Disclaimer : Star Trek is owned by Paramount. Please do not sue!!
Hoshi pushed the keypad, entering her security code. The door swung open and she walked in, setting the groceries down on the counter. She pushed the code back in once the door closed behind her.
INVALID CODE
She pushed the digits in again.
INVALID CODE
Dammit, dammit, dammit.
Hurriedly, she tried to remember if Malcolm mentioned changing it again.
Screaming alarms began to go off. Their Doberman Pinchers, James and Joyce, came running, teeth bared and barking. When they recognized Hoshi, they scampered out of the room.
Hoshi covered her sensitive ears, running toward the back of the house. The alarms stopped screaming and Malcolm walked out.
"Did you forget the code?" he asked, picking up groceries.
"Did you change it again?" She rubbed at her temples.
"I told you I would this morning, darling. I mentioned it before we went on our morning run." He smiled and headed back to the kitchen.
Hoshi frowned, following him, and said "How many times do I have to tell you not to tell me things at 5 am? I can't even remember my own name at that time."
Malcolm chuckled and said, "Reeds are morning people. You'll learn to adjust."
Hoshi stuck her tongue out at his back. I'll adjust you. Yeah—good one, Hoshi.
The phone set began to beep. Hoshi started to reach out and answer it, but stopped when she recognized where the call was coming from. Suddenly the picture popped on and Malcolm's mother appeared.
"Good afternoon, Hoshi. Is my son available?"
Hoshi started to point to Malcolm but realized that he was nowhere in sight. I hate it when he does that.
"No, Mrs. Reed, he stepped out a minute ago. Is there anything you want me to tell him?" Hoshi smiled, attempting to keep her temper in check.
Two hours later, Hoshi hung up the phone.
She stormed through the house yelling Malcolm's name.
He was sitting on the sofa, face buried in a newspaper, James and Joyce at his feet.
"Why do you do that?"
Silence.
"Malcolm?"
"Malcolm?"
"Malcolm!"
"Oh, Hoshi. Have a nice chat with Mother?"
Hoshi frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. "Do you remember when we talked about what happens when your mother calls?"
"Of course." He smiled and went back to his newspaper.
Hoshi walked over, pushing the paper down so she could talk to his face.
"What did we decide?" she asked.
"That every time she calls, you should answer the phone and rescue your adoring husband?" He grinned.
Hoshi picked up the couch cushion and swatted him with it.
"No, we decided that occasionally you should talk to your mother. Remember?" She swatted him with the pillow again.
He laughed and blew her a kiss. "Alright, but when Father calls, you're on your own, madam."
****
The door chime rang.
Hoshi pushed the code and was pleased to see it accepted. Opening the door, she found Malcolm's boss at Starfleet Academy, Professor Quinn.
"Good evening, Mrs. Reed."
"Umm, good evening. But my name isn't actually Reed. I kept my last name…."
He swept past her into the house.
Malcolm came down the stairs. "Good evening, Professor. What can I do for you?"
"Oh nothing, I came to see how you were. I heard that Cadet Newman shot you and was…"
Malcolm's eyes widened and he shook his head vehemently.
Hoshi stared at Malcolm "You got shot, AGAIN? How is it possible you're still alive?"
"It was just an accident, Mrs. Reed." Quinn said.
"SATO! My name is SATO."
She turned her attention back to Malcolm.
"Do you ask people to shoot you? Maybe wear a big target on your back? How about for Christmas I just shoot you instead of giving you a present? Maybe I could do it enough that you could reach that quota of being shot you work so hard to achieve earlier in the year," she fumed.
Malcolm said, "Hoshi, we have company."
Hoshi said, "Is that why you were limping last week?"
Quinn began to sneak past her to the door. He reached out and opened it.
INTRUDER
INTRUDER
The alarms began to shriek as well.
At that moment, three people stepped through the door—Malcolm's sister, her husband, and Malcolm's father.
"What the bloody hell is that noise?" his father yelled.
Hoshi looked to Malcolm to shut it off, only to find him gone.
"Malcolm Reed!" she yelled.
Joyce and James ran into the room growling…
Hoshi's eyes opened. She could still hear growling. What the hell is that noise? She looked at the men in the room.
Obviously asleep, Malcolm was wrestling with his pillow and growling. The pillow swiftly overtook him, and they rolled off the bed, slamming into the floor.
Malcolm sat up and looked at Hoshi.
He blinked.
Hoshi mumbled a curse and rolled back over closing her eyes again.