The Proposal

The Proposal

Disclaimer: Star Trek: Enterprise and its characters are copyright CBS/Paramount. No copyright infringement is intended by the author of this story, which is solely for the purpose of entertainment and is not for profit.


T'Pol stood in her room looking in the mirror. She was dressed only in a pair of white lace bikini panties, Trip's favorite. She walked to the closet; she hadn't brought much with her to the hotel, but she did have the dark crimson robe of Triaxian silk Trip had made especially for her. It too was his favorite. She looked at her chronometer. Half an hour before she was due to meet him in the lobby. She put on the robe, closed it and turned a dial disguised as a button. The dial had a small but powerful battery in it. It sent a charge down the magnetic threads of the robe, closing it and holding it closed until the dial was turned off.

She cursed her short hair. Trip had asked her to grow it out and she had refused. Now she wished she had agreed. She put the silver circlet on her head. It had the IDIC on the front. Slippers next. They were crimson too. She didn't need a cloak as they wouldn't be leaving the Hotel. She surveyed herself in the mirror. Satisfied, she looked at the time. She had to hurry - dressing had taken longer than she had anticipated. She picked up a small clasp handbag and put in her key card. She hesitated and then left her comm. unit on the nightstand. No interruptions tonight. A comb and some lip gloss. She closed it and hurried out of the room to the lift. She entered the lift, pushed 'lobby' and waited. When the doors opened she stepped out, looking for Trip.

Trip saw T'Pol glide out of the Lift. She was the most beautiful woman in the lobby. All the men's eyes were on her. He knew that they would hate him when she came up to him and stopped, obviously to be with him.

T'Pol came up to Trip. "Beautiful as ever," he said.

"Thank you, Trip." She no longer addressed him as Commander, even in public. "You are very handsome in that tuxedo."

Trip leaned toward her and whispered. "Best looking couple in the hotel."

T'Pol looked at him and said, "You are right. I shouldn't say that though."

"Dinner, same place as the last time," said Trip pointing to a man sitting at a small desk. They walked over to him.

"Commander Tucker and escort," said Trip.

"Ah yes, I remember you. We have the same holoprogram as last time with the addition you asked for. Please follow me," he said.

He walked to the wall and a door opened as he approached. Trip and T'Pol followed him inside. The man led them to a table, the only one in the holoprogram.

The table was in a nook. There was a fountain next to it. The fountain had what looked like four Vulcan imps spouting water out of their mouths. The water ran down to be channeled into a small pool. The sound of the fountain was muted. The pool reflected the flowers around it. There were lamps above the table which gave a soft glow to the scene. Enough to dine by but not harsh. They complemented T'Pol's face and complexion. She looked even more beautiful and desirable under them, if that was possible to Trip.

Behind the nook was a pathway leading in to the garden proper. It passed through a bower of flowers and plants lit by shaded lights above. The allure of it was tantalizing.

T'Pol looked around. "This is my favorite place for dinner with just the two of us." She flushed. "I feel what you Humans call 'romantic' here."

"It is meant to be romantic. It brings out the best in you and your beauty," said Trip.

"Thank you," said T'Pol. "Does that mean it brings out your best too and how handsome you are?"

"We are going to have a mutual admiration society going in a bit," grinned Trip.

Trip held T'Pol's chair for her and then sat down.

"Your waiter will be the same android as last time," The man handed them menus and then left.

The waiter approached them: "What do you wish for refreshment before dinner?" he said.

"Carbonated water," said T'Pol.

Trip still didn't trust the booze here so he said "I will have the same".

"Thank you," said the waiter and departed.

"See anything you like on the menu?" asked Trip.

"What are you having?" replied T'Pol.

"They have T-bone steak, baked potato and some veggies on the side. Believe I will have that," smiled Trip.

"I believe I will have what we ate the first time we had a private dinner, just the two of us in your quarters," said T'Pol.

"You remember that, do you?" asked Trip.

"Yes. Cold cucumber soup, salad with Italian dressing, vegetable stuffed ravioli, and pecan pie for desert," T'Pol replied.

T'Pol gave him a pleased look. "I will be happy to have it again, T'hy'la."

When the waiter returned with their water he said "Whenever you are ready to order I will be over there," pointing to an alcove.

"We are ready now," replied T'Pol.

"Madam?" the waiter asked.

T'Pol gave him her order in Vulcan. He responded in the same language to inquire what vegetables she wanted in the ravioli.

He then turned to Trip. "Sir?"

"T-Bone steak, medium. Baked potato, with sour cream if you have it, and a side of peas. Some potato soup and a small salad with Russian dressing to start." Trip wanted to see how much human food was available. The kitchen must have had a hell of a replicator. "We will order desert later."

"We have sour cream - do you want bacon bits with that?"

"Yes please," said a surprised Trip.

The waiter left for the kitchen to put in their order.

"Is there a special occasion for tonight?" T'Pol asked.

"Like last time, you make it special," replied Trip.

Thank you, you know how much those words please me when you say them," she said with a smile in her eyes.

"You know how much it pleases me to say them to you, Darling," smiled Trip.

He looked at her lovely face. The indirect lighting gave a soft glow to it. "Damn, she is the most beautiful woman alive," he thought. "Pinch me. No, don't.  If she is a dream then I want it forever." He was seeing the woman inside. Her armor was down. She was showing him something that no other had ever seen or would ever see. It was only for him that she revealed that woman. He felt honored and humble at the same time. It must have cost her a great deal. Vulcans simply did not do that, unless it was to a mate or husband.

"This holoprogram brings back some memories," said T'Pol.

"Ones I would rather not remember," said Trip.

"I was cold to you last time. For that I am sorry," she said.

"We were just friends, but I guess I wanted more than you were ready to give," Trip replied.

"I had been given some bad advice by an old Vulcan priest who did not know Humans other than second hand. I followed that advice," T'Pol said.

"What advice?' asked Trip.

"To discourage you. To keep our association at a minimum and professional. Not to get involved with you in any way," She replied.

"Why in hell did he tell you that?" asked Trip.

"He did not know humans. He said it would be better if you found a human female. He thought he was giving me sound advice and doing me good. Instead he made things so difficult for us," she said.

"I can't argue with that. You did get distant for a while, and that hurt because I didn't know what I had done," Trip sighed.

"You were innocent. It was my doing. Had I not listened to him we would have been close friends before we became that way," T'Pol said.

"Well that is water under the bridge now," Trip smiled.

"I am not familiar with that idiom."

"Means it is in the past and we should forget it."

"Agreed, it caused you pain. It is best buried and banished from our memories."

The waiter brought their orders. Cold cucumber soup for T'Pol and a salad with Italian dressing. For Trip, potato soup and a small salad with Russian dressing.

"Guess I will have to try something different next time," he said. After the soup and salad had been eaten the main course was served. The meal was eaten in silence in deference to the Vulcan habit of not speaking during a meal.

When the waiter came to clear the dishes Trip said "Pecan pie for me. Not sure what she wants."

"Pecan pie for me too," said T'Pol.

The waiter departed.

"Pecan Pie?" asked Trip.

"Yes, since that first time you asked me to take a bite. Later I took a slice in to my quarters and consumed it. I have grown fond of it since but I eat it in private. Chef is good about seeing that no one knows the steward delivers it to my quarters," said T'Pol.

"I'll be damned!" said Trip.

The waiter brought their Pie. "Will there be anything else?" he asked.

"No, only coffee, and tea for her. Nothing more," said Trip.

"The same tea I had last time," said T'Pol.

"It is in my memory banks," he said.

The waiter returned with the coffee and tea, then departed.

After the pie, coffee and tea were finished Trip said "You want to walk around the garden?"

"Yes, I so enjoyed it last time. I looked forward to it when we came in."

They stood and slowly began to walk through the garden. There was a large silvery moon shining. The paths were lit with small lights near the ground. The path was wide enough for them to walk side by side. Flowers and plants bloomed all around. T'Pol was enchanted.

"Not sure of Vulcan's moon or moons so I substituted Earth's," said Trip.

"It is beautiful. It lights up everything," T'Pol said.

They continued to walk slowly, T'Pol stopping in front of her favorite flowers and plants. Finally they came to a bower surrounded by what Trip knew was T'Pol's very favorite flower. There was a small bench in it. Trip guided T'Pol to sit on the bench.

He knelt on one knee, reached in his pocket and pulled out a small box. "T'Pol, I have loved you for so long. I cannot live without you and could not leave you. I want us to be one, Man and Wife, forever. Will you marry me?"

"Yes," T'Pol said quickly and happily. "I was hoping that you might ask me to. I did not know when you would but I knew I would accept your proposal. My happiness is complete."

Trip opened the box. There was a flame emerald in it. "I had a flame ruby that I was carrying last time which I had bought from a dealer. I traded it for this emerald to even up with a man who wanted a ruby. I got the better of the deal."

The stone was square in an emerald cut. Around the edges there were diamonds and rubies one after the other. It was set in a plain gold ring.

He took the ring out of the box and put it on the ring finger of her left hand.

T'Pol admired the ring. "It is beautiful. I cannot wear it in public; everyone will know what it is."

"T'Pol, I am tired of hiding. I want everyone to know. I want you to wear it in public. If Starfleet doesn't like it, tough. We can quit in the morning and have a position by noon. I can get on with any of the largest engineering firms on Earth and many scientific companies now have Vulcan employees. You would have no problem. We can become groundhogs," said Trip, smiling.

"Where you go I will follow. We cannot part. If you chose to leave Starfleet I will too. If you choose to live on Earth, I will too. You are my life and destiny. I cannot give up either," said T'Pol.

"Good, then it is settled. You wear the ring and to hell with them if they don't like it," grinned Trip.

"Captain Archer will be disappointed," said T'Pol.

"Archer has nothing to do with it or us. We don't owe our life to him," snapped Trip.

"As you wish. I just thought you were best friends," she said.

"Long time since that was. Ended in the Expanse," said Trip.

T'Pol said nothing more on that matter. It was Trip's concern not hers.

They continued their walk until they came to the end of the garden. Trip said "End Tucker program." They were standing in a bare room near a door. Trip opened the door and they walked out.

"I pay, and no nonsense this time," he smiled.

"T'Pol stood waiting while he paid. "Thank you for the lovely dinner and the surprise you had for me," she said.

As they walked toward the lift Trip put his hand on the small of T'Pol's back. The universal warning to other men: she is mine, taken, spoken for, out of bounds, off limits, no trespassing.

T'Pol was aware of the gesture and knew it was also a warning to other women: He is mine, back off, keep your distance.

They entered the lift, Trip pushed the button for their floor. When the lift stopped they left it. Trip guided T'Pol to his room. He put the door card in the lock and they entered the room.

"I will stay with you tonight Ashayam" she said. "I know it is what we both want."

"Yes, to seal our engagement," smiled Trip.

Sometime in the night Trip woke to see T'Pol near him admiring her ring in the night light. "It is beautiful," she said. "But if I wear it what will others think?"

"It will tell the other guys that you are mine and no trespassing."

Amusement was in her eyes. "Suppose they don't believe it?"

"I thump 'em," said Trip.

"If they are bigger than you?" she asked still amused.

"I still thump 'em. They will stay thumped too," grinned Trip.

"I believe you," she said and snuggled against him.

"Our future may not be easy but it is assured as long as I have him. I ask no more than that," she thought.

In the morning they woke. "Breakfast?" Trip asked.

"If we can have it here, yes," replied T'Pol.

Good, I will order some broth for you and pancakes, eggs and bacon for me," smiled Trip.

"I need to get my uniform from my room. I hate to go out wearing what I had on last night," T'Pol said.

"Give me your room key, I will get it for you," said Trip.

T'Pol opened her clasp bag, took out the key card and handed it to Trip. "I am wearing a regulation uniform now. Not the cat suit."

"Glad to hear it. I hated that damned cat suit," grinned Trip.

Trip walked to T'Pol's room entered it and took the uniform out of the closet. He left the room, returned to his own and walked in. "Here it is," he said happily.

The steward brought the breakfast on a trolley, took the tip Trip gave him and left. T'Pol had been in the bathroom while the steward was in the room.

After they ate Trip rang for the steward who came, took the breakfast dishes and departed.

"I must shower," said T'Pol.

"Lets save water and shower together," grinned Trip.

"T'Pol gave him an amused look "Do we have anything to do this morning?" she asked.

"Nope," replied Trip. "Just shower and see what happens next."

As they thought the shower led to the bed where they made love until noon.

"I must shower again, only this time alone," said T'Pol.

"You take all the fun out life," grinned Trip.

T'Pol showered and dressed in her uniform. "While you are taking a shower and dressing I will go to my room, pack the few things I have there and return here," she said.

"Do that, I will shower, dress and pack my few things too. We can catch the shuttle back to Enterprise this afternoon," said Trip.

"They checked out of the hotel, Trip again insisting he pay for everything. T'Pol did not object. She knew that it was something that human men did. They took a ground car to the spaceport, got on the Enterprise shuttle and returned to the ship.

"Meet me outside your quarters in a half hour," said Trip. "Give us time to put our things away."

Trip met T'Pol outside her quarters. "We are going to see Archer first. Do you have the ring on?"

"No, not yet," she said.

"Well, put it on," smiled Trip.

T'Pol took the ring off a chain she had around her neck and put it on.

"Ready? Lets go and get this over. We still have to face the crew," said Trip.

T'Pol walked with her hands clasped behind her back. The hand with the ring on it was clenched in a fist and the other hand covered it.

The walked through the dining hall to the ready room. Trip knocked.

"Come in," said Archer.

Before entering Trip said "Okay, open your hand now and put it in front of you."

"Are you sure we're doing the right thing?" asked T'Pol.

"Yup, have to face the music sometime and now is as good a time as any," he smiled.

She looked into his eyes for a moment, and then nodded and turned to face the doorway with her chin high.

As the door opened they stepped into the ready room, together.

Finis

A/N This is supposed to be the first in a trilogy. "The Proposal," "Wedding Day," and finally a story about Trip and T'Pol visiting his parents. Got derailed because of Wedding day and my inability to find a beta for it. Anyway, my deepest appreciation and thanks to Cogito for editing this story. I hope you enjoy it. SB