The Man in Her Life

Chapter 15

Ultimate Purpose

By Penmom

(1) Author's Notes -- Sequel to A Woman in His Life

(2) Honestly, I wanted to finish this and the last scene popped up so I glossed over my "who done it."

(2) Thanks so much for the feedback & hanging in there for so long.

He makes a note to himself – don't do that again. He can manage just fine – emotions and all… How in the hell was he 'posed to figure out what the hell was going on around this place when he couldn't use his gut?

He gives his head a roll, only to hear it pop which gives him an idea – Neuropressure first then solve this mess and get the hell out of here.

On second thought, get the hell out of Dodge and then he can have all the lovin' he wants – damn the voyeuristic freaks.

He shakes T'Pol gently, "Darlin' wake up."

It takes him a couple more prompts to rouse her which just ticks him off all the more. She's exhausted and for what – some damn errand for Vulcan!

Her deep set almond eyes finally settle open. "Trip", there is a question somewhere in that one word. She seems so vulnerable to him now – so very far from what her society had pressed her to be…

OK, that thought settled it. He was going to tear this gray rock apart and then get her the hell out.

She sighs as she arches her back. His hands expertly play along her neural nodes releasing several weeks' worth of stress. Undue stress – the owner of said hands would say.

For much of their union they had danced around concepts like ultimatums, promises, boundaries. Those kinds of concepts that hovered around irrevocable statements that could somehow force decisions that neither of them was ready to make. Somehow their latest adventure – as Trip so sarcastically labeled it - had made it clear that decisions needed to be made.

Strangely enough, now that the time had come to close some doors for good, it felt acceptable; it felt right as Trip would say. When their minds linked and blended there was no discord. They were truly of one mind. Neither of them would put their loyalties, their affiliations before their relationship. If their careers suffered so be it, they would find a way. They had already found what Vulcan's called their "s'lantatnota" – their ultimate purpose – they have found each other.

The END