Author's Note: This story feels like it's set sometime near the end of season 2 of Enterprise, but it could also take place later.

I always felt that Archer/T'Pol was a much more believable (dare I say "logical"?) pairing than Trip/T'Pol, because the two characters have so much more opportunity to learn from each other, and lend support to one another. As usual, I'm ignoring any later canonical developments which get in the way of where I want the plot to go.

I'm unsure how far to take the story; I'll see how I feel in the next few days. There could certainly be several further chapters if there's interest in reading more. My main focus is on exploring the idea of awakening emotions in T'Pol. I'd love to hear your thoughts on what I've written.

One last minor note: I'm in the UK, so be prepared for British spellings.

T'Pol was unaware of the slight crease on her brow as the shuttlepod doors opened. The landing party of herself, Captain Archer, Hoshi and Travis were returning from a successful visit to the planet below, having negotiated a trade for some necessary supplies with the humanoid inhabitants.

She glanced over at Archer as he got up from his seat, carrying his mission jacket under his arm, and exited the shuttlepod wearing a faint smile. He did not look in her direction.

He is pleased at the success of our trading mission, she thought. Humans easily become distracted by such feelings.

That seemed logical. Nevertheless, it was rare for him not to chivalrously allow her to precede him when entering or exiting the shuttlepod - or anywhere else for that matter.

Then perhaps he is distracted by other matters, her mind suggested.

She walked across the shuttlebay towards the doorway to the corridor, the crease in her forehead rapidly becoming a frown.

The flame of T'Pol's meditation candle wavered slightly as she exhaled audibly. She was off duty until morning, but it was proving difficult to quiet her thoughts.

I am... unsettled, she realised. But why?

Certainly nothing had gone wrong since she had arrived back onboard Enterprise; she had filed her mission report within an hour of leaving the shuttlebay, and had then retired to her quarters.

The mission was also an unqualified success, she thought. There was no cause for disquiet there. And yet she realised she was now frowning.

Find the origin of the emotion, she thought. That was the key to identifying its cause.

She cast her mind back over their seven hours on the planet, searching for something amiss. The initial greeting, the trade negotiations, a meal, the exchange of goods - all had proceeded without incident. Then they had returned to the landing pad a short walk from the storehouse building, and awaited the shuttlepod.

The shuttlepod was slightly late due to atmospheric turbulence, she recalled.

They had had to wait for around ten minutes beside the landing pad, with a diplomatic functionary and the Trade Minister they had dealt with.

The female Trade Minister, her mind amended, and she subconsciously raised an eyebrow.

The Minister had been friendly, but even more so with Captain Archer. She had clearly been impressed by him. Even when walking back out to the landing pad, she had not left his side.

The weather had been clear and bright, though not warm. T'Pol had found it somewhat cold, but the humans and the planet's inhabitants found it merely...

"Breezy," according to Ensign Mayweather, she remembered. He had even partially fastened the front of his jacket.

The Trade Minister had not brought suitable outerwear, she thought. And suddenly the emotion flared up again. Taking a cleansing breath, she followed the memory.

The Trade Minister had been listening to Captain Archer - somewhat inappropriately attentively, T'Pol's mind suggested - when she had noticeably shivered. Archer had immediately apologised for the delay in the shuttle's arrival, and after a moment's thought had removed his jacket, placing it around the woman's shoulders.

T'Pol's frown returned in full force.

The Trade Minister seemed... grateful, she thought, and realised that the muscles of her lower back had become tense.

The woman had returned the Captain's jacket when the shuttlepod had arrived shortly afterwards, and had placed a hand on his arm when thanking him. The away team had said their goodbyes, and had returned to Enterprise.

I have been preoccupied since the incident on the landing pad, she realised with some bemusement.

Such a response was illogical. It was unwise of the minister to have joined the Enterprise crewmembers on the exposed landing pad without sufficient layers of clothing for the weather, and it had been a diplomatic gesture of the Captain's to offer her the use of his jacket until the shuttlepod arrived.

There was no fault in that line of reasoning. And yet the emotional response must have a source.

I myself did have appropriately insulated clothing, she noted, and then wondered why she had thought it. It would be illogical for a Vulcan, who was feeling the cold to a greater degree than her human shipmates, to offer her jacket to the minister.

It would also be illogical to prefer that Captain Archer had not given the woman his jacket, her mind whispered, and once again the emotion rose up.

She opened her eyes. There seemed to be no reasonable explanation for her state of mind.

I must simply be fatigued, she decided. It would be best to complete her meditation and then retire for the evening.

She stared at the candle flame for a long moment without really seeing it, and then closed her eyes once more. She began to clear her mind of turbulent thoughts, as she had done thousands of times before, and she did not even notice the flame once again flicker as she sighed.