I don't own any of these characters the BBC does, this is my first fic for this show so be nice ok. Set some were between Legion and Stoke me a clipper. If you don't like fluff or Lister, Rimmer Ace triangles then I seriously suggest you don't read this. Please go easy on the spelling I have dyslexia, the spell checker has been used.

Sickness of the heart.

Part one:

Rimmer felt sick, the reason for this sickness was that Ace had dropped in to pay the crew of red dwarf a visit, some how the alternate version of himself always managed to make him feel so incredibly ill.

Ace was currently standing not far from him talking to Kryton about his latest adventures when Dave came quietly into the mess, he looked pail and was wavering on his feet.

Of cause Ace being as perfect as he was, the hero was first to notice something was wrong with Dave. "Davie-boy what's wrong?"

"I dunno I had a headache for a few days, but now I feel like a pile of smeg." The man wavered on his feet again, his eyes slid shut and Ace shot forward just in time to catch Dave as his limp form fell down wards. Carefully the test pilot lifted him up into his arms, the mechanic lay there in the hero's strong arms, limp as a rag doll and so very pail.

Quickly Ace turned to Kryton. "Run ahead of me and get the sick bay ready."

"Yes sir!" The mechanoid responded promptly, dashing off as fast as he could for the sick bay.

The hero followed along behind him being very carefully with the unconscious man, unsure why he was doing so Arnold trailed along quietly behind the two of them. . .

Soon the test pilot was in the sick bay very cautiously he lowered Dave onto the bed Kryton had prepared for him and moved back whilst the mechanoid did some tests. Krytons brow furrowed with confusion and Ace noticed. "What is it?"

"This is like no illness I have ever seen before sir, it's not attacking his body it is like it's going after his emotions."

Ace sat down beside Dave with shock. "I know what illness that is." He said very softly.

"You do sir?" The droid asked.

"Yes, in my reality we call it Emovirus. Years ago a mad scientist created a virus based on the idea that the best way to kill some one was emotionally, so basically this illness devours peoples every emotion killing them very slowly."

Kryton gasped and fixed his eyes on Dave. "Is there no way to stop it?"

"Yes, it can be stopped. The Dave in my reality had the virus and survived, but that was only because we all helped him."

Intrigued Kryton spoke. "How did you all help him?"

"The virus has to be killed, the only way to do that is to give that person hope and love. I'll need to adjust your scanners so we can see what emotion it will go after first, but my guess would be the heart ones"

"The heart ones sir?"

"Sorry a term used in my reality, the virus always tried to destroy love and hope first, they are stored in the heart. Once those emotions weakens the rest is easy for it to devour." The hero got up he adjusted some of the screens, they flickered for a moment and then Kryton and Arnold could see before them Dave's heart with a shinning barrier round it and something dark attacking it for all sides. "I'm surprised Davie-boy held up against it this long. Be warned this will get worse before it gets better, it will hurt him a lot and I hate to say it but Davie-boy could die. Now I'll show you what to do. "

This said Ace quietly sat back down next to Dave and took one hand in his. "Davie-boy, you can't give up, you have to fight it man!" He said strongly to the technician.

The barrier on the screen seemed to actually glow brighter and the thing attacking it retreated for a moment. Quietly Ace looked up at the other two and then spoke softly. "See what I mean?"

"Yes sir I see." Kryton answered.

"So he needs hope . . . and love." Arnold whispered.

"Yes he does, which may be a problem, as his lady isn't in this reality." The hero said with a sigh. "We shall just have to pray that we can be enough for him."

"Oh please! Save that idiotic excuse for a human! Why bother?!" Rimmer said forcefully.

Ace stared at him with shock, then he quickly turn to Dave as he arched up off the bed crying out in pain, the black thing inside getting larger and stronger off of those negative words. Quickly the hero stood and grabbed the Liverpudlians shoulders in his strong hands. "Dave no, don't listen to him, you know he's an idiot. Dave come on don't let it get to you!"

Kryton stood on the other side. "Please Mr David sir!"

Suddenly Dave went very still and limp in the hero's grasp, gently Ace settled him back down, then turned to Arnold and glared angrily at the Hologram. "How could you, after all I had said! You spineless moron, if you can't say anything positive then get out!" The hero quickly chased his other self from the room and then quietly went back to Dave's side.

Slowly the hero sat back down next to him and held one of the mechanics hands again. "I apologise for that cretin Davie-boy, he doesn't mean what he says to you, I'm afraid he just doesn't know what else to say."

Slowly Ace reached out with the other hand he gently stroked the side of Dave's face. "Come on you can beat it, I know you can. I have faith in you Dave."

Over the next few days both the Cat and Kryton took turns sitting with Dave, Rimmer as advised by his other self staid away from sick bay. Ace though was another matter he hardly ever left the sick man's side and was always near by should the other man take a turn for the worse.

This morning Ace was sitting in the mess quietly eating brakefast, when Rimmer came in, the hologram saw his other self and winced but determined not to be forced out of the mess by the hero he hated sat down near to his other self and looked across at him.

Noticing another presence for the first time quietly Ace looked back at Rimmer, the hologram was shocked to see the state he was in, the hero was pail and drawn, big bags under his eyes. "Are you all right?" He couldn't help but ask the test pilot softly.

"No not really, but Dave needs me I can't rest until he is better."

"But you look so tired and so worn out."

"Believe me I am both of those things right now. However being a hero is about giving all you have and I can't just leave poor Dave like that." He explained to the other man softly.

"Is it that bad?" Rimmer asked him quietly.

Ace let out a deep sigh. "Yes, it's getting worse, it always dose before it ether gets better or they die. The shield round Dave's heart is just about holding but, he needs more love, more hope. The little blighter is getting more desperate to get at that love and hope in his heart. The love Davie-boy has is bloody strong I can say that much for it, I'd love to know if It dose belong to who I thought it did or if it actually belongs to some some one else." Ace looked at strait at Arnold as he said this.

The hologram looked back at him with a clueless expression on his face and the hero sighed again. "Never mind."

They were interrupted by Cat dashing in. "Hey dude you better come quickly, the Apes having another attack!"

Ace went to stand when he felt a hand firmly gripping his wrist, slowly the hero turned to look at Arnold, who holding his wrist spoke to him quietly. "Your wiped out, I'll go to him."

"But. . ." The test pilot went to protest.

Quickly Arnold cut him off. "Don't argue. Go and get some rest, take full advantage of me having found a tiny little bit of back bone for once in my life."

Quickly the hard light hologram exited the room going after Cat to the sick bay were Dave still was. Ace sat back down in the chair and a small smile lifted the corner of his mouth, maybe finally Arnold was going to realise what he really felt for Dave, the hero honestly hoped that the moron would.