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"Bottom of the Ninth"
Rating: PG Returning the Treasure (9) Amy trotted along beside T’Pol, her hand occasionally finding a tighter grip on the Vulcan’s hand. “T’Pol!” Amy cried, stopping. T’Pol stopped and turned, looking at the toy Amy was pointing at. “That is intriguing,” T’Pol told her. “Intriguing? I think it’s really neat.” “It is that too.” “Can I have it?” Amy asked, looking up at her. “No. We must hurry, Amy. We’re tardy as it is.” “Okay.” Amy let T’Pol pull her back into a trot. The two passed a man. He glanced at Amy and did an immediate double take. He turned, watching the two disappear into the space station crowd. He put back the object he was looking at aback on the shelf nd ran after them. # Trip poked T’Pol in the side. She looked back at him with a typical cool, emotionless stare. Trip grinned, poking her again. This time she caught his finger and turned, holding his hand up so he couldn’t pull it away. Trip laughed, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close. “Not here,” T’Pol said, but it was too late. Trip closed in for a kiss, wrapping his other arm around her shoulders. Two crewmen passing smiled but said nothing. T’Pol didn’t really notice them, caught up in the passion of the kiss. “Commander Tucker and T’Pol, please report to my ready room,” Archer said over the ship COM. T’Pol slipped from Trip’s hold, walking down the hall. Trip trotted after her, catching her hand. She looked peculiarly at him. “You know I do not approve of public displays of affection, yet you persist today. Why?” Trip slid his arm around her, holding her close while they walked. “I just woke up this morning and couldn’t get you off my mind. And then I saw you walking down the hall just now and had to kiss you.” T’Pol sighed. Trip smiled, sliding his hand down into hers. The two stepped onto a lift and T’Pol turned to him. “Is that to say you missed me?” “Yeah. You were gone for two days on that space station and I missed you. Not to mention Amy. Her and Navta chattering in the morning has pretty much become my morning coffee.” “Your morning coffee?” “I don’t wake up until we do that ritual thing and I’ve had breakfast with two chattering girls. Then I’m ready for the day.” The lift stopped and the door opened. Trip dropped T’Pol’s hand as they exited. The two walked to the ready room door. T’Pol tapped it, looking back at Charles. “I missed you as well. As did Amy. She is quite reliant on the nightly ritual you’ve acquainted her with.” “Teeth, story and cuddle, and tucking in?” “I do not do well with cuddling.” Trip lowered his voice. “The hell you don’t!” The door finally opened and the two walked in. They looked at the human standing in the room and then Archer. Archer didn’t return Trip’s smile. In fact, he looked away. “This is Captain Dave Jackson,” Archer said. “Mister Jackson, this is Lieutenant-Commander Tucker and Sub-Commander T’Pol.” Dave extended his hand to both of them, shaking their hands. He smiled a little, but there was something sad in it. “Mister Jackson,” Archer looked at Trip, “believes he’s Amy’s brother. He’s agreed to submit a sample for DNA testing, but if it proves positive, he will be taking his sister.” “NO! She’s lived with us for eight months. She’s like our daughter.” “But she’s not your daughter,” Archer said. Trip looked at T’Pol. She was staring at the floor. “Aren’t you going to say anything, T’Pol?” T’Pol looked at Trip. “If the tests prove positive, he has the right to take his sister. We have not adopted her, Charles, and we are not her biological family.” “You’re just going to let this happen?” “It is the right thing to do.” “Right thing— T’Pol, that little girl loves you like her mother. She tries everything she can to be just like you. You’re going to break her heart!” “She will adjust to life with her biological family as she has with us.” Trip turned back to Archer. “How can you let this happen?” “We don’t even have the test results yet, Trip. We don’t know if he is or isn’t.” “THAT’S HARDLY THE POINT!” “Trip, if he is her brother—” “Aw the hell with all of ya!” Trip stormed out. Archer walked up to T’Pol. “I’m sorry, T’Pol.” T’Pol nodded. “May I be dismissed, Captain?” “Yeah.” T’Pol turned and left the room. She kept her eyes down as she made her way through Enterprise to a corner she knew no one ever went. She climbed into a conduit hatch and crawled to a joint. T’Pol sat down, closing her eyes. A tear ran down her cheek followed by gasping sobs. # Amy readjusted her grip on Trip’s hand, watching the people down the hall that were getting closer with each step. She looked up at Trip’s stern face and then back at the people. “Please don’t let them take me, Trip,” Amy whimpered. “I have ta, honey.” “Why?” “Captain’s orders. You need to be with your family.” Amy looked up at him. “But you’re my family. You and T’Pol. I wanna stay with you two. Why can’t I stay with you two?” “You just can’t, darlin’.” Amy started crying. Trip swallowed, fighting back his own tears. He had hoped T’Pol would be waiting with Archer, Navta and Malcolm, but she wasn’t. Trip stopped and Amy pulled close to him, making him close his eyes for a moment to maintain his composure. “Hello Amy,” Dave said, crouching down. “GO AWAY! I’M NOT GOING WITH YOU!” Amy screamed at him. She pressed her face into Trip’s hip, starting to cry. Dave moved close to her, laying his hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off and he put it back on her shoulder. “I know you’re upset, Amy, but I really missed you. I want you back with me because I love you.” “I hate you!” Amy said against Trip’s uniform. Dave looked up at Archer. Archer looked down, not sure what should happen. Dave tried to pull Amy away and she latched on tighter to Trip, screaming as he tried to pull her away. Dave let her go, dropping his head. “Amy…” Dave started. “You forgot Chester, Amy.” Everyone looked up. T’Pol walked up, holding a green patchwork teddy bear in her hands. She crouched down beside Amy, holding out the teddy bear. Amy threw her arms around T’Pol’s neck, moving close to T’Pol. T’Pol put one arm around Amy’s waist. “This behavior is unacceptable, Amy,” T’Pol said quietly. “I don’t want to leave you, T’Pol. I want to stay here with you and Trip.” T’Pol pulled her head back so she could look in Amy’s eyes. She laid her hand on the child’s wet cheek. “I have enjoyed you being on board, Amy, but now you must return to your family. I know you feel that we, Trip and I, have replaced your parents, but we are not related by genetics. Dave is and he shares memories of your parents and your home. And he loves you very much. I believe that you will find you will enjoy living with him as much or more than you have living with us.” Amy was shaking her head even before T’Pol finished. “NO! I want to stay here with you!” T’Pol looked down for a moment and then at Dave. “Perhaps we could come to an agreement, Mister Jackson.” “What kind of an agreement?” T’Pol stood. “What if we allowed Amy to try living with you for three months? If, at the end of three months, she still desires to live on Enterprise, you would agree that she could return.” Dave looked at Archer. “Captain Archer?” “I think that’s a viable compromise.” Dave looked down at Amy. “Course, we can say all we want. It’s Amy that has to decide if she’s going to agree to that.” Amy looked up at T’Pol. “And if I wanna come back, I’ll still get to live with you and Trip?” “Yes.” “Promise?” “I give you my word.” Amy looked up at Trip. He smiled, nodding. Amy reached out and took the teddy bear T’Pol was still holding. “Chester better stay here. So I know where he is when I get back.” “I believe he should remain with you,” T’Pol said. “You have told me he talks you to sleep at night. Perhaps he can aid you at night in your new bed.” Amy looked up at T’Pol. “You said he doesn’t talk.” T’Pol crouched down in front of Amy again. “I cannot hear him talk, Amy, but that does not mean he does not talk to you. When you write to me, tell me what he says just as if you were here telling me over breakfast.” Amy smiled. “Okay. I’ll tell you everything he says.” “Now you must depart with your brother and his family.” Amy hugged T’Pol and kissed her cheek. “I love you, T’Pol. I’ll see you soon.” T’Pol stood, watching Trip pick Amy up in a hug and giving her a kiss. “You keep an eye on that bear, okay? Make sure he doesn’t run off like last week,” Trip told her, tapping her nose. “I’ll do that, Trip. I promise.” “Atta girl!” Trip smiled, setting her down. “You forgot the Eskimo kiss!” Amy said, reaching up. Trip crouched down and rubbed his nose against her. Amy turned and hugged Navta and Archer. She turned to Dave and looked up at him. Slowly she held her hand out to him. Dave smiled, taking her hand. “Good-bye! See you soon!” Amy called as Dave led her away. They waved good-bye until the edge of the docking hatch hid her from sight. Malcolm closed the hatch. “T’Pol, that was—” Archer started as he turned. He stopped when he discovered she was gone. Archer looked at Trip. He was still staring where Amy had disappeared through the docking hatch. “Malcolm, head back to the bridge and tell Travis we’re ready to depart,” Archer said. “Yes, sir.” “K’pan?” Navta said. “Yeah?” “I’m going to miss Amy.” Archer smiled, squeezing her shoulder. “We all will. Go to class.” Navta took off down the hall at a run. Archer looked back at Trip. He was staring at the floor, leaning against the bulkhead on one shoulder. “Are you going to be all right?” Trip shrugged. “Is T’Pol?” Trip shrugged again. “I’m sorry Trip. I’m sorry I had to do this to you.” Trip looked at Archer with eyes burning in anger. “Just be thankful it wasn’t Navta, I guess. I doubt you would have made the same decision then.” Trip turned and started to walk away. “Trip, I didn—” “I DON’T WANNA HEAR IT!” Trip yelled, looking back at Archer. “Just leave me alone, Cap’n. You’re the last person I wanna talk right now.” “I’m sorry, Trip.” “Tell it to that little girl in three months when she’s told she can’t come back.” “In three months this will be forgotten.” “How the hell’da’ya know that, Jon! Maybe you didn’t notice, but me and T’Pol loved that little girl. She may forget, but I won’t.” Trip stormed off. “Trip,” Archer called. Trip kept walking. “Trip, we aren’t done.” “SO ARREST ME FOR INSUBORDINATION!” Trip yelled, turning a corner. Archer sighed, leaning back against the bulkhead. He slid to the floor and stared at the hatch. Archer put his head in his hands, hating himself for what he’d just done. # Trip stared at the darkness over him. He stretched his hand into the emptiness beside him. The emptiness T’Pol usually filled. He hadn’t seen her all day. It was hard to imagine that she could disappear so easily on Enterprise. Disappear to the point that not even her bio-sign appeared on sensors. Trip sat up when he heard the door downstairs open. “T’Pol?” Trip asked. T’Pol burst into the room, climbed into bed next to Trip and hugged him tight. She broke into gasping sobs, clinging to him. Trip held her tight. “I miss her,” T’Pol whimpered. “What was I thinking? Why did I let her go so easily? Why did I tell him it was okay? It’s not okay. I miss her. I love her.” Trip started crying silent tears. He laid back, pulling her to his side and holding her tight. “Because, somewhere deep down, we both know it was the right thing to do. She belongs with her family and we were just the foster parents until we found them.” “I wasn’t ready when she came into our lives. I’m not ready now that she’s left. This experience has left me unable to control my emotions, Charles! I’ve forgotten everything I’ve ever been taught.” “No, baby, you haven’t forgotten your teachin’s. You just lost a kid that you loved like a daughter. That would tear any mother apart.” Trip swallowed. “It’s tearin’ this dad apart.” T’Pol cried harder. ‘Amy’ came out every so often as a whisper or low moan. Trip closed his eyes, doing the only thing he could for his wife; hold her and love her. The next Tweens story is Left Overs |
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