Mind Lapse

  Summary: T/S, Rated PG. In response to Narrative Challenge #2: First line challenge: "I never realized that you were capable of doing something that stupid.". Trip has a memory about his father.

  Disclaimer: Enterprise is Paramount's.

  By Anabel

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       “I never realized you were capable of doing something that stupid!” Trip’s Fathers voice still rung loud in his ears. “Playing with matches, you almost burned down the whole place, I thought I taught you better then that son.” For the last couple of nights he had been having the same dream over and over again. He was only six years old when he had found matches in his father’s room. Being that young he didn’t really know what they were or how they worked, so he struck one against the side of the box. When he saw the flame he panicked, and ran out of the house. It took the firemen at least 10 minutes to get to their house because it was so far away, but when they finally got there about one third of there house had already burned.
       “Commander, you do look so good, is something wrong?” his friend Hoshi Sato said thoughtfully, the next morning in the mess hall. “I’m just fine,” he managed to choke out before having to leave so Hoshi wouldn’t see the tears that had just formed. Only a week later his dad had fallen off the roof when he was trying to repair it and died. He had never been able to forgive him self for the fire or that fact that he and indirectly killed his own father.
       He couldn’t concentrate the rest of the day. People would ask him questions and he would just blank out. Then the worst thing happened the captain called him to the bridge to give him a report on the engine failure they had had earlier that day. (Coincidentally, Trip had accidentally just hit the control panel and caused it to go into overload, which he fixed within two seconds.) So he told the Captain exactly what happened, he was a little angry and ordered him to “stay on top of things.” That’s when he fainted. The captain was yelling and every one else just hoped he hadn’t died.
       The next morning he woke up in sickbay feeling horrible. “Doc!” he yelled, “What happened?” He didn’t even know why he asked; he knew already what it was. Phlox walked over to him and said “You fainted on the bridge yesterday Commander, would you have any idea why?” He didn’t say it but Trip knew. Ever since the fire whenever he thought about his father he would go into a mind lapse. Where he just blanked out, for god knows how long. Then he heard “Trip, Trip are you alright!” If was Hoshi, “when I heard you had woken up I came right here to see if you were okay!”
       I’m just fine Hosh no need to worry. “I’m not sure about that Commander,” with the arrival of Hoshi he had almost forgot that Phlox was here, “you seemed to go into some kind of lapse when you fainted yesterday that could cause some damage, I’m afraid you may go into another one in the near future.” “No need to worry about that doc, I know I won’t not for awhile at least, ya see I had this condition when I was a kid, something would cause me to go into a mind lapse for a long time,” Trip mumbled hoping no one could hear the sadness in his voice. “May I ask what that ‘something’ is?” Phlox said. “No!” Trip said angrily, “and I’m leavin’ before it happens again.” He got up and stumbled out of the room before Phlox or Hoshi could say anything.
       Even though he was walking fast someone caught up with him and put their hand on his shoulder. “Tell me what’s wrong Trip I know its something!” Hoshi had just asked him the question no one had dared to his whole life. “You could never ever understand,” Trip stammered and kept walking. “Try me,” Hoshi challenged. “Fine,” and before he knew it they were sitting in his quarters and he was tell her everything. About the matches, about his father dying and about his mind lapses’. He didn’t notice but he was crying a little. Hoshi wiped the tears of his face and held his hand, “Its gonna be okay, I promise, I’ll help you through this.” That night Trip fell asleep in Hoshi’s arms, and they stayed friends, and maybe more for along time after.
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  FINIS