Jon walked towards the pool in the predawn hush. Enterprise was visiting Risa again on their way through to another assignment and there was time to give everyone plenty of shore leave. Needless to say his crew was happy. It had been too long since the last one and people were getting antsy, himself included.

Jon was looking forward to swimming laps this morning. Bits and pieces of last night's nightmare were still floating through his head. It had been several years since the Xindi mission but they still visited him in his dreams on too many occasions. The nightmares changed from night to night, but the players always remained the same. He was trying to save the Earth, trying to save humanity, trying to save Hoshi. Perhaps if he swam enough laps he would be tired enough to sleep peacefully through the night. Perhaps if he swam enough laps he would stop rethinking and second-guessing every decision he had ever made. He knew there were plenty of those, and not all of them pertained to the Xindi.

Pulling open the doors to the indoor pool facility Jon inhaled the familiar smells of chlorine, warmth, and dampness.

Some things don't change from planet to planet. He thought as he smiled. He could feel the tension start to leave his body.

At least I'll have the pool to myself this early. It was at least an hour before dawn. He loved the noise and confusion of water polo but for laps, there was nothing like an empty and quiet pool.

Changing and walking into the pool area proper Jon was surprised to hear the gentle splashing of someone else swimming laps. Considering that most of the population here chose to party all night it was surprising to see anyone else awake at this predawn hour. Picking a lane, he looked over to see who was swimming so early.

The swimmer cut through the water with neat efficient strokes. As the swimmer came towards his end of the pool all he could tell was that it was a female in a black one-piece racer suit. Choosing a lane Jon dropped his gear and started to do warm up stretches. The swimmer came to the side of the pool and grasped the edge for support as she stopped for a moment.

Jon glanced over and was startled.

"Hoshi?"

Bobbing up to grab the towel lying on the pool deck, the swimmer took off her goggles and wiped her face. She turned at the sound of Jon's voice and smiled.

"I didn't see you there, Captain." Hoshi said, breathless. She pulled herself out of the pool and sat on the edge taking a sip of water from her bottle. "Why are you up so early? I'd thought you still be catching up on your sleep after our last mission."

Jon couldn't help but notice how good her lithe form looked as she waited for his answer. He was distracted by the way the water ran off her hair and down her neck into the top of her swimsuit.

"No, I couldn't sleep," he muttered, unwilling to admit the truth.

He tore off his t-shirt and started limbering up his arms. He turned slightly so that he didn't meet her gaze as he pulled first one arm and then the other. He rotated his shoulders and worked his neck back and forth. As he stretched he remembered the first time he had met Hoshi, so many years before.

Her brother, Tsuki, had been taking a class at a local university in San Francisco. Jon had been the guest teacher, on loan from Starfleet. Jon was new in town and, after striking up a conversation, her brother had taken him home to his parents' for dinner. Jon had been struck dumb when she had walked in. He remembered the flowing dark blue summer dress she had worn, her hair loose down her back, a plumeria blossom tucked behind one ear. Jon had tried to cover his awkwardness and keep his eyes on the others. Tsuki was his student and a good ten years younger than Jon was, and Hoshi was Tsuki's much younger sister.

Over the course of the semester Tsuki had invited Jon to dinner a number of times. Each time Jon wanted to say no, but couldn't help himself, and said yes. He would spend each dinner trying desperately to keep his eyes off of Hoshi and on the food. When the semester had been over he was relieved, but sad. While he had remained friends with Tsuki after leaving and going back to his training, he never forgot Hoshi, despite the obstacles he knew they would face if he ever did anything about what he felt.

When Hoshi had taken the position of Communications Officer on board Enterprise she had become just as unattainable as she had been all those years before. Except that now he had the daily torture of seeing her, working with her, living with her. Even after five years on the mission, his feelings for her remained unchanged. On a fairly regular basis, he would berate himself for his wandering thoughts.

The captain had turned and effectively ended their conversation but Hoshi continued to sit and sip water, watching as he stripped off his shirt, watching the play of muscles in his tight chest and back. She also noticed the way his Speedo type suit clung to him and left little to her imagination.

Actually, I can imagine a great deal about what's in that swimsuit and what to do with it! She thought and wiped at her face again to cover her growing grin.

She had always thought Jon extremely attractive in an 'older man' sort of way, but she knew that she was out of his league. She knew he would never look at her as a woman. All the years she had known him he had always treated her like Tsuki did, a little sister who needed looking out for.

She admired the captain for a moment longer and then thought better of it.

My workout is waiting She thought as she turned away.

"Well, enjoy your laps, sir. I have to finish up with my own." Hoshi said, putting her towel back on the side of the pool and replacing her goggles.

Jon turned back towards her, sitting down on the edge of the pool and reaching for his own goggles. "I didn't realize that you liked to swim," he said, trying to restart their conversation, not wanting her to leave just yet.

She paused before starting off again. "Captain! As long as we've known each other I'm surprised that you don't remember me telling you that I swam on my high school's swim team. It was the only interaction I ever got with people my own age while I was being propelled through all the advanced language courses at the university."

He smiled at her. "It must have been nice not having to deal with all those old fogies that were in your language classes, at least for part of your day." Jon replied as he adjusted his goggles on his face "And yes, I forgot. It comes with old age."

Hoshi snorted, "Old age, oh please! I'm sure that you could out-swim me any day of the week, even if I hadn't finished half my workout already!"

Jon put on his goggles and looked at her. "Is that a challenge, Ensign? I believe Starfleet has regulations against challenging a superior officer." He paused as he zipped up his bag and tossed it away from the edge of the pool. "But Starfleet looks the other way on a friendly wager now and then. If you were serious, that is."

What are you doing flirting with her? He turned away and adjusted his goggles, mentally berating himself.

Is he flirting with me?

She couldn't be sure. His voice said one thing and his body language said another. They used to banter back and forth before she had joined the crew of Enterprise. After that everything was professional. He rarely let his guard down around her.

Jon was still staring at her, waiting for a reply.

Hoshi paused and considered his challenge. He was fresh and she had already gone through half of her workout. But she was younger, and she didn't mind continuing on with their banter. On board, Jon was always 'The Captain'. She was enjoying this. The last time they had been like this was in Brazil.

You shouldn't be doing this… go back to your workout. She put that thought aside.

She came to a decision. "Consider it a match then, winner gets…. What do you want to wager then, sir?"

Grinning, he said, "You have to call me Jon, as I doubt Starfleet would approve of a captain wagering with a subordinate and we're not on the ship, we're on R n'R. So let's do this as old friends and not officers. Now to the wager."

He paused, considering. "If you lose, you have to walk Porthos every night for a week. If I lose, which is highly unlikely, then I'll take you out to breakfast when we're done here at an out of the way place I know so we can catch up on old times and NOT be captain and ensign, merely two old friends."

Hoshi thought for a moment, "I think it'd better be a very good breakfast as I already walk Porthos for you on occasion, but agreed." She smiled at him and walked over to the lane next to his.

They climbed up on their respective blocks, getting into position. Hoshi shook out her arms and glanced over at him. "Shall we do a fifty freestyle, a hundred, or only a twenty-five? I don't want you to have a heart attack. I'm not sure I could lift you out of the pool." Hoshi asked him, her voice all innocence and politeness.

"Very funny. I think a 100 would be fine unless you're too tired from your workout." He tossed back.

"Great! Well then, ready, set, …."

Splash.

Hoshi was off before she said 'go'. Jon smiled at her ploy and launched himself after her. Jon was certain that his larger frame and greater muscle mass would easily overtake Hoshi. She was, after all, so much smaller then himself.

Dainty, delicate, delectable… His mind wandered off.

Get your head in this race!

He tried to refocus and catch up with her. Hoshi continued to cut through the water ahead of him with neat and efficient strokes. She was nearing the wall and executed her first flip turn. His turn came just a moment later and he pulled hard to catch up.

What was I thinking? Flirting with Jon… he's the captain! I have to get a grip! I am not some sort of hormonal, teenage, love struck, chippie! Hoshi raged at herself as she pushed herself faster and faster.

I thought I had left all of my infatuation for him back on Earth when I accepted this assignment?

Although, she had to admit that working with him on a daily basis had been befuddling at times. He was distracting her now as she hadn't counted her strokes and started her next flip turn late. Pulling her legs in tighter during her flip she had a narrow miss, almost colliding into the wall, and then pushed off again.

Jon was no more than a stroke behind and he gained time on her as his powerful legs drove him out of the second flip turn. He kicked hard and came alongside her. They swam neck and neck through the next lap and executed their third flip turns in unison.

Jon was amazed that Hoshi was hanging in there this long after already exercising.

But I always knew that she was stronger than she appeared, both mentally and physically.

She had grown so much in years he had known her. He had always tried to look at her like a little sister, a much younger little sister. All the time they had known each other before Enterprise he had always looked out for her, making sure that she was taken care of.

He had been a sounding board for her career decisions when college ended for her, helping her make her way through the maze of Starfleet paper work, ensuring that she could go through the academy but not have to do some of the necessary duties so that she could concentrate on translating all the new languages that were out there.

Sure, she was stunning and he was attracted to her but he never let himself consider her past that point. He was almost twenty years her senior, surely she would want someone closer to her own age. She would never want some broken down old man who couldn't even keep up in a simple race. His distracted thoughts had cost him several strokes.

Focusing on the task at hand Jon increased his speed and cut through the water, chasing after Hoshi but to no avail. All his daydreaming had cost him too much time and Hoshi reached the wall two strokes ahead of him. Hooking her arm over the lane line Hoshi removed her goggles and grinned at Jon as he finished and then moved to the line.

"Ha, I believe you owe me something!" she crowed.

Breathing hard and removing his own goggles Jon began to congratulate her but stopped before he could utter a word. The sun was finally starting to rise and morning sunlight was peeking in the windows to the pool. The light made the water hanging onto Hoshi's skin sparkle. Her eyes were bright and her chest was heaving from the exertion.

Get a grip! He thought angrily to himself.

She looked up into his face, the smile starting to fade as she looked at him, waiting for him to speak, becoming concerned at his silence and darkening expression.

"Jon, are you alright? You're looking a little flushed." She ducked under the line and came up close to him, concerned that she actually had over taxed him. While Jon had always been in great shape they had been living on a starship for the last five years, opportunities to exercise like this didn't always come regularly.

"I… I…" He had the wildest impulse that he should just kiss her. It was something he had wanted to do for a long time, but had always, always resisted. Leaning towards her "I just wanted to…."

At that moment Hoshi's wet hand slipped off the slick line where she had been hanging on, her head dipping below the water for just a moment. She kicked and propelled herself back up at the same moment his free hand instinctually shot out and grasped her around the waist. She gripped the line again, her other hand resting on his shoulder. She smiled at him in thanks, the water beading and glistening in her hair.

"Did I tire you out?" He joked, trying to get control of himself, which was hard to do. Hoshi was in his arms, wet, warm, soft, and breathing hard.

Hoshi looked up. "No, I just…" She trailed off. It was only then that she fully realized she was in his arms, pressed against Jon's hard, solid, muscled body.

He was trying to think but his mind seemed to have stopped working. "Well, I…" he started to say, looking into her eyes then down at her lips. "Congratulations." He murmured and without thinking he leaned forward and swiftly kissed her. He had meant it to be nothing more than a peck but felt her hand tighten on his shoulder. As he let his lips linger, she kissed him back.

Taking his hand off the line he reached around her and pulled them against the pool wall pressing them against each other. His other hand slid up her back to the nape of her neck, deepening their kiss. Warning bells were going off in his head but he was deaf to them. All he heard was his pulse roaring in his ears.

Panting, she broke off their kiss. "We should…get out before… we get…waterlogged."

He let her go, suddenly very aware of what he had done, how stupid he had acted, and what the repercussions could be.

She turned and pulled herself out of the pool. Trying to rein in her emotions she turned her back to him and started to towel off her hair as he got out.

He snatched up his own towel, and wrapped it around his waist. "Hoshi… I'm… we…" he stopped as she turned around to look at him.

Hoshi noted his towel and what it was covering. She made a decision. It wasn't smart, but it felt right.

Bending down she scooped up her bag and then his. Tersely she said, "Follow me."

Confused, he walked after her.