Which Came First: The baby or the bond?

[Emberchyld]

Okay, so I really don't believe this theory, but a twisted little thought popped into my mind the other day and thought that it might make for an interesting conversation with this group:

Could the "creation"/existence of Elizabeth have been what really created the bond between Trip and T'Pol?

It would explain T'Pol's "Aha! I know she's our child!" moment in sickbay-- yes, she might have sensed the baby through her mommy bond... or she could have finally figured out why she and Trip had bonded after only one *ahem* mating. Would also explain the timing for their encounters in T'Pol's meditative world.

On the flip side: I believe that their bond formed over time and that the bond was just "activated" by distance.

But, now I present it to all of you Tri-S'ers: What came first, the baby or the bond?

[Distracted]

Interesting hypothesis. The distances involved would seem to me to be too great, though.

[CX]

Not to mention the timing.

[blacknblue]

The bond came first, according to what T'Pol told Trip in Bound. She said that "when Vulcans mate" a bond is formed. Nothing was said about two adult Vulcans bonding to each other through their child. I can understand either or both parents bonding to the child itself. But the bond to each other was specifically (and canonically) defined as happening "when Vulcans mate".

[pookha]

i believe it happened when they were spending so much intimate time together in the expanse and not just that sexual encounter.
we have what tles told trip and that vulcans spend the first year of marriage together.

i think the bond manifesting itself so strongly was a combination of tpol being cured of the panar, her doing a mind meld which maybe activated a part of the brain and the distance which gave the meld a reason to manifest the way it did.

[Asso]

I not only I think that the bond is born before Elizabeth, but also that it isn't true that "she and Trip had bonded after only one *ahem* mating".
I agree with Elaine and her words in her gorgeous Fic "Shadows".

I quote textually her words:

Did you ever wonder how Terra Prime knew to steal Trip and T'Pol's DNA?

This story started out as a little smut biscuit--more like a smut cookie, or a smut crouton, maybe--and took on a life of its own. Part of the premise is that Trip and T'Pol had an ongoing relationship from the events of “E2” (when Really!Old!T'Pol tells her younger counterpart "I can't imagine life without him" up until “Home” when she marries Boring!Fat!Koss (Remember how Trip asked T'Pol what she told her mother "about us"? That was totally a boyfriend thing to say, in my opinion.) As far as I can tell, nothing in onscreen canon contradicts the idea that they were together...

[pookha]

i could easily believe they were together from some time during zero hour until the end of home.

[CX]

I delay it a bit more, but that's essentially what my story Reconciliation is about.

[Asso]

I delay it a bit more, but that's essentially what my story Reconciliation is about.

Please, don't delay it too much.

[CX]

I meant the setting. I have it take place between Storm Front and Home rather than after Countdown through until Home.

[Asso]

I meant the setting. I have it take place between Storm Front and Home rather than after Countdown through until Home.

This, in my opinion, does not change the substance of the things.