"Sir, this is stupid…" Reed found himself cut off mid-sentence by Archer "Look Reed, until you get a better plan this is the one we're goin with. Okay?" Reed released a long sigh "But I've never even read Shakespeare." He muttered. Archer waved him silent. "Quiet! Here he comes!"

Archer paused,

"Wait a minute, If your English how come you've never read Shakespeare?" Reed just rolled his eyes "Oh and I suppose that just because you're American you spent your days playing baseball and eating apple pie."

Archer shrugged "Well, yeah."

************************************

Tucker had just planned on sneaking into the Mess Hall to grab a quick bite, but his curiosity got the best of him. It would have been hard not to notice them. Reed and Archer, that is.

The two of them just sitting there at the back of the room hunched over and whispering. Then, when he came in the room, they moved even closer. It was almost as if they didn't want him to hear in what they were saying. Trip saw red.

How dare they!

People were always talking about him behind his back. Especially when that Goddamn bitch, T'Pol, was in the room, talking about how inferior he was.

Yeah, well, if what they were saying was interesting enough to be said then it was also interesting enough to be heard.

He subtly pulled his chair a little closer until Archer's voice became clear enough to be heard.

"…poor T'Pol!" Tucker's ears perked up. Oh, so there was trouble in the bitch queen's emotionless paradise.

Tucker heard Reed take a deep breath and start talking. "I know sir. I feel really sorry for the girl. It's not like she asked to fall in love."

Tucker nearly choked on his food. T'Pol was in love with somebody? How was that even possible?

"And with Commander Tucker no less!"

Hearing that had the same effect as a bomb blast on Trip. T'Pol was in love with HIM? But she hated him! Those two had to be mistaken.

"So what did you say to her when she asked you about it?" Archer leaned into Reed, pressing him for details. Reed looked stoically at his Captain "The only kind thing I could." He said," I told her to forget all about any chance of a relationship with him." Archer just nodded "I agree. There is no way that guy would be able feel anything for her."

How could Jon say that about him? He was supposed to be his friend. He was supposed to understand him better then anyone. Tucker felt terrible about what he'd said to T'Pol. He'd been so mean to her and all this time she was in love with him. It wasn't fair. He should go see her, at least to apologize. There was no reason some poor woman should suffer just because he was an ignorant fool.

If he had known about how she felt then he would have been a lot nicer. Hell, he probably would have asked her out.

As a friend.

Well, maybe not. It wasn't like he hadn't noticed how attractive she was. How gorgeous she looked.

It really wasn't fair.