She stepped out the door and walked a few feet down the hall. She looked around to see who was watching, and when no one seemed to be paying much, if any, attention to her she slid down the wall and broke down. The stress finally got to her.

Back inside the transporter room, Jim tapped Pavel's shoulder and motioned him out of the room. They didn't have to go far to find the girl against the wall.

"T'Pel!" Jim ran to her and kneeled down, Pavel on her other side. Sobs racked her tiny frame and Pavel thought she would break and wanted to hold her, make sure she didn't fall into pieces.

"T'Pel." Jim soothed. "I'm here."

The two watched her body shake and winced when she let out a sob.

"T'Pel, shh…" Jim picked her up and took her spot with her in his lap, rocking her gently.

"I'm sorry." She mumbled.

"Why?"

"For crying like this." She whipped her face.

"T'Pel, no." Pavel took her face in his hands. "Don't be sorry for something like that. You don't deserve what's happened to you." He pushed her bangs out of her soaking wet face. Her braids had fallen out of their tight pattern and her eyes were puffy and red with dark circles under them, but he still thought she was beautiful. Jim watched his face, and he knew that look. He saw the care and love for T'Pel in the ensign's eyes that himself and Bones had for her, but it was different. A deeper kind of love. He wasn't sure what he thought of it.

"Jim?" McCoy came from down the hall. Kirk passed T'Pel into Chekov's open and longing arms and walked a ways over to McCoy, out of earshot of the two teens.

"I heard about T'Pel." McCoy started. "How's she doin'?"

"I don't know, Bones." Said Jim, putting a hand on his hip, and running the other through his hair, frustrated and worried. "She's pretty torn up and worn down."

"Do we need to send her back to Earth?"

"You know she won't go."

"I know."

They were silent a moment, watching Pavel and T'Pel. She wasn't crying as hard as before, but her body still shook with shock. She had her face buried in the crook of his neck, and Pavel had a hand on the back of her head, his other hand around her waist. She had a handful of his shirt on his chest, and she held her stomach like it was all she could do to hold herself together. But what McCoy and, though he hated to admit it, Jim couldn't help but notice was how they just seemed to fit together perfectly. Like puzzle pieces. Pavel kissed the top of her head.

"What do you think?" McCoy said, his arms crossed over his chest, not taking his eyes off the two "puzzle pieces" across the way.

"Of what?" said Kirk, glued to the two as well.

"Of the ensign. Chekov. He seems to like her." Bones smiled.

Jim was quiet.

"She likes him, too." McCoy continued.

"I noticed."

"I think they'd be good for each other."

"What are you talking about?" he finally turned to face Bones.

"Well, they're the same age, they're from Russian decent, and they're both just cute rays of sunshine."

"He's too old for her."

"Do what?"

"He's 17. She's only 16."

"Jim."

Pavel stood cradling T'Pel in his arms. She was asleep. He walked over to the Jim and Bones.

"Permission to take Lieutenant Petrova to her quarters." He said.

McCoy and Kirk nodded. He nodded in return and turned on his heels to a nearby computer.

"Computer," he said. "Locate Lieutenant Petrova's quarters."

"Deck four, room 161." It replied.

"Pavel?" a small voice came from his arms as he continued to the turbo lift.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Better. Where are we going?"

"Your quarters."

"Why?"

"So you may rest." They made it to the lift. "Deck four."

They were mostly quiet on the way to her room. She found that she felt quite at home in Pavel's arms and laid her head on his shoulder. He, in turn, found that her in his arms felt right. He had no problem carrying her all the way to room 161. When they reached the room, the door slid open and he stepped in. There wasn't much in it on the account that they hadn't been on the ship all that long. He carried her over to her bed on the other side of the room and laid her on the soft pillow. She turned on her side, facing him, but didn't look at him. She seemed to be lost in thought. He sighed and began to walk away. He got to the door, but T'Pel stopped him.

"Pavel, wait." She said.

He turned to see her sitting up. She wasn't looking at him. He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. "What is it?"

She hesitated. "What...how did…why-" She stuttered.

Pavel waited patiently. She sighed.

"What did you mean when you kissed me?" She looked up at him through her long eyelashes.

He wasn't surprised that she had asked that question, but his cheeks turned pink anyway. "Um, well…"

"I understand if it didn't mean anything. If it was out of excitement and all. I was just curious-"

"I means I like you." He cut her off, looking away. "A lot."

She looked up with bright eyes. The purple rings were still present, and her cheeks were still red and puffy, but it was the happiest he'd seen her in a while. A smile slowly crept on her face, and it was his turn to look at her sheepishly.

"Do you, uh, want to be my girlfriend?" he asked timidly.

"Oh, yes!" she whispered.

He looked up and smiled, hugging her around the waist and she giggled when he picked her up off the bed and swung her around. She'd never heard him laugh like he was truly happy until then. It was music to her ears. He set her down and held her face as he kissed her, with more meaning this time. She held tight to his wrists and closed her eyes, her dream come true. They parted and T'Pel wrapped her arms around his slim waist. He rested his head on her hair and held her close. Neither of them wanted to move.

But they knew something would make them.

"T'Pel?" came McCoy's voice from her door intercom. "Are you alright? May I come in?"

But hearing Leonard's voice made her smile, and she looked up at Pavel with the look of a little kid that had just gotten permission to get his first hover board. It was the cutest thing he'd ever seen, and he chuckled as she ran to open her door. It slid open and McCoy stood waiting for her. She smiled and she slung her arms around his waist. He was slightly taken aback as he put his arms around her, looking at Pavel questioningly. He looked the happiest that Bones had ever seen him in the short period that they'd known each other, and he had a caring look on his face towards T'Pel. Bones immediately knew what had gone on and a soft smile replaced his confused look. He leaned down next to T'Pel's ear.

"You know, Jim's not gonna be happy about this."

"I know." She smiled.

He chuckled, and she let go of him, walking back to the ensign. "Chekov, your needed on the bridge."

Pavel met her in the middle. They seemed to reach for each other's hand at the same time. "Yes, sir."

McCoy followed the two out the door and they headed back to the bridge.

Ta-da! Merry Christmas, ya'll! :D