Welcome to Love between Worlds, a Star Trek: Enterprise Fanfic. This takes place over an alternative series of events in season 4 of Enterprise. It starts subtly, just expanding upon the story of "Home." And will eventually go in its own direction. Not all episodes are represented in this fanfic. Unless otherwise specified, note that the episode happened, just perhaps with some minor differences. Differences that are not worth exploring. Additionally, as this is a Trip-T'Pol fic, most scenes will focus on either one of them. Much of the other scenes have been cut out.
Mom and Dad,
I know that it has been a while since I've written. Sorry about that. Things have been busy on Enterprise. We're in the thick of it again, and Captain wants results. Not that I blame him. I would do the same if I were in his place. We have an impossible job, but someone has to do it. Not that I mind; my engine is the finest in the fleet. I want to keep her that way. Which is harder than you think. You need to keep on her constantly in order to keep her in tip-top shape.
I'm sorry that I didn't keep up with you while I was in the expanse. Communication to Earth was almost impossible and things got rough. Too rough if you ask me. We had a few close calls in there. Not that I want to scare you in all. But we all know that a career in Starfleet has its risks. Being the Chief Engineer on the flagship only magnifies those risks. We are often asked to do things that no one else can do. Then again, Captain is a real miracle worker. Don't know how he does the things that he does. I could never make peace between Vulcan and Andoria. Just not built that way. Give me an engine any day over that crap. It's a lot easier to figure out.
I know that you guys are worried about me. And it's not without good reason. I am willing to admit that I took Lizzie's death real hard. But I'm better now. I don't know if I have forgiven the Xindi, but I'm trying. They were acting on lies fed to them by an interdimensional species that wanted us dead. I know that sounds like a load of garbage, but it's the honest truth. These aliens are the ones who killed Lizzie. They just didn't pull the trigger themselves. Don't worry; we sent them packing. They shouldn't bother us ever again. Florida is safe. We can rebuild in peace. I'm just sorry that I couldn't do anything to prevent the attack. Yeah, I know that this isn't my fault, but I'm her big brother. I should have protected her.
Right now, Enterprise is going through a refit. Getting some much-needed improvements. Captain told me to take a break. Kinda ordered me to. I've been asked to go Vulcan. I know, that sounds crazy. But they have grown on me over the years. I found that they're not so bad. Once you get past their stony exterior, that is. You find that they're good people - just a bit different. I think that you would like my shipmate, T'Pol. She's smart, honest, and hardworking. I would trust her with my engines. I can't say that of many people. Maybe one day you'll get a chance to meet her.
Sorry about not visiting you. I just need to get away for a while. Not think about Lizzie or what happened almost a year ago. I promise that I will see you soon. It just might take a while.
- Trip
Commander Charles Tucker the Third stood up after ending his letter to his parents. It was rushed and definitely lacked details, but he couldn't tell them everything. Either for security or personal reasons. He didn't want them to worry about him. Nor did he want them to get the wrong idea about him and T'Pol. They had been intimate in the Expanse, but that had ended long ago. At least, he thought that T'Pol didn't want that kind of relationship anymore. But with T'Pol was hard to tell. The woman insisted on giving him mixed messages. First, she tells him that she doesn't want a relationship. Then she got jealous of him being with another woman. Then, immediately afterward, she pushed him away. It was enough to make a man's head spin. He just didn't understand her.
And what she just did really confused him. She asked him to come with her to see her mother on Vulcan. He didn't know if that meant something for Vulcans, but it sure as hell meant something to humans. It told him that she was serious. Maybe even wanted to marry him. At least, that's what Tucker thought. He wasn't too sure, to be honest. Vulcans were always a tough read. With T'Pol, it was even more confusing. This could mean nothing. It also could mean everything. He just couldn't tell. So, he left that out of his letter to his folks. Didn't want to get their hopes up. He didn't even know for sure how he felt about her. How could he answer their questions? It made no sense to open that can of worms right now. It was better to wait. Regardless, Trip had agreed to go with her, and he intended to do it.
He started packing right away. He would only be there for about a week or two. So he did not need too much. He focused on nice-looking casual outfits that would not be too much of a problem. Vulcan was known for being hot, after all. He decided that he would not pack any formal wear or uniforms. As he was unlikely to need any of that. Besides, he was on vacation. He planned to enjoy himself. Maybe while he was at it, he could prove to T'Pol and her family that he was a good catch.
The transport to Vulcan was a bit crowded. Apparently, there were a lot of people who made the trip on a weekly basis. Unsurprisingly, most were vulcan, but there were a few others as well. Being one of the few humans on the transport made Tucker stand out a bit more than he wanted to. It didn't help that he had acquired a bit of a following in the last few years. Apparently, all of the senior staff of Enterprise had become famous. People wanted to know everything. Even some of Vulcans made inquiries about his time in the expanse. Although they mostly kept to themselves. They didn't even bother to speak to each other very much. Although he swore he heard them talking about him and T'Pol when they thought that they weren't listening. Things that they said disgusted him. It was obvious that they did not approve of T'Pol being with a human. How the hell they knew about their affair in the expanse was beyond him. They never spoke about it to anyone off the ship. Both he and T'Pol had booked separately. Trip stayed in the section where the humans were. T'Pol stayed with the Vulcans. They barely spoke to each other on the way over. Why would they think that there was something inappropriate going on? It was absurd. He was an absolute gentleman to her.
Fortunately, Trip understood vulcans just enough to get them to get chummy with the right ones. They allowed him to see the best part of the ship: The engine. He always felt more at home there than anywhere else. Didn't matter that this was a Vulcan civilian transport. The engine room was his home. It was where he belonged. He loved listening to the engines' thrum. He liked watching the readouts on the screens. They were a little hard to read because they were in Vulcan, and he had left his universal translator in his quarters. Hoshi had sent her first wearable prototype with him. She asked him to test it on Vulcan. Trip honestly did not want the translator, but he owed Hoshi. So, he brought it along. He just didn't want to use it just yet. Besides, engine readouts are not that hard to read in any language. They worked on similar principles. He understood mathematics just fine. Besides, he was on vacation. He wanted to figure out the puzzle on his own. At least it helped pass the time. It was so very dull on his barge.
Tucker ended up spending most of the trip exploring the ship or reading technical journals. He tried to avoid the hero worshippers wherever he could. He did not want to hear about how he did a "good thing." None of the humans understood what really happened out there. Nor would they ever. A lot of it would never be made public. And that was for the best. It was some real bad shit. He didn't want to think about the Expanse at all. He wanted to go back to his normal life. If that was ever a thing.
Every so often, T'Pol would emerge from her quarters and get a meal. Trip took that opportunity to speak with her. He asked her about Vulcan. Along with places to see and things to do on the planet. She wasn't too keen on talking about personal matters, though. He barely got a word or two out of T'Pol about her childhood home or her mother. She was not interested in talking. Maybe it was because of the public nature of their meeting place. (There were a ton of humans and Vulcans around.) Maybe it was just because she didn't feel comfortable talking about it. He did not know. Either way he was both frustrated by their conversations and looked forward to them. Besides checking out the ship it was the best part of the trip. This said a lot about the boredom and annoyance that he experienced during the two-day journey. If he had a choice in the future, he would either book passage on a human ship or not go at all. It was much better than dealing with all the other Vulcans.
It was only when they reached the port that T'Pol spent any real time with him. She was his de facto guide after all. Tucker had never been to Vulcan. He didn't speak the language (without the translator). He didn't know how one got around Vulcan. He didn't have whatever passed for currency on vulcan. Nor did he fully understand their culture. He relied on his guide to get him to wherever they were going. Without her, he would be hopelessly lost.
He also didn't know how to deal with the heat. It was nothing like Florida heat. It was dry and overwhelming. Just like an oven. Sure, Trip knew all about high temperatures. Florida was hotter than a tin-foil sweater, but this was worse. It was hotter than the fires of hell. Yet somehow, people managed to walk around in the noonday sun. At least Trip thought that it was noon. It sure as hell felt like it. He hoped that he wasn't wrong, but he didn't have the courage to check for himself. He did not want to know how much hotter it could get on Vulcan. He wanted some nice, climate-controlled rooms. What all respectable Floridians wanted on a hot summer's day. Where that was, again, he had no idea.
T'Pol guided him to the local shuttle with ease. She purchased the tickets for him. Said something in Vulcan to the attendant then shuffled him off to the transport. She seemed more at ease here than she did on the ship, but she was still more tense than he would like her to be. To anyone who didn't know her, they would think that she was just being a Vulcan. But Trip knew her too well to believe that. Something was bothering T'Pol, and he had no idea what it was. He had some ideas but he had nothing concrete since she wouldn't talk about it. It was frustrating! Just like most things with T'Pol.
When they arrived at her family home, T'Pol finally eased up. She almost smiled as Trip admired the courtyard. It seemed that this was where she felt safe. If he didn't know better, then he would say that she was even proud of the house. She told him that Vulcans appreciated beauty. Which didn't make sense to Trip, but then again the Vulcan that he knew best was T'Pol. Which was not your typical Vulcan. That much was becoming very clear to him. It made him appreciate her even more. She was a rare gem amongst billions. She kept mystifying him. Which made him want to know more.
T'Pol's mother greeted them in the courtyard. She seemed utterly surprised by Trip's presence. It was as if T'Pol hadn't bothered to tell her about him. Which was consistent with what she told him before they left Enterprise. Still, it would have been nice to have dropped her a line. Maybe she would have been a bit more friendly than she was. It was obvious that the woman did not want him there. If he didn't know better than he would say that something was going on with the woman. But Vulcans were always a tough read, so it might just be your garden-variety xenophobia. Trip couldn't tell. He just didn't know the woman enough to know. Either way, she wasn't very friendly.
He ignored the obvious attempt to cover up the fact that they were talking about him in Vulcan. Which was fairly rude if you asked him. To discuss someone behind their back right in front of him took balls. Which apparently her mother had. She didn't realize that he could figure out what they were saying from the context clues. He also knew a word or two in Vulcan. His pack felt a little heavier as he remembered that he had that universal translator in his bag, turned off. Maybe it was not a wise idea? He made a note to use it for the rest of the trip.
T'Pol's mother told him where the guest rooms were in the house, but did not take him there. He took the hint and left the two alone. Tucker had an idea that a fight was brewing between the two, and it was best that he not get involved. He doubted that he could help anyway. This was T'Pol's fight, not his. Even he could take a hint sometimes.
The guest room was well-appointed but spartan. Like the rest of the house. There was a bed, a closet, a mirror, and some art. Nothing fancy, but it looked nice. Felt more like a museum than a home though. It was hard to relax in such a place. He felt as if he had knocked something over or damaged something, he would offend his host. Which he really didn't want to do. Despite the warm reception, he wanted to impress T'Pol's mother. He wanted to prove himself to be a perfect gentleman and a good match for her daughter. If that was possible. He did not want to jinx it by making a mess of the place.
Trip was left on his own for a while. He did not know what T'Pol was up to, but he figured she would collect him when she was ready. Which took forever. Of course, this left him bored out of his mind. He hated staring at walls. Even if they were nice walls to stare at. Tucker always hated going to art galleries. Nothing to do there but stare at things that didn't move. Never really understood why Lizzie loved it so much. It bored him to tears. Just like it was now. Tucker wanted to go out and do something, anything. So, he wandered the grounds. Which were real snazzy, like everywhere else. Just felt a little sterile and barren, that's all. Like no one lived here. There was not a lot there to keep his interest for long. Whatever T'Pol was doing, she didn't include him. So, he ended up spending the rest of the day on his own, bored out of his mind. He ended up going back to the guest quarters and reading from one of his technical journals. At least then, he was doing something interesting.
Early next morning, he was woken up with a start. Someone was ringing a loud bell. Which was not the way he wanted to be woken up. But whatever, he was up now and, apparently, he needed to cook. Which was kind of intimidating. After all, he knew nothing about how to prepare Vulcan cuisine. The meals that he could cook wasn't going to cut it. Something told him that they were not going to appreciate fried catfish. Since they didn't eat meat at all. He ended up following T'Pol's lead and doing whatever she told him to do. Hopefully, he wouldn't poison his host. That wasn't a way to make a good impression. And he still wanted to do that. So, he tried his hardest to cook even though he was hopeless. So long as he didn't make an ass of himself he would consider it a win. He just had to get through this meal.
The meal did not go well. Mother and daughter picked at each other. Apparently, her mother used to work for the Vulcan Science Academy. A fact that Tucker did not know. Then again, he knew next to nothing about T'Pol's mother. She retired early for some reason. She didn't make the reason clear. Instead, she made a point to ask T'Pol if she was going to rejoin the High Command. Which Trip hoped that she would never do. Because if T'Pol did that, then he would never see her again. He did not want that. Fortunately, T'Pol dodged the question. Suggesting that she had no intention of doing what her mother wanted. Instead, she wanted to join Starfleet officially. Something that Trip wholeheartedly approved of. It was clear that her mother disagreed.
Tucker decided to stay out of this fight, too. Instead, he focused on trying to eat whatever he was eating and not make a fool of himself while doing it. Which became increasingly difficult to do. He had no idea how he was supposed to eat this stuff. He didn't even know if humans could safely eat this stuff. Or how to eat with chopsticks. Not that he was going to mention this to his host. That would be rude. And he still wanted to make a good impression on her mother. So he tried desperately not to drop this weird, floppy, fruit thing. Why did vulcans make eating so hard?
T'Pol's mother finally noticed Trip's dilemma. She mentioned that the Gespar wasn't fresh. He had no idea what Gespar was or how it was supposed to taste. All he knew was that it wasn't tasting that great and that he was making a fool of himself. Which did not help him in his cause.
"My status unit needs to be replaced." She told him.
Trip jumped at the chance to do something useful around here. "Well, I'd be happy to have a look at it."
Now, it would have been nice if she just went ahead and accepted the gift horse without looking it in the mouth. That was not going to happen. Instead, she decided to insult his people. Indicating her general disdain for her daughter's career and choice of companions. Which Trip tried real hard not to take personally. He was still trying to make peace with the lady. Which was becoming real difficult. Still, getting to work on a machine would be really nice. Something simple that he can fix. Much easier than figuring out Vulcan Family Dynamics. It gave him a headache trying to wrap his mind around it.
It didn't take Tucker very long to figure out what was wrong with the Food Status Unit. It wasn't nearly as hard as figuring out what was wrong with a Warp Five Engine. Just a little tweak, and there you go! All good. You have a one-hundredth functional status unit. At least the Status unit didn't talk back. That was nice. Considering the company he's had the last few days. Maybe he should marry the damn thing. It might be a lot less of a headache.
While Trip was finishing up his repairs, T'Pol's mother came in with some kind of vegetable that he could not identify. She was her normal surly self. Insulting him at every turn. Which made it real hard to remain a gentleman. But Tucker was determined to be polite and respectful. He was raised to be respectful. Even if the person you were talking to was not. Besides, he was not going to rise to the bait and prove how horrible humans really are.
"I know that you're Romantically involved with my daughter." She spoke almost as if she were accusing him of it. "There's no logic in denying it." This caught him off guard. "How long have you been attracted to her?" She demanded.
This was the conversation that Trip had been waiting for and dreading. He was willing to admit that he liked T'Pol. He sighed. "I knew that we had some kind of Chemistry the first time we got into an argument. I never had fun arguing with anyone before."
He felt really embarrassed discussing his feelings with a Vulcan who barely disguised her distaste for him. He wanted to run. Yet that was the last thing that he could do. Where was he to go? "I got the impression that T'Pol wasn't going to say anything to you." He added.
"She didn't." Her mother said. "I'm her mother."
Like that explained everything. Give me a machine any day. So much easier to understand. He thought as he placed the part back into the status unit.
Now it was her turn to be surprised. "You've repaired it?"
"Yeah, the field generator just needed a little adjustment."
He couldn't help but enjoy her surprise. She didn't believe a human would be smart enough to repair a Vulcan appliance. Yet he had proved her wrong. He was able to fix it quickly. Defying her expectations. It seems that humans weren't so stupid after all. Thank god that he studied warp field mechanics.
It seemed that she recovered from her shock quickly. She came up with yet another appliance that needed his help. This time it was a food synthesizer. It seemed that he was reduced to an appliance repairman. Oh well, at least she is being civil. Trip thought as he started work on the next appliance. It seemed like it was going to be a long day.
Before he could do anything, there was a knock on the door. Tucker was asked to get the door. He was surprised to find a young and attractive Vulcan male waiting patiently. He had no idea who this man was, but she did. She called him Koss. And apparently, he wanted to speak with T'Pol. Despite how polite and respectful the man was, Tucker hated him. He got the distinct impression that he was in competition. And Tucker never liked his competition. Still, he only understood Vulcan society so much. The man could have been there for another reason. It was doubtful, but it was possible. Regardless, he couldn't really do anything about it anyway. T'Pol and he weren't officially a thing. He had no real say in who she married. And that bothered Tucker a lot. He felt that he should have some say in the matter.
Trip knew that if he eavesdropped on their conversation, he would hear about it later. T'Pol would not let him forget about it. Additionally, if he listened, he would be more likely to get involved and make things worse. So, he decided to focus on fixing that damned food synthesizer. At least that made sense to him. Unlike Vulcan women. They were a frustrating mystery to him. Machines were logical and straightforward, unlike some pointy-eared people he knew. They wouldn't know what logic was if it bit them in the ass. He started to wonder why he subjected himself to this scrutiny in the first place. He would never be accepted as one of them. He would always be an outsider. I'm doing this for her. He reminded himself as he finished the repairs. He didn't give a damn if other Vulcans accepted him. He just wanted T'Pol. He just had no idea how to go about that.
In the afternoon, T'Pol kept her word and shuttled him around Vulcan. She took him to the Fire Plains. Which was quite a sight. Even Trip had to admit that they were impressive. Like standing at the crater of a volcano, but impressive all the same. It made him want to journey around the Earth with her. His heart skipped a beat when he thought of that prospect. He could show her the Everglades, the Grand Canyon, the African Savanna, the Great Wall, along with so many other places. It would be amazing.
T'Pol wasn't into the whole sightseeing thing. The entire way there, she was quiet and withdrawn. It was hard to get any conversation out of her. Something was bothering and he had a feeling that it had to do with that Koss-feller. He said something to upset her. Tucker wished that he had not decided to give them space. He should have popped him one in the face. Sure, it's primitive, but it gets the job done. And you can't argue with that. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. He had to find out what was going on.
"Everything okay?"
She looked away for a moment, then said, "There's something that I need to tell you."
Yup, not going to like this. He thought as she continued.
"I've decided to marry Koss."
That hit Tucker like a ton of bricks. What? He thought. He didn't believe what he was hearing. "Marry him?" He finally asked incredulously.
T'Pol proceeded to list a bunch of logical and unromantic reasons to marry a man. It seemed ridiculous to him. No one should marry anyone for those reasons. No matter who they were. It was not enough. It was never enough. There had to be something more. Something beyond logic, beyond reason: Love. At no time did she mention being in love with him. Which only served to infuriate Tucker more. This was so very wrong. In his eyes, she was being forced into a marriage that she didn't want by Koss and her mother. And he hated it.
"I don't get it. Are they forcing you to do this?" Trip asked desperately. He wanted to understand. He didn't want to lose her.
She responded, "The Decision was mine." That was a lie. This was not her decision. Not in the slightest. "My mother resigned because of my actions."
He couldn't believe his ears. "What?" He managed to get out under his breath. "You told me three years ago that you didn't even love this guy." Silence. He knew that he was correct. "So you're just going to leave Starfleet and move back to Vulcan?"
She proceeded to discuss marriage negotiations that Tucker honestly didn't want to hear about. Sure, he was glad that she would be able to return to Enterprise, but she wouldn't be his. She would belong to another man. A man whom she did not love. How would that be better? He would have to see her every day and know that he couldn't be with her in a way that a man is with a woman. It would kill him.
"Trip, I have to do this. For many reasons . . ."
Tucker had enough of this crap. He was absolutely seething. "And how am I supposed to take this?"
After a moment, she said, "I'm sorry." Like it was going to make it all better. He was losing the love of his life to a man with the charisma of a dead fish.
"You're sorry?" He asked rhetorically. "You brought me 16,000 light years just to watch you get married to someone that you barely know."
He took off without her. He must have spent hours roaming around Vulcan completely lost. Both literally and figuratively. Honestly, Trip just wanted to go home. Forget this ever happened. But he couldn't. Because it was happening regardless of what he thought. Why did he fool himself into thinking that this could work? A Vulcan and a Human? Never! He must be plain out of his mind. It was the only conclusion that he could come to. He was about to collapse from heat exhaustion when he realized that he was madly in love with T'Pol, and there was nothing that he could do about it.
Slowly, Trip started to calm down. He started to think a touch more clearly. He realized that he was in the middle of nowhere, outside, exposed to the elements. Which was a very dumb idea on Vulcan or anywhere, hot for that matter. Something that his parents taught him never to do. "Don't stand in the sun all day, Trip." They used to tell him when wrapped up in some project outside for hours. Once again, he hadn't bothered to listen. He was too busy mooning over some girl. He had to get out of here.
Fortunately, this time, Trip remembered his Universal Translator. He pulled it out, clipped it to his clothes, and headed back to town. He was able to ask directions from the locals. Who all seemed to not really know English. He was even able to get tickets to head back to T'Pol's house. He would have been screwed if he didn't have this little device. He considered it a win. Thanks, Hoshi. He said silently. He made a note to properly thank her when he got back. She really saved his bacon. Unlike other women in his life. At least Hoshi had his back. So that was something.
The transport that he took dropped him off in the town below T'Pol's home. Tucker knew that it was the right spot right away. As he recognized her house on top of the hill. He was in the right zip code and for the moment, that was what mattered. He could go back anytime he wanted. He just didn't want to go back right now. He milled about the town aimlessly. He had no plan, no goal to achieve. He just walked around, trying to talk to the locals. He didn't get a lot out of them. They were Vulcan, after all. But he did learn that her mother was well-respected until recently. The Vulcan Science Academy was revered here. To have a teaching post there spoke volumes about you as a person. To lose it said even more. All of them refused to say why her mother lost her post. They would not confirm or deny T'Pol's claims that it was because of her. Which was frustrating. Honestly, Tucker had no idea why he was investigating T'Pol's mother's dismissal. She treated him like crap. Insulted him and his people over and over. Then used him as a repairman as she worked to destroy his life. He didn't care if she got her post back or not. He didn't give a damn about the Vulcan Science Academy. And he barely liked T'Les. The truth was that the only reason he cared was that T'Pol cared. And that worry was driving her away from him. That was the last thing Tucker wanted was to lose the woman he loved. He just had no idea how to stop it from happening.
At some point, he ran out of energy. His rage was gone. The heat was taking over. His skin felt like shit. The sunblock that he put on this morning was wearing off. He was starting to burn to a crisp. Moreover, he was acting like a fool. None of this was going to get T'Pol back. Her mind was made up. She was going to leave him for someone that she did not love. There was nothing that he could do about it.
"T'Pol," whispered. "Please, don't marry this guy." He told no one in particular. No one answered either. Of course, they would not. He was completely alone again. He kicked a stone in frustration. His tone started to rise. "Who am I kidding? A human and a Vulcan can't be together." He kicked another stone as his tone became hard. "I must be a real fool to think that she'd ever love me."
The sun finally began to set, and the temperature began to drop. It was no longer like an oven. It was more like a warm day in Florida. Which Tucker didn't mind. He knew enough about deserts to know that it would not stay this way for long. He was going to have to go home soon. Go home. He thought. When did I start thinking of that house as home? Tucker shook his head. It wasn't his home. This wasn't his planet. Nor were these his people. They were T'Pol's. He couldn't honestly say that he understood her culture or her traditions. How could he expect her to understand his? A lot more was going on here than he understood. He had no way to intervene. At the end of the day, he could not force his will upon her. If she wanted to marry him, then she would. If she did not, then . . . He had to let her go. No matter how much it hurts.
With a sigh, Trip stood up and headed towards the house. He would hold himself together for her sake. He decided that he would not tell her how he felt. It would only make it worse. Either she would call off the wedding and deal with the consequences, or she wouldn't. He decided that that was worse. He couldn't take it if she rejected him like that. His heart would break even more. He wished that he had never come here. It would have been so much easier to lose her this way. Now, he was going to watch as he lost the woman that he loved forever.
Once he returned to T'Pol's home, he made a lame apology and asked when the marriage would take place. T'Pol told him that it would be tomorrow morning. Great, Vulcans are nothing but efficient, are they? He thought but said nothing. He promised T'Pol that he would attend if she wanted him to. Which was what she wanted anyway. This was not going to be pleasant.
That night, Tucker used their computer to book passage to Earth on a human transport a few hours after the ceremony. He did not think it was wise to remain any longer. Even if it was fine with T'Pol, he did not want to stay. He had his fill of Vulcan and Vulcans. He just wanted to go home. He didn't know what to do when he ran into T'Pol when he got back to Enterprise. Right now, it didn't matter. He just needed to get away.
In the morning, T'Pol and Tucker made breakfast just like they did the last two times. They barely spoke, but she did tell him that she had found suitable attire for the occasion for Tucker. That was laid out in his room once he returned to it. It was stiff, uncomfortable, and a little small. It mostly fits. However, Tucker was having trouble buttoning it up. It took him way too long to do. Which might have also been due to his reservations about the whole marriage thing. He wasn't motivated. He didn't want to watch this. He wanted to run. He wanted to scream. He wanted to call it off. He wanted to ask her to marry him instead.
There was a knock on the door, and T'Pol's mother entered his room.
"Koss and his family are waiting." She told him.
"I'll be there as soon as I can." Trip sighed. He had no enthusiasm for this suit at all. "Do you know any good tailors?"
Her mother adjusted the clothes and buttoned up the last button. She gave him a forlorn expression. Or at least what Trip thought was a forlorn expression. Which really confused him. He thought that this was what she wanted. The way she was acting, he would swear that he was the one getting married. Not her golden boy, Koss. He did not understand why she was treating him so nicely. It was almost as if he were a friend or a son. Which he was neither. He had no idea what she was up to. Particularly, the comment she made about the clothes fitting him well. Which was not true. They barely fit. Just like this wedding, it was a farce.
"Are you bothered by the fact that T'Pol doesn't even care for this guy?" He asked her honestly.
She looked away. "She's fulfilling her family obligation." Of course, she tried to justify the practice in the most Vulcan of ways. She said, "I met my husband only once before we were joined. In time, we developed a deep connection to each other." She started to walk around him to double-check his outfit.
"Yeah. Well, maybe she'd rather make a connection with someone else." Trip retorted.
She stopped walking around and faced him. "Have you informed T'Pol?" She asked suddenly.
He didn't know what she was talking about. "Informed her of what?"
She gave him a strange look. "That you're in love with her." That hit him like a ton of bricks. Was he that obvious? He wondered as she continued. "Vulcans may not express their emotions, but we are sensitive to them."
Tucker looked down. Why did she have to hit the nail on the head? Oh well, suppose there's no point in denying it now. He thought as he responded. "I don't think I knew it until we were standing over that lava field, and she told me she was gonna marry Koss. That's when it hit me. I was gonna lose her. I wanted to tell her right there, but . . ." He laughed nervously. God, how he hated himself. He was such a coward. "I couldn't."
The news didn't seem to sit well with her mother either. If Trip didn't know better he would have guessed that she was feeling remorse for what she had done. Which should have made him feel better, but it didn't. It made him feel worse.
"There's still time." She finally said.
"I thought you didn't approve." He said.
"I may not condone your relationship, but it's important for her to have all the facts."
It sounded like she was regretting her choices, but it was too late now. He shook his head. "Well, if I say anything, T'Pol might call off the wedding . . . or worse, not call it off." He sighed again. "She's got enough pressure on her as it is. I don't want to make things any more complicated."
With that, their conversation ended. He met up with T'Pol, Koss, and the whole fam in the central atrium of the house. There, he proceeded to watch a spectacle that he could not forget: T'Pol marrying the wrong guy. His heart broke as they spoke the words. Yet, somehow, he managed to keep a calm face. If he didn't know better he would have assumed that T'Pol was helping him do that. Of course, that was absurd. Just like this whole ceremony. He couldn't wait to get away. So, as soon as everyone broke apart, he went to his room and packed. He didn't even say goodbye as he went off to the transport. He couldn't. He would have said something stupid if he did. He was a fool. A big fool. A fool with a broken heart and a bruised pride. Some vacation this was.