T'Pol didn't like that she didn't see Nurse Johnson for what she was. The woman had put her children in danger. When Tripp had told her what happened all she could think about was she was their mother, and she should have known that her children were hurting. Was she a good mother? Tripp didn't tell her about his feelings about Nurse Johnson and maybe if she looked, she would have seen. She was just glad that they got a nanny for the children so Tripp could stop working nights and they could spend more time as a family.
T'Mir's cries brought her out of her thoughts. She looked down at T'Mir to see the tears running down her face. T'Pol wiped them away before checking to see what T'Mir needed. T'Pol knew that her daughter was hungry. T'Pol knew that Tripp had taken Charlie to see Captain Archer. T'Pol pulled out her breast and it didn't take long for T'Mir to latch on to feed.
T'Pol looked down at her daughter and saw how much she looked like her. T'Mir had her little hand on her breast as she fed. T'Pol saw that T'Mir's hair was growing but still didn't cover her ears. T'Pol traced an ear with one of her fingers. T'Mir had her father's ears. It was the only thing that she got from him.
T'Mir had let go of T'Pol's breast. T'Pol held her close and patted her until she let out a burp. T'Pol started to rock, and she knew soon that her daughter was sleeping. T'Pol knew that she should put her down, but she wanted to hold her close right now.
"Mama," Charlie shouted as he entered their quarters.
"Shh," T'Pol held up one finger to her mouth to keep him quiet. "Your sister is sleeping."
"Sorry," Charlie climbed up on the couch next to her. He stood and looked at his sister to see that she was sleeping. "Uncle Jon invited us to dinner," Charlie whispered.
T'Pol looked over his head to see Tripp standing in the doorway. Tripp smiled and nodded. "I told Charlie that we need to check with you before agreeing to dinner with the captain."
T'Pol ran a hand over Charlie's blond hair. Charlie looked up at her with his blue eyes and all she saw was excitement in them. Charlie always liked when they had dinner with the captain. She didn't want to disappoint him. "Sure," She said. T'Pol watched as Charlie started to jump on the couch. T'Pol gave Charlie a look. "We don't jump on the couch," Charlie frowned but sat down on the couch and leaned into her. She wrapped an arm him and held him close. She loved the feeling of Charlie and T'Mir against her.
"I'll see tonight at dinner," Tripp watched his family for moment. "I have to go to Engineering for a couple of hours," T'Pol nodded and watched him leave.
Charlie glanced up at her. "Mama, can we read a story?"
"Sure," T'Pol put T'Mir back in her bassinet as Charlie ran to get a book from his room. He climbed back on the couch and gave T'Pol the book. T'Pol looked at the book and saw that it was something from Tripp's parents. It was human child's story. Charlie curled into her, and she started to read the story.
Charlie entered the captain's mess hall first. "Uncle Jon," He yelled as he threw himself into the captain's arms. T'Pol entered behind them carrying a sleepy T'Mir. T'Pol had fed her before coming for dinner.
"T'Pol," Jonathan smiled at the sleepy baby.
"Captain," T'Pol watched as Jonathan helped Charlie into his chair. T'Pol took a seat with one arm on T'Mir.
"I asked the cook to make your favorite," Jonathan smiled at Charlie.
Charlie's eyes widen. "Spiggtti," Uncle Jon nodded. Charlie started to jump up and down in his seat.
"Charlie, sit still," T'Pol said.
Charlie settled in his seat as a crewmember brought in the food. "Captain," The crewmember placed a plate full of pasta in front of Charlie. "Commander Tucker will not be able to make dinner, something came up in engineering."
"Thank you, crewman," Jonathan said as the crewmember placed the last plate of food in front of T'Pol. T'Pol saw that she had a salad. The crewmember left them.
T'Pol watched as Jonathan helped Charlie cut his meatballs. Charlie dug in as soon as the captain was done. "So, Commander, how is motherhood treating you now that you have two?" Jonathan asked with a smile.
T'Pol didn't know how to answer. She found great joy in being a mother but right now she didn't feel that she was a great mother. "It is…" She glanced a Charlie to see that he had sauce all over his face. He could feel that she was looking at him. He turned his face and smiled at her. She always loved his smile.
"Mama?" She could hear the question in his voice.
She shook her head at him, and he went back to his food. She looked up at the captain to see that he was still waiting for her to answer his question. "It is different than one," She said.
Jonathan laughed. He must have thought that she had made a joke. T'Mir let out a sound and T'Pol glanced down and saw that T'Mir had settle more in her arms. Her face was hiding in the cock of her arm. T'Pol put her fork down before running a hand over her dark hair.
"I think that you are enjoying this, and I have to say that you are a great mother," Jonathan said.
Charlie looked up and smiled. "I love you, Mama."
Those words broke her heart. She didn't let it show it on her face. Before she could say anything to Charlie. He went back to his food. She needed to change this conversation, or she was going to do something not Vulcan. She asked the captain a question. Jonathan took the question; he could see the emotions playing in T'Pol's eyes. Something was going on with her and he wondered if Tripp knew what was going on.
After dinner, T'Pol took her kids home to put them to bed. Tripp still was not back from engineering. She bathed the children and put them to bed. Charlie wanted one more story before going to sleep. She read him one more story. She sat there watching him sleep for a few minutes before getting up. T'Mir was sleeping in her room. T'Pol sat on the couch and picked up the PADD she had on the table. She tried to read the report that was in it, but she couldn't concentrate on it. She sighed because she never had trouble focusing her mind on a task and letting something else enter her mind. Maybe she should mediate.
T'Pol got up and went to her room. She changed and checked on T'Mir before going to her mediating spot. She started to mediate and hoped that it would help with emotions right now. She mediated for about an hour before she heard T'Mir cry. T'Pol got up to see what her daughter needed. She checked her and knew that T'Mir just wanted to be held. T'Pol got comfortable on the bed with T'Mir before picking up the book she had by her bed. She hoped the words of Vulcan could help her.
T'Mir was getting heavy and T'Pol knew that it was time to put her back in bed. T'Mir didn't make a sound as T'Pol placed her in bed. T'Pol went back to her bed, turned off the lights, and laid down to sleep.
Or tried to sleep. She turned on her back and stared at the ceiling. She never had trouble sleeping before. She could hear T'Mir breathing and knew that her daughter was in a deep sleep. She tried to close her eyes again, but they just snapped opened again. She knew that she could grab the book on her bedside table, but it seemed that the words of the book were not bringing her comfort like it should.
T'Pol heard the outer door open, and she knew that Tripp was home. She heard him as he checked on Charlie before making his way to their room. She heard as he undressed in the dark before climbing in on his side of the bed. He reached for her and felt that she was still up.
"T'Pol what are you still doing up?" Tripp glanced down at her.
"Am I a good mother?" T'Pol asked without focusing on Tripp.
Tripp turned on the light before looking at T'Pol with a question in his eyes. "Of course, you are. Where is this coming from?"
"How did I not see that woman wasn't good for our children?" T'Pol sat up in bed.
"It took me a second to see it too. Also, I wanted to spend more time as a family and the only way we could that was if we had someone to help take care of the children," Tripp made her look at him. "You are amazing mother, and our children know it. Our children always want you before anyone else even me."
T'Pol pulled out of his hold and laid down on the bed again, turning away from him. Tripp watched her for moment. He wanted to tell her that she was a great mother until it sank in. He watched her for moment before settling in bed again. He had to wondered where this was coming from, and he might just have to show her that she was an amazing mother. He had to think of something. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep.
Tripp woke to T'Pol getting up and getting ready for the day. He heard her feed T'Mir before heading out of their room. Tripp didn't want to get up. He slowly sat up and heard T'Pol talking with Charlie. Tripp had a feeling that she was getting the children ready for the day. Tripp heard Charlie let out a laugh. Tripp knew that he should get up, but the though of T'Pol thinking that she wasn't a good mother when she was the best. He had to prove to her that she was. He had all day to think about it because he was with the children all day while she was on the bridge.
"Tripp, get out of bed," T'Pol yelled from the living area.
Tripp sighed and got out of bed and threw on some pants before heading out. Charlie was playing on the floor with his toys while T'Mir was in her bassinet. "Papa, look at what I did," Charlie held up some building boxes he was playing with.
"That's good Charlie," Tripp made his way to T'Pol. He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. "You have a great day," He whispered against her lips. T'Pol glanced at the children and Tripp could read her eyes. "You have nothing to worry about." T'Pol nodded and walked out of their quarters.
"Charlie, keep an eye on your sister while I change and then we can get some breakfast," Tripp headed to his room to get dressed. He felt his face and knew that he would have to shave later. Tripp smiled because T'Pol always loved his stubble.
Tripp left his room, picked up T'Mir, grabbed Charlie's hand and left their quarters. They made their way to the mess hall. Tripp grabbed pancakes and sausages for Charlie, grabbed a milk and coffee for him, and they made their way to a table. Tripp watched as Charlie took his seat. Tripp placed the tray down and sat down. He cut up Charlie's food before giving it to Charlie.
Tripp took a bite of Charlie's sausage. "Hey," Charlie hit his hand away. "You can't have this, Papa."
"Really," Tripp made a sad face that had Charlie laughing. Charlie smiled up at him before going back to his food. Tripp took sip of his coffee. "Should we do something special for Mama."
"Yeah," There was syrup coming down Charlie's face.
"What should we do?" Tripp asked. Charlie shrugged his shoulders. Tripp sighed his son was so helpful.
"I think I can with that, Commander," Tripp looked up and saw Ensign Miller standing with a tray of food. Tripp motion for him to sit down. Ensign Miller looked at the baby in Tripp's arms. "She is beautiful like her mother."
Tripp narrowed his eyes at Ensign Miller. "Are you in love with my wife?"
Ensign Miller laughed. "No, she has been kind to me since I started on the ship and everyone on the ship knows that she only loves one man." Tripp smiled. "Oh, do you think that it is you," Tripp frowned and narrowed his eyes at the young ensign. "I heard that it was that young man over there," Tripp followed his fingers and saw that he was pointing to Charlie. Tripp shook his head.
"How can you help me?" Tripp asked and started to rock T'Mir as she started to cry. "I want her to know that she is great mom."
Ensign looked at Charlie to see the young boy was finishing his pancake. "I like to do art and I'm thinking of something from the kids that she would like."
Tripp smiled. He had a feeling that T'Pol would treasure anything that the kids would make. "What do you have in mind?" Ensign Miller told him what he had planned, and Tripp couldn't agree more with it. "Can we start now? I don't know what your shifts are but…"
"We can do it now," Ensign Miller said. "It is my off day."
Tripp nodded. "Do you want to come to our quarters so we can do this?"
"Sure, I'll meet you there in an hour," Ensign Miller stood. Tripp agreed with the young man. He watched the young ensign walk away before looking at the mess his son was.
Charlie felt his father's eyes on him, he looked up and smiled. Tripp returned his smiled. "I think that we need to clean you," Tripp stood with T'Mir and cleaned up the mess that Charlie made. He watched as Charlie jumped off his chair and followed him to leave the mess hall.
An hour later, Ensign Miller showed up at Tripp's and T'Pol's quarters with his supplies. Tripp let him and they got to work with the children. Ensign Miller worked with Charlie while Tripp worked with T'Mir, who wasn't happy about getting things on her hands. After Tripp made her handprint, he had to clean her right away. Tripp was glad when T'Mir was done, and he could put her down for a nap.
Tripp was leaving the room when he heard. "What do you want to say to your mama?" Ensign Miller asked.
Charlie had a bright smile on his face. "I love her." Tripp could see how much Charlie loved his mother with how big his heart was.
"Okay," Ensign Miller said. He made an outline of the words so Charlie could trace. Tripp thought that his son did a good job. Ensign Miller saw Tripp standing in the doorway. "Once he is done, I'll have everything ready tomorrow night."
Tripp nodded. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Ensign Miller watched Charlie finish his words before starting to clean up. Tripp watched the young man leave as Charlie let out yawn. Tripp sighed. It was time for nap.
T'Pol walked the corridor making her way back to her quarters. She knew that she was late, but something had come up on the bridge and she had to see it through. It has been couple days since she had the conversation with Tripp about being a good mother. Every time she would see him, he would say that he loved her and that she was a great mother.
T'Pol had to keep her emotions whenever Charlie would tell her that he loved her or when T'Mir would bury her head in T'Pol chest. She knew her children cared for her. They didn't care how she felt if she was there for them.
T'Pol reached her quarters and opened the door to see that it was dark. She wondered if Tripp had taken the kids to dinner because she was late. "Hello," She called out and turned on the lights.
There was no one there. She looked around the room and saw something on the coffee table. It was a box with a bow on it. There was a little card on it that said. 'Mama' on it. T'Pol undid the bow and opened the box.
In the box was two things wrapped in tissue paper. She pulled out the first thing and unwrapped it. It was plaster with two tiny handprints. T'Pol traced the handprints before looking below the handprints to see T'Mir's name there in a beautiful writing. She turned it around and saw the date that it was made. She set that aside and pulled out the other wrapped gift. She opened it and saw two bigger handprints and the words 'I love you' and Charlie's name below them. She turned it and saw the same date. She placed it on top of the other one. There was one more thing in the box. T'Pol picked up the paper and read what it said. It said.
'We think you are a great mama,'
Under the words were Charlie's name and T'Mir's name. T'Pol had to take a breath because her emotions were at the top. She sat down on the couch and picked up her gifts again to trace the handprints of her children. She knew that Tripp was giving her a moment to react to these gifts without everyone watching. She took another breath. She was spending too much time with humans.
"Can we come out now?" T'Pol heard Charlie's voice from the kids' room.
"Yeah," T'Pol said. The door opened and Charlie ran out with Tripp following with T'Mir.
"Did you like your gifts?" Charlie asked.
"Yes, I did," T'Pol said as she took T'Mir from Tripp. Charlie climbed up on the couch and wrapped his arms around her.
"We love you, Mama."
T'Pol had to look away or her emotions were going to get the best of her. Why did her husband know what she needed when she didn't? She was a good mother.