Enterprise was back home, after three years in deep space. Time for some much needed repairs and updates to the ship, as well as for some rest and recreation for the crew. For many, this would be time spent with friends and family ... but not for Jonathan Archer. He was off to Atlantis, where the International Waterpolo tournament was being held.
T'Pol, who had, after many years of watching the game with Archer, come to appreciate the intricacies of the sport, asked if she could accompany him, and of course, he was delighted. They had, after all, become quite close in the three years serving together. He had, on more than one occasion, considered making a move on her ... but his sense of duty had kept him from doing so.
But now, away from the ship ... away from the potential complications that could arise if it didn't work out ... well, perhaps this would be a good time to make his move. In fact, it was perfect, for if things should turn awkward between them, they could freely go their separate ways without too much fuss.
****
T'Pol, having lived most of her life on Vulcan, was unaccustomed to so much water. But when she had first come to Earth, she was fascinated by it, and had even enlisted the aide of one of the Human's working in the Vulcan embassy to teach her to swim. It was not an easy task, for her body was not naturally buoyant, but she learned to compensate, and was now quite an accomplished swimmer.
She was hoping that her skill would impress the Captain ... Jonathan, she corrected herself. After all, they were no longer serving together, and they were going to be spending the next week together, in one of the most romantic resorts on Earth. She had been able to sense his desire for her for quite some time, and fully understood his reluctance to act upon it ... but now, she would no longer let him hide behind anti-fraternization regulations. If he didn't make a move, she would. She had waited too long to feel his arms around her.
****
The shuttle flight to the Bahama's from San Francisco was uneventful, over in just a few short hours. Jonathan had spent the time looking over the schedule of matches for the upcoming tournament, while T'Pol spent her time reading up about the resort they were heading to. After all, the matches wouldn't take up all of their time here, and she was determined to take in the sights, as the humans would say.
But upon their arrival, things changed. Jonathan ran into an old chum ... a former teammate. He invited Jonathan and T'Pol to meet him for a drink after they got settled into their room, which of course, they agreed to ... and that's when all of T'Pol's plans for the week went out the window, for Christopher's team was short a player due to an injury during practice that morning, and he asked Jonathan to fill in.
At first, he declined saying that he was out of practice. After all, he hadn't had any opportunity to play for over three years. But T'Pol could see the eagerness to get back in the water in his eyes. And so could Christopher. In no time, he had persuaded Jonathan to join them for the afternoon practice session, and then see how he felt.
So Jonathan and T'Pol went back to their room, and changed into their swim suits. A few laps of the pool to loosen up before he joined his old team was what he needed right now. Jonathan Archer had two passions in life - space and waterpolo. He had spent the last three years in space, and couldn't wait to get back there ... but right this moment, the water was calling him. The ball was calling him.
But one look at T'Pol in her bikini nearly made him forget all about waterpolo.
He followed her to the pool, and watched helplessly as she dove in, cleanly slipping into the water as if she were born to do so. He was impressed by her flawless technique as she swam the length of the pool and turned gracefully ... each stroke of her arms propelling her forward. When she neared the end of the pool where Jonathan was still standing, she came to a stop, and treading water, asked, "Are you not going to join me?"
"Yes, of course," he replied, then added, "I was just admiring your technique. When did you larn to swim so well?"
"When I first arrived on Earth," she admitted, adding, "I've always been fascinated with water. Strange, wouldn't you agree, seeing that I come from a desert environment?"
"Not necessarily," he said, and seeing the puzzled expression in her eyes, added, "sometimes we find ourselves fascinated by the things that are somehow unattainable or beyond our reach. I think that's why we do what we do."
"True," she agreed, then watched as he dove in the water over her head, and began to swim to the other end. She waited for him to return to this end of the pool, and as he turned to make another lap, she joined him, matching him stroke for stroke. The first few laps were at a leisurely pace, but on the fourth lap, Jonathan picked up speed a bit. T'Pol, not to be outdone, put on a burst of speed of her own, and by the end of the lap was slightly in the lead. By the sixth lap, they had passed one another several times, with T'Pol always pulling ahead as they turned.
At the end of their tenth lap, Jonathan stopped, and held onto the side of the pool, waiting for T'Pol to realize he was no longer swimming beside her. When she came to a stop about half way down the pool, and turned, he said, "You win," and laughed.
"I did not realize we were competing?" she said, which only made him laugh harder.
She watched as he pulled himself out of the water, to sit on the edge of the pool ... she gave him a slight smile, very appreciative of his physique, before swimming to the side of the pool, and climbing the ladder. As she walked toward him, she couldn't help but notice how he was looking at her ... she didn't need to be telepathic to know what he was thinking.
When she got to his side, and offered him a hand, he took it, and stood ...
"There you are," Christopher called out as he approached. "I just called your room to let you know that practice starts in ten minutes."
Jonathan and T'Pol exchanged a look before he stepped away and turned to Christopher, saying, "I was just loosening up ... lead the way," and off they went to the practice pool, T'Pol watching them go, completely forgotten by Jonathan and Christopher as they discussed the upcoming practice session.
****
Two hours later, Jonathan returned to their room, exhausted from the workout with the team. As T'Pol surmised, he would be playing in the upcoming match on the next day, so her plans for a night on the town were put on hold. He needed to rest, and after calling room service for dinner, fell into bed, and instantly fell asleep.
T'Pol accepted this, knowing that the injury to the team's regular player was only minor, and he would most likely be able to return to the team in time for the next match, if the team won tomorrow. She was determined to enjoy watching Jonathan play, and then would make her move on him ... make him forget all about playing waterpolo the rest of the week.
And watch him, she did. He played magnificently ... scoring three of the teams five goals. As the team celebrated their shut-out win, she could tell that he was happier that he had ever been in the three years she had known him. She was looking forward to adding to his happiness later ... dinner, dancing, and then ... well, she had a little something special in mind for later.
"Come on, T'Pol," he said as he came up and put his arm around her, "we're off to celebrate our win."
"Yeah, join us," Christopher said, wrapping his own arm around Jonathan's shoulder as he planted a kiss on his cheek, "we own this guy a lot ... I really don't think we would have won that game if it hadn't been for him."
And with these words, the rest of the team came over and lifted Jonathan in the air, and started to carry him down the hallway ... Christopher wrapped his arm around T'Pol's shoulder, and said, "Come on, help us celebrate," and they followed the team, with Jonathan high above them, as they made their way to the outside bar overlooking the ocean.
And so they celebrated long into the night. When they returned to their room, Jonathan nearly collapsed in his bed, and fell asleep instantly. T'Pol sat and watched him sleep, thinking that there was still time ... tomorrow.
But in the morning, Jonathan had another practice to go to, for Christopher had convinced him to stay with the team ... Tye's pulled muscle hadn't completely healed, and they didn't want to risk a more serious injury by having him return too soon.
And so it went all week ... practices in the morning and afternoon, then early to bed. The team won match after match, thanks to Jonathan's brilliant play, and in the end, they were the champions!
T'Pol know that the celebration after the final game would be the wildest one yet, and any plans she had for spending the evening alone with Jonathan would be out of the question ... but then, he surprised her. They had joined the others at the bar, as they had after every game, but after one round of drinks, Jonathan told Christopher and the rest of the team that he had to go. He thanked them for allowing him to play once more, and ordered a round of drinks for everyone, and then tool T'Pol by the hand, and escorted her out of the bar, and back to their room.
"I'm sorry if I spoiled your vacation," he said, as he went to the wardrobe, and pulled out his best suit. "Let me make it up to you tonight ... dinner, dancing .. Anything you'd like."
T'Pol crossed the room, and grabbed him by the shoulders, pinning him to the wall, as she kissed him, "It is too late for all that," and she kissed him some more, as she slid her hands beneath his shirt, and lifted it over his head. "I need you ... now." There was no arguing with the urgency he felt in her kisses ... the desire he had felt for her was magnified by her touch.
They fell into bed ... and didn't sleep for hours.