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Chapter 7

That night Jon's door chime rang.

He stood and opened the door. He found a very tense Hoshi standing outside. "Come in." He watched her pass, feeling suddenly uneasy being alone with her.

She walked past him into the room and sat down on the bed.

"Everything OK?"

"No, I just heard about Travis."

Jon walked over and sat down, wrapping an arm around her.

Opening her eyes, she watched him warily. "I didn't know where else to go."

"You can always come to me, Hoshi." He pulled her against his side, resting her head on his shoulder.

Hoshi pushed away and stood, beginning to pace as he had.

"I hate this. I am scared to be alone, yet I am scared to be with anyone else." She stopped pacing and turned back to Jon. "Except you. Something tells me I don't have to be afraid of you."

Jon walked over, grabbing her shoulders. "I need you to promise me something."

Hoshi nodded.

"I need you to stay near me. I don't want you out of my sight." Jon's hold on her tightened.

"What? Why?" Hoshi asked.

"I don't know. I just need to know that you are safe. This disease has affected us all. I don't trust anyone with your safety but me. OK?"

"Jon, what is happening?"

Jon pulled her in tight for a hug.

"Go get your stuff. Whatever you need for tonight. You are staying here tonight. Like I said you are not leaving my sight."

Hoshi jerked back in indignation. "I don't need a babysitter. I can take care of myself."

She turned to leave but Jon's hand slammed on the lock. She wheeled around in surprise.

"Don't test me tonight." His eyes were darker than she had ever seen them.

Then suddenly his shoulders slumped. "Please, Hoshi. This one favor."

Hoshi nodded her consent guardedly and started to walk out the door.

"Hold on. I'll walk you."

"What? You're kidding, right?" She asked.

Jon ignored her and pressed the door for the lift.

"So, you normally sleep with as many teddy bears as I saw this morning?"

Hoshi ignored the Captain and tried to think of way out of the situation.

The lift arrived carrying them to her deck and she opened the door, stepping inside. She gathered up a small bag of necessities and turned to leave locking the door behind her. Jon reached for her bag but she smacked his hand away hanging it on the opposite side of her body. When they arrived back at his quarters she tossed the bag down and spat, "I am going for a walk, alone." She stomped out.

"Ok. You've got ten minutes. Then I come and get you." He turned and walked into the bathroom.

***

Trip rang Malcolm's door chime with a sick feeling in his stomach. When the door opened, he found a tormented Malcolm.

"Yes?" He asked. His hair was messy and his clothes wrinkled.

"Can I come in for a minute? I really need to talk about…ya know…" He stood there shifting from foot to foot uncomfortably.

Malcolm stepped aside, letting him in. Trip walked over sitting down in a chair. There was an open bottle of Guinness with several more empty ones near it.

"Ya got another one of those?" Trip asked.

Silently Malcolm went to his cabinet, opening one and handing it to Trip.

"You drink these warm?" Trip asked incredulously.

Malcolm sighed and sat down on the bed.

"What did you want to talk about, Commander?" He asked.

"What happened with Travis and Sanchez. I can't stand what we did, Malcolm." Trip took a swig of the warm drink, wincing.

"It was in self defense, sir. If Travis hadn't challenged us to that ridiculous match, we wouldn't have let it go as far as we did. And when they went crazy swinging those metal pipes at us, I lost control."

"How are yer ribs?" Trip asked.

"They've been better. I would have liked to have Phlox look at them but…"

"Yeah, I know. I'm scared out of my wits to tell em' though. God, I can't think straight. One minute I'm throwin' my mashed potatoes at T'Pol, the next I'm in a fight with Crewman Sanchez. Then I'm scared shitless, running around hiding from my problems."

Malcolm sat quietly watching Trip. "You threw your mashed potatoes at T"Pol?"