I'm so sorry for the late update, some really bad stuff happened on Friday and I've only just started to process it. It's like, 1 am here, so I'm not gonna say much.

Let me know what you think, I love hearing what you think.

- Galia

Chapter 2

"One that's five and one that's three
Been two years since he left me
Good to know that you got free
That town I know was keeping you down on your knees
These bruises make for better conversation
Loses the vibe that separates
It's good to let you in again
You're not alone in how you've been
Everybody loses, we all got bruises
We all got bruises"

- "Bruises" by Train

The next day Trip decides he'll have to cancel on Hoshi, he'd been up most of the night thinking about T'Pol, and if it really could be her. When had she had kids? Where was her husband? Was it really her? These things had been nagging him most of the night, and so it was with those reasons he'd left work early and called Hoshi.

"Hey Hosh, look I'm not going to make our run today." He says, starting down the street towards the cafe.

"Are you okay?" Hoshi asks, her worried tone not phasing him today.

"Yeah I'm fine, I just can't make it." Trip says.

"Are you going back the the Hephaestus?" Hoshi asks.

"Yeah Hoshi, I am." He says. "I have to know okay?"

"Trip, what are the chances she's going back there?" Hoshi sighs, he can hear the concern in her voice and briefly wishes she could see him roll his eyes.

"I don't know Hoshi, but I have to try." He says. "I don't even know if it's her but if I don't try I'll never be able to get past it, I tried getting past it once, it didn't work. I have to try again okay."

"Trip what if it's not her? Why can't you just write her a letter, o-or look her up?" Hoshi sighs. "Trip I think this is crazy."

"Look, if it's not her I'll just look her up that simple." Trip sighs, exasperatedly. "I have to go okay, I'm here, I'll see you tomorrow." He hangs up the phone and puts it back in his pocket, pulling open the door to the coffee shop.

He looks around and grins, she's seated near the window, sipping a cup of tea and there's no doubt in his mind that it's T'Pol. Her hair has grown and now sits just past her shoulders, her hazel eyes are fixed on a point in the distance, absorbed in her thoughts. He feels about fifteen years old again, working up the courage to ask the pretty girl in the lunchroom to the dance.

She doesn't seem to notice him yet so he crosses to the bar to order before talking to her, he's never been one for coffee shops so he sticks to black coffee. It comes faster then he thought but he takes his time going over to where T'Pol sits.

"T'Pol?" He asks, she looks over to him and recognition flashes through her beautiful hazel eyes.

"Trip." She says quietly. "I had hoped you'd return."

"Yeah, I um - did you recognize me yesterday?" He asks, sitting down across from her.

"Yes, I did." T'Pol says, raising her eyebrows slightly. "I apologize for not saying anything, I had the children with me, and I wasn't sure you recognized me."

"I did, it's been a long time, but I did." Trip smiles.

"Seven years." T'Pol says, nodding.

"So um, what brings you to San Francisco, a bit far from the high command ain't it?" Trip chuckles.

"I'm not with the High Command, or the Science Academy." T'Pol says, setting her tea down, he catches a whiff of it, peppermint, it's been her favorite for as long as he's known her. "I'm with Starfleet, I took a position here at the beginning of last month. I assume you've taken a new position?"

"Um, not yet actually." Trip admits. "I'm teaching for a semester because I ain't real sure what I want to do permanently."

"I assumed you'd be up for a promotion?" T'Pol asks, raising her tea to her lips and sipping it again.

"I am but I don't really think I want to a promotion." Trip scratches the back of his head. "I Kinda always saw bein' Chief Engineer as being the top of the ladder for me. The crown jewel in my career I suppose."

"I think you'd make a fine Captain." T'Pol says.

"Yeah that's what Hoshi said," Trip shrugs. "It's just not something I think I'd like, I've also thought of applying for the Warp 7 program on Vulcan."

"You have?" T'Pol raises both her eyebrows. "Well I've no doubt you'd do well there, though I believe you'd have to learn Vulcan first."

"Well, obviously but I figured I'd give it a shot ya know? What's the harm in tryin'?" He shrugs. "So um, you're back with starfleet, I thought Koss wanted to stay on Vulcan."

"He did stay on Vulcan." T'Pol says, pursing her lips ever so slightly.

"So it's just you here then?" Trip frowns, that didn't sound very Vulcan to him, from what he understood was that the family unit travelled together.

"Me and my children." T'Pol confirms.

"And Koss was fine with this?" Trip asks cautiously, he doesn't want to pry but he's curious as to why she left her husband behind now when she wasn't willing to leave him seven years ago. She didn't have children then, and something told him she wouldn't have split the family up just for work.

"It was not his decision." T'Pol says. "We divorced two years ago."

"Oh, um, I'm sorry." Trip says, he wasn't sure what he was expecting but it certainly wasn't that. His understanding of Vulcan marriage was that divorce was rare and frowned upon, especially where children were involved.

"It was two years ago, besides the marriage lasted longer then I thought." She says turning her head to one side slightly. "The boys and I came here last month when I took the position with Starfleet."

"Oh, how old are they?" Trip asks. "They in school now or somethin'?" He doesn't see any children in the coffee shop at all so they can't be here.

"Avarak is, he's my eldest. He's five years old." T'Pol says. "The younger one is only three, his name is Kuvok. He's at daycare at the moment."

"Five huh?" Trip grins. "That's what, kindergarten?"

"In human school yes," T'Pol nods. "Vulcan children don't typically go to school until closer to 7 years of age, unfortunately I couldn't find a human daycare that would take him all day at his age."

"How's he likin' it?" Trip asks.

"He's not." T'Pol admits. "He struggles with the lessons, his English is still lacking but he has an aid."

"Why not send him to school on the Vulcan compound?"

"They don't have a school, the High Command does not currently station families at the Embassy on Earth, to my knowledge my children are the only Vulcan children in the city." T'Pol explains. "They'll adjust, it's still very new to them and I think that's the root of some of their struggles."

"If they're anything like you I'm sure they'll be fine." Trip assures, taking a swig of his coffee. "So what are you doin' with Starfleet exactly?"

"Well, because of the children I don't have an active duty position," T'Pol explains. "I'm teaching physics and chemistry at STC currently, it allows for a more flexible schedule and I'm able to pick them both up from school on time."

"That's good, boys need their Momma." Trip grins.

"Mine certainly do." T'Pol nods. "They've both been somewhat clingy since moving here and I didn't want to leave them with a nanny all day - besides Vulcans don't usually use nanny's to begin with. I had one as a child but not when I was that young."

"I was a latchkey kid." Trip grins.

"A what?" T'Pol raises an eyebrow.

"Both my parents worked when I was little, my brother was six years older then me and he used to pick me and my sister up from school - first grade and kindergarten respectively - and we'd walk home, he'd unlock the door and then we were alone until 5-6 o'clock when Momma got home." He shrugs.

"That would be considered very strange for Vulcan children." T'Pol says. "I wasn't left home on my own until I was 14. Though my mother had a tendency to be a bit over bearing."

"It was just the way life was for us." Trip shrugs. "Daddy laid pipe all over the state so he wasn't home to watch us, and layin' pipe doesn't bring in a whole lot. We never minded, pretty sure Momma didn't love comin' home to us runnin' around covered in mud though." He grins.

T'Pol is about to speak when a beeping noise comes from her phone, she glances at it. "My apologies, I must go pick up the children."
"Oh, um," Trip says. "Can we meet again sometime?"

T'Pol reaches for a napkin and pulls out a pen. "Of course, this is my phone number, call any time after 8 - the boys ought to be in bed by then - and perhaps we could set up lunch." She holds out the napkin to him and stands up.

Trip looks at the napkin, taking it in his hands. "Okay, talk to ya then I suppose." He grins, T'Pol turns to leave and Trip folds the napkin carefully and tucks it in his wallet.

T'pol doesn't like to rush out on Trip like that but she really does need to pick up the boys, Avarak will panic if she's even five minutes late and she'd already stayed longer than intended. She'd suspected that she would which is why she'd set the alarm, seven years on and it's still so easy to lose track of time when she's talking to Trip.

She's just walking up the steps to the school when the bell signifying the end of the day rings, thankfully her son's classroom is just a few feet from the door. As soon as the door opens he comes flying out of the room into her arms.

"Avarak." T'Pol says. "Avarak are you alright?" Her son is clinging to her, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist.

"Mother I don't want to go to school here anymore." Avarak exclaims.

T'Pol picks him up and starts back towards the entrance of the building. "Why not?"

"Because the children here are mean." He says, wrapping his arms around her neck and hiding his face on her shoulder.

"Avarak, look up at me when you speak." T'Pol says, Avarak looks up from her neck, his lower lip sticking out slightly. "And stop pouting."

"I said I don't want to go here because the children here are mean." Avarak repeats, wiping the pout off of his face and blinking up at here. "Emily called me stupid because my English is bad."

"Is Emily the same child who bit you last week?" T'Pol asks.

"No, that was Merri, her sister." Avarak mutters.

"I will speak with your teacher when I drop you off tomorrow." T'Pol assures him, turning towards the bus stop. She was beginning to think she'd have to speak to the head of the school and the parents of these two little girls at this point. Though she typically believed in letting children handle their own squabbles it was starting to get a little out of hand and Avarak didn't seem particularly inclined to stand up for himself.

Boarding the bus T'Pol sits in the first free seat she sees and sets Avarak on her lap facing her. He leans against her chest and sighs.

"I'm tired mother." He mutters, rubbing his eyes.

"You can lay down when we get home." T'Pol assures, stroking his hair gently, at least she's been able to calm him down, he'd been teetering close to having a tantrum and T'Pol was not equipped to deal with that today.

Avarak is quiet for the remainder of the bus ride, when they get off the bus and T'Pol sets him down he whimpers and reaches for her. A stern look is enough to correct the behavior and quiet him down, he instead decides to hold on to the sleeve of her shirt as they walk into the daycare building.

T'Pol is relieved to find that this child hasn't been having a terrible day, in fact Kuvok is curled up on a bean bag chair snoring lightly.

"Is he alright?" T'Pol asks, she'd never known Kuvok to nap at daycare but she'll take it after dealing with Avarak's bad day.

"He's fine." His teacher smiles. "He had a good day today, didn't nap but fell asleep on his own."

"He's always been good about putting himself down for a nap." T'Pol says. "I'll have to wake him unfortunately." T'Pol has never liked to wake the children when they were sleeping but she had to get him home somehow. She crosses over to the bean bag chair he's fallen asleep on and touches his shoulder lightly. "Kuvok, it's mother. You must wake now."

Kuvok whimpers and opens his eyes. "Mother I want to sleep."
"I know you do but we must go home now. You may continue your nap there if you wish." T'Pol says, Kuvok sits up sleepily and holds out his arms. T'Pol picks him up and takes his backpack from the hook, she motions for Avarak to follow and walks out of the room quickly.

By the time they get to the street again Kuvok is sitting up on her hip and rubbing his eyes, his dark hair messy from sleep. T'Pol can tell Avarak isn't content with his little brother being carried but he knows better than to complain about the arrangement, being the oldest he's more then capable of walking.

Rather then take two tired children on the bus T'Pol hails a cab and usher's Avarak in before getting in herself.

"Bay View Apartment complex please." T'Pol says, closing the door behind her. Kuvok stays on her lap and Avarak leans against her side, both boys are sleepy and while part of her hopes they'll nap for an hour at home another part of her wants them to stay awake. If they stay awake she's guaranteed to have them asleep by their 7:30 bedtime, that way if Trip calls they'll already be asleep.

The drive, though brief returns Kuvok to his state of slumber and T'Pol has to get out of the cab clumsily as she tries not to wake him. Avarak trails a few feet behind as she walks into the building and presses the elevator button.

"Avarak," She says. "Hurry up we haven't got all afternoon."

"Sorry mother." He says, picking up his pace and entering the elevator with her.

She puts Kuvok down in her bed and Avarak shuffles into his bedroom to lie down as well, she peers in on him after getting Kuvok settled, he's asleep. Though she really should prepare the evening meal T'pol reaches instead for her book, deciding to take just a half an hour to herself to finish her chapter.

Unfortunately her inclination had been right, when bedtime came neither boy was very tired and it proved a struggle for her to get both of them into bed. Avarak wanted to read and Kuvok decided he'd rather play with his toys then stay in bed.

"Kuvok, I said no." T'Pol says, taking the toy away and carrying him back into bed. "You may read a book quietly but you may not play with toys." She sets him back in bed and picks up the toy bin.

"Mother." Kuvok whines.

"Kuvok, I am taking these with me. You may have them back tomorrow afternoon. Now I don't want to hear a sound from this bedroom until 6:30 tomorrow. Understand?" She says firmly.

"Yes mother." Kuvok mutters, reaching for a picture book and rolling over grumpily.

"Goodnight." T'Pol says, turning off the light again and carrying the toys out into the living room.

She looks at the clock, 8:01, hoping the boys will stay in bed the remainder of the night she goes into the kitchen and turns on the tea kettle. Once her tea has finished brewing she settles back into her chair with her book, trying to focus on it until Trip calls.