Angelic Paranoia

"You're sure they can cure her?" Trip asked, not daring to hope. As soon as Phlox left sickbay Daniels had appeared, offering to take Elizabeth to the future. The idea that she could live was too good to be true.

Daniels nodded. "By the 24th century mixed species relationships are commonplace. The doctors there will be familiar with her genetics and it will be a moment's work to cure her."

"Why would you do this?" T'Pol asked. Which was something Trip wanted to know too. When Daniels turned up before it was because he was trying hard to keep history on track. So doing something to potentially derail it was out of character.

Daniels sighed and stared at the ground for a moment. "Because my wife felt sorry for her. She lost a baby recently," he added, quietly.

Trip reached out to touch his arm. He had an idea how she felt. He wished he didn't.

"And she won't affect history." Daniels lifted his chin and addressed his comments to T'Pol. "She won't be special, not in the 24th century. But she will live."

It was impossible to say no to that. Although Trip hated the idea that they'd never be able to see her again. Unless…

"I'll go with her." T'Pol clasped her hands behind her back. "I'll live a quiet life where no one will know I'm from the past."

"I'll go too," Trip said quickly.

Daniels sighed. "I thought you might said that. I checked the records and there's something Commander Tucker needs to be here for."

"But not me." T'Pol made the logical inference.

"You can come back after," Trip said a little desperately. "When I've done the thing I need to do, you can come back and take me to them." He didn't know how he was going to live without both T'Pol and Elizabeth. It would be torture even for a few months or years, but knowing he would see them again would be enough to keep him going.

After a moment of consideration Daniels said slowly, "I can do that."

Trip smiled for a moment before the reality took hold and he turned to T'Pol. He reached out for her hand. But how was he supposed to say goodbye? All he could manage was to squeeze her hand and fail to swallow around the lump in his throat.

As always, T'Pol knew what to do. She closed the distance between him and kissed him, hard and sloppy. The kiss said everything they needed to.

After they parted he slipped his arm out of the sling and picked Elizabeth up, ignoring the stabbing pain in his shoulder. He kissed her forehead and softly said, "I'll see you soon." He handed her over to T'Pol and suddenly the three of them were gone, leaving Trip alone in sickbay, wondering how long it would be before he saw them again.

Trip opened his eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling. Turning his head revealed what looked like a sickbay, given the beds. If he didn't know better he'd say he was in the future, given the technology he could see. He knew he hadn't been far enough away when the plasma junction exploded and he half-expected to be dead. Or seriously injured. But he felt fine, except for an incipient headache.

A familiar voice, albeit one he hadn't heard for seven years, said his name. He peered round to see T'Pol. She had longer hair and wasn't in her uniform, but otherwise she looked the same as the last time he'd seen her.

He sat up, ignoring the pounding in his head. "T'Pol!"

She rested a hand gently on his leg.

Beside her was a young girl with blonde hair and pointy ears. His eyes widened as his heart skipped a beat. Was that…?

"I've told her about you," T'Pol said softly.

It was her. Trip couldn't stop himself smiling. He turned to her. "Hi, I'm your dad."

"Hello, Dad." She sounded formal and looked serious. If he didn't know better he'd say she was a Vulcan. But then she gave him a small smile. "I've been wanting to meet you all my life."

He grinned and pulled her up to sit next to him on the bed, headache forgotten. "I'm here now. And I'm sticking around. He put an arm around Elizabeth and a hand over T'Pol's. "With both of you."

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