A/N Sorry it's taken so long for an update, and this chapter will be shorter than normal. I'm in an online training class for work, and have been quite busy with that. I have just not had time to write for the last few weeks. But I promise I will finish this story no matter what. Thanks to all who have read and reviewed this story. I really appreciate it.

Chapter 4

The next morning in sick bay, Phlox had examined the captain and said he was doing fine. Jonny was busy watching all of Phlox's animals so the doctor took this opportunity to speak with the commander about the situation.

"Tell me Commander, have you noticed anything different about the captain?"

"Huh?"

"I mean have you noticed anything in his appearance?"

Trip looked over at Jon and studied him for a moment. Then he said

"Now that you mention it, he does look like he's grown a bit."

The doctor nodded and continued

"With the first scans and tests I ran, I was unsure of how this was going to resolve. Would the captain begin to just grow up as he had done, would it be something we could reverse? But as I began studying it, it became clear that the captain would indeed begin to grow up again. When you brought him in yesterday, I was surprised that the scan was different than the ones I'd already done. It was like he had grown a bit too. I do not think we would be able to reverse the effects without putting him back through that anomaly, which I do not recommend."

Trip nodded and said

" No way would I allow the cap'n to go back through that thing. Come to think of it, I did see slight changes, but I thought it was my imagination. So what are you saying Doc?"

"That to the best of my knowledge, the captain is aging approximately one and a half years for every week that goes by. His memories are intact and seem to be coming back to him as he ages. This incident with T'Pol, you said he became quite fearful when he saw her on the bridge yesterday, but if you remember, when he first got back on board from the shuttle, he was not uncomfortable in her presence. I took the liberty of checking the captain's childhood medical record, and it states he was treated for a broken arm when he was six."

Trip considered it a moment and then said

"So he wasn't afraid of Vulcan's until after that episode in his life, and when he had reached six he remembered his fear?"

"Essentially. As he ages, more and more of his memories will surface. I think he may have other problems to sift through before he comes back to normal."

"So, if he's aging at a rate of one and a half years a week, it would be...a little over seven months till he's back to normal?"

"That is what I think is going to happen. It will be a little unsettling to the captain and you really need to help him along with this. He may become agitated and he may just voice his..."

Here Phlox paused as if looking for the right words to express his thoughts. Trip filled in the silence and said

"Displeasure right? I know the cap'n has strong opinions and ideas, heck it's what makes him such a good captain and leader. But he can have a temper when he gets mad. "

"Yes, I've noticed. He is a man of strong emotions and believes."

They both turned and watched as Jonny began to peek into the cage that held Phlox' lizard. He peeked a little closer, and as the cage rattled he leaned back and then turned to the two adults and grinned.

"He certainly has a healthy curiosity for things."

Phlox was watching the boy as he moved closer to the cage. Trip just smiled and said

"Yeah, Jon once told me his father told him his curiosity would get the better of him some day, and I guess his desire to explore that anomaly was it."

"Well I think at least till he matures some, you will need to be with him to answer any questions he has. Unless there is an extreme emergency, I'd like to put you on half days so you can spend more time with him. I believe Ensign Sato would also be a good one to watch him while you are in engineering."

"Hoshi is smitten with him, Jon always had a way with the women. I guess it started early."

Trip was now openly grinning from ear to ear. Phlox walked to the intercom and activated it and said

"Phlox to Ensign Sato, could you come down to sickbay as soon as possible? I need to discuss something with you."

Hoshi replied almost immediately

"Sure doctor, I'm on my way."

The com was disconnected and Phlox returned to stand beside Trip. Jonny had come over to Trip and was telling him about the lizard

"And it poked its head out of the leaves and looked at me!"

He seemed excited to see it. Trip had watched as the color came to Jonny's cheeks as he talked, the look of wonder on his face. The doors to sickbay opened and Hoshi walked in. Jonny saw her and ran to her and said breathlessly

"Hoshi guess what? The lizard poked his head out and looked right at me!"

Hoshi smiled and said

"How exciting, you know it took five months before he did that for me."

Jonny danced and said as he took her hand and lead her over to the others.

"He just looked at me and then his eyes made a funny blink and he went back into the leaves!"

Now Trip bent and lifted the boy up and placed him on the bio bed. The look of excitement was just glowing on his face as he grinned at them all. Now Phlox said

"Jonny, I've asked Ensign Sato here to ask her a favor. Commander Tucker will need to spend half days in Engineering, so I thought while he was there, Ensign Sato could keep you company. What do you think?"

Jonny suddenly got a thoughtful look on his face as he thought about it.

"Well, I guess so...but can't I just go to engineering with Trip?"

"Jonny, engineering is not always safe, and I couldn't always be there to make sure you don't get hurt. What if there was some type of emergency?"

Jonny thought about that and then said

"I guess so."

He looked a little downcast but then looked at Hoshi and said

"Do you think Travis could come visit too?"

She smiled and said

"Of course, when he isn't flying the ship."

Jonny smiled back and said

"Do you think he would teach me to fly a star ship?"

Now Trip said with a chuckle

"I thought you wanted to grow up to be a captain?"

Jonny looked at him as if he had two heads and said

"Well, a pilot can be captain to...right?"

"Sure he can. Maybe Travis can give you some pointers."

This came from Hoshi. Jonny was beside himself with glee.

Phlox now said

"Okay, I think it best to have the Ensign take the morning shift and then Commander you take the evening one, so you will be there at night. Does that seem okay?"

Both officers nodded and they got a big nod from Jonny. Trip took and placed him down on the deck and as he did, the doors to sickbay opened again. They all turned to see who was coming in and as Jonny saw who it was he suddenly froze. He watched as T'Pol walked in and as she moved closer, he immediately put Trip between himself and T'Pol. He reached up and took hold of Trip's leg and hid behind it. Instinctively, Hoshi moved next to Jonny and laid her hand on his shoulder, but he would not budge from where he was. He looked at T'Pol with fear in his eyes and she tried hard to soften her facial expression. It seemed to work as the iron grip on Trip's leg lessened.

"Commander, I would like to speak with you a moment."

She kept her eyes on the captain, and Trip turned as best he could and knelt down and said to Jonny

"Why don't you and Hoshi go to the mess hall for some breakfast and I'll join you two after I speak with T'Pol, okay?"

He looked at the boy, who was still afraid of T'Pol, but he looked up at Trip and nodded. Hoshi said

"Come on Jonny, lets go see what Chef has for breakfast."

She reached out her hand and he took it, but he still kept Hoshi between him and T'Pol. They left and both the doctor and Trip thought they hear T'Pol let out a breath. Even though she was a Vulcan and not many of the crew could read her, Trip knew it was bothering her that the captain was afraid of her. She looked rattled.

TBC