Lieutenant Reed's heart was beating so fast he thought it might explode. If he had been wearing a phase pistol, there was no doubt in his mind; Trip Tucker would be a small pile of smoking ash right now. As it was a very shocked Chief Engineer was looking up at him from the floor.

It took a moment for Tucker to get his breath back and try to get up. He groaned loudly as he levered himself up, gingerly testing his back as he did so. Trip's loud complaints had attracted the attention of most of the passing crew members, so Malcolm, more than a little red in the face, said quietly

"You might want to go to sickbay sir, to make sure you…er, that is, I…didn't do any serious damage."

Trip scowled but began to move slowly to a turbolift, Reed following close behind. They stepped in to the lift together, still in silence. As the door closed though,

"What did ya do that for?" Trip asked indignantly

"I'm so sorry sir, you startled me and the training just kicked in" Malcolm looked stricken; he had just assaulted not only a friend but also a superior officer.

Trip made a noise of derision while Malcolm remained at near attention, staring straight ahead.

Reed escorted Trip to sickbay and waited while Dr. Phlox took a quick scan. Assuring himself that there were no broken bones, Malcolm excused himself to return to duty. Trip allowed himself a small smile through the pain of his back and legs. He had a sudden irrational thought that he would do that all over again if it attracted the notice of Malcolm Reed. Trip suppressed it quickly; no man was worth that humiliation again. Still, the first phase of his plan was complete.

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"I swear Cap'n, threw me halfway down the corridor, right over his shoulder! Wouldn't have thought he could do it, but it sure knocked the wind outta me!"

Trip recounted the incident in Captain Archer's quarters after their shift. Archer was not amused by a report of two senior officers seemingly fighting and had asked Trip for his version of the story in one of their usual meetings. Tucker had not tried to defend himself; he had told the captain that the fault was entirely his.

"Trip, you knew what Reed was trained to do. What on Earth made you creep up on him?"

"Didn't do it on purpose!' Trip bent the truth slightly, 'I guess I'll have to start ringin' a bell or somethin', so it won't happen again." As he spoke Trip absently rubbed his lower back, where it had hit the ground hardest. Archer laughed at him,

"Well, I hope you've got a new respect for his hand to hand abilities!"

Soon after, Tucker left Archer's quarters and headed back to his own. Thumbing the intercom he hailed Reed

"Reed here. What can I do for you Commander?"

Tucker sighed, "Trip. Off duty my name's Trip."

Now Malcolm made an exasperated noise "What can I do for you Trip?"

Choosing to ignore the attitude, and the little flutters that the question caused, Tucker said," That's better, I guess. I'm calling to ask a favour actually. That move you did on me earlier…

"Have you recovered yet? I am sorry about that."

"Yeah, it's a little sore but no problem. I was wondering if you'd teach it to me? Only the Cap'n mentioned that it'd be useful in a hand to hand situation" he was bending the truth a little but, he reasoned to himself, all's fair.

Trip waited, "Why don't you come to a security training session? You'll have to learn a few basics first before you get started on the big moves"

"Um, to be honest, I'd feel a bit 'mbarrassed with all your guys. They're so…trained, I'd feel kinda awkward. How 'bout a session in the gym?"

Malcolm considered for a moment, "alright then. Will tomorrow be ok for you?"

"Mal, can we give it a few days? My back's still a little delicate"

"That'll teach you to sneak up on jittery Armoury officers. You should be thankful I wasn't armed!"

Trip could hear the smile in Malcolm's voice and felt better. His plan was gonna work.

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It took a full week for the commander's back to recover, but as the stiffness and pain eased, he reminded Malcolm Reed of their appointment. The following morning a message appeared on his computer console, arranging to meet in the gym at 21:00 hours that evening. Tucker took a cursory glance at his schedule, he knew it by heart, but he still checked just the same, then sent a reply to Reed to confirm that he would be there.

The day seemed to pass incredibly slowly for Commander Tucker and yet, before he was ready, it was 20:45 and he was nervously awaiting Malcolm in the gymnasium. As he waited in the room, Trip pondered whether it could be classed as a gym…after all there were just a few running machines and that weird anti gravity gyroscope as actual equipment, the walls of the room were lined with weights and the centre was empty. A mild cough behind him startled Trip back to reality as he realised that Malcolm had entered the room unnoticed. Trying to cover up his momentary confusion Trip gestured to the various pieces of equipment

"What should we start with?"

Malcolm quirked an eyebrow

"And a good evening to you too Commander', he said with the merest hint of a smile, 'I suppose that we should start with a little run, just to warm up a bit"

As he spoke Malcolm headed to the running machines and programmed a short and easy run in to each one. He took one and waited for Tucker to climb up on to the other. They began almost simultaneously and concentrated on their activity, very little conversation passing between the two men. They ran for ten minutes then stepped off their respective machines and draped a towel around their necks.

"Well, Commander, how's your back feeling now? Still up to a bit of training?"

"Yes thank you, Lieutenant." Tucker laid extra stress on the rank, in the hopes that Malcolm would take the hint and stop being so formal.

"Alright then, come over here and I'll teach you some of the basic moves of self defence. I know you probably took a course at Starfleet, but I think we should just go over it once. First, the frontal attack. I'm going to attack from in front of you and you're going to bring your arm up and block me, then hook your leg 'round mine. Hopefully I'll end up on the floor and you won't"

They stood on the bright blue, slightly spongy mat in the centre of the room and Malcolm stepped back to begin his attack. Trip readied himself and as Malcolm came towards him, he brought his arm up and moved his leg, sending Reed crashing to the floor.

"Are you ok?" he asked worriedly

"I'm fine, Trip. That was perfect." Trip allowed himself a small, carefully hidden smile, both at the praise and the Lieutenant's use of his name.

"Can we try again? I wanna make sure I can do it more than once" Tucker said, only half jokingly

"Certainly."

Reed stepped back again, then began his assault. In the second it took Malcolm to pause and turn, the plan which had been fermenting in Trip's mind all night suddenly leapt to the front of his brain. As Malcolm got closer, Trip raised his arm as before, hooked his leg around Malcolm's knees and fell, deliberately, with the Lieutenant, almost landing on top of him. Trip could scarcely understand what had happened; the plan had formed so quickly that he barely had time to register his actions before he was on the floor, entangled with Reed.

Malcolm lay very still, so Tucker gave him a gentle tap on the chest to rouse him.

"I suppose I deserved that" Reed sighed slowly.

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Tucker went back to his quarters that night feeling elated. He had managed to hold his own against Lieutenant Reed and, more to the point, had had the armoury officer to himself for several hours. Because of his unusual exertion, Trip slept deeply and almost missed his alarm the following morning. He grabbed a cup of coffee from the mess and headed straight to Engineering.

Throughout the day, through two diagnostics and a departmental meeting, as well as the everyday activities of engineering, Tucker's thoughts kept straying back to the previous night. He shook himself mentally several times ///If you're like this over one date, what's gonna happen when you ask if he wants to make it a regular thing///. In his mind, Tucker had decided that he would ask Malcolm if he would make their sessions a weekly occurrence, he was sure Malcolm wouldn't pass up an opportunity to train someone.

He brought up the subject at their next meeting in the mess hall,

"So, Lieutenant, how'd I do?"

Malcolm smiled as Trip sat down next to him, "very well Commander, I was pleasantly surprised."

Trip took a deep breath to steady his nerves but before he could open his mouth Reed spoke again,

"Perhaps you'd like to do it again sometime?"

Trip was so shocked that he couldn't seem to get words from his brain to his mouth.

"Of course, I understand if you'll be too busy" Malcolm added quickly

Tucker found his voice

"No, no, it's just that…I didn't think you'd have time. I think it's a good idea, that session last night was the best workout I've had in ages." Tucker looked up and smiled as he spoke, diffusing the slightly tense moment following Malcolm's offer. The conversation moved on to other subjects and the two men parted soon after.

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Tucker stood in the room that served as the ship's gymnasium, nervously watching the doors. It had been more than a week since his first meeting with Malcolm Reed, but they had both been too busy to get together since then. Trip had already checked that no one else had booked the facilities for that night, now he stood directly opposite the doors, ready to discourage any crew members who might come along to use the equipment. This meeting, Trip was determined, would be just himself and Malcolm, a little private time. Tucker knew that it was futile to have designs on the Enterprise's Armoury officer, but he couldn't help himself, he liked, really liked, Malcolm Reed and would do anything, including getting pummelled in the name of fitness, to spend some quality time with the man. Suddenly the doors slid open and Tucker's heart stood still for a split second until he saw the familiar form of Malcolm Reed step through. Trip gave a lopsided grin and raised his hand in greeting.

"Shall we get started then?" asked Malcolm, nodding toward the running machines. They each chose a machine and began their run, Tucker concentrating as much on the man beside him as on his own feet. There was, he felt, something subtly different from their last meeting, an indefinable tension in the air which kept both men silent. As they slowed, then stopped, Trip tried to determine if anything had changed since the previous week, but couldn't think of anything. Reed resumed his position in the centre of the room, motioning for Trip to do the same.

Malcolm gave a slightly strained and nervous smile,

"Now, don't take this the wrong way Trip, but I want you to try to strangle me. I'm going to knock your hands away and hit you in the chest with the flat of my palm, ok?"

Trip nodded tensely, preparing himself. He lunged forward, hands raised on either side of Reed's shoulders, who reacted instantly, knocking the hands away and stepping forward himself, slapping his own hand on to Tucker's chest and pushing. Trip ended the move sprawled on the blue crash mat, looking up at Malcolm leaning over him. He came around in front of Trip and held out a hand to help him up. Trip took his hand and pulled downwards, bringing Malcolm down to the floor with a crash. Seemingly without his brain's intervention, Trip took a firm hold on Reed's shoulders and pulled him in to a soft kiss. It ended only seconds later when Tucker's brain finally caught up and made him realise what he was doing. He pulled back, releasing Reed and lying back on the mat, breathing heavily with both desire and horror. Trip lay with his eyes closed, waiting for Malcolm to get up and leave in disgust, or else beat him to death, but it wasn't happening.

He chanced a look, turning his head to peek at Malcolm, still lying next to Trip on the floor. As if he sensed the look, Malcolm pushed himself up in to a sitting position and returned it, a slight blush on his cheeks and a quizzical look in his eyes. Trip opened his mouth to blurt out an explanation, make up an excuse, anything, but was forestalled when Reed simply reached over Trip and grabbed the shoulder of his t-shirt, using it to drag Tucker up off the floor and in to a harder, more desperate kiss.

Once his higher brain functions returned, it occurred to Trip just how absurd they must look, sat in the middle of the floor, kissing like adolescent schoolboys. ///What if someone came in?///

He tried to communicate this thought to Malcolm, but it took a few seconds to summon the will to break their lip contact. It was only as Trip was pushing Malcolm back down on to the floor, covering his body, that he remembered his need to speak to the other man. He broke the kiss so quickly that there was a faint 'popping' sound which echoed in the still room.

"What's wrong...?" for a moment Reed looked so stricken and confused that Tucker wanted nothing more than to kiss a smile back on to his face, but common sense kicked in and Trip forced himself to hold Reed's shoulder's keeping him at arms length.

"I don't want to have some crewman come in and see us, it'd be all over the ship in hours, minutes even, if it's Crewman Rudge, because she has a mouth like a Talusian raptor. I want this to be private, at least for a while, while we're findin' our feet." Tucker suddenly realised that he had taken a big step in assuming that Malcolm even wanted a relationship.

"You do want this, don't you?" He hated sounding so needy but, on the verge of getting everything he wanted, he had to be sure.

Malcolm was just about to make a smart comment, when he looked, really looked, in to Tucker's eyes, saw uncertainty and fear and knew that he had a similar expression in his own.

"I locked the door" he managed to force out.

"Huh?"

"The door. I locked it, so no one would come in…and disturb us."

Trip felt the floor drop away beneath him, "you knew?"

"I hoped, and even that was only recently. I needed to know that you felt something for me; I couldn't risk my position, my career even for someone that didn't care for me even a little. Besides' and here Malcolm dropped his gaze to the floor, 'I was embarrassed…falling for a superior, and a man at that. Starfleet's going to have a field day"

Tucker was lost in the phrase "falling for" coming from the man he had wanted for so long. It was like one of his many dreams about this very situation so, partly to assuage that fear, he kissed Reed again, revelling in the feel of soft lips and a partner not afraid to assert control. He had not failed to note that Malcolm was also working on the assumption that this, whatever this was, would not be a quick fling.

"Starfleet's gonna leave us alone, just like Cap'n Archer. They can't stop people falling in love, and we'll fight them if they try. Now then, what do you say to getting' up off this floor and goin' to dinner with me?"

"Why Commander, are you asking me out?" said Reed, smiling slightly as he produced the old cliché.

"Why Lieutenant, I believe I am" replied Tucker, in a perfect demonstration of the old fashioned Southern charm that had gained him his reputation as a Ladies man. Abandoning any pretence, a practice in which the Englishman was not skilled when it came to romantic misdirection, Reed's response was characteristic, short, simple and to the point.

"Good."