35Here we are friends, at the very end of our journey. This is the last chapter. THE VERY LAST CHAPTER! I'm very excited and also extremely sad to finally be here. I've been working on this project for so long, I don't know what I'm going to do without it, but I am grateful that I was able to bring it to a satisfying end! :)
I would like to thank everyone who supported and encouraged me along the way: LoyaulteMeLie, Annastesia LaFayette, and Lt. Commander Hanna Tucker. I owe the completion of this fic to you! Honestly, without your interest, this probably would have fizzled out around the 5th chapter, lol.
THAT BEING SAID. Not only have I finished the fic, but I also went through all the previous chapters and re-edited them. Some of the changes are fairly drastic, owed to the fact that when I first wrote them I did very little editing. I simply felt that they needed a little bit of fine tuning, and since that's my favorite part of writing, I let myself have some fun :)
I hope you will do me the honor of re-reading the chapters, but if not, I hope that this final chapter proves to be a satisfying end to my favorite Malcolm fic!
Thank you again for all your support my friends, and cheers!
"One park down, two to go."
Malcolm groaned as he watched his best friend open up a new map and begin to circle attractions. Three days at Disney World wasn't exactly his ideal way to spend the weekend, but it was Trip's birthday and he'd promised to try and have fun. At least Jasmine had been able to get the time off. Her presence was doing a lot to ease his suffering.
"I don't know about you guys, but I think we all needed this break from building rockets for a weekend of fun."
"Fun being the operative word."
"Well it's important to take the time to reconnect with your inner child."
"Some of us don't have to look very hard to find it."
Malcolm looked pointedly at Trip's Mickey Mouse souvenir hat while T'Pol smirked.
Trip made a face. "Jasmine, I don't know how you did it."
"Did what?"
"Convinced that boyfriend of yours to be here this weekend. I asked him every day for a week, but one word from you was all it took for him to finally say yes."
"I'm just that good I guess." She grinned up at Malcolm, and he felt a heat rise to his cheeks that had nothing to do with the humid night air.
"Yes well, the things we do for love."
She bit her lip.
"You got that right. That's why T'Pol agreed to be here even though she hates crowds, isn't that right sweetheart?"
"I came because it's your birthday and I'm your girlfriend. It seemed like the most reasonable thing to do."
"See? What did I tell you?" Trip grinned. "Love is a powerful thing."
"You also begged me on your hands and knees, and it felt wrong to tell you no."
Malcolm coughed to cover his snicker.
"Laugh all you want Lieutenant, but mark my words. One day you'll be gettin' down on your knees to ask your girl somethin' important, and you won't think it's so funny then."
T'Pol smacked him.
"What? It was a broad, non-specific example."
Malcolm didn't like the twinkle in his friend's eye and he shot Jasmine a furtive glance. She was staring intently at a nearby sign, clearly pretending not to have heard Trip's not so subtle subtext. He cleared his throat.
"Yes well... It's getting late. We should probably head back to the hotel if we want to get an early start tomorrow."
"You're absolutely right," Trip slung his arm over T'Pol's shoulders and grinned, "Everything seems to be working out quite nicely if I do say so myself."
"Thanks to Captain Archer. We wouldn't have been able to stay at the hotel without him."
"Well yeah Darlin', course I know that..."
Malcolm watched his two friends walk away, caught up in another one of their pointless arguments.
He hadn't put much stock in the relationship when Trip first told him they were dating. He'd given them two weeks, maybe three. But after several months and many intense arguments, they still managed to work things out. It was one of life's strange miracles.
"Jasmine?"
She grabbed his hand and yawned. "I don't suppose there's any empty strollers around here. Maybe you could push me to the lobby."
"I'm afraid not."
"What a shame."
He planted a kiss to her temple with a smile. "Just keep hold of my hand and we'll be there before you know it."
They followed after their friends at a leisurely pace.
"So how's training going?" Jasmine asked. "I feel like I haven't had a real conversation with you since Thursday."
"I've finally learned all the ship's systems inside and out, but I still don't feel comfortable with all the simulations."
"Just give it a little more time."
"It's easy for you to say, you've already mastered all the courses." He ran his fingers roughly through his hair. "If everyone took to astronaut training like you do, we might actually get the ESA to move up the launch date."
"It's not your fault it hasn't been moved."
"I know that."
"You'll get it," She gave his hand a squeeze, "Launch day is coming up pretty fast. I wish I could go with you."
He silently agreed. They'd been dating for almost a year now, about seven of it on the same side of the continent. NASA had hired Jasmine immediately after graduation thanks to Captain Archer's recommendation, and she'd moved to Florida a month later. It was nice having her close, but work had kept them busy and they often went a few days without seeing each other.
He wished they had more time, but the USS Enterprise was due to launch in less than a year and a half, and they were still scrambling to make sure the rocket would be completed on time.
"Captain Hernandez will be lucky to have you on board the Columbia."
"Thanks."
"And you know, it's probably better this way. If we were assigned on the same mission, I might have a difficult time focusing on my tasks."
"Malcolm Reed, are you saying that I'm a distraction?"
"The best kind darling."
He felt her laugh deep in his chest.
Fifteen minutes later they were back at the hotel. Trip and T'Pol were waiting for them at the elevators.
"We were thinking about grabbing a drink and hanging out by the pool for a bit, you guys wanna come?"
Malcolm looked to Jasmine. Her face immediately lit up. "I'd love to!"
"Meet you ladies back down at the bar in thirty?"
"Agreed."
The elevator opened and the girls walk down to the other end of the hall to get to their room. Captain Archer certainly hadn't skimped when he'd called in this favor for Trip. They'd been able to find two rooms between the four of them. Trip and Malcolm were sharing one room while Jasmine and T'Pol were sharing the other.
"You know Malcolm, if you and Jasmine need to leave the pool a little early tonight, we'd completely understand. You can crash in our room. I know you two haven't had a lot of time alone lately, and might need to get reacquainted..."
Trip chuckled as Malcolm sent him a withering glare.
"I'm kidding! I know you're always a perfect gentleman. But in all seriousness, once the USS Enterprise makes her maiden voyage you won't see her again for almost 3 years. I'd be making the most of every opportunity if I was you."
Malcolm's heart squeezed as he stared after Jasmine, only following Trip through the door after she disappeared from sight.
It didn't take them long to get ready. In less than ten minutes Malcolm and Trip were dressed in swim shorts and light t-shirts and on their way down to the bar. The girls however...
Malcolm and Trip were already onto their second rounds of drinks before they arrived. Jasmine was squinting around the dimly lit room, and his heart stuttered at the sight of her. She was wearing a black bikini top and high-waisted shorts. Her face was tanned and freshly washed, and her hair hung loose around her shoulders.
Trip whistled. "Our girls sure do clean up nice, don't they?"
"Yes."
Trip waved them over and they ordered their drinks before following the sound of a live Cuban band down to the pool. They found lounge chairs to share, and Jasmine seemed content to lean against him as she chatted with T'Pol about the Enterprise and dancing and traditional Indian music. He found his hand automatically reaching out to grab hers as it rested next to him. She gave it a squeeze and pulled it into her lap, and it was then that the reality of Trip's words finally began to sink in.
The truth was that he didn't have very much time left with her. The Enterprise was due to launch in less than two years. They would be gone for almost three, and The Columbia would launch about a year and half after the crew of the Enterprise returned. This weekend might be one of the last few times they had dedicated time together, and he would be a fool not to take advantage of it.
He took a hasty drink of his beer and set it down with force. "Jasmine, would you do me the honor of this dance?"
"Why, I thought you'd never ask!"
"That sounds like an excellent idea," Trip pulled T'Pol reluctantly to her feet, "I was hoping we'd give this dancing thing a spin."
The salsa music gave way to more of a waltz as they approached, and they joined in at the outskirts of the dancers.
Jasmine laid her cheek next to his and he breathed in deep, catching a tantalizing whiff of her lavender shampoo.
"I didn't know you could dance."
"Just one of my many hidden talents."
Jasmine laughed and he wished he could bottle up the sound and keep it forever.
He tightened his arm around her waist, enjoying the feeling of holding her in his arms. They didn't often get to enjoy quiet moments like this.
"Malcolm?"
"Hm?"
"Did you mean what you said earlier in the park, when you and Trip were talking?"
It was difficult to think while her fingers were gently tugging at the hair at the nape of his neck.
"When Trip and I were talking…"
"You said that… that you loved me."
His heart stuttered.
"Or, I mean I think you did. It was more implied, I suppose."
It took him a moment to gather his thoughts. "Yes, I suppose I did."
"Did you mean it?"
He kissed her forehead. "I've never meant anything more."
He felt her sigh and relax into his chest. When the song finally ended they meandered back to the poolside hand in hand.
Trip and T'Pol soon circled back, and the two couples sat and talked quietly for the next half an hour.
The sound of slurping broke the silence as Jasmine finished her drink. "I think I'm going to turn in."
Malcolm immediately got to his feet. "I'll walk you up."
He purposefully avoided Trip's conspiratorial wink as they said their good-nights and left.
The trip back to her room was short, but she lingered at the door. She watched him with her stormy eyes, hair spilling wildly around her face. It took every ounce of his self-control not to reach out and run his fingers through it.
"Good night Jasmine."
"Night Malcolm."
He started backing away.
She bit her lip. "Wait."
He stopped.
She grabbed the front of his shirt and stood on tiptoe, pressing a kiss to his lips before he could blink. "I love you too."
The door was about to close when his hand snaked out and caught the handle. He slipped in after her and let the door close behind him. He could barely see her in the dark, but the light from the bathroom was casting a warm glow on the side of her face.
"You know, three years is a long time to be apart."
"I'm not going anywhere."
"Is that a promise?"
She shifted in the dark. "I've never told a man that I loved him before, so that's probably the best promise I can-"
He cut her off with a kiss. She tasted like pineapples and lime, and he couldn't seem to get enough of the feel of her skin. Her touch was fire, and when she twined her fingers into his hair, electric currents skittered across his skin.
He eventually pulled away to catch his breath, resting his forehead against hers. His pulse was wildly unsteady.
"I should probably go," He said at last, voice hoarse, "T'Pol will be back soon."
She released a shaky sigh. "I wish we didn't have to say good night."
He couldn't find the words to reply. He planted one more kiss on her lips and made a hasty exit out the door before he could change his mind. He sat on his bed, an idea building in his mind. It only took only a moment to send the text to his sister, and once done everything became crystal clear.
He spent the next morning checking his phone every five minutes. Jasmine seemed to sense his unease and slipped her hand into his with an encouraging smile. He didn't relax until the reply came through just as they were entering the park:
"Yeah, mum's still got it in her jewelry box. She said it needs to be repaired. One of the gems is loose."
He was still typing his answer when his phone started to ring.
"Sorry, I need to get this." He hastily excused himself from the group.
He answered the call, and his sister wasted no time getting to the point.
"There's only one reason why you'd want me to send you Grandmama's ring."
"Hello Madeline, how are Jerry and the girls?"
"Oh don't play coy with me. Are you going to do it? Are you going to ask her to marry you?"
He paused long enough to feel her impatience before he replied.
"Yes."
He pulled the phone away from his ear as she screamed. "My little brother is getting married!"
"Don't get too excited, I haven't asked her yet."
"But she will say yes?"
He looked back at Jasmine, who was watching him with concern. Her face lit up as he caught her eye and smiled.
"Yes Madeline, I do believe she will."
