3
Crew Quarters, B Deck, 0136 hours, October 13 2152
Once Phlox agreed to release Reed from Sickbay Jean and Trip took him straight to his quarters, glad that they didn't need to walk past the Armory to get there. He mumbled something about needing to fix the aft cannon, but since he was in the limbo that comes after drunkenness and before a hangover, it wasn't too hard for them to talk him out of it. By the time they were at his door Reed was asleep on his feet. Once inside, he automatically headed for a chair. His friends saw that he had trouble untying his boots and they offered to help him out of his borrowed clothes. Still half-asleep and somewhat drunk, he wasn't inclined to argue, even when they helped him into bed.
Soon after he lay down, Reed was sound asleep. He mumbled something quietly, pressing his face into the pillow and then yawning softly. One of his hands reached out from under the sheets and groped around briefly, clumsily trying to pull the covers up over his shoulder.
Jean smiled at him fondly and shook her head, moving in to adjust the blankets so he'd be more comfortable. She drew them up to his chin gently so as not to wake him and then lingered by his bed for a bit. After a minute's thought she stepped over to his locker and took out a spare blanket, which she then unfolded part way and spread at the foot of his bed.
Trip had stood back from the bed to watch Jean fussing with the blankets. After a minute or so she stepped back too, smiling thoughtfully as she looked at the sleeping man.
He really is wonderful. Facing his deepest, darkest fear to save a crewmate. I don't think he even hesitated before jumping in. But the last couple times he's gone swimming he had nightmares afterwards, so . . . .
She nudged Trip, speaking quietly to avoid waking Reed. "One of us should stay with him. He'll probably be disoriented when he wakes up, not to mention hung-over."
He bobbed his head once and then started pushing her towards the door, whispering firmly. "I'll stay. You've gotta get some sleep after sittin' up with him in Sickbay."
She wanted to argue, to say that she'd been dozing most of the time she'd sat by Reed's bed, but a yawn stopped her so she just nodded. "Alright. What time is it?"
Trip looked around for the clock. "S' almost two in the mornin'. I'll stay with 'im for a while but I'm gonna need some shuteye too."
"I'll come back at 0800 to relieve you. Oh, here," she went across the room and grabbed one of the chairs, being careful to pull it over the deck quietly. "I've spent enough time in here to know, this is the comfiest chair in the room." She put the chair near the head of the bed and gestured for Trip to sit down in it.
He did, and when he leaned back a surprised smile spread across his face. "Wow. Now this is an easy chair. Why'd he get one in his quarters an' I didn't?"
She rolled her eyes and stepped so that she was nose-to-nose with the engineer, raising her eyebrows as she spoke. "Between you and Malcolm, who do you think needs more help trying to relax? It's not exactly something that comes naturally to him. Anyway, I've gotta get to bed before I fall over. 'Gnight."
"Hey" he whispered at her back. "You forgot to call me 'sir'."
She was about to open the door and step into the corridor but stopped with her hand in midair, and when she turned there was a strange look on her face. "Goodnight, sir, and kiss my ass." To complete the effect she grinned and blew him a kiss before disappearing through the doorway.