T'Pol sat on the bio bed waiting for Tripp to show up. It was their monthly appointment for their child growing inside her. She told him this morning that they had an appointment and all she got in response was a grunt. She might just kill him later because she has barely seen him in the last few months.
It has been battle after battle. They have barely gotten a moment to breathe. T'Pol knew that they had repairs to do and had a team working around the clock to fix the ship, but it wasn't enough. She didn't like explaining to her son where his father was when Charlie hadn't seen his father. Tripp even missed Charlie's birthday and he was the one who wanted to celebrate their children's birthday. T'Pol was glad to see that he was alive because Captain Archer was having daily meetings with his top officers. She also saw him briefly in their quarters when he needed a change of clothes or a shower. She didn't know when the last time he had a full night's sleep.
T'Pol took a breath. "I don't think he is coming," T'Pol tried to control her emotions. "You better get started."
Phlox nodded and got to work checking on T'Pol and her baby. It was quiet as he worked. T'Pol was in her head, trying to figure out her husband and where he had been. He had never missed an appointment before even if he was busy.
"Everything looks good, Commander," Phlox looked at T'Pol and could see her mind running. "Next month we can find out the sex of the baby."
"Thank you doctor," T'Pol stood and headed for the door. "I'll see you next month," Phlox nodded as she left.
T'Pol had enough, she thought as she made way to Engineering. She wasn't going to live this way where she barely saw the man she was married to. She was tired of telling their son where his father was.
She entered Engineering and didn't see Tripp. She made her way to a crewman. "Where is Commander Tucker?"
The crewman saw that it was her and pointed up. T'Pol glanced up and saw Tripp standing at a computer with a crewmember. She thanked the crewman and made her way up. She saw that the crewmember was an ensign, and they were the first to see her. They tried to give her a smile but could tell that something was wrong. The ensign was ready to tell Tripp that she was there, but T'Pol shook her head.
"Can I speak to you, Commander Tucker?" T'Pol said in a too quiet of a voice.
Tripp looked at the ensign before nodding at T'Pol. "Will my office work?" He asked as he led the way to his office.
Once they entered Tripp stood behind his desk and T'Pol closed the door behind her. Tripp waited for T'Pol to say something. It looked like she was gathering her thoughts. T'Pol took a breath to keep her emotions in check. "Tripp, where have you been?"
Tripp gave her a confused look. "I've been here."
T'Pol placed a hand on her forehead and shook her head. "That is not what I meant," T'Pol looked at Tripp to see that he had dark circles around his eyes and he his bread looked unkept. She thought that he needed a shave. "I have not seen you outside of the meeting that Captain Archer is having. I meant why have you not been home to me or our son," Tripp opened his mouth to say something when T'Pol spoke. "You missed my appointment for our unborn child, you have never done that. I must explain to our son where Papa is. You missed his birthday. So, I want to know where you have been?"
Tripp saw how angry T'Pol was. She never let her emotions get that bad. He didn't like that he was being called out. "I have spent every moment making sure that we have a place to live so I'm sorry that I haven't been home. If I don't make this ship run, you and our son are going to have no place to live."
"I would rather die with you by my side than live apart," T'Pol was letting her anger take control.
"I also have to make sure," Tripp pointed towards the door of his office. "That they get home to their families too. They are not as lucky as me to have my family aboard."
"You would sacrifice your life for theirs. They knew what they signed up for. I am trying to figure out what I signed up for. You told me that you would never leave me and yet I never see you. When was the last time you kissed me or held me?" T'Pol yelled. She didn't know where all this anger was coming from. She didn't wait for Tripp to answer. "Months."
"I'm sorry that we have been having battle after battle. Our home is taking damage or would you rather be a sitting duck, so the Romulans take us all out." Tripp yelled back.
Tears welled in T'Pol eyes. "This ship is more important than your family, your wife, son, and unborn child."
"Yes," Tripp shouted.
T'Pol was hurt. She reached behind her and unclasped her necklace. "Then I'm done," She placed the necklace on the desk. T'Pol didn't wait for him to say something and just walked out of the office.
She looked around and saw people trying to look like they weren't listening at the shouting coming from the office. She made her way out of Engineering, and she felt a weight lifted from her shoulders. It was nice to let her emotions out. She must be spending too much time with humans. Maybe she shouldn't have married a human or had children with him.
T'Pol placed a hand on her hard stomach. Their other child was growing inside of her. She knew that she was going to care for this child as much as she did with Charlie. Did she think that she would be raising her children alone? No, she thought that Tripp would be by her side helping with them. She remembers how happy he was to learn that she was pregnant with Charlie and with this one. Maybe this was only to last a moment.
T'Pol looked at the door to her quarters. She took a breath before she entered because Charlie was going to be in there with Crewman Gomez. She entered and saw Charlie's big blue eyes looking up at her.
"Where's Papa?" He asked. T'Pol saw the hurt in his eyes because he didn't see his father. She had no words for him.
T'Pol turned to Crewman Gomez. "Thank you for watching him."
Crewman Gomez gave her a look before leaving. T'Pol turned back to her son, who was waiting for an answer. "I don't know," T'Pol didn't say anything else as she went to the room she shared with Tripp.
Tripp looked at the door waiting for T'Pol to walk in, but she didn't. He fell in his chair and picked up T'Pol's necklace. Tripp looked at the necklace to see the two rings he gave her. One was the engagement he gave her, and the other is the wedding ring he made her. She didn't like to wear them on her finger, but she wore them around her neck. Tripp saw it every time they would make love. He traced around the edge of the ring to feel that it was still warm from her skin. He brought it close to his nose and he could smell her scent on it.
Tripp closed his eyes and thought what an idoit he has been. He jumped up and ran out of his office. He ran all the way to his quarters; he would fall on his knees and beg T'Pol to take him back. He will tell her anything she wanted to hear just so she can take him back. He put a smile on his face as he stopped in front of his door. He tried to enter but the door was locked. He knocked on the door. "T'Pol, let me in."
The door opened only to have a bag thrown at him. He glanced from the bag to T'Pol, who threw the bag. "No and you might want to take a shower because you smell." Before he could say anything, the door closed in his face.
Tripp sighed. He knew that he couldn't do anything until T'Pol was ready to talk. He shouldered his bag and headed down the hall with everyone giving him looks. Tripp made his way to Malcom's quarters.
He knocked on the door and Malcom opened it right away. He saw the bag on Tripp's shoulder. "T'Pol finally kicked you out," Malcom moved out of the way to let Tripp in. "It only took four years." Tripp gave Malcom a look. Malcom covered his nose. "When was the last time you shower?"
Tripp smiled a little. "A couple of days."
"It's no wonder why T'Pol kicked you out. Go and take a shower," Malcom waved towards his bathroom.
"Thank you," Tripp headed for the shower.
"Also, a shave might be good," Tripp heard his friend as he closed the door to take a shower.
Tripp felt like a new person after he took a shower and had a shaved. He stepped into Malcom's room to see that his friend was still there and sitting on his bed. Tripp put his things back in the bag. "Thank you," He said.
"Take a seat," Malcom pointed to the chair at his desk. Tripp took a seat. "Why did T'Pol kick you out?"
Tripp took a breath as he ran a hand through his hair. "I was in idoit and didn't put my family before this ship. T'Pol thought that I spent too much time fixing the ship, not with her or Charlie. She had had enough. She yelled at me." Tripp gave a small smile. "I might have told her that I care more about the ship than her or Charlie."
Malcom shook his head at his friend. "You are ass," Malcom reached over and punched Tripp in the arm.
"Ouch," Tripp rubbed his arm where Malcom hit him. "What was that for?"
"I'm trying to figure out what is wrong with you," Malcom hissed. "You have a beautiful wife and a wonderful son. Any person on this ship would give anything to be where you are. I have seen Charlie look around for you when we are in the Mess Hall. Your family should be first not this ship. Yes, this is home for all of us, but your home is where your family is. I would give anything to have what you have."
Tripp hung his head in shame. "I guess I got hyper focus on making this ship was running that I forgot about that."
"Tripp, you have one of the best teams in Starfleet and they are working around the clock to fix the ship. You can take some time to spend with your family or you are miss some great moments with them. You missed your son's second birthday."
"Oh God," Tripp mumbled. "I could miss the birth of our second child. I told T'Pol that I would never leave her side again. Now," Tripp took out T'Pol necklace. "She left me."
"You can win her back," Malcom said in quiet voice.
"How? She never gave me this back," He knows that he made T'Pol mad, but this was something different. She never gave his rings back to him.
"Maybe start off slow. Spend time with Charlie. Would you be out of Charlie's life if you and T'Pol never married?'
"No, he is my son and I love him," Tripp almost shouted.
Malcom raised his hands. "I never said you didn't. I remember your face when T'Pol told you that she was pregnant with Charlie. You couldn't hide that smile on your face It was the same when she told you that she pregnant with your new child."
"Sorry," Tripp said. "You are right," Tripp looked down at the rings. "I will get her back but I need to spend time with my son."
"I don't think you will have trouble getting back in T'Pol's good graces, it's just going to take time." Malcom said.
"Yeah," Tripp stood. "I'll find somewhere to sleep," He didn't want to share a room with Malcom.
Malcom understood what he was doing. "I think your old quarters are still empty."
Tripp nodded and made his way out of the room. "Thank you for knocking sense into me."
"No problem," Malcom watched his friend make it to the door. He had faith in his friend that he would find his way back to T'Pol.
Tripp stopped at the door. "I just wished that I had flowers."
Malcom raised an eyebrow at Tripp. "Do you think that T'Pol would take flowers?"
Tripp laughed. "No," Tripp left his friend's quarters.