Jazz, A Sequel

Author's note:  This is dedcated to Honeybee because she said she wanted another doris and Jonas story. Also to jusTrip'n because she rode to the rescue with a "Hearty Heigh Ho Silver(bullet)"!

Jazz, A Sequel


"Where are we going, again?" Trip asked.

"We are going to the Main San Francisco Library," T'Pol answered.

"To meet?"

"Jonas and Doris, two people I met when I was stationed at the Vulcan embassy on Earth before I came aboard the Enterprise."

"Where are my shirts? The ones I wear when going out casually?"

'You mean the ones that Malcolm says will raise the dead?"

"Those are my favorite shirts."

"They make you look immature."

"I put them in my suitcase when we were packing to be stationed on Earth."

Silence from T-Pol.

"They were in my case weren't they?"

T-Pol shook her head no.

"They weren't?"

"I took them out because I had to pack the new clothes we bought for you. There was not enough room for everything."

"Are my shirts still on Enterprise then? You have them stored with the Quartermaster?"

T-Pol again shook her head no.

"Tell me you didn't destroy them."

"Catsuits."

"Catsuits? I'm afraid I'm not following."

"You hated them when I wore them."

"Damn right, whenever you walked into the dining hall, the men undressed you with their eyes, and they didn't have to take off very much. Those catsuits were like a second skin."

"You begged me to stop wearing them and you asked me to destroy them once we were married."

"What does that have to do with my shirts?"

"Catsuits, shirts . . . they are parallel cases."

"So, you destroy the catsuits and also my shirts and that makes us even?"

"Exactly."

"I can always go out and buy more."

"No, you have some very nice shirts now. You don't need any more."

Like Hell, Trip thought, guess I will have to sneak out and by some on the sly.

"No you won't sneak out and buy some."

Damned bond, can't do anything without her knowing, thought Trip.

"We have to hurry. The ground car will be here soon. I have to get Chip ready and myself dressed."

Later, Trip had put on a silver grey trousers with matching top.

"How is this?"

"Very acceptable. I have Chip in the carrier so all we need is the ground car,"

A half hour later Trip and T'Pol were walking towards the desk in the music section of the library.

"POLLY!!!"

T-Pol and Trip stopped. Trip put down the carrier.

T-Pol steeled herself. She knew what was coming; she forced her body to relax.

Jonas strode up, hugged T'Pol and kissed her cheek. He stepped back hands still on her shoulders and said, "Polly you look wonderful." He turned his head and shouted, "Doris, look who is here, it's Polly."

Jonas dropped is hands from T'Pol's shoulders when he saw the look in Trip's eyes.

Say, nothing, T-Pol sent through the bond.

Jonas loooked at Trip and the back to T'Pol

"Jonas this is my husband Charles and our son Charles the Fourth. Trip, this is Jonas, the man I told you about."

Trip started to say something and through the bond T-Pol sent, Don't tell him your nickname, just "Charles."

"Pleased to meet you, Charles," said Jonas.

"It is good to meet you.  My wife has told me how helpful you were to her."

Chip realizing he was in an unfamiliar place and hearing an unfamiliar voice, started to make a fuss.

T-Pol picked him up and gently rocked him, talking to the child: "There, there. You are all right. We are here. You are safe." Chip absorbing his mother's aroma and sensing her body settled down and fell asleep again.

A woman came out of the stacks and hurried toward them. "Polly, how nice to see you."

"It is pleasing to see you also," said T-Pol.

It appeared that Doris too would hug T-Pol. So T-Pol held Chip up a bit to prevent that.

Doris stopped. "You are looking wonderul. Whose child is that?"

"Doris, this is my husband Charles and our son. We call him Chip, but his name is Charles, like his father."

"Hello," Doris said, "Are you the young man that Polly told us about? The one her family had picked out for her?"

"No, I am a different person. That man is out of the picture now. I am pleased to meet someone who was so nice to my wife."

"Polly, you must come back into the stacks. I have something important," said Doris, taking T'Pol's arm and pulling her towards the stacks. "We will be back in a while," said Doris.

T-Pol looked helplessly at Trip and then followed Doris.

When they got to the stacks and out of sight of the men, Doris held out her hand. "Look," she said happily.

T'Pol looked at Doris's hand; there was an engagement ring and wedding band on it.

"Jonas and I are married. We have been for almost six years."

T'Pol thought, They must have been married while we were in the Expanse.

"When I met Jonas, I thought he was the handsomest man I had ever seen. He was so nice. He showed me around, told me about the stacks and everything. When I told him I loved jazz he said he loved it too. After about a month he asked me if I wanted to meet his group. We attended concerts, went to jazz clubs with the group, and then later just Jonas and I would go to those things. Never a date, just two people with a shared interest. Much later I asked him to dinner and my apartment. I cleaned it all day and made his favorite meal. I had wheedled the information out of him beforehand. I thought that if I showed him how neat my apartment was and how well I cooked, it might impress him. It took a long while, but he finally proposed and we were married. That was about two years after you left on assignment. I am the happiest and luckiest woman in the universe. All of my dreams have come true.

T'Pol thought, No, you are the second luckiest woman in the universe. I am the luckiest. I guess Jonas is attractive too. At least to Doris he is, and that's all that matters.

"That is a very beautiful baby. May I hold him?"

T-Pol reluctantly let Doris take Chip

"Be careful of his cap. I don't want it knocked off his head. He gets cold easily."

"I will be careful," said Doris

"I would love to have a child. But Jonas is afraid. He thinks that because of my age, I could not safely carry a baby to term. I'm in my early forties. He doesn't want to take the chance. He's got some old-fashioned ideas.  That's what I get from marrying a librarian: he's read too many biographies from the twentieth century. I guess it's just as well. We have each another."

Chip sensing he was being held by a stranger, started to fuss again. His eyes scrunched closed.

Doris handed him back to T-Pol. "He is such a nice little guy. What color are his eyes and his hair?"

"He has blonde hair and blue eyes like his father," said T'Pol.

"I suppose we should go back to the men," said Doris.

The two women left the stacks and walked back to where the men were standing chatting.

"Been giving Polly an earful on how I took advantage of your generous nature and tricked you into marrying me?" Jonas asked Doris.

"No, we were just chatting while I showed her some new padds that I thought she might be interested in," said Doris.

Jonas looked fondly at Doris. When she was introduced to me I thought how pretty she was. When we finally started going to clubs just the two of us I was too frightened to ask her for a date, I thought that such a pretty girl would never date a plain-looking guy like me. So I pretended it was just two friends going to a club. When she cooked for me, even came over to my house to cook a few times, I was in heaven. I finally decided that I would work up my courage and propose to her. I knew I loved her and thought she felt highly about me. I proposed in the park at the zoo. I wanted space to run if she said no. I would have been so disappointed and I didn't want her to see that. But she said yes, and now we are married. Which anniversay is it this year, Doris?

"What anniversary do you mean? Our wedding anniversary or the anniversary when we first met?

"You remember the day we first met?' asked Jonas.

"Yes, and if you give me a moment, I can remember the hour.

"I'll be damned," breathed Jonas.

"Polly, can you all come to our house for dinner tonight?" asked Doris.

"Yes, we would love to," said Trip surprising T-Pol.

"We can ask Hoshi and Malcolm to babysit for us," said T-Pol.

"Oh, bring the baby!" said Doris.

"We will then," agreed T-Pol

"Great," said Doris. "What kind of meat do you like?"

"I am a vegetarian," said T-Pol

"Oh dear. That's OK. I can fix something without meat."

"I do eat fish," said T-Pol

"I have a lovely fish and rice dish I can prepare," said Doris.

"That would be pleasing," said T-Pol

Jonas had been looking at Trip for some minutes with a perplexed look on his face. "I should know you. For some reason your face is familiar," said Jonas

T-Pol knew that Jonas would recognize Trip in a minute or so. She said, "My name is not Polly. It is Lady T-Pol on my home world." She pulled off her scarf. "I am Vulcan."

"Doris! They are from the Enterprise. They are . . . "

"He is Commander Tucker, and I am commander T-Pol of Enterprise," said T-Pol.

"Gawd," said Jonas.

"If you want to withdraw your dinner invitation, I will understand. Vulcans make some humans uncomfortable."

"Not on your life. You were our friend the whole time you were on Earth. We still think of you that way. Vulcan or not. You are folks to us," said Jonas.

"Yes, you are always welcome in our home," said Doris.

"You will keep our secret? Not reveal what we have told you?" asked T-Pol.

"Of course. We won't say anything that you want kept secret," assured Jonas.

T-Pol put the scarf back on. "Thank you. When shall we come for dinner?"

"Come at six. That way we can talk and I can get to know Charles."

"Trip. My friends call me Trip."

"Here is our address," said Doris. "You should be able to get there by ground car easily." She handed Trip a slip of paper with the address on it. He put it in his breast pocket.

"Trip, we must be going. I have to feed Chip, and I don't think the middle of a Library is the place to be nursing him. Besides we have to get ready for dinner tonight," said T-Pol.

"Guess so. Chip is probably starved by now," said Trip.

Trip and T-Pol said their goodbyes and departed the library.

"Just think, "said Jonas, "Polly was really a Vulcan all that time. We knew her, and we didn't even guess. Going to be a wonderful evening if they tell us all about their fight with the Xindi."

"Don't ask them," Doris cautioned, "They probably want to forget all about that. You know, we never heard anything about their marriage or the birth of their son on the news. Wonder why?"

"Don't know for sure, but I remember there was some rubbish with those Terra Prime people."

Yes," said Doris in shock, "they had a daughter that died . . . They took her to Vulcan to be buried. I remember now! It was in all the news broadcasts."

"Okay, I will lay off. Besides I just want to show him my lair."

"Jonas, I am going to take the rest of the day off. I have shopping to do. I need to get some fish and ingredients for a salad. I also have to clean the house."

"That house is spotless. But all right, you should try to get some nice fish for dinner."

Trip and T-Pol had finished a snack. T-Pol had nursed Chip and put him down in his crib. They had checked incoming messages and answered them. It was now late afternoon.

"Those are real nice people at the library," Trip commented. "Seem to be really in love. Imagine remembering the exact hour you met."

"Yes, they are deeply in love. I know that she was in love with him when I first met them."

"When did you first know you were in love with me? I knew I loved you before that accident that almost killed me. Phlox saved me with that clone."

"I knew when Corporal Cole patted you on the behind."

"Yeah, you seduced me that night."

"You should take a shower right now. We haven't much time and I have to get Chip ready and I must shower too."

"Want to take a shower with me?

Trip had a grin on his face that T-Pol recognized after years of marriage.

"No, that willl lead to other things."

"Maybe a quickie," said Trip grinning more broadly with the same grin.

"With you there are no quickies. At the very least we would be late, and we would probably have to call them and say something has come up and we cannot make dinner. Poor Doris. Cooking and then having to throw most of it out."

T-Pol could see he was disappointed so she walked to him, slipped her arms around his neck, and said in what she hoped was a sultry voice, "You mean that you will be too tired when we return home from dinner tonight?"

"No. Good thing tomorrow is Sunday 'cause you are going to be busy tonight," Trip warned.

T-Pol walked a few steps away then said, "Don't disappoint me."

Trip laughed and walked into the bathroom.

T-Pol took Chip out of his crib and then sat down on the bed. She could hear Trip singing in the shower. She was relieved that she had deflected Trip. She did not want to talk about the morning after that night, ever. She also did not want to tell him about her trellium addiction. He might think that it was the reason she seduced him. Not because she loved him. That could be a sore that would fester and come between them. She was confident of Trip's love. It had endured everything and held steadfast. But she did not want to risk anything that would make him unhappy. She had spent all of their married life doing her best to make up for the hurt she had caused him. She looked down at Chip. She had been blessed, married to the man she loved more than anything and holding their child. Had anyone told her that one day she would be married to Trip and have a son by him, she would have said it was illogical.

For certain, Trip will have a night of lovemaking. That will take his mind off anything else.

Trip was out of the shower and dried off. "Honey, I have to find something to wear."

"I laid out what you will wear."

"What did I ever do before I married you? How did I get dressed, buy my clothes?"

"You wore a uniform all of the time."

"Yup, except that time on Risa."

"Yes and those clothes were stolen."

"Where did you say those things you laid out are?"

T-Pol stood. "I have to shower. I want you to turn the mattress in Chip's carrier and put fresh sheets on it. I put him back in his Crib for now so you won't have to worry about him."

A half hour later T-Pol said: "Ready? We are due there shortly. Do you have Chips carrier ready? I have the diaper bag."

"Yup, all set." Trip picked Chip up from the crib and deposited him into the carrier. "The ground car is waiting outside now."

T-Pol picked up the diaper bag, Trip the carrier, and they left the apartment, got into the ground car, and went to dinner.

The bell rang."That will be them," said Jonas answering the door. "Come in. Let me take your things."

"Not much to take, just T-Pol's coat."

Doris came hurrying in from the kitchen. "Hi, you are just in time."

"Put the carrier on the couch, way in back against the rear," said Jonas. "It won't fall off."

"Come T-Pol, let me show you the house," said Doris. "The guys can get acquainted."

The women walked out of the Room. Jonas went to the sideboard, took the bottle of bourbon.

"Bourbon and Branch?" he asked.

Trip looked at the label. "That is damned fine booze. Don't mind if I have a snort."

They sat down on two chairs.

"Old fashioned coffee table," Jonas remarked. "Doris had it made. She likes some of the stuff from the past."

Trip picked up a large book from the table. "What is this?"

"A book I gave Doris. It is a facsimilie of an actual book from the late 20th century. It has bios and photos of all the jazz greats of the 20th Century. Doris says it is what used to be called a coffee table book."

Trip thumbed through the book. "T-Pol would like this book. Can I get a copy like this?"

"Cost you a bit. But yes. I can give you the name of the company."

"Thanks, she will like it. I gave her a collection of jazz vids for Christmas one year. She plays them all the time or did before Chip was born."

"You are Human and your wife is Vulcan. I didn't think that Humans and vulcans could have children." said Jonas.

"It was damned hard, believe me. If it weren't for a very brilliant doctor helping us we could not have had Chip. He helped T-Pol all through the pregnancy. First getting the conception to work; then watching her like a hawk every week until she went in to labor and Chip was born. Chip is our miracle baby."

"Doris wants a child more than anything. But I am afraid of complications and how it might affect her. I don't want her to be hurt or have something happen that would permanently damage her. I love her so much. She is everything to me." Said Jonas.

"T-Pol is that same to me, but we wanted a child more than anything. It was a Hell of a chance. None of us knew what might happen. Not even Phlox. But T-Pol was willing to risk it so we could have a child. I didn't want her to because I was afraid too. I didn't want to lose her or have anything happen that would injure her in any way. She was pregnant for 10 months and I damned near died once a month watching her. It wasn't an easy pregnancy. Human and Vulcan DNA fighting for supremacy. Chip is a healthy boy and he has some of both of us in him. We are lucky as Hell because we took that chance. So should you," said Trip.

"I suppose I have been too cautious, but dammit, It scares me. I have never been faced with something like this. I want to do the right thing by Doris., said Jonas

"You have to do what you think is best but my advice would be to go ahead if the doctors okay it. You would probably have a very healthy baby and be the happiest man around."

Jonas stood up. "Bring your drink. I want to show you my lair."

Trip stood and followed Jonas into a room off the living room.

It was a man's room: paneling on the walls; padd cases lining the walls; music equipment on one wall including a unit to receive broadcasts and a large chair in one corner.

"Easy chair. Those people long ago sure knew how to be comfortable."

"This is where I spend some of my time. Used to be in here all of the time, but since I married Doris I would rather be with her. She sometimes shoos me in here to get me out from under her feet. I share the cleaning duties with her. Hell, I was a bachelor for years so I know how to clean a house. But, I am the only one who cleans in here. Women have a bad habit of moving things when they clean. I put something somewhere, I expect to find it there the next time I need it.

"The paads are copies of some old Jazz recordings," Jonas continued. "I have found a group that exchanges copies. That is, I can copy their copy and they can copy one of mine. I have built up quite a collection. You say you gave Polly--excuse me, T'Pol --a collection of jazz? Think she would let me copy some of them that I may not have?"

"Don't know, you will have to ask her."

"Lets go back in to the living room. Only one chair in here. I I don't like anyone around when I am listening to one of my padds except Doris. She brings in a chair when she is listening with me."

T-Pol and Doris walked in to the living room. "Dinner should be ready," said Doris. "You can wash up in the spare bathroom over there," she said pointing to a door.

After Trip and T-Pol washed up, Doris directed them to the dining room.

"Bring Chip along," said T-Pol.

Trip picked up the carrier and walked in to the dining room. Doris told him where to sit which was opposite T-Pol. Doris and Jonas sat at the ends of the table. Doris brought in dinner on a large tray. There were several bowls and a platter containing the fish.

"We don't stand on ceremony, so help yourselves."

Dinner was filled with conversation and some laughter. Doris felt it was a success.

"We can have coffee in the living room. I didn't make a dessert because I don't know if T'Pol eats sweets."

"Fine with us," said Trip.

"I will help you clean up," said T-Pol

"Me too," said Trip "I should earn my dinner."

"All right. We have an automatic recycle and dishwasher that does pots and pans too," said Doris. "It will only take a few minutes to clear the table and clean the kitchen. Do you drink coffee T-Pol?"

"No, only tea."

"I have tea, mint." said Doris

"That will be fine," said T-Pol

"Go on into the living room, and I will be out in a jiffy with coffee and tea. Jonas can you help me?

"Certainly, glad to."

"Jonas, don't you ask her if she has green blood. Don't ask anything about being a Vulcan."

"What can I talk about?"

"Jazz. She would like that."

"He wouldn't be interested. We need something that everyone can share in."

"Think of something then."

Doris and Jonas came out with the coffee and tea. Doris poured and handed cups around. "Sugar? Milk?"

Chip chose that time to wake up and start crying.

"I think he needs to be changed," said T-Pol.

"Doris stood up, you can use the spare bedroom, I will show you where it is."

"Bet he keeps you hopping."

"T-Pol and I take turns, so neither of us is doing it all. One night I have baby duty and the next, T-Pol."

"What is your job on the spaceship?"

"Chief Engineer."

"Sounds interesting.  What do you need to know? I have never been inclined that way. Always had my nose in a book."

"Higher Mathmatics, Newtonian Physics, Relativity, Quantum Physics, Quantum Mechanics, Warp Theory, and Warp Drives."

"Good Lord. Bet you didn't pick that up working in a garage."

"I guess I was bright. I started university when I was 15. Studied until I was 24. Then joined Star fleet to get experience with warp engines. They weren't too far advanced when I joined."

"How did you get all that in a university? Bachelor, Masters? What else?

"Actually, I took more than one major at a time and some minors that would be a major at other universities. I attended three Universities graduated in three years at each. Last I took a couple advanced degrees.

"Wow. That didn't leave you much time for girls?

"Not much since I also took summer courses too. Got my masters during the summers.

"What is the highest degree you have?"

Trip hesitated. He hated talking about his education. He would rather be thought of as an average-educated engineer. "Doctorate in two fields. No one knows but T-Pol."

The women came back in. Chip was awake and looking around.

"He has blue eyes like his father. Same eyes," said Doris.

As T'Pol put Chip back in the carrier. Doris looked hungrily at the baby. Her longing for a child shone.

"Doris, Charles and I were just talking about his work on the spaceship."

Jonas caught a warning look from Trip.

"He is a grease monkey."

"Jonas, that isn't a nice name," said Doris.

"Aw that is what they used to call mechanics long ago."

The group sat, finished their coffee and tea while chatting.

"Trip, we should be going. Chip will be hungry soon, and I still have to bathe him tonight."

"Guess so,tow did you get all that in a U" said Trip.

Jonas and Doris wanted them to say a little longer, but T-Pol insisted the child took priority.

"Good night and thank you so much for dinner and the company," said Trip

"Yes, thank you. It was enjoyable," said T-Pol

After Trip and T-Pol had departed, Jonas and Doris had a second cup of coffee.

"Nice couple," said Jonas.

"Yes, and such a beautiful baby."

Jonas studied Doris for a bit.

"You want a child don't you?"

"Yes, more than anything--our child."

Do you really think that you can carry one to term and you won't be affected by being pregnant."

"I have talked to several doctors, and they all agree that if I am careful I can do it. I am not old I can still bear a child."

"All right, it is not fair to discourage you from something you want--we want--so badly. I want one too. We are living in a world where people travel at almost light speed. There's got to be a way for you to safely have a child. Actually, Trip and I discussed it while you were showing T-Pol around the house. He told me how hard it was for them to have Chip and how it was worth the risks they took. He said we should too. He thought we would be very happy with a baby. He said it was worth more than they could imagine. Hell they were two different species. Never been done before. I guess I am a fool. I believe he is right. We should have a much easier time of it than they did."

"Can we? You mean it?"

"I want to research it carefuly, make sure both of you are going to be healthy. But yes."

"I will see the doctors tomorrow. They will tell us what to do. Jonas?"

"What?"

"We have to start thinking of names."

Finis